Blockhead - Uncle Tony's Coloring Book

Tracklist:

01. Coloring Book
02. The Strain
03. Grape Nuts And Chalk Sauce
04. Duke Of Hazzard
05. Squirmy Worm
06. Put Down Your Dream Journal And Dance
07. The Hucklebuck Slice
08. Not So OK Corral
09. Do The Tron
10. Get Your Regal On
11. Cheer Up, You're Not Dead Yet
12. Trailer Love
13. NYC Bounce

Genre: Breakbeat/Downtempo/Hip Hop
Website: www.myspace.com/theblockishot

Release Date: 2007-08-14
Label: Ninja Tune

Damn Ninja Tune always pulls through with some quality artists. I actually ended up remembering that I had this album cuz I stumbled upon a track done by Blockhead (Sunday Seance) that is super sick and I thought to myself "Damn, these ppl need to hurr dis." So I found the easiest Blockhead album for me to locate in my collection and it's this one. Not the best one... basically track 1 blows them all out of the water (so says MY taste, maybe not yours) and the rest of them are a little stranger and more electronically experimental than the opener. Ear it and feel the sexy vibes comin' from Coloring Book.

Scribbling Idiots - The Have Nots

Tracklist:

01. Have Nots
02. More Than Crew
03. That's Life
04. Where I'm Going
05. Almost Famous
06. Is That You?
07. Start Livin
08. Easily A Muse
09. Don't Settle
10. Alexithymia
11. Publicity Stunt Doubles (Feat. lmno)
12. Residual
13. Moonlighting
14. Told You So (Feat. Masta Ace)
15. Eseye

Genre: Hip Hop
Website: www.myspace.com/scribblingidiots
Release Date: 2008-02-13
Label: Illect

Straight up from the oh aytche eye oh (thats o-h-i-o) are the Scribbling Idiots. Although not the most top notch in my rank of hip hop artists they still earn an honorable mention for the few tracks on this album that have caught my ear. I mean, whatever right? Cuz if it's hip hop and it gets on the playlist, that's what matters. Maybe these won't be on YOUR playlist but hey, the chances of it happening are much better now that you at least have the option :) Check out track 2 on ur own...

...

I, too, have been diagnosed with musical a.d.d.

I feel your pain JT, especially during such times as now, when academics leaves me no room to treat my symptoms.

The Late Greats - Destroy My Brain (Single)

Tracklist:
Destroy My Brain

Website: http://www.myspace.com/thelategreatsuk
Release Date: Oct 2, 2006
Label: Izumi Records

Here's a fun little ditty that perhaps some will enjoy. Happy 21st Birthday Cassie!! Please dont make me go to the casino anymore!

My musical ADD is approaching the realm of the absurd. It is a serious disease that goes undiagnosed in at least 2 people every year in America. Not only are we undiagnosed, but also misunderstood. Someone pity me.

Iglu and Hartly - Endless Circles

Tracklist:
1 Confidentiatlity
2 Walk in the Sky
3 Die Tonight
4 Endless Circles
5 Sink Into the Sand
6 In These Shoes
7 Ask Me Anything
8 Someday You Might Find
9 Locked Inside My Body
10 Late Night Melody
11 Fillin Up My Cup
12 Listen to Me
13 Cupid's Joke (interlude)
14 You Want Hard?
15 Only Courage
16 Can't Go On

Genre: Hip Hop
Release Date: June 5, 2004
Label: Records

Last post of the day for me. There is a temporary truce until tomorrow morning. These guys are a fun hip hop group out of Boulder Colorado and are now centered out in Cali (AMERICAN MUSIC! WOOHOO) Confidentiality is by far their best song...but the rest of the album has a little somethin somethin to offer. Blast this during your next climbing session for sure...or not. Whichever.

