BLACK BALLOON

eksi ekso - "i am your bastard wings"

2008-06-27T11:26:00.002-04:00

eksi ekso
"i am your bastard wings"
label: magic bullet
release date: 6/10/08

for fans of sigur ros and godspeed you black emperor.

mp3 | eksi ekso - o' god, they've frozen

fleet foxes - "self titled"

2008-06-09T18:23:00.002-04:00

fleet foxes
"self titled"
label: sub pop
release date: 6/3/08

bummed that the new my morning jacket album blows? this should cheer you up.

mp3 | fleet foxes - white winter hymnal
mp3 | fleet foxes - ragged wood

grails - "take refuge in clean living"

2008-05-22T09:05:00.004-04:00

grails
"take refuge in clean living"
label: important
release date: 5/13/08

if ennio morricone and ravi shankar had a kid, it would sound like this.

mp3 | grails - take refuge

the muslims - "self titled"

2008-05-18T18:15:00.000-04:00

the muslims
"self titled"
label: 1928 recordings
release date: 4/?/08

post-punk somewhere between the strokes and the stooges.

mp3 | the muslims - right and wrong

mudhoney - "the lucky ones"

2008-05-14T08:18:00.003-04:00

mudhoney
"the lucky ones"
label: sub pop
release date: 5/20/08

this one makes up for their last album which i didn't really care for.

mp3 | mudhoney - i'm now
mp3 | mudhoney - inside out over you

the night marchers - "see you in magic"

2008-04-26T08:02:00.002-04:00

the night marchers
"see you in magic"
label: vagrant
release date: 4/22/08

fronted by john reis (of rocket from the crypt) and featuring gar wood and jason kourkounis (both of hot snakes). rock and fucking roll.

mp3 | the night marchers - i wanna deadbeat you

russian circles - "station"

2008-04-23T16:36:00.002-04:00

russian circles
"station"
label: suicide squeeze
release date: 5/6/08

sophomore effort from these guys and it does not disappoint. a little less metal and a little more post-rock than their last one.

mp3 | russian circles - harper lewis

dragonforce - "inhuman rampage" (special edition)

2008-04-22T07:46:00.003-04:00

dragonforce
"inhuman rampage" (special edition)
label: roadrunner
release date: 3/13/07

why hasn't anyone informed me until now that this band exists? makes me want to play nintendo and drink a lot of mountain dew.

mp3 | dragonforce - through the fire and flames
mp3 | dragonforce - operation ground and pound

deep sleep - "manic euphoria" 7"

2008-04-09T09:48:00.000-04:00

deep sleep
"manic euphoria" 7"
label: grave mistake
release date: 3/25/08

maryland punk/hardcore that should appeal to fans of descendents and the adolescents.

mp3 | deep sleep - textbook timebomb

bob mould - "district line"

2008-04-08T09:22:00.001-04:00

bob mould
"district line"
label: anti-
release date: 2/5/08

former hüsker dü/sugar frontman proves he's still awesome.

mp3 | bob mould - the silence between us

torche - "meanderthal"

2008-04-05T11:04:00.003-04:00

torche
"meanderthal"
label: hydrahead
release date: 4/8/08

pop. heavy. prog. stoner. doom. metal.

mp3 | torche - grenades

growing - "lateral" ep

2008-03-27T04:15:00.000-04:00

growing
"lateral" ep
label: the social registry
release date: 2/19/08

4 more tracks of ambient guitar play.

mp3 | growing - swell

sera cahoone - "only as the day is long"

2008-03-26T08:05:00.003-04:00

sera cahoone
"only as the day is long"
label: sub pop
release date: 3/18/08

alt-country's second most underrated female singer/songwriter.

mp3 | sera cahoone - only as the day is long

the big sleep - "sleep forever"

2008-03-19T09:26:00.003-04:00

the big sleep
"sleep forever"
label: french kiss
release date: 2/19/08

do you like enon or brainiac? so do these guys.

mp3 | the big sleep - bad blood
mp3 | the big sleep - pinkies

earth - "the bees made honey in the lion's skull"

2008-03-09T10:53:00.003-04:00

earth
"the bees made honey in the lion's skull"
label: southern lord
release date: 2/26/08

psychedelic instru-metal at it's finest.

mp3 | earth - omens and portents 1: the driver

the sword - "gods of the earth"

2008-03-08T08:17:00.003-05:00

the sword
"gods of the earth"
label: kemado
release date: 4/1/08

if you liked their first album then you'll like this one.

mp3 | the sword - fire lances of the ancient hyperzephyrians

kathleen edwards - "asking for flowers"

2008-03-06T17:50:00.002-05:00

kathleen edwards
"asking for flowers"
label: zoe
release date: 3/4/08

alt-country's most underrated female singer/songwriter. go buy this album.

mp3 | kathleen edwards - sure as shit

daturah - "reverie"

2008-03-05T07:29:00.000-05:00

daturah
"reverie"
label: graveface
release date: 4/8/08

somewhere between explosions in the sky and isis. fucking epic.

mp3 | daturah - hybrisma

the gutter twins - "saturnalia"

2008-03-04T07:20:00.002-05:00

the gutter twins
"saturnalia"
label: sub pop
release date: 3/4/08

new collaboration between mark lanegan (of screaming trees) and greg dulli (of the afghan whigs).

