Month: March 2010

Phenomenal Video Saturday: Bon Iver does Okkervil River*

Don’t you just love when this happens? Back in, like, the dinosaur times (2008), Okkervil River released The Stand-Ins, and as a companion piece of sorts, had other bands cover the album’s songs. So they got Zykos for “On Tour with Zykos” and Ola Podrida for “Calling and Not Calling my Ex,” among others. Will… Continue reading Phenomenal Video Saturday: Bon Iver does Okkervil River*

Letting Up Despite Great Faults releases charming teaser for new music video

Our friends Letting Up Despite Great Faults recently released a teaser to their much ballyhooed (…by us) upcoming music video for “Our Younger Noise”. It’s charming, enthralling, and VERY cute. Remember how I talked about their sound being perfect for films? And then I proceeded to describe my own made-up scene? Looks like my wish… Continue reading Letting Up Despite Great Faults releases charming teaser for new music video

iTunes Mixery

For those who don’t know, this is iTunes Mixery part diez (ten). Here’s how it goes: I play iTunes on shuffle -> tell you which song comes up -> provide the mp3 and a tidbit -> continue until five songs and embarrassment are complete. Again, nothing’s off-limits – I don’t “fix the mix”. Have a… Continue reading iTunes Mixery

[Abby’s Road] Popularity and Love: Mutually exclusive?

Who doesn’t like being first? First in line for tickets, on the blue ribbon platform in a bonsai branch cutting competition, the first to hear a new single – we all want to be there. If you say you don’t…well, you’re a liar. My competitive nature, as far as a desire to be progressive in… Continue reading [Abby’s Road] Popularity and Love: Mutually exclusive?

New MP3 from Hands: “Returning”

Quite an apt song title, eh? Our Hands friends from L.A. keep cranking out new tunes – this time they sent us “Returning”, featuring Meg O’Donnell. Sticking to the usual Hands theme, “Returning” is a trippy ditty, and perhaps even dreamier than previous material we’ve posted from them. The wandering synth and vocals provide the… Continue reading New MP3 from Hands: “Returning”

Band of Horses announce new album, tour dates

Pitchfork just released the latest awesome news of 2010, coming in the form of a new album announcement from Seattle fellas Band of Horses. The album will be titled Infinite Arms and will drop May 18, rather soon for such an announcement, no? Also, the band hasn’t provided us with any news about the label… Continue reading Band of Horses announce new album, tour dates

Frightened Rabbit is mature and refined on The Winter of Mixed Drinks

On 2008’s The Midnight Organ Fight, Frightened Rabbit was brash and blunt. Frontman Scott Hutchison Scottish-ed forth his lyrics (there’s no other way to say it, really), which themselves weren’t particularly rays of sunshine. And, above all else, the music never got too out of control. You had your guitars, keyboards, drums, and vocals, and… Continue reading Frightened Rabbit is mature and refined on The Winter of Mixed Drinks

Rogue Wave is flimsy and unaffecting on Permalight

Where to start? The first single off Permalight, “Good Morning”, was a startlingly not-very-good-first-single-for-a-much-anticipated-album. And by not very good, I mean I was in some disbelief (alright, slight exaggeration) when I first heard it. It’s come to grow on me a bit, but upon that first listen, all hell broke loose (eh, maybe not as… Continue reading Rogue Wave is flimsy and unaffecting on Permalight

Mumford & Sons is coming stateside

Mumford & Sons, the totally not-American band who received #19 on our top albums of 2009 list, is totally coming to America for a string of dates in May and June. Personally, I find this exciting, even if the indie Illuminati don’t. To them I say — and excuse my French — please don’t come!… Continue reading Mumford & Sons is coming stateside