Run, don't walk, to your indie rock record shop on March 10th and buy yourself a copy of Advance Base Battery Life. Owen Ashworth a.k.a. Casiotone For the Painfully Alone has completely outdone himself on this "best of" album. This record has become my favorite release of 2009 thus far (taking the title away from Blackout Beach, which is no easy feat!). It is amazing start to finish. Checkout the song "Old Panda Days" in the player below and be absofuckinglutely sure to watch the "White Corolla" video. Bravo!
Earlier this week Dent May, one of the world's most special talents, released The Good Feeling Music of Dent May and His Magnificent Ukulele. I must say, I never thought an albums worth of ukulele music could be so entertaining, interesting, and beautiful. This is quickly becoming my favorite record thus far in 2009. Dent May is one of the most unique songwriters in the history of indie rock. You have to check out this record.
Dark Was The Night will be released on February 16th, 2009. It’s comprised of 31 exclusive tracks and it will be available as a double cd/triple vinyl/download and will benefit the Red Hot Organization – an international charity dedicated to raising money and awareness for HIV and AIDS through popular culture. They are the people responsible for albums including No Alternative, Red Hot and Blue and many more, and this is their 20th year, and this is the 20th release! 4AD Label.
THIS DISC 1 Knotty Pine – Dirty Projectors + David Byrne 2 Cello Song (Nick Drake) – The Books featuring Jose Gonzalez 3 Train Song (Vashti Bunyan recorded, written by Alasdair Clayre) – Feist + Ben Gibbard 4 Brackett, WI – Bon Iver 5 Deep Blue Sea – Grizzly Bear 6 So Far Around the Bend – The National (arrangement by Nico Muhly) 7 Tightrope – Yeasayer 8 Feeling Good (popularized by Nina Simone) – My Brightest Diamond 9 Dark Was the Night (Blind Willie Johnson) – Kronos Quartet 10 I Was Young When I Left Home (Bob Dylan) – Antony + Bryce Dessner 11 Big Red Machine – Justin Vernon + Aaron Dessner 12 Sleepless – The Decemberists 13 Stolen Houses (Die) – Iron and Wine 14 Service Bell – Grizzly Bear + Feist 15 You Are The Blood – Sufjan Stevens
THAT DISC 1 Well-Alright – Spoon 2 Lenin – Arcade Fire 3 Mimizan – Beirut 4 El Caporal – My Morning Jacket 5 Inspiration Information (Shuggie Otis) – Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings 6 With A Girl Like You (The Troggs) – Dave Sitek 7 Blood Pt 2 (based on original song “You are the Blood” by the Castanets) – Buck 65 Remix (featuring Sufjan Stevens and Serengeti) 8 Hey, Snow White (Destroyer) – The New Pornographers 9 Gentle Hour (Snapper) – Yo La Tengo 10 Another Saturday (traditional song) – Stuart Murdoch 11 Happiness – Riceboy Sleeps 12 Amazing Grace (traditional song) – Cat Power and Dirty Delta Blues 13 The Giant Of Illinois (Handsome Family) – Andrew Bird 14 Lua – Conor Oberst + Gillian Welch 15 When the Road Runs Out – Blonde Redhead + Devastations 16 Love vs. Porn – Kevin Drew
A pal of mine from Glasgow turned me on to the amazing Scottish juggernaut The Second Hand Marching Band. I am ever so thankful. Their debut release is an amazing six song EP entitled A Dance to Half Death. At 22+ members, all playing only acoustic instruments and marching drums, they say they are relegated to practicing in open fields, parking lots, and back alleyways behind pubs. Though the accordions, ukuleles, saxophones, baritones, flutes, and other instrumentation is impressive, it is the sincerity and passion of the vocals that really makes this band shine. Take a few moments and look into The Second Hand Marching Band, you will be glad you did.
Even though it’s been a decade or so, I still remember the first time I heard All Girl Summer Fun Band. I was visiting friends in Tallahassee, FL, listening to FSU’s college radio station WVFS, and the song Canadian Boyfriend came on. I was instantly hooked and had to run to Vinyl Fever and buy a copy of their self-titled debut release. I have been a huge fan ever since. Back then the band was comprised of Kim Baxter, Jen Sbragia, Kathy Foster, and Ari Douangpanya. Four albums later, the band is operating as an amazing three piece of Kim, Jen, & Kathy.
When their latest release Looking Into It came out last fall, I wrote, “all 11 songs on this album are strong, well written, pop gems.” I can say with absolute certainty that this is true for their entire body of work. If you have never checked out All Girl Summer Fun Band, you owe it to yourself to go buy one of their albums immediately.
