This mix is a special edition of In Dee Mail, featuring music from a variety of artists and bands who have sent their music to IRC. We literally receive hundreds of submissions a month, and therefore, we try to pick the best songs to share with you. As 2009 rapidly closes out, we are launching this multi-part series to catch up with some of our favorite submissions.
Brooklyn based multi-genre rockers Sean Walsh & The National Reserve mix traditions of country, honky tonk, Motown and classic rock on their debut LP, Homesick, a compendium of songs about heartbreak, highways, and the lonesome human condition that were written by Walsh during a one-month stint in Ontario, Canada.
Walsh recruited a band band – The National Reserve – and enlisted producer and engineer Kyle “Slick” Johnson (Modest Mouse, The Hives, Cymbals Eat Guitars, Rogue Wave) to bring the songs to fruition. The LP was subsequently released on the band’s own label, Lover’s Dream Records, and includes vocal contributions from Michelle Casillas of Ursa Minor. Since the release of the LP, the band has shared the bill with bands like Dr. Dog, Vampire Weekend, Vandaveer, and Hymns.
“You Know” – Sean Walsh & The National Reserve from Homesick (2009)
Sean Walsh & The National Reserve on MySpace
Travis DeVries, of legendary Seattle band The Turn-Ons, has embarked on a new band project, simply named DeVries. Much like his former band, his new work draws from the golden age of Britpop-Manchester bands like Suede and The Stone Roses, with lyrics that touch on a wide range of range of topics from trans-gendered children (“Boys are Bores”), to global warming (“Slowing Down”), and economic upheaval (“Black Thursday Repeat”). Death to God was released last month via Noise on Noise Records.
“Darkest Summer” – Devries from Death to God (2009)
The next artist, Jupiter One, hails from New York City, and are hardly an unknown band. In addition to their well-received new album, Sunshower, they also opened for Regina Spektor on a recent, successful tour of the States. Jupiter One has a vintage pop rock sound and reminds us a lot of an artist or band we’ve heard of, but we just can’t put our finger on it, and so far, iTunes’ Genius, hasn’t provided any reliable clues. Do any of you have an idea? The track featured here, “Flaming Arrow,” was made available via Ryko Records.
“Flaming Arrow” – Jupiter One from Sunshower (2009)
Julian Plenti of the prog-rock band Interpol made a big splash this year with the release of his debut solo LP, Skyscraper Is. Plenti also just wrapped up a U.S. tour that was, by all accounts, a huge success. Here is a song from his debut that was sent in from one of our favorite labels, Matador Records.
“Fun That We Have” – Julian Plenti from Skyscraper Is… (2009)
Julian Plenti official website
Parlour Steps hail from Vancouver, and have just released their third full length, The Hidden Names, an ambitious affair that features sweet acoustic ballads; intricately arranged tracks and epic, energetic rockers in the style of The Decemberists and Franz Ferdinand.
“Bleeding Hearts” – Parlour Steps from The Hidden Names (2009)
“Little Pieces” – Parlour Steps from The Hidden Names (2009)
Chapel Hill, North Carolina post punk band Fin Fang Foom return with their first new LP in six years. The album showcases the riveting interplay between Michael Triplett‘s pensive, yet powerful, guitar playing, Eddie Sanchez‘s rumbling bass guitar and restrained singing, and Mike Glass‘ dynamic drumming. Monomyth is a testament to Fin Fang Foom’s ability to overcome hardship, following the death of the band’s first drummer, Peter Enriquez, and by Triplett’s near-death experience with spinal meningitis in 2004.
“Magnetic North” – Fin Fang Foom from Monomyth (2009)
Sabrosa Purr is a genre-defying rock band from Los Angeles, California, comprised of members Will Love, Jeff Mendel, Ry Sarmiento and Angie Mattson. In 2006, they released their self-produced debut EP, Music from the Violet Room on Dangerbird Records, landing in the top ten album lists of 3WK.com and Bagel Radio.
From a dingy recording studio on Santa Monica Blvd., Sabrosa Purr propelled forward, opening for bands like Silversun Pickups, Cold War Kids and 30 Seconds to Mars. Their new EP Volaras, produced by Tracy Chisholm (Stone Temple Pilots, Belly) was released this past summer. The track featured here is hauntingly beautiful, mysterious and trippy.
“One Weak Moment” – Sabrosa Purr from Volaras (2009)
Last month, Danish singer/songwriter Jacob Faurholt‘s released a new EP titled Why Write? via Canadian label What A Mess. The EP is recorded in the summer of 2009 with good friends in Denmark and mixed and mastered by American producer Kramer (Galaxie 500, Daniel Johnston, Low, Half Japanese).
“Burning Holes” – Jacob Faurholt from Why Write? (2009)
Jacob Faurholt on MySpace
The following tracks are simply awesome and don’t require much writing about. Dig the cool sounds of Summer Dregs, Mist and Mast and A Classic Education. These were sent to us from Banter Media & Management in Sacramento, California. They also manage Surfer Blood, Neon Indian, Furcast, Technoir MA, Boomsnake and The Traditionist, among others.
“Bones” – Summer Dregs from From Gold to Green (2009)
“What My Live Could Have Been” – A Classic Education from 7″ release (2009)
“X-Ray” – Mist and Mast from Action at a Distance (2009)
Stay tuned, there are many more great artists and bands from In Dee Mail Year End Special Edition, Part Two coming up soon.