STATE SHIRT

ARTIST / BAND: STATE SHIRT

SONGS (MP3): “TIME TO GO“ |  “FELL OUT OF THE SKY“ | “COMPUTER“ | “THIS IS OLD“

ALBUM: This Is Old

FILE UNDER: Indie / Rock / Experimental

LABEL: LOS FUCKING ANGELES RECORDS

INFO: From Southern California's droning and faceless San Fernando Valley to the snowy back roads of Western Massachusetts. Steeped in a cycle of inescapable, mind-numbing full-time jobs, State Shirt relies on hand-built loops, neglected instruments and riveting vocals to artfully describe captivity in a familiar never-ending cycle: work, drink, sleep, repeat.

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Alaska in Winter

ARTIST / BAND: Alaska in Winter
SONG (MP3): "Berlin"
ALBUM: Holiday
FILE UNDER: Electronica / Pop / Visual
LABEL: Alaska in Winter
INFO: Alaska in Winter is an American electronic band consisting of front man Brandon Bethancourt, who dropped out of art school in Albuquerque,New Mexico and reportedly, "spent a semester in a tiny cabin out in the middle of nowhere Alaska recording music on a laptop during the winter" and which later came to be known as the project, "Alaska in Winter". Bethancourt later went back to New Mexico and enlisted the help of fellow musicians, Zach Condon (Beirut), Heather Trost (A Hawk and a Hacksaw), Hari Ziznewski (Rap), Stefanie Lamm, Rosina Roibal, Hilary Bethancourt, and Naila Dixon to help with his later musical compositions.^[1] The band has garnered some of its fame due to Zach Condon's appearance on their debut album, Dance Party in the Balkans.^[2]
Bethancourt has been living in Berlin, Germany where he recorded his sophomore album, Holiday, which will be released November 17th (Europe) / 18th (US).^[3]

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Metermaids

ARTIST / BAND: Metermaids

SONG (MP3): "Thinking About Jacksonville, or, A Letter Sent To Yourself On Some Back To The Future Type Steez"

ALBUM: Nightlife

FILE UNDER: Hip Hop

LABEL: 27sound

INFO: Metermaids is two New York emcees, Swell and Sentence, and DJ Space Caboose (aka Tom Kennedy). Backed by the guitar playing, beat making, production prowess of 27 Sound founder Matt Stine, the package is complete. Metermaids came to be in the winter of 2004 as the brainchild of Sean McGaughan (pka Swell). His first album was "New Jersey and California," a gritty mash-up of rock and roll samples, breakbeats, and heartfelt lyrics. Sentence is an emcee/producer living in New York City. Before joining Metermaids, he made a name for himself by performing constantly across the US. Some of the hip hop giants Sentence has performed with include KRS One, Aceyalone, Atmosphere, Aesop Rock, Lyrics Born, Black Sheep, Beat Junkies, Raekwon of Wu Tang Clan, Jungle Brothers, Blackalicious, Del The Funkee Homosapien, and many more. After a hugely successful debut as a duo at Sin-e, New York's legendary lower east side club, Sentence officially joined Metermaids- and the results have been electric.

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LUKE JACKSON

ARTIST / BAND: LUKE JACKSON

SONGS (MP3): “HALF A WORLD AWAY“ | “ALL I CAN DO“

ALBUM: …And Then Some

FILE UNDER:  Pop

LABEL: POPSICLE RECORDINGS

INFO: In the Spring of 2006, a seven-year email correspondence culminated in the meeting of Luke Jackson and Magnus Börjeson. Luke had long been a devoted fan of two of the Swedish musician’s former bands: Beagle and Favorita, and the two songwriters finally met in Paris where Magnus was mid-tour playing in The Cardigans. By the end of the weekend they were like old friends and Luke had accepted an invitation to Sweden for the upcoming Midsummer long weekend holiday. These celebrations were taking place in the countryside outside Malmö at Aerosol Grey Machine, the stunning all-analogue recording studio of Christoffer Lundquist, producer and multi-instrumentalist extraordinaire, former member of Roxette and founding member of Brainpool, another of Luke’s favourite bands.

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De Rosa

ARTIST / BAND: De Rosa

SONG (MP3): Nocturne For An Absentee /Under The Stairs

ALBUM: Prevention

FILE UNDER: Indie

LABEL: Chemikal Underground!

INFO: Finally, the wait is over: De Rosa’s epic second album, ‘Prevention’ will be released on CD and LP on March 2nd and we can categorically assure you that your patience will be rewarded.  An assured leap forward from their already brilliant debut ‘Mend’, De Rosa’s second album goes a long way towards consolidating their reputation as one of Scotland’s finest and most literate bands.

