For this week’s Monday Threesome, we present three bands that appreciate the value of a particular woodwind instrument — the flute. Don’t worry, this isn’t the same flute found in high school marching bands. This is the flute currently inspiring new sounds within the indie music community. In honor of Hot Chip’s new album and current single, aptly titled “Flutes”, we found two additional bands that are manipulating Continue Reading

As the crowd at the Cantora SXSW showcase swelled to capacity, the LA band Haim (@haimtheband) took the stage. Having never heard of them, the energy in the building caught me pleasantly off guard — I was uniquely excited to check out a buzz band free from any preconceived notions Continue Reading

We are dedicating this week’s Monday Threesome to bands that exude a dream-pop sound and incorporate pristine female vocals.  Au Revoir Simone, Seven Swans and Erika Spring all have a distinct tone, but are rooted in the electronic Continue Reading

We’re back in action this week with a show of our very own.  Together with BirdDog Promo, we’ve put 8 bands we’re crazy about on one bill for a night of wildness at Public Assembly.  Headliner Tiny Victories will be celebrating the release of their EP, Those Of Us Still Alive, and will be supported by NewVillager, Dinowalrus, and North Highlands (among others).  Of course, that’s not the only great show going on this week here in New York City.  Make Continue Reading

Ben Folds is the Billy Joel of the MTV generation. He’s our piano man. First known for his work with famed trio Ben Folds Five, who’s self-described genre was “punk rock for pussies”, Folds continued on as a solo act long after the group disbanded. With a laundry Continue Reading

Festival season is now approaching and the first big one, Coachella, starts tonight. New to the festival this year is the double-weekend whammy. This isn’t something many music festivals could pull off, but after years Continue Reading

I’m not really a big fan of dance music, but LCD Soundsystem isn’t really a dance band. The songs on their self-titled debut certainly sound at home on a dance floor, but the soul of LCD Soundsystem is pure rock and roll. That brash Continue Reading

Prerequisites for this week’s Monday Threesome? Let’s focus on three indie folk bands that have at least six members and one female vocalist to lead the group.  Bands with a sound so big you could mistake those 6 or more members for 20.  Might Continue Reading

This week, we’re bringing you three acts who produce sounds that are rooted in American folk music but are subtly inspired by both the powerful percussion and intricate vocals of African tribal songs. Whether it’s their calypso influences, pounding percussion or chanting vocals, each of these bands creates something slightly different, placing them just outside of the American folk genre.

In 2010, the lead singer of Lord Huron (@lordhuron), Ben Schneider, traveled from his current home in Los Angeles to his birthplace of Michigan. While searching through his old stomping grounds, Schneider landed on the shores of Lake Huron, where he spent many of his childhood summers. Only two weeks later, the first Lord Huron EP, Into the Sun, was finished. Although he performs with a full band in a live setting (all members from Michigan), Schneider has recorded both of the band’s EPs on his own, including Mighty, which he released later in 2010 to positive reviews.

With waves of echoing harmonies, there are moments when Lord Huron sounds similar to Band of Horses, a comparison perfectly illustrated by Mighty’s “Son of Gun”. Though Schneider’s music is rooted in American folk, he also draws inspiration from the calypso genre, setting Lord Huron somewhat apart. While Into the Sun and Mighty are the project’s only releases, new music is certainly on the horizon, and if you’re lucky enough to attend 2012′s Sasquatch Festival, be sure to stop by Lord Huron’s set.

A Lull (@alull) is definitely the most electronic-sounding band of the three featured here. Their music is full of unique instrumentation, intertwined with chanting, synth and mystical vocals, all of which bring A Lull into the synthesized folk rock genre. The Chicago band formed in 2009 and released their first EP, Ice Cream shortly after. Since then, these five multi-instrumentalists have perfected the art of uniquely employing guitars, bass, layered electronics, pounding percussion, alluring melodies and sometimes tribal-like rhythms within their music. During the production phase of their debut effort, they recorded 72 songs before finally releasing the project, Confetti, in April 2011. I enjoy everything about this record, including the four-song Confetti Reprise that shares a portion of the music removed from the original album.

The music of Phil Torres, performing under the moniker Baobab (@baobabtheband), contains elements of synthesized electronics layered over charming classical guitars and drawn out melodies. The complex pairing of Baobab’s folk roots — he currently resides in Durham, NC — and electronics is the primary characteristic of his self-titled debut album, released in 2012. Similar to Lord Huron, Torres was responsible for all vocals and instrumentation on his recent release, and in some of Baobab’s songs, such as “Spring Forward” and “Farewell”, it’s impossible to ignore the tribal-like influences in his vocal style. This element, combined with the overall wistful tone in Baobab’s music, truly sets him apart from other folk artists.

For the past year, GIVERS (@giversmusic) have been über busy touring across continents and promoting their debut LP, released last June, but they’ve still found time to tweet about their hectic happenings. From posts about which venue they’re playing and with whom, to delirious tour rants and pictures to aid as a mini-scrapbook, their Continue Reading