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.
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.
If you haven't heard of Kisses, then this is the post for you. I decided to zero in on the boyfriend-girlfriend duo from Los Angeles who first caught my attention when a friend shared "Lovers" with me awhile back. I could've sworn that was Zach Condon of Beirut singing, but I then found out the name to the soothing voice was Jesse Kivel. The unique style of pop that Kivel and girlfriend Zinzi Edmundson create is easy on the ears & gets the feet tapping. So what I'm trying to say is - it's amazing. Since the 2010 release of their debut album The Heart of the Nightlife, Kisses released Kisses – Other Planets - EP along with a handful of singles backed with remixes from artists like Joe Goddard, Active Child & this one from DyE that I am extremely obsessed with.
The first track to be released from their upcoming album KIDS IN LA is "The Hardest Part", and you can check it out for yourself below! The release date is set for May 14th via Cascine & here's a little something in support of the forthcoming album.
Yesterday the duo dropped their remix of HAIM's "Send Me Down" via Facebook & guess what - it's a free download if your ears decide it's a keeper!
(K i'm through being corny for the night.)
I really love this remix & appreciate how Kisses give this percussion driven track a new disco-esque feel.
What's better than free music that's worth a damn? While everyone is knee-deep in finishing their lists and lists of lists....I decided to do something a bit different (for LYED). This is the first of (hopefully) several posts that focus on music that's made available as a free download by the artists themselves. The gift of giving can be quite amazing if it's real. ANYWAYS... If you thought this post was a good idea, feel free to spread the word or head over to Let Your Ears Decide via FACEBOOK or TWITTER.
YES, LYED finally has a twitter account that's made specifically for sharing all things music related for those who prefer the "twittersphere" rather than Facebook. So c'mon guys, let LYED know what you thought...these ears know how to listen. *insert winking emoji slash cheesy smile*
To sum up this amazing "Life In Color" mix by a duo called Adventure Club that I've been praising since LYED first started back in March- there's a little bit of Ellie Goulding, a little bit of Disclosure, some TNGHT and a couple of your favorite AC remixes (to say the least). This mix is a little over 27 minutes, but it's definitely worth investing in for a little energetic pre-game ritual or whatever you feel like pairing it with.
So.. what are you waiting for? Get it while it's in front of you!
Mornin' was one of the first Star Slinger tracks that I fell in love with, and to hear this newly edited version is quite a delight. Feel free to listen to this "2k12 edit", and if you're curious to hear the original - here it is! Definitely check out Star Slinger's SoundCloud for more gems! You won't regret it.
Let me be the millionth person to say this... Jack Steadman is a genius. He's 1/4 of the UK indie rock band Bombay Bicycle Club, and one hell of a talented individual to say the least. If you haven't stumbled across Steadman's solo materials,this is your time to catch up on the magic he's been making from the past couple of years. It was a bit difficult when choosing which song to feature on here... so spend some time on his SoundCloud where you'll find several free downloads as well as some unique twists to tracks you might be familiar with (cough cough for those who are BBC & Lucy Rose fans).
This lovely four-piece from Oregon have been continuing to amaze us after the release of their last album Kill For Love (via ITALIANS DO IT BETTER). A couple weeks ago I posted the last piece of material from Chromatics titled "Looking for Love", and I am pleased about this new one "Cherry". It's a bit lighter sounding, but is just as hypnotizing as "Looking for Love". If you're unfamiliar with this group, then definitely give this band a listen. Chromatics are a type of band that create "sexy/dark electronic music" that works well for a variety of scenes. They sounded great at the FYF Fest in Los Angeles a couple months ago, but I would love to see them perform at an indoor venue. Even when I listen a track from Chromatics during the day time, my mind feels like I'm out venturing in the dark.
Following the release of this song, the video for "Cherry" was released and noted that this is the 4th single from After Dark 2. In addition the video was "filmed while recording in Montreal (April 2011) & In Chromatic's House in Portland". Adam Miller & Alberto Rossini are the ones held responsible for capturing this gem of a video.
You can download this wonderful track off of Johnny Jewel's SoundCloud by clicking HERE . If you have a minute, browse through his page where you'll find a variety of material from Chromatics, Glass Candy, and his own personal remixes of tracks.
