If I was as promiscuous and passionately fickle in my life as I am with my music, I would probably be dead from some mutant disease no one’s heard of (let’s call it ‘auralius whoritus’ for the sake of this post, and also to sate my need to name ALL OF THE THINGS). This week, I’ve gone from blues and jazz to run-of-the-mill Indie to Rostropovich’s take on Bach’s cello suites to Bob Dylan, through my collection of mash ups about six times, through my power metal collection (I’m still partially deaf, by the way), and now - now, after three days of experiencing a musical supernova in my head - I found something that helps me focus enough to write a coherent, original sentence that doesn’t make me want to lobotomize myself out of embarrassment.
The xx is, for no particular reason, the savior of my sanity this week. The xx is an indie pop band hailing from London that, in my opinion, has a hint of post-rock thrown in to their pop. Romy Croft’s vocals are enough to have me listening in a music thrall for days on end, and their song “Islands” makes my head buzz. Could be the contented hum it keeps eliciting…
Either way, have a listen. If you like it, check out the rest of their album, and keep a look out for their next release, coming out at some point in the very near future.
Because I am obsessed with apples and good music, this song is pretty much made for me. If you follow me, it’s now made for you, too. Alamo Race Track is an Amsterdam-based band that’s been around since about 2001, and besides the fact that their music is great, they also have a member who plays the upright bass. Any band who can successfully fit in an upright bass is a winner in my book. “Apples” is from their 2011 release Unicorn Loves Deer (what’s not to love about that album title, hipsters?), and this guy says you should invest in their album if you love this song: 
The Cinema is the newest project of Leighton Antelman, a member of the band Lydia (great band, by the way), and producer Matt Malpass. Despite the fact that this project is so new, these two talented men have produced a tiny goldmine full of wonderful music. Seriously, just listen to the tracks on their tumblr page if you think I’m lying. Their sound is full and rich, and a few of their songs kind of remind me of M83, only way, way better (For you hipsters who feel like snarking at me for not liking M83, go chain-smoke your emotions. I know I will).
While they classify themselves as indie rock/alternative, there’s also a bit of dream pop in their music, which makes it so much better than your run-of-the-mill guitar-driven indie rock because it adds a nuanced layer of sound that has kept them on repeat for me pretty much all day. Of course, Leighton Antelman’s vocals aren’t half bad, either. If you enjoy “Picasso”, from their debut album My Blood is Full of Airplanes, and you want the rest of their album, it’s available at your local iTunes store.
Today, I bring you Pegasus Bridge, a band that broke up not too long ago (this song is a little too appropriate, given that fact). I wish they’d stayed together, seeing as their music is absolutely fantastic. Like any other dysfunctional, irreparable family, though, we’ll just have to deal with their “irreconcilable differences” and enjoy the indie rock memories they left behind.
Pegasus Bridge first started to make waves in 2009 when they released their single “Yoko”, from their debut double-A side single Yoko/Paris. “Yoko” is a super catchy, upbeat song that makes you want more and more from Pegasus Bridge, despite the fact that you know you’re never going to get it. If you like this song, though, check them out on iTunes and sample their one-and-only full length album While We’re Young (you might even wind up buying it).
I’ve been away for a few days, but I swear it’s not because I’m lazy. I just downloaded several hundred new songs from about as many artists and I’ve been running through them nonstop (no, really) for the past three days trying to find one really worth posting, and I finally did! It’s good stuff, guys.
Generationals is an indie rock duo (I would go so far as to say “dynamic”) from New Orleans formed in 2008 by Ted Joyner and Grant Widmer, the co-founders of The Eames Era, a fairly popular indie band back in the earlier 00’s that broke up at some point before the immediate present. Generationals has a sound that just makes you want to get up and dance, and “Ten Twenty Ten” from their 2011 album Actor-Caster will make you do just that. Even if you’re wasting away in some drab cubicle, you’ll be shaking your ass in your ergonomic seat.
That said, play the song, dance like you know you want to, and let this make your day better for 3 minutes, no matter what kind of day you’re having.
