Harriet- "I Slept with All Your Mothers"

Former Dawes member Alex Casnoff has a new project out called, Harriet. Stepping out from behind the keys the multi-instrumentalist formed the L.A. band and released their debut EP, Tell The Right Story this January. Casnoff said of the new work ...“I finally feel like I can articulate what I’ve been feeling. I was the piano player in all these other people’s bands, and yet I never felt like a piano player. I always thought of myself as a writer, and there just came a point when I felt like I was ready.”
The five-song disc has an angst and an urgency to it, which is most evident on the standout track, “I Slept With All Your Mothers,” which is as an infectious a song as I've heard this year. Try not to belt out the chorus too loud if your at work though. 

Check out the new video for the song that was directed by Ethan Berger below.



http://harrietmusic.com/

New Videos from: She Keeps Bees

I was a huge fan of She Keeps Bees, the Brooklyn duo of Jessica Larrabee & Andy LaPlant. Their first two LP's, 2006's Minisink Hotel and 08's, Nests, are gritty, raw and power-packed with swagger. To my surprise I just found out that the band put out a new album last year called, Dig On, which somehow I completely slept on. I've been getting familiar with it the past several weeks and so should you. Start by watching two new videos the pair just released for album tracks, "See Me" and "Blind to the Cup" which you can check out below.



http://shekeepsbees.com/

Song of the Week: Cold Specks- "Winter Solstice"

A few weeks back I spoke about Cold Specks, the project of Canadian singer, Al Spx and her upcoming album, I Predict a Graceful Explosion. The new LP comes out this May 22nd via Mute Records/Arts & Crafts, and listening to the music of Cold Specks I can't help but think how aptly titled the new album truly is. Armed with a powerful and intimately soulful voice Spx's tunes have a beautiful slow building quality about them that just draws you in. She recently premiered the first single off the upcoming LP, a song titled, "Winter Solstice."
Here's a little blurb about the new track (Via The Globe and Mail): The album’s first single, Winter Solstice, is a graceful, stirring sort of field holler, concerning mortality and the passing of torches to a younger generation. Spx names Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Sam Cooke as influences. “Doom soul is how describe my music to people,” she says. “It seems to make sense to them.” 



http://www.coldspecks.com/

New Video: Eamon McGrath- "Great Lakes"

I've been really looking forward to the new record from Eamon McGrath called, Young Canadians. The album comes out this April 10th via White Whale Records and McGrath just released a new video for the track, "Great Lakes" which is a country tinged slow burner. The new video was directed by Peter Dreimanis for Vulture Culture Films.


http://www.facebook.com/eamonmcgrathmusic

New Video: Bryan John Appleby-"The Words of the Revelator"

Seattle musician Bryan John Appleby just put out a new video for the track, "The Words of the Revelator." The song comes off his fantastic 2011 album, Fire on the Vine which saw a release last Summer. For the video Appleby teamed up with the folks at Pull&Bear Heritage and filmmaker Christian Sorensen Hansen, shooting the video on the coast of Davenport, California.  

Pull&Bear Heritage presents "The words of the revelator" a song by Bryan John Appleby from Pull&Bear on Vimeo.
Bryan John Appleby-"The Words of the Revelator"
I have come into your house
You say there’s something I should know by now and I vow to hear you out
But as you speak, how I feel the sting
Like the hackles on a dog’s back I rise up to meet

The words you spoke in the middle of the night
They fall heavy like a hammer on my mind
You are the light in the darkness, you’re the fire on the vine

Oh my son, I have known your ways
But I’m the gale that’ll rattle your gate; you shudder, I make you shake
You will find what you did not seek
A road less narrow, a way not steep

Oh my child
Don’t you lose your place
Remember my table
Remember my face

And the things I told you in the middle of the night
They fall heavy like a hammer on your mind
I am the light in the darkness, I’m the fire on the vine

You turn away
I’m left alone
Then came a sign
Then came the Revelation

And I said,
You, you will not dig a hole in me
You will not chop down my tree
Or hold me under the water

No and you, you will not dig a hole in me
You will not chop down my tree
Or hold me under the water

http://bryanjohnappleby.bandcamp.com/
http://www.facebook.com/bryanjohnappleby

Great Wilderness- "The Enemy"

I first learned of Portland, Oregon's Great Wilderness in early 2011 when they released their dreamy 6 song EP, Rest. The EP was produced by Victor Nash (Point Juncture, Wa.) and I had to check it out because I'm a huge fan of Victor's work with PJW. Great Wilderness are continuing their relationship with Nash on a brand new single called, "The Enemy" that the band just released over on their bandcamp page. This comes as very good news, because hopefully this means a full length is in the works.
You can listen to the new track below, or go over to their Bandcamp to download it for free until the end of the day today.

