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artist - song - album :: extra info

The Sound of Arrows - Danger! - Danger! EP :: out May 7
(website | myspace)

We Were the States - Up Your Sleeve - Believe The Thieves
(website | myspace | Up Your Sleeve video)

Mystery Jets - Young Love - Twenty One
(website | myspace | Young Love video)

Head Of Femur - Jetway Junior - Great Plains
(website | myspace)

Telescope Vehicle - My Prayer - Skies and Butterflies
(website | myspace)

China Forbes - Everybody Needs Somebody - ‘78
(website | myspace | Video TV profile | Pink Martini: website | myspace)

Laura Gibson - All the Pretty Horses - Six White Horses :: a tour-only EP
(website | myspace | @ Hinah | @ Daytrotter)

Colin Meloy - We Both Go Down Together - Colin Meloy Sings Live!
(myspace | free Morrissey covers @ archive.org | Decemberists: website | myspace)

Cut Copy - Far Away - In Ghost Colours :: out in the US on April 8
(website | myspace | last.fm)

The Raconteurs - Five on the Five - Consolers Of The Lonely
(website | myspace | @ XL Recordings)

The Notwist - Alphabet - The Devil, You + Me :: out May or June
(website | myspace)

Sunday Forever - Barely
(myspace)

Bridges and Powerlines - Uncalibrated - Ghost Types
(website | myspace | last.fm)

Borko - Dingdong Kingdom - Celebrating Life
(myspace | last.fm)

Flight of the Conchords - Ladies of the World - Flight of the Conchords
(website | myspace | @ HBO | Ladies video)
mp3s:

The Sound of Arrows - Danger
We Were the States - Up Your Sleeve
Mystery Jets - Young Love (Shoes Remix)
Head of Femur - Jetway Junior
Telescope Vehicle - My Prayer (via Local Cut)
China Forbes - Everybody Needs Somebody
Laura Gibson - All the Pretty Horses (via Local Cut)
Colin Meloy - We All Go Down Together (live)
Bridges and Powerlines - Uncalibrated
Borko - Dingdong Kingdom
Flight of the Conchords - Ladies of the World

 

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[Personal, non-music-related anecdote.]

artist - song - album :: extra info

Cassettes Won’t Listen - Large Radio - Small-Time Machine
(website | myspace)

The Kills - Cheap and Cheerful - Midnight Boom
(website | myspace | Cheap and Cheerful video)

Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan - The Flame that Burns - Sunday at Devil Dirt
(Isobel Campbell: website | myspace | Mark Lanegan: myspace)

Plants and Animals - Feedback In The Field - Parc Avenue :: out March 25
(website | myspace)

Jeremy Jay - Alpharhythm - Alpha Rhythm 7″ :: out in May on K Records
(myspace)

She & Him - I Was Made for You - Volume 1
(myspace | @ Merge Records)

Tall Firs - Hairdo - Too Old to Die Young
(website | myspace)

Crystal Castles - Good Time - Crystal Castles
(myspace | last.fm)

Death Cab for Cutie - I Will Posess Your Heart - Narrow Stairs :: out May 13
(website | myspace)

Dominic Castillo - All My Troubles - Singles for Singles
(website | myspace)

Little Beirut - High Dive - High Dive
(website | myspace | @ Download.com)

The Postmarks - Three Little Birds  - By The Numbers :: Bob Marley cover
(website | myspace | @ World’s Fair | Goodbye video)

Weinland La Lamentor - God Here I Come - La Lamentor
(website | myspace | @ OPB)

Daedelus -  Fair Weather Friends - Fair Weather Friends EP
(myspace | last.fm | Fair Weather Friends video | Fair Weather Friends LIVE video)

They Might Be Giants - Number Two - Here Come the 123s!
(website | other website | myspace | fan Wiki)
mp3:

Tall Firs - Hairdo

 

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Every time Jenn and I visit Portland, it’s usually for about 3 or 4 days. The last few trips, we started counting Toyota Priuses, since I’m obsessed with them (see the car silhouette above), and there’s way more of them in the Portland area than in the exurbs of Vancouver where Jenn and I currently live. Our counts have always been exactly 50, the last one usually counted while we’re over the Columbia River, not quite in Washington yet. This time, we’ve been in Portland not two full days, and we’re already at 58.

I love this town. There’s just something in the air here (and it’s not carbon).

artist - song - album :: extra info

She and Him - Why Do You Let Me Stay Here - Volume 1
(myspace | @ Merge Records)

The Watson Twins - Just Like Heaven - Fire Songs :: out June 24
(website | myspace)

Bon Iver - Skinny Love - Evan, Forever Ago
(myspace | Virb | last.fm | @ Jagjaguwar)

Oh, Darling - Should’ve Never - Oh, Darling EP
(website | myspace | last.fm)

Dominic Castillo & the Rock Savants - Keep You Around - Singles for Singles
(website | myspace)

Foals - Balloons - Antidotes
(website | myspace)

Jaymay - Blue Skies - Autumn Fallin’
(website | myspace)

Pacific UV - Need - Longplay 2
(website | myspace)

French Kicks - Abandon - Swimming :: out May 20
(website | myspace)

Ladyhawk - I Don’t Always Know what You’re Saying - Shots
(website | myspace)

Peter Moren - Social Competence - The Last Tychoon
(myspace | PB&J)

Basia Bulat - True Love Will Find You in the End - Daytrotter.com session :: Daniel Johnston cover
(website | myspace | @ CBC Radio 3 | In the Night video)

