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First Aid Kit – The Lion’s Roar (NPR’s First Listen)

When you listen to the new LP The Lion’s Roar from the sister-duo First Aid Kit your slowly transported to an erstwhile age, or so it seems. You get the feeling of being in a country before electricity or running water, with all the rustic beauty and heartbreaks of a simpler time. Johanna and Klara Söderberg are no doubt going to have a great year and dare I say, a wonderful career. You can check out the entire release on NPR’s First Listen and be swept away by their captivating songs. Peace. Continue reading “First Aid Kit – The Lion’s Roar (NPR’s First Listen)”

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Sufjan Stevens – Damascus

Photo credit: Denny Renshaw

It’s a warm sweater // My lover’s breath in my face // A harkening of pinned flame to lips.

This song, let it soundtrack every wondrous occurrence worth remembrance. The beauty of Sufjan Stevens is simply the honest nature of his tenderly crafted songs. I’ve been listening to this fellow Michigander as of late, and the rarefied song “Damascus” is a constant favorite. Grab you lover tonight and enjoy. Peace.

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fleet foxes // the shrine/an argument + video


 
Imagine the loneliness of this song, how it has traveled eons and ages, so far just to be here and now. My hat off to the guys from Seattle for creating such soulful and vision inducing fare. If you’ve listened to Fleet Foxes before then you know it changes you, or like a peyote trip it conjures up visages of inner-deep stirrings (at least for me) which transport you hither and yon. Then we’re treated to such a visual as the video for “The Shrine/An Argument” and we hang our collective mouths stupefied and drooling. I’ve watched this many times already, and I’ll surely watch it again and again. Dream me, I’m pinched. Peace. Continue reading “fleet foxes // the shrine/an argument + video”

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The Black Atlantic – Reverence For Fallen Trees

Forgive me an oversight, it wasn’t my intention to deprive you of The Black Atlantic. Yes, they are good enough to want to hoard, and by virtue of their beautiful songs one would not hold it against me I trust. You can lose time, even days just as easily listening to their debut LP Reverence for Fallen Trees. These songs will assail you, working their way into the inner workings of your heart and head like tendrils of ephemeral light,  and like me, you will not be sated. The band is currently working on new material for their forthcoming Darkling, I Listen EP due early 2012, for additional details go here. Peace.

Also, enjoy this live recording of the more recent song “The Aftermath” recorded live in Shanghai, China.

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Villagers – Becoming A Jackal (Acoustic)

I was listening to old playlists today on my iPod and I came across this gem. It is a song taken from the Villagers stellar 2010 debut album Becoming A Jackal. I’ve posted an acoustic version of the song below, which features lead singer Conor O’Brien singing his heart out. The song “Becoming A  Jackal” is unlike any other song I’ve ever heard (as is the entire album). It is primal and a bit dark, and if you listen closely it definitely speaks to several of our most human characteristics: survival, fear and loneliness. Kind of makes you want to run naked through the woods, or maybe not. Check it out. Peace.

Villagers – Becoming a Jackal (acoustic) from MatthewJAnthony on Vimeo.

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Brown Bird – Salt For Salt

How do you get inside of shadow and smothered facets of dim light. Further, how does one extrude those elusive analogies into potent song? It’s hard work for sure. Unless of course you’re the skillful sons of a gun going by Brown Bird. The songs on Salt For Salt cut you down like a fifth or two of Jameson, minus the shot glass and ice of course. Take these songs straight up without a chaser, and suffer through them to get to the warm glow of temporary peace at the bottom of the metaphorical glass.  David Lamb and MorganEve Swain are taking their demons by the horns and creating a wondrous sound worth hearing. Listen below. Two of my favorites are “Bilgewater” and “End of Days” and of course the anchor weight of “Thunder and Lightning”. These songs, they’ll poke you right in the chest and get your attention like a shotgun brandished in the dead on night. Peace.

 

Watch a live session of “Thunder and Lightning” below.