Hayward Williams

"But if it's all the same, we'll carry on..."

I always come back in some sort of roundabout way to the country (of the alternative persuasion) music. It's the harmonica, I think...I can't resist it. Hayward Williams, though just a young kid from Milwaukee, has apparently found his niche in...the Netherlands? Yes, its true. The alt-country crooner (don't let the picture fool you, "crooner" is not another one of my exaggerations) will spend the better half of October on an extended European vacation. He'll hit the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany before heading back home to us in the Midwest. Another Sailor's Dream, which was released this year via Wisconsin's Machine Records, is probably something worth poking around for...if not for the Springsteen cover alone.

Hayward Williams - Redwoods
Hayward Williams - You Were Right

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Make Believe

"Of course they coat themselves in piety."

The Kinsellas (Tim, Mike and Nate - or least some arrangement of the three) take prolificness to new heights. I'm assuming this will only be news to those who haven't kept up with the Kinsella project genealogy (Cap'n Jazz, Owls, Joan of Arc, the list goes on for miles). As is the case with all related past endeavors, Make Believe is not for the faint of heart. I hate to pigeonhole, but "acquired taste" might be an understatement. Technical, discordant, and perfectly unperfect. It's great to hear the familiar yelp (and oh, what a voice it is!) of Tim Kinsella behind the mic, too. Last I heard, however, Tim had parted ways with MB, but continues to build his "resume". Both tracks can be found on the band's most recent release, Of Course. *See if you can't get a hold of the Owls track "Everyone Is My Friend" as well - it's a classic as far as I'm concerned.

Make Believe - Political Mysticism
Make Believe - Pat Tillman, Emmitt Till

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Imaginary Baseball League

"Maybe it's time to quit. Just settle down and start paying the bills."

I spent my high school years listening to the various odd-offerings of Nashville's Imaginary Baseball League. How exactly I stumbled upon the band so many years ago (5? In a life of 20, 5 certainly qualifies as "so many years ago") is beyond me. I've gobbled up everything they've put forth ever since. First it was a series of EPs, and then, in their later years, a couple of full length albums. Unfortunately, the band has since disbanded. Consider this my posthumous "tribute" to IBL. These guys know how to do business, too...they simply don't. They've made available, for free, their entire catalouge. You can find said albums on their official site. The following tracks are from the bands endmost recording, which was never officially released.

Imaginary Baseball League - Gambling
Imaginary Baseball League - Steeple To Steeple

* download full album

more info...
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The Revelers

"My cigarette is always lit..."

Cleveland rocks, hey. Cleveland rocks. Lost, forgotten, or perhaps never really known at all. The Revelers, with their 1998 release Day In, Day Out, regrettably fall into this category. It's a shame, really, because the disc is a hook-laden, rock 'n' roll masterpiece (yes, I use the term loosely). I came across the Revelers by chance a few years ago, and have since found myself returning regularly to the album. It's a distant favorite. They've got some kind of raw, unavoidable charm. There's really no need to define it. Head over to Amazon to snag yourself a $.01 used copy.
The Revelers - Always Lit (rec'd)
The Revelers - Last Mistake

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Vicious Vicious

"The winds of change are blowing, I can see it in your smile."

Thank you, Erik Applewick, for continually enchanting me year after year (or at least, let's agree, every two). Though you may know Applewick via last year's indie sensation Tapes 'n' Tapes, or, if you're local, power pop group the Hopefuls, Vicious Vicious is undoubtedly his most involved and perhaps his most acclaimed project. With a new crew of local musicians in tow, Vicious is no longer a solo side project. If you don't fall in love with VV and their third release, Parade, I'd have to seriously question your musical acumen - so I hope you'll appreciate my candor. You can stream the album's track on the band's official site before you make your necessary purchase.

Vicious Vicious - Don't Let Me Down

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Tellison

"Someone was telling me how bad America is. You ought to go..."

A copy of Contact! Contact! by the London (Hammersmith) 4-piece Tellison has finally made it into my hands. I was most unrelenting as a copy isn't yet available on iTunes, and myself and my finances have invariably sworn off import discs. If I remember correctly, I fell in love with Tellison a couple of years ago and have since been spinning their 3-song EP, Reader, to death. Naturally, 3 tracks was hardly enough to satiate me...so the news of a debut full-length was received with feverish anticipation. The album comes courtesy of one of my favorite English labels, Gravity-Dip. Sift through the rest of their roster as well, you're bound to find something that suits you.

Tellison - New York, New York, New York
Tellison - Fire

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Black Kids

photo by Ian Witlen [www.theCameraClicks.com]
"You can stay the night, but please be gone by next morning time."

Hey, scenesters - let me introduce you to your new favorite band. Indie-rock par excellence. For the past month or so, the new band Black Kids has been all over the "blog circuit". Moreover, music giant (all personal opinions aside) NME has caught on as well as hipster rag VICE Magazine. That's certainly not bad company to keep - especially when you're a small band from Jacksonville, FL. I've been loving them the past couple of weeks. They have four tracks for download via their Myspace page. The following two are my favorites.

Black Kids - Hit The Heartbreaks
Black Kids - I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You

more info...
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Cabin

"Don't set your aim so far, you'll end up right back where you are."

Thanks to a tip from a reader of the site, I'm now elbow deep in the music of Louisville-based pop/rock band Cabin. Not only has the band made its way around the blogs, but their newest EP, I Was Here, has even received nods from national publications like Spin Magazine. I'm hanging onto summer as long as I can - especially when a Minnesota winter looms large - and the songs of Cabin provide at least a semblance of hope. You'll like the EP's title track, I promise. The band embarks on a mini-tour of sorts in the upcoming weeks, which will take them as far as...Germany? Check the dates. If they came to Minne-apple, I'd be there.

Cabin - I Was Here

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Mumm-Ra

"Are you trying to say that you'd rather decay than believe?"

By way of Bexhill On Sea, England comes the (fairly) new splendid little melodic-pop outfit Mumm-Ra. Their debut album, These Things Move In Threes, has been intentionally lodged in my car stereo for the past few weeks...and it elicits the same reaction from me every time. It's a fantastic 11 track collection. I've included my favorite cut, "Now Or Never", as well as the recent single "Out Of The Question." As far as I know, the album hasn't been released in the states - and I'm not even sure whether they have intentions to do so or not. Regardless, track this disc down somehow. It's worth your effort, tenfold.

Mumm-Ra - Now Or Never
Mumm-Ra - Out Of The Question

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the Upstairs Divine

"Be awake, I've found a home for you..."

My listening habits often change with the seasons, I've found. Although I'm new to the Upstairs Divine, their soft-spoken melancholic ruminations translate perfectly for dreary fall afternoon listening - and obviously couldn't have come to me at a more appropriate time. I fear I'm making their music sound too gloom-and-doom. That's hardly the case. Equal reliance on guitar and piano, as well as dual male/female vocals, make for a remarkably beautiful 6 track collection from these Ruston, LA residents.

The Upstairs Divine - Prints Of Whales
The Upstairs Divine - Je Suis Amour

more info...
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