Way back in 2008, Fleet Foxes sneaked into our lives, unexpectedly dropping the list-topping, self-titled debut LP on all of our asses and shaking up the indie music world in the process. No one realized the band’s level of crossover potential until it was upon us, and looking from these 2011 eyes, it could be … Read more
The first time I met Andy Berkhout, I immediately noticed his gentle disposition accompanied by a permanent, genuine smile. If I had a million dollars, I’d bet you’d like this guy. Photo credit: Katie Guymon And, if there were a perfect song to typify Berkhout’s peaceful, easygoing demeanor, it would be today’s Jam of the … Read more
You’ve heard that song “Cleveland Rocks,” right? You know, the Midwestern anthem that boasts the city’s ability to “live in sin with a safety pin?” Whatever that means? Well, after spending the weekend with my new indie crushes, The Lighthouse and the Whaler, a fivesome out of the aforementioned Ohioan city, I want to write … Read more
Toro y Moi is the moniker of “chillwave” artist Chazwick Bundick, who just may be the coolest guy to come from South Carolina since Tom Haverford. Chillwave (or glo-fi!), a relatively new movement, is just what it sounds like: chilled out, new-wave grooves. Mr. Bundick has been operating within this aural arena ever since the … Read more
We could’ve had it all. There is a moment in Stephen King’s Pet Sematary where Louis Creed almost goes insane. His son, Gage, has just died, and he’s imagining what could have been – Gage growing up, Gage getting married…basically, the rest of Gage’s life. It’s all right there so vividly, except, of course, it … Read more
Anyone with an ear to the ground in the Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill area of NC have heard the rumble of a local music scene waiting to blow the eff up. From the wildly successful, and heavily local Hopscotch Music Festival, to stage-stealing opening slots before major national acts, Triangle bands brought their shit … Read more
Los Angeles husband and wife electro/dance/disco/afro-beat duo, Rainbow Arabia, has offered up the first single from their soon to be released LP, Boys and Diamonds (March 1st on Kompakt Records). Danny and Tiffany Preston have crafted a synth- and-bongo infused anthem to introduce listeners to their unique sound and the compositions of the new record. … Read more
Dude, the Scandinavian countries are straight tearing up my iPod so far in 2011. Hot on the tracks of Monday’s Jam of the Day, the new Lykke Li single, “I Follow Rivers,” we’ve got the new Datarock happytime dance gem, “Catcher in the Rye.” (Otherwise known as “the most extravagant single in in history”…’cause that’s … Read more
Photo credit: Rachel Demsick Last October, as part of her house concert tour across the U.S., singer-songwriter Annie Stela set up and played her songs in my living room. Her performance still often lingers in my mind; I remember her effortlessly playing songs like “Breathe Through,” “Heart,” and “Clean It Up,” undoubtedly making a true … Read more
Now that we’ve had the weekend to absorb The King of Limbs, “Lotus Flower” has emerged as the early standout on Radiohead’s new record. While we know full well that the listening experience has the propensity to change and evolve each time through a Radiohead album, it is clear that “Lotus Flower” is the rock … Read more
For Friday’s Jam of the Day, we are going to sit back, and let a recent press release about his upcoming album do all the talking. Honestly, we couldn’t have said it better ourselves. “Alone in his room, Alex had his guitar, a Lowery organ he picked up at a St. Vincent’s thrift store … Read more
Admiral Fallow is a beeping awesome new band from the UK that is causing quite a stir in the land of the Scots. The band is fueled by young, foot-stomping and faintly maniacal singer/songwriter, Louis Abbott, who attributes his influences to the likes of Tom Waits, Elbow, Low and Mr. Springsteen himself. Our Jam of … Read more
Seattle-based songwriter Grant Olsen knows a little bit about Robert Frost. In fact, it was Frost’s appreciation of the ephemeral beauty of nature, and one of his most famous lines “Nothing gold can stay,” that inspired Olsen to name his new solo project Gold Leaves. And while the name hearkens images of sunny autumnal days, … Read more
In the past, we’ve posted about songs that make us feel like everything from dancers to old people. The Cave Singers, however, have given us a song that makes us feel like friggin’ badasses. Don’t believe us? Just start playing it below while you read the rest of this. Go ahead. Really. We’ll wait… Good … Read more
Referring friends to check out your favorite music blog on Facebook can come with some serious effing perks. Take for example this, our Jam of the Day, hand selected by uber-fan Britt Holzmacher, featuring a little up-and-coming band known wittily as “The Beatles.” It just so happens to be her favorite song in the world, … Read more
