Sometimes there are bands that you discover too late, and one of them for me is Pants Yell!

Last years Received Pronunciation was undoubtedly good from the very first listen (check out my review of the album here), but I had no idea the long lasting effects this album would have on me.  I find myself returning to it’s sweet undistorted guitar driven pop over and over again, and the disc itself has been lodged in the cd player of my car since I got it(the car is running again too!).  It’s an album that feels like it could have been made at any point in the past twenty years, and can rival any indie pop for years to come, and I’m starting to feel that way about their 2008 release, Alison Statton, as well.

I’m hearing Alison Statton for the first time this week, and I’m pretty blown away that this album didn’t get more press when it was released.  Another perfect composition of pop music, with the soft sweet voice of Andrew Churchman carrying them to places I never imagined music could go.

The demise of Pants Yell! at this point is imminent, but I will be taking my last chance to see these wonderful popsmiths live this Friday at Don Hills when they perform at this years New York City Pop Fest.  Sadly this will be my first and last time seeing them.

If you are in NYC you should really be there, and if you are not…there are a couple other chances for you to catch Andrew Churchman, Sterling Bryant and Casey Keenan doing what they do best, just not in New York.

• Friday May 21st, 2010- New York, New York @ Don Hills
  • part of NYC Pop Fest, and LAST NYC SHOW EVER!
    • Set Times(via Don Hills website)
      • Tender Trap (UK) – 11:00
      • Pants Yell! (MA) – 10:00
      • Allo Darlin’ (UK) – 9:15
      • The Smittens (VT) – 8:30
      • Cotton Candy (MA) – 7:45
• Saturday May 22nd, 2010- Philadelphia, PA @ Pi Lam (U Penn)
  • LAST PHILADELPHIA SHOW EVER!
• Sunday May 23rd, 2010- Cambridge, MA @ ZuZu
  • PANTS YELL!’s LAST SHOW EVER

If you aren’t already convinced I thought I would post a couple tracks to push you along.  First up is “The Royal We” from Alison Statton.  Churchman’s crooning and lyrics are something that fascinates me, and lines like “you’re a bit too old to do what you’re told…that’s growing up” seem to hit home hard these days.

[mp3] Pants Yell!- “The Royal We”

• Buy Alison Statton from Soft Abuse here.

“Marble Staircase” might be the most rocking track off of Received Pronunciation, but slows down all soft and sweet…then gets you going with some rapid hand clapping…and that inital guitar line that repeats through out the songs rings loud in my head all the time.  Churchman seems to draw on personal experience all the time, and puts people he knows in the forefront.  Listening to songs like this one, and really both of these albums gives you insight to him as a person, and the people he cares about (and occasionally despises).  “Marble Staircase” is just one of 9 amazing tracks on this record.

[mp3] Pants Yell!- “Marble Staircase”

and finally this wonderful video for “Someone Loves You”

• Buy Received Pronunciation from Slumberland here (only $8 on LP?!?).

If you are in any of these cities over the weekend these shows should be high on your list of priorities…they will not only be nights of amazing music, but the end of a truly wonderful band.  I can’t wait til Friday.

Thank you Pants Yell!  you will be missed.

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• more on Pants Yell! here.

Last year I did a list of twenty five albums, and I began to think that the rank ordering no longer meant anything once I hit a certain number. This year I thought I was going to do a top ten with a not so short list of other albums, but then I decided that would be the same thing as a top twenty five.

I feel like I settled in the middle. I was able to narrow 2009 down to fifteen albums, and no short list. These are my favorites.  If you haven’t heard them check out the mp3, and if you like it buy the album…you won’t be disappointed. Cheers.

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The Great Pumpkin’s favorite albums of 2009.

15.) Screaming Females- Power Move

Hearing this record for the first time was like the first time I heard Dinosaur Jr.  Power Move was released by Don Geovanni Records.

[mp3] Screaming Females- “Bell”

• buy it here.
• more on Screaming Females can be found here.

14.) Desolation Wilderness- New Universe

When I saw the cover and title of this album I hoped it would sound like it looked.   And it did.  A shoegaze master piece released by K Records.

[mp3] Desolation Wilderness- “Boardwalk Theme”

• buy it here.
• more on Desolation Wilderness can be found here.

