The mediaf!re Thread 2010: This Time It's Personal

[sean]

Sounds like it could possibly be The Saddest Landscape, does that ring a bell? I haven't listened to them in years so I couldn't tell you a song title or anything. I was trying to decipher some of the lyrics and put them into google but the only line I could get was "the lions wait for morning" and even that was kind of dubious and it also returned no results.

Edit: I am so dumb! I have this song on my goddamn iPod (i just checked it.) It's called There are no todays today, so there will be no yesterdays tomorrow by Funeral Diner off their album Difference of Pontential. (its also the fourth song dur.) I am silly this is the first thing i should have done. Hey, i got the band right though.


Dear Cire,

Perhaps as an alternate, I think it could also be Funeral Diner. The screams sound like Funeral Diner's vocalists, the song legnth is appropriate, and their screamy distorted sections sound very Funeral Diner esque, being slow and and being Envy-esque-but-not-really. The quiet sections don't remind me of Funeral Diner but they arn't a band in my usual rotation of emo (i should probably change this they are really good.) I have two albums and I have listened to them both but this track doesn't ring a bell. But they have a lot more stuff, so it could still be them. And the screamy sections sound a fuck load like Funeral Diner. Mike might be right though. I honestly have just listened to The Saddest Landscape the first time investegating this but their quiet parts match up a lot better to this, but I don't think the vocals match up as well.

I'm gonna go with Funeral Diner. I'll try and find out what track (i need more stuff by them anyway.)

Rulez

Rules:

No hot-linking images or albums. You can re-host images at http://imageshack.us.

Ensure your tags are correct and that you have specified both Artist/Album in your post.

Upload your files in either a .zip or a .rar archive to mediaf!re.com, in multiple parts if the album is over 100mbs. The reason for this is that we know mediaf!re is safe and efficient and allows multiple downloads. The ads on other sites, such as Sendspace, are known to contain viruses on the page. Get yourself checked out.

Post your link using code tags. It's the # icon above the policeman emoticon. This prevents the links from being traced back to the forums, lowering the chance that the wrong people notice the thread, potentially threatening Jeph with legal action.

Also, please do NOT request albums. This includes requests for re-uploads; if you miss it, try looking for it somewhere else.

Repost the rules at the top of each new page.

[RuthlessVengeance]

Have you heard of sordo?

What is the sordo password?

[sean]

its on the page, dude.

think ducks.

[Avec]

There's a hint on the page. That should be more than enough to get it.

[Dimmukane]

Deastro - Keeper's
Electro-Pop / Synth-Soaked / Space Symphony / Robot-Rock / Dream-Pop / Amazing

Code:

http://www.mediaf!re.com/?tmkojwazq3g

More info : http://ghostly.com/artists/deastro

I listened to the first song off of this and was reminded that I saw a shooting star yesterday.  Listening further into it, it feels like I am sitting within spitting distance of a meteor shower.  I really like this, thank you.

[tender]

Psst. Ruthless. Have you tried e-mailing adam for the password?




Aretha Franklin - Young, Gifted and Black



I have a lot of memories attached to this album, one of my favorites from Aretha. I've been listening to it a lot lately (especially the first half) and thought I'd share it. "Rock Steady" is a clear highlight: I would keep that song on repeat for hours if the rest of the album wasn't so damn gorgeous.

It's nearly impossible to single out any of Aretha Franklin's early-'70s albums for Atlantic as being her best, particularly given the breadth of her output during this era. In terms of albums rather than singles, it's probably her strongest era, and if you count live albums like Amazing Grace, choosing a standout or a favorite record isn't any easier. Yet of this stunning era, Young, Gifted and Black certainly ranks highly among her studio efforts, with many arguing that it may be her greatest. And with songs like "Rock Steady," that may be a valid argument. But there's much more here than just a few highlights. If you really want to go song by song, you'd be hard-pressed to find any throwaways here -- this is quite honestly an album that merits play from beginning to end. You have upbeat songs like the aforementioned "Rock Steady" that will get you up out of your seat moving and grooving, yet then you also have a number of more introspective songs that slow down the tempo and are more likely to relax than rouse. And if that wide spectrum of moods isn't enough reason to celebrate this album, you get some unlikely songs like a take on "The Long and Winding Road." Plus, you also have to keep in mind that Franklin was in her prime here, not only in terms of voice but also in terms of confidence -- you can just feel her exuding her status as the best of the best. Furthermore, her ensemble of musicians competes with any that she had worked with on previous albums. So even if this isn't the greatest Aretha Franklin album of the early '70s, it's certainly a contender, the sort of album that you can't go wrong with. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide

Code:

http://www.mediaf!re.com/?tnwnkmne4mt

[Ben792x]

In honor of the Kind of Blue vs. Blue Train matchup in the album nomination game's third round, here's some Miles. I'll post some Coltrane, Hancock, Jarret, Monk and others in the days to come.

