[new music] Vacationer - Gone LP

Debut Album from Vacationer!

I’ve been slow to get this out there, but you MUST check out Vacationer’s newest LP Gone. Not to be confused with the "Gone" Single, or the Gone EP, the band’s debut album follows the same formula of island-themed dreamscaping. Listening to Gone feels like a magical ride to some place tropical and surreal. Book your trip Buy the album here, stream the album here (via Spotify), or check out one of the new tracks below. In case you haven’t heard the song that inspired it all, watch the video for "Gone" below as well.

[playlist] Hump Day Power Play (3-28-2012)

White Rabbits Edition

Lately, I've found myself listening to White Rabbits' newest LP Milk Famous on repeat, and it got me thinking I should spotlight them in this week's Hump Day Power Play, highlighting their very solid 3-album catalog. If you haven't given Milk Famous a listen, the White Rabbits have taken an even further departure from their debut Fort Nightly. And while some may quickly right off the new sound as Spoon-esque, I tend to disagree. Yes, I get that their second album It's Frightening was produced by Spoon's very own Britt Daniel, and that their newest album was produced by long-time Spoon producer Mike McCarthy, I just don't hear the "stark similarities" that have been negatively written about in reviews. While they've taken the more minimalist route in their sound lately, they've also crafted it in a very familiar White Rabbits way. The results are slow to grow on you, but definitely worth the investment of multiple listens. Try it yourself, and check out this week's playlist below.

Hear it by simply clicking here. Playlist is below.

:: Hump Day Power Play (3-28-2012) ::
01 :: "Danny Come Inside" - White Rabbits
02 :: "Percussion Gun" - White Rabbits
03 :: "The Plot" - White Rabbits
04 :: "The Lady Vanishes" - White Rabbits
05 :: "Temporary" - White Rabbits
06 :: "Beehive State" - White Rabbits
07 :: "Kid On My Shoulders" - White Rabbits
08 :: "Rudie Fails" - White Rabbits
09 :: "Heavy Metal" - White Rabbits
10 :: "Right Where They Left" - White Rabbits
11 :: "Navy Wives" - White Rabbits
12 :: "Midnight And I" - White Rabbits
13 :: "While We Go Dancing" - White Rabbits
14 :: "It's Frightening" - White Rabbits
15 :: "They Done Wrong / We Done Wrong" - White Rabbits

Get Spotify (if you don't already have it).

[new music] St. Lucia - St. Lucia EP

New EP from St. Lucia

If you don't happen to live somewhere that's experiencing unseasonably warm March weather, just spin St. Lucia's new self-titled EP and you'll be feeling that radiant summer vibe, too. St. Lucia is Jean-Philip Grobler, a New York City-by-way-of-South Africa musician whose influences strongly pull from early Madonna, Fleetwood Mac, and Peter Gabriel (to name a few) into this 6-song EP. The results are incredibly enjoyable, and are definitely a must-listen. You can pick up a copy here, or stream the tracks below.

[playlist] Hump Day Power Play (3-21-2012)

Whistling Mix

This has been one crazy week. In a blink of an eye, it's already Wednesday again, and I somehow managed to nearly forget the release of the Hump Day Power Play! The theme this week was supposed to be "Whistle While You Work". I usually hate when people whistle out loud, but if it's used as an instrument in a song, I find it quite catchy. So feast your ears on this week's playlist, and I'll wager you're whistling to these songs before you even realize it.

Hear it by simply clicking here. Playlist is below.

:: Hump Day Power Play (3-21-2012) ::
01 :: "Young Folks" - Peter Bjorn And John
02 :: "Feedback in the Field" - Plants and Animals
03 :: "Don't Stop" - Foster The People
04 :: "Torts" - Starlight Mints
05 :: "Tighten Up" - The Black Keys
06 :: "Let's Go Surfing" - The Drums
07 :: "I Could Go" - Oberhofer
08 :: "Humans" - Islands
09 :: "Home" - Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes
10 :: "Amsterdam" - Peter Bjorn And John
11 :: "Pumped Up Kicks" - Foster The People
12 :: "5 Years Time" - Noah And The Whale
13 :: "Sissyneck" - Beck
14 :: "Us Ones In Between" - Sunset Rubdown

Get Spotify (if you don't already have it).

[playlist] Hump Day Power Play (3-14-2012)

Spring Forward Mix

Having trouble with springing forward? Hopefully the warm weather and longer nights were worth the hour price tag. There's nothing fancy about this week's Hump Day Power Play. It's simply a solid playlist. Hopefully you agree!

Hear it by simply clicking here. Playlist is below.

