“Overnite Religion” by Kurt Vile

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I’m going to throw out some terms here, so prepare yourself. Independently made music without a major label or distributor, also know as “indie music,” was really thriving in the 90’s. Popular among these indie artists from the 90’s was a low fidelity recording style, also known as “lo-fi,” which implemented rudimentary recording devices and production techniques in order to immediately create music. The lo-fi movement produced intimate, inventive, and new-but-nostalgic sounds from basements and bedrooms across the US and beyond.

“Breathin Out” by Kurt Vile

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As Kurt and I are of similar age, I imagine he probably experienced all this great lo-fi indie music first hand in his formative high school years. In his music I can hear influences from early Guided by Voices, Dinosaur Jr, and even Beck’s One Foot In The Grave on K Records. Like the lo-fi works of the aforementioned artists, Kurt Vile has a talent for wandering melodies that are somehow instantly memorable, and the sound is extremely intimate. Intimate, like you’re in a reverb-y jail cell on your 20th year with your cell-mate.

“(I Wanna Be A) Dumbcharger” by Guided By Voices

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I also hear a great deal of classic rock and folk music influencing Vile’s music. You can hear all the classic rock that informed indie rock there, but he especially recalls American guitar men like Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen, and Tom Petty. In those formative high school years, while listening to lo-fi indie greats, I bet Kurt was (as I was), cramming to catch up on about 30 years of classic rock. It was all happening at the same time for some people my age. These formative years, when I submerged myself in both classic and lo-fi rock, it’s exactly what I’m reminded of when I hear Kurt Vile’s music. Could he be the guitar and song man of my generation?

O, which Kurt were you thinking about? This guy or this guy?

Download Tiny Furniture’s official soundtrack available for free at tinyfurniture.com.

Directed by Groove Garden pal Lena Dunham, the film is a hilarious and spot on account of female coming-of-age (and regression) after undergrad.  Groove Garden helped out with music supervision, and the film features amazing original tracks by the human hit machine Teddy Blanks.

Check out the trailer

Showtimes

We really cannot say enough good things about this movie or Lena!!  Please check out more of her comedic shorts on her Vimeo page.

A few weeks before Taylor Swift swept up at the Grammys, Sweden held their freak-flag waving version of music’s biggest night, the P3 Guld.  Besides Fever Ray’s face melting off, this slightly more appetizing display also happened.

Staygold, Spank Rock, Robyn and Damien Adore perform “Backseat”

Om, Spank Rock is really charming in his clergy wear.

Check out Staygold on Myspace

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It’s available to watch online until February 9th, watch it here.

COPYRIGHT CRIMINALS examines the creative and commercial value of musical sampling, including the related debates over artistic expression,
copyright law and money.

Not only does the film chronicle and discuss sampling and the rise of the remix, it also provides first-person interviews with artists on all sides of the issue.  I was expecting Public Enemy’s production team The Bomb Squad and the Beastie Boy’s heavily sampled album “Paul’s Boutique” to be discussed.  I did not expect interviews with Clyde Stubblefield — James Brown’s drummer and the world’s most sampled musician, or hear producer Steve Albini talk such decisive trash about sampling.  I also wouldn’t have guessed Maggie Gyllenhaal would narrate it.

Groove Garden’s movie critic team gives it 2 thumbs up!

And kudos to whoever worked the music clearances for it!

Click here to see their cool sampling timeline.

The crowd pleaser from her album, “What Did He Say” by Nite Jewel

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And the funk gets deeper. The awesome folks at Stones Throw Records released “Toeachizown Vol. 1″ by Dam-Funk last year.  Dam (pronounced Dame) answers the age old question “what happens if a Zapp and Rogers record is stacked on top of an Mtume record, and the heat levels in the room get to melting point?”

“Love Is Here 2nite (I Can Feel It)” by Dam-Funk

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Apparently, some genius at XLR8R liked Nite Jewel and Dam-Funk’s similar vibe and suggested a team up.  They are calling themselves Nite Funk.  Here is a video of how their first collaboration went as well as their resulting track.  If we all concentrate real hard, maybe we’ll get a Nite Funk EP to be released on Stones Throw later this year.  Enjoy!

“Am I Gonna Make It” by Nite Funk

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ALERT NYC PEEPS: Nite Jewel’s Mercury Lounge show is sold out on February 4th, but her myspace says she’s also playing at the bar Home Sweet Home on February 3rd!

Yall should know about Patrick. His album Orange Moonbeam Floorshow is definitely one of my favorite releases from 2009, and I only found a few other people on google blog search who felt the same. That means only one thing, he’s under the radar. Here are two favorite tracks I’d love to share.

“Telephone Song” by Patrick Cleandenim

“The Show” by Patrick Cleandenim

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Check out his website.

Did I mention that Patrick’s album was produced by super talent Jay Israelson?  In addition to producing and composing under his own name (check out the entry “Cute New Label Alert” to hear “YP03″), Jay also works with my old faves Lansing-Dreiden.

Check out this ultra luxurious cinematic track Jay did with them on their last release, an E.P. called ‘Tri’ from 2008.  It’s available on their website,
www.lansing-dreiden.com.

“I Disappear” by Lansing-Dreiden

Additionally, HBO has picked up the documentary, and will be airing it in the fall.

So much press, so proud to have been involved.

HBO picks up ‘Father’

On CNN

“Way better than a 90 second trailer featuring Adrian Grenier in a fat suit”