Pajammy Jam of the Day | Matt Duke – Lay

Lay with me
I'll see you through

Sometimes, all I need in a song is a simple promise. I don't want to hear about how the world is perfect, how we're all going to succeed at everything we do. We can't. We won't.

However, I do believe in living simply, and not living in excess. I believe in seeing things through. Yes, that means that most things have an end. That's okay with me. That's life.

Today's PJOTD reminds me of the simple things in life. Matt Duke, a 25-year-old singer-songwriter, has created a slow-burning song that is just under three minutes: long enough to send a message, short enough to leave you wanting more. That, also, is life.

Matt Duke – Lay

Purchase a copy of Matt Duke's One Day Die here.

Jam of the Day | Generationals - Ten-Twenty-Ten

Photo by Brian Balamonte

The two guys who call themselves Generationals have been friends since they were thirteen, sharing Beatles covers, apartments, schools, and stages for years. Grant Widmer and Ted Joyner, both New Orleans natives, make some of the most addictive music to come out of The Big Easy in years. Or ever. (Okay, aside from GIVERS. But, Generationals are now up there with GIVERS for this gal.)

A cunning combo of analog recordings and electronic sounds, this is full-fledged, slightly off-kilter, infectious indie pop. It instantly feels as familiar as a friend you've had since the ninth grade. Today's Jam of the Day, "Ten-Twenty-Ten" juxtaposes coolly, monotone vocals with catchy-as-hell guitar. Plus, the quick tempo commands you get your ass on the dance floor.

Watch the cray-cray video for "Ten-Twenty-Ten." Hope you like the zoo.


Generationals will hit up Off Broadway in Saint Louis on May 4th, opening for Oh No Oh My. Get your tickets here. The second LP, Actor-Caster, is available now.

To get two FREE downloads of today's Jam of the Day and the poppy piano track, "Greenleaf," just offer up your e-mail addy here:

10 to Spin | John Davis

Photo by Bobt3

As in life, the musical experience can be one long, all-encompassing journey, or it can be a few different pieces that combine to paint a complete picture for those outside the immediate perspective to consume. And, as someone who has many life experiences that revolve around the works of John Davis as the leader of Superdrag, I would classify his trek as the latter. No one piece is any more important than the other, but they should be held separately in order to experience each without comparisons diluting their individual greatness.

Taking the 10 to Spin reigns, John lays out in great detail the influences that inspired him to dive boots first into his newest project, EPIC DITCH. This is by far our most hardcore list – so be forewarned. You may want to loosen up your fist-pumping elbow, and your neck, since uncontrollable fits of head shaking are likely to occur.

Pick up the punk goodness of EPIC DITCH here, and check out what makes John want to Skate or Die! below.


Ten Songs That'll Get A 37-Year-Old Has-Been Hyped To Go Skateboard

1 "Nervous Breakdown" by Black Flag

If you had to assemble a ten song playlist to get you hyped to go skate (often before 8 AM, and before the coffee kicks in... that's the window, deal with it), you could do a lot worse than to just play "Nervous Breakdown" ten times in a row. I mean, seriously... the first two bars of that intro go by and, bingo. Mission accomplished. The insta-stoke factor at work here can hardly be denied. In my view, 'Flag could basically do no wrong from their first recordings right on up 'til about 1985 (the beginning of the end, in other words). And while I've never been one of these Rollins haters (Rollins was sick, Dez was sick, Chavo was sick), I have to side with Rollins himself on this one. Keith Morris was the finest singer Black Flag ever had, and he brought something to these earliest records that's never been duplicated elsewhere, not even with the Circle Jerks a year or so later. That's my $.02 worth, anyway.

2 "Darkness" by OFF!

Fast-forward about thirty-two years, and you'll wind up with OFF!, Keith Morris' new thing (featuring members of the Burning Brides, Rocket From The Crypt & Redd Kross). For me personally, this is probably the most exciting new music to come out in the past decade. The band's a killing machine, and Keith's delivery is as ferocious as it ever was. There's an ironclad... rightness of purpose to the whole proceeding that practically blares out of the speakers right along with the jams. "Darkness" is a prime example. And if you don't like it (what's the matter with you?!!), don't worry; it'll all be over in about fifty seconds.

3 "Attitude" by Bad Brains

If you absolutely have to get the stoke flowin' NOW, accept no substitute. I mean, you're just not gonna make a better Hardcore record than the ROIR cassette. Stop trying! It's impossible.

4 "Screaming At A Wall" by Minor Threat

I don't know how you'd go about choosing THE BEST Minor Threat song, but I think "Screaming At A Wall" encapsulates most, if not all, of the elements that made them a great band: breakneck speed, total commitment, Ian Mackaye's strident voice (the prescience this guy had, even at such a young age, still floors me), Lyle Preslar's buzzsaw guitar, some totally in-the-pocket bass playing from Brian Baker, and, last but certainly not least, the secret weapon, drummer Jeff Nelson. Stoked just thinking about how hard that guy ripped. I'd say the majority of hardcore bands of a similar vintage that have been relegated to the dustbin of history probably had half-assed drummers. Not so Minor Threat; Nelson's a beast! 

5 "Lifeline" by Hüsker Dü

If there's a record that means more to me than the Metal Circus EP by Hüsker Dü, then I have no idea what it would be. Anything else would have to be a lateral move in terms of greatness, if you ask me. I chose this particular track because, in lieu of an "intro," you get one bar of Grant Hart counting in and Bob Mould howling his brains out in a fit of existential angst. Score! This is one effective playlist; haven't even heard the song, just got stoked.

6 "I'll Never Forget You" by Hüsker Dü

My favorite band of all-time is worthy of two slots on the list. At any given moment, my inner monologue probably sounds a lot like this. Zen Arcade is pretty much a full frontal assault, with some fleeting moments of tenderness snuck in there; this isn't one of those tender moments. It's pure aggro. Skate Or Die!

7 "I Can Take" by Pegclimber 
Pegclimber - I Can Take Out
My favorite Knoxville band of all time. This stuff rips as hard today as it did in 1993.
 
8 "Bomber" by Motörhead

I thought it might be helpful to point out that Lemmy has written at least 300 other kick-ass songs besides "Ace Of Spades." This is another classic. It only takes about five seconds for the insta-stoke to take effect. If you try to make a list like this without Motörhead, you're seriously blowin' it. 

9 "Time To Think/Surf And Destroy" by BL'AST!

Go watch Jason Jessee's Streets On Fire part at the Fallbrook ramp; you'll get the idea.

