indie music

The In Dee Mail Special Edition series is meant to highlight artists and bands that sent their music directly to us (thus, the silly title ‘in dee mail’ - but it’s now a staple of this site) who - for one reason or another - we did not have a chance to feature in 2009, usually because their submissions came to us late in the year, or in some cases, in the past few weeks. If you haven’t already seen the other posts and mixes of this special series, we encourage you to because there is some fabulous music in those posts.

The Middle East are an Australian band that have really turned on the turbo engines in the past year or so, landing scheduled shows at this year’s SXSW and Coachella, and are an IRC Band to Watch in 2010 thanks to the release of their EP, The Recordings of the Middle East last fall. Thankfully, they sent us two fantastic songs from the EP to share with all of you.

“Blood” - The Middle East from The Recordings of the Middle East (2009)

“The Darkest Side” - The Middle East from The Recordings of the Middle East (2009)

The Middle East official website

The Love X Nowhere - High Score Blackout

The Love X (as in “times”) Nowhere’s latest LP, High Score Blackout, was released last summer on Redgummy Records. The album oozes with Cocteau-heavy guitars dripping with the sway of chorus and delay; analog synth as at home with The Cars as Meddle-era Pink Floyd; a rhythm section adept in thick, explosive grooves and awe-inspiring dynamics.

“The Diz” - The Love X Nowhere from High Score Blackout (2009)

The Love X Nowhere

Emanuel and the Fear - Self-Titled EP

Brooklyn’s 11-piece band Emanuel and the Fear, released a self-titled debut EP late in 2009 to enthusiastic reviews in publications like the Village Voice, Deli Magazine, Absolute Punk and NME. Headed by NYC resident Emanuel Ayvas, EATF creates and delivers magnificently crafted, and complex, yet accessible songs. Their self-titled debut EP was released last January on Paper Garden Records and included contributions from musicians who have previously played and toured with Sufjan Stevens, The National, Akron/Family and Bryan Scary & The Shredding Tears.

“The Rain Becomes the Clouds” - Emanuel and the Fear from s/t EP (2009)

“Comfortable Prison” - Emanuel and the Fear from s/t EP (2009)

Emanuel and the Fear on MySpace

Solfege Radio - Eleven!

New Jersey’s melodic pop punk band Solfege Radio released their debut album late in 2009 on Danimal Records to fairly good press and reception from fans. The band of teen musicians demonstrate a true talent at a young age for crafting tight rock songs with a shimmering undertow. We’d be curious to know what you think about this single.

“Eleven!” - Solfege Radio from s/t debut (2009)

Solfege Radio on MySpace

Jacob Faurholt - Why Write

In December, we featured German musician Jacob Faurholt in the In Dee Mail Special Edition, Vol. I, post. Now, Faurholt has another song to share, “Jesus on a Stamp,” which sounds like the Editors mixed with Interpol, accompanied by bright keys and booming drums, hand-clapping and flowing choruses.

“Jesus on a Stamp” - Jacob Faurholt from Why Write EP (2009)

Jacob Faurholt on MySpace

Franklin for Short - Swell

Franklin for Short hails from Ventura, California, a quiet little beach town 75 miles north of L.A. Living off a diet of burritos, coastal fog and reverb, the band has been incubating their latest release Swell for a year and a half. The result is a 14-song epic that winds its way through a landscape half ethereal and half earthbound.

“Brother Bird” - Franklin for Short from Swell (2009)

Franklin for Short on MySpace

Other songs from In Dee Mail:

“Everything” - Adam Ashbach from Puzzle Pieces (2009)

Adam Ashbach on MySpace

“Tired of Missing You” - Andrea Gauster from Reverie EP (2009)

Andrea Gauster on MySpace

“Beasts Around You” - Idolae from Through The Straight Lines (2009)

Idolae on MySpace

“Soft” - Capybara from Try Brother (2009)

Capybara on MySpace

You Might Also Be Interested in These Posts:

Best New Releases This Week: Beach House, The Magnetic Fields, No Through Road, Woodpigeon, Retribution Gospel Choir, Citay, Boy Genius & More

Band of the Week: Boston’s Elephantom Endorsed by Grizzly Bear; Blog Exclusive of Track for Upcoming LP

Best Rarely Heard Songs of 2009, Vol. I - Ex Norwegian, We All Have Hooks for Hands, Pistol for Ringo and Fredrik

Best New Releases This Week (1/19/10): Spoon, Surfer Blood, The Eels, Feral Children, Editors, Big Star, Dinowalrus & Len Price 3

Favorite Indie and Alternative Songs of 2009, Vol. III: Neko Case, Public Radio, Bishop Allen, Harlem Shakes, Deer Tick & More

In Dee Mail Special Edition Vol. VII - Essex Chanel, Scares The Daylights and The Binary Marketing Show

Favorite Indie and Alternative Songs of 2009, Vol. II - The Big Pink, The Thermals, Dan Auerbach, Telekinesis, Faunts & More

Putting the “in” in to Indie. Stop by Indie Rock Cafe for the best
bands, MP3s, videos, news, concert listings, festival updates, playlists and more.

