One of my favorite musicians, John Vanderslice, is going to reissue his entire back catalog on the Minneapolis based label Afternoon Records! They’ll be pressing Time Travel Is Lonely (2001), Life and Death of an American Fourtracker (2002), Cellar Door (2004), and Pixel Revolt (2005), all on high-quality RTI-vinyl. His most recent albums, Romanian Names and Emerald City, are still in-print, hence not needing to be reissued.

Pixel Revolt is one of my favorite albums to listen to on vinyl–I highly recommend getting it. The original pressing of 500 copies sold out six days after the release, so it’s really awesome that Afternoon Records took an initiative to get more copies of these records out there. If you aren’t familiar with John Vanderslice, I’d say check out Pixel Revolt first. Some people give me a hard time when I say I like Pixel Revolt more than Cellar Door (which is also great), but I dunno, that album just really connects with me (and Pitchfork agrees with me and gave it a higher rating than Cellar Door too…and Pitchfork knows all, right?)

But hey, if you have the cash,  just buy all four vinyls for $70. They’re really good. You can pre-order here (release date is December 8th; they all come with mp3 codes).

Pixel Revolt (2005):

(Mp3) John Vanderslice – Exodus Damage

(Mp3) John Vanderslice – Trance Manual

Life and Death of An American Fourtracker (2002):

(Mp3) John Vanderslice – Underneath The Leaves

JV’s site | Afternoon Records

I grew up playing Mario Kart, and really loved the game despite the fact that I was absolutely horrible at it. My strategy was to be so bad that I would distract my opponents, and then sneak attack a banana peel, but that never seemed to work out too well for me. I once slipped on my own peel which I didn’t even know was possible…

Mario and I have parted ways over the years (on good terms), but there are some really good Mario songs out there that still keep us close. My favorite is called the “Mario Kart Love Song” from a musician named Sam Hart. Sam plays music more as a hobby, for now, but this awesome song has gotten him quite a bit of attention.

(MP3) Sam Hart – Mario Kart Love Song

The above MP3 is the Youtube version. Buy the better quality MP3 at iTunes or CDbaby. Sam is independent, support him!

Black Pear Trees EP:

(mp3) The Mountain Goats & Kaki King – Thank You Mario But Our Princess Is in Another Castle

I highly recommend checking out the band Bombadil. Their 2009 release Tarpits and Canyonlands hasn’t received all that much attention, which is really unfortunate given it’s one of my favorite albums of the year. I’m absolutely in love with the third track on the album, called “Honeymoon.” I would even go as far as saying that it’s my favorite track of the year. Its layered arrangements are gorgeous and seriously… it’ll blow your mind. Take a listen below.

Bombadil has a truly unique sound. It’s hard to classify them in a genre because their songs constantly evolve into something new. One second you can make the Neutral Milk Hotel connection. Next second,  Andrew Bird or the Minders. Perhaps with a dash of the Fleet Foxes.  Songs like “Sad Birthday” and “Honeymoon” have somewhat dark lyrics, but are among the most upbeat songs on the album. “Laurita” is sung in Spanish. The album is all over the place, and makes for one of the funnest concoction’s of the year. It’s pretty cool that the band and their label Ramseur (Avett Brothers) took the risk of putting this “multi-genred” album out. People might not like every song, but there’s definitely something here for everyone (at least on indie muse).

Bombadil is based out of Durham, NC, though they met while studying in Bolivia.  If you aren’t convinced that they’re a cool band yet, just take a look at their site where they pose their CD around the U.S. like Amelie does with the Garden gnome.

Tarpits and Canyonlands (2009):

(MP3) Bombadil – Honeymoon

(MP3) Bombadil – So Many Ways To Die

Site | Store | iTunes | Myspace

If you are a fan of the Decemberists, Beirut, or Yann Tiersen you’ll probably really dig the indie/gypsy folk sound of the Seattle band, Hey Marseilles. As you can see in the photo above, the band consists of seven members, and they play a bunch of super sweet instruments like trumpets, cellos, accordions, and a sousaphone.

