NFT's Got You Covered 2018

2018 has been a rollercoaster if rollercoasters had more trials and tribulations than thrills and excitement. I had high hopes of bringing Nostalgia For Tomorrow circa 2010 back to reality, but again the rollercoaster of life had an open seat for me in the front row. Despite all that, I won't apologize. Instead, I'll write about some things that make me happy. So, here is a list of my favorite cover songs from the year 2018. For listening and enjoyment purposes only.

Always Crush Me - Wreck and Reference



Wreck and Reference take Guided By Voices' lo-fi recording and all its roughness, amplify it by 100, and project it into twisted industrial metal. The monotonous guitar strumming is traded in with synths and slacker vocals become panic-induced yelling. "Always Crush Me" is the perfect little cover for a perfect little song in Guided By Voices' giant-ass catalog.


Agony - Beach Fossils

Yung Lean's under the influence love song from last year gets an upbeat treatment thanks to New York rockers, Beach Fossils. "Agony" is an ice cold number about tripping balls that seems indulgent at first, but give it a few listens and you will discover a haunting song that boarders on claustrophobic. With Beach Fossils' addition of light guitar and a steady bass, the walls seem to move even closer in on you. BF's version might be a bit more upbeat than the original, but it's far from the most rock n' roll rendition of a Sadboy-type song; that award goes to a similarly named band, Beach Goons, who covered Spooky Black's "Without U" back in 2015.


I Started a Joke - Marissa Nadler



A number of songs from Marissa Nadler's second cover album could have been posted here. There's one of my favorite Leonard Cohen tracks ("Avalanche"), a heartbreaking Daniel Johnston track ("True Love Will Find You in the End"), and a somber Danzig deep-cut ("Blood and Tears"). I have to give the spotlight to Nadler's rendition of "I Started a Joke" by Bee Gees though, since the original turned 50 years old this year. Plus, it's really good.


Bark at the Moon - Integrity



Integrity haven't slowed down a bit since releasing their barn burner, Howling, For the Nightmare Shall Consume last year. This year, the metal/hardcore crossover vets released a split with American black metal outfit, Krieg, and for Halloween released a cover of an Ozzy Osbourne classic. Despite the essential choice, Integrity's deliver is anything but tongue-in-cheek. Yes, it's still clearly an Ozzy track, but Integrity's signature sound breaths new life into the old beast. Take a listen above and go off the rails of the crazy... err, bark at the moon.


The Book of Love - bedbug



A few years back, a work friend invited me to his wedding and mentioned that the wedding song would be "The Book of Love". He asked me if I had ever heard of the song in hopes that I would guess The Monotones' song by the same name. Instead, I did my best Magnetic Fields impression without drawing too much attention to myself. He was impressed but also a little confused. I never ended up attending the wedding, but I did learn that "The Book of Love" is a very popular wedding song. The twist, of course, is "The Book of Love" by The Magnetic Fields on the album, 69 Love Songs was later covered by the more-known-by-co-workers, Peter Gabriel. Flash forward to this past Halloween, I'm attending one of the 8 Halloween cover shows the Boston-area had to offer, and bedbug was performing as the Scrubs Soundtrack, a medley of songs from the hit show. One of the songs bedbug played happened to be "The Book of Love", which appears in the season 8 finale a la the Peter Gabriel version. I joked about whether bedbug covered The Magnetic Fields version or Peter Gabriel to myself. Flash forward to a few days ago, when a 69 Love Songs tribute album was released by Living Statue Records. There, waiting for me among the 69 songs, was bedbug's "The Book of Love". This recorded version might be missing the Scrubs samples that were weaved into the rest of bedbugs' Halloween set, but it's still really awesome to see my pointless anecdote about "The Book of Love" grow each year.


By My Side - Ben Walsh



Ben Walsh of Tigers Jaw's cover on Don't Stop Now II: A Collection of Covers is a perfect example of a gateway song to the original. Without clicking on Ben's cover, I would have never given much of a thought to the new Porches album. Now "By My Side" is among one of my favorite songs of 2018. As for the compilation itself, if you got the cash I highly recommend grabbing all 33 covers which benefits RAICES (Refugees and Immigrants Center for Education & Legal Services). RAICES seems like a great place to throw your money at; throw your money at anything and everything that is not a giant fear-mongering wall.


