Posts Tagged ‘indie pop’

Spotlight: Grand Archives

Grand Archives / Courtesy of Sub Pop RecordsGrand Archives, consisting of five – Mat Brooke, Jeff Montano, Curtis Hall, Ron Lewis, and Thomas Wright – bring us bright, experimental pop recordings. “Torn Blue Foam Couch” is particularly lush with a chirping summery tone and beautiful four-part vocal harmonies. Perfect walking music, as great pop should be. To kick off their album release (Feb. 19th) Grand Archives will be performing Live at KEXP 90.3 FM and a live (free!) show at Sonic Boom later that evening in Seattle, WA. Full tour dates will be listed here. Their self-titled album will be released Feb. 19 on Sub Pop Records.

Grand Archives — “Torn Blue Foam Couch” | download
[audio:http://www.musicgeek.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/torn_blue_foam_couch.mp3]

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Spotlight: The Terrordactyls | Indie pop group releases stop-motion video for “Devices,” features Kimya Dawson on vocals

The Terrordactyls / Courtesy of Fanatic PromotionThe latest video from The Terrordactyls, a strangely enticing lo-fi indie pop group, is a strangely enticing lo-fi stop motion endeavor. “Devices,” which features Moldy Peaches-veteran and Kimya Dawson on vocals, features, of all things, scissors speaking to each other. Read after the jump for the video. Michael Cadiz and Tyrel Stendahl, who make up The Terrordactyls, are quite capable of holding their musical own, as it were: See “Fall,” posted below, for an example.

Contributing vocalist Kimya Dawson may overshadow the two musicians, given the love a variety of teenagers have expressed for recent Ivan Reitman flick Juno — don’t get me wrong, I am quite a fan of the film, as well; I merely find the newfound love for The Moldy Peaches and Kimya Dawson a bit puzzling or, at the very least, surprising.

The Terrordactyls — “Devices” | download
[audio:http://www.musicgeek.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/theterrordactyls-devices.mp3]

The Terrordactyls —”Fall” | download
[audio:http://www.musicgeek.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/theterrordactyls-fall.mp3]

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Kara Keith to release solo EP

Kara Keith / Courtesy of Killbeat MusicKara Keith, from Calgary, Alberta and previously of Falconhawk, will release her self-titled solo debut EP on Saved By Radio on Feb. 12. The EP can be purchased in the Saved By Radio online store. “Kick This City,” from the release and posted below, is an engaging, driving track that makes its name with synthesizers and keys, but is also home to smooth vocals from Kara Keith. With talent of this nature, it’s hard to believe that this singer and songwriter won’t go anywhere.

Kara Keith — “Kick This City” | download
[audio:http://www.musicgeek.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/02-kick-this-city.mp3]

Kara Keith on MySpace

An interview with Say Hi, who released a new album today

Say Hi / Courtesy of Sneak Attack MediaEric Elbogen of Say Hi (previously Say Hi To Your Mom), who, today, release The Wishes and the Glitch, answers a few questions from MusicGeek.org regarding the new album, working with David Bazan and John Roderick, and more. Read after the jump for more of the interview, tracks from The Wishes and the Glitch, and links to purchase music from the group. Say Hi were previously the subject of a MusicGeek.org spotlight.

Say Hi — “Northwestern Girls” | download
[audio:http://www.musicgeek.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/sayhi_northwesterngirls.mp3]

What’s the geekiest thing you did during the recording of The Wishes and the Glitch?

Well, cooping up in a bedroom full of music equipment for six months for twelve hours a day is pretty geeky, don’t you agree? I got nothing else.

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Spotlight: Head of Femur | Eclectic indie pop group prepares for new album’s release

Head of Femur / Courtesy of Planetary GroupHead of Femur, a wonderfully orchestrated indie pop group, will release their new album, Great Plains, on March 25 on Greyday Records. The LP, their third, is a tightly constructed pop record with a flare unique to the group. The passionate songwriting embodied by the group can be heard in the trumpets, the multi-part harmonies, and the jangly, twee-inflected guitar work: This isn’t some one-off, pointless project. Head of Femur pulls influence from C-86, The Flaming Lips, The Smiths, The Beach Boys, The Beatles — the usual greats, really; touches of legendary pop writing make a distinctive presence on Great Plains, and that’s sure to set this outfit apart.

Head of Femur — “Isn’t It a Shame” | download
[audio:http://www.musicgeek.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/12-isnt-it-a-shame.mp3]

Head of Femur — “Jetway Junior” | download
[audio:http://www.musicgeek.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/04-jetway-junior.mp3]

White Hinterland begins North American tour tomorrow

Winter Hinderland / Courtesy of Dead Oceans, photo by Tod Seelie Casey Dienel — the 22-year old performing a unique combination of jazz and indie as White Hinterland and the subject of a previous MusicGeek.org spotlight — is set to embark on her North American tour tomorrow, kicking off with a performance in Boston. The tour ends with a three-day stint at SXSW, but the final regular tour date, March 4, will see the release of Phylactery Factory on Dead Oceans. Dienel is touring with Taken By Trees, with whom Victoria Bergsman, previously of indie-popsters The Concretes, has been performing.

Winter Hinterland – “Dreaming of the Plum Trees” | download
[audio:http://www.musicgeek.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/dreamingoftheplumtrees.mp3]

Read after the jump for tour dates.

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Spotlight: American Music Club | Veteran group readies album, North American tour

American Music Club / Courtesy of Merge RecordsAmerican Music Club, who released their first album in 1985, are preparing to release their ninth full length album, The Golden Age, on Merge Records. The album is set to be released on Feb. 19 in the US and Feb. 4 in the UK, on Cooking Vinyl. Posted below is “All the Lost Souls Welcome You To San Francisco,” an exquisitely crafted indie pop track that holds a certain amount of energy beneath its mellow demeanor.

American Music Club — “All The Lost Souls Welcome You To San Francisco” | download
[audio:http://www.musicgeek.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/sanfrancisco.mp3]

Read after the jump for purchase links and North America tour dates beginning in April.

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An interview with Nathaniel Carroll

Indie pop musician Nathaniel Carroll performs in Hurricane, Utah / MusicGeek.org, Matthew MontgomeryNathaniel Carroll, indie pop pianist, guitarist, and vocalist, is preparing a new album for release at some point in the future. While awaiting the release, take a listen to two tracks, “You’ll Make a Killing” and “A Lie Worth Living,” which he provided for your listening. The tracks, among his most musically mature and best-recorded, feature Carroll’s signature genuine, heartfelt songwriting.

MusicGeek.org previously conducted an interview with Nathaniel Carroll in October, 2005. His music can be purchased at his web site.

Nathaniel Carroll — “You’ll Make a Killing” | download
[audio:http://www.musicgeek.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/youll-make-a-killing.mp3]

Nathaniel Carroll — “A Lie Worth Living” | download
[audio:http://www.musicgeek.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/a-lie-worth-living.mp3]

What’s the status on your new album?

Slow and steady wins the race.  I’d be vain if I told you that I planned on it taking over two years to record my new album, as if I’ve been carefully crafting some masterpiece in my secret underground lair.  In actuality, this album is one of many flaming chainsaws in my juggling routine.  I have the skeleton tracks (drums, piano or guitar, vocals) recorded for 10 songs, and I have 2 songs that are “good enough.”  I’ve enclosed them in this electronic correspondence for your leaking pleasure.  If track lists mean anything to anyone these days, here’s one that looks cool in my head:

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