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

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

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

Atlas Sound

What does it take to to wake me from a 3hive coma? One simple tweet: "@diplo: i wish atlas sound would ask me to make them a mixtape." Which got me thinking, How friggin sweet would that be? Which got me thinking, Wait, none of us have posted Atlas Sound on 3hive?? Which got me thinking, Where's my login??? So here goes... Atlas Sound is what the crazy prolific Deerhunter frontman Bradford Cox calls himself when doing the home recording thing. It's hard to put a finger on his steez cause it morphs based on his mood and whatever's moving him at the time. To get a sense of his wide range of influences, just check the playlist to his latest "micromix". The common thread is a drowsy, droney, and often messy sheen to surprisingly tuneful and hypnotic song structures. "Doctor" covers an obscure single from '50s/'60s doo-wop act The Five Discs. "Walkabout" is a pop chant that'll shimmy its way into your head and stay a while. And, given the season, I threw in Bradford's oddly sentimental "holiday" tune from 2007. Now, I'm heading back to Twitter for more inspiration...

from Virtual 7-inch No. 8 (2009):
Doctor (Five Discs Cover) [MP3, 3.4MB, 192kbps]
from Logos (2009):
Walkabout (with Noah Lennox) [MP3, 9.4MB, 320kbps]
from Holiday EP #1 (2007):
Requiem for All the Lonely Teenagers With Passed Out Moms [MP3, 5.4MB, 128kbps]

www.kranky.net
deerhuntertheband.blogspot.com
myspace.com/atlassound

Netherfriends

After a few days of obsessing over categorizing Netherfriends’ sound, I realized such efforts were unnecessary and that the six tracks on this EP were strong enough to stand alone. As vain as my attempts at classification may have been, I still have to try. Here goes: the majority of the Netherfriends EP is an exploration of pop possibilities. It’s an addictive mix of Animal Collective’s meandering instrumentation and the Elephant Six Collective’s tendencies to pay homage to ‘60s era pop. "Mom Cop" leans towards the latter. However you decide to categorize them, listener beware: I ended up memorizing the lyrics to all six songs in a day. Netherfriends exposed the addictive side of my personality.

- By Brie Roche-Lilliott

Mom Cop [MP3, 4.2MB, 160kbps]

www.emergencyumbrella.com
www.myspace.com/netherfriends

Patrick & Eugene

Don't hit the download link unless you adore:
1. Ukeleles
2. Banjos
3. Bongos
4. Slide whistles
5. Bells
6. Super cheery pop music
7. Trombones, clarinets and a variety of horns
Because those are the tools that Patrick & Eugene use to transform Kylie Minogue's "Can't Get You Out of My Head" into a bouncy klezmer romp. When left to their own songwriting devices P&E create equally breezy tracks, varied in tempo, but not tone. These are happy songs. Sunshine songs. Glass half full songs. Dixieland jazz songs. If you're old and jaded, grumpy, too cool to smile, or maybe just mean you'll want to hit someone after hearing the twin songs "Altogether Now" and "The Birds and the Bees," but maybe, just maybe if you listen long enough you'll offer a hand to the poor soul you just floored with your fist. Post Patrick & Eugene as the marching band to next month's Afghanistan surge and Obama very well may start bringing troops home in 18 months. They've got that kind of feel-good power.

Can't Get You Out of My Head [MP3, 5.3MB, 192kbps]

www.tummytouch.com
www.myspace.com/patrickandeugene

Neon Indian

Does time seem to move too slow for you? Do your days and weeks drag on? If you're interested in making time move faster I've got a piece of advice for you: make some babies. Probably not the best solution for everyone, but let me tell you the last thirteen years of my life have skated by. Yesterday I worried whether or not my kid would keep breathing throughout the night; today I worry whether or not he'll be able to find and hold down a job. It's not the economy that makes me anxious, but the teenagers I'm surrounded with everyday and their work ethic or lack thereof. So lately I've been on the lookout for tips on teaching kids how to work and why they should care about the quality of their work. Let me share what I learned today: don't introduce your child to Neon Indian!

One quick glance at these track names and I think you know where I'm going and what Neon Indian, né Alan Palomo, is selling. These playful, lilting pop songs and their psychedelic synth flourishes will do nothing but encourage your youngsters to raid your medicine cabinet, string up a hammock out back and sway their days away. He uses subversively cheerful melodies and samples of bird songs to lead your children away on a breezy headphone trip, far away from their duties and responsibilities. I'd like to see you get your children to make their beds to this music, let alone pull a shift at Mickey D's! If I didn't know any better, I'd say he's perfected the aural aura Cornelius has taunted us with for years. Whatever you do, don't listen to this! And be sure to keep your iPod and prescriptions locked up tight.

