How was everybody's week? My family came into town for a visit, that was nice. Now it's time to share some great songs and videos in the latest Weekly Roundup.
-I'm looking forward to November 15th and the release of not one but two EPs by Annie Williams: This Mountain and Midnight Window. Check out "Roll on Hills" from This Mountain below. What I liked about it most is its strong sense of place. Knowing Annie splits time between Wyoming and New Mexico kept me thinking about a journey out west. I think you'll like spending some time in the world of Ms. Williams. Here's her website.
–The Heavy Dream has a new 7" coming out featuring the track "Under the Golden Sun." Led by Dave King, the group shares more than just a member with Wilco (Pat Sansone). There are musical touchstones as well. It has the sort of relaxed but adventurous, melodic yet nuanced vibe also found in much music by Wilco. For an unseasonably warm weekend in October, I think it sounds really great. You can get the music here.
-Here's a very cool video from Canon Blue for the song "Bows & Arrows." The act has an avant-garde, "classical meets folk" sound to my untrained ears, but really, whatever you call it, it sounds very good. The video clip conveys a strong sense of aesthetics. Mostly in black and white, and featuring elaborate make-up, costuming, and choreography, it simply demands your attention. There is an interesting depiction of the song's title, reminded me of Renaissance paintings of St. Sebastian. Watch below and check the band's website here:
Canon Blue – Bows & Arrows (Vegas) from Canon Blue on Vimeo.
-It's a fitting segue to go from this track and video to the next band: White Arrows. Sometimes things just flow. Anyways, this band also has a forthcoming 7" record for the track "Get Gone." It's a pretty delightful synth-rock jam. It sometimes reminded me of Animal Collective's more recent output or maybe a band like Yeasayer. Definitely very enjoyable – can we just skip ahead to summer? You can get more information here.
White Arrows – Get Gone by WHITEARROWS
-Let's just keep the way too premature summertime nostalgia going, shall we? The Chapel Hill (North Carolina, come on and raise up!) band T0W3RS has a new EP called Summertime, and I just love the title track. I try not to resort to "sound like band X" too often, but it's just one of those weeks. I've done it twice above, and here's a third one: "Summertime" reminds me of things I really like about Modest Mouse, in particular the distinct vocal, melodic, and lyrical tics. This comes from DiggUp tapes, you can get it here.
-Here's a really cool performance video. It's of the band Kiev performing their track "Loot Recovered." I really dig this one. It's not a flashy video by any means, but there's just something so captivating to me about seeing a group of musicians performing together in a circle, going for that great live take. This band has a cool sound that is rooted in rock and pop but with a certain element of mystery and exploration running through it. Some nice sax on this one and a very strong rhythm section. Go here for more on the band.
-I knew it would have end sometime, but I don't think I ever really accepted it. That's right, the October EP by The Welcome is going to be their last. Ok, let's clarify that: their last of the series of EPs they've been doing for basically all of this year. I have no doubts they will be making more great music in the future, and we should all be thankful for the amount they've shared with us thus far. From R. Kelly to NPR, this band has consistently made amazing and enjoyable songs. You should already be a fan based on how frequently they've shown up at Those Who Dig, but if not, please check them out. You won't regret it. Sample the first track "Leaves Say Hello" below, click this link for the full EP and check out the band's facebook page.
-A few weeks ago, we were introduced to Jamie N Commons and now we have a very evocative music video for his track "The Preacher" to share. Perhaps the most apt word I could use to describe this is "gritty." It has a strong atmosphere and is a very arresting clip, even harrowing in the end. It matches very well to the sparse then explosive blues of the track and the edge in Jamie's voice. All around, a highly cinematic video. Watch below and check out his website here.
–We Can't Enjoy Ourselves have a new song out called "Your Darkest Thoughts Will Shine," from their upcoming album Never Listen to the Ones You Love. Like the Welcome, it's been great to hear more and more from this band over the year. We Can't Enjoy Ourselves always fascinates me with their lyrical sentiment that seems reflective of their band name in contrast with the inviting soundscapes the words are set to. I think you'll all enjoy this latest track and it should be a great album. Here's the band's Facebook page.
We Can't Enjoy Ourselves: "Your Darkest Thoughts Will Shine" by wearesolidgold
-In closing, here are a bunch of streaming previews of releases we've had songs and/or videos from in past weeks (these may not be available for too long, FYI): On the Water by Future Islands at NPR, A Good Woman is Hard to Find EP by PAPA at Spinner, Cujo 12" EP by Colleen Green at PureVolume, Chesapeake by Rachael Yamagata at Paste, and Death Songs 10" EP by Death Songs at Spinner. Enjoy!