Alela Diane

[Freak Folk, Psych Desert Gypsy Blues, New Weird America]

Alela is from Nevada City, California and is not-so-surprisingly friends with Joanna Newsom, having opened for her several times. Alela plays dark, yet beautifully haunting music that sounds much like its been served up right off the side of a deserted western highway, rather than a smoky Appalachian highway. She incorporates a strikingly sorrowful, yet wonderfully right Native American aesthetic that adds an appropriately comforting depth to her collections. In 2003 she self-release Forest Parade, and then The Pirate's Gospel the year following. Since then she was signed by Holocene Music in the US but then transfered to Names Records (UK) upon which she released her 2006 EP Songs Whistled Through White Teeth along with a remastered version of The Pirate's Gospel in 2007.

slightly similar to these crazies or vise versa: Joanna Newsom, Marie Sioux, Jana Hunter, Vashti Bunyan, White Magic

Alela Diane - Forest Parade 2003.zip
Alela Diane - The Pirate's Gospel (2006/7).zip

Alela Diane - Age Old Blue (Daytrotter SXSW).mp3
Alela Diane - White as Diamonds (Daytrotter SXSW).mp3

Effi Briest, Ipso Facto, The Hawds, Magistrates

Here are several bands that I have been stalking recently who have yet to put out debut EPs and who have therefore made me uncharacteristically skiddish in the sense that I cannot download more than one track by them at this time. I am now unusually forced to wait for their releases of which have no set/announced date for release, and some aren't even of rumored possibility/production. We can only assume these LPs will exist soon, if not soon, I might gain an unfortunate 2nd...or third personality.

Effi Briest

Seven girls, one band, and a whole lot of magic makes for an outstanding freak-folk/rock septet known as Effi Briest, coming straight out of Brooklyn, NY. Their brilliant clatter screams hauntingly loud on a debut 7" entitled, Mirror Rim, say it backwards with now. Mirror Rim. Here is their single accompanied by its B-side, The Newly-weds, a cover of an old 1970s jazz tune, and their 2nd 7" Long Shadow.

Effi Briest - Mirror Rim.mp3
Effi Briest - Newly-weds Song.mp3
Effi Briest - Long Shadow.mp3

Effi Briest - Pheonix.mp3

Ipso Facto

Words can not describe the love I have for these four girls. They are all such amazing artists! Hailing from London, and in no way related to their typical comparison, The Horrors, Ipso Facto is a steadily rising, post-rock modern goth soon-to-be phenomenon. Finally a female band that produces music which screams intellectual vision and specific style thats not overly accessible to the mainstream listener, much like Effi Briest above. Here is Ipso Facto's 7" Harmonise/Balderdash, along with a few other unreleased tracks.

Ipso Facto - Harmonize.mp3
Ipso Facto - Balderdash.mp3
Ipso Facto - Introducing.mp3
Ipso Facto - Little Puppet.mp3
Ipso Facto - Girl.mp3

The Hawds

These five guys, also from the UK, are hard to find, still locally oriented, only have a couple demo releases, and frustrate me more now than I was with White Denim and their seemingly long period of scarcity. Some might say they are your typical guitar rock band, but there is something else that lingers on your ears and somehow convinces you that they are awesome. I might carelessly relate them to the Black Lips in regards to their rawness, but these guys are a lot less focused on a scene to belong to and rather they devote their time to just being an honest band.

The Hawds - Dirt.mp3

Magistrates

Oh woa. Ok, if you have or had any interest at all, even a superficial pull, towards Tigercity or MGMT or any other seductive new wave jams then you will absolutely adore these guys. They are so incredibly right-on it is not even a question of whether they will be huge. They're from Essex, England and still continue to tour rather locally, but were just signed to XL Records which alone reveals their fate. I can hardly take their simmering success; they are my calm before the storm.

