Mum's The Word

Carl has something very special to share with you today, friends. Every once in awhile, a band comes along with talent so rare, it takes your breath away. On a recommendation a few months back, I began listening to a few of this bands' tracks and was absolutely floored by their beauty, complexity and brilliance. After peeling back the many layers, i quickly decided that musically, these guys were a few levels above anything I've heard lately. The band is Mumford & Sons, a newly-formed folk/rock/bluegrass hybrid Quartet from London. Members are Marcus Mumford (vocals, guitar, drums), Winston Marshall (vocals, banjo, dobro), Ben Lovett (vocals, keyboards, organ), Ted Dwane (vocals, double bass). While admittedly, it's a bit early to proclaim them as music gods, the appeal of their passion, energy and retro-yet-innovative sound is simply undeniable.

Their sound varies throughout their debut album, Sigh No More - you'll hear barn-burning, sweeping banjo-infused bluegrass romps, gorgeously fragile folk ballads and everything in between, but you won't hear a note void of meaning or urgency.

Yes, I realize it's preemptive to lay all these superlatives on a band in existence for less than 2 years, forgive me, for I am enamored - as I hope you will be after giving them a listen. Unfortunately, you won't be able to purchase the album in the US before March 2nd, however, I've posted some songs below on Lala. Because the album isn't released in the US, you cannot listen to the songs in full, only "Little Lion Man" which has been released as a single. Clearly 30-second clips don't do the album justice, but find it, order the UK import, steal it, do whatever you have to do to get the album. I defy you not to love it.

As an added bonus, they are "touring" the US/Canada soon, if you can call four shows a tour. Regardless, if you're anywhere near these cities at these times, I order you to go see them:

2/9: Los Angeles, CA - Troubadour
2/11: San Francisco, CA - Popscene @ 330 Ritch
2/15: Toronto, ONT - El Mocambo
2/18: New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom

Sigh No More - Mumford & Sons

Carl's On Your Side

Friendos, Carl's back with some new tunes and vids for your listening and viewing pleasure. Be excited. Be very excited.

If you haven't by now, join Lala. I've said it before and I'll say it again. Hands down the best music listening/sharing/purchasing community around. JOIN LALA

---Carl 11.12.09

1. Paper Route - "Last Time": Admittedly, I hadn't heard of these dudes until a couple months ago. Upon first listen to their Absence album, this song stuck. And it stuck hard. Roaring guitar riffs, punchy basslines and a catchy melodies aplenty.

2. Pela - "Waiting on the Stairs": Indie rock magnificence is what these guys produce. If you're opposed to magnificence, don't listen. I've posted a song from them before - they aren't a new band, but I am just fully discovering them for the first time, and oh boy are they good. Their Anytown Graffiti album is Carl-Approved. That's how you do it. . . That's how you make indie rock.

3. Great Lake Swimmers - "Moving, Shaking": The Great Lake Swimmers churn out some tuneful, laid-back folk music. This one in particular, is beautiful. Tugs at the 'ol heartstrings a bit. If you dig, check out their Bodies and Minds album.

4. Julian Casablancas - "11th Dimension": This track has been all over the place lately but fuck it, I'm jumping on the wagon. It's too damn catchy. There's been a lot of hype surrounding the Strokes frontman's debut solo album Phrazes For The Young. Some of the hype is deserved, but it's a mixed bag in my opinion, there are some gems (when he sticks to the Strokes-type sound) and some duds (when he delves into other sounds). I applaud the effort as a whole, however.

5. Mumford & Sons - "The Cave": A folk rock group from London currently flying under the radar in the US. These guys are incredible. Banjos, piano, horns, lyrics and lead vocals all come together for a uniquely enjoyable sound. Their album Sigh No More is only available as a UK import right now, not sure when the US release date is, but be on the lookout if you know what's good for you. Carl Approved. A word to the wise: if you do search for the album, try not to get it confused with Sigh No More by Gamma Ray, which is a complete dumpster fire. A video for another Mumford & Sons song, "Little Lion Man" is posted below.

