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Gosh, I'll get around to the burgeoning inbox in a sec but I've fallen down a real fun nostalgic 'net hole that started off with a search for a decent video version of Kristin Hersh's song Your Ghost and well...to continue...
The Delta Mirror! This one's really different and special...an early contender for the end of '10 best-of wrap-up. Score one for L.A.
There are way too many comparisons to be made here; Interpol and The Advisory Circle come to mind. It strangely sounds like two completely different bands, one warm and the other cold, sharing space because the studio was overbooked.
The band's much delayed Machines That Listen gets its official release on June 3rd at Origami Vinyl next to the Echo. (If anyone wants to go conduct a sting to verify that it's not in fact, two bands.)(nerd.)(via)
The Delta Mirror: He Was Worse Than The Needle He Gave You mp3
From the inbox: Today's sweet and delicately spidery offering comes from Ms. Allison Moorer, whose newest LP Crows is in stores now. Sad stories told well are always the best.
Moorer is the younger sister of country star Shelby Lynne and will be touring with Steve Earle, Jay Farrar and the Broken Boys of Alabama. (Dates after the jump.)
Alison Moorer: The Broken Girl mp3 was here.
Underworld's new album, due sometime soon,is still known as TBA at this point.
Their latest work is said to draw heavily on samples one of Europe's best paid DJs Todd Terry. Which I guess would make it make it a sample of other samples?
See the latest video from the electronica legends below. The music does seem to come from a long distant time/faraway place but I'm kind of getting into it.
Much like Hans Zimmer's dog, or Oprah when riding in a car with Gayle, Karl Hyde's passenger doesn't look as jazzed as him. Whatever, get your shine on, Karl. The euphoric track can be downloaded here.
Ohmigosh so much news in the 'box, let's get to it:
++Wolf Parade has made some tracks available from its new album Expo 86 that can be found here.
++Tokyo Police Club will play the El Rey on August 12 with guests Freelance Whales.
++MST3K's Joel Hodgson as Cinematic Titanic hit Club Nokia on 9/24. I'm more of a Mike Nelson girl myself, but to each his own.
++Russell Brand, Jonah Hill and Carl Barat will be playing the Roxy tonight as Infant Sorrow. Will they get regular groupies, "chuckle-effers" or a mix of both? Tune in next time!
From the inbox: Mouse Fire's sophomore album Big Emotion drops on June 8th. The single True I May Have Lost It, sneers, taunts and flaunts its theatricality (and a piano line that calls to mind Foreigner's Cold As Ice).
The Floridians play Trip Lounge in Santa Monica on June 6th at 9 pm.
++Here's some newish video of DJ's Diplo and the globally beloved Tiesto engaged in some kind of battle with the song "C'mon." Is it immature to wish they had sampled GOB from Arrested Development?
Even if the move loses Tiesto say, 20% of his fans, he'd still have a spare 3 billion laying around. He'd just have to look behind the armoir or under the sofa seat cushions.
I much prefer this older video featuring Tegan and Sara and its goosebump inducing beauty.
Surprising that the pixie sisters haven't done more of this type of music. Their prettily austere voices are well suited for cold beats.
++Singles by Silverchair, Busted and Flyleaf have been added to the Rock Band library. SNL's Jenny Slate is so busy these days!
The most traffic I ever get is when I do a year-end roundup but by the time the end of the year rolls around I'm too busy and fatigued by all the other lists. Still like I said yesterday, I do like to Champion some of the songs I've fallen in love with over the course of the year. Many times over.
The usual disclaimers: Most of these are *not* new. Also, there have been some great songs by bigger artists who I love (Yeasayer's Madder Red, Broken Bells' High Road, Caribou's Odessa, etc.) but the emphasis here is on recognizing some lesser known artists. I'll try to hook up some mp3s here later, too.
(Update: Danggit, also these songs. This process will never end.)
1) Crime In Stereo:...But You Are Vast
2) Speak: Carrie
3) The Very Best: Warm Heart of Africa
4) I Blame Coco ft. Robyn: Caesar
5) Phosphorescent: Wolves
6) Tracey Thorn: Oh the Divorces
7) Villagers: Becoming A Jackal
8) El May: Don't You
9) Hooray For Earth: Surrounded By Your Friends
10) Fitz and the Tantrums: Breakin' the Chains
11) Nicki Minaj: Beam Me Up Scotty
12) Johnny Flynn: The Box
13) Quadron: Pressure
14) Grovesnor: Taxi From the Airport
15) Summer Camp: Ghost Train
16) The Drums: Forever and Ever
From the 'box:
Anyone who liked the sparse, jazz nightclub (I'm pretending it's called "The Smooth Operator")sounds of Hot Chip drummer Grovesnor from a few weeks back will definitely want to check out today's selection by Alex Kemp. Kemp will release not one but 4 EP's throughout the rest of the year. The first is called Rat D' Hotel, a nickname for American writers living in France during the 1920s. Go ahead and click the paper bag and see all the rats fall out.
