via Giantess Myspace
If you can't get enough of Passion Pit, fear not because another Boston-based band is bringing you all the electro ear candy that you could possibly handle without exploding. Giantess comes recommended to me by the same friend who introduced me to Passion Pit last July. If you take a listen to "You Were Young," this recommendation will be unsurprising since I could imagine people easily mistaking this for a PP track. I did a little searching and turns out Ayad (synths) of PP produces the band. Mystery solved.
Beware, this song is extremely catchy. I didn't think too much of it at first, but then I was humming it at work today. It's kind of annoying that I can't get it out of my head. And, now I'm dancing in my chair. The best kind of dancing, of course.
Giantess' debut is expected to drop on Neon Gold next month. Hopefully, an upcoming NY show is in the works.
In other semi-related news, Neon Gold is raving about the upcoming Passion Pit LP. Hope it lives up to the hype.
You Were Young - Giantess | Alternative Link
February 25, 2009
"You Were Young" - Giantess
February 21, 2009
"Everything Is Moving So Fast" - Great Lake Swimmers
via Aquarium Drunkard
My current living situation has become so unbearable that I almost dread waking up in the morning. But, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel, and a certain new Great Lake Swimmers song has been coaxing me out of bed. Premiered by You Ain't No Picasso earlier this week, "Everything Is Moving So Fast" is a free mp3 off Lost Channels, Great Lake Swimmers' upcoming follow-up to Ongiara. To be honest, I wasn't too enthralled by "Pulling on a Line," the first single off Lost Channels. I was expecting something more along the lines of "Your Rocky Spine," which is a song that I immediately liked and played constantly. But, this new track makes me excited for the rest of Lost Channels, and it puts a smile on my face in the morning. The perfect, serene start to any day. Take a listen and feel soothed.
Lost Channels is due on March 31. Great Lake Swimmers return to New York on April 16. Catch them at Bowery Ballroom.
Everything Is Moving So Fast - Great Lake Swimmers (via You Ain't No Picasso)
Your Rocky Spine - Great Lake Swimmers | Alternative Link
February 20, 2009
"Creekmouth" & "Thanksgiving Moon" - DM Stith
via Lost At E Minor
In an Ambien-induced stupor a few nights ago, I came across the most appropriate album for my mood. One of the Asthmatic Kitty family members, DM Stith first emerged as a My Brightest Diamond collaborator. Although he still collabs with his labelmates and most recently contributed back-up vocals to Sufjan and Buck 65's "Blood, Pt 2" off Dark Was The Night, David Stith is releasing his first full-length album, Heavy Ghost, on March 10.
February 11, 2009
"The Lonely Man of Winter" - Sufjan Stevens
via Brooklyn Based
On January 28, I read something on Brooklyn Based that literally made my heart skip a beat. Over a year ago, Alec Duffy of Hoi Polloi received exclusive rights to "The Lonely Man of Winter" for winning Sufjan's Xmas Xchange with an original song that you can listen to here. After holding onto the song for a year, Alec decided to host listening sessions every Wednesday for about a month. With three sessions a night, each limited to four listeners, Alec truly intended to create an meaningful experience for those who were able to attend. Promises of tea, cookies, and a virtually unheard Sufjan Stevens song were more than enough motivation for me to shoot an email to Alec.
February 8, 2009
Nodzzz, Wavves - Underground Lounge 02.08.09
Wavves @ Less Artists, More Condos
via .
Nodzzz @ Underground Lounge
Morningside Heights is probably one of the last places I would voluntarily trek to on a beautiful Sunday afternoon, but I happily returned to my old stomping grounds today to check out Nodzzz and Wavves. WBAR has been keeping the kids cool with acts like Crystal Stilts, Fujiya & Miyagi, and Telepathe over the last couple years, so I wasn't surprised when they came together with Todd P to bring some of the most anticipated acts of late. I'd never been to Underground Lounge during the day, nor had I ever ventured away from the front bar area, but somehow it made sense to me that the "performance space" was more like a dark corner in someone's exposed-brick basement. The small raised stage could barely support a drum set and some amps, and the room was more than cozy. Basically, it was a perfect place to listen to some Californian garage pop/punk bands during the daytime.
