Okkervil River and The Fountain

Take 1 part The Killers, 1 part The Arcade Fire, and then throw in The Shins for good measure. What do you get? Okkervil River, the band that I was fortunate enough to discover this week. Now, to be fair, they've been an established indie band for awhile now, I was just trying to describe them with my past experience.

Okkervil River is an incredibly amazing quintet combining the best of folk, blues, alt. country, and bluegrass. I really cannot get enough of them, and it saddens me that I've not discovered them till now. By the way, they record on the awesome Indiana label Jagjaguwar, one of my faves because of their labelmates Sunset Rubdown.

Enjoy the tracks... "Our Life Is Not A Movie Or Maybe" is a newer track that is getting quite popular on the blog scene. They will be releasing an LP on August 7th, their 5th, entitled The Stage Names. I look forward to the release greatly. If you'd like to buy some of this band's top-notch music, click here. Trust me- you need this band.

Okkervil River-Our Life Is Not A Movie Or Maybe
Okkervil River-For Real

On the subject of bodies of water you absolutely have to experience... why don't you go rent The Fountain?




The Fountain is an amazing movie by "guerrilla director" Darren Aronofsky, the man behind Pi and Requiem for a Dream. If you feel like movies nowadays are just stupid little ways for you to not focus on anything for two hours in a dark room, this film will set you straight. Visually, it is a masterpiece, Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz are both amazing actors, and the theme- mortality and love- is consuming.

Of course, this is a music blog. So, naturally, the main reason I brought this up is because of how much I love the soundtrack. Clint Mansell works together with the Kronos Quartet and Mogwai to produce some really great songs, which I wholeheartedly recommend. If you like Mogwai, you'll like the soundtrack. Here, have a listen.

Clint Mansell (feat. Mogwai)-Stay With Me

On a side note, there's a really cool remix competition based on the score going on at www.thefountainremixed.com. If you're into that kind of thing, I suggest heading over there.

As I am leaving for Spain on Tuesday, and I have loads of packing and farewelling to do, this will probably be my last post till August. Mikey'll definitely be able to keep things under control on his own. Anticipate a lot more posting and album reviews from me upon my return. Take care, everyone.

Nomo

A few weeks back, I saw Nomo live in the cold (it was about 35 degrees) at WIUX culture shock, and, to say the least, they stood out. Overall, I think they had they had some of the most talent there, rivaled by only Maps And Atlases. The other reason they stood out was that they were so incredibly different from the rest of the bands there. The funk-jazz mix they brought from Michigan pretty much transcended everything else in terms of overall complexity of sound, again with just Maps and Atlases competing with their own busy sound. Nomo's music really grooves, noted by the fact that they were the only band able to get people to semi-dance (shun....)

What made Nomo's show even more outstanding was the fact that they had to deal with not just slow moving fingers but cold wind instruments. And I'll tell you, except for a couple missed notes and stumbles on trumpet solos, the show was extremely clean. (For those of you that haven't done it, playing a brass instrument in bitter cold is one of the hardest things known to man. Valves freeze and shit hits the fan.) At some point, I would like to see the band live at a warmer venue. If they were so good near freezing, I can't imagine how mind-blowing they would be at a good temperature. Here's an mp3 for you guys. Man, that bari sax sounds so good...

Nomo-Better Than That

Check out Nomo's myspace. And if you're likin' what you hear, buy some of their stuff right here.

The Basement

I should probably start by apologizing for a couple of things. First, I haven't posted in awhile, which I feel bad about. My busy schedule... ugh, I don't appreciate not having time for music. Second, I won't be posting at all June 5th-July 22nd, since I will be heading to Leon, Spain, to study the Spanish language. Hopefully, though, I'll be able to peruse the indie-scene over there, and bring some tracks back over the pond to the U.S. I'm sure Mikey will be able to hold down the fort, as he's already pretty much been doing. But, anyway, on to the music.

Q Magazine sums up my feelings about this band fairly well: "The Basement sound wise beyond their years, rather than old before their time." After listening to a lot of their debut album Illicit Hugs and Playground Thugs, which debuted in the states on May 8th, I can say that that is what impressed me most: The Basement really sounds like a band that has been performing together for years (which, by the way, is the case, though the band name is relatively new).

This Irish power-folk band that developed its sound in a shoddy flat in Liverpool has all the sound and feeling of a quartet that will definitely be around for awhile. Front-man John Mullin has a great voice, and a feel for lyrics that makes the mundane seem interesting, the everyday mystical. The Basement is:
John Mullin- singer, guitarist and song-writer
Mark McCausland-lead guitar
Graeme Hassall-bass
and
Declan McManus-drums

They have a crafted sound, and their songs are both broad and interesting, with not too much of one style or instrument at any one point. But, let's let the music speak for itself, shall we? "Bringing Out the Dead" is a B-Side instrumental that I'm sure you'll enjoy; "It's A Kinda Love" is definitely my favorite, though "I Just Caught A Face" is probably their most well-known track as of yet. Enjoy!

