Does anyone else have an ever-growing ‘bands I NEED to check out’ list? New York's Phantogram has been high on mine for quite a while. I know, by now they’re old news, but I only have so much time to stream music in a day, and unfortunately some great acts fall through the cracks. Phantogram seemed like one of those bands I was going to begrudgingly keep ignoring, if it hadn’t been for my brother (hey Colton). Convinced he has the ‘LOOSE L!PS sound’ down to a formula—for the record he doesn’t, but he is getting close—he sent me this song with the remarks that I would probably want to feature it. Goddamit, he was right. Finally, Phantogram are on my radar, their psychedelic Mouthful of Diamonds enlivened by the Toronto production team known as The Jackals. The Jackals quickened the beat, took out most of the fuzz, and made it bouncy. So now it’s a FUN song about drugs and lies. That seems more natural, anyway. Though perhaps a bit odd considering the subject matter, with the opening command of “Wake Up!” I’ve been using this song as the start of my morning playlist. Do I start my day with electronic music? Sometimes, yes. And I’d venture to guess that if you’re the type to frequent this blog, you probably do too.
Phantogram's debut LP on Barsuk Records, Eyelid Movies, was named one of the best albums of 2010 by practically everyone (I told you, I'm really late on this bandwagon). Don't get left in the dust, buy it here.
"I know that when you wake up you'll be gone soon."
It's the end of indie rock week (but not the end of indie rock posting in general, never fear), and I can't think of a better song to cap it off than Scattered Trees’ delightful, wistful Love and Leave. Big thanks to the stellar 1146 Miles, where I first found this song and read about the band.
Love and Leave might be a little more emotional than your average Comedown Sunday song. To be sure, it’s not uplifting by any stretch. The song practically drips with resignation and heartbreak. Just have a peek at the lyrics,
"I will wait for you to move. I will lay right here just to remember you.
Cause every day you love then you leave me.
I will wait, I'll be quiet. I will play the fool.
Cause I know that when you wake up you'll be gone soon.
But when the strings come in as singer Nate Eiesland laments, "we’ll be the only ones to remember,” who could resist? I know I can't. Scattered Trees are from Chicago. I’m from Chicago. Do you see the love connection here? But hometown fidelity aside, Scattered Trees are very much worth putting on your radar. They just finished recording their first full-length, Sympathy, which is slated to be released in early April. Expect great things. In the meantime, you can check them out at SXSW on March 18th at The Ghost Room.
To continue our week of indie jams, I decided to go with a band that actually isn’t so indie anymore. Hell, even my mom probably knows who The Decemberists are these days. I remember being in high school listening to Castaways and Cutouts for the first time, and absolutely falling in love with the band. Singer Colin Meloy’s storytelling style, the grandiose nature of the half chamber-pop, half indie-folk sound; it just clicked for me. Never mind the ever-present likening to Neutral Milk Hotel (I always swore it was just because of the similar album art!), the band was making awesome music and clearly had something to say. I’ll be honest though, by the time The Decemberists signed with Capitol Records in 2005 and released The Crane Wife, I gave up. Songs weren’t as eloquent or fun anymore, but the band was only growing in popularity. I heard bits and pieces of the band’s other Capitol offerings, but it was more than disappointing...especially the failed indie-rock opera/musical thing. Then came last month’s Billboard Charts – The number one position filled by none other than The Decemberists. And you know, I think they truly deserve it.
Down By The Water, the first single from The King is Dead, meshes The Decemberists’ folk and pop sound with the new album’s heavy influence of traditional and alternative country. It seems it’s time to retire pairing the adjective of “theatrical” with the band. The song in particular is more straightforward than anything I’ve heard The Decemberists do. Things are simple here – nothing spectacular or extravagant, but I feel that’s what makes it so likable. Lyrics aren’t bogged down with medieval themes that just wouldn’t fit in an Americana-tinged tune. However, that’s not to say it’s missing the wittiness Meloy is more than capable of crafting for this genre. He’s actually done it before – the track (and the rest of the album) is extremely reminiscent of Meloy’s work in Tarkio, the band he fronted before he became a Decemberist. Down By The Water is heavily influenced by R.E.M., and it’s no secret, either. Peter Buck, guitarist of the aforementioned pioneers of alternative rock, even appears as a featured guest on the song. That being said, I think it plays a major part in why I completely dig it. The track retains the spirit of what I've loved over the years, but opens doors to a new era for a band that has truly lived the dream.
