Mixtape Muse

SEE & HEAR: DyE - "Fantasy"

2012-01-29T11:08:00.001-05:00

Before we continue, this video is NSFW. Ok? Cool.

I saw this a few months back and knew it would be something I had to share with you all. Thanks to my recent fascination with and growing interest in film, I've begun to appreciate music videos more and more. It's not as though I didn't care for them before, but now I view them through a whole new lens. This anime video for Paris electronic artist DyE's single "Fantasy" starts off with a plot centered around a few teens breaking into a swimming pool to drink some beers and mess around. That sounds relatively trite, I suppose, but what makes this video so special is how it concludes. You never see it coming, and boy is it crazy.

Animated cartoons project a veil of innocent charm, which is why the revelation that they are anything but happy, safe, and innocent makes the art all the more captivating. It's this contrast of the visual and the tone that hooks us in, making plot twists feel especially unexpected and interesting. The case is no different here, as you'll see.

DyE - "Fantasy"

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LISTEN: Hectorina - "Lost Weekend Waltz" // "Jonah, King of the Space Program

2012-01-26T19:21:00.000-05:00

Googling the name "Hectorina" won't really tell you much about the name or its significance. Instead, you'll probably learn a lot about baby names. What's a Hectorina? Who's Hectorina? Well, this particular Hectorina is a 3-piece math/psych/surf/indie rock outfit out of Charlotte, NC, fronted by Dylan Gilbert (someone I've failed to write about for roughly 3 or 4 years, forgive me) with ex-members of Dylan Gilbert & The Over Easy Breakfast Machine and Linus Van Pelt. The band's been working on a rock opera, which, based on these two songs, sounds like quite an exciting curveball -- at least in regards to what one might qualify as a "rock opera." Check it.

If you're headed for disaster, you might as well have fun as you travel towards it. Peppered with instrumental breaks and refrains that possess a rather carnivalesque tone, "Lost Weekend Waltz" sounds like a rush of some nasty deja vu -- memories rushing back, reminding you of that crazy 3-day stretch you'd almost buried. With math rock agility, '50s garage rock charm, and surf rock momentum, it's adventurous in its own right and anything but predictable.

Lost Weekend Waltz by Hectorina

"Jonah, King of the Space Program" is over before you can microwave last night's leftovers, but you'd never notice with all of the action it manages to pack into its wily frame. When placed next to "Lost Weekend Waltz," it's a bit of a sonic departure, but no less exciting and zestful. With horns blaring and spacey echoes shooting throughout, Jonah's Space Program sounds like something fun, creative, and maybe even a little wacky, sort of like the feel of the original "Flash Gordon" from the 1930s. At its heart though, this song is a great cut of power pop-meets-garage rock.

Jonah, King Of The Space Program by Hectorina

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REVIEW: Nada Surf - The Stars Are Indifferent To Astronomy

2012-01-25T10:06:00.031-05:00

Nada Surf - The Stars Are Indifferent To Astronomy
MMM1/2

If there’s one thing ‘90s rock stalwarts Nada Surf have proved over the past 15 years since “Popular,” it’s that they are anything but a one-hit wonder band. A journey through their back catalog will provide one album after another of consistently strong power pop rock ‘n’ roll. When plenty of their ‘90s contemporaries have faded or lost their spark, Nada Surf only seem to get better as the years go by. On their seventh studio album, the case is no different as they tackle themes of youthful reminiscing, age, time, and the inevitably of what the future might bring.

The Stars Are Indifferent To Astronomy sees the band challenging themselves with a good measure of both key and tempo changes, as well as more aggressive guitar leads in the form of an increased number of guitar solos. It feels more natural and emotive in a production sense, marking a realization of the band’s intent to capture the essence of their live performances in a studio setting. It’s not as though guitarist/singer Matthew Caws, bassist Daniel Lorca, and drummer Ira Elliot have changed their style, but these 10 songs certainly give the impression of earnestness in both performance and purpose.

“Clear Eye Clouded Mind” is a fantastic opener, launching things off with a blast of distorted power chords and open chords along with a downpour of hi-hat hits; it all flies high to one of the band’s trademark uplifting choruses. “When I Was Young” continues down a similar path as that of Lucky’s “See These Bones”: a hushed, laid back beginning builds to a mighty, almost orchestral, conclusion. “Jules and Jim” is a shimmering, gently invigorating tune with an undercurrent of modulated synthesizer flowing beneath a bright, pleasant mix of acoustic strumming and electric riffing.

The slight Achilles' heel of The Stars Are Indifferent to Astronomy is its inability to really come together as a whole; it’s a nice collection of songs, but they don’t fully add up to a truly convincing whole. Some of the songs here, like “Clear Eye Clouded Mind” and “Looking Through,” are some of the band’s best, but not all of the 10 tracks match the strength of the standouts. Sometimes those aforementioned key changes/chord changes, feel less like twists and more like jumps working against smooth transitions, specifically on songs “The Moon Is Calling” and “Teenage Dreams.” Both aren’t poor songs by any means, but they conclude feeling stronger in pieces than they do as wholes.

Overall, The Stars Are Indifferent To Astronomy is another record from one of the few bands around that have yet to truly make any unfortunate missteps in their career. It’s an album that proves you don’t have to mellow with age – if you’ve got the energy, let it out. Nada Surf have always been about celebrating the intricacies and overlooked things in life, maintaining and promoting a sort of confident optimism that there’s something to cheer for in the end: losses can be celebrated just as much as victories and bad days can be celebrated just as much as the good days. It would have been exciting to see the band stepping outside their comfort zone here, but they're still at the top of their game, doing what they do best. The Stars Are Indifferent To Astronomy is a reassuring power pop rock ‘n’ roll record that drums up anticipation for the next chapter of Nada Surf’s one of a kind career, and it's the first great pop-tinged rock record of the year.

The Stars Are Indifferent To Astronomy came out yesterday here in the U.S. via Barsuk.

Nada Surf - "When I Was Young"

Charles Bradley Announces U.S. Tour, Offers to Sing to Your Special Someone

2012-01-24T09:33:00.000-05:00

Fresh off an amazing 2011 which saw the release of his debut album, No Time For Dreaming, soul legend Charles Bradley is gearing up for a new U.S. tour -- and he's bringing The Budos Band and Little Barrie with him. Bradley will also being doing a run of dates in Australia. No Time For Dreaming was incredibly well-received here at Mixtape Muse, and it towered over everything as my top album of 2011.

The "Screaming Eagle of Soul" is also running a special contest for Valentine's Day called "Valentine's Day...Gotta Make It Right!" You can enter for a chance to have Bradley call your loved one and sing his romantic ballad "Lovin' You, Baby." Details on how to enter here.

Scope all of the upcoming tour dates and catch live acoustic and electric performances of "Lovin' You, Baby" below.

Upcoming Tour Dates

Feb 03 Portsmouth, NH - The Music Hall #
Feb 04 Boston, MA - Brighton Music Hall #
Feb 09 South Burlington, VT - Higher Ground #
Feb 10 Montreal, QC - Corona Theatre #
Feb 11 Toronto, ON - Lee’s Palace #
Feb 12 Detroit, MI - The Magic Bag #
Feb 15 Madison, WI - High Noon Saloon #
Feb 16 Minneapolis, MN - Fine Line Music Cafe #
Feb 17 Milwaukee, WI - Turner Hall #
Feb 18 Chicago, IL - The Metro #
Feb 19 Bloomington, IN - Bluebird Theatre #
Feb 21 Louisville, KY - Headliners Music Hall #
Feb 22 Columbus, OH - Skully’s #
Feb 23 Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom #
Feb 24 Pittsburgh, PA - Rex Theatre #
Feb 25 Buffalo, NY - Town Ballroom #
Mar 09 Adelaide, AU - Adelaide Festival
Mar 10 Melbourne, AU - The HiFi
Mar 11 Victoria, AU - Golden Plains Festival
Mar 12 Brisbane, AU - Powerhouse
Mar 14 Perth, AU - The Bakery
Mar 16 Sydney, AU - Factory Theatre
Mar 17 Victoria, AU - Mossvale Festival
Mar 18 Melbourne, AU - Corner Hotel
Apr 05 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club +
Apr 06 Charlottesville, VA - Jefferson Theater +
Apr 07 Virginia Beach, VA - The Jewish Mother +
Apr 09 Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle +
Apr 10 Asheville, NC - The Orange Peel +
Apr 11 Charleston, SC - The Pour House +
Apr 12 Athens, GA - Georgia Theatre +
Apr 14 Ft. Lauderdale, FL - Revolution +
Apr 15 St. Petersburg, Fl - Tampa Bay Blues Festival
Apr 17 New Orleans, LA - Tipitina’s
Apr 18 Nashville, TN - Exit/IN
Apr 19 Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade
Apr 20 Birmingham, AL - WorkPlay Theatre

# with Little Barrie
+ with The Budos Band

Charles Bradley - "Heartaches and Pain"

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REVIEW: Cass McCombs @ Ottobar, Baltimore, MD, 1/21/12

2012-01-23T15:19:00.000-05:00

Photo by Quinn S.

On Saturday, Cass McCombs performed at The Ottobar here in Baltimore to an almost packed house. The lights were off before McCombs and his four-piece backing band stepped onstage, and they never once came up during the nearly hour and a half set. The only thing illuminating the room was the 10 panel screen standing tall behind the band, displaying an intricate constellation of animated lights. Never seeing a single face onstage might have come across as slightly impersonal initially, but with the room dark and quiet for McCombs' set, it became quite intimate. With the band visible as silhouettes, the show became a heightened aural experience. As a result, it felt like a concert less about the songs and more about their collective, projected mood -- not necessarily a bad thing. McCombs said little in between songs, which made the performance seem all the more unassuming and soft-spoken. Drawing from his extensive back catalog as well as his more recent output, including new single "Bradley Manning," McCombs and his band were tight and well-rehearsed, sharing solos throughout the set. Outside of his voice sounding somewhat strained and reserved, McCombsthe mix of late '60s/early '70s rock and alt-country settled into a natural groove about three songs in that perfectly soundtracked the serene feel of the room. It was certainly a unique, alluring concert experience in which the music truly did do all the talking. McCombs did not have an encore, and he left the stage just as he had entered, quietly and announced -- almost as if he was walking off into the night.

Catch Cass McCombs on his current North American tour, which picks back up on Wednesday. Full list of remaining dates below.

TUE 1.25 . NEW YORK, NEW YORK . BOWERY BALLROOM
WED 1.26 . MONTREAL . IL MOTORE
THU 1.27 . TORONTO . THE GARRISON
FRI 1.28 . PONTIAC, MI . PIKE ROOM @ THE CROFOOT
SAT 1.29 . CHICAGO . LINCOLN HALL
SUN 1.30 . MADISON, WI . HIGH NOON SALOON
TUE 2.01 . MINNEAPOLIS . 7TH STREET ENTRY
WED 2.02 . OMAHA . THE WAITING ROOM
THU 2.03 . DENVER . HI-DIVE
FRI 2.04 . SALT LAKE CITY . KILBY COURT

Cass McCombs - "Robin Egg Blue" (Gun Drum Mix)

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LISTEN: Ava Luna - "Wrenning Day"

2012-01-20T16:11:00.003-05:00

Brooklyn seven-piece Ava Luna will release their proper debut LP, Ice Level, on February 28th via Infinite Best. The band is the brainchild of Carlos Hernandez, an occasional producer who has worked with bands like Fucked Up (he produced the U.S. mix of their "Year of the Pig" 7"). Hear a cut from Ava Luna's forthcoming record below. Good luck trying to pigeonhole this band.

Ava Luna - "Wrenning Day"

Hernandez's father is a soul DJ, and it's clear that genre is a point of reference for Ava Luna. With soul and the smoothness of R&B, their sound moves into something that could best be summed up as post-punk funk. I think we as listeners usually find records we love, but not because they challenge or spice up our expectations. Ava Luna is raw, different, and exciting. Over the distorted, at times guttural, sounds of synthesizers and bold, evolving percussion, they lay pop perfect vocal harmonies. Definitely a band to watch this year. Hear more at their Bandcamp.

Ice Level Tracklisting

1. No F
2. Ice Level
3. Stages
4. Wrenning Day
5. Sequential Holdings
6. Down Right
7. A Year Of Mirth
8. Calculus

Ava Luna Tour Dates
* = w/Twin Sister

1/20: Brooklyn, NY @ Shea Stadium w/ Total Slacker, Caged Animals
1/22: Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brendas*
1/23: Washington, DC @ Rock and Roll Hotel*
1/24: Greensboro, NC @ The Blind Tiger*
1/25: Atlanta, GA @ The Earl*
1/26: Tallahassee, FL @ Club Downunder*
1/27: New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jacks*
1/28: Houston, TX @ Fitzgeralds*
1/29: Austin, TX @ Mohawk Inside*
1/31: Phoenix, AZ @ Rhythm Room*
2/03: Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo*
2/04: San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall*
2/06: Portland, OR @ Doug Fir*
2/07: Seattle, WA @ Vera Project*
2/08: Vancouver, BC @ Media Club*
2/10: Boise, ID @ Neurolux*
2/11: Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court*
2/13: Denver, CO @ Hi Dive*
2/15: Omaha, NE @ Waiting Room*
2/16: Columbia, MO @ Mojo's*
2/17: Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle*
2/18: Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Tavern*
2/24: New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge (Deli Mag’s Best Emerging Bands Showcase)
3/14: Austin, TX @ SXSW
3/15: Austin, TX @ SXSW
3/16: Austin, TX @ SXSW
3/17: Austin, TX @ SXSW

Ava Luna
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Bruce Springsteen Announces New Album 'Wrecking Ball', Hear New Song

2012-01-19T09:38:00.001-05:00

At the tail end of last year, it was reported that Bruce Springsteen would be releasing a new album in 2012. Now, details have finally emerged. Springsteen will release his 17th studio album entitled Wrecking Ball on March 5th in the UK and March 6th in the U.S. The album features 11-tracks produced by Ron Aniello, all written in 2011 with the exception of three tracks. The title track was penned in 2009 and has been on recent setlists, "American Land" was penned during the Seeger Sessions in 2006, and "Land of Hope and Dreams" was penned all the way back in 1998. All three of these tracks have been previously released via live recordings, but this marks their studio debut.

And, if you're fortunate enough to be attending SXSW, The Boss will be the keynote speaker at this year's conference. Do it.

Hear a cut from the new album entitled "We Take Care of Our Own" and scope the tracklist below.*

Wrecking Ball Tracklist

We Take Care of Our Own
Easy Money
Shackled and Drawn
Jack of All Trades
Death to My Hometown
This Depression
Wrecking Ball
You've Got It
Rocky Ground
Land of Hope and Dreams
We Are Alive

Springsteen and The E Street Band will be touring extensively in the U.S. and Europe in support of Wrecking Ball. Scope the European dates below (U.S. dates are expected to be announced soon).

Upcoming Tour Dates

5-13 Sevilla, Spain - Estadio Olimipco
5-17-18 Barcelona, Spain - Estadio Olimpico Lluis
5-25 Frankfurt, Germany - Commerzbank Arena
5-27 Cologne, Germany - Energie Stadion
5-28 Landgraf, Netherlands - Pink Pop
5-30 Berlin, Germany - Olympia Stadion
6-02 San Sebastian, Spain - Estadio Anoeta
6-03 Lisbon, Portugal - Rock in Lisbon
6-07 Milan, Italy - Stadio Meaza
6-10 Florence, Italy - Stadio Francesco
6-11 Trieste, Italy - Stadio Trieste
6-17 Madrid, Spain - Estadio Santago Bernabu
6-19 Montpellier, France - Park & Suites Arena
6-21 Sunderland, England - Stadium of Light
6-22 Manchester, England - Etihad Stadium
6-24 Isle of Wight - Isle of Wight Festival
7-04-05 Paris, France - Bercy
7-07 Roskilde, Denmark - Roskilde Festival
7-09 Zurich, Switzerland - Stadium Letzigrund
7-11 Prague, Czech Republic - Synot Tip Arena
7-12 Vienna, Austria - Ernst Happel Stadium
7-14 London, England - Hard Rock Calling
7-17-18 Dublin, Ireland - RDS
7-21 Oslo, Norway - Valle Hoven
7-23-24 Bergen, Norway - Koegen
7-27-28 Gothenburg, Sweden - Ullevi

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*I previously had incorrectly written that this was the title track, when, in fact, it is the album opener "We Take Care of Our Own." Apologies for the error.

