Arwin are a sweet and easy band that make songs, not music. You remember songs, right? Those things about love and childhood that don’t make statements, don’t sound like anthems, and aren’t weird, wild or experimental? Arwin’s songs are very 1970s: complete with strings and airy vocals that intertwine with what sounds like a xylophone. [...]

I know I just posted this, but I’m trying to learn to tag mp3s for Hype Machine. So consider this a test. For regular readers, this is the photo of the day. Layla (Part One)-Band of Horses Layla (Part Two)-Band of Horses Or, you can check out the bonus links: New song! Fake Empire-The National [...]

‘Cause if ya do, I gots the hook up! All three bands are playing the Rock and Roll Hotel in DC on March 31st. This is your chance to go, for free. Just drop me a comment and include your e-mail address, and I’ll pick a random commenter in a few days. If you win, [...]

Band Of Horses- Live on March 15, 2007 If I have any of the song names wrong, please lemme know. Also, I know some of you would have liked a .zip. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get rapid share to let me upload one. So, you’ve gotta deal with savefile and mooload again. Sorry. 01. Layla (part [...]

What’s the Wu doing here? They’re a plat-selling crew, and even some of their members’ solo tips get major label backing. So how are they coming by this corner of the indie-love hood? Wu-Tang and Friends: Unreleased is an independent release (on the Nature label) of unreleased studio tracks, B-sides, and remixes mastered and collected [...]

We don’t post oldies too often here, but I’ll let you in on a little secret: I love old soul. Two of my favorite songs are “Oooh Child” by the 5 Stairsteps and “Be Thankful For What You’ve Got” by William DeVaughn. This album is a reissue collection of music recorded at the Sound of [...]

Tonight, a double-shot review of two similar-yet-quite-different examples of shoegazer rock. Before I begin, I’d like to share the following formulae: Star =Sonic Youth+Sinead O’Connor-Bono. Silversun Pickups= Belly + Smashing Pumpkins+Public Image, Ltd. I’m going to start with Star, because it’s the cleaner of the two. The band takes what-you’d-expect-from-shoegazer-vocals and lays them over ‘90s [...]

I always get in trouble when I do this, but I’m going to make a blogger confession. I’m not an Iron & Wine fan. I liked their team-ups with Calexico, and their cover of Such Great Heights, but other than that I find their music a little too . . . Wimpy for my tastes. [...]

We recently reviewed The Roadside Graves’ EP, What Happened to Him Could Happen to Anyone, and really enjoyed it. Coming soon, on April 4, will be the full-length, No One Will Know Where You’ve Been. It’s definitely more down-home country than the EP–more twang and drawl–but it’s still full of tight, well-written songs. Go to [...]