Micachu & the Shapes: 'Golden Phone' Video

Yep, more Micachu coming at ya. This is the brand new snappy and official video for "Golden Phone". Check it out.

Micachu & the Shapes: "Golden Phone" - Directed by Conan Roberts:




(via Pitchfork)

Micachu & the Shapes: 'Calculator (Live)' Video

This new-ish live video was taken from Point Ephemere in Paris, France. It shows Micachu & the Shapes rattling off a whimsical and stomping version of "Calculator" (not "Golden Phone" as it reads). It can be found on Jewellery, the trio's debut album of unique art-pop.

If you go to the Grandcrew website you'll find 10 more songs. Great sound quality and camera work provided.

Micachu & The Shapes: "Calculator (Live)" - Courtesy of Grandcrew:

Lotus Plaza: 'Dot Gain' MP3

"Dot Gain" was originally offered through the Deerhunter/Atlas Sound/Lotus Plaza blog. It's a shame it wasn't included on Lockett Pundt's excellent The Floodlight Collective album that debuted earlier this year because it's so simple and warm. "Dot Gain" features the familiar, sunny guitars of Deerhunter and builds up into a jangly release of tambourine and rich choppy layers. I also like how Pundt's vocals are just a tad off in pitch -- it requires that you pay extra attention to him.

|||Lotus Plaza: "Dot Gain" MP3|||

School of Seven Bells: 'My Cabal (Jesu remix)' MP3

The latest School of Seven Bells single "My Cabal" features some sick remixes, this one treated and soaked by Justin Broadrick (Jesu).

|||School of Seven Bells: "My Cabal (Jesu remix) MP3|||

SOSMIX - 18

The photo you see is Detroit space-rockers Paik. The band has toured with the likes of Stephen Malkmus, Dead Meadow and BRMC -- and they probably upstaged all three of them. Paik harness one of the heaviest sounds I've ever heard on record or in a live setting, and all with one guitar, a bassist and drummer. They've been on hiatus for a couple of years and I just wish they'd get back to business already.

|||Download: "SOSMIX - 18" ZIP|||

1. Here We Go Magic: "Fangela (Daytrotter session)"
2. Jesse Somfay: "Scotia"
3. Khonner: "Nibble-O"
4. Lusk: "Savvy Kangaroos"
5. Mustafa Et Monique: "Monaural Tone Revolver"
6. Paik: "Dirt For Driver"
7. Passion Pit: "The Reeling (Shuttle's Super Club Mega Mix '99)"
8. The Notwist: "Good Lies"
9. The Radio Dept.: "Freddie and the Trojan Horse"
10. Tiny Vipers: "Dreamer"

Other inner-nets

I couldn't agree more with this review. The new Grizzly Bear album is outstanding.

Not that LAist is great at recognizing the heavy-hitters in local music, but you know the pickings are slim around town when pornstars are getting music-related press.

Aquarium Drunkard has a piece about the late, multi-talented Jay Bennett.

Resident Advisor rounds up ten years of Mutek.

I haven't heard the new Au Revoir Simone disc yet, but Hipster Runoff has a Teenagers remix of "Shadows".

Hey kid. You're 12 years old. Go buy a skateboard or something.

Diamond Watch Wrists: 'Onward Push Me Out' MP3

Guillermo Scott Herren (Prefuse 73) and Zach Hill (Hella, Marnie Stern) team up and take us on a stroll through the clouds with Diamond Watch Wrists. This release finds the duo blending psych-folk and electronica similar to imaginative acts like Caribou, only this sounds more grounded. Hill definitely shows some restraint on the kit while harmonized vocals stay plaintive and steady against light guitar melodies.

Get more info about Ice Capped at Both Ends over at WARP. Gotta love that album cover.

|||Diamond Watch Wrists: "Onward Push Me Out" MP3|||

School of Seven Bells: 'My Cabal' Video

You'd think that the Cocteau Twins influence that's jumping right out at ya in "My Cabal" would have urged the director to take things in a trippier and more "visual" direction. In "My Cabal", directed by David Mullett, the camera simply twirls around the band as they play in a studio. Simple? Yes. Effective? Sort of. Perhaps it's a question of not getting a big enough budget, but I'd love to see Ghostly Intl. throw down some serious cash and tackle "Wired for Light". That track is ripe for a video.

