Do you enjoy musical groups with a bevy of multi-talented members? Yes! Do you indulge in your favorite musicians’ side-projects? Indeed! Do you dig Bon Iver? Naturally! Do you groove to jazzy, extended, eighties-style, spaced out jams? Why not! If you answered all of the above in similar fashion, then GAYNGS (yes, all caps) should be the new musical crew doin’ work for you, son.
Consisting of no less than twenty musicians, with such varied musical talents as Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon, Minnesota MC P.O.S., founder Ryan Olson, and Andrew Bird’s saxophonist Michael Lewis, GAYNGS’ single, “The Gaudy Side of Town,” is a slow, controlled burn fueled by Olson’s vocals, Lewis’ silky sax, and Vernon’s backing vocals. Faint beat boxing, electric crackles, and reverb harmonies swirl apart and come together as the song builds to an apex it never quite seems to reach. Imagine yourself surrounded by the night, in a seedy neighborhood, drenched in neon lights, on a bar stool, sipping cheap beer, watching the ne’er-do-wells pass by through an iron grated window at the front of a dive bar. This is your soundtrack.
Off Broadway in St. Louis has quite a show for us next week as Deer Tick will be rocking the stage on Thursday, August 5th. We're very excited for the show, but we're even more excited that Off Broadway has given us 4 tickets to give away to 2 lucky winners!
All you have to do is e-mail Jason at jason.speakersincode@gmail.com and tell us why you love Deer Tick. We'll pick our favorite response for one pair; for the other pair, we will randomly draw the winner.
We will announce the winners on Tuesday, August 3rd.
After spending some quality time on the West Coast last week and then stepping back into the blazing inferno-heated sauna that is the East Coast, I've been in dire need of something to mentally teleport me back to the land of mild summers and relatively no humidity.
Call it divine intervention, but our Jam of the Day by Sonny and the Sunsets just happened to be waiting in my inbox this morning. Thanks baby Jesus!
Channeling the classic stylings of Wayne Cochran & the C.C. Riders, "Too Young To Burn" is pure vintage-style west coast pop - telling a sordid tale of loss, regret, and otherworldly despair. And their debut LP, Tomorrow is Alright, radiates with a classic yet indefinable sound, almost like futuristic '50s R&B.
Tomorrow is Alright is currently available on vinyl from Soft Abuse Records and will be released on CD and digitally via Fat Possum Records on August 31. Go ahead and get it.
If you're any sort of devoted reader of Speakers in Code, you know that around these parts, we are pretty amped about the first annual LouFest taking place in Forest Park, Saint Louis on August 28th and 29th. We are devoted to promoting Saint Louis as a viable music city, whether that be on a local or national basis. And clearly, LouFest founder, Brian Cohen, has taken our shared devotion to a whole new level with the organization of a music festival featuring impressive national acts like Broken Social Scene, She & Him, and Jeff Tweedy. Never has Saint Louis seen something of this indie-rock caliber.
Undoubtedly, LouFest has been a long time in the making, a journey of sorts for Cohen, but - hot damn! - it's a journey that will soon be fully realized. And what better way to celebrate that journey than curating an exclusive playlist? Seems reasonable. Luckily, Cohen has shared his journey mixtape (featuring lots of LouFest artists) with us.
Cohen explains, "With the festival only a month away, I find myself thinking more and more about journeys. Striking out, undertaking new things, leaving your comfort zone - all without knowing if you'll come out whole on the other side. These songs remind me of the challenges in life that need to be embraced at all costs."
First things first, let's spend a moment contemplating the awesomeness of this band's name: The Goodnight Loving. Who doesn't want some of that?
Next, let's discuss the Milwaukee band's slick and souped-up garage rock. Taking cues from The Strokes (without the cynicism) and pulling together a cocktail of rock 'n' roll genres (surf, honky tonk, punk), The Goodnight Loving is pure, unadulterated fun with a majorly fresh spirit.
Today's JOTD sounds like it came straight from a carefully curated Tarantino film soundtrack. "The Pan" features straightforward, easygoing vocals against furious guitar strumming and a little jingle-jangle percussion. At about the 1:30 mark, it takes us to the beach with a quick surfer interlude. The entire track doesn't last very long, but that's what the constant repeat button is for.
Saint Louis local bands, take notice. Our friends, The Blind Eyes, have concocted a clever and (very) welcome way for us to simultaneously celebrate two of our favorite aspects of summer: live music and potluck dinners. Taking place at Off Broadway on Saturday, July 31th, the first annual Popluck afternoon affair will feature food for sale by Black Bear Bakery and more importantly, hours upon hours of Saint Louis' (and Columbia's) best local talent performing live for your general merrymaking pleasure.
Seth Porter, of The Blind Eyes, promises barbeque, and while you don't technically have to bring anything to the potluck dinner, you'd be a lot cooler if you did. Break out Grandma's potato salad recipe, k?
