Is Owl City a “just too precious” version of The Postal Service? Perhaps. The light and airy “Fireflies” bears that out. The latest single from the Minnesotan synthpop artist Adam Young is iTune’s free ‘Single of the Week.’ The official music video premiered on Myspace and now it’s flitting about the Internet. In the clip, Young plays in a room littered with sparkling ‘80s epherma and toys. Owl City’s sophomore album, Ocean Eyes, is out now digitally and has a physical release of July 28th. He’s also touring much of the U.S. this summer.
Yo La Tengo
“Here to Fall” MP3
Jul 22, 2009
Here’s a second track from Yo La Tengo‘s forthcoming fourteenth album, Popular Songs, via Matablog. The opening cut has some woozy ‘70s acid soul-style strings and electronic ambience. Oh, and that intrumental outro is pretty killer too. Popular Songs is out August 14th on Matador but as we reported earlier today, you can get it now, through Matador’s snazzy Buy Now Get Early program. Yo La Tengo is also touring in September and October.
Six Organs of Admittance
“The Ballad of Charley Harper” MP3
Jul 22, 2009
Former Comets on Fire guitarist Ben Chasny is the man behind Six Organs of Admittance and will soon release Luminous Night, his first release of new material in two years after his recent Drag City compilation, RTZ. The label released a track from the LP today, called “The Ballad of Charley Harper.” Like many Six Organs of Admittance tracks, it builds from a sparse and acoustic dirge into a fuzzy guitar soundscape. The track is presumably referencing the Cincinnati-based American Modernist artist Charley Harper, who died June 10, 2007 after struggling with pneumonia for several months.
Lou Barlow
“Gravitate” MP3
Jul 22, 2009
Goodnight Unknown, is the forthcoming solo LP from Sebadoh leader and Dinosaur Jr. bassist Lou Barlow. On the occasion of Merge Record’s anniversary, here’s a aural taste of one track. “Gravitate” is a distorted, straight-up rock track. (Plenty of crunch on this one.) Goodnight Unknown is out October 6th on Merge and in the fall, Barlow will open for Dino Jr. on tour with Mike Watt‘s The Missingmen.
Lou Barlow and The Missingmen Tour Dates:
09-30 Toronto, ON Phoenix Concert Theatre 10-02 Cambridge, MA Middle East 10-04 Clifton Park , NY Northern Lights 10-07 New Haven, CT Toad’s Place 10-08.2009 Washington, DC 9:30 Club 10-09 Philadelphia, PA Theatre of the Living Arts 10-10 Columbus, OH Newport Music Hall 10-11 Pontiac, MI The Crofoot 10-13 Madison, WI The Majestic Theatre 10-14 St. Louis, MO The Pageant 10-15 Chicago , IL Vic Theatre 10-16 Louisville , KY Headliner’s Music Hall 10-17 Atlanta, GA Variety Playhouse 10-26 Kansas City, MO The Beaumont Club 10-27 Omaha, NE Slowdown 10-29 Boulder, CO Boulder Theater 10-30 Fort Collins, CO Aggie Theatre 11-03.2009 Tempe, AZ Marquee Theatre 11-04 Solana Beach, CA Belly Up Tavern 11-05 West Hollywood, CA House of Blues 11-07 Portland, OR Wonder Ballroom
Another boring late-‘00s U2 song usually wouldn’t get the time of day in this space but the video for No Line on the Horizon‘s “I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight” is memorable enough. The animation, by directer David O’Reilly is pretty adorable but ultimately limp-wristed. I guess we’ve always got theoldfavorites.
Rain Machine
“Give Blood” MP3
Jul 22, 2009
Rain Machine is what TV on the Radio guitarist-singer Kyp Malone is calling his new solo project. We already gave you the release date (September 22 via Anti-). Here’s the first single (above), Malone’s scantily clad cover (right) and tracklisting (below). While a press note says the Rain Machine contains elements of modern jazz and bluegrass, the new track (entitled “Give Blood”) Pitchfork debuted today could pass for a rough-hewn TVOTR cut. Malone’s falsettoed warble is in full effect. Stream and/or download the song here. (Via Pitchfork)
Rain Machine:
01 Intro 02 Give Blood 03 New Last Name 04 Smiling Black Faces 05 Driftwood Heart 06 Hold You Holy 07 Desperate Bitch 08 Love Won’t Save You 09 Free Ride 10 Leave the Lights On 11 Winter Song
The Roots
“How I Got Over” MP3
Jul 21, 2009
When The Roots premiered the eponymous song from their forthcoming album How I Got Over (out October 20 via Def Jam) on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon in June, it sounded like a funky barn burner with plenty of horns. The studio version is slightly mure muted, with a Curtis Mayfield-esque groove serving as its melodic undercurrent. MC Black Thought has one of the best lines here: “Out in the streets where I grew up, first thing they teach ya’s not to give a fuck/That type of thinking can’t get you nowhere/Someone has to care.” It’s still extra smooth though. (Via Okayplayer.)
Free Energy
“Free Energy” MP3
Jul 21, 2009
Philadelphia’s Free Energy, are releasing a self-titled 7-inch today on DFA Records, and you can get an earful of the eponymous track here. Like many FE cuts it’s a little slice of ‘70s pop heaven. I feel like I should be wearing more yellows and browns.
Rain Machine is what 
