Delta Spirit - Delta Spirit

I said back at the end of 2010 Delta Spirit was not getting the recognition that they deserve. Since then, their song Devil Knows You're Dead was used in the season finale of Friday Night Lights, they have appeared on several soundtracks and they played Coachella in 2011. With their new self-titled album and on the strength of a great single I'm anticipating that they will finally land more firmly in the spotlight where they belong. 

Delta Spirit's lead singer, Matthew Vasquez, also lent his voice and talents to one of my favorite albums from 2011 with Middle Brother. I highly recommend you check out their self-titled album if you haven't already. 

The first single from their new album is called California and is fantastic and heartbreaking. Here are the lyrics, so you can see what I mean. Ending a relationship with someone you're still in love with can tear your heart out. 

I want you to move to California for yourself
I want you to find what ever your heart needs 

I want you to move to California for yourself but not for me


I want you to go out there and find somebody else 

I want him to treat you like I know he should 
I want you to find somebody new for yourself if not for me


All of the feelings that I know you never felt
And all of the simple words you never said
I want you to keep them like a secret to yourself, but not for me

I want you to wander silent passed my outstretched arms
I want to hide yourself from all I seek
And though my heart will fight until it's dying breath, you're not for me

I want you to move to California for yourself
I want you to find whatever your heart needs
I want you to move to California for yourself
But not for me.

Delta Spirit - California

Delta Spirit has often been lumped into categories like "twangy folk" and "rootsy Americana", which always perplexed me since they seem like straight rock-and-roll to me. Most of the album supports that assumption, with a few exceptions. Home is a melancholy jaunt that I have yet to fully understood. Delta Spirit draws a lot of parallels with Deer Tick in my mind, not just because their lead singers both collaborated on Middle Brother. They both play straight out Rock but have the ability to slow it down and say something profound. Home calls to mind a song from their 2011 album called Chevy Express and comes at the same position in the album at track 6. 

Delta Spirit - Home

Out March 13th on Concord Music Group. Buy it here

For Fans of: Deer Tick, Middle Brothers, Dawes, Dr. Dog

RE:GENERATION

 Mark Ronson can basically do no wrong, as far as I'm concerned, so I'm thrilled that Hyandai chose him to take part in their little musical experiment, RE:GENERATION. The idea, if you haven't heard, was to give five well known contemporary DJs a chance to put their own spin (I'm here all week!) on five different traditional musical styles, from Classical Symphony to New Orleans Jazz. It's a pretty neat idea and they got some big names to participate. Aside from Mark Ronson, they also got He of the Bass-drop, Skrillex, as well as Crystal Method, DJ Premier, and Pretty Lights. I have to admit that the only one I found to be particularly successful was the New Orleans Jazz remixed by Mark Ronson, but perhaps I'm not the target audience.

Check out the video below of A La Modeliste performed by Zigaboo Modeliste, Erykah Badu, Mos Def, Trombone Shorty, and members of The Dap Kings.



Also check out this remix of the same song by another favorite of mine, Bonobo:

RE:GENERATION music - A La Modeliste (Bonobo Remix)


The entire album is available to download for free on their website. Check it out here

The Ting Tings - Sounds From Nowheresville

  The Ting Tings are a band from the UK made up of Robert Ting and Stacy somebody. Or maybe it's Jane something. At least that's what everyone is always calling her. Also I made up the dude's name. That's how little I normally care about the names of the people in bands (See previous post). My brain is packed with too much minutiae that is critical to my job that I'm not going to devote any of my diminishing hippocampal space to something that no one cares about.

Ahem. Anyway, you know The Ting^2 from their massively popular single, That's Not My Name, released in 2008 and subsequently released hundreds of times every year since on any number of soundtracks and party-rock albums. Shockingly, I still don't know her name.

Their most recent release is entitled Sounds From Nowheresville and there will undoubtedly be a few ear-wormy singles on here to haunt your summer. I'm just big enough of a snob to put El Tingue-tinguesos in my "guilty pleasure" category but, damn, if they don't write some catchy, head-bobbing tunes. Exhibit one:

The Ting Tings - Hit Me Down Sonny

See what I'm talking about? Marching-band drumbeats and church bells! Calling out Speedy Gonzalez! Can't you just hear that over the opening credits while Jason Sudeikis and Jason Segel do a little introductory site-gag exposition of their cheeky characters? Wait, that's two tall goofy looking guys in the same movie. Probably won't happen. Substitute a shorter or goofier looking guy in for one of them. Charlie Day or Tyler Labine.

