Most of us remember him as the dreamy voice streaming from mom’s mini-van, but this cat has been making his mark in the present indie world. After working with Grizzly Bear back in ’09, Mr. McDonald can now add Holy Ghost! to his hipster resume. After I heard this song, images of Sunday nights at I-Bar have been flooding my dreams, which I assume is due to the acute nostalgia for my Otown gang. I hope you all hear this track one night and think of me… and Kenny Loggins.
Holy Ghost! Feat. Michael McDonald – Some Children
We’ll start with the blatantly-obvious-no-shit-you’re-not-telling-me-anything-new albums and then we’ll move onto a few that you might have overlooked this summer.
Bon Iver, Bon Iver
Bon Iver’s self-titled LP is an emotional gut punch that hurts so good. Apparently, our beloved Justin Vernon created this alone in the woods while suffering from mono. This record now has artists all over the world willfully making out with randoms and putting deposits down on log cabins all over middle America. Your sample, “Holocene”, is delicately forceful. His vocals gradually push through a very simple, circular melody and the modest lyrics add to the soft/powerful contradiction that can basically describe all Bon Iver’s classics.
Bon Iver – Holocene
Washed Out, Within And Without
I recommend becoming acquainted with Within And Without in its entirety. That being said, I’m offering you “You And I” with the hopes that you’ll go for the whole shabang after this 5:13 fragment. I’m not saying that every track is outstanding, it’s simply one of those albums that is better appreciated in a lump sum. There’s no magnum opus on this one like there was on their debut EP, which was of course “Feel It All Around”. (Disagree with me on that. I dare you.) “You And I” is just one pulsating section of this pastiche. Again, consider this a teaser, in more ways than one.
Washed Out – You And I
The Antlers, Burst Apart
The Antlers are another dream pop indie favorite and unlike Washed Out, Burst Apart does indeed have a masterpiece, which I’ve supplied below. If you’re a stranger to The Antlers, I will make it clear that, yes, that’s a dude singing and the name of that dude nailing those falsettos is Peter Silberman. “Parentheses”is really the only portion of this album where you hear a more systematic and unyielding rhythm accompanied by a dark, raunchy melody. Most of the other tracks are a bit gentler with dreamy accents, so this song appears to be the rougher-around-the-edges bombshell.
The Antlers – Parentheses
Clams Casino, Rainforest EP
I’ve mentioned Clams Casino before in a previous post and while we’ve all enjoyed random blog-dropped singles from his mixtape, Rainforest was finally released in May granting us some hot and humid instrumental fun. The entire EP sounds like a soundtrack to a fucked up adventure through an actual rainforest. The timing of the bassline is perfect in “Gorilla” and it’s surrounded by echoes of unfriendly cries, both deep and oddly strident at the same time. So, another track is added to our “don’t drop acid to this” list. Kidding. Not really. Enjoy.
Who? Exactly. I really have no idea where these guys came from and they’re not exactly media darlings so I’ll be pretty impressed if you’ve heard of them. The Radio Dept. with a side of funk is the best description I can come up with at the moment. The super lo-fi texture makes it difficult to hear the lyrics, but that’s besides the point. They want you to pay attention to the beats first. Because we’re all new to UMO, I’m giving you two samples to better explain their take on hipster-funk.
Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Ffunny Ffriends
Unknown Mortal Orchestra – How Can U Luv Me
SBTRKT, SBTRKT
I actually wrote an entire review for SBTRKT on No Ripcord, so for the extended version, go to their website. I want to draw your attention to “Wildfire” which features Little Dragon, who was highly praised at Amsterdam’s Pitch festival this year. If you have time, check out the video on Pitchfork. Little Dragon also has a new album that will be released on July 26th, Ritual Union, which is being featured on NPR at the moment.
These two tracks will fall under “New Music” as well as “Music For…” categories. This is music for staying removed. Detached. Sans mood, if you will. For instance, background music for doing laundry on a Monday. When you get a case of the “blaaaaaghs” and you choose to remain that way. With so much nonsense in the world, we have to celebrate being robots every once in a while.