Song of the Week: Victor Olston-"Wars"

      

I've been getting real familiar with Victor Olston and his most recent 'Heritage" demos. Though only a 3 song effort, the demos are a preview of things to come from this 5 piece Americana band based out of Shreveport, Louisiana. The group is putting the finishing touches on their new full length record down in Muscle Shoals, Alabama  this month with engineer Ben Tanner (Alabama Shakes, Band of Horses, Dylan LeBlanc). 
You can check out the 'Heritage' demos below and if you head over to their bandcamp you can also find their 2010 EP, Hunters Traps, which is equally as good.




http://victorolston.bandcamp.com/
http://www.facebook.com/victorolston

Sharon Van Etten & Shearwater Take on Nicks & Petty

The A.V. Club has been doing a very cool video series called A.V. Club's Undercover series.  The series which kicked off it's third season, gives artists a list of 25 songs to cover, with each time a band selects a track, it then gets bumped from the list. While recently in Chicago, Sharon Van Etten came together with her opening act Shearwater for a pretty kick ass version of the classic 1981 Tom Petty-Stevie Nicks hit "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around".


Sharon Van Etten and Shearwater cover “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around”

http://sharonvanetten.com/
http://shearwatermusic.com/

New Music: Sarah Jaffe-"Glorified High"

Sarah Jaffe premiered the first single off her upcoming album The Body Wins. The new LP isn't  due in stores until this April 24th on Kirtland Records, but Jaffe just unveiled the new track called, "Glorified High" over on IFC. The sophomore disc was produced by John Congleton, who has worked with Explosions In the Sky, The Walkmen, and St. Vincent.
Here's what Sarah had to say about the first single. (Via IFC) "Glorified High was a 30 second scrap of a demo that I sent to John Congleton while recording with him. It was among a handful of unfinished recordings that I sent to him to spark some ideas for new songs. Thinking about the song now that it’s complete, I’m fairly certain that the song would’ve never come into existence if we didn’t dig for it. I’m so grateful to John for that. A lot of the songs from this upcoming record were recycled hooks, or lyrics from short demos that I wouldn’t have thought twice about if it wasn’t for him."

Listen to "Glorified High" over on IFC HERE.

http://sarahjaffe.com/

Daughter Live @ Glasslands 3/10/12

With SXSW kicking into full gear this week, you'll be hearing a lot about bands and artists to watch for 2012 and beyond. If her debut shows in NYC this past weekend are any kind of early indication, I think it's a safe bet you'll be hearing a lot more about UK's, Daughter (Elena Tonra). I saw her and her band play to a packed house at Glasslands gallery in Brooklyn on Saturday night and it was truly a mesmerizing set. Daughter's voice on record has that odd quality of sounding confident and shy at the same time, but in concert that innocence really shined through and stole the room. Elena seemed genuinely in awe that she was playing to a full house, even commenting a few times how grateful & surprised they were that people were showing up to their first U.S shows. Playing songs off her two EP's that were released last year, His Young Heart and The Wild Youth, the 3 piece took control of the room early with a stunning version of, "Landfill" with great backing vocals provided by the guys in the band. Other highlights of the set for me included the popular, "Youth", and "Love" which slowly builded until the tension explodes in the song. Switching to play acoustic a couple of times during the show, another standout track was, "Candles" off of her first EP, His Young Heart.
If I had one complaint abot the show it would only be that I wish she had more songs to play, and that it lasted longer. Hopefully there's a full length in the future toward the end of the year.
But for now both EP's are available, and they were just recently added on iTunes via Glassnote music.

To see more of our photo's from the show check out our Facebook page HERE.




http://ohdaughter.bandcamp.com/

Deportees (featuring Lykke Li)- "A New Name to Go By"

It's always good to have some new music from Swedish songstress Lykke Li. A few days ago Li tweeted about a track she collaborated on with some fellow Swedes, an indie-band called, Deportees. The new track is called “A New Name to Go By” and it features some very Caribbean flavored steel drums, which I surprisingly like, mixed nicely with the multi layered vocals.
You can stream the song below, and check out Deportees most recent album, Islands & Shores, which came out internationally last year.


http://www.deportees.se/
http://lykkeli.com/

Parlovr Announce- 'Kook Soul'

The Montreal trio Parlovr created a nice amount of buzz back in 2010 with their Hell/Heaven/Big/Love EP. Hoping to build off that wave the band just announced plans for their new forthcoming CD, Kook Soul which comes out on May 15 on Dine Alone Records.
Here's what the guys had to say about the new LP ...."Thematically, the whole record is about remembering, and pining over relationships and all the different shapes they take throughout one’s life, ...."Heartbreak, infatuation, teenage love, old age regret, faded feelings." 
Catch the first single from the new disc called “You Only Want it 'Cause You’re Lonely,” which the band premiered over at Noisey.com, listen HERE.

http://parlovr.bandcamp.com/ 

Song of the Week: JBM- "Only Now"

Sometimes I get in a rut where I don't feel like posting or writing, and I wonder to myself why I actually keep this blog thing going? Then a song will come along out of nowhere and get me excited and I remember why I truly enjoy doing this, and why I started it in the first place. That's what happened to me this week when I stumbled across the music of JBM (Jesse Marchant). An artist that I had never heard of before seeing that he was opening some shows for Damien Jurado this coming May, one of which I'll be happily attending on May 19th in NYC. I decided to check out some of his music and I had one of those moments where the song starts playing and you literally say to yourself out loud, WOW. His track, "Only Now" is an emotional piano driven killer, that comes of an upcoming album titled, Stray Ashes, which releases this May 22nd via Western Vinyl. It's JBM's second full length and it was written & recorded up in the Catskills with the help of John Congleton, McKenzie Smith (Midlake) and Macey Taylor (A.A. Bondy).
Can''t wait to hear more of this one, give it a listen below and head over to iTunes to purchase the first single "Only Now."