13.) Alex Bleeker and the Freaks- Alex Bleeker and the Freaks

Classic Rock for my generation. This record gets more powerful with each listen. Released via the wonderful Underwater Peoples Records. Their cover of “Animal Tracks” is just as good as the original.

[mp3] Alex Bleeker & The Freaks- “Animal Tracks (Mountain Man cover)”

• buy it here.
• more on Alex Bleeker can be found here.

12.) Sonny and The Sunsets- Tomorrow is Alright

Sonny and the Sunsets made the perfect warm weather pop album that it transcends seasons. I find that even on a morning as cold as today Tomorrow is Alright can make me feel warm inside. Sonny is part of the Endless Nest Collective, and if you know what is good for you should have your eye on the nest…so many great records came out of this group in 2009. Tomorrow is Alright was released by Soft Abuse Records.

[mp3] Sonny and the Sunsets- “Too Young To Burn”

• buy it here (the LP is sold out…maybe get it here?).
• Sonny’s website
• Endless Nest’s website.

11.) Nite Jewel- Good Evening

This is an album of psychedelic dance jams  and not necessarily the dance music you would hear in a club, but more what you want to chill out with at the end of the night.  This record was released by Human Ear Music / Gloriette Records. 

[mp3] Nite Jewel- “Weak for Me”

• buy it here.
• Nite Jewel’s website// myspace

10.) BOAT- Setting the Paces

If there has been one album this year that can bring me out of dark times it is Setting the Paces.   Released by Magic Marker Records.

[mp3] BOAT- “Prince Of Tacoma”

• buy it here.
• more on BOAT can be found here.

9.) Julie Doiron- I Can Wonder What You Did With Your Day

While she is known for her sad songs this album shows her lighter side, and that is something that I really enjoy…and she can totally wail on that guitar too.  Released by  Jagjaguwar Records.

[mp3] Julie Doiron- “Spill Yer Lungs”

• buy it here.
• more on Julie Doiron can be found  here.

8.) Ducktails- Ducktails// Landscapes

As far as I’m concerned these two should have been a double album.  I have a hard time thinking about them separately. Ducktails in a sense gave birth to Real Estate, and possibly this whole thing chillwave thing.  Ducktails came out via Not Not Fun and Lanscapes via Olde English Spelling Bee.

[mp3] Ducktails- “Landrunners” (off of Landscapes)

• buy Ducktails here // buy Landscapes here.
• more on Ducktails can be found here.

7.) Karl Blau- Zebra

This man is a constant inspiration to me.  This record is just one of three albums that he made this year that I fell in love with. Released by K Records.

[mp3] Karl Blau- “Dark Sedan”

• buy it here.
• more on Karl Blau can be found here.

6.) Pains of Being Pure at Heart- Pains of Being Pure at Heart

Like a time machine to the late eighties //early nineties.  Another great album from Slumberland.

[mp3] Pains of Being Pure at Heart- “Come Saturday”

• buy it here.
• more on Pains Of Being Pure at Heart can be found here.

5.) Ganglians- Monster Head Room

The first full length form this Sacramento band, and it was pretty much perfect.  The LP was released by Weird Forest and CD by Woodsist (who will be repressing the LP).

[mp3] Ganglians- “Crying Smoke”

• buy it here.
• more on Ganglians can be found here.

4.) TOM: WFMU’s the Best Show’s Tribute to Paul McCartney’s RAM (various artists)

The Best Show put together the best tribute album ever.  If you are unfamiliar with RAM it is the only album I have ever heard of by Paul McCartney refered to as dirty (and that is a very good thing). Released as a DJ Premium for donating to WFMU… Sad that it was so exclusive.  The moral of this story is…DONATE TO WFMU!

I haven’t really listened to Danielson over the past couple albums, but this cover makes me want to rethink that…one of my favorite tracks from this album, and one of the best covers I have heard in a long time.

Danielson- “Monkberry Moon Delight”

• The Best Show// WFMU
• Oh and if you don’t already have it…buy Paul McCartney’s Ram here (or used on LP here).

3.) Mount Eerie- Wind’s Poem

I am a long time fan of Phil Elverum, and on this album he took me to a place I never imagined I’d go.  Dark and beautiful…seeing it performed live gave me the best halloween I’ve had in years.

