Waxploitation records has just released the second installment of their ongoing benefit series for Darfur. 100% of all profits made on this stellar compilation will go to Doctors Without Borders, Human Rights Watch, and Oxfam America. Each of these three organizations are doing incredible things to help those suffering from the crises taking place in Darfur.
Several of the best indie artists in the business have donated rare and exclusive songs for this great cause. So I encourage you to go to iTunes or Amazon and download these tracks. It is a great way to get some new music and love your neighbor at the same time. You should also check out Causes 1, which is also loaded with great artists, such as Bright Eyes, The Shins, Spoon and Death Cab. And if you go to the Causes store, you can buy both albums for just $17.
Tracklist for Causes 2
Black Moth Super Rainbow – Happy Melted City
The Decemberists – After The Bombs (Live Version)
Devendra Banhart – White Reggae Troll
Diplo – Wassup Wassup (Exclusive Samim Remix)
Federico Aubele – Luna y Sol
Gnarls Barkley – Mystery Man
LCD Soundsystem – Starry Eyes Original (Causes Exclusive)
My Morning Jacket – Highly Suspicious (VHS or Beta DJs Remix)
Matthew Dear – When She Don’t Need Me (Causes Exclusive)
Mum – Asleep In A Hiding Place
Neon Neon – I Lust U Feat. Cate le Bon (DJ Eli Escobar Remix)
Richard Swift – Wastin’ M’Time
RJD2 – Wherever
Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings – It Hurts To Be Alone
Tim & Eric – Petite Feet (Exclusive Devlin & Ghostdad Remix Feat. Sylvia Gordon)
The 2009 Line-Up for Austin City Limits Music Festival has been posted and it certainly does not disappoint. The festival is scheduled for October 2-4 with huge headliners as Pearl Jam, Dave Matthews Band, The Decemberists, and Kings of Leon. I Hope Your Ears Bleed “approved” bands that will also be featured include, the music mash up master Girl Talk, Andrew Bird, Passion Pit, Bon Iver and The Avett Brothers. ACL festival has established itself as one of the premier festivals to attend; as well as the city of Austin securing its place as the “new” music capitol.
Leading up to this amazing festival stay tuned to I Hope Your Ears Bleed for an in-depth look into each band that will be featured this year as well as a pick list of bands to go see if you are fortunate to be in attendance this year.
If you would like to investigate yourself feel free to browse www.aclfestival.com which has bios, songs and videos posted showcasing each artist.
I hope some of these bands will make your ears bleed with anticipation.
Earlier today Justin shared with you some new releases from this week that he was excited about, and now I’m gonna draw your attention to a couple more that I can’t believe he didn’t bother mentioning. The first of which was my most anticipated album of the year.
The Decemberists Hazards of Love (Capitol)
These guys just keep getting better and better. I found it very obvious that this project began as the score for a broadway play. Even if he’s never able to bring anything to the stage, I hope he continues to use this same approach to each of his records. It just brought a cohesiveness to the album that is so rare to find in this digital age. Thankfully, Meloy is not obsessed with the single, like the rest of the mass media. So after day one, it hasn’t disappointed me. My anticipation was well warranted.
This is the sophomore effort from the musical fusion of Daniel Bejar (New Pornographers), Spencer Krug (Wolf Parade), and Carey Mercer (Frog Eyes). It may not match up to the works of original groups, but I am still a big fan. As far as anyone knows, this is the first known use of a “court painting” as a record cover. Thus the early working title for this album had been “Before the Law”, a beloved Kafka parable and a reference to the court painting. However, the band is sick of being referred to as “literary”, so they went with “Enemy Mine”, which is a movie from Bejar’s youth and a serves as a metaphor for collaboration. I hope more artists will venture to take the time to make such a collaboration.
