"Song For Zula" ~ Phosphorescent

So I just discovered this band thanks to another band (Efterklang).  This track is phenomal - simple, chill, and on repeat most of the evening.  Give it a go:

This track is the first single from an upcoming album.  If you check the band's label's website (Dead Oceans), you can snag a couple downloads - different tracks, though.  And if you dig a bit deeper on the site, you can find a little treasure trove of more free tracks from artists such as The Tallest Man On Earth, Gauntlet Hair, and several others I haven't listened to yet but will be checking out in the near future.

"Now my feet are gold, and my heart is white

And we race out on the desert plains all night

See honey, I am not some broken thing

I do not lay here in the dark waiting for thee..."

5-10-12 - "Morning Mood (Peer Gynt)" ~ Edvard Grieg

Tonight's special: a flash mob on a train.  Copenhagen Philharmonic playing Grieg's "Morning Mood" from "Peer Gynt" (you'll recognize the tune from countless movies / cartoons / commercials).  Flash mobs are so 2011, in a way.  But still, this is a pretty good concept - bringing classical music to commuters to brighten up their morning.  Interesting note: in the original play "Peer Gynt", the scene for which this was written has something to do with fending off a swarm of apes...


Anyway, the flash mob video:

And a piano version of the music:

2-7-12 - "Glowing Mouth" ~ Milagres

Just found this band thanks to 1,2,3's facebook post regarding upcoming shared tour dates.  This song is delectable and transcendental, with ambiguous yet intriguing lyrics.  A slow vibe that just draws you in.


Album version:

And of course, if there's a sweet acoustic rendition on youtube, I'm obliged to include it as well:

"When the tide is low we’re digging through the loam..."

PS - free download of the track on bandcamp! (and at least one more freebie if you poke around there...)


PS2 - check out the whole session on biguglyyellowcouch (including downloads of 3 tracks).  


PS3 - holy crap there's a Daytrotter session (also with free downloads!)  It's like freakin' Christmas in February!

2-1-12 - "Fog In The Valley" ~ Good Night, States

Every time I post a song that involves an Echo Chamber session from the Draw Us Lines crew, I'm reminded of a line in The Rescuers Down Under (you know you loved that movie as a kid)... "We're gonna have to make connections with a bigger bird." (said by Wilbur of Albatross Air, when asked whether it's a non-stop flight to Australia...)  They do such a good job over there at DUL, and capture some truly amazing songs stripped down to the roots in the EC sessions.  Not to mention, some of the songs are as yet unreleased (this one is from Good Night, States' upcoming "Country / Static" release - due 4.5.12), and the EC videos are the only versions available for me to post.

Good Night, States are yet another gem formed in the coal valleys of the Steel City... but they throw in some Jersey attitude for good measure.  Given their long-distance relationship, they're more than slightly elusive as far as live concert performances go, and I've yet to see them.  But I can guarantee I'll be at their next PGH gig, good Lord willin' and the creek don't rise.

This song will blow you away.  At least, it blew me away; I'll try not to oversell it since not everyone's musical tastes are identical.  But if you like the folksy feel and lush harmonies of The Head And The Heart or Fleet Foxes; or haunting, love/heartbreak songs like "Liar" or "Poison and Wine", I'll wager you'll like this song too:

"Fog In The Valley" ~ Good Night, States (from Vimeo.com, Draw Us Lines Echo Chamber Session)

"what i want more than silver

what i know i'm gonna wish i had

what i'd die and i'd kill for

some intimation that i make you glad..."

PS - props to percussionist Dan Harding for the awesome Where The Wild Things Are t-shirt (and the ridiculous glockenspiel breakdown), and to the venue for this EC session, which is a gorgeous local church - Eastminster Presbyterian.

1-9-12 - "Ridin' Coach" ~ 1,2,3

So I fail at battery charging pre-show and thus I fail at getting sweet concert video of 1,2,3 like I got for Meeting Of Important People from Saturday's sold out Brillobox show.  BUT, I did scour YouTube and found a couple wicked live performances of "Work" which you can check on my post from last summer.  And I found someone else's concert video of tonight's song too.


This one is a really chill tune, perfect for a leisurely cruise with the top down, or a relaxing summer evening - wait I mean winter evening.  It's just got that groove.  Can't explain; you'll have to hear it for yourself.  The song is a reminder that we can't expect success to be dropped in our laps; we have to work for it.  Don't expect the world to hand you things - get out there and make your dreams happen!


Live at Stickyz (whatever that is):

Album Version:

"Ooh, kid...

no golden yacht will sail you from the shore, kid.

