NEWS from Matador: New Pornographers + Belle & Sebastian Tour

Direct from Matador Records:

Belle & Sebastian / New Pornographers - We'd better rent a big bus.

While venues and dates are still being confirmed, we can announce that Belle &
Sebastian and The New Pornographers will be touring together in early '06
throughout North America, the former in support of the forthcoming 'The Life
Pursuit', the latter behind the consensus pick for the album of 2006, 'Twin
Cinema'.

A live recording of Belle & Sebastian performing their classic 'If You're
Feeling Sinister' album live at London's Barbican as part of ATP's 'Don't Look
Back' series is now available for exclusive iTunes Music store purchase, all
proceeds to benefit the the DEC's Asia Quake Appeal.

----------

Also from Matador:

Spoon

With 'Gimme Fiction' continuing to make year-end Best Of lists all over the
planet, we're happy to finally confirm that "My First Time, Vol. III" is finally
available from the iTunes music stores throughout Europe.
(Go here for the mp3 of "my first time ever vol III")

After their recent appearance on NBC's Carson Daley show and perhaps prior to
Britt Daniel's acting debut on a future episode of "Veronica Mars" (Tivo isn't
telling me what day that one is on), Spoon have some Texas dates coming up;

2/3 - La Zona Rosa, Austin (with I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness)
2/4 - La Zona Rosa, Austin (with Sons Of Hercules)
2/5 - Numbers, Houston (with Sons Of Hercules)

In addition, Spoon, along with Matador compatriots Dead Meadow and The New
Pornographers, are amongst the bands who've been invited to play at the All
Tomorrow's Parties "United Sounds Of ATP" double-weekender next May in Camber
Sands, UK.

---

And more from Spoon, here is Britt Daniel's Top Ten list for 2005:

The Clientele "Strange Geometry"
White Stripes "Get Behind Me Satan"
Crooked Fingers "Dignity and Shame"
The Doves "Some Cities"
Depeche Mode "Playing the Angel"
Cass McCombs "PREfection"
New Pornographers "Twin Cinema"
Stephen Malkmus "Face the Truth"
Low "The Great Destroyer"
John Vanderslice "Pixel Revolt"
Bright Eyes "I'm Wide Awake It's Morning"
American Music Club "Love Songs for Patriots"
Sleater Kinney "The Woods"
Sufjan Stevens "Illinois"

Sound Team: New EP Released

*this is a repost from September 4th, mostly because Sound Team has their EP, Work, being released today, December 27th. And also, the band has made another mp3 from the new record available.*

Sound Team have the 'spooky synths, ringing bells, and swaying organs' sound down pat... on these songs at least. Seeing as these are the only mp3s I've heard I'll have to go out on an limb and say that this is the core of the Austin, Texas band's sound... and it's a good sound, lot's of atmosphere created by the instruments and the air between them. With the release of Work the band is sure to start popping up all over the indie music network.

Band members are: Matt Oliver, Sam Sanford, Jordan Johns, Bill Baird, Michael Baird, and Gabe Pearlman. This is from their bio: "Sound Team is Bill Baird, Matt Oliver, Sam Sanford, Jordan Johns, Gabe Pearlman, and Bill’s younger brother Michael. Four of the six group members attended the same high school in San Antonio, TX, where they played music in several different loud music bands. Now aged 21 to 27, they’ve been actively and energetically touring as a six piece for a little over two years now.

Bill Baird and Matt Oliver met in Austin in 2001, when each was a sideman in one of the many pick-up groups playing the beer-joints around town. They formed a partnership, and immediately began recording crazy songs on cheap gear that drew inspiration out of everything from traditional American folk and pop song forms to German synthesizer music.

In 2002 Baird asked his younger brother Michael and Michael’s friend Jordan Johns (both of whom were still in high school at the time), and his old friend Sam Sanford if they’d like to make a band. After playing a handful of shows in various performance spaces and punk dives, Gabe Pearlman enlisted and the lineup was solidified by early 2003."



+ don't turn away
+ it's so obvious what's happening here

Boxing Day: Free MP3s

spoon + my first time ever vol 3 demo
spoon + sister jack piano demo
headlights + tokyo
saturday looks good to me + meet me by the water
audible + stay warm
light sleeper + pop song
light sleeper + febrile in february
tigerella + tide pool
the haywards + god walks [low res]
the haywards + st. patricks rain [lr]
the haywards + sloop john w [lr]
the haywards + post [lr]
the boy least likely to + little donkey

Hrududu Factory

*a repost from November 2004*

This song pulled me into it's hippity hop universe (i should have clarified - i'm not talkin' hip hop here), built upon a beat sounding like a cross between a cartoon horse and a large hopping rabbit. A kazoo bleats along with the chorus, "Tractor Guy" is simplistic in form, but complex in the response it garners in this listener. Give it a listen yourself.

+ tractor guy

Hrududu Factory's members are one, and that member is:
Tharn, who plays junky instruments and more.

website

3WK

Here's a Christmas present for all you new music/mp3 seekers out there.

