Listen: New How to Dress Well songs

How to Dress Well's first 7" just came out on Lefse Records, and its a beauty. Like Tom Krell (the man behind HTDW) announced some time ago, he has a lot more stuff coming out. Transparent Records will release his next 7" in just over a week. Ecstasy With Jojo / Take It On is up for pre-order right now at Pure Groove and the two songs can be streamed/downloaded below:

How To Dress Well - Ecstacy With Jojo (Single) by Pure Groove

This all leads up to HTDW's first full length release called Love Remains, coming September 21 also via Lefse. This debut LP will consist of songs Krell has released previously, only in recorded form and properly mixed and mastered. A first album song, You Won't Need Me Where I'm Goin', is up for grabs here as well (via Pitchfork):

MP3: How to Dress Well - You Won't Need Me Where I'm Goin'

Free download: Holy Spirits: The Afternoon's Blood

Here is another great treat as a free download via Bandcamp. The Afternoon's Blood is Holy Spirits' first release and is already being picked up by sites like Altered Zones. The band just made their EP available as a free download, and it is definitely worth taking a minute of your time for.

The EP starts off with the orchestral chamber pop that might remind you of acts like Grizzly Bear, only a bit darker and at times even somewhat grimy. The EP continues this mood, following with Bridges and Contain. At this time, comparisons shift a bit toward Mount Eerie or Vic Chesnutt, only with more falsetto voice. The fourth song in, White Walls, is the EP's highlight. Here, the band starts looking for different sounds and finds them in lush electronic organs and bass synth. Maybe this reminds you a bit of Radiohead during Kid A. As said, this is highly worth taking some time for. Listen/download:

Monster Rally: Palm Reader EP

Highly recommended this is. The Palm Reader EP consists of a couple tracks from Monster Rally's forthcoming album. This is sample-based pop at its best, in my opinion: Think Flying Lotus, only a bit less complex or Madlib, only more exotic. The full-length album is out in September; his EP can be downloaded for free from Bandcamp right now:

Lonely Galaxy: Nutts

Here's a great new song by London's Lonely Galaxy. I'm still hooked on his EP1 (available here), and it looks like he's coming with a new EP shortly. Great news!

MP3: Lonely Galaxy - Nutts

Wu Lyf: I Got Dem Wu Wu Busted Teef Spitting It Concrete Like The Golden Sun God

i got dem wu wu busted teef spitting it concrete like the golden sun god- WU LYF from LYF on Vimeo.

Via Delicious Scopitone

Sleep ∞ Over: La Rose

After the title track, here also is the b-side for Sleep ∞ Over's new Outer Limits 7". It's out on Forest Family Records August 10 and can be pre-ordered right here right now. Edition of 500 on clear vinyl.

Sleep ∞ Over - La Rose
Sleep ∞ Over - Outer Limits

Free download: Guards

Another great discovery via Bandcamp: 60's pop outfit Guards. Their EP can be downloaded for free, and there's even a song with Cults (talking about 60's pop perfection) on there. Download this slice of summer:

Download & Contribute: R. Stevie Moore Tributes

Sick of the Radio has compiled two R. Stevie Moore (this blog is actually named after one of his albums) Tribute albums. That's an impressive 47 songs ready to be downloaded. But the fun doesn't stop there. In fact, Sick of the Radio is asking for people to contribute coversongs for future releases. Songs will be selected by, that's right, R. Stevie Moore himself! Truly a great project. You've got till August 1 to submit songs, so you'll have to hurry though. For more information on how to contribute, check here and here.

The first volume of R. Stevie Moore tributes "Copy Me, Treat Me" features artists like Ariel Pink’s Haunted Grafitti, Dave Gregory (XTC) and Skitanja. Download it here from Megaupload.

"New Wave Moons", Volume 2 can be grabbed here and features artists like Jason Falkner, The Branflakes and Todd Dillingham. You can also listen to both albums below. Keep an eye out for future releases.

Vol. 1 - "Copy Me, Treat Me" by RStevieMooreTribute

Vol. 2 - "New Wave Moons" by RStevieMooreTribute

These New Puritans: Hologram (Salem Remix)

These New Puritans released one of my favourite records this year, Salem will definitely be another contender. Salem's debut album, King Night, is out September 28 via IAMSOUND. (via Pitchfork).

