Genre: Experimental Indie Pop
Website: Myspace |
Release Date: 2008-04-29
Label: Labrador

Swedish eclectic indie pop at its finest. I'm loving the title track on this EP and still trying to find the right way to get rubbed by the rest. The songs have a very airy and atmospherically discharged feel to them. Doesn't sound incredibly produced but doesn't sound all that raw. Doesn't make much sense but give it a listen (more than the title track) and you'll maybe see what I mean. Labrador is a great label though so The Sound Of Arrows certainly meets the bar set by them.

Genre: Indie Folk
Website: Myspace | Buy!
Release Date: 2008
Label: Self-Released

A lot of time passed (three releases including this one since 2006) without a major label picking up on The Rural Alberta Advantage. Their spin on folk spins me just the right way. From the looks of the buy link the band might be signed to emusic officially starting November 11th. The drums sound almost angry and the singer sounds almost like a more relaxed Billy Corgan. The most I listened to this album the happier I became with it. Try that on for size.

Genre: Instrumental/Downtempo/Breakbeat
Website: Myspace | Buy!
Release Date: 2008-10-28
Label: Libyus

So many of these sound more ambient than instrumental hip hoppish. Some of them even sound like they should be played over something like Planet Earth's aerial shots of sprawling shallow seas or underwater scenes. Maybe even in the dreamy parts of movies like The Beach. Wherever these tracks fit in they will always fit into your ears. With Japanese origins it's funny to hear what I would consider to be faint traces of japanese video game music in some of the layers of synths. Ear it up and fall asleep to some of these tunes. Or wake up to them. Or you tell me.

Genre: Electronica/Acoustic Drum & Bass
Website: Myspace | Buy!
Release Date: 2008
Label: Thisco

Portugal beatmaster Marco Miranda aka M-PeX released Phado, a great album showcasing Portuguese guitar as taught to Marco by his grandfather. Applying the traditional strings to contemporary fusion with the inclusion of electronic beats, M-PeX is an ethnic time machine best accompanied by sentimental moods. Sometimes the guitar sounds like old school harpsichord (minus the hammer-ons and sliding). Not all of the songs are in minor keys so listen to more than the above track and maybe if you're feeling motivated you can manage the buy link above which is much more complicated than your average purchase.

Genre: Folk/Americana/Acoustic
Website: Myspace | Buy!
Release Date: 2008-10-14
Label: Patrick Thomas

A current troubadour of Brooklyn, NY Patrick Thomas has been a long way and played a couple hundred shows before getting to where he's been. This album cuts across the folk pie hitting the soft and the hard, the poppy and the experimental. My favorite tracks are 01, 03, and 04. Fire Escape is also good but the rest are just meh to me. This album is already fairly widespread so it should be easy for you to find more sophisticated reviews of it. This is just for the ears that slipped between the cracks.

Genre: Electronic/Breakbeat/Jazz
Website: Myspace | Buy!
Release Date: 2008-04-14
Label: Etage Noir

Parov Stelar is a groovin dude named Marcus who busts out beats like it's his job. Wait. It is. If you were to go check iTunes you'd find out just how many EP's and LP's he's released and maybe even go one step further and pick up more of his material. Matilda is my favorite track off this release and is available for earage to get your appetite whetted for the rest. Sometimes there's actually some singing over the top so enjoy it all.

Genre: Roots Acoustic/Reggae Folk
Website: Myspace |
Release Date: 2008-10-22
Label: White Balloon

I have been contacted more concerning my last post about Trevor Hall (The Elephants Door) than all other posts combined. As such I thought I shouldn't withhold this latest release from the songwriting genius. Something incredibly surprising about someone with this much talent is the lack of publicity I'm finding. No other blogs (not that I could find in a quick search) talk about this album and it's very difficult to find sharable tracks for earage. Well here is one more step in the road to Trevor's eventual rise to providing music to the masses. It's phenomenal. This album provides a much more raw look at Trevor with Chris Steele on percussion and the two of them having at it. Buy it. (Thanks to my friend Jason for reminding me that this album came out!)

Genre: Jazz Folk/Indie Acoustic
Website: Myspace |
Release Date: 2008-10-06
Label: Catbird

Started in 2001 by Frank Hasselstrom with singer Billie Koppel, each of them received nominations (one for producing the other for singing) for their debut album Sliding From The Moon. No surprise (once you listen to some of their music) that Catbird played with Jose Gonzalez recently at a Copenhagen event for free. Their stylings pair well together. Billie's voice is incredible and Frank deserves nominations for production. Ear it now.

