Author Archives: David

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SNOWBABY- Summer, the Banshee EP

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I’ve been meaning to feature the New Brunswick, NJ based band, SNOWBABY, on IndieMuse ever since seeing them play a house show in Washington DC (that Ben Cooper of Radical Face headlined).

If you’ve been following IndieMuse for a while now, you know how much I love xylophone, flute, shakers, triangle, and all those completely underrated instruments.

SNOWBABY is the kind of band that does an amazing job filling those needs! They are lots of fun.  They even have a recorder (which makes them contenders for my band)!

Their music hasn’t really been mastered, as you will hear, but it definitely adds to that lo-fi homemade sound I like so much.

Summer, the Banshee EP:

SNOWBABY- Summer, the Banshee (mp3)

SNOWBABY- Forest Hymm / You’ll be Warned (mp3)

Myspace

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ri1i37WgFlQ&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

Brite Futures

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A few years ago I was at Seattle’s Capital Hill Block Party, and heard Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head for the first time. They were one of the first bands to play, and I just happened to be at their stage beforehand to see who would be playing over the course of the day. When I saw their name at the top of the list, I looked over to my friend and boldly declared “I have absolutely no idea who this band is, but we need to find out, so help us God.”

Needless to say, I was not disappointed in the slightest. The band’s catchy synth-pop sound is somewhat similar to Passion Pit (they formed a while before Passion Pit, pshhh), and they are super quirky. For example, one of their songs, “Beard Lust,” is the essential manual to having a beard. They are from Seattle, so a lot of the people there were their friends (or familiar with their music), and it basically turned into a big, 45-minute, dance party.

Believe it or not, after four years, the band decided to change their name to Brite Futures. “Why would they change from such a glorious name,” you ask?

We chose our band name on a whim when we were still in high school, and “Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head” has seen us through an unexpectedly amazing four years. Our love affair with Natalie’s name was like a summer fling that lasted… and lasted… and lasted… But now it is summer once again, and time for a change. Also, it has recently come to our attention that our muse Ms. Portman is not so keen on us using her name in ours… Ultimately we are lovers, not fighters, and our mamas didn’t raise no fools, so we feel it is time to move forward with a new name. We are BRITE FUTURES.

To fully appreciate NPSH Brite Futures you NEED to watch this video.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHbqb32vEUM&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

(mp3) Brite Futures – Dog Eared Summer

Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head (now known as Brite Futures)

Glistening Pleasure (2008):

(mp3) Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head – L.A. Noir

(mp3) Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head – Mouth Full of Bones

Site | Myspace

Blaudzun – Seadrift Soundmachine

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So I was thinking… one great thing about folk music is that it can be applied to virtually any season, and serve its intended purpose quite well.

For example, right now I can listen to music outside on a nice summer day and think “man, this is so relaxing.” And I can also listen to that same music in fall, making colorful leaf gazing way less boring. Then, of course, comes Chicago’s shitty winter weather, at which point I’m all like “I am so ***** cold right now, I’m just going to cuddle up near the fireplace, and listen to some Bon Iver-like folk music all day. Harumph.” The only season that is questionable when it comes to folk music is spring because it’s when us mid-westerners start coming out of our hibernation and just want to dance to some Passion Pit (and tend to the farm).

Anyway…

One artist that I’ve been listening to a lot is named Blaudzun. His recent release, Seadrift Soundmachine is gorgeous, and is perfect for summer. I would describe Blaudzun’s sound along the lines of Bowerbirds, Beirut and Devotchka. This is definitely one of the best releases of 2010.

Several of my favorite tracks on Seadrift Soundmachine are “Sunshine Parade,” “Wolf’s behind The Glass,” “Jezebelle,” “February Flare” and “Manhatten Grey/Post No Bill.”

Blaudzun hails from Utercht (Netherlands), and is the brainchild of Johannes Sigmond. The somewhat hard to pronounce name, Bluadzun, comes from a Danish cyclist, so if that’s ever a question on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, you’re set. When you have your Slumdog-esque reflection that leads you to the correct answer (D), you can thank IndieMuse :)

Seadrift Soundmachine (2010)

(mp3) Blaudzun – Sunshine Parade

(mp3) Blaudzun – Wolf’s Behind The Glass

Site | iTunes|  Myspace

Ugly Casanova – 180 South Soundtrack

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this is an old picture. add on 8 years.

I am so happy right now. In fact, I don’t think I’ve been this happy for 8 years. As you probably suspected, this is because new material from Isaac Brock’s side project, Ugly Casanova, released today. Ugly Casanova’s 2002 solo release, Sharpen Your Teeth, is still one of my favorite albums, and I’m not even mad that it’s taken him this long to release something new for the project, as I’m still absorbing the genius of that album.

The 9 new tracks were created for 180° South, a documentary that “retraces Yvon Chouinard’s and Doug Tompkins’ epic 1968 journey to Patagonia through the eyes of adventurer Jeff Johnson.” (Currently available on Netflix instant stream). Other contributors to the 180 South soundtrack include Mason Jennings, The Shins’ James Mercer,  Jack Johnson, and Love as Laughter…all great musicians. The soundtrack releases today on Brushfire Records.

