Bon Iver- Blood Bank EP

Seriously, who created this man and when can the cloning begin? Actually, I lied. I don't think anyone can be thee Bon Iver. That being said, a talented musician, gifted vocalist, excellent lyricist- what more could one ask for? I must see this man perform live before the end of 2009.

His most recent release, the Blood Bank EP:

Track Listings:
1. Blood Bank*** I couldn't get passed this track for about 5 listens - the rest... im not sure on yet
2. Beach Baby
3. Babys
4. Woods
http://thepiratebay.org/torrent/4635791/Bon_Iver_-_Blood_Bank_[2009]

Happy Birthday Liz!!!

I would just like to take this opportunity to wish a very Happy Birthday to my friend and fellow blogger, Liz. Hope you have a great day/night/weekend of being 21!!!

-&Him

Fever Ray

When I first heard that Karin Dreijer Andersson of The Knife was releasing a solo album, I was very excited, since I love The Knife, and was desperate for more music from them since I heard they were on a long hiatus. The excitment grew when I heard the first single, "If I Had A Heart." In retrospect I should have seen that my excitment would make for unrealistic expectations, but I didn't see it at the time. After all, by the time the album came out, on March 24, the excitment would have subsided. Unfortunately, I was disappointed by what I heard when the album was realeased early on iTunes Tuesday. While The Knife's trademark dark, sinister sound is still present in Fever Ray's album, I still feel like its lacking something I can't put my finger on. Most of the songs just don't jump out at me, and I found most of the album forgettable. I'm not saying that it is a bad album, and maybe it will grow on me, but for now, it will remain a disappointment. Again, it's not terrible, and if you like The Knife, it's worth a listen. In addtion to the single, tracks that did stand out and I did enjoy were "Dry and Dusty" and "Now's The Only Time I Know"

-&Him

White Lies

Bam!
Got another one. This was a quick love for me, literally after a first listen. It's quite wonderful. Go Listen to these cool cats:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DLF-yypNH4

White Lies
www.myspace.com/whitelies

Album comes out in stores January 19th... thanks to the internet, it leaked.
http://thepiratebay.org/torrent/4634079/White_Lies_-_To_Lose_My_Life_[mp3-224-2009]

enjoy
-She

NEW HANDSOME FURS!!!

Well, it's here, the album I was most looking forward to of 2009. Because I love this band so much, I sorta felt bad having a leaked copy of Face Control, the new album from Dan Boeckner/Alexei Perry duo Handsome Furs almost two months before it officially comes out, on March 10. That guilt was quickly forgotten when I started listening and realized how kick-ass the music is. While I'm not sure they can ever do better than Plague Park, one of, if not, my favourite all-time album, Face Control is pretty damn good. I was afraid that it would be more upbeat than Plague Park, and it is. But it doesnt really bother me that much. While Plague was so dark and gave a kind of helpless feeling of longing, Face Control is a little more upbeat, rocky, and has a faster tempo, but it still has great hooks to make you love the songs. Plus, I basically love anything that Dan Boeckner sings (his songs were by far the ones that saved Wolf Parade's At Mount Zoomer for me), since his voice has such a raw, unique sound that I can't get enough of. All of this is a recipe for a great album. Handsome Furs are definitely going to be a contender for my album of the year again. Maybe I'm biased, but I just love this album, and you should definitely check it out. So far (I haven't listened to the last bit of the album much yet), my favourite songs are definitely the first 3 - Legal Tender, Evangeline, and Talking Hotel Arbat Blues.

ENJOY!

-&Him

Some More Goodies

Friendly Fires are yet another reason why the UK is home to great talent. They do an interesting version of Lykke Li's- I'm Good, I'm Gone (who I just got tickets to see, very excited to see that one live) but song to check out--> Paris.
www.myspace.com/friendlyfires

Passion Pit
I will be seeing these boys in 2 weeks (toronto at the horseshoe tavern) and to be honest I am really curious how they will transfer their sound from the album to the stage. We will see and I will report back. Though they do not have many songs released, I still dig what I hear
www.myspace.com/passionpitjams
ps. yes, I realize the new psp commercial used their goods for the video sound. Isn't the corporate world so hip?
Kings of Leon- B-sides and Rares
Yes, we all know that KOL have hit it big in the mainstream this year but I refuse to hate their talent because they are now "hip" to listen to, I truly 

have followed them since Youth & Young Manhood. As much as they adore their sex, drugs and rock n roll, these boys make good tunes (and perform well on stage re: November 08- detroit @ the fillmore)Mixes, covers, rares... pretty good find in this bad bo

y. Personal faves/ Ones for immediate digs?
Lykke Li feat KOL- Knocked up,
California Waiting (alternative version),
Milk (stretch & vern mix),
The Bucket (Wellington Internation).

Choose your own fav's but I think this was a nice little post christmas present, so here I am, sharing:
http://thepiratebay.org/torrent/4582897/Kings_of_Leon_-_B-Sides_and_Rarities_Vol._1-4

Plushgun
Check them out. They have that whole Electric President vibe (give them a listen if you have yet to) and maybe a little Postal Service in there too. Currently they have only released 5 songs but apparently (thank you to my partner in crime, Matt, for informing me) they will be releasing a full LP on March 17th, 2009 entitled Pins and Panzers . Look forward to that one.

http://www.myspace.com/plushgun

-She

Jupiter One

Jupiter One... Check em' out.

