Category: Music

Wye Oak: My Neighbor / My Creator EP

From Stereogum comes word about Maryland’s Wye Oak and their forthcoming My Neighbor/My Creator EP.   Included in the announcement is a free download of the EP’s fourth track: “I Hope You Die.”  The song is a sparse, hypnotic demonstration of shoegaze splendor, filled with dreamy vocals and enough reverb to keep a Pong machine working for ages. But the track also expresses a hidden depth, as Merge and Stereogum note, soon blossoming with saxophones and keyboards.  (And hey, if you one more reason to like them, my girlfriend just wandered into the room and said: “Hey, what’s that music?  I really like that…”  She never does this – for what it’s worth…) But rather than pepper you with adjectives, I’ll let you have a listen for yourself.  Grab some headphones and strap in for something swoony and awesome…

The album is currently out only on the Merge Records site, and will be available electronically, everywhere on April 20th, and then everywhere on June 8th.   Follow me:

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Pomplamoose: Tribute to Famous People

My good friend Chris of Geek Force Five first turned me on to Pomplamoose, and I’ve really come to dig their quirky, creative covers of various popular songs.  Pomplamoose is a collaboration between Nataly Dawn and Jack Conte who, together, represent the astounding power of retro love, musical innovation, and YouTube.  They approach all of their videos – which show you every thing that’s actually being heard, without trickery – with a sense of humor that tells you that, in another life (or perhaps in this one), they would be karaoke legends to tell your grandchildren about.  But more than this, their immense popularity on YouTube seems to speak to a wave of nostalgia and the re-emergence of pop as a force in our society.  Whatever your take, you’re sure to be amazed.

You can hear some of their songs on their myspace page (as well buy t-shirts and find links to their stuff on iTunes), but the best way to experience their music is by watching their videos, and seeing that goofy – at times, almost embarrassed – playfulness in their studio/apartment.  Here’s a free cover of Mrs. Robinson, and a couple of videos.  Enjoy!

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Elephant Micah: Echoer’s Intent

This one’s literally brand new for me.  I learned about Elephant Micah from the excellent write-up over at You Crazy Dreamers.  Elephant Micah is actually Joseph O’Connell, an Indiana singer/songwriter.  His work reminds me of We/Or/Me (see my post here), Nick Drake, or even Great Lake Swimmers, as it has a depth of feeling that is immediately apparent.  There is an unassuming, natural quality to the vocals on “Loon Call” (from the newly available “Echoer’s Intent“) that speaks to a stillness of soul and purpose.  It’s the sort of music that makes you sit up, take notice, and then take stock.

Have a listen to “Loon Call” here, and then go read that excellent post at You Crazy Dreamers.  And if you get the chance, stop and see him on one of these tour dates.  Enjoy!

[audio:https://www.shh-listen.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Loon-Call.mp3|titles=Loon Call]  Download

And if you want a little more… here’s a post from Slowcoustic with a bunch more tracks to listen to!

The Besnard Lakes: The Besnard Lakes Are The Roaring Night

It can be a little bit unfair – describing bands by their relation to ancestors – but there’s something about The Besnard Lakes‘ “Albatross” (from their new release  on Jagjaguwar: The Besnard Lakes are the Roaring Night) that makes me instantly think of The Jesus and Mary Chain.  Well, The Jesus and Mary Chain going supernova, anyway.  This is a song of epic architecture: of honey-coated vocals layered on top of waves of fuzz and driving beats.  There is something about this Montreal band that is both immediately familiar, and yet fascinatingly new.  And what makes them all the more intriguing is that every song is strikingly singular in its composition.

From “Disaster,” which wanders through more styles than a Brian Wilson album, to the “My Bloody Valentine jams with early-U2 in space” feel of “Thomasina,” I have this sense  that I’ve discovered a handful of bands that are kindred spirits, rather than just the one.   And it seems that I’m not quite alone in this feeling.  As the folks at Jagjaguwar describe The Besnard Lakes are the Roaring Night:

The Besnard Lakes Are the Roaring Night calls upon the influence of ELO and finer parts of the Alan Parsons Project in its orchestration. Still helped by the Ghost of Beach Boys Past, the album is more Dennis Wilson than Brian, and more Peter Green Fleetwood Mac than Lindsay Buckingham. That said, standout track “Albatross” has all the swagger of a Stevie Nicks-led Fleetwood Mac classic or Roy Orbison reimagined as a rollicking, snakeskin-booted Mazzy Star — dousing it all in gas and throwing the match as we hear its tale of Vancouver’s skid row and its inhabitants.

Perhaps it’s for this reason that I’ve been playing their superbly intense, uncompromisingly emotive music over and over since I first heard it.  And now you can, too!  Check out “Albatross,” and then go visit the above pages, and their myspace page,  for more.

[audio:https://www.shh-listen.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/albatross.mp3|titles=The Besnard Lakes – Albatross]  Download

Now Playing: March 18th, 2010

Sometimes, it’s important to refuel.  I have some albums that I slip on every day, and they fit like my favorite pair of jeans.  I will never, ever get tired of hearing R.E.M.’s Life’s Rich Pageant, or Siamese Dream by Smashing Pumpkins.  That’s just how it is.  I don’t necessarily look for them every day, but they always find their way back to me.  Of course, which albums stick around the house for a while is really up to the season.  Sun Kil Moon works better in Fall and Winter, and The B-52’s are a Summer band.  That’s life.

But for all of this, it’s important to keep bringing in the new.  Music affords us one of the few, endless adventures in life.  There are so many bands – doing so very many things – that there will never be time for it all.  You like Indie Rock, do you?  Well, there are thousands of bands you have never heard of.  No matter how hip.  There’s someone, at this moment, doing something in a garage that’s going to be your next favorite song.  Shouldn’t everything be like that?  It’s awesome, and it’s the reason I’m here on this here website.

So, in this quasi-weekly installment, I’m going to share with you some of the amazing things that have come to me… well, since the last time I wrote this thing.  As this is the first time, let’s stick with March.  Some of this will be new, and some old, but hopefully it will all be awesome.  Let’s get started… if you’ll just follow me:

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