So as I’m writing this jam-packed list for April it is officially snowing outside. First and foremost, unless you’re a farmer or something (as you all know buffaBLOG is pretty popular with the agricultural scene) worried about your crop, you can stop complaining. We all knew this would happen just as it does at least once every spring. And frankly, we deserve it after the last few record-breaking weeks of 70+ degree weather we’ve been having. The hell with it, I can talk about the weather with the mailman or my great Aunt Agnes.
The forecast for this month might as well be a mottled storm cloud, splotched red and orange on the doppler, ready to spill out an overabundance of new airs that were all conjured up in various studios during a winter that plagued us with inevitable musical drought. In April, when it rains, it indubitably pours. So while this may appear to be only a list of ten releases, don’t be a damn fool, because looks can be deceiving. Technically speaking, this list is more like a top 50 or 100 due in part to a particular holiday that celebrates Independent music and it’s marketers.
Sepalcure are Brooklynites Praveen Sarma and Travis Stewart. With the critical success of last year’s self-titled, bass-charged LP, this four track EP sets out to shed new light on a couple selections from that record, those being, “Hold On” which is remixed by Trevino and “The One,” being remixed by Kevin Mcphee. And while there is one new track on the EP, entitled “Don’t Cry”, there is still a lot to be excited about in so far as how these remixes will capture the diversity of sounds that Sepalcure has already been able to exhibit. The 12” is due out April 17 on Hotflush.
Pencil Pimp - Sepalcure by amadeusblog
A fascinating split LP that will be coming out on April 17 (May 1 for all you vinyl enthusiasts) is between campfire folkies Woods, and noise-smith Henry Barns, known as Amps For Christ. There is one collaborative track from the release that you can hear below called “From Oatmeal to Buttermilk,” which combines ambient guitars, a hazy zither solo, and an reoccurring chirping that sounds a bit like a locust. It’s quite entrancing. The rest of the record consists of four songs from each respective artist.
Nick Zammuto released some pretty extraordinary music when he was apart of The Books with cellist Paul de Jong. The New York duo have now called it quits indefinitely, but Zammuto has amassed a band and is releasing his self-titled LP on April 3. You can now listen to the record in it’s entirety streaming over at SPIN.
Finally! Jack White is releasing music under his own name. The album is called Blunderbuss and after the endless collaborations, and many great albums with the White Stripes, he has finally made a record he can call his own. It’s due out April 27. You can pre-order it on White’s website and listen to the low-key single “Love Interruption” below.
Moonface, side project of Wolf Parade’s Spencer Krug, will be releasing the ten song LP With Siinai: Heartbreaking Bravery on April 17 via Jagjaguwar. Krug recorded the record with the hypnotic Finnish group Siinai, hence the title of the record. According to the band’s profile on Jagjaguwar’s site, the album will focus on the theme of heartbreak, stating, “If there is a place that is beautiful only because it's too dark to see whether or not ugliness exists, that's where you'll find these songs and their characters.”
In an interview with NME from July 2010, Spiritualized mastermind Jason Pierce said, “I always shy away from anything I write that sounds like a pop song, things like 'Soul On Fire' or 'Stop Your Crying'...This time I’m embracing songs like that and seeing what happens. I’m not fighting it any more.” In the three and half years since 2008’s Songs in A&E, it seems Pierce has done exactly what he has claimed with Sweet Heart, Sweet Light, and the proof is on the epic, sugar-coated single “Hey Jane”. The record’s due out on April 17 on Fat Possum.
Bear In Heaven is back releasing new jams since 2009’s critically acclaimed Beast Rest Forth Mouth, with their third album, I Love You, It’s Cool, which is being co-released by Hometapes and Dead Oceans on April 3. Until then, there’s good news and bad news. The good news is the entire album is streaming on the band’s website right now. The bad news is it’s literally been slowed down by about 400,000%. Bear In Heaven 1, Music Marketing Schemers 0.
Lo-fi punk artist Ty Segall is following up the success of last year’s Goodbye Bread by collaborating with fellow Bay-area scuzz-rocker Tim Presley, known as White Fence, for the split LP Hair. The first track off the album, “I am Not A Game,” is a filthy-riffed guitar-driven track that is groovy as ever. There’s little doubt that this collaborative LP will be a summertime favorite.
M Ward, the other half of She and Him, is releasing his solo album A Wasteland Companion on Merge records April 10, and it’s about damn time. He has already released two singles from the record, the piano-rock jam “Primitive Girl” and “The First Time I Ran Away” which already has an incredible animated video which is directed by the talented Joel Trussell and attempts to interpret the lyrics. Check it out below:
Record Store Day was founded in 2007 and continues to be the greatest celebration of independent music and records of the year. This celebration occurs every year on the third Saturday in April and boasts hundreds of artists releasing various special vinyls and CDs. This year includes releases from Arcade Fire, Beach House, Bonnie Prince Billy, Destroyer, Jimmy Fallon, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, St. Vincent, M83, The Tallest Man on Earth, Neon Indian, Portugal. The Man, Wilco, Patti Smith, The Black Keys, and many, many more. You can check out the list of releases at the official Record Store Day website right now. Make sure to mark your calendars for April 21 and find out which Record Stores near you will be celebrating!
Jack White is at number 1 for me! Blunderbuss is going to be amazing...already pre-ordered it :)
second that on Blunderbuss...love Sixteen Saltines. Check it out at www.jackwhiteiii.com