Alberta Cross – “Steel and Glass” (John Lennon Cover)
If you read this blog at all on a regular basis, you already know how much I love this band – Alberta Cross. They’re gearing up to release their debut album, “The Broken Side of Time”, on September 21. It’s a spectacular album and one of my favorites for 2009. Be sure to get it.
In the meantime, they’re keeping the momentum going with the a free MP3 download of the band covering John Lennon’s “Steel and Glass”. Enjoy.
File Washed Out under ambient electro pop extraordinaire. The latest release (Life of Leisure) from the Columbia, SC-based group, loops nicely with the easy listening pleasures of The XX this week. Couple that with my latest obsession XKCD (thanks Too Much Happiness) and you’ve got yourself a another full-fledged addiction. Sigh.
Artist: The XX
Album: XX
Recommended if You Like: Night Music – a la Burial, Four Tet
Featured Track: “Crystalised”
Admittedly, for a blogger, I’m way late to the game on this one. The album actually came out an entire month ago (gasp!) and is one of the more hyped bands on the blogosphere right now. But that’s the way I tend to be, the music snob that I am. Get too much hype and I tend to get turned off. But I succumbed happily to this West London group’s debut, XX, whose brand of nocturnal pop has me thoroughly entranced.
Melding an unsuspecting blend of contemporary R&B with reverb-soaked guitars and down-driven beats, these innovative 20-somethings have created a most delightful and intoxicating album. Atmospheric, intimate, sexy and half-drunk, XX is the perfect headphone hypnotica experience….and mood-maker. Players take heed.
San Francisco, The XX will be playing The Independent on November 23.
Papercuts – “Future Primative”
Whew, a great line up of music is waiting to be had this Wednesday at The Great American Music Hall featuring two local acts co-headlining – Girls and Papercuts – along with Cass McCombs closing out the bill. All three bands have spectacular releases out this year that will vie for many a ‘best of’ list. This is one show you don’t want to be late for.
Apteka, “Traitor”
Hey, wake up! The long weekend’s over. And what better way to dust off the cobwebs than a little shoegaze rock from Apteka for your Tuesday back to work blues. If you haven’t checked out the Chicago-based band yet here on The OCMD, here’s another chance to do so. The psyche rockers impressed the hell out of everyone earlier this summer at The Rumble in San Francisco. And it appears they’re up to it again with a new single, “Traitor“, sent to me late last week for your listening pleasure. Very MBV meets Jane’s Addiction. Enjoy!
‘Lust for Life’ is the latest video from San Francisco’s Girls, whose latest release – confusingly entitled ‘Album‘ out September 22 – officially makes them next to impossible to Google. Don’t miss Girls perform this Wednesday at Great American Music Hall with Papercuts and Cass McCombs!
Mexican Summer, quite possibly the hottest indie label going right now, is getting ready to release the debut 7″ of San Francisco-based garage rock duo, Weekend. Get to know your local garage rock artists. And have a great Labor Day ‘Weekend’!
Orba Squara – “The Trouble With Flying”
“The trouble with flying is that you risk falling. But if you never try, you’ll never get that chance to soar.”
Orba Squara is the stage name of Mitch Davis. The popularity of his first album, Sunshyness, earned him the title ‘the new Moby’ in the press because 9 out of the 10 songs in his debut were licensed for film and television projects. If you listen to his stuff, you’ll likely recognize it.
Not something I’d listen to on a regular basis, but word of his new project coming October 27, The Trouble with Flying, caught my attention mostly because the title track features the guitar and vocal work of Billy Squier. Whoa. There’s a name I haven’t heard in a good decade or so. The other thing that caught my attention was the band’s website. Well done and worth a visit. Check it out.
Atlas Sound – “Walk A Thin Line (Fleetwood Mac Cover)”
The solo project of Deerhunter’s Bradford Cox, Atlas Sound, has released a most amazing cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Walk A Thin Line”. Genius. Atlas Sound is playing The Great American Music Hall on November 3 with Broadcast. An excellent show indeed.
Vic Chestnutt – “Philip Guston”
Check out this track “Philip Guston” from Vic Chesnutt’s new album, “At the Cut,” due out Sept 22 on Constellation Records. Be sure to see him live November 20 at The Great American Music Hall in San Francisco!
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