Song of the Week: Evening Hymns-"Asleep in the Pews"

I know this track has been out since 2011, but it's been blowing me away for the past few weeks and I wanted to share. I just only recently got turned onto Evening Hymns after seeing that they were opening some dates for fellow Ontario band, The Wooden Sky, and decided to give them a listen. The first two tracks I heard from the band, "Dead Deer" off their first LP, Spirit Guides, and "Asleep in the Pews" instantly had me hooked. Both tracks floored me, in the arrangements and lyrics, falling right into my sweet spot of music I love. The latter of the two tracks, "Asleep in the Pews" hails from the bands forthcoming LP, Spectral Dusk that has seen a delay in it's release from early Spring 2012 to a later date of this Summer, August sometime according to frontman Jonas Bonnetta. The new disc is said to be very personal and it was recorded in a remote log cabin in the woods of Ontario with some of the bands close friends (The Wooden Sky, Ohbijou, and City and Colour) who all make guest appearances on the disc. Get familiar with "Asleep in the Pews" below and head over to the bands website to check out their first LP, Spirit Guides & more.
 


Evening Hymns- "Asleep In the Pews"
I put my head on a hymn book and fell asleep
In the nosebleed pews it was too dark to speak
There was a man spitting fire whose words were familiar to me
He said "friends drag me out of here, pull this feeling from me"

So I spent some time in the woods, they were dark, they were deep
Long to come home to you, lay my lips down to sleep
But I got lost or was it found? I was running down a dream
Oh it was hard to explain all the pain that was running through me

This is something I am sure will be so hard to endure
And how that whispered breath would grow and get so loud
I try to work as hard as you hoping that it will cut through
To make you feel so loved and so proud

But now I'm waiting for some strength, something remarkable to change
Just like those leaves that turn to gold are then set free
Oh it was hard to explain all the pain that was running through me
Yes it was hard to explain all the pain that was running through me

Yes it was hard to explain all the pain that was running through me
On those nights in the woods, they were dark, they were deep

http://www.facebook.com/eveninghymns

New Music: Suburban Living-"Float In Clouds"

If there's any 80's new wave acts reuniting this Summer to tour, they need to look up Norfolk, Virgina's Suburban Living, aka Wesley Bunch to add onto the bill. Bunch combines elements of dreamy pop bliss and jangly new wave guitars that would make bands like The Cure and New Order envious. We loved his first single, "Give Up" that he released late last year, and now we have his newest track, the aptly titled "Float in Clouds" to help our minds wander off while were at work. Both tracks should be appearing on his upcoming EP which is slated for a release sometime this Summer.


http://suburbanlivingzzz.tumblr.com/

The Wooden Sky- In NYC Weds. 5/09 & Fri. 5/11

If you stop by the blog now and again, you probably know what a big fan I am of Ontario band, The Wooden Sky. Fresh off the release of their brilliant third album, Every Child A Daughter, Every Moon A Sun, the 5 piece has been out on the road supporting the new LP. The band rolls into our area this week in NYC, where they'll be playing shows at Union Pool this Wednesday night & Piano's this Friday night. Come on down and check them out, you won't be disappointed.
Here's one of my favorite's off the new LP, "It Gets Old to be Alone."



http://thewoodenskymusic.com/

Aunt Martha releases '87"

Constantly touring and recording it's sometimes hard to keep up with all the new music pouring out of Tim Noyes' project, Aunt Martha. Just last week Aunt Martha unveiled three previously unreleased tracks collectively titled, '87'.  The three songs, "Brian Breathing" "Kelly Mitchell" and "Earthquake" had all been around in some shape or form but had never seen a proper release. Here's what Tim had to say about '87' .... "These are the first recordings of these songs, but they were all written at different points over the course of last year. One in Maine, one in Montana, and one in the van on the streets of NYC." 

Check out a live performance of "Brian Breathing" below or head over to their website to stream all three tracks HERE.  

http://www.auntmarthaband.com/

Trampled By Turtled cover Arcade Fire-"Rebellion (Lies)"

I know I'm late to the party on these guys, but ever since seeing them on Letterman last week I've been scooping up as much Trampled by Turtles music as I possibly can. The band just unveiled a cover song of Arcade Fire's hugely popular "Rebellion (Lies)" which they performed for The A.V. Club and their Undercover series. 
Check out the Duluth, Minnesota bands most recent, Stars And Satellites, which is out now.


Trampled By Turtles covers Arcade Fire

http://trampledbyturtles.com/

Isbells- "Illusion"

Belgian band, Isbells came out with their second album, Stoalin this past March that features the hauntingly beautiful single, "Illusion." The new LP sees the Gaëtan Vandewoude led project expanding their sounds from their well received self titled debut. Here's some of what Vandewoude had to say on the new disc and it's cryptic title ..."While I’m tinkering with a new song, I tend to hum phonetic sounds or half-sentences which, at a later stage, will be replaced with sensible lyrics. But in the case of ‘Stoalin’’ I found myself unable to come up with an alterative way to express the feeling I was trying to convey. So I decided to keep the original word in, even though it’s a neologism. But as the meaning lies hidden in the emotion, I’m pretty confident the listener will get the idea.”   

Stoalin is out now via Zeal Records.


http://www.isbells.be/
http://www.facebook.com/isbells