The Duchess and The Duke - She's The Duchess, He's The Duke

I happened upon The Duchess and The Duke a while ago, but it wasn't until today that I [finally] was able to get my hands on their record, She's The Duchess, He's The Duke. Hands down, this is a Devin Phelps album. Listening to it, I half expect to blink my eyes and suddenly be sitting on the big orange couch in his living room, listening to this "vintage" band, while he plays Grand Theft Auto: Vice City on his PC.

Devin, I hope you enjoy this one.

Tracklisting:
1. Reservoir Park
2. Out Of Time
3. Ship Made Of Stone
4. Strangers
5. The Prisoner
6. Back To Me
7. Mary
8. You Can Tell The Truth, Now
9. I Am Just A Ghost
10. Armageddon Song

The Flaming Lips - At War With The Mystics

Lately, I'm finding that I'm getting into The Flaming Lips more and more. They're as weird as you could possibly want it, but still manage to create some of the coolest and accessible songs that you could possibly want. I'm really digging this album. Plus, it's The Flaming Lips, c'mon. Download it if only to see what all the hype's about.

Tracklisting:
1. The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song
2. Free Radicals
3. The Sound Of Failure
4. My Cosmic Autumn Rebellion
5. Vein Of Stars
6. The Wizard Turns On...
7. It Overtakes Me
8. Mr. Ambulance Driver
9. Haven't Got A Clue
10. The W.A.N.D.
11. Pompeii Am Götterdämmerung
12. Goin' On

Peter & The Wolf - Mellow Owl

I know nothing about this band other than that they make pretty great music. Feeling adventurous? Download this album. It will never win any awards or much critical acclaim, but it's still good.

Tracklisting:
1. Supermellofied
2. Moondance of Nightowl
3. Ballad Of Redhook
4. Fireflies
5. Bottle Rockettes
6. Dime Novel Afterparty
7. Trainhopper
8. City Birds
9. Fiji Boy Part VII
10. The Owl Speaks
11. This Kid I Knew
12. The Bride of S. Travels

The Honour Recital - Make You Move

If you like Head Automatica, then welcome to your new favorite band. You're welcome. If you have no idea who Head Automatica is [or The Honour Recital] then please read on:

The Honour Recital is a now defunct rock and roll band from my surrogate hometown of South Bend, IN. They are a great group of guys who, for a few years, made some great music and put on some amazing shows. They commanded the stage in a way that no other bands in the area were capable of, and they had an air of professionalism that none could touch. Destined for greatness, the band ran into some unforseeable circumstances and had to call it quits. They did, however, manage to release Make You Move before the end. Make You Move is dancy and fun, but at the same time introspective and uplifting. These guys are my friends and I could not be more proud of the time and hard work they put into this album and the career they worked so hard toward.

Tracklisting:
1. Save A Dance
2. The Love Of Gold Fades With Sinking Ships
3. The Burning Period
4. She-Devil
5. Memento Mori

Myspace

La Dispute - Somewhere At The Bottom Of The River Between Vega And Altair

To say that La Dispute sounds like mewithoutYou would be an understatement. However, to say that they are a carbon copy would be not only untrue, but unfair. In the same way that mewithoutYou's sound is similar but not the same as Rage Against The Machine's, La Dispute's sound is like mewithoutYou's. Shouted and sometimes whispered vocals over progressive and hard-hitting music, La Dispute's music is reminiscent of A to B: Life but with much more of an edge. Somewhere At The Bottom Of The River Between Vega And Altair finds these Michigan natives blending progressive, hardcore, indie, slam poetry, and tough-guy hardcore gang vocals in a dizzying display of creativity and musicianship.

I have yet to find a track on the record that I don't like.