Havana - Superorganism

Superorganism's intoxicating rendition of "Havana" feels like it manifested via a long night of partying at a local karaoke bar. Something that could not have been duplicated at the karaoke bar, however, is their candy-coated production that has been ever-so-carefully melted into digital goodness for the ears. There might not be as much going on as there is in every other facet of Superorganism's recordings, performances, and wild Spotify music videos, there's still no mistaking the dedication to their commitment to ultra quirkiness.


I Wanna Be Adored - King Woman



A major appeal to the Stone Roses' hit number, "I Wanna Be Adored" is the misheard chorus which I always sing as "I Wanna Be A Door", while others mishear it as "I Wanna be a Dog" or, similarly, "I Wanna be Your Dog". King Woman's version adds a new layer to the already misunderstood lyrics by draping the song in doom-y drone atmosphere. "I Wanna Be Adored" seems unrecognizable at first, until Kristina Esfandiari AKA Miserable's wispy vocals come in. Eventually the song picks up and echoes the aforementioned line that sounds especially like "I Wanna Be A Door" until coming to an untimely end. It might not go down as smooth as the original, but give it a few listens and let it grow on you like a small rash or black mold.


Infinity Guitars - Sunflower Bean

What better way to celebrate a record label's 10 year anniversary than taking a swing at a song that is surprisingly almost 10 years old. Sunflower Bean manage to shed some of the over-amplified guitar work without losing any of the energy that rarely is heard from Sleigh Bells these days. The result almost sounds like "Pepper" by Butthole Surfers, but maybe that's just me wanting something to sound like "Pepper" by Butthole Surfers. Either way, I highly recommend playing this cover full-blast in a beat-up 90's Volvo just as the original was meant to be played.


Moon River - Frank Ocean

Despite being a day late, Frank Ocean's "Moon River" is this years' Valentine cover song. Channelling his inner Audrey Hepburn from Breakfast at Tiffanys, Ocean delivers a poignant rendition of a timeless classic only the way he could. "Moon River" is just a reminder how incredible Frank Ocean is even if this wasn't his best take.


People / Halfsleeper - CJ Boyds



CJ Boyds has been traveling all over the country for 10 years playing with all sorts of wonderful talent. Boyds' cover album in honor of 10 years on the road might not be the biggest, but it's definitely the most ambitious cover album on this list. Not only are Boyds' covers carefully picked to reflect the bands and musicians he has shared stages and spaces with, all the covers are by musicians he has played with covering all 50 states plus Washington, DC and an unknown bonus track for US territories. Along with that, Boyds recorded each song in the respected state as to which the song is associated with. Currently, only "People / Halfsleeper" is available for listening, but judging by this drone-y Dilute meets Chelsea Wolfe combo-cover recorded in California, Boyds ode to the US is going to be mighty impressive.


Pontiac 87 - Preoccupations



A few bands seem to loose some steam when they change their name. Preoccupations, formerly Viet Cong, however are keeping the hype train going. This year they released an album called New Material (Which might be there new name next year) and a split with top-tier post-punkers of the '10s, Protomartyr. Preoccupations prove they are here to stay with their spaced-out rendition of "Pontiac 87". The cover might not be the most challenging, especially since both bands are so similar, but maybe not appropriating someone else is a good thing for Preoccupations right now.


Same Drugs - Free Throw



With a band tackling Chance the Rapper's "Same Drugs", one might think that Free Throw are putting a special spin on a hometown favorite. However, Free Throw are not a Chicago emo band. Hell, they're not even an East Coast emo band. Free Throw from Nashville, Tennessee already take on the task of being a long shot, a surprisingly not "southern" emo band. Free Throw aren't defined by where they reside, but rather by how moving their music can be. It's a surprise to most, and a cover of Chance seems like the biggest surprise Free Throw could have come up with, yet here we are. "Same Drugs" comes as a surprise at the end of Missing Pieces, a small compilation of re-imagined songs from their 2017 album, Bear Your Mind.


