Sticklips

As happens like clockwork once each week, Sunday evening falls directly upon our heads along with the sobering realization of another cubicle-dwelling handful of days existing in the not-so-distant future. In an attempt to fight off thoughts of our circle-o-impending doom, we've taken the time to sort though our email inbox once again and have some beautifully haunting/enchanting female vocals to share as a result. Although our subject line serves as an initial introduction, please have a listen to the following track before we continue any further.

MP3: Our Shoving Leopard (Finished Version)



Sticklips is primarily the music project of vocalist, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Johanna Warren who currently resides in the college town of Annandale-On-Hudson, New York. It was at Bard College where Johanna met guitarist/experimental noise collaborator Jonathan Nocera and together these two musicians have come up with an impressive compilation of songs that will soon serve as a debut release. The upcoming album is set to be titled It is Like a Horse/It is Not Like Two Foxes and we have another gem that will eventually belong to this dreamy little offering. Shall we?

MP3: Bedding Wells (Finished Version)



If you've avoided any instinct to dine-n-dash and have made it this far, there is almost certainly a new soft spot in the ear for Sticklips. Johanna's vocal strength could affectionately be likened to a number of our favourite classic artists, yet we find ourselves at a loss for for any direct comparisons... this is a very good thing. More information and music can be found upon visiting the Sticklips MySpace page and there is also a Sticklips blog where vegan recipes (we might actually like to try) as well as some additional insight is readily available. The next live performance will take place next Saturday, April 4, at local venue/converted automotive garage known to Bard College students and locals as SMOG.

Finally, a track we consider to be the "showstopper" simply for the fact that it ramps up into something of a slow-burning version of any given song we can remember from long-lost lovelies The Primitives. Enjoy the following seven minutes and be sure to look for updates here at MML once the debut release is out of the gate.

MP3: I Must Mend The Sail (Finished Version)

(Editor's Note: Update 10/15/09 - We've replaced the demo versions originally posted with the final studio versions just made available to us by the band. The album It is Like a Horse/It is Not Like Two Foxes is set to be released in November - full review to come!)

MML News: Bob Mould - Life and Times

Ohhh, do we have a treat for everyone today. For those of you who are not aware, the brand new full length collection of songs from legendary musician/songwriter Bob Mould, titled Life And Times, is set to be released on April 07, 2009 through Anti- Records. Being the all-around Bob fanatics we are here at MML, this is a very important date and a CD we cannot wait to get our sweaty little hands on. The folks at Spinner.com were indirectly generous enough to post the track City Lights (Days Go By) this morning and we are completely ecstatic in bringing you a preview right here. Be sure to clear any potential distractions from your immediate surroundings and sit down to have a listen.

MP3: City Lights (Days Go By)

Track Listing for Life And Times:

1. Life and Times
2. The Breach
3. City Lights (Days Go By)
4. MM 17
5. Argos
6. Bad Blood Better
7. Wasted World
8. Spiraling Down
9. I'm Sorry, Baby, But You Can't Stand In My Light Any More
10. Lifetime

Bob Mould website (Pre-order Life And Times)
Bob Mould blog (Information)
Bob Mould MySpace (Listen)
MML Preview: District Line (2007)
MML Live Review (2008)

Casey Chisholm

We often find ourselves hopping back and forth between NYC and the various music scenes of Sweden in making selections for our blog and even jokingly considered changing the name of this little joint to Malmö Malmö Brooklynade after a few too many cocktails one night. This time, however, we venture much further west for our featured artist. Casey Chisholm is a musician from the northern Californian town of Aptos who has been writing, performing and honing his audio offerings since 2002. After a handful of previous releases, Casey recently completed a brand new, self-titled collection of songs through Ascension Recordings & Publications. The music is an effective combination of acoustic and not-so-experimental electronica guided by Mr. Chisholm's subdued vocals which seem to echo the delightful influence of Lou Barlow and/or even Marc Almond at times. The CD release party took place last night at Metamusic Records in Santa Cruz and, just in case you missed it, Casey can be found again this evening with another local in-shop-performance at Streetlight Records. A pair of songs from the new album for you...

MP3: Sleep In Silence
MP3: Alive

New Video: The Very Sexuals

Some welcome news to report on Eindhoven/Noord-Brabant, Netherlands lovelies The Very Sexuals, who we originally featured early last summer with their debut album Post-Apocalyptic Love [June 2008 MML Review + Info]. The band now has a brand new video for the track Carla from this outstanding release and Mr. Joep van Son was nice enough to give us a heads-up message the other day. Have a look.



Amazingly enough, the debut album Post-Apocalyptic Love continues to be available completely free for download and is every bit as good as we remember it being last year. A pair of tracks from the album for you...

MP3: Bowie Eyes
MP3: Billy Idol Look-Alike Contest

Finally, some links for the label, related music projects, musicians and previous MML reviews that are all good destinations for information connected to today's featured artist. Please click around and discover more about The Very Sexuals... we love 'em.