++I profiled Belgian band Das Pop several years ago, and agree with Burning Ear that they don't get enough love. Tight, cotton candy pop isn't as easy to come up with as it sounds (at least not in an interesting way) and should be championed. See also: Speak.
++Kaaaahn!: Maroon 5's new video for the song Misery directed by Joseph Kahn and featuring Adam Levine's Russian supermodel girlfriend Anna Vyalitsyna is said to be humorously violent and therapeutic. Well at least they didn't go the obvious Kathy Bates/Jimmy Caan route. New album on Sept 21st.
++Grizzly Bear scores the Ryan Gosling, Michelle Williams film Blue Valentine. The "diseased marriage" movie is said to be a downer, though you couldn't tell by looking at this picture.
++Tin Man is scared. You will be too after listening to Track A4, titled Birds. Yikes. "Mommy?" as John Ritter used to say.
++Do the opening notes of this song by The Fall sound bird-like or have I just been traumatized by that last item? (via):
Some great finds in today's inbox:
++Bill Whitten, lead singer of Grand Mal argues with a cantankerous echo/voice of reason in the song below. Grand Mal's latest album Clandestine Songs arrives on June 15th. It's a follow-up to 2007's Congratulations: You've Rejoined the Human Race. Lower Yer Heart is named for the book of the same name by French writer and noted anarchist Georges Darien.
++UK lady duo Peggy Sue will play Spaceland on June 22nd. I always wonder how a songwriter will choose to end a dramatic song like this, one that builds itself into such a barn-burning lather. Aha... a definite period to punctuate the end of this one, missing only the sound of a rifle firing. (They oughtsta to team up with the finger-wagging ladies of First Aid Kit.)
Peggy Sue Watchman mp3 was here.
The Drums' newest, much anticipated LP washes ashore on June 8th. For some reason they seem to me like they should be European, with the same kind of chilly longing in their voices as Tough Alliance and Peter Bjorn & John, but they're from (where else)... Brooklyn. I really ((heart)) the song Best Friend. What a year it's been for surfy sounds!
Check out these back alley dance moves:
Losanjealous' concert list is giving its esteemed golden thumbs up to Stockholm Sweden's denim-loving First Aid Kit (sisters Klara and Johana) who will be playing the Bootleg Theater on June 1st.
I'm enjoying the song below very much, which strays from typical folk with its appealingly sweet yet somehow aggressive harmony. Not sure if this is a remake, I love the 'Battle of the Sexes' story.
First Aid Kit You're Not Coming Home Tonight mp3
++When will I ever be able to write this again?:
"Mystery Jets is a five-piece indie band formerly based on Eel Pie Island in Twickenham England."
Just great.
The Jets's third studio album Serotonin will be released on July 5th. Much like Yeasayer's recent work and the Brazilian Girls' Good Time, there's an upbeat tempo to this song. Now that the economy is starting to show signs of improvement I wonder if all the artistic bubblyness (that was a reaction to hard times) will boomerang back into more dour songs. Que sera sera...
++A picture from David Guetta's latest game of Freeze tag video, Gettin' Over You:
I've been extracting some old posts to clean things up around here and it has been an embarrassment of riches rich with embarrassment. (Also a lot of fun moments; and not to get all Retreat-speak but what a great journey this has been!) This will continue for the next several days but I'll resume posting soon. Maybe later today.
Hiiijole! Violens has a remix of the Very Best's Warm Heart of Africa and it totally changes the whole feel of the song. Switching out the backdrop makes Very Best's vocals skew sad and lonely as opposed to the celebratory tones of the original. Somehow. Then the chorus of voices come in toward the end and it becomes something out of the Peter Gabriel's playbook.
Violens will play Toronto on August 5th and Philly on August 15th.
Today's selection by Moonlight Towers, from a few years back, could be from a scene in a movie. Picturing a honkytonk, where the main character grins widely before dropping a few quarters in a jukebox and dance-flirting with his/her targeted person of interest. Lookin' your way Quaid and Roberts.
The Austin band promises to have another album out soon.. when they're not busy with the Promise Breakers intermural league.
This picture of Marco Benevento cooking pretty much tells you what you need to know about his music. It's chaotic, joyful and how you say? Zimmer-ian? His album Between The Needles and Nightfall is out in stores today. The experimental jazz keyboardist's mostly instrumental tracks can be streamed here. I like Ila Frost. Marco Benevento It Came From You mp3
From the inbox:
++Don Diablo has remixed the Chemical Brothers' new single Swoon and has graciously made it available to getcha moving..like a beatfilled cup of joe.
++Seattle's Head Like A Kite has a new full-length coming out (officially) on May 18th called Dreams Suspend Night. The new album features guest spots by Neon Neon's Boom Bip and members of the Long Winters and Swervedriver. Below a track from an earlier album and a video featuring a dardastardly Perry King of Riptide fame. No that's not really Perry (Firestone?) King.