Magistrates - The Inbetweens.mp3
Magistrates - Colour Co Ordination.mp3
Magistrates - Make This Work.mp3

Ratatat - LP3 (08)

[Here's their third full length]

Ratatat - LP3 (2008)

Emancipator - Soon It Will Be Cold Enough (08)

[Downtempo, Trip-Hop, Chill, Instrumental Dub]

If you're a fan of music that induces extreme nostalgia, then check this guy out. His album leaked a while back as a demo of sorts without lyrics, but now the real deal is here. If you're like me and constantly searching for quality trip-hop or ambient sensory overloads that are rare to come by, then you'll definitely dig this guy. He plays and mixes all his tracks live and much like Morcheeba, his lyric dubs are brilliant and moving. With intelligent riffs and fluid down-tempo beats, Emcipator reminds me a more ambient sounding RJD2 or dare I say Ratatat; and is definitely recommended for fans of Dubstep artists such as Burial or Distance.

slightly similar to these crazies or vise versa: Bonobo, Hood, Telefon Tel Aviv, Psapp, Metaform, Portishead, Massive Attack, Royksopp

Emancipator - Soon It Will Be Cold Enough (2008).zip

No-Man - Shoolyard Ghosts (08)

[Ambient, Art/Rock, Trip-Hop, Chill, Dream Pop]

Here is a long existing band who came together in the late 80s, and gained back a great deal of momentum in 2006 after releasing a canon of sorts entitled, All the Blue Changes. They've still managed to hang on to their mysterious progressive yet electronic/ambient sound with their 2008 release of Schoolyard Ghosts; a follow up to their misleading 2007 album The Break-Up For Real, again off of Hidden Art Records.

slightly similar to these crazies or vise versa: Blackfield, Frost, Magic Pie, Steven Wilson, Porcupine Tree

No-Man - Schoolyard Ghosts (2008).zip

Tigercity - Pretend Not To Love EP (07)

I'm not a huge fan of cheesy new wave or smooth electro bands, but these guys are an exception. I saw them open for VHS or Beta, who are in fact another exception to that rule, and they definitely relieved me of my simmering excitement. They're they epitome of smooth and sexy. Here's their independently released EP, Pretend Not To Love. Try "Powerstripe" or "Dark Water" all the way through for a sufficient example of their awesomeness.

slightly similar to these crazies or vise versa: VHS or Beta, Cut Copy, The Cure, David Bowie, Glass Candy.

Tigercity - Pretend Not To Love EP (2007).zip

Feathers - Feathers (06)

Looking though they’ve been sent directly from central casting, the psych-folk octet Feathers originate from the same fertile New England climates that generated the wayfaring likes of Tower Recordings and the MV & EE Medicine Show. The arrival of their debut album on Devendra Banhart and Andy Cabic’s Gnomonsong label has not gone unheralded, since the group have built a promising reputation through their guest appearances on Banhart’s Cripple Crow and opening for such acts as Sufjan Stevens, Dinosaur Jr., and Smog. Home recorded and originally self-released on vinyl, the music on Feathers exists largely in the bucolic countryside previously occupied by the Incredible String Band, Comus and their progressive brethren. This might lead skeptics to dismiss this spirited collective as just another escapist hippie revival, yet throughout the album the casual sophistication of Feathers’ arrangements—as well as their firm grasp of dissolute, post-Siltbreeze dynamics—helps these performances achieve a distinct emotive depth and a gauzy, out-of-time luster.

slightly similar to these crazies or vise versa: Devendra Banhart, White Magic, Jana Hunter, Espers, Six Organs of Admittance, Matteah Baim, Metallic Falcons, Effi Briest

Feathers - Feathers (2006).rar

Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer (08)

Here it is, finally! This might be my favorite leak yet, ok no, but it definitely ranks high!!

Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer (2008).rar

Ladytron - Velocifero (08)

This is self explanatory.

Ladytron - Velocifero (2008).rar

65daysofstatic - The Distant...(08)

Truly Amazing!

