Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Wake Up It's The Morningbell


Gainesville's psychedelic pop masters, Morningbell, have returned yet again. It's hard to believe that this band around for so long and has yet to be signed. Four albums in and it's easy to say that Morningbell are clearly one of the best bands in Gainesville if not in the entire state. They have perfected their craft, their sound, and released a pack of exceptionally adept records. With all that in the bank and the band playing at their best, they've decided to throw a few new things into the formula. Gone from their sound is the bands overwhelming psychedelic influences and here now are a mixture of power pop and soul sounds mixed with some classic pop and world music styling which makes Sincerely Severely sound something like Of Montreal partying with Janes Addiction and Prince at Carnivale.

Sincerely Severely is an album that covers all its bases by utilizing everything it knows. While the band's tendency for psychedelics has been replaced with a more soulful and intimate approach, Morningbell has still managed to intermingle the two at times to create expansive songs that really want to hang out with Jamiroquai and Vampire Weekend. As bizarre as that might sound, it's really not a bad thing at all because the musicianship and the songs are both incredibly song (see "Dancing In The Jaws Of A Lion," for a prime example). In all honesty, about the only thing that does get a bit weird is vocalist Travis Atria's attempts at falsetto; sometimes it works and sometimes it just seems a bit odd for its own good but that's just nitpicking

Musically armed with loads of horns and strings, Morningbell really sound more as if they're putting on a review then just playing on an album. Sincerely Severely is the sound of a band having to much fun at what they're doing and loving every minute of it. Whether it's with strings, horns, world music vibes, soulful jams, or blissed out guitar work, Morningbell cover more ground in 50 minutes than most bands do their entire career. Sincerely Severely is a wonderfully diverse record that takes pop music and turns it on its head and then reshapes it and makes it, it's own. From the world music feel of "The Blue Whale and the Fly," to the power pop of "Lets Not Lose Our Heads," Sincerely Severely is all over the place in all the best ways.

Sincerely Severely is another notch in the brilliant career of these Gainesville legends. In fact, it might just be the album of their career simply because it's an album that refuses to sit still and be contained by genre. Morningbell have come a long way over their short career and Sincerely Severely proves it. This is a band that has matured into one of the best groups of musicians in the state. Now if someone outside of this state would just sign them justice would be done!

Download: Good Morning I'm Here
Download: Marching Off To War

For A Lack There Of...


Tonight's Treasure Trove post comes to us from Lack There Of...

Danny Seim is mad prolific. Seriously. Before he started the acclaimed Portland, OR art rock trio Menomena (in which he drums impressively, and, along with the other two members, sings, writes, composes, arranges, deconstructs, and reassembles), he was the sole, inexhaustible, and promotion-averse member of Lackthereof. Seim still finds time for making Lackthereof recordings, which, over the project's ten year history, have ranged from lo-fi to lush, acoustic to synthetic, poppy to noisy.

A Lackthereof Retrospective 1998-2008, or I was a Christian Emo Twentysomething is the 10th full-length Lackthereof release, contains the best of Seim's Lackthereof work, selected by him from among a decade of remarkable electronic beat experiments, lo-fi indie dub, simple acoustic soundscapes, challenging art pieces, and much more.

The album is limited edition and is a pretty much essential purchase if you can find one.

Download: Safely In Jail

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

This One's For The 904...


Well...those of us in Riverside anyway.

This post comes to Riverside via London thanks to Peo De Pitte aka Peo Häggström.

Originally from Stockholm Sweden but freezing his ass off, Peo Häggström did what any normanl person would do and move to Hawaii. Just kidding after leaving Stockholm, Peo jumped across the North Sea and wound up in London to start and manage his own label, FlatOut Records, from a bit more temperate clime. The label is Peo's creative outlet for his two aliases Peo de Pitte and Haggstrom.

Using a combination of rare groove beats and synths up the ying yang Peo has gone about things a bit differently and incidentally made him one of the more interesting new producers to emerge lately.

With remixes and releases on labels including Fingerlickin’, Global Underground, LOT49, U&A and Champion Records it is no surprise that he has won huge support worldwide in a short amount of time. The guy has been so busy in fact that he's already found himself on Radio 1 and Kiss 100.

If these re-works are any indication of what his originals are like it's no wonder he's getting all the support he's getting.

Download: Sidney Samson - Riverside (Peo De Pitte Remix)
Download: Sidney Samson - Riverside (Peo De Pitte Dub)

Hail the Boy Genius


The latest post from the POP! Stereo Treasure Trove comes to us from Boy Genius.