Doors are at 12 PM (yes, NOON, so get your dancing pants on early, folks). Show starts at 1 PM. Tickets are $10. Get 'em here.
Alt-country is the one genre of music that I understand completely. It's strangely familiar after growing up in the south, but when executed properly, it takes me to new places that challenge the definition of the category.
True to form, I connected instantly with Athens-based alt-country newbies, Futurebirds the first time I queued up the free EP they dropped a minute ago via Bandcamp. And after listening to our JOTD, “Battle for Rome," I have to believe we just may have the highlight from their upcoming debut LP Hampton’s Lullaby for you kids today.
Encompassing everything it damn well should, including but not limited to banjo, pedal steel, acoustic guitars, southern accents, and war themes - the song marches along like infantry into battle along a desolate country road.
But when the song begins its end, we're left inside the the head of a post-battle soldier struggling to cope with the pain in his/her head and atone for the things he/she did that day.
It's beautiful and haunting and something that you need to download right now. You may do this below.
Hey there guys and gals, I'll keep this short (say, three sentences?) since the Kings from TN decided to leave their fans out in the blazing heat after three songs last night in St. Louis after a pigeon (a pigeon!!) dumped on the KoL bassist. Remember when Ryan Adams fell off the stage in Liverpool and smashed his wrist -- well, he got back back on his feet and finished "Shadowlands" and then proceeded to the hospital. Thanks for the memories, KoL!
Louisiana boy and ex-Acid Bath member, Dax Riggs, is gearing up for the release of his second sophomore album, Say Goodnight to the World. The effort's been called "heavy, haunting, otherworldly, and seriously rocking," and today's JOTD is perfectly representative of those adjectives. In fact, it grows ever more so heavy, haunting, otherworldly, and seriously rocking as the song progresses. With echoing vocals and distorted guitars, "No One Will be a Stranger" culminates in a cauldron of ghostly fuzz in the minor key.
Here at Speakers in Code, we can't believe it's almost August. Of course, that means LouFest is just that much closer, and we've been looking forward to the inaugural two-day festival, which takes place August 28th and 29th in Saint Louis' Forest Park, for quite some time now.
So, naturally, we're pretty excited to announce our latest giveaway: LouFest has generously given us a pair of two-day wristband passes to hand out to one lucky winner!
To enter, all you have to do is send an e-mail to jason.speakersincode@gmail.com.
[Update] Now it's even easier to enter! We've expanded the contest so that you can enter by tweeting about LouFest and Speakers in Code.
Simply copy and paste this into a tweet: I entered to win a pair of two-day passes to @LouFestSTL on @speakersincode! You can, too - just retweet this! #STL
The contest will run through July 30th, and we'll randomly pick and e-mail or DM the winner on August 2nd. Good luck!
Don't forget to follow LouFest (@LoufestSTL) and Speakers in Code (@speakersincode) on Twitter!
Oh, and here's a video by Jeff Tweedy to get you excited for LouFest!
Here at Speakers in Code, we can't believe it's almost August. Of course, that means LouFest is just that much closer, and we've been looking forward to the inaugural two-day festival, which takes place August 28th and 29th in Saint Louis' Forest Park, for quite some time now.
So, naturally, we're pretty excited to announce our latest giveaway: LouFest has generously given us a pair of two-day wristband passes to hand out to one lucky winner!
To enter, all you have to do is send an e-mail to jason.speakersincode@gmail.com.
[Update] Now it's even easier to enter! We've expanded the contest so that you can enter by tweeting about LouFest and Speakers in Code.
Simply copy and paste this into a tweet: I entered to win a pair of two-day passes to @LouFestSTL on @speakersincode! You can, too - just retweet this! #STL
The contest will run through July 30th, and we'll randomly pick and e-mail or DM the winner on August 2nd. Good luck!
Don't forget to follow LouFest (@LoufestSTL) and Speakers in Code (@speakersincode) on Twitter!
Oh, and here's a video by Jeff Tweedy to get you excited for LouFest!
The boys who make up the New York City band, Harper Blynn, truly represent the melting pot that is the greatest city on earth. For our second installment of 10 to Spin, the band's summer playlist does the same, melding genres, jumping decades, and crossing borders. From quirky Mexican lounge music to of-the-moment indie rock, Harper Blynn's definitely got a good read on what summer sounds like.
In turn, thousands of devotees love what they hear from Harper Blynn. In fact, the band was named one of Paste's ten best discoveries at the 2009 CMJ Music Marathon. Currently on tour, Harper Blynn makes a stop at The Old Rock House in Saint Louis on July 30th with Greg Laswell and Cary Brothers. Get your tickets here, or see if the band's coming to your town.
