Way back in 2010, one of the Speakers in Code gang listed Suckers’ auspiciously far-flung debut, Wild Smile, as one of the top albums of the year. And while the trio’s just-completed sophomore album, Candy Salad, due April 24th on Frenchkiss Records, is a remarkable progression, it’s every bit as indicative of how they’re powered by the uncertainty of paradox. It’s more mature but mostly because of its directness and simplicity.
Our Jam of the Day, “Turn on the Sunshine,” stays true to its title and illustrates a new direction via a noticeably warmer sound. Retaining the freshness we came to love from these guys, it sounds almost effortless, which for a release that’ll hit just as the days get hot and we move the speakers outside – this song, and album for that matter may just soundtrack our summer.
Pick it up when it's out right here and listen up below. Also - make sure you enjoy your weekend.
In a fun twist on the way the LouFest lineup is usually announced, this year the Saint Louis music festival is hosting a lineup release party to spread the good word on the artists expected to razzle dazzle music fans in Forest Park for the third year in a row. Taking place on Tuesday, April 3rd at the awesome venue Plush, the official LouFest Lineup Release Party features live music by Morning Teleportation and The Blind Eyes.
Lucky for you, we're giving away two pairs of tickets to the par-tay.
Entering is simple. We want to hear your LouFest lineup wish lists, so either post them in a comment below or leave us a message on our Facebook page. Who would you love to see play Forest Park this August?
The contest will run through Monday, April 2nd, at noon, and we'll announce the winner via our social media later that evening. Good luck!
More information about the LouFest Lineup Release Party can be found here.
You're the reason why I'll move to the city
You're why I'll need to leave
When the stakes are high, and things eventually bottom out, we’re left with reality.
We’re left with songs like Sharon Van Etten’s “Give Out,” taken from her latest album, Tramp, and you won’t find a song released in 2012 that’s more honest. Its message is simple:You go or stay. You do not linger. Even more, you’re better off leaving too early before you get caught staying too long.
Because no one, and I mean no one, wants to stay too long.
Sharon Van Etten will be performing on Saturday night at the Luminary Center for the Arts (w/The War On Drugs). Get your tickets here.
The good news, friends, is that TLATW is back with some new music, the first new release in over two years. Think of them as a less syrupy Freelance Whales. But, still sweet in all the right ways. The Pioneers EP was released about two weeks ago, and it features today's Jam of the Day, "Burst Apart." But, take a few minutes to listen to the entire thing. And then buy it if you so choose.
It was the month of concerts here in Saint Louis. And now it's ending, but not without one final push.
Ben Kweller, who recently released Go Fly A Kite, will be performing at Off Broadway on Friday, March 30th, and we have two pair of tickets to give away. And all you gotta do is enter. Here's how (just do one of the three).
1. Simply copy and paste this into a tweet: I
entered to win 2 tickets to see @benkweller on 3/30 @offbroadwaystl on
@speakersincode! You can, too - just tweet this to enter!
3. Leave us a comment on our Facebook page. You can say anything. Really.
The
contest will run through March 29th at noon, and we'll randomly pick and e-mail the winners later on that night (if
you enter through FB, we'll announce your name on our FB page). Good
luck!
Our Jam of the Day today serves as a great introduction to the music of Marcus Foster, which, to the American ear, is simply saturated with scotch, smokes, and all the other the vices that make the UK downright wonderful.
"Shadows Of The City" has a raw personality that is hewed by one bad ass bass line and percussion pairing that remind us how a rhythm section is supposed to function - framing the hell out of a voice and songwriting ability that Mr. Foster possesses in droves.
Download it below and pick up his debut album, Nameless Path, here.
Call it one drink too many Call it pride of a man But it don't make no difference if you sit or you stand
'Cause they both end in trouble and start with a grin
Yeah they both end in trouble and start with a grin
Forget about being ready. These days, to an extreme, it's about striking while the iron is hot, and The Head and The Heart's buzz may not ever be greater than it is now.
That's probably unfair to everyone involved with the band from Seattle; after all, the sextet only has one album, carried by three very good songs: "Rivers and Roads," "Lost In My Mind," and "Down in the Valley." The rest of the equation has a few wrinkles -- nothing that their potential as a band can't fix -- but it's going to take more than a sizzling iron to meet upcoming expectations, and there will be many.
I've had a few of my own.
