(shake)

Ex Models


My Pal God Records recently sent me a pack of cds, stickers and such(a big thank you!) and one cd in particular caught my ear.. The Ex Models/The Seconds Split EP. Ex Models are extremely chaotic, loud, and unpredictable. These guys don't just walk all over no-wave punk, they slaughter it with a chainsaw. If you are a fan of Melt Banana then you're crazy enough to love Ex Models as well.
After listening to "U Got What I Need(Shake)" on repeat for around a half hour I was literally jumping off the sofa into the walls and headbanging fast enough to induce vomiting.. The adderall might have played some small part in that but the song was definitely the protagonist... *shrug*
Don't expect me to pay any hospital bills.. listen at your own risk.

U Got What I Need(Shake)
Girlfriend is Worse
Buy American
Pink Noise

Official Site:
http://www.exmodels.org

Buy Their CD:

these are the death rattles of the elemental spirits of the industrial age...

Circular Firing Squad


The phrase that keeps popping into my head listening to CFS is "mechanical malice...." There are really, really big robots out there and they're gonna kiiiiill you..
*ahem*......
yeeeeeeeeeah..
But seriously, this is evil, synthetic, murky ambience at it's best. If TRON had been an artsy horror film, these guys would've composed the soundtrack. Any fan of the works of artists such as Coil or Lustmord should like these guys.

Floating Threshold
Moraine

Buy Their CD:

she... said cancel everything..

The National


Listening to The National, the first name that comes to mind is Cash, Berninger's heartbreaking-ly deep voice hits me just as hard. "Melancholy" doesn't even begin to describe the music of the National, this is music to hole up in a room for days and get drunk by yourself with.
Everyone keeps comparing them to Interpol, Joy Division and the like... Don't listen, The National is their own band, they write deeply emotional, dark music that hits you not because "it sounds just like..." but because, unlike the majority, this stuff is real.

Wasp Nest
The Slipping Husband
Murder Me Rachel


Official Site:
http://www.americanmary.com

Buy Their CD

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Despistado


For the three years that they existed, Despistado was known as the next big Canadian band. Their live show was legendary, and their debut cd was feverishly anticipated by their fans. Then, right before the release, they disbanded.
The end.

What?!?

These guys are really catchy, its lucky for us they chose to release their cd, post-breakup. One can only hope they work out whatever issues caused the breakup and get back to touring! Fans of Alternative Dance-Punk(Hot Hot Heat, Futureheads, The Deadly Snakes..etc) will dig this.


Burning House
A Starstick's Prediction

Buy Their CD

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Saint Etienne


Saint Etienne have been revolutionizing the U.K. Indie-Dance scene for over 10 years. Mixing Acid-house vibes with Indie-rock attitude these dance floor rockers are still taking over! The bass line in"Lose That Girl" makes me [want to] dance in the streets.. For anyone over the age of 25 planning on listening, please, don't hurt anything.

Lose That Girl

Official Site:
http://saint.etienne.net

Buy Their CDs:

the sunshine glints off wedding rings and bullets.

Sickoakes

Sickoakes - "Wedding Rings and Bullets in the Same Golden Shrine"
Note to self.. do not listen to this track while studying.. WILL induce nearly comatose state of relaxation.
So there I was, studying like the diligent student I am when suddenly I was viciously hypnotized by this epic hunk of post-rock.. While it may not be terribly groundbreaking, it is quite enjoyable, especially if you are already a fan of artists such as Sigur Rós and Godspeed You Black Emperor!
One of the things that stood out to me, however, is the uncanny way they use horns. I haven't heard horns(saxophone, trombone, trumpet, xaphoon) help a song's mood like this since Kayo Dot's "Marathon," and believe me, its moody.
I was puzzled about the "one track album" thing till I saw that the track is 15 minutes long, it's well worth the listen. The song ebbs and flows like any decent instrumental post-rock song will, and yes, it crescendos to a climactic end.
Predictable? Yes. Will you care after listening? That's for you to find out. As for me, I found it quite comforting.

Wedding Rings and Bullets in the Same Golden Shrine

Official Website
www.sickoakes.tk

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Seth Knappen


Former Darling frontman Scott Knappen has a knack for milking a simple melody for all it's worth. In "Sunshine," the mood is slightly wistful, especially at the line "good day, sunshine." This track wraps itself around you like a warm blanket, Scott draws every note out and uses pauses to his advantage, slowing the tempo ever so slightly and basking in the tension there. The emotion floating all through this tune is so thick I keep expecting him to start laughing, or crying, or both. Knappen has a beautiful voice that he knows how to use, he knows when to be strong and when to waver.. This is a very solid production, hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Sunshine

Buy His CD:

your heart goes faster with each amphetamine..

Emperor X

It's hard to put Emperor X into any one genre because he covers so much musical ground, but you can count on whatever he delves into being catchy.. I catch glimmers of everything from Pinback to Manitoba.. Lo-Fi Pop should all sound like this.

