Paisley Sound

Win a signed copy of Flyday

2012-01-06T09:23:00.000-05:00

My friend S.M. Boyce is holding a giveaway at her blog, and until tomorrow you can enter to win a signed copy of my book (US only), and there are still giveaways starting up for 30 other books, so check it out.

Also, start reading my author blog A Writer's Notes if you haven't already. It's pretty cool. Although, I may be biased.

Ian Axel - "This Is the New Year"

2011-12-31T06:00:00.008-05:00

I found this video last year, and it remains the quintessential New Year's Eve song for me. It was released with Ian Axel's unique February 2011 album This Is the New Year. Happy New Year's Eve, everyone!

www.ianaxel.com

Harts, "Back to the Shore" MP3

2011-12-27T20:29:00.000-05:00

Harts is an indie rock project based in Melbourne. "Back to the Shore" is a fun, catchy song from his upcoming EP, which was mixed by Lars Stalfors of The Mars Volta. Check it out:

You can also download the song and listen to an interview here.

www.hartsmusic.com
facebook.com/hartsmusic

Josie Charlwood - covers and originals

2011-12-08T20:30:00.001-05:00

Josie Charlwood is a UK-based musician and songwriter. Her cover of "Feel Good Inc" is crazy impressive. Check out that looping. And she absolutely nails the rap:

You can hear a variety of music on her Youtube channel and her Soundcloud page. I particularly love her cover of MGMT's "Electric Feel."

MGMT Cover "Electric Feel" - Live by Josie Charlwood

Links:

itunes.com/josiecharlwood
facebook.com/josiecharlwoodmusic

Review of Shael Riley and the Double Ice Backfire's Ultimate Songs from the Pit

2011-11-26T01:46:00.001-05:00

Shael Riley and the Double Ice Backfire just came out with a new album, Ultimate Songs from the Pit. Running under the album is the undercurrent of lovely chiptune melodies, and it features sung vocals with occasional rapping. It dares to go where other indie albums won't: to the friend-zone, to crazy girlfriends, to video games and back again. But the album also has some seriously offensive misogyny, and at times I wondered, "Am I really hearing this?"

"How to Fire a Gun" is a free download, so check it out. It's been redone since the original EP and features a new chiptune solo that I think is just fantastic. "Hipster Hoax" has a new intro beat, "The Other Side of Memphis" is as sweet as ever.

"Boot Straps," a catchy, hard-rockin' song asks what we're all thinking about: "How can we live like this?" and discusses the anguish of working a dead-end job. There's "Princess of Ants," about falling for a cute but lackluster girl.

I didn't know what a "Hobby Model" was until a friend enlightened me: "Hobby models are basically girls who are geeky enough to get into posing as an underdressed character for money." So, there you go. It's a song about that.

"Rarest of Elements," as a woman, made me want to crawl into a hole and hide. Skip that one. I'm hoping it's tongue-in-cheek, especially when the next song opens with: "She don't care about your gamer score / That's just the currency of impotent gods."

The album ends with "Pump Up the Bass," about listening to music loud while writing (which is kind of what I'm doing now), and just sort of stops.

I loved Shael's work on The Grammar Club, but upon multiple listens I couldn't get into this album. It's a love letter to video games, and includes some genuinely good music, but the misogynistic lyrics made me pass.

Mumford & Sons - "Lover's Eyes" video

2011-11-07T23:13:00.000-05:00

Here's a touching performance of Mumford & Sons' lovely, unreleased song "Lover's Eyes" for iheartradio.

Thanks to Sally for the tip.

MP3 Roundup: Kites With Lights - "Cosmonauts"

2011-10-19T01:46:00.000-04:00

Kites with Lights (and I love that name) is an indie electro / synth pop project run by Jonah Cordy. His newest album, Cosmonauts, was released in August, and the eponymous song is a free download on Bandcamp. It's really something special. Take a listen:

Cosmonauts by Kites With Lights

The album is also very good, with cool backing vocals, synthesizer beeps and bloops in all the right places, and great use of sound clips. It has an incredible atmospheric feel, and the last three songs--"The Lonely Night," "Next Time" are "Balanced on Air"--are especially good, and left me wanting more. "Cosmonauts" is probably the most fun song, but there's no shortage of quality on the rest of the album.

Cosmonauts is available from Bandcamp, iTunes, and Amazon.

kiteswithlights.com
twitter.com/kiteswithlights

Said the Whale - "Lines"

2011-10-18T06:00:00.006-04:00

Said the Whale is an indie pop band from Vancouver. They've released two EPs so far, and they've compiled four B-sides for their upcoming New Brighton EP, to be released November 8th. They're currently on tour throughout the US. You might have heard their awesome song "Camilo (The Magician)."

"Lines," a song from their upcoming EP, is free download from saidthewhale.com today. Listen to the stream here:

"Lines" - Said the Whale by PlanetaryOnlinePR

twitter.com/saidthewhale
www.facebook.com/saidthewhale

Portugal. The Man - "So American" video

2011-10-17T06:00:00.001-04:00

Portugal. The Man's newest album In the Mountain in the Cloud came out in July, and they're currently touring across the US. They've also been tweeting about playing for some of the Occupy Wall Street protests, which is awesome. They recently performed "So American" on Conan.

Check out their new video for "So American":

twitter.com/portugaltheman
facebook.com/portugaltheman

Giraffage - Pretty Things EP

2011-10-10T19:53:00.000-04:00

I previously wrote about Robot Science earlier this year, and as I recall people really enjoyed the music. It's an electronic project by Charlie Yin, of San Francisco. He also has a side project called Giraffage, and his new EP, Pretty Things, is out and available for streaming or purchase on the Giraffage Bandcamp page.

You can also hear some remixes at facebook.com/giraffage and other songs on Soundcloud. Here's the EP:

Pretty Things EP by Giraffage

New album from Quiet Company - "We Are All Where We Belong"

2011-10-10T02:59:00.000-04:00

Quiet Company just released their new album, We Are All Where We Belong, on October 4th. Paisley previously featured the music video of their song "Fear and Fallacy."

Check out their web site for more information.

Odonis Odonis - Hollandaze

2011-10-06T07:00:00.002-04:00

Odonis Odonis is a band led by by Dean Tzenos, a Toronto-based musician. They play lo-fi punk with lots of reverb. Their new album Hollandaze, recorded mostly in Tzenos's home, drops on November 15th in the US.

To listen to their song "Ledged Up" from Hollandaze, click here. It's in intense rock song with great hooks and guitar work.

And enjoy this flashy music video of "Mr. Smith," a song they released with Lotus Plaza on Palmist Records last July:

Odonis Odonis - Mr. Smith from riceandcheese on Vimeo.

For more info: odonisodonis.com

New album from September 29th - Koalition

2011-10-05T21:22:00.000-04:00

September 29th's new album is out!

It's experimental folk indie, and quite a different sound than most of what's out there. Olgostin uses a variety of instruments to accompany her unique, soulful vocals. I especially like the second track, "I Used To Be Quite Good At This."

Check it out on Bandcamp or on the September 29th Facebook page.

We Were Promised Jetpacks - "Medicine"

2011-09-27T21:12:00.000-04:00

Hi, I'm Lynn, the new intern at Paisley.

We Were Promised Jetpacks has a new album coming out on October 4. And they are having a tour in the U.S. in October and November. Need I say more? To listen to "Medicine," a single they've released from their new album, In The Pit Of The Stomach, click here.

http://wewerepromisedjetpacks.com/

September 29th: "If I were the lyrics, you say you'd be the tune"

2011-09-14T19:18:00.000-04:00

I could write a post a day about September 29th and it wouldn't be nearly enough to cover her wonderful music. She's releasing a new album, Koalition, soon, and has many beautiful new songs up on her Facebook page. Check out "Hey, Wait, What If I'm Gay?" which is a great song with a vibrant video.

The ending contains a short clip that may be shocking, but sadly, as the video's description says, "We live in dark times."

MP3 roundup: San Cisco, "Golden Revolver"

2011-08-28T19:41:00.002-04:00

Anyone who's read this blog for any length of time knows I'm a sucker for dreamy indie anthems. San Cisco's track from their debut EP, Golden Revolver, is no exception. San Cisco is a young band from Australia, and I'm told they sound like Vampire Weekend.

San Cisco - "Golden Revolver"

Just listen to the sounds! It's a summery song that wakes you up with its jangling guitars, almost rolling drumbeat, rumbling bass line, and rousing vocals. It's layered nicely.

facebook.com/sanciscomusic

New video from Florence and the Machine - "What the Water Gave Me"

2011-08-23T16:54:00.000-04:00

Florence and the Machine is releasing a new album on November 7th, but you can listen to and buy the first song, "What the Water Gave Me," now. It has a rich, resounding, full sound. Check out the video:

http://florenceandthemachine.net/

Free download of Cut Off Your Hands' 2008 EP "Happy As Can Be"

2011-07-10T01:06:00.000-04:00

Noisetrade is offering Cut Off Your Hands' 2008 EP, Happy As Can Be, for free. The band is promoting an upcoming album, Hollow. But Happy As Can Be is an indie classic, so if you don't have it, now's your chance.

The band's page also provides for some fascinating reading, such as the fact that they are from New Zealand, that they were originally called Shaky Hands, and that they're "For fans of Die! Die! Die!, Children Collide, Red Riders, The Holidays, Dappled Cities." I haven't heard of any of those bands, so clearly I have my work cut out for me.

Free download of Happy As Can Be, on NoiseTrade

The Jezabels - "Hurt Me" (acoustic) video

2011-07-09T06:00:00.004-04:00

My most popular post ever has been about The Jezebels, so I thought you guys might like this new video, of their song "Hurt Me."

Chasing Kings - "Empathy" video

2011-07-08T06:00:00.004-04:00

Here's a video from Chasing Kings--their first, in fact--that brings new meaning to the term "food fight."

facebook.com/chasingkings
MP3 Roundup: Chasing Kings, "Empathy"

Quiet Company - "Fear and Fallacy, Sitting in a Tree" video

2011-07-07T06:00:00.001-04:00

Quiet Company just released a new video for their song "Fear and Fallacy, Sitting in a Tree." Thematically it reminds me of their second album, Everyone You Love Will Be Happy Soon. It will be on their October release, We Are All Where We Belong, and you can download the song for free right now on facebook.com/quietcompany.

