Songs
Music Tapes - Majesty
The Music Tapes were perhaps the most interesting and promising of all the Elephant Six crew - their live shows were somewhat bizarre and bordered on Fluxus-worthy performance art, the sole album was brilliant. Like so many of the Elephant Six bands, though, they burned bright briefly then quickly disappeared, never to be heard from again.
Almost ten years later, master of the singing saw Julian Koster returns from hiding to drop a second imaginary symphony on the world.... This is a track from the second Music Tapes album coming out on Merge Records.
I Spies - Up All Night
Retro-eighties pop that conjures memories of John Hughes movies and Big Country.... Nice!The Heavenly States - Lost In The Light
Great song from Oakland band The Heavenly States. This is the first track I've listened to by the band but if this song is any indication the comparisons I've read seem way off - I'm not hearing Superchunk, Dinosaur or the SST bands at all - I hear Lou Reed circa New York - bar rock tracks with an energizing and uplifting political poetry at work....THIS IS IVY LEAGUE - The Richest Kids
This feels a little pretentious -- so does their press photo - but not bad - echoes of Belle & Sebastian, Cyrkle, Beach Boys, Buddy Holly... For fans of sixties and indie pop....The Boticellis - Old Home Movies
Whoah-hoah! Awesome band of San Franciscans. Fans of Smiths, Lucksmiths, Beach Boys, classic indie-pop/twee and sixties pop will swoon!Pomegranates - WHOM/WHO
A Cincinatti indie-rock band that has drawn comparisons to Modest Mouse...Lesser Gonzalez Alvarez - Mostly a Friend
Wham City's Lesser Gonzalez Alvarez has signed with the DC-based Carpark Records. Debut solo album Why Is Bear Billowing? set for release Aug. 19.
A couple years ago he was playing stripped down electro-pop (60s French chanteuse style) in the exceptional yet short-lived band Cache Cache. Lesser's wide-ranging musical projects also include playing guitar in the drone-tinged country-folk group The Tall Grass as well as an electronic side project called The Ruby Stallion Ensemble.
Lesser is also an accomplished visual artist whose work can be seen at www.thinplastic.com
Lesser will tour North America with Jana Hunter in Aug. and Sept. and later in the fall will take part in a Wham City Round Robin tour.
Biography of Ferns - John The Barber
Biography of Ferns is comprised of three friends from Seattle, all equally moved by a love of late 70’s British punk/art rock and wave. Back in 2003, Biography of Ferns sent Slim Moon, the then label head of Kill Rock Stars, a picture of their cat and some of their recordings without having any expectations. To their rewarding surprise, Slim liked what he heard and invited them to include their single “John the Barber” (MP3) on Kill Rock Stars’ Tracks and Fields compilation. If the music doesn’t tip you off, Biography of Ferns is highly influenced by groups like The Slits, Television Personalities, The Kinks, Television, Sonic Youth, and Joy Division. The band has been lucky enough to play shows with Deerhoof, Melt Banana, The Decemberists, Xiu Xiu, Calvin Johnson, Gossip, Okkervil River, The Old Haunts, Degenerate Art Ensemble (with which they share a label), and many more.Sunny Day Sets Fire - Brainless
Multinational, multi-instrumental, multi-faceted surrealist pop group Sunny Day Sets Fire primes summertime launch of debut album reminiscent of Blonde Redhead, Flaming Lips and Architecture In Helsinki.Electrocute - On The Beat
Electrocute are back with a brand new EP titled "On the Beat" produced with their pal Junkie XL. It's a 6-track package of pop goodies, dance classics and glamorous rock'n'roll defiance. Founding member Nicole Morier has relocated from Berlin to Los Angeles and paired up with sassy Aussie Legs Le Brock to bring you this summer's beach party hits, inspired by their new sun stroked, palm tree surroundings.
"One the Beat" is a dazzling infusion of grooving electro dance beats, swaggering fuzz fueled guitars, and sugary vocals delivering Electrocute's trademark naughty but clever lyrical design. Get ready for a delightfully eclectic journey that blends what the duo have branded "spaghetti western-disco-rock" into an all around fun and inspired collection of songs.
