Unknown and Unheard: Ben Kweller

The Unknown & Unheard Show 277!

Black Lips – Dance With You - Sick of You 7' (2012))

- Single of b-sides from Arabia Mountain

- 6^th album, Arabia Mountain was my pick for Best Band/Album of the U & U 2011

- One of the most fun bands to listen to and see live.

- Sloppy garage rock.

Official Site : MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine : Modern Art : Mad Dog

Diamond Rugs - Country Mile - Diamond Rugs (2012)

- Debut release from garage/folk supergroup featuring Deer Tick's John McCaualey, Ian Saint Pe of the Black Lips and Hardy Morris from Dead Confederate.

- An appropriately titled first single from a band who says their name is a play on the phase ‘I’m on drugs.’

- SXSW 2012

Facebook : HypeMachine

Moonface - Heartbreaking Bravery - With Siinai: Heartbreaking Bravery (2012)

- 2nd album. First with Siinai as backing band

- First full length was out last year, Organ Music.

- Debut EP was out last year and was one 20+ minute track.

- Wolf Parade's and Sunset Rubdown's Spencer Krug's solo project.

Spiritualized - Hey Jane - Sweet Heart Sweet Light (2012)

- 7th album since 1992!

- first since 2008.

- Big time success in the UK.

Devin - You're Mine - Romancing (2012)

- Debut full length.

- Formerly Devin Therriault.

- brash 70's style rock

Pujol - DIY2K - United States Of Being (2012)

- Daniel Pujol. Artist on Jack White's Third Man Records.

- Rolling Stones vibes from this garage rocker.

Ill Fits – Blood and Devotion - DayTrotter Session (2012)

- Brand new band led by U & U favorite Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson.

- Also features members of MGMT, Amazing Baby and Foreign Islands

- AND they’re apparently friends with Suckers! Can’t get much more cred than that background to start with.

- Sounds more like Bowie that anything. Actually reminds me of Suckers, too.

Stream : DayTrotter

Quiet Hooves - Hott r Nott - Stallin' (2012) & Saddle Up (2010)

- Double album featuring a rerelease of their 1st album plus their 2nd.

- Eclectic pop/rock. Reminds me a bit Man Man and Menomena.

- A bit wacky at times, but not coming off as tacky or trying to hard.

BandCamp : Amazon : HypeMachine

Bigott - Cool Single Wedding - This Is the Beginning of a Beautiful Friendship (2010)

- 2nd album

- Got a lot of praise for his 2012 SXSW appearances.

- Spanish folk rock

BandCamp : Amazon : HypeMachine

Horse Feathers – Where I’ll Be – Cynic’s New Year (2012)

- 4^th album.

- If you like this band check out Rosemont Family Reunion

- Blown away by live performance… a unique experience only rivaled by Iron and; Wine

- The songs are played so softly the crowd is almost silent focused on the music.

- SXSW 2012

M. Ward - The First Time I Ran Away – A Wasteland Companion (2012)

- 8th LP.

- Also done work Zooey Deschanel in She & Him and with Jim James and Conor Oberst in the Monsters of Folk.

- AKA Matthew Ward

- SXSW 2012

Father John Misty - Funtimes in Babylon - Fear Fun (2012)

- J Tillman's debut album under this alias.

- Former member of the Fleet Foxes who hasn’t really put out any solo work that's impressed me until this song.

- Big Jason Molina feeling to this album.

- His SXSW 2012 performance was also less than phenomenal unfortunately.

Lucero - Like Lightning - Women & Work (2012)

- New album!

- Ben Nichols, lead singer, has been working on solo stuff since this came out.

- Best bar rock band going.

Ben Kweller - Justify Me - Go Fly a Kite (2012)

- 6th full length.

- Indie pop/rock singer songwriter that's been making enjoyable, extremely consistent, not overly ground breaking records since 2002.

These United States – Born Young – These United States (2012)

- 5th album

- Their debut was one that I immediately latched onto, but it took a re-release to drive up the following this band deserves.

- Jesse Elliot, lead singer, writes some fantastic lyrics to go along with the layered Americana progressions.

- This is about the most poppy they've ever sounded.

