We know some of y’all are Futurebirds fans out there. The band has given fans a free EP, released their debut LP, and then graced us with a live session. In all the hubbub, this little gem was lost in the fray.

Futurebirds’ Thomas Johnson has a side project called The Interns and they have an album available for free download here. Sample the tracks below if you need a compelling reason to download a free album.

The Interns – Demon Inside

The Interns – Smother

The Interns – Same Front Door

Drummers. Often mocked as the least important member of the band. Naysayers may claim that they just keep the beat and let the vocals and lead guitar take the glory. I’ve never bought into that stereotype and feel that drummers are the backbone of the band. See The National, Radiohead or Sleater-Kinney as relevant examples from our generation that have been made considerably better by their drummers. With the trend of two person bands, drummers have raised their stock – Brian Moen of Peter Wolf Crier is a great example.

Peter Wolf Crier are a shining example of what two guys can do when you have a great drummer. And not to blow sunshine up Shirk’s dress, but he did a great job producing this session. He dirties up Peter Pisano’s guitar and captures the live flavor of Peter Wolf Crier.

And back to the drumming, much like Patrick Carney of The Black Keys, Brian Moen is always on the spot. The feedback and loops work incredibly well with Brian’s consistency on the drum kit. His effort gives Peter the freedom to create unique sounds and no matter what squeals out of the amps, Brian is always right there propelling the song forward. You put an inferior drummer in that spot and it could sound like a mess.

Download the tunes and get a taste, but I can’t stress how enjoyable they are live.

Peter Wolf Crier – Band Intro

Exclusive: Peter Wolf Crier – Crutch and Crane

Exclusive: Peter Wolf Crier – You’re So High (Videos: Vimeo | YouTube)

Exclusive: Peter Wolf Crier – In Response

Download the Peter Wolf Crier Live Session as a zip.

Video: Peter Wolf Crier – You’re So High (Live at Shirk Music + Sound)

The War On Drugs won us over back in 2008 after we discovered the band’s debut release, Wagonwheel Blues. We described them as “Bob Dylan fronting a shoe-gaze band” back then.  “Comin’ Through” was just released and I’m hearing some Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits) in the guitar work.

The follow up has been a long time coming, but it’s almost here. Future Weather will be released on October 26th and I have no doubt that it will be outstanding. “Comin Through” has me salivating for the full LP.

The War On Drugs – Comin’ Through

From Wagonwheel Blues:

The War On Drugs – Taking The Farm

Like many of my favorite bands, Chief has the ability to create soaring 3 and 4 piece harmonies that transport you to a time a long ago. The quartet grew up in CA, but all met at NYU. Now back in Cali, the band’s debut album Modern Rituals best resembles their upbringing with a Laurel Canyon-feel as it takes you on a mellow ride with each listen.

Like another debut this year, Local Natives’ Gorilla Manor, Chief’s drawing card are the aforementioned harmonies. Unlike Local Natives, the accompanying music is not as propulsive and varied. Chief opts for tasty guitar licks with a steady backbeat (which remind me of The Strokes & The Walkmen) that rarely veer off course. Whereas Gorilla Manor is so immediately striking and appealing, Modern Rituals is better appreciated over multiple listens as it lazily sucks you in to the beauty Chief’s music. Two different approaches and two great debuts. A couple of my favorite tracks include “Stealing,” “Nothing’s Wrong” and “Irish Song.”

Modern Rituals is best consumed in its entirety while lying outside or on a long countryside drive. Let it wash over you and feel your mood take a turn for the brighter side. All in all, Modern Rituals is a fine debut by a very talented band. Chief show a tremendous amount of promise and I am sure you will be hearing plenty from them moving forward.

Facebook | Twitter | MySpace | Domino Records

Chief – Night and Day

From their EP:

Chief – Your Direction

Live Video: Chief – Night And Day (Watch, Listen and Tell Session in London)

Official Video: Chief – Night and Day

L.A. experimental folk duo, Pepper Rabbit, are set to release a new album entitled Beauregard on October 26th via Kanine Records (Surfer Blood, Grizzly Bear). The first track released is the beautifully warm “Older Brother,” an indie-folk-pop song that plucks along with subtle touches of ukulele, keys, horns, and choruses of oooh-ooh-ooh-ooooh’s that create something magical. I’ll be sure to report back after hearing the full LP.

