Foxtails Brigade

Gifted with a heavenly voice that floats comfortably on top of a beautiful construct of wistful guitars, it's no surprise that the main vocalist of Foxtails Brigade, Laura Weinbach, anchors the San Francisco band's new single "The Unloved".  The tracks comes off of the group's newly released album, Time Is Passed, which actually came out two days ago on November 27th.  "The Unloved" is a delicately put together piece of drifting strings, gently guiding each and every note along slowly.  The subtle picking, accented with drawn out violins and fragile percussion, creates the dreamy wash that looks at the "lonely and forsaken".  The end result is quite gorgeous, and is worth a listen even if just for Weinbach's mesmerizing voice.  I've posted an embed below for streaming with another track available on SoundCloud.  If you're looking for the album Time Is Passed, you can find it on their Bandcamp page.  For a free download of "The Unloved", all you have to do is hit the 'like' button their Facebook.  For more info, you can always make haste towards Twitter or their homepage.  Enjoy!

 The Unloved (Radio Edit) by FoxtailsBrigade

Mr. Moccasin

When it came to starting Mr. Moccasin, the duo that comprises the band has been quoted as saying that they wanted their music "to play with impossibilities and chance".  One doesn't need to look far to see why; lead singer Hanna Badalova was born in Baku, Azerbaijan where she developed an interest for poetry, a hobby that would act as a medium for telling the stories of her family fleeing genocide in pursuit of greener pastures in Baltimore.  It is here that she met Jared Fischer, who shared a passion for music and had actually been in a band for quite some time. Somehow, someway, despite starting their lives half a world away from each other, the two met.  Chance; it's what Mr. Moccasin was born from.  While this isn't an entirely uncommon occurrence in the world I mention it because it's important to the band's identity, and it shines through in the group's new single "Black On Black".  Coming from the forthcoming album XAHA, the track is an adventurous dive into the use of atmospheric, guitar-driven rhythms.  "Black On Black" draws a line between rock, folk, and punk, incorporating such styles and sounds without putting too many cards into one genre, instead coming across as universal.  Still, utilizing these aspects Mr. Moccasin is able to create a unique quality that sounds as equally ambitious as it does genuine. Considering their history, anything else would be a surprise.  Check out "Black On Black" below, and then be sure to grab the song for free over on Bandcamp.

Black On Black

Balto

This past spring the folk group Balto released their debut album called October's Sky, which is based on lead singer Daniel Sheron's experiences of when he abandoned his life in Moscow and went alone into Siberia. It's an incredible story, and it's the same guy who turned out to have jam sessions with his band outside their local library and achieve the name "The Assholes Outside the Library".  In my opinion, that means you're doing something right.  Such would appear to be the case, especially with the release of Balto's Monuments EP which came out last month.  If their jams sounded like this, I don't see how anyone could call them assholes.  Monuments is a piece of folk beauty, employing a wide range of string instruments like guitars, mandolins, banjoes, accordions, and upright bass.  The harmony between all of them blend wonderfully to add a tinge of country to an already easily accessible and interesting folk-driven EP. That's not even mentioning Sheron's vocals, which carry the tunes along effortlessly. I've posted two of my favorite songs below from Monuments, "Gravestones" and "Doves", so be sure to take a listen to those.  Afterwards, their Bandcamp has the rest of the EP, with Facebook and Twitter offering more info.  There is also a main homepage you can run over to.  Dig it up!

Gravestones 

Doves 

Conner Youngblood

In a follow up to my previous post on Conner Youngblood, yesterday he released a new song called "The Warpath".  The track represents his final single coming off of his forthcoming album Sketches Pt. 2, which is set for an August 28th release.  In true Youngblood fashion, I find there to be a real sense of atmosphere in his songwriting.  In this case, "The Warpath" is a folk-inspired tune that occupies the copious space created by Youngblood's proven talent.  Have a listen to it below.  Afterwards, make sure to hit up all the important social media outlets for updates on any shows, events, and of course Sketches Pt. 2.  Click on the blue for Facebook, Twitter, and SoundCloud.