Watch the band play "This Is It" live at Williamsburg Music Hall:
Tears for Fears - Everybody Wants to Rule the World
And you never did learn to let the little things go
And you never did learn to let me be And you never did learn to let little people grow And you never did learn how to see
I heard this song for the first time last night. I immediately thought that it made a lot of sense about love, life, and relationships, and how maybe redemption is the sweetest thing that we'll ever know.
If you don't own a copy of Laura Marling's new album, I Speak Because I Can, I can promise you that you'll be blown away by its honesty;its shocking strength is its simplicity, like the drift of an oncoming thunderclap -- you know it's coming, but it's never exactly how you expected. It's better, louder. It's real.
I trekked to Chicago last weekend to attend the Pitchfork Music Fest for the first time ever. Knowing that I'm simply not as quick and nimble as I once was, coupled with the fact that my "bounce back capabilities" aren't completely intact, I only bought tickets for Sunday's line-up (what I deemed the best and brightest day of the three-day fest in Union Park, anyway). I have to say, despite the heat, the throngs of too-cool-for-school hipsters, and Heineken as the only boozing option, losing my Pitchfork virginity was quite special.
My day started with the Los Angeles trio, Best Coast (playing The Gargoyle in Saint Louis with Male Bonding on 9/14, FYI). Lead singer Bethany Cosentino's voice sounded pristinely sleepy and hazy, and her turquoise guitar made me drool. I can't say that pre-Pitchfork I had delved too deeply into the band's (thus far) limited catalog, but after seeing them live, I will immediately grab the debut LP, Crazy For You (out July 27th on Mexican Summer).
Best Coast - "When I'm With You"
Next, I headed over to see Girls on a bigger stage. The lead singer, Christopher Owens, rocked a Lyle Lovett haircut, and he was successfully wearing a colorful blouse. The San Francisco band sounded pretty good, but I'm just not a huge fan. I could bore you by conjuring up other specifics to report, but you should get those from an authentic Girls lover. That, I am not. So, I will end on a high note and repeat the fact that Christopher Owens successfully wore a colorful blouse.
Girls - "Morning Light"
Photo credit: Katie Guymon
I left Girls behind a tad early so I could grab some prime real estate for the Beach House set. Like the rest of America, I am in love with the Baltimore duo's early 2010 release, Teen Dream, so of course, I was psyched to see the band live. The music is moody and mellow, so the most movement they got out of their very amply-sized crowd was a rhythmic sea of head-bobbing (I even saw a mom with a American flag fanny pack and New Balance cross trainers completely engrossed in the shoegaze sway), but at least the onstage banter between lead singer/keyboardist Victoria Legrand and guitarist Alex Scally was humorous (they are happy to be back in the States because the coffee is better here, and certain songs are guaranteed to eliminate, ahem, underwear dryness). Album fave, "Norway" was faithfully hypnotic, and "Used To Be" was simply gorgeous. The set kicked off with "Better Times." Two enthusiastic thumbs up.
Beach House performs "Better Times" at Pitchfork:
So, honestly, the biggest draw for me on Sunday's line-up was the much-buzzed about, Local Natives. I had to leave the fabulous Beach House set about halfway through to catch the start of the California five-piece's show. (Don't judge me; this is totally justifiable, given that Beach House is playing Saint Louis on 10/2). I'm glad I caught the beginning because the second song Local Natives played, "World News" is my favorite off the new album, Gorilla Manor.
Local Natives - "World News"
It is absolutely no surprise that what really sets these guys apart from other like-minded indie rock bands is their crystal clear, multi-layered harmonies, and they certainly do not lose any of their luster when performed live. As a bonus to the perfection of Local Natives' sound, the band threw a total party at Pitchfork. The crowd was lively and festive, dancing to the afro-pop percussion of "Sun Hands" and "Shape Shifter."
Photo credit: Katie Guymon
If Local Natives hosted the party, the stage's next band up, Surfer Blood, threw the after party. I knew the guys from West Palm Beach were youngins', but man, they looked like babies onstage. They started their set with "Fast Jabroni."
Surfer Blood performs "Fast Jabroni" at Pitchfork:
I definitely can't say that Surfer Blood sounded as sonically accomplished as the aforementioned Beach House and Local Natives, but for what they lacked in polish, they made up wholeheartedly in unabashed fun. The sun was beating down on the crowd for the majority of the set while sprays of water from the fest's volunteer "squirters" refreshed it. Most dudes were shirtless and filled with enough Heineken at that point to let loose with their unique brand of dude-dancing. (From the get-go, my friend Darren commented on the audience's noticeably masculine flair, dubbing Surfer Blood the pioneers of "dude rock"). They finished out the set with Astro Coast standouts, "Take It Easy" and "Swim."
