Category Archives: Spanking New Music

Cowboy Junkies – “Cacadias”

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Cowboy Junkies – “Cacadias”

Cowboy Junkies are back and aging like a fine wine with their latest release Renmin Park, the first of four planned over the next 18 months collectively titled “The Nomad Series.” Renmin Park was inspired by Michael Timmons’ trip to China on the Yangtze River and is themed around “a fictional love story of two people whose worlds will forever keep them apart.” How hopelessly romantic.

I personally was inspired and honored to share a virtual classroom earlier this year with the talented Mr. Timmons through the Berklee School of Music on Topspin, a technology platform designed to help artists take control of their musical destiny. He’s done just that and is thriving creatively without the constraints of a label. So kudos to you and your Topspin widgets, Michael!

MANTRA –> What Is and What Is Not

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The Vision of A Dying World – “Mantra/What Is and What Is Not”

I could not blame my fellow man
I will not fear what I don’t understand
I have not known a truth so clear
I will not hate the things I fear
I will not dwell on what I’m not
I will give thanks for what I’ve got
I won’t deny what’s in my soul
I will accept what I cannot control.

Quite an inspiring song for an artist with such an apocalyptic name. The Vision of a Dying World is the work of San Diego-based Jackson Nathan Milgaten. This track is off his EP/7″ entitled “I Will Not Fear What I Don’t Understand.” Words to live by. Let’s all chant it. Milgaten will be playing San Jose’s The Gingerbread House on June 19.

The Purrs – “Tearing Down Paisley Garden”

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The Purrs – “Only Dreaming”

Taking influence from all the classic indie rock bands like Yo La Tengo, Dandy Warhols and Pixies, it’s hard not to love Seattle’s The Purrs. The band has been knocking out music for the past 10 years and have just self-released their sixth album “Tearing Down Paisley Garden.” With psychedelic hooks like that in “Only Dreaming” you’ll want to love and hold them too. For a good time, just Purr.

Ghosty – “Team Up Again” [Free MP3s]

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Ghosty– “Setting Fires”

“Team Up Again”

File another one under the off kilter and quirky category.  This one from Lawrence, Kansas’ Ghosty. I mean, when you write songs about setting fires that’s a little strange and suspect, isn’t it? Both ‘Setting Fires’ and “Team Up Again” are tracks from their new EP called, well, Team Up Again.  Get the album here at iTunes.

Cowboy Indian Bear – “Mathematicians/ Colour”

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Cowboy Indian Bear – “Mathematican/Colour”

Something is afoot in Lawrence, Kansas.  This is about the fifth band inquiry I’ve received from that city in the past week yielding yet another band worthy of your attention.  This one by the name of Cowboy Indian Bear. Yes, that’s right. A name descriptive of the band’s sound, or so they say, to convey it’s “featherweight melodies, ghost-like echoes and whirring rhythms which creates an ethereal celebration that is tempered with a tinge of classic rock/pop.” Okay….let’s all get high and free associate.

Their full length album, “Let’s All Get High and Free Associate”, er..no, sorry, “Each Other All The Time” is out now.  All kidding aside, it’s good stuff.

Common Prayer – “Us vs. Them”

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Common Prayer – “Us vs. Them”

In a small town just south of Oxford in the United Kingdom, Brooklyn songwriter / Jason Russo (of Hopewell/ex-Mercury Rev fame) and a constituency of british pop talent hauled several half-tuned guitars, myriad scraps of rusty metal and a piano with a knee-high flood watermark into a cow barn to record an album which would come to be known as Common Prayer. Off key and quirky the album entitled, ‘There Is A Mountain’ will be released in the UK/EU on July 19th. In the meantime, they’ve made this track available for your listening pleasure. Enjoy.

Break It Down: Bibi Tanga – “It’s The Earth That Moves”

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Filtering through the new music in my inbox goes something like this: no, no, no, no, YES, no, no, no, no. This one was a YES.  More like a HELL YES. So irresistible I had to get up and break it down for a minute. Parisian groove master Bibi Tanga has a new album out this week called “Dunya“. Joining forces with producer Professeur Inlassable, they throw down some serious funky Fela Kuti-esque afrobeats and yummy rhythms. Break it down.

Chief – “Night and Day”

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Chief – “Night and Day”

Whoa…hey, check this number out from the Santa Monica 4-piece calling themselves Chief. Recently signed to Domino Records, the group will be releasing their debut album Modern Rituals on August 17.  Their sound has that kind of harmonic, melodic rock reminiscent of Band of Horses. They’ll be stopping by San Francisco’s Hotel Utah for a set on June 8th.  I think this is a show you might want to see.

Spanking New Music: ceo – “Come with Me”

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ceo – “Come with Me”

ceo is the new project from Eric Berglund of Swedish act The Tough Alliance. His debut album White Magic will release June 29th.  In the meantime, check out the single “Come With Me”. Sounds so deliciously Swedish, doesn’t it?

1. all around
2. illuminata
3. love and do what you will
4. white magic
5. oh god oh dear
6. no mercy
7. come with me
8. ***