Walkin'

On the extended title track of Walkin', which follows a standard 12-bar blues, Miles retains a palpable sense of extrication from the music -- as if the song was an extension of his solo instead of the other way around. The lethargic rhythms reiterate the subtle adornments of the horn section to the basic trio. In direct contrast to "Walkin'" is a full-tilt jumper, "Blue 'n' Boogie" which yields some truly memorable solos and exchanges between Davis and Johnson. "Solar" maintains a healthy tempo while drawing the listener in to the delicate interplay where the solos often dictate the melody. Horace Silver's piano solo is Ellington-esque in it's subdued elegance. The final track, "Love Me or Leave Me," gives the most solid indication of the direction Miles' impending breakthrough would take. So swift and certain is each note of his solo, it reflects the accuracy of someone thinking several notes ahead of what he is playing.

Code:

http://www.mediaf!re.com/download.php?wghhk0zitdu

Miles Davis & The Modern Jazz Giants

Including sessions recorded the same day as those on Bags Groove, this album includes more classic performances from the date that matched together trumpeter Miles Davis, vibraphonist Milt Jackson, pianist Thelonious Monk, bassist Percy Heath, and drummer Kenny Clarke. Davis and Monk actually did not get along all that well, and the trumpeter did not want Monk playing behind his solos. Still, a great deal of brilliant music occurred on the day of their encounter, including "The Man I Love," "Bemsha Swing," and "Swing Spring."

Code:

http://www.mediaf!re.com/download.php?zgm0k2mz0wm

Cookin'

Cookin' is the first of four albums derived from the Miles Davis quintet's fabled extended recording session which would produce the lion's share of the Cookin', Relaxin', Workin', and Steamin' albums. As these recordings demonstrate, there is an undeniable telepathic cohesion that allows this band — consisting of Miles Davis (trumpet), John Coltrane (tenor sax), Red Garland (piano), and Philly Joe Jones (drums) — to work so efficiently both on the stage as well as in the studio. The immediate yet somewhat understated ability of each musician to react with the ingenuity and precision is expressed in the consistency and singularity of each solo as it is maintained from one musician to the next without the slightest deviation. Cookin' features the pairing of "Tune Up/When Lights Are Low" which is, without a doubt, a highlight not only of this mammoth session, but also the entire tenure of Miles Davis mid-'50s quintet. All the elements converge upon this fundamentally swinging medley. Davis' pure-toned solos, and the conversational banter that occurs with Coltrane, and later Garland during "When the Lights Are Low," resounds as some of the finest moments between these musicians.

Code:

http://www.mediaf!re.com/download.php?amym2zuzky3

Relaxin'

The solid nature of the unit as a singular musical force is immediately apparent on Relaxin'. "If I Were a Bell" includes some remarkable soloing via Coltrane and Garland. Davis' solos are additionally impressive, as they're derived from the same four-note motive as the melody. Hearing the many variations that he comes up with throughout the song conveys how intrigued Davis must have been by the tune, as it stayed in his performance repertoire for decades. Tracks such as "You're My Everything" and "Oleo" highlight the synchronic nature of Davis and Coltrane as they carry each other's melodies while trading off solos. The steady syncopation of Philly Joe Jones keeps the rhythms tight and the delicate interplay all the more conspicuous.

Code:

http://www.mediaf!re.com/download.php?tleujyyjynq

Workin'

Armed with some staggering original compositions, pop standards, show tunes, and the occasional jazz cover, Workin' is the quintessence of group participation. Davis, as well as Coltrane, actually contributes compositions as well as mesmerizing performances to the album. The band's interaction on "Four" extends the assertion that suggests this quintet plays with the consistency of a single, albeit ten-armed, musician. One needs listen no further than the stream of solos from Davis, Coltrane, Garland, and Jones, with Paul Chambers chasing along with his rhythmic metronome. Beneath the smouldering bop of "Trane's Blues" are some challenging chord progressions that are tossed from musician to musician with deceptive ease. Chambers' solo stands as one of his defining contributions to this band.