Terminally Chill [MP3]
Deadbeat Summer [MP3]

www.lefserecords.com
www.myspace.com/neonindian

The Cinematics

Imagine the Smiths on Ritalin. The Cinematics play peppy angst-filled post-punk pop—especially on "New Mexico." They slow it down and gloom it out on "Love & Terror," building the track around the guitar riff of "Personal Jesus." The Glasgow band seem happy to reside sonically in that peculiar time period between the '80s and '90s. This fits my theory that many sounds of popular music tend to rotate on a twenty year cycle. It matters less when the music emerges; the quality of sound and song reign supreme and regardless of their influences, The Cinematics seem to be settling into their own space on this sophomore release.

New Mexico [MP3, 5.5MB, 192kbps]
Love & Terror [MP3, 6.2MB, 192kbps]

www.theorchard.com
www.thecinematics.com

UltraChorus

The title of this first UltraChorus track reminds me of my five-year-old. He started talking later than most children do and he often uses his own syntax and vocabulary (he named his stuffed puppy LLPP, pronounced "lil-lip"). When he gets tired of listening to me, or anyone for that matter, he'll shake his hands and say, "Too many words, Dad." We've quickly adapted, for better or for worse, his version of English and whenever we're bored of anyone's verbal tirades, anytime their words keep talking and we've stopped listening, we shake our hands and repeat our kid's mantra. Their single artwork offers a keen graphic representation of this "too many words" phenomenon.

Musically, I can't get enough of UltraChorus. These boys from Minneapolis have got pep! Chris from the band used to be in Sukpatch, and his latest project is an extension of the bedroom beats he cranked out for Grand Royal way back in the '90s. Add the words "bubblegum disco" to the mix and you've got an idea of the party this duo dishes out.

Words Kept Talking [MP3, 11.0MB, 320kbps]
Scarlet Eyes [MP3, 9.0MB, 320kbps]

www.so-tm.com
www.ultrachorus.com

The Depreciation Guild

Favorite new song alert! As soon as I heard their new single, "Dream About Me," I rushed to alert my friend Chet who's a big fan of Ocean Blue and Prefab Sprout and while he hasn't reported back yet, I expect to hear that The Depreciation Guild is right up his alley. The band's sound transports me back to the early nineties, the years Chet and I were in radio together. The band takes the lush, dreamy pop sounds of early 4ad bands and distresses them a bit with fuzzy electronics and gentle reverb. Lots of other folks are taking note as well—they've sold out of their new single and Kanine records just reissued their 2007 album. Speaking of friends who'd like this band, I'm surprised our own Clay Calloway didn't beat me to the punch on this one, especially considering two-thirds of the band also play in The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, one of Clay's recent crushes he's gushed about on this site. The moonlighters will be extra busy as both bands head over to play the UK later this month. The band has some Midwest and East Coast dates before then, so if you like what you hear do some homework and catch them live, geography permitting.

Sky Ghosts [MP3, 8.0MB, VBR]
Dark Looming [MP3, 8.5MB, VBR]
Butterfly Kisses [MP3, 4.5MB, VBR]

www.kaninerecords.com
www.thedepreciationguild.com

Lord Newborn & The Magic Skulls

Well if this ain't the musical equivalent of the Three Amigos. Three musical desperados gathered on the West Coast to create aural havoc and obviously had the time of their lives. The parties involved include: Money Mark, Tommy Guerrero, and Shawn Lee, three "sound scientists" who've all made their own marks flying below the mainstream radar, carving out a groove amidst all that is going to be cool tomorrow. Both Mark and Guerrero released music early on through Mo' Wax and Shawn Lee recorded for Talking Loud and Wall of Sound early in his career. "Dirty Loco" is one of the two songs that serve as the dark heart of the record. The comparison is a bit ludicrous, but it sounds like a track off The Cure's "Pornography" record if Robert Smith had grown up in Southern California, raised on funk and soul. The rest of the album is full of laid back, easy-listening funk tracks, improvised, trippy, and generally cheerful. Dare I say it, Lord Newborn is a rare-groove jam band that I'd be happy spending a summer or three trucking around the country following their wake.

Disco Loco [MP3, 4.5MB, 160kbps]

www.ubiquityrecords.com
www.myspace.com/lordnewborn

The Radio Dept.

The Radio Dept started a journey a number of years ago, a pop voyage (pronounced French-style) if you will, that has started a new leg. The fuzzed out bliss pop seems so very long ago, as they enter an orchestral funk pop phase, still framed with their signature techniques. Regardless of the destination, the fun is in getting there.

Second Post 5/9/2008: The Radio Dept's last LP Pet Grief further cemented their delicate pop sounds, built with the tools of 80's pop (haunting keyboads, drum machines, echo pedals), as their sound. "Freddie and the Trojan Horse," from their upcoming June EP, doesn't mess with their formula, but it does turn up the tempo and the urgency.