Just nine months ago, I saw the band at Blueberry Hill, along with three hundred or so others. I had just gotten back from Bonnaroo, carrying with me a "this better be good!" attitude to the show (a mistake, I know, but I had only showered once in five days, so lay off). And what do you know? They were more than good that night. Their set was brief, yet exceptional, one of the best shows I had seen that year.
Last night, though, they were just good. Let me explain.
It's not as if their songs have magically gotten worse, or that their stage presence is lacking. No, those crucial parts are very much still intact, and for many, that is more than enough (as it probably should be). But when you go from a packed 300-capacity venue to a packed 2300-capacity venue, some things are going to have to change. And therein lies the problem: The Head and the Heart haven't had time to change in these past nine months.
Photo by Louis Kwok
Yes, there were new songs played, and the overall result was, at best, a mixed bag. Granted, these songs sounded like they would be changing a lot over the next few months, so there is nothing really to judge there. But -- and maybe this is just a case of me having the "the second show will hardly ever be better than the first" blues -- at times during the show, it felt like they were simply killing time with songs that should still be in the oven. Sure, parts sounded good; but the whole was a doughy mess, perhaps too much too soon.
And when the rubber met the road -- in this case, a much bigger stage and audience --The Head and The Heart could not just play for an hour like they did at Blueberry Hill nine short months ago. So, they played a ninety minute show that still should have been sixty or seventy. That's my take, like it or not.
(And to those of you who are probably wondering, "what did you expect?" Well, I recently saw The Civil Wars play out the same script in St. Louis -- from the Old Rock House to the Pageant -- and they hardly changed a thing. And the second show was much better than the first.)
Luckily, the great moments were still great, such as the opening trio of "Cats and Dogs," "Coeur D'Alene," and "Ghosts," the grand performance of "Lost In My Mind," which featured opening bands Black Girls and Drew Grow & the Pastors' Wives onstage acting like professional photo bombers, the calm before the eventual storm of "Rivers and Roads," which featured a punch of thunder from singer/violinist Charity Rose Thielen, and the last song of the night, "Down in the Valley."
The problem is, those were same moments I remembered from last time.
The future may indeed be bright for The Head and The Heart -- only later, rather than sooner. And I'll gladly wait it out.
From: Mr. Justin Vernon To: Mr. and Mrs. Speakers in Code
It’s a difficult task to write about Amateur Love. The band was the singular catalyst driving me to found Chigliak Records. What Amateur Love means to the history of Eau Claire music is representative of everything we set out to illuminate with this record label. Our goal is to release records that hold weight in people’s hearts. For us, it’s notable to point out that one person’s favorite record of all time may have only existed in bedrooms that were within 100 miles of each other.
There seems to be a premium on popularity in popular music. When an artist sells records to people all over the world, their music is then validated by a larger social contract. But Amateur Love is the most popular band this town has ever known, and for good reason. It is not in our estimation that the re-issuing of It’s All Aquatic will project the band into that great popularity. No, we just hope to give the music a further chance to live on… for those who adored and those who never had the chance.
Josh Scott was the ambassador of my heart for many years. While both songwriters in Eau Claire, we were close friends and admired each other’s music. It was obvious to both of us, however, who the better writer was. Josh was writing songs that were both more mature and masterful than mine. His songs came from a perspective as snarly as Paul Westerberg, as enchanting as Neil Young, yet he wielded power as beguiling and unique as any songwriter I've ever heard. Nestling himself around Brad and Phil Cook (Megafaun) and Brian Moen (Peter Wolf Crier, Laarks and Shouting Matches), who stretched themselves outside their own comfort zones into those of un-tapped electronic pop, Amateur Love became one of the most enigmatic and electrifying bands I have ever known. With local-legend Jaime Hansen engineering, the band was caught at the rise to their peak of musical power on It's All Aquatic in 2003.
What you have here is Amateur Love’s one and only full-length, initially only released on CD, now re-issued as a 12” vinyl LP. Included is a special download of unreleased recordings that I have come to know as the Ev Sessions; recorded by Ev Olcott, the great master of Minneapolis studio magic and former member of 12Rods and Halloween, Alaska. Ev produced these sessions after the release of It’s All Aquatic sometime in 2004. These sessions are considered ‘un-finished’ by the band but stand as a fantastic ‘what could have been’ document.
Amateur Love gets to always live on, thru the grooves on our turntables now. Enjoy. We all did.
