Shannon Stephens - Care of You
Seattle folk songstress Shannon Stephens just released a new record titled, Pull it Together, which is something we’ve all said to ourselves at one point. The lead single from the record is “Care of You,” which places Stephens somewhere in the folk / pop area, channeling her inner Bonnie Raitt, its soulful, bluesy, and the music relies on dusty, jangly folk that twangs.
Stream the record on spinner or buy Pull It Together
Video | Holobody - Riverbed
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGctvdRrHuU[/youtube]
Canadian, brother and sister duo Holobody have released a new video for their track “Riverbed.” Sea Oleena and Felix Green (aka Luke and Charlotte Loseth), have just released their debut LP Riverhood via Mush Records. The dreamy pop song got a fantastic treatment for the video. It’s an animated, paper cut style full of color and beautiful style that seems to compliment the shoe-gazy, dream-pop style of the song.
If it tickles your fancy, I’d highly suggest checking out the the record over on Holobody’s bandcamp page. I have been listening to the record quite a bit since I got it.
Review | JBM - Stray Ashes
Montreal born singer-songwriter Jesse Marchant, more commonly known to fans as JBM, just released his haunting new album “Stray Ashes,” a masterful follow up to 2008’s “Not Even In July,” and the years in between releases have seen the Canadian’s fanbase swell. A touring schedule with the likes of Elvis Perkins and St. Vincent, just to to name a few, has also opened new hearts to his captivating sound. He has been compared to one of the greatest singer-songwriters to pick up a guitar, Nick Drake, and that is praise not thrown around lightly. It appears the years have been kind to Mr. Marchant.
The album cover depicts a snow-covered rooftop with snow-covered mountains in the distance, giving the soon-to-be listener a sense that they are in for a stark, melancholy sound, reminiscent of a winter’s day in the woods contemplating loves lost and times gone by. This idea isn’t too far off with the opening track, “Ferry,” which immediately draws the listener in with the line “Given all I can/For the last time/Find an easier branch/To hang your heart around.” When an album opens with lyrics like these you should expect to be moved, perhaps even to tears. The second song on the album, “Only Now,” goes for the knockout blow as Marchant sings “Friend of mine/Where’s your heart reside?/You were here one day/The next day gone.” I know what you are thinking…. “how can an album have that much emotional weight in just the first few tracks?…clearly it will lighten up on the heartstrings as the album continues, right?” Not so. Marchant is just getting started tearing down your emotional barriers, and as the tracks go on and you find yourself at the exquisite track “You Always Keep Around,” you note that this is sometimes how music is supposed to make you feel. JBM is a master at pulling you in close, exposing those areas of your mind that you keep closed to everyone, creeping into the places in your heart afforded to only those deemed worthy.
“Stray Ashes” begs you to give in and accept, and by the time the closing track “Keeping Up” hits you, and the singer closes with the line “I’m afraid I can’t afford to wait,” you realize you have already given in. And you are a better person for it.
Buy Stray Ashes
This has to be one of the most interesting sounding tracks I’ve heard in a while. Its a classic rock influenced track that keeps sounding a bit like Neil Diamond’s Girl, You’ll Be a Woman, crossed with a bit of psychedelia, and an unorthodox song structure. It’s a very impressionistic sound that comes from different times, and places, very strange, yet still extremely engaging, and nice to listen to.
The band, consisting of Sam France and Jonathan Rado, was just signed to Jagjaguwar and will be releasing a 7 track LP, Take the Kids Off Broadway on 07/24/12
New Music | Atlas Genius - Back Seat
[soundcloud]http://soundcloud.com/atlas-genius/atlas-genius-back-seat/[/soundcloud]
Adelaide, Australia’s Atlas Genius is back again with a new single “Back Seat,” is a pop number that blends an infectious shimmering beat with a cool bass line that creates a slow burner; the kind of song that you listen to while cruising the streets late at night.
New Music | Bridge Underwater - Take a Piece of Me
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One man recording project turned full on band, Bridge Underwater, has another sweet little indie pop track “Take a Piece of Me.” It seems as though, every couple months the band releases another darling of a track; they seem to be songsmiths of love, lovelorn, and pining over you kind of songs. On “Take a Piece of Me,” their jangly guitars comfort a warmhearted pop song.
Video | Langhorne Slim - The Way We Move
[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/42584484[/vimeo]
Langhorne Slim’s new record comes out in a couple of weeks, his tour begins quite soon, and now he and the Law are releasing a video for single “The Way We Move.” Â Just like his live shows, and his music, this song and video is pure joy. Â Absolutely pure joy. Â Check out the video, and grab yourself a preorder of this record… its gonna be a good one.
Massachusetts’ art-pop band Hands and Knees will expand their discography in June with a new record, Red Hot Minnow, and they are releasing their first single “Dreamt,” a stark, dream-like stated inventive retro noise/pop track (that’s a lot of descriptors). The record will be released by Boston blog-turned-label Primordial Sounds and released on a first-edition of 100 cassettes, all coming with a free digital download, for just $5. Once all cassettes are sold, the album will be available for digital purchase via iTunes, bandcamp, and more.
There will also be a celebration if you are in town for the release of Red Hot Minnow Saturday June 23rd at Lorem Ipsum Books in Cambridge’s Inman Square with Happy Jawbone Family Band.
LA’s Saint Motel recently released a new track, “1997,” an ode “to the friendships forged in the Heaven’s Gate cult.” (their words not mine but altogether too good to not post). The pop influenced track really hooks you in its first minute, you are going to be playing this one over and over again. Its got a bit of retro feel, a bit big bandy, but is full of joyous melodies that will really please the ear.
Look for 1997 to appear on their upcoming record, Voyeur, out July 10th.
Review | Trampled by Turtles - Stars & Satellites
[soundcloud]http://soundcloud.com/trampledbyturtles/02-alone[/soundcloud]
As of a couple years ago, I had never heard of Trampled By Turtles. With their release of Palomino, my eyes were opened to a band quite unlike anything out there. Fast forward through multiple live shows of theirs I took in, and we get to the anticipation of another album. Here we have Stars and Satellites, consisting of a few songs I already knew, I eagerly awaited its release.
To say its a beautiful album, that’d probably be an understatement. I like to think the album is a macrocosm to lead single “Alone,” its beginnings small, almost like a dandelion blowing in the wind, and the wind blows it apart into millions of pieces and all of a sudden, your lawn is littered with them. The song gets stronger and stronger, and more and more majestic.
Each listen to this record reveals a few more wrinkles, a few more layers of beautifully composed music thats every bit as folksy as their previous efforts. On S&S you have the sweeping, lofty bluegrass songs (Listen to Alone, Midnight on the Innerstate, Widowers Heart) & the punk / rock influenced rambling barnstormers (Listen to Risk or Walt Whitman).
When it comes to a top to bottom record, Stars & Satellites has very little weakness, this is not only one of my favorite folk / bluegrass records out this year, but just one of my favorite records. The instrumentation is outstanding, the harmonies are crisp and near perfect, oh and the songwriting is damn fine.