Amplive - Rainydayz Remixes

Tracklist:

01. Rainydayz
02. Video Tapez (Feat. Del The Funky Homosapien)
03. Nudez (Feat. Too $hort & MC Zumbi)
04. Weird Fishez
05. All I Need
06. 15 Stepz (Feat. Codany Holiday)
07. Reckonerz (Feat. Chali2na)
08. Faustz

Genre: Remix/Hip Hop/Break Beat
Website: ALBUM IS FREE
Release Date: 2008-02-11
Label: Self-released

This is DJ/Producer based out of Oakland (finally the US makes it back up onto our charts). Anyways, In Rainbows, the new Radiohead album, is already pretty darn good. Take a good album and give it a (keyword:) quality remix and you can end up with the most baller tracks. Period. You can get this album free by looking on the website link above. To see what I consider to be the top 3 from this album you can get those from me. Track 4 is also very tight but has a weird little skitzo beat solo in the middle that I am just soso on. And if you didn't notice, tite rhyme bustin MC's Del and Chali2na flave it up real nice.

The French Quarter

Fast

Don't know much about these guys. Pretty sure they are some gnarly Brits. I DO know that this song is ideal for long car rides and big thoughts. What am I doing? Where am I going? Sorry I cant bring more info.

ATTENTION Shastid: I have no job. I don't start grad school till September. I have nothing to do. If you think you can keep up with my postings you need a reality check.

Custom Blue – Under the Counter You’re on Your Own

Tracklist:
1. Under the Counter
2. You're On Your Own

Website: http://www.customblue.co.uk/Custom%20Blue/Custom%20Blue.html
Release Date: 2006
Label: Far Out Recordings

Real chill shit comin out of the UK. I think I have completely disowned the American music scene at this point. Bring it Shastid!

Macaco - Ingravitto

Tracklist:
1. Intro Ingravitto
2. Con La Mano Levanta (Ft. Juanlu El Canijo calima)
3. Mama Tierra
4. Crece La Voz (Ft. Muchachito Bombo Infierno)
5. Brazil 3000
6. Somos Luz (Ft. La Mari De Chambao)
7. Fast Lane
8. Sideral
9. Como El Agua Cale (Ft. Ms. Maiko)
10. Bajo Un Mismo Sol
11. Higo Y Aguja
12. Son Son
13. Las Luces De La Ciudad (Ft. Caparezza)
14. Paya

Genre: Rump shakin Jams
Release Date: May 22, 2006
Label: MSI Music
Since Shastud and I seem to be on a foreign binge right now...I thought I would up the ante. Shastud-I warn you, when it comes to foreign beats I cannot be outdone. I will ruin your sanity with the abundance of artists to come. Macaco is one of those bands that just makes you want to get up out of your chair and shake your rump. Bajo un Mismo Sol is FANTASTIC! These guys are from Spain and know how to get it done.

Mugison - Mugiboogie

Tracklist:

01. Mugiboogie
02. The Pathetic Anthem
03. To The Bone
04. Jesus Is A Good Name To Moan
05. George Harrison
06. Deep Breathing
07. I'm Alright
08. The Animal
09. Two Thumb Sucking Son Of A Boyo
10. The Great Unrest
11. My Love I Love
12. Sweetest Melody

Genre: Indie Pop/Ambient Folk
Website: www.myspace.com/mugison
Release Date: 2007-10
Label: Icepac Recordings

Iceland you rock! Maybe not in the same way as most of the stuff that's been going up in this place but (as always) to keep things from settling too genre-specifically I gotta throw up something diff'rent. I think this does the trick. A nice raw song for starters and then finishing up with some fun and more wholesome instrumentation.

Metaform - Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants

Tracklist:

01. Rock It Number Nine
02. Urban Velvet
03. Brick And Mortar
04. Sunday
05. The Telephone
06. Heaven Can Wait
07. Let Your Hair Down Girl
08. Lonely Boy
09. As If In A Dream
10. Crush
11. Barbie Doll
12. Lamenting Break
13. Bubblegum
14. Pch
15. Demo Submission
16. Deep Concentration
17. The Secret
18. I Feel Good
19. Love And Loss

Genre: Breakbeat/Hip Hop
Website: www.myspace.com/meta4m

Release Date: 2008-04-15
Label: JUST Records

MMMMM tasty says my earpetite to the yumliciousness of Metaform. If you're a fan of DJ Shadow or RJD2 you will be forever placing these songs on your playlists. I've got some of these songs on my hip hop breakbeat mixes, some on my make out mixes, some on my sofa sessions... versatile to say the least! Come on JT, you know you're impressed with this one... and make sure yall check out Heaven Can Wait (track 6)!