3WK Undergroundradio / 3WK Classic Undergroundradio, or simply 3WK, is (according to their website and they should know) 'The Internet's Original Indie Independent Online Radio Station since 1997! Featuring: indie rock, classic rock, vinyl records, music downloads, t-shirts, and new indie music artists everyday! Listen live in windows media, real player, winamp, shoutcast, and ogg vorbis!!'

There are quite a few downloads found here and also here in their archives. Some of these artists you know, some you've heard of, and some are unknown and you won't be able to resist checking them out.

3WK has also been nominated for a Plug Award in the "Best Internet Radio Station"category... you can place your votes in all categories pertaining to independent music by clicking the link found at the top of *sixeyes sidebar.

Herman Dune: BBC Session + Cover MP3s

Of Swedish blood and Parisian based, Herman Dune is a trio that could defy description and just as easily describe defiance, but they do make music...

these covers and these live BBC Sessions mp3s are found on their website.

+ Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow (Carole King Cover)
+ Black And Brown Blues (The Silver Jews Cover)
+ Being Cool (Kimya Dawson Cover)
+ True Love Is Not Nice (Johnatan Richman Cover)
+ Chewing Gum (The Carter Family Cover)
+ Be My Baby (The Ronnettes Cover)

----------
BBC Sessions
+ you could be a model, goodbye
+ various medicines
+ suburbs with you

*Two more mp3s are here.

The Duke Spirit

British band, The Duke Spirit, have been getting a dose of press buzz lately and as usual this piqued my interest enough that I began searching for a sample of their sound online. I didn't have any luck that day, but, lo and behold, an mp3 showed up in my inbox today. Now a few names have been bandied about in the mainstream press regarding The Duke Spirit's frontwoman, Liela Moss, namely... Patti Smith. There are some similarities vocally in this song, "Cuts Across The Land", although if this was a Patti Smith track it would be one of those forgettable ones from an album like Wave. This isn't a bad song, although it doesn't deserve any hype other than that from publicists. I can't judge the band by this one song, but I can judge the hype and it's overblown. This is the song the label thinks will put this band on the map, although in this case they'll need a couple more songs, or pointy tacks, to keep them from sliding off the map.

+ cuts across the land

Indie Label: 125 Records

125 Records is a small indie label located in Northern California. Now that doesn't sound too amazing, or unique, does it? But get this, Regis Philbin is, in a roundabout way, connected to this high quality indie imprint. Yes... that Regis Philbin. How, you ask? Well, label head Joe Mallon travelled to New York a touch over five years ago and while there spent some intense time with the television personality. In fact they sat face to face and talked about trivial things for some time. This interaction was brought to an abrupt end when Joe Mallon said enough was enough and he'd take the $125,000 and run. That's right, Mallon was on 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire' and he took his winnings five years ago and started 125 Records.


Anton Barbeau
+ the horny old ballad of tracy shellac
+ my special table
+ sula2
+ grapes on a plate
+ sweet creature, what's your name?
+ king of missouri
Statuesque
+ boys are lazy, girls are crazy
+ choir above fire below
+ free berkshire [demo]
+ it's that sort of town [demo]
Jill Olson
+ Icy sparks
+ my best yesterday
+ conquer the world
John Sharples
+ mind's eye
+ the main thing
+ that's just part of my charm
Bella Da Gama
+ the mozart defect
+ the three cornered world
The Loud Family
+ deee-pression - live
+ don't respond, she can tell - live
Jill Tracy
+ evil night together
Paula Carino
+ tip of the iceberg

ARTIST LINKS
anton barbeau
jill tracy
john sharples
jill olson
[info on the other artists can be found at 125 Records]

LABEL LINK
http://125records.com

The Battles

The Battles, from Vancouver, have just released their second effort after a five year layover (the first being Lycanthropy on the Blue Curtain label). But some of the boys kept busy at times over those years helping out fellow Vancouverite, Dan Bejar (Destroyer), with his recording efforts. And that's only fair, as Bejar played keyboards for The Battles debut, Lycanthropy, in 2000.

Online info on this band is scarce, but I do know that band members are Stephen Wood - vocals/guitar and songwriter (Wood played on Destroyer albums: Streethawk: A Seduction and Thief), Rob McBeth - guitar, Jeremy Schmidt - keyboards (also keyboardist with Vancouver's Black Mountain), Tim Loewen - guitar? (Loewen played on Destroyer's upcoming release on Merge: Destroyer's Rubies), Josh Lindstrom (drummer for Vancouver band, The Precious Fathers) - drums?, and Scott Morgan - drums? (Morgan played on Destroyer albums: Streethawk: A Seduction, City of Daughters, Thief, and Destroyer's Rubies and has his own electronic music project, Loscil).

This song, "Suzanne", shows Stephen Wood's, if not the band's, love for late sixties Kinks. Wood's vocals alone drip with a sixties feel, helped along by some great sounding organ swirls.

+ suzanne [high res mp3] from Tomorrow's Eager Hands on softabuse.

The Dead Science

From Seattle, The Dead Science formed five years ago in 2000. Originally consisting of Sam Mickens [guitar/vocals], Jherek Bischoff [bass] and his brother, Korum [drums], in the past year the band has replaced drummer Korum Bischoff with Nick Tamburro. Currently touring their latest full length on Absolutely Kosher, Frost Giant [October 2005], the trio meld a myriad of influences into a singular, if not easily accessible sound.

