Wading through hundreds of new songs sent in over the past couple of weeks can be daunting, especially when it comes down to picking which tracks will be featured on IRC. It’s even harder with so much else going on – holidays, year-end lists, planning 2011 events and coverage, and so on.
Last week, Sony Music actually released a public apology to the prolific Bradford Cox of Deerhunter and Atlas Sound fame. It turns out that Sony somehow “mistakenly removed” three of four volumes of Cox’s Databank demo series.
Cox had recently made available for free download four volumes of demos tape that he recorded in his bedroom, thus the series title, Bedroom Databank. The downloadable volumes include demos under his Altas Sound moniker, including covers of songs by Bob Dylan, Royal Trux and Kurt Vile.
“Freak Train” (Kurt Vile) – Altas Sound from Bedroom Databank, Vol. I
“This Wheel’s On Fire” (Bob Dylan) – Altas Sound from Bedroom Databank, Vol. I
On Friday, the day Sony ordered the file-sharing website, MediaFire, to remove three of the four volumes, Cox responded: “Apparently Sony Music Owns my bedroom. I am re-uploading the files now.” The event caused a mini online protest from fans and bloggers, and within hours, Sony put out a press release apologizing to Cox, even though he is not a Sony artist. Cox released Vol. IV on Nov. 25th.
“Talent Show” – Atlas Sound from Bedroom Databank, Vol. IV
All four volumes are available for free download from Cox’s personal blog.
The Decemberists Giving Away First New Single from New LP
You’ve probably already heard that The Decemberists will release their long anticipated new album, The King Is Dead, in January. The band are offering a free download of the first single from the LP, “Down By The Water” (not to be confused with The Drums song of the same name) , via their official website. You can bet there are many people waiting for this album to drop, including us.
“Down By The Water” – The Decemberists (featuring Gillian Welch) from The King Is Dead – Jan. 18th
Ex-Shiny Toy Guns Member Releases New EP With A Little Help From Her Friends
Ordinarily, these tracks would have been included with the next Recent Releases We Almost Missed mix because the songs were officially released on September 21st. But we dig them so much, and the other two songs on the EP, that we had to share them with you now.
Both tracks are from the new band, Versant, which was founded earlier this year by ex-Shiny Toy Guns member Carah Faye.
For her new musical project, Faye tapped into an impressive collective of musicians that include members of Generationals, Giant Cloud, Juston Stens and the Get Real Gang. The debut EP, Heartbeats, was both self-produced and self-released by Versant. The EP would make a great gift for anyone you know who liked STG more when Faye was in the band.
“Quick Escapes” – Versant from Heartbeats
“Out of Touch” – Versant from Heartbeats
Sonny Smith Records with The Sandwitches and The Transients
Last year, Sonny Smith of Sonny and the Sunsets almost drowned off the north California coast. The near death experience affected him profoundly and led to a wealth of creative output, including a play, a novel, and a stack of songs. Smith’s critically acclaimed 100 Records project is itself a direct product of his fight with the sea.
The new, upcoming EP, set to drop on Dec. 11th, features appearances by members of The Sandwitches, and a long-lost band called, The Transients. The EP was recorded in San Francisco and mastered by Paul Oldman.
“Throw My Ashes From This Pier When I Die” – Sonny Smith and The Sandwitches and The Transients from 100 Records EP – Dec. 11th
Smith is best known for his band, Sonny and the Sunsets, whose single, “Too Young To Burn,” appeared on many summer mixtapes, including IRC’s wildly popular Summer Mixtapes series. We strongly recommend the band’s latest LP, Tomorrow Is Alright, which was released in August.
“Too Young To Burn” – Sonny and The Sunsets from Tomorrow is Alright
Jack White Produces Nashville’s Rising Artist PUJOL
Chances are that if Jack White is involved with a music project, it’s going to be something a lot of people will want to hear. Such is the case with White’s newest collaboration, as the producer of Nashville musician PUJOL, who is also known by some as the “Philosopher King of the Nashville Scene”.
The track, “Too Safe”, will be released as a double seven-inch on Dec. 11th via White’s Nashville label, Third Man Records.
“Too Safe” – PUJOL from Black Rabbit 7″ – Dec. 11th
Lubec Unleash Lead Track from Upcoming LP
We had never heard of Lubec until we came across this track, “Your Magic Wand”. The style of this catchy, lo-fi rocker is definitely post-punk. It has a sweet, but unrefined, beat and melody at the core, driven with a fast-moving percussions, and the swagger of a group of hard-drinking British lads ready to make some trouble. This lead track will appear on the new LP, Nothing is Enough, set for January 18th release. We’re looking forward to it, for sure.
“Your Magic Want” – Lubec from Nothing is Enough – Jan. 18th
NYC Indie Band Make Out Team up with Famed Producer for Debut EP
Earlier this year, New York vocalist Leah Hennessey, guitarist Jesper Mortensen (formerly of Junior Senior, aka Junior), bassist Anders Christiansen and drummer Olivia Alminiana joined forces to form the indie pop band, Make Out. Within a couple of months, the band had built a pretty good buzz in the highly competitive NYC ‘indie’ scene.
The band hooked up with producer Nicolas Vernhes (Dirty Projectors, Animal Collective, The Fiery Furnaces) at his Rare Book Room studios in Brooklyn. During the ensuing weeks, the band spent much of their time in Vernhes’ studio recording the songs for their yet untitled debut EP, set for release in “early spring.” Based on this excellent single from the LP that was sent to us from the band, we think a lot more people will be taking about Make Out in 2011.
“I Don’t Want Anybody That Wants Me” – Make Out debut single
Eulogies’ Lead Vocalist Works Through Tragedy on New LP
The Los Angeles indie band Eulogies have released a new single in advance of the band’s third album, Tear The Fences Down, due out on January 18th.
The album is full of thoughts, stories and pain following the band’s lead vocalist Peter Walker‘s experience of learning that his business partner/best friend’s son was diagnosed (and later passed away) with cancer.
The lead track, “You Hide” is remarkably upbeat considering the severity of the situation. Often times, artists create some of their best work in the midst of pain and suffering. And there need to be rays of light to pierce the darkness. You may contribute to a cancer research foundation that was named for the boy, the Pablove Foundation.
“You Hide” – Eulogies from Tear The Fences Down – Jan. 18th
Psychic Powers Cross-Continental Collaboration Produces Terrific New Music
Psychic Powers is an ongoing cross continental collaboration between Ale Cohen and Nik Brinkman. The duos long distance relationship has resulted in the new album, Infinity. Standout tracks include “Brighter”, with its lush production full of synths and echoes, and the acoustic sounds of “Frozen,” which is appropriate for a cold winter night by the fire.
“Brighter” – Psychic Powers from Infinity
“Frozen” – Psychic Powers from Infinity
Jumple Records New Album Based on Jo Durbeck’s Travels
German minimal electronica maestro Jumpel has released his third album, Europa, inspired by Jo Dürbeck’s European travels. The new LP acts as a kind of an “abstracted sonic diary,” of interpretation through minimalistic ambient electronica tracks. The album includes the stunning single “Edinburgh” featuring the exquisite guest vocals of Chloë March married to Jumpel’s inimitable melancholic ambient pop. The song is an exercise in elegance and restraint.
“Edinburgh” – Jumpel from Europa
For those of you who have followed us closely over the past year, you may already be familiar with one-woman band of Computer Magic. Well, she has a brand new track to share with us, “The End of Time.” Her synth-heavy electro-pop backed by thrilling percussion make this track the latest stand-out song from her growing discography.
“The End of Time” – Computer Magic, single release (2010)