Subroutine Records
Subroutine MySpace

The Very Sexuals
The Very Sexuals MySpace

The Sugarettes
The Sugarettes MySpace
MML Review: January 2007
MML Review: September 2007
MML Video Post: Feburary 2008

Foam

Oscar Kocken

Lassus

Who is this faceless person pictured above in the under-developed photograph? If you are even a casual fan of the various music scenes around Sweden and/or follow some of our occasional offerings from this musically blessed country, today's featured artist is someone you will definitely want to know about. Lassus is the longtime music project of multi-instrumentalist Andreas Lassus from Gothenburg, Sweden. Aside from his active participation in the bands Muxika77 and Boy Omega (who we last featured in September 2006), Andreas has been busy with his own solo material. A mini-album, titled Stop & Start, Severed Heart, was made available in 2005 through Villa Recordings and, after a number of appearances on regional compilations, Lassus will soon have a debut, full-length collection of songs recorded and distribution-ready for 2009. The upcoming album is set to be titled Future War Inside The Heart and will be released here in the states through Chicago based label Fragile Famile Records (an offshoot of Jeune Eté Records) at a date that has not yet been disclosed. After listening to the impressive preview track we've provided below, what surfaced immediately was a combination of acoustic and experimental electronic accompaniment balanced thoughtfully without the slightest hint of one sound swallowing the other. Since the Lassus website is currently under construction, you will need to visit the Lassus MySpace page for additional music and information. Enjoy the preview track and be sure to check back in for updates on the 2009 release of Future War Inside The Heart. This song is just lovely.

MP3: Here Comes No Ray

MML: Sunday Night Cover Songs

"Happy Birthday, Dear MML, Happy Birthday to Youuuuuu!"

Since we recently missed our three year anniversary here at MML (by a few months or so) and failed to think of a witty subject line or source a picture that remotely brought to mind the topic at hand, we found ourselves saddled with a Google-tastic photo of birthday candles and an introduction that deserves no further explanation. Over the past three years, we've had the pleasure of sampling many artists that continue to expand their own sound while occasionaly exploring the beauty of various classic musicians who serve as inspiration for their work. The result is often humorous and playful but there are moments when we listen to these cover versions and....ohh the loveliness. Have fun with the following 10 cover songs and please support the artists by picking up a copy of the latest release or checking out an upcoming live performance. The links are all there for you! xoxo.

Purplespace

Location: Jacksonville, Florida
Website & MySpace
MP3: Pretty In Pink (The Psychedelic Furs)

Shannon Roberts

Location: Chicago, Illinois
Website & MySpace
MP3: The Book Of Love (The Magnetic Fields)

Atomic Garden

Location: Clermont-Ferrand, France
Website & MySpace
MP3: Gift (Sugar)

Tomihira

Location: San Francisco, California
Website & MySpace
MP3: Mr. Disco (New Order)

Buffalo Tom

Location: Boston, Massachusetts
Website & MySpace
MP3: Cupid Come (My Bloody Valentine)

Hellsongs

Location: Gothenburg, Sweden
Website & MySpace
MP3: Run To The Hills (Iron Maiden)

Lili De La Mora & 11HZ Robot

Location: Long Beach, California
Lili MySpace & 11hz Robot MySpace
MP3: Let's Go To Bed (The Cure)

Boy Omega

Location: Gothenburg, Sweden
Website & MySpace
MP3: Papa Was a Rodeo (The Magnetic Fields)

Pansy Division

Location: San Francisco, California
Website & MySpace
MP3: Breaking The Law (Judas Priest)

The Blue Up?

Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Ana Voog blog & Ana Voog webcam
MP3: Pink Turns To Blue (Husker Du)

Limbs

Brooklyn, New York always seems to be an inevitable music destination for our blog and this time around we promise not to disappoint or confuse the natural order of things here at MML. Upon first listening to today's featured artist, a perverse thought of those later swooning years of Superchunk, set to a backdrop of unorthodox song structures in the tradition of long-lost DC indie rockers Jawbox instantly took shape in our heads. If this scenario makes sense to anyone familiar with the aforementioned classics, it will be difficult not to love what you are hopefully already listening to. Limbs is an NYC trio consisting of musicians Jeff Stultz (vocals, guitar, bass), Oisin O'Brien (guitar, bass, backing vocals) and Chris Pressler (percussion, backing vocals) who have a 2008-recorded full length album, titled Seeds On Stone, that was officially released last week (3/2) with a performance at Brooklyn venue Cakeshop. To preview more of this outstanding music and find additional information on the new release, you can either visit the Limbs website or stalk them to no end on the Limbs MySpace page. Your next chance to check the band out in a live setting will take place March 21 at local Gowanus neighborhood establishment The Bell House. I think it's safe to say... we completely adore this band.

MP3: Head Above Water

Baron Bane

For those who have any semblance of a quality audio system connected to their computers, now would probably be the perfect time to generate a respectable level of volume. We've been happily rattling the old windows of our little office with the bass tones of today's featured music and wanted to share this gem in a quick post. Baron Bane is a seemingly anonymous troupe of musicians from Gävle, Sweden (a town we showcased over the holidays with Twiggy Frostbite) who have been together for several years and have a handful of previous releases. The most recent single, Love.Cure.All, was originally made available through Swedish label Stupid Dream Records in November 2008 and can now be downloaded completely free (along with remixed versions) by visiting the Baron Bane website or the Baron Bane MySpace page. The track you are hopefully already listening to will eventually be a part of an upcoming, full-length, yet-to-be-titled release from Stupid Dream Records and we are very much looking forward to it.

MP3: Love.Cure.All (Original Mix)