Next up, St. Vincent. At this point of the day, my knees were aching, and my legs were tired. (Like I said before, I'm not the sprite gal I used to be). It was nice to chill out on the lawn to Miss Annie Clark, but I have to admit that most of what I heard of her set was forgettable. It was abstractly ambient, but also kind of Enya-like. Not my cup of tea, but I still give her major props for last year's cover of Crooked Fingers' "Sleep All Summer" with The National. I was also surprised to see her jamming hardcore on the guitar, and I'm always up for some raging girl power.
The National and St. Vincent - "Sleep All Summer"
After getting a second wind, it was time for Neon Indian. I was very curious to see this live show, knowing that much of the instrumentation is Alan Palamo's manufactured creations. This is the epitome of divisive music; either you love it, or you hate it. Either you get it, or you don't. Personally, I can't imagine driving to work with Psychic Chasms in my CD player, but I can definitely see myself listening to Psychic Chasms by the pool, half in the bag. It might not be for everyday use, but I get the point.
When I made "Terminally Chill" the Jam of the Day back at the beginning of the year, I wrote that I could see this song soundtracking the famous red bikini scene in Fast Times at Ridgemont High. After seeing Neon Indian live, my friend Courtney and I both realized there was also some deep semblance to Paul McCartney's "Simply Having a Wonderful Christmastime." No offense, Alan.
Neon Indian - "Terminally Chill"
I next made my way over to the big stage once again to catch the beginning of Big Boi's set. The sun was setting, and there was a beautiful light cast on the entire scene. When I surveyed the landscape, it was clear that everyone in attendance was happy. It was the perfect set up for Big Boi to take the stage. I honestly don't know why it didn't dawn on me that he'd be dipping way back into Outkast's early catalog, but when "ATLiens" was played right off the bat, I almost died. This was the point of the day where all the hipster facades melted away, and people just genuinely got down with their bad selves. And grown men dressed as dogs began mingling with the already entertained crowd.
Photo credit: Katie Guymon
I was sort of sad when we had to leave Big Boi to catch Sleigh Bells on the smaller stage (which made no sense to me since Sleigh Bells are so freaking hyped right now). The crowd was huge. The music was loud. I even made the comment that I was trying to mentally prepare myself for the volume before the set started, and I was still shocked by the noise level from the onset. Seriously, I had heart palpitations. That made not a lick of difference to most of the crowd. There was serious dancing happening. There was even crowd surfing.
But, honestly, Sleigh Bells didn't sound so hot. I feel like I'm sinning against the Ten Commandments of Hipsterdom just typing that. I don't know if it's hard to translate the music from the album to a live show, but it seemed imbalanced, too fuzzed out, more like noise than noise rock. I don't think these are the comments of an audience member with a prudish ear; I think the Brooklyn duo had some issues on Sunday night. But the bottom line is that no one really cared.
Sleigh Bells - "Crown on the Ground"
So, here is where you're really going to judge me. We left before Pavement. I've never been into Pavement, not one note of one song. After seven hours of live music, claustrophobic crowds, warm beer, and consistent sweating, I wanted a bar with a functioning A/C. It's just a given that you will need to brave these particular elements when you're at Pitchfork, or any summer music fest, for that matter. In the end, if you psych yourself up properly and know what to expect, it's a blast. So, three cheers to day three of the 2010 Pitchfork Music Festival. Until we meet again...
Brooklyn's powerful folk-pop duo of Courtney Kaiser and Benjamin Kartel is known simply as Kaiser Cartel. They've been making music together since 2004, and despite Kaiser's classical vocal training (she lent her vocals to the upcoming Sufjan Stevens album) and Kartel's penchant for self-teaching, the pairing is remarkably satisfying.
While songs off the new album, Secret Transit, like "Memphis" and "The Wait" are somber, sparse, and haunting, threaded with varying layers of the two's transient life and also of home, your JOTD is just the opposite.
"Ready To Go" ironically starts with Kaiser's statement: "We're being disciplined now." But, the track quickly gets off the ground with shimmering cabasa, jumpy tambourine, and the echoing sentiment "Ready to go!"
Evoking images of road trips with the top down against a California horizon, "Ready To Go" urges you to get in your car and press the gas pedal down, go somewhere, start anew. It implies the need for a healthy dose of reckless abandon, not discipline.
Since the age of four, Will Wiesenfeld has lived a musical existence - from convincing his parents to enroll him in piano lessons, to mixing and recording his own tracks at thirteen. It was then that he decided to learn more instruments. The viola. The guitar. The contra bass. Inspiration struck, and Baths was born.
Cerulean, Baths' debut was released only last week, but it's getting pretty major attention from the press for being Anticon’s first L.A. area artist - rightfully so. Will Wiesenfeld, San Fernando Valley musician and one-man electronic pop outfit, is a showman on the mixing board, bouncing around and working the knobs with all the finesse of...someone who's good at working knobs?
