This Is Ivy League

Published by
billy
at May 16, 2008 in cover, this is ivy league, arcade fire, indie, music and mp3. 0 Comments

What terrible dank rock have I been hiding under the past month or so. I’m only two songs into the debut album by this duo and I think I’m in love. To be honest I began writing this post {and began the love infatuation} approximately three minutes before beginning my first listen to the album. This love affair began at the first guitar string plucked in this spot on rendition of Arcade Fire’s song Crown of Love.

mp3 : This Is Ivy League - Crown of Love (Arcade Fire Cover)

I’ll have more on this band later, hopefully after an honest three listens to their album, but for now this song will tide you over. It is quite simply the best Arcade Fire cover I have heard to date. A sort of modern day Simon and Garfunkel by way of Kings of Convenience. Simple brilliance.

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The Cotton Jones Basket Ride

Published by
billy
at May 14, 2008 in michael nau, cotton jones basket ride, indie, music and mp3. 1 Comment

Michael Nau seems to move through projects about as quickly as I can move through a case of Coke. He was simply Michael Nau, sometimes Page France, and the guitar backing for Broadway Hush {arguably my favorite of his little jaunts through music land}. Most recently he’s been recording under the mouthful of a name, The Cotton Jones Basket Ride. This new outfit has a proper full length scheduled for later this year and they’re rolling out a series of EP’s on Quite Scientific until then. The first EP is entitled The Archery and you can preorders are up over at Quite Scientific’s site.

mp3 : The Cotton Jones Basket Ride - Midnight Monday and a Telescope

As far as I can tell not much has changed other than the moniker Michael Nau is currently using. If you’re familiar with eariler Page France work then this will fit right into your preconceived notions of what it should sound like. One thing I love to hear is that {at least on this track} he appears to be abandoning the more nasal singing tendencies he had begun to adopt towards the end of the Page France days.

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Chris Walla

Published by
billy
at May 13, 2008 in chris walla, indie, music and mp3. 3 Comments

Some of you may be aware that Chris Walla’s side project is releasing their much anticipated album today. For those of you who have already been fanatics of that project, being Death Cab, or those looking for something a little different Chris Walla also has a new album, Field Manual (iTunes), that dropped earlier this year. It’s a collection of songs that could easily fit into set list for Death Cab and it’s nice to see how much his musical styling influences both of his projects {and possibly how much working with Ben Gibbard for so long has influenced him}. It’s easy melodies, lyrics, and guitar tracks that are undeniably Chris Walla.

mp3 : Chris Walla - Everyone Needs a Home

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Think Quick

Published by
billy
at May 12, 2008 in think quick, indie, music and mp3. 2 Comments

Think Quick is actually the digital outpouring of Izzy. I can’t find any more information than that. I first found his myspace when I featured a remix he made of Gwen Stefani a couple of months back. I really enjoyed that remix and it led me to explore the rest of his music. Although it is extremely rough, there are great melodies and really great ideas in these songs. If he was hooked up with a good studio, accurate production, and possibly a new lead singer {sorry Izzy}, you’d be looking at a band akin to the Postal Service. If you can get beyond the kid-in-a-dorm-room production quality I think you’ll find these are good songs.

mp3 : Think Quick - Certain Somethings
mp3 : Think Quick - Final Moment (Synthpop Init)
mp3 : Think Quick - How I Roll
mp3 : Think Quick - The Only Perscription

The Only Perscription is probably my favorite of these four. Make sure you check his myspace as he has a lot more tracks there.

