Volume Two – She & Him. (2010.)

Goth rockers, metal heads, and general moody listeners of the emo persuasion: this is not the album for you.
I can’t think of any duo in music today that inspires sunniness and optimism more than She & Him. A collaboration of M. Ward (whose solo career is something amazing in itself) and actress Zooey Deschanel, this is the album you want to play in headphones while lounging in the grass, that strangely sweet smell of honey and heat in the air.
Volume Two is the sequel to 2008′s Volume One, where the world realized that Zooey Deschanel had more of a range than the shower in Elf. As an aspiring hipster myself, I’ve spent many a day wishing I could be her. (Marrying Ben Gibbard didn’t help matters.) And I’m not alone. The hoards of fedora-wearing bike riders out there will be putting this on their summer playlists, and now you can too.

wikipedia /  last.fm
buy Volume Two on amazon
“If You Can’t Sleep“
“Ridin’ In My Car“
“In the Sun“

I return with a wealth of goodies, number one being this cover of an 80′s classic. Me, I lost all respect for Guns n’ Roses when I found out that Axl Rose’s name was an anagram. Classy, dude. But as we all well know, the eighties are alive and well in popular music, and sometimes I wonder if most hit songs today aren’t just remakes of older versions I’m not familiar with. Recycling is all the rage now, you know.

Taken By Trees is the solo project of Victoria Bergsman, former lead singer for The Concretes. This cover of “Sweet Child O’ Mine” is off the second album, East of Eden (kudos on the name from a Steinbeck fan). This may be a cover, but it’s also brand spankin’ new from an artist that looks promising — and that’s what discovery is all about.

wikipedia /  myspace /  last.fm
buy the album on amazon
“Sweet Child O’ Mine” – Taken By Trees.

indie city is still breathing. I swear to you.

Due to unforeseen circumstances (also known as “the real world” to those in the know) there has been a hiatus of sorts. It was unplanned, and I apologize to you personally for not coming through with what I have promised since the very beginning: delicious yummy morsels of indie goodness. Mmmm.

So stay tuned, reliable readers.
There is much coming in the impending weeks, including a new look for the site!

Don’t lose faith in me now.

A pseudonym for English singer Natasha Khan, Bat for Lashes has been complimented by acts such as M.I.A. and Thom Yorke, with Bjork seen at a few shows. She has been compared to Annie Lennox or Stevie Nicks, and I think that’s a valid comparison. Khan somehow both skims the surface of and dives into her songs, which leads for an almost transparent musical style. Her cover of “Use Somebody” is slower, sadder, but more emphatic because of it.

Bat for Lashes on wikipedia /  myspace /  last.fm
“Use Somebody” – Bat for Lashes.

The cover says it all, doesn’t it? The music brings out the orange in a story that could have easily faded into darker hues. A tale about four sisters who all ultimately kill themselves, it asks both why people do these things and whether society at large compels them to do it. And yes, while electronic music may not have been your first choice, after listening? You’ll wonder why the heck not.

The Virgin Suicides on wikipedia /  IMDb
soundtrack on wikipedia /  amazon
Air on wikipedia /  myspace /  last.fm
“Highschool Lover (Theme)”
“Playground Love”

Murdoch, who is London-born and Scottish-bred, is well known for being a recluse and lives in a remote area of Western Scotland. This loneliness carries over into his songs, which echo with longing and hope. Simple in instrumental structure, the melody barely exists yet unfurls in depth. How he does this, I don’t know, but I certainly love it.

wikipedia /  myspace /  last.fm
(from the album Time Without Consequence)
“All of My Days”
“Orange Sky (Album Version)”

Genuineness is something not often found in today’s music. It’s something lucky, something moving, something that kicks us in our backs to go out and do something that will inspire us just as much. When you find it, don’t let it go. Wrap it up in blankets, hum it songs, and realize that when you peel back the covers, all you’ll see is yourself.

website /  myspace /  last.fm
(from the album Orange Days on Lemon Street)
“As Much as You Lead”

After graduating from high school in Washington, D.C. Rice moved to New York where he began work on his debut album. Shortly after arriving in the city, the World Trade Center was destroyed and this, along with other themes of war can be heard in his lyrics. The album was recorded several times before Rice was happy with it, finally settling with Bright Eyes producer Mike Mogis, creating a rich, diverse sound with most tracks leading into one another as a single “work” of music. Rice has cited Nick Drake, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, The Beatles, and country legend Gram Parsons as influences on his work. (wikipedia)

Rice’s Scottish influences are not far from his music, but don’t discount his growing up in the USA. There’s a very Americana feel to his songs, all bar hopping and guitars, though they still keep an element of foreign grace. I’d compare him to an early John Mayer. Here’s to hoping Rice doesn’t turn out like Mayer did.

myspace /  last.fm
(from the album Trouble Is Real)
“So Sweet”
“Mid-November”

What lovely music. The band cites both punk rock and folk as their influences, and while more of the latter is at first seen in their songs, the former peeks its way through in unexpected ways. Laura Marling is considered a member of this group, even though they switch out female singers, and so both this album and her solo work have some intertwining themes.
If you’re looking for something dark and visceral, you won’t find it here. However, you will find something beautiful. The lyrics themselves are like dirty pools left over after rain: sure, they’re a bit filthy, but they’re fun to jump in, and oh, how they shine in the sun!

wikipedia /  myspace /  last.fm
buy Peaceful, the World Lays Me Down on amazon
“2 Atoms In a Molecule”
“Do What You Do”

But this post is not about Keane the band, or about their discography at all (I’d start with Hopes and Fears, if you’re wondering). It’s about a cover of a song called “With or Without You,” a song that on its own has a reputation and by proxy has been covered by too many bands to count. It’s the pop-rock version of “Hallelujah.” Originally by U2 (of course), the song takes on an almost acoustic property in the hands of these mates. Recorded for a radio show, it’s soft and sweet and minimally deviates from the original. And believe me, that’s more than okay.

Keane on wikipedia /  myspace /  last.fm
“With or Without You” – Keane.