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The Physics of Meaning

ARTIST / BAND: The Physics of Meaning

SONGS (MP3): The Physics of Meaning - "Why Can't We Fall in Love Forever? (Anything is Possible)" [from the Snake Charmer and Destiny at the Stroke of Midnight LP] /The Physics of Meaning - "Aeroplanes and Hurricanes" [from the Snake Charmer and Destiny at the Stroke of Midnight LP]

FILE UNDER: Indie / Folk Rock / Experimental

LABEL: Trekky Records

INFO: The Physics of Meaning is a chamber rock band from North Carolina, spearheaded by multi-instrumentalist songwriter Daniel Hart. Daniel is a member of St. Vincent and John Vanderslice's band, as well as a frequent contributor to The Polyphonic Spree.
Much in the same way that Daniel splits his time now between several different projects, Daniel split his time growing up between two passions. He started playing the violin when he was only three years old and continued to study classical music throughout his adolescence. The weeks were spent practicing Bach sonatas and partitas; Saturdays rehearsing "Peer Gynt" and "The Firebird Suite" in citywide youth orchestra.

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Hi Red Cente

ARTIST / BAND: Hi Red Cente

SONG (MP3): "Symmetry Chameleon"

ALBUM: Assemble

FILE UNDER: Experimental / Pop

LABEL: Joyful Noise Recordings

INFO: Formed in 2003, Hi Red Center are an endearingly odd and distorted version of a familiar instrumental quartet. Consider a drummer who swings effortlessly between lurching off-time rhythms and anthemic beats, a drummer/ vibraphone/electronic/synth player who adds everything from burbling noise to contagious melodies, a bassist who lays down the frenzied punch of post-punk with the melodic dexterity of krautrock, and a guitarist that creates a rich textural fuzz that makes it rock.

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JULIE DOIRON

ARTIST / BAND: JULIE DOIRON

SONG (MP3): Consolation Prize

ALBUM: I Can Wonder What You Did With Your Da

FILE UNDER: Folk Rock / Comedy / Indie

LABEL: Jagjaguwar

INFO: JULIE DOIRON To Release I Can Wonder What You Did With Your Day This March
Since her Polaris Prize-nominated album "Woke Myself Up", everything has come together in JULIE DOIRON's world.
On her upcoming record "I Can Wonder What You Did With Your Day", DOIRON has embraced her electric past and made an album which showcases thick distortion and melodic pop not heard since her days with indie heroes Eric's Trip in the '90s. It’s part of a desire to get back to her electric days. The past couple of years have seen Eric’s Trip regroup for triumphant reunion tours, and a rekindling of her work with Trip mainstay Rick White. "I Can Wonder..." was recorded at White’s isolated home studio, just northwest of Toronto. DOIRON handled the electric and acoustic guitar parts, White played all the bass and keyboards, and Fred Squire performed all the drums and some lead guitar.

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Vic Chesnutt

ARTIST / BAND: Vic Chesnutt

SONG (MP3): And How / Teddy Bear

ALBUM: Dark Developments

FILE UNDER:  Folk Rock

LABEL: orange twin

INFO: As intriguing as this combination may seem for hardcore fans of either act, the final sonic results reveal a daunting sum much greater than even the involvement of such esteemed parts would imply.  The Elves' lived-in dexterity as a live band goads Vic's vocal delivery to a menacing new muscularity, imbuing this batch of songs with a sinister vibe not dissmilar to John Cale's black classic "Fear," the harsh, articulate sleaze of Lou Reed's "Street Hassle" or the defeated lowkey soul-music of Nick Lowe's last few records.  As useful as these benchmark-records are in identifying Dark Developments' own unique spirit, this record truly stands on its own as a brilliant statement, a classic addition to Athens' legendary pantheon, and, most importantly, as an organic meeting of two separately-evolved  and vital musical entities that never feels forced, flashy or false.   This is an important album endemic of a natural partnership, and a great way to spend an afternoon.

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Hooray For Earth

ARTIST / BAND: Hooray For Earth

SONGS (MP3): Take Care /Want Want Want

ALBUM: Hooray For Earth

FILE UNDER: Thrash / Pop

LABEL: Dopamine

INFO: Noel Heroux and Chris Principe met in high school and quickly realized that they shared a common dream. Since neither one of them was qualified to be an astronaut, however, they decided to start a band. By the age of 13, Noel had already established a reputation as a ludicrously talented guitar prodigy, manhandling a guitar that appeared to outsize him. Chris immediately recruited Noel to join the garage rock trio he had been fronting.

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Angil + Hiddntracks

ARTIST / BAND: Angil + Hiddntracks

SONG (MP3): Narrow Minds
ALBUM: Ouliposaliva
FILE UNDER: Pop / Experimental / Jazz
LABEL: Chemikal Underground Records
INFO: Mickaël Mottet composed most of Ouliposaliva's songs on a 1904 piano salvaged from a neighbouring clothes shop which was closing down. Instead of having it tuned, Mottet took the weirdly resounding piano as it was, following the example of John Cage's prepared instruments, and adapted his compositions to its strange, Tim-Burtonesque sound.

