Tuesday, January 26, 2010

The Unknown & Unheard Show 163!!!

Stream & Download The U & U Show 163 Right Here, Right Now! (MediaFire) Ghostkeeper - By Morning - Ghostkeeper (2010) - 2nd full length - RIYL Dr. Dog mixed with a little Modest Mouse. - this track is just enjoyable, enough said. - Try to sit still to it! Official Site : MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine Ryan Bingham - Endless Ways - Roadhouse Sun (2009) - 2nd full length. - This gentleman just blew up thanks to the movie Crazy Heart. - The sound reminds me of everything I love about Ryan Adams/Whiskeytown (prior to his last few records). - He skillfully address all styles of alt-country. Slow, soft, and folksy to amped up stompers like those of Drive-By Truckers and Lucero. Official Site : MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine Whiskeytown - Revenge - Faithless Street (1996) - Debut album from Ryan Adams' first band. - Immediate and more aggressive that just about anything he recorded later. A trait that so many brilliant debut albums share. Official Site : Amazon : HypeMachine Drive-By Truckers - This Fucking Job - The Big To-Do (2010) - Forthcoming 10th album. Out March 16th. - Masters of the southern garage/bar room rock. Official Site : MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine Shearwater – Black Eyes - Golden Archipelago (2010) - Forthcoming 6th album. Out Feb. 23rd - they pack so much intensity in their songs. No one sounds quite like them. - Austin band with ties to Okkervil River - Almost a voice you’d expect at the opera - Palo Santo is a great album by them. Official Site : MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine Brazos - Mary Jo - A City Just as Tall (2007) - Debut EP. Two full lengths out since. - Coldplay fans might like this. - This track has a building warm feel to it. - Broke out with this at the 2008 SXSW Official Site : MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine The Mynabirds - Numbers Don't Lie - What We Lose in the Fire We Gain in the Flood (2010) - Forthcoming full length debut - if this doesn’t fit perfectly with the brand new She & Him track, nothing does. - 60's folk pop vocals. - Download this song for free on their site! Official Site : MySpace : HypeMachine She & Him – In The Sun - Volume Two (2010) - Forthcoming 2nd album - Success was unavoidable here in probably the most widely accepted album of the year - M. Ward’s song writing skill combines perfectly with Zooey Deschanel’s gorgeous voice. - M. Ward is on just about as hot of a role as possible. Official Site : MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine Emanuel and the Fear - Dear Friend - Listen (2010) - Forthcoming full length debut. Out March 9th - 11 piece Brooklyn band. - Make me thing of the Avett Brothers a bit and even a little Barenaked Ladies which is kind of weird. Official Site : MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine Eels – Gone Man - End Times (2010) - Newest album - Calls it 'the divorce album.' - Definitely a more restrained album compared to Hombre Lobo Official Site : MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine Mark Sultan - I Am the End - I Am the End 7" (2009) - latest vinyl single release. - AKA The BBQ Show Official Site : MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine Futurebirds - Dirty D - Futurebirds EP (2010) - debut EP - Download it for free from their site! Official Site : MySpace : HypeMachine Giant Cloud - Old Soul - Old Books EP (2010) - Debut release out last week, January 19th. - This makes me think a lot the Suckers, but with slightly less sporadic arrangements. - They just seem to sway and ramble along. Picking up steam at times, then easing off to balance out perfectly. Official Site : MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

The Unknown & Unheard Show 162!!!

