Jeremy Enigk- OK Bear

If you've heard "World Waits," then you know kinda what you're getting into here. It's a little more rockin than that last album with less orchestral arrangements, and maybe a little less unique. Still worth a listen, there are some cool tracks.

http://rapidshare.com/files/226909838/Jeremy_Enigk_-_OK_Bear.rar

I think Jeremy has started sounding like Neil Young in his old age. It makes me a little sad.

Iron and Wine- Around the Well

Genre: folk, acoustic

New Iron and Wine rarities and b-sides CD that just leaked. It is definitely the best thing Sam Beam has put out since the In the Reins EP, imho. Yes, I like it better than Our Endless Numbered Days. I'm not going to post it because you should definitely buy it. Only $11 for double CD pre-order at subpop.com.

http://subpop.com/releases/iron_and_wine/full_lengths/around_the_well

(Wow, four entries today. I must have paper I don't want to write...)

Drawing Trees- Grocery Store

Genre: experimental, really good guitar playing, field recordings

The dude from ThemRoaring, Twenties with help from A Wonderful and various other geniuses. Pretty nice stuff, although there's very little drums or percussion. Just really really good guitar playing.

Available for free here: drawingtrees.bandcamp.com

Bonnie "Prince" Billy and Cheyenne Mize- Among the Gold

Genre: folk, early 20th century

I talked about this album a while back, but here it is in its entirety. I think it's really nice, being as it's all covers of songs from the first half of the 1900's. They're all very chill and beautiful at times.

http://rs659.rapidshare.com/files/225278229/atg.zip

Don Caballero- American Don

Genre: math rock, jazz, groove your ass off

Have you ever heard of Ian Williams? Ever listened to Battles? Then you need to listen to this CD. This is the CD that got me interested in math rock and is still one of my favorites.

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=1NHJ9NN0

If you enjoy this, check out Ian's earlier band, Storm and Stress, which I posted a while back. If the link's dead I can re-up it for you.

PIglet- Lava Land + unreleased tracks

Genre: jazz, math rock

Piglet is probably my favorite non-Kinsella project to come out of Chicago and their break-up was devastating. They only put out one 6 song CD, Lava Land, and a handful of unreleased live songs and recordings. Here they all are. Appreciate the wonder.

http://www.mediafire.com/?nnmym1tdmby

Mad Science is one of the greatest songs ever.

Midlake- The Trials of Van Occupanther

Genre: indie folk, indie pop

The recently flooded genre of indie-folk is a dangerous beast because it can quickly and for no real reason become extremely generic and boring. I think this album skates the line very well, coming out with an album that doesn't go overly poppy while still having some cool folky influences. Maybe like a folky Loney, Dear. (Found on the "less talk, more rock" blog, a great one.)

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=XFFJCZ07

Bill Callahan- Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle

Genre: new wave folk, adult contemporary?

This album is really neat. It has the best parts of Bonnie Prince Billy with none of the over-the-top arrangements and strange, bassy talk-singing of some really wonderful lyrics. They are poignant and personal without being overbearing or weighty. Very nice.

http://rapidshare.com/files/214509489/CallBill.rar

Dirty Projctors- Stillness is the Move EP

Genre: math rock, experimental, hip-hop

Awesome single from an awesome album with some cool extra tracks.

(Link was fake. If I find it, I'll post it.)

mewithoutYou- it's all crazy! it's all false! it's all a dream! it's alright

A few short points about the album:

-The style is real folksy for the most part. Every part is somewhat framed around the acoustic guitar. Many parts feel kind of empty, as if the other band members didn't know what to do in this new setting.

-The production by Danielson is somewhat noticeable and adds a nice flair to the album. I think the songs would be even emptier without his backing choruses and wanky guitar/keyboard.

