Clues

The Unicorns


Clues is the new band by indie rocker, Alden Penner. If you have no idea of who that is, he was for awhile a bit of the star, in the lo-fi genre of music. This all started back in late 2000, with up and comers from up north (Canada), The Unicorns. They captured the scene for awhile, with their poppy sound, but odd and dark lyrical writing. The band consisted simply of three members, Nick Thorburn, Alden Penner, and Jamie Thompson, who were all differently musically talented. Penner brought his odd lyrics/sound, Nick added a poppy element to this darkness, while Jamie kept the percussion persistent. Not long though, they began to fight, and would display it with their own songs, which was made obvious on their well known album, Who Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone. Evident with lyrics on the song aptly named, Child Star, which seems to accuratly describe those who are young stars act, mostly for how bitchy the song ends, with Nick and Alden going back and forth with, "I hate you", "I hate you too".

Alden Penner


While many probably thought this was mere joking, they were doing anything but, shortly after they released that album in 2003, they split up. This didn't stop the three from making music, with Nick almost immediately, making Islands, which was oh so poppy, who made a very strong debut with the album, Return To the Sea in 2006. Jamie played with Islands, for awhile but would end up leaving, but Nick continues to produce music with the band. Now onto the more interesting story, with Alden Penner. He would eventually fall out of any news, after The Unicorns breakup, until recently. It was announced that Alden, would debut with a new project, called Clues at a festival in Montreal. They were a big hit at the festival, bringing music somewhat similar to The Unicorns, but was a bit different. Clues, is releasing an album supposedly in May of this year, which also includes a member of the Arcade Fire. The album is self titled, and will let you jam out, to your favorite odd sounding, weird lyric, songs, with eleven original tracks.

Clues- Self Titled


Below are two early releases of songs, Remember the Severed Head, and Perfect Fit. If your a Unicorns fan, this should come as no real surprise, sound wise from Alden. Listen to the tracks, see what you think, and as always enjoy.
Clues- Remember Severed Head

Silverlake Steps - Clues - "Remember Severed Head" from We Listen on Vimeo.

Clues- Perfect Fit

Silverlake Steps - Clues - "Perfect Fit" from We Listen on Vimeo.

Depression Session

Elliott Smith


Surprisingly enough, I have never written anything about one of my favorite artists, Elliott Smith. If you don't know Elliott, he mostly played an acoustic style of music, with very deep, depressing, lyrics which many could relate to. He wrote what obviously he was feeling at the time, or what he was doing in his suicidal life. Elliott also was no amateur at the guitar, with his playing matching his singing, and being just as intricate as his lyrics. Even though, it is tough to just pick one song to share, take a listen to All Cleaned Out, from the album New Moon, which was a collection of songs written that were never released, because of Smith's death. The song is not hard to understand, with lyrics "Here comes your pride and joy, the comic little drunk you call your boy, makin everybody smile", but jumps to what is seemingly the harsh reality being, "Who takes your pretty plan, and then becomes a disappearing man, after a little while". Smith in his lyrics, comments regularly about his own lifestyle, which was what many would refer to as, Rock and Roll. Elliott was known for his heavy drug and alcohol use, mixed with his own depression, and even though he would attempt to clean up, it would eventually lead to his own suicide. Smith could be talking about his own cleaning out, with all the times he attempted to get clean, and his writing "I saw you with your make up runnin down, now whats that all about?", seems to show possibly a girlfriend/lover, showing her happiness for his getting clean. Interestingly enough though, the song includes chords, that are so upbeat that the song could be misconstrued. I believe the song shows with the bright guitar a positive outlook, while the lyrics tell another story, what an interesting mix of vocals, and instrumentation. So give this song a listen, and enjoy.

The fall of contemporary music

Is shit such as this, actually becoming popular.

