Chapman & Brocker

Another Monday evening is at hand and we find ourselves sorting through plenty of brand new/unreleased music to share here on the blog. This time, however, we have an amazing offering from almost a full year ago that deserves the serious attention of anyone who may have overlooked it over the past several months. Chapman & Brocker is a Thousand Oaks/Los Angeles, California based duo who happen to be brothers and got their start working on the score for a surfing documentary titled Best Hours Of The Day in 2004. Since this initial project, three years of collaboration in the writing, recording and production were spent on a full length, December 2007 collection of songs titled Dance Of The Crazy Man. The album was completed and made available without any assistance or support of a record label and although this might seem more common than not in these DIY days, the result is not usually this striking. We'd definitely suggest a first listen to understand our most recent music fixation...

MP3: Chimes



The experimental goodness that is Chimes serves as the lead track for this debut release and is the perfect introduction for what turns out to be an impressive assortment of Tin Pan Alley flavoured fairytales. Imagine the creativity of classic Todd Rundgren, warmth of Benjamin Folds and subtle savvy of Trentemøller, intertwined if not completely fused, and you probably have the closest estimation of our new-found love for the sound this duo recently brought to our attention. Before having another listen, let us first direct you towards the Chapman & Brocker website as well as the C&B MySpace page for more music and information. Another favourite for you...

MP3: The Hearth

New Madrid Faults

Just over two years ago, we featured a talented Los Angeles, California based outfit known as Gertie Fox [October 2006 review + download] and ended up having some fun expanding on a few non-related music peeves in the process. Since that post and the eventual dissolution of the band in 2007, member Matt Molchany remained in LA for some time, then relocated back to eastern Pennsylvania and began working on new music. At various later stages of his progress with the new project, Matt kept in touch with us and, as a result, we now have quite the treat to share as a sneak peek for you.

New Madrid Faults is the name of this new trio, consisting of musicians Matt Molchany, John Kimock and Matt Juknevic who now, at least on a part time basis, call Bethlehem, Pennsylvania home. Today's featured track is an excellent first listen to a yet-to-be-titled debut album, set to be released through Brooklyn, NYC based label Ropadope (Ropadope MySpace) in the earliest part of 2009. For more music that could possibly make the cut for the upcoming CD as well as additional detailed information on the band and it's musicians, check out the New Madrid Faults MySpace page. There is also an ongoing series of observations and updates from the band to be found on the New Madrid Faults blog. The next live performance will take place tomorrow night, November 21, at local Bethlehem venue Funhouse Pub.

If this new material is any indication of what to expect from the debut release, we might have an incredibly good start to 2009 on our hands.

MP3; Cities

The Argument

Every once in a while, a message containing new music deserving of immediate attention makes its way into the MML email inbox and eventually our unsuspecting ears. To be honest, we know next to nothing about this evening's featured artist, but felt compelled to present this outstanding music that now serves to rattle the windows of our makeshift office without any hesitation. What we do know is the following. The Argument is an indie pop duo/music project consisting of musicians Marcus and Niklas from Malmö, Sweden. The brand new, self-released debut album is titled Summer/Winter Nights and it is completely free for download if you visit The Argument MySpace page. Also, be sure to check out The Argument Blog for more updated info. This is a good one.

MP3: Forget About The Politics

Suturee

Another weekend comes to a close as we find ourselves sorting through various emails and sounds while having an extended glance at occasional snowflakes now dancing around the window view from our office space. Today's featured music is a perfect audio example of what seems to be pulsing through the senses while making a gentle path to our collective brain at this very moment... and the listen is absolutely beautiful. Suturee is primarily the duo of multi-instrumentalists Julian Brau and Rebecca Adorno from San Juan, Puerto Rico. After forming the band in 2007, Julian and Rebecca relocated to New York City and currently enlist the assistance of fellow musicians Fernando Samalot (bass), Kristian Prieto (guitar) and Eduardo Martinez (drums) for the purpose of live performance dates. Earlier this year, in May 2008, Suturee released a self-titled debut CD and we are just now fortunate enough to have a belated listening party of sorts here at MML.



For those who have already skipped ahead to listen and are having something of a déjà-vu experience, an underlying feel of Yo La Tengo, or more specifically the 2003 release Summer Sun might come to mind in each of the songs featured today. Be it the soft, breathy vocals or attention to detail where each and every string takes its place, the subtle mood created within this offering is one we can highly recommend. For more information on the debut CD and plenty of the music from it, a compulsory visit to the Suturee MySpace page, as well as the official Suturee website should top your list of plans. Let's make an evening of it... shall we?

