Beardy men

Yesterday, I was riding the tram through the city, and when it passed a small sushi place I noticed that all of its three costumers had big beards.

It looked like they were a band or something. A 'beardy men indie-folk' band.

... like Bon Iver

• mp3: Bon Iver - Brackett, W9
  
• mp3: Bon Iver - Re: Stacks
  
• mp3: Bon Iver - Lump Sum

... or Fleet Foxes

• mp3: Fleet Foxes - Mykonos
  
• mp3: Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal

What happened to beardy men indie-folk? Neither Bon Iver nor Fleet Foxes have released any new LPs in two years now. I can't believe it's already been two years. Apparently Fleet Foxes are working on a new album that's going to be released in the fall, though! I'm pretty excited about it, after their very strong debut effort. To be fair, Bon Iver at least did an EP a year ago. Hope they start work on a new LP soon! I wonder how long Fleet Foxes' and Bon Ivers' beards have grown by now.
(their beards pretty small at the start of their tours in 2008, but quite long and manly looking by the end of 2008).

Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion

Animal Collective has been blowing people's minds for quite some time now, and their newest release, Merriweather Post Pavilion, is yet another exciting addition to their already extensive catalog. Like much of their more recent releases, the songs on this album definitely reflect the band's ever-changing interests and sounds very similar to the more electronica-influenced music Panda Bear's been putting out on his own. Deeply layered tracks, unique rhythms, and a certain amount of playfulness are the MO here.

from Merriweather Post Pavilion (2009)

My Girls

Also Frightened

Shugo Tokumaru

Shugo Tokumaru's Exit was one of my most anxiously awaited releases. Critically acclaimed, multi-talented, and always surprising, Tokumaru has a gift for creating extremely inviting music that involves a very intricate interweaving of both traditional and eclectic sonic palettes.

In other words, this is some good shit.

From Exit (2008)

Green Rain

Clocca

Shugo Tokumaru's website

Patton Oswalt, Alela DIane, and Blitzen Trapper

So Patton Oswalt is going to be at the 40 Watt here in Athens, GA this Friday the 6th. Obviously Patton is no stranger to Athens (I enter the video below as my first piece of evidence). I've got my ticket. Do you?



And coming Wednesday March 4 is Bltizen Trapper with Alela Diane. Honestly I'm more excited about Alela Diane than Blitzen Trapper, but Blitzen Trapper is pretty good too. "Furr," the track Yousuf posted a while back is an obvious stand out by them. As far as Alela Diane goes, here's her wonderful "Dry Grass and Shadows" as well as a video for "White As Diamonds," her most recent single.





from The Family Album compilation, Grass Roots Records (2006)
Dry Grass and Shadows

Blitzen Trapper

Furr

Blitzen Trapper is an experimental folk band out of Portland; I found them through an online Sub Pop sampler and thought they were pretty sweet. Furr is a really chill folk song with some mild sonic experimentation in the midst of the really clean production. It struck me as a song that would go well in a Wes Anderson movie.

Oh, sorry about the lack of posts over the break. No more breaks for a while. I hope.

Billy Bragg and Wilco

I remember my high school English teacher, Ms. Guha (Goo-ha), asking our class if any of us had heard of Billy Bragg, a folk singer from before our time. I was the only person in class who had, and I asked if she had heard of his work with the band Wilco. She hadn't, but you will.

Billy Bragg and Wilco worked together in 1998 and released Mermaid Avenue, which is a collection of lyrics from American folk singer Woody Guthrie, who died in 1967. The album displays the creativity from three different artist identities: Woody Guthrie, Billy Bragg, and Jeff Tweedy/Wilco. Although I wish the album was longer to give more to the listener in terms of hearing each entity develop while developing as a whole, but what I heard was still good.

Enjoy the great elements from early, to modern, to very modern American "folk" music, and the culmination of all three into one album and sound.

Here's California Stars.

The Reindeer Section

Cartwheels

Quiet, introspective, folky. The band was started by the lead of Snow Patrol, and released two albums, with a combination of 47 musicians from other popular bands like Mogwai, Belle & Sebastian, and Arab Strap.

Very enjoyable albums. They're no Broken Social Scene, but not every huge indie collaborative can be. The group has all the attractive features of the voice of Lightbody, without the pop aura that seems to taint his other work.