This week’s Best New Releases is interesting in that there is no release from an A-list ‘indie’ artist, if you will, but instead an eclectic gaggle of mostly new and relatively unknown artists, like That Ghost, Davila 666, Papercuts, Dum Dum Girls, DeVotchka, Raised by Tigers, and many others.
Perhaps the biggest new release is the debut album from Beady Eye. We were surprised to learn how many people don’t know who they are. Well, all band members of Beady are former-members of the super popular Brit pop band Oasis, including Liam Gallahger, plus Ride frontman Andy Bell, and guitarist Gem Archer, and tour drummer, Chris Sharrock. We haven’t heard the whole album yet, but we like what we’ve heard so far, including songs like “The Beat Goes On” and “The Roller,” to name a couple tracks right off the bat. What do you think? There have got to be some, admittedly aging, Oasis fans out there.
“The Roller” – Beady Eye from Different Gear, Still Speeding
“Four Letter Word” – Beady Eye from Different Gear, Still Speeding
That Ghost – Sonoma County, California
Over the past few months, we’ve listened to the sounds of artist Ryan Thomas Schmale aka That Ghost. Over the past year, there’s been a good amount of blogger buzz about That Ghost, and the more we listened to his songs, the more we agreed with the blogger buzz. This week, That Ghost releases his Twosyllable debut, Songs Out Here, an album of intrigue and dark optimism. We absolutely love the track, “To Like You,” and also like very much the other single from the album, “The Red Bow.”
“To Like You” – That Ghost from Songs Out Here
“The Red Bow” – That Ghost from Songs Out Here
Papercuts – San Francisco, California
In addition to That Ghost, there are also a number of other one-man bands and solo artists with new releases this week, including San Francisco Bay Area songwriter, and Subpop artist, Jason Quever, who goes by the moniker, Papercuts. If you like hazy bedroom pop, this is definitely a band that you want to keep an eye and ear on. Papercuts has expanded into a full band, adding Graham Hill (drums), David Enos (keys), and Frankie Koeller (Bass). In 2008, Michael Partington, the former frontman and guitarist of Head of Femur, left behind most of his belongings in the U.S. and moved to Taiwan, which he says influenced much of the content on the album.
Also this week: Alex Ebert, lead singer for the band, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, drops his debut solo album; the acclaimed Swedish singer/songwriter, Lykke Li releases her new album, and Jad Fair, founder of one of the earliest, and best, indie bands, Half Japanese, and a prolific musician, has a new album, His Name Itself is Music.
“Do What You Will” – Papercuts from Fading Parade
“Made Out of Diamonds” – Shipbuilding Co. from Radios & Flying Birds
“Truth” – Alex Ebert from Alexander
“The Best Ever” – Jad Fair from His Name Itself Is Music
Raised By Tigers – Denton, Texas
Raised By Tigers is an indie rock band hailing from the musically vibrant college town of Denton, Texas. Mike Canzano, Jason McMullen, Rob Peters, and Tyler Walker comprise the group. Their sound ranges from post-punk leanings with swooping guitar textures to ambient acoustic/electronic pops and buzzes.
Aside from a few compilation inclusions, the band’s first proper album, LED, was released in 2007. Now they are back with their follow-up sophomore album, Reunion Parts, drops this week. RBT has shared with bands like Karate, Dismemberment Plan, Les Savy Fav, The Paper Chase, Deerhoof, and many others.
“Song for Bob” – Raised By Tigers from Reunion Parts
“Sunspots” – Raised By Tigers from Reunion Parts
Davila 666 – Puerto Rico
Here’s a relatively new indie rock band from Puerto Rico that we think are In 2010, Davila 666 released an EP on Rob’s House Records, singles on Vice Records (split with Detroit’s Dirtbombs), and Norton Records covering “She’s a Rainbow” by The Rolling Stones in Spanish with other Latin bands (Buenos Aires’ Los Peyotes and Fellow P. R. band Los Vigilantes).
Now managed by Vice Music, Davila 666 continues to release music and tour around the world, rapidly gaining notoriety as “The World’s Greatest Party Band.” Keep your eyes and ears open to when DAVILA 666 comes to your neck of the woods, full U.S. tour in support of Tan Bajo, including SXSW!
“Esa Nena Nunca Regreso” – Davila 666 from Tan Bajo
DeVotchKa, The Rural Alberta Advantage, Dum Dum Girls and More
Listen to even more songs from Gypsy punk rockers, DeVotchKa, Toronto’s folk pop band, The Rural Alberta Advantage, the popular indie punk girl band, Dum Dum Girls; and an absolutely amazing post-punk style instrumental track from the band Codes in the Clouds.
“100 Other Lovers” – DeVotchKa from 100 Other Lovers
“He Gets Me High” – Dum Dum Girls from He Gets Me High EP
“Look Back, Look Up” – Codes in the Clouds from As The Spirit Wanes
Two Super Groups Release New Albums
Super groups, as they are called, is a theme in this week’s best releases. The first, The Baseball Project, features Peter Buck (R.E.M.), Scott McCaughey (The Young Fresh Fellows and The Minus 5), Linda Pitmon, and Steve Wynn (Dream Syndicate), whose release Volume 2: High and Inside is something we hope to get to listen to soon in its entirety. The next release is the self-titled debut from Middle Brother, which joins John McCauley (Deer Tick), Matt Vasquez (Delta Spirit), and Taylor Goldsmith (Dawes) in effort to capture the magic of their 2010 SXSW debut performance.
“Don’t Call Them The Twinkies” (with Craig Finn) – The Baseball Project from Vol. 2: High and Inside
“Me Me Me” – Middle Brother from Middle Brother
(full album stream)
Easter Island is a progressive rock band re-forging middle-class angst pop of the mid 90s and early 2000s. The band’s balance of calculated chaos, yuppie adulthood and love gone awry, creates an addictive sound reminiscent of 1990’s pop, as evidenced on the lead single, “Proud,” from their new album, Better Things.
“Proud” – Easter Island from Better Things
Also, we recommend at least listening to new singles from bands like Siriusmo, Acrylics, Buried Beds, C0lumboid, and others. We wish there was more time to dig deeper into some of these bands, but we’re sure you guys can figure out for yourselves which of these following tracks you like, and which you don’t. In fact, if you want to do a mini-review of any song, album, or band (or a combo of), please do so in the Comment space below. If your review is fitting, we might even re-publish it to this post and give you credit.
“Mosaik” – Siriusmo from Mosaik
“Sparrow Song” – Acrylics from Lives & Treasure
“Nightwatch” – Acrylics from Lives & Treasure
“Breadcrumb Trail” – Buried Beds from Tremble The Sails
“Skate Hoarders” – Columboid from We Were One