Something crazy happened yesterday. Sounds Good To Me Too, a great music blog that I've been following for a while, featured little LOOSE L!PS on their A-Z guide to their favorite music blogs. I can’t believe I was included. Especially considering I was (apparently—this was all unbeknownst to me) battling against the stellar Listen Before You Buy, a blog that I not only read regularly but also respect immensely. (Also a blog that you should all go check out immediately.) This was the first big sort of formal recognition my blog has received, and I would like to take a quick moment to just say THANK YOU. Everyone. Now enough self-indulgence, on to the music.
Being hailed as Australia’s answer to Fleet Foxes, Boy & Bear are a 5-piece ensemble that remind me a lot of every other stellar new folk-rock band out there, but in the best way possible. It’s true, vocalist Dave Hosking sounds strikingly similar to Fleet Foxes’ Robin Pecknold, but stylistically, Boy & Bear’s music reminds me much more of Local Natives or the Shins circa (the brilliant) Chutes Too Narrow. While they too are fond of multiple-part vocal harmonies, unlike Fleet Foxes I would be hesitant to label them as ‘baroque,’ what with their tendency towards upbeat, urgent lyrics and twangy guitar solos. No, this isn’t Baroque, it’s pure Americana…which is quite ironic considering they hail from the land down under. Somehow they’ve managed to take one of America’s few genre claims—folk rock—and do it better. Take for example the magnificent Blood To Gold. This sounds like music made out in the middle of the Texas planes, not by 5 dudes from Sydney. Blood to Gold is decidedly western; the syncopated rhythms, runaway lyrical themes, and explosive guitars plow through the song’s (criminally short) 2 minutes like a steam engine. The repetitive guitar solo only helps to further the locomotive-like feel of the song, before it finally settles in gentle ‘oohs,’ albeit all too soon.
Boy & Bear will be playing at this year's SXSW, so Texas (and everyone else who might be in Austin), be SURE to go check them out!
It’s indie rock week on LOOSE L!PS, and it’s about time. I finally found some new-ish songs that I’m crazy over and itching to share with the world. Capped off yesterday by Russ’ excellent post on the more-excellent-still Bloom, today I continue with an upbeat rock song with an irresistible hook, Land of Talk’s Swift Coin. Land of Talk is a 3-piece band out of Montreal, signed to Connor Oberst’s illustrious Saddle Creek Records. I usually have a thing against female rock singers, but Land of Talk’s Elizabeth Powell has smashed through the glass ceiling I set before her with a bright, pleasing voice and masterful guitar skills. The killer solo at the end of the song? It’s all her; girl can rock like nobody’s business. The first single off their August 2010 album Cloak and Cipher (click to buy), Swift Coin is fantastic. I really can’t sing its praises enough—it’s everything I could want in an upbeat rock song: it's crisp, cheerful, and catchy. If I had my own band (which is never going to happen, but we’re talking hypotheticals here) this is the kind of music I would hope to make.
When talking about London-based group The Veils, no one ever forgets to mention that frontman Finn Andrews comes from a musical family. His dad, Barry Andrews, was a founding member of seminal new-wave outfit XTC. As far as I’m concerned, Finn has his old man beat. After a total revamp of the lineup in ’04 and some more band-member switching recently, I think it’s safe to say that the young Andrews is the only thing needed to keep The Veils float. The band’s latest release, Troubles of the Brain, is an EP put out a few weeks ago by Pitch Beast Records, The Veils’ own label. It’s the first song that’s got me buzzing about the band’s first post-Rough Trade release.
