John Statz - Old Old Fashioned (Frighted Rabbits Cover)

John Statz worked magic into "Old Old Fashioned" from Frightened Rabbit's 2008 album The Midnight Organ Fight and quite possibly made it better than the original. I cringe when saying that, but I think you might agree too. It's gone from that a hasty upbeat song to a slower and more delicate tune fit for actually waltzing across the carpet like the song suggests doing. I would curl up in this song, and pull a cozy blanket over us after I was done waltzing with it, if I could. Both versions have something very different but equally heart warming to offer. Go to John Statz's bandcamp page to stream the album (if you like folk you'll be very happy with this album) and get the first track, "Distance" for free.

Walk off the Earth - Somebody that I Used to Know (Gotye Cover)

Sorry if you've already seen this viral video with 42 million views, but it's pretty cool.

Summer Twins - I Will Love You

The Summer Twins released their debut LP on Burger Records and it's got to be the sweetest, cheeriest, twee pop I've ever heard in the dead of winter. If California sunshine that was bottled in the 50s then this music was distilled in it. It's pure fun that'd be hard not to enjoy. This song is the cutest! Get the album here. Stream it here.

Yukon Blonde - Stairway

Yukon Blonde's new album Tiger Talk is due out March 20th and this is the first glimpse at what the Canadian band has prepared for us. This sounds incredibly different from the Yukon Blonde that sang the song "Wind Blows". This is like the rock-pop switch got flipped and they went with it. I think it'll work well for them. This one has more than enough energy to get you psyched up for the weekend.

Yukon Blonde - Stairway

The Shivers - I See It All Babe

A brand new song (literally just uploaded) and video from New York's The Shivers. I love them more and more with every song I hear. This one is just perfect right now.




The Shivers - Used To Be by Silence Breaks

The Wooden Sky - Child of The Valley

The Wooden Sky’s newest album, Every Child A Daughter, Every Moon A Sun, is at the top of my most anticipated releases for this year and is due out February 28th. Their last album has been on heavy rotation ever since I caught a house show of theirs in December, it’s one of those that gets better with each spin and I always seem to find a new favorite song. Luckily for those like me that can hardly wait for February 28th to roll around here is the first outstanding track from the new album. It has that haunting violin and gorgeous narrative lyrics that made their last album so special. Enjoy.

Air Review - America's Son

Air Review is a new folk quintet out of Dallas. "America's Son" has that charm that only comes from a comforting folk song. It's a gentle and repetitive song that ultimately leaves you smiling for some reason you can't quite put your finger on.

Air Review - America's Son

Damien Jurado - Museum of Flight

This week has been all about hearing singles from releases due out next week through April. Every morning I've been able to wake up to a new batch of excitement. I hope I'm not starting to sound insincere when I say this is at the top of my most anticipated albums of 2012, but Maraqopa the new album from Damien Jurado due out February 21st, really is. I've heard from a few Seattle based people and friends of Damien that this is the album of the year. I believe them.

The first single released, "Nothing is the News" was an absolute slow burning jam, full of twist and turns and lots of guitar. Now "Museum of Flight" is a different animal with it's slow hip swaying rhythm and his wavering signature falsetto that could break your heart, especially in the first verse when his voice soars above the quietly strummed guitar. This is the best breakup song I've heard in a while, it's one part pain, one part looking back, and one part hoping the person can still be there. "Don't let go, I need you to hang around / I'm so broke and foolishly in love". 

Damien Jurado - Museum of Flight

Last American Buffalo - Baby I'm Alive

Every Tuesday in January Last American Buffalo has been releasing a song, and not just any song, but outlandishly good songs full of that rough and tumble, dusty, L.A. rock sound. The most recent release is one of my favorites with the declaration of "baby, I'm alive" sounding like it's about to blow the song apart. But the song ends before it can. It's divine. Check out the other releases on the bandcamp page and enjoy two of my favorites right here.

Last American Buffalo - Yucca Baccata

Dry The River - The Chambers & The Valves

Dry The River has completely won my heart. Every new song I hear from them makes the urge to see them live grow ten fold. They remind me a lot of Stornoway and I wish the two bands would tour together. Can we make that happen, someone? Their album is streaming on soundcloud and the Chambers & The Valves 7" is officially released on February 27th. They're about to start an ambitious tour that takes them all over including  LA and San Francisco with Alabama Shakes this week(!) and later to the east coast with the Bowerbirds. Check out the dates here.

Dr. Dog - Lonesome

Here's another new track from an album that I suspect a lot of ears are eager to hear. Being someone who only likes a handful of their songs, I'm happy to report that I enjoy the swaggering and raggedy astetic this song brings to mind. I have enjoyed watching this young Philadelphia band grow and mature over the years and I'm genuinely hoping that this is the album of theirs that converts me to being a Dr. Dog fan. Their new album, Be The Void, will be released February 7th on Anti-Records. Until then, enjoy singing along to this one. "What does it take to be lonesome? Nothing at all." 

Plants and Animals - Lightshow

I'm really good at having weird dreams as of late. To recap my last week of very vivid dreams: they were all about surviving post-apocalyptic times (in my childhood neighborhood, in Mexico, and on an undisclosed mountainside in Austria) and I still can't seem to shake the realness and very strange nature of them all. Luckily there is slightly off kilter music out there that probably would have done a good job soundtracking these dreams. Like this new Miike Snow track called Black Tin Box (it's so new I can't even embed it yet). Or this amazing track that you should play on repeat by Plants and Animals. I expect big things from them this year.

