I really don't want to spoil Bobby and Elise by posting this the same day they gave it to me, but I can't keep this video under wraps because it's just too good to keep from you, darling readers! You know how I often tell you to just click the video on and then go to another page and just listen to the song? DON'T DO THAT NOW. You have to see this one, ok? Love of Everything is a duo out of Chicago that's played with bands like No Age, Dutchess and the Duke, Chain and the [...]
Do these music melanges give you whiplash? I guess they're a mix of everything I like and my taste runs pretty wide. Sorry if it seems all over the place! Bombadil is a favorite band of mine, their album Tarpits and Canyonlands was on my list of best ofs for 2009 and I still listen to it often. Here's a brand new video of Scott Avett of the Avett Bros doing a song from that album, "Marriage." .... buy Bombadil's album here [...]
Jarrod Gorbel was a true delight to hear last night. I could tell you all about the many songs he sang, how his voice was amazing, and heartfelt, and full of the kind of poignancy that made you forget you were standing in a crowd, watching him and made you probably make that face you make when you listen to something beautiful at home all alone. I could go on about how charming he was, the funny things he said, the way he interacted with the crowd, the stories he told while he tuned his guitar. I could even [...]
Lover In Hiding mp3 Lover In Hiding My Pet Dragon ... buy it My Pet Dragon comes to us from Brooklyn by way of Upstate NY and Mumbai. This duo has melded modern indie pop music and Indian influences into an oh so smooth sound. Their maxi single Lover In Hiding features six tracks, four versions of "Lover In Hiding" and two other great songs, "Between Us" and "New Nation." I can't help but think of 80s dance tunes when I hear "Between Us," not the cheesy ones, [...]
The Salesman (Tramp Life) mp3 (Daytrotter Session) Percussion Gun .... buy it! and do go over and check out that Daytrotter session, you can download lots more from them for free! Collector mp3 Pigeons Here We Go Magic ..... due June 8 Two great bands are coming to town this Sunday and for once I've got a post going in advance to let you know about it. Oh yes, this tart has her shit together, [...]
Long Monday mp3 John Prine In Person & On Stage ..... pre-order here John Prine releases "Long Monday" in anticipation of his new album, In Person & On Stage which is due out May 25th. Well, darlings, this is wonderful news! I've been a fan of John Prine for my whole life, that's as long as this man has been performing. If you scoot on over to his label, Oh Boy Records , you'll find a place to give him your email addy in return for another [...]
Ghost and The Witness mp3 Suspicious Package Earl Greyhound .... buy it Everything Else Is Illusion mp3 Black Ribbons Shooter Jennings .... buy it ©Jeremy & Claire Weiss Photography/Day19. Have you ever seen handbells at a rock concert? Seriously, I go to about 325 shows a year and I've NEVER seen a band haul out a table of handbells and sing a cappella. OK Go did it for "What To Do." It [...]
Give Me Something (Junior Boys Remix) mp3 Yoko Ono Give Me Something (click on that album title to buy it in itunes, darlings) A hero of mine for over 30 years now, Yoko Ono is still topping the charts, now with dance tunes (!) under an indie label! This remix by Junior Boys features a song from the Double Fantasy album that she and John released in 1980. Hear it, and listen to the original below; let me know what you think. This was a post-punk, avant garde [...]
When I saw the press release for this album I knew I wanted it. I knew I'd do just about anything to have it. It's not just my obsession with the Pixies, not just my near crazed devotion to Mr. Black and his natural sex-appeal musical genius. No, that press release was written in such a stream-of-consciousness way that really, honestly just called out to me. I wanted it. I needed it. I knew it. And I'm rarely wrong on such things. You know the rest. Of course I wasn't wrong. Non Stop [...]
Into The Great Wide Yonder will be released June 7th, I'll let you know my thoughts on it as soon as I can. From this single, I can tell you already that I love it. Smooth, sexy, and beautiful, Trentemoller gives us electronica that I can very much sink my teeth into. This video features Diana Wagner and the well-known NY-drag performer Princess Diandra, in the lead role. Fascinating, yes!?!