Stream & Download The U & U Show 162 Right Here, Right Now! (MediaFire) Jay Reatard – Always Wanting More – Matador Singles ‘08 (2008) - Died last week at age 29. - punk rock, power pop, straight forward rock… a lot of distortion - punched a fan who jumped on stage… video Official Site : MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine The Besnard Lakes - Albatross - Are The Roaring Night (2010) - forthcoming 2nd full length. - Their debut was a highly praised effort with the critics. - Out of Montreal. - There is a constant and consistent build of electric guitar distortion that remains steady throughout the track’s surges. Official Site : MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine Surfer Blood - Twin Peaks - Astrocoast (2009) - Debut album - Echoey sound is reminiscent of Kurt Vile except these guys have more of a anthem sound. - This might be the lightest, most straight forward track. MySpace : Stream on HypeMachine Bad Sports - And It Goes - Bad Sports (2009) - debut album - Texas band - Musically reminds me of British garage punk rock with a touch of the early Who. MySpace : HypeMachine Cold War Kids – Sermons - Behave Yourself EP (2009) - Forthcoming EP - Debut full length album out in 2006 - 3 EPs prior to debut's release - Newest full-length album is ‘Loyalty to Loyalty’ Official Site : MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine Broken Bells - The High Road - Broken Bells (2010) - Forthcoming debut full length. - Gnarls Barkley producer Danger Mouse teams up with singer James Mercer (*post-posting bit of info: James Mercer is in the Shins!). Official Site : MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine Eels – In My Younger Days - End Times (2010) - Newest album - Calls it 'the divorce album.' - Defintiely a more restrained album compared to Hombre Lobo Official Site : MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine Efterklang - Modern Drift - Magic Chairs (2010) - Forthcoming album out February 23rd. - Danish band - best album so far is Parades. - They recorded a stunning live version of that album and called it Performing Parades. Official Site : MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine Gigi - I'm Not Coming Out Tonight (feat. Sydney Vermon & Marissa Johnson) - Maintainment (2010) - Album from producer Colin Stewart - Each track on the album features different vocalists - This is an album that experiments with a lot of vintage reverb effects. HypeMachine Dark Dark Dark - New York Song - The Snow Magic (2008) - Debut full legnth - The duet on this song is great with the old time-y folk feel. Official Site : MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine The Roadside Graves - Ruby - My Son's Home (2009) - 2nd album - Very well received album. - Remind me a good deal of Lucero and their bar room style of rock/southern rock. - The pulsing tempo changes make this track stand out to me. Official Site : MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine Handsome Furs - I'm Confused - Face Control (2009) - 2nd album from Wolf Parade's Dan Boeckner and his wife. - one of my big misses this year. Official Site : MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine MOONFACE - Marimba and Shit-Drums - Dreamland EP: Marimba and Shit-Drums (2010) - Wolf Parade's and Sunset Rubdown's Spencer Krug's latest solo project. - It's a 20 minute 'track' - Available digitally right now on his site for whatever donation you want to make. Official Site : HypeMachine

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

The Unknown & Unheard Show 161!

Stream & Download The U & U Show 161 Right Here, Right Now! (MediaFire) Eels – Little Bird - End Times (2010) - Newest album - Calls it 'the divorce album.' Official Site : Myspace : Buy on Amazon : Stream on HypeMachine Cold War Kids – Santa Ana Winds - Behave Yourself EP(2009) - Forthcoming EP - Debut full length album out in 2006 - 3 EPs prior to debut's release - Newest full-length album is ‘Loyalty to Loyalty’ Official Site : MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine Handsome Furs - All We Want, Baby, Is Everything - Face Control (2009) - 2nd album from Wolf Parade's Dan Boeckner and his wife. - one of my big misses this year. Official Site : MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine Fanfarlo - Harold T Wilkins - Reservoir (2009) - Debut album - Remind me a lot of a lighter version of Arcade Fire. Official Site : MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine Chief - Stealing - Mighty Proud (2009) - debut single out this year - has a feel of a different decade. - Like Cincy’s Buffalo Killers, these guys bring a slightly hazy psychedelic rock that would hold up against some of the late 60’s and 70’s originators of that sound. MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine The Roadside Graves - My Father Sat Me Down - My Son's Home (2009) - 2nd album - Very well received album. - Remind me a good deal of Lucero and their bar room style of rock/southern rock. Official Site : MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine Ike Reilly - Morning Glory - Hard Luck Stories (2009) - 6th album… his 4th, We Belong To the Staggering Evening, might be his best. - Reilly is one artist that I think would be a blast to see live. His songs already sound like they were recorded in a rowdy, smoky bar (kind of like Lucero). - He always has top notch lyrics. Witty and funny and fits perfectly with the broad range of usually upbeat styles he plays. - After first listen it has a few solid tracks, but not quite as consistent as his previous work. Too much polish! (that is one of the biggest hurdles for me when it comes to liking an album) Official Site : MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine Slow Club - It Doesn't Have To Be Beautiful, Unless It’s Beautiful – Yeah So (2009) - Debut album - Guy/girl duo - Rolling folk rock sound. MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine Titus Andronicus - Four Score and Seven Part One – The Monitor (2010) - Forthcoming Civil War-themed 2nd album - Out march 9th - Named after the Shakespeare play - This is the mellower half of their 2 part lead single. Think Springsteen’s Nebraska. Myspace : Amazon : HypeMachine Future of the Left - The Hope that Health Built - Travels With Myself and Another (2009) - 2nd album - Included on numerous Best of 2009 lists and another miss by me. - Out of Wales. Official Site : MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine Gigi - The Old Graveyard (Feat. Karl Blau) - Maintainment (2010) - Album from producer Colin Stewart - Karl Blau is the lead vocalist on this track. - This is an album that experiments with a lot of vintage reverb effects. HypeMachine Pomegranates - Coriander - Everybody, Come Outside! (2009) - 2nd album - out of Cincinnati - Fleet Foxes + Polyphonic Spree Official Site : MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine Cloud Cult - Breakfast with My Shadow - Aurora Borealis (Deluxe Re-Issue) (2010) - 5th album. Originally out in 2004 - Led by environmentalist Craig Minowa - A band that’s been interesting and influential indie pop since 1995. - I reference this band a lot when talking about newer bands taking on this style because these guys are so good at it! Official Site : MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine Why? - The Blackest Purse - Eskimo Snow (2009) - Follow up to their critical hit 2008 album, Alopecia - Known for brilliant lyrics Official Site : MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine Felix - Death To Everyone But Us - You Are the One I Pick (2009) - Debut album - Simple mellow piano, vocals and some stings. - I love the vocals on this album! MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

