New Orleans native Ross Farbe has released a number of EPs and singles under the name Native America . Originally a drummer, Farbe taught himself to play the array of instruments (e.g. guitar; banjo; bass; random, throw-away keyboards and other sundry items) that weave his sonic tapestries. He takes significant pains to find favorable recording environments, including creative microphone placement and carrying his equipment to far, and sometimes proscribed, venues. The result is a vaguely mystic, undone sound, rich and spacious with natural reverb. We are featuring the single ‘Hey Day’, which is somewhat different [...]
This week's new stuff includes Black Lips, Hooray for Earth, The Rosebuds, Ryan Driver, Betty Black, and Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks: Black Lips – Modern Art [mp3] (from Arabia Mountain – out now) Hooray for Earth – No Love [mp3] (from True Loves – out now) The Rosebuds – [...]
There are love songs, and there are death songs, and if you've read the name of this band, you know what you're gonna find here. But it may be more than you expect. Singer/songwriter Quinn Erwin has spent the last twelve years working as a solo artist and given us two releases, the EP A New Day (2009) and the full length A Million Miles Away (2010). He works now out of Nashville, and his latest EP, Death , produced by Jeremy McCoy (of [...]
In this edition: Checking back with the Pained Palms, Meet The Alternates, this week's considerations, and some videos... Check back with: Painted Palms Last year, Painted Palms released their debut EP, Canopy , via Bandcamp as a free download. Canopy was a Friday Free Feature back in December, and we've tried to stay on top of where they're headed. Since that time, the San Francisco-based duo signed to Secretly Canadian who will be releasing a [...]
Swedish one-man band, The Fiery Piano , are this week’s free feature. Gustaf Montelius makes intricate nerd-pop that brings to mind pastoral strolls and quite nights at home alone in one’s bedroom. His music is mellow and understated, but holds together with endearing melodies, subtle euphony, and electronic details. His debut is a 4-track EP, called Sirens . Check out: Wild Animals [mp3] Download or stream Sirens EP
Nashville’s Heypenny are bringing amusement back. They list their influences as Wilco , Beatles , Coldplay , Radiohead , and Elliott Smith (quite a respectable list, no doubt, that is probably common among many of the bands I like), but I also hear the sway of 80s alternative, pop, and R&B in their gleeful tunes. I suspect they are in my age group (or near to it). Heypenny specialize in madcap, high energy alterna-pop, reminiscent of Dismemberment Plan or the better moments [...]
The very name Nevada City calls to mind high dry plains, rocks and scrub brush, and whether or not this is what it actually looks like, the mental image a is perfect backdrop for the music of Brett Shady . His new album, The Devil To Pay , was recorded here in his home town with producer Dana Gumbiner (Joanna Newsom, The Moore Brothers). Here are two choice tunes from the album for your perusal. Endearing and catchy, “God, Change the Laws of The World” is a embraceable waltz, almost anthemic in [...]
This week's new stuff includes Oax, Robert Pollard, Ocota Soul Sounds, Son Lux, and My Morning Jacket: Oax – Love and Crashing [mp3] from The Distance Robert Pollard – In a Circle [mp3] from Lord of the Birdcage Ocota Soul Sounds – Pirata [mp3] from Taurus (released 31 May 2011) [...]
UK synth pop band, Get People , are preparing to release the EP, Rain Tears on July 11 through Friends vs. Records . Featuring more chill and less hairspray, Rain Tears is a modern update to the 802s synth pop sound. Get People excels at creating subtle dance grooves marked by tribal rhythms and easy beats. The track, Away , is just a taste of what to expect. - Check out: Away [mp3] - [...]
In this edition : The Paper Scissors share their latest single, Meet NOWONDER, and the weekly considerations and videos as all three bloggers have something to share. The Paper Scissors to Release New Album, Share Latest Single Back in January , we featured the single Lung Sum from the Sydney-based band, The Paper Scissors . We're excited to share with you the single, Taller Than You Then . Propelled by a driving back beat and Jai [...]