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Saul Williams

Published by
billy
at May 10, 2008 in nin, saul williams, nike sqarq, u2, commercial, music, cover and mp3. 8 Comments

Saul Williams has recently jumped in popularity largely due to his song, List of Demands, providing the spot on background for the new Nike Sparq Training commercials {see youtube}. That song hails from a 2004 effort Saul did, entitled simply Saul Williams (iTunes), and I must say the rest of the album is far and away terrible. It never approaches the driving brilliance of this one wonderful shining moment.

mp3 : Saul Williams - List of Demands (Reparations)

However, all is not lost in the career of Mr. Williams. He recently released a free download album consisting of covers. You might still be able to download the album, The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of Niggy Tardust, and the from his website {here}. Below are my favorite two tracks from the album. He takes an interesting look at a NIN track as well as one of the most famous U2 songs of all time.

mp3 : Saul Williams - Gunshots by Computers (NIN Cover)
mp3 : Saul Williams - Sunday Bloody Sunday (U2 Cover)

When I first heard the NIN cover I had to quickly check my sources as I could’ve sworn this was a track from the old Rage Against the Machine days. The U2 cover is also well done. It’s obvious Saul has the musical talent to make great music, maybe he lacks the creativity and/or writing habits to make his own album full of winners.

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Interviewed by Record of the Day

Published by
billy
at May 10, 2008 in cable and tweed, who killed the mixtape, good weather for airstrikes, paste magazine, you aint no picasso, record of the day, zach williams, wakey wakey, interviewed and music. 1 Comment

A couple of weeks ago I was emailed an interview by Record of the Day. I’m fairly confident in assuming that most of you don’t read their e-mag, so I’ve included the questions and answers here for your reading pleasure.

+++++

Where are you based? - Currently I blog out of northern Indiana in the States although for about a year I was maintaining the blog from China.

What made you start an mp3 blog? - I’ve always been passionate about music and this passion has always led me to share my favorite bands with my friends. Starting an mp3 blog allowed me to share this passion with more people at a time.

Who are your favourite three artists? - Right now my favourite three artists would have to be Cloud Cult, The Weakerthans, and The National.

Please pick just one artist as a tip to break through in 2008 - If there’s one artist that could potentially break during the next nine months I would go with Wakey!Wakey!

Is there a band or track that you were first to feature in the blogosphere that you are particularly proud of? - I’m particularly fond of Zach Williams who is currently based out of New York City. As far as I know I’m the only blogger to ever write about him.

What’s your day job? - Currently I work as a substitute teacher.

What would be your dream job in music? - My dream job in the music industry would be to work for a magazine such as Paste {or for a music promotions gig such as Chop Shop}.

Do you make any money from the blog or do you have any plans to try and make money? - Although I do have advertisements on my blog they only generate income when someone actually purchases a product through those links. As of right now I don’t even make enough money to pay my web hosting bills each month.

Do you still go to record stores and buy vinyl/CDs? - I enjoy record stores that have vinyl due to the nostalgia factor but I can’t justify spending money on a CD that I will immediately rip onto my computer and then store away in the corner with all the other unused CDs.

Do you post classic tracks or just new music? - I try to maintain at least some classic tracks on The World Forgot. Basically I blog about whatever I find to be particularly appealing to me at the moment I sit down to write regardless as to when the track was recorded.

Do you post links to iTunes, Amazon or any other store? - I have links to buy music from iTunes, Amazon, and CDBaby on every single post I put on the web as long as that particular artist is available from those retailers.

Do you only post music that has been sent to you by the band or their representative? - No, although when I can I work as closely as possible with an artist or their representative to get permission. I do however only post music that I think will interest people in new musicians.

If you received a leaked album by your favourite band way ahead of release date, would you post it? - I would never knowingly post a leaked album before it’s release date. Sometimes I receive an album ahead of the actual release for promotion and review purposes and in that case I post a track or two.

Do you ever post music you don’t like? - I try not to. I attempt to only post about music that I actually enjoy.

Have you been threatened with legal action at any point? Or asked to remove tracks by artists or their representatives? Do you comply? - Only once have I ever been asked to remove a track by a label representing an artist. I complied as soon as I possibly could after reading their email.

Anything to add about your policy for posting music? - I only post music so that new fans can be made for the artist I’m talking about.

What are your favourite mp3 blogs? - You Ain’t No Picasso, Cable & Tweed, Who Killed the Mixtape, and Good Weather for Airstrikes are currently on my short list for favorite blog.

