more updates to come!

Holy crap—I haven’t updated in nearly two weeks! I am terribly sorry about that folks, I have just been insanely busy.

There are a few artists with new-ish releases that I am dying to post about, so stay tuned for those. For now, if you haven’t already done so, Bradford Cox (of Altas Sound and Deerhunter) uploaded 4 volumes of mixtapes entitled Bedroom Databank onto his blog throughout last week; that’s over of 2.5 hours of awesome music, and you can download them all for FREE!

favourite eps, 7-inshes & songs

Here are some of my favourite EPs, 7"s and songs released this year!

EPs + 7"s:

Atlas Sound: Rough Trade EP
This EP was free with the purchase of Logos, but only through the Rough Trade store... which is a shame because it is just wonderful; in fact, I prefer the Rough Trade EP over Logos!




Pulled Apart By Horses: Tour Traxx EP
Aggressive vocals, heavy riffs and manic energy make up for the Tour Traxx EP. It features all the songs (+ a remix of "I Punched A Lion In The Throat") from the two out-of-print Pulled Apart By Horses 7-inches. Holy shit, I cannot wait for this band to come out with a proper full-length!




Florence + The Machine: A Lot Of Love, A Lot Of Blood EP
A Lot Of Love, A Lot Of Blood EP is amazing for two reasons: 1) "Kiss With A Fist"–one of the best songs in the past few years, and 2) Florence’s incredible cover of Cold War Kids’ "Hospital Beds".




No Age: Losing Feeling EP
A perfect balance of melodic build-ups and the usual loud and noisy No Age destruction... so fucking good!




The Drums: "Summertime!" EP
An incredibly catchy EP filled with wonderful lighthearted pop songs, and not to mention, it features one of the catchiest songs of the year, "Let's Go Surfing". "Summertime!" EP puts a smile on my face every time I hear it!




Great Lake Swimmers/audiotransparent 2x7” split
An Elvis Presley cover by Great Lake Swimmers and Andrew Gold cover by audiotransparent are part of this 4-song-double-7” …and they come in a beautiful handmade triple-gatefold sleeve!




Grammatics: Double Negative 7"
Just got this one about a week ago and loving the Cursive-like title track as well as a fine cover of The Good Life’s "Notes In His Pockets".



Songs:
The majority of my favourite songs of 09 were from albums in my 30 list, so I won't bore you with anything from that. Instead, below are songs by artists that were not mentioned in that list or in the honourable mention post.

Fever Ray: "When I Grow Up", from Fever Ray
Spectacular song + video!






Telepathe: "Chrome's On It", from Dance Mother
So damn catchy!






Girls: "Hellhole Ratrace", Album
"Hellhole Ratrace" is a wonderfully epic 7-minute ballad. I cannot describe how much I love this song. It’s weird: I feel the lyrics to be cheerful and optimistic most of the time, but once in a while, they become depressing. I think it’s the contrast in the chorus:

The first part, which features some of the most romantic lyrics I have ever heard:
"And I don’t want to cry my whole life through,
I want to do some laughing too,
So come on, come on, come on, come on and laugh with me.
And I don’t want to die without shaking up a leg or two,
Yeah I want to do some dancing too,
So come on, come on, come on, come on and dance with me."

...but compare that to the second part, which I think is the reason for my mixed feelings toward the song:
"Sometimes you just got to make it for yourself.
Sometimes sugar, it just takes someone else" or
"Sometimes baby, you just need someone else" or
"Sometimes honey, you just need someone else" or
"Sometimes darling, you just need someone else."

Regardless, "Hellhole Ratrace" is genius and it is tied for my favourite song of 2009; in fact, it is probably one of my favourite songs of the decade!






Bat For Lashes: "Daniel", from Two Suns
My other favourite song of 2009 belongs to "Daniel" by Bat For Lashes. "Daniel" is a brilliant pop song about first love. The dreamy atmosphere and 80s' pop-influenced production—think "Cloudbusting" and "The Morning Fog" by Kate Bush—work stunningly with Natasha Khan’s majestic vocal.






Other fine songs from 09’
Arctic Monkeys: "Crying Lightning"
Diamond Rings: "All Yr Songs"
Dizzee Rascal: "Bonkers"
Los Campesinos!: "There Are Listed Buildings"
Dan Mangan: "The Indie Queens Are Waiting"
Slow Club: "When I Go"
St. Vincent: "Actor Out Of Work"
Strike Anywhere: "I'm Your Opposite Number"
Wavves: "Summer Goth"
You Say Party! We Say Die!: "Cosmic Wanship Avengers"

And of course... The Lonely Island featuring T-Pain: "I'm On A Boat"



That should do it in terms of my own year-end lists... well, possibly one more on concerts… Nonetheless, I have been in touch with some of my favourite bands of this year and got them to tell me their 5-favourites, look for their lists in the next few days!

omg... new atlas sound virtual 7-inch!

