Author: Max Hammer

Discovering and sharing the best DIY/alt/indie/underground music you've never heard. I've been writing about music and other topics since the mid-1990s. We are also music industry professionals - PR; promotion; management; branding; etc.

2013 DIY Releases – We’re Not Heroes, Service Animal, Dead Recipe, Ugly Thrash Demon, Neo Star Nova-Z, Luck & Senses

Posted on by Max Hammer

On Thursday, the first Best New Releases playlist post of 2013 was published, featuring tracks from Pere Ubu, The Wooden Wand, Broadcast, Colin Davis, as well as new singles from fresh albums by Alex Vans, Ceremonies, and The Agreeables. This post features all DIY/unsigned artists and bands, including releases that were dropped in the past two weeks. Little by little, we’re also putting together and publishing our and your top songs, albums, bands and videos of 2012. The first volume of the Best Songs of 2012 (featuring all No. 1 songs from the weekly Top 10 Songs playlist published throughout 2012) highlighted the top songs for the months of January, February and March. Volume II is already in the pipeline, as are many other posts, including Bands to Watch in 2013, starting with the first band featured below.

The rising Cardiff, England rock trio, We’re Not Heroes, dropped a freshly mastered single yesterday – “Distort The Air,” from a forthcoming album, expected to be released sometime this summer, according to the band. The band consists of three 23-year-old musicians – Tom Collins, Luke Llewellyn and Michael ‘Dewey’ Owen. Llewellyn explains: “I named the band after a dream I had where i got up in the middle of the night and wrote it down then went back to sleep. It worked for us and what we represent in many ways.”

After making big waves in the U.K., We’re Not Heroes also has growing fan bases in countries like Mexico, Trindad & Tobago, Indonesia, France, and are poised to break out in the United States. As far as we know, IRC is the first major U.S. indie site to publish this smoking new single. We’ll have more about Cardiff’s hottest new indie rock band in an upcoming post, Overseas Bands To Watch in 2013, scheduled for next week, and which will include an exclusive new single as well as a track or two from their self-released 2012 debut EP.

“Distort The Air” – We’re No Heroes – Jan. 11th, 2013

Note: Look out for IRC’s first Band of the Week posting for 2013, and, as mentioned above, the premiere of the new series, Bands to Watch in 2013, which will highlight some fantastically talented bands, most of which are DIY, and that have, so far, flown under the radar – at least in the U.S.

Speaking of which, there is a terrific, new signed band from Helsinki who dropped a new album on Friday, Jan. 11th, the same day as We’re Not Heroes dropped their new single. The Finnish band s really good, so we made them the first band of the week profile of 2013.

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London Band Rising: Youthband

There is not very much information about the fresh London indie rock group Youthband at the moment, other than to report that we’re digging their debut single, and its provocatively clever title, “The Future Is Not What It Used To Be.” Just about everyone should be able to figure out the deeper meaning behind that title. The song “officially” dropped the first week of the new year. More from and about Youthband soon. Use the Comments to tell us what you think.

“The Future Is Not What It Used to Be” – Youthband from single

Buffalo DIY Bedroom Artist Go Exploring

Matt Scime,aka, Go Exploring, is a young one man band artist from Buffalo who dropped his debut EP earlier this week. The lead single, “Today,” is lively, catchy pop with synths and horns and a memorable chorus you’ll probably get stuck in your head. The follow-up track, “Friends,” has a similarly upbeat rhythm, more choruses, drum machines, synth effects and a very pronounced electric guitar jam. In fact, his sound reminds us a bit of another artist that you’ll probably on hear on IRC, Opus Orange.

For someone who only started out less than a year ago, it’s obvious that Scime has a number of talents that he draws from writing, playing a range of instruments, vocals and recording. to make unique, multi-layered tracks of pop in the realm of Matt & Kim , minus Kim. Expect to hear more about Go Exploring throughout 2013. Apparently Scime, who is in college, is planning to put together a band to tour with and work on a debut album. In reIndie rock is the culmination of past present and future rock ideologies. It is the progression of creative music fused with the roots of rock & roll.

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New Seattle Band, Service Animal, Unleash Debut

Drawing on over three decades of combined musical experience, members of the relatively new Seattle DIY band, Service Animal, joined forces in 2012 to create “a positive and uber-creative environment with the goal of making beautiful, haunting and inspiring alternative rock music.” The band’s founders, Andrew Bailey (vocals, guitars) and Jordan Cassidy (vocals, bass), who honed their skills in various Seattle bands over the years, recruited musicians Keith Greer (drums) and Justin Joyce (guitars/keys) to complete the band and “to cover the entire spectrum of energy and flow,” they said. On the two tracks below, the band mix melancholic and upbeat rock and roll oozing with emotions, chaos, energy, and the fine talents of all four band members.

“Hearts Start Beating” – Service Animal from The Gravity Bear Demonstration – Jan. 3, 2013

“A Slow Release of Nothing” – Service Animal from The Gravity Bear Demonstration

Austin Multi-Genre Trio Comprised of Three Multi-Instrumentalists

In 2009, friends Kyle Albrecht and Camille Lewis met  and began writing and recording after discovering their shared love of folk, rock, blues, vintage pop music and other genres. No long after, Lewis met Andrew Davis at work and the three multi-instrumentalists formed Dead Recipe and started rehearsing in Davis’s garage. Last year, the band began to play more gigs in Austin (get in line as they say down there), and during the summer enter the studio with producer and engineer Shawn Jones to record their self-titled debut album,  released last week.

“Getting To My Head” – Dead Recipe from Dead Recipe – Jan. 5th

“Flowers” – Dead Recipe from Dead Recipe

Additionally, Haden Hunt (drums) and Kirby Sims (keyborswere recruited to play drums and keys, respectively. Dead Recipe’s top musical influences include The Grateful Dead, Fleetwood Mac, Animal Collective, The Velvet Underground, and The 13th Floor Elevators  

Virginia Chamber Pop Band Ugly Thrash Demon

Virginia DIY chamber pop band Ugly Thrash Demon was formed among a group of friends who wanted to “do something constructive while hanging out aside from playing video games and watching bad horror films.” The five-piece band consider among their musical inspirations bands they all “grew up with” in high school, including Arcade Fire, Belle and Sebastian, and Beirut. But their band name choice is baffling considering they’re a chamber pop band; Ugly Thrash Demon is a name for a metal band. So, as far as promoting the band, especially since they’re unknown to most of the country, the band name is the antidote of indie chamber pop, and we wouldn’t be surprised if metal heads who see the band name only would think they definitely have a catchy, unique thrasher rock name. Yet these dudes are kind of nerdy 20-somethings who play trumpets, saxophones and ukuleles. Anyways, that said, UTD’s debut song is “You, Me and FCC.”

“You, Me, and FFC” – Ugly Thrash Demon from single – Jan. 12th

Louisiana Metal Rock Artist Neo Star Nova-Z

If your’e a fan of progressive metal rock, you’ll probably want to check out this new single from Baton Rouge, Louisiana artist Brian Waymire who performs under the moniker Neo Star Nova-Z. The 19-track album is available on Bandcamp, but Waymire is asking $9 “or more,” which, for an unknown solo artist that is just starting out, seems a bit much. Many artists with significant critical acclaim offer their albums on Bandcamp, and other music sites, for less than that, and often for the “name your price” option.

“Into the Darkness” – Neo Star Nova-Z from Omega Factor – Jan. 8th

Brooklyn Band Drops Sophomore Album, Speed of Life

Brooklyn DIY band  Luck & Senses dropped their sophomore album, Speed of Life on January 1st, bucking the industry rule of never releasing an album during the week before, during and after Christmas. Why? Because just about no one is paying attention to new releases during those three weeks. We’re a bit on the fence, but one never knows how others feel.

The band states in their bio: “Art and life mix and mingle [via] quirky and sultry vocals driven by electric guitar and backed by a killer rhythm section make this band’s sound an amalgam of the past and the future.” Started in 2007 as a “romantic symbiosis” between Lisa Jubilee and Andy Barbera, their relationship evolved into a musical acoustic folk duo. In 2010, they revamped their acoustic-folk sound by recruiting Sam Minaie (bass) and Andrew Munsey (drums). The Speed of Life, from which they sent in two tracks, “marked a shift from earlier folk-pop stylings to a sound [that] is unique indie roots-rock,” claiming artistic influence from with Corrine Bailey Rae, Whinehouse, Feist amalgam vocals.”  It shouldn’t be any surprise that the band’s major influences include artists like Little Dragon, Gotye, Feist, Bjork and Radiohead. We asked the band what does ‘indie rock’ mean to them; Barbera answered: “Music informed by any mix of the many forms of “rock”, communicated with originality and creativity, served locally with all organic musical ingredients.”

“Speed Of Life” – Luck & Senses from Speed Of Life – Jan. 1st

“What’s Going To Be Your Move” – Luck & Senses from Speed Of Life

Luck & Senses Official Website

 

Best New Music Releases, Week of Jan. 8th – Broadcast, Pere Ubu, Wooden Wand, plus DIY Artists Alex Vans, Colin Davis, Ceremonies

Posted on by Max Hammer

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The first new releases of 2013 are slowly starting to trickle in, as they often do at the beginning of a new year. To fill the void of well-known artists and bands with new releases, we have a number of new and recent releases from DIY bands and artists from across the country, and around the world – hopefully, you’ll find some new bands and songs to stream or download. But before we get to the DIY artists, check out new drops this week from  soundtrack creators, Broadcast; rock veteran Pere Ubu; artist to watch, Alex Vans; and the indie band Wooden Wand. DIY releases include new singles from bands and artists most people have never heard before (and many of which only appear on IRC, which is the case with hundreds of musicians we feature each year), such as Ceremonies, Colin Davis, The Agreeables and a few others that are featured below.