Genre: Instrumental Rap/Electronica
Website: Myspace |
Release Date: 2006-11-30
Label: Ronald Jenkees

Wow. For a guy that looks pretty funny (not making fun just being honest) Ronald Jenkees is a f*cking beat mastermind. Sure the strings sound like they came out of a sound lib plug-in (a good one though) but MAN this dude get's a Ratatat crunch sound to lean all the way into the realm of rap beats. You're gonna ear a slightly mellower track 04 and then a track that's not even on the album, Stay Crunchy. And daaamn it's crunchy. I'd have to say this one is a personal favorite rediscovery ever since I picked it up earlier this summer and never gave it much of a listen. Shame on me. Now go buy your own copy. P.S. Derty is the ESPN Podcast Beat.

Genre: Roots Rock/Blues Acoustic
Website: Myspace |
Release Date: 2008-06-24
Label: Brushfire

So G. Love is really good at what he does. What he does may not vary all that much though. Although he isn't as bad of a rhythm recycler as O.A.R. he still recycles quite often, right down to the complimentary back-up licks. But whatever, it's G. Love. When you need something to backdrop your summer evenings his music is a staple right up there with just about everything you'll find on Jack Johnson's Brushfire record label.

Genre: Folk/Acoustic/Singer Songwriter
Website: Myspace |
Release Date: 2007-03-06
Label: Blue Smile

Berlin, New York, Tel Aviv... with a name like Oren Lavie it's hard to question whether or not he really does frequent these locations. With a raspy voice that was probably developed through effort and not by smoking, Oren has managed to write a creatively orchestral album full of strings and keys and even jazzy feels. Sometimes I laugh at his lyrics (try track 11) but overall it's smooth and delicious like an aged whisky. Oh and I didn't know it until I just read it but Chevy used Her Morning Elegance in their Malibu campaign? Wouldn't surprise me.

Genre: Instrumental/Breakbeat/Blues/Funk/Soul
Website: Myspace |
Release Date: 2008-02-26
Label: Galaxia

I've been listening to Tommy for a few years now beginning with A Little Bit Of Somethin' released back in 2000. With a release every couple of years I've followed him all the way through until Return Of The Bastard (and still waiting for the next one). It's a solid album, like the rest of his, with a little bit more polish and a little more oomph. Press rewind and check out his other albums - he's incredibly talented and not afraid to show it. Don't lie, you know those tracks make you curious.

Genre: Acoustic/Singer Songwriter
Website: Myspace |
Release Date: 2008-06-10
Label: Columbia/Starbucks

Another LA singer songwriter here but this time it's one with a little bit more history in the music business. Former frontman for The Wallflowers is now off on his own pouring his heart into his solo music. You'll recognize the voice and even if I was never the biggest Wallflowers fan I certainly thought his voice was good and got hooked by a few of their tracks. Seeing Things was released through Starbucks, not where I heard about it but a good place for a lot of coffeehouse type musicians to get some spotlight. Welcome to my piece of the blogosphere Jakob.

Genre: Blues Folk/Americana
Website: Myspace |
Release Date: 2008-04-01
Label: 429

Jackie Greene was discovered at an open mic by Dig Music's owner. Similar to many of todays singer-songwriters, Jackie is a multi-instrumentalist who bounced around the club and bar scene for a while before his turn for the spotlight arrived. He's had several other releases before this one, my favorite being American Myth because of it's extremely sunny-day, beach-oriented track Closer To You (amongst other favorites on that album). But Giving Up The Ghost is a great showcase of his songwriting talent and you should be excited to have it in front of you for just that reason.

Genre: Soul/Hip Hop/Downtempo
Website: Myspace |
Release Date: 2008-03-01
Label: Illusive

Let's take a skip jump and a hip hop back to some downtempo'd vibrations brought to you by Lowrider. Grooves that'll make you melt. Australia is such an underdog when it comes to music; you know it's there but there is so much from everywhere else it's often overlooked or lost in the cracks. Not this time! I love the earable track from verse to chorus to bridge. A refined sound, if you will... smoooooooth. With just over 3 years since their inception and over 700 shows played their sound is only getting smoother. Stay with em.