Lady Sovereign


So heres the plan, lets take a talentless, 23 year old, London girl, make her act tough, add cool beat, and let her repeat hooks. I am sure you have heard of this mockery of music before, Lady Sovereign. She blew up from her hook hit in 2006, Love Me or Hate Me, which boasts lyrics "Yeah, it's officially the biggest midget in the game", "I dunno, make way for S-O-V", and "If you hate me than, Fuck You". Have you ever heard anything this uncreative before? I doubt that you have. This is what makes me sick of artists such as Lady, they sing a catchy hook, get an ear pleasing beat, and nothing else. With her new song below Pennies, she opens with crude, but mind you extremely clever, "Yeah Fudda Muckers", and then surprisingly, a catchy beat starts. After some more lyrics that are only there for abhorrence, not just because they're completely terrible, but another reason is the fact that her voice is horrid. A thick english accent, barely recognizable speech, and downright stupid lines, mark the song. The chorus is a hook once again, that being "How many pennies have you gotten for me", or something very close to it (once again note the impossible to understand rapping). So once again this song lacks anything, that would add to music, really all it does it play on idiocy. Don't be surprised if this reaches MTV, the radio, and then you'll be hearing everyone singing the catchy hook. Lady Sovereign than cashes in, does the same thing the next year, it gets eaten up, and once again she cashes in. It shows how easy it is to play the music market, because people love anything with a catchy hook, and beat, it just needs to lack the best thing there could be in a song, creativity. So after this rant, have a listen to the single Pennies below, you should understand. Normally I would end with enjoy (Breck), but this song is nothing more than an added blemish on music today.

Lady Sovereign- Pennies

I'm actually a minimalist

Stars of the Lid


Just a quick add for a busy day, ambient band Stars of The Lid. Give their out there, cinematic, feel a chance, you may like it. This song, Articulate Silences Part 1 off their highly regarded 2007 release And Their Refinement of the Decline, gives a positive chill sound. Listen, Enjoy.

Articulate Silences part 1 - S...

Things to Look Forward to

Coming this month, notable releases from notable artists.

Handsome Furs- Face Control
Releases- Tuesday March 10th


Heres what you should expect, from the Canadian couple, if you have not listened to Plague Park (2007). Dan Boecker brings his musical genius, from Wolf Parade to work with his wife on a side project. Plague Park was a good album from 2007, not amazing but it was interesting in the least. It's Dan Boecker singing, along with synth, and heavy use of a drum machine. It makes for a downer sound, with nothing being upbeat, get ready for a depression session. Overall the album should be good, check it out.

Peter Bjorn and John- Living Thing
Releases- Tuesday March 31st


Just like the name tells us, the band is made up of Peter Moren, Bjorn Yttling, and John Eriksson. This swedish trio has really been at the top of their game, with their last two albums which faired well, Seaside Rock (2008), and Writer's Block (2007). You may know this indie pop rock trio, by their hit from Writer's Block, Young Folks, which has been played in gas stations, grocery stores, and on commercials everywhere. This album should fair well, even after they had a little bit of a selling out period. Thankfully it wasn't Of Montreal bad selling out. So if you like poppy high singing, fun guitar, and oddball lyrics, this ones for you.

Others to mention:
Dan Deacon- Bromst (24 March, 2009)
Cursive- Mama, I'm Swollen (10 March, 2009)
The Decemberists- Hazards of Love (24 March, 2009)

The Strangers

St. Vincent


From her new album Actor, comes the single The Strangers. If you have not yet listened to St. Vincent she started her music career playing in Sufjan Stevens traveling bands, and with Polyphonic Spree. After gaining her musical experience with these bands, she started her own solo project St. Vincent. She released a great album Marry Me, in 2007. She is really one talented human being, after seeing her live in concert, this is apparent. She played at the Warhol in December of last year, and wow, amazing voice, sick on the guitar, and knew how to work a crowd. Anyways her new song The Strangers, is listed below for your listening pleasure. The singing is quite similar to that of songs on Marry Me, overpowering voice, with added effects. One noticeable difference is that of the synth beats, that were really not as prominent at all in Marry Me, which had seemingly more focus on Annie (St. Vincent), playing the electric guitar, and in this song seem to take over, with guitar in the backseat. There is a guitar solo though, having the guitar blast away all the other sounds, which gives a good throwback to her other songs. After that though, it is synth loops, beats, faded guitar, a sweet voice, intricate lyrics, and a nice upbeat feel. Have a listen , Enjoy.

