indie music

Because so many of you demand it, I am resuming the on-going playlist/profile series, More Great Indie Albums of 2008. You can get a good sense of a band’s popularity by searching its name on Google, checking their plays on music sites like MySpace and LastFM and so on. But this is no measure of so many talented artists that have yet to be discovered by the mass of indie and alternative rock music lovers.

So here’s a nod to another promising band I didn’t know about until they sent me a link to download their debut released last October.

Boston indie-pop quintet The Hush Now have made an indelible impression on music critics and fans with their “lush sugar-spun melodies of shoegaze’s dreamy heyday”.

The band’s self-titled debut quickly climbed the independent radio charts and drew comparisons to My Bloody Valentine, Poole and The Ocean Blue, among others.

The Hush Now’s magical debut record is a boost for any band. After listening to the album more than a few times, it’s hard not to appreciate its rich, layered pop songs opulent with waves of melodies and harmonies accented by memorable keyboard riffs and catchy beats.

Can’t wait to hear their next release. The following songs are from their self-titled debut in October 2008. The first track, “Vancouver”, is my personal favorite. If you like the band, add them on MySpace.

“Vancouver” - The Hush Now
“Traditions” - The Hush Now
“Subtle Like Bombs” - The Hush Now

Get The Hush Now’s debut album for free

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War Child Heroes is a recently released compilation benefit album that was inspired by pictures drawn by children living in war torn countries.

The producers asked a select group of some of rock’s best classic groups and artists to choose a song of their own and who they wanted to cover it (see the album cover image above for details). Bowie, for example, asked TV on the Radio to cover his song “Heroes” and Dylan requested Beck cover his track, “Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat”. Beck does a splitting R&B rock cover; I thought I knew all of Dylan’s songs, but not sure I heard of this one before. But, still, nice choice Bob.

Not only is it a good cause to support, but the album, for the most part, is a great collection of cover songs from artists and bands such as The Kooks, TV on the Radio, Hot Chip, Beck, Franz Ferdinand, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and many others.

The only thing I don’t understand is the seemingly lack of editorial sensitivity with allowing song titles themselves like “Search and Destroy” (Iggy Pop and Stooges), covered by Peaches (and not very well at that) and “Straight to Hell” (The Clash) covered by Lily Allen with Mick Jones. Sure, the originals are great songs, but maybe not for a benefit album for children ravaged by war? Oops.

“Victoria” (The Kinks) - The Kooks from the benefit covers album War Child - Heroes Vol.1

“Victoria” - The Kinks from the classic 1969 Brit rock album Arthur or Rise and Fall of the British Empire (1969). The album, and the popular hit track, still rock today; the song was featured in the movie The Parent Trap)“Leopard Skin Pill Box Hat” (Bob Dylan) - Beck from War Child - Heroes Vol. 1

Your purchase of War Child Heroes compilation will go directly to help children - innocents caught in the middle, and the victims of, the shit that stupid adults do. It’s maddening. As adults, whether we have our own children or not, it is our responsibility to protect children where ever they are threatened in the world. I feel really strongly about that.

The following information is from the War Child organization’s literature:

War Child helps protect children by:

• reintegrating child soldiers with their families
• getting children off the streets, after war has forced them to leave home
• separating children from adults in prison
• rebuilding schools destroyed by war
• lobbying politicians to do more for children affected by war
• empowering the public to get involved.

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A bit of a bizarre name for a modern pop rock duo, Pinstripes 45’s (sounds more like some kind of barber shop quartet, huh?) from Nashville have a catchy melodic sound woven in layers of harmonies, hand clapping, acoustic guitar and accomplished vocal arrangements that lend influences to bands like Neutral Milk Hotel and artists like Bob Dylan.

The duo, comprised of multi-instrumentalist singer/songwriter Marshall Hanbury Jr. and stand-up bassist Gina Black had the good fortune to work with producer Jacquire King whose resume includes Kings of Leon, Modest Mouse and Tom Waits. Songs from their forthcoming (date not provided) release include the pop ballad “I Don’t Know What Hit Me”, and the Neil Finn-sounding track “Living Times Like These.”

“I Don’t Know What Hit Me” - Pinstripe 45s
“Living Time Like These” - Pinstripe 45s

Pinstripe 45s on MySpace

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WAVVES, aka Nathan Williams, the popular noise pop one-man band, was a big hit at South By Southwest this year. Check out these tunes from his set (via lullabyes):

Intro
To The Dregs
So Bored
…Tried to Stop Me
Wavves

See IRC’s previous post about WAVVES.