SOPA / PIPA

2012-01-18T13:10:00.000-05:00

I might hate politics, but that doesn't mean I'll ignore the possible ramifications of political actions. If SOPA/PIPA are passed and enacted, the freedoms of both expression and communication we are fortunate enough to have here in the U.S. would forever be changed, radically different from what we know today. I don't ever speak out in regards to politics, but I feel as though this is something that could not only affect Mixtape Muse but countless other blog friends and websites/companies/organizations, as well; people and groups that are inspiring/making a difference not only in this country, but the world over. Maybe this won't affect Mixtape Muse and me, but how will it affect things like YouTube, Vimeo, and Twitter? Some of it seems harmless, but a more in-depth read on the matter leads to some scary possibilities.

Everything shared and featured on Mixtape Muse is approved by either publicists, labels, or the artists themselves -- and I have the proof to back me up. But with SOPA/PIPA, it sounds like that won't even matter.

Learn more and sign the petition here. Read up on SOPA/PIPA here.

LISTEN: Surgeons In Heat

2012-01-17T12:57:00.000-05:00

If Steely Dan embraced indie pop, it would sound something like Surgeons In Heat. This Madison/Milwaukee four-piece crafts smooth, sharp indie pop rock that, without pretension, evokes a mod sort of cool. There's an undertone of agitation beneath their calm and collected surface that gives the music just the right amount of bite, recalling the songwriting of Graham Parker and Elvis Costello. If you wanted to straddle the line between a relaxed night in and a night of cruising the streets with the top down, spin the band's self-titled, debut EP.

Check out Surgeons In Heat's self-titled EP below.

Surgeons In Heat - "The Price"

Surgeons In Heat - "Can't Do No Right"

And the whole thing...

SURGEONS IN HEAT by SURGEONS IN HEAT

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WHAT'S YOUR MUSE & INTERVIEW: Oliver Ignatius of Ghost Pal

2012-01-16T10:17:00.001-05:00

A true human jukebox if there ever was one, songwriter/producer Oliver Ignatius is the mastermind behind the ever eclectic Ghost Pal. The project starts with a rock 'n' roll template and finds strength with deep roots in old school soul and R&B. Things aren't textbook here, though, as elements of psychedelia, funk, and garage rock all find their way into the fold. Not only is Ignatius a prolific songwriter and bandleader, he also runs Mama Coco's Funky Kitchen where he engineers and produces records, too. Simon recently had the chance to interview the busy Ignatius about everything from Ghost Pal to Michael Jackson's connection to the Occupy movement.

Interview by Simon P.

Mixtape Muse: You've got lots of credits listed online, but who's really in Ghost Pal?

Oliver Ignatius: Well Ghost Pal has always had an open door policy in many ways, because I've always felt that was crucial in terms of the fight to make music that is new and interesting and free and also loving. And our membership has sort of expanded and contracted naturally. For instance, I recorded my good friend Ezra's band Sons of an Illustrious Father about a year ago, and shortly after that he joined Ghost Pal on drums and harmony vocals for a few months, with the full understanding that he was a busy kid and probably wasn't going to be able to stick around. But he was just helping us with his blessing, playing with us at our first few shows. At this moment the live line-up at least of Ghost Pal has solidified: there's myself on electric guitar and lead vocals, Justin Coles my business partner in the Mama Coco's Funky Kitchen venture on electric guitar, Alexandre da Silva a great friend and the editor of an online music magazine we're putting together called Basement Sprawl, he's on electric guitar as well as harmonies, (I know, three guitars right!) then Justin's little brother Dominic Coles is on virtuosic organ and keyboard stylings, my old high school teacher and essentially mentor and guru Henry Kandel is on saxophone, other horns and harmonies, Josh Barocas who is a genius that I've been collaborating with for over 8 years now (he was in my high school band Hysterics which got a weirdly large amount of internet buzz when we were all 14) is the bassist in the band, and finally drummer Carson Moody, who is just a delightful dude I met pretty recently.

MM: Is that how Ghost Pal has always been? Where did the band come from?

OI: Ghost Pal has been a pretty steady evolution since it began as a project in, I think, October 2010? I was in a different band at that point, but it was kind of faling apart, and I started Ghost Pal as an outlet for my own solo music cause I had so many songs; I liked the idea of Ghost Pal being this sort of other entity that I could hide behind, rather than having to make any kind of declarative statement about going solo -- I felt that would just be silly. And over time the parameters of Ghost Pal gradually expanded, until it became a full on band.

MM: I think way back in middle or high school, Doug played me a track of you covering a Beatles tune (don't remember which one). That may color the way I listen to some of your songs, but am I right in thinking that brand of songwriting/pop has a large influence?

OI: Well yeah, of course, that's the music of my childhood---psychedelic music colored my whole life. I grew up overseas in Asian countries, too, so I'm actually inclined to believe the droning tonalities and scales in that music became the most readily accessible form of pop to me. The Beatles for sure, the Beach Boys (Brian Wilson is an all-time genius and I'm a pretty geeky Beach Boys diehard), Syd Barrett, Sly and the Family Stone -- all beautiful and important shit.

MM: Tell me about the inspiration for the Michael Jackson cover. You mentioned Occupy online, and we can hear something suggestive of the removal in the background towards the end of the track, but is that actual audio? What was your involvement connection at the time?

OI: The idea of doing that sort of spooked out spiritual drone cover of Michael Jackson that was gestating for a long time; I've always been into the idea of suspending songs like that that we take for granted as upbeat pop songs, and then revealing the strangeness and darkness that is lurking within. And Michael Jackson was my first hero, when I was 3. I mean he along with the Beatles are what set me on my path and made me know I had to do music. The Occupy audio is used throughout the track, and those are real field recordings I made in November. I can't say I was deeply involved in the planning committees for occupy or anything, but I was deeply excited about what was happening as it seemed to represent a real sea change in the collective consciousness of my generation -- as, finally, the most notoriously apathetic generation of all time was getting angry, plugging in, really trying to engage with something. As vague as the movement has been up to now, I think that's the inherent beauty of it. It's a forum for people to express their unhappiness, but also their visions of a better society -- their hopes and their dreams for it. Of course the inevitable flipside of social action is usually violence, and I was really disturbed by the clashes with the police...I didn't want to see things erupt into some kind of apocalyptic scene, which thankfully it hasn't up until now. But the Michael Jackson cover was sort of trying to portray that, this eerie sense of calm that would surely enwrap the city once something truly violent and dreadful had happened there...which thankfully it still hasn't and hopefully never will. But the world is a strange place and people are very complicated and unpredictable.

MM: "Nathan Jones is Dead." He is?! Tell me more. You've got a whole lot of material via the compilations. Is there a direction Ghost Pal is headed with the LP that's going to syphon some of that stuff into it? Is there a ton of unreleased we haven't heard yet?

OI: A few of the songs that we previously released as singles are being completely re-arranged and re-recorded for the Nathan Jones LP, along with a bunch of new material. "Nathan Jones is Dead" is actually a concept record we're telling a story in, about this young man Nathan Jones who can't handle his life, as beautiful and fascinating as it is, and is lured by ghosts from the past to kill himself. Once he does kill himself, it's a long time before he's able to even realize he's dead, and he spends hundreds of years wandering the earth as a lonely ghost, getting into all kinds of lonely foibles. The joke essentially is that life after death is so much worse for him than what came before. He goes through a lot of things. It sounds dark, but there's a bunch of sardonic stuff on the record, too. In the end, he finds some sort of redemption though, discovering a top secret juke joint deep in Hades where the skeletons get together at night and dance to skeleton music and clack their bones together. He's saved by the skeleton dance, because it's the only real beauty he's found. I guess the plot is sort of a metaphor for some things. This LP, though, is the first thing we've done which is essentially built on live back-bone tracks that feature the whole band. So, there's a very heavy, powerful live feel to the music, and yet it's filtered through lots of experimentation and psychedelicism, as is our wont. Personally, I'm hugely excited about it; I think it's the best thing I've ever made.

MM: There's a connection to the studio (Mama Coco's) in the band as well, right? Does that mean Ghost Pal is going the Steely Dan route and being a studio band only? Are there shows in the works?

OI: Mama Coco's Funky Kitchen is the recording studio I started a little over the year ago. It's pretty much my full-time job at this point, and I produce a lot of bands, of which Ghost Pal is one. They're separate entities, although I could talk at length about Mama Coco's, too, because I'm hugely excited about the work we're doing there. We're trying as best as we can to really nurture some warm, giving kind of community for NYC musicians; the scene here is generally so cutthroat, we want to offer something different where people really feel nurtured and supported in achieving the sounds they want to hear in their own music -- and then we all promote each other. Mama Coco's also actually just got approved for the lease to move into a new big commercial space, so things are really moving forward and we're very excited to see where it goes.

Ghost Pal has never been intended as a studio band only, we've done a bunch of shows in the last year, but we've been on a performing hiatus recently so we could really regroup and focus on the LP and all these things. We kind of decided we'd rather play rare shows amazingly than a bunch of shows not so well. Our next gig is February 4 at a warehouse party in Brooklyn organized by the blog Dingus, and we're going to perform Nathan Jones is Dead in its entirety, so hopefully that'll be a show worth catching!

MM: "Arkhenaten." Great tune. "Calling Rasta Far I," another great one. But the styles differ so much from everything in between them on the second compilation. Where'd the funk come from? Is there more to look forward to?

OI: Thank you, sir. "Calling Rasta Far I" is a cover of an old reggae song by Culture, one of my all-time favorites. "Akhenaten" is built on top of a sample from "Poet" by Sly and the Family Stone, another of my favorites. I'd put the Michael Jackson song in the same category, and argue that "Retribution" and maybe even parts of "All Right" and some others have that funkiness. That funkiness is an inherent part of what we do and what I love, and it will certainly be creeping in and out. We want Ghost Pal to be very loose in terms of genre. It's just music we want to make when we want to make it. But yes, R&B music is deep rooted for all of us.

MM: Ghost Pal's style in 3 words or less. Option A: Tell me why you enjoy answering questions like these. Option B: Tell me why you don't enjoy them.

OI: Paranormal psych-soul.

I enjoy answering questions because it gives me some way to think about things!

MM: Best way for people to hear the band?

OI: Definitely the Bandcamp -- all our music is available there and all our upcoming EPs and the Nathan Jones album will also be available there. It's also nice because we get to see all kinds of statistics about who's listening and visiting and all that. It's a great platform!

MM: You recently covered "Tears of Rage" for our "What's Your Muse?" segment. First of all, did you have Bob Dylan in mind or the Band? Also, tell me a bit about the significance of the song. Is it an old favorite or a new favorite? What aspects of it speak to you?

OI: Well the version that Dylan sings on the Basement Tapes has a lot charm (Basement Tapes is probably my favorite Dylan record to this day), and it's gorgeous in its own right. But it's the Band version sung by Richard Manuel that has always gotten me -- every element is in its perfect place. The drums and electric guitar interact gorgeously with this sense of suspended motion; the horns are some of the drowsiest I've ever heard and are rendered so sublimely melancholic in the most subtle way, simply by one choice of a note here and there. It's really a perfect record, and it's capped off by certainly one of my favorite lead vocal performances of all-time, which I was really just trying to get in the vein of with that performance. My original plan was to record "Surf's Up" by the Beach Boys for fairly similar reasons, but my voicebox has been real rusty this week and that song has a high F two octaves above middle C, which is insanely high. I can hit it on a good day, but it just wasn't happening the other day!

MM: Something I've missed? What's one super important item of info for the public to have about the band and it's work?

OI: What's there to say really? We are loud proud and weird and sticking around for a good while.

You Don't Talk Circles by Ghost Pal

Get Thee Gone by Ghost Pal

More @ ghostpal.bandcamp.com

* * *

Well, it's been a while, but "What's Your Muse?" is back with a bang thanks to Oliver. You can catch his emotionally-fueled performance of The Band's "Tears of Rage" below, which really soars -- the mic can't even handle him right now. I find the unintended distortion in the video sort of adds this level of intrigue; you fight to catch everything Ignatius sings as he gives himself completely to the performance. He gives you the impression that he lives out the meaning of the words as he plays, placing himself mentally in the shoes of the writer. It makes you wonder how much more intense and enthralling his cover would be if it were properly recorded in the studio. One can only hope that becomes a reality.

LISTEN: The Lower Class - Flight of Ideas

2012-01-13T15:31:00.001-05:00

San Marcos, TX hip hop group The Lower Class is a well mixed drink of the finest brands of hip hop -- from Jurassic 5 to A Tribe Called Quest. They balance, or rather back, bravado with smart rhymes that might just leave you scratching your head as they run circles around you with their wordplay. It says a lot about their palette of inspiration and wit when they manage to reference everything from Johnny Cash to Pokemon to mathematics and physics with purpose -- almost as if they're giving you a research paper's worth of support for their declarations and theories. And on their debut LP, Flight of Ideas, The Lower Class' s astute rhymes are all the more effective and thought-provoking thanks to their eclectic production on each of the 11 tracks: elements of jazz, soul, classical, electropop, nerdcore...it's all here.

If you want clever, fun, deep, soulful, eclectic, and memorable hip hop, look no further. Flight of Ideas is easily one of the most eclectic and dynamic hip hop releases I've heard recently.

Hear two standout cuts from Flight of Ideas below, and, if you dig it, hear/download the whole thing.

The Lower Class - "Hello, Hello/Trunk"

The Lower Class - "Skills Up"

The Lower Class - "Blacksploitation"

Flight of Ideas via SoundCloud:

via Bandcamp
Flight of Ideas by The Lower Class

The Lower Class
Official Site
Facebook
Twitter
SoundCloud

LISTEN: Conduits - "Top of the Hill"

2012-01-12T18:24:00.001-05:00

Conduits will release their self-titled debut album on March 30th through Team Love. The Omaha sextet formed in 2009, and features members of The Good Life, Eagle Seagull, Son Ambulance, Neva Dinova, Cursive, and The Golden Age. Hear a cut from their debut below.

MP3: Conduits - "Top of the Hill"

Within the ethereal dreaminess and sonic waves of shoegaze, "Top of the Hill" both relaxes and swallows you whole. It weaves harmony out of chaos and holds everything together with the type of beauty you really only see under the moonlight; it rocks and it shimmers. Against the mountains of guitar chords and tremolo, there's a serenity to it all.

Upcoming Tour Dates
w/ Cursive, Cymbals Eat Guitars

Mar-22 - Iowa City, IA The Mill
Mar-23 - Minneapolis, MN 400 Bar
Mar-24 - Madison, WI High Noon
Mar-25 - Chicago, IL Lincoln Hall
Mar-26 - Champaign, IL High Dive
Mar-27 - Ann Arbor, MI Blind Pig
Mar-28 - Pittsburgh, PA Mr. Smalls
Mar-29 - Cleveland, OH Grog Shop
Mar-30 - Buffalo, NY Mohawk
Mar-31 - Toronto, ONT Horseshoe Tavern
Apr-02 - Boston, MA Middle East (Downstairs)
Apr-03 - New York, NY Bowery Ballroom
Apr-04 - New York, NY Bowery Ballroom
Apr-05 - Philadelphia, PA Union Transfer
Apr-06 - Washington, DC Black Cat
Apr-07 - Raleigh, NC Kings Barcade
Apr-08 - Atlanta, GA The Earl
Apr-09 - St. Augustine, FL Café Eleven
Apr-10 - Orlando, FL The Social
Apr-11 - Tallahassee, FL Club Downunder
Apr-13 - Houston, TX Fitzgeralds
Apr-14 - Austin, TX Mohawk
Apr-15 - Dallas, TX Trees
Apr-17 - Memphis, TN Hi Tone
Apr-18 - Lexington, KY Cosmic Charlies
Apr-20 - St. Louis, MO Off Broadway
Apr-21 - Columbia, MO Mojos

Conduits
Official Site/Blog
Facebook
Team Love

SEE & HEAR: Allen Stone - "Unaware"

2012-01-11T14:29:00.000-05:00

I must have been wearing blinders for the past year, because just last night I came across a singer/songwriter by the name of Allen Stone that, for lack of a better term, blew me away. One look at Stone, and you've probably already guessed incorrectly as to what kind of music he creates. More than that, you've probably underestimated his voice. I'm writing this after only hearing one song, "Unaware," a jazzy-tinged cut of old school soul, so I can't speak to the rest of his catalog. I watched this live performance from his "Mother's Living Room," and felt so compelled to share it, especially for how explosive it becomes as he ushers in the final chorus. Stone's unassuming disposition and approach to soul naturally reveal the complexities of the genre, the inescapable power that grips our hearts with such unadulterated emotion. One look at Stone, and you can tell he's sharing things from within that no one could ever possibly know about.

