New Find: Cash+David

I don’t know much about these guys, other than these amazing videos and beats.  I can’t wait to hear about an album - hopefully coming soon.

Tomorrow: twenty one pilots @ Jacobs Pavilion

A new find!  I first heard about twenty one pilots when I attended the Alternative Press Music Awards Show back in July.  I then just recently checked out their videos - and these guys are amazing.  Passionate, talented, and should put on a great live show (if that scaffolding climb from the awards show was any indicator).

I couldn’t decide on a video, so here are a bunch.

"Twenty One Pilots. Thursday, Sept. 11, Jacobs Pavilion.

Guitarist, all-everything instrumentalist and vocalist Tyler Joseph scared the bejeebers out of me when he climbed the scaffolding at this year's Alternative Press Music Awards. Then he and drummer Josh Dun went on to stun me with their musicianship. This Columbus-based band could be the hottest thing in indie pop/alt-rock today."

(Via. From Bob Dylan to GWAR, from Don Everly to the Black Veil Brides, autumn shows will thrill: Fall concert preview | cleveland.com)

New Find: Lily & Madeleine

With the recent release of the new First Aid Kit album, it’s prompted me to alert you to another new group that harken to the same gorgeous harmonizing - Lily & Madeleine.  Their new album is gorgeous, and worth a listen.  Check it out.

)

New Find: Arthur Beatrice

 Loving this new Arthur Beatrice album - and not just because of the Golden Girls reference.  Check it out:

"Arthur Beatrice: Late Breakout Model Moffy Takes to an Industrial Coastline in the British Band’s Evocative Music Video

A tender romance unfurls against the dramatic skies of the Britain’s Thames Estuary in George Belfield’s music video for elegant indie-rock quartet Arthur Beatrice. ‘I see the couple’s relationship as their sanctuary in a hard world, but maybe I’m being too optimistic,’ says Belfield of the nuanced performances, played out on the distinct outpost of Isle of Sheppey in Kent by actor Nicky Bell and rising model Moffy in her first acting role. ‘I love the chimney-studded skyline and the Salk Institute-inspired housing estate. The whole island is epic and rough, so it felt good to play that against the intimacy of the couple.’ ‘Late’ is the rousing last single from Arthur Beatrice’s debut album, Working Out, whose members Orlando Leopard, Ella Girardot and brothers Elliot and Hamish Barnes all met at school. ‘We've spent so many years together that the title Working Out is a nod to the process of figuring out who we are and what we want to be,’ says the band, who have their own independent label Open Assembly Recordings and whose previous music videos were directed by Nike, Topshop and Dazed & Confused designer Kate Moross. ‘We all have lots of influences, but people like Elvis Costello and bands like The Smiths are examples of musicians who have had an impact on us all.’"

(Continued... Arthur Beatrice: Late - NOWNESS)

New Find: La Iaia

Stunning video.  Thanks to Boooooooooooom for showing me the way with this video (love the heart shape they form)

La Iaia “L’Ós” music video produced by CANADA

"Young love perfectly captured in this video, directed by Marc Oller for La Iaia’s song ‘L’Ós’. Whenever the name CANADA appears in the production credits you know it’s worth watching. Watch the video below."

(Continued... La Iaia “L’Ós” music video produced by CANADA - BOOOOOOOM! - CREATE * INSPIRE * COMMUNITY * ART * DESIGN * MUSIC * FILM * PHOTO * PROJECTS)

New Find: Kodaline

You have to love the Irish… and the fact that this New Find comes with a La Blogotheque Take Away Show!

and then some more traditional live footage from over at Baeble Music.

New Find: ODESZA

 Some great new pop/electronic music from Odeza, with some sweet videos and a FREE ALBUM DOWNLOAD!  Say I told you so.

New Find: Expecting Rain

This video is oddly intriguing, esp. being a WWF fan growing up… I've been thoroughly enjoying Cleveland's own Herzog and was excited to see a couple of guys working under the moniker Expecting Rain.  More audio below… 

 

Expecting Rain Releases New Music Video | Scene and Heard: Scene's News Blog

Expecting Rain - 'Fuck the World' Expecting Rain released a new music video today for the song 'DMT' off the band's November 2012 album Fuck the World. The entire album can be streamed online. 'DMT' as a song is laid-back and rather sublime. And as a video backdrop, the unexpected foil of NWA wrestling works surprisingly well. Bliss can often be found in the most unexpected places in life, it would seem.

About two-thirds through the song, the heavens open up and the guitar brings the listener into another layer of the atmosphere altogether.

