Sea Wolf

Sea Wolf is an LA based band led by Alex Church. It's some sick indie/folk. Also, they have a pretty sick name, it makes me think of this:

This song is from the "Leaves in the River" album released in 2007. Just listen.


I got a new toilet this week. I couldn't be happier...Enjoy the little things in life.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.

I think my favorite part about this band, beside the music is the name of the band. It reminds me of "Everything is Illuminated" and Sammy Davis Jr. Jr., you know, grandfather's seeing-eye bitch. With that said, the music is great and they just released an album called "It's a Corporate World."

This song is called "Nothing But Our Love." Give it a listen, now.



Live a little, drink a mountain dew today and be happy.

The Besnard Lakes

The Besnard Lakes is a four-person Canadian band formed around a husband and wife duo in 2003. I would categorize their music a melodic shoegaze or maybe a mix between The Radio Dept. and Sigur Ros plus the addition of a female singer. All-in-all it's some pretty great music with some beautiful sounds.

"Albatross" comes from their newest album released last year called "The Besnard Lakes are the Roaring Night."

Lack of understanding is the cause of fear, distrust, and hatred.

Lost in the Trees

I don't know much about the band, but I know there are 7 members and that they have two albums. I also know that this song happens to come from their album "All Alone in an Empty House." Lastly, and most importantly, I know that they create some legit music. This song is very powerful, I love the changes in the beat and the tone of the music. Then add the beautiful vocals and you got a darn good song. So give it a listen.



You have a duty to help those around you. It's a duty called life.

Peter Wolf Crier

Peter Wolf Crier hails from Minneapolis and is made up of the duo Peter Pisano (vocals/guitar) and Brian Moen (percussion/back-up vocals). They make one hell of a duo and create some beautiful indie/folk-rock style tunes. They came out with a new album last month called "Garden of Arms," and while I've only heard one song from it so far, I think I'm going to like it just as much as their first album.

The song of the day is "Hard as Nails" from their first album "Inter-Be" released last summer.

Bacon is good for me!

Shearwater

Shearwater was formed in 1999 by a couple members of Okkervil River in Texas. Thus far they have created 7 albums and 2 EPs with another album set to release sometime next year. Their music would probably be described as indie/folk rock and it has a very peaceful feel to it with lots of piano and celestial sounds. I would say they are kind of a mix between Sigur Ros and Iron & Wine.

This video "Hidden Lakes" comes from their newest album "The Golden Archipelago ." And I'm not gonna lie, the eyelashes are weird as shiz, but the music is beautiful so I can look past it.

There is only one way to be happy - that's by choosing to be happy.

Danger Mouse & Sparklehorse

Danger Mouse, aka Brian Joseph Burton (member of Gnarles Barkley and the Broken Bells) and Sparklehorse, aka Mark Linkous, create the dynamic due Danger Mouse & Sparklehorse, and if nothing else, they have some very unique names. While Sparklehorse is naturally more acoustic, melodramatic, and chill/relaxing, Danger Mouse is more on the hip-hop side and a master at creating beats. So when the two combine forces they make a delightful combo.

This song is called "Jaykob" and it is supposedly about some dude named Jaykub Pietrzak....I have no idea who that is, but I like the song. Also I figure all you ladies will enjoy the picture you get to watch the entire time.



I want to be a skinwalker someday. Let's be friends.

Aesop Rock

Aesop Rock is the stage name for Ian Matthias Bavitz. He was born in New York into a Jewish family and has been rapping in the underground hip-hop scene since the late 90's. His style is very unique, kind of dark and with some sweet lyrics, in fact, sometimes I'm not sure what he is really talking about, but I like that they are complex and not just mindless rhyming. It's good stuff, so give it a listen.

This song is titled "None Shall Pass" from the album with the same name.



I haven't seen a spider in days...what are they planning?!?!

Yael Naim

Yael Naim has one of the most beautiful voices I have ever heard, she is right up there with Zoeey Deschanel. She is Jewish, was born in Paris and at the age of 4 moved to Israel. There she served in the Israeli Defense Force as a soloist in their orchestra...the defense forces have an orchestra? Awesome. Additionally, she is the first solo Israeli artist to get a top 10 hit in the US (the song was New Soul).