(It doesn't happen like that...)"

1-1-12 - "Riding The Wooly Bug To Dreamland" ~ 1,2,3

Since I just poured my heart out about life, love, and blogging, I'm going to do a quickie post to let you know about some free tunes from Pittsburgh / NYC band 1,2,3 - they just dropped a freebie EP which was originally conceived as a few lullaby tunes for the niece of one of the band members, but they decided to share it with us.


You can read about it and get the download link here; it's definitely some chill but sweet stuff.  Early indicators are that the first track, "Riding The Wooly Bug To Dreamland", is my fave of the five, so we'll call that today's song, but the others ain't half bad either.  I may drop this EP into my iTunes sleep playlist tonight and see if it works better than my standards at putting me out...


Listen on Soundcloud:  "Riding The Wooly Bug To Dreamland"


If you like these tunes, go pick up the band's album and support their future endeavors!  The ever-evolving music industry is using the power of the internet to allow bands to do stuff like this, but those bands still need to pay the bills for studio time and whatnot in order to continue bringing you the tunes.  So, whether it's this band or others, take advantage of the free songs, but also be sure to support bands you love so they can keep making awesome music!

11-29-11 - "Hope You Know" ~ Megafaun

So apparently these dudes used to play music with Justin Vernon (a.k.a. Bon Iver).  So that basically makes them awesome.  Wikipedia classifies Megafaun as "psych-folk", which only adds to the potential for awesomeness.  Can I build them up any more before you listen to the track?


Hyperbole aside, this is just a chill track with simple piano over a restrained drum and bass foundation, washed over by a gently blended harmonic wave.

"close your eyes
and kiss goodbye..."

11-28-11 - "Modern Drift" ~ Efterklang

So due to a combination of a busy holiday with family and a lack of a reliable internet connection, I skipped a few days of posting.  I bet you were outside your minds waiting for someone to tell you what songs to which you should listen.  Or more likely, you didn't miss it at all, but now you're ready for some more.  Good Lord willing, and the creek don't rise*, I'll try to work in a few bonus posts to make it up to you.


Here's a somewhat trippy tune from a Danish band.  The intentional "accidental" dissonant chords of the falsetto piano over several sets of lower notes on the keys create an unsettling, yet soothing sensation.  The song seems to deal with that feeling of lacking direction that so many of the youthful generation experience these days, and with a relationship struggling to stay afloat through these rudderless times; however, the band apparently doesn't like people posting the lyrics online so it's hard to be sure that everything is being heard correctly...


(WARNING: music video has some PG-13 imagery; kind of like "Bohemian Like You".  If you have sensitive eyes, use the second "video", which is just the music, or the third, which is live in Montreal.  Several other decent concert videos out there, also...

"When the morning dies
and I come to you
with a broken lie
that I made for you..."
_________________________


* - one of my favorite sayings, complete with some interesting history.  Also a line from a Johnny Cash song, which I might get around to posting one day... oh wait I'm already looking for bonus/makeup posts so here it is, YAY!

11-15-11 - "Slow Days It Was Super" ~ Moshimoss

Here's a little ambient / instrumental tune that caught my ear recently.  It's by a Japanese artist, and kind of reminds me of another instrumental track I posted which also has something to do with Japan.  This one has a gentle vibe of bygone years, with children's voices echoing over the subtle synthesizers and bells...

Check out the bandcamp page too

1-17-11 - "Too Much" ~ Sufjan Stevens

I'm a latecomer to the Sufjan fanbase, and I'm not sure why.  Just never got around to listening to his stuff, I guess.  But I absolutely love his new album, and it's inspired me to start delving into the older works in his catalogue.  The album is trippy and a departure of sorts from some of his more mellow songs, but it works for me.  


The first time I heard "Too Much" was a live performance on Jimmy Fallon's late night show (hint: look down for special bonus link).  It was insanity.  The song's in 7/4 time (I love off-the-wall meter) and just synthed out fun.  Probably my favorite track on The Age of Adz, although there are several others to rival it.  And I just now saw the music video for the first time; it's psychedelic in its own right:

"Maybe I talk too fast, maybe I talk too much,
give me the sensitive laugh, or give me the sensitive touch;
even if I could have kissed, even if I could be the blind,
I'm so sorry I tried, love, I want to see it..."


BONUS: Live on Fallon (or, the acid trip video.  not that I'm recommending that, just that I'd imagine this performance is what an acid trip might be like...)


EDIT (12-19-11) it seems the Fallon video has been stricken from the Internet - let me know if you find it, but I couldn't...