mp3 | the gutter twins - god's children
mp3 | the gutter twins - ilde hands

blood on the wall - "liferz"

2008-02-20T07:41:00.003-05:00

blood on the wall
"liferz"
label: the social registry
release date: 1/22/08

for fans of the pixies and sonic youth.

mp3 | blood on the wall - hibernation

the duke spirit - "neptune"

2008-02-16T14:07:00.002-05:00

the duke spirit
"neptune"
label: shangri-la music
release date: 4/8/08

like nico fronting black rebel motorcycle club.

mp3 | the duke spirit - the step and the walk

danava - "unonou"

2008-02-13T07:32:00.002-05:00

danava
"unonou"
label: kemado
release date: 2/19/08

prog-rock somewhere between black sabbath and hawkwind.

mp3 | danava - where beauty and terror dance

drag the river - "you can't live this way"

2008-02-09T07:12:00.000-05:00

drag the river
"you can't live this way"
label: suburban home
release date: 1/22/08

final release from one of the most underrated alt-country bands ever.

mp3 | drag the river - death of the life of the party
mp3 | drag the river - rangement

able baker fox - "voices"

2008-02-07T04:18:00.000-05:00

able baker fox
"voices"
label: second nature
release date: 1/29/08

former members of the casket lottery and small brown bike join forces to create this post-hardcore supergroup.

mp3 | able baker fox - stuttering
mp3 | able baker fox - brand new moses

beach house - "devotion"

2008-02-06T08:25:00.000-05:00

beach house
"devotion"
label: carpark
release date: 2/26/08

fans of mazzy star or galaxie 500 need to listen up. simply amazing.

mp3 | beach house - wedding bell
mp3 | beach house - gila

japancakes - "loveless"

2008-02-05T16:06:00.000-05:00

japancakes
"loveless"
label: darla
release date: 11/13/07

cover of the entire my bloody valentine album "loveless". these guys have balls.

mp3 | japancakes - i only said

hot water music - "till the wheels fall off"

2008-02-03T08:25:00.000-05:00

hot water music
"till the wheels fall off"
label: no idea
release date: 2/5/08

b-sides and rarities collection from one of my all time favorite bands.

mp3 | hot water music - seein' diamonds
mp3 | hot water music - god deciding

john coltrane - "a love supreme" (remastered)

2008-02-01T15:13:00.000-05:00

john coltrane
"a love supreme" (remastered)
label: impulse!
release date: 8/19/03

absolutely essential for anyone looking to start a jazz collection.

mp3 | john coltrane - acknowledgement

dead meadow - "old growth"

2008-01-30T07:47:00.000-05:00

dead meadow
"old growth"
label: matador
release date: 2/5/08

smoke 'em if you got 'em.

mp3 | dead meadow - what needs must be
mp3 | dead meadow - i'm gone

new york dolls - "self titled"

2008-01-29T21:32:00.000-05:00

new york dolls
"self titled"
label: mercury
release date: ?/?/73

give your iggy and the stooges records a break. try these guys out for a change.

mp3 | new york dolls - personality crisis

drive-by truckers - "brighter than creation's dark"

2008-01-17T06:00:00.000-05:00

drive-by truckers
"brighter than creation's dark"
label: new west
release date: 1/22/08

still the best southern rock band on the planet.

mp3 | drive-by truckers - the righteous path

terry reid - "seed of memory" (remastered)

2008-01-14T21:08:00.000-05:00

terry reid
"seed of memory" (remastered)
label: bgo
release date: 5/17/04

i wish more people were into this guy.

mp3 | terry reid - brave awakening

me first and the gimme gimmes - "willie" 7"

2008-01-04T19:48:00.000-05:00

me first and the gimme gimmes
"willie" 7"
label: fat wreck
release date: 12/11/07

previously unreleased willie nelson cover from their "love their country" sessions.

mp3 | me first and the gimme gimmes - city of new orleans

career suicide - "attempted suicide"

2008-01-02T08:45:00.000-05:00

career suicide
"attempted suicide"
label: deranged
release date: 1/16/07

canadians playing old school 80's style punk/hardcore.

mp3 | career suicide - play the part
mp3 | career suicide - recipe for disaster
mp3 | career suicide - out of the fray

ifwhen - "we will gently destroy you"

2007-12-29T14:36:00.000-05:00

ifwhen
"we will gently destroy you"
label: clairecords
release date: 11/6/07

like my bloody valentine meets stereolab.

mp3 | ifwhen - only faster

kimya dawson - "remember that i love you"

2007-12-26T21:17:00.000-05:00

kimya dawson
"remember that i love you"
label: k
release date: 5/23/06

i saw juno the other day and since then i've been listening to her a lot. twee but not pretentious folk.

mp3 | kimya dawson - tire swing
mp3 | kimya dawson - underground

black christmas 2007 mix

2007-12-19T08:27:00.000-05:00

i hope to have my top 25 albums of the year list up sometime soon. until then, enjoy this holiday themed mix. try not to drink too much eggnog this year.

mp3 | the band - christmas must be tonight
mp3 | the ramones - merry christmas (i don't wanna fight tonight)
mp3 | gregor samsa - silent night
mp3 | johnny cash - that christmasy feeling
mp3 | chatham county line - o! santa
mp3 | murder city devils - 364 days
mp3 | my morning jacket - santa claus is back in town
mp3 | descendents - christmas vacation
mp3 | mark kozelek - little drummer boy (live)
mp3 | sufjan stevens - hey guys! it's christmas time!
mp3 | the minus 5 - your christmas whiskey
mp3 | snowden - white christmas
mp3 | the pogues - fairytale of new york
mp3 | the chipmunks - the chipmunk song

dustheads - "collected sounds"

