I love the video for The New Year’s “The End’s Not Near” probably even more than I liked the song in the first place. I know I’m sort of breaking my promise not to flood the site with Pitchfork.tv videos, but this one is worth it. I like the playfulness of the moving camera and bicyclist, but I think what really makes it is the color of the dawn sky over - what is it - an overgrown parking lot next to an out of use airport? Their website says they have a new album coming out in September. Happy 4th, kids.
There’s really no reason not to…
Girl Talk’s new album, In Rainbows-style (name your own price download).
I don’t know what I can say about Evan Voytas that has already been said. Repping Kutztown, PA, I can’t find much online about him, save a strange fansite that looks like it was made using a standard world-wide-interwebs template in 1994. Needless to say and considering the quality the music, Evan is demeanorly (if not criminally) under-heralded, and well worth a free download at the very least.
Just needed to point out the obvious. Go take your fad and shove it up your foot. Oh, and while we’re at it, heaven forbid we buy something direct from the source rather than iTunes, Amy. As if self-released is somehow a negative…
I promise not to constantly fill up this site with videos from Pitchfork’s new .tv site, but today’s airing of Bill Callahan’s rooftop set seemed mentionable, and it is worth noting how well put together the site is - collecting videos along with exclusive live sets, interviews and occasional documentaries (The Pixies 2 weeks ago was great). I must admit that the Luddite in me only worries that the video side of music helps established acts and shuts out the unknowns… But it is very well thought out and programmed: it loads fast, has good quality video (try it in full screen mode), and is easy to browse through.
I don’t think I’ve read a single review of Zero Star that doesn’t note that he is from Columbus, Ohio, or how his talent somehow relates to fellow Columbus hip-hop artists Copywrite, Illogic, Rjd2 & Blueprint. It’s not entirely unwarranted; Columbus hip-hop is a niche market in relation to other midwest cities, Chicago and Detroit… but Zero Star’s location and musical lineage seem to be elements that overshadow his talented lyricism in a way disproportionate to upcoming rappers of other cities.
Apparently my 13th favorite song of last year was only a dry run on what will probably go on to be one of my favorites this year. Fat Cat just released a video of Frightened Rabbit’s “Head Rolls Off,” the first single for Midnight Organ Fight. The video is adorable, and while it isn’t necessarily revolutionizing the world as we know it (it’s really not that far off from that Cold War Kids video…), I’d call entertaining a bunch of kindergarteners to be one of those “tiny changes to earth” that had me loving the song in the first place.
Following up on the Dodos post, here’s video courtesy of mp3.com, showing the way that they perform “Fools” live. I don’t remember the trombone from their show in December, and I think it this performance could have been EQ’ed out a bit better, but it’s still pretty ginchy.
At the beginning of the year I posted about Clear Tigers, a solid Brooklyn-based band that in my mind falls outside the mold, save, maybe, the Alec Ounsworth-like vocals. But the use of the synthesizer, the main source of melody on many of the tracks, is what has me coming back like pop stars to the crazy. I mean, the Philip Glass effect at the beginning of “Deathray” is calming enough that could fit the mood of a DeBeers commercial (certainly better than Cat Power did). I think Glass is actually a far better comparison than any indie act one might imagine… I would label the music ‘classical,’ in the sparing use of drums for songs like “Igloo.”
There have been so many covers of Joy Division’s posthumous hit that I could probably post one cover each Valentine’s Day and be sure that I run out before the covers do. I stumbled upon Honeyroot’s version recently, and wanted to share it with all you lovebirds and happy-to-your-self lonebirds. Have a good one, and lay off the chocolate… it’ll make you sick.