[mp3] Mount Eerie- “Between Two Mysteries”

• buy it here from P.W. Elverum and Suns.
• more about Mount Eerie  can be found here.

2.) Julian Lynch- Orange You Glad

After this record I will be on the look out for anything Julian Lynch ever releases.  Orange You Glad has moved me. Released on Olde English Spelling Bee.

[mp3] Julian Lynch- “Rancher”

• buy it here.
• more on Julian Lynch (mp3s, video, pictures, reviews, more) can be found here.

1.) So Cow- So Cow

By far the record I listened to most this past year.  The pop catches you, but the guitar and lyrics keep you. I couldn’t have asked for a better introduction to Tic Tac Totally Records.  If you didn’t catch So Cow when they were in the states last year their 2010 American Tour starts in less than two week!  Tour dates can be found here.

[mp3] So Cow- “Casablanca”

• Buy it here.
• more on So Cow (reviews, posters, mp3s, pictures)can be found here.

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Thanks for reading my best of lists.  I’m pretty sure this is the end of it…my goal was to get it up by February 1st, but I ended up one day late…I’m ok with that.

You can find more of mine, and some of my special guests, best of lists here.

Ok, so I’ve never really been sure the definition of the EP before, but I always “knew” inside what it was, but for this post I decided to go to the all knowing wiki to find out:

An extended play (EP) is a vinyl record [CD, or music download] which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as an LP. An intermediate format between EPs and full-length LPs is the Mini-LP, which was a common album format in the 1980s generally containing 20–30 minutes of music.

This is a very short list of my favorite EPs of 2009, and it was totally dominated by Captured Tracks and Slumberland.

The Great Pumpkins favorite EPs (12″s and 10″s) of 2009

5.) The Bitters- Wooden Glove

Captured Tracks and Ben Cook (of Fucked Up// Young Governor) both make this list with Wooden Glove. I mentioned in my best of singles list that I like pretty much all of Ben Cook’s projects except the main one.  The Bitters‘ self proclaimed cave pop is pretty blissful, and something that I keep going back to.

[mp3] The Bitters- “Warriors.”

• buy it here.
• gprecs posts on the Bitters can be found here.

4.) Deerhunter- Rainwater Cassette Exchange

I was a little bit of a late comer as far as Deerhunter goes…but now I’m always happy to see a new release (or digital release…watch their blog).  Always top notch.  This EP was put out by 4AD//Kranky.

[mp3] Deerhunter- “Rainwater Cassette Exchange”

• buy it here.

3.) Dum Dum Girls- Dum Dum Girls

Lots of lo-fi girl rock this year, and Dee Dee does it better than most. Captured Tracks really did have a great first year.

[mp3] Dum Dum Girls- “Yours Alone”

• this record is out of print.
• gprecs posts on Dum Dum Girls can be found here.

2.) Pains of Being Pure at Heart- Higher Than the Stars

This record really gives the authentic 80′s vibe.  Thanks Slumberland.  This one came out in too many formats for me to keep track of (cdep, 12″, 7″, 12″remix).

[mp3] Pains of Being Pure at Heart- “Higher Than The Stars”

• buy it here (i’m specifically talking about the normal 12″ version, but i’m sure they are all rad).
• gprecs posts on Pains of Being Pure at Heart can be found here.

1.) Liechtenstein- Survival Strategies in a Modern World

These ladies top the girl rock category in my book, and all I can say is that I wish this had been even longer than it was (this record actually has pretty many songs on it, but it is so short).  A wonderful 10″ put out by Slumberland.

[mp3] Liechtenstein- “Roses in the Park”

• buy it here.
• gprecs posts on Liechtenstein can be found here.
• Slumberland had an amazing 2009 (topping both my EPs list, and my 7″s list).
  • gprecs posts on Slumberland can be found here.

Links:

• more Best Of posts can be found here.

There is still something to be said about releasing a great single, and I’m not just talking about the A side…

The Great Pumpkin favorite 7″s of 2009

10.) Slumberland‘s Searching for the Now Vol. 5 (Liechtenstein split 7″ w/ The Faintest Ideas)

Liechtenstein might be the show that I’m most disappointed that I missed this year, and this 7″ would have made my top ten for “This Must Be Heaven” alone.

