Think coffee and cigarettes. Scotch and cigars. Hell — milk and cookies for those of you who don’t share in the vices of the cool. “Song for Zula” is built to spin during occasions like these – when two things, perfect standing on their own, come together to create a feeling uniquely different that that … Read more
“Lord have mercy on my rough and rowdy ways…” The Seattle six-piece The Head and the Heart has absolutely floored me with its endless wallops of poignant lyrical punches in one single five minute song. “Down in the Valley” is perfectly reminiscent of that Northwestern indie-folk sound that’s been well harvested over the past five years … Read more
Lay with me I’ll see you through Sometimes, all I need in a song is a simple promise. I don’t want to hear about how the world is perfect, how we’re all going to succeed at everything we do. We can’t. We won’t. However, I do believe in living simply, and not living in excess. … Read more
Losing a close friend conjures myriad emotions. Initially, there is the mandatory grief, anger, and guilt to dominate all others. But once those feelings subside, you’re left with an amazing mix of nostalgia, gratitude, and happiness while experiencing new things he would have loved. Today’s Jam of the Day, by Kurt Vile, is dedicated to … Read more
Dallas quartet Air Review are on the brink of something special. These Texans are in the process of releasing their debut EP America’s Son, one single at a time, over the next five or six months. The EP’s eponymous track is a cozy piece of folky Americana. Engaging, rustic, and immeasurably listenable, “America’s Son” envelops … Read more
I’m too old to let you go I’m too young to let you down I’ve been wanting to write about this song for a while now, and with Ryan Adams’ double-7” vinyl EP, Class Mythology, set for release on Record Store Day, well, now seems appropriate. This is one of Adams’ best songs. It’s not … Read more
I will remember your face‘Cause I am still in love with that placeWhen the stars are the only things we shareWill you be there? What happened to the short and sweet songs? (Or, more specifically, the ones that sound like they were made for those late autumn hours where the sun creeps down too early.) … Read more
SoKo (AKA Stéphanie Sokolinski) is a French singer-songwriter (and actress) who is set to release her debut record I Thought I Was An Alien on February 20, 2012. The record’s eponymous single is a candid, reflective, breeze-pop pajammy jam. SoKo sings, accent in tow; “And you look at me as if I was a freak. … Read more
Open up your eyesSee how lifetime fliesOpen up and let the light back in This one’s from 1992. But hey, it’s okay to look back every once in a while, right? Especially when it comes to Neil Young, my favorite artist. When people ask why I love Young’s music so much, I’m unsure of the … Read more
Just when I finally made it through the entire batch of My So-Called Life reruns on The Sundance Channel, Mazzy Star decides to release a couple of singles for the first time in fifteen years. Lord, will I ever stop reliving the angst of my fourteen year old self? Or channeling Angela Chase? At least … Read more
I’ve been enamored with Yuck’s eponymous debut LP for over a year now – partially because it sounds like what my first album would sound like, if I possessed any musical skillz whatsoever. But also because I can literally hear the influences that led to such a refreshingly different and enthralling album. Maybe it’s because … Read more
Lead singer Nate Eiesland wrote the new Scattered Trees album in memory of his father. Just look at the titles of the two songs we offer you today. It’s clear that Sympathy is a meditation on the gut wrenching feelings of love and loss, but it’s equally therapeutic. “A Conversation About Death on New Years … Read more
While it doesn’t exist in a single medical book and isn’t even taught in those so-called “medical schools,” there is a tangible space in the human heart where special things are stored. You know exactly what I speak of, even if it isn’t defined, poked, prodded, and put on display in a traveling exhibit of dissected and … Read more
Photo by Dusdin Condren You’re the reason why I’ll move to the city You’re why I’ll need to leave When the stakes are high, and things eventually bottom out, we’re left with reality. We’re left with songs like Sharon Van Etten’s “Give Out,” taken from her latest album, Tramp, and you won’t find a song … Read more
I’ll remember youWhen the wind blows through the piney woodIt was you who came right throughIt was you who understood This one’s for all the victims in Aurora, Colorado. Peace and love to all.