Anyway, the standout of the album for me, “Maximalist," is at the minimum chillwave. Gauzy overtones and laid back vibes layer with funk, the dulcet vocals trickle in between cut-out beats breathing in and out, signifying unexpected signs of life.
It's not exciting or invigorating. But it's awesome. Give it a try below.
Dignan's been compared to big names such as Fleet Foxes, Band of Horses, Cursive, and Manchester Orchestra, and the unsigned McAllen, Texas band is definitely one to watch.
The band self-released its debut full-length, Cheaters and Thieves, last year, and it spent the better part of 2009 relentlessly touring in support of the album. Dignan's also releasd two previous EPs: Tangled Woods and The Guest.
Check out "Two Steps" from Cheaters. It features haunting harmonies in the minor key, backed by a marching drumbeat.
A little Friday soul-treat for our Speakers in Code friends with a special message from Fitz himself. This should get that weekend started properly!
Hey Everybody,
Fitz here. I know everyone has been patiently waiting for our album release Pickin' Up the Pieces on Dangerbird Records coming Aug. 24th.
To hold you over until then we are giving away one of my favorite tracks on the album, "MoneyGrabber."
You guys knew about us before anyone and I can't thank you enough for all the support. So click on the link, share the link, embed the link and help us get it out there.
I've been somewhat infatuated with Jenny Lewis since she went solo with 2006's Rabbit Fur Coat. I know she was making music with Rilo Kiley long before her foray into her soul-stirring, The Watson Twins-backed alt-country dazzle, but nothing RK put out made me wanna keel over and die like "Rise Up With Fists!!" and "Born Secular" did...and still do.
I saw Lewis in concert last summer, and her BF, Johnathan Rice, was an integral part of the show, especially on the Barbara Streisand-inspired medley, "The Next Messiah" and as one of the male choir members on the acapella "Acid Tongue." I suppose it seems natural that these two lovebirds would put out an album together.
So far, all of the imagery surrounding I'm Having Fun Now evokes images of gritty sock-hops and wrong-side-of-the-tracks love. It's like Jenny and Johnny are the new Danny and Sandy. Today's JOTD, and the second song offered up from the new record, "Big Wave," sounds inspired by retro surf-rock yet contains lyrics that speak to the country's current financial crisis. I know it doesn't sound very sexy, but hey, it works.
I'm Having Fun Now is out August 31, 2010 on Warner Brothers.
Jenny & Johnny Tour Dates:
09/01 - Santa Cruz, CA - Rio Theatre
09/02 - San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall
09/03 - Oakland, CA - The New Parish
09/05 - Portland, OR - Doug Fir Lounge
09/08 - Salt Lake City, UT - The State Room
09/11 - Omaha, NE - The Waiting Room
09/12 - Minneapolis, MN - Cedar Cultural Center
09/13 - Chicago, IL - Lincoln Hall
09/14 - Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom
09/16 - Washington, D.C. - Black Cat
09/18 - Boston, MA - Agganis Arena^
09/19 - Brooklyn, NY - Williamsburg Waterfront^
09/21 - Hoboken, NJ - Maxwell's
09/22 - Philadelphia, PA - Trocadero Theatre *
09/23 - Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle
09/24 - Athens, GA - 40 Watt Club
09/25 - Nashville, TN - Mercy Lounge
10/03 - Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Palladium@
^ Supporting Pavement
* Supporting Superchunk
@ Supporting Belle & Sebastian
At times during Sarah Jaffe’s stellar debut album, Suburban Nature, you’re left wondering how the singer-songwriter from Texas is only 24. Her voice, as alluring as it is, isn’t as sweet as it is loud and confident; the subjects she sings about echo a younger Kathleen Edwards, only just as fierce. And it only took me one listen to “Clementine,” called a "lullaby for adults" by NPR and one of their recent "Songs of the Day," to be sure of this.
I’ve written this a million times, but I can’t get enough of talented female musicians like Jaffe. They seem to be everywhere these days, and that’s just fine with me. Jaffe’s Suburban Nature pokes and prods in all the right places; it’s emotional at times, gritty others. Throughout, it always tells the truth.
Jaffe will be on tour this Fall in the U.S., including a 9/2 stop at The Billiken Club in St. Louis. Luckily, we recently got a chance to catch up with her over e-mail.
1. In a few sentences, tell us about the highs and lows of the recording process of Suburban Nature.
There were honestly no lows during recording. I think the only thing that was a bummer was the tedious process that occurred trying to figure out how to release the record. But all of that came.
Working with John Congleton, and the band that I play with live was a blast, and actually very quick. We recorded the record in a little over a week.
2. Do you have a favorite song on Suburban Nature? I'm sort of partial to "Vulnerable" because it feels like it came from a raw place...am I getting warm?