Code:

http://www.mediaf!re.com/download.php?o5wdwmyz2mi

Steamin'

Although chronologically the last to be issued, this collection includes some of the best performances from the tapes which would produce the albums Cookin', Relaxin', Workin', and ultimately, Steamin'. At the center of Steamin', as with most outings by this band, are the group improvisations which consist of solo upon solo of arguably the sweetest and otherwise most swinging interactions known to have existed between musicians. "Surrey With the Fringe on Top" is passed between the mates like an old joke. Garland compliments threads started by Davis and Coltrane as their seamless interaction yields a stream of strikingly lyrical passages. There are two well-placed nods to fellow bop pioneers Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie on a revision of their "Salt Peanuts." Philly Joe Jones' mimicking cymbal speak -- which replicates Gillespie's original vocals -- is nothing short of genius. This rendition is definitely as crazy and unpredictable here as the original. Thelonious Monk also gets kudos on "Well, You Needn't." This quintet makes short work of the intricacies of the arrangement, adding the double horn lead on the choruses and ultimately redefining this jazz standard.

Code:

http://www.mediaf!re.com/download.php?jzmytztnoj2

Nefertiti

Nefertiti settles into a low-key, exploratory groove, offering music with recognizable themes — but themes that were deliberately dissonant, slightly unsettling even as they burrowed their way into the consciousness. In a sense, this is mood music, since the individual parts mesh in unpredictable ways, creating evocative, floating soundscapes. This music anticipates the free-fall, impressionistic work of In a Silent Way, yet it remains rooted in hard bop, particularly when the tempo is a bit sprightly, as on "Hand Jive." Yet even when the instrumentalists and soloists are placed in the foreground — such as Miles' extended opening solo on "Madness" or Hancock's long solo toward the end of the piece — this never feels like showcases for virtuosity, the way some showboating hard bop can, though each player shines. What's impressive, like on all of this quintet's sessions, is the interplay, how the musicians follow an unpredictable path as a unit, turning in music that is always searching, always provocative, and never boring. This album so clearly points the way to fusion, while remaining acoustic, that it may force listeners on either side of the fence into another direction.

Code:

http://www.mediaf!re.com/download.php?gjldnl5ymjy

[StaedlerMars]

I know this has been posted before, but I'm sure there are always people around who haven't heard it. I uploaded it for a friend, so here it is for anyone who doesn't have it yet:

Low: I Could Live in Hope

Code:

http://www.mediaf!re.com/?diwaumzymzj

[Cire27]

Funeral Diner

Thank you very much!  I thought it might be them after I went to check out The Saddest Landscape but couldn't find a song to match.  The Saddest Thing is, I used to own Difference of Potential.

[barista.babe]

Code:

St. V!ncent - Actor

Code:

http://www.mediaf!re.com/download.php?l3uldnanjnv

i recently bought the office seasons 3,4 and 5 (they're currently on sale at target for 18.99 which is sort of a bargain) anyways i love the office, but i love st. vincent even more (if you aren't familiar st. vincent is the stage name of annie clark). it all began with the 2007 release "marry me," which rocked my world (not just because it's a sweet album, but also because it's name is derrived from another favorite television show "arrested development" if you aren't familiar get it at target, it's on sale for 12.99 which is a steal.) that is until the advance release of her latest titled "actor" reached my desk. two words: holy amazing!!! what sets this album apart from from marry me is she sings and plays the guitar, bass, and keyboard on it. i love it and you will too. i'm quite sure this is going to make my top 9 albums of '09.

[Ernest]

Hey I'm sure this has been up-ed earlier in this thread, but I don't want to go looking.  Can anyone please upload some The Sea and Cake? 

[Jeans]

But dude, the rules. Just use the search function, it turns up with two nearly immediate hits.

[Metope]

But dude, the rules. Just use the search function, it turns up with five nearly immediate hits.

Fixed it.

[Rusty Kuntz]

In honor of the Kind of Blue vs. Blue Train matchup in the album nomination game's third round, here's some Miles. I'll post some Coltrane, Hancock, Jarret, Monk and others in the days to come.

Walkin'

On the extended title track of Walkin', which follows a standard 12-bar blues, Miles retains a palpable sense of extrication from the music -- as if the song was an extension of his solo instead of the other way around. The lethargic rhythms reiterate the subtle adornments of the horn section to the basic trio. In direct contrast to "Walkin'" is a full-tilt jumper, "Blue 'n' Boogie" which yields some truly memorable solos and exchanges between Davis and Johnson. "Solar" maintains a healthy tempo while drawing the listener in to the delicate interplay where the solos often dictate the melody. Horace Silver's piano solo is Ellington-esque in it's subdued elegance. The final track, "Love Me or Leave Me," gives the most solid indication of the direction Miles' impending breakthrough would take. So swift and certain is each note of his solo, it reflects the accuracy of someone thinking several notes ahead of what he is playing.