10 "I Want To Destroy" by EPIC DITCH

I didn't mean to toot my own horn or anything, but... toot toot! Seriously... the whole mission with EPIC DITCH was to create something worthy of being included on a list like this. As for whether or not the mission was successful, we'll let you, the blogosphere, be the judge! Our brand-spanking-new self-titled EP is for sale at http://epicditch.bandcamp.com/. Six songs, $5. Get some!

Contest | Win Tickets to Brooke Fraser + Cary Brothers at The Blue Note in Columbia

On Thursday, May 12th, Brooke Fraser + Cary Brothers will be performing at The Blue Note in Columbia, Missouri, and we want you to go. Like, how does two free tickets sound?

We're excited for this show for a coupla reasons: 1. These are two great singer-songwriters. 2. Brooke Fraser doesn't make it around these parts often, and her last album, Flags, was one of our favorites of last year. We even recently did a short interview with her -- just click here.

To enter, all you have to do is one of the following:

1. Simply copy and paste this into a tweet: I entered to win 2 tickets to see @brookefraser + @carybrothers on 5/12 @the_blue_note on @speakersincode! Just retweet this to enter! 

2. Send an e-mail to jason.speakersincode@gmail.com.

3. Leave us a comment on our Facebook page.

The contest will run through May 5th, and we'll randomly pick and DM/e-mail the winner on May 6th. Good luck!

Pajammy Jam of the Day | Kurt Vile - Runner Ups

Losing a close friend conjures myriad emotions. Initially, there is the mandatory grief, anger, and guilt to dominate all others. But once those feelings subside, you're left with an amazing mix of nostalgia, gratitude, and happiness while experiencing new things he would have loved.

Today's Jam of the Day, by Kurt Vile, is dedicated to Andy Seel, a great friend to a few of us here at Speakers in Code, and a guy who no doubt would have been a huge supporter and behind-the-scenes contributer to the blog.

"Runner Ups" is one of those songs that we immediately know he would have loved, and the subject matter is extra poignant on this day, the third anniversary of his death. Beautiful, layered guitars and shakers dominate the forefront. And as his vocals settle into harmonic refrain, Vile sings, "My best friend’s long gone, but I got runner ups, I don’t know if it’s real, but it’s how I feel." It's how we feel today.

We all, unfortunately, will have runner ups one day. Let's all just keep in mind that everybody dies, but not everybody lives.

Kurt Vile's new record, Smoke Ring for My Halo, is out now, and will no doubt make our best of the year list. Do yourself a favor and pick it up, but grab "Runner Ups" first below.

The Radio Cure | Volume 1.2

The Builders and the Butchers / Photo by Peter Blanchard

Our new(ish) feature, The Radio Cure, provides you a smattering of great tracks to cure you of the radio blues. Enjoy Volume 1.2.

The Builders and the Butchers - Rotten To The Core
Portland's folk-rock five-piece is pushing the new album, Dead Reckoning, with this raucous, down-'n'-dirty jam.
The Builders and the Butchers - Rotten To The Cure

Architecture in Helsinki - Contact High [download via Pitchfork]
Pump up the jam. AIH returns with its first LP in four years, Moment Bends. Tie a string around your finger for May 3rd.

Dinosaur Bones - Royalty
A promising band out of Toronto, Dinosaur Bones released its first full-length, My Divider, in March. They've currently got a string of dates opening for SIC faves, Tokyo Police Club.
Dinosaur Bones - Royalty

Joe Pug - End in Flames
Singer-songwriter Joe Pug covers Strands of Oaks with gentle confidence.
Joe Pug - End in Flames

Wes Kirkpatrick - Where You Are
This is a laid-back track off Kirkpatrick's latest album, Naps & Nightmares.
Wes Kirkpatrick - Where You Are

Blank Dogs - Slow Room!
The first single from Blank Dogs' new release compiles long out-of-print singles, EPs, cassette, and compilation tracks.

Oupa - Forget
Oupa is the new project from Yuck frontman, Daniel Blumberg. We'll gladly take it.

Generationals - Ten-Twenty-Ten
The galloping grooves of "Ten-Twenty-Ten" may be somewhat stuck in the '60s, but it's more about the here and now, combined with the warm, inviting vibe of classic pop cuts.

Pajammy Jam of the Day | Air Review - America's Son

Dallas quartet Air Review are on the brink of something special. These Texans are in the process of releasing their debut EP America's Son, one single at a time, over the next five or six months. The EP's eponymous track is a cozy piece of folky Americana. Engaging, rustic, and immeasurably listenable, "America's Son" envelops us in soothing melodies, light electro plinks and tinks, soft piano, and casual guitar picks and strums. "America's Son" could fit in seamlessly around a campfire or on a canoe: the perfect aural companion to an easygoing outdoor experience.

Some sort of keen, yet unassuming hybrid of Fleet Foxes and Bon Iver, Air Review should easily capture the ears and hearts of casual music fans and serious audiophiles alike with the release of every track from the forthcoming EP. The future is indeed bright for this Texas foursome, who have been kind enough to offer their impeccable tune to you for $FREE.99. Thanks, fellas.

Air Review - America's Son

Concert Review | The National + Arcade Fire at The Scottrade Center in Saint Louis

A few years ago, my friend played me The National's "Daughters of the Soho Riots" at a party, causing a few people in attendance to groan and request something "faster." Granted, it was a party, people were drinking, probably making out in closets, but I would have none of it. I had never heard of The National before that night, and something about "Daughters" was beautiful to my ears, especially the lyric, "You were right about the end, it didn't make a difference." The song played until the end.

It seems to me that the term "slow music," or music that requires a little patience, is being hit with a negative connotation these days. That is, if the pace isn't immediately favorable to one's ear, it's time to listen to something else. Or, if the lyrics just aren't sensible, like The National's "Looking For Astronauts" or "Wasp Nest," some people would prefer not to waste their time. These are the same people who probably turned off Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot when they couldn't figure out what an "American aquarium drinker" was, as if the term has any kind of definitive meaning. If it means something -- anything -- to you, that should be good enough, right?

So, watching a band like The National perform takes a little bit of effort. Their one-hour set before Arcade Fire was a slow-building gem, beginning with "Start a War," and ending with the manic "Terrible Love," one of my favorite songs off of last year's High Violet.

Sandwiched in between were selections that allowed lead singer Matt Berninger to eventually build up enough gusto to jump down from the stage during "Mr. November" and attempt to survey every square foot of The Scottrade Center. When he made his way to the empty back corner of the arena floor, an area where hockey players are often bruised and bloodied, he jumped over the wall, and proceed into the stands, screaming the lyric, "I'm Mr. November, I won't fuck us over." It was a moment I'll always vividly remember;  I'm just surprised Berninger didn't climb any walls, or perhaps magically grow wings and start flying around like those bees he sings about in "Bloodbuzz Ohio."