School of Seven Bells: "My Cabal" - Directed by David Mullett:



School of Seven Bells play this Friday at the Troubadour in Los Angeles and Saturday at Detroit Bar in Costa Mesa. Clip taken from Pitchfork TV.

Grizzly Bear: 'Two Weeks' Video

Possibly the creepiest clip I've ever seen. This Patrick Daughters-directed video for the outstanding "Two Weeks" shows Grizzly Bear glassy-eyed with strange facial gestures and coloring, you know, the kind of feeling everyone gets at church. The eyes are definitely treated and widened to disturb the viewer (it worked). Overall its a great video, definitely a few cringes and "WTFs!" were said out loud.

Grizzly Bear: "Two Weeks" - Directed by Patrick Daughters:

Other inner-nets

This would have been a great Deerhunter review if Hogan hadn't compared the band's "spaced-out dominance" to MBV. Someone should lend him a copy of Loveless.

Passion of the Weiss posts about baseball and partying, "someone has to bring the chronic". Classic.

Koga took some great live shots of VOICEsVOICEs recently over at LAist.

Apparently people can't live without Paste Magazine, I know I could.

There's a new Crystal Stilts video over at Gorilla vs. Bear.

Becky Stark of Lavender Diamond has a solo record coming out (via Stereogum).

Music for Robots is offering a solid track from Jim Fairchild's (All Smiles) forthcoming record.

The Jealous Girlfriend's Holly Miranda is touring this summer (via Brooklyn Vegan).

Classical Geek Theatre has a brand new song/download from The Meeting Places.

Jesse Somfay: 'Scotia' MP3

Taken from Somfay's excellent ambient-techno release A Catch in the Voice is this 10-minute thumper that sounds like a journey of careening atmospherics floating over detailed rhythms. While the song never really gets "faster" it still feels like it picks up, and maintains a clarity that makes it danceable -- especially around the 5-minute mark.

|||Jesse Somfay: "Scotia" MP3|||

Check out more of his music over at SoundCloud.

National Skyline: 'Bloom' EP

Jeff Garber's National Skyline returns with the Bloom EP. It's five songs of edgy dream-pop starting with an edit of the super-charged single "Bloom", an acoustic version of album track "Edge of the World" and three previously unheard jams. Here's some more info from Garber regarding this new digital-only release and two forthcoming EPs from his MySpace page:

"The Bloom EP is part one of a three-part series of EP’s that will be released during the summer of 2009. Several B-Sides from Bliss & Death will be included in the series, along with several unreleased songs from the abandoned Faux Evil album. Faux Evil was to be the follow-up to National Skyline’s This=Everything, however the Faux Evil sessions were abandoned while Jeff Garber eventually began work on Bliss & Death. With a fresh perspective on the unreleased material, Garber meticulously reworked the tracks from the Faux Evil sessions and now plans to release all the songs from the Faux Evil sessions."

Details:



1. Bloom (Edit)
2. Lights Out
3. Gravity (I-IV)
4. Edge of the World (Acoustic)
5. Silence

SOSMIX - 17

You need to download this mix for the title track from Bibio's forthcoming album, via WARP. The guy is amazing. Of course, the other tracks in here are stellar too.

|||Download: "SOSMIX - 17" ZIP|||

1. Bibio: "Ambivalence Avenue"
2. Bowery Electric: "Freedom Fighter"
3. Corridor: "Barricks"
4. Foreign Born: "Early Warnings"
5. Glifted: "Is There Any Always"
6. Shelflife: "I Implode"
7. The Besnard Lakes: "And You Lied To Me"
8. The Emperor Machine: "You Clapper"
9. The Field: "The More That I Do (Foals remix)"
10. The Twilight Sad: "Reflection of the Television"

Shelflife: 'I Implode' MP3

Denmark's Shelflife fall somewhere between Failure and Swirlies with a touch of math rock technicality. On "I Implode", taken from the group's self-titled debut, they invite even more comparisons with breathy male/female vocals, minor chord gliding and drumming that adds real personality and flavor. A great debut album.

|||Shelflife: "I Implode" MP3|||

Click on the album cover to download the entire album for free:

Clark's 'Totems Flare' album coming this summer

Talk about a quick turnaround. Chris Clark just released Turning Dragon in January 2008 then recently followed it up with the stunning Growls Garden EP. On July 13th WARP will drop Totems Flare, and I will be very happy.

