Burn The Bowery's 20 favorite albums of 2009

It's never an easy task to try and put together a year end best of list, as for myself it's an ever changing thing depending on moods, situations and locales. But I know it's safe to say that throughout the past year these were the albums that I came back to the most, and that left the biggest impressions. Without further rambling here's my 20 favorite albums from 2009.


20. Times New Viking- Born Again Revisited
"No Time, No Hope"
19. We Were Promised Jetpacks- These Four Walls
"Quiet Little Voices"
18. White Rabbits- Percussion Gun
"Percussion Gun"
17. Loney Dear- Dear John
"Airport Surroundings"
16. The Bony King of Nowhere- Alas My Love
"Alas My Love"
15. Sharon Van Etten- Because I Was In Love
"For You"
14. Langhorne Slim- Be Set Free
"I Love You But Goodbye"
13. Old Canes- Feral Harmonic
"Little Bird Courage"
12. Dinosaur Jr.- Farm
"Over It"
11. Noah & the Whale- First Days of Spring
"Blue Skies"

10. There Will Be Fireworks- self titled Brilliant debut from this young Scottish band. At times melancholy, sometimes explosive, but a deeply cinematic disc that can leave you stunned.
"Foreign Thoughts"






9. Dark Was The Night compilation (various artists) I was hesitant to include this one on the list being that it's a compilation disc of various artists, but without a doubt the album was stacked with great songs and amazing artists ranging from Bon Iver and The National, to Yeasayer and Arcade Fire. It was truly one of the albums that I went to the most during the course of the year.
"So Far Around the Bend"- The National


8. Fever Ray- self titled
A dark and bone chilling solo debut for the Knife's, Karin Dreijer Andersson. Full of great tracks, but be sure to watch the accompanying videos for an extra creep factor.
"When I Grow Up"






7. Phoenix- Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix An album that I was admittedly very very slow to come around to, but at more than one friend's urging, one that grew on me more and more with each listen. Contained probably two of this years catchiest singles in 'Lisztomania" and '1901."
"1901"






6. A.A. Bondy- When The Devils Loose One of the great underlooked songwriters out there. Expanded his sound on this sophomore disc with a full band, the result of which is a folk album perfectly made for your next road trip.
"When The Devils Loose"





5. Handsome Furs- Face Control An album that I was very late to the party in getting familiar with, as I got turned onto it late in the year. That said, it was a disc that instantly stood out on it's first listen, sounding as original and fresh as anything I've heard this year, and I haven't been able to put it down since.
"Radio Kalininbrad"




4. Matthew Ryan -Dear Lover If you've missed out on Ryans first 11 albums then you have a lot of catching up to do. On his latest disc he continues the trend of crafting intimate songs with stellar songwriting, something that some of todays music is often missing.
"The Wilderness"




3. Fanfarlo- Reservoir Impressive debut from this UK band led by Swedish frontman, Simon Balthazar. Forget all the Arcade Fire comparisons you might have heard, this band stands out well on their own with this warm and uplifting debut.
"Drowning Men"






2. The Rural Alberta Advantage- Hometowns
Born out of the RAA"s singer/songwriter Nils Edenloff's exodus from Edmonton, Alberta to Toronto in 2003 that not only inspired the band's name but led to the fruit of this passionate and energetic disc. For the percussion work on the album alone it's worthy of a top nod.
"Frank, AB"



1. The Wooden Sky- If I Don't Come Home You'll Know I'm Gone Hands down my favorite album this year, a gorgeous richly textured LP from start to finish. I fell in love with this disc from the minute I heard the lead single, which also happens to be my favorite track of the year, the moody slow building, "Something Hiding For Us in the Night."
"Something Hiding For Us In the Night"

Frightened Rabbit get in the spirit, cover "Walking in the Air"

Frightened Rabbir got in the Christmas spirit of things recently, while stopping by the BBC. The band tackled the song
"Walking in the Air" which was originally written by Howard Blake for the 1982 animated film 'The Snowman'. In the film the song was performed by St. Paul's Cathedral choirboy Peter Auty.
In the meantime the bands new forthcoming disc The Winter of Mixed Drinks is due out on March 1st 2010 via Fatcat records. You can check out the first single from the disc, "Swim Until You Can't See Land" here.

Phoenix - "Lisztomania" unplugged

This French band had a huge year for themselves, going from underground sensations to having the critics raving endlessly, and also seeing newfound mainstream success on the radio and in magazines. Their infectious '09 electro-pop album Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix has been landing on many best of lists, and continuing those good vibes the band recently stopped by the studios of Spin Magazine in NYC to perform an intimate stripped down set of some of the album's tracks. The set included, "One Time Too Many," from their 2006 album It's Never Been Like That, plus their two hit singles, "Lisztomania" and "1901" as well as the song "Playground Love," which they co-wrote with the band Air.
See full report...

Pitchfork picks their top 50 albums of 2009

The ever influential Pitchfork just released their top 50 albums list of 2009. The number one was pretty much as expected if you follow their site at all, but the top 10 had a few surprises in the placement. You can check it all out below, and to read the explanations on their choices you can go here.

