Black Lips Get Genius

Leave it to Atlanta's Black Lips to go ahead and do something brash. This isn't exactly a band that uses reasoning and logic. I mean this is the band that's been banned in several countries, has probably been responsible for more chaos than swine flu in their native Georgia, and god only knows what else. That being said, it should really come as no surprise that they they would go and record a track with some one from the Wu Tang Clan.

But that's exactly what they did and it's nuts. After teaming up with GZA at SXSW, the crazy guys in Black Lips got together in the studio and re-recorded a little tune called, "The Drop I Hold," from the band's current album 200 Million Thousand. The new version is all part of their upcoming I-tunes EP that will feature the original version, and instrumental version, the video and this version. It'll be available for a $1.99 or you can just download the super duper collabo version below.

Download: The Drop I Hold (ft. GZA)

The Gary's Bring It Back

So you say you like classic indie rock? Well then have I got a band for you...The Gary. The Gary isn't one guy named Gary, but in fact a power trio whose members are named Paul, Dave, and Trey.

With that said, The Gary’s origins are on the Comal River, July 2008. Paul Warner paddled over to Dave Norwood and suggested they start a band called The Gary. Dave saw no reason why they shouldn’t play in a band called The Gary, and so it began. It should be noted that both were several beers into their river journey, and it seemed like a good idea at the time. The beer-goggle phenomenon applies to band names, as well.

Name and lazy river aside, this three piece do things the old fashioned way...there's no American Apparel smugness, no angular hair cuts, just lackadaisical mind numbingly good indie rock influenced by people like GBV, Silkworm, and the whole post rock/noise rock thing. It's raw untamed stuff that's not really like anything that's out there now and that's why it's a great listen.

Download: Damn Machines
Download: I May Have A Drink

Smells Like Winter Gloves

Winter Gloves are in the midst of a short North American Tour with Thunderheist in support of their celebrated debut full-length album, About a Girl, on Paper Bag Records. Released after a three song digital-only Let Me Drive EP, the album features these same three songs polished to perfection along with a handful of other three minute pop songs. That's not vague at all is it?

Here are the dates...
Apr 30 2009 9:00P Rickshaw Stop SAN FRANCISCO, California
May 1 2009 9:00P Spaceland LOS ANGELES, California
May 11 2009 9:00P DC9 WASHINGTON, Washington DC
May 13 2009 9:00P Mercury Lounge NEW YORK, New York

In addition, Winter Gloves decided to pay tribute to the late Kurt Cobain in lieu of the recent anniversary of his death with a cover of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit." The kids chorus is amazing and updated dance beat put their own, brand new spin on it! Warning: for all you die hard indie rockers out there who think such covers are sacrilege this track may offend you and hurt your feelings.

Download: Smells Like Teen Spirit

Spencer Product Bites

Do you miss the days when Ministry were at the top of their game? Do you miss the hilarity and ironic nature of the Revolting Cocks or 1000 Home DJ's? If you do, then you'll love Spencer Product's We Bite.

Disguised as a "electro" artist this American takes all the classic elements of those Wax Trax bands (broken synths, distorted vocals, inane lyrics, etc) and gives them a 21st century spin and comes up with a pill munching, alcohol swilling, party patrolling monster that really sounds like the best song Al Jourgensen (a poster child for champion partier if there ever was one) never released.

We Bite is a cross genre monster that will appeal to your inner goth, inner American Apparel wearer, and inner party demon. This is a blast from the past that probably has no idea that it's a blast from the past and that's what makes We Bite great. Throw in a couple of remixes and you have a single that's bonecrushingly amazing.

Download: We Bite
Download: We Bite (Designer Drugs NY Nite Mix)
Download: We Bite (Tronik Youth Remix)

Get Cool Devices For Free

Jason Frederick has founded many rambunctious bands in his 15+ years of fronting projects in Ohio, Chicago, and New York. In the winter of 2006, Frederick received a call from an Ohio reporter.

