Leah Abramson

"Leah sings songs that are haunting, intelligent, and beautiful, like the long lost love-child of Jason Molina and Joni Mitchell"
--New Music Canada


Leah Abramson

Thanks to Matthew for the heads up on Leah Abramson and her album, Bedroom/City, a beautiful collection of songs perfect for a winter night. Not that we have winter here in Dallas, but I'm just saying.

Leah Abramson Waterworks mp3

win a copy of Leah Abramson's bedroom/city from i heart music

also:

Watch Out For Snakes points us in the direction of this cover of my favorite Beach Boys song, by my favorite Decemberist, Petra Haden:

Petra Haden God Only Knows mp3

the original, on the off chance you don't have it:

The Beach Boys God Only Knows mp3

good afternoon

Here are a couple tracks that I'm undecided on...both are beautifully bizarre and extremely interesting, artistically. I think I like them both, because I've listened to each numerous times this afternoon. Anyway, for what it's worth, here's my uninformed opinion on each track:


Natalie Rose Lebrecht

Natalie Rose Lebrecht has an otherworldly quality to her voice. I believe she's performed with Devendra, but I'm not sure. This track, recorded under the Greenpot Bluepot moniker, has definitely piqued my interest in her upcoming LP, Imagining Weather.

greenpot bluepot untitled track 6 mp3


Kemialliset Ystavat

Kemialliset Ystavat sounds sort of like the Animal Collective might, if they were Scandanavian forest-dwelling hippies instead of Brooklyn hipsters.

Kemialliset Ystavat Kelsomiinanaama mp3

also:

As I believe I've mentioned before, I'm extremely excited about the new Ghostface album, Fishscale (March 14?). Well, Glassheads has 3 tracks from the album, including this MF Doom produced track:

Ghostface Charlie Brown mp3

Bishop Allen & Another Contest

I know Matt and Dodge already posted this new Bishop Allen track, but the band dropped me a line and told me to check it out too. I'm a huge Bishop Allen fan (thanks solely to Matt), and this song, a touching love letter to an orphaned piano, does not disappoint. The song can be found on the January EP, the first EP of 12 (one for each month of 2006). The EP even has a song about my hometown, Big D (that's Dallas).

Bishop Allen Corazon mp3

Buy the January EP here (best 5 bucks you'll spend all week). The band only pressed 1000 copies, and I'm pretty sure those will sell out, so act quick.

also:

From the same people who brought you the Cat Power Digipack contest comes this:



Enter in the comments to win what has been described to me as "a really, really limited edition Belle & Sebastian "The Life Pursuit" digi-book (seriously, it's like a book) with a live BBC session bonus disc." Man, I want one of these for myself, but alas, this will go to the person who can guess my middle name (i'm running out of contest ideas). Those who already know my middle name are not eligible. If there's a tie, I'll select a winner at random.

gorillavsbear.net Showcase: March 10

poster by Garrison (click for larger image)

The Lovely Sparrows

One of the coolest perks of having a blog is that you get advance copies of clear vinyl 7-inches sent to you in the mail. Matt from Skatterbrain posted on these guys last week (he's been known to be a step or two ahead of me), but I would be remiss if I didn't mention how much I love this track. It's been sitting on my turntable all week, getting occasional spins whenever I need a shot of pop perfection. The 7" also makes a comfortable place to sleep, says my cat Stella:



The Lovely Sparrows Glad Rangers mp3

I can't figure out where you would buy a copy of said 7", but I highly recommend you try to find it. Maybe Abandoned Love Records website?

Go become friends with The Lovely Sparrows, and while you're there, download another track

also:

I know I posted on her earlier today, but here's one more from Marissa Nadler...I can't get enough of that voice:

Marissa Nadler Ballad to an Amber Lady mp3

Finally...the other Matty has an mp3 from The Raconteurs, and it is fu**ing genius...go get it. now.

The Raconteurs Unveil New Songs!

Thanks to the anonymous reader who gave me the heads up that two new tracks from The Raconteurs are available to stream on their website. The site is super cool, and the songs do not disappoint. The album, entitled Broken Boy Soldiers, comes out in May. Check it out...

Marissa Nadler

"As a vocalist Nadler is considerably less idiosyncratic than such peers as Joanna Newsom or Josephine Foster, and here her dusky, lived-in soprano settles diffusely between contemporaries like Hope Sandoval and Chan Marshall, and 60s-era folkies like Vashti Bunyan or Mimi Farina"
--Pitchfork Media



I have a new obsession (musically speaking, of course) and her name is Marissa Nadler. Her voice is at once both achingly beautiful, and eerily haunting. I honestly purchased her album, The Saga of Mayflower May, after only hearing this one track:

Marissa Nadler Old Love Haunts Me in the Morning mp3

Also highly recommended is her rendition of this traditional folk classic. Gave me goosebumps:

Marissa Nadler Glory Glory Hallelujah mp3

Marissa Nadler is playing SXSW, and will release her new album in Spring 2006. Peruse her audio page for more downloads. All highly recommended.

also:

check out Matt's post on a band I'm becoming quite fond of, Sing Sing. Apparently, Matt and I have been on similar wavelengths lately. This song is pretty much perfect pop:

Sing Sing Come, Sing Me a Song mp3

Palms Out Sounds has the Diplo remix of the YYY's new single, "Gold Lion". Very cool...this track should be added instantly to any party mix you're assembling.(via Dreams of Horses)

Finally, in less than one year of existence, gorilla vs. bear saw its 1,000,000th page view over the weekend, which far exceeds any expectations I had starting out. This was originally intended only as a way to share music with my friends, so thanks to everyone who stops by to read.

shapes and sizes

I'm super busy with work this morning, but I have to implore you to check out Shapes and Sizes. I'm sure many of my Canadian readers already know about this band, but these songs are wonderful. Listening this morning has made my transition into the work week quite a bit more pleasant than usual.

Shapes and Sizes Island's Gone Bad mp3
Shapes and Sizes The Taste in My Mouth mp3

Download a couple more tracks here

also:

Thanks to reader Karl for pointing me in the direction of this gorilla vs. bear mention, in the London Sun, of all places.

Finally, I've added a new section to the links in my sidebar: Bands' Blogs. This is a new trend I stand behind 100%...it's really cool to read about the behind the scenes stuff, and I think it's great that bands are doing this. Let me know if there are any bands I should add.

Best of January

This post is specifically designed for those of you who don't have the time, nor the desire, to read my incessant ramblings every day. I hope to make this a regular monthly feature, in which I'll post my 5 or 6 (or in this case, 7) favorite tracks from the month, in an attempt to draw as much attention as possible to my favorite artists. Obviously, these are all highly recommended.