Venice is Sinking

ARTIST / BAND: Venice is Sinking
SONG (MP3): "Ryan's Song"
ALBUM: AZAR
FILE UNDER: Indie
LABEL: One Percent Press
INFO: Venice is Sinking plays orchestral pop, Americana, slowcore, or space rock, depending on whom you ask. Founded in Athens, GA in 2003, this five-piece outfit eschews facile categorization. Its sound is familiar but hard to pin down, rooted in cinematic arrangements, subtle genre tweaks, and clear, ringing harmonies. The band’s 2006 debut LP, Sorry About The Flowers, gained national attention for the crystalline male/female vocals of singers Daniel Lawson and Karolyn Troupe and for Troupe’s deft layering of her instrument of choice, the viola, which makes few appearances in rock history.

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Jessie Kilguss

SONG (MP3): A Little Place Behind My Eyes / Americana / 31
ALBUM: Nocturnal Drifter
FILE UNDER: Electroacoustic / Experimental / Roc
LABEL: Exotic Bird Recordings
INFO: Jessie's  first acting job was as one of the "afflicted girls" in Nicholas Hytner's screen adaptation of the Arthur Miller classic The Crucible starring Daniel Day-Lewis and Winona Ryder. Later, Jessie had the life changing experience that sealed her fate as a singer when she appeared on London and Sydney stages with another actor and singer, Marianne Faithfull. It was during this production that Jessie realized that she wanted to be in charge of her creativity in a way that playing the same role for six months or more simply couldn't provide.v
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Dead Heart Bloom

ARTIST / BAND: Dead Heart Bloom

SONG (MP3): "Flash In A Bottle"

ALBUM: In Chains EP

FILE UNDER: Rock / Ambient / Folk

LABEL: KEI Records

INFO: Dead Heart Bloom is releasing its last music of 2008: the EP In Chains. This is the third (and last) EP of a three EP series. The new music is available now exclusively through the DHB online store and music page and will be available at other on-line and retail outlets in 2009.

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Dirty Projectors and David Byrne

ARTIST / BAND: Dirty Projectors and David Byrne

MP3: Knotty Pine

ALBUM: Dark Was the Night

FILE UNDER: Indie

LABEL: Red Hot

INFO: I recorded a couple of songs Sunday and Monday with the band Dirty Projectors for an upcoming Red Hot project. Red Hot puts out compilation albums to benefit AIDS research and I’ve been on a few of them since they started in 1990.  So, who’s on this one? Feist, Sufjan Stevens, Grizzly Bear, Sharon Jones, The Decembrists, The National — jeez, what a lineup!

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KING OF SPAIN

ARTIST / BAND: King of Spain

SONGS (MP3): Animals (Part One) and Decades

ALBUM: Entropy

FILE UNDER: Experimental / Ambient / Pop

LABEL: New Granada Records

INFO: Entropy is an artful collection of intricately crafted electro-folk songs, built with pulsating guitars, strange ambient sounds and looped vocal parts that showcase Slate's distinctively raspy voice. It's a refreshingly rich and unpredictable mix drenched in reverb and spacious effects. - NPR

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Home Video

ARTIST / BAND: Home Video

FREE EP: It Will Be OK
I Can Make You Feel It
Maybe What You Need
Every Love That Ever Was
You Will Know What To Do

FILE UNDER: Indie / Electro / Rock

INFO: Following their excellent self-made, no-budget music video for "I Can Make You Feel It" premiering on MTVu, being featured on the frontpage of youtube (!), and an opening gig for Justice on NYE: Brooklyn's electronic dream-pop duo unleash their eagerly awaited EP for free download. It Will Be OK is their first new material released since 2006 illustrating the bands new sonic direction and attitude, more expansive and dense while not forgetting how to move bodies on the dancefloor. The gloom and darkness of their previous output gives way to glimmerings of hope marked by sublime swells of sound.

The Long Lost

ARTIST / BAND: The Long Lost

SONG (MP3): The Art of Kissing /Woebegone (Flying Lotus' Luckiest Charm remix)

ALBUM: The Long Lost

FILE UNDER: Psychedelic / Electroacoustic / Melodramatic Popular Song

LABEL: Ninja Tune

INFO: "The Long Lost" is the sound of love - on so many levels and in so many ways that it's hard to list them. Imagine if Nico had left the Velvet Underground and decided to relocate to California with Caetano Veloso. And imagine if, once there, the pair slipped through a time portal whilst high on mescalin and came round in the late noughties, with the kind of production twists that would allow. Imagine most of all that what they made was beautiful, an attempt to write and make a new popular music about love that was completely sincere, utterly lacking in guile and full of all the queasy, wonderful, sometimes awful emotions which overwhelm us in those times.