The In Dee Mail Special Edition series is meant to highlight artists and bands that sent their music directly to us (thus, the silly title ‘in dee mail’ - but it’s now a staple of this site) who - for one reason or another - we did not have a chance to feature in 2009, usually because their submissions came to us late in the year, or in some cases, in the past few weeks. If you haven’t already seen the other posts and mixes of this special series, we encourage you to because there is some fabulous music in those posts.

The Middle East are an Australian band that have really turned on the turbo engines in the past year or so, landing scheduled shows at this year’s SXSW and Coachella, and are an IRC Band to Watch in 2010 thanks to the release of their EP, The Recordings of the Middle East last fall. Thankfully, they sent us two fantastic songs from the EP to share with all of you.

“Blood” - The Middle East from The Recordings of the Middle East (2009)

“The Darkest Side” - The Middle East from The Recordings of the Middle East (2009)

The Middle East official website

The Love X Nowhere - High Score Blackout

The Love X (as in “times”) Nowhere’s latest LP, High Score Blackout, was released last summer on Redgummy Records. The album oozes with Cocteau-heavy guitars dripping with the sway of chorus and delay; analog synth as at home with The Cars as Meddle-era Pink Floyd; a rhythm section adept in thick, explosive grooves and awe-inspiring dynamics.

“The Diz” - The Love X Nowhere from High Score Blackout (2009)

The Love X Nowhere

Emanuel and the Fear - Self-Titled EP

Brooklyn’s 11-piece band Emanuel and the Fear, released a self-titled debut EP late in 2009 to enthusiastic reviews in publications like the Village Voice, Deli Magazine, Absolute Punk and NME. Headed by NYC resident Emanuel Ayvas, EATF creates and delivers magnificently crafted, and complex, yet accessible songs. Their self-titled debut EP was released last January on Paper Garden Records and included contributions from musicians who have previously played and toured with Sufjan Stevens, The National, Akron/Family and Bryan Scary & The Shredding Tears.

“The Rain Becomes the Clouds” - Emanuel and the Fear from s/t EP (2009)

“Comfortable Prison” - Emanuel and the Fear from s/t EP (2009)

Emanuel and the Fear on MySpace

Solfege Radio - Eleven!

New Jersey’s melodic pop punk band Solfege Radio released their debut album late in 2009 on Danimal Records to fairly good press and reception from fans. The band of teen musicians demonstrate a true talent at a young age for crafting tight rock songs with a shimmering undertow. We’d be curious to know what you think about this single.

“Eleven!” - Solfege Radio from s/t debut (2009)

Solfege Radio on MySpace

Jacob Faurholt - Why Write

In December, we featured German musician Jacob Faurholt in the In Dee Mail Special Edition, Vol. I, post. Now, Faurholt has another song to share, “Jesus on a Stamp,” which sounds like the Editors mixed with Interpol, accompanied by bright keys and booming drums, hand-clapping and flowing choruses.

“Jesus on a Stamp” - Jacob Faurholt from Why Write EP (2009)

Jacob Faurholt on MySpace

Franklin for Short - Swell

Franklin for Short hails from Ventura, California, a quiet little beach town 75 miles north of L.A. Living off a diet of burritos, coastal fog and reverb, the band has been incubating their latest release Swell for a year and a half. The result is a 14-song epic that winds its way through a landscape half ethereal and half earthbound.

“Brother Bird” - Franklin for Short from Swell (2009)

Franklin for Short on MySpace

Other songs from In Dee Mail:

“Everything” - Adam Ashbach from Puzzle Pieces (2009)

Adam Ashbach on MySpace

“Tired of Missing You” - Andrea Gauster from Reverie EP (2009)

Andrea Gauster on MySpace

“Beasts Around You” - Idolae from Through The Straight Lines (2009)

Idolae on MySpace

“Soft” - Capybara from Try Brother (2009)

Capybara on MySpace

You Might Also Be Interested in These Posts:

Best New Releases This Week: Beach House, The Magnetic Fields, No Through Road, Woodpigeon, Retribution Gospel Choir, Citay, Boy Genius & More

Band of the Week: Boston’s Elephantom Endorsed by Grizzly Bear; Blog Exclusive of Track for Upcoming LP

Best Rarely Heard Songs of 2009, Vol. I - Ex Norwegian, We All Have Hooks for Hands, Pistol for Ringo and Fredrik

Best New Releases This Week (1/19/10): Spoon, Surfer Blood, The Eels, Feral Children, Editors, Big Star, Dinowalrus & Len Price 3

Favorite Indie and Alternative Songs of 2009, Vol. III: Neko Case, Public Radio, Bishop Allen, Harlem Shakes, Deer Tick & More

In Dee Mail Special Edition Vol. VII - Essex Chanel, Scares The Daylights and The Binary Marketing Show

Favorite Indie and Alternative Songs of 2009, Vol. II - The Big Pink, The Thermals, Dan Auerbach, Telekinesis, Faunts & More

Putting the “in” in to Indie. Stop by Indie Rock Cafe for the best
bands, MP3s, videos, news, concert listings, festival updates, playlists and more.

In our on-going look back at our favorite songs from 2009, we are now on Vol. IV, highlighting singles we posted about in April 2009. To follow all of the installments of this series - there will be 12 in total - you can check out the landing page for Favorite Indie and Alternative Songs of 2009. Enjoy.