Probably one of the best falsettos (I've) ever (heard). Just wait and see...

Check out the studio version, as well, which doesn't see his falsetto getting a workout, but it does feature a bit of a change-up instrumentally.

Allen Stone - "Unaware"

"Unaware" is from Allen Stone's latest, self-titled LP.

Allen Stone
Official Site
Facebook
Twitter

LISTEN: Leonard Cohen Shares "Darkness" From His Forthcoming LP

2012-01-11T10:10:00.001-05:00

I can only hope that when I am older I have a voice as commanding, deep, and real as Mr. Leonard Cohen's. On "Darkness," that smokey baritone is front and center, just as it should be. Cohen's delivery alone has the strength to carry the song -- I can almost envision it as an a cappella piece. Like he has for years, Cohen makes the dark side of things seem so appealing, or rather so attractive. Melancholy always sounds like the most precious, beautiful thing in the hands of this legend.

Leonard Cohen - "Darkness"

"Darkness" is from Leonard Cohen's brand new studio album, Old Ideas, out January 31st via Columbia.

Leonard Cohen
Official Site

MUSINGS: The Day At the Drive-In Changed My Life

2012-01-10T10:49:00.008-05:00

It was 2000, I was in the kitchen, and it was mid-afternoon. I was standing, next to the refrigerator with the small boombox on top. The radio was on and a song I had never heard before began playing. I couldn't move. For the three minutes and 45 seconds, I stood still, caught by this unfamiliar sound emanating from the speakers above my head. From my youth in Virginia to my early teens in Maryland, I was raised on rock 'n' roll, but this was a sort of rock 'n' roll I had never heard before; it was new, it was exciting, but most of all, it was life-changing.

The DJ informed the listeners that it was a song called "One Armed Scissor" by At the Drive-In from their new album Relationship of Command. It was a new song in rotation on the station. It wasn't until a few years later that my friend gave me a copy of Relationship of Command that I really started to discover the power of At the Drive-In. Before I placed the CD in my player, I was only familiar with "One Armed Scissor," and had really no idea what to expect. As the band's drummer Tony Hajjar began his floor tom assault in "Arcarsenal," I felt something change inside of me. It sounds somewhat trite to say, but that's really the simplest way to describe how I felt. Never before in my life had I felt music move me from the inside out -- I almost felt compelled to thrash around, and I believe I did so with my trusty air guitar. The music was primal, but also incredibly sharp, purposeful, and revolutionary. It had this power over me in much the same way love pushes us to kiss another or let out those three significant words from our lips.

That moment in my kitchen back in 2000 was life-defining for me, and, ultimately, made me who I am today. I know, I'll be the first to admit that's a heavy claim to make, but it's the absolute truth. Music is the reason I wake up in the morning; music is what keeps me alive and motivated to keep living this life I lead. It was that exposure to "One Armed Scissor" that marked my first real experience, my first real connection, to music. Hearing that song for the first time is one of the most significant moments of my life, it solidified my love of and interest in music. Is it possible that I could have made this monumental connection and had this monumental life experience with some other band or piece of music? Maybe, but it's impossible to say for sure.

As the years passed, I came to value At the Drive-In more and more, researching their history and listening to everything that preceded Relationship of Command. Life is going to hand you bad times just as much as it's going to hand you good times. At the Drive-In played plenty of shows in rooms that contained no one or just a handful of people, and yet, they always played like it was their biggest, or last, show. No matter what the situation, they played with as much energy as they could muster -- and then some -- because they not only loved what they had created, they believed in what they were doing. At the height of their popularity, I remember either Jim (Ward, guitar/vocals) or Cedric (Bixler-Zavala, vocals/effects) saying that if their hearts weren't in it tomorrow, they would end the band. And they really believed in that sentiment -- they disbanded at the height of their popularity.

I took a lot away from this sort of mentality, acting according to my loves as I let passion be my guide. Not only that, At the Drive-In helped me to learn that each moment matters, that it's important to make the most of the time you have. I could talk all day about what this band means to me, or debate the term "emo" or how significant they were to the musical landscape throughout the 2000s into the present day. The point here is that I not only found my favorite album of all-time through At the Drive-In (it's Relationship of Command), I also learned some valuable life lessons along the way. And if a band can give you music that rattles your soul and make an impact on your character in a positive way, they must be something truly special.

I still can't believe I interviewed and had a beer with Jim Ward (Part 1, Part 2). Full disclosure: Dude profoundly shaped my songwriting, which, in turn, affected me as a person.

Welcome back, At the Drive-In.

"One Armed Scissor"

If you happen to enjoy this blog, At the Drive-In is partly to thank. Really.

Here's the Lineup for Coachella 2012 (or AT THE DRIVE-IN and REFUSED ARE BACK!)

2012-01-09T19:19:00.000-05:00

Really, my day was made learning that At the Drive-In are reuniting. I kind of assumed Coachella was involved. But, I had no idea Refused was back, too. DAMN.

Cass McCombs Kicks Off Tour This Week, Download New Song

2012-01-09T15:29:00.075-05:00

Photo by Paul Valencia Pl

Fresh off the release of Wit's End and Humor Risk, his two critically-acclaimed 2011 albums, singer/songwriter extraordinaire Cass McCombs shows no signs of slowing down. McCombs will kick off his first North American of 2012 this week in Phoenix, AZ, and will be in town here in Baltimore on January 21st at The Ottobar. Not only that, but the new music keeps on coming. On January 31st, he'll release a new single, "Bradley Manning," a song about the U.S. soldier who was arrested after allegedly providing confidential information to WikiLeaks. It's a real late '60s/early '70s moody rocker with a steady, heavy groove; a cool, calm, and collected sort of protest song.

Cass McCombs - "Bradley Manning"

"Bradley Manning" is out January 31st b/w "Empty Promises" via Domino.

Hear and download "The Same Thing," a cut from Humor Risk, here.

U.S. WINTER 2012 TOUR w/ FRANK FAIRFIELD

WED 1.12 . PHOENIX . CRESCENT BALLROOM
THU 1.13 . MARFA, TX . PADRE’S
FRI 1.14 . AUSTIN . STUBB’S BAR-B-Q (INSIDE)
SAT 1.15 . HOUSTON . FITZGERALD’S
SUN 1.16 . NEW ORLEANS . ONE EYED JACK’S
TUE 1.18 . NASHVILLE . FOOBAR
WED 1.19 . ATLANTA . THE EARL
THU 1.20 . SAXAPHAW, NC . HAW RIVER BALLROOM
FRI 1.21 . BALTIMORE . OTTOBAR
SAT 1.22 . PHILADELPHIA . KUNG FU NECKTIE
TUE 1.25 . NEW YORK, NEW YORK . BOWERY BALLROOM
WED 1.26 . MONTREAL . IL MOTORE
THU 1.27 . TORONTO . THE GARRISON
FRI 1.28 . PONTIAC, MI . PIKE ROOM @ THE CROFOOT
SAT 1.29 . CHICAGO . LINCOLN HALL
SUN 1.30 . MADISON, WI . HIGH NOON SALOON
TUE 2.01 . MINNEAPOLIS . 7TH STREET ENTRY
WED 2.02 . OMAHA . THE WAITING ROOM
THU 2.03 . DENVER . HI-DIVE
FRI 2.04 . SALT LAKE CITY . KILBY COURT

Cass McCombs
Official Site
Facebook

LISTEN: Kowloon Walled City - "Diabetic Feet"

2012-01-09T13:18:00.000-05:00

For those of you who dug Quicksand, but always felt that they could have been a bit heavier (or something), then you should probably give Kowloon Walled City a spin. If you happen to name your band after an enclosed city in Hong Kong that was once a military fort during the 19th century, you're probably both a genius and also a metal band -- at least logic would lead me to believe so. I can't sit inside this fort (aka my house) and tell you that I know too much about metal and sludge rock (I love Slayer and Iron Maiden...at least Powerslave and Number of the Beast), but I'd like to think that it's hard not to appreciate a good riff that practically makes you feel as though it's illegal to not headbang in its presence. So, I give you Kowloon Walled City's "Diabetic Feet," via my buddy Asa. Better stretch your neck first.

&lt;p&gt;&amp;lt;a href="http://kowloonwalledcity.bandcamp.com/track/diabetic-feet"&amp;gt;Diabetic Feet by Kowloon Walled City&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

"Diabetic Feet" is from the band's 2009 album Gambling On the Richter Scale.

Digging that? Well, the nice gents of Kowloon Walled City offer Gambling On the Richter Scale for free download over at their site along with two other releases.

DOWNLOAD: Kowloon Walled City - Gambling On the Richter Scale

Gambling On the Richter Scale is also available for purchase on both CD and vinyl. Pick it up here.

Kowloon Walled City
Official Site
Bandcamp
Facebook

SEE & HEAR: Courtesy Tier - "Rescue" + "Cold"

2012-01-09T10:06:00.001-05:00

Photo by Zoe Hiigli

Courtesy Tier has jumped in size a few times. And despite the fact that they now only count two members, they sound no less well-rounded or big. For this Brooklyn duo, fewer members leads to a much more honed approach, creatively, or rather seamlessly, mixing a variety of genres (e.g. blues, rock 'n' roll, math rock, post-rock, etc.) to create something bigger than themselves.

Nowhere is this more apparent than in the song (and video) for "Rescue." The sound of optimism getting tangled in dissonance and sinking into ethereal drones begins to turn hope into worry. There's a good amount of subtle symbolism that appears throughout the video: a rope unraveling, ghosts of trees, light cutting and searching through the dark. With a math rock rhythm and lead guitar riff leading to folk rock realism and harmonization, "Rescue" is a battle -- both lyrically and sonically -- of trying to hold tightly onto hope in a storm of uncertainty.

Courtesy Tier - "Rescue"

"Rescue" is from Courtesy Tier's album The Resolution. Below, check out the furious, rolling, bluesy riffs in "Cold" from their most recent release, the Holy Hot Fire EP.

Courtesy Tier - "Cold"

Courtesy Tier
Official Site
Bandcamp
Facebook
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Download Sharon Van Etten's "Serpents," Catch Her on Fallon Tonight

2012-01-05T18:15:00.001-05:00

Photo by Dusdin Condren

A few years back, singer/songwriter Sharon Van Etten quietly crept up on all of us, sharing with us an unassuming yet utterly enthralling brand of folk rock. My introduction to her came in the form of her debut Daytrotter session, which I found rather magical: a single voice and guitar creating such moving, interesting songs. I recently caught her latest single, "Serpents," on the radio, which really has me excited to hear her forthcoming third album Tramp. Not only that, it's knocked some sense into me to finally dive into her past work. Check out "Serpents" as well as Van Etten's last two full-lengths in their entirety below.

MP3: Sharon Van Etten - "Serpents"

Each year, it seems, there's always one or two songs that have this indescribable magnetism to them. In 2009 it was Heartless Bastards' "The Mountain," and in 2012 it looks like it's "Serpents." Ok, so really it's just that I have a deep affinity for slide guitar and pedal steel, especially when there's a good bit of reverb involved. But slide aside, Van Etten demonstrates a near haunting tone that's sure to ensnare you much like, well, a serpent would. And when she sings with such heartfelt inflection, all hope is lost. "Serpents" is a crushing ode to empowerment and the strength to carry on.

Sharon Van Etten - Because I Was In Love (2009)

Sharon Van Etten - Epic (2010)

Tramp is out February 7th via Jagjaguwar. Catch Van Etten making her late night TV debut as she performs tonight on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.

Pre-order Tramp here.

Catch Van Etten on tour with Shearwater and The War On Drugs now through April.

Upcoming Tour Dates

Tue. Jan. 17 -- New York, NY @ WNYC’s Greene Space (Soundcheck)
Fri. Feb. 10 -- Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda's w/ Shearwater
Sat. Feb. 11 -- Washington, DC @ Black Cat w/ Shearwater
Sun. Feb. 12 -- Carrboro, NC @ Cat's Cradle w/ Shearwater
Tue. Feb. 14 -- Columbus, OH @ Wexner Center w/ Shearwater
Thu. Feb. 16 -- Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall w/ Shearwater
Fri. Feb. 17 -- Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall w/ Shearwater
Sat. Feb. 18 -- Minneapolis, MN @ Cedar Cultural Center w/ Shearwater
Tue. Feb. 21 -- Toronto, ON @ Lee's Palace w/ Shearwater
Wed. Feb. 22 -- Montreal, QC @ Il Motore w/ Shearwater
Thu. Feb. 23 -- Boston, MA @ Paradise w/ Shearwater
Fri. Feb. 24 - Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg w/ Shearwater
Sat. Feb. 25 -- New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom w/ Shearwater
Thu. March 1 – London, UK @ Cargo
Fri. March 2 – Paris, France @ Point FMR
Sat. March 3 – Brussels, Belgium @ Botanique – Rotonde
Sun. March 4 – Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Paradiso
Tue. March 6 – Berlin, Germany @ Gruener Salon
Tue. March 20 -- Los Angeles, CA @ The Avalon w/ The War On Drugs
Wed. March 21 -- San Francisco, CA @ The Independent w/ The War On Drugs
Fri. March 23 -- Portland, OR @ Aladdin Theater w/ The War On Drugs
Sat. March 24 -- Vancouver, BC @ Biltmore Cabaret w/ The War On Drugs
Sun. March 25 -- Seattle, WA @ The Neptune
Tue. March 27 -- Salt Lake City, UT @ The State Room w/ The War On Drugs
Mon. March 28 -- Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater w/ The War On Drugs
Fri. March 30 – Iowa City, IA @ Mission Creek Festival
Sat. March 31 -- St. Louis, MO @ Luminary Center for the Arts w/ The War On Drugs
Sun. April 1 -- Bloomington, IN @ Rhino's w/ The War On Drugs

Sharon Van Etten
Official Site
Facebook
Twitter

SEE & HEAR: Secret Colours - "Faust" + EP3

2012-01-04T13:49:00.001-05:00

Secret Colours seem to be one of the few consistently great independent bands that have suffered the injustice of being overlooked by the music listener. I’d be lying if I told you I’ve been keeping up with their output for the past few years, but I’d be telling the God’s honest truth if I said that each time I check in with them, I’m never disappointed. If you’ve tasted a psychedelic/post-psychedelic cocktail – it’s a metaphor, hopefully for most of you – and always come out feeling less than excited, Secret Colours are probably what you’ve been searching for. I think the mark of a compelling band is one that champions a certain genre of music honestly, sounding more like forefathers and less like offspring. With the confident stride of britpop propelling them forward, Secret Colours carry on the psychedelic rock torch with heads held high, lost in a haze of psychedelia.

Secret Colours - "Faust"

"Faust" is from Secret Colours latest release, EP3. Hear/download the whole thing below.

EP3 by Secret Colours

Secret Colours
Official Site
Bandcamp
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Shearwater Share "Breaking the Yearlings" From New LP

2012-01-03T10:13:00.001-05:00

Shearwater are set to release their eighth (!) album, Animal Joy, on February 14th through Sub Pop. Why wait to check out the album when you can download a cut from it right now. Get a taste of the forthcoming 11-track long player below.

"Breaking the Yearlings" hinges on a bottom string guitar riff that marches along with a defiant tone. There's a dramatic flare to it all that makes it all the more engaging and heavy-hitting -- not to mention the massive sound of the percussion.

