San Francisco's 18th annual Noise Pop festival, featuring indie rock artists, independent films, and special events that will take place at venues throughout the city over a span of seven days, starting this Tuesday, February 23rd.

Artists and bands scheduled to perform include an eclectic line-up, ranging from folk and rock to pop and electronic. Some of the headliners include Rogue Wave, The Magnetic Fields, The Dodos, Zee Avi, !!!, Edward Sharpe and the Zeros, John Vanderslice, Atlas Sound, Memory Tapes, We Were Promised Jetpacks, Thao Nguyen, Mark Kozelek, Foreign Born, Far and The Soundtrack of Our Lives.

Claudia Gonson Of Magnetic Fields will present the keynote speech at the opening ceremonies at the Industry Noise. A number of shows have already sold out, including performances headlined by Rogue Wave, Atlas Sound, Four Tet, Memory Tapes, Edward Sharpe and the Zeros and The Magnetic Fields' Monday night show at the Herbst Theatre. Some film screenings have also sold out (see details below; plus plenty of trailers).

The Yoko Ono Plastic Ono Band will perform for the first time in San Francisco in 15 years opening night at the Fox Theatre in Oakland. Performing with Yoko Ono will be her son, Sean Lennon, With Cornelius, Yuka Honda and Deerhoof.

This is the full schedule for Noise Pop organized by music and film, and including information such as artists, venue names and locations, show times, ticket prices, song streams, and video trailers.

Wednesday, Feb. 24th

Music

Rogue Wave with Princeton, Man/Miracle, and Two Sheds at Bottom Of The Hill (website | 1233 17th St. ) - 8 p.m. Tickets: Sold Out. All ages.

"Good Morning" - Rogue Wave
"Sadie and Andy" - Princeton

The Ghost of a Saber Toothed Tiger at The Independent ( website | 628 Divisadero St. ) - 8 p.m. Tickets: $20. Ages 21+.

Harlem, Best Coast, The Sandwiches and Young Prisms at Cafe Du Nord (website | 2170 Market St. ) . Tickets: $12. Ages 21+.

"Friendly Ghosts" - Harlem
"This Is Real" - Best Coast

Foreign Born, The Fresh & Onlys, Free Energy and The Splinters at the Rickshaw Stop (website | 155 Fell St. ) - 8 p.m. Tickets: $15. All ages.

"Vacationing People" - Foreign Born
"Free Energy" - Free Energy


Film


Austin, Texas: Live Music Capital of the World? at the Roxie Theatre (website | 3117 16th St), 7 p.m. Tickets: $10. All ages.

Related: See a three minute, cool promo video mashup of Austin with some great shots of the music scene and other Austin attractions, via AustinTexas.org and set to music by Vallejo.

P Star Rising at the Roxie, 9 p.m. Tickets: $10. All ages.


Thursday, Feb. 25th

Music

Citay, Greg Ashley and Tape Deck Mountain at Cafe Du Nord - 8 p.m. Tickets: $12-$14. Age requirement of 21 years.

"Careful with That Hat" - Citay
"Ghost Colony" - Tape Deck Mountain

Far (Reunion show) with Stomacher, Picture Atlantic, The Trophy Fire at Bottom of the Hill - 8 p.m. Tickets: $14. All ages.

"Pony" - Far

The Dodos with Magik Magik Orchestra Collaborative at the Palace of Fine Arts (website | 3301 Lyon St.) - 8 p.m. Tickets: $25. All ages.

"Jodi" - The Dodos

Zee Avi with The Hot Toddies, Leslie and the Badgers and Tiny Television at Rickshaw Stop - 8:30 p.m. Tickets: $12-$14. All ages.

"First of the Gang to Die" - Zee Avi

Film


Blood Into Wine at Viz Cinema (website | 1746 Post St. ) - 7:30 p.m. Tickets: Sold Out. All ages.


The Heart is a Drum Machine at the Viz Cinema - 9:30 p.m. Tickets: $10. All ages.


Friday, Feb. 26th

Music

John Vanderslice with Nurses, Honeycomb and Conspiracy of Venus at Swedish American Hall (website | 2174 Market St.) - 8 p.m. Tickets: $15. Ages 21+.

"Me and My 424" - John Vanderslice
"Asleep" - Nurses

Atlas Sound with Geographer, Magic Wands and Nice Nice at Great American Music Hall (website | 859 O'Farrell St. ) - 8 p.m. Tickets: Sold Out. All ages.

"Walkabout" (featuring Noah Lennox, aka Panda Bear, of Animal Collective) - Atlas Sound
"Can't You Wait" - Geographer

The Mumlers with The Growlers, Sonny and the Sunsets and The Ferocious Few at Cafe Du Nord - 8 p.m. Tickets: $12-$14. Ages 21+.

