Month: June 2010

Deer Tick struggles but makes good, authentic music on Black Dirt Sessions

It’s inevitable that within every generation of musicians that strives to break new ground with cutting edge genres and recording techniques, there is a handful that instead go back to the roots of rock and roll and draw inspiration from what is seen as a more “authentic” source. Most recently, Jack White tore up the… Continue reading Deer Tick struggles but makes good, authentic music on Black Dirt Sessions

[MP3] Jesca Hoop: “Feast of the Heart”

Jesca Hoop’s sophomore album, Hunting My Dress, will be released July 27 in The U.S., and she’s made “Feast of the Heart” available to the public for free download. The record comes to the U.S. after her recent move to London from California, but she’s still making excellent, quirky pop music. The two songs I’ve… Continue reading [MP3] Jesca Hoop: “Feast of the Heart”

Blitzen Trapper comforts us with Destroyer of the Void

Familiarity breeds comfort. The past breeds familiarity. Even if we have trouble living in the moment, forgetting to appreciate the minutiae of what’s before our eyes, we look back fondly on what “used to be”. It may have even been the most tumultuous time of our life, but we yearn for something we think we… Continue reading Blitzen Trapper comforts us with Destroyer of the Void

Tokyo Police Club’s Champ is somehow weak because it is so well-constructed

How can an album be weak because it’s so well-made? It’s kind of weird to wrap your mind around, but Tokyo Police Club’s Champ manages it. The guitar riffs are appropriately angular, but the production is slick. The vocals — from Dave Monks’ drawl to the slightly hidden background chants that occasionally pop up —… Continue reading Tokyo Police Club’s Champ is somehow weak because it is so well-constructed

Coltrane Motion releases new album Hello Ambition!

Coltrane Motion, an indie-rock duo from Chicago, recently released their newest album, Hello Ambition!, which combines electro synth with hazy guitar. Michael Bond, the vocalist, has become a friend of ours through music blogging forums and the like, and recently let us know about Hello Ambition!. I knew he used to write a music blog,… Continue reading Coltrane Motion releases new album Hello Ambition!

In Case You Missed It: Week In Review

I don’t know about you, but I forgive Jim Joyce. He’s obviously a good guy, and mistakes happen. Armando Galarraga, meanwhile, has become one of my most (and I’m sure basically everyone else’s) respected players in the game. In other news, this season of Friday Night Lights (the show’s fourth) has helped ease my pain… Continue reading In Case You Missed It: Week In Review

Phenomenal Video Saturday: A band covers Guided By Voices

Hey, anyone out there a fan of Guided By Voices? They’re pretty cool. They have a cool song, too, called “The Goldheart Mountaintop Queen Directory” from 1994’s Bee Thousand. You should listen to it sometime. Aaaaand how about now? For this week’s PVS we have a surprisingly decent quality video of a band called Anathema… Continue reading Phenomenal Video Saturday: A band covers Guided By Voices

Sam Billen returns, covers Passion Pit

Remember our friend Sam Billen, who brilliantly covered The Postal Service’s “This Place is a Prison” (among others)? He’s now providing the latest from his covers and remix album, Removers, this time taking on Passion Pit’s “To Kingdom Come”. But what about the “fragile, melancholic ting”, you ask? Still there, don’t worry. Get Removers for free here.… Continue reading Sam Billen returns, covers Passion Pit