The National's set left me thinking that Arcade Fire had a little work to do. And boy, did Arcade Fire do work.

In the interest of full disclosure, I was not already a huge Arcade Fire fan before this show. I thought "We Used To Wait," "Ready To Start," "Wake Up," and "Keep The Car Running" were special songs, but I had yet to connect with their albums in a way where they had remained in my car for weeks upon weeks, tearing apart my soul. Arcade Fire, to me, was just a band that came on my iPod shuffle every now and then, giving me a brief burst of inspiration or spurt of energy. They had yet to offer me something consistently great.

After seeing their 90-minute set, I'm happy to say that I completely get it now: this is a once-in-a-generation rock band. And the best thing about them is that they just don't give a shit what anyone thinks about them. They just play.

It's obvious that I simply wasn't giving their music enough attention, because, during their performance, I heard beautiful anthems about growing up, breaking free, and most importantly, not caring about living a calculated life -- that it's equally fine to not participate as it is to adjust to your environment as you see fit. I believe that is what Win Butler is saying in the songs that he writes: don't expect everything in life to make perfect sense. Create as you go.

As a live performer, Butler is as unassuming a rock star as they come. In the opening moments of "We Used To Wait," he appeared bright-eyed, gazing into the crowd, as if he were in a dream. I'm not quite sure if he wanted to be in such a huge arena performing his band's songs, but as he said mid-way through the set, "a room's a room," and he made the most of the opportunity. What followed was a back-to-back-to-back main-set closing dream in itself: "Keep The Car Running," "Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)," and "Wake Up," which had thousands of people singing, "Ahhhhhhh ohhhhh ahhhh ohhhhhh." Amazing.

And as solid as Régine Chassagne was during "Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)," the final song of the encore, it all felt like a footnote after "Wake Up."

The end, as Matt Berninger once told us, "didn't make a difference." We were already given more than enough.

Jam of the Day | Bass Drum of Death - Heart Attack Kid

Bass Drum of Death did not consult marketing professionals when picking a band name.

Bass Drum of Death sounds like a band that would pick a name like Bass Drum of Death.

Bass Drum of Death is not meant to be listened to while doing yoga.

Bass Drum of Death will never be featured during a Grey’s Anatomy montage.

Bass Drum of Death does not feature woodwind instruments during its live show.

Bass Drum of Death does not make music that would make you want to cry.

Bass Drum of Death did not use Auto-Tune to make its eponymous debut album.

Bass Drum of Death does not shop at Urban Outfitters.

Bass Drum of Death has a song named “Heart Attack Kid.” It is our Jam of the Day.

Bass Drum of Death is fucking awesome. Seriously. Just listen.

Jam of the Day | Gaby Moreno - Mess A Good Thing

With horns, electric guitars, and a voice with swagger like no other, Gaby Moreno accomplishes just about everything I like about music in about three-and-a-half minutes. She sort of has a Calexico/Mavis Staples/Neil Young Prairie Wind/Are You Passionate-era thing going on here, and it’s sort of intimidating how good and catchy it is (in a more-than-welcome way). Like, if Gaby Moreno started stalking me, I would ask her to get closer, maybe even give her a key to my house, even if I knew she could kick my ass and steal all my records.

What I’m getting at here is that Moreno is worth your time, even if you have something better to do. Because, I’m telling you, you don’t.

Hailing from Guatemala, the bilingual Moreno released her sophomore album, Illustrated Songs, on April 5th. Go get it after you’re done listening to the JOTD below!

Gaby Moreno - Mess A Good Thing

10 to Spin | Annie Stela

Photo by Rachel Demsick

Annie Stela's songs have made me cry once or twice. In the enormous stash of sad songs that is my iPod, Annie's "Breathe Through" and "Swallowed Snakes" hold top spots on the cry-o-meter (if she's reading this, I'm sure she's laughing her ass off right now). In fact, I'm surprised I didn't weep while she performed her songs in my living room last October. You'd think I was a girl, or something. No, I'm a dude. Sorry, dudes.

So, it's not surprising that when I asked Annie to create her 10 to Spin that she responded with a list a heartfelt beauties. Because, you know, Annie Stela is a heartfelt beauty. If you don't have her albums, I'd recommend starting with her last two EPs, Hard City and Little House. You won't regret it.

Please enjoy Annie's 10 to Spin below.

I like to think I’m tough.  I am not the kind of girl who cries at AT&T commercials.  But play me the right song and I will collapse in a puddle at your feet.  Or more accurately, sniff secretly and pretend I have something in my eye.  I became a songwriter so that I could write songs that moved people the way my favorite songs moved me.  So I’m giving you my list of those Songs That Get Me Every Time. --Annie Stela

1 Peter Gabriel: Washing of the Water

Just the sound of Peter’s voice is enough to make me cry, but this song in particular has a vulnerability that others don’t. By the time his voice goes falsetto in the second verse, I’m a mess.

2 The Replacements: Skyway

Contains one of my favorite lyrics ever written: “In my stupid hat and gloves at night I lay awake/wondering if I’ll sleep/ wondering if we’ll meet out in the street." Short, haunting, and classic.

3 Bonnie Raitt: You

I have a tendency to cloak my sentiment in sarcasm. Not Bonnie. This is a straightforward, old-fashioned love song that shocks me with its honesty.

4 Rufus Wainwright: Dinner at Eight [listen]
Allegedly about his strained relationship with his Dad. It doesn’t matter if you had a shitty dad or not, this song about parents and children is gut-wrenching. They say you can’t wait until your parents are dead to write about them. I’m so glad Rufus didn’t.

5 Colin Hay: Waiting for my Real Life to Begin

I relate to this so completely. I think we love sad songs because they remind us we aren’t alone in our pain, and this one does that for me.

6 Paul Simon: Obvious Child

Despite all the awesome African drumming and horns in this song, it’s actually pretty sad, dudes. But sad because it’s real and honest and about things we all inevitably go through. The master storyteller.

7 Annie Lennox: Why

Try to forget the video where she paints herself up like a scary clown. Only Lennox can go from sad to angry to desperate to triumphant in the space of five minutes. By the end, you’re just as exhausted as she must have been.

8. Randy Newman: Feels Like Home

In the '90s, Chantal Kreviazuk did a cover of this song that ended up in every episode of Dawson’s Creek.  But no one can compare to the man himself. To hear something so honest and romantic from a man so funny and frog-like is arresting.  When he gets to“If you knew how lonely my life has been,” I always choke up. You can only hope someone feels this way about you.