This reporter wanted to know how this singer felt about the reunion of one of the groups he had disbanded years ago. This was the first Frederick's had heard of his previous brainchild band reforming, without him. "They were playing my songs and using pictures from my sketchbook as banners. There was even another skinny white guy singing my songs... I wasn't so much pissed as inspired."

In fact, the unauthorized reformation of his old band proved to be a perfect call to arms for a new project. Frederick had been enjoying some loud and spontaneous sessions with drummer Jim Duffy during recent downtime; from these compositions he began to weave the demos for a new record, later to be named Cool Devices.

After getting it all out of his system, and using that inspiration to his advantage, Cool Devices release their eponymous debut EP on April 27, 2009. Cool Devices are a bit raw and rambunctious, but I guess that's expected, especially after someone has stolen your band identity. You want to talk about a sense of urgency, Cool Devices are all about having it and they have it by the tons. Inspired by the likes of Bad Brains, P.I.L and Brainiac and the sweat and swagger of Reigning Sound and Jay Reatard, it's a bit chaotic to say the least.

Through the use of modern technology Cool Devices "revenge album," is available in its entirety for free and legal download on RockProper.com (or below) and you can't beat that.

Download: Primative
Download: Come Get Me
Download: Cool Devices album (zipped file)

Emperor Xu Xu Fang

Xu Xu Fang, featuring Bobby Tamkin (The Warlocks, Hovercraft), and Barbara Cohen, who sang with Air, has anywhere from six to ten members and up to four guitars, creating a layered, psychedelic sound you would expect to hear emanating from a wooded bungalow in Laurel Canyon circa 1972.

The rainy sounds of Xu Xu Fang echo early Black Sabbath with whispery vocals that tend toward Elliott Smith and My Bloody Valentine. It's super moody stuff that's grey and grim with just a sparkle of sunshine. Xu Xu Fang's songs have that soundtrack-like quality about them that allow the songs go be as expansive and epic as they want. It's imaginative stuff to say the least that will play tricks with your imagination while putting you into a trance.

April 28 is the release date for Xu Xu Fang's new CD, Seven Days Now. And yes...that is actually a Cure cover down there.

Download: Your Way
Download: Fascination Street

Falling on Deaf Judges Ears

Deaf Judges are a four man hip hop crew out of Athens, Georgia consisting of three MCs (Rorshak, Produce Man and Louie Carlysle) and one DJ/ producer (Cubenza).

This conglomeration of talent pulls together vast influences from all over the musical map into a secret formula that exhibits the freewheeling fun of the old-school eighties together with the grimy lyric-driven pulse of nineties NY underground. All of this is spiced with a distinctly Southern flavor that is undeniable, while at the same time far removed from the regional sounds of their dirty south contemporaries.

Their album, All Rise is like a trip back...way back...to the days when hip hop was young and groups like 3rd Bass were blowing up. If you take that and mix it with the contemporary influences of Jurassic 5 you've kind of got an idea of what Deaf Judges are all about.

Download: Deaf Sentence
Download: Space Cadet Setlist

Wallpaper. Head To Pizza Hut/Taco Bell

Oakland club destroyer, Wallpaper. have been putting together quite the resume over the past year after remixing Jamie Lidell, Passion Pit, The Submarines, Restiform Bodies, and You Say Party! We Say Die!. Today, they just add to that resume with their remix of Das Racist's "Combination Pizza Hut And Taco Bell". "Dan Deacon played this song for me in a hotel room high above the hookery streets of Las Vegas and I was in love instantly," says Wallpaper. producer, Eric Frederic.

So what did they do next...they turned to the blogosphere and released it everywhere. Only seems logical nowadays.

Oh...and if you're on the left side of the country, Wallpaper. are taking their show on the road. Here are some dates...