As we do at the beginning of each year, we’ll be posting more playlists and profiles highlighting the best songs, albums, bands, artists and videos of 2012. In fact, earlier this week, we posted the first volume of the Best Songs of 2012.

Note: There were not many new releases for the month of December, 2012, so it makes it a bit trickier to do the Top 10 Songs playlists for each week of December. But, we’ll manage to find a way to get that done, although some of the Top 10 playlists for December may not have a full list of 10 songs. Stay tuned for that.

“Free White” – Pere Ubu from Lady From Shangai on Fire Records

“Southern Colorado Song” – Wooden Wand from Blood Oaths Of The New Blues on Fire Records

“The Equestrian Vortex” – Broadcast from Berberian Sound Studio on Warp

“Good Enough” – Alex Vans from DJ Booth (self-released)

 

New Swedish Duo Drops DIY Debut

From Gothenburg, Sweden, the DIY indie pop/rock duo Ceremonies recently released their dark, brooding, debut singles, “Black Wings” and “Promises” from their self-titled, debut album. The duo was founded by musicians Malin Dahlberg and Marcus Bergman in mid-2012o. Their aim is to make “distinct songs that don’t hide behind concepts, ideas or too many layers.”

“Black Wings” – Ceremonies from Ceremonies – Jan. 3rd

“Promises” – Ceremonies from Ceremonies

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California ‘Super Hero’ Duo The Agreeables

The DIY indie rock duo, The Agreeables, from Santa Barbara, California, started out as a musical, and two of those involved, who we only know as Rick and Camille, gradually into a musical duo. On Jan. 8th, they released their debut EP, Bonus Tracks (not quite clear on why a debut EP would be called ‘Bonus Tracks’). Surely some people will roll their eyes, but the duo are branding themselves as ‘superheroes’ whose mission, they say, is ‘saving the world one melody at a time.’ They consider among their top influences The Beatles, Elton John, Cat Stevens, Wilco, and Cracker.

“I’d Fly Away” – The Agreeables from Bonus Tracks – Jan. 8th

“Place Called Home” – The Agreeables from Bonus Tracks

Ithaca Musician Drops Debut EP of ‘Soulful Folk’

Colin Davis is a 20-year-old DIY singer/songwriter from Ithaca in upstate New York. Performing in local bars and coffee shops for the past couple years, Davis dropped his debut EP, The Restless and The Wicked on the first day of 2013. He performs soulful indie folk with a “touch of unashamed pop influence.” In response to ‘what is indie rock?’ Davis replied: “Not necessarily independant, which the term probably intended for, but more so an Innovative, interesting take on traditional rock/folk styles. ” His top musical influences include Ray LaMontagne, Wilco, AA Bondy, Father John Misty, Jeff Buckley, and Otis Redding. The album cover, however, is just all wrong – it looks like a wallpaper photo taken off some other site somewhere (if even it’s not). For an album titled The Restless and The Wicked, the last album cover in the world that should be used is this one. The problem with lazy, unimaginative and terrible album covers in recent years has gotten way out of hand. Artists and bands, especially DIY, need to understand that the album cover is so important, even in the digital age, and music lovers have good reason to scold artists for many of the album covers we’ve seen over the past five and more years.

“Unsustained” – Colin Davis from The Restless and The Wicked EP – Jan. 1st

“The Restless and The Wicked” – Colin Davis from The Restless and The Wicked EP

Colin Davis’ Bandcamp Page

Check back in a few hours for even more featured DIY artists and bands that you’ll likely only hear on IRC.

More Recent Releases from DIY Artists Quixotism, Slow Buildings, Whaki, Har-di-Har, Romulus Rues

Posted on by Max Hammer

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Wyatt Baer is the one-man bedroom producer and musician behind the ambient synth pop, drone, dance and R&B textures of the DIY EP, Faustian Plea, self-released on November 27th, under the moniker Quixotism. Living in Burbank, California, Quixotism is a project that is only a little more than one year old, inspired by his love of artists like Burial, Drake, Holy Other, Flying Lotus, Animal Collective, and James Blake, all of which are influences that are clearly noticeable in a range of his tracks.

While the track, “I Wanted,” is one of his more accessible tracks, Baer also rises to the occasion on the second track, “Douse,” which is included as a contrast to the afore-mentioned track. The song, “Sooner,” from Quixotism’s debut LP, Conduit – released a little less than two months prior (on Oct. 1st) to Faustian Plea – is a spacious, free-flowing electro pop track with quirky sound effects and samples from Frou Frou. Listen to more of Quixotism’s songs via Bandcamp.

“Douse” – Quixotism from Faustian Plea – Nov. 27th

“I Wanted” – Quixotism from Faustian Plea

Bonus Track: “Sooner” – Quixotism from Conduit – Oct. 1st

In his submission to IRC, Baer wrote about his endeavor: “No label, no studio, no producers, no formal music or production training or schooling of any kind (other than high school show choir). It’s just me…I do it because I love it and because I have to. It keeps me sane.”

New Jersey Singer/Songwriter Slow Buildings Drops New EP

In 2005, New Jersey singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jason Legacy released the debut LP, Good Things Happen with his band, Slow Buildings. He played all the instruments, recorded, produced and released the LP DIY style, followed by his sophomore release, Everything Like This, dropped in 2008. Both albums feature a combination of edgy, melodic indie pop, indie rock and elements of punk and alternative rock. Last year, Slow Buildings’ third album, This Is Dead Aesthetic Junk, was released to enthusiastic reviews.

On December 18th, Slow Buildings dropped their debut EP, Glass Joe, featuring the two singles below. Contributors include his brother, Ted Legacy, drummers Zee and Rich Meehan, guitarist Oce Dytioco and Christopher Basile on bass. Slow Buildings has opened for The Fearless and considers among their top musical influences The Beatles, The Kinks, The Soft Boys, early Weezer, and The Misfits.

“Glass Joe (remix)” – Slow Buildings from Glass Joe EP – Dec. 18th

“Secrets Kept, Secrets Lost” – Slow Buildings from Glass Joe EP

Slow Buildings Facebook Page

Portland DIY Genre-Bending Band Whaki

Portland DIY electro fazz junk band Whaki has been experimenting with a melange of sounds since their beginning in a Cleveland basement in 1999. With wild ideas and creative imaginings unbound by convention, Judd Higgins & Zakk Kuzda began to uncover the roots of a story.

While Higgins now resides in Savannah, Georgia, and Kuzda in Portland, WHAKi and their exploration of all things absurd continues. Reunited in 2005, WHAKi released their eponymous first album, a combination of their first tunes along with new improvisational jams. Last month, they released a unique album called One Minute Soundtracks (aka, OMS), from which they sent in two tracks to share with IRC readers.

“OMS #30 [Hub Numm]” – Whaki from OMS (One Minute Soundtracks) – Nov. 26th

“OMS #31 [Something in the Air]” – Whaki from OMS (One Minute Soundtracks)

Whaki on Facebook

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Cedar Falls Har-di-Har, Romulus Rues

From Cedar Falls, Iowa, Har-di-Har is the DIY duo of Andrew and Julie Thoreen whose indie-pop/psych-folk Americana sound took shape in December of 2011, following years of playing in other bands. Since January 2012, they have toured across Iowa, Colorado, and Minnesota for two-months straight, during which time they released two EPs – Words of Whim in July, and Feudal Kind, this December. The duo plan to release two additional EPs in 2013. Andrew sings and plays drums, guitar and bass, while Julie, also a vocalist and drummer, performs on keyboards. The duo described Indie rock as “the inner-connection of self-expression and the collective ideals of a creative culture…and at mercy of the usage of the populous (fortunately and unfortunately).

“Campaign” – Har-di-Har from Feudal Kind EP – Dec. 11th

“Losing You” – Har-di-Har from Feudal Kind EP

Romulus Rues is a DIY folk rock musician based in Hyde Park, New York, who originally released small music projects as Fine Troubled Prince and Pictures in the Clouds. His songwriting always starts with a phrase, word, or name, and he continues to work from that foundation until he has a song that he is satisfied with. On his new solo debut, Who Knew Forever Could Be So Short?, Rues is a one-man band – writing, singing, playing all of the instruments, recording and mixing.

“The Fall” – Romulus Rues from Who Knew Forever Could Be So Short? – Dec. 13th

“Evangeling” – Romulus Rues from Who Knew Forever Could Be So Short?

‘It’s The End of the World’ Doomsday Apocalyptic 12/21/12 Playlist – REM, Radiohead, The Shins, AC/DC, The Strokes, The Hives

Posted on by Max Hammer

endoftheworld2012playlistIn a few hours, at the start of the winter solstice, some people on our troubled planet may be relieved to find out that the so-called 12.21.12 doomsday prophecies, misinterpreted from translations of the Mayan calendar, did not come true.

It’s been the most anticipated, talked about and hyped doomsday prophecy in the history of mankind – so much so that even a major Hollywood film ‘2012’ (the gold standard for terrible, cliche-filled Hollywood movie-making) was made.

The film is perhaps best known for having more ‘yeah right’ moments than any other film of recent memory – a dark comedy of just how many millions of dollars Hollywood can waste to turn out a seriously bad action-packed movie.

Even Woody Harrelson probably doesn’t want to talk about it – reefed up or not.

That said, if it is going to the end of the world, we’re going out with a playlist, of course – with appropriate songs from REM, Radiohead, The Rolling Stones, The Hives, The Strokes, AC/DC, The Shins, The Rolling Stones, The Doors, and many others in the Spotify playlist below, including one song that doesn’t necessarily fit in with the others – do you know which one it is?

