Folk
Coy Man Boy – My Brothers [Free MP3]
There are three things you need to know about Coy Man Boy: They’re from Lake Orion, the artwork for their debut “My Brothers” is an incredible picture of an awkwardly dressed man’s midsection, and you can download their only song for free.
Actually, that isn’t a list of things you need to know about Coy Man Boy. That’s literally all there is to know about them. Maybe they aren’t even a “they”, now that I think about it. Maybe it’s just one guy. Er – one “man boy” … I guess? Anyway, Coy Man Boy has avoided all forms of social media and information sharing in favor of a Soundcloud page that includes a weird quote that says “Joshua Coy Jouppi thinks far too highly of himself”. The song itself is a breezy ukelele-based piece of indie folk that’ll likely end up in all my dorky “Summer Jamz” playlists this year. Listen to a stream below and snag a free download while it’s still available.
[Shouts to HillyDilly for the find!]
Cosmo Sheldrake – The Fly + Rich (ft. Anna Roo)
Judging by his music it seems that Cosmo Sheldrake is almost definitely a time traveler. Clearly he has visited the time where folk music was just catching fire in Great Britain, and it is obvious that he has been to the American cities where DJs were first learning about sampling tracks. He is a one-man, musical renaissance moved and inspired by international cultures. These two songs are each timeless pieces–not necessarily because their influence could live forever–but because they actually do not properly fit a set musical time period. Well, except now. 2013 might just be the perfect time for these songs to see the light of day.
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Hear a song written for Boston Marathon victim, Jeff Bauman Jr. [MP3 + Lyrics]
Folk singer Gambles wrote this song for Jeff Bauman Jr., one of the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing. Bauman tragically suffered the loss of both of his legs in the horrific scene at the marathon. While the media tends to cover the story first in the ways it affects the victims, it then tends to move toward focusing on the investigative aspect and also the heroic acts at the scene. While I think all three angles are arguably essential, it’s equally important to not lose sight of the fact that while new stories roll in and our attention is captured elsewhere, the victims do not get the luxury of moving on so quickly. For that, I think it’s so important and moving that Gambles wrote a song for Jeff Bauman Jr. We haven’t forgotten, Jeff. Stay strong.
Continue reading for full lyrics
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Air Review – Young
When I first head Air Review‘s dreamy track, Young, I was like “What the folk!?” but puns aside, this right here is some seriously good folk music. It possesses that fantastical aspect that made Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes famous and retains the simple energized style that I look for in good folk music. Douglas Hale, the lead singer of Air Review has a beautifully meek voice that reminds me of James Mercer of the Shins. All you folksters out there make sure Air Review is on your radar because they are pumping out some impressive tracks, Damn Impressive.
Air Review on Facebook - Air Review on Twitter - Air Review’s Website - Air Review on Soundcloud
The Temper Trap – Science of Fear (Acoustic)
The Temper Trap recently released an album entitled “The Temper Trap – The Australian Collector’s Edition,” this album is packed with new versions of The Temper Trap’s hits including this acoustic version of Science of Fear. Originally off their debut album, Conditions, released in 2008, the original version of Science of Fear is packed with layers of beautiful melodies we expect from The Temper Trap combined with their trademarked churning mix of hi hats and snares. In the acoustic version, The Temper Trap gives the listener a chance to indulge themselves in the beautiful melodies they create with the harmonization of vocals, guitars and piano. The song ends up sounding like one of the The Black Keys‘ more acoustic songs mixed with the beautiful vocals The Temper Trap is known for.
This is hardly the only other version of this song though, back in 2010 The Temper Trap released a remix EP of Science of Fear which you should definitely listen to if you can’t get enough of this track.
Check out the song below and for the true Temper Trap heads check out full collector’s album here.
The Temper Traps Website - The Temper Trap on Facebook – The Temper Trap on Twitter
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Vance Joy – Riptide
There’s something about a tambourine that lights up a song. We’ve got a tambourine at work that we shake when we reach one of our goals (I’ll keep that vague…gotta cover my ass, ya know?). When somebody shakes it (the tambourine, not my ass, you pervs), the whole room claps. I think if I played this song by Vance Joy at my desk, the room would instinctively start clapping. It’s unclear whether they’d be clapping just because they heard a tambourine, or because this song by Vance Joy is simply beautiful. I might call that chorus pop-folk, which I’m not sure I’ve ever said before, because the two genres tend to be pretty far from one another. It’s addicting, though, which is something I typically relate to pop music, but it’s still got that folksy vibe to it that keeps the song intimate. I hadn’t heard of this Australian singer-songwriter before today, but when I heard “Riptide” on Your Music Radar, I knew I had stumbled across something worth keeping. “Riptide” is the second single off of Vance Joy’s debut EP, God Loves You When You’re Dancing, which will be released on March 22nd.
Bonus: Vance Joy’s first single, “From Afar.”
