James Vincent McMorrow – If I Had a Boat

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James Vincent McMorrow – Early In The Morning

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IRISH BON IVER. THERE. I SAID IT. As if it hasn’t already been said enough already. Just to prove my point, here are some blogs that have uncreatively referred to James Vincent McMorrow in such a manner:
Yours Truly, Swear I’m Not Paul, Hear Ya, Quit Mumbling, Rcrd Lbl, Decently Dope. People have told me that blogging is all about collaborations (especially music blogging) and that by being antagonistic to other blogs I’m burning bridges that I may want to figuratively cross later on. To those people I say this: Bridges are stupid and I don’t need them. I can cross bodies of water using the sheer breadth of my stride. Does that sound like the type of dude who needs the help of other blogs? I DIDN’T THINK SO. And even if I couldn’t, is it so implausible that I might rent a boat? Even if the Sydney Harbour Bridge collapsed in on itself from the sheer arrogance of the Oprah ‘O’ that disgraced it late last year there’d be no strife. I’d wander my way through the tunnel we ploughed beneath the harbour.

What I’m trying to say by all this is that he writes nice songs. He’ll be all over your radar by the end of 2011. He’s been written about time after time these past six months and he’s the sort of prodigious talent that can’t help but get massive and you know how I feel about singer-songwriter types.

Open wide your mind and appreciate Sydney based Solkyri. They write instrumental post-rock tracks that are well… they’re pretty rad. They’ve been around for about 5 years (someone correct me if I’m wrong) and they’ve paid their dues to the Sydney scene unlike many of the recent upstart fauxk artists that are falling upon us like a steady drizzle. It’s hard for me to get behind an artist that writes a few demos, gets picked up by a major then drops a debut EP. I’m looking at you Georgia Fair. Also, while we’re here, has anyone noticed a steady decline into cynicism on this blog over the past few months? I’m not sure who to blame for that. Let’s point the figure at musicians. Intertwined with that cynicism is a refusal to take responsibility for my actions. Wow. The vibe is getting weird in here. I’m out.

Solkyri – This Can’t Wait!

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Download ‘This Can’t Wait!’ for free at their bandcamp. Better still, get the whole record. It’s “pretty cool”.

Tim Adamson messaged me this morning to let me know that Fleet Foxes’ Robin Pecknold has recorded three new tracks including a collaboration with Grizzly Bear’s Ed Droste. The best part (actually not the best part but certainly a very good part) is that they’re free. I am at work today and as such can’t listen to them so I ask you to be my ears. I’ll download and reupload one of the tracks for your streaming pleasure. Here’s a link to download all three for yourself. Hopefully I’m not putting an aural trainwreck up here but Pecknold has never steered me wrong before. Fingers crossed. Someone text me and tell me if this rules.

Robin Pecknold – I’m Losing Myself (ft. Ed Droste)

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When I got up this morning, I didn’t think that today was going to be that day. That special day I’d been dreaming of for months, for years, for weeks. The special day when classic literature and indie-folk combined to make a beautiful yet theologically questionable track. It’s definitely not Sound Doctrine. I’ve wanted to say that for so long. The name comes from Dostoeyvski’s the Brothers Karamazov which is one of my very favourite books.

Ivan & Alyosha are from Seattle and have been dropping ballads since way back in ’07. I had a listen to a few other tracks on their myspace but Glorify is by far and away the standout track (as well as the most free). If you want more you can download their recently released Fathers Be Kind EP.
(*UPDATE* I can’t find Fathers Be Kind on iTunes. They have their earlier work but I can’t attest to its quality)

Ivan & Alyosha – Glorify

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[FREE DOWNLOAD]

Melbourne’s Husky have written some very, very catchy choruses that will undoubtedly lead to attention from the same sort of folk who foam at the mouth over Matt Corby or, dare I say it, Boy & Bear. I do wonder if there’s there any room on the market for another band tapping that same demographic though. I’ll wager Husky will be signed to a major in the next 6 months. Keep your eyes peeled. In the meantime, download liberally from their Unearthed page.

Apparently they’ve been around for five years. Maybe they “got good” recently. More likely though, everyone around me has been conspiring to keep them a secret from me leading to a situation similar to that of the Truman Show. They even (and this going to sound like more of my usual foolery, but it’s true) received a federal government grant midway through last year, presented by none other than Peter Garrett.

Husky – History’s Door

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Also, does anyone remember Evermore? I used to love this song. I hear one of them is working at Bing Lee in Miranda these days. It’s a fickle industry.

Evermore – It’s Too LAte

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