Download/Subscribe
Previous: Episode121 - Flesh War
****************************************
♬Liner Notes♬: After spending my birthday weekend in Olympia last week, it's time for that occasional yet-oh-so-awesome PUTV party monster: the double episode! Cuz it's long and it's strong and it's down to get tha friction on - so let's just Pump Up Tha Volume!
The Rentals
"Thought Of Sound"
'Lost In Alphaville'
Polyvinyl, 2014
Notes: "In December, we learned that the Rentals, which started out as a Weezer side project back when bassist Matt Sharp was still in the band, were readying their first album in a decade and a half. Other than Sharp, the new lineup of the Rentals is completely different, and it includes Black Keys drummer Patrick Carney, as well as Lucius members Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig, Ozma’s Ryen Slegr, and the Section Quartet’s Lauren Chipman. But today, we get to hear our first taste of the album, and I’m delighted to report that it’s the same sort of mechanized pleasure-overdrive power-pop that the band was making back in the day."
(@TheRentals)
Bleached
"For the Feel"
'For the Feel' EP
Dead Oceans, 2014
Notes: "Jennifer and Jessie Clavin’s music as Bleached tends to evoke an afternoon cruising around in the California sun blasting the Ramones. “For The Feel” is a prime example of their proficiency at that task, a fine blast of sunshine that feels effortless even as it shows off carefully honed craft. The song was originally intended for last year’s full-length debut Ride Your Heart, but it’s instead the lead track on a new EP due out this summer digitally and this fall on vinyl." We spun a couple tracks from Bleached's last record on Episodes056/069.
(@HelloBleached)
The Bird and The Bee
"Undone"
Rostrum, 2014
Notes: "The Bird and the Bee has just released its first original music in four years. The indie synth-pop duo, comprised of Inara George and Greg Kurstin, has created a very upbeat song called “Undone” that is featured in the film Sex Tape..."
(@BirdNBeeMusic)
Clairy Browne & The Bangin’ Rackettes
"Jenny" (Live on KUTX)
'Love Cliques' EP
Vanguard, 2014
Notes: "Clairy Browne & the Bangin’ Rackettes emerged out of Melbourne, Australia in 2009 with a retro-soul sound influenced as much by Amy Winehouse as Aretha Franklin and Big Mama Thornton... they’re set to release [their sophomore record], titled Love Cliques. It’s just an EP, but it can certainly tide you over until album number two. Recently, Browne and the Rackettes stopped by our Studio 1A to show off some of these new songs, and “Jenny” was a highlight of the live session."
(@ClairyBrowne)
YAWN
"Flytrap"
'Love Chills'
Old Flame, 2014
Notes: "Yawn is an electronics-heavy pop band who has spent the past five years building up a reputation in the Chicago DIY scene, and the band is starting to ease its way up aboveground. Last year, they played Lollapalooza, and this year they’re releasing their second album, Love Chills, with an immediately catchy lead single."
(@YAWNmusic)
Pets
"Dream City"
'Get Turned On'
self-released, 2014
Notes: "Cuddle up with Sacramento-based noise-pop band Pets. The duo of Allison Jones and Derek Fieth tear through their dark fuzzed-out pop with the cat-like coolness of The Jesus & Mary Chain and the friendly-puppy punk simplicity of The Ramones."
(@PetsTheBand)
Frazey Ford
"September Fields"
'Indian Ocean'
Nettwerk, 2014
Notes: "Frazey Ford, best known as the lead voice of beloved alt-folk band The Be Good Tanyas, returns with her second solo effort, Indian Ocean (October 14) -- a lush album filled with songs about pain and dealing with tough truths, but also about love, contrition and being bold. Part of what gives Indian Ocean its gilded edge is the work of Al Green’s band, The Hi Rhythm Section, the iconic architects of the famous singer's instrumental sound... Lead single “September Fields,” which premiered on NPR’s All Songs Considered, is available now on iTunes."
(@FrazeyFord)
Got a Girl
"Did We Live Too Fast"
'I Love You But I Must Drive Off This Cliff Now'
Bulk, 2014
Notes: "In a project spawned on the set of the the 2010 film adaptation of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, San Francisco mega-producer Dan "The Automator" Nakamura (Gorillaz, Handsome Boy Modeling School, Deltron 3030) and winsome actress Mary Elizabeth Winstead deliver their playfully cinematic debut, I Love You But I Must Drive Off This Cliff Now, under the name Got a Girl."
