Ella Eyre - Deeper

Happy Friday

Soundcloud finds

I was just listening to my soundcloud stream. Here's what I liked. I've always loved making my Halloween themed mixes so hopefully I'll be able to get that up in time.

That'll do for now

via Exploding Dog

This is not goodbye, more just stating that I don't know what to do with this space. I always come back to music so I still think it could continue like the good old days of seven posts a week. On the other hand, sitting still at a computer to put sentences together for an unknown audience has become increasingly uninteresting and cumbersome. I wish it was easier, and I wish I didn't feel guilty about throwing up a song without words and proper linkage. I've found some new hobbies, friends, and made new plans that keep me busy and away from computers. My life has been going in a million different directions and it's a good thing. But some days I wish I still had this cozy little internet home, I miss the songs, and I miss the connections. I miss you, whoever you are that reads this.

I haven't listened to much new stuff this year nor have I even attempted to keep up with new releases, but here is what held my attention at one point or another:

• Typhoon -White Lighter
• Neko Case - The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight...
• The National - Trouble Will Find Me
• Hey Marseilles - Lines We Trace
• Phosphorescent - Muchacho
• J. Roddy Walston & The Business
• Camera Obscura - Desire Lines
• Born Ruffians - Birthmarks
• Pickwick - Can't Talk Medicine
• Shout Out Louds - Optica
• Rhye - Woman 
• Josh Ritter - The Beast in its Tracks
• Daft Punk - Random Access Memories

I hope that'll do for now. I'll be back someday. Maybe even soon with a mix tape.

Miss you,
-J

P.S. I like this song. I hear it on the radio sometimes and sing along.

Sweatshop Union - Infinite

I still listen to music. I swear.

This one isn't my usual stuff, but damn is it sexy.

Alice Boman - Waiting

Everything about this song forces you to focus on remembering to breathe. It's a lovely gem from the Swedish Alice Boman. She recorded an EP, Skisser (means "Sketches" in Swedish), in her home that was never meant to be heard except by her. Somehow the songs have made it out, consider yourself lucky.

"I want you more than I need you, and I need you so bad." 

Site // Spotify// Download

 

TV Girl - She Smokes in Bed

TV Girl always seems to make it's way on to summer mixes and this one has a good shot at making it this year. Here's the first look at something new from their upcoming album Lonely Women due out June 18th. Keep track of them and pre-order the album on their bandcamp page.

Won't Be Long

Halifax-based label Acadian Embassy unveils We Have The Same Lights Overhead: A Tribute to Share, a compilation celebrating the Canadian songwriter Andrew Sisk and his band Share.

In addition to including a solo track to the compilation, Grant, along with her husband, Daniel Ledwell, and members of Quiet Parade, The Prospector’s Union and Dance Movie recorded a version of “Won’t Be Long” – a previously unrecorded and unreleased Share song.

The entire tribute album is available on a pay what you want basis over at bandcamp.

Songs to play loud.

I've been terrible at making mixes, I have seven drafts of my spring mix going and by the time it's ready it'll be summer. While I struggle to get my act together I figured I could share some songs that I've enjoyed playing absurdly loud. They aren't all the newest songs, but they do just fine for dancing around at the end of the week.

download zip // stream on spotify

Chet Faker - Cigarettes and Chocolate

Born Ruffians - With Her Shadow

Club 8 - I'm Not Gonna Grow Old

Club 8 brought us one of my favorite summer jams of 2010 with 'Western Hospitality' and now they're back with a fresh new album, Above The City, out May 21st. You can stream the entire album here.
site // facebook // pre-order

Last Good Tooth - What's What I Do

Never knowing just seems to make sense. 

