The Long Winters

It's 4/20 and we all know what that means...
So I have a few tracks for you, and to start it off is The Long Winters attempt at "Smoke On The Water" by Deep Purple along with some other tracks by John Roderick and his boys.

MP3'S

Smoke On The Water

Pushover

The Commander Thinks Aloud

Blue Diamonds

Dntel

In 2001 when Jimmy Tamborello released Life is Full of Possibilities, the lo-fi indie rock masterpiece, there was a new genre of music being created, it wasn't just electronica or pop or folk anymore, it was more. His collaboration with DCFC's Ben Gibbard started The Postal Service, which broke open like an egg and poured out onto weary hearts and set the tone for "popular" indie-tronica. In the five years it has taken Jimmy to put together his follow-up, other than Postal Service, he has also been included in the band Figurines and he also has the James Figurine moniker for his more techno focused pop songs.

Dumb Luck, the follow-up to the phenomenal Possibilities is more aware of itself as it shape-shifts through genres, but keeps the basis the same. A steady wave of resilience from the collaborators (which include: Bright Eyes, Grizzly Bear, Lali Puna, Jenny Lewis, Mystic Chords of Memory, etc.) is what keeps the music grounded, but it's Jimmy's defining song structure that lets us swim freely through each track. The collaborations make Dumb Luck a versatile album, but it's Jimmy Tamborello that makes it a Dntel album.

MP3'S

Dumb Luck

To A Fault (ft. Grizzly Bear)

Rock The Boat (ft. Mia Doi Todd)

Natural Resources (ft. Fog)

Breakfast In Bed (ft. Bright Eyes)

Paper Airplanes

The Fences (mp3) is more timid than taunt for an indie song that has been released in the last few years, this being released late 2004 on the album Boyhood. It sounds very mature and has a natural feel, and in turn, very open for the first listen, and each listen that follows.

Paper Airplanes take you under their wary wing, and they help you feel a little more assured. Expect a follow-up to their debut (hopefully) in 2007.

Track of the Week

Pop Levi - Skip Ghetto

Hot Chip

Hey, it's Friday the 13th!

MP3'S

Hot Chip - Bad Luck

Death Cab For Cutie

"Do you remember the JAMC and reading aloud from magazines? I don't know about you but I swear on my name they could smell it on me, I've never been too good with secrets..."

Death Cab For Cutie's Transatlanticism reminds me of many things; long car rides, life-changing experiences, waking up on the beach in Atlantic City at 4 in the morning, an idyllic girl, etc. Death Cab For Cutie have crafted a truly beautiful album. If a woman can be considered beautiful, and a car can be considered beautiful, then Transatlanticism is definitely on the same pedestal.

2003 was a stellar year for music with new releases from Sufjan Stevens, the Books, the Shins, M83, Rapture, Wrens, Xiu Xiu, Cat Power, Blood Brothers, and even TV on the Radio's Young Liars EP. But the year belonged to 'Ben and the Death Cabbers'. After their release of We Have The Facts, and Photo Album they already had the indie-rock feel and production down. It was now inevitable for them to create something more understood and evaluated, to the point where it doesn't leave your head or your heart.

MP3'S

We Looked Like Giants

A Lack of Color

Title and Registration

Transatlanticism

Transatlanticism is truly a definitive chapter in my life.

Handsome Furs

Remember Wolf Parade way back in 2005? Remember how good they really were? Remember Spencer Krug becoming the Man of the Year in 2006? Remember how you would worship him? Remember how "I'll Believe In Anything" was your favorite song? I sure do. Well the only reason Wolf Parade started as a band is because the Arcade Fire needed an opening act and they asked Krug to get a band together. You know who he contacted?

Dan Boeckner

And then from there on out they shared the song-writing duties and formed a band in the midst of it all. After releasing Apologies to the Queen Mary they were already legends. The album took a lot of people by storm and helped cause an avant-garde musical frenzy.

Remember how Sunset Rubdown's Shut Up I Am Dreaming was on 2006 year-end lists alike? Remember how Krug even had time to form Swan Lake? Well guess who's turn it is now?

Yup, Dan Boeckner's, and with his fiancee Alexei Perry, he has formed Handsome Furs. Seamlessly addicting and one of the relatively smarter bands of today.

I always knew he had it in him since "Shine A Light"

MP3'S

Dead + Rural

Dumb Animals

Handsome Furs Hate The City

The Other Side of Mt. Heart Attack
(Live Liars Cover)