Downloads- Leonard Cohen Live mp3s March 15, 2009Our friends over at SixEyes have some great mp3 downloads of Leonard Cohen live in a new performance from February of this year. Check it outJan Fossbeck
- Seabear vs. Seawolf October 10, 2007Seabear practice a new song in the bushes called, “You can suck it Sea Wolf” Seabear - I Sing I Swim (I eat the dead carcasses of wolves) [mp3] Sea Wolf - You’re a Wolf (Not an a-hole Bear) [mp3]usounds
- The A-Sides mp3s September 26, 2007The A-Sides bury a few dead corpses during Mitzvah Mania in Fairmount Park The A-Sides are more exciting than the A-Frames and the A-team combined. You’ll see… Cinematic [mp3] Diamonds [mp3] We’re the Trees [mp3]usounds
- Georgie James mp3 Review by Pemba Norgay September 19, 2007Usounds has been really busy for the last week and a half recruiting new writers, finding rare albums and bangin’ hos. So they pulled my ass out of the Himalayas to join the usounds reserve (which is kind of like the Army reserve but with less soldiers and more hard drugs and hella bitches) [...]usounds
- Enon - Mirror on You mp3 September 6, 2007Enon temporarily stash a few dead bodies near a high school football field until the weekend when they plan on renting a boat and disposing these carcasses once and for all in the Delaware River Enon’s new album, Grass Geysers…Carbon Clouds is due out October 9th on Touch and Go Records. Here’s the first single [...]usounds
- Another Good Life mp3 September 5, 2007Our bff’s at Saddle Creek sent us another mp3 from The Good Life’s upcoming Help Wanted Nights. Purchase or stream the new album on the Saddle Creek online store. You Don’t Feel Like Home to Me [mp3]usounds
- Heavy Trash Download and Album Stream September 4, 2007Jon Spencer and Matt Verta-Ray go way out of New York’s city limits to dump a few dead bodies. Heavy Trash’s Going Way Out With Heavy Trash is out today on Yep Roc. Outside Chance [mp3] Going Way Out With Heavy Trash [Album Stream]usounds
- Leonard Cohen Live mp3s March 15, 2009
- Reviews
- Jenni Potts, The Fourth EP - by Shrie Bradford December 14, 20076.7 I’ve been putting off this review for a couple of weeks now. I was thinking, all of this time, that Jenni would turn out to be bland – another pretty girl with a bad habit of playing guitar. 1.76 songs into The Fourth EP, her debut out on Clickpop Records, Jenni convinced me that [...]usounds
- The Annuals - Live at the Rock and Roll Hotel November 1, 2007This was my second time at D.C.’s Rock and Roll Hotel in the span of a month, this time to catch The Annuals. Technically the band goes without the “the,” but for the sake of reader-friendliness, I’ll be including the definite article. The show was on a Sunday night, which was curious given [...]Matthew Wendus
- M83 Digital Shades Vol. 1 [Mute] October 31, 2007Rating: 8.0 Ambient electronica, as the name implies, is a genre that demands scale over scope. Brian EnoÂ’s gift to music has had a rather uneven history, mostly owing to the fact that itÂ’s extremely difficult to get right without tottering into either instrumental overload or the dubious lure of world music. Furthermore, as technology advances [...]Matthew Wendus
- His Name is Alive Xmmer [Silver Mountain Media Group] October 29, 2007Rating: 6.0 In 1990, His Name is Alive released their first album on the prestigious 4AD label in England. The Livonia, Michigan group established itself as an experimental and sometimes ethereal pop band throughout their tenure with 4AD, which ended in 2002. Last year’s critically acclaimed Detrola was their first release for the Silver [...]Andrew Boe
- Jenni Potts, The Fourth EP - by Shrie Bradford December 14, 2007
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Jenni Potts, The Fourth EP - by Shrie Bradford
Friday, December 14, 2007
6.7
I’ve been putting off this review for a couple of weeks now. I was thinking, all of this time, that Jenni would turn out to be bland – another pretty girl with a bad habit of playing guitar. 1.76 songs into The Fourth EP, her debut out on Clickpop Records, Jenni convinced me that she is not talentless or boring. A mere 20 or so years old, Jenni Potts makes music that proves to be much more elegant and sincere than her years display. The Fourth does it all right – it’s pensive and pertinent; it’s slightly ambient, but jagged with rock girl mentality. Jenni has been through a lot, and you feel it in every croon of her voice. It seems as if all her anger, frustration, past tragedies, and depression are the fabric of this heartfelt unveiling.
