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Glenn Jones

I’ve been sick with some damn virus for the past week. I’ve tried all kinds of things to get better, and so far I’m still feeling pretty lousy. Thank goodness for Glenn Jones’ new album on Thrill Jockey, My Garden State. This chilled-out, timeless guitar album has been just the medicine to get me through the long days of couch surfing and feeling like trash. Standout track “Across the Tappan Zee” (below) shows Glenn’s skills on the Banjo, along with Laura Baird’s banjo skills as well. I love this song and can’t get enough of it. Check it out. I hope you dig it as much as I do. Enjoy.

Glenn Jones – Across The Tappan Zee from My Garden State (2013)

Thrill Jockey

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The Everywheres

Halifax, Nova Scotia musician Samuel Hill has been recording music as The Everywheres since 2012. The music is a warm, shimmery, swirling guitar filled, psych-pop album with just the right amount of fuzz, reverb and as Father/Daughter describes, “peyote induced tambourines”. Check out opening track, “Unfortunate Direction” (below), to see what I mean.

The Everywheres self titled debut will be released through Father/Daughter Records on June 25. It’s a must have.

The Everywheres – Unfortunate Direction from The Everywheres (2013)

 The Everywheres (Facebook)

The Everywheres (Bandcamp)

Father/Daughter

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Young Hunting

Los Angeles quintet Young Hunting spent two years traveling all over California, recording their debut LP Hazel in various garages, living rooms, Joshua Tree, even inside a ranger’s station. The hard work and time spent has really paid off. Hazel is a laid back, reverb soaked, pop album. It’s the perfect album to play while kicking back on the porch sipping your favorite beverage. Check out “Maze” and “Baby’s First Steps” below, you’ll be glad that you did. Hazel will be released  June 4th on Gold Robot Records. Snag yourself a copy on vinyl while you can. Enjoy.

Young Hunting – Maze from Hazel (2013)

Young Hunting – Baby’s First Steps from Hazel (2013)

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Keaton Henson

I had no idea who Keaton Henson was two days ago, until I received a text from my cousin Ben, “Holy shit man, I am getting my world rocked right now by Keaton Henson’s album Birthdays. I feel like I am not worthy enough to listen to this singer-songwriter, and I am guaranteed to go to Hell, if there is such a place, because I am just learning about him. It’s the most simple but elegant music, with some of the best lyrics I have heard in a long time.”

After reading Ben’s text, I jumped on Spotify and listened to Birthdays for myself. It is just how Ben described, “…the most simple but elegant music…”. Check out “You” (below), one of the standout tracks from the album. The song consists mostly of 24 year old Henson’s soft, but powerful voice, accompanied mostly by guitar, with a few more stringed instruments sprinkled throughout. Birthdays was released by Anti at the beginning of April. It’s an intense album. I highly recommend it. Thanks for the tip Ben.

Keaton Henson – You from Birthdays (2013)

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Mikal Cronin

Mikal Cronin is back with MCII, his second album and first with Merge Records, out on May 7. It’s killer harmonies, fuzzy, shimmery guitar tones, piano, viola, violin and even slide guitar, all add up together to destroy the sophomore slump jinx that plagues so many musicians and bands. “Weight” (below) is my favorite song on the album. It starts off with a delicate piano intro, which is quickly buried by layers of pounding drums and shimmery/scuzzy guitars. “Shout It Out” (also below) starts out with some noodling guitar, which builds into a frenzy during the first chorus and never lets off from there. Do not sleep on this album, it will blow your mind. Download the songs below, load them onto your favorite listening device, crank them up and enjoy. This is the album of the summer.

Mikal Cronin – Weight from MCII (2013)

Mikal Cronin – Shout It Out from MCII (2013)

Mikal Cronin

Merge

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Cayucas

It’s been pretty cold where I live. Mother Nature has been teasing us with hints of spring for the past few weeks. Giving us a warm day followed by a week of cold days. The forecast looks to be in our favor, finally, with consistent warm days coming up in the forecast. The warm, almost tropical sounds of Cayucas debut album, Bigfoot, has been the perfect soundtrack to get me through these cold days. Check out the driving beat, shimmery guitars and Zach Yudin’s echoed vocals on, opening track, “Cayucos” (below), It’s the perfect song for that summer mix tape, and is just a taste of Bigfoot‘s awesomeness. Be sure to snag Bigfoot on April 30, from Secretly Canadian.

Cayucas – Cayucos from Bigfoot (2013)

Cayucas

Secretly Canadian

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The Lovely Bad Things

Orange County’s The Lovely Bad Things are right up my alley. They play infectious, hook-driven garage rock, sounding like a mixture of The Soviettes, Pretty Girls Make Graves and The Pixies. They also appeal to the geek in me by referencing Star Wars and Macho Man Randy Savage on three of their song titles. They even have an image of Bigfoot on the album cover.

The Pixies influence is strong on “Fried Eyes” (below) with spoken-word vocals and the laid-back, Kim Deal bass line. “Hear or Anywhere” (also below) the opening track from their new album, The Late Great Whatever, starts the album off right with sugar-sweet female vocals and pounding drums. The Late Great Whatever is out now on Volcom. For all of the analog lovers out there you can get this on cassette as well from Burger Records.

The Lovely Bad Things – Fried Eyes from The Late Great Whatever (2013)

The Lovely Bad Things – Hear or Anywhere from The Late Great Whatever (2013)

The Lovely Bad Things

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Telekinesis

Michael Benjamin Lerner is back with his third release, Dormarion, under the Telekinesis moniker. He recorded the album with Spoon drummer and producer Jim Eno at Eno’s Public Hi-Fi studio in Austin, Texas. On Dormarion Lane, to be precise.

Dormarion is catchy as hell. It’s a great follow up to his excellent 2011 release 12 Desperate Straight Lines. On “Empathetic People” (below) the drums blast you into submission as the layers of guitars wind in, out and around Lerner’s fuzzed vocals. Also for your listening pleasure is the over-before-you-know-it “Laissez-faire”. Please enjoy these tracks. Dormarion releases tomorrow, April 2 on Merge Records. You should buy it, it’s indie rock gold and I highly recommend it.

 Telekinesis – Empathetic People from Dormarion (2013)

Telekinesis – Laissez-faire from Dormarion (2013)

Telekinesis

Merge

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Will Courtney

Will Courtney’s debut solo release A Century Behind, is a longtime coming for me. I am a huge fan of his other band, Brothers and Sisters, and was bummed out when they went on hiatus back in 2010. Since then, I’ve been cyber-stalking Will, anxiously awaiting the announcement of this new album, which will finally be released in April.

The haunting organ tones, acoustic and surf-rock guitars, along with Will’s smooth vocals make “There’s No Answer” (below) one of the best tracks on the album. Whether you are brand new to Will’s music, or have been a fan of his for years, A Century Behind is a must own. Enjoy.

Will Courtney – There’s No Answer – from A Century Behind (2013)

Will Courtney (Reverbnation)

Will Courtney (FB)

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The Cave Singers

The Cave Singers are back with Naomi, their fourth LP and second release with Jagjaguwar. Vocalist Peter Quirk’s raspy voice is the real star on this album. “Have To Pretend” (below), with it’s driving rhythm section, oohs, and noodly guitar is one of the standout tracks on the album, and really showcases what the Cave Singers do best. Please enjoy, and be sure to catch them on tour in a neighborhood near you.

The Cave Singers – Have To Pretend from Naomi (2013)

The Cave Singers

Jagjaguwar

3hive post from 2011