Besides writing optimistic album titles, they play incredible music. I especially love "Fear and Fallacy"'s outro:

MP3 roundup: The Demos, "Meet at Night"

2011-07-06T17:40:00.000-04:00

Here's a lush indie anthem from The Demos, who released their new album Lovely in May. And "lovely" is a good name for their style. The Demos are Jason Milton and Callan Saunders, who play enjoyable pop music. Listen to those vocal harmonies and jangling guitars:

The Demos - "Meet at Night"

Official site
Facebook page
@thedemos

My First Earthquake - Friction [free MP3s]

2011-06-16T00:52:00.002-04:00

My First Earthquake's new album Friction dropped on June 7, and I don't need to tell you they're awesome, because you already know that. They're based in San Francisco, and play fun, frenetic music with jangling guitars, kickin' rhythms, and a heavy splashing of synth. And in a music scene where many indie bands sound frighteningly alike, Rebecca Bortman's vocals stand out from the crowd.

The new tracks are lush and intricately layered and they have a cataclysmic amount of energy, but you already knew that. They're My First Earthquake's.

Just listen to these tracks:

My First Earthquake - "Clone Me"
My First Earthquake - "Nice to See You"

This is their second full album, after Downstairs (2009), and they've also released two 2 EPs, Tremors (2008) and Crush (2010), so these guys are in it for the long haul. Contrary to the lyrics on "Clone Me," this is one band with a dynamic that can't be replaced. Official site.

Fulton Read

2011-06-10T02:28:00.000-04:00

Fulton Read is an Austin indie rock band. They're working on a new album, and have a folksy rock sound, with great percussion and guitar work (especially acoustic guitar, which I don't hear much these days), murmuring piano melodies alternating with strings, and well-placed vocals. You can check out some of their new music on their Facebook page, or in the music player below. I really like the give and take in the song "Synchronize."

Just an update

2011-06-01T22:00:00.001-04:00

I have an inbox crammed full of fascinating things to share with you all, including notices of several new releases from bands I love, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to postpone my write-ups for a few more days. I don't mean to go weeks without a post, but let me explain.

I got my nursing school pin yesterday (whoo!) but then a tornado struck my city today (awful!). I'm fine and my family is fine, but things are a little hectic. Just follow my Twitter (@kilexia) and I will retweet what I see and announce when I can get posts out again. Thanks everyone for your patience.

Candidate - "I'd Come Running" [free MP3]

2011-04-17T21:30:00.000-04:00

Candidate is a band from Lexington, KY. Their songs are filled with melodic hooks, and their most recent single, "I'd Come Running," is a soft, sweet, addictively listenable song, which also happens to be available for free download. It's off their upcoming album A New Life, which I can't wait to hear.

Check out this song and spread the link around if you like it. They're a new band and could use (and deserve) many more fans:

I'd Come Running by Candidate

facebook.com/candidatesound

Land of Talk - Cloak and Cipher

2011-03-19T00:43:00.000-04:00

Check out this video of Land of Talk's Elizabeth Powell performing her song "Cloak and Cipher," off the album of the same name. It's a very serene video of a lovely song, filmed by Mitch Fillion.

www.facebook.com/landoftalk

Robot Science - "Good Luck"

2011-03-13T18:38:00.000-04:00

Robot Science is an electronic chillwave music project run by Charlie Yin out of San Jose, CA. His newest album, Good Luck (January 2011), is available for free download or for a donation. It's also incredible. Have a listen:

If you're a fan of bands like M83, check this album out. But even if you're not interested in electronic music, you should hear this album. Each song is unique and nicely arranged, with a lot of energy.

Robot Science on Facebook
@robot_science

Ingrid Michaelson - "Parachute" video

2011-02-20T22:11:00.000-05:00

Ingrid Michaelson's new song "Parachute" might sound familiar; she wrote it for British singer Cheryl Cole, who recorded a version of it last year. But it works amazingly with Ingrid's voice, and she makes it sound sweet and giddily joyful.

The video was released on Valentine's Day (aww) and although the song has pop glamour, she gets back to her hipster street cred with retro glasses and fuzzy, color-faded visuals.

Courrier - "A Violent Flame"

2011-01-26T19:04:00.002-05:00

I sampled a few songs from Austin band Courrier's upcoming Feb 1 debut, A Violent Flame (and you can too, by going to Noisetrade). The band has an incredibly polished sound; a bit like The Fray if they had a more alternative rock edge.

"For Your Sake" is an excellent track, deep and emotional, with poetic lyrics and a glorious breakdown. "Paper Ghost" starts out soft and subdued, with a piano melody that is at times an undercurrent, other times playful, before rising to a rumbling, melodiously jubilant climax (with handclaps!) and then a satisfying outro. "Right as Rain" starts with rhythmic percussion and a rumbling bassline, before the guitars kick in fully to introduce a full, roaring song.

This is be a band to keep an eye on. You can also stream or buy the entire album from their web site. And did I mention they're touring with Quiet Company?

Courrier - Official Site
Courrier - Facebook page

Le Vice - "Find You" video

2011-01-19T22:34:00.000-05:00

Here's a brand new video from Le Vice, with the band performing live in studio. They layer clever lyrics with great hooks and melodies in "Find You," below.

Le Vice on Facebook

MP3 roundup: Twins of a Gazelle - "Constellations"

2011-01-16T13:48:00.001-05:00

Twins of a Gazelle is an "indie pop orchestra" consisting of dozens of musicians led by Dave Mann and based in Washington, D.C.

"Constellations," from an upcoming album, was written by Mann, with vocals provided by guest singer Emily Chimiak. It's a delicate and yet powerful song, with a lot of little sounds that make it audibly sparkle. Chimiak has a lovely voice, and blends the notes together to make the song go by smoothly; the outro is also particularly well-crafted. Take a listen:

Twins of a Gazelle - "Constellations"

on facebook
on myspace

MP3 roundup - Standing Shadows, "One Way Ride"

2011-01-15T17:55:00.001-05:00

Standing Shadows is an LA-based indie alt/electro band. They've played at SXSW, and their One Way Ride remix EP is coming out this Tuesday, January 18th. They also claim to be influenced by Muse, but I will forgive them for that because they sound really good.

Standing Shadows - One Way Ride

"One Way Ride" is the best kind of remix: dark, danceable, and fun. Remix compilations are everywhere these days, but if this song is any indication of the album's quality, this will certainly be one worth checking out.

http://www.facebook.com/standingshadows

The Killers - "Boots" video

2010-12-25T00:49:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas everybody! Every year The Killers releases a Christmas song and video for the charity RED, and I think they've outdone themselves this year. Take a look:

How to keep your accounts secure

2010-12-21T23:13:00.000-05:00

I'm sure most of you know about the Gawker breach, where hackers were able to get in and steal passwords and e-mail addresses from commenters. Recently they posted a how-to guide on using tabula recta for password security. I'm sure that wasn't a coincidence.

The truth of the matter is, you are responsible for your own security. And if you don't have an ancient codebreaker handy, here are some general tips for keeping your accounts safe.

1. Use a different password for different sites. Always. Unless it's a throwaway account you don't mind losing (or having another person control), keep your password different each time.

"Yes, but how am I going to remember them all?" you ask. Well, there are options like KeePass, or, if you want to do things old-style, just use a system you'll remember. Make sure your passwords are complex, using both letters and numbers--as well as punctuation, if you can. A mix of upper and lower-case letters is always a plus. Never make your password a simple word.

2. Delete credit card information from sites you don't use anymore. And don't use a debit card on the Internet--those aren't as secure as credit cards when it comes to fraud protection.

3. Keep your recovery information for your most important accounts up-to-date. If you have a main e-mail address with a secure password, don't have your "recovery e-mail" be one that's easy to access. If you lose access to a main account and don't know the recovery address, or it's since been deactivated ... also bad.

4. "Security questions" are a really good back door for people to get into your accounts. Don't choose the question "What is your mother's maiden name?" or "What is your favorite book?" and answer it truthfully. Instead, choose something no one else would really know. Maybe answer "What is your mother's maiden name?" with the maiden name of a character in your favorite book, or "What is your favorite color?" with a favorite movie that has a color in the title.

Make sure no one should be able to guess your answer, and that you'll remember it. Easier said than done, of course, and I sometimes wish security questions were optional, but if your password is secure this will just be additional protection. (And don't use the answers here--use unique ones.)

5. Most people don't think of this, but put a numerical lock on your phone, iPod touch, or other device you take with you outside of your home. It's no use having a super-secure e-mail address if you're logged into it on your unsecured iPhone and someone swipes it.

6. Don't sign up for an app on Facebook just to view a video or read some kind of post you see on someone's status. More often than not, your friend didn't post it--an app took control of their account and set it as their status. As a rule, I don't add apps at all, but if you want to use them, google them first to see if they're safe.

Le VICE, "Hard to Be ILL" video

2010-12-06T00:04:00.000-05:00

Le VICE just released a new video for "Hard to be Ill," and it's quite good. Take a look:

www.facebook.com/officiallevice

MP3 roundup: Chasing Kings - "Empathy"

2010-11-08T21:19:00.001-05:00

Chasing Kings is an indie rock group from Los Angeles, and they're currently promoting their debut EP The Current State of Our Future. "Empathy" is the first track, and don't be fooled by the briefly somber opening--this song is as jaunty as they come, and incredibly catchy.

Chasing Kings - "Empathy"

More about Chasing Kings:
Facebook
Myspace

Book news!

2010-11-07T14:07:00.000-05:00

Those of you who either know me or have been following my Twitter for awhile probably know that I'm a writer. And, short of a six-figure publishing deal falling into my inbox, I'm going release my first book myself next year. It'll be available as an e-book, and also in print form.

Here are some questions I have been getting from people:

What is your novel about?
Set in the year 2507, the book follows journalist Thomas Huxley as he tries to clear the name of an accused murderer, while being stalked by a girl who claims to be a time traveler. This leads, of course, to time travel adventures, starship battles, and epic fights to the death. It's book one of a series.

So I heard there's a rock band involved?
There is a fictional rock band, yes.

Are you going to keep up with Paisley?
Yes. Paisley Sound isn't going anywhere. I will be neglecting it at the same rate I've always been.

Questions? E-mail me, or hit that comment button.

Katy Perry - "Firework" video

2010-10-29T21:35:00.000-04:00

I don't normally do this, but this Katy Perry video was too good not to post. Yes, I know Lady Gaga was doing the firework-bra thing first, but this song has a good message for young people, and it's utterly hilarious. Yes, I feel like a plastic bag looking for a new beginning! I want to be brighter than the moon! And the part where people try to mug the magician is a thing of great beauty. Behold.

