Indeed Indie

Thao and Mirah Announce New Record Due Out Spring 2011

Maria — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 04:12:34 +0000

Thao and Mirah Announce New Record Due Out Spring 2011

Relationship status still remains unconfirmed.

Photo by Tom Morgan

Thao and Mirah not only tour, they write and record together. The two fast friends will cook up an entirely new batch of songs at San Francisco's famed Tiny Telephone Studios with as many Bay Area friends as can be gathered. Thao and Mirah will co-produce the album with dear friend and colleague Tune-Yards (4AD). Eli Crews will engineer it. Tucker Martine will mix it. Kill Rock Stars will release it. All are hopeful you will listen to it.

For a sneak peak of what this record might sound like, here are Thao and Mirah performing “How Dare You” for Yours Truly:

Photographic Evidence: Thao and Mirah with the Most of All

Maria — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 22:49:44 +0000

Photographic Evidence: Thao and Mirah with the Most of All

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All photos by Tom Morgan

Last week I had the sincere pleasure of catching Thao and Mirah on tour with the Most of All at the Earl in Atlanta. Set list was as follows:

1. Thao and Mirah with the Most of All – “The Clap”
2. Mirah with the Most of All – “The Dogs of B.A.”
3. Thao with the Most of All – “When We Swam”
4. Mirah with the Most of All – “We’re Both So Sorry”
5. Mirah with the Most of All – “Gone Are The Days”
6. Thao with the Most of All – “Trouble Was For”
7. Thao with the Most of All – “Body”
8. Mirah with the Most of All – “Bones & Skin”
9. Thao with the Most of All – “The Give”
10. Thao with the Most of All – “Beat (Health, Life, and Fire)”

–Intermission: Trivia with the Audience–

11. Thao with the Most of All – “Recommendation” (Mirah Cover)
12. Thao with the Most of All – “Cool Yourself”
13. Thao with the Most of All – “Feet Asleep”
14. Thao with the Most of All – “But What of the Strangers”
15. Mirah with the Most of All – “The World is Falling”
16. Mirah with the Most of All – “The Forest”
17. Mirah with the Most of All – “NOLA” (Hurricane Katrina Relief Benefit Single)
18. Mirah with the Most of All – “While We Have the Sun”
19. Mirah with the Most of All – “Bag of Hammers” (Thao Cover)
20. Mirah with the Most of All – “Cold Cold Water”

–Encore–

21. Thao with the Most of All – “Know Better Learn Faster”
22. Mirah with the Most of All – “The Garden” (Disco Version)

Record Store Day 2010

Maria — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 21:01:45 +0000

It’s like Christmas in… April? Well, for record store owners and lovers, at least.

A list of exclusive releases can be found HERE. Local participating stores:
	The Atlanta Bench 602-A Marietta St Atlanta, GA 30313 Phone: 404-512-7671
	Criminal Records 1154-A Euclid Ave NE Atlanta, GA 30307 Phone: 404-215-9511	Schedule of events: 12:00PM – We Fun documentary screening 1:00PM – Bukkake Boys 2:00PM – Those Darlins 3:00PM – Mathis Hunter 4:30PM – Venice Is Sinking 6:00PM – Carolina Chocolate Drops 7:30PM – Social Studies 9:00PM – Janelle Monae The store will close 1 hour later at 10:00PM. Doors will reopen at 10:30PM for… 11:00PM – Rodriguez EXCLUSIVE SHOW with purchase of 7-inch!
	DBS Sounds 5658 Riverdale Rd Ste P College Park, GA 30349 Phone: 770-997-5776	DBS Sounds 4841 Jonesboro Rd Forest Park, GA 30297 Phone: 404-366-9400
	Decatur CD 356 W Ponce de Leon Ave Decatur, GA 30030 Phone: 404-371-9090	Festivities: Ticket give-away for Earl Klugh, Mindi Abair and Boney James at Variety Playhouse on May 26th! 10% of Record Store Day gross sales will benefit ALS of Georgia and The Emory ALS Center! Free beer from Twain’s! No service fees for Ticket Alternative purchases!!
	Fantasyland Records 2839 Peachtree Rd NE Atlanta, GA 30305 Phone: 404-237-3193
	Low Yo Yo Stuff 3854 N Peachtree Rd Atlanta, GA 30341 Phone: 706-207-7014
	Moods Music 1131 Euclid Ave Atlanta, GA 30307 Phone: 404-653-0724	Featuring: Rhonda Thomas, Algebra, Julie Dexter, Jason Jetplane, Heston, Kameron Corvet, The Remnant, and many more… Music. Food. Fun. Free! 12pm to 6pm
	North Georgia Compact Disc 509 Beaver Ruin Rd Norcross, GA 30071 Phone: 770-416-6575
	Schoolkids Records 264 E Clayton St Athens, GA 30601 Phone: 706-353-1666
	Super Sound Music 2740 Greenbriar Pkwy SW Ste 9 Atlanta, GA 30311 Phone: 404-349-2969	Super Sound Music 4919 Flatshoals Pkwy Ste 108 Decatur, GA 30034 Phone: 770-323-5720
	Sweet Melissa Records 146 S Park Sq NE Marietta, GA 30060 Phone: 770-429-0434	Festivities: Live in-store performance by Davin McCoy! Prizes and give-aways, including blue Devo energy domes with purchase of their new single “Fresh”! Huge discounts across the board!!
	Wax ‘n’ Facts 432 Moreland Ave NE Atlanta, GA 30307 Phone: 404-525-2275
	Wuxtry Records 197 E Clayton St Athens, GA 30601 Phone: 706-369-9428	Wuxtry Records 2096 N Decatur Rd Decatur, GA 30030 Phone: 404-329-0020