Working with traces of free form jazz, goth, and ties to Xiu Xiu, The Dead Science offer up a gloom laden rhythm section beneath Micken's fluid vocals; vocals which easily rise and fall with the shadowy rhythms. And that is the star attraction here, even with the bruised and airy sounds produced by this capable trio, it's Micken's vocals that will make or break this band when heard for the first time. What you will hear is the upper register theatricality of Frog Eyes'(another Absolutely Kosher band) Carey Mercer meeting the black winter fog of Tindersticks' Stuart Staples in the tone and delivery of Sam Mickens. This is a unique combination, a heady combination, one which some will not take too. All right, some of you will no doubt hear Jamie Stewart of Xiu Xiu in these vocals as well, so if you are a fan of any of these artists, or wonder what these combinations could possibly sound like, please listen.

from Frost Giant [2005]
+ drrrty magneto

from Bird Bones in the Bughouse [2004]
+ gamma knife
+ ossuary

from Submariner [2003]
+ batty
+ white train
+ threnody

*All of The Dead Science's recordings can be found at eMusic. Here's a link to eMusic's free trial offer of 50 downloads.

Dancing About Architecture

ChartAttack reports: Death Cab Goes On Video Shooting Spree.

* * * * * * * * *

PopMatters Picks: The Best Music of 2005.

* * * * * * * * *

Pitchfork lists the 50 top singles of 2005.

Between The Pine

Between The Pine is the solo work of Rhode Island's Jim Diotte and it's surprising work. It's always surprising to stumble across such well crafted and marvellously performed songs by someone you've never heard of... surprising and inspiring. Diotte has just released a three track EP on Brooklyn's 80H Records and it's free, a free download on the 80H site. The music bubbles and simmers over and around the soft vocals of Diotte and, in places, the lovely backing vocals of his wife, Robin Toste.

This track, "I'll Carry On My Father's Joke", is Sufjan Stevens and Iron and Wine meet Bright Eyes in a Rhode Island basement.

+ i'll carry on my father's joke

Go here for the other mp3s.

----------

Diotte also plays in the band Number 1, I Love You.

Bright Eyes: Free MP3s

Conor Oberst is the force behind the band Bright Eyes, and a significant player in his label, Saddle Creek, as well as the young indie imprint, Team Love. The 25 year old Oberst has from the outset been acclaimed for his way with a lyric and noted for his voice, a most distinctive quaver. While not by any means a pretty voice, it gets the job done when selling his songs to the listener. It is in fact complimentary to the more sombre songs and will get more than a touch ragged when he nears a shout. I still hold out hope that he will continue to develop (that is musically, lyrically, and vocal phrasing) and if so may be the true heir to Dylan's legacy.

Listen to "We Are Nowhere and It's Now" and "The Calendar Hung Itself" for a good overview of what he can produce.

Here is an Xmas treat...
+ blue christmas

from I'm Wide Awake It's Morning
+ we are nowhere and it's now [low res]

from Digital Ash in a Digital Urn
+ gold mine gutted [low res]

from Fever and Mirrors
+ something vague
+ the calendar hung itself
+ haligh haligh a lie haligh

from Lifted or The Story is in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground
+ from a balance beam
+ lover i don't have to love

from Every Day and Every Night
+ a line allows progress, a circle does not [low res]

from the Happiness EP
+ feb 15th
+ padraic my prince
+ touch

from The Late Great Daniel Johnston: Discovered Covered
+ devil town

Bright Eyes lyrics are here.

eMusic: Free Trial

Well, again I found myself on eMusic's site while doing some internet searching for a particular band's mp3s. The band in question will be featured in a post in the next day or so, but here's some of the variety you will find if you visit eMusic. Look into their free trial of 50 downloads.

The Weakerthans
Ted Leo
The Unicorns
Lady Sovereign
The Decemberists
Minor Threat
Tupac and Tha Dogg Pound
Swayzak
The Pixies
Townes Van Zandt
Marvin Gaye
Dexter Gordon
The Twin Atlas
Bettie Serveert
Spoon
Thee More Shallows
Nels Cline/Wally Shoup/Chris Corsano
Calexico
Ambulance LTD
Ladytron
Calla
Me First & The Gimme Gimmies
Lodger
Hayden
Out Hud
The Damned
Death From Above 1979
Mogwai
Yo La Tengo
The Dead Science
The National
The Wrens
Of Montreal
Snowglobe
Built to Spill
Magnolia Electric Co
McLuskey
Fancey (Todd Fancey - New Pornographers)
Stephen Malkmus
Pavement
Paul Duncan
Stereo Total
Bloc Party
The Promise Ring
The Earlies
King of France
Cat Power
The Rosebuds
Dressy Bessy
Beat Happening
Nic Armstrong

Jenny Lewis with The Watson Twins: Rabbit Fur Coat MP3s

Rilo Kiley's Jenny Lewis, and The Watson Twins, Chandra and Leigh Watson, will unleash their debut on Team Love Records next month, January 24th.

Here's a preview of two tracks from Rabbit Fur Coat...

+ melt your heart
+ rise up with fists!