-The worst song on the album is "Bullet to Binary Pt. 2," which is a shame since that is the one most people will be looking forward to. It sounds very empty, mainly. The second worse track is the closer, "Allah, Allah, Allah," which sounds like a vacation bible school song, complete with Aaron yelling, "Bring it back now, one more time!"

-The lyrics are still great, with Aaron taking his "farm" imagery to another level. He must've had his Farmer's Almanac to come up with all the fruits, vegetables, and animals he mentions.

-Strong songs are "Timothy Hay," "every thought, a thought of You," and "the King Beetle on the Coconut Estate"

7/10? maybe a 6/10. worth a listen, but maybe not a buy unless you're a big fan (like me).

El Grupo Nuevo de Omar Rodriguez-Lopez- Cryptomnesia

Featuring Omar and Cedric from At the Drive-In, plus Zach Hill (from Hella) on drums, I was really excited for this release. However, it kinda just sounds like leftover Mars Volta songs with Hill on drums, which sounds awesome, but I wanted something new. This has been done before.

But please, make your own judgment. Let me know what you think.

http://rapidshare.com/files/223589633/egndor-c-drnd.rar (Link updated 4-22-09)

Dilute- Grape Blueprints Pour Spinach Olive Grape

Genre- mathy chillout

I guess I've never posted this album, although it's one of my favs. If you enjoyed Pretend, check these guys out. Or if you like early Joan of Arc or maybe Piglet. Watch out for the singing though, it's pretty creepy at points.

http://www.mediafire.com/?40mo11noyz5

NEW MWY SONG- Every Thought, a Thought of You

This is the best music day ever.

I really like this song, it's super groovy. Evidently the production on the new album was done by Danielson, and the little keyboard riff that goes throughout the song is very reminiscent of a Danielson song, as is the little da-da-da chorus thing. The lyrics are pretty cool and I think I really like the recording, although it's hard to tell on myspace.

myspace.com/mewithoutyou

Dirty Projctors- Bitte Orca

Genre: experimental, chillout, math r&b?

If their last release was a little too experimental for you, you might enjoy this one, as it's more straightforward and even has some soulful/hip-hop influences. The girls really stepped it up and everyone in this band does some truly amazing work. Although, if you've never heard them before, I'd start with Rise Above because it is the best thing they've ever done. enjoy.

http://uploading.com/files/ZVNBL9L6/DirtyProjectors.zip.html

Edit: After a listen-through, I'm not sure about this one. We'll see if it grows on me. I like the live versions of "Stillness on the Move" and "Remade Horizon" better though, definitely.

Edit 2: Ok, well, the first two tracks are really good, as is the single, "Stillness is the Move." There's not really a bad song. I am a little dissapointed by the arrangement of "Remade Horizon," but overall, a buy over a download I think.

Pretend

Genre: math beauty, chillout

So this band is releasing a CD very soon (called "Bones in the Soil, Rust in the Oil"), like next month, and it's going to be one of my top albums of the year. I am positive. They have one song for listening here:

www.myspace.com/pretendrock

Please listen to it and add them so you know right when you can buy it.

The Littlest Viking- Labor and Lust

Genre: melodic math rock, post rock

These guys were nice enough to send me their new CD to review, and I'm certainly glad they did. You might remember me posting their last release, the Mafia EP, a while back, but this is definitely a positive forward progression of their sound. The one old song on the CD, "One Malt. Two Straws," is a re-recording (but I think I liked the old version better), and you can definitely tell that the new songs have a better flow to them.

I love the first track, "Joe the Actor," which has no less than three different parts that make me dance, but there's really not a weak track on the album. I am reminded of El Ten Eleven at parts, but right when I think I have their sound pegged, they throw in a punky part, or a jazzy part and send me back to square one. There are some really cool ideas in these songs and I look forward to what else these guys will put out. They are carving out their own niche in what can be a cookie-cutter genre.

8/10 (I've never done a rating before so you have nothing to compare this to, but you know, it seems about right.)

http://www.mediafire.com/?tmjdmrmytvg