Artist: Tape Deck Mountain
Album: Secret Serf EP
Homeland: San Diego, CA
Release Date: 1.11.11
Featured Track: “It Goes Down”
Tape Deck Mountain’s debut album, Ghost, was one of my favorite albums of 2009. If you haven’t heard it, go check it out. Well worth the listen. Filled with ambient electronics and intricate layers, it’s the perfect winter elixir. Happily they’re planning another winter release, Secret Serf EP, due out on 1.11.11. So auspicious.
Artist: Papercuts
Album: Fading Parade
Homeland: San Francisco, CA
Release Date: March 1, 2011
Label: Subpop
Featured Track: “Do What You Will”
Reason #139 why I love this town. ‘Nuff said.
Artist: Bear Hands
Album: Burning Bush Supper Club
Track: “Crime Pays”
I’ve been spooling on this debut LP from Brooklyn-based Bear Hands for the past couple of weeks, especially this track. It’s just downright irresistible. If you like MGMT, Passion Pit and Animal Collective, you’ll like this. So get on it and order it here. Because everyone knows that crime DOESN’T pay artists.
Artist: Young Circles
Album: Bones EP
Homeland: Miami, FL USA
Release Date: 1.11.11
Featured Track: “Sharp Teeth”
What do you get when you cross Beck, The Flaming Lips and English space rock? Audio heaven. Holy crap. Meet my first favorite EP 0f 2011. I’m in love with this Miami-based trio. Such a fresh sound. The group, comprised of high school buddies Jeff Rose, David Barnard, and Jordy Asher, all come from different musical backgrounds – jazz, blues, and Brit rock, respectively. They all did their time playing in a variety of psych and garage rock bands but quickly realized their musical synergy and thus the band was born. Lucky for us. Get into it.
Tape Deck Mountain: “Blue Christmas”
“Christmas Time is Here Again”
For San Diego-based Tape Deck Mountain, anyway, who released a couple of lo-fi Christmas tunes for your holiday blues listening pleasure. On a happier note, the band (one of my favorites in 2009) will release a new EP called Secret Serf on 1/11/11. I wonder how many albums are going to be released on that day. It’s gotta be auspicious or something, right? Anyway, all bummer aside, here’s to a very merry christmas. Bah humbug.
Vodpod videos no longer available.
Who can get enough of Daniel James’ gravely, soulful vocals? I can’t. So I was happy to see that the Leopold and His Fiction frontman is now also a member of the newly formed group Cowboy and Indian consisting of Daniel (vocals and guitar) Jazz Mills, and actor Jesse Plemons (of Friday Night Lights). They put together this video for the track “Hurt My Pride”, which sounds so good, and expect to release their full length album in the Spring of 2011.
Artist: Benjamin Francis Leftwich
Album: A Million Miles Out (EP)
Homeland: UK (York & London)
Track: “Rebellion (Arcade Fire Cover)”
“Come on hide your lovers underneath the covers…” Just loved this stripped down cover of Arcade Fire’s “Rebellion” from UK singer/songwriter Benjamin Leftwich. It gives new perspective and appreciation to Win Butler’s lyrics and almost seems more fitting, given the context, in this tempo. Well done, Benjamin. His debut EP “A Million Miles Out” out now that is simply lovely. And the fact that we use the same typefonts for our logos is even all the more compelling. Check out the video for one of the tracks on the EP, “Atlas Hands”.
Artist: Abbe May
Album: Forthcoming
Release Date: May 2011
Homeland: Australia (Perth)
Track: “Mammalian Locomotion“ (original)
“Mammalian Locomotion (Kevin Parker & Cam Avery of Tame Impala) Remix”
Dang. The Australian invasion continues. This week it’s Abbe May – a gritty, bluesy, rock n roll throw down. “Mammalian Locomotion” is a track off her forthcoming LP due out in May next year. Kevin Parker and Cam Avery of Tame Impala have just crafted a remix of the track, making her ‘One to Watch’ status even more legit. Tour dates to be announced soon.
Artist: The Western States Motel
Album: Freeway Freeway Riverbed
Homeland: California, USA
Release Date: February 2011
Track: “Country and Western Song”
The Western States Motel is the brain child of Monterey, CA native Carl Jordan. I fell in love with his home recorded EP, Painted Birds Flying in the Orange Mirror Sun, way back in 2008. Now he’s back with a new LP due out early next year called Freeway Freeway Riverbed.
Sonny & The Sandwitches – “Throw My Ashes Off the Pier”
Singer/songwriter Sonny Smith is a San Francisco treasure. The album “Tomorrow is Alright” released with his band The Sunsets is one of my favs. Now he’s teamed up with some members of another local group, the Sandwitches, to release an EP on Endless Nest December 11. The music is inspired by his near death experience swimming off the coast of Northern California. Pre-order here.
the OCMD 