Artist Profile: Gold Leaves

The new(ish) project from Seattle singer-songwriter Grant Olsen, Gold Leaves places folky instrumentation into an ambient backdrop and then adds in soaring vocal harmonies. I saw Grant Olsen and his band open for A.A. Bondy this past week at the Bowery Ballroom and was enthralled by their sound. Seeing them on stage felt like watching one of the earliest incarnations of Robin Pecknold and Fleet Foxes (the Seattle connection and bearded front man certainly aided the comparison) and this band has the potential to create equally beautiful music without being a copycat.

Olsen released the Gold Leaves debut, The Ornament on Hardly Art this past August and the album sounds just as promising as their live show. Check out the title track below and then go out and get the album. Enjoy!

Artist Profile: The Shivers

After hearing their song "SoHo Party" at a Halloween Party this weekend, I've been listening to The Shivers non-stop. This band's catalog of songs is incredibly diverse with songs ranging from alt-country fair that brings Deer Tick to mind, yearning Grizzly Bear-esque ballads and the more straight forward indie-rock to name a few.

"SoHo Party" typifies this diversity as the song goes from a voicemail message from the lead singer's mom, extreme silliness with lyrics like "and who told you to put your finger in my asshole, asshole!" to a brilliant interpolation of Cat Stevens' the wind. Keith Zarriello's songwriting is quirky and leaves the listener wondering what's next. The band released their new album More on May 10th of this year and you can listen to a song and buy it over at Silence Breaks. I would also highly recommend their 2004 album Charades which features the previously mentioned "SoHo Party"; listen below!

Movie Review: Drive

WARNING: MINOR SPOILERS BELOW

In Drive, Nicolas Winding Refn (Pusher trilogy), directs Ryan Gosling, The Driver, in a gritty, brutally violent crime drama set in L.A. The Driver works as a mechanic and a Hollywood stuntman, moonlighting as a getaway driver for local crooks. He becomes enamored with a woman, Irene (Carey Mulligan), who lives down the hall in his apartment complex, and befriends her and her child. When Irene's husband is released from jail, The Driver takes on a getaway job for him to help him erase a debt. The job goes awry, and the rest of the film depicts the gruesome lengths The Driver takes to ensure Irene and her child stay safe.

An Open Letter to Jesse Lacey

After Michael posted Amy Klein's open letter to Conor Oberst, I was inspired to write my own letter of appreciation to the artists that made music actually mean something to me. Jesse Lacey, the lead singer, guitarist and chief songwriter of Brand New, is to me what Conor Oberst is to Amy Klein and these are my words of thanks to him.

Movie Review: 50/50

Earlier this week, Andrew and I had the fortunate opportunity to attend an advanced screening of 50/50, the new comedy/drama, starring Seth Rogen and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, that examines the toll a terminal illness takes on a person and their relationships. I had high hopes going in...all the press reviews had been positive and I'm a big fan of both Rogen and JGL. Here's what I have to say:

Throwback Thursdays

After quite a hiatus, I'm back with new ideas aplenty. I'm a huge fan of the music of yesteryear and a firm believer in "you can't know where you're going unless you know where you've been." With that said, here is the first track for the newest column Throwback Thursdays:

Kevin Devine Smells Teen Spirit, 20 Years Later

In honor of the 20th anniversary of Nevermind, the quintessential album from Nirvana that brought Grunge to the mainstream, Kevin Devine has covered the entire album. Because he is one of the coolest people in the music industry, the album is also free to download. Head to the link below to check it out.

Kevin Devine covers Nevermind

New Music: The Tallest Man on Earth - "Weather Of A Killing Kind"

Okay,so this isn't exactly brand spanking new, as the track was released by Adult Swim (what?) a few months ago. Regardless, The Tallest Man on Earth is currently my favorite folk artist. This track is more of the same from the Swede, but in this case, that's a phenomenal thing.



Head over the rcrdlbl.com for a free download.

EMPAC Happenings: Phantom Limb: 69˚S.

This coming weekend, EMPAC has another killer event. I'm really stoked for this one, and you should be too. Here's the release:


Phantom Limb: 69ºS.
Friday + Saturday, September 23 + 24, 2011, 8 PM
Theater
EMPAC
Troy, NY
$18 general admission / $13 students + seniors

A stunning vision of Antarctica’s past, present, and future—uniting puppetry, junk-rock, dance, film, history, and photography with contemporary music.

New Music: La Dispute - "Edward Benz, 27 Times"

I will never forget listening to La Dispute's debut full-length, Somewhere at the Bottom of the River Between Vega and Altair, for the first time. The album re-ignited my passion for music, and brought me back to how I felt the first time I heard Thursday's Full Collapse. Needless to say, when I read they were releasing a new album, Wildlife (October 4th), I was excited. Then they gifted "Edward Benz, 27 Times" to the public, and I have to say, my expectations for the new disc are now truly massive. Bettering their first full-length would be a grand achievement. See what all the fuss is about for yourself:




PS - Below the cut are the lyrics to the song. I recommend reading them as you listen. It gets intense at the end.