Opening track Bloom sounds like it would be right at home on New Order’s Power, Corruption & Lies. The song is not a typical Veils jam, but that’s what I like most about it. I don’t know if it’s Andrews invoking a little of his old man’s genre or what, I don’t care – the song rules. It’s cool to see the band doing something a little different (even if it’s the only breath of fresh air on the EP), and it totally works. Listening to Bloom also marks the first time I’ve thought of comparing Andrews’ vocal work to Michael Gira or David Byrne. Good to hear a song that pays tribute to some awesome acts from the ‘80s. I’m tired of all that synth-centric tributes to the ‘80s that have been popping up in the last couple of years (Sorry, M83). Check out Bloom and be sure to buy the new EP on iTunes.
Mansions on the Moon is a 3-piece band from the Eastern/Midwestern United States who craft gorgeous, airy dream pop. MoTM have a knack for making music which feels both intimate and warm yet transcendental. Some of their songs are electronic, some more 'traditional,' but they are all similar in their ethereal delicacy. They are dream pop's best-kept secret, but not for long. Having received both support and collaborations from such major players as Diplo, N*E*R*D, and Xaphoon Jones, the band seems destined for serious success. They deserve it, at least. They are currently finishing up their debut album, which is slated to be released later this year, but in the meantime have a ton of tracks available for free download on their Soundcloud. One such song is You Make Me Feel, a heart-wrenchingly beautiful love song wrought with [tasteful] autotune and gloriously sigh-prompting lyrics. Get it for free below.
*This is going to be quick. I'm on vacation.
About a month ago, the great chillwave hope known as Toro Y Moi released a song that wasn't so chillwave. In fact, it was downright disco. Lord knows I love my disco, so naturally it was high on my list of things to post. Time got away from me (as it tends to do), and next thing I knew every blog and their mother had hosted the song. Turns out those elitist indie kids like disco when it doesn't come with the EDM title. Figures. Today, Toro Y Moi's disco turn met Xinobi's disco expertise, and a mini masterpiece was born. Xinobi is on fire right now. If you call yourself a fan of disco (which I'd imagine not very many of you do, but you should just admit it hipsters) and you're not following him on Soundcloud, you need to immediately, because every week a new treat appears, each one better than the last.
A little over a year ago a friend of mine changed my life. During a music-sharing Skype session he sent me a handful of beautifully uplifting, synth-heavy electro songs that sounded unlike anything I had ever heard. He told me they were examples of a genre called Dreamwave, and that he had found nearly all of them from a blog called Binary. Binary quickly became my favorite music blog, while the music it featured ultimately became the soundtrack to all my sunny days. What resonated most with me—how Binary spoke to me—was the blog’s acknowledgment of and attention to the emotional nature of music. That is, how music makes you feel. I had never seen a blog present music in such an intimate way; I was used to reviews that spoke a little of the artists and the technical aspects of the song at hand. Never had I seen a review concerned more with emotional interpretation than technical aesthetics. Finally, the girl who had always been a little over-enthusiastic about her latest favorite song had found someone else who really got it. Eventually by virtue of chance, luck, or perhaps fate, I found myself a part of the Binary family. But even though I work closely with the label today, I am first and foremost a fan, and consequently still feel the same sense of excitement and inherent camaraderie I felt in the early days following my introduction. Essentially, it’s a music love affair.
I therefore find it only appropriate that today, Valentine’s Day, I can share my love of Binary with you. Binary Records have given us quite the present, considerably more enduring than chocolate or flowers. Today Binary has given us the label’s first release in six months. Ushering in the grand resurgence of the label/collective’s publishing department is the Dreams EP, brought to us by Binary cornerstone Keenhouse, as well as London's Futurecop!, making their first appearance on the label. Both acts are major players on the feel-good-electronica scene, and their combined talents have produced one of the most anthemic, joyous pieces of music I’ve heard of late. The production, melody, and structure are top-notch; they mark a new level of maturity for the artists, as well as the label itself. Dreams, with it's infectious chorus, seems destined to be my, your, our new favorite song. I think it’s impossible to listen to without feeling amazing. And after all, that’s what music should be about: feeling amazing. So, on this Valentines Day, whether you are with a lover or alone, put this on and I guarantee you’re going to walk a little taller. After all, up is the only way.
