Does anyone know
what's going on with American Analog Set?
Unfortunately, for fans of AAS there's no news about the band on their
AAS official web site. It appears the site has not been updated in
almost a year. That of course leads some to wonder if the band has broken up.
On the brighter side, die-hard fans may be happy to know (if they don't already) that the band offers a free download of nearly a dozen demo songs. The songs are packaged in a Zip file that is
60 megabytes. I send my thoughts of a faster download if you are on a modem connection.
Bonus: Go to this
fan web site to download live tracks and interviews.
Labels: American Analog Set, College Radio, Fan Sites, Indie Rock
Kooks and Killers Take Awards
TVOTR's Making of 'Wolf Like Me'
It seems like TV On The Radio is gaining ground every day with more and more indie fans being turned on to their music.
There are likely to be even more fans when their next album comes out. In the meantime, check out
making of 'Wolf Like Me' from MTV.
For the past few years,
Information Leafblower, has released it's Top 40 bands in America. This year, and since they started compiling the list in 2003, there are many favorite indie bands among the ranks.
Each awardee profile includes quotes from the site's critics about the choosen recipient. TV On The Radio took the No. 1 spot, with The Hold Steady and The Decemberists taking second and third respectfully.
The Decemberists - Too Big To Be Indie?
You'd notice these folks if they were walking down Main Street in your town with their stuffy 1880's attire, Japanese hand fans and, well, make-up, but would you know that they are
The Decemberists?
Like their name, The
Decemberists' music is unconventional. But that didn't stopped the group from rocketing upward - at warp speed compared to many other artists - to become one of the top indie bands of the past few years.
However, some of the group's first and most loyal fans were, let's say, less than happy when the band "crossed the line" and went big-time, signing on with Capitol Records this year to record
The Crane Wife.
The group's founder, singer and songwriter, Colin
Meloy, told
The Boston Globe that signing with Capitol had not interfered with his work because the contract stipulates that "the label would stay out of the creative process."
Nevertheless, the talented indie quintet has wooed fans with their experimental, infectious music that combines pop and rock with contemporary and British folk influences infused with theatrical transitions, catchy melodies, melancholic bass lines, and crafty, often quirky, lyrics and subject matter.
Hints of Cake, Belle & Sebastian, They Might Be Giants and Tom Waits are sprinkled throughout their music. There are definitely other artists The
Decemberists can be compared with simply because the diversity and depth of their music makes it hard to categorize them.
Meloy's music is described, on The Decemberists' official web site, as "an infallible melodic knack with a venturesome
lyrical palette equally suitable for painting fantastical songs full of sea captains, legionnaires, chimney sweeps and seekers of all kinds."
The Missoulian spotlights
the rise in popularity of The Decemberists - from the buzz initially created by a few indie bloggers and college radio disc jockeys, to their uncanny inability to be labeled by mainstream music journalism, and their frequent play volume on radio stations across the country and around the world.
Decemberists' Video ContestContribute your animation to a Decemberists' music video of "O Valencia" and win a computer. A green-screen contest? Hmmm, Didn't Steven Colbert do that first?
Go to
MTV for more details. Deadline is December 15, 2006! You can also sample and download Decemberists' songs for less than .30 cents each (with monthly subscription).
Labels: Album Reviews, College Radio, Green-Screen Scandal, Indie Artist/Group Profiles, Indie Rock, Steven Colbet Report, The Decemberists