Ffiinnaall Ffaannttaassyy - The Kitchen 02.07.09
via brooklynvegan from Friday's show. Owen wore a bright yellow shirt on Saturday.
Last night, Owen Pallett aka Final Fantasy and Matt Smith played the last of three shows as Ffiinnaall Ffaannttaassyy. Even if you've never heard of his pseudonym, it's likely that you're still familiar with Owen's other work. A go-to for string arrangements, Owen has worked (and at times toured) with Arcade Fire, Beirut, Grizzly Bear, and The Last Shadow Puppets. But, it is his work under Final Fantasy that really defines him as a must-listen.
February 7, 2009
"The Tenure Itch" - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
via RCRDLBL
When K. of Escape Sounds asked me earlier this week if I had listened to any The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, I confessed that I had started to see some reviews for the band's self-titled album but that I had yet to really listen to any of their music. Also, this band could be in the running for winning a superlative for their bad band name. When I had a chance to check my library, I saw that I had a couple of their tracks that I hadn't even played. My iTunes has become an overwhelming inbox with no foreseeable bottom, so I'm not surprised that this one slipped through the cracks. Per K.'s recommendation, I finally got the rest of TPOBPAH's album and came across this gem. "The Tenure Itch" is my current favorite and is probably a good starting point for this album. Two of the songs available via RCRDLBL, "Come Saturday" and "Everything with You", are a little too indistinguishable for me to listen to repeatedly. But, "The Tenure Itch" is catchy dream pop song that makes me long for the summer. I can just imagine listening to this during the middle of the day at an outdoors festival. Winter, when will you end??
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart play Mercury Lounge tonight and the Bell House on March 13. Their self-titled album is currently available for purchase. Check out Escape Sounds' thoughts on TPOBPAH.
The Tenure Itch - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
February 5, 2009
Beirut - MHOW 02.04.09
Thanks to an intimate night of a scaled-down Beirut, I’ve had “Postcards from Italy” stuck in my head all day. While I’ve had Beirut on rotation since Gulag Orkestar, I didn’t fall hard for this band until Zach cancelled their European tour and called for a hiatus last April. It’s true, I took Beirut’s existence for granted until they were temporarily absent from the scene. And, ever since I missed them at their MHOW show last May, I’ve been kicking myself for making poor life decisions.
Over the last few months of Beirut’s hiatus, I’ve found myself going back and listening to a significant amount of their music. You would think this would be a fairly normal action for any music lover, but that’s not necessarily the case with me. Most of my time is dedicated to listening to new music (or music that is new to me), and I’m constantly seeking my next “obsession.” Rarely do I spend an exorbitant amount of time on albums that are collecting virtual dust in my iTunes library. But, as confirmed with my Last.fm, Beirut falls into my top five most listened artists in the last 12 months. Not only have I been giving them heavy play, Beirut has become sort of a musical motivator/inspiration to me. Beirut is the reason why I picked up a ukulele. More importantly, they have helped me rediscover my love of piano performance, something I’d lost many years ago. So, it’s safe to say that I was ecstatic to finally go to a Beirut show, especially since I had never seen them live before.
February 2, 2009
"Untitled 18" - The Real People (Zach Condon)
via brooklynvegan
Roughly around the time that I was dedicating most of my time to teenage angst and emo music, Zach Condon was doing something slightly more constructive and arguably cooler (by a very slim margin, of course). Pre-dating the Balkan folk style that distinguishes Beirut's music, The Joys of Losing Weight was an unreleased album that Condon had put together at age fifteen under the moniker of The Real People. I read that Zach had some solo material before Beirut, but I didn't know of the digital availability of The Joys of Losing Weight until recently (Thanks, Nate!). When I started listening to "Untitled 18," I felt like I was given a rare glimpse into Zach's musical development. For one, the track opens with a beautiful guitar intro, which is something I did not expect from him. But, this album is from a time when Condon was still able to wrap his wrist around a guitar, before he underwent surgery and traded in the guitar for a ukulele. Although I absolutely adore the uke and Beirut is my inspiration for buying one, I didn't miss it one bit in this bossa nova-inspired track. As a fan of Beirut, I think it's exciting to hear something that is distinctively different, even if it was from seven years ago.