Shearwater
Official Site
Facebook
Twitter

SEE & HEAR: Conveyor - "Mukraker" (You Must Watch This Video)

2012-01-02T17:14:00.000-05:00

Mixtape alums Conveyor recently released a new single entitled "Mukraker," which, for some odd reason, I hoped had some connection to "Moonraker" (it doesn't). What it is though is a rather spellbinding track that capitalizes on the band's ability to craft gentle yet powerful songs -- songs that, despite their perceived mood, tend to feel like reliable pick-me-ups.

Conveyor - "Mukraker"

(Bandcamp)

With beautiful vocal harmonies resting against a mix of acoustic guitar, subtle synthesizer, and the soft beat of kick/tom drums, "Mukraker" sounds quite celestial. As it transitions into an instrumental break with glistening synthesizers, horns, and crashing cymbals that descend, or rather ascend, into a pool of reverb, you really start to believe that Conveyor chose the right band name to summarize their sound. A "conveyor" is defined as "a person or thing that transports or communicates something." I'd argue that this is what this Brooklyn band does best.

"Mukraker" on record not cutting it for you, or are you jonesing for your fix of the Conveyor mix? Then I HIGHLY recommend you watch this live performance of the song, filmed by Breakthru Radio.

"Mukraker" is from Conveyor's forthcoming LP, due later this year. You can hear and download (for free) their debut EP, Sun Ray, below.

Sun Ray [EP] by Conveyor

Conveyor
Official Site
Bandcamp
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LISTEN: Inspired and the Sleep - "While We're Young" + "Running"

2012-01-02T13:35:00.045-05:00

San Diego's Inspired and the Sleep craft breezy tunes that possess both an easing charm and bright-eyed tone. Songwriter Max Greenhalgh's forthcoming batch of songs under the Inspired and the Sleep moniker is entitled Teenager, and, fittingly enough, is the product of Greenhalgh's reflection on his teen years. It was inspired, lyrically, by his observations while working as a beach lifeguard, which makes perfect sense when you hear it -- you can almost feel the relaxed beach atmosphere. Lo-fi, bedroom pop -- call it what you will. This trio makes it hard not to long for the magic of summer.

Inspired and the Sleep - "While We're Young"

Download here

For something that sparks from a repeating ukelele riff, "While We're Young" sprouts into a rather groove-heavy jam. When that aforementioned riff meets a harmonizing flute, it's hard to deny the ungodly sweet sound. If your eardrums had teeth, they'd probably need to be checked for cavities after downing this song a few times.

It's the sound of a tropical centerpiece playing around with an '80s clap snare and a lighthearted, afropop-style flute arrangement; it's just as infectious for its melody as it is for its groove. There's a breeziness to it that plays a perfect complement to its steady, energetic beat.

Inspired and the Sleep - "Running"

Download here

A less energetic cut, but no less inviting and sweet. With what, again, sounds like a ukelele, Inspired and the Sleep start simple and build from there. With a few carefully placed layers of percussion and a strolling bass riff weaving in and out, it's a laid back affair that's delicate and playful.

Check out a video for "Running" below.

Inspired and the Sleep
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SoundCloud
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The Soundtrack for "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"

2012-01-02T09:42:00.069-05:00

Happy 2012, everybody. We're back for another year, and I hope you all had a great time during the holidays.

As I'm sure most of you know, the U.S. film adaptation of Stieg Larsson's immensely popular novel The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," part of the "Millenium" series, was released last month -- er, or at the end of last year (!). I went to see it the day it came out, and I absolutely loved it. Purists will say that A) there was no need to remake it since the Swedes already adapted the book in 2009 and/or B) there were changes between the book and the film. Well, I've been pretty bad about keeping up with actually reading, and completing, books outside of my studies in school, so I didn't go in with any knowledge about what the story was really about or what was the original storyline in the book. I also hadn't seen the Swedish version of the film. So I was a clean slate.

The movies I really, really enjoy are the ones I find myself still thinking about hours, days, or even weeks after I've seen them. In fact, after seeing "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," I made one of my New Year's resolutions to be "Read, and finish, books on a regular basis" -- and I've started with Larsson's famed book. But you didn't click on this post to learn more about my resolutions and movie viewing ways.

I think we always overlook the power of film soundtracks. As it should be, music produced for cinema is not meant to catch your ear like pop music but rather underscore the visuals and the script, strengthening the story's reception and impact. In this regard, I would have to say that the soundtrack for the U.S. version of "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" was highly effective and incredibly powerful. It sounds like a bit of an insult to say I didn't really think of the film's music while I was in the theater, but that's really a compliment. It's only now as I've taken the time to listen to the soundtrack on its own that I've come to appreciate how terrific it is, with its texture, mood, and transportive qualities.

At this point, I'm assuming most people know who was responsible for the film's soundtrack: Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" director David Fincher found a formula that worked after calling upon Reznor and Ross to score his last film, 2010's "The Social Network," and here decided to go with the same team again. The results are, as I've said, fantastic. You can get a taste for the 39 track, approximately three-hour epic (yes, three hours) and download a 6-song sampler for free below.

DOWNLOAD: The 'Happy Birthday' Mixtape, Celebrating 5 Years of Mixtape Muse

2011-12-16T11:17:00.000-05:00

2011, surprisingly enough, marks the 5th anniversary of Mixtape Muse. For something that started as a place to post the playlists for my little 'ol college radio program, this site has grown into something I could have never imagined. To celebrate, I've created a mixtape featuring artists that have been favorites over the past five years/are friends or are simply new artists I've just recently discovered. When I began selecting tracks, I soon heard a sonic theme that sort of matched the cover art (above) -- which I, oddly enough, happened to pick out before I had even started curating the mix.

As a thank you to all you readers and supporters of Mixtape Muse, please accept this mixtape as a token of my gratitude. Download it (for free) and enjoy!

DOWNLOAD: Happy Birthday Mixtape

1) Tremors II - "Sesame Streak"

from the Ghost Bats EP

"Best to start off with a bang. It's like Sesame Street decided to embrace punk and taught us to get crazy."

2) Arms - "Fleeced"

from Summer Skills

"From one of the year's best albums. In case you've never driven a car before, this is what it feels like to start it up and drive off for a night with your most beloved friends."

3) Bluejay - "Sort of Like An Animal"

from Marvel Fortune

"Do you know what bliss is? You must, but in case you've forgotten, just listen to this. Afropop guitars, exciting layers of synthesizers, group vocals, and a main hook that's so damn good. If this doesn't bring cheer to your life, I don't know what will."

4) Caveman - "Old Friend"

from CoCo Beware

"This album might not have been in my Top 10 for the year, but it might as well have been. Simple but strong harmonies highlight warm melodies that make this sound as if the Beach Boys wandered off and spent a few years experimenting in a cave."

5) Abre Ojos - "Wings"

Wings (Single)

"On the day I turn one year older, this is a sound that takes me back to high school. It reminds me of discovering indie rock and its community for the first time. A song to keep us strong."

6) Girls Say Yes - "Paris Suicide"

from Season of Happiness

"Uh, can you say haunting, dreamy, and beautiful? I downloaded this EP via Bandcamp and don't know much about it outside of the fact that I'm quite taken by Lilla's singing. The pacing and chord progression provide a nice contrast to the melancholic tone of her voice."

7) Bard and Mustache - "Your Face"

A b-side

"If the face singer/guitarist Erin Murphy is singing about is anything as beautiful as this song, I'd marry that person on the spot -- or at least take them out for dinner and drinks. Greg and Erin were gracious enough to let me share this song with you, and, seeing as how it's unreleased, it's extra special. Greg is a friend, a brother, and one of the greatest human beings to ever walk this earth."

8) photocomfort - "Holy Ropes"

from photocomfort

"The fact that this is songwriter Justine Bowe's debut is beyond me. This is only one example of why we should expect big things from her down the road. If you've ever wanted to feel like you could jump off a high mountain ridge and gracefully float back down to the earth, give this a spin."

9) Keith Ciborowski - "Knocked Out"

from the Metempsychosis EP

"To be completely honest with you, Keith is one of my best friends and someone I consider to be a brother. I played basketball against him in middle school, went to high school with him, and have played in a few bands with him, as well. But make no mistake, that's not the whole motivation for including this song. No, I included it because it's a great track, one with a chorus I still can't get over."

10) Shoreline Is - "Parts per Million"

"These Germans sure know how to create dreamy, energetic shoegaze. Shimmering, fun, and oh so ebullient. I'd imagine if I had the superpower to run in the air and could sprint through the clouds, it would feel something like this."

11) Conveyor - "Foreword"

from the Sun Ray EP

"Another recent discovery thanks to Heidi over at Paper Garden Records. Recalls Jason Lytle/Grandaddy. It just felt and sounded like such a great way to end this celebration/mixtape. If we started off with a bang, then we go out with a bang. Mellow, inspiring, and uplifting."

* * *

This is Mixtape Muse's second mixtape. If you'd like to download the first one, check it out here.

Cheers, everyone! Thanks for a great 2011. Really, really.

Top Albums of 2011 (Quinn)

2011-12-15T14:59:00.003-05:00

Well, 2011 is over, and that's kind of scary, but I think I'm more thrown off by the fact that my birthday is tomorrow and that day always seems so far away. None of that matters though, because the end of the year really means year-end list time. I think I'm thrown off by this more than anything else because you've got to go over the whole year and decide which albums rank higher or lower than this album and that album. Generally, these lists seem predicated on what album is technically better than a group of others. I'd like to think that it should be a mix of that, but also what you actually listened to and enjoyed throughout the year. So, without further ado, here's my "Top 10 Albums of 2011."

10) Ryan Adams – Ashes & Fire

In 2009, touring with newfound success and popularity alongside his backing band The Cardinals, Ryan Adams stated that he was retiring from music. It was a sad day, but he had released over 10 albums and was battling health issues so it was somewhat understandable. Luckily, the man apparently has a ton of unreleased material, which he drew from about a year or so after his announcement for the release of the double album III/IV.

Ok, so he was done. Well, to our surprise – and excited ears – news broke that Adams would be releasing an album of all new studio material this year. That album turned out to be Ashes & Fire, and boy was it something special. It displayed a new level of detail and focus, starting a wonderful new chapter in Adams’ amazing career. Backed by gentle percussion, strings, piano, and enriching electric guitar leads, Adams’ acoustic picking and strumming and well-aged voice sound as beautiful, memorable, and ageless as the wind-swept countryside.

Hear the whole album here.

Ryan Adams - "Ashes & Fire"

9) Wye Oak – Civilian

Baltimore’s own Wye Oak keep on getting better and better, and Civilian proves that. In many ways, Civilian is one of 2011’s most overlooked gems – if only because we haven’t heard more people talking about them. Jenn Wasner and Andy Stack have grown into such an immense, awe-inspiring force of nature, embodying the stature of their namesake. Civilian is well-groomed, majestic, haunting, and oh so beautiful.

Wye Oak - "Holy Holy"

8) Holy Ghost! – Holy Ghost!

At last, NYC duo Holy Ghost! released their eponymous debut album, and boy was the wait worth it. I had my say here in my review of the album, a flawless introductory statement that mines elements of disco and weaves them into the infectious fabric of electropop. You’d be hard pressed to find many other debuts as even and impressive from the past year. There are enough hooks and grooves to last for days. Plus, a totally non-ironic, super effective Michael McDonald guest spot on the closing track confirms this to be one of the best dance/pop records of the year.

Holy Ghost - "Wait & See"

7) Beastie Boys – Hot Sauce Committee Part Two

What can I say? It seems as though every time the Beastie Boys release a new album, it’s a real event – and rightfully so. Outside of being one of the most innovative acts in music, they’ve also been one of the few consistently great groups, as well. In one way or another, they manage to reinvent themselves with each release and the case is no different here. Hot Sauce Committee Part Two is a synth-heavy effort full of infectious funk pacing, fuzz, distortion, and trademark Beastie charm.

Hear whole album here.

Beastie Boys - "Make Some Noise"

6) Girls – Father, Son, Holy Ghost

Arguably the first classic rock ‘n’ roll record of recent memory. Girls came to everyone’s attention on a huge wave of buzz with their debut, which lead many to believe they didn’t have a ton of staying power. Broken Dreams Club proved they were something special and worthy of that buzz, and Father, Son, Holy Ghost solidifies them as one of the most consistently great bands of this era. It’s a near masterpiece that places Girls far above many of their contemporaries, with compelling songwriting that suggests the band has existed for longer than a mere four years. My review of the album is here.

Girls - "Vomit"

5) The Roots – undun

Much like Simon, this selection was pretty much a given, because, like Simon, I’m a big fan of the band, especially since the release of last year’s How I Got Over – which made my top 10 list for 2010. Yes, I didn’t really catch on to The Roots until last year, so I’ve been trying to make up for lost time. Undun is billed as a concept album about a man who was killed a number of years ago, chronicling his life and death in reverse. Once again, The Roots prove why they are truly legendary, creating what can only be considered a classic opus. The strength of The Roots as a band is their subtly, keeping up with the sharp, intense flows of Black Thought and guest MCs without overshadowing or distracting from their stories and lessons; if anything, ?uestlove and co. make each MC sound increasingly powerful, and fierce. Considering undun didn’t drop until December 6th, I’ve had less time with it than many of the other albums on this list, but I certainly will be spinning this one many more times down the road.

The Roots - "Make My" (Feat. Big K.R.I.T.)

4) Arms – Summer Skills

Todd Goldstein started Arms before Harlem Shakes disbanded, and after that buzzworthy band split, Arms became his primary focus. What started as a more lo-fi, bedroom, indie rock/indie pop solo project has now grown to a full-fledged band with four members. Summer Skills has been an album I appreciate more with each listen for a variety of reasons. If there’s one thing to say about Goldstein as a songwriter, it’s that he doesn’t just write compelling or engaging songs. He has this knack for giving the music a sense of adventure, or rather wonderment, without losing a sense of purpose or casting the songs in an overly spacey, wild context; he subtly instills a pinch of mystery to the core of his songs, drawing you deeper inside. For lack of a better word, Summer Skills is absolutely dynamic, with its ‘60s-style group vocal harmonies, creative arrangements, intricately layered percussion, and diverse range of instrumentation; fast, slow, upbeat or mellow, it all works so well. Goldstein comes across as a rather affable dude, and so, with any luck, Summer Skills ought to bring Arms more attention and their much-deserved success. As I’ve said on The Twitter, if you like “the indie rock” and haven’t downloaded this album yet, you’re doing it wrong.

Arms - "Fleeced"

3) Death Grips – Exmilitary

I’ve made it pretty clear on the site that 2011 was the year I really got into hip hop, specifically in regards to production. Exmilitary was one of the first hip hop releases of the year that I discovered and fell in love with. It might be ranking at number three, but this is probably the one album I listened to more than anything else in 2011. Yes, this is technically labeled a “mixtape,” but it really plays like an album with how well-rounded and focused it is. Whether rapping over Zach Hill's furious drumming, samples of the Beastie Boys, old garage rock and psych, or even Black Flag, leader MC Ride is aggressive, beyond passionate, and powerful; his cadence and emphatic delivery are nearly inescapable. Not only is this one of the year’s best overall releases, it’s also one of the best hip hop releases of the year. I can’t wait to hear what’s next.

Hear the whole thing here. Download it for free here.

Death Grips - "Thru the Wall"

2) Shabazz Palaces – Black Up

In case you missed it, this pick and placement shouldn’t be all that surprising if you caught my review of the album. Shabazz Palaces was shrouded in mystery before we discovered it was the product of Digable Planet’s Ishmael Butler. Black Up sounds like the future of hip hop, tackling a variety of themes from race to love in a sort of abstract but direct and honst way. It might have been the mystery shrouding the project initially that made the music seem especially magnetic, but it was Shabazz Palaces refreshing take on the structure and boundaries of hip hop that kept people around. In my review, I mentioned that there weren’t really hooks, which is something I regret saying now. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about Black Up, it’s that, much like a mystery, the more you examine it, the more you discover – and nothing is more rewarding than an album that allows for this to happen.

