1. Bird of Youth - "Bombs Away, She Is Here To Stay" (Fronted by the affecting Nico-like vocals of Beth Wawerna, their self-released debut album Defender , out now, was produced by Will Sheff of Okkervil River and recorded with a host of friends from The National, Nada Surf and The Wrens, among others. Pop-leaning indie rock with hints of Classic rock and New Wave.) http://myspace.com/birdofyouth music Download: http://www.zshare.net/audio/90 563202c99487f3/ [...]
Chicago trio Yourself and The Air create an organic blend of intricate dreamy indie rock with spacey atmospherics on their excellent fourth EP Who's Who In The Zoo , released today on their new label Lujo Records. Shimmering synths and guitars intertwine seamlessly on opener "Trampolines" before punchy processed pizzicato strings and sweeping melodies take over for a dreamy nostalgic trip. Standout track "Sick Days" features chiming glockenspiel and layers of memorable melodies covering every inch of space. The hazy "Bon Voyage" is driven by twinkling, trance-inducing keyboards and a pounding rhythm. Another standout, "Bicycles Plus" [...]
Memphis instrumental post-rock band Glorie is the new project of Jason Paxton, former frontman of The Satyrs, who formed the group after an eight-year hiatus from playing music. Jason is joined by members of label-mates and psych-pop purveyors Snowglobe and Jonathan Kirkscey, a cellist with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra who has performed live with Cat Power and Al Green. Their engaging, hypnotic melodies, swirling cello and chilled-out vibraphone set them apart from most instrumental bands. Their self-titled debut was released this week on Makeshift Music and also as a "pay what you want" download on [...]
1. Chad VanGaalen - "Sara" (The prolific songwriter, producer and illustrator's guitar-led fourth album, Diaper Island , out now on Sub Pop is filled with his quirky brand of off-kilter folk-pop for his most consistent album yet.) www.myspace.com/chadvangaalen Download: http://assets3.subpop.com/asse ts/audio/9101.mp3 Also check out the EP of album outtakes he released with all proceeds going to the relief work in Japan here: http://chadvangaalen.bandcamp. com/ [...]
Okkervil River returned last week with the release of I Am Very Far , their first album of new material since 2007. After contributing songs to the latest Norah Jones and The New Pornographers albums, and producing for the legendary Roky Erickson, frontman Will Sheff was inspired to write and produce this new album himself. Free of any album-wide concepts like the last two albums, I Am Very Far is a true showcase for Sheff's literary lyrics set to darker and moodier take on their brand of country-leaning indie rock. "The Valley" opens the album with discordant [...]
1. Joan Of Arc - "Love Life" (This stripped down version of JoA features frontman Tim Kinsella, Theo Katsaounis, Bobby Burg of Love Of Everything and Victor Villarreal from Cap'n Jazz and Owls. Recorded in only 5 days, just days after a 20 concert tour of Europe, Life Like , out now on Polyvinyl Records, is loose but heavy on complex rhythms and intertwining guitar lines, just they we like it.) http://www.joanfrc.com/ Download: http://www.polyvinylrecords.co m/drop/JOA-Love_Life.mp3 [...]
A lot of bands that are celebrating their 20th anniversary seem to try in vain to recapture their old glory but not so with Sloan. In fact, they have never lost it as they continue to churn out consistently great records while remaining true to their retro-informed power-pop sound. Out today on Yep Roc Records is The Double Cross , Sloan's new album and tenth of their long career. Album opener and first single, "Follow The Leader" bounces along with pumping organ before shifting gears with pounding piano that fades into the next [...]
World Gang is the ambient electronic project of Jeremiah Green of Modest Mouse and Darrin Wiener, a.k.a. Plastiq Phantom. They weave psychedelic synths and jungle rhythms together on their stunning new single, "Promise 1", which clocks in at nearly fifteen and a half minutes. Also on May 10th, they will release a new recording titled, Live at the ENDOFTHEWORLD 3/11 which includes four new tracks that were performed live at the End of the World, in Port Townsend, WA back in March. [...]
1. The Fling - "Wanderingfoot" (Nuanced and melodic folk pop with a scrappy, psychedelic bent from the Long Beach, CA-based band's new album When The Madhouses Appear , out now on Dangerbird Records.) http://www.thefling.us/ Download: http://dangerbird.s3.amazonaws .com/mp3/TheFling-Wanderingfoo t.mp3 2. Callers - "Ringer" (New digital single incorporates an early punk rock influence into their already eclectic art-rock sound. Their excellent and beautiful sophomore album Life Of Love was [...]
Fleet Foxes return with Helplessness Blues , one of the most highly anticipated albums of the year, out today on Sub Pop Records. With almost three years between releases, the band's unexpected fame brought about new opportunities, some self-doubt and recording trouble but the new album produced by Phil Ek (Built To Spill, Shins) shakes all of that off to reveal growth, new experimental instrumentation and even more trance-inducing vocal harmonies, that shines through all of the hype heaped upon it. Album opener "Montezuma" floats in on a cloud of dream-like harmonies that outweigh the introspective [...]
