Quantic

On my radio show, Quantic (aka Will Holland) is my go-to guy, so when I realized we had not given him the proper props on these pages I did some music mining. Lo and behold, Holland himself provides a minor motherlode on his Quantic site. I use him as a staple on the show precisely because his catalog is extensive and diverse. Holland cut his teeth on an album of downtempo hip-hop and soul, recorded in his bedroom before he'd turned 21. He's never looked back. Eight years and twelve full-lengths later, Quantic has proved himself a jack and master of all genres, at least the one's he's conquered thus far. Funk, soul, jazz, house, hip-hop, dub, electronic, and on his last few albums, reggae, salsa, tropical, and cumbia. His Combo Barbaro is made up of musicians from all over the globe, including Panamanian Singer Kabir on "Linda Morena." I've not only learned to never underestimate Quantic, I've also learned to count on him for quality and an ever expanding sonic palette.

Arianita [MP3, 5.8MB, 128kbps]
Linda Morena (Live in Paris) [MP3, 6.3MB, 112kbps]

www.tru-thoughts.co.uk
www.quantic.org

Various: Sleepingfish 8

Alisa and I read differently. She reads for plot. I for sentences. Sleepingfish publishes writers whose first concern is the sound of their sentences. Music without notes. Just tone and rhythm. Rhythm and mood. Consider this sentence from this issue:

She is unaware of the little bits of fabric he would sew into her palms: in private she squelches her poise and it is awful to hear silence exist in such a perfect American accent. [Julie Doxsee excerpt]

Sleepingfish not-so-regularly publishes such work from some my favorite writers: Peter Markus, Dawn Raffel, Diane Williams, and Terese Svoboda. Of note: the latest issue of Sleepingfish features an online supplement, a setlist of contributors past and present. We'll feature a few here, but more tracks, along with ordering info for the issue, can be found at Sleepingfish.

Venus Bogardus w/ David Ohle - G-Boys [MP3]
Poem Rocket - Appeal to the Imagination [MP3]
d. biddle - Laughter [MP3]

The Plimsouls

I don't remember where I'd been camping. I was thirteen years old, a boy scout. One of my best friends at the time, Greg Angel, was having a birthday party and because of a scout trip I wouldn't be there. There was a Plimsouls show at Perkins Palace in Pasadena, California. The party bus captained by Greg's mother would be leaving before I returned. A blowout between me and my parents probably erupted at some point, but my father, ever the peacekeeper, ever the politician, negotiated an early pick-up from the campground and offered to drive me out to the show. I don't remember many of the details, but I do recall: the pure stoke I felt towards my father as he drove our orange, '73 Ford Pinto up some L.A. freeway, headlights illuminating the road ahead of us, the seemingly cavernous venue, the sweet stink of marijuana smoke clouding the room, the raw energy of live drums, guitar, and the bass setting the pace of my heart, Peter Case in the flesh, cocked pigeon-toed at the mic belting out the songs I'd sung to myself hundreds of times before, the epiphany of rock and roll. And now these resurrected feelings of youth, stirred to life by this live album from that same tour, ordain my middle-age. Now what? Do it all again, this time with my own kids in tow.

Zero Hour (Live) [MP3, 3.7MB, 192kbps]

www.alivenergy.com
www.petercase.com

Phantogram

Phantogram sets the bar high for new music in 2010. Obvious comparisons to Portishead aside, this young duo easily hold their own. It's a fine distinction, but Phantogram is more space-hop than trip-hop and "When I'm Small" throws down a groove of heavily plucked bass that brightens up the bedroom vocals and scratchy record sample circling its way through the track. About a third of the way through everything drops out except soft synth pulses and echoing guitar to highlight Sarah Barthel's voice. Diamonds spill from this woman's mouth every time she opens it! My limited judgment is based on this and a couple other tracks, but I'm happily prejudiced and waiting to be fully abducted by Eyelid Movies on February 9th (vinyl via Ghostly). East Coast dates begin shortly before.

When I'm Small [MP3, 9.6MB, 320kbps]

"Mouthful of Diamonds" live on KEXP:

www.barsuk.com
www.myspace.com/phantogram

Tycho

Tycho's latest single evokes the tranquil mood that accompanied my recent sunset chase here in Huntington Beach. A few years back my father pointed out that late in the year, and from the vantage point of the H.B. pier, the sun settles into the isthmus of Catalina Island. My father is full of such miscellany. For some reason, this year I had a major itch to witness this minor phenomena. To my surprise, I found no information online, so beginning winter solstice I closely monitored the coast trying to determine the D-day. My efforts did not go unrewarded. The area experienced scattered showers in December, which smeared plenty of clouds across the skies, clouds that bled all the warm colors of the rainbow. Sensing that was the day, I crammed kids and cousins into the car on New Year's Eve and sped off to catch some dying rays. "Coastal Brake" provides that same warm, shimmering epiphanic moment.