Genre: Electro
Website: Myspace |
Release Date: 2008-01
Label: Mental Groove

BUMPETY BUMP get yo thump n jump on with the first track from this Don Rimini EP. It would be so nice to be in Paris to catch me some Rimini in a local joint or whatnot but for now I'll have to recommend this one to Leslie if she can cheat on her electro buddies Justice and ear some other french talent. If you got speakers turn up the bass but if not slap some headphones on ya urrs and crank it cuz this one's for the clubs.

Genre: Downtempo/Electronica/Lo-Fi
Website: Myspace |
Release Date: 2008-09-26
Label: Nine2Five

A few apologies are in order for those of you that love funk and have been hoping to see some up here. All I have to say is the shoutbox (to the left) is there for a reason. If you get tired of waiting, say something! But here we have some funktified electronica personified in track 04 of this Kaino EP. Myspace has most of the tracks from the EP up for listens so if you still need convincing on whether or not to pick up this album then head thataway and check it out. Cuz it's good.

Genre: Pop Folk
Website: Myspace |
Release Date: 2008-06-24
Label: Verve Forecast

Old school album (for me) from a great singer songwriter. Jessie Baylin (Jessicles?) has not only a great voice but uses it in such great melodic flows, creating irresistibly contagious singalongs. She's shacked up doin her thing in LA so you west coasters will hopefully get a chance to see her around. At only age 24 she's already toured with many big names you'll recognize (e.g. Brett Dennen, Teitur) and is now out supporting Matt Nathanson. She is also engaged to be married to Nathan Followill, the drummer for Kings Of Leon. Hot stuff.

Genre: Folk Rock/Americana
Website: Myspace |
Release Date: 2007-10-17
Label: Nettwerk

Griffin was getting out of college right around the time I was getting in, plus or minus a lil bit o time. All the same he spent some time where I spent some time and as such I got the chance to see him before he started getting a little more spotlight. Fellow lover jwk will probably appreciate this release even if his album Lost & Found still pulls the most weight. I loved a description I heard of his music once, likening his music to what Jack Johnson would sound like if he were from Nashville instead of Hawaii and had grown up playing around campfires instead of bonfires. I just wish good ol Griffin would branch out a little more but then that just wouldn't be Griffin House now would it?

Genre: Indie Electro/Remix
Website: Myspace | Buy!
Release Date: 2008-10-28
Label: Southern Fried

So back during the Infadels fix we were having I mentioned the non-remixed album by The Whip. I then remembered that there was an album dedicated to the remixes of the X Marks The Spot release and thought maybe some of you out there would love an earshot at this one. If you aren't super excited at seeing some of the showcased remixers then you should be. The Bloody Beetroots provide the dirtiest remix of the bunch and I'm going to let you trawl around and pick up your own copy of that one. How's that for incentive to support the artists. And yes, JT, you know you want it.

Genre: Indie Pop
Website: Myspace |
Release Date: 2008-06-24
Label: Morr

Electric President's electrically tinted window into the indie pop world has been sometimes compared to long-loved acts such as The Postal Service but I'm going to swat that to the side and toss Gomez out there. Similar melodies and I can honestly swap out the singer without hurting the music. But it's Electric President and not Gomez and being able to meet that comparison is a feat in and of itself. This is the follow-up to their 2006 self-titled LP and I like it just a little bit less. That Postal Service similarity shines through much more in the last release, namely with faint and hesitant vocals and bit-poppy percussion. Ear em both.

Genre: Experimental Electronic/Breakbeat
Website: Myspace |
Release Date: 2008-06-09
Label: Ninja Tune

OK so let's finish up our Sunday with a great track from Daedelus. Ninja Tune always delivers quality tunes and without fail is the track above Fair Weather Friends. If you head past the buy link you'll see that the album did not get very good reviews and I will sadly have to agree. Daedelus, who I've seen live and been extremely smitten with the performance, never seems to push more than one or two my-quality tracks with every release. As long as the live shows still surpass all expectations it shouldn't be too bad for Daedelus but for anybody who hasn't had that opportunity they'll have to stick to the few good studio cuts out there.