Original Post 11/17/2004: Like religious conversion or political persuasion, music can be very personal. Isn't that why we like it? So rather than a cold, third-person blip about The Radio Dept., allow me to share something personal, which is that I just love The Radio Dept. Love. My longstanding record for the most times I've listened to a song in a row is Joe Jackson's "Got the Time," clocking in at 48 consecutive listens. But, at the rate I'm going, The Radio Dept.'s "Pulling Our Weight" is going to overtake that before the night is over.

David [MP3, 8.2MB, 256kbps]

Older downloads:
Why Won't You Talk About It? [MP3, 2.6MB, 112kbps]
Pulling Our Weight [MP3, 3.8MB, 160kbps]
Against the Tide [MP3, 4.1MB, 128kbps]

http://www.labrador.se

PDX Pop Now! 2009

Today we're happy to serve up a North West smorgasbord. However, unless you can get to the Portland area within the next 48 hours or so, this post won't do you much good. There are the MP3s. Have at 'em. That's the reason why you're here ain't it? This year marks the fifth time the good people of Portland have put their collective musicheads together for a weekend of free live music. The fantastic thing about the aforementioned people of Portland is that they're doing this all out of the goodness of their hearts. Bands, businesses, and residents all volunteer their time to put on this grassroots festival which has spawned action packed compilations that help raise money and awareness for the festival. I wouldn't mind it a bit if I were actually there this weekend enjoying the music, the weather, the wonderful city, and of course a healthy Powell's browse would top things off nicely. If only... Included are songs from a few bands playing this weekend. And if your attendance is more than my pipe dream, here's the link to the schedule.

The Shaky Hands - We Are Young [MP3, 3.1MB, 178kbps]
Menomena - Wet & Rusting [MP3, 4.9MB, 192kbps]
Explode Into Colors - Paper (Hot Sax version) [MP3, 3.5MB, 192kbps]
Jared Mees & The Grown Children - The Tallest Building in Hell [MP3, 7MB, 192kbps]
Ethan Rose and Laura Gibson - Sun [MP3, 4.4MB, 192kbps]
Nice Nice - Cold Sweat Part XVI
[MP3, 2.4MB, 128kbps]

www.pdxpopnow.com

Liechtenstein

This track has become a staple on the ol' show lately, and I was about to mention how well they sound after The Raveonettes. Good thing I did a bit of fact checking, because in fact the only bands that have preceded them are Ratatat, Sonic Youth, and CSS. Being from Sweden, Liechtenstein probably don't want to be compared to those aforementioned Danes, but I didn't make that comparison. Liechtenstein play sugar-free, bubblegum bedroom pop: not too sweet, but instantly endearing. No nonsense. No frills. Just charming vocal harmonies and a steady beat, all sounding like it's coming from the garage of the girl next door.

From Survival Strategies In A Modern World (2009):
Roses in the Park [MP3, 8.8MB, 320kbps]

From Stalking Skills 7" (2007):
Stalking Skills [MP3, 4.9MB, kbps]

www.slumberlandrecords.com
www.fractiondiscs.se/liechtenstein

Black Moth Super Rainbow

Somewhere in Pennsylvania, some guy makes trippy records with some of his friends. I do have a few more details about this guy. They won't do you much good though. His name is Tobacco and he lives in or around Pittsburgh. Maybe. He sings through a vocoder, a lot. Guys like this would get my vote for American Idol: write sunshiney melodies, set them to gentle grooves, and then perform from a sitting position, practically out of sight, hoodie or knit cap pulled tight, tinkering with their gadgets like some musical alchemist—the music transforming my mood, my state of mind, putting it at ease.

The new album is produced by Dave Fridmann who's worked with The Flaming Lips and Sparklehorse—a couple bands that BMSR would segue beautifully with. If you're a fan of Air, you'll really dig their new single, "Twin of Me." The Go! Team takes the track and runs with it, adding their signature upbeat beat to the otherwise summerly languid song. Speaking of summer, catch the band on the second leg of their summer tour this week on the East Coast.

From Eating Us (2009):
Twin of Myself [MP3, 4.6MB, 192kbps]
Twin of Myself (The Go! Team remix) [MP3, 3.1MB, 160kbps]
Born on a Day the Sun Didn't Rise [MP3, 5.2MB, 192kbps]

From Drippers rarities EP (2008):
Happy Melted City [MP3, 4.9MB, 226kbps]

From Dandelion Gum (2007):
Forever Heavy [MP3, 4.1MB, 128kbps]
Sun Lips [MP3, 4.6MB, 192kbps]

www.graveface.com
www.blackmothsuperrainbow.com

Luke Top

I am having a hard time filling in the genre field on iTunes for this Luke Top guy. In a word—curious. He plays the field a bit with bands, touring and recording with Cass Mccombs, Papercuts, and Foreign Born. I'm not going attempt a review of the Afro-Hebrew dance band Fool's Gold he co-founded. Discover that on your own. The important part of the story? He's quirky good. The cute-and-personable-brainiac-kid-in-math-class quirky good. Clearly being born in Tel Aviv to an Iraqi refugee and a Russian-born aviator transplanted to Southern California is a successful formula to inspire writing a light sigh of music.

by Emily M.