Coastal Break [MP3, 13.3MB, 320kbps]

www.ghostly.com
www.tychomusic.com

David Bazan

I don't listen to David Bazan as much as I should. The reason why is pathetic. And definitely one a musician never wants to hear—that you love one album, or maybe just one song, so much that anything else from that artist pales in comparison, according to that person's narrow, small-minded, myopic point of view. Guilty. My two favorite song's from Bazan come from his Pedro the Lion album It's Hard to Find a Friend: "Big Trucks" and "When They Really Get to Know You They Will Run." I'm enamored by the way those songs sound like snippets from short stories, more narratives than lyrics. And their tempos, their simplicity, and Bazan's young, quiet earnestness on that first record. I realize this is no excuse and I need to dig deeper into his catalog—especially if I plan on attending one of his upcoming West Coast living room shows (Tickets go on sale today. Only 30 are available for each show). I don't want to be that chump in the corner only singing along to or requesting older material. I hate those people.

From Curse Your Branches (2009):
Bless This Mess [MP3]

From Fewer Moving Parts (2007):
Cold Beer and Cigarettes [MP3]

www.barsuk.com
www.davidbazan.com

Pocket

We just included Pocket's Top 9 of 2009 in our on-going Best of 2009 lists from friends of the 'hive. Be sure to take a gander that way for his take on art, apps and laughs along with his cover of New Order's "Sub-Culture" for next year's tribute album from 24 Hour Service Station. If you don't already have any of Richard Jankovich's songs in your pocket, now's the time to start squirreling. Formerly of Burnside Project, Jankovich began remixing tracks for oh, folks like Beck, Radiohead, Cat Power and Antony & The Johnsons. And now he's putting his depth of musical taste and history to good use in a series of singles marrying vocalists from bands like Dag Nasty, The Church, Shudder to Think, Liquid Liquid and Asobi Seksu with his own blend of electronic beats, blips, and blasts. I noticed he dropped a Human League sampled beat in one of his tracks as well—it's like he's curating the Gen X museum of music geekdom with his Warhol-esque pastiches of the past and ever evolving present.

Hear in Noiseville feat. Steve Kilbey (The Church) [MP3]
Beautiful Gray feat. Dave Smalley (Dag Nasty/Down By Law) [MP3]
A Force of Nature feat. Mark Burgess (The Chameleons UK) [MP3]

www.24hourservicestation.com
www.music-by-pocket.com

Vic Chesnutt

R.I.P.

I flew around a little room once. A line from Supernatural. He was just that. He possessed an unearthly energy and yet was humanistic with the common man in mind. He was entirely present and entirely somewhere else. A mystical somewhere else. A child and an old guy as he called himself. Before he made an album he said he was a bum. Now he is in flight bumming round beyond the little room. With his angel voice.

Patti Smith

From At The Cut:
Flirted with You All My Life [MP3]

Philip Guston [MP3]

Chain [MP3]

From North Star Deserter:
Warm [MP3]

Rustic City Feathers [MP3]

You Are Never Alone [MP3]

www.cstrecords.com
www.vicchesnutt.com

3some: Xmas 2009

Photograph by Chris Ziebarth

Merry Christmas! Here's our last installation of holiday cheer for the year. First up, a faithful rendition of The Three Wise Men's (aka XTC) "Thanks for Christmas" by Ireland's Pugwash. Led by Thomas Walsh, his band has a revolving cast of characters (Andy Partridge and Dave Gregory (XTC), Michael Penn, and Jason Faulkner. Watch for their U.S. debut next year. Next up, a song to remind everyone to keep their cool during the holidays by The Crookes. Cheerful on the surface with the ringing guitars and tambourines, but blue on the inside, relating the tale of a poor soul who gets the cold shoulder. Then a more traditional Christmas song from a band awfully generous to call themselves The Crookes. Check their 12 Days of Crookesmas for more holiday music. Hurricane Bells stuffs your stocking with a brief gem that I wish played through at least one more time. Songwriter Steve Schiltz, the former frontman for Longwave, has a new record out through Vagrant called Tonight is the Ghost. Last, but not least, London producer LJ Kruzer (Stephen Fiske) cranks out a bumping version of "We Three Kings" awash in heavy doses of synthesizer. Alrighty then, I'm off to celebrate Christmas Eve with sushi and the family. Peace and joy to you and yours!

