IndieUprising #47: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (78)

Featured Band: Gillmor. Interview with Tyler Thompson (Piano/Keys) and Jimmy Marvich (Bass).

Music By: Hot Water Music. Edison Glass. Nakatomi Plaza. Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltson. Adam Panic. Gillmor. Dropout Year. Kinch. We Are Bears. Oceana.

read comments (1)

The Indie Review

By Sean Duregger
June 28, 2008

Artist: Sigur Ros
Album: Med sud I eyrum vid spilum endalaust
Label: XL Recordings
Rating:

 Email This Post  Print This Post

Sigur Ros is probably one of the most unconventional and innovative bands working today. Rather than being driven by styles and trends, Sigur Ros is a true example of true art and music colliding. Med sud I eyrum vid spilum endalaust (translated: “With a Buzz in Our Ears We Play Endlessly”) is the culmonation of Sigur Ros‘ amazing previous work, taking their sound to more of a well rounded blend of beautiful, slow and haunting melodies combined with a more organic lively sound.

It seems Sigur Ros have embraced more of an organic sound lately. First with the release of Sigur Ros‘ “Rock” album Takk, then with their DVD release Heima and the subsiquent CD release of B-Sides and live studio versions of some of their favorite songs. Med sud I eyrum vid spilum endalaust takes the best moments from these albums and is Sigur Ros‘ strongest album to date.

As an album as a whole, there is a lot more variety to work with here. Gobbligook can be justified as Sigur Ros‘ first successful single and stands alone as a great song. The rest of the album is as innovative with impeccable production; crisp and organic, with less distortion and echo than the previous albums. Adding to the layers of each song are various levels of strings and piano.

Easily the most accessible Sigur Ros album, Med sud I eyrum vid spilum endalaust still maintains the integrity that comes with all Sigur Ros albums. Extremely artistic and not guided by a corporate label, Sigur Ros exists to create works of art with each album. With Med sud I eyrum vid spilum endalaust, Sigur Ros have added yet another masterpiece.

Stand Out Tracks:

“Gobbligook
“Inní mér syngur vitleysingur”
“Vid spilum endalaust”

read comments (0)

Noise For The Needy, a Seattle-based non profit organization whose goal is to raise money for charitable causes through the production of live music shows, is proud to announce that it has raised over $33,000 for Urban Rest Stop during this year’s fest—which included shows from Talib Kweli, Matt and Kim, Two Gallants, Black Angels and scores of other amazing musicians and bands.

Urban Rest Stop provides a clean, safe and welcoming facility where homeless individuals and families can come and use restrooms, shower and laundry facilities at no cost. The organization’s program manager, Ronni Gilboa, explains where the money is going: “The Urban Rest Stop will use this most generous gift to assist in covering the increased daily operating costs caused by our facility expansion. With the addition of a Women’s restroom , doubling our laundry capacity and waiting room space and the coming provision of on-site nursing services (in cooperation with Harborview Hospital), the Urban Rest Stop has experienced an 75% increase in service delivery. Funds will be used to pay for the increased utility, cleaning and hygiene supplies, repairs and other related costs. During the summer, the Urban Rest Stop experiences a daily foot traffic of 800 individuals , provides 225 showers, 150 laundry loads and 500 restroom uses daily.”

Noise For The Needy and Urban Rest Stop would love to thank everyone who attended, performed at or volunteered for this year’s festival, and wish to encourage those who haven’t to visit the organizations’ websites, www.noisefortheneedy.org and www.urbanreststop.org –both sites feature information on how to donate, volunteer and more.

read comments (0)

INTO IT. OVER IT. - Hits Week 40 In Year-Long Recording Project
——————————————————-
* New Song, …And I Bite My Nails, up now (free mp3)
* 40 down…12 To Go!

INTO IT. OVER IT., the latest vehicle for Philadelphia native Evan Weiss, has posted its most recent offering titled …And I Bite My Nails. You can grab a free mp3 here.

While you’re at it, download the previous 39 songs as well…and feel free to re-post and share with your friends!

…And I Bite My Nails is the 40th track in an ongoing series which finds Weiss tackling the creation of one new song every week for the span of a year. That’s 52 songs in 52 weeks: an impressive feat, especially considering that nothing has been composed in advance - not to mention the time constraints involved in writing a song in the span of seven days (52 times in a row).

Weiss, who is also a member of The Progress and has played with Up Up Down Down and It’s A King Thing, conceived Into It. Over It. as a way to break free from a musical rut and as an autobiographical means to document that quickly passing thing we call “life.” The first song was posted on his 23rd birthday (09/27/07) and the last will go up on October 2nd, 2008. Most of the instruments are played by Weiss and the majority of songs are recorded at Gradwell House by Steve Poponi.