P.S. I'm currently shoved in a corner on a BoltBus heading back to Philly, so hopefully I made a bit of sense on this post. Shoutout to BoltBus for the free wi-fi though! :) Hope all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Hope all of you had an amazing Halloween (that is if you choose to celebrate it)! My night didn't go so well, made dinner and proceeded to feel a bit ill - then it went downhill from there. ANYWAYS, I was unable to attend work today at the Home Office (sad face) so I spent all day in bed resting where I watched Anchorman (a fave of mine) and "surfed the web" for new music. Lots of great music released this week & I have featured them on the Facebook Page for
ALSO! As someone who generally gets picked to play the music for the day in the studio, I'm always searching for some upbeat dance-y tracks that are fun - so feel free to send anything that you might have in mind. Lots of Gigamesh, 90s hip hop, Grimes, Cut Copy to help give you an idea of what I'm looking for :)
Just released this morning, I haven't been able to take this lovely song from YW off repeat. :) This song is seriously magical and for some reason that is what first comes to mind when I try to describe this song. The video is a bit emotional as it portrays a funeral for a beloved cat. Maybe it's because I'm so deeply attached to my cat Mumford that I imagined myself in her shoe's? Ah, either way this is worth watching & please share this song with your friends or fellow music aficionado's ;).
An interesting track that I recently stumbled across & thought I would share with all of you reading this. Very experimental & a bit Crystal Castles-ish, but I definitely found my ears absorbing it from beginning to end. So what exactly is White Car? "Electronic Body & Soul" is what you'll find on their SoundCloud page. & I definitely agree.
P.S. This duo is from Los Angeles! Check them out!
This week Calvin Harris released his debut album 18 Months, and "Thinking About You" is the last track on it. It's an incredible album with several expected songs that have taken over our playlists over the past "18 months" (which is the time duration for when this album was made). I am OBSESSED with this track and most definitely the album as well, but for me personally this track snuck out of nowhere. Maybe I wasn't paying enough attention? Maybe Calvin Harris saved this track best for last for a reason. Who knows, but this song puts me on Cloud 9.
Be sure to check out this trio from Tokyo's SoundCloud account for more space-y electronic tracks that go well with the night time. Jesse Ruins were featured on Some Velvet Mixtapes earlier this week & you can check out their mixtape by clicking HERE!
I might be 20 steps behind the other music blogs, but you know what - WHO CARES? I definitely do not. Let Your Ears Decide was created strictly as a way to share what I'm into at the moment. I'm always on the lookout for new gems from my favorite or fresh artists, but I still appreciate a find that has some mileage on it :)
& what a big surprise, each of the songs featured below are quite different from the next one. This was definitely a coincidence, but then again I've never been one to stick with a single genre when blogging or listening to music. I also posted a couple of videos/tracks that I'm currently digging on my Twitter account
www.twitter.com/emponce
& also - don't forget to check out www.facebook.com/LetYourEarsDecide!
For all of you Bombay Bicycle Club fans - I recently gave away two free tickets to tonight's sold out show at The Fonda Theatre in Hollywood from the LYED Facebook page! Congratulations to Calia Minasian who won the tickets & is currently enjoying the show :)
This was recently brought to my attention from a good friend named Kat, and without hesitation I clicked on it because she is someone who knows what I like (when it comes to music). I immediately fell in love with the track and that led me to find out more about this group called ON AN ON. What attracted me to this track? I'm a sucker for melancholic-sounding tracks. Ironically, this type of song makes me happy inside when listening to it. It definitely triggers a form of nostalgia that is somewhat heavy-hearted, but I appreciate a song's ability to do so. This track is off their forthcoming album titled Give In & it will be released on January 29, 2013!
The word "ghost" seems to be the key word in most band names that are currently on the rise (don't forget Holy Ghost!) and this is one of the examples. Ghost Beach = "Tropical Grit Pop" and I definitely cannot argue with that! The more I listen to them, the more I find myself attracted. Very catchy and this a band that I would file next to Reptar (who I've featured on LYED in the past). Feel free to check out CRAZY HEART RECORDS via SoundCloud for more Ghost Beach tracks that are more than worth your ears' time!
