Far From Noise

New music posted. This week there are a few more folk, singer/songwriter tracks than usual, but there are some seriously good dance tracks in here too. I think my must buy this week might be Hot Chip. Enjoy:
You can purchase this mix (or individual songs) from here:

1. Dangermaker – All For You
   Album: Dangermaker
   Local SF band at the top. This song has been out for awhile (and you can download it off their website for free) but the record isn’t out yet. These guys are compared to the Rolling Stones but I think this song has a little more of a pop feel to it.
   
2. The Watson Twins – Map To Where You Are
   Album: Fire Songs   
   Twin sisters from Louisville, KY. A folk, country, indie sound. This song really reminds me of a small band I used to listen to back in Davis called the Ultra-Violets. Guess that should be filed under “random fact.
   
3. Amos Lee – Jails and Bombs
   Album: Last Days at the Lodge   
   Singer/songwriter out of Philadelphia. This particular track shows his soulful sound.
   
4. Neil Halsted – Paint a Face
   Album: Oh Mighty Engine    
   This songwriter out of England is more well known for his shoegaze songs with the band Slowdive. This track is much more folksy and has some fun touches to it.
   
5. Girl Talk – No Pause
   Album: Feed The Animals 
   This is the stage name for DJ and remix artist Greg Gillis. He just released Feed The Animals online with a pay-what-you-want deal (and if you give at least $5 you can download them in a higher quality format). I highly recommend checking out the whole record as it is really meant to be enjoyed as one long track. A very impressive sample/mix-up artist. See if you can identify every song in this one track. Oh, and just a heads up that it’s NSFW towards the end.
   
6. King Khan and the Shrines – Torture
   Album: Supreme Genius of King Khan   
   I have to say that this 70s inspired record seemed a little too over the top for me, but I kept coming back to it. I understand that King Khan (an Indian-Canadian-German) puts on an amazing live show including “costumes, dancers, horns, Stax, Stones, Nuggets, farm animals, pillow cases, James Brown, Sun Ra, completely unnecessary nudity, and crazy awesome addictive songs. And they just happen to be coming to the Great American Music Hall on July 11th.
   
7. My Brightest Diamond – Ice and the Storm
   Album: A Thousand Shark’s Teeth   
   This “band” is the project of Shara Worden, singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist, where she mixes opera, chamber music, and rock. She grew up in Ypsilanti, MI, before studying opera in Texas, and then continuing her education in NY.
   
8. Ed Harcourt – Visit From The Dead Dog
   Album: The Beautiful Lie   
   I have been holding out on posting a song from this (another) multi-instrumentalist out of England. It was originally released 2 years ago but just got a US release this year. AND my friend (hi Liz) who has her own music blog (plug for theblisslist.org) already posted this particular song. I like the song too much to not post it. One of the few indie people rocking it on a piano.
   
9. The Festival – Valentine
   Album: Come, Arrow, Come!   
   Sisters from Brooklyn, NY, create an unusual folk, gospel, psychedelic pop sound. Their voices just go really well together.
   
10. Sam Sparro – Black and Gold
    Album: Black and Gold   
    Australian born vocalist and (yet another) multi-instrumentalist. I think this is the first time I’ve found something I would consider indie-electronic.
    
11. The Wombats – Let’s Dance to Joy Division
    Album: A Guide to Love, Loss & Desperation   
    I’m starting to worry about the indie rock scene coming out of England. It really is all starting to sound the same. Which isn’t all bad…I mean I really like almost every song on this record…but there is something about it that just sounds the same.
    
12. Hot Chip – Out at the Pictures
    Album: Made in the Dark   
    Hailing from London, and now my second indie-electronic group. Another record that I pretty much enjoyed all the way through but this one is definitely unique in sound. You have to give this song a chance. Things change at the 1 minute mark and again at the 2 minute mark.
    

New music has been posted. In case you haven’t noticed, mixwit has implemented a playlist feature so you can see all the songs. Very nice.
You can purchase this mix (or individual songs) from here:

1. Pop Levi – Never Never Love
   Album: Never Never Love   
   English musician who used to play bass for Ladytron and is now living in LA. I like how catchy this song is even though it uses a lot of unusual sounds.
   
2. Sunset – When Perfect Flames Expire
   Album: The Glowing City   
   Recording project with a shifting cast of members out of Austin, TX. This song has an ominous feel to it but I like the composition.
   
3. The Notwist – Boneless
   Album: The Devil, You + Me   
   Quartet that formed outside of Munich, Germany. Each of their records has been very different with this one being much more melodic. I can’t recommend the whole record but I like this one song.
   
4. Katy Perry – I Kissed A Girl
   Album: One Of The Boys   
   The new female pop singer following in Brittany and Avril’s footsteps. She’s originally from Santa Barbara. I feel bad putting this song in here, but I recently heard a story about some women talking about how they wished they had kissed more girls growing up. So here you go.
   
5. Alejandro Escovedo – Chelsea Hotel ’78
   Album: Real Animal   
   Alejandro began his career with The Nuns out of San Francisco. His current style is called alternative country-rock. This song reminds me of Nick Cave for some reason.
   
