Just Plain Ant "Songs About Something" Extended Version due out SOON!

Sleaze wrote about this on Just Plain Sounds' blogsite back on the fourth and Ant just gave me the word on twitter that the Extended Edition of "Songs About Something" is coming out February 2. I did a "Nightly Nine" on twitter a while back... (I should do that again) and the "original" version was on that. If you haven't heard it you are definitely missing out. So, I guess I'll have to post a link so you can do your homework and check it out.

Alright, there might be a pop quiz later on. :)

Creative Commons Choosings - 11 January 2010

A month has passed by and I thought I'd drop on in and get you guys updated on some Creative Commons music which I have found need to be shared with you, the readers, over the past four, maybe five weeks. If you haven't heard much about Creative Commons music, do a search for either CC itself, or netlabels or both - you will NOT be disappointed.

M.W.D.'s "Singing Forest"* is a fun little trip into the musical jungle.... you know what - I shouldn't have gone that cheesy. But the fun mix of "nu-jazz and broken beat with a little downtempo and electronic spice" (from the budabeats.com website) will keep you coming back for more. I love the fine mix of drums through out the record. To me, a good rhythm can make or break a song - all through out his loops keep my interest piqued with funky melodies and samples coming in to keep the album interesting. For some songs, like "Elephant", it seems as if M.W.D. has reached through time to find a swinging crooner to sing over the nouveau-antique beats he creates. His touch of guitar samples, such as on Rico and others, keep the energy dutifully flowing on this album as well. (Also, check out the jazzy goodness on "Snake" - you will not be disappointed).

On a side note, you'll get to hear Rico on my upcoming podcast due out this week!

For my next find, you have to read the review of her music over at Public Spaces Lab, for I cannot do her music justice like they have there! I'll do my best to give you an insight to how I dig the music, but they have the market on this piece.

adamned.age's "whiteout" is a brilliant minimalist album. It's got all the bits and pieces you will come to love such as glitch, a nice and slow tempo, some keen keyboards (see "infinite expanse"), dark and gritty emotion, and a hypnotic flow to keep you going back through the music time and time again. You'll have to check it out to see what I'm talking about.

Like I said earlier... check out what PSL said about her music, it's worth the read!

* Updated 12 January 2009: Singing Forest not Swinging Forest.

Just Plain Sounds blog is now up and running

Just got the tweet in from Just Plain Ant that Just Plain Sounds has launched their new blogsite. So, what are you waiting for: go there NOW!

Lowpitch's Boxing Bet EP is out (hey, and so is City Rain's These Days)

Sorry to take so long to get this out, but Lowpitch (who was on Episode Five of the Chilldown Period) has released their EP "Boxing Bet" on December 30th - just in time for the new year! Here's the official video of their single "My Game."

Oh, and by the way - another friend of the show, City Rain, has released his most recent EP - These Days - on Output Noise records. I can't find a video for the song "These Days", but we'll have to let this interview suffice for now.

Some nice finds... but they really found me! 29 December 2009

First off, to all record label heads, etc... I know this podcaster likes it when you guys contact me, especially if you have music I might be interested in but am clueless that you even exist (or I may have a clue and you contact me anyway) or if I send an email and you respond.

Here's why I say this: How many different labels (record, net, creative commons, etc.) are there out there with large subsets of artists who fall beneath them?

Answer: countless.

And this can go for artists or even promotional sites. I've had great contact (both pre-podcast and post-podcast, initiated by me and by my co-conspirators (oooh, not sure if that's the right word I should use) with quite a few heads of labels: Fernando at PublicSpaces Lab, Per Capita records, David at Summer Rain Recordings, Electronic Eel, Bernard at Output Noise, Budabeats, Krieslauf, Dusted Wax Kingdom, Just Plain Ant etc. etc. etc.

To me it means a lot! It means my work is noticed and also gives me a way to touch base with others out there. It also means I'll probably work with you more in the future.

This leads me to my two picks for this post: Autorotation and Panda Transport.

Autorotation's Everything is Everything is a sweetly sung album with a tender mix of glitch, instrumentation and melody. If you can imagine this: take Frost's Aggie and her vocals, mix in some Boards of Canada with a dash of horns and guitars and you'll be treated to an LP based in fascination.

