Belle & Sebastian are playing a concert in their hometown of Glasgow right now. NPR is streaming the concert live for those of us who aren’t as lucky. It started a little while ago, but if you’re quick you can catch the rest.
Watch it by going here.
Archive for December, 2010
Bright Eyes has given away a song from his new album The People’s Key. It’s called “Shell Games” and it’s not your usual Bright Eyes. It leans toward his alternative side more so than folk. I don’t know how the Bright Eyes devotees will feel, but I like it just fine.
Grab it below:
[mp3]: Bright Eyes – Shell Games
I don’t know about you, but I’m not really one for Christmas music. Sure it’s fine on Christmas Day and Eve, but hearing Jingle Bells in November is just overkill. I do like when musicians give exciting takes on these songs though.
Sufjan Stevens is a Christmas music vet. It would be weird not to get some new Christmas music from Mr. Stevens. Well, Rawkblog has a stream of an EP titled Gloria! Songs for Christmas Vol. VI which is a collection of Christmas songs that Sufjan recorded with The National’s Dessner brothers, and Richard Reed Parry of Arcade Fire. Apparently these recordings go all the way back to 2006.
Stream the entire thing below. Don’t know if this will last, so get it while the getting’s good:
Sufjan Stevens – Gloria! Songs for Christmas, Vol. 6 by rawkblog
Yesterday, Cut Copy announced the tracklisting for new album Zonoscope. The announcement came with a remix of “Take Me Over” by Thee Loving Hand, a.k.a. Tim Goldsworthy, who produced the bands last album. Check out the remix and the tracklisting, below:
[mp3]: Cut Copy – Take Me Over (Thee Loving Hand Remix)
1. Need You Now
2. Take Me Over
3. Where I’m Going
4. Pharaohs & Pyramids
5. Blink and You’ll Miss a Revolution
6. Strange Nostalgia for the Future
7. This is All We’ve Got
8. Alisa
9. Hanging Onto Every Heartbeat
10. Corner of the Sky
11. Sun God
exlovers are streaming their great new single “Blowing Kisses”. It features a Thermals sounding guitar riff, sprinkled with those glazy Elliot Smith-like vocals. “Blowing Kisses” is a dreamy song that would go hand and hand with some Pains Of Being Pure At Heart. Future touring buddies anyone?
You can stream it by signing up for their mailing list here. It officially drops on 2/21 via Young and Lost Club. It’s up for pre-order now.
If you need a refresher on exlovers, this should do.
Here’s the music video for Miles Kane’s incredible new single “Come Closer”. This song is pure rock and roll glory. Top stuff.
You can pre-order the single right now.
Summer Fiction is a winter reality. It’s the project of Philadelphia singer/songwriter Bill Ricchini. He released his self titled debut album on December 1st. It was refreshing to find a record that had almost no hype, and to fall in love with it almost immediately.
Right away the album hooks you in with warm written songs that are equally smart and addictive. They were mostly written in his apartment, giving them a close to home approach that works all too well.
The bouncy pop of “Chandeliers” will play around in your head like a carousel. It sounds too good to be a song from 2010. Rather it screams 1960. It’s laid back too cool for school approach is half of the charm. The other half is just fantastic writing.
For me, the true standout from the album comes from “Throw Your Arms Around Me”. It’s one of those songs that is so good, it seems instantly familiar to you. It’s like it was always in your head, it was just waiting for you.
Immediately after my first listen to it, I hit replay for a good hour or so. His voice will reel you in like magic, sounding more honest that anything else. The lyrics speak of a man hurt by love. He wants this girl, but she keeps going back to some other guy, and there’s nothing he can do but wish she was throwing her arms over him. This longing for a warm embrace drips from the song, creating a song that may break your heart, while simultaneously making you feel warm inside.
Easily one of the best moments of 2010.
At some points I hear traces of bands like The Smiths, The Decemberists, and Belle & Sebastian. With that said, Summer Fiction is an endearing new project that deserves more attention. Most people made their best of 2010 lists prior to the albums release, and it’s a damn shame. This is one of the biggest surprises of 2010, and surely something your going to see on mine.
[mp3]: Summer Fiction – Chandeliers
[stream]: Summer Fiction – Throw Your Arms Around Me:
Summer Fiction – Throw Your Arms Around Me by weallwantsome1
I highly recommend this album. You can sang it at bandcamp, itunes, or here if you want a physical copy. You can even stream the entire album below:
Just like Kanye, Beach House are feeling the holiday spirit. Well, sort of. They recently released a winter themed song. The song, “I Do Not Care For The Winter Sun” emulates the feeling of a fading winter day. It’s very Beach House, and very winter appropriate.
They gave it away for free here, probably somewhat influenced by the holiday season. It’s all about giving after all. So here you go, download it:
[mp3]: Beach House – I Do Not Care For The Winter Sun
Peter Bjorn and John will release a new album called Gimme Some on March 29, via StarTime International. It’s their followup to 2009′s Living Things, and their 6th full length.
I was somewhat underwhelmed with Living Things, and am glad that the band described the album as being “pure pop-rock”. That’s more like it.
On March 8th, R.E.M. will release their new album, Collapse Into Now. They gave away the album’s opening song “Discoverer” as a free download. It’s a pretty faithful R.E.M. song. Fans new and old will enjoy it. They still got it.
Grab it below:
[mp3]: R.E.M. – Discoverer