I’m definitely going to be listening to the second track, “Here’s to Now,” for a very long time. A few other Ugly Casanova favorites include “Lay Me Down” and the rendition of  “Hotcha Girls” (my favorite track on Sharpen your Teeth).

Brock’s must read interview with Pitchfork answers the question you are like asking right about now.

Pitchfork: What made you decide to bring back your Ugly Casanova project?

IB: Well, the nitty roots of that is that it would have been a problem legally if I’d called it Modest Mouse. I don’t much like things to go by somebody’s name, like the Bob Jones Group Jam Band. I figured, since it was more than writing, it’d just be easier to consider it as another Ugly Casanova project.

Happy Ugly Casanova day!

180 South OST (2010):

(mp3) Ugly Casanova – Here’s to Now

(mp3) Ugly Casanova – Lay Me Down

180 south | brushfire | amazon (only 7.99) |iTunes

Neistat Brothers

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photo credit: The Selby via NYmag

I don’t usually talk about TV shows here (mainly because I don’t watch much TV), but just wanted to give everyone a heads up on this really creative show that is premiering on HBO tonight called The Neistat Brothers. As the WSJ states, the show “is an eight-episode collection of wildly inventive short autobiographical DIY films made by Casey and Van Neistat ”

While I obviously haven’t seen the pilot episode yet, I’m very familiar with the Neistat brothers, and highly recommend you take the time to watch this. If you are a fan of Wes Anderson’s visual and quirky style, you’ll definitely appreciate this show. Casey and Van are masters of stop motion animation, and it’s a treat to watch their creativity at work. The show debuts tonight at 12 AM EST. So yeah, if you don’t have HBO, get it. And if you don’t have a TV,  steal one. Just don’t miss the show.

While the Neistat Brothers don’t necessarily get credit for it, they are essentially the godfathers of this new style of DIY homemade video making we see online. They were making high-end Youtube videos before Youtube existed, and simply had this vision for homemade videos before pretty much anyone. It gave them a huge head start and plenty of time to craft their work… which answers why these guys have an HBO show and you don’t.

Here’s a great video that’ll get you acquainted with the Neistat Brothers. This was a recent solo project that Casey made highlighting Chatroulette (when it was still all the talk).

[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/9669721[/vimeo]

Here’s a trailer for the HBO show:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2A2wAp22HU[/youtube]

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Fionn Regan

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If you’re a fan of Bob Dylan, Nick Drake, Ben Kweller, or Sondre Lerche, you should check out Irish singer/songwriter, Fionn Regan. He’s a lively musician who places a lot of emphasis on his lyrics, continually balancing his quirky and dark sides.

In 2006, Fionn released his self-produced debut album, The End of History. He compares the album to opening a “lemonade stand,” saying that “no one really had any expectations, and then it took off.” Since then, he’s been doing quite a bit of touring, and just released his follow-up album, The Shadow of an Empire. It’s notably different than his debut, containing darker lyrics and a new instrumental approach, riding more along the lines of folk/punk, than his previous lush, folk melodies.

Like many of his fans, I probably prefer The End of History. But  I think both albums are great, and I can’t wait to see what Fionn has in store for his next album. I think it’s really cool that he stays true to his music, regardless of where it steers him, and that he still handles all the creative aspects of his music. He says, “if you work with a producer, it seems all the time is spent telling them what you want to do. I suppose until I meet someone with that Lennon and McCartney thing, who just gets it, I’ll do it myself.”

Fionn Regan is based out of Wicklow, Ireland. I read a few interviews with him, and am pretty fascinated by all the imagery he uses when he talks. He throws around quirky metaphors like it’s no one’s business. Such as the above example with comparing himself to a lemonade stand, or when asked why he became a musician: “You make a pact with something invisible. After that you can trip and fall into a river, or you can follow a lot of crayon maps drawn by demented people, but you still have to do it, because you’d suffer if you didn’t.” I couldn’t have put it better myself!

The End of History (2006)

(mp3) Fionn Regan – Put a Penny in the Slot

(mp3) Fionn Regan – Be Good or Be Gone

The Shadow of an Empire (2010)

(mp3)  Fionn Regan – Lord Help My Poor Soul

itunes | myspace

This video for “Be Good or Be Gone” is wonderful.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UyE3m2uj7g[/youtube]

Google stop bullying music blogs–it’s not very Google-like!

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Google we love you for things like this Pac Man logo/game. Please remain that Google.

If a blog publishes a post that contains a downloadable mp3 that allegedly infringes United States copyright laws, the record label will use the DMCA to contact Google. With no questions asked, Google will then reset your post to Draft status (allowing the blogger to remove the ‘offending’ content and republish it) and send you a Blogger DMCA Takedown Notification email…Google keeps track of all Blogger DMCA Takedown Notifications they send out and when it reaches their magic number, they shut down your blog. And that’s what has happened to The Pop Cop on May 14. Three years worth of work gone. No right of appeal.” (Pop Cop).