I don't really have a favorite. But I do enjoy singing certain songs live at different times. Vulnerable is a fun one to do. But it is actually the oldest song on the record.
3. You're 24. Your song "Clementine" has already been chosen as an NPR "Song of the Day." How are you dealing with the initial success you've already had?
I feel really lucky and honored. I think the success has everything to do with the people who are supporting this record and working so hard for it. This is what I've always wanted to do, so to have success with something I love is of course a joy.
4. You live in Texas. Tell us about Texas! Why are there so many great songwriters in Texas? What venues have you played, and what are your favorites? My favorite has always been Gruene Hall.
I've never played Gruene Hall...
I have a couple favorites. One is in Denton, Tx, where I live now. A bar called Dan's Silverleaf. Very partial to it.
As far as the songwriters coming out of Texas...I'm not sure. For me, it is seemingly the space and the little treasure towns like Denton, and Marfa...there are so many of those "secretly cool" towns in Texas. As a whole, it's just a really inspiring place to live.
5. You're told you need to write and record a song with any artist. Who is it and why?
Stephin Merritt of Magnetic Fields. I've just always admired the way he writes about love and misery...he has a way of keeping things sad yet very funny.
6. You played a few shows with Norah Jones earlier this year. What was that like? Did you meet her? What did you learn from her?
I met Norah a few years ago when she came to a house show I played at in Denton. She is a Denton Veteran...so she runs with a lot of my best friends. So, we had the mutual bond. Playing shows with her was an honor to say the least. There is so much to learn from her. And I definitely felt like I learned a few things just by watching her perform.
7. Finally, please tell us what bands/artists you have been listening to lately!
Harry Nilsson - always.
Nina Simone - always.
But currently- The Gossip, Working for a Nuclear Free City, John Grant, Midlake, Serge Gainsbourg, and Charlotte Gainsbourg's newest record isn't disappointing at all.
With just a little over six weeks until the release of their third full-length, Warp Riders, The Sword are finally giving us a little nugget from their eagerly awaited new material. Needless to say it freaking rocks - and I'm using "rocks" as a verb here people, not a sissy adjective.
"Tres Brujas" is a scorching, guitar-laden and groove-heavy number that is proof the band has successfully expanded into new territory while maintaining its cherished heaviness. As the second track on the album, and the first with lyrics, it's also the first chapter in the epic sci-fi narrative that spans Warp Riders.
In true metal fashion, the song encapsulates the “space opera meets post-apocalyptic western” tableau of the record, where dualistic themes such as “light vs. dark” and “organic vs. artificial” are explored. The metal stalwarts will reveal the plot in more detail through a three-part video saga beginning with the “Tres Brujas” video, followed by clips for “Lawless Lands” and “Night City.”
Make sure you stretch out your fist-pumping arm and download below.
To find the perfect way, Which album to say, I la la love you. With this plastic cassette, It’s not finished yet, It’s gonna tell you slowly.
I didn't fully hop on the Tift Merritt bandwagon until 2008, when the singer-songwriter from North Carolina released Another Country, an album that I still hold dear to my heart. Songs like "Keep You Happy" and "Hopes Too High" were as honest as anything I had heard in years, and in some ways, I was afraid that her new album, 2010's See You On The Moon, wouldn't be able to compare.
I'm happy to say I was wrong. See You On The Moon is just as heartfelt, if not more, than its predecessor. It's also a lot of fun, and today's JOTD proves just that. "Mixtape" is one of the more summery songs you'll find by Merritt, so roll down those windows and feel free.
Canadian violin master Owen Pallett is offering up his new EP Lewis Takes Off His Shirt as a complimentary download to cool people for the next week. Awesome!
Lewis Takes Off His Shirt features the Heartland album version of "Lewis Takes Off His Shirt" as well as remixes by Dan Deacon, Benoît Pioulard and CFCF. Simon Bookish contributes a remix of "Keep The Dog Quiet" and Max Tundra remixes "Midnight Directives."
You'll get it for the increasingly popular price of an email address here. Make sure to check out Pallett's forthcoming tour dates below. Thankfully, he's hitting up Saint Louis and the Triangle a bit later this summer.
