[Video] The Barr Brothers - Beggar in the Morning

I can never tire of hearing this song. I find myself absent mindedly singing "make it shine so pretty, make it shine so bright" whenever I am making anything. If I'm having a hard day at work I just remind myself "I'm a beggar in the morning and a king at night." This song has calming powers and is one you can easily find yourself immersed in. It's been amazing watching The Barr Brothers gain momentum over the course of the year and I couldn't be happier that they are getting the recognition they deserve. This video is a must watch it's every bit as magical and wonderful as the song itself.

Buried in Bandcamp: The Young Evils

So you might have heard this band before. Their song "Get Over It" was popular a year ago when the album was released. But that doesn't mean you can't go back and hear it again or have your memory refreshed by taking a few seconds to listen to this Seattle pop rock boy girl duo. It's catchy.

Find Elsewhere: Website // Facebook // Bandcamp

Buried in Bandcamp: Annabel Lee

Despite what you might contrive from the name Annabel Lee, the band is not one woman but rather three women playing folk music with pretty harmonies based out of Seattle. A new album is in the works and you can listen to more on their facebook. I was skeptical about the "Raindrop Jam" song until they did a wonderful job imitating the sound of raindrops with their voices. They have something that is simply pleasing and an easy listen.

Find Elsewhere: Website // Bandcamp // Facebook

[Video] Big Harp - Everybody Pays

Buried in Bandcamp: The Lumineers

My favorite way to kill time is to pick a west coast venue and then search for the listed opening bands on bandcamp. Today I fell instantly in love with The Lumineers from Denver. "Flowers in your Hair" has got to be one of the sweetest 1 minute 45 second song I've heard. Upon first listen I was bopping my head like I was a turntable.fm avatar and grinning like a fool. It's simple folk rock but completely endearing.

Find Elsewhere: Website // Facebook // Bandcamp // Twitter

Friday Night in Somerville

I have your Friday night (9/23) all planned for you if you're in the greater Boston area. There is a concert that is not to be missed at P.A.'s lounge in Union Square. Have Gun, Will Travel is a Floridian band with a hard edge and alt-country sound that makes you want to stomp your feet. They will be releasing a new album, Mergers & Acquisitions, on November 1st. Nine Bullets debuted a track and it's a fun one.

Have Gun Will Travel - 13 Miles to Empty

The big reason I'm so excited for the show is because three of my favorite local bands are opening, all of whom know how to work a crowd. There will be drinks, there will be dancing, there will be a crowd relieved to have good music to listen to as they unwind on a friday night. The only think lacking will be dull moments.

Larcenist - Leon // Website

Mount Peru - Crooked Road Blues // Website

Mean Creek - The Land of Hopes & Dreams // M. Holland

Details: $10 cover, doors at 8:30, see you there.

Concert Roundup 9/19-9/25

I've been waiting for this week since the middle of August when I updated my calender and watched concerts with perfect line ups stack up. This week is tremendous, not to mention filled with some of the best local talent this city has to offer. I'm choosing the local shows over the slightly bigger names all week. I'm most excited for Friday-Sunday. Go see a show!

Monday 9/19 
Frazey Ford with Whitehorse at Club Passim
           Stream Frazey Ford Album here.

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah at Paradise
          MP3: Same Mistake (via)

Tuesday 9/20 
Hooray for Earth with Cymbals Eat Guitars at Brighton Music Hall
          MP3: Hooray for Earth - Sails
          MP3: Cymbals Eat Guitars - Definite Darkness

Wednesday 9/21 
Tallahassee at All Asia
          MP3: Tallahassee - Mt. Moriah

Tune-Yards at Paradise

Rhode Island's Brown Bird

Thursday 9/22 
Brown Bird and Coyote Kolb at Great Scott
          MP3: Brown Bird - Thunder and Lightning

Yuck, Mean Creek, Jim Ward at T.T. the Bear's Place
          MP3: Yuck - Georgia

Friday 9/23 
Larcenist, Mount Peru, Have Gun Will Travel at P.A.s Lounge
          MP3: Larcenist - Ocean City Swallowing
          MP3: Mount Peru - Crooked Road Blues

Tapes n' Tapes with Howler at Brighton Music Hall

Saturday 9/24 
Girls at Paramount Theater
          MP3: Girls - Vomit

Sunday 9/25
Laura Marling with Alessi's Ark at Brighton Music Hall
          MP3: Alessi's Ark - Maybe I Know

Daughter - Love

Here is the official first single titled "Love" off of the forthcoming EP from Daughter (Elena Tonra) titled The Wild Youth EP to be released on November 21st . A few months ago I was enamored with the His Young Heart EP, and now I'm looking forward to hearing even more songs that stem from a vicious heartbreak. The gentle yet stirring build in "Love" is a thing of beauty, working up towards painful questions you'd never have the courage to ask someone who did you wrong. 

Find Daughter: Facebook // Soundcloud // Twitter //

  Daughter - Love (taken from 'The Wild Youth EP') by ohDaughter

  Daughter - Landfill (taken from the 'His Young Heart' EP) by ohDaughter

The Sun in September

I remember just two weeks ago, the first of September and how the air already felt different. We've had some warm days but it's not the sun of the summer beating down. Instead, it's gentle, refreshing, and makes you look forward to fall.

Having misplaced my usual ipod, I've had to use my backup that is synced with an older itunes library. I haven't listened to much of that music that resides on a back up hard drive, so it was a nice change of pace when I went walking through the city on a perfect sunday afternoon with an older set of tunes. Of course by being a music blogger, my sense of time is warped and "older" just means early 2011 songs.
The songs that played fit every city block I crossed to near perfection. The way the light was coming through the tree lined streets of the brownstone neighborhoods was mimicked in the notes swirling through my ears. My pace was determined by the music and it guided me the five miles home as I zig zagged through neighborhoods. So here is a playlist similar to the one I heard that day, with a few newer songs thrown in. It pairs nicely with the softer September sun and a good long walk.

Listen/Stream: Spotify 

Download ZIP: Mediafire 

Jared Mees - Limber Hearts

Apex Manor - Under the Gun

Slow Club - Two Cousins

Slow Club - Two Cousins

Sheffield's Slow Club might have originally caught your eye when they played water glasses, or their adorable single "Christmas TV" that inevitably end up on indie christmas mixes every year, or maybe this is the first you're hearing of them. Their sound has grown up, there is now more rock and less twee, and it works for them. In a way it's twee music for people who don't think they like twee. It's messy and lively and I find that combination irresistible. I know I'm late to be writing about this album that was released in June, but during the perfect September weekend I was completely immersed in this album, recklessly dancing around my apartment without a care. We all need albums that allow you to do that, perhaps Paradise is the one for you.

Slow Club - Two Cousins

The Creepy Crawlies - Get Buried!

It's never fun to wake up early with a stress induced sore throat but then sometimes there's music to compliment that feeling and it makes the four hours of sleep a little more bearable. Early this morning I was lucky enough to come across The Creepy Crawlies' EP. Slipping into The Creepy Crawlies' music is an effortless task as the back and forth vocals of Chris Donlon and Kate McLean suck you in. And then there's the lyrics in both "Get Buried!" and "Not Thinking" that tell you to put the anxiety ridden thoughts away. It's a little bit jangly, a little bit shoegaze, and an odd mixture of bedroom and garage pop. I guess it's whatever you want it to be, so have a listen.

The Creepy Crawlies - Get Buried!

Find More: Bandcamp // Soundcloud // Facebook