One of you guys asked me for songs about the sea, so I revisited some of my fav’s. This was a fun task, thanks for asking. If you have favorites please post them below.

I often hit the back button Future Islands tracks and “The Ink Well” is no different. This 7″ split with N.C. natives Lonnie Walker does not disappoint. Two totally different sound spectrums on an itty-bitty EP.

You guys remember Blue Scholars? ::MΔDE::IN::HEIGHTS:: is the new project from Sabzi and vocalist Kelsey Bulkin and it is the beats. Like JJ and CocoRosie made a baby in the heights. The EP is free get this yesterday.

We covered Julianna Barwick on This Just Out when she released Florine back in 2009. Now the Brooklyn based loopers The Magic Place was recently called out on P4K’s best new music! I’m not sayin’ -  just sayin’ … Run a bath, light some candles…

Lady Lamb The Beekeeper is the stage name of musician Aly Spaltro, who was named Folk Artist of the Year by the Boston Music Awards in 2010. This is a collection of previously unreleased, rare, bedroom, and radio tracks that you can own for ten clams.

This week STRFKR began streaming Reptilians on Soundcloud to make up for a delay in the vinyl production. I’m not mad about it. At all.

That’s all for now…

Django, Sam & Claire of Nightmare and The Cat turned up this week at The Hotel Cafe with a backing band and Gary Baseman! Who painted during their set… if anyone has a photo of that, post it in the comments mine is all blurry. We’ve discussed before, if you haven’t listened to these kids (yes, they are kids) yet, we probably should not be friends.

Nicole Atkins played to empty rooms for years before a record label noticed her undeniable talent. Then they got her, (as usual) didn’t know what to do with her, dropped her and now, in their wake, she’s kicking ass all over the United States with her most recent release, Mondo Amore. I spent all of thursday playing ‘The Tower’ over and over and over again. If you have the opportunity to see this woman live, do it. Atkins backing band, The Black Sea, lead by shredding wonder Irina Yalkowsky do not disappoint either. They are tight… like a Bengal tiger.

Dum Dum Girls covered my (and the rest of the post-angst populus’) favorite Smiths song…

‘There Is A Light That Never Goes Out‘ track is featured on Dum Dum Girls up coming four-track ‘He Gets Me High’ EP. Coming out on February 28th, the newest release  was produced by frontwoman Dee Dee alongside Sune Rose Wagner of The Raveonettes, plus 1960s songwriter and Sire Records co-founder Richard Gottehrer.

The Lonely Wild “creates indie music with the rabble-rousing spirit of a sea shanty, and an Ennio Morricone-style vision of the old west.” Yes they do. Their record release show is on February 24th @ The Bootleg in LA.

Tom Williams & The Boat

Holy S*it. This debut LP from Tom Williams & The Boat comes out digitally this week and physically on the 28th of February. When you buy this, do pour yourself something of the whiskey persuasion or if that’s not your bag (anymore) black iced tea should suffice. This guy makes me want to drive out to Joshua Tree and shoot guns.

Weekends

This two-piece aaht-rock duo from Baltimore, the city that brought you Dan Deacon, Future Islands, Celebration, Animal Collective, Dave Sitek (you thought Brooklyn was cool…) are well… aurally ear melting. That’s right, I said it. Ear melting™ and this is a good thing.

Saturday night my friend Lindsey introduced me to Austra, who were in town sharing a bill with Glass Candy at The Echoplex. In Latvian mythology, Austra means the Goddess of light. Austra’s music is what would happen if a band had been sent to quell Titan’s condemned to Tartarus. You will be hearing so much more from Katie Stelmanis, the openly queer, effortlessly cool Toronto-based talent in the coming months. You’ll be glad you hopped on the bandwagon now.

That’s all I have, this week it got loud. My tinnitus thanks you.

Till next.

Baltimore kids release their first album in four years! Put this on your bucket list of bands to see live to see before you die.

“Music about the sea for breakfast, and music about breakfast for the sea”. Pretty much says it all.

Montreal based dancey, chillwavey, pop tarts. They’re on tour in the US right now. You will like this.

Just one track from the forthcoming Zu Shapes album, it’s free. Give this a shot.

If you remember, and loved, the band Tosca you won’t be sad about this free download from BARTEL.

Lonesome Ghost wants you to know that None of These Songs are About You on his free download. Translation: Every song is about you. I like this, it makes me want to cry into a $7 glass of whiskey.

Free EP from San Diego’s TV Girl. I Don’t Care will give you serious 90s nostalgia. Like, for serious.

More lo-fi pop from British Columbia, Teen Daze has been floating around my house for a few minutes. If you are in a frozen part of the world (read: most of you) I hope this warms you up.

That’s it. Time to take on Sunday.

Oh, P.S. this also happened this week. So yeah, that’s kind of cool.

Spirit Spine is Joseph Denney, the Indiana native recorded Glossolalia between August and November of 2010 in his parents basement. The title of the album refers to the religious practice of speaking in tongues so it’s no wonder that the album is a sprawling, desert epic that, “…follows the story of a preacher traveling by airplane who crashes into the desert, leaving him the only survivor. As a result, the preacher must wander the desert in search of food, water, and civilization. Along the way he questions the religion that brought him there and the God who may, or may not, exist.”

Starfucker/STRFKR, Portland’s favorite pop tarts, released two tracks from their forthcoming LP titled Reptilians. It’s the bands second full-length and first with Polyvinyl. Lyrically, the album focuses primarily on death and the end of the world and yet, you find yourself happily dancing along. They are on tour in the US right now.

Lord Huron is something of a mythical creature here in Los Angeles. At a recent show at Silverlake Lounge, the LA Weekly reports, “five guys took the stage and blasted the Lounge with pretty tropical pop melodies that would make Vampire Weekend weep with envy and Panda Bear do a double take. It was the kind of music you would expect from a beachside resort on a distant planet far far away.” Fans of white kids making tropical indie pop should feel their ears perk up.

Monogold is some more indie tropical pop from the hipster bookend of Eastside LA… yes Virginia that’s right, Brooklyn. You’d think that Animal Collective released an album called Merryweather Post Pavillion a few years ago and everyone got like, inspired or something…. Nah.

If you are stuck in the white blustery tundra that Brooklyn has become this winter, well, I’m sorry. Take solace in the fact that bands are making music that sounds like places they’ve probably never been to and it’s kind of awesome. You can listen to it in the snow pretend and it’s sand, because it’s so cold it’s hot.

Magic Man is the Boston based duo of Sam Lee and Alex Caplow. They write from their dedicated Bandcamp page that,

After months of planning and preparation, the first release from Magic Man is ready for you to hear. The songs were written at several different locations in France, including a chateau, a farm, a circus festival, and a beach cottage and brought back home to the states for further recording and editing (most of which was done in small dorm rooms and transmitted between band members with the aid of the world wide web)

This album is free, and you should get it yesterday.

RÜFÜS is a sparkly electronic trio from Sydney who you’ll be hearing more from in the coming months. Think old Junior Boys. It’s fun and slightly fae.

Shilan n-Tenere is a compilation of recordings of guitar music from three regions of Senegal and Mali — Fouta Toro, Timbouctou, and the Adrar d’Ifoghas. Each region differs in language and culture, but all have a popular music based on the guitar, and their respective local guitar bands. The official release is a 12″ vinyl release, a collaboration between Mississippi Records and Sahelsounds.

Love,

R

(Via Mr. CJS)

Last year, during my Ouchie, hundreds of you came to my aid with donations to help me with my medical bills. For this, I am eternally grateful.

Now, this year, I’m thrilled to be helping with this amazing collaboration between Heifer India and BLT Helps. We’re hoping to raise $15,000 that will be matched by private donation to help families in Northwest Rajasthan.

The district of Alwar in northwest Rajasthan is dry and dusty country. But the monotonous palette of browned and yellowed fields is punctuated by the lime greens, pinks, reds, purples and blues of the clothing of the women working the land. The markets bustle with activity, and the many fruits and vegetables hanging from stalls and vendor carts add to the exotic look and feel of the place. But beyond the hectic markets, Alwar keeps an open secret: women aren’t equal. Sequestered in their homes, they are given little education outside of what will make them good wives. But with the help of non-profit Heifer International and local partner organizations like Ibtada, rural women are paving the way out of poverty for themselves and their daughters.

In April 2010, Heifer International staff and a team from non-profit service organization, BLT Helps, traveled to Rajasthan to witness Heifer’s work in action. They sat with women from five villages who shared the stories of their journeys from oppression and poverty to empowerment. Documented by renowned photographer Brigitte Lacombe, the photographs and videos in this collection provide a glimpse into the lives of the women who are working diligently to change the course of the future for their daughters and their communities.

Gifts of livestock and training help families improve their nutrition and generate income in a sustainable manner.  In exchange for their livestock and training, families agreed to give one of their animal’s offspring to another family in need. It’s called Passing on the Gift – a cornerstone of Heifer’s mission that creates an ever-expanding network of hope and peace.  The group also sat with women from five villages who shared the stories of their journeys from oppression and poverty to empowerment.

Donations between $1-15,000 will be matched and you can use Amazon!

If you would like to take part in spreading the word on your blog please leave a comment below and we will be in touch! Also if you DO donate let Twitter know by adding #heiferindia to your tweet with this YT link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNkESqJjz7M

Here is the setlist: Deerhunter – Revival…Sufjan Stevens – I Walked…Deep Cotton – Self!…Maximum Balloon – Pink Brick (featuring Ambrosia Parsley)…Here We Go Magic – Only Pieces…John Lennon – Stand By Me.

You can download here (p.s. It was D’Angelo not Maxwell, I know this now)

Join me, Liz and the rest of the gayng as the gayest show on the internet returns for a Bi-weekly installments. This week we celebrate National Coming Out day with guest Tracy Ryerson from Showtime’s ‘The Real L Word’, Raimy gives you the low down on some new music and some very special guests drop in. Tune in to www.thelizfeldman.com