Fader Magazine Contest!

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The full version of Fader Magazine is now available (in pdf format) to be downloaded and read, totally free right HERE. Additionally there is a podcast to accompany each issue, featuring music from the artists who appear in the issue. We are running this contest to help celebrate Fader fever. Just be the first to answer this Fader fun fact question: WHO IS THE OTHER DUDE (not Albarn) FEATURED IN THE NEWEST ISSUE OF FADER? Here’s the prize pack:

A highly collectable 7″ (1-500) from the Fader /Southern Comfort featuring tracks by M. Ward with Jim James and Lady Hawk.

Copy of The Good The Bad and The Queen album

A steamy picuture of Lou Diamond Phillips

Holy shit this is nutz! Please send all contest entries to usounds AT gmail Dot com

J Ship’s A – Z (with Jonathan Shipley)

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Garfunkel, Art
Two things, Artie, if you’re reading this.
1) Find a good barber.

2) Lay off the weed.

Gender
From Chico Instrument Encyclopedia:

An important part of the Indonesian gamelan ensemble, the gender looks something like a xylophone. It usually has twelve or fourteen thin brass “keys” suspended over tube shaped resonators. Because these resonators have different lengths and therefore tunings, you hear different pitches sounding when the keys are stuck with padded mallets. These resonators used to be made from bamboo, which did not prove to be very long-lasting. Now they are exclusively made out of zinc which may be painted a bamboo color.

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The Trucks The Trucks [Clickpop Records]

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The Trucks have gained one very skeptical fan in this writer. I can’t stand it when music is directed at a specific audience. I hated every single, critically acclaimed Sleater-Kinney album because I felt so completely alienated by their lyrics, their fan base, and often their message. I would go as far as to say that I felt unwelcome to enjoy many all-female bands.

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Stream of the Day – The Apples in Stereo

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Don’t fuck with the apples

The New Magnetic Wonder is out today (simultaneously released on Yep Roc and Elijah Wood’s newly formed label, Simian Frodo Records) and marks the Apples’ first release in 5 years. 

Here are some words about the new album via Yep Rock, “True to their Elephant 6 roots, the album features an array of special guests including many members of the Elephant 6 collective. The Apples sought the production skills of acclaimed engineer Bryce Goggin (Pavement, Sebadoh, Phish, Sean Lennon). Goggin and Schneider together massaged the vortex between lush orchestration and an indie rock sparseness all the while understanding the Apples collective unconscious, infused by influences as diverse as ELO, Pavement, and the Beach Boys.”

And of course, some words about the new album by Frodo, “I miss the Shire. I spent all my childhood pretending I was off somewhere else … off with you on one of your adventures! My own adventure turned out to be quite different. I’m not like you, Bilbo.”

Also, Jeff Mangum’s album contributions include: drums, cow object, backing vocals, and handclaps.

Stream The New Magnetic Wonder on Yep Roc

Suburban Kids With Biblical Names #3 [Minty Fresh]

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Rating: 6.75

The cover art gets a perfect ten. As for the music, it’s cheeky and clever, whimsical, and sports a consistent combination of electronic beats and habit-forming pop melodies. Swedish duo Peter Gunnarson and Johan Hedberg have created feel-good music in this album chock full of happy-go-lucky ditties transparently influenced by the likes of the Magnetic Fields. Their mission? To “turn all the dance floors into a burning inferno of ba-ba- ba”, says Labrador. If I must put this band in a category, I’ll go with what they claim on MySpace: “Hyphy/Tropical/Regional Mexican”. Also lifted off their MySpace page: “sounds like a long line of rocks or sand near the surface of the sea”.

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USOUNDS Contests Are Back!

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Eleni Mandell’s new album, Miracle of Five will be released tomorrow. To celebrate, we are giving away a copy of the album and a pair of tickets to the SEATTLE show in a contest package we like to call, Miracle of You at a Show. The show is next Thursday February 15th at The Tractor Tavern in beautiful downtown Ballard.

Be the first person to email usounds AT gmail DOT com with “Mandell” in the subject line, and win a copy of this CD and a pair of show tix.  Remember:  Seattle Only!

Girls mp3
Girls Video

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