05-01-12 - "Creep" ~ Carrie Manolakos (cover of Radiohead)

Tonight is one of those rare nights when I post a cover.  Generally, while I do believe some covers are worthwhile, I try to go with the original version (or at least post both).  But in this case, odds are you're familiar with the original, and the cover just has that ethereal quality which merits attention.


Interesting to note that this song may have the most comments of any song I've ever viewed on songmeanings.net.  Also that the band had to fight pretty hard to get past this one track from their first album, and Thom Yorke apparently pretty much hates the song now.  


Carrie Manolakos cut her teeth on Broadway, and now she has released an album of original tunes.  If this performance is any indication, she's got the pipes to make for some quality songs.

Here's an excerpt from an article that has been making the rounds on the social media sites:

"This Cover of Radiohead's "Creep" Will Make Your Ears Orgasm. If you're in a hurry, skip to 2:25 for the crescendo, but you should really listen to the whole thing. It's upsettingly good."

~ Neetzan Zimmerman, Gawker

Seriously, listen to the whole thing; the emotion conveyed in the quieter parts of the song is just as good as the payoff.  The high note, the harmony, the control through it all... just wow.  And the instruments are spot on, as well.

And here's the original, just so the Radiohead fans don't lambaste me:

"She's running out again..."

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.

12-19-11 - "Top Bunk" ~ Gauntlet Hair

I'm going to be honest: I'm not precisely sure what's going on here.  But I like it.


Gauntlet Hair is a noise pop duo from Chicago by way of Denver.  This track has looping guitar riffs and somewhat dissonant interludes, along with nigh-unintelligible lyrics.  (It's my custom to pilfer a line or two and include at the bottom of the post, but in this case, I can't make out enough of a phrase to put anything remotely meaningful.... so... yeah.)

It might not be your cup of tea, but then again you may find yourself drawn to it as I was.  Give it a click, and if it's not for you, just browse to another post, like maybe some Sufjan Stevens if you're a hipster, Arcade Fire if you only liked Sufjan before he went mainstream, Said The Whale if you only liked Arcade Fire before they went mainstream, William Fitzsimmons if you just went through a divorce or nasty breakup, Bob Marley if you're Rastafarian or just like weed, or.... you know what, just browse around!

8-26-11 - "Green Light" ~ Leisure

Found this one thanks to the good people at Tympanogram.  The ethereal feel of the song is crafted from a dirty little piano hook slathered over a sparse drum loop, and the mournful vocals float above like the morning fog over the Allegheny River... or perhaps I should say the Charles, seeing as Leisure hail from Boston.  


The lyrics paint a picture of entropic developments, perhaps the waning of a fiery relationship.  

Green Light by leisure


EDIT 1-3-12:  Check out this awesome stripped-down (can't say "acoustic" because the guitar is still wired, but it's sans electronic effects) performance!

"And when the rain comes down and hits us

We'll be dying just to live..."

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Oh hey so check Leisure's Bandcamp page for 2 free songs! (not this one, but hey, still freebies and if you like this track you might like those ones too.)  Also of note, apparently they played in London tonight and play in NYC tomorrow... not messing around with those travel plans...

8-1-11 - "Generator^First Floor" ~ Freelance Whales

It's a new month, so it seems a good time for a song that speaks of new beginnings.  Freelance Whales are more than just an epic band name.  They bring slightly unconventional instrumentation to indie pop and slather it in lush harmonies.  

The album "Weathervanes" is nonstop fun, start to finish.  Oh wait, there's a pretty sad song right in the middle... but other than that, nonstop fun.  And this track kicks it off with a bang... wait I mean a banjo:

Part of the reason I picked this song today was so I could also show you this video of the PS22 Chorus  collaborating with the Whales:

And just for good measure, an NPR Tiny Desk version which lets you watch them play their instruments (I'm not really sure what that is... a box-cordion? oh wait let me google it ~ a "harmonium".  cool.):

"We keep on churning and the lights inside the house turn on 
And in our native language we are chantin' ancient songs 
Then when we quiet down, the house chants on without us."


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In other news, I'm experimenting with a fun site called thesixtyone.com.  It's a little bit of a different take on discovering new music; I recommend checking it out.  Here's this track on the site: http://www.thesixtyone.com/s/Vx2GgH2oe9U/

7-30-11 - "Adelai" ~ Lohio

Still don't believe the Pittsburgh indie music scene is legit?  Here's further proof.  I haven't yet seen Lohio live, but songs like this assure me that I must do so in the near The instrumentation is delightful, the vocals ethereal, and the lyrics confounding yet simple.  Top it off with an amazing video featuring a cute kid's romp with a friendly monster (oddly reminiscent of another video I posted a while back), and you have yourselves some fine art:

Oh hey look this song just so happens to also be another of the excellent Echo Chamber series:

Once again, Draw Us Lines' dedication to promoting great music (especially local) comes up aces.


"are there wolves coming after me,

are there wolves coming after me…?"

7-29-11 - "Save Your Breath" ~ Big Hurry

Any day you have a chance to move a sofa with a pull-out mattress down a fire escape AND see Big Hurry in concert has to go down as one of the better days it is possible to have on this earth.  Turns out the other two bands were legit tonight, too (The Long Time Darlings and The Harlan Twins - we'll likely talk about each of them some time soon).  BH brought the energy tonight to a packed and sweaty house at Brillobox, and it was good to see their full electric set after they hit an acoustic home run a few weeks ago at the Draw Us Lines birthday bash.

(photo from the acoustic set 7-9-11)

I got to talk to a few of the band members, and they're pretty swell folks.  Additional evidence can be found here (a hilarious interview after a recent show they played in NYC).  I gotta say, I'm disappointed they weren't able to resurrect "Found Out" for me after I asked them about it at the last show, but I'm holding out hope that it will resurface at a future show.


It's hard to pick just one song to highlight when you love them all, but I'm going with Save Your Breath tonight.  


"Save Your Breath" (bandcamp)


Acoustic "Echo Chamber" version, courtesy of Draw Us Lines (you gotta love the way Dani does percussion for their acoustic stuff; I know my drummer friend Jake does!):

oh hey look a remix too: "Save Your Breath / Left of the Dial mix" (bandcamp)


three for one tonight, don't you feel special?


"we depicted awful scenes in bright red chalk..."

7-24-11 - "Sweetness" ~ Jimmy Eat World

Oh, just a sweet little track from around the time I headed to college by a little band from Arizona... 


Some might say the song is about drugs; some say it's about a broken heart and the girl who caused it.  I say it's about Mike&Ikes:

But seriously, I'm not sure, because the "little sweet and simple numbing me" could be a kiss, or it could be cocaine, or whatever.  I just like the song.  Perhaps the most interesting musical element for me is the chord selection, mostly in the verses where I keep expecting the guitars to hit with a major after each line but it's some kind of dissonant minor.  And yet the song still comes across with an upbeat sound, especially towards the end...

"So tell me what do I need,
when words lose their meaning?"