Pepper Rabbit – Older Brother

You can catch them on tour with Cotton Jones:

Tour Dates
9/21 – - Phoenix, AZ – - Rhythm Room
9/22 – - Santa Fe, NM – - Cowgirl Hall of Fame
9/24 – - Denton, TX – - Dan’s Silverleaf+
9/25 – - Austin, TX – - Emo’s+
9/26 – - Houston, TX – - Mango’s+
9/28 – - Baton, Rouge, LA – - Spanish Moon+
9/29 – - Birmingham, AL – - The Bottletree+
9/30 – - Atlanta, GA – - The Earl+
10/1 – - Asheville, NC – - Broadway’s+
10/2 – - Chapel Hill, NC – - Local 506+
10/3 – - Baltimore, MD – - The Ottobar+
10/4 – - Philadelphia, PA – - M Room+
10/6 – - Brooklyn, NY – - Knitting Factory+
10/7 – - Cambridge, MA – - TT The Bear’s Place+
10/8 – - Montreal, QC – - Casa Del Popolo+
10.9 – - Toronto ON – - Drake Hotel +
10/10 – - Detroit, MI – - Majestic Café+
10/11 – - Lansing, MI – - Mac’s+
10/13 – - Cleveland, OH – - Beachland Tavern+
10/16 – - Minneapolis, MN – - 400 Bar
10/19 – - Columbus, OH – - Kobo
10/20 – - New York, NY – - CMJ
10/21 – - New York, NY – - CMJ
10/22 – - New York, NY – - CMJ
+w/ Cotton Jones

An affinity for 80’s music may be a prerequisite to becoming a Wolf Parade fan. As I listened to Expo 86 for the first few times, visions of 80’s movies started (literally) dancing in my head.  Midway through the album’s fourth track, “Little Golden Age,” my visions became crystal clear. I could almost smell the pot smoke and taste the sweat off of Emilio Estevez as he tore off his shirt, cartwheeled around the library, and invented acrobat-dancing. Or did Kevin Bacon invent that?

If you’re new to Wolf Parade, don’t let the 80’s reference scare you. I mostly think of that era of music due to the heavy use of keyboards and the vocals of Dan Boeckner and Spencer Krug who both have a flare for the dramatic. While past Wolf Parade albums have been created over long periods of time, Expo 86 was turned out quickly while keeping a keen eye on the details. In fact, this is Wolf Parade’s best album to date.

The album kicks off with lyrics that will have you hitting pause and rewind on “Cloud Shadow On The Mountain:”

I was asleep in a hammock
I was dreaming that I was a web
I was a dream catcher
Hanging in the window of a minivan
Parked along the water’s edge
I’d say that I was all alone
I’d say that I was all alone
But I will never be born as a scorpion.

They had me at “dream catcher.”  I can’t recall when I’ve had this much fun listening to an album. It’s one of the best of the year and I’m hooked on several songs that include “Palm Road,” “What Did My Lover Say,” “Little Golden Age,” “In The Direction Of The Moon,” “Ghost Pressure,” and “Pobody’s Nerfect.” That’s about the whole damn album. For me, Expo 86 is a perfect blend of unique songwriting, driving guitars, anthems, obscure vocals, and unbridled energy. I admit that this opinion wasn’t my initial reaction, but repeated listens and many weeks of devotion payed huge dividends.

Wolf Parade – What Did My Lover Say? (It Always Had To Go This Way)

Wolf Parade – Ghost Pressure

Ryan Bingham has offered a free album to one lucky HearYa reader of our choosing.  All you have to do is email freeshit@hearya.com and say something nice – flattery will get you somewhere. Our complex selection algorithm will do the rest and find a worthy winner.