Do you read traditional music magazines and papers? Which ones? - I read Paste every month and occasionally Spin and Rolling Stone.

How much influence do you think you have? Is your influence growing? Any examples of artists you feel you’ve really helped break? - I have a bunch of emails and a massive list of comments that declare I’ve helped open the ears of some of my readers. I like to think I have an influence on those who read my blog, but I’m not sure if I’m as persuasive as the artists songs can be. I’m confident that the longer I maintain my blog, I’m almost to two full years now, my influence will continue to grow.

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Coldplay

Published by
billy
at May 9, 2008 in coldplay, new album, music and mp3. 1 Comment

In the top five album releases I was most anticipating this year {alongside Death Cab, Weezer, Ben Folds, and Cloud Cult} is the upcoming album from Coldplay. I’ve been a big fan of them since they first started out sounding like a diet version of Radiohead; a fan since before they careened more and more toward U2 status, panache, and politicking. Now let me put the rumours to bed before they start: I have loved every album by Coldplay for their differences and their similarities and I will most likely love them until they stop making music in the far far future.

A lot of magazines, news outlets, and the best of all bloggers have weighed in on the first single that Coldplay gave away free from their website. I personally love it. Although I do feel it follows the formula of Fix You, that being slow start, gradual crescendo of both sound and emotion, and minimalistic piano outro, I believe that this song, Violet Hill, is a song that somehow encompasses all the phases that Coldplay has gone through. There’s piano and guitar solos, darkness and light, and there’s Chris Martin singing in his natural octave as well as soaring falsetto. In short, this is exactly what Coldplay has always been. In this song you get to hear their all in just under four minutes.

mp3 : Coldplay - Violet Hill

I think that it’s great to see a band that was once mired in comparisons to other great acts rise to the occasion, sustain a great and talented career, and eventually reach a level where many a fledgling bands are compared to them.

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BOTR vol 05

Published by
billy
at May 7, 2008 in diplo, xam, bob sinclar, jacques lu cont, mstrkrft, fleetwood mac, metric, tronik youth, xxxchange, switch, midnight juggernauts, sebastien tellier, phoenix, buffalo bunch, escort, madonna, feist, best of the remix, justin timberlake, britney spears, music, remix, botr, fatboy slim, mystery jets, sunny day sets fire, cut copy, mgmt, fergie and mp3. 13 Comments

Welcome back you little remix addicted children. For those of you who simply aren’t satisfied with the music scene of today it’s good to know you can find a little slice of heaven in sometimes mediocre tracks which have been remixed to new heights. Thusly I present to you volume five in the Best of the Remix series. If you’d like to check out all previous volumes simply click here. Enjoy the music, these are the best remixes I heard last month.

All the tracks in one zip file : here {zshare = left click} {link broken}

mp3 : Britney Spears vs Madonna - 4 Minutes to Break the Ice (Remix)
I think we could just say Britney vs Madonna and there would probably be a couple thousand downloads a day until I’m out of bandwidth. If I knew who was responsible for this remix I would tell you, but I don’t.

mp3 : Feist - I Feel It All (Escort Remix)
Is it just me or does Ms. Feist embody all of the feel good vibes you wish were still left in Madonna or Britney? Love this remix, it’s simple and catchy.

mp3 : Fergie - Fergalicious (MSTRKRFT Remix)
I hate Fergie. I think she’s fine as a part {a small small part} of Black Eyed Peas, but on her own she sings about working out {and spelling} far too much. Luckily MSTRKRFT can save anything.

mp3 : Fleetwood Mac - Never Forget (Cut Copy Lifelike Remix)
Cut Copy does an excellent job with this classic Fleetwood Mac track. It starts slow and builds into a dance hall worthy head bobbing beat. Kudos to Cut Copy, if only your original tunes were this inspired.

mp3 : Madonna (feat Justin Timberlake) - 4 Minutes (Jacques Lu Cont Remix)
Madonna = meh. JTim = pretty sweet. Jacques Lu Cont = brilliant. Put together = download.

