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Jason Lytle discussing the inspirations behind the 12 tracks which make up his first post Grandaddy album, Yours Truly, the Commander. The album is one of Dead Sound’s favourite releases of 2009 and is available now through Anti Records.

Also Watch:

Early Warnings, the lastest video from Foreign Born which includes a special guest appearance by Floyd…. The track features on their second album, Person to Person.

Listen To:

Singles!

From the slightly creepy but addictive Magic Kids and the 60′s pop of their single, Hey Boy!.

Dead Sound is still patiently waiting on Mono Taxi to release their debut album however the band maintain their string of excellent single releases-The Sound of You, Kind of Better and We Wanna Get Some Real Fun with new release Love Shows No Mercy to Fools, available now through Ciao Ketchup Recordings.

Re-Visit:

 Friend & Foe, the third album from Portland, based indie group  Menomena, released by Barsuk Records in 2007.

Album Highlights:

Wet and Rusting

The Pelican

Weird

Menomena initially formed in 2000 as the side project to drummer Danny Seim’s solo project Lackthereof. In the two years since the release of Friend & Foe, Seim has once again been concentrating on Lackthereof and released Your Anchor in 2008, his second official album under the Lackthereof moniker. 

Brent Knopf the primary guitarist for Menomena, has recently joined Seim’s in the solo world,releasing the album Intuit under the name, Ramona Falls.

The experimental goodness of Seim’s and Knopf’s solo material has increased anticipation for Menomena’s fourth album which has been confirmed for release in 2010-just in time to celebrate the band’s ten year anniversary. Although currently untitled the band previewed new album track, Queen Black Acid at this year’s All Tomorrow’s Parties Festivaln New York.

 www.myspace.com/menomena

It’s said you can tell a lot about a person by the company they keep; and the accompaniment of John McCauley III and Chris Ryan (of Deer Tick), and Brendon Massei (Viking Moses) on Golden Ghost’s first two albums would indicate that Golden Ghost aka Laura Goetz must be someone pretty special….which she herself confirms on the music which makes up her 2007 album, Fauna of Mirrors and its recent follow-up, The Unimaginative Body.

Golden Ghost is the perfect alias for this singer, songwriter and musician who produces beautifully ethereal and delicately crafted music. Her voice is reminiscent of Victoria Bergsman but the endearing conversational form she often adopts when singing and the interesting and unexpected instrumentation she creates on each track has given Golden Ghost an inimitable sound, all her own. Goetz songs focus on her personal encounters with people, places & literature and the ponderings she takes away from these; Dead Sound’s favourite example of this heard on If You Are In Love Then Why Are You Asleep?

Although Golden Ghost is very much a one ghost show, she often collaborates with Brendon Massei and he took on the role of producer for The Unimaginative Body. Recently the talented duo have also been playing together under the pseudonym, Saint Eskimo of the West & Shut your Mouth.

The Unimaginative Body is available now through indie label, The Epiphysis Foundation.

Album Highlights Include:

Plain Sight

Russet, Citrine, Olive & Black

If You Are In Love Then Why Are You Asleep?

If you like Golden Ghost then also check out Castanets and Phosphorescent.

Dead Sound is extremely happy that this Canadian musical collective has finally revived not only dust bowls but their musical output with the release of their new album, Burnout.  The album is Ox’s first new offering since 2006′s American Lo-Fi but continues their history of heart-felt and candid story-telling as heard on,  the album’s title track and Ojibway Diner. The touring “econo” approach Ox takes has helped create a genuine Americana sound reminiscent of Neil Young and The Band. 

 On Burnout, Mark Browning’s weary vocals are perfectly combined with the harmonies of his fellow long-term Ox-er Ryan Bishops, and gives tracks  like the re-worked version of  Miss Idaho a beautiful layered effect sure to impress new and older fans of the band, familiar with the track from its original inclusion on American Lo-Fi.

Burnout is available now through indie label (weewerk) and given the album’s current success on Canadian campus radio, Dead Sound is not the only one glad of the band’s return. If you have the opportunity, ensure you catch Ox on tour as performances by either the whole band or the frequent solo shows by Mark Browning  are opportunities to hear their music become even more alive.

As you will no doubt want to rock n roll every night to the music of Ox after hearing Burnout, here is Dead Sound’s, favourite Ox tracks from American Lo-Fi and their debut album, Dust Bowl Revival.

