Last Friday, many music fans in Saint Louis (and really, across a number of states) experienced a minor meltdown when the recently announced Mumford and Sons show at The Pageant sold out in approximately fifteen minutes, amidst speculation that the majority of the tickets went not to fans but to vicious scalpers. I, myself, was … Read more
The above, horribly snapped picture, was taken last night as The Rosebuds practiced their new material live before an intimate audience packed neatly into a Civil War era theatre on UNC’s campus. As spring nights are in Chapel Hill, the air that filled the room was warm and electric, as college students in their summer … Read more
All the buzz surrounding Chapel Club seems to revolve around predictions the band is going to be enormous, probably encouraged by lies circulating that they were given sacks of cash by their record label in advance of recording a single note. Yet the more we hear from Chapel Club, the more they seem to be … Read more
Ever have one of those dreams where your teeth crumble into your hand, and you’re left with one of those mouth breather-grills you see at truckstops as you you drive through West Virginia? Well, after a little research, apparently it doesn’t mean you want to marry your cousin and move to Madison. In these cases, … Read more
Irish born singer-songwriter James Vincent McMorrow is already selling records and building a following in the UK. In 2011, he’ll descend on the U.S., guitar in hand, brilliant lyrics in tow. McMorrow’s debut record, Early in the Morning, has been released abroad for some time, but will not be available stateside until January 25th (out … Read more
Balearic House music is back, bitches. So, to all you party people out there, consider this your alert to kick it down to the local mall to pick up a new leather tie, a pair of leg warmers, and some mousse to get that ‘do poppin’ just right. The mysterious duo from Greece known as … Read more
End It All is the fifth Beans album but the first to feature all guest production, and it finds the emcee pushing his distinct staccato rhyme style to new heights across a varied but fluid buildup of beats. The biggest throwback, and perhaps the best result, comes from the Nobody-produced “Deathsweater,”which also just so happens … Read more
When people who love music speak of life altering events, there is inevitably one story mixed in describing the album purchase that guided them firmly down the righteous musical pathway. Sometimes it’s earth shattering, causing people to dump entire record collections of teenage naiveté. For others, it’s a sign guiding them down a two-way street … Read more
It looks like rain And that’s fine with me It’s like we’ve been living On the sun lately If I had to pick one artist that always seems to get to the heart of the matter with his or her lyrics, that artist would probably be Matthew Ryan. The last time we heard from Ryan, … Read more
When I listen to today’s JOTD, a couple things become evident to me (besides, say, making me want to dance around the house in a pair of boxers). One, Karin Bergquist keeps evolving as a singer, so much that I’m pretty sure she could sing anything these days and make it sound unique. On “The … Read more
Sometimes a little back story can make a world of difference when approaching new music, and said knowledge just awarded this music blogger a “Eureka” moment! So apparently, Deepak Mantena, the creative force behind the rising experimental pop-project Junk Culture, concocted his trademark vibe from a lifetime collection of sounds he’s captured on a handheld … Read more
Swedish pop-rock-tart Lykke Li impressed critics and enthralled listeners with her infectious 2008 debut Youth Novels. Wounded Rhymes, Lykke’s second LP, will be released on March 1st in the U.S. (on her own LL records). A couple of months ago, she offered up the sexy “Get Some” as a tasty morsel to hold fans over … Read more
Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors find themselves in the midst of a surprising revival of popular music in Nashville, where artists like Kings of Leon, Jack White, Mat Kearney, and a legion of other national acts have reinvented the reputation of the city as a hotbed of music beyond the realm of typical and formulaic … Read more
L.A. electro-dance-pop foursome Foster the People grooved their way into our hearts with the tip-top summer jam “Pumped Up Kicks” a few months back in 2010. With no EP or LP rumblings and grumblings attached to the track or the band (formed in 2009), we were left to wonder, who are these guys and when … Read more
At this point, we really don’t know much about Australia’s Young Magic except it’s the stage name for some dude named Isaac, he’s the newest addition to the beeping hot as hell Carpark family, he’s currently residing somewhere in NYC, and he made the record with some friends. We’ve also been told the songs were … Read more
