Bright eyes - souled out 7"

Connor has a new album out on Merge in the US and wichita in the UK...and of course the Brits get the one-sided 7" from Mr. Oberst come September 1st.
I've been listening to the streaming album and it's more of Cassadega...kind of very traditional rock/alt-country or something. He's still an amazing songwriter, but I guess I'm just not as wowed by these tracks musically. He's a force of songwriting...like Dylan, I'm sure history will compare the two in indie rock circles for sure.
Am I changing with him?....no. I know you can't/don't want to do the 4-track sloppy noise forever....or that's what it seems like. You don't want to be pigeonholed into anything I would hope. But is this really his direction or is there some kind of outside pressure/influence to go more mainstream in sound/production? I'm always reading about that jump for a band...into the next level of sales/exposure, the label wants it for sure.
The Nirvana effect or something...but it has to always hurt the artist.
There should be a relationship where the artist just streams tracks to the label and they just release it...but then there's always touring, they have to promote the record in the first place....oh fuck, I don't know what it is.
I just think this latest is ok...but I want new, innovation, surprise.
It's just not here.

Then to top it off, the 7" has an etching on the other side, not even a b-side track.

Of course it's all overseas...From Norman records:

This recording was made in Tepoztlán, Morelos, México during the months of January and February 2008. In Tepoztlán, a place known for Aztec Magic and Extra-Terrestrial Sightings, a temporary studio was created in a mountain villa called Valle Místico at the outskirts of town. It was produced by Conor Oberst with much help from engineer and long time associate Andy LeMaster. A special band was assembled for the recording, known amongst themselves and to friends as The Mystic Valley Band. It was there at Valle Místico that Conor and the band lived and worked for that time in near perfect harmony, often unaware of the hour or the day. The result is his first solo album in thirteen years, following Water (1993), Here’s To Special Treatment (1994) and Soundtrack To My Movie (1995). In that time he has recorded and preformed in many bands and musical projects including Commander Venus, Park Ave., Desaparecidos, and most notably Bright Eyes, his main musical vehicle for the past decade.
The self-titled album will be released on Wichita Recordings.

The Single comes as a one sided 7” complete with artwork etching on side B and is limited to 700 copies

or from hotstuff:

Podcast Episode 20: Special Sonic Youth edition (with Matt of course)! We play some old sonic youth, a peel session blank label 7" from 88, we talk about art school fostering bands in general, and the general history of SY....

The dodos - Red and Purple

I found out about this album a few weeks ago and ended up listening to it one night straight through and of course the stand out track was Fools with it's chorus and background yelling, crazy off beat timings hitting sticks together...woodblocks.
This single Red and Purple is equally as good, the only problem I have with the drum track in this is they need to use the humanize button or something on the drum machine/sequencer, especially after hearing the Fools track and that organic beating, this feels weird....not as good... it kind of gives it away as being studio or laptop recorded.
I like the collective drumming sound so much, but here it's so obviously perfectly in time that it just sounds cheap or something. Or unauthentic...it's a weird high pitch snare sound too, super tight and tiny. I could be wrong...it's a great track irregardless....it could just be me....or their drummer is too in time.

It feels smart in the way Wolf Parade does with just interesting uses of instruments, every track was changing, surprising in good ways....vocally it's kind of like the shins or something...a little nondescript at times, or too lost in echo or chorus, but musically there are great pop experiments happening all over the place.

At times when it's quietly playing in the background I think I'm hearing a new animal collective tracks by a third member whose singing...or they found an a capella grandaddy track and remixed it. It has that multiple percussion sounds, layers of drums that couldn't be played single handedly....I hate to even think about a drum circle...but maybe these guys can make it good, turn it around.

Please tell me someone can find this domestically.

The first single Red & Purple will hit UK stands on June 30th with the album 'Visiter' to follow on July 14th.

Nice, bright, folky-sounding pop from The Dodos now with 'Red and Purple' on a limited 7". It's quite an uptempo little number on the whole with quite slow, drawn out vocals vocals in the verses that are hazily efective, the chorus jaunts it up a notch for maximum catchiness. The lyrics seem to suggest he's got some kind of war fetish though, that's Americans for you (only joking [or am I?]). I'm reliably informed that this is the best track from the LP, having not heard that myself I can only say that does a good job of makin you feel a wee bit better about the world. The other side is quite similar with the same speedy rythms and slower melody, the song's not as strong but that's why it's the B-side innit

Or it's only imported like fine wine from wichita

los Campesinos - pavement cover

I like these guys, I do, for as much as I like sincerity and seriousness, the exact opposite can do it for me too...It can be slightly annoying and out of control spazfest..., but that's good, if you're in the mood, plus are really releasing everything on seven inch, next month they have a conceptual seven inch of one minute covers. They plan on covering casiotone for the pianfully alone so I really hope that isn't going to only be available as an import like this one, but probably only will be.
Los Campesinos have that ensemble, party sound, with everyone throwing their two cents of insanity in. It's working for them, but the logistics of keeping them playing together at this age, playing shows and touring in dirty vans can be rough, but they can pull it off for a few years yet. I really want to hear this pavement cover.

los campesinos!

Side A
1. Death To Los Campesinos!

Side B
1. Frontwards

18th February sees the release of our...fourth single. Entitled 'Death To Los Campesinos!'. This is backed up by our cover of Pavement's 'Frontwards' and another song about mixx tapes 'Clunk-Rewind-Clunk-Play-Clunk'. Available on col-our-ful 7" vinyl and a REFLECTIVE CD, as well as the George Graham of musical formats: download. Beautiful artwork as ever by Sarah Lippett.


It's Friday and that means another podcast, where coincidentally Los Campesinos is played in the ol' bedroom, with the Swirlies - sarah sitting, and Red Red Meat.
We discuss kindercore and twee, tween, and how it has nothing to do with porn. (19:54)

Les Savy Fav - Patty Lee

Side A
1. Patty Lee
Side B
1. The Sweat Descends

This is...that's right...import only from this Recordstoreuk thing.

The guitar sounds in this song are just so great... that far away chorused out sound...I don't think they have sacrificed anything by playing around with something completely produced...working in this all the sounds so completely manufactured...they're really keeping the sound they have been working with, it's just hyper focused
This album is just such a great continuation of the others albums..it's the perfect next chapter.
Nothing new here on this 7" unfortunately but it's one of the most solid singles you could own, and if youa re unsure in the least, this would convince you.

It's weird to see this english review of this single we can't even get.....shit, and I probably would, I have almost everything from 7inches, so what's the deal, does the english distribution rights call fro 7" singles or something?
That's bloody brilliant.

Les Savy Fav are back with a new single on Wichita. 'Patty Lee' which is lifted from the reissue of their 'Inches' long player Phil reckons it's kinda like Modest Mouse, Built To Spill and Girls Against Boys. Decent US alternative rock. There's a new tune on the flip like.. 'The Sweat Descends' has a funky groove and guitar and vocal that recalls the Pixies at times. Ltd to 1000 on white vinyl.

Here is the 5th Episode of the 7inches podcast. I play some justice yeldham from load records, the devon williams single on LA records and the new Health single from suicide squeeze, (16:56).