9 Billy Joel: Famous Last Words [listen]
The last pop song Billy Joel ever wrote. I know I’m supposed to be too cool to love Billy Joel. But I’m not.  Go listen to the words of this song, because neither are you.

10 Radiohead: Let Down

Let’s end on an upbeat note. This song has no sad melody or nostalgic lyrics. But I cry every time I hear it, just because of the fact that there is someone on earth who exists and who wrote it. And we get to hear it.

Jam of the Day | Santigold ft. Karen O - Go

When I heard the new Santigold song, "Go" last week, I instantly had two responses: I wanted to boogie. And I wanted to fight someone. Being the "plugged in" gal that I am, I tweeted about my knee-jerk reactions to my small (but powerful) legion of followers, and in two seconds flat, the term "BOOGIEFIGHT" was coined. I liken the concept to the choreographed knife fight in Michael Jackson's "Beat It." Like, when you're so mad at a bitch, you don't know if you want to punch her, or just moonwalk on her face.

I digress.

It's been three years since Santigold's stunning debut album, Santogold, coursed for through my veins for the first time. I'm welcoming her back into my dance space with open arms.

The new single, featuring the illustrious (if not underused) Karen O, will surely welcome Santigold back into the world of indie hypedom. The chanting vocals whisper of M.I.A. comparisons, but the quickfire grunting, grinding bass, and underlying video-game-on-speed blips and bloops make this something altogether different.

Listen below and be prepared to BOOGIEFIGHT!

 

Hopscotch 2011 Lineup Announced!

The initial list of names for Raleigh's Hopscotch Music Festival was announced this morning, and holy shiz, we are excited!  The Flaming Lips, GBV, and DBT lead the pack for the main stage, but there is a solid list of small-club headlining bands as well.  And if things work they way they did last year, other major acts will be announced as we draw closer to September. NICE!

See below for the list thus far!

All Tiny Creatures (Madison, Wis.)
Andrew Cedermark (Charlottesville, Va.)
Annuals (Raleigh, N.C.)
Apache Dropout (Bloomington, Ind.)
Apex Manor (Pasadena, Calif.)
Apple Juice Kid (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
Bandway (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
Barn Owl (San Francisco, Calif.)
Beach Fossils (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
Beans (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
Bird Peterson (Austin, Texas)
Black Lips (Atlanta, Ga.)
Black Twig Pickers (Ironto, Va.)
Bombadil (Durham, N.C.)
Braids (Calgary, Alberta, Canada)
Budos Band (Staten Island, N.Y.)
Bustello (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
Caltrop (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
Carlitta Durand (Durham, N.C.)
Cassis Orange (Carrboro, N.C.)
Charlie Smarts (New York, N.Y.)
Cheyenne Marie Mize (Louisville, Ky.)
Chip Robinson (Austin, Texas)
Cold Cave (New York, N.Y.)
D&D Sluggers (Wilmington, N.C.)
Dan Melchior Und Das Menace (Durham, N.C.)
David Daniell (Chicago, Ill.)
Dawn Golden and Rosy Cross (Chicago, Ill.)
Des Ark (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Dinosaur Feathers (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
Disappears (Chicago, Ill.)
DJ Thien (Raleigh, N.C.)
Drive-By Truckers (Athens, Ga.)
Duane Pitre Sextet (New Orleans, La.)
Dustin Wong (Baltimore, Md.)
Dylan Gilbert (Charlotte, N.C.)
Earth (Seattle, Wash.)
Embarrassing Fruits (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
Empress Hotel (New Orleans, La.)
Eric Carbonara & Jesse Sparhawk (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Family Dynamics (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
Fight the Big Bull (Richmond, Va.)
Filthybird (Graham, N.C.)
Flight (Oxford, Miss.)
Ford & Lopatin (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
Frank Fairfield (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Frontier Ruckus (Detroit, Mich.)
Future Islands (Baltimore, Md.)
Gauntlet Hair (Lafayette, Colo.)
Generationals (New Orleans, La.)
Grandchildren (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Gross Ghost (Carrboro, N.C.)
Guided by Voices (Dayton, Ohio)
Heads on Sticks (Raleigh, N.C.)
Hog (Durham, N.C.)
Horseback (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
Invisible Hand (Charlottesville, Va.)
J Mascis (Amherst, Mass.)
Jack the Radio (Raleigh, N.C.)
Japandroids (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)
JEFF The Brotherhood (Nashville, Tenn.)
Jennyanykind (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
John Vanderslice (San Francisco, Calif.)
Jon Lindsay (Charlotte, N.C.)
Julianna Barwick (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
Justin Robinson and The Mary Annettes (Durham, N.C.)
King Mez (Raleigh, N.C.)
KORT (Nashville, Tenn.)
Krallice (New York, N.Y.)
L.E.G.A.C.Y. (Fayetteville, N.C.)
Last Year’s Men (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
Le Weekend (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
Little Scream (Montreal, Quebec, Canada)
Liturgy (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
Lonnie Walker (Raleigh, N.C.)
Lost in the Trees (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
Lower Dens (Baltimore, Md.)
Man Will Destroy Himself (Raleigh, N.C.)
Man/Miracle (Oakland, Calif.)
Mandolin Orange (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
Mount Eerie (Anacortes, Wash.)
Mount Moriah (Durham, N.C.)
Mouthus (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
Old Bricks (Carrboro, N.C.)
Oneohtrix Point Never (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
Onward, Soldiers (Wilmington, N.C.)
Organos (Carrboro, N.C.)
Oulipo (Raleigh, N.C.)
Oxbow (San Francisco, Calif.)
PC Worship (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
Peter Lamb and The Wolves (Raleigh, N.C.)
Prurient (New York, N.Y.)
Reading Rainbow (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Rhys Chatham (Paris, France)
Royal Bangs (Knoxville, Tenn.)
Royal Baths (San Francisco, Calif.)
Shit Horse (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
Sir Richard Bishop (Oakland, Calif.)
Soft Company (Carrboro, N.C.)
SPCL GST (Raleigh, N.C.)
Spider Bags (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
Steve Gunn (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
Super Vacations (Norfolk, Va.)
Superchunk (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
Swans (New York, N.Y.)
Tender Fruit (Carrboro, N.C.)
The Body (Providence, R.I.)
The Caribbean (Washington, D.C.)
The Dodos (San Francisco, Calif.)
The Flaming Lips (Oklahoma City, Okla.)
The Foreign Exchange (Durham, N.C.)
The Light Pines (Carrboro, N.C.)
The Loners (Raleigh, N.C.)
The Love Language (Raleigh, N.C.)
The Moderate (Washington, D.C.)
The Necks (Sydney, Australia)
The Old Ceremony (Durham, N.C.)
The Prayers and Tears (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
The Strugglers (Washington, D.C.)
The Tomahawks (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
Toro Y Moi (Columbia, S.C.)
Twelve Thousand Armies (Carrboro, N.C.)
Twin Shadow (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
Tyvek (Detroit, Mich.)
Unknown Mortal Orchestra (Portland, Ore.)
Weekend (San Francisco, Calif.)
Wembley (Hillsborough, N.C.)
Wesley Wolfe (Carrboro, N.C.)
Whatever Brains (Raleigh, N.C.)
William Tyler (Nashville, Tenn.)
Wooden Wand (Lexington, Ky.)
Woodsman (Denver, Colo.)