Code:

http://www.mediaf!re.com/download.php?wghhk0zitdu

Miles Davis & The Modern Jazz Giants

Including sessions recorded the same day as those on Bags Groove, this album includes more classic performances from the date that matched together trumpeter Miles Davis, vibraphonist Milt Jackson, pianist Thelonious Monk, bassist Percy Heath, and drummer Kenny Clarke. Davis and Monk actually did not get along all that well, and the trumpeter did not want Monk playing behind his solos. Still, a great deal of brilliant music occurred on the day of their encounter, including "The Man I Love," "Bemsha Swing," and "Swing Spring."

Code:

http://www.mediaf!re.com/download.php?zgm0k2mz0wm

Cookin'

Cookin' is the first of four albums derived from the Miles Davis quintet's fabled extended recording session which would produce the lion's share of the Cookin', Relaxin', Workin', and Steamin' albums. As these recordings demonstrate, there is an undeniable telepathic cohesion that allows this band — consisting of Miles Davis (trumpet), John Coltrane (tenor sax), Red Garland (piano), and Philly Joe Jones (drums) — to work so efficiently both on the stage as well as in the studio. The immediate yet somewhat understated ability of each musician to react with the ingenuity and precision is expressed in the consistency and singularity of each solo as it is maintained from one musician to the next without the slightest deviation. Cookin' features the pairing of "Tune Up/When Lights Are Low" which is, without a doubt, a highlight not only of this mammoth session, but also the entire tenure of Miles Davis mid-'50s quintet. All the elements converge upon this fundamentally swinging medley. Davis' pure-toned solos, and the conversational banter that occurs with Coltrane, and later Garland during "When the Lights Are Low," resounds as some of the finest moments between these musicians.

Code:

http://www.mediaf!re.com/download.php?amym2zuzky3

Relaxin'

The solid nature of the unit as a singular musical force is immediately apparent on Relaxin'. "If I Were a Bell" includes some remarkable soloing via Coltrane and Garland. Davis' solos are additionally impressive, as they're derived from the same four-note motive as the melody. Hearing the many variations that he comes up with throughout the song conveys how intrigued Davis must have been by the tune, as it stayed in his performance repertoire for decades. Tracks such as "You're My Everything" and "Oleo" highlight the synchronic nature of Davis and Coltrane as they carry each other's melodies while trading off solos. The steady syncopation of Philly Joe Jones keeps the rhythms tight and the delicate interplay all the more conspicuous.

Code:

http://www.mediaf!re.com/download.php?tleujyyjynq

Workin'

Armed with some staggering original compositions, pop standards, show tunes, and the occasional jazz cover, Workin' is the quintessence of group participation. Davis, as well as Coltrane, actually contributes compositions as well as mesmerizing performances to the album. The band's interaction on "Four" extends the assertion that suggests this quintet plays with the consistency of a single, albeit ten-armed, musician. One needs listen no further than the stream of solos from Davis, Coltrane, Garland, and Jones, with Paul Chambers chasing along with his rhythmic metronome. Beneath the smouldering bop of "Trane's Blues" are some challenging chord progressions that are tossed from musician to musician with deceptive ease. Chambers' solo stands as one of his defining contributions to this band.

Code:

http://www.mediaf!re.com/download.php?o5wdwmyz2mi

Steamin'

Although chronologically the last to be issued, this collection includes some of the best performances from the tapes which would produce the albums Cookin', Relaxin', Workin', and ultimately, Steamin'. At the center of Steamin', as with most outings by this band, are the group improvisations which consist of solo upon solo of arguably the sweetest and otherwise most swinging interactions known to have existed between musicians. "Surrey With the Fringe on Top" is passed between the mates like an old joke. Garland compliments threads started by Davis and Coltrane as their seamless interaction yields a stream of strikingly lyrical passages. There are two well-placed nods to fellow bop pioneers Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie on a revision of their "Salt Peanuts." Philly Joe Jones' mimicking cymbal speak -- which replicates Gillespie's original vocals -- is nothing short of genius. This rendition is definitely as crazy and unpredictable here as the original. Thelonious Monk also gets kudos on "Well, You Needn't." This quintet makes short work of the intricacies of the arrangement, adding the double horn lead on the choruses and ultimately redefining this jazz standard.

