"Reaper's Veil"

Number Eight

Timber Timbre is weird.

Their songs are strange combinations of folk, country, old pop and rock, and even some jazz to create a very strange, stylized style. Fronted by Taylor Kirk, they've been around since 2008 (I think) and have been steadily releasing albums since then. With each release, their instrumentation has become more and more adventurous and Taylor Kirk's baritone has become more and more ominous.

I'll post some early stuff as well some new songs. If you enjoy them, I really recommend checking out the back catalog. There's some pretty incredible stuff here.

Hope you like it.

Timber Timbre - Demon Host
Timber Timbre - Creep On Creepin' On
Timber Timbre - Run From Me

Favorite song: Creep On Creepin' On
Related artists: None, really...

"Out There"

Number Seven

Instrumentals have gotten to be a pretty big thing, with more and more rappers popping up and needing them, and a lot of pretty small artists have blown up because of it. Just look at Clams Casino or Snowgoons, they've collaborated with the likes of Onyx and Milo recently. But there is something to be said for straight instrumentals too, and a lot of people forget that.

I picked three of my favorite current beat-makers right now, they aren't the best on the scene but they definitely deserve recognition. They have some really great ideas and concepts, and (if you're cheap as hell, like me) some of their albums are free too.

I'll put their bandcamp pages as links below.

See you tomorrow.

PS: What the hell is the new Pink Guy album. Pink Guy - PINK GUY

Mo Kolours - Mo Kolours
SEENMR - CHINATOWN TAPE
Moderator - As The Lights Fade

Favorite song: SEENMR - GRIM REEPA
Related artists: J Dilla, Madlib, Dogtanion (instrumentals)

"To See More Light"

Number Six

What is with people saying "yass"? I don't get it.

Anyway, today's post is about a solo saxophone artist: Colin Stetson. He's been releasing albums under his own name for a few years now, but his back catalog is pretty big. He's toured with Bon Iver, and Godspeed You! Black Emperor (don't quote me on this) but is just getting into solo stuff now.

Colin has mastered a technique called "circular breathing", where he can play and breathe at the same time, making long, continuous tracks. He also has an extremely unique recording style; he places microphones everywhere when recording, including inside the saxophone itself and even one around his throat, which allows him to "sing" through the reed while playing. It's incredible. His tracks are technically impressive as well as emotionally moving, he's sort of a must-listen for jazz or just saxophone fans.

He's been releasing albums in a series called "New History Warfare", I'll post the second and third in the series as well as a single he released from the second one.

Hope you like it.

Colin Stetson - New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges
Colin Stetson - New History Warfare Vol. 3: To See More Light
Colin Stetson - The Righteous Wrath of an Honorable Man

Favorite song: To See More Light
Related artists: Matana Roberts, Fire! Orchestra

"Lunacy"

Number Five

I really don't know how to write an introduction for Swans. It seems almost impossible. Here goes. Swans is a post-rock, experimental rock and just disturbing rock group fronted by Michael Gira. They've been around for some time (1982, I think), but took a hiatus from 1996 to 2010, then they came back with "My Father Will Guide Me Up A Rope To The Sky", and have been releasing albums since.

Swans has made a name for themselves by being just plain scary. The lyrics and vocals range from eerie to demonic, the instrumentation is heavy, and the production is dark as well. But Swans specialize in crescendos, huge swells and layers of instrumentation finally breaking in a bombastic moment. This is especially prevalent in more recent releases. "To Be Kind", released about a month ago, and "The Seer" are perfect examples of this.

I'll post "The Seer" in its entirety and a song from "To Be Kind", as well as some older work.

Hope you like it.

Swans - The Seer
Swans - Oxygen
Swans - Soundtracks for the Blind
Swans - Young God

Favorite song: The Seer
Related artists: None...

"No Emo"

Number Four

This is the first post about hardcore music, if that's not your thing, hopefully you still find something to enjoy. This might not be it. Anyway, keep an open mind and all that.

