Coming from the Fishtown area of North Philadelphia, I am more than pleased to present you with OLDERMOST. These guys are one of the newest bands coming from Philly these days, and their first batch of songs here are beyond worthy of some attention. So stick around to see just what they’re all about. Continue reading “Oldermost – Oldermost”
What’s up people. Now that the weekend’s over it’s time for another new week in music, so let’s start it off with a bang.
This weekend was a cold one (at least where I’m from, anyway), and I spent a greater portion of it driving around my hometown delivering pizza’s from the comfort of my cars stereo. Being the delivery guy always gives me ample time to check out various new musics, but sometimes I get a little sidetracked if something new and special presents itself. In other words, what I meant was I had a good deal of stuff to check out, but only ended up listening to one thing. Was it because of the cold and how absolutely perfect the music complements the weather for this time of year? Was it because of my undying love for John K. Samson and The Weakerthans? Would you have guessed that a band like Jim Bryson & The Weakerthans would even be on this blog? For some reason my guess is “probably not.”
Jim Bryson and The Weakerthans toured together in the Fall of 2007 (for the Weakerthans “Reunion Tour” album), and I’m not sure if that’s when this whole project began to take place, but it sounds like a good starting point, right? Before this album, that was the Weakerthans last studio effort, while Brysons was 2007’s “Where the Bungalows Roam”. With that being said, it’s about time that both of these acts got back in the studio to lay down some new tracks. There’s just one issue – they didn’t record in a studio. They spent this past January in a cabin in the middle of a -40C winter on Falcon Lake in Manitoba, and the results are quite stunning. To see for yourself where I just got all that information, follow this link to the Jim Bryson website and scroll down to his posts from the beginning months of 2010.
I had never really thought to check out Jim Bryson (even after he opened for the Weakerthans in 2007), but I can tell you right now that I’ll be looking into his stuff after hearing this new album. These Canadian musical masterminds are obviously doing something right, and they certainly deserve a little praise for this record here. Coming from a Weakerthans dominated musical diet (and not so much Bryson), I have to say this – it’s like a Weakerthans album with the country-esque twangy guitar and laid-back approach, but with the addition of Bryson the music gains a little more energy at times than a Weakerthans album normally would have (like in tracks “Wild Folk”, “Up All Night”, “Kissing Cousins”, and “Decidedly”). If you’re familiar with the Weakerthans song “Watermark”, pretend they transplanted the raw energy from that song and spread it out around “The Falcon Lake Incident”. The result would be this album we have here.
One of the songs that first comes to mind that has that natural energy is the fourth track “Wild Folk”. A truly glorious song when driving down the highway, leaving all the other cars in your dust behind you. There’s a constantly pulsing vibe you can grasp in this song, as you can feel the pure energy rush through your veins. There’s even a feeling of comfort worked into the song, which just says that “everything’s going to be okay”. Maybe it’s the blissful “ba-ba-ba-ba” chants from Bryson, or just the reassuring lyrics about staying back at home, which seems like the only place worth being in this song. Coming around within the final minute, the song peaks off as they rock a single guitar chord into the end as the song slowly winds down with a mysterious vibe.
Please guys, don’t sleep on this stuff. There’s something worth smiling about around every corner of this heartwarming album, whether it’s the homely feel or just the way it seems to fight off the cold weather. Jim Bryson and the Weakerthans gang put together quite a project here, and I’m more than happy to be sharing it with you guys today. Listen to the songs below, smile, and enjoy.
PS – Why would you ever grow leaves just to watch them fall off again?
Metal Girls –
Fell of the Dock –
Wild Folk –
Decidedly –
My Rating: 8.6/10
Genre/ Tags: Folk Rock, Alt-Country, Indie Rock
The Falcon Lake Incident: Tracklist:
1.) Raised All Wrong
2.) Metal Girls
3.) Fell Off the Dock
4.) Wild Folk
5.) Constellation
6.) Freeways in the Frontyard
7.) Up All Night
8.) Kissing Cousins
9.) Decidedly
10.) Anything and All
Jim Bryson – Official Website
The Weakerthans – Official Website
BUY the album directly from Kelp Records (LP)
or BUY directly from MapleMusic (CD)
In relation – an older Drone post about John K. Samson
Yo dudes. Last we heard from KURT VILE, it was back in the beginning days of June when he put out his Summery good times EP called “Square Shells”. Now the local Philly bro is back once more, this time with a brand new 7″ from Matador records. This 7″ is like a preview for Vile’s upcoming studio album, which they say should be hitting the shelves during 2011. According to the words in that link, we’ll probably hear at least one of these songs on the new album, but it doesn’t seem like anything has been set in stone just yet. Until we know more, this new 7″ will have to keep us satisfied – which is due out digitally on October 25th, and in limited edition 7″ format, due November 7th.