MP3 roundup - HoneyChild, "The Father"

2010-10-18T15:14:00.001-04:00

Here's an elegant song that grabs you at the opening and sweeps you straight through it. The band behind it is HoneyChild, a Los Angeles-based indie group led by singer/guitarist Tobias Jesso. They're touring with Portugal The Man, and have a soft, intricate sound. "The Father" has lyrics with lovely descriptions of nature, delicate touches of bells at the bridge, and humming strings that run like an undercurrent in the background.

HoneyChild - "The Father"

You can download or stream their album Nearer the Earth for free on their official site, and buy the physical CD there as well.

MP3 roundup - The Jezabels, "Mace Spray"

2010-10-11T16:01:00.000-04:00

The Jezabels (and I love that name) are a four-member indie rock/pop band from Sydney, Australia. Their first EP, The Man is Dead, came out in February of 2009; She's So Hard was released in November of 2009. Their newest EP, Dark Storm, came out October 1st. They've toured with Tegan & Sara, and have a delightfully synthpop sound, backed by heavy drums and singer Hayley Mary's gorgeous, smoky voice.

"Mace Spray," off Dark Storm, has gripping lyrics and great hooks, and is addictively listenable.

The Jezabels - Mace Spray

www.thejezabels.com - official site

Hipster on the prowl: Chikita Violenta and Ra Ra Riot, 9/27/10

2010-10-10T21:22:00.001-04:00

I have been busy the last few weeks, but I did manage to catch Ra Ra Riot and Chikita Violenta play in Northampton, MA two weeks ago. We Barbarians played first, but I missed their set and came in just as the second band was setting up. I had never heard of Chikita Violenta before, but they're from Mexico City and played a tight, impressive set for about an hour. They had an incredible stage presence, and were joking around with the crowd between songs. I'd definitely recommend checking out their music.

Then Ra Ra Riot burst onto the stage, jumping into their first song (I believe it was "Each Year"). I've read that they play energetic shows, but they were so dynamic I could barely frame any shots for pictures (that's the singer up there). They played several songs from their new album, The Orchard, as well as some classics from their first, such as "Can You Tell." I had to leave at 11 because I had school the next day (I know, I know, I'm a total square, but it was a Monday night), so I didn't get to see if they played "Dying is Fine." But let's watch it together, shall we?

They're still on tour across the U.S. for the next few months.

Chikita Violenta - official site
Ra Ra Riot - official site

Clementine: New, multi-platform music player

2010-09-12T16:48:00.000-04:00

If you do a lot of work at your computer and like to listen to music at the same time, then check out Clementine, a free desktop music player. It works for several platforms and is easy to install, with smooth playback.

While a lot of other music players are clunky and mainly geared toward getting your music set up for an MP3 player, Clementine is a breeze to run, and is dedicated to desktop playback. Making and customizing playlists from your available music files is easy, and you can scrobble to Last.fm (or, if you're a paid subscriber for Last.fm, stream from their radio stations). There are even "love" and "ban" buttons (a heart and a "prohibited" sign, respectively).

Songs automatically fade in or out when you start them or change them, which is a lovely effect, but you can always disable that option in your preferences. When a new song starts, its name pops up in a box on the screen; when a playlist ends, it lets you know as well.

Another cool feature is "Rain," which plays--what else?--a calming loop of a rainstorm. Overall it's an excellent program, one that I would recommend to anyone who listens to music.

http://www.clementine-player.org

Two Seconds Away - "Love Song" cover [free MP3]

2010-08-28T18:40:00.001-04:00

Two Seconds Away have been running a project called New Music Monday for awhile, and today they released a great acoustic cover of Sara Bareilles's "Love Song." I really prefer it to the original. You can download the song, and read their post about it, here.

(Thanks to Sally for the heads-up).

Aaron and Andrew - "Rescue Me" [free MP3]

2010-08-28T18:15:00.000-04:00

Aaron and Andrew just released "Rescue Me," a single off their upcoming album. It's a gem of an indie alt/pop song, with impressively polished soundscapes, and you can download it free for signing up for their mailing list. (I'd also recommend checking out their previous album, Pictures and Words, as well.) Take a listen:

<a href="http://aaronandandrew.bandcamp.com/track/rescue-me-single">Rescue Me-Single by Aaron and Andrew</a>

on Myspace
@aaronandandrew

Flooding in Pakistan - how you can help

2010-08-20T21:58:00.002-04:00

I know this is normally a blog about music, but I noticed that not many people are aware of the damage from the Pakistan floods. Over a thousand people are dead, and millions are left without shelter, food, clean water, or medical care. If you want to help, there are several charities taking donations:

AVAAZ - donations will go straight to Pakistan
Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders - I'm not sure if you can earmark money specifically for Pakistan, but both are great organizations that are currently helping there.

Please spread the word. Even if you can't give much, every little bit can help.

The Rescues - "Break Me Out" video

2010-08-18T03:24:00.001-04:00

The official video for The Rescues' "Break Me Out," filmed at the Troubadour, was just released. It sounds great, and the editing and filming are top-notch:

myspace.com/therescues

Movie Review: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

2010-08-14T22:29:00.001-04:00

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is the new movie from Edgar Wright ("Shaun of the Dead," "Hot Fuzz"), based on the comic series by Bryan Lee O'Malley. It's a love story with video game styling and indie music.

Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) has met the girl of his dreams, Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), but has to fight her seven evil exes to date her. He's also the bassist in the go-nowhere indie rock band Sex Bob-omb. The movie has a fast pace in the first half, with scenes going from day to night in the blink of an eye. However, it finds its pace, and has some great moments.

Scott Pilgrim's ex-girlfriend Envy Adams (Brie Larson) has a fantastic rendition of Metric's "Black Sheep," and Scott's gay roommate Wallace (Kieran Culkin) has a lot of great lines. The vegan police, Ramona's ever-changing hair, and the sister who's constantly on the up-and-up about Scott's activities were all nice touches. I haven't read the comics, but I adored the movie for its own merits, and especially loved the soundtrack.

Second Dan - "Angeline"

2010-08-13T14:19:00.000-04:00

The latest band I've been adoring is Second Dan. Who was the first Dan, you ask? Who knows? They're a bit similar to U2 and Augustana, and are promoting their second album, Angeline, with a free show in New York on August 16th.

Their songs have a pop gloss, and they're lush and quite good. You can stream the album from their official site, but here are two you can hear off song.ly:

Second Dan - Today
Second Dan - Angeline

Official Site

Review: Color Theory, "The Sound"

2010-08-10T21:14:00.002-04:00

Color Theory is Brian Hazard, who crafts electronic music and piano pop. I introduced you to his newest album last week, so here's a longer review.

The Sound opens with the clever "Song Named After a Girl," which takes the idea of a song about heartbreak and turns it on its head, and leads into the danceable "Extroverts at Play," which reminds me a little of Muse (but that's a good thing). "Too Close" is a bit softer and more tender, and we get into chiptune territory with the catchy "It Must Be Halloween."

"A Safe Distance" is a romantic, piano-driven tune; "Living a Boy's Adventure Tale," a fun A-ha cover. The next two songs are a little slower, but "Game Over" is quite endearing (especially with the quick, fluid piano solo), and "Two" is a track that shines, with stellar and haunting lyrics.

This is a good album to put on and just sit back and relax. Some of the songs could be tightened a bit, but overall, The Sound is an enjoyable album for electro music fans.

Tegan and Sara video: "Northshore"

2010-08-10T18:23:00.000-04:00

Tegan and Sara just announced this video, and it features a very nice get-up-and-jump-on-the-floor indie rock song. Ripping up all those posters looks oddly cathartic, too:

Tegan and Sara | MySpace Music Videos

Review of Will Stratton's "New Vanguard Blues"

2010-08-07T08:44:00.000-04:00

Sometimes, it's not so much about how music sounds as much as how it makes us feel. Will Stratton's New Vanguard Blues carries a steady stream of quiet emotion, with acoustic guitar strumming and poetic vocals. It's indie folk, so understatement goes a long way.

From the lovely opener, "Bluebells," to the intense finale, "The War is Over," it's quite an enjoyable listen. The jangling guitar and impeccable vocals are quite charming. The album also has an intimate feel, and was recorded by Stratton in one weekend in July.

You can buy or stream it on his page at Bandcamp, and you can also follow him on Twitter.

Jonathan Coulton's "Re: Your Brains" - in sign language

2010-08-06T18:50:00.000-04:00

Here's a funny and well-done video of music interpreter Stephen Torrence dressed up as a zombie and performing Jonathan Coulton's song "Re: Your Brains" - in American Sign Language.

I asked Paisley's most devoted reader (she gets every post delivered to her e-mail inbox) what she thought of that, and she said, "That's not possible. Zombies don't have the finger strength to do sign language." Well, too bad. Stephen does other songs in ASL as well, so I'd check out his Youtube channel. Thanks to MJ for the tip.

Color Theory releases new album

2010-08-04T21:01:00.000-04:00

The Sound, the new album from Color Theory, is out today. Color Theory is the project of prolific musician Brian Hazard, who plays electronica and piano pop.

A full review is forthcoming, but let me just say that the first track, "Song Named After a Girl," is addictively listenable and quite clever. Check it out:

<a href="http://music.colortheory.com/album/the-sound">Song Named After a Girl by Color Theory</a>

You can buy the album at colortheory.com or on iTunes, or become a fan of Brian at his Facebook page.

Names video - "Data Romance"

2010-07-30T15:32:00.000-04:00

Here's a beautiful song and video collaboration from the band Names and videographer Marco Aslan. I love songs like these, with lots of instrumentation and lovely lyrics at the end, and the gorgeous visuals suit it perfectly. Thanks to Sally for the heads-up:

http://namesmusic.ca/

Updates for Paisley

2010-07-27T13:57:00.000-04:00

There are new buttons at the bottom of every post, so you can quickly share an article over Twitter, Facebook, Blogger, etc. I may also design a new layout in the future, so stay posted.

As always, if you want to be notified of new posts right away, or get music news and retweets before they make it to the blog, subscribe to @kilexia.

I'm looking for someone to write music reviews and post about new releases and MP3s, mostly to cover for me when I go back to nursing school in September. If you're interested, send a sample review to paisleysound (at) gmail.com.

Le VICE (interview, free MP3s)

2010-07-26T18:42:00.002-04:00

Le VICE are a four-piece group from San Francisco, led by frontwoman Alex Lee. They play a variety of sounds, including hip-hop and funky indie rock. Their songs have the spirited delivery of live shows, but with a studio polish.

They'll be releasing their self-titled debut on August 17th, but Alex Lee has already recorded two solo songs that were featured on "America's Next Top Model." And Le VICE just shot a video for "Hard to Be Ill," which should be out soon, and are playing two CA shows in August.

