Featured Artist(s): Deepspace

What's in a name? A great deal if you're taking Brisbane, Australia based Mirko Ruckels' moniker, Deepspace, as an example. Creating what can be described as other worldly ambient electronic music, it's actually feels like a voyage, not just in and with sound, but also through distinct landscapes and sights as well.

On tracks such as "Subantarctic Phenomena" you'll be willing to swear you're wading through endless reaches of snowy white, shivering with the passing wind and marveling at the surrounding silence. On other tracks, such as "Euphandemonium", you'll be a lone passenger in a deep space exploration mission, just you and the unfathomable blackness outside, your sense of wonder being filled to the brim with the sight of stars and planets passing by.

It is this feeling of wonder, beauty and calmness that transcends this music. Have patience; you need only close your eyes and listen, for the deep.

Check out Deepspace on his website, MySpace and last.fm for more tracks and info. Get his albums on CD Baby, eMusic and iTunes.

Deepspace - Subantarctic Phenomena {MP3}
Deepspace - Arctic Sun and Weather Experiment {MP3}
Deepspace - Euphandemonium {MP3} (from The Barometric Sea)
Deepspace - Leaving the Hub {MP3} (from The Barometric Sea)

Featured Artist(s): Norfolk & Western

This week is not starting out too well for me so far. I've been getting a weird feeling, a mix between "there's something I've forgotten" and "I'm not supposed to be here" which is a bit disturbing.

Fortunately, thanks to the rain enveloped atmosphere and Portland, Oregon's Norfolk & Western, I can afford a little down time. It's all I need right now: mellow lyrics to allow some depression but inspiring and complex enough melodies to keep me from sinking beyond reach. As each song I listen to becomes more complex, more difficult, more layered, so will I, eventually, find my way back. But for now, play on.

Check out Norfolk & Western on MySpace, last.fm and their under construction site for more tracks and updates.

Norfolk & Western - Impossible {MP3} (from Dusk in Cold Parlours)
Norfolk & Western - The Longest Stare {MP3} (from The Unsung Colony)

A Quick Look: Squirrelhouse

Tuscaloosa, Alabama may be best known for being the home of the University of Alabama (and a rather un-PC Groucho Marx joke), but it's also the base for indie rock band Squirrelhouse.

A very diverse group of five young members (dual guitars, bass, drums, vocals and French horn), each coming from a different musical and artistic background, the sound they produce also changes. While the poppy hooks on "Fours" are quite discernible, other tracks, such as "Monster pt. 1" and "Monster pt. 2" from the next album (still being worked on) show a leaning toward more progressive and post-rock styles. Other way, it'll be interesting to see how this band continues to develop its unique sound.

Check out Squirrelhouse on MySpace for gigs and other updates. Get their debut LP S.P.Q.R. on CD Baby.

Squirrelhouse - Fours {MP3} (from S.P.Q.R.)
Squirrelhouse - Monster pt. 1 {MP3}

Song of the Morning: Nearly Home

I owe my acquaintance with Broken Records to a wonderful international and inter-blogosphere project called Music Alliance Pact (MAP). It includes the participation of about 22 blogs from 22 different countries, each presenting up and coming artists from their own home turf. I first found out about it in the great "I Guess I'm Floating" and "The Pop Cop" blogs, who represent the US and Scotland respectively (you can keep tabs on the monthly editions of the project there).

Broken Records itself is an Edinburgh based seven-piece indie rock band. The band is currently working on its debut LP, after creating at least 18 beautiful songs (I guess the hard part would be deciding which songs to leave for the next album).

While I can try to characterize their music as rock, folk-rock, alt-country and many things in between, I'd rather just shut up and let the music speak for itself. When the crescendos thunder and crash on "Nearly Home", you'll understand why for yourself.

Check out Broken Records on MySpace and last.fm for more streamable tracks and gig info. Get an EP on iTunes and join the count down for the official release of the debut LP this summer.

Broken Records - Nearly Home {MP3}

Edit: Oops! The songs below, though good, aren't from the Edinburgh band but from a Swedish band by the same name. Thanks to the Pop Cop for correcting me. Check the Swedish group on its official site and MySpace for more details.
Broken Records - Betterman {MP3}
Broken Records - Anne {MP3}
Broken Records - Looking for the Dead {MP3}
Broken Records - Nearby Hills {MP3}

Featured Artist(s): The Steps

Coming from one of the most creativity exploding cities in the US, Austin's indie rock band The Steps has a lot to draw on. Creating fast paced, crunchy and powerful songs, they reveal some of their Stooges vs. early rock-blues vs. Lou Reed influences (with some similarity to Black Rebel Motorcycle Club), but underneath it all it's all real.

Standout tracks in their debut LP The Steps like "Pull the Chord" or "Dagger" will hook you quickly in raw, fast, almost vintage quality rock, making you wonder for a second if this is still the 00's in America. It is. Somehow these four young men know how to rock.