Papashanty Saundsystem - Ashanty Grandpa

Tracklist:

01. Himno Shanty
02. Melodic Dub
03. Celebracion
04. Musica De Paz
05. Feel De Flow
06. Por La Raza
07. Abre Los Ojos
08. Wo No Noo
09. Police & Soldiers
10. Roots
11. Conexion
12. Evolucion
13. All Right

Genre: Reggae/Rap/Hip Hop
Website: www.myspace.com/papashanty

Release Date: 2005
Label: Balcon Zone Records

Bump this reggae straight from Caracas, Venezuela. JT 'eard this somehow and passed the inpho on to me and here we are. Makes me feel like going back to Costa Rica when I hear the ragga beats comin thru in espanol. If you're in Latin/South America and you're reading this... bump this beat for me n JT and flail that arm.

Xhelazz - El Soñador Elegido

Tracklist:

01. El Soñador Elegido
02. La Soledad Comienza
03. Hijos Del Orgazmo
04. Una Mirada (Interludio)
05. Una Mirada
06. Solo Imporat El Rap (Con Doble V)
07. Esto Es Historia
08. Solo Son Vidas
09. Hamor (Con Hate)
10. La Fama
11. Alas Rotas
12. Estamos Rayados (Con Toteking)
13. Confesionario De Papel

Genre: Hip Hop/Rap
Website: www.myspace.com/xhelazz
Release Date: 2007
Label: ?

Being in Costa Rica and having jtizzle postin' up in hurr have both spurred me to find music like this: badass, foreign, and hard to come by in the English-speaking music scene. Beat that JT! Hah! This dude is pretty chill. More rap than hip hop gives me fewer love-to-love-em tracks on this album but I picked two that are gonna fit into the hip hop crowd (even if the second shared track is just a beat sorta).

A BIG YES... and a small no - Jesus That Looks Terrible On You

Tracklist:

01. I'm Always Manic (When I'm Around You)
02. Composure
03. Jesus That Looks Terrible On You
04. Faded Away
05. If You Won't Beg
06. This Doesn't Feel Like Goodbye
07. What A Fucking Mess This Turned Out To Be
08. Looking Over My Shoulder

Genre: Indie Folk Rock/Shoegaze
Website: www.myspace.com/abigyesandasmallno

Release Date: 2008-05-08
Label: Thorough Left Records

Combine a vibraphone, six close friends, and a velvet jacket and you have A BIG YES... and a small no. Hometown? NYC. This debut album gets released in about 6 six weeks so you can get your earful in and hopefully enjoy it enough to take it one step further. This music has got some clear-cut shoegaze to it but they do a fantastic job with that and besides, gotta mix up the tunage and take you to some monkey bars or somethin'.

The Black Keys - Attack And Release

Tracklist:

01. All You Ever Wanted
02. I Got Mine
03. Strange Times
04. Psychotic Girl
05. Lies
06. Remember When (Side A)
07. Remember When (Side B)
08. Same Old Thing
09. So He Won't Break
10. Oceans And Streams
11. Things Ain't Like They Used To Be

Genre: Rock Indie Blues
Website: www.myspace.com/theblackkeys
Release Date: 2008-04-01
Label: Nonesuch

If you head to a merch store you can pick this album up for pre-order cuz it comes out on Tuesday. Sneak peak right here to get your juices flowing for the real thang. They're from Akron, OH for those of you who aren't too familiar with these guys (but my guess is most people have heard of them). Highly recommendable combination of blues rock and indie.

