Christopher Paul Stelling Announces Debut LP, Shares Song for Download

We've seen him perform live a few times and know the man is the music and the music is the man. So it's only fitting that we share the news that singer/songwriter Christopher Paul Stelling will release his long-awaited official debut album, Songs of Praise and Scorn, on February 12, 2012 via Mecca Lecca Recording Co. It's an album that pretty much epitomizes what real folk music is, brimming with an inherent honesty and realism.

LISTEN: The Honest Sounds of Stuart Newman

Stuart Newman - "Oscar"


Stuart Newman - "Head Hurts" (Studio Demo)


There's a raw honesty in Stuart Newman's melancholic acoustic music that most people tend to hide deep inside themselves. We're all vulnerable in some way or another, but we usually try to mask our fears and weaknesses. Newman sings with a wounded tone -- at times nearly in a whisper -- that assumes a certain strength, exposing that which lies deep in his heart and mind. It's a sound that expresses the most sincere human emotions. He is humble but brave to share such vulnerable and honest music.

"Oscar" is from Newman's Single But Defective, available here.

"Head Hurts" is from a collection of studio demos for Newman's second album. More available here.

Stuart Newman @ Bandcamp
Stuart Newman @ Facebook
Stuart Newman @ MySpace
Stuart Newman @ Twitter

SEE & HEAR: This Frontier Needs Heroes - "Just Because"

(Photo by Andrew Tingle)

Some songs sound so apropos, filled with a certain understated sense of importance. Brimming with a laid back conviction, "Just Because" is nothing out of the ordinary, but it certainly holds its own against a long lineage of alt country and Americana. Imagine the road-tested rock 'n' roll of Tom Petty mixed with the troubadour, rustic nature of a classic Johnny Cash tune. It's a great song about saving the whales and maintaining a sense of awareness and concern for our world.

Check out the video after the hop. It's perfectly aligned with the lyrics; it pulls them to the forefront and instills them with a certain weight as they become ever so poignant.

LISTEN: Maps & Atlases - "Solid Ground"

MP3: Maps & Atlases - "Solid Ground"

Rhythm can sometimes be everything when it comes to a song. The way everything works together to form the overall rhythm is dependent on the individual rhythms of each instrument -- and that's what makes the music so interesting. Guitars cut in and out while woodblocks click and clack, back and forth. Layered percussion snares you in, pulling you inside until you're surrounded by panning vocals and rolling drums. If there was ever a song to epitomize layered arrangements, it's this one.

INTERVIEW: Dylan Gilbert

Dylan Gilbert is an indie rock musician from North Carolina.

But it's not that simple. His musical talent reaches far beyond the confines of the indie rock genre, and it becomes apparent within the first few seconds of his new album, entitled Pangaea. Gilbert has a penchant for experimentation, often implementing unconventional sounds into his music. But he never strays too far from the goal: Making fantastic rock songs.

Gilbert may only be 22 years old, but Pangaea is his third full-length album, and after scanning his performance history, my best estimate is that he has played some four trillion shows. I sat down with Dylan to talk about Pangaea, being a self-supported touring musician, and the theremin.

LISTEN: The Broken Inn

M4A: The Broken Inn - "All In Your Head"
M4A: The Broken Inn - "I Don't Know Why"

Summer's spent in garages and at backyard parties. Everyone knows everyone. You see the same people and grow into the comfort of familiarity. A few of the guys from the group are in a band, and they play these backyard parties every so often -- and these are always the best parties. We have the best time when Dan, Nick, and Colby jam. We just sit back with cold beer and good friends and watch them play. And you know...they're actually pretty damn good. We keep remarking to one another that they need to start playing out more and more because they have something good going on. Soon, before we know it, our backyard parties are backyard concerts. Dan, Nick, and Colby throw the best backyard concerts.

Dead Confederate Offer Up New Song, View Into New Album

As previously reported, Dead Confederate will be releasing their second full-length entitled Sugar on August 24th through TAO Recordings/Old Flame. Of the album, guitarist/lead singer Hardy Morris says, "We're a loud, big-sounding band, and wanted the album to be fun and creative - instead of just recording the songs. It's not like we decided we couldn't have anything grungy or heavy; that's just not all that we're interested in. You can listen to the record a bunch of different ways. What we were doing felt right."

Check out a new song from Sugar called "Giving It All Away" (featuring J. Mascis, of Dinosaur Jr.) as well as a behind-the-scenes video on the making of the new album.

LISTEN: The Globes

(Photo: Pam Settler)

I think what's most difficult about songwriting is the process of arranging. Songs can be straightforward and still effective -- just "three chords and the truth" as they say. And then there are songs that can be rife with twist and turns, making the music infinitely interesting. With respect to the latter, music takes on this completely captivating quality, not just because of its inherent eclectic nature, but because of its ability to evolve.

