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From Raleigh, North Carolina come Bowerbirds: Phil Moore on guitar, lead vocals and Beth Tacular on accordian, keys and vocals. Beneath Your Tree features the two trading the lead, with great contrast, I might add, in a chilling duet, ultimately weaving a becoming braid of harmony. While I'm not a fan of the word, gorgeous, it's fair to say their label's right on in describing Moore’s voice and melodic sensibilities as such.
On a non-stop summer whirlwind tour, Bowerbirds are sure to play a show somewhere near you. They touch down for a minute at The Echo in LA August 4th.
Spunky New Orleans One-Woman-Wonder, Theresa Andersson, exudes fun as well as jaw-droppingly prodigious talent. Visit her Live Luxury Wafers Session HERE, where you'll find more video as well as exclusive mp3s.
from Austin's The Boxing Lesson. Like Pink Floyd feeling up Stereolab in the front car of the Goliath Rollercoaster. Stay 'till the end for special goodies.
Mysterious Texas/NewYork dreampop collaboration, Neon Indian recently signed to very cool boutique label, Lefse Records, with whom they'll release their 12-track debut, Psychic Chasms, October 13, 2009.
From the label: "Orbiting around the themes of drug induced heartbreak, weary afternoons, and lost chances, this music provides a lush soundtrack to the deadbeat exploits of teenage ennui."
Deadbeat Summer opens lusciously full, Passion Pit style. Even so, Neon Indian relies on the jaggedly weird, chainsaw grinds, squeaky rubber ducky lines and simple lyrics wrapped up in a skippy hopscotch confection. Terminally Chill is XTC's Skylarking french kissing The Human League's Don't You Want Me on the boardwalk at Venice Beach.
5 of the 12 tracks have been floating about here and there.
GorillavsBear hosted the psych-gazer, Should have taken acid with you (...and told my parents that i'm staying with you....I feel them on this. Nobody wants to miss out on the fun) and 6669 (i don't know if you know) HERE.
Listen to Local Jokehere, at Obscure Sound. Synthy sounds with a high-pitched, off-kilter freewheel constantly rotating in the background, lakeside, of course, reflect shiny fireworks in the pitch night sky overhead. I suppose this one's perfect for the upcoming 4th of July holiday weekend.
Neon Indian's soaring into outer space. Worth a grab on the starry tail for a tripped-out ride.
Tender Kentucky folkster, Daniel Martin Moore, rivets with his penetrating, stripped down arrangements and voice - the voice of a hearth where alchemy takes place, aesthetically akin to Jack Johnson meets Harry Connick, Jr with a stash of croon occasionally surfacing as the simple swagger of ol' blue eyes.
Formed in Seattle in May 2008, this quintet offers a mellow yet soulful sound, sure to reel in a variety of music junkies.
Made up by Joe Syverson (Vocals, Guitar), Colin Wolberg (Guitar), Zach Tillman (Bass), Chris Early (Keys), and Colin English (Drums) Final Spins, who also have their hands in the honey pot of brother J. Tillman's (Fleet Foxes) Pearly Gates project, debut with their album, This Is Then/That Was Now, a fluid listen comprised of songs that evoke the extremities of two basic emotions: from happiness to sadness; from dark to light. You'll shed tears (Let Me Fall), and bop your head (Another Sunny Day) all in one stretch.
All seasoned players, Final Spins is quickly asserting themselves as a talented - and exciting - new group. Their music throbs with intensity and an intricacy that weaves influences spanning from rock to pop to folk. Obvious comparisons: Bon Iver and even The Byrds.
With the exception of big words, and barring the use of subtle metaphors: they are plain and simply awesome. It's easy to imagine them sitting around, as the Seattle rain pours down, writing songs that capture the heavy, yet refreshing aspects of a rainy day.
Catch them live, one way or another, on their big day, July 22nd. They're playing KEXP at noon, super cool Sonic Boom at 6pm and again, later at Sunset Tavern.
From the OC, Mika Miko, favorites at the all-ages, noise-focused, downtown LA joint, The Smell, (as well as allmusic pick for best new release - no small deal) are effectively The Ramones of the millenium. Fast, hard, no-frills, thrashing punk comes to the girls of Mika Miko completely naturally. Unselfconscious, Mika Miko playfully yet seriously grab down to rip out your gut with tight arrangements, weighted bass lines that sear, humming chainsaw guitar, steady-fire drums (the token boy, a keeper.....for now) and dual vocals - nothing short of outrageous - which complement in their opposing qualities of higher register scream vs deep plunging baritone. Innocently, Mika Miko annihilates artifice, leaving behind a sweaty, grungy, blissful frenzy.
When I asked about the source of inspiration for their potent - and surprisingly clean, lyrically - songs, Jenna remarked (moderately surprised-sounding) that songs sometimes come to her through daily life and surroundings. For instance, she explained, the last song they sang, Turkey Sandwich, was a direct result of the popcorn machine talking to her at work. I felt at the time like my synapses should have been firing a grok-like response along the lines of, 'Well, of course!.' It seemed emphatically to make perfect sense to Jenna, and I noticed her fellow band members nodding in support, as though, of course, they got that too. That was precisely the moment I realized the pure, unadulterated beauty of Mika Miko. They are exactly as they are. Way out-there and truly priceless.
In honoring new inductees, The Ramones, to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002, the website reads, "The Ramones got back to basics: simple, speedy, stripped-down rock and roll songs. Voice, guitar, bass, drums. No makeup, no egos, no light shows, no nonsense. And though the subject matter was sometimes dark, emanating from a sullen adolescent basement of the mind, the group also brought cartoonish fun and high-energy excitement back to rock and roll. They launched the grassroots punk-rock movement in New York and London – the Clash were among those who paid heed when the Ramones first toured Britain – and helped downsize rock from arenas and stadiums to the more sensibly scaled environs of clubs and neighborhood holes-in-the-wall." See what I mean? Here's a refresher: Cretin Hop. Note the refreshing similarities to our beloved Mika Miko.
Now, free yourself from pretentious burrs and proceed to enjoy the blast of raw honesty of Mika Miko's clobber-whip of punk rock.
Wavves. WAVVES = good. Even when the cheap cable on my headphones shorts out and warps the tune into devilspeak, WAVVES, in their lo-fi glory, still works.
Upcoming Tour Dates: 07/15 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom* 07/18 Chicago, IL Pitchfork Fest 08/28 San Diego, CA Street Scene
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