Playlist w/bonus covers:

Trace Mountains - Buttery Sprouts

Trace Mountains - Buttery Sprouts (2014)

Trace Mountains is one of a few side projects going from the folks in Spook Houses. Buttery Sprouts is a mix of previously unheard songs and three that I have previously talked about on here; "Salty/Sweet", "Everything Around Me", and Bey's "Halo". Bey as in Beyonce, of course.

Riddled with the monotone sadness that one may come to except from a Spook Houses project, Trace Mountains is an exploration of simple, yet melancholy, bedroom music. Buttery Sprouts features drum machines, singing saw, songs about Silver Jews, mix-masterer Mike Ditrio, and Elaiza Santos of Crying.

Check it out:



Double Double Whammy
Last.fm

NFT's Got You Cover? Hank Williams... The Old One!

Various Artists - Hank Williams Compilation (2013)

From the folks who brought us the Top 40 Compilation comes another look into reconstructing a persons work into simple acoustic lo-fi tracks. This is the Hank Williams Compilation, a collection of - yep, you guessed it - Hank Williams cover songs.

I recently wrote an essay about a certain cover album (which I will not name) that really got me looking at covers in the sense that what people do to a song will ultimately never be as authentic as the original and that the songs usually miss the point of what the original stands for all together. Granted some things should not be covered for the sake of art like church hymns or sea songs, I think taking someone's work like Hank Williams's and re-imagining it, added a little of yourself to it, and giving it away for free is not a bad thing at all. That is, unless you throw a bunch of club noises into it (I'm looking at you, Pill Friends).

Anyways, these covers are just for fun; that's really what covering music should be about anyway.

Artists/bands doing their best Hank Williams impressions (sorta) include: Pill Friends, Radiator Hospital, Free Cake For Every Creature, Teen Suicide, Told Slant, Florist, Lizard Kisses, Fog Lake, and Totally Ruined.


Birdtapes.com
Last.fm (Birdtapes)

Monday LXXXVI

Damnyo.

La Casa Fantom - Feed My Silence (2012)

Doomy noisecore from "the forest of Norway". Been rip-roaring since 2000.



Last.fm

Crywank - Tour Demos (2013)

At the beginning of the year, James "Crywank" Clayton released these demos for his January tour. The tour may be over but the demos are still really nice, including some solid rerecordings, and all the cash brought in from the demo goes to more touring and more music recording. Also, this demo features the new member providing percussion to the Crywank sound, Dan "The Snail" Watson.

If anything, you should at least listen to this.



Last.fm

Wiltz - Sea Dog (2013)

Irish instrumental math rock outfit, Wiltz have recently decided to call it quits. It's always a shame to check up on a band you haven't heard in a while and discover they are done making music together.

At least they left us with good music.


You can pick up Wiltz's last album, entitled, Sea Dog over on their bandcamp or from Little League Records - who have been releasing all sorts of unique music from bands left and right as of late.

Last.fm

Monday LXXXIII

Music or lose it.

Langosta - Super Nature EP (2013)

Langosta is a hell of a lot of fun math rock 'n' roll band from Connecticut. Super Nature is the name of this EP and also the name the band formerly called themselves. Super Nature is the name originally used by Salt-N-Pepa as well.


Last.fm

Fearless Leader - Half Dead EP (2013)

Fearless Leader is a Seattle based math rock meets post hardcore band that mixes twinkly technical-sounding instrumentation with intricate shouting/spoken word. The result is a mess.


A fearless mess.

Last.fm

The Sarcastic Dharma Society - Live At Laughing Horse (2013)

The Sarcastic Dharma Society AKA Mat Vuksinich is back with new music and he's not alone!

I'm really glad to see and hear that this band is back and wish them the very best of luck. Mat has a very interesting voice and it's really cool to hear what he can do with a band behind him. I'm not gonna gush but damn this is some of my favorite indie music.