Now, I want to make it very clear that I’m not at all promoting My Morning Jacket’s new album, Circuital. I did not find the rest of it appealing by any means. I suppose I really enjoyed “Black Metal” because the rest of this album was so dreadfully unremarkable, plus this robot loves muted trumpets and that’s that. It also helped me through a stale evening of reorganizing my closet. Blaaaaaagh.
Jack White and Mr. Danger Mouse, on the other hand, don’t necessarily deserve an emotionless category, but let’s face it, having no emotions = not being too sensitive = feeling like you can do anything without repercussions. Robots. That’s exactly what the repetitive melody and dark lyrics evoke in this song. Rome, the latest creation from Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi, is basically the soundtrack to a movie that doesn’t exist. I do recommend checking this one out, especially if you enjoy vintage Italian classics (wine, movies or music). It also features a darker, without too much melancholy, side of Nora Jones. Jack White, creep creepin on, brotha. Enjoy doing something mediocre to this music.
My Morning Jacket – Holdin’ on to Black Metal
Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi – Two Against One (feat. Jack White)
As most of you know, I’m now writing for No Ripcord, which means I’ve neglected the poor dancing gnome for a few weeks. As I fulfill the roles of writer, yoga instructor, obsessive job applicant, researcher, and overall lazy expat, I figured it would be a nice time to throw a quick Music For… sample up. This is music for dealing with change. I’m definitely not the only one that’s going through extreme transformations on a daily basis. I think I can safely say there’s an intense repositioning of the universe happening and all things familiar have gone AWOL . This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it can throw us off our rockers for a while.
When I first heard The Tallest Man On Earth’s “Love Is All” I found it both powerful and sad, two very accurate descriptions for change. As Kristian Matsson sings with his Bob Dylan-esque tone, “I bet this mighty river’s both my savior and my sin.” Here’s to celebrating our latest bittersweet adjustments. I’m off to de-funk my house for two very important visitors. (A big thanks to Sophia Hopkins and the clan for helping me to accomplish these tasks with a hangover. Happy Birthday, buddy!)
Following the sagacious advice of Dr. Leo Marvin, I went on a short vacation from my problems a few weeks ago. While drifting I listened to about 32 albums that were released between March & April. Wowza. Let’s begin with Bill Callahan, Typhoon, Panda Bear, and Secret Cities. That’ll be all for today. I must go prepare for my first Queen’s Day experience. So far, it’s sort of like preparing for a hurricane in Florida. Should be interesting…
Bill Callahan’s Apocalypse is the jam. I completely understand that you should only throw a Johnny Cash comparison out there when you’re absolutely sure. I’m sure. His Cash-like delivery and twangy guitar brought the country-rock-blues category back into my life after a long absence. Have a sample and a smile.
Bill Callahan – Baby’s Breath
* Here’s a bonus track to celebrate Amurika
Bill Callahan – America!
I’m a sucker for big ensembles. I love the texture of a zillion different instruments coming together for a big boisterous sound. Like a mini-orchestra, Typhoon has about 11 members on any given night. Trumpets, trombones, guitars, violins, keyboards, maracas, and random emo people singing in the background. It’s a party. I sent this song to my lurver a while ago because she literally “sold everything that she didn’t want” and moved across the country, which seems to be happening a lot lately. Good reviews so far. Off of Hunger And Thirst, this is “CPR/Claws Pt. 2”. It changes a lot, and goes on for almost 7 minutes, so sometimes you forget that you’re still listening to the same song.
Typhoon – CPR/Claws Pt. 2
Noah Lennox (Animal Collective) has a pretty decent gig as Panda Bear. I tried to ignore the hype and not set my expectations too high awaiting the release of Tomboy. I think this clean slate approach helped, but nonetheless, it’s a solid album. “Slow Motion” was actually released last year, but it’s still my favorite.
