Acceptance

Over the weekend I had a lengthy conversation with one of my music buddies about a broad range of topics. One of the things we discussed was, of course, our favorite bands of all-time. Unfortunately for me, 2 of my top 5 favorites have broken up and are no longer making music. One of these bands is Acceptance.

Acceptance released their first album in 2000 and were around long enough to make a total of 3 albums, with their 2005 release "Phantoms" earning a coveted spot in my top 10 albums of all-time. While they parted ways because the lead singer Jason wanted to have a so-called "normal" life, most of the band members have moved on to other acts including Anberlin, OneRepublic, Search/Rescue, and If We Were Lions.

If not for their breakup and for depriving me of new awesomeness for the last 4 years it's likely that they would be #1 on my list. Here is an unreleased track that they posted after the breakup (Not Afraid) and another song (Take Cover) which is one of my favorites.

Not Afraid [mp3] (iTunes)
Take Cover [mp3] (iTunes)

The Reverend John DeLore

This past Wednesday night I saw The Reverend John DeLore play at Bar 4 in Brooklyn. He played a solid set of gritty bluesy country rock that is the epitome of Americana to me and had everyone in the bar bopping, tapping and even dancing. I don't know if he's actually a reverend but the Wisconsin native looks like your classic American "hometown" boy with his sandy brown beard and friendly smile.

His album is even decorated in an American flag theme and it's called Ode to an American Urn. The album alternates from gritty country rock to gentle ballads to catchy (almost poppy) tunes. His music would be perfect to blast at full volume while driving through the desert with your windows down. Watching him in person, though, I felt more like I was in a dive bar in the rural South than in Park Slope. The gritty country rock aspect really comes out even more in his live performance. He's playing a show at Banjo Jim's on Saturday, September 5th - so go check him out!

Take A Ride [mp3]
Jerusalem [mp3]
purchase Ode to an American Urn

This Post Has No Cohesion Whatsoever, Aside From Songs You Should Know

I could write many separate posts, focusing on each band at a time, spreading it all over the weekend and totally hogging the post sessions. Or I could just post it all in one big "here you go, enjoy." Since I have to de-wallpaper and paint my place this weekend, and I'm sure you just want the goods as soon as possible, lets go with the latter, shall we?

Let Me Die In Southern California - The Voyces [mp3]
The Voyces are releasing their new album with the same title as the track above on September 28th. They're currently rising high in the blogosphere, already topping Hypemachine's charts.

Meet and Greet - Slaraffenland [mp3] (iTunes)
Slaraffenland are an awesome rock/folk band from Denmark. Their upcoming album We're On Your Side drops September 15 through hometapes before they take off for a tour with Akron.

Action/Reaction - Choir of Young Believers [mp3] (iTunes)
Also from Denmark, Choir of Young Believers just released their debut album on the 18th. I think the best way to describe their music is tell you that whenever I'm shuffling through my itunes and hit one of their songs, I stop shuffling.

Fok - Olafur Arnalds [mp3] (iTunes)
Your moment of beautiful zen for the day from the land of well-crafted cinematic songs, Iceland. Strongly recommended for fans of Yann Tiersen or the Pride and Prejudice Soundtrack (Jean-Yves Thisbaudet), this Classical/Indie/Electronica music from the 21-year old Olafur Arnalds will blow you away and then enrapture you until you get lost in the music. I debated between posting this song and 3055, so if you like, make sure to check out that track as well on his myspace.

Music Go Music

Music Go Music's retro airy vocals, peppy guitars and danceable beats make me want to groove. They're the perfect tunes for strolling through the park on this gorgeous end-of-summer day. Listen for yourself in this video and mp3.

Music Go Music - Live on Face Time - Just Me from music go music on Vimeo.

Warm in the Shadows [mp3] - (purchase)

The Antlers @ Mercury Lounge

This past Friday night was the album release party for this year's "it" band The Antlers. I can't remember the last time I've gotten that sweaty and gross at a show - I don't know if something was wrong with Mercury Lounge's AC or what... But it was stifling hot, even before it got uber crowded. Other than getting soaked in the sweat of many other people besides just myself, it was a great show.

The Antlers played all the songs from their album, Hospice, which is what the concert was celebrating as it was re-released in its new new remastered form with a label behind it. I have to say they were a lot more engaging than when I saw them the last time. It almost seemed as if they had adapted their music for the stage a bit, as it was a little more rock 'n' roll, a little less wall-of-sound. Don't get me wrong, I love their album just the way it is, but I really thought the way they performed it Friday night was a good adaptation in terms of performing on stage. It allowed them to have a little more energy and throw themselves into the performance more. It also seems like the sudden onslaught of indie fame hasn't gone to their heads, as they seemed exceptionally grateful to be on stage in front of such a packed audience.