These songs sound like a cross between Pinback and Medications, but comparing The Globes to other bands is more like comparing apples and oranges. Their music is hard to specifically categorize because the band sounds more like creators rather than emulators. The Globes keep each minute intriguing, whether it's through tempo changes, the undercurrent of math rock, or the addition of an effect pedal. They know when to be subtle and when to hook you in with intricately interwoven guitar lines. Both songs here showcase the band's tightly-wound sound that is both relaxed and sharp.

"Stay Awake" and "A Stitch Couldn't Save the World" are from The Globes' Sinter Songs EP.

The Globes hit the road next month. Dates after the hop.

LISTEN: Graham Czach - "Windows" + "Lost In Life"

Graham Czach - "Windows"


"Windows" is tight and yet ever so fluid. It starts subtly enough, but eventually kicks into something incredibly powerful and uplifting. Czach cites Jeff Buckley as an influence, and it's certainly evident here -- especially when he hits those insanely high notes vocally. Czach works in tension and release and can deal quite a kick going effortlessly from the soft to the quick and loud. He's an incredibly skilled musician, but is also sensitive to how a gripping melody can be just as effective as an impressive guitar solo. The music is thoughtfully arranged without sacrificing or diminishing the emotion that motivates the notes to pour out of each instrument.

More after the hop.

LISTEN: Music from In Every Room!

No one's trying to say that the Baltimore music scene trumps Brooklyn (indeed, the hippest borough is practically unrivaled in its indie output). However, there's so much happening here, and Charm City lays claim to some unrivaled musical/visual acts, not limited to Dan Deacon, Beach House, Spank Rock and Animal Collective.

And their influence is prevalent in different neighborhoods all over the city. The young and promising trio In Every Room (who are MICA based, that's Maryland Institute College of Art for all those unfamiliar) have clearly borrowed a lot from Wham City and Animal Collective, but they've done a good job at remaining true to their own sound while drawing heavily on these influences.

When it comes to AC in particular, I've got to give it up to In Every Room. They have something that the ever-popular and mysterious Collective do not: a great female voice in Amy Reid. First listens to "EMM E GEE" and "Celebration" will probably make you think about Feels, but give them some more time and there's a certain innocence to IER that some indie acts are lacking.

Inside of drum and synth loops and ever-present reverb, this innocence takes precedence, giving both "Celebration" and "EMM E GEE" a more unique and fun flavor than the at-times weighty and lengthy tracks from Animal Collective. There is an air of exploration in this music which offers a lot of promise. In Every Room is a trio ready to explore themselves, and I honestly can't wait to hear where they take their sound.

MP3: In Every Room - "EMM E GEE"
MP3: In Every Room - "Celebration"

In Every Room are poised to release a new EP through Friends Records in August, and if you're in the area, the trio will hit the stage at Wham City's Artscape mimicry "Whartscape" on July 22.  

LISTEN: The Giving Tree Band - "Circles"

(Photo: bighappyfunhouse)

They say the road is endless. You hit the road to escape; run away from everything. But eventually, you'll find yourself back where you were before. So here's a slice of pure Americana that's sure to meet you every step of the way. A group of confident voices singing together, joined by their collective emotional weight. Acoustic guitars, mandolin, violin/fiddle, and banjo are some of the only things you're bound to hear through miles and miles of countryside. It's the type of song you'd hear looking out the car window as the comfort of home slowly recedes into the horizon at your back.

The Black Angels Set to Release New Album September 14th

(Photo: Briana Purser)

Austin-based psychedelic rockers The Black Angels will release their new, highly-anticipated album, Phosphene Dream, on September 14th through Blue Horizon. The album was produced and mixed by Dave Sardy (Oasis, Wolfmother, Black Mountain) over a period of six months in Los Angeles.

Broken Hearts & Dirty Windows: Songs of John Prine Out June 22

Oh Boy Records releases Broken Hearts & Dirty Windows: Songs of John Prine tomorrow. The tribute album features Josh Ritter, Deer Tick, Conor Oberst, Drive-By Truckers, The Avett Brothers and more covering classic Prine songs.

For today only, Broken Hearts & Dirty Windows: Songs of John Prine is Amazon's Daily Deal, available for only $3.99.

The great folks over at Relix Magazine are making My Morning Jacket's take on Prine's "All the Best" available for free download. Check it out after the hop.

LISTEN: Dan Sartain - "Atheist Funeral"

(Photo: Nora Wong)

MP3: Dan Sartain - "Atheist Funeral"

He doesn't believe in anything. He has no faith. Where there is light, he sees dark. There is no hope. He knows he's going somewhere when it's all over. It's either one side of the coin or the other. Either way, he's going to boogie on the way out, with tremolo'd surf rock-meets-garage rock guitar bending and twisting along with an eerie melody. Over a bass line that sounds like it could have been plucked from some Tom Waits song, Birmingham, Alabama's Dan Sartain contemplates where he's going to wind up at the end of it all: heaven or hell. God has no authority over his destiny and final resting place. Maybe he made a deal with the devil somewhere along the road of life. Rock and roll.

