News

Vinyl Giveaway Contest – Saint Motel

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[THIS CONTEST IS NOW OVER. THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED!]

Here's an exciting new thing for Those Who Dig. We have five copies of the new 7-inch record from Saint Motel to give away to five of you lucky readers! It's called 7"1 and features the songs "At Least I Have Nothing" and "Puzzle Pieces," both of which have been featured in Weekly Roundup (here and here, respectively).

All you have to do is send us (@ThseWhoDig) and Saint Motel (@SaintMotel) a tweet. Maybe tell us something you think is cool about the music. And why not like Saint Motel on Facebook? (Or Those Who Dig for that matter, wink-wink).

You can listen to "At Least I Have Nothing" below, but don't waste too much time before you tweet if you want some free vinyl! Good luck!

SAINT MOTEL – At Least I Have Nothing by saintmotel

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Unearthed Music

Plants and Animals – Lightshow

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Plants and Animals – Lightshow by SecretCityRecords

It's so supremely satisfying and comforting when you hear a song that just speaks to you, directly, at a certain time. It's like the artist reached in your brain and spilled your thoughts all over the recording studio. It's almost like you don't want to share the song with anyone else – after all it was made just for you, right?

Fortunately for you guys, I have a music blog and sharing great tunes is kinda what I do. I've been having a tough time lately finding the time/will/energy to post on TWD, but luckily the other Digsters are holding it down. I haven't given up on music or the site – just in a bit of a motivational lull lately and some major life changes have been brewing that tend to take up my thoughts. I needed a spark to light a fire under my ass and it came yesterday courtesy of Kyle the Music Savage (Gardener).

This new song from Montreal-based band Plants and Animals came through my speakers with a 2×4 in hand and whacked me right in the forehead. It starts out simply enough with a carefully strummed acoustic melody and clear vocals. It's when the drums kick in and I started to parse my way through the varying tempo that I realized I was listening to something special. That crunchy guitar breakdown in the middle is the release of every gnawing feeling that weighs on you in times of struggle. It's the aggression at your fingertips clawing for a way out. Shit, I love this song.

Plants and Animals release The End Of That on Secret City Records at the end of February, so be on the lookout.

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Label Year

Feist – Metals

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Last month, Feist released Metals, the long-awaited follow-up to her breakout album The Reminder. It was perhaps the most anticipated release of the year for Arts & Crafts from perhaps their most prominent artist. It is a great album and the subject of this installment of Label Year.

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Episodes In Virtuosity

Episodes in Virtuosity: George Adams

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In 1975 Charles Mingus and Company performed a concert in Montreux that knocks me flat every time I watch and rewatch it. The band mates are George Adams (tenor sax/vocals) Don Pullen (piano) Jack Walrath (trumpet) Dannie Richmond (drums). The piece of video I have attached is a portion of Sue's Changes – which is a tune Mingus penned for his wife, Sue. We at TWD love us some Mingus and in particular I lose my cool a little bit every time I revisit this concert footage. George Adams is an absolute beast in this performance for his range, attack, velocity, guts, and imagination. It's a staggering work of jazz and fit enough for today's Episodes in Virtuosity.

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Kickstarter

Texas Guitar Quartet Kickstarter

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The Texas Guitar Quartet is comprised of Isaac Bustos, Jonathan Dotson, Alejandro Montiel and Joseph Williams II. Their full bio is contained within the article and their accreditation is both enviable and impressive. These are musicians of the finest caliber endeavoring to bring their art into the world with the support of artists and patrons like you. Their new album will be entitled Red and will feature an arrangement of JS Bach's 3rd Brandenburg Concerto, the world premier recording of Antoine de Lhoyer's Air Varié et Dialogué, three works from Isaac Albeniz arranged for the quartet by their own Alejandro Montiel, the Egmont Overture from LV Beethoven as arranged by  Isaac Bustos, and finally a new work composed by Joe Williams entitled Red.

The TxGQ is a beautiful and articulate music ensemble. I believe in musicians like them, and I want to believe in a music community that helps to support the arts and artists as they work to express themselves and make the world a beautiful place one concert at a time. Please consider donating to this project and pass on the link to spread the love. As the man says, "From the heart, may it go to the heart." -LV Beethoven

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Mp3s

Lee Morgan: The Sidewinder

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Lee Morgan (1938-1972) was an American jazz trumpeter whose career and life had all the hallmarks and stereotypes of a great Bop musician. He recorded prolifically, developed the genre stylistically and technically, struggled with drugs, and was ultimately shot and killed by his common law wife Helen More (Morgan) while prepping the stage for a concert.

His record The Sidewinder (1963) is one of my favorites from the artists long list of works, and is commonly considered to be part of the core curriculum for jazz listening. 

Lee Morgan: The Sidewinder

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Holler Back!

Jonny Corndawg: Chevy Beretta

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Jonny Corndawg has his first music video out from his newest album Down On the Bikini Line. The video is a montage of found photographs and videos which have been compiled and arranged by Sean Dunne and Kathy Gatto. I think the found object approach to this music video is both inventive and appropriate. Jonny's music has a sort of nostalgic feeling to it and being privy to someone else's memories in conjunction with this great song makes for a fun video. Also, what I enjoy is the inherant absurdity in these photographs. I find a new favorite each time I watch, but there is a ridiculous mother and son cigarette bonding photo that probably takes my cake. Hit up the Holler Back! feature and let me know which photo you liked the best.

If you're a daytrotter person, Jonny also just released a new episode with Futurebirds as the backing band. Check that out here. You can also get more Corndawg on Facebook and Twitter.

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