You can also watch the video of Mat and his now four piece band play their five song set from the Laughing Horse in Portland, Oregon, here.

Last.fm

Silver Jews - American Water

Silver Jews - American Water (1998)

Silver Jews were an explorational early 90s to late 2000s indie rock group that thrived mostly on the creative songwriting juices of David Berman. The original line-up of Silver Jews consisted of Berman and Pavement's Stephen Malkmus and Bob Nastanovich - who left after their debut full-length, Starlite Walker but returned for their 2005 album, Tanglewood Numbers.

To many, American Water is the essential Silver Jews album. It encompasses the perfect amount of somber Berman singing with the right amount of story-telling and the right amount of Stephen Malkmus.

Highlights: "Random Rules", "People", "Honky If Your Lonely", "Blue Arrangement", "Smith & Jones Forever"

While this album will never be the Silver Jews album that got me into Berman's stuff, that would be their last album from 2008, Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea, it does feature my favorite Silver Jews song: "Smith & Jones Forever". "Smith & Jones Forever" was the last song that the Silver Jews ever played live - a fact I hope never changes if they ever decide to go on a reunion tour and play something else:

Similar acts/sounds: Pavement, Smog, Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, Rites of Spring, Bonny "Prince" Billy, Songs: Ohia, Miighty Flashlight, The Modern Lovers, Calvin Johnson, Guided By Voices, and other 90's indie rock music.

David Berman's Blog
Drag City
Last.fm

Monday LXXVII

Yep.

Ginger Alford - Into the Void (2013)

Ginger Alford (Good Luck/Traveling/One Reason) recently went on tour in Europe. She brought these tracks with her:



Last.fm

Feuding Fathers - Trust Me I'm a Father (2012)

Dizzy math rock featuring the bassist of Boyfrndz along with members of We the Granada (guitar) and Daytes (drums).



Last.fm

Cayetana - Demo (2012)

Grrrl punx from Philly. Seems like any new music I find is from the Philadelphia/Pennsylvania area these days.



I'm not complaining.

DL it for free via If You Make It, a great site for finding new things from Philly.

Last.fm

The Act of Estimating as Worthless - Circadian Tremors

The Act of Estimating as Worthless - Circadian Tremors (2013)

It's a shame how long I forgot about The Act of Estimating as Worthless. Good thing I am on the Birthquake Records mailing list where I not only rediscovered this beautiful band, but also heard about their new album, Circadian Tremors.

Thanks internet!



Circadian Tremors is a 6 song journey through the vocal chords of Zoe Grant and Matthew Van Asselt. It's the kind of music that tries to hug you and - while you are usually not okay with random hugs or close encounters - it hugs you anyway...

But it's alright because it's really good at hugging and your body is infinitely ready.

This album and The Act of Estimating as Worthless all around are perfect for this transition into Spring. Which, for me at least, is really just that awkward and confused season before summer.

Last.fm

Monday XXXXXXXI

RIP Jason Molina

Black Mask. - Black Mask. (2012)

Finger licking good hardcore that falls right off the bones! From Pennsylvania.

At first I though this was another Black "something" band but then I saw the period.



Get mad.

Bandcamp
Last.fm

Scavenger - Cynical (2013)

Scavenger are a hardcore troupe from northern Maine that are quite reminiscent of early hardcore punk that requires a cassette player and big giant 80's speakers. Not bad, not bad.



Last.fm (#7)

Songs: Ohia - The Lioness (2000)

While clearly not as recognized as Magnolia Electric Co. or as truthfully and down right sad as Axxess & Ace (one of my favorite albums to play when I'm sad), The Lioness definitely has its moments of both sadness and glory that makes it stand out in my top three Jason Molina albums list.

Highlights include: "Lioness", "Being in Love", "Coxcomb Red", and "Nervous Bride"

Bonus:

Joe Beats's remix of "Coxcomb Red":

Last.fm

Happy Pie Day!

The Rock's gonna tell you little story about Pie...

"Ohhh, that's the pie you were talking about..." - Slick Rick (yes, thee Slick Rick or Slick Rick fame)

Enjoy!