"Shy Guy" is a great song with plenty of beats, rhythm guitar and catchy vocals. "Hard to Be Ill" is more hip-hop, with some funky synth added to the mix. Take a listen:

"Shy Guy"

"Hard to Be Ill"

I also got a chance to ask Alex Lee a few questions:

Le VICE started out as a live project. What's a typical show like?

LV: It carries a lot of energy that you would expect from an indie or a punk band. So it's fun to dance to and sing to. But underneath it has really good music and great players. The fun of indie music with the bourgeois swag of hip-hop and rnb. Think hipsters on a yacht riding fixie bikes and drinking Cristal. That's from someone who watches. None of those words are mine.

On top of that I would say that you're watching friends play together. You can tell we're friends when you watch us play.

You blend a lot of styles in your music. What's your process for writing and recording?

LV: Depends on the day. Sometimes it comes organically. Just playing things and putting it together. Coming to the studio and playing on the synths and with all the gear. And voila, a song.

On other days, we'll listen to a song and say let's make a song like that. But when it's done it sounds nothing like what we were going after.

Generally, I'll write a hook on the spot to get everyone hyped up. Then I'll take it and finish it up verse by verse on my own when I have a little free time in my mornings.

What are some of your influences?

LV: Musically ... everything. When you take the music that the four of us like, it's all there. Hip hop, indie rock, classic rock, jazz, neo soul, rnb, house, and all the rest. We take from everything. No type of music really goes overlooked.

Le VICE (official site)

- Laura Bradford

La Roux

2010-07-24T12:24:00.001-04:00

I finally heard La Roux on the radio yesterday, and "Bulletproof" sounded amazing. The London duo is Eleanor "Elly" Jackson and Ben Langmaid, and their self-titled debut album came out in September of 2009. They play electro-pop reminiscent of the '80s style, and Elly has garnered some attention for her androgynous, glam-rock look.

They're also releasing a compilation album, Sidetracked; it will come out July 26th, but seems to only be available in the UK. It features several artists and includes Elly's cover of the Rolling Stones' "Under My Thumb."

The American tour has been canceled because Elly contracted pharyngitis, but they should be continuing their tour in the UK in a few weeks.

How to contact

2010-07-24T12:00:00.015-04:00

Paisley Sound is a blog mainly focusing on indie bands and artists. For press releases, interview requests, or other suggestions and comments, send me a note at paisleysound (at) gmail.com. I welcome all submissions for album reviews or MP3s, and I prefer digital formats if at all possible.

New York Summer

2010-07-24T10:52:00.000-04:00

I'm keeping an eye on New York Summer, not just because they're actually from Oklahoma, but because of their charming alternative rock. They have a catchy mainstream sound (think Lifehouse or Augustana), but are a legit indie band.

People have been telling me about them for some time, but I only recently got a chance to listen to some of their stuff, and it's quite good. Their EP, Wait, is available now from their Myspace, for a free download or a donation. They've recently announced a new album, Ticking Clocks and Masquerades, which will be out August 24th.

In the meantime, you can hear four of their songs from a tab on ReverbNation or on their Facebook page. Take a listen:

How to write a press release (and create buzz for your band)

2010-06-24T15:15:00.001-04:00

Someone asked me about this awhile back, and I realized I'd need an entire post to cover it. Here it goes.

So you've got a band, and you've released an album (or are about to release an EP, or something like that). Maybe you play live shows, or maybe you're running a bedroom band. But whatever you do, you're going to want attention. (Don't we all?) If you don't have the money to pay for a street marketing team yet, you can still get the word out about your music, by writing a press release.

Press releases might sound intimidating, but they make the world of journalism go round. Most of reporting is digging for facts and trying to find interesting stories and calling and e-mailing people endlessly to confirm tiny little details. So it's a breath of fresh air when someone contacts us and says, "I have an interesting story and I've done all the basic legwork--do you want it?" Music blogs absolutely want these.

But first, some questions to ask yourself:

Am I timely? Music blogs don't want to cover an album that's two months old. Is your release date coming up? Do you have shows coming up soon? Timeliness will matter.

Do I have something to offer? A free press copy of an EP, an MP3 you're willing to share with the world, a great-looking music video--those will launch you way ahead of the rest of the competition.

Is this the right blog for me? Most music blogs profess to be "indie blogs," but from just a few posts it's clear they have specific preferences for music. Take time to read many of them and choose which ones fit your project.

(Also: local blogs and newspapers that are dedicated to covering specific cities will be more accommodating to covering a local band, so explore that angle.)

What am I looking for? Getting a positive review in a music blog won't shoot you to Lady Gaga status. In fact, it may not even net you any sales. It will, however, get your name out there, maybe win you some fans, and make it more likely that blogs will write about you in the future.

--

With all that in mind, here's how to write the press release. Newspapers have a specific format, but with the arrival e-mail and links, some flexibility is allowed for music blogs. However, the following would be acceptable to have:

- a short greeting
- your band's name and what you're promoting (album, EP, etc)
- what your hook is (New video released? Are you giving something away for free? Offering music blogs a press copy of the album for review?)
- a short bio and link to your band's web site
- links to sample songs, if any (and if you can offer them for download, say "Approved for posting.")
- links to promo photos and any new tour dates
- an offer for interviews, if you want to go that route

Some bands I know also have a dedicated e-mail for promotions/talking with fans, so their name shows up whenever they send a message. It's a nice touch.

Sample:

New music and free downloads from The Krebs Cycle

Hey, I hope you're having a great summer! I'm pleased to announce that my band, The Krebs Cycle, is releasing a new album, Enzymes, on July 1.

The Krebs Cycle formed in 2009 in Cytoplasm, NY, and plays indie rock. Our web site is [link], and we are playing a release show at the Anaerobic Theater on June 30. Our album will be available on iTunes and Amazon.com. Press copies and interview opportunities are available.

Simple, huh? Now write up something similar, put that in an e-mail and send it to music blogs that 1) take submissions for review, 2) review the same type of music you play. If you've hit the right targets and you're good, some of the music blogs will do a post on you. For some places to get started, check out the list of music blogs on the right panel. By the way, Paisley Sound also takes submissions of indie rock music.

Let me know in the comments if this guide was helpful.

Frightened Rabbit - "Living In Colour" video

2010-06-23T14:21:00.004-04:00

This is a great idea for a video; it's made from footage taken at live concerts and moments on the road during Frightened Rabbit's recent North American tour. The song is "Living in Colour," off their album The Winter of Mixed Drinks.

Circlebirds: Like birds, but with circles [free MP3]

2010-06-22T15:15:00.003-04:00

Time for some new music. Circlebirds are a bit like Fleet Foxes, with an acoustic kick and lush vocals; they're indie pop, but have a folk influence. Here's a track off their second album, Complexities:

"New Miracles"

I love all the little bleeps and bloops (the video game-esque music at the beginning is a great touch) and the starts and stops. It's just a fascinating song, instrumentally. Starting at 2:47 and until the end, it's got brilliant acoustic guitar and then a smooth outro: the vocals and instrumentation blend together before there's a soft ring and the song ends. It's like fireworks: a buildup, flash of sound, and then beauty.

Circlebirds on Myspace music

Album Review: The Rescues, Let Loose the Horses

2010-06-20T23:54:00.001-04:00

Everything the Rescues has done so far has led up to this album, and it's sure to be the breakout hit of the summer.

Fans may have already heard some of the tracks, including the charming "Can't Stand the Rain" and the pure emotion of "Let Loose the Horses." It's all here, bundled together, and flows even better as a cohesive album.

The fact that all four band members are also incredibly talented singers creates an interesting effect: rather than a simple linear collection of songs, the Rescues can play around with different styles--alt-country one minute, charming indie soundscapes the next--making each song a little spark all its own. Out Tuesday, June 22nd. [The Rescues]

Free EP from My First Earthquake: Crush

2010-06-17T21:44:00.001-04:00

My First Earthquake released a new EP, Crush, just in time for summer. It's an endearing little album, and has all the synth lines, crazy rhythms and melodies you've come to love.

The four songs are a free download on their site, and might just be the band's best output yet.
<a href="http://myfirstearthquake.bandcamp.com/album/crush">Pick Up Stick Up by My First Earthquake</a>

Richard Walters, "Brittle Bones" [free MP3]

2010-06-12T11:33:00.001-04:00

photo from www.myspace.com/richardwalters

Richard Walters is a singer/songwriter from the UK. His song "Brittle Bones" is tender and evocative, and the style reminds me of Dream of Sleeping: quiet, reflective, acoustic. Instead of drums, there's a tambourine, and there are lush vocal harmonies. It's very sweet but self-conscious, a lovely song you can put on the stereo to lay back and watch the stars.

"Brittle Bones" [download]

His first album, The Animal, is out now. You can also download a free 5 track live album by signing up for his mailing list, and he'll be playing a show in London in September.

The Rescues: "You're Not Listening"

2010-06-11T23:49:00.001-04:00

I predict The Rescues will be the next band to go mainstream. How can they not? They each have amazing talent as singers, with songs that are written and performed with incredible emotion. Plus, they're as good live as they are in the studio (perhaps even better). Check out their performance of "You're Not Listening" in West Hollywood, CA. Stunning.

They're currently on tour across the US, and their EP is out now.

The Rescues on Myspace

Future Fires' "Levels" hits #1 on Uvumi

2010-05-28T09:43:00.002-04:00

photo from www.facebook.com/futurefires

Future Fires (previously known as Tomorrow Midnight) currently have the #1 song on Uvumi with "Levels." Congrats, guys! You can also listen to it and download it (along with their song "Distant Skies") on their page at Bandcamp.

<a href="http://futurefires.bandcamp.com/track/levels-2">Levels by Future Fires</a> Levels

<a href="http://futurefires.bandcamp.com/track/distant-skies">Distant Skies by Future Fires</a> Distant Skies

If you like what you hear, go be a fan on their Facebook page to keep up with them.

"I salute at the threshold of the north sea of my mind": Frightened Rabbit, Northampton MA

2010-05-09T21:47:00.000-04:00

I finally caught a live show in Northampton, MA on May 1, featuring the very awesome Frightened Rabbit. They played for a packed crowd, and from the first song brought a massive amount of energy and talent to the show.

"Swim Until You Can't See Land" is a favorite of mine, and their delivery here was absolutely beautiful, just like the album recording. "My Backwards Walk" was a rocked-up version of the original, which I really liked.