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The Botticellis

ARTIST / BAND: The Botticellis
SONG (MP3): Here I Go Again On My Own
FILE UNDER: Surf / Pop / Surf
LABEL: Antenna Farm Records
INFO: The Botticellis have been racking up the year-end  lists with their debut album, Old Home Movies, released on Antenna Farm Records back in May of 2008. The album earned placements in the top 10s from bloggers at All Music Guide, Tiny Mix Tapes, Future Sounds, Rose Noise, the Thoroughfare, Don't Eat the Yellow Snow, the McCovey Chronicles, Traveler's Diagram....and honorable mentions from Paste, Now Hear This, The Passion of Indie Music, Indie Rock Cafe, and more.
To celebrate, we're sharing the Botticellis version of the perennial Whitesnake classic "Here I Go Again On My Own". Taking a break from the recording sessions for their upcoming sophomore effort, the Botts cranked this out on the fly and we are all the better for it. Find it and other great covers by Au Revoir Simone, Bonde Do Role, Headlights and more on an 80s covers compilation called Rewind 2.0, released by Spanish online label/weblog Buffet Libre.
You might remember this nugget from the glory days of 80s hair metal, but the Botticellis have given it a mighty melancholy twist, imagine it as a lost cut from the "All Things Must Pass" recording sessions. Writhing around on the hood of a Jaguar is recommended, but not required.

Friendly Foes

 

ARTIST / BAND: Friendly Foes
SONGS (MP3): My Body (Is A Strange Place To Live) /Get Yr Shit Together

ALBUM: Born Radical

Label: Gangplank Records

INFO: Inspired as equally by 70s punk-songwriters like Nick Lowe and Elvis Costello as they are the glory days of 90s indie rock (Superchunk, Guided By Voices, Chisel) – with a healthy dose of Husker Du and Replacements-style bash ‘n pop thrown in for good measure – Friendly Foes craft rag-tag, rough around the edges rock songs that do away with pretense. Instead, they choose quick routes to get to the gooey guts of what makes for rock-solid jams: whip-smart lyrics and anthemic melodies delivered at an unrelenting pace.
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Of Montreal /John Brion

ARTIST / BAND: Of Montreal
SONG (MP3): "An Eluardian Instance (John Brion Remix)"
ALBUM: John Brion Remix EP
FILE UNDER: Indie Pop
LABEL: polyvinyl
INFO: Grammy-nominated producer Jon Brion has worked with Spoon, Kanye West, Elliott Smith, Fiona Apple as well as scored the films Magnolia, Synechdoche NY, andEternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
An Eluardian Instance AKA The Jon Brion EP is Brion’s most recent masterpiece and finds him reinterpreting two cuts from of Montreal’s most recent album Skeletal Lamping. These are by no means remixes as Brion literally reinterprets the songs by taking the basic tracks and adding more instrumentation and backing vocals – including the work of Nickel Creek vocalist and mandolin-player Chris
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Lukestar

ARTIST / BAND: Lukestar

SONG (MP3): "White Shade"

ALBUM: Lake Toba

FILE UNDER: Indie Pop

LABEL: Flameshovel Records

INFO: White Shade is a great song from a great Norwegian band. And no, that isn’t Danielson you hear singing on this track. Lukestar’s pop sound is an otherworldly one; seemingly taking as much inspiration from Mediaeval mythical creatures as they do from power-math-rock. Riffs and fairies never sounded so good together as they do here.

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THE NAKED HEARTS

ARTIST / BAND: THE NAKED HEARTS
SONG (MP3): “CAT & MOUSE“ | “CALL ME“
ALBUM: These Knees
FILE UNDER: Alternative
LABEL: Self-Released
INFO: Songwriters Amy Cooper (San Francisco) and Noah Wheeler(St. Louis) met in NYC while both playing the same night at the same club. Soon after Noah joined Amy on the road promoting her second solo release. While on the road, they began writing songs together; the first was called "Naked Hearts." They recorded the first few songs onto a 4-track (Tascam 246). Soon after releasing the recordings they began setting up shows with like-minded bands and played over 30 shows in 2008 as The Naked Hearts.
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THE SAFES

ARTIST / BAND: THE SAFES

SONG (MP3): “TROUBLEMAKER” | “THE SKY IS FALLING”

ALBUM: Sight of All Light

FILE UNDER: Hardcore / Powerpop

LABEL: O’ Brothers

INFO: Brothers Frankie, Michael and Patrick O'Malley are The Safes. Growing up, these sons of Irish immigrants were surrounded by music. Their father Frank O'Malley, a working musician, record collector and all around music lover, filled the house with live sounds, great records (Fats Domino, Magic Sam, Hank Williams) and an array of instruments: an environment that led to the development of this very special band. Having played in groups together and apart since they were kids, The Safes have that unique chemistry that comes when talented siblings form a band (think Kinks, CCR, AC/DC). This chemistry fuels The Safes’ records as well as their characteristically kinetic live shows.

