New Indie Songs – INDIE ROCK CAFE

Fresh Tracks Mix: Crystal Castles & Robert Smith, Radio Dept., Club 8, Smith Westerns, Twin Shadow, Woodsman

Posted on 11/04/201001/09/2020 by Max Hammer

Now that the celebration of the San Francisco Giants’ World Series victory and parade have passed, it’s time to catch up with a bundle of sweet new songs, including free and legal MP3s from Crystal Castles, The Radio Dept., Club 8, Woodsman, Smith Westerns, Twin Shadow, Woodsman, Junip & Run Roc.

During the past two years, the Ontario, Canada experimental electronica duo Crystal Castles, comprising of Ethan Kath and Alice Glass, have exploded in popularity on the indie scene and beyond. Their 2008 self-titled debut LP was voted one of the top 50 albums of the 2000’s by NME magazine. In this awesome new track, “Not In Love,” the duo collaborated with The Cure‘s frontman Robert Smith.

“Not In Love” (with Robert Smith) – Crystal Castles

Labrador Records’ Recording Artists Drop New Singles

The Swedish indie pop band, and Labrador recording artist, The Radio Dept., have dropped a new single single, the title track to Never Follow Suit, a new “dub” EP from the band that will drop next week. Only 1,000 12-inch vinyl EPs have been pressed. The EP contains five tracks. We’ve also included “The New Improved Hypocrisy”, a single not on the EP that the band quietly released this past September.

Plus, their label mates, Club 8, have a new MP3 single for the Nov. 23rd release of a limited edition seven-inch, Closer Now. The track, “Closer Now,” is a melodic fusion of psychedelia, Stone Roses‘ guitars, West African chants and rhythms mixed with Club 8’s special blend of Swedish pop hooks.

“Follow Suit” – The Radio Dept. from Never Follow Suit EP

“The New, Improved Hypocrisy” – The Radio Dept., unreleased single

“Closer Now” – Club 8 from Closer Now 7″ – Nov. 23rd

Denver’s Smith Westerns Announce Debut LP for January Drop

This past summer was a grand one for Denver’s rising band, Smith Westerns, whose name recognition and fan following grew by leaps and bounds, due in part to a wildly successful cross-country tour and blogger love. Just the other day, the band announced the official release for their sophomore album, Dye It Blonde, and provided the track listing and album art (pictured above). Chris Coady (Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Beach House), produced the new LP. Although we do not yet have an official single from Dye It Blonde, the short film, Friends Forever, features a performance of the band playing “All Die Younger”.

The film was shot by popular indie artist and photographer, Ryan McGinley, who captured Smith Westerns’ performance at this year’s Pitchfork Festival. In addition, the film also features footage from San Francisco rising indie band, Girls‘, gig at Pitchfork. Interestingly enough, both bands will be featured in IRC’s Best Bands of 2010. Don’t miss the Soundcloud stream for the fabulous track, “Weekend.”

Smith Westerns – Weekend by forcefieldpr

Twin Shadow Does The Drums and Hooray for the Earth

Nowadays in the indie music mixers world the name George Lewis Jr. is immediately connected to one-man outfit, Twin Shadow, another break-through ‘band’ of 2010. In the past week or so, Twin Shadow have remixed Hooray for the Earth’s “A Place We Like” and The Drums “Me And The Moon.” Twin Shadow’s terrific debut, Forget, is out now in the U.S., and for the rest of the world (ROW), on November 15, 2010.

“A Place We Like”- Twin Shadow vs. Hooray for the Earth

“Me And The Moon” (Twin Shadow Remix) – The Drums

Woodsman Release Single Ahead of Debut Album

Earlier this year Lefse Records released Woodsman’s Mystery Tape EP, and will follow it up in January with their Rare Forms full length from which the track below, “Insects”, is taken. Woodsman is an experimental ambient post-psychedelic band based in Denver. Influenced by hazy mountain passes, the cinema of Stan Brakhage, and early 1970’s improvisational recordings by Miles Davis, Woodsman has crafted aural offerings that are uniquely one of a kind.

“Insects” – Woodsman from Mystery Tape EP

Junip’s New Material Remixed By Run Roc

After some years on hiatus,the band Junip returned in September with the awesome LP, Fields. Junip was formed in the late 1990s by drummer Elias Araya, singer and guitarist José González, and organ and moog player Tobias Winterkorn. The band is now on tour stateside through Thanksgiving, and are sharing a Run Roc remix of one of the best songs on the EP, “Always.”

“Always” (Run Roc Remix) – Junip

Anya Marina Preps New EP To Drop Nov. 15th

California-bred and now Portland, Oregon-based singer Anya Marina will release her Spirit School EP on November 15, providing the first glimpse of new material from Marina since her 2009 single “Satellite Heart,” which was featured on The Twilight Saga: New Moon soundtrack. The new EP features guest appearances and mixes from Courtney Taylor-Taylor (Dandy Warhols) (featured below), Sam Fogarino (Interpol), and Michael Lerner (Telekinesis), among others. Marina says Spirit School is “a collection of similarly misfit songs that are very dear to me.”

