Say cheese!

Here's to sleeping way too much and actually resting on Sunday.

The '59 Sound by The Gaslight Anthem from The '59 Sound [deleted mp3]
Tenderness by General Public from Classic Masters [deleted mp3]
Carouseling by Goodbyetomorrow from Goodbye Tomorrow EP [deleted mp3]
Your Rocky Spine by Great Lake Swimmers from Ongiara [deleted mp3]

image from hamed's flickr

Kickin' it out like it was '76

Some days ago, I posted about All the King's Men, the indie/punk band from Manchester, England. Band member, Sam Lashwood was kind enough to send me a promo copy of their debut album, Dirty Pubs & Bouncing Rooms which is being released this coming Friday.
How often is it when the cover art gives you a good hint of the tunes you're about to hear? Good time had by all.

Every music lover knows once in a while, there's an artist or a particular album that you just cannot stop listening to, as if you'd been waiting for it for the longest time. Some, like myself, on an almost weekly basis, obsessively search for that sound that immediately perks our ears up. When we find it, we just can't help but share it with everyone. We can't help but tell our friends "I f***ing love this!" If the 130 times I've listened to tracks from Dirty Pubs and Peterloo EP this week are any indication, then ATKM is one of those artists. After first hearing the EP, I was anxiously waiting for the release date to roll around. I had high hopes. Very high. And Dirty Pubs did not disappoint one single bit. This is a perfect sample of good ol' fashioned indie rock with a punk feel and lyrics that can easily appeal to the working-class, among others. This album is solid from the opening track, "The Union Smack" all the way through including "The Derby Dogs" and "Bootle Street Nick" to the last track, an ode of sorts to the legendary city on the banks of the Irwell, "Leaving You For Manchester."

So, yeah, I f***ing love this!

South of the City by All the King's Men from Dirty Pubs & Bouncing Rooms [deleted mp3]
The Last English Rose by All the King's Men from Dirty Pubs & Bouncing Rooms [deleted mp3]

Website| Facebook| iTunes| Amazon

Block o' new music

The Steps are a rock band out of Austin, TX that just released their self-titled debut album in the US. They will be one of the many artists featured on March 19th at SXSW this year.
Won't Stop by The Steps from The Steps [deleted mp3]

---

Evening Magazine, a nine-member band from Philadelphia, PA released their album, The Ride Acorss Lake Constance in January on Ohso Records. It's only five songs, but they're a good, solid five.
Wheels by Evening Magazine from The Ride Across Lake Constance [deleted mp3]

---

The 2-man band, All Of Us/None Of Us hailing from Los Angeles, CA released the 4-song EP, Arcane and Abel back in December.
Watcha Gonna Do? by All Of Us/None Of Us from Arcane and Abel EP [deleted mp3]

---

Kaspar, made up of John, Mikael, and Tuomas, are an alternative/folk band from Finland. Drawing inspiration from the legendary life of Kaspar Hauser, they just released their self-titled album.
EDIT: The debut album from Kaspar isn't available yet (sorry, folks). It is scheduled to be released in Finland sometime in September.
Phoenix by Kaspar from Kaspar [deleted mp3]

If you want to hear some more from artists abroad, a recent post at I Guess I'm Floating has some good ones. Be sure to check out "Suffering & Surfing" by The Amsterdams.

Friday, hurry up!

It's that anxiousness for the weekend. Not that I have anything exciting to do. Just that it means I won't have to drag myself out into the cold early in the morning. One more week till spring break, which means one more week till a mini-vacation!
Barmy by The Fall from This Nation's Saving Grace [deleted mp3]
I Feel It All by Feist from The Reminder [deleted mp3]
The Wonder by Figurines from Skeleton [deleted mp3]
Cassius by Foals from Antidotes [deleted mp3]
Cold Heart of Stone by Frank Black from Black Letter Days [deleted mp3]
No You Girls by Franz Ferdinand from Tonight: Franz Ferdinand [deleted mp3]
So Far We Are by French Kicks from Two Thousand [deleted mp3]
Good Arms Vs. Bad Arms (live) by Frightened Rabbit from Liver! Lung! FR! [deleted mp3]

M. Ward - Hold Time

It's still pretty early in the year, but so far this album has been the surprise of the year for me. I love it!
Not to say I think his previous albums were bad, just not this kind of great.
There's been no escaping the hype surrounding yesterday's release of M. Ward's Hold Time. Has anyone bothered to count how many times "Never Had Nobody Like You" has been splattered across the internets? Can't blame 'em, really. It's the song that sparked my interest and the reason I was willing to give this album a chance. Certainly glad I did.
For Beginners by M. Ward from Hold Time [deleted mp3]
Oh Lonesome Me by M. Ward (featuring Lucinda Williams) from Hold Time [deleted mp3]

Dirty Pubs & Bouncing Rooms

I first read about this band from Manchester last week on Rock Sellout. They are All the King's Men, and they are exactly what this Detroiter would want to hear when I step foot inside a Manchester pub.