"Red River Hustle" - The Mumlers
"Barnacle Beast" - The Growlers

Wallpaper, The Limousines, Butterfly Bones and Battlehooch at Slim's (website | 333 11th St. ) - 8 p.m. Tickets: $14. All ages.

"Pool Party" - Wallpaper
"Dancing at Her Funeral" - The Limousines

Four Tet with Nathan Fake, Rainbow Arabia and New Villager at The Independent - 8 p.m. Tickets: Sold Out. Ages 21+.

"Plastic People" - Four Tet
"Harlem Sunset" - Rainbow Arabia
"Rich Doors" - New Villager

Scissors for Lefty, Judgment Day, Ghosts and the City, and Glaciers at Bottom of the Hill - 8 p.m. Tickets: Sold Out. Ages 21+.

Film


Blood Into Wine at ATA (website | 992 Valencia St. ) - 7 p.m. Tickets: $10. All ages.

Downtown Calling at ATA - 9 p.m. Tickets: $10. All ages.


Saturday, Feb. 27th

Music

Memory Tapes with Loquat, Birds & Batteries, and Letting Up Despite Great Faults at Bottom of the Hill - 9 p.m. Tickets: Sold Out. All ages.

"Plain Material" - Memory Tapes
"Sit" - Loquat

The Magnetic Fields at Fox Theatre in Oakland (website |1807 Telegraph Ave.) - 8 p.m. Tickets: $32.50. All ages.

"I Don't Believe You" - The Magnetic Fields

True Widow, P.E.E., Ovens, and Grass Widow at Cafe Du Nord - 8 p.m. Tickets: $12-$14. Ages 21+.

"Duelist" - True Widow
"Time Could Bend" - Grass Widow

We Were Promised Jetpacks with The Lonely Forest, Bear Hands, Tempo No Tempo at Slim's - 8 p.m. Tickets: $16. All ages.

"Conductor" - We Were Promised Jetpacks
"What a Drag" - Bear Hands

Thao Nguyen with Mirah and Horse Feathers, Dave Smallen, Carletta, and Sue Kay at Swedish American Hall - 8 p.m. Tickets: $15. Ages 21+.

"Beat" - Thao Nguyen
"Curs in the Weeds" - Horse Feathers

The Soundtrack of Our Lives with Nico Vega, Music for Animals, and Imaad Wasif at The Independent - 8 p.m. Tickets: $16. Ages 21+.

"Firmament Vacation" - The Soundtrack of Our Lives
"Beast" - Nico Vega
"Red Cells" - Music For Animals
"Wanderlusting" - Imaad Wasif

Mark Kozelek with Laura Gibson, Paula Frazer, and Fences at The Great American Music Hall - 8 p.m. Tickets: $26/$30. All ages.

"Celebrated Summer" - Mark Kozelek
"Come By Storm" - Laura Gibson

!!! with Maus Haus, Sugar & Gold, and My First Earthquake at Mezzanine (website | 444 Jessie St. ). Tickets: $20. Ages 21+.

"Take Estasy With Me (Magnetic Fields)" - !!!
"Rigid Breakfast" - Maus Haus

Black Prairie (with members of The Decemberists), Trainwreck Riders, Billy & Dolly, and Birds Fled From Me - 8:30 p.m. at Rickshaw Stop. Tickets: $14. All ages.

"Engine Driver" - The Decemberists
"Chug Along" - Trainwreck Riders

Film

Unusual Heroes: John Darnielle and Lou Barlow at ATA - 2 p.m. Tickets: $10. All ages


Woodstock: Now & Then at ATA - 4 p.m. Tickets: $10. All ages.


Sunday, Feb. 28th

Music

Dizzy Balloon with The Houds Below, Visqueen and Laarks at Bottom of the Hill - 1 p.m. Tickets: $12. All ages.
"Raise A Glass" - Dizzy Balloon
"All The Words" - Laarks

Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros with The Watson Twins, AB & The Sea, and The Northern Key at Bimbo's 365 Club (website | 1025 Columbus Ave ) - 7:30 p.m. Tickets: Sold Out.

"Daydream" - Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros
"Sky Open Up" - The Watson Twins

Film

The Secret to a Happy Ending at ATA - 2 p.m. Tickets: Sold Out. All ages.


All My Friends Are Funeral Singers at ATA - 4 p.m. Tickets: $10. All ages.


A Film About Stephin Merritt and The Magnetic Fields at Mezzanine - 8 p.m. Tickets: $15. All ages.


Monday, March 1st - The Finale

The Magnetic Fields with Mark Eitzel at Herbst Theater (website | 401 Van Ness St. ) - 8 p.m. Tickets: Sold Out. All ages.