On Saturday, you'll have two opportunities in Saint Louis to catch the phenomenon known as Lights. At 3:30, the Canadian sensation will be performing a special acoustic set at Vintage Vinyl, and later that evening, she'll be doing a full electro-pop set at The Firebird. The latter should sound something like "Banner," her latest single.
With over 840,000 "likes" on Facebook, you could say Lights is either well on her way, or has already arrived. Depends on your point of view. What we know for sure is that you better not wait to get tickets to see this wonder from Ontario do her thing on Saturday (she quickly sold out Cicero's last time around).
We recently caught up with Lights over email.
I read that Siberiacame from a happy place. Can you explain a little bit about your mindset while writing and recording the album?
In the couple of years leading up to Siberia I learned a lot about myself, my thresholds, my abilities. I fell in love for the first time, and I became that much more the person I can someday be. I felt this sort of peace and freedom when I was writing a lot of the songs, it felt like an adventure and less of an obligation to get something off my chest.
Take us through Lights' normal day on tour.
Open eyes. Check phone and review emails for the day. Fall out of the bunk. Stumble into the front lounge and say "morrrrningg" to anyone that's awake. Wipe my face, chug a bottle of water and eat yogurt with granola. Tweet about the show. Work on item of importance (anything from my computer science classes, to painting, to writing a topline on a track). Brush teeth, put on makeup. Puff hair. If there are interviews, do them. Say hi to the early birds in line. Sound check. Relax (anything from Scrabble to Skyrim). Have a glass of white zinfandel. Sing a bit of first song to warm up. Play show. Sweat. Smile, lay down.
What's going through your mind onstage while you're playing a song like "Toes"?
Generally something like "Okay, off to a good start, nice. Sounding good, oh this is fun. Don't fall out of key, careful now. Don't miss a note. That guy has a Joy Division shirt on, nice! This part's fun. And, done! Sweet."
Finally, you'll be playing in St. Louis on March 24th. What do you know about St. Louis?
I know that the last time we were there was only a few months ago, we played a small room and it sold out and was completely fun. And that's why we're coming back! It's one of the few places we're repeating on this tour.
I'm a little late with this one, with last week featuring St. Patty's Day and all. Sorry!
But really, I don't celebrate the holiday --I'm Turkish, not Irish. So, you're getting this jam now. We'll call it a "Sweet 16 Jam," as basketball once again gets underway this evening.
It comes from Enter The Haggis' latest release, Whitelake, which you can purchase here. For all I know, even though these cats are from Toronto, you'll want to bust out your green t-shirts, skirts, gloves, beer, Shamrock Shakes, what have you. Just, you know, to be young and Irish again.
Hiding out in the subway system Hanging out in the library system You made me feel like a harbor And you made me feel like a fortress
In 2009, I fell in love with Lost Channels, the fourth album from Canada's Great Lake Swimmers, the folk-rock outfit fronted by Tony Dekker.
I remember hearing the lyrics to "Concrete Heart" for the first time, as I was rolling down Delmar Boulevard in my Corolla, after having just purchased the CD from Vintage Vinyl (and crazily unwrapped said CD in the parking lot like a lunatic). Delmar, particularly in the evening hours, is hoppin'. Teenagers hang out en masse on corners while buskers strum guitars for passersby. Neon signs invite imbibers into their drinking establishments while the occasional brass band plays in a central courtyard. But, "Concrete Heart" with its deeply affecting poetry pushed me straight out of that vociferous environment and into one of deep contemplation. That hubbub on the other side of my car window just melted into one big blur, and I realized for the millionth time how quintessential feeling needed is to feeling human.
"Concrete Heart" is about that.
The band has a new single out, today's Jam of the Day, "Easy Come Easy Go." Sure, it's a complete 180 from the GSL song that originally held me in its grip. But, it's still a goodie for ridin' down the road in your Corolla. That fiddle's gonna make you want to roll the windows down, though. Hopefully the hubbub just becomes one big blur.
The new Great Lake Swimmers album, New Wild Everywhere, comes out on April 3rd courtesy of Nettwerk.
Once referred to ironically as "Thurston Moore & the E Street Band," The Men have never played by categorical rules. Instead, over the last three years, this band has dabbled in everything from hardcore punk, to psych, to black metal. And they have done it all effortlessly, and for the most part, completely flawlessly.
Our Jam of the Day illustrates the above Boss substitution brilliantly. As hardcore as it is melodic, it takes a typical punk format to the next level by adding in instrumentation not currently associated with that musical style.
