Quadraphonic Sundry

Bess Rogers & Lelia Broussard

2011-01-22T13:38:00.002-05:00

Holy I don't blog anymore Batman! Just a note to say that even though I haven't been writing about music lately I am still listening and seeing shows and I do plan to pick up my writing again soon, things have just been hectic.

Last night I went out to PA to see Bess and Lelia (accompanied buy the always excellent Elliot Jacobson) at Burlap & Bean, which is a really awesome coffee shop that I loved.

If you don't have their new albums, what are you waiting for? Go buy them RIGHT NOW!

Here are some pictures from last night.

Static Waves

2010-11-10T08:22:00.015-05:00

I am kind of in love with this song right now.

You can get his album The Ladder on iTunes or Amazon.

Darrelle London - Bad

2010-10-03T20:38:00.000-04:00

Found this on Perez Hilton's YouTube page tonight and HAD to share it.

I love how adorable both she and the song are! He's got several of her covers up and they are also really cute. He has signed her to his new label Perezcious Music. Darrelle was the winner of the Toronto Lilith Fair Local Talent competition.

You can buy the single on iTunes.

Sing Me To Sleep - Indie Lullabies

2010-09-07T01:01:00.000-04:00

You don't have to have, or be, a baby to enjoy this Indie lullaby CD.

I originally ordered mine after finding out that both Jenny Owen Youngs and Julie Peel* would be among the performers on the album. Also appearing on this lovely compilation are Tanya Donelly, Trespassers William, Dean & Britta, Snowbird, Neil Halstead, Stars, and The Leisure Society, among others.

From start to finish this disc is full of relaxing pop melodies that come across more like lullabies for adults than for children. I could listen to Jenny's cover of The Red House Painter's Have You Forgotten on repeat for days without getting tired of it, and the Trespassers Williams cover of Rainbow Connection is so pure and beautiful.

Also the proceeds from this album go to The Valarie Fund and organization dedicated to helping children with cancer. So what are you waiting for?

*Julie appears on the limited edition copy only.

Bess Rogers Presents Bess Rogers

2010-09-05T23:36:00.001-04:00

This weekend I got my pre-order of Bess Rogers Presents Bess Rogers and it's by far the most impressive EP I've heard to date. I had already heard each of the tracks several times live over the course of the last few months but they really came to fruition in the studio and surpassed my expectations.

Super amazing photo by Shervin Lainez

I was thrilled that Favorite Day made it on to the album, it's my favorite track but they are all wonderful. Whether you are already well versed in the Bess Rogers catalog, or if you've never listened to her music before this 5 track smorgasbord of pop melodies has something for everyone.

Seriously, buy it asap!

I'm anxious to see Bess again this week when she is on tour with Quadraphonic favorite Allison Weiss and also Lelia Broussard.

Things I Never Needed - Grace Potter and the Nocturnals

2010-08-22T21:47:00.006-04:00

Sorry for such a long absence! My Dad being sick had kind of sucked a bit of inspiration out of me but I am going to make an effort to post on a regular basis again. For awhile I wasn't really seeking out new music but I'm feeling a bit better now and I think that's a positive sign.

This is one of my favorite current songs, I was seeking out the album version to post but only found this stripped down live version, which is equally (maybe more) amazing.

If you haven't heard the full album yet, which is a self-titled release, you are REALLY missing out.

Bess Rogers - I Don't Worry (new video)

2010-06-11T12:05:00.003-04:00

Had to post this adorable new video from Bess. Hope you like it!

Life update

2010-05-19T23:52:00.001-04:00

So, I don't normally talk about personal things in this blog, because my intention has always been for it to be only about music. In addition I tend to keep my private life very private and I don't often discuss it with anyone. That being said I haven't updated in two and a half weeks and I feel like an explaination is warranted. In addition sometimes I just feel better when I write things out.

Life is funny, not so much funny ha-ha, but funny strange. I wrote this tonight and I hope it more fully explains my recent absence. I will pick things back up soon I've just been... preoccupied.