Shabazz Palaces - "An Echo From The Hosts That Profess Infinitum"

1) Charles Bradley – No Time For Dreaming

62 years. That’s the age at which soul singer Charles Bradley finally saw the release of his debut album. It was a longtime coming, the product of a difficult life: homeless as a child, working odd jobs from New England to Alaska, brother shot to death. Bradley’s saving grace and hope all grew out of his passion for music; his unrelenting spirit to follow his dream kept him alive. No Time For Dreaming sounds timeless – like an overlooked classic – that could have kept up with James Brown. It’s authentic funk, soul, and R&B that’s drenched with a man’s heart and passion for life. Sonically, it might not be anything new, but Bradley’s performance and story make this debut something truly amazing that, despite its gritty undertones and title, proves dreams can come true. It’s a real Cinderella story and an album that deserves all the praise it gets. My review.

Charles Bradley - "The World (Is Going Up In Flames)"

Cheers, 2011. Here's to 2012.

Top Ten Albums 2011 (Simon)

2011-12-14T19:23:00.001-05:00

When I finally found the time to start writing again, I realized how close we were to the end of the year. The end of the year at MM (and at pretty much all other music blogs) means choosing our Top Ten lists, and while 2011 had some great records to offer, the theme for this post is going to be, "Challenging". If nothing else, many of the records on this list (I'll note the exceptions) were at first markedly imposing -they were tough to get through the first spin. They're innovative, creative, and in a lot of ways unique, but none of them have the same easy groove of some of last year's picks (see Ray LaMontagne, Tallest Man on Earth, and others). So, without further ado, my top ten albums of 2011.

10. Tremors II - Ghost Bats EP

I take a lot of pleasure in including this record up here. The boys of this Baltimore outfit would probably call me a tool for doing it. Tremors II (alright fine, I know the band, get over it) may have started in a dorm room, but they've since clobbered their way out into the Baltimore punk scene. The fact that this EP was recorded in a Charles Village basement may add some (literally) underground cachet, but I'm continually impressed with the quality of what they'e done.

It's a tight wall of sound, it's raw emotion, and a band doing whatever the f*ck they want to do...in this case it's a damn good job with a formidable punk EP. Getting back to my theme, listeners will quickly recognize why this record isn't exactly easy listening. For a downloadable copy of the EP, check out Quinn's review.

9. Future Islands - On the Water

Let's stay local for the moment. Future Islands have garnered quite a following in our fair city, especially after the artfully done In Evening Air busted itself all over the national indie-music scene last year. On the Water is at times quieter and more subtle, but the roots of their sound are still present in songs like "Before the Bridge". They're a band that formed on pulsing dance beats, and you can still hear them -just masked a bit more in wider, airier tracks. Singer Samuel T. Herring's voice has a haunting quality, and as the band has matured, they've managed to sync themselves around a ghostly, airy sound that impresses the emotion of Herring's lyrics even further. On the Water may not be their best outing yet, but it's demonstrative evidence that the band has a lot further to grow into this very original and spectral sound.

8. Real Estate - Days.

Ok, first exception to the theme. If there's anyone out there that's kept up with the kind of commentary I do, they'll know I have a lot more to say about aesthetics, arrangements, and pacing than I do about lyrics. The funny thing about the theme is that I've mostly picked music that challenges the boundaries of what I usually like. So, there have got to be exceptions, and Real Estate is a great one. I'm going to give this New Jersey band credit for something that some of my friends have really disliked about the album: its apparent lack of dynamics.

I'd like to challenge (ha, there it is again!) anyone who thinks this a sonically flat record to give it a few extra spins before you write it off. Songs like "Green Aisles" are what show the band's real talent. Drums (Jackson Pollis) and Bass (Alex Bleeker, also vocals) are so tightly woven together here that it gives us head nodding freedom to close our eyes and drift away with subdued little guitar melodies and simple harmonies. In a lot of ways Days is a record full of cute little hooks, but it's the tightness of the band members (five, in all) that bring this record to the next level. Real Estate demonstrate impeccable timing and great attention to detail. Perhaps the, ahem, challenge is to investigate the nooks and crannies of each tune. There's a lot more to this than meets the ears on first listen.

7. The Roots - Undun

Without repeating my buzzword, I'm just going to say that The Roots always do it. Undun is a concept album, a loose life and times exploration of the character Redford Stevens. It's a new subgenre for them to explore, and I've had a lot of fun accompanying them on this outing.

This was kind of a no-brainer inclusion for me, given that I'm a huge fan of the band in general. Even so, Undun, paired with last year's How I Got Over, has brought an interestingly poppy and melody-heavy attention to some of ?uestlove's arrangements. There are coy guitar/keyboard lines (see "Make My" and "Otherside"). Black Thought's mindfulness has been obscured by musical experimentation on other records (see Game Theory and Phrenology), and what I like so much about this record is that his observations and musings (along with those of Dice Raw and P.O.R.N.) can take center stage here.

It's a short outing for the Roots (a little less than 40 minutes), but the life of Redford Stevens, as existentially as it is presented here, offers up some beautifully musical moments ("I drew a two of hears from my deck of cards/ a stock trick from my empty repertoire" from "I remember" is a favorite). It's all capped off by a mini-suite from Sufjan Stevens, who lends his strings to a contemplative last four tracks. Undun is a signal to the Roots discovering another corner of the versatility.

6. Nitty Scott, MC - Doobies x Popsicle Sticks

I'm just going to go ahead and hope that Nitty Scott, MC is a harbinger of the next generation of Hip Hop. After my first listen to Doobies (a recent mixtape), the 20-something artist had blown my mind lyrically ("I bend the track over/beat it like a drum/finger-f*ck the english language 'til she come"). Nitty has a lot to talk about when it comes to the state of the genre. She clearly wants to make some statements (listen to the end of "Auntie Maria's Crib" where she talks about why the MC is critical to her name).

I say let her do it. If Doobies is just a mixtape, there's no telling what she's going to be able to offer us on a full-length LP with increased production value. For now, this will certainly do. She simultaneously one of the most impressive talents out in the genre right now, and also one of it's most brazen critics. Rappers beware, this is only the beginning of Nitty Scott.

5. Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost

Exception to the theme. The only thing challenged here is Girls' roots in the garage. I've come to respect Father as hell of a rock record, and tracks like "Vomit" express a ballad-like quality that spans the last 40 years in music...we start in what seems like a windowless car-park filling with Carbon Monoxide and end up in some acid-rock studio in the 70s. It's the versatility of this band, bending the decades of rock at their will (album opener "Honey Bunny" coud've easily topped the charts when rock was still young). The reason I say this record isn't necessarily challenging like the others is because it was such an immediate pleasure for me to listen too. I'm all praise for this one, and it has spun uninterrupted numerous times this year. It's rock at it's finest, and it's nice to see new bands exploring that a bit.

4. Bon Iver - Bon Iver

Well, this is one sure to be on a lot of Top Ten lists. Justin Vernon crooned his way into some Grammy nominations this year, and while I'm a bit sick and tired all the different of awards shows, Bon Iver certainly deserve the recognition. Their self-titled sophomore album is a huge leap in maturity from For Emma, Forever Ago (itself a measure of beauty), with some greater exploration of dynamics and arrangements. Electric guitar has a greater preference on Bon Iver than on Emma, and drummer S. Carey gets some spotlighting that is also well deserved (the rolls in the beginning of "Perth" are the definition of anthemic, somehow without being altogether loud).

Vernon's exploration of harmony here is also massively impressive. I'm inclined to think that while I still don't really get what this record is about, it's lyrical vagaries (to me at least) may be a function of Vernon being equally interested in his melodies and harmonies as he is in talking about something of substance. It's "Holocene" that's garnered some real Grammy attention, and while it's certainly a powerful tune, it may be the most straightforward. When the album came out early this past summer, it was the following track "Towers" that really took hold of my mind and and wouldn't leave. "Towers" is certainly illustrative of Bon Iver's new appreciation of multiple themes in one song, and again the dynamics at play here are the kind that bring us in and out of trances whiles listening. Bon Iver is a masterful work, but let's hope Vernon and Co. have yet to create their "masterpiece".

3. Frank Ocean - nostalgia, ULTRA

I've been giddy to write about this record, and now that I've finally got the chance, I just don't know where to start. Alright, let's start with that c-word I've used to excess here.

Ocean, who's the 23 year-old R&B man of teenage rap-freak group Odd Future of Wolfgang Kill Them All, is a fountain of talent. I'll make a list: a) He challenges the ranks of Odd Future when he decides to give us some poppy tracks and covers (see "Songs for Women" and "Nature Feels"), b) there's an off-kilter beauty to the way he treats the genre of R&B, see "Swim Good", and c) he released Nostalgia for free after getting fed up with his deal on Island Def Jam.

Ocean finds time to croon on the record during "Stawberry Swings" and single "Novacane", but the whole time I get the feeling that he's purposely holding back. This has perhaps the (desired?) effect of making me just want to re-listen to songs more and more and here him exercise his voice even more...but at the same time I'm perfectly content with what he offers us. He ranks at #3 here because of this sense that he has incredible control, and has chosen not to show us his entire range yet.

2. Shabazz Palaces - Black Up

Let's talk genre-defying acts. Shabazz Palaces (the brainchild of Ishmael Butler aka Palaceer Lazaro aka Butterfly from the group Digable Planets) released this debut in late June, and it challenged and changed the way I thought about hip-hop. For me, A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul have always represented some kind of poetic and lyrical distance above other acts, and while Shabazz Palaces doesn't rank above, it's clear that this mystifying graduation from Digable Planets is a lateral move.

There just ins't much out there in the world of rap or hip hop that can compare to the record-rewinding, loopy, and sparse beats that populate Black Up. To be fair, when you listen to Digable Planets and compare them with the more popular releases at the time (any of the Zulu Nation crew in the early 90s), it presents a common thread. There's a lyric indicative of the Shabazz Palaces mission, perhaps something we could label their unofficial M.O.: "I find the diamonds underneath the subtlest inflections". Deep into the middle of "Are you...Can you...Were you (Felt?)", this lyrics probably gives us the best hint we get. A gem itself, Lazaro and label Sub-Pop seem perfectly happy to hide the rest in a whirling and tilting world somewhere off in obscurity...but it's a trip worth taking.

-cue the drumroll-

1. tUnE-yArDs - w h o k i l l

Fun fact, I grew up with Merrill Garbus' cousin (what up Rachel! if you're out there). That's totally not why her album tops out my year's list though. On the contrary, since I'm all about dynamics, it's only fitting that the most versatile, genre-less record I've listened to in years takes the annual cake. From slow grooving "Powa" to masterful and groovy single "Bizness" and then off into oblivion with tracks like "Gangsta", tUne-yArDs is the kind of versatility that just astounds me. Musically speaking, there aren't too many instruments at work here, but Garbus is so skilled at layering her voice, we end up with really thick tracks.

Besides all the different influences at work here (we all heard Dirty Projectors to start, but there's a lot more here), it's the looping that Garbus does with her voice that is both the most impressive part of her arrangements and also the most multifaceted instrument at work. I could wax poetic about all the other albums on this, but this is pretty much the only one where I'd actually yell if you didn't at least try to give it a spin. It really is something, I just don't know how else to say it.

WATCH: D1n.ONLY - "Somebody Talk To 'Em"

2011-12-13T12:34:00.002-05:00

Continuing on with my 2011 hip hop obsession -- specifically in regards to production -- I want to share with you a video for "Somebody Talk To 'Em," a track off of Orlando-based rapper D1n.ONLY's latest mixtape Coming To An Ear Near U. It's a compelling story instilled with a ton of soul -- literally, with samples of some soul/R&B. Instead of an over accentuated sense of bravado or glorifying violence, D1n.ONLY raps honestly, passionately about staying true to yourself and rising above the overarching influence of the streets. Unless I'm missing something, it really seems to be an affirmation that being cool is all about being you, not trying to run in line with what someone else thinks is cool and right.

Catch the video, hear some more tracks, and download the mixtape below.

DOWNLOAD: D1n.ONLY - Coming To An Ear Near U Mixtape

D1n.ONLY - "SHONUFF"

D1n.ONLY - "ALTAMONTE'S FINEST"

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LISTEN: Mati Zundel + Marina Gasolina - "Zindud vs Melo De Tabaco"

2011-12-12T18:25:00.000-05:00

Normally, I wouldn't be into something so blatantly ripe for creating a frenzy on the dance floor. Then again, I'm a sucker for anything foreign. And when it comes to South America and dance music, I'm always interested in listening.

Enter Mati Zundel and Marina Gasolina, a Buenos Aires musician/producer and a Brazilian singer, respectively. Elastic beats, traditional instruments, and sliced and diced vocals all melt into one another on "Zindud vs Melo de Tabaco," making for one energetic, relentless, interesting, and exciting shot of dance floor adrenaline. I hope you brought your dancing shoes...or a nice set of headphones...or some water...you know...because it's going to get real hot out there.

Mati Zundel + Marina Gasolina - "Zindud vs Melo De Tabaco"

"Zindud vs Melo De Tabaco" is part of a joint compilation between ZZK and Waxploitation. If you'd like to hear the whole thing, check it out here.

LISTEN: photocomfort - "My Mistake"

2011-12-09T09:00:00.000-05:00

Heartbreak is such an unpleasant thing to endure. For a songwriter, it's an inspiration just as much as it is a painful feeling. It's been said that beauty can sprout from the darkest of places, blossoming out of something that appears so unfortunate and ugly. We could spend hours -- or rather days -- discussing all the great songs from the dawn of music to now that so eloquently and beautifully deal with such an unappealing thing like that of heartbreak.

My Mistake by photocomfort

"My Mistake" could be about the death of love or of a friendship, but, either way, it's a graceful, arresting, and incredibly warm piece that evokes imagery of sunlight coloring and brightening the shade of a valley and the monotone surface of the lake, moving freely throughout this landscape like the wind. photocomfort (aka Justine Bowe) sings with a lilting voice that sounds innocent but also wise and strong. It's an absolutely golden sound that leads a wonderful orchestral/folk pop song that's just one standout on photocomfort's self-titled EP.

By all accounts, Justine Bowe is in her early 20s. But Quinn, why would that be something worth noting? Well, let's consider that Bowe handled all the songwriting on her self-titled debut EP and that she comes across as someone who's much wiser and experienced as a songwriter than people twice her age. And when you take all that into consideration, it's pretty amazing to wonder what she's capable of down the road.

Hear the rest of photocomfort's self-titled EP below.

photocomfort by photocomfort

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LISTEN & DOWNLOAD: Lushlife (Feat. Cities Aviv) - "She's a Buddhist, I'm a Cubist" + 'No More Golden Days' Mixtape

2011-12-07T17:17:00.000-05:00

If there's one thing I can say about 2011 and music, it would have to be that this was the year I got into -- or rather fell in love with -- hip hop. Yes, it was always there, but it was never something I really bothered to check into. Of the many albums/mixtapes I had the chance to check out this year, Philly rapper Lushlife's No More Golden Days mixtape was a highlight for me. Sharing this release with you all is just a bit overdue.

Aside from the great guest spots (Cities Aviv, Heems, Dice Raw), the sampling and overall production of this mixtape is absolutely fantastic. It's dreamy but real, raw but smooth. It's the kind of record that perfectly soundtracks a late night or prolongs some euphoric high you refuse to come down from. Check out one of the many standout tracks below and then stream (and then download for FREE) No More Golden Days below.

Lushlife (Feat. Cities Aviv) - "She's a Buddhist, I'm a Cubist"

Listen to all of No More Golden Days via SoundCloud (or Bandcamp) below. Download the mixtape for FREE here.

No More Golden Days by Lushlife

WATCH: Low Roar - "Give Up" // HEAR: Low Roar - "Tonight, Tonight, Tonight"

2011-12-06T18:10:00.000-05:00

Iceland's Ryan Karazija (ex-Audrye Sessions) performs and records under the name Low Roar, which is a rather fitting name for how his music quietly knocks you off your feet. He recently released his eponymous debut as Low Roar, and, I must admit, after two songs it's slowly becoming one of my favorite releases of 2011. Check out those two tracks below.

"Give Up" is a rather poignant piece, especially for how the gentle acoustic character of the song interacts with the visuals. It's a snapshot of a man who seems incredibly lonesome, but also of a man who hasn't lost all traces of hope or happiness. Beautiful stuff all around.

Hear another track from Low Roar's self-titled debut below. It's quite the, well, epic.