Tour Dates:
9/12 - Monolith Festival @ Red Rocks Ampitheatre - Morrison, CO
9/16 - Jackpot Saloon - Lawrence, KS
9/17 - Play:STL Fest @ Cicero's - St Louis, MO
9/18 - Pygmalion Festival @ Canopy Club - Champaign-Urbana.IL
9/19 - The Frequency - Madison, WI
9/21 - Subterranean - Chicago, IL * ( With Holly Miranda )
9/22 - Majestic Cafe - Detroit, MI * ( With Holly Miranda )
9/24 - Horseshoe Tavern - Toronto, ONT * ( With Holly Miranda )
9/25 - Asbury Hall - Buffalo, NY * ( With Holly Miranda )
9/26 - Iron Horse Music Hall - Northampton, MA
9/28 - Jerky's Live Music Hall - Providence, RI * ( With Holly Miranda )
9/30 - DC9 - Washington, DC * ( With Holly Miranda )
10/2 - Maxwell's - Hoboken, NJ * ( With Holly Miranda )

Bear [mp3] - (iTunes)

Come to Southpaw on Friday night!

I have some very exciting news (well, I think it is anyway). I have started booking shows! So eventually, our readers may be able to look forward to a "Guilt Free Pleasures presents..." series. But the first show I booked is actually not GFP presents. The first show I booked is this coming Friday night (Aug. 28th) at Southpaw, here in Brooklyn and it's part of a festival called CouchCrash Festival: a festival created by NYC CouchSurfers (as in, members of the website CouchSurfing.com, a social networking website for travelers). We have four awesome local bands and it's sure to be a great time! Doors are at 8pm. Cover is $10. The line-up is as follows:

9pm - Shark? (please note: this is a change from the original line-up you may have seen in which Kittens Ablaze was at 9pm, because they unfortunately had to cancel)

10pm - Ravens & Chimes

11pm - Urban Sun

12am - Midnight Spin

Hope to see you there! 

Sean Bones, feat. Norah Jones.

Sean Bones is a indie-pop reggae musician who has caught my ear more than once. Sean Bones real name is actually Sean Sullivan, who you may recognize as being the guitarist from the band Sam Champion. Sean has recently released his debut album Rings and collaborated with Norah Jones on one of the tracks below after staring opposite of her in the LA Film Festival winner Wah Do Dehm (patois for "What They Do"). The duet is a nice little summer pop-reggae number and the album is a fun expression of indie pop with swank.

Turn Them feat. Norah Jones [mp3] (iTunes)
Dancehall [mp3] (iTunes)

Benton Paul

Benton Paul is another act coming from Utah. A singer/songwriter who lists his musical influences as Muse, John Mayer, Jamie Cullum and Brandi Carlile among others, he recently garnered fame when Joe Jonas (yeah, that Joe Jonas) declared Benton's song "I Only See You" as one of his favorites. He released his first album in 2008 and is currently working on his next. I'm really looking forward to it.

He recently announced a tour playing alongside Brooke White from American Idol, and not too long ago was listed on iTunes as a "What's Hot" artist. Here's to hoping he catches a break and can become more well-known.

His song "I Only See You" performed live:

Tour Dates:

Sept. 17 - Glasshouse - Pomona, CA
Sept. 18 - Boardwalk - Sacramento, CA
Sept. 19 - Grand Sierra Resort - Reno, NV
Sept. 21 - Roseland Grill - Portland, OR
Sept. 23 - Knitting Factory - Spokane, WA
Sept. 24 - Chop Suey - Seattle, WA
Sept. 25 - Knitting Factory - Boise, ID
Sept. 26 - The Avalon - Salt Lake City, UT
Sept. 27 - Bluebird Theater -Denver, CO
Sept. 29 - Bottleneck - Lawrence, KS
Sept. 30 - People's Court - Des Moines, IA

Leave Better [mp3] - (iTunes)

Volcano Choir

Volcano Choir is a collaboration between Justin Vernon of Bon Iver and the ethereal Collection of Colonies of Bees. The debut LP Unmap is out September 22nd and features Vernon's unmistakable silky lifted vocals alongside an experimental avant pop backdrop. The LP has been a long time coming, as some of these songs were written way back in 2005, and the album fully came together in a recording studio over a weekend back in 2008. The first single is out and features loops and off grid tempos, a stellar example of what I hope is yet to come.

