Each 20 Minute Loop song bears its own unique persona, personality, and sound — making comparisons to everyone from X to XTC seem rather fleeting. So, if you want backstory, hit Epitonic’s vault of 20ML downloads. I’ll simply leave you with a track from the yet-to-be-released Yawn + House = Explosion, which does represent one common thread in their work: immediate, narrative lyrics that suck you into a whirlwind of mesmerizing boy/girl harmonies.
Mates of State
There’s one thing you can say about bands who tour constantly: they love their music. Mates of State is one of those bands — and you’ll soon love their music, too. In antipication of the November release of their new EP and DVD, enjoy these songs, one off of each of their three albums. Kori Gardner and Jason Hammel are literally mates, and the things they do with a Yamaha organ and a drumkit will soon put you in another state. So that’s how they got their name…
Migala
Bittersweet, cinematic folk with a love-worn voice that alone tells a million tales. Perfect for a chilly, rainy day…
Human Television
I’ve been on a huge Wedding Present revival lately for some reason (must be my sister getting married in April…) and, as always seems to be the case, I find myself experiencing the well-documented “Wedding Present Phenomenon”: nearly every other band I listen to now seems to be influenced by David Gedge and Company. This group from Gainesville is no exception, and would likely admit to having worn through a few copies of Bizarro. More Human TV MP3s (not to mention a good selection of Wedding Present CDs) can be found at Insound.
Zapan
Those guys at Fourthcity are such good fun we’ve just got to do another, namely the founder of Fourthcity, Zach Huntting, know to us as Zapan. This quote from Zapan, about Mister Afternoon, his collaberation with DJN, tells you all you need to know about him: “Our music is soothing, not unlike Christian radio or Kenny G, but with more of a drumnbass, booty hiphop-type flavor.”
The Bran Flakes
Shadow et. al. dig through dusty bins of vinyl in search of rare grooves for source material. The Bran Flakes must raid thrift stores and garage sales in hopes of their source: random grooves. TV shows, instructional recordings, kiddie records, and religious propaganda get all cut up, pasted, and looped into what I imagine could make a damn impressive soundtrack to Tim Burton’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Move over Elfman.
Epic
On one level, Saskatchewan’s own Epic is the antithesis of every rap stereotype. He’s an aging, vegetarian Newfie with no loot and an arrhythmic drawl that makes him sound more like the next Rappin’ Duke than the next Eminem. On another level, he’s true hip hop. Epic clearly lives to serve sucker MCs, rap what he knows, and make heads nod…he just does it on his own refreshingly unique terms.
(Even more MP3s are available at the Clothes Horse site. But, if you find yourself hitting rewind like I did, do the right thing at Phonographique.)
Hot Snakes
If per chance Drive Like Jehu changed your life at one point but you let yourself slip back into a rut, a coma, and you’ve been living under a rock (mortgage, marriage, career), snap out of it! Let the Snakes heal you. Or be damned. For the rest of you, start with these and work backwards. There may still be hope for you yet…
Revolutionary Hydra
Remember the Dutch Elms from a couple weeks ago? Remember I said I didn’t know anything about them, other than their ability to create pure pop? Well, I’ve since discovered the Dutch Elms and the Revolutionary Hydra have something in common: songwriter extraordinaire Jay Chilcote.
The Missouri Compromise
Starting all Tortoise-like and then building to an indie crescendo that could make even Conor Oberst cry. Epic.