Hey Marseilles’ 2008 self-released debut, To Travels & Trunks, is phenomenal, and unfortunately hasn’t gotten the exposure that it deserves because of its limited release.  If you are looking to boost your productivity today, listen to the tracks “To Travels & Trunks” and “Rio.” Hey Marseilles makes intelligent music that will inspire you to do great things (not to sound like a fortune cookie, but it’s true).

And if you’re like me, you may be wondering how  the collaboration process works in a large, instrumental band like Hey Marseilles. Of course it varies from band to band, but I often think, who was it who decided to put that little horn there? How did you decide to put it there instead of here? Why can’t I be this talented!

When asked about the writing process in a Three Imaginary Girls interview, Hey Marseilles frontman Matt Bishop said,

There’s kind of a few different ways that we do it. Some of the songs were songs that I brought to the table and then we would fill in the spaces and integrate it into the Hey Marseilles sound. A lot of the songs these days are coming out of the instrumentals that we’ll put together and then I’ll sit down and write melodies and lyrics on top of that. So it’s pretty dynamic in terms of the way they come together.

I can’t wait for the sophomore album to come out, and highly recommend you buy this album!

To Travels & Trunks (2008):

(MP3) Hey Marseilles- To Travels & Trunks

(MP3) Hey Marseilles – Rio

Official Site | or buy it at MF, where artists earn all the money (a new project I’ve been working on!)

If you keep up with IndieMuse, you are probably well aware of my love for the xylophone. I think it’s a great instrument. And fortunately, a lot of bands dig the xylophone too, so I can pretty much write about it to my heart’s content.

Another instrument that I really love, that I can’t write about as much, is the ukulele. The ukulele is a totally underrated instrument, and it makes me sad that there are some ukelele haters out there who think it’s a lame guitar wannabe. It’s not. It’s awesome.

If you are like me, and just want to listen to great ukulele folk/pop all day, you should check out Meagan Day, aka Wisdom Tooth. She recently released an album called “Cathedral Park” that I highly recommend.  Best of all, she gives away all of her music for free.

Meagan is a Texas native, attending Oberlin College in Ohio,  and has been writing songs since high school.

Cathedral Park (2009)

Wisdom Tooth – Cathedral Park

Wisdom Tooth – Wild Grasses

Myspace | CLLCT (download fo’ FREE!)

I’m sure you’ve all heard this track by now, but I just can’t get over it. Every once in a while, a remix will come out that is (in almost every way) better than the original song. Perhaps it is a reflection of our “open-source society.” In this case, Neighbors and Devendra Banhart completely rethink the song “Rome” from Phoenix’s latest album.

MP3: Phoenix – Rome (Neighbors RMX w/ Devendra Banhart)”

Since I first picked up Nino Rojo, my opinion of Devendra Banhart has changed fundamentally. While I initially reflected on Banhart as a musical jester, prone to take the side of drug-induced nonsense before engaging sincere emotion, I was not considering his full scope. Needless to say, 2007’s Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon blew me away. It moved between folk, psychedelica, doo wop, soul and pure rock with the finesse and grace that only seemed right emanating from such an enigmatic songwriter. The sensual, analog texture of the album and the sheer diversity of Banhart’s songwriting and production skills cemented him and his work as a thing of beauty. Still the strange, psychedelic, wandering minstrel that drew me to him in the first place, Banhart now has the tools at his disposal to do great things to whatever he touches.

MP3: Devendra Banhart – “Shabop Shalom” from Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon

MP3: Devendra Banhart – “Seahorse” from Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon

In researching Banhart for this post, I realized that his latest album, What Will We Be comes out on October 27th!!! Holy balls! For someone who writes about music, I should know these things… as someone who suffers from chronic obliviousness, I think I’m on par here. The new album features many of the same forces that made SRDTC such a fantastic album. Real info the actual recording and philosophy has been hard to come by… the mystery only intrigues me more. Check these out and let me know what you think. There’s a particular, defined energy that has been elusive on past recordings. I’m interested to see what this does for his more conceptual ideas. Regardless, I’m excited.