Island, Is [mp3]

Tim Williams

I guess it's just been our week for male singer-songwriters, because the inbox has been packed with them. Today I bring you Tim Williams, who is releasing his sophmore album Careful Love on Oct 20th. His debut album When Work Is Done was released in 2007, and shortly thereafter Williams' heart needed a pulmonary valve replacement. The surgery left him in need of a long recovery time, during which he penned "I Hit Another Wall," and an EP. That alone tells me that the man is a true musician - nothing in his life has affected his need to express his self through music. His upcoming album Careful Love contains William's musical diary of his time following heart surgery and feeling the need to move closer back home to his loved ones, full of wonderfully well crafted indie acoustic songs.

Since fileden has seemingly decided to stop working for more than 24 hours, we're sharing this one using zshare.

Bruise [mp3] (iTunes)

Leah Andreone

Leah Andreone is a singer-songwriter who's been working on the anthem-fueled Avalanche, which hits stores September 1. She's collaborated with everyone - Charlie Clouser (Nine Inch Nails), Martha Davis (The Motels), Marti Fredrickson (Aerosmith) and Dan Wilson. Apparently Dan Wilson helped Andreone gain back her confidence shortly after the record label dropped her second album by inviting her to one of his group writing sessions at his home (btw- can someone get me on that party list? kthanks). The first single showed up in our inbox this week, so take a listen if you like alternative rock with a commercial glaze of empowerment.

Never Stop Trying [mp3]

Camera Obscura tour dates

Camera Obscura's hitting the road to celebrate their critically-acclaimed 2009 album My Maudlin Career. Check out the video for their catchy single "French Navy" and the tour dates below:



US DATES:

Wed 11/18 New Orleans, LA Tipitina's

Thur 11/19 Birmingham, AL Bottletree

Fri 11/20 Atlanta, GA Variety Playhouse

Sat 11/21 Norfolk, VA Attucks Theatre

Sun 11/22 Brooklyn, NY Music Hall of Williamsburg

Tues 11/24 Northampton, MA Pearl Street Ballroom

Wed 11/25 Rochester, NY The German House

Thur 11/26 Toronto, ON Phoenix

Fri 11/27 Pontiac, MI Crofoot Ballroom

Sat 11/28 Milwaukee, WI Turner Hall

Mon 11/30 Bloomington, IN Bluebird

Tues 12/01 St Louis, MO Off Broadway

Wed 12/02 Oxford, MS The Lyric Oxford

Thur 12/03 Athens , GA 40 Watt Club

UK/EUROPEAN dates are here: http://www.camera-obscura.net/gigs

My Maudlin Career [mp3] - (iTunes)

Ingrid Michaelson - Everybody

Ingrid Michaelson's new album, Everybody, is due out August 25th and starting yesterday, she's revealing a song a day on her myspace until the release. The album is her usual mixture of beautifully dramatic or sweetly simple ballads and peppy, bouncy, summery tunes. Whenever I listen to one of Michaelson's albums, I inevitably end up with the word "pretty" on my tongue and while in some ways this is generic word that people overuse and I therefore try to stay away from, I think it describes her music (and herself really) better than anyone else I've written about on this blog - "attractive in a delicate way" is the dictionary.com defintion, which I think is pretty perfect. There's a delicate simplicity and a certain amount of joy within her music that makes me think "pretty."

Tour Dates:

August
31 Dennis, MA @ Cape Cinema

September
09 Toronto, Canada @ Mod Club Theatre
10 Montreal, Canada @ Petit Campus
11 S. Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground
12 Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club SOLD OUT
13 Albany, NY @ Valentines
16 New York, NY @ Webster Hall
17 Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre of the Living Arts
18 Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
19 Charlottesville, VA @ The Southern
21 Carrboro, NC @ Cat's Cradle
22 Atlanta, GA @ The Loft @ Center Stage
23 Athens, GA @ The Melting Point
24 Birmingham, AL @ Workplay
25 New Orleans LA @ The Parish @ House of Blues
26 Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live Studio
28 Austin, TX @ The Parish
29 Dallas, TX @ House of Blues

October
01 Tucson, AZ @ Club Congress
02 Scottsdale, AZ @ Martini Ranch
03 San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
04 San Juan Capistrano, CA @ Coach House
06 W. Hollywood, CA @ Troubadour
07 W. Hollywood, CA @ Troubadour SOLD OUT
09 San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall
10 Redding, CA @ Cascade Theatre
11 Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
12 Seattle, WA @ Neumos
13 Vancouver, Canada @ Venue
15 Boise, ID, @ Knitting Factory
17 Salt Lake City, UT @ Avalon
18 Aspen, CO @ Wheeler Opera House
19 Denver, CO @ Gothic Theatre
21 Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line Music Cafe
22 Menomonie, WI @ Great Hall @ University of WI
24 Madison, WI @ Barrymore Theatre
25 Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall Ballroom
26 Chicago, IL @ Park West
27 Ann Arbor, MI @ The Ark
29 Cincinnati, OH @ 20th Century Theatre
30 Louisville, KY @ Headliner's
31 Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom

November
02 Nashville, TN @ The Belcourt Theatre
03 Asheville, NC @ The Grey Eagle
04 Towson, MD @ Recher Theatre
05 Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr. Smalls Theatre

Slingshot Dakota

Slingshot Dakota is a two-piece indie-punk band from equal parts Brooklyn, NY and Easton, PA, and you might recognize their work from elsewhere already. Sort of.

