Local post-rock heroes Empty Space Orchestra have just released a new EP called “Dark Matters” and it contains a couple of new songs that are available for free download at their Bandcamp site. Click here to grab ‘em.
The band performed one of those tracks, the jarring, jet-fueled “New Breed of Skank,” in a dark room in Los Angeles in June. Fortunately, the folks at TerrorEyes.tv were on hand to film that performance, and the resulting clip makes ESO look like actual rock stars!
ESO’s next two local shows will be at the Bend Roots Revival on Sept. 24 and a just-announced Halloween night show at the Century Center with the excellent Rubblebucket!
Frequency and its big print sister, GO! Magazine, are longtime fans of The Autonomics, a powerful rock trio that formed a few years ago in Bend and moved to Portland last year. Click here to read about how they blew my mind at the 2009 Bend Roots Revival, or here to read my feature story on the band from January, 2010.
Anyway, the fellas are back with a new EP called “Hot Doom” and did I mention it smokes? Because it does. It’s a huge step forward for The Autonomics, and if you like catchy, buzzy, urgent rock ‘n’ roll, you need to hear this. It’s terrific. I’d say more, but I’m saving it for this Friday’s GO! (The band is playing an EP-release show Saturday at Century Center as part of the Rise Up Spring Jamboree.)
Stream or download all five tracks at the band’s Soundcloud, below, or visit their Bandcamp.
The chorally endowed, Portland-based folk-pop band Brothers Young is back in town tonight to play PoetHouse Art with their eclectic buddies Hurtbird. Both bands have members that grew up in Bend before moving on to the big city. Want to educate yerself via the magic of links? Read about tonight’s show here, Brothers Young here and Hurtbird here.
Now … enough reading, am I right? Time to exercise those ears. Brothers Young have a brand new EP out called “Friendly Guest” and they’ve made it available for free download. Of course, you should consider clicking the Paypal button on that site and sending them a few bucks to put toward their upcoming debut album.
Earlier today, globetrotting DJ/producer and Bend native SPL (aka Sam Pool) dropped a downloadable bomb by deciding to give away the entire catalog of his own Hollow Point label — a nearly bottomless supply of massive beats and electronic whomp — to anyone who wants it. For free.
I haven’t listened to the whole thing (there’s a lot here) and I’m not an expert on electronic music, so I don’t know if you would call this dubstep, drum and bass, glitch, IDM, techno … probably a little of all of the above. What I do know is that Sam’s sound is gritty, futuristic and cool, and he’s in demand; he plays this stuff in packed, sweaty clubs all over the planet. Here’s your chance to hear why.
Dude’s only going to leave this up for about 24 hours and the clock’s already ticking, so don’t even step away from the computer to make a sandwich or whatever. Grab it now by clicking here.
Whether you’re unfamiliar with the band’s work, or you’re skeptical that these Portlandian folkies actually have some great songs, or you dig ‘em and need something to get pumped up for tonight’s show, or you simply want some music going while you putter around on a Sunday, this YouTube playlist should do the trick. It’s 20 of The Decemberists’ best songs in chronological(ish) order (I put “The Tain” at the end because it’s, y’know, 20 minutes long), stretching from 2001′s “5 Songs” EP to “The King is Dead,” which came out four months ago. Just press play and let the internet do the work.
Here’s the thing: Lots of people like to turn up their nose at Death Cab for Cutie, and I get that. They make lovey dovey sappy emo-pop music that appears in “Twilight” films and on VH1. Teen girls love this band, not you. And that name … ugh. It’s not cool to like Death Cab for Cutie. Saying that you’re more pumped to see Bright Eyes at Bend’s Les Schwab Amphitheater tonight earns you more cred.
I get all that.
The problem with that stance is that Death Cab is by far the best band on tonight’s bill, and one of the best bands of the past 15 years. I will acknowledge that they have not always been the best live band (I saw pretty mediocre DCfC shows in 2001, 2003 and 2004). And of course, their past three albums aren’t quite up to the bar set by their first four. But those first four set a very high bar. Heck, the first two are two of the best indie-rock records ever made.
What I’m saying is Ben Gibbard and Death Cab for Cutie have churned out an abundance of great songs since 1997, and their hits far outweigh their misses. So if you wanna go into tonight’s show ready to hate these dudes, have at it. That’s your right. But if you wanna go into tonight’s show with an open mind and an ear that appreciates an unforgettable melody, I’m here to help.
Below, I’ve compiled 20 of the band’s best tunes in chronological(ish) order, ranging from their pre-”Something About Airplanes” 7″ records to the new single from their new album, “Codes and Keys,” which comes out Tuesday. There are rocking songs and pretty songs, fast songs and slow songs, angry songs and somber songs, pop songs and shoegazers. It’s a pretty good cross-section of Death Cab’s career so far.
So, it’s Friday and you’re probably sitting at your desk jonesing for the weekend. Maybe you’re going to the show tonight. Maybe you’re on the fence. No matter your situation, click below and let the YouTubes stream. If you can resist this playlist, you must hate great music.
Seattle pop-rock band Death Cab for Cutie will kick off Les Schwab Amphitheater’s summer concert season Friday night, and I’ll have lots more on the band both here on Frequency and in The Bulletin between now and then. In the meantime, NPR has DCfC’s new album, “Codes and Keys,” streaming in its entirety. (Note: I’ve been listening to it for a week or so, and I have to say I’m really digging it. It’s not perfect, but it’s another solid effort from Ben Gibbard and the fellas.)
With 100 hours until the show starts, you should have just enough time to get to know these tunes pretty well for sing-along purposes. Happy Monday!
Seattle-based Subpop Records has made its Record Store Day sampler available for free streaming, and it features lots of Frequency faves: Shabazz Palaces, Mogwai, Fleet Foxes, J Mascis, The Head and the Heart, Blitzen Trapper, and so on. (As of noon Wednesday, though, they have the labels for the Fleet Foxes and Chad VanGaalen tracks mixed up, I believe.)
Let one of the world’s best record labels soundtrack your evening!
I mentioned this on Frequency’s Facebook the other day, but had no link to provide. Well, I’ve since found a link, but it’s a Soundcloud, so it could go away at any time, so you should just go ahead and listen right now.
Why?
Because I’ve listened to several great albums in the first quarter of 2011 (look for a roundup coming soon), but the best thing I’ve heard so far this year is a three-song EP of stray tracks that Fleet Foxes frontman Robin Pecknold released for free via his Twitter account several weeks back.
This stuff is gorgeous. The first — an aching duet with Grizzly Bear’s Ed Droste — is my favorite. The second is a beautiful Simon & Garfunkelian tune that features some of Pecknold’s trademark vocal soarin’. The third is a cover of an old song from the ’70s by New Zealand folkie Chris Thompson.
The overall sound of the three songs is very influenced by ’60s/’70s British folk, with a totally vintage vibe, like you’re listening to old, timeworn Bert Jansch records on a dusty thrift-store turntable.
Of course, streaming these songs on Soundcloud is like the exact opposite of that, but it’ll have to do:
(Psst: The upcoming Fleet Foxes album sorta might’ve shown up magically in my iTunes and it is terrific. Friends, Pecknold is well on his way to becoming one of our finest songwriters. Dude is for real.)
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