Check out The Steps on MySpace, Facebook, their tour blog and on the coming SXSW Music Festival in Austin (March 19th). They will also be performing at Pangea (March 5th) and the Pecan Street Festival (May 2nd), both also in Austin.

The Steps - Pull the Chord {MP3} (from The Steps on iTunes)
The Steps - Dagger {MP3} (from The Steps on iTunes)

Bonus: The Steps - Dagger (video channel on Youtube)

Featured Artist(s): The O'Darling

This winter did not really feel like a winter should: cold, stormy, lots of rain or even a little bit of snow. Instead, this arid land experienced the usual bouts of disappointments, dragging feet (and foes) through the mud and the occasional stray droplets now and again. Am I still talking about the weather?

Fortunately, these past few days were wintry enough to properly go with the warm exuberance that is The O'Darling. Coming from all over in blessed Canada (currently based in Toronto), the six diverse members of the band create a fuzzy encompassing atmosphere that is both intelligent and emotional. The jazzy river they traverse is filled with folksy, alt-country and poppy inlets, reminiscent somewhat of Over the Rhine, but definitely original and unique in nature.

The songs in this post come from their 2007 debut EP, The Nice EP, used as a demo. But it is much more than a demo and much, much more than nice. It's simply great.

Check out The O'Darling on MySpace and Facebook for gigs and other musical updates. Brace yourselves for their first official LP release coming soon in spring/summer 2009.

The O'Darling - Bubble {MP3} (from The Nice EP)
The O'Darling - Mooncat {MP3} (from The Nice EP)

Correcting an Oversight: The Voom Blooms

While correcting the mishap with milady Claire Cronin's MP3s in the previous post, I've noticed that the same thing happened with the UK's The Voom Blooms (my original post is here).
So, here is their single from their latest LP, Nine Ships, re-posted in proper MP3 format. Sorry about the mess.

The Voom Blooms - Nine Ships {MP3} (from Nine Ships)

Featured Artist(s): Claire Cronin

Claire Cronin is the love I've been waiting for all my life - yet on some other remote universe. I can see her walking the busy yet abandoned streets of Los Angeles, floating in her own world of magic, art and beauty. She knows pain and sadness, and when she sings or paints it you share it too, but are also somehow comforted.

For Claire knows the secrets of the Wolf Meditations and the life imbued Folk Magic and though she seems to walk in this world, she dreams of another; a better, gentler world.

In a way, she is like Cohen's Suzanne, leading you hand in hand through the rim connecting the worlds, on the vast reaches between Halloween night and those eerie first moments when you wake up from a dreamy sleep. Sharing the magic but subtly hinting that you have to love your own life, find your own path in it. Ultimately, you will never meet.

Check out Claire Cronin and her beautiful art on her website and MySpace for gig updates and a peek into a darker life. Buy her debut LP here.

Claire Cronin - Ballad for Old Decorations {MP3} (from New Emotional)
Claire Cronin - From the Wreathes on the Cars {MP3} (from New Emotional)
Claire Cronin - Poses Park {MP3} (from New Emotional)

This is a re-post due to some problems with the MP3s. Sorry.

A Quick Look: Nalband

Coming from Somerville, Massachusetts, indie rock group Nalband is working on its first EP. What they have so far (in demo) is pretty good and leaves a taste for more. The EP is due out in the next few months (barring any additional bicycle accidents on the side of certain band members). Give 'em a try and look for them if you're in the Boston area.

Check out Nalband on MySpace, their not too updated website and last.fm for further details and tracks.

Nalband - Always Assuming {MP3}
Nalband - Tempest {MP3}
Nalband - If You Use Me {MP3}

Song of the Morning: Shape Changing Sky

Is God fallible? Can God create a rock so heavy even he cannot pick up? According to the modern version of this ancient wondering, the answer is yes. The answer lies, as with many other things according to everyday capitalism, in money. More specifically, in how money is produced.

For example, the American coins are produced by a single agency (The United States Mint) in a very specific process. Theoretically, though God can conceivably create a second replica coin, it would still be considered fake, even though it would be virtually identical to the original one. So in essence, God can't create "real" money (never mind the church's collection plates). This is supposedly an atheistic argument, as it follows that God is not all powerful as is classically described.

To counter this, theologians might argue that since God has created the world and with it metals and man who enjoys toying with them, he also created (by proxy or as some would term 'inadvertently') the coin and therefore in some sort of a bizarre way there can be no forgery of coins (as they are all the work of God). This might be well received among certain elements in the criminal world, but would be a bit more difficult to grasp by most.

This illustrates what I think the real problem as far as God is concerned: not whether God exists, but how do you define God. After all, how can you agree or disagree about the existence of God, let alone trying to reach any conclusion, without knowing or making a conjecture as to what God is (and isn't). This opens a lot of questions, such as can you actually define God (or anything at all, for that matter), what qualities should God have and what he/she shouldn't, can God be actually addressed in regular human expressions ("he"/"she"/"they") and so on.