- SXSW 2012

Anais Mitchell - Epic 1 & 2 (feat Justin Vernon) - Hadestown (2010)

- 5^th album. Features numerous appearances from Justin Vernon and other vocalists.

- 6th album, Young Man In America is just out.

- folk singer songwriter.

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

The Unknown & Unheard Show 275!!!

Moonface - Yesterday's Fire - With Siinai: Heartbreaking Bravery (2012)

- Forthcoming 2nd album. First with Siinai as backing band

- First full length was out last year, Organ Music.

- Debut EP was out last year and was one 20+ minute track.

- Wolf Parade's and Sunset Rubdown's Spencer Krug's solo project.

Maps & Atlases - Fever - Beware and Be Grateful (2012)

- 1st single from forthcoming full length.

- Chicago experimental folk outfit.

- Played SXSW 2011 and playing 2012

Official Site : MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. – We Almost Lost Detroit (Gil Scott Heron cover) - It's A Corporate World (2011)

- Full length debut.

- Their 2010 debut EP garnered them a lot of good reviews.

- Playing the White Rabbit Cabaret Friday, June 17th

Japandroids - The House That Heaven Built - Celebration Rock (2012)

- 2nd album.

- raucous anthem-filled post punk rock

- huge energy and distortion. You’ll want to see this song live and as loud as possible.

- SXSW 2012

Official Site : Myspace : HypeMachine

Lucero - Downtown (Intro) & On My Way Downtown - Women & Work (2012)

- New album!

- Ben Nichols, lead singer, has been working on solo stuff since this came out.

- Best bar rock band going.

Official Site : Myspace : Amazon : HypeMachine

Ben Kweller - Mean To Me - Go Fly a Kite (2012)

- 6th full length.

- Indie pop/rock singer songwriter that's been making extremely consistent, not overly ground breaking records since 2009.

Pond - Moth Wings - Beard Wives Denim (2012)

- Debut Full length

- Made of members of Tame Impala.

- By far the greatest lead singer I saw at SXSW. Young, tiny, wild aussie.

Amazon : HypeMachine

Quiet Hooves - The Beat - Stallin' (2012) & Saddle Up (2012)

- Double album featuring a rerelease of their 1st album plus their 2nd.

- Eclectic pop/rock. Reminds me a bit Man Man and Menomena.

- A bit wacky at times, but not coming off as tacky or trying to hard.

BandCamp : Amazon : HypeMachine

Leatherbag - Patience - Patience (2011)

- Debut EP. 2 Full lengths as well.

- Austin band

- 2^nd band I saw at SXSW 2012 and one that I didn’t know at all going in. Ended up being a favorite.

BandCamp: Amazon : HypeMachine

Yellow Ostrich - Daughter - Strange Land (2012)

- 2nd full length.

- Debut full length was 'The Mistress' and made the 2011 Best of the U & U.

- Sounds a bit like the Beatles and the White Stripes and even at times Menomena.

- SXSW 2012

Official Site : BandCamp : HypeMachine

Gentleman Jesse - Take It Easy On Me - Leaving Atlanta (2012)

- This track is reminiscent of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers.

- Easy, singable folk rock.

Facebook : Amazon : HypeMachine

Portugal, The Man - Telling Tellers Tell Me - Church Mouth (2007)

- 2nd (and best) album.

- Released their 7th album in 2011.

- RIYL The Raconteurs/Jack White/Brendan Benson

Heavy Cream - John Johnny - Super Treatment (2012)

- 2^nd album. Debut was out in 2010

- Ty Segall produced amped up rocker of an album.

Magnolia Electric Co. - What's Broken Becomes Better- Sojourner (2007)

- 4 disc compilation of the band's travels in 2005

- An exhaustive exploration into all the sounds leader Jason Molina brings with his music.

- Just read he is currently in recovery and has no recording or tour plans.

- A sad, but fitting time to promote one of my personal favorites.

Black Mountain – In Sequence – Year Zero OST (2012)

- Soundtrack for the post-apocalyptic surf movie, Year Zero.

- 3 albums from this group of Canadians

- Jagjaguwar Band… Bloomington’s star loaded label.