I caught up with Kim, Jen, and Kathy and they very graciously agreed to answer highly dubious questions:
Viva: What was the first record you ever bought? Kim: A Billy Joel 7” with Uptown Girl. Kathy: Well the first vinyl record I bought was The Specials. But I remember one of the first cassettes I had was Thriller by Michael Jackson. Jen: The first LP I bought was “Autoamerican” by Blondie, but I bought a lot of singles before that, like Air Supply and Kool & the Gang
Viva: What's the funniest thing that has happened to you on the road? Kathy: One time we played in San Jose, Ca, near where I grew up, and we were staying at my mom's. She came to the show, and we played with a loud hardcore band. We thought they would be too loud and unpleasant for my mom, but she was actually into it more than any of us, and bought the band's cd! Later, when we got to her house, I went outside to move her car to make room for our van, and when I started the car, the cd blasted on full volume and I scrambled, like an old lady, to turn it down. The girls said they could hear it from inside our van. My mom had been rocking out to hardcore! What the? Jen: Looking back I’d have to say going on tour in Kathy’s van, which had some sort of gas leak, and we bought this little fire extinguisher just in case of…well, an explosion, I guess. That sure is funny NOW but it was scary then.
Viva: What is the worst song you ever covered live? Kathy: We don't know many covers. I think only two. And I loved playing them ("The Look of Love" by Lesley Gore, and "Dust From a Memory" by The Cat's Miaow).
Viva: Who has the worst van etiquette? Jen: It couldn’t be me because I always hold in my farts.
Viva: If you could relive your prom, what song would you want to slow dance to? Kim: "Sailing" by Christopher Cross. Kathy: I didn't go to any proms. But I did slow dance to "Stairway to Heaven" at my sophomore Sadie Hawkins dance. You can't beat that classic! Jen: I would never want to relive my prom, but I think “True” by Spandau Ballet is the song I always relate to 1980s high school dances
Viva: Who's in heavy rotation on your iPod? Kim: Sigur Ros & Dinosaur Jr. Kathy: Brightblack Morning Light, Pseudosix, Billie Holiday, Aretha Franklin Jen: The Donnas “Bitchin”
Viva: What was the worst fight over nothing that you got into with each other after being road weary and exhausted? Kathy: Luckily we haven't gotten into many fights on the road. One time I was upset with Kim because she was putting on her very loud velcro shoes at 8am. Ha ha! We were in Europe and I had been having insomnia for a few nights. That velcro almost sent me over the edge. Kim: I was just so excited to be in Europe that I couldn't sleep!
A. Armada's Anam Cara, released on Jan 27th (sorry for being a little late on this one!) is full of lush, gorgeous, intense instrumental tracks that embody everything that is good and pure about music. Tracks such as "The Moon Shifts The Sea The Sea Shapes The Shore The Shore Shakes The Sand The Sand Sinks The Ship" and "Fall-Triumph" are just genre defyingly brilliant. Take a few moments out of your busy day and check these guys out.
The Faint's Joel Peterson is back with a new record from his solo side project Broken Spindles. Kiss/Kick is by far the strongest of the four Broken Spindles releases to date. What I really like about this album is it features really personal, interesting songwriting that utilizes the new wave undertones to highlight the poignant mood rather than the overly bombastic electronic music for which The Faint is so well known. The first two tracks "I've Never Been So Afraid" and "Introvert" are easily the best on the album. But, there is something to be said for the quiet tone set by songs like "You're Happy But Not For Long" and "The Talk." Release date is set for Feb 17th. Go check this record out!
Hailing from the tiny town Jonkoping, Sweden, Emil Svanangen and his band known as Loney Dear has created a lovely pop gem. Dear John is full of charming melodies, fun synth sounds, electronic drums, and clever lyrics. My favorite track is "Summers." However, "Everything Turns to You" is quite pleasing, too. You can also check out the first track on the record "Airport Surroundings" below. Check these guys out.
For years I have believed that European indie rockers are having more fun and their scene is less uptight than the US! Italian band Le Man Avec Les Lunettes is yet another brilliant indie pop band that helps make my case. Their latest album Plaskaplaskabombelibom is full of charming melodies, entertaining keyboard riffs, and enough new wave goodness to make even the moodiest shoegazer want to dance. Check out the tracks below "Apple" and "A Summer Song." LMALL is worth a more than a few minutes of your time.
Run, don't walk, to your indie rock record shop on March 10th and buy yourself a copy of Advance Base Battery Life. Owen Ashworth a.k.a. Casiotone For the Painfully Alone has completely outdone himself on this "best of" album. This record has become my favorite release of 2009 thus far (taking the title away from Blackout Beach, which is no easy feat!). It is amazing start to finish. Checkout the song "Old Panda Days" in the player below and be absofuckinglutely sure to watch the "White Corolla" video. Bravo!
