New Music Tuesdays Vol. 4 (Fleet Foxes)

If you, like me, have been looking forward to this release for years, then the tracks on the new Fleet Foxes release “Helplessness Blues” have most likely been gracing your iTunes libraries since earlier this year when the album leaked. But the good news is that you shouldn’t feel bad because Fleet Foxes’ frontman Robin Pecknold understands music piracy as a necessary (and even respectable) evil of the industry. Not to be misquoted, Pecknold poured his heart and soul into this album. So much so that he seemed almost regretful about his extreme passion for creating music in a recent front-page article for SPIN magazine.

With it’s appealing hook “I was old news to you then, o-O-old, new-A-ews to you then.” Lorelai is the featured track from the effervescent Pecknold (and Sons?) on this edition of New Music Tuesdays.

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New Music Tuesdays Vol. 3 (tUnE-yArDs)

Fresh Music from the innovative Merril Garbus also known as tUnE-yArDs on this edition of New Music Tuesdays, courtesy of the LIFE/|\MAN/|\FRESHMUSIC playlist on Rdio.com

Unfortunately I missed the opportunity to check out one of her performances at SXSW this year. Hoever, I heard very good things about the showcase and I’m sure to catch her the next time she rolls through town. Enjoy the hollering and yodeling of the counter-cultural music connoisseur.

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New Music Tuesdays Vol. 2 (Foster The People)

Starting a new tradition and then forgetting about it is a capital crime in blogging. So as my apology, I will bring you Two (Count ‘em, 2)! New Music Tuesdays this week!

This week’s first New Music Tuesday track slot goes to the unforgettably fresh Foster The People. Foster The People (FTP) are a relatively young band out of Los Angeles California. I had the pleasuse of catching up with FTP’s Bassist: Cubby, and their Synth/Everything-Man: Isom Innis after their last show at SXSW (Click for Video).

Isom is the brother of a friend of mine. He joined the band earlier this year. Lucky for FTP, he is a dynamo of musical talent and stage presence. Their first album is set to drop early this summer, and honestly I could not be more excited to see what they will bring to the table. First they stole our hearts with “Pumped up Kicks” and in this monday edition of New Music Tuesdays they bring the energy with “Houdini.”

New Music Tuesdays Vol. 1

Hello,
Today I am starting a new music Tuesday tradition of posting my favorite songs to this blog. Thanks to my friends at Rdio.com I am able to embed playlists on the website and have them stream the songs at least in part. We’ll see how it goes, I may end up using something like soundcloud.com if Rdio does not allow non-members to listen to full tracks.

The plan is to add a new song to the playlist every week, and continue to embed the playlist so that, you will still be able to listen to previously posted songs from one place.
Sound fun?

This week’s track is “You Are A Tourist” by Death Cab For Cutie

My Rdio.com Album Review:
“Goodness, pure goodness. Death Cab For Cutie strengthens their stance as one of the best bands in the music scene. They manage to innovate their sound without abandoning their roots. Always an explosive live concert, with a gripping setlist fueled by three decades of musical integrity and inspired lyricism.

I am on my third time through this single and I will be eagerly anticipating the LP.”

Conversations I

Nick “Davis” Calvin

Davis and I got to talking about life and the classic conversation of new stuff versus old stuff. The old stuff stands, he remains a titan in manliness and stature. The new stuff however, is rooted in a question much older than he or I. “What should I do with my life?”

Davis is coming into a period of time that most individuals in our generation will experience several times over as the years progress. It is a time of questioning and self-evaluation that leads us to whatever path is most fulfilling for our personalities. Our generation is unique. Thanks to the innovations of the past quarter-century, we now have the information and the culture to support outside-the-box thinking with regards to career planning. If I woke up tomorrow with the dream to start a copywriting firm, it would lake little more than a few craigslist ads and a website to get things up and running. We can be who we want and do what we want, and that can change on a daily basis.

Davis is approaching a horizon of infinite possibilities. So the challenge now stands at discovering to the root of his professional desires. This may prove to be a difficult task because Davis is a man of many talents. But I trust that with the support of his friends and family, he will find his way into the career that he has always dreamed of.

These words should not be spoken apart from words on Faith. For Davis, his foundation remains the same. Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in Thee. God often becomes our focus in these difficult times. But I would challenge Davis, and everyone, to keep thankfulness at the center of prayer and petitioning. God deserves our thanks and praise, always, and in all ways. Even in the midst of the storm He knows our pain and guides us still. To live righteously, is to live through the mountains and the valleys, praising God for his character, kindness, and promises.

So what comes next? When Davis was asked in a job interview, “where do you see yourself in the future?” He answered “I think I want to be a teacher.” The thought had sort of lingered in the back of his mind, but I think something changes when you say things like that out loud. I am excited to see where D-cal finds himself in the immediate future, and I am sure that when he looks out, it will be a hell of a view.

- Justin Glenn Davis

SXSW.

My un-abridged list of “want to see” artists at South by South West 2011 stands at the following.

Grimes
PS I Love You
Surfer Blood
Innerpartysystem
Reptar
Pepper Rabbit
Surprise Me Mr. Davis
Loch Lomond
Malajube
The Naked and Famous
Okkervil River
The Dodos
The Growlers
IMAKEMADBEATS
DATAROCK
Foster the People
Austra
Sondre Lerche
Noah and the Whale
DeVotchKa
G. Love
Jenny O.
Phantogram
Tune-Yards
Boys Noize
Cold War Kids
Maps & Atlases
City and Colour
Gayngs
Kevin Devine and the Goddamn Band
PUNCHES
Jon Fratelli
Polock
el-g
SBTRKT
Gorilla Zoe
The Joy Formidable
Chromeo
Crystal Bowersox
Das Racist
MSTRKRFT
Sage Francis
Schwayze and Cisco
Man Man
Blaqstarr
IAMDONALD: Donal Glover and Childish Gambino
KIDA
Anamanaguchi
Teen Daze
The Rural Alberta Advantage
HANSON
Givers
Deer Tick
Diplo

Hopefully more TBA.

- Justin Glenn Davis