Monday XXXXXXX

Happy 311 day.

Here's some stuff that might sound like 311 if they were sped up/slowed down/mixed using an iPhone/had different members/weren't into colors/streaked more/were more distorted/were more like Weezer or Cap'n Jazz or Captain Beefheart or early Metallica/didn't twinkle as hard/weren't from Nebraska/had an album coming out this year/weren't on your mom's iPod/etc.

Michael Jordan Touchdown Pass - New Songs Summer 2012 (2012)

Clearly I'm behind on my Michael Jordan Touchdown Pass listening as I just got word that they have had new songs out on their Bandcamp since last summer. Regardless of all that though, there's no better time like the present to listen to some guilt-free music like Michael Jordan Touchdown Pass.



Did I mention that most of the money you give towards Michael Jordan Touchdown Pass's music goes to his friend in Cambodia's small school he started to help educate and nourish children in the village with art and science? Of course I didn't; I was saving the best news for last!

For real though, check it out!

Last.fm

We Scare Coyotes - PF Flyers DEMO (Live Recording) (2013)

I found out about these guys after checking out the predominately math rock blog, Plenty of Swords. I was initially turned on to this band in particular due to the description of them being a math rock band with strings (I'm guessing a violin). And even though I would say that We Scare Coyotes are bit more post rock than the average math rock outfit these days, they definitely incorporate the violin very nicely into their instrumental music on this live demo titled after those shoes the kids were wearing in The Sandlot.



This release is still much more post rock-y than their 2012 live demo, Wild Dreams which does not feature any strings if my ears serve me correctly. Still a decent listen for any instrumental/post rock/whatever fan out there, however.

Last.fm

Jakob Battick & Friends - Last Songs (2013)

Jakob Battick & Friends may have called it quits in 2011, but it was definitely not the last time we would hear from the likes of either Jakob Battick or his "Friends" - including Jared Fairfield who seems to be appearing just as much on here as Jakob Battick lately. Not to mention that these last four songs by JB & Friends were originally set to be on a split with Jared Fairfield that never happened.

It almost seems like a crime that Jakob Battick and his friends put out such a phenomenal post-humorous release like this on top of all the other stuff Jakob Battick is up to currently (Captain Hollow, new Afraid stuff, etc.) as well as Jared Fairfield (who recently made this). Stop teasing us like you guys should be together still and have so much creativity, okay?

Rumor also has it that Jakob Battick's new project as Afraid will feature Jarboe. That's right, The Living Jarboe from Swans. This is just a rumor as of now, but just crazy enough to be true! When and if it ever happens you can be sure to see here, no doubt.

As for the music itself, these last four songs of Jakob Battick & Friends legacy are probably their best. They know it, too. And while I always enjoyed their other work, this is really some pretty nifty stuff that I can put on constant rotation.

So find yourself a big dark room to sit in and listen to these last four hunting post folk medleys until your bones can no longer take it anymore and you must draw the curtains back and let life return to your body. Except you don't, and your body just stays in equilibrium until your new life begins before your very own eyes.

Or listen to it like a normal person would. I don't care.



Other Friends from JB & F's past: Mark Dennis, Ryan Higgins, Marisha Drown, Nate Pronovost, Milo Moyer-Battick, Dan Littlefield, Johnathan Downs, and more!

Last.fm

Monday 69

Hah.

RAGANA - All's Lost (2012)

This is Olympia, Washington RAGANA's first release, entitled, All's Lost. It features the same intense witchy black metal that their new album, Unbecoming has. Personally though, I just listen to both albums, starting with this one, back to back. Nonstop. Every night.



Last.fm

Billy Carr - Family Planning? (2013)

No album artwork yet!

Billy Carr is the solo project of William B. Carr formerly of The Waldos.

Billy sings and plays guitar in a very different way; a different but cool and refreshingly new way. I recently saw Billy play some of these songs at The Butcher Boy/Speaker for the Dead show at Mayo Street Arts in Portland with Peter McLaughlin accompanying him on drums, and while it seemed a bit overwhelming in the electric setting they were performing at, I really do enjoy these songs the way they are recorded here just with acoustic guitar and vocals. No offence to Peter (who also provides phenomenal percussion on Lady Lamb The Beekeeper's new album, Ripley Pine) what so ever, I just think that these songs make sense acoustically. At least for the time being...



