I See the Stars

Sufjan Stevens // Star of Wonder

Lykke Li

Lykke Li - continued

Recently reminded how much I adore this lil gal.

A fair-haired fairy from Stockholm - who happened to winter in Nepal and pad about Lisbon and Morroco before recording her first album in Brooklyn - Li Lykke Timotej Zachrisson has gained notoriety since her 2008 release.

Rumor is "Little Bit" was inspired from a three-year previous relationship. Just enough to break your heart, change your life.
And instill the confidence to tell the world just what position you'll keep your legs until your lover returns. Bold, Ly. Bold.

Classified as sugarplum sweet neon lilac soul, her recent cover of Roberta Flack's "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" reminds that table sugar has a similar hue to bleached bones.

Lykke Li // Tonight
Lykke Li // Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow

Sleeping in the Aviary

This is an oldie but a goodie, a bit moldie and close to my heart(ie).

Sleeping in the Aviary is currently an unconventional band of three. Squares in the best way possible, which is saying something since they could only ever really form a triangle. Based on duo Elliot Kozel (guitars, vocals) and Phil Mahlstadt (bass, keyboards), the decidedly madhatter lyrics keep in line with overall aesthetic. If you're sitting at that teaparty, check out their website.

http://www.sleepingintheaviary.com/

Most of their material is new wave that jiggers and jilts till your brain feels like a two egg scramble; whites only, please. With chalula. I keep this track in the do-over list for it's creaky, rough hewn production - bootstomps, handclaps, some aaAAaah's to soothe the colicky babe.

Sleeping in the Aviary // Windshield

White Denim

Punk, spit in yo face, bluesy, psychedelic rock from Aussie Austin, Taxin Texas.

And if you wanna to wear them after Labor Day? Eff it, it's your world.

White Denim// Regina Holding Hands

White Denim // All You Really Have to Do

Volcano Choir

A bunch of old friends. Jamming out in a roughhewn recording studio on a cold November weekend in the northern midwest. Standard in some circles, but this group of merry men stand apart. Collection of Bees. Bon Iver. When your powers combine to form Volcano Choir, you're not gonna play in the local battle of the bands or book some corporate lascivious Christmas party to exorcise your musical talents.

Predating Justin Vernon's mushroom cloud of success, "For Emma, forever Ago," the first rumblings of VC occurred when Collection of Bees, (Jon Mueller, Chris Rosenau, Jim Schoenecker, Daniel Spack and Thomas Wincek) toured with Vernon's previous group, DeYarmond Edison back in 2005. Three years later in Vernon's home studio in Wisconsin, the cronies looped and yowled and sighed and pushed and tapped and crooned and smashed and exalted until "Unmap" came to be.

The result? At once hypnotizing and suspenseful, either they're this side of crazy or fucking brilliant.

Volcano Choir // Island, IS