(@Got_a_Girl)
Tinnarose
"When You're Gone"
'When You're Gone'
Nine Mile, 2014
Notes: "On Seth Sherman’s solo 2011 debut, When The Moment Is True, the longtime Austin musician found beauty in darkness... Recruiting some friends, the group soon took on a more democratic quality and turned into Tinnarose... On August 26, Tinnarose will release its self-titled debut, and throughout, Sherman and [Devon] McDermott shine in the spotlight... “When You’re Gone” kicks things off with a swagger, matching a Stones-like riff to a soaring vocal performance. Going it alone can be invigorating, but Tinnarose is proof that a true band dynamic can elevate the music to a completely different level." We heard "Hard Loving You" back on the awesome Episode097.
(@TinnaroseMusic)
Sugar Stems
"We Only Come Out At Night"
'Only Come Out At Night'
Dirtnap, 2014
Notes: "Power-pop comes in all shapes, sizes, and allegiances to certain bygone eras. But Sugar Stems pretty much encompasses all of them. The Milwaukee-based outfit’s upcoming album, Only Come Out At Night, refuses to be contained by skinny-tied punks, post-Weezer wimps, or anything in between; instead, the album wields sharp hooks without any regard for staying inside the lines, all while tapping into the brew of, anger, humor, and heartache that power-pop, at its best, does so well."
(@Sugar_Stems)
!!!
"One Girl/One Boy" (Live on KUTX)
'Thr!!!er'
Warp, 2013
Notes: "Lucky for us, !!! kept [Austinite and backup singer on the studio version of 'Thr!!!er' ] Moore in mind when they recently rolled through town. Moore and the band stopped by our Studio 1A and got the dance party started in an instant. The live version of “One Girl/One Boy” is even more kinetic, backing up Moore’s powerhouse performance with a slinky groove. Those three exclamation points never seemed so apt."
(@ChkChkChk)
Rüfüs Du Sol
"Sundream"
'Sundream' EP
Sweat It Out, 2014
Notes: "Australian indie-house trio RÜFÜS DU SOL has released a new EP in the United States. The ‘Sundream’ EP is available today and also includes the track "Tonight", plus two brand new exclusive remixes of "Sundream" by LA production pair Classixx and rising duo Casino Gold. "Sundream" and "Tonight" are both culled from the band’s much-heralded first album, Atlas, already certified gold in their native Australia. The album debuted at #1 on the official Aussie Aria chart and will be released to U.S. audiences this summer."
(@RufusSounds)
Griz
"Hard Times"
'Rebel Era'
Liberated, 2013
Notes: "With Grant Kwiecinski’s second full-length album under the moniker Griz, he has effectively bridged the gap between contemporary dance music and long-lived genres such as funk, soul, classic rock, hip-hop and more.., ‘Rebel Era’ displays an evolution in production as he is able to also produce stunning tracks in purely modern technique, as well as raw, stripped-down jams reminiscent of the 60s, 70s and 80s. While other electro-soul heavyweights like Pretty Lights focus on a style that, while apt for a dancefloor environment, have more substance in a purely listening format, Griz’s ‘Rebel Era’ is designed for the EDM atmosphere."
(@MyNameIsGriz)
Tin Can Gin
"Demon"
'Tin Can Gin'
self-released, 2013
Notes: "Fast-paced upbeat Bluegrass music from [Duluth, MN], Tin Can Gin is sure to get your blood pumping and your feet stompin' with their blend of traditional bluegrass, new-age folk, and alternative rock with a North Shore flavor."
(@TinCanGin)
Christopher Denny
"Watch Me Shine"
'If the Roses Don't Kill Us'
Partisan, 2014
Notes: "It's been nearly seven years since Little Rock native Christopher Denny released his debut album, Age Old Hunger. In that span of time, the heart-on-the-sleeve country singer has had his lows, struggling with addiction and an earlier, failed attempt at making a second record. Now clean, Denny returns with the jubilant "Watch Me Shine," taken from his sophomore LP, If the Roses Don't Kill Us... upcoming tour dates alongside Strand of Oaks."
(@ChrisDennyMusic)
Avi Buffalo
"So What"
'At Best Cuckold'
Sub Pop, 2014
Notes: "Long Beach alt-rock outfit Avi Buffalo will release their sophomore album, At Best Cuckold, on September 9th via Sub Pop. The long-awaited follow-up to their 2010 self-titled debut spans 10 tracks and was produced by the band’s own Avi Zahner-Isenberg, assisted by collaborator/longtime band member Sheridan Riley."
