Ooooh brrr.... the fog's rolling in, the nights are starting earlier and the Pumpkin Spice Lattes have been in Starbucks for a couple of weeks now. All these factors can mean only one thing: fall has fallen upon us, and it's only going to get colder. As we see less of the sun during these winter days, the mood tends to be a little more low-key; perhaps it's time to pull out that dusty box of arts and crafts or stock up on hot chocolate from Costco for quiet evenings at home by the fire. This next set of songs isn't going to pump you up for a crazy evening out, but they may gel nicely with an inward, reflective mood.
*Featured*
Bonus OLR points for most impressive album cover, possibly of all time.
EP: Into the Sun
Double OLR bonus points for another beautiful cover.
The first find for this week is a set of EPs from Lord Huron. Both Mighty and Into the Sun have
the same sort of sound: a neo-folk (think Fleet Foxes or Bon Iver)
songwriting sensibility with Caribbean influences in the
instrumentation. Easy music to chill out to.
-Andrew McNair
Three in a row! Bonus points for cool cover.
Second up is an album written in two days and recorded in one: The Maybe Forest by
Three Blind Wolves. I don't know how true the story is that Ross Clark
tells of the album's genesis on his Bandcamp page, but even if it took
him more than two days to write and one to record, he's a talent to be
reckoned with. The album is a mostly acoustic-guitar centric affair,
with a lot of inventive vocal harmonies swirling around the melodies.
Tends toward the quiet side and reminds me a bit of Jose Gonzalez.
-Andrew McNair
3. mr. Gnome - "House of Circles"
(click to stream or right click to save as)
LP: Madness in Miniature
(click to stream or right click to save as)
LP: Madness in Miniature
Alice in Wonderland meets Frank the Bunny? Double triple quadruple cover points.
mr. Gnome is Cleveland duo Nicole Barille and Sam Meister. This experimental band intricately blends ethereal and psychedelic textures. With such a fusion, “House of Circles” can easily be the soundtrack to a dream or a drug trip. Their latest album Madness in Miniature was just recently released October 25, 2011, and can be found - plus more - at http://www.mrgnome.com/
-Ana Diaz
4. Kurt von Stetten - "Codify"
(click to stream or right click to save as)
LP: Cyclops
An ethereal, bell-like chiming envelops this atmospheric garage-pop tune from Kurt von Stetten. Combining a lilting melody with a thunderous drumbeat, it's a short but sweet one that's sure to be great for night driving. Boston-based von Stetten plays all the instruments by himself on the track, which is featured on the upcoming album Cyclops, his sixth in as many years. If you enjoy music that exists somewhere between hypnotic and epic, this is the song for you. Check out more at http://staticmotor.com/bands/kurt_von_stetten.
-Tomi Mendel
5. Daisy McCrackin - "I Think I'm A Ghost"
(click to stream or right click to save as)
LP: God Willing
(click to stream or right click to save as)
LP: God Willing
Any artist called "the real deal" by John Perry Barlow, songwriter for the Grateful Dead, may just be worth checking out. Crafted with layers of feeling and nostalgia, executed with haunting vocals and a steady march of folk instruments, "I Think I'm A Ghost" is a perfect song for a chilly winter evening. Almost heartbreaking at times, the simple beauty of Daisy McCrackin's vocals might just awaken some dormant spirits inside. The album God Willing came out in September of 2011; more information is available at her website.
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