“In My Time” is a warm, nostalgic song featuring Kurt’s unique playing styles, and just like anything else from him out there, it’s certainly “worthy of recognition”. For the most part, the song has an acoustic folksy vibe, reminiscent of the early days of Autumn when the leaves start to fall and it begins to get cold out. With that being said, his music always seems to go great with the weather, but this guitar driven song isn’t just acoustics and folk. Things change up a bit when the lead guitar gets a make-over and suddenly turns into a psyched-out mess – something we already know Kurt is highly capable of, only this time we probably didn’t see it coming. The song fades out on this guitar, and chances are it’s going to make you put the song on for another spin. Now if only we could hear the rest of the songs from the 7″. I don’t think I’ve ever featured something without hearing the full tracklist, so consider this post an exception. Enjoy.
In My Time –
My Rating: none-haven’t heard the whole 7″
Genre/ Tags: Folk Rock, Psychedelic, Alternative
In My Time: Tracklist:
1.) In My Time
2.) Early Dawnin’
3.) Sad Ghost
Kurt Vile on Myspace
PREORDER the 7″ right now @ Matador Records
Videos of Kurt Vile & Fucked Up live in Philadelphia – check it out
Kurt Vile – Square Shells EP previously posted on the Drone
What’s up! If you were around at the beginning of last week, then you might remember me saying something about a new Vermillion Sands 7″. While the Sands were on their short tour of the United States, they stopped in Chicago to pick up some of their newly pressed records from Trouble in Mind. Now it’s about time they start to unleash the 7″ to the rest of the world, as they’ve began taking orders for the 7″ from multiple outlets. With this release, it adds yet ANOTHER 7″ to the ever-expanding Vermillion Sands discography, and it comes with one brand new, unheard song.
The A-side features the new song called “20 Hours”, while the B-side is filled out with a re-recorded version of their song “The Last Day” from their full length LP. Right away with the choppy guitar intro on “20 Hours”, you’ll be in familiar Vermillion Sands territory. Relentlessly rolling drums and a bouncing bass line help keep the song in order as Anna and the gang plow on through with fuzzy guitars, cowbell hits, and even a harmonica. That familiar freshly robbed bank feeling is certainly present in these songs, kind of like a bandit who just mounted up on his horse to make his daring escape. Now you just have to make it out alive, or it’s bound to be your LAST DAY. Ha, band joke. Listen to “20 Hours” below, along with the LP version of “The Last Day”, and don’t forget to check out the live videos of the Vermillion Sands playing in the basement. Good times.
20 Hours –
The Last Day (LP Version, not from this 7″) –
My Rating: 6.5/10
Genre/ Tags: Garage Rock, Folk Rock, Country, Italian
20 Hours 7″: Tracklist:
1.) 20 Hours
2.) The Last Day
Check out the VERMILLION SANDS performing live in Philadelphia
BUY the 7″ either here or here – Limited to 500 on random colored vinyl !
Vermillion Sands on Myspace
All things Vermillion Sands from the Styrofoam Drone
Yo! I have something slightly different for you guys today. I didn’t have to use that ‘lo-fi’ tag yet again for this post, which was definitely a great change of pace. So much coming out these days has that gritty lo-fi production, so it’s kind of nice to hear music like this for a change. I’m not gonna lie – I kind of forgot this stuff existed! Obviously joking, but this album is certainly a refreshing burst of music with a fuller sound and with overall better production. You get rich and warm layered recordings – definitely a quality that is lost with all of this upcoming ‘lo-fi’ stuff we’re always seeing. So let’s get on with it.
KID ICARUS is a band based out of Dunmore, Pennsylvania, and believe it or not, these guys have been around for longer than you might think. Eric Schlittler is the lead man, and it’s been this way since the bands inception way back in 1996. These guys have got at least seven different full length albums, including this one we’re talking about today. “Imaginary Songs & Aluminum Hits” would be the most recent, which is actually the first LP to come from Kid Icarus in over five years. It has a little bit of everything you’d want to hear, with the basis being mostly guitar-driven indie rock. On top of that, the band manages to work in their own unique blend of psychedelia, alongside an equal amount of a twangy folky flair. A few of these tracks have a good amount of heart ache weaved into the mix, as there is definitely a longing feeling in a few of these songs like “Encased” and “A Good Place to End”. Other times it seems like Schlittler is singing about what is happening right in front of him, almost like he’s giving us a play-by-play of exactly what his own two eyes perceive. It helps paint a nice picture as you listen to the songs, and it’ll definitely help you pay attention to the music, because you’ll be wondering what happens next.
