More fun new music to share! Coming to you in
four five parts:
First,
a new EP from
Racing Glaciers, who continue to hold the title for best band name in my music library. Their first EP blended melancholy, Fleet Foxes-esque folk harmonies with moody rock and pop composition to arrive at five (technically six) refreshingly enjoyable songs. This new EP is more upbeat, and in some ways bolder than its predecessor, and it offers a different but complimentary angle by which to see and understand the band. Racing Glaciers is racing to the top of my list of bands to see live when the chance arises, but until it does, these two EPs will have to suffice.
Second, author of my fourth favorite song of 2013 RÁJ has released another new cut this week. It is called
"Let Me Love You," and it is just as haunting, wrenching, chilling as "Ghost." RÁJ has not, to this point, been the speediest unveiler of new tracks, but if the songs he does release continue to be of such high caliber, I'm willing to let it slide. Do yourself a favor and hop on this bandwagon before it becomes a bandwagon. You can thank me later.
Third: this is of particular interest to the Portland audience, but that doesn't mean everyone else should stop paying attention. There is a relatively new alternative rock/shoegaze/noise rock outfit called
King Mountain Petrol on the scene. They've actually been on the scene for a while, but now they have an
EP to stream. The members of KMP have collectively been involved in roughly 50% of Portland's rising class of alternative rock bands, so they know the scene quite well. This latest project is, in my estimation, the best one yet to come from these musicians. If you like postmodern rock music, check this out.
Fourth and last, the Civil Wars are still on indefinite (looking tragically permanent) hiatus, but they have just put out a very pleasant four-song EP of covers. It includes a studio recording of their folk-gone-viral rendition of "Billie Jean," a well as a recording of Elliott Smith's "Between the Bars" (which is also the title of the EP). Check it out on iTunes/elsewhere, and join me in fervent, godless prayer that the duo finds a way to make amends and resume playing music together.
UPDATE: I almost forgot to add the recent trio of releases from Portland/Los Angeles conceptual indie rock artist ibid. This was quite an oversight. Nonetheless, I wholeheartedly recommend ibid.'s new EPs for your listening pleasure. His music has a track record of being unambiguously weird, at times almost confusing to listen to, but it always remains gutturally intriguing and unpredictable. His new EPs, which together form the work Vocation, provide the most compelling and polished (in a sort of unpolished way) material yet from ibid. If you're on the market for some unconventional and exciting new music that makes you think, there's hardly anyone better. Check out ibid.'s Bandcamp page to hear and download Good Works, Ortho, and Mouthed.
That's it for now. Lots more on its way this Spring, I'll do my best to stay current. Until then, tot ziens from Amsterdam!
P.S. For the foreseeable future, this is probably what my posts will look like: brief updates on neat new music I'm listening to/discovering. While I'm traveling, I don't really have the ability to put together more substantive posts, but I still want to share the sounds I'm hearing.