There are so many hardcore music genres out there nowadays, with metal and punk still dominating but subcategories and micro genres popping up all over the place. A smaller one, combing thrash metal and hardcore punk is called grindcore, or grind.

By no means is grind my favorite of these subgenres, but some bands in this category are absolutely fantastic. Wormrot, for example. These guys are from Singapore, and their album "Dirge" is an incredibly intense, fast paced album that is not for the faint of heart. They have an almost throwback feel, with the instrumentals incredibly raw and visceral and the vocals a perfect mix of high screeches and low demonic growls with straight yells.

I'll put the YouTube link to "Dirge" here. This is the first of lots of hardcore music posts, so if it's not your thing, there might be something else in other posts. Anyway, hope you like it.

PS: On the rap front, The Roots put out a new album and Clipping put out a new song. I'll post those here as well, even if it's unrelated, just cause I'm loving them.

Wormrot - Dirge

Favorite song: All Go No Emo
Related artists: Toxic Holocaust, Trap Them, The Dillinger Escape Plan

The Roots - ...and then you shoot your cousin
Clipping - Body & Blood

"Smithereens"

Number Three

I cannot emphasize how glad I am that folk-punk is a thing now.

I usually post about an artist, this time it's a genre. Folk-punk, or anti-folk, is a genre that uses classic folk instrumentation (acoustic guitar, harmonica) and combines it with biting, cynical and often brutal lyrics or adventurous arrangements. The biggest names in the genre are bands like Andrew Jackson Jihad and Ghost Mice (Defiance, Ohio is up there too).

There's been a lot of these artists putting their stuff up on their bandcamps and soundclouds, I've been trying to check them out as they come out with new stuff. The ones I really like I'm putting links to below. I definitely recommend checking out the back catalog of a lot of these artists, Andrew Jackson Jihad especially (I cannot stop plugging AJJ).

Hope you like 'em.

Andrew Jackson Jihad - People Who Can Eat People Are the Luckiest People In the World (2007)
Andrew Jackson Jihad - Getting Naked, Playing With Guns (2014)

Ghost Mice - Debt of the Dead (Download)

Dollar Signs - Don't Be Yourself (Download)

Fifth Year Senior - We're Slowly Dying And That's Okay (Download)

Just Nick - Bedpunk (Download)

Favorite song(s): Kali Ma (Dollar Signs), Rejoice (AJJ), For Lent I'm Giving Up On You (Fifth Year Senior) (there's more, too many to list)

Related: Paper Ceilings, ONSIND, Flatsound

"It's Clipping, Bitch"

Number Two

In the interest of totally changing it up, here's a rap group.

Clipping is a group from LA, and is made up of a rapper (Daveed Diggs), and two "instrumentalists". Clipping combines elements of familiar rap ideas and harsh noise, making a feedback-drenched, brutal style that feels old and refreshingly new. They have a new album, CLPPNG, coming out soon on Sub Pop Records. Their first album, Midcity, is a free download. I'll put links to the album and a few songs.

This is sort of a noise group. I had planned on doing a noise post, with some straight noise artists but I'll somewhat combine it. If you enjoyed Clipping, definitely check them out. They'll be down there with the Clipping links.

"It's Clipping, bitch."

See you tomorrow.

Clipping - Midcity (Download)
Clipping - Face
Clipping - Full KEXP Performance
Clipping - Work Work (Official Video)

Noise Artists

The Rita: The Rita - Thousands Of Dead Gods
It's Over, I Tried: It's Over, I Tried... - Misandry (Download)
French Maid: French Maid - Abstract Feelings (Download)

"Coney Island"

Number One

This is post number one. I'll be doing a daily post, for however long, of new and older music that I really like. I'll learn if people enjoy it, or if they don't. I'd love it to know what you think.

This is an older band, or at least they've been around a while. GY!BG is a fantastic post-rock band, their climactic music and amazing crescendos are all kinds of incredible. With almost no words, they evoke many emotions and will destroy you if you let them.

This might be my favorite album ever. It seemed like a good place to start.

Hope you like it.

Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Lift Yr. Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven!

Favorite Song: Storm

Related: Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra, Mogwai