Menomena - Wet and Rusting

Tracklist:
1. Muscle'n Flo Listen
2. The Pelican
3. Wet and Rusting
4. Air Aid
5. Weird
6. Rotten Hell
7. Running
8. My My
9. Boyscout'n
10. Evil Bee
11. Ghostship
12. West

Genre: punk/funk
Website: http://www.menomena.com/
Release Date: Jan 23, 2007
Label: Barsuk Records
Funky experimental rock beats make this band worth a look see. Some pretty original sound coming out of Oregon. Check out their other albums - and especially their album artwork.

Alex Schein - Speed of Light

Tracklist:
1. BeLong
2. RiseUp feat. Deirdre
3. Speed of Light
4. Mind of the Maker
5. Knot Poetry feat. Mark Holmes
6.The Drop
7. Dawah's Message
8. On Your Side feat. Alex Frampton Jost
9. Gift of Gabriel
10. DeSide
11. The White Flag

Genre: Soul
Website: alexschein.com
Release Date: May 01, 2006
Label: Skyhunter Music

I had to reassess my life after this one. Entire musical archives were cast aside or deleted after I heard this album because all music seemed mundane in comparison. Speed of Light is definitely one of the greatest songs of our generation and I think a copy of it should be launched into outer space so that extraterrestrial life can someday encounter this as well. Riseup and The Drop are tied for a very close second. Incredibly versatile, these jams can be used during the mellowest chill sessions or in preparation to "throw down."

Alex Schein - Four Song EP

Tracklist:
1. Gypsy
2. Beats and Breath
3. Litte Boxes
4. Patience

Genre: R&B
Website: http://alexschein.com/home.html
Release Date: 2004
Label: Skyhunter Music

With strong connections to Josh Lowell and his cutting edge bouldering media, Alex Schein found his way into my life. This is his first album and a necessary step in the Alex Schein journey you are all about to embark on. Don't worry, there will be more to come...

Haale - No Ceiling

Tracklist:

01. Middle Of Fire
02. All Those Miles
03. Off Duty Fortune Teller
04. Chenan Mstam
05. No Ceiling
06. Mast
07. Ay Dar Shekasteh
08. Zero To One
09. Hastee
10. Town On The Sea

Genre: Alternative Psychedelic/Trip Hop
Website: www.myspace.com/haale
Release Date: 2008-03-18
Label: Channel A Music

This chick is from New York. Someone reviewing her album mentioned that she sings with a "Persian flair" and I particularly liked that description. She's got the middle-eastern wail in her voice at times and it serves her music nicely. The tracks are not only eclectic in their natures but they are also intra-eclectic (varying within the same track). w00t.

Jade - Analogic

Tracklist:

01. Caroussel
02. Ready
03. Voodoo Love
04. Woman Beat Box
05. Keep Waiting
06. Mama
07. She's Real
08. Butterfly
09. Seven Mondays
10. Silly Girl
11. Amazing Feeling
12. Woman's Medicine
13. Ignition
14. Sacrifice

Genre: Electronic/Trip Hop/Ambient Pop
Website: www.myspace.com/jadeanalogic
Release Date: 2008-03
Label: Z Production

Jade was birthed into this world in 2002 in Lyon, France, and they released their first (and self-produced) four single CD in 2004. At the core of their music is the trip-hop, but to shade their music under this umbrella may be a little hasty because some of their songs yawn towards ambient and others stretch out experimentally. The two you'll be hearing are maxin' 'n relaxin' songs, meant for the trip hop chill out sesh (as opposed to the dub sesh).

P.S. good ol' jtmaradik, long-time friend and foe, is gonna be contributing some ear candy for the masses to make up for my school-induced earitnowcomas. a traditional rival of mine for the underground music scene, you can expect that he will not take you around the whole playground (like i do) and will be the kid who will keep going down the slide and telling you how he doesn't need to try anything else because the slide is the best (that's a musical taste metaphor). and that's why i love him.
.

Le Magicien

Happy Birthday Tien
Cowan Again
Genre: French Electronic
Website: http://www.paintthesky.org/magic/

Some interesting sounds from this Frenchie. I have no clue what album these songs are from because they are some of his newer works. Seems like some pretty cool dude music though.

Skream! - Skream!