65daysofstatic began as Iain Armstrong, Paul Wolinski and Joe Fro. Their name is derived from the 1954 Guatemalan CIA white book operation. The three make untypical, yet amazing IDM. Here is there 2008 release, The Distant And Mechanised Glow Of Eastern European Dance Parties, due out this summer as follow up to their last album, The Destrtuction of Small Ideas (2007).

Slightly similar to these crazies or vise versa: Mono, Mogwai, Explosions in The Sky, Grails, Russian Circles

65daysofstatic - The Distant... (08).rar

No Age - Nouns (08)

[lo-fi, noise, experimental, garage rock]

The art/rock duo has put out yet another quality LP with their 2008 release of Nouns on the infamous Sub Pop Records. The album is brilliant and compiled along the likes of other rising art/rock garage bands such as Black Lips and Japanther. Definitely an album to hear live.

No Age - Nouns (2008).rar

Indian Jewelry - We Are The Wild Beast (08)

Here it is, Indian Jewelry's follow up to Invasive Exotics off We Are Free records along side their co-bands Yeasayer and Ponytail! It is incredible and just as deviant yet similar to IE as that was to Rattling Death Train. I personally miss the darkness that was Rattling Death Train, but nonetheless We Are The Wild Beast is still smothered with quality.

Indian Jewelry - We Are The Wild Beast (2008).rar

Islaja - Blaze Mountain Recordings (08)

[Finnish, Psyche, Freak/Acid-Folk]

God bless Finland and their musical brilliance, beyond the comprehension of the masses. Like Sigur Ros, and of course Bjork, Finland brought us another master, Islaja. She's just as mysterious as expected and wonderfully haunting through and through. She's been called an acid-folk version of Bjork, Nico, and Syd Barrett combined. Check out her latest album, Blaze Mountain Recordings due out soon.

Slightly similar to these crazies or vise versa: White Magic, Bjork, Nico, Kuupuu, Amiina

Islaja - Blaze Mountain Recordings (2008).rar

Fantastic Magic - Witch Choir (07)

I'm going back to the old spiel instead of link lists because...well just because, and I'm mainly sticking to lovable carni eccentricities.

o0oo Wizardry and Folklore...brings us an album from a band known as Fantastic Magic, which is an incredibly accurate name, off Abandon Ship records. If you're into freak folk or...idk...Witch Choirs? Then check these guys out, but don't blame them if you happen to trip yourself into your friendly neighborhood psyche ward.

Slightly similar to these crazies or vice-versa: Emeralds,Vodka Soap, Indian Jewelry, White Magic, Headdress, Espers, Metallic Falcons, Islaja

Fantastic Magic-Witch Choir (07).rar

MtvU Leaking Albums as a Stand For Darfur

"For the month of April and into May, more than a dozen artists – including Tapes ‘n Tapes, Dizzee Rascal, Tokyo Police Club and Santogold – will exclusively "pre-release" new albums on mtvU.com, with several more exclusively premiering new videos on the site. All these in support of Stand's efforts which call on President Bush to protect the people of Darfur and to end the genocide. Called "Turn it Up", the campaign kicked off on April 1st, featuring Tapes ‘n Tapes' "Walk It Off" as well as The Long Blondes' "Couples". Stay tuned to here for more streaming sessions.

April 8th
Gossip – Live in Liverpool

April 15th
Tokyo Police Club – Elephant Shell
Kid Sister – EP
The Fashion – The Fashion
El Perro Del Mar – From The Valley To The Stars

April 22nd
Dizzee Rascal – Maths+English
Santogold – Santogold
Blue Scholars – BUTTER&GUN$
Jamie Lidell – JIM

May 6th
Emmanuel Jal – Warchild
Kidz in the Hall – The In Crowd"

~ independentmusic.blogspot

Lollapalooza Lineup 2008

I am still going, but I am rather disappointed.