As an agnostic, I think the questions may be more important than reaching any 'definitive' answer. Because in questioning God, we also question ourselves, and as far as biology, art, politics, physics, philosophy, psychology and a host of other fields of knowledge suggest, we are no where near an answer. We merely try to ask the 'right' questions.

A similar sense of wonderment, I think, exists in music and its enjoyment. So this post's song comes from Vancouver, Canada's indie singer-songwriter Aaron Cadwaladr, with his own beautiful musings.

Check out Aaron Cadwaladr on his website and MySpace for more info and updates. Buy his debut LP here or on iTunes.

Aaron Cadwaladr - Shape Changing Sky {MP3} (from Shape Changing Sky)

Featured Artist(s): Tom Kerswill

It's back to work as usual; the salt mines will not mine themselves after all. So I wanted to go back to basics for a bit, trying to remember what music was there for me the last time I've had a major job related crisis.

His name is Tom Kerswill, an indie singer-songwriter based in Manchester, the UK. A few years back I discovered his music on MySpace and I think it helped me evolve my musical taste and repertoire, which was far more limited back then. Both of us have moved on since, and Tom's latest EP, Flowers, Fevers and Dreams, was released on October 2008 and is available for stream and download on last.fm.

Tom's mellow and yet uplifting melodies joined with intelligent lyrics provide a welcome respite from the day's woes.

Check out Tom Kerswill on his website (including gigs and songs information and helpful tips for indie musicians), MySpace and last.fm pages for more updates. Buy his EPs here.

Tom Kerswill - My Mind's Eye {MP3}
Tom Kerswill - Gravity {MP3}
Tom Kerswill - Lullaby {MP3}
Tom Kerswill - Always Be There {MP3}

Something(s) to look forward to

Great news: I got un-fired! Thanks to some clandestine arm wrestling and a substantial pay cut, I got to keep my job. This is good considering the current economic conditions and whilst this job is far from perfect, it can serve as a haven in times like these.

These past few days are proving a bit disorienting as I find myself making plans and changing headings with the ebbing of the (economic) tides; on Sunday I got fired, on Monday I was given a chance and today I was finally saved. All in all, it has been a positive and invigorating experience, especially considering the results.

Additional good news come from two of my favorite artists. Amit Erez, the up and coming indie singer-songwriter, is set to begin work on a new record (finally!). Next, Julian Velard, now touring heavily across the UK, has recently launched a new video and continues to make an impact.

Check out Julian Velard on his amazing website, MySpace, Facebook (don't miss his Once upon a time in the West v-log videos) and last.fm. Be sure to check out his new video here. Buy his albums on Amazon, iTunes or CDBaby.
Check out Amit Erez on MySpace, last.fm and Facebook. Buy his albums on Amazon or iTunes.

This post's songs are in the spirit of the last few days and will be shared for a limited time only.
Julian Velard - Yeah, Yeah, Yeah (Work to do) (from Nitetime) check on iTunes
Amit Erez - Clever and Strong (live) (from Amit Erez)

The Next Day: Kay Pettigrew

Losing a job is more than just missing out a paycheck or two. It's about changing life's routines and habits, meeting new people and making friends, learning new skills and abilities and trying to form the new daily rituals that accompany the everyday existence. It's a lot of changes and adjustments, from being employed to unemployed and (hopefully ASAP) employed again.

So it's no wonder there's a feeling of trying to hold on to the familiar, perhaps even dig in some past remnants to remind yourself of "the good old days". Keeping that in mind, I was glad to have run into an unusual folksy-almost nostalgic-and-yet-somehow-sad cover of the theme song from "Fresh Prince of Bel Air" last night.

The performer is Toronto's indie singer-songwriter Kay Pettigrew. She was able to bring a smile to my face and her repertoire appears to have the capability of having an even greater impact.

Check out Kay Pettigrew on MySpace and last.fm for updates.

Kay Pettigrew - Fresh ("Fresh Prince of Bel Air" cover)

Featured Artist(s): The Rest

So, I got fired today; I guess there really is an economical depression... I'm still in a state of denial, of course, as I don't want to think of a load of issues: how to get a new job, what I actually learned from the old job, was I really happy there, leaving friends behind, tending to my injured ego and much, much more that I don't think about right now. I spent almost 3 years there, which turned out to be a significant period in my life.

Moving on. I planned to write a great review for Hamilton, Ontario's indie rock group The Rest coming sophomore LP, Everyone All At Once. Surely such a great and unique work would require my best efforts. After all, the group is drawing comparisons and being heralded as heir to such mighty bands as Arcade Fire (though I thought they reminded me of the Shins in their good days). Alas, I seem to have been temporarily been knocked out of air and inspiration. Well, perhaps not without inspiration - the album has many exciting moments, stories and images. It's I who's a little fuzzy right now.

I'm sorry if I'm not coherent enough at the moment; it may pass soon (into the clarity of despair, but let's not go there just yet). Give The Rest a listen, they won't disappoint you. And if you happen to know of a job opening...