mp3 : Madonna (feat Justin Timberlake) - 4 Minutes (Bob Sinclar Space Funk Remix)
Basically the opposite direction from the previous Jacques Lu Cont remix. This is space. This is funk. This is distorted bass.

mp3 : Madonna - Hung Up (Diplo Remix)
Say what you want about Madonna’s talent, aging dance moves, or questionable… everything. She knows how to make songs that can be remixed into something better.

mp3 : Madonna vs Fatboy Slim - Praise 4 Minutes (XAM Remix)
It’s nice to see Fatboy Slim still getting recognition. It’s also nice to hear the way Fatboy Slim’s sound mellows out Madonna in the best way.

mp3 : Metric - Monster Hospital (MSTRKRFT Remix)
If you’re only here to download one single track let this be it. In my opinion {which we all know matters more than yours} this is the remix to beat so far in the BOTR series.

mp3 : MGMT - Time To Pretend (Tronik Shr-Edit Remix)
This is what it would sound like if computers ruled the world, then made robots, then made those robots into a band named MGMT.

mp3 : Phoenix - If I Feel Better, I’ll Go To The Disco (Said The Buffalo Bunch)
I’m not really sure if this qualifies as a remix, so count this as your bonus track number 14 for this volume. It’s a great track.

mp3 : Sebastien Tellier - Divine (Midnight Juggernauts Remix)
Minimalist French remixes appearing in BOTR? Who knew? I think this is the first remix I’ve heard in awhile that actually slows the beat down.

mp3 : Sunny Day Sets Fire - Adrenaline (XXXCHange Remix)
After the Sebastien Tellier downer it’s nice to return to a song you can really dance to. And by dance I do mean jump around awkwardly like you’re in your own private rave.

mp3 : The Mystery Jets - Hideaway (Switch Remix)
In a remix, how do you make everything sound far away? Is it some way you mess with the channels {like centering all sounds or playing them through left/right simultaneously}? Whatever it is it sound great here.

That’s all you little addicts. See you next month with another BOTR volume.

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BOTM vol 07

Published by
billy
at May 6, 2008 in mgmt, aa bondy, john mayer, national, lily allen, bruce springsteen, stars, madonna, scarlett johannson, fall out boy, busta rhymes, amy milan, michael jackson, phantom planet, kanye west, arcade fire, radiohead, indie, music, cover, live, magnetic fields, death cab for cutie, weezer, best of the month, botm and mp3. 4 Comments

Once again it’s time for the Best of the Month series. This is volume number seven. If you’d like to see all other volumes in this series click here. Every month I comb the web, the blogs, my email, my mailbox, for the best tracks. I have more free time than the average web savvy individual so I use that time to compile what I believe is a mix of the best tracks I found this past month. Enjoy the music, tell your friends, and go see one of these artists play a live set.