I have a crippling fear A crippling fear of seeing you again And really, that’s all Matthew Mayfield needs to say. When he does sing those lines, you feel the paranoia, like in the moment you look over your shoulder before you say something secretive to your friend in a public place. Perhaps that’s why … Read more
It’s early, but come this time next year, you’ll have heard all about Night Beds, which is the project from Nashville led by songwriter Winston Yellen. On “Even If We Try,” we get a small glimpse of the magic ahead: a hushed, windy dream that flies in and out of consciousness. Quiet and soaring at … Read more
Come on, we gotta get out, get out of this mess we madeAnd still for all our talk, we’re both so afraidWill we leave this up to chance, like we do everything?Love is gonna find us again There is a saying that goes something like this: Force is most always met with resistance. And with … Read more
Photo by Jay Sansone I never laughed so loudI never laughed so loudI never laughed so loudThink I’m coming down It saddens me when people confuse struggle with failure. When you struggle, you often lose, you don’t get what you want, and still, nothing can stop you. You only fail when you lose and give … Read more
Summer is coming. Matthew E. White will make it his. Just surrender now. But if your hand and ears must be forced, they will not be led by extreme means. Instead, you will slowly succumb to beats that sneak along and a voice that quietly kills, seemingly possessed by the ghosts of history’s most powerful … Read more
Photo by Conor Masterson Maybe when our hearts have realignedMaybe when we’ve both had some timeI’m gonna see you there Glen Hansard just might be the most passionate artist alive, and it’s simply a gift that he also happens to write magical songs. If you’ve seen Hansard perform, whether it be solo, with The Frames, … Read more
Tomorrow is the big day. Dots Not Feathers will release its brand spankin’ new EP, Come Back to Bed, at Off Broadway for the Speakers in Code-hosted party. And, you are all invited. Today, we’re excited to premiere the title track off the band’s new collection of tunes. Dots Not Feathers – Come Back to … Read more
Time’s a shark and in a hurry It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Well, for some people. For others, it’s the most hurried, nervous, pressure-filled time of the year. A time when we miss people, when family gatherings don’t always come to be. A time when we can’t always get what we want. … Read more
James Blake is on creative fire, but his flame is not one that rages. It is one that smolders slowly and beautifully. As he prepares the release of his stunning new single “The Whilhem Scream,” Blake has offered up, via the blog Disco Naivete, a stream of the b-side, “What Was It You Said About … Read more
The guys who make up Manchester five-piece rock outfit Elbow have been making music together for over twenty years. Long lost (unjustifiably) amongst Coldplay, Doves, Oasis, Blur, and even U2 (and opening for at least a couple of these UK bands), Elbow have been cranking out beautifully layered and emotive songs since the 2001 (it … Read more
The first time I saw Josh Oliver play live, he was a multi-instrumentalist for the everybodyfields, the now-defunct group from Tennessee that featured Jill Andrews and Sam Quinn. I remember him picking up his electric guitar and blasting my ears during “Aeroplane,” adding that extra amount of energy that makes that particular song fly. These … Read more
In a year where a certain British singer-songwriter has basically taken over the charts with her beautiful songs, artists like Nerina Pallot (born in London, raised in the Bailiwick of Jersey) can certainly get lost in the shuffle. Oh, but not on Speakers in Code. We’re listening. Pallot’s new album, Year of the Wolf, recently … Read more
Back in July, Matt introduced us all to Tyler Powers, also known as Youth Lagoon, the 22 year old, solo musical savant out of Boise, Idaho. Back then, Youth Lagoon’s much anticipated debut LP, The Year of Hibernation, was still two months away from release. On the strength of what we heard from Powers this … Read more
We won’t break if we let go A friend of mine sent me this song the other day, and I’m guessing it’s a demo of what’s to come — a new album from Tristan Prettyman. If so, I’m ready. It’s been too long, Tristan. Where have you been hiding this gorgeous voice, these beautiful words? … Read more
Once I wanted to be the greatestNo wind or waterfall could stall me Haven’t we all felt like the person in this Cat Power song? The assurance. The confidence. The belief that it was all possible. I’ve always wanted to hear this one live, so I’m hoping she decides to dust it off next weekend … Read more