Jam of the Day | The Antlers - Every Night My Teeth Are Falling Out

Ever have one of those dreams where your teeth crumble into your hand, and you're left with one of those mouth breather-grills you see at truckstops as you you drive through West Virginia? Well, after a little research, apparently it doesn't mean you want to marry your cousin and move to Madison.

In these cases, teeth are used to bite, tear, chew and gnaw. They symbolize power. And the loss of teeth in a dream may be from a sense of powerlessness or frustration when your voice is not being heard. It could be the feeling of inferiority and a lack of self-confidence in a situation or relationship.

The Antlers' "Every Night My Teeth Are Falling Out," framed by sharply-plucked strings and vocals that find Peter Silbermann lowering his pitch a bit, seems to fit this theory if you listen closely. But as the song progresses, the swirling sounds in the back move forward, swallowing all that is jangly, filling our heads with sweet, beautiful, artistic noise.

Download the Jam of the Day below. The new album, Burst Apart, is out May 10th. Pre-order it here.

The Antlers - Every Night My Teeth Are Falling Out

Jam of the Day | Cults - Abducted

Back in January, we suggested you keep your eyes and ears on Cults, the cryptic NYC duo that set innumerable music websites aflutter with its dreamy, slightly creepy single "Go Outside." Cults capitalized on the unabashed internet love, signed with Columbia Records, and now the self-titled debut LP drops on June 7th. In advance of the record's release, Cults have released "Abducted," a '60s throwback rocker (think a buzzed out Shangri-La's track) that features vocals from both band members, Madeline Follin and Brian Oblivion. The jam is earnest, structured, and catchy.

While not quite as "out there" as "Go Outside," Cults maintain the aura of mystery and creepiness by crafting a pop-rock love song and calling it "Abducted." If their record is filled with tunes like this, these two can lure us into the back of a van any day.

Get "Abducted" below.


If the sound alone doesn't already have you in the throws of Stockholm Syndrome, watch this retro cinema themed unofficial video:

Jam of the Day | Times New Viking - Ever Falling in Love

Contrary to popular belief, the members of Times New Viking are not art school dropouts; they’re art school graduates, dammit. And rather than follow the path of stuffy galleries and regular unemployment, they chose to start a band. They began inconspicuously in 2003 when it was particularly out of vogue to do it yourself. From their first noise-crusted basement tapes, Times New Viking’s star rose, while sounding like the best Messthetics one-off you always wanted to keep to yourself.

Our Jam of the Day, "Ever Falling in Love," is a new chapter, sure to attract an entirely new audience of intrigued listeners while keeping old fans perfectly satiated by not abandoning those early ideals. Rip it up, and start again guys. We're with you.

Preorder Dancer Equired, the band’s first album for Merge Records right here.

Times New Viking - Ever Falling in Love

Pajammy Jam of the Day | Act As If - There's a Light

I don’t know how you’re moving forward
When you look frozen to me

There’s a song on Neil Young’s self-titled debut solo album called “Here We Are In The Years,” and in it, Young basically questions everything that he’s observed around him. I’ve always thought it was a song about the transient nature of life—that the surest of things will soon fade into question, and eventually be forgotten. “It’s insane,” Young sings.

I bring this up because today’s PJOTD has that same sort of questioning surrounding it. But, instead of justifiably claiming insanity, frontman Peter Verdell, pictured above, sees another road ahead. No matter how many things we let go, no matter how many things that slip from our hands, there is always the next thing. The next bigger thing. That’s the vision of Verdell’s world, and whether or not it's more insane than Young's, I tend to like it.

Act As If’s debut LP, There’s a Light, was released in the spring of 2010. Go on and purchase a copy after you’ve listened to the title track below.

  

Speakers in Code at Vintage Vinyl for Record Store Day

Photo by Katie Guymon

Alright, you all know good and well that Record Store Day is coming up this Saturday, April 16th. All across the country, indie shops will celebrate in high fashion: special releases, live bands, maybe an adult beverage or six...

Jason and I will be representing the Saint Louis contingency of our little music blog with a DJ set in one of our favorite music stores, Vintage Vinyl in the Delmar Loop. And, we're taking our 45 minutes of glory very seriously.

First of all, we...have...STICKERS! We plan to slap them on your Record Store Day loving asses, just like in that "O.P.P" video.

Also, we'll come bearing gifts (or, at least the chance to win them)! We're gonna raffle off a pair of two tickets to the upcoming April 22nd Ha Ha Tonka show at Off Broadway with The Spring Standards and Union Tree Review opening. Double bonus, we're also gonna raffle off a pair of tickets to the upcoming William Fitzsimmons with Slow Runner show at The Firebird on May 1st. Score!

Not to mention, we're gonna play music.

For the entire list of Record Store Day releases, head thisaway. See you Saturday!

Jam of the Day | The Head and the Heart - Lost in My Mind

Last Friday, many music fans in Saint Louis (and really, across a number of states) experienced a minor meltdown when the recently announced Mumford and Sons show at The Pageant sold out in approximately fifteen minutes, amidst speculation that the majority of the tickets went not to fans but to vicious scalpers. I, myself, was one of the music fans who was not so lucky in the rolling of the Mumford dice.

But you know what I did? I got up, I dusted myself off, and I got back on that freaking bike. You see, tickets for the recently announced The Head and the Heart show at Blueberry Hill went on sale at the exact same time. And, I didn't even have to give my first born to secure my attendance in the Duck Room.

I first wrote about the Seattle sextet last January when I made "Down in the Valley," a song that atones for its rough and rambling ways, the Pajammy Jam of the Day.

Now, the band's released another free download, "Lost In My Mind," a track that gains momentum as it churns to the finish line, adding new textures and voices along the way. At the beginning, hushed hums are reminiscent of tweeting birds. By the end, the chorus mimics a free-for-all howl at the moon.

It's a doozy. And, I highly recommend you grab tickets to this summer show at Blueberry Hill.