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Black Peter Group

ARTIST / BAND: Black Peter Group

SONG (MP3):  Goody Two Shoes  / Its F**ked Up

ALBUM: Its F**cked Up EP

FILE UNDER: Electro / Indie / Pop Punk

LABEL: Gulp Communications

INFO: Black Peter Group are a New York/ London based band which is formed and fronted by multi media artist Gio Black Peter. They make booty bass electro. What does this mean? Nothing. Because they don't let labels restrict them from making hits like "It's Fucked Up!"- a fusion of hillbilly two-step and punk. Or for that matter "Goody Two Shoes", a cover of the Adam Ant 50’s inspired rockabilly pop, which suits Gio’s distinctive vocal perfectly.

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Emiliana Torrini

ARTIST / BAND: Emiliana Torrini

SONG (MP3): Me and Armini

ALBUM: Me and Armini

FILE UNDER: Indie / Acoustic / Folk Rock

LABEL: Rough Trade

INFO: Following on from her critically acclaimed sets 'Love In The Time Of Science' and her first for Rough Trade 'Fisherman's Woman', the forthcoming 'Me And Armini' (released 8th September) sees her working once again with her long time producer/collaborator Dan Carey resulting in what we feel is destined to be one of the albums of 2008.
'Me And Armini' is a hugely ambitious and aspirational pop record with Emiliana’s soaring voice centre stage, bolstered by a rich gamut of musical styles. From the summery skank of the title track (released 18th August on limited 7 inch vinyl) to the yearning, spine-tingling single 'Big Jumps' (due mid October) to the surging, breathless 'Jungle Drum' and much more in between 'Me And Armini' is a truly fantastic album.

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The Rockwells

ARTIST / BAND: The Rockwells

SONGS(MP3): "Microkorg" / "The Quarterback" 

ALBUM: Place & Time

FILE UNDER: Rock / New Wave / Powerpop

LABEL: Migrant Records

INFO: Hailing from Knoxville, Tennessee, The Rockwells is made up of two sets of of brothers: Fred and Jonathan Kelly, and Tommy and Trace Bateman. Place & Time was recorded entirely by The Rockwells in both Knoxville and Memphis, Tennessee.  More than half a dozen locations were used, including various houses, a cabin, and local rock club The Pilot Light. The record was mixed by Howard Redekopp, who has mixed such artists as The New Pornographers and AC Newmann. Place & Time is releasing on Migrant Records tomorrow!  Paperthin Magazine callsPlace & Time "deeply textured and rich in its thoughtfulness. "

Kyle Andrews

ARTIST / BAND: Kyle Andrews
SONGS (MP3): "Naked In New York"  / "Sushi" / "Wavering Between The Real And The Abstract"

ALBUM: Real Blasty!
FILE UNDER: Alternative / Acoustic / Electronica
LABEL: Elephant Lady Record
INFO: Real Blasty takes Andrews’ homespun tunes to a happier place—the words still tell their fair share of sad tales, but the sound is brighter, dancier and crackles with more mature technical dexterity. The opener, "Sushi," has evolved over the years into a fuzzed-out club track; as the emotional intensity rises he implores the object of his affection, "You gonna save me or not?" The irresistible, synth-heavy "Naked in New York" adds a slight edge to the proceedings, as waves of noise crash and recede, revealing a narrator desperate to hang onto an unstable woman.

Deastro

ARTIST / BAND: DEASTRO

MP3s: "The Shaded Forests"

ALBUM: Keeper's

FILE UNDER: Indie Pop

LABEL: Ghostly International

INFO: When Randolph Chabot first began recording his own albums at age 12, he discovered a means of living out his fantasies. Using whatever instrument he could find, Chabot began constructing hyper-emotional dream worlds—teenage symphonies peopled by superheroes, aliens, lost souls, and star-crossed lovers. He’s been zipping through the clouds ever since, streaking the skies as his superhuman alter-ego, Deastro

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PADRE PIO

ARTIST / BAND: PADRE PIO

MP3s: “MADELINE” | “HIGH FIVES” | “COMMON DAY”

ALBUM: The Madeline EP

FILE UNDER: Pop / Glam / Indie

LABEL: Self-Released

INFO: Padre Pio was started in 2006 in a run-down carriage house turned living and rehearsing quarters in Bushwick, Brooklyn. In spite of, or perhaps because of the leaking ceilings, as-of-yet unidentified species of spiders and constant hum of diesel engines, The Madeline EP was written.