Tour Dates: 07-31 Montreal, Quebec - Osheaga Festival 08-04 New York, NY - Madison Square Garden ^ 08-05 New York, NY - Madison Square Garden ^ 08-12 Oslo, Norway - Oya Festival 08-13 Saint-Malo, France - La Route du Rock 08-14 Helsinki, Finland - Flow Festival 09-07 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club * 09-08 Philadelphia, PA - Trocadero * 09-11 New York, NY - Terminal 5 * 09-13 Boston, MA - Wilbur * 09-24 Montclair, NJ - Wellmont Theater # 09-25 Munhall, PA - Carnegie Music Hall of Homestead # 09-27 Louisville, KY - W. L. Lyons Brown Theatre # 09-29 Kansas City, MO - Uptown Theatre # 09-30 St. Louis, MO - The Pageant # 10-02 Indianapolis, IN - Egyptian Room # 10-03 Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium # 10-04 Raleigh, NC - Raleigh Memorial Auditorium # 10-05 Atlanta, GA - Fox Theater # 10-06 Lake Buena Vista, FL - House of Blues # 10-08 Houston, TX - House of Blues # 10-09 Dallas, TX - House of Blues # 10-13 Tucson, AZ - Rialto Theatre # 10-14 Tempe, AZ - The Marquee # 10-16 Pomona, CA - Fox Theater # 10-18 Denver, CO - Fillmore Auditorium #
^ with Arcade Fire, Spoon * with Dirty Projectors # with the National
Swedish musician, Moneybrother (Anders Wendin), is already a big deal in his native country. But, he's making a big mark stateside already, with his brand of "pub soul," influenced by the music to which he actually listens: roots-rock, R&B, and maybe even a little disco. Yeah, disco.
There's no way you can listen to "Born Under A Bad Sign" without dancing in your seat a little, or at the very least, tapping your toes. It's plain and simple fun, there's no ifs, ands, or buts about it. As Wendlin states, "When on stage or recording, I want it to be very big and beautiful, even bigger and more beautiful than I really am." He doesn't miss his mark with today's JOTD.
If you're anything like us at Speakers in Code, the music tips you take most seriously are the ones that come from musicians themselves. That's why we started this here new feature, 10 to Spin, which includes a carefully crafted mix of songs by our (and your) favorite artists. We're giving bands free reign to design playlists based on a theme, featuring both cutting edge tunes and favorite, old standbys.
For our inaugural 10 to Spin, Shiraz Dada, bassist for the Chicago quartet, Maps and Atlases, put together a playlist meant to quell the inevitable homesickness from life out on the road. Says Dada, "Many of these songs were first heard when I was at home or [on] the very beginning of a tour, comfortable and excited and getting that feeling you get when you first fall in love with a song. Being away sometimes can be uncomfortable. But, I know that when I hear these songs, I can count on that feeling of comfort and excitement, and that brings me closer to home."
True to the euphoric state their name conjures, Electric Tickle Machine has earned a reputation for exuberant live shows punctuated by Flaming Lips-style blasts of confetti and impromptu naked, dancing bodies. The music - a mix of classic “psychedelic-tinged” rock and happy garage pop luckily transfers perfectly to tape, topped off with one of the funniest album covers ever(warning: NSFW)!
The unbridled live celebration shines through in their first single "Part of Me," which wastes no time making its mission known with clapping hands, quivering keyboards, and vocal harmonies both sung and shouted.
It's one one of the happiest damn songs you’ll hear, and it's much needed for the Monday morning after many of us are back from vacay. Grab it below and if you dig it, their debut LP Blew it Again just came out.
The Brooklyn four-piece, The Drums, claims that part of making music is actually chasing the perfect pop song. I think that sentiment indicates that they haven't found it yet. But, after listening to today's JOTD, I might beg to differ. And so might you.
I can prove my point with three very rational and objective arguments.
First, remember how nutso you went for the whistling in Peter Björn and John's "Young Folks?" Well, "Let's Go Surfing" brings its A-game to perhaps steal the heavyweight whistling title from the Swedish trio. So, let that soak in for a second.
Next, you have the easy, breezy lyrics. The first lines of the song are, "Wake up/ it's a beautiful morning!" That right there is better than my morning coffee. Carpe diem! Wake the eff up, sleepyhead!
So, whether or not The Drums think they've mastered the perfect pop song, I double dog dare you to say this isn't a hell of an attempt. You won't be sorry you gave this one a try on this fine Friday. And if you're like me, you'll listen to it multiple times in a row.
Making lush, beautiful, but serious music that reaches well beyond simple "Wall of Sound" comparisons is truly an art - and our Jam of the Day does this seemingly with no effort. That’s because Frankie Rose is more concerned with maintaining a specific mood than rehashing the hooks your parents lost their virginity to. Sometimes that means channeling the psych climaxes of Spacemen 3, and sometimes that can mean fusing a rickety rhythm section and galloping riffs with the spectral trails of Julee Cruise.
“Little Brown Haired Girls” is full of such lovely juxtapositions - a galloping reverb symphony that some may consider boring, but when it's over, it rattles around in your head for a few glorious hours.
Check it out below, and if you're into it, their eponymous LP will be out September 21st via Slumberland.
I remember hearing Kristian Matsson's -- aka The Tallest Man On Earth -- voice for the first time. It was early. It was Saturday. And I really needed a good song. What I got was a great album, Matsson's first -- Shallow Grave.
