Sep 22, 2009

The U.K. ambient rock band Codes In the Clouds released its North American debut, Paper Canyon on Erased Tapes last Tuesday. Here’s the drifting soundscape “Don’t Go Awash In This Digital Landscape.” The build-and-release sound of post-rock groups such as Explosions in the Sky and Mogwai are obvious touchstones for the young Kent quintet. They recorded the haunting LP in five days with Justin Lockey (Bloc Party/Milo/Enter Shakari). Enjoy their entrancing music when it starts raining outside.

The band will also release a free download remix album entitled Paper Canyon Recycled sometime in the winter. Friends and contributions from Paul Mullen (The Automatic) litter that releases barren soundscapes. The group’s also starting a fresh batch of Euro dates next Monday.

Sep 22, 2009

Last year, the Jönköping, Sweden trio The Mary Onettes started recording Islands, the follow-up to 2005 debut Make Me Last. They had around 5-6 finished tracks in the summer of 2008 that centered on the passing of the close family and friends of Philip Ekström (singer and songwriter of the trio). Though the album was largely done, the computer that housed the group’s audio stems was stolen at the same time as the back-up drive broke. The group had to start from scratch but decided to add more organic instrumentation, i.e. - pianos, strings and children’s choirs.

Single “Puzzles” is a prime example of the bold aesthetic that was born out of the ashes. The indie dream pop band will release the “Puzzles” single on September 30th but you can listen to it above in all its string-laden, heart-swelling glory. Ekström’s lyrics fall in line with the rest of the new LP, by focusing on the impermanence of youth, love and the shadow of death on the horizon.

Despite the band’s trials, this Echo and the Bunnymen-esque cut is an uplifting paen to staying up all night in spite of your problems. The spectre of a worldwide recession hangs over us all but when Ekström sings, “let’s make this year look good tonight,” you can’t help but be emboldened. His strategy to solve the puzzle of death by squeezing out every moment of life is something we all do. Islands will be released Novermber 3rd, via Labrador Records.

Sep 21, 2009

Watch on YouTube

Vivian Girls’ new performance clip for “When I’m Gone” was recorded by Brady Hall in his wrecked house in Seattle. Even amongst the ruin of the landscape the Girls shimmer and dazzle on the Everything Goes Wrong single. Guitarist/vocalist Cassie Ramone is certainly getting into it. When Hall’s not directing music videos he’s also the lyricist and drummer for the group Steaming Wolf Penis, as his alter ego Jerkbeast. He also directed “Moped Girls.”

VG’s Everything Goes Wrong is out now via In the Red. Also, check out our recent photographic coverage of their L.A. concert at The Echo. All remaining concert dates can be found at the Brooklyn trio’s Myspace.

Sep 21, 2009

Watch on YouTube

Though the above video isn’t official or authorized by either Thom Yorke or Banksy, it’s a nice visual representation of the Radiohead frontman’s glitchy solo song, “The Hollow Earth.” The track is on the flip side to his new single, “Feeling Pulled Apart by Horses”, which is available to purchase at Radiohead’s site. The video was helmed by Raymond Salvatore Harmon and features work from U.K. graffiti artist Banksy and random parts of London. Epileptics probably shouldn’t watch this.

Sep 21, 2009

The San Francisco fivesome The Fresh & Onlys create catchy lo-fi psychedelic rock with a nod towards the past. Their recently released Grey-Eyed Girls is a testament to that aesthetic.

After the rain-soaked gloom of “Invisible Forces,” we get the equally downcast, “Dude’s Got a Tender Heart.” The old school guitar sounds have just enough reverb and the vocals float and weave through the ether. Out of the glut of rock groups with Guided By Voices-like aspirations, The Fresh & Onlys pull it off better than most.

Grey-Eyed Girls is out now on Woodsist. The quintet recently opened for Steve Malkmus and starting today you can listen to them live some more. (via Stereogum)

The Fresh & Onlys tour:

09-21 Provo, UT - House Show %
09-22 Denver, CO - Larimer Lounge %
09-23 Lawrence, KS - Jack Pot Saloon %
09-24 Memphis, TN - Goner Fest %
09-26 Bloomington, IN - Uncle Fester’s %
09-27 Chicago, IL - Schubas %
09-29 Fort Wayne, IN - Brass Rail %
09-30 Detroit, MI - Magic Stick %
10-01 Toronto, ON - Wrong Bar %
10-02 Ottawa, ON - Babylon %
10-03 Montreal, QC - Pop Montreal %!
10-05 Providence, RI - The Dark Lady %
10-06 Allston, MA - Great Scotts %
10-07 Middletown, CT - Wesleyan %
10-08 New York, NY - Mercury Lounge %
10-09 Brooklyn, NY - The Bell House %!
10-10 Pittsburgh, PA - 31st St. $
10-11 Chicago, IL - Hideout $
10-12 Omaha, NE - Brothers $
10-13 Denver, CO - Bender’s $
10-17 Portland, OR - Scion/Vice Event
10-18 Seattle, WA - Funhouse #
10-20 Oakland, CA - Stork Club #
10-21 San Diego, CA - Bar Pink Elephant #%
10-22 Los Angeles, CA - Echo #%
10-24 Merced, CA - The Partisan #
10-25 San Francisco, CA - Bottom of the Hill [Budget Rock]

% w/ The Oh Sees
! w/ Golden Triangle
$ w/ Box Elders
# w/ Dan Melchoir

Sep 21, 2009

“Blue Planet” is the latest single from Stockholm, Sweden’s Lake Heartbeat. It’s from the duo’s new Dan Lissvik-produced full-length, Trust In Numbers. LH’s washed out, Balearic beach atmosphere falls in line with other summery Swedish contempoaries. File this one under Air France, The Tough Alliance, Pacific, The Crêpes, Fontän, and Lissvik’s own disco twosome Studio.

Trust In Numbers is out now on Service but is getting an international release on November 9th. You can stream the album in its entirety here. We interviewed Taken By Trees for our upcoming Fall issue, yet another shimmering album Lissvik had a hand in during the 2000s.

Sep 21, 2009

Jamie Smith of The xx gives fellow London-native Jack Peñate‘s latest single “Pull My Heart Away” a dubby, echo chamber re-rub. The single (out now!) also contains a live version of the cut from iTunes Festival at the Roundhouse. Remixer Bullion has a more danceable version of the single here. Don’t forget you can peep the music video for “Pull My Heart Away” by going here.

Check out Peñate on his current U.S. tour with Miike Snow. We interviewed Peñate for our Summer ‘09 issue. His Everything Is New is out now via XL. (via GvsB)