Reverie Sound Revue

Leslie Feist, Amy Millan, and Emily Haines have all received quite a bit of attention as of late (with good reason... I love them all!). But you never hear much about Lisa Lobsinger, the other female in Broken Social Scene... Which is probably because her solo project Reverie Sound Revue has not released anything new in quite some time. That is, until now! I was so, so happy to read on Say Anything Syndrome that their new album is almost finished and they have released a song from it! Reverie Sound Revue sounds exactly like what you would expect from their name. Like summer, and flip flops, and popsicles. The new song is along the same lines but a bit less danceable, and more breezy. It is supposedly a rough unmastered version, so the sound could change when the album is released.

Reverie Sound Revue - An Anniversary Away

You can see the video here.

Here are a few of my favorite songs from their 2003 EP:

Reverie Sound Revue - Walking Around Waiting Downtown
Reverie Sound Revue - Passes and Passports
Reverie Sound Revue - Cascade

(You must "right click, save as" for these.)

Chris Garneau

I don't know how I got away with not listening to Chris Garneau until now. It's as if Loney, Dear and The Boy Least Likely To suddenly became extremely depressed and downtrodden... to the point they only used piano and strings in their music (definitely no glockenspiels) to go for the tearjerker effect. And I love it.

Chris Garneau - Not Nice

Download his cover of "Between the Bars" by Elliot Smith at Stereogum.

Jon Auer

He was a founding member of The Posies and was in the reformed version of Big Star, so it is not surprising Jon Auer is so good at doing the pop thing. His solo record, Songs from the Year of Our Demise, is not the power pop you would expect but instead a tad sad but still sparkly and pretty.

Jon Auer - Six Feet Under

Moonbabies

The Moonbabies sound like a mix of Belle & Sebastian and The Magic Numbers if they were both from Sweden. Sunny pop music with more synthesizers than those two bands, but still not too electronic. Gorgeous guy-girl harmonies! Their new album "At the Ballroom" is released worldwide on May 29 but has already been released in Scandinavia. You can hear four tracks on their MySpace.

From the new album At The Ballroom:

The Moonbabies - War On Sound

From The Orange Billboard:

The Moonbabies - Sun A.M.

New Releases - 3.27.07

MIKA is everywhere lately. I don't know if we will remember him in five years, but his music is so fun for the moment. This album is possibly one of the best albums to listen to while working out. It is like the Scissor Sisters made an album that is somehow more accessible than their previous ones.

MIKA - Stuck in the Middle

This is embarassing to admit, but the first time I took notice of Grant-Lee Phillips was on "Gilmore Girls" where he plays the town troubadour of Stars Hollow. His music is perfect coffee shop music (a favorite genre of mine, if you could call it that).

Grant-Lee Phillips - Soft Asylum (No Way Out)

Kate Havnevik is proof of what having your song on Grey's Anatomy can do for a music career. You can now hear The Fray, KT Tunstall and Snow Patrol on Top 40 Radio, which can be partially attributed to Grey's Anatomy. Anyway, Kate is like Bjork-lite, but sometimes the real Bjork is a bit heavy for a normal day so it works.

Kate Havnevik- Kaleidoscope

Other honorable mentions for today:

Let's Go Sailing - The Chaos in Order (sweet twee pop)
The Kaiser Chiefs - Yours Truly Angry Mob (straightforward britpop)
Stevie Nicks - Crystal Visions: The Very Best of (guilty pleasure)
Klaxons - Myths of the Near Future (psychedelic rock)

The A-Sides

I'm traveling this weekend to go to the wedding of two good friends, so I don't have much time... The laptop is about to die. But here are two wonderfully catchy fun songs by a band from Philly that I happen to like quite a bit!

From the 2005 album "Hello Hello":

The A-Sides - Sidewalk Chalk

From their yet to be released album "Silver Storms":

The A-Sides - Cinematic

Coconut Records

Most commonly known for his movies, Jason Schwartzman has recently released a new album under the name "Coconut Records" on iTunes. The first single "West Coast" is insanely catchy and fun. His ex-girlfriend Zooey Deschanel sings on several songs on the album. Ever since hearing her sing on "Baby It's Cold Outside" in the movie Elf, I have been dying to hear more Zooey singing! If you liked Jason in Phantom Planet, you'll like this too.

Coconut Records - West Coast

And a bonus! I am such a sucker for not only banjos, but Zooey too.

Coconut Records ft. Zooey Deschanel - This Old Machine

Basia Bulat

Basia Bulat has recently opened shows for Great Lake Swimmers and Maria Taylor (two of my favorites!) in her native Canada. Her voice sounds similar to Frazey Ford of The Be Good Tanyas with a bit less country twang. There is an old-timey, folky quality to her music. I instantly loved these songs and I think I will be listening to her album a lot in 2007!

Basia Bulat - Why Can't It Be Mine

Her album, "Oh My Darling," is due out on Rough Trade in the UK on April 30th. For now, you can listen to some songs on her MySpace... And psst! Check out her website with the most adorable birdies.

Duke Special

Duke Special is actually Peter Wilson, a slightly off-beat Irish singer/songwriter. I have been enjoying his album "Tales From the Deep Forest" for several months now. I intentionally did not post a photo of him, because if I had seen a photo I would not have given him a chance. He looks like a dirty hippie who just got done with a round of hackey sack.