Tracklisting:
1. Such Small Hands
2. Said The King To The River
3. New Storms For Older Lovers
4. Damaged Goods
5. Fall Down, Never Get Back Up Again
6. Bury Your Flame
7. Last Blues For Bloody Knuckles
8. The Castle Builders
9. Andria
10. Then Again, Maybe You Were Right
11. Sad Prayers For Guilty Bodies
12. The Last Lost Continent
13. Nobody, Not Even The Rain

Myspace

Iron Sky

I just yesterday stumbled upon the trailer for the upcoming online release of Iron Sky. The tagline reads: "In 1945 the Nazis fled to the moon. In 2018 they are coming back." It is a scifi film that will be released sometime in the future [hopefully sooner than later] where the Nazis fled to the dark side of the moon, to lie and wait until the right time to launch a full scale invasion of Earth. I love it. Watch the trailer and tell me that regardless of the fact that it's about space Nazis, that it won't be the best movie ever.

I think it looks brilliant!

Slow Runner - Mermaids

The other day, I was sitting at work enjoying my lunch break when, from the speaker above me I heard a wonderful sound. I ran into the back room to see who it was before the track changed. I had heard of Slow Runner before, but had never listened to them and had certainly not expected to find anything as wonderful as "The Stakes Were Raised" which is now on regular rotation at Starbucks stores across the country. Suffice it to say, I had a task before me: step 1 - find Slow Runner music online [check], step 2 - download said music [check], step 3 - share said music with my adoring public [check].

I don't know much of their music, but the more I listen, the more I love it.

Tracklisting:
1. Mermaids
2. Horse Armor
3. The Stakes Were Raised
4. Trying To Put Your Heart Back Together
5. Love and Doubt
6. She Wants To Wrap Her Legs Around The World
7. Make You Love Me
8. I'm Gonna Hate You When You Go
9. Snow Tires

Now, Now Every Children - Cars

I am going to be up front with you; I know absolutely nothing about this band. I know they're from Minnesota and that they are carving out a nice little indie-pop niche for themselves, but I couldn't tell you anything about their history or their influences. Regardless of the semantics, Now, Now Every Children is proving to be a great band, fronted by guitarist/vocalist Cacie [last name?], falling somewhere between Someone Still Loves You, Boris Yeltsin and Tegan & Sara.

Tracklisting:
1. Not One, But Two
2. Everyone You Know
3. Have You Tried
4. Sleep Through Summer
5. Friends With My Sister
6. In My Chest
7. Headlights
8. In The City
9. We Know Martha Webber
10. Little Brother
11. Cars

Noah and The Whale - Peaceful, The World Lays Me Down

There is no other word that can accurately describe Noah and The Whale better than "cute". Surprisingly enough, however, Peaceful, The World Lays Me Down has a great deal of substance to it as well, in addition to being painfully creative. It may take a little to get into this album, but then again it may grab you from the first listen. Personally, I've had it for a couple of months and have tried to listen to it a couple of times, but it wasn't until today that it grabbed me just right. The songs are folky and catchy and fun. I can see this band going places very quickly.

Tracklisting:
1. 2 Atoms In A Molecule
2. Jocasta
3. Shape Of My Heart
4. Do What You Do
5. Give A Little Love
6. Second Lover
7. 5 Years Time
8. Rocks & Daggers
9. Peaceful, The World Lays Me Down
10. Mary
11. Hold My Hand As I'm Lowered

Denison Witmer - Carry The Weight

He's one of the nicest and most underrated musicians in the singer-songwriter scene today, working alongside the likes of [and close friends with] Rosie Thomas, Damien Jurado, and Sufjan Stevens. I've seen Mr. Witmer play live a couple of times and he never disappoints and while his music teeters more toward adult contemporary, his music still has some timeless quality and is, for lack of a better word, amazing. Here is his latest album which was released just about a week ago.

Tracklisting:
1. Beautiful Boys and Girls
2. Life Before Aesthetics
3. From Here On Out
4. Carry The Weight
5. Isn't It Poetry?
6. Catholic Girl
7. Song Of Songs
8. If You Are The Writer
9. One More Day
10. Chesapeake Watershed
11. Carry The Weight (Acoustic)