Tracklist:
1. Tortured Soul
2. Midnight Request Line
3. Blue Eyez
4. Auto-Dub
5. Check-It - Skream, Warrior Queen
6. Stagger
7. Dutch Flowerz
8. Rutten
9. Tapped - JME, Skream
10. Kut-Off
11. Summer Dreams
12. Colourful
13. Emotionally Mute (Outro

Genre: Electronic
Website: http://www.last.fm/music/Skream
Release Date: Nov 27, 2006
Label: Tempa Records

Skream throws down some beats that are so good it puts other musicians to shame. Not to be overly dramatic...but this music will probably change your life FOREVER.

Please forgive my rudeness in not introducing myself earlier. I just get so excited about sharing music and enlightening the masses that apparently I throw etiquette out the window! My name is JT and I am being used as a pawn in Shastud's musical domination of the world. Shastid takes a carpet bomb approach when it comes to downloading and sharing music. Every once in a while a song hits it target, but more often than not, there are civilian casualties. Using 21st century technology and unrivaled music searching fortitude, I hope to share only the highest quality artists and tracks. While the two of us will inevitably destroy each other in our struggle--the result will benefit listeners worldwide. Sacrifices HAVE and WILL be made. Beware shastud's stray missiles and enjoy the greatest musical collaboration/warfare the world has ever known.

The Pirate Signal - EP

Tracklist:
01. Yonnas
02. An Emergence of Black Heroes
03. Dirty
04. I Can't Wait
05. It Might Just Go Down
06. The Devil is a Corporation, and Jesus is a Terrorist
07. It Was an Accident
08. GO!

Genre: Hip Hop
Website: http://www.thepiratesignal.com/
Release Date: April 28, 2007
Label: Axumite Recordings

A hip hop crew out of Denver...these guys are HARDCORE. They get my juices flowing and make me wanna jump up and down while pumping my fists into the air (at the same time). Check out their website too!

Eastern Conference Champions - Ameritown

Tracklist:
1. The Box
2. Noah
3. Some Sorta Light
4. Stutter
5. Sincle Sedative
6. Yuppy Hipster Fuck
7. To the Wind
8. Pitch a Fit
9. Gucci No.3
10. Nice Clean Shirt
11. Rabbit Hole
12. Hollywood

Genre: Rock
Website: www.easternconferencechampions.com/
Release Date: July 17, 2007
Label: Suretone

Trying to diversify the genre scene a little here for those of you who aren't digging the international freaky deaky. Warning: this band is GOOD. However, if you listen to too many songs in a row it feels like someone is pounding a spike into your brain. It might have something to do with Josh Ostrander's voice. I gotta give props to my skinny ankle busted friend Dom for this one.

Husky Rescue - Country Falls

Tracklist:

1. sweet little kitten
2. summertime cowboy
3. New Light of Tomorrow
4. sunset drive
5. my world
6. City Lights
7. gasoline girl
8. rainbow flows
9. sleep tight tiger
10. mean street

Genre: Alternative
Website: http://www.husky-rescue.com/
Release Date: April 12, 2005
Label: Minty Fresh

Husky Rescue is a band I keep coming back to and this shit needs to be shared. Coming out of Finland, these guys put me in the zone to stare into space for a while. The music is so good it makes me almost want to fly out to Finland and do Finlandishy things like take lonesome strolls along the coast while wearing a wool sweater. Country Falls is my favorite album, but they have many more that should be explored!

Miss Li - Songs of a Ragdoll

Tracklist:

01. Why don´t you love me
02. Gotta Leave My Troubles Behind
03. Take a shower!
04. Come Over to My Place
05. Tuck you in
06. Leave my man alone
07. Why should I conquer the world
08. Ba Ba Ba
09. Trouble rumble
10. Not that kind of girl

Genre: Indie
Website: http://www.myspace.com/experiencemissli
Release Date: Oct 23, 2007
Label: PID

I dedicate this posting to my man Johan the Swede (wherever he may be). These tunes remind me of easy living at the climber campground known as “the Pit” in Bishop, California. A place where climbers come together to share stories, music, laughs, and usually a plentiful amount of beer. Miss Li has a unique sound I think some --hopefully all—will enjoy.