Sparrow House

• Sparrow House When I Am Gone mp3

This is the first track from Voxtrot's Jared Van Fleet, under the Sparrow House moniker. Many have commented that this track would feel right at home on the soundtrack to a Wes Anderson film, and I agree. The best song I heard this month, and one of the best I've heard in quite some time.

• Midlake Roscoe mp3

This Midlake song blew me away the first time I heard it, and it's still growing on me, despite (or maybe because of) the fact that the first few bars are reminiscent of the M*A*S*H theme song. Jason Lee's favorite band will be releasing their new album sometime in the next couple months.

• Band of Horses The Funeral mp3

Rarely does a song conjure as much emotion as this one, taken from the band's new LP, Everything All The Time (out March 21).


Sibylle Baier

• Sibylle Baier Tonight mp3

If you're a fan of Vashti Bunyan and her story, you'll love this track from Baier's upcoming album, Colour Green (out Feb. 7 on Orange Twin) Gorgeously understated folk, recorded in the early '70's. (Thanks to Moka for introducing me to Ms. Baier)

• Ghostface feat. Raekwon Kilo mp3

This year is shaping up to be infinitely better for hip hop than '05 was, with new records due from Wu alums Ghostface and Raekwon. This track is taken from Ghostface's Fish Scale, due out Feb. 28.

• Head Like A Kite Noisy at the Circus mp3

This track, taken from Head Like A Kite's Brian Deck-produced LP Random Portraits of the Home Movie (Feb. 21), features the vocals of Aysa from Smoosh, everyone's favorite pre-teen indie rockers.

• Love Is All Used Goods mp3

I can't get enough of these Swedes lately. Their album, Nine Times That Same Song, is genius, and I can't wait to see them at SXSW, along with fellow Swede Jose Gonzalez, at the Pitchfork Showcase.

• SOUND team The Fastest Man Alive (iTunes-ready short film)

Also available in a streamable version, this is the best video I've seen so far in '06. Filmed by the band and edited with the help of Peter Simonite (Spoon, Texas Chainsaw Massacre), you're not getting the full mileage out of your iPod video if this clip isn't on it.

************************
also:

If you're in Dallas tonight, go check out Red Monroe and The Black Angels at The Cavern. This track, from Red Monroe's upcoming EP, The Governor's Ball, really gets going at about the 2:45 mark. Recommended:

Red Monroe Blue Mountain Air mp3

The Raconteurs have a Myspace Page

The Raconteurs

How does this shit get past me, only coming to my attention after it's too late? The Modern Age reports that The Raconteurs first limited-edition 7" will be released on Jan. 30 (i think), but apparently it's already sold out. I will be forever indebted to anyone that can point me in the direction of a copy. (thanks to David for the info)

New Neko Case

I know this came out a couple days ago, but just in case you missed it...



Here's a new track by the stunning Neko Case, taken from her new LP, Fox Confessor Brings the Flood, due out March 7th:

Neko Case Star Witness mp3

also:

check out this gorilla vs. bear mention by the great Luke Winn, in his Power Rankings column on Sports Illustrated.com.

a love supreme

Valentine's Day is fast approaching, and it's no secret that bloggers aren't always that smooth when it comes to wooing the opposite sex. Luckily, Guava knows this, so she hooks you up with her Valentine's Day Mix, complete with cover art, that's sure to improve your game. A very eclectic mix, featuring contributions from TV on the Radio, The Velvet Underground, Atmosphere, and Jeff Buckley, among others.

Download it here

bonus:

A track from the new Casiotone For The Painfully Alone record, Etiquette:

Casiotone For The Painfully Alone Young Shields mp3

Used Goods

Sweden's Love Is All

I'm seriously loving the new Love Is All record, Nine Times That Same Song. Neighborhoodies says the band "sounds like a Swedish combination of The Arcade Fire, Suicide, and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, but with saxophone", and that's pretty much the best damn description I've heard in quite some time.

Love is All Used Goods mp3

buy Nine Times That Same Song from Neighborhoodies for only $9.99

also:

Check out Who Needs Radio?, a new blog that, after about 3 posts, is already one of my favorites. The girl has taste.

Harmony Trowbridge

"Slightly reminiscent of Joanna Newsom's quirkiness - though less shrill - and of a younger Joni Mitchell, Trowbridge is nonetheless an original"
--Now Magazine



I was instantly drawn to these songs by Toronto-based singer/songwriter Harmony Trowbridge. Both instantly endearing and engaging, they validate those "young Joni Mitchell" comparisons that seem to be oft-mentioned when discussing Trowbridge's considerable talent.

Harmony Trowbridge No Photographs mp3
Harmony Trowbridge Flat Bottomed Boat mp3

Harmony's EP, Amoraphobe, was just re-released by Festival. A full-length will be available in the fall.

Andrew Morgan

I figured I should hit you guys with at least some music today:

"The Oxford educated, Elliott Smith protege builds a baroque-soundscape loaded with lush string-laden melodies, colorful lyrical images, and jazzy interludes. It's the perfect soundtrack to both lingering 3 am sadness and a sunny afternoon walk through a green forest."
--Delusions of Adequacy



Forgive my ignorance to the greatness that is Andrew Morgan. I don't know how I missed Dodge's post on him back in November, but he escaped my attention until I posted on Smallwire, a band that calls Morgan a friend. All four songs highly recommended for fans of Elliott Smith:

Andrew Morgan Aligned on the Steps mp3
Andrew Morgan Misadventures in Radiology mp3
Andrew Morgan This Awful Room mp3
Andrew Morgan Supine on the Covers mp3

buy Morgan's album, Misadventures in Radiology, here

Akron/Family: Live in Denton

Sorry for the late post today...here are some photos from the Akron/Family show last night in Denton. These boys are bizarre, dabbling just as much in death metal as in freak folk during their hour-long set. Their tribal anthems were rousing, to say the least, but I would have appreciated at least some semblance of melody. I'm not complaining though...enjoy the pics (most photos taken by the bloggie-nominated Garrison):

To Hide This Way

I'm always hestitant to post songs I know nothing about, but I found out Johanna Berhan is from Sweden, so that's something, right? Man, I love Sweden.

Johanna Berhan To Hide This Way mp3

I also found out she's in a band called Taxi, Taxi! w/ her sister, Miriam.

Taxi, Taxi! Old Big Trees mp3

also:

A reminder for my West Coast readers: SOUND team begins their California love showcase tonight. Be there:

1/24: Cinespace, Los Angeles, CA
1/25: The Troubadour, Los Angeles, CA (w/ Film School)
1/26: Bottom of Hill, San Francisco, CA (w/ Film School)
1/27: Rickshaw Stop, San Francisco, CA
1/30: Spaceland, Los Angeles, CA

Tonight

I will be making the trek up north to Denton (yeah, it's a trek) with the Bloggie-nominated Garrison to see Akron/Family, Mi and L'au, and Okkervil River side-project Shearwater at Andy's.