50 Woods - Songs of Shame
49 Cass McCombs - Catacombs
48 DOOM - Born Like This
47 Zomby - Where Were U in '92?
46 Dan Deacon - Bromst
45 The Mountain Goats - The Life of the World to Come
44 tUnE-yArDs - BiRd-BrAiNs
43 Cymbals Eat Guitars - Why There Are Mountains
42 A Sunny Day in Glasgow - Ashes Grammar
41 Baroness - Blue Record
40 Mos Def - The Ecstatic
39 Jim O'Rourke - The Visitor
38 Major Lazer - Guns Don't Kill People-- Lazers Do
37 The Antlers - Hospice
36 Dinosaur Jr. - Farm
35 jj - jj n° 2
34 Passion Pit - Manners
33 Bibio - Ambivalence Avenue
32 Bear In Heaven - Beast Rest Forth Mouth
31 Sunn O))) - Monoliths & Dimensions
30 Röyksopp - Junior
29 Yo La Tengo - Popular Songs
28 Micachu and the Shapes - Jewellery
27 Various Artists - 5: Five Years of Hyperdub
26 Bon Iver - Blood Bank EP
25 DJ Quik & Kurupt - BlaQKout
24 Bill Callahan - Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle
23 Memory Tapes - Seek Magic
22 Wild Beasts - Two Dancers
21 Neko Case - Middle Cyclone
20 Real Estate - Real Estate
19 The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
18 Atlas Sound - Logos
17 The Very Best - Warm Heart of Africa
16 Antony and the Johnsons - The Crying Light
15 Japandroids - Post-Nothing
14 Neon Indian - Psychic Chasms
13 St. Vincent - Actor
12 Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz!
11 Fuck Buttons - Tarot Sport
10 Girls - Album
09 Fever Ray - Fever Ray
08 Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
07 Bat For Lashes - Two Suns
06 Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest
05 Raekwon - Only Built for Cuban Linx... Pt. II
04 The Flaming Lips - Embryonic
03 The xx - The xx
02 Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca
01 Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion

Robyn remixes El Perro Del Mar- "Change of Heart"

There's little doubt that the Swedes have the market nailed down when it comes to their sugary pop sensibilities. Here we see pop star Robyn tackle a remix of fellow countryman, El Perro Del Mar's sexy new track, "Change of Heart" off her album, Love Is Not Pop.

Here's a little of what El Perro Del Mar had to say on her new work ....“Shortly after having finished touring with my second album From the Valley to the Stars I started writing new songs. For some reason all the songs were about love and in particular that of the doomed kind. Unconsciously I think I knew what I was trying to tell myself. I'd spent some bad times in New York and some good times in Paris and both these cities have made a great imprint on this album and my current outlook on love. I've decided to call it Love Is Not Pop - the songs on the album are all pop songs and they are all about love. But naturally, it is not all as simple as that. As much as pop can be love and vice versa - I'd like to believe that love goes so much deeper than a pop song.”
"Change of Heart (Rakomie remix)"

El Perro Del Mar Co headlining tour w/ Taken By Trees
02.14 World Café – Philadelphia, PA
02.16 Le Poisson Rouge – New York, NY
02.17 Knitting Factory – Brooklyn, NY
02.19 Cambridge Family YMCA – Cambridge, MA
02.20 Il Motore – Montreal, QB
02.21 The Mod Club – Toronto, ON
02.22 Lincoln Hall – Chicago, IL
02.23 Cedar Cultural Center – Minneapolis, MN
02.26 The Triple Door – Seattle, WA
02.27 Biltmore Cabaret – Vancouver, BC
02.28 Doug Fir Lounge – Portland, OR
03.02 Café du Nord – San Francisco, CA
03.03 Troubadour – Los Angeles, CA

El Perro Del Mar.com
visit Robyn.com

Grizzly Bear score new film

Grizzly Bear has had themselves a pretty big year with the release of their highly acclaimed disc, Veckatimest which has been popping up all over many best of year end lists. In the New Year the band will get the chance to get some new material out their with news that the guys will be scoring a new Ryan Gosling film titled, 'Blue Valentine.' The film which also stars Michelle Wiliams, apparently chronicles the life of a young married couple and the disintegration of their troubled relationship. Blue Valentine is scheduled to premiere at Sundance in 2010, no word yet on a public release date.

You can re-familiarize yourself with the video for 'Two Weeks" in the meantime.

Emanuel and The Fear: new video- "The Rain Becomes the Clouds"

With an ensemble cast that swells to 11-pieces, Brooklyn outfit, Emanuel and the Fear create big, beautiful orchestral-pop songs. The bands self titled EP came out in early '09 and features this track, "The Rain Becomes the Clouds", which the band just released a new music video for, produced and directed by Kendra Stanchfield.
The band is also currently wrapping up a new full-length album, Listen, which should be available in March through Paper Garden Records.



Emanuel and the Fear- "The Rain Becomes the Clouds"

Follow Emanuel and the Fear on myspace.

Ivana XL: Old songs, 'Old Swans'

Brooklyn singer-songwriter Ivan XL is out with a new 12 song LP of demos and unreleased songs from 2004-2006. The personal tunes according to Ivana were written at the height of her sadness about a broken relationship (actually the guy you see on the cover). Here's what she had to say about the new work ..."Why would you release a bunch of demos, Ivana? Doesn't a demo= an unfinished song, or note?" You might ask. And I would answer: Because. To me, they are the most honest version, and therefor, the BEST version. ..."I thought that I was going to die! But now, I know that I'm not going to die, and everything is happy. It is nice to have that part of my life documented."