 The Warpath by Conner Youngblood

Peking Duk

A little gem appeared in my inbox a few days ago in the form of an "Old Pine" remix by two young DJs that comprise Peking Duk.  Hailing from Australia, the duo has been quite successful as of late, really making a name for themselves.  Not only have they received support from Steve Aoki, MSTRKRFT, and Tiesto, but their single "Welcome" hit #34 on the ARIA club chart and their remix of "Take A Walk" by Passion Pit garnered more than 70,000 plays in two weeks on SoundCloud (that number is now 87,384).  Their remix of "Old Pine" by Ben Howard (which can be played here) seems to be on a similar track.  It sticks true to the original while doing a good job of creating something new and exciting for fans of Ben Howard and Peking Duk alike.  I also find it refreshing to see a successful remix hitting the blogosphere that doesn't derive from dubstep or techno, so really I think this is one for all kinds of varying music interests.  Stream it below, and hit up their SoundCloud for a free download.  Their main SoundCloud site, complete with other tracks, can be found here.

 Ben Howard - Old Pine (Peking Duk Remix) FREE DOWNLOAD by Peking Duk

First Aid Kit

Hello there blogosphere!  It's been a good week or two since I've last written, but I'm officially back from break and hittin' the keyboard again.  To settle back into things, I'd like to introduce to the album The Lion's Roar by First Aid Kit.  The female duo consists of sisters Johanna and Klara Soderberg, and if you live Sweden these names are probably much more familiar to you.  The Lion's Roar marks the second studio LP released by First Aid Kit, and it made a big enough splash overseas to hit #1 on the Swedish music charts, as well as #35 over in the UK. That's not too shabby for a group so young, Johanna is 22 while Klara is still a teenager at 19.  The age may appear insignificant, but it seems to me like a testament to their songwriting prowess and lyrical insight, for their words come across as mature and profound.  This appears to be the case as a stepping stone from their previous materal; The Lion's Roar is a much more developed work overall than their debut LP.  While both are definitely submerged in a folkish concoction, this year's album dives deeper into country tendencies.  With a bigger and fuller sound, as well as further exploration into other genres, First Aid Kit definitely spread their wings and expand their palette here. Check out the title song "The Lion's Roar" as well as another favorite "Blue" below. Enjoy!

The Lion's Roar

Blue

Palms

The cover art for the song "Lake Marble Falls" is a picture taken from the popular Punch Bowl Falls, an area in Oregon known for it's numerous waterfalls.  As I'm sure you can see, it's also appreciated for its unparalleled beauty and tranquility.  So when Palms sings out "my memory begins here, in Marble Falls", I can see why!  I wouldn't mind having such scenery being the first vision I could recollect. Using this image as an icon to their song makes sense too, the duo Palms carry such a sense of serenity and purity in "Lake Marble Falls" that anything else wouldn't do it justice.  The most notable comparison would be Bon Iver; a spacious guitar, vocals set in falsetto, and an isolated atmosphere gives the impression of a something constructed in nature, surrounded by nothing but woods.  I guess since "Lake Marble Falls" sounds very reflective, there is an aura of solitude embedded within the chords.  Palms is in no way a cut copy of Bon Iver, the group utilizes an electroacoustic-like sound to set it apart.  The culmination is very sedative, and it's way easy to be lulled into it.  I've posted it below for you to listen, and if you dig it you can hit up the Studio Palms homepage to snag it for free.  Enjoy!

 Lake Marble Falls by Palms Music

Jean Caffeine

At this point last year my university was being pummeled with feet and feet of snow, we had at least one snow day per week for the first four weeks of school. Today is a different story; somehow, what is usually tundra is a lively 60 degrees and people are out in t-shirts and shorts.  To fulfill this spring spirit, I present to you the happy-go-lucky Jean Caffeine.  To say that she is new to writing music would be a complete lie; she used to be a drummer for the all-girl punk outfit called Pulsallama, and before the band separated they had the good fortune for opening for such legendary groups as Public Image Ltd. and The Clash. Unfortunately following the break-up, music was "thrown on the back burner"....until last year, when Jean released Geckos In the Elevator, a departure of her punk roots for some upbeat, fun, indie folk sensibilities.  It's hard not to sneak a smile when listening to the album's first single, "Jane Rearranged", it's just so damn happy!!  Luckily for us listeners, Jean has posted the track for free on her Bandcamp, which you can pick up here.  The rest of the album is also available here.  For your convenience I've placed the bright and melodious "Jane Rearranged" below.  Enjoy!