I do wish there was some artwork, though.

Ooh, and I almost forgot: Billy Carr also has a doubling session with Matt Houston (formerly of Red Medicine) which is available both for streaming and downloading. It also comes with artwork! Check it out!

Last.fm

Host - There's nothing up there but heavy clouds (2012)

I'm pretty pumped to announce that Host, the dark and dreary hardcore outfit from New Hampshire who, I might add, released a very fine split with KYOTY last year will be playing in Portland this coming Sunday - which I can go to since it will kick off my spring break.

The show is being put on by the hard-working folks of Dirigimus Cooperative, which means that this show is probably in a semi-secret location somewhere or behind the train tracks somewhere. It's also being put on around 3 o'clock in the afternoon so you will still have time to make it to church!



Because fuck the police.

Last.fm

Monday XXXXXXVII

That Monday where the pope quit.

Dore Mear Beon - Dore Mear Beon EP (2012)

Here's some Canadian math rock for ya. Apparently it's that sort of one man (Andrew Sagriff) math rock stuff which always makes me wonder if it's naturally done or with the help of fancy technically and newfangled computer magic. However it's created though, it still sounds great and right up my alley.

Track 2 features a sample from Richard Linklater's philosophical talky film, Waking Life. You know, that kind of talky film where you feel really smart afterwards and totally better than anyone else who hasn't seen it before.


Last.fm

Tawny Peaks - Tawny Peaks (2012)

I'm a bit surprised I haven't shared these guys before seeing how long I've been holding on to this self-title and such.

Recently, I rediscovered these guys on Spotify no less and have been getting to know their music a lot more than before. So here they are now!

Tawny Peaks play twinkly, sometimes acoustic - sometimes electric, sometimes male vocals - sometimes female vocals - sometimes both, emotional  music out of New Jersey.



Last.fm


Real Kind - Hard Red Winter (sketches) (2012)

Real Kind is the warm and fuzzy-feel moniker of Marissa Owens from Portland, Maine when she plays warm and fuzzy music.

A good friend of mine suggested I give Real Kind and her album Hard Red Winter a try - I did and it was a perfect accompaniment to my loner weekend stuck in Northern Maine thanks to that little snow storm we had. Ironically however, a folk show that I was invited to in Portland this weekend that was canceled due to Nemo, included... that's right... Marissa Owens!



This version of Hard Red Winter is just a "sketch" of what the real thing will sound like when it is officially released this April. Or maybe this is just an April Fools Day joke because this album is already perfect the way it is.

Whatever happens though, you'll be sure to hear about it right here on NFT.

Facebook

Monday XXXXXXIV

All this talk of MLK is making me thirsty...

SRVVLST - I Would But I'm Baroque (2012)

SRVVLST (yes, as in 'Survivalist') is a post-whatever - or as Last.fm puts it - a post-everything four piece from Ohio. 

They twinkle, they noodle, they shout, they get intimate, and they survive. 

In my book, that's about all a band needs to do to count as post-everything anyways. 

Last.fm

Sinforiano Diaz - The Moosup Seassions (2012)

Sinforiano Diaz is the solo moniker of This World is a Beautiful Place & I am No Longer Afraid to Die's Tom Diaz. It also features Axel Diaz on guitar and John Bowles guitaring and singing some back up vox. 

Tom Diaz replaces the electric twinkly feels with acoustic, sometimes uke-driven, but still twinkly feels here on this little four song release entitled, 'The Mossup Sessions' after the session of which he recorded this, in Mossup, Connecticut. 

Fans of Crywank, Waxahatchee, Warren Franklin, John Galm, and other solo acoustic singer-songwriter acts will most likely dig this gravely.

PS: It has just come to my attention that Tom Diaz may not be playing in TWIABP anymore... which is lame. 

