HOT: BOS Presents Canadian Invasion, Golden Bloom and Sudden Ensemble @ M Room

March 27, 2009 by · Leave a Comment
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I’ve been raving about Canadian Invasion‘s new record, Three Cheers For The Invisible Hand to just about anyone who cares to listen ever since I got an early preview a year or so ago. It’s one of 2009’s best records so far, filled with darkly satirical lyrics surrounded in gorgeous chiming guitar pop.[More] The boys delivered a standout show to a packed World Cafe Live a couple of weeks ago at their CD Release party, so don’t miss out on what promises to be a just as amazing a show in the more intimate confines of the M Room.

Canadian Invasion At World Cafe Live 03.14.09

Canadian Invasion – My Swashbuckling Days Are Over
Buy Three Cheers For The Invisible Hand
Canadian Invasion – Public Witness Program (Fugazi Cover)
Non Album Track

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Shawn Fogel Of Golden Bloom

Shawn Fogel Of Golden Bloom

Hypertalented multi instrumentalist Shawn Fogel is at the heart of New York’s Golden Bloom, who were recently picked as one of “8 Undiscovered Bands Worth A Listen” by Spin magazine. They are currently in the studio with producer/engineer Peter Katis (The National, Interpol, Mates of State) working on their highly anticipated new LP. Golden Bloom‘s music is a powerful blend of solid songwriting, alt country and Beatlesque pop that WXPN’s Bruce Warren touted as “a fresh take on ye olde tradition of sensitive power pop.”  Shawn’s played Philly solo before, but this time he’s bringing the whole band down for a rare Philly appearance that is a must see.

Also be sure to stop over to see our lovely friends at Popwreckoning who have a contest running to give away 3 autographed copies of the limited edition Golden Bloom 7″ vinyl single for Doomsday Devices.(Thanks Jess!) Click Here To Enter

Golden Bloom – Doomsday Devices
Ltd Edition 7″ vinyl
Shawn Fogel – Leaves, Corners, And Stones
Buy One Day In The Desert EP

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Sudden Ensemble

Sudden Ensemble

New Jersey’s Sudden Ensemble are  musician and visual artist Doreen Kirchner, illustrator of the Neil Hagerty comic book “Adventures of Royal Trux vol…10”  amongst other artistic achievements and Wayne Garcia, ex of the band Adrenalin OD, and a writer of the novel “The After Effects of Zero Gravity”. Their most recent album Life In A Birdcage is an addicting blend lo-fi indie pop. You’ll want to be sure to get there early to see them.

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Canadian Invasion, Golden Bloom & Sudden Ensemble
Sunday March 29th
M Room
15 W Girard Avenue Philadelphia PA
8pm | $8 | 21+up

Going Viral With Some Elviral Video

March 27, 2009 by · 1 Comment
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You gotta hear this one, mucho thanks to Nashville Scene for the original post and to Todd for the tipoff on this cover gem from the upcoming Oak Ridge Boys album.

Cool New Reissue : Histoire De Melody Nelson

March 24, 2009 by · 1 Comment
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Named one of the “1000 Recordings To Hear Before You Die” by music writer Tom Moon in his book of the same name, Serge Gainsbourg‘s 1971 classic,Histoire De Melody Nelson receives a  deluxe CD/LP Remaster this week marking it’s first official US release via Light In The Attic Records.
Influencing a wide range of artists from Air to Beck to Stereolab, it’s a sultry simmering mix of orchestral sounds and jazzy-bluesy-psychedelic guitar that serve as the perfect backdrop for Serge’s French sung spoken vocals, which almost seem a seductive whisper as the story of Melody Nelson unfolds.

Serge Gainsbourg – Melody
Buy Histoire De Melody Nelson

The Feelies Live At Johnny Brenda’s 03.13.09

March 15, 2009 by · Leave a Comment
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The Feelies, Then(1991) and Now (2009)

The Feelies, Then(1991) and Now (2009)

It’s been a little over 18 years since The Feelies last graced a stage in Philadelphia but Friday night’s show at Johnny Brenda’s showed that in the intervening time, they haven’t lost any of the power earned them their influential underground legend status. The band Qatsi kicked off the festivities with an enjoyable opening set of jangle pop. Then, touching on songs from all of their records plus a couple new songs, The Feelies played a finely tuned set that gradually built in intensity and culminated with the frenetic one two punch of Raised Eyebrows and Crazy Rhythms that left the crowd in a frenzy for more. They then upped the energy level a notch by kicking off each of their three encores with blistering covers of the Beatles, Rolling Stones and Neil Young respectively and ending the night with The Modern Lovers’ I Want To Sleep In Your Arms.
But don’t just take my word for it, here’s a nice recording of the whole show for you to enjoy as well.

The Feelies 03.13.09 @ Johnny Brenda's

The Feelies 03.13.09 @ Johnny Brenda

The Feelies
03.13.09 Johnny Brenda’s Philadelphia PA

01 On The Roof
02 High Road
03 Nobody Knows (new)
04 Let’s Go
05 Invitation
06 Deep Fascination
07 Higher Ground
08 The Final Word
09 Time Is Right (new)
10 Away
11 Slipping Into Something
12 Doin’ It Again
13 Too Far Gone
14 Raised Eyebrow
15 Crazy Rhythms

Encore 1
16 She Said, She Said (Beatles)
17 Sooner Or Later

Encore 2
18 Paint It Black (Rolling Stones)
19 Fa Ce La

Encore 3
20 Barstool Blues (Neil Young)
21 I Want To Sleep In Your Arms (Modern Lovers)

If You’ll Be My Trailer Park, I’ll Be Your Tornado…

March 10, 2009 by · Leave a Comment
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In a era when everyone seems to be trying to out-alternative each other sometimes the simplicity just getting back to the basics becomes a lost art. The folky pop sound of Chicago’s In Miniature brings it all back home, honest heartfelt songwriting, sweet as angels vocal harmonies, all surrounded by a tasteful two guitar, bass, and drums mix accented perfectly with accordion here or a xylophone flourish there.  At times they’re reminisicient of the female fronted bands like  Salem 66 or even 10,000 Maniacs that were around in the early days of the college rock explosion that launched bands like REM and U2. Keep an eye out for them as I’m sure this EP is harbinger of many more great things to come.