"All The Umbrellas in London" (Live at KVRX, 1999) - The Magnetic Fields

Tickets for all performances listed above can be purchased on the Noise Pop full schedule page

Note: The official website homepage's top menu links - Artists, Schedule, etc. - do not contain the updated 2010 information, for some strange reason; a bit confusing, but make sure to click here for all of the information for the 2010 event. The Bay Bridged put together a cool feature of free Noise Pop events.

We're gearing up for Noise Pop! Thanks to Tell All Your Friends PR and Noise Pop organizers for helping us out in planning for the festival.

Labels: Festivals, MP3s, Noise Pop Festival, San Francisco

"I never intended for anyone to hear this music", says Army Of Me singer/songwriter Vince Scheuerman. But we are sure glad Scheuerman decided, at the encouragement of a friend, to release the remarkable Make Yourself Naked EP to the world, even though it has received surprisingly little attention on popular indie blogs and major music sites.

The EP, released in October, was written on paper and recorded on Scheuerman's laptop, in his Washington, D.C. bedroom during the winter of early 2009, and then taken into the studio to mix with the band. The end result is easily one of the best overlooked DIY releases of 2009. Here is yet another example of terrific, original music that flies under the radar and leaves us scratching our heads when compared to the constant flow of crappy and mediocre music that floods the popular media on a weekly basis.

The band Army of Me are not completely unknown in the indie folk rock world. Following the release of their widely acclaimed 2007 debut, Citizen, the band toured heavily, opening for major artists like The Dave Matthews Band, Switchfoot, OAR, The Used, Blue October, and The Almost. Yet the D.C. band's new EP is almost the polar opposite of the band's debut LP - it is stripped down and more focused, completing Scheuerman's intent that "less is more."

In listening to Make Yourself Naked's magnificent set of acoustic tracks, it's nearly impossible to avoid comparisons with the brilliant Neil Finn (The Church), and perhaps early Verve, REM and Oasis recordings. That is a testament to Scheuerman's elegant vocals and poignant lyrics which are the centerpiece of the EP, resulting in compositions that are original, organic, honest and heart felt. In two words: simply gorgeous.

"Don't Be Long" - Army of Me from Make Yourself Naked EP (2009)

"Heart of Love" - Army of Me from Make Yourself Naked EP (2009)

Army of Me official website
Army of Me on MySpace


Even though they officially formed in 2004, Threes and Nines have recently raised eyebrows, and won the praise of some bloggers, following their set at the Bowery Room in NYC during October's CMJ Musical Festival, and after opening for Patrick Watson's at San Francisco's Great American Music Hall.

The band's currently unreleased album was recorded at Connecticut's Carriage House under the direction of Gordon Gano (Violent Femmes ), and engineered and mixed by Phil Palazzolo (Neko Case, Okkervil River, St. Vincent). The band is currently looking for a label to release the songs presented here.

"Carnival" - Threes and Nines from s/t debut, unreleased (2010)

"Won't Look Back" - Threes and Nines from s/t debut, unreleased (2010)

Threes and Nines on MySpace

Trees and Trashcans was formed in Denver in early 2008. Evan Malouf and Brad Wright met through common friend Heather Nester and started jamming. Their musical styles meshed seamlessly and the band was formed. Later bassist Mark Henry joined to fill out the sound.

Wright and Malouf co-wrote all the music and continue to do so to this day. The music toucheson a variety of different topics, issues and subjects and is influenced by various genres, making it difficult to pin down the band's style.

"He She We Me" - Trees and Trashcans from Littering The World (2009)

"The Bike Song" - Trees and Trashcans from Littering The World (2009)

Trees and Trashcans on MySpace

The following three tracks were sent in from Lefse Records. The label's growing rooster is turning out some terrific music as demonstrated by the promising bands My Summer As A Salvation Soldier, Tape Deck Mountain and A Grave With No Name.

"Monuments"- My Summer As A Salvation Soldier from Nytt (2009)

"Ghost Colony" - Tape Deck Mountain from Ghost (2009)

"Open Water" - A Grave With No Name from Mountain Debris (2009)

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Sigur Ros' Vocalist and Guitarist Jonsi Birgisson Releases Advance Track from Upcoming Solo LP

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Labels: Army of Me, In Dee Mail, MP3s, Threes and Nines, Trees and Trashcans, Vince Sheuerman

We are excited to share with you a new track from Sigur Ros' vocalist Jónsi Birgisson's upcoming solo album, Go. The track, "Boy Lilikoi," is clearly of the caliber that one would expect from one of Iceland's - and for that matter, the world's - most talented and accomplished singer/songwriters.