Kiss Is On My List mp3 Koot Hoomi The Dark Side of Hall and Oates .... buy it! Maneater.mp3 Ok, I resisted this and for NO GOOD REASON. I love cover songs. This is a tribute album that is made by true fans of Hall and Oates. I love Hall and Oates. And I'm old enough to be a true Hall and Oates fan from the start of their career. Why didn't I post on this sooner? Here's the [...]
Side Streets In London mp3 Something Obscure Derek Nelson and the Musicians .... download it free Derek Nelson sings folk music in the vein of one of our other favorite Chicago folkies, Joe Pug. But there's no confusing the two, mind ya. Where Joe has that characteristic voice, Derek has a more mainstream swagger, backed by a wonderful, rockin band. I admit I love them both for what they offer. I happened to catch this young man a few weeks ago at [...]
Blistered Magnolia [Radio Edit] mp3 Evening Chorus.... look for this to be available on their bandcamp site No Wreath, No Crown mp3 Over there in Cardiff, home to all things drunken and disorderly... (oh wait, that's maybe just DC, ... I shouldn't characterize these lovely children in Evening Chorus as such, now should I?) well, over in that fair town there has been some serious mucking around in a certain house, with some recording equipment. And what has resulted has been this little tidbit! It's a lovely little [...]
Crank Resolutions mp3 (I'm not certain this is the same version as on the soon-to-be-released album) All Creatures Will Make Merry Meursault ..... pre-order here! Shame on me! One of my favorite groups, Meursault , has been up to some really good music lately and I've not shared it with you, darlings. This must be remedied. So here, for now, go see what Off The Beaten Tracks has got on it's lovely website. You won't be sorry, it's some gorgeous video footage of some new songs. Their [...]
Fanfarlo College Radio Sessions EP by Atlantic Records UK Fanfarlo's a band that's been on my radar since June of last year when they announced the digital download sale of their record for only $1. I've watched them assemble physical copies of Reservoir in their living room back in May . I kept up as they toured and Cathy fell to Swine flu! In September they signed to a major label and a few months later they came to Chicago (their first [...]
Darlings, just a quickie to remind you to come see the wonderful Fanfarlo tonight at Lincoln Hall! (There's still a few tickets left, not many!) I'm listening to their College Radio Sessions EP right now (which you can download for FREE on their MySpace page) and it is lovely. I've been told I'll have a chance to chat with the band tonight, so if you've got some questions, tweet me!! You'll notice, they've got a nice long tour here, ending up at Bonnaroo. This band has been on tour [...]
Violet Eyes mp3 My Gold Mask A Thousand Voices EP (click on that EP title to buy it!) My Gold Mask are so hot right now that we just can't keep this duo here in town! They've got gigs all over the place, and right this second are being beckoned to NYC, to play a special party hosted by Crush at the Cameo Gallery . They're definitely going, mind you. It'd be nice if they didn't have [...]
I wrote all this up on Monday, so just hush and let me have my alliteration, ok?! Now buckle in and get ready for some new stuff, I tried to hit you hard and then ease up as we go along. The Choke have hit me up via email a few times and I've loved their song, "Tuff Kids" so it's high time I give it to ya! They have toured with the Buzzcocks, (who are coming to Chicago on May 23!) and well, that's just more than good enough for me. [...]
Relieve mp3 Relive Paul Haig .... buy it! Paul Haig , former singer of Josef K, and current songwriter/singer of wonderful music all his own, has been a blogger's best friend. Last year when Blogger (the company) and google went berserk and began deleting people's posts and making a general bully of themselves, Paul got involved. He got involved because the dear Vinyl Villain posted a track of his around this time and it was snatched down, supposedly due to copyright infringement. [...]
Solid Ground mp3 perch patchwork Maps & Atlases .... sign up here for pre-order info! Photo credit: Ashley Sheehan Chicago, I guess we can't cry foul when our very own Maps & Atlases leave us to travel the country promoting their first LP on a major indie label, now can we? It's not like they've ever stayed put for very long! This band has been on the road for ages and it has paid off. If you've ever [...]
Love Shack, Baby
Azealia Banks - '1991' [Listen]
Metric Debuts Album via Synthetica Hide+Seek, Tickets On Sale Now For Fall Tour
THE MASTERSONS — BIRDS FLY SOUTH