Low Roar - "Tonight, Tonight, Tonight"

If you wanted a real haunting beauty, this would be it. It's electronic blips, hisses, clicks, rolling percussion, and random assortment of other white noises add texture, but it's really the low drone of the synthetic strings and synthesizer that lie beneath all of this that pull you deep down inside. It's dark, yes, but in the kind of way pitch black nights seem less chilling and frightful with the spotlight of the moon hanging high overhead; awe erases fear and excitement hides worry.

Pick up Low Roar now on Tonequake Records.
iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/album/low-roar/id475538412
CD/Vinyl: tonequake.com/shop

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Christopher Paul Stelling Announces Debut LP, Shares Song for Download

2011-12-05T14:41:00.001-05:00

We've seen him perform live a few times and know the man is the music and the music is the man. So it's only fitting that we share the news that singer/songwriter Christopher Paul Stelling will release his long-awaited official debut album, Songs of Praise and Scorn, on February 12, 2012 via Mecca Lecca Recording Co. It's an album that pretty much epitomizes what real folk music is, brimming with an inherent honesty and realism.

Songs of Praise and Scorn was recorded almost entirely live in an active funeral home in Louisville, KY. The album features backing vocals from Julia Christgau and violin from "What's Your Muse?" alumni Cheyenne Marie Mize. Hear and download the album's opener "Mourning Train to Memphis" below.

or via Bandcamp...

Mourning Train to Memphis by Christopher Paul Stelling

In case you missed it, here's that live performance of the song.

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WATCH: Sleigh Bells Share New Album Teaser Video

2011-12-02T09:02:00.030-05:00

Sleigh Bells fuzzed-out noise pop proved rather popular in 2010 with the release of the band's debut LP, Treats. For a sound so heavily rooted in a particular aesthetic, I was curious to see where they'd go next. The duo of Derek E. Miller and Alexis Krauss just shared a video teasing us with a sneak peek at their new album, due early next year. The sophomore effort will be entitled Reign of Terror. Check out the teaser video below.

Sweet.

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UNDER THE COVERS: Austra Take on a Roy Orbison Classic

2011-12-01T14:04:00.003-05:00

Roy Orbison -- one of our greatest songwriters. Outside of his more familiar hits like "You Got It" and "Pretty Woman," there are so many other classics like "Crying," the 1961 ballad that sounds rather orchestral thanks to lush string arrangements soaked in reverb. It's a song that hits all sorts of new emotional highs with Orbison's absolutely angelic -- and nearly operatic -- delivery.

Toronto six-piece Austra recently covered "Crying," re-imagining the song as dreamy, orchestral pop song with only stringed instruments and keyboards. It's sounds rather magical and still possesses the original's inescapable emotionalism.

Austra - "Crying" (Roy Orbison cover)

And the original for comparison...

Roy Orbison - "Crying"

Austra's cover of "Crying" is from the bonus disc from the deluxe version of their latest album, Feel It Break. The bonus disc also contains unreleased b-sides "Trip," "Pianix," "Believe Me," "Young and Gay," a cover of Joni Mitchell's "Woodstock," and a remix of album track "Beat and the Pulse" by M. Shawn Crahan, better known as Clown from Slipknot (yep, the one you're thinking of).

WATCH: YACHT releases video for "I Walked Alone"

2011-12-01T12:00:00.003-05:00

Now that's what I call a hiatus.

It wasn't too long ago that Quinn S. shared YACHT's double video for "Utopia" and "Dystopia (The Earth is on Fire". That video released teamed up well with a previous of post of mine, as the dance outfit prepared to drop their most recent album Shangri-La this past summer. As the YACHT road-crew continues to tour, they've also found time to film another music video for (literally) the next track on the album, "I Walked Alone".

The video, directed by apparent YouTube sensation Mitchell Davis, makes use of a spinning cinematic technique we've seen before in Hot Club de Paris' video for "Free the Pterodactyl 3", except this time the camera's view is outwards toward the musicians, not vice versa. Constant camera movement lends itself well to both songs, as they each feature a beat intended to get your head nodding and your foot tapping incessantly through out the whole tune. It's not wholly revolutionary, but it's nice to see some creative movement in videos for songs that could easy drone on like an old side-scrolling video game or get lost in a sea of cuts to different sets. For the duration, we hop back and forth between a dusk-lit desert road and a Kubrick-like room which seems to be holding a passive yoga class.

Catch the rest of the post and the video (duh), after the hop.

Another vote of confidence for the video is Davis himself. We've all heard arguments about how fame from YouTube alone can't pay the bills, but here the video-hosting giant has done Davis a favor. Thanks to his rather notable YT following (666,345 followers at the time of this post), Davis actually found some paying work putting together this piece for YACHT. The band seems to have discovered him after Davis spent time posting videos about his experiences at their concerts. If you ask me, that's a pretty cool connection, and perhaps another harbinger for new strategies at use in the music industry for finding all sorts of new talent.

For me personally music like this is pure fun and not a whole lot else. Generally, dance-rock peaks in excitement when I'm witness to it live, or when the lights are off, the alcohol is flowing, and everyone is dancing...not that I haven't been caught jamming out visibly in a Barnes & Noble Café when everyone else is quiet and working. You can see some of my thoughts on Shangri-La in our preview of it from this past June.

For now, thanks to everyone for continuing to read, it feels good to be back.

PHOTOS: Holy Ghost! @ 9:30 Club, Washington, DC / 11.23.11

2011-11-29T11:56:00.000-05:00

This past Wednesday, New York electro/disco pop outfit Holy Ghost! performed at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C. I ventured down to catch the show and, for the first time ever, photograph a concert. I've filmed shows before, but never photographed one. Lucky for me (i.e. uh oh) they didn't allow flash, so it was an experience. Thanks to a buddy of mine I had a great camera for the show, and I managed to get off a few decent shots, finally utilizing all that knowledge from those photography courses I took in college.

Holy Ghost! were spot on, and understandably so. Not only was their stop in D.C. Thanksgiving Eve, it also marked the final date on their nationwide tour. Live, the DJ duo of Nick Millhiser and Alex Frankel is joined by four additional musicians. It's refreshing to see and hear a band recreate their electronic-based music live as opposed to just playing to backing tracks. Also, as it turns out, trying to photograph and pay close attention to the music proves to be rather tricky.

First time. No Flash. Just hope.

LISTEN: B U I L_D I N G S

2011-11-28T20:11:00.000-05:00

B U I L_D I N G S - "E Y E S O N S U N R I S E"

From the name alone, B U I L_D I N G S evoke imagery of immense structures, things that can affect how we feel -- humble us with their stature -- despite being inanimate and rather distant. There's a great awe that floods through us when we, such small creatures, stare up at the motionless giants that meet the sky and detail the horizon. This London quartet takes winsome, washed out vocals of shoegaze style and floats them into an ether of dream pop, post-punk, and post-rock.

If Foals, Wild Beasts, and Doves all ventured into the open forest, just on the outskirts of some skyscraper-congested city, it would sound something like this.

Check out the remix of "E Y E S O N S U N R I S E" below.

B U I L_D I N G S - "E Y E S O N S U N R I S E (STK Remix)"

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LISTEN: Dibiase

2011-11-25T14:44:00.000-05:00

Illinois instrumental outfit Dibiase are a perfect strand of rock 'n' roll DNA. They mix the dynamics of math rock, the precision and proficiency of metal, the thrill of straight up rock 'n' roll, as well as the atmospherics of drone music. They span generations of rock, as well, exhibiting elements from '70s hard rock all the way to post-rock. And while that all sounds rather serious, Dibiase isn't weighted down with a strictly serious attitude. Even without lyrics, there are moments where you can almost hear the big smiles crossing over their faces. You can catch it all on their latest release, Here Comes Forever EP.

Dibiase - "12 Pound Tooth"

Dibiase - "Hails From Dark Places"

"12 Pound Tooth" and "Hails From Dark Places" are from Dibiase's Here Comes Forever EP, out now on Earth Analog. Pick it up here.

Dibiase
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Happy Thanksgiving, Friends!

2011-11-24T11:44:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

Mixtape Muse is incredibly thankful for music and you, the readers and supporters of this site. Thank you so much.

Only seems appropriate...

REVIEW: Devon Williams - Euphoria

2011-11-23T13:54:00.000-05:00

Devon Williams - Euphoria
MMM

Having spent time in Osker (punk) and Lavender Diamond (folky pop), guitarist Devon Williams stepped out on his own with the 2008 release of his debut album, Carefree, which showed the ethos of his former bands through a lens of sharp indie pop. On his sophomore effort, Euphoria, Williams dunks his debut’s sound into a pool of chorus-heavy, ‘80s-indebted indie pop that’s vibrant with '60s pop harmonies and lush production.

Euphoria features innocent, romanticized visions of relationships wrapped in a sound that calls to mind the ‘80s new wave/twee/pop rock of groups such as XTC and Felt as well as Song From the Film-era Tommy Keene. Williams also manages to mix in the infectious edge of ‘60s sunshine pop without losing his sense of direction. It’s hard not to hear the ‘80s influence, especially with how guitar-driven the album is; guitars are dressed with quite a bit of chorus as well as touches of reverb. These layers of interweaving, harmonious guitar riffs and chord progressions reveal Williams to be well-versed on the songwriting of those ‘80s guitar-centric pop bands. And with the addition of orchestral strings and the subtle but significant support of synthesizers, Euphoria sounds colorful and quite rich in tone.

Album opener “Revelations” displays Williams’ proclivity for warm, bright harmonies of ‘60s pop; it sounds like it could be some lost Beatles b-side, if The Beatles hung out with The Zombies. The following track, “Your Sympathy,” highlights the album’s twee-meets-new wave side with a rolling rhythm, spiraling guitar riff, and bashful, rather sentimental-sounding chorus. The melancholic intrigue of “How Is There Always Room?” is created through a backdrop of synthesizer and a constellation of guitar riffs that parallel and intersect with one another. The beautiful “Tired of Mulling” demonstrates Euphoria’s occasional sidesteps towards more ballad-oriented territory, with the sweet sustain of strings, the light, soothing tones of xylophone and flute, and a gently strummed acoustic guitar.

It may be a bold statement to make, but Euphoria seems like – or has the potential to be – the kind of album that might get overlooked now but be highly valued years down the line, in much the same way Keene’s Songs From the Film was. At times, it can suffer from a lack of distinction or feel safe for how closely it sticks to a familiar formula, but Euphoria is still an accomplished effort that revives these ‘80s sounds without feeling ironic or passé. And with such a healthy dose of chorus filling a majority of the album, it often comes away with a, well, euphoric ambiance – causing it to come across as both endearing and infectious. It’s a solid record that does well in balancing ‘60s and ‘80s influences to create something familiar yet fun, something that pays homage to the past but still sounds fairly modern.

Devon Williams - "Your Sympathy"

Euphoria is out now on Slumberland Records.

WATCH: M83 - "Midnight City" (Live on 'Late Night w/ Jimmy Fallon')

2011-11-22T16:01:00.006-05:00

Ok. Did you watch Jimmy Fallon last night? If you didn't, you missed two things of note: 1) The Roots played Fishbone's "Lyin' Ass Bitch" for Michele Bachmann's walk-on song (!) and 2) M83 absolutely nailed their performance of "Midnight City," from their latest release, the double-album Hurry Up, We're Dreaming. For starters, "Midnight City" is one of the year's best tracks, so it made the performance all the more enjoyable. Watch Anthony Gonzalez and co. work some magic below. Just wait for the non-ironic, jazzy sax solo -- it really seals the deal.

M83 - "Midnight City"

Hurry Up, We're Dreaming is out now on Mute (US) and Naïve (France).

SEE & HEAR: Dreamers of the Ghetto - "Tether" / "State of a Dream" + Making-of Documentary

2011-11-22T13:38:00.001-05:00

Bloomington, IN's Dreamers of the Ghetto recently released their excellent debut album Enemy/Lover via Temporary Residence. The most immediate point of reference on first listen would have to be Afghan Whigs, especially with such a powerhouse singer in Luke Jones and a sound nearly as vast as, well, space.

The band currently have two live dates on the horizon. You can catch a live performance and hear a cut from Enemy/Lover below.

Here's a live performance of album closer "Tether" filmed at Radio Radio in Indianapolis.

MP3: Dreamers of the Ghetto - "Tether"

For more, check out the ensnaring guitar and soaring vocals of "State of a Dream." I can't get enough of the guitar riff in the verses -- so good.

MP3: Dreamers of the Ghetto - "State of A Dream"

Upcoming Live Dates

12/07 – Brooklyn, NY - Shea Stadium
12/08 – New York City, NY - Mercury Lounge

Want an inside look into the making of Enemy/Lover? Well, here you go...

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Yeah, The Roots' New Album Is Going to Be One of the Year's Best

2011-11-21T21:42:00.000-05:00

If there was any doubt that The Roots' new album, undun, was going to be one of year's best albums, then just watch this video. It's a clip of new song "Tip the Scale," and it's, well, absolutely amazing. This clip, along with teaser clips for "Make My" and "Stomp", have been out for a bit now, but I really wanted to call "Tip the Scale" to your attention in case you haven't seen it, or rather heard it, yet.

Not much else to add on my end except undun is out December 6th via Def Jam. Get ready.

LISTEN: Salesman Daytrotter Session w/ Wayne Kramer + New Song "Four Legs"

2011-11-21T17:44:00.002-05:00

Way back in October of last year, I wrote about Austin-based quartet Salesman. The band blends together the starkness of folk, the raw emotion of the blues, the lonesomeness of country, and light it all on fire with some raw, electric rock 'n' roll. They recently recorded a session for Daytrotter with a special guest. Who you ask? Oh, just Wayne Kramer, guitarist for legendary protopunk/garage rock band MC5. The band has continued to mature since the last time we checked in with them, as you'll hear in their session. And the addition of Kramer on second guitar makes for some truly great, deep, and magical music.

LISTEN: Salesman - Daytrotter Session

Salesman also recently recorded a new song for NDSessions. Check it out below.

Salesman - "Four Legs"

What's most intriguing about Salesman is their ability to instill their music with a lonesome chill and still manage to howl like a wolf right against your ear. "Four Legs" rolls along with a bluesy swagger and haunts with its murder ballad feel. It's rock 'n' roll that shines like moonlight on the dry, cool sands of the desert; it radiates even in the encompassing dark of night.

As for how Salesman hooked up with Kramer, Singer/guitarist Devin James Fry says,

I reached out to Wayne last spring about throwing a benefit for his charity Jail Guitar Doors. Their mission is to put instruments into the hands of prisoners, encouraging music as a rehabilitative outlet. The fact being that over 95% of all people incarcerated will one day go free, and this country's flawed prison system does all it can to produce citizens without passion, meaning, or creativity in their lives. These people will be our neighbors someday. Jail Guitar Doors gives them music and shows them another way.

I'm passionate about this cause because of where I grew up. Canon City, CO and its neighbor Florence are home to thirteen federal, state, and local prisons including a SuperMax facility, one of the most abhorrent means of reducing personal freedoms this country has devised. In a prison town you see people on both sides of the bars ruined -- people I grew up with are guards and wardens now, and it's ruined some of their lives, marked them with cruelty and withered their innate compassion. Those incarcerated are even worse off. The entire system is dehumanizing and destructive.

Wayne's stature and skill as a guitarist makes him a legend, but his passionate humanity makes him my hero.

Please keep this meaning in mind while listening to us do what we love to do. We had a lot of fun together that day.

Salesman
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REVIEW: Brad Sanzenbacher - Fear and Drought

2011-11-18T17:02:00.002-05:00

Brad Sanzenbacher – Fear and Drought
MMM

San Francisco-based singer/songwriter Brad Sanzenbacher might not have a country-esque name, but his blend of Americana/country folk is honest, pure, and unassumingly smart. It recalls early electric-era as well as troubadour folk-era Dylan, especially due to Sanzenbacher’s lyrical poeticism and wounded, emotional delivery – one that plays to alt country’s studied imperfection and also calls to mind Alec Ounsworth.