Birgisson, who is blind in his right eye, is also one of the few openly gay indie superstars of our time. His partner, Alex Somers, does much of the graphic work for Sigur Ros, collaborates with Birgisson on art projects, and helped write and record the couple's first album, Riceboy Sleeps, a fantastic instrumental LP released in 2009 that won critical praise. The Economist said: "…it’s up there with the best of Sigur Rós," and The Guardian called it "a delicate, sad, little record, but one that ripples with beauty."

Riceboy Sleeps is a gorgeous and intoxicating 68-minute instrumental album recorded solely with acoustic instruments from Iceland, and features appearances by Amiina and the Kópavogsdætur Choir.

The upcoming release of Go is being produced by Peter Katis (Interpol, The National, Tokyo Police Club) and is scheduled for release in March 2010 on XL Recordings. On December 1, 2009, Birgisson's official website, Jonsi.com, was launched, where fans can go to get the free advanced MP3, and view the making of Go.

"Boy Lilikoi" - Jonsi Birgisson from Go (2010)

"Happiness" - Jonsi & Alex from Riceboy Sleeps (2009)

Labels: 2010 Releases, Alex Somers, Jonsi Birgisson, MP3s, Sigur Ros

The delicious pop harmonies and choruses of Brooklyn's DIY outfit Monogold are hard to ignore. The band's sophomore release, We Animals, has generated a buzz with publications like Spin, and we can certainly see (hear) why.

"Feel Animal" - Monogold from We Animals (2009)

"Dead Sea Minerals" - Monogold from We Animals (2009)

Next, Old Canes is the solo project of Lawrence, Kansas folk artist and multi-instrumentalist Chris Crisci (Appleseed Cast). Old Canes' sophomore LP, Feral Harmonies, was released in October by Saddle Creek, and featured on Stereogum's Gum Drop playlist.

"Little Bird Courage" - Old Canes from Feral Harmonies (2009)

The emotionally-charged, neo-glam rock of UK-born, Florida resident one-man band Slideshow Freak is apparent on the song, "Something More," just one of the tracks on the free EP, We Should Swing.

"Something More" - Slideshow Freak from We Should Swing (2009)

Hailing from the southern California city of Costa Mesa, the rock band Japanese Motors like writing songs about surfing, drinking and partying, and that formula has caught on; in fact, their MySpace page alone has never half of a million page views.

"Whatever" - Japanese Motors from Luxury Wafers EP (2009)

Sean Scolnick, more popularly known as Langhorne Slim, is a Pennsylvania born folk singer and songwriter who has built a following opening for bands like the Avett Brothers, Cake and The Low Anthem, and performing at big festival like Newport Folk Festival and Bonnaroo. The following is a cut from his latest LP.

"Say Yes" - Langhorne Slim from Be Set Free (2009)

Laura Veirs recently cut ties with Nonesuch Records, started her own label and released a new LP July Flame. Here's the first single from the LP.

"Wide Eyed, Legless" - Laura Veirs from July Flame (2009)

Labels: Ears To The Music, MP3s

Indie rock pioneer Beck and his Record Club is now well into their recordings of cover songs honoring the great Leonard Cohen as seen in the video above for "Sisters of Mercy." The Record Club is a collection of musicians, lead by Beck, that include Devendra Banhart, MGMT, Wolfmother and Little Joy, who set out to highlight certain artists and bands that have influenced their musical careers. During the summer, the Record Club's first series featured covers of Velvet Underground songs.

To kick off this playlist of cover songs, the Record Club present the first classic VU song the recorded, "Sunday Morning," followed by another VU track, plus cover songs by other artists of Vampire Weekend, Pavement, Radiohead, The Strokes, The Smiths, MGMT, Bob Dylan, LCD Soundsystem, John Lennon and Oasis.

"Sunday Morning" (The Velvet Underground) - Beck and the Record Club (2009)
Double-shot: "All Tomorrow’s Parties (The Velvet Underground) - Beck and the Record Club (2009)

"Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" (Vampire Weekend) - The Very Best with Esau Mwamwaya & Radioclit

Steel and Glass (John Lennon) - Alberta Cross

"Take It Or Leave It" (The Strokes) - Arctic Monkeys

"Big Black Smoke" (The Kinks) - Patch Up Boys

"Box Elder" (Pavement) - Pet Ghost Project

"Karma Police" (Radiohead) - Flunk

"Mr. Blue Sky" (ELO) - The Spinto Band

"Panic" (The Smiths) - Spoon

"Kids" (MGMT) - The Kooks

"Oh Sister" (Bob Dylan) - Andrew Bird

"All My Friends" (LCD Soundsystem) - The Main Drag

See the other cover songs playlists.