Check out The Rest on MySpace, last.fm and their not too ready website for streamable tracks and updates. The new LP, Everyone All At Once, should be out any day now.

The Rest - Apples & Allergies {MP3} (from Everyone All At Once)
The Rest - Modern Time Travel (necessities) {MP3} (from Everyone All At Once)

Bonus: The Rest - Modern Time Travel (necessities) (Live)

Darwin Day

One thing leads to another,
The joke long foretold so presumed;
The grandest design is no bother,
Or the mutated truth so assumed;
Tradition, religion directed to smother,
Progenitor hidden yet loomed;
The court then denied it and rather
Would have poor Charlie exhumed.

Happy Darwin Day!

As a treat to cover the horrible thing scribbled above, here's an interesting article in The New York Times to better convey the appreciation to Darwin and on the musical side, here's someone of more artistic worth. Check out Nashville, Tennessee's indie singer-songwriter Emily Harris on MySpace and last.fm for more tracks and updates.

Emily Harris - Living in Moscow {MP3} (from Elephant Angelfish the Musical)

Featured Artist(s): Finn Daniel

The raging and what seemed important at the time flurry of the elections yesterday has left an acrid taste in my mouth. Fortunately, I can turn to music for some comfort, inspiration and even, dare I say it, hope.

In particular, my recent acquaintance with a young British indie singer-songwriter by the name of Finn Daniel, played a significant role in alleviating some of my more sombre politics-induced (and depressive) moods. It also helped me re-appreciate the simple and honest things in my life, those which will be with me till the end of days.

Writing deeply personal songs that manage to reach out and touch people from miles away (or, for those lucky, from across the stage), Finn established his own label (Stickman Records) and released his debut EP Settle in 2008.

On the recent elections I followed my conscience, a simple and honest thing. On that note, I can just as easily recommend Finn's work.

Check out Finn Daniel on his personal website and MySpace for more tracks and updates. Buy his EP here.

Finn Daniel - If I Got Good {MP3} (from Settle)
Finn Daniel - An Occasion {MP3} (from Settle)

Bonus: Finn Daniel - Not All There video

Choices: Elections Day

I took a train early this stormy morning so I could go to my northern home town to vote. Elections are supposed to be held every four years, but in this particularly unstable country it seems like it's every two years or so.

These elections were (and still are, even after my vote) difficult to make a good choice in. Every candidate seems worse than the next one, but that's hardly new. Perhaps it's the endless stream of hatred, division and promises of doom that each contender spews forth that's so repugnant. But again, nothing new there either.

Perhaps this is the sobering up phase of life, when you realize that apart from very rare cases politicians will always let you down, will never keep their promises and will excel only in self preservation and the gathering of wealth via corruption. So why vote? Some people don't bother. I still do.

On the way back, listening to Shearwater's Rook on the train, I felt for a few minutes as though we were the only people left alive in the aftermath of some cataclysm. The passing terrain, forlorn and occasionally almost green, whisked sideways as the weight of my vote slowly dissipated. The apocalyptic verses of "Rooks" sang in my ears of the coming fall of the world of man, while I reminded myself that it's OK, it's not yet the end of the world. After all, the next elections will probably be held in just another couple of years.

Music and art allow the ideal. Such is Over the Rhine's "If a Song Could Be President". I think there are far worse candidates for the positions of senator and ambassador than Neil Young and Emmylou Harris. I know; I probably voted for a few of them today.

Check out Over the Rhine on their official site, MySpace and last.fm pages for additional updates and music.

Over the Rhine - If a Song Could Be President {MP3} (from The Trumpet Child)
Over the Rhine - Entertaining Thoughts {MP3} (from The Trumpet Child)

Featured Artist(s): RuRu

Coming from what may be the pseudo town of Chadwell, Utah, Issac Russell, working under the moniker of RuRu, is a living breath of fresh air in a sometimes musty world.

I like to get hooked by music without realizing it; to hum along or suddenly find myself thinking about the lyrics and wonder their meaning and how do I relate to them (and them to me). I was definitely caught off guard in this case. After all this talk of truth and beauty in my studies, simple honesty can still speak louder and have a profound effect.

It's not just standout tracks like "House of Cards" and "Elizabeth"; it's in the unusual tracks like "Bark at Ghosts" or even "Story to Read" that a hidden potential for even much more is revealed. Though the vocal and overall style may be different (think of a young Ryan Adams), these made me think of an early Bright Eyes.

RuRu's debut album, Elizabeth, was produced by Joshua James and McKay Stevens and released on June 2008.

Check out RuRu on MySpace and last.fm for more streamable tracks, gig dates and updates. Buy his LP here or on iTunes.

RuRu - House of Cards {MP3} (from Elizabeth)
RuRu - Elizabeth {MP3} (from Elizabeth)

Bonus: RuRu Live video

Choices: The Schopenhauer Cure

My next item on the reading list was "The Schopenhauer Cure" by Irvin Yalom. Aside from a Psych text book here or there I haven't read any of Yalom's literary work thus far (and I probably should). This is also the case with Schopenhauer, a 19th century German philosopher, the absent but very dominant character and force throughout the book.