Boston electro-pop outfit Carousel are so fresh on the music scene that, until recently, they were almost 100% off the grid. There is precious little biographical data out there about this promising trio, though they have recently joined Facebook, Twitter, and have a YouTube page that appears to be about a week old. What we … Read more
Photo by Tina Tyrell I can’t lie and say that I’m a fan of everything Annie Clark (aka St. Vincent) has ever recorded. No, I don’t celebrate her entire catalog. Some of it I just don’t understand, which I mean as a total compliment — Clark is sometimes wacky, occasionally uninterested in melody — she … Read more
Sleeper Agent is a band that is better left described in bullet-list format. No need to go to all deep on this one folks – which is more of a compliment than a dig, since they wear their musical-hearts on their sleeve. Listen to our Jam of the Day, “Get It Daddy,” and you will … Read more
VIRGIN FOREST is a road-tested and brilliant band from Brooklyn, but they also have a pretty sweet day job as the backing band for Phosphorescent. While VIRGIN FOREST and Phosphorescent both offer a unique take on traditionally “American” music, the similarities end there. Lyricist Scott Stapleton is a frontman cut from the old cloth — … Read more
A year and a half ago, Matt gave The Strange Boys its first official Jam of the Day, christening “This Girl Taught Me a Dance” with the honors. Since then, the song that so perfectly exudes a slow grind of beach party sexiness, the song that’s so eerily ’60s rock ‘n’ roll it’s almost anachronistic, … Read more
Artwork by Karl Eggers Tonight, Saint Louis local favorite, The Dive Poets, takes the stage with a plethora of awesomeness: Royal Smokestacks, Thomas Hardy, and Speakers in Code obsession, Futurebirds. In order to celebrate this incredible line-up, we’ve got a special Jam of the Day straight from The Dive Poets themselves. What what. “Some Great … Read more
Denver Duo Gauntlet Hair (Andy R. and Craig Nice) just released their self titled debut LP last week (via Dead Oceans). The release of Gauntlet Hair builds on a foundation of web buzz fueled by the release of singles “I Was Thinking” and “Top Bunk.” “Keep Time” is a cacophonous jam featured on the newly … Read more
Last summer, Brooklyn retro-pop rockers The Drums released their self-titled debut LP and we here at Speakers in Code lauded the quartet and their record, very much enjoying the new-wavey, post-punky sound of the new band. A year later, the group has endured a lineup change, toured relentlessly, and offered up their follow up effort, … Read more
At nineteen, Mac Miller may not be able to legally drink, but that doesn’t mean a thing, because he’s got this dude in his less-than-mid-thirties ready to drank sizzurp and hop up and down like he did to De La Soul at the middle school dance.What?!?! Our Jam of the Day, “Party on Fifth Ave” … Read more
Balearic beat aficionados Keep Shelly in Athens are set to release the Our Own Dream EP on November 5th (Forest Family) and embark on their first ever United States mini-tour, starting in Austin, TX (also on 11/5). In anticipation of the release and tour, the Grecian duo have dropped a new single “DIY,” that showcases … Read more
After steadily writing while both on and off the road over the course of last year, Tyler Ramsey headed to Nashville, TN, to record his third album of southern-fueled ditties in early January. Friend and bandmate Bill Reynolds (who’s worked with The Avett Brothers and Lissie) produced and aided on bass, and over a rare … Read more
Photo by Laura Crosta Just kiss me, we’ll be okay. Perhaps the mark of a great songwriter is his or her ability to make you feel at opposite ends of the emotional spectrum. So when Rachael Yamagata is able to completely torture me on the same damn album, well, that’s when I take notice. Rachael, … Read more
Hey y’all. Speakers in Code is co-hosting the upcoming Mates of State and Generationals show at The Firebird on Halloween night. The only thing that’s gonna be creepy is how much I fawn all over these indie-pop music makers. If you live in Saint Louis and you fancy yourself a tastemaker of sorts, you’ll want … Read more
I never had my mind made up before the bomb dropped Katie Herzig’s new album, The Waking Sleep, finds the Nashville singer and songwriter stretching her talents into different, sexy orbits. Case in point, you can dance to today’s JOTD, “Free My Mind.” I mean, you can really get down. Just watch her shake her … Read more
Chapel Hill’s T0W3RS is one of those bands whose songs don’t fall neatly in line with the categorical system developed over the past decade by music fans, writers, and those pesky blogs. Sure, the elements are the same – no one (that I can hear) is playing the didgeridoo or doing anything purposely different to … Read more