First off, don't miss what Travis has in store. Ode to J. Smith should not only find your player this week, but we want your feedback since we expect big things. Also from the U.K. is Oasis. I've never been on top of all of their stuff, and the badmouthing I hear via comparisons and the integrity of the band really hasn't helped them catch a clean groove with me. Anything Oasis mandates a gander though.
Next, our indie rockers balancing on the edge of pop and experiental, Pretty & Nice, caught our ears with Pink and Blue's "Fortress" a bit ago and now with their album Get Young the time is ripe for their updated sound to tackle some fascinated future fans. Back once again and hardly skipping a beat is none other than Jay Reatard. Their fun-filled corralling of instruments holds a piece unique and worth checking out.
From Maximo Park's guitarist Duncan Lloyd, is his solo effort Seeing Double, which will no doubt carry a tremendous melody tiered with some almost simply done string strokes (they're not ). Joining Lloyd on the solo release stage, although on a much more mellow momentum are Damon Aaron and Jolie Holland to name a few. If a quicker electronic is your forte, catch Armin van Buuren's (ASOT2008) or Morgan Geist's (Double Night Time) newest.
Other artists of extreme interest include: the well-traveled Deerhoof, a MUF pick of the week Annuals, Eulogies and their newest EP and The Rosebuds. Enjoy this week to the fullest!
MP3: The Little Ones - Morning Tide (buy)
MP3: Eulogies - Two Can Play (buy)
MP3: Pretty & Nice - Fortress (buy)
MP3: Ezra Furman and the Harpoons - We Should Fight (buy)
MP3: Hauschka - Red Pencil (buy)
(Side Note: Don't you think it is tough to find info on groups with everyday names, such as Car Commercials, Women, Instruments?)
Agathe Max - This Silver String (Official) (MySpace)
Annuals - Such Fun (Official) (MySpace)
Antony & The Johnsons - Another World (Official) (MySpace)
Armin van Buuren - State of Trance 2008 (Official) (MySpace)
Attack! Attack! - Attack! Attack! (Official) (MySpace)
Bella Morte - Beautiful Death (Official) (MySpace)
Cage - Best and Worst of Cage (Official) (MySpace)
Car Commercials - Eric's Diary (Official)
Castanets - City of Refuge (Official) (MySpace)
Catfish - Haven Devastator (Official) (MySpace)
Charlie Pickett - Bar Band Americanus: The Best of Charlie Pickett And (Official) (MySpace)
Crooked Fingers - Forfeit/Fortune (Official) (MySpace)
Crystal Antlers - EP (MySpace)
Curumin - JapanPopShop (MySpace)
Cyne - Pretty Dark Things (Official) (MySpace)
Damon Aaron - Highlands (Official) (MySpace)
Daniel Martin Moore - Stray Age (Official) (MySpace)
Deerhoof - Offend Maggie (Official) (MySpace)
Department of Eagles - In Ear Park (Official) (MySpace)
Duncan Lloyd - Seeing Double (Official)
Earthless - Live at Roadburn (Official) (MySpace)
Elliott Yamin - My Kind of Holiday (MySpace)
Eulogies - Tempted To Do Nothing EP (Official) (MySpace)
Ezra Furman and the Harpoons - Inside The Human Body (Official) (MySpace)
Fucked Up - The Chemistry of Common Life (Official)
Grails - Doomsdayer's Holiday (Official) (MySpace)
Gregory & The Hawk - Moenie and Kitchi (Official) (MySpace)
Hauschka - Ferndorf (Official) (MySpace)
Her Space Holiday - XOXO, Panda and The New Kid Revival (Official) (MySpace)