So this isn't the first time I've posted about the lovely woman named Jessie Ware from London. This is definitely an artist that's very underrated, and I want to share the talent that this woman has with each and every individual that finds their way onto this website! I've posted a bit about Jessie Ware's hit single "Wildest Moments" in a variety of ways. I first posted the Star Slinger remix of this track back in July, and then a few weeks later I stumbled across an edition of "Watch Listen Tell" that featured Jessie Ware! She has such a soulful voice
If you've ever listened to an Indie band on Pandora, there's a huge chance that Blackbird Blackbird has popped up in the randomness of tracks that play. That is actually how I found out about this artist while listening to Discovery's Pandora station about a year ago. This is the opening track on Blackbird Blackbird's recent EP release titled Boracay Planet. I love what this song does to my mind, and I didn't realize how long it was until I actually looked after I listened for the first time. In a previous post I featured "All" by Blackbird Blackbird which was the first single off the EP, and I love how "All" is the 2nd track following the one above. Overall the EP is amazing, and if you have the time - go check it out! Definitely something that is fitting for a night drive or an early morning subway ride to work (take it from me).
Originally I imagined a post devoted to duos in music that I dig nowadays, but when I started to list them out I realized I had more than I planned to....after 2 minutes of brainstorming. They were as followed (and yes there were more after the 2 minute mark but I'll save those for another post):
The Kills
Kids At The Bar
Sleigh Bells
Tennis
Purity Ring
Beach House
Wye Oak
NERO (originally there were two, but with the addition of Alanna I guess this kicks them out)
The Hundred in the Hands
Phantogram
The Black Keys
Matt & Kim
Memoryhouse
Major Lazer (as of right now, Switch is no longer in ML- sadface)
CocoRosie
She & Him
Adventure Club
Postal Service
First Aid Kit
& I'm not trying to write a novel as a post, I'm just here to supply your ears with some good tunes. SOOO to switch it up a bit- here are some duets I dig instead! To narrow it down a bit I focused on vocal duets rather than collaborations (because that easily would have been a mile-long list). Enjoy!
Active Child & How To Dress Well - "PLAYING HOUSE"
*This is a personal favorite of mine. I just love Active Child...a LOT. Tranquility is literally embedded in this track. Listen Listen Listen, and then listen to what's below. ;)
I consider myself quite lucky to have experienced this track live during Miike Snow's set at Coachella during Weekend 1. The image of myself immediately shrieking at the top of my lungs "IT'S LYKKE LI!!!!!!!" when she revealed herself on stage still plays in my head, one of several idiotic moments that seem to occur in my life. Sigh.
This track is found on SVE's latest full-length release Tramp, and it's definitely a beautiful track to say the least. With Sharon's raspy yet convincing voice flowing from beginning to end, Condon literally soars with his easygoing yet overpowering tone. Meowza
A few years back I had a massive Amanda Blank addiction (and it still lives on to this day) which was right around the time she released her first full-length LP I Love You. & who could forget Let's just say I worshipped that album enough to give AB credit for the crazy individual that I tend to be. If you have time on your hands, please YouTube the heck out of this little woman from Philly who spits faster than any other female out there (Amy Heidemann is a close call but not in my book). "Leaving You Behind" is the last track on the album, and what a way to slam the door on the album? "Using my legs because my head ain't right" BOOM.
Santigold Ft. Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "GO!"
This is the first track off Santigold's latest album Master of My Make Believe & I hope with the success of this particular track that we will hear more from both of them.
If you haven't already, then here is your time to do so...
"YOUTH" from their 2011 (2012 for US) EP The Wild Youth.
"CANDLES" from the 2011(2012 for US) EP His Young Heart. By far my favorite track from Daughter, and If I could I would talk about Daughter until your ears started to bleed. THEY ARE AMAZING. Please check out their soundcloud & bandcamp site listed below along with the link the US Itunes Store, this trio is a band worth supporting!
Ready for something new from Yeasayer? ME TOO! after the band sent members of their mailing list physical copies of the song, it was bound to find it's way online after Yeasayer posted a teaser on their website saying "NEW SONGS?" There is a summer tour in the mix for this groove-folk-dub group from Brooklyn, but I guess A NEW SONG will do for now ;). Below Henrietta are two of my favorite tracks from Yeasayer: SUNRISE, a little bit of a throwback/nostalgia if you worked at Urban Outfitters 2 years ago.
