Some Velvet Blog

New Sia: You GO! Girl

2009-11-19T20:01:00.003-05:00

I think I really like this new Sia track. It says: Up With People! From her new album due next year called We Are Born produced by Greg Kurstin. Sort of reminds me of The Weather Girls meets Freeze (A-E-A-E-I-O-U) meets Deborah Harry's This Jam Was Moving. Or whatever that song was called. Bounce to this.

You've Changed - Sia

Sometimes....history of the song

2009-11-19T10:06:00.003-05:00

Chris from Gorilla Vs Bear recently dropped a new song by Harlem, a cover of "Sometimes" written and originally recorded by Gene Thomas. The original (in the video below) was a smooth ballad that veered towards the more middle-of-the-road lillywhite pop sounds of the day. The song was then turned on its head by the Flamin' Groovies, covered by Dough Sahm (who gave it a Fats Domino "Blueberry Hill" vibe) and was also covered by Paul Revere & The Raiders.

Sometimes - Paul Revere & The Raiders

The Return Of Gil Scott-Heron

2009-11-18T20:37:00.004-05:00

Hard top believe but true.
Gil Scott-Heron
returns with a new album called I'm New Here on XL in January. Wow. And must say, this is a brilliant signing for XL.

Check out this new tune.

Where Did The Night Go - Gil Scott-Heron

Required:
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised

Must watch:

CFCF's Continent

2009-11-18T13:20:00.002-05:00

The Montreal band CFCF have returned with just a great new album, Continent on Paper Bag Records. The album will be released on November 3rd. CFCF is the work of songwriter, producer, remixer/DJ Mike Silver and follows up an EP and his collaboration with Sally Shapiro he released earlier this year. File under atmospheric electronica that you can either shake your groove thang to or float off down the a lazy hallucinogenic river by. This stuff is in the pocket.

Here's CFCF's cover of a Fleetwood Mac song from the album and another track from the album.

Big Love - CFCF

Monolith - CFCF (via The Fader)

Nite Jewel

2009-11-17T22:31:00.003-05:00

SVB can almost always get into the groove and a quick intro to Nite Jewel by our pals over at Stones Throw saw some pretty quick disco dancing action happening. This song is sort a of twisted 80's Arthur Baker tribute on mushrooms - heard through the ears of Ciccone Youth's take on "Into The Groove(y) and Midnight Starr's "No Parking On The Dance Floor." Two words: Coo. El.

Bonus video below.

Weak For Me - Nite Jewel

Xylos At Your Service

2009-11-17T21:45:00.003-05:00

Thanks to Evan over at Together In Digital Dreams for turning me on to Xylos, a five piece from Brooklyn who play a sort of sensitive and charming kind of indie-pop. They've got a sweet five song EP available for free here; all worth checking out.

For you Philadelphians, they play at Kung Fu Necktie on Thursday, December 17th.

Wrapped In A Page - Xylos

New Beach House

2009-11-17T16:39:00.002-05:00

The Baltimore based duo Beach House are releasing their highly anticipated Sub Pop Records debut on January 26th called Teen Dream. Likely to be the first "big" album of 2010 and for good reason: It's amazing. Can't say it any other way.

Here's a song from the forthcoming album

Norway - Beach House

The Hits keep coming...new Tindersticks

2009-11-16T21:04:00.003-05:00

Oh yeah, and here's a new Tindersticks song from their forthcoming album, Falling Down A Mountain due in February. Sort of reminds me of "Satisfaction" meets "Time Is Tight." And if you don't know those songs, your license to blog should be revoked.
Black Smoke - Tindersticks

Snow Patrol cover INXS

2009-11-16T21:01:00.001-05:00

Say wha?!?!?!
New Sensation - Snow Patrol

Langhorne Slim

2009-11-16T20:21:00.006-05:00

One of our favorite local illadelphian singer/songwriters Langhorne Slim plays Johnny Brenda's here in Philly with LA CSN&Y throwbacks Dawes this Thursday nite. It's got the makings of a great evening of new troubadourism. Here's one of a bunch of great songs from Langhorne's new album Be Set Free. He knocks this one out of the park, as they say.