American Lo-Fi (2006):

• Miss Idaho
• Surrender
• El Camino Pt 1
• Awkward Beauty

 Dust Bowl Revival (2003):

• LA City
• Stolen Car
• She Shot Me Down

 If you like Ox then also spend some time with other Dead Sound favourites Deer Tick, Castanets and early My Morning Jacket.

www.oxmusic.ws

(Weewerk)

Nine months is most commonly known as the time it takes for a new baby to develop and come kicking and screaming into the world. However nine months is also how long it took Ryan George aka The Three Potato 4 to create the psychedelic sound on his first full-length offering, Album Savant-if child birth was this pretty and serene, Dead Sound might be tempted to try it….

Ryan George, is a San Francisco based musician and songwriter. He is possibly also the man you could call in an legal emergency, moonlighting as an aspiring lawyer; and if he can’t get you off, he can at least serenade you through the cell wall!

 On Album Savant he combines the use of traditional instruments such as guitar and drum machines with the experimental sounds of casio keyboards and cheap store toys, all surprisingly well complemented by George’s sweet and sleepy vocals.

This is an album to listen to when lying in the sunshine or if you’re from a place where sunshine is a rarity then use it as the soundtrack when trying to romance your loved or at least attracted to one. Over all, it’s music which allows you to ‘leave all your cares behind’, as quoted by George on the track, It’ll be Morning Soon.  

Album highlights include:

Heather’s Feather

It’ll be Morning Soon

As they Were

Album Savant is available now through Series Two Records

www.myspace.com/threepotato4

Gardens of the South, a track taken from Sleeping States third album, In the Gardens of the North.

The one-time solo project of English songwriter, Markland Starkie has evolved into a five piece band, but has lost none of Starkie’s magnetic, experimental & folk sound.

Now that you’re a Sleeping States devotee, also watch the video for the beautiful track, Rivers taken from Sleeping States second album There the Open Spaces.

Finally, spend one minute and 27 seconds watching some of  the Dead Sound bands the small sum of $20 will treat you to in Los Angeles. Book your flights now, it is for a good cause after all!

www.FYFFEST.com

Re-Visit:

Fourteen Autumns & Fifteen Winters, the debut album by Scottish Indie, Rock band, The Twilight Sad.

• Walking for Two Hours
• And She Would Darken the Memory
• Cold Days from the Birdhouse

The band’s second album, entitled Forget the Night Ahead will be released in the UK on September 21, 2009 through Fat-Cat Records.

Listen to:

Apple’s Acres, the debut album by the psychedelic group, Nurses.

• Caterpillar Playground

• Technicolor

Apple’s Acres is out now through Dead Oceans.

Continue Listening to:

The dark folk sound heard on Red State, the current album by Gowns.

• Fake July

• White Like Heaven

The album is out now through the Parts & Labor owned label, Cardboard Records!

Deserving the ! after their name!!!!!!!!!

Thee Makeout Party! have been providing the makeout soundtrack to parties all over their native, Anaheim in California for the past six years. But it wasn’t until last year’s debut album, Play Pretend was released,  that their surf pop goodness washed up onto Dead Sound’s lap. Legendary DJ,  John Peel, was not so slow on the up-take  playing the band’s early single, Can’t Leave the House in 2003.

The band’s line-up has changed on several occassions over the year’s, with the grittier sound & Billy Childish direction   intended on their first formation giving way to the sunny indie pop sound that makes up Play Pretend.

The quartet’s name is a play on musical projects by Childish including, Thee Milkshakes, Thee Mighty Caesars & Thee Headcoats and they now join our list of favourite ‘Thee bands’ alongside Thee Oh Sees.  Ok, maybe two bands doesn’t really constitute a list….?

Album Highlights:

• Wreckless Epic

• Kids

• Change

Thee Makeout Party! are not only concerned with getting their own music heard but have released material (a lot of it on cassette) by Audacity, Ty Segall and The Go on their own Burger Records label. So go buy yourself something tasty!

www.myspace.com/theemakeoutparty

www.myspace.com/burgerrecords

Video footage of David Bazan performing oh so beautifully, down a phone-line…..

 Options is a track Bazan recorded with his band, Pedro the Lion for the group’s third album Control in 2002. You can listen to his complete session for KDVS radio here.

Bazan released his solo EP, Fewer Moving Parts in 2006 with his debut album Curse Your Branches set for release on 1 September 2009.

www.myspace.com/davidbazan

Also watch…

…. the new video by Bishop Allen

Shanghaied is taken from the band’s latest album, Grrr which is available now through Dead Oceans . The track also features on the soundtrack to Bob Byington’s latest film Harmony & Me which stars Bishop Allen’s, Justin Rice!