That's because lead-singer Carly Comando's piano-work for the instrumental piece "Everyday" was featured in the now infamous YouTube video where that dude Noah takes a picture of himself (wait for it!) "everyday" for six years as some sort of narcissistic visual art composition, or something.



That music was then picked up for use by the NBA's "Where Amazing Happens" ad campaign. However, neither Comando nor Slingshot Dakota have managed to blow up, which is surprising considering they are linked to a monolithic internet phenomenon. Maybe this is for the best.

At any rate, using the phrase "bubblegum-pop" to describe their upbeat organ-laden hooks might make you think Mates of State, and that's somewhat fair. Comando controls the vocals with similar enthusiasm and demonstrates similar mastery of the keyboard as Kori Gardner, if not more so. Yet what sets this band apart from other "aw, shucks" duos is their undeniably punk energy, simultaneously driven by Comando's confident, hollering vocals and the indefatigable drumming of Seth Rogen deadringer, Tom Patterson.

The combination of these elements alone - and the fact they remain unsigned - make for a great live set that reminds me of the DIY scene and celebratory-emo shows at the height of my teenage angst. (i.e., Yep. I was one of those.) But upon recognition that somehow, only two mere mortals are creating such a resounding sound, it becomes a much more interpersonal listening experience.

Overtly cutesy? Sure. Raucously passionate? Absolutely. Be sure to check them out if they come to your city during their fall tour. (Dates are found below, and are continuing to be added.) And make sure to head over to their MySpace page for a new demo and some more streaming goodness. For the time being, enjoy the title track off of their 2008 full length, Their Dreams are Dead, but Ours is the Golden Ghost, aptly titled "The Golden Ghost."

The Golden Ghost [mp3] - iTunes

Fall 2009 Tour:
9/18 Lehigh Valley, PA
9/19 Brooklyn, NY
9/24 Philadelphia, PA
9/25 Baltimore/Frederick, MD
9/26 Washington DC
9/27 Richmond, VA
9/28 Charlotte, NC
9/29 Greenville, SC
9/30 Columbia, SC
10/1 Atlanta, GA
10/2 Birmingham, AL
10/3 Memphis, TN
10/4 Little Rock, AR
10/5 Dallas, TX
10/7 Tulsa, OK
10/8 Independence, KS
10/9 St. Louis, MO
10/10 Louisville, KY
10/11 Cincinnati, OH
10/12 Bloomington, IN
10/13 Chicago, IL
10/14 Valparaiso, IN
10/15 Grand Rapids, MI
10/16 Columbus, OH
10/17 Cleveland, OH
10/19 Buffalo, NY
10/20 Rochester, NY
10/21 Syracuse, NY
10/22 Plattsburgh, NY
10/23 Winooski, VT
10/24 Boston, MA
10/25 Providence, RI

Andrew Belle

Andrew Belle is a 24 year old Chicago and Nashville-based singer-songwriter who has been touring with organic-pop group Ten Out Of Tenn as of late. His debut EP All Those Pretty Lights emerged late last year and featured mainstream-friendly guitar-based rock/pop - you can download it for free here. Andrew is currently completing his debut LP The Ladder, with the first released track "Static Waves" being below for your listening pleasure.

The first album Andrew Belle ever bought was a Counting Crows CD and often credits them as a major musical factor in his life. Giving Belle a listen, I can see how the Counting Crows influenced him over time, and although I have the belief that people who sing tend to gravitate towards bands that exhibit their voice quality, I think Andrew sounds like the vocal love child of Greg Laswell and Brett Dennen than that of lead singer of Counting Crows Adam Duritz. At any rate, this attractive young man with a humble head on his shoulders whirls pleasant acoustic pop with a perfectly textured voice that makes me want to know more, so hopefully the man will continue making records for a long time.

Static Waves [mp3]

Allred

Hello all! I’m excited to begin posting on the blog and I hope I can share with you some of the music that I love. I thought a lot about what artist I was going to post first, and I decided to go with my favorite local act from back in Utah. One of the things I’ve missed the most since moving to Arizona is the music scene. It’s possible (probable) that I’m just not that familiar with Arizona yet but I think Utah has an underrated music crowd with lots of local talent.