From "Central Hug/Friendarmy/Fractaldunes/Land The Dreams That Resulted":
Sfearion
Shut Shut Up
Right to the Rails
The Citizens of Wichita

From "Tectonic Membrane/Thin Strip on an Edgeless Platform":
Exterminata Beat
Laminate Factory
Garbage Shaft Floor-by-Floor
Florencia Tropicana

Official Site:
http://www.emperorx.net/

Buy His CDs:

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Vim

Vim - "Perpetual Autumn EP"
Another outstanding release from the Monotonik camp. Discovering that label has made me a very happy boy indeed, who doesn't like free EPs? Vim is the most active member of Monotonik, with somewhere around 10(?) releases under his belt. The newest EP is my favorite release of his to date. Thick, full synths have lazy conversations with each other, weaving through complex melodies and occasional glitchy laptop beats that somehow manage to remain relaxing. Vim's newest release definitely draws influence from artists such as Boards of Canada, Plaid, and M83 but keeps it's own personality and shines because of it.
Chimier
CO pt 2
Wall of Squares(aka chip62)
Welcome Afternoon Nap
Goodbye Payphones

Official Website
http://www.vimster.demon.co.uk/

"sometimes you revert to bleepiness"

I recently discovered several Netlabels that are producing music that is simply blowing me away. You'll be seeing a lot of stuff from them from now on.. I'm hoping after getting a taste of them you won't complain too much..

ST

I'll Meet You There EP
This EP hasn't left my playlist for hours.. The first time I played it I sat there just drinking it in till the last note faded. From what I could find online, it seems ST(short for Stefan Ternemar) is a Swedish artist who's been around(the netlabel scene) for 2 years or so.. during which he has released a handful of EPs.. Listening to the first EP, Emotion in a Box, it's hard to imagine that both EPs were created by the same artist. While still catchy, it's far removed from the lush indietronica of "I'll meet You There".
The Ep opens with "Csanca", a wistful pop track which delves into triphop territories at times. The piano that comes in around 1:50 and the vocals around 2:36 raise this song far above the standard indietronica track. The singer, Henrik José (Bliss) has a really great voice and is also a Monotonik artist. The subtle way he pronunciates is nearly hypnotic.(You'll hear more of it in "I'll Meet You There".. Don't worry) "I'll Meet.." has a steady guitar-strumming rhythm and a "The Notwist"-esque glitchy beat.. and "I Met a Girl With Butterfly Wings" is an warm, upbeat track with gorgeous female vocals skittering about. Listening to the EP as a whole is very pleasing and leaves me feeling all warm inside, hope you like it.
Csanca
I'll Meet You There
I Met a Girl with Butterfly Wings

Stream or download his earlier EP.

oh the wonderous joys of bleep-metal

Machinae Supremacy


Ok, before now, it's been pretty obvious that I'm a super nerd, after this there will be absolutely no doubt. I'll admit, I'm obsessed with gaming and game soundtracks(specifically NES.. etc.) but that doesn't mean you have to be too to enjoy the rock god that is Machinae Supremacy. I can't believe this band isn't effin' huge! There is no justice..

Machinae Supremacy is a Swedish band made up of four guys who have very different and eclectic musical backgrounds.(everything from pop-punk to orchestral) They each draw a little from their personal experiences but what they create isn't re-hashed, that's for sure. Imagine the catchiest "cheesy fake guitar" synth line you've ever heard in a video game.. got it? ok now replace it with real guitars, up the intensity level times ten, throw in some vocals and you have Machinae Supremacy.

If you don't want to dance till you break your hip after hearing this then you have no soul...

from random releases:
Legion of Stoopid
Bouff
Sidology Episode 1: SID Evolution
Winterstorm

They're also giving away over 20 tracks on the downloads page of their website.

from an actual game soundtrack they recorded:
Lava Trouble Bubble
Theme from Jets'n'Guns

Download the entire OST here for FREE.


official website:
http://www.machinaesupremacy.com

Buy Their CD:

just a drive into the dark stretch

Okkervil River

I am really digging this band lately. They're on Jagjaguwar, which should tell you eveything you need to know, these guys are good. Will Sheff's rickety voice matched with the melancholy but still rockin' guitars(and the occasional synth bleep here and there) has been compared to acts such as Neutral Milk Hotel, Will Oldham, and Tindersticks. These comparisons do no justice to the genius of OR. The complexity and depth in each song is not apparent at first, as the songs slide out of your speakers so smoothly. "Epic chamberpop" would be a pretty good way to describe these guys, Each release is something new and ambitious, lush orchestrations, jangly guitar strumming à la Bob Dylan, blunt lyrics; yeah, these guys are good.

For Real
Black

earlier songs:
It Ends With a Fall
The War Criminal Rises and Speaks

Official Website
http://www.okkervilriver.com/

Buy Their CDs

business as usual..

Rainer Maria

Longtime musical collaborators Kyle Fischer (guitar, vocals) and William Kuehn (drums)and Caithlin De Marrais (vocals, bass) make up the indie-rock goodness that is Rainer Maria. Though they've toured with the likes of Coheed and Cambria, they haven't gained much media attention. This song tells of how we compromise ourselves to be wanted, and then return to "business as usual.".. Anyways I really like it.. I've had it on repeat for the last hour or so.. Hope you do too

The Double Life

Official Website
http://www.rainermaria.com/

Buy Their CD "Long Knives Drawn"

beginnings..

Well, I've been procrastinating but I suppose I should start this off. Hi! my name's Andrew and this is my musicblog(everyone should know what that is by now) I'm going to be sharing music that I like, not specifically popular, indie, or any particular genre. If you have any suggestions or would like to see a band featured, please email me! I love discovering and sharing new music.

Ok, music blog... yadda yadda yadda.. let's get to the sounds.

The Crystal Skulls

The Crystal Skulls are an indie-pop group with 70s pop sensibilities, they blend styles seamlessly and make it seem effortless. Seriously, I can imagine the singer laying on a sofa somewhere recording this, that's how laid back it is.
enjoy!

Airport Motels

No Room for Change

Official Site
www.crystalskullsonline.com

Buy Their Cd