So, if we don’t get to share music with you again after this day, the apocalypse, it’s been a great five years. As Michael Stipe of REM famously sang: “It’s the end of the world/as we know it/and I feel fine.”

Top 10 Songs for November 2012 – Dirty Projectors, Crystal Castles, Sufjan Stevens, Markarians, Guided By Voices, Califone

Posted on by Max Hammer

November, as most Novembers, was not as blockbuster for new releases that October and September turned out to be, but there were still plenty of standout songs from largely well-received new albums by a variety of musicians and bands, from bedroom DIY to signed artists. According to IRC listeners, the No. 1 song* of the month was the lead single, and title track, from Dirty Projectors new EP, About To Die.

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“About To Die” – Dirty Projectors from About To Die EP

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The No. 2 song of the month was “X-Mas Spirit Catcher,” just one of the tracks we highlighted in our Album of the Week: Silver & Gold by Sufjan Stevens. The five-disc, 58-song box set is the second installment of Stevens’ prolific project of original and cover songs of Christmas and holiday songs. The first box set, Songs For Christmas, was released in 2006 and quickly became a must-have for not only Stevens’ biggest fans, but also for many music lovers who would like a comprehensive, and extensive, collection of indie/alternative Christmas music.

“X-Mas Spirit Catcher” – Sufjan Stevens from Songs for Christmas: Silver & Gold (Vols. 6-10) (MP3 instant download or CD version)

The two box sets – Songs For Christmas (MP3 instant download or CD version) and Silver & Gold (MP3 or CD version) make great Christmas gifts, especially the CD sets because they come with a cool designed box, download codes for the MP3 versions, and all kinds of interesting goodies inside that one would only expect from the playful and creative Stevens, including notes, illustrations, lyric sheets and other odds and ends. The CD box sets also include a MP3 download code. Listen or download four additional choice tracks from Silver & Gold, plus two music videos, and read our extensive review of the Stevens’ Christmas Songs project.

Both box sets are a generous offering for the price, and there are dozens and dozens of traditional Christmas songs performed by Stevens and his ensemble – as well as dozens of original songs from Stevens – that are must-haves for Sufjan fans,  and perfect gifts for a friend or family member who likes indie music and Christmas songs. IRC’s popular Indie Christmas Songs playlist series (with over 300 alternative/indie Christmas and holiday songs) contain many tracks from Stevens’ original 2006 box set, Songs for Christmas.

“X-Mas Spirit Catcher” – Sufjan Stevens from Silver & Gold

crystalcastlesiii

The No. 3 most streamed and downloaded song for November was the lead single, “Affection,” from Crystal Castles‘ latest release, III, (check out all the singles from the Best New Releases for the Week of Nov. 13th). The ascent of Crystal Castles in the past few years has been nothing short of a whirlwind success thanks to the Canadian duo’s amazing songwriting and execution of experimental electro pop. Their third album is one of the best LPs of the year.

“Affection” – Crystal Castles from III on Casablanca Records

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Following close behind Crystal Castles to take the No. 4 slot is a new single, “Alligators,” from a DIY Artist of the Week, Chad Murphy, aka, Markarians. IRC’s profile of him as an artist of the week got an enthusiastic response from readers. Click to the full post above to read about Murphy’s interesting DIY sound and excellent talents and listen to three additional tracks from two different releases.

“Alligators” – Markarians from Move, Lord – Sept. 7th

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Rounding out the top five songs of the month was the latest single from veteran indie rockers Guided By Voices. The song, “She Lives in an Airport,” coming in as the No. 5 song of the month is the lead single off of the band’s 19th studio album, The Bears for Lunch, released the Week of November 13th. GBV’s 1987 debut album, Devil Between My Toes, celebrated its 25th anniversary this year. GVB most likely would have released more than 19 albums were it not for the eight-year gap between 2004’s Half Smiles of the Decomposed (at the time, Robert Pollard declared it the band’s final album) and this year’s release of the critically acclaimed ‘comeback album,’ Let’s Go Eat the Factory.

In June of 2010, the classic ‘1993-1996’ band lineup, reunited to perform at the 21st anniversary party of Matador Records in Las Vegas. Guided By Voices didn’t just come back – they came back with a roar, selling out shows at iconic venues across the U.S., and around the world, in addition to dropping three albums of new material this year alone. And somehow Pollard also found time to release his latest solo LP, Jack Sells the Cow, this past September.

“She Lives In An Airport” – Guided by Voices from The Bears for Lunch on Guided by Voices Inc.

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The single “I Follow You” from buzz band Melody Echo Chamber‘s self-titled, debut LP (featured in the Week of Nov. 6th Best New Releases), chimed in as the No. 6 song of the month. The track is awash in melodies, sweeping instrumentation, and swirling synths. Interestingly, the band’s second single trumped – at least on IRC – their more popular first single, “Endless Shore,” recorded by Tame Impala band member Kevin Parker, but not by much. In fact, the two singles were nearly neck-and-neck in our web stats for the number of times played and downloaded, making “Endless Shore” the No. 7th most popular song for the month of November.

“I Follow You” – Melody’s Echo Chamber from Melody’s Echo Chamber

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The previously unreleased song, “Pastry Sharp,” from Chicago neo-folk band Califone‘s latest album, Sometimes Good Weather Follows Bad People, a reissued compilation of the Chicago neo-folk band’s first two E.P.’s, was the No. 8 song of the month. The song was part of the Best New Releases for the Week of Nov. 6th.  

“Pastry Sharp (previously unreleased)” – Califone from Sometimes Good Weather Follows Bad People on Jealous Butcher Records

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The Arizona indie band Gospel Claws newest album yielded the No. 9 track for the month of November, “Pale Horse Dry Cleaning,” that serves as “a toe-tapping vow of epic destruction in the name of love,” as one blogger for Violent Success wrote. To round out the Top 10 for the month of November is the ‘comeback’ lead single, “Been Away Too Long,” (signaling the  band’s 2010 comeback 13 years afterhiatus after disbanding in 1997) from a newly reunited Soundgarden, who were among the “grunge pack,” if you will, of the top bands during the 1990’s Seattle grunge explosion that became a major worldwide music phenomenon.

“Pale Horse Dry Cleaning” – Gospel Claws from Put Your Sunshine Away

“Been Away Too Long” – Soundgarden from King Animal on Universal Republic

In case you missed any of the weekly Best New Releases playlists (which is one of the most popular ‘indie’ releases series on the web), access them there here.

While we prepare the weekly Top 10 Songs playlists for November, you can listen to, and download, dozens and dozens of the top songs mixes from October and the rest of 2012 – it’s a great MP3 collection of the most fantastic songs of 2012, from both major label ‘indie’ artists and plenty of DIY, under-the-radar bands that we profile all of the time. Enjoy.

  • Paul Banks single, “The Base,” that was released at the end of October, raged in popularity on IRC well into November, outpacing the No. 1 song for November, “About to Die,” by a 4-to-1 margin, and was also the No. 1 song for the last week of October.

7 Overseas Bands You’ve Gotta Hear, Vol. II – The Amsterdams, Mouth of Ghosts, Uncanny Valley, Mojo Waves, Thieves

Posted on by Max Hammer

It’s been a while since the last installment of 7 Bands You’ve Gotta Hear, which yielded a significant amount of interest, as did the first spin-off of the series, which focused on overseas bands. This second installment of the overseas edition marks the first ‘7’ series posting in quite a while, and hopefully we’ve put together a collection of bands here that you’ll enjoy and be glad you heard. The ‘7’ series is all about artists and bands, usually DIY, sometimes signed, who sent their music in for review via the submission form (located on the About page).

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So why 7? Well, it’s a lucky number, and because 5 seems a bit too few (considering the number of standout submissions we receive) and 10 a bit too many for one post. And to boot, we like to do things differently. Most of the bands are DIY and have not been profiled anywhere online, let alone a site with more than a million page views a month. However, these bands are a little bit different in the fact that a few are popular overseas, but have yet to break out in the states.

7 Overseas Bands You’ve Gotta Hear


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The Amsterdams – Bucharest, Romania

Unsigned indie pop quintet The Amsterdams are not based in the Netherlands, but rather the capital city of Bucharest, Romania. The five members of the band hail from different cities in Romania, and met at the University in Bucharest. The band has a loyal following throughout Europe, but would like to make a splash on America’s shores. Why they haven’t already is a bit of a mystery to us, as are many artists we feature every month – and often the only major indie site on the web that does. Good music needs to be heard.

The band’s music is essentially indie pop and rock, but more recently, more experimental – clacking drum sticks, bass rumbles, exotic bird sounds, waves of synth notes, handclaps, sound effects, crashing cymbals, guitar licks, repetitive lyrics, and pitchy vocals. Since forming in 2006, they have opened for bands like Wolf Parade, Handsome Furs and Whitest Boy Alive, among others. The Amsterdams influences include artists such as Arcade Fire, Bon Iver, Modest Mouse, Franz Ferdinand, and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah.

 

 

Before launching into their newest single, “Sunology,” give a spin to two other songs like we dig from the band (and which offers a snapshot of their musical evolution since 2009) – the first from the 2009 debut LP, Adolessons that contains, among other songs, the standout track, “Laika” and the second, the single, “A Part of It” from the 2011 sophomore release, Electromagnetica. In addition to the band’s particularly impressive talents, you’ve got to give them credit for also having such a strong command of English (they sing in English, not Romanian) that they can come up with a creative play on words for a debut album title, Adolessons – which is silly to a degree, but thought-provoking and appropriate as well. In addition, we also included the music video (above) for the track, “Chased By Housewives.”