Allred is a singer/songwriter that I first heard at a venue called Kilby Court in Salt Lake. At the time he was the lead singer for a band but has since moved on to a solo career. I’ve seen him play nearly a dozen times and I love the emotion behind his songs. With 3 original albums and 2 covers albums (plus an EP to be released on Aug. 29), there are plenty of great tracks for you to listen to. Here is the title track off of his album "Parades," enjoy!

Parades (acoustic) [mp3] - iTunes

Drink Up Buttercup @ Union Hall

Last night I headed over to Union Hall (or tried to anyway...) to see Lights On and Drink Up Buttercup. Unfortunately, the MTA was not on my side yesterday and after literally spending most of the day on the train getting stuck, re-routed and otherwise inconvenienced I missed the first two bands (the first of which was Lights On).

I was sad to miss San Diego band Lights On (thanks MTA), whose poppy yet nostalgic new single "John and Anne" has been getting heavy play on my playlists this week. Since I can't write about the show, I'll just share the track with you all.

John and Anne [mp3] - (iTunes)

Drink Up Buttercup was... wasted. But in some ways, that served them well. In other ways, it didn't. For the most part it didn't affect their music (although the lyrics were maybe a little harder to understand because of some speech slurring, and also because the mixing was pretty terrible), which they played without any major noticeable mistakes. And they seemed at times to be completely absorbed in the music and just having fun, as if they weren't even really aware there was an audience (at one point the lead singer actually shouted "that was f**king fun!" over and over after a song). Watching their total absorption was kind of cool, although I will say that I was afraid someone was going to get hurt (for example, they were haphazardly throwing their bodies around and there were moments I thought there would be a nasty collision, but there wasn't). Early in the show, the keyboard/bass player got a small cut on his cheek that bled pretty much throughout the show, though I didn't catch how he got it.

Another way in which being wasted did seem to serve them well was an improvisational ending to the show where they got off the stage and sang most of the last song acappella, encircled by a clapping and stomping audience. Although, the lead singer did go on a rambling incoherent tangent in the middle of the song, but it was still a lot of fun overall and it was a neat way to end the show. I stand by the fact that they are one of my favorite new discoveries of this year and they put on a good show, even if they might not remember it afterwards... They're coming out with a new album this coming winter, so expect to see more news about that.

Gods and Gentlemen [mp3] - (iTunes)

Kitty, Daisy and Lewis

Nothing like some old school blues to get down to on a beautiful summer day like today (particularly their beach-themed "Honolulu Rock-A Roll-A"). That's why I'm listening to UK trio Kitty, Daisy & Lewis. They recently rapped up a North American tour with Coldplay, which I have to say is maybe a rather surprising match to me, but I'm glad they're gaining notoriety on this side of the pond. Their simple, gritty, self-titled blues album sounds like it was recorded 70 years ago (or maybe more), and they look like an interesting amalgamation of then and now. But their music will have you dancing, tapping, clapping, and bopping for sure.

Going Up The Country [mp3] - (iTunes)

Welcome to our new author, Eric!

I would like to welcome our new author, Eric, to Guilt Free Pleasures. He hails from Utah but currently lives in Arizona where he is going to law school with a very dear friend of mine. As seems to be the trend with all of us writers here at GFP, his musical tastes vary, but he often leans toward singer/songwriters (he and Lise should get along splendidly) and pop-punk/alternative. We look forward to having him here at GFP to add yet more gender, genre and geographical variety (ha! hooray for accidental alliteration).

The Postmarks

The Postmarks are a indie/pop/classical band that are releasing their latest album Memoirs at the End of the World on August 25th. Their sound may make one reminisce about the theatrical tune of the James Bond theme or at least remind one of the musical scores of movies from the 60 and 70s, but with the addition of classic pop, the end result is something much grander and freshly modern. Give them a listen on this fine Friday.

No One Say This Would Be Easy [mp3]

Miracles of Modern Science @ Union Hall

Last night I trekked over to Union Hall to catch Brooklyn sci-fi string maestros Miracles of Modern Science. First up was Great Divide, a band that's currently spread all over the country but was started at University of Michigan. They started the night off right with some awesome high energy tunes that had everyone dancing. Their sound spanned funk, blues, and country rock, and sometimes was an interesting combination of all three. They looked like they were having a lot of fun on stage, which is what I like to see. I would say go check them out but sadly, the band being so geographically spread out right now, they won't be playing together much anytime soon (they have shows coming up in Baltimore and Chicago though, if any of you reading this happen to be living there). Here's an mp3 from their upcoming LP (release date tbd). photo credit: www.jonathanmeter.com

Waiting [mp3]

Miracles of Modern Science was so much fun! I can't decide if I am disappointed or relieved that they weren't wearing the shiny costumes I see in all their pictures though... On the one hand, it might have been too gimmicky for me. On the other hand, I kind of wanted to see them in their full splendor so to speak. But it didn't really matter. The show was still wonderful, albeit it too short. They played all the songs from their EP, but my favorite was one that I hadn't heard before: a HILARIOUS, dark and bizarre number called "Didit" (check out a live recording of it on their myspace, although I have to say it doesn't really do it justice, but I'm not even going to try to describe it because it's just that bizarre). I have to say, they have a really perfect sense of musical comic timing. The whole audience was cracking up.