Stream the original mix above, and buy it for yourself on iTunes.
Look below for a free remix (in 320 kbs) by SoCal's Ride the Universe, courtesy of the generous guys at Binary.
*Thank you to photographer BJ Enright for the introduction to what is now not only my favorite label, but also more or less a way of life. BJ is getting married this summer, and I would like to wish him and his beuaituful fiancée that absolute best Valentine’s Day imaginable.
"I don’t know about my dreaming anymore,
All that I know is I’m falling."
James Blake’s debut LP was released this past week. In the event that you have never heard of James Blake—either because you have been living under a rock, or are one of those who refuses to listen to ‘the next big thing’ type talk—he is from London, and represents the newest breed of singer/songwriter: the producer/songwriter. With the release of his 11-track, self-titled LP, he is rightfully being hailed as…well…the next big thing. Blake makes haunting, warm, and generally downtempo dubstep-R&B hybrid music, which he accentuates with his own handsome, soulful voice. Neither fully dubstep, nor wholly R&B, his music defies genres while managing to sound both fresh yet familiar. It’s gorgeous, too. It might be the deep bass, or perhaps the smooth, almost mournful vocals. Maybe it’s a combination of the two. Whatever the reason, I am hard pressed to make it through an entire James Blake song without getting chills at some point in the duration. The Wilhelm Scream is the second single off his album (the first is also below, I couldn’t resist—Happy Comedown Sunday). Seeped in speculation and second-guessing, the vocal line circles itself as the accompaniment gently hums and throbs under the weight of regret.
If you’re interested in hearing more songs from the new album, as well as read about all the speculation surrounding Blake and his purportedly famous (or at least well-respected) musician father, head over to Gorilla vs. Bear. Chris loves James Blake. You could also just buy the CD here.
Not that he ever left, but Australian funk master Cassian is back in a big way with a solo EP, his first in 2 years. I thought that his stellar collaborations and remixes were enough for the discoverse, but I was proven horribly wrong yesterday when he uploaded his new I Like What You’re Doing EP for streaming on his Soundcloud. It’s out in 6 days (that’s the 18th) on Bang Gang Records.
You wanna talk fucking-amazing-mind-blowing-oh-my-god-YES type music? This is IT you guys. Listen to the title track from the EP and prepare to have your mind blown and your body forced into movement. Disco, baby.
Today, something wonderful happened. I procured a coveted ticket to the sold-out-in-10-minutes Death From Above 1979 solo show in London. (This is all thanks to the godly Paul from Give Quiche a Chance. GQAC is an excellent electronic music blog. Be sure to check it out.) Attending the show is going to require a 2.5 hour one-way commute, in the middle of my school’s finals week, but it’s going to be worth it. So worth it.
A week from today, something almost equally as wonderful is happening. Alan Braxe (if you don’t know who Alan Braxe is shame on you) and DJ Falcon are playing a show together in Paris at La Machine. I imagine that will sell out too, if it hasn’t already. Unfortunately, I will not be able to attend. I’ll be in Stockholm, and that requires a bit more of a travel effort—not to mention collection of funds, which I sorely lack—than hopping on the Chunnel. In celebration and longing, here’s song that combines the best of both events. (It also includes work from Braxe's ex-collaborator and French Touch master Fred Falke.) If you're one of the lucky few to get tickets to the DFA-UK show, get excited. If you live in Paris, get excited. If you fall into neither category...sucks to be you.
I'll admit it, I'm extremely biased when it comes down to the music made by Milwaukee-based Maritime. Two of the members used to be in The Promise Ring, a seminal post-punk (emo!) band that easily ranks high as one of my all-time favorites. Still, I think it's safe to say the members have matured in their sound into something more of an all-around crowd pleaser. Apart from Davey von Bohlen's vocal work, Maritime is nothing like The Promise Ring - it's sound is rooted more along the lines of danceable, hook-heavy guitar work that resides in the realm of pure indie-pop.