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GREAT NORTHERN

 

ARTIST / BAND: GREAT NORTHERN

SONGS (MP3): Home /Low Is A Height

ALBUM: Trading Twilight For Daylight

FILE UNDER: Screamo / New Wave / Showtune

LABEL: EENIE MEENIE RECORDS

INFO: Great Northern: The name evokes a feeling of a place and time in which . . . to dream, perhaps, to get away from it all, or away from one’s self. It’s late afternoon, strolling into night. There’s a slight breeze – but you’re warm in your coat, or bundled in cotton as you gaze out the window…

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BON IVER

ARTIST / BAND: BON IVER
SONG (MP3): Blood Bank
ALBUM: Blood Bank EP
FILE UNDER: Singer Songwriter
LABEL: Jagjaguwar
INFO: Bon Iver has grown to include more than what was available at the much-fabled Wisconsin cabin, such as piano, slide guitar, and vocoder. As Justin layers on harmonies in the meditative R&B a capella "Woods", he declares "I'm building a still to slow down the time." It is as poetic as it is necessary. Both expansive and intimate, these four songs explore the darker and lighter natures of the seasons and what they signify, and offer a dynamic glimpse into the natural energy and refined craftsmanship that characterize Justin Vernon's music.
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Modern Skirts

ARTIST / BAND: Modern Skirts

SONG (MP3): "Soft Pedals"

ALBUM: All Of Us In Our Night

FILE UNDER: Alternative / Indie / Pop

LABEL: Unsigned

INFO: Ordinary music tends to get classified by genre. Some of this stuff is quite exciting, really. It does what you expect it to, but it follows the formula well enough that its derivative nature doesn't matter. We call it indie, or pop, or modern rock, and we recommend it to listeners who enjoy those styles. But every now and then, a band reminds us that when the songs are good enough, and innovative enough, genre is the last thing that matters. You don't need to be a music major to recognize that the twelve tracks on Modern Skirts' sophomore album, All Of Us In Our Night, are unusually constructed. They have unexpected twists and turns, chords that startle with their novelty, and melodies that feel refreshingly original. And you don't need to be an aficionado to get excited by such infectious choruses – they'll get stuck in the heads of neophyte listeners and super-hipsters alike. So call it "pop", call it "rock", call it "indie", call it "classic" if you must. Better yet, call it what it is- a collection of fantastic, irresistible, entirely unclassifiable songs.

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Little Joy

ARTIST / BAND: Little Joy

SONG (MP3): No One's Better Sake

ALBUM: Little Joy

FILE UNDER: Indie Pop

LABEL: Rough Trade Records

INFO: Little Joy is Binki Shapiro, Rodrigo Amarante and Fabrizio Moretti, three friends who dropped their routine at their respective hometowns to make a record in Los Angeles, California.
Through a chance encounter at a Portuguese festival in Lisbon, where both Amarante (Singer/Guitarist of Los Hermanos) and Moretti (drummer of The Strokes) had performed, the two chatted well through the night and into the morning by the side of the river, humoring the idea of working together on music that had no affiliation to their particular bands.

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Thursday

ARTIST / BAND: Thursday

SONG (MP3): As He Climbed The Dark Mountain (Edit)

ALBUM: Split

FILE UNDER: Indie / Screamo / Alternative

LABEL: Epitaph Records

INFO: Thursday have always been difficult to categorize. Although they famously rose out of New Brunswick, New Jersey’s basement culture they’ve always been far too cerebral to be considered a traditional hardcore band. Over their eleven-year career they’ve toured with everyone from the Cure to Cursive, but have retained an inherent aggressiveness that can only come from being weaned on similarly independent nineties acts like Ink And Dagger and Lifetime. All of these references to other bands only serve as guidelines-and with Common Existence Thursday have finally reconciled all of their seemingly disparate literary and musical influences into a collection of songs that span the spectrum of human emotions from frustration to hope and, above all, love.

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Castanets

ARTIST / BAND: Castanets

SONG (MP3): All That I Know

ALBUM: Castanets Collection

FILE UNDER: Indie / Blues

LABEL: Asthmatic Kitty

INFO: Castanets is the musical project of Raymond Raposa, a San Diego native currently residing in New York City. While Raposa is the only constant member of the band, his records and live performances often feature a seemingly never ending rotating cast of musicians, the line-up often changing from night to night in a single tour. First touted by Pitchfork Media, Castanets were one of the more prominent proponents of the so-called freak folk movement (also known as psychedelic folk and New Weird America) that took place in the U.S. music scene in 2003-04.

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Here We Go Magic

ARTIST / BAND: Here We Go Magic

SONG (MP3): Tunnelvision

ALBUM: Here We Go Magic

FILE UNDER: Indie

INFO: To date, Luke Temple has been unconfined by genre. His full-length debut Hold a Match for a Gasoline World presented heartfelt folk tunes and expansive pop numbers filtered through a unique outsider perspective. Last year's follow-up Snowbeast was an avant statement full of interwoven light and dark imagery recorded entirely in his Brooklyn bedroom. Developed over a two-month period of stream-of-consciousness recording in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, Luke's self-titled debut under his new moniker Here We Go Magic is a remarkable departure from his signature singer-songwriter material. Luke recorded the album at home using analog synths, a cassette 4-track, and his trusty SM-57 mic, coloring the sound with warmth and creating textures you want to wrap yourself in.

