Monthly Archives: February 2013

Thursday’s Three, February 28th

Leave a reply

Thursday's Thr3e

You’re reading the first installment of a new series I’m starting up. You can say you knew it when. Sweet deal. So, each Thursday I’ll write a post with three bands: ones I’ve recently discovered and think are awesome and think you will too, or ones that have a new record out. Sometimes it’ll be three new releases; sometimes three discoveries; sometimes a bit o’ both. Here we go.

New Release: Atoms for Peace – Amok

Amok

Atoms for Peace is a new(-ish) side project from Radiohead’s Thom Yorke that features Flea (of RHCP, but you knew that) on bass. Amok is their first album, and it was produced by Nigel Godrich, the same man responsible for Yorke’s The Eraser back in 2006. The sound is similar, yet livelier and more developed. Yorke’s falsetto shimmers above as the countless layers of bass and synth pulse each track along. I think a friend of mine was right, however, when he mentioned that if you’re gonna use Flea, inarguably one of the greatest bassists in history, use him. He’s not featured anywhere near as prominently as he should be. Still, a great listen that’ll tide Radiohead fans over until the group’s next record.

The video below is for “Ingenue,” one of the record’s best tracks, and it features Thom Yorke dancing with his female sartorial twin in an empty auditorium. It’s simple but works perfectly with the song. And of course, there are already gifs.

[youtube http://youtu.be/DpVfF4U75B8]

Discovery: Body Parts

Body Parts

No, I did not discover some previously unnoticed appendages. That’d be weird. (Like really, imagine that for a moment. Very strange.) The L.A. four-piece Body Parts is the vision of Ryder Bach. I discovered them today thanks to David Greenwald’s (of Rawkblog) SXSW digging. They remind me of the Dirty Projectors, which should be all the endorsement you need. I will definitely be checking them out at South-By.

 Discovery: Hiatus Kaiyote

Hiatus Kaiyote

Another discovery thanks to SXSW and Mr. Greenwald, this Melbourne band plays electronic-infused, piano-driven songs of sinewy “future soul.” Plus, how can you not listen with album art like that? Put on some headphones and give this song your full attention.

Check back next Thursday for another three!

New Mount Moriah Record Streaming on Pitchfork

Leave a reply

Mount Moriah

Miracle Temple, the new album from North Carolina alt-country trio Mount Moriah, is now streaming on Pitchfork. This should give you a feel for their sound:

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Fem7oAHxlk]

UPDATE: The album is now available. The last track is particularly solid.

New Music from Jenn Wasner, CHVRCHES, and James Blake

Leave a reply

CHVRCHES

Jenn Wasner of Wye Oak, who made one of my favorite albums of 2011, will be releasing a new album on May 14th as Dungeonesse. It’s separate from her work with Andy Stack (the other half of Wye Oak), part of a new project with Jon Ehrens.

The tracks released so far sound entirely different from anything Wye Oak has done. It’s straight dance pop. The first song exhibits some R&B vocal influences and the second reps that trademark dance pop gloss. What I’m saying is, it’s catchy. I’m interested to see where this project goes.

[youtube http://youtu.be/DyNDaW4qwQw]

[youtube http://youtu.be/9cnsPLDsU-E]

In a similar but grittier vein comes a new track called “Recover” from CHVRCHES, an electronic band from Scotland that recalls The Knife or Metric. (Fun fact from this BBC write-up: the Roman “v” was used in place of a “u” to avoid confusion with physical churches when people searched for the band online.) They have only a couple singles to their name despite forming back in 2011, but they’ll be releasing an EP later in March. This song is the title track:

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/77997623″ width=”100%” height=”164″ iframe=”true” /]

An earlier single of theirs called “The Mother We Share” is also pretty awesome:

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/60173536″ width=”100%” height=”164″ iframe=”true” /]

Lastly we have a new track from James Blake, the UK electronica producer and post-dubstep wunderkind. After 2011’s breakout self-titled album, Blake released the Enough Thunder EP (with the beautiful Joni Mitchell cover) and now follows it up with “Retrograde,” the first single from his forthcoming second LP, Overgrown. There are fewer syncopation-born jolts, leading to more focus on Blake’s vocals. I like this song a lot and hope that the rest of the album heads in a similar direction.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=6p6PcFFUm5I]

Note: I wasn’t planning on doing anything Valentine’s Day-related today, but this morning Josh Ritter (one of my favorite singer/songwriters) released a video for the song “New Lover” from his forthcoming album The Beast In Its Tracks. Fair warning: it is certainly not for anyone who’s enjoying this most divisive of holidays.

Radiohead Returns to Studio in September

Leave a reply

RadioheadIt sounds like the guys will be regrouping from various side projects and other engagements at the end of the summer to record their ninth studio album. That’s very exciting news for just about every human. More than almost any other band, Radiohead manages to do something different with each new record. I’m excited to see where they take this one.

Hey Marseilles

Leave a reply

I heard about Hey Marseilles for the first time in a recent blog post by NPR’s Stephen Thompson where he mentioned them being akin to The Avett Brothers. That’s a stellar recommendation in my book, so I decided to give them a shot. I was not disappointed.

Hey Marseilles

There are more strings and some occasional horns, but the lyricism that drives so much of the Avetts’ music is certainly present in this Seattle ensemble – and it should be noted for posterity that I am almost never opposed to more strings in my folk rock.

After NPR introduced me to this band, they led the way in listening as well. I instantly fell in love with the second track from the band’s World Cafe session, entitled “Heart Beats.” (I included the video from KEXP below because World Cafe strangely lacks any embed options, but I recommend checking out the WC session; the audio is better)

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30qs6KC005M]

They were also featured on NPR’s Song of the Day back in 2010 for “Rio,” an immediately catchy and well-orchestrated track from their 2008 debut, To Travels and Trunks.

If you like what you hear, then you’ll be glad to know that they have a new album coming out March 5th, which happens to be the same day as new records from the Cave Singers and Josh Ritter! Check my new Album Release Calendar for more of this kind of info.

New Song from The Postal Service!

Leave a reply

Many (myself included) never thought this day would come. But here it is. At long, long last (though not so long as My Bloody Valentine) a new track from The Postal Service has entered the world:

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=OIJaQhVoMZg#!]

As far as any similarity to Give Up, “A Tattered Line of String” recalls “Such Great Heights” or “Clark Gable,” opting for a more uptempo beat instead of the melancholic, comfort-food electronica that defined the rest of the record.

It’s worth noting that this song is only a previously unreleased track, not something that was recorded recently. Still, it’s great to hear.