You can check out our 'Field Recordings' session we shot with Ivana over the summer in Greenpoint, Brooklyn below.



Ivana XL on myspace.

new video- The Rural Alberta Advantage- "Drain The Blood"

Not only did these guys release one of the most passionate and intense albums you'll hear this year, but the band is another in the ever growing long line of amazing bands hailing from Toronto, Canada. The Rural Alberta Advantage, will be releasing their first official single, "Drain the Blood" off their Hometowns LP this coming Jan 12. Although it comes months after the albums release on Saddle Creek records, the new single will be available as a 7" vinyl and digital formats, and it includes the bands newly recorded B-side cover of Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger". In addition to the single the group also just unveiled a new video for the track, directed by Ante Kovac (which you can view below).
And in other RAA news, the band just launched a new run of tour dates hitting the Midwest and the West Coast in Dec., and running into Jan. and Feb. in the Northeast, Midwest and all over Canada.




Rural Alberta Advantage- "Don't Haunt This Place" mp3

The Rural Alberta Advantage on tour:
12/15 Los Angeles, CA Bootleg Theater +
12/16 San Francisco, CA Bottom of The Hill +
12/18 Portland, OR Backspace
12/19 Seattle, WA Vera Project
01/06 Philadelphia, PA Kungfu Necktie
01/07 Hoboken, NJ Maxwell's
01/08 New York, NY Terminal 5 &
01/09 New York, NY Mercury Lounge (two shows, early and late)
01/14 Milwaukee, WI Mad Planet
01/15 Minneapolis, MN The Cedar Cultural Center
01/16 Chicago, IL Lincoln Hall
02/09 Winnipeg, MB West End Cultural Center
02/10 Saskatoon, SK Amigo's
02/12 Calgary, AB Broken City
02/13 Edmonton, AB Pawn Shop
02/15 Vancouver, BC Queen Elizabeth Theatre
02/16 Victoria, BC The Lucky Bar
+ = w/ Shaky Hands
& = w/ Passion Pit

check them out at The RAA.com

AA Bondy: New headlining tour

A.A. Bondy released a fantastic 2nd album back in September on Fat Possum Records called, When The Devil's Loose. He's been on the road nearly non-stop ever since supporting the new disc, and he's not slowing up just yet either, as he just announced a new headlining tour kicking off this January, beginning on the 8th in Memphis, TN, and wrapping up February 3rd in Buffalo, NY.
Over the past six months Bondy has also toured with Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band, The Felice Brothers, and Elvis Perkins in Dearland.



A.A. Bondy tour dates:
JAN 8 MEMPHIS, TN Hi-TONE CAFÉ
JAN 9 FAYETTEVILLE, AR GEORGE'S MAJESTIC LOUNGE
JAN 11 FORT WORTH, TX LOLA'S
JAN 12 SANTA FE, NM SANTA FE BREWING CO.
JAN 13 PHOENIX, AZ RHYTHM ROOM
JAN 14 TUCSON, AZ SOLAR CULTURE
JAN 15 SAN DIEGO, CA THE CASBAH
JAN 16 LOS ANGELES, CA EAGLE ROCK CENTER
JAN 18 SANTA BARBARA, CA MUDDY WATERS
JAN 19 VISALIA, CA CELLAR DOOR
JAN 20 SAN FRANCISCO, CA CAFÉ DU NORD
JAN 22 PORTLAND, OR MISSISSIPPI STUDIOS
JAN 23 SEATTLE, WA THE TRACTOR TAVERN
JAN 25 SPOKANE, WA THE BLVD
JAN 26 BOISE, ID NEUROLUX
JAN 27 SALT LAKE CITY, UT URBAN LOUNGE
JAN 28 DENVER, CO HI-DIVE
JAN 29 LAWRENCE, KS JACKPOT MUSIC HALL
JAN 30 AMES, IA MAINTENANCE SHOP
FEB 1 MADISON, WI HIGH NOON SALOON
FEB 2 ANN ARBOR, MI BLIND PIG
FEB 3 BUFFALO, NY MOHAWK PLACE

AA Bondy on myspace.

The Wooden Sky: NYC shows Tonight and Saturday

Ever since hearing their 2nd album If I Don't Come Home You'll Know I'm Gone back in August, I haven't been able to stop raving about The Wooden Sky to friends, family, or anyone willing to listen. I've described the album before as a cross between The National's, 'Boxer' and Whiskeytown's, 'Stangers Almanac', mixing an epic quality of lush instrumentation and subtleness, with an alt-country and Americana down home feel. It's not too late to get familiar with the band as they're in town this weeknd for two shows, starting tonight at Piano's (they go on at 8) and Sat. night at Union Hall in Brooklyn.

The Wooden Sky-"Something Hiding For Us In the Night"

the Wooden Sky tour schedule:
Dec 10 8:00P Pianos NYC, New York
Dec 11 TBA Boston, Massachusetts
Dec 12 Union Hall Brooklyn, New York
Feb 4 Forwell Hall (nooner) London, Ontario
Feb 5 Outback Shack
Feb 9 West End Cultural Centre Winnipeg, Manitoba *
Feb 10 Amigos Saskatoon, Saskatchewan *
Feb 12 Broken City Calgary, Alberta *
Feb 13 Pawn Shop Edmonton, Alberta *
Feb 25 Ontario Pavillion (Olympic Village!) Vancouver, BC
* w/ Rural Alberta Adavantage

The Wooden Sky - A Documentary in Pieces PART FIVE (HD) from Black Box Vimeo on Vimeo.