The Swedish band Junip, fronted by Argentinian-born Jose Gonzalez, released an eclectic, electronic folk album last year that resulted in, at most, a moderate blip on the indie rock radar. Fields should have been all over the place, buzzing like Gonzalez’s other albums of intimate guitar and vocal work. But for some reason, it never quite … Read more
There is something about the spring in Wilmington, North Carolina that is filled with energy. Yet, it’s peaceful in a way that draws your mind back once winter’s final breath is complete. The days are warm, sunny, and breezy – typical for a coastal southern town. But as the sun dips below the horizon, the … Read more
If you have yet to hear of twenty-year-old rapper Tyler, the Creator, a member of the crazy rap collective Odd Future (Wolf Gang Kill Them All), you’re more than likely not paying too much attention to indie music. This has been their year thus far, successfully reaching blowing-the-fuck-up status by killing every appearance they’ve made. … Read more
Music, for most, is something that is categorized internally. And while you may keep your record collection in alphabetical order, the virtual playlist in your head tells you exactly where songs, bands, even albums fall — and when exactly you should play them. There are the inevitable falling asleep albums, like Sigur Ros’ ( ). … Read more
Like a fishing bobber off the coast of their native Queensland, The Middle East have been submerging and resurfacing for quite some time now. The band made its initial splash at SXSW way back in 2010. Following that, The Middle East released a highly anticipated EP, Recordings of The Middle East, which met stellar reviews … Read more
Chicago’s Hey Champ lambasted us last summer with glossy electro-pop via their LP Star, a solid tutorial and exercise in ’80s inspired dance rock. After a tour that took these Midwesterners (and their dynamic live shows) as far as South America, the trio has recently been toiling away in the studio, crafting tunes that will … Read more
Seriously, how in the world has it been over a year since I first wrote about the yummy goodness that is GIVERS? “Up Up Up,” from the band’s self-released EP, was my first introduction to Louisiana quintet’s unique blend of funk, afro-pop, and island flavors. And, I loved it instantly. Needless to say, the looooong … Read more
Photo by Jennifer MacConnell The sounds of Summer Fiction (Philadelphia singer-songwriter Bill Ricchini’s new band) have been buzzing in and out of my ears since, well, last winter. That’s when I first heard the lead single, “Chandeliers.” Oh yeah, sure. It’s catchy enough. It has this despondent sock-hop vibe that reminds me of Weezer going … Read more
Is the American South the global epicenter of chillwave? Georgia’s Ernest Greene AKA Washed Out (along with South Carolina’s Toro y Moi) is certainly making a compelling argument with the release of the lead single, “Eyes Be Closed” from his upcoming debut LP Within and Without (July 12th on Sub Pop). Building on the coruscating … Read more
For the second day in a row, we’ve opted to feature a track from a band on the Jagjaguwar roster. We swear: we’re not trying to suck up. We just can’t help but be blown away by first, the badass The Cave Singers and now by the return of Bon Iver, the band that knocked … Read more
The first line of today’s Jam of the Day gives it away — these dudes are Canadian. I mean, if you’re singing about being unable to find a station on the radio while driving through North Ontario, you’re either a Canuck, or you just got really lost. Luckily, The Trews aren’t lost. They’re just Candian … Read more
When England electropop outfit Metronomy released its debut record in 2006, they seemed a little more electro and a little less pop. With the release of the quartet’s third album, The English Riviera (Because Music), and a change in the band’s members, the tides have turned, at least for the time being. Metronomy’s sensibilities now … Read more
WU LYF (World Unite/Lucifer Youth Foundation) has been on the Speakers in Code radar since way back in days of April, when a cloud of excitement and speculation collided like those atoms do, but instead of nuclear fission, buzz was created. No one really knew what the hell they were dealing with. Between cryptic pictures … Read more
Listening to San Diego’s The Donkeys, it’s easy to focus on the geographic backdrop that frames the music. The jagged cliffs of La Jolla, the rolling hills further inland, the perfect weather, and of course, ocean views are all detectable. But subtract location from the equation, and you’re left with a sort-of slacker/surfer vibe that … Read more
A few years ago, my friend Anthony sent me a text message that simply read: Hayes Fuckin’ Carll. Couldn’t have said it better myself, really. When I listen to Carll’s music, I feel like I’m listening to one of the best country/rock/folk musicians of our time. I’m being serious — name another artist who writes … Read more