Joseph Arthur - Rages of Babylon - Could We Survive? :: out March 18
(website | myspace | last.fm)

Science for Girls - You’ll Never Know - Science for Girls
(website | myspace | last.fm)

Gnarles Barkley - Run - The Odd Couple :: out April 1
(website | myspace) 

mp3s:

She and Him - Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?
Bon Iver - Skinny Love
Oh Darling - Shoulda Never
Foals - Balloons
Jaymay - Blue Skies
Pacific UV - Need
French Kicks - Abandon
Ladyhawk - I Don’t Always Know What You’re Saying
Peter Morén - Social Competence
Basia Bulat - True Love will Find You in the End (via Daytrotter) 
Joseph Arthur - Rages of Babylon
Science for Girls - You’ll Never Know

 

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Five! Sleeps! Till Portland!*

artist - song - album :: extra info

The Notwist - Good Lies - Devil, You + Me :: out in late May
(website | myspace)

Little Beirut - Belle De Jour - High Dive
(website | myspace | @ Download.com)

Born Ruffians - Hummingbird - Red, Yellow and Blue
(website | myspace | @ CBC Radio 3 | Hummingbird video)

Destroyer - Dark Leaves Form a Thread - Trouble in Dreams :: out March 18
(website | myspace | @ CBC Radio 3)

A Weather - Spiders, Snakes - Cove
(website | myspace | @ Team Love)

LCD Soundsystem - Big Ideas - 21 Soundtrack
(website | myspace)

Pela - Lost to the Lonesome - Anytown Graffiti
(website | myspace)

The Breeders - Bang On - Mountain Battles :: out April 8 in the US
(website | myspace | @ 4AD)

Team Genius - Sing Song - Hooray
(website | myspace)

These United States - First Sight - A Picture of the Three of Us at the Gate to the Garden of Eden
(website | myspace)

Cloud Cult - When Water Comes to Life - Feel Good Ghosts (Tea-Partying Through Tornados) :: out April 8th
(website | myspace)

The Ruby Suns - Tane Mahuta -Sea Lion
(website | @ Sub Pop | myspace)

Glowworm - The Captive - The Coachlight Woods
(website | myspace | last.fm)

Arms and Sleepers - Butterflycatcher - The Silent Ballet Volume 7
(website | myspace)

The Boy Least Likely To - I Box Up All The Butterflies - single
(website | myspace)
mp3s:

The Notwist - Good Lies
A Weather - Spiders, Snakes
Pela - Lost to the Lonesome
The Breeders - Bang On
Team Genius - Sing Song
These United States - First Sight
The Ruby Suns - Tane Mahuta
Glowworm - The Captive
Arms and Sleepers - Butterflycatcher
The Boy Least Likely To - I Box Up all the Butterflies (sign up and get it free!)

*Unfortunately, one of the sleeps will be cut one hour short, due to Daylight Savings Time, on top of having to wake up at 4 AM to open the store where I work on Sunday morning. Yet another way that I, the common man, am getting ripped off by the system. Help me, Barack Obama, you’re my only hope!

 

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I wrote a couple weeks ago about everyone needing more days off, and that issue became germane anew on Leap Day. “Twenty-four-seven, three-sixty-five.” Fine, Industrial Revolution, you win. But do we really need “three-sixty-six”? Come on! Why not just declare International Stay at Home, Sleep Late, Call Your Old Friend You’ve Lost Touch With, Pick Up the Novel You got 25 Pages into Three Years Ago, Soak Your Feet and Drink a Bottle of Charles Shaw Day? It’s just one day, every four years! I can think of another day that comes once every four years that has done our nation less good than the one I’m proposing would.
artist - song - album :: extra info

Liam Finn - Second Chance - I’ll Be Lightning
(website | myspace | Second Chance video | Second Chance on Letterman [a must-see])

Little Beirut - Acid Wash Soul - High Dive
(website | myspace | @ Download.com)

Weinland - Sick as a Gun - La Lamentor
(website | myspace | @ OPB)

Mobius Band - Mobius Band in a Green Cotton Sweater - Love Will Reign Supreme EP
(website | myspace)

Steve Smith - Comedown Queen - This Town
(website | myspace)

Bob Mould - The Silence Between Us - District Line
(website | myspace | @ ANTI)

Super Furry Animals - Run-Away - Hey Venus!
(website | myspace)

The Dodos - Jodi - Daytrotter.com session
(website | myspace)

Hot Chip - Ready for the Floor - Made in the Dark
(website | myspace | Ready for the Floor video)

Ida - Lovers Prayers - Lovers Prayers
(website | myspace)

DeVotchKa - Along the Way - A Mad and Faithful Telling :: out March 18
(website | myspace)

The Dirtbombs - Sherlock Holmes - We Have You Surrounded
(website | myspace)

Tokyo Police Club - In A Cave - Elephant Shell :: out April 22
(website | myspace | @ Daytrotter)

Ratatat - Cherry (”Bellmore” Remix by Easter Egg)
(website | myspace)

They Might Be Giants - High Five! - Here Come the 123s!
(website | other website | myspace | fan Wiki)
mp3s:

Liam Finn - Second Chance
Weinland - Sick As a Gun
Mobius Band - Mobius Band In A Green Cotton Sweater (Casiotone For The Painfully Alone cover)
Steve Smith - Comedown Queen
The Dodos - Jodi (live at Daytrotter)
Ida - Lovers Prayers
The Dirtbombs - Sherlock Holmes
Ratatat - Cherry (”Bellmore” Remix by Easter Egg) (via Local Cut)