2007-12-18T21:39:00.000-05:00

dustheads
"collected sounds"
label: don giovanni
release date: 7/17/07

punk rock with old school influences like black flag and born against.

mp3 | dustheads - jailbird
mp3 | dustheads - the truth
mp3 | dustheads - altered states

the bell - "make some quiet"

2007-12-15T07:48:00.000-05:00

the bell
"make some quiet"
label: badman
release date: 2/12/08

for fans of echo and the bunnymen and the cure.

mp3 | the bell - i am history
mp3 | the bell - on and on

dead child - "self titled" ep

2007-12-12T17:02:00.000-05:00

dead child
"self titled" ep
label: cold sweat
release date: 2/6/07

david pajo of slint and a couple dudes from lords playing metal. really good metal.

mp3 | dead child - never bet the devil your head

the forms - "self titled"

2007-12-08T08:24:00.000-05:00

the forms
"self titled"
label: threespheres
release date: 10/23/07

angular indie rock with dreamy vocals.

mp3 | the forms - knowledge in hand
mp3 | the forms - bones

austin lucas - "putting the hammer down"

2007-12-06T11:54:00.001-05:00

austin lucas
"putting the hammer down"
label: magic bullet
release date: 1/8/08

honest country/folk played with a punk rock heart.

mp3 | austin lucas - man alive
mp3 | austin lucas - bruiser

black mountain - "in the future"

2007-12-05T19:27:00.000-05:00

black mountain
"in the future"
label: jagjaguwar
release date: 1/22/08

2008's album of the year. i'm calling it right now. best band on the planet. end of story. get over it.

mp3 | ~~black mountain - stormy high~~
mp3 | black mountain - tyrants

queens of the stone age - "make it wit chu" cd single

2007-11-24T10:50:00.000-05:00

one thing i love about queens of the stone age is the amount of b-sides they record when making an album. most of them are covers and they're normally fairly unique versions of songs that most people wouldn't associate with the band. on their latest cd single for "make it wit chu" they included a brian eno cover and this billy idol classic that i'm posting. check it out and be sure to pick up the band's latest album "era vulgaris".

mp3 | queens of the stone age - white wedding (billy idol)

young livers - "the new drop era"

2007-11-22T07:53:00.000-05:00

gainesville punk rockers young livers feature members of fiya and glass and ashes and deliver 8 intense tracks of rock with gruff vocals. no idea records released their debut album "the new drop era" back in october and it's fucking rad. if you're into bands like drive like jehu, hoover or sleepytime trio then you need to give these guys a listen.

mp3 | young livers - the small hours
mp3 | young livers - fair well
stream | young livers - "the new drop era" (full album)

chuck ragan - "work the bank" 7"

2007-11-21T20:21:00.000-05:00

chuck ragan (of the recently reformed hot water music) just keeps on cranking out the tunes. his latest release is a 7" released on hometown caravan entitled "work the bank" that is only available during his recent tour of europe. because i'm an awesome guy, i managed to get my hands on one and i'm offering up a track from it. the song is a cover of the traditional country tune made famous by the likes of woody guthrie and johnny cash.

mp3 | chuck ragan - wreck of the old 97

randall of nazareth - "self titled"

2007-11-20T07:45:00.000-05:00

randall of nazareth is the solo outlet of pearls and brass frontman randall huth. his self titled debut was released on october 23rd via drag city and it features 8 tracks of raga/indian influenced folk tunes. sounds kinda like the solo record josh homme would make after listening to a bunch of ravi shankar and john fahey. all i know is that it sounds really fucking good driving to work on a cold morning.

mp3 | randall of nazareth - climbing trees
mp3 | randall of nazareth - ballad of a sorry lonely breaking man

tides / giant - split 12"

2007-11-17T19:46:00.000-05:00

yea it's been a while, deal with it. recently i got my hands on a copy of this awesome split between tides and giant. both bands play epic post-metal and contribute 13 minutes a piece to this 12" which was released on october 9th by level plane. fans of pelican and red sparowes need to pick this up quick. later doodz.

mp3 | tides - the invisible

the everybodyfields - "nothing is okay"

2007-10-12T09:28:00.000-04:00

the everybodyfields are essentially a male/female duo from tennessee. they recently released their sophomore album "nothing is okay" on ramseur records. they play country/folk that reminds me of whiskeytown or no river city. the album is phenomenal and it's one of the best things i've heard all year. i'm definitely looking forward to hearing more from these guys in the future.

mp3 | the everybodyfields - aeroplane
mp3 | the everybodyfields - don't tern around
video | the everybodyfields - everything is okay (live)

josh small - "tall"

2007-10-10T11:10:00.001-04:00

fellow virginian josh small is a singer/songwriter who released his sophomore album "tall" this past june via suburban home records. you might recognize him if you've ever seen tim barry (ex-avail) live because josh plays in his touring band. his sound can best be described as a mixture of bluegrass and folk. highly recommended for fans of william elliott whitmore and ray lamontagne.

