Valerie June- "Wanna Be on Your Mind"

Late last year I talked about Valerie June and how she was readying her debut full length. There's good news and bad news on that front, as said debut, Pushin' Against a Stone is available now in the U.K. and Europe, the bad news being that it doesn't come out here in the U.S until late Summer. In the meantime her LP is being well received overseas and she has a slate of Festival dates over the Summer that should bring her talents to the masses. I would bet that by the time her debut drops here stateside that you'll be hearing a lot more about Ms. June.

Pushin' Against a Stone comes out in the U.S. on August 13th. 

http://www.valeriejune.com/

Song of the Week: The National- "Heavenfaced"

With the release of The National's new album, Trouble Will Find Me just around the corner, I've been like a kid waiting for Christmas morning to come. Luckily the album has been streaming this week over on iTunes so that can hold me over momentarily. After many many listens it's too early for me to say if it's my favorite LP from the band, but I do know that it clearly surpassed the high expectations I had already set out in my head. One of the standouts for me has been the hypnotic and slow building, "Heavenfaced." I've always been taken with frontman Matt Berninger's lyrics but this album he seems to be on a whole other level.


The National- "Heavenfaced"
I could walk out, but I won’t,
In my mind I am in your arms.
I wish someone would take my place,
Can’t face heaven all heavenfaced.
No one’s careful all the time,
If you lose me, I’m gonna die.

How completely high was I?
I was off by a thousand miles.
Hit the ceiling, then you fall,
Things are tougher than we are.
I could walk out, but I won’t,
In my mind I am in your arms.
I wish someone would take my place,
Can’t face heaven all heavenfaced.

Let’s go wait out in the fields with the ones we love.
Let’s go wait out in the fields with the ones we love.
Let’s go wait out in the fields with the ones we love.
Let’s go wait out in the fields with the ones we love.

She’s a griever, my believer
It’s not a fever, it’s a freezer
I believe her, I`m a griever now
She’s a griever, my believer
It’s not a fever, it’s a freezer
I believe her, I`m a griever now

Because we’ll all arrive in heaven alive
We’ll all arrive
Because we’ll all arrive in heaven alive
We’ll all arrive

Get to Know: Rodeo Queen- "Later Bedrooms"

Rodeo Queen hails from a small town in east Texas with a population of 5,000, growing up with guns, horses, and a knack for mischief. After a stay in Hollywood he is now calling Houston his home base, where he just finished up recording his debut album, Goodness Gracious. He debuted the first song off the forthcoming disc last week, with the track "Later Bedrooms." You can grab it for free over on his bandcamp page now. Can't wait to hear more off of this one.


http://rodeoqueenmusic.com/

New Video: David Ramirez "The Bad Days"

David Ramirez's The Rooster EP came out just last week, and from top to bottom it's probably the best EP my ears have heard this year. He just released a new video for the track, "The Bad Days" which you can watch below. Here's what he told American Songwriter about the song ... “The Bad Days” is an acknowledgement that love itself isn’t enough. There will be days we can’t stand one another but it takes work and effort if we intend to see our love through."


http://davidramirezmusic.com/

Frightened Rabbit cover Best Coast's- "The Only Place"

At a recent tour stop down under, Frightened Rabbit stopped by the Australian radio station Triple J to partake in their 'Like A Version' series. The band chose to tackle Best Coast's "The Only Place" along with an acoustic version of their own track, "The Woodpile" off their latest disc, Pedestrian Verse. Watch them both below.



http://frightenedrabbit.com/

Rogue Wave- "Siren's Song"

After a 3 year hiatus Rogue Wave are back with a brand new album, Nightingale Floors. It's available June 4th via Vagrant records and you can listen to the latest track to leak, "Siren's Song" which has been on steady repeat for me this week. 


http://roguewavemusic.com/

New Video: The National- "Sea of Love"

