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17 (Youth Lagoon Cover)
Astronauts, etc. |
Astronauts, etc. - 17 (Youth Lagoon Cover)
Astronauts, etc. has really made a lovely cover of Youth Lagoon’s 17. This track is the kind of song you can listen to over and over again when you are tired out of your mind and it will soothe you like a full brain massage through your earlobes. The raw vocals and live sound make the impact of this song far more immediately emotional than more polished recordings.
Just like Tim Fitz, this DIY musician has shown a proficiency dubbing over the top of the tracks he has laid down to essentially play the entire song solo.
You can check out more of Astronauts, etc.’s work on his Soundcloud page which includes plenty more free downloads. Enjoy.
Download - 17
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All Summer Long
Horrorshow |
Horrorshow - All Summer Long (Live)
And i still think of your face everytime it rains and I wonder
In a different time and place could we find our way to one another?
Solo MC from Horrorshow really crystalised the sentimental feeling of chance encounters and forlorn teenage infatuation when he penned All Summer Long from the group’s 2008 debut album The Grey Space.
On an album that features some heavy topics, such as depression, losing loved ones and finding hope, All Summer Long brightens the corners of The Grey Space and makes the listener feel what it’s like to be 16 and in love again.
To reward their fans on the four year gap since their last studio full-length, Horrorshow have decided to release a free live album, Live At the Spiegeltent. The generous act is also a calculated move to excite old fans and win over casual listeners before the group release their third album later this year.
Enjoy.
Download - Live At the Spiegeltent (album)
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Wrapped in Piano Strings
Radical Face |
Radical Face - Wrapped In Piano Strings
One song I know I will never tire of hearing is this one. Ben Cooper uses accordion, strings, guitar and yes, piano strings to pull at your heartstrings. Gothic subject matter is in its abundance on Radical Face’s debut concept album where narratives are told from the perspective of a ghost.
The 2006 album Ghost is not short of its fair share of classic songs. Welcome Home and Glory are just two other highlights worthy of a listen if this type of chill is up your alley.
Enjoy.
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Twice (Black Room Session)
Little Dragon |
Little Dragon - Twice (Black Room Session)
Little Dragon have gradually been emerging into the social conscious through their genre-defying music. They have continued to break new ground with each subsequent release and with luck, they will continue to win over fans worldwide.
The Swedes released their self-titled debut album in 2007. Twice is the opener.
Beginning your album with a song like Twice is setting the bar high. Its deadpan melody and sparse production brings out the rawness of Yukimi Nagano’s vocals. That piano riff is contemplative and has been sampled to great effect by hip hop artists A.Dd+ on Under and Zion I & J. Period’s Likwid (Dubplate).
Perhaps one of the most impressive things about this song is that it is a live rendition of Twice. You can watch Little Dragon’s performance of this on Youtube.
FISHING - White Sheet Beach
When it comes to innovative electronic music in Australia, FISHING are close to the top of the pile for me. Their newbie White Sheet Beach is reminiscent of fellow Sydney residents Seekae.
The synths and effects strike a chord between bitter and sweet making for an emotive listen. Hopefully, FISHING’s latest release on independent Australian label Yes Please will signify a future album imminently.
Enjoy!
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Sodom, South Georgia
Iron & Wine |
Iron & Wine - Sodom, South Georgia
Sam Beam aka the frontman of Iron & Wine is one of the singer/songwriters of our generation for the following reasons:.
- His introspective lyrics are witty and poignant.
- His hushed singing voice is evocative, distinctive and totally unique
- His music is not only thought-provoking, profound and affective but also beautiful to listen to.
Sodom South Georgia is a story about Beam’s father passing away. Whether it is fictional or not, I’m not sure. Although the topic is dark, Beam manages to tell it in a way that is not depressing, but rather enlightening. His matter-of-fact depictions of scenery and a township at the time of his passing is vivid. By the end of the song, we are shown that life moves on - which reflects the theme of life on the album Our Endless Numbered Days, from which this song appears.
Enjoy.
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A Landslide Coming Down
Kid Sam |
Kid Sam - A Landslide Coming Down
Cousins Kishore Ryan and Kieran Ryan form the Melbourne duo Kid Sam. This song is so delicate yet it is driven by a definite tension. The bittersweet guitar picking and Kieran’s haunting vocals give it a etherial sound.
While the instrumentation is fairly minimal, the percussion and guitar have enough impact on the listener to give this soft player replay quality.
I recommend listening to this song in a haunted house or before a thunderstorm.
The band have sinced released a debut self titled album in 2009. Click below for a free mp3 courtesy of the group’s Triple J Unearthed page. Enjoy!
Download - A Landslide Coming Down
For fans of Big Scary and Grand Salvo
Eluvium - Prelude For Time Feelers
Whoever said that there are no great classical composers alive today? Well maybe noone said that, but in my opinion the absence of knowledge about contemporary classical music is almost as bad.
Prelude For Time Feelers is an evocative song that begins with a simple piano piece before an orchestra lifts the mood and continues to build right up until the climactic finish. The track was taken from Eluvium’s 2007 album Copia.
Sometimes you need to stand up and represent classical music. Next time, bump this in yo’ ride when you’re cruisin the hood blastin’ foolz.
Download - Prelude For Time Feelers (control-click & save)