These New Puritans: Hologram (Salem Remix)

Also check out Salem's track King Night from forthcoming album again:

Salem - King Night

Free download: Green Gerry

The first listens of Green Gerry's new album have literally left me speechless. Odd Tymes is probably one of the most amazing discoveries in quite some time. The band originates from Athens and Los Angeles and creates dark, dense and mostly acoustic music. I keep thinking of a modern times' Syd Barrett. The album was fully recorded in GarageBand, once more showing the potential of DIY-aesthetics; everybody owning some basic equipment can give shape to great music and interesting ideas. Too bad the album doesn't come in some kind of physical form, ‘cause I would love to hold a copy between my fingers. Highly recommended this is:

Contact Risk's 40 best records of 2010 so far

1. Joanna Newsom – Have One On Me


2. Beach House – Teen Dream


3. Wu Lyf – Concrete Gold / Heavy Pop 12”


4. Flying Lotus – Cosmogramma


5. How to Dress Well – Can’t See My Own Face EP


6. Wavves – King of the Beach


7. Baths – Cerulean


8. These New Puritans – Hidden


9. Damien Jurado – Saint Barlett


10. Cloud Nothings – Turning On LP


11. The National – High Violet


12. Gayngs – Relayted


13. Twin Sister – Color Your Life


14. Liars – Sisterworld


15. Wildbirds & Peacedrums – Rivers


16. Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – Before Today


17. Best Coast – Crazy For You


18. Pavement – Quarantine the Past


19. jj – jj n° 3


20. Danger Mouse & Sparklehorse - Dark Night of the Soul

21. Tame Impala – Innerspeaker
22. Broken Social Scene – Forgiveness Rock Record
23. Spoon – Transference
24. Women – Public Strain
25. Lonely Galaxy – EP One
26. Johnny Cash – Ain’t No Grave
27. Zola Jesus – Stridulum EP
28. Julian Lynch – Mare
29. Green Gerry – Odd Tymes
30. Herzog - Search

31. Wild Nothing – Gemini
32. Best Coast – Something in the Way 7”
33. Wolf Parade – Expo 86
34. Roky Erickson with Okkervil River – True Love Cast Out All Evil
35. Cults – Go Outside 7”
36. Pocahaunted – Make It Real
37. Small Black – Small Black EP
38. LA Vampires & Zola Jesus – LA Vampires & Zola Jesus
39. The Magic Lantern – Platoon
40. The Besnard Lakes – Are the Roaring Night

Free download: Wise Blood

Got some really great and free music from Bandcamp again last week. First off is Wise Blood, expect more later this week. Dubbed 'future music' by the band itself, they indeed sound remarkably fresh, with a mix of contemporary pop, hip hop and sect-like chanting:

Download: Trillwave Mixtape

The Hood Internet compiled this pretty hip mixtape, including all usual chillwave suspects combined with a lot of rap artists; from the likes of Ice Cube and Jay-Z to Why?. This will surely skyrocket your mood. Check out the pretty impressive tracklist and stream the whole thing below or download right here.

Tracklist:
1. Phoenix x Why? - Shoeing Horses In 1901
2. Young Money x Javelin - DepRock
3. The-Dream x Kevin Drew - Bodhi Shawty Weekend
4. Air x Mike Jones - La Femme D'Monsieur Jones
5. Kanye West feat Lil Wayne x DJ Signify - 1993 Barry Bonds
6. Pharaohe Monch x The Black Lips - Drop I Mayor
7. Birdman x Washed Out - Feel It On The South Side
8. Doom x The Flaming Lips - Air You A Hypnotist?
9. Lloyd Banks feat Juelz Santana x Neon Indian - Beamer, Drips
10. Jay Electronica x Toro Y Moi - Freak Exhibit
11. Jamie Foxx x Röyksopp - Alcohol Forever
12. Mando Diao - Dance With Somebody (Hood Internet Remix feat GZA & Cadence Weapon)
13. Hieroglyphics x Genesis - That's Who
14. Gucci Mane feat Plies x Lindstrøm & Christabelle - Wasted Love
15. Big L x Bibio - Dwrcan 'Em Up
16. Puff Daddy feat The LOX x Volcano Choir - All About The Islands
17. Iyaz x The Big Pink - Velvet Replay
18. Ice Cube x CFCF - It Was A Rainy Day
19. Anti-Pop Consortium x Maps - I Dream Of Capricorn
20. Aesop Rock feat Rob Sonic x Tobacco - Dark Pink Goo
21. Dominique Young Unique x Yacht - I'm In Love With A Hot Girl
22. De La Soul x Jamie Lidell - What's The Stakes
23. Jay-Z x Phoenix - And The Definitive Winner Is...
24. Trey Songz x The Radio Dept. - Trey-dio Departmentz
25. Drake x Beach House - Walk In The Park Is Over

The Hood Internet x Mishka - TRILLWAVE by hoodinternet

Free download: Coma Cinema

I already bumped into Coma Cinema’s great video for Only some time ago (watch below), and love these great words on their site: "The music you'll find below is currently free for you to download and listen to. If you feel the need to compensate us, we only ask that you share the music with others."