(@AviBuffalo)
Anthony D’Amato
"Good And Ready"
'The Shipwreck from the Shore'
New West, 2014
Notes: "Notice from NPR and Rolling Stone led to tours with Pete Yorn and Ben Kweller, and in 2012 he returned with Paper Back Bones. A full country band (featuring Amanda Shires and members drawn from Midlake and Kweller’s band) beefed up his spare songs, but not at the expense of his rich storytelling. On September 2, D’Amato will release his third album, The Shipwreck From The Shore, and it continues his trajectory towards a fuller sound. He teamed up with members of Bon Iver and Megafaun (a common pairing for the song of the day these days) and headed up to an 18th-century farmhouse studio in Maine. There he moved slightly away from his country/folk roots and took inspiration from his new band. Songs like “Good And Ready” resulted, matching sweetness with a big backbeat."
(@AnthDamatoMusic)
Valery Gore
"Amsterdam"
'Idols In the Dark Heart'
self-released, 2014
Notes: "A year on from Valery Gore first announcing plans to issue an experimental LP dubbed Idols in the Dark Heart, the Toronto indie artist has now given up all of the details behind the set. Her third full-length effort arrives independently on September 9. The album includes 11 new songs and makes for the first full-length from the artist since 2008's Avalanche to Wandering Bears."
(@ValeryGore)
Lily & Madeleine
"The Wolf Is Free"
'Fumes'
Asthmatic Kitty, 2014
Notes: "After a very exciting 2013 that saw them release both a well-received EP and LP, Indianapolis folk duo Lily & Madeleine are ready to release their follow-up. The new album is titled Fumes and will hit shelves on October 28th via Asthmatic Kitty. The first song from it “The Wolf Is Free”. The song see the sisters further exploring new sounds, but maintaining the beautiful harmonies that have drawn comparisons to another sister duo, First Aid Kit."
(@LilandMad)
Shad & DJ T.LO
"Always Winnin" single
self-released, 2014
Notes: "Rapper Shad opens his latest song “Always Winnin'” with a detailed account of how he spent his night at home watching Homeland. While it’s not exactly the scene setter you’d expect from a track with such a boastful title, the London, Ontario-based rapper is completely dexterous, spitting about Reeboks, 30 Rock, and an endless stream of pop culture references. When Shad calls out his fellow Canadian Drake with “I started from the opposite of the bottom / still on top of it”, it’s as chuckle-worthy as it is fun to listen to... Later this year, Shad will release a collaborative EP with DJ T.L.O, who provided the Gang Starr-sampling beat for “Always Winnin'”."
(@ShadKmusic)
Paolo Nutini
"Let Me Down Easy"
'Caustic Love'
Atlantic, 2014
Notes: "Caustic Love may be the best UK R&B album since the 1970s blue-eyed-soul heyday of Rod Stewart and Joe Cocker. Not only is Nutini reaching the feral depths once plumbed by those raw-throated voices, but he’s locked into the spirit of that most golden of soul eras, with subtly updated adaptations of classic soul styles. It’s a move signalled by his use of the refrain of Bettye Lavette’s soul classic “Let Me Down Easy” as the basis for his own emotive confessional..." This rave review came from the UK Independent in April of this year when the record was released everywhere but America... now its day has come.
(@PaoloNutini)
A Sunny Day in Glasgow
"Crushin'"
'Sea When Absent'
Lefse, 2014
Notes: "Comprised of six members operating in three cities (Sydney, Brooklyn, and Philadelphia), A Sunny Day in Glasgow might not have the most efficient creative process, but the fragmented nature of the group is undoubtedly crucial to the band’s ethereal, seamlessly cut-and-pasted music... the band’s fourth album was gradually recorded..."
(@SunnyDayGlasgow)
In The Valley Below
"Peaches"
'The Belt'
Capitol, 2014
Notes: "In the words of In The Valley Below's Angela Gail, their new songs are about "sex, crime, religion and how that fits into the lives we've chosen, our dreams and struggles, mistakes and heartbreaks."" We thank the up-&-coming LA duo for the tweet love!
(@bookofITVB)
Whalers
"Battleships" (Live on KUTX)
'Submarine Sun'
self-released, 2014
Notes: "Despite hailing from landlocked Austin, Whalers like a lot of nautical imagery, from the band name to album and song titles... Though their debut album, Submarine Sun, came out digitally in the spring, Whalers are celebrating the LP’s vinyl release... “Battleships” surfs on a raucous beat before boiling over into the kind of epic finale that every garage band would be jealous of."
(@WhalersBand)
Kingdom of the Holy Sun
"Thirteen Eyes"
'Thirteen Eyes' EP
self-released, 2014
Notes: "What could be better for an August Song of the Day than a hazy, hypnotic drone from Seattle’s own purveyors of “psychedelic shamanistic madness,” Kingdom of the Holy Sun? Formed in early 2012, this local outfit combine their love of ’60s sounds with ’80s post-punk and shoegaze, adding a meditative, mellow raga rock influence. Think The Black Angels or Brian Jonestown Massacre."
