Lots of Album News/Streams!! (And A New Segment)

Hey,

First, some sad news: tragically, a girl at my school was killed in a car accident last week, and of course the school has been absolutely torn apart.  I just wanted to dedicate this post to Julia Siegler.  On that note, and in her honor, I would like to introduce a new "segment."  Once a month, I will pick an old song that I am getting into, or just came across, etc.  I think this first one is really perfect for the occasion, and really captures what everybody is feeling.  It's an incredible song in my opinion, and, especially right now, makes me really emotional.

Bill Withers :: Ain't No Sunshine

The song is "Ain't No Sunshine" by Bill Withers, 1971.  It's been covered countless times, but I think this version is just captivating.   My grandfather actually just passed away also, and he lived back east.  On the flight back home from New York to LA, I listened to this song for literally two-thirds of the flight; I listened to this song over and over for four hours - that's how much I like it.

Ain't No Sunshine - Bill Withe...

And now, for some news from the sonic world...

This week is a big week for album releases, so let's get right to it.

Morning Benders :: Big Echo

  

I've been blogging a lot about the Morning Benders, so sorry if I am boring you, but... the album, which I have been highly anticipating (if you couldn't tell), is due out on March 9th.  In this week leading up to the album release, the full album is available for streaming from their website, and since they are such nice guys, in the embed above...   They are playing at the Troubadour (the Troooooob) on the 24th or 25th, which I am dying to go to but am unsure of if I will make it seeing as it is a school night (it's a hard knock life...).

Broken Bells :: Broken Bells
Another band I have been blogging a lot about... they will be playing a show in LA on March 14 at the Troubadour (the Trooooob), which I am dying to go to as well.  This will be just their second live show, so you can see why it would be awesome to go to, but... I will have just had surgery a couple of days before, and also it is a school night (it's a hard knock life).  Luckily for me though, they put up the entire album (due out March 9th) on NPR First Listen, so enjoy!



Titus Andronicus :: The Monitor
New Jersey-ites!!!!!!!!!  All that needs to be said... not really.  Their sophomore album is due out on the 9th (what a surprise!), and they put up the whole thing on their MySpace.  Super lo-fi garage rock... I love it.  Check it out.

The Besnard Lakes :: Are the Roaring Night
These guys are pure anthem music if you ask me.  Every song has the feeling of epic scale, and I can see every song at some point in a movie; some songs it's the moment when we first see the main character, silent as they travel through whatever environment they're in, or when the character has the profound realization.  The album has two sets of two part songs... like I said, grand proportions.  Listen to the whole album here.

Band of Horses :: Infinite Arms
Band of Horses are a band that IMHO epitomize the "indie" sound.  When you hear songs like "Funeral," "Is There a Ghost," "No One's Gonna Love You," and "The General Specific," you can't help but being drawn in.  Hopefully their third album, which they have said will be released on May 18th, will continue to capture that (again, IMO) iconic sound.  The big question is though... which label will it be on?  It is unclear whether it will be released on Sub-Pop, who released their first two albums, or another label.  It will be interesting to see if being on a different label makes a dramatic difference in their sound, etc.

-- A Teenage Elephant

Rest In Peace Julia Siegler

What's Big on the Interwebs

Sorry I haven't post anything in a few days, I've been pretty busy.  This will be last post for a little over a week (until the 22nd); I have finals coming up (yes, I'm a student... I know you would never guess...) so I will be holed up in my room, listening to some good music of course (I'm thinking the Flaming Lips' cover of Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon, which if you haven't checked out you really should, and Titus Andronicus' The Airing of Grievances) and studying like crazy (no, I'm not a slacker...).  I will leave you with a bunch of new tracks that are making a little bit of a splash on the intertubes right now or that I'm just digging.


Besnard Lakes :: Albatross
This is a new song from Besnard Lakes' follow up to their 2007 album Besnard Lakes Are the Dark Horse, entitled Besnard Lakes Are the Roaring Night.  It is probably the song out of all of these that is receiving the most attention, and I think that is because it strikes just the right mix between slow, deliberate rhythm and driving, powerful melody/guitar to make it really anthemic.  This is the type of song that turns bands into Arcade Fires.
mp3: Albatross

The Drums :: I Felt Stupid
I recently posted the video for this song, so now here is the actual song.  It is very poppy, and although it may sound happy, when you listen to the lyrics it really is more of a ballad.  It is clear from their sound that they really love 80's pop and New Wave,and it definitely seems like they have taken a lot of inspiration from the Cure.
mp3: I Felt Stupid

Harlem :: Friendly Ghost
This song has been circulating for a little bit, but until now I hadn't gotten a chance to post it.  Austin trio Harlem are definitely under the lo-fi category, so Smith Westerns and Wavves fans rejoice1
mp3: Friendly Ghost

Sleigh Bells :: Crown On the Ground
This song is a song that to enjoy you have to play really loud to enjoy; it's got one of those beats and tunes and that when you crank it up the encompassing feeling and the distortion from the sound of the song and from the strain it is putting on the speakers make it that much better.  You might not instantly like it, but if that is the cast I suggest you listen to it a couple times - it'll grow on you.  I think it actually sounds a little like MIA, what with the female vocals and pump-up sound.
mp3: Crown on the Ground

Love Is All :: Kungen
This is the new song from 5-piece Swedish indie rockers Love Is All.  It instantly evokes the Mamas and the Papas with its "baaaah, bah bah bah bah's," but after that it pretty much diverges from the Mamas and the Papas.  The song is divided into a couple of different sections, each with a different sound, which takes away a little bit from the song; it is almost as if it can't decide which one they should have made the song out of.  There's the "bah" section, a section with very Bjork-esque vocals over bass and drums, and a faster section that is more guitar focused.  This gives the song a mashed up, slightly incomplete feeling, but I still like the song, even if the sum of the parts isn't as good as the parts themselves.
mp3: Kungen

The Morning Benders :: Promises

This song was just released off their upcoming album Big Echo, due out in March, as a free download.  It's a song that you can "groove" to; at least that's what the lead singer sang when about it when I saw them back in December.  Here's a picture from the concert that my friend took and put a caption on on his iPhone - when we showed it to the guys from the band after the show they loved it.  From what I heard of the new album at the concert, the album seems like it will be really good, and it is certainly one of my most anticipated albums of the new year.  They will be touring in support of it starting in March.  Photo by LSF
mp3: Promises

Lissy Trullie :: Ready for the Floor
This is a Hot Chip cover, and it was featured on the soundtrack of "Jennifer's Body" (didn't see the movie, so I couldn't tell you how it fits in).  The track has been around for awhile, but I just heard it and really like it, so here you go.  It is a really interesting take on turning a very electronic song into a instrumental song; it reminds me a bit of Taken By Trees' "My Boys" cover of Animal Collective.  Lissy Trullie sounds to me like if you took the vocals of the girl from the xx and put it over a Velvet Underground song... superb stuff.
mp3: Ready for the Floor (Cover)

Also listening to:
Miracles Club :: A New Love
mp3: A New Love

Thom Yorke :: All for the Best
mp3: All for the Best

--The (Switched from A) Teenage Elephant