All of the feelings that I know you never felt, and all of the simple words you never said, I want you to keep them like a secret to yourself, they’re not for me.
It was just last August, on one of the hottest nights of the summer (seriously, my car has no A/C, I remember this well), and Delta Spirit had just brought more heat to The Pageant's stage. Lead singer Matthew Vasquez, dressed in an Old Lights t-shirt, knew what was happening. We all knew what was happening. The band from San Diego had arrived, and their future as a touring act in Saint Louis would be always judged against this performance.
It's true: Delta Spirit is no longer a secret.
And yes, the first test is upon us. Tonight, Delta Spirit will rock The Old Rock House (w/Waters, 8 PM, $14), and they should be well-prepared, as their self-titled album that was released last week has plenty of ammunition, with songs like "Empty House," "Idaho," "Home," "Yamaha," and "California" leading the way. Here's a sample of the goodness.
We recently caught up with guitarist Will McLaren over the phone, as he and the rest of the band were in Austin, gearing up for SXSW, just a week before Delta Spirit's release.
So, Will, where are you guys now?
We're in Austin. I think every single one of us loves Austin, more than anything at certain times of the year.
The last time I saw you guys was at ACL back in September.
That was a super fun show, I really enjoyed that. As a band up there, that felt pretty incredible. We had a quick line check to set up all of our stuff, and there weren't many people out there (at that time). You know, it was 2:30, on a really big stage, even with a couple thousand people...it still doesn't look like anything when you're up there. And that's the only time a couple thousand people don't look like anything -- when you're on a stage that big. We walked off for 45 minutes, and when we came back on, it was just a sea of people, everyone was dancing. It was great.
Yeah, I was one of the ones in the back.
Nice, nice. Where are you right now?
I'm in St. Louis. Last time you were here, you opened for My Morning Jacket.You remember that one?
Yeah, that show was so fun!
When you're opening for a band like that, can you get a sense of how the crowd is feeling for your set?
You can definitely get a sense -- when you're opening, you can get the best sense of it. If you're opening for a big band, like My Morning Jacket, that band has been recruiting fans and loyal followers for years now. They kill it every single night, they are one of the best live bands, and, you know... (laughing) ... we have to go up and play for whatever it is, 45 minutes.
It can sometimes go either way, because you have such big shoes to fill, but that night we walked out there, and I remember -- that place is pretty massive, a massive theater -- that was one of the better opening experiences I've had. There was tons of energy, we were just so excited to be playing with them. That was a great night.
And I think you guys played some new material that night. Can you run me through how you're feeling right now -- are you just ready for the record to come out?
Oh yeah, we're totally ready for it to come out, it's been done for a long time. Not only has it been done for a long time, we knew which songs were going to be on the album, except for one -- one stuck on there the last minute -- really beautiful, have you heard that last song, "Yamaha"?
Yeah, I love it. Great one to close out the album.
I love that song, that was really a Hail Mary. That song came with...whatever the expression is, "love and power." (laughs) But, the rest of it, we have been practicing those songs...we were in pre-production, if you want to call it that, for six months.
Tested so many songs, and a lot of them might re-surface someday, the ones we came up with. But the songs that are on the album are the ones we liked the best from that whole group. We haven't been playing them on the road that much. But, it's time to play these songs; we've been waiting around for a while.
Something about this album, like a song like "Home" -- that song, it's always on repeat for me.
That's one of my favorites. That was one of the songs where Matt...every once in a while Matt will write a song, and usually the band will be like, "okay, let's do this." Like, ripping it apart, or making it that much bigger.
"Home" was one of those songs where Matt recorded it on acoustic guitar onto a 4-track, I think, and transferred it to a computer hard drive, and we were like, "well, we're not going to mess with that one! That's how it's going to be." We were going to do a basic acoustic track, and then we got into Dreamland with Chris Coady, who produced the album, and he had all this stuff and was like, "well, you know, you could do an acoustic guitar, but it's really not going to fit in with what we're doing here, so let's try to give it a unique thing."
Everyone was sad about that, because we didn't want to put a bunch of shit that didn't need to be on it. But, he kind of -- Matt and Chris sat down, and I think Kelly, too, and came up with that pulsating (feel) under the whole song. And once that was there, initially, I was opposed to that, which is really funny, because now it's one of my favorite things! (laughs) Once that was there, it kind of was like, "okay, just a touch more!" And we did, we added that ethereal -- not synthesizers -- but like atmospheric stuff, you know? And then we added a little more, and then we took off what we added after. (laughs) It's such a beautiful song, it has some of my favorite lines on the album.
