Posted in Folk/Acoustic

Listen: Lord Huron – “Ends Of The Earth”

Lord Huron is a folk/rock band from Michigan. Their songs are filled with smooth dreamy vocals and sweet acoustic melodies. While their albums are full of emotionally deep and soothing tunes, these guys can get incredibly loud and intense live. When I saw them at Lollapalooza in 2011, I stood front row and watched their nice folk sound transform into a rock concert with such natural flow. The music is crafted beautifully with such attention to various kinds of instruments.

On October 9th, Lord Huron released their first LP, Lonesome Dreams. The first two tracks to their new release can be streamed below. Also, check out their Fall U.S tour dates.

Lonesome Dreams

  1. Ends of the Earth
  2. Time to Run
  3. Lonesome Dreams
  4. The Ghost on the Shore
  5. She Lit a Fire
  6. I Will Be Back One Day
  7. The Man Who Lives Forever
  8. Lullaby
  9. Brother (Last Ride)
  10. In the Wind

Fall U.S Tour
10/08 Philadelphia, PA @ KungFu Necktie
10/09 New York, NY @Mercury Lounge
10/11 Allston, MA @ Great Scott
10/12 Brooklyn, NY @ Glasslands Gallery
10/13 Buffalo, NY @ Mohawk Place
10/15 Chicago, IL @ Schubas
10/16 Minneapolis, MN @ 7th St. Entry
10/18 Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge
10/19 Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court
10/20 Boise, ID @ Neurolux
10/21 Seattle, WA @ Barboza
10/22 Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge
10/24 San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
11/01 San Diego, CA @ Casbah
11/02 Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo

Review: The Smith Street Band – Sunshine & Technology

The Smith Street Band – Sunshine & Technology

Released: August 24, 2012
Label: Poison City Records
Purchase: Poison City Records

In the past year, I have become very fond of the wave of bands coming from Australia, with a folk-punk aesthetic. In particular, The Smith Street Band, a five piece band from Melbourne whom I interviewed earlier this year which can be found here.

Their sophomore record, Sunshine & Technology, released on August 24th, has had high expectations after their first LP No One Gets Lost Anymore which didn’t have a single track that disappointed. Self-described as “Folk Party Punk” with the most honest lyrics I have ever heard, Wil Wagner, does not take the same approach to his songwriting as many current day bands do. Instead of arrogantly trying to make his lyrics appeal to every listener, he writes very personally about emotions, mishaps, parties, and his views of society. In “I Want Friends”, he howls out social commentary and a way to live life through “exist[ing] between the margins, not between the lines.”

Sunshine & Technology is more band orientated than their debut album, as opposed to solo songs With added guitars and drums, each song now is much fuller and definitely written with the entire band in mind. The beloved, distinct Smith Street Band sound with their addictive folk melodies, backed up by punk-esque sounding guitars and a rhythmic drum beat is present in this release. My personal favorites alongside “I Want Friends” which I mentioned previously, are “Tom Busby” and “Don’t Mention The War” for their sound and Wagner’s lyrical genius. “The things you loved started gathering dust years ago. You know more than anyone would give you credit for, we’re killing ourselves to live the best life possible.” (Tom Busby). The final song that allows the album to end with a bang, “Don’t Mention The War” escalates to a cohesive masterpiece with each instrument playing loudly as Wagner cries out above everything.

The Smith Street Band are first doing a national tour of Australia which has already commenced, followed by a nine day stop over in China for six shows and then a month in the U.S. Tour details can be found on their Facebook page, and the Poison City Records website.

This album, alongside their debut album, are my version of the 90’s generation’s Nevermind by Nirvana. Sunshine & Technology is an album not to be ignored, and is sure to receive critical acclaim. It can be purchased in mp3 format from iTunes and in CD and vinyl record from the Poison City Records website. You can also listen to a free stream of the album here.

9.0

Standout Tracks: “I Want Friends”, “Tom Busby”, “Don’t Mention The War”

Tracklisting:
1. Sunshine & Technology
2. I Can’t Feel My Face
3. I Want Friends
4. Why I Can’t Draw
5. Stay Young
6. What’s Changed
7. Tom Busby
8. Young Drunk
9. When I Said Us I Meant Them
10. Don’t Mention The War

Listen: Taylor Swift – “We Are Never Getting Back Together”

This year, singer-songwriter Taylor Swift has been busy. She contributed two songs to The Hunger Games Soundtrack, had a voice role in The Lorax, and is preparing to release her fourth album. The album is called Red and is scheduled for release on October 22, 2012. She had to narrow down the 16 songs for the album from a selection of 35 songs. She has also just released the album art which is shown above. She has recently released the album’s lead single, “We Are Never Getting Back Together”. The new single is a classic, catchy Taylor Swift song that is sure to be blasting repeatedly on the radio for months. You can watch a lyric video for the song below.

Stream: mewithoutYou – Ten Stories

Ten Stories, the new release from mewithoutYou, is currently being streamed in it’s entirety on Spotify. The post-hardcore band experiments with spoken-word lyrics and various different genres to produce heart wrenching tracks. Frontman, Aaron Weiss, provides an eccentric vocal experience which is beloved by all fans who are familiar with this acquired taste. Stream the album and check out the track-listing below.

Ten Stories Track-listing:
01) February 1878
02) Grist For The Malady Mill
03) East Enders Wives
04) Cardiff Giant
05) Elephant In The Dock
06) Aubergine
07) Fox’s Dream Of The Log Flume
08) Nine Stories
09) Fiji Mermaid
10) Bear’s Vision Of St. Agnes
11) All Circles

[via TheNeedleDrop]

Jack White Makes Solo Debut With ‘Blunderbuss’

Jack White‘s debut solo album is set to be released on April 24th, 2012, however, despite White’s attempts to stop it being leaked (including sending promotional copies in the form of vinyl records only), it was leaked on April 15th.

The album portrays the jigsaw pieces of White’s career coming together to create thirteen exemplary tracks. A wide variety of genres are covered in the album from blues to garage rock, including White’s signature catchy riffs, and distorted vocals. Styles from all of his projects including The White Stripes, The Raconteurs, The Dead Weather as well as from his musical influences like Son House are all definitely present in the album. It represents White’s chance to produce a record which is truly representative of him. In his own words, “I’ve put off making records under my own name for a long time but these songs feel like they could only be presented under my name. These songs were written from scratch, had nothing to do with anyone or anything else but my own expression, my own colors on my own canvas.”

Blunderbuss is now streaming on iTunes for free listening and will available for purchase on the 24th, including vinyl copies of the album from Third Man Records.

Blunderbuss Tracklisting:
01. Missing Pieces
02. Sixteen Saltines
03. Freedom At 21
04. Love Interruption
05. Blunderbuss
06. Hypocritical Kiss
07. Weep Themselves To Sleep
08. I’m Shakin’
09. Trash Tongue Talker
10. Hip (Eponymous) Poor Boy
11. I Guess I Should Go To Sleep
12. On And On And On
13. Take Me With You When You Go