His second offering, The Wild Hunt, was released earlier this year, and as you'll soon find out by today's JOTD, it's just as good. Have fun with "Burden Of Tomorrow," and be sure to check out Tallest Man's new tour dates as well.
U.S. Tour Dates:
09/08/10 Vancouver, BC - Rickshaw Theatre
09/09/10 Seattle, WA - Neumos
09/10/10 Portland, OR - MusicFest NorthWest (Doug Fir Lounge)
09/12/10 Big Sur, CA - The Henry Miller Library
09/13/10 San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
09/14/10 Los Angeles, CA - The Music Box
09/15/10 Tucson, AZ - Club Congress
09/17/10 Dallas, TX - Cambridge Rooms at House of Blues
09/18/10 Austin, TX - Antone's
09/24/10 Toronto, ON - Lee's Palace
09/25/10 Montreal, QC - Le National
09/27/10 New York, NY - Webster Hall
10/02/10 Philadelphia, PA - Theater of the Living Arts
10/03/10 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
Folks, we at Speakers in Code are totally on board with Admiral Radley. Pun completely intended. With members of California's Grandaddy (Jason Lytle, Aaron Burtch) and Earlimart (Aaron Espinoza, Ariana Murray) coming together to make 2010's epitome of a irresistible summer album, we just can't get enough, just can't get enough.
I was wowed by the chance to ask Aaron Espinoza a few questions about the new project, and the awesomeness of some his tongue-in-cheek responses is definitely not lost on me. I heart I Heart California big-time; it's gonna be in rotation for the rest of the summer months and then some.
I Heart California is out now digitally, and you can pick it up physically on July 13th. Get the first single for free below!
1. I just read the story on your website of how Admiral Radley came to be. Is that for real? Does an Admiral Radley really exist?
Well, yes. Kinda. Definitely. Depends on how you look at it. "You don't know. You weren't there, man!"
2. The new album, I Heart California, might be the perfect album for summertime. With both Grandaddy and Earlimart hailing from California, was the direction for Admiral Radley's sound totally obvious?
Well, we were never really consciously going for a, you know, "California" sound. I think it's probably just inherent, as all the band members are California natives. We all grew up here. We never overthought any moment of this record. It all came naturally, so it was just doing what it wanted to do, the record, I mean...
3. You guys sound like you have having a blast on IHC, particularly in the playfulness of the lyrics and the instrumentation (like on "Sunburn Kids"). Do you feel its difficult to let loose like that without crossing into the realm of total silliness? Is there a necessary balance to be found or do you just say "fuck it?"
Ummmm...well. I think as we've all gotten older, we've probably become less precious with every little detail, especially with this project. It's supposed to be fun. We're a group of old pals gettin' together, drinkin' beer, and makin' stuff. It's just gonna be fun. No way around it.
There are definitely some heartfelt, serious moments on the record. It's not all Weird Al Yankovic, but even the exposing/lonely/sad/serious moments are all a joy. We had a blast throughout this entire record.
4. What are your favorite albums to put in rotation during the summer months?
My summer mix is comin up Live Aid! Non-stop hits, you know. Very 1985. Queen, Duran Duran, Kris Kristofferson, Tears for Fears, Howard Jones, Thompson Twins, INXS, David Bowie, The Cars, Kenny Loggins, Adam Ant, Ultravox, Paul Young, and Wham!
5. You guys have a string of west coast tour dates starting in July. What makes you excited about taking this album live?
Probably the smoke machine we bought...expensive! And definitely the encore...all the explosions [are] pretty dangerous...but worth it!
"Directed by Kevin Custer, director of the band's seven-part 'Making of AMERICAN SLANG' series that documented the process of recording the new album, the video for the title track features live performances from the group as well as striking black-and-white images of New York City, one of the band's many muses for their critically-acclaimed new album."
Ladies and gentlemen, I invite you to consider the Reebok pump. Created in 1989, this shoe was designed to make young boys run faster, jump higher, eff around and get triple doubles. I saw my brother go through pair after pair, hoping that maybe he'd finally be able to palm a basketball.
Cut to 2010, and Foster the People have come out with a sizzling summer jam called "Pumped Up Kicks." With coolly lackadaisical whistling and muffled vocals, this song creeps along until its infectious chorus contaminates your brain...in a good way, of course.
As it goes, "All the other kids with the pumped up kicks/ You better run, better run, outrun my gun..." Break out those Reebok Pumps; you gotta run faster than that bullet.
Do you enjoy musical groups with a bevy of multi-talented members? Yes! Do you indulge in your favorite musicians’ side-projects? Indeed! Do you dig Bon Iver? Naturally! Do you groove to jazzy, extended, eighties-style, spaced out jams? Why not! If you answered all of the above in similar fashion, then GAYNGS (yes, all caps) should be the new musical crew doin’ work for you, son.
