Roman Candle

Roman Candle was Elliott Smith's debut album as a solo artist, which he recorded while still in Heatmiser. It has recently been released and remastered to showing off a few of Smith's best.

Elliott Smith - Last Call

Volcano Choir

Volcano Choir is a bunch of doods from Wisconsin. Its a collaboration between Jon Mueller, Chris Rosenau, Jim Schoenecker, Daniel Spack, and Thomas Wincek of Collections of Colonies of Bees and this francophile guy named Justin Vernon. The collaboration predates the meteoric rise of Vernon’s Bon Iver project, with original songwriting dating back to the summer of 2005, right around the time the Bees first toured with Vernon’s previous band DeYarmond Edison.

It's has been gloomy in Baltimore for the past week and Volcano Choir fits perfectly with the mood, which will carry on beautifully for June Gloom in LA. Their biggest hit is Island, Is and it's easy to see why. Cool Knowledge is my favorite song; short and very sweet. Volcano Choir's album, Unmap, is great all the way through. Imagine Vernon with more instrumental variety. Collections of Colonies of Bees is really solid in their own right and definitely worth getting into.

Volcano Choir - Island, Is (YSI)

Volcano Choir - Cool Knowledge (YSI)

Collections of Colonies of Bees - Flocks I (YSI)

Vetiver

Vetiver is a perennial grass of the Poaceae family, native to India. Mats made by weaving Vetiver roots and binding them with ropes/cords are used in India to cool rooms in a house during summer. The mats are typically hung in the doorway and kept moist by spraying with water periodically. It acts like an air-cooler when wind from a fan or outside hits it. It also adds a pleasant aroma in the house which is commonly described as "cool" and "refreshing".

Vetiver is also an awesome folky offshoot of Andy Cabic based out of San Francisco. You might recognize Cabic from Devendra Banhart's Cripple Crow album, which he co-wrote and produced. Vetiver has been around for a while and often collaborates with Banhart and freak-folk sweetheart Joanna Newsom. I've posted a few songs from their latest effort "Tight Knit" on Sub Pop. Everyday is the most popular tune from the LP but its also the most sensitive. Through the Front Door is my favorite by far. If you can, definitely get this album. It's been perfect listening during Snowpocalypse 2010 and even better now that the Big Melt 2010 has started.

Through the Front Door - Vetiver (YSI)

Everyday - Vetiver (YSI)

More of This - Vetiver (YSI)

Beach House

The 3rd LP from Indie favorites Beach House demonstrates a more refined sound and stronger songwriting than their previous efforts. The quality holds strong throughout all ten tracks. The single, "Norway," follows the bands signature sound (simple drum machine, guitar line, and Victoria's smooth vocals) but creates a fuller sounds than other tracks. I haven't given the album enough of a listen to give a full review, but this is definitely a CD to check out. They unfortunately won't make it out to Philly or NY until May, but at least we'll have some new material until then.

Beach House - Norway (YSI)

Beach House - Lover of Mine (YSI)

The Wheel

Denver, Colorado's Nathaniel Rateliff is the singer-songwriter behind both Born in the Flood and The Wheel. The Wheel's debut album, Desire and Dissolving Men is an impressive collection worthy of its attention. Rateliff boasts some very capable assistance from his string duo, but it's Rateliff who strums, plinks, and beats (lightly) on six different instruments on the record. And, as I've heard, it's "his high, emotive tenor and his charcoal sketches of human frailty that shine."

Slow is the ultimate getting sensitive song of this Autumn. I think its his best track off the album, and I expect the burgeoning generation of altbros to play this track for their own little Lux Lisbons. The Wheel is a great effort and I'm excited to see what Rateliff comes up with in the future. Enjoy.

The Wheel - Slow (YSI)
The Wheel - My Hanging Surrender (YSI)
The Wheel - Just For Me, But I Thought of You (YSI)

Yukimi Nagano

Yukimi Nagano is the half-Japanese/half-Swedish vocalist of both Koop and her own side project; Little Dragon. Born and raised in Gothenburg, Sweden to a Japanese father and American mother, Yukimi says, "I grew up listening to American folk because of my Mom, but I've always had an affinity for R'n'B."

Gothenburg, Sweden is best known as the home of such indie greats as Soundtrack of Our Lives, José González and Jens Lekman, not to mention the infamous black metal scene. Little Dragon throws its hat into the ring, competing skillfully in such a demanding market. Little Dragon is composed of Nagano and her close high school friends Erik Bodin (drums), Fredrick Källgren (bass) and Håkan Wirenstrand (keyboards).