This is the debut album from the band whose self-released EP, Burning Birthdays, earned generous praise from Pitchfork, SPIN, Rolling Stone and a myriad of blogs back in 20o7, and then went on tour in support of many great acts such as Beirut, Vampire Weekend, and Deerhoof. It won’t be long before these guys are on their own headlining tour, for they have picked up right where they left off with Technicolor Health. It’s just fun blend of garage rock and psychedellic pop, with some fantastic harmonies throughout.
MonoHymn to the Immortal Wind (Temporary Residence)
I’ve actually never heard of these guys until I received some promo material on Hymn, their first album in over 3 years, but their fifth LP and apparently their “most expansive album to date.” It is an awesome and majestic record. The best instrumental record I’ve heard since Explosions in the Sky’s The Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place. The 28-piece chamber orchestra that plays throughout the album helps to create such a gorgeous and grandiose sound.
Various Artists – The Very Best of Prestige Records (Prestige)
So I usually don’t pay much attention to “best of” records, or jazz music for that matter. But I just enjoyed this album so much, I couldn’t not mention it on this list. It is a fantastic collection of songs and is great for many occasions. If you’re looking for a good dinner party mix, this would be a great one. And I have found it to be a great record to put on while I’m working in the office. After listening to this record you will surely become just as infatuated with the trumpet as I am.
Fun is the new brainchild of Nate Ruess (The Format) and Andrew Dost (Anathallo). News of this project has helped keep me from spiraling down into a deep dark depression over the loss of one of the greatest pop bands of all time. While I love the name, I am slightly annoyed that yet again I will have a hard time finding anything on them with just a google search. I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I am to hear this album. Nate has written in a blog post that these are some of the best songs that he has ever written. Not to mention that he has been getting the help of Andrew Dost for the arrangements. And if for some reason you are unfamiliar with Dost or his former band Anathallo, the guy is a musical genius who can play pretty much any instrument, “switching from singing and playing the glockenspiel to playing the piano and flugelhorn” all mid-song. Not a joke, I’ve seen him do it. So far they are still unsigned, which I am assuming is by choice, cause I don’t know why all the labels wouldn’t be fighting over them. But as long as the new album gets finished and makes it to my ears, I don’t care how they do it. Unfortunately, I don’t have any more information to share with you all. But I will leave you with this great demo version of one of their new songs.
Unfortunately they have only updated their studio journal 3 times in the past three months, so I’ve learned a whole lot of nothing about this new record. Except that it is going to have a reggae song in it and that Ryan plays an omnichord on one of the tracks. But honestly all it takes for me to get excited about a new Guster album is to know that it is being made. These guys put on one of the best live shows I’ve ever seen (easily top 3) and their last few studio albums have just blown me away. There are tracks on Keep It Together that still give me chills. Like the track I sampled below for those poor unfortunate souls that have yet to discover the wonders of Guster.
Here is a video of some guy named Larry playing a fluglehorn on one of the new songs that is tentatively titled “Lost at Sea.”
Yeah I know, I am behind again. Another of my most anticipated albums got released before I could write about it. And unfortunately I have been too busy and too poor to listen to it. But I will tell you why they made it all the way into my top five. It is because somehow Bono and his crew have not only managed to have an incredibly successful and lucritive music career that has spanned over 3 full decades now. And all the while they have managed to attain the attention and the respect of both music critics and the mainstream media. So for as long as they are in the business I am sure that I will get excited about anything that they create. Not to mention, they were like my second music love as a child. Although I must say that I am slightly disappointed with “Get on your Boots.” It seems to be a less awesome “Vertigo” in my mind.
The creators of our favorite album of 2006 are finally back with their fifth studio album, The Hazards of Love. I absolutely cannot wait to hear what apparently started out as a musical, and has turned into yet another themed record from The Decemberists. According to frontman Colin Meloy, it is a “mossy and evil” record, that tells the story of a woman named Margaret. I absolutely adore how nearly every song they write tells a story, and I am excited to know that this new album has a cohesive story to tell. I am also glad to know that My Brightest Diamond’s Shara Worden, has lent her gorgeous voice to a fair number of tracks.