Code:

http://www.mediaf!re.com/download.php?jzmytztnoj2

Nefertiti

Nefertiti settles into a low-key, exploratory groove, offering music with recognizable themes — but themes that were deliberately dissonant, slightly unsettling even as they burrowed their way into the consciousness. In a sense, this is mood music, since the individual parts mesh in unpredictable ways, creating evocative, floating soundscapes. This music anticipates the free-fall, impressionistic work of In a Silent Way, yet it remains rooted in hard bop, particularly when the tempo is a bit sprightly, as on "Hand Jive." Yet even when the instrumentalists and soloists are placed in the foreground — such as Miles' extended opening solo on "Madness" or Hancock's long solo toward the end of the piece — this never feels like showcases for virtuosity, the way some showboating hard bop can, though each player shines. What's impressive, like on all of this quintet's sessions, is the interplay, how the musicians follow an unpredictable path as a unit, turning in music that is always searching, always provocative, and never boring. This album so clearly points the way to fusion, while remaining acoustic, that it may force listeners on either side of the fence into another direction.

Code:

http://www.mediaf!re.com/download.php?gjldnl5ymjy

Those last five are pretty much Miles best work in my opinion.

[Dimmukane]

Please do not quote megaposts like that.  Next time, just edit it down to something like 'whole bunch of miles davis'.

[barista.babe]

for the love of all things holy, let's not start all this again.

no requests and post whatever you want as long as it isn't an entire catalogue.

here's something special worth checking out:

Polly Scattergood - Self Titlted

Code:

http://www.mediaf!re.com/download.php?wn5eg0ywfdt

Polly Scattergood (yes, that is her real name) is a singer-songwriter from england. her self titled debut album will be released in may... and let me tell you...this is an interesting album. her voice is very ethereal it's like tori amos meets fiona apple meets jenny lewis meets joanna newsom. the musical composition and lyric style remind me alot of tori amos (without solely relying on a piano), but younger, fresher and a little bit more like my morning commute --fun and full of interesting detours. i dig it, and you might too.

[Dimmukane]

What?  All I'm saying is don't quote entire big ass posts just to comment on them. 

[Sam]

expect some dj screw in this thread in roughly an hour or two

[pulpfiction21]

expect some dj screw in this thread in roughly an hour or two

Hell yeah

[GnarlsBroccoli]

Deastro - Keeper's
Electro-Pop / Synth-Soaked / Space Symphony / Robot-Rock / Dream-Pop / Amazing

Code:

http://www.mediaf!re.com/?tmkojwazq3g

More info : http://ghostly.com/artists/deastro

Enjoying this very much! Thanks for sharing!

[Dimmukane]

Seriously, it's a good album people.  Unh unh.

[StaedlerMars]

So, a couple of days ago I went out, and met some randommers and we went to this club on a whim because it was a Thursday and we knew one of the DJs. However, they had gotten rid of the usual set up and instead we found this band playing. The name is atrocious, but give them a chance past that.

Tim and Sam's Tim and Sam Band with Tim and Sam - Put Your Slippers On

They were on a mini tour of the UK, for the release of their first album, and as the lead claimed - "I can't sing, so we make do". Which means that it has resulted in an up tempo post rock situation.

Seriously good.

Code:

http://www.mediaf!re.com/download.php?jykimgbkwzx

[valley_parade]

I have some heavy stuff coming for you guys. If you notice the participants, you should be able to figure out what this sounds like. Very doomy, droney, electronic..y. Think of it as something to hold you over until the new Sunn O))) album comes out next month.


Burial Chamber Trio - Burial Chamber Trio


Greg Anderson, Atilla Csihar, and Oren Ambarchi.

Code:

http://www.mediaf!re.com/?dmjqtndznwn

Grave Temple - The Holy Down


Stephen O'Malley, Atilla Csihar, and Oren Ambarchi

Code:

http://www.mediaf!re.com/?wznaywlljzz

Stephen O'Malley & Attila Csihar - 6°FSkyquake

Code:

http://www.mediaf!re.com/?i0grnhymytg

Stephen O'Malley - keep an eye out

Code:

http://www.mediaf!re.com/?jtmagqzh0ch

[Scandanavian War Machine]

Tim and Sam's Tim and The Sam Band with Tim and Sam - Put Your Slippers On

Code:

http://www.mediaf!re.com/download.php?jykimgbkwzx

hey, this is really good! thanks!

[Kyros]

Nana Grizol - Love It, Love it

Code:

http://www.mediaf!re.com/download.php?dajtvyudmmk

Review from Pop Matters: http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/nana-grizol-love-it-love-it

[Avec]

I'm getting an error on the Tim & Sam album.

[gospel]

I know he's not very 'indie', but I can trace a great majority of stuff I love now back to some stage of Neil Young's career. So, here is his latest.