mp3 | josh small - indiana
mp3 | josh small - move your hips
stream | josh small - "tall" (full album)

robert pollard - "standard gargoyle decisions"

2007-10-09T12:20:00.000-04:00

today marks the release of 2 new albums from the prolific former guided by voices frontman robert pollard. the albums entitled "standard gargoyle decisions" and "coast to coast carpet of love" were both put out by merge records. personally i'm digging "gargoyle" more because it's a bit sloppier and punker than "coast". here's a couple tracks to check out along with a stream of the whole album.

mp3 | robert pollard - the killers
mp3 | robert pollard - pill gone girl
stream | robert pollard - "standard gargoyle decisions" (full album)

jesu - "lifeline" ep

2007-10-06T07:30:00.000-04:00

apparently justin broadrick just can't stop writing new tunes. next tuesday jesu will be releasing their new 4 song ep entitled "lifeline" via hydrahead records. it marks the 5th release this year from the band as they continue to explore their electro-metallic shoegaze sound. anyways, this track features guest female vocals from jarboe (formerly of swans). oh and is anyone else a big fan of their album art? i think they all represent the band's sound very well.

mp3 | jesu - storm comin' on

burning brides - "hang love"

2007-10-04T18:11:00.000-04:00

back in june burning brides released their third album "hang love" on modart records. lead by frontman demitri coats, the band continues their stoner-rock sound with an album that blows their last effort out of the water. seriously, if you're into bands like nirvana and queens of the stone age then you need to check these guys out right now.

mp3 | burning brides - ring around the rosary

descendents - "milo goes to college"

2007-10-02T10:10:00.000-04:00

i guess i'm still on that old punk kick so you guys are just going to have to deal with it. i'm sure i'm not alone when i say that "milo goes to college" (sst, 1982) is probably the best descendents album. not that i don't enjoy their more recent output but nothing will ever sum up teen angst better than this masterpiece. it's perfect pop-punk with lyrics that are both smart and funny. easily one of my top 5 favorite punk rock records.

mp3 | descendents - i'm not a loser
mp3 | descendents - suburban home

chamberlain - "the moon my saddle"

2007-09-30T08:43:00.000-04:00

i mentioned chamberlain in my last post and realized that alot of people might not know too much about this highly underrated band. previously a hardcore punk band known as split lip, the band traded their sound for a more rock/country vibe in '96 and along with that came the name change. try to imagine counting crows meets jawbreaker. their '98 album "the moon my saddle" (doghouse records) is my personal favorite by them and here's a couple tracks from off it.

mp3 | chamberlain - try for thunder
mp3 | chamberlain - manhattan's iron horses (last train out)

500 miles to memphis - "sunshine in a shot glass"

2007-09-28T05:55:00.000-04:00

500 miles to memphis is a country/punk band from ohio. back in june they released their debut album "sunshine in a shot glass" on deep elm records. lap steels, banjos and fiddles all help give this little punk band a unique sound that can only be compared to lucero or maybe chamberlain. definitely good music for hanging in a bar or taking long drives.

mp3 | 500 miles to memphis - broken, busted, bloody
mp3 | 500 miles to memphis - all my friends are crazy

thurston moore - "trees outside the academy"

2007-09-27T09:11:00.000-04:00

i really doubt thurston moore really needs any sort of introduction considering how consistent his band sonic youth has been for over 25 years so i'll go ahead and skip all that. however you may not know that thurston released a new solo album "trees outside the academy" a couple weeks ago on his own label ecstatic peace. this is his first solo work since 1995 and it's basically a stripped down version of sonic youth with more traditional song structures. highly recommended.

mp3 | thurston moore - frozen gtr
mp3 | thurston moore - fri/end

old school punk/hardcore mix

2007-09-25T13:08:00.000-04:00

i stumbled upon a bunch of old punk records that i hadn't heard in a long time and for the past couple days i haven't been able to stop listening to them. because of this, i decided to throw together a mix to give you guys a taste of what punk used to sound like back before it was ruined by all the so-called 'punk' bands that you see on mtv these days. oh well, i'm not going to go off on a rant or anything so just enjoy this mix and get in the fucking van.

mp3 | black flag - nervous breakdown
mp3 | the ramones - now i wanna sniff some glue
mp3 | d.i. - hang ten in east berlin
mp3 | minor threat - i don't wanna hear it
mp3 | 7 seconds - new wind
mp3 | dead kennedys - stealing people's mail
mp3 | husker du - broken home, broken heart
mp3 | circle jerks - behind the door
mp3 | the misfits - some kinda hate
mp3 | x - los angeles
mp3 | dead boys - sonic reducer
mp3 | descendents - suburban home
mp3 | bad brains - i against i
mp3 | gorilla biscuits - start today
mp3 | embrace - dance of days

carolyn mark - "nothing is free"

2007-09-24T11:29:00.000-04:00

i'm ashamed to admit that until recently i knew nothing of carolyn mark especially since she's half of the corn sisters. well luckily i was introduced to her via her new album "nothing is free" which came out last week on mint records. if you're into her fellow corn sister neko case's work or even classic female country acts like loretta lynn then you're gonna want to give these tracks a spin.

mp3 | carolyn mark - happy 2b flying away
mp3 | carolyn mark - the 1 that got away (with it)

jose gonzalez - "in our nature"

