Here We Go Magic - Over The Ocean

“Over the Ocean” by Here We Go Magic // A Different Ship (Out 5.8.12)

Here We Go Magic have released plenty of great music since their start, but they’re about to release something truly special. For their new album they managed to get longtime Radiohead producer, Nigel Godrich, to handle production after Thom Yorke introduced Godrich to the band’s music. The result is a giant leap in experimentation, maturity, and focus. “Over the Ocean” is one of the album highlights (hard to pick one, when the whole thing is a highlight) with it’s slow burning, ghostly atmospherics and haunting vocal delivery. It does have a decidedly “Radiohead” feel running through it’s backbone, but that’s all right. The sound is beautiful, dark, and lush. Highest recommendation for fans of Radiohead, Sun Airway, and Bear in Heaven.

Everything In Its Right Place (One I Love)

“The One I Love / Everything In It’s Right Place” by Radiohead // Live in Japan (10.5.08)

It’s a slow weekend and I felt like breaking into some of the old tracks that I hadn’t listened to in a while. While doing so, I stumbled across this soundboard recording of Radiohead mixing R.E.M.s “The One I Love” with “Everything in it’s Right Place” and it certainly has been a few years since I laid back and fell in love with this, so why not share it on the main page until I discover something fresh and new to share.

* Interesting side note: Radiohead being my favorite band, the first time I ever saw them live was while they were opening for R.E.M.

Hold you down

“Hold You Down” by One Little Plane // Into the Trees (2012)

One Little Plane is Chicago based folk musican Kathryn Bint, and her dreamy folk compositions have drawn some pretty impressive fans and collaborators in the form of Colin Greenwood (Radiohead) and Kieran Hebden (Four Tet). Both musicians play on “Hold You Down” (with Kieran Hebden producing the album and releasing it on his label, Text) and help build a lovely, melancholic atmosphere, but the real star is Kathryn Blint’s writing and restrained voice. Highly recommended for fans of Gem Club, Jen Wood, and Mark Kozelek. 

Liars - No.1 Against The Rush

“No. 1 Against the Rush” by Liars // WIXIW (2012)

New Liars and it’s so good. More krautrock than the last album, but synth heavy and almost feeling like an outtake from some excellent Liars/Bear in Heaven collaboration that only exists in my mind. I’m in love. This is the best I’ve heard Liars sound in ages and I’m suddenly greatly excited for an album that I didn’t know was on it’s way until today. Highly recommended. 

Arcade Fire - Abraham's Daughter

“Abraham’s Daughter” by Arcade Fire // The Hunger Games - Official Soundtrack (2012)

Entertainment Weekly scored a nice little treat by posting one of the new Arcade Fire tracks from the forthcoming soundtrack to “The Hunger Games”. Oddly, it immediately reminded me of the “Romeo + Juliet” soundtrack from back when I was a teenager, then reading the interview Win Butler, they cited that as an inspiration (Radiohead’s “Exit Music” to be precise). Smart move. As for the track itself, it’s an eerie, dark, and atmospheric piece that has one foot in a youthful, choir - marching band sound and the other in a sinister sounding blend of americana and space rock. It’s definitely a cool song that seems to evoke the themes of the book and film. It’s good stuff. Press play and check it out. 

Radiohead - Lift

“Lift” by Radiohead // Live in Portugal (07.22.2002)

While on the subject of unreleased tracks, one of my favorites has to be “Lift” by Radiohead. It’s a track that I’ve had the privilege of seeing live over the years. Originally the band started playing it around the OK Computer years, and did so sporadically up through the rehearsals for Hail to the Thief, but not so much after that. In it’s various incarnations it’s been a jangly ballad and an ethereal dream pop lullaby. I’m picking the latter as my favorite that I wish to have in studio form. Of course, let’s be honest, Radiohead is my favorite band, so i’m excited for anything they do in any form, but I’ve always had a soft spot for this track and I’ve always secretly hoped it would pop up somewhere down the line like some old live favorites that finally found their way onto In Rainbows (“Reckoner” and “Nude”). I beleive this is one of the last times that they played Lift, almost ten years ago in Portugal. I guess I’ll just continue to listen to this until something else comes along. 

* apologies for the extended Thom Yorke intro, didn’t have an edited copy handy. 

Here We Go Magic -

“Make Up Your Mind” by Here We Go Magic // A Different Ship (2012)

Here We Go Magic are following up last year’s excellent January EP with a new full length produced by Radiohead sixth-man, Nigel Godrich. Personally, I’m always excited to hear anything that Nigel Godrich works on, and here is no exception, but I’m actually a litte shocked at the sound of the first single, “Make Up Your Mind”, which sidesteps the psych pop sounds of the past for something a little prog-ier that actually reminded me mostly of The Beta Band on a seventies prog-rock kick. Not a bad thing, just very different than what I would have expected them to sound like. Excited to hear more from this collaboration. 

Thom Yorke - Stuck Together

“Stuck Together” by Thom Yorke // Excerpt from Rag-Bone Fashion Show (2011)

It would appear that Thom Yorke’s work for the Rag & Bone fashion show back in September has started to find it’s way online. Disco Naivete posted the information first and then Pitchfork picked up the story. This is one of the pieces, a pretty, ambient, mostly instrumental (save for some distorted vocal samples here and there) that’s being called “Stuck Together”. The other piece, “Twist” was briefly featured on radio show mixtape done by Yorke back in the fall. Until we get the full piece, enjoy this three minute sample.