Stream "Growls Garden", taken from the forthcoming album. That's also the album cover you're looking at below.

Great Northern ticket giveaway

This is something I wish we did more of. We've got a pair of tickets to see Great Northern at the Echoplex on Saturday, May 23 --courtesy of Filter.

If you'd like this pair of tickets just be the first to email me or make a comment below.

Some topics for commenting:

1. Why the Lakers probably won't make it to the finals.

2. Are Doves the best British rock band of the last decade?

3. Will the Verve produce a follow up album in 2010? Will it be as god awful as Forth?

4. Will your life change when Paste Magazine disappears?

5. What's your favorite album of 2009 so far?

Other inner-nets

The post, the stream, the new Wilco (the album).

You can also listen to Wilco's "Bull Black Nova" over at I Guess I'm Floating.

According to several live reports this week the new Shins lineup is pretty dull, and watching a band at the newly refurbished Hollywood Palladium is like eating a frozen tater tot. Basically, the place still sucks. Read a great review over at You Set the Scene. In a related story ex-Shins drummer Jesse Sandoval is opening a taco cart.

Say goodbye to Paste Magazine (via Idolator).

LA Weekly gives SOS fave Nosaj Thing some love.

Imaad Wasif plays the Prospector tonight.

ISO50 (Tycho's Scott Hansen) delivered his 1000th blog post. Check out his site for discounts on print designs, clothing and his amazing music.

Chromewaves reviews Jarvis Cocker's new record Further Complications, which is a rockin' album. I can why Pulp fans might be pissed about it.

Tame Impala: 'Sundown Syndrome' Stream

Tame Impala recently recorded this new track "Sundown Syndrome" during their U.K. jaunt. It's pretty standard fare for the Australian trio; druggy, delicious guitar licks and bubbly rhythm. But on this song the mood is jazzy and a little kitsch, possibly taking a cue from masters of hypnotic psych-rock Dungen.

I'm not sure why their label Modular Records is sitting on these guys without news of a forthcoming reissue in the U.S., or even a single. This band needs some PR push other than your typical MySpace blast.

|||Tame Impala: "Sundown Syndrome" Stream|||

The Twilight Sad: 'Reflection of the Television' MP3

That scorching freight train coming at you during the beginning of The Twilight Sad's "Reflection of the Television" is astounding. James Graham gently comes in on vocals while the seas subside, for now. Delayed guitar notes regain their presence with a simple picking melody riding over shotgun drumming and simple bass. Glasgow's best band (yep, I said it) are darker and even heavier than their hard to top EPs and full-length on this brand new head trip of a track.

According to Fat Cat, the quartet's sophomore album, Forget the Night Ahead, is finished and due for a September 21st release.

|||The Twilight Sad: "Reflection of the Television" MP3|||

Autolux: 'Let it be Broken (From the Basement)' Video

Autolux participated in Nigel Godrich's From the Basement series a few years back. This clip is the best recording you'll hear of some of the band's forthcoming material, in this case "Let it be Broken".

Sounds like some of the track was shaved in the beginning and end. Check out the video at the link below.

|||Autolux: "Let it be Broken" IFC|||

Amusement Parks on Fire: 'In Our Eyes' Stream

There's been news about UK gazers Amusement Parks on Fire's forthcoming Young Fight EP on the band's website for some time, but now the band has finally made good on that promise. "In Our Eyes" is taken from the new release (reportedly coming in July) and follows the soaring and melodic punch of "A Star is Born". It's dreamy and radio-ready, something most shoegaze-influenced bands never achieve. Word has it that Brian Aubert (Silversun Pickups) sings backing vocals on one of the tracks. Can you hear him on this one?

The Nottingham, U.K. quintet will be visiting Los Angeles for quite some time as they're set to record their third album with producer/mixer Michael Patterson (Beck, BRMC). You can also see the group play the Silverlake Lounge on Monday for free.

|||Amusement Parks on Fire: "In Our Eyes" Stream|||

Other inner-nets

Brand new Prefuse 73 over at Stereogum.

The new Oh Sees album is fantastic. Catch them June 12 at The Echo.

Fever Ray is coming to Los Angeles this fall on their very first tour (Brooklyn Vegan).

Drowned in Sound has some news regarding a new My Bloody Valentine live date.