The Best of the Unknown & Unheard 2009! Part 2!

Stream & Download The U & U Show 160 Right Here, Right Now! (MediaFire) Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson – The Sound – Summer of Fear (2009) - 2nd album - TV on the Radio’s Kyp Malone and Grizzly Bear’s Christopher Bear continue to lend a hand to his work - His self-titled debut is well worth your time and reason enough to give this album a listen as well. MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine : Download on RCRDLBL We Were Promised Jetpacks – It's Thunder and It's Lightning – These Four Walls (2009) - Debut album - Scottish band with a very similar sound to Frightened Rabbit on the mellower tracks but seem a bit more aggressive when they amp up their sound. - This week’s track that is lodged in my head. Official Site : MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine Todd Snider – Money, Compliments, Publicity – The Excitement Plan (2009) - 8th studio album - The Devil You Know was best/most commercial to date… this is working on surpassing that. - Peace Queer came out before this and was obnoxiously political… this album, thankfully, shows a return to what got him where he is. Official Site : MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine Thao Nguyen & the Get Down Stay Downs - Body - Know Better, Learn Faster (2009) - new album - if you are unfamiliar with Thao you need to correctly that quickly - Her last album, We Brave Bee Stings And All, was highlighted by the track 'Bag of Hammers." - Female M. Ward? + some Modest Mouse-y guitars Official Site : MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine Local Natives – Airplanes - Gorilla Manor (2009) - debut album - Check out their DayTrotter Session Here! Official Site : MySpace : HypeMachine Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros – 40 Day Dream – Up From Below (2009) - debut album… also on their debut EP, out earlier this year. - Big folk band that makes deeply layered songs - Arcade Fire + Margot & the Nuclear So & Sos? MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine The Decemberists – The Wanting Comes in Waves/Repaid – The Hazards of Love (2009) - Brand new album - Colin Meloy, leader, said he had initially envisioned this album as a musical. - distinct folk band that at times brings in some Jethro Tull sounds - Headlined the NPR music stage at SXSW - This track (and album) has some of the biggest, fattest riffs that they’ve ever put out. Official Site : MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine The Builders and the Butchers – Golden and Green – Salvation Is A Deep Dark Well (2009) - Sophomore album out June 16th - From the previews of this album I’ve heard, they’ve really stepped up the sounds and progressions… and that’s saying a lot if you are familiar with their debut. - Get excited about this album! Official Site : MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine : DayTrotter Session Timber Timbre – We’ll Find Out – Timber Timbre (2009) - 2nd album, debut was out in 2007 ‘Medicinals’ - M. Ward + Bon Iver + Tom Waits’ ‘What’s He Building In There?’ - Eerily cool spooky tracks… slogan on Myspace is ‘Creep on creepin’ on.’ - Toronto duo Label Site : MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine Brendan Benson - Feel Like Taking You Home – My Old, Familiar Friend (2009) - forthcoming album, first since Raconteurs work - out 8-18-09 - for those not near and dear to his previous solo work you should be able to at least clearly hear his contribution to the Raconteurs’ sound. MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine Eels – Prizefighter – Hombre Lobo (2009) - Newest album - Translates to ‘Werewolf’ - There is a really interesting look into Mark Everett’s past on a NOVA on PBS, ‘Parallel Worlds, Parallel Lives’ - This is the next album on my must have list. Official Site : MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine The Strange Boys – This Girls Taught Me a Dance – The Strange Boys & Girls Club (2009) - debut full length - in the same vein as the Black Lips… lo-fi mash-up of 60’s/70’s rock, old r&b and punk. MySpace : HypeMachine Lord Cut-Glass – Big Time Teddy – Lord Cut-Glass (2009) - Debut from former member of The Delgados - Scottish accent really adds to why I like this band. MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine Joseph Childress - Leaving the Barren Ground - Split (Tower) 7" (2009) - split effort with White White Quilt - recorded inside an empty water tower. - band members added to the percussion by throwing their bodies into the sides of the water tower. MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine