Esben and the Witch - Violet Cries

Violet Cries is the full-length debut from Esben and the Witch, and it’s been launched on the ever-effervescent Matador Records. It’s a brooding, self-reflective release and it’s hard to catch the vision sometimes. Those difficulties are quelled throughout, but lingering doubts harm the effectiveness of this record.

Esben and the Witch – “Warpath” (download)
Download audio file (warpath.mp3)

Throughout Violet Cries, I’m never sure whether something more exciting is going to come into play — and that’s after several listens. When the pace gets frenzied, I almost expect something bombastic and vibrant, but instead, Esben and the Witch stay the course.

It’s hard not to be impressed by this debut, but it’s also hard to fully enjoy it during the first few listens. I can’t complain about the result, and while it was a hard one to dig into, but I’ve since gained a real appreciation of it.

The Rural Alberta Advantage - Departed

My love for The Rural Alberta Advantage is not really a secret. Their full-length, Hometowns, held a very special place in my record player, and it was easily one of my most-listened albums of 2009, when it was reissued. When Departed was announced, I became, well, a little giddy. I don’t think this should come as too much of a surprise — I get giddy at the merest mention of new things from bands I enjoy, and when it’s a band I have an unabashed affection toward, make no mistakes: I’m like a little school girl. Well, I mean, I’m like a little school girl in some respects, not all.

At any rate, I snagged an e-mail this morning from Paper Bag Records advertising a track from the upcoming Departed, which is due out March 1. I jumped from the couch I’d fallen asleep on, grabbed my laptop, and the listening took off.

The track is “Stamp,” and it takes The Rural Alberta Advantage forward on the same path they’d been forging with their excellent 2008-2009 outing. “Stamp” is brash effort in the vein you’d expect from the group, but there’s something fresh here. There’s an apparent cynicism that belies the innocence of Hometowns; the tone is brazenly sardonic. Instrumentally, this is essentially par for the course, though there are some new elements that really help the track succeed. We’ve still got the little bits of silence you’ve come to expect,

Snag the track on Paper Bag Records or via Saddle Creek Records above.

Tour dates

December 15 – Hamilton, ON – The Casbah
December 16 – Toronto, ON – Lee’s Palace
December 17 – Montreal, PQ – Il Motore
December 18 – Ottawa, ON – Ritual Nightclub
January 12  - New York, NY – Mercury Lounge (sold out)
March 9 – Cambridge, MA – Middle East Cafe
March 10 – New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom
March 11 – Philadelphia, PA – First Unitarian Church
March 12 – Brooklyn, NY – Knitting Factory
March 13 – Washington, DC – Rock ‘n Roll Hotel
March 14 – Chapel Hill, NC – Local 506
March 15 – Atlanta, GA – The Earl
March 17-19 – Austin, TX TBA SXSW
March 20 – Dallas, TX The Loft
March 22 – Ames, IA – Maintenance Shop at Iowa State University
March 23 – Milwaukee, WI – Mad Planet
March 24 – Madison, WI – High Noon Saloon
March 25 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue
March 26 – Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall

Keith Canisius - This Time It's Our High

Here’s a bit of fun, engaging shoegazey stuff for you. It’s Keith Canisius, dream pop craftsman, with something from his second release, This Time It’s Our High. Check it out; it comes highly recommended.

Keith Canisius — “The Beach House” from This Time It’s Our High | download
Download audio file (KeithCanisius-TheBeachHouse.mp3)

Photo by Martin Hausler, courtesy of Sneak Attack Media

Jack Dishel (or, if you will, Yevgeny Leondovich Dishel) — best known as the former Moldy Peaches guitarist, is off to those indie rock races again, this time on his own under the name Only Son, and this time with a new album. As a preview for his forthcoming Searchlight, to be released Jan. 18, 2011, check out “Magic.” If the rest of the album continues with this pop nous, there will be something very good here, no doubt. For a video of the track, read after the jump, or just check out this mp3.

Only Son — “Magic” from Searchlight | download
Download audio file (magic.mp3)

Red Sparowes

Red Sparowes, Los Angeles post-rock (or, if you will, post-metal) group, have announced plans to set out on tour at the end of March through the first half of May in support of their forthcoming release, The Fear is Excruciating, But Therein Lies the Answer, set to be released April 6, 2010.

Red Sparowes — “Giving Birth To Imagined Saviors,” from The Fear is Excruciating, But Therein Lies the Answer

Download audio file (Giving_Birth_To_Imagined_Saviors.mp3)

In anticipation of their third album, the band has released “Giving Birth to Imagined Saviors” for public consumption. Featuring a more nuanced approach than their previous efforts — but lacking none of the bombastic fervor they’ve set out as their own, the latest effort from Red Sparowes is one to watch for.