The fine folks of Autorotation contacted me by means of twitter. That message got me curious about their music; so I wandered over to their webpage and listened. I was hooked! They've been very kind (I use that phrase a lot, but it is sincere and not just some cliche I use about individuals I come in contact with) and you will get to hear some of their music on my next podcast coming out soon.

Their album(s) can be found at CDBaby, Amazon and Norman Records out of the UK.

Panda Transport's Monorail is described on their website as "[t]he songs are immediate, personal & poppy while retaining the curious experimentation & playfulness so often edited out in today's music." For some reason in my mind the group Flunk comes up... with some Kate Havnevik and maybe some Imogen Heap mixed in to describe their music. It ranges from sweet and tender to pop and floaty to kinda dark... no joke - it has a dark edge to it as well.

Here's how I came in contact: I was searching through my messages on IODAPromonet and there was a direct message from their label. I immediately searched through the rest of the new messages and found them all to be the basic promo stuff I receive most of the time (that does not mean I don't check out that selection of music...). This message from Panda Transport was personal and thoughtful and created a fan out of me before I heard their music. I became excited and checked out their tunes. This also prompted me to email someone, anyone from the group. The person I contacted was the lead vocalist from Charlottesville, VA named Kathy. I would have to place her in the kind and gracious group as well! She's a great conversationalist and has been a dream to work with (don't worry, I feel the same way about Autorotation).

And guess what... you'll get to hear some of their stuff over the next couple of months.

What's the moral of this story? A kind note can go a LOOOOOONG way! Even from this below the radar podcaster/blogger.

* Update 30 Dec 2009: made some grammatical corrections.

** Update 10 Jan 2009: I learned earlier this morning from the wonderful @pixieguts that Autorotation made it into Dandelion Radio's Top 50 of 2009 with their on "Ginger Pants". Good song, dang good album... really cool folks! Congratulations :)

*** Update ibid.: If you haven't checked out Panda Transports page, they have my brief review of their latest listed... they're gonna make me blush!

The Chilldown Period - Episode Ten

Wowzers! It's that time of the month for what we like to call around here "The Chilldown Period"! I've taken myself out of the equation more and have let the music do the talking. We have some old faces here, some new names from familiar destinations, and new friends adding to the fun.

So, here goes nothing!

Oh.Bliv - Scavengers - Black Soap - Just Plain Sounds - CC

Gretchen Parlato
"In A Dream" (mp3)
from "In A Dream (Japan bonus track edition)"
(ObliqSound)
Buy at iTunes Music Store
More On This Album

Nienvox - The River Express - Spheres EP - Dusted Wax Kingdom - CC

Nickels
"Weightless" (mp3)
from "Space"
(Soundmind / End Of Earth Records)
Buy at iTunes Music Store
More On This Album



Rachel Pearl
"Baby Blue" (mp3)
from "Love Extravagantly"
(Per Capita Records)
More On This Album


No More Music Komite - Elles - Folk Hero EP - Miga - CC

Wayward Saints
"Ghost Town" (mp3)
from "Future Vintage"
(Concrete Grooves)
Buy at iTunes Music Store
More On This Album


Junk Culture
"West Coast" (mp3)
from "West Coast"
(Illegal Art)
Buy at iTunes Music Store
More On This Album


Film Noir World
"Lunatics Desire" (mp3)
from "Dark Earth"
(Per Capita Records)
Buy at iTunes Music Store
More On This Album

Dr. Illingsworth - Sips N Mugs (#Conan) - Twitterverse Traveler - Detroit CYDI

City Rain - These Days (Outputmessage RMX) - These Days EP - Output Noise

Dean Martin
"Jingle Bells (Dan The Automator Remix)" (mp3)
from "Christmas Remixed - Holiday Classics Re-Grooved"
(Christmas Chill)
Buy at iTunes Music Store
More On This Album

Cover for Episode Ten of the Chilldown Period!

Here's the cover for my next podcast!

Why trains? 'Cause I like em... no other reason. The train featured is a GP-38 which runs for our local Class 3 railroad which runs through town. (I did add some motion to the picture as well)

The next podcast will feature less of me, and more of the music. That is to place more of the focus on the music, because that's what makes the podcast the podcast. Later on today you'll get to hear it!

Stay tuned and ENJOY!