YouTube Playlist of Fall 2013 New Music Songs

Here's my Fall 2013 New Music Playlist in YouTube form for those of you who enjoy visuals while listening to this next compilation.  I was surprised to find Superchunk's "FOH" did not have any tour footage to accompany the song about life on stage as a band -- how easy would that be? Plus as the founders of Merge Records, you'd imagine they'd be hip to the idea of YouTube videos as a promotional tool (plus you wouldn't even need to film anything, just dive into the archived decades of these road warriors!)  

After that, the rest of the list mostly have official videos for each song. I enjoyed getting to know the Generationals on the screen in their natural habitat of New Orleans, since I know little about them. But I opted not to use the one for of Montreal's "Fugitive" since it had more than I ever needed to see of frontman (a very appropriate word in this case) Kevin Barnes.  Sigur Rós has a lyric video for “Ísjaki,” which is handy for all those wondering what Jónsi is singing about, if you know Icelandic anyway.

And I'm not sure what TV On the Radio was thinking with the intro scene before the song, but this band deserves all the creative freedom they want as long as they keep making such amazing music. Plus check out the drawings for Moderat's "Bad Kingdom" as imagined by Pfadfinkerei, credited as Director and for Production. 

Fall 2013 New Music Playlist

New music releases have been dropping like fall leaves, filling up another playlist ready for consumption. There are selections from albums by steadfast indie bands such as MGMT, Yuck and of Montreal plus iconic masters Sigur Rós and Moby. New bands HAERTS and Generationals impress with debuts while Gauntlet Hair unfortunately call it quits.  Plus check out teaser singles from Arcade Fire and TV on the Radio while waiting for full releases to appear in the coming months. Link to listen here, enjoy! 

1. “FOH” – Superchunk

This veteran indie rock group was founded by Mac McCaughan and Laura Balance back in 1989, along with the beloved Merge Records in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, to provide a vehicle for their songs and music by friends.  They just released their tenth studio album ironically called I Hate Music, since this group clearly still loves the band lifestyle as detailed in this raucous tune. 

2. “Your Life Is a Lie” – MGMT

This sardonic song is from the self-titled third album by American psych rock band MGMT, formed by Benjamin Goldwasser and Andrew VanWygarden during their college days at Wesleyan University in Middleton, Connecticut.   

3. “Reflektor” – Arcade Fire

“Reflektor” is the title track of the upcoming fourth studio album by this indie rock band based in Montreal.  The intertwining vocals of husband and wife Win Butler and Régine Chassagne create swirling layers, until a cameo by music legend David Bowie.

4. “Rebirth” – Yuck

This U.K. indie rock band released its second album, Glow & Behold, with guitarist Max Bloom taking over vocal duties for this young band.  The dreamy “Rebirth” is the single for the new collection.

5. “Put a Light On” – Generationals

Generationals is an indie rock duo formed by New Orleans natives Ted Joyner and Grant Widmer, who have a fondness for vintage dance music recorded on analog 24-track equipment. The lush soundscape of “Put A Light One” is from their third album, Heza.

6. “The Perfect Life” (featuring Wayne Coyne) – Moby

This collaboration is just one of many on Moby’s eleventh studio album, Innocents. “The Perfect Life” channels the feel good sing along mantra of The Flaming Lips, as Moby joins forces with congenial frontman Wayne Coyne.

7. “Pagiaccio” – Barbarossa

London’s James Mathé croons over an old Casio keyboard, drum machines and analog synths for a sound inspired by 70s soul. (He is also a touring member of Junip.)  The pulsing “Pagiaccio” is from the artist’s third album, Bloodlines.

8. “Wings” – HAERTS

This indie synth pop quintet is based in Brooklyn, with roots over in Germany.  The powerhouse single, “Wings,” is the single off their debut EP, Hemiplegia.

9. “Confidence” – The Dodos

Indie rock duo Meric Long and Logan Kroeber continue a percussion-centric musical journey in their fifth studio album, Carrier.  Long’s self-assured yet laidback vocals warmly introduces a melodic element in “Confidence.”

10. “Bad Apple” – Gauntlet Hair

Before Gauntlet Hair called it quits, the group released its second studio album, Stills (produced by Jacob Portrait of Unknown Mortal Orchestra).  Founded by high school classmates Craig Nice and Andy Rauwach, this noise pop band concocted a funky groove for “Bad Apple.”

11. “Fugitive Air” – of Montreal

of Montreal is an indie pop band from Athens, Georgia, was founded by frontman Kevin Barnes in 1996. With a wavering creative trajectory for each release, this lead track off the twelfth studio album, Lousy with Sylvanbriar, presents a country twang.