Then there’s other songs on the album that were put down just to rock out. Songs like “Dig Architecture”, “Disappearing Act”, “Projection Loop” or “Figure A”, which features a metallic, screaming guitar that may or may not catch you off guard upon first listen. These are the songs that help you forget about the sad times. Then along comes a song like “Who’s Blues”, which kind of sits out of the loop with the rest of the songs in this. It’s like a quick trip to outer-space to record a song real quick and then come back down to Earth to finish the rest of the album. Shortly after this starts the pounding rhythm on “In My Windowed Life”.
These final three songs on the album play into each other almost perfectly, making quite a nice ending to this album. “In My Windowed Life” acts like an intro to the song “Victory Smokes, Victory Gin”, which is another song on it’s own on this album. It has an extremely heavy feel to it, almost like Schlittler has some burdens to unload before it’s all said and done. Heavenly guitars and lyrics about police intrusion make for an interesting story. Then comes “PA Year Zero”, which starts up with some delightful acoustic guitar. This song will definitely put a smile on your face if you’ve been having some hard times lately. Check out the songs I’m leaving for you guys below, because I think yr gonna like them. Whatever you do, don’t forget to listen to “Disappearing Act”. It rocks.
Dig Architecture –
Disappearing Act –
In My Windowed Life –
PA Year Zero –
My Rating: 8/10
Genre/ Tags: Indie Rock, Folk Rock, Psychedelic, Pop
Imaginary Songs & Aluminum Hits: Tracklist:
1.) Dig Architecture
2.) A Good Place to End
3.) Disappearing Act
4.) My Mother the Car
5.) Figure A
6.) Encased
7.) Projection Loop
8.) Who’s Blues
9.) In My Windowed Life
10.) Victory Smokes, Victory Gin
11.) PA Year Zero
Kid Icarus – Official Website
Kid Icarus on Myspace
BUY this LP directly from Summersteps Records – Limited to 250 !!!
More info. on Kid Icarus right here !
Anybody remember the label Shit Music for Shit People from awhile back? They’re a small label based out of Italy and Portugal, and now they’re back on the scene with a brand new 7″ from the TWO BIT DEZPERADOS. Last time we heard from these guys was back in May when they released the excellent Satàn 7″, and as you can see, these guys haven’t stopped working since then. This new 7″ is bound to turn heads, as it brings the unique blend of Two Bit Dezperados folksy-garage songs to the ears of the world!
Now while the label is based out of Italy/Portugal, Two Bit Dezperados come from a completely different location – in case you didn’t guess it, they’re from Brazil. At least that’s what I’ve come to understand. But this new 7″ from SMFSP is quite the ambitious release, clocking in at just under 10 minutes with four brand new, highly caffeinated, folksy-garage anthems from these bold, Western sounding outlaws. Opening track “Devil in Me” kicks things off with squealing, twangin’ guitars, played over a galloping bass and drum beat that helps keep the song moving forward. Up next would be the song “Pretty Girl”, which I’ve uploaded for you bros and gals to check out below, so don’t forget it. The keyboards and vocals make for a hella-good time – not to mention that this is quite a catchy song. Next comes “Eu digo não”, which takes a bit of a turn from where the other songs were. They take a step back on the speed and get a bit slower with this more laid back, acoustic song. They also don’t forget to bring their keyboard along for some nice harmonies played over top of some squawking vocals insisting that “you don’t know”. I don’t know what that titles means, but my guess is “You Don’t Know”…or “I Don’t Know”. Check out the two songs below, and you can hear the rest of the 7″ on their Myspace page. Dig it!
Pretty Girl –
O-Yes –
My Rating: 7/10
Genre/ Tags: Garage Rock, Folk Rock, Country
Macumba para Exù 7″: Tracklist:
1.) Devil in Me
2.) Pretty Girl
3.) Eu digo não
4.) O-Yes
BUY the 7″ directly from SMFSP
Two Bit Dezperados on Myspace
Shit Music for Shit People on Blogspot
Yo guys. I’m really stoked on this album we have today – it’s called “Deep in the Underbark” by SON DROP. Son Drop is the moniker of James Duke, the mastermind behind the music, but he employs a band to play with him for live shows. This appears to be the first Son Drop release out there, and its packed to the brim with folky-pop jams with a sound that’s bound to remind you of a breezy, sunny Spring season without a cloud in the sky and a worry in the world. There’s also a bit of a psychedelic tinge worked in to the sound, but no matter what these songs would go great while driving to the beach with your windows down and the wind blowing all around you. Sometimes they remind me of Alex Bleeker & the Freaks, but that’s basically their sound in a nutshell. Breezy, sunny and Spring time – I think you get the idea.