Friends [MP3, 4.3MB, 192kbps]

www.slowdeathrecords.com
www.myspace.com/luketop

The Raveonettes

I don't think I've been this excited about demos before. The Raveonettes last album Lust Lust Lust engendered exactly that in my aural cavity. Their fuzzy washes of surf guitars and garage rock immediately balmed the ever-present ringing in my ears and Sharin and Sune still lull me to sleep at night with their addictively sweet melodies. They're so good that I don't mind when I awake in the morning wrapped in headphone chord. Dangerous? Yep. Worth it? You bet. The tentatively titled "Last Dance" perfectly captures my fascination with these Danes: from the opening line (which I wish I'd written), "Your lipstick smeared sad," to the Beach Boys-ish woo-woos in the background, to the theme of the song itself (Sune succinctly explains it: "how drug addiction interferes with love"). My addiction to The Raveonettes hasn't interfered with my love life, rather with Alisa's sleep patterns, specifically when the wall of guitars rush in between verses of their track "Hallucinations" and bleed from my ears. It hurts oh so good.

Last Dance (demo) [MP3, 4.8MB, 192kbps]
Last Dance (final version) [MP3, 5.2MB, 192kbps]
Suicide [MP3, 4.4MB, 192kbps]
The Chosen One [MP3, 4.6MB, 192kbps]

www.viceland.com
www.myspace.com/theraveonettes

Photons

Photons will be releasing three EP's this year, the first of which is Glory!, out tomorrow via Insound.com. "Where Were You Last Night" continues the raucous party, still with bassoon.

Original Post Oct 20, 2008:
In trying to figure out what to write about San Francisco's Photons, I had several paths in mind. Working in the musical history of the city by the Bay, or coming up with something witty about their eclectic pop. Then I remembered the line from the top of their Myspace page that says all you need to know before downloading and listening: "Now with Bassoon!"

From Glory! EP:
Where Were You Last Night

Others:

This Must Be Love [MP3, MB, kbps]
Animals [MP3, MB, kbps]

myspace.com/photonsrock
www.insound.com

Irving

You'd think i'd break five months of silence with some yet-to-be-released, white-label, promo-only B-side REEEEEmix... No. It's a Los Angeles band that hasn't put out a record since 2006. But hey, it's new to me (discovered via Pandora of all places). Irving serve up carefree pop in a variety of flavors - thanks in part to the fact there are five songwriters in the group. My personal favorite is "I Can't Fall in Love," which I can't seem to listen to less than twice in a row.

from Death in the Garden, Blood on the Flowers [2006]
Situation [MP3, 1.5MB, 48kbps]

from I Hope You're Feeling Better Now [2003]
I Can't Fall in Love [MP3, 3.5MB, 128kbps]

from Good Morning Beautiful [2002]
Turn of the Century [MP3, 3.5MB, 128kbps]

eeniemeenie.com
www.thebandirving.com

Bliss

Guilty pleasure confession time. Culture Club. It was Chuck Davis in my Sophomore health class who told me that that one girl was actually a boy. Chuck knew these kinds of things. Chuck could draw the Adam and the Ants logo better than I ever could, so I trusted him, his judgment. So when he told me Boy George could sing I believed him. And he was right. While I rarely listen to Culture Club anymore and the thrill of freaking out my parents by listening to a band with a flamboyant homosexual singer has likewise faded, Boy George's voice hasn't. His soulfulness remains timeless. Props to these Danes for dragging him out of the tabloids and into this chilled out Morricone-esque duet.

American Heart (feat. Boy George) [MP3, 3.4MB, 128kbps]

www.myspace.com/theblissworldofficial

Jarvis Cocker

Jarvis Cocker. The man needs no introduction, does he?

Angela [MP3, 7.2MB, 320 kbps]

www.roughtraderecords.com
jarviscocker.net

21 Tandem Repeats

Here's another post from my friend Tim Ortopan:
Listening to 21 Tandem Repeats is a bit of a schizophrenic experience. Each track has its own sound and feel, from the Yo La Tengo flavored "Heidi Stopover" to the female vocals on "Pebbles". They have some tracks that sound like The Mountain Goats and others that recall Simon and Garfunkel's harmonies. Make sure you check out "On Frozen Pond," a nice tribute to growing up in Canada. Their album No Junk Mail Please has something for everyone, and they can really pull off the changes in tone well. Perhaps the more I think about it the thing which unites all of the tracks is not schizophrenia but rather that they are all crazy good.