Howler - Back of Your Neck

I can't decide on how I feel about the entire Howler album, America Give Up, but I do know I love this song with it's California surf vibes, which is an especially great sound considering it comes from a Minneapolis band. It's hard to resist bopping your head along.



Check out the perfectly vintagey video for the song below.

Lightning Love - Deadbeat

Lightning Love is a Michigan based musical trio consisting of brothers, Aaron and Ben Collins, and their friend Leah Diehl. Quite Scientific Records has signed this young band and is releasing their EP, Girls Who Look Like Me, on January 31st. At the moment "Deadbeat" is all you can stream (and download for free) on bandcamp but you can listen to clips of their other songs here which are actually a bit different from this first track. The dichotomy of the biting bitterness of the lyrics in "Deadbeat" and the happy sounding electro-twee-pop type beats is one we've seen before, but this one track will keep you hungry for more.

Ravens & Chimes - Division St.

There's a large possibility I've posted about this song before, but I've been cleaning up my itunes and was reminded how freaking fantastic this indie folk rock band is. This song in particular always makes me stop in my tracks and really listen. The vocals are so genuine it takes my breath away. I could continue with terrible cliches but only because they are true. So whether you've heard it or not, have a listen, that's all I'm trying to get across here. You can find them on facebook, listen on bandcamp, and their website is where you'll find info on their current extensive european tour.



And the darkness came,
And covered over all the things we are,
And it took my name,
But maybe I was never here at all.

The Oh Hello's - Hello My Old Heart

Songs like this with that singer/songwriter vibe remind me of the days when this was the type of music I listen to exclusively. Finding songs before they were on Grey's Anatomy or some WB show was kind of my specialty back in the day. While my musical leanings have grown and changed drastically, songs like this one still make my heart flutter and bring me back to the times when I consumed sweet and simple lyrics and acoustic guitars for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  

The Oh Hello's are a sister/brother duo from Texas. This is their debut EP filled with pretty melodies and some great builds leading up to hand claps and foot stomping, especially in "Trees" and "Lay Me Down". Their 4 song EP is a name your price download on bandcamp. Go get it. 

Thanks to Songs For The Day for introducing me to this, he has wonderful taste in music.

Boy - This Is The Beginning

Waking up to the first real snow of the year somehow made it feel like things were finally just as they should be. This song seemed to echo exactly that "this is the beginning of anything you want." Happy first snow.

Boy - This Is The Beginning

The Winter That Isn't Mix

I hope that in making this I jinx the mild 40 degree weather and we can finally get some snow. But for the time being, it looks like this is the winter global warming made. I like my seasons to be distinct, thank you very much. I've come to expect winter mixes to be sparse, pretty, and down tempo. As I made my own, I realized it was more in tune with my restless temperament and the current weather than that gorgeous silence a fresh snowfall brings. Hope you enjoy it, whatever the weather may be.

Download ZIP

1. Islands - This Is Not A Song
2. Cold Specks - Holland
3. Matt Pond PA - Amazing Life
4. Big Harp - Everybody Pays
5. Dead Man Winter - Nicotine
6. Yukon Blonde - Choices
7. Fort Frances - The Lowlands
8. Boca Chica - Snow Angels
9. World Atlas - The Winter Stories
10. The Gertrudes - Wind from the South
11. Hip Hatchet - Coward's luck
12. Boy Without God - The Snow Speaks
13. Blake Mills - Wintersong
14. Jenny O. - Won't Let You Leave (Spirit Animal Remix)
15. Coeur de Pirate - Wicked Games (Weeknd cover)
16. Kris Orlowski - Your Move
17. Mina Tindle - Bells
18. Benjamin Francis Leftwich - Snowship
19. Decibully - I Want
20. King Creosote & Jon Hopkins - Bats in the Attic
21. Anna Ternheim - Walking Aimlessly
22. of Montreal - Wintered Debts

Pale Seas - Something or Nothing

Pale Seas from London has this twinkling dreamy pop song as the title track of their 7" due out March 5th you can pre-order it here. Definitely worth checking out the rest of Pale Seas' music as it's the kind of music you can comfortably sink into without much thought.

Something Or Nothing by Pale Seas

Phone Joan - Damned

Phone Joan, a band from Norway, had this wonderful video done for them by some Norwegian film students. In their email they said, "It portrays a day in a life of this beautiful young woman. From the moment she wakes up from a one night stand until the next day, having repeated the last….a perfect story for the desperate mood in the song." The result is a powerful combination of video and song that drags you into the story of this girl. Both the song and video are really well done so have a look or stream the track below. Their sophomore album is due out March 14th.

 

Hey Marseilles - Cafe Lights

At the top of my most anticipated release list for 2012 sits Hey Marseilles's sophomore album due out this winter. They released Elegy, a 7", a few months ago that has been staring at me longingly waiting for the installation of a turntable. I had the chance to tell the band how immediately taken I was with "Cafe Lights" when I heard it live this fall. While the lyrics tug at my heart strings a bit, it's that ending crescendo that I anxiously wait for during every listen. Stream/Buy on Bandcamp.



There's also this great video of their release show back in November featuring the A side song "Elegy"