Another gem from the submissions page has landed in the form of some really nice relaxing music. Maybe it’s that summer is upon us and I’m really digging the evening air with the Wallscenery’s demo tracks wafting in with it. Their music is relaxed and chill. They kind of remind me of plus or minus.
Plus look at the fantastic job they did of submitting their band!
The wallscenery demos is a guitar driven project that dabbles in spaced-out soundtracks as well as indie folk pop. Formed by James Hicken (x the little pilgrims, x battery point), The 1st WSD record was released independently in march 2008. The record is self produced, designed, recorded, manufactured, and floats from beginning to end.
I have to apologize for the lag in writing reviews, I have had a few life-changing events occur over the past few weeks:
1. I changed positions at my day job and my personal time has suffered quite a bit.2. I got a Wii and then got Guitar Hero III… enough said.
I have been listening to some great stuff and I’m a little bit backed up on submissions (keep them coming!). If you haven’t listened to The Glow, Pt. 2 by The Microphones from start to finish then you just haven’t lived! Here’s a bit to whet your whistle but I really do recommend listening to the album as a whole as opposed to single tracks.
These guys are not newest and freshest up-and-coming Indie music, but this album is one of those landmark albums that any aficionado of the Indie sound will appreciate.
R.F. Maston sent me an email a while back, asked me to check out his stuff and then sent me an album. Now first of all, that’s just about as Indie as an artist can get and the personal touch of an email tells me that this guy is pretty down to earth. I’ve had The Future on repeat since I got it. Something about the vibe I get from his mellowed-out indie folk reminds me of the Juno soundtrack, but I find R.F. Maston’s music more lasting and more interesting.
The Future is R.F. Maston’s debut album and I’m hoping that he’ll tour to support his release. I would love to see how he pulls off a live show because he plays all of the instruments on the album himself. I guess some people are just disgustingly talented like that.
The Trapper Schoepp (pronounced “Shep”) Band on Shepizzle.com… it just has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? I suppose it’s only fitting that I share this indie folk rockin’ band from Wisconsin’s music with you.
These guys have nailed an indie folk sound that is genuine and fun. The vocals are good and the melodies are fun and mostly upbeat. Others have compared the Trapper Schoepp Band’s sound to that of Wilco, but I don’t know if I would go that far…
I wasn’t even going to mention that these kids are still in high school, lest your prejudice stand in the way of you enjoying the music, but now that you have had a listen, it makes them that much more impressive, don’t you think?
Sea Wolf (a.k.a. Alex Church) is currently in heavy rotation on my playlist. I know that I have found a good band when my wife asks, “Who was that?” after each song on the album. I think that she thinks it’s Sea Wolf each time, but she’s just not sure.
Sea Wolf was my pick for best new artist of 2007. These guys are making some of the best new Indie music out there, a fusion of rock, folk, and melancholy blues that I just can’t get enough of.
Sea Wolf’s sound is versatile enough to be fresh and unique song after song, while Church’s vocals weave the common thread throughout each album. The band released their first full-length album in 2007 called Leaves In The River and I highly recommend it.
Favorite songs include “You’re A Wolf”, “Black Leaf Falls”, “Black Dirt”, and a song for your Valentine’s Day playlist - “The Garden That You Planted”. If you like Sea Wolf, try: The National, The Great Northern, Okkervil River, and Beirut.
Here’s the music video for “You’re A Wolf” from Get To The River Before It Runs Too Low.
Tobias Fröberg is awesome. Honestly, I don’t know much about this guy other than that he is an Indie folk singer/songwriter from Sweden who has toured with Jose Gonzalez and that his music is a really worthwhile.
As I sit here listening to him, I really can’t figure out why Tobias Froberg isn’t more of a household name among Indie music lovers the world over. His melodies are fun (the kind that usually get you to sing along before you even know the words) and his vocals are moody. His songs are mostly, if not all, based on his acoustic guitar. If you think folk and you just won’t be disappointed.
I think the thing that I like most about Mr. Froberg’s music is his versatility. When he wants to be happy and upbeat, as in “When The Night Turns Cold” he does it convincingly and when he wants to be all sappy and lovey dovey, he does it with the best of them.
Froberg has released two albums, For Elisabeth Wherever You Are and Somewhere in the City. Somewhere in the City is an impressive release, one of those very complete and well-constructed albums that you can listen to all the way through over and over. Have a listen and see for yourself.
I know that some folks are just dying to hear what Mariah Carey wants for Christmas this year, but that’s not you, right? It’s not me either!
Last year I ordered Sufjan Stevens: Songs for Christmas for my wife and now Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas without it. Songs for Christmas is a 5-disc box set representing 5 years of home recordings from Soof with some of your Christmas favorites and several original tracks. This year the set is priced under $20, talk about a perfect gift for your Indie-loving friends. My favorite song is Mr. Stevens’ version of “Come Thou Fount Of Every Blessing”.
Here are a couple of free mp3’s from Sufjan’s Stevens: Songs for Christmas to tide you over until your get it for yourself:
The Shepherd’s Dog by Iron & Wine has been released. The sound is a little less mellow than some of Sam Beam’s past work.
This album follows more along the lines of "Woman King" than it does "Love And Some Verses". A little bit more rock than folk, but never too far from it.
Another gem from the submissions page has landed in the form of some really nice relaxing music. Maybe it’s that summer is upon us and I’m really digging the evening air with the Wallscenery’s demo tracks wafting in with it. Their music is relaxed and chill. They kind of remind me of plus or minus. 
The Shepherd’s Dog by Iron & Wine has been released. The sound is a little less mellow than some of Sam Beam’s past work. 
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