Photo: Orenda Fink

From our friends at Saddle Creek Records:

“Following the events of last week, Orenda Fink has written a little about her experiences in Haiti. She’s traveled there multiple times, and has formed a special relationship with the country. Please read her thoughts on her website. We’ll be offering a free download of Orenda’s debut album, Invisible Ones for the rest of the month. We hope it will inspire people to donate to the relief effort.” …read full article…

Obviously, once something awesome hits my mailbox, I really like to share those piece that I like a bunch. One such bunch caught my eye a few minutes ago as I waded through the muck: Deep Elm Records is working with Lexington-based Cari Clara’s [MySpace] (I know that MySpace says they’re from Cincy, but I read the whole press release, yo) on the release of a brand new full length album title It’s Our Hearts They’re After. The LP is now available now on most digital music services including iTunes, eMusic, Amazon and from the glimpse I have gotten thus far, it’s incredibly promising. Deep Elm will also be simultaneously re-releasing the band’s Miniature American Model Society and will release an EP entitled You Better Run in Spring 2010 so if you’re digging this, make sure to keep an eye out for those as well.

Check out a sample of the new album “after the jump” …read full article…

Photo by Jason Maris

Happy New Year, everybody. It’s been a strong start to 2010 (save for whatever-the-hell is going on in my stomach today). To kick off my first post of the new decade, we’ve got a performance from Atlanta-based avant-rockers, Untied States [MySpace]. The group, who have drawn favorable comparisons to Liars, Sonic Youth and Barret-era Pink Floyd, play live in the studios of the Digital Arts Entertainment Lab for the WRAS | indieATL music series.

Their new record Instant Everything, Constant Nothing is available on now on Distile Records.

Check out the performance and more “after the jump” …read full article…

“11th Dimension” is the first video from Julian Casablancas‘ solo album, Phrazes For The Young and it is pretty great in a fun, throwback, synthy sort of way. The neon highlights in his clothing remind me of Strokes single “12:51″ for some reason which, in turn, made me think of Tron (because, well, it was full of Tron references).

Like I always say, the more keytar, the better.

Check out the video and more “after the jump” …read full article…

The wife and I are still here in Florida. Great weather so far and we are really enjoying ourselves. Today, we do have a band worth talking about, one that even Mrs. Smith agreed “had” to go up on RE.

According to everything I have read and seen about them, I really like CLAPS [MySpace]. They’re a “minimal synth pop three-piece from Saint Paul, MN”. Before today, I only thought of St. Paul as a terribly cold place, but there is one obvious benefit to being indoors so much: lots of playing time. “Fold” is their first single and debut EP “New Science” will be out out January 23rd via Guilt Ridden Pop.

Check out “Fold” after the jump …read full article…

Today is Christmas Eve (yay!) and tomorrow the Christmas-celebrating children of the world will wake to a home full of merriment and glee, will tear open presents and break out some brand new toys. In the spirit of giving (a little too bit information), I wanted to get a list of the songs that really piss me off the most this time of year. There’s some classic holiday standards and a few recent “reinterpretations,” but on the whole, there’s something here that should pretty much piss off just about anyone.

Young and old alike, prepare to check out the “Bah Humbug: The Holiday Songs I Hate”

Check out “Bah Humbug: The Holiday Songs I Hate” “after the jump” …read full article…

Here is the “Eraser-fied” music video for Thom Yorke’s cover of Miracle Legion’s “All For The Best.” The song is from the 2009 compilation Ciao My Shining Star: The Songs Of Mark Mulcahy, available now from Shout! Factory. I have been listening to the track all day today and thought I would share. Hooray.

The first time Yo Gabba Gabba’s album finds its way through your speakers, you are more creeped out than if you had encountered a grinning clown in a dark alley. It doesn’t seem right to listen to it without a tot in tow. Never having seen the Nick, Jr. show, the music on the album is fun and catchy enough, but the lyrics are a true test in how quickly the adult mind registers suggestiveness.

From zero to sixty in… yeah. …read full article…

Dreamin’ Man Live ‘92 is part of the archival live series that Neil Young uses to illustrate just how damn good this guy was when he was younger and this selection in particular is the most modern, featuring songs from Harvest Moon. All ten tracks come are from album albeit in differing orders than their appearance on the LP and come from solo acoustic shows Young did as a build-up to the album’s release.

Dreaming Man Live ‘92 is out tomorrow (12/8), with a vinyl version to follow Jan. 12, 2010.

Or, it just means that we have a cool widget with a stream on our site. Man, I hope Neil Young fans show up in droves.