The Strangers- Actor

Divinations

Mastodon- Crack the Skye


Mastodon over the past few years, have really established themselves as one of metal's finest groups. They have one of the larger following in the metal music community, and even attract non-hard music listeners such as myself. With hit albums, Leviathan, and Remission, both of these albums came out in the early 2000s, and they have a new album lined up to release in the next couple weeks, titled Crack the Skye (pictured above). The album is sure to have a lot of hype behind it, because this band is getting so damn big. In total the new album, will have a run time of a little over 50 minutes, with 7 melt your face tracks included (all with that sick album art as well!). So fittingly from the new album comes the first single, Divinations. This track shows Mastodon in some metalish settings, snow, kings, cavemen, and sorcery (or some goofed up shit). Regardless this seems to show a bit of a change in Mastodon, and you can hear it in the singing. Lead vocals Brent Hinds seems to be singing clearer, a huge change from the past albums, which carried a more low yell sound to all the vocals. While I personally, do not hate this change, I can't really tell if I enjoy it or not. Thankfully they still do throw in some of the yelling, but overall the singing is just a little higher, it's odd. The nice thing is the instrumentation, is still just as strong, and does not lack whatsoever. The guitar is what's expected, along with bass and percussion. Truly Mastodon are technical geniuses at instrumentation, with no metal band doing it better. Overall the song makes me somewhat frightful of Crack the Skye, being a complete change up for Mastodon, but it is still a good listen. The best thing to do will be to wait and see, and hope that they retain the amazing sound they have had for this long. Video for Divinations below, Enjoy. Just an add on, realized that not surprisingly this album is leaked.

Mastodon - New Music - More Music Videos

Would You Please Listen?

Devendra Banhart

That is all that Devendra is asking you to do, with his song off Cripple Crow (2005), Heard Somebody Say. Opening up with some soft piano, adding some soothing guitar, and minor percussion. Devendra sends a simple message with this song, but it hits close to home. The song keeps an upbeat tempo, with Devendra's soft, sweet singing that is also backed up by others, really sending out a peaceful message. With lyrics singing "I heard somebody say, that the war ended today, but everybody knows it's going still." Devendra puts out the opinion of the American populace, in a short way, and makes it more direct with lines "Oh it's simple, we don't wanna kill." With the song, Heard Somebody Say, Devendra writes a tranquil feeling song, with a good easy to understand meaning, this song delivers. Give this folk hit a listen, click it down below. The dude needs some support after him and Natalie Portman broke up, heartbreaker. Enjoy!

Heard Somebody Say - Devendra ...

Sunday Song

Deerhunter


Just a quick add of a song, for Sunday. If you haven't listened to Deerhunter yet, I don't know what you're doing, but hopefully this song lets you get a good listen. From their EP Fluorescent Grey, comes the song Wash Off. Opening up slowly, with an inhaling of smoke sound, which goes into steady percussion, constant bass, and distant sounding guitar, make the song what it is. Cox sings right with the guitar matching his voice, with the song then opening up to a more shoegaze sound at times, just complete noise. The washy vocals, loud music, and dark sound make this song, and add to Deerhunter's oddness. Just a random thought to add, another thing I love about this band, is the way they act towards fans. Last August, they played at Garfield Artworks, after the show I met them, and they were really good to the people coming up, just talking or asking them to sign shit. Give them a listen, Enjoy! Oh and it's March, was not aware of that, until I checked the date on this post.

Wash Off - Deerhunter