In short, the book tells the story of an aging psychiatrist, focusing on his final year of leading a relationships working therapy group, as he is slowly dying from cancer. He introduces a new participant to the group, a former patient (or is it client?) that while under his care failed to show any improvement in his sex addiction, but now claims he's been cured by the philosophical insights of Schopenhauer.

The real crux of the tale, I think, is the desired nature of relationships, if one exists. According to Philip, the new participant in the group, life is full of suffering and pain, and similarly to Buddhist thought, some of these hurts are born out of attachments (such as relationships). Therefore, one has to cultivate himself and withdraw from life, living as an observer without taking an active part of life (as it will only lead to more pain).

Opposite of this misanthropic view (of philosophy), Yalom places psychology, almost horrified at the idea of the normal view of man's relations to himself and those around him would be challenged. But such a challenge does take place (to Yalom's credit), even if very subtly and in a somewhat watered down and biased way. While the obvious engineered outcome is clear from the start, there are some moments of hesitations and doubt, enriching the psychological starting point view with new perspectives, for those willing to listen and learn.

This post's songs are about the quest for a cure, from all sorts of pains and ailments. The first is from avant-garde jazz band The Bad Plus, and the other is from indie rock band Dawn Chorus. Both tracks will be hosted for a very limited time and are intended for an introductory purpose only.

Check out The Bad Plus on their website, blog, MySpace and last.fm pages. Buy their album here.
Also give Dawn Chorus a listen on their MySpace and last.fm pages.

The Bad Plus - Radio Cure {MP3} (from For All I Care, originally by Wilco)
Dawn Chorus - I'm Cured! {MP3} (from Florida St. Serenade)

Featured Artist(s): Overman

When I first heard the Chicago area indie rock/pop band Overman, I thought about Phish and how they might have started out. Overman seem to have that eternal youthful exuberance and enthusiasm (and plain old fun), keeping a sense of humor while touching on more serious and sometimes dark issues.

Like Phish, they seem to have an openness and an unmediated atmosphere about them, as though they weren't taking themselves too seriously. But checking their gig schedule (past, present and future) and browsing through their personal blogs made me feel they may be more serious about it than one would initially believe.

Interesting that their first 'hit', "Evolution Rocks", would be embraced by the pro-science community in the Evolution vs. "Creationism" debate. Perhaps the scientific community (including certain science teachers I've come to know over the years) is cooler than I thought. Overman Rocks.

Check out Overman on their multi content/media rich site, including lots of videos, gig dates (don't forget Darwin Day on February 12th), band comics (known as Overcomics), personal blogs and much more. Also check their MySpace for more details.

Overman - Move On {MP3} (from The Evolution EP)

Bonus: Overman - Evolution Rocks video (plus an opportunity to meet the guys)

Song of the Morning: Lady of the Snowline

I've been thinking a lot about Willard Grant Conspiracy at late. I'm not sure why; maybe it's Robert Fisher's deep and weary voice (rightly compared to Cash and Cohen) or perhaps it's the haunting lyrics and melody of "Lady of the Snowline".

You see, the effect of a song isn't measured only by the direct impact it has on you while it's playing. Sometimes, it's in the quiet few seconds (if you're lucky enough to have some peace while listening to music) after the song has ended, that you feel the profound wake of it hitting you.

For that to happen, the song and those behind it, those who through them it is being brought into this world, must have substance, depth and character. Willard Grant Conspiracy has these in abundance. In a way, I feel honored just to listen and thus take part in that special musical experience.

Check out Willard Grant Conspiracy's website, MySpace and last.fm pages for more streamable tracks and updates. Buy their albums on Amazon and Loose Music.

Willard Grant Conspiracy - Lady of the Snowline {MP3} (from Let it Roll)
Willard Grant Conspiracy - Crush {MP3} (from Let it Roll)
Willard Grant Conspiracy - Dance With Me {MP3} (from Let it Roll)

Featured Artist(s): Last Night's TV

It's almost a too obvious truth that there's nothing good to watch on TV these days. Between reality shows, sitcoms, game shows and the agenda filled news (and some particularly nasty and demagogy laden election TV ads these past two weeks), it's easy to understand why the poor tube now specializes in accumulating undisturbed dust.

But it was not always so. There was a time when Last Night's TV, a Leeds, UK indie/slowcore band, was alive and running, creating gentle and comforting music to deflect the outside noise. Alas, the band called it a day in late 2007 after 8 busy years and 4 albums. They are missed.

Check out Last Night's TV's MySpace, last.fm and website for additional tracks and info. Buy their records with PayPal on the band's website, under the Music section.

Last Night's TV - From the Top of the Watchtower {MP3} (from Too Much In Doubt)
Last Night's TV - Not Who You Think I Am {MP3} (from Songs From the Silver Screen)
Last Night's TV - Monaco {MP3} (from Local Knowledge)

Song of the Morning: Mocking Bird

Songs have the ability to haunt us. Whether it is that particular jumpy (and sometimes embarrassing) pop tune that gets into your head (and feet) on a busy bus ride or the repeating crescendo waves of an emotional chorus, it grabs a hold of you.