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KILLOLA

 

ARTIST / BAND: KILLOLA

SONGS (MP3): CRACKS IN THE ARMOR|

THIS IS HOW THE WORLD ENDS

ALBUM: I AM THE MESSER

FILE UNDER: Rock / Idol / Garage / Cult

LABEL: Self-Released

INFO: Killola is three boys and one girl, making rock music out of Los Angeles, California. The band's brand of garage pop (described as "Blondie for the 21st Century" or a derivation thereof by many) enjoys an internet presence that can best be described as 'cultish' with 1.5 million Myspace plays from over 80,000 friends, any of whom add the band's familiar "K))" symbol to their screename as a show of allegiance.  Others who go as far as to tattoo themselves with the band's logo.  Don't beieve it???  Believe it!!!

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David Byrne and Brian Eno

ARTIST / BAND: David Byrne and Brian Eno

SONG (MP3): Strange Overtones

ALBUM: Everything That Happens Will Happen Today

FILE UNDER: David Byrne and Brian Eno

LABEL: self-released

INFO: Brian Eno and I recently finished our first collaboration in about 30 years. The name of the new record is Everything That Happens Will Happen Today. For the most part, Brian did the music and I wrote some tunes, words and sang. It's familiar but completely new as well. We're pretty excited.

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Air France

ARTIST / BAND:  Air France
SONG (MP3): Collapsing at Your Doorstep
ALBUM: No Way Down EP
FILE UNDER: Indie Pop
LABEL: Sincerely Yours
INFO: Air France is a band from Gothenburg, Sweden.^[1] Their music has been described as "post-rave bliss",^[2] "beach foam pop",^[3] and "balearic disco".^[4] Their No Way Down EP received a Best New Musicinclusion from Pitchfork Media and a rating of 8.6.^[4]
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Fleet Foxes

ARTIST / BAND: Fleet Foxes

SONG (MP3): White Winter Hymna

ALBUM: Sun Giant

FILE UNDER: Indie folk

LABEL: Sub Pop

INFO: Fleet Foxes is a five-piece Seattle based band signed to the labels Sub Pop and Bella Union.^[1] The Fleet Foxes' first release was a self-titled EP in 2006. The band came to prominence in 2008 with the release of a second EP, Sun Giant, and their debut full length album Fleet Foxes. Both Sun Giant and their eponymous debut album received much critical praise and reviewers often noted their use of refined lyrics and vocal harmonies. The quintet describe their music as "baroque harmonic pop jams".^[2]

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J*DaVeY

ARTIST / BAND: J*DaVeY

SONG (MP3): No More / Mr. Mister Future Screw Remix

FILE UNDER: Hip Hop, Soul, Funk

LABEL: Im culture

INFO: With production ranging from the spastic, space-age drums of "Mr. Mister" to the celestial keys of "Might As Well," The Beauty In Distortion plays with the variance and depth of a polished, full album. On The Land of the Lost, producer-extraordinaire ?uestlove and Renaissance emcee Phonte of Little Brother contribute in an equally holistic compilation of futuristic records. Throughout the 23 tracks, two constants bind the project together in a mystical fashion: the steamy vocal musings of Jack Davey and the bleeps, drums, and melodies of Brook D'Leau.

Heralded as a cross between Prince and the B-52s, J*DaVeY is in fact influenced by too many genres to count. A fusion of funk, surf, soul, hip-hop, and electronic secret sauce, the J*DaVeY EPs will satiate starving fans from all ends of the musical spectrum. Already featured everywhere from Fader to Allure to CSI: New York, Jack and Brook are prepared to smoothly swagger into the limelight with their first major release. All ears not finely tuned to the freshly paved street will ring come July. The Beauty In Distortion / The Land of the Lost EP is in stores now.

MARK MALLMAN

ARTIST / BAND: MARK MALLMAN

SONG (MP3): DO YOU FEEL LIKE BREAKING UP?

ALBUM: Loneliness in America (Best of 1998-2008)

FILE UNDER: Rock / Alternative / Pop

LABEL: Badman/Guilt Ridden Pop/Susstones/Eagles Golden Tooth

INFO: Unlike ANY other artist however, he’s performed the longest rock song ever written, a piano solo with the rear tire of a full sized motor scooter, and for ten hours inside of a refrigerator box.  Mallman’s songs have been featured on This American Life, Public Radio International, MTV, the Oxygen Network, and most recently as the theme song to The Bank of New York Mellon.

