“Chess” is one of those songs that, by the time it ends, is in a very different place than where it began. The first two minutes are pretty sparse. Just a beat, teeny guitar strum and some singing. By the end, your basically engulfed in a sonic storm that wipes your brain of the three … Read more
Last Friday night I was standing at the back of Chapel Hill’s Nightlight, nursing a Diet Coke, when New York City’s Las Rosas stormed the stage, introduced themselves, and launched into the first song of what would end up being an absolutely incendiary opening set. 30 seconds in, I turned to the friend I was … Read more
My time here at Speakers in Code is normally spent offering you clowns a mix of either super-underground indie-rock or rap, to cleanse your sad-bastard-souls for that game Gonulsen throws on the daily. But, hearkening back to a time when I wasn’t an industry giant who knew about all the best music before it was even … Read more
Photo by Greg Whitaker “Strange Eyes”, from Murder by Death’s upcoming 7th LP, is an absolute tapestry of sound: it’s layered and desperate and builds from a drone to a crashing of guitars and cellist Sarah Balliet’s shivering counterpoint to the melody, while frontman Adam Turla yelps and pleads that he can’t escape “your strange … Read more
Leave it be I’m not yours and you don’t belong to me Man, you have to let it go. You really, really have to let it go. Let it burn. Let the smoke fly. And be free. Or, as Cheryl Strayed wrote in Tiny Beautiful Things: “I’ll never know, and neither will you, of the … Read more
Photo by Ashley Boyd Jones Heidi Feek, who’s from Nashville and prepping a full-length record to be out in 2015, has produced what’s my first favorite song of 2015 in “Trail Pop”. If Enrico Morricone made electronica crossed with country pop and ’60s Phil Spector Wall of Sound production, it would sound like this song, … Read more
Photo by Nate Burrell You’re such a tragedy lately I love the way that you play me You fell in love with yourself Stacey Winter has a layered, pop sound — one that features Aaron Lee Tasjan’s unleashed guitar on today’s Jam of the Day, “You Fell in Love.” The lyrics here are accusatory, possibly … Read more
Modest Mouse hasn’t released a new song since 1942. 1942 PEOPLE! It’s been that long! Well, the wait is now officially over, and we’ve been able to hear not one but two new Isaac Brock songs in just under a month! 2015 is awesome! The below video is for the second single officially released from … Read more
We are doomed to become one or both of our parents. It’s true — and if you’re over 30 years of age, this becomes ever-more-present each and every passing day. But by “become” I don’t mean carbon copies, I just mean as we progress in life, we see little blips of our folks start popping … Read more
via Drag City “Leaving the City” is the second single from Joanna Newsom’s forthcoming LP, Divers, which follows up 2010’s magnificent Have One on Me. Words don’t do Mrs. Newsom’s music justice, so I’ll keep it short: this song and the previously released first single, “Sapokanikan,” are portents of absurdly good things. Divers will be the best album … Read more
There is no album in recent history that makes more sense to remix than Leon Bridges out-fucking-standing breakout album Coming Home. Not only is it, start to finish, a polished example of channeling a time period holistically to create something that sounds both retro and brand-new all at the same time — the music it … Read more
Does it sound a bit like a Bon Iver song? Sure. How many fucks to I give? None. Because Bon Iver isn’t giving me what I need these days. I need music like this for the coming cold winter nights. I need something emotional for those now-dark-nights driving home from work. So thanks NOVO AMOR. … Read more
This isn’t a new one — Dar Williams released Emerald, on which “Slippery Slope” is found, back in May — but Dar is an artist who I loved passionately for much of my teens and twenties whose new music doesn’t always hit my radar timely. A dear, dear friend turned me on to Emerald‘s release … Read more
Photo courtesy of the artist “Down By The River”, from Colorado’s raucous Von Stomper, is a good old-fashioned alt country rock and roll paean to friendship, drankin’, and loving the life you have. I’m in Atlanta this weekend for the wedding of my man’s oldest friend, and it’s definitely stuck in my head. Check out … Read more
To the blogger of music – few things are more exciting than watching a band grow. In fact, the only thing more exciting than watching a band grow is watching a band you truly care about grow – and that, folks, is the pinnacle of music-blogdom. A veritable apex, if you will, where life and … Read more
Remember that eyes shoot arrows through lies should you sing out of tune There are tattoos that require ink. And then there are tattoos that Ryan Bingham sings about — the ones that live somewhere deep in your heart — not (always) on display, but more permanent. They are the inevitable experiences that shape you … Read more
I see trouble every time I look for you Today’s Jam of the Day comes from Portland’s Lost Lander, who today released Medallion, which is quickly becoming one of our favorite albums of 2015. Dig on this one with us, won’t you?