Her music is all pretty good, but I love this cover of Britney Spear's "Toxic" and it is beautiful.



The end is near. Watch for zombies.

MillionYoung

MillionYoung is the pseudonym for Mike Diaz from southern Florida. His music has a very distinct sound classified as "chillwave" or "ambient surf"...I don't know what that means, but I like it. It really is just chill electronic styled music. He has two EPs and just came out with his first album "Replicants" earlier this year. It has a similar feel to the songs from the EPs I have heard so far and I like it.

This song is called "Hammock" from his first EP "Sunndreamm" and it is pretty representative of his style.


Continental breakfast is not real breakfast.

The xx

These guys are by no means new, but I love them and have been listening to them a lot lately. The xx is made up of the trio Jamie Smith, Oliver Sim, and Romy Croft from England. Their music is beautiful and their entire album, xx, is wonderful. Here is my favorite song, VCR.

Also, they are working on a new album and it is supposed to be out sometime this year so get excite!

"Peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment."

Film School

Film School is a band that is close to my heart since they are from the beautiful bay of San Francisco. I discovered them via last.fm (a site like pandora, but better) and would suggest it to anyone that likes having the interweb find you new music. They just released a new album titled "Fission" in August of last year and it is fantastic. I'm having a hard time describing their sound or thinking of bands that they remind me of, so just listen to it. Plus it doesn't matter, cause let's be honest, y'all just listen to the music w/o ever reading anything I write. So listen away, and let your ears take you away to world of joy and joyness.

"Compare" from their third album "Hideout." It is just one song of the many that I love on the album.

I don't always  post music to the interwebs,

but when I do it is amazing.

Neon Indian

Neon Indian is the creation of Alan Palomo from Texas. He describes his music as "childhood re-contextualized through a psychedelic, lo-fi filter. The idea of memory before you were old enough to have memories.” ... I have no idea what that means, but I think the synth-pop is pretty sweet. In particular I love this song called "Sleep Paralysist" and if you know me and my sleeping issues then you should understand why.



If you ever wake up and are unable to move and at the same time have hallucinations/visions of yourself dying/being killed then don't worry, it's probably sleep paralysis and not the devil trying to steal your soul.

The Rosebuds

Ivan Howard and Kelly Crisp (who kind of reminds me of Dee from It's Always Sunny) make up the core that is The Rosebuds. The band formed in 2001 in North Carolina where the two met at college and have since created 4 full length albums and a couple LPs. The music is an interesting mix between Bon Iver, Miike Snow. and a touch of the XX. Their most recent album, "Life Like" is what I call "tenawesome," and I would recommend it to anyone that enjoys the song I share with you this day. As a side note, they are planning on releasing a new album in early June, so in the event that the album is good you can expect hearing about this band again in the near future. Feast.

"Life Like"


Life can be difficult and all our plans and preconceived ideas about the future can be destroyed, but things will always work out. Always.

Premium Musics: Tamed Animals

I have finally discovered a new band. Tamed Animals is a solo gig by Dan Barnett out of Dever, CO. The style is called elctroacoustic, so its electronic and acoustic with some semi-dark lyrics. Just think of Radiohead, Sigur Ros, and an acoustic guitar having a beautiful child and you have Tamed Animals.

In April of 2010 Tamed Animals came out with its first full-length album called "Redefinition." I just bought it for $5.60 here. I love it. I recommend it. Buy it. Enjoy it. Love your life.



Happiness is a decision, not a consequence. So you make the choice.

Premium Musics: Sims

I owe this discovery completely to Colin G. Olson so if you like it, give him a poke on the fb or add him as a friend to say thanks.

Sims is a grass roots hip-hop artist from Minneapolis and a member of Doomtree (who is awesome as well). The style of hip-hop here is extraordinary, the lyrics aren't superficial like a lot of hip-hop out there, but it actually conveys important messages about our world and society. And I appreciate that.