Red Sparowes on tour

• 03/29  Phoenix, AZ @ Rhythm Room **
• 03/30  Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad **
• 04/01  Dallas, TX @ Lola’s **
• 04/02  Austin, TX @ Red 7 **
• 04/03  Houston, TX @ Rudyard’s **
• 04/05  Baton Rouge, LA @ Spanish Moon **
• 04/06  Birmingham, AL @ Bottletree **
• 04/07  Jacksonville, FL @ Jack Rabbits **
• 04/08  Orlando, FL @ the Social **
• 04/09  Atlanta, GA @ the Earl **
• 04/10  Chapel Hill @ Local 506 **
• 04/11  Washington DC @ Rock & Roll Hotel ** ^
• 04/13  New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge **
• 04/14  New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge **
• 04/15  Boston, MA @ the Middle East Downstairs ** ^
• 04/16  Montreal, QC @ La Sala Rossa ** ^
• 04/17  Toronto, ON @ the Garrison ** ^
• 04/18  Cleveland, OH @ The Grog Shop # ^
• 04/19  Indianapolis, IN @ Radio Radio # ^
• 04/21  Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall # ^
• 04/22  Madison, WI @ High Noon # ^
• 04/23  Minneapolis, MN @ 400 Bar # ^
• 04/24  Omaha, NE @ Slowdown Jr. # ^
• 04/26  Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge ^
• 04/27  Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge ^
• 04/29  Seattle, WA @ Neumo’s # ^
• 04/30  Vancouver, BC @ the Biltmore # ^
• 05/01  Portland, OR @ the Hawthorne # ^
• 05/02  Eugene, OR @ WOW Hall #
• 05/05  Santa Cruz, CA @ Crepe Place ^
• 05/06  Santa Cruz, CA @ Crepe Place ^
• 05/07  San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall ^
• 05/08  Los Angeles, CA @ the Echoplex ^
• 05/09  San Diego, CA @ the Casbah ^

** With Doomriders
# With Caspian
^ With Fang Island

The Symphony of Science — “The Poetry of Reality” | download
Download audio file (Symphony_of_Science-The_Poetry_of_Reality.mp3)

The video includes lectures and interviews from the widely known — Carl Sagan, Richard Feynman, Stephen Hawking — to some known in more specific circles — PZ Meyers, Brian Greene, Carolyn Porco, Michael Shermer — and represents an engaging cross-section of figures of science advocacy.

Musically, “The Poetry of Reality” is perhaps the strongest piece since the first video, “A Glorious Dawn.” If the Symphony of Science is successful in spreading its very important message, it will be to the benefit of humanity as a whole.

• Symphony of Science

Matt Pond PA, credit: Jeremy Balderson

April 6, 2010, Matt Pond PA, indie-pop all-star band from New York, NY, will be releasing their latest album The Dark Leaves on Altitude Records. Currently, their single “Starting” is available for download on Paste. In November, Matt Pond PA released a limited edition EP showcasing the single. The EP, THREEEP, includes 3 A-side tracks, instrumentals, and 3 additional B-side tracks. Currently, their “Starting” 7″ is available for purchase on Altitude Records. The three song EP includes “Starting” as well as “The Colour Out of Space” and “Stopping.”

Matt Pond PA will be performing at SXSW this year, and will be touring with The Wooden Birds through February and March; The Wooden Birds are also appearing at SXSW.

Matt Pond PA — “Starting,” from Starting 7″ (2010) | download
Download audio file (Matt-Pond-PA-Starting.mp3)

See below for a video and tour dates from Matt Pond PA.

Matt Pond PA – Last Light

Matt Pond PA | MySpace Music Videos

Matt Pond PA @ SXSW

• 03.19 – Austin, TX @ Emo’s East – AAM SXSW Extravaganza
• 03.20 – Austin, TX @ SXSW

Matt Pond w/ The Wooden Birds

• 02.28 – Austin, TX @ The Scoot Inn
• 03.04 – San Diego, CA @ The Casbah
• 03.05 – Los Angeles, CA @ Spaceland
• 03.06 – Los Angeles, CA @ Spaceland
• 03.07 – Visalia, CA @ The Cellar Door
• 03.09 – San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall
• 03.11 – Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge
• 03.12-  Seattle, WA @ Tractor Tavern
• 03.18 – Austin, TX @ SXSW – Red Eye Fly Barsuk Showcase
• 03.19 – Austin, TX @ SXSW Day Show (TBA)

Box Art from the SNES game "Chrono Trigger"

Since “Chrono Trigger” was released in 1995, it has been widely regarded as having one of the best soundtracks on a video game. It helped spur the scene of video game music remixes and has had many iterations over the years. The soundtrack by Yasunori Mitsuda, originally in just 16-bit audio, still contends with full orchestral music heard in today’s games and has a large cult following in the video game scene.