“Misfits & Mistakes” - Superchunk from Leaves in the Gutter EP

“Sacred Trickster” - Sonic Youth from The Eternal

“Ithaca” - Deleted Scenes from Birdseed Shirt

“Chug Along” - Trainwreck Riders from The Perch

“Pale Bride” - The Von Bondies from Love, Hate and Then There’s You

“Unfold” - Julie Peel from Near The Sun

“Heard You Wanna Beat Me Up” - The Strange Boys from …And Girls Club

“Inagural Trams” - Super Fury Animals from Dark Days/Light Years

“New Love Grows on Trees” - Peter Doherty from Grace/Wastelands

“The Strangers” - St. Vincent from Actor

“Traps and Traps” - Oceans from Nothing Collapses

“Calculator” - Micachu & The Shapes from Jewellery

“A Boy and His Genius” - Lima Research Society from Don’t Give Up, Don’t Get Down

“Melt Down The Knives” - Sin Fang Bous from Clangour

“Fearless Vampire Killers” - Fearless Vampire Killer

“Lessons” - downdime from Knowing Too Much

“The Sun Goes West” - The Faraway Places from Out of the Rain, the Thunder and Lightning

“From The Hips” - Cursive from Mama, I’m Swollen

“The Letter” - The Veils from Sun Gangs

“On This Day” - Robert Gomez from Pine Sticks & Phosphorus

“Land of Freak” - King Khan and The Shrines from From What Is?!

“Drowning” - Tara Jane O’Neil from A Ways Away

“Starry” - Throcke from Sometimes Not Unpointful
“Do You Hide From Saturday Night” - Litt’lans from Primitive World

“Throwin Away My Money” - Wayne Hancock from Viper of Melody

“Workin’ at Workin’” - Wayne Hancock from Viper of Melody

Putting the “in” in to Indie. Stop by Indie Rock Cafe for the best
bands, MP3s, videos, news, concert listings, festival updates, playlists and more.

All the hype over Beach House’s new album, Teen Dream, out today via Sub Pop Records, is more than well earned. We are not just going to jump on the BH band wagon (after listening to Teen Dream again and again for two weeks straight), but, we’re willing to go a step further - regardless of what other sensational releases come out in the next 11 months, we think Teen Dream could be the best album of 2010 (although Midlake is poised to pose a strong challenge).

“Norway” - Beach House from Teen Dream (2010)

Stream Teen Dream on Spinner

Beach House on MySpace

Magnetic Fields - Realism

One of our favorite bands of all time, The Magnetic Fields, are back with their follow-up to Distortion, a folksy LP, titled Realism, which drops today via Nonesuch Records. Unlike the electric edge and reverbs of the appropriately named Distortion LP, Realism - meant to be a ‘companion’ piece’ - centers more on acoustic strumming, folk sensibilities, flourishing keys and subject matter such as cults and shipwrecks. The blogger Spork wrote: “The Magnetic Fields continue their playful love-hate relationship with pop music with Realism, a new album full of love songs, un-love songs.”

“Walk on a Lonely Road” - The Magnetic Fields from Realism (2010)

Magnetic Fields on Nonesuch Records

Magnetic Fields on MySpace

Magnetic Fields official website

Have You Seen This? Free, Legal downloads of Magnetic Fields’ covers

Beastie Boys Vs. Alphabeat - “Intergalactic Spell”

White Panda Records sent us a mash up yesterday of The Beastie Boys vs. Alphabeat on a song called “Intergalatic Spell.” Pretty cool; nice going White Panda - we’re really starting to love you guys.

“Intergalactic Spell” - Beastie Boys vs. Alphabeat via White Panda Records from the Versus mixtape (2010)

No Through Road - Winner

Australian band, and Low Transit Industries recording artist, No Through Road, drop their second album, Winner, today. The songs, as evidenced by the “Girls Are The Devil” (but really, they’re not) track below, demonstrate NTR’s soaring, shredding and dark anthem-like rock, featuring elements of goth and punk - “like a Kiwi-distorted combo of Strokes, You Am I, Guided By Voices, Interpol and Pavement.”

“Girls Are The Devil” - No Through Road from Winner (2010)

No Through Road on MySpace

Get Winner from Low Transit’s Bandcamp page

Spirit Spine - Jungle Bridges

One of our top featured unsigned artists of 2009, Spirit Spine (aka Joseph Denny), who impressed us last year with his DIY home-recorded self-titled debut, is back with a new EP. In the span of less than a year, Denny has signed with Lovegiraffe Records and opened for well-known indie artists such as Neon Indian and Toro Y Moi.

“Slept Away” - Spirit Spine from Jungle Bridges (2010)

“Crashers” - Spirit Spine from s/t debut (2009)

Spirit Spine on MySpace

Retribution Gospel Choir - 2

Remember the spectacular slowcore band Low from Duluth, Minnesota? Well, they are one of the best ‘underground’ bands of the past two decades (and despite rumors, have not split up), and easily one of Minnesota’s greatest contributions to the indie rock genre. Low’s frontman Alan Sparhawk took some time off to form Retribution Gospel Choir in 2007 along with original Low bassist Steve Garrington and Eric Pollard on drums and vocals.

Their new album, 2, drops today via Sub Pop Records. RGC are currently on tour through mid-April, with jaunts throughout North America and Europe. Check the tour dates via their website link below or their MySpace page.