I spoke to lead singer Evan Younger after the show and asked him how they come up with this stuff and surprisingly he said the music comes first and the lyrics often come out of experimenting once the music is done. I guess in some ways that makes more sense than to sit down and say (for example) "I'm going to write a song about a guy who kills people by whistling" (that song would be "524" if you're wondering). It also makes sense because the thing I love about MOMS (besides their semi-unfortunate but fittingly random acronym) is that no matter how weird the song is, the music is still really good. Some bands who are weird lose themselves in that and think that's enough to get them by. But MOMS is not just weird for the sake of being weird. They kind remind me of a cross between Ra Ra Riot and Jukebox the Ghost - they are playful and sometimes even silly but they have this beautiful string-based music. Here's their new single:

Bossa Supernova [mp3]

Da Vinici's Notebook

I'm visiting a friend at the moment, and although we have extremely different musical tastes (re: she loves Country music), she introduced me to this gem of a group called Da Vinci's Notebook. No, they're not Country. Da Vinci's Notebook is a humor acapella-esque group that'll throw in a musical instrument every now and then. She intrigued me with the "Another Irish Drinking Song" due to my recent visit to an Irish festival, but when I came across songs like "Enormous Penis," I knew this band was totally post-able (and perfect for male acappella groups nation-wide). Take a listen and enjoy.

Another Irish Drinking Song [mp3] (iTunes)
Title of the Song [mp3] (iTunes)
Enormous Penis [mp3] (iTunes)

Wolfmother

I take a lot of long drives, so one of my crucial must-haves for music is that it's gotta be car and adventure worthy. Wolfmother is an Australian folk-metal band (I don't use that description often) that provides such music, and I've taken quite a liking to the folk-rock track below, which was released on their 2005 self-titled debut album and is featured on the lovely soundtrack for 500 Days of Summer. Wolfmother is coming out with their second full-length album, Cosmic Egg, in October, and it has already received comparisons to the likes of Black Sabbath and the White Stripes by the Rolling Stone.

Vagabond [mp3] (iTunes)

So many shows, so little time...

Here are some of the show highlights for the week here in NYC (Brooklyn is, as always, representing pretty hardcore):

Tuesday
TV on the Radio @Prospect Park (Celebrate Brooklyn BENEFIT)
Middle Distance Runner @ Union Hall

Wednesday
Miracles of Modern Science @ Union Hall
Bat For Lashes @ Webster Hall - sold out!

Thursday
BLONDIE, PAT BENETAR and THE DONNAS @ Asser Levy/Seaside Park (Seaside Summer Concert Series) - FREE!!!!!!
Tori Amos @ Radio City Music Hall

Friday
Animal Collective @ Prospect Park (Celebrate Brooklyn - BENEFIT)

Saturday
Lights On and Drink Up Buttercup @ Union Hall
Animal Collective @ Prospect Park (Celebrate Brooklyn - BENEFIT)
Xylopholks @ Drom

And no, that is not a typo - Animal Collective is doing TWO benefit shows for Celebrate Brooklyn. Please feel free to comment with NYC shows that you're excited about and even shows in other cities (just be sure to list the city and venue so people can buy tickets if they want to!)

Xylopholks

While I think playing in a cookie monster costume and pink gorilla costume is maybe a little too gimmicky for my taste and distracts from the quality of the music, I have to say I'm impressed with what I've seen from Xylopholks. Check out this YouTube video - I don't think I've ever seen such fast xylophone playing (and the bass player is pretty darn quick too). Definitely some talent behind those costumes. You NYC readers can check them out live on Saturday (Aug. 15th) at Drom, where they're having a fundraising party for an India tour in the Spring of 2010.

Urban Sun

Last weekend I spent a perfect Saturday evening on a sold out concert cruise on the East River. I was there to see NYC-based funk band Urban Sun, who managed within two sets in that one evening to jettison themselves up into my list of favorite local bands, even though I had only even heard of them a few weeks before.