Brooklynite Liam Carey performs under the name secondstar . His 2009 5-song EP Teeth is a profound, morose shroud of sparse, emotive music that rushes into forgotten parts of the soul, imbuing thoughts of the woeful, melancholic, and enigmatic and spurring reminiscence of childhood insecurities. The outstanding track ‘Ravens’ served as opener for my personal ‘best of’ 2009, And the Glitter is Gone . The latest effort from secondstar is called Feets . The 8 tracks on this record continue to explore the [...]
Sometimes the Friday Free Feature is a product of wanting to find something different than what exists in the old inbox. We love submissions, but the blog started with our desire to trek out into the interwebs for something new. Like nerdy versions of Leif Erikson or James T. Kirk (although we're not Trekkies or Trekkers or whatever those folks are called), we set out to explore new material and bring it back to our humble blog. Sometimes we venture into virgin territory, other times we discover something that's already received a little attention. So begins the story of this [...]
Hailing all space cadets, Dan Dares, and Major Toms! Do you need a soundtrack for your summer sci-fi reading, something to put you in the mood for Piers Anthony or A.C. Clarke? Or maybe you just want to get lost in a daydream and space out and ponder your own internal monologue? Well, then give this new mix tape from Rochester, New York's Joywave a go. It's a nicely-curated jumble of song bits from established artists re-imagined and re-integrated as new tunes, blending in the lengthy samples almost seamlessly with original material from the guys of [...]
Blogophilia refers to the series of mixes that were developed from promotional mp3s found on different music blogs. As we've grown, we've come to rely less on other blogs and more on what we're sent that we review or feature. We receive a lot of requests to repost old Blogophilia mixes, and have to kindly refuse because of space issues. Well, that's going to change. This summer, we'll feature 2-3 Blogophilia posts a week until we're current. If you've followed this site, you'll know we already maintain links [...]
"The New" this week features Fair Ohs, Golden Leaves, and Pillars & Tongues: Fair Ohs - Eden Rock [mp3], Summer Lake [mp3]from Everything Is Dancing (out July 26th) Golden Leaves - The Ornament [mp3] from The Ornament (out August 16th) Pillars & Tongues - The Making Graceful [mp3] from The Pass and Crossings (out June 28th) Teen Daze - Surface [mp3] from A Silent Planet (out August 9th) [...]
This Memorial Day post is from Apathos , a new contributing blogger from South Louisiana. From San Fran comes Framebreaker , the first full-length release from electro art pop act Return To Mono , a trio featuring Andy Sybilrud's analogue synth tones and beats, the guitar punctuations of J.G. Paulos, and the sexy, slinky reptile vocals of Tanya Kelleher. These club-friendlies have some serious crossover appeal. Warm, pulsing Moog glides through floor-thumping beats, fleshed out by buzzing and crawling synth textures and the [...]
It's an abbreviated edition today, as we're enjoying the long weekend. Enjoy Curxes and this week's considerations. On the Radar: Curxes Macaulay Hopwood and Roberta Fidora are Curxes (pronounced Curses). The duo is based out of Brighton (UK), and draw influence from the likes of Depeche Mode, Yazoo, and the Pet Shop Boys. The pair revive the synth wave genre well, and Fidora stands out as a vocalist. The two met while part of the band Holdfast, and are now [...]
- Craig Wedren , is set to release WAND , which will be an album and film. Since departing the 902s punk act, Shudder to Think , the former front man has released two solo albums and scored several films and television shows (e.g., Role Models, School of Rock, Reno 911, United States of Tara). In an interview with Spin , Wedren explains that WAND represents an inversion of the scoring process as the narrative images are built around music. You can watch the video for We Are on [...]
photo: Henrietta Butler Musician and poet Gil Scott-Heron passed last night. News of his death was all over Twitter last night, but news reports didn't come out until early this morning. The proclaimed "Godfather of Hip Hop" was known for his biting social commentary and black activism. His delivery was honest and sometimes painful to hear, because it hit exposed nerves in the social conscience. Scott-Heron's I'm New Here brought the spoken-word legend back from obscurity, and it appears he was back on a good path. [...]
The Dadada
[stream] Smith Westerns // 3AM Spiritual
The Dodos – “Confidence”