2007-09-22T07:45:00.000-04:00

next tuesday mute records will be releasing jose gonzalez's sophomore album "in our nature". the 29 year old swedish native gives us 10 new tracks of haunting folk with hushed vocals and bossanova rhythm. if you liked his previous album then i'm fairly confident you'll like this one just the same. recommended for people who enjoy everything from john fahey to mark kozelek.

mp3 | jose gonzalez - how low
video | jose gonzalez - killing for love
video | jose gonzalez - down the line

david dondero - "simple love"

2007-09-21T10:11:00.000-04:00

last month, david dondero's latest album "simple love" was released via team love records. with his wobbly vocals and unique alt-country/rock sound, he delivers another stellar album that's good from start to finish. though he's often compared to bright eyes, i can assure you that conor oberst is the one doing the aping. here's a couple of tracks to enjoy from the album.

mp3 | david dondero - when the heart breaks deep
mp3 | david dondero - rothko chapel

iron and wine - "the shepherd's dog"

2007-09-19T09:09:00.000-04:00

just got my hands on an advance copy of iron and wine's latest release "the shepherd's dog" and figured i'd write something about it. it's due to come out next tuesday and it features a slightly different sound from sam beam and company. the songs use way more instrumentation than usual and are quite rhythmic and percussion heavy. so far i'm enjoying it and i'm looking forward to letting this expanded sound grow on me. oh and if you pre-order the album from sub pop you'll get a bonus cd with 2 exclusive b-sides on it.

mp3 | iron and wine - white tooth man
mp3 | iron and wine - boy with a coin

film school - "hideout"

2007-09-17T14:39:00.000-04:00

last tuesday marked the release of film school's sophomore album entitled "hideout" (beggars banquet). if you're unfamiliar with the band, they play an awesome blend of shoegaze and space-rock and their songs have a really great dark atmosphere to them. also a quick little sidenote, colm o'ciosoig (of my bloody valentine) plays drums on the last song on the album. please give these guys a listen and support them.

mp3 | film school - dear me
mp3 | film school - lectric

baroness - "the red album"

2007-09-15T09:26:00.000-04:00

baroness is a 4 piece metal band hailing from savannah, ga. their debut full length "the red album" was released earlier this month via relapse records. the 11 tracks found on the album are heavy, melodic and epic. fans of bands like torche and mastodon are going to want to give these guys a listen for sure.

mp3 | baroness - wanderlust
mp3 | baroness - the birthing

m83 - "digital shades vol. 1"

2007-09-14T15:24:00.000-04:00

two years since his last release, m83 (anthony gonzalez) returns with a new record entitled "digital shades vol. 1". released earlier this month by mute, the album is a collection of ambient pieces that are a slight departure from his normal guitar/synth driven shoegazer sound. in other words, more brian eno and less my bloody valentine. have a listen for yourself.

mp3 | m83 - coloring the void

johnathan rice - "further north"

2007-09-12T08:23:00.000-04:00

to be honest i didn't know anything about johnathan rice until recently when i heard he was dating jenny lewis. when i heard his new album "further north" (reprise) was being released this week i decided to give him a listen. he plays country-tinged rock tunes and has a laid back vocal delivery that kinda reminds me of pete yorn or tom petty. anyways check this guy out.

mp3 | johnathan rice - further north
video | johnathan rice - we're all stuck out in the desert

papercuts - "can't go back"

2007-09-11T09:42:00.000-04:00

i know this album is old news but i feel like talking about it anyways. papercuts is essentially just jason quever and he's quietly carving his notch in the freak-folk scene. his sophomore album "can't go back" was released back in february via gnomonsong. the songs are all over the map sounding like everything from bob dylan to the beach boys to elliott smith. to be honest, the whole thing sounds like it could be a wes anderson soundtrack. highly recommended.

mp3 | papercuts - take the 227th exit
mp3 | papercuts - john brown

oakley hall - "i'll follow you"

2007-09-09T09:19:00.000-04:00

oakley hall is a indie/country six piece hailing from brooklyn, ny. on september 11th they will be releasing their 4th full length and first for merge records. it's called "i'll follow you" and has 12 tracks that feature dual male/female vocals and a sound that falls somewhere between neil young and tom petty. this is the first output i've heard from the band and i look forward to exploring their back catalog.

mp3 | oakley hall - i'll follow you
mp3 | oakley hall - no dreams
stream | oakley hall - "i'll follow you" (full album)

labor day 2007 mix

2007-09-03T07:13:00.000-04:00

i'll be on vacation in the outer banks until the 8th so that means i'll be way too busy sitting on the beach or on a porch throwing back some cold ones to worry about updating this thing. lucky for you, i'm an awesome guy and decided to put together this little mix of tracks i've been listening to lately. enjoy.

mp3 | david vandervelde - nothin' no
mp3 | minus the bear - throwin' shapes
mp3 | shearwater - red sea, black sea
mp3 | david dondero - rothko chapel
mp3 | maserati - the world outside
mp3 | caribou - melody day
mp3 | art in manila - the abomination
mp3 | j. tillman - evans and falls
mp3 | fourth of july - she's in love
mp3 | the besnard lakes - and you lied to me
mp3 | the brunettes - small town crew
mp3 | brian glaze - rainsplitter
mp3 | birds and batteries - ocarina
mp3 | ryan ferguson - kill my confidence
mp3 | okkervil river - our life is not a movie or maybe

the ergs - "upstairs/downstairs"