MP3: Afraid Of Hands
MP3: This Hour

Meeting of Important People

Out of all the regional Midwestern city music scenes we unfortunately neglect on a regular basis (and by "regional" our measure consists of responsible road-trip distance), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania has to be the one destination we admittedly know the least about. Meeting Of Important People are a trio that call this Steel City home, and who were also kind enough to send today's featured track our way. From what we read, this single was released as part of a compilation titled Playing Favorites from The Key Party which is a collection of related local artists who have interchangeable musicians crossing over to take part in multiple bands and sometimes perform each other's songs in various live settings. 1000 copies of the CD were originally passed around for free at a music festival in Pittsburgh's south side this past August... and if anyone has a spare copy we would love to take it off their hands!



Upon taking in the very first moments of the song Mothers Pay More, you might be lured into expecting an altogether radio-friendly listen, but as the underlying classic garage feel of the vocals and guitar take shape, any thought other than that of infectious indie folk-rock should quickly disappear. For more music we seriously recommend, as well as information on the upcoming full length debut slated for release in early 2009, pay a visit to the MOIP MySpace page. The next live performance will take place as part of a Roustabout! event at College Station/PSU venue Bar Bleu on December 3. Have fun with what we consider a truly addictive song and expect a follow up on MML once the debut album is released.

MP3: Mothers Pay More

Skipper: Architecture and Design

As a follow-up to our most recent feature of Zuid (south) Holland, Netherlands multi-instrumentalist Mike Schepers and his music project Skipper [July 2008 review + download], we are more than pleased to give a heads-up on the release of a brand new, full length debut album titled Architecture and Design. Having only heard a limited amount of this music at the time of our previous review, we had no idea what to expect from the long player once it arrived in our post. While we were peeling back the plastic film and examing the artwork included within the CD case, a collision of drums began the opening track Wrong Man, Wrong Place and, at that moment, it became clear we were in for an experience. Throughout the 10 tracks that make up Architecture and Design, Mr. Schepers accomplishes an effective mix of traditional instrumentation and experimental electronic accompaniment many artists of the same ilk find a difficult balance. After having listened to the entire new collection of songs, and admittedly coughing up a slight cackle at the direct Human League reference in the closing track Perfect, we can recommend Architecture and Design highly as one of the more solid and well thought releases so far this year... regardless of genre. To pick up a copy of what is certainly destined for daily rotation in the CD player of our car (which hardly ever happens), you only need to visit Groningen, Netherlands based Subroutine Records (Subroutine MySpace) or the Skipper MySpace page. Now let's get to the music.

MP3: Moving On

Self Storage Compilation Volume 1

Every once in a while, we are fortunate enough to feature multiple artists in a single post, with music that fits a certain theme or belongs to a compilation release of sorts. Today we have just such an occasion on our hands in bringing you a few samples from a brand new, sixteen-band compilation that was released November 3rd through Brooklyn, New York-based Self Storage Recordings. The CD is aptly titled Self Storage Compilation Volume 1, and this fantastic collection of music was made possible, available and easily pluckable from our post box last week thanks to label proprietor Andy Durutti. If Andy's name sounds even vaguely familiar to some of you MML regulars, it is probably a result of a certain promotion/support structure he also maintains for like-minded musicians, widely known as Loveless Music Group (LMG Blog). The CD actually includes five artists that have been presented here in the past, but instead of revisiting our friends, it was decided to dig into three bands we had not experienced previously. Self Storage Compilation Volume 1 is a listen we can easily recommend... so let's get to some of this lovely (or should I say loveless) music that will serve as a good cross-section of what you can expect from the CD.

The Invisible Kid

Website: http://www.theinvisiblekid.com/
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/theinvisiblekid
MP3: Where'd You Go?

The Soundscapes

BNS Profile: http://www.bnssessions.com/bands/soundscapes.html
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/thesoundscapes
MP3: Here's When

Elika

Website: http://www.elikamusic.com/
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/elikamusic
MP3: Nowhere

The Antiques: Awake

As a follow up to their debut full length album Sewn With Stitches, Washington DC based lo-fi rock outfit The Antiques have just released a brand new long player, titled Awake, through artist run label Safranin Sound. Our original feature of the haunting loveliness this band exudes happened well over a year and a half ago [July 2007 review + download], so when we received our copy of the latest album last week, an immediate listen was in order. What we found was a gorgeous collection of distressed fairytales set to an ever-building tension that instantly reminded us how much of a dark mood an effective accompaniment of organ can bring to the surface. To have a listen to additional tracks and find out where to purchase the new album, you can visit The Antiques MySpace page as well as The Antiques website. For those who live close enough, or feel the need to plan a quality road trip in the near future, the next live performance will take place November 21 at Kalamazoo, Michigan venue Dino's Rock Room.

From the October 2008 release Awake
MP3: The Microphone Died

From the 2007 release Sewn With Stitches

MP3: Tied To Nowhere
MP3: One Day You'll Be Sorry Too