Justin saw Akron/Family a couple weeks ago, and called it one of the best shows he's ever seen, so needless to say, I'm pretty excited.

Akron/Family Raising the Sparks mp3
Shearwater Turn Your Transmitters Off mp3
Mi and L'au They Marry mp3

bonus:

Here's the title-track from the new Shearwater album:

Shearwater Palo Santo mp3

also:



The Polyphonic Spree has started a blog, chronicling the recording of their new album, The Fragile Army.

I Was a Real Fast Runner

I know absolutely nothing about Dorian Hatchet, except that she has a myspace page, and that she lists "The World Wildlife Fund Endangered Animals List, Intensive Snow Fort Building, all-time greatest NASA bloopers, and unrealized childhood fantasy" among her many influences.

I found this song at Said The Gramophone, who imagined that the song was being sung by a guppy, "and that this stuff is happening to a family of guppies". As ridiculous as that sounds, it makes perfect sense, once again illustrating the fact that Said the Gramophone is the most eloquently written blog around.

Since I'd imagine StG and gorilla vs. bear have somewhat different audiences, I thought I'd share. Highly recommended:

Dorian Hatchet Fast Runner mp3

also:



As I'm sure you're aware, tomorrow is a huge day for new releases, and one that hopefully won't get lost in the Cat Power/Jenny Lewis shuffle is the new Ester Drang record, Rocinate. Jade Tree has made two mp3s available for your listening pleasure, and both are very good:

Ester Drang Come Back Alive mp3
Ester Drang Valencia's Dying Dream mp3

When I Am Gone

Sparrow House is Voxtrot's Jared Van Fleet. By my own conservative estimate, I've played this song about 50 times this weekend, and it gets better with each listen. Just perfect...

Sparrow House When I Am Gone mp3

Despite being ridiculously busy with his other band, Jared promises that the Sparrow House recordings will see a release sometime soon.

Be Sparrow House's friend, and while you're there, listen to a track Jared recorded w/ Red Hunter

Also:

Speaking of Red Hunter...

He's got a new band called The Silver Age, and he needs some musicians:

"It's the most celebratory, rejoiceful, jump for joy music. it's about salvation and the big party at the end of the world.

i need four or five folks who can come on tour and all that. drums bass guitar horns fiddle banjo whatever and hobos who will clank along on pots, pans, and any junk they can find --=> austinites only for now."

Smallwire

Smallwire

Chicago's Smallwire has shared the stage with gorilla vs. bear favorites Magnolia Electric Co., Biirdie, and Tapes 'n Tapes, and that's pretty much all I needed to hear before giving them a listen. I was instantly won over by the swirling melodies and the ethereal vocals of the beautiful Kristina Dutton...highly recommended for fans of Stereolab and Mazzy Star.

Smallwire Dodging Traffic mp3
Smallwire Death of a Snowflake mp3

be smallwire's friend

Los Super Elegantes

"A theatrically vibrant blur of thrash-mariachi, psychedelic distortion, histrionic vocals, performance art, punk rock, surrealism, Mexican telenovelas and five-dollar-store fashions."
--LA Weekly


Los Super Elegantes

Forget for a second about the fact that Los Super Elegantes' collection of press photos is unparalled in its awesomeness, and that Milena Muzquiz is ridiculously hot. After listening to the tracks streaming on their website, I have decided that the band, whose name loosely translates to "The Super Elegantes", is unclassifiable in its greatness. Each song seems to dabble in about 3 different genres and multiple languages, and yet it somehow comes together perfectly.

Los Super Elegantes por que te vas mp3

check the band's website for info on buying the LP and home-made t-shirts

be the band's friend here

I Sing Your Praises Like a Bird

Eux Autres

I don't know about you guys, but I totally judge bands on myspace by whether or not they have cool friends in their "top 8" thing. And Eux Autres has Voxtrot so I knew they'd be cool. Okay none of that is true, except the part about Eux Autres being friends with Voxtrot. Plus Gina loves them, and she's cool too.

Under the Radar called Eux Autres' 2004 album, Hell is Eux Autres, "one of the more exciting independent releases of the year...a veritable cult classic." The band is a brother-sister duo from Portland via Omaha, but sound like the The White Stripes might if they were from Paris instead of Detroit. Highly recommended:

Eux Autres Ecoutez bien mp3
Eux Autres Other Girls mp3

Bonus:

view an animated short for "Ecoutez bien" here

the band is currently recording their new LP, but in the meantime, buy Hell is Eux Autres here

be Eux Autres' friend

Recommended activities tonight in North Texas:

Bosque Brown + Lowry + The Bowmans @ Rubber Gloves (Denton)

Downtown and Mazinga Phaser II @ The Cavern (Dallas)

Contest Winners

Thanks to everyone who played, and here are the winners:


dylanclub can't wait for Danielson Famile's Ships

In the Merge contest, 1st place goes to dylanclub because...i'm not sure why, but he wins. Perhaps because he had the audacity to put Danielson Famile at the top of his list, and also because he included Voxtrot and the Shins, and those are two I can't wait for. The two runners-up are Stl. Ben (The Raconteurs, Black Keys, Radiohead, runner-up TVOTR) and Joe, for going straight hip-hop (Gnarls Barkley, Ghostface/MF Doom, Raekwon).

In the Cat Power digi-pack contest, Carrie wins by a landslide for her word, "Sheed". Michael gets a special prize for last place for choosing the word "moist". I hate that word.

If you're a winner, please email me with your contact info so I can start your prizes on their way to your mailbox. And if you didn't win, check MOKB and YANP for similar, and in some cases, identical, contests.

Also:

If you like The Kinks or the Deathray Davies, you'll like The M's:

The M's Trucker Speed mp3

Finally, if you haven't already, be sure to check out Dodge's posts on Jed & Lucia and Schooner. Both are excellent finds that have been getting much play in my headphones today.

Bosque Brown--Live at the Cavern

The contest winners (Merge and Cat Power) will be announced this afternoon, but in the meantime, people keep hooking me up with amazing exclusives, and this one is very special:



Bosque Brown plays Rubber Gloves tonight in Denton, along with Lowry and The Bowmans, and if I didn't have a birthday party to attend, I'd be there front and center. This, however, is the next best thing:

This is an exclusive, near-perfect recording of Bosque Brown's performance last Friday at the Cavern, personally bootlegged through the Cavern's soundboard by Mr. Sam Machkovech. If you are unfamiliar with the impossibly talented, beautiful Mara Lee Miller (aka Bosque Brown), here's your introduction before she takes over the world at SXSW.