The singer took the stage near the end with a heartfelt acoustic song, and talked with the crowd throughout the show, including joking about the merch table. Finally, the band put every last bit of energy into "Keep Yourself Warm."

Other than that, the only exciting development in my life is that I'm finishing up my next-to-last year of nursing school this month, so I have to stay glued to my books to study for finals. I should be returning to my regular posting schedule by the end of the month.

New video from September 29th: "Downstairs Upstairs"

2010-04-25T15:53:00.000-04:00

My good friend September 29th posted a lovely video for her song "Downstairs Upstairs." It has a really chill, summery feel to it. Check it out:

The Vision of a Dying World: video, songs

2010-04-23T14:36:00.000-04:00

It's Friday, and it's time for something a little different. The Vision of a Dying World, founded in Las Vegas, is a project led by musician Jackson Nathan Milgaten. His sound can be described as alt-country/psych folk, and it's quite compelling. Here's Jackson performing "Mantra," off his EP I Will Not Fear What I Don't Understand. It starts off slowly and steadily, but the middle hooks the listener:

He also performs in The Paddle Boat. They're on tour right now, and you can view their shows here.

More from The Vision of a Dying World:

"Do I Have to Stay"

"Mantra"

His next show:

May 21 2010, 8:00 pm
The Che Cafe W/ Sean (AJJ) & Jehova’s Fitness
La Jolla, California

If it's something you're interested in, click here to buy the album.

Housekeeping stuff, and how to contact

2010-04-17T06:52:00.001-04:00

I joined MOG, so I will be tinkering with the layout a bit to add the extra banner and stuff they require. You can also follow my Twitter (@kilexia) for music-related thoughts and retweets, as well as links to new blog posts. You can send any tips there or to my e-mail (kilexia at gmail.com) as usual.

If you want to trade links to your blog, send me an e-mail or a tweet. Thanks!

New shows for How I Became the Bomb

2010-04-17T06:44:00.000-04:00

How I Became the Bomb posted some new shows for next month:

May 6, 2010 Slims Downtown - Raleigh, NC
May 7, 2010 Plaza Bowl - Richmond, VA
May 8, 2010 The Boot - Norfolk, VA
May 15, 2010 Ashville Art Museum Fanaticon! - Ashville, NC
May 15, 2010 The Boiler Room Fanaticon after party! With the Falcon Lords. - Ashville, NC
May 27, 2010 The Eighty Five With the Falcon Lords. - Columbus, GA
May 29, 2010 JJ's Bohemia With the Falcon Lords. - Chattanooga, TN

EP Review: Quiet Company, "Songs for Staying In"

2010-04-16T17:40:00.000-04:00

Songs for Staying In (****1/2)

After three releases, you begin to know a band. This EP marks the third outing from Quiet Company, indie rockers from Austin, TX, and you can tell they're working as hard as ever. It's full of catchy songs; it's romantic, it's celebratory, it's glorious.

In fact, it's hard to pick out individual parts to critique--everything blends together so smoothly, I feel like it would be missing the point to do so. So I'll just give a brief rundown of the songs, and point out some highlights:

"How Do You Do It?" may be the band's most fun song yet, from the repeating line "How do you do it, you're always on top?" to its cascading outro. "Things You Already Know" has an interesting muted effect on the verses, and includes perhaps the best use of a kazoo in an indie rock song yet. (Is that a Grammy category? Do they take nominations?)

"Hold My Head Above the Water" features whistles and strummed guitar, with a duet by vocalist Taylor Muse and his wife, and lovely echoing effects toward the end. However, I think the star of the album is "Jezebel," with its raw, emotive vocals punctuated by soft piano melodies, and then flourished by lovely guitar work.

"If You Want" is reminiscent of the band's earlier songs, especially the callback about a "nation of two." It's earnest and fun, with plenty of energy, and is a total celebration of marriage. "The Biblical Sense of the Word" also has a crashing, go-out-blazing ending that I've only seen The Shins pull off with as much skill. On the whole? Two thumbs way, way up; this is an album you'll want to put on repeat again and again.

Songs For Staying In is currently available at Quiet Company's web site. You can also listen to some of the tracks there, and see a new video about the album every Monday. Their CD release party is with The Rocketboys in Austin, TX on May 7th.

The Antlers announce new tour, live webcast

2010-04-10T09:12:00.000-04:00

The Antlers just announced a new North American tour with Phantogram, then a tour with The National in Europe. There's also going to be a live webcast of their show at In Vino on Sunday, 8pm EST. Dates are below, and check out their web site for more info.

The band is promoting their album Hospice, which has earned numerous accolades. Here's their performance of "Kettering," a heartbreaking but skillfully written song:

Tour:

04-08 Stony Brook, NY – Stony Brook University
04-11 New York, NY – In Vino Wine Bar
04-16 Columbus, OH – The Basement ^
04-17 Urbana, IL – Canopy Club ^
04-18 Madison, WI – High Noon Saloon ^
04-20 Minneapolis, MN – Varsity Theatre ^
04-21 Iowa City, IA – The Blue Moose ^
04-22 Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall ^
04-23 Ann Arbor, MI – Blind Pig ^
04-24 Rock Island, IL – Rock Island Brewing Co. ^
04-26 Boulder, CO – Fox Theatre ^
04-28 San Diego, CA – Casbah ^
04-29 Costa Mesa, CA – Detroit Bar ^
04-30 Los Angeles, CA – Troubadour ^
05-01 San Francisco, CA – Independent ^
05-03 Portland, OR – Doug Fir Lounge ^
05-04 Vancouver, BC – The Biltmore Cabaret ^
05-05 Seattle, WA – Live on KEXP 12pm PST
05-05 Seattle, WA – Neumo’s ^
05-19 London, UK – Scala
05-20 Salford, UK – St. Phillips Church
05-21 Leeds, UK – Brudenell Social Club

05-22 Glasgow, UK – Stag and Dagger Festival
05-24 Dublin, Ireland – Academy
05-25 Amsterdam, Holland – Paradiso
05-27 Dudingen, Switzerland – Bad Bonn Kilbi
05-29 Barcelona, Spain – Primavera Festival
06-02 Boston, MA – House of Blues #
06-03 Boston, MA – House of Blues #
06-04 Philadelphia, PA – Electric Factory #
06-05 Philadelphia, PA – Electric Factory #
06-06 Washington, DC – Constitution Hall #
06-08 Toronto, ON – Massey Hall #
06-09 Toronto, ON – Massey Hall #
06-16 New York, NY – Radio City Music Hall #
07-01 Tromoy, Norway – Hove Festival
08-06 to 08-08 Chicago, IL – Lollapalooza
09-10 Isle of Wight, UK – Bestival
09-12 Dorset, UK – End of the Road Festival

* w/ Editors

^ w/ Phantogram

# w/ The National

The Autumn Film announce tour dates

2010-04-10T08:45:00.000-04:00

Lots of tour dates are being released left and right from some great bands, and I'll be posting a few over the next few days (as well as working on an album review for Quiet Company's latest EP). Here are dates from The Autumn Film, who are promoting their new album The Ship and the Sea, which you can listen to on their web site all week.

Mojo's
Columbia, MO
04/14/2010
8:30pm
w/ Jaguar Shark
$5 tickets!
Doors 8:30PM, show at 9:30pm

The Walnut Room
Denver, CO
04/30/2010
7:30pm
w/ Sleeping at Last, Jeremy Larsen
Tickets available online for $9/$12 Day of Show.
Order Here!
Doors at 7:30pm, show start at 8pm
21+

Everyday Joe's
Ft. Collins, CO
05/01/2010
6:00pm
w/ Sleeping at Last, Jeremy Larsen
$10 advance/$12 Day of Show
Order Here!
All Ages
Doors 6:00pm  Show Start 7:00pm

Sail Inn
Tempe, AZ
05/07/2010
8:00pm
w/ Nobility Obliged
21+
Show starts at 8pm

Tomorrow Midnight releases new track, "Levels"

2010-04-09T03:35:00.001-04:00

Tomorrow Midnight is a NY indie rock band comprised of Hiro Williams (vocals, bass), Judson Winquist (guitar), and Evan Cooney of Flight Crash Companion (drums). They just released "Levels," their latest single, and are leaving it up to the listeners to set their own price to download it.

They also have other songs available for purchase on their profile at Bandcamp, and you can become a fan of their page on Facebook to keep up with new releases. I love the smashing opening and heavy drums in "Levels," and the strong delivery of the vocals reminds me of early stuff from The Killers. Check it out:

<a href="http://tomorrowmidnight.bandcamp.com/track/levels">Levels by Tomorrow Midnight</a>

Names announces new EP: "Paint"

2010-04-09T03:20:00.005-04:00

Names will release their new EP, Paint, on April 20 on iTunes, and they've scheduled a release party for the same day at Lux in Vancouver. The album's name was inspired by the artists who create paintings for the band.

The electro-pop band creates such a full amount amount of sound, it may be surprising that they're quite minimalistic in their instrumentation. For instance, their live recording of "Monome Jam" shows them create a lush song with only vocals and a monome:

For more information, check out their web site or follow their Twitter (@Namesmusic).

Quiet Company announce new EP

2010-04-02T01:31:00.001-04:00

Quiet Company is officially releasing their new EP, Songs for Staying In, on May 11, but it's available now for download if you pre-order the CD ($8, includes shipping). Their release show is May 7, and they will be sharing a new song and video on their site every week until the release.

Their previous albums, Shine Honesty and Everyone You Love Will Be Happy Soon, were two big favorites of mine (you can read my review of the second album here) and I already know I'll love the album from the track listing they released:

1. HOW DO YOU DO IT
2. THINGS YOU ALREADY KNOW
3. HOLD MY HEAD ABOVE THE WATER
4. JEZEBEL OR "A SONG ABOUT MY FRIEND AND THAT WHORE HE DATED"
5. IF YOU WANT
6. THE BIBLICAL SENSE OF THE WORD

You can check out the band's web site for more info or to see the first video, or check their Twitter for updates.

Download Squad praises Uvumi

2010-03-31T15:42:00.002-04:00

Erez Zukerman of the Download Squad posted a very cool and thoughtful article on Uvumi today. He also interviewed Marshall, Uvumi's founder and lead developer, so check it out!

Young the Giant announce national tour

2010-03-26T21:10:00.004-04:00

I used to listen to Young the Giant nonstop way back when they were called The Jakes, because their song "Schizophrenia" was in my writing playlist. They recently announced a new tour (with Minus the Bear), and you should go to one of their shows if you can because their music is fantastic. Here's what they had to say in their press release:

"We are currently in the studio in Los Angeles working on our debut record.  To follow our progress in the studio check out our twitter page for photo updates (@youngthegiant).  We can't wait to get on the road and play some new songs! Hope to see you all this spring!"