Jason Korenkiewicz began writing songs in 2006 for a two-man acoustic project tentatively called Boy Genius. One night at a party someone declared them ‘neither boys, nor geniuses’ and the name was solidified.

Their first two EPs and debut album, Anchorage, were all recorded in Brooklyn, NY with engineer Josh Clark at Seaside Lounge. Clark had just finished working with Beirut and the New Pornographers and his ability to capture horns, multi-layered vocals and a wide array of instruments made him a great match for Boy Genius. Within days of releasing Anchorage, however, the band (now Jason on guitar and vocals, Marisa Cerio on lead guitar, Lisa Klimkiewicz on drums and backing vocals, and Jeff Mensch on bass) decided that legendary producer/musician Mitch Easter would be the person to work with on their second album. Known best for his work with bands like R.E.M., Pavement, Superchunk, Dinosaur Jr, the dBs and Velvet Crush, Easter’s pop sensibility and distinctive recording style seemed a perfect fit for Boy Genius. They began sending him demos and, within a few months, Easter agreed to produce their second album, Staggering.

From its inception, the goal with Staggering was to craft an album tailor-made for vinyl that would both glorify the format and preserve the history of the LP. It was conceived in sequence as two sides of a full-length record, each with its own distinct beginning, middle and end. Staggering was recorded over the course of 11 days at Easter’s fantastic Fidelitorium in Kernersville, NC. The collaboration with Easter proved to be a revelatory experience for the band, allowing them to build on the power of their live room recordings with subtle musical flourishes and layers of sound. The album was recorded on tape, mixed to tape and mastered directly from tape to the lacquers that press vinyl albums. While the decision to rely heavily on tape proved arduous at points, the result is an album that has all the warmth and charm of a classic vinyl pop record. For this reason Staggering is available only on vinyl.

Download: Old New England

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Are Your Globes on Remote


Based in Los Angeles, California, Globes on Remote was formed in 2008 and named after an event that can never be retold in print.

Members of Globes on Remote are Stephen Andrews, Tawny Carson, Kevin Ignatius, and Daniel Medina. Aside from Carson (the only member actually from LA,) the remaining members come from small towns: St. Augustine, Florida, Warren, Pennsylvania, and Winters, California. All mad about music from an early age, the four members collaboratively sing and play instruments that range from guitars and synthesizers to megaphones, trumpets, and a euphonium – all are classically trained, especially in megaphoning.

The music of Globes on Remote is dancy, anthemic, and full of energy, instruments, and voices. Their songs are character-driven; wannabe stuntmen and/or spacemen, sleazy professors, carnival operators, and neurotic porn writers, all have their misadventures borne out over a beat. The band is DIY to the bone (okay, except for mastering) and all of their music is self-recorded, mixed, and produced.

Download: D.T. Lipps
Download: Space Camp

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Ten Tracks You Need #50 Christmas Edition


Hey guys...

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...well unless you're hear at POP! Stereo Central where it will be a balmy 74 degrees and we'll be wearing shorts!

To celebrate this we're giving you a Christmas present of sorts...this week's Ten Tracks You Need is Christmas themed. Loads of tunes to have some eggnog to, unwrap presents, eat, etc. There's also a ton of full mixes for you to enjoy as well. There's enough music to get you through the rest of 2009!

Enjoy and more importantly, have a great holiday folks.

Ten Tracks You Need
1) The Hush Now - Wishing You A Merry Christmas

2) Hawksley Workman's - Sweet Hallelujah

3) Slaraffenland - Little Drummer Boy

4) Shannon Fields - I'll Be Home For Christmas (If Only In My Dreams)

5) Pattern Is Movement - O Holy Night

6) Brad Laner - It's Christmas But I Don't Care

7) The Caribbean - Christmastime is Here

8) Sean Bones - If You Hear A Knock

One Bonus Xmas Song....
8.5) Don Ho - Mele Kelekimaka (iamxl Remix) via Mediafire

Two Non Xmas Songs...
9) Surfer Blood - Floating Vibes website

10) I Was Totally Destroying It - Conventry Carol website

Seven Bonus Zips (and a partridge in a pear tree)
NAPT on Triple J Promo Mix full mix

Buffet Libre DJ's - Verbena Selected 4 full mix

Sex Invaders - Love The Donkey full mix

CJ Milli - Alcoholic Enema December 09 Mixtape via Mediafire full mix

HavocNDeed - CutDrop.com Mix via Mediafire full mix

Death To The Throne - I Only Have Eyes For You via Mediafire

Germ - Midnight via Yousendit

Videos
Patrick and Eugene and Christmas

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

What The Heck Is A Heligoat


The Heligoats quietly entered its 10th year of existence in 2009. Chris Otepka (formerly of Troubled Hubble) always used the moniker as a separate songwriting outlet, even while touring and recording with other full-time, well-acclaimed bands.