I don’t usually vent on IndieMuse like I’m about to vent (we try to stay positive!), but this issue has been bugging me for a while now.

It’s nothing new that the RIAA and similar organizations have very little understanding of  psychology, economics, and what some may even consider common sense. A little objective marketing research would show just how influential and effective music blogs are towards artist promotion. I would love to see the RIAA actually take the time to survey the fans of one of the artists that they “protect.” How did the fans discover their client’s music? It certainly wasn’t telepathically, as these organizations would have you believe.

The fact of the matter is that successful artists and labels would not have the reach they have today without music blogs serving as little pro-bono worker bees for them. And most of them will be the first to tell you that. It’s downright silly  for the RIAA (and the like) to treat music bloggers like they are nuisances. Besides, I’ve never known a blog that posts a sample track and is unwilling to take it down if requested (requests very rarely happen). It’s common sense that if these blogs were really looking to be uncooperative, they would just post/link to the entire album.

At this point, this is expected behavior by the RIAA and other “anti-piracy” organizations . But it is completely unacceptable coming from a “don’t be evil” company like Google. I’m not insinuating that Google is evil at all, but this is an issue that they need to actually sit down and talk about. They have every right to kick someone off their service (Blogger), but since they aren’t taking the time to hear both sides of the story, they should at least have the decency to just unpublish the content in question, and if it becomes a repeated “offense,” email the blogger and give them the opportunity to access their data or appeal. This just shouldn’t be an issue. Google, you do too much good in the world to embarrass yourself like this. You can’t just strip three years of somebody’s life away when they didn’t actually do anything wrong.

To learn more about how you can help get The Pop Cop, a legitimate and high quality Scottish music blog reinstated, follow this link. From the site: “Please email Google – support@blogger.com – and demand that The Pop Cop blog gets reinstated so I can at least get three years of my life back and move the content elsewhere. If I don’t win this fight, I’m not sure I can bring myself to start from scratch.”

Thanks for listening.

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Little Joy – “Don’t Watch Me Dancing”

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The LA band, Little Joy, has some really great songs that bring to mind one of my very favorite bands, The Velvet Underground. In particular, Binki Shapiro sings the lead vocals on the second to last track, “Don’t Watch Me Dancing,” and has a striking resemblance to Nico. It’s a beautiful song. And it only helps matters that they both have super weird names.

Rodrigo Amarante sings main vocals on most of the tracks, and reminds me quite a bit of another musician I like as well, Willy Mason.  Some songs that I enjoy in particular on the band’s 2008 self-titled debut include “Play The Part,””The Next Time Around,” and “Unattainable.”.  Seriously–I can’t get enough of Binki’s voice. Perfect for a Saturday.

S/T (2008):

(mp3) Little Joy – Don’t Watch Me Dancing

(mp3) Little Joy – The Next Time Around

myspace | itunes

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qs6WFMJGxE8&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

Nathaniel Rateliff – “Boil & Fight”

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Photo Credit: Jesus Christ

A few months back, Alie featured Nathaniel Rateliff on the site. His debut album, In Memory and Loss, is gorgeous. You should definitely check it out  (preferably while looking at the above photo) if you’re into that country-folk sound. I heard Nathaniel puts on a great live show, and I’m really bummed that I’m missing his tour this go around.

Nathaniel is currently based out of Denver, and I found this interview with the Denver Post to be pretty fascinating. Basically, Nathaniel had two bands, Nathaniel Rateliff and The Wheel (who we are currently featuring) and Born in the Flood. The record label Roadrunner (home to Nickelback), offered to sign Born in the Flood and essentially wanted to turn them into the next Nickleback. Rateliff, realizing just how much Nickelback sucks, knew that he wouldn’t be happy going that route, even if it brought him great fame and fortune. Therefore, he signed his other band to the more modest Rounder records–a 39-year-old folky label that is home to the Woody Guthrie archives, Nanci Griffith, and Delta Spirit.

Our friends at Yours Truly recently filmed  a live session with Nathaniel Rateliff, where he played “Boil & Fight.” It’s an intimate recording that took place on a back porch near Austin. Check it out!

[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/11039579?[/vimeo]

In Memory and Loss (2010):

(mp3) Nathaniel Rateliff – Boil & Fight

Site | Buy | MySpace

Light Pollution – “Oh, Ivory!”

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Recently I’ve been posting a fair amount of folk music, because let’s face it, folk is awesome. But it’s time to change things up a bit (at least for this post).

I’ve really been digging Light Pollution’s song “Oh, Ivory!”. Definitely worth your time to check out.  Their debut album Apparitions is releasing June 15 on Carpark Records.

Light Pollution is based out of Chicago and has that shoegaze, psychedelic, Animal Collectivey sound. Band members include James Cicero, Matthew Evert, Nick Sherman, and Jed Robertson.

Apparitions (2010):

(mp3) Light Pollution – Oh, Ivory!

myspace | carpark

continue for tour dates…

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