The Basement-Bringing Out The Dead
The Basement-Do You Think You're Movin' On?
The Basement-It's A Kinda Love
The Basement-I Just Caught A Face

If you like what you hear, buy some of their stuff right here.

65 Days Of Static

65 Days of Static is an experimental electonica post-rock instrumental band. A mouthful to be sure, but quite true. The UK band plays appropriatly staticky and gritty mix of driving guitar and pounding drums. The melody over all the happenings going on is distinctly catchy, sometimes a guitar and oftentimes a keyboard. The music moves at 100 miles an hour and immerses you in an all new world. I hear their live show is pretty sweet, which wouldn't surprise me, based on the type of music they play.

The guys recently released their third studio album, The Destruction of Small Ideas. The album is softer overall, with more piano and a little less electronica. "Don't Go Down To Sorrow" is a storybook song that utilizes both a very quiet piano melody part and an upbeat loud guitar-driven part. Check out their myspace. If you like the mp3s, buy some of their stuff. And, some songs.

65 Days of Static-Don't Go Down To Sorrow
65 Days of Static-Drove Through Ghosts To Get Here

New Sunset Rubdown Album!

So, Sunset Rubdown has officially announced the date of their next album release. The third full-length will be titled Random Spirit Lover, and will be released on the label Jagjaguwar, the same label of another group graced by Spencer Krug, Swan Lake. The album is due to be released at sometime in October. There is still no date announced for the sophmore release by the group that has spawned all of these side-projects, Wolf Parade. The group has said that they are close to finishing recording, so expect a release date soon.

About a month ago, I saw Sunset Rubdown live at Wiux's Culture Shock. (If you remember, Maps and Atlases was another group I was fortunate enough to see there. I have to admit, Sunset Rubdown's show wasn't as good as I would have hoped, but it was absolutely nothing to do with them. The temperature was below freezing, the wind was harsh, and technical difficulties were abundant. Amid the ridiculously unfortunate problems, the band was still somehow able to get off a few pretty good tracks, so it ended up all right. I hope to see them sometime again in concert. Here's a couple of tracks.

Sunset Rubdown-Stadims and Shrines II
Sunset Rubdown-Empty Threats of Little Lord

Buy some of their older stuff here.

Casados

Casados is an indie folk band that caught my ear with their constant vocal harmonies over simple yet fitting rock-country fusion guitar parts. Since I stumbled over this Champagne, Illinois duo, their track "Panama" has been on heavy rotation. The band is made up of Nic and Heather Dillon and are yet unsigned. I have a feeling it won't be this way for long, though. I think they will be able to break through with their smooth laid-back indie-country sound.

Casados self-released an EP entitled Passages a month ago. Buy it here. Here is their Myspace, and here is their site. As always, mp3s.

Casados-Panama
Casados-Unraveling

Göra sval musik!

Okay, I'll admit it. The first time I listened to Swedish pop group Salty Pirates, I was a little weirded out. The mixture of strange-to-the-point-of-awkward lyrics and goofy guitar melodies was almost too much for me. And yet... I continued to listen. I realized that this band, for some reason, made me very, very happy. So light, so carefree... so... Swedish. How could I not enjoy it?

Another reason why these guys kick ass is that their music is 100% free. That's right, you heard me. They don't release albums, they post them on their website, which, by the way, you should visit. The idea of free music is something that I just cannot deny, so even if this band didn't absolutely rock, I'd still probably like them.

Even though you can get all of their music at their site, I'll still put up two of my personal favorites. "Fire Deathstar, Fire" opens with a sweet nintendo-like synth riff that leads into a vocal line backed by ridiculously high-pitched background vocal harmonies, and a cool organ part. Can you say "instant classic"? "Black Minds, White Lies" is a cool little guitar ditty that sort of reminds me of a mix between The White Stripes and The Hives. That is, until the vocals come in. Those are totally unique. Plus, if you turn up your speakers at the very beginning, you can hear some Swedish dialogue. Njuta av!

Salty Pirates-Fire Deathstar, Fire
Salty Pirates-Black Minds, White Lies

Return of Simple

Return of Simple is an indie piano pop band out of Cleveland, Ohio that caught my eye with a comparison of Ben Folds, who I personally think kicks ass. And I can definitely see why this guitarless trio got that comparison. They employ poppy, driving piano extremely reminiscent of Ben Folds. Added to the piano are light catchy lyrics with soulful explosions.