MP3: Devendra Banhart – “Baby” from What Will We Be (I LOVE THIS SONG)

MP3: Devendra Banhart – “16th and Valencia Roxy Music” from What Will We Be

MP3: Devendra Banhart – “Goin’ Back to the Place” from What Will We Be

Hear another track, “Walillamdzi” on StereoGum and hear another, “Angelika” on his MySpace

Home | MySpace | AllMusic Guide | Wiki | Hype Machine

What Will We Be drops Oct. 27, 2009. Pre-order: Amazon | InSound | iTunes

To close, here’s Devendra’s video for “Carmensita” starring his ex, Natalie Portman… yep, that’s right.

One day in 1969, a 14-year-old from Toronto skipped school on a rumor that John Lennon was in town. With a tape recorder and unassailable determination, Jerry Levitan snuck into Lennon’s hotel room and conducted an intimate audio-interview that has been animated into what was the 2008 Academy Award winner for “Best Short Film.”

Levitan’s interview dealt with PEACE and how human beings can foster healthier environments for such an important concept to flourish. Lennon, a man of sincere wit and ambition, does not disappoint with his insights in the least. With the addition of surreal pen-animation, this interview is transformed into a work of art. It combines the spontaneous, excited energy of a revolution with the precise, scrupulous perfection of visual art in animation. Inspirational and humbling all at once, I Met The Walrus is not to be missed. Check it out:

http://www.vimeo.com/3003057

For more info on this short, visit the I Met The Walrus Official Site.

I’m quite fond of the new HBO series Bored To Death. When I heard that Zach Galifinakis (one of my favorite comedians) and Jason Schwartzman (Rushmore & I Heart Huckabees) were going to be in a new series, I knew that it was probably going to be great, but I was surprised by just how great it actually is. Is it bad that I just want it to be next Sunday already?

Schwartzman’s role as an author/unlicensed private investigator seriously couldn’t have been cast better. And this show has made my affection for Galifinakis grow even stronger, which I didn’t think was possible-his dry sense of humor is more subtle than in his other projects, and I love it. Ted Danson is hilarious as well, and Jim Jarmeush guest starred in the third episode!

To make things even better, Bored to Death jumped on the “good indie music in background” bandwagon. However, instead of trying to “make” every indie band out there, like Grey’s Anatomy, it plays less bands more frequently.  You can see the list here.

HBO just renewed Bored to Death for a second season. According to /Film, “the series also features guest appearances from John Hodgman (Daily Show, Mac ads), Patton Oswalt, Kirsten Wiig, Parker Posey, Bebe Neuwirth, Oliver Platt, Olivia Thirlby. And if you’re not sold yet… Paul Feig, of Freaks and Geeks, The Office and Arrested Development fame, directs a couple episodes.”

Episode 1:

(MP3) Kaiser Cartel – Favorite Song (Live from Breakthru Radio EP)

Myspace

(MP3) Andrew Bird – Lull

Myspace

Episode 4:

(MP3) La Strada -Loved You All Along

Myspace

The trailer doesn’t really do the show justice, but here you go anyway.

Well, if you haven’t heard about it already, Thom Yorke of Radiohead fame enlisted Flea, Red Hot Chili Peppers’ bassist along with producer Nigel Godrich and percussionists Joey Waronker and Mario Refosco played two shows in Los Angeles this week… yes. Here’s a clip of “Harrowdown Hill.”

If you ask me, there’s something right about seeing Flea rocking out over Thom Yorke’s… “dancing.” The LAWeekly Blog has a solid roundup of the project.

One thing is for sure. This isn’t any sort of vanity project. These guys are for real, and made music on Friday night that was both a logical extension of The Eraser — some sort of advance — and something very removed.

See what they mean, there are a few more videos on the website. I’m gonna wait to hear more… maybe a recording?

http://www.vimeo.com/6605514

I’ve broken my long silence to share this video. The animation and beautiful simplicity of the concept is a sing-a-long to their innermost, fractal ideas. Check it out. Directed by Mryzk & Moriceau, animated by Mathematic Studios.