Neil Young - Fork in the Road

Code:

http://www.mediaf!re.com/?zz1jmmzkmin

It somehow is fitting that Fork in the Road arrived in stores a week after President Barack Obama announced his bail-out plan for the American automobile industry: it's Neil Young's one-man campaign to remind everybody what cars used to mean and what they should be again. Neil always has had a soft spot for cars — he drove a hearse from Toronto to Los Angeles, immortalizing the vehicle in "Long May You Run" — so this album-length motor manifesto couldn't be called unexpected, nor could its palpable, ever-flowing undercurrent of nostalgia be a surprise for a man who owns a toy train company. Plus, romanticizing the classic years of Detroit is natural; those big boats were gorgeous, so unlike the colorless, characterless sedans that rule the road these days. Neil knows this and knows that dependence on oil is crippling the culture, not to mention the environment, and is enough of an evangelist to cobble together his own green machine, putting an electric engine in a 1959 Lincoln Continental, driving the car to Washington and writing a whole album about the vehicle and its downtrodden times. Fittingly, Fork in the Road is like his Lincvolt: it has a new engine in an old body, so it has all of the classic contours but runs a little differently. The Lincvolt might be smooth and efficient, but Fork in the Road is charmingly clunky, a side effect of its quick creation and Young's hard-headedness. Neil might be writing records as quickly as a blogger these days but musically he's stuck in the past, never letting go of his chunky Les Paul and candied folk harmonies, embracing his status as an old crank so enthusiastically he happily presents himself as a crazy old coot on the album's cover. At times, he certainly does sound like the resident codger, snarling about the fading economy and how everybody's been downsized, good naturedly sneering "big rock star/my sales have tanked/I still got you/thanks" on the title track. Despite the undercurrent of auto nostalgia here, Young isn't living in the past and he's keenly aware of the present. This blend of dreamy thoughts of yesteryear, spitting fury over the present, and planning for the future gives Fork in the Road a bit of a kick that propels it through a few songs that aren't much more than a garage groove, but the whole thing benefits from its messiness; the loose ends make it feel alive.

[Down623]

One of my favorite albums of all time, with a permanent place in my "Desert Island Discs" list, this album is nothing short of perfect.

Slowreader - Slowreader

Code:

http://www.mediaf!re.com/?0aem2ntmizm

What can I say about Slowreader? I'm not too sure.

In case you didn't know, this band consists of Gabe and Rory, both formerly of the Impossibles [Rory also being in the original incarnation of the Stereo]. If one follows either of those two bands, you'd know that both men have a penchant for writing catchy, poppy rock with hooks aplenty. What set them apart from other bands, though, is their excellent lyricism - only Rory could write a song about bowling [the Stereo's "300"] and pull it off. Slowreader takes both men's incredible musical talent and hones it into this album.

In all honesty, though, this album consists of two songs - tracks 1 through 10, and track 11. Tracks 1 through 10 are very folksy, relying heavily on acoustic guitar. Think along the lines of Elliott Smith, but not nearly as Pro-Tooled [meaning it's just Rory and Gabe singing, not Rory and Gabe each singing 5 different harmonies for each song]. They also make use of electronics sparingly, and they can really make a track. "Sweetest Suffering" has a neat stuttered bass drum beat propelling the song through it's melancholy guitar and piano waltz.

The idea of quirkiness is not lost among these two men, however. Opening song "Politics, Music & Drugs" is completely made by the stomp-clap, stomp-stomp-clap drumbeat. Sure, they could've used a real drumset or a drum machine, but getting people to use their appendages naturally just sounds cooler.

For the most part, tracks 1 through 10 sound like an indie rock symphony with ten different movements. The songs all bleed into one another, and it works incredibly well.

Then there's track 11, "So This Is It." Gabe and Rory definitely turn on the rock button for this song. Electric guitars, psychedelic organs, pounding drums, and screaming distorted vocals set it apart from the other 10 songs on the album, and is a perfect ending to this aforementioned indie rock symphony. It is a complete departure from the rest of the album, but yet, it's distinctly Slowreader.

Not surprisingly, while Gabe's 8 songs are all solid, Rory once again steals the show with his three contributions [just like he did with the Stereo's first album]. "Sweetest Suffering," "Anesthetic For The Amputee," and "So This Is It" are all penned by him, and makes me pine for a solo album from him. He collaborates well with others, but I have a feeling that he could really acheive greatness on his own.

Irregardless, Slowreader is here, hot tub and all. How these songs [with their elaborate backing vocals and instrumentation] will carry over live is unknown, but as it stands this is a very solid and original indie rock album, one of the best this year.

I didn't want to post this review due to the presence of the non-word "Irregardless," but I think it works out. There aren't many review of it, and most of them don't really seem to appreciate it for what it is.

Beautiful, perfect, a shame it's the only album they released.