One of the most notable renditions on the soundtrack is the acid jazz album Chrono Trigger Arranged Version: The Brink of Time. The album was released just over three months after the game and features ten remade tracks. Initially, the album had very mixed reviews with critics claiming to either love it or hate it. Personally, I enjoyed this acid jazz arrangement of the soundtrack quite a bit. It has all the workings of an enjoyable acid jazz album mixed with memorable songs that incite great memories. The choice of acid jazz seems like an obvious one simply because the sounds used, if not emulate, at least do justice to the original 16-bit sounds.

Yasunori Mitsuda arr. DJ Ali Haeri – “Kingdom Trial” remixed with “1, 2 Step” by Ciara feat. Missy Elliott from Chrono Trigger Mixtape, Vol. 1
Download audio file (2-05-1-2-Step-Ciara-feat.-Missy-Elliott.mp3)

Yasunori Mitsuda arr. DJ Ali Haeri – “Underground Sewer” from Chrono Trigger Mixtape, Vol. 1
Download audio file (3-08-Underground-Sewer.mp3)

Yasunori Mitsuda arr. Daniel Floyd – “Morning Sunlight” from Chrono Symphonic (2005)
Download audio file (02-Morning-Sunlight.mp3)

Another of the great renditions is The Chrono Trigger Mixtape, Vol. 1. The mixtape originated as a joke amongst DJ Ali Haeri and his friends about creating a stereotypical hip-hop mixtape. The album contains 10 “clubbed” up versions of “Chrono Trigger” songs mixed with a capella vocals from popular hip-hop artists such as 50 Cent, Young Jeezy, Ciara, and Kanye West. The mixtape, released in 2005, has three versions, the first being the most stereotypical and satirical of the three. It features the mixed-up tracks, DJ’d by the fictional DJ Epoch. The inclusion of DJ Epoch is the only element that sets versions one and two apart, but it really makes a difference. DJ Epoch was introduced to give it that authentic “annoying DJ” feel. These mixes even include obnoxious introductions to the songs, complete with an over abundance of delay and echo. The third version of the mixtape is an instrumental mix, and is personally, the most enjoyable. The 16-bit sounds are directly translated into bass thumping hip-hop.

When “Chrono Trigger” was released for the Nintendo DS in 2008, we heard several beautiful orchestral arrangements and even a few unreleased tracks. If you are looking for a great compilation of all the 16 bit tracks directly from the game with a few extras, this is the album for you. The Nintendo DS release soundtrack spans 3 discs and includes 78 songs, totaling nearly 3 hours of pure “Chrono Trigger” goodness.

Last but certainly not least are the wonderful symphonic renditions that can be found on the unofficial, download only album, Chrono Symphonic. This album was released on the website OverClocked ReMix in 2006 and features 25 of our favorite “Chrono Trigger” tracks. The songs contain intricate full symphonic scores and a lot of dynamic variance. Not only does this track shine as a remix of the tracks, but as a symphonic album as a whole.

Chrono Trigger will have it’s 15th birthday in just a few weeks — March 11 to be exact — and even after so long, it is still sitting pretty as being one of the most loved and heavily remixed video game sound tracks of all time. So in honor of Chrono Trigger’s upcoming birthday, this one goes out to Yasunori Mitsuda. Without him, we would be devoid of so much of our favorite music that has come from video games in the last 15 years.

If you want to download either Chrono Symphonic or any of the versions of Chrono Trigger Mixtape, Vol. 1, just click the links below.

Chrono Symphonic
Chrono Trigger Mixtape, Vol. 1
Chrono Trigger Mixtape, Vol. 1 (No DJ)
Chrono Trigger Mixtape, Vol. 1 (Instrumental)

I Call Fives

In a sea of new independent pop punk music, I Call Fives really floats above the rest. They are a refreshing take on the typical pop punk band and deliver catchy guitar hooks and anthemic lyrics. The track “My Last Mistake” from First Things First stands out exceptionally well and offers up some of their best material.

Hailing from New Jersey, this incendiary pop punk outfit never fail to deliver. Every song on their 7 track debut, First Things First, grabs you and doesn’t let go until the next track is starting up.

I Call Fives, “My Last Mistake” from First Things First | download
Download audio file (My-Last-Mistake.mp3)

I Call Fives garners particular respect from MusicGeek for their support of the online community. Offering up downloads on websites and always being cooperative and personal with their fans online are just two of the many reasons I love this band. On a certain website, which shall remain unnamed, the group has over 27,000 downloads and the count is always going up. I Call Fives is yet another shining example as to why independent and major artists alike should embrace the online community.

Check out this awesome pop punk group at their myspace page.

Courtesy of Force Field PR

Cap’n Jazz — “Oh, Messy Life” | download
Download audio file (Cap_n_Jazz-Messy_Life.mp3)

Read on for a video of Cap’n Jazz performing “Oh, Messy Life” as part of the Joan of Arc Don’t Mind Control Variety Show, the surprise set in January.