The Wooden Sky on myspace.

Spin's Top 40 of 2009

It's everybody's favorite time of year again, when all the music magazines, blog's and other sites put their two cents in and compile their best of the year lists. Here's Spin magazine's take on the year in music.

40 Kiss - Sonic Boom
39 Wilco - Wilco (Wilco The Album
38 Rick Ross - Deeper Than Rap
37 Gallows - Grey Britain
36 Brakesbrakesbrakes - Touchdown
35 Miike Snow - Miike Snow
34 Mariachi El Bronx - Mariachi El Bronx
33 The Avett Brothers - I And Love And You
32 U2 - No Line On The Horizon
31 Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca
30 Julian Casablancas - Phrazes For The Young
29 Them Crooked Vultures - Them Crooked Vultures
28 The Flaming Lips - Embryonic
27 Jarvis Cocker - Further Complications
26 The Mountain Goats - The Life Of The World To Come
25 The Big Pink - A Brief History Of Love
24 Wolfmother - Cosmic Egg
23 St. Vincent - Actor
22 Tegan And Sara - Sainthood
21 Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx Pt. II
20 Paramore - Brand New Eyes
19 Lily Allen - It's Not Me, It's You
18 Antony And The Johnsons - The Crying Light
17 Mastodon - Crack The Skye
16 Japandroids - Post-Nothing
15 Neko Case - Middle Cyclone
14 Amadou & Mariam - Welcome To Mali
13 Jay Reatard - Watch Me Fall
12 Ida Maria - Fortress Round My Heart
11 Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson - Summer Of Fear
10 The Dead Weather - Horehound
09 Drake - So Far Gone
08 Florence And The Machine - Lungs
07 Mos Def - The Ecstatic
06 Bat For Lashes - Two Suns
05 Girls - Album
04 Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest
03 Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
02 Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz!
01 Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion

And you can read all the accompanying statements on each here.

get to know: Doveman

This is a guy who's music I wasn't all that familiar with besides hearing his association in working with The National. On that alone I had to check out some of his music and his latest album The Conformist, which came out at the end of October. Doveman is Thomas Bartlett, a keyboardist who has collaborated with marquee acts like Antony and the Johnsons, The National, Yoko Ono, Bebel Gilberto, David Byrne, and Grizzly Bear to name a few, and on his newest LP, he gets help from some of those friends, namely The National members Matt Berninger, Aaron Dessner, Bryce Dessner, and Bryan Devendorf, Nico Muhly, Glen Hansard (Swell Season, The Frames), Norah Jones, Dawn Landes, Beth Orton, and Martha Wainwright.
The disc explores his quiet musical style and disctinct voice, which it seems like people either seem to love or dislike, but you can check out it for yourself below, with the album track "Angel's Share" featuring Matt Beninger of The National.

Doveman-Angels Share w/Matt Berninger

The Conformist track listing:
Breathing Out
The Best Thing
Memorize
Hurricane
Aftermath
From Silence
The Cat Awoke
Angel's Share
The Burgundy Stain
Tigers
Castles
Notes

Visit dovemanmusic.com

new video:Times New Viking- "Born Again Revisited"

One of the better rock albums to come out this year was Times New Viking's lo-fi garage rocker, Born Again Revisited. The bands fourth full-length album could undoubtedly be their best yet, and it features the frantic title track which they just released a new video for, directed by Pelham Johnston and Brandon Reichard.



follow Times New Viking on myspace.

A Weather ready their sophomore LP

Continuing the trend of great folk based music coming out Portland, Oregan, the band A Weather will release their sophomore album Everyday Balloons this coming March 2, 2010 via Team Love Records. The group which formed back in 2006 and released their understated debut, 'Cove' in '08 are said to have taken a more electric approach on the new disc, led by the album opener "Third of Life" which introduces fans to the new broadened dynamics. 'Everyday Balloons' was recorded by engineer Adam Selzer (M. Ward, The Decemberists) at Portland's Type Foundry Studios.

Track listing for Everyday Balloons:
1. Third of Life
2. Winded
3. Ducks
4. Seven Blankets
5. Midday Moon
6. Newfallen
7. No Big Hope
8. Fond
9. Happiness
10. Giant Stairs
11. Lay Me Down



A Weather on myspace.

Arcade Fire: New Album in 2010

I know 2009 hasn't even come to a close yet, but I can't help but look ahead to 2010, as some of my favorites have new albums in the works for the new year. With expected new releases from The National, and Frightened Rabbit,I already would have been a happy camper, but now comes news that a new much anticipated album from Arcade Fire should be due out in May, according to Billboard magazine. Sources at Billboard claim that the band has plans to release a single early on in 2010, and then they will come out with their still as of yet untitled album in May. The band is said to have spent six months in the studio working with producer and Neon Bible engineer Markus Dravs.