Neko Case is in no way new to the music scene, and if you follow my blog for the music posts (r&i posts aside, what else is there?), then you’re probably the kind of person who already knows who she is. Regardless, there are some musicians who just need to be talked about, no matter how long they’ve been around, and no matter how ubiquitous they are.
If you aren’t familiar with Neko Case, she’s just about the best thing to happen to country music this decade. Of course, she’s not just country; she could also be classified as indie or folk rock, or the ever-applicable alternative genre. Hate that word.
Her vocals are often compared to that of country music stars like Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, and some rockabilly chick named Wanda, but I like to think that she just sounds like Neko Case, because when I hear her voice and her music, she’s the only person who comes to mind.
So listen to “Look for Me (I’ll Be Around)” from her album Blacklisted, and if you have someone to slow dance with, I promise you’ll want to, so make sure they’re around.
I was looking through my posts earlier today when I realized that I have yet to do a post on Freelance Whales. Sorry for shafting you guys for so long, but here we are at last (and really I’ve only been shafting you if you enjoy music that’s mostly up the alley of an indie pop rock Postal Service/Owl City).
Freelance Whales is a pop rock band from Queens, formed out of the Craigslist and Six-Degrees of Separation Ether. Apparently, relying on friends of friends and CL is legit when the universe knows you’ll make beautiful music with the people you meet. Not only do they make beautiful music, but I promise that every single song on their debut album Weathervanes will cheer you up. Even their melancholy songs make you smile a bit. It’s pretty ridiculous, I’m not going to lie.
The song you’re listening to now (if you’re not listening to it, click play RIGHT FREAKING NOW) is “Kilojoules”, from their 2010 re-release of Weathervanes. If you want to listen to more of their songs, and also support relief in Japan (old news is old, I know, I know), you can click on the link I’ve provided and help out some irradiated Asians.
Cage the Elephant is an alternative/garage pseudo-punk rock band from some city in Kentucky you’ve never heard of (Bowling Green, in case you’re curious, or in case you actually DO know the town). I almost always think of the Hives when I listen to them, and when you hear “In One Ear” you’ll probably agree with me.
Unfortunately for you, I haven’t chosen “In One Ear” as the song I’m posting. Instead, I bring to you “Shake Me Down” from their newest release Thank You, Happy Birthday. If you love the Hives, or if you just love some good old solid indie garage rock, you’ll thoroughly enjoy Cage the Elephant.
Remember my post featuring Alexander Ebert and his solo album Alexander? Well, as it turns out, when you pair him with other people and change his name to Edward Sharpe, he morphs into a different flavor of awesome (well, maybe not different, but definitely more nuanced). Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros have been around for a couple of years, and their music is still as wonderful to listen to as when it debuted. The instrumentals are upbeat and always keep you and your tapping foot (don’t deny it) engaged, and the vocals are - just like everything else Alexander Ebert touches - gold. Jade Castrinos is also on vocals, and offsets Alexander Ebert in a way that turns their music into a this magical old school country-western-indie-rock lovechild.
Once again, I find myself waffling between the song I posted and “Home”, from the same album. Since “Home” is a bit more widely known, I chose “40 Day Dream” from their album Up From Below. If you love it, check out my post on Alexander Ebert’s solo album, and then go look up Ima Robot, Fool’s Gold, Sugarcult, and We Are Each Other. You will regret nothing.
So today is an Interpol and Green Day day (an angry and stupid day (neither of these bands is either, in case you think I just implied it (except Green Day is kind of angry sometimes (all the time), and because Green Day is just…ubiquitous, i’m giving you my favorite song by Interpol. I’m also practicing PARENTHECEPTION apparently. Totally appropriate.
Hangover rambling now. I’m going to leave you to listen to Interpol’s “Evil” from their album Antics. If you’re having a shite day, too, I hope this makes it better. Also, in case you aren’t familiar with Interpol, they’re a post-punk revival band made of pure awesome and you should become familiar with them immediately.
