The Young – Livin’ Free

Recently signing on with Matador Records, Austin four-piece called the Young are releasing their sophomore album, Dub Egg, and the first track “Livin’ Free,” is the LP’s opening track. “Livin’ Free,” is a heavy and distortion heavy guitar-centric track that floats through the soundscape pretty effortlessly.

Dub Egg is out 5/8 on Matador.

Soft Swells – Put It On The Line

Soft Swells is the collaborative effort of longtime indie songwriter Tim Williams and the talents of Brooklyn’s Phonograph, Matt Welsh. Check out their delicious pop single “Put It On the Line,” a tastefully synth-pop track, that is balanced with guitar & percussion heavy chorus’ that will have you singing & dancing in no time.

The album will be available 2/28.  Preorder here.

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SOFT SWELLS ON TOUR
2/22 – San Francisco, CA @ Benders *FREE Noise Pop happy hour, 5pm
2/28 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Hotel Café *Record Release Show* 8pm
2/29 – Los Angeles, CA @ Origami Vinyl, in-store 7pm *FREE
3/2 – San Diego, CA @ M-Theory, in-store, 6pm *FREE
3/2 – San Diego, CA @ Tin Can Alehouse, 9pm
3/6 – San Francisco, CA @ Brick & Morter Music Hall – 8pm *FREE
3/14 – Austin, TX @ Trinity Hall, Modern Outsider SXSW Showcase, 8pm
3/15 – Austin, TX @ Dominican Joe’s, SXSW, 4pm

If you are previously unaware of Michael Kiwanuka, you’ve probably not seen my incessant posts about him. His warm voice lights this song up, and its one that you can listen to on repeat for days. Enough said. I couldn’t help but post the video for the song (although its the second I’m seeing). Its becoming one of my favorite songs of the year. His voice reminiscent of Otis Redding & Bill Withers, his music a little Dylan, and a little Nick Drake this song just can’t get out of my head.

Electric Flower – Eclipsed

The collaboration between Imaad Wasif and Josh Garza has produced one single already, and now Electric Flower is releasing another track titled “Eclipsed,” a psych-pop influenced track with a bit of surf rock songsmithing. The single will be featured on the duo’s forthcoming sophomore EP, EP II, due the end of March via Narnack.

Greylag – Black Crow

I’m really enjoying this band Greylag and their upcoming debut EP, The Only Way To Kill You, in specifics their single, “Black Crow”. The Portland, OR band’s sound is a bit of meditative folk music, almost like an inner monologue of the singer. The subtle pounding of drums, the dual harmonies and the falsetto vocals on “Black Crow,” feel a bit like Local Natives, its a beautiful sounding track that I’m quickly falling in love with.

Expect the EP to drop on May 1, and see these guys play Sasquatch Music Festival.

Tennis – My Better Self

Denver-based, husband-and-wife duo Tennis have released their sophomore album Young & Old this past week. The duo, Alaina Moore and Patrick Riley, who released their debut album in January of 2011, teamed up with Patrick Carney as producer this time around and have really progressed their sound.

Their first album, Cape Dory, was full of indie-pop delights that told of the duo’s 7-month sailing expedition. This time around, the tunes are just a delightful, but a bit more grounded in what the band does best: fuzzy atmospheric acoustics, hand-clapping percussion and jazzy vocals.

A lot has been said about Tennis and whether or not they’re gimmicky. You know, the adorable husband-and-wife duo playing sugary indie-pop about their adventures together. But where beach pop has grown in the fast few years, this band solidified their name with the two excellent albums in just over a year. And on this album, they’ve proved they don’t need to be singing about the open seas to create songs that have that great indie-pop, soundtrack-at-a-beach-party sound.

You can grab the album here. They’re touring extensively in support of this album and you can catch them in Boston at Brighton Music Hall on March 3rd. You can check out the rest of the tour dates here.

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Ramona Falls – Spore

Brent Knopf (ex Menomena) is about to release a sophomore album under Ramona Falls. Prophet LP will be out May 1st On Barsuk Records, and the first cut of the album “Spore,” has been released. Its a sort of dark, Depeche Mode(y) sound, full of emotional whirlwind, and experimental and unpredictable melodies, that create a fine piece of dark, emotional, and creative music.

Look for Prophet 5/1.

Andrew Bird – The Crown Salesman

In celebration of Bird’s 7″ Break it Yourself, he has released his cover of Alpha Consumer’s track “The Crown Salesman.” Alpha Consumer is comprised of Bird’s longtime backing band members Jeremy Ylvisaker and Michael Lewis, so is the cover connection. Though Bird’s styling is all over this, it feels a bit distant, and far more distorted and full of feedback.

Grab the mp3 on Bird’s Facebook Page.

Opening my email this morning, I got all kinds of excited. New Jersey’s River City Extension just announced a new album Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Your Anger, to be released on June 5 via XOXO Records / Anchor & Hope Music. It got even better when there was more than just an album teaser. Check out the first cut, “There and Back Again,” which if you look at the sound waves is going to pump you the eff up right around 90 seconds. If this isn’t a statement, I don’t know what is. And give it all the way to the end which features a blistering harmonica solo by famed photographer Danny Clinch.

Album Teaser:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Also it appears there will be some touring in March (I’m sure there will be more)

River City Extension Tour Dates:

March 8 — Roanoke, VA — Kirk Avenue Music Hall
March 9 — Wilmington, NC — The Soapbox
March 10 — Atlanta, GA — The Masquerade
March 13-17 — Austin, TX — SXSW
March 18 — Oklahoma City, OK — Conservatory
March 20 — St. Louis, MO — Off Broadway
March 21 — Nashville, TN — The End
March 22 — Cincinnati, OH — Bogart’s Front Room
March 23 — Pittsburgh, PA — Stage AE
March 24 — Harrisburg, PA — The Abbey Bar at Appalachian Brewing Co.

If you aren’t familiar with the project, Moonface, is Spencer Krug (Wolf Parade) and an ongoing series of changing collaborations. The album, Heartbreaking Bravery, out April 17th was recorded with Finnish band Siinai. Our first taste is “Teary Eyes and Bloody Lips,” a dark, and moody track that builds itself with electronic elements that subtly and hypnotically draw the listener in.