Thanks for Christmas [MP3]
by Pugwash

Chorus of Fools [MP3] and
Oh Come All Ye Faithful [MP3]
by The Crookes

Christmas Don't Be Late [MP3]
by Hurricane Bells

We Three Kings [MP3]
by LJ Kruzer

12.18.09
Today's Christmas songs come courtesy of Hometapes. For the last eight days the Portland-based label has released a free Christmas song from a different artist. Stop by and listen around to all their other fine acts and see what they've been doing and digging this year.

Little Drummer Boy [MP3]
by Slaraffenland

It's Christmas (But I Don't Care) [MP3]
by Brad Laner

I Saw Three Ships [MP3]
by Megafaun

12.9.09
I'm really digging the next line up of Christmas tracks. Brand new to me are The Keys from Wales. Their soft-psychedelic sound warms the soul like hot cocoa and bobbing marshmallow. More rifling through their songs are in order. Speaking of getting warm, you'll want to snuggle up with a special somebody somebody while listening to Findlay Brown's cozy version of Wham's "Last Christmas." Not only do Boston's The Hush Now drop a soaring Christmas ditty, decked with lots of fa la las, they also get into the spirit of the holiday with an accompanying video that shows the band rocking out in a local liquor store. Watch for their new album, Constellations in February.

Queuing Up for Christmas [MP3]
by The Keys
Available now on See Monkey Do Monkey Recordings

Last Christmas [MP3]
by Findlay Brown

Wishing You a Happy Christmas [MP3]
by The Hush Now

And to top if off, a pair of soulful holiday songs. The label's want to do a gift exchange, so you'll have to give them your email. Wrapping paper not required.

J.D. McDonald - Boogaloo Santa Claus [Strut Records]

Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings - "Ain't No Chimneys In The Projects" b/w "Holiday Breakdown"

password: pw: dapholiday09

12.4.09
As promised, more more or less Christmas songs. We begin with a general holiday song from Sheffield, England's Standard Fare: "Tinsel Politics." The song anticipates the family politics Christmas time brings and the singer asks why it's even on her mind because she's "not even a Christian/and Hanukkah comes early this time and we'll still be in school." Wormburner's 2006 debut, A Hero's Welcome, was produced by David Lowrey (Cracker & Camper Van Beethoven). The band performs their annual holiday show at the Mercury Lounge (NYC) on December 12. Watch for their new album early next year. Lastly, long time 3hivers The Layaways added seven new Christmas songs to their EP, which makes...a Christmas album! They infect a lovely version of "Away in a Manger" with backwards guitar which adds a bit of psychedelia to carol.

Tinsel Politics [MP3]
by Standard Fare
Available now on Indiecator Records

(Christmas) Bells of St. Ignacious [MP3]
by Wormburner

Away In a Manger [MP3]
by The Layaways
Available now on Mystery Farm Records

12.3.09
'Tis the season to crank up the holiday tunes. Our digital stocking's getting stuffed full of Christmas music already and it's time to start giving the gift of sharing. Keep checking back to this post as we'll be adding new songs in groups of three. For our first round we've quite the motley crew. From St. Louis, MO, Rough Shop offer up a solid indie pop track. It's an original from their 11-song Christmas album. The Rondo Brothers are our cream-cheesy center with their playful and irreverent version of "Jingle Bells." Then from Brooklyn, New York come Bobtown with their gentle waltz, a mother-to-child lullaby called "The Boy King." Please email us with any festive songs that are buried underneath your tree and we'll keep piling them up. We're not respecter of holiday traditions, so all holiday songs are welcome. Speaking of which, hit that Rondo Brothers link to stream the hilarious "Dreidel Playa" featuring MC Lars.

Just Because it was Christmas [MP3]
by Rough Shop
Available now on "Just Because it was Christmas"

Jinglebells on Crack [MP3]
by Rondo Brothers
Available now on "This is Your Brain on Xmas"

The Boy King [MP3]
by Bobtown

Total Babe

Compared to the bands I'm about to use to describe them, Total Babe could be named Just Babes. Still in their teens, this Minnesota quartet just performed their EP release party in their hometown and one of their mother's baked brownies for the event. But their songwriting skills belie their ages. Oh the hooks! I was just listening to The Wishing Chair by 10,000 Maniacs and there's a similarity in the two bands' vocal deliveries, the languid enunciation, the stringing together of syllables from adjacent words, the way the vocals sound as if they're sung in some other Germanic language. Or imagine Lush unplugging and dropping their tempo a notch. That's it sort of— Total Babe strips away the feedback, the distortion, and the droning from the shoegaze aesthetic, leaving room for their heavenly vocals to breathe. Surprisingly, mature musical decisions for a young, fresh band.

Bearbones [MP3, 8.3MB, 320kbps]

SO tm Records
www.myspace.com/totalbabeband