The band recently independently released a nine-song EP titled Saffron EP. I highly recommend buying it. Check out their myspace, and here is their site. And, some mp3s...

Return of Simple-Saffron
Return of Simple-Hover

Sea Wolf

Irving bassist Alex Bell Church's folky side project, Sea Wolf, just released their debut EP, Get To The River Before It Runs Too Low, yesterday (Buy). Playing with him on the record are some former band mates, as well as former Elliot Smith drummer Scott McPherson. I was already a big fan of Irving, so I thought I'd give the new band a listen.

While Sea Wolf is perhaps less driving than its progenitor, it has just the right mix of instruments to create great pieces that keep me interested from start to finish. For example, on my particular favorite, "The Garden That You Planted," Church incorporates smooth finger picking, a subtle, melodious lead part, and some amazingly enhancing cello to create an incredibly memorable track that I just never get tired of. The guy has a pretty sweet voice, too.

All in all, this band is one I would recommend to any previous fan of Irving, and also to anyone wanting to get into some great new folk. You won't be let down.

Sea Wolf-You're A Wolf
Sea Wolf-The Garden That You Planted

Some Local Stuff

This Story

So, in case anyone didn't know, there is some damn good indie music here in the midwest. So, today, I thought I would talk about a few of the really good local bands there are. Let us start with This Story.

This Story makes their home in Muncie, Indiana and are probably one of my favorite artists overall. They have released one album, Darling It's War (buy) and have a sound that I would call what would happen if Bright Eyes and Sufjan Stevens had a jam session. I'm also a sucker for male/female harmonies, something that This Story employs all the time.

When the band plays live, they can barely fit on a stage, they have so many members. So, naturally, the music sounds busy. But oddly, This Story has found away to make it not too overwhelming. Colorful banjolin lines mix with chiming bells and jazzy trumpet mixes with bluesy guitar, but it all...fits. Once you listen, you will understand. By the way, these guys are amazing live. Oh, and here is their myspace.

This Story-Old Slave Hymnal
This Story-Mothers In Kitchens
This Story-Something Before Death

A surprising off-note is that each individual member of the band actually recorded their part seperately. I have no idea how they made it blend like they did.



Arrah And The Ferns is a Muncie three-piece that is derived from former This Story members. The brand brings a poppy mix of music that they hope will bring a smile to everyone's face. Although they have just three members, they often give off a sense of business just like This Story. They also employ the banjolin to juice up their songs. All three members can play many instruments. It is just a beautiful mix of indie folk that is hard to pass up. Check out their myspace.

Arrah and the Ferns-Science Books
Arrah and the Ferns-Problems



Margot and the Nuclear So So's is another large Indiana indie folk band. With nine members, the band composes what sometimes comes out as a light catchy pop sound and other times a more ambient kind of post-rock. The band employs traditional rock instruments (guitar, bass, drums, piano, etc.) along with violin and trumpet. The sound is noticably less busy than the two previous bands' sounds can be. They have one full length album out, The Dust of Retreat (buy.) I have never seen this band live, but intend to as soon as possible. Check out their myspace.

Margot and the Nuclear So So's-A Sea Chanty Of Sorts
Margot and the Nuclear So So's-Jen Is Bringing The Drugs
Margot and the Nuclear So So's-Quiet As A Mouse



I went to Wiux's Culture Shock a few weeks ago (which, by the way, was amazing.) I went in pumped to see Sunset Rubdown and Xiu Xiu. I came out dazed by the ridiculous talent I had seen that day from the math-rock group Maps and Atlases. Normally a four-piece, the Chicago act's fourth member, one of the guitarists, was still on the road when the band performed. And let me tell you, it didn't hurt them at all.

All three members had ridiculous talent, from the bass player who tapped half the time to the guitarist that shredded as fast as I have ever seen live while he was singing, to the drummer who was the backbone of the band, thumping out complex, pounding rhythms all show long. The songs are flurries of fantastically fast guitar parts mixed with some extremely unique vocals.

The band has released one album, Tree, Swallows, House (buy.) Check out their myspace.

Maps and Atlases-Everyplace is a House

New Interpol

So, Interpol is about to release another album, their third full-length of their career. In case you never really got into Interpol all that much, the main thing about them that I can say is that they have a pretty distintive sound. The vocals are laid back and extremely dark sounding, accompanied by a mix of pulsing bass and choppy guitar parts. The group really gels, with seamless transitions and every part blending in.

The group has seen lots of success with their last two albums, Turn on the Bright Lights and Antics. For me, Turn on the Bright Lights was the winner of the two, although Antics recieved more commercial success, with the popular single "Slow Hands." The band has garnered many comparisons to post-punk bands like Joy Division and The Chameleons.

