I received an email a couple weeks ago from Colin Pate of the Philadelphia dream pop band, Ladies Auxiliary .  He sent me this video clip of their version of the Guns N' Roses Use Your Illusion II hit, "Don't Cry," which the band converted into a synth pop lounge ballad.  Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

The video for "Punch Struck," a single from First Person Shootr ( Fred Warmsley ), seems to capitalize a bit on imagery based on The Ring , its central figure hiding behind her hair at points, her surroundings an isolated and monochromatic treed forest or barren mountainside.  The song itself is ghostly and gaze-inducing, simplistic but engrossing.  The song is featured on the album, Mobility For Gods , which was released at the end of February. All info comes courtesy of Force Field PR. First Person Shootr "Punch-Struck" from TERROREYES.TV on Vimeo . First Person Shootr premieres music video for "Punch Struck" VIDEO: "Punch Struck" (Dir. by Terroreyes.tv ) - http://vimeo.com/38237209   Still from the "Punch Struck" video Musical inspiration comes from odd places: A lost love, a tragic event, or perhaps a hurdle you have finally leaped over. For Fred Warmsley, the man behind First Person Shootr, inspiration ...

The Marshmallow Ghosts is an intriguing electronic band that I’ve been sort of checking out over the last couple weeks, either through video or single. The band recently put out their self-titled LP and have an album-length film called, Corpse Reviver No. 2 , from which scenes have been pulled so as to apply visuals to their music, hence their videos which are essentially single-sized trailers. Everything is Halloween themed, so... ‘Tis the season. The video for “Trick” is not suitable for the cubicle because it has tits and witches. All info and links come courtesy of Terrorbird Media. The Marshmallow Ghosts - Wait for the Day from Graveface Records on Vimeo . The Marshmallow Ghosts present Corpse Reviver No. 2 Trailer from Graveface Records on Vimeo . Graveface debuts two new videos for Marshmallow Ghosts, new LP and Corpse Reviver No. 2 out now The Halloween themed project featuring members of Black Moth Super Rainbow, Casket Girls, Lady Lazarus, and Drea...

Back in March, Philadelphia-based electronica duo, RYAT , released Avant Gold .  I liked the album and meant to write about it, but was unfortunately overwhelmed by countless other albums/demands/deadlines and the album consequently fell too far from relevance to cover. I was pleasantly surprised to see that RYAT, the combined energies of Christina Ryat and Tim Conley , have a Daytrotter session available.  "Not For This Lifetime" is marked as unreleased, though it appears in Avant Gold .  This version is notably different, however.  The other unreleased track, "Nose Art," is thick with reverb, sampling and deep low end. Avant Gold is a worthy listen if you get the opportunity to hear it.  There's a good amount of live instrumentation incorporated into the more electronic aspects of the band's sound, which is adventuresome and deeper than what I've come to expect from most trance, techno or electronic music. 9.14.11: RYAT's Daytrotter set ...

So, Daniel Martin-McCormick ( Mi Ami ) and Darren Keen ( The Show Is The Rainbow ), both of whom I've interviewed, are wrapped up in circuits, wires and plugs, generating electro-based side projects. Martin-McCormick, even before he converted Mi Ami from avant-garde noise rock to an electronic translation, worked in this medium as Sex Worker , so Ital shouldn't be that much of a stretch, though Ital seems to be a more enhanced and involved project.  Martin-McCormick released a three-song Ital album earlier this year via his own Lovers Rock label, Culture Clubs . Altered Zones recently posted a live set, which isn't a bad listen, and a video of the track, "Only for Tonight (Dubout/Saviour's Love Megamix)."    Ital - Live @ Shea Stadium by LiveatSheaStadium ITAL - ONLY FOR TONIGHT (Dubout/Saviour's Love Megamix) from 100% Silk on Vimeo . Reviews : 1). Mi Ami — Watersports 2). Mi Ami — Steal Your Face 3). Mi Ami — Dolph...

Tiny Mix Tapes posted a video for “Four Horsemen” by Gypsy Treasures , a side-project of Aria Jalali , (whom you might know from Railcars ). It’s a good and trippy instrumental to begin your Monday morning.  There are bees in the video, so it kind of freaks me out. gypsy treasures // four horsemen from Sam Gurry on Vimeo . Info provided by Terrorbird Media. Gypsy Treasures Premiere New Video For "Four Horsemen"   "Buried Goods" out now on Not Not Fun WATCH: Four Horsemen (via Tiny Mix Tapes) LISTEN: Stray Dogs Of Wroclaw (via Altered Zones) The LA/SF based Gypsy Treasures premieres a dizzying new video. Directed by Samantha Gurry , Tiny Mix Tapes says "It's a good example of Gypsy Treasure's psychedelic stupor. Think Sun City Bishops with Gocher presiding over stereotypes of Middle Eastern/Eastern European origin." Gypsy Treasures is the sole document of artist Aria Jalali's mid-2000s basement raga project in which bl...