"Burn It Down" is a weird music video, but the song is fantastic.

Karma is real. If we do good, good will be done unto us, whether it be in this life or the life to come.

Premium Musics: Telekinesis

After a brief hiatus as a result of a law school assignment, I'm back with a sweet new band from my favorite city in the United States of America, Seattle. Telekinesis, according to a solid source, refers to "the movement of energy from faster moving frequency to the physical level. In that respect it is not unlike healing or energy work practiced by many healers today."

I have no idea what that means, but I do know that the band by the same name is pretty sweet. They just released a new album titled "Telekinesis!" and I'd give what I've listened to so far a solid 8.33 repeating. "Coast of Carolina" is my favorite song thus far and I thought you should hear it as well.

Remember, "the devil loves 'curing' a small fault by giving you a great one." CSL

Premium Musics: Wye Oak

Thanks to Joe Jeppson and his friend Ruth from work I discovered a new band last week. On Friday night I had the pleasure of discovering and listening to Wye Oak play at The Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco. The concert started later than I expected, so by the time Wye Oak made the stage I was a little tired of standing, but a $4 redbull kept me on my feet and energized. As usual, the people watching in the San Francisco scene was fantastic, in fact, I saw a 45 year-old, female version of Michael Jackson. But that wasn't the best part, the best part was the music played by Wye Oak.

Wye Oak is a duo from Baltimore that consists of Jenn Wasner at guitar and lead vocals and Andy Stack at drums and everything else. Describing Wye Oak's sound, I would say it is a base of indie folk, but with spurts of noise and intensity that seem put it in a league of its own. Think of Iron & Wine, with female vocals and add in bits and pieces of the Pixies. My description can in no way do it justice, so just listen to the song.

Wye Oak has a few albums out, but just recently released "Civilian" earlier this month. It's a great album that, in my opinion, solidifies the band's ability to make music and is already having me waiting for more. I chose the song "Civilian" because I feel that it's a good representation of their sound, so you can get a good feel for just how much you can/should enjoy the album.

We are all connected, we are all brothers and sisters.

Premium Musics: Miami Horror

I hope you like the 80's. In fact, I hope you love the 80's, cause I love the 80's and this is another band with an 80's feel. So get ready for the new Australian sensation, Miami Horror!

Miami Horror is a four man act that was/is the creation of front-man and producer Benjamin Plant. He created the majority of the music by himself, but as the project grew he brought others on and going on tour required Plant to turn his creation into a four man act. The band hails from Melbourne, Australia, the land of the didgeridoo. Plant started off by making remixes, but it led to the creation of a full-length album in April of 2010 called "Illumination." The music is classified as "indie-electronic," which seems to fit, but I would describe it as classic 80's music with a strong influence from the 70's, or like very upbeat 80's music. Either way you look at it, I would say it is unique for its genre and a fun break from other music in its class.

This song is called "Sometimes" and it comes from their recently released album "Illumination." The music video is weird, but the music is A+.

Now, have fun stormin' the castle!

Premium Musics: The Radio Dept.

In honor of my return from Switzerland, I decided to post a song from one of my favorite bands from a nearby region in Europe that I discovered as a result of Chris and Alex Reese yet again.. The Radio Dept. is a trio from Sweden that named their band after a gas station that was converted into a radio repair shop. Their music genre is called "dream pop" and has a kind of melancholy/80's feel that I really love. If I were to compare them to any band I would say they are similar to my favorite band of all time, The Cure. If you like what you hear, you can download a fair portion of their music for free from their fan website.

It was hard for me to choose a song since there are about 20 that I really like, but in the end I chose a song titled "Against the Tide" that comes from their album "Lesser Matters." I think a large reason that I love the band so much is because their music always seems to remind me of a lot of great times I've had with my friends at USU over the past few years, and almost makes tears come out of my face. The song likely won't give you the same emotional reaction, but I hope you like it and maybe someday in the future their songs will come to mean something similar for you.

If you liked that song you should also check out this one called "Pulling Our Weight."

 
And remember, "we have nothing without belief." - C.S. Lewis