Inoperable. The rest of the words blend together because they are long, and scientific, and I don’t fully understand them but that one stands out. Inoperable. In my thesaurus it’s adjectives are: not curable, terminal, fatal, deadly, permanent, untreatable, and grave. It is the word that means my dad is going to die. I mean, we’re all going to die, but he’s going to die soon. Sooner than I am ready for.

It was only 13 days ago that I spoke with my mother (for the first time in three years) and in our surprisingly nonchalant conversation she mentioned that she was worried about my step father because he had been very forgetful lately. She told me that he was putting off going to see a doctor until after their upcoming trip to Las Vegas. May 19th would be their 20th wedding anniversary and they had planned a trip to Las Vegas to renew their vows.

On Saturday, the 8th of May my parents were on their way to my step brother’s house. He and his new wife are expecting their first baby September. On the way there Dale got lost a couple of times. At first my mom thought it was just because the houses in the developments look similar and she didn’t think much of it.
When they went to leave that night Michael had to tie Dale’s shoes because he could not remember how to do it himself. I can’t imagine what that must have felt like for either of them. It makes me cry every time I think about it.

The next day my family spent Mother’s Day at my Grandfather Chuck’s house. They had a cookout and there were two tables set up. One of the tables held hot food items like burgers and hot dogs, and the other table had salads and desserts. When everyone was making their plates Dale just stopped and stood there at one table because he couldn’t figure out how to get to the other one.

At that point they told him that he had to go to the hospital. I didn’t know about this until later that night when my Grandma Bev called me and told me what had happened. While at the hospital they discovered a brain tumor near his frontal lobe that is about the size of a hard boiled chicken egg, cut in half.

Today, May 19, is the day my parents were supposed to be celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary, the day they were set to renew their vows. Instead they spent the morning in a hospital, seeing four doctors who each specialize in different things. The news is that my dad has a stage IV inoperable glioblastoma tumor. Tomorrow morning his doctor will do a biopsy to determine the best course of therapy. There will be radiation and chemotherapy.

The MRI today did "brain mapping", tomorrow they will use something similar to a GPS and a laser to take two or three samples of the tumor. Glioblastoma multiforme is most aggressive type of primary brain tumor in humans. For adults the median survival is about one year.

My biological father has been completely non-existent in my life. Dale is the only father I have ever known and he’s been in my life for the last 22 years. I don’t even know if I can put into words what I’m feeling. I am sad, and I am angry when there is no one to be angry at. I feel like I am going to puke and cry at the same time. I'm worried about my mom, and my two brothers who are closer to my family then I am. I feel irritated that I live so far away and that I'm not there with them during this time.

We will have to wait and see what the biopsy tells us but the outlook is not good. I am a terrible pessimist and I know this. I frequently fail to see the good in situations, and I’m simply not a very hopeful person. I don’t pray and I am not at all a religious person so when things like this happen I don’t have faith to fall back on, I only can hope that at some point I will understand why this is happening.

Maryanna Sokol - Landfill

2010-05-02T05:31:00.004-04:00

Previously listed as an Artist To Watch on this blog Maryanna Sokol is releasing her first album, produced by Andrew Futral (Age Of Rockets).

I haven't gotten a chance to hear the whole thing yet but what I have heard is really wonderful, so head over to digstation and listen to some clips. Then buy it!!!

She will be playing her first official New York show this Thursday May 6th at Bar4 in Brooklyn. Katie Costello will also be playing that night, she's another artist I've been listening to a lot lately (in fact she's on my April playlist). So if you're local, stop by for a fantastic line-up!

April 2010 Playlist

2010-05-01T23:54:00.007-04:00

Playlist available here! Just click the album cover :)

An Horse - Postcards

2010-04-23T17:43:00.006-04:00

New video up from An Horse for their song Postcards.

I really like what they did here, I think it's inventive and I'm glad they did a video for a song that I like so much.

An Horse is currently on tour with Kaki King, if you get a chance go see them!

While you're at it Kaki just released her new LP Junior. I haven't gotten a chance to pick it up yet but I've never been let down by her and I'm hoping to get it soon.