I attempted to select one or two specific tracks to recommend, but these are all equally amazing. Her voice is so starkly beautiful that I have to just insist you download every track, burn them to a CD, and play them straight through:

1. Silver and Gold mp3
2. Fine Lines mp3
3. Went Walking mp3
4. Still Afraid mp3
5. A House mp3
6. Texas mp3
7. Israel mp3
8. Red Roses mp3
9. Hwy. 377 mp3
10. No. 6 mp3
11. That Door mp3
12. Fire Fight mp3

Bosque Brown's one-sided LP, Cerro Verde, comes out soon on Burnt Toast Vinyl.

Yet Another Contest

Remember Matt's Cat Power contest? The one in which you can win a limited-edition, gold embossed Cat Power The Greatest digi-pak, which includes a non-album bonus track? Well, us bloggers get the same emails from the same promo companies, so I'm offering the same thing. But it won't be easy, my friends: leave a one-word comment, and the word I like best wins. No cheating by leaving two words, or words with hyphens.

The contest ends tomorrow morning at 9 am central standard time, so act fast.

SOUND team, Cali Showcase, the Big Double Pod & YOU

Okay, my file-host is working as I'm typing this, and I can assure you these are working files, so if you have trouble viewing/downloading, just check back throughout the day. Enjoy:



As if the band wasn't already generous enough with their crackshot
tunes and good-natured joshin', SOUND team just provided me with an exclusive iPod video-ready short film for "The Fastest Man Alive," one of my favorite tracks off the much-lauded Work EP. I must say that everything about this exclusive is pretty sick, so if there are any tech-cynics out there, let me just say the short looks and sounds perfect on the new iPod, as well as your little Quicktime viewer.

For those keeping tabs, too, the short film was shot by the band on a Super 8 over the past couple of years and later edited by frequent Spoon collaborator, and Texas Chainsaw Massacre camera man, Peter Simonite.

And because you're now hungry for more good news, well, SOUND team has passed on some tour dates for what appears to be a full-fledged California showcase. Make your way to one or all if the time is right, which it usually is:

1/24: Cinespace, Los Angeles, CA
1/25: The Troubadour, Los Angeles, CA (w/ Film School)
1/26: Bottom of Hill, San Francisco, CA (w/ Film School)
1/27: Rickshaw Stop, San Francisco, CA
1/30: Spaceland, Los Angeles, CA

Fastest Man Alive (for iPod/iTunes/Quicktime)
Fastest Man Alive.mov (streamable)

File-hosting Problems

I have something really cool/exclusive to bring you guys as soon as ezarchive gets their shit together, I promise.



But in the meantime, listen to something not so cool: the gorilla vs. bear/indie interviews/torr.org podcast on TexasGigs.com, featuring Cat Power, the ridiculously good new Midlake song, and my cat, among others...help us pick a name for our podcast by leaving a comment here, and you could win a really super-fabulous prize pack consisting of a bunch of yet-to-be-determined prizes.

Best Song of 2006? (so far)

Midlake

Yeah, I know we're less than 3 weeks into the year, but this is one of my favorite songs I've heard so far in '06. This is definitely my favorite Midlake song, and it has piqued my interest in their new LP, due out in March(?):

Midlake Roscoe mp3

beat-up troubador folk

"The music of Wisconsin native Foucault is the kind so many aspire to but never attain: beat-up troubadour folk whittled to dolorous perfection..."
--Uncut Magazine


Jeffrey Foucault

I'd like to thank the reader from Fort Atkinson, WI, (which, incidentally, is also the hometown of my favorite SI.com columnist, Luke Winn) who sent along this raw cut from southeastern Wisconsin's very own Jeffrey Foucault.

Through his many residencies at the storied Cafe Carpe, Foucault has all but sealed his status as the Townes Van Zandt of Wisconsin. This track features that Sufjan-esque banjo-plucking that I love so much, alongside Foucault's worn-in, gritty vocals, to create a startlingly raw effect:

Jeffrey Foucault Doubletree mp3

The Boston Globe calls Jeffrey Foucault's album, Stripping Cane, a "minimalist masterpiece". Buy it here

also:



As if I needed an excuse to post another picture of the gorgeous Chan Marshall, rbally.net has an astoundingly high-quality live recording from Cat Power's Paris show on Nov. 11, 2005. Highly recommended.

It's So Noisy at the Circus

Head Like A Kite

Here's an mp3 from the new Head Like A Kite album, Random Portraits of the Home Movie, featuring vocals from the coolest 13-year old alive, Aysa from Smoosh.

Head Like A Kite Noisy at the Circus mp3

The album comes out Feb. 21...pre-order here.

Coming Soon

Here are a few "official" mp3s from upcoming releases that deserve your attention:



Pretty Girls Make Graves The Nocturnal House mp3
Liz Durrett The Mezzanine mp3
The Glass Family Swimming in Fiction mp3
Kelly Stoltz Memory Collector mp3

Birdmonster Has a Blog...

...and it has lots of pretty pictures, but it needs a new title. real bad. go help them:

Birdmonster's Blog

anticipation

Wow, you guys love Merge Records. The response to the Merge contest has been overwhelming, and your lists look great. It's going to be tough to decide on a winner...but you can still enter here, if you are so inclined.


Joanna Newsom

And now, a few tracks from my most anticipated releases of 2006:

Joanna Newsom Emily (live) mp3
Gnarls Barkley Untitled mp3
The Polyphonic Spree Round (live) mp3

The other upcoming releases I'm awaiting with bated breath (whatever that means) include TV On The Radio, The Shins, St. Vincent, Voxtrot, The Raconteurs, The Knife, Birdmonster, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, SOUND team, and probably a whole bunch more that I'm forgetting. I didn't include Arcade Fire because I honestly don't think we'll see a release from them this year.

Push the Heart

"Sara Lov's vocals float over the music, like she's being lulled to sleep. It's some of the loveliest heartbreak I've ever heard. You almost forget that this is some sad, sad stuff, and then your heart breaks into a million little tiny pieces."
--Stylus Magazine



I got the new Devics record in the mail the other day, and I have to say, I knew nothing about the band prior to listening to it. Devics is vocalist Sara Lov and multi-instrumentalist and sometime singer Dustin O'Halloran, and their new record, Push the Heart, comes out March 7.

Recommended for fans of Cat Power, Mazzy Star, and Portishead. Very pretty stuff:

Devics Come Up mp3

also:

Check out Dodge's review of the Tapes 'n Tapes show at Schuba's in Chicago this weekend. Great pics. Can't wait to see these guys in Dallas on March 10.

