Band To Watch: Fanfarlo

First of all, go here to download Fanfarlo's debut album for one dollar and by the time you're done reading this you'll be able to enjoy this London-based band's catchy indie pop. Seriously though, do it, this one dollar offer ends the 4th.

Drawing comparisons to bands like Arcade Fire and Belle & Sebastian, Fanfarlo has big shoes to fill, but with the release of Reservoir the band is taking a step in the right direction; Reservoir takes the listener through a land of supple instrumentation and alluring orchestration. The thing that stands out the most about this album is just that, it's an album. Too many bands today attempt to write albums chock full of sagas and masterpieces which result in an overcrowded, incohesive album. Luckily, Fanfarlo has been able to avoid this pitfall and as a result we have Reservoir, a saga and masterpiece all it's own.

Watch out for this band to slowly grow a following...

Fanfarlo - I'm A Pilot
iTunes/Fanfarlo

-Bishop-

Chairlift on Ferguson

We know all know the song "Brusies" by Chairlift by now. It was basically crowned indie pop gem of all time a little while back. Nevertheless, the reason it is so popular is because of how impossible to resist it truly is. As I listen, the second she goes into that falsetto of gold, I melt instantaneously. Anyway, Chairlift took their first step towards world domination Friday night when they performed the song on Craig Ferguson, instantly melting the hearts of the couple hundred people who stay up that late. Also, another classic Craig moment in which Bob Barker destroys Craig's desk with his bare hands.





Chairlift's MySpace
-Donovan

Some Radiohead?

I've recently been trying to suck up as much Radiohead as I can, especially b-sides and EP's. I figured I'd post a few of them here to not only sway someone to fall in love with Radiohead, but also to show their amazing versatility.

Photo from Dead Air Space

Radiohead- Worrywort
"Worrywort" is off the Amnesiac b-sides and the Knives Out single. It's not only my favorite track that didn't make one of their albums, it's up there with my favorite tracks of their entire collection. Everything about it is so fleeting, and it's almost like after you listen to it just sort of floats away. Just me? Alright.
iTunes / amazon

Radiohead- The Amazing Sounds of Orgy
I get really weird imagery when I hear this song. Like corpses coming back to life and dancing around Yorke as he sings. Especially towards the end, I can just picture a bunch of goblins and ghouls on puppet strings eerily moving about. Just me again? Anyway, it too is off the Amnesiac b-sides and the Pyramid Song single, and I adore it.
iTunes / amazon

Radiohead- Gagging Order
Going in a completely different direction, "Gagging Order" is a much softer song than the one above, but just as much satisfying. As one of the few good songs off the Com Lag EP, this is a breathe of fresh air in comparison to the regular Radiohead sound. It just goes to show, Yorke + acoustic = money. But then again, Yorke + anything = money.
iTunes / amazon

DEAD AIR SPACE
Radiohead MySpace

-Chandler

Days Like These

People Under the Stairs make music that's made for the summertime. Seriously, invest in one or two of their albums, you may end up listening to them and only them 'til this winter. O.S.T. and Stepfather are classics, I seriously can't plug them enough.

Today was one of those perfect summer days. The northeast has been doused with rain for weeks, and we all needed the sunshine. Here are two songs from People Under the Stairs, exactly what you need to start your Saturday night off right. Who wants to have a barbeque??

People Under the Stairs - Days Like These
People Under the Stairs - Jamboree Pt. 1

Amazon / iTunes

-Chris

Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band Records Daytrotter Session

This is a band that my sister tipped me off on a long while back, and I had always ignored the suggestion, until now. Fortunately, Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band recently sat down with those gentle boys over at Daytrotter and recorded a few songs for our listening pleasure. Be sure to check out their myspace as well.

-Bishop-

New Free Song from Fleet Foxes

While my love for Fleet Foxes has diminished slightly since last summer, I'm still rootin' for the guys. Amidst all the over-hyped bands riding the trendy wavves to success, Fleet Foxes are just a bunch of awkward friends recording folksy songs.

Anyways, after the band recently played the Glastonbury festival in the UK, lead singer Robin Pecknold recorded this new song, available for download below. It doesn't matter if you've never heard their music or if you're a hardcore fan looking for more, take a listen. As always, right-click and "save as" in order to download the mp3 onto your computer.

Fleet Foxes - Blue Spotted Tail

Amazon / iTunes

-Chris

Big Ups

As everyone already knows, Michael Jackson died yesterday at the age of 50. I personally just want to say how awesome MTV was last night for showing old MJ videos and bringing in artists who had worked and been influenced by him (which is almost everyone). To be honest, it was the first time I think I've ever watched MTV. It was on all night, just scrolling through the same videos and same melancholy monologue concerning his death. In retrospect, it should have made me pretty angry about the pitiful state MTV is in nowadays, shamelessly parading its seemingly endless group of shows which don't concern music in the least. In part, blogs like this one can actually thank MTV for becoming completely useless in musical reporting, because they in essence helped create the blogosphere by doing so poorly. They definitely showed last night that they were capable of being cool, but unfortunately in a day or so they'll return to the pitiful drudgery. And for those of you who enjoy MTV, I'm sorry, but I don't know if it really has much right to have music anywhere in the name nowadays. Anyway, I just wanted to say that MTV was really cool last night, if only for last night.