The Kickaways, a young Cincinnati-based garage-rock band have recently released their debut album America! America! as a free download on the rising net-label The Recording Label, owned and operated by members of the Cincy band Pop Empire. The unhinged, bursts of dissonance and youthful exuberance make their brand of straightforward sweat-drenched blues rock stand out among the rest, sounding more like a band from Detroit than southern Ohio. With America! America! , their ambitious self-proclaimed effort to bring a rock and roll revolution back to Cincinnati has commenced. It is now up to you whether [...]
Decoder is a post-hardcore super-group of sorts, made up of former members of Oceana, VersaEmerge and Of Machines. Their excellent self-titled debut was released earlier this year on Rise Records and was produced by Matt Malpass (Manchester Orchestra, Copeland). Guitarist Jack Burns, formerly of Oceana and drummer Brent Guistwite, ex-Of Machines, started the band because they wanted to create something different than their previous bands and after chosing Keith Jones also formerly of Oceana to provide the screamed vocals and Spencer Pearson formerly of VersaEmerge with the contrasting clean vocals and keyboards, they have succeeded. Their ambient prog-rock is laced [...]
1. The Orphan, The Poet - "Invincible" (The Dayton-based 4-piece indie rock band have a soaring, introspective and experimental sound like late-model Brand New and Thrice, their new EP Translating , produced by Kris Crummett (Emarosa, Tides of Man) will be out May 31st. Check out an exclusive download of their emotional first single here with its toppling drums and star-reaching chorus.) www.myspace.com/theorphanthepo et Download: http://www.zshare.net/audio/89 4649086de04d71/ [...]
Texas In July are set to release their Zeuss-produced sophomore album One Reality today on their new label Equal Vision Records. Not even out of high school a year, with an EP, a full-length, and numerous high profile tours under their belt, they are mature beyond their years. The Ephrata, PA-based 5-piece band takes their music and their message seriously. Their positive, Christian metalcore is melodic yet heavy to the core and straightforward, devoid of anything unnecessary like auto-tuned choruses and full of dueling guitars, crushing breakdowns, aggressive screaming and unconventional song structures. [...]
Boston-based indie country band VISIONS is the project of songwriter T.J. Petracca. They have taken to Bandcamp to release their ambitious debut album Re: VISIONS as a free or pay what you want download. Pedal steel, vintage organs and lush string-filled arrangements set the tone for T.J.'s raw, emotional lyrics about the struggles of life and love, all filtered through a pop sensibility. The album opens with "Salt Artifacts", featuring an anthemic chorus with swirling strings that will grab and hold your attention for the rest [...]
American Babies is the project from Philly musician Tom Hamilton who used to front the electro-rock band Brothers Past. Hamilton drops the electro flourishes of his past projects for the highly melodic Country-inspired roots rock on Flawed Logic , the new album produced by Bill Moriarty (Dr. Dog, Man Man) and first for new label Engine Room Recordings. The album opens with "Streets of Brooklyn", showcasing Tom's personal yet relatable lyrical storytelling, touching on everything from greed and Wall Street, to war and love. "Desperate Times" may be down in the dumps [...]
1. Title Tracks - "All Tricks" (Title Tracks is the project of John Davis formerly of Q And Not U and Georgie James. His second album In Blank , out now on The Ernest Jenning Record Co., again showcases his knack for a super-catchy power-pop hook filtered through the spirit of punk rock, but he has put together a band this time instead of playing every part himself and mixed the album in mono for an authentic sound. The album also features a great cover of the Flamin' Groovies song, "I Can't Hide.") http://titletracksdc.blogspot. com/ [...]
Record Store Day is tomorrow and if you don't know what that is, then you aren't very good at being a music fan! Black Bell Records was founded by Ayad Al Adhamy of Passion Pit and has released music from The Joy Formidable and DOM. In honor of the fourth annual Record Store Day, they are giving away an exclusive 12" label compilation on white or yellow vinyl including standout tracks by The Joy Formidable and DOM (featuring Madeline from Cults). Also an exclusive new track from Pretty & Nice, an awesome cover of "Why Do Fools Fall In Love" [...]
1. A Lull - "Weapons For War" (The propulsive first single from the Chicago quintet's sparkling debut Confetti out now on Mush Records (with vinyl on Lujo) features everything and the kitchen sink percussion and a mix of post-rock and electronica for songs that explode with color and life. Song of the year!) http://www.alull.com/ Download: http://www.lujorecords.com/med ia/01_WeaponsForWar.mp3 2. Low - "Especially Me" (Recorded in an old Church, their new album C'Mon sounds spacious yet full, reaching new [...]
The Vivian Girls return today with Share The Joy , their third album and first for new label Polyvinyl Records. In the two years since their sophomore album, the girls have been busy with various acclaimed side and solo projects, including All Saints Day, The Babies and La Sera; and that experience has translated into their best album yet. "The Other Girls" opens the album with a hail of noisy guitars before slowing down into a quieter groove with the telling refrain of "I don't wanna be like the other girls", and the six and a [...]
Atlas and the Anchor
iamamiwhoami: kin - Teaser
Album Review: alt-J – An Awesome Wave
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros: Here
Azealia Banks – ’1991′ & ‘Van Vouge’