JBM- "Only Now" MP3

JBM Tour Dates
05.16 Chicago, IL @ Schubas Tavern w/ Damien Jurado
05.17 Pittsburgh, PA @ Andy Warhol Museum w/ Damien Jurado
05.18 Somerville, MA @ Radio w/ Damien Jurado
05.19 New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge w/ Damien Jurado
05.20 Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda's w/ Damien Jurado
05.21 Washington, DC @ Black Cat w/ Damien Jurado
05.22 Raleigh, NC @ Kings Barcade w/ Damien Jurado
05.23 Atlanta, GA @ The Earl w/ Damien Jurado
05.25 Nashville, TN @ The Basement w/ Damien Jurado
05.26 Bloomington, IN @ The Russian w/ Damien Jurado

http://www.jbm-music.com/home.cfm

New Video: The Me In You-"Low Battery"

The second single by Belgian band, The Me In You, titled "Low Battery." The track is taken from their critically acclaimed debut album Forgotten Clothes, out now via Noisesome Recordings/EMI.


http://www.facebook.com/TheMeInYou

New Video: Francis- "Traktor"

I spoke a few months back about the Swedish indie-pop group, Francis and their song, "Traktor" which I absolutely fell in love with at the time. The band just released their new EP, This Must Be Blood on February 27 that features the insanely catchy above mentioned track. Coinciding with the EP's release the band unveiled a new video for "Traktor" which was directed by Johan Stolpe who’s previous work includes videos for fellow Swede, The Tallest Man On Earth. Watch and listen below and try not to fall in love with this one, I dare you. The new EP is out now via Strangers Candy.


http://francisishere.com/

The Wooden Sky- "Bald, Naked, & Red" (live session)

The Wooden Sky continue their work with videographer/director Scott Cudmore. The band recently filmed a series of clips with the director entitled, Grace on a Hill. The first piece in a 5 part series features the band in a Toronto church performing the track “Bald, Naked, and Red,” from their newly released album Every Child a Daughter, Every Moon. 
Here's what Cudmore had to say about the series ...“The idea was the make something episodic that would develop as it progressed and in that way the narrative context would give a different dimension to the songs—exactly like in a movie where the drama gives a different context to the song used on the soundtrack, only in this project the songs are the centerpiece and are performed live while the narrative is the backdrop instead of the other way around.” Watch Pt. 1 below.
   
http://thewoodenskymusic.com/

Tindersticks- "Frozen"

Let me start by saying I knew very little about the UK band the Tindersticks. The only thing I knew of them was that I've always heard their name mentioned as a major influence for bands like, The National, The Veils, and Richard Hawley to name a few. The bands career spans some 20 odd years, and they just released a brand new album recently called, The Something Rain. In getting familiar with their new album, and digging back in their older work I can see where people came up with the comparisons to the aforementioned artists. The bands dark brooding music paired with the baritone of frontman Stuart A. Staples have been the hallmark of the groups sound for years. Their music hits right in my sweet spot, and it's been fun poking around and learning their music, both new and old. I've been loving this one track in particular, "Frozen" off of the new disc. Give it a listen below and check out the bands website for their latest tour info.


http://www.tindersticks.co.uk

Song of the Week: The Great American Canyon Band-"Tumbleweed"

Originally from Baltimore, The Great American Canyon Band is the husband and wife duo of Paul and Krystal Jean Masson. Now rooted in Chicago, the pair has been hard at work putting together their forthcoming debut album. It's said to be a minimalist affair, self-recording the album themselves in an old gutted out house in Chicago with no running water, the pair only having access to some secondhand guitars and mics. You wouldn't be able to tell any of that by their first single that is being released, the beautiful and lush track, "Tumbleweed." It comes out as a 7" this April 21st, which you can pre-order over on their bandcamp now. Listen below. 


http://www.thegreatamericancanyonband.com/ 
http://thegacb.bandcamp.com/

New Video: Plants and Animals- "Lightshow"

Canadian band, Plants and Animals just released their latest album, The End of That, this week via Secret City Records. Coinciding with the new release the group unveiled a new video for one of my favorite single's of the year so far, "Lightshow."
The video sees the band performing the song in an all-white room, under surveillance from men in white lab coats. The band worked with producer Doug Karr and director Mitchell Hart, visual media artists from New York on the clip. Here's what Hart had to say about the video's concept. “There’s so much information coming at us at any given moment … as a result we’re moving further away from appreciating the specifics of any given piece of media... A true combination of data visualization and cinematic production make this video unique.”



http://www.plantsandanimals.ca/band