“Hide It Away” - Retribution Gospel Choir from 2 (2010)

Retribution Gospel Choir website

Woodpigeon - Die Stadt Muzikanten

Die Stadt Muzikanten is Woodpigeon’s third full-length album and follow up to the internationally acclaimed Treasury Library Canada. The band’s latest album was released on January 12 in Canada, via Boompa Records, and is available today in the States.

“Empty-Hall Sing-Along” - Woodpigeon from Die Stadt Muzikanten (2010)

Woodpigeon on Myspace

Citay - Dream Get Together

Surprisingly, a lot of music folks don’t know about one of San Francisco’s best bands - the psych pop rock outfit, Citay. The band’s new album, Dream Get Together, is colorful, vibrant and full of fire and thrust, as demonstrated on the LP’s opening track, the swinging, seven-minute psychedelic rock jam, “Careful with that Hat.” The LP drops today, January 26th, via Dead Oceans Records.

“Cafeful with that Hat” - Citay from Dream Get Together (2010)

Citay on MySpace

Boy Genius - Staggering

Jason Korenkiewicz began writing songs in 2006 for what was then a two-man acoustic project. At a party one night that year, someone declared them, “neither boys, nor geniuses,” and thus the name of the Brooklyn indie pop band came to be.

The band recorded their first two EPs, and their debut LP, Anchorage, with New York engineer Josh Clark, who is credited for his work with Beirut and the New Pornographers. For their latest album, Staggering - out today on Greenpop Records - the band worked with legendary producer and musician Mitch Easter, who is known famously for his work with bands such as Dinosaur Jr., REM, Pavement, Superchunk, Velvet Crush and many others.

Boy Genius consists of Korenkiewicz (guitar and vocals), Marisa Cerio (lead guitar), Lisa Klimkiewicz (drums), and Jeffrey Mensch (bass).

“Old New England” - Boy Genius from Staggering (2010)

“Ramona Saves The Day” - Boy Genius from Staggering (2010)

Boy Genius on MySpace

Other Releases Today:

“When You Walk in the Room” - Fyfe Dangerfield from Fly Yellow Moon (2010)

“Spy on the Floor” - Chicago Underground Duo from Boca Negra (2010)

“Hurried Feathers” - The Berndt from GBGBG (2010)

Better Late Than…

The following are tracks from other January releases that we missed for one reason or another.

“Lovely Weather” - The Vandelles from s/t debut (2010)

“City Kids” - Boy Without God from single release (2010)

This track is provided under the Creative Commons license via White Panda Records

“Poor Boy Can’t Dance” - Barton Carroll from Together You and I (2010)

Check out all previous installments of Best New Releases of the Week

You Might Also Be Interested in These Posts:

Band of the Week: Boston’s Elephantom Endorsed by Grizzly Bear; Blog Exclusive of Track for Upcoming LP

Best Rarely Heard Songs of 2009, Vol. I - Ex Norwegian, We All Have Hooks for Hands, Pistol for Ringo and Fredrik

Best New Releases This Week (1/19/10): Spoon, Surfer Blood, The Eels, Feral Children, Editors, Big Star, Dinowalrus & Len Price 3

Favorite Indie and Alternative Songs of 2009, Vol. III: Neko Case, Public Radio, Bishop Allen, Harlem Shakes, Deer Tick & More

In Dee Mail Special Edition Vol. VII - Essex Chanel, Scares The Daylights and The Binary Marketing Show

Favorite Indie and Alternative Songs of 2009, Vol. II - The Big Pink, The Thermals, Dan Auerbach, Telekinesis, Faunts & More

Putting the “in” in to Indie. Stop by Indie Rock Cafe for the best
bands, MP3s, videos, news, concert listings, festival updates, playlists and more.

The members of Grizzly Bear are fans. And so are we.

Boston area band Elephantom, a musical collective of high school and college aged musicians, are IRC’s first unsigned ‘band to watch’ of 2010. Plus, we have an exclusive new demo, “I Am Your Head,” provided by the band to IRC for all to hear.

But first, the back story.

Comparing them to the Danish band Efterklang, Grizzly Bear members recently endorsed Elephantom’s 2009 DIY debut LP, Swim. Toward the Sun. While the band were attending a Grizzly Bear show in Vancouver last year, Elephantom guitarist, trumpet player and vocalist Sam Pearce tossed a CD copy of Swim. Toward The Sun. on to the stage.

He, along with his band mates, never thought that one of indie rock’s biggest bands of 2009 would listen to the CD, let alone send Elephantom an email praising their music and wishing them success.

For any band that knows why Grizzly Bear is such a hit nowadays - largely due to their critically acclaimed 2009 release, Vecktimest - a thumbs up from GB is an enormous endorsement, and is likely to get bloggers, music sites, and most importantly, indie fans, to take notice.

According to keyboardist and vocalist, Matt Aucoin, Grizzly Bear’s email hailed the Elephantom album as “really lovely,” adding, “we are in Vancouver all listening…thanks so much for sharing this with us. I hope you guys go far.”

The band features Pearce, Aucoin, bassist and guitarist Mike Cotter, guitarist and vocalist Trudie Kaiser, drummer and guitarist Nick Pope (who designed the album cover above), and lead guitarist, bassist and drummer Zach Trahan. All six of the band members are songwriters and multi-instrumentalists.