6. My Morning Jacket – Highly Suspicious
   Album: Evil Urges   
   People love this band out of Louisville, KY. I honestly don’t fully get it, but their new record is extremely popular. This is the one song I found interesting. Perhaps they are too experimental for my tastes.
   
7. Oxford Collapse – Bikini Atoll
   Album: The Hann – Byrd – EP   
   Saw this NY band open for Frightened Rabbit on Saturday. Off-key, abrasive, post-punk band. They had great energy and stage presence.
   
8. The Pinker Tones – Electrotumbao
   Album: Wild Animals   
   Electronica duo from Barcelona. I like the mix of latin and electronic sounds.
   
9. Flobots – Handlebars
   Album: Fight With Tools   
   Featuring dual MCs and 5 instrumentalists, they call Denver home. This particular track is really fun as opposed to most of their politically charged record.
   
10. Socratic – May I Bum A Smoke?
    Album: Spread The Rumors   
    Sardonic indie pop group from New Jersey. Their record is full of just fun, sarcastic songs.
    
11. Someone Still Loves You, Boris Yeltsin – Modern Mystery
    Album: Pershing   
    I was pleasantly surprised by this Springfield, MO band that someone I met at the Frightened Rabbit show recommended. The first half of the album is really good. I had a hard time picking one song. They kinda remind me of The Shins but a little more upbeat.
    
12. Yael Naim – New Soul
    Album: Yael Naim   
    I’m sure you know this song thanks to Steve Jobs and Apple. She’s a singer/songwriter out of Paris, France. She’s coming to Bimbo’s if you have any interest in seeing her live. I also recommend looking for her cover of Brittany Spear’s Toxic. Very cool.
    

One day late, but I finally got a new mix posted:
You can purchase this mix (or individual songs) from here:

1. Priscilla Ahn – Red Cape
   Album: A Good Day   
   24 year old out of Bernville, PA. Singer songwriter who can play the guitar, bass, harmonica, ukulele, and the kazoo. She’s got a pretty voice.
   
2. Martha Wainwright – Bleeding All Over You
   Album: I Know You’re Married But I’ve Got Feelings Too   
   Folk singer from Montreal. Sister to Rufus Wainwright. The album this song comes from is called “I know you’re married, but I have feelings too.” Oh honesty.
   
3. N.E.R.D. – Windows
   Album: Seeing Sounds   
   Known for producing a lot of hit singles as The Neptunes, this duo from Virginia uses N.E.R.D. for more quirky projects. Fun hip-hop song.
   
4. The Fratellis – Mistress Mabel
   Album: Here We Stand   
   Another band from Scotland!! Great garage sound that just makes me want to get up and pump my fist in the air. They’re going to be at the Independent soon.
   
5. Windsor for the Derby – Maladies
   Album: How We Lost   
   Most of this CD consists of introspective lullabies, but this one song has a rocking sound to it. They hail from Tampa, FL.
   
6. Sunnybrook – Big Waving Hands
   Album: Singing Days
   Experimental pop sound. All I can find out about this band is that they are from Denton, TX. The song takes a little time to get going, but it’s worth it.
   
7. Port O’Brien – I Woke Up Today
   Album: All We Could Do Was Sing   
   This group is from Oakland! Let’s hear it for the local band! This song should be on everyone’s morning playlist. Better than a cup of coffee. And the video is a lot of fun.
   
8. Man Man – Top Drawer
   Album: Rabbit Habits   
   I understand that this group from Philadelphia is all about the live performance. Lots of activity on stage.
   
9. Supergrass – Bad Blood
   Album: Diamond Hoo Ha   
   British mod pop, punk, and rock is a good summary of this trio from Oxford, England.
   
10. Goldfrapp – Caravan Girl
    Album: Seventh Tree   
    Hailing from Bath, England, this group is considered elctropop. I find most of the songs to be a little too mellow for me, but Caravan Girl brings some energy, and the video gets points for having a skater girl.
    
11. Lightspeed Champion – Everyone I Know Is Listening to Crunk
    Album: Falling Off the Lavender Bridge   
    These lyrics just crack me up even though it’s a break-up song. I really like the mixture of styles in this song. You hear a clarinet, a twangy guitar, and some great harmonies.
    
12. Adele – My Same
    Album: 19   
    British soul-pop singer compared to Amy Winehouse. I think Adele’s voice is way better and I love it on this simple, almost bluesy track, and the lyrics are fun.
    

Lot of stuff got released this past week, almost too much for one mixtape. Especially since I had to include a few tracks that came from earlier this year. I guess having too much good music isn’t necessarily a bad problem. Must buy for me this week is the new Futureheads CD This is Not the World. Critics think that it is too commercial and not nearly as edgy as their older stuff, but I think the whole CD rocks. But I don’t have a history with the band to compare it with. Los Campesinos! is a close second this week.
You can purchase this mix (or individual songs) from here:

1. Juliana Hatfield – So Alone
   Album: How to Walk Away   
   Melodic indie pop singer from Massachusetts. There is an unusual rhythmic sound in the background. I can’t decide if I like it or not, but the song is good.
   