12. “Little Moments” – Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

“Little Moments” is the title track off Clap Your Hands Say Yeah’s new EP, rebooting the band with vocalist Alec Ounsworth and drummer/music producer Sean Greenhaulgh. This duo based in Brooklyn and Philadelphia added electronic instruments into the mix, as they prepare a full album for next year.

13. “Ísjaki” – Sigur Rós

Icelandic band Sigur Rós has released its seventh studio album since 1994, Kveiker.  The new songs are being described by the group as more aggressive, but the haunting falsetto of Jón Birgisson (a.k.a. Jónsi) adds a familiar sweetness.

14. “Million Miles” – TV On the Radio

This single from an upcoming album from Brooklyn indie rock band TV On the Radio, swells with emotion led by Tunde Adebimpe’s vocals. The sextet’s diverse influences, from soul to electronica, serve as only a starting point for the song.

15. “The Truth” – Dr. Dog

Dr. Dog just released its eighth studio album, B-Room, recorded in a newly built studio outside of Philadelphia. The band delivers their trademark fusion of 60s psych rock and lo-fi 90s in this lead off track for the collection.

16. “Bad Kingdom” – Moderat

Moderat is the electronic music project of a trio of artists based in Berlin: Sascha Ring (of Apparat), Gernot Bronsert and Sebastian Szary (of Modeselektor).  This pulsating single is from the group’s sophomore release, II.

New Song by Superchunk "FOH" (New Album & Tour)

Superchunk (Photo via Merge Records)

From the first blast of guitar in "FOH" by Superchunk, I knew it would be the perfect lead off song for my next new music playlist for Fall 2013.  It's an irresistable party song about the trials and tribulations of being a band member playing in the front of the house, when "amps are down" and with lights on stage plus a raucous crowd, they "can't see out." (Well how can a crowd not be going crazy with this kicker of a tune?) Mac McCaughan's raw vocals continue to lead the charge, as the group shows no signs of slowing down.

"FOH" is from the indie rock band's tenth studio album with the winking title, I Hate Music. With an American-made attitude since the 1990s, Superchunk practically created the DIY method that included establishing their own record label for them and their friends around the Chapel Hill, NC area -- the very solid Merge Records, now based in nearby Durham.  The band is currently on tour to support their new album, but unfortunately bassist Laura Ballance cannot be along for the ride.  As she explains on the band website by the list of tour dates, Ballance is experiencing problems with her hearing.  It's such an unfortunate consequence of having a successful long term career in rock, totally not fair.

Take a listen below and be sure to check out the entire album.

CBGB Festival Brings Spirit of the Place Back to New York City, July 5 – 8

Just when you need a break from family 4^th of July holiday gatherings, here comes a new event to remind New Yorkers about the rich history that once existed in the Bowery.  CBGBs was a haven for breaking punk and new waves bands under the devoted tutelage of owner Hilly Kristal.  He launched the careers of such stalwarts as Television, the Patti Smith Group, Blondie, The B-52s, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts and the Talking Heads.  The name stands for the genre Kristal had originally planned on booking for the club, Country, Bluegrass and Blues, and the addendum OMUG stood for "Other Music for Uplifting Gormandizers."  Rather than food, Kristal had rabid music consumption in mind yet it became a bastion for the new music of the day. 

Seeking to rekindle this spirit and rejuvenate the brand that is CBGBs -- beyond T-shirts and the awning that exists in Cleveland at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame -- the festival will feature rock and roll film screenings, band showcases (300 artists in 30 venues), music business conferences and industry panel discussions.  To stamp an attitude on the proceedings, Nirvana’s Kris Novoselic will be the Keynote Speaker on noon, July 5.  Along with the usual music industry subjects of marketing and record deals, there will also be a panel on “CBGB – Tales From the Club.”  Film subjects include bands such as The Clash, The Replacements, and the Ramones, along with Wilco and Kurt Cobain.  Many screenings include Q & A sessions with those in the film or behind the scenes.  A few of the artists appearing during the festival are Superchunk, David Johansen, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr., Reggie Watts and The Virgins.  Saturday afternoon brings together Guided by Voices, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, The War on Drugs and Cloud Nothings at the SummerStage at Central Park.  A Spirits Festival on Sunday, July 8 highlights artisan whiskey distilleries across town.

Pricing is on a sliding scale according to how many offerings are of interest. Pass categories are defined as Music Showcases, Film Screenings + Film Conference, Music Showcases + Music Conference, Music/Film Combo, and the Spirits Festival.  Costs range from $79 to $379 with increases for walk-up purchases after July 3rd. For further information, visit cgbg.com.