Because Election Day collided with album release day (most albums in the U.S. are released on a Tuesday) this week, it’s no surprise that there were very few “big” album releases. That said, there were still plenty of releases of new material, and lead singles, from lesser-known artists this week that are worth listening to.
[zbplayer]The new EP from Dirty Projectors, titled About To Die, features three new tracks, and at least on the Amazon version of the EP, two additional bonus tracks. See our Album of the Week post for a review and more songs from the EP, as well as the trailer for the band’s indie short film and a brand new music video for the single “About To Die.” But first, here’s the title track, which was also one of the standout tracks on the band’s July release of their latest LP, Swing Lo Magellan.
Note: To purchase any of the albums or EPs dropped this week, see the end of this post, where there are one-click purchase links for MP3, CD and vinyl versions from Amazon.
“About To Die” – Dirty Projectors from About To Die EP
Califone Reissue First Two EP’s, Plus a Previously Unreleased Single; Teen Daze Drops Second LP This Year
Next is the previously unreleased song, “Pastry Sharp,” from Califone‘s new drop, Sometimes Good Weather Follows Bad People, a reissued compilation of the Chicago neo-folk band’s first two E.P.’s. Switching gears now; Canadian artist known as Teen Daze released his debut LP, All of Us, Together, last May, which received considerable praise for its rich chillwave textures and synth pop layers. Six months later, Teen Daze has dropped a second LP, Inner Mansions, from which the single, “Spirit,” is taken.
“Pastry Sharp (previously unreleased)” – Califone from Sometimes Good Weather Follows Bad People on Jealous Butcher Records
“Spirit” – Teen Daze from Inner Mansions
New Singles from Melody’s Echo Chamber; New LPs by Grape Soda, Calvin Love, Crushed Out
French multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and vocalist Melody Prochet, who goes by the moniker Melody’s Echo Chamber, is starting to get more attention stateside largely due to the release of her self-titled debut album. Intricately blending layers of fuzzy, psych-tinged synth notes, sound effects, percussion and her incredibly sensual vocals, Melody’s Echo Chamber has gotten the notice of French and other European music lovers, DJs, bloggers, press, and is now lapping on the shores of America.
“Endless Shore” – Melody’s Echo Chamber from Melody’s Echo Chamber
This past week marked the U.S. release of Melody’s Echo Chamber‘s debut. The single that has been receiving the most play and buzz, “Endless Shore,” is a shimmering, psych rock collides with new wave gem infused with thin layers of sounds and effects, ranging from trippy distorted guitar riffs to a throbbing bass line and, the ever constant element – Prochet’s sensual and heavenly vocals. It was recorded by Tame Impala band member Kevin Parker. The second song, “I Follow You,” is awash in melodies, sweeping instrumentation, and swirls of synths. Another standout track from the debut LP is “You Will Not Be That Missing Part of Me,” with its video game-like sound effects, drum machine back beat, and Prochet’s soothing vocals.
“I Follow You” – Melody’s Echo Chamber from Melody’s Echo Chamber
Also, check out this post about the new Team Genius release.
Next, the new-to-us band, Grape Soda, released their debut LP, Form A Sign, this week, featuring the single, “Obvious Signs.” With a touch of 70’s AM radio sound, Desert Noises provides plenty of melodies and a tight-knit sound on the title track to the band’s debut EP, I Won’t See You. Retro new wave synths and the excellent vocals of musician Calvin Love shine through on the single, “Magic Hearts,” from his fresh release, New Radar. At somewhat of a contrast, we’re not completely sold on the new Crushed Out lo-fi garage rocker, “Weigh You Down.”
“Obvious Signs” – Grape Soda from Form A Sign on Kindercore Records
“I Won’t See You” – Desert Noises from I Won’t See You EP
“Magic Hearts” – Calvin Love from New Radar
“Weigh You Down” – Crushed Out from Want to Give
Farmer/Musician Joshua James Teams with Shins’ Richard Swift on Single; Plus, Tyler Daniel Bean and Barbarian
The new single, “Queen of the City,” is a track from a new album by Joshua James, a Provo, Utah farmer by day, and musician by night. Accompanying James on the single is bandmate Evan Coulombe and Richard Swift, best known as the multi-instrumentalist for one of the best indie bands ever – The Shins. Following James is an uptempo new track from singer/songwriter Tyler Daniel Bean. Thanks to ThisWheelisStillinSpin for these two tracks. Plus, we have the new single, “Daze of Youth,” from San Diego band Barbarian (more on them in a few days).
“Queen of the City” – Joshua James from The Top of Willamette Mountain
“Heather Lane” – Tyler Daniel Bean from Longing
“Daze of Youth” – Barbarian from Barbarian 7″
DIY Portugese Surf Rocker Juba and Ukraine Math Rock Band Colaars
From Lisbon, Portugal, Juba is a DIY “Hindu surf roit” band with an admiration for The Beach Boys, Real Estate and Tame Impala. Juba’s new single, “Bloodvessels,” is upbeat and intricate. Next, Colaars is a DIY math/dance rock band from Kiev, Ukraine, ground zero for the 1986 Chernoybol nuclear meltdown that ultimately killed hundreds of people and remains to this day the world’s worst nuclear accident. The band’s debut EP, Wood Arsenal, dropped this week.
