Toro y Moi / Youth Lagoon / Unknown Mortal Orchestra @ Pygmalion Festival (9/22)

New Zealand via Portland band Unknown Mortal Orchestra (or simply UMO) released one of the best debut albums of the year a few months back and I was interested to hear how their warbly psych-pop translated live. These Kiwis stomped all over my expectations delivering a full-out jam session that downplayed the lo-fi, scratchy vibe of the record and emphasized guitar-shredding and a hyperactive rhythm section. I was blown away by their set, especially lead singer / guitarist Ruban Nielsen’s epic guitar solos and raspy, falsetto-ed vocals. In between all the guitar heroics, there was ecstatic, amped-up psychedelic pop songs like “Ffunny Ffriends” and “How Can U Luv Me” which were even more intoxicating then on record. UMO were definitely one of the biggest highlights of the festival for me. I suggest you check out their live show, if you get a chance.

MP3 Ffunny Ffriends
MP3 How Can U Luv Me

Following UMO was another one of my favorite new bands of the year, Boise ID’s Youth Lagoon (aka Trevor Powers). Although he was fighting a cold, Powers played a captivating set full of intimate, nostalgia-tinged dream pop. The gorgeous arrangements were on full display during his short set, with layers of chiming keyboards, drenched vocals, fuzzy guitar, and dancey electronic beats all melding together beautifully. Songs like “July”, “Montana”, and “Afternoon” are full of warmth and yearning, most of them evoking Powers’ childhood, resulting in an achingly personal and powerful performance that struck an emotional chord for me and, I’m sure, many others in the room.

MP3 July
MP3 Montana

If you went into Toro y Moi‘s set expecting a stripped-down, chilled-out performance, you’d be dead wrong. Chas Bundick and his band performed an energetic, instrument-heavy set complete with a huge video screen that provided appropriately trippy visuals to go with the funky, retro grooves. Newer tunes like “New Beat”, “All Alone” and “Still Sound” made up the vast majority of the set and were given elaborate, sonically lush live treatments which got the crowd dancing (awkwardly, I might add). I was most excited though by closing track, the ridiculously catchy “Low Shoulder” which is still probably the best thing the whole “chillwave” movement has produced.

MP3 New Beat
MP3 Low Shoulder

Follow the jump for more Toro y Moi / Youth Lagoon / UMO pictures. Click here to see the full set.

MP3: ARMS – Fleeced

ARMS is the former side-project, now main gig of Harlem Shakes guitarist, Todd Goldstein and the band (which also includes previously spotlighted Matty Fasano) is preparing to release their debut full-length in November. Our first taste of the new album is a track called “Fleeced”, which as You Ain’t No Picasso points out has a very Local Natives feel with it’s layered vocals,  jagged guitar riffs and frenzied drumming. The track promises great things for new album Summer Skills, which just moved way up my list of anticipated albums for the rest of the year. Check it out below.

MP3 ARMS – Fleeced

Rawkblog has video of ARMS covering “Carry Me Ohio”, one of my favorite Sun Kil Moon songs.

Explosions in the Sky / Viva Voce @ Pygmalion Festival (9/21)

The seventh year of Pygmalion Festival opened up with a bang, or more appropriately, an explosion, as Austin, TX-based four-piece Explosions in the Sky played their mind-blowing instrumental post-rock for the sold-out Canopy Club crowd. I became an instant fan of Explosions when their 2005 breakthrough album, The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place reached my eardrums and have been listening ever since. I was able to catch the band at Lollapalooza in 2008, where they put on one of the best shows I’ve had the pleasure of watching. Plus, I started watching Friday Night Lights this summer and hearing their music soundtrack the adventures of Coach Taylor and the Dillon Panthers / East Dillon Lions has led to an even deeper appreciation of the band (and made me want to yell “Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can’t Lose!” during their concert). So it was with bated breath that I waited for Explosions in the Sky to perform. Before they took the stage though, Portland husband-wife duo Viva Voce performed a solid set of reverb-heavy alt-country tunes. Anita Robinson plays a mean electric guitar while harmonizing with husband Kevin, who switched between drums and acoustic guitar (often within the same song). It’s been a while since I listened to this band (since 2006’s Get Yr Blood Sucked Out), and after their scorcher of a set I’ll definitely be checking out their recent album The Future Will Destroy You.