Contest

Thanks to Merge Records, we have the first decent contest in gorilla vs. bear history. To the winner goes the following Merge Records prize-pack:



1 copy of The Rosebuds' Birds Make Good Neighbors CD
1 American Apparel Merge Records t-shirt (men's large)
1 Rosebuds poster
and
various Merge stickers and Rosebuds temporary tattoos

All you have to do:

In the comments, leave a list of your top 3 most anticipated releases of 2006. The one I like best wins. 2nd and 3rd place will get posters and various other Merge swag. The contest will run through Friday, Jan. 20.

The Rosebuds Leaves Do Fall mp3

His Name is Alive

"His Name Is Alive is one of the most remarkable creations of the pop
underground...it will stand the test of time..."
--Dusted Magazine



From His Name Is Alive's new album, Detrola (due out Jan. 24):

His Name Is Alive Get Your Curse On mp3

His Name Is Alive will be playing at SXSW '06. Check the rest of their tour dates at the band's myspace page.

Also:

Not sure how often I'll get to post until Tuesday (3 day weekend and all)...check out gorilla vs. bear radio if you must have some music.

Division Day

I know Jax loves Division Day, and then I heard that they often play w/ Birdmonster, and well, that's all I really needed to know. I finally got around to checking out a few songs this afternoon, and they did not disappoint.

The band will have a residency at LA's The Echo in March, leading up to the release of their forthcoming debut LP, Beartrap Island. Here's an excellent track from the new album:

Division Day Colorguard mp3

buy Division Day's EP, The Mean Way In, here (recorded at John Vanderslice's Tiny Telephone)

the band also has cool t-shirts for sale

On a somewhat loosely related note...


free birdmonster

Completely unrelated:



I just read on The Fader Blog that the new Yeah Yeah Yeah's single "Gold Lion" is "altrock acoustic anthem bonkeration!" and the accompanying Diplo remix of said single is "club freestyle madness bonkeration x100!"...so, first one to get me an mp3 wins a prize.

check the YYY's new website. it's good.

by request

Big Ben rejects Eva Longoria's boyfriend

I've had a few requests for more Detroit Pistons coverage, and now seems like a pretty opportune time. My boys are coming off a dominating performance in San Antonio last night, in which they completed their season sweep of the "world-champion" Spurs.


Ben Wallace

Rasheed Wallace exposed Tim Duncan last night for the fraud I've always thought he was, dropping 27 points and 10 boards...plus Rasheed still keeps it way real, leading the league with 9 technicals. The Pistons have run their record to a league-best 28-5, and are now on a collision course to meet the Dallas Mavs in the NBA finals.

while we're on the topic:

If you're a sports fan, you should make the excellent Deadspin a daily stop...always very amusing.

Music:



Thanks to my boy Australian Dave for pointing out that iPop had a YSI link to The Knife's new single...not as instantly endearing as "Heartbeats", but still pretty cool. Here's an ezarchive link:

The Knife Silent Shout mp3

be careful what you call home

"Paul Duncan is a genuine talent. Be Careful What You Call Home is sure to be embraced by hipsters and poets alike."
--Tiny Mix Tapes



After spending a couple of evenings with Paul Duncan's Be Careful What You Call Home, released in November (I posted on him then, but forgot to order the record), I can unequivocally pronounce this the "Most Overlooked Album of 2005".

Perfectly balancing the fine line between experimental art-pop and hushed folk that somehow oozes familiarity (he was been compared to Nick Drake and Iron & Wine), I don't know how you couldn't love this album.

I strongly urge you to listen to these two tracks (both are gorgeous, and neither is even my favorite on the album), and purchase Be Careful What You Call Home from Home Tapes.

Paul Duncan In a Way mp3
Paul Duncan Oil in the Fields mp3

also:

Go sign up for Indie Interviews' Insider Program, in which you will have a chance to contribute questions to some of your favorite artists. I've seen some of the interviews Garrison has coming up, and trust me, you're going to want in on this.

Monkey Swallows the Universe

Thanks to Torr for introducing me to Monkey Swallows the Universe. Yeah, the name is terrible, but that's such a superficial reason not to like a band. Plus, their frontwoman is way cute, so that totally cancels out the bad name.

Moving on, I can't get enough of these two songs,

Monkey Swallows the Universe Sheffield Shanty mp3
Monkey Swallows the Universe Jimmy Down the Well mp3

The Sharp Things

"Sounding like a cross between The Divine Comedy and Cat Stevens, Serpa and company continue their excavation of classic pop...in 14 songs of string, piano, and horn brilliance"
--Under the Radar




The Sharp Things are a band I've just recently gotten into, and I'm glad I did. I'm a sucker for chamber pop ensembles with lush, over the top instrumentation and so many members they have trouble fitting on one stage.

The Sharp Things will be playing Bar/None's SXSW showcase, along w/ The Spinto Band, Oppenheimer, and others (via Donewaiting). Consider me there.

The Sharp Things There Will Be Violins mp3

Buy the album directly from the band
Be The Sharp Things' best friend

(above photos taken by Kenneth Kerr at The Sharp Thing's cd release show at Joe's Pub in NYC last May, and as guitarist Jim Santo says, its "hard to get all of us in one photo")

Elsewhere:



Donewaiting also points us in the direction of the updated SXSW band list...still not complete, but it's getting there.

Kevin is in the midst of his Remix Week over at So Much Silence...he's got remixes from a diverse lineup of artists, including (but not limited to) Interpol, DFA1979, De La Soul, and more.

And thanks to the readers that pointed out this gorilla vs. bear mention in UK's The Guardian. Pretty cool.

The People's Champ

"The gangsta slab is what I flip,
woodgrain is what I grip,
That purple drank is what I sip"
--Paul Wall

I have been informed that, while most of you enjoyed the pink, it caused some serious eye problems for a small percentage of the population. Whiners. So for now, I'm going with some rich cherry woodgrain background. Classy, yet at the same time, gangster. I want you to feel comfortable when you visit gorilla vs. bear, like you're riding in a Bentley or something.

And yeah, I'll probably get sick of this too and change it tomorrow.

Peter & the Wolf

"There is an AM radio quality to these songs that is impossible to deny. I am reminded in some ways of Iron & Wine, though I feel this is much better."
--Foxy Digitalis



Austin's Peter and the Wolf (aka Red Hunter and friends) recently wrapped up a trip out West to record at L.A.'s Moonshine Studios, where the above photo was taken for a feature/review in Spin Magazine...I've been listening to my Peter & the Wolf records quite a bit lately, and that "A.M. radio quality" definitely exists, which give the songs a certain haunting resonance. And if you get a chance to see Red and the boys live, don't miss it.

Peter & the Wolf The Fall mp3

Also:



Texas Gigs has asked yours truly, along w/ Garrison from Indie Interviews, to do a new weekly podcast for their show, The Fine Line. For our first installment, Garrison and I got together and discussed new releases and bands that will be rolling through town, including Morningwood, The W.A.S., SOUND team, Tapes 'n Tapes, and more.