Dates:
Apr 25 St. Andrews Hall - Detroit, Michigan
Apr 26 Newport Music Hall - Columbus, Ohio
Apr 28 Madison Theater - Covington, Kentucky
Apr 29 Town Ballroom - Buffalo, New York
Apr 30 Webster Theater - Hartford, Connecticut
May 5 Wilbur Theatre - Boston, Massachusetts
May 6 Trocadero - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
May 7 9:30 Club - Washington, Washington DC
May 8 The National - Richmond, Virginia
May 9   The Fillmore - Charlotte, North Carolina
May 10    Variety Playhouse - Atlanta, Georgia
May 11    Revolution LIVE - Fort Lauderdale, Florida
May 12    The Ritz Theatre - Tampa, Florida
May 14    House of Blues - Houston, Texas
May 15    Granada Theatre - Dallas, Texas
May 16    La Zona Rosa - Austin, Texas
May 18    Sunshine Theatre - Albuquerque, New Mexico
May 19    House of Blues - Las Vegas, Nevada
May 20    Mayan Theatre - Los Angeles, California
May 21 Glass House - Pomona, California
May 22   SOMA - San Diego, California
May 23   Marquee Theatre - Tempe, Arizona
May 26    Regency Ballroom - San Francisco, California
May 27    Knitting Factory - Reno, Nevada
May 28    Roseland Theater - Portland, Oregon

Want to buy tickets? The band has you covered. Check out their Facebook page for more info.

Wakey!Wakey! - "Twenty-Two"

2010-03-20T00:12:00.000-04:00

Wakey!Wakey! is a Brooklyn-based quintet led by the masterful singer and pianist Mike Grubbs. Their debut album, Almost Everything I Wish I'd Said The Last Time I Saw You, was released on Feb 2. Grubbs' voice is captivating, and I absolutely love the rousing chorus in "Twenty-Two." The lush backing vocals and whistles complement the song nicely.

Wakey!Wakey! - "Twenty-Two" (listen/download)

You can also catch their next two shows if you're attending SXSW:

Sat 3/20 @ Iron Gate Lounge, 11PM (Yelp Showcase) 111 E 6th Street
Sun 3/21 @ Encore, 2PM (Obscure Magpie Two Headed Party) 611 Red River Street

More info:

@wakeywakey
Myspace
wakeywakeymusic.com

Interview: Soar (Somerset Oh & Rhode)

2010-03-16T00:07:00.000-04:00

This week I caught up with Ian MacCarthy from the Australian band Soar (short for Somerset Oh & Rhode). The band, composed of MacCarthy ("Experiment Rhode"), David Llewellyn ("Bright Oh") and Charles Nicholls ("Charles Somerset"), create spirited acoustic music on Second Life. They've also done some shows for charities, including autism research.

When did you start getting together and making music?
We formed way back in 1989 and recorded our first album around then. For most of this century we have been apart because we all moved away from each other ... hundreds of miles in fact so performing music together just couldn't be done anymore. We dabbled in recording music over the convening years by sending files to each other which each one of us would then add our instruments/vocals to until a song was finished.

Then Second Life came along. Bright joined first in around 2007 and told me all about this wonderful 3D world. It took me a good year and a better computer before I was willing to "risk" Second Life. Late in 2008, after having absorbed this new world, I started to check out the music scene in SL and thought "heck our music is much better than a lot of these performers." So I approached Bright and suggested maybe we could "perform" in here. It took a bit of convincing as well as getting Charles set up in SL as well ... he'd been on the sidelines the whole time.

Eventually, after we had completely set ourselves up as a SL band and got a manager and were thoroughly rehearsed etc, we debuted in March 2009 after having written and performed a tribute song, "Too Many Tears," for the victims of the terrible bushfires in Victoria, Australia in early 2009. This song was the perfect vehicle to launch us in SL and we garnered a number of interviews including one with CNN. We performed the song on SL TV as well and even got our tribute song played on Sydney radio!

Very cool! For those who aren't familiar with it, what is Second Life? How does it help you as performers?
Second Life is a free 3D virtual world where users can socialize, connect and create using free voice and text chat. It was launched in 2006. For Soar it is the only way we can perform live because of the distances we live from one another. We had never really performed live previously so we had no idea whether we had an audience out there who would like our music. This was the easiest way for us to find out and we were amazed we had a following almost immediately.

The comments from SL residents over the last year about our music have been incredible. Other people have built (virtual) venues just so we could perform at them! We also perform regular gigs for charity - our number one charity being for autism. We even performed live to the soldiers in the Gulf last year!

My time in SL has definitely been one of the highlights of my life, as it has for Bright and Charles!

What style of music do you play?
Well, it is predominately acoustic-based and if the songs need "producing" we add drums, electric guitars, bass and keyboards. No matter what form the song is in it will always have our harmonies, courtesy of our love of The Beatles, Beach Boys, America etc. Most of our songs are usually slower ballads/love songs but once in awhile we will do more uptempo material. We have also done a few guitar Instrumentals in the style of The Shadows, Ventures etc.

Some of our songs have very Australian themes to them like "Brindabella" (which is a small range of mountains); "Cry The Lucky Country" (about how artists vs. politicians see our land); and "Camvilla" (about a pioneering family in the gold fields). The majority of all the songs we write are about love, gained and lost. We hope that we have a style that is timeless. It has worked for quite a few years already.

What's your process of writing and recording like?
Well, because of the distances between us, all our music is recorded and performed over the net. Because today's technology has come so far the quality is still very high even when we convert our recorded wave files to MP3 so we can e-mail tracks to each other. We all have home studios so the quality is fairly high to start with. When we perform in Second Life, as it's impossible to stream 3 people all at once, we pre-record all the backing tracks for our songs without the lead vocals and acoustic guitars and then Bright and Charles sing and play live over them in Second Life. This gives us a very professional sound that seems to be appreciated by most people.

When do you plan to release your CDs?
We have just finished mixing our first real CD which contains all of our earliest songs. This should be available next month (April) sometime. No title at present. It will be available in Second Life and through our website: Brightoh.com.

Following this we will dive straight into our next CD which will contain some of our more recent songs. Hopefully this will be available before September. After this there will be at least another two CDs. We have a backlog of over 70 songs in all stages of completion and we are writing new ones almost daily it seems!

Thanks for Ian for the interview! You can find more of Soar's music at BrightOh.com, ReverbNation, and Soundclick.

Spotlight, SXSW 2010: Frightened Rabbit; MP3s for We Were Promised Jetpacks, Fangs

2010-03-12T14:29:00.002-05:00

It's that time of year again: SXSW! However, rather than partying in Austin, Texas, I am stuck at home studying for a nursing test. So it goes. If you attend the festival, let me know how it goes!

But in any case, I'll be doing a few spotlights on some SXSW acts. First up is some great bands from Scotland - Frightened Rabbit, We Were Promised Jetpacks, and Fangs.

Frightened Rabbit is an indie rock band with a great sound and epic, emotional songs. I only got into the band quite recently but they've been a big name in indie music for some time. I particularly like "Swim Until You Can't See Land," and I think it sums up their sound well.

We Were Promised Jetpacks is another band who sound like they'd be phenomenal live; they have a huge sound, and I've been a fan ever since I heard "Quiet Little Voices." Fangs is an electro/new wave band with a snazzy sound and a big fan following.

MP3s (click to listen, or right click & save as):

We Were Promised Jetpacks - "It's Thunder and It's Lightning" - download
Fangs - "Cos I Said So" (Kid Gloves remix) - download

SCOTLAND @ SXSW 2010:

March 17th: Hudson Mohawke / Frightened Rabbit / We Were Promised Jetpacks / Codeine Velvet Club / Unicorn Kid / Tommy Reilly (The Parish - 8pm - 2am)

March 19th: Broken Records / Twin Atlantic / Young Fathers / Fangs / The Law (Latitude 30° - 2pm - 5pm)

Thesixtyone users respond to site change

2010-03-06T18:06:00.001-05:00

It's now been over a month since the complete change of thesixtyone.com's interface, and the protests have died down. Apparently people are still using the new interface, but more and more often I'm getting e-mails from listeners and artists about uvumi, bandcamp, and cherrypeel--with nary a peep about thesixtyone. That's understandable. Social features of the site are gone, and in their place are pretty pictures.

To recap. The old:

The new:

I gave the new site a chance again this week, when I was trying to make a playlist. I discovered, however, that any playlists I make on the "old 61" don't show up on the "new 61," and vice versa. In my two years on thesixtyone I made over a dozen playlists containing hundreds of songs, and to recreate them on the new site, I have to search for each song individually, click on it (at which point it auto-plays), and then add it to the playlist. Time-consuming much? If I can't even carry over my saved stuff from the old site, what good is the new one? Eventually, after just one 10-song playlist, I went back to work on a research paper.

But don't take it from me; take it from some long-time users of the site.

"I do not in fact believe this is a new design of the same site," said SallySilvera, the site's top user. "This is a completely different website, with a completely different concept and purpose."

"The interface is not user-friendly," said Allison, AKA squeakyfingers. "It is a very graphic-heavy site, and the way that it is set up tends to hurt my eyes, literally. The big, bright pictures tend to give me headaches (I am prone to migraines) and detract from the overall look. I also find that its very hard to discover new music there, which is what I mainly used the site for before."

"I actually tried to work with it for about half a day," said ThomasAD3, another long-time user. "Every few minutes I found something else that had been eliminated. Navigation was so frustrating as to be nearly impossible. All traces of the game had vanished, save a meaningless 'rep' number. Radios were gone. 'Walls' had disappeared, so communicating with friends was no longer possible. In the first week I went back a few times to bump a protest song, or check to see if any of the changes had been reversed. Now I never sign in at all."

"Let me be very clear, this is a completely different site with completely different uses and goals," said mathmanmrt. "The only thing it shares with the old one is the name."

Even many artists were up in arms about the change (and the lack of answers from the site's admins). State Shirt posted on his blog about the issue. For now, some users have embraced the change, many have quietly transitioned into it, and some have gone to other music sites like uvumi.com.

“My hope for Uvumi is that it becomes a breeding ground for new talented underground artists," said squeakyfingers. "I really hope that it becomes a place where listeners and artists can meet and discuss all aspects of music. I am of the opinion that how underground artists create a fanbase and sell records is by communicating and reaching out to them. The more the artists interact with the people who listen to them, the more likely that listener will buy their CD, go to their show, or tell their friend about 'that awesome band.'"

