New!

I had a starburst that said "NEW" real big in yellow and red, but at the last minute I decided against it. Bad call. Look at this boring ol type with no call to action. Just siting there on its own like a bump on a log. A real snoozefest. I do however have something to offer that will make up for not having an eye catching "New!"

This something is 3 somewhat new songs by 3 different artists. Thats right, 3 and 3. Enjoy

The Morning Benders- Excuses

Broken Social Scene- World Sick

Pattern is Movement-Light of the World

Field Music

Field Music, who have been on hiatus since 2007 released a 3rd album last Tuesday, titled "Measure". So far it’s easily a stand up triple. Another perfect example of a "Stand Up Double" is the video of Kurtis Sanchez below...yep, its the game where Oak Grove DOMINATED Laguna. Never gets old seeing Laguna go down to OG.


Anyway, my point is that this album is really good. Its 20 tracks, 70 minutes and its quirky. Quirky in a good way, but difficult to describe. One song may start with beautiful spacey piano and end with complex percussion and string arrangements. So, I keep landing on quirky as a description. So many excellent tracks too, the Brewis brothers could have seperated this into two seperate excellent albums. Throughout the album I hear flashes of Beta Band, pinches of Super Furry Animals, and even a sliver Steely Dan on occaison. Field Music + Sanchez = Field of Dreams

Field Music-Measure
Field Music- Them That Do Nothing
Field Music- Clearwater

Best Coast

After dropping out of college in New York and interning at FADER, Bethany Cosentino wanted to focus her efforts on music and move back to a more mellow and relaxed environment – fucking Los Angeles. After returning to her home state, Bethany joined up with old-time friend and former babysitter, Bob Bruno, to start the lo-fi, garage rock band, Best Coast. Tracks like “Sun Was High (So Was I)” and “When I’m With You” incorporate enough noise and heartbreak, love melodies to make you think the Vivian Girls and Camera Obscura had a one-time love affair. You can’t deny the classic, West coast pop sound and enchanting melodies sung by Cosentino. Definitely a group to watch out for in the upcoming summer festival circuit.

Sun Was High (So Was I)

Local Natives - Entire Album

Local Natives will release their album on 2/16, but before they do you can listen to the entire album at NPR.

2010 Pitchfork Festival

One of these artists above will not be playing at the Pitchfork music Festival this year which is July 16th, 17th or 18th. Go on, go ahead, guess who's not playing.

Pavement- Harness your Hopes

LCD Soundsystem- Time to Get Away

Gregg Almann- I'm No Angel

Kurt Vile

This is not new, but I really wanted to put a few words down about Kurt Vile. His 2009 album "Childish Prodigy" got a lot of well deserved attention. I need to give it multiple listens still, but I definitely appreciate it more than I did two months ago. That being said, I still catch myself listening to many songs from 2008 "Constant Hitmaker" on repeat, it's such a great album and I wish I would've found it much, much sooner. So, what can you say about Vile besides the fact that his love for Philadelphia (mainly cheese steaks) could rival John Kruk's? Well, to use a beaten to death cliche...his music is very much indie Americana, its right up there with Apple Pie, The Dallas Cowboys, and Bald Eagles- all of these things would need to be wearing thick glasses and some dark skinny jeans....because, you know. Nevermind, trust me it works. Listening to his solo albums its easy to hear how his music could be likened to that of Springsteen, Tom Petty, Seger and often Dylan....and then can lead to thoughts of Traveling Wilbury's. These similarities are in his guitar play, his understated vocals, but mainly the rawness of these things melding together, kind of like a Philly cheese steak.

Eat your heart out John Kruk.

Two songs of 2008's constant hitmaker, one off 2009's Childish Prodigy, and another great song from Kurt's non-solo project "The War On Drugs" (they're great too)

Kurt Vile- Freeway
Kurt Vile- Breathin Out
Kurt Vile- Hunchback
The War on Drugs- Taking the Farm

Phantogram

The duo known as Phantogram will be releasing an album on Feb. 9th titled "Eyelid Movies" (available from Barsuk). I got to be honest, never heard of this guy / girl combo before today, but I'm really interested. It sounds like more than just two folks creating these sounds.

The band begins a east coast tour this week and they will also playing a few Midwest dates. You can listen to the ENTIRE record from NPR all week. Listen Here.

Below is the single off Phantograms "When I'm Small" compliments of The Orchard, as well as an excellent live version of "Mouthful of Diamonds" from a session on KEXP.
Peace.

Phantograms- When I'm Small

Yeasayer

Yeasayer has been getting a lot of press since December when their album, Odd Blood, was leaked. the songs I heard streaming were cool and I liked them. However, I heard “O.N.E” over the weekend and I haven’t stopped doing the mamba ever since. It’s starting to get uncomfortable in the work place too. Seriously, you try telling your co-workers and boss you can’t stop doing the mamba at your desk because of a song that’s stuck in your head. Give it a listen and see what I mean (you can also download O.N.E. from Yeasayer website)…and also buy the album when it’s released next Tuesday (February 8th)

For those that laughed at the mamba joke there is a bonus song below titled- “Ambling Alp” which had been floating around the elusive blogosphere for a while. Listen to it as well.

Peace.

Yeasayer- O.N.E
Yeasayer- Ambling Alp