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Lady Sovereign

ARTIST / BAND: Lady Sovereign

SONG (MP3): I Got You Dancing

FILE UNDER: Pop / Hip Hop

LABEL: Def Jam

INFO: Louise Amanda Harman (born 19 December 1985),[1] known as Lady Sovereign, is an English rapper[2][3]. Lady Sovereign is unique as the only white female artist in the primarily black British Grime scene.[4] As a white MC, her authenticity has been contested within the that scene, "even though she grew up in the same kind of public-housing project - Chalk Hill estate, now demolished - that many grime artists did."[4]

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Señor Coconut

ARTIST / BAND: Señor Coconut

SONG (MP3): Around the world

ALBUM: El Baile Alemán

FILE UNDER: Electro / Latin / Healing & EasyListening

LABEL: Naçional Records

INFO:Señor Coconut, the man of a thousand aliases, has struck again and amazed everyone once more. Following “El Baile Alemán” (dedicated to the German Electro pioneers Kraftwerk), “Fiesta Songs” (a joyful collection of popular songs including “Smooth Operator”, “Beat It”, “Smoke on the Water”) and “Yellow Fever” (a tribute to his Japanese fellow musicians of the Yellow Magic Orchestra) here comes his fourth trick, which the musical knight of the Order of the Coconut has worked on for almost a year in real and virtual studios.

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Late of the Pier

ARTIST / BAND: Late of the Pier

SONG (MP3): Heartbeat

FILE UNDER:Glam / Thrash

LABEL: Zarcorp

INFO: Late of the Pier are an English four-piece band from Castle Donington, currently signed to Parlophone Records. They have released five singles to date. Their album "Fantasy Black Channel" was released on 11th August.

They have garnered a large teenage fanbase from night clubs such as All Ages club, Filthy Few[2], Pat and Trevor, Death Disco, Transparent[3]. They even played the first ever Underage Festival, in August 2007.

Lead singer Samuel Eastgate also has a side-project, La Priest, often written incorrectly as LA Priest. He has numerous productions and has made several remixes, as well as having the song "Engine" being remixed by Erol Alkan and released via Erol’s Phantasy Sound label.

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Chin Chin

ARTIST / BAND: Chin Chin

SONG (MP3): Go There With You

ALBUM: Go There With You EP

FILE UNDER: jazz, funk, disco, contemporary R&B, rock, and electro

LABEL: Definitive Jux

INFO: Chin Chin formed in 2001 by Torbitt and Wilder Schwartz - joined soon after by Atlanta Georgia bred Jeremy Wilms- was originally intended to improvise back-up music for singers and MCs at a monthly party in Brooklyn. Realizing a greater potential the brothers started writing music. With songs in place they began recruiting musicians from the fertile Williamsburg scene.

Combining elements of jazz funk disco contemporary R&B rock and electro with smart lyrics powerful horn arrangements great showmanship and a taste for partying Chin Chin have synthesized the quintessential elements of such dance floor heroes as Brass Construction Ohio Players and Roger Troutman while presenting something decidedly new.

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Elizabeth Willis

ARTIST / BAND: Elizabeth Willis

SONGS (MP3): In Your Eyes / One

ALBUM: Elizabeth Willis

FILE UNDER: Alternative / Pop / Classical

LABEL: little blackbird music

INFO: Driven by her interest in composing pop music works of her own, Willis changed her entire life in order to pursue a career as a singer/songwriter. "I didn't have a life," she explains. "I didn't have a weekend off since I was 5, and I always had an interest in composition. I wrote my first song at 12." Armed with her immense skill and the knowledge she'd gained, Willis set out writing and recording what would eventually become her self-titled debut album. The 11-song disc is a powerfully emotional and musically lush outing filled with, as you might guess, elegant piano and strings underscoring her deeply moving vocals. Willis' songs have been compared to legends like Nina Simone, Joan Armatrading, Tracy Chapman and Antony & the Johnsons for both their emotional depth and musical warmth.

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Mochipet

ARTIST / BAND: Mochipet

SONG (MP3): Banana Split (Fliami Vice Remix)

ALBUM: Microphonepet

FILE UNDER:Club / Emo / Grindcore

LABEL: Daly City

INFO:Beat-bender Mochipet released his wobbly, warped hip-hop album, Microphonepet, back in the spring of this year. Then he went and announced a remix companion to the album, slated for a December 2 release via his own Daly City imprint. Jahcoozi, Darko, and Boreta all hold spots on the tracklisting, as does London's Fliami Vice, who did this track. As was the case on the original cut, Oakland's E Da Boss and Bicasso (of Living Legends fame) show up for guest spots.

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The Dandy Warhols

ARTIST / BAND: The Dandy Warhols

SONG (MP3): Little Drummer Boy

ALBUM: Dandys Rule, OK?

FILE UNDER: Indie Pop

LABEL: Beat The World Records

INFO: The Dandy Warhols currently offering their version of “Little Drummer Boy” on their MySpace and Facebook sites. Longtime Warhols fans may recognize the song from around the time of their first album, Dandys Rule, OK? — but now it’s out for FREE.