Disclaimer: We sound ridiculous on this first podcast, but I was like, getting over a cold or something. And we didn't prepare at all...Garrison and I can assure you that the next installment will not suck.

Finally:

The lovely Sara Culler mentioned gorilla vs. bear on her own site, and she thanked us for featuring her music. She's a Dallas girl living in Sweden, and her music is beautiful, so it was the least we could do...look for big things from Sara and her main man, the great David Fridlund, in 2006. And thank you Sara, for introducing David to Nick Cave...his cover of "Into My Arms" is gorgeous.

Sara Culler Blackbird Duet mp3
David Fridlund Into My Arms mp3 (Nick Cave cover)

The Walkmen News

From the band's official site:


Poster by The Small Stakes

"Greetings. We have completed all work on our third record and we are going to debut all the new stuff at a few shows in the Northeast this January...The new record should be out in April worldwide. We will have the cover and the tracklist and some songs to listen to here on this website soon"

I thought Bows + Arrows was somewhat underrated, and I heard some of the new stuff at ACL and it was great, so I'm looking forward to this record. On the off chance that you're unfamiliar with this band, or if you just haven't given them a proper chance, please allow this to be your introduction:

The Walkmen Little House of Savages mp3
The Walkmen We've Been Had mp3

also:

check out this post on Jesus' blog...hilarious. I don't have proof that this is actually the Jesus' blog, but do like you were told as a kid and just have blind faith that it is.

Wall of Sound

Thanks for all the comments about the site's new look...seems like you guys like the pink, but not the font. I'll get with my designer and see if there's something we can do about that...



Spune has announced the lineup for its 2006 Wall of Sound Festival, and they've really outdone themselves this time. I'm really excited to see Okkervil River again, and Low and the Starlight Mints will be great too...should be a fun weekend for North Texas music fans.

Okkervil River Black mp3

Music:



Hoax Funeral is a UK band whose singer is from the southern U.S. The band's sound has been described as "Shearwater with a female lead singer", and they've been getting some play on BBC Radio 1, which is a fairly big deal over there.

Hoax Funeral From a New York Coffee Shop mp3

Hoax Funeral's demo shows quite a bit of promise...check out some more mp3s here.

also:

Cindy Hotpoint has a new Cat Power track from the Japanese version of The Greatest...her cover of the Everly Bros. "Dream". Very nice.

Around the Blogs

You may notice something dramatically different on the site...Garrison hooked me up with a complete, yet subtle, redesign (he was totally against the screaming hot pink, but hey, it's my site), and I have to say, I really like it. So this is what we're going with for now. Unless, of course, you guys think it's totally hideous, in which case I guess I could change the background color. After all, I do this for you guys....

On with the Music:

I haven't done one of those posts in a while where I talk about what's going on in the old blog-o-sphere, but there's been some stuff floating around lately that I'd feel really bad if you missed. I'm not sure where I got each of these, so make sure you support all the blogs on my sidebar...they're all good peoples.

First up, head over to Music for Robots to see video of the Tapes 'n Tapes boys performing "Jakov's Suite" at NYC's Mercury Lounge.


Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti

Ariel Pink This Night Has Opened My Eyes mp3

Bloc Party Helicopter (Diplo remix) mp3

Raekwon State of Grace mp3

Devendra Banhart Little Monkey/Step in the Name of Love mp3

The Speakers Mountain Tomb mp3

Elliott Smith's Zombies Cover

I was perusing Aquarium Drunkard, as I do every day, and I found his post on the Zombies, who just happen to be one of my favorite bands ever. Their song, "Care of Cell 44", is one of the most perfect pop songs ever recorded. Here's Elliott Smith's stripped down version of the classic:

Elliott Smith Care of Cell 44 (Zombies cover) mp3

The Zombies' original version can be found on their album Odessey and Oracle, which is probably one of my top 10 favorite records of all time. Buy it here.

Pretty New Colors

I got tired of those stupid-looking dots on my site, so i changed the color to ice blue some variation of green and gray (no one liked the blue). I haven't decided if I'm going to stick with these colors, so if you've got any ideas/suggestions please do let me know. Or if you guys really loved the dots, I guess I could always change it back.

okay...



The new Magnet album, The Tourniquet, comes out in the U.S. on Feb. 14. Here's the first single from the album, of which Magnet says, "For me it's like a soul ballad with a Beach Boys outtro":

Magnet Hold On mp3

SOUND team and Nest

A late night cup of joe and an ensuing bout of insomnia kept me up late last night, forcing me to find ways to spend away these leftover iTunes gift cards. As a necessary coldfront settled onto Dallas, and recent episodes of 'The Office' consumed my download queue, I was a bit surprised to encounter this in the music store's Dec. 27 new releases bin. I've been onto these guys for a while, and all I can really say is that one would be remiss not to shell out the 5 ducats for SOUND team's 'Work' EP. From the looks of it, 'Work' was just jointly released by Capitol and the band's own Big Orange Records, a pretty interesting development. Go for it, people of the night, go for it all. Go!

Also:



I was also consumed last night by some tracks that showed up in my mailbox from Nest (the band). I think the word that would best describe Nest frontwoman Ayana's voice would be "sultry", or maybe "sensuous". The Twilight Garden recommends Nest for anyone that needs help hooking it up with the ladies (e.g., most bloggers). I recommend Nest for fans of Fiona, Cat Power, and Imogen Heap.

Nest Ultraviolet mp3

buy Nest's self-titled debut EP here
Be Nest's friend

The Man With The Glasses

Le Man Avec Les Lunettes is, in their own words, "an Italian project, that have a French name and that sings in English". They claim to be influenced by "Belle & Sebastian, Blur, Beatles, Beach Boys", and probably some other bands that start with B. The name of this track may or may not be "Sybil Vane", but either way it's pretty damn good:

Le Man Avec Les Lunettes Sybil Vane mp3

Turns out, Matt posted on these guys way back in October. The kid is one step ahead of us all.

buy the EP here

Also:



The Thumbsucker DVD comes out on January 24. Based on the box office gross, none of you saw this movie, but it was one of my favorite films of 2005. And yes, that has something to do with the Tim DeLaughter score and the Elliott Smith songs. Pre-order the DVD here.

Here's a much better quality version of Jose Gonzalez's Massive Attack cover than the one that's been floating around (via Brooklyn Vegan):

Jose Gonzalez Teardrop mp3

Finally, word on the street is Tapes 'n Tapes have officially been accepted into SXSW...Austin is going to love these guys.