LINKS:
jenny lewis with the watson twins myspace
the watson twins
the watson twins myspace
rilo kiley

VAGRANT RECORDS SIGNS THE COMAS!

Vagrant Records Press Release:

"Vagrant Records is proud to announce that The Comas have signed to the label. The Comas are the latest addition to the label’s increasingly diverse artist roster, which includes Dashboard Confessional, Senses Fail, The Eels, Alkaline Trio and Paul Westerberg among others.

The Comas, from Carrboro, NC, released the highly acclaimed album, Conductor, in August 2004 and the band was featured as a “Band to Watch” in Spin Magazine (Oct. 2004) as well as a “New Faces” in Rolling Stone (Nov. 2004). Both magazines named the record to their “Best Albums You Didn’t Hear 2004” lists and Magnet included Conductor as their #3 best album of 2004. Pitchfork Media gave the album an “8 out of 10” and described it as “alternately dreamy and rocking, aching and pissed indie pop… an accomplished pop/rock album.”

The band is heading into the studio in mid-January with producer Bill Racine (Rogue Wave, Mark Gardener). An early summer 2006 release is planned followed by an extensive national tour."

MP3s
Conductor - 2004 Yep Roc
The Science of Your Mind
Last Transmission
Invisible Drugs
Bad Connexion (DVD Exclusive Song)

You can download mp3s of The Comas Live on KEXP in Seattle 5-06-05 from the band's media page here. You'll find 8 songs and a couple of interview segments. There are also a number of other mp3s, some unreleased stuff and a few tracks from previous releases.

Hey - Live Pixies, Exclusive MP3 Album at eMusic

Hey Pixies fans! Here's an exclusive found only at eMusic, Hey - Live Pixies, here's a write up about the disc by Yancey Strickler, eMusic.

"Exclusively on eMusic, this two-disc compilation culls together two years of performances from the Pixies' reunion tour, covering every era of the essential band's career. The hits, especially an amazing performance of 'Debaser,' are impressive: 'Monkey Gone to Heaven' record-perfect, the chopped and screwed version of 'Wave of Mutilation' haunting, 'Holiday Song' bouncy and propulsive, 'Here Comes Your Man' done acoustic with a careless jangle and 'Gigantic,' arguably the band's finest moment, a stirring culmination of the whole Kim-bang.

And even with these many standouts, it's the title track that's the show stopper. Doolittle's 'Hey' was always the starkest of Pixies tracks (in some ways, you could argue that Spoon sprung from its sparse loins), and in a live setting, with each instrument given space to breathe, the song becomes both haunting and invigorating: Joey Santiago's Velvet-y guitar solo a tease for Frank Black's exclamation-point 'UH' barks, themselves table-setters for perhaps the defining Pixies lyric, 'But baby aren't you tired of this?/ UH!'

This album, simply put, is 28 tracks of greatness, of live rock & roll done right. There's no reason not to download it, especially considering that this two-disc set will never exist in physical form. For Pixies fans, it couldn't get any better."

---------

Get this recording through eMusic's trial offer of 50 Free Downloads!

Dancing About Archhitecture

Live Daily reports that psych folkers Vetiver will debut their new album during an upcoming US west coast tour.

* * * * * * * * *

Pitchfork has new Calexico album details.

* * * * * * * * *

The Strokes upcoming release, First Impressions of Earth, is reviewed by The Guardian.

Julia Haltigan

To read this post, go here.

Calvin Johnson isn't a cowboy

Calvin Johnson formed Olympia, Washington's K Records nearly 25 years ago (well, 23 years ago, and that's close to 25... isn't it?). Johnson has recorded under many guises and with many artists of renown, but one thing has remained constant and that is how Calvin Johnson gives us all the answer to the troubling queston: How would it sound if John Wayne were still alive and kicking and singing indie songs?

Calvin Johnson + i'm down

As Beat Happening + angel gone

With The Halo Benders...
+ virginia reel around the fountain
+ don't touch my bikini

*SIXEYES Free MP3 Downloads

tim kinsella + pioneering new emotions
tim kinsella + faith can mean can't
rah bra + fungry
varnaline + song
john vanderslice + new zealand pines [live nov 5th 2005]
graeme downes + hammers and anvils
gand of four + return the gift
dean wareham & britta phillips + family conference
tessitura + nervous
over the rhine + i radio heaven * [this link will take you to a page where you must give your email before downloading - but it's worth the effort for this song and the many others on the page]

Antony and the Johnsons - Free Music Downloads

You've no doubt heard of Antony by now--Antony Hegarty of Antony and the Johnsons--British born, US raised, the recent winner of UK's Mercury Prize for music. To be precise, for his album I Am A Bird Now, which I reviewed here. Some state that they have a hard time listening to Antony, something I cannot understand... what is it? Is it the open wound lyrics, the raw otherworldly voice? On first hearing Antony I was taken aback, but was instantly fascinated. Repeated listening and the tracking down of his album, I Am A Bird Now, quickly wore away the awe of first hearing him. But that feeling returned last spring when I saw him perform live, it was the same sensation although much stronger. I have never felt so overpowered by a voice. In my mind, in my memory of the show, I can't recall the music, just Antony's voice. If you get the chance to see him... go.