Releasing at least one record per year since the first The Heligoats release in 1999, Chris has worked on the band constantly for ten years. Otepka's adventures, wrapped in delirious art craft and song wit, allow his freaked-out but devoted supporters to wade into his odyssey as deeply as they choose to challenge themselves.

The Heligoats are now more than just Chris Otepka. They include Mike Mergenthaler, David James and Steven Mitchell. They will be bringing the spirit of their new album Goodness Gracious with them on the road this new year, playing the songs from the record, as well as new songs from an upcoming record and a number of selections from the past ten years of The Heligoats’ existence.

Download: Fish Sticks

I Love Monster Movies


Monster Movie return with Everyone Is A Ghost, the latest fuzzy downer-pop showcase from the London-based duo of Christian Savill of Slowdive and Sean Hewson of Eternal. 2010 marks the pair’s twentieth anniversary of working together and tenth anniversary recording and performing as Monster Movie. Since their inception in 2000, Savill and Hewson have been slowly developing their synth-kissed wistful and utterly distinctive sound. Everyone Is A Ghost weaves that signature sound through ten tales of misspent youth, and past loves and losses remembered.

Perhaps Monster Movie’s finest realization yet, Everyone Is A Ghost distills the sprawling and infinitely expansive floorboard-gazing fuzz-wall of Slowdive into ten perfectly-baked and intensely catchy pop songs played out on guitar, bass, piano, ukulele, percussion and a range of synthesizers. Buried deep in the duo’s carefully-crafted, hazed-out sonic mire are combinations of experimental-atmospherics ala David Bowie’s Low, flashes of dramatic ambiance, electronica-laced sunny pop nostalgia, and unparalleled male/female vocal harmonies.

Written and recorded in six cities across the U.S. and U.K in 2009, Everyone Is A Ghost features guest appearances from Ryan Graveface (Black Moth Super Rainbow, Dreamend), Sophie Pittaway and Rachel Staggs (Experimental Aircraft). Artwork was created by esteemed Rhode Island-based illustrator and musician William Schaff, who has previously set ink to paper for Godspeed! You Black Emperor, Okkervil River, Songs: Ohia, Kid Dakota and more.

Monster Movie’s Everyone Is A Ghost will be released on April 6th on Graveface Records.

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Why Write?


Jacob Faurholt is one busy guy. Having been in more bands that I could ever hope to keep track of, he's been there done that and bought a dozen t-shirts. But as usual, the desire to make music never stops and so Jacob has decided to start yet another project.

Jacob started a new musical project called Why Write?. A 5-song EP was recorded, with a more instrumentation than usual, and put together with help of several Danish musicians.

The intimate vocals and acoustic guitar that populated many of his songs were traded in for a spacey sound that harks back to the early 90’s. The EP was mixed & mastered by American producer KRAMER (Daniel Johnston, Low, Galaxie 500), and was released by the Canadian based label What A Mess! Records, Nov. 18th 2009.

Being a truly global affair, the record seems larger than life and most definitely will remind anyone old enough to remember (like me) of classic noise pop. Part shoegazing, part indie pop, and altogether good, Why Write? is the one project of Jacob's many that you won't want to miss.

Download: Burning Holes

We're All Futurless Now


Since the winter of 2008, The Futureless have been enticing fans across Toronto’s booming electronic scene with their unique blend of progressive trance, techno, ambiance and indie. Nolan (vocals, keys, programming), Savard (keys, bass) and Tucker (vocals, keys, programming, guitar) take dissonant fuzzy bass lines, pulsating dance rhythms and ethereal vocals and fuse them into a sound that’s as lush and moody as it is abrasive and jarring.

The net result of this is something that sounds like Depeche Mode in a bar fight with someone like VNV Nation. It's dark, ridiculously catchy, perfect for the dancefloor and dressing in black. It's goth stuff for non-goths...

Their live-set pairs live instrumentation with drum and synth samples, melded with an intense yet vulnerable stage presence that makes them “one of the most compelling underground acts in North America today. Having just released their Futura EP, and traveling across Canada, the band are heading back into the studio next year to complete their full length album.