Monday Mix: Meet Me in the Morning Light

Maria — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 15:58:56 +0000

Meet Me in the Morning Light

Spring has arrived! While the increase in extra hours of daily sunlight may be reducing vitamin D deficiencies nationwide, I’ve noticed that the warm rays also have a rather intoxicating effect on the dreary souls that are coming out of hibernation. What better way is there to describe such feelings of restless lethargy than by listening to fuzzy and distorted Indie Pop? Download the mix as one mp3 above, or as separate songs below:

1. Girls – “Morning Light”
2. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – “Contender”
3. No Age – “Teen Creeps”
4. Animal Collective – “In the Flowers”
5. The Microphones – “The Moon”
6. The Jesus and Mary Chain – “Just Like Honey”
7. The Radio Dept. – “Why Won’t You Talk About It”
8. Cold Cave – “Life Magazine”
9. Sunset Rubdown – “I’ll Believe in Anything, You’ll Believe in Anything”
10. Fuck Buttons – “Rough Steez”
11. Japandroids – “Young Hearts Spark Fire”
12. Mirah – “Look Up!”
13. Xiu Xiu – “Ceremony” (Joy Division Cover)
14. Clinic – “Distortions”

Meet Me in the Morning Light: An Indeed Indie Mix.

Artist Spotlight: BRONZE

Maria — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 04:36:01 +0000

Detachment Kit - Sitting Still Talking About Jets

BRONZE - Deep Freeze

As a teenager growing up in a rural suburb of Atlanta, I didn’t have much exposure to independent media. I knew it was out there, but I had little means to access it. One outlet I did manage to find was the now-defunct Yahoo Music CMJ radio station, where I first heard “Sitting Still Talking About Jets” by the Detachment Kit.

That song summed up perfectly the desperation and listlessness I felt during my adolescence. I listened to “Sitting Still Talking About Jets” on repeat until Yahoo would no longer let me play it. From there I explored the rest of the Detachment Kit catalog: I screamed along in all my frustration to They Raging. Quiet Army and followed along with the plot line of psychotropic-induced fairy-tales in Of This Blood…. I read about the Detachment Kit’s influences and subsequently fell in love with their forefathers Les Savy Fav. The simple truth is Detachment Kit single-handedly opened up my ears to independent music.

So imagine the heartbreak I felt when I found out the band was touring in my area, but I was too young to go. The first time I remember the Detachment Kit playing a show was at the soon to be closed Echo Lounge. I was 15 at the time, and their age limit was a strict 18+. I begged my dad to take me the group’s next tour stop in Greensboro, North Carolina the following weekend. After a reluctant yes, he refused to drive me up North at the very last minute. Instead I got a consolation prize from a friend that was able to make it to one of their shows: A bright pink t-shirt I still wear to this day.

The next time the Detachment Kit played a show in Atlanta, I was even less lucky. By then I had turned 17 and the guys had also grown up: Now signed to Frenchkiss Records, the band began touring with label owners Les Savy Fav. Having moved up the performance ladder, the Detachment Kit were booked for the EARL that night, a 21+ venue. Once again defeated but not yet hopeless, I patiently waited for the next time the band would make it down South.