Here is arguably the best track from I Am A Bird Now...
+ hope there's someone

also from the album...
+ you are my sister [edit]

And these are the first songs of Antony's which I heard, both fantastic, but I prefer the first (well, River of Sorrow is also great)...

+ cripple and the starfish
+ river of sorrow

----------

Label: secretly canadian

Dancing About Architecture

ChartAttack reports on on signing of Spencer Krug's (Wolf Parade) band, Sunset Rubdown.

* * * * * * * * *

Popmatters chats up The Hives and The Walkmen... uh, but not at the same time.

Arctic Monkeys: New Album Track List and Demo MP3s

Domino Recordings artists Arctic Monkeys will release their full length, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not, debut this January 31.

The band will not get a chance to return to North America until at least very late February, following a heavy UK touring schedule from January up until mid February.

The album will offer 12 tracks, including #1 UK single,'I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor'.

Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not Track list...
'The View From The Afternoon'
'I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor' *
'Fake Tales Of San Francisco' *
'Dancing Shoes' *
'You Probably Couldn't See For The Lights But You Were Looking Straight At Me'
'Still Take You Home'
'Riot Van'
'Red Light Indicates Doors Are Secured'
'Mardy Bum' *
'Perhaps Vampires Is A Bit Strong But...'
'When The Sun Goes Down'
'From Ritz To The Rubble'*
'A Certain Romance'

*These MP3s are demos, they are not the official album recordings.
Go here for lyrics of these mp3s

N LANNON

Known mostly as guitarist/vocalist in the current San Francisco buzz band Film School, musician Nyles Lannon is also active on many other musical fronts. With the release of his electronic record Astronomy for Children (BBC Album of the Week Jan 18th) he completed an extensive European tour and is set to release another n.ln record with Bjork collaborator Thomas Knak. And then we find Lannon changing gears once more, moving this time to the realm of acoustic/electronic ambient pop with the release of Chemical Friends.

Mr Lannon has also given us music as a member of Reizoko and Splendorbin. Enjoy.

Nyles Lannon MP3s
+ demons
+ hollow heart

with REIZOKO
+t'nance
+ freak

with FILM SCHOOL
+ activated
+ p.s.

>>go here to epitonic for more Film School mp3s

with SPLENDORBIN
size nines
coronation day

Dancing About Architecture

PopMatters examines Beck and Scientology.

* * * * * * * *

CMJ talks to Brit indie musician, Ed Harcourt.


* * * * * * * *

The Village Voice reviews Fiona Apple's weekend performance in New York.

* * * * * * * *

Uncut visits with Detroiter, Brendan Benson.

*Sixeyes' Additions to 'MP3 Aggregators'

I made up some buttons and added some new links under the MP3 Aggregators heading. The new additions are the Hype Machine and Elbows. Check them out if you haven't already and the two I had already in *sixeyes sidebar, Webnymph and Indieum.

Released: Nov 13th

Here are tomorrows new releases at Insound.

12/13/05 Beck Guerolito Interscope

12/13/05 Broken Social Scene Broken Social Scene (2xLP)Arts & Crafts

12/13/05 Caribou Marino Domino

12/13/05 Coheed & Cambria Goodbye Apollo I'm Burning Star Vol 1 Special Edition

12/13/05 Don's Teeth A Resounding Boo for the Suit Altstream

12/13/05 Erasure Erasure Show - Live In Cologne Mute

12/13/05 Foo Fighters Everywhere But Home RCA

12/13/05 Iron Maiden Number of the Beast (UMD)Eagle Vision

12/13/05 Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan Ramblin Man EP V2

12/13/05 Liars It Fit When I Was a Kid Mute

12/13/05 Queens of Sheeba/Lavender Diamond It's A Christmas Time Celebration 7" Cold Sweat

12/13/05 Residents Mark of the Mole/Intermission Mute

12/13/05 Residents Tunes of Two Cities/Big Bubble Mute

12/13/05 Salteens Let Go of Your Bad Days Bompa

12/13/05 Strokes Juice Box RCA

12/13/05 Sun Ra The Complete ESP - Disk Recordings ESP-Disk"

Unreleased Beck Guerolito Track

Here is a remix that isn't on Beck's remix of Guero, which as you know is titled Guerolito. Done by LA quartet The Mae Shi, here in the words of The Mae Shi's guitarist, Brad Breeck, is what they were trying to convey with their remix...

"Que Onda Guero (Team Shi 96.3 Latino Remix)" is The Mae Shi's attempt to capture the sound of 2005 in the same way Beck captured the sound of 1985.

+ Que Onda Guero (Team Shi Latino 96.3 Remix)

Suburban Kids With Biblical Names

Suburban Kids With Biblical Names are Swedish and somehow they 'sound' Swedish. The vocals hollowed out just enough to make room for a psyche bruised by months of darkness offset by months of the midnight sun and by the infamous myth that Sweden has the highest suicide rate in the world. There is a cold sadness inherent in Jonas Farm's singing, the timbre of his voice. It can also be found in the vocals of fellow Swede Jens Lekman, both have a crooners vibe with a dash of midnight snow layered across it all.