Panda Bear – Slow Motion
I never listened to Secret Cities before Strange Hearts. This was one album that I kept pushing to the back of my list because I had no expectations, or more than likely, low expectations. I thought I’d give it a nod because as it turns out, it’s quite lovely. I’ll warn you that I was in some truly lovely places while listening to this, so if you don’t like it, maybe try climbing to the top of a vineyard in sunny Tuscany and listening to it there. That should help. I actually fell in love with “Pebbles” during the last minute of the song. It picks up the pace at the end, which saves it from being a mediocre indie-pop ballad. It’s lovely.
I’m probably the last person in the world who should attempt to provide a workout playlist. Gyms are like churches to me: you go with good intentions, but you always end up bored and looking for some vice to distract you. I try not to pass through the thresholds of either establishments. On the other hand, I am a huge fan of using music as a motivational tool to move your body… even if it takes you to a gym to run in place. Whatever blows your skirt up.
Lately, I’ve been strutting around Vondelpark to Clams Casino. This kid is basically doing this as a hobby. He’s a full time physical therapy student from Jersey who whips up a few beats in his spare time and then ends up on Pitchfork. Holding an appropriate title for this post, “Motivation” is a great song for a warm up (I guess). There’s a decent pace throughout, but it’ll break down and build back up again – increasing inspiration for activity. For some, this activity could involve a treadmill, for me it involves finding the perfect spot to lay down a blanket and take a nap. To each their own.
Motivation – Clams Casino
Star Slinger is another that can be used for this “working out” everyone speaks of. Really fun blend of techno-ambient-house-indie rock and he’s currently working on a hip-hop project. Personally, I think “Elizabeth Fraser” has great energy but it’s modest enough for background music. For those of you who like to make mental to-do lists while you’re weight training, this song will work.
Elizabeth Fraser (Cocteau Twins Rework) – Star Slinger
The title speaks for itself. Below is just a small sample from a sample of samples. Pop Up Animal Kids and Jessica Lea Mayfield are the only two I can offer a full recommendation for at the moment. I don’t have enough information on the others yet, but I have enjoyed these tracks. Stay tuned.
I find it confusing and unfortunate that more people aren’t talking about When Saints Go Machine. This neighborhood gang from Copenhagen put a lot of thought into this and I believe Fail Forever is more than just your basic electronic dance mini-album. When I first heard the tracks “Fail Forever” and “You Or The Gang” I felt like I found TV On The Radio’s long lost Scandinavian cousins. It’s not a new sound, but its architecture and careful planning make it difficult to ignore. There’s lot of thumping beats, cinematic backdrops, and dulcet harmonies. It’s just a short 5 tracker, but it stands tall against some of its full length friends in their class. Here are the two previously mentioned songs.
On an amazing bike ride today to a small town outside of Amsterdam, I was randomly listening to my ‘best of 2010’ playlist and I revisited Lasted. Benoît Pioulard, Thomas Meluch to the good people who know him, delivers exactly what you want from your indie-ambient-folk artists. There’s a comfortable predictability in the dark melancholy undertones, and something about the acoustic guitar brings an endearing casualness over the pensive compilation. I didn’t really notice “A Coin On The Tongue” my first time around with this album, but it really stuck with me today. It might have been the sunshine and gorgeous surroundings, but I think it’s something worth mentioning. Makes me want to play the tambourine.
I’m going to kill two birds with one stone and use this post to (1.) offer a quick nod to the new album and (2.) tell all of you who are dying to sell me your Lykke Li tickets for April 9th at the Paradiso, I’m ready when you are. It’ll probably be a boring show. You should sell them now while they’re still worth something. You know where to find me.
She shines like a flowered hippie in “I Know Places”. Beautiful song. I highly recommend sampling the entire album. Don’t forget to sell me your ticket. Enjoy.
orking with Grizzly Bear back in ’09, Mr. McDonald can now add Holy Ghost! to his hipster resume. After I heard this song, images of Sunday nights at I-Bar have been flooding my dreams, which I assume is due to the acute nostalgia for my Otown gang. I hope you all hear this track one night and think of me… and Kenny Loggins.
dancing gnome 