With Swim. Towards The Sun, Elephantom have created a breath-taking, rich, beautifully composed and produced album, full of spacious orchestrations, academic-style song titles and themes, spot-on vocals and harmonies, and oozing with a musical maturity that hints at a band that is headed for bigger and better things. They exhibit an enthusiasm and natural ability to sculpt songs that combine story-telling with elements of indie rock, jazz, cabaret, classical, folk, synth pop, psychedelic rock and so on.

In response to one of our questions, the band cited their major influences as Radiohead, Broken Social Scene and The Arcade Fire. Nevertheless, Elephantom have created their own original sound that really cannot be compared to anything else we’ve heard. There’s so much happening on this album - and the diversity of songs is so profound - that you may find yourself going back to listen to it again and again, and each time, likely discover new and fantastic things in the process.

Listening to the track “Aurora Surrealis,” you can close your eyes and imagine drifting away on a cloud on a glorious summer day, lifted by soft piano keys, French horns and the gorgeous vocals of Trudie Kaiser. “Citizen of the Earth” begins theatrically, and then eases into a seductive and sensual cinematic-cabaret swagger, interrupted by big blasts of sounds like some kind of cosmic orgasm.

We are excited to share a blog exclusive with you all - a demo version of Elephantom’s newest track, “I Am Your Head,” which Aucoin hopes will be on the band’s next album, even though a release date and title for the follow up to Swim have yet to be determined.

If all the right pieces falls into place, you are likely to hear a lot more about Elephantom in 2010.

“I Am Your Head” (demo) - Elephantom, from Nick Pope’s solo album St. Deviations Attack on The Castle Of Love, and planned for release on the band’s upcoming album (date and title TBD)

“Aurora Surrealis” - Elephantom from Swim. Toward the Sun. (2009)

“Citizen of the Earth” - Elephantom from Swim. Toward the Sun. (2009)

Here’s a YouTube video of a recent live performance of “I Am Your Head,” which created so much excitement among music listeners on Indie Bands Blog, that Elephantom were voted the top band of the week this past weekend.

Elephantom on MySpace

Elephantom official website

Download Swim. Towards the Sun. for free

Other Posts That You Might Enjoy:

Best Rarely Heard Songs of 2009, Vol. I - Ex Norwegian, We All Have Hooks for Hands, Pistol for Ringo and Fredrik

Best New Releases This Week (1/19/10): Spoon, Surfer Blood, The Eels, Feral Children, Editors, Big Star, Dinowalrus & Len Price 3

Favorite Indie and Alternative Songs of 2009, Vol. III: Neko Case, Public Radio, Bishop Allen, Harlem Shakes, Deer Tick & More

In Dee Mail Special Edition Vol. VII - Essex Chanel, Scares The Daylights and The Binary Marketing Show

Favorite Indie and Alternative Songs of 2009, Vol. II - The Big Pink, The Thermals, Dan Auerbach, Telekinesis, Faunts & More

Much more amazing music is on the way…

Putting the “in” in to Indie. Stop by Indie Rock Cafe for the best
bands, MP3s, videos, news, concert listings, festival updates, playlists and more.

The members of Grizzly Bear are fans. And so are we.

Boston area band Elephantom, a musical collective of high school and college aged musicians, are IRC’s first unsigned ‘band to watch’ of 2010. Plus, we have an exclusive new demo, “I Am Your Head,” provided by the band to IRC for all to hear.

But first, the back story.

Comparing them to the Danish band Efterklang, Grizzly Bear members recently endorsed Elephantom’s 2009 DIY debut LP, Swim. Toward the Sun. While the band were attending a Grizzly Bear show in Vancouver last year, Elephantom guitarist, trumpet player and vocalist Sam Pearce tossed a CD copy of Swim. Toward The Sun. on to the stage.

He, along with his band mates, never thought that one of indie rock’s biggest bands of 2009 would listen to the CD, let alone send Elephantom an email praising their music and wishing them success.

For any band that knows why Grizzly Bear is such a hit nowadays - largely due to their critically acclaimed 2009 release, Vecktimest - a thumbs up from GB is an enormous endorsement, and is likely to get bloggers, music sites, and most importantly, indie fans, to take notice.

According to keyboardist and vocalist, Matt Aucoin, Grizzly Bear’s email hailed the Elephantom album as “really lovely,” adding, “we are in Vancouver all listening…thanks so much for sharing this with us. I hope you guys go far.”

The band features Pearce, Aucoin, bassist and guitarist Mike Cotter, guitarist and vocalist Trudie Kaiser, drummer and guitarist Nick Pope (who designed the album cover above), and lead guitarist, bassist and drummer Zach Trahan. All six of the band members are songwriters and multi-instrumentalists.

With Swim. Towards The Sun, Elephantom have created a breath-taking, rich, beautifully composed and produced album, full of spacious orchestrations, academic-style song titles and themes, spot-on vocals and harmonies, and oozing with a musical maturity that hints at a band that is headed for bigger and better things. They exhibit an enthusiasm and natural ability to sculpt songs that combine story-telling with elements of indie rock, jazz, cabaret, classical, folk, synth pop, psychedelic rock and so on.