6. Pony Pony Run Run - "Hey You": These Frenchies lay down some catchy dance-friendly pop hooks as evidenced here.

7. Washed Out - "New Theory": Another warm and fuzzy dream-pop gem off Carl-Approved Life Of Leisure. I thoroughly dig.

8. Lake - "Madagascar": As is customary here on Carl, we're gonna switch gears once again. Lake has a lazy, easy-going throwback sound and they do it well. Simple, yet calculated arrangements make them easy on the ears. I think you'll agree. As an added bonus, they have that echo-y 60's Mamas & Papas effect goin on in some of the songs. Their album Let's Build A Roof is Carl-Approved.

9. Why? - "This Blackest Purse": I've seen Why? described as a "Hip-Hop" Indie Rock band. Doesn't make any goddamn sense. Just because the lead singer has a terrible voice and sings in near monotone doesn't make it "hip-hop". I digress. Whatever it is, it's good and it's unique. Their recently released Eskimo Snow is a great listen.

10. Pretty Lights - "Finally Moving": I'm a sucker for sample-infused DJ grooves. This one fits the bill. It feels like it would fit the end credits of a movie where a gang leader just took revenge on the rival gang for killing his brother. Screen fades out as we see him walking out of a dark alley littered with freshly-dropped bodies, gun still smoking in the crisp winter night air.

11. Chromeo - "Night by Night": Chromeo's new single. Hotness. Break out your skinny jeans and weird neon hightops and DANCE, hipsters!

12. Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears - "Get Yo Shit": a blues band from Austin, TX influenced by James Brown. After you listen to this you'll make the JB connection immediately. More where this came from on Tell 'Em What Your Name Is!.

13. Jackson 5 - "I Wanna be Where you are (Dallas Austin Remix)": The only decent song off the new Michael Jackson Remix albums. Catchy as shit.

14. Monsters of Folk - "Temezcal": Monsters of Folk is a self-described folk "super"group, consisting of Jim James from My Morning Jacket, Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis from Bright Eyes and M. Ward. I'd ease up on the self-promotion a bit - their album cover shows their faces enshrined as a Mt. Rushmore of sorts, for fuck's sake. That said, their product isn't half bad. This song is one of the highlights off their (not-surprisingly) self-titled Monsters Of Folk.

15. Starfucker - "Rawnald Gregory Erickson the Second": Feels like a care-free jaunt through candyland. This duo has some great tracks on their most recent album, Starfucker.

16. Volcano Choir - "Island, IS": A beautiful song by a newly-formed band consisting of Bon Iver and Collections of Colonies of Bees. Video below.


aaaaand some videos for your viewing pleasure. . .

Volcano Choir - "Island, IS"
I've become fascinated with the beauty and simplicity of this song and video.




Mumford & Sons - "Little Lion Man"
These guys are something special.



Air - "Sing Sang Sung"
New single from Air. And their trippy take on the 'ol bouncing ball effect.



Antlers - "Two"
Spectacular song. Interesting video.

What Would Carl Do?

Good people of the blogosphere, Carl's comin' at you today with an eclectic mix of some awesome new tracks and videos. Listen up bitches!

1. Wave Machines - "Keep the Lights On": Don't confuse these guys with "Wavves" who deal in lo-fi, scuzzy, static noise rock. Wave Machines are quite the contrary, they have a clean, finely produced groove to them. Their debut album Wave If You're Really There is well worth checking out.

2. Atlas Sound - "Walkabout (w/Panda Bear)": Bradford Cox (of Deerhunter) teams up with Noah Lennox aka Panda Bear on this hazy feel-good throwback. Calliope loops, la-la voices, and a bouncy beat - a summer classic in the making. . .

3. Florence & The Machine - "Cosmic Love": I've read the comparisons to Kate Bush, but I wonder why it is that whenever we hear a woman with a strong voice they're immediately compared to Kate Bush? She sounds more like Annie Lennox to me. Be that as it may, this song is big. Big and powerful. More where that came from on her Lungs album.