Sarah Harmer - Oh Little Fire

2010-04-23T17:08:00.004-04:00

After five years Sarah Harmer is releasing a new solo album. It's called Oh Little Fire, and is due to be released on June 22 via Zoë/Rounder.

You can hear the albums first single Captive on her official website. It's a little faster and more "rock" then I am used to from her but I'm really liking it so far and looking forward to hearing more.

Check out Sarah's Myspace here.

Andrew Bird - Meet Me Here At Dawn (cover)

2010-04-23T16:53:00.005-04:00

Andrew Bird and Priscilla Ahn’s cover of Cass McCombs’ Meet Me Here at Dawn is really stunning. This video is part of The Voice Project, “a song-driven movement inspired by the women of Uganda who are using their voices and songs as vehicles for change in the war-ravaged region of Northern Uganda, Southern Sudan, and Eastern Congo.”

I've enjoyed all of the videos posted and it's worth checking all of them out here.

Andrew Bird » Cass McCombs from The Voice Project on Vimeo.

Slow Runner - Trying To Put Your Heart Back Together

2010-04-23T16:48:00.003-04:00

I was initially interested in watching this video from Slow Runner because one of their band members is a member of the band Jump little Children whom I used to listen to a lot. I really like it and will probably seek out some more music from them. They seem like a pretty cool band, with a clever bio, and a nice relaxing sound.

Mates Of State - Crushes

2010-04-23T16:36:00.005-04:00

Mates of State, one of my favorite husband/wife duos in the music scene, have announced that they will be releasing their album Crushes this summer. It is the first full length album both recorded and produced by the couple.

The LP consists of 10 tracks, all cover songs and I'm anxious to hear it. The track list is as follows:

1. Laura (Girls)
2. Son et Lumiere (The Mars Volta)
3. Sleep the Clock Around (Belle & Sebastian)
4. Technicolor Girls (Death Cab for Cutie)
5. Long Way Home (Tom Waits)
6. Love Letter (Nick Cave)
7. Second Hand News (Fleetwood Mac)
8. 17 Pink Sugar Elephants (Vashti Bunyan)
9. Roller Coaster Ride (Dear Nora)
10. True Love Will Find You in the End (Daniel Johnston)

Get a free MP3 of the first single Laura on their official site. If you're not familiar with the pair, head over to their Myspace to listen to some older tracks.

Artist To Watch - Lonely Drifter Karen

2010-04-23T16:12:00.006-04:00

Photo taken by Sandrine Derselle via LDK Myspace.

Lonely Drifter Karen is a trio of people with different musical backgrounds, from folk and rock to cabaret, experimental, classical, pop music and more. The band consists of Austrian singer Tanja Frinta, pianist and producer Marc Melià Sobrevias from Spain, and Italian Giorgio Fausto Menossi on drums and percussion. It originally started as a solo project for the vocalist and evolved into the current line-up.

Their album Fall Of Spring was just released via Crammed Discs and it's well worth a listen. You can get it on Amazon or iTunes. It can also be purchased via Crammed Discs.

Artist To Watch - Adrienne Pierce

2010-04-23T15:41:00.007-04:00

Vancouver native Adrienne Pierce is releasing her third album this June and I am super excited for it's release. The first track made available is Monsters and I really like it.

I had never heard of Adrienne before, but Wears The Trousers did a write up about her upcoming LP Oh Deer and after doing some more research and listening to some tracks on her Myspace, I can't wait to hear the rest.

Also look at that cover, how could I possibly not love it?!

Artist To Watch - Claire Small

2010-04-19T03:34:00.006-04:00

I'm really digging this artists. Claire Small is about to release her third album but I only heard about her a couple of weeks ago. She's like a twangier Ingrid Michaelson.

You can get a free download of her song How Do You Like Love on her official site. It is the title track of her newest album, set for release on May 18th from Freedom Records.

Also check out her Myspace for some previously released tracks.

The Bird and the Bee - Interpreting the Masters Vol. 1

2010-04-16T03:16:00.004-04:00

Can I just say... I LOVE THIS ALBUM!