Explosions in the Sky opened their set with “Yasmin The Light”, a hypnotic, melancholy tune from their sophomore album Those Who Tell The Truth Shall Die, Those Who Tell The Truth Will Live Forever which, like many of their songs, will burst into chaotic frenzy on a moment’s notice. “Last Known Surroundings”, one of the highlights from this year’s Take Care, Take Care, Take Care came next and introduced the sound most people automatically associate with Explosions in the Sky, massive soundscapes, prominent marching drum beat, and beautiful intertwining guitar melodies. It’s incredible to watch the band create this music, as they seem to channel every fiber of their being into their instruments. While on stage, the band exhibits some of the most intense concentration I’ve ever seen, making moments like the stunning crescendo of “The Only Moment We Were Alone” and the aggressive percussion of “Catastrophe and the Cure” into transcendent experiences for everyone in the room.

The peak of the set for me came just after the halfway point starting with “Birth and Death of Day”. I’ve always found the guitar melody of “Birth” to be one of the band’s finest moments and the boisterous climax of the song was one of the most epic, fist-pumping moments of the night. The band followed it up with “Your Hand In Mine”, perhaps their most popular song due to it’s association with Friday Night Lights and there was a big recognition applause as the song kicked in. The track is definitely deserving of it’s popularity, it captures the band at their most beautiful, the emotion coming out of those arpeggioed guitar chords is immense. Then came “Greet Death”, another early favorite that provided the most unbelievable guitar playing of the night, particularly from Michael James. I literally did not know hands could move that fast. The band closed it the night with “Let Me Back In”, the fantastic closer to their new album and one of the most interesting compositions in the band’s catalog. It was a great close to a truly phenomenal set. Texas forever.

MP3 Last Known Surroundings
MP3 Your Hand In Mine

Follow the jump for more Explosions in the Sky / Viva Voce pictures. Click here to see the full set.

Polyvinyl Records – 15 Years, 15 Songs

(credit to venuszine for the picture)

Living in central Illinois, there’s not much going on in the cultural landscape that’s worth mentioning, but Polyvinyl Records in Champaign / Urbana, IL has been a beacon of excellence since their inception in 1995. This weekend, Polyvinyl is celebrating it’s 15th anniversary with a huge concert on the closing day of Pygmalion Festival with a bunch of artists from their roster (including Braid, Japandroids, STRFKR, Asobi Seksu, Deerhoof, Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin and more).

In honor of the label that’s provided so much fantastic music over the years and gave people like me less of a reason to be a embarrassed by their geographical location, I’ve made a 15 Years, 15 Songs mix with some of my favorite tracks to be released on Polyvinyl Records. Download the mix below (or listen on spotify) and if you’re from around here, make sure to stop by the High Dive on Saturday to see some of these bands play the anniversary party.

MP3 American Football – Never Meant
MP3 Mates of State – Fluke
MP3 Japandroids – Young Hearts Spark Fire
MP3 Headlights – Cherry Tulips
MP3 STRFKR – Bury Us Alive
MP3 of Montreal – Lysergic Bliss
MP3 Asobi Seksu – Transparence (Single Version)
MP3 Saturday Looks Good To Me – Meet Me By The Water
MP3 Braid – The New Nathan Detroits
MP3 Love Is All – Never Now
MP3 Deerhoof – Super Duper Rescue Heads!
MP3 Rainer Maria – Artificial Light
MP3 Aloha – Weekend
MP3 Loney dear – I Was Only Going Out
MP3 Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin – Sink/Let It Sway

Spotify Playlist: Polyvinyl Records – 15 Years, 15 Songs

Video: The Vics – Chatroom

Although this video is not directed by Barcelona-based music video directing collective, CANADA their influence is felt all over it. Like CANADA’s music videos for Bombay and Ice Cream, the video for The Vics‘ “Chatroom, directed by UK team Pablo & Josh, features lots of random, surreal imagery and fast-paced edits.

The theme of the video is “exploring how anonymity and feelings of escapism caused by geographical and emotional separation affect the way in which humans behave” which, I guess, means hot dogs, disembodied hands, bizarre pantyhose maneuvers, sliding down a cliff in the nude, and a Molly Ringwald cardboard cutout being set on fire. It’s a pretty entertaining video and the track is a nice little indie rock throwback to early Strokes / Interpol. Watch above.