4. Pela - "Lost to the Lonesome": An older song that I rediscovered recently. Pela is an all-around solid indie rock band who don't stray too far from the tried and true formula of rhythmic electric guitars, drums, and a whiny self-loathing lead singer. But they do it well.

5. Major Lazer - "Keep it Goin' Louder": Guilty pleasure time. DJs Diplo and Switch teamed up to form Major Lazer, which is both a name for their "band" as well as a make-believe cartoon Jamaican Commando who graces the cover of their debut album Guns Don't Kill People...Lazers Do. For this album, Diplo and Switch have lined up a who's-who of Jamaican vocalists and use their beats and DJ-wizardry as a backdrop. I was skeptical, but it's actually an enjoyable, entertaining listen all the way through.

6. Mogwai - "Auto Rock": Another song unearthed from a few years back. As I said in my last post, Mogwai are the masters of the epic rock instrumental, this is just another example from Mr. Beast. Movie soundtrack producers take note - put this song to any slow-motion "underdog-miraculously-beats-the-odds" scene and you're gold.

7. Bibio - "Sugarette": Off the fantastic, and Carl-Approved Ambivalence Avenue, this track bobs and weaves over, under and around a single beat. It feels pre-meditated and impulsive at the same time. Bibio is a true artist and a damn good technician.

8. Cass McCombs - "You Saved My Life": One of the better songs off his recent Catacombs album which is full of melodic, sparsely arranged songs like this.

9. Delorean - "Seasun": I read about Delorean and saw that they're from Barcelona and thought "well shit, they must be cool if they're from Barcelona. . . " So I checked them out - not too bad. This is a great summertime jam - handclap rhythms, dreamy vocals on top of piano beats and synths. Yay.

10. Shit Robot - "Simple Things (Work it Out)": Shit Robot caught my eye because a) their name is awesome b) they're under the DFA label, and they rarely release crap. True to form, this is not crap. You can feel James Murphy's (LCD Soundsystem) influence in the production.

11. Robert Francis - "One by One": I came home drunk from the bar one night, and i know I was drunk because I started watching "Last Call with Carson Daly." Enough said. Anyway, he had a guest spot with Robert Francis, who I had never heard of, so I gave it a shot. He played this song and by the end of the performance I was singing along, but whether it was because I was shitfaced or because it was actually a good song was a mystery to me the next day. I listened again, and it is indeed a good song. His album, One By One is pretty damn good too. Thanks Carson Daly. I still hate you, though.

Carl 07.22.09

Windsurf - "Weird Energy"
I must say I have a soft spot for shitty 80's montage videos. This is one of the best I've come across. Glorious.


Passion Pit - "To Kingdom Come"
A good old fashioned stop-motion Victorian science laboratory dance party video.


Bark Bark Bark - "I'm Needy"
Prepare to be entertained and slightly confused.

Carl's Way or the Highway

Friendos, I have some more magical music and videos from Carl's endless vault of magical music and videos. Pay specific attention to the Chris Dane Owens video at the bottom. Not sure how I ever lived without this magnificent piece of rock-techno wizardry.

Without further ado, here are some tunes. Don't have time to write about them today, just listen and enjoy.




Chris Dane Owens - "Shine on Me"
I could be wrong, but from what I gather, I think he's taking himself seriously. Unfortunate for him, but a dream come true for us. This is directly from his website (which he clearly wrote himself):

"Chris Dane Owens is a Los Angeles native who distills many of his city's musical styles into one unique brew. Pop melodies mingle with rock guitars, driving beats, and the occasional gleam of techno-wizardry. With confident songwriting, Chris performs modern rock tracks that are crafted with uncompromising care. . . Watch Owens' spectacular new music video "Shine On Me" (the first installment of a trilogy) directed by Academy Award winning special effects artist Robert Short, whose feature film credits include; "Splash" "E.T." "Beetlejuice" and "Ace Ventura". With his custom Gretsch Sparkle Jet guitar in hand, Chris is planning an international tour for the album later this year."

Obviously, CDO's tour is not to be missed. As for the video, It's on a level of awesomeness that I'm still trying to wrap my arms around, just can't quite get there. Bow down to your overlord, Chris Dane Owens. . .