Mi Ami Dolphins Thrill Jockey Released: 3.15.11 No Ripcord review Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

Just when you thought there couldn't possibly be anymore news about Panda Bear , the man goes and releases a new single.  "Surfer's Hymn" will be released as a 7," the single presented in its regular Noah Lennox version and then a remixed version for the B-side.  The guest re-mixer is Actress ( Honest Jon ). Information below is courtesy of Force Field PR.  The featured single, "Last Night at the Jetty," is from Panda Bear's upcoming Tomboy LP.   Panda Bear announces "Surfer's Hymn" single, due on Kompakt on March 14 Featuring Actress remix on the B-side MP3: "Last Night At The Jetty" (Tomboy album version) - http://www.paw-tracks.com/jetty.mp3 On March 14th, KOMPAKT is thoroughly honoured to release the final installment from ANIMAL COLLECTIVE 's Noah Lennox aka PANDA BEAR limited 7" series. This follows previous 7"es on his own PAW TRACKS label, as well as FATCAT and DOMINO as the build-up co...

Found via XLR8R : Mi Ami is one of my favorite bands over the last few years.  When I'd scored the opportunity to talk to singer/guitarist Daniel Martin-McCormick for an interview last year, he was very expressive and passionate about pushing whatever sounds he and the band could come up with: “It’s mainly just to make the best music we can make and then share it with people.  I don’t want to just dick around, or be fashionable, or half-baked or whatever.  It really matters to me a lot, y’know: making music that I think is worth sharing with other people is worth making again and again every night on tour (laughs).  I would like to explore more melody, or more abstraction too, I don’t know.  There’s a lot of… a lot of things to explore, y’know?  Probably enough to fill up a lifetime.” Bassist Jacob Long is no longer part of the band.  Now that they're a duo, Martin-McCormick and drummer Damon Palermo have taken on electronics for their...

What I Heard This Morning: Screens... One word: Awesome. I’ve listened to this couple of tracks two or three times at this point and have continued finding positive things to say. I have good feelings about Screens ’ upcoming album, Dead House . All information below is courtesy of Terrorbird Media. SCREENS (FEATURING MEMBERS OF THE APES, MEDICATIONS & THE MALL) DEBUT ALBUM, DEAD HOUSE DUE MAY 17 ON WHAT DELICATE RECORDINGS Performing at NYC’s Williamsburg Fashion Weekend - February 18 @ Glasslands Dead House , Screens' debut full-length, will be released on May 17, 2011 on drummer Andrew Becker ’s own What Delicate Recordings. Download “Pop Logic” from Dead House here . Eldritch weird wavers, Screens seeped into existence in early 2009, after Washington, D.C. defectors, drummer Andrew Becker (Dischord Records’, Medications ) and vocalist Breck Brunson (psych-sludge purveyors, The Apes ) hooked up with keyboardist, Daniel Roland Tierney (San Francisco ag...

The inbox was swelling this week with new release information, new singles/videos from past releases and news in general. Below are some of the standouts. Via Force Field PR: Crystal Stilts announce sophomore album, In Love With Oblivion , due in April on Slumberland Crystal Stilts "Magnetic Moon" by Slumberland Records Crystal Stilts "Shake the Shackles" by Slumberland Records C rystal Stilts ' new album In Love with Oblivion will be released in the US on April 12 on Slumberland (and a day earlier in the UK on Fortuna Pop!). This follow-up to their much loved and critically acclaimed debut Alight Of Night continues their foray into spooky 60s psych and 80s dream pop but this time with more flourishes of melody and a bigger, more expansive sound. Based in Brooklyn (via Florida), Crystal Stilts emerged alongside the very active local post-punk indie scene in 2008 whilst forging their own unique path. They built up a heady following sta...

You’d think I’d have made some progress over the course of a four-day weekend, but such was not the case. John Vanderslice: “Sea Salt” You have to hit up NPR to check out the new John Vanderslice track, which is being released in January on the album White Wilderness . "Sea Salt" Via Dead Oceans press release: White Wilderness is out January 25 in the US. The Magik*Magik Orchestra have a comprehensive mastery of classic performance and repertoire, but also have a full appreciation of the aesthetics of indie and underground music. (Minna) Choi arranged and conducted White Wilderness with 19 members of the Magik*Magik playing strings and horns, vibraphone, pedal steel and piano, an assortment of reed instruments, and much to JV’s benefit, the voice of Minna Choi singing backup at key moments throughout the album. Recorded in San Francisco, White Wilderness was produced by John Congleton , whose resume includes albums by St Vincent, The Walkmen, Explosions...