Download: CCR
Download: Lowest of the Dead

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

I'm Not a Band...But They Are


I'm not a Band is a band, but not really in the traditional sense. Rather than a power trio or quartet, I'm Not A Band instead is an explosive band of tunes, sounds and catchy melodies composed, produced and played by classical musician Stephan J and vocalist Jana D.

Brought up by professional musicians in the north of Germany, Stephan soon wanted to make music himself – and he started playing the violin, later drums, guitar and the piano. From 2005-2006 he lived in London and was fascinated and inspired by London's music culture. It was just at the beginning of 2008 that he started 'playing laptop' as an outlet for his musical cravings. Combining club-like beats with sometimes dirty, sometimes glitchy sounds, I'm Not A Band still preserves a unique sound by using classical instruments such as the violin. In 2009 Jana D. joined the project for the vocals and for live shows.

It's good stuff in that oh, so German way; cold, clinical and designed to destroy dance floors this is like what would happen if Miss Kittin and the hacker had a sense of what makes good pop music.

Download: Crazy
Download: Electrolin
Download: Train Thoughts
(all via Mediafire so left click then right click)

Nana Grizol and Ruth Cross the Country


Nana Grizol's second album, Ruth is a potent mix of revved up melodic indie rock, laced with intricate horn arrangements and sleazy, ripping guitars. It alternates between contemplative, beautiful folk arrangements and blasting rock and roll, often within the same song.

"Cynicism" kicks things off with a haunting finger picked guitar melody, mixed with a lush horn arrangement. "Galaxies" then kicks things into high gear with it's infectious swagger. "Black Box" is an album highlight, with it's urgent, tense backing of a lyrical rumination on mortality. "From Here" opens with a jubilant, group vocal, then channels Neil Young's Crazy Horse for a blazing,energetic guitar workout. "Sands" ends the album with an ominous,horn backed swell that builds into an expertly crafted pop song, leaving off on a dark but hopeful note.

Lead singer Theo Hilton's lyrical voice is ruralist, lovelorn and punkrock in the most primal way: he looks to explicate a world gone way wrong on the most basic, inhumane levels. Experiences gained on the touring road and at his home at the Orange Twin Conservation Community have led him to question the empty life of the modern American, and the disquieting ways the inherent Dystopia have made itself manifest on our own interior landscapes.

The answers to those questions and more are addressed in the shambolic but spectacular album. If you don't believe me you can catch them on tour and question what the meaning of life actually is.

Tour dates...
12/30 - Atlanta, Ga. @ WonderRoot w/ The Max Levine Ensemble
1/02 - Athens, Ga. @ 40 Watt Club (Album release party) w/ The Awesomelies, New Socks,
1/08 - New Orleans, La. @ Allways Lounge
1/09 - Austin, Texas @ Club 1808 w/ Geoff Reacher
1/10 - Las Cruces, N.M. @ TBA
1/11 - Tucson, Ariz. @ TBA
1/13 - Los Angeles, Calif. @ The Smell
1/14 - Santa Barbara, Calif. @ Biko
1/15 - Berkeley, Calif. @ 924 Gilman w/ The Max Levine Ensemble
1/16 - Ashland, Ore. @ a pizza place w/ The Max Levine Ensemble
1/17 - Portland, Ore. @ Satyricon w/ The Max Levine Ensemble
1/18 - Olympia, Wash. @ TBA w/ The Max Levine Ensemble
1/19 - Seattle, Wash. @ TBA w/ The Max Levine Ensemble
1/20 - Missoula, Mont. @ Zootown Arts Center
1/21 - Salt Lake City, Utah @ Kilby Court w/ The Max Levine Ensemble
1/22 - Denver, Colo. @ TBA w/ The Max Levine Ensemble
1/23 - Omaha, Nebr. @ TBA
1/24 - Lawrence, Kans. @ Replay Lounge
1/25 - Saint Louis, Mo. @ Antarctica

Download: For Things That Haven't Come Yet

Thursday, December 10, 2009

RJD2 On Tour Forever!


RJD2 will be tirelessly touring the US throughout the first part of the new year in support of his highly anticipated new release, The Colossus, out Jan. 19th on his own new label, RJ’s Electrical Connections.

