New Architecture!

So, these last two weeks I've been slipping at the whole post-frequency. Believe me, I'm not happy about it either. This summer has been extremely routine and repetitive in terms of what I do and when I do it. It's not like I have a shortage of free time, but since it is broken up by activities, I've been hard-pressed to motivate myself to really do anything. But oh well I guess.

One of the things that has definitely put a bright spot on my summer so far is the upcoming album from everyone's favorite australian octet, Architecture In Helsinki. The new album, Places Like This, is due out in August. It is the band's third LP and so far, at least from the couple of weeks that I have had it, it is my favorite. (Yes, I got the leaked version. Can you blame me? But don't think I won't be standing in line for it on that day in August.)

The band's sound in the old days was considerably more playful than the more recent work. The poppiness and multiple vocals have remained, but now they come with a certain earnestness in the music. This is most demonstrated on the excellent kind of bridge in "Heart It Races" when the female vocalist starts shouting what i thiiink is "How To Miss Someone." Correct me if I'm wrong. In any case, that part gives me chills everytime I hear it, and it's that kind of thing that has really made this album. The release is solid from top to bottom with it's playfully-earnest sincerety. Today I have the single as-is for you, as well as a remix by Yacht, which is in my opinion the best of the ones out there right now. As always, if you like what you do be hearing, go ahead and meander over here to fill up that record collection.

Architecture In Helsinki-Heart It Races
Architecture In Helsinki-Heart It Races (Yacht's Remix)

Bonus mp3s! I also have to mp3s from 2006's remix album, We Died, They Remixed. It is a sin how playful they are.

Architecture In Helsinki-It'5 (33hz & Ming Mix)
Architecture In Helsinki-Wishbone (Franc Tetaz Mix)

Tonight I Have To Leave It

For those of you that haven't noticed, Sweden (especially Stockholm) has been pumping out the indie bands lately. Recently, bands such as The Knife, Radio Dept., Jose Gonzalez, and I'm From Barcelona have burst onto the indie scene. One of the reasons mentioned for the growing popularity is originality. Bands from Sweden seem to follow in nobody's footsteps, unlike some bands in the US and UK that try to follow the scene.

One thing pretty distinctive about indie music in Sweden is the emphasis on using very sweet melodies. Describing possible reasons for this, Andres Lokko, a Swedish journalist living in London, says "Because English is the language of pop music, there is always more emphasis in Sweden on melodies. And Sweden is cold, so maybe we need sweeter melodies."

Anyway, on to the Shout Out Louds. When Howl Howl Gaff Gaff was released a couple of years ago, it was all I could do to not burst into a rendition of "The Comeback" every other moment. I was often unsuccessful. The debut was full of ridiculously catchy songs from front to back. It stayed on heavy rotation on my iPod for quite a while. From raucous inspiring anthems such as the afore mentioned "The Comeback" to slower more emotional ballads like "A Track and a Train," the Shout Out Louds quickly became my favorite band from Sweden.

In April, the band's sophomore effort, Our Ill Wills was released across Europe. Unfortunately, the album isn't released in the U.S. until September. The album was produced by Björn Yttling, and it is really apparent in parts were alternate percussion parts come through. The percussion in "Tonight I Have To Leave It" is especially strong, with (perhaps) steel drums leading off the track and different pitched cowbells spicing the melody up.

The band also released an EP, Tonight I Have To Leave It, which is available on Emusic. I nabbed it right away, and I highly recommend all of you out there do so. In addition to the single the EP takes its title from, there are to remixes of the title track and two other songs that are both very good. Of course, I have some mp3's for you guys. "Streams of Whiskey" is a really great cover of the old Pogues song.

Shout Out Louds-Tonight I Have To Leave It
Shout Out Louds-Streams of Whiskey (Pogues Cover)

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

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.

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