Listen to Dreamin’ Man Live ‘92 “after the jump” …read full article…

Land of Talk’s Fun and Laughter is a compact set of four tracks following the rich vein of their 2008 album, Some Are Lakes. Elizabeth Powell chants her way through the band’s off-kilter pop waves. Where most front women sound like they’re threading a needle, Powell steers the ship, owning each song with nuanced gravitas. …read full article…

Four years ago, AMC and BBC America took a selection of songs from a little-known band and used them heavily throughout a strong summer campaign to tout their programming. The band, The ColourSound [MySpace], sounded more English than a Thomas’ English Muffin commercial and, as it just so happened, created really good Brit-pop/rock. Actually, their sound was more like an approximation of a Western-influenced Starsailor, but since I have an intense affair with that band, that is a good thing. …read full article…

Oh man, oh man, oh man! This is awesome. Making good on their Twitter promise, Radio Exile fave, Beach House [MySpace], are giving away a brand new track from their forthcoming album Teen Dream, out January 26th via Sub Pop. We’ve always been a fan of their previous singles [Beach House Announce Tour, Plan 7″], but there is something really special about this latest one.

The song is called “Norway”.

…

That’s one of my favorite countries! Coincidence? I think not!

[mp3] Beach House – “Norway”

With their recent Doolittle 20th anniversary tour underway, now is as good a chance as any to check out The Pixies playing some of their finest material. The clip included here is part of a promotional appearance on The Tonight Show to talk about the tour (on which the only material play shall be from the aforementioned album) and also for the behemoth collection, Minotaur, which Conan displays before the performance. It’s 25-26 lbs. of awesome, people!

Thanks to Prefix Mag for the tip!

Check out the performance by the band “after the jump” …read full article…

There are a few great film/album mashups. Two of the more obvious ones are Wizard of Oz/Dark Side of the Moon and Toy Story/OK Computer synchronizations. But rare is the instance of finding a film inspired by and created completely in an album’s image – an album that stands alone, but also perfectly scores said film. Noah and the Whale accomplish this with their second album release and film debut, The First Days of Spring. At the recent screening of the film (by the same name) at Piano’s in NYC, the man who would prefer to remain behind the curtain (if he had his way) and front man of Noah, Charlie Fink, answered the eternal chicken/egg conundrum for fans, confirming that the album actually came first. …read full article…

“…Spanking Finn with My Microphone Hairbrush”

Glee: The Music, Volume 1 is a bundle of musical entertainment that will leave you giddy…if you’re a fan of Glee. The popularity of the show has created millions of self-proclaimed “Gleeks,” all who will find this soundtrack charming and exactly what they’ve been waiting for from the McKinley High School troupe. …read full article…

I recently returned from a three week holiday in Europe (I’ve always wanted to say that – three years ago I had never been on a plane), and I found Volcano Choir’s [MySpace] debut album stuffed between hundreds of Thrillist newsletters, Facebook notifications and “Fwd: fwd: fwd – this is sooo cute!” messages from my mother. It’s been a week or so and I’ve been dragging my feet hard on this review because, well, I’ll come right out and say it – I think that our fearless leader here at Radio Exile has intentionally assigned this to me, knowing FULL WELL my feelings on Bon Iver. You sly dog, you!

See, Volcano Choir is a collaboration that predates and includes my favorite mountain man, as well as a handful of Wisconsin folk from Collections of Colonies of Bees and Bon Iver. …read full article…

New video from Loney Dear [MySpace] whom we love and cherish deeply. His latest, Dear John, came out in January and it’s really great. I am a bit sad that Emil has dropped the superfluous comma from the band name, but who am I to complain; I add my middle initial to my pen name and that makes me sound very pretentious, doesn’t it?

This tip game courtesy of Broken Dial/Radio Exile founder, Greg Wind, whom we all miss a great deal. No, he didn’t pass on or anything, he just got tired of being a blogging ninja-dad.

Check out the new vid “after the jump” …read full article…

Courtesy of BuzzFeed (thanks Tanner), we’re looking what I will now say might be the absolute best mashup this Fall featuring Notorious B.I.G’s “Party and Bullshit” laid over that stupid as hell tune about “partying” and “America” from Disney pop princess, Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana. The DJ in this case is pro skier Andrew Hathaway and this track is hot as eff. That’s saying a lot as you’ll know I love vulgar/inappropriate raps laid over absurd pop tunes.

If you’re curious as to how this sounds, come grab the track “after the jump” …read full article…

Sometimes, you forget that you really liked an act the last time you heard them and the next time they pop back onto your radar (or in this case, my iPod), you’re blown away. Take this morning, for example. I was minding my business on the N train out of Astoria, having my daily “cup o’ joe” and listening to music when “Terminally Chill” by Neon Indian [MySpace] popped on. I was really impressed with my own taste, but then I hit my OWN SITE up to see that I had written about them in July. We did talk a bit about the band and their album Psychic Chasms (out October 13 via Lefse) back in July, but it’s never too late to re-examine something we’re pretty fond of.

Check out tour dates and mp3s “after the jump” …read full article…

Last night, The Flaming Lips [Official] appeared on The Colbert Report and performed “Convinced of the Hex” off their upcoming album, Embryonic. You can now stream Embryonic for free on Colbert Nation as well, check out the widget on the left side.

Purchase Embryonic here. Check out their appearance and performance “after the jump” …read full article…