[StaedlerMars]

hey, this is really good! thanks!

Man, this was one of the happiest "i'm drunk but stumbling into this place anyway moments I had ever".

I'm so happy I saw these guys. Personal discovery of the year for me.

I'm getting an error on the Tim & Sam album.

Still? Cause I'm not getting any problems with it when I try from a different computer.

Also, if this convinces anyone, the band members are kinda cute and if I swung that way I would totally do them if I swung that way.

(I may be a little intoxicated at the moment)

[scarred]

Also, if this convinces anyone, the band members are kinda cute and if I swung that way I would totally do them if I swung that way.

(I may be a little intoxicated at the moment)

It's cool, one of them is a chick, and she is adorable in an odd, tweeny sort of way.

Oh, and the music is damn good too.

[Jeans]

It's cool, one of them is a chick, and she is adorable in an odd, tweeny sort of way.

tween?

also. The Tim & Sam works for me.

[scarred]

Tweeny. Not tween. Don't you know it's the latest fashion trend for 16 - 21 year old girls to make themselves look as prepubescent as possible?

EDIT:

There she is, in beige.

[mod_a]

Polly Scattergood - Self Titlted

Code:

http://www.mediaf!re.com/download.php?wn5eg0ywfdt

St. Vincent - Actor

Code:

http://www.mediaf!re.com/download.php?l3uldnanjnv

Thank you and THANK YOU!  These have been on my get list for awhile, definitely going to buy both.  Nitrogen Pink off Scattergood is amazing.

[Spluff]

Tweeny. Not tween. Don't you know it's the latest fashion trend for 16 - 21 year old girls to make themselves look as prepubescent as possible?

I think the word you're looking for is twee.

[schimmy]

Nope, I think s/he justified her/his usage adequately.

Thanks, Kyros, for the Nana Grizol album. I'd never heard of them before but they are excellent!

[Misereatur]

Grave Temple - The Holy Down

This was probably the best concert I've ever been to.

[Mr. Tool]

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Brasstronaut - Old World Lies EP

Brasstronaut is almost impossible to describe as a band. Not because their sound is so different that it defies classification, although to be fair, there aren't any bands that combine sounds the same way they do. No, it's more that they use so many familiar elements and styles on their four song EP, that words sort of lose meaning. In theory it should be simple – I mean how much variation can you have with only a trumpet, piano, double bass and drums – but with a tip of the cap to space rock, improve filled jazz and surprising moments of catchy piano pop, Brasstronaut (a name that gains more meaning once you’ve listened) songs tread on the territory of a stereotypical high school reunion. On the surface, you are familiar with most of what's going on, but the unexpected changes and developments are as stunning as they are enjoyable.

Code:

http://www.mediaf!re.com/?l3d2zmimnin

[MrSteevo]

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Brasstronaut - Old World Lies EP

I Second the Recommendation. Great Band.
I was going to upload but I know Edo (Band Leader) personally, so it would of felt weird.
They're actually in Banff right now working on a full record, I can't wait.

[pat101]

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Brasstronaut - Old World Lies EP

Brasstronaut is almost impossible to describe as a band. Not because their sound is so different that it defies classification, although to be fair, there aren't any bands that combine sounds the same way they do. No, it's more that they use so many familiar elements and styles on their four song EP, that words sort of lose meaning. In theory it should be simple – I mean how much variation can you have with only a trumpet, piano, double bass and drums – but with a tip of the cap to space rock, improve filled jazz and surprising moments of catchy piano pop, Brasstronaut (a name that gains more meaning once you’ve listened) songs tread on the territory of a stereotypical high school reunion. On the surface, you are familiar with most of what's going on, but the unexpected changes and developments are as stunning as they are enjoyable.

Code:

http://www.mediaf!re.com/?l3d2zmimnin

link's down, sounds like a fun ep though.

[Scandanavian War Machine]

works for me. try again maybe?

[Mr. Tool]

Yeah I have no idea, it works fine for me as well.

[scarred]

PJ Harvey - A Woman A Man Walked By (2009)

A Woman a Man Walked By arrived just a year and a half after PJ Harvey's equally difficult and brilliant White Chalk. That alone makes it notable, since the last time she released albums in such quick succession was the early to mid-'90s, around the same time of her last songwriting collaboration with John Parish, Dance Hall at Louse Point. That album's unbridled experiments provided a sharp contrast to the subversive polish of its predecessor, To Bring You My Love; while A Woman a Man Walked By isn't quite as overt an about-face from White Chalk, the difference is still distinct. Here, Harvey and Parish (who played on and co-produced White Chalk) trade sublime, sustained eeriness for freewheeling vignettes that cover a wider range of sounds and moods than her music has in years. They begin with "Black Hearted Love," the equivalent of Dance Hall at Louse Point's "This Was My Veil" -- that is, the album's most accessible moment: guitar-heavy yet sleek, its riffs full of pregnant pauses as Harvey hones in on the one she wants, the song's sinister romance initially seems dangerously close to melodrama ("When you call out my name in rapture/I volunteer my soul for murder"), but she sings "you are my black-hearted love" so tenderly and knowingly that it transcends cliché.