Bradford Cox aka Atlas Sound has finally posted a new virtual 7"—Virtual 7" No. 7: Doctor b/w 'The Screens'! Get it now over at Deerhunter/Atlas Sound/Lotus Plaza Blog.

atlas sound: rough trade ep

I am not going to spend too much time on Atlas Sound’s Logos aside that it is yet another brilliantly gorgeous record! It feels somewhat different from Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See but Cannot Feel while sounding more like a Deerhunter’s Weird Era Cont. and Rainwater Cassette Exchange. Regardless, it is incredible!

For those who didn’t pre-order Logos from Rough Trade because you a) bought/pre-ordered the album elsewhere already; b) didn’t want to pay a ridiculous amount for an import/overseas shipping; or c) bought it from your local-independent record store; have sadly missed out on the free Rough Trade EP. Luckily, there is the world wide web and honestly, you can find pretty much anything by doing a simple Google search! Yes, I am definitely encouraging those who have already bought Logos elsewhere to search for the EP as it features six fantastic tracks; in fact, they are some of Bradford Cox’s finest work! The EP begins with "Ruben (Traditional)", a cover of a traditional song with simple and catchy guitar melodies. It is then follow by "Criminals (Electronic)" and "Kid Klimax (Acoustic)"—alternate versions of songs from Logos. I think "Kid Klimax (Acoustic)" marks the first time that I heard Bradford incorporate the harmonica in a song and I absolutely love it! "Reminder" comes after, it is a brand new song and probably my favourite on the EP! Next is "I Know I Will Escape", which was originally featured in the infamous unmastered leaked version of Logos. Bradford uses the harmonica in this song and again, it sounds wonderful! The EP ends with "Nightwork", a very soothing ambient instrumental track. The Rough Trade EP is truly amazing and it is WAY too bad it is only available if you get Logos from Rough Trade. It is damn shitty as this was what happened with The Spinster EP by Patrick Wolf—it was only available if you bought The Bachelor from Rough Trade; but eventually, Patrick offered it as a free digital download. Hopefully, Bradford will release it later as a separate purchase or do what Patrick did and release it as a free digital download so more people can enjoy this wonderful EP!

Kid Klimax (Acoustic) [wicked-cool song]
Reminder [wicked-cool song]

visit Atlas Sound's MySpace here
buy Logos + Rough Trade EP here

cover song of the moment

Head over to deerhunter/atlas sound/lotus plaza blog to download Atlas Sound's cover of "Walk A Thin Line" by Fleetwood Mac!

sky through the curtain, good things coming soon

According to Pitchfork, Atlas Sound and Broadcast will be touring together this fall!!!!

Oct 15 Atlanta, GA @ The Earl
16 Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506
17 Washington, D.C. @ Black Cat
18 Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church Sanctuary
20 New York, NY @ Le Poisson Rouge
21 Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
22 Boston, MA - The Paradise
23 Montreal, Quebec @ Le National
24 Toronto, Ontario @ Lee's Palace
25 Columbus, OH @ Wexner Center
26 Chicago, IL @ Bottom Lounge (sans Broadcast)
27 Northfield, MN @ The Cave
30 Vancouver, British Columbia - Richards On Richards
31 Seattle, WA @ Nuemos

Nov 01 Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge
03 San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall
04 Los Angeles, CA @ The Troubadour
05 Phoenix, AZ @ Rhythm Room
07 Denton, TX @ Hailey's

Hopefully, this means a new Broadcast record is on the way; but for now, dig up the duo’s 2003 classic, Haha Sound!

Broadcast: Valerie [super-wicked-cool song]

lots of free songs + mercury prize shortlist

Last week, Fader released an exclusive premiere of "Walkabout"—the brand new Atlas Sound track featuring Noah Lennox, you can hear/download it here.

You can hear Cancer Bats’ cover of "So Jealous" by Tegan and Sara over at their MySpace page.

Wavves posted an awesome new demo entitled "Mickey Mouse" on his blog.

Finally, the track "Say Please" by the indie folk supergroup, Monsters of Folk is available for free here.


The Mercury Prize shortlist was announced today, it is slightly (just slightly) less disappointing than the Polaris Music Prize shortlist.

I really hope The Horrors win with their brilliant sophomore Primary Colours; however, I think it will either go to Bat For Lashes or Florence + The Machine... well, in that case, I am cheering for Bat!