"So far the site runners seem to share this opinion," she added. "They have been very open with all of the new users and are really trying to foster a community. I like that they care about what we as listeners and consumers think of their 'product.' They are working hard to make the site the best it can be. It has its quirks, but it is worlds easier to use than the new t61, and the site owners are appreciative of feedback and willing to listen. That is tops in my book."

As for myself? At first I missed having people leave messages on my wall, and the ability to leave artists a quick note telling them how awesome their sound is. But when those methods of communicating on thesixtyone were eliminated, I got into Twitter, where I can talk to bands and find out about new releases faster than ever.

Instead of buying credits on thesixtyone, I download music from iTunes, Amazon, or directly from the artists. Many of my group members on thesixtyone are now on Uvumi, where I can keep up with them. One month later, it seems, I'm not missing very much at all.

Portugal. The Man: new album, American Ghetto

2010-03-05T13:18:00.001-05:00

photo from www.portugaltheman.com

Portugal. The Man (yep, that's how they punctuate it) just released a new album, American Ghetto, on CD, digital download, and vinyl. The band plays sultry indie rock, and their song "Sugar Cinnamon" tore up the charts on thesixtyone awhile back. It seems the band's still on a roll: they're currently on tour with Port O'Brien, and they've released a song from the new album ("The Dead Dog") as a free download. Have a listen.

OK Go - This Too Shall Pass video; The benefits of music embedding

2010-03-04T18:30:00.000-05:00

First, here's an OK Go video that went viral practically overnight. It's for the track "This Too Shall Pass," from the album Of the Blue Colour of the Sky, and it's wildly creative, taking the idea of a Rube Goldberg machine to a whole new level.

Interestingly enough, OK Go's guitarist and lead singer, Damian Culash Jr., also published an op-ed piece in the New York Times last month. He talked about the success of the 2006 video for "Here It Goes Again" and how it put the band on the map ... and went on to mention their record label's subsequent disabling of the embedding feature for the band's videos. He concluded:

In these tight times, it’s no surprise that EMI is trying to wring revenue out of everything we make, including our videos. But it needs to recognize the basic mechanics of the Internet. Curbing the viral spread of videos isn’t benefiting the company’s bottom line, or the music it’s there to support. The sooner record companies realize this, the better — though I fear it may already be too late.

I've seen other bloggers point this out before, but Culash nails it here: video embedding helps spread the word about music. When bands go out of their way to make lovely, creative, official videos for their best songs, record labels owe it to them to allow the videos to be shared.

By the way: the band made another video for "This Too Shall Pass," just as creative and inventive as the video above (if not more), but you have to watch it here on YouTube because embedding is disabled. It also has about a third of the number of views despite being posted two months earlier. Quite the difference a little embedding feature makes, huh?

The Autumn Film: The Ship and The Sea

2010-03-04T15:46:00.002-05:00

photo from theautumnfilm.com

The Autumn Film's new album The Ship and the Sea is out tomorrow, and it's available for order here. I haven't had a chance to hear it yet, but I'm a huge fan of the Autumn Film and the songs I've heard already are fantastic.

Here's their video for how they made "Ships on The Ocean Floor":

Ships On The Ocean Floor from The Autumn Film on Vimeo.

Temple Scene: The Gloworld Remixes (free download)

2010-02-27T13:32:00.000-05:00

Temple Scene are offering free downloads of their new EP, The Gloworld Remixes. All three songs were remixed by electronic artist Alex Gloworld. The songs are "Helsinki," "Too Far Gone," and "Is This The Life," and they're definitely worth a listen.

For more info or to check them out, click here.

T61 Highway is Abandoned

2010-02-26T04:08:00.007-05:00

So Rafael Brandão sent me this tip and some screenshots. Apparently many, many songs on thesixtyone.com aren't getting any hearts at all. And there's no way to direct message the artists to tell them someone will stumble upon their tracks ... eventually.

As to the artists and listeners who put time and money into building up the site? T61 admin James Miao is still standing by his statement, "Just because you like my stuff doesn't mean I owe you anything."

Three (of many) pages of unhearted songs (click for big):

Skybox releases "In a Dream" video

2010-02-21T20:08:00.000-05:00

Skybox just released a wild and crazy video for their song "In a Dream," from their album Morning After Cuts, which came out in January. Check it out:

(The song starts at around 0:44.)

#skyboxmusic

New url!

2010-02-21T16:31:00.000-05:00

My blog's new url is www.paisleysound.com. I may have to change around the settings for those subscribed by e-mail (all two of you), so watch this space.

James Miao (of thesixtyone) responds

2010-02-19T14:58:00.002-05:00

I saw this post from James Miao the other day, and thought I'd share it with you all. It's from the something awful forums (warning: you might need an account to read it), in a thread he started awhile back to promote thesixtyone.com:

"hi everyone, sorry for neglecting this thread for so long. while it's never fun to read critical feedback, i do appreciate the fact that people have taken the time to share their concerns and wanted to let it be known that i am reading.

to clarify a few things:

- i took a small investment last spring so i could hire our third person to help on a new mobile project.

- i shut off facebook comments because it had basically come down to the same 50 people (a few of whom actually work at other music sites) writing the same nasty message everyday and facebook has really poor admin tools...i'm all for feedback, but it needs to be constructive for anything to get done. note that i never removed comments and purposely left the comments section open for about 2 weeks after the new design was released.

- like most 3rd party services, alexa is terribly off target. quantcast is also wrong as we removed the measurement code last month. quantcast was a requirement from our advertisers, and it doesn't make sense to keep it around now that i've taken all of the ads off thesixtyone.

- our current implementation of groups/channels is computationally intensive and couldn't scale. we have some good ideas for improving performance and actually improving the user experience. it's only just occurred to me how crappy this must feel for those participating in the goon group. i feel bad about this.

- i know that change sucks for some. heck, my partner, sam, had a hell of time adjusting for the first two weeks...but, at the end of the day, i felt an obligation to continue to push the envelope for music discovery and was prepared to fail outright rather than sit comfortable with a subpar yet familiar music experience.

all i can really say for now is that i promise that things will only get better, that i'm aware of the distress, and that i've got something to prove."

"The goon group" he's referring to is The Goons, a music group on thesixtyone, for members of the Something Awful forums. When someone asked why he changed the site, he replied:

"Simplicity. I had furiously bolted on features over the last 12 months as I experimented with how people explore music. Anything that didn't fit the core experience was cut."

Now, on one hand I've got to hand it to him for going back to a thread where people were criticizing him. But really, some of his points don't make any sense. A lot of the Facebook commenters were artists and listeners who had no affiliations with other music sites, and who spent a lot of time and money on the site and were confused and angry due to the sudden change. It also doesn't address his puzzling blog post. If he wants to do damage control, it's a bit late, as he should have started doing it on day 1. What do you think?

Review: Dream of Sleeping, May All My Delusions Come True

2010-02-06T20:34:00.002-05:00

The last song I heard before the sudden change of thesixtyone.com's layout was Dream of Sleeping's "Cracked Lips, Dry Skin." I saved it, logged in the next morning and ... holy re-launch, Batman. Since Dream of Sleeping was a new artist, I felt awful for him: he never had the chance to experience all the music-radio site had to offer. And when I read that he was getting trashed by reviews, I knew I had to step in and level the playing field a bit.

Part of the weariness seems to be reviewers saying, "Oh great, another solo artist," which I think is missing the point entirely. The fact that a single musician can carry an album (something that usually takes an entire band) makes me pay more attention, not less. The fact that it's indie accoustic music doesn't diminish its charm. And on that note, let me begin my review.

Dream of Sleeping is Neil Cartmell, and his music is reminiscent of snow falling gently on a cool day. (The cover art helps with this image, but my point stands.) "Scar" is a good opener to the album, and draws the listener right in. I do have to agree with the reviewers on "Why How When," since the drums go nuts and overpower the song. But the lyrics are great, and it's nothing a good remix can't clean up. The album jumps right back on track with "On a Paper Plane," which is a beautiful song.

The guitar work in "Changing Times" is positively melodious, and the title track, "May All My Delusions Come True," gets at the heart of the album: dissatisfaction with the status quo. That theme is continued in "The Longest Day," which starts with the lyrics: "What will you do when you grow bored with me, and nothing is how it used to be, and nothing is how you want?" It's a sparse, haunting song.

"December Something" starts off with some great piano work, and the vocals remind me of Michael Stipe from REM. "Wait In Line" is positively heart-wrenching, and my only complaint is that it doesn't go on long enough. However, "Cracked Lips, Dry Skin" is the clear star of the album, and I can picture it being used on an episode of Chuck. It's low-key, filled with emotion, and perfectly performed. The last song is the wryly titled "No One Listens to the Last Track," a short and simple outro.

Overall, it's a great album, and many good things can be said about it. So, do I have any advice for Neil? Well, don't give up yet. Get on sites like uvumi.com that allow you to connect with listeners, give away a song or two for free, and record some more music videos. Something to help your music grab listeners' attention. And don't put too much stock in bad reviews: everyone gets them. Make music to please yourself and your fans, and you won't be disappointed.

Buy the album at Bandcamp

www.dream-of-sleeping.co.uk/

@dreamofsleeping

The Rescues - "Can't Stand the Rain" video

2010-02-06T15:20:00.000-05:00

I've been looking for a live performance of The Rescues, and someone pointed me to this just a few days ago. Here's The Rescues performing "Can't Stand the Rain" on PCTV:

@therescues
#therescues
myspace

Review: Uvumi

2010-01-31T21:12:00.001-05:00

Uvumi.com is a music web site with a focus on artist promotion and social networking. According to their About page, "Our mission is to empower artists, promote widespread creation and consumption of art, and add value to the artistic community." It's geared at helping artists get a platform, boasting a "clean and useful social profile that is highly optimized for search engine indexes." [1]

Since I'm not a musician, however, I can only rate the site fairly from a listener's point of view. So for an easy guide, I've narrowed down my criteria to six categories: appearance of the site, ease of finding music, ease of buying (or, if the artists provide free music, downloading) songs or albums, tech support for problems, general community, and extensiveness of the music library.

Appearance. Uvumi is a cleanly designed site, with categories like "Charts" and "Music" accessible from the main page. The word uvumi is Swahili, and "means low sound, rumbling noise, murmur, or hum." [2] For a new user, the main page seems to toss a lot of information on the screen at once, and can be a bit confusing to navigate at first. Once listeners start to get into the site, however, their friends' activities (making new friends, becoming a fan of bands, favoriting songs) show up, drawing them into the site's various features.