Ecophonik

Track 1
Track 2


Coming straight outta Southern New Zealand. Ecophonik is headed up by Alan Halstead and the vocals are by Kerensa Stevens and Hannah Howes. The combo of mesmerizing vocals and environmental sound (aka smooth dubbin beats) makes me think of warm spring days outdoors...perhaps there is a slackline involved.


Genre: Dub/Electronica
Website: ecophonik.com

Skeewiff - Private Funktion

Tracklist:

01. Smash & Grab
02. Love Power
03. Triumph Stag
04. Man Of Constant Sorrow
05. Giggity (Allright)
06. Little Spot Of Soul
07. Loss Due To Incompetence
08. Light The Fuse
09. Wet Your Break
10. Ruby's Revenge
11. Matador
12. Husky
13. Soul Bossanova

Genre: Breakbeat Funk
Website: www.myspace.com/skeewiffskeewiff

Release Date: 2006-02-20
Label: Jalapeno Records

If you play these guys in iTunes you'll notice their aptly self-described genre of "Jalapeno." I'm not sure if it's more from their label or because it could actually be the best descriptor for their genre but either way it suits 'em. Back from a long spring break and I'm trying to get into spring mode and hopefully force good weather upon this hopelessly cold landscape I've returned to. So spruce 'n spice it up with summa dis jaloppy funk.

SPRING BREAK!

That's right folks, Spring Break '08 is finally here and you're looking at the view of home base: Playa Hermosa, Guanacaste, Costa Rica. I'll do my best to bring back some Costa Rican music for everyone's enjoyment. In the meantime, forgive the interim and go listen through the backlog if there's anything you missed! Yeeeah!

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Howl

Tracklist:

01. Shuffle Your Feet
02. Howl
03. Devil's Waitin'
04. Ain't No Easy Way
05. Still Suspicion Holds You Tight
06. Fault Line
07. Promise
08. Weight Of The World
09. Restless Sinner
10. Gospel Song
11. Complicated Situation
12. Sympathetic Noose
13. The Line

Genre: Alternative Indie
Website: www.myspace.com/blackrebelmotorcycleclub

Release Date: 2005-08-23
Label: Red Ink

Although an old album it's definitely worth a post. Quality indie tunes in an alternative vein, they certainly have their own sound about them and vary it enough to keep the ADD listeners tuned in. Give the song Howl a listen if you get a chance to check out their other songs (which you should). Get on with it.

Dub Pistols - Speakers And Tweeters

Tracklist:

01. Speed Of Light (Feat. Blade)
02. Peaches (Feat. Rodney P & Terry Hall)
03. Speakers and Tweeters
04. Running From The Thoughts (Feat. Terry Hall)
05. Rapture (Feat. Terry Hall)
06. Cruise Control
07. Open
08. You'll Never Find (Feat. Rodney P)
09. Gangsters (Feat. Terry Hall)
10. Something To Trust (Feat. Rodney P)
11. Mach 10
12. Stronger
13. Gave You Time

Genre: Hip Hop/Breakbeat Reggae
Website: www.myspace.com/thedubpistols
Release Date: 2007-03-19
Label: Sunday Best

Here we got some killer ragga beats with illin flows ova da top. Ye. Deez foos be from the UK, carryin dey wickid accents widdem to da tracks yall be hearin up buv. One luv fo deez britz cuz dis album wuz nominated fo best british album. Sick.

Raccoon - Before You Leave

Tracklist:

01. Good And Ugly
02. Mrs. Angel
03. Before You Leave
04. Nothing Between Us
05. Clean Again
06. Bedroom Floor
07. Never Alone
08. Start A War
09. Lucky All My Life
10. Run Out
11. My Town
12. Thinking Of You

Genre: Folk Indie Rock Pop
Website: www.myspace.com/raccoonmusic

Release Date: 2008-02-29
Label: Pias

Raccoon is back with a new album. A song, Every Day I Love You More, was a really sappy but totally sweet and appreciable song that went on some of my mellower mixes. This album features more of their acoustically driven folk/indie rock and on the whole I'm a fan of this album (moreso than the last one). I'm crazy busy with schoolwork and will be going to Costa Rica on Friday so I'll do my best to get you some tunage for the break.