Songs of the morning offer a special kind of haunting, as they seem to begin in your sleep and dreams. Perhaps driven by the mood of last night, they have a way of leaving their mark on the daily morning rituals.

But some songs can actually haunt you in a spooky way. If it's the lyrics, the melody, the voice whispering in your ears or all of the above, they make you think you need to keep that exorcist's number handy.

Perhaps I'm a little exaggerating; but Brisbane, Australia's singer-songwriter Nathan Hollywood debut LP Red Night Falling certainly has its dark, haunting moments. Hollywood creates an intense amalgam of country, folk, blues and pop, utilizing recording techniques of ages past.
On the right circumstances, it may make you want to take a dusk to dawn horse ride into the Australian bush.

Check out Nathan Hollywood's MySpace, last.fm and label pages for more tracks and updates. His debut CD Red Night Falling is also available on Amazon. The following MP3s will be available for a limited time only.

Nathan Hollywood - Mocking Bird {MP3} (from Red Night Falling)
Nathan Hollywood - Pale Mare {MP3} (from Red Night Falling)

Featured Artist(s): Ryan Honeycutt

Ryan Honeycutt is a young indie singer-songwriter from Texas, USA. While my first impression of him was a resemblance to Jason Mraz, he also drew some comparisons to others, including an early John Mayer.

Does he wear his heart on his sleeve? Ryan paints a very emotional picture of relationships, particularly broken ones (give "Different Shade of Blue" a listen). Why is it so easy to empathize with love's pain? Is it our own memories or rather our hopes that connect us with the hurt?

A cynic may be tempted to discount these songs and feelings; and yes, Ryan is at the beginning of the road. But I feel the honesty he shows in the lyrics and presentation defies any such disparagement.

Check out Ryan Honeycutt's last.fm and MySpace pages for more streamable tracks and updates.

Ryan Honeycutt - Goodbye {MP3} (from Ryan Honeycutt Unplugged)

Featured Artist(s): Grapes of Grain

Grapes of Grain are an indie-pop/alt-country band from Utrecht, The Netherlands. While they draw their influences from the likes of Ryan Adams and R.E.M., I can also detect hints of Ben Folds in the air (in a good way).

In a busy, crazy day I'm having today, which bears a too close a similarity to Much ado About Nothing, I was glad to have found their calm, simple sound. I hope you enjoy as well.

Check out Grapes of Grain's official site, MySpace and last.fm pages for additional tracks and updates.

Grapes of Grain - Tar on the Streets {MP3} (from It Slowly Fades)
Grapes of Grain - The Biggest Ass {MP3} (from It Slowly Fades)
Grapes of Grain -Long Time Waiting {MP3} (from It Slowly Fades)

Choices: Speed of Dark

The bounty of available time generated by the completion of my school duties has enabled me to catch up a bit with my reading list. Just recently I've finished "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel, which I still am not sure what I feel about and "Speed of Dark" by Elizabeth Moon.

"Speed of Dark", other than the name of a great music blog, is also a story about being the odd man out, so to speak, but not because of the usual reasons among "normals", but because of Autism. The protagonist is a seemingly functioning and highly intelligent autistic man, who has a regular well paying job and a group of friends. However, one day he is faced with a difficult choice: an experimental treatment may "cure" his autism. Anyone who has lived and operated, even for a short time outside the silent normal majority of their society because of some characteristic that was at odds with the majority, may appreciate this type of dilemma.

The overbearing, sometimes not so subtle, pressure to be normal versus your own unique individuality, no matter how different or "flawed" others may consider it. Be it skin color, religion, sexual preference or how long your hair is, if it's genetic or social, there's something about you that makes you special. But that something also prevents you from being one of the crowd, for better or worse. "Not that there's anything wrong with it..." - but is there something wrong about you? About how you were created by God? (if you take that into consideration).

I won't spoil the rest of the plot, but I would have like the conclusion to be different. Though I sometimes don't like open ends in books or movies, I think this was a good place for one.

Anyway, this post's beautiful song comes from the American indie rock/folk band Ida. Their soft and gentle sound along with song's title were somewhat close to what I felt when I finished reading the book.

Check out Ida's official website, MySpace and last.fm pages for more updates and great music.

Ida - My Fair, My Dark {MP3} (from the My Fair, My Dark EP)
The song will be hosted for 3 days only.

Featured Artist(s): Jake Skubisz

Pretense (or is it presumption?) seems a natural part of every artist, perhaps of every man. In a way, you have to have that small voice in your mind, whispering "I'm better, I have something to say and contribute to this world, I want people to listen to me, I want people to notice me".

Some of the time this conviction may not be without basis. Many people leave their mark on the world and on each other, sometimes in ways they did not even realize or intend. Other times, very few get a glimpse at the fading light in some secluded corner.