Suburban Kids With Biblical Names - #3 - Released: 2005/10/12
Here is the track list for the recently released #3 - download track 2, "Loop Duplicate My Heart".
1. Marry Me
2. Loop Duplicate My Heart
3. A Couple Of Instruments
4. Parakit
5. Trees & Squirrels
6. Funeral Face
7. Noodles
8. Peters Dream
9. Shitty Weekend
10. Rent A Wreck
11. Seems To Be On My Mind
12. Little Boys In The Ghetto

-----------

+ rent a wreck

Russell Greenleaf

Russell Greenleaf is fond of bugs [according to his myspace influences: Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, and Hemiptera], but that isn't all I learned about him. He is also offbeat, eccentric, and can be slotted in the same DIY basement/bedroom/closet as the less pop-centric Ariel Pink. All the way from Hawaii comes Russell Greenleaf with his guitar, synth, drums, bass, vocals, and lo-fi pop.

+ boggle
+ phosporus jaw
+ coke pepsi
+ the mason ring
+ bolevarde trees (a climax species)

Many of these songs can be streamed on his myspace page - go there to listen to "Vegetable Mould".

>> label site

eMusic: Free Trial of 50 Free MP3s

New additions to eMusic:

Townes Van Zandt: High Low and In Between
Mi and L'au: Mi and L'au [another great artist on Young God Records]
Delbert McClinton: Cost of Living [he's been around for years, but that voice is one of the best bluesy alt-country voices you'll ever hear]
The Decemberists: The Tain EP
Belle and Sebastian: Push Barman To Open Old Wounds [a collection of B&S's first seven EPs - which by the way can be downloaded individually from eMusic as well]

Click the button to learn more about eMusic's Free Trial of 25 (formerly 50) MP3 Downloads >>

Meredith Bragg and The Terminals: Review: The Departures EP

Meredith Bragg and The Terminals
The Departures EP
[The Kora Records - Jan 17 2006]
*Sixeyes Score: 8.0 out of 10

This is the collection of songs that should push Meredith Bragg and his band, The Terminals, to the fore of the indie playground. Third track, "Let's Start Over", resembles current 'indie band of the moment' Death Cab For Cutie during a power outage while the EP as a whole is acoustic/chamber pop that never fills up all the cracks and crevices... it wisely leaves air between the sounds. Bragg's voice can resemble DCFC's Ben Gibbard, but without his keening overtones and it, Bragg's voice, does a more than adequate job of tackling the ominous task of covering Jason Molina's (Songs: Ohia) "Two Blue Lights".

The songs on this EP are so complete and yet so well trimmed. Each track a perfect haircut, each hair in place... no mousse, no gel, no ozone chomping hair spray... this is all natural. You never looked so good.

----------
+ talk me down [full mp3]

Low Res 60 sec mp3 Clip: + let's start over
----------
*pre-order* here

Guillemots

The four members of Guillemots [pronounced "gullymots"] make London, England, their home base, but are an international crew from England, Scotland, Canada, and Brazil. Fyfe Dangerfield (keyboards/vocals), MC Lord Magrao (guitar), Aristazabal Hawkes (upright bass) and Rican Caol (drums) make up the ambitious group who make sounds that you might hear if Scottish band Belle and Sebastian traded in their twee-ness for a tad more thump, a touch more grit. The band's choice of instrumentation and arrangement offer promise for future efforts as it shows the brains behind Guillemots are leaders and not followers. On tracks like "Who Left The Lights Off Baby" the band has a loose limbed jazzy feel; an improvisatory feel lying under Fyfe Dangerfield's pleasing vocal.

A new Guillemots single has just been released on Fantastic Plastic Records which offers the title track, "Trains To Brazil", as well as "My Chosen One" and "Go Away".This follows a well received 4 track debut EP called I Saw Such Things In My Sleep. Which included this track...

+ made up love song #43

Bronx Cheerleader: Tough Guy Cliches: Review

Bronx Cheerleader
Tough Guy Cliches
[yummy recordings - 2005]
*Sixeyes Score: 8.3 out of 10

This debut outing is wonderfully packed with strongly memorable melodies. Led by Scott Warren of former Toronto band Pope Factory, this is a DIY bedroom effort which was mixed and mastered by Yummy Recordings label head, Joe Lapinski. Relying heavily on acoustic guitar and frequent double tracking of Warren's soft vocals some of the album's 12 songs raise the spectre of Elliot Smith, but Warren's vocals are more akin to the ethereal voice of Great Lake Swimmer's Tony Dekker brought down to earth by the twin ghosts of Nick Drake and the aforementioned Smith. Standout tracks include "Hollywood Ending", "The Idea", Racing Time", and "Invisible Suit" with it's unexpected serpentine groove.

A series of songs that sparkle with the pent up energy of Warren's self-imposed exile from music. Shimmering with melancholia, Tough Guy Cliches, marks a very welcome return to the fold for Scott Warren.

+ hollywood ending

the prayers and tears of arthur digby sellers: Free Download

The band, The Prayers and Tears of Arthur Digby Sellers, have made their first release, psalterie, available for free download. Here's what the band's Alex Lazara says on their home page...

I've had several requests from folks who want to get a copy of the first prayers and tears album, psalterie. We've been sold out of it so long and don't feel the need to sell any more copies of it, so we decided to make the album freely available to anyone who would like to download it for themselves.