All the tracks in one zip file : here {zshare = left click}

mp3 : AA Bondy - There’s A Reason
I love this track for the simple reason that I feel it could play over the soundtrack to any number of my favorite dramas. Maybe a romantic, comedic, drama. One with a lot of rainy days and melancholic moments.
for more : myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Amy Milan - I Will Follow You Into The Dark (Death Cab for Cutie Cover)
I like Amy Milan as a part of her group, Stars, and it turns out I like her just as much on this slightly countrified version of a Death Cab staple. It’s a great cover for Amy, and it’s true that it always helps when you start with a great original.
for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Arcade Fire - All The Umbrellas (Live Magnetic Fields Cover)
Although I’m not a huge fan of where Magnetic Fields have gone as of late I’ve been a fan of the older work for awhile. So when you combine a good song with one of the best bands currently performing you’re sure to get a golden cover song.
for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Busta Rhymes - Don’t Touch Me (Throw Da Water On ‘Em)
Busta has long been one of my favorite rappers. It began back in the day when rap was the king of the musical hill. You know, back when beats were solid, lyrics were important {or at least not so mind numbingly repetetive}, back when it was Dre, Snoop, Em, Busta, 2Pac, Fugees, Beasties, Ja Rule, Nas, etc. This track reminds me of what rap can be.
for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Death Cab for Cutie - Spring Break Broke
A fairly rare track here by Ben Gibbard and company. In fact I’m not sure I’d heard it before this month. It hails from back near the turn of the millennium but it still sounds fresh and consistent with the newest Death Cab {well, except for the decidedly lo fi production}.
for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Fall Out Boy (feat John Mayer) - Beat It (Michael Jackson Cover)
I love this track for showcasing all that I love about John Mayer and leaving out all that I find boring, vanilla, and lacking in talent. It’s a fact, John Mayer can flat out play guitar. He’s gifted, talented, ad nauseam. His lyrics are terrible and usually stupid. Here you get all the good with none of the bad.
for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Lily Allen - I Don’t Know
I like Lily for her brutal honesty. And for the fact that she’s better than Lady Sov and knows it {and proves it time and time again}. This track is a delightful combination of the current everything-is-a-dance-song trend with Lily’s trademark witty lyrics.
for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Madonna (feat Kanye West) - The Beat Goes On
She’s older than most of her competition and yet she still brings it all to the table. Sex appeal {kinda getting gross} check, cross promotion check, a slew of guest stars check, and a decent danceable album check. What’s not to like?
for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : MGMT - Destrokk
To me this song is great because it’s not immediately recognizable as an MGMT track. For that matter, other than the overplayed Time to Pretend, I’m not sure if there is a standalone MGMT sound. And I like that.
for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Phantom Planet - I Don’t Mind
This is still my favorite track off of the newest Phantom Planet disc. I’m not sure if these boys will ever achieve massive success {they might have peaked in regards to popularity with California}, but I think they deserve it. Track after track, album after album, they’re still good.
for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Radiohead - True Love Waits
One of my favorite songs by Thom and company this track has never received an official studio recording. Although it was released on their live album, I Might Be Wrong, it usually only surfaces at the rare and random concert {regardless of how loudly I might yell my requests}.
for more : site amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Scarlett Johannson - Anywhere I Lay My Head
She is gorgeous, she is a serious actress, she’s this month’s cover artist on Paste, and she also has a cover/tribute album for Tom Waits. It’s the last one I’m still unsure about, but I liked this track enough to include it this month as a bonus. {usually there are only thirteen tracks in the BOTM series, so consider this your lucky day}
for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : The National - Mansion On The Hill (Live Bruce Springsteen Cover)
They’re one of my favorite bands and in this instance they’re covering one of my favorite artists {c’mon rise up anyone?}. It seems like a match made in heaven right down to the crooning baritones and mellow yet socially aware mindsets of both The National and The Boss.
for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Weezer - Pork and Beans
I couldn’t let this little ditty slip through the cracks here at TWF. I’ve long loved the four boys who reimagined and reinvented guitar driven surf/nerd/diy rock. Here’s to hoping the rest of their new album will be as good {or better} than this first single.
for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

That’s all for this month’s roundup. Come back tomorrow for the next issue of BOTR {Best of the Remix}. Enjoy the music.

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Hot Springs

Published by
billy
at May 5, 2008 in hot springs, indie, music and mp3. 4 Comments

As a small warning both friends {one a brother} that I’ve shared this band with have pretty much hated them from the word go. And their beef is with lead singer Giselle’s voice. It’s a bit, well, tremulous at times. I guess you could almost say she has a penchant for warble. While I hear a sensitivity, and almost innocence in this style they heard things like babies crying and lack of sleep. Or so I’m told.

