3Y3 CANDY

Distorted visuals, a glowing cow, and every color under the sun. 

Here are 3 different videos from 3 different artists/bands that have caught my eye to say the least. Make sure your eyes are ready for what's in store. 

P.S. 1 LIKE AWAY FROM REACHING 500 ON FACEBOOK!!! Click here to be #500 & possibly my favorite person ever? 

Wait never mind, that's my mom.

Second best isn't bad though, and guess what - you'll even get a prize!     

Bloc Party - "Ratchet"

Live videos of this unreleased track first surfaced onto YouTube a couple of months ago, but now here's the proper one for "Ratchet." Mind boggling, but it seems that they've just edited the hell out of the video for "Octopus" aka the first single from their most recent studio release Four. After finding myself a bit disappointed with their last album, I have hope that their forthcoming EP The Nextwave Sessions will be something that I can actually enjoy.   

Bleached - "Dead In Your Head"

The more I listen to Ride Your Heart, the more I fall in love with this spunky California band. This video isn't something out of the ordinary, but goes so well with the song that I just want to watch it over & over again. Plus, when was the last time you experienced a color oozing music video for a song that reaks of a bad breakup?   

M.I.A. - "Bring The Noize"

Did you really think I was going to let this amazing video slip by? So about a week ago, we were graced with a gem called "Bring The Noize" from our girl M.I.A.  I had no idea that I would soon be watching a video that made me wish I could rock fuchsia hair and an all white wardrobe on the daily. This energetic tune is one for the books, and if you haven't already - check out Noisey, one of the best websites/music channels you'll ever stumble across.  

Friday Fascination: SPLASHH

Last week I gawked over the lovely Elliphant from Sweden in my first ever "Friday Fascination." Today I present to you: SPLASHH, a four-piece formed in London as of last winter. Enjoy!

So Spotify has this cool way of allowing users to now "follow" other users whether they might be artists or music lovers like the rest of us. I follow a handful of people that are both musicians & friends of mine which is pretty cool, but at the same time it can be a little creepy. I mean, especially when you can literally see everything they're listening to (unless they're in "private mode.") The right side of the Spotify player acts as the "live feed" and while I was looking through my feed I noticed that CHVRCHES had listened to a band by the name of SPLASHH. I've never heard of SPLASHH so with the convenience that Spotify provides, I decided to check out their debut album Comfort.  It starts off with a fuzzy jam called "Headspins" and only gets better from there. According to their FB page, their genre is "Swinging Punk" & are without a doubt a band that's heavily influenced by shoegaze Gods My Bloody Valentine.    

Above is the video for "Feels Like You," and I would be lying if I said I haven't watched this video at least 7 times. I mean... what's more entertaining then watching a pink elephant skate away from the circus in between a series of trippy visuals that make you feel like you're watching a Tame Impala video. 

Comfort is now available in the US via Kanine Records! Feel like giving the album a digital spin? Check it out below via Spotify and head over iTunes to grab it. 

I don't know about you guys, but I'm on a mission to find this gem on vinyl.

SPLASHH on SoundCloud

So what did you think of the album? Have a favorite song already? Feel free to share your thoughts on the album by posting a comment below!  

FOLLOW LYED ON BLOGLOVIN!

P.S. We're 5 Likes Away from 500 over on Facebook! If you haven't visited Let Your Ears Decide on Facebook already, click here & please help us get to 500! :) 

Let Your Ears Decide on Twitter

AFTER DARK 2

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

LYED on Facebook

LYED on Twitter

I recently posted this mix on the Facebook page for LYED , but After Dark 2 is honestly too good to pass up. Johnny Jewel curated this mix from everyone that he's been working with lately such as: CHROMATICS, Glass Candy, Twisted Wires, Desire, Appaloosa, and more! This was released about a month ago, but I still find myself heading back to this playlist constantly. It's that good. Also, it's a              free download, so if I were you - I would take advantage of this while it's free. It's one of those mixes that fits perfectly with getting ready for a night out or a day by the pool. I think you get the point - it's awesome.

Blouse - "No Shelter"

(Photo Credit: Amanda Smith)

It's only Tuesday and I've already found myself dreaming about the weekend (or the next day that I have off.) As I was doing so, I stumbled across a talented trio from Portland that goes by the name of Blouse. "No Shelter" is the first official single from their forthcoming sophomore album Imporium out 09/17 (via Captured Tracks.) From listening to "No Shelter" alone, I'm definitely looking forward to what the full-length entails. In the meantime, check out this interview with the band on the Captured Tracks website to see what they've been up to and what to expect from Imperium. 

Pre-order Imperium here! 

Ivan & Alyosha

Like Let Your Ears Decide on Facebook!

