Lissie - Catching A Tiger (2010)

“David Lynch Loves Lissie”

That’s the headline that started it all. Paste Magazine posted an article about David Lynch’s love for Lissie in August and I was immediately intrigued (Not intrigued enough to just read the article strangely but intrigued to do some research). Who is Lissie? What does she do and why does David Lynch, filmmaker extraordinaire, love her? Well Lissie is a twenty-something singer/songwriter from the Midwest. Thanks Google. First and second question answered. The last question came only when I picked up her debut album Catching A Tiger last month. The thing that sets her apart from all the singer/songwriters out there is the sometimes gritty rock style she plays in, while wailing her heart out in a way that demands your instantaneous attention. And yet she has this aura on nonchalance as well. Like she could care less about these peeks into her soul she gives. Her vocals are raw but also controlled in this way that makes you marvel at how easy she makes it seem. “Record Collector” has a swagger and folk tale lyricism that coupled with Lissie’s effortless yodels lead you to expect a country album while “When I’m Alone” and “In Sleep” elevate it a bit with emotion-invoking pop rock goodness.

Catching A Tiger is this fluid genre-bending work with its mix of personal and storytelling lyrics, folksy country twang (“Record Collector”), piano balladry (“Bully”), hyperactive feel good rock (“Cuckoo”); It all keeps attached with Lissie’s emotive vocals. Just when you think you know what to expect, Lissie shatters those expectations by bringing in some different sort of influence. In that way, she keeps the album from being this boring sobfest or standard singer/songwriter fare. Lissie doesn't just bring you on an emotional roller coaster but baits you to follow her by pretending not to care while giving you reassuring glimpses at just the right time.

Get a glimpse of Lissie with a live video of "In Sleep":

Watch: Cast Spells - "Glamorous Glowing"

Maps & Atlases' frontman and Dave Davison sets off on his own this December as Cast Spells, his sideproject of similar awesomeness. To celebrate, there was the release of his debut music video for "Glamorous Glowing". The video has this multi-colored cube that's almost Rubik's cube like, floating and changing colors in a variety of different nature settings. Watch the video here:


Check out the December tour dates for Cast Spells with Steven Mason
12/14 Red Palace - Washington D.C.
12/15 M. Room - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
12/16 Knitting Factory - New York, New York
12/17 Mercury Lounge - New York, New York
12/18 Great Scott - Allston, Massachusetts
12/19 Il Motore - Montreal, Canada
12/20 Wrongbar - Toronto, Canada

So if he's playing anywhere near you, go see Dave Davision sing heartfelt folk-inspired playful pop and be amazing. You'll be glad you did.

Watch: Left With Pictures - "October Waits"

Sometimes inspiration for their monthly In Time project is hard to come by for chamber pop Brits, Left With Pictures. However their most recent track/video "October Waits", directed by Ed Christmas, with its spooky clustered vocal accompaniment, dark and airy balladic a capella, and setting in an abandoned hospital wouldn't surprise listeners with its inspiration from October's major celebrated holiday: Halloween. The track features Toby Knowles on vocals whose lower range gives the track some extra oomph, and features some bone-chillingly awesome viola solos in between all the swooping and swaying in the vocals.

Watch the latest In Time release "October Waits" here:


Left With Pictures has also announced plans to release an In Time album sometime in January 2011 and perform a release party/Christmas party for their label Organ Grinder Records on Dec 17 in London. Stay tuned for some info on the album.

Watch: Good Old War - "That's Some Dream"

It's hard to believe that somewhere during all their whirlwind touring, folk-pop troubadours Good Old War had the time to do anything, much less film a music video. But in a case of shooting two birds with one stone, the trio released the video for "That's Some Dream". Directed by Andy Patch, the video follows the band around on tour showing some live show performances and everything in between. Watch the delightfully charming video:


Good Old War is currently on tour in support of their sophomore self-titled album.

Watch: Local Natives - "Who Knows Who Cares"

Local Natives continue their trend of rapid music video releasing (a la Beyonce) with the premiere of a new video for "Who Knows Who Cares". The video marks their fifth release and features the band and friends road-tripping into the wilderness where they have a picnic that turns into a food-fight with an assortment of vibrant colored fruits before turning into a bonfire concert filled for a bunch of random, attractive youngsters who appeared seemingly out of nowhere.

Watch the video for "Who Knows Who Cares":

Lykke Li - "Get Some"

Lykke Li makes good on her promises of new songs by releasing a brand spanking new single "Get Some". The song with its hypnotizing drum beat and burlesque swagger is a sexier Lykke Li than her debut Youth Novels might have lead listeners to believe but also seems a natural progression. Lykke Li focuses her drive and passion established in "I'm Good, I'm Gone" and "Breaking It Up" into a sultry, come hither display of power.

The single along with B-side "Paris Blue" are available for free download at Lykke Li's website here.

Listen to "Get Some":
Lykke Li - Get Some by radarmaker

Anya Marina to release School Spirit EP

Anya Marina has more or less been quietly at work since her 2009 sophomore release Slow & Steady Seduction: Phase II. However some of the fruits of her labor can be seen with the 5 song School Spirit EP, scheduled for a November 15 release, that consists of a series of duets with some of her musical pals. The first track from the EP, "Whatsit" features Dandy Warhols frontman Courtney Taylor-Taylor on vocals and a grungy upbeat guitar rock sound that was merely hinted at on Slow & Steady Seduction. Stream "Whatsit" on Spin.com here.

Spirit School will be released digitally only by Marina's label Chop Shop and features more of her music friends such as Telekinesis' Michael Lerner and Sam Fogarino of Interpol.

Anya Marina is also working on yet untitled third album due sometime in Spring 2011.