They released the 3-song Peterloo EP in mid-2008 and the album, Dirty Pubs & Bouncing Rooms will be out on February 27th. Signed to the Swedish label, Changes, these four guys currently touring Sweden and the UK, describe themselves as so:
"We are united in song and we are the front line and the old guard. We feed on the musical genius of yesterday Manchester, England. Our bellies filled until there is room no more, our souls soaked in that same legend, that gang of four, the derby dogs, the boneyard bathed in the remnants of the night before. We will fight on for the future of British guitar music, never falling as we climb, no tears if we should fall. We are dirty pubs and bouncing rooms, the oldest friendships forged through the newest of loves. We believe in honesty, death and glory and the value of a pound. This blessed soil from white cliffs to lands end. This sterling camaraderie than can never be played by a player nor taken home by the highest bidder. We smoke and drink, we hold our heads high and our glasses higher, we are All the King's Men and we are here to be heard!"

This is not your garden variety Britpop sound. This is a modern tribute to the late 70's punk sound that put Manchester on the music map. They aren't getting nearly the attention deserved, but then again in this over-hyped world we're in, maybe that's not such a bad thing. Just let the music speak for itself.


Peterloo by All the King's Men from Peterloo EP [deleted mp3]




Website| Facebook| iTunes| Amazon

Extended weekend

It's baaack. Such is life this time of year in the Midwest. It warms up for a few days, the snow melts, and then it all comes back again. Unfortunately, there isn't much of anything on TV, I've already watched the movies I got from Netfilx. So I'm relying on my trusty iPod once again. And then I realized I haven't been keeping up with the abc's.
Let part 5 begin.
Things by The Early Years from The Early Years [deleted mp3]
The Killing Moon by Echo & the Bunnymen from Songs to Learn and Sing [deleted mp3]
Munich by Editors from The Back Room [deleted mp3]
Asleep In The Back by Elbow from Asleep In The Back [deleted mp3]
Radio, Radio by Elvis Costello from This Year's Model [deleted mp3]

The Rest

"Could've been the gravy on Thanksgiving Day"
I love that line from "Phonetically, Phonetically" by Hamilton, Ontario's The Rest. Their second album, Everyone All At Once is coming out in April. I highly, highly recommend it. There isn't a single track on this album that I don't like, which is something I can't even say for most of my favorite major-label artists. Throw in a little shoegaze, indie pop, indie rock, and just downright great songwriting and you've got what could be (and IMO should be) one of the best albums for this year. What took a year and a half to make grabs at you within the first few seconds. I can't pick just one or two stand-out tracks. All ten stand out.
Oh yeah, did I say that I highly recommend it?

Walk On Water (Auspicious Beginnings) by The Rest from Everyone All At Once [deleted mp3]
Coughing Blood/Fresh Mountain Air by The Rest from Everyone All At Once [deleted mp3]

Website| last.fm

Kingdom of Rust

So, yeah, I'm really looking forward to the new Doves album coming out in April. The first single, "Jetstream" can be downloaded for free from the band's site.
The video for the title track came out recently. I'm not big on videos much simply because the can take attention away from the song. You know, too busy watching the actual video part and not paying much attention to the music/lyrics, at least the first few times. But this one follows the song well.

Block o' music: Throcke, The Dying Seconds, and Decimals

I should probably mention before I start that electronic music isn't really my forte. Yes, I hail from the birthplace of techno/electronic, but it's something I never caught onto much. Every once in a while I'll give it a listen, so at least I'm trying, eh.
That said, here's a few artists...
Throcke, an independent musician based out of Brooklyn. He's giving away his new album free, Sometimes Not Unpointful, on his website.
Starry by Throcke from Sometimes Not Unpointful [deleted mp3]
Matriculate Yo by Throcke from Sometimes Not Unpointful [deleted mp3]

---

The Dying Seconds are based out of Dublin, Ireland and are giving away their recent self-titled released on their website. I highly recommend the second track.
Goodnight Satelight by The Dying Seconds from Seconds EP [deleted mp3]
I'll Make the Best Weapon by The Dying Seconds from The Dying Seconds [deleted mp3]

---

Decimals, a Welsh indie pop band formed in 2008, including former member of The Automatic, Alex Pennie. There really isn't much more info out there for these guys yet. All in good time.
Retreat (demo) by Decimals [deleted mp3]

I've Got Friends

New Manchester Orchestra track from the album, Mean Everything To Nothing, which is scheduled to be released in April.
I am loving this song!
I've Got Friends by Manchester Orchestra [deleted mp3]

Indie find #8

Been slacking a little lately. Sorry, folks. Blame it on work, work, and more work.

Woodpigeon are an indie folk band out of Calgary. They're described as "a sort of semi-acousitc Arcade Fire or a full band version of Sufjan Stevens." They're getting ready for a short European tour and will be one of the many artists at Toronto's NXNE festival in June.
They just released a full-length album, Treasury Libray Canada C/W Hounstooth Europa on the 3rd. If you want to check these guys and gals out, you can download La Commission Scolaire EP for free at eMusic. How can you say no to free?

Death By Ninja (A Love Song) by Woodpigeon from La Commission Scolaire EP [deleted mp3]
This Isn't Even Close To Cheating (queen city version)by Woodpigeon from La Commission Scolaire [deleted mp3]

Official website| iTunes| Last.fm