A large band with two drummers, guitar, bass, a brass section, keyboard, singer, and probably more (I couldn't even see the whole band there were so many of them and the stage wasn't really elevated), they had people dancing all night long to their funk and sometimes disco tunes. They played two long sets - the first was about 10 songs and I lost track of how many songs the second was but I never got bored. I was too busy dancing my butt off! The lead singer, Joe Trombino, looks so unassuming and laid back when he's not on stage, but he has quite the presence and definitely knows how to work an audience. The whole band seems like a really fun group of people. Definitely check them out if you have the opportunity.

Practice Me [mp3]
Realize [mp3]
Purchase their album, Practice Me, on iTunes

Crash Kings

Seems as if I've been on a rock 'n' roll kick lately, because I'm loving this Crash Kings song, "Mountain Man," from their debut self-titled album. Totally digging the fact that they don't have a guitar, just keyboard, drums and bass - although their keyboard is actually a clavinet (keyboard with guitar strings). And the lead singer, Tony, has a great rock voice that makes you want to belt your heart out to the song while driving down the highway with your windows down.

Mountain Man [mp3] - (iTunes)

Didn't get to Celebrate Brooklyn? Free mp3s!

For those of you fans of the Celebrate Brooklyn Concert series, click here for 16 free mp3s from various artists who've played this summer: The Luminescent Orchestrii, Los Amigos Invisibles, Deer Tick, Dr. Dog, and more!

The Most Serene Republic

Ok, I'm not going to lie, I'm not crazy about the vocals in the first 30 seconds of this track, but the song itself is dripping with darling indie pop with a thickened edge and a promise for more quality to come, so I just keep listening and it just gets better and better. Plus, they're Canadian. How can you not like that? The group is called The Most Serene Republic and the track below comes from their album ...And The Ever Expanding Universe.

Heavens To Purgatory [mp3] (iTunes)

Sept 11 - 7th Street Entry - Minneapolis, MN
Sept 19 - Spaceland - LA, CA
Oct 8 - Le Poisson Rouge - NY, NY
Oct 9 - Southpaw- Brooklyn, NY

Ingrid Michaelson on tour!

Ingrid Michaelson is going on tour, check out the dates below (and there's a lot of 'em...):

August
31 Dennis, MA @ Cape Cinema

September
01 Dennis, MA @ Cape Cinema
09 Toronto, Canada @ Mod Club Theatre
10 Montreal, Canada @ Petit Campus
11 S. Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground
12 Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
13 Albany, NY @ Valentines
16 New York, NY @ Webster Hall
17 Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre of the Living Arts
18 Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
19 Charlottesville, VA @ The Southern
21 Carrboro, NC @ Cat's Cradle
22 Atlanta, GA @ The Loft @ Center Stage
23 Athens, GA @ The Melting Point
24 Birmingham, AL @ Workplay
25 New Orleans LA @ The Parish @ House of Blues
26 Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live Studio
28 Austin, TX @ The Parish
29 Dallas, TX @ House of Blues

October
01 Tucson, AZ @ Club Congress
02 Scottsdale, AZ @ Martini Ranch
03 San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
04 San Juan Capistrano, CA @ Coach House
06 W. Hollywood, CA @ Troubadour
07 W. Hollywood, CA @ Troubadour
09 San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall
10 Redding, CA @ Cascade Theatre
11 Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
12 Seattle, WA @ Neumos
13 Vancouver, Canada @ Venue
15 Boise, ID, @ Knitting Factory
17 Salt Lake City, UT @ Avalon
18 Aspen, CO @ Wheeler Opera House
19 Denver, CO @ Gothic Theatre
21 Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line Music Cafe
22 Menomonie, WI @ Great Hall @ University of WI
24 Madison, WI @ Barrymore Theatre
25 Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall Ballroom
26 Chicago, IL @ Park West
27 Ann Arbor, MI @ The Ark
29 Cincinnati, OH @ 20th Century Theatre
30 Louisville, KY @ Headliner's
31 Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom

November
02 Nashville, TN @ The Belcourt Theatre
03 Asheville, NC @ The Grey Eagle
04 Towson, MD @ Recher Theatre
05 Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr. Smalls Theatre

Raveonettes debut first single from upcoming album

The Raveonettes' 4th album, In and Out of Control, is due out October 6th (Vice Records). On Tuesday they unveiled the first single off the LP, "Suicide." It has everything you love about the Raveonettes, from their shoegazey lo-fi sound, to their poppy retro beats. Check it out!

Suicide [mp3]

Guilt Free Pleasures - Recently Played mixtape 8/5/09

Drumroll please....

This is the first time I've done something like this -- I couldn't think of what to post today, so I opened iTunes and picked out the 17 latest songs on Recently Played, made a .zip file and uploaded them as a mixtape for your generous scrutiny. Enjoy!