Artist and listener profiles are very functional; artist ones provide a bio, photos, songs, contact info, and more in a visually appealing way. There's a space for other users to leave comments on profiles, and the site gives artists the ability to create professional-looking press releases. Users can also start a blog on the site within seconds.

To sign up, artists must first register as themselves, and then create an account for their band. This resulted in some confusion at first, but seems to work out quite well in the long run.

Finding music. The charts and search functions make it simple to find one's favorite artists, and listen to similar music by genre. Users can favorite songs by adding a star to them, or earmark them for use in their playlists.

Buying/downloading. Currently, it's not possible to buy music directly from the site, but with contact info readily available on artists' pages, users can click through and buy music from other sites. There is an option for artists to allow a free download of a track. Some users have expressed the desire to upload their music for sale or buy it from the site, so whether or not it'll be implemented in the future remains to be seen.

Tech support. The tech support at uvumi is phenomenal, the best I have ever seen from a company. The staff answers their e-mails promptly, and users can send a twitter to @uvumi if they need help, and often receive a response in minutes. The staff outlines plans for the future and necessary maintenance work openly and well in advance. [3]

Community. There is a vibrant community going on at uvumi from "thesixtyone refugees." It's simple to request friendship, become a fan, or leave a comment. The ability to upload multiple photos and contact info makes this site a contender to be the Facebook for music lovers.

Music library. As little as a week ago, the site didn't have very much to offer, but multiple new artists are appearing every day. Right now some of my favorite artists aren't on it yet, but as word spreads about the site, that could change.

Overall, uvumi.com seems to be a great resource for community-oriented musicians and listeners to gather. It's obviously still a young site and is rather small right now, but the staff seem dedicated to making users happy.

An open letter to thesixtyone.com

2010-01-24T17:30:00.003-05:00

Hey there, thesixtyone.com. I know you're a bit sensitive to criticism, but ... I've been with you for two years, so hear me out. I joined in February of 2008 and fell in love with you at first sight. The music! The community! Everything was so vibrant and new and fresh.

But then you changed. One day I logged in and all I saw was Emily Haines filling the screen, with her armpit the size of my cell phone. I couldn't find my friends on the site, and my playlists stopped after the first 10 songs. You don't play the songs I like smoothly anymore; you change them around like a bad date who keeps fiddling with the car radio. You didn't think of my needs; you only thought about high school hipsters.

Here is what you can do to set things right, or I'll be flipping through my 50 ways to leave you.

1. Bring back walls, and let us talk to artists and other listeners again.

2. Make playlists of a reasonable size again--would, say, 25 songs be too much to ask?

3. LET US KNOW when you're going to radically overhaul the site, and provide an FAQ or tutorial to ease the transition.

4. Give us a way to view the classic setup (white background, small pictures) when we want to view the site in public. (And don't relegate me to a site without a security certificate when I just want to flip through my music.) You can leave the tabs; just give us a way to minimize images. As it stands, it's not work-safe.

5. Acknowledge your users. Lots of people have invested time and money in your site, and are not pleased to be ignored when they have questions or concerns. Give people a way to contact you from your site, and respond, even if it's just something like "I'm sorry, we can't address your concerns at this time." I mean, you just got all that funding from Creative Commons and Linkedin, and you can't hire an intern to answer messages?

It was the best of times ... no, no, it WAS the worst of times

2010-01-22T13:39:00.006-05:00

Seems the powers that be at thesixtyone.com, in their infinite might and wisdom, have disabled music embedding. I'll be editing the blog over the next few days (weeks?) to get rid of all the white spaces, and unless the old layout is restored, I'll no longer link to any pages there. If artists give me permission, I'll upload music straight to the blog (and I'm looking at sites now to let me do that).

So for the next few weeks, I'll focus directly on artist spotlights and interviews, as well as reviewing your other options for music listening on the web--including Last.fm, Pandora, Lala, Stereofame, Bandcamp, Cherrypeel, and a few more sites I have tucked away in bookmarks somewhere.

Also, someone told me to start doing book reviews, since I'm a writer and I have a different novel or how-to book on my desk every day, so why not? I also might get into more science or health topics, since I'm in nursing school and all. Stay tuned. I may change the layout of the blog, but you won't ever see an image of your album cover blown up 4x4 all over the screen.

Thesixyone unveils site redesign

2010-01-21T20:17:00.009-05:00

Updated 1/22/10.

It's just my luck that a few days after I release a FAQ for thesixtyone, they unveil a beautiful (and puzzling) site overhaul. The site was a combination of Internet indie radio mixed with a massive multiplayer game, and now ... well, I'm not quite sure what it is. It's gone viral on Twitter, where people rave it's stunning and original, but it's leaving artists and listeners alike up in arms. Users have announced a black-out day tomorrow (Friday), opting not to sign in to the site.

The new thesixtyone.com.

The redesign puts an emphasis on images and a slick look, but users and artists are puzzled as to how to search for music or send comments to other users, and the site doesn't provide an FAQ to ease the transition. It also features a new section on "etiquette," or how users should behave, in which it calls artists who asked for the site's leaders to be more transparent about how songs reach the homepage "insecure and/or jealous."

Artists such as Hollis Smith, axisONE,and State Shirt have put up songs protesting the layout change, and others have also expressed their disapproval. "You could have had the greatest music site in the world, at one time you did, but for whatever reason you have chosen to destroy this once beautiful thing," wrote user mathmanmrt on the page of one of the creators, Samuel Hsiung.

The old layout is still available at http://old.thesixtyone.com/, but many users aren't satisfied. They've started a Facebook group and web site, both titled I Used to Like TheSixtyOne, and have posted open letters protesting the change. Blogger Lona Nicholle posted her open letter on her blog Too Many Characters, Not Enough Plot:

"The site has lost almost all functionality with this design. If there were drop-down menus, if there was still a comments section, if a thousand things you took away were still available in some form, the design would be perfectly fine. But you have removed all ability to use the site other than to simply stream music. If I wanted that, I’d use any number of other sites. Your site was unique and perfect. If it’s not broken, you don’t fix it. You have rendered the site unusable, and are ignoring your user-base’s complaints."

Well said, Lona. Everyone, use the tag #BoycottTheSixtyOne to get your voice heard on Twitter.

thesixtyone FAQ

2010-01-17T14:54:00.003-05:00

I've taken it upon myself to write up a quick FAQ for Internet radio site thesixtyone.com, since I see a lot of people with the same questions. Check out the site FAQ first, but this has a few tips. And if you're a new artist, check out Color Theory's great guide here.

I'll update this post whenever I see any changes or new questions people have. (This post itself is an updated FAQ from my old Heartstorm blog).

I’m a new listener. Walk me through the website.

Thesixtyone.com is a music site with an emphasis on gaming. (That will make more sense as you get used to the site.) To get started, click around the site and listen to the songs. If you like a song and want to see it get more attention, click the gray heart next to it.

Whoa, hearts? What are those?

Hearts are like points; you’re given a certain amount every day depending on your level, and you can spend them on songs. The more hearts a song gets, the better it does. If a lot of people are "hearting" a song, it will show up on the most active page. If it does well after a minimum of 7 days, it will "post," and move to the recently posted page. If it does really well, it will go onto the hot right now page, also known as the "homepage" (because that's where it originally was). You can sort any of these pages by music genre, or just look at all the songs together.

The homepage, at a glance.

Can I heart a song more than once?

Yep. Used to be it correlated to your level (i.e., level 2 = can heart a song 2 times), but you need to be at least level 5 or so to start doing it now.

What is a "RB" or a "listen"?

A "radio bump" and a "listen" are the same thing--clicking someone’s "listen to radio" button on their profile to hear a random song they’ve saved. Your profile keeps a count of how many times people listen to your radio, and people often bump each other’s radios as a courtesy (and one quest requires it). The name "bump" hearkens back to when there were no hearts, just "bumps" made from points.

What’s this "rack" thing? Sounds painful.

The rack contains songs that haven’t yet posted. You can get extra reputation and hearts for listening to those songs. Usually you can find something really nifty in it; other times it’s ... well, painful.

What’s reputation?

The amount of points you have. You gain reputation by hearting songs that other people later heart, by listening to the rack, and by doing quests and such.

What are quests?

Click the red circle next to your user name, and you will see a list of daily quests. Do those, and you'll get points and hearts.

So what are achievements, then?

Just like in certain video games, achievements can be unlocked by accomplishing something in the site--whether that's listening to a certain number of songs, reviving a song, whatever. You get points (reputation) for doing them.

This band has 112 listeners. How do I become a listener, too?

Just favorite one of their songs, and you'll automatically be added to the tally. It doesn't really change anything for you, but it factors into how popular the band is on the site.

How do I first heart (discover) a song?

Be the first person to heart it, silly. It’s not easy, but the recently submitted page is your friend.

The site swore at me! How do I get it to stop?

If you max-heart a song, the site will yell "Holy s---" at you, by default. Go to your settings and preferences, and check "filter not safe for work content," and it won't do it any more.

(And while you're messing with your settings, go to preferences, and unclick "block messengers from strangers." If you leave that checked, no one can comment on your user page, unless they're in your group or you've subscribed to them! So keep it open.)

Should I join a group?

Yes. It's a great resource, and a good way to chat with people who like the same types of music that you do. (I recommend Max Bumps, though I may be biased.) Groups have their own particularities, including their own page of songs that members are hearting, saving, or featuring a lot.

How do I feature a song on my profile?

Save a song and click “feature” under it. You can feature up to three, and can unfeature them at any time.

How do I revive a song?

The song needs to have already posted, at least 60 days ago. Reviving a song is a huge deal--it sends the song straight to the "recently posted" page.

Revives recently underwent a change. Now, to revive a song, you will need to submit a “bid” from your reputation--that is, an amount of points that you’re willing to spend. The bid must be at least 1,000 points, and you can’t see what other people have wagered. If your bid is highest at the end of three hours, you win and your song is picked. So be prepared to bid high.

Someone gave me this tip: to see what some winning bids were, find a recently revived song, and click on the band name. You can see that user's winning bid by looking at the "hearts" tab (or clicking on it if there are patrons listed) on the profile page.

Generally speaking, it's not really well-liked when someone revives a song that has, say, 12,000 hearts. The point of reviving is to get people to see a song they may have missed the first time around, not the tired old song everyone's heard before. Also, a blockbuster song will stay on the homepage for a long time and keep good new stuff off it.

What is "veg"?

Just a screensaver type thing. Click it (hover over the song you're playing, and a little panel will show up) and see for yourself. Ooh, ahh.