So a few weeks after I wrote a rambling letter imploring Sufjan Stevens to return to his fans and release a new album he has sorta, kinda, maybe responded by teasing us a little bit. On his blog {which is really just a slice of his label’s website, Asthmatic Kitty}, he occaisionally drops a stream of consciousness post about his past. On August 24th he talked about his name, how he tried to change it when he was young, and how as an undergrad at university he wrote an entire album about names. Apparently the other day he stumbled upon some old recordings and he graciously decided to allow us to hear a track he penned about Sofia Coppola. Although it’s not technically new music from Sufjan it is new to all of us. Enjoy.
mp3 : Sufjan Stevens - Sofia’s Song
And who knows, maybe if I keep writing open letters on the internet we might see a new album before 2012. Which would be good, because that’s when the world ends.
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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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According to their page over at Asthmatic Kitty, The Curtains used to play “very short songs, like quiet little lists of musical ideas.” And I feel like I agree that this is still the realm of eccentric pop that The Curtains inhabits. The songs come across a bit as if they’re unfinished. As if they started with one idea but then were distracted by every other sound bouncing around in their heads. At the end of the day the music sounds cozy, if not entirely coherent, or cohesive for that matter.
mp3 : The Curtains - Go Lucky
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While Googling this band I got quite a laugh at one of the hits on the front page of Google. Let’s just say that it was a website all about finding your correct bra size and we’ll leave it at that. All that aside Shapes and Sizes have a very unique, and quite eclectic sound. They might qualify as an acquired taste, but that’s only because their songs can be so varied and schizophrenic within a five minute run time. For a quick example of what their music might look like in a visual representation you don’t have to look any further than their website’s first image. It’s a table full of pictures of the band members which produces this slightly awkward, yet structured and highly artistic, vision of the group. I feel like that’s what their sound is like too. A bit of hodgepodge, a dash or so of completely random creativity, but overall a sense that they are in control of the sound they produce. And that sound is something to be experienced.
mp3 : Shapes and Sizes - Islands Gone Bad
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Over at Asthmatic Kitty they claim that Rafter is a musician who has no fear. And that might well be true. If you look closely at this picture you’ll see that he’s busy driving, but maybe more busy simply not caring. He is wearing a seat belt, though, and that does a little to take away from the no fear claim. Oh well, at least he still makes good music, as do the rest of his label-mates.
mp3 : Rafter - Encouragement
mp3 : Rafter - Gentlemen
mp3 : Rafter - Hope
mp3 : Rafter - Monsters
mp3 : Rafter and Stith - Merchandise (Stith Remix)
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When Asthmatic Kitty first signed My Brightest Diamond I was, to be honest, highly disappointed in their decision. But something happened to me over the past few months and for whatever reason the sound represented by My Brightest Diamond has begun to grow on me. It has somehow slipped into my heart and become something that I will put on in the car, on a long drive, as it slowly forces me to reconcile all the melancholy of my personal life with the gorgeous sounds emanating from the stereo.
And as if her first album with Asthmatic Kitty wasn’t enough, Shara Worden took a break from creating new music to remix everything she had done up to that point. A trend that is rapidly catching on with new indie acts and up-and-comers looking to avoid a sophomore slump. As well as those just looking to make their music danceable. In the end there’s catchy hooks, clever lyrics, and now a throbbing beat behind a lot of the music. And all of that adds up to something we should all enjoy.
mp3 : My Brightest Diamond - Freakout (Goldchains Remix)
mp3 : My Brightest Diamond - Golden Star (Alias Remix)
mp3 : My Brightest Diamond - Something of an End
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Surprisingly little can be found out about this band, Belltower, and to be honest that might be because there really isn’t all that much to be known [or heard]. Apparently they are a small outfit made up of various ragamuffins found throughout the Asthmatic Kitty label, most notably Bridgit DeCook, and some other San Francisco natives.
This song is a bit monotonous and I found it only by digging through the Asthmatic Kitty website. Relentless Googling didn’t turn up anything deeper than that. Maybe one of you will download the track, love it, and start a viral campaign for Belltower. Maybe not.
mp3 : Belltower - Two Divided By Zero
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