A Thousand Times Yes

The new album from Detroit, MI's A Thousand Times Yes, entitled Heart Beats, comes out Jan. 13, and I will be ordering it as soon as they make it available on their website. Here's a preview:

A Thousand Times Yes Love Song For Me mp3

be the band's friend and listen to more tracks from the album

This is a Jetsetter Music Letter

As I mentioned last week, Morningwood's debut LP comes out tomorrow, and you can cop it for only $6.99 at Best Buy. We rocked this quite a bit over the weekend, and while it won't end up on many year-end lists, it's a ton of fun. If you say you don't enjoy this song at least a little bit, you're probably lying to yourself. Go read the interesting post/comments about the impending Morningwood backlash over at MOKB.

Morningwood Jetsetter mp3

elsewhere:


photo by the Vegan

Brooklyn Vegan saw Tapes 'n Tapes over the weekend (twice!), and he loved it. Rachael also saw them, and loved them. The Yeti loved them too. After all these glowing reviews of their live show, I'm even more excited/honored now to have them play the gorilla vs. bear showcase in March (along w/ Seventeen Evergreen and Birdmonster).

Thanks to Ryan for pointing out this gorilla vs. bear mention in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal...they don't really say anything about the blog, but they seem to love my disclaimer.

Breakfast in NYC

"Fuzzy like Joy Zipper, warm like The Spinto Band, catchy like the H5N1 strain of bird flu"
--HecklerSpray


Oppenheimer

Meet Bar/None's newest signees: Oppenheimer. And while the record doesn't come out until June '06, word on the streets is you can catch these guys at the Bar/None showcase at SXSW along with The Spinto Band and The Sharp Things, among others. Their sound: "all poetic and bliptastic", according to the BBC.

Oppenheimer Breakfast in NYC mp3

The Brave and the Bold

I'm about to get out of town for the weekend, and I'm not sure if I'll be posting, so I thought I'd leave you with a couple things. Have a nice weekend:



Bonnie Prince Billy and Tortoise's The Brave and the Bold is definitely one of the more intriguing pairings of 2006 for me. I have a feeling this will either be great or awful, nothing in between. With that said, I like the songs I've heard so far, including their cover of Elton John's "Daniel", and this haunting Springsteen cover:

Bonnie Prince Billy and Tortoise Thunder Road mp3

also:



Two highly anticipated/hyped releases come out on Tuesday...Brooklyn Vegan wonders which one will blow up. I think I like them both...We Are Scientists (aka The We Are Scientists) and Morningwood both have that rare combo of talent and a sense of humor, and both make some of the catchiest damn songs you'll ever hear.

Morningwood nth degree mp3
We Are Scientists Inaction mp3

Random Texas Mega-post

We love everything Will Johnson does here in Texas, so it's a huge deal that Centro-matic's new LP, Fort Recovery, comes out March 7 on Misra. This song has been available for about a week now, but just in case you missed it:

Centro-matic Triggers & Trash Heaps mp3

Will will also be touring w/ his friends Vic Chesnutt, Mark Eitzel (American Music Club), and Dave Bazan (Pedro the Lion) starting in February...if these guys roll through your town, you better do what ever you can to make it. Trust me. The first Centro-matic song I ever heard (and still my favorite) was on the split 7" they did w/ Tripping Daisy back in 2000...here it is:

Centro-matic Love Has Found Me mp3



Also, Belle & Sebastian and The New Pornographers tour dates have been announced, with no fewer than 2 Texas dates. I'm going to try to make the Dallas show, and the Austin show the next day (if this is cool w/ Dodge, of course).

A.C. Newman Miracle Drug mp3

Finally, we will be making the short jaunt to Austin tomorrow morning to hang out for the weekend, and we will be at Emo's tomorrow night for an amazing free show featuring What Made Milwaukee Famous, I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness, and other assorted bands with super-long names. If you don't know WMMF yet:

What Made Milwaukee Famous Hellodrama mp3

Bonus mp3 that has nothing to do w/ Texas, I just really like it:

St. Thomas Cornerman mp3

Street To Nowhere

"Dave Smallen (aka Street to Nowhere) possesses the confidence that lesser singer-songwriters chase their entire careers"
--East Bay Express


Street To Nowhere

If it seems like every other post this week has been about a band from the Bay Area in Northern California, that's probably because they have something special going on out there right now. So many bands set to explode nationally...and here's one more:

Street To Nowhere's Dave Smallen recalls at times a younger, rawer, more emotional Conor Oberst. But Street To Nowhere's new LP, Charmingly Awkward, possesses a contagious energy and vitality that Oberst hasn't been able to reach in a long time.

Street To Nowhere Boxcars Boxcars Boxcars mp3

Buy Charmingly Awkward here

be Street To Nowhere's friend

Also:



For you guys on the other coast, go check out Finian McKean (w/ my boys Tapes 'n Tapes) Monday night at NYC's Mercury Lounge.

Finally, So Much Silence has eleven awesome live Rosebuds tracks, and Said the Gramophone has another excellent track from Ponies in the Surf's new LP.

baby's got the power

Today has not been very conducive to quality blogging. First of all, my file host is still jacked, and I've also been really busy at work today. But that's okay, because my west coast friends keep hooking me up w/ cool stuff (thanks Garrett):



These guys have gotten love from Fluxblog, and from their hometown San Franciso press, but I'd never heard of them before today. But this song, while not my normal thing, has one of the most ridiculously catchy choruses I've heard in a while...just try to get that damn tribal chant out of your head.

chow nasty ungawa mp3

Sweet Thing

My file host (i'm looking at you, ezarchive) is acting a damn fool today, so I can't bring you some of the exciting stuff I had planned on bringing you today. But no fear, my boy Chris from Sounds Are Active has saved the day with this:


The Weird Weeds

Austin's very own The Weird Weeds have released a new web-only EP, entitled This Is Not What You Want, on Sounds are Active. I was excited to see that on the EP, the band covers my very favorite Van Morrison song from Astral Weeks, and here it is:

The Weird Weeds Sweet Thing mp3

download the rest of the EP for cheap (as in free) right here

catch The Weird Weeds on their Winter 2006 tour, which kicks off tomorrow night in Marfa, TX

Bottom of the Hill

As you know if you are a regular gorilla vs. bear reader, we love gig posters, and we love Birdmonster, so naturally we are going to post this new Birdmonster gig poster, for their show tomorrow night at the legendary Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco:



If you live in the area, I trust you will be there...our heroes take the stage around 10:15.

Birdmonster Resurrection Song mp3

buy the EP for for 5 bucks! (like you don't already have it)

Yeah Yeah Yeahs News

Head over to the YYY's website for some news about their upcoming album/tour, including the fact that it is NOT a concept album about a cat. Damn! On the bright side, the new record is due in March, w/ a U.S. tour to follow in April.

meanwhile...



head over to MOKB to get some additional tracks from Mancino, who will be playing w/ Tapes 'n Tapes on Saturday night in the NYC.