You should definitely download their beautiful album Stoned Alone right here. You can also get a cassette version from Arcade Sounds.

Coma Cinema - Only from Tyler T Williams on Vimeo.

Forget You All The Time

This is an almost heartbreaking session by Cloud Nothings. Filmed by The Fader, here you can hear a stripped down version of the band with just two acoustic guitars and vocals. It gives you an idea of how beautiful and rich this band's melodies really are, once you remove all electrics, drums and noise. It's almost hard to say which version of the band is favourite. Maybe an acoustic album would be a serious option for the future?



Also check out the acoustic version of their Turning On album's Hey Cool Kid, and compare versions below:

Cloud Nothings - "Hey Cool Kid" from The Tripwire on Vimeo.

MP3: Cloud Nothings - Hey Cool Kid (acoustic)
MP3: Cloud Nothings - Hey Cool Kid (electric)

(via Transparent)

Nite Jewel: Falling Far

Nite Jewel has a new EP on the way in collaboration with members of Teen Inc, The Samps and Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti. Am I Real? will be out on vinyl August 16 via Gloriette, listen to the fantastic track Falling Far right here:

Nite Jewel - Falling Far

Lord Huron: Into the Sun

Here is a nice and fresh discovery: L.A. based Lord Huron, who just have a new EP Out called Into the Sun. This sounds a bit like an exotic Fleet Foxes, which is pretty good actually:



(via Delicious Scopitone)

Listen: Wild Nothing's Evertide EP

Wild Nothing released their splendid album last month through Captured Tracks. Gemini is loaded with light-hearted pop lullabies that can make you feel like there’s not a worry in the world. They’ve also just released a new EP (Evertide, 3 tracks) via Warmest Chord, a new label releasing limited edition special artwork. The physical Wild Nothing release (with beautiful glow in the dark screenprint designed by Franz Vesolt) is already sold out, but you can listen to two of the EP’s tracks on Bandcamp. Or buy all three for just 1 dollar:

Free download: Mount Pleasant

Jonathan Phillips has been releasing music under his lo-fi moniker Mount Pleasant for quite some time now. His music is very expressive and very dark. Like Xiu Xiu for example, the music is sometimes hard to grasp. Listening to his discography gives you an idea on how uncompromising this music really is, and that, in my opinion is really admirable.

From an interview with Salient:
I make most of my music at home, in my bed, I guess. I do record songs in friends’ living rooms, sometimes at like two in the morning. I record all the songs using the free software on my MacBook, GarageBand, and into the little inbuilt microphone. It doesn’t really add up to a “top quality” sound or anything. The guitar never sounds good and there are generally like six vocal layers to cover up how stark the vocals sound. The writing of the songs is generally like intuitive, like stream of consciousness lyrics that I edit out. Mostly the songs work with piano or a harp loop, something like that, it’s just like loops and destroyed samples and lots of delay and reverb. I really believe in delay and reverb, I think they are the two most important things in a song.


You can download a lot of music from Mount Pleasant's site. Some beautiful gems are there to be discovered by your ears. I'd recommend you at least download the Dissolute, Dissolute, The Flood and Rio Joy albums.

Gauntlet Hair: Our Scenery (video featuring Will Oldham!)

Probably the most melodramatic video you've seen in a while, although Gorilla vs. Bear tells us that it does feature a very young Will Oldham. How cool is that:

BABY JESSICA X OUR SCENERY from PAT VAMOS on Vimeo.

Bridgetown's Summer Batch

Summer just got even better. Bridgetown Records has announced the releases for their Summer Batch, comprising seven awesome home-recorded/lo-fi CD's. This package also contains the first two pro-manufactured albums the label has put out. Judging by the mp3's the label is sharing on their site (also see below), this could easily be the best and most diverse batch the label has put out so far.

