Aug 03, 2009

All Tiny Creatures may know the difference between a diminshed third and an E-flat but on “To All Tiny Creatures” the foursome’s warped sense of arrangement rivals all technical proficiency. The semi-eponymous track is from their debut 12-inch, Segni, out tomorrow on Hometapes. Here’s the link to pre-order. Wincek engineered the EP at University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, at his home in Madison, and in the studio of Ben Derickson, All Tiny Creatures’ percussionist.

Reichian piano chords are stockpiled alongside otherworldy organ drones during the six-minute stunner. Think of likeminded artists such as Terry Riley, Neu!, Cluster, Philip Glass, Phill Niblock or Dieter Möbius and your’re getting closer. Incessant drum stick patter slowly builds into a full kit backbeat as a muted electric guitar saws through the middle. It’s a dream-y instrumental rock piece and a great point of reference for electronic mastermind Thomas Wincek’s latest musical venture. It’s the multi-instrumentalist’s project away from The Collections of Colonies of Bees and Volcano Choir and his former solo alias, Emotional Joystick.

The limited-edition orange/white vinyl release is an overture of sorts to Creatures’ forthcoming longplayer, which will feature the likes of Justin Vernon (Bon Iver), Megafun and Ryan Olcott (12 Rods, Mystery Palace). That LP is due in early 2010. In the meantime, you can hear the Wisconsin minimalist rock quartet play at the following dates with The Caribbean (a group they recently remixed):

Aug 03, 2009

On October 6th, Danish indie rock duo The Raveonettes will release their fourth LP In and Out of Control through Vice. On “Suicide,” the Spector-esque pop group walks around a few dark corners. A reverbed drum machine and rockabilly guitar lick lend this track about “doing the dutch,” a macabre sense of humor. In and Out of Control also includes a cut entitled “Boys Who Rape (Should All Be Destroyed),” so the twosome will need to pump out a ton of instrumental cheeriness to gloss over their depressing lyric sheet. You can see how the melodious murders unfold this fall when The ‘Nettes tour the U.S. (Via Pitchfork)

Aug 03, 2009

The Highland Park, Calif. indie rock outfit Mellowdrone returns with this lush and dark guitar shredder off their forthcoming album, Angry Bear. “Elephant” is the title of the track and it boasts one thunderous bass lick. Principal songwriter/founding member Jonathan Bates still sings with that bereft baritone but is backed by a band that could pass for a lo-fi version of Spiritualized. The former trio (now a full-fledged quartet) have seemingly abandoned the synthpop sound of their 2006 debut, Box.

Mellowdrone was released from Columbia‘s grasp in early 2007 and they’re putting out Angry Bear on Westlake Village’s indie label, Coming Home. You can pick it up on CD or vinyl at Insound, iTunes or Napster on August 25th. A couple of other space-y new tracks are streaming on Mellowdrone’s Myspace.

Aug 03, 2009

The Decemberists debuted some new songs at last weekend’s Newport Folk Festival. And those disheartened with the Portland band’s recent turn toward prog-metal pretentiousness will take solace in this sole fact: the sea-shanties are back!

Frontman Colin Meloy prefaces one track as the band’s “attempt at a copper-mining song about Butte, Montana.” The charming song available for download here is titled “Down by the Water” and features Meloy on a harmonica.

NPR Music streamed the show and You Ain’t No Picasso has mp3s of both songs. (You Ain’t No Picasso dubbed the copper-mining song “Rox in a Box”.) You can hear three more songs from the Decemberists’ Newport set over at the NPR Music site.

Aug 03, 2009

Watch on YouTube

Our Spring issue cover artist Bat For Lashes have a new music video for the album-of-the-year contender, Two Suns. After “Daniel” and “Pearl’s Dream,” “Sleep Alone” piles on the dreaminess in its own strange way. Head Lash, Natasha Khan sneaks into a strange carpenter’s hideout to capture a mysterious red triangle that makes her bedroom paper creation morph into a life-size human/plastic night light. If you’re sleeping alone nothing keeps away the night terrors like a big ol’ light dude. The Sleep Alone single is out September 7th on Parlophone.

Aug 03, 2009

Watch on YouTube

The Black Heart Procession‘s original members, Pall Jenkins (vocals/guitar) and Tobias Nathaniel (piano/guitar) directed, filmed, edited and starred in this Blair Witch Project-meets-Dawn of the Dead video for “Witching Stone.” The zombie clip is for the Joy Division-esque Six track, “Witching Stone.” Six aptly comes out October 6th on Temporary Residence. Also, the San Diego quintet are touring the U.S. and Canada this fall with San Jose soul outfit The Mumlers and cosmopolitan punkers Bellini.

Aug 02, 2009

On “Ida Walked Away,” the only new song featured on Au‘s post-Verbs EP Versions, dampens their experimental influences (Animal Collective), instead opting for a more chamber hall-type aesthetic (read: Grizzly Bear). The drums are diminished to a few clattering sticks in the distance, while lead vocalist Luke Wyland’s falsetto spreads over the dysphoric mix. The Portland, Ore. duo still haven’t outgrown all of their experimental tendencies, but this cut is a noticeable progression. Versions, which consists of reworked tracks from Verbs (2008) and Au (2007), will be released digitally and in a limited vinyl run of 500 on October 8th through Aagoo. Au will also be touring the States with WHY? this fall.