Here are the details of the new album:

Junky Star, the new album from acclaimed singer/songwriter Ryan Bingham and his band, The Dead Horses, is set for an August 31st release on Lost Highway. Bingham recently won the Oscar and Golden Globe for BEST ORIGINAL SONG for “The Weary Kind (Theme From Crazy Heart)”, which he co-wrote with multi-Grammy Award-winning producer/musician T-Bone Burnett. The collaboration between Bingham and Burnett developed into a solid artistic relationship during the Crazy Heart recordings, and as a result, Burnett signed on to produce Junky Star.

ARTIST: Ryan Bingham & The Dead Horses
ALBUM: Junky Star
RELEASE DATE: August 31
LABEL: Lost Highway

Here’s a video for the song “Depression.”

And the making of Junky Star:

Junky Star track listing:

1. The Poet
2. The Wandering
3. Junky Star
4. Strange Feelin’ In The Air
5. Depression
6. Hallelujah
7. Yesterday’s Blues
8. Direction of the Wind
9. Lay My Head On The Rail
10. Hard Worn Trail
11. Self-Righteous Wall
12. All Choked Up Again

TOUR DATES
AUG 25 – Los Angeles, CA : The Bootleg Theater (Record Release Show)
SEPT 01 – Los Angeles, CA : The Grammy Museum (Q&A with Museum Members)
SEPT 03 – Yosemite, CA : Strawberry Festival :
SEPT 05 – Denver, CO : Red Rocks Amphitheater (w/Willie Nelson) :
SEPT 06 – Park City, UT : Snow Park Amphitheater
SEPT 07 – Boise, ID : Botanical Gardens (w/Willie Nelson) :
SEPT 08 – Reno, NV : Knitting Factory (w/Willie Nelson) :
SEPT 10 – Laughlin, NV : Harrah’s Fiesta :
SEPT 11 – Las Vegas, NV : The Cannery Casino (w/Willie Nelson)
SEPT 12 – Bakersfield, CA : B Ryder’s
SEPT 13 – Livermore, CA Wente Vineyards (w/Willie Nelson)
SEPT 14 – Santa Cruz, CA : Rio Theater
SEPT 16 – Chico, CA : El Rey Theatre
SEPT 17 – Bend, OR : Les Schwab Amphitheater (w/Willie Nelson)
SEPT 18 – Troutdale, OR : Edgefield Manor (w/Willie Nelson)
SEPT 19 – Eugene, OR : Cuthbert Amphitheater (w/Willie Nelson)
SEPT 20 – Grants Pass, OR : Rogue Theater
SEPT 22 – Saratoga, CA Mountain Winery (w/Willie Nelson)
SEPT 23 – Santa Barbara, CA : Santa Barbara Bowl (w/Willie Nelson)
SEPT 24 – Los Angeles, CA : Greek Theater (w/Willie Nelson)
OCT 07 – Dallas, TX : House of Blues
OCT 08 – Austin, TX : Austin City Limits Festival
OCT 12 – Nashville, TN : Cannery Ballroom
OCT 14 – New York, NY : Bowery Ballroom
OCT 15 – Boston, MA : Royale
OCT 16 – Philadelphia, PA : North Star Bar
OCT 17 – Albany, NY : Linda Norris Auditorium
OCT 19 – Pittsburgh, PA : Rex Theater
OCT 21 – Cleveland, OH : Grog Shop
OCT 22 – Cincinnati, OH : Southgate House
OCT 23 – Chicago, IL : Subterranean
OCT 24 – St Louis, MO : Old Rock House
OCT 26 – Lawrence, KS : Granada Theater
OCT 27 – Fayetteville, AR : George’s Majestic Lounge

One of my favorite Canadian bands is back with a follow up to one of the most personal albums I’ve ever come across. The Acorn’s last album, Glory Hope Mountain, told the story of lead singer’s Rolf Klausener’s mother’s journey from her native Honduras to Canada. It is a brilliant album that continues to resonate deeper with every listen. Under the assumption that no one else in the band had a life story like that, where do they go next?