[mp3] Liechtenstein- “This Must Be Heaven”

• Buy Searching for the Now Vol. 5 here.
• gprecs posts on Liechtenstein can be found here.

9.) The Mayfair Set- “Already Warm//Desert Fun”

One of many great 7″s released by Captured Tracks in 2009, and the combination of Dum Dum Girls and Blank Dogs. I can’t say that I liked the 12″ as much as the 7″, but I’m hoping this wasn’t their peak…a great 45.

[mp3] The Mayfair Set- “Already Warm”

• Buy it here.
• Mayfair Set’s website.

8.) Kurt Vile- Fall Demons

Released by Skulltones in an extremely limited quantity (375 copies, and 25 test presses).  Almost a proper EP at five songs.  One of many releases by KV that I loved this year.  Thanks to Permanent for saving me a copy.

[mp3] Kurt Vile- “Summer Demons”

• out of print.
• gprecs posts on Kurt Vile can be found here.

7.) Ganglians- “Blood on the Sand// Make it Up”

The second Captured Tracks release to make this list.  I couldn’t have asked for a better follow up to Monster Head Room.

[mp3] Ganglians- “Blood On the Sand”

• Buy it here.
• gprecs posts on Ganglians can be found here.

6.) Best Coast- Make You Mine

The first official release of Group Tightener Records, and a great one at that.  I was able to grab a copy right before it sold out.

[mp3] Best Coast- “Make You Mine”

• out of print.
• gprecs posts on Best Coast can be found here.

5.) Magic Kids- “Hey Boy//Good To Be”

These kids make pop from another time, and Goner Records is very lucky to have them.  Expect big things in 2010.

[mp3] Magic Kids- “Hey Boy”

• buy it here.
• gprecs posts on Magic Kids can be found here.

4.) Real Estate- Suburban Beverage

The record that started it all for both Real Estate and Underwater Peoples Records.  Nice people and good music.

[mp3] Real Estate- “Suburban Beverage”

• out of print.
• buy Real Estate’s self titled LP here (includes almost all of these songs).

3.) Young Governor- “Virginia Creeper// I’m A Mess”

Plastic Idol Records put out this great 45 of punk pop by Ben Cook of Fucked Up.  I don’t know why, but I seem to like everything Cook is involved with except for Fucked Up…at least he has enough projects to keep me busy.

[mp3] Young Governor- “Virginia Creeper [edit]“

• buy it here (this has to be almost sold out).
• gprecs post on Young Governor can be found here.

2.) Julian Lynch // Ducktails split 7″

Julian Lynch and Ducktails are two of my favorite discoveries of 2009, and I can thank Underwater Peoples for this.  Oh yeah, and Julian has to be one of the nicest dudes ever.

[mp3] Ducktails- “Parasailing”

• out of print.
• gprecs posts on Ducktails can be found here.
• gprecs posts on Julian can be found here.

1.) Sic Alps- “L Mansion// Super Lungs My Supergirl”

Another beautiful 7″ put out by Slumberland.  I have to say that I’ve seen Sic Alps, and when I did they were not a band I cared for, but after reading about this 7″ I picked it up and was totally blown away.  I can’t wait to hear what comes out of this band in the future…this is one fucking great 45.

[mp3] Sic Alps- “L Mansions”

• buy it here.
• gprecs posts on Sic Alps can be found here.
  • 2/10/10- sorry I just fixed the link to this song. it was another sic alps track until now.

Thanks for reading…I’m getting behind on these best of posts, and they are a little intimidating to do, but I’m going to keep with it…two more…EPs and LPs.  Bare with me while I deal with this last graduate application and the crazy awfulness that is my job…but more is to come.  thanks again.

Links:

• more Best Of posts can be found here.

Pants Yell! Initially seeing the name of this band I thought I was getting into something that would be fast paced, and high energy, but in actuality you get something much more mature and refined. Pants Yell! formed in 2003 and perform the songs of Andrew Churchman.  I’m not quite sure how I am sitting here in 2009 hearing them on their third (maybe fourth…looks like they had a full length tape) and last album for the first time…but it makes me a little sad knowing that something this good will be coming to an end.