As the years went by, I heard less and less about them. The Detachment Kit ended up self-releasing an album entitled + and then disappearing into the Brooklyn soundscape. Now imagine my surprise last week when I heard that Charlie Davis and Ian Menard, the band’s token blood brothers, had formed a new group this past January called BRONZE. Surprise quickly grew to excitement as I listened to each song posted on the BRONZE MySpace page. Their sound has once again matured alongside me: Still showcasing the raw energy of the Detachment Kit, but now in a much more refined and catchy way.

The boys plan on playing some shows in the Spring and Summer of 2010 following the release of BRONZE’s yet to be titled debut EP, and with that my hope to see the band that influenced my entire taste in music lives to see another day!

For more information and future announcements from BRONZE, check out the group’s Facebook page.

Pavement Reunion Tour Fall 2010

Maria — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 17:02:06 +0000

The Indie Rock gods have spoken: “The Fall of 2010 shall be marked by the return of Pavement!”

Pavement - Gold Soundz
Pavement - Date With Ikea

30-something former college radio hosts and hipsters can breathe a sigh of relief! The back seat of your mini-van is no longer the only place where you’ll be able to hear high pitched squeals for just one more song off of Brighten the Corners. Pavement is reuniting for a slew of shows this year, including a return to Atlanta, after more than a ten year touring hiatus:

April:
18th – Coachella, Indio, CA

May:
30th – Sasquatch Music Festival, Seattle/George, WA

June:
19th – Olympic Island, Toronto, ON
25th – Greek Theatre, Berkeley, CA

September:
12th – Roy Wilkins Auditorium at St. Paul RiverCentre, St Paul, MN
21st through 24th – Rumsey Playfield/Central Park, New York, NY
26th – Tabernacle, Atlanta, GA

More dates will be posted as they are verified.

Zero to Love: Valentine’s Day Mix 2010

Maria — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 05:05:20 +0000

Zero to Love

This is my first attempt at actually mixing music together, so forgive me if it’s a bit sloppy. The introductory track is a piece of spoken word by Miranda July from the Me and You and Everyone We Know soundtrack composed by Michael Andrews. Download the mix as one mp3 above, or as separate songs below:

1. Miranda July – “When I Call a Name”
2. Sunset Rubdown – “Shut Up I Am Dreaming of Places Where Lovers Have Wings”
3. Balthrop, Alabama – “Love to Love You”
4. Girls – “Lust for Life”
5. Say Hi – “Zero To Love”
6. Telekinesis – “Calling All Doctors”
7. Voxtrot – “The Start Of Something”
8. Cold Cave – “Love Comes Close”
9. The Mountain Goats – “Love Love Love”

Zero to Love: An Indeed Indie Valentine’s Day Mix.

Artist Spotlight: The Very Most

Maria — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 21:40:09 +0000

Photo by MaryAnne Porter

The Very Most - You're In Love With The Sun

It’s barely made it above freezing here in Georgia this past week. According to my university, we’re currently under a “Snow Warning” due to the forecasted half inch of such precipitation this evening. Normally, this would be reason to panic and buy french toast ingredients. However, instead, I’m taking solace in the warm, summery sounds of The Very Most.

While The Very Most’s repertoire ranges everywhere from fight songs to post-apocalyptic ballads, the Boise, Idaho band’s most distinguished project thus far is a set of EPs entitled: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. You guessed it: each containing songs related to their respective season’s EP title. Though this is not the first time such a concept recording has been attempted, The Very Most have a knack for capturing the cutesy quirks of each season, and seem to be well on their way to perfecting the art form of male and female indie pop duets.

So wrap yourself up in that favorite wool blanket, grab a cup of hot cocoa, and watch those snowflakes fall outside your window with comforting the knowledge that warm weather will be back again in just a few short months. Maybe even sooner with the help of The Very Most, whose seasonal EPs are all available via Indiecater Records.

Joanna Newsom Spring 2010 International Tour

Maria — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 21:49:03 +0000

Birds chirping? Squirrels chattering? Joanna Newsom must be going on tour this Spring!