“Laika” – The Amsterdams from Adolessons (2009)

“A Part of It” – The Amsterdams from Electromagnetica

Just a few months ago, The Amsterdams released a catchy new song that may be a sample from a new album set to drop in 2013. The new single, “Sunology,” is a great track to warm you up and combat the winter dreariness, cold and darkness, and probably one of the best rarely heard songs of 2012 (more ‘rarely heard’ in coming weeks). In September, the band was the first band to perform during the premiere of Romania’s MTV Unplugged.

“Sunology” – The Amsterdams from Sunology single – July 19th

The Mouth of Ghosts – London, England

If you’re a Bjork fan, you might dig this latest single from the London band, The Mouth of Ghosts. The self-proclaimed indie/alt/trip-hop quintet got together last year. Their debut single, “When The Sun Sets,” reveals the bands’ sexy alt-rock textures and layers of atmosphere and intrigue.

The band prides itself on a unique creation – a fusion of alternative rock and trip-hop, with lashings of atmospherics and an underlying tension. Last year, founding band members Simon Langford and Marco Italia met vocalist Alla Seydalieva, matching her sensual vocals with haunting, ragged guitar melodies and moody bass thumping. Soon after, drummer Phil Page joined the band, followed by Valerie Deniz (vocals, synth) earlier this year to complete the outfit. This past August, the band signed with the small indie label, Red Dragon Records. The single ‘When The Sun Sets’ was released on October 29th 2012 (with “Close” as a B-side), and has already received support from BBC Radio 6 as well as numerous other stations throughout the U.K.

“When The Sun Sets” – The Mouth Of Ghosts from When The Sun Sets – Oct. 29th


The Mouth of Ghosts Official Website

theuncannyvalley

The Uncanny Valley – Manchester, England

A three-piece DIY alternative rock band from Manchester, England, The Uncanny Valley formed earlier this year, and not long after, were chosen to open for the popular indie rock band Jeff The Brotherhood. That is a clear signal for any band that things are off to a good start. There are bands that have been working their arses off for years to get a supporting gig like that. The Uncanny Valley caught on so quickly in Manchester that they’ve been getting airplay throughout the U.K. recently. Based on the two songs they sent us not long ago, we can see (well, hear) why.

Guitarist Nathan Day tells IRC that the formation of the band was actually an elaborate “trick” that turned out to be a good move by all involved, unwittingly or not. “I self released music online under the pseudonym ‘The Uncanny Valley,’ which due to the beauty of the Internet, quickly attracted attention from two fellow college students and cleaners who I then semi-tricked into starting the band with. They asked if they could be session musicians for my music so I agreed with the intention of quickly persuading them to make it a full on band which happened pretty much straight away.”

Day describes the band’s sound as “dark and eerie rock and roll with punchy overtones.” He said the band’s top musical influences include Jeff The Brotherhood, The Dresden Dolls, Jeff Buckley, John Frusciante, and Nicky Wire.

“Pandemonium” – The Uncanny Valley from demo – Aug. 14th

“Swallow Soil” – The Uncanny Valley from demo

Mojo-Waves-band-music
The Mojo Waves, from Helsinki, Finland, are on the radar with their new EP, 'Enjoy, Don't Destroy'

Finnish Band Mojo Waves on American Shores

Mojo Waves is a rock trio from Helsinki, Finland, formed in late 2011 to pursue creating “the attitude and the spirit of what rock music used to be in the past.” It’s unpredictable, personal and energetic. Although influenced by vast amount of bands, their sound is unique, and impossible to categorize. Whether intentionally or not, there are songs like “Yeasayer” that sound like they were produced with a page torn from the musical textbook of Jack White – raunchy, raw, lightning-stricken garage rock grit hammered out with a menacing intensity.

Although the band has commented that they feel a “spiritual connection with the rock music of the past,” you do not get the sense that they simply lift sounds and styles as much as they creatively infuse them into their tracks. According to the band, the main goal of the band is to make their own personal songs that they can be proud of, and to perform as many gigs as possible.

“Live music is what music has always been about,” band member Mikko Matikka told IRC, “and that’s what the band loves most.” For a band that only formed a little more than a year ago, Mojo Waves show a lot of promise, and are easily a band to watch in 2013, as are every band featured in this series. Although they have not opened for another band that we know of , Mojo Waves count among their biggest musical influences artists like MC5, Truckfighters, Fu Manchu, and Brant Bjork. But it’s hard to believe those artists are the band’s only influences. Either way, this band rocks and are definitely an overseas band to watch in 2013.

“Yeasayer” – Mojo Waves from Enjoy, Don’t Destroy EP – July 4th

“Whitebird” – Mojo Waves from Enjoy, Don’t Destroy EP

Official Band Website: Mojo Waves on Tumblr

Thieves are a New Zealand DIY band that mix a number of genres to create a rich sound

Thieves – Auckland, New Zealand

From Auckland, New Zealand, the DIY indie band Thieves released their self-recorded, produced and distributed second EP, Thieves 2, on August 18th. The talented young band, from the land of kiwis and the filming of Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, belt out dark riffs and groovy rhythms, but their sound is a bit more complex than that. The band experiments with genres and sounds, and underneath the impressive noise is the revelation of some terrific songwriting. There are influences of indie rock, power pop, krautrock, post punk, all infused with defiant, yet well-crafted, harmonies, hooks, melodies and top-rate vocals.

“The potent ‘Microcosm’ opens the album and transports us back to the mid 80s where serious looking men in black made seriously brooding music (a la Depeche Mode, Killing Joke, or Echo & The Bunnymen),” wrote Under The Radar.

“Microcosm” – Thieves from Thieves 2 EP – Aug. 18th

“Sudafed” – Thieves from Thieves 2 EP

Thieves on Bandcamp

The Belgium band Silicon Ballet will release their new EP early in 2013

Silicon Ballet – Brussels, Belgium

Following the release of the peculiar and ethereal EP, Utopia, the Belgium band, Silicon Ballet recently regrouped under the direction of Gareth Parton (Go! Team, The Breeders), to record an EP of new material. The first single is the title track from a forth-coming EP. The song, “Slowly, Slowly” is a dreamy, mellow ‘slow pop’ track that reminded us immediately of The Clientele.

The Slowly Slowly EP has yet to fully emerge from behind the shroud of mystery that appears to surround Silicon Ballet, but it’s fair to assume that if the rest of the EP is along the lines of the fine work of the title track, the EP should be rather special – “albeit,” the band told IRC, “hampered by delays in mixing, mastering, postal issues, etc. – metaphorically speaking, the view was well worth the climb.”

“‘Slowly, Slowly’ is embued with a gentle, elegance that says everything it needs to without raising its voice above a considered whisper…the regular plod of automata set against the organic ebb and flow of strings is a far cry from the chaotic Wilsonisms of [the] previous single ‘Sunglasses,’ or the spooked, nightmarish hubbub of Utopia, but an altogether stunning and welcome counterpoint to the pandemonium on the other side of the imaginary force field the song creates.”

Last February, the band released their debut five-track EP, Utopia, which includes a couple of standout tracks like “Victory” and “Sunglasses.”

“Slowly Slowly” – Silicon Ballet from Slowly Slowly single – Nov. 19th

Silicon Ballet on Facebook

Did you enjoy these bands? Let us know via the Comments box below, or via Twitter (@IndieRockCafe) and Facebook. There are many more great bands you probably never heard of before in the pipeline to be published in coming weeks and months, and plenty to explore and listen to via the archives. There are many entry points to archived posts and special playlists – via the frontpage categories, the tag cloud, the search box, the month-to-month drop-down menu in the right column – definitely no shortage of entry points to find more great music and bands.

Literally, you could spend half a year listening, reading and downloading songs from IRC and still not get to half of the artists and bands we’ve featured over the years – many who are under the radar – or another way of saying under-rated and under-appreciated, yet have put out some of the best music in the past five years since we started out as a place to share music with friends (never realizing it would blow up into the popularity IRC has today). We do this to share music with as many people as possible, as well as to provide an outlet for talented artists and bands that often get lost in the crowded field of bands trying to get a little love for their blood, sweat and tears.   That’s why we do this. If you’ve been a long-time follower of IRC, you know what we’re talking about.

DIY Artist of the Week – Chicago Musician Matt Script

Posted on by Max Hammer

matt-script-pic

Originally from upstate New York, DIY musician Matt Script moved to Chicago a few years ago to further his career as a freelance composer, musician and artist. We were stuck right from the get-go by Script’s obvious talents as a songwriter and singer and musician. The track that caught our attention from his submission was “Erasmus,” with it’s bright acoustic guitar and harp playing and mixing, it’s uptempo style and winding melodies, not to mention Script’s agreeable vocals that demonstrate quite a range. We’ve been playing the song, and some of his other tracks, over and over again. The guitar playing reminds us a lot of a musician name Michael Hedges who used to play this type of feedback/looping effect back in the 1980s, but Script says he is not aware of Hedges’ work.

“Erasmus” – Matt Script from Thru The Noise

Script wrote “Erasmus” as a “therapy session” for the homesickness and isolation he was feeling for his native Buffalo while studying abroad in Rome. “I naively romanticized about the deep connections I would make with the [Italian] people only to find that I felt just as lost, if not more lost, than I felt in Chicago. The ‘games’ referred to in the song to what we have to do to fit into society just to feel included I guess. The chorus is a paraphrased quote from Augustus, the roman emperor, when he said, “I found Rome a city of bricks and left it a city of marble.” . I used electric, acoustic, and nylon string guitars.