Passenger – Let Her Go (and Peer Kusiv Remix)
Passenger‘s voice on “Let Her Go” is one of those unique sounds, perhaps not unlike what I hear in Alt-J or Jose Gonzalez, that made a mark on me when I first heard it. Tonight I listened to “Let Her Go” on repeat after discovering the remix done by Peer Kusiv. Both versions are beautiful; I’m not sure I can say I like one more than the other, though I typically give the nod to the original. The one thing I’ll say that drew me to Peer Kusiv’s version is that the music is slower, a bit darker; it mirrors the lyrics in the original a bit more. Read the lyrics to Passenger’s Let Her Go after the jump.
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LittleBird – Twist and Shout (Cover)
There’s something about artists with “Bird” in their name and doing covers that I fall for. First there was Birdy, now a 17-year old guy from Maryland named James Hurtt, who goes by the name of LittleBird. He has covered the classic “Twist and Shout” and made it seem very acoustic, peppered with a bit of soul in his voice, and then…out of nowhere…he pulls out a surprise. I’ll let you listen to find out what it is. Crazy. Where did that come from? Ballsy move, young man, but it works!
Antony Hegarty – Landslide (Fleetwood Mac Cover)
Antony Hegarty, of Antony and the Johnsons, contributed this cover of “Landslide” to the Fleetwood Mac Tribute Album, Just Tell Me That You Want Me, a couple months back, but it’s just now hitting me. I stumbled across it when perusing Last.fm‘s Best of the Blog series, specifically the one featuring Disco Naivete. This song was a gem the day it was released, but it’s been covered over and over again, some managing to pay justice, others a mere embarrassment, but I’m going to go ahead and say Antony Hegarty hit a home run with this one. And just as Jarri from Disco Naivete did, I’ll close with a quote from Landslide that just might be one of the best lines ever written into song:
Well, I’ve been afraid of changin, ’cause I’ve built my life around you.
Aer – Two Coins (Dispatch Cover)
Today, we get a video of Aer covering arguably my favorite Dispatch song, “Two Coins.” Aer does their fellow New Englander’s serious justice with this very well done cover. Perfect for a mellow afternoon, take it easy and enjoy this one.
Catch Aer on The Bright Side Tour, hopefully coming to a town near you!
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Dream Big
Levek – Look A Little Closer
Indie folk band Levek is channeling its inner Simon and Garfunkel with its newest album, Look A Little Closer, which technically comes out on the 25th but is currently debuting on Hype Machine.
I don’t make that Simon and Garfunkel reference lightly, as they’re one of my favorite duos in basically all of pop culture. Levek deserves the comparison because of their lilting harmonies, quiet echoes, and cascading acoustic melodies. Give just one listen to “Canterbury Bell,” and you’ll catch my drift.
Although the S&G influences are pretty evident, Levek also mixes in some funkier sounds on tracks like “Muscat Mingle” and “Can’t Buy This Love,” which are perfect chill songs to counter the introspective mood of the rest of the album. On “Solemn Feeling Forever Healing,” Levek introduces some cool vibe riffs that remind me a bit of Air. “French Lessons” rounds off the eclectic mix with instrumental experimentation that is simply pleasing to the ear.
Best track is most definitely “Girl in the Fog,” which is full-fledged S&G with a little twinge of Fleet Foxes, making for an eerie but wonderful mix of old and new. It has a mysterious tranquility that gives it the quality of a song off of a 1970s movie soundtrack.
Watch out for Levek; they’ve got big things ahead.
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An Introduction to alt-J (∆)
You first question might be “why the hell is this band’s name alt-J?” And why have I sometimes seen his name listed as alt-J (∆)? Simpler answer than you might think — if you click alt + j on a computer, you end up with a ∆ symbol. Which, of course, stands for change. But they have stated that his name is pronounced as it looks: alt-j.
So one disclaimer: I’ve been meaning to share alt-J’s music with you guy’s for quite some time. It’s been some of my favorite music to listen to for a couple months now, but it’s been one of those things that I’ve kept in my pocket for fear of alt-J getting too big.
I hear something different every time I listen to alt-J, but tonight I’m hearing Forrest Gump. Their song “Something Good” sounds a bit like it could be in Forrest Gump. It’s got a classic vibe to it, but it’s also pushing boundaries in today’s music enough so to consider it a bit futuristic. That’s one of the things I like best about alt-J. They keep me guessing.
The band is made of Gwil Sainsbury (guitarist/bassist), Joe Newman (guitarist/vocalist), Gust Under-Hamilton (keyboardist), and Thom Green (drummer). The four met each other at Leeds University in 2007, but it all kicked off with Joe and Gwil started recording songs together in their dorm rooms using Garageband. To think that something this brilliant came out of a dorm room equipped with Garageband is saying something. The four young men ended up all coming together to form the band and they spent the next two years playing shows around town, said to bring “a precise and unique brand of alt. pop that draws on poignant folk verses, crushing synths, smart hip hop syncopations and tight vocal harmonies.” Well shit. That’s about the best a band can do these days if they’re trying to push the limits.
Let your ears have a listen and tell me this isn’t some of the most beautiful music you’ve heard in a long time. I want to listen to every single song on repeat, potentially for the rest of my life. Did Passion Pit, Bon Iver, Radiohead, Vampire Weekend, and Reptar just have a wild foursome and give birth to alt-J (∆)? Perhaps. I’m into it.
broken sweethearts who sleep apart/ both still pine for the other’s side spine, spoon as sleep starts