Is it hard sometimes not to keep adding to something?
Umm...no...well, in the situation, yes. But all you need to do is listen to it the next day and be like, "uhh, that was a bad idea!" (laughs) It's pretty obvious if you give yourself a day or two to breathe and listen to it that you realize you added something that didn't need to be there. I'm the kind of a guitarist who wants to...like, I have a million ideas, and I think they can all fit somewhere. And fortunately, Kelly and Brandon will say "no, that doesn't need to be there." (laughing)
Tell me about Dreamland. How was recording the album there?
It was incredible and isolated. It was like a forest retreat for the band. It was what you would expect from a 100-year-old church. We spent the first two weeks just playing the songs over and over again until we got the takes, you know, what every band does. That experience was really incredible; we could all be in this beautiful room, with, at most, a little wall in between us -- we could all see each other. And we would all walk down to this little cabin at the end of the night and find something weird to eat, and do it all again the next day.
We actually weren't done with the album when we did those two My Morning Jacket dates, when you saw us in St. Louis. We had to go back to New York afterwards; we went to Stratosphere, which is a studio in Manhattan, and finished some guitar stuff and some of the vocals. I'm glad we split it up in two different studios. It kind of gives you, obviously, another perspective.
It's a really strong and beautiful piece of work.
Thanks, man. We're really proud of it.
And hey, speaking of food, like you mentioned you would go down to the cabin and get dinner. One of our readers wants to know -- what is your favorite breakfast cereal?
Our favorite cereal? (laughs)
Yeah. Totally serious.
Well, I would say, it's probably split between the band. Brandon and I have a soft spot for Cinnamon Toast Crunch, which is really awful, but it's true. And I would say the other dudes would go for a Whole Foods Kashi Crunch Oats thing.
I imagine eating on tour isn't the easiest thing to do.
No, it's definitely not. There's not a lot of cereal on tour. Yeah, that's a funny question. Do you ask everyone what their favorite cereal is?
No, just you. That was the question that one of our readers had just for you.
Ha, that's super funny. Well, it's hard to eat cereal on tour, but hey! (laughing)
One could easily argue that The Black Keys have achieved full musical and cultural saturation at this point. Nationwide arena gigs with opener Arctic Monkeys, a stomping return appearance on SNL, and the omnipresent soundtracking of the 2012 NCAA Men's Basketball tournament ("Gold on the Ceiling" has been mainlined into sports fans' collective psyches after week one of the tourney) have all chased the late 2011 release of killer single "Lonely Boy" and the Ohio duo's 7th LP, El Camino.
While it may be easy to get sucked in by the single driven facade of the now commercialized Keys, it is important to consider that Dan Auerbach (guitar, vocals) and Patrick Carney (drums) have been arguably the one of the most consistent generators of quality albums in the last decade. Breaking free from The Black Keys' rollicking singles may be a challenge for some, but deeper cuts, like today's Jam of the Day "Stop Stop," permeate the Keys' records and make for a first-rate, whole album experience.
"Stop Stop" is a little gem of bluesy pop-rock precision. Catchy, soulful, and danceable, the track is a grower. While not as punchy as the well known El Camino singles, "Stop Stop" showcases the Keys' innate ability to crank out a cracking tune, make it look effortless, and fill out a record that gets better with each successive spin.
Check out "Stop Stop" below. If you're in Chicago, love it live tonight at the United Center. Tickets are still available here.
“The most beautifulest thing in the world!” – Jigga
In case you hadn’t heard, us bloggers roll deep. And when one of us falls, and goes to that endless hash tag up in the sky, we walk out the Starbucks door and pour a drop of our non-fat, venti, one pump, caramel macchiato onto the nearest grassy spot, as to not make the sidewalk all sticky. Cuz that shit would be uncouth.
But we also celebrate together, and this week, a new lady entered the Speakers in Code family! And while she’s not quite ready to post about her fav lullaby, we’re sending mad-love to our homey Katie, her boo, and their new arrival. This one’s for you baby Guymon!
For those of you who don’t know, Jay-Z released this track only hours after the arrival of his own bundle of joy, back in January. Check it out below. YEP!
Mauro Remiddi, or Porcelain Raft to fans these days, has apparently lived a pretty interesting and fruitful life up to this point. Prior to his latest musical iteration, he played piano on Broadway, performed as a part of a circus act, and even scored an award-winning short film. With a laundry list like this, he must be a member of AARP at this point, no?