Birdy Nam Nam - "The Parachute Ending"
A new trippy cartoon video from Justice's proteges. Both the song and video simply rule. I see big things coming from these guys.



Busdriver - "Me-Time"
One of those Chuck-e-Cheese robots flips out and terrorizes some kids. Honestly, I'm surprised this doesn't happen more often. One of the better rappers around, in my humble opinion.

May the Carl Be With You

Good day my friends. Carl's comin at you again with a fresh mix of songs and videos. So listen up if you know what's good for you. Oh yeah, and sign up for a Lala account so you can listen to the tunes - it takes 10 seconds and it's free.

1. Solid Gold - "Bible Thumper": Hailing from Minnesota, Solid Gold is one of the better new bands around. Check out their Bodies Of Water LP. Shit is hot. Get in the ground floor while you can, I think they'll be a force to be reckoned with for years to come.

2. Hockey - "Too Fake": Speaking of great new bands, here's another. Though they have not yet released their debut album (expected this summer at some point), the singles they've released are intriguing. They have a little Strokes-y feel to them, but a bit more beat-driven, a la LCD Soundsystem.

3. VEGA - "No Reason": Looking for a summer dance jam? Look no further. It's got the bouncy beach ball beat, the sun-shiny synths, and the wave-like vocal loops. Weather or not you like it (not even sure I do), it's gonna get stuck in your head, and you're gonna dance.

4. Matthew Dear - "When She Don't Need Me": I've been touting Causes 2 as a top-of-the-line compilation/benefit album - this song is just another example of why.

5. Das Racist - "Combination Pizza Hut & Taco Bell (Wallpaper Remix)": This "song" is simply ridiculous - but in the best way possible.

6. Boys Noize - "Shine Shine": A cosmic instrumental groove. A great song for your next roadtrip mix, even better if your making that trip in a spaceship, flying car, or even a hovercraft. And Oi Oi Oi is a solid album. As an added bonus, the cover art is a diamond-encrusted skull. Everybody wins.

7. Kleerup - "Chords": See above. I just gave you 2 perfect songs for your next spaceship/flying car/hovercraft roadtrip mix. You're welcome.

8. Harlem Shakes - "Sunlight": One of a few fun songs off Technicolor Health. They are touring with Passion Pit this summer.

9. Au Revoir Simone - "Fallen Snow (Teenagers Remix)": A great track off Reverse Migration, an album featuring various artists' remixes of select Au Revoir Simone's tunes. An enjoyable listen.

10. Rural Alberta Advantage - "Don't Haunt This Place": Another band to watch - RAA self-released their Carl-Approved Hometowns awhile back but were recently picked up by the Saddle Creek indie label, signaling big things for the trio from, yep, rural Alberta. These guys will be big one day, and deservedly so.

11. Peter Bjorn & John - "It Don't Move Me": Their new single off Living Thing. Posted the strange video below. Not that a strange video from PB&J is surprising. . .

12. Antony & The Johnsons - "Another World": I'm gonna slow it down here for the next two songs. Off the beautiful The Crying Light this song stands out as one of the more gorgeously haunting songs I've ever heard. The depth of despair and longing this song evokes is simply incredible. Warning: Don't listen to this if you're at work and a little mentally unstable. You will cry.

13. Charles Spearin - "Vanessa": This isn't your average song. It comes off of Charles Spearin's compelling The Happiness Project. By background, the Happiness Project is part spoken-word, part sociological experiment and part musical experiment, it is the result of Spearin's discussions with his neighbors in Toronto about their idea of happiness. He recorded the responses and then reformed them into music, using the pitch and cadences in peoples voices as the basis for his music. The result is a very thought/emotion provoking album not to be missed. This song in particular is extremely affecting in which a deaf woman (Vanessa) describes her experience hearing for the first time.

---Carl 06.09.09

MGMT - "Kids"
Cool video, but at what price here guys? Poor kid is gonna be f'ed up beyond belief.



Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Heads Will Roll"



Peter Bjorn & John - "It Don't Move Me"
A creepy dad with OCD training his kid to dance like Michael Jackson? Not sure what's going on here. Your guess is as good as mine.



Spontaneous Dance Party
How to start a dance party 101.

Drop It Like It's Carl

Hello friends. I have more music and videos for you to enjoy. So enjoy. Support the artists if you like what you hear.

1. The Hood Internet - "What You Know About Transparent Things": I'm pretty sure I've posted this before but I don't care. It's so awesome, it deserves a double post. A mash of Fujiya & Miagi's Transparent Things and TI's What You Know About That. Creative title, eh?

2. Grizzly Bear- "While You Wait For The Others": Another incredible song off Veckatimest, another candidate for Carl's Album of the Year.

3. Van She - "A Sharp Knife": A somber-yet-catchy tune from the Aussie dance-rockers. Is it just me or has Australia been pumping out awesome bands like nobody's business? A veritable hotbed, i tell ya.

4. LCD Soundsystem - "Starry Eyes": Another glitchy tune from the master of glitch, LCD Soundsystem. This one was done for the Darfur benefit album, Causes 2 which is a superb album, on par with Dark Was The Night, in my humble opinion.

5. Bowerbirds - "Northern Lights": A beautiful song which starts sparse and slowly swells into magnificence. All with a guitar, drums and a piano. This is why I love music.

6. The Avalanches - "Frontier Psychiatrist": A throwback to 2001. I used to listen to this song 10 times a day when it first came out and still love it. The Avalanches (also Aussies) haven't made an album since Since I Left You but damn, was it good. To make the album they used over 3500 samples from records they found at a garage sale. There have been rumors of a new album for a couple years now, but nothing yet.

7. The Bran Flakes - "Stumble Out of Bed": Speaking of samples, these guys do it too, and do it well. Some of their songs are pretty out there, but their album I Have Hands is well worth a listen or two.

8. Solid Gold - "Who you Gonna Run to?": This Minneapolis-based band is one to watch in the future. Their first release Bodies of Water is flying under the radar, even hard to find, but it's a keeper. Enjoyable to listen to all the way through. The record can feel dark and melodramatic at times, but a pulsing rhythm throughout the album balances that feeling. This song is a good microcosm of the darker parts of the album.

9. John Vanderslice - "Too Much Time": This is a standout from Romanian Names.

10. Sebastian Tellier - "Sexual Sportswear": Not sure how the name relates to the song (especially since the song doesn't have any words), but it's groovy indeed. Not that you would need me to point this out, but sex is a pervasive theme on his album Sexuality.

11. Cut Copy - "Strangers in the Wind": Guess where Cut Copy is from. Yep, Australia. And they're awesome. Who knew? This one is just another bad-ass track from In Ghost Colours which is chock-full of bad-ass tracks.

12. Sound of Arrows - "M.A.G.I.C": I feel like most of these songs posted today were a little gloomy - how about an gleeful song with some children singing about magic. Yeah? Here ya go. Yaaaaay!





Carl-Approved Videos:

Grizzly Bear - "Two Weeks"
Grizzly Bear are some strange guys. And I mean that in the best way possible. If you needed some proof watch this creepshow of a video. It has them in a church, singing and looking quite crazed, then they start to glow and then. . . . . . just watch.



Moby - "Pale Horses"
The second single of his still unreleased Wait For Me. This sounds more like it belongs on Play than it does Hotel. This is a good thing. The video finds a little alien losing all his friends as their washed away in the rain. Really sad stuff here folks, prepare to get dusty.



The National - "Runaway"
The National perform an unreleased song (hopefully) off their upcoming album.



One of the best commercials I've seen in awhile. Pure genius. Keenan Thompson (LeBron) and David Allen Grier (Kobe) do the voices if you were curious. I was.

867-530-CARL

Homies, Carl's back with a vengeance. Once again, it's time for another mish-mosh of stupefying songs and videos. Without further ado. . .