In response to one of our questions, the band cited their major influences as Radiohead, Broken Social Scene and The Arcade Fire. Nevertheless, Elephantom have created their own original sound that really cannot be compared to anything else we’ve heard. There’s so much happening on this album - and the diversity of songs is so profound - that you may find yourself going back to listen to it again and again, and each time, likely discover new and fantastic things in the process.

Listening to the track “Aurora Surrealis,” you can close your eyes and imagine drifting away on a cloud on a glorious summer day, lifted by soft piano keys, French horns and the gorgeous vocals of Trudie Kaiser. “Citizen of the Earth” begins theatrically, and then eases into a seductive and sensual cinematic-cabaret swagger, interrupted by big blasts of sounds like some kind of cosmic orgasm.

We are excited to share a blog exclusive with you all - a demo version of Elephantom’s newest track, “I Am Your Head,” which Aucoin hopes will be on the band’s next album, even though a release date and title for the follow up to Swim have yet to be determined.

If all the right pieces falls into place, you are likely to hear a lot more about Elephantom in 2010.

“I Am Your Head” (demo) - Elephantom, from upcoming album (date and title TBD)

“Aurora Surrealis” - Elephantom from Swim. Toward the Sun. (2009)

“Citizen of the Earth” - Elephantom from Swim. Toward the Sun. (2009)

Here’s a YouTube video of a recent live performance of “I Am Your Head,” which created so much excitement among music listeners on Indie Bands Blog, that Elephantom were voted the top band of the week this past weekend.

Elephantom on MySpace

Elephantom official website

Download Swim. Towards the Sun. for free

Other Posts That You Might Enjoy:

Best Rarely Heard Songs of 2009, Vol. I - Ex Norwegian, We All Have Hooks for Hands, Pistol for Ringo and Fredrik

Best New Releases This Week (1/19/10): Spoon, Surfer Blood, The Eels, Feral Children, Editors, Big Star, Dinowalrus & Len Price 3

Favorite Indie and Alternative Songs of 2009, Vol. III: Neko Case, Public Radio, Bishop Allen, Harlem Shakes, Deer Tick & More

In Dee Mail Special Edition Vol. VII - Essex Chanel, Scares The Daylights and The Binary Marketing Show

Favorite Indie and Alternative Songs of 2009, Vol. II - The Big Pink, The Thermals, Dan Auerbach, Telekinesis, Faunts & More

Much more amazing music is on the way…

Putting the “in” in to Indie. Stop by Indie Rock Cafe for the best
bands, MP3s, videos, news, concert listings, festival updates, playlists and more.

The idea for this playlist is simple - a collection of great songs from 2009 that most people probably haven’t heard. But we’re doing our little part to change that in this on-going mix series.

From the first spin of Ex-Norwegian’s debut CD, Standby, early in 2009, it was clear that the Miami band were going places. Although they are still mainly a little-known band with big talent, they’ve made rumbles within the indie rock world - especially in Florida - thanks to songs like the mini-hit, “Something Unreal,” the staccato rhythms of “Fujeira in My Dreams,” and the power pop hooks of “Fresh Pit.”

While their band name may not capture the imagination of the masses, their music is spirited, engaging and often irresistible. Put me on the mailing list for your next CD too guys!

“Something Unreal” - Ex-Norwegian from Standby

Ex-Norwegian on FaceBook

It’s not often that you hear about a band from South Dakota, a state better known for Mount Rushmore and Wounded Knee than a hotspring of musical talent. But Sioux Falls indie folk-pop band, and Afternoon Records recording artist, We All Have Hooks for Hands, have secured their piece of the Mid-West indie scene in recent years with their energetic, chorus-filled songs. Their second, and latest LP, The Shape of Energy, didn’t receive much buzz, but it’s a fine follow-up to their 2007 full-length debut, The Pretender.

“Made Up of Tiny Lights” - We All Have Hooks for Hands from The Shape of Energy

We All Have Hooks For Hands on MySpace

It’s hard to be a standout band - or even create a buzz - in a big, music-centric city like San Francisco, even with acclaimed singer/songwriter, playwright, author, and one-time troubadour piano man Sonny Smith at the helm. But the ever-changing line-up of Sonny and The Sunsets pump out “busted beach pop” that tells stories that touch on despair, aging, sexuality, and the absurdity, irony and humor of everyday life.

“Too Young to Burn (Tomorrow Is Alright)” - Sonny and the Sunsets from Tomorrow is Alright

Sonny and the Sunsets on MySpace

With a name like Pistol for Ringo, you can probably already guess what the most common question this LA-based band is asked; however, it’s more likely the band’s name is derivative of the 1965 Italian-Spanish spaghetti Western, A Pistol for Ringo, than pop music’s most famous drummer, Ringo Starr.

That said, the band’s penchant for 80s synth pop and well-crafted rock compositions won them praise for their debut LP, Solid State Neo-Hedonist. Pistol for Ringo’s 2009 four-track release, Slow Roller, failed to garner the same enthusiastic kudos as their accomplished debut LP, but still demonstrates AllMusic Guide’s 2008 declaration that the band have the “potential for making an unreservedly great dream pop/rock album.”

