Seattle Subsonic

New Music Wednesday Round Up

August 20th, 2008

Hello there. Here are some new developments from some of the bands you and I have been tracking recently. Some are local, some are not, all may be worth your time…that is, if your time is valuable. If you’ve got some sort of lazy/sloth/no-energy thing goin’ on, I can’t help you. You can only help yourself. Get off the couch.

 

Jaguar Love - This Portland band’s first record, Take Me to the Sea on Matador Records, hit stores yesterday (Aug 19th). Johnny Whitney is fast becoming one of the more “polarizing” figures in rock music (if he wasn’t already), but his off-the-wall approach to lyrics and vocals, coupled with catchy guitar-and-drum trade-offs from Cody Votolato and J Clark make for a worthwhile listen. There’s that word again. Watch the group’s first video and read my review here.

 

Past Lives - Another Blood Brother spin-off, this local quartet has been busy creating moody, rock-punk of their own explosive variety. They recently signed to Seattle label Suicide Squeeze and have released a stellar 5-song EP, Strange Symmetry. Sample the entire album here and download it for just 5 bucks. Pressings will be released November 4th.

 

These Arms Are Snakes - The band with my favorite name ever is set to release a few new projects. One, their collaboration with Pelican will be available during their upcoming tour with Suicide Squeeze labelmates sBACH. (Tour starts Aug 31st at Bumbershoot.) Two, their 3rd full-length, Tail, Swallower & Dove will be released October 7th. Check the band’s new blog for a song from T,S&D to be posted soon. [Update 8/22: "Red Line Season" is now up on the band's myspace.]

 

Deerhunter - Seriously, people have GOT to start talking more about this band. They’re not hard, they’re not soft, they’re just intricately…right. The arrangements exhibited on their records, Cryptograms in particular, are astonishing and main ‘hunter Bradford Cox reminds me of a more subtle Lou Reed with actual singing skills. The Velvet Undergound was never this exhaustive, however. Microcastle, the new LP, is now available on iTunes; hardcopies due in October.

 

TV on the Radio - Apparently you can stream the first song released from Dear Science—due for release September 23rd—but all I can hear is the first 90 seconds. It sounds like Prince.

 

Venus Verse - And, finally, a little local band we’re friendly with has cancelled their show at the Skylark Aug 29th. But, in good faith, it’s because the band is working on their second EP. They’ve recorded a new single that’s a ”pretty poppy, uptempo little number and might remind you of a prom in the early eighties”. Awesome. Download their excellent debut here. Seriously, do it.

 

One more update…

Head Like A Kite - You’ve most likely heard Dave Einmo’s ubiquitous album There is Loud Laughter Everywhere already, but if not, feel free to stream the record in it’s entirety on Mush’s website. Be the internet.

 

OMG, ANOTHER update…

Talkdemonic - This Portland-based electro-acoustic instrumental duo is getting set to release their 3rd LP, Eyes At Half Mast, on September 16th. Their last record, Beat Romantic, was an amazing musical landscape of powerful percussion, beautiful viola accompaniment, and lush electronic displays floating throughout. Listen to new song “March Movement” here.