I wrote it down in a letter so you could read it...

Ohio's very own State Bird recently stopped by My Old Kentucky Blog and Daytrotter and recorded some beautiful live in studio sessions. Being a huge fan of the boldly talented Magnetic Fields it is easy to understand why State Bird caught my attention and delighted my ears. They are a bit more upbeat and sound like Vampire Weekend on some tracks such as I Don't Love You Anymore which is sure to be a hit with audiences as we head into the fall. Mostly Ghostly is the sophomore release from Coby Hartzler and Jared Riblet and since I am joining in the game late I definitely will be checking out Marching Thru The Wilderness as well. If you enjoy what you hear, you should do some homework too!
State Bird-The Bright July Night.mp3
State Bird-Uh Oh!.mp3

New Sea Wolf Song

*Photo Cred Giorgio Verdiani
While watching the Olympics I noticed during a Hybrid car commercial one of my favorite songs of last year, 'You're A Wolf' by the clever and talented Sea Wolf. Hopefully people will hear that enchanted track and check out the rest of his album, Leaves In The River that was released on Dangerbird Records. He has been touring and premiering his new track, Song For the Magpie which hopefully means he will have something else for us to tote around and fall in love with sometime soon. In the meantime you can wear this one out.
Sea Wolf-Song for the Magpie.mp3
Sea Wolf Tags.

Working Poor

During my vacation I started reading The Fountainhead written by the prolific and visionary author Ayn Rand. Since I have had a hard time putting her pages to rest and find myself looking at everything differently. There is almost nothing like a good book, except for of course, good music. The Fountainhead touches on numerous social and philosophical issues, one of which was the working class conditions in New York in the early stages of my families' beginnings. Tenements squashed in the East Village that seeped with foreign languages, dedicated freedom seekers and devilishly hard working families trying to get by. These stories of hardship and heartbreak ran through the streets of the Lower East Side in turn influencing the likes of Bob Dylan and Lou Reed. Folk songs are so vital to our existence as a species that it allowed me to have a some what competitive discussion with my labor rights lawyer father as to why music is so important to me as a career choice. (He is dreadfully supportive--he is just also the biggest salt thrower I have ever met, but it keeps one incredibly honest having to constantly back up what you preach...) Tossing out the likes of David Vandervelde, Bonnie Prince Billy, Cat Power and one of my recent discoveries Horsefeathers I covered all my bases and left him somewhat convinced. Or at least charmed. Hailing from Portland, Oregon, Horsefeathers first captured attention after their release, Words Are Dead back in 2006. Justin Ringle, Peter Broderick, and Heather Broderick are the spirit of truth and justice and soothe as much of your social unrest that is possible these days to cure with armed with a banjo, violin and guitar. There must be something in the air for those Northwestern bands. Now if only we could mix that with a bit of New York stutter and vigour- what a scene that could be. There upcoming album, House With No Home is due out September 9th via Kill Rock Star records.
HorseFeathers-Mother's Sick.mp3
Horsefeathers-Working Poor.mp3
Horsefeathers-In Our Blood.mp3

The Moondoggies

The folks over at Hardly Art certainly know how to rustle up folks who know how to spin a pretty little ditty or two. Adding to the family where The Duchess and The Duke and Le Loup are lovingly taken care of is Seattle-based band The Moondoggies. After you have gotten that snarky chuckle out of your system regarding their name hunker your bones on down for a listen to singer, songwriter Kevin Murphys' voice. Surrounded by Robert Terreberry on bass, Carl Dahlen on drums and Caleb Quick on keys these four have been working out the kinks of the first songs, shows and now album since their high school days. Don't Be A Stranger is a beautifully composed debut and hopefully we will be hearing much more from them soon tour date wise.
Moondoggies-Changing.mp3
The Moondoggies-Ol Blackbird.mp3
Le Loup Tags
The Duchess and the Duke Tags

Strange Overtones

David Byrne and Brian Eno are at it again. This is the latest from track from the brilliant minds of both of these talented men. I have been obsessed with it ever since I heard it last week on vacation. Visit David's site for more information about upcoming releases, tour dates, the fascinating life of the one and only mister Byrne...for any or all of these above listed details. Or simply enjoy the song.
David Byrne and Brian Eno-Strange Overtones.mp3

New Cure Tribute Album and the latest from Bat for LAshes

Robert Smith has written some of the best love lullabies during his lengthy career that continue to be covered by some of the most talented artists out there. The latest Cure Tribute record, Perfect as Cats: A Tribute To The Cure comes out on October 28th via Manimal Vinyl records. Amongst the artists featured on the album is one of my loves, Natasha Kahn of Bat for Lashes. The beautifully enchanting songstress recently toured with none other than Thom Yorke during Radioheads' European run. Lemon Sun, Dandy Warhols, Voyager One and Ich Bin Aiko.