You can read the full Billboard article here.

new video: The Twilight Sad- "Seven Years of Letters"

There's been a lot of great albums coming out of Scotland this year, with new music from We Were Promised Jetpacks, There Will Be Fireworks, and The Twilight Sad all releasing new works. The latter of which releasing their sophomore LP, the dark and melodic, Forget The Night Ahead this past Sept. on Fat Cat records. The band just unveiled a new video for the album track, "'Seven Years Of Letters", which is the second single from the disc and was directed by Adam Stafford.

Deer Tick out with new live EP

Named Rolling Stone's "country-rock breakthrough of the year" Deer Tick is striking while the iron is still hot and coming out with a new 4 song EP titled, More Fuel for the Fire. Taken mostly from a month-long recording session in upstate New York nicknamed "The Black Dirt Sessions", More Fuel for the Fire features three new studio tracks as well as a live version of "Straight Into A Storm" (from Born on Flag Day) recorded in Charlotte, NC at the Visulite Theatre.
Fresh off a recently completed US run supporting Neko Case, the band began a new three week European tour last week, and upon their return will be heading into the studio to put the finishing touches on their as-yet-untitled third album, which will be released in the first half of 2010.
Deer Tick-"Baltimore Blues No. 1" (Live) mp3

Deer Tick More Fuel For The Fire EP:
1. La La La
2. Dance of Love
3. Axe Is Forever
4. Straight Into A Storm (Live from the Visulite Theatre, Charlotte, NC)

Deer Tick on myspace.

Shearwater announce new album plans-giveaway mp3

Back in 2008 these guys released the critically acclaimed album, Rook, which was the bands second overall. Now the Austin, TX based band is geared up for the release of their 3rd full length work, The Golden Archipelago  on Feb 23rd. The frontman of Shearwater and former Okkervil River member, Jonathan Meiburg is said to have written the ambitious new LP largely about man’s impact on the natural world.
Here's some of what the press release from their label Matador had to say about the upcoming disc ..."In The Golden Archipelago, Shearwater turn to a portrait of life on islands – a world of alternating lushness and austerity, numinous silences and sudden cataclysms, and the strange flowerings of plant, animal, and human life that only arise in isolation. These are intimate subjects for songwriter Jonathan Meiburg. As a researcher, he’s camped on islands at the edges of the world, including the Falklands, Tierra del Fuego, the Galapagos, Madagascar, Nunavut, and New Zealand’s Chatham Islands, and once spent a few surreal months in a remote Aboriginal settlement in northern Australia. Adding his grandfather’s WWII experiences as a radio operator in the South Pacific to these travels gave Meiburg plenty of fodder for the songs of The Golden Archipelago, in which he weaves these times and places together with common feelings of wonder, grief, and defiance."

The first MP3 from The Golden Archipelago, “Castaways” is also available as a free download over on the Matador site if you go here.

'Wednesday in Words' w/ Langhorne Slim-"Say Yes"

As the year comes to a close and my thoughts are gearing up for a year end list of favortite albums, Langhorne Slim's newest disc. Be Set Free will almost certainly be finding it's way into my top 20. Until this year and this album, Slim is an artist that had really slipped under my radar, but this one really caught my attention and it's been on heavy rotation ever since. He wears his heart on his sleeve on the new disc, weaving warm uplifting Americana inspired tunes of life, love and loss, like on this weeks 'Song of the Week', "Say Yes."
Slim just finished touring the US and Europe in support of Be Set Free and he recently announced two upcoming shows to close out the year supporting The Avett Brothers.

Langhorne Slim-"Say Yes"
Say yes, say yes, say yes
Say yes, say yes, say yes.

Darling, nobody plans it this way
We're floatin' or fallin'
We're gonna land either way
Put on your blue lipstick and I'll put on my Venus boots
And we're in California
but it might as well be the moon.

Say yes, say yes, say yes
Say yes, say yes, say yes

Darling, nobody stands in our way
First thing in the morning
we'll be gone without a trace
Rollin' down the highway
I feel good, I confess
I know sometimes we disagree
but I prefer when you say Yes.

Say yes, say yes, say yes
Say yes, say yes, say yes
(x2)

I could not believe it's true
I could not believe it's true

Darling (look), nobody plans it this way
We're floatin' out, fallin'
somewhere in outerspace
I'll keep on loving you
You know me better than the rest
Maybe we should flip a coin and hold our breath

I could not believe it's true

Say yes, say yes, say yes
Say yes, say yes, say yes
(x3)

Langhorne Slim Tour Dates
12/31---Asheville Civic Center with the Avett Brothers---Asheville, North Carolina
1/1---Fox Theatre with the Avett Brothers---Atlanta, Georgia

1234, bet you've heard Sally Seltmann before

You may not be familiar with teh name but chances are you've definitely heard Seltmann's lyrics. Seltmann who is an Australian-based songwriter and singer who formerly recorded and performed under the name ‘New Buffalo’, is perhaps best known in North America as the co-writer of the hit song “1234”, by Feist. She is now set to release her first full-length under her own name titled, Heart That’s Pounding, which is due out this Spring, 2010 on Canadian label Arts & Crafts.
The disc's first single, “Harmony To My Heartbeat”, which was co-produced by Seltmann with Francois Tetaz (Architecture in Helsinki) is available as a digital single, for free through December 15 here.