This album was actually one of the very first I was ever officially given in the hopes that I would review it here on TWF. Upon opening the package it came in, oh maybe eight months ago {gasp}, I put the disc in my car and listened to it fairly solidly for about a month straight. Sometime in the past this album got mixed up with a stack of discs I was considering for best of 2007 and then it was left in the car which I no longer drive. Hence, this little writeup is coming at you about seven months behind schedule. Even with all the delay I find that I still enjoy listening to this disc, Volcano (iTunes), almost a year after hearing it for the first time. If that’s not a good enough endorsement for a band then I don’t know what is.

mp3 : Hot Springs - Cellophane
mp3 : Hot Springs - Fog and the Horn

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Benzos

Published by
billy
at May 1, 2008 in benzos, music and mp3. 2 Comments

Benzos is a band that has quietly been gaining ground on my good-things-to-come radar over the last few months. I first heard of them through some holiday themed/timed pieces that, to be honest, didn’t really do anything for me. Since then I’ve heard their upcoming album, Branches, which will be released August 7th and then I also received a little three song teaser EP which I believe they refer to as Coup D’Etat. I must say that with each successive listening I’ve liked this brooding, moody, almost whispered rock more and more.

Sadly, although their website is still touting a possible future release date, there are rumours floating on their myspace that the band is in a state of perpetual hiatus and/or might have been shelved forever. Just another lost band on this little information footpath.

mp3 : Benzos - Coup D’Etat
mp3 : Benzos - We Have Names
mp3 : Benzos - Blue & White

The instrumentation is giving me a strange sense of deja vu on the track Coup D’Etat. Can anyone else pin down what it’s reminding you of? It’s as if my subconscious knows exactly what this music {not the lyrics or the vocals} sounds like, but I just cannot seem to communicate it. Maybe a little bit of Keane mixed with Muse? Hmmm.

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Langhorne Slim

Published by
billy
at April 30, 2008 in langhorne slim, folk, indie, music and mp3. 2 Comments

Marni Wandner from Sneak Attack Media deserves a lot of praise for her perseverance. Not only does she send out regular emails, of which I am a recipient, but she also mails me the occasional physical copy of an album regardless of whether or not I reviewed the previous album {or dozen}. And now I’ve just realized I really have no idea as to the gender associated with the name Marni… so here’s to you, androgynous Marni, thanks for the hard work.

On this occasion I had the privilege of opening a package containing the latest effort by Langhorne Slim. He’s a singer/songwriter bloke who, on this album Langhorne Slim & The War Birds (iTunes), could easily be cataloged alongside early Dylan, or present day contemporaries such as Josh Ritter, Paolo Nutini, and Zach Williams. It’s a mournful disc filled with love songs; some happy and some more downtrodden. Taken altogether this is a very cohesive effort that moves with an assured pace from the brief and quick opener, Spinning Compass, to the melancholy closing track, Hummingbird.

mp3 : Langhorne Slim - Spinning Compass {removed by request}
mp3 : Langhorne Slim - Hummingbird {removed by request}
mp3 : Langhorne Slim - Rebel Side of Heaven {added by request}

This has easily been one of my favorite albums thus far in 2008. I know it’s rather ridiculous to say that seeing as how there’s no way to know, come end of the year, what albums will have staying power month after month. But I’d be willing to bet that come the end of the year I’ll still be listening to this disc as much as Cloud Cult or MGMT. {I’d also like to point out that Langhorne played a show just last night with Josh Ritter. I think pairing him with Zach Williams would be equally beneficial}.

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Kosovo

Published by
billy
at April 29, 2008 in kosovo, indie, music and mp3. 0 Comments

Kosovo is a trio of young lads out of Austin, Texas and they create a ethereal, minimalistic, electronic sound that has more layers than your favorite Jello salad. Their debut, Pascal EP, has yet to receive a proper release date although their myspace page is still claiming it will be released sometime in 2007 with a follow up LP to come in 2008. {I’m not sure if you’ve caught that their myspace is apparently living in the past, but it is}. Although I’m not entirely sure when their EP will see the light of day, whether or not they’ll tour in support of it, or if they’ll get paid enough to make a few more discs, one thing I can say for certain is that they make solid electronica music. A sort of Frou Frou meets The Knife sort of easy listening, distortion and effect filled musical appetizer.