Last.fm

Iron Sword - Demo (2012)

Iron Sword is a super intense and sloppy stoner metal band from Burlington. 

They're going to be playing a neck-breakingly good show (from the looks of it) with hometown sweeties, WARANIMAL (if you live in Maine and like metal and haven't seen WARANIMAL play, I feel bad for you son!) along with The Proselyte (MA), Eastern Spell (ME), and Lunglust (MA) on the 25th!

I don't know if I'll be able to swing down to see this mega stacked line-up in Portland on Friday (that's when it's happening of course. Put it on your shredule if you haven't already), but Iron Sword is also playing a show the next night (Saturday) at Orono which looks to be a real rager as well and is much closer to my current location. ;)

Hell, maybe I'll just go to both!

Hopefully dese boys bring there samples with them from this demo - including the Dazed and Confused Matthew Mcconaughey sample at the beginning of "Stairway to Hell"! Check it out:

Here's the poster for the show Friday night for your viewing Lord of the Rings pleasure as well:

Last.fm

RVIVR's Erica Freas' New Solo Album, Belly

While I wait patiently for the new RVIVR album, which was originally going to be released last fall but then their shit got stolen and all that, there is still always Erica Freas's new solo release to be listened to:

Erica Freas - Belly (2012)

This snazzy  new solo effort by Erica is filled with material from all over. While most of the tracks are original pieces, some songs like "Gamma" (an adaption of RVIVR's "Grandma") or "Spider Song" (an acoustic version of a song off the new RVIVR album) come from other places. The song "Belly" is also played on Erica's first solo one-take session, 'Help is in the Hair' from 2007 as well.



It's possible there are also some reused tracks from another band that Erica is in called Lightnin' Round. I've only ever heard their 2010 material so I'm pretty much in the dark about which song(s) come from that project.

Bonus:

RVIVR as a whole also have a very interesting music video for the more electrified "Spider Song" which is taken from the puppet-induced green screen short film, Bye Bye Burdy 2... the sequel to the first Bye Bye Burdy, of course...

I don't want to give anything away, but Erica plays the really cool Frost Queen who restores The Joester to his normal size with the help of the Old Spider Woman.

Oops, I gave it away.

Rumbletowne Records
RVIVR's Blog
Bandcamp
Last.fm

NFT's Got You Covered with Nick Stutsman

Nick Stutsman - Covers (2011)

Here are some sappy covers of other people's stuff by Nick Stutsman of Merchant Ships/Midwest Pen Pals/Park Jefferson fame.

The songs he covers include:

"Eskimo Snow" - Why?

"As Tall As Cliffs" -Margot and the Nuclear So & So's

"Maps" - Yeah Yeah Yeahs

"(My) Backward Walk" - Frightened Rabbit

"You're the shit and I'm knee deep in it."

Enjoy.

Last.fm

Car Seat Headrest - Twin Fantasy

Car Seat Headrest - Twin Fantasy (2011)

Car Seat Headrest is Will Toledo. He makes fuzzy lo-fi music of which most of the vocal recordings were done in his car... hence the name. This album entitled 'Twin Fantasy', has a very interested story behind it much like Jordaan Mason & The Horse Museum's 2009 release, 'Divorce Lawyers I Shaved My Head'. Unfortunately, like the Jordaan Mason album I've mentioned above, I can not remember the story or if it's true. If you like Jordaan Mason though, you may also like this guy.

Similar acts/sounds: Jordaan Mason & The Horse Museum, The Sarcastic Dharma Society, Foot Ox, Coma Cinema, Midnight Ghost, Alligator Indian, Long Walks On The Beach, Camp Island, The Whiting Brothers, and, and, and, and.


Keep smoking.

We love you.

Last.fm

Monday XXXXIX

Gettin' there.

Tiger Voltage - Mobius' Strip of Gum (2012)

Tiger Voltage is an experimental act from Bangor, Maine. From the little research I have done around them, it seems this may be a solo effort by local musician, Nick Huskins. The music on 'Mobius' Strip of Gum' is mostly guitar driven and built up by using rhythmic repetition and eventually drums that come in around the 3rd or 4th track. Things soon start to pick up by the 7th track, entitled "DeltizNum" and ends with an improvised jam featuring an electric keyboard/synth type noise maker just because. All the tracks and 'jams' are instrumental and under 3 minutes with the exception of the last song, "Jamz with  XEXEXEE" which is the just under 6 minute messing around closer.

