NEW FLEET FOXES SONG AND ALBUM!!!!!!!!!

via stereogum

This is quite possibly, my most highly anticipated album for 2011.  Fleet Foxes will release Helplessness Blues via Sub Pop on May 3!

Get a first listen, thanks to Stereogum.com

Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues [mp3]

Listen to Bright Eyes' "The People's Key" - Streaming on NPR

Head over to NPR's "First Listen" to stream the album in its entirety or listen to individual tracks.

The Go Reflex - new video - The Irresponsible Siblings

Anyone who knows me well may be familiar with my longtime obsession with a little known band, The Go Reflex.  Brainchild of Flying Blanket Studios producer, Bob Hoag, they put out a great EP a few years back, but then disbanded.  Bob, since busy running his super-studio, has recorded some great bands - from Dear in the Headlights, Shark Speed, The Format, The Ataris, Adam Panic, Before Braille, Art for Starters, Kinch, Gospel Claws, Mr. Kline and the Wizards of Time, the Letterpress....and the list goes on.  Needless to say, this has kept bob busy.

At one time, Bob had an entire Go Reflex LP recorded, but never released it (Rumors that I have a copy may or may not be true).  A few songs on compilations have popped up here and there.  Below is a video for the most recent, from a studio compilation of bands Bob has produced. 

Most exciting of all, however, is news that Bob and the boys have been scheduling studio time and recording new tunes.  Surely, there will be more news on that when it comes out.  Suffice it to say, you should be very excited.

So, head over to the Flying Blanket Studios website, listen to the many mp3 samples of bands recording there, and express your excitement (and intent to purchase) new Go Reflex material. 

Album Review: The Get Up Kids - There are Rules

Initial Thoughts Album Review

The Get Up Kids - There are Rules

3 out of 5 stars

After a first listen, I am a bit lot for words.  If I didn't recognize Pryor and Suptic's voices, I would not in a million years have known this was a Get Up Kids album.  Portions sound heavily influenced by some of the grittier keyboard-based sounds of Dewes' Reggie and the Full Effect.  The track "Birmingham" would fit well on a Japandroids release.  "Shatter Your Lungs" seems out of place - fitting better with the likes of "Fountain of Youth" from Pryor's side-project New Amsterdams' album, At the Foot of my Rival.

There are Rules is dominated by lots of fuzzy distorted bass, distorted effects on vocals and electronic noise - none of which are elements familiar to longtime TGUK fans.  In addition, the timbre and tone of the guitars is strikingly on the treble end - little bass-end distortion on the guitars - little traditional punk palm-muted rhythms.

This is one of their more consistently noisy efforts since Woodson or Four Minute Mile.  The more pop-oriented sensibilities of more recent releases make appearances, but they are fleeting and isolated to a few tracks.  A lot of noise here.  It sounds a bit like a band, now reunited, wanting to reemerge with a new and evolved sound.  This would be par for the course, as each of their previous releases signaled significant departures in sound.  However, this new effort sounds like that evolution was a bit forced.  It sounds like they are trying to NOT sound like their previous albums (and they succeed), but the result lacks a consistency that most of their other big changes (On a Wire, in particular), did maintain.  I get that this isn't the same old Get Up Kids - they have made that point loud and clear.

I am left asking myself, however, what then is this?  I hear a bunch of fractured sounds, ideas and approaches thrown together.  It is not that I don't like it.  In fact, I rather enjoy all the noise, angst and gritty vocals.  But, I am not sure how well it all holds together... Perhaps after a few more listens things will start to gel and make sense...we'll see...

Out January 25th 

Okkervil River - New Song, New album

We are Very Far - due May 10th!

Shatter Your Lungs - Another new Get Up Kids track

From the upcoming Regents Court.  This is perhaps the most UN-Get Up Kids song I have heard!  Not bad, but very different.

Highly Anticipated 2011 Releases

Here are a few releases I am excited to hear.

VERY EXCITED

Iron & Wine - Kiss Each Other Clean

Death Cab for Cutie - Codes and Keys

The Get Up Kids - These Are Rules

Bright Eyes - The People's Key

The Decemberists - The King is Dead

Mogwai - Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will


VERY EXCITED, but no definite release date yet

Battles - Title TBA

Fleet Foxes - Title TBA

Radiohead - Title TBA

Wilco - Title TBA




Maybe Excited, TBD

Cake - Showroom of Compassion (maybe)

Amos Lee - Mission Bell (maybe)

Best Albums of 2010 (Part 4 of 4)

Best Albums of 2010

Although there are still a few weeks left, I think this will be my final list.  Check out the previous quarterly installments of this list to see how things have moved and evolved.

The top 10-15 are ordered deliberately, after that I can't necessarily say which I like better.

LPs

1. Mumford and Sons - Sigh No More 
2. Local Natives - Gorilla Manor
3. Dr. Dog - Shame, Shame
4. Josh Ritter - So Runs the World Away
5. The National - High Violet
6. Damien Jurado - Saint Bartlett 
7. Band of Horses - Infinite Arms  
8. Shearwater - The Golden Archipelago
9. Rocky Votolato - True Devotion
10. J. Tillman - Singing Ax 
11. Domo - With Friends Like These ... We Need New Friends
    
12. Sun Kil Moon - Admiral Fell Promises
13. RA Scion - Victor Shade
14. Minus the Bear - Omni
15. Vampire Weekend - Contra
16. Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - Let it Sway
17. Beach House - Teen Dream
18. Jonsi - Go 
19. Ratatat - LP4
20. The Weakerthans - Live at Burton Cummings Theatre
21. Hoquiam (Damien Jurado) - Hoquiam 
22. Drew Danburry - Goodnight Gary
23. The Morning Benders - Big Echo
24. Matt Pond PA - The Dark Leaves
25. Drew Danburry - Goodnight Dannii
26. Spoon - Transference
27. Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
28. Ra Ra Riot - The Orchard  
29. Gospel Claws - C-L-A-W-S
30. Broken Bells - Broken Bells
31. Sufjan Stevens - The Age of Adz
32. The Apache - The Apache
    
33. Daniel Johnston - Beam me Up
34. Galactic - Ya-Ka-May
35. Ben Folds and Nick Hornby - Lonely Avenue
36. Jimmy Eat World - Invented
37. Rogue Wave - Permalight

EPs / Singles

1. Sufjan Stevens - All Delighted People
   
2. Shark Speed - Education
3. Iron & Wine - Walking Far From Home / Summer in Savannah / Biting Your Tail single
   
4. Owen - Abandoned Bridges /  I'm Always in Love single
5. Japandroids - Art Czars, Younger Us and Heavenward Grand Prix 7" singles
   
6. John K. Samson - Provincial Road 222
   
7. Kinch - The Economic Chastisement
   
8. Grand Archives - Villains (demos)
   
9.  Rocky Votolato - Chad Price Split 7"
10. Cold War Kids - Behave Yourself
11. The Get Up Kids - Simple Science
12. Bright Eyes & Neva Dinova - One Jug of Wine, Two Vessels (Reissue with new tracks)
13. Sun Kil Moon - I'll Be There
14. Junip - The Rope and Summit