Hot Lava - Lavalogy (Official) (MySpace)
I Am Ghost - Those We Leave Behind (Official) (MySpace)
I Set My Friends on Fire - Those We Leave Behind (Official) (MySpace)
Jake One - White Van Music (MySpace)
Japanese Motors - Japanese Motors (Official)
Jay Reatard - Matador Singles '08 (Official) (MySpace)
Jolie Holland - The Living and the Dead (Official) (MySpace)
Juana Molina - Un Dia (Official) (MySpace)
Lambchop - OH (ohio) (Official) (MySpace)
Land of Talk - Some Are Lakes (Official) (MySpace)
Laurent Wolf - Wash My World (Official) (MySpace)
Lou Reed - Berlin (Original Soundtrack) (Official) (MySpace)
Margot and the Nuclear So & Sos - Not Animal! (Official) (MySpace)
Marnie Stern - This Is It and I Am It and You Are... (MySpace)
Matt Hires - Live From The Hotel Café EP (MySpace)
Mental Overdrive - You Are Being Manipulated (Official) (MySpace)
Michelle Williams - Unexpected (Official) (MySpace)
Morgan Geist - Double Night Time (Official) (MySpace)
Mount Eerie - Lost Wisdom (Official) (MySpace)
New Radiant Storm King - Drinking in the Moonlight (Official) (MySpace)
The Notwist - Boneless 7" (Official) (MySpace)
Oasis - Dig Out Your Soul (Official) (MySpace)
Pretty & Nice - Get Young (Official) (MySpace)
Primeridian - Da Mornin Afta (Official) (MySpace)
Rachael Yamagata - Elephants...Teeth Sinking Into Heart (Official) (MySpace)
Rig 1 - Above the Tree Line West of the Periodic (Official) (MySpace)
Rise Against - Appeal to Reason (Official) (MySpace)
Riverdales - Phase Three (Official) (MySpace)
Robin Guthrie - 3:19 Bande Originale du Film (Official) (MySpace)
The Rosebuds - Life Like (Official) (MySpace)
Sailor - Sailor and Trouble (Official) (MySpace)
Sebastien Tellier - Sexuality (Official) (MySpace)
Skeletons - Money (Official) (MySpace)
Slaraffenland - Sunshine EP (Official) (MySpace)
Spinto Band - Moonwink (Official) (MySpace)
Sun Ra and His Solar Myth Arkestra - Secrets of the Sun (Official) (MySpace)
Team Genius - Team Genius (Official) (MySpace)
Tesla - Forever More (Official) (MySpace)
The Acorn - Tin Fist (Official) (MySpace)
The Datsuns - Head Stunts (Official) (MySpace)
The Fall - Imperial Wax Solvent (Official) (MySpace)
The Little Ones - Morning Tide (Official) (MySpace)
The Pretenders - Break Up the Concrete (Official) (MySpace)
The Status - So This Is Progress (MySpace)
The Streets - Everything Is Borrowed (Official) (MySpace)
These Arms Are Snakes - Tail Swallower and Dove (Official) (MySpace)
Travis - Ode to J. Smith (Official) (MySpace)
Women - Women (Official) (MySpace)
Yo! Majesty - Fururistically Speaking…Never Be Afraid (Official) (MySpace)
Annuals are gearing up for their second album Such Fun, which will be here in one month (Oct. 7th). Their latest single (released Aug 18th) "Confessor" is as heartfelt as it comes. Annuals impressed the blogsphere one year ago with Be He Me, and is set to do it again, breaking the rigid indie mold laid before them. "Confessor" has just as much feeling and color than their previous work and should be an impressive arrival come next month.
They will begin their tour on September 1st and will be at the TLA On 10/23/08 in Philly. For more information on what Annuals have been up to, visit their Official Page or their MySpace page.