May 29 San Diego, CA @ Beauty Bar
May 30 Phoenix, AZ @ Rogue Bar (Shake!)
May 31 Las Vegas, NV @ Beatles Revolution Lounge at The Mirage
Jun 06 Mountain View, CA @ Live 105's BFD Festival at Shoreline Amphitheater
Jun 19 Brooklyn, NY @ Studio B (Yikes! w/ Thunderheist)

Download: Das Racist - Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell (Wallpaper. Remix)

Download: Passion Pit -Sleepyhead (Wallpaper. Dio Remix)

Casper and the Cookies Love Modern Science

If you know Of Montreal then you know Casper and the Cookies. C&tC are just one of the many many spin offs, side projects, and other experiments by members and ex-members of the uber popular band.

Casper and the Cookies has been in a constant state of flux since it's origin back in 1998 when Jason Nesmith founded the group. Since then there have been more members than you or I could count. Today, there are currently three members including Jason, Kay Stanton (an old member who's still hanging around) and Jim Hix. However, their album Modern Science has tracks on it that features no less than 35 musicians including members of Of Montreal, Apples in Stereo, and Pylon.

Modern Science is filled with paradoxes like these as well as brilliant psychedelic power pop; the kind Of Montreal stopped playing so long ago. It's a brilliant little record and if you've ever considered yourself a fan of Elephant 6, of Montreal, Yellow Pills comps, Nuggets box sets or just crunchy guitars you'll want to find Modern Science when it comes out May 12th!

Download: Little King
Download: Pete Erchick Bicentennial Service Area

Pattern is Movement / St. Vincent Hit The Road

Hometapes is pleased to announce what is perhaps one of the best tours this year: St. Vincent and Pattern Is Movement. In conjunction with the release of St. Vincent's Actor and in the formidable wake made by their own All Together, Pattern Is Movement will be joining St. Vincent on her US tour this coming May and June. The aesthetic ramifications of the nights ahead of us are huge and guaranteed-beautiful.

Pattern Is Movement will be packing musical heat this tour: new songs, untested and unrecorded, will grace their evolving performance. The chance to reunite with Annie is also a chance to share with audiences all over the country, which Chris characterizes as an opportunity to "help us learn the songs, both structurally and emotionally" before they head into the studio later this year. "This is a new direction for us," says Chris. Exciting times lie ahead then!

The tour hits the following stops...
5/19/09 Somerville, MA @ Somerville Theatre
5/20/09 New York, NY @ Webster Hall
5/21/09 Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church
5/25/09 Portland, OR @ Aladdin Theater
5/27/09 San Francisco, CA @ Bimbo’s 365 Club
5/28/09 Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theatre
5/30/09 San Diego, CA @ Casbah
5/31/09 Phoenix, AZ @ Modified Arts
6/02/09 Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater
6/03/09 Omaha, NE @ Slowdown Jr.
6/04/09 Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
6/05/09 Milwaukee, WI @ Pabst Theater
6/07/09 Chicago, IL @ Epiphany
6/09/09 Newport, KY @ Southgate House
6/10/09 Lexington, KY @ The Dame
6/11/09 Nashville, TN @ Mercy Lounge
6/13/09 Athens, GA @ 40 Watt Club
6/14/09 Atlanta, GA @ The Earl
6/16/09 Birmingham, AL @ Bottletree
6/18/09 Dallas, TX @ Granada Theatre
6/19/09 Austin, TX @ Mohawk

Download: Pattern Is Movement: Right Away
Download: Pattern Is Movement: Jenny Ono
Download: St. Vincent: Now Now

Is She Your Doctor Or Your Dealer?

Buoyed by the success of debut album, Confessions Of A Drunken Mind, Swedish one-man band,Doctors & Dealers returns with her sophomore effort, Lost Friends And New Found Habits.