Strangefolk - Open Road

Tracklist:

01. House Of Pearl
02. In Deep
03. Leave A Message
04. First Time
05. Escalator
06. Paint
07. Bait
08. Open Road
09. Criminal
10. Rubber Band
11. Go To A Show

Genre: Jam Band/Rock
Website: www.myspace.com/strangefolkmusic
Release Date: 2001
Label: What The Folk

By request I'm throwin' up this Strangefolk album. Not their greatest but it's definitely still a good showcase of their jamband tendencies. I guess they're gonna be playin' at this festival. I'm a bit jealous because I always love a good festival so if you're going to go to this one make sure to scope some of the lesser knowns and dance your heart out.

p.s. sorry for not posting yesterday... i tried but blogger was not working properly...

Blowing Trees - Blowing Trees

Tracklist:

01. Airplane Fixation
02. The Day The World Left Me
03. California Skies
04. Goblins
05. The Anywhere
06. A Different Time
07. Process
08. Running Blind
09. Stealing Us Away
10. Goodnight Lungs
11. When The News Hit The Stores
12. Pass To Carry

Genre: Indie Alt Pop
Website: www.myspace.com/blowingtreesmusic
Release Date: 2008-03-15
Label: Glassnote

Supposedly this is a self-titled debut album... but uh, as you can clearly see here, emusic is showing that they had a self-titled debut album in 2006 that is most certainly the same band (just not all the same tracks) because track 03, California Skies, is uniform across the two. Anyways, nitpicking aside, track 03 sounds like a Mute Math wannabe even if it's done well. Track 08 is more on the indie side of this band... overall I'd say 3/5 stars.

Andrew Morris - Union Bars

Tracklist:

01. Here You Are There You Go
02. Overtime
03. Strawberry Valentine
04. Oh Tonight
05. You Are Everything That I'm Not
06. Here He Comes
07. Spinning (Around and Around)
08. Everybody Knows
09. L.A.
10. In My Town
11. The Bitter End

Genre: Indie Folk / Alt Country
Website: www.myspace.com/andrewmozmorris
Release Date: 2007-08-13
Label: Warner Music Australia

Produced by J. Walker of Machine Translations, every instrument played on this album was done by either Walker or Morris. Union Bars is Andrew Morris' third album, his first two being released in 2004 and 2006 respectively. Morris also happens to hail from Brisbane so it gives you some nice Aussie flava (albeit some of it is a little too "country" for my taste, but only some :)). I tried to pick friendlier songs, as always, so get it to ya urrs.

Sleepercar - West Texas

Tracklist:

01. A Broken Promise
02. Wasting My Time
03. Fences Down
04. Wednesday Nights
05. Kings And Compromises
06. Heavy Weights
07. Sound The Alarm
08. End Of A Year
09. You Should Run
10. All Will End Well
11. Stumble In

Genre: Indie Folk
Website: www.myspace.com/sleepercarwesttexas
Release Date: 2008-04-22
Label: Civil Defense League

Got a couple promo tracks here for yall. Jim Ward (of At The Drive-In and Sparta) recently finished this album and it's just waitin another 6 weeks or so until it hits the store shelves. His myspace page calls his music Americana and I most certainly agree... but I agree more with my classification. I guess we could compromise with Indie Americana, but it still doesn't sound quite like that. A fast and a slow for you... just like old times... and look forward to the release of this album!