One song that falls more into the psychedelic boat would probably be “The Sails Will Fill Out”. About halfway through the song just pops off into a sudden guitar solo, and Duke tears it up and melts our faces with a hell of a lick that continues on until the end of the song. Powerful stuff right there. Later into the album comes another one that leans a bit more towards the psychedelic side, and it’s called “Crystal Ball”. Duke again wows us with some magnificent lead guitar work that’s sure to force you to play this song at least one more time, and there’s even some brass worked in at the end of the song which adds a nice touch. But these aren’t the only kinds of songs you’re going to come across.
For example, “Fields of Corn” sounds nothing like the ones I just mentioned, and if there’s any song that’s going to feel the Spring season, it’s probably this one. I’m not sure if that’s a flute or what you can hear in there, but it really helps get that feeling across. If you like that one you’ll probably like the song “Molasses” too, but seriously, all of this stuff is great and just highly enjoyable (Way Up, Romulus is An Owl). Anything that can bring you back to Spring time get’s an thumbs up in my book. Do yourself a favor and listen below! You can even download the whole album!
Molasses –
Crystal Ball –
Way Up –
My Rating: 8/10
Genre/ Tags: Psychedelic, Pop, Folk Rock
Deep in the Underbark: Tracklist:
1.) Fields of Corn
2.) Salt Trucks
3.) Sunshine
4.) Go Leafs Go!
5.) Molasses
6.) The Sails Will Fill Out
7.) Shotgun Shell
8.) Way Up
9.) Rimulus Is an Owl
10.) Crystall Ball
11.) A Lamp in the Window
DOWNLOAD the album right here completely for free!!
Son Drop on Myspace
Son Drop on Last.fm
Yo! So originally I didn’t have anything to post today, so instead of going post-less, I searched around for a bit and found something nice.
It’s yet another 7″, and it’s by a band called MAZES from Manchester in the United Kingdom. I tracked down this little gem from this blog right here called BE BOP KIDS! There’s some other cool stuff on that blog, you should check it out while you’re at it. You can even download the Mazes 7″ while you’re there.
This band Mazes has got a handful of releases that have came out already, and you can see them all at their Myspace. This is their most recent release though, and it came out on Suffering Jukebox Records (which may or may not be a tribute to a Silver Jews song). It’s got two new songs from the band, and they’re both these fast paced numbers ruled by crunchy, spiky guitars and it’s all done with an honest folk-pop-goodness that’s pretty difficult to deny. These guys are good, and I’m going to look into their other material for future posts down the road. Until then, you can listen to the song below and then check out the others on their Myspace – one of them is also the B-side of this 7″ called “Go-Betweens”. Check it out.
Cenetaph –
My Rating: 8/10
Genre/ Tags: Garage Rock, Folk Rock, Pop
Cenetaph 7″: Tracklist:
1.) Cenetaph
2.) Go-Betweens
Mazes – Official Website
Mazes on Myspace!
BUY the 7″ directly from Suffering Jukebox Records
Here is a band I know I haven’t heard much about lately. I think the last time I heard anything about the Dodos was when they released their third album “Time to Die” and that they had added a third band member to play the vibraphone. The album came out back on September 15th, so yeah, it’s been quite awhile since I’ve heard from the Dodos. Which makes this brand new live album all the more special. Upon first discovering they had a live album, it was pretty exciting, because the Dodos put on a hell of a live show, and it would be great to capture their intensity and give everybody the chance to hear them live. Long freaking out on his guitar, Kroeber never missing a beat on his drum set…seeing the Dodos should be high up on your list of priorities.
Now when it didn’t look like things could get any better, they still did. The album is 10 full tracks long, clocking in at just under an hour of time, and every last track comes from their epic, freak-out packed sophomore album “Visiter”. The live album features all of the greats from “Visiter”, including freak-folk jam outs like “Joe’s Waltz”, “Paint the Rust”, and “Jodi”, and then a few of the more laid back tracks from the record, such as the opener “Walking”, the 2008 single “Fools”, “Ashley”, and “Winter”. If you can’t wait any longer, you should swing on over to THIS website so you can download you’re copy of the live album – you just need to give them an e-mail address. It’s that simple. If you’re still not sure, why not check out the few songs I have uploaded for you below? And if that’s not enough, you should definitely check out the Dodos while they’re on tour with the New Pornographers (they’re coming to Philadelphia on June 21st). You can check out their tour dates on their Myspace.
