Before the treadmills, the choreographed dancing, and all the fame that followed -- OK Go was still putting out great tracks. Look no further than the song above for evidence, which is from their 2002 self-titled debut album. Word on the street is that they'll be releasing a new album later this year so keep your eyes open.
This is another one of those weeks where I haven't found anything that truly jumped at me from the new release bin. Hence, here's another track from the archives and no, despite how similar they may sound, this is not a Cure cover band. Shout Out Louds hail from Stockholm and the song above is from their 2007 album, Our Ill Wills.
White Lies are sure to please fans of synth-pop acts along the lines of She Wants Revenge and The Bravery. The band recently released their first album, and will be playing a show at the Black Cat on Tuesday March 24.
Several months ago a friend of mine was continually raving about this band on her gchat status messages. I checked out some of their tracks, and liked what I heard -- but seeing as how they hadn't released a full album yet my excitement was tempered. Fast forward some time and I read that these guys are going to be touring with Lady Gaga, thus renewing my interest. Chester French follows in the footsteps of Vampire Weekend as the latest "it" band with Ivy League roots. So impressed with their demo, both Kanye West and Pharrell Williams launched into a bidding war to sign the band --- with Williams' Star Track label eventually being the winner. Expect their debut album to be released later this Spring.
Today one of our favorites at YHN, Bishop Allen, released their new album "Grrr. . . ". As they'll be performing this Friday at the Black Cat, I wanted to share with you some of my favorite tracks from the new album. Tickets are still available so I encourage you all to grab a friend and go!
It seems these days it's becoming increasingly common for any actor or actress to record a few tracks and release an album. Sometimes it works (Zooey Deschanel teaming with M. Ward), and sometimes it doesn't (Clint Eastwood singing over the closing tracks of Gran Torino). The actor Jason Schwartzman, best known for his roles in quirky Wes Anderson movies, is no stranger to the music world. Previously the drummer for the band Phantom Planet (OC theme much?), Schwartzman launched his solo project Coconut Records in 2007 with the release of the album "Nighttiming." The song above comes from this album, though the band also released a new album in January entitled "Davy".
In 2006, Rolling Stone magazine described this group as sounding like what would happen "if all your childhood stuffed animals got together and started a band." After listening to this song off of their new album, Law of the Playground, I would be hard pressed to conjure a more accurate analogy. If the clap your hands melody and charming underdog lyrics don't grab you, then wait for the killer violin solo. To hear more of their stuff, check out the track "When Life Gives Me Lemons I Make Lemonade" over at Trials + Tribulations.
N.A.S.A. (standing for North America South America), is a musical duo comprising DJs Squeak E Clean and DJ Zegon. The name is an allusion to the DJs' American and Brazilian roots and musical influences. They frequently collaborate with many well known artists, with the song above representing two of the bigger names they've teamed up with. It can be found on their debut album, The Spirit of Apollo, released a few weeks ago.
This is a Washington, DC based music blog to help you discover new artists, bands, and collaborations which don't always get mainstream press. Have a listen, your ears will thank you.
