The Week That Was #8: Lately

I guess these updates will go up towards the end of the week, at least for as long as I can maintain a schedule. That will inevitably lead to some overlaps, but I guess that's fine. I've already been using the charts as a vague guideline (especially when they don't change that drastically), so I imagine I'll continue throwing in random picks. Enjoy!


I've been overdosing on Maria Taylor's wonderful voice for the last couple weeks, through her work with Azure Ray, earlier work with Little Red Rocket (check back next week), and most heavily with her solo material. It's pretty good timing, as her second album, Lynn Teeter Flower, comes out next Tuesday. Much to my dismay, her local shows are scheduled over spring break, but hopefully I'll see her in the future. This is one of the dancier tracks on 11:11, and while the beats are a bit of a change-up from country-fied acoustics, it's her voice that's caused such heavy rotation. Saddle Creek has four more songs up for downloading, but they're very low quality.

MP3: Maria Taylor - One For The Shareholder
Buy: Here


Klaxons prove again that traditional marketing techniques work (a la Cicada), at least to some degree. When I was up at Union Square's Virgin Megastore for Bitter:Sweet's in-store interview, I came across a listening station with the new Klaxon's album, Myths of the Near Future. Although I had read endorsements at Pitchfork and Pretentious Prattle alike, I hadn’t actually given them a listen. But thanks to the magic of headphone, I was quickly transported to their “new rave” world of driving percussion, frantic-yet-catchy vocals, and general debauchery. Here's a single.

MP3: Klaxons – Golden Skans
Buy: Here


Going back to Cicada, I’ve realized that I’m a big fan of their production, even to the point where the remixes rivals their studio material. I was immediately taken with their remix of Client’s “Here and Now” (a song I have yet to hear in its original form), and had pretty high hopes for original Client material. It’s not nearly up to par with, say, Ladytron, but their dystopian electro is appealing. The opener to City combines a pretty classic synth line with the pretty depressing opening line (“Life is cruel, and then you die”), and I think it works.

MP3: Client – Radio
MP3: Client – Radio (Cicada Remix)
MP3: Client – Here and Now (Cicada Vocal Mix)
Buy: Here

I have to give full credit to Chromewaves for introducing me to Midnight Movies, another SXSW gem. The strength of the band is definitely singer Gena Olivier’s intoxicating delivery, wrapped around a haze of guitars. It’s this bifurcation of shoegazing and indie rock, a la fellow L.A. band Silversun Pickups, that makes Midnight Movies so ensnaring.

MP3: Midnight Movies – Patient Eye (Edit)
Buy: Here

Ada is the musical vehicle of singer Michaela Dippel, and I really need to listen to her more. She eschews traditional songwriting structure, instead creating a mood with looped vocals and electronic noodling. So, I suppose you could call her an El Perro del Marr that's more in line with my tastes. "Cool My Fire" is an early highlight on Blondie, while her synth-drenched rendition on the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' classic, “Maps" is a late standout. Hopefully, a second album will be forthcoming.

MP3: Ada – Cool My Fire (I’m Burning)
MP3: Ada – Maps
Buy: Here

Delays prove that a male vocalist can aspire to Cocteau Twin heights. I can't really fault Derek over at GWFA for mistaking lead singer Greg Gilbert for a girl; the boy can soar! I mean, it's the most male vocal hookiness this side of Mew. The band is also indebted to Britpop, having toured with Manic Street Preachers.


MP3: Delays - Nearer Than Heaven
Buy: Here


It's incredible that a few months ago Mojave 3 was just a band with a new album. I guess it's just another affirmation that past work just isn't that important in our super-saturated environment. Alternatively, I could just be ignorant. But yes, I think the sentiment, "Where have you been all my life?" is apt here, although the answer is clearly Slowdive. Which is to say, this is a great track off the first Mojave record, Ask Me Tomorrow, and just going by name, it's a heck of a sister track to Souvlaki's "Alison." The guitars aren't being distorted as much as strummed, but the impact is still gigantic. It's about time I heard it. For more, check out Reloda for their Black Session from the same era.

MP3: Mojave 3 - Sarah
Buy: Here