I grew up listening to Hall & Oats and to hear them redone with the sort of indie pop melodies I have grown to love from The Bird & The Bee is really awesome.

They stuck to classic H & O without throwing in many tracks that were not big hits for the original artists. I am really growing to adore their covers. Their version of I'm Into Something Good from the Valentine's Day soundtrack has been really heavy in my rotation recently.

Even if you're not a fan of Hall & Oats this is worth checking out! You can get the CD on Amazon or download it from iTunes. The iTunes link is also featuring the originals presented in the same order as the B&B album.

I'm also pretty stoked that this says Volume 1, leading me to believe that they intend to produce more of these interpretation discs. I hope so, seriously loving this.

Artist To Watch - Alessi's Ark

2010-04-15T03:03:00.005-04:00

Just discovered her, love love love this so far. She's been playing frequently with Laura Marling and that's a perfect fit as their music is really complimentary. In addition she's about the same age as Marling. The talent of these two girls who are 19 and 20 is still pretty astounding to me.

You can find several songs on her Myspace.

I'm particularly fond of her track Robot, which is still fairly new.

She recently moved away from Virgin, her major label record, to one of my favorite independent labels, Bella Union (Laura Veirs, Beach House, Fleet Foxes).

Her first EP with them was released at the beginning of April and you can purchase it on her official site.

March 2010

2010-04-12T03:15:00.006-04:00

Sorry about the delay on this one... I had it finished last month but in my recent conversion from Windows Media Player to iTunes I managed to delete all of my playlists so March 2010 had to be started again from scratch.

In addition that transition to iTunes has been VERY time consuming for me because it has meant moving, cleaning, and organizing about 25,000 music files. I'm almost done with the move and I'm a lot happier using iTunes then I thought I would be (thank God for Tune-Up).

So, here's my March 2010 playlist, just click the album cover. I will be converting this and the previous 6 months of lists or so onto iTunes Imixes so that if you want to purchase the songs on iTunes it will be quick and easy :)

Flamboyant Bella

2010-04-09T01:45:00.003-04:00

I just read about this UK group last night but I can't stop listening to their song Abbi.

I'm posting a youtube link here so I can share it's awesomeness with you!

The singer's voice reminds me a lot of Kate Nash, probably one of the reasons I like it so much :)

The video cuts the last bit off but you can find the song on their Myspace as well.

Ben Folds and Chat Roulette

2010-04-08T02:33:00.005-04:00

So, lately Ben Folds has been using Chat Roulette during his shows.

If you aren't familiar with the site, basically you get on your webcam and it randomly connects you to someone else with a cam and you can "chat".

I've not personally used the site, but I hear it's mostly penises... However, as you can see here, when you log on with a massive crowd of fans and a piano, hilarity ensues.

Artist To Watch - Lost in the Trees

2010-04-06T03:00:00.007-04:00

All Alone In an Empty House, due May 11 from Anti, is an expanded and remixed version of Picker and company's 2008 album, with two additional tracks. Noted indie producer Scott Solter (Spoon, St. Vincent) worked with Picker on the revamped and expanded (and, in parts, re-recorded) version of House, an album that received solid reviews but limited, small-label exposure.

Very mellow orchestral pop, I'm liking what I've heard a lot, definitely an album to look out for.

You can Pre-Order on Amazon.

Hayley Hutchinson - Ghosts In The Trees

2010-04-04T20:25:00.002-04:00

I initially checked out this album because I really liked the cover art, I'm really glad I did :)

Hayley Hutchinson is a British singer-songwriter, born in Northumbria in 1981. Much of her childhood was spent living on a croft in Scotland where she taught herself to sing by harmonizing to Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark. As a teenager she moved to York where the likes of Neil Young, Emmylou Harris and Gram Parsons inspired her to pick up a guitar and write her own songs.

Since then she's produced a steady amount of independently-released albums and toured extensively.

March 30's Ghosts In The Trees, her third LP has a little more pop influence and a little less blue-grassy feel but it comes together really nicely.

You can check out some tracks from it on her Myspace. The whole thing is only $6.99 on Amazon, and well worth it!