One of my favourites among these releases is definitely the Carry On + Sweater Kids combo CD by Weed Diamond. Carry On is an EP with all new material, Sweater Kids is a re-release of their long sold out cassette that has been remixed and re-mastered for this CD release. Weed Diamond probably writes some of the most carefree songs that are out there. On this release you'll also get a view on how the production skills have progressed since their first release.

Take a look at the video for Mint In My Mouth, which is featured on the Carry On EP:

Our Groovy Little World from LAND O' GOSHEN on Vimeo.

Another release that really stands out for me is Kindest Lines' self-titled CDr, sounding like a very upbeat version of Sleep ∞ Over (imagine that...). This trio hailing from New Orleans creates very warm new-wave/post-punk with grand synths and drums. Their album is also one of the releases sounding a bit more professionally recorded, giving the batch a very diverse range in sound as well as genres.


Other releases that I'm really looking forward to on hearing are Changer by Vehicle Blues (on which I wrote something here) and Heavy by Junior Low, a solo album by JT from Weed Diamond. All titles included in the Summer Batch are:
- Kindest Lines Kindest Lines CDr
- Weed Diamond Carry On + Sweater Kids combo CD
- Ancient Crux Stage Fright + Live in LA combo CDr
- David Jaberi Out CDr
- R. Sawyer I Burn CDr
- Junior Low Heavy CDr
- Vehicle Blues Changer CD

You can order all 7 releases right now from the Bridgetown website (38 dollars postage paid internationally). Listen to some songs from the albums right here:

Weed Diamond - Mint In My Mouth
Weed Diamond - All Of Denver Is Wasted
Vehicle Blues - Changer
Kindest Lines - Hazy Haze
R. Sawyer - Constricting Realities part I
Junior Low - Smokes

Cults: Oh My God

The 8 singles 8 weeks project by Adult Swim already delivered us some great new songs by Matt Sweeney & Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, Madvillian and Washed Out, and now the final edition is a new jam by New York's pop duo Cults. Listen/download Oh My God below, and take a look at the awesome video while you're at it:

Cults - Oh My God

New Forest Family release: Dent May

Although Forest Family's third release (a 7" by Sleep ∞ Over) has yet to get a pre-order, the label announced that its fourth release will be a 7" by Dent May. I hadn't heard of him before, but this home recording crooner does have a nice swing to him. Keep your eyes peeled for the August release, and in the meantime, listen to the a-side That Feeling below:

Dent May - That Feeling

Pure Ecstasy: Alexandria (Video)

Here are some cool visuals to accompany Pure Ecstasy's beautiful hazy and laidback tune Alexandria. Video by Amanda Joy. Order a copy of the 7" through Acéphale Records.

PURE ECSTASY_ALEXANDRIA from amanda joy on Vimeo.

Download: Cool Runnings & Blurred Vision mixtape

Here is some more great music to get you through the weekend. Cool Runnings piled together this awesome mixtape featuring some of my favourite bands of the last couple months: How To Dress Well, Salem, Spectrals, they're all in there somewhere!

Full tracklist:
1 Spectrals — “7th Date”
2 SUNBEAM RD. — “Waves”
3 Magic Kids — “Summer”
4 Crocodiles — “Sleep Forever”
5 PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN II AND III — “Dream Safari”
6 Ghost Animal — “In Your Room”
7 TOP GIRLS — “Not Enuff”
8 Salem — “King Night”
9 Pandit — “Crisp”
10 Wet Illustrated — “Flying”
11 Tonstartssbandht — “Midnite Cobras”
12 COOLRUNNINGS — “I AM YOU”
13 Big Troubles — “Drastic and Difficult”
14 Elite Gymnastics — “Montana”
15 How to Dress Well — “Read for the World”
16 Aias — “La Truita”
17 Young Mammals — “Stay to the Left”
18 Star Slinger — “Bumpkin”

Also, Cool Runnings themselves have a really good EP out that you can download from their Bandcamp. Grab it right here:

Free download: Stunts

What a great song Felt by Austin's Stunts still is. Luckily, it's also featured on their newest, self-titled EP that you can download for free from their Bandcamp. Four feel-good lo-fi songs that you should definitely put your ears to:

Vondelpark: California Analog Dream (video)

I truly believed Vondelpark was a Dutch band bathing in obscurity. Just found their Last.fm page via Transparent Blog though, it seems they are actually from London. And one of the tags on their Last.fm is "Tom Vek", who made a great album some years ago. Could he be Vondelpark or one of their members? Anyway, really enjoying their music. Take a look at the video below and/or pick up some tracks from one of my previous blogposts.