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Labels: Cover Songs, MP3s, The Kinks

There are plenty of indie artists and bands that have released great music in 2009. Some of the best have been published via the In Dee Mail (music sent directly to us) series; but surprisingly get little notice on other music sites and blogs. If you follow this site on a regular basis, you know that we regularly feature talented artists and bands that are rarely heard elsewhere; they all have one thing in common - they got our attention because their music stands out among the many other submissions we receive each month.

There is something very exciting, and special, about hearing good-to-stunning music that few other people know about. And there is no shortage of such music, by any means. Case in point is the New York City band Beautiful Small Machines?

The duo is Bree Sharp and Don DiLego that craft melodic electro-pop hooks and are admittedly "caught somewhere between the 70’s, 80’s and deep space". The title track of their new EP, Simple Joys, features Simon LeBon (Duran Duran) on vocals. Simple Joys drops October 13 via Elk Velvet Records, the day before a scheduled show at the CMJ Music Marathon in New York, October 20-24.

Jim Wallis of the London-based indie rock band, My Sad Captains, debuts with his electronic lo-fi solo album, "Fish/Fowl/Flood," under the moniker Looking Glass. Wallis' debut LP drops on Oct. 19. Also in this playlist are new songs from Florida rockers Inkwell; LA's alternative rock band Lemonwilde; the recently disbanded UK buzz group Calis Star; Chicago's punk band Cool Devices; Bi-coastal indie hipsters Esquimaux; Jersey City's melodramatic alt rockers Their Planes Will Block Out The Sun; pop experimentalists from Brooklyn Peephole; and UK indie group Mirror Kicks.

"Simple Joys" - Beautiful Small Machines from Simple Joys EP (2009)

"Ah La Ha" - Looking Glass from Fish Fowl Flood (2009)

"The Whale The Whale The Whale!!!" - Inkwell from Rivers of Blood and Sadness, or Maybe Happy (2009)

"Just Like An Ashtray" - Lemonwilde from Red Room EP (2009)

"The Goodwill Robot" - Carlis Star from Bedroom Demos (2009)

"Primitive" - Cool Devices from s/t debut (2009)

"Guilty Boat" - Peephole from Cold Dime EP (2009)

"In The Night" - Esquimaux from Wolf EP (2009)

"Teflon Kids" - Their Planes Will Block Out The Sun from White Dancer (2009)

"Turning It Up" - Mirror Kicks, digital single (2009)

There will be more installments of the In Dee Mail series in the coming weeks, spotlighting dozens of impressive songs you've probably never heard. At the end of this year, we're going to have a huge special edition, titled The Greatest of In Dee Mail, highlighting the best songs published on IRC throughout 2009.

Check out other artists and bands with free music in the archives of the In Dee Mail series.

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Labels: In Dee Mail, MP3s

Who doesn't love a great cover version of an awesome song by a band they like, of a band they like? That's a recipe for an awesome cover song, most of the time. It's been a while since we put together a playlist of hot covers. This playlist comprises some of the best covers we've heard in some time, and hopefully you'll agree. Afterall, did you ever think that the Arctic Monkeys would be singing a cover version of a track in a James Bond movie? Or Vampire Weekend doing Fleetwood Mac?

Plus, ex-Concrete's vocalist Victoria Bergsman and her new band Taken By Trees have a brand new LP out featuring a slightly altered cover version of Animal Collective's "My Girls," titled "My Boys." Born Ruffians deliver one of the best cover songs ever of Bruce Springsteen - it's addictive, huh? Canadian super indie band Broken Social Scene cover "Puff The Magic Dragon" that includes dialouge at the end of the song as well.

Don't miss the covers of Bat For Lashes doing Big Star, Asobi Seksu belting out Leonard Cohen, Radiohead covering Neil Young, Venice is Sinking's cover of an Okay song, plus other hand-picked covers from Drive By Truckers (Jim Carrol, RIP), The Feelies (Rolling Stones), Black Keys (The Kinks), Paramore (Kings of Leon) and Local H (Led Zeppelin).

"Diamonds Are Forever" (007 Cover) - Arctic Monkeys

"My Boys" (Animal Collective) - Taken By Trees

"Everywhere" (Fleetwood Mac) - Vampire Weekend

"Love Me Tender" (Elvis Presley) - Norah Jones

"Foxes Mate For Life" (Bruce Springsteen) - Born Ruffians

"Tell Me Why" (Neil Young) - Radiohead (live)

