Jun 07, 2010

Last week, Paste premiered the Cotton Jones’ “Glorylight and Christie,” the debut single off the alt-country band’s second LP, Tall Hours in the Glowstream. The album streets August 24 via Suicide Squeeze. Where the songs on Paranoid Cocoon tended towards psychedelic jam sessions, Michael Nau and Whitney McGraw cut the fat on “Glorylight and Christie.”

The twangy and soulful country-rocker reflects the duo’s move to Athens, GA from their hometown of Cumberland, MD. This summer, CJ will tour North America with The Parson Red Heads, Fruit Bats, and The Roadside Graves. See full details here.

Jun 04, 2010

German post-classical composer Max Richter‘s fifth LP, infra, streets July 19 (U.K., Europe, World) and July 20 (U.S., Canada) via FatCat. For more details on it and Richter’s upcoming score work, go here. The travel-centric song suite was originally a Royal Ballet-commissioned partnership between Richter, choreographer Wayne McGregor, and artist Julian Opie, and debuted at London’s Royal Opera House in November 2008. The expanded piece, infra features music written for piano, electronics, and string quintet.

The 13 songs were inspired by T.S. Eliot‘s epic poem, The Waste Land, and titled after the Latin word for “below.” We’ve got the debut downloadable track off the LP. It’s called “Infra 4,” and is on of a total of eight similarly titled songs. That collection and five “Journey” tunes comprise infra‘s balletic, Schubert-esque melodies. Richter plans to tour the U.S. this fall.

Jun 04, 2010

The Drums just wrapped up a supporting stint for Florence and the Machine in the U.K.. Now, they’re preparing to release their eponymous LP on June 7. The new wave and post-punk foursome’s new single, “Forever and Ever Amen” is out now and today we’ve got a dreamy Saint Etienne remix for free download.

Watch the original song’s vid here. The Drums will tour Europe this summer. Also, download The Drums’ Cure-esque guitar-popper, “It Will All End In Tears,” at the band’s website.

Jun 04, 2010

Watch on YouTube

Josh Ritter‘s stately piano waltz, “The Curse,” centers on the strange romance between a mummy and an archeologist. In less capable hands, this curio would be downright hokey, but Ritter manages to evoke melodic pathos alongside the absurdity of the track’s lyrics. Its official music video aims to compliment the enchanting musical tale with the handmade visuals of puppeteer, Liam Hurley. (He also drums for Ritter’s Royal City Band.)

Verdict: It’s extremely cute. Check it out. Ritter’s sixth LP, So Runs the World Away, is out now, and his RCB are touring the U.S. this summer. (Via Filter Mag.)

Jun 04, 2010

Wild Nothing, is the excellent solo venture of Virginia Tech student/Facepaint guitarist/Jack and the Whale member Jack Tatum. His debut full-length album, Gemini, is out now via Captured Tracks, and it’s bursting at the seams with summery and maudlin jams.

On Gemini, Tatum’s vox burbles in a foamy and sun-soaked ether, but the melodies stay strong even through the haze. New downloadable cut, “Chinatown,” pinpoints the dream-popper’s love for ‘80s bands such as Cocteau Twins, My Bloody Valentine, The Shop Assistants, The Go-Betweens, and Kate Bush. The latter he covered in 2009 (“Cloudbusting”). Make sure to watch the lo-fi vid for the percussive “Chinatown.” It features scenes from the 1969 short film Clown by Richard Balducci.

Also, Tatum’s supporting Neon Indian this summer with his full band, which includes Jeff Haley (bass), Nathan Goodman (guitar and synthesizer) and Max Brooks (drums).

Jun 03, 2010

Check out Carissa’s Wierd’s “Die.” It’s a lush and plaintive folk-rock cut off the former Seattle indie band’s “Greatest Hits” compilation, They’ll Only Miss You When You Leave: Songs 1996-2003, due July 13 via Hardly Art. The first 50 pre-orders get an extremely limited promo 7-inch (on pink vinyl). That features “Die,” with the B-side “Diggin’ a Hole.”

Jun 02, 2010

The Tough Alliance‘s Eric Berglund has a new solo project called ceo. His debut LP, White Magic, streets on June 28 (U.K./Europe), June 29 (U.S.), and July 2 (AUS), via Modular. Pre-order from the Mod Shop.

Recently, Modular premiered the first downloadable cut, “Come With Me.” The dreamy, steel drum-laden track abandons some of TTA’s Balearic aura for a straight-up summer jam about letting yourself get swept away by romance, quasi-spiritual awakenings, et al. As the sampled hook says: “I keep it real.” Also, watch Marcus Söderlund‘s symbolism-heavy, black-and-white vid below.

ceo: “Come With Me” Video