Harmony & Me is an off-beat comedy with Justin taking the lead as Harmony, a depressed lyricist obsessed with the memory of his ex-girlfriend.  The film also includes a stellar supporting cast including Kevin Corrigan (Pineapple Express, Superbad, The Departed), and Pat Healy (Rescue Dawn, Ghost World, Great World of Sound) as well as Rice’s bandmate, Keith Poulson, who is currently manning the bass in Bishop Allen.

www.myspace.com/bishopallen

Listen To:

Harmless Lover’s Discourse by ambinent rock group, Odawas.

The song is the highlight of the band’s third album, The Blue Depths and is currently Dead Sound’s ‘On Repeat’ track.

Harmless Lover’s Discourse and The Blue Depths are both available now via Jagjaguwar.

www.myspace.com/odawastheband

Revisit (No pun intended……):

Visiter by The Dodo’s

The San-Francisco duo’s first album under the name of  The Dodo’s was released in 2008 by Frenchkiss Records.

• Red & Purple
• Walking
• Fools

Meric Long explains the origins of the album’s mis-spelt title-

 The reason it’s misspelled is because it’s from a drawing this kid gave us. We played a show for a bunch of kids in South Central L.A.—Dorsey High. A friend’s sister [Barbara Lempel] is a special-ed teacher there, so we went down there to her class and we played for the kids and it was super fun. Then it came to the kids asking us questions and then one of the kids came up to us and he gave us a drawing with that written on it. The drawing is the cover actually of the album, and just—I dunno we liked it. Actually we used all of the drawings that the kids made in the artwork on the album.(Meric Long interview with L.A Record, April 2008)

The band’s next album, Time to Die will be released September 2009.

www.myspace.com/thedodos

Little Claw are purveyors of a raw, punk sound which ain’t so little.

Two drummers, and a kick-ass slide guitar playing vocalist help make up the chaotic sound of this Portland based five piece.

Heath: Guitars, Percussion, Vocals
Kilynn: Guitars, Bass, Percussion, Vocals, Violin, Record- Plex
Adam:Drums
Hendrik: Drums, Percussion
Damon: Percussion, Vocals

Little Claw’s music is for fans of The Velvet Underground and more recently Times New Viking.

Previously favouring LP releases, Human Taste, the band’s first official CD is now available through Ecstatic Peace, and continues the label’s small but always quality musical output.

Modern Vampire (Human Taste)

Little Claw Discography
Moss Has Fangs LP (Ypsilanti)
Michael Yonkers/ Little Claw split 7″ (X! Records)
Spit and Squalor Swallow the Snow LP (Ecstatic Peace)
World Of Tired 7″ (Physical Sewer)
World is Lousy With Ideas Vol 6 7″ (Almost Ready Records)
Race to the Bottom 7″ (Siltbreeze)
Human Taste CD (Ecstatic Peace)

Alongside Human Taste, the band’s second LP, Spit & Squalor, Swallow the Snow is Dead Sound’s discography favourite with album highlights including-

Backlash Stratum

Polar Bear

Movies for You

www.myspace.com/littleclaw

www.ecstaticpeace.com

Should 1980′s cartoon, The Trap Door ever be made into a film, Japanther are the band to provide the soundtrack.

Ian Vanek  (Drums, Cassettes & vocals) and Matt Reilly (bass, Casio SK-1,vocals) are the former high-school friends and  creative duo behind the band they describe as “more of an art project than a band”.

Formed in 2001 for a seven minute opening set for Lightning Bolt, Japanther have been lighting up or perhaps more accurately tearing up stages, swimming pools and bedrooms ever since….. They released their first EP South of Northport in 2002, followed in 2003 by the albums Leather Wings and the brilliantly titled, Dump the Body in Rikki Lake.

Full Discography

The band’s latest release, Tut Tut Now Shake Ya Butt perfectly combines fuzzy bass lines with hip-hop  inspired samples, daring any listener not to do as the album title demands and “Shake ya Butt“.

Album Highlights:

Bumpin’ Rap Tapes

Radical Businessman

Um Like Your Smike Is Totally Rul

Thurston Moore is one Japanther fan ‘shaking his butt’, describing the group as “a lean slam boogie machine with no time for boredom” – Thurston Moore For Arthur Magazine.

www.myspace.com/japanther

www.japanther.com

www.wantageusa.com

www.menloparkrecordings.com