Sweet Baboo - If I Died

Lisenting to Sweet Baboo's most recent and fourth album, Ships, makes me want to go skipping down the sidewalk while the bees buzz, the birds chirp, and the flowers blossom. It sounds like spring. It's something about the brass-heavy pop that makes it hard not to plaster a big cheesy smile on your face while you listen. This album happens to be a concept album about the sea. Moshi Moshi records put this out April 23rd. They happen to be one of my favorite record companies with a very distinct sound, check them out if you haven't already.
site // facebook // spotify

Friday

I know I've been all over the place this week. If you came looking for the usual indie/folk rock stuff, it'll  be around. In the meantime, I've been leaning towards the electronic stuff. Hopefully you'll find something here to enjoy. 

Say Lou Lou - Fool of Me ft. Chet Faker

I had a dream that I could teach you how to love. I started listening to this song in a happy place, sun on my face and a drink in hand. By the end, I somehow ended up feeling like the jilted lover. How dare he.

site // twitter

Josh Record - Bones

Josh Record, because the world needs more uplifting music.

All of you I will hold, my love will clothe your bones.

site // facebook

Wilsen - Dusk

Wilsen certainly seems like a perfect match as an opener on Daughter's current US tour. While they aren't any happier than Daughter, there's a buoyancy to their songs, where as Daughter's songs can leave you feeling as though you've drowned. Somehow Wilsen manages to sing this and still sound incredibly defeated.

"There is nothing finer than the draw of summer's spell

the cypress trees are swaying in the drunken wind."

site // facebook

Colour Coding - Had It All

Ahh the sweet sting of regret wrapped up in a pop song package. You could've had it all, but you messed up.



Enjoy some more of this Sydney based duo. You can get 'Kick' on a name your price basis on bandcamp. Find Colour Coding on facebook.

100 Mile House - Last Call

Random bandcamp finds are always gratifying. I was hooked on Edmonton's Le Wrens (thanks to Adam)  and started clicking through the tags. This is where I landed.

Take a bottle and lead the way.

Max Frost - White Lies

Cheating is no good. Songs about cheating on the other hand, have a habit of being super catchy. This one is no exception. I highly recommend following up "White Lies" with the slow and sexy "Nice and Slow". Max Frost is turning out some solid jams. You can grab them for free on his Reverb Nation page.
site // facebook

Sunglasses - Blessing

The Annuals - Omnicide

Les Enfants - Celeste

Les Enfants, hailing from New Zealand, are a hand clapping good time. This one has been in my drafts box for far too long and needed to get out.

Woman's Hour - Our Love Has No Rhythm

Woman's Hour, a four piece band from London, are doing their part to ensure that there's never a shortage of sexy slow jams in the world.

Poliça - Tiff (ft. Justin Vernon)

2012 didn't bring the accolades to Poliça that their fans thought Give You the Ghost deserved. It's an album I shrugged off at first and little by little I became attached to their songs until I finally bought their album and eventually saw them live. Now, months later I still find myself going back to that album on a regular basis. Now we've got a new song to lust after. 

Belgian Fog - Wait For Help

Robert Dale started a solo project under the name Belgian Fog and currently has this one song to his name. Something about it keeps me coming back.

Siôn Russell Jones - So Long

Here's a little ditty to keep you smiling. Siôn Russell Jones from Cardiff crafts little pop songs that you'll be humming along to in no time. site // facebook

Lauren Mann - How It Goes

Some days just call for cutesy folk songs. Find more on facebook

The Weeks - Brother in the Night

"I was worried about forgetting so I tattooed it on my chest." The Weeks new album, Dear Bo Jackson, is out today so if you're in the mood for some rootsy southern rock, make sure to pick it up.
Site // Bandcamp // facebook

Free Energy - Love Sign

Free Energy's music will always remind me of the carefree summer of 2010, so I'm glad to see they haven't deviated from their enthusiastic pop music that soundtracked an entire summer. Their new album, Love Sign, is perfect for all of those drives with the windows down. This is an especially catchy one.