Still entirely home-recorded and produced, the album features a myriad of instruments from kazoos, maracas to cellos and trumpets – the album is a more robust, collection of tracks with finer-honed production but still retaining the cute charm of the debut album. The record features a duet with James Huggins of flamboyant art-rock outfit, Of Montreal, via the song “The Odds Are On Our Side," a bittersweet relationship manifesto to the tune of twinkling keys and percussion and horns.

Honest, self-effacing, D&D continue to put words and music to all the trials and tribulations of life. If Confessions was a hedonistic journey of never-ending parties and love affairs, Lost Friends And New Found Habits is the hindsight view of it. The rose tinted glasses and the gloves are off. But somehow a smile remains.

I featured Doctors & Dealers last month on Ten Tracks You Need, but they've just sent out, “The Odds Are On Our Side," and it's an adorable twee gem so I figured what the heck, I'll do a whole post on them. If last year was the year of one man bands, someone forgot to tell Doctors & Dealers because they're still at it and they're (or really she) is doing one heck of a job.

Download: On The Dancefloor
Download: The Odds Are On Our Side

Reigns Haunt The House on the Causeway

Reigns is a band who don't have members but operatives. These operatives, A & B, began recording for the Reigns organization in 2002 and have recorded two previous albums under this moniker. Their third album, The House on the Causeway, centers around a small man made promontory of granite cobbles that extend a half mile out into the English Channel. A strange idea for an album to be sure, but as with previous Reigns albums, the strangest of ideas becomes ideal fodder for the Operatives to experiment with.

A eerie and spooky record, The House on the Causeway is predominantly and ambient record that sounds as if a band of ghosts were living in the house and recorded the noises and sounds they make as they float around the property. It's creepy stuff, that's swirly, frail, and quiet that occasionally has otherworldly voices, sounds of paper tearing, sparsely played piano, ethereal guitar riffs, and a drum machine set to barely there. It's quite fascinating stuff that will scare the bejesus out of you while enveloping your ears and imagination.

Reigns are constantly experimenting with the spectrum of sound on this record, their use of found sounds, with guitars, effects, voices and other things contribute to the albums unearthly, disembodied feel. As the songs phase in and out of your speakers, and sounds come and go, The House on the Causeway is made to feel as though it's sitting on your shoulder creating this imaginative soundtrack to a movie that your part of and a movie you can't get out of. It's liberating stuff for your mind, as you can't help but put together pictures and scenes that fit each of the songs haunting nature. The House on the Causeway is truly an incidental soundtrack waiting for a movie to happen around it.

"Mirrors at Night,"and "Your Hand Is Frozen," are songs that create a real sense of time and space and hint back to works by other artists like Bill Nelson, O Yuki Conjugate, and In The Nursery. These artists like Reigns create worlds of sound for your mind to explore and spend eternity in; their supernatural ghostly environments are captivating and beautiful and encourage repeat visits. The House on the Causeway is just like that; a mysterious and entertaining record that will haunt you and keep your brain working overtime for a very, very long. What more could you ask for in an album? Not much, I would think. So come spend time at the The House on the Causeway and it's granite cobbles, you may never leave.

Download: Everything Beyond These Walls Has Been Razed
Download: Mab Crease
Download: The Black Cramp

Another Glass of Milke?

A few weeks ago I posted "Love Get Out of My Way," by the synth pop duo Milke and included the Designer Drugs remix as a bonus. Well, apparently they band had a few more tricks up their sleeve and released a few more remixes of said single. This time Fireman and Qoso take a stab at the stylish synth pop sounds of this duo and come up with two completely different interpretations.

In case you forgot (and don't want to search the blog), Milke is inspired by the third French wave of Kitsune artists, electro pop, Stuart Price and the DFA, mixed with the pop sensibilities of Eurythmics, The Cure, Talking Heads, Stevie Wonder and Prince. With a KLF approach to creativity (minus the sheep slaying or pounds burning), Milke sings about displacement, mental illness, love and love-lost, obsession and sex. You know, the usual stuff.