Received Pronunciation is another album coming out via Slumberland, and if you have been following their recent releases that is in itself a good indication you should be hearing it.  Received Pronunciation is a short and sweet nine song album, and while in first song didn’t catch me by time it got to middle of the second, “Rue De La Paix,” I was hooked.  It is refreshing hearing an album that relies on the the natural sound of the instruments, and that is what Pants Yell! have done on this one.  Not a single distortion pedal was used in the making of this record, nor was one needed.

There is a time when good indie rock is what one needs, and Pants Yell deliver this.  In a time where fuzzy distorted guitars are on almost every album it’s nice to hear music that can stand without it.  Chuchman expresses a deep level of emotion throughout Received Pronunciation, and to the extent that most lyricists can only wish to achieve.  Churchman has a way with words, and even lines like “does that asshole ever tell you that he still thinks of…Megan?” (from “Got to Stop”) in another setting might sounds adolescent come across as sincere and well composed, and something that you probably wouldn’t tell someone in real life.  While on first listen I knew what I had was a good thing, I had no idea how much it would grow on me.  All culminating, at least for me, with the the guitar rock “Marble Staircase” and self proclaiming “Not Wrong” both of which come toward the end of the album.  It really does make me sad that these are the last Pants Yell! songs that will be released into the world because they are beautiful.

Riding my bike home from work yesterday I found that one song from the album had been stuck in my head all day, and I was even singing outloud as I rode over the Queensborough Bridge, and it happened to be “Cold Hands.”

[mp3] Pants Yell!- “Cold Hands”

Buy it from Slumberland here (for only $8 on LP!), or if you need to pick up other things…at Insound.

One of my very trusted music sources keeps telling me to pick up their last album Alison Statton, and I definitely plan on doing so.  I was also able to track down Pants Yell!’s cover of the wonderful Jens Lekman song “Tram Number 7 to Heaven” (thanks Marc!).  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

[mp3] Pants Yell!- “Tram Number 7 (Jens Lekman cover)”

Buy Jen’s version here.

Pants Yell! are finishing up a tour, but you still have a couple chances to catch them:

• Tomorrow! Dec. 5th- Brooklyn, NY @ Bruar Falls w/ Fluffy Lumbers
• Dec. 19th- Somerville, MA @ P.A.’s Lounge (Holiday Party)

Links:

• Buy releases by Pants Yell! here.
• Pants Yell!’s myspace
• more on Slumberland Records here.

Grass Widow have released two 12″s with in a matter of months.  Their self titled record on Make A Mess was one of those albums that I looked for for ever, but had no luck.  The first pressing of the LP went out of print very quickly, and even though I tried calling record stores in other parts of the country trying to mail order it I had no luck.  From what I understand the remaining copies of this LP floating around at your local shop are from the second pressing…that appears to be going out of print as fast as the first. It was a nice surprise walking into Permanent Records, and seeing this one up on the wall long after I had given up on it.

Girl pop seems to be king, or queen in this case, and these days there is no shortage of all girl bands…but there are three that I feel are a step above the rest, and Grass Widow is one of those.

Their debut full length on Make A Mess channels a more powerful force, at least for me. In the depths of their music I can feel the faintest hints of Beat Happening.  One might think that this would be a hard thing to pull out of their music being that they are an all girl band, and that one of the corner stones of Beat Happening is Calvin Johnson’s baritone voice, but it is more the subtleties in the music more than a direct comparison that brings this to mind….a vocal cadence or part of a drum beat.  It’s not necessary to see this, but it’s something I pick up on…and in the end anything that reminds me of Beat Happening tends to be a winner with me.

I feel that Grass Widow emphasis this on “Celebrate the Mundane” the second track off the Make A Mess full length.  Even at first listen Grass Widow are clearly different than their contemporaries in the way that they utilize every member of the band.  All three of the women in Grass Widow contribute to the vocals, and it is not just on choruses but at times all three of them are simultaneously singing different lyrics….creating harmonies that at first don’t seem possible.  This combination of lyrics, vocals, cadence, and harmony are where I truly see the connections I alluded to above, but occasionally in the beat as well.