I Guess I'm Floating is featuring a live video of Animal Collective playing Late Night with David Letterman.

SOSMIX - 16

There's some brand new inner-net tracks mixed in with some of last week's features and artists whose new material is growing on me.

|||Download: "SOSMIX - 16" ZIP|||

1. Bibio: "Weekend Wildfire"
2. Cass McCombs: "Not the Way"
3. Chromatics: "I'm on Fire (Bruce Springsteen cover)"
4. David Aju: "Crazy Place"
5. Liechtenstein: "Roses in the Park"
6. Phoenix: "1901 (Teenagers remix)"
7. The Reflecting Skin: "Shadow of a Bomb (instrumental)"
8. The Warlocks: "Red Camera"
9. Tortoise: "Prepare Your Coffin"
10. VEGA: "No Reasons"

Kate Simko: 'Tevatron Dream' MP3

The last time we spoke of Kate Simko she was "Smashing Atoms" with her minimal techno jams. This track is pulled from that release and reinforces her skill of creating linear electronic backdrops for a film about the "God Particle".

|||Kate Simko: "Tevatron Dream" MP3|||

Sianspheric: 'Audiphone' Stream

Canadian space-rockers Sianspheric hit their target with 2001's The Sound of the Color of the Sun, a joke of a title, yet accurate description of everything the quartet had been working towards. The problem with masterful songs like "Audiphone" is that no one was paying enough attention when the album came out. America was lost at sea with post-Joy Division posturing, indie mockery and post-punk mania that, clearly, never held up over time. "Audiphone" is like a slow-motion rush of every drug imaginable shoved into your bloodstream as guitars glide along like an attack of a million bees riding atop a tsunami. It's noisy as fuck but the feel is gentle and calming. Nowadays, if someone like Bradford Cox let loose with a track like this people would build statues.

|||Sianspheric: "Audiphone" Stream|||

The Reflecting Skin: 'Shadow of a Bomb (instrumental)' MP3

"Shadow of a Bomb (instrumental)" is one of those tracks that recalls imagery and color -- similar to dream-weavers Cocteau Twins and The Field. It's an angelic and rhythmic cut courtesy of The Reflecting Skin (aka Danny Scales).

Scales definitely has a knack for sculpting synthetic electronic chords, beats and samples then wringing them into a sugary mix that still has an element of cloudiness to it. After a slew of amazing compilation appearances we can expect a debut full-length on either Ghostly Intl. or Moodgadget Records in the near future.

|||The Reflecting Skin: 'Shadow of a Bomb (instrumental)' MP3|||

Grizzly Bear: 'Two Weeks (live on Jools Holland)' Video

Grizzly Bear played its new single "Two Weeks" on Later with Jools Holland last night. The track is taken from the excellent, and forthcoming, album Veckatimest. Kind of reminds me of a lost demo from Tears for Fears.

Dungen to tour the U.S. with Fleet Foxes

You may be thinking that Fleet Foxes should be the main topic of excitement in this post, and they certainly are a great band, but Dungen are my kind of guys. If you've never caught the band live then please do yourself a favor and check them out as openers for the bearded SNL champs in August. I know the list is short, but this is the kind of one-two punch that will hopefully make its way out west.

Schedule:

8/3: Montreal, Quebec - Metropolis Theatre
8/4: Toronto, Ontario - Massey Hall
8/5: Royal Oak, MI - Royal Oak Theatre
8/7 Chicago, IL - Lollapalooza
8/9: Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue

Check out this great live acoustic version of "Det Tar Tid", originally found on the quartet's 2008 masterpiece 4. Most of the group is high spirits minus the salty bass player who is way too busy making photocopies backstage. Because we all know that touring requires loads of copies and clerical work. Someone get that guy a beer and some mushrooms.

Liechtenstein: 'Roses in the Park' MP3

Sweden's Liechtenstein fall comfortably in between the C86 twee pop of Heavenly and K Records standouts Tiger Trap. While many bands influenced by these movements are guitar wash-heavy with little thought put into vocal arrangements or recording quality this all-female trio blend smart repetition with intertwining melodies that swoon.