LISTEN: !!! - "AM/FM"

MP3: !!! - "AM/FM"

What could I say? It's bound to move you and it's bound to dig deep down into your nervous system. Involuntarily, you're going to move in some way or another. Maybe not on the outside, but as it flows into your body through your ears, all of your inner body will be synchronizing with the rhythm. The tremolo perfectly on point with the beat, it all becomes so hypnotizing. Chk Chk Chk have always had that entrancing quality that I could never really put my finger on; always able to piece together things that work so well together. The music always seems intricate to a certain extent, but in a somewhat simple and very pleasing way.

"AM/FM" is from !!!'s forthcoming album, Strange Weather, Isn't It?, out August 24th on Warp. Pre-order it here.

LISTEN: Viernes - "Honest Parade"

Viernes - "Honest Parade" (MP3 @ Fader)

With an elastic-sounding, heavily distorted bass thumping and plucking along throughout, "Honest Parade" hits heavy. But it also breaks every few measures for heavenly verses marked by acoustic guitar and airy vocals. It's ambient that straddles the line between the light and the dark; a catalyst for thought that forces you deep into recesses of your mind. "Honest Parade" is so complexly beautiful.

Cilla K. and Her Alternative Soul

Cilla K., a French West Indian artist based in New York, is what I would best describe as an alternative soul/R & B artist, mixing elements of both genres along with jazz, electronica, modern pop, certain elements of '60s pop, and more. She cites artists from J Dilla to David Bowie as influences and does her best to create something eclectic. Her debut album, Fine Line, was released last month and showcases her mission to create a melting pot of genres. Of the album, she says, "At the beginning, I felt like this album had to be done a long time ago but I kept growing and I always felt like I should incorporate new qualities I had gained with time. Truth is, the timing couldn't be better because it is finally so representative of who I really am."

We Are Scientists - "Goal! England": A Song For the World Cup

America kind of forgot, or at the very least overlooked, We Are Scientists following the release of their second LP, With Love and Squalor. But on the other side of the pond, England came to fully embrace the band. We Are Scientists have had much more success overseas since their debut, almost the inverse path that Kings of Leon traveled. In England, they are rock stars, but here...not so much. It's a shame considering their pop sensibilities and wit.

So, it should come as no surprise that We Are Scientists have a particular fondness for England (plus, their drummer used to be in Razorlight). To show their love for the World Cup favorites, the band wrote and recorded the, at times, hair metalish "Goal! England," with awesomely simplistic and goofy lines like "Kickin' the, kickin' the, kickin' the ball/Kickin' it, kickin' it into the goal" and "England is the team to beat/And Rooney has got the heat/And the shoes that are upon his feet/Andy calls them football boots, but we call them cleats."

Crocodiles Set to Release New Album + Hear New Song

(Photo: Chris Becker)

Garage/indie rock/noise poppers Crocodiles are set to release their second LP September 14th through Fat Possum. The new album was recorded with a full band, evidenced in the first single "Sleep Forever".

MP3: Crocodiles - "Sleep Forever"

Sounding a lot more grand in scale than 2009's Summer of Hate, "Sleep Forever" is more britpop than noise pop, with hints of psychedelia, as well. The group sounds like they've elevated from a garage to a stadium. The vocals are bathed in a perfect dose of reverb and from time to time, ride oscillating waves of repetition that feedback into the sea of reverb. There's an undercurrent punch of organ as well as the occasional dive bomb that subtly punctuates the beat. And if you're wondering if it all works, I can assure you that it does.

"Sleep Forever" will be released on a 7" August 17th, and will be accompanied by the b-side "Groove Is In the Heart/California Girls".

Crocodiles @ MySpace
Fat Possum Records

LISTEN: Manhattan - "Hypnotise"

(Photo: Ralph Crane)

Manhattan - "Hypnotise"

Dublin's Manhattan is a fairly new band having come together at the start of this year. "Hypnotise" is by no means perfect, but that's part of its charm. It reminds me of that fresh sense of excitement and optimism one finds when they start a new band -- I remember it quite well. It sounds as though they all crowded in a garage or some equally small but intimate space and poured out a ton of heartfelt emotion. There's an honesty and kind of nervous energy to the song. It's a freeze frame of the frenetic pace of life. It's a night of lost seconds, minutes, and hours. The thump of kick drum, rain of hi-hat, and guitar work introduce us to the magnetism of the night, the kind that gets us entranced and eventually swallows us whole. Robbie McCarthy's voice is vulnerable but has an ability to cut through the confusion of life, giving hope that we're all human and that in the end, things will end up the way they should be.

Manhattan @ Soundcloud
Manhattan @ Facebook
Manhattan @ MySpace
Manhattan @ Twitter

(to download the song, click the down arrow to the right of the player above)