Genre: Hip Hop
Website: Myspace | Myspace |
Release Date: 2007-11-30
Label: Strange Famous

Dan Le Sac + Scroobius Pip = hip hop vocal eclecticism. I read somewhere that this is what hip hop sounds like when white brits spit flows in proper english. Not a bad description but descriptions aside it flows well past my drums and into my dome, duly digested. Check our their individual myspaces to see who brings what to the table. United they stand. They're big in Europe and maybe eventually people will love them more in the US too.

Genre: Folk Rock
Website: Myspace |
Release Date: 2008-11-11
Label: Gnomonsong

After a synthetically charged Saturday lets get back down to the lazy Sunday attitude and revisit our good friends playing folk in Vetiver. I'd also like to re-mention their self-described Trash/Black Metal/Christian Rap - it always gets me riled up on the inside and suppressing a good guffaw on the outside. This whole EP is worth every penny so pick this up for those chill times when you need to be reminded of the quality of acoustic music a la San Francisco, CA.

Genre: Electronic Indie/Remix
Website: Myspace | Buy!
Release Date: 2008-04-21
Label: Wall Of Sound

So after thinking about the impression I left with Infadels I decided I had to leave their publicity as presented by yours truly on a harder note. Plus, what's a day without a touch of electro or the inevitable remix. Make Mistakes remix (edited for a more playlist friendly length) is head banger bumper and grand slams my indie electro music seshes. Toss this one on right after The Whip's Trash (track 1 from their album X Marks The Spot) and you've got the beginnings of a something beyond verbage and straight into earage. This is the Infadels I know.

Genre: Electronic Indie
Website: Myspace |
Release Date: 2008-06-13
Label: Wall Of Sound

Infadels were up here already if you didn't already notice. Their older album, from 2006, was a bit harder in the indie and less friendly towards the poppy. But bands progress and sounds develop and the Infadels are surely the same hard steppers at the core behind it all. Lyrically attractive (to me anyways) and trés beat-friendly you'll love this indie electronica for those times when you need to feel that happy step in your legs. I can almost ear a sweet cover of Free Things For Poor People by Dropkick Murphys featuring some bagpipe in my head. What do you ear?

Genre: Reggae/Dub
Website: Myspace | Buy!
Release Date: 2008-04-28
Label: Dubateers

I almost didn't throw this track up because of it's intensely repetitive nature but in spite of that I somehow find myself drawn back to it over and over. It's got the makings of an excellent track... beats, synths, crunch, dub, etc. Only being a bit over 3 minutes long helps the cause of not tiring me out before the race is over - just remember this is only one track from some talented dubbers. Dubateers are bumpin outta the UK and if you jump to myspace you'll find some baller tracks waitin to get inside ya eardrums and get ya onto the dub train.

Genre: Folk
Website: Myspace | Buy!
Release Date: 2008-04-29
Label: Dine Alone

I flipped a coin between indie and folk and landed on folk. So we begin the second half of our afternoon with Empire Air, an extreme unknown compared to most of the music up here. The mood set by Dear Girl is not the happiest one and puts me into a melancholic trance. But one needs some good melancholy time as much as one needs the ups and downs and in betweens. Somehow I felt Canada behind the music before I even knew they were Ontarians (is that what they're called?). Love it up and grab it because it's only two tracks deep. Not very deep in tracks but perilously deep in meaning.

Genre: Blues/R & B
Website: Myspace |
Release Date: 2008-05-20
Label: Bronzerat

Ok so it's about lunch hour for us in the US of A and after the blood pumping Pogo I think we should kick it back down into first while we get ready for the afternoon. Here to help you pull back on the throttle is Congregation, beltin out some seriously piercing blues vocals from London. Country and folk influences partner up with the ever-quivering voice of Victoria Yeulet which is perfectly complimented by the guitar of Benjamin Prosser. I'm imagining this music over shows like Trublood or other southern style montages.

Genre: Electro/Remix
Website: Myspace |
Release Date: 2008-04-22
Label: Astralwerks

Let's begin this day with a smack-of-a-wakeup-call and get our bounce on to some self-remixed Pogo by Digitalism. By far one of their most popular songs, Digitalism is a German indie electro(nic) band that many a fan of the genre are content earing. The shared track was featured on a lot of electro discs I made for friends over the summer and was well-received along the way. I'm sure you electro fans, both open and closet, will enjoy blasting this in your earbuds or on your car stereos. Just make sure you stay within the speed limits and look both ways before crossing because Digitalism provides no warranty on your personal well-being whilst operating your daily life under their earage.