Heat records have been broken all across the U.S. in recent weeks.
Much of the nation, most especially the mid-west and the south, have been trapped under a dome of extreme heat for the past month or so, while the Northeast has been dipping in and out of excessive temperatures for weeks. Therefore, we set out to put together a playlist mix with songs containing words like heat, hot, burn, humid, and so on, in the titles. Yeah, kind of corny, but we’re always looking for an excuse to tap into our private collections of rated music dating back to the beginning of rock to make specialized, thematic playlists.
Note: Not all of the songs are meant to be literal, but included because they’re just great songs. For example, there are songs with “hot” in the title, but the literal use of the word has more to do with desire and attraction than temperature.
This week’s Best New Releases includes new singles from new LPs and EPs from bands all across the indie spectrum. We’ve been loving The Radio Dept.’s work for about three or four years, so it’s just fitting to include a great track from their new singles collection, available now. Following TRD is a terrific, minimalistic, psychedelic track from the new Woodsman LP; a riveting, epic track from Cloud Nothings’ debut LP. Ironically, there are two tracks titled “Bloom” in this playlist, each from a different artist. Also loving the John Vanderslice song, and can’t help but to think how much it sounds like a Sufjan Stevens song.
“The One” – The Radio Dept. from Passive Aggressive: The Singles 2002-2010
Also, check out new singles from releases by Com Truise, Iron and Wine, Gang of Four, Cold War Kids, Deerhoof, Wanda Jackson with Jack White, Destroyer, The Veils, and many others. The self-titled debut EP by the band Grouplove has renewed them as a band to watch in 2011, as they were in 2010 (listen to tracks below). One of the reasons we renewed Grouplove is because they are so incredibly talented, and have still not received the recognition we think the band deserves.
The Papercranes deliver a dreamy, even melancholy, sound on the fantastic new single from their latest release, and Paper Diamond throws it down with impressive electronica work on the track “From Now Till…”.
“Synapses” – Papercranes from Let’s Make Babies in the Woods
We could go on and on about all of the new releases this week, but, once you listen to this mix, you’ll see that the music speaks for itself. Played in one continuous stream, you’ll notice at some point or another that this playlist is just packed with awesome songs, including other artists like Say Hi, Monotonix, The Ex, Delicate Steve, Exray’s, I Was King, Lia Ices, Fujiya & Miyagi, Duke Garwood, Greater Pacific, The Chicharrons, Metal Mountains and more.
“Insects” – Woodsman from Rare Forms
When you want all the best new songs from new releases, come to IRC regularly, since we post about four features and playlists each week stuffed with music from some of the most popular ‘indie’ artists to lesser-known, but talented bands. But even if you miss a post that is a few days, weeks or months old, most of the MP3s do not expire like they do on most other sites. Use the Comments to tell us what you think about these songs or the artists that make them. Click on album titles to make a purchase from Amazon – which has more MP3s at lower prices than iTunes.
“Understand At All” – Cloud Nothings from Cloud Nothings
“Under The Gun” – Apex Manor from The Year of Miracle Drinking
“Give Me More” – Monotonix from Not Yet
“Slow Peels” – Com Truise from Cyanide Sisters EP
“Tree By The River” – Iron & Wine from Kiss Each Other Clean
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.”
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
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.”
