The Ruminant Band- Fruit Bats

Appropiate title...

http://sadsteve.com/preview.py?url=http://aolradio.podcast.aol.com/aolmusic/mp3s/Fruit_Bats_The_Ruminant_Band.mp3&song=The%20Ruminant%20Band&artist=Fruit%20Bats

And some new (but feel like old) favorites...







and the ever uplifting-

Ambivalence Avenue- Bibio

Sonic reverberations play off structured, but winding melodies

Hazel

So I've discovered this band through the solo work of their frontman, Pete Krebs (who I've wanted to make a post on for a while but I havnt been able to due to lack of actual music sample to post- check out "pacific standard time" if you can find it somehow, its on itunes). They run in the same veign as Heatmiser and circuited the same scene in Portland in the early 90's. Good stuff to zone out to.

Day-Glo is a video that embodies early 90's alternative- out of character band members(like a 12 year old drummer who sings as a tenor and actually sounds like he's 12 and a band "dancer" (Nastanovich of Pavement mastered this in terms of functionality and aesthetic ha) who looks like a homeless man), sunflowers,overalls, distraught yet contemplative characters, and an overall tone of introspection. Today is the first day I've been listening to it and I'm posting it, so i hope I'm not being too pre-emptive.

Deastro

Haven't been turned on by the new album just yet, but it's growing on me. Till then I can settle for his synthed out tracks from Keeper's. Impatient stuttering hasn't sounded this cool since Mick Jagger.

Around the Well- Iron & Wine

Select tracks from the new album of B-sides, rarities, and previously discarded jingles.

Use of a lot more slide guitar...


Maybe my favorite track on the album- I think it'd be pointless to analyze what Sam is trying to say about this girl, because, well, the nature of the girl can't be dissected.


The least recognized cover on the album. To be honest, I don't think it adds much to the original, but it's great nonetheless.


Epitomizes what a good cover should be- it holds true to the message of the original yet adds its own je ne ses quois


Appropriately ends the album with a near 10 minute jam and a finale whispered of "na na naaaa"s and "ooh ooh ooooh"s

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

Wow, so behind the ball on this one, but they are too good not to mention. Their self-titled album is really and eclectic gem...damn shame they couldnt follow it up with anything else.



"aaannndddd you look like David Bowie"






All i can think of is that cartoon with the talking toaster and fellow appliances...

Rainwater Cassette Exchange- Deerhunter

(They don't look that unlike zombies...)

New Deerhunter EP, Rainwater Cassette Exchange, that musically runs in the same vein as Microcastle/Weird Era Cont. by laying fuzzy guitar over truly beautiul harmonies. In some ways these guys, and their outlandish frontman, epitomize the spirit of alternative music- the flirting on the edge of maddness (or at least seeming to), the brash expirimentation, and just being plain weird sometimes. Some favorites...





Love all the lyrics to this song. "We walked into the sun/ We walked, we cannot run/ because walking's half the fun/ we walked into the sun". And it really sounds like they do at the end...