I whipped up some new artwork for the record if you want to burn a CD and print it out for yourself.

all the best,

Alex

Here is the track listing for psalterie...
book i
1. on the occasion of a departure (ps 39:4)
2. eterna (concerning the end of the world) (ps 30:9)
3. another rock star laments (ps 88:5)
4. a second reply to st. anselm of canterbury in his adolescence (ps 17:15)
5. shaking apart (ps 35:14)
book ii
6. the sun fell on you (ps 119:82)
7. come ye sinners poor and needy (ps 109:22)
8. the most important words (ps 80:5)
9. saving since september (ps 89:49)
10. new york (all the right angles) (ps. 59:6)
epilogue
11. honesty out / unhappy in love

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*Thanks to Mike for the tip.

Dancing About Architecture

From Chartattack: Death From Above 1979 Interview (Part One)

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The Shins talk to NME about their upcoming album.

* * * * * * * * *

... and they (The Shins) also talk to Pitchfork about the new album. (their PR guy is earning his/her money)

MILBURN

Arctic Monkeys are from Sheffield, England, and their rising popularity will surely pull a few other quality bands from the area into the limelight. One of those bands is Milburn a quartet consisting of Joe Carnall (lead vocals/bass), Louis Carnall (vocals/rhythm guitar), Tom Rowley (lead guitar), and Joe Green (drums). They wear their influences on their sleeves (The Jam, The Specials), but have the chops to pull it off and even turn listeners unfamiliar with those bands onto their music.

+ lipstick lickin'
+ cheshire cat smile

john vanderslice: live @ the independent, san francisco

I just got word that John Vanderslice has put his entire set, from November 5th's performance at San Francisco's The Independent, on his home page. Playing with his band, Photographs, in front of a 'home town' crowd, the guys played 22 songs, a great mix of the new album, Pixel Revolt, and the best from earlier efforts. This was the last show they did before JV and bandmate, Dave Douglas, jetted across the Atlantic to play a series of 'old country' shows, JV's first time on European soil.

These live tracks are downloadable as single mp3s and as a .zip file. Go here.

Here's a sample of what all the fuss is about...
from Pixel Revolt...
+ radiant with terror

Sporadic

No... that's not a new band, sporadic I mean. It's likely the frequency of *sixeyes posts in the next couple of days as my hard drive melted the other night. But... stay tuned for a special treat very, very soon.

Ted Leo's "Sharkbite Sessions" at eMusic

Outstanding indie artists, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, have got something new available at eMusic, Sharkbite Sessions.

From the Lookout Records site:

"These new recordings were done just a few months ago in Oakland at Sharkbite Studios with Ryan from Communique at the board. TL/Rx recorded new versions of "Six Months in a Leaky Boat" and "Loyal to my Sorrowful Country" which both previously were part of Ted's solo sessions on the "Tell Balgeary" EP from 2003. They also threw down a mind-blowing cover of the Stiff Little Fingers song "Suspect Device." You should remember this one as an encore standard from recent shows."

1. Loyal to My Sorrowful Country 2:20
2. Six Months in a Leaky Boat 4:08
3. Suspect Device 2:44

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Go here to learn more about eMusic's free trial offer of 50 mp3 downloads.

Pink Mountaintops: New Album Preview

Jagjaguwar band Pink Mountaintops will release album #2, Axis of Evol, Feb 07/06. Made up of seven tracks, here is an early preview of the anticipated second effort by Stephen McBean (Black Mountain, Jerk With A Bomb). Expect more fine music inspired, if not influenced, by sex and drugs.



+ new drug queens

Wintergreen

A young band based in LA, Wintergreen have released an EP titled Extended Play and, I believe, are working on a full length. The guys seem to be more than a little cracked [a good thing]. I asked for some info on Wintergreen and this is what Wintergreen said...

we are all straight.
enjoy nights out at fancy restaurants and seeing movies...or just nights at home curled up under blankets on the couch watching old TV shows....we prefer people that are honest...no playing games!!! people that know what they want in life and aren't afraid to dream big and really go for it...but love is far more important then good looks and success....also...wintergreen has been a band for about 18 months in Los Angeles...we are all Midwestern kids that are unknowns really...we immediately began writing and recording for an album with Michael krassner (ealimart, califone, koufax) and later worked with niko bolas (Neil young, Keith Richards, Fiona apple, Billy Joel, kiss, Bette milder, Travis, Warren Zevon... ok.. the guy is a recording legend) but we are label and money free...thus we've always been waiting for open studio time and time from others to get this sucker done once and for all....we got antsy and put out the EP as a lil teaser of what is to come on my friends label Mt.Fuji....has redeye distro and might be people's favorite new indie label someday....random hollywood truths are....jessica simpson and nick lachey were at our first show ever.....cameron diaz was at our 10th and has our demo....shows 8 and 9 we were openers for the get up kids on their farewell tour....indie 103.1 was the first radio station to play us ever...and played us a few times this summer....yet wintergreen members are all fucking crazy in their own way...our lead guitarist is homeless...most of us work for low wage and can barely get by...but all of us have been through the best and worst together...we only want to be in this band and only death will break us up...