After cutting his teeth in the D.C. folk scene, the Maryland native moved out west, adopting California as his new home. But despite his Northeastern roots, Sanzenbacher's debut, Fear and Drought, is full of rich, well-arranged folk, steeped in the history of Americana with hints of southern rock. It's a well-rounded effort for how it manages both solo and full band tracks without sounding uneven. Sanzenbacher's attention to detail is evident throughout the album, with careful consideration for the impact of each song's pacing and in the additions of organ, piano, and violin. Lyrically, he keeps up with the music, doing his best to avoid cliches and expand on textbook folk themes.

Sanzenbacher’s shaky vocals fall in line with the style of music and certainly fit the character of his songs, but his voice doesn’t always convincingly lead the music. As a result, it’s his vocals that end up being the one thing that makes Fear and Drought less compelling. There are moments when he demonstrates greater control (“Prayin’ For Fire,” “Abolition”), but, overall, it often comes across as though Sanzenbacher is straining his voice unnecessarily. So that studied imperfection comes to feel more calculated, less natural. It’s on the more melancholic and laid back tracks like “Mount St. Helens” and “Fear and Drought,” where his voice is most effective, fitting, and sounds more confident.

While Sanzenbacher’s voice may not always match the strength of the instrumentation, he reveals an understated wit throughout the album, with metaphors and allusions to history (e.g. Frederick Douglass, Winston Churchill). On “ Fear and Drought,” he sings, “I’m throwing heavy stones in the Pacific/Trying to shift this land six inches West/Endurance is the only way I’m gifted/Survival is the game at which I’m best.” On “Churchill’s Greatest Speech,” he proclaims, “To march behind your shadow is to march towards the darkness, to the cadence of cicadas, and the rhythm of the crickets.” His observant, at times poignant, lyrics prove that Sanzenbacher writes with conviction and speaks with sincerity about the troubling world around him.

Over the past few years, there’s been a real influx of Americana/alt country/folk artists and bands appearing on indie labels and on non-commercial and college radio. It’s certainly a style that is rather timeless, and it’s undoubtedly a welcomed reprieve from the recycled, glossy pop that tends to flood the market. But with so many playing in this vein, distinguishing yourself becomes key. With Fear and Drought as a debut album, Sanzenbacher has a solid foot forward and displays an aptitude for crafting meaningful, mature folk songs. Ultimately, the album comes off relatively well, but shows that Sanzenbacher still has room for improvement to cultivate his sound into something more distinct and memorable.

Fear and Drought is out now.

Brad Sanzenbacher
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WATCH: Christopher Paul Stelling Performs for "Sleepover Shows"

2011-11-17T14:03:00.000-05:00

Words like genuine, honest, raw, heartfelt, intense, visceral, beautiful...all of these and more get thrown around a lot, especially when one tries to aptly describe a singer/songwriter armed with an acoustic guitar. All would be appropriate adjectives in characterizing the essence of New York City's Christopher Paul Stelling and his music, but they would also all fall shy of truly capturing what it is that he does. When people talk about the power of one voice and a guitar, they're talking about Christopher Paul Stelling. If you don't believe me, check out the three songs he performed live for the "Sleepover Shows" series below.

Christopher Paul Stelling - "Mourning Train to Memphis"

Christopher Paul Stelling - "Solar Flares"

Christopher Paul Stelling - "The Ocean Stole My Love Away"

All of the above song are featured on Stelling's new album, Songs of Praise and Scorn, out February 2012.

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LISTEN: Lissy Trullie - "Madeleine"

2011-11-16T14:09:00.001-05:00

Photo by Collier Schorr

Lissy Trullie - "Madeleine"

A lullaby of a tune, swaddled in a soothing pool of shoegaze atmospherics, hiss, and white noise. It's dreamy and rather seductive with its wistful air and Trullie's rich, sultry voice. She exudes confidence, but also comes off as somewhat shy, which only builds intrigue. Quietly gorgeous, warm, and soulful.

"Madeleine" is from Lissy Trullie's self-titled debut LP, out March 2012 via Downtown Records. The album was produced by John Hill (Santigold, M.I.A., Shakira) and David Sitek (TV On the Radios, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Liars). You can pick up her 2009 debut EP, Self-Taught Learner, on American Myth here.

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Downtown

LISTEN: Bluejay - Marvel Fortune

2011-11-15T12:49:00.000-05:00

A blue jay is a beautiful bird, an animal that easily grabs your eye with its brilliant shades of blue. But there's more to the attractive surface of the blue jay. They're smart, curious, and creative birds. Maybe it's stretch to link a band's namesake to its sound, but, much like a blue jay, Brooklyn's Bluejay have an appealing sound that darts in all sorts of creative directions, not aimlessly, but rather with purpose.

What might have been a cacophonous storm of notes is organized and sealed into a taut sound, a force that moves agilely with infectious energy. And what might be most intriguing about Bluejay is that they manage a direct, singular sound while incorporating elements of afropop, indie pop, indie rock, and electropop. Along with its sprightly feel, the music possesses a certain urgency, making it irrepressibly joyous music. Maybe it's this much fun because it's earnest and unabashedly playful with lyrics and voices. Whatever the case may be, Bluejay make technically proficient, multi-layered, adventurous, new wave-tinged indie pop that's wild at heart but well-groomed and quite sharp.

All of this is highlighted on the band's new album, Marvel Fortune, out now. Check out two standout tracks below.

Bluejay - "Sort of Like An Animal"

Bluejay - "Give and Take"

More? Hear and download (name your price!) Marvel Fortune in its entirety below.

Marvel Fortune by Bluejay

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REVIEW: Caveman - CoCo Beware

2011-11-14T10:17:00.001-05:00

Caveman - CoCo Beware
MMMM

When you’re a band based in a city that never sleeps – a city that is more than little congested, as well – it seems only natural that escaping this bustle would be found in the creativity of the mind. Skyscrapers turn into mountains, endless city blocks give way to brilliant green pastures and vast plains, and valleys subdue the noise. This spaciousness is reflected in the 10 tracks that make up CoCo Beware, the new album from New York City quintet Caveman. And like Grizzly Bear and Fleet Foxes before them, Caveman have produced an incredibly well-crafted debut that sounds less like a band struggling to find its place and more like a confident, seasoned group.

There’s great pastoral beauty to CoCo Beware, befitting the band’s simplistic name. But contrary to what you might assume hearing the name “Caveman,” this particular Caveman works golden, ‘50s to ‘60s multipart vocal harmonies over relatively simplistic frames that allow room for a myriad of tones and textures. Swirls of dream pop and psychedelia color the corners and negative space of their music, adding a bit of a mystique and hypnotic edge to the sound. With memorable, and even haunting, melodies on songs like “Thankful” and “Great Life,” CoCo Beware becomes all the more infectious with the addition of surf rock’s ease and more mellow natured side.

Each track here has something noteworthy to offer, except the instrumental breaker “Vampire,” which seems somewhat unnecessary and more of a gap in momentum. It’s a small misstep, though, when placed against the other nine tracks. "My Time" is driven by an upbeat bounce of a beat and sounds as if Americana decided to take a swim in the Atlantic and let loose -- and it features a great hook centered around the word "whoa" to boot. The melancholic yet warm "Great Life" is chilling with its enchanting harmonies and sees a pitter patter of tom drums underscoring distant, reverb-drenched piano. Much as its name might suggest, the gentle, soothing "Easy Water" is an incredibly fluid track with a tuneful drone of guitar chords and feedback swimming in waves of reverb and tremolo.

If there’s one thing to say about Caveman’s sound, it’s, well, cavernous. And it’s because of this openness that the various styles are able to blend together. By mixing the pop sensibilities of ‘50s and ‘60s-based multipart vocal harmony-heavy pop, the rustic charm of folk, and the euphoric, hypnotic air of both dream pop and psych, Caveman have made a distinctive first statement. There’s certainly more room to grow, but, as an introduction, it’s clear that this is a band poised for great things in the future. CoCo Beware is not only one of the year’s best debuts, it’s also one of the year’s best albums.

CoCo Beware is out now digitally and comes out tomorrow in physical format via the band's own Magic Man! Records.

Caveman - "Decide"

Caveman - "Old Friend"

LISTEN: And the Giraffe

2011-11-10T10:28:00.042-05:00

There's something to be said for hushed folk music that's capable of stealing your attention even with its mellow demeanor. When that folk meets the encompassing aural beauty of dream pop and the vastness of post-rock, the music is all the more wondrous and interesting. It's a sound that fills you with the same sort of awe you feel gazing up high into the night sky, eyes caught by the flickering glow of distant stars. The music is intimate and inviting, but, more than that, it's comforting with its spaciousness and gentle delivery. There's something distinctly honest and charming about this sound, in part for how it can make things seem palpable or just illusory.

This is the sound of And the Giraffe, a dream folk band from Gainesville, FL that enriches their sound with post-rock style guitar riffs and subtle natural and electronic percussion.

Check out their latest release, Something for Someone, below.

Highlights.

And the Giraffe - "Underground Love"

And the Giraffe - "Masquerade"

And the whole thing.

Listen/download Something for Someone @ Bandcamp.

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REVIEW: Owen - Ghost Town

2011-11-09T09:47:00.029-05:00

Owen - Ghost Town
MMMM

From his work with Cap’n Jazz to American Football, Mike Kinsella has always displayed a knack for being able to translate emotional weight through dizzying guitar riffs just as well as any singer ever could. As Owen, Kinsella has proven to be a master at arranging and layering, creating something soothing and accessible that still manages to be relatively complex and deep without losing a sense of purpose. Owen’s sixth full-length album, Ghost Town, is no different.

Covering themes of religion, love, loss, life vs. death, Kinsella presents a wide range of emotions simply, but captures their unspoken complexities through his careful, impressive layering and lush instrumentation; orchestral string, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and percussion all fuse together to create a dynamic album that’s both singular in sound as well as multi-faceted with its range of textures and tones. It’s folk meets math rock meets orchestral pop, or orchestral folk math rock – quite a mouthful. But to his credit, the success of Ghost Town is its ability to fuse these styles into one agreeable mix, one that highlights Kinsella’s modest yet frank poeticism – even wrapped in metaphor, his words can strike a chord deep inside the heart and soul.

Kinsella’s gentle, sometimes reserved, vocal delivery keeps the songs from reaching a particularly visceral stage to provide many real surprises, but his detailed, intertwining riffs paint a rather compelling story. Mellow, at times plaintive, “No Place Like Home” features an undertow of electric guitar riffs that ebb and flow over top the back and forth rhythm. The religious overtones of “I Believe” might be a bit too upfront for some, but it’s one of the most gorgeous songs with Kinsella’s meditative pacing, ringing guitar chords, and looping guitar melody revealing an internal struggle of acceptance; it does well in conveying his faithful pondering. The sobering “An Animal” is near haunting with its opening measures of electric guitar winding between acoustic fingerpicking; the introduction of additional acoustic guitars and touches of cello deepens the mood and exposes Ghost Town as an album of understated magnificence.

Ghost Town is a bit of an existential album, with Kinsella tactfully addressing his purpose, actions, faith, and relationships – as well as the passing of his father. It’s an album rich in heartfelt confessions that beautifully unravel thanks to Kinsella’s careful consideration for how his guitars’ joint web of notes serves to complement his ruminations. He tackles the somewhat unpalatable things (doubt, death, etc.) with impressive grace, never coming across as cloying or sick with nostalgia – the true triumph of the record is how Kinsella beautifully remarks on the grit of life. It’s a perfect album, a perfect soundtrack, for autumn or the dead of winter with its warm instrumentation and tender feel. Ghost Town is a capsule of memories and reminder that, in this life, time is the greatest teacher of them all. How will we know what it all means? As Kinsella sings in “Mother’s Milk Breath,” “You will in time…”

Ghost Town is out now on Polyvinyl.

Owen - "No Place Like Home" from Ghost Town

Owen - "I Believe" from Ghost Town

Owen - "O, Evelyn" from Ghost Town

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LISTEN: Ovlov - 'What's So Great About the City?'

2011-11-08T13:35:00.000-05:00

Ovlov - "What Comes Next?"

Ovlov - "The City"

The years of our lives can often seem rather monotonous if we never bother to stop and reflect on them. It's important to maintain awareness of the passing days, weeks, months... if only to prevent ourselves from getting sucked up in the tornado, landing far away from where we'd hoped to be. Going with the flow of the days is just fine, but it's more rewarding, and memorable, if we take the time to acknowledge all that happens. Don't dwell; remember and recognize what has brought you here, to this moment, to this day, to this moment in time. Don't lose yourself -- and by extension time -- always looking for something bigger and better without first learning to appreciate the here and now.

With the sonic muscle of crushing, massive volume and the blare of heavy distortion -- recalling, at the very least, Dinosaur Jr. -- Ovlov coat their raw, near fuzzed-out rock 'n' roll with bright melody. And when they add hints off shoegaze radiance in songs like "The City," the music is all the more captivating.

"What Comes Next?" and "The City" are from Ovlov's latest release, What's So Great About the City?. Hear the whole thing below.

Download/listen to What's So Great About the City? @ Bandcamp.

Ovlov
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Porcelain Raft Set to Release Debut, Download "Put Me To Sleep"

2011-11-07T13:11:00.000-05:00

Porcelain Raft (aka 27-year-old world traveler Mauro Remiddi) will release his debut album, Strange Weekend, on January 24, 2012 through Secretly Canadian. The 10-track long player may have been crafted in a Brooklyn basement, but it sounds more as though Remiddi recorded high in the clouds, with a limitless amount of space. If album track "Put Me To Sleep" is any indication, Strange Weekend is sure to be a dream pop tour de force. Don't wait until next year to check out this record, hear and download "Put Me To Sleep" below.

Porcelain Raft - "Put Me To Sleep"

Sounds like '80s pop floating through a haze of dream pop. It's reality imagining all the impossibilities with the infinite power of dreams. Alright, maybe a bit hyperbolic or overly metaphorical, but it's definitely something that manages to graze the periphery between dreams and reality.

Strange Weekend Tracklist

1) Drifting In And Out

2) Shapeless & Gone

3) Is It Too Deep For You?

4) Put Me To Sleep

5) Backwords

6) Unless You Speak From Your Heart

7) The End Of Silence

8) If You Have A Wish

9) Picture

10) The Way In

Upcoming Tour Dates

January 17 Bristol, UK - Trinity w/ M83
January 18 Manchester, UK - Ritz w/ M83
January 19 Glasgow, UK - Arches w/ M83
January 20 Leeds, UK - Cockpit w/ M83
January 21 Birmingham, UK - Institute w/ M83
January 22 Brighton, UK - Concorde w/ M83

February 16 London, UK - Shepherds Bush Empire w/ M83
February 23 Copenhagen, DK - Vega w/ M83
February 24 Oslo, NO - Rockefeller w/ M83
February 25 Stockholm, SE - Berns w/ M83
February 27 Helsinki, FI - Tavastia w/ M83
February 29 Malmo, SE - KB w/ M83

March 5 Munich, DE - Hansa w/ M83
March 6 Milan, IT - Magazini Generali w/ M83
March 9 Barcelona, SP - Bikini w/ M83
March 10 Madrid, SP - Shoko w/ M83
March 11 Porto, PT - Hard Club w/ M83
March 12 Lisbon, PT - Lux w/ M83

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Download ASAP Rocky's Great 'LiveLoveASAP' Mixtape, Marvel at Clams Casino's Production

2011-11-04T13:33:00.000-04:00

Lately, I feel like the only thing I've been listening to is hip hop -- and, really, it's the only thing that's been exciting me in music at the moment. Over the past few years, I've become increasingly interested in the genre, mostly due to its adventurous, and occasionally experimental, production. The latest rapper to catch my ear is Harlem native ASAP Rocky (or A$AP Rocky).

I somehow managed to miss all the buzz surrounding him, which is rather surprising considering he's being heralded as a new type of star due to the success of his viral videos -- NYU Local labeled him "Rap Star For The Information Age." It all began with the video for the suggestive, near trippy "Purple Swag." A few months later came "Peso," showing Rocky hanging out with his A$AP crew on the streets of Harlem. Word soon followed of a mixtape, but before that even came out, RCA signed Rocky to a big $3 million deal. The mixtape, entitled LiveLoveASAP, dropped on Halloween and features production by Clams Casino, Beautiful Lou, Spaceghost Purrp, DJ Burn One, and more. Considering the haunting, druggy haze of many tracks, Halloween was a rather appropriate date for this release.