Nick Tolar and Tony Vorrell have collaborated together under the umbrella of Expecting Rain for year now. They also dabble in noted power pop band Herzog.

Check out the video below."

(Continued... Expecting Rain Releases New Music Video | Scene and Heard: Scene's News Blog)

New Find: AlunaGeorge

Check out UK's AlunaGeorge. I'm loving their electronic, "nu-soul" feel.  Quite fresh & fun…  I already posted their excellent video for Your Drums, Your Love. Looking forward to their new album coming out in June!  In the meantime, check out some of their other stuff.

Check out a Friendly Fires Remix of the track here:

Here's an older video for Watching Over You

Finally, get a feel for what's coming in June.

New Release: Alt-J's An Awesome Wave

I was prepped this "New Release" post a couple weeks ago, but now that they've won the Mercury Prize (and they're sales are up 411% since) I guess I should just post it:  Here's a new album for you.  Check out Alt-J, who's a British band considered in the nu-folk category of music and with references to "the new Radiohead".  Whatever.  They were mentioned for the Mercury Prize.  They were also just in Detroit, but I missed them.  The new album *is* worth a listen however.  I'm posting some reviews below, in include videos from La Blogotheque!

 

Alt-J - An Awesome Wave ~ Album Review | Synth Pop Indie Rock

"‘An Awesome Wave’ is as diverse as it is addictive. A mixture of pop, folk, and R&B. Slinking Indian beats one song ~ then bold island beats on the next. Dark bass-lines smear across much of the album while interesting atmosphere peppers it. All this diversity comes together in one unified piece of work that amazingly doesn’t feel experimental or come across as fake.

Alt-J Besides the obvious forerunner ‘Breezeblocks’, some other notable songs on the album are: ‘Tessellate’, a smooth and seductive song. And in this song Gwil hints at how the band came up with the name Alt-J (∆) as he reveals ‘Triangles are my favorite shape’."

(Continued... Alt-J - An Awesome Wave ~ Album Review | Synth Pop Indie Rock)

New Find: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

Sure they may have already hit #2 on the Billboard Charts, but I don't really follow those anyway.  I saw a bit of Macklemore back on BET's Backroom freestyle segment and thought he was good.  I also read this piece on The Lefsetz Letter too (on the changing nature of the Music Business, highlighting how Macklemore is doing this independently).  But it really wasn't until this Ellen piece that caught my attention.

But let's step back a bit.  Macklemore has been around for quite a while, but partnering up with Ryan Lewis really set things up for him.  Here's the breakthrough video for Thrift Shop.  Stunning.

This is the video that caught Ellen's attention.

Oh, did I mention he's coming to Cleveland??  <iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/hlVBg7_08n0?list=UUXYRdIXDdeZIf816EWAr5zQ&amp;hl=en_US" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>  Tickets are almost sold out!

Tomorrow: Dan Deacon @ Beachland Ballroom

Beachland will be HAPPENING tomorrow night!  First off, in the Ballroom is Dan Deacon, who if you haven't heard all the buzz yet, he's turning heads with his new release America.  Check out his superb explanation of it right here.

"In the past nine years Dan Deacon has released nine LPs, scored music for films and the stage, curated film festivals, been the figurehead of a Baltimore artist collective, and developed a reputation as one of the most energetic D.I.Y. live performers currently touring. When you hear Dan Deacon, you know it's Dan Deacon. It's hard to imagine where the unique musician could go from here. Last year, Deacon turned 30 and, with his new album America, moved toward a perspective of maturity and lofty concepts. The product of his artistic growth is not one that is radically different from his previous works, but rather is a honing of his quintessential sound with care. On America, Deacon creates his most mature work to date: an ode to his home country that is full of sonic beauty, destructive chaos and ecstatic fun. "

(Continued... Dan Deacon America - 8.28.2012)

 

New Find: CANT

So I posted a video from CANT on a previous Video Tuesday and mentioned talking about them (him) more.  The more I listen to the new album, the more I like it.

Particularly this song (play it loud):

Here's a live version from KEXP (and here's the rest of the videos).

A bit more info…

CANT: From Grizzly Bear's Friction, A Solo Gem : NPR

" as far as side projects go, Grizzly Bear is basically a high-school valedictorian."