2007-09-01T09:36:00.000-04:00

the ergs are a 90's style pop-punk band from new jersey. back in may they released their second full length "upstairs/downstairs" via dirtnap records. their songs are catchy and fun and they don't really seem to take themselves too seriously. which is exactly how pop-punk should be. if you're into bands like descendents or the ramones then listen up.

mp3 | the ergs - the clocks, the clocks
mp3 | the ergs - 2nd foundation
mp3 | the ergs - trouble in river city

a place to bury strangers - "self titled"

2007-08-31T05:58:00.000-04:00

alright so i'd been sitting on this post for a while and i guess pitchfork stole my thunder this morning. oh well. a place to bury strangers feature former members of skywave and create some crazy drugged out shoegazer/darkwave tunes. just imagine joy division meets the jesus and mary chain and you'll have a pretty good idea. their self titled debut was released a couple weeks ago on killer pimp records. it's limited to 500 copies so if you want one you better order it soon.

mp3 | a place to bury strangers - to fix the gash in your head
mp3 | a place to bury strangers - i know i'll see you
mp3 | a place to bury strangers - my weakness

the felice brothers - "tonight at the arizona"

2007-08-30T07:30:00.000-04:00

the felice brothers are a folk/blues/country band based out of new york and consist of...you guessed it, three brothers. back in may the band released their first proper full length "tonight at the arizona" as a vinyl only release on loose. in june they finally made the album available via cd and digital download. these guys have a very traditional sound and have been compared to the likes of bob dylan, woody guthrie and the band. highly recommended.

mp3 | the felice brothers - your belly in my arms
mp3 | the felice brothers - ballad of lou the welterweight

coliseum - "no salvation"

2007-08-29T08:13:00.000-04:00

fast and heavy. that seems the be the only way coliseum knows how to play. last tuesday marked the release of their new album "no salvation" on relapse records. if you're unfamiliar with these guys well i guess it's best to tell you that the band is lead by ryan patterson who used to play in the national acrobat and is currently also in black cross. anyways if you like no frills hardcore/punk with a bit of metal then you need to give these guys a spin.

mp3 | coliseum - defeater
mp3 | coliseum - the fate of men

empty orchestra - "here lies...empty orchestra"

2007-08-27T18:06:00.000-04:00

empty orchestra (english translation of the japanese word 'karaoke') is an alt-country band from flint, michigan. recently they released their first full length entitled "here lies...empty orchestra" on thinker thought records. if you're into wilco or son volt then make sure you give these guys a listen. i promise you won't be let down.

mp3 | empty orchestra - always already
stream | empty orchestra - "here lies...empty orchestra" (full album)

the pains of being pure at heart - "self titled" ep

2007-08-26T06:51:00.000-04:00

new york's dream-pop/shoegaze outfit the pains of being pure at heart deliver an impressive self titled debut ep. released on their own painbow records, it's 5 songs of fuzzy pop music that won't disappoint fans of the radio dept or my bloody valentine. here's a couple tracks to enjoy.

mp3 | the pains of being pure at heart - doing all the things that wouldn't make your parents proud
mp3 | the pains of being pure at heart - the pains of being pure at heart

jeff buckley - "so real: songs from jeff buckley"

2007-08-25T13:23:00.000-04:00

i've had a copy of jeff buckley's "so real: songs from jeff buckley" (sony) sitting around in shrinkwrap since it came out back in may. i guess i never got around to listening to it because i thought i already had all these songs on their original albums. but then i read somewhere that 2 exclusive tracks are on the disc and one of them is a cover of the smiths so i had to open it up and give it a spin. anyways, it's a pretty decent collection of his unfortunately short career and serves as a good introduction to one of the best singer/songwriters ever.

mp3 | jeff buckley - i know it's over (the smiths)

alcest - "souvenirs d'un autre monde"

2007-08-23T08:31:00.000-04:00

both shoegazers and metalheads should pay close attention to this one. alcest is really just a french multi-instrumentalist named neige that makes really epic beautiful music. his debut album "souvenirs d'un autre monde" was released here in the states this month via profound lore records. if you like jesu or nadja then you're going to want to check this guy out.

mp3 | alcest - les iris
mp3 | alcest - souvenirs d'un autre monde

black moth super rainbow - "dandelion gum"

2007-08-22T07:57:00.000-04:00

i think more people have recommended black moth super rainbow's new release "dandelion gum" to me than any other album this year. it was released back in may via graveface and to be honest i had only heard of the band but never got around to listening to them. well, needless to say i've been missing out. their style can best be categorized as electro-psychedelic i guess but whatever you want to call it, it's fucking good.

mp3 | black moth super rainbow - forever heavy
mp3 | black moth super rainbow - sun lips
stream | black moth super rainbow - "dandelion gum" (full album)

no river city - "wolves and fishes"

2007-08-21T07:18:00.000-04:00

back in april of this year no river city, a georgia based 5 piece alt-county outfit, self released their sophomore album "wolves and fishes". it's unfortunate that a band this good can't find a label to call their home. if you're a fan of whiskeytown or the byrds then you're going to want to check these guys out. oh and if you like what you hear then you can purchase the album from the band at shows or online here.

mp3 | no river city - two sad horses
mp3 | no river city - jacy farrow

aa bondy - "american hearts"

