Written on
September 30, 2010 by
Andy in
Music
![53381671 1 [mp3] Introducing: Lohio Family Tree](http://bandcamp.com/files/53/38/53381671-1.jpg "[mp3] Introducing: Lohio Family Tree")
We received an email from Shut Eye Records describing the roots of their label (alt-country/Americana), and their recent foray into the indie arena with the band Lohio. And while I hadn’t heard of the label or Lohio prior to this email, after listening, it’s clear that they have good taste.
Lohio makes an ascendant brand of indie folk; this, the title track from their recently released Family Tree EP, showcases the band’s penchant for melodic, harmonious songs. The Pittsburgh-based four-piece draws easy comparisons to The Polyphonic Spree; while the majestic nature of the vocals is similar, musically, the band is far more intimate. There are no grand gestures here, no over-the-top affectations. The songwriting is strong enough without the embellishments; the EP is confident enough to sound familiar, but innovative enough to not become tedious.
Lohio’s Family Tree EP was released this past Tuesday, and you can grab a copy of it for yourself over at their Bandcamp page. In addition to the EP, the band has a handful of dates on tap over the coming long weekend, and a forthcoming date in Pittsburgh with Shearwater and Damien Jurado in mid-November. That’s good company for them to be in.
Connect with Lohio :: MySpace | Facebook | Twitter | Bandcamp | web
Lohio – Family Tree (mp3) from Family Tree EP
Written on
September 30, 2010 by
Dave in
Music
![32119 393892373132 27489258132 4218962 1438945 n [mp3] Lights On: Red Lights Flashing](http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs640.snc3/32119_393892373132_27489258132_4218962_1438945_n.jpg "[mp3] Lights On: Red Lights Flashing")
Were I forced to compare San Diego’s Lights On to a wider known music name, I would struggle in determining to which I might do so. My initial introduction to this quintet, who hail from the city discovered by Germans in 1904 and named after a whale’s vagina, came when viewing their video for “We Live Underground.” At that time, one band that came to mind was The Helio Sequence, mostly due to the video itself. Were I to think it over more thoroughly, it’s possible I might find their sounds have a faintly similar taste as well. Yet, others have found eighties band influences readily apparent; such as Echo And The Bunnymen for instance. While I don’t necessarily disagree, as I said, comparisons here are difficult, and, in this case not entirely necessary.
The band’s debut, Here Comes The Ocean, was released earlier this year. They only have a few dates lined up in their hometown, so if you live out that way go check them out.
Connect with Lights On :: web | MySpace | Facebook
Lights On – Red Lights Flashing (mp3) from Here Comes The Ocean![[mp3] Lights On: Red Lights Flashing](http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=tympanogram-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B003U0OR0Q "[mp3] Lights On: Red Lights Flashing")
Written on
September 30, 2010 by
Andy in
Music
![punches [mp3] PUNCHES Feeling Right](http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b126/fingeronthepulse/punches.jpg "[mp3] PUNCHES Feeling Right")
I remember, before they ever sent us any of their music, the first thing I heard from Brooklyn trio PUNCHES. It was a video of their first live performance, in which they were performing this song. (We even posted it here.) And now, approximately five months later, that very song is the first single from their forthcoming debut EP.
We’ve posted every single song PUNCHES have sent us to this point – their spectacular remixes of Au Revoir Simone, Jackie Wilson, and Kele, as well as their original track “Let Go.” And each one proves their talents over again. I’m looking forward to hearing their completed EP (entitled Sleepless City) when it’s released on October 12 via Our Label. (That should not be misread as being “our label,” as in tympanogram’s, however.)
The group has an EP release party lined up in Brooklyn on Tuesday, October 12, which you can attend for just $5 if you’re around the area, or for free if you RSVP. In addition, they are headed out to LA this Friday for their first West Coast date, so if you’re bored in LA, you can attend that for free. Details for both shows are available at their MySpace page.
Connect with PUNCHES :: MySpace | Twitter
PUNCHES – Feeling Right (mp3) from the forthcoming Sleepless City
Written on
September 29, 2010 by
Andy in
Music
![2098662554 1 [mp3] Introducing: Jose Delhart Broken Hearted Chant](http://bandcamp.com/files/20/98/2098662554-1.jpg "[mp3] Introducing: Jose Delhart Broken Hearted Chant")
Blog pal Jason over at Loudspeaker PR sent us the latest release from Jose Delhart the other day – the fine Little Red Buddha. Released this past June, it’s a sparse and haunting album, filled with the travails of a man who is in still the process of coming to terms with the ghosts in his past.
There’s something to be said for the tradition of passing down stories via an oral history. It smoothes over some of the rougher parts; it embellishes for effect when necessary, all the while serving as a reminder of the things that actually define a person and comprise a heritage. And while the embellishments and omissions render the tales useless from a historical standpoint, they make for a much better story.
“Broken Hearted Chant” is the lead single from Little Red Buddha, and it’s representative of the album’s overall mood and movement, intertwining lonely strings and guitar with a moderate dash of the red clay of the Southwest. The album sounds as if you’re being sat down by someone in your family and made to listen. You can hear the creaking of a house still settling; the subtle beckon of a personal history being relived is evident throughout.
At times Little Red Buddha can feel a little too much like listening to your grandfather’s stories – going on a little bit too long, getting a little repetitive. Despite those minor faults, however, the tales themselves are most important, and these are damn good ones to hear repeatedly.
Connect with Jose Delhart :: MySpace | Facebook | Twitter | Bandcamp
Jose Delhart – Broken Hearted Chant (mp3) from Little Red Buddha
Written on
September 29, 2010 by
Andy in
Music
![BTNY 1.450 [mp3] Introducing: Botany Feeling Today](http://westernvinyl.com/pr/images/BTNY_1.450.jpg "[mp3] Introducing: Botany Feeling Today")
Botany is now the performance moniker of Weatherford, Texas native Spencer Stephenson. Apparently he retired his old one, Abacus – trading in math for the scientific study of plants. I’m not particularly enamored with either subject, but the resulting music makes up for it. On this, the title track from his forthcoming debut EP Feeling Today, Stephenson enlists the help of Ashley Rathburn on vocals, and spins out a track that blurs the preconceived notions of the whole chillwave movement of late. It’s a song (and an EP) that incorporates quick samples, riffs culled from various sources, collected sounds and remembrances. And the result is something that feels alternately familiar and completely different all at once.
Botany’s debut EP will be released November 9th via Western Vinyl. It’s 5 tracks, quick and simple, that precede a proper full length to be released sometime in 2011. He’s got a show tonight with CocoRosie down in Dallas, so if you’re in that part of the world, go see what he’s all about.
Also, check out another track from the EP (“Waterparker”) over at Pitchfork if you’re intrigued.
Connect with Botany :: MySpace | Twitter
Botany – Feeling Today (mp3) from the forthcoming Feeling Today EP