The second track, “Called,” has a wonderful looping or feedback type of drone to it, and it occurred to us that at times Script sounds a bit like another Matt, that is, the artist known as Matt Pond PA. Not surprisingly, Scripts says that he is a big fan of Pond, especially his earlier releases, including the fantastic album, Several Arrows Later, which has been featured on IRC in the past.

“I’m huge fan of his,” Scripts said. “Several Arrows Later is one of my favorite albums. I like a lot of his earlier stuff. “Measure 3″ might be one of my all time favorite songs too. I think that’s fair to say [his influence] definitely ingrained in my roots.”

A talented artist is able to do a lot with just a few simple instruments, strong lyrics, computer programs, plug-ins and gear, a well-honed, natural voice, and a genuine talent for music. Script combines all of these elements with excellent results again and again. Another track that showcases the diversity of his skills is “The Noise,” a track that also include drums loops, electric guitar, crashing cymbals and piano. While he has been known to label his music “urban folk loop,” which is a new sub-genre for us, Script successfully dabbles with other influences, ranging from pop and experimental to rock and ambient.

“Called” – Matt Script from Thru The Noise

His looping effects on electric and acoustic guitars are impressive and refreshing because you don’t hear these particular effects often. He writes on this Bandcamp page that Thru The Noise “explores the role of noise in our everyday lives.” That may be a bit, and unintentionally, misleading conceptually because in that case one would expect perhaps the album would contain a lot of sound samples and effects of actual everyday noises; there are some, but not to the extent that that would be the summation of the album. It’s much more of a well-structure and instrument and vocals-driven album than the quote implies.

He also released a fantastic five-track EP in June called Permatransience, from which the next single, “Caught Up,” is taken. Another song from that EP, “La Di Di” is a cheerful, upbeat song that also sounds like a Pond-influenced track, and the Simon and Garfunkel-like acoustic track, “Once You’re Awake,” is yet another accomplishment by Script, as is the title track, with its almost Spanish guitar style playing and poignant lyrics. Each song is a unique example of Script’s impressive skills as a singer/songwriter and musician.

“Caught Up” – Matt Script from Permatransience

Interestingly, Script is also a member of the band Wait, What? , which was featured on IRC not long ago via the In Dee Mail profile series.  Even more interesting, and most particularly to Harry Potter fans, is the fact that the band were recently tapped to play the music for one of the popular Harry Potter musical parodies by Star Kid Potter, a group of University of Michigan theatre students whose videos have gone viral in the past couple of years. Their official YouTube channel has already received a combined 140 million views worldwide and in the past couple of years have out paced Glee and Lady Gaga on iTunes. Script said the video his band is playing in for Star Kid Potter is in production now.

Script also has five other releases dating back to 2006 available to stream/download via his Bandcamp page.    His favorite bands include The National, Fleet Foxes, Ratatat, The Black Keys, Grimes, and The Kinks. In fact, he said The Kinks’ 1967 album Face to Face, was his favorite of the band’s 30+ LPs.

 

Popular IRC DIY Artist Thad Kopec Drops Masterful Debut Album, ‘Heart of Man’

Posted on by Max Hammer

thadkopecheartofman

Earlier this year, IRC featured the DIY recordings of Florida musician Thad Kopec in the DIY Artist of the Week series. Kopec’s profile received quite a bit of love and attention from IRC listeners, and within the larger music community as well. He now lives in Nashville and attends Belmont University majoring in public relations and political science.

Partly inspired by the positive response to his demos that premiered on IRC last May, Kopec, 21, set out to select a dozen songs among more than 50 demos to be re-recorded and mastered for his debut LP, Heart of Man, which he has shared exclusively with IRC. It is evident after a few spins of the album that Kopec is a DIY force to be reckoned with – his music is bold, heartfelt, wonderfully composed, and overall, a compelling listening experience from start to finish. We’ve listened to it all the way through already four times, and will listen to it again, and again. It’s highly recommended to spin the songs on this page, and the entire album itself, with good pair of speakers because it enhances the experience even more, which is so fittingly for such a brilliant album, musically and vocally.

It’s probably the best DIY debut we’ve heard this year.  Judging from the enthusiastic response Kopec received earlier this year when he was profiled, and what we expect to be even a bigger response to Heart of Man, an album that is without doubt still a secret to the larger world of music lovers for the gold that it contains.  It’s also one of those albums that in some mysterious way, gets better with each spin.

thadkopecmusicianIn fact, it was difficult to pick which songs to feature, because we obviously can’t post them all. It’s very rare to come across an album where every song is important to you, touches you in some way, and that you go back to again and again. After the release of the demos he premiered on IRC last May, and now with his debut self-released album, which Kopec also wrote, produced, mixed, played most of the instruments and sang on, Kopec should be on the cusp of breaking out big time. More people need to hear his music, and hopefully the majority of them will agree – it’s a brilliant album by a young, promising and talented artist.

Seriously, we like every song on the album, some, of course, more than others, but each song stands on its own. The album’s first track, “The Rift, an Opening,” is a 50-second introduction that by itself is a splendid piece of work.

Other times, on songs like “The World Was Young,” Kopec, along with help from other musicians, almost sounds like he’s paying homage to The National. “This is one of the first songs I ever wrote and really arranged,” Kopec remarked. “It’s the oldest one of the album, dating back to mid-2010. I added some parts for the new version to fit the album, but it mostly remains as it was.” It’s also one of the best songs on the album, wherein the relatively quiet verses eventually lead to a full-on, flourishing chorus in the last 30 seconds of the song especially.

“The World Was Young” would, however, be an even better song if the combination of instruments, vocals, rhythm and overall vibe of the last 30 seconds was extended for another one or two minutes (hint, hint).

“The World Was Young” – Thad Kopec from Heart of Man

At times, on songs like “White Wolf,” for example, Kopec seems to be channeling, in a subtle way, Sufjan Stevens‘, both musically and vocally, but not at all in a way that sounds like he’s lifting aspects. The intro includes the use of a ukulele, which adds even more to the comparison with Steven’s (whose new Silver & Gold box set was the Album of the Week last week) and also features Kopec on the piano.

“I don’t really know my way around the piano all that well,” Kopec told IRC, “but when I get an idea in my head, I’m relentless at getting it into the song. My form is absurd, but it got the job done. ”

“White Wolf” – Thad Kopec from Heart of Man

Other times, such as the rolling drum beats, choruses and guitar hooks of the album’s title track, “Heart of Man,” it is understandable if you hear strong hints of Fleet Foxes.

The same is partially true with the mellow folk rock track, “Red Wolf,” in which there also sounds to be influences of Bon Iver. The song has such a romantic, log cabin charm to it – those are just the words that come to mind. Past the half-way point, trumpets enter the picture as a father laments about a roaming red wolf consuming his daughter:

It’s been four hours since sunset
And my daughter still hasn’t come home
I fear the worst; I fear she’s dead
I fear she’s all alone
I hear her there in your stomach
Screaming, ‘I just want to come home’

That is stark imagery and definitely leans towards folklore (“I hear her there in your stomach”), and yet the song, musically and vocally, is beautifully melancholic.  “I have three or four different versions of [“Red Wolf”] on my hard drive,” Kopec said. “I had written the song itself years ago, but finding the right arrangement ended up being a grueling process. I first started with a stripped down, melancholy version with just banjo and vocals, but felt like it needed to be bigger to capture the true darkness and desperation of the story being told.”

“So I opted instead for the bigger arrangement. It still didn’t feel right though. It needed more grit, and I felt like the words needed more time to sink in for some reason. I started thumping on my guitar as I thought, and that second portion took shape as I piled on tambourine and claps. Then I finally went to my friend Josh [Gilligan] to have him fill it out with trumpet. That was the thing that made it seem finished to me.”

“Red Wolf” – Thad Kopec from Heart of Man

“Winter Forest” is another song where Kopec’s admitted influences from Bon Iver and Fleet Foxes is apparent. It’s a quiet song comprised almost completely by Kopec’s soft vocals, and is another woodsy, organic song where the lyrics, or more like, the story-telling, is the focus.  It’s almost like his music is coming from the earth, as much as it is his heart, and he is just the right conduit to make the translation for the rest of us. One exception is the song, “Praying for Rain,” which is one of the album’s noisier tracks, with a faster rhythm, fuzzy electric guitar solos, and Kopec’s mysterious, smooth vocals.

“Winter Forest” – Thad Kopec from Heart of Man

It was not at all a surprise when we discovered (after making the obvious comparisons between Kopec’s sound to other artists above) that Kopec wrote on his Bandcamp page: “My writing draws from the likes of Sufjan Stevens, Elbow, Fleet Foxes, and Bon Iver, but the sound I craft hopefully takes on a personality all its own.” Yes, in fact, that’s exactly what it does – it has a personality all of its own but is clearly influenced by incredibly talented, original artists.

The gorgeous track, “Fire in a Gold House,” has its roots firmly planted in folk, and demonstrates Kopec’s ability to construct songs that stand on their own. The acoustic guitar picking is terrific and gives the song much of its character. Kopec said that when he performs “Fire in a Gold House,” people come up to after the show to talk about it. Following that song is the dreamy, calming story-telling of “Cathedral,” a love song that is mostly comprised of Kopec’s smooth, emotive vocals embellished by a flourishing climax of electric violin, rumbling drums and fast acoustic guitar strumming.

“Fire in a Gold House” – Thad Kopec from Heart of Man

“Black Lake” finds Kopec at the piano, singing from his heart about love. He also plays the violin on this track (and on “Dogs of Night”). As the song builds, a distant discordant guitar sounds off, adding a touch of darkness on what is already a melancholic, somber song. The album closes with “Dogs of Night,” featuring a ukulele and guitar on an otherwise mystic, gloomy song. The eight-minute track has a number of chapters and clear transitions, even though the underlining mood is dark.  At one point the vocal track becomes a little muffled, and it’s not clear if that is intentional or not. In the second half of the song, the mood intensifies, mostly by the introduction of electric guitars, determined, repetitious violin notes, piano infusions and a slight urgency in the rhythm.