My pal Heather over at Fuel/Friends has some very nice things to say about Mr. Slim on her blog and her Gigbot interview with Langhorne.

I Love You But Goodbye - Langhorne Slim

The Prisoner

2009-11-14T22:52:00.001-05:00

The Prisoner, episode 1 - Arrival

watch more episodes here

Mick Jones/Tony James AKA Carbon/Silicon Release New Album

2009-11-14T15:55:00.003-05:00

Carbon Silicon have a new album and they are giving it away for free. The Carbon Bubble has 12 new songs with Mick Jones and Tony James writing the tunes, playing guitars and singing and Leo Williams on bass and Dominic Greensmith on drums.

Here's a sample - then head over here to grab the rest.

Reach For The Sky - Carbon/Silicon

Fresh Start - Carbon/Silicon

Shadow - Carbon/Silicon

Beck's Record Club takes on Skip Spence

2009-11-13T21:16:00.005-05:00

You may have read about the next installment of Beck's Record Club - taking on the odd & obscure classic album Oar by Skip Spence and recruting help from Wilco, Feist and Jamie Lidell to do it.

Spence, for those of you unfamiliar with him, was a founding member of Moby Grape and one time drummer for Jefferson Airplane. He often gets lumped in to the small group of mysterious, puzzling, creative geniuses like Syd Barrett, Nick Drake and Chris Bell, and plagued with drug problems and mental illness he recorded his one and only solo album in 1968 after he was released from a stay in Bellevue Hospital. He was 22 years old when he recorded the album in 4 days, playing all the instruments himself. The record went quickly into obscurity; it was freak-folk when freak-folk mattered the most and still holds a candle to much in that genre. The album is a gorgeous enigma, country-tinged, gospel lined, freakishly folky and haunted by a hundred tortured ghosts of the blues of one kind or another. The album has been subjected to several re-issues over the years however this one is the one you should seek out. Diagnosed with schizophrenia, Spence died of cancer in 1999.

Required reading: Karen Schoemer, NY Times: "A Fragile Mind Bent In A Psychedelic Era

Below: The Beck Record Club session for "Little Hands" and Moby Grape from the Monterey Pop Festival.

Soulsavers

2009-11-12T19:59:00.004-05:00

Soulsavers' new album Broken seems to have fallen on quiet ears since its release in August. The band's redemptive gospel-goth-rock & soul seems to have gotten more cinematic and sonically expansive since their album of almost two years ago, It's Not How Far You Fall, It's The Way You Land. Mark Lanegan continues to handle most of the vocals along with collaborators Ian Glover and Rich Machin. Helping out on vocals are Gibby Haynes, Richard Hawley, Jason Pierce and Mike Patton. On the album, Soulsavers' cover of Gene Clark's (The Byrds) "Some Misunderstanding" is worth the price of admission alone. Thankfully, the rest of the album burns with high emotion. If you told me Lanegan would ever be making music this amazing when he was in Screaming Trees, I wouldn't have believed it.

You'll Miss Me When I Burn - Soulsavers (Lanegan, covering a Will Oldham song)

Sunrise - Soulsavers (sung by Will Oldham)

Weathervane Music Benefit Show tonight!

2009-11-12T09:59:00.002-05:00

Tonight is the first fund raiser for a new local based non-profit called Weathervane Music Organization. Founded by Philly local musician and producer Brian McTear, Weathervane works with independent musicians to support and advance their careers. The main thrust of their work are ongoing curated audio and video projects spotlighted in the Project Series. So far, projects have included the bands East Hundred, Danielson, BC Camplight and Sunset. All four bands are performing this evening starting at 9PM. It's a great cause and promises to be a fun night of music.

Below are some MP3's from the bands playing tonight and check out this interview with Brian McTear on Phrequency.com for a more in depth look at Weathervane.

