Downtown/Union: Keep The Engine Running
August 23, 2010
From the Astral Turf five track EP
LA’s indie-driven rock band Downtown/ Union formed in 2006 as a two-piece pop outfit by its principle songwriters Bo Bory and Jeff Electric. Known for their stripped down songs with fuzzy guitar, bouncy drum work and heartfelt lyrics, they released a six song EP appropriately dubbed “Six Song Super Set”.
Jeff and Bo saw the potential in furthering their songwriting ideas and in 2009 with Johnny Seasons on bass and Adam Bomb on lead guitar the quartet was perfected.
Over the years, D/U has collaborated with Andy and Joey Siara of “The Henry Clay People” & Jack Gibson of the Austin Texas Band “Tenlons Fort”. D/U hit the studio and recorded their newest effort to date, five song EP “Astral Turf” which is available on 12″ 180 gram black vinyl, itunes worldwide through Jaxart Records & digitally at downtownunion.bandcamp.com
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Smoking Popes: Sandra
August 22, 2010
All the songs in this collection “It’s Been A Long Day” were recorded from 1991-1998. All have previously been released on various compilations and 7 inches with the exception of “Long Day”, which was recorded in 1992 but never released. The tape was lost up til’ last year, when the band found it in the corner of their basement. [ioda]
- Smoking Popes Website
- Social Media: Facebook | Twitter | MySpace
Smoking Popes
“Sandra” (mp3)
from “It’s Been A Long Day”
(Asian Man Records)
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More On This Album
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Young The Giant: My Body
August 21, 2010
California 5-piece, Young The Giant have been very busy. Garnering a fervent and loyal fan base from their electric live shows, the release of their 2008 debut EP Shake My Hand, their recent tour with Minus The Bear, and opening up for the likes of Kings of Leon, The Whigs, Ghostland Observatory, it is clear their hard work has paid off. Their first piece of newly released music since 2008 comes in the form of “My Body,” the first track from their upcoming debut album.
“My Body” is a rousing first impression from the young rock band. Rollicking guitars compliment lead singer Sameer Gadhia’s perfect pitched vocals, while the infectious chorus swings with intensity and hard-hitting, toe-tapping drum rhythms. Produced by Joe Chicarelli (The Shins, My Morning Jacket, The White Stripes), and mixed by Michael Brauer (Coldplay, My Morning Jacket), “My Body” is a true testament that this band’s bound for big things. Band members, Sameer Gadhia (vocals), Jacob Tilley (guitar), Eric Cannata (guitar/vocals), Payam Doostzadeh (Bass), Francois Comtois (drums/vocals) share diverse backgrounds such as Indian, Persian, British, and French- Canadian. At such a young age (all 21 or younger) their music reflects cultural influences and the bands inherent talent to write a beautiful melody with an arena-ready delivery.
Be sure not to miss your opportunity to see Young The Giant live during their California residencies in August when they are playing in Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego and San Francisco.
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Links
- YTG Web Site
- Social Media: Twitter | Facebook | MySpace
August California residencies:
8/01 The Troubadour Los Angeles, CA 8/02 The Casbah San Diego, CA 8/04 Detroit Bar Costa Mesa, CA 8/07 Bottom Of The Hill San Francisco, CA 8/08 The Troubadour Los Angeles, CA 8/11 Detroit Bar Costa Mesa, CA 8/15 The Troubadour Los Angeles, CA 8/16 The Casbah San Diego, CA 8/18 Detroit Bar Costa Mesa, CA 8/22 The Troubadour Los Angeles, CA 8/23 The Casbah San Diego, CA 8/29 The Troubadour Los Angeles, CA 8/30 The Casbah San Diego, CA
Bottomless Pit: 38 Souls
August 20, 2010
Bottomless Pit was formed in the fall of 2005 by erstwhile Silkworm members Tim Midgett and Andy Cohen. Their longtime friends Chris Manfrin (Seam) and Brian Orchard (.22) complete the quartet.
Blood Under the Bridge is the third record and second full-length by Bottomless Pit. The album explores the awful and thrilling randomness of fate, with a hard fix on the future. Affectionate and brusque, languid and bracing – it is nearly peerless modern postpunk. [ioda]
- Bottomless Pit Website
- Social Media: Facebook | MySpace
Bottomless Pit
“38 Souls” (mp3)
from “Blood Under the Bridge”
(Comedy Minus One)
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Great Lakes: Summer Fruit
August 19, 2010
From their album Ways of Escape out Oct 12
Great Lakes formed in Athens, Georgia in 1996. Founded around the songwriting partnership of Ben Crum and lyricist Dan Donahue, with multi-instrumentalist Jamey Huggins and a rotating cast of several other players, who included Kevin Barnes and Bryan Poole of Of Montreal fame. They released an eponymous debut in 2000. Over time Huggins began to switch his focus to other projects, and Crum and Donahue relocated to Brooklyn, releasing The Distance Between in 2002 and Diamond Times in 2006.