Look out for more new releases and songs coming in the next couple of days. Sign up for the Feed Me Indie RSS feed or follow IRC on Twitter.

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There is an exciting, new two-man indie band from New Orleans named Caddywhompus (which means, basically, ass-backwards, broken and uneven) that officially released their debut “EPs” this week.

My first taste of the band came earlier this month when they sent an email with a couple of songs attached. I was going to write about them weeks ago, but things have been backlogged here at the cafe. Nevertheless, after listening to their music for a few weeks now, Caddywhompus is officially an IRC band to watch in 09.

Caddywhompus’ sound comes at you with in-your-face exuberance of raucous noise pop hipsters. There are rave-like romps, driving drum beats, psychedelic infusions, and fuzzy, dreamy harmonies. Songs like “This is Where We Blaze the Nuggz”‘ and “Fun Times at Whiskey Bay” are perfect examples. Noise pop lovers will probably enjoy these songs and others including the interestingly-named track “Eat Chest” and the “…But Not Before A Show”.

There’s one problem: There is another band that they sound like so much and I cannot think of that band’s name. And yet I know if someone says it, I’ll be like, “Dude! That’s fricking it!” If you know, tell, please, tell. :-p

“This is Where We Blaze the Nuggz” - Caddywhompus from “EPs”
“Fun Times at Whiskey Bar” - Caddywhompus from “EPs”
“Eat Chest” - Caddywhompus from “EPs”

Caddywhompus on MySpace . Buy “EPs” from the band’s official website.

Here’s an interview with the guys from Static Television

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Having surfaced to the indie music scene for all the right reasons in recent years, and now signed with the Dandy Warhols‘ label Beat The World, Logan Lynn has released a set of new singles from his anticipated third album release, From Pillar to Post, due out later this year.

Lynn teamed up with producer Carlos Cortes of the Portland DJ collective Assemble The Empire to record From Pillar to Post. The result: An amazing collection of upbeat, sprawling electro-pop tracks that are not over-produced but engineered to be original and free-flowing.

There’s a lot of musical experience and talented wrapped neatly in this well packaged upcoming release. The guys sent these fresh tracks to share with all of you. Enjoy.

“Feed Me To The Wolves” - Logan Lynn off From Pillar to Post
“Burning Your Glory” - Logan Lynn off From Pillar to Post

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As a Beirut fan, the double EP release of March of the Zapotec & Realpeople: Holland marks a charter into new areas of musicianship, including more experimentation with instruments, styles and concepts. Put your musical journey jacket on before delving in.

March of the Zapotec EP consists of songs written by Beirut and recorded with Oaxacan march masters The Jimenez Band in southern Mexico. March sounds a lot like Beirut meets the Mexican Godfather, especially on songs like “La Llorona”. But it still has that unique Beirut sound - brassy, stuttered romps and old Euro carnival instrumentation.

Holland, featuring songs from band leader Zach Condon and recorded under the moniker Realpeople, includes the previously released tracks “Venice” and “My Night With the Prostitute From Marseille”. Other tunes like the 1970s electronica-sounding “The Dice” and the sci-fi Burt Bacharach styled “The Concubine” make for an interesting listen.

All in all though, this double EP release from Beirut features some good music, just a bit of a departure. I guess I was looking for something bigger to build off the success of their last amazing release The Flying Club Cup.

“La Llorona” - Beirut from March of the Zapotec
“Venice” - RealPeople from Holland
“A Sunday Smile” - Beirut from The Flying Club Cup

U2 perform their classic hit “Sunday Bloody Sunday”

U2 of Old is Better Than U2 of Now

The ironically titled new release by Ireland’s “most famous” rockers, U2, No Line on the Horizon, may be telling of the band’s waning relevancy. In recent years, U2 has become overly-commercialized, trendy, glitzy rock celebs. I bet Bono and the boys would never dare to offer an album for free on the Internet like Radiohead did; and that’s just part of my point.

Over the past decade, U2 has enthusiastically accepted the sugary media saturation bestowed on them without much a nod to those who made them multi-millionaires (yeah they do some charity work - cool, all for that).