Well, he's surprisingly still a young guy, and if that list didn't make you feel lame after reflecting on life, give our Jam of the Day a spin. It's taken from his debut LP, Strange Weekend, which was released by Secretly Canadian earlier this year. It's swirly and spacey, but somehow retains a dash of badassedness when the guitar hits near the end.
Download away below and pick up Strange Weekendhere. Then, go loathe people with too much talent.
I'm like James Brown only white and taller And all I want to do is stomp and holler
On Sunday, Texas singer-songwriter Hayes Carll will be back in Saint Louis, set to play one of my favorite venues in town: The Sheldon.
Carll can rock a little -- today's Jam of the Day proves his worth in the boogie department. So does his last album, KMAG YOYO (& Other American Stories), which stands for "Kiss My Ass Guys, You're On Your Own." I guess you could call him a country artist, but we all know how misleading that is these days.
Whatever you want to call Hayes Carll -- and yes, he does little bit of everything -- you do not want to miss his live show. Saint Louis, you have this opportunity once again ($17-20).
I don't know where I belong I don't know where I went wrong But I can write a song
Since we’re in March Madness mode, and a #16 seed has never beaten a #1 seed in the history of the NCAA tournament, I present to you a band from Denver, The Lumineers, who could just be that kind of underdog.
I just listened to their self-titled debut album (out 4/3 on Dualtone; pre-order here), and I gotta say: I think it’s better than many similar-sounding albums that came before it, most notably Mumford & Sons’ Sigh No More.
That’s not a knock on Mumford & Sons, who I do respect and listen to on occasion. But, The Lumineers’ songs have more depth, more emotion. Call it personal preference, but that’s what usually wins in my world.
Last June, Saint Louis was treated to a rousing (read: sweaty and energetic) post-Bonnaroo performance by Seattle's The Head and the Heart. The sold-out show at Blueberry Hill was summed up well by Katie here, and she also took this video of "Rivers and Roads."
Yes, they're moving on to better things and bigger rooms.
On Sunday, March 25th, they'll be back in Saint Louis, performing at The Pageant with Drew Grow & the Pastors' Wives (RSVP to the show here). And we're stoked that we have two pair of tickets to give away to two lucky winners!
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 @headandtheheart on 3/25 @ThePageantSTL on
@speakersincode! You can, too - just retweet this to enter!
The
contest will run through March 19th at noon, and we'll randomly pick and e-mail the winners later on that night (if
you enter through FB, we'll announce your name on our FB page). Good
luck!
Many of us know this song as we hear it on A Ghost is Born and Kicking Television, but "Spiders (Kidsmoke)" started out much simpler from that version. Actually, it was first performed in 2001 at a Jeff Tweedy solo show in Chicago; below, taken from the 2002 Bumbershoot Festival in Seattle, it's with the full band, sharp and melodic - perhaps in its finest form (2002 Wilco lineup: Tweedy, Stirrat, Bach, Kotche).
Tonight, singer-songwriter Grace Weber will be performing at Off Broadway in Saint Louis (8 PM), singing songs off her latest release, Hope & Heart. The 23-year-old has already appeared on the likes of Oprah and The Today Show, and Billboard called her an "artist to watch." Let's take a few minutes to watch the video for the catchy and bouncy "Everything to Me."
That's right, Saint Louis. From Oprah to Off Broadway. Tonight's your introduction, so don't miss it.
We were lucky to have Grace recently take part in our 10 to Spin series, where she titled her playlist:
"Songs that I sing inappropriately loud in public."
1 Allen Stone - Unaware Allen Stone is one of my favorite new up-and-coming singers. He's just so soulful. When he hits that note at around 4:04 (I'm referencing the YouTube clip of him in his Mother's living room) I freak out every time. It's ridiculous. And it's also the part of the song that I sing on the Subway way too loud. And people look at me funny.
2 Ray Charles - Georgia On My Mind
This is my sound check song when I'm checking the mic. I love singing it A capella, really slow, and doing a bunch of obnoxious vocal runs over the melody just for fun. I don't really get a chance to sing weird vocal lines during our set, so I use this song to get it all out of my system on the sound check.
3 The Supremes - Baby Love
For some reason I always sing this during down time when I'm in the vocal booth. Either for a warm up or in between takes. I really don't know why this always pops into my head when I'm in the booth, but if we could dig up random vocal takes from my last album you'd find this song sprinkled in between the takes.