For weeks now, Lord Huron has been posting a series of pics on their various social media properties promoting the release of their new “stuff.” We already know there is a new album coming out (see pic above) but the rest of the images carried song titles, all having the same throwback flair we’ve come … Read more
via Consequence of Sound Brilliant debut albums can be both a blessing and a curse. While they firmly establish an act’s credibility, they can also create pressure to live up to yourself on the next release. Many lesser artists are not able to live up to the hype and enter the dreaded “sophomore slump.” Father … Read more
Photo: Patrick Fraser I’m your MRI Show you what’s going on inside I’m your ATM Take what you like my supply won’t end I’m your MP3 I get sad when you don’t pay for me I’m your IED Carry me very carefully New Zealand’s Brooke Fraser is your magical machine. Seriously, she’s better than the … Read more
It’s cold here – okay, okay, I know it’s just cold for North Carolina, and many of you have it far worse, but I live here not to be cold – and I’m kind of cranky and irritable all the time. Winter blows, you guys, as I’m sure you know. Wouldn’t we all rather be somewhere … Read more
Photo by Jason Gonulsen You know it’s a good song when the subject has been beaten to death — “I don’t wanna fight…blah blah blah” — and yet, Alabama Shakes somehow are able to make it fresh once again. Of course, it doesn’t hurt when you have Brittany Howard wailing in a unique, immediate mind-exploding … Read more
via Bandcamp The amount of exciting music slated to be released in 2015 is seriously staggering, but it’s time to add yet another album to your “Most anticipated” list. Kisses to the Sky is the forthcoming album by Raleigh NC’s Oulipo, and its second single, “Dolphins,” is about to dramatically improve your day. Layers of airy synthesizers and … Read more
As a music-lover, and devout non-religious-person, few artists out there confound my sensibilities more than Sufjan Stevens. His songs operate on a genius level. Complex, beautiful and soulful — they scream for dissection, but more often than not, I’m left totally in awe of the music and totally dumbfounded by his lyrics. Is that really … Read more
via Pitchfork “Lilly,” a gem from Toro Y Moi’s latest, LP What For?, is a synthesis of psychedelia and R&B that both breaks new ground and stays true to form for the South Carolina band. Replete with formant filters and airy synths, it maintains many elements of Toro Y Moi’s sound that we’ve come to love, … Read more
Photo courtesy of the artist I can’t say much about the first single from Kacey Musgraves’ upcoming record that Stephen Thompson didn’t say better on Pop Culture Happy Hour last week: it’s one of Kacey’s signature mind-your-judgey-business shut-your-nosy-piehole songs, and I love every minute of it, because that’s basically my entire modus operandi in life. … Read more
Photo by Emily Ulmer “Reconfiguration”, the first single of Other Lives’ new LP Rituals, is smoky and synth-filled, and the video – all shadows with little light, black and white clad figures engaged in a strange pas de deux – is the perfect visual representation of the sound the band is growing into on the … Read more
Photo courtesy of the artist British singer-songwriter Thea Gilmore has been one of my under-the-radar favorites for nearly a decade now, since my dear friend Rosie gave me her 2001 stunner Rules For Jokers for my birthday in 2003 or 2004. “Coming Back To You” is the first single from Thea’s upcoming Ghosts + Graffiti. … Read more
Well I want a cup of coffee but I don’t want a GMO If you haven’t heard, Neil Young is going after Monsanto and GMOs and we love him for it. He’ll be on tour this summer with Promise of the Real, an LA-based rock band fronted by Lukas Nelson (vocals/guitar), along with Micah Nelson … Read more
Emily Haines of Metric | Photo by Jason Gonulsen Metric is back with “The Shade,” their first single from a new full-length studio album to be released later this summer. It’s quirky, fresh, and basically everything we’ve come to expect from one of our favorite bands: you’re gonna play it again. Metric will be in … Read more