Joanna Newsom - This Side of the Blue
Joanna Newsom - Peach, Plum, Pear

January:
16th – Tivoli Theatre, Brisbane, Australia
18th – Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia
20th – Forum Theatre, Melbourne, Australia
21st – The Playhouse Theatre, Canberra, Australia
23rd – Anita’s Theatre, Wollongong, Australia
30th – The Harbourlight, Christchurch, New Zealand
31st – The Paramount, Wellington, New Zealand

February:
2nd – The Dorothy Winstone Centre, Aukland, New Zealand
6th – Sunsui, Osaka, Japan
7th – Unit, Tokyo, Japan

March:
12th – Calvin College Chapel, Grand Rapids, MI
15th – Ukrainian Federation, Montreal, Canada
17th – Sanders Theatre, Cambridge, MA
19th – First Unitarian Church, Philadelphia, PA
20th – First Unitarian Church, Philadelphia, PA
22nd – Sixth & I Historic Synagogue, Washington, DC
26th – Variety Playhouse, Atlanta, GA
27th – Big Ears Festival, Knoxville, TN

April:
2nd – Pabst Theater, Milwaukee, WI

Favorite Albums of 2009

Maria — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 03:04:44 +0000

	1. Tarot Sport Fuck Buttons Purchase Tarot Sport via ATP Recordings.	Fuck Buttons - Surf Solar (7-inch Edit) Fuck Buttons - Rough Steez
Though some may find the British duo’s moniker somewhat obscene, I’m not afraid to shout in praise of Fuck Buttons’ Tarot Sport to the heavens of the blogosphere. I once described Fuck Buttons’ Street Horrrsing debut as the perfect soundtrack to both the best dreams and the worst nightmares. Following that same train of thought, the duo’s sophomore effort can safely be described as an outer space dance party. If this doesn’t get your toes tapping, I don’t know what will. With Tarot Sport, Fuck Buttons showcase their ability to create a cohesive album by seamlessly mixing one track into the other while still giving each song enough substance to stand on its own. From the building crescendo that blasts into hyperspace on “Surf Solar” to the head bobbing bass line of “Rough Steez” to the steady marching band-esq drums of “The Lisbon Maru”, Tarot Sport is well worth the listen from start to finish.
	2. Dragonslayer Sunset Rubdown Purchase Dragonslayer via Jagjaguwar.	Sunset Rubdown - Nightingale/December Song Sunset Rubdown - You Go On Ahead (Trumpet Trumpet II)
While not as instantly addictive as its predecesor Random Spirit Lover, Sunset Rubdown’s Dragonslayer is equally as satisfying. In Dragonslayer Spencer Krug continues with several themes present in Random Spirit Lover (see: “You Go On Ahead [Trumpet Trumpet II]“), but adds a new level to his songwriting by incorporating significantly more female vocals courtesy bandmate Camilla Wynne Ingr. For those not already obsessed with all things Krug, Dragonslayer may be the perfect introduction to his wide catalog.
	3. Up From Below Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros Purchase Up From Below.	Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros - 40 Day Dream Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros - Home
The first song I ever heard by this Californian collective was “Home” and fittingly so, I was on a flight back home to Atlanta. Upon my return I immediately tracked down the album and was surprised to find the entire record to be as catchy as the single I’d heard. The ensemble is led by Alex Ebert of Ima Robot fame. Band member Jade Castrinos twangy yet sweet vocals complement Sharpe’s folky voice, creating a sound reminiscent of Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood duets. Whether you’re a fan of retro music or not, the hippy pop sounds of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zero’s Up From Below are sure to warm your heart.
	4. Dark was the Night Various Artists Purchase Dark was the Night via Beggars Group.	Dirty Projectors and David Byrne - Knotty Pine Bon Iver - Brackett, WI
Admittedly, I’m neither a Dirty Projectors nor a Bon Iver fangirl, but never-the-less the Dark was the Night compilation was an early contender for Favorite Album of 2009. Produced by Aaron and Bryce Dessner of The National, the record also includes notable covers and tracks by Yeasayer, Sufjan Stevens, My Brightest Diamond, and Stuart Murdoch of Belle and Sebastian, among others. Proceeds benefit the Red Hot Organization, a charity created to raise funding and awareness for AIDS.
	5. BiRd-BrAiNs tUnE-yArDs Purchase BiRd-BrAiNs on CD & LP via Beggars Group.	tUnE-yArDs - Sunlight tUnE-yArDs - Hatari
I first mentioned the phenomenal, show-stealing talent of Merrill Garbus aka tUnE-yArDs in a post earlier this year. Ms. Garbus’ showmanship also translated very well to CD and LP, despite being self-recorded on Audacity. Not long after its independent release, BiRd-BrAiNs’ primal yet soulful sounds caught the attention of 4AD and re-released internationally and stateside via Beggars Group. The album is a must listen for fans of loop pedal recordings.
	6. Songs for Tuesdays Summer Cats Purchase Songs For Tuesdays via Slumberland Records.	Summer Cats - Let's Go Summer Cats - Wild Rice