mp3 : Kosovo - A Terraformed Existence
mp3 : Kosovo - Milk of Magnesia

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Pinback

Published by
billy
at April 28, 2008 in pinback, indie, music and mp3. 2 Comments

Pinback has been a band that I’ve enjoyed for a number of years now. They create an extremely mellow vibe with their indie pop rock and yet they present it all with a rather rapid fire hyper style of music. Think Death Cab for Cutie meets Jimmy Eat World meets the better half of Nada Surf. The three songs I’m posting today come from various albums in the Pinback library and can be found on Pinback (iTunes), Some Voices (iTunes), and their latest effort Autumn of the Seraphs (iTunes).

mp3 : Pinback - Lyon
mp3 : Pinback - Manchuria
mp3 : Pinback - From Nothing to Nowhere

Enjoy your Monday. Enjoy the music.

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The Sound of Arrows

Published by
billy
at April 25, 2008 in labrador, sound of arrows, indie, music and mp3. 0 Comments

I have been slacking lately. I’ve been relying too much on word of mouth and a massive stack of albums {that mostly are yet to be heard by me} sitting in my room to do all this blogging work for me. In the fray, and slack, I’ve failed to breeze through my favorite label’s web sites perusing their new fare. And at the top of my favorite foreign labels list sits the unassuming label Labrador. And from this brilliant little Swedish label has come some of the best indie pop ever put out.

The Sound of Arrows is a little duo that creates music which is a bit electro pop, a bit indie darling, and bit of a throwback to the better days. They list Harry Nilsson and the Jackson 5 alongside Jens Lekman and Sambassadeur in their list of influences and I think that gives a fairly accurate picture as to what The Sound of Arrows sounds like. The following track is from their debut EP, Danger!, which will be available May 7th and will be followed by an autumn release of their first proper LP.

mp3 : The Sound of Arrows - Danger!

For some reason I can’t help but think of Mommas and The Poppas when I hear this track. In a good way. And at the same time I could easily see them opening for MGMT.

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Sir Salvatore Remixes Radiohead

Published by
billy
at April 23, 2008 in radiohead, sir salvatore, remix, indie, music and mp3. 2 Comments

This is what is sounds like when a fairly straightforward indie band {whom I’ve talked about here} takes a run at remixing the remixed track of the year. That of course being Radiohead’s track, Nude. Now I’m not sure if you remix crazy meth addicts out there fully appreciate these remixes you’ve been bobbing your heads to over the last month or so. For the uneducated and uninformed, the vast majority of these remixes are an almost complete departure from the original track put down by Thom Yorke and company. And I do mean complete departure as in “what!?!? Pluto really isn’t a planet…” type of departure.

Not looking to disappoint, Sir Salvatore takes the once somber tune and smacks it solidly into indie left field. It’s quirky, it’s filled with a bouncing drum rhythm, and they’ve run Thom’s vocals through a weird, hyper-vibrato type of a effect which gives this remix its own special sound. Enjoy. And special thanks for the gents of Sir Salvatore for sending this track to me.

mp3 : Radiohead - Nude (Sir Salvatore Remix)

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Half-handed Cloud

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billy
at April 22, 2008 in half-handed cloud, indie, asthmatic kitty, music and mp3. 6 Comments

I’ve been a fan of Half-handed Cloud for a long time now. I guess I’ve been a fan ever since he signed up with Asthmatic Kitty {aka Sufjan Steven’s brainchild/label}. Now this little love affair of mine hasn’t ever matured into a full blown fling, but that might be because most of John Ringhofer’s music seems to be carved up into idiosyncratic, almost childish, mashed up melodies. They flit from idea to idea as quickly as a group of five year olds change the rules of tag on the playground and that’s inherently what’s to love about his music. There is something precocious and innocent about these ultimately playful melodies and arrangements. I just don’t know how long I could listen to only Half-handed Cloud before I found myself a bit wanting for more adult conversation.

mp3 : Half-handed Cloud - Pre-Teen Apocalyptic Film Acting (Medley)

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