The Love Language: Libraries

   

The Love Language's self-titled debut was probably my favorite record of 2009.  It came as a burst of musical sunshine, and rarely left my car stereo for months.  Stuart McLamb (who played all the instruments and recorded the record himself) found that golden mix of catchy hooks and deeply personal lyrics.  The sound was a gritty, lo-fi, take on soul  and doo-wop melodies.  Sophomore effort Libraries is out today on Merge Records, and it picks up where the last record left off.  Here's how Stu McLamb describes the sound on the new record:

It’s very expansive and rich sonically and all over the board as far as genres. Some songs sound like Motown on steroids, some sound like orchestral My Bloody Valentine, and some sound pretty much like the last album.

Fantastic stuff - I can guarantee this will be on repeat for a while in my car.  Here are a few tracks to sample:  Heart to Tell and Blue Angel are both off Libraries, Providence is one of my favorites from the debut.  Enjoy!

Heart to Tell
Blue Angel (from HearYa live session)
Providence (from WOXY live session)

The Love Language is at TT The Bears this Wednesday 7/14 - tickets still available.

New music: Futurebirds "Johnny Utah"

   

Just a quick one here, but I couldn't pass-up posting this track.  Futurebirds are set to release their debut LP, Hampton's Lullaby, on July 27th.  Their music recalls the lo-fi high lonesome sound of MMJs first three records - which means you'll probably dig it.  The first track off that album, Johnny Utah, is now making the rounds. Highly recommended, check it out below:

Futurebirds - Johnny Utah

If you missed it before, Futurebirds have also made their fantastic EP available for free - details here

Preview: Green River Music Festival

There's something special about local music festivals - while Coachella and Bonnaroo are great, some of my favorite festival memories are from the more intimate local festivals.  And there's no better setting for live music, in my opinion, than outdoors in the clean air of the Berkshires.  Therefore, you can understand my excitement for next weekend's Green River Music Festival.  The festival, now in its 24th year (!), features an electic mix of music -- ranging from bluegrass to folk to R&B -- and both local and national artists.  Things kick-off Friday night with a free show headlined by Hi-Country Lo-Fi (Jeffrey Foucault and Kris Delmhorst) and extends through Sunday evening with sets from Allen Toussaint, Old Crow Medicine Show, The Low Anthem, Calexico, The Felice Brothers, David Wax Museum and many more.

Tickets are a very reasonable $60 for a weekend pass - available here

Enjoy a few free tracks from some of our Green River artists and watch visible voice for full post-festival coverage:

Allen Toussaint - Southern Nights
Calexico - Sunken Waltz
The Felice Brothers - Frankie's Gun
The David Wax Museum - Persimmon Tree

Full Green River lineup:

Friday July 16: High Country Lo-fi / Joy Kills Sorrow / Academy Freightshakers

Saturday July 17
Old Crow Medicine Show / Allen Toussaint / Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars / Sweetback Sisters / Chatham County Line / Joy Kills Sorrow / Brooks Williams / Donna The Buffalo / Red Stick Ramblers / Rubblebucket / Primate Fiasco / Gandalf Murphy / Fancy Trash

Sunday July 18
Cake / Calexico / The Felice Brothers / The Low Anthem / David Wax Museum / Lake Street Dive / Unit7 / Rusty Belle / Anais Mitchell

New music: Blake Mills "Break Mirrors"

    

Blake Mills has a pretty healthy résumé.  He has toured with Band of Horses, Jenny Lewis, Julian Casablancas, and many more.  He is a highly sought studio musician, and has been featured on records from Bruce Hornsby, Jakob Dylan, Jenny Lewis, Weezer, etc.  He scores movies.  He consults for Apple (computers).  All this, and the dude is only 23.

Mills' solo debut, Break Mirrors is a deep record of introspective, organic folk-tinged songs.  Musically, the songs vary from whispered acoustic and pedal steel-tinged lullabies (Cheers, Like It's Something) to raucous stomps (Under the Underground, Wintersong).  Running through the entire album is an undeniable sense of melody and songcraft - it's apparent that Mills has honed his chops working with other luminaries, and is certainly ready to step into the spotlight.  It'll All Work Out, one of many standout tracks from Break Mirrors is available for stream/download:

Blake Mills - It'll All Work Out

Break Mirrors is currently available for less than $5 on Amie Street.  Also, free EP is available here.

FYI: Mills was a founding member of the band Simon Dawes, now known as just Dawes.  Watch them cover Hey Lover:

New music: Electric Sunset - Soda

  

Desolation Wilderness have put out some fantastic records over the past few years - hypnotic slices of lo-fi, reverb-drenched pop that I highly recommend checking out.  While putting together my July mixtape, which features Desolation Wilderness' excellent Venice Beach as the opening track, I discovered that the band had split up.  However, my mood instantly changed from bummed to excited when I found that guitarist/singer Nic Zwart has a new project Electric Sunset.  Nic was kind enough to share a track from the upcoming self-titled debut.  Soda is a layered and dizzyingly beautiful track.  Reverby guitars, dream-like vocals and drum machine backbeat form the core, atop which a blanket of hazy, atmospheric sounds and samples are added.  Perfect music for a heatwave.

Electric Sunset - Soda

The self-titled debut is out in September on K Records.  Until then, do yourself a favor and check out the Desolation Wilderness catalogue.