Follow her on myspace.

Another new track from Frightened Rabbit

These guys nabbed our 2008 album of the year honors last year, and if the new tracks that have come out so far are any indication of how their forthcoming disc, The Winter of Mixed Drinks, due on March 1st 2010 is shaping up then they're a sure bet to place high again in 2010. A while back we heard the dreamy first single of the new disc, titled "Swim Until You Can't See Land" and now the band have already released plans for their next single, "Nothing Like You" which comes out on February 22nd. You can preview the new track below from a live session the band recently recorded for the BBC.
Frightened Rabbit-"Nothing Like You" (live)


Frightened Rabbit-"Swim Until You Can't See Land"

new video-: Fever Ray-"Keep the Streets Empty For Me"

The Knife's Karin Dreijer Andersson, aka Fever Ray sure knows how to keep it dark and ominous on her self titled solo debut. Known for her distorted tones and use of masks and other on stage theatrics Andersson has kept the creep factor high on the previous singles and videos for "When I Grow Up", "Triangle Walks", and "Seven" to name a few. Now Fever Ray has just put out a new video for the album track, "Keep The Streets Empty For Me" which is directed by fellow Swedes Jens Klevje and Fabian Svensson. Here's what the pair had to say on making the video ..."Fever Ray and the song struck us immediately with its fateful sound and images of abandoned suburbia begun to grow in front of our eyes. We wanted to continue the journey that started in the former videos and our ambition was to catch the feeling in a very direct and true way and create a video where dream and reality intertwine."



http://feverray.com

New album from Tape Deck Mountain

Just a few weeks ago Tape Deck Mountain released their debut full length titled, Ghost . The California based and self proclaimed “mid-fi” band is the project of San Diego native Travis Trevisan, who had gotten laid off from his job almost a year ago, and with his newfound spare time put together TDM's debut of fuzzed out tunes. 'Ghost' ranges from quiet intimate moments to loud, booming sonic guitar scorchers, my favorite of which is the track, "On My Honor" which you can hear below.
'Ghost' is out now on Lefse.

On My Honor - Tape Deck Mountain

and also check out the first single off the album, "Ghost Colony."
Tape Deck Mountain- "Ghost Colony" mp3

Tape Deck Mountain-'Ghost'
1. Scantrons
2. F-
3. On My Honor
4. 80/20
5. Dead Doctors Don’t Lie
6. In the Dirt
7. Ghost Colony
8. A+
9. Bat Lies

Follow Tape Deck Mountain on myspace.

'Song of the Week': Pixie Carnation-"When the Lights Go Out"

It's not everyday that you hear a band out of Sweden get compared to Bruce Springsteen. But the new Swedish Americana inspired-rock group, Pixie Carnation evoke images of 'the Boss' with their track, "When Did The Lights Go Out" off of their self-released 3 song EP, Fresh Poems.
The group which is made up of childhood friends Tobias Helkvist and Ola Pålsson, formed in Malmö, Sweden, in late 2007, and completed the line-up with a full backing band complete with drums, cellos, violin, and piano.
Springsteen comparisons aside, the sweeping opening string section of “When Did The Lights Go Out” also brings to mind some Arcade Fire influences as well, before the song jumps into a a full on Americana-orchestral rocker. Check it out for yourself below.

Pixie Carnation-"When the Lights Go Out"

Pixie Carnation on myspace.

get to know: Hurricane Bells

Hurricane Bells is the new project from Steve Schiltz, frontman from the NYC band, Longwave. Back in 2003 Longwave released a fantastic disc called, The Strangest Things that recalled an atmospheric early 90's sound, led by the driving number, "Everywhere You Turn." For Hurricane Bells' debut album, Tonight Is The Ghost via Vagrant records, Schiltz wrote, recorded, and played everything on the album entirely by himself and had plans just to self-release the disc. Then, a b-side from the album, "Monsters," found itself landing on the super-hyped new Twilight/New Moon soundtrack, and before he knows it his little solo bedroom project landed him a deal with Vagrant.
You can download the single "This Year" below or catch Hurricane Bells at an upcoming headlining show in NYC at the Living Room on 12/2.

Hurricane Bells-"This Year" mp3

Everywhere You Turn - Longwave

Hurricane Bells on myspace.

Wednesday in Words: Matthew Ryan-"The Wilderness"

If you haven't gotten familiar with longtime Nashville singer/songwriter Matthew Ryan over his first 11 albums, well frankly you've really missed out. But don't fret because Ryan just released his 12th studio album, Dear Lover, digitally last month, and he picks up right where he left off crafting intimate tunes that deftly capture the battles of love, loss and all that goes in between, just like he's been doing for the past 11 discs.
The physical version of 'Dear Lover' will be available in-stores this Feb. 16, 2010 via CIMS/Junket Boy, or if you head on over to Blurt Online you can stream the album in it's entirety.
And definitely stay tuned in the next week or so for a new 'Field Recordings' session we shot with Matthew while he was recently in NYC.

Matthew Ryan- "The Wilderness"
Our hearts were broken
When we came here
There's really only one thing
That I want to dear

The wilderness
Comes creeping
& carves you a hollow
Are you ready for tomorrow?

Oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh

I want the dream that we never had
I want the dream that we never had
Before the dark and the day go bad
I want the dream that we never had

Where all the fires
& cruel disease
& all that brings us to our knees
Dissolves, despairs, concludes, concedes
The future here now please

I want the dream that we never had
I want the dream that we never had
Before the dark and the day go bad
I want the dream that we never had

The wilderness
Comes creeping
& carves you a hollow
Are you ready for tomorrow?

Oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh

I want the dream that we never had
I want the dream that we never had
Before the dark and the day go bad
I want the dream that we never had

Amazing grace is it too late?
Is it too late?
Is it too late?

Amazing grace is it too late?
Is it too late for me?
To save a wreck like me?


plus check out the new video for "City Life" below.


Official Matthew Ryan website.

Holly Miranda- Solo debut

I always liked Holly Miranda's work in the Jealous Girlfriends and now she is prepping her full-length debut for XL Recordings titled, The Magician’s Private Library . The forthcoming 10 track disc is due out on February 23, and was produced by Dave Sitek of TV On The Radio, who managed to nab contributions from bandmates, Kyp Malone and Jaleel Bunton (TV On The Radio), and Eric Biondo and Stuart Bogie (Antibalas).

The first single off the new LP, “Forest Green Oh Forest Green” is out now as a 7” & digitally. The track is backed with her cover of Yoko Ono’s "Nobody Sees Me Like You Do".
“Forest Green Oh Forest Green”mp3

In other news, Holly will be joining label-mates Friendly Fires and The xx on the first half of their upcoming tour, beginning 11/20 in San Diego through 11/27 in Seattle.

Holly Miranda on tour (with Friendly Fires + The xx)
11/20 San Diego CA, Casbah
11/21 Los Angeles CA, Henry Fonda Theater
11/22 San Francisco CA, The Independent
11/23 San Francisco CA, The Independent
11/24 Sacramento CA, Sacramento St University
11/25 Portland OR, Doug Fir Lounge
11/26 Vancouver BC, The Commodore
11/27 Seattle WA, Neumos

Follow Holly Miranda on myspace.

Still Life Still add new tour dates

A few weeks ago we had the chance to do a shoot with the guys in the Toronto band, Still Life Still for an upcoming 'Field Recordings' session, while they were in town for some shows in NYC. The quintet just announced that they'll be coming back to the area with a new three-week North American tour beginning in February 2010 with the UK’s, Wild Beasts. The band recently released their sexually charged hook filled debut, Girls Come Too, back in August, which was recorded by Kevin Drew of Broken Social Scene, who also signed the band to his label, Arts & Crafts (Feist, The Dears, Broken Social Scene).
The group which has been together since grammar school, built up their reputation off of their live shows around Toronto, which caught the ear of Drew, and before long the band put out an EP, 'Pastel', soon after releasing 'Girls Come Too'. They toured the U.S. for the first time in September supporting labelmates The Most Serene Republic, while also making their New York debut with three performances in Oct. including the CMJ Music Marathon.


Upcoming Still Life Still tour schedule:
11/17/09 – Toronto, ON @ Horseshoe Tavern
11/19/09 – Ottawa, ON @ Café Dekcuf
11/20/09 – Kingston, ON @ The Mansion
11/21/09 – London, ON @ Call The Office
11/25/09 – Guelph, ON @ Brass Taps
11/26/09 – Waterloo, ON @ Wilfrid Laurier Univ.
11/27/09 – St. Catherines, ON @ Level 3
11/28/09 – Windsor, ON @ Basement Pub
11/29/09 – Hamilton, ON @ The Casbah
2/10/10 – Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour*
2/11/10 – San Francisco, CA @ The Independent*
2/13/10 – Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge*
2/14/10 – Seattle, WA @ Chop Suey*
2/17/10 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th St. Entry*
2/18/10 – Chicago, IL @ Schuba’s *
2/19/10 – Chicago, IL @ Schuba’s *
2/20/10 – Detroit, MI @ Pike Room *
2/22/10 – Toronto, ON @ Horseshoe Tavern *
2/24/10 – Boston, MA @ Great Scott *
2/25/10 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s*
2/26/10 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom*
2/27/10 – Washington, DC @ Black Cat *
* w/ Wild Beasts

Still Life Still on myspace.

Magnetic Fields get real

The Magnetic Fields are dropping a new disc in early 2010. Realism will be released January 26 on Nonesuch Records, and will be the bands 10th studio LP dating back to the early 90's.
The new album is the bands third release on Nonesuch records, and follow's up their cirtically acclaimed 2008 disc, 'Distortion.'

Realism tracklisting:
1 You Must Be Out of Your Mind
2 Interlude
3 We Are Having a Hootenanny
4 I Don’t Know What to Say
5 The Dolls’ Tea Party
6 Everything Is One Big Christmas Tree
7 Walk a Lonely Road
8 Always Already Gone
9 Seduced and Abandoned
10 Better Things
11 Painted Flower
12 The Dada Polka
13 From a Sinking Boat

The Magnetic Fields on myspace.