U2 was one of the first bands that launched my obsession with rock music years ago. But they’ve now become mediocre musically in contrast to the god-like status the mainstream media gives them. I was really hoping for something special from the new U2 album, but again, it’s just OK.

But don’t get me wrong; I’ll always love the U2 music from their debut right up to Joshua Tree; by now, it’s classic rock through and through.

Putting the “in” in to Indie. Stop by Indie Rock Cafe for the best
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This week you’ll see some reviews of much talked about recent releases by groups like The Decemberists, Beirut and U2. I’m probably going to get some spitfire emails, but just trying to keep it real (one person’s opinion). Let’s start off with a band that was a favorite of mine for years.

Then, not so long ago, The Decemberists ‘crossed over’ and signed with a major label - Capitol Records. That was a bit hard to take for a band that helped boost the popularity of true indie labels. Anyways, my fear that their music would change has come true, and not in the best way.

And so what is the freaking hype for? First off, I have been a huge Decemberists’ fan since first hearing The Crane Wife. After hearing that record, I immediately bought everything they ever released - and I was hooked man. The upcoming release of The Hazards of Love marks a new direction for the band that personally I am not a fan of.

There are really only a handful of songs on Hazards that are keepers for me, among them “The Rake Song” and “The Wanting Comes in Waves”. I am more inclined to go back and listen to their merchant sailing songs and bucolic ballads from bygone days.

The NPR music dudes from All Songs Considered recently “bet” after The Decemberists’ SXSW show last week in Austin that Hazards will be the best album of 2009.

What?! First of all guys, it’s only freaking March. Secondly, I’ve heard dozens of better albums so far this year from bands few have heard of. Sometimes NPR irks me. For the last few years, NPR’s musical staff druels over a handful of bands and commonly declare, prematurely notwithstanding, the contenders for ‘best albums of the year’, and eagerly enough, the sure-fire, got-to-be, hands down winner - with an entire freaking nine months in the year left.

Please guys. Time for a reality check at NPR music. If you don’t believe me, dig through the IRC archives for this year and check out some of the other albums on the list to the right of this page; I promise there are better albums in that list than The Hazards of Love.

Next up in “Just OK” New Releases: Beirut and U2

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Alexis Babini at Summerfest 2008. Photo by Laura Burton

With all that has been going on with South by Southwest there hasn’t been much time to catch up on music submissions. The quantity of music that comes into IRC is reaching unmanageable proportions. The backlog is getting out of control but I know there are some nugs in those emails and CD cases.

The following are just a few of the best artists and songs that have come in the mail in the past month or so - essentially, part of the back-logged. This installment has a different spin on it with a focus on artists from cities around the United States.

Bean Town Artist Gets Noticed

Alexis Babini is a singer/songwriter from Boston who has made waves in the past year by selling out venues in the northeast and winning the Berklee Performer Songwriter Contest. His debut album was released on March 3.

“Sometimes” - Alexis Babini from Breaking It In
Alexis on MySpace

NYC Radio Producer Releases New Free Tracks

Fuzzy & Blue is a music project by Jonathan Mitchell, a composer and radio producer living in New York City. These songs explore a period of misfortune set to the sounds of powerpop and 1980’s new wave music.

“Rubber Porcupine” - Fuzzy & Blue (aka Jonathan Mitchell) from s/t EP

Listen to and download free tracks from Fuzzy & Blue

Portland Has an Edgier Side, Too

King Black Acid are a Portland, Oregon alt rock-techno band whose song “Let’s Burn” was is featured on the film soundtrack for Underworld: Rise Of The Lycans.

They wrote: “We just made a music video for “Let’s Burn” in our garage using bed sheets and gaffers tape. Our friend Jeremiah Scott did the camera work and editing.”

“Let’s Burn” - King Black Acid from Underworld: Rise of the Lycans soundtrack

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Fans of Austin band Voxtrot - who have been on a hiatus for two year - may be glad to hear that the band has a new song produced, recorded and mixed by Spoon’s Jim Eno called “Trepanation Party.” No word however from the band about an upcoming album.

Below are also new tunes from Pomegranates, The Grates, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Neko Case. All songs have been reviewed and approved.

“Trepanation Party” - Voxtrot, newly released single

“Kid Gloves” - Voxtrot

“Corriander” - Pomegranates from Everybody, Come Outside!

“Zero” - Yeah Yeah Yeahs, newly released single

“Middle Cyclone” - Neko Case from Middle Cyclone

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