Download: Love Get Out of My Way (Fireman Remix)
Download: Love Get Out of My Way (Qoso Remix)

Damn Deer Ticks

Born On Flag Day is Deer Tick's highly anticipated second full-length album and follow-up to the band's 2007 internationally acclaimed debut War Elephant (reissued in 2008 by Partisan Records). This release follows two years of extensive touring in sold out clubs across the country and abroad.

Unlike War Elephant, this album features the three new members of Deer Tick that principal songwriter John J. McCauley III recruited to become the band's current incarnation - Andy Tobiassen, Dennis Ryan and Chris Ryan. Born On Flag Day reflects a natural evolution from a singular vision of one songwriter to something much greater.

The album is set for a June 23rd street date on Partisan Records.

The band will also be touring...

Thu-Apr-23 Boston, MA Harpers Ferry
Fri-Apr-24 Providence, RI Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel #
Mon-Jun-08 Philadelphia, PA Trocadero %
Tue-Jun-09 Brooklyn, NY Music Hall of Williamsburg %
Wed-Jun-10 Boston, MA House of Blues %
Thu-Jun-11 Washington, DC 9:30 Club %
Fri-Jun-12 Carrboro, NC Cat's Cradle %
Sun-Jun-14 St. Louis, MO The Pageant %
Mon-Jun-15 Lawrence, KS Granada %
Wed-Jun-17 Omaha, NE Slowdown %
With...
# = w/ Elvis Perkins in Dearland
% = w/ Jenny Lewis

Download: Easy

Man of Mystery

Not a lot is known about Myrone Aiden. Even his promo people don't have a lot of information. While that's generally a bad sign in the case of Myrone, it just makes him an international man of mystery unleashing floor fillers anonymously.

According to the man himself he started making music in 1996. "In the year 1996 there was a good old friend, who gave me some samples and tiny music-programs to play with. From that point on, I was obsessed with the idea of producing my own sounds. In the beginning my music was more house or breakbeat flavored because I was very inspired by the Chemical Brothers." As time went by Myrone's sound evolved a bit and by, "The end of 1997 I was deeply influenced by drum and bass." By 2000 he gained experience as a DJ and his sound continued to develop into what it is today. "Over the years my style has become more 80s flavoured with "back to the roots sounds," like Georgio Moroder."

The 80's have definitely had an influence on Myrone and all you have to do is listen to his re-work of Foreigner's, "Urgent," to realize that! As for his original material, it's almost as if Erasure has possessed him and forced him to write massive disco-synth-pop anthems. In other words, it's hands in the air sort of good stuff.

Download: I'll Be There
Download: Foreigner - Urgent (Myrone Aiden Remix)
Download: Digitalism - Taken Away (Myrone Aiden Remix)
(all tracks via zippy share)

Scooby...I Mean La Snacks.

So you say you love proper indie rock and you don't get why all the crazy kids love this dance music stuff. You say that today's music is just to discotastic for your taste. You miss the days when people like Stephen Malkmus would write slacker anthem after slacker anthem on a guitar. Well this means the following...1) you're not in your 20's anymore 2) you probably haven't bought a record since 1999 3) you more than likely live in Jacksonville and 4) you will absolutely LOVE La Snacks!

Yes, it's true...in the giant ocean of synthesizer wielding dance floor monsters there are tiny fish who still cling to the idea that the Archers of Loaf and Pavement were the greatest bands to have ever walked the earth. While I'm more from the Britpop camp then the American indie rock camp I myself do love a good Pavement song and that's why I found La Snacks such a freaking great band.

This Texas band embrace the snarky slacker ethic that made a whole scene go absolutely nuts over a decade ago. As their bio says, La Snacks is definitely proof that sticking with something can eventually get you to the point where all is as it should be or, as the band now says, Newfangled.

So break out your Doc Marten's and relive the 90's all over again...