The Head and the Heart - Lost In My Mind

Fresh off a Sub Pop signing last November, the label's re-release of THATH's self-titled 2010 debut album is available this Saturday in honor of Record Store Day. "Sounds Like Hallelujah" has been recorded anew, live favorite "River and Roads" has been included, and the whole thing has been remastered. Featuring new CD packaging, the album will also be available for the first time on vinyl.  

Matthew Mayfield (The Interview)

Every year, it happens. And every year, I'm still surprised. An artist like Matthew Mayfield will come out of seemingly nowhere and enrich my life, plunging me into a world where I only listen to his songs for a few days or weeks. I always think there will be a final time where I'll feel this way, but that is never the case thanks to artists like Mayfield. He's quite a songwriter, and I am thrilled to have found his work.

His new album, Now You're Free, which was released last week and was listed among our "Most Anticipated Albums of 2011," is a warm collection of tunes that deals with heartache and hope. In a way, it's an album about seizing the moment and speaking clearly about what you want out of life. A big task, but Mayfield accomplishes it genuinely and with feeling.

Here, just listen to the most beautiful track on the album, "Element."


Currently, Mayfield is on tour supporting Now You're Free. We were lucky to catch up with him over e-mail.

1. Can you talk a bit about how this album came to be, and what kind of sacrifices you had to make to get your songs out there?

This is a record made possible by fans in every way. They pledged the money through PledgeMusic.  I sold handwritten lyrics, setlists, mix tapes, studio artifacts, etc. in exchange for funding for my record.  It's nice to not have to deal with the politics of a major label and still have the tools to make a proper album. I put everything I have into these songs.  I hope you can hear it in all 11 tracks.

2. There's a song called "Element" that really blows me away. Emotionally, it's stunning. Without being too specific, can you talk about what that song means to you?

It's crazy--I wrote that song 9 years ago.  It's the oldest song in my catalog--but I've always known that melody was special.  Unlike a lot of my songs, I've never wanted to trash it. :)  It came straight from my heart.  I think when you feel something intensely, songs just spill out.  Heartache is a bitch, but it inspires like nothing else can.  I suppose that's why I've been heavily medicated for long periods of time. ha...

3. Joy Williams and John Paul White of The Civil Wars both make appearances on Now You're Free. What's your relationship with them, and what was it like having them on your record?

Joy and JP are some of the sweetest people I've ever met in my life. JP and I have been friends for years and written a few songs together for the EPs before Now You're Free (Better and The Devil Within).  He called me one day and said, "Hey man...I've put a new little thing together with my friend Joy.  Let's do a show together."  That was summer of 2009.  That "little thing" became The Civil Wars, and I'd say they're doing alright.  :)  Very happy for those two.  Good people.

4. What have you learned most about being a solo musician in the past few years?

I've learned you have to do everything yourself.  I can't rely on anyone else to help me.  When my band left the major label scene, I cut ties with my management, agent...my entire crew.  It took me a while to build a new team and a new band--and during that time, I was wearing every hat. No one owes you anything when you're doing this on your own.  You've got to claw your way up.  I played to 300 FANS this past Sunday night.  On Monday, I played to 7 people in a club the size of my living room.  It keeps me hungry.  And it keeps me on my toes.

5. Finally, what was the last great concert you attended, and what did you take away from it?

Honestly, the last incredible show I saw was Foo Fighters.  I've seen a lot of bands play great rock n' roll music.  But the energy that Dave and Taylor have on that stage is so raw and infectious.  They give it everything they have--night in and night out.  They love their fans--but I can tell they're the kind of guys that are gonna kill it with or without you--so you better get on board.  I love that attitude.  Very few acts are the full package.  So much excess production at the "big shows" these days.  Foo Fighters will show you that arena rock can be HUGE and still change your life.

Jam of the Day | William Fitzsimmons - Psychasthenia

Photo by Erin Brown

It's quite easy to label William Fitzsimmons as a sad bastard. In fact, the singer-songwriter who now lives in Jacksonville, Illinois, might even agree with you. He sings in a hushed voice, and his songs are often based on broken relationships and broken hearts. Plus, that beard he sports just makes him look a little lonely, no?

And although today's JOTD isn't exactly something you would find playing at a Passion Pit show, it features a wave of electronica elements that warrant an upbeat attitude from the listener. Yes, I realize he's saying, "Cut me open, please." Try to smile, anyway.

You can purchase Fitzsimmons' latest album, Gold in the Shadow, now. And, he'll be playing at The Firebird in Saint Louis on Sunday, May 1st.

William Fitzsimmons - Psychasthenia

10 to Spin | Megafaun

We've heard when Phil Cook isn't touring the world with his genre-blending folk band Megafaun, he's on the porch of his North Carolina home, finger-picking his guitar, while his loyal dog Willie lays nearby. So it only makes sense that these intimate moments would eventually be recorded and make their way to a proper release.

Hungry Mother Blues was captured in a single day, in the back room of Cook's house, during a rare North Carolina ice storm. The immediacy and intensity of the performances have little to hide behind, as every song incorporates a single instrument in all of its vulnerable glory, with the occasional addition of Cook's tapping foot.

To help us celebrate the album's release May 10th, Phil once again takes us home, trading his porch and guitar for his turntable indoors -  laying out one hell of a soul-filled springtime playlist. So open those windows people, and give your neighbors a taste of his 10 to Spin.

Songs My Neighbors Down The Street Can Hear From My Open Windows On This First Day of Spring

"25 Miles" by Edwin Starr

At the end of the film Adventures In Babysitting, starring Elizabeth Shue, there is a scene where Chris, the babysitter (Shue), is in a race against time to return everything to normal order after a crazy misadventure in Chicago’s underbelly before unsuspecting parents arrive back home from a dinner party. It’s a solid soundtrack all around, Chicago-centric, but this tune just nailed it for me. I was 11 years old and I’d rewind the scene over and over and dance around the living room. 25 Miles would go on to accompany me home from Hillcrest Elementary school, bounding ten blocks home through the snow and cutting through the same backyards day after day. Years later, this song would be responsible for at least one speeding ticket as well as a few noise complaints in college. The drumming is simply phenomenal. Rambunctious and relentless and fanning the flames on Edwin’s searing vocal take.

"Little Ghetto Boy (Live)" by Donny Hathaway

I’ve played The Troubador in Los Angeles and it’s not a big place, even though everyone you’ve heard of has played there. I will always have an affinity to smaller rooms because a few hundred people packed together in close proximity is always more exciting than a few hundred people with their personal space in bigger room. This is my ultimate wish-I-could’ve-been-there show. There are these two women in the crowd that just CAN NOT contain themselves at Donny’s singing and they’re presence is my wife’s favorite part of the recording. My favorite part of the recording is every single perfect bass line delivered by Willie Weeks. Virtuosity can be misread when the only filter in one’s criteria is simply “lots of notes real fast.” (See 2/3rds of all bluegrass, metal, jazz or any other music based in “virtuosity”) Virtuosity must imply a deep understanding. A deeper listening only exemplified by patience. How they pick their moments and choose to fill that space. How they help you hear that space. Fantastic.

