The Walkmen - In the New Year

The Walkmen - In the New Year video via Youtube

Words and more after the jump...

The Walkmen's latest album, You & Me is a sleeper record that received a lot of critical acclaim but not a lot of purchase support. Like many listeners, I was a big fan of the Walkmen's earlier album, Bows + Arrows but hadn't really paid much attention to the band since. But You & Me has definitely grown on me since its release back in August. First of all it's really more of a winter album anyway, so if you didn't dig it in August, try again in December/January. Your mood to receive these songs may have been off in August. You can expect a lot Edge-style guitar work, lots of reverb, strained, pleading vocals. All the basic elements for some good heart-wrenching, indie-rock. But don't be mislead, this is a lot more dark and dramatic than, say, Death Cab for Cutie and it may even impress your wanky guitar buddies.


The Walkmen - Dónde Está la Playa video via YouTube

In case you couldn't tell, that was a fan-made video. Give me a break it had the best sound-quality, besides it's better than just a photo of the album cover right?

Here's one from Bows + Arrows that you definitely should have heard by now, but I'm not judging you:


The Walkmen - The Rat video via YouTube

If you're interested, the Walkmen have a few West-Coast dates scheduled for January then it's off to Europe. Incidentally they are touring with Beach House right now, who have also been receiving major buzz on the year-end lists for their album, Devotion.


Beach House - Gila video via YouTube

People in Portland, OR love to make quirky videos around town for haunted indie-rock tunes. That is what I have decided...evidenced 3 vids above and 1 vid below:


Beach House - D.A.R.L.I.N.G. video via YouTube

M83 - Kim and Jessie

M83 - Kim and Jessie video via YouTube

Words and more video after the Jump...

Well I guess you should know that M83 are French...doesn't that video make much more sense now? They also put out one of the best records of the year. Saturdays = Youth is filled with beautiful melodies that emerge with and from within piles of reverb. I feel like all of their songs are from a John Cusak movie that is locked in John Hughes' vault. In my opinion that's a good thing.


M83 - Graveyard Girl video via YouTube

I had the pleasure of seeing M83 perform live at the Paradise Rock Club in Boston back when they were on tour for their album, Before the Dawn Heals Us. My lasting impressions were about some of the more technical aspects of the music. I was amazed that alot of the sounds I assumed were made by keyboards, computers, samplers, etc. were often done using guitars and effects trickery. I recall a screwdriver attached to some sort of spring loaded capo that they would bounce off the neck of the guitar and slide across the frets. Also, the drummer wore some serious noise-canceling headphones, which is smart considering some of the crazy precision drum work this guy has to pull off.


M83 - Don't Save Us From the Flames video via YouTube

Also, if you happen to be shelling out the dough to catch the Killers, here in Austin or elsewhere, you'll see M83 as the Killers opening act (tourmates more PC?). Should be one of the most transcendent yet pretentious shows of the season, I'm excited but not showing it.

This is the area where I had intended to embed the new Killers' video for Human in which Brandon Flowers wears this ridiculous shoulder pad jacket with feathers. But, ya know, they're on Universal Music Group (UMG) <----Not indie, hence embedding is disabled. So instead I'm going to give you some wonky A Capella group given it their all on Mr. Brightsides.


M.I.T. (wonky) A Capella Group - Mr. Brightsides video via YouTube

Don't get me wrong, I love me some wonky A Capella, those Carleton Knights kids keep it indie with their covers of MGMT, Sufjan Stevens, Vampire Weekend as well as 2008 indie darlings Fleet Foxes:


The (wonky) Carleton Knights - Ragged Wood video via YouTube