We All Want Someone To Shout For

Folk rock is experiencing a golden age in my opinion. There’s so much great inspiring folk rock music coming out. Fleet Foxes really brought this consciousness to the forefront, and it has opened the doors for so many great acts, such as Canada’s The Wilderness of Manitoba.

On May 10th they will deliver their debut album When You Left The Fire via TINYOGRE. After hearing the organic beauty inspired on album track “Orono Park”, I’m sold. These guys deliver warm harmonies that act as a comforting wind on a scorching hot day.

There’s something pure and encouraging about The Wilderness Of Manitoba’s style. They don’t just blend in with the scores of other folk-rock artists that are trying to cash in on the trend. They truly stand out.

See what I mean:

[mp3]: The Wilderness Of Manitoba – Orono Park

The band will be playing at The Mercury Lounge on 4/28. You can get tickets here.

It’s been a long time since we’ve heard anything from The Shins. James has been busy with Broken Bells, and our last memory of the band is that their lineup took a drastic change. Sometimes a well need break is just what we need. However, you do have to come back at some point.

Back in March James Mercer played a benefit show at the Bagdad Theater in Portland, Oregon along with drummer Joe Plummer. He played a new song that he said will probably be on the new Shins record. It sounds very Shins like, if you know what I mean. It could have been mistaken for a lost Oh, Inverted World song.

Take a peak below, via TwentyFourBit

The Shins will make their full return (with their new lineup) at San Francisco’s Outside Lands Festival this August.

Becca Stevens is a New York-based singer, composer and instrumentalist who is set to release her new album, Weightless, on Sunnyside Records. The album includes a interesting cover of Animal Collectives triumphant “My Girls”. She gives the song a fresh spin that is light yet moving. She gave it a new sort of life, which is what a good cover is supposed to do.

Download it below:

[mp3]: Becca Stevens – My Girls (Animal Collective Cover)

Record Store Day is this Saturday. One of the most anticipated releases is a limited 7″ single from Radiohead. Unfortunately for us Americans, the 7″ is limited to the U.K., Europe, and Japan. Sucks, but it’s a part of the game.

Don’t fret if you can’t get your hands on that vinyl. There’s always ebay (if you’re rich). If you’re not made of money, then take a listen to streams of “The Butcher” & “Supercollider”, the two songs included on the single. The streams aren’t the greatest quality by any means, but they will do for now.

Take a listen below, via Consequence of Sound.

The Butcher:

Supercollider:

Arctic Monkeys have released the official music video for new single “Don’t Sit Down ‘Cause I’ve Moved Your Chair”. The video certainly fits the bill. It’s shot in a 90′s bugged out VHS style that certainly hits on the stoner-rock theme that the boys have been playing with.

If you watch carefully you will catch Alex doing the macarena. That alone makes it worth a watch. Brilliant.

“This Is Why We Fight” is definitely my favorite cut from The Decemberists latest effort, The King Is Dead. This post-apocalyptic video only makes me like it that much more. Would love if it was stretched out into a short/feature film. Really cool concept.

Watch the video below:

Eight days ago Bon Iver posted a 51 second video on his vimeo page (I don’t know where I was…). It’s a clip of a painting, presumably on of his. More importantly, it features some new music, which we can assume is on his new album.

The clip has the familiar cold airy feel of For Emma, Forever Ago, until the last few seconds where it sounds like it’s about to break loose. Then the clip ends. Good marketing, Justin.

Check it out:

Untitled from Bon Iver on Vimeo.

via One Thirty BPM

& The Centurions are the latest band to delight me through my inbox. (Maybe inspired by this?) They hail all the way from Bahrain. They create clean cut guitar rock that wears it’s coat of influences proudly. Listing bands like Foals and Two Door Cinema Club as inspirations should help give you an idea of their sound. If one had to classify them, indie dance rock is probably the best response.

They are releasing their debut 5 song EP Animalism that serves as their demo. I have two songs from the EP for you guys to check out. They feature incredible, memorable, melodies and crisp clean guitars. There’s nothing not to like about this type of music.

These guys are currently unsigned, but after hearing these songs, I know for sure that won’t be for long.

[mp3]: & The Centurions – Other People
[mp3]: & The Centurions – Cities

Back in 2008, Other Lives caught my attention with the incredible, “Black Tables”. That was three years ago. Wow.

The band is back with a new album titled, Tamer Animals. The band is currently streaming three songs from the album: “For 12″, “Tamer Animals”, and “Dustbowl III”. If these songs are any indication of Tamer Animals as a whole, it may just be one of the rawest showcases of emotion in the first quarter of 2011.

Take a listen below:

Other Lives – Tamer Animals Sampler by tbdrecords

Tamer Animals drops May 10th on tbd records.

If you have a spring weather playlist, hold on one sec. I have a song from Australia band, Dead Letter Chorus, that you may want to consider adding.

“Yellow House” is the song, and it has sunny weather listening written all over it. A warm comforting vocal harmony leads the way for it’s accompanying feel good instrumentation. “Yellow House” is a call to arms for better weather, and all the good times that are associated with it.

“Yellow House” will be on the bands upcoming album, Yearlings, which is due out in June.

[mp3]: Dead Letter Chorus – Yellow House