Robertson's Dream Orchard [MP3, 3.8MB, 192kbps]

www.canadalynxrecords.com
www.21tr.ca

Paper Moon

A few months ago (or more, I forget exactly), Paper Moon released an EP that made me pretty excited about the release of Only During Thunderstorms, the band's third full-length release. Well, that release happened two days ago, and that smooth '80s-ish Paper Moon pop is still there, with hooks and catches and everything you'd ever want in bountiful abundance. I'm already a fan, so there's not much point in being objective; this album makes me happy.

Say It's All Over [MP3, 4.1MB, 320kbps]
What Are You Going To Do With Me [MP3, 349MB, 192kbps]

Original post: 06/09/06
You gotta check out the opening keyboard lick on Paper Moon's "Mercury is Clearly Opposing Neptune." It fits right in with the popped collars all the high school kids are wearing these days — 1986? '87? Even the little hitch in Allison Shevernoha's voice about 30 seconds into the song reminds me of the old days. If you teenagers of the Reagan years seek a few minutes of nostalgia, or you modern reenactors are wondering what things sounded like back then, look no further than the catchy pop of Winnipeg's Paper Moon.

String of Blinking Lights [MP3, 5.9MB, 192kbps]
Mercury is Clearly Opposing Neptune [MP3, 4.4MB, 192kbps]

endearing.com
papermoon.ca

Javelins

Here's a post from my friend Tim Ortopan:
I am not cool and as I write this I realize that it is pretty likely that I have never been cool, but I think I know what it looks like and I know this fact: Matt Rickle is cool. I first met him in the summer of 1998 when we both worked at the same movie theater; he was an usher and I worked behind the concession stand. We talked about music and he once even made me a mix cd; that was it for me — total man crush. Over the years I have seen Matt play drums in a variety of bands, some good, some not as good, but the coolest one was certainly the Javelins, for whom he also sings. They have a low fi talk-sing quality mixed with some pretty traditional indie rock instrumentation. The band might not be great but they're pretty good and I'll be damned if they aren't cool.

Out on the Sand [MP3, 3.6MB, 192kbps]

suburbansprawlmusic.com
www.javsjavsjavs.com
www.myspace.com/javelins

Charlene

One of Charlene's principal players also had his fingers in a sweet little pie called Sugar Free Records back in the '90s. I credit that label for bringing Beulah to my consciousness, and for that I'll be a long time grateful. So I had high hopes for this record when it showed up in the mail and I'm pleased to report I'm not disappointed. Their new single is simply thrilling: wailing, shimmering, jangling guitars create a warm wall of sound; vocals, unrushed, take their time sauntering in and out of the airy melody and just as I settle in, wishing the song never ends, it ends. Repeat! Repeat! Repeat! And that's just the first song. I'm always geeked to file another band between my Galaxie 500, Rain Parade, and Slowdive collections. For those of you in and around Boston, keep your eyes peeled since you'll probably have the first chance at catching them live. No sign of upcoming shows yet. If Charlene were a tree and it fell in the woods, yes, it would make a sound. A big, beautiful, noisy sound.

From Oh Hey:
Oh Hey [MP3, 3.7MB, 160kbps]

From Charlene:
Ripoff [MP3, 3.5MB, 128kbps]
Sugarblocker [MP3, 4.7MB, kbps]

From 3.5eps a Sharkattack! compilation:
Radio Son [MP3, 4.1MB, 128kbps]

From various 7-inch singles 1999-2001:
Summertimer [MP3, 3.2MB, 128kbps]
No Fly [MP3, 2.6MB, 128kbps]
Taking a Dive [MP3, 3.5MB, 128kbps]

www.sharkattackmusic.com
www.chrln.com

O+S

There's a pretty cool explanation of how O+S came to be over at the Saddle Creek website. The short version: Orenda Fink and Scalpelist (Cedric LeMoyne of Remy Zero) used an old friendship and lots of new and exotic sounds to put together an album rich in texture and atmosphere. Even on the first spin these tracks seem to possess a complex, almost academic structure. Just the opening 30 seconds of "We Do What We Want To" can clue the listener in to the agenda of O+S, with their swirls of sound and ethereal vocals; that is, to put a little artistry into their art.

We Do What We Want To [MP3, 4.2MB, 160kbps]
Permanent Scar [MP3, 4.1MB, 160kbps]

www.saddle-creek.com
www.myspace.com/opluss

Wavves

Young Nathan Williams aka Wavves has been making a lot of...wait for it...no, I'm not going to do that to you...Williams has been making lots of friends (or enemies perhaps) over the weekend as out in Austin, Texas for SXSW as he just wrapped up ELEVEN appearances. He now makes his way out East and then back home to San Diego. Williams' not-so-stealth appearance into the indie scene largely depends on his DIY ethic, both in production and publicity. He's a one man bedroom band equipped with a multi-track recorder and enough instruments, harmonies and fuzz to fill said bedroom. I mentioned fuzz right? He's full of it, but for those of you not trained to do so, be patient and listen deeper into the songs, past the noise, and you'll be rewarded with this kid's hooks! He's full of them too. Plans are in the works to put out a proper studio album, but you'll want to be able to tell your kids you were listening to Wavves "before he sold out." It'll be analogous to the "I was listening to Beck when he was on Bongload" conversations happening 17 years ago. Fat Possum just put out his album, Wavves, last week, but it was live on iTunes months before that. And previously Williams released a slew of cassettes and 7-inch singles on a handful of different labels. Wavves is stirring up a big tsunami in a little pond, jump on board and ride it in before the line-up gets overcrowded.

