When I got a press release a few weeks back about the upcoming Dr. Dog album, it said that the band was going to continue its evolution by stripping down the instruments and focusing on deeper, darker lyrics. After hearing the lead single off April’s Shame, Shame, I can absolutely detect a difference from 2008’s … Read more
There was a time when The Cardinals ruled the earth (well, at least my earth). They played the best mid-sized venues, they chatted with their fans, some of them probably drank too much. They also played killer jams, and today’s JOTD shows evidence of that. But first, let me tell my story. In October of … Read more
My friend Matt recommended that I give Freelance Whales a try. I call him my friend, but you know what? I’ve never met him. We share a late mutual friend, a music lover, and Matt and I keep his spirit alive by passing musical tips back and forth. I love being one-half of this long … Read more
Not to be outdone by Broken Social Scene, that other Canadian indie-rock collective that just released a new song + album details last Friday, The New Pornographers released its first track off the upcoming Together yesterday. The Twitter description claimed the new song is “quite rocking.” That’s not a lie. With grinding guitars and a edict to “put, … Read more
GIVERS puts ants in my pants and makes me do the boogie dance. This Lafayette, Louisiana five-piece makes music that is pure, unadulterated fun, perfect for fans of Vampire Weekend. It’s clear that GIVERS is heavily influenced by the native music of their hometown and neighboring New Orleans. Add afro-pop, indie, and funk flavors on … Read more
The musical journey can lead down some unexpected and convoluted roads – and my path to Future Islands has ended with me kicking myself for not finding them sooner. Let me lay it all out for you. My good friend and fellow music junkie Ty recently told me to give them a listen. Living in … Read more
While doing my homework for this post, I began to realize just how important Beck has been to my musical path. I mean, he was initially decorated as the voice of my generation, crystallizing much of the post-modern ruckus of the alternative explosion, but in unexpected ways. His foray into electronic music seemed like a … Read more
There is a brief but horrifying moment when you’re at a show, you look around, and you realize why the beer lines are way too short, the bathroom line is way too long, and the merch stand has been overly-popular the entire evening. You stare out into that sea of “Xed” hands and pimpled faces … Read more
Lately, I have found myself reminiscing about “the good ol’ days” of ’90s music. Seriously, what happened to that stuff? I miss Blind Melon’s tap dancing bee girl, Adam Duritz’s dreadlocks (although he probably still has them, it’s just gross at this point), and Dolores O’Riordan’s Irish yodel. I know I’m not the only one: … Read more
Nashville-based trio, The Silver Seas, is set to release its sophomore LP later this summer, titled Chateau Revenge. A follow up to the beloved debut, High Society, this next album is full of poppy gems. The track that the band’s offering up as a little sneaky peak is “The Best Things in Life.” With a definite … Read more
Flying Lotus, or Flylo as I and other cool people refer to him, has been on a steady climb since being outed as the artist behind a few of the bumps on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim programming, as well as a moderate underground hit with his debut album 1983. The hype machine has been churning … Read more
It’s surprisingly hard to figure out which part of the musical spectrum Harlem best fits, which for me is part of what makes them so likable. While there’s plenty of punk/rock ‘n’ roll spirit on the album, Harlem has proven that they’re more than capable of writing poppy hooks on tunes like today’s Jam of … Read more
I’m going to use a little reverse psychology this morning on crotchety ole’ mom nature. It’s Monday morning, it’s raining for the fifth day in a row, and she is basically forcing me to post some early Sigur Ros – which would make everyone at work fall asleep in their cubes instantaneously. But I’m going … Read more
No, it’s not a cover of James Brown’s hot 1985 jam, “Living in America.” But, ahem, I probably wouldn’t be too mad if it were. No, Dom’s ode to the land of the free and the home of the brave is a tongue-in-cheek proclamation of America’s downright sexiness. Yes, folks, “It’s so sexxxyyy, living in America.” … Read more
When trying to introduce Megafaun to the masses, it’s hard not to bring up the fact they were three of the four members of the Raleigh band DaYarmond Edison. Reason being – the fourth member of that band was Justin Vernon, otherwise known as everyone’s favorite indie-folkie Bon Iver. But as our Jam of the … Read more