Oh, and The Flaming Lips are playing SXSW. Yet another reason to book your trip now, kids! (thanks to Greg for the info!)

The Drunken Loon Flies East

I was disappointed to learn that 'n of Tapes 'n Tapes fame got absolutely nothing for Christmas. Kind of a shitty way to end 2005. But no matter, 2006 will be the year of Tapes 'n Tapes, who, coincidentally, start their "Drunken Loon Tour" tonight in Madison, WI. Here are all the dates:

Jan 4 King Club Madison, WI
Jan 5 Quiet Storm Pittsburgh, PA
Jan 7 The Delancey New York, NY
Jan 8 Pianos New York, NY
Jan 9 Mercury Lounge New York, NY
Jan 10 The Fire Philadelphia, PA
Jan 11 Talking Head Club Baltimore, MD
Jan 14 Schubas (Tomorrow Never Knows Fest) Chicago, IL
Jan 20 St. Olaf College (The Paws) Northfield, MN
Feb 3 the Cave (Carleton College) Northfield, MN
Feb 4 Terminal Bar Minneapolis, MN
Mar 10 The Cavern Dallas, TX

If you live in one of these towns, you should go, give 'n a belated Christmas present, and tell them gorilla vs. bear said hi. And you may have noticed the Dallas date in March...yeah, that's pretty much going to be the show of the year, featuring the Tapes, as well as NoCal bands Birdmonster and Seventeen Evergreen.

Tapes 'n Tapes Insistor mp3

more mp3s here

Foreign Blogs are Cool

I have to thank reader Lee E. for introducing me to this blog, which I can't really understand because it's written in Chinese or Latin or something. But, I did find this Go! Team "remix" (it's really more of a cover) of one of my favorite Polyphonic Spree songs, "Soldier Girl", which was previously only available on the 7" single.

The Go! Team Soldier Girl (remix/cover) mp3

also:

If you haven't voted for the 2006 Bloggies yet, you should probably do so now. I'd love it if you'd vote for gorilla vs. bear, but if not, vote for this blog, which has long been a personal favorite of mine, because it scares the bejeezus out of me. I'm not sure what category it should go in, but I would recommend "Best Kept Secret Weblog", "Weblog of the Year", or the prestigious "What the Fu** is Wrong with this Bit**?" Award.

Snow & Voices

"Snow & Voices fits nicely alongside the likes of Mazzy Star (or anything to do with Hope Sandoval) Mia Doi Todd, Bebel Gilberto, Beck's 'Sea Change'..."


Snow & Voices

Snow & Voices Carry Us Home mp3
Snow & Voices No Regrets mp3


buy it from Parasol

Why?

I saw this awesome video last night for Why?'s "Rubber Traits" on Havoc (which I just discovered that I have through OnDemand)...highly recommended if you like dogs or good music.

Why? Rubber Traits video (.mov)
Why? Rubber Traits mp3

Also:

A couple things to do if you have nothing else to do:

1. Go nominate gorilla vs. bear for the 2006 Bloggies. Or if you think I suck, nominate someone else. Either way, it only takes like 30 seconds.

2. Check out gorilla vs. bear radio on MyHeavy, and while you're there, sign up and be my friend. MySpace is so 2005.

Get Him Eat Him

Get Him Eat Him

Get Him Eat Him's new EP, Do As I Tell You, comes out January 6 on everyone's favorite blog-slash-record label, Catbird Records. I also got this picture of the lead singer of Interpol playing ping pong absolutely free when I pre-ordered the EP for only 4 bucks!:


the lead singer of Interpol

That was worth 4 bucks all by itself, no? Also, go see Get Him Eat Him at The Cavern on January 15th.

Get Him Eat Him Exposure mp3

They Do What They Like

The Lemurs

As you know, we love animals here at gorilla vs. bear, so I was reading this article on cnn.com about island giganticism, and it turns out that some lemurs on Madagascar have grown to weigh over 175 lbs. That's more than I weigh. Anyway, here's what I'm getting at: if any of my readers are from Madagascar and would like to send me one of these lemurs as a pet, shoot me an email.

The Lemurs are also a band from Austin, Texas, that happen to be playing a free show this Saturday night at Emo's with What Made Milwaukee Famous, Zykos, I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness, The Glass Family, and more. We will be there, and so should you.

The Lemurs They Do What They Like mp3

Be The Lemurs' friend

Bonus:

Zykos Mrs. mp3
The Glass Family There's a Red Light Waiting For You mp3
What Made Milwaukee Famous Hellodrama mp3
I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness According to Plan mp3

Your Beauty is a Knife I Turn on My Throat

Eagle*Seagull

So I wrote up a snappy little post last night about this band Eagle*Seagull after hearing them for the first time this weekend through I Guess I'm Floating...then I wake up this morning, only to find Matt has already beat me to it. Oh well, it's not the first time, and it certainly won't be the last.

Eagle*Seagull is already drawing Arcade Fire comparisons, which is probably unfair, but these songs do elicit some of the powerful emotions found on Funeral. So before you dismiss these guys based on blogger over-hype, at least listen to "Photograph":

Eagle*Seagull Photograph mp3
Eagle*Seagull Your Beauty is a Knife I Turn on My Throat mp3

Eagle*Seagull plays at the Cavern here in Dallas on Feb. 15

More SXSW 2006 News

Via Done Waiting's excellent SXSW blog:


Metal Hearts

Riot Act Media has announced SXSW dates for their roster of bands, including Headphones, Minus the Bear, Ester Drang, and Suicide Squeeze's newest signees, Metal Hearts:

Metal Hearts Socialize mp3

check all the dates here

bonus: (from Ester Drang's new LP Rocinate, due out Jan. 24)

Ester Drang Come Back Alive mp3

Sorry for the lack of content over the holidays...regular posting resumes tomorrow morning. Thanks to everyone who visited gorilla vs. bear in 2005, I really do appreciate your comments and feedback. And I've got some cool stuff in store for 2006, so I promise this year will be even better.

In the meantime:

Head over to Dreams of Horses for a new Wolf Parade track.

Ponies In The Surf

Ponies In The Surf

Siblings Camille and Alexander McGregor "have always thought their songs are best suited for 3 AM or early afternoon, since those are often the moods they're trying to recapture in sound"...and on their debut LP, Ponies on Fire, they succeed beautifully. With that said, don't expect to be blown away by Ponies In The Surf at first listen. Instead, let the understated sweetness and charm of the songs sneak up on you and make you smile. Perfect for keeping you warm on New Year's Day.

Ponies in the Surf Little Boy Lost mp3
Ponies in the Surf See You Happy mp3

buy Ponies in the Surf's new LP, Ponies on Fire, from Asaurus for only $5