Sufjan Stevens cover of Romulus by Kopec, Ricky Marrero, Josh Gilligan, and Chris Nardino.

The album is so appropriately named because Kopec’s heart is so clearly and deeply in the notes and words of his songs that he really connects with the listener, and that’s a hard thing for any musician to do, but also the key to their success. You know you have a great album when it’s hard to pick which songs from it you want to highlight. Honestly, the only way  to fully appreciate the brilliance of this record is to get a copy of it.  It is impressive the depth of talent Kopec displays, considering he writes all his own music, plays most of the instruments, mixes, produces and sings. It probably won’t be too long, we predict, based on his debut, that Kopec will be picked up by a label so that even more people can hear this still under-appreciated talent, some would even say indie music prodigy.

Kudos to Kirby Lin on violin, Josh Gilligan on trumpet and flugelhorn and T.W. Walsh, who mastered the album. Kopec performed on guitar, vocals, piano, bass, ukulele, violin (on “Black Lake” and “Dogs of Night”), bowed guitar, percussion, antlers. Yes, you heard that right. At the end of the song “Cathedral,” there are actually the clacking of antlers. Kopec also wrote, produced, engineered and mixed all of the songs on Heart of Man, which just adds another layer of talent to .

From the raw demos he shared with us exclusively this year, Kopec has progressed immensely. In fact, he has simply refined and broadened his scope and artistic talents.

This could be the best $5 you spend this month. If this young musician doesn’t get noticed in a big way in 2013, something’s out of whack. In fact, we think Kopec, and his collaborators, should be booked for a couple of sets at South by Southwest in Austin in March 2013.

Kopec has also just recorded four Christmas songs.

DIY Albums, EPs and Singles from The Directionals, Daylight Fireworks, Remember Your Dead, Morning Harvey, Adam George

Posted on by Max Hammer

thedirectionals
As a former member of rock bands This Robot Life and Color Deluxe, Milwaukee musician Mark Poe, decided to create his own band. In 2007, he took a break from his music studies in college to work on his own music. Four years later in 2011, he set out to form the band, The Directionals, with a group of like-minded “rock and roll junkies,” and fellow music students, he’d met on campus.

The band evolved into what Poe called “an artistic collective and garage rock powerhouse ensemble,” with Bob Schaab on drums, Tory Dewalt on bass, Sean Jurewicz on lead guitar, and himself as lead composer, vocalist, and rhythm guitarist. As with all DIY bands, they will need to work on honing their sound, but we think their brand of garage rock/surf pop is worthy of mention. The Directionals have opened for artists such as Tiger Waves (a great band we’ve featured in the past), Wavvy Hands, Ahab’s Ghost and The Gazettiers, while Poe lists his major musical influences as Arctic Monkeys, Spoon, Buddy Holly, The Ramones, Pinback, and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. This is the band’s first single, “Serenade of Fire,” followed by the B-side, “Eyes.”

“Serenade of Fire” – The Directionals from Serenade of Fire single

Double-shot: “Eyes” – The Directionals from Serenade of Fire single

The Directionals Official Website

daylightfireworks

In 2009, two former members of the disbanded Bristol, England group Porchlight formed Daylight Fireworks, eventually adding two other members. In 2010, the new band released their well-received debut album, Skellington, followed by a six-track EP titled Secretly, We Hope. After the departure of their bass player, the remaining members decided to stay together as a trio. On Friday, Daylight Fireworks will drop their sophomore album, Some Kind of Low, from which we have two lo-fi singles, the title track and the track “Vs.” It’s certainly not everyone’s cup of tea, nor an earth-shattering record (they have some work to do), but some people might dig the band’s unrefined guitar rock sound. Daylight Fireworks has previously opened for bands like Tellison, Hot Club de Paris, The Crookes, and the Ex-Lovers. Their major musical influences include Pavement, Seafood, and Death Cab For Cutie.

“Some Kind of Low” – Daylight Fireworks from Some Kind of Low

Double-shot: “Vs.” – Daylight Fireworks from Some Kind of Low

Daylight Fireworks Homepage
rememberyourdead

Cross-Continental Duo, Remember Your Dead, Release Debut Album

The cross-continental duo Remember Your Dead was formed this past summer by long-time Maryland friends, Mario Munoz and Richard Sanchez. The seeds of their collaborative musical effort were planted over a decade ago when they began playing music together with a $10 USB microphone hooked up to a rudimentary computer that is a joke compared to today’s much more powerful PCs and Macs. Together, Munoz and Sanchez crafted moody, melancholic demos that were very rough. Yet over the past decade, they honed their musical and technical skills in the areas of writing, recording, mixing and mastering. In 2010, they joined up with the band Tigertronic and self released an EP.

Soon after, Munoz moved across the continent to Redlands, California, while Sanchez stayed behind in Tacoma Park, and revived a gestating musical project, Panda Sanchez. But the two did not give up on their plans to release their own EP, and this summer, thanks to stunning developments in affordable recording technology, persistence, and the Internet, they achieved their goal. The EP is a melancholic, yet energetic, collection of rock songs, instrumentals, vocal arrangements and moody transitions. The duo sent us two songs from the EP to share with everyone.

“Innuendo Eyes” – Remember Your Dead from Vigilia EP

“After You” – Remember Your Dead from Vigilia EP

Remember Your Dead Official Website

New Releases from Two Down Under Artists, Morning Harvey and Adam George

The Aussie band, Morning Harvey, is a quintet based in Brisbane, Australia. Since forming in 2011, they’ve become fairly popular in their hometown, and increasingly, throughout Australia, for their interesting mix of genres such as psych, “drone,” (obviously not like the remote aerial weapon we read about in the news), dream pop and rock.

Earlier this year, the band recorded their debut EP with the popular Australian producer Yanto Browning (Art of Sleeping, The Medics, Tara Simmons). They’ve also opened for bands like Cut Off Your Hands, Bass Drum Of Death, Expatriate and the Bleeding Knees Club. They dropped their new single, “Don’t Try It,” earlier this week. The song, a psych alternative rock track inspired by drone rock and fused with hazy reverb and atmospheric guitar hooks, airy melodies and soaring vocals, is the lead single from the EP. The band lists their top musical influences as Tame Impala, Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Dandy Warhols and the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.

Next, Sydney, Australia, singer-songwriter Adam George creates a minimalistic style of pop with gorgeous melodies and dreamy vocals as the single, “Clocks,” clearly demonstrates.

“Don’t Try It” – Morning Harvey from Don’t Try It EP

“Clocks” – Adam George from Black Rainbow EP

Album of the Week: ‘Silver & Gold’ Box Set by Sufjan Stevens, Volumes 6-10 of ‘Songs For Christmas’

Posted on by Max Hammer

Sufjan Stevens, the prolific songwriter and musician behind amazing albums like Michigan, Illnoise, and The Age of Adz, is unlike any other musician of the modern age when it comes to Christmas songs. With the release Tuesday of yet another box set of Christmas songs, titled Silver & Gold, Stevens has now recorded and released two box sets containing 10 volumes of more than 100 songs.

[zbplayer]

As with the first Songs for Christmas box set, some of the songs are Stevens’ original, unique style of Christmas and holiday songs, while others are cover versions, or renditions, of traditional Christmas and holiday songs, from “Upon a Midnight Clear,” and “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” to “Jingle Bells” and “We Wish You A Merry Christmas.”

Nearly six years after releasing his now famous (at least in the ‘indie’ world) Songs for Christmas box set, the prolific Sufjan Stevens has, together with his record label, Asthmatic Kitty, has dropped yet another Christmas box-set extravaganza, Silver & Gold. The box set features Vols. 6-10, a compilation of 5 EPs of Christmas type songs recorded between 2006 and 2010.

Asthmatic Kitty, Stevens’ record label, wrote in a press release: “Silver & Gold is a generous document of five more years of holly-jolly jubilee—Christmas caroling, sleigh-bell-ringing, collaborative songwriting—undertaken by Sufjan and his various musical cohorts.” Apparently the EPs were originally intended as holiday gifts for family and friends, but they were eventually “re-mixed and re-assembled for the public.” The box set includes the five EP’s as well as Christmas stickers, lyric sheets, temporary tattoos, photos and illustrations, liner notes, chord charts, a paper ornament, an “apocalyptic pull-out poster.” One of the tracks from the box set that has had a high circulation is “Mr. Frosty Man.” (Note: Initially, we incorrectly included a mislabeled song. Apologies.)

“Mr. Frosty Man” – Sufjan Stevens from Songs for Christmas: Silver & Gold (Vols. 6-10) (MP3 or CD editions)

Recent Stevens’ Musical Direction Heavily Influences Silver & Gold

Interestingly, there are style elements of BQE and The Age of Adz sprinkled throughout Silver & Gold on songs like “Particle Physics,” which seems a bit out of place as do other songs like “Alphabet St.” and “Up On The House Top.” Another song that sounds like it could have come from Adz, at least the first half of it, is “Carol of St. Benjamin The Bearded One.” Altogether, the experimentation aspects of the box set largely pay off, even with the nearly 13-minute track, “Christmas Unicorn,” that contains repetitious lyrics and slowly builds up into a crescendo of sprawling orchestration and glorious choral flourishes. Other examples of tracks that stem from the Stevens’ electronic interests of recent years include “X-Mas Spirit Catcher,” “Christmas Face,” “Happy Karma Christmas,” and “Christmas Woman.” Yet, in their own way, these songs fit on a Steven’s project, and will be most appreciated by fans of more recent albums like BQE and The Age of Adz.