2007-08-19T22:06:00.000-04:00

wow, i just can't stop listening to this album. "american hearts" is the debut solo release from aa bondy, former frontman of verbena. it's a good mix of folk, blues and country with hushed vocals and an extremely honest approach. the album is being released by superphonic records on september 4th but if you want it now then you can order it and they'll ship it out early. highly recommended if you like iron and wine or m ward.

mp3 | aa bondy - there's a reason
mp3 | aa bondy - vice rag
stream | aa bondy - "american hearts" (full album)

the new pornographers - "challengers"

2007-08-18T10:07:00.000-04:00

canada's indie rock super group the new pornographers are set to release their new album "challengers" next tuesday. if you didn't already know, the band is fronted by ac newman but neko case and dan bejar also play and sing lead on a couple tracks. along with the regular single disc version of the album matador is also offering an 'executive edition' of the album which will feature 3 bonus discs. one will have b-sides and demos, the second will be a live recording and the third will have videos and photos. the album is very solid and should please anyone looking for some poppy indie rock.

mp3 | the new pornographers - my right versus yours
mp3 | the new pornographers - myriad harbour

pinback - "autumn of the seraphs"

2007-08-16T19:28:00.000-04:00

pinback returns with their new album "autumn of the seraphs" due to be released on september 11th by touch and go. considering how busy their frontman rob crow (the ladies, goblin cock, solo work) has been, i didn't know when we could expect new material from this mathy indie rock band. the album pretty much picks up where they left off so if you're familiar with these guys then you already know what you're in for.

mp3 | ~~pinback - good to sea~~
mp3 | pinback - from nothing to nowhere

ghastly city sleep - "self titled" ep

2007-08-15T08:49:00.000-04:00

ghastly city sleep is a brooklyn based post-rock band that contains members of gregor samsa and city of caterpillar. their debut self titled ep was released this month by robotic empire and though it may only consist of 4 songs, it runs around the 30 minute mark. each song builds slowly like an approaching tidal wave and crashes down once it reaches it's peak. have a listen for yourself.

mp3 | ghastly city sleep - ice creaks

jesu / eluvium - split 12"

2007-08-14T09:35:00.000-04:00

a mammoth pairing if ever there was one, temporary residence and hydrahead have teamed up jesu and eluvium to deliver possibly the best collaboration you'll hear all year. this split, which is vinyl only, has jesu delivering 3 wonderful tracks of neo-shoegaze and eluvium contributing a single track of epic ambient bliss. even though it's not officially released until later this month, if you're looking to pick this up then i suggest pre-ordering it from hydrahead because temporary residence is already sold out of their copies. here's one of the jesu tracks.

mp3 | jesu - farewell

the weakerthans - "reunion tour"

2007-08-13T09:03:00.000-04:00

it's been over 4 years since canada's the weakerthans graced us with their indie/rock/country sound. on september 25th the band will be releasing their latest opus entitled "reunion tour" via epitaph records. why this band isn't huge is beyond me. each song is like a short story filled with intelligent lyrics and catchy melodies.

mp3 | the weakerthans - tournament of hearts
mp3 | the weakerthans - night windows

lightning dust - "self titled"

2007-08-12T07:04:00.000-04:00

lightning dust consists of amber webber and joshua wells, both of whom are members of black mountain. lately i've been spinning their self titled debut which was released this past june by jagjaguwar. it's a syrupy blend of soul and folk that begs to be listened to while on a front porch late one warm summer night.

mp3 | lightning dust - when you go
mp3 | lightning dust - listened on
video | lightning dust - highway

cloak/dagger - "we are"

2007-08-11T14:17:00.000-04:00

yea that's right, i'm back and to start this revival i'm gonna give you some tunes from richmond, va's cloak/dagger. their debut album "we are" is coming out september 11th on jade tree and it's fucking awesome. they play raw and ferocious punk rock kinda like drive like jehu meets black flag. if you're looking for a more modern reference point then i guess hot snakes or the bronx. anyways, enjoy these tracks and add me back to your blogrolls.

mp3 | cloak/dagger - bended knee
mp3 | cloak/dagger - runways
stream | cloak/dagger - "we are" (full album)

damien jurado - denton, tx

2006-10-01T08:43:00.000-04:00

often considered the backwoods version of nick drake, i really don't understand why damien jurado isn't huge by now. on october 10th, secretly canadian will be releasing his 7th album "and now that i'm in your shadow" and it's destined to be another underrated folk/country masterpiece. also soon to be released is made in mexico's reissue of his 1998 ep "gathered in song". the reissue will feature the original 5 tracks along with 5 demos taken from his "rehearsals for departure" (sub pop, 1999) sessions. here's my favorite track off the new album.

mp3 | ~~damien jurado - denton, tx~~
bonus:
mp3 | damien jurado - what were the chances
mp3 | damien jurado - pink moon (nick drake cover)

paul westerberg - love you in the fall

2006-09-30T10:03:00.000-04:00

the way i see it, new paul westerberg songs are better than no paul westerberg songs. even if that means they come in the form of the soundtrack for the new animated kid's movie open season. the soundtrack was released this past tuesday via lost highway and it features 8 new westerberg songs along with tracks from pete yorn, deathray and talking heads. if you pick up the limited 10" vinyl version you'll get just the westerberg songs along with 2 bonus tracks.