“Love Is Like Water” - Pistol for Ringo from Slow Roller

Pistol for Ringo on MySpace

What is it about Sweden that has been turning out so many amazing bands in recent years? And a lot of them are otherwise under-the-radar. This next band, Fredrik, is no exception. Their latest album, Trilogi, was largely overlooked, much to the dismay of folks who realize this is a band with talent and plenty of promise in the years to come. Put Fredrik on your bands to watch list for 2010 and beyond.

“Locked in the Basement” - Fredrik from Trilogi

Fredrik on MySpace

Check back, there will be more Best Rarely Heard Songs of 2009 and other 09 mixes, plus the hottest new releases of 2010.

Putting the “in” in to Indie. Stop by Indie Rock Cafe for the best
bands, MP3s, videos, news, concert listings, festival updates, playlists and more.

Volume Three of ours and your favorite songs of 2009 continues with songs that came out or were featured on IRC during March 2009. Some songs that would otherwise be represented are not because their MP3 links expired, but still this is a playlist still full of great tracks.

“Middle Cyclone” - Neko Case from Middle Cyclone

“Forgot Love” - Public Radio from Sweet Child

“Dimmer” - Bishop Allen from Grrr…

“Strictly Game” - Harlem Shakes from Technicolor Health

“Lalita” - The Love Language from s/t debut

“The Letter” - The Veils from Sun Gangs

“A Balloon On A Broken String” - The Boy Least Likely To from The Law of the Playground

“Easy” - Deer Tick from Born On Flag Day

“Living Time Like These” - Pinstripe 45s from s/t debut

“Running with the Wasters” - The Takeover UK from Running with the Wasters

“Elegy” - Caroline Weeks from Songs for Edna

“Fun Times at Whiskey Bar” - Caddywhompus from “EPs”

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

“La Llorona” - Beirut from March of the Zapotec

“The Hero Is A Graduate” - Mumblin Def Ro from Senor My Friend

“Tree Full of Ghosts” - Hungry Villagers from Little Fingers

“Please Believe Me” - Darrin Kohavi from s/t EP

“Permanent Scar” - O+S from s/t debut

“Long Live The Modern World” - Young Galaxy from Invisible Republic

“They Won’t See” - InBirdsEye from Tres Songs

“We Sing In Time” - The Lonely Forest from We Sing The Body Electric!

“Dirty White Coats” - The Flying Change from Pain is a Reliable Signal

“The Year Without A Summer” - Coltrane Motion from The Year Without A Summer

“I Love The Girls” - The City and Horses from I Don’t Want to Dream

“A Hand At Dusk” - Swan Lake from Enemy Mine

“My Love Explodes” (reissue) - XTC as Dukes of Stratosphere from 25 O’Clock

“Have A Nice Day” - Kinetic Stereokids from Kid Moves

“I Know My Ocean” - The Traditionalist from Season to Season

Putting the “in” in to Indie. Stop by Indie Rock Cafe for the best
bands, MP3s, videos, news, concert listings, festival updates, playlists and more.

It is still early in the new year, new decade, and so much fantastic music from 2009 that has spilled over that we would be remiss not to share it with all of you. Plus, our site stats show a lot of you are still looking for music from 2009 that you might have missed. In this on-going special edition of our popular In Dee Mail series, we are now on Volume Seven, with at least four to five more installments to publish in the coming weeks, not to mention 2010 releases as they come in, and the 12-part Favorite Songs of 2009 series.

Travis Lee Wiggins started Essex Chanel in Chicago in 2005 as an effort to go in different musical directions than his first band, Fetla. After Fetla imposed a two-year hiatus in the fall of 2005, Essex Chanel became Wiggins’s primary focus. Since then, in addition to creating the Sweet Goodness record label, Wiggins collaborated with a collective of local musicians to perform his songs, all of which - nearly 250 tracks - are now available for free - a remarkable and charitable gift, especially considering the caliber of the music.

We first heard Essex Chanel’s 2009 album, Love is Proximity, last fall, and they immediately went up on our radar. Love is Proximity Sessions, Disk 2, will be available on January 26th.

“Skinny Dippin” - Essex Chanel from Love is Proximity (2009)

“She Cuts His Hair” - Essex Chanel from Love is Proximity Sessions, Disk 1 (2009)

“It Was All Because of the Icy Stairs” - Essex Channel from January 2007 (2007)

Essex Channel on MySpace
Download hundreds of their songs for free

Brooklyn-based musical project Scares The Daylights released a folk-pop drenched, prog-rock heavy LP, Burn The Bed, late in 2009 that went largely unnoticed by most music blogs, to the detriment of indie music fans. The musical project is the brainchild of White Shoe Records‘ founder Neil Lipuma. The label has spawned indie artists such as The City and Horses, The Exeter Popes and Twice As Bright, all of whom contributed to Burn The Bed.

Lipuma’s project is largely influenced by the break-up with his long-term girlfriend, and leaving his day job to work as an assistant engineer with Sear Sound, where he contributed to releases from The Killers, Richie Havens and Lykka Li & Bjorn Yttling. Burn The Bed is the product of an introspective man whose adolescence was dominated by the music of R.E.M. and The Smiths, and whose adult life coincided with the onset of the indie rock explosion. Lipuma’s songs are quirky, fun, mellow, and colored by his distinctive vocals, arrangements and poetic, even silly, lyrics, with an underlying ode to Americana.