If I were to pick the shortlist, I would’ve chosen the following:
Bat For Lashes: Two Suns
Bibio: Vignetting The Compost
Dananananaykroyd: Hey Everyone!
Emmy The Great: First Love
Gallows: Grey Britain
Glasvegas: Glasvegas
Grammatics: Grammatics
The Horrors: Primary Colours (...and I would still pick this as the winner!)
The Maccabees: Wall Of Arms
Micachu: Jewellery
The Shitty Limits: Beware the Limits
Patrick Wolf: The Bachelor

come now lay me in the creek

Bradford Cox has posted Virtual 7" No. 6 on his blog!

happy halloween!

Bradford Cox is giving the first hundred or so people at the Deerhunter show tonight a free cassette of a John Peel pretend/tribute session he recorded last month.

Go to the Atlas Sound blog to download some Halloween tunes!

Also, don’t forget to listen to/buy Deerhunter’s double-album Microcastle/Weird Era Cont. During an Atlas Sound show in Toronto back in July, Bradford mentioned that even though Microcastle has been finished for months, it wouldn’t be out till late October because he wanted to release it around Halloween time. In a way, Microcastle is (way) less ambient and experimental compared to Cryptograms. Don’t get me wrong, there is still a good dose of Cryptogrmas-like goodness in songs like "Calvary Scars" and "Twilight At Carbon Lake"; however, for the most parts, it is full of incredible old-school indie pop influenced songs! For example, "Nothing Ever Happened", the first single off the new record, reminds me so much of Guided By Voices; it is hands down one of the best songs of the year! On the other hand, Weird Era Cont. is more like Cryptogrmas as it features a more drone-ambient approach. At this point, I am not sure which one I like more, Microcastle or Weird Era Cont.; but one thing that I am sure of is that they combine for one unforgettable release!

Microcastle
Microcastle [wicked-cool song]

Weird Era Cont.
Vox Humana [wicked-cool song]
VHS Dream [wicked-cool song]

...here are some bonus downloads:
Jay Reatard/Deerhunter Split 7"
Oh It's Such a Shame (Jay Reatard cover)

Nothing Ever Happened 7"
Little Kids (Demo) [wicked-cool song]
***all files expire in 7 days or until bandwidth reaches its limit

visit Deerhunter's MySpace here
buy Microcastle/Weird Era Cont. here

bradford is back!

After about a month+ of non-blog action, Bradford Cox has posted the October Micromix and a new Atlas Sound song entitled "Coffin Trick"!

more atlas sound!

Bradford Cox posted more new songs, download them here.

river so clear and mean

Bradford Cox has posted Virtual 7" No. 4 on his blog, go download it here!

always dripping honey from the edges of buildings

Atlas Sound — July 22, 2008 @ Mod Club


After the set, Bradford engaged in a candid discussion about indie gossips, Vincent Gallo, Vampire Weekend, My Bloody Valentine, and Björk ...it was a very entertaining (Bradford is hilarious!) Q&A-ish thing that lasted for a good hour!

He also gave us insights on his projects:
Microcastle is not coming out for so long because he wants it to come out on Halloween. He said there will be treats and surprises for those who wait.
The next Atlas Sound album is done and it will be called Logo (the god of logic), no release date yet.

neon blood all around

There is a new EP entitled Things I'll Miss up for download over at Bradford Cox's blog.

the time i spent with nico

There are lots of new Atlas Sound tracks over at Bradford Cox's blog.

the stitches of space that slowly come and go

There is a new track up for download over at deerhunter/atlas sound/lot plaza's blog.
Check out this Bento lunches decorated as album covers... very cool!
I found a pretty good remix of Klaxons's "As Above, So Below" by Justice the other day, you can download it below.

Klaxons: As Above, So Below (Justice Remix)
***all files expire in 7 days or until bandwidth reaches its limit

i've seen rain when it smashed against the ground

Bradford Cox posted three alternate versions of "Winter Vacation" on his blog.

Winter Vacation (album version) [wicked-cool song]

buy Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See but Cannot Feel here

how many others have you drowned?

Atlas Sound — February 28, 2008 @ The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern

i walked outside, i could not cry, i don't know why

Bradford Cox has once again uploaded a handful of free Atlas Sound tracks up on his blog. His latest post included some very interesting outtakes/demo versions of "Recent Bedroom", a song off of Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See but Cannot Feel.

from deerhunter/atlas sound/lotus plaza blog
Orange Ohms Glow EP
Cloves
Recent Bedroom Demos

from Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See but Cannot Feel
Recent Bedroom [wicked-cool song]

endless free songs from atlas sound

Bradford Cox has recently uploaded more Atlas Sound songs on his blog. Two covers: Righteous Brothers' "Unchained Melody" and Jay Reatard 's "Oh Its Such A Shame", as well as "Without Headlights" and "Middle School Instrumental" from Virtual 7" No. 2.