So Bored [MP3, 4.4MB, 192kbps]

www.fatpossum.com
ghostramp.blogspot.com

Coltrane Motion

There's something about 3hive's hard drives and Coltrane Motion. Sam's crashed three years ago shortly before posting about Chicago's Coltrane Motion, and mine recently had to be replaced, too, shortly before posting about them. I had intended to also post some photos I took of Coltrane Motion when I saw them in May 2006 while in Chigaco, but I may have to blame a different hard drive crash from last summer for misplacing most of those. Which is rather unfortunate, as they played in an old church, and I got a sweet shot of Michael Bond bouncing under an enormous lighted cross while still trying to keep his mouth at microphone level and not tipping over his laptop stand. Michael, the driving force behind Coltrane Motion, is also a dead-ringer for 3hive's Sam, but alas, that photographic evidence is also missing. I did find an poor quality shot I took with my phone inside the church, which is below. Sam's description of Coltrane Motion still holds true, as further demonstrated by their first 7" release "The Year Without A Summer b/w Maya Blue," out tomorrow.

Original Post by Sam on 14 Jan 2006:
My hard drive crashed this week which, as reliant as I am on my PowerBook, is like suffering short-term memory loss. One of the few artists I remember having on tap for 3hive is Coltrane Motion, who are members of a Midwest artist-run collective/label called, irony of ironies, datawaslost. These tracks are a good representation of Coltrane Motion's "sound" — in quotes because they seem to have as many "sounds" as they have songs, due in part to their habit of making their own software and instruments. This makes remembering what I wanted to say about Coltrane Motion even more difficult. Was I pogoing to the urgent dance-punk of "I Guess the Kids Are OK" or singing along to the sizzling crooner pop of "Pi Is Exactly Three"? Cutting rug to the cheeky Beck send-up "Supersexy '67" or stroking my chin to the backmasked glitch 'n' beats of "The End of Every Movie"? Couldn't tell ya. So I guess I'll own up to liking all four. And, please, before you start downloading: a moment of silence for my hard drive...

The Year Without a Summer [MP3, 3.6MB, 192kbps]

Older songs:
I Guess the Kids Are OK [MP3, 4.0MB, 160kbps]
Pi Is Exactly Three [MP3, 4.6MB, 160kbps]
Supersexy '67 [MP3, 3.1MB, 160kbps]
The End of Every Movie [MP3, 3.1MB, 160kbps]

www.datawaslost.net
www.coltranemotion.com

Rae Spoon

Rae Spoon is, according to the publicists, "one of the world’s only transgender country singers." He's also a clever songwriter and a bit of a wit, and really not all that country, at least on his most recent release, superioryouareinferior. This disc is a trip through musical styles, from lo-fi indie pop to mod folk. Drop a buck and download "If You Lose Your Horses" if you're looking for a classic country track, or check out the album's opener for an example of Spoon's songwriting smarts — I never knew I wanted to write a song for the Great Lakes until I heard his. Oh, and if you're looking for a record full of what it means to be a transgender country singer, you might want to keep on looking, because this isn't it.

Come On Forest Fire Burn The Disco Down [MP3, 4.3MB, 192kbps]

www.raespoon.com
www.myspace.com/raespoon

Casiotone for the Painfully Alone

Here's one that's long overdue for an update and what do you know we're just in time for Casiotone's single collection due out this week. It's called Advance Base Battery Life. The opening track, "Old Panda Days," is classic CFTPA and highlights Owen Ashworth's cunning command of couplets rhyming "boyfriends I shouldn't have kept" with "stupid flatbeds we never swept." You'll have to listen to get the context. Not one to leave us hanging, Ashworth will quickly follow his singles and rarities collection with his fifth album, Vs. Children, of which "Optimist vs. The Silent Alarm" is part and proof that while Ashworth may be a one-man band, a one-trick pony he ain't.

Note: Be sure to check out the SXSW Megamix from Tomlab, K Records, and Asthmatic Kitty. No medley nonsense here, just lots of full-length gems.