Seasonal mixes are now on Spotify!

By popular request, all of Cheryse‘s famous seasonal mixes are now on Spotify. Click the album art or links below to subscribe to the mix or if you’d like some more variety, click here for a playlist of every track to be featured in a Spring, Summer, Fall or Winter mix. The next Autumn mix should be dropping later this month so keep checking back!

Spotify Playlist: Summer (Or What It Sounds Like)

Spotify Playlist: Autumn (Or What It Feels Like To Fall)

Spotify Playlist: Winter (Or What We Mistake For December)

Spotify Playlist: Spring (Or The Love In Between)

Spotify Playlist: Summer (Or What It Sounds Like) Vol. 2

Spotify Playlist: Autumn (Or What It Feels Like To Fall) Vol. 2

MP3: Fanfarlo – Replicate

I first discovered Fanfarlo almost two years ago and instantly fell in love. I listened to the London-based band’s debut album Resevoir constantly, and still do to this day. “Replicate” is the first track on their upcoming second album and introduces a much darker vibe, departing from the bands freshman peppiness. Despite my adoration for Reservoir‘s upbeat melodies, “Replicate shows a maturity that I deeply appreciate. The Arcade Fire-esque song contains a strong feeling of suspense, created with the beautiful violin that Fanfarlo fans will surely recognize, placed against the varying rhythm of Amos Mernon’s vocals. The abrupt ending of the song leaves me wanting more, and I’m eagerly awaiting track two.

MP3 Fanfarlo – Replicate

Video: Summer Camp – Better Off Without You

Summer Camp swooned us last year with a string of excellent retro-pop gems like “Round The Moon”, “Jake Ryan”, and “Ghost Train” but as evident by “Better Off With You”, the first single on their upcoming LP, Welcome to Condale, their best tunes could be yet to come. The track is perhaps the best encapsulation of the British boy/girl duo’s luminous, dream-pop tunes with Elizabeth Sankey’s captivating vocal performance and Jeremy Warmsley’s effervescent surf-pop instrumentation.

The video consummates the band’s love of everything vintage with sepia-toned images of the band split-screened with clips that could have been taken straight out of a 70’s drivers-ed film. Watch the video above and download the outstandingly catchy tune below. Welcome To Condale will be out October 31st on Moshi Moshi Records.

MP3 Better Off Without You

Nerves Junior

Nerves Junior‘s As Bright As Your Night Light has been receiving rave reviews from the some of my favorite internet stops like We Listen For You, Consequence of Sound, Pretty Much Amazing, and My Old Kentucky Blog and after listening to the album over the weekend, I’ll happily throw my hat in the ring. I’ve been continuously impressed with how ambitious and progressive this band is. You may not expect a new band out of Louisville, KY to be garnering widespread comparisons to Radiohead, but the similarities are definitely there, especially in the effects-heavy lead guitar and the adventurous electronic beats (it’s definitely an album you’ll want a good pair of headphones for).

The band’s latest single “Kale” is the biggest highlight on the album and feels like a melting pot of the band’s best qualities, beginning with a deep synth riff and stunning electronics the band careens through an inventive and unpredictable sonic landscape. The track is held together by lead singer’s Cory Wayne tuneful baritone and a mesmerizing melody and it climaxes with a massive, soaring guitar solo that one-ups everything before it. Check out “Kale” as well as the infectious, densely layered title track “As Bright As Your Night Light” below and watch the music video for “Kale” (directed by WLFY‘s Zach Hart). Grab the album at Nerve Junior’s bandcamp.

MP3 Kale
MP3 Bright As Your Night Light

Video: Slow Club – Two Cousins

After a slow summer for new music, the past couple weeks have been bursting with great albums from Wilco, M83, St. Vincent, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and more. In the midst of all that, one album that’s probably flying under the radar for many is Slow Club‘s sophomore album Paradise, which I’ve spent some time with and is pretty damn solid. One of the standouts is opener “Two Cousins” which hits with all the swagger and enthusiasm that made their 2009 debut Yeah So such a delight (plus, the ragtime piano is brilliant). The black-and-white dancey music video is above and you can download the track below.

MP3 Two Cousins

Paradise is out September 12th on Moshi Moshi Records.