Some don't seem to have much pretense at all. They may hear that voice inside and try to do their best, for sheer enjoyment and fun, far from the limelight, creating simple, raw and honest music, that makes you want to pick up a guitar and try a few chords for yourself.
Jake Skubisz is one of those people; care to give him a try?

Check Jake Skubisz on his MySpace, last.fm and Facebook pages for more songs and updates. Also check his Youtube channel for more content.

Jake Skubisz - Easy on the Eyes {MP3}
Jake Skubisz - Running in Circles {MP3}

Song of the Morning: Lover's Spit

I've finally got all my tests and papers back. My M.A. is complete. I probably should feel happy about it, or at least a bit more relaxed.

It finally begun sinking last night, as I finished updating the iTunes library. I closed it and then turned - there was nothing I had to do, no special reason to check the university's website, no deadline in which to read or write a paper. That is, one that was not of my own making and design.

I went back to school to escape the imposing banality of work, the repeating made-up tasks and the bite of dull-teethed routines; it was my purpose to invigorate those brain cells that survived the gaping mouth of an existence I was taught both to loathe and admire. I believe I was successful, at least in part.

The point now is to find the next challenge, to give my life the definition and direction it requires and through it meaning.

I woke up this morning with two lines from two distinct songs playing in my head. First, there was Feist's rendition of "Lover's Spit", in particular the opening line "All these people drinking lover's spit". The second was a part of the chorus for Bright Eyes' "If the Brakeman Turns My Way" - a repeating "moving out". Reading both these songs' lyrics now, I find they share a certain degree of uncertainty and expectation for the coming future, probably in hope of a better one.

So, here's to the future and the great unknown.

Feist - Lover's Spit {MP3} (Broken Social Scene cover), live on the famed Black Sessions, 2007. The song is originally from You Forgot It in People.

Bright Eyes - If the Brakeman Turns My Way (a lovely fan made video clip, originally from Cassadaga)

Featured Artist(s): 17 Pygmies

A space/post-rock concept album based on a 15th century Spanish literary classic? Yeah, it works, thanks to veteran band 17 Pygmies.

You know how there's no sound in space as the sound waves can't expand in a vacuum? Well, evidently they can, if you carry them with you on your interstellar trek. This can be done at the comfort of your own home, of course, though seeing those distant points of light flash by can be a wondrous experience on its own.

But this isn't just a trippy album. It is, like the novel it's inspired by and that bears its name (La Celestina) an emotionally charged work of art. While the book concentrates on era themed ideas and characters such as greedy and treacherous servants, the album takes a calmer approach, gently propelling the listener from one emotional nuance to the next. Perhaps best experienced as a full album in a quiet darkened corner, it still allows you to break away from the surroundings for a celestial and human voyage.

Check out 17 Pygmies' MySpace and last.fm pages for additional details and updates.

17 Pygmies - Celestina VI {MP3} (from Celestina)
17 Pygmies - Celestina VII {MP3} (from Celestina)

Change of RSS Feed - Not to Worry!

Hi,

Due to the recent merge of Feedburner and Google, I had to update the RSS feed. If you are subscribed, please make sure you are still receiving the feed (you should) or consider changing your subscription to the new feed as well. This can be easily done by visiting the blog and clicking on the RSS icon under 'Subscribe Now' or the Feedburner icon, both located to the right.

Thanks for reading. Please share your comments, thoughts and opinions about whatever you wish (the new Comments moderation was added because of some Spam messages; other messages will be published as they were written).

Oded.

Of First and Last

A great deal of importance has been imparted on the mythical "first love": that joy of youth, sometimes unfulfilled but always brimming with endless promise and potential, never quite ripe but always tempting a taste. And indeed, when old age strikes or another failed relationship ends, it always brings a sad smile to one's eyes upon recalling the memory of youth's folly. A pain and tenderness quite unmatched in intensity and feeling.

But what of its less reputed sister, "last love"? That which you leave behind lying shriveled on some unremarked hospital bed, that that you part with for a little bit of eternity on your way to the battlefield or the anonymity surrounding what you thought was just another one night stand.

In the end, those you leave behind may be just as important as those lost memories of that spring day, even here, at winter's gate.

Cheer up with François Virot - Young Love and Fresh Fruits {MP3} (from the Release Party CD-R)
Check out François Virot's MySpace, last.fm and Virb.com pages for further updates and new music.

The fuzzy and painful in between with Elliott Smith - Pretty (Ugly Before), a tribute video clip, originally from From a Basement on the Hill


And the ultimate parting, at the last, Jeff Buckley - Last Goodbye (Live), originally from Grace

Featured Artist(s): The Flying Black Hats

I've sprained my back somehow last night, probably because of the rain-less chill that descended on the city. I didn't really plan to go to work this morning, but somehow I've found myself there again, staring with renewed agony at the computer screen. I needed something to calm my overworked nerves, lest I snap at someone one or two times too many.