[mp3] Grass Widow- “Celebrate the Mundane”

Grass Widow bring in the the horns later on in the LP, and overall have created a truly beautiful post-twee record. Extremely impressive as a debut LP, and one that has been spinning on the turntable and headphones for weeks. It’s looking like this is another one in my year end list as well.

Buy Grass Widow’s Self Titled album here.

A couple Sundays ago Grass Widow jumped on the bill for the Tom Tom Magazine launch party at Bruar Falls.  Grass Widow had been playing shows all weekend, but I didn’t quite make it to any of them, and when I heard this show was at Bruar Falls I couldn’t not go.  If you the Great Pumpkin you already know this, but Bruar Falls just happens to be my favorite venue right now…so the location was perfect.

I got to Bruar Falls about 20 minutes before Grass Widow went on, and the place was totally packed.  It seemed like more people were there for the magazine than the music (this was made clear by how many people just talked through the bands sets), but I guess that could be expected.  I was a little surprised by the music that was being played between sets…after all Tom Tom Magazine is a magazine about female drummers, but I’m pretty sure there wasn’t an actual drum set used in any of the dance/hip hop music that was being played (I guess a party atmosphere was the desired effect)….just thought this was odd and worth mentioning.

By time Grass Widow took the stage I was really ready to hear the music that I came for, and these ladies brought it.  With songs like “Celebrate the Mundane” and “To Where” it can be hard for a band to pull it off live, but Grass Widow were well practiced and sounded great even on what I assume, due to the distance they traveled without a full tour, was borrowed equipment.  It’s really impressive that all three of their vocals can be so tight in a live setting.  I was able to capture some of this on video, and I am now happy to share it with you.

Grass Widow- “Lulu’s Lips”

[mp3] Grass Widow- “Lulu’s Lips” off of the Captured Tracks 12″.  Buy it here.

While reviewing my recordings I realized that I didn’t know three of the tracks I taped.  I emailed Grass Widow, and Hannah was kind enough to help me identify them.

Hannah informed me that the three tracks are from their yet to be recorded album for Slumberland Records!  Grass Widow will be hitting the studio in January, and these three tracks, and many others, will be put to tape.  Enjoy:

Grass Widow- “Give Me Shapes”

Grass Widow- “Landscape”

Grass Widow- “Uncertain Memory”

Thanks to Hannah, and the rest of Grass Widow, for identifying these songs for me.  I’m really looking forward to the new record, and to your return to New York!

Links:

• Buy Grass Widow releases here.
• Grass Widows website/myspace
• more on Slumberland Records here.
• more on Captured Tracks Records here.
• more on Permanent Records here.
• more gprecs videos here.
• more This Week In Mail Order here.

Since I initially heard Liechtenstein I have been craving more, and back in June, as a surprise,  klk brought back a copy of their new 10″ Survival Strategies in the Modern World that she picked up at Aquarius (I’m still so jealous that I’ve never been to that store).  I absolutely love this record, it gives me the same satisfaction that I get while listening to Tiger Trap and Talulah Gosh, but with a slightly updated sound.  Liechtenstein also refuses to get lost in the fuzziness that is so popular these days, and I now have very little motivation to put on albums by Pens and Vivian Girls when I know that I will be much more satisfied by Liechtenstein (or Talulah Gosh for that matter).

Liechtenstein’s 10″ while wonderful is pretty short, a mini LP of nine songs, and in my searching of the internet I came across another amazing offering from the Free Music Archive.  When Liechtenstein was in the states back in June they stopped by WFMU and recorded a set for one of my favorite radio shows, Michael Goodstein’s Choking on Cufflinks.  The set is up in it’s entirety for free download from the FMA…and I’ve been particularly into these two:

[mp3] Liechtenstein- “All At Once” (via the FMA)

[mp3] Liechtenstein- “Everythings for Sale” (via the FMA)

[full album download/stream] Liechtenstein- Live on Choking on Cufflinks 6/6/09

This live set includes songs from their out of print cd-r and 7″s so it is totally worth checking out (“Everythings for Sale” is one of them).

Liechtenstein have also recently participated in Slumberland Records‘ Searching for the Now Series.