-Donovan

I Just...I Just...

With fellow blogmates running for tampons as they jubilantly awaited the release of Regina Spektor's latest album, Far, I finally decided to give her a shot.

Holy Poopsicle! This chick is good!

Despite the fact that I loathe being the guy that jumps on the bandwagon, I wish I could shout my love for Regina from a mountaintop, but I don't have a mountaintop, I have a blog! All I have to say is if you haven't given her a chance yet, pick up a copy of Soviet Kitsch and fall in love. And if you have already fallen in love, fall in love again by listening to the opening track of 2004's Soviet Kitsch again!

Regina Spektor - Ode To Divorce

-Bishop-

Michael Jackson Is Dead

Michael Jackson has died at the age of 50. According to several sources (including the ever-questionable TMZ), Jackson suffered a heart attack and was rushed to the hospital around 2:30pm pacific time this afternoon. We'll let you know more once we know more, but right now you know as much as we do, if not more.

Song o' the Week #24

Photo from Harlem MySpace

I've been listening to Harlem's Free Drugs a lot lately as news came that they signed with Matador and will release their second album sometime next year. This is great news for everyone, because not does it mean another great act is added to the Matador roster, but also Harlem's next release should get some more attention. Which they certainly deserve.

Harlem- Caroline
iTunes / amazon
Harlem MySpace

-Chandler

New Banners On fork/knife!

Hopefully by now you've noticed the new banner across the top of our site. Every two weeks or so (we're not sure yet), there'll be a new banner, incorporating the great design of either an album cover or concert poster. You can find the information concerning each banner on the top of the right hand column of the page, while it's up. We've already collected forty or so banners that will keep things interesting and fresh.

Naysayers, embrace change! This guy's got the idea.

Bob Dylan - The Times They Are A Changin'

Amazon / iTunes

-Chris

Revisiting an Old Friend

I recently experienced an insatiable urge for some Sigur Rós, and when you experience such an urge where better to go than Ágætis byrjun? And it truly is a magical album, but my favorite track is so majestic, so fantastic, it must be heard rather than discussed. Here's Olsen Olsen, the eighth track off Ágætis byrjun, which has very strong roots in classical music. It's also secretly about the Olsen twins, but everyone already knows that.

Sigur Rós - Olsen Olsen
Buy Song:ITunes

-Donovan

New Don Diablo

We just got this in our mailbox today. Don Diablo takes The Roots' "The Seed 2.0" and spices it up a bit, and it's quite good. Plus, it's nice to see The Roots get some love while they're wallowing in Fallon's still mediocre humor on his late night show. Anyway, enjoy this tasty ditty and to all our European readers: Don Diablo is playing June 27 at Pete Tong's Wonderland night at Ministry of Sound in London and June 28 at the Glastonbury Festival in the Dance Village (West Dance).

Don Diablo- The Seed 3.0
Don Diablo MySpace
The Roots MySpace

-Chandler

Album Review: Dragonslayer

"Get this album."

I have to admit: the first time I heard this album I was rather underwhelmed, and the only track that really stood out was the epic ten minute closer "Dragon's Lair." As it would turn out, this is such a great example of an album that swells up with goodness and grows to perfection with more listens. I have no idea how Spencer Krug keeps up this ridiculous amount of musical output (he's been a part of twelve full length studio albums in the last four years), but I think this may be his finest release to date. Every song unravels with subsequent listens to reveal the intricate melodies and, more importantly, the lyrics. The album contains some of the most beautiful and captivating lyrics I've heard in a long time, and following Krug through his journey while his words spill out is just as impressive and enjoyable as the backing instrumentation, if not more so.

It's clear that Krug is maturing, and his music is obviously doing the same. While some may say At Mount Zoomer was weaker than Apologies to The Queen Mary (and it was), I think a steady progression can be seen over all his projects. And if this continues, I'm actually kind of scared to see what he whips up next. The energy on the album is so palpable thanks to it's mostly live recording, I don't know how Krug could possibly top himself now. I guess we'll have to see.

I know a lot of people (including myself) were blown away by Sunset Rubdown's previous effort Random Spirit Lover, so I certainly wouldn't say I enjoy Dragonslayer more if I didn't absolutely mean it. To clarify: I mean it. I can't do anymore to express my love for it: Get this album.

Sunset Rubdown- Silver Moons
iTunes / amazon / jagjaguwar
Sunset Rubdown Myspace

-Chandler

Looking for Good Lyrics?

David Bazan is easily one of my top five favorite songwriters. As the brains behind Pedro the Lion and The Headphones, he's got a catalog of fine material that is worthy of some serious listening time. Now, Bazan is recording and performing solo, and playing house shows across the country by request! Yep, that's right. In an unusual move, Bazan played several house shows in the pacific northwest, and will be playing more shows on the east coast this August. Check out more details at Bazan's website.

For now, take a listen to one of Bazan's solo recordings. It's a solo version of a great Pedro the Lion song that highlight's his masterful lyrics. Enjoy!

David Bazan - When They Really Get To Know You They Will Run

Amazon / iTunes

Bazan's Official Website

-Chris