“Whatsit”– Anya Marina from Spirit School

…and Big Phony, La Sera, John Hill and Electrolightz

“Short Intermission” – Big Phony

“Never Come Around” – La Sera from Never Come Around 7″ – Nov. 16th

“Does It Still Hurt” – John Hill

“The Future” – Electrolightz from It Happened Over Night

Best Rarely Heard Songs of 2010, Vol. 1: Cosmo Black, Porcelain Raft, Fez, ColourMusic

Posted on 09/04/201012/18/2019 by August W. Zander

In the cafe, we listen to a lot of indie music from artists and bands that the majority of music-loving people have never heard of. One way to bring more of these rarely heard songs to the ears of more people is by creating the playlist mix series titled Best Rarely Heard Songs of 2010. Our tag line for this mix is: “Some of your favorite music in 2010 is that which you have yet to hear.”

It’s amazing how much spectacular music is ‘out there’ but that would otherwise be forgotten. Like so many of the songs we publish weekly on the main Indie Rock Cafe site, the tracks presented here on our new ‘quickie blog’ are way under rated, and the talented artists who make them often overlooked.

“When Night Becomes The Morn” – Cosmo Black

“Moonwalk” – Porcelain Raft

“The-Mirror” – Back Ted N Ted

“Nothing You Can Do About It from Essex” – Darren Haymen & The Secondary Moder

“Chemicals” – Fez

“Yes” – Colourmusic

“I Am Your Head” – Elephantom

“Daily-Mirage” – Dream Cop

“Can’t Take It” – Jay Regan

“White Doves” (unreleased) – Young Empires

Here We Go Magic Perform on Fuel TV; Sun Airwaves Do Remix and Release Single

Posted on 09/03/201010/01/2018 by August W. Zander

The indie buzz band Here We Go Magic perform “Collector” on Fuel TV. Also, check out this remix of “Casual” by the band Sun Airwaves. Also, check out the lead single from Sun Airwaves’ anticipated new new LP, Nocturne of Exploded Crystal Chandelier, set to drop on Oct. 26th via Dead Oceans.

“Casual” (Sun Airwaves Remix) – Here We Go Magic

“Oh, Naoko” – Sun Airwaves

Two New Tracks from Ottawa Band Loon Choir

Posted on 08/30/201001/02/2017 by August W. Zander

Ottawa, Canada indie rock synth pop band Loon Choir released their debut album Expansion Forces in May. Most people, even indie enthusiasts, have probably never heard of the band, but we dig their songs that we’ve heard so far, including the lead single, “Bricks”.

“Bricks” – Loon Choir from Expansion Forces

“New Forewarnings” – Loon Choir from Expansion Forces

New Indie Rock Songs 2009: Radiohead, Modest Mouse, Blitzen Trapper, Dirty Projectors, Port O’Brien and More

Posted on 08/14/200912/18/2019 by Max Hammer

Modest Mouse video for “King Rat”
The Radiohead enigma continues. Although it was already posted, we’re reposting the supposedly new, leaked song – “These Are My Twisted Worlds” – from Radiohead. The song mysteriously appeared on a popular Radiohead fan site, Atease on Wednesday.

Although the previously unreleased song “These Are My Twisted Words” has not been confirmed by Radiohead as one of their own, die-hard fans are convinced it is. The track certainly sounds like the band, and the vocals are unmistakenly those of singer Thom Yorke singing (note the similarity in sound with “Weird Fishes/Arpeggi” from the band’s classic In Rainbows release).

All of this ‘new Radiohead’ buzz has made it the most intriguing mystery in music so far this year. If this is all an elaborate PR campaign by Yorke and the band to mitigate the hullabaloo Yorke created earlier this month (after he suggested to the publication The Believer that the band may never make another album), it certainly has been effective. We’ll see what happens on Monday.

Also included in this playlist are new songs from Blitzen Trapper, Dirty Projectors, Port O’Brien, Mission of Burma, Broken Records, Twin Atlas, The Bowerbirds, Builders and Butchers, Rainbow Bridge, David Mead, Mount Eerie, Jeff Merchant, Mellowdrone, Ramona Falls and Lou Barlow.

“These Are My Twisted Words” – Radiohead from Wall of Ice EP (via Stereogum)

“Black River Killer” – Blitzen Trapper from Black River Killer EP (2009)

“Naked We Made It” – Dirty Projectors from The Glad Fact (2009)

“Sour Milk/Salt Water” – Port O’Brien from Threadbare (2009)

“1, 2, 3, Partyy!” – Mission of Burma from The Sound The Speed The Light (2009)

“If The News Makes You Sad, Don’t Watch It” – Broken Records from Until the Earth Begins to Part (2009)

“Versions” – The Twin Atlas from Good Light (2009)

“Northern Lights” – The Bowerbirds from Upper Air (2009)

“Barcelona” – Builders and Butchers from Salvation is a Deep Dark Well (2009)

“Big Wave Rider” – Rainbow Bridge from Big Wave Rider 7″

“Stone’s Ode” – Mount Eerie from Wind’s Poem (2009)

“Ancestors” – Throw Me The Statue from Creaturesque (2009)