tuneage : everyone deserves good music

My Brightest Diamond - “Inside a Boy”

My Brightest Diamond’s second full album, A Thousand Shark’s Teeth, was released last week, so here’s a track from it, for those unfortunate enough not to have had the pleasure of the gorgeous voice of Shara Worden. “Inside a Boy” is the first track from the album, as well as the first single.

You can buy the whole album from Asthmatic Kitty’s website, where you can also download this song for free.

Baskervilles - “A Little More Time”

Baskervilles is down right indie pop. Happy, dancing, windows down, sweating and you don’t care kind of indie pop. Of-course-I-love-Belle-&-Sebastian kind of indie pop. Hand claps and violins kind of indie pop.

June 3rd saw the release of Twilight, a 14 song collection of sugary upbeat pop. The release was a culmination of a singles project that saw a new Baskervilles track being produced and released every month from September 2006 to January 2008, all of which are still streaming at baskervilles.net. What started as a failed 4 song Swedish EP has now become 14 songs of bliss pop just in time for summer.

Dr Dog - “The Old Days”

Dr Dog has been around for a while (we’ve even featured them before), but they’re new to me. Turns out they’re an interesting band: their sound is clearly rooted in 60s pop (think The Beatles, The Beach Boys, etc), but it takes that sound and marries it with today’s indie pop/rock (think Spoon or The Shins). The result feels new and different while sounding familiar, just the way I like it.

This song, “The Old Days”, is from their upcoming album Fate (to be released July 22nd on Park the Van Records), and jumps right in with the piano hook that plays throughout the song before picking up with the punchy chorus and high-energy breakdown that carries the second-half of the song. After I pick up their earlier albums, I’ll be coming back to this a lot until the album is released.

The Submarines - “Thorny Thicket” 

Ah, yes. Another indie-pop duo from LA. This song is just so pretty sounding.

The Submarines have a pretty interesting story… almost a dysfunctional Mates of State. I will share the abridged version with you.

• Boy musician meets Girl musician
• Boy & Girl begin “collaborating” with each other
• Boy & Girl move to LA… but end up breaking up with each other
• Boy & Girl use break up as the driving force behind their solo endeavors 
• Girl still records music at Boy’s home studio and end up sharing new material with him. He shares his with her
• Boy & Girl end up getting back together and marry soon after
• A friend mastered their 2006 release, Declare A New State! as a wedding present

That brings us now. This song is off their 2008 release, Honeysuckle Weeks, which was released in May. 

Stars of Track and Field - “Lullaby for a G.I./Don’t Close Your Eyes”

This Portland-based band is not to be confused with the UK group or the Belle & Sebastian song with the same name. Their 2006 album, Centuries of Love and War, bravely attempts to highlight conflict with beauty without sacrificing lyrics or sound. As today in America honors those who have died in military service, this catchy track creatively sympathizes by trying to imagine a soldier’s perspective. Interestingly, anyone who knows a war veteran may understand the importance of a lullaby, which is precisely what makes this tune so clever.

Starlight Mints - Inside of Me

Starlight Mints’ albums as a whole are decidedly more experimental and psychedelic than this track — and, in places, a bit rubbish. But some of their stuff, like this track from their 2006 album Drowaton, is just brilliant. Right from the opening guitar riff, nothing but great, jaunty pop. Perfect for getting you through Monday morning.

Flake Music - Spanway Hits 

In 1992, a couple of friends got together in Albuquerque, New Mexico and they started a band.  They were lo-fi.  Not the bad lo-fi that is lo-fi just for the sake of being lo-fi… but that slightly endearing, exciting lo-fi that makes you want to keep listening to see what they can accomplish.  Their brand of jangly pop was well received locally.  They released several 7” splits with other local bands, an EP called Spork and full length CD entitled When You Land Here, Its Time to Return.  After some time, two of the members went off and started a side project.  Shortly thereafter, the rest of the band dissolved.  The band’s name was Flake (alternativly known as Flake Music).  They have been resigned to the annals of indie rock history.   

So, what ever happened to the side project?  Nothing really.  They moved to Portland, Oregon and became the Shins.

Mates Of State - Get Better

Alright, I’m really excited about this song, this album, etc. Remember how excited I was when I heard the new We Are Scientists track on the radio? Yeah, that song was directly followed by this one, which made me completely stoked for new music all over again! Mates Of State have to be the best married duo/band out there. Anyway, Re-Arrange Us will be out May 20th on Barsuk Records. 

Rock. 

Headlights - On April 2

I just came across this delightful piece of indie-rock perfection while at work. I’ve never heard of Headlights til a few days ago, thanks to a co-worker. They are from Champaign, IL and this song is off their most recent release, Some Racing, Some Stopping which came out this past March. 

They will soon be hitting the road and makings stops in the midwest and northeast. Perhaps I’ll check them out once they get to New York…

Enjoy! 

The Bird and the Bee - Fucking Boyfriend

The Bird (Inara George) and the Bee (Greg Kurstin) have been around since 2006. This song is off of their debut EP Again and Again and Again and Again. They come from LA, which threw me off when I began listening to them. I first thought they were a Euro-pop duo!

Inara George has such a sweet and airy voice, it almost seems out of place to hear her sing “fucking boyfriend.” They have a knack for knocking out catchy tunes that are incredibly easy to get stuck in your head.

In addition to playing Coachella this year, they’ll be playing a jazz benefit at The New School in NYC on June 2nd. More info can be found on their Myspace page. Hopefully they’ll have more tour dates in the future!