A little over a week ago, Interpol announced the title for the new album, Our Love To Admire, and a release date, July 10, 2007. Soon after, they released a single, "The Heinrich Maneuver," which many have likened to "Slow Hands." This was after playing a Friday night set at Coachella April 27, a set which included a few new tracks. I have two of the tracks here for you to download, plus the single. Note that the two Coachella tracks were recorded live and therefore are not the best quality.

"Pioneer To The Falls" is an extremely good song in my opinion, better than "The Heinrich Maneuver," though I can see why the band, or the label, whatever the case, chose the single that they did, seeing as it is much catchier. Anyway, onto the mp3s.

Interpol-The Heinrich Maneuver
Interpol-Pioneer To The Falls
Interpol-Mammoth

Buy some of Interpol's older stuff here.

Voxtrot

This cool, poppy group hails from Austin, Texas. While their popularity has mostly been spreading by word-of-mouth, they've been praised by Pitchfork and by Spin. I really dig their peppy rhythm guitar, and their smooth, mellow vocals. Their first full-length album, Voxtrot, is due for release on the 22nd.

The band has released a number of EP's and singles in the U.S. and Europe. Lead singer Ramesh Srivastava keeps a pretty sweet website, I recommend it if you'd like to find out more. Also, a good friend of the band has recorded a mini-series on the making of their album; you can find out more through their site.

I'll be honest, guys, I am really excited about this upcoming record, and I really think this group is going places. Listen to them yourself, and see what you think of them.

Voxtrot-Mothers, Sisters, Daughters & Wives
Voxtrot-Trouble
Voxtrot-Kid Gloves
Voxtrot-The Start Of Something

Buy some of their stuff here.

Electric Soft Parade

The Electic Soft Parade are an English indie rock band composed of brothers Alex and Tom White, who are joined by several other members for live shows. The pair combine catchy poppy guitar parts with laid back singing and sometimes flashy synth parts. The result is a notably humable chilled out bob-your-head style of music. The band recently released their third full length album, No Need To Be Downhearted. If you like the mp3s, you can buy some of their stuff here. For more information, their myspace is here.

In addition to Electric Soft Parade, Alex and Tom are also in side project Brakes, a band completely different from their original work. It is a hard rock version that spins out quick songs rather than the relaxed style of Electric Soft Parade.

Electric Soft Parade-If That's The Case, Then I Don't Know
Electric Soft Parade-Life In The Backseat

Sir Salvatore

Greetings, one and all. As far as introductions go, I'm Eric, I love music, and I want to spread the word about lesser known bands who I think kick ass. Right, so on to the music (I'm sure I'll get better at this eventually).

I'd like to introduce the California indie quartet Sir Salvatore. With pumping bass lines, upbeat vocals, and an extremely diverse sound not entirely unlike a lighter version of The Strokes, they're sure to become a success. They just released their debut EP, Those Men Are Not Astronauts. Here are two great songs from that record; hope you're as into them as I am. To learn more, go to their website, www.sirsalvatore.com.

Sir Salvatore-Hooray This Projector
Sir Salvatore-Public Key

Aether

Hailing from Columbus, Ohio, Aether brings a mix of noise pop and electronica, labled indietronica. With underlying ambient electronic noise and catchy vocals, these guys are definitely an act to check out if you're in the Columbus area. As far as I know, their touring experience is nearly solely limited to Ohio, unfortunately. The band released their debut Aethersound. The album is described as thus on their myspace: "if shoegazer and electronica were involved in a car wreck at 135BPM." Here is their Myspace. You can buy their album here.

Aether-Alabaster

Hello.

So, the new Bright Eyes album Cassadaga is receiving a whole mess of press. Rightfully so, considering the quality of the album and considering how hyped it has been in the last few months. Thankfully, I think we can say that the album hasn't been a victim of too much hype, like what happened to Bloc Party's sophomore effort, Weekend in the City. So much hype was created for the follow up to the hit Silent Alarm that anything even different from their debut would be bashed, which is what happened.

I think the reason that this has not happened to Cassadaga is the fact that for months people have known that it would have a country feel and therefore did not expect anything in particular. The album was received with open arms for the most part, debuting at #4 on the Billboard 200. Right now for me, it is their second best album, after the emotionally bare Fevers and Mirrors. Buy some of their stuff here.

Now, I leave you with mp3s. The first is my favorite from Cassadaga, followed by a song in which I believe Conor Oberst was 15 during the recording of. Naturally, it is raw emotionally, like the final track, from Fevers and Mirrors.

Bright Eyes-If The Brakeman Turns My Way
Bright Eyes-A Line Allows Progress, A Circle Does Not
Bright Eyes-The Calender Hung Itself