“Here’s to all you crazy dreamers, dream your crazy dreams, don’t let them slip away, there’s more to life than living day to day.”
Another great video from Scott Cudmore, this time from the man they call Phosphorescent and an informal SXSW performance of “Heaven Sitting Down”. Despite the plane circling overhead, another beauty.
Visit Camera Music HERE. Visit Phosphorescent HERE. Pick up the most recent Matthew Houck (aka Phosphorescent) album “To Willie” HERE.
~Smansmith
One of the most anticipated releases for this year is the new Bowerbirds album “Upper Air”. The album is being released this July 6th (UK first!) and July 7th (US, and I presume Canada) from the Dead Oceans label.
The album is another winner (yes we all know the album is making turns here and there lately), but this is an album that warrants a “collection” perspective. The band is clearly great, every album they have released from “Danger At Sea (EP)”, to “Hymns for a Dark Horse” to the upcoming “Upper Air” have been stellar - a feat for any band to consistently release well above average albums. I personally think their “Hymns…” album is one of the best of the decade and this album is catching up quickly. The lead off promo single “Northern Lights” is phenomenal sing along track, with the newest track released from the album “Beneath Your Tree” being a combination performance of Phil Moore and Beth Tacular’s lead vocals which builds on the traditional Bowerbirds sound with accordion and that foot stomping beat (a la Matt Damron recently) that you recognize immediately. The rest of the album follows suit with additional stand outs including a great selection of their organic slower acoustic tracks like “Bright Future” and “Silver Cloud” and “Teeth”. Well there is still the eclectic “Crooked Lust” with a bit of finger picking guitar…and then….well, you get my point.
Highly recommended and a must have in any collection.
Listen/download:
“Beneath Your Tree”
“Northern Lights”
Bonus: “In Our Talons” from both “Danger At Sea” and “Hymns for a Dark Horse”
Pre-order Bowerbirds Upper Air HERE.
Visit the Bowerbirds on the Bowerbirds Myspace and Bowerbirds Website
~Smansmith
Very nice find while perusing the “now only legit for music” site, MySpace. She is a former East Coaster now living in the sun of Los Angeles. New album is finished and should be out soon, but I am unsure how to purchase unless a link shows up on one of her online pages… I guess I will have to keep an eye on her MySpace Page or follow her twitter for updates (@jennyomusic). I did find her on iLike and listened a bit more (click here), but alas no tracks for purchase.
I will update as info comes available folks - anyone has info, post in the comments!
~Smansmith
these songs… are the solo home recordings of Nate Lacy. meanwhile, mimicking birds has acquired the additional live existence of Tim Skellenger on supplementary/lead guitar and Aaron Hanson on drums… Mimicking birds’ first official record will be available via glacial pace recordings hopefully by summer 2009… -MySpace profile
Just a quick note to check out some of the best “unknown to me” Portland talent - the West Coast just is deep with musicians, I can’t keep up. If you enjoy a slew of free downloads, down-tempo acoustic recordings intertwined with a few quirky indie tracks - you have a new band to check out. These lo-fi recordings of Lacy came recommended by a friend over on Last.fm and once hitting up their Virb Profile I found myself having MB on the top of my weekly Last.fm charts…for the second week! Take a listen to a few tracks that just might make it to the new album (expected this summer from Glacial Pace Records - so you know they are in good company). Also check out their MySpace Page for some upcoming tour stops with Jenny Lewis and even an upcoming gig at Austin City Limits this fall! Definitely a band I will be keeping my eye on.
“The Chimney Sweep”
“The Loop” (highly recommended)
“Them”
“Whom Who’ve Been”
Enjoy the Saturday!
~Smansmith
A great discovery that warmed me up during these cold winter months is The Brook Lee Catastrophe. The Weight of Waiting is the second collective effort from this Californian band : a collection of 11 powerful songs : simple and so efficient in both musical and lyrical expression …
Continue reading ‘The Brook Lee Catastrophe - The Weight of Waiting’
The nine bands whose work is represented here span a wide Prairie landscape of music. The Deep Dark Woods mix traditional folk music with rock and roll, alt-country and psychedelia. Psychedelia is also an element of holzkopf’s work, mashed up with jungle, hip-hop, and eardrum-bursting feedback. Dumb Angel (Shaun Mason) centres spectral compositions around ethereal vocals and melodic, droning guitar. Pearson play intimate folk-core inspired by Grant Fuhr, Soren Kierkegaard and one-speed bikes; when their lovely lady strikes out on her own, she’s called A Gentle Forest. The practically orchestra-sized Carbon Dating Service make a joyful noise with voices, hearts and horns. These Hands (Michael Hanson) is deceptively understated and idiosyncratically catchy, in the vein of Lennon, Bowie and Drake. The Junior Pantherz have been a guitar-powered, cymbal-kicking, indie-rock machine since 1999. And the Western Canadian Music Award-winning The Blood Lines’ pop-rock is equal to any from Montreal or Toronto.
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