Something For The Ladies

Heartland Final Fantasy Lewis Takes Action On November...

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:53:00 -0600

Heartland
Final Fantasy

Lewis Takes Action
On November 19th, I got the privilege to see Owen Pallett perform live on stage. I was captivated by his sweet demeanor and abundant talent. He had always been a musical obsession of mine, so seeing him standing only a few yards away from me was a dream come true. Heartland, his latest release under the moniker Final Fantasy, will be released in January of 2010. Words fail to describe how psyched I am.

Outside The Box Marcus Schössow Beast No matter how...

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 16:27:48 -0600

Outside The Box
Marcus Schössow

Beast
No matter how long it’s been or how good you are at it, sometimes you just need to dance. It’s the rhythm, it’s the beat, it’s human nature. Move around, throw up your arms, it doesn’t matter, let the beat take over, become a slave voluntarily, there’s no better feeling than losing control.

(no album) Almost Handsome Long Weekend Lately, it seems,...

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 18:43:00 -0600

(no album)
Almost Handsome

Long Weekend
Lately, it seems, a lot of new bands sacrifice lyrics for composition and it’s started to bother me. Luckily Almost Handsome out of the heart of Texas seems to go against the grain and just better their composition to keep the meaning they want in their songs. Long Weekend provides a wonderful listen along with the catchy-tune you’ll find yourself singing days later in a way that simply works.

The Book About My Idle Plot on a Vague Anxiety Toe All I...

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 12:33:00 -0600

The Book About My Idle Plot on a Vague Anxiety
Toe

All I Understand Is That I Don’t Understand
On the days you realize things can become simpler the more complex they get you step outside and take a breath of the air after a good rain. On days like this you feel like you have complete understanding of the world around you, but you don’t feel like doing anything other than relishing that notion.

Fall Be Kind Animal Collective What Would I Want? Sky ...

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 12:18:51 -0600

Fall Be Kind
Animal Collective

What Would I Want? Sky
2009 has been a phenominal year for Animal Collective. They released an album everyone and their mother went nuts for. Merriweather Post Pavilion’s hype made it seem like the Pet Sounds of my generation. The EP Fall Be Kind was released recently. The band seems to be going in a dreamier direction with this follow-up.

s/t Real Estate Fake Blues Whether it’s been days...

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 14:55:23 -0600

s/t
Real Estate

Fake Blues
Whether it’s been days or minutes since you last tasted the fresh air of the outdoors, returning to that naturally conjured scent is always something euphoric, isn’t it? Regardless of the weather, breathing the outdoor oxygen awaiting those willing to accept it beckons forth an uncanny sense of existence. It reminds us what it feels like to be alive, and helps us recall how good that feeling is.

Magic Chairs Efterklang Modern Drift Efterklang’s...

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:47:00 -0600

Magic Chairs
Efterklang

Modern Drift
Efterklang’s just your friendly neighborhood artsy-fartsy rock group that hails from Denmark. Wikipedia tells me that etymology of the name comes from the Danish word for “remembrance” or “reverbation.” How appropriate. Please enjoy this rather whimsical opening track from their upcoming album, Magic Chairs. Trust me; you won’t regret it.

Teen Dream Beach House Norway Ever been to Norway? I...

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:08:44 -0600

Teen Dream
Beach House

Norway
Ever been to Norway? I know I haven’t. Can someone please tell me how it’s like there? It must be a beautiful, breath-taking place if Beach House is going to name such a dreamy song after it. Yes, you heard me. A band by the name of Beach House put out a single named after a notoriously cold country. It may not make much sense, but who cares? Anyway, the new album drops early 2010.

The Shepard’s Dog Iron and Wine Boy With A Coin As a...

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:38:00 -0600

The Shepard’s Dog
Iron and Wine

Boy With A Coin
As a way to punctuate this post, I would like to share this song with you. Mostly because I like how it sounds. I feel like a lot of today’s music has lost the kind of connection that can happen between an artist and a listener. I get shivers every time I hear this song and I hope you do too.

BiRd-BrAiNs tUnE-yArDs Sunlight With a name as...

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:32:00 -0600

BiRd-BrAiNs
tUnE-yArDs

Sunlight
With a name as ridiculous as tUnE-yArDs, one would rightfully assume that such a band is full of angsty thirteen year-old girls with little to no talent, and in any other instance, they’d be right. However, Merrill Garbus’ so-named solo project gives an actual purpose to the otherwise overplayed bullshit of “lo-fi” as a medium, and successfully transforms what’s usually just a gimmick used to distract from gross lack of talent into something truly artistic and contributive to her own explorations in folk music.

Time (Single) O’Spada Time (Montauk Remix) Sweden...

