I got lost, driving, away from the city. It felt good in an odd, rejuvenating way. It was a Sunday drive where I let myself get lost in the countryside and let my mind wander a little.
When I got back I wanted a song that captured some of the wandering and the lonesomeness. I listened to a lot of pop initially and then I stumbled across a song by The Fine Machines that I knew was exactly what I wanted to listen to and post. The song is Alton Levy and it’s off their debut album that came out this past week. The last stanza was perfectly measured for today’s little trip.
Everything is calm now
and expected to repeat
raging storms aren’t so loud
in a haze of electricity
I wonder if the crisp dry ground
dreams high in the hills
I wonder if it will burn down,
turn over and rebuild.
The Fine Machines is a 3 piece folk band from New York City made up by Dan Piccoli, Nate Allen, and Jim Joustra. The trio formed in Brooklyn in April 2012.
You can listen to and buy their debut, Distant Shores, on Bandcamp. Enjoy Alton Levy.
The Spring Standards are an indie folk band from Brooklyn, NY. Heard that pitch before? Drop everything you think you know about that genre. I find it hard to describe what their magic formula is, and what makes the record pop out as a whole. This song in particular, from their 2012 EP Yellow/Gold, puts me on a roller-coaster ride through my own head every time I hear it. My theory though, is that, while they take their sonic cues from modern indie rock, the eat-your-heart-out melodies, and immediate songwriting echo an early era-Crosby Stills Nash, Buffalo Springfield, oh my god just press play.
I wanted to share the music video for Black Light Dinner Party’s latest song, We Are Golden. It’s an animated video that took 3 years to animate. It’s telling the story of Soola and Pum through an anime-influenced narrative.
We Are Golden is a great followup to Older Together, which has over 100K listens on Soundcloud. It is lighter on the low end than Older Together, but perhaps has a wider appeal with its airy pop elements. Whatever the analysis, I like it.
Black Light Dinner Party is Jack Côté, Zach Lipkins, Joel Friedman, and Dan Stevens. The NYC quartet have been together since 2010. Like BLDP on Facebook. The video was produced by dreambear. Enjoy the video below.
I was looking forward to what the New York band offered as a follow up to Hurricane. There aren’t any doubts I was right to anticipate their music. It’s layered beautifully, combining to create sonically rich music that is simply awesome.
Here’s their Facebook. Enjoy Fantasy and share it with your friends.
It’s Wednesday and I figured I would post something this week and after I blessed the rains down in Africa. It’s easy to get excited about these guys because they’re signed to Cantora Records, which is a buzz blessing (the label that launched MGMT into indie stardom).
Big House Nice Dreams is an EP released in March by Slam Donahue. The 7 song EP is rough and poppy at the same time. It’s ragged diamonds. Lots of people like when the stones are polished on and ornamented with nice golden productions. I kinda like when diamonds cut glass. This is the last time I will try to use a drawn-out jewelry analogy, but suffice to say this is one of my favorite EPs of 2012.
Tracklist
It’s Scary
No More Talking
How To Be Cool
Con Song
Where Are You
This Is All
Tent
I’ve included the EP to listen below. Personal favorite is No More Talking. I also included Where Were We On The Weekend because I love that song, too.
Yesterday, Slam Donahue released a new EP, Hemlock Tea. Check that out and here’s their Facebook page. Enjoy.
If this was written a dozen years ago, I have no doubts it would be a song that sounds like something out of Melissa Etheridge or Sheryl Crow’s alternative pop playbook as the intro of this song hints at. In 2012, it draws more influence from Florence + The Machine it seems. It’s richer musically that complements the powerful vocals while not diminishing the lyrics. Playing to the popular schematic style of the day seems to have created a buzz for the band from New York.
With this song, my interest is picqued and I will be interested in what’s to come. For now, check out Hurricane and let me know what you think on Twitter.
This came through our new artist priority inbox and there’s little information to be found on this duo from Brooklyn. They have a couple of songs up on Soundcloud, a single on Bandcamp, and an EP that they released last week. Forsaken is taken from that EP, which is entitled The Break.
Their music is mysterious like the group itself and I find myself wildly intrigued by what they’re doing. They provide two versions of the EP’s title track: The Break (Summer Version) and The Break (Winter Version) as well as True Space. Yet, the concluding Forsaken is my favorite of the four song EP. Check it out here.