Ásgeir Trausti - Leyndarmál

Sometimes when we've been lacking words for so long, songs in foreign languages become the most appealing. In my complete and utter laziness, I'm going to go ahead and call this Icelandic Bon Iver. It's beautiful, and I've been playing it loud all day. I suggest you do the same. Ásgeir Trausti is only 20 years old, so hopefully there'll be more to look forward to.  Find on facebook

Avec pas d'casque - j'embrasse mieux que je parle

It's a shame you're taken, I kiss better than I speak. How can you not listen to a song with that as a title? The song might be mediocre, but being in French and all I think they can get away with it.

Folkvang - Istanbul

I like this too.

Gabriella Cilmi - Sweeter Than History

I like this, especially the build at the end. Since I'm barely a 'blogger' these days I can just leave it at that, right?

Zerbin - New Earth

Sure, Zerbin's song has a slight hint of cheesiness that you need to get past, but then there is wonderful upbeat whistling that more than makes up for any bits you didn't like. There's nothing like a solid whistling section followed by an enthusiastic "hey! hey!" to make you smile, it works every time. See for yourself. And by all means watch the video.




Zerbin - New Earth - Official Video from Light Castle Productions on Vimeo.

Almost, Always, All Yours Mix

I assumed it was the trucks outside that suddenly woke me, but as I listened to their grunting engines the familiar pain set in and I knew I was widely awake because I'd dreamt about him again. The nice part about having a friend on the opposite coast is that you can text them at 4am and get a response, he called back and we talked. We haven't been together in years but have been good at talking weekly for half a decade now, despite living multiple continents apart at times. But things have suddenly changed, as they are wont to do right before you are about to pack up your life in order to make things perfect again. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry" he almost whispered "me too" I whispered back before he hung up. We texted each other the same thing right after, there were four and a half years of apologies we'd been holding back. Sometimes sorry is the only word you have left.

Every once in a while we need to indulge our should've beens that wake us up in the middle of the night and it's always best, like any event, to have a soundtrack for that. Here's my current one which probably makes little sense, or maybe it's showing all my cards because it's highly personal, but the songs are great whether you're attached to them or not.

Almost, Always, All Yours Mix // Spotify // Download

Daughter - Still

Like so many of their other songs, this one hurts your heart, and of course is just as beautifully woven as those other Daughter songs we've come to love. This is the first single off their debut album, If You Leave, due out March 18th.

Grand Theft Bus - No Easy Way

Grand Theft Bus is a Canadian band from New Brunswick, with an eclectic and quirky bunch of songs since they started in 2010. It's one of those bands that releases something and you have no idea what you'll come across, I like that. Today it happens to be 'No Easy Way' from their 2012 album, Say It With Me.


facebook // bandcamp

Tiger Waves - Fields

Austin band, Tiger Waves, previously released the fun summer song 'Weekends' that was one of my favorite songs of 2012. Their kickstarter to sponsor their tour was successful and they are about to embark on a three week tour that takes them all over the eastern and central US. They will be putting out their sophomore album sometime in the next six months so keep an eye out, you won't want to miss it.

Tiger Waves - Fields

 bandcamp // facebook 

Patrick James - All About To Change

Sometimes all you want is a new life to unfold in front of you and songs like this will make you litter the room with your wanting sighs.  Hopefully that change is just around the corner. Patrick James is a 19 year old Australian whose charming folk/pop music sounds much more mature than his age would lead you to believe.

Evening Chorus - Blue Stone Heart

Cardiff based band, Evening Chorus, always keeps you interested throughout their songs with their a cappella bits and song arrangements. This is one worth listening to through the end, it won't be hard.

Ruler - Keep Moving

Widower - Jumper Cables

It takes real talent to compare your heart to a shopping cart in the first lyrics on an album, but Widower gets away with it earnestly singing "Sometimes your heart is shaky as a shopping cart" on their new album Fool Moon. The album is full of sincerity and lyrics to make you swoon as well as bring you crashing back to your most recent heartbreak. The album is out today and should be purchased on bandcamp immediately.