"Take It Or Leave It" (The Strokes) - Arctic Monkeys

"Act Nice and Gentle" (The Kinks) - The Black Keys

"Puff The Magic Dragon" (Leonard Lipton and Peter Yarrow) - Broken Social Scene

"Two Weeks" (Grizzly Bear) - Ruby Weapon

"Suzanne" (Leonard Cohen) - Asobi Seksu

"Kangaroo" (Big Star) - Bat For Lashes

"Compass" (Okay) - Venice Is Sinking

"People Who Died" (Jim Carroll) - The Drive-By Truckers

"Paint It Black" (Rolling Stones) - The Feelies

"Use Somebody" (Kings of Leon) - Paramore

"I'm in Love with a Girl" (Big Star) - Patterson Hood

"Going To California" (Led Zeppelin) - Local H

View and download past installments of Indie Cover Songs


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Labels: Cover Songs, MP3s

Today's playlist of the best new indie rock includes a doubleshot from the super group The Almighty Defenders, consisting of members of the Black Lips and King Khan & BBQ; plus, new songs from Thao with The Get Down Stay Down; Columbus' Times New Viking; Pittsburgh's Girls present the awesome song, "Hellhole Ratrace"; Portland's Blitzen Trapper; Tennessee's talented David Mead; two popular Brooklyn bands, Obits and Kordan; experimental blues band Castanets; Bloomington, Indiana's Early Day Miners; Montreal's pop outfit Young Galaxy; Florida's indie pop band The Postmarks; New York's Samara Lubelski, and southern California rockers Devon Williams.

"Cone of Light" - The Almighty Defenders from s/t debut (2009)
Double-shot: "Bow Down and Die" - The Almighty Defenders from s/t debut (2009)

"Know Better, Learn Faster" - Thao with the Get Down, Stay Down, single (2009)

"Move To California" - Times New Viking from Born Again Revisited (2009)

"Hellhole Ratrace" - Girls from Album (2009)

"Black River Killer" - Blitzen Trapper from Black River Killer EP (2009)

"Last Train Home" - David Mead from Almost & Always (2009)

"Two-Headed Coin" - Obits from I Blame You (2009)

Fantasy Nation - Kordan from Fantasy Nation (2009)

So Slowly" - Early Day Miners from Treatment (2009)

"Long Live The Fallen World" - Young Galaxy from Invisible Republic (2009)

"Go Jetsetter" - The Postmarks from Memoirs at the End of the World (2009)

"Evolution Flow" - Samara Lubelski from Future Slip (2009)

"Worn From The Light" - Castanets from Texas Rose, The Thaw and The Beast (2009)

"Sufferer" - Devon Williams from Sufferer (2009)

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Last Week's Popular Posts:

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Labels: MP3s

This year is turning out to be a blockbuster for indie and alternative rock music. There are many great songs and terrific albums that have been released so far this year. That sentiment is echoed by many others in the music press and on popular blogs.

Many of the best songs from the most standout albums have been already featured extensively in previous playlists on IRC, accessible by browsing the site's archives. There is no shortage of impressive 2009 songs and albums from talented indie artists and bands that most people have never heard of, thus the title, Best Rarely Heard Songs of 2009. In the end, the music speaks for itself. This is the first installment of a series that will run over the next couple of weeks.

Kicking off this playlist are two remarkable songs from the new free EP release by Sun Airway, titled "Oh Naoko."

This playlist also features Irish indie rockers The Ambience Affair; Cincinnati's Brian Olive; the garage rock band Downtown/Union from LA; vet rockers Polvo; New Zealand quartet The Bats; Melbourne's C86 revivalists Summer Cats, plus fresh tracks from Montreal's Land of Talk, Minneapolis indie band Mouthful of Bees, Monotonix and the sombre Astrid Williamson.

"Oh, Naoko" - Sun Airway from Oh, Naoko EP (2009)
Bonus: "Swallowed by the Night"

"Fragile Things" - The Ambience Affair from Fragile Things (2009)

"There Is Love" - Brian Olive from s/t debut (2009)

"Bright Idea" - Downtown/Union from Aurora Aurora (2009)

"Beggar's Bowl" - Polvo from In Prism (2009)

"Hey You, It's Me (Oh My)" - Summer Cats from Songs From Tuesday (2009)

"Castle Light" - The Bats from The Guilty Office (2009)

"May You Never" - Land of Talk from Fun and Laughter EP (2009)

"Please and Thank You" - Mouthful of Bees from Mouthful of Bees (2009)

"Set Me Free" - Monotonix from Where Were You When It Happened? (2009)

"Eve" - Astrid Williamson from Here Come the Vikings (2009)


Other Playlists You Might Enjoy:

- In Dee Mail - Profiles and MP3s of some of the best relatively unknown artists and bands in 2009 who sent their music to IRC.

- Summer Indie Rock Mix series - An six-part playlist mix series featuring songs from some of the best indie and alternative rock in 2009.

- Songs About New York City - A two-part series featuring dozens and dozens of the best music about NYC from a wide array of artists and bands.

