Run Toto Run - "Hater"

Hater by Run Toto Run

Tid bit sample of Labrador Records

For those times when you need an overdose of pop, electro, dance, and everything in between, Sweden's Labrador Records pretty much has it all covered.
A full-blown album from Pallers is expected to be out sometime this winter.
The Kiss by Pallers (Suburban Kids with Biblical Names remix)

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Club 8 released their seventh album, The People's Record, back in May
Shape Up by Club 8 from The People's Record

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The Radio Dept. released their second album, Clinging to a Scheme, back in April
Never Follow Suit by The Radio Dept. from Clinging to a Scheme
Heaven's on Fire by The Radio Dept. from Clinging to a Scheme

Day after vacation

From Moscow, Russia comes Upstation, an electro-pop trio. You can check out their Myspace page to download their 4-track EP.
No More Promises by Upstation

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Five-man indie pop band from Edinburgh, Scotland, Cancel The Astronauts are back with EP number two and it's a good one.
Funny For A Girl by Cancel The Astronauts from Funny For A Girl EP

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In other news, I've put my best effort into keeping up with the huge amount of email submissions I receive and posting on new music. Unfortunately, my amount of spare time to keep up is not what it used to be. Rather than throw in the towel and be another casualty of the indie blog world, I'm going to offer up a chance for one or two additional music lovers that would care to help me keep EOI going. I'm not a writer or a professional blogger and not looking for one either. Just one or two folks that love indie/alternative music as much as I do and love to share it...legally. If you'd like to give it a shot, you can email me info/bio and a writing sample here by August 30, 2010. Keep in mind, this isn't a gig, as in no pay; it's all just for the love of music.

Perfect for This Day

What Did My Lover Say? (It Always Had To Go This Way) by Wolf Parade from Expo 86

Catching Up

I and I released his debut album, We Are back in February.
I Can See by I and I from We Are
Wonder by I and I from We Are

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UK's Beatie Wolfe released her debut EP, Burst back in March.
Beautiful Affair by Beatie Wolfe from Burst
It Will All Fall by Beatie Wolfe from Burst

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Denmark's The Boombox Hearts are in the process of recording their album, Gold.
Everything by The Boombox Hearts

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Sweden's Sambassadeur have released another single from their album, European.
I Can Try by Sambassadeur from European

Quick look at the goings on

Just for a quick update what's going on...

You can stream the full upcoming album, In The Dark, by The Whigs here. The album is due out on March 16th.

Cancel the Astronauts are giving away downloads of their EP, I am the President of your Fanclub (and Last Night I Followed you Home), in anticipation of the follow-up EP. You can download it here, here, or there.

Filigar has been spending the past year working on a music film project titled FAR (Filligar's 8 Music Films by 8 Directors in 8 Weeks). You can check out installment two below.


Dark Mean's second EP, Music Box, is out and available for download, all for the slim price of an email.

And last but not least, Alchemist Records, a favorite here on EOI, will be putting out a new album by their latest addition, Illus Ocean. The album, Meskin in the Attic, will be out on March 30th. Here's two singles for you to check out.
Ground Zero
Gumdrop

image from .: Philipp Klinger :. on Flickr

Stream Frightened Rabbit's upcoming album

NPR is streaming Frightened Rabbit's third album, The Winter of Mixed Drinks, due out on March 9th, in its entirety here. Trust me, it's 45 minutes very, very well spent.

Living In Colour (BBC6 session) by Frightened Rabbit

Shout Out Louds - Work

Walls by Shout Out Louds from Work

The joys of moving

As though it weren't obvious, my blogging duties have fallen severly beyond the wayside. My apologies to you all. It's been a hectic couple of months. Hopefully, after next week things shall return to the norm once the moving is done and the unpacking begins. I haven't decided which is more of a headache - packing all that stuff and wondering why in world I spent money on it, or unpacking and figuring out how to put things back together since the directions went M.I.A.

I shall return when I get the internet connected at the new home. In the meantime, here's a track from Basia Bulat's recently released sophomore album, Heart of My Own. I love it, and if you enjoyed her first album as much as I did, this one is a must-have.