The Physics Of Meaning - The Physics Of Meaning

Tracklist:

01. Charles Wallace, Where Have You Gone
02. Small Towns And Invisible People
03. Ressurection And Crucifixion
04. Bigger cities, Thicker Doors
05. Manhattan Is An Island
06. The Crystal Ball Is Cracking
07. The Inconceivable Nature Of Vizzini
08. Oregon, My Only Friend
09. Down At Columbia And Cameron
10. The Fountain Of Youth Dries Up In An Election Year
11. A Slowly Tilting Planet

Genre: Experimental Indie
Website: www.myspace.com/thephysicsofmeaning
Release Date: 2005
Label: Bu Hunan Records

Another super unknown here. This album is from 2005. Self-titled and hard to find (I haven't checked iTunes) I'm always happy to get these kinds of albums up here from time to time. This reminds me of a melting pot of Andrew Bird and the Flaming Lips (for starters). Maybe even a super small, 1/4 teaspoon of Polyphonic Spree. The album itself is a long and unpredictable journey... and if you're anything like me, don't get discouraged by the drawn out track names because in my experience an album full of track titles like that is going to be more experimental than I care to play.

What Made Milwaukee Famous - What Doesn't Kill Us

Tracklist:

01. Blood, Sweat, and Fears
02. Sultan
03. Cheap Wine
04. The Right Place
05. For The Birds
06. Self-Destruct
07. Resistance St.
08. Prevailing Wind
09. And The Grief Goes On
10. To Each His Own
11. Middle Of The Night
12. The Other Side

Genre: Indie Pop Rock
Website: www.myspace.com/whatmademilwaukeefamous
Release Date: 2008-03-04
Label: Barsuk Records

Mmmm what a solid feeling it is to turn on a previously unheard album and be whole-heartedly contented with what comes rippling through your head (if you didn't get it, that's what happened to me with this one). Solid songwriting and enough variation in style buoys this band to the top of recently acquired list. Shall I say the cream rises to the top? So hard to pick two songs to share but I had to do it so ear it up... now!

Mel Gibson and The Pants - Sea Vs Shining Sea

Tracklist:

01. Where It Hurts
02. Dead Baby Joke
03. That Ain't A Knife
04. Sea
05. Stress Fracture
06. Spurs Of Steel
07. Bit Of A Buzz
08. Shining Sea
09. Don't Stop Drop And Roll
10. Don't Believe In The Hype Man

Genre: Indie Hip Hop
Website: www.myspace.com/melgibsonandthepants

Release Date: 2007
Label: Totally Gross National Product

If you took a fairly experimental indie band and crossed it with Outkast you would get Mel Gibson and The Pants. I never knew Mel's pants were so amazing... it explains so much about him, lol. And also, on a side note, the title of track 03 brings me back to Dundee. I heard about this band from my buddy Rob just last night and let me tell you it is a very very difficult band to find (being a fairly unknown local band up in Minneapolis where Rob is from). But find it I did and you can find this most recent release of theirs on iTunes. I'm told their two other albums are really worth a listen but those will have to wait for another day.

Eight Legs - Searching For The Simple Life

Tracklist:

01. Wear That Shirt
02. Vicious
03. Freaking Out The Neighbors
04. Eight Legs
05. Simple Life
06. Pass The Bucket
07. Tell Me What Went Wrong
08. Spilt Milk
09. Blood Sweat Tears
10. Can't Slow Down
11. These Gray Days

Genre: Indie Rock
Website: www.myspace.com/eightlegs
Release Date: 2008
Label: Weekender Records

I'm a little too out of it from homework to access the part of my brain that knows what bands this one resembles... but there are more than a few. Once you'll hear the voice you'll already know these are Brits, rockin' away with some classic garage amp sounds and edgy, unpredictably catchy progressions. That's all I've got...

Ivan Ives - The LA Heat

Tracklist:

01. LA Heat
02. Nice
03. All For You
04. Origins
05. In LA
06. 2 For 1
07. Cake
08. Epilogue

Genre: Hip Hop
Website: www.myspace.com/ivanives

Release Date: 2007-02
Label: No Threshold

Checked around real quick but couldn't find much about the exact release date. If you've been earin' me since the old school you've seen this name up here before with Iconoclast. Before that Ivan busted this EP out during that same year and it's still Ivan and it's still good. Now I just need some warm weather so I can (comfortably) prop my elbow outside whilst cruisin'.