Here is why Slumberland does Searching for the Now:

We here at Slumberland have always believed in the 7″ single as the greatest medium for pop music. 7″s are cheap and portable, a great way to hear new bands without spending too much cash, and similarly a great way for bands to get their music out there without going broke. Add in a cool sleeve, maybe some color vinyl and the odd sticker or badge and you have an unbeatable little package.

The last few years have seen a real resurgence of great pop, and we find ourselves with a favorite new band almost every week. Or at least a few favorite new songs. We’ve puzzled over how to make more of this terrific music available, and our solution is our new split single series Searching For The Now. Our plan is to release two limited-edition split 7″ singles every ten weeks or so, then compile every eight singles onto CDs to keep them available. Note that this is not a subscription series — while we are limiting each single to one pressing, they’ll be available from your favorite indie record retailers and mail orders, and of course directly from Slumberland. All singles will be pressed on color vinyl and packaged in special sleeves — full-color, letterpress, silkscreen or something else cool. (more info here).

I fully agree with Slumberland’s vision with this series, and I feel like it speaks to me as a record buyer.  They are 100% correct in thinking that the 7″ is a great medium (both affordable, and digestible) for checking out new bands, and Slumberland is able to keep these records inexpensive ($5), and I am more likely to invest time in something that I buy for a couple of dollars than something I get off the internet for free.  Slumberland also has been kind enough to give us Liechtenstein’s new studio track “This Must Be Heaven” as a free downloadable sample.

[mp3] Liechtenstein- “This Must Be Heaven” (via Slumberland.  How can you resist that vinyl…Buy it here)

“This Must be Heaven” is pretty much a perfect pop song in my mind, and again like the 10″ it leaves me wanting more.

Liechtenstein recently lost  Naemi, but they have found  Ulrika to take over playing bass in the band.  And back in August they spent a couple days in a Gotland studio recording some new songs…I can’t wait for these to see the light of day.  Any news is good news if it’s coming from these ladies.

In the mean time…here is their video for “Security By Design”

Links:

• more on Liechtenstein here.
• more on Slumberland here.
• buy music by Liechtenstein here.
• Creative Commons credits on tracks from the FMA
  • Liechtenstein / CC BY-ND 3.0

While it’s undeniable that

[mp3] Sic Alps- “Message to the Law” (via the FMA!)

is a great song, but other than that song so far I have been uninspired by Sic Alps both on recording and at live shows….up until now.  The other week Bill mentioned that the new single on Slumberland sounded a bit “Spoon-ish.”  While I have been a fan of Spoon for a while (more so when I was in college, but still) saying something is Spoon-ish isn’t necessarily a good thing for a band…so when I was at Academy this weekend I picked up the new Sic Alps single “L Mansion” if for no other reason to hear what Sic Alps sound like tinged with Spoon.

I don’t know if you have recently bought (or seen), a Slumberland single recently, but if you haven’t I highly recommend doing so.  This is my second 7″ from the label in the past two or three weeks, and I have to say they do singles right.  The record comes in a full color jacket, black dust jacket, colored vinyl, and are limited edition.  For a slightly larger record label they really put a unique personal touch on their singles.

“L Mansion” is a short track, and unlike their records in the past it has a much cleaner indie rock sound.  Maybe this is a change in production value, or something but like the b side “Superlungs (My Supergirl)” both tracks show growth and departure from previous releases.  Slumberland has made “L Mansion” available for download…so you be the judge:

[mp3] Sic Alps- “L Mansion”
(via Slumberland. Buy it here!)

In the case of this single, I think the production and the slightly more up beat sound brings Sic Alps into a new light.  Up until this single Sic Alps seemed to get lost in the massive amount of lo-fi garage rock/shit-gaze that has been going on, but I think now I’m going to be following their releases a little more closely…it actually makes me really want to hear more, and even see them live again.  It’s not just the cleaner sound, but even better song writing.  I think I am correct in saying that “L Mansion” is the first Sic Alps recording with Ty Segall on drum, and so far Segall seems to do no wrong (he has released several singles and three LPs under his own name in recent memory).  I am excited to hear more from this new line up.

Although it appears to be older material Drag City just released a massive 2xLP collection of what appears to be older songs…you can pick that up here (this collection contains “Message from the Law”).