Duke Special - Wake Up Scarlett

Here is one track from the new "mini-album" When the Bear Bytes (you can download it for free here):

Duke Special - Stumble and Fall (Razorlight cover)

Susan Enan

Susan Enan is a wonderful New York City-based British singer/songwriter by way of Belfast. This song was recently featured on the TV show "Bones" with Sarah McLachlan sharing vocal duties. This version is just Susan and it's oh-so lovely! I am looking forward to her new album (no release date set yet).

Susan Enan - Bring on the Wonder

New Releases - 03.20.07

I already posted about the new Amiina album earlier today, but since it's not available in stores yet, I thought I would offer some suitable replacements if you like going to the record store on Tuesdays:

Tracey Thorn of Everything But the Girl releases her second solo album today (the first being released back in 1982). This music is perfect to listen to while folding laundry. I still listen to Amplified Heart at times, despite it making Everything But the Girl a one-hit wonder of sorts.

Tracey Thorn - Easy

I have yet to hear the whole album yet but if it is half as catchy as this song, I am sure to love it. This song rivals "Counting Down the Hours" for its toe-tapping, sing-a-long quality. I like the pop more than the punk so this song works for wusses like me.

Ted Leo & The Pharmacists - A Bottle of Buckie

The Pierces are two sisters from Alabama. I remember seeing their first two CDs in the bargain bins at used record stores. I feel like they just got lost in the shuffle, because they were quite good. Their new release is out on Lizard King Records today. One of the sisters is dating Albert Hammond, Jr., of The Strokes.

The Pierces - Go To Heaven

Other honorable mentions for today:

Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard and Ray Price - Last of the Breed
Jesse Malin - Glitter in the Gutter
I'm From Barcelona - Let Me Introduce My Friends
Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank
Andrew Bird - Armchair Apocrypha

Amiina

Amiina is a four-girl band from Iceland. They are probably better known as the string section for Sigur Ros. Their first full-length album Kurr will be released tomorrow. I believe it is only available on their website for the time-being. Shipping to the US is only one penny, so it's not a bad deal! You can also order handmade Icelandic Amiina slippers if you so desire.

Since I don't have a copy of Kurr yet, I will share my favorite Amiina song with you. It's more poppy than the rest of their songs, which are definitely more atmospheric.

Amiina - Ammaelis

Bonus: Click here for a few live tracks via Puddlegum.

Hello Saferide

This has to be my favorite discovery of the past few months. Hello Saferide is actually Annika Norlin. She resides in Sweden.

In "The Quiz," she basically goes through her list of qualities she looks for in a significant other. The lyrics are so clever, and so cute. What girl (or guy) can't relate to feeling this way? Very rarely will a song with such honesty & sweetness appear on blogs or Pitchfork or what have you. You can giggle at the verses & the pop culture references, but then when you hear "If I'd fall, would you pick me up?"... You melt. (Lyrics here in case you miss a few of the words like I did...)

Hello Saferide - The Quiz

Can you at all times wear socks, because I’m still scared of feet

Dntel ft. Jenny Lewis

In general, this song has a bit too many bleeps & blips for me. But I need a Jenny Lewis fix, and this works for the time being. I know loving Jenny Lewis is so 2005 but she is completely irresistable.

The new album from Dntel (also known as Jimmy Taborello) entitled "Dumb Luck" is set to be released on April 24th.

Dntel - Roll On (ft. Jenny Lewis)

And while I'm at it, I'll include another song from a different, yet more well-known, Jimmy Taborello project:

The Postal Service - Nothing Better (Live on Morning Becomes Eclectic ft. Jenny Lewis)

SXSW Envy

I have to admit I am a little bitter. Because everyone is at SXSW, and I am not. So I turned my bitterness into something productive. Here are some tracks from my would-be must-see list for SXSW 2007:

Au Revoir Simone - Fallen Snow
Thomas Dybdahl - A Lovestory
The Explorer's Club - Forever
Field Music - Sit Tight
The Finches - House Under the Hill
Headlights - TV
Joshua James - Soul and the Sea
The Last Town Chorus - Modern Love
Let's Go Sailing - Sideways
Limbeck - Big Drag
The Little Ones - Lovers Who Uncover
Loney, Dear - I Am John
Maritime - Tearing Up the Oxygen
The 1900s - Bring the Good Boys Home
Office - The Big Bang Jump
Paper Moon - Turning Colours Iinto Greys
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - Oregon Girl
Rosie Thomas - Much Farther To Go
Tullycraft - Stowaway
Voxtrot - Trouble
Kate Walsh - Your Song
The Whigs - Violet Furs
WinterKids - Hear Me Out
Winterpills - Broken Arm
The Wrights - You're the Kind of Trouble
Jenny Owen Youngs - Fuck Was I
The Zebras - You Look Ready

And that's just to name a few. In my imaginary SXSW world, I would also have to see Lily Allen, Margot & The Nuclear So & Sos, Sondre Lerche, Mika, Peter Bjorn & John, The Broken West, Rocky Votolato, Amy Winehouse, Amy Millan, Marit Larsen, Aqualung, Marjorie Fair, Midlake, The Pipettes... You get the idea.

First Post

So, I'm finally breaking down and starting a music blog. I realize I am about four years late on the trend.

I've named this space "Hi-Fi Heart".

It has a nice ring to it.