“Divorces” - Scares The Daylights from Burn The Bed (2009)

“Lion Chair” - Scares The Daylights from Burn The Bed (2009)

Scares The Daylights on MySpace
White Shoe Records official site

Here are some other free MP3s from White Shoe Records‘ recording artists:

“You Are The Sun” - Water Fai from Girls In the White Dream (2008)

“I Love The Girls” - The City and Horses from I Don’t Want to Dream (2009)

Another Brooklyn band, The Binary Marketing Show, have made ripples in the huge indie music pond of the NYC borough in the past year or so, especially thanks to their new LP and opening gigs for Animal Collective, Explosions in the Sky, MGMT and Miccachu and the Shapes.

BMS’s music is dense, experimental, minimalistic pop, full of African-influenced drum beats, nasaly vocals, ambient loops and sound effects. TBMS started as the musical project of Abram Morphew and Jason Meeks in 2000 in Conway, Arkansas.

By the time they moved to Brooklyn in 2007, Meeks and Morphew were playing shows as a duo that eventually involved into a full quartet. Last summer, they released their third full-length record, Pattern, with the stand-out track, “Shape of Your Head.”

“Shape of Your Head” - The Binary Marketing Show from Pattern (2009)

“Tesseract” - The Binary Marketing Show from Pattern (2009)

The Binary Marketing Show on MySpace

Previous Installment of the In Dee Mail Special Edition series:
(oodles of fab music you’ve probably never heard; sent to IRC in the mail)

In Dee Mail Special Edition, Vol. VI - Sore Eros, The Melloncollies, Himalaya and Matias Aguayo

In Dee Mail Special Edition, Vol. V: Army of Me, Threes and Nines, Trees and Trashcans and Lefse Records’ Artists

In Dee Mail Special Edition, Vol. IV: Tiny Tin Hearts, Flotation Walls, Twilight Revival, Oryan, The Sidewalk Driver and Rolf Lislevand

In Dee Mail Special Edition, Vol. III: Elephant Stone, Clock Hands Strangle, The Sun, Six Simple Songs, Aeroplane Pageant, Lemonwilde & More

In Dee Mail Special Edition, Vol. II: Dylan in the Movies, The Fling, East Hundred, Maklak, Said The Whale & Nheap

In Dee Mail Special Edition, Vol. I: Sean Walsh & The National Reserve, Devries, Jupiter One, Julian Plenti and Parlour Steps

Putting the “in” in to Indie. Stop by Indie Rock Cafe for the best
bands, MP3s, videos, news, concert listings, festival updates, playlists and more.

Earlier this week, we published the first installment of what were ours, and by measurement, your, favorite 2009 songs. The decision was made not to make a 2009 “best of” list because it’s presumptuous, and depends on the definition of what qualifies as “best.” Sales? Social media mentions? MySpace page views? Late night talk show appearances? Google searches? All that and more?

It’s simply too complicated to pick “best” songs, and much easier to pick favorites. So, this series of playlists in coming weeks will feature favorite songs we posted throughout 2009, by the month they were originally posted, not necessarily the official release date. The song order on each playlist is random - no top tens for this series.

Last week, we covered the month or January, today is February’s mix, and thereafter each subsequent month until December. 2009 was a blockbuster year flooded with one amazing indie or alternative music release after another.

In some cases, fantastic songs that were originally posted on IRC, and provided by bands, labels and promotion companies, have since expired and could not be included. February was a fairly thin month, but in upcoming posts covering much of the spring, summer and fall of 2009, there were many terrific releases.

In addition to this 12-part series that will run for the next few weeks, we still have plenty of sweet tracks to share with you in the on-going In Dee Mail Special Edition, featuring great music that was mailed to us by mostly unsigned, or small label, artists and bands from around the world.

February 2009

“Dominos” - The Big Pink from A Brief History of Love

“Everyday” - Vetiver from Tight Knit

“Now We Can See” - The Thermals from Now We Can See

“Explain” - Faunts from Feel Love Thinking Of

“I Want Some More” - Dan Auerbach from Keep It Hid

“Loss of God” - Wolves in the Attic from Electronic Hearts

“Come Back (Now That I’m Here)” - Leopold and His Fiction from Ain’t No Surprise

“Ship” - Throw Me The Statue from Purple Face

“Future Primitive” - Papercuts from You Can Have What You Want

“Flic Knives” - The Understudies from split 7″

“Coast Carolina” - Telekinesis from s/t debut

“Two” - The Antlers from Hospice

“Everything With You” - The Pains of Being Pure At Heart from s/t debut

“I Have Laid in the Darkness of Doubt” - Mazes from s/t debut

“Exposure” - Peasant from On the Ground

See the first installment Favorite Indie and Alternative Songs of 2009, featuring Animal Collective, Bon Iver, Titus Andronicus, In Flight Safety, It Hugs Back, 1900s, New Villager, Strand of Oaks, East Hundred, Friendly Foes, Odawas, Cotton Jones, Cut Off Your Hands, Deastro, AC Newman and Or, The Whale.

Putting the “in” in to Indie. Stop by Indie Rock Cafe for the best
bands, MP3s, videos, news, concert listings, festival updates, playlists and more.