The tour will be taking RJ from coast to coast and well into the month of April. That’s almost one-third of the year, folks! After touring the Southeast, Midwest and beyond, the third leg kicks off with a hometown show at Philly’s First Unitarian Church, followed by performances throughout New England, Canada, and the Midwest, before returning to Pennsylvania. The fourth leg is set to sate fans in both the Mountain and Pacific Time zones. All tour dates are below.

Sat. Jan. 9 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club #
Sun. Jan. 10 - Carrboro, NC @ Cat's Cradle #
Mon. Jan. 11 - Charlotte, NC @ Visualite Theater #
Tue. Jan. 12 - Savannah, GA @ Live Wire #
Wed. Jan. 13 - Orlando, FL @ The Social #
Thu. Jan. 14 - Tampa, FL @ Crowbar #
Fri. Jan. 15 - Tallahassee, FL @ Club Downunder #
Sat. Jan. 16 - Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade (Heavan Room) #
Sun. Jan. 17 - Birmingham, AL @ Bottletree #
Mon. Jan. 18 - Chattanooga, TN @ Rhythm and Brews #
Tue. Jan. 19 - Knoxville, TN @ Valarium #
Wed. Jan. 20 - Asheville, NC @ Orange Peel #
Thu. Jan. 21 - Charlottesville, VA @ Jefferson Theatre #
Fri. Jan. 22 - Morgantown, WV @ 123 Pleasant Street #
Fri. Feb. 5 - Newport, KY @ Southgate House #@
Sat. Feb. 6 - Columbus, OH @ Sully's Music Diner #@
Sun. Feb. 7 - Louisville, KY @ Headliners Music Hall #@
Mon. Feb. 8 - Nashville, TN @ Exit In #@
Tue. Feb. 9 - Memphis, TN @ Hi-Tone Cafe #@
Wed. Feb. 10 - Oxford, MS @ The Lyric Oxford #@
Thu. Feb. 11 - New Orleans, LA @ Tipitinas #@
Fri. Feb. 12 - Baton Rouge, LA @ Spanish Moon #@
Sat. Feb. 13 - Austin, TX @ Emos #@
Sun. Feb. 14 - Denton, TX @ Hailey's #@
Wed. Feb. 17 - Kansas City, MO @ The Record Bar #@
Thu. Feb. 18 - Columbia, MO @ The Blue Note #@
Fri. Feb. 19 - Grinnell, IA @ Grinnell College - Harris Center #@
Sat. Feb. 20 - Urbana, IL @ Canopy Club #@
Fri. Mar. 5 - Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church #&
Sat. Mar. 6 - Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg #&
Sun. Mar. 7 - New York, NY @ Highline Ballroom #&
Mon. Mar. 8 - Boston, MA @ Paradise #&
Tue. Mar. 9 - Providence, RI @ Jerky's Music Hall #&
Wed. Mar. 10 - Montreal, QC @ La TuLipe #&
Thu. Mar. 11 - Toronto, ON @ The Mod Club #&
Fri. Mar. 12 - Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick #&
Sat. Mar. 13 - Chicago, IL @ Metro #&
Mon. Mar. 15 - Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock Social Club #&
Tue. Mar. 16 - Madison, WI @ Majestic Theater #&
Thu. Mar. 18 - Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop #&
Fri. Mar. 19 - Millvale, PA @ Mr. Small’s Theater #&
Fri. Apr. 2 - Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater #$
Sat. Apr. 3 - Durango, CO @ Strater Theatre #$
Sun. Apr. 4 - Phoenix, AZ @ Rhythm Room #$
Mon. Apr. 5 - San Diego, CA @ Casbah #$
Tue. Apr. 6 - Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theatre #$
Wed. Apr. 7 - San Francisco, CA @ The Independent #$
Thu. Apr. 8 - Eureka, CA @ Red Fox Tavern #$
Fri. Apr. 9 - Portland, OR @ Dantes #$
Sat. Apr. 10 - Bellingham, WA @ The Nightlight Lounge #$
Sun. Apr. 11 - Seattle, WA @ Neumos #$

# w/ Happy Chichester
@ w/ Kenan Bell
& w/ Break Science
$ w/ Busdriver


That is an EPIC tour and there's no excuse not to go see Mr. RJD2 as he's playing literally everywhere including your neighbors living room.