Follow Let Your Ears Decide on Twitter!

The other day while I was restocking vinyl at work, I happened to stumble across the album featured above. Recently our store received about 300 (both new & old) titles due to how well our sales have been in the vinyl class. I have to admit, when I first found out the good news - I was absolutely ecstatic about how convenient this would be (as I tend to spend most of my free time either listening to music or hanging out at record stores.) I'm not saying that my visits to the record shops in the DFW metroplex have been affected in a negative way, because I still make my rounds every now & then. ;)  

Alright, back to the point of this post. I asked a few co-workers if they were familiar with Ivan & Alyosha, and unfortunately they were in the same boat as me. So as per usual, I decided to do some research on Ivan & Alyosha after my shift ended.    

Ivan & Aloysha - "Running For Cover"
What I found was an amazing four-piece folk/pop band from Seattle, Washington. "Running For Cover" is the first single off their debut album All The Times We Had. Released back in February, I also found out that this track was previously a free download on iTunes. I especially love the video for this song, and appreciate the simplicity of it. I especially like that it zeros in on all of them during the chorus part, as it's a huge chunk of the song and by doing so - it adds depth. 
Recently Ivan & Aloysha visited the KEXP studio and performed a handful of songs with Cheryl Waters as the host. Click here to hear "Running For Cover" live! 

If you're a fan of I&A after doing your homework (aka listening to the album via Spotify below,) head over to iTunes to buy it like a good human should. 

Trust me, you won't regret it. 

 So in conclusion, I will be picking up this LP immediately. It's a nice medium between Milo Greene & Father John Misty... two bands that I'm a huge fan of. As a debut album, I have to admit that I'm pretty impressed & would love to catch these guys live in the future. 

Ivan & Alyosha on SoundCloud

Ivan & Alyosha on BandCamp

Friday Fascination: Elliphant

Last Thursday as I was waiting for CHVRCHES to make their way to the stage at the Granada Theater, I couldn't help but read what was appearing on the large screens: upcoming shows/events. One of them happened to be Twin Shadow who would be performing at the venue on 6/24 & below was the supporting act: Elliphant. I had no idea who or what Elliphant was, but I've read the name a time or two while browsing the internet recently. So I did some research, and I found out that Elliphant is actually Ellinor Olovsdotter from Stockholm, Sweden. 

I totally have to agree with what it says on her SoundCloud account. Elliphant sounds "like the twisted illegitimate offspring of MIA and Diplo," but as I continued listening to her self-titled debut EP (released back in January via bigger SPLASH Records) - I caught a bit of a K.Flay & Icona Pop vibe as well.  Now that it's officially summer, it's all about energetic tunes that pair well with the sunshine. Elliphant has an infectious vibe connected to her music, and I can only imagine how much of a dance party her live show is. 

Check out her debut EP below, and pick it up over at ITunes here!  

P.S. About two weeks ago, Elliphant released this snazzy lil track called "Music is Life" over on her SoundCloud page that's definitely worth checking out as well. 

Hope you developed a fascination with Elliphant after reading this post! Now have a great rest of your Friday :)
Don't forget to visit LYED on Facebook & Twitter! 

Laura Marling | Watch Listen Tell

We're halfway through 2013, and I have to admit that Laura Marling's Once I Was An Eagle is without a doubt a title in my list of Top 10 thus far. It's Marling's 4th studio release since her 2008 debut Alas, I Cannot Swim and for only being 23, her talent is astonishing. Once I Was An Eagle is such a raw & immaculate album that you rarely stumble across these days. Most albums don't reach a combination of certainty as well as emotional exposure with this strong of an approach like Marling did with OIWAE. So in short, I want to give the highly reserved Marling a high-five for dominating something that most individuals struggle with constantly. When I listen to this album, I have to hear all of it otherwise it just doesn't feel right. Laura Marling recently made the move to Silverlake, California from London before the release of her last album & by relocating to somewhere out of her comfort zone, i'm excited for what's to come from this talented woman. 

SO, here is why I dedicated a post to the darling that is Laura Marling. I was extremely pleased to read via Twitter that Watch Listen Tell would be uploading a new video this evening. Watch Listen Tell is a favorite channel of mine on YouTube, as I've posted about them on LYED in the past -click here to see my post featuring Half Moon Run on WLT.  With this picture uploaded last week via Watch Listen Tell's Twitter account, I crossed my fingers that those letters spelled out who I imagined it to be. :) 

 & it did! Here is the incredible Laura Marling performing an acoustic version of "I Was An Eagle" at an undisclosed location in London. It's such a beautiful video to pair with her capability as an artist. The birds chirping pay a lovely role as well ;) She is such a unique individual that goes unnoticed quite often, and I hope this WLT session reaches several of you who haven't been exposed to Laura Marling in the past. As apart of the "Watch Listen Tell" motto, here is my part in telling you about the video, and hopefully by watching/listening - you'll tell someone else about this! Hope y'all enjoy this & feel free to write what you thought about it on LYED's Facebook page! 