(@KingdomHolySun)
King Tuff
"Eyes Of The Muse"
'Black Moon Spell'
Sub Pop, 2014Notes: "Kyle Thomas a.k.a. King Tuff has announced his third studio album. Entitled Black Moon Spell, the 14-track effort will arrive on September 23rd via Sub Pop Records. It serves as the proper follow-up to his 2012 self-titled album. Produced by Bobby Harlow in Los Angeles, the record promises to make listeners “experience euphoria, demented visions, wet dreams, bouts of backwards laughter, and dazed confusion resulting in primordial dancing.” Those side effects may or may not occur when listening to lead single “Eyes Of The Muse”, as the song is a head trip of swirling guitars, psych-pop, and classic rock-inspired leads." We heard "Bad Thing" from the Louisiana King over two years ago on Episode014.
(@KingTuffY)
New Pornographers
"Brill Bruisers"
'Brill Bruisers'
Matador, 2014
Notes: "Power-pop flag wavers New Pornographers will return this fall with an album titled Brill Bruisers and a tour... the new LP's title song...containing all the redolent harmonies and big hooks the group is known for. The full, 13-song album, their first in four years, will be released on August 26th. "This is a celebration record," frontman A.C. Newman... "We wanted Xanadu and we wanted Sigue Sigue Sputnik, which translated into sparklier and faster [music].""
(@TheNewPornos)
This week's B-sides: Bear's Den, Jose James, Baseball Project, Phantom Tails and Ghost Pains
****************************************
@PumpUpThaVolume Music News:
#AlbumOfTheDay: Spoon (@SpoonTheBand) - 'They Want My Soul'
#AlbumOfTheDay: @TheRosebuds - 'Sand + Silence'
#AlbumOfTheDay: La Roux (@larouxofficial) - 'Trouble In Paradise'
#AlbumOfTheDay: @PorterRobinson - 'Worlds'
#AlbumOfTheDay: @FKAtwigs - 'LP1'
#AlbumOfTheDay: Polyphonic Spree (@PolySpree) - 'Psychphonic'
#AlbumOfTheDay: @FaltyDL - 'In The Wild'
#AlbumOfTheDay: Bleached (@HelloBleached) - 'For The Feel' EP
#AlbumOfTheDay: @BearInHeaven - 'Time Is Over One Day Old'
'David Bowie Is’ #Documentary To Open In 100 Theaters In September
#Godflesh announce new album A World Lit Only By Fire. Listen to "New Dark Ages"
Watch the Drums' (@thedrumsforever) Encyclopedia album sampler
Check out "Carried Away", the new song from Canadian indie veterans Sloan (@Sloanmusic)
DJ Shadow has released a free EP to celebrate his new imprint Liquid Amber
Michael Cera Releases Solo Album on Bandcamp
The online chart that ranks rappers by vocabulary size has been updated; @AesopRockWins is still #1
@Lollapalooza Rolled Out #Cashless Wristbands
@ThurstonMoore58 forms new band with Steve Shelley, My Blood Valentine's Debbie Googe
All nine members of @WuTangClan reunited last night on @TheDailyShow
Stream @superdrag_sound's rarely heard LP, 'Head Trip In Every Key', and new demos collection 'Jokers W/ Tracers'
"The Mexican #Morrissey" on #Latino culture's love for #theSmiths
#Morrissey Has Reportedly Been Dropped by Harvest Records
Morrissey was dropped by his record label following his latest critical diatribe
Oh man, I nearly knocked over the PD when I saw him open the promo for @Sloanmusic's new full-length, #Commonwealth!
Aug 11 - 20yrs ago today, on my 17th birthday, I went to #Lollapalooza '94 in Charlotte, NC
Fugazi's first demo will receive its first-ever official release later this year
Culture Club's original lineup will reunite for the first time in 14 years
Jarvis Cocker joins campaign to broaden appeal of orchestral music
Nine-Year-Old #Pulp Fan Wins #JarvisCocker-Judged Karaoke Contest
Death Cab For Cutie finish eighth album, announce departure of Chris Walla
Soundtrack for Guardians Of The Galaxy is now the No. 1 album in the country
Mitch Easter reunites Let’s Active for first performance in 24 years
Don't 'Panic' in the streets of London: #Morrissey Wasn't Dropped by His Label @Harvest_Records
Rockin' out to @EMAthorstar @musicfestnw #mfnw
(Thanks again to our #SongOfTheDay sources at @KEXP, @KCRW, @KUTX, @TheKeyXPN and @TheCurrent. Thanks to @TwilightCircus1 for the bed music - and thank you for listening!)