Clams Casino (aka 23-year-old Mike Volpe) is, most likely, a name you've heard around the web, and the New Jersey based producer has certainly made a name for himself over the past year with both his instrumental work and contributions to releases by Lil B and Soulja Boy. His production on LiveLoveASAP is one of the biggest highlights of the mixtape, for me, and, combined with Rocky's presence and delivery, makes the tracks particularly engaging and effective. Casino's dreamy yet dark soundscapes and beats possess a rather captivating, transportive ambiance without detracting from Rocky's gritty mic attack. Check out a few of the Clams Casino-produced tracks from LiveLoveASAP below.

ASAP Rocky - "Palace" (Prod. by Clams Casino)

ASAP Rocky - "Wassup" (Prod. by Clams Casino)

Also, you need to hear "Trilla."

ASAP Rocky - "Trilla" (feat. ASAP Twelvy & ASAP Nast) (prod. Beautiful Lou)

LiveLoveASAP Mixtape

DOWNLOAD: ASAP Rocky - LiveLoveASAP Mixtape (via Hulkshare)

DOWNLOAD: ASAP Rocky - LiveLoveASAP Mixtape (via DatPiff)

01. Palace (prod. Clams Casino)

02. Peso (prod. ASAP Ty Beats)

03. Bass (prod. Clams Casino)

04. Wassup (prod. Clams Casino)

05. Brand New Guy (feat. ScHoolboy Q) (prod. Lyle)

06. Purple Swag: Chapter 2 (feat. SpaceghostPurrp & ASAP Nast) (prod. ASAP Ty Beats)

07. Get Lit (feat. Fat Tony) (prod. Soufein3000)

08. Trilla (feat. ASAP Twelvy & ASAP Nast) (prod. Beautiful Lou)

09. Keep It G (feat. Chace Infinite & Spaceghost Purrp) (prod. Spaceghost Purrp)

10. Kissin’ Pink (feat. ASAP Ferg) (prod. Beautiful Lou)

11. Houston Old Head (prod. DJ Burn One)

12. Acid Drip (prod. Soufein3000)

13. Leaf (feat. Main Attrakionz) (prod. Clams Casino)

14. Roll One Up (prod. DJ Burn One)

15. Demons (prod. Clams Casino)

16. Out Of This World (prod. The Olympicks) (Bonus)

ASAP Rocky
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DOWNLOAD: CFCF - 'Night Bus II' Mixtape

2011-11-02T13:41:00.000-04:00

Over a year ago, Montreal-based DJ and electronic artist CFCF (aka Michael Silver) released a great mixtape entitled Do U Like Night Bus? for free download. It followed up another free mixtape, the smooth, '80s-indebted Slow R&B For Zellers Canada-Wide, and helped to pioneer the Night Bus genre, or feeling. Now, Silver's back with another CFCF mixtape, one that features ASAP Rocky, Oneohtrix Point Never, Fever Ray, Alicia Keys, Notorious BIG, and more. You can download the mixtape below.

DOWNLOAD: CFCF - Night Bus II Mixtape

01 wait for me intro (vangelis)

02 this city never sleeps (eurythmics)

03 stranger (jhene aiko)

04 demons/behind the bank (asap rocky/oneohtrix point never)

05 keep the streets empty (fever ray)

06 aventurescence/addiction (beaumont/cassie)

07 here in heaven/one more chance (elite gymnastics/notorious BIG)

08 tongues (d'eon)

09 sappys curry/body count (underworld/meek mill)

10 lowride/unthinkable (autechre/alicia keys)

CFCF will debut Night Bus II live for a special Night Bus event on November 10 at Blizzarts in Montreal.

CFCF
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Happy Halloween, Friends

2011-10-31T18:09:00.000-04:00

Happy Halloween. Here are a few songs that I feel are rather appropriate for today. Stay safe out there.

Really any Misfits song though.

And if you happened to miss it, check out Friday's Halloween-related post.

Recommended Halloween Listening: Makeup and Vanity Set - 'Charles Park III'

2011-10-28T10:24:00.010-04:00

Halloween somehow crept up on us once again, which makes me rather terrified that another year has come and gone in the blink of an eye. Ok, so really I was all about allusions to Halloween in that last sentence, but, in case you've been living in a dungeon for the past few months or something, Halloween is this coming Tuesday. BOO. Aside from a soundtrack of howling wind, creaks, screams, and footsteps, music is a rather special, important piece in creating the proper Halloween atmosphere. We could wax on about all the creepy/spooky/scary/etc. music that's around, but I'd like to share an album that was just released yesterday by Nashville electronic artist Makeup and Vanity Set.

Charles Park III is 8 tracks of cold, eerie synthesizer-heavy songs that are a perfect accompaniment, a perfect soundtrack, to Halloween. It's not all gloomy and depressing -- there's a bit of that electropop energy present -- but it's certainly not something you'd listen to driving to the beach or while you hang in the sunshine. It's much like watching a horror movie in that it feels safe and inviting one moment, and then sinister, unsettling the next with the entrance of a dark synthesizer chord or tone (the piercing ring that haunts "The Faceless Man" is a perfect example). Don't be afraid, click play.

Makeup and Vanity Set - "Blood Oath"

Makeup and Vanity Set - "The Faceless Man"

Hear Charles Park III in its entirety below.

STREAM/DOWNLOAD via Bandcamp: Makeup and Vanity Set - Charles Park III

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Hear A Song From the New Black Keys Album 'El Camino'

2011-10-26T11:46:00.000-04:00

In case you haven't heard, The Black Keys are releasing a new album entitled El Camino on December 6th. The 11-track long-player is the follow-up to last year's excellent Brothers and was co-produced by the band and Attack & Release producer Danger Mouse. The Akron duo recently announced the new album via a fake car commercial with help from actor Bob Odenkirk ("Mr. Show", "Breaking Bad"). And now, we have a first taste of what's to come with the release of album track "Lonely Boy." Hear the song below via a video of one man's spirited dancing. If it doesn't make you smile, you might not have a soul. Viral video seems to be the Keys thing at the moment -- and, clearly, it's a good thing.

The track will be available on 12" vinyl as a part of Record Store Day's "Black Friday" series and will be backed by "Run Right Back."

Scope the official covert art and tracklisting for El Camino below.

El Camino Tracklist

1) Lonely Boy

2) Dead and Gone

3) Gold on the Ceiling

4) Little Black Submarines

5) Money Maker

6) Run Right Back

7) Sister

8) Hell of a Season

9) Stop Stop

10) Nova Baby

11) Mind Eraser

El Camino is out December 6th through Nonesuch.

REVIEW: Nâ Hawa Doumbia – La Grande Cantatrice Malienne Vol. 3

2011-10-26T09:31:00.000-04:00

Nâ Hawa Doumbia – La Grande Cantatrice Malienne Vol. 3
MMM

La Grande Cantatrice Malienne Vol. 3 is the first official release from the revered Awesome Tapes From Africa blog. When your music blog enters the realm of record label, it says you must be doing something special and noteworthy. And since 2006, Awesome Tapes From Africa has done just that, saving hundreds and hundreds of little known African music albums from falling into total obscurity, or becoming forgotten artifacts forever lost to time. Because of ATFA’s efforts, these rare, wonderful albums have received a new lease on life and a wider audience; history has been preserved.

To kick off life as a label, Malian singer Nâ Hawa Doumbia’s long out of print 1982 album, La Grande Cantatrice Malienne Vol. 3, is restored and reissued for future generations. Like many of the albums out of Africa, this four-song effort is a political and social statement, an outlet to voice anger and frustration. Doumbia sings with a bit of a rasp, pushing all the air from her lungs as she expounds on the things that trouble, not just her, but her fellow countrymen and countrywomen. Regardless of whether or not you understand her words and message, her lilting voice and powerful delivery give just as much detail as words. Her, sometimes, pained tone conveys a sense of oppression, lowering the language barrier between cultures.

The instrumentation could be considered rather minimalist, but, more specifically, its repetitious character creates a meditative mood. It provides a perfect backdrop for Doumbia to sing over, allowing her voice to take center stage with its emotive spirit. With the support of guitar, piano/keyboard, some percussion, and a kamale ngoni – a sort of harp native to Africa – these four songs possess a soothing, ruminative feel. The music might feel a bit too repetitive, especially on the 10 minute opener “Ko ro Dia,” but it’s important to remember that it’s about the groove and journey of the voice more than anything else.

Compared to some of Awesomes Tapes' selection from over the past five years, La Grande Cantatrice Malienne Vol. 3 isn't necessarily the strongest, most compelling release. There seems to be an issue with pitch, both vocally and instrumentally, which is most likely attributable to the tape the album was recorded onto and how it has aged. And while the repetitious nature of the songs is a study in groove and focus, it can, at times, make the music feel slightly static – at least to those used to more immediate, pop-centric music.

From the gentle, flowing rhythm of "Danaya" to the interweaving strings of "Kungo Sogoni," La Grande Cantatrice Malienne Vol. 3 is rich in emotion and full of historical significance. Nâ Hawa Doumbia capture's the essence of time and place, documenting both personal and cultural strife with her singular voice. It's an album that provides a window into both a moment in history and the journey of one woman. Doumbia breaks free of the societal chains that bind her mind and spirit, sharing an inspiring freedom through her performance that might have been buried in the past if it hadn't been for Awesome Tapes From Africa. With a nice start like this, it's exciting to see where the Awesome Tapes label will head next.
Nâ Hawa Doumbia - "Kungo Sogoni"

La Grande Cantatrice Malienne Vol. 3 is available now from Awesome Tapes on vinyl and CD. Pick it up here.

Nada Surf Announce New Album, Share New Song for Download

2011-10-25T13:26:00.000-04:00

Nada Surf will be releasing their new studio album, The Stars Are Indifferent to Astronomy, on January 24, 2012 through Barsuk (January 18th in Japan, January 23 in the UK/EU). This is the band's seventh full-length and comes on the heels of last year's covers album if i had a hi-fi. It's their first album of all new material since 2007's Lucky.

Frontman Matthew Caws says that the band made a conscious effort to capture the band's live feel in the studio. "We've always played faster and a little harder live," Caws says, "but we'd play so carefully in the studio. So with this album, we made a conscious decision to preserve what it felt like in the practice room, when you play with that new-song energy. Just embrace it and not worry whether we're overdoing it, kind of get all the thinking out of the way."

In order to capture the essence of their practice space on record, the band did something they haven't done since their 1996 debut, High/Low -- they recorded The Stars Are Indifferent to Astronomy at home, in New York City. And to ensure that they fully accomplished their mission, Nada Surf set up shop in their rehearsal space, located in bassist Daniel Lorca's long-time loft in Williamsburg.

And the change of pace seems to have truly paid off. Caws adds, "Making this album was such a joy, the most fun we've had with a record. For many years I'd only write if I had something troubling going on in my life and I needed to break through, but now I wanted to get past writing about just myself. That new outlook, for me, is the engine for making this record."

The Stars Are Indifferent to Astronomy might not be out until January of next year, but you can hear and download a song from the album entitled "When I Was Young" below. It's a beautiful, melodic song that starts gently and ends in a mountain of guitar chords, lifted high by the symphonic wind of a sweeping string section.

LISTEN/DOWNLOAD: Nada Surf - "When I Was Young"

Or download the track below.

DOWNLOAD: Tremors II - Ghost Bats EP

2011-10-24T12:56:00.001-04:00

Naming your band after a sci-fi/horror movie franchise about mutant earthworms suggests you aren't taking anything too seriously. And, really, that's why some bands are so much fun (Gwar, anyone?). When a band's mission becomes "Be loud, rock out, have fun," the enthusiasm and good cheer bleed through the music, allowing the listener to share in the celebration. For a band like Tremors II, which features ex-Frontier Myth members, being successful in music all depends on how much fun you're having. On the Baltimore quartet's latest release, the 3-song Ghost Bats, they sound particularly aggressive and heavy, as if a bodybuilder was jumping around on a pogo stick. Ok, so my off-kilter metaphor might be a little abstract -- or, knowing my history, just an incorrect metaphor. In a more literal, and accurate, sense, Ghost Bats sounds a bit like Hot Snakes wrestling with The Jesus Lizard -- the latter's influence is most evident here. It's visceral punk rock with touches of noise rock's inescapable, crushing volume.

Tremors II - "Ghost Bats"

Track 3 is entitled "Sesame Streak" and features the line "Fuckin' around with your ABCs." What's not to love?

Ghost Bats

1) Ghost Bats

2) Goodbye Torsos

3) Sesame Streak

DOWNLOAD: Tremors II - Ghost Bats

And, if you happened to miss it, download the band's debut LP, A Nice Worm Shower, below. This album, if I recall correctly, was recorded in one evening, direct to tape. It's raw, fuzzy, loud, and a nice quick joyride.

A Nice Worm Shower

1) At the Drop of A Head

2) Islands

3) Cryptic Shit

4) Cageless

5) Public Safety

6) Chug 'Em

7) Sesame Streak

8) Sinister End

DOWNLOAD: Tremors II - A Nice Worm Shower

Tremors II
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Mux Mool Set to Release 'Planet High School', Download "Palace Chalice"

2011-10-21T14:06:00.000-04:00

Mux Mool (real name Brian Lindgren) views the world as a place clouded with material obsessions and unnecessary desires. For Lindgren, the world is much less complex than it is made out to be. It's this honest view that inspires his sonic imagining of how the world appears. As Mux Mool, he translates these feelings accordingly through his forthcoming record, Planet High School, the follow-up to his 2010 debut Skulltaste. The new album isn't out until early next year, but why wait that long to check it out? Hear and download a cut from Planet High School below entitled "Palace Chalice."

Mux Mool - "Palace Chalice"

Lindgren manages to mix a variety of tones and textures, seamlessly weaving them through one another to create a rather intriguing sonic landscape. Its deep, hypnotic core beat possesses a sort of hip-hop realism, but it's surrounded by samples and the echoes of synthesizers that suggest that maybe it's all just a dream. Without words, Lindgren sounds as though he's commenting on the fallacy that opulence brings about true happiness in a utopian state.

Planet High School Tracklist
1) Brothers
2) Live at 7-11
3) Palace Chalice
4) I Ruin Everything
5) The Butterfly Technique
6) Hand On the Scantron
7) Raw Gore
8) Cash 4 Gold
9) Get Yer Alphabets (Guns)
10) Baba

Planet High School is out February 7th through Ghostly International.

MUX MOOL - LIVE DATES

10.19 New York, NY @ Cake Shop (Terrorbird CMJ Day Party)*
10.19 New York, NY @ Drom (AM Only CMJ Showcase)
11.10 New York, NY @ Le Poisson Rouge
11.11 Detroit, MI @ The Works
11.13 Austin, TX @ Barcelona

*w/ Cloud Nothings, Teen Daze, Widowspeak, & more

Mux Mool
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LISTEN: The Midgetmen - Loud Enough LP

2011-10-20T13:34:00.001-04:00

No, this isn't a small person tribute band to The Minutemen -- in case you happened to be wondering such a thing. No, this Austin-based band of self-proclaimed "slop-punk" is a six-pack of the good times. The same sort of rough, loud, and honest sounds that gushed out of '90s underground rock bands such as Guided by Voices, Dinosaur Jr., and Sebadoh is present here, like a time capsule of the best memories. The Midgetmen's latest LP, Loud Enough, is stuffed with crunchy, fuzzy, rattling, buzzing guitar riffs, shout-along verses and choruses, and even hits of jubilant horns that make this one enjoyable ride.

Remember in college when you finished that seemingly endless schedule of final exams and you felt the freedom of summer waiting outside the classroom, ready to drive you off to better days ahead? Remember the feeling of breaking right through this wall that separated you from the ease of summer? Anything and everything seemed possible, because the next three months were yours for the taking. Every hour was a seed for a great memory. The year's stress and frustration of months undergoing the rigors of school were buried in the past. That combination of relief and happiness was a relatively unparalleled feeling. Loud Enough captures the unforgettable essence of summer's gift of transient nirvana.

Check out: "Beer's Gone" // "King Kong" (download below) // "Race To the Bottom"

The Midgetmen - "King Kong"

Hear all of Loud Enough below.

Loud Enough. by The Midgetmen

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