If you like what you hear you can download the entire Hey, Marsupial EP for free via a link on their myspace page. And, if you’re in and around Chicago you can check them out live as they have a few shows coming up over the next month.

Here’s a couple of my favorites from the EP.

In Miniature – Tornado
In Miniature – Call It In The Air

In Miniature is:
Erin Frisby: vocals, guitar, piano
Stefanie Kohn: vocals, guitar, banjo, accordion
Sarah Sterling: vocals, drums, xylophone
Philip Rabbitt: bass, banjo, xylophone

Upcoming Shows
Mar 26 2009 Quenchers Saloon w/Khupera Tum and Amelia Glass Chicago, IL
Apr 6 2009 Ronny’s bar w/ Ppapermoons Chicago, IL
Apr 25 2009 Humboldt Studios w/Pezzettino and Joe Robinson Chicago, IL

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It’s Always Sunny In The Alternate Universe

March 7, 2009 by · 2 Comments
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If the new Animal Collective and Dan Deacon just aren’t far enough out there for you, here’s one hot from my mail box today. Step inside the electronically twisted world of Spanaway, Washington’s Chad Imes as Loudspeaker Speaker on his new album Recorded Sound.  Inside the mostly plain brown wrapper the trip kicks off with Hump Like One Leg’s Shorter, a sonically demented pastiche of sound that is what I imagine you’d get if Ween, Barnes & Barnes, and Brian Eno hung out and jammed during a drunken all night bender. The cover of the late 60’s chestnut Sunny that follows is equally twisted and hazy.  Other highlights include the faux horn and drumbeat driven Shimmer Step and the chiming ethereal Mind Of Bryan. The press sheet for the album describes it as “sounds like being drunk on dandelion wine while listening to radio transmission from the center of the Earth in spring” and as abstract as that may sound, it’s pretty damn accurate. It’s definitely not for everyone, but it can offer a respite for the adventurous from typical indie rock fare.

Loudspeaker Speaker – Sunny
Buy Recorded Sound 

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HOT : BOS Exclusive New Adam & Dave’s Bloodline Track

March 7, 2009 by · 2 Comments
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Adam & Daves Bloodline Photo by Carina Romano

A Bag Of Songs exclusive early preview today from Adam & Daves Bloodline’s upcoming Boycott Classics album. In The Zoo is a soaring slice of power pop filled with the sound of chiming guitars that urge you to turn it up as soon as it comes on. Last year’s New Age Boredom EP  was among the year’s best releases and based on this one the full length followup is sure to be excellent as well. Boycott Classics is due May 12th, but in the meantime you can catch them live at The North Star in Philadelphia next week. The band is also promising a big CD release party when the date nears so stay tuned.

Adam & Daves Bloodline – In The Zoo
Boycott Classics due May 12th

Upcoming Shows
Mar 11 2009 9:00P The North Star (w/TK Webb) Philadelphia, PA

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New Music From Coltrane Motion and Spring Tour

March 4, 2009 by · Leave a Comment
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Coltrane Motion

Coltrane Motion

Some brand new music and spring tour dates from our Chicago friends Coltrane Motion. For those not in the know Coltrane Motion is the sound of Matt Dennewitz’s 60’s garage fuzz guitar storm and Michael Bond’s powerhouse drum loops, synthesizer, and soaring organ riffs blended into a frenzied dance groove. Their new The Year Without A Summer single continues their string of excellent releases. The A-Side is a driving rocker punctuated by a dark, somewhat sinister sounding synth hook, while The B-Side, Maya Blue, slows it down a bit for a more rhythmic psychedelic feel. Get it now on super cool colored vinyl 7″ and break in those new dancing shoes for when they hit your town.  See you all next Tuesday night in Philly.


Coltrane Motion – Maya Blue
Buy The Year Without A Summer (colored vinyl 7″)

Coltrane Motion – I’m On Fire (Springsteen)

Coltrane Motion – They Can’t Mic The Deep End
Buy Songs About Music

Spring Tour Dates
Thu 03/05 @ The Whistler – Chicago, IL
Fri 03/06 @ The Pour Haus – Louisville, KY
Sat 03/07 @ The Crystal Castle – Athens, OH
Sun 03/08 @ B-Side Liquor Lounge – Cleveland, OH
Mon 03/09 @ Galaxy Hut – Arlington, VA
Tue 03/10 @ The Fire – Philadelphia, PA
Wed 03/11 @ Public Assembly – Brooklyn, NY
Thu 03/12 @ Club Cafe – Pittsburgh, PA
Fri 03/13 @ The Trolley Stop – Dayton, OH
Sat 03/14 @ Northside Tavern – Cincinnati, OH
Sun 03/15 @ Mike ‘N Molly’s – Champaign, IL
Sat 03/21 @ Hexagon Bar – Minneapolis, MN

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