I'm Forgetting Everyone by Basia Bulat from Heart of My Own

The view from here: Australia

Dreaming Is Essential by Because of Ghosts from This Culture of Background Noise
The Execution by Paul Kelly and the Messengers from Gossip
Sweet Disposition by The Temper Trap from Conditions
Sunlight in a Jar by The Lucksmiths from Warmer Corners
Escalators by Of the Red Sea from Of the Red Sea EP
All I Want by Sarah Blasko from As Day Follows Night
Into My Arms by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds from The Boatman's Call
Blood by The Middle East from Recordings of The Middle East EP

image from William Bullimore @ Flickr

Block o' new music

The next month or so for me is going to consist of working and packing. Posts here will be kind of lacking till I get settled into the new home. No doubt, many of my nights will be the constant repeating of "Why do I have this?" Packing has that effect on me.
Enough of that. On with the tuneage...


Swedish trio, Brothers of End, released their debut album, The End, in October.
Big Bird by Brothers of End from The End

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The Idyllists have released a single from their self-titled album due out in February.
Sweet Loretta by The Idyllists from The Idyllists

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Jason Boesel, who has worked with the likes of Rilo Kiley and Conor Oberst, will be releasing his debut album, Hustler's Son, on January 12th. He recently recorded a Daytrotter session which you can stream/download here.
Hand of God by Jason Boesel from Hustler's Son

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Australian group, En Tout Cas are currently in the studio recording (presumably) their first EP.
Steal Your Soul by En Tout Cas
Quarter Sins by En Tout Cas

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Swedish artist, Little Big Adventure, just released the video for the single "Happiest Times" from The Hateful Eye EP which was released back in May on the Labrador label.

Happiest Times by Little Big Adventure from The Hateful Eye EP
The Hateful Eye by Little Big Adventure from The Hateful Eye EP

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An EOI favorite, Adam Sarmiento aka I and I has his fourth release, Weird Animals, out as a limited edition CD with the download version available on January 19th from Alchemist Records.
Weird Animal by I and I from Weird Animals
Only Grey by I and I from Weird Animals

Fanfarlo w/ Freelance Whales, Majestic Cafe 12/14/09

Going to the Fanfarlo concert was somewhat of a last minute decision, but so very glad I went. If there were any US shows left, I'd highly recommend seeing them live. Unfortunately, the US leg of their tour with newcomers Freelance Whales is over.

On the plus side, if you want to check out this new pop band, they're resuming the tour in January. Their debut album, Weathervanes, is scheduled to be released on Frenchkiss Records on March 16th.

Generator^First Floor by Freelance Whales from Weathervanes

20 best albums of 2009...or so says me

20.Harlem Shakes - Technicolor Health

Sadly, Harlem Shakes are no more. Shame to break up after such a great album.
Sunlight



19. Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest

All in all, this one lived up to the initial hype.
Southern Point




18. Broken Records - Until the Earth Begins to Part

Until the Earth Begins to Part





17. Telekinesis - Telekinesis!

Look to the East





16. Japandroids - Post-Nothing

I'd have to say that these guys were one of the best new acts to come on the scene this year.
Wet Hair



15. The Avett Brothers - I And Love And You

January Wedding





14. Noah and the Whale - The First Days of Spring

This album doesn't have the happy, cheery feel of its predecessor. This one takes us to the other, not-so-pretty side of love. It's a break-up album, and a great one at that.
The First Days of Spring


13. Pomegranates - Everybody, Come Outside

Everybody Come Outside





12. Ólafur Arnalds - Found Songs

A track a day for seven days. This one is a nice holdover till his newest full-length album comes out on December 7th.
Romance



11. The Middle East - The Recordings of The Middle East EP

Finally available in the US as an EP, the wait had been well worth it. Let's hope the tracks missing from the full-length album will be available soon.
The Darkest Side


10. Camera Obscura - My Maudlin Career

Can it get anymore twee than this?
The Sweetest Thing




9. All the King's Men - Dirty Pubs & Bouncing Rooms

I loved this album when I first heard it, and I still love it. So underrated.
The Derby Dogs



8. Cymbals Eat Guitars - Why There Are Mountains

Of this year's debuts, this is by far one of the best.
Indiana




7. St. Vincent - Actor

This album is so much easier to love than her first.
The Neighbors




6. Sunset Rubdown - Dragonslayer

This album has gotten mixed reviews, but I personally think it's even better than Random Spirit Lover, and a welcome relief from the slight disappointment from last year's Wolf Parade release.
Apollo and the Buffalo and Anna Anna Anna Oh!