4 Charles Bradley - Why Is It So Hard
Charles Bradley may be the most soulful man alive. He was a James Brown impersonator for most of his life and it wasn't until he got into his 60's that his own solo career began and took off. You can almost touch the pain in his voice when he sings, it just grabs your heart and shakes it until you can't help but shout out the praises. He is the real deal. If my description hasn't convinced you enough, he is apparently commonly referred to as "The Screaming Eagle of Soul," so there you go.
5 Beyonce - Countdown
Beyonce will always be one of my favorite singers. She can sing on an upbeat To 40 pop song and still make you feel something. The intro to "Countdown," where she sings the "oooo" part into "killing me softly and I'm still falling," has become my new favorite warm up. It goes up the major scale, and it's just a fun way to get your voice moving. You can definitely find me singing this walking down the street to a gig.
6 The Beatles - Oh! Darling
I sing this when I'm trying to infuse a little more dirtiness into my sound, when I'm trying to get a little more rock and grit into my voice. The Beatles just knew how to make music. Almost any Beatles' song can inspire me to write, sing, perform, and just make music.
7 Stevie Wonder - Isn't She Lovely
I've heard people tell me this song has become a "Wedding Song," which means, you can't cover it anymore. The thing is though, the melody and entire vibe of this song is just too good to not want to sing and play it. So, I don't care if it's a Wedding Song or a Cruise Ship song or whatever, it's Stevie, and I'm still gonna sing it out.
8 Adele - Set Fire to the Rain
Oh, Adele. She not only single handedly saved the music industry this year, she is also one of the best new songwriters, best new singers, and I think one of coolest and realest new artists of our generation. If you like to sing, you've probably sang at least one song off of "21" out loud in the past day or two. I think "Someone Like You" might be one of the most covered songs on YouTube. Fire to the Rain is one of my favorite tracks off of '21' and is one you'll hear me singing in the shower.
9 Kimbra - Settle Down
Like Adele, Kimbra is a singer's singer. I've gotten so many Facebook posts about Kimbra from my other singer friends this year, telling me to check her out and how her voice will blow my mind. Her version of "Plain Gold Ring" has been posted on my wall at least 5 times, and I listen to it as much as I can. She's an inspiring singer because she's not afraid to use her voice like an instrument. She's also not afraid to get a little jazzy with it and it's refreshing. She sings will all her heart and soul while still maintaining a fresh, hip new vibe. I'm a big fan of Kimbra.
10 Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
This is my new favorite folky song to sing along to. I just covered this song at a show I did in Minneapolis with my two cousins singing harmonies with me, and it was such a fun song to sing tight harmonies on. Fleet Foxes really know how to layer and add vocal harmonies in their music, and it just makes it so fun to sing their songs with other people. I'm hoping to get a video up of this one from the live show...stay tuned.
Last week, Baltimore's Beach House (Alex Scally and Victoria Legrand) casually released their new single "Myth" and label Sub Pop confirmed that Bloom, the duo's fourth LP, would be released on May 15th. Bloom will arrive amidst a swell of anticipation building from Beach House's utterly amazing 2010 LP, Teen Dream, and some interesting statements being made by the band. In a recent article in Brit music mag NME, Alex noted that they wanted Bloom to be a "definitive statement" like The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds and The Cure's Disintegration. Lofty aspirations to be sure.
"Myth" is signature Beach House dream pop. Alex's steady building and spaced out guitar rhythms fuse with Victoria's captivating voice. With lyrics like "let the ashes fly" and "you can’t keep hangin' on to all that’s dead and gone," the new single seems to confirm early reports that Bloom will be a bit darker than Teen Dream. Even with touches of grim lyrical content, "Myth" continues Beach House's immaculate reputation for crafting stunningly resplendent sonic experiences, start to finish.
Cough up your e-mail address and download "Myth" for free below. Buy Bloom on May 15th here.
It's been a long time. We shouldn't have left you. Without a dope beat to step to.
But, never fear, The Radio Cure is back, just in time for the weekend. To reiterate: The Radio Cure provides you a smattering of great tracks (all at once!) to cure you of your radio blues. The first volume of 2012 features nine tracks, all available for free download, that you can easily slap on a mix CD and call it a day. God speed.