Fortunately, I've stumbled upon this charming duo called The Flying Black Hats. While their online stuff wasn't new and featured recordings from 2003, it still had the desired effect of putting a smile to my face. And that's no simple undertaking on any day.

Check out The Flying Black Hats on their MySpace and last.fm pages for more details and tracks.

The Flying Black Hats - Love Song {MP3}
The Flying Black Hats - Brains {MP3}
The Flying Black Hats - Soft Song {MP3}

Film Special: Persepolis

What do you do when your early life is shaped by war, revolution and violence? Do you become a martyr for the homeland? Do you try to run away, escaping into the unknown? Or do you stay true to yourself and the basic human values of love, the importance of family and freedom?

Marjane Satrapi, a vibrant ideologically inclined child, seemed to have chosen to follow her grandmother's sage advice and be true to her self. An already difficult task on the best of times, it becomes even harder in the face of the Islamic revolution in Iran of 1978 and the long and deadly Iran-Iraq war that broke soon after. The movie, based on her autobiographical graphic novel, continues to depict the horrors of war, the unfathomable restrictions of the new regime, lonely adventures in Europe and finally coming home, only to find living conditions there have become so spirit stifling as to depress the liveliest of souls.

In the end though, I think that these barriers of personal freedom only serve as a backdrop and catalyst to the final departure of the heroine to the West. It is the personal memories that hurt the most, so cruelly violated by the "new order", a people's revolution gone awry.

Though not directly connected to the movie, I wanted to share a wonderful Tom Brosseau song, that may help to capture some of the feelings of young Marjane.

Tom Brosseau - The Young and the Free (Live) {MP3} (from Tom Brosseau)

Persepolis trailer

Featured Artist(s): The Haunted Mansions

Obviously inspired by the likes of Animal Collective, Beirut and possibly the Dodos and Band of Horses to name a few, The Haunted Mansions (formerly known as Greenlandic Blaque) still manage to create a sound of their own. A North-West American band, some of its members also dabble in video animation (see group member Seth Nicholas' YouTube channel here).

It should be interesting to follow the group's path and work, in animation and music, and watch their artistic distinctiveness forming.

Check out The Haunted Mansions on their MySpace and Facebook pages for further details and their last.fm page (where they are still called Greenlandic Blaque) for more tracks.

The Haunted Mansions - Don't Let Your Arms Get Tired {MP3}
The Haunted Mansions - Oyster Bay, December 26th {MP3}
The Haunted Mansions - Watch Out Birds {MP3}

Bonus - Kate, a short film by Seth Nicholas Johnson about adolescent infatuation and the joy of playing music with animal friends. Music by The Haunted Mansions.

Song of the Morning: Blood

I've been meaning to write about The Middle East (the band, not the cursed region) for a while now, so when I woke up this morning with "Blood" rushing through my ears (not literally, thankfully), I've decided the time has come. After all, their album was one of my favorite discoveries in 2008 (thanks to Guy).

There was a time when I thought their music singular and unique. I considered their single (known to me) album an indie post-rock masterpiece. I've felt that they had somehow channeled through their surprisingly young minds and bodies some unknown forces and creative energies. That, unlike in dream pop atmosphere, there was actually a feeling of surroundings and eerie substance to their sound. That it is very unfortunate that the group has disbanded and their debut LP will also be their swan song.

All this is still true, except for that last sentence. Hope has been re-kindled not only in the US, but by a casual visit to the band's MySpace, where NEW tour dates (in lucky Australia) were being posted. Could it be? Will there be more music being worked on and published? I can only hope.

Check out The Middle East on their MySpace (where you can also buy their beautiful LP The Recordings of the Middle East) and last.fm page for further updates.

The Middle East - Blood {MP3} (from The Recordings of the Middle East)
The Middle East - The Darkest Side {MP3} (from The Recordings of the Middle East)

Featured Artist(s): Side by Side

It's dark and quiet. You're floating in an endless space without form, softly lighted by countless points of starry light. But this space is also time and somehow it's also music. As you effortlessly glide along, you slowly realize you're dreaming, and lazily make your way towards consciousness, smiling.

The twin brothers Joseph and Mike Pepe from Charlotte, North Carolina, USA, create such dreamy atmospheric music under the moniker of Side by Side. Listening to their debut LP Morning is an emotional journey, mirroring the experiences and feelings they had during the year of its production.

The brothers hope that sharing their work on the LP will help evolve people's musical tastes through their honesty and pure emotion. This is done best, I think, by playing the record in a quiet, dark and secluded place, where you can feel free to let go of the day's burdens and let yourself float to the music.

"Hello new day, are you the cure for me?" is how "Disappear" opens. By this point in the LP, you should be well on your way for full remission.

Check out Side by Side's official site and MySpace for more details and updates (a last.fm page is forthcoming and should not be confused with the current entry there). Joey (Joseph) also has a music blog of his own.

Side by Side - Disappear {MP3} (from Morning)
Side by Side - No Reason {MP3} (from Morning)