You might know Yukimi best from her work with Sweden's electronica-jazz band Koop, and both Yukimi and Erik play live with José González.

Blinking Pigs' driving drum beat and Yukimi's vocals make this song as amazing as it is. Definitely my favorite off their self-titled album. Twice is a solid track, great for getting sensitive. Her powerful voice pushes it through even the darkest foggy evening. Summer Sun plays a completely different game, showing her talents in the area of modern jazz. Also great for getting sensitive on the sunniest of Summer days.

Little Dragon - Blinking Pigs (YSI)

Little Dragon - Twice (YSI)

Koop - Summer Sun (YSI)

Little Joy

Little Joy is a Brazilian/American rock band formed in 2007 by Los Hermanos singer/guitarist Rodrigo Amarante and The Strokes drummer Fabrizio Moretti. Amarante and Moretti met in 2006, at a festival in Lisbon where they decided to collaborate on a new project. In 2007,  Amarante travelled to Los Angeles to collaborate with Devendra Banhart on Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon album. 

 The band then moved into a house in Echo Park  to write more original music and record some demos. The band named themselves after a cocktail lounge not far from their house. Their self-titled debut album was recorded with the help of producer Noah Georgeson. It was released by Rough Trade Records on November 4, 2008. I've had the album for a while but it wasn't until know that I really have gotten into it and Pitchfork calls the album a perfect barbecue album, so you know it has to be good.

Little Joy - Brand New Start (YSI)

Little Joy - Keep Me in Mind (YSI)

Little Joy - Evaporar (YSI)

Death Cab for Cutie

Bellingham, Washington's Ben Gibbard and his boys from Death Cab for Cutie have recently released their fifth EP entitled "The Open Door" on Atlantic Records. The EP is a companion piece to their last LP "Narrow Stairs," which was released nine months before. The five song EP consists of four abandoned tracks from Narrow Stairs and adds one ukulele demo called "Talking Bird." The Open Door basically takes over where Narrow Stairs left off. Its release is coming in support of Death Cab's last tour promoting its last LP before they head back to the studio. My Mirror Speaks is pretty standard Death Cab fare that seems straight from Narrow Stairs aside from its title lyrics. Loyal Lover gives the standard formula a more my bloody valentine feel with its distortion. I know its not going to get people up and dancing but is always a good bet when getting sensitive.

Death Cab for Cutie - My Mirror Speaks (YSI)

Death Cab for Cutie - I Was Once a Loyal Lover (YSI)

Death Cab for Cutie - Talking Bird (Demo Version) (YSI)

Chris and Thomas

In 2003 Chris and Thomas arrived in Los Angeles, California. The duo’s live debut was on 11/18/03, opening up at the Hotel Café for Alexi Murdoch. They're first full length debut Land Of Sea (2006) was recorded with renowned producer/engineer Mark Howard (Bob Dylan, U2, Tom Waits). The recording didn't get much play until KCRW in Los Angeles picked them up. Broken Chair is great for its harmonies and catchy guitar riffs and vocals. 

Chris and Thomas - Broken Chair (YSI)

Chris and Thomas -  Isn't That So (YSI)

Blind Pilot

I know this is a little bit different from our most recent fare but having met my good friend in DC for some serious getting sensitive music and minor theft, I had to post this band. Anyway Blind Pilot is the duo of Israel Nebeker and Ryan Dobrowski from Portland. Last year the band embarked on a West Coast tour, traveling and hauling all their equipment with them on their bikes. In order to create their first full length album, the duo spent three months living and recording in a warehouse in Astoria, OR. Their first record, "Three Round and a Sound" was released on Expunged Records in June '08. This album is pretty solid. 

The Story I Heard is pretty impressive. One Red Thread is good too. It's chorus of "Man oh Man...you can do what you want" is the perfect way to describe the feelings of this album; of love and the feeling of loss that comes with it. I feel like (and I think Knight would agree with me) the drums should come in much heavier on "what you want" of the chorus. I added Go on and say it because its getting a lot of blog buzz, but to be honest these bees are buzzing up the wrong song. Let me know what you think. 

Blind Pilot - The Story I Heard (YSI)

Blind Pilot - One Red Thread (YSI)

Blind Pilot - Go on and Say It (YSI)