Old and Panda Days [MP3, 3.2MB, 192kbps]
Optimist vs. The Silent Alarm (When The Saints Go Marching In) [MP3, 2.1MB, 160kbps]

Sam's original post 2/4/2006::
Casiotone for the Painfully Alone has been one of those monikers that kinda gives away the ending before you even press play — like Rage Against the Machine, or Insane Clown Posse. I say "has been" because now Owen Ashworth (who from some angles looks remarkably like 3hive's Jon Armstrong, see for yourself) has joined forces with producer Jherek Bischoff to expand his sound beyond its lo-fi trappings. "Young Shields" is the lead-off single from the resulting album, Etiquette, which by all indications still speaks to the Painfully Alone, just with less Casiotone (and a lot more of everything else) than before. "Cold White Christmas" is also from the new joint... Where was this track when I was putting together my Christmas podcast? Oh well, this one defies seasonality. When isn't a good time for some chilly melancholy?

Young Shields [MP3, 2.9MB, 128kbps]
Cold White Christmas [MP3, 4.6MB, 128kbps]
Bobby Malone Moves Home [MP3, 2.5MB, 160kbps]
New Year's Kiss (version) 4-track home recording [MP3, 2.5MB, 160kbps]
Graceland [MP3, 2.5MB, 160kbps]

www.tomlab.de
www.cftpa.org

Helicopters

Man, recessions suck. It's all work, work, work. I've been woefully ignorant of all of these Internet happenings except perhaps Twitter because, y'know, that's just quick random thoughts, right? But what we could really use in these lean times are free MP3 downloads. So god bless you for going strong with 3Hive, Sean and Joe and Clay, because there's so much great music out there and, long hours be damned, we gots to share the sharing! Like Chicago's Helicopters, a group that got its first major exposure by winning a battle of the bands contest that gave them a slot at Lollapalooza. And they didn't stuff the ballot box, either. Like the Chicago Man of the Decade, Helicopters offer a complex yet accessible brand of hope that is a sea change from a cynicism that has prevailed for too long. It's no small feat considering they have three primary songwriters. Such musical trinities can lead to a garbled mess of influences. And while you'll get a smorgasbord on Sizing Up the Distance, from synthed new wave reduxes to driven guitar anthems to emo wails, there's a common thread of pop craftsmanship that pulls it all together. These are some finely crafted gems, and at least one of them is free. The Spring thaw is upon us, and hopefully the financial thaw is about to follow – and with Helicopters, my thaw soundtrack is coming together nicely.

Emergency [MP3, 5.4MB, 128kbps]

www.ilovehelicopters.com
myspace.com/helicopters
www.flycasualrecords.com

Belleisle

In college I was a creative writing major, and that same subject was my favorite class ever to teach in high school. Were I to still be teaching the class, I think I'd probably use the text to Belleisle's track "Talks a Lot" as a classroom sample of the "every poem is a song" idea. The song, from the 2008 album Longstanding, exhibits a narrative sense that I just love. Speaking of love, I'm starting to feel that way about Belleisle, (and it's not just because I used to go to the Frederick Law Olmstead-designed Detroit park of a similar name when I was a kid). The Montreal-based team of Rebecca Silverberg and Tasha Cyr make up the core of Belleisle, and their smooth delivery and surprisingly tasteful moments of dissonance are making me smile a whole lot, making me want to wax poetic.

Talks a Lot [MP3, 3.9MB, 192kbps]
Spirited [MP3, 4.6MB, 192kbps]

www.shipsatnight.com
www.myspace.com/belleislemontreal

Milke

My mother prides herself on being "with it." And compared to 99% of mothers I guess she probably is, as far as any mother's "with-it-ability" goes. People are still often surprised to find out that she's my mother since she looks too young and flashy to have a son who looks as old and frumpy as I do. And she was quite the early Facebook adopter amongst her friends and her generation. Speaking of which, this morning she expressed dismay at the fact that one of our mutual friends would use a photo of herself with her tongue sticking out as her profile picture. "It's sexually suggestive," my mother said. She may be up to date on technology, but her sexual boundaries are still quaintly old-fashioned. No mother, Shari's picture is fun and sassy, this is sexually suggestive and *gasp* highly androgynous.

This is the artwork to Milke's new single, "Love Get Out of My Way." The duo mix French electro with soulful pop vocals for a sound that's sure to be burn its way through the club scene and get the blog-o-kids all geeked. The two principles behind Milke are from opposite ends of the music world: producer Andrew Friendly has been DJing and remixing his way around the world, remixing the likes of Justice, LFO, and Darren Hayes, while singer Ra has been holed up on his own, flying way below the radar, until Friendly heard his work on the Black Grass album. Now with Milke they're writing tracks that transcend their former domains. It's big, bold, and yes, suggestive, synth-y disco. My mother will love the music, but loathe the artwork. I'm bracing for the response she's sure to fire at me on Facebook (Hi mom!) Speaking of which, here's a reminder to join us there too.