I've been counting down the days to The National's newest release, Trouble Will Find Me,  which gets a May 21st release date via 4AD. Holding me over are days like this when the Brooklyn band unveiled a new video for the album track “Sea of Love.” According to the group the video is an homage to their favorite punk rock band, Zvuki Mu from Russia, who's video for their song “Grubiy Zakat,” is a mirror image.Watch The National's take below.

 http://www.americanmary.com/

Song of the Week: Gregory Alan Isakov- "Saint Valentine"

Boulder, Colorado's Gregory Alan Isakov is readying his third full length album, The Weatherman. He recently gave fans a first taste of the upcoming LP with a new song titled "Saint Valentine."
Isakov had this to say about his forthcoming release ... "I wanted to make something that felt genuine. We recorded everything with analogue gear and mixed it on tape, which gave the songs a raw and vulnerable feeling." ... "The idea of a weatherman is really powerful. There's this guy on television or on the radio telling us the future, and nobody cares. It's this daily mundane miracle, and I think the songs I chose are about noticing the beauty in normal, everyday life."
The Weatherman hits store shelves this July 9th, and be sure to check his website for the latest tour information HERE.

Local Natives- "Bowery" (live video)

Another phenomenal track from Local Natives off their latest LP, Hummingbird. Here's the song "Bowery" performed in Minneapolis with a group of ballet dancers giving their interpretation of the song while the band plays live.


http://www.thelocalnatives.com/

Stream David Ramirez's New EP 'The Rooster'

Austin musician David Ramirez has become a big favorite of mine over the last six months or so, starting with his epic 2012 full length Apologies. Also over the last several months Ramirez has been teasing tracks from a brand new 5 song EP titled 'The Rooster', and everything I've heard so far has had me counting down the days to it's May 6th release date. Fortunately for those impatient like myself you don't have to wait until next Mon. to hear the whole EP, as Ramirez is sharing it over at American Songwriter. Here's a little bit of what he had to say about his latest work....

Via American Songwriter-(click HERE for the full article)

In September of last year I released a full length album titled Apologies. It was a very “heart on the sleeve” journey through some of my regrets and remorse. I’ve healed since then in a lot of ways and I have an itch to discuss it. A Rooster, as we know, introduces the dawn. It’s an opportunity for us to try again; to be new.

Although I’m now writing more about love, this isn’t an upbeat pop record. I’m still carrying my low-tempo melancholy self through these beautiful new moments. “Fire of Time” is a confession of who I’ve become but resolves with being reminded who I was and who I can be. “The Bad Days” is an acknowledgement that love itself isn’t enough. There will be days we can’t stand one another but it takes work and effort if we intend to see our love through. “Glory” is a beautiful lullaby. Sweet, simple, and lovely. I revisit some old themes in “Don’t Call Me Cryin,” and “The Forgiven” is entirely new ground for me where I discuss my observations in the relationship between an audience and their artists.

http://davidramirezmusic.com/

The National Premiere 2 More New Tracks, "Sea of Love" and "I Need My Girl" on Fallon

Last Thursday night The National appeared on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon where they premiered two more new songs off their upcoming album, Trouble Will Find Me. Watch them play new tracks, "Sea of Love" and "I Need My Girl." 
Trouble Will Find Me comes out on May 21st and is available for pre-order now.



http://www.americanmary.com/

Get to Know: Sohn- "Bloodflows"

Vienna via London musician, Sohn recently signed on board with the good folks over at 4AD. Following the release of his The Wheel EP which came out last year, a haunting new track "Bloodflows" has been unveiled & it will be the first official release on the new label.
According to 4AD Sohn is working on his debut album now, but in the meantime "Bloodflows" will be made available in June both as a 12" and as a digital download.   


http://sohnmusic.com/

Song of the Week: Little Green Cars- "The John Wayne"