Paraphernalia is the only available track thus far from Maritime's upcoming release, and it's definitely a good indicator of things to come. The song reminds me of something off of that last Phoenix record, but it still manages to hone in on the classic Maritime sound. Seems like a good combo to me. It's super catchy, and it just exudes feeling good. You won't find weird time-signature changes, dirty melodies or anything post-hardcore here. These days, von Bohlen and crew seem to draw upon a more straightforward approach to crafting songs - and it works. Look for Human Hearts, out on April 15 courtesy of Dangerbird Records.
To those of you unacquainted with Gigamesh: get acquainted quickly. The Miami-by-way-of-Minnesota-based producer is on the rise, propelled by his infectious remix work and the promise of a solo EP in the coming months. He’s also a member of Señor Stereo, who’s glitzy first EP was released over the summer, with a remix album following in January. Though still more or less at the launching point of his career, Gigamesh is no rookie to production. Last year, his remix of breakout college rock artist Mike Posner’s single Cooler Than Me was so good that the Posner team edited it down and ended up using the remix for the radio release. Now that he’s on the world’s music radar, he’s been getting requests for official remixes (though he still throws in a bootleg for kicks now and again, like last month's remix of Michael Jackson’s Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough).
One such remix is for Paris-based Morgan Kibby, a.k.a. White Sea. You may know her better as “the girl from M83.” At least, that’s how I identified with her. Last year she took a break from touring with M83 to work on a solo EP, This Frontier. Ladykiller was the standout track from the project. A tongue-in-cheek jab at Saturday night chauvinism, as the song plows along you can practically see her strutting around like her shit don’t stink. While the song was already a rowdy, sexy number in its own right, Gigamesh’s stomping remix is even hotter. In typical Gigamesh style, he doesn’t stray far from the song’s original formula—he maintains the integrity of the entire original vocal line—but adds just enough pizzaz and funk to take it to new, dance-party-worthy heights.
On the subject of European artists who have never made it big in the states: Dizzee Rascal. I love Dizzee Rascal. Dizzee Rascal is a fucking genius. Dizzee Rascal is one of about 10 rap artists who’s work I actually enjoy and will listen to voluntarily. Shall I continue or do you get the gist? The point is, the US needs more Dizzee. I know I’m not the ultimate source on rap music (one of my faults), but if you want to hear some serious spit, check out the lightning-fast delivery on his second CD, Showtime. Or just check out anything he's made, you can't really go wrong.
Anyway, guess who has a new single out? Yep. Dizzee Rascal…kind of. Technically it’s a song by DnB producers Chase & Status called Heavey which merely features Dizzee charging away on vocals, but anything with the name ‘Dizzee’ in it is cause for celebration. I’m not going to post it here, as it’s a little grittier than I like to feature—I’ve found that DnB is more of an acquired taste, and some people hate it—but you can pick it up over at Stoney Roads, here. Don’t worry though; after all of this gushing about Dizzee I’m not going to leave you empty-handed. I’ve been meaning to post Dance Wiv Me for ages, and the renewed Dizzee-lation that Heavey spurred in me makes this the perfect opportunity. Released in the summer of 2008, Dance Wiv Me was a collaboration between Dizzee, Calvin Harris, and singer Chrome. It’s a shuffling, sexy, mid-tempo pop song featuring vocals by all 3 men (RIP Calvin Harris’ voice). It was a #1 hit in the UK for about a month, and rightfully so. Further proof that these Europeans know what’s up.
This week’s Comedown Sunday is brought to you by Sin Fang, via the excellent music-discovery website Shuffler FM. If you have never used Shuffler FM before, let me tell you, you’re missing out. It is a fantastic new website that shuffles music from thousands of different blogs in a user-friendly, streamlined player organized by music genre and style. I’ve been using it a lot lately as a tool to discover new music from genres I don’t normally delve into, as well as great music blogs. Last week, I noticed that the interface even includes an 'Icelandic Music' channel. Figuring that the country that gave us such renowned and groundbreaking acts as Sigur Rós, Jónsi, Björk, and múm was bound to have a few more tricks up its sleeve, I immediately pressed play. Lo and behold, my suspicions were confirmed as I shuffled upon Always Everything, by Sin Fang.