Fools –
Paint the Rust –
Jodi –
My Rating: 8/10
Genre/ Tags: Folk Rock, Freak Folk, Pop, Live
Live from Akropolis, Prague: Tracklist
1.) Walking
2.) Red and Purple / Eyelids
3.) Fools
4.) Joe’s Waltz
5.) Winter
6.) It’s That Time Again
7.) Paint the Rust
8.) Jodi
9.) Ashley
10.) The Season
The Dodos on Myspace
Download your copy of the brand new live album HERE
Alright, so I’m pretty sure I know what you’re thinking right now. You Can Be a Wesley?? Yes actually, You Can Be a Wesley. That is the name of this band. And you better get used to it, because chances are You Can Be a Wesley are going finagle their way into your brain, and once that happens, it’s going to be too late. The damage has already been done.
You Can Be a Wesley hail from the wonderful city of Boston, and the band is made up of 4 members. Saara Untracht-Oakner takes vocal duties, and she is certainly a force to be reckoned with in this band. Her voice is that of a goddess – so clear and it stands out so well in the recordings that you may not even believe your ears at first listen. She is backed up by her immensely talented band mates – Winston, Nick and Dan – who all create Earth-shattering songs dominated by epic guitar licks and relentless, crashing drums. You Can Be a Wesley totally caught me off guard (I bought their LP on a whim, it was affordable I had no idea what I was getting into), and I hope they do the same for you.
“Heard Like Us” is a little over a half hour long, and it’s equally powerful and ambitious at the same time. The album kicks off on the instrumental track “6/8 Tengo”. Although it’s instrumental and you’re not getting the full YCBAW treatment just yet, this track still sets the tone for the rest of the album. It kind of hints at what’s in store for you later into the album, and they do a pretty good job with it. There’s a mysterious feeling mixed in somewhere in there between the ground-shaking bass lines. Next up would be the song “Stuck in a Battle”, and this is when full-throttle YCBAW begins.
The song starts off with a quick burst of happiness as everybody yells “Hey hey!” and there’s no looking back from there. You’re going to be a YCBAW fan shortly after. At least I think so. Saara’s voice hangs over our heads as she howls through the song, on top of hi-hat rolls and nasty guitar licks. For the last 30 seconds of the song it’s them straight up rocking out before the song comes to a close. Coming up next is the track “Kiddie Pool”, which they start out with a laid back intro as Saara continues to grace us with her wonderful voice. They kick it up right around the 1 minute mark as Saara sings “I remember it all”. This is one of the songs on the record that gives this band a sort of folk tinge, mainly due to the guitars. A bit past the midway mark and Saara is singing “Kiddie pool with a popsicle”, evoking summery childhood feelings of when you used to hang out in your backyard with your cousins without a single worry or care in the world. They continue on as Saara sings “And it stuck in my head”, possibly referring to one of her earlier childhood memories that she could never quite shake off, good or bad memories alike.
Skipping ahead to the song “Creatures”. The rhythm section kicks off this song, and shortly after they’re joined by the rest of the band. Saara then lets us know that she’s “been dreaming about creatures, coming from dunes on foggy beaches.” She claims that she’s trying to avoid them, but they just keep creeping on back. The song continues on like this for awhile until they change it up right around the 3 minute mark and they begin to pick up some momentum. They ride this momentum out until it can’t be contained anymore as Saara shrieks and the guitars and everything else comes at us full-throttle. Once that’s over they let us catch our breath again and take a step back on the intensity as the song comes to an end. Next up would be the folky goodness of the track “Make Up Your God”, which Saara urges us to do time and time again throughout the song. Her voice sways back and forth during the song – almost as if it’s riding a wave – and it’s enough to make you want to share this band with the world, hence why I’m writing this post. There are still two more songs on the album, but I’m running out of time. Be sure to listen to the songs I have for you below, this way you can decide if you feel the same way about You Can Be a Wesley. One thing we still don’t know – even after listening to the album countless times – is who the hell is Wesley? I guess that’s up for interpretation? Either way, fabulous stuff right here. Check it out below.
Stuck in a Battle –
Kiddie Pool –
Creatures –
Make Up Your God –
My Rating: 9/10
Genre/ Tags: Pop, Folk Rock, Indie Rock
Heard Like Us: Tracklist
1.) 6/8 Tengo
2.) Stuck in a Battle
3.) Kiddie Pool
4.) Wildlife
5.) Creatures
6.) Make Up Your God
7.) Fourth Walls
8.) Rearrange the Sea
You Can Be a Wesley – Official Website!
You Can Be a Wesley on Myspace
Download the album here!
Styrofoam Drone 