Click here to download


GFP Mixtape 8/5/09 Tracklist:

Little Name - "For The Attention Of"
Vampire Weekend - "Mansard Roof"
Avril Lavigne - "Girlfriend" (hey, this blog is called Guilt Free Pleasures for a reason)
Tokyo Police Club - "Graves"
The Western States Motel - "Powerlines"
Phoenix - "Too Young"
Brown Recluse Sings - "Night Train"
Ambulance Ltd. - "Anecdote"
Jose Gonzalez - "Crosses"
The Airborne Toxic Event - "Does This Mean You're Moving On"
MGMT - "Kids"
Thieves Like Us - "Drugs In My Body"
Britney Spears - "Toxic"
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Hysteric"
Peter Bjorn & John - "The Chills"
Math And Physics Club - "Movie Ending Romance"
Hot Chip - "Over And Over"

David Bazan

David Bazan, aka Pedro The Lion, is finally releasing a full LP under his real name on September 1st. The first single from Curse Your Branches is synth-organ textured romper, "Bless This Mess," and the music and lyrics are quality. He's heading out on a massive tour come October (key tour dates listed below). Sounds like its going to be a solid album, judging from this surging track, so give it a listen and make sure to check out the album in September. Also, ten bucks says this song opens some episode of Grey's Anatomy in the future...

Bless This Mess [mp3]

10/4 - Troubadour - LA
10/7 - Mohawk - Austin, TX
10/16 - Black Cat - Washington DC
10/18 - Bowery Ballroom - NY, NY
10/28 - Turf Club - Minneapolis, MN

Bryan Scary & the Shredding Tears

If you are like me and wish you had been old enough to appreciate Queen in their time (or if you were old enough to be a die-hard Queen fan at the time), you should check out Bryan Scary & the Shredding Tears. Their piano-powered rock has the playful, theatrical and at times even epic qualities that Queen had. But don't worry, they've got their own sounds too, and it sounds like their subject matter is a little more sci-fi/fairytale based. It also sounds like they put on a spectacularly interesting show, so check out their tour dates below (more to come). And here's the new single from their upcoming Mad Valentine EP.
Tour Dates:
Sep 3 - U of Illinois (Courtyard Cafe) - Urbana, Illinois
Sep 4 - Spin- Indianapolis, Indiana
Sep 5 - Schubas - Chicago, Illinois
Sep 6 - Private Event -Milwuakee, Wisconsin
Sep 8 - Skull Alley - Louisville, Kentucky
Sep 12 - 92Y Tribeca - New York, New York

Andromeda's Eyes [mp3]

Introducing our new contributor, Matt from Austin!

It's my pleasure to introduce to you our newest contributor, Matt. He currently lives in Austin, though he grew up in New York. He is an old friend of mine from college and I am so pleased to have him on our team! Not only will he add a much-needed male perspective and represent Austin, but he just knows a lot about music so get ready to learn all sorts of cool new things! He and his college roommates introduced me to many a new artist back in the day (some of which are still in my favorites) and I'm sure he has much more where that came from.

Hopewell

If you combine the rumbling, gritty instrumentation of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, the psychedelic influences of The Dandy Warhols and/or The Flaming Lips, and the vocals of Sunset Rubdown, you would have a band something along the lines of Hopewell. In fact, they've toured with The Dandy Warhols' frenemies Brian Jonestown Massacre. The band has actually been around since the '90s and recently released their 6th album, Good Good Desperation, an album that has definitely caught my attention in recent weeks and has been getting some heavy play from me. Check out their single "Island."

Island [mp3] - (iTunes)

The Catch Up

Quick one today. I've been meaning to post about all these songs for a very long time, so I've decided just to do it all in one catch-up post. Enjoy.

She's Got You High - Mumm-Ra [mp3] (iTunes) : This one comes from the indie darling smash film of the summer, 500 Days of Summer.

So Insane - Discovery [mp3] (iTunes) : Inventive rhythm, crazy modern-80s feel with an almost Girl Talk edge. From one of my favorite new and addicting bands, Discovery.

All Or Nothing - Au Revoir Simone [mp3] (iTunes) : Soothing synth organ, silky soft vocals and simple kick beat, with one catchy chorus.

Live Off The Land - Baron Von Bear [mp3] (iTunes) : I'm not going to lie, what first attracted me was the band's name. It's happy-go-lucky indie twee, so you can't go wrong here.

Walkabout (ft. Noah Lennox) - Atlas Sound [mp3] (iTunes) : This one has been massive in the blogosphere lately. Atlas Sound is the musical solo project of Bradford James Cox (Deerhunter) and this song features that gritty 60's indie pop sound with an electronic glaze.