As the band name and album title may suggest, Summer Cats’ Songs For Tuesdays is a collection of songs perfect for listening to on warm summer Tuesdays. Full of jangly and distorted sounds, there’s no way anyone could not fall in love with the pop songs crafted by the Australian band. Resistance is futile; Smiles are guaranteed!
	7. Merriweather Post Pavilion Animal Collective Purchase Merriweather Post Pavilion via Domino Records.	Animal Collective - In the Flowers Animal Collective - Summertime Clothes
Animal Collective’s critically acclaimed album Merriweather Post Pavilion is a must have on any Favorite Records of 2009 list and rightfully so. However, I chose to place the album towards the end of my list because, while I greatly enjoy the majority of the album, I feel like it loses some momentum and begins to sound too repetitive about halfway through. Regardless, it’s still very much worth a listen, and if you haven’t given it a chance yet because of all of the hype, now is the perfect time to crawl out from that rock you’ve been hiding under.
	8. Dead Man’s Bones Dead Man’s Bones Purchase Dead Man’s Bones via ANTI- Records.	Dead Man's Bones - In The Room Where You Sleep Dead Man's Bones - My Body's a Zombie for You
Dead Man’s Bones was released thanks to the seemingly unlikely collaboration between actor Ryan Gosling, his friend Zach Shields, and the Silverlake Conservatory Children’s Choir. If you’re skeptical of actors turned musicians, have no fear: It’s actually quite easy to ignore that those crooning vocals are coming from the star of The Notebook. In fact, it’s harder to imagine that they are– The music is that good. If Dead Man’s Bones wasn’t already the soundtrack to your Halloween, make it so in 2010.
	9. Manners Passion Pit Purchase Manners via Frenchkiss Records.	Passion Pit - Let Your Love Grow Tall Passion Pit - Make Light
After the widely acclaimed debut of their Chunk of Change EP in 2008, Passion Pit have followed up in 2009 with Manners. For the band’s first full length album, lead singer Michael Angelakos decided to stick with his signature falsetto vocals. Also incorporated into the sound was a children’s choir from PS22 on Staten Island. My prediction for music trends in 2010: Children’s choirs and loop pedals.
	10. My Maudlin Career Camera Obscura Purchase My Maudlin Career via Beggars Group.	Camera Obscura - French Navy Camera Obscura - You Told A Lie
Not much can top the pop perfection that was Let’s Get Out of This Country, but Camera Obscura have returned 3 years later with a respectable album in its own right: My Maudlin Career. The group’s latest release presents a more rock-based sound, but maintains Tracyanne Campbell’s bittersweet vocals. My Maudlin Career is a must listen for fans of strong female vocals and 1960s girl groups.
Other Noteworthy Releases:
	Alpinisms School of Seven Bells Purchase Alpinisms via Ghostly International.	School of Seven Bells - Half Asleep School of Seven Bells - Connjur
Award: Favorite Album That Came Out In 2008 but I Only Got Around to Listening to After it was Reissued in 2009 I’d been recommended this album time and time again but for some reason I only gave it a listen this summer, at which point “Half Asleep” became my nightly lullaby. Comprised of members of the Secret Machines and On! Air! Library!, School of Seven Bells feature the ethereal vocal stylings of the Deheza twins. Don’t make the same mistake I did– Give Alpinisms a listen now and prepare yourself for hours of sweet dreams in the near future.
	Hospice The Antlers Purchase Hospice via Frenchkiss Records.	The Antlers - Kettering The Antlers - Bear
Award: Favorite Album I’m Sure is Great but am too Afraid to Listen to for Fear that it Will Throw Me into a Deep Depression Though I’ll be the first to say that I adore anything put out on Frenchkiss Records, I just can’t bring myself to listen to this album in its entirety. Of the 3 songs I own, I can only bear to hear to 2 songs at a time. Why, you ask? Well, Hospice is a concept album about a cancer patient’s hospice attendant and everything that develops around the situation. The first and second person narratives include lyrics such as: There’s a bear inside your stomach, a cub’s been kicking from within. He’s loud, though without vocal cords, we’ll put an end to him. We’ll make all the right appointments, no one ever has to know, and then tomorrow I’ll turn twenty-one, we’ll script another show. We’ll play charades up in the Chelsea, drink champagne (although you shouldn’t be), We’ll be blind and dumb until we fall asleep. None of our friend will come, they dodge our calls, and they have for quite awhile now. It’s not a shock, and you don’t seem to mind, and I just can’t see how. -”Bear” by The Antlers Needless to say, this album deals with a lot of difficult subjects. Click here to read the rest of the lyrics. Listen at your own risk.