Download: Games You Can Win (via Fairtilizer)

Tasty Disco Biscuits


When the Disco Biscuits formed in Philadelphia in 1995, they introduced a pioneering blend of electronic and jam band elements (crusties eh??). Since then, they’ve steadily cultivated a rabid fan base and have spawned an entire movement. Today the Biscuits are able to sell over a quarter of a million tickets in a year and have founded uber-successful summer music festival, Camp Bisco. But rather than remaining within their comfort zone, the band has forged ahead and introduced new ingredients to the beloved Bisco sound. This Fall, the Biscuits gave a sneak peak of the highly eclectic new material with two EP’s, On Time and Widgets. On February 2nd their latest chapter is fully realized in the form of their new album, Planet Anthem, on Diamond Riggs Records through Warner Music Group's Independent Label Group.

Planet Anthem is the product of three fruitful years of labor, during which the Disco Biscuits absorbed everything from hip hop to pop to indie rock into their sound. The band collaborated for the first time with multiple producers, songwriters, and outside musicians, including Don Cheegro and Dirty Harry (Ludacris, Chris Brown, Beanie Sigel). While the album still bears the signature Bisco sound, it also broadens the group’s palette and contains a mountain of meaty hooks. “You and I” is a pogo-inducing rocker with slightly sinister guitar riffs and a monster, arena-ready chorus. “On Time” is a breezy, electro-flavored anthem that is poised to slip into clubs across the country.

Download: On Time
Download: You and I (Juan MacLean Remix) (via RCRD LBL...opens in seperate window)

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Thrills Delivers


The latest from the Treasure Trove series brings us some booty shakin' goodness...

Thrills (also known as Devlin Gormally) is one of the most exciting producers in bass music today. His genre defying sound has been championed by Electro, Dubstep, and Mashup crowds alike, comparable only to peers such as Drop the Lime, AC Slater, & B.Rich. Thrills exploded onto the dance scene with his “refixes” of seminal club hits by everyone from DZ & 16Bit to Jack Beats & Caspa.

While Thrills has retooled many a track, it would be unfair to pigeonhole him as a remixer. You see, both his original bass heavy Electro and Dubstep tracks have been played by the likes of heavy-hitters such as Rusko, DJ Yoda, Kissy Sellout, Doorly, Detboi, DZ, Mickey Slim, Drop the Lime, Nero, & Le Castlevania which really is never a bad thing. With more originals on the way and a lineup of resotrations in the works Thrills will be bringing it and reworking it alot in 2010.
Download: Zion I - DJ DJ (Thrills and Tony Rocky Horror Bassline Remix)
Download: Thrills - Friday (Original Mix)
Download: Does It Offend You Yeah - Epic Last Song (Jack Beats Remix/Thrills Dubstep Refix)
Download: Tragik - Crazy (Thrills and Tony Rocky Horror Remix)
Download: Thrills Dubstep Refix Mix 2

(all downloads are via Mediafire)

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Causing Popular Damage


As you may or may not know, Popular Damage is a dance-punk /pop act from Berlin and Manchester composed of Nadine Raihani and Stephan Hengst.

Since then, it’s been an upward success spiral with shows, tours, and even an apperance at the Brandenburg Gate. Popular Damage’s latest EP The Royal Fly, out this month, well and truly raises the bar, featuring a new and re-recorded version of their classic “Everybody Got Young” and remixes of “Everybody Got Young” by Double Dragon & Fukkk Offf, as well as the tracks “Exclusive” and “Easy Money” (with a remix by Beatshaker & Blender).

Until that EP hits the 'sphere...enjoy these remixes...

Download: Zoot Woman - We Won't Break (Popular Damage Remix)
Download: Digitalism - Taken Away (Popular Damage Assimilation)

Shout Out For The Shout Out Louds


Merge Records is excited to announce that Sweden's Shout Out Louds will be releasing their new record, entitled Work, on February 23, 2010. Work is the band's third album and second for Merge. It was recorded in Seattle and produced by Phil Ek (The Shins, Fleet Foxes, Band of Horses).

After a year of touring behind their acclaimed second record, Our Ill Wills, the band went their separate ways -- singer/main songwriter Adam Olenius to Melbourne, Australia, keyboard/vocalist Bebban Stenborg to Los Angeles, drummer Eric Edman, bassist Ted Malmros and guitarist Carl von Arbin back to Stockholm - and took a much needed break. Olenius wrote many of the new songs in Australia in a tiny room, with a little synthesizer, an acoustic guitar and garageband on his laptop. He passed them on to the others who listened closely from their corners of the world, questioning and challenging him until the songs that make up Work had all passed the test.

And now that they have all passed the test, the band has allowed us to check out the first track to emerge from the upcoming record, "Walls."

Download: Walls