Adorned with gentle guitar, stately piano, beautiful pedal steel, soulful organ and subtle yet powerful drumming, Ways of Escape is distinguished by the accomplished musicianship of the group of veteran players who made it, and the backstory that makes the album the more personal Great Lakes album for singer/songwriter Ben Crum. With Crum singing and playing guitar, it also features Kevin Shea on drums, David Lerner on bass, Jay Israelson on piano, Joe McGinty on electric piano and organ, Jon Natchez on bass clarinet and saxophones, Heather McIntosh on cello, Linda Rosenbury on violin, Phillip Sterk on pedal steel, and Suzanne Nienaber singing backing vocals.
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Links
- Great Lakes page at Orange Twin
- Social Media: MySpace
Ra Ra Riot: Boy (RAC mix)
August 18, 2010
New York’s Ra Ra Riot recently sent out a free gift to their fanbase to all those that had downloaded the original version of “Boy,” the very first single from their album The Orchard, which drops in a few days.
This remix of “Boy” was basically given out as a thank you for all the fans support. It’s done by the Remix Artist Collective and can be found over at SoundCloud for free download for all.
- Ra Ra Riot Website
- Remix Artist Collective Website
- Social Media: Facebook | Twitter | MySpace | SoundCloud
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Dreamend: Magnesium Light
August 17, 2010
From the Solo project So I Ate Myself, Bite by Bite of Ryan Graveface of Black Moth Super Rainbow
As Dreamend’s sole member and proprietor behind Graveface Records, an independent label with a sharp focus on hand assembled items and limited editions, Ryan Graveface has a dazzlingly complex album in SIAMByB. Heavy on banjo, bells, guitar, organ and fearlessly honest vocals, this record is relentlessly catchy.
The tale of SIAMBbB will have you reeling and so will its incredible packaging. The label who brought you indie-rock’s first bonafide, hand made pop-up book with Long-Forgotten Friend have upped the ante: the LP version of So I Ate Myself, Bite by Bite, is presented like a phenakistoscope, a classic Victorian animation machine. If you thought picture discs and colored vinyl were cool (both mediums you Graveface aficionados will know a lot about), wait until you get a load of William Schaff’s painstaking, brilliantly delivered design. It’s truly a remarkable accomplishment in the annals of the Album as Artform, which is a hallmark of Graveface Records.
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Links
- Web Site (Tumblr)
- Social Media: MySpace
IODA Links
- DREAMEND
“Magnesium Light” (mp3)- from “So I Ate Myself, Bite by Bite”
- (Graveface Records)
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Matt Skiba: S.O.S.
August 16, 2010
Somewhere in between breaks during Alkaline Trio’s relentless touring schedule, Matt Skiba found time to demo and record a whole slew of new songs. It’s been more than ten years since his last solo album (a split with Kevin Seconds), so enjoy “Demos.”
Album Notes
-first release in 10 years
-all home recording done by Matt on his laptop
-all unreleased songs
- Matt Skiba’s Wiki
- Social Media: Facebook | Twitter | MySpace
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Matt Skiba
“S.O.S.” (mp3)
from “Demos”
(Asian Man Records)
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State Song: Highway Machine
August 15, 2010
From “Dear Hearts & Gentle People” on Phratry Records
Started in November 2008 by cousins Scot Torres and Matt Hemingway along with good friend George Jesse. All bandless at the time, they came together to turn their shared passion for music into a fruitful outlet. Currently State Song is working on learning songs with their new drummer and doing things for their upcoming release this summer.
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IODA Links
- State Song
“Highway Machine” (mp3)- from “Dear Hearts & Gentle People”
- (Phratry Records)
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Ethan Lipton & His Orchestra: You Were Right + It’s OK
August 14, 2010
What smells like special and sounds like awesome?
Dubbed ‘Best Lounge Act of 2009’ by New York Magazine, Ethan Lipton & His Orchestra play a brand of uncategorizable folk/jazz/country/lounge- lizardry that’s drawn comparisons to the music of Leon Redbone, They Might Be Giants, Randy Newman and Tom Waits. They released their sophomore studio album HONKER on June 29 of this year.
With melancholy wit and a cockeyed worldview, sepia-toned singer-songwriter Lipton and band-mates Eben Levy (guitar), Ian Riggs (bass) and Vito Dieterle (sax) deliver songs steeped in irreverent sincerity and soul.
Featuring guest vocals from Matt Berninger of THE NATIONAL, Cynthia Hopkins of GLORIA DELUXE and a chorus of middle-school students, HONKER was funded entirely by fans around the world through funding platform Kickstarter, and continues Lipton’s unique gift of conveying thoughts and emotions most don’t want to admit.
“I’m worried about how the soul is doing, mine and other peoples,” acknowledges Ethan. “I’m worried about what the world is doing to the soul, how it’s giving the soul a hard time. And I’m trying to give the soul a little comfort, a pat on the back, a reason to laugh at itself, or even just a clearer picture–a more compassionate explanation–of why, no matter how hard it tries, it’s never going to win.”
“We’re here to represent the half-empties of the world,” declares Ethan Lipton of his band, now entering its fifth year as a quartet. “We know there’s some good news buried in all the bad, and we’re trying to dig it out and get it to the people who need it—on finger sandwiches of delight, if possible.”
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