On September 7th, The Acorn will deliver an excellent follow-up in No Ghost. As good as its predecessor? Not quite, but that would be no easy feat because of Glory Hope’s personal subject matter. As I listened to No Ghost three times in a row yesterday morning, I could hear Wilco’s influence in the opening track, “Cobbled From Dust,” where squeals of feedback entwine within a lovely folk melody. Wilco fans will also identify with some of the slower tunes such as “Misplaced,” “On The Line,” and “Slippery Wen Wet.”

The Acorn will be down in the States this fall and will be hitting Chicago in particular on 9/30 at Schubas. I have only had the pleasure of seeing The Acorn at our studio in a live session and I remember being floored by the workings of the band. They are a treat to see live and I’ll be standing in the crowd in Chicago.

The Acorn – Restoration

The Acorn Tour Dates:
9/21/10 – T.T. the Bear’s – Cambridge, MA
9/23/10 – The Mercury Lounge – New York, NY
9/25/10 – Kung Fu Necktie – Philadelphia, PA
9/26/10 – DC9 – Washington, DC
9/28/10 – The Pike Room at the Crofoot – Pontiac, MI
9/29/10 – Beachland Tavern – Cleveland, OH
9/30/10 – Schubas Tavern – Chicago, IL
10/1/10 – Turf Club – St. Paul, MN
10/2/10 – The Frequency – Madison, WI
10/13/10 – The Echo – Los Angeles, CA
10/14/10 – Cafe Du Nord – San Francisco, CA
10/16/10 – Doug Fir Lounge – Portland, OR
10/17/10 – High Dive – Seattle, WA

All this got me thinking about modern day war/protest songs, so we compiled a short list of ten. Lucero’s track about lead singer Ben Nichols’ grandfather heading to WWII is one of my favorites of all time. I’m sure we missed some, so leave a comment with any others – as long as they occurred post-2000 and aren’t the work of Toby Keith.

Lucero – The War

Joe Pug – Bury Me Far From My Uniform

Jason Isbell – Dress Blues

The Black Angels – First Vietnam War

Delta Spirit – People, Turn Around

Wilco – War On War

A.A. Bondy – American Hearts

Tom Waits – The Day After Tomorrow

State Radio – Camilo

Pearl Jam – Worldwide Suicide

Futurebirds Band Intro Jam

Exclusive: Futurebirds – Johnny Utah

Exclusive: Futurebirds – APO (Videos: Vimeo | YouTube)

Exclusive: Futurebirds – Sam Jones

Exclusive: Futurebirds – Ski Chalet (Videos: Vimeo | YouTube)

Download the Futurebirds session as a zip file.

Nick Jaina Band Intro

Exclusive: Nick Jaina – Sebastopol (Videos: Vimeo | YouTube)

Exclusive: Nick Jaina – Eleanor

Exclusive: Nick Jaina – You Were So Good To Me

Exclusive: Nick Jaina – That’s The Kind Of Fruit

Exclusive: Nick Jaina – Another Kay Song (Videos: Vimeo | YouTube)

Download the Nick Jaina live session as a zip file.

And the rest:

Pearly Gate Music – Big Escape

Joey Kneiser – Adelina

Joey Kneiser – Torch Song

J. Roddy Walston and The Business – Don’t Break The Needle

Ferraby Lionheart – Harry and Bess

Ferraby Lionheart – A Crack In Time (HearYa Live Session version)

Nathaniel Rateliff – Early Spring Till

Menomena – TAOS

Menomena – Five Little Rooms

Horse Or Cycle – Two Hearts

Phosphorescent – It’s Hard To Be Humble When You’re From Alabama

Phosphorescent – The Mermaid Parade

Joe Pug – The Sharpest Crown

Joe Pug – Bury Me Far From My Uniform

Dylan Leblanc – If Time Was For Wasting

Dax Riggs – Say Goodnight To The World

Dax Riggs – Let Me Be Your Cigarette

Cotton Jones – Glorylight and Christie

Margot and The Nuclear So and So’s – New York City Hotel Blues

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. – Vocal Chords

Peggy Sue – Watchman