Trevor Sherwood age 26-leo
Jared Anderson age 28-taurus
Todd Ramsey age 28 Gemini
Drew Mottinger age 23 Capricorn

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What do they sound like? Well, the English jaunt of The Smiths permeates 'When I Wake Up" and to a lesser extent, "Waste of time". Actually the song "Waste of Time", it's title is little more than just that, a title (time wise I mean). As two out of these three mp3s, including "Waste Of Time", are little more than 2 minutes in length... this foursome don't waste any time... perhaps due to financial constraints, studio time does add up. A lack of funds can help crystallize and distill a band's creative energy. Listen to freeze-dried Wintergreen...

+ waste of time
+ when i wake up
+ fall apart

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MySpace URL:
http://www.myspace.com/wintergreen

Everything is Fine (or is it?)

Everything is Fine is a Portland, Oregon based band led by Marc Manning (who is also a visual artist and photographer). On the west coast since mid-2003, the band originated in Philadelphia about 5 years ago, after Manning's previous band, Legend of Boggy Creek, broke up. Manning's plan, or vision, of the band was "... a weird, otherworldly country band."

The weird part is definitely apparent in the lyrics, as for the 'country' part, well, that is a little more buried under the fingerprints of Manning and his band. Grimy prints that give clues as to what you are listening to, but leave you to solve the mystery... and isn't that how it should be?

+ ghosts are knocking on walls
+ 1000 seconds [1 min 30 sec clip]
+ long night
+ half hour
+ cold hands
+ underwater fire breathing
[there are a few more sound clips to download here and more here]

After listening to these songs I got the feeling that Manning sees the strange and twisted things that lurk beneath the everday veneer of normalcy.
Everything is Fine? At least the music is.

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>>Two collaborations between andrew sweeny and everything is fine - from Hinah Records

andrew sweeny vs everything is fine
+ marrakesh
everything is fine vs andrew sweeny
+ in the black

Manning covering The Magnetic Fields song, The Dreaming Moon

Dancing About Architecture

The Guardian reviews Ryan Adams latest album, 29.

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Pitchfork interviews Wolf Parade.

Iron and Wine/Calexico Tour

As the bands did on their earlier tour they will each perform an opening set, then play as one big headlining act, Ironandwinecalexico. Maybe they could shorten it to IAWC, but that sounds like a union. Well, it is a union, a musical union.

Also, Calexico has been working on their next full length which is set for release this coming April.

The tour dates...
12/05 - New York, NY - Webster Hall Tonight
12/06 - New York, NY - Webster Hall
12/07 - Boston, MA - Avalon Ballroom
12/08 - Montreal, Canada - Le Spectrum
12/09 - Toronto, Canada - The Docks
12/10 - Detroit, MI - Majestic Theatre
12/11 - Chicago, IL - Congress
12/13 - St. Louis, MO - Mississippi Nights
12/14 - Louisville, KY - Headliners
12/16 - Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse

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MP3s
IRON & WINE
+ southern anthem
+ naked as we came
CALEXICO
+ alone again or
+ sunken waltz
+ ballad of cable hogue (version francaise)
+ minas de cobre (acoustic version)
+ stray

http://www.ironandwine.com
http://www.casadecalexico.com

Jens Lekman

Jens Lekman

I like this guy. He's what? Twenty-two or twenty-three? A young guy, but not afraid to follow his muse like some guys follow their unmentionables. If you listen to his song "Black Cab" you can hear strains of Stephin Merritt in the vocal and the melancholic lyric.

Lekman would have made a great Tin Pan Alley tunesmith, or may one day make a great composer of Broadway show-stoppers.

+ black cab
+ rocky dennis' farewellsong to the blind girl
+ you are the light

These mp3s are from Secretly Canadian's page of 'forgotten songs' by Jens Lekman. Which has many more mp3s and is linked below.
+ boisa-bis-o-boisa
+ do impossible things
+ the wrong hands

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Video
>> you are the light [mpeg]

More mp3s found here: 'The Department of Forgotten Songs'.
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You can find all the Lekman you will need at eMusic. Try their trial offer of 50 free mp3 downloads here.

Lekman music @ eMusic:
Albums
Oh You're So Silent Jens 2005
Live from Stora Teatern 2005
When I Said I Wanted to be Your Dog 2004

Singles
Maple Leaves 2004
You Are The Light 2004
Rocky Dennis 2004

NEW ELEFANT ALBUM and MP3

The band Elefant, whose debut was Sunlight Makes Me Paranoid, are back with a new album titled 'The Black Magic Show.' Due out in April the disc was recorded and produced in LA by Don Gilmore and mixed in NY by Andy Wallace.

Here's a teaser of what's to come...

+ the clown

The band's myspace page

stellastarr* remix

Here's a new stellastarr* remix of "Sweet Troubled Soul" done by James Iha.

+ sweet troubled soul [remix]

+ sweet troubled soul [original]

VIDEO of "Sweet Troubled Soul"
Quicktime
Windows Media

Dancing About Architecture

PopMatters interviews "The Least Relevant Boy in New York", American Analog Set's Andrew Kenny

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Former Unicorns members, Islands, start their first tour.