“Bloodvessels” – Juba from Juba
“Wood Arsenal” – Colaars from Wood Arsenal EP
Charleston Indie ‘Croon Rock’ Band Drop Debut LP
Elim Bolt is an “indie croon rock” band from Charleston, South Carolina that formed in 2011 and were quickly signed to Hearts & Plugs, a small indie label in Charleston. Gotta admit: we’ve never heard of ‘indie croon rock’ before, but we’re willing to roll with it and see what listeners think. Elim Bolt’s musical influences include Arcade Fire, Roy Orbison, Deerhunter, and Elvis Presley. That’s an interesting variety of favorite artists, and it shows in their sound. Nude South is the band’s debut release, dropped earlier this week. The album is inspired by the small-town southern upbringing of singer/songwriter Johnnie Matthews “filtered through the love, sex, and drugs found in his adopted city life.”
“Farm Kid” – Elim Bolt from Nude South
“Only You” – Elim Bolt from Nude South
Other Singles This Week: Pretty & Nice, Boots of Danger’s RAC Mix of TPC; Vitalic and Neil Nathan Inc.
The indie pop band, Pretty & Nice, dropped an EP this week, which includes the cheeky twee pop track, “Capsules.” Also, listen to Boots of Danger’s RAC mix of Tokyo Police Club‘s “Wait Up,” as well as the original from TPC’s stellar 2010 album, Champ. Vitalic goes hardcore techno on the track “Stamina” followed by the southern rocker, “Sweep The Nation,” the title track from Neil Nathan Inc.’s self-released new album.
“Capsules” – Pretty & Nice from Us You All We EP on Pledge Music
“Wait Up (Boots Of Danger RAC Mix)” – Tokyo Police Club from RAC Chapter One on RAC Records
Original Song: “Wait Up” – Tokyo Police Club from Champ
“Stamina” – Vitalic from Rave Age
“Sweep the Nation” – Neil Nathan Inc. from Sweep the Nation (self-released)
Get LPs, EPs and Reissues for the Week of Nov. 6th from Amazon
Aerosmith – Music From Another Dimension | CD Deluxe CD Vinyl MP3 Deluxe MP3
Ana Never – Small Years | MP3
Tyler Daniel Bean – Longing | MP3
Candy Hearts – The Best Ways to Disappear | CD Vinyl MP3
The Casket Girls – Sleepwalking | CD Vinyl MP3
The Casket Lottery – Real Fear | CD MP3
The Chaw – The Chaw [EP] | MP3
Matt Costa – Sacred Hills [EP] | MP3
Crushed Out – Want to Give | MP3
Jon DeRosa – A Wolf in Preacher’s Clothes | CD MP3
Dirty Projectors – About to Die [EP] | Vinyl MP3
Mike Doughty – The Flip Is Another Honey | CD MP3
Emeralds – Just to Feel Anything | CD Vinyl MP3
The Epilogues – Cinematics | CD Vinyl MP3
Errors – New Relic | CD MP3
Fear – The Fear Record | CD Vinyl MP3
B. Fleischmann – I’m Not Ready For the Grave Yet | CD Vinyl MP3
Graveyard – Lights Out | CD Vinyl
Great Lakes USA – Live Fast, Die Whenever | MP3
Holy Shit – You Made My Dreams Come True [EP] | Vinyl MP3
Isis – Temporal | CD Vinyl MP3
Joshua James – From the Top of Willamette Mountain | CD Vinyl MP3
Paul Kelly – Spring and Fall | CD MP3
Habib Koité & Eric Bibb – Brothers in Bamako | CD MP3
Lindstrøm – Smalhans | CD Vinyl MP3
Log Across the Washer – The Season Opener Against Ohio | MP3
Calvin Love – New Radar | Vinyl MP3
Jo Mango – Murmuration | MP3
Maus Haus – Light Noise | CD MP3
Motion City Soundtrack – Making Moves [EP] | Vinyl MP3
Mouse on Mars – Wow | CD Vinyl MP3
The Murder Barn – Gotta Good Man [EP] | MP3
Ne-Yo – R.E.D. | CD Deluxe CD MP3 Deluxe MP3
Night Moves – Colored Emotions | CD Vinyl MP3
Non / Boyd Rice – Back to Mono | CD Vinyl MP3
O’Brother – Basement Window [EP] | Vinyl MP3
O.K. Press – We Killed Disco [EP] | MP3
Pretty & Nice – Us You All We | MP3
Prince Rama – Top Ten Hits of the End of the World | CD Vinyl MP3
Slim Twig – A Hound at the Hem | MP3
Andy Stott – Luxury Problems | CD Vinyl MP3
Sylver Tongue – Something Big [EP] | MP3
Team Genius – New York Songs | MP3
Teen Daze – The Inner Mansions | MP3
Toy – Toy | CD Vinyl MP3
Troubled Coast – Awake and Empty | CD Vinyl MP3
Vitalic – Rave Age | Vinyl MP3
Dionne Warwick – Now | CD MP3
Brian Whelan – Decider | CD MP3
Listen to Top 10 Songs for October, and the weekly Top 10 Songs, are in.