5. Fanfarlo - Reservoir

Even with all the comparison's to Beirut, this album has stood on its own just fine. I'm very much looking forward to seeing them live in a couple weeks.
I'm A Pilot


4. The Twilight Sad - Forget the Night Ahead

We were told before this album was released that it wouldn't be the usual follow up to Fourteen Autumns & Fifteen Winters. Couldn't have been more true.
Reflecting of the Television


3. Andrew Bird - Noble Beast

Is it even possible for Andrew Bird to come out with a bad album?
Tenuousness




2. The Decemberists - The Hazards of Love

Like 2006's The Crane Wife, this album is a story intended to be listened to from start to finish. The addition of vocals from My Brightest Diamond's Shara Worden certainly helped, as she definitely stole the show while on tour with the band.
The Wanting Comes in Waves/Repaid

1. Doves - Kingdom of Rust

After a long four year wait, Doves did not disappoint on this one. "Winter Hill" is bound to be one of my favorite tracks for a long time to come.
Kingdom of Rust

Time for the obligatory end of year lists; decisions, decisions

If you're anything like me, you read blog after blog after blog with lists that seem to mirror each other just a little bit too much. And then you ask yourself "Why?" Why do bloggers come up with these lists? Why are so many of them so much alike?
Answer: I have no idea - but I'm going to do one anyways.
This year wasn't exactly a stellar year, in my opinion, but there were some really good albums that came out that deserve noting again. Maybe they slipped under the radar with all the hype surrounding releases from the likes of Animal Collective, Grizzly Bear, etc.; maybe they came out in the beginning of the year and simply were forgotten about. It happens.
On that note, let me start off with what I think were the best songs of the year. This was not an easy list to make. I wanted to keep it simple (and short) so there were a handful of really great songs that didn't make the cut. As much of a chore as it was just deciding which songs to list, I'm not going to put them in ranking order. Good enough is just simply that.

The Walls Are Coming Down by Fanfarlo from Reservoir

Much More Than That by Sharon Van Etten from Because I Was In Love

Quiet Little Voices by We Were Promised Jetpacks from These Four Walls

Two by The Antlers from Hospice

The Rake's Song by The Decemberists from The Hazards of Love

Effigy by Andrew Bird from Noble Beast

Ljósið by Ólafur Arnalds from Found Songs

No You Girls by Franz Ferdinand from Tonight

I Became A Prostitute by The Twilight Sad from Forget the Night Ahead

When They Fight, They Fight by Generationals from Con Law

Winter Hill by Doves from Kingdom of Rust

French Navy by Camera Obscura from My Maudlin Career

Advent in Ives Garden by Sin Fang Bous from Clangour

Canadian Dream by Andrew Vincent from Rotten Pair via TLOBF

Percussion Gun by White Rabbits from It's Frightening

There Are Maybe Ten Or Twelve by A.C. Newman from Get Guilty

Coast of Carolina by Telekinesis from Telekinesis!

Idiot Heart by Sunset Rubdown from Dragonslayer

Young Hearts Spark Fire by Japandroids from Post-Nothing

Actor Out of Work by St. Vincent from Actor

Just This Ashtray by Lemonwilde from Red Room

The Last English Rose by All The King's Men from Dirty Pubs & Bouncing Rooms

Games for Days by Julian Plenti from Julian Plenti Is... Skyscraper

Champagne Downtown by Halloween, Alaska from Champagne Downtown

If Eilert Loevborg Wrote A Song, It Would Sound Like This by Broken Records from Until the Earth Begins to Part

image from chewie2008~ at Flickr

Eat ham on Turkey Day

Ghost Under Rocks by Ra Ra Riot from The Rhumb Line
All I Need by Radiohead from In Rainbows
The World Was A Mess But His Hair Was Perfect by The Rakes from The World Was A Mess But His Hair Was Perfect
Three More Days by Ray LaMontagne from Till the Sun Turns Black
Lake Michigan by Rogue Wave from Asleep at Heaven's Gate
Life Like by The Rosebuds from Life Like
Don't Haunt This Place by The Rural Alberta Advantage from Hometowns
Sleepyhead (Passion Pit cover) by Run Toto Run