Radiohead, Rage Against the Machine (uh), Nine Inch Nails, Kanye West (can we trade for Rihanna), Wilco, The Raconteurs, Louis XIV, Love and Rockets, Gnarls Barkley, Bloc Party, The Black Keys, Broken Social Scene, Lupe Fiasco, Flogging Molly, Mark Ronson, Cat Power, The National, G. Love & Special Sauce, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, Explosions in the Sky, Brand New (vom), Gogol Bordello, Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks, Dierks Bentley, Okkervil River, Amadou & Mariam, Blues Traveler, John Butler Trio, Girl Talk, Your Vegas, CSS, Eli "Paperboy" Reed & the True Loves, Battles, Steel Train, Jamie Lidell, Bang Camaro, Butch Walker(bigger vom), The Blakes, Mates of State, Tally Hall, Spank Rock, White Lies, Brazilian Girls, Magic Wands, Chromeo, Electric Touch, Duffy, Innerpartysystem, The Kills, The Postelles, Rogue Wave, The Parlor Mob, The Go! Team, Bald Eagle, Mason Jennings, Krista, The Gutter Twins, Ha Ha Tonka, Yeasayer, Witchcraft, Grizzly Bear, We Go To 11, MGMT, Sofia Talvik, The Weakerthans, Booka Shade, Santogold, Black Kids, Black Lips, Dr. Dog, Nicole Atkins & the Sea, The Ting Tings, Kid Sister, Office, The Cool Kids, What Made Milwaukee Famous, Does It Offend You, Yeah?, The Whigs, Manchester Orchestra, Foals, Uffie, The Octopus Project, Cadence Weapon, Ferras, De Novo Dahl, Noah and the Whale (my god stop), Margot & the Nuclear So and So's, K'NAAN, Serena Ryder, Newton Faulkner

Why I will be attending...

The Black Keys
The Gutter Twins
Jamie Lidell
Battles
Foals
Chromeo
Magic Wands
Innerpartysystem
The Gutter Twins
Yeasayer
MGMT
Witchcraft
Black Lips
The Octopus Project
.THE KILLS.
Tickets, unlike other worse festivals, are 190$ 190$ 190$ !

More 2008 Albums

Air Traffic - Fractured Life
Benga - Diary of an Afro Warrior
The Courteeners - St.Jude
Die! Die! Die! - Promises Promises
Flowers Forever - Flowers Forever pass: mp3zzz.blogspot.com
Foals - Antidotes
Jamie Lidell - Jim
Liam Finn - I'll Be Lighting
Lupe Fiasco - The Cool
Nada Surf - Lucky
Pride Tigers - Lucky Ones
The Raconteurs - Consolers of The Lonely
Russian Circles - Station
Say Hi - The Wishes and The Glitch
Skream - Skreamizm Vol 4
Sian Alice Group - 59:59
Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks - Real Emotional Trash
Tears Run Rings - Always Sometimes Seldom Never
Tender Forever - Wider
These Are Powers - Taro Tarot
El Vatican - Nowhere Near EP
White Denim - Goldie Locks Single

...yes I know a couple are 07

Krakow! - There Will Come Soft Rains (08)

good quality electronic gold

All lyrics are based off of the poem written by Sara Teasdale, There Will Come Soft Rains.

[Krakow! - There Will Come Soft Rains.zip]

Janelle Monáe - Metropolois Suite I: The Chase (07)

"Are we really livin or just walkin dead now..."
This is a "where the fuck have I been, Pop?" post.

Janelle Monáe

Signed by Diddy to Bad Boy Records...lets just hope she'll be his first success. Shes also the most recent member of the Outkast family as first seen in their video for Morris Brown off Idlewild.

This album is like 5th Element for your ears: Suite I of IV

Frankly, if shes not the cool... then I don't know what is!

[Metropolis Suite I: The Chase.zip]

myspace.com/janellemonae

Yeasayer Remixed

Talk about immediate mood reversal! This is gold.

Yeasayer - 2080 (Brenmar Remix) [mp3]

Yeasayer - Sunrise (Hey Champ Remix) [mp3]


Yeasayer Music Video: Wait For The Summer



props to BrooklynVegan