I've been admittedly slow coming around on the Irish 5 piece, Little Green Cars. I had heard their name mentioned quite a bit around SXSW but never took the time to check them out. Since getting my hands on their debut disc, Absolute Zero I'm now feeling like a fool because it's all sorts of awesome. Check out the lead single, "The John Wayne" below and grab their album which is out now via Glassnote (Daughter, Chvrches, Phoenix).


http://littlegreencars.co.uk/

Water Liars- "Linens" (Live Session)

This Mississippi Duo released a fantastic new album, Wyoming back in March that features some of the best harmonies you'll hear this year. One such track that shows off those sweet tones is the song, "Linens" which the band recently performed for Out of Town Films while at a tour stop in Philadelphia.  


http://waterliarsmusic.com/

New Music: Kalle Mattson- "A Love Song to the City"

Today Kalle Mattson released the first taste off his upcoming album, with a new song called, "A Love Song to the City." The forthcoming LP will be his third and it is produced by Burn The Bowery favorite Gavin Gardiner from The Wooden Sky. There is no official release date as of yet but I'm real excited to hear more, stay tuned.
KALLE MATTSON - A Love Song To The City from Southern Souls on Vimeo.


http://www.kallemattson.com/

Dan Croll- "Compliment Your Soul"

Last month, UK singer/songwriter Dan Croll released his fantastic debut EP, From Nowhere. We highlighted the self titled track a few weeks back, and this week I wanted to bring you another one called, "Compliment Your Soul" off the EP.
Watch the video for it below.


http://www.dancroll.com/

Night Beds- "Ramona" (live for Crypt Sessions)

If your a regular reader of the blog, you know by now how enamored I am with the debut LP from Night Beds, Country Sleep.  The band has been hitting the road hard in support of the new disc since it came out a few months back, and right now they're across the pond in the UK with some live dates.
One recent stop brought them to North London & the folks over at The Crypt Sessions where they performed a nice stripped down take on the track "Ramona." I really like the outro on this one, watch below.



http://www.nightbeds.org/

Song of the Week: Float Fall-"Someday"

I don't know much about this weeks 'Song of the Week' other than it comes from a duo out of Leuven, Belgium, Rozanne Descheemaekers and Ruben Lefever. What I do know is that this delicate piano led track with it's layers of simple beats has been lodged in my head for the past week. Give it a spin below, and stay tuned for more details hopefully soon.


http://www.floatfall.com

More New Music from The National: "Don't Swallow the Cap"

The National has released the second track (and the first official single) from their forthcoming album, Trouble Will Find Me. The song titled, "Don't Swallow the Cap" follows-up “Demons” from earlier last week. The new album is out this May 21st and if these two are any indication this could be their finest work yet. These two are seriously killing me.
In other news from the group, they have a new documentary on the way, Mistaken for Strangers shot by Matt Berninger's brother Tom who followed the band around on their tour for their last LP, High Violet. It premieres at NYC 's Tribeca Film Festival on April 17, and you can watch the trailer for it below.




http://www.americanmary.com/

The Great American Canyon Band- 'Lost at Sea' EP

I've been waiting patiently for new music from husband & wife duo The Great American Canyon Band for quite some time now. The pair released a most excellent single "Tumbleweed" back in early 2012 but has been largely silent since. That recently changed with the band releasing a brand new EP called Lost at Sea on April 2nd. Along with the track "Tumbleweed" the EP features three new tracks from the band. Stream the whole thing below, and check their Facebook for some upcoming tour dates.


https://www.facebook.com/TheGACB

The Lone Bellow- "Tree to Grow" (live session for Serial Box Presents)

I've been a little late coming around to the debut album from Brooklyn's The Lone Bellow. Since getting my hands on it though it's been a steady grower that has made it's way into my daily routine. One of my personal favorites from the record is the track, "Tree to Grow" which the band recently shot a gorgeous video for out in Hollywood with the talented folks at Serial Box Presents.  Watch below.



http://www.thelonebellow.com/   
http://serialboxpresents.com/