Vondelpark - california analog dream xxx from Hurley on Vimeo.

How To Dress Well: Ready For the World (Twin Sister Remix)

Last week, the a-side to How To Dress Well's new 7" was featured on this blog, and now you can also listen to the b-side, a remix by Twin Sister. Pre-order a copy of the 7" at Lefse Records.

How To Dress Well - Ready For the World (Twin Sister Remix)
How To Dress Well - Ready For the World

And it looks like How To Dress Well has another 7" coming up pretty soon on Transparent, which is great news:

Watch: Wavves, Wildbirds & Peacedrums and Baths

Last week was a great week for discovering new music. I heard some new albums that will appear somewhere the coming months, and discovered three that could become some of my favourites this year. So I'd really like to share them with you. I found some nice videos by these three bands and they certainly deserve some exposure here.

First up is a cool video by Yours Truly. They made some shots at a Wavves instore and did an interview on their upcoming album, King of the Beach. This record seriously holds some killer tunes, and once you get the chance make sure to give it a listen. Especially if you're into bands like The Thermals and Cloud Nothings. Here's the video:

Yourstru.ly Presents: Wavves "King of the Beach" from Yours Truly on Vimeo.

Secondly, here is a beautiful video for Wildbirds & Peacedrums' new single Bleed Like There Was No Other Flood, which is also the opening track for their new album Rivers. Their sound might demand a couple of listens, but it's definitely worthwhile:

Wildbirds & Peacedrums - Bleed Like There Was No Other Flood from Leaf Label on Vimeo.

Last, a video shot by Pitchfork in collaboration with Yours Truly for their 'Tunnelvision' series. Apologetic Shoulder Blades is the opening track of Baths' forthcoming album Cerulean. If you're into Flying Lotus, then you'd probably really enjoy this too:

New Best Coast: Boyfriend

Here's another great track from Best Coast's forthcoming debut album Crazy For You. Boyfriend is the opening track, a lo-fi lovesong with a very simple yet very catchy one-liner chorus. Listen below, and also listen to two other songs that will appear on the album (When I'm With You being the bonus track). Crazy For You is out July 27 via Mexican Summer.

Best Coast - Boyfriend
Best Coast - Our Deal
Best Coast - When I'm With You

L.A.'s Ode to Television's Adventure

Aquarium Drunkard curated this nice tribute compilation for Television's 1978 album Adventure. You can download it for free from their site, but you should really throw in a couple of bucks since all donations will go to the Silverlake Conservatory of Music.

"L’Aventure is an attempt to capture, if only for an instant, a slice of what is happening musically in L.A. in 2010. Or more specifically, it’s an attempt to highlight eight Los Angeles artists that have, individually, caught my ear over the past couple of years. By no means all encompassing, L’Aventure is a great jumping off point for those interested in the diverse landscape that is L.A.’s music.

Why Adventure? Why now? Like RAM, the album is used as a template—as a cohesive force—bonding these, at times, disparate artists together. A post-punk landmark, Television’s debut, Marquee Moon, tends to garner most of the adulation. It’s follow-up, Adventure, is now a classic album in its own right that seems to regularly get lost on the mix. In short, it is time for a reevaluation—perhaps this is the beginning of that conversation."

Tracklist:
The Henry Clay People - Glory
Foreign Born - Days
The Happy Hollows - Foxhole
Local Natives - Careful
The Deadly Syndrome - Carried Away
Imaad Wasif w/ Lykke Li - The Fire
Dirt Dress - Ain’t That Nothin’
The Growlers - The Dream’s Dream

Listen/download/donate:

Teams vs. Star Slinger: Close To Me

Close To Me is the result of a collaboration between Teams and Star Slinger. Both bands also put out free records recently: the Catch Pool EP by Teams and Volume 1 by Star Slinger.

Teams vs. Star Slinger - Close To Me

Pocahaunted at Pianos

Here's a nice video of Pocahaunted (the band that Bethany Cosentino from Best Coast used to be in) jamming live at Pianos. It's shot by the magnificent Ray Concepcion (via Chocolate Bobka):

And God Created Woman: Pocahaunted from Ray Concepcion on Vimeo.

Cloud Nothings: Didn't You

Some time ago, I posted an mp3 of Even If It Worked Out, the b-side of Cloud Nothings' new single. Now, we also have the über-catchy a-side. Listen right here:

Cloud Nothings - Didn't You
Cloud Nothings - Even If It Worked Out

Buy a copy of the 7" from Old Flame Records.