:: Hump Day Power Play (3-14-2012) ::
01 :: "Away Frm U" - Oberhofer
02 :: "Book of Revelation" - The Drums
03 :: "Les Os" - The Unicorns
04 :: "Romo-Goth" - Department of Eagles
05 :: "Fancy Claps" - Wolf Parade
06 :: "Summertime Clothes" - Animal Collective
07 :: "Ambling Alp" - Yeasayer
08 :: "Jellybones" - The Unicorns
09 :: "No One Does It Like You" - Department of Eagles
10 :: "New Lord" - Elf Power
11 :: "Abominable Snow" - Islands
12 :: "Idiot Heart" - Sunset Rubdown
13 :: "The Lady Vanishes" - White Rabbits

Get Spotify (if you don't already have it).

[mp3] Swervedriver's Adam Franklin covers Wolf Parade

"Shine A Light"

A long while ago (back in 2008!), Adam Franklin of Swervedriver recorded a cover of Wolf Parade's "Shine A Light". Just when you'd probably forgotten about it, Franklin and his label White Whale Records recently announced that a very limited number of 7" singles are now available. Act fast, and you can be one of 250 people to own a copy for yourself. Hear the track below, along with the Clientele cover "Elm Grove Window".

BUY :: Adam Franklin - "Shine A Light" 7"

[playlist] Hump Day Power Play (3-7-2012)

Steve Mason Editition

One of the most talented (yet underappreciated) songwriters of our time is the focus of this week's Hump Day Power Play. Most notably known as the ex-frontman of The Beta Band (now defunct), Steve Mason is the brainchild behind an expansive catalog of genre-bending classics, which somehow managed to mix experimental folk with psychedelia and electronic pop. Mason released a solid breadth of solo work under numerous monikers, including King Biscuit Time, Black Affair, and simply Steve Mason. There's really not another band out that's produced a sound that quite resembles any of Mason's work, and for that I think he's truly worthy of all praise. For this week's playlist, I tried to compile some of my favorite tracks from all of his projects.

By the way, if you like The Beta Band songs, be sure to check out The Aliens (i.e., The Beta Band sans Mason).

Hear it by simply clicking here. Playlist is below.

:: Hump Day Power Play (3-7-2012) ::
01 :: "I Walk The Earth" - King Biscuit Time
02 :: "Broken Up A Ding Dong" - The Beta Band
03 :: "Dry The Rain" - The Beta Band
04 :: "Easy" - The Beta Band
05 :: "Broke" - The Beta Band
06 :: "Space" - The Beta Band
07 :: "Japanese Happening" - Black Affair
08 :: "Squares" - The Beta Band
09 :: "Stress Position" - Steve Mason
10 :: "Lion Thief" - The Beta Band
11 :: "The Way You Walk" - King Biscuit Time
12 :: "Inner Meet Me" - The Beta Band
13 :: "Troubles" - The Beta Band
14 :: "I Know" - The Beta Band

Get Spotify (if you don't already have it).

[mp3] Spoon - Complete Bonus Track List

Spoon's Bonus Track Archive

I seem to get a lot of requests for the order of these songs that Spoon has so kindly shared (nearly one month at a time) since 2008. Not a lot of fans of other bands are treated this well.

I keep saying I should get all of these links back up and living... maybe I'll get around to doing that soon. Until then, most of the newer links are still up. I'll keep this page as a "sticky" thread that'll keep getting all the new updates included on it. Enjoy!

Complete List of Spoon Bonus Tracks (2008-2012)

2008
"Paper Tiger (live Sydney '05)" February
"Eddie's Ragga (demo)" March
"Cherry Bomb (country version)" April #1
"I Turn My Camera On (first version)" April #2
"Don't Let It Get You Down (demo)" May
"Was It You (demo)" June
"Merchants of Soul (demo)" July
"You Gotta Feel It (rehearsal)" August
"My Mathematical Mind (demo)" September
"In The Right Place The Right Time (demo)" October
"Ghost (Ga ga ga ga ga ga ga demo)" November
"The Beast and Dragon (live Sydney '05)" December

2009
"Black Like Me" (demo) February
"30 Gallon Tank (Sydney, 2005)" April
"Japanese Cigarette Case (Demo)" June
"You Got Yr Cherry Bomb (from scratch demo)" July
"Vittorio E (Live Sydney '05)" August
"Rhythm & Soul (demo)" September
"Ghost (AcaPella)" October
"Everything Hits At Once (live @ Sydney '05)" November
"Japanese Cigarette Case (delay song demo)" December

2010
"Something To Look Forward To (early demo)" July
"Goodnight Laura (demo)" September
"Nobody Gets Me But You (demo)" October
"Out Go The Lights (demo)" November

"Mystery Zone (demo)" December

2011

"Is Love Forever (demo 2)" January

"Is Love Forever (demo 1)" February

"Utilitarian (demo)" August

"Advance Cassette" October
"Reservations" November
"Towner On The B-Side" December

2012

"I Could See The Dude" January