1. Grizzly Bear - "Two Weeks": The first single from Grizzly Bear's new album Veckatimestand it's a beauty. It's a little more lively and upbeat than most of their past work, but when it does show signs of getting a little too glittery, they reign it back in. Still has the same retro-baroque-folk feel as their previous work. Great unofficial video posted below too.

2. Friendly Fires - "Lovesick": My love affair with Friendly Fires remains in full effect.

3. The National - "So Far Around the Bend": Off the Dark Was The NightAIDS awareness benefit compilation. Waiting for their new album with bated breath, but this will have to do for now.

4. Van She - "Kelly": Pure pop excellence.

5. Gomez - "Airstream Driver": I haven't been a fan of Gomez in the past but I was pleasantly surprised with a few song off A New Tidesuch as this one.

6. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Runaway": Starts off sounding like a creepy lullaby you'd hear in a horror movie and morphs into a haunting rock anthem.

7. Ladyhawke - "Magic": I'm partial to songs that could be playing with the end credits of a Steven Seagal movie. This strikes me as such a song, playing among highlights of his exquisite head-butts and roundhouses.

8. Sebastian Tellier - "Fingers of Steel": The Frenchman has some smooth grooves on his latest album Sexuality.

9. Stars - "A Thread Cut with a Carving Knife": Yes, they can be sappy and I'm sure their lyrics are quoted in many a high school yearbook. But to their credit, Stars does beautifully combine melancholy lyrics, melodies and atmospheric sounds like few bands around.

10. Passion Pit - "Little Secrets": A highlight off their long-awaited first LP Manners. Has anyone else noticed the strange-yet-effective trend of sampling children singing. Musicians take note - kids singing in your chorus is "hip".

11. Phoenix - "Love Like a Sunset Parts I & II": While I love all the great bouncy, jumpy, synthy songs they create, this epic digs deep and may just be their best song.





Grizzly Bear - "Two Weeks (unofficial)"
The song is put to clips from the french film, Le Ballon Rouge and it works well.



Phoenix - "1901"



Animal Collective - "Summertime Clothes" (Letterman)
Interesting performance on Letterman the other night.



Crystal Stills - "Love Like a Wave"

Carl's Songs (and Videos) of the Week

Hi pals. Back with another fresh dose of music and videos. New and old, hard and soft, fast and slow, whatever you need, Carl's got you covered.

1. Daedelus - "LA Nocturn": Posted a smokin' hot video for this last week. This song is off Daedelus' recent combined effort with Jogger, Friends of Friends

2. Bat For Lashes - "Daniel": Deservedly, Bat for Lashes has been getting a lot of pub recently for their Two Suns album. I can't disagree with the praise. This song is excellent, as is the fan-made video below.

3. Bloc Party - "Ion Square": Intimacy slipped under my radar and I'm just discovering some of it's treasures now. This is classic Bloc Party.

4. Pacific! - "Sunset Blvd": This Swedish duo shamelessly rips 70s soft rock and 80s synths. . . and I love them for it. There are some great songs on their Reveries album. I read something awhile back that described them as the missing link between Air and Daft Punk. Couldn't be more accurate.

5. Phoenix - "Armistice": Yep. More Phoenix. Deal with it.

6. Midnight Juggernauts - "Nine Lives": This one grabs you from the get-go and roughs you up a bit, just how it should be.

7. Stars - "14 Forever": Off their overlooked Sad Robots EP, which is some of their best work to date.

8. Gomez - "Bone Tired": One of the best tunes from A New Tide.

9. Passion Pit - "The Reeling": The first cut from their first LP, Manners. I'm much more impressed with the songs off their Chunk of Change EP (listen here) but it's still solid.

10. CFCF - "Crystal Mines": The main reason I love this song is because of the outstanding video





Bat For Lashes - "Daniel"
It's not the official video, but it should be. The official one is here but doesn't compare.



M. Ward - "Rave On"



Passion Pit - "The Reeling"



Moby - "Shot in the Back of the Head"
New single/video from Moby. Directed by David Lynch. Apparently they're BFFs now. A match made in weirdo heaven.



Annnnd finally. . . a lemur-type thing getting its armpits scratched.