The first single is another pretty catchy number, if a little Lily Allen-esque.

The Ting Tings - Soul Killing

It's a solid album and I have no doubt I'll be hearing a lot of it in the coming warmer months.

Out February 27th in the UK and March 13th in the US on Columbia records. Buy it here

For fans of: Lily Allen, Sleigh Bells, Goldfrapp

Bowerbirds - The Clearing

  Bowerbirds are from Raleigh, NC and comprises Philip Moore (Vocals/Guitar), Beth Tacular (Accordian/Vocals), and Mark Paulson (Violin/Vocals). I normally don't mention band members but I just had to point out that there is a person in Bowerbirds named Beth Tacular which is an awesome name. It almost sounds like a children's cartoon name. Stu Pendous! Fran Tastic!

Anyway, some of you may remember Bowerbirds from their 2009 album Upper Air which brought us this little gem which made it on to my tops list for that year:

Bowerbirds - Northern Lights (2009)

Their latest, The Clearing, is a progression from Upper Air, adding a bit more in the way of production and departing from the folk sound a little more. The first track to grab me sounds more like Saltbreaker-era Laura Veirs than what I would expect from Bowerbirds, with Beth Tacular(!) providing the majority of vocals. This is probably the biggest departure on their album, adding even more in the way of an electric sound.

Bowerdbirds - In The Yard 

And for something closer to their normal sound, check this one out. Love the ooh oohs and didgeridoo.

Bowerbirds - Sweet Moment

The Clearing is out on March 6th on Dead Oceans records. Buy it here.

For fans of: The Head and the Heart, Brown Bird, Laura Veirs

Peter Broderick - It Starts Hear

  Peter Broderick is an incredibly talented multi-instrument musician and composer. Aside from his guest work on albums from artists like M. Ward, Zooey Deschanel, Horse Feathers, & Laura Gibson and touring with Swedish band Efterklang, he has been releasing solo albums with atmospheric, soundtrack-like songs since 2007. These songs are from his latest release that continues in that same direction. It's a perfect album for a pensive afternoon.


I Am Piano - Peter Broderick

Everything I Know - Peter Broderick

Available now on Hush Records. Buy it here.


For fans of: Horse Feathers, Bon Iver

Andrew Bird - Break It Yourself

  Mr. Bird, stop making me wait such a long time between major releases. Don't get me wrong, your instrumental and experimental outings maintain your indie cred like nothing else could, but I'm an impatient, impatient man and who knows how many years I have left? I don't want to spend it listening to your looped drones and incessant plucking and noodling when I could be enjoying the incisive lyrics that you do so well. I think I heard a radio-caller once who felt that your lyrics were a tad... pretentious, but, what can I say? You speak to my inner nerd. Ok, ok! Outer nerd.
  Someday let's sit down and drink the latest hipster drink (bathtub gin. I'm calling it now) and talk about vests and big words. There'll be snacks.

  So, the album. It was kind of hard to pick just two standouts here. On first listen, I don't think it's quite as grabby as his last major release, Noble Beast, but it's still very listenable. Great opening tracks are rare things these days, but track #1 is probably my favorite, so far. It starts slow, but finishes strong with a great danceable groove. Can't wait to hear it live.

Desperation Breeds... - Andrew Bird

The next one also has a solid beat plus lots of clever, clever lyrics. Guest vocals by an unknown female vocalist.

Near Death Experience Experience - Andrew Bird

Also check out Lusitania which brings back the whistling and Hole in the Ocean Floor which sounds like Andrew Bird doing Graceland-era Paul Simon.

Available March 6th on Mom & Pop Records. Buy it here

For fans of: The Shins, M. Ward

So much good things...

  

  I have a bit of catching up to do. First, exposition: I moved to Cleveland last June to start a new job. Between the demands of the new job and the abject depression that had slowly been tightening its cold grip around my withering soul (Ok, it wasn't that bad... almost) I didn't really make much time for le blogue. I did manage to put together my yearly 'best of' CDs which traditionally serves in lieu of Christmas presents (Or cards. Or sustained meaningful communication during the remainder of the year) but that was a pretty big struggle. 

  Anyway, I just finished a rather large hurdle this morning so I figured I should try and update with some of the great music I've been listening to recently. I may even make time to upload my 2011 CDs. 

  The days are getting longer, my spirit is lifting, Spring is just around the corner and I'm seeing the light at the end of the tunnel inside of the larger tunnel. Cleveland, you're not that bad.