MP3: Annuals - Confessor (buy)
1. Confessor
2. Hot Night Hounds
3. Springtime
4. Down The Mountain
5. Always Do
6. Talking
7. Hardwood Floor
8. Hair Don't Grow
9. The Tape
10. Blue Ridge
11. Wake
Here are their upcoming tour dates:
9/1 -- Seattle, WA -- Bumbershoot (No Annuals)
10/8 -- Spokane, WA -- Service Station#
10/9 -- Missoula, MT -- The Other Side#
10/11 -- Englewood, CO -- Gothic Theatre#
10/12 -- Omaha, NE -- Slowdown#
10/13 -- Iowa City, IA -- The Picador#
10/15 -- Minneapolis, MN -- Varsity Theatre#
10/16 -- Milwaukee, WI -- Turner Hall#
10/17 -- Chicago, IL -- The Vic Theatre#
10/18 -- Columbus, OH -- Newport Music Hall#
10/19 -- Detroit, MI -- Majestic Theatre Center#
10/20 -- Cleveland, OH -- Grog Shop$
10/21 -- Boston, MA -- Wilbur Theatre^
10/22 -- Washington, DC -- 930 Club^
10/23 -- Philadelphia, PA -- Theatre of Living Arts^
10/24 -- Providence, RI -- Lupo's at the Strand^
10/25 -- New York, NY -- Webster Hall^
10/26 -- Sayreville, NJ -- Starland Ballroom^
10/28 -- Richmond, VA -- The National^
10/29 -- Raleigh, NC -- Lincoln Theatre^
10/30 -- Asheville, NC -- The Orange Peel^
10/31 --Knoxville, TN -- Bijou Theatre^
11/1 -- Atlanta, GA -- Variety Playhouse^
11/3 -- Ft. Lauderdale, FL -- Revolution!
11/4 -- Lake Buena, FL -- House of Blues!
11/5 -- Jacksonville, FL -- Free Bird Café!
11/7 -- New Orleans, LA -- House of Blues!
11/8 -- Houston, TX -- House of Blues!
11/9 -- Austin, TX -- Waterloo Park!
11/10 -- Dallas, TX -- House of Blues!
11/12 -- Santa Fe, NM -- TBA
11/13 -- Tempe, AZ -- Marquee Theatre!
11/14 -- San Diego, CA -- Soma@
11/15 -- Pomona, CA -- Glass House@
11/16 -- Los Angeles, CA -- Henry Fonda Theatre@
11/18 -- Sacramento, CA -- Empire@
11/19 -- San Francisco, CA -- Bimbos@
# w/ Themes
$ w/ The New Year
^ w/ Sylvie
! W/27
@ w/ Helms Alee
April was the best month for music thus far this year, although the months to come hold much in store, particularly with Death Cab For Cutie's Narrow Stairs album hitting stores on May 13th. This month we were able to get lots of sneak peeks at the album, especially with the release of their Daytrotter Sessions, which we were able to hear "Talking Bird" and "Cath...".
My favorite song this month has to be Angel Pier's "Sacrifice", and although this song isn't yet available for download, you can have a listen on their MySpace page. As far as odd songs that I keep coming back to, Helvetia's "Old, New Bicycle" surprised me with the excellent guitar solos matched with the sullen vocals, yet still kept the song so laid back with an eerie summer vibe to it. Delorentos exhibited one of my favorite finds this month with "Do You Realise", which we made a song of the week.
A few albums I can't take out of my CD player/iPod are French Kicks' (check out "Said So What") latest along with Cut Copy's synth techno-rock/pop and Your Vegas' downright collossal release of A Town And Two Cities. A few others to point out in the bunch are Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin's infections, yet mellow "Modern Mystery" and the whimsical group/crowd who make up I'm From Barcelona, with their song "This Boy", which is actually the song in the background on the new Chrysler commercials.
Lastly, another shout to Tokyo Police Club and Annuals, who have really made this month for me along with the Brad Melhdau Trio who's incredible jazz remake of "Wonderwall" will have me looking for more rock-turned-jazz remakes in the coming month. If anyone has any recommendations of other jazz rock songs, please pass them on. Enjoy this month's best-of.