Again, everything from the past 40 weeks is available for free downloading and sharing. The easiest way to get all the songs - plus the next 12 as they’re released - is via iTunes podcast. Simply go to the podcast section of your iTunes store and search for “Into It Over It.” Subscribe and you’ll have everything that has been posted thus far. Plus, you’ll get each new track as they’re released on Thursday. As previously mentioned, you can visit the website, browse each song page and download them individually. Of course there’s myspace as well, where you can stream a random sampling of tracks.

read comments (0)

 

 IndieUprising #46: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (187)

Music By: Good Riddance. The Gaslight Anthem. Things That Fly. A Skylit Drive. My Hero Is Me. Crash Coordinates. Joan of Arc. Furlough. The Morning Of. Scene in Stereo. Colors in the Air. Emerald Honor. Cranes & Crows.

read comments (0)

The Indie Review
By Allie Berg
June 24, 2008

Artist: Colors in the Air
Album: On the Inside
Label: Leakmob Records

Rating:

From the cold temperatures of Buffalo, New York comes a band who is really heating things up. Colors in the Air is a band certainly on the rise. What is different about this band from others you might ask? Genuine talent. These guys aren’t just playing the same three chords over and over again. The musical introductions and perfectly planned harmonies are simply on point.

Instead of completely filling the songs with lyrics, Colors in the Air focuses more on the power of actual music and showcasing their talent on their debut album On the Inside. In the first track; Maybe Tonight, it takes a small while for lyrics to kick in, but when they do, they come in at exactly the right time. Singer, Brian Miller sounds as if he has been doing this for years and years and has phenomenal vocal ability. At times it reminds me a little bit of Adam Levine (Maroon 5) and Chris Martin (Coldplay). Although it is the singer that stands out to me, each band member plays a crucial role in the outcome of On the Inside.

On the Inside as a whole is extremely well put together and sounds extremely professional. These guys are trying to bring back what music should sound like. The pop punk trend has gone on for way too long and its refreshing to see a new band straying away from that trend. If you like music, and talent, Colors in the Air will be touring this summer so give them a listen and check them out live!

Stand Out Tracks:

“Maybe Tonight”
“Echoes”
“Raindrops”

read comments (0)

The Indie Review

By Sean Duregger
June 24, 2008

Artist: Socratic
Album: Spread the Rumors
Label: Drive Thru Records
Rating:

 Email This Post  Print This Post

From my experience, there are 2 types of bands putting out music today.  First, are the bands who are creating music to push boundaries and further their artistic, moral or political expression creatively.  On the other hand, are bands who are writing for the status quo to build fans and are comfortable writing generic and accessible music.  While their music doesn’t totally suck, they’re not doing anything exciting or new either.

Socratic, with their newest release Spread the Rumors is a band that reminds me of that second example of bands.  Here we have sugar soaked, pop infused indie rock.  Just enough depth below the surface to rise above The Jonas Brothers, but barely.  There is nothing new here that demands our attention.  You’ve heard one band like this, you’ve heard them all.

The songs here are fun and poppy.  I can see why the average 13 year old girl would love these guys.  And I was on board with accepting Socratic for what they were until I heard the song Long Distance Calls.  It shares the exact melody in the chorus as the chorus of Boy in a Magazine.  Seriously, how did this slip by the producer? Listen to the songs back to back, your jaw will hit the floor.  This is the kind of laziness that comes through the album as a whole and while not a total piece of crap, I can’t enthusiastically recommend Spread the Rumors to anyone.

With lackluster vocals, poor production value and boring, predictable songwriting, Socratic have failed to impress with their highly anticipated album Spread the Rumors.  With the amount of hype surrounding Socratic, I expected more.  However, what we were given was a major disappointment.

Stand Out Tracks:

“Devices”

“The Flood”

“A Tree and it’s Fruit”

read comments (0)

 

 IndieUprising #45: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (221)

Music By: Me First & The Gimme Gimmees. 2*Sweet. CSS. Anniversaire. A Great Big Pile of Leaves. Jadiid. Empire! Empire! (I Was a Lonely Estate). Wide Eyed Kid. I Married My Highschool Sweetheart. Blackstrap. Astpai. Wolf Parade. The Goodnight Anthem. Hello Tokyo. Earwig.

Show Notes:

• Failed to mention that the Me First & the Gimme Gimme’s track is a cover of Take Me Home, Country Roads by John Denver
• Most likely goofed up the pronunciation of Astpai and Jadiid.  Let me know how I did!
• Big Thank You to The Days The Nights for letting me use Her Name is Alice as the show’s theme song.  I keep forgetting to give them props…..sorry!

read comments (0)

Legendary Effects artist Stan Winston died over the weekend.  He’s done the effects in most of my favorite movies, including the Terminator and Alien franchises.  Stan Winston was a pioneer of visual effects and will be greatly missed.  However, the legacy he has left us will continue to be enjoyed for years and decades to come.  Read the full story HERE.

read comments (0)

From now until June 23rd, DAMIERA is giving away their first album, M(US)IC, to anyone who signs up for their email newsletter.

The signup form can be found on Myspace.com/damiera and Damiera.com

Quiet Mouth, Loud Hands is in stores JUNE 24TH.

read comments (0)