CANT is the latest addition to the pedigree — a Chris Taylor solo outfit with a moodier strain of after-hours sultriness than can be heard in Grizzly Bear's lofty melancholia. Its debut album, Dreams Come True, grooves as readily it sulks, borrowing liberally from Prince and Depeche Mode, and "She Found a Way Out" is a clear standout. Taylor's sparse guitar arrangement and airy harmonies evoke intimacy akin to Daniel Rossen's take on "Deep Blue Sea," right up until the sucker-punch second half erupts. Synths wash over the track, nearly swallowing the heavy bass-snare hits as Taylor professes, "She can't / She can't / She's gonna find a way out."

The result has all the grandeur of Gary Numan's Pleasure Principle, and belongs nowhere near a proper Grizzly Bear album, but as Grizzly Bear's Yellow House proved, a little friction makes for better music. Best of all, in that band's case, what doesn't fit makes for great solo material."

(Continued... CANT: From Grizzly Bear's Friction, A Solo Gem : NPR)

 

Beat Connection @ Laundromatinee

I first mentioned Beat Connection as a New Find back in April.  I'm still enjoying the album, and I'm glad to actually seem them in person and live at Laundromatinee!

New Find: LESANDS

Leave it to The Hundred in the Hands to introduce me to another great act.  LESANDS is out of LA and has a new EP.  This is some pop perfection, and I was happy to plunk down $5 for it.  Check it out and download it for yourself.

Out This Week: Austra / Feel It Break

I first ran across Austra with the video I just posted on Video Tuesday.  I also discovered that she's coming to the Grog Shop (8/2/11) to open for Cold Cave - who I've already been planning on seeing.  Since then, I got Austra's album and it's quickly growing on me. (buy it on InSound)

As it should:

This is an album of increments. It may not seize you on first listen, simply because it is not overbearing, and it avoids cheap tricks. But gradually, as you fall ever further in love with Stelmanis’ voice, and as the intricacies of this record become clear, it will begin to envelop you until, eventually, you will find yourself completely lost in this strange, glacial world. A truly fantastic piece of work. (The Line of Best Fit)

Here's another great video...

New Find: Emil & Friends

Check these guys out...

Somewhere inside the glowing rectangles, Emil found album worthy tinkerings of nylon strings, waterfalls of voices, flutterings of bells whistles and synths. So goes descriptions of danceable weirdpop act Emil & Friends. As a boy Emil would show up to guitar lesson with a produced track on a cd, with no guitar. Heads were scratched. Emil would show up to a dj gig with only a guitar. Brows were lifted. Years passed. Attics were changed into bass drum batcaves...

New Find: Jonquil

I've been sitting on these guys a while, but they're definitely worth a listen.  A great album for Spring.  (buy it on Insound)

"Oxford's Jonquil is light and dark, orchestral and minimal; everything you've ever wanted all at once....captivating, spine-tingling sensory fare" "There's everything from a more romantic Mogwai to an even more organic Beirut. This is a masterclass in how to purvey experimentalism without foregoing accessibility, and for
that alone Jonquil need to become huge."
-Clash

"Jonquil's self-proclaimed "Paul Simon's take on The Smiths" tag nails them well, however the six-piece also encompasses a level of intricacy not unlike a more subtle Dirty Projectors without the R'n'B. There's also an inclusion of a majestic summer flourish of romantic indie-pop very much in the modern tradition - similar to Beach House, Vampire Weekend or Wolf Parade. Emerging initially as the more folky end of Oxford's burgeoning math rock scene that brought us (close friends of Jonquil and recent touring partners) Foals and Youthmovies, Jonquil have constantly evolved and morphed into a very accomplished and mature band with a now newly focused, fresh output of work.” Dan Monsell // Rockfeedback // 2010

New Find: Beat Connection

Beat Connection is a new band out of Seattle, signed to the venerable Moshi Moshi Records (Hot Chip, Lykke Li, Hercules & Love Affair and Casiokids).

This video is for a new single coming out soon.

"Beat Connection, a dreamy duo from the Pacific Northwest and mpFree alums, recently released a video for their smooth single ‘Silver Screen’. Directed by the guys at Dumb Eyes, it’s one part psychedelic dance party and one part psilocybin adventure through the forest. Beat Connection’s debut EP Surf Noir continues to gather steam as it’s going to be officially released by Moshi Moshi, not a bad decision considering these guys are getting airplay on BBC1 across the pond. I really love this track, it’s like a super mellow Sting and Phil Collins collaborating in their youth to form blissful duo Chill Collins."

(Continued... [Video] Beat Connection: “Silver Screen”) / (via the needle drop)

New Find: Bobby Long

Happy New Year.  Try some new music... Bobby Long made a splash (almost accidentally) on the Twilight Soundtrack - but don't let that stop you.  Should be a nice little release.