Angel Pier - Sacrifice (buy)
The Whigs - Right Hand On My Heart (buy)
Delorentos - Do You Realise (buy)
Helvetia - Old, New Bicycle (buy)
Auburn Lull - Arc of an Outsider (buy)
The Kooks - Always Where I Need To Be (buy)
Tokyo Police Club - Tessellate (buy)
French Kicks - Said So What (buy)
Unwed Sailor - Little Wars (buy)
South - Better Things (buy)
Coldplay - Violent Hill (buy)
MGMT - Electric Feel (buy)
M83 - Graveyard Girl (buy)
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - Modern Mystery (buy)
I'm From Barcelona - This Boy (feat. Loney, Dear) (buy)
Phantom Planet - Leader (buy)
Shout Out Louds - Impossible (Possible Remake by Studio) (buy)
American Princes - Auditorium (buy)
The Details - The Height of Land (buy)
Annuals - Sore (buy)
Cassettes Won't Listen - Freeze & Explode (buy)
Brad Melhdau Trio - Wonderwall (buy)
The Kooks - See The World (live) (buy)
French Kicks - Abandon (buy)
Tokyo Police Club - In A Cave (buy)
Cut Copy - Out There On The Ice (buy)
Cut Copy - Lights And Music (buy)
Your Vegas - Troubled Times (buy)
Your Vegas - Birds of Paradise (buy)
Above: Your Vegas - Coyle Girelli, (Vocals) Mat Steel, (Guitar) Mark Heaton, (Keys/Guitar) Jon Langford, (Bass) Mal Taylor, (Drums)
This week has a few subtle surprises in store for you. Your Vegas's debut album A Town and Two Cities is out today for digital release only on iTunes. We mentioned them about a month ago, and still stick by highly recommending them. Other notables are The Black Keys whose suave rock style will surely blow you away, Muse with their live CD and the always pleasant Sun Kil Moon. Don't forget to check out Annuals, whose Wet Zoo EP follows up their much talked about 2006 album Be He Me .
Some bigger names this week are Sevendust, Moby, Hawk Nelson and (if you've been living in a cave) R.E.M. with their first studio release in four years.
Also, be on the lookout for China Mountain, a solo project by Anna-Lynne from Trespassers William to be released sometime this month.
MP3: Moby - I Love To Move In Here
MP3: The Black Keys - Elevator
MP3: Annuals - Sore
MP3: Sun Kil Moon - Moorestown
MP3: Your Vegas - In My Head
1969 - Maya
American Babies - American Babies (MySpace) (buy)
Annuals - Wet Zoo EP (buy)
Anti-Flag - The Bright Lights of America (MySpace) (buy)
Apples In Stereo - Electronic Projects for Musicians (MySpace) (YouTube) (buy)
Bad Brains - Build a Nation (Box Set) (MySpace) (YouTube) (buy)
Black Keys - Attack & Release (MySpace) (YouTube) (buy)
Bombing Neverland - Gone Belltower (ReverbNation)
Bryan Scary and The Shredding Tears - Flight of The Knife (MySpace) (buy)
Colour Revolt - Plunder, Beg and Curse (MySpace) (purevolume) (YouTube) (buy)
Experimental Dental School - Jane Doe Loves Me (MySpace) (YouTube) (buy)
Fall Out Boy - Live Album
For Today - Ekklesia (buy)
Four Year Strong - Rise or Die Trying (vinyl) (MySpace) (buy)
Hawk Nelson - Hawk Nelson Is My Friend (MySpace) (YouTube) (buy)
Josh Gracin - We Weren't Crazy (YouTube) (buy)
Lemuria - Get Better (purevolume) (last.fm) (buy)
Make Believe - Going To The Bone Church (YouTube)
Moby - Last Night (last.fm) (YouTube) (buy)
Muse - Haarp Live CD/DVD (Myspace)
Nadja - Skin Turns To Glass (buy)
No Use for a Name - The Feel Good Record of the Year (purevolume) (YouTube) (buy)
R.E.M. - Accelerate (MySpace) (buy)
Razah - Razah (buy)
Sandrine - Dark Fades Into Light (buy)
Search The City - A Fire So Big the Heavens Can See It (MySpace) (buy)
Sevendust - Chapter VII: Hope & Sorrow (YouTube) (last.fm) (buy)
Sing it Loud - Self-Titled EP (buy)
Sun Kil Moon - April (MySpace) (YouTube) (buy)
This Is Ivy League - This Is Ivy League
U2 - Ballad of Ronnie Drew (import single) (MySpace) (purevolume) (Last.fm)
Unwed Sailor - Little Wars (MySpace)
Upon Beauty Rests - For The Days We Fear The Air We Breathe (MySpace) (purevolume) (buy)
Vermeer - Self Title EP
Yelle - POP-UP (last.fm) (buy)
Your Vegas - A Town and Two Cities (MySpace) (YouTube) (purevolume) (buy)