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 17:27:00 -0600

Time (Single)
O’Spada

Time (Montauk Remix)
Sweden is such a cool place, and I’m not just saying that because it’s an incredibly lame pun. Their artists have a unique brand of creativity that often takes the dated sound of the past and the strange directions of the present and smashes them together like ~~peanut butter~~ Nutella and ~~jelly~~ whatever goes great with Nutella. Take O’Spada, for instance, a dance musician who steals from the 80’s and flavors it all for our modern ears. (Taken from the mailbag. Thanks, James Penycate!)

Odd Blood Yeasayer Ambling Alp Oh, Yeasayer. You are such...

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:38:00 -0600

Odd Blood
Yeasayer

Ambling Alp
Oh, Yeasayer. You are such a silly group of experimental/psychedelic music producing dudes. What is that? You’ve decided to release a new album titled Odd Blood in February of 2010? That’s fine by me. “Ambling Alp” is available as a free track from the band’s website. It’s definitely got the distinctive Yeasayer vibe to it. Loads of effects, raw vocals, and lively percussion make this tune.

Riot / Drop Down Designer Drugs Riot Halloween has...

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:14:00 -0600

Riot / Drop Down
Designer Drugs

Riot
Halloween has already passed this year, but Designer Drugs, a hot act from New York, has managed to create a track that sounds like Halloween. Kiddies beware though; this isn’t the type of Halloween where you go trick-or-treating. Coupled with “Zombies”, “Riot” is the type of Halloween where brains get eaten and baaaaad things happen. Designer Drugs is on tour now; go see him. It’s sure to be a freaky experience, in a good way.

Embryonic The Flaming Lips See The Leaves I never cared...

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:29:29 -0600

Embryonic
The Flaming Lips

See The Leaves
I never cared for Yoshimi, and I did not support a war with Mystics. For me, The Flaming Lips was just one of those bands that I had to accept as “good,” but not my kind of good. You might feel similarly about Radiohead or Animal Collective, or maybe you like all three bands and have no friends. However, for whatever reason, I really really like this new album. It just pushes my buttons this time around. If you’ve suffered a similar resistance to the band, give them another chance and check out Embryonic.

Ellie Goulding Ellie Goulding Guns+Horses Ladies and...

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:22:00 -0600

Ellie Goulding
Ellie Goulding

Guns+Horses
Ladies and gentlemen, there’s a new pop princess in town. After a year of Little Boots and La Roux being hailed as wonderfully delightful female artists with a electronic twist, it’s time for something new. Ellie Goulding, produced by the delightful Starsmith, has been buzzed about ever since her superior-to-the-original cover of Sam Sparro’s “Black and Gold”. Here’s “Guns + Horses” which should be on her upcoming album out sometime soon.

The B. Reith EP B. Reith Go On I saw B. Reith live...

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 17:30:26 -0600

The B. Reith EP
B. Reith

Go On
I saw B. Reith live opening in my town and I got hooked. He manages to combine his pop singer voice with clean beats for a pretty dynamite combination. I talked to him after the show and he really is the same person on and off stage. His wit translates straight into his lyrics and normal conversation. Get his EP for free now at Amazon.

Welcome To The Night Sky Wintersleep Laser Beams ...

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:55:38 -0500

Welcome To The Night Sky
Wintersleep

Laser Beams
Recently I have been flipping through my massive collection of albums, a myriad of pieces both heavily beloved and barely played. For the latter group, it’s not necessarily their fault: the music industry is so obsessed with getting more and more fresh material to listen to, it’s a wonder how any record is listened to more than once nowadays. The result of this obsession is a graveyard of under-appreciated masterpieces. Do your ears a favor and forget the Pitchfork reviews tonight. It’s time to go dig up some graves.

Bye Bye Bayou (EP) LCD Soundsystem Bye Bye Bayou I...

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 11:43:54 -0500

Bye Bye Bayou (EP)
LCD Soundsystem

Bye Bye Bayou
I have an unhealthy relationship with the lyrics of James Murphy. I can shamelessly recite the words and declare the impetus of each and every single LCD Soundsystem track and effectively alienate anyone who couldn’t give a shit (basically everyone). I almost wept in joy when Murphy announced that he’s working on his new record, and again when I saw that his first release since the announcement was a cover of a track by one of his biggest influences, Alan Vega of Suicide.

Absence Paper Route Carousel I was walking around...

Sat, 10 Oct 2009 16:09:00 -0500

Absence
Paper Route

Carousel
I was walking around Nashville this fine fall break and happened upon a poster shop. I was digging through posters and saw a gig for a band called Paper Route. The poster was awesome so I looked ‘em up and discovered this pop-rock band with an entrancing sound. Their new CD, Absence was almost instantly bought. Enjoy as much as I do.

Contra Vampire Weekend Horchata When we have...

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 17:29:00 -0500

Contra
Vampire Weekend

Horchata
When we have everything in life, we sing about it. When we have nothing in life, we sing about it. As an essential facet of human culture, music comes in spite of the weather, or perhaps more accurately, due to the weather. Vampire Weekend has seen sunny skies after their small-scale pebble of a debut caused monsoons in the music industry. Next January, they try to replicate their success with differing emotional arrangements.