The band is also the latest singing to Slumberland Records, who will release Survival Strategies In A Modern World on June 2.

|||Liechtenstein: "Roses in the Park" MP3|||



Survival Strategies in a Modern World:

1. All At Once
2. Postcard
3. Sophistication
4. By Staying Here (We Will Slowly Disappear)
5. Wallpaper Stripes
6. Roses in the Park
7. Reflections
8. White Dress
9. The End

Bibio: 'Weekend Wildfire' MP3

After my last Bibio post I've been trying to freshen up on any new info I can find. Turns out his new Warp Records release is going to be called Ambivalence Avenue, and it drops June 22. You can sign up at the label's Bibio page and get an "album teaser", plus check out all of the tracks and artwork. I went ahead and listed it below anyway, because that's what real friends do. If you like 1970's folk mixed with Boards of Canada trippy-times then you're going to have a great time with this record.

Here's a smokey, psychedelic helping from his last full-length Vignetting the Compost (MUSH):

|||Bibio: "Weekend Wildfire" MP3|||



Ambivalence Avenue:

1. Ambivalence Avenue
2. Jealous Of Roses
3. All The Flowers
4. Fire Ant
5. Haikuesque (When She Laughs)
6. Sugarette
7. Lover's Carvings
8. Abrasion
9. S'vive
10. The Palm Of Your Wave
11. Cry! Baby!
12. Dwrcan

Love is All: 'Last Choice' Video

Love is All were last year's champions at Fuck Yeah Fest. They turned in a performance that made some of the other acts look unrehearsed and even amateurish. And while I'm pretty hit or miss when it comes to their recorded material I like the spontaneous and vibrant pop on the band's latest album A Hundred Things Keep Me Up At Night. This clip for "Last Choice" is a stop-motion wonder that reminds me of the old Gumby cartoons.

Love is All: "Last Choice":



(via P4K)

The Brother Kite: 'The Scene is Changing' Stream

Finally, brand new Brother Kite streams -- soon to appear on the group's forthcoming third album. This rough mix of "The Scene is Changing" focuses your attention on the vocal melody and kind of leaves their trademark guitar charge low in the mix. While we wait for a release date go pick up their outstanding 2007 release Waiting For the Time to Be Right. It's like Big Star meets RIDE.

|||The Brother Kite: "The Scene is Changing" Stream|||

SOSMIX - 15/Favorite Local Releases

If you browse through the archives it's pretty clear that we're big fans of electronic music, shoegaze and indie rock. Just wanted to make a disclaimer for people writing in or mailing us music submissions. We love to hear new music, but we don't guarantee reviews unless we're 100% stoked on it.

On that note I wanted to endorse some local artists who've put out solid releases this year. The weekly SOSMIX is also available below.

Dum Dum Girls: Yours Alone 12"


Gliss: Devotion Implosion LP


Great Northern: Remind Me Where the Light Is LP


National Skyline: Bliss & Death LP


VOICEsVOICEs: Sounds Outside EP


Xu Xu Fang: Seven Days Now EP



|||Download: "SOSMIX - 15" ZIP|||

1. Atlas Sound: "Springtime Instrumental"
2. British Sea Power: "Come Wander With Me"
3. Deastro: "Vermillion Plaza"
4. Empire of the Sun: "We Are the People (Golden Filter remix)"
5. Richard Swift: "The Atlantic Ocean"
6. Silvania: "El Dia Del Cielo"
7. Slowdive: "Silver Screen (unreleased demo)"
8. The Big Pink: "Velvet (Van Rivers & The Subliminal Kid remix)"
9. The Warlocks: "Red Camera"
10. White Denim: "Mirrored and Reverse"

Other inner-nets

A completely inaccurate review of Great Northern's improved sonics courtesy of you know who. Meanwhile, Ariel Pink's disc is somehow relevant. Ugh.

Aquarium Drunkard has an interview with James McNew of Condo Fucks/Yo La Tengo.

The Bronx and Eagles of Death Metal head up the Long Beach Ink-N-Iron Fest. Highly Recommended.

On a side note, I heard a stream of the new Sonic Youth album The Eternal today and it's the best record they've made since Murray Street. No joke.

Gorilla vs. Bear has a download of The Golden Filter remixing their best song ("We Are the People") from Empire of the Sun.

Idolator had it's budget/staff slashed thanks to Buzznet, but it's still a great read.

Autolux add East Coast live dates. Still no news about the trio's tardy sophomore album. Note: It's been almost five years since the release of Future Perfect .

The Kills & The Horrors play The Henry Fonda on May 22. Not going to miss that.