Leaders Off: Giant Guitar LP

In receiving press releases directly from artists or labels, there are often times we make the mistake of reading outside biographies and reviews that don't exactly match up with our own conclusions regarding the sounds we experience. This evening we have a perfect example and an outstanding featured artist to share. Leaders Off is a band that exists on the western coast of Sweden, with beginnings in Vänersborg where they recorded and performed hundreds of songs in near-obscurity over the better part of the past 10 years. As a result of their labor and patience, Leaders Off has completed a brilliant new full-length collection of songs, titled Giant Guitar, which becomes available through Swedish label Häleri tomorrow, January 28. Although we've read of previous comparisons to Urge Overkill and the band themselves mention Dinosaur Jr. as an influence, we needed to dig deeper into a dusty old box of vinyl records in the basement for hints that kept swimming around inside our heads. The earliest recordings of Joe Jackson quickly surfaced and it wouldn't be at all surprising to find Look Sharp or I'm The Man nestled happily somewhere in the personal music collection of someone in the band. Influence and similarities aside, Giant Guitar is a solid new release that most certainly deserves close attention and a physical copy to grip tightly in hand. Listen up...

Originally released as a single in 2010 and now track two from Giant Guitar.
MP3: Sacred Mansion

Here you go...the brand new single and lead track from Giant Guitar.
MP3: Mari

Two If By Sea

Connecticut-based label February Records is off to a swift clip for 2011 in releasing both a retrospective 2010 compilation, titled One Year Of Original Music, and downright lovely new offering from today's featured artist. Two If By Sea is the music project of London, Ontario musician Teresa Daniele who enlists the long-distance accompaniment of Chicago multi-instrumentalist Lisle Mitnik (Fireflies) and Toledo folk artist Kevin Clark (The Homeville Circle). The debut EP offering from this collaboration, Staysail, is made up of 5 tracks pressed for 7" vinyl and we have quickly grown to appreciate the unique yet classic sound involved. A charming twee backdrop that chimes as a clockwork music box to hold preciously in hand is accented beautifully with the guiding whisper of Teresa Daniele's vocals. For those who still own just the right type of record player, there will be no greater reward than watching the arm bring another round of either side where this little gem is concerned. Have a listen...

MP3: Unbraided Wind

//orangenoise: //veracious EP

In maintaining this little music blog, we keep no running count of various parts of the world from which musicians send morsels of their audio craft to our email inbox or front door. In the case of today's featured artist, however, we might just have a first where location is concerned. //orangenoise is an impressive four-piece from Karachi, Pakistan consisting of musicians Talha Asim Wynne (guitar, vocals), Daniel Arthur Panjwaneey (bass, vocals), Danial Hyatt (percussion) and Faizan Riedinger (guitar). As a follow up to their 2009 single The Morning After, the band has a debut collection of five songs in the form of a digital EP titled //veracious. After listening over the past several hours, we've found it almost impossible to choose only one highlight from this new release... so two songs ahead for you. Track number three is titled Trust and it sent us into Lou Barlow-land (if there is such a place?) almost immediately. Have a listen.

MP3: Trust

With influences ranging from classic psychedelia and 60s garage-rock to an amazing take on both early and more recent shoegaze, //orangenoise seems content in tinkering playfully with the past while presenting a beautiful sound of their very own. The new EP //veracious can be found and freely downloaded by visiting the //orangenoise bandcamp page. For those who need a bit more convincing, sit back and listen to the next six minutes and fifty-five seconds of loveliness.

MP3: I Know Everything

Illogical Time Concerns

San Francisco, California-based musicians John Ricksen and Mark Ricksen are brothers we originally featured as part of the post-shoegaze band Collider last year in January 2010. Not having any recent updates to go on, we found ourselves with a much welcomed message explaining their ongoing music project Illogical Time Concerns. As a result of writing and recording music since 2004, the Ricksen brothers are now gracious enough to share their entire seven year discography, which can heard and downloaded (completely free) by visiting the Illogical Time Concerns Website. Having only begun our journey in sorting through the numerous tracks involved, we can already give a solid recommendation to our MML regulars for doing the same. Dream-pop, shoegaze, psychedelic or however some would choose to label the sound... we just dig it. The latest release, titled Neu Symbols EP, was just made available a couple of weeks ago and we have an impressive song to whet the palate. Here you go.

MP3: Empire

Purple Bloom

Welcome to 2011 and a brand new calendar for this, our little music nest. In order to begin the year on just the right series of notes to remind us of exactly what sends our collective spirit soaring, we have a long-overdue introduction and beautiful song to share. Purple Bloom is the collaboration of multi-instrumentalist Tsuyoshi, who we originally featured in September 2007 with his music project Hate Everything You Hate, and vocalist Linden from Tokyo, Japan. Together, Linden and Tsuyoshi have completed a handful of impressive new tracks that are set to be released for early 2011. Before we continue, a compulsory first listen to a lead single that has us both smitten is well in order.

MP3: Star Is Mine



For those already paying attention to the textbook shoegaze loveliness of Tsuyoshi's blending guitars and Linden's beautiful vocal accompaniment, it might not be such a far stretch to imagine the bass line giving the likes of Greg Dulli a reason to produce an evil grin. A perfect balance in sound that earns our very first 2011 honours where favourite listening is concerned. For additional information and audio, please do yourselves a big favor by visiting both the Purple Bloom Facebook as well as the Purple Bloom MySpace page. Thank us later... and welcome back.