Episode053: MP3/Feed\Archive
Previous: Episode052 - Let The Day Begin
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♬Liner Notes♬: Hey gang, welcome back to another awesome hour of brand new music from some of the biggest names and rising stars on the left of the dial. This week we've got Billy Bragg, Rilo Kiley, Kinski, Villagers, Hey Marseilles and much more... Also, we've been putting together Spotify playlists of PUTV episodes for the last month or so (Episode049, Episode050, Episode051, Episode052, Episode053) so check those out and spread the word. But now it's time to sit back, put our headphones on and Pump Up Tha Volume!
Wall
"Left To Wonder/Shoestring"
'Shoestring' EP
Big Picnic, 2013
Note: We start this week with two new tracks from the buzzy EP by the lady known as Wall. Consequence Of Sound says, "WALL’s refined tastes and understated voice land her in the same realm as St. Vincent, in the sense that both use electronic elements to create a frame for their classic senses of melody—both timeless and modern. The difference, however, is that while St. Vincent now has the world at her fingertips, WALL has created her brilliant, shadowy sound off of just a shoestring."
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Beat Mark
"What I Want Most"
'Howls Of Joy'
Ample Play, 2013
Note: Song source KEXP says, "After writing some songs and putting them to (limited edition cassette) tape, the band is now writing more songs while looking into international touring opportunities. If William and Jim Reid spent less time trying to kill each other and more time in the sunshine, the result would probably sound “What I Want The Most”." Sounds good to me!
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William Tyler
"Cadillac Desert"
'Impossible Truth'
Merge, 2013
Note: Tiny Mix Tapes has a thoughtful review that points out that "Much of Impossible Truth fixates on an idea and runs its phrasing well over the five-minute mark. Tyler’s compositions tend to be strongest when his own guitar playing takes a side seat to the song as a whole, allowing for simple bass and brass accents to take over while his fingerpicked guitar takes to one side of the ear." Man, I could've sworn we played something from William Tyler, but I can't find it in the archives. Aw damn homey, my mind is playin' trick on me...
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Javelin
"The Stars"
'Hi Beams'
Luaka Bop , 2013
Note: AllMusic says that "It'd be a shame if Javelin never returned to the silly, sample-filled side of their sound, if they totally bought into the idea of being a real band only. Still, they do it quite well on Hi Beams, and really give Passion Pit a run for their money. Maybe they even steal most of it."
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BOAT
"Inside An Aquarium"
'Pretend To Be Brave'
Magic Marker, 2013
Note: The Thrill Of It All says, "Pretend To Be Brave is still a bit of fun, like waking up from a good night with only the slightest bit of a bad aftertaste and hangover, yet the magic of the night before is still unattainable, a fuzzy snapshot of greatness that is obscured by the present’s dull, passable atmosphere."
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Villagers
"Nothing Arrived"
'Awayland'
Domino, 2013
Note: The London Guardian notes, "Conor O'Brien picked up a Mercury nomination for his band's debut, Becoming a Jackal, and an Ivor Novello for the title track. Expectations for Villagers' follow-up won't be dampened by the 28-year-old Irishman's suggestion that the key influences are Nick Drake, Curtis Mayfield and Slaughterhouse 5 author Kurt Vonnegut... The soaring Waves and joyful, piano-led Waterboysy stomp of Nothing Arrived may be the best Villagers tunes to date."
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Empress Of
"Camisa Favorita"
'Systems' EP
Terrible, 2013
Note: Song source KCRW says, "If you are a fan of Cocteau Twins but always dreamed of a Spanish version, wait no longer! Brooklyn-based Lorely Rodriquez, now signed to Grizzly Bear's label, Terrible..."
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Waxahatchee
"Coast to Coast"
'Cerulean Salt'
Don Giovanni, 2013
Note: NPR's First Listen says, "There's a line tucked into "Coast to Coast," from Waxahatchee's new album Cerulean Salt, that makes for a great introduction to Katie Crutchfield. After perhaps the most anthemic moment of the record — an exasperated reference to a talk show that keeps truckers and touring musicians awake at the wheel — she slips in what at first appears as an afterthought, but becomes a raison d'être the more you listen: "I'll try to embrace the lows.""