It’s really hard to talk about Minneapolis singer-songwriter, Jeremy Messersmith, without mentioning The Beach Boys. He does that Pet Sounds-meets-the-here-and-now thing quite well, kinda like The Thrills‘ 2003 album, So Much For the City, an ode to Californ-i-a, start to finish. Think: sun-drenched baroque pop that glimmers…but recedes into the shadows when the storytelling grows moody. … Read more
I’m a sucker for banjos and fiddles. And female singers. I’m sure I’ve already told you that numerous times, but hey, that’s how my brain works. (Is there some kind of therapy for that?) Crooked Still, who will release Some Strange Country on June 1st, has all of these things. I’m guessing you’re gonna like … Read more
The Major Lazer braintrust (Diplo & Switch) put this mixtape together for La Roux while working on new material in Jamaica. It features over thirteen (meaning fourteen) JA-inspired blends, special remixes, dubplates and more, but you don’t really need to be sold on this thing – because best of all, they’re giving it to us … Read more
The second self-titled album by Pennsylvania indie-rock trio Good Old War is an album of immense growth. A natural evolution from the band’s debut, Only Way to Be Alone, Good Old War radiates with warmth and vulnerability, both qualities undoubtedly cultivated by the band’s hands-on self-production and the environment of solitude in which the album … Read more
I saw Stars in concert several years ago in a cramped basement venue that reeked of B.O. It was a weird show; the ethereal quality of the band’s indie pop battled against the dark underground, the small space, the unpleasant smell. But when it played its breakthrough hit “Your Ex-Lover Is Dead” (huge at the time, … Read more
The Brooklyn-based Common Prayer is the new project of Jason Russo (of Hopewell) and Alexandra Marvar (with John Anderson and Karen Codd joining them live). I’ll just say it simply and ineloquently: the new album, There Is A Mountain, is the best stuff I’ve heard in awhile. Last night, I put the 11-track release on … Read more
The Romany Rye is built around the the song craftsmanship of Luke MacMaster, an L.A.-based singer/songwriter with a penchant for that somber, indie-folk sound (totally my kinda sound, especially when harmonica is involved). While MacMaster penned the collection of songs that have come to be called Highway 1, Looking Back Carefully, it was with the help … Read more
I’m dubbing today “Chillwave Monday” because next Monday is the most summery of all holidays, and if you’re like me, you’re going to be relaxing at the beach, playing bocce ball, and not thinking a damn bit about work. So, what better to feature than the new single “You And I” from Washed Out to … Read more
Forget press releases and Pitchfork. I like getting music recommendations from friends, or in this case, friends of friends of friends. Speakers in Code folk, meet MyNameIsJohnMichael. I was just introduced to the band last week, thanks to Brian who wrote me a message on Facebook to describe how “the band came out of nowhere … Read more
I, for one, happen to like the recent saturation of synth in the once downtrodden genre of bedroom pop. I mean, it’s still pretty awesome music to play when I’m finally laying down for the night, but it somehow makes things seem all dark and mysterious now. That is – until my dog Angus hops … Read more
Talented young people piss me off. I already broke down in creepy old-man tears at an Avi Buffalo show earlier this year. And now, we have a dude who’s 19 and insanely good. Great. Someone find my cane. This time we find youngster Brad Oberhofer, who seems far too confident and sounds way too good … Read more
Last Friday, during my week-long vacation in Seattle, my friends Joe and Robyn took me to an area of town called Ballard. We ate Thai for dinner, ducked into a used record shop, and peered into the windows of illuminated neighborhood bars before deciding on Hattie’s Hat for a Strongbow and soul music on the … Read more
Excitedly, we announced last month that EELS had announced the third album in its recent bout of prolificacy and a world tour beginning in the fall. Titled Tomorrow Morning, this effort completes the trilogy (following Hombre Lobo and End Times) that “finishes the story on a high note.” This is EELS’ ninth LP in fourteen … Read more
For the second time in just a few weeks, I’m offering up a perfect lay by the pool-ready summertime jam. Seriously, it may just be the indie rock equivalent of DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince’s “Summertime” for me, with its delicate combination of The Jesus & Mary Chain’s fuzz, surf-toned guitar and laid … Read more
New York’s The Depreciation Guild (lead by The Pains of Being Pure At Heart’s drummer Kurt Feldman) have made one hell of a beautiful sophomore album – stretching out their fuzzy, 8-bit infused dream-pop into anthemic territory. The most noticeable aspects being the vocals and rhythms have been pushed up front – accentuating what I’m … Read more