Pocketful Of Debt - Sunset
Lord I've Been On Fire - BC Camplight
Slow Burning Crimes - East Hundred
Animal In Every Corner - Danielson

Summer Breeze - The Black Man's Treatment

2009-11-11T10:07:00.000-05:00

My friend Peter Himmelman did this really funny bit on his internet show Furious World last night called "The Black Man's Treatment" where he compared a song by a duo he deemed the "whitest duo ever" to a cover of their song by a Black artist. The duo: Seals & Crofts. The song: "Summer Breeze." The cover: by the Isley Brothers. Have to say the way he framed it up was pretty funny; however if you miss the humour, Peter's point was that the Isley's completely claim this song as their own with Ernie just playing some incredible guitar playing. Check it out.

Happy 40th Sesame Street

2009-11-10T20:46:00.003-05:00

Happy 40th Sesame Street

Monsters of Folk Live Broadcast tonight!

2009-11-09T08:30:00.002-05:00

Tell your friends: Tonight at 8PM ET, Monsters of Folk concert from the Academy of Music in Philly will be broadcast live on WXPN

New King Khan & BBQ

2009-11-07T19:29:00.003-05:00

King Khan & The BBQ Show just dropped a new collection of garage rock classics called Invisible Girl. Chuck Berry meets Circle Jerks? The Seeds meet MC5? Otis Redding meets the Sex Pistols? Here's some tunes from the past to get you acquainted if you aren't already.

Desert Mile - King Khan

I'll Never Belong - The King Khan & BBQ Show

Blow My Top - King Khan & BBQ Show

Hold Me Tight - King Khan & BBQ Show

On The Street Where I Live - King Khan & The Shrines

On A Brass Bed - King Khan & The Shrines

More Greatness from the Sunset album

2009-11-06T21:44:00.004-05:00

Just last week I wrote this about the fantastic new album from Austin's Sunset. Gold Dissolves To Gray is quickly shaping up to be one of my favorite albums of the year with its sun soaked luscious super crafty psych-pop songs. Here's another delicious song from the record.

Pocketful Of Debt - Sunset

Monsters Of Folk w/ The Roots

2009-11-05T21:51:00.002-05:00

Happy Halloween

2009-10-30T21:52:00.003-04:00

Spooky - Andy Williams

Halloween - The Dream Syndicate

Haunted House of Rock - Whodini

In Case U Missed Hova & Alicia at WS Game #2

2009-10-29T21:06:00.001-04:00

Sunset Over Austin

2009-10-29T10:36:00.005-04:00

Austin's Sunset was formed by Bill Baird, formerly of sound team, whose Movie Monster saw a lot of plays on the SVB iPod when it came out a couple years or so ago. Sadly, the band broke up and Baird (who has an amazing recording studio in Austin) formed this new project. On November 24th, they've got a beauty of an album coming out called Gold Dissolves To Gray on their hometown based Autobus Records (home also to the cool new Brazos record). Below are some tunes from Bill's site. "Garden Of Eden" is on the new record, and he just nails Neil Young's "Expecting To Fly."

Garden Of Eden - Sunset

World Gone Deaf

Expecting To Fly - Bill Baird

When Perfect Flames Expire - Sunset

{{{Sunset}}} is also involved with Weathervane Music a terrific new non-profit (worthy of your support) from Philly that is giving indie bands a well needed voice by working with musicians to support and advance their careers. They recorded the song "Fishtown" for their new album which below, you can see the video they cut for Weathervane's Project Series 2009. The band play in Philly on Thursday November 12th at Johnny Brenda's as part of a Weathervane Benefit with BC Camplight, East Hundred & Danielson. Check out Danielson's "Moment Soakers" project recording for Weathervane here

Avi Buffalo

2009-10-29T08:35:00.005-04:00

Long Beach, California's Avi Buffalo are releasing a full length on Sub-Pop in 2010 and are releasing a 7-inch single in early December. Avi Buffalo is the working band name of singer and songwriter Avigdor Zahner-Isenberg and with a musical nod to The Shins, Neil Young circa Cripple Creek Ferry, and the reverbed acuity of Beach House, we're down with the A-side of the forthcoming single.

What's In It For? - Avi Buffalo