Watch Listen Tell on Facebook 

LM On SoundCloud

Grab I Was An Eagle on Itunes 

LYED @ Primavera Sound Festival

First things first: I may have survived Primavera Sound physically, but unfortunately my iPhone didn't make it past Friday. So let me paint a picture for you using words because honestly, photos wouldn't have done this experience justice.  

I had no idea what to expect when it was set in stone that I would be attending Primavera Sound, a relatively large music festival held in Barcelona, Spain! For those of you who aren't familiar with the event, it actually lasts around a week (if you include the pre-shows, and events that take place at outside locations.) It is held at the Parc del Forum. Located next to the water, the scenery played a huge role in the experience that literally lasted from sunset to sunrise. 

There honestly wasn't a bone to pick with this lineup when it was first exposed. Especially with the confusion & disappointment that surrounded Coachella's lineup this year, it seemed like everyone was onboard with Primavera immediately. Unfortunately as the festival was approaching, a few artists had to cancel including: Fiona Apple, Foxygen, and FIDLAR. 

Phosphorescent & Django Django were added to the lineup, but honestly.. Fiona, why?

Alright, moving on...

Wednesday night opened up the event and was also free to the public. It was quite a treat to run into some old friends from Santa Barbara, CA who happened to be visiting/living Barcelona at the time! The night was mostly spent running around the gigantic venue, but DELOREAN put on an excellent set that kept everyone moving & grooving from beginning to end! 

Following Wednesday, each day started around 6:00 (or 18:00 in Central European time) & if you were a true festival-goer... you wouldn't make your way out of Parc del Forum until 5 or 6am. Thankfully our hotel, AC Hotel Barcelona Forum was literally next door (and is without a doubt the nicest hotel I've ever stayed in!) It was literally the epitome of convenience for this festival, and I suggest that you look into staying here if you're thinking of attending in the future! This festival made Coachella's 12pm-midnight setup look like a cakewalk. You thought 5 stages at a festival was overwhelming? Try 8-10. There were even a few bands playing multiple sets throughout the course of the festival, but even then it was still possible to miss a set.. or seven.

In terms of exploring Barcelona, I didn't have much time on the days of the event except for a few hours to grab refreshments and other necessities needed for recovery. Although I did make my way to La Sagrada Familia, La Rambla, and a variety of other locations where I acted like a tourist and devoured tapas/sangria like there was no tomorrow. Mmmm... 

  

 This post is already getting pretty lengthy so let's cut to the good stuff. I caught as many acts as my legs could carry me to...literally. Here were a few of my highlights that made the trip memorable. Oh yeah, did I mention that it got pretty chilly? I've never layered for a festival quite like I did at Primavera.

Thursday = Postal Service, Simian Mobile Disco, Death Grips and John Talabot 

Friday = Daughter, Glass Candy, and The Knife (which acted more as a performance art piece with minimal live vocals, but hey... it's THE KNIFE) 

Saturday = Wu-Tang, Crystal Castles, and Hot Chip 

Who were my top 2 overall? DAUGHTER & CRYSTAL CASTLES. Pretty ironic combination, but I was literally blown away by both performances. On Friday night Daughter performed at the Vice stage which was relatively small, but the crowd was enormous to the point that Elena Tonra admitted that this was the biggest crowd they played in front of thus far. Crystal Castles was just bananas, and as it took place on the last and final night of Primavera - it fit perfectly with the scene. 

So what did I learn from this experience? 

-It's not a festival without a ferris wheel, and by placing it right next to the water was a wise decision Primavera. 

-Meeting spots are KEY... shout-out to the beanbag/astroturf area sponsored by Woouf! I believe.

-Europeans can be quite homely, but also extremely crazy...and will steal your cell phone from your pocket while you're clapping. (insert sad emoji) 

-"Sexy beers" sold for €1 a pop outside the venue are kept cool in sewers beforehand. At this point, you're at a festival where you're going to pay 2-3 times amount of what you would normally pay for a beer inside, so either expect to spend $$$ if you don't pre-game or suck it up and invest in those sexy beers.. besides they're not that bad, you guys. 

- Researching the weather before you leave for a festival is probably one of the best decisions you'll ever make... and you won't regret what you packed in your suitcase.    

P.S. Neutral Milk Hotel is confirmed as the first act on the 2014 lineup!

Don't forget to check out Let Your Ears Decide on Facebook!