Colin Meloy Sings Morrissey

It's probably a safe bet that most Decemberists fans are unaware of frontman Colin Meloy's solo cover projects. Being a fan of the Decemberists, a fan of Morrissey, and partial to acoustic songs, I really enjoy his Morrissey cover EP. It didn't garner great reviews from certain large media outlets (i.e.Pitchfork), but they're wrong. Its home-recording style and the acoustic guitar arrangements have a visceral indie appeal. The imperfections and mistakes just make it more accessible- they add a camaraderie not usually attained in the studio.
Highlights would be Jack the Ripper(absolutely amazing), Sister I'm a Poet, and Every Day is Like Sunday.

Tracklist-

1. I Know Very Well How I Got My Name
2. Pregnant for the Last Time
3. Jack the Ripper
4. I've Changed My Plea to Guilty
5. Sister I'm a Poet
6. Everyday Is Like Sunday
   

Luckily for us, the whole thing is available in mp3 from the Internet Archive.
Click here for a direct link to the zip file.

Charles Bronson

Charles Bronson was one of the classics of the thrashcore/powerviolence scene, and they're fucking amazing. They play ultra-fast, ultra-short lofi hardcore. There are quite a few movie samples incorporated into their music. Almost none of their songs are over 1:30. Sadly, I won't get the chance to see them live, since they've broken up. But from the videos here, you can get a little idea of what it was like.

Recommended Albums:
Complete Discocrappy has all their songs. Get it.

"Marriage Can Suck It"
Charles Bronson on Myspace
Youth Attack Live
More Live Charles Bronson

Preview- The Grand Archives

This is Mat Brooke's (from Band of Horses) new band.
Their self-titled debut comes out on Feb. 19th courtesy of SubPop, but there are some early tracks to be found around the intarwebs. I can best describe the sound as dream-folk rock, with some excellent four-part harmonies...very nice.
Sleepdriving departs from their folky feel in favor of an alt-pop mood, but is probably my favorite song...there's something very peaceful in it.
You can get it and a couple other mp3s for free from Pitchfork Media.
(Make sure you use the MP3> link and not the imeem stream links.)

I'll do a more in-depth review once the album is out.

Behold... The Arctopus

Behold... The Arctopus
is a band at the forefront of experimental metal. Their particular brand of instrumental tech metal is heavily influenced by jazz and modern classical. Their tempos switch at whiplash speed, and the guitar parts are ridiculously intricate. Also, band member Colin Marston plays a very cool Warr guitar.

This music is not for everybody, but if you like extreme metal and you want to hear something that breaks boundaries, I recommend giving B...TA a listen.

Recommended Albums:
Skullgrid
Nano-Nucleonic Cyborg Summoning (reissue)

Exospacial Psionic Aura live
Alcoholocaust live
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/beholdthearctopus
Free tracks

On mainstream music.

New artists rise to the general spectrum through corporate promotion, not through dedication or inspiration. The industry tells people what they want to hear through promotion and the creation of faux-band images like MCR. People need to learn to elevate their minds beyond the confines of corporate selection, and at least decide whether they truly appreciate the art, or whether they simply employ its facade as a social and mental narcotic.

When you listen to a song, can you hear nothing else? Does it grip your consciousness, and leave an imprint on your psyche? Or does it just wash across your ears and fall away?

This state is not helped by modern music production techniques- the policy of most producers is to create a shimmering, sugar-coated diamond of perfection. This, to me, is missing the point. Art is not about mathematical precision and scientific procedure; art is about humanity and empathy. We smother the art in packaging, steal its breath, and leave a shell. A shell of scintillating beauty, perhaps, but there is no feeling, no life, and the inherent mystery unique to living things is gone. I don't mean to deride the use of technology in art, or anything of the sort. (Pro tools kicks ass!) I advocate its use, in fact, but to enhance expression, not to synthesize perfection.

Consequently, indie music is suppressed by the corporate media. Too much thought is bad for the industry- we need for people to realize they can actually think for themselves and decide what they want to hear. That would hopefully precipitate the industry fragmenting enough to allow artists the recognition they deserve.

American Gothic EP

Smashing Pumpkins
Time for a brief foray into mainstream alt-rock.

These are the first new Pumpkin's tracks since Zeitgeist, and I think they are much better.
It could be because this is an acoustic EP, and is therefore less overproduced, or just because I have an affinity for acoustic music.
The stripped-down tracks also make American Gothic also sound like less of a Billy-athon than Zeitgeist.
Pox has a great edgy feel, Rose March is kinda folky, Sunkissed is growing on me, and I'm not a huge fan of Again, Again, Again.
Lyrically, as far as I can tell, Corgan has gone back to his deeper, personal, and enigmatic style- much better than the abstract, politcal-pop on Zeitgeist.

Someone has uploaded the tracks as Youtube vids, so here's a link to Rose March. You should be able to link to the rest from there.

Descended Like Vultures

Rogue Wave

For their second release, and last album with SubPop, Rogue Wave releases a set of tracks ranging from grandly urgent to smoothly relaxing. There's a more orchestral aura than their first album, and the arrangements are well developed. The catchy, alt-pop vocals are, for the most part, backed up by solid, accessible lyrics. (A few exceptions, but nothing's perfect.)

For free mp3s, visit the SubPop artist page.
(10:01 and Publish My Love are from "Vultures")