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Hey Marseilles
"Bright Stars Burning"
'Lines We Trace'
Onto Entertainment, 2013
Note: We last heard from these guys on Episode044 and now idobi says, "Seven might seem like an excessive number of band members, but the second record from Seattle natives Hey Marseilles encapsulates every subtle nuance each of those members contributes to the folky Gallic-pop sound the group became known for with their 2010 debut, To Travels and Trunks. With Lines We Trace, Hey Marseilles have capitalized on the success of other folk-based bands such as Mumford & Sons and The Lumineers while still aiming to keep their music sounding original. "
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Rilo Kiley
"Bury Bury Another"
'RKives'
Little Record Company, 2013
Note: Under The Radar says, "The cleverly titled RKives pulls together 16 rare Rilo Kiley tracks, seven of which are as yet unreleased (the deluxe bundle comes with a cassette of demos only available on tape), but if you've followed the band throughout the years, you've likely heard many of the tracks in one form or another."
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Hookworms
"Form and Function"
'Pearl Mystic'
Gringo, 2013
Note: Song source KEXP says, "on second track “Form and Function”, Hookworms let free a brutal, unhinged psych rock fury that sets a strikingly high bar for the rest of the record, and today, “Form and Function” is Hookworms’ glorious and gory gift to us. Opening with a heavy handed organ a la Dead Weather, Hookworms rapidly pick up the energy into a driving resound. The backing vocal echo and the animal energy on the track echo classic American rock."
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Weird Visions
"Make To It" (w/ Zoo Animal)
'Weird Visions'
self-released, 2013
Note: Song source The Current says, "These first songs feature Cutler handling production and Holly Newsom of Zoo Animal on vocals. The two collaborated previously on the 2012 Zoo Animal EP, Departure, but this is quite a change of pace from that slow and sparse affair. For Weird Visions, Newsom takes an R&B approach, and her vocals are heavily manipulated by Cutler to create a dance floor-remix-ready, sultry, swirling style of electronic pop music. Weird Visions’ most comparable local peer would likely be Poliça."
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Billy Bragg
"Handyman Blues"
'Tooth And Nail'
Cooking Vinyl, 2013
Note: Slicing Up Eyeballs reports that "Alt-folkie Billy Bragg today announced he’ll release his first new album in five years this in March — the Joe Henry-produced Tooth & Nail, which he compares to his Mermaid Avenue records with Wilco — and then follow that with an extensive North American tour that’ll keep him on the road until early May."
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Kinski
"Conflict-Free Diamonds"
'Cosy Moments'
Kill Rock Stars, 2013
Note: And finally, this week's Pacific Northwest episode closer has apparently morphed from the mostly-instrumental stoner rock I knew before into a leaner, meaner rocking machiner. Song source KEXP says, "After waiting six years for a new Kinski album, fans of the Seattle avant-psych rockers may be surprised by the more vocal-centric direction of 2013s Cosy Moments. However, surprising fans is nothing new for Kinski... “Conflict Free Diamonds,” features Kinski at its most immediate. Proto-punk guitars growl and Martin’s vocals reign anthemic. The influence of the two years Martin spent playing guitar in the The Unnatural Helpers surfaces. This is guitar rock at its finest."
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@PumpUpThaVolume Music News:
Kurt Cobain died 19 years ago today. Read our final interview with him
4 live songs from Kink FM performance in Portland Oregon earlier this week
♬ Arcade Fire - Crown Of Love ♬ http://soma.fm/indiepop #nowplaying
Read our dissection of Nick Cave's epic music catalog
Indio, CA approves proposal to hold Coachella through 2030, gives Goldenvoice permission to hold more events
Jimmy Tamborello reveals those “new” Postal Service songs are taken from aborted second album
Listen to Cannibal Ox's comeback single, "Gotham", their first new song in 13 years (!)
Let the uplifting @OblivionMovie title track take you to #Oblivion w/ @M83news & @SusanneSundfor #M83
Sure wish I was seeing @lowtheband again tonight, but I have a live talk show to produce!
(Thanks again to @KEXP, @KCRW, @TheCurrent and you!)