“Sweet Inspiration” by The Sweet Inspirations

These amazing women are responsible for the backing vocals on Aretha Franklin’s greatest songs. They made a few albums on their own and this title track from their S/T record is wonderful. Trivia note: Cissy Houston, the mother of Whitney, is a founding member.

“Blue Monday People” by Curtis Mayfield [listen]
My buddy just showed me this record (There’s No Place Like America Today) It’s the newest addition to my weekly spins. Curtis singing all close and falsetto around your ears. Soooo good. I can honestly say that there’s no way D’Angelo wasn’t familiar record when he made Voodoo ten years ago.

“Soul Sister” by Allen Toussaint

Allen Toussaint is a straight up bad ass. Through and through. Not only is he the mastermind producer behind two out of three songs to come out of the city of New Orleans for the last fifty years, but his well sought-after solo LP’s are the complete package. Thoughtful existentialist lyrics, swampy grooves, perfect hooks, and creative arrangements. This is the first of two songs I’m including in this list. I almost made this whole list an Allen Toussaint listening guide. Another time, another hour.

“I’m A King Bee” by Slim Harpo

Check that roomy slide hook. Also, is that drummer just slapping a cardboard box with a canoe paddle? I hope so dammit. This my favorite track to come on the house sound systems when we leave a stage. You should all see our collective air guitar for this poignant guitar solo.


“Voodoo” by the Neville Brothers

The record Yellow Moon was a staple of my childhood. My father, always a champion of Aaron Neville’s vocal prowess, would include this song as well as the title track on his yearly Ski-Tape. Back in the day my dad would take off a whole day of work to execute the perfect mixtape, which he had been mulling over for weeks. This tape had an important function. It would be the only source of music we’d hear for the entirety of our annual downhill skiing trip to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The entire five hour drive there and back the Ski-Tape just flipped its sides and rolled on. My father, an active lifelong skier, raised Brad and I on the slopes. The long chairlift rides were the perfect no-escape situations for him to talk to his growing sons about things like sex and college. To this day, I’ve never seen anyone who can ski like him. His Ski-Tape rolling on inside his headphones, he had perfect balance on all four of his edges and he used the whole hill, taking his time and exploring every corner of the run with a patience and a grace no one had. Brad and I, looking only for jumps, would barrel down each run at break-neck speed focusing solely on the lip of a dropoff slope where we’d try and perfect our “Daffy”, but with one chance each run, we had to get in as many runs as we could. We’d meet up with dad every six or seven loops in the chairlift line but usually as we waited in line for our chair I’d look up the hill and spot dad up there, taking his time. Feeling the land. The subtlety in his effortless turns matching every nuance of Aaron Neville’s floating voice in his ears. 

“Get Right Church and Let’s Go Home” by The Staple Singers [listen]
The Staple Singers are my favorite singing group of all time. They take me to the place I want to go. Every time. Mavis was so young when they started recording, maybe 13 years old. Their early years were their most potent. Touring the country’s churches and civil rights marches, they were often backed only by Pops’ classic tremolo-bathed electric guitar and occasionally a drummer. This song is only a minute and a half long, but I’ve filled at least a week’s worth of my life with that perfect minute and a half.

“Everything I Do Gonna Be Funky” by Allen Toussaint [listen]
Off of the record From A Whisper To A Scream this groove may be too much for some people to handle. This groove will do things to your pelvis that you may not be prepared for nor comfortable with. That kick drum pattern has space to play a soccer game in. Unreal. Also, check out his use of acoustic guitars and lap steels in this setting. Rare instruments in funk music, but so natural here.

“You Can’t Stop A Tattler, Part II” by Washington Phillips [listen]
Between 1927 and 1929, a traveling preacher named Washington Phillips made eighteen recordings and was never heard from again. This happened a lot in the late twenties, as shellac was plentiful before the war and the first boom of the record business was underway. We don’t know much. We have only the small offering of these recordings and the oral anecdotes of a few distant relatives and acquaintances years later. There’s a celestial quality, similar to a calliope, that’s in his instruments and his playing that transports me to another time and place when regionalism hadn’t yet met with the persistent unification of mass communication networks. The blurry picture of Washington’s life and story makes for great debate, just google him. Academic papers and assertions galore. I’ve read some of them, but it doesn’t matter in the end. I prefer to exist in that “unknown” this time. Enjoy.

Jam of the Day | Brown Recluse - Impressions of a City Morning

If the topic of conversation is spiders, then the brown recluse is one of the most venomous eight-legged critters in the United States, and we here at Speakers in Code don't ever want to encounter one of these creepy crawlies. If we're talking music, however, then Brown Recluse is a beguiling six-person (twelve-legged) indie pop band from Philly of whom we can't get enough.

Brown Recluse's debut LP, Evening Tapestry, was released on March 15th of this year (Slumberland). The lead single from the record is "Impressions of a City Morning," a purified pop cut, clocking in at just over two minutes. The jam has a captivating Belle and Sebastian-y quality, and it is easy to be swept up in the charm of the buoyant arrangement. As warm air and blue skies finally settle in across much of the nation, you'll no doubt want to have this tune on with the windows down and your Ray-Bans on. "Impressions of a City Morning" is feel good, springtime music at its finest. Ain't nothing wrong with that.



Listen to "Impressions of a City Morning" above.

Purchase Evening Tapestry here.

Bonus! Download Brown Recluse's FREE January 2011 mini-LP, Panoptic Mirror Maze, here.

Jam of the Day | The Rosebuds - Second Bird of Paradise

The above, horribly snapped picture, was taken last night as The Rosebuds practiced their new material live before an intimate audience packed neatly into a Civil War era theatre on UNC’s campus. As spring nights are in Chapel Hill, the air that filled the room was warm and electric, as college students in their summer clothes prepped for an evening out. And as The Rosebuds unveiled their new songs, it quickly became apparent that this was literally the perfect setting to do so. Small, seated, quiet, in a room that has seen evenings of firsts since 1851.

What we collectively heard was a surprising, and string-filled, new direction for the band. And as someone who has watched The Rosebuds grow from a college band in Wilmington, North Carolina, to the leaders of the now booming Triangle music scene, it is a mature and very welcomed direction. Things change, scenes change, and most of all people change. The Rosebuds exemplify that.