DISC 1

Xu Xu Fang “Fascination Street”
Bat For Lashes “A Forest”
Hecuba “Killing An Arab”
Astrid Quay (of Winter Flowers) “The Caterpillar”
Indian Jewelry “The Walk”
Rainbow Arabia “Six Different Ways”
We Are The World “Why Can’t I Be You?”
blackblack “In Between Days”
Rio en Medio “Pictures of You”
Gangi “Fire In Cairo”
Joker’s Daughter “Kyoto Song”
Aquaserge with Laure Briard “10.15 Saturday Night” (in French)
The Muslims “Grinding Halt”
Voyager One “M”
Ex-Reverie “The Hanging Garden”
Caroline Weeks (of Bat For Lashes) “The Drowning Man”
Devastations “All Cats Are Gray”

DISC 2

The Dandy Warhols “Primary”
Veil Veil Vanish “The Upstairs Room”
Wolkfin (ex-Junior Senior) “Charlotte Sometimes”
Army Navy “Jumping Someone Else’s Train”
Ich Bin Aiko “A Strange Day”
Lemon Sun “The Exploding Boy”
Corridor “The Kiss”
Katrine Ottosen (CALLmeKAT) “The Love Cats”
Silver Summit “A Night Like This”
Mariee Sioux “Love Song”
Kaki King “Close To Me”
Buddy “Sugar Girl”
Les Bicyclettes Blanches “Hot Hot Hot!”
Tara Busch “Let’s Go To Bed”
Jesu “The Funeral Party”
Sarabeth Tucek “Three Imaginary Boys”
Lewis & Clarke “Disintegration”

Bat For Lashes-A Forest.mp3
Bat For Lashes Tags
The Cure Tags

Dungen at Williamsburg Music Hall October 24th

These also go on sale today. FINALLLLY i will get to see them. YES!
Dungen Tags

Fleet Foxes at Webster Hall-October 5th

So i was informed by a little birdie that Fleet Foxes will be playing a show at Webster Hall on October 5th and that tickets will be going on sale at Noon-time today. However, there is no information on their website or on Ticketmaster...so I shall leave you up to your own detective devices to see if you can find the missing pieces of the puzzle. The band recently stopped by David Letterman, or as they would like to call it, Sell-outs-burg. I thought they sounded brilliant.
Fleet Foxes Tags

Strange Overtones

There is nothing more spoiled than waking up on vacation on a beautiful island...tottering into the kitchen to grab some yogurt before your morning swim and tuning into the Morning show on KEXP only to hear new David Byrne with Brian Eno. John will continue to debut new songs as they are recorded...so stay tuned. The first track, Strange Overtones was chillingly fantastic.

Despite my best ambitions...

There is something so incredibly delicious about swimming. One of my earliest memories was my first swimming lesson. The water was unbearably frigid and I did not enjoy it all. Screaming with tears streaming down my face I would not unleash my chubby arms from the neck of Pam, my beloved babysitter and unfortunate instructor. Once immersed and comfortable that was the end of the story for I became infatuated with the water from that day forward. Maybe it comes from growing up on a river that feeds into the majestic and unique Chesapeake Bay or maybe it was because as soon as it was warm enough I would ride my bike every day to our local watering hole and not return until it was dinnertime. My entire childhood was spent in, on or near the water and I was certain I would dedicate my education and adult life to preserving what was so beloved to my heart. Unfortunately I discovered New York and the reality of politics surrounding lobbying for environmental protection and have taken the weaker way out. But my love for the slickness and crispness of the waves and my respect for the creatures that call these places their home has never left me and never will. Floating in between that upper layer of sun-soaked surface wetness and the cool depths below you truly feel you are blessed for being a creature of our earth. The only sounds that penetrate your ears are the bits of coral crumbling under the hungry mouths of the fish feeding upon their jagged edges. Dark navy blue fins dotted with irridescent baby blue sparkels are my favorites to seek out. They hide under the large orange fans that drift with the waves, both coinciding peacefully as they have for ages. Yesterday afternoon while wadding out into the azure sea a little fish no longer than my pinkie took a liking to me and swam circles around my belly for a good thirty minutes. He would hide behind my back dodging my fingers that playfully chased him around the front and then hide again. To see if he really was interested in playing I took a couple of curious side strokes and he happily kept by my side. I decided to name him Claude. After my sister inquired, why Claude i responded with, 'because he is such a little flirt he must be french.' For you my dear little Claude I give you the lovely Jessica Lea Mayfield. This talented songstress has opened for both the Black Keys and the Avett Brothers on numerous occasions and has the lit of a skylark. At the tender age of 19 she recently was on the Black Keys last album, Attack and Release on the last track. Unfortunately I could only find one track to share with you, but I invite you to check her out. She is worth the gander.
Jessica Lea Mayfield-For Today.mp3

Remember your dream is your oldest scheme

So keep on wishin'! Happy first weekend of August my darlings. I am beyond excited to spend the next upcoming week with my family. For some crazy reason two complete opposite people met at a basketball game and fell in love and years later decided to have me...the rest is history. Despite how much my parents have driven me crazy over the years i love dearly and consider myself incredibly lucky to be one of their offspring. Thank god for basketball! So enjoy your work weeks- I will try my hardest to write about all the bands I have listed on post it notes all around my desk and apartment. They are all worthy of listening to and by next weekend you will have some good new tunes for your fantastic daily happenings.
Curtis Mayfield-Move On Up.mp3
The Meters-Hands Clapping Song.mp3
The Heptones-Do Good To Each And Everyone.mp3
King Curtis-Piping Hot.mp3
The Sound Studio-Give Me Some More.mp3
Valella Valella-Alex Boom Selector.mp3
Cedric Im Brooks-Silent Force.mp3
Winston Wright & The Upsetters-Jam #1.mp3

Socialistic Roof Top Music

Although from their name you would think that this duo is from France, however in reality they are the latest electronic sampling from the Swedish music scene. With only an EP, No Way Down available via Sincerely Yours (the label founded by The Tough Alliance) they single handily capture the essence of those last lazy days of summer. Don't get me wrong, we still have a whole month to go but if you have started to notice the days are getting shorter and the leaves are already starting to fall...so get out and enjoy the suffocation and humidity and all that this month has to offer. Air Frances' crooning is the perfect soundtrack for lying on a beach and evaporating into the atmosphere.
Air France-Beach Party.mp3
Air France-June Evenings.mp3