mp3 | ~~paul westerberg - love you in the fall~~

catfish haven - all i need is you

2006-09-29T06:17:00.000-04:00

earlier this month, swamp-rockers catfish haven released their debut full length entitled "tell me" on secretly canadian records. this chicago trio plays memphis soul influenced rock that is sure to get your toes tapping and singing along in no time. imagine otis redding fronting ccr and you'll have a pretty good idea of what these guys sound like.

mp3 | ~~catfish haven - all i need is you~~
bonus:
mp3 | catfish haven - crazy for leaving

chin up chin up - water planes in snow

2006-09-27T07:07:00.000-04:00

on october 10th, chicago based indie rockers chin up chin up will be releasing their sophomore album "this harness can't ride anything". suicide squeeze will be putting out the cd version of the album and flameshovel will be handling the vinyl version. fans of indie staples such as pavement and modest mouse are going to want to give these guys a listen.

mp3 | ~~chin up chin up - water planes in snow~~
bonus:
mp3 | chin up chin up - this harness can't ride anything

j. tillman - with wolves

2006-09-18T10:52:00.000-04:00

somehow j. tillman managed to put out another album this year under my nose. it's called "minor works" and was released last tuesday by fargo records. this time around he gives his folk/country tunes a fuller sound by recording in a studio with a backing band instead of in his bedroom with a 4-track. also be on the look out for reissues of his first two albums via keep recordings in the near future. highly recommended for fans of ryan adams and rocky votolato.

mp3 | ~~j. tillman - with wolves~~

red sparowes - like the howling glory of the darkest winds...

2006-09-17T06:52:00.000-04:00

next week, red sparowes return with their sophomore effort "every red heart shines toward the red sun". the record is being put out by neurot and is probably the most anticipated post-rock album of the year. the band features members of isis and neurosis but i'd recommended this to people who are more likely to listen to explosions in the sky or godspeed you black emperor. here's a track off the album.

mp3 | red sparowes - like the howling glory of the darkest winds...

mastodon - crystal skull

2006-09-16T08:48:00.000-04:00

this past tuesday marked the release of mastodon's third full length entitled "blood mountain". it's the band's first release since jumping to a major label and signing with warner brothers. no need to worry though, the band still continues to harness their thrashy prog-metal sound. featured on the album are guest appearances from the likes of josh homme (of queens of the stone age), scott kelly (of neurosis) and cedric bixler-zavala (of the mars volta). highly recommended.

mp3 | ~~mastodon - crystal skull~~

the brother kite - get on, me

2006-09-03T08:26:00.000-04:00

the brother kite are a 5 piece indie band from rhode island. their sophomore album "waiting for the time to be right" will be released on september 12th via clairecords. just imagine my bloody valentine meets the beach boys and you'll get an idea of their shoegaze influenced pop sound. have a listen for yourself.

mp3 | the brother kite - get on, me
bonus:
mp3 | the brother kite - waiting for the time to be right
mp3 | the brother kite - i'm not the only one

windmills by the ocean - untitled #1

2006-09-02T08:37:00.000-04:00

windmills by the ocean is a project consisting of members from isis, red sparowes and 27. originally recorded back in 2003, their 5 song self titled album was finally released on august 8th thanks to the folks at robotic empire. they're sound is equal parts post-rock and doom-metal. highly recommended for fans of sleep and earth.

mp3 | ~~windmills by the ocean - untitled #1~~

wolverine brass - snow boots

2006-08-28T09:07:00.000-04:00

wolverine brass is a four piece rock band based out of louisville that features former members of bands such as elliott, lords and the national acrobat. their debut album "wicked witch" was released last week by auxiliary records. these guys play early 90's influenced indie rock similar to that of sonic youth and unwound. check out the album's opening track.

mp3 | wolverine brass - snow boots
bonus:
mp3 | wolverine brass - percolator

eluvium - as i drift off

2006-08-27T09:26:00.000-04:00

eluvium (aka matthew cooper) returns with a new ep entitled "when i live by the garden and the sea". it was released on tuesday via temporary residence. the 4 tracks on the ep combine the elements of all his past releases (ambient drones, fuzzy washes of guitar, sparse piano, etc.). check out this track which features a snippet of dialog by tom hanks taken from the burbs.

mp3 | ~~eluvium - as i drift off~~

isis and aereogramme - delial

2006-08-26T17:41:00.000-04:00

if you don't know anything about konkurrent's "in the fishtank" series here's a brief explaination: bands are given 2 days in the studio and the freedom to record whatever they like musically. the 14th installment of the series will be released sometime late in september. prog-metal meets epic rock this time around as they've chosen the unusual pairing of isis and aereogramme. the ep contains 3 tracks that clock in around 25 minutes and it sounds pretty much how you'd expect a collaboration between these bands to sound. some parts heavy, some parts ambient, all parts good.

mp3 | ~~isis and aereogramme - delial~~

angelo badalamenti - twin peaks theme

2006-08-24T20:10:00.000-04:00

i'm obsessed with all things david lynch but lately it's been his tv show twin peaks which unfortunately aired when i was too young to be interested. i've only seen season one along with the prequel movie fire walk with me since they are all that's available on dvd. however, rumor has it that the complete series will be released sometime before the end of the year. one of my favorite things about the show is the music that angelo badalamenti provides for the soundtrack. check out the main theme..it's dark and dreamy.

mp3 | ~~angelo badalamenti - twin peaks theme~~