“X-Mas Spirit Catcher” – Sufjan Stevens from Songs for Christmas: Silver & Gold (Vols. 6-10) (MP3 or CD editions)

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For people who just can’t stand hearing the same old classic Christmas tunes from Bing Crosby, Elvis, Perry Como, and others, Stevens and his numerous collaborators offer a terrific collection of alternatives. Many of the renditions of classic Christmas and holiday songs like “Let It Snow,” “Holly Jolly Christmas,” and “Silent Night” to name a few, are largely family-friendly and stay true to the original, as much as such repackaged songs can in 2012. In these cases, the results are acceptable (and we tested it) to all age groups, from the youngest children with the spirit of Christmas in their hearts and a twinkle in their eyes to their grandparents who remember when Christmas was much simpler and innocent many years ago. Stevens and his back up chorus singers have done a commendable job in preserving, for the most part, the traditional elements of the classic Christmas and holiday songs, especially those that are religious in origin.

“We Need A Little Christmas” – Sufjan Stevens from Songs for Christmas: Silver & Gold (Vols. 6-10) (MP3 or CD editions)

“Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” – Sufjan Stevens from Songs for Christmas: Silver & Gold (Vols. 6-10)

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Perhaps Too Much Electronic Experimentation for a Christmas Album

On the other hand, there are some traditional Christmas songs that Stevens heavily experiments with, and not always successfully, such as the semi-chaotic rendition of “We Wish You A Merry Christmas,” the heavily electro dance tinged “Do You Hear What I Hear,” a remixed version of “Jingle Bells,” and the ‘Star Wars’ version, practically unlistenable “Joy To The World,” that fail to truly represent the original compositions, instead opting for complex constructions, a heavy relevance on sound effects that don’t necessarily work, odd bass-driven, lo-fi segmentation, splices of dub step and drum machine beats. That said, such forays into the world of unapologetic electronic experimentation are likely to be main draws of Silver & Gold for fans of experimental electro and dub-step genres. Still, such songs, which are dispersed throughout the five discs, do interrupt the flow in spots where the listening experience is an otherwise family-friendly affair.

Silver & Gold also contains some religious traditional Christmas songs, although most of them last for less than two minutes. One example is “Hark The Herald Angels Sing,” on which the well-known chorus is wonderfully executed, and it’s an overall good rendition, but it also includes some odd instrumentation, and a noticeable looseness in the production that is clearly a departure. But the majority of religious renditions in the box set stay true to tradition, and sound like they would in church, like “Lift Up Your Heads Ye Mighty Gates,” “Break Forth O Beauteous Heavenly Light,” “How Shall I Fitly Greet Thee?” and “Ah Holy Jesus,” among others. For the most part, Stevens plays it safe with the religious songs, perhaps reflecting his religious convictions, or maybe to avoid any controversies of being sacrilegious, or both. Therefore, from that perspective, his more faith-based fans will likely be very satisfied with the results.

The Long Songs on Silver & Gold

The 15-minute exploration of various soundscapes on “The Child With the Star on His Head” has its moments, but would have been a much more powerful and effective song were it reduced to half that time. It includes a three-minute jam on electric guitar, an instrument that is rarely heard on Silver & Gold. But large swaths of the song quite literally sound like an infant pressing random keys and buttons on a synthesizer, nothing like an end product, if you will. Stevens’ propensity to buck convention is always appreciated, and has worked well for him most of the time.

Other long songs, that some may discover detract too much from the idea of a cohesive set, include “Do You Hear What I Hear,” a nine-minute cover that is mostly comprised of more of Stevens’ avant garde experimentation, which more times than we wish, sounds like a first take. One of the sets longest songs, “Christmas Unicorn,” is largely enjoyable, but, like others, would have benefited greatly from a diet – i.e., reduced from just shy of 13 minutes to perhaps eight minutes at the most. For example, the seven minute-plus “Barcarola (You Must Be A Christmas Tree),” which harkens back to the style and sound of Stevens’ earliest albums, including the ‘states’ LP, Michigan and Illinois, would probably not be as good as it is if it where double the length.

“Christmas Unicorn” – Sufjan Stevens from Songs for Christmas: Silver & Gold (Vols. 6-10) (MP3 or CD editions)

“Sleigh Ride” is one of the most experimental and unfocused tracks in the set. It starts out straight-forward enough for the first 25 seconds, and then launches into a 30 second swirl of carnival-like music and vintage video game sound effects before transforming into a fairly conventional chorus, with the exception of a Fifth Element-like operatic overlay. During the last 45 seconds of the two and a half minute track, it switches up again into a mish-mash of slices consisting of aimless synth experimentation, ambulance sirens, sci-fi infusions, flashes of church bells ringing that give way to a group of cheering kids, followed by a few seconds of a totally unrelated bass riff (that sounds like a new song starting) before the final 45-second sonic acid trip winds down and fades away.

There’s no question that some Sufjan fans (as they are more commonly identified as) will be intrigued by the earnest experimentation found throughout the newest box set, but as a whole, there are about a dozen or more songs that could have been left off of Silver & Gold to make it more streamlined, but we also understand that of 58 tracks, not every one is going to be a ‘keeper.’ More is not always better.

There certainly is not one format, style or approach used for Stevens’ original songs, or for the traditional Christmas and holiday songs on Silver & Gold. Songs that seem at first to be out of place on a Christmas-themed project, sometimes rise to the occasion, or are even a welcome reprieve from the dozens and dozens of Christmas oriented songs. Such is the case with the enjoyable track “Justice Delivers Its Death,” that echoes the box set’s title (“Sliver and gold”) over and over, and yet also seems out.

Even though it has a conceptual framework based on “Upon A Midnight Clear,” Stevens’ largely original, new track, “A Midnight Clear” is in every way – except for the title and a couple of lyrics – completely unlike “Upon A Midnight Clear,” and one of the most tightly-knit, “everybody-friendly” tracks of the box set. The song starts out with a mandolin and organ in the background, but soon evolves into uptempo choruses together with instrumental flourishes – awash in waves of orchestrated melodies and choral harmonies contrasted (again typical of Stevens’ work) with vocal dubs, abrupt progressions and shifts in rhythm and pitch, in addition to Stevens’ signature propensity to suddenly silence all or most of the instruments right during a driving groove to quiet things down, perhaps to enhance the spotlight on the lyrics and vocals.

“A Midnight Clear” – Sufjan Stevens from Songs for Christmas: Silver & Gold (Vols. 6-10) (MP3 or CD editions)

Often with Stevens’ compositions (since they are often more than songs), only seconds after the instruments silence or fade to a whimper, he will suddenly ramp it all back up again with full-blown engagement of a huge variety of instruments, sound effects and a nearly endless quest to experiment, which many times works, and sometimes, not often though, doesn’t.

What would have made Silver & Gold even better would have been to organize the five discs so that all of Stevens’ original songs were on two or three discs, and all of the traditional Christmas and holiday songs were grouped together on the remaining discs. That would have helped a lot so that when someone wants to listen to only Stevens’ originals, they would be able to easily. We know that for ourselves, we would have appreciated that option. Sure, with the MP3 version, we can create segregate the originals and renditions by creating separate playlists, or ‘weed out’ the tracks that we deem not to be ‘keepers,’ but with the CD or vinyl editions, that is practically impossible.

All things considered, Silver & Gold is a gem, especially, again, for fans of Stevens, but also for people that are looking for a comprehensive collection of traditional Christmas songs (many with a different approach as only Sufjan Stevens can offer) and new, original songs of orchestral indie pop, electronic music and rock songs about Christmas and the holidays. The total collection – featuring more than 100 songs – is not truly comprehensive without Song for Christmas: Vols. 1 – 5, which is available as one MP3 download for only $17.99 via Amazon (which plays on all MP3 players, iTunes and Apple, Android and Windows phones) and as a CD box set for only $14.49. The first five volumes, released in 2006, include many wonderful original and traditional Christmas and holiday (some less holiday-oriented) songs from one of indie rock’s most prolific and talented musicians.

Disclaimer: All of the songs in this post are for sampling purposes only and meant to encourage people to buy the entire box set for their own record collection, to purchase other great Sufjan Stevens’ albums and to see him live in concert.

Rolling Stones’ Ultimate Greatest Hits Release, the ‘Crossfire Hurricane’ Film, Plus, a Stones’ eBook Contest

Posted on by Max Hammer

by Maxwell Silver

Commonly referred to as ‘the world’s greatest rock and roll band,’ the members of The Rolling Stones, all now 65 or older, keep chugging along. Over the years, we’ve all heard comments or jokes that the legendary rock elders are washed up, or should retire, but that sentiment is antithetical to long-held mottos of rock culture, like “long live rock and roll” or “rock and roll will never die.” Chuck Berry, the godfather of rock, has continued to perform into his 80’s. Nevertheless, it’s mind numbing to think that the members of the Stones, who celebrated their 50th anniversary as a band earlier this year, are now seniors. The band’s newest greatest hits compilation, GRRR!, features a comprehensive chronology of the band’s music over the past half century. Plus, enter to win a special collector’s item eBook, 50 Years: The Rolling Stones; Views From the Inside; Views From The Outside.

GRRR! is available now in a couple clicks as an MP3 download; a three-disc CD set; a five-CD super deluxe edition (with all kinds of goodies for fans and collectors), the import CD edition (appears to be no vinyl edition right now) – all of these links lead to direct purchases via Amazon, which is having a special sale to honor the band’s 50th year of rock and roll.

