Aug 31, 2009

The Raveonettes’ forthcoming fourth LP, In and Out of Control mixes a little bit of noise pop and shoegaze with Phil Spector. After the sinister swing of “Suicide” and the violent “Boys Who Rape (Should All Be Destroyed)” demo comes “Last Dance.” The nostalgic cut transforms a sugary sock hop-like chant into a catchy (and dark) narrative about addiction and overdosing. In and Out of Control comes out October 6th on Vice. Sune Rose Wagner and Sharine Foo will tour the U.S. with The Black Angels this fall. (Via EW)

Aug 31, 2009

Watch on YouTube

Before they dropped their self-titled debut last week, The xx already drummed up a tremendous amount of hype, not only in their native U.K., but also worldwide via the internet. Their lead singles, “Basic Space” and “Crystalised” have been featured on a number of music blogs, making them one of the most buzzworthy groups of the year. Listen/watch the tender, slow-temo video for “Basic Space” and see if the buzz if founded on anything stable.

The band’s currently touring Europe, but they are planning on making a visit to the States alongside Friendly Fires.

Aug 31, 2009

Themselves, the Oakland twosome of Doseone and Jel, who also pal around in the avant-rap sextet Subtle and collaborated with The Notwist for 13 & God, team up here with WHY?, whose frontman Yoni Wolf was a member of the seminal Anticon supergroup cLOUDDEAD with Doseone. Now that all the connections are out of the way, we can move on to the music.

“Canada” was recorded for a compilation that may or may not be released and the atmosphere points towards WHY?‘s Alopecia. Just check this sample line: “You’re showing your pinkest parts in my absence.” Themselves and WHY? have new LPs coming out later this year. Themselves’ CrownsDown comes out October 20th and WHY?‘s Eskimo Snow drops September 22nd.

Aug 29, 2009

Watch on YouTube

Sweden’s Taken by Trees (former Concretes vox lady Victoria Bergsman) recorded a cover of Animal Collective‘s “My Girls” for her forthcoming album, East of Eden. The sophomore release was recorded in Pakistan and on the gender-switched cover, AC’s waves of electronics are replaced by traditional Pakistani instruments, such as tabla and harmonium. The man chanting at the end of “My Boys” is a field recording of someone selling fruit in the streets of Lahore, known as the “cultural heart of Pakistan.”

“Boys” isn’t the only song connected to the AC crew on the new release. Bergsman also has a lovely duet with Noah Lennox on “Anna.” The video for “My Boys” is a series of up-close, blurry images, where everyday objects become strangely beautiful. Watch the National Geographic mini-documentary about the making of the new album here. East of Eden comes out September 8th on Rough Trade. Also, be sure to watch out for our feature in our fall issue.

Aug 29, 2009

The rumors are true folks. The message board for Elliott Smith fansite Sweet Adeline unearthed the unreleased acoustic track “Grand Mal” this week. It was most likely recorded during the XO (1998) sessions and it certainly sounds like it was. Makes sense too, since that album had the working title of Grand Mal.

The member who unleashed the track on the world goes by the handle “cregitarian.” Apparently, she first posted the lyrics to the track on Songmeanings.net. Shortly thereafter, those lines were eyed by a Sweet Adeline poster on Sunday, August 23rd. During this work week, cregitarian started privately sending the quick finger-picking cut to message board posters who requested it. Here’s what she had to say about the whole situation:

“I didn’t spread it in mass at first for legal reasons, but also out of respect for the guy I got it from,” she wrote. “I don’t know that he’d mind, but I also don’t know that he wouldn’t. Not exactly sure why I posted it on Songmeanings; just struck me as a good idea to be thorough. I also thought it would be a good way to spread it slowly and almost anonymously.”

Many are wondering if this is just the tip of the iceberg for unreleased material but this writer is happy with this rare surprise on its own. Check out the download above, before it potentially gets taken down. It’s a small reminder of Smith’s enduring musical legacy. R.I.P. Elliott (Via Pitchfork)

Aug 29, 2009

Portland rockers The Shaky Hands officially give us an Indian errr (Native American) summer jam with “Allison and the Anicent Eyes.” The tropes are all there: A last ditch effort at grabbing summer by the horns is encapsulated in a road trip to Santa Rosa, a crunchy guitar riff and a crinkled love letter to some chick named Allison. The Velvet Underground-esque aesthetic is slight enough that it doesn’t distract. Nice preview for the NW gang’s third album on Kill Rock Stars.

Let It Die is out September 29th and it’s the first Shaky release after drummer Colin Anderson left the group in mid-2008, a few months before the band’s second full-length, Lunglight. This fall the rifftastic crew will bring their new songs to the following dates:

09-18 Portland, OR - Someday Lounge (Musicfest NW)
10-1 Portland, OR - Berbati’s Pan w/Panther (CD release show)
10-8 Boise, ID - Neurolux
10-10 Salt Lake City, UT - Larmier Lounge
10-12 Lawrence, KS - Replay Lounge
10-13 Iowa City, IA - Picador
10-16 Urbana, IL - Canopy Club
10-17 Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle
10-18 Pontiac, MI - The Pike Room
10-21 Allston, MA - Great Scott
10-24 Philadelphia, PA - Kung Fu Necktie
10-25 Washington, DC - DC9
10-26 Chapel Hill, NC - Local 506

Aug 28, 2009

Sunnybrook has saddled up with Lefse, who will release his debut record in early 2010. “Waving Hands” is a warbly folk guitar melody from Denton, Texas’ Paul North. The bedroom songwriter churns up a steady beat and handclaps into a whorl of lo-fi ambiance. You can liken it to strolling through a forest with the light being scattered by the leaves. (Via Pitchfork)