Download: Kristin Was A Meterologist
Download: The Circle Argument

Download: The Devil Has Left The Building

The Junior Boys Are Back In Town

Begone Dull Care, the remarkable new album from the duo of Jeremy Greenspan and Matthew Didemus, professionally known as Junior Boys, was released Tuesday here in the United States.

After a well-earned break after nearly two solid years of activity around the band's last album, the group spent most of 2008 focused on the completion of a new album, with Greenspan working in the band's new studio/HQ/bar complex in Hamilton, Ontario as well as a couple sojourns to Berlin, where the recently-married Didemus had settled. The only distractions from the task at hand were a DJ mix for Get Physical, an indirect Grammy nomination with Carl Craig for his incredible remix of "Like A Child" and Greenspan's many vocal contributions to the latest Morgan Geist album, Double Night Time.

Begone Dull Care is the band's third album, following the critical and commercial successes of Last Exit (2004) and So This Is Goodbye (2006). The title is a reference to a short film by the pioneering Oscar-winning Scottish-Canadian animator and electronic composer, Norman McLaren, who was a big influence on the conception and creation of this album. McLaren may not be as well-known today, but his influence has been seen by nearly anyone whose been raised on the early works of the Children's Television Workshop.

Junior Boys are currently undertaking an extensive six-week tour of the Americas, which runs through the 2nd week of May. Joining them on the tour will be Domino label mate Max Tundra, he of a recently released and excellent album in his own right. The remaining tour dates are as follows:

THU 4/9 - The Warehouse - Calgary, AB
SAT 4/11 - The Biltmore Cabaret - Vancouver, BC,
SUN 4/12 - Neumos- Seattle, WA
TUE 4/14 - Doug Fir Lounge - Portland, OR
THU 4/16 - Bimbo's 365 Club - San Francisco, CA
SAT 4/18 - Coachella - Indio, CA
SUN 4/19 - Rhythm Room - Phoenix, AZ,
WED 4/22 - The Bluebird Theater - Denver, CO
FRI 4/24 - Record Bar - Kansas City, MO
SAT 4/25 - Billiken Club - St. Louis, MO
MON 4/27 - Canopy Club - Urbana, IL
TUE 4/28 - Southgate House - Newport, KY
WED 4/29 - Skully's Music Diner - Columbus, OH
THU 4/30 - The Dame - Lexington, KY
FRI 5/1 - Mercy Lounge - Nashville, TN
SAT 5/2 - The Earl - Atlanta, GA
SUN 5/3 - Cat's Cradle - Carrboro, NC
TUE 5/5 - Black Cat - Washington, DC
WED 5/6 - 1st Unitarian Church - Philadelphia, PA
THU 5/7 - Webster Hall - New York, NY
FRI 5/8 - Middle East Downstairs - Cambridge, MA
SAT 5/9 - Le National - Montreal, QC
SUN 5/10 - Babylon - Ottawa, ON

Download: Hazel

They're Not In A Coma

Coma are Marius Bubat and Georg Conrad, both in their mid twenties. They are a breath of fresh air in the streets of Cologne because as two producers who are open minded, they have no problems combining pop, rave, techno and rock in to a very unique, subtle and elegant blend of electronic music. Coma describe themselves as nu-rave and old-school techno, 80's pop and 2k-modernity in a deep hug. While that sounds a bit pervy it pretty much sums up their sound and their influences to a tee. Coma goes against the grain by forgetting the hype and what's trendy and making music that while aimed at the world has a big German stamp on it.

Having released record on Firm via Kompakt, the duo have clearly established themselves as a force to be reckoned with. These guys have no problem in taking legendary German minimalism and tossing it around a bit to come up with something that's as sensual as any house track you can think of or as fucked up as anything Primal Scream (or Beck) could imbibe. They're clever cheeky dudes who know how to manipulate their influences into gold. Despite their name, Coma are far from being catatonic and after listening to the tracks below I think you'll agree.