Our Jam of the Day, “Second Bird of Paradise,” illustrates the change in focus perfectly. Moving from pop driven, sing-a-long-style indie anthems to this - a lush, melodic, downright “Quiet Storm” ready jam that swirls with strings, dialed-back keys, and silky vocals that, for the first time, showcase Ivan Howard's range.

Download it, and get some Rosebuds news at the same time via the widget below. Pick up the new album, Loud Planes Fly Low, on June 7th right here.

Jam of the Day | Gary Clark Jr. - Don't Owe You A Thing

HOLY SHIT this is good.

I've seen Chuck Berry eight times, Neil Young nineteen times...and this sort of electric insanity is what I recall at each show. But folks, this is not Berry or Young. This is Gary freaking Clark Jr. And although I'm not sure what universe he came to us from, you will hear about him very soon. Turn it up and tell your friends, because it's just a matter of time.

Catch Gary on the Bonnaroo Buzz Tour in May/June!

Album Review | Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues

Speakers Rating: 91/100

Fleet Foxes clearly know their sweet spot. Rather than pulling a 180 or switching things up with any degree of significance, the Seattle sextet nestled themselves deep into their rich, velvety folk-rock comfort zone for the recording of their second LP, Helplessness Blues. This approach has yielded a consistent, impeccable record that is permeated with that Fleet Foxy brand of string- driven folk harmony that became so wonderfully apparent with the Sun Giant EP and their self titled debut LP (both released in 2008).

Some critics may take jabs at Helplessness Blues for not breaking "new" ground, but there is something positive and confident about knowing what works and sticking to a beautifully characteristic sound while making only minor derivations. The new aspects of the sophomore record include the minor introduction of new instrumental elements on tracks like "Bedouin Dress" and "The Shrine / An Argument" and overall lyrical themes of hesitation, uncertainty, the passing of time, and even existentialism (that weren't as present, personal, or laid on quite as thick in Fleet Foxes' past recordings).

Nowhere is lead singer and songwriter Robin Pecknold's existential awareness more apparent than in the record's namesake centerpiece "Helplessness Blues." The track opens with a simple guitar rhythm and some of Pecknold's finest lyrics to date: "I was raised up believin' I was somehow unique / Like a snowflake, distinct among snowflakes, unique in each way you can see / And now after some thinkin' I'd say I'd rather be / A functioning cog in some great machinery servin' something beyond me / But I don't, I don't know what that will be / I'll get back to you someday soon, you will see."

With this grand vocal start, the offering builds with the layered harmonies and acoustic arrangements that have become so characteristic to Fleet Foxes. Just as "Helplessness Blues" is about to peak, the song shifts to a second half that is a harmony-driven fantasy, imagining a life of labor in a countryside orchard. The visual imagery conjured by Pecknold's voice and the band's music is undeniably powerful stuff.



Helplessness Blues is peppered with captivating tracks that showcase the gentle folk-rock sensibilities of the band. "Lorelai" (a waltz-like, swaying folk ballad) and "Battery Kinzie" (a tune that could easily have been picked up from the debut LP's cutting room floor) fit the Fleet Foxes paradigm like a vintage T; comfortable, classic, reliable, and cool.

Where many records end on a low note, an "outro" if you will, Helplessness Blues ends on a peak with "Grown Ocean," a dream allegory that is perhaps the most hopeful song on the record. Pecknold's echoed voice resounds, "In that dream there's no darkness a-looming." His lead vocal is peacefully supported and elevated by backing "oh-ohhhhs," a flute flutter that would make Sufjan Stevens swoon, and a slowly evolving composition of guitar strumming acuity.



Fleet Foxes have become the unquestioned leaders in the folk-rock revival with the triumph of Helplessness Blues. From the stripped down brilliance of the record's lead track "Montezuma" to the uplifting closer "Grown Ocean," these hirsute folk-rock troubadours have avoided the trappings of reinvention for reinvention's sake, and for that, we can't thank them enough.

Helplessness Blues will be released on 5/3/11. Pre-order it over at Sub Pop.

10 to Spin | The Elected

 

Few things this year have gotten us as excited as the unexpected news that Blake Sennett has decided to hang up his golfing shoes and come out of musical retirement to personally deliver audio goodness to us all, in order to rid the world of unhappiness.

For that reason alone, we've already awarded "Babyface," the first single from The Elected's new album, Bury Me in My Rings, a Jam of the Day, as well as listed the album as one of our most anticipated albums of the quarter.

Well, Blake has done us a real proper and paid us back with a playlist of songs he's hand selected to get us through this fiscally troubling and gamma ray-filled spring. And this isn't a half-ass selection people - it's as educational as it is awesome. Give it a spin or ten below.

Songs for a Drive Through a Radioactive Spring in a Down Economy

1 "Trouble" by Lindsey Buckingham

Lindsey really makes being in trouble sound pretty appealing on this beauty.

2 "Heartbeats" by The Knife

If I could be any song, I'd be this one. I think I'd really get some shit done.

3 "Pressure" by Quadron

Walked into a tiny folk cafe and these guys were on stage. Loved this song ever since.

4 "Wètètié Maré" by Muluqèn Mèllèssè

If I had an Indonesian TV show set in the old West, this would be the theme song. 

5 "Allure" feat. Jay Z and The Notorious B.I.G. by Ratatat

My favorite rap remix ever! 

6 "Kites Are Fun" by The Free Design

Sort of creepy but awesome song by a family of accidental visionaries. 

7 Rootsman Skanking by Bunny Wailer

It's just a matter of time before a rapper samples the guitar hook at the beginning of this one.

8 "Hammond Song" by The Roches

This song makes me want to cry if I'd had too much coffee.

9 "San Tropez" by Pink Floyd

A decidedly un-Pink Floyd-ish jam for your drive.

10 "Tous Les Garcons Et Les Filles" by Francoise Hardy

I don't understand a word of this song, but I couldn't love it more.

Pajammy Jam of the Day | Ryan Adams - Learn To Love (Live)

I’m too old to let you go
I’m too young to let you down

I’ve been wanting to write about this song for a while now, and with Ryan Adams’ double-7” vinyl EP, Class Mythology, set for release on Record Store Day, well, now seems appropriate.

This is one of Adams’ best songs. It’s not on an album, as Adams recorded it as a rushed Cold Roses-era B-Side, and frankly, it’s not very heartfelt or good in that form. But here, in a live setting, it’s tremendous. It’s fragile, it’s real, and it says exactly what Adams is feeling – that he’s getting older, that the world around him is moving faster as he gets older, and that he’s still learning about love..and it’s confusing as hell. Sound familiar?

Ryan Adams - Learn To Love