The Annuals - Live at the Rock and Roll Hotel
Thursday, November 1, 2007
This was my second time at D.C.’s Rock and Roll Hotel in the span of a month, this time to catch The Annuals. Technically the band goes without the “the,” but for the sake of reader-friendliness, I’ll be including the definite article. The show was on a Sunday night, which was curious given The Annuals’ considerably more prominent stature than most of the indie acts the venue sees. I suppose the R&R isn’t exactly the most prominent venue nestled in its H Street abode next to a dollar store that still advertises phone cards. Despite the drawback of low turnout and grudging reality of work for most the next day, The North Carolina indie band has a reputation for wild live shows and I wasn’t about to miss out on the fun.
M83 Digital Shades Vol. 1 [Mute]
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Rating: 8.0
Ambient electronica, as the name implies, is a genre that demands scale over scope. Brian Eno’s gift to music has had a rather uneven history, mostly owing to the fact that it’s extremely difficult to get right without tottering into either instrumental overload or the dubious lure of world music. Furthermore, as technology advances with the times, the detail demanded during the analog days of electronica is often passed over in favor of letting the machines just do their thing.
Castanets Interview
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Bearded pic taken from Castanets’ MySpace
The man behind Castanets is mid US tour, yet takes time to talk with Shane Mehling about feline asthma, Freak Folk and (obviously) Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo.
usounds: What lessons did you learn from your last record that you addressed on In The Vines?
Raymond Raposa: I learned to fry eggs. I learned the wretched smell of corn mash turning to whiskey, the smell that burns the inside of your nostrils, makes you think blood will tear from your eyes. I learned that it is better to leave some things on the ground no matter how intriguing they are to pick up.
usounds: Since the name implies a group of people, was the band started out with the intention of it not being a solo project? Do you ever think about forming a full-time band?
Raposa: It only implies a group of people if it’s written or said as “The Castanets” which is incorrect. It’s Castanets. The band did start out as a trio, however quickly mutated and the possibility for happy accidents by inviting friends and strangers to share the stage was sweet unpredictability. I have dream bands in mind, but I think these dreamy incarnations are happening in ways more powerful than self-willing or intentionality. It’s a flexibility thing. Keeping limber.
usounds: With Radiohead putting out their new record for as little as zero dollars, do you think this will have a trickle-down effect for indie bands in the near future?
His Name is Alive Xmmer [Silver Mountain Media Group]
Monday, October 29, 2007
Rating: 6.0
In 1990, His Name is Alive released their first album on the prestigious 4AD label in England. The Livonia, Michigan group established itself as an experimental and sometimes ethereal pop band throughout their tenure with 4AD, which ended in 2002. Last year’s critically acclaimed Detrola was their first release for the Silver Mountain label, and Xmmer now follows in very much the same vein.
Two Gallants Two Gallants Saddle Creek
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Rating: 8.5
I have an oddly unironic obsession with playing solitaire. My fancy little PDA-cell phone has a built-in solitaire game, and I play it endlessly on the bus. I’ve been going at this for a couple of months now on my commute to and from work, keeping a little note with my high scores (I know, I use my PDA to it’s fullest capability. No internet plan, but I’ll play the shit out of the built in solitaire game.) Anyway, I’ve found an interesting dynamic with the music that I choose to listen to while I play solitaire. I want it to be upbeat, but not obnoxious. Not background music, per se… more motivational, but not motivational like “Gonna Fly Now.” I’ve found that proper music gives me the best possible solitaire form.