'Song of the Week" : Lissie-"Little Lovin"

Just last month, young folk singer, Lissie released her debut EP, Why You Runnin', which featured the track "Little Lovin" which has grown on me with every listen.
She had help on the five-song EP from some of her friends like, Tyler Ramsey and Bill Reynolds from Band of Horses, the latter of which produced and played bass on the record, and also Ed Harcourt who worked on the track "Oh Mississippi." The songs were recorded at her home in Ojai, CA, and at Echo Mountain Studios in Asheville, NC, and range from hand-clapping, foot-stomping numbers like the aforementioned, "Little Lovin" to country and soulful '60s pop-esque ballads, centered around her powerful and haunting raw vocals.

She'll be appearing tonight solo at The Mercury Lounge in NYC, with more tour dates scheduled opening up for Ray LaMontagne (check all the dates below).

Lissie-"Little Lovin"

Lissie tour schedule:
Nov 9 Mercury Lounge NYC, New York
Nov 10 Why You Runnin’Release show Oxford
Nov 11 Daytrotter Presents Rock Island, Ill.
Nov 12 The Auditorim Theater Chicago, Ill #
Nov 13 State Theatre Minneapolis, Minn #
Nov 15 Nob Hill Masonic Center San Francisco,CA #
Nov 17 Ellie Caulkin Opera House Denver, Co #
Nov 18 Ellie Caulkin Opera House Denver, Co #
Nov 20 Orpheum Los Angeles, California #
Nov 21 Orpheum Los Angeles, California #
Nov 22 Orpheum Los Angeles, California #
Nov 24 KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic Santa Monica, Ca
Nov 24 Bootleg Theater Los Angeles, Ca
Nov 27 Slowdown Jr. w/ A.A. Bondy Omaha, Neb
Nov 28 Mojo’s w/ A. A. Bondy Columbia, Missouri
Dec 2 Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen London
Dec 3 Lock Tavern London
Dec 4 Wilmington Arms London
Feb 21 Cayamo 2010: A Journey Through Song Miami, Florida

# w/ Ray LaMontagne

Yeasayer new single: "Ambling Alp" (free download)

Brooklyn band, Yeasayer are set to unveil the highly-anticipated follow up to 2007’s All Hour Cymbals. The band have signed on with Secretly Canadian for the release of the new album, Odd Blood, which hits stores on February 9, 2010. In advance of the new LP, yeasayer released the discs first single, "Ambling Alp," which is available for a free download over at their website HERE, and was also released digitally and on a limited edition 12" vinyl. "Ambling Alp" is the groups first new recording since their acclaimed contribution "Tightrope" that appeared on the 'Dark Was The Night' benefit compilation earlier this year.

visit Yeasayer.net

new video: Great Bloomers- "This Ain't You"

Getting in the Fall spirit of things, the Great Bloomers new video for "This Ain't You." sees the band playing in a field on a hillside in their homeland of Canada. The video was directed by Bob Lyte and edited by two members of the group, Lowell Sostomi (vocals/guitar) and Shawn Dell (keys), and is taken from their full length debut album, Speak Of Trouble.



check out Great Bloomers on myspace.

Are you a man or are you a bag of sand?- 'Wednesday in Words' w/ Frightened Rabbit

After unveiling their new single recently, "Swim Until You Can't See Land", Frightened Rabbit have also announced the title and release date for their upcoming 3rd studio LP, The Winter of Mixed Drinks. The new disc will be out this March on FatCat Records, and follows up the bands utterly brilliant, 'The Midnight Organ Fight.' which nabbed our '08 album of the year honors.
Whereras the last album dealt in vivid detail of a break-up of a relationship, frontman/guitarist Scott Hutchinson say's that this album needed a fresh direction ... "Thematically, this record had to be different from the last," "Nobody wanted to hear more break-up songs, and thankfully, I no longer had any in me." The LP's lead single, "Swim Until You Can't See Land," is streaming now via FatCat's website and will be out digitally this Nov.17 with the additional track "Fun Stuff."

Frightened Rabbit-"Swim Until You Can't See Land"
We salute at the threshold of the North Sea
in my mind
And the nautical board-man that drove me here
to face the tide and swim
(Whoaaaa) I swim (Whoaaa) swim (Whoaaa)

Dip the toe in the ocean. Oh how it hardens and it numbs.
And the rest of me is a burgeoned man
built to collapse into crumbs
And if I hadn’t come down
To the coast to disappear
I may have died in a land-slide
Of the rocks, the hopes and fears.

So swim until you can’t see land.
Swim until you can’t see land.
Swim until you can’t see land
Are you a man or are you a bag of sand?
Swim until you can’t see land
Swim until you can’t see land
Swim until you can’t see land
Are you a man or are you a bag of sand?

Up to my knees now, do I wait? Do I dive?
The sea has seen my like before though it’s my first
And perhaps last time.
Let’s call me a baptist, call this the drowning of the past
She’s there on the shoreline
Throwing stones at my back

So swim until you can’t see land
Swim until you can’t see land
Swim until you can’t see land
Are you a man or are you a bag of sand?
Swim until you can’t see land
Swim until you can’t see land
Swim until you can’t see land
Are you a man or are you a bag of sand?

Now the water’s taller than me
And the land is a marker line
All I am is a body adrift in water, salt and sky

So swim until you can’t see land
Swim until you can’t see land
Swim until you can’t see land
Are you a man or are you a bag of sand?
Swim until you can’t see land
Swim until you can’t see land
Swim until you can’t see land
Are you a man or are you a bag of sand?

follow Frightened Rabbit on myspace.