Love Get Out of My Way [MP3, 3.0MB, 128kbps]

www.myspace.com/gulpcommunications
www.milke.co.uk

The Very Most

I don't think anyone suffering through a harsh winter would think it's too early to start dreaming about Spring. Boise's The Very Most has been planning for this Spring for some time. In fact, they've got the next year planned out as four EPs celebrating the next four seasons. Spring is available now and Summer hits on May 1st."Today It Is Even Better" shimmers as bright as any song ever posted on these pages. Warm and fuzzy indie-pop good the whole year round. They even take on Morrissey, the king of melancholy, and sweeten up the Smiths "Cemetry Gates." If you think this sacrilegious, then you especially need a dose of The Very Most. Prepare for an imminent cheering up by the band that makes dying sound like a jangle of a good time.

From Spring (2009):
Today it is Even Better [MP3, 4.5MB, kbps]

From Congratulations Forever (2008):
Sod Off [MP3, 5.7MB, 256kbps]
Good Fight Fighting [MP3, 5.2MB, 256kbps]

From Making the Case for Me (2004):
I Can't Believe You Actually Died [MP3, 3.7MB, 192kbps]
Sweet Job [MP3, 6.1MB, 192kbps]

And this Smiths cover:
Cemetry Gates [MP3, 4.2MB, 192kbps]

www.indiecater.com
www.theverymost.com

Laura Gibson

Since everyone else is doing it — all the other reviewers and critics and press types, that is — I'll avoid comparison when discussing Laura Gibson, and instead just say that her smooth, precise, detached vocal styling should appeal to anyone who likes an eccentric female singer-songwriter. "Spirited," off the forthcoming Beasts of Season, suggests an orchestrated lushness to this young Oregonian's songs, as opposed to the more classic shuffle of "Hands in Pockets," from 2006. Speaking of the new album, NPR will feature it next week in streaming audio as part of its Exclusive First Listen series.

from Beasts of Seasons (2009):
Spirited [MP3, 4.5MB, 192kbps]

from If You Come To Greet Me (2006):
Hands in Pockets [MP3, 2.8MB, 128kbps]

www.hushrecords.com
www.myspace.com/lauragibson

Jason Holstrom

Clay recently wrote about not being able to post the bands you'd really like to, and I can sympathize. A few years ago I wanted to share The Hazzards, a ukulele-playing pair of girls from, of course, Brooklyn. Alas, nothing was available. If you're looking for a uke fix, though, a little Jason Holstrom can do the trick. While decidedly more island-themed than The Hazzards, who were, you know, ironic (from Brooklyn), Holstrom plays it kind of straight, dishing up clean pop songs with some palm-inspired lilt. A veteran of a bunch of Seattle bands I'd never heard of, Holstrom gave us a travelogue with his 2007 album The Theives of Kailua. Uke it up!

On the Waikiki [MP3, 1.7MB, 128kbps]
The Thieves of Kailua [MP3, 4.6MB, 128kbps]

millpondrecords.com

The Submarines

You've heard the Submarines by now. They're getting a lot of buzz nowadays, but even if you haven't, just think of the commercial for a certain fancy cell phone that everyone seems to have these days. See, you have heard them.

Our motto here at 3hive is "Sharing the Sharing," where we share free and legal MP3's. And there are so many times when we want to share an awesome band, but they don't have any free MP3's on offer. I've been wanting to share an old fave of mine since the start of 3hive, Jackdrag aka Jack Dragonetti, for ages. "Aviating" is one of those songs I just keep coming back to over the years. But no MP3's to share. Then he formed the Submarines with Blake Hazard, moving on from his eccentric folk-pop to more electric, pure pop. Their song "Peace & Hate" from their Declare a New State LP is one of my faves from 2006. But no MP3's to share. However, the day of sharing has finally come. For their current tour with the Morning Benders, this now husband-and-wife duo has released a free single covering the Benders' song "Waiting for a War." Patience pays, eventually.

Waiting for a War [MP3, 5.9MB, 256 kbps]

www.nettwerk.comwww.thesubmarines.com
myspace.com/thesubmarinesmusic

Bishop Allen

Bishop Allen may very well be the first band that's been reviewed by three of us. Yeah, we're pretty geeked about them. Take a look at the artwork for their new album Grrr... Do you like what you see? Do you appreciate its colorful, simple whimsicality? Then you'll love the new tracks; the music marches hand-in-hand with the visual. Notice the clean white space. The music has that same crisp, airy feeling. I quickly donned headphones, wanting to squeeze my brain in between the bright melodies, the bouncy bass, snappy guitars, and the lyrics' 'ancient commonsense' poetics. The question is, will the songs last the replays while I wait another month for the other eleven songs? I'm highly suspicious the answer is yes. Songs like these remind me why 3hive exists: must...tell...others... The new album and tour begins March 10th. But a pre-order ensures you get the goods a week in advance.

Dimmer [MP3, 4.1MB, 192kbps]
The Ancient Commonsense of Things [MP3, 4.7MB, 192kbps]