Sin Fang (formerly Sin Fang Bous) is the solo project of Seabear frontman Sindri Már Sigfússon. Always Everything is the first single off his forthcoming Summer Echoes LP on Germany’s Morr Music, due in March. I have got to make a point to visit Iceland, as it seems like the most magical country. That is, if its music is any indication. Not to pigeonhole an entire country’s musical output, but between all the aforementioned artists and Sin Fang himself, Icelandic music is becoming my turning point for ethereal, fearlessly expressive music that—despite (or perhaps rather, because of) its tendency to shy away from typical popular song form—is absolutely gorgeous. Always Everything fits my self imposed Icelandic stereotype well. It is a lo-fi folk/electronic hybrid dripping in nostalgia, dotted with whimsical samples, and driven by Sigfússon’s sweet, mellow voice. It’s the kind of music I’d fully expect to hear playing in an enchanted forest. With its sweet invocation of nature and summer, I hope that in spite of the terrible snowstorms and winter chill gripping the United States, it might help to warm your hearts.
*You know, if you click this button in the sidebar, you can shuffle all the songs we've ever posted on this site, all in one place. Neat. Thanks Shuffler!
Once again, I’m accompanying the changing of this week’s Lip-Stick with a proper post. I promise I’ll quit doing that regularly, but I felt compelled to give some information on the artists behind this week’s song because they are very green. In light, I thought it would only be appropriate to try and send some attention their way by highlighting them (and their awesome song) on here, rather than just posting their music with no explanation. I’m delighted to present AlunaGeorge, a very new, very small band from London, England. I found their song Make No Mistake while browsing the annals of the now-defunct (but still amazing) blog Fucking Dance.
On first listen, I didn’t know quite what to make of this song. As Jamila of Fucking Dance quipped, I think this is what they call "a banger", and it is indeed, at least in the instrumental sense. However, it is one of the least ‘traditional’ bangers I’ve heard, as the thumping, gritty beat is topped off by some of the—for lack of a better word—cutest female voices I’ve ever heard. The disparity between the crunch of the accompaniment and the sweetness of the vocals makes for quite the unique formula, and allows the song to transcend ‘club music’, and places it more so in the ‘rocking pop’ category, akin to Britney Spears’ new dubstep-influenced pseudo banger. Because it eschews all acceptable practices in making banging club songs, I was on the fence regarding whether I should love it or hate it. I was especially uncertain as to whether it should be allowed on the blog, as I have a distinct ‘no bang0r’ rule. That is, until I found myself whistling the bridge on the train. Then singing the chorus quietly to myself as I walked around the city. Finally, after the play count on the song hit 40 in a week, I decided to stop worrying if the song was ‘acceptable’ for the blog, and just post the damn thing. Even if I shouldn't love it, I do; hopefully you will too. Just wait until you get to the chorus. You'll see what I mean.
So here you are, LOOSE L!PS’ first bang0r. I promised myself I’d never post one. But, as AlunaGeorge has proven here with their combination of grit and cutesy that somehow works, I’m coming to find that rules are made to be broken.
I totally understand why Eric Elbogen shortened his musical persona to Say Hi. I made sure to stay far, far away from “Say Hi to Your Mom” until someone asked me what I thought about him. I told them that I didn’t really listen to all that cheesy, packaged pop punk and that I wasn’t going to start any time soon. I’m guessing Elbogen got tired of people mislabeling and misconceiving his singer-songwriter, lo-fi sound for something more along the lines of Boys Like Girls or Cute is What We Aim For. Sometimes it’s not all in a name.
Dots on Maps is a track from Say Hi’s latest release Um, Uh Oh, and shows exactly what the one-man-band is all about. Turns out, Elbogen’s sound is more along the lines of Connor Oberst or M. Ward. It’s hard to come to terms with at first, believe me – I know. After listening to this particular track more than a few times, I just can’t help but feel that as far as current releases go, Elbogen has more than a slight edge on all the other guys. I think he's one of the few out there in the genre who actually gets it. Say Hi has succeeded once again in crafting a beautiful song - and it really doesn't matter what he calls himself.