- Bands To Watch - An extensive playlist series spotlighting talented new bands that are so good that there's a chance you might some day say you heard them first on IRC. :)

Labels: MP3s

The response to the summer playlist series on IRC over the past three months has been so remarkable, that we figured to add one more as the last blast for the summer of 2009. Don't give up on summer just yet.

Kicking off this final summer mix is a wonderful noise pop song from The Pains of Being Pure At Heart from their critically acclaimed debut, self-titled album. One of the reasons for highlighting this song is not only because it's a great summer song, but also because there is news to go along with it. The band's label, Slumberland Records, is set to release the new EP on September 22. Stream "Higher Than The Stars" via Pitchfork. In the meantime, check out the third single from their new album, "Come Saturday."

Next up is a fantastic new song from Swedish band South Ambulance. With a catchy title like "Davy Crockett," it might not sound like one of the best new indie tracks making the rounds, but once most people hear it, that all changes.

Following South Ambulance is the irresistible, summer-feeling Dr. Dog song, "The Old Days." The song's melodic, mandolin plucking and hi-fi vocals build up into a crescendo of synths, choruses and guitar licks. Although it was originally released on Dr. Dog's 2008 album Fate, it seems to have become one of the underground summer anthems of 2009.

Other songs in this mix feature a suave, Talking Heads-sounding tune from Fanfarlo's newest album, a jangly pop track from Electric Tickle Machine, a catchy, melodic track from the band Little Tybee, and the infectious summertime indie classic, "Nothing But Time," from OpusOrange (featured in July on IRC to a huge response from readers).

OpusOrange is also credited with the fun, somewhat defiant pop song, "Roll On By," heard by many people this summer on a popular TV commercial. Vampire Weekend: Eat your heart out.

Also, check out new songs from Podington Bear, Kevin Hearn & Thin Buckle, Camera Obscura, Cool Devices, Wheels On Fire, Coma League, The Decks, Amazing Baby, The Color Turning, Roadside Graves, The Sweet Serenades and Paul Oakenfold. Enjoy the waning days of summer.

"Come Saturday" - Pains of Being Pure At Heart from s/t debut (2009)

"Davy Crockett" - South Ambulance from EP #4 (2009)

"The Old Days" - Dr. Dog from Fate (2008)

"Harold T. Wilkins" - Fanfarlo from Reservior (2009)

"Part of Me" - Electric Tickle Machine from Blew It Again (2009)

"Glass Brigade" - Little Tybee from I Wonder Which House The Fish Will Live In (2009)

"Nothing But Time" - Opus Orange, unreleased web debut (2009)

"Ebullience" - Podington Bear from The End (2009)

"Huntsville.CA" - Kevin Hearn & Thin Buckle from Havana Winter (2009)

"My Maudlin Career" - Camera Obscura from My Maudlin Career (2009)

"This Is Not A White World" - Cool Devices from Cool Devices EP (2009)

"I'm Turning Into You" - Wheels On Fire from Get Famous (2009)

"Pros and Cons" - Coma League from This Could Be The Night EP (2009)

"What You Said" - The Decks from Breath and Bone (2009)

"Bayonets" - Amazing Baby from Bayonets (2009)

"Marionettes in Modern Times" - The Color Turning from Good Hands Band Blood (2009)

"Far And Wide" - Roadside Graves from My Son's Home (2009)

"Die Young" - The Sweet Serenades from Balcony Cigarettes (2009)

Here's one for the time machine:

"Starry Eyed Surprise" - Paul Oakenfield from Bunkka (2002)

Get all five of the previous 2009 summer mixes.

Yesterday's MP3 indie playlist: New songs from The Raveonettes, Why & Themselves, Paper Route, These United States, Datarock and many more.

Labels: Indie Summer Mix Playlist, MP3s

Tomorrow is the kick-off for this weekend's second annual Outside Lands Music Festival in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. Last year, there were an average of 60,000 people per day at the three-day long festival which was considered a success for the premiere of the new festival. Some music sites have described OL as the Bonnaroo or Lollapalooza of the West. It's a bit early to make that analogy, but clearly OL has become a contender for one of the country's major music festivals.

Although one of the major headliners at this year's Outside Land Festival, the Beastie Boys, had to cancel, organizers mobilized and got Tenacious D as a replacement. Other headliners include Pearl Jam, Dave Matthews, Incubus, Black Peas, Mars Volta, Ween, Modest Mouse and Thievery Corporation. What is not clear is why Band of Horses, Built to Spill and Calexico haven't been promoted as headliners.

In addition to the headliners, there are many top seed indie and alternative rock bands on the schedule, including Built to Spill, Band of Horses, The Dead Weather, TV on the Radio, Silversun Pickups, The National, Conor Oberst and the Mystic River Valley Band, The Dodos, Calexico, Akron/Family, The Duke Spirit, Blind Pilot, Bat For Lashes, Portugal, The Man, Cage The Elephant, The Avett Brothers, John Vanderslice, Heartless Bastards, Matt & Kim and dozens more. View the full line up of artist and bands playing the Outside Lands Festival.