This immediacy just makes the swift twists and turns the rest of A Woman a Man Walked By takes even more striking. The wildly jangling acoustic guitar and breathless vocals of the following track, "Sixteen Fifteen Fourteen," make that clear right away, but despite its nervy intensity, the song -- and the rest of the album -- is remarkably direct. Similarly, Harvey's character studies are just as vivid as other artists' really real, from-the-soul lyrics, and she embodies them just as completely: on "The Soldier," she sings of "walking on the faces of dead women" with haunted fragility; on "Daniel," she's a mother so devastated by loss that she can only mention it by name at the last possible moment. A Woman a Man Walked By also boasts songs that rank among Harvey's most intimate and seemingly confessional. From its shimmering guitar and mournful flute to its carefully observed words ("you slept facing the wall"), "Passionless, Pointless" captures a dying romance with dreamy desolation, while "Cracks in the Canvas" closes the album with the beautifully simple yet open-ended admission "I'm looking for an answer, me and a million others."

Best of all, though, are A Woman a Man Walked By's furious -- and surprisingly hilarious -- moments, which leave conventional notions about sex and sexuality trampled in their wake. The first part of "A Woman a Man Walked By/The Crow Knows Where All the Little Children Go" finds Harvey deriding and lusting after a "woman man" with "lily-livered little parts," switching between a guttural snarl and fey soprano as she tears him to pieces (the second, instrumental part is Parish's only solo credit on the album, a riot of pianos and twitchy percussion that's nearly as wound-up as what came before it). "Pig Will Not" is even rawer, mixing Rid of Me-like firepower with a wicked sense of humor and feral barking with lines like "true love is what we're doing now." Even the far quieter "Leaving California" reveals a surprising amount of mischief, invoking some of White Chalk's mist and gloom for its ironic kiss-off to the Golden State. Despite the album's many dark and evocative moments, there's a playfulness and liberated spirit underlying A Woman a Man Walked By. Parish and Harvey's idea of fun might be very different than that of many other artists, but hearing them cover so much musical and emotional territory is often exhilarating.

Code:

http://www.mediaf!re.com/?g12hyemnvne

[Beren]

That's a lovely. Thanks.

[gospel]

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Brasstronaut - Old World Lies EP

http://i39.tinypic.com/30k3evq.jpg

....

Code:

http://www.mediaf!re.com/?l3d2zmimnin

Thank you so much for this.

[Spluff]

Nope, I think s/he justified her/his usage adequately.

But the word is twee! It's twee fashion.

[valley_parade]

This was probably the best concert I've ever been to.

Why on earth are all the good drone shows in Israel? Next thing you know, Aiden Baker and O'Malley are going to show up randomly and do a show.

(Holy fuck, that would be one epic show)

[Misereatur]

I have no idea. There are like 50 people (and about 50 bands) here who actually like this stuff.

I'm not complaining, though.

[scarred]

Judging by the 194 downloads of their debut LP on my mediaf!re, I assume at least a couple of you will enjoy this.

Starfucker - Jupiter (2009)



Saw them live last night, and they were selling their new mini-LP, even though it's not officially out till May 5th! Wee! It's also one of the best shows I've ever been to.

For those of you uninitiated to the Starfucker cult, they're a Portland quartet (yes, they added a band member!) formed by Josh Hodges, and they play incredibly infectious indie electronica. Words don't really dignify them with all the amazing they deserve. Just pick this up, and, if you haven't yet, their debut.

Code:

http://www.mediaf!re.com/?3jgwjatwmjw

[Reed]

The hip-hop suggestion thread we had last month reminded me that I have two albums that always seem to make it back into my rotation no matter what my taste is in the moment. I didn't see either of these posted earlier in the thread

Jurassic 5 - Quality Control (2000)

Code:

http://www.mediaf!re.com/download.php?hazmzwmymtm

Blackalicious - Nia (2000)

Code:

http://www.mediaf!re.com/download.php?noj3kdn1yzg

[Avec]

Starfucker - Jupiter (2009)

THANK YOU. I'm also expecting them in New York this coming May.