La Sera - Please Be My Third Eye
La Sera (fronted by Vivian Girls' Katy Goodman) continues its music making with the follow up to last year's self-titled debut. Sees the Light comes out March 24th, and this upbeat track is the first single.
Laura Gibson - La Grande
A modern nod to the Old West, Gibson's track "La Grande," sets the scene for the album of the same name, out now.
Christopher Paul Stelling - Solar Flares
Good gravy, sometimes you just need a singer-songwriter with a unique voice and an acoustic guitar to set your weekend off right. You can thank New York City's Christopher Paul Stelling for his "Solar Flares," off the album, Songs of Praise and Scorn.
Rodrigo y Gabriela (feat. CUBA) - Juan Loco
Let the Mexican duo take you on vacation with the flamenco-inspired, "Juan Loco." You can find it on the album Area 52, out now.
Ryan Monroe - Any Way, Shape, or Deformity
The multi-instrumentalist for Band of Horses is rolling solo with his first LP, A Painting of a Painting On Fire, which comes out May 22nd. He's offering up "Any Way, Shape, or Deformity" where you can hear his exploration of genres - country, art-rock, pop, classical and prog - all in one neat package.
Free Energy - Electric Fever
Even without an official release date, the upcoming Free Energy LP is on our radar. The dudes have offered up the jam "Electric Fever" in honor of their SXSW dates. Celebrate.
Margot and the Nuclear So and So's - Shannon
This is the second track offered up from the Indiana band's upcoming LP4, Rot Gut, Domestic. Tasty. But, seriously this song's fuzzy bass really is tasty.
Johnny Corndawg - Fools & Sages
Called the "new face of outlaw country," Johnny Corndawg worships the altar of Waylon Jennings. And on "Fools & Sages," from his last release, Down On the Bikini Line (yup), this worship is easy to hear.
PUJOL was raised in Tullahoma, Tennessee, where he lived in a haunted house which sat one block away from the wrong side of the tracks. He spent his formative years scribbling on walls, shredding behind closed doors, and riding around in cars with older kids. He took his first communion at thirteen and secretly drank his first beer shortly thereafter in St. Cecilia's bathroom.
As if shot out of a cannon, PUJOL has contorted through his latest flaming hoop with the recording and release of the EP Nasty, Brutish, and Short on Omaha’s Saddle Creek. Moving at the speed of the ’60s, today's Jam of the Day, "DIY2K," is a fist pumping, lip snarling affair that will stimulate the adrenal glands of even the lamest of lame.
Download it for free below and grab the full length, UNITED STATES OF BEING, when it's out on June 5th.
If you’re expecting an album full of straight beats, you
might be disappointed. And that would be too bad, because Kid Cudi and Dot DaGenius have created songs that are as much rock as they are rap (read: it’s
different). And we crave “different,” right?
Well, many of us like to say we do. Yet, it always amazes me
when we actually get something outside the norm of what we like from an artist –
complaints are rocketed from mouths, as if what is being presented is
as bad as the second half of Full Metal Jacket.
I digress.
Cudi and Genius have created an album called WZRD. They did
it on their own terms, without any single, any promo, any real hype. Their
record label treated it like a stepchild, only printing 55,000 physical copies.
And somehow, someway, WZRD debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200 charts this week.
Funny math? Nope, just great tunes.
Last August, Amy LaVere took part in our 10 to Spin series. Her theme? The road. Well, "Planes, Trains, and Automoblies," to be exact. And guess what? LaVere's on the road again, back in Saint Louis tomorrow night at the Old Rock House, opening for Rich Robinson (8 PM).
We're big fans of LaVere's 2011 release, Stranger Me, especially the track "You Can't Keep Me." It's sort of one of those "I never wanna see you again" tunes. Hits the spot, as usual.
We recently caught up with LaVere over email.
You released Stranger Me last year. Looking back, what were the challenges of recording that album?
The recording was actually the easy, fun part. It was all the mess of getting the right people in the studio.
What were some of the highlights of touring last year? Any stories you would like to share?
I love touring. Adventure is what gets me up in the morning. When I think back on the year I just see a big white light of adventure. Or it could be that I've just woke up and the sun is blinding me in this room.
When you're writing and recording a song, at what point do you know it's finished?
They are never finished. I am constantly changing them. Roughening or rounding their edges to keep them interesting to me.
You've played St. Louis a few times over the years. Do you have any memories that stand out?
I've left something in the greenroom every time I play there for some reason. So at the moment I have jacket in St. Louis that I can't get out of mind.