2. Women – Group Transport Hall
   Album: Women   
   A short preview from the upcoming self titled album from this Canadian band. People compare them to Deerhoof and Velvet Underground.
   
3. Tilly and the Wall – Cacophony
   Album: O   
   This band out of Omaha, NE, is well known for using tap shoes in place of a drum kit. This track is off their soon to be released record O.
   
4. The Virgins – One Week of Danger
   Album: The Virgins   
   I guess this record was released on a small label in 2003 and is now getting a major release. This NY based band sounds like they stepped right of the 80s.
   
5. The Futureheads – Radio Heart
   Album: This Is Not the World   
   Originating from Sunderland, UK, these guys mix post-punk, new-wave, and pop. This track reminds me of high school and I like the lyrics too.
   
6. Subtle – ExitingARM
   Album: Exiting Arm   
   Local SF band came together from Amoeba employees and a couple musicians. They are considered experimental rock/rap. I don’t hear the rap.
   
7. Love Psychedelico – Standing Bird
   Album: This Is Love Psychedelico   
   An alternative folk/pop band out of Tokyo. It’s late and I don’t have much to say.
   
8. Wye Oak – Keeping Company
   Album: If Children   
   Baltimore based indie rock duo.
   
9. Andrew Bird – Plasticities (Remix)
   Album: Soldier On   
   Chicago singer songwriter. This is actually a remix of a song from 2006 and comes off a UK import.
   
10. Los Campesinos! – Death to Los Campesinos!
    Album: Hold on Now, Youngster…   
    Indie pop band from Cardiff, Wales, UK. Fun record overall.
    
11. Dengue Fever – Tiger Phone Card
    Album: Venus on Earth   
    This LA band captures the spirit of the early rock revolution in outpost like Cambodia and Ethiopia which originated from the 60s when American forces broadcasted music for the troops. Most of the record is sung in Khmer, the lead singers native language.
    
12. dj lobsterdust – Beastie Boys vs. Love Psychedelico – RightNowRightNow (dj lobsterdust mash)
    This is actually from January of 2007, but I stumbled across it thanks to researching Love Psychedelico and I loved it. Here is the original post and be sure to check out the rest of DJ Lobsterdust’s site.
    

This week’s new music goes as far back as February. I figure as long as it was released in 2008, I can still call it “new.” This week’s must buy is The Kooks album Konk. All that means is that I like nearly every song on the disc, which is kind of rare these days, although R.E.M. and Spiritualized came close.
You can purchase this mix (or individual songs) from here:

1. Sigur Rós – Gobbledigook
   Album: Með suð i eyrum við spilum endalaust   
   This band from Iceland has been garnered with accolades for quite some time, but I never got it. I appreciate it, but I wouldn’t ever intentionally play one of their songs. However, I like this new release and I’m curious about the album coming out later this month.
   
2. James Pants – We’re Through
   Album: Welcome   
   One man band out of Spokane, WA. Dance funk with some early 80s thrown in.
   
3. Cyndi Lauper – High And Mighty
   Album: Bring Ya to the Brink   
   I had no idea I would like new music from Cyndi Lauper. Great dance beat with her adding a very soulful, breathy voice.
   
4. Booka Shade – Solo City
   Album: The Sun & the Neon Light   
   Frankfurt, Germany duo well known for their house beats. You can feel it in this song but it’s more ambient and techno.
   
5. Spiritualized – Death Take Your Fiddle
   Album: Songs in A&E   
   This group out of England has been labeled as Space Rock, Dream Pop, and Neo-Psychedelia (whatever that is). This particular record has a lot more simple elements and I like most of the tracks on it. I had a hard time picking one to share but the ventilator sound on this song won me over.
   
6. Constantines – Hard Feelings
   Album: Kensington Heights   
   An Ontario band known for its post-punk, traditional rock sound. This particular track starts fast and doesn’t stop.
   
7. The Kooks – Always Where I Need To Be
   Album: Konk   
   I just love these guys out of Brighton, England. I think they take the best parts of pop, garage rock, and indie and mix it well. And they do it for 12 tracks.
   
8. R.E.M. – I’m Gonna DJ
   Album: Accelerate   
   R.E.M.’s new CD is harder and more poppy than anything before. They finished their set at the Greek with this song and it really got the audience fired up for the encore.
   
9. The Black Keys – Strange Times
   Album: Attack & Release   
   I know this is far from “new” but the first time I listened to this record, I didn’t like anything on it. Guess that’s why singles exist. This duo hails from Akron, Ohio.
   
10. Elf Power – Quiver and Quake
    Album: In a Cave   
    Experimental band from Athens, GA. Another group that I appreciate, but don’t really get. This song is definitely one of their more commercial attempts.
    
11. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!
    Album: Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!!   
    More like poetry set to music, Nick Cave has been doing this for over 24 years and has had 21 records. I think that is the definition of prolific. Be sure to pay attention to the lyrics on this one. Classic.
    
12. Throw Me The Statue – Lolita
    Album: Moonbeams   
    This is just a fun, catchy song about being in love with a 19 year old. These guys are from Seattle.