I'm actually going to be living near Bangor for a bit soon and while I won't be around the artsy music scene I am around now, I still hope to be introduced to and find some sweet local acts during my time away from home.

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Mouse On The Keys - Machinic Phylum (2012)

Speaking of messing around music-wise, experimental post-jazz-rock outfit, Mouse On The Keys of Tokyo, Japan released a new EP this summer called, 'Machinic Phylum'. As an already big listener of this band, I've been trying not to forget it came out while also waiting patiently for it to make its way onto Spotify - were I finally found it today and previewed it before perusing a DL for it. I also found out today that this EP actually has four tracks on it but sites like Spotify and other streaming devices (or iTunes which I do not wish to advertise), only have the first three tracks with the fourth track, "Memory", no where to be found. I'm not sure if the link above has the fourth track as I haven't DL'd it yet and the link is not mine. If it's not there though, it is on Youtube...

Oh yeah, I almost forgot to mention that this totally kills! The third track, "Clinamen" is probably the best song MOTK have released so far! If you are a fan of jazz, post rock, math rock, technical music, or music theory at all; you will surely enjoy this EP and Mouse On The Keys!

 Last.fm

David Liebe Hart Band - Violitionist Session (2012)

In other news, David Liebe Hart of Tim & Eric fame is semi on tour with his (punk rock) band that got started through the help of his fans via his Kickstarter! This is a live set from a Denton, Texas music session called, Violitionist Session where they ask the visiting band or act three questions and play three songs. This is also the first recorded material that I know of by the band and is very well suited with an extended explanation of each song beforehand by David Liebe Hart himself. Grab up all three of the tracks for free on Violitionist Session and be sure to check out other bands' sessions from this site as well as this new punk band that may be storming their way through a town near you!

More by David Liebe Hart and more
David Liebe Hart's official tour "blog"
Last.fm (David Liebe Hart)

On a sadder note though, this may be the last Monday post for a while as I have to go on a short hiatus due to school and dumb stuff like that. But hey, That's life.

Okay- Huggable Dust

Okay is the moniker of Marty Anderson of sporadic math rock band, Dilute. While Dilute was filled with start and stop, taps, and distant bloops and blips; Okay is filled with light-hearted indie rock instrumentation with Marty Anderson really displaying his vocals and all around unique voice... this time... without coming off a little creepy sounding. I love the two bands equally, don't get me wrong, but there is a vastly different approach between them that I felt needed pointing out.

Okay - Huggable Dust (2008)

'Huggable Dust' is Okay's (and Anderson's) 18 song, 2008 release. It features many great little indie gems like "Only", "Natural", "Panda", and "Pretend". I don't listen to as many "indie rock" bands that I did maybe a few years back but there's something about Okay and the way Marty Anderson sings over the music. It's almost as if these songs shouldn't be as delicate as they are; like there's supposed to be chaos in it all and instead it was replaced by beautiful major music. The closest it gets to chaotic is the tracks, "Beast" or "Truce" or "Already" I guess, but even then those still feel like the right amount of noise and balance. All of 'Huggable Dust' is like that actually... really well put together and balanced. With 18 songs on it, I don't think there is ever a time when I listen to it all the way through that I really start to get bored.

Along with Okay, Marty Anderson also has been known to call himself Jacques Kopstein. He has released one album under the name and it's called 'A'. It also features "dreamy and damaged folk pop" (Aquarius Records) but a little more stripped down and experimental.

Similar acts/sounds: Dilute, Jacques Kopstein, Natural Dreamers, Sarcastic Dharma Society, François Virot, car seat headrest, Coma Cinema, Misophone, Phil Elvrum, Karl Blau, Kickball, Foot Ox and other stuff I like...

Myspace
Last.fm