I received an email via Sure Shot PR that was promoting Hemlock Recordings as well as their new acquisition, Breton . The band has a new EP out: A digital release entitled, Counter Balance . “RDI” is the song I sampled and it is a post-rock-meets-electronica mixture that seems to capitalize a bit on Foals , (an assessment all too accurately made in the press release by a writer for NME). The melodies they pick, though, are catchy and “RDI” really didn’t leave my head all day. They’re not typically a band I would discuss, but I thought Breton were intriguing enough to note. ”RDI” Here's the press info: HEK010 BRETON - Counter Balance EP Digital release: "RDI" "Counter Balance" "December" "Pop Death" "Hours Away" 12" Vinyl: HEK010A: "December" HEK010B1: "Hours Away" HEK010B2: "Counter Balance" With incendiary debuts from James Blake and Fantastic Mr Fox , Hemlock has built...

I'm typically not all that keen on electronic music, but Clive Tanaka 's minimalist Eno -ish approach appealed to me. Plus, the video is awesome in that "child of the 80s" kind of way. The song, "Neu Chicago," had only seen a cassette release but Tanaka's album, Jet Set Siempre No. 1 is getting a proper release in January of 2011 by the Tall Corn label. Neu Chicago - Clive Tanaka y su orquesta from Clive Tanaka on Vimeo . Video and additional info on Tanaka is available from Altered Zones. Via Friend Of Friends Network : Clive Tanaka Premieres Video on Altered Zones Previously cassette only Jet Set Siempre No. 1 gets LP treatment from Tall Corn; Due 1/11/11 Jet Set Siempre No. 1 has two personalities: Side A is labeled "For Dance" and Side B as "For Romance." From the opening notes of the A-side, you're immediately caught in a groove that entraps you until the tape is tightly wound around its second spool. While the B-side ...

The unsigned Letting Up Despite Great Faults have been garnering a lot of positive press in regards to their self-titled debut album which came out last year. I caught wind of the band thanks to their management label, who signed the band in June and sent me a link to this video for their song, “Our Younger Noise.” The video’s entertaining and full of that necessary hipster scenario whimsy that one needs to appease their intended audience, but the song itself is a pleasantly mellow combination of Kevin Shields and Phoenix , poppy and tenderly infused with light doses of electricity. Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

Microphonies Tttiiimmmeeekkkiiilllsss Track Number Records Released: 6.15.10 Were Microphonies a living character, he’d be the quintessential iNerd, overdosing on Butthole Surfers and Captain Beefheart albums with caffeinated exuberance, a network of plugs and snot coursing through his veins. The vision of musician Sam Farfsing , Microphonies is turbulent and often ridiculous, his ramblings about asymmetry, Los Angeles, Beatles loathing and copycats somewhat lost in the midst of his self-generated computerized bleeps, garage instruments and oddity. His album, Tttiiimmmeeekkkiiilllsss , (or Time Kills as it will heretofore be referred), is a disjointed byproduct of Farsfing’s ambition, segment length songs seeming to cater to an American hardcore fan’s attention span. Having noted hardcore, the music does have attitude and snarl to it, ensuring that songs like “Vexxxed,” “Vatican City Pretties,” “Bowwowwow,” and “Flakey MC Flackerton” some level of resonance with the punk/altern...

Blonde Redhead have a new song out titled “Here Sometimes” that’s available for download on their website . Photo By Pier Nicola D'Amico (picked up from 4AD ) “Here Sometimes” is an electro-rock track, the band possibly embracing New Wave possibilities in the same way that the Yeah Yeah Yeahs did with last year’s, It’s Blitz! . Not that Blonde Redhead haven’t entertained some sort of technological revolution within their music at points, but they’ve always been more of a rock band and have never seemed so fully entrenched in this sort of digitized easy listening. As usual, for the price of an email address, the song can be yours. Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

On June 9th, electro-rockers, Phantogram , contributed some tracks for Daytrotter. Not being all that familiar with the band, I very much enjoyed their set, especially the mesmerizing "Make A Fist," which is a fairly tense and nervous mix of repetition and dissonance. You can find the session here. Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

VOICEs VOICEs ' Origins was an album I reviewed back in February. Their single, "Flulyk Visions," has just received the video treatment and an EP by the duo dubbed, Sounds Outside , is being reissued by Lefse Records . Check out the video and, if you're interested, you can find the review for Origins at No Ripcord . VOICES VOICES "Flulyk VIsions" Music Video [HD] from CrazyGoodness on Vimeo . Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

Asthmatic Kitty is continuing their quest to provide you, the less than enriched listener, with a soundtrack for your life. The two new volumes of AK's Library Catalog Music Series feature solo work from Richard Swift , (performing as Instruments of Science and Technology ), and electronica composer/installation artist/sound designer Kristin Miltner . The new versions will be released on 7.20.10. "Old Handshakes" from Volume 7: Instruments of Science & Technology — "Music for Paradise Armor" . "Dreaming Longing" from Volume 8: Kristen Miltner – "Music For Dreaming and Playing" . Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead