I’m no lame fidelity fanatic but I do like my music to be of a certain quality. If it’s not 192kbps (and preferably 256kpbs) then I don’t really want to hear it….unless it’s REALLY good. If it’s THAT good then I’ll take the song in any form, even as a horrible radio quality MySpace or YouTube rip. Below are five songs that I am totally in love with that I could find NOWHERE online, except on YouTube or MySpace. I’ve ripped them and I’m posting them. If you’re the artist behind one of these poor quality rips and you would like me to replace the song with a higher bit-rate version the please e-mail the track (did I also mention that I’ll love you forever, ’cause I will)

Anyways, let the hyping begin!

Nesey Gallons – “Aurora Borealis” and “There Won’t Be Any Crows” [MySpace]

Nesey Gallons is the (younger?) brother of Julian Koster and son of Dennis Koster. Dennis Koster the world famous flamenco and classical guitarist and Julian Koster of Chocolate USA, Neutral Milk Hotel, and the Music Tapes. If nothing else Nesey has good genes. A part of the Elephant 6 Collective the past few years (he was a member of the E6 Holiday Surprise Tour last fall), Nesey just last week released his first CD (available only as a CD-R. Vinyl coming coon. Copies can be purchased here). So he certainly has the pedigree but what does Nesey Gallons sound like? Well, he sounds like Julian Koster, specifically the Music Tapes-era Julian Koster. Only where the Music Tapes are focued first and foremost on sounds and their manipulation, Nesey Gallons is a degree more focused on songs. That said, these two tracks could easily be mistaken for a Julian Koster. They remind me a bit of Julian’s earliest released Music Tapes record, the Please Hear Mr Flight Control 7”. Both of these two songs are lo-fi to the extreme. Like Julian’s work, the tape fuzz works as another instrument. Both songs are heartbreakingly beautiful folk songs with the typical Elephant 6 instrumentation (singing saw, accordion, horns, etc). Personally I prefer “Aurora Borealis” slightly but really, if you at all appreciate the Elephant 6 Collective, or any sort of mournful lo-fi bedroom pop gems, then check these out. Then buy the CD-R so Nesey can press up some vinyl.

[mp3] Nesey Gallons – “Aurora Borealis”
[mp3] Nesey Gallons – “There Won’t Be Any Crows”

Neighbors – “I’m A Building I’m On Fire” [MySpace]

I tried to track down a higher quality version of this song, I did. I asked around on Twitter several times for it. Nothing. Today, as a last ditch effort, I did a Google search with the song title. The top result? My tweet asking for information about the song. So I guess this is a rather obscure song. I finally gave up and just ripped the damn thing off MySpace.

Neighbors was a Honorable Mention in the 2009 edition of L Magazine’s “8 Bands To Watch”. The side project of Noah Stitelman, Neighbors is very much a similar sort of Elephant 6 bedroom pop that Nesey Gallons is, but taken in an entirely different direction. Where Nesey Gallons’ music is inward focused and traditional in nature, Neighbors is more outward focused and modern of “indie” in nature. The key thing to take away here is that “I’m A Building I’m On Fire” is completely catchy bedroom pop. Love it.

[mp3] Neighbors – “I’m A Building, I’m On Fire”

Victorian English Gentlemens Club – “Periscope Envy” [MySpace]

VEGC are an English band that (seemingly) refused to play in America. Their debut was one of my favorite albums of 2006. A complete appropriation of Surfer Rosa-era Pixies, it was brilliant. Endlessly hooky and a blast of raw power, the album was a perfect modern compliment to the Pixies classic. “Periscope Envy” is the first new material that I’ve seen from the band in a couple years. How does it sound? Weirder and even more quirky. I didn’t think that was possible and yet here we are. I cannot wait to hear the new material from this band. Certainly one of the most underrated and unappreciated bands today, in my mind.

[mp3] Victorian English Gentlemens Club – “Periscope Envy”

Final Fantasy – “No Cars Go” (Arcade Fire cover) [MySpace]

I posted the video of this song a couple weeks ago. This hardly qualifies as a cover since as a member of the Arcade Fire, Final Fantasy’s Owen Pallet likely contributed to the original of this song. For my money “No Cars Go” features one of the best melodies of this decade. The Final Fantasy version, recorded live in what appears to be a tiny venue in 2006 goes the complete opposite direction as the Arcade Fire version. While the original was “Born To Run”-style bombastic, the Final Fantasy version strips away everything except a single violin and Owen’s fragile voice. The click of his effects pedals almost function as percussion. An incredibly endearing cover that cannot be called anything but beautiful.

[mp3] Final Fantasy – “No Cars Go” (Arcade Fire cover)

Last 5 posts by Tom Williams

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