Last week we kicked off In Dee Mail Special Edition with part one of the series. That playlist was quite a success, and there is still more great music that has been emailed to us that we are eager to share with all of you. We hope you find some keepers in today’s mix, and become a friend/fan of an artist or band that you never heard of before until now.
First up: Dylan In The Movies is the musical brainchild of multi-instrumentalist Brian Sullivan. In 2006, Sullivan and his Boston band DIY’d their debut EP, Feel the Pull, and caught the attention of deejays at the popular rock radio stations KCRW and KEXP, as well as many bloggers.
The band’s debut LP, Josephine If You Only Knew, will drop in the spring of 2010 on American Laundromat Records, featuring guest spots from The Watson Twins and Tanya Donelly (Throwing Muses, Breeders, Belly). If you dig Echo and The Bunnymen, you’re bound to enjoy this band’s music. Looking forward to this LP; in the meantime, here’s an advanced single.
“Josephine” – Dylan in the Movies from Josephine If You Only Knew (2010)
The Fling recently sent a song titled, “Wanderingfoot,” and we were immediately intrigued by their 60’s-era psychedelic rock sound mixed with elements of folk, and filled with multi-layered pop harmonies. The band include among their favorite bands and artists, Grizzly Bear, Fleet Foxes, Richard Swift, Arlo Guthrie and Led Zeppelin.
In addition to their fellow Long Beach residents, Avi Buffalo, The Fling will be a southern California band to watch in 2010. You can buy some of their music on the band’s official website.
“Wanderingfoot” – The Fling from Out of My Head 7″ (2009)
Welcome to Ashley is a Chicago band that mixes the influences of post punk and power pop to create an original sound that has begun to creep out from the Windy City to other areas of the country. Their sophomore LP, Absent Man, was self-released. The band formed in Chicago with members of the former Missouri indie band The Bennies. It’s hard not to want to hear more from a band that list among their favorite albums, The Stone Roses‘ self-titled debut, The Replacement‘s Don’t Tell a Soul, and Jesus & Mary Chain‘s Darklands. Check out Welcome to Ashley’s MySpace page for more.
“Nothing But Grey Skies Ahead” – Welcome to Ashley from Absent Man (2009)
In and around their home base of Philadelphia, the band East Hundred have been garnering positive reviews and building a loyal and growing fan base. Their debut album, Passengers (2008), was produced by Brian McTear (Matt Pond PA, A-Sides) and recorded at the Philly studios of Miner Street Recordings.
“Slow Burning Crimes” – East Hundred from Passengers (2008)
This next song sounds like early Velvet Underground meets The Doors; we dig the spacey, mysterious and psychedelic slow jam of the song “Strange Transmissions” from Orlando, Florida’s Strangers Family Band.
“Strange Transmission” – Strangers Family Band from s/t EP (2009)
With credits on The Lonely Forest‘s excellent debut LP that we featured earlier this year, Seattle resident Michael Perkins has recorded some songs under the moniker Maklak, one of which we are featuring here called “Cutting Clouds.” On the song, Maklak plays all of the instruments himself.
Drawing from the local influences of Nirvana and The Melvins, to name a few, Maklak serves up melodic alternative rock that is beginning to attract a fan base outside his following in the Pacific Northwest.
“Cutting Clouds” – Maklak, single release (2009)
The response to our featured article on the Arizona duo The Smiles and Frowns was huge – there were hundreds of downloads of their songs over the course of two weeks. See the original post here. Therefore, to meet the demand, and thank their many new fans, the band is sharing another single from their new, debut self-title LP.
“When The Time Should Come” – The Smiles and Frowns from s/t LP (2009)
Canada’s Said the Whale newest album, Islands Disappear, is full of songs about Canada. The songs are folk inspired for the most part, and rely heavily on guitar picking and prolific lyrics. Last month, STW won the CBC Radio 3‘s Bucky Award for “Most Canadian Song” – “Emerald Lake, AB.” You can buy the album containing that song, and other great tracks, on the band’s official website.
“Holly, ON” – Said the Whale from Islands Disappear (2009)
This next artist was a nice surprise in our email box. We’ve always been fans of jazz, and Nheap, the moniker of Italian composer and musician Massimo Discepoli, delivers his own brand of jazz on the new release, Skymotion. It’s not traditional jazz, but much more of a fusion with electro pop elements.
The first song, “Hldrrr,” is sweet, even Christmas-y; perfect for a visit with guests sitting in front of the fire with your egg nog or Baileys. The follow up track, “Aphelion,” sounds just like something that could work on a soundtrack to the TV show, Heroes.
“Hldrrr” – Nheap from Skymotion (2009)
“Aphelion” – Nheap from Skymotion (2009)
More noteworthy songs sent In Dee Mail:
“The Gospel Of Carlos, Norman And Smith” – Rickie Lee Jones from Balm in Gilead (2009)
“We’re Gonna Make It” – The Orange Peels from 2020 (2009)
“The Glitch” – Zealots from Flowers For My Broken Head EP (2009)
“Motorcycle” – A Brief Smile from Restaurant Airport EP (2009)
“Sacred” – The Belated from Belief in the Process (2009)
Part One of the In Dee Mail Year-End Special Edition features:
– Sean Walsh & The National Reserve
– Devries
– Jupiter One
– Julian Plenti
– Parlour Steps
– Fin Fang Foom
– Sabrosa Purr
– Jacob Faurholt
– Summer Dregs
– A Classic Education
– Mist and Mast
You can also view the entire In Dee Mail series on one page.