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While new songs like “Doom and Gloom” cannot possibly compare to the volumes of ground-breaking music the Stones released at the height of their stardom in the 1960’s and 70’s, for old-time legends of rock, the Stones can still bang it out. Oddly, the video for “Doom and Gloom,” the band’s first new single in years, does not feature even one frame of the band, which is a bit odd, especially considering it’s their 50th anniversary year. Rather, the video is a lyrics video for all practical purposes, featuring a series of paint and other artistic representations of the song’s lyrics. There is also a non-video, MP3 stream of the song available below.

“Doom and Gloom” – The Rolling Stones from GRRR!

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The Rolling Stones Prepping for Sold-Out Performances in London, Brooklyn and Newark

Next week, the Stones will perform two shows at the O2 Arena in London before coming stateside to perform one show at Brooklyn Barclays Center (Dec. 8th) and the Newark Prudential Center (Dec. 13th & 15th). We wonder what the band will be doing from Dec. 9th through Dec. 12th? All shows, of course, are sold out. Also, the band’s two-and-a-half hour documentary, Crossfire Hurricane, featuring rare footage of the band over the decades, including never before seen interviews with Brian Jones, premiered on HBO last Thursday night, and is also now available on DVD and Blu-ray via Amazon. Here’s the trailer for the film.

Stones’ eBook Contest and Chance to Write for IRC

: Win a collector’s and music lover’s special eBook, 50 Years: The Rolling Stones; Views From the Inside; Views From The Outside, featuring rare photos and interviews, many of which have never been published in the U.S. until now. This contest is also a perfect opportunity for an aspiring writer as well.

To enter the contest, simply pick a song from any post on IRC (or the Top 10 Songs page, from January through October) and write, in the Comments Box at the end of the post, your own mini review (no more than 200 words please) of the song, the album it’s from, and/or the artist in the Comments Box below any post. You do not need to sign up or register to leave a Comment below a post.

After you write and post your mini review in the Comments Box, we’ll review it, publish it, and over the next week to 10 days, review each mini review to pick the winners. You may also write your review on IRC’s Facebook page. In either case, please make sure to reference the song title, album title and the artist you are writing about. You can also copy and paste your review to FB after posting it in the Comments Box. You may wish to also copy and paste into Facebook the URL of the post you’re leaving a comment on.

This is also a great opportunity, and perhaps a unique approach, for aspiring and established writers because the winners of the eBook (plus a secret bonus prize) will also have the opportunity to write a music-related article or post for IRC, giving them exposure to over a half million readers/listeners a month. If you use the Comments Box on IRC, don’t worry, you’re email address is only seen by us. Can’t wait to see what songs you guys pick and write about. Also feel free to Tweet or write on our Wall after if you use the post’s Comments Box to share “here’s my mini review of [song/album/band] on Indie Rock Cafe.”

Best New Releases, Week of Nov. 13th – Crystal Castles, School of Seven Bells, The Weeknd w/Drake, Clinic, Social Studies

Posted on by Max Hammer

The end of 2012 is fast approaching and the ‘best of’ posts and playlists are already in the works. But there are still six weeks left in the year and some of the most anticipated new albums of the year dropped this week, among them Sufjan Stevens‘ newest addition to his Christmas albums collection, Silver & Gold, which we’ll have much more about this weekend for the Album of the Week (only a partial list right now) feature.

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Also, check out lead singles from new albums by Crystal Castles, School of Seven Bells, The Weeknd (with a single featuring Drake), Social Studies,  El Perro Del Mar, Clinic, Bear Colony, among others.

“X-Mas Spirit Catcher” – Sufjan Stevens from Silver & Gold

Make sure to check back tomorrow and during the weekend, not only for a full review and profile of Stevens’ Silver & Gold, but also for Volume II of this week’s album releases, featuring more sweet singles by a number of artists and bands, including one of the greatest (some say the greatest) rock and roll bands of all time – The Rolling Stones (and a chance to win a free 50th Stones’ anniversary eBook), as well as legendary bands of the 1980’s and 1990’s, including live and new studio album releases from Mudhoney, Soundgarden, Sonic Youth, and Guided by Voices, and IRC exclusive DIY releases.

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The official album cover of III is actually an award-winning photo of Fatima al-Qaws cradling her son, Zayed, who was wounded during a Yemenese anti-government protest

Crystal Castles Release Their Best Album To Date, III

The wildly popular, and immensely talented, Canadian electro duo, Crystal Castles, blew us away in 2010 with their self-titled sophomore LP after peaking our interest with their 2008 self-titled debut. In recent months, the duo have released a few fresh singles, including “Affection,” from their new album, III, their darkest, most haunting album to date. “Affection” is dominated by Alice Glass‘ ghostly cooing and the melodically dark and staggered synth riffs of Ethan Kath, who also produced the album himself.

“Affection” – Crystal Castles from III on Casablanca Records

In July, the duo dropped “Plague,” a schzophrenic, somewhat demonic, track that starts off with what sounds like the industrial rumble of a factory in the distance and a ghastly howl overlaid with Glass’ soft, spooky vocals. Waves of flickering synths and eerie sound effects suddenly explode into a fully engulfed electronic thrasher with Glass’ now piercing shrieks set against Kath’s raging riffs and a single, coarse drum beat that hacks away methodically in the background – altogether resulting in a truly rattling, sorrow-filled, angst-driven, ominous album. In fact, some fans have noted that III sounds like it could be the soundtrack of the 2012 Mayan doomsday prophecy, which supposedly culminates on the winter solstice, 12.21.12. As another bonus from the duo, download another single off the album, “Wrath of God” for free via Soundcloud.

“Plague” – Crystal Castles from III

School of Seven Bells’ New LP, Lead Single and Cover of Lil Wayne Track

Released only two weeks ago, the fresh electro pop/dance single, “Secret Days,” from the New York indie rock duo School of Seven Bells, received nearly 52,000 plays and nearly 50 thumbs up comments on SVIIB’s Soundcloud page, crowding up the track’s timeline with oodles of praise from fans. Plus, check out an interesting electro-style cover of Lil Wayne’s “How To Love.”

“Secret Days” – School Of Seven Bells from Put Your Sad Down EP on Vagrant Records

Bonus: “How to Love” (Lil Wayne) – School Of Seven Bells from Put Your Sad Down EP on Vagrant Records

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The Weeknd Collaborates with Drake on Single from LP Trilogy

Musician Abel Tesfaye, aka The Weeknd, dropped a new album this week that includes the single, “The Zone,” featuring the popular artist Drake, who also makes a brief appearance in the music video as well. The track was originally featured on Tesfaye’s mixtape,  Thursday, released earlier this year.

“The Zone (ft. Drake)” – The Weeknd from Trilogy on Republic Records/XO

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Social Studies Drops Sophomore Album, Developer

Also on Tuesday, San Francisco indie band Social Studies dropped their sophomore album, Developer, featuring the thunderous single, “Away For The Weekend,” which highlights the haunting vocals of Natalia Rogovin, who we think is a rising female vocalist in the realm of indie rock. The band hired Oakland engineer Eli Crews (Tuneyards, Deerhoof, Thao & Mirah) to refine their sound, digging deeper into mood-altering textures and repetition, and deep-sixing some of the ornate flourishes to reveal an anthemic core.


The band’s label, Vice Records, was spot-on in suggesting the track sounds like a “sober” version of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Social Studies also premiered a new video for the song, “Terracur,” in which there are some fantastic shots of San Francisco at night. Plus, Little Rock indie band, Bear Colony (yup, another group with ‘bear’ in their name), dropped a new album this week, Soft Eyes, featuring the feel-good single, “Flask Retort.” The song is awash in warm and fuzzy synth notes, reverb-heavy guitar riffs and a fine rhythm to boot. This is the band’s first album of new material since their widely praised 2006 debut LP, We Came Here To Die. Also check out the lead single, “Hold Off The Dawn,” from the new album, Pale Fire, by El Perro Del Mar.

“Away For The Weekend” – Social Studies from Developer on Antenna Farm Records

“Flask Retort” – Bear Colony from Soft Eyes

“Hold Off The Dawn” – El Perro Del Mar from Pale Fire on The Control Group

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Clinic Chills Out; Jozef Van Wissem and Jim Jarmusch and How To Destroy Angels

Chill out with Clinic on the mellow track, “For The Season,” followed by another calming track, “Etimasia” by Jozef Van Wissem and Jim Jarmusch. Might as well keep the chill beat going with the latest dubstep single from husband and wife duo How To Destroy Angels.

“For The Season” – Clinic from Free Reign on Domino Record Co.

Double-shot: “Misty” – Clinic from Free Reign on Domino Record Co.

“Etimasia” – Jozef Van Wissem & Jim Jarmuschfrom The Mystery of Heaven on Sacred Bones Records

“Keep It Together” – How to Destroy Angels from An Omen EP on Columbia Records

Brian Eno’s Lux 1 Video, Bambi Lee Savage, and Books On Tape

To wrap up Volume I of this week’s top releases and singles, check out the new music video for the latest single on the album, Lux, by the godfather of indie electro pop, Brian Eno, plus DIY artist Bambi Lee Savage, and Books On Tape. Check back for more singles and music videos in Volume II from this week’s top releases tomorrow.

“Lux 1 (exerpt)” – Brian Eno from Lux on Warp

“Oh Loneliness” – Bambi Lee Savage from Darkness Overshadowed (self-released)

“Super Dr.” –  Books On Tape from Retired Numbers on Sorry Juniper!

Check back tomorrow for Volume II of this week’s Best New Music Releases that will feature new songs and videos from The Rolling Stones, Soundgarden, Mudhoney, and many others.