Download: Choices
Download: Easy
Watch Easy Live:

305 Baby.

To start the week off, I'm headed back to my hometown...Miami. It always amazes me that it wasn't until after I left the Magic City in 1999 that things started to get exciting. I think it's probably because of Virgin filling the HUGE gap left by the many indie stores that were around in the early 90's (Y&T (I worked there), Open, Blue Note). Whatever the reason, it's just cool that there's a scene down there now that has taken on a life of its own.

Anyway, Modernage are continuing to get mileage out of their September released Sirhan Sirhan EP. With this third release, Modernage have taken various musical elements from their inspirations and artfully fused them together to create an ageless 5-track EP that has the gloom-rock atmospherics of White Lies, the driving bass of Snowden, the clever lyrical lamentation of the National, and occasional crooning and danceability that is reminiscent of Joy Division. The construct of such ingredients glistens, making it difficult for listeners to overlook. Modernage is all about maximizing this exposure through the gamut of styles they're influenced by and after listening to "Creatures," you'll probably agree that moodiness never sounded so good.

Download: Creatures

Houston's Wild Wrangler Returns

Hey guys...

Sorry I haven't been consistent this week. Things have just gotten busy outside of the blogosphere and I've been a little lax w/the blog as a result. Anyway, I've got a quick post for you tonight, form DJ/producer extraordinaire Dave Wrangler!

Dave Wrangler will dabble in any and all genres and his style of performance and production reflect his chaotic focus. He blends elements of hip-hop, electronica, indie, rock and dance into a seamless mix of high-energy madness! Ok, so that just described like every DJ right now...but as one of the busiest and most versatile DJ's in Houston, he is becoming one of the most acclaimed new producers/remixers in the bloghouse (thanks for the description HR!). Dave's tracks, remixes and sets have been featured with the likes of underground and mainstream powerhouses: Soulwax, Diplo, Justice, Peaches, Portishead, MIA and Santogold just about everywhere.

You'll see why below with his Remixes of Ghostland Observatory that have been making the rounds for the last day or so.

Download: Notorious B.I.G. vs Ghostland - Nasty Boy (Dave Wrangler Remix)
Download: Michael Jackson vs Ghostland - Scream (Dave Wrangler Remix)
Download: Pharcyde vs Ghostland - Passin' Me By (Dave Wrangler Remix)
all downloads are via DivShare.

Crawling Out of the Crypt

Cryptacize is former Kill Rock Stars artist, Nedelle Torrisi, Chris Cohen of The Curtains/ex-Deerhoof, Michael Carreira and new addition, bassist Aaron Olson. They are a band that deals in the unforgettable melody, the forsaken chord and the extravagant sentiment. Mythomania, their second album, shows the sound of a band that's found themselves and is growing by leaps and bounds. Nedelle Torrisi's surefooted and richly nuanced vocal arabesques strangely complement Chris Cohen's maniacally sped-up or staccato and funny guitar. Michael Carreira's syncopated drum corps rudiments and pit-orchestra rave-ups propel the songs with a refreshingly buoyant touch. The music is thicker and more continuous; in addition to autoharp, guitars and drums, there are now electric basses, keyboards, piano, and found or purely electronic sounds, and yet the same sense of space and suspense that guided Cryptacize's debut album is instantly recognizable.

Never ones to follow the rules, this unconventional band have been touring the US in a Toyota Corolla (opening for bands as diverse as Why?, Danielson, Shearwater, Ponytail, Magik Markers, Marnie Stern, The Blow, Mirah, and more) performing using miniature amps and drums. Deceptively simple, using modest means to achieve ambitious ends, never predictable, Cryptacize challenges preconceptions about how a song should go or how rock music should make you feel. But in the end, they always leave you with a tune you can hum and lyrics that tell a story.

Download: Blue Tears
Download: One Block Wonders
Download: Tall and Mane