In preparation for the festival, IRC is highlighting some of the top bands in this special festival playlist. Whether you're going to the festival or not, it's a good representation of the bands playing Outside Lands. If you'd like to see the exclusive, live webcast from San Francisco, you can watch Outside Lands on YouTube.

This playlist features songs from just a few of the bands playing this weekend's Outside Lands Festival in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. Fest starts at noon Friday.

"They Will Appear, Behold" (Live) - Akron/Family

"No One's Gonna Love You" - Band of Horses

"Nikorette" - Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band

"Across The Wire" - Calexico

"Panic Switch (Bobby Evans remix)" - Silversun Pickups

"So Far Around The Bend" - The National

"Fables" - The Dodos

"Your Party" - Ween

"Tiny Little Robots" - Cage The Elephant

"Microcastle" -Deerhunter

"People Say" - Portugal. The Man

"Need You Tonight (INXS cover)" - Dirtbombs

"If I Were A Carpenter" - Heartless Bastards

"Pete Evans Pritchard" - The Mars Volta

"Planet of Green Love" - Tea Leaf Green

"Moon And Moon" - Bat For Lashes

Profiles and songs from headliners and other bands playing Outside Lands Festival the weekend.

"The Plan" - Built To Spill

"World Wide Suicide" - Pearl Jam

"Dashboard" - Modest Mouse

"Boom Boom Pow" - Black Eyed Peas
"Wonderboy" - Tenacious D
"Air Batucada" - Thievery Corporation
"Gettin Up" - Q-Tip

The weather for the festival is supposed to be warmer and sunnier (and that's saying a lot for San Francisco in the summer time) than last year, which was predominantly foggy.

On the first night of the new festival in August 2008, the famous San Francisco fog rolled in as Radiohead took the stage and performed one of the most phenomenal and mind-blowing shows I've ever witnessed (and many others said the same) with a spectacular light show that created beams of blue, yellow and white lights that criss-crossed through the fog, illuminate the packed crowd of tens of thousands and was amazingly choreographed with the band's stunning performance.

During the show, which came right on the heels of Beck's impressive set, and looking in awe at the rainbow of beams shooting through the dense fog, I remembered wondering if famed director George Lukas, who lives in the SF Bay area, got the idea for the laser beams in Star Wars movies from this dazzling phenomenon?

Somehow, I can imagine him in the fog-drenched redwood forest with a flash light, being amazed, as so many who experience this phenomenon are, how even a small flash light can create such a magnificent beam of light for as far as the fog mist carries it. There was also a glimpse of this as well in scenes from Steven Spielberg's classic film E.T.

You can follow IRC on Twitter during the Outside Lands Festival this weekend as we send out updates about which bands are playing and whatever else happens.

Labels: MP3s, Outside Lands Festival, San Francisco

Staten Island band Cymbals Eat Guitars
Summer is still alive and kicking, and that's a good enough excuse to share more great new songs from 2009 that have been favorites this summer.

Kicking off this mix is a great new track from Cymbals Eat Guitars called "Wind Phoenix." The song is full of catchy pop harmonies and melodies that transform into a discordant crescendo full of guitar feedback and punk style vocals only to mellow out again to the sing-along charm the song opens with. The band's impressive, self-released debut, Why There Are Mountains, is one of the best independent debuts of 2009.

Other songs in this summer playlist include hot new singles from Times New Viking, Sonic Youth, Fruit Bats, Plus 49, Lightning Dust, A Lull, Kurt Vile, Harlem Shakes, The Radio Dept. and a new remix from Animal Collective.

"Wind Phoenix (Proper Name)" - Cymbals Eat Guitars from Why There Are Mountains (2009)

"No Time No Hope" - Times New Viking from Born Again Revisited (2009)

"Sacred Trickster" - Sonic Youth from The Eternal (2009)

"My Unusual Friend" - Fruit Bats from The Ruminant Band (2009)

Naive Brother -Plus 49 from Integrity and Injury (2009)

"Never Seen" - Lightning Dust from Invincible Light (2009)

"Skinny Fingers" - A Lull from Ice Cream Bones (2009)

"Overnite Religion" - Kurt Vile from Childish Prodigy (2009)

"David"- The Radio Dept. from TBA (2009)

"Strictly Game" - Harlem Shakes from Technicolor Health (2009)

"Daily Routine" (Phaseone Remix) - Animal Collective, unreleased (2009)


Check out more 2009 Summer Mixes

Labels: Indie Summer Mix Playlist, MP3s