Listen:
www.myspace.com/jupiterone

Download:
http://thepiratebay.org/torrent/4386451/Jupiter_One_-_Jupiter_One[2008][MP3_320kbps]-antecho

-She

Architecture In Helsinki

I would like to take this opportunity to discuss one of my favourite bands, the unique group from Australia, Architecture in Helsinki. I first heard them in highschool when i got what I consider their masterpiece, 2005's In Case We Die . While I didn't immediately take to their very strange style, - in fact, I hated it at first - I quickly warmed up to the album and it is now one of my favourites. Solid, catchy, quirky, fun, poppy, songs from beginning to end, In Case We Die is a great listen, and if you havent heard it already, do it now. Like right now. They are about the only band I know of that uses power and hand tools as instruments. Initially consisting of 8 members, Architecture now has 5 people making their music, and these 5 are set to release a new album this year. The song from the album out now is called That Beep and has renewed my love for the band, even making me re-listen to their third album, 2007's Places Like This, which I initially passed off as dissapointing, but have newfound respect and liking for. I eagerly await the release of the new album tentatively titled Vision Revision and will speak more about it when i have heard the whole album. If you already love Architecture, definitely check out That Beep, and if you haven't heard them, check out songs like Wishbone, Maybe You Can Owe Me, or Heart It Races. 'Till next time,

-&Him

New Animal Collective

The highly anticipated 9th(?) album by Animal Collective titled Merriweather Post Pavillion, (which is set to release January 20th 2009) has made its way onto the internet and into my itunes. Magical ain't it? Regardless of how I came across the album, a hard copy of the cd will be purchased by this girl. I hereby give it two thumbs pointing straight up. The group has taken their typical, all over the place "what instrument will they throw in next" sound, to the next level higher. From an immediate listen, it sounds like a much more electronic/ psychedelic sound for the group. It's not shocking that the group has decided to take this route but I am in favor of it.

As for the album art- trippy and psychedelic, suitable for the album. Reminds me of one of those hidden picture puzzles things that you use to find in the newspaper(LFPress) by the cartoon section.

Tracks that caught my ear: Summertime Clothes, My Girls, Brothersport

-She
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I also plan on picking up this album. I have been excited for it ever since i heard Brothersport and My Girls, both great songs. After dowloading the leaked version, Summertime Clothes is my favourite from the album, it is a fantastic song. While I'm not quite sure if I like Merriweather better than it's immediate predecessors, Feels, and Strawberry Jam, it is definitely worth checking out.

-&Him

Our first post!!! and best of 2008

Salutations!

Ok, so here it is, the first post of what we hope to be many of She&Him Do Music posts. I am Matt, and my counterpart Liz and I will be "blogging", as you kids call it these days, about our favourite music. We hope to talk about upcoming and favourite indie music without falling into the stereotype of the typical stuck up, arrogant indie kids.
First off, a roundup of our favourites of 2008, that seems like a good place to start. I hope you have heard of most of this music, unlike the Pitchfork tops albums of 2008, half of which I have never heard of. But I digress. Here is my list of the top 40 albums of 2008, edited only slightly from the one I posted on Facebook.

1. Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago
2. Bloc Party – Intimacy
3. Cut Copy – In Ghost Colours
4. Mates Of State – Re-Arrange Us
5. Born Ruffians – Red Yellow & Blue
6. Crystal Castles – Crystal Castles
7. Chad VanGaalen – Soft Airplane
8. Los Campesinos! – Hold On Now, Youngster
9. Beck – Modern Guilt
10. Portishead – Third
11. The Stills – Oceans Will Rise
12. Los Campesinos! – We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed
13. Kanye West – 808s & Heartbreak
14. Wolf Parade – At Mount Zoomer
15. Stars – Sad Robots (EP)
16. Lykke Li – Youth Novels
17. Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend
18. Tokyo Police Club – Elephant Shell
19. The Submarines – Honeysuckle Weeks
20. TV On The Radio – Dear Science
21. Final Fantasy – Spectrum, 14th Century (EP)
22. Winter Gloves – About A Girl
23. Hayden – In Field & Town
24. Glasvegas – Glasvegas
25. Deerhunter – Microcastle
26. City And Colour – Bring Me Your Love
27. Black Kids – Partie Traumatic
28. Hot Chip – Made In The Dark
29. The Raveonettes – Beauty Dies (EP)
30. Animal Collective – Water Curses (EP)
31. Coldplay – Viva La Vida
32. Joshua Radin – Simple Times
33. Ben Folds – Way To Normal
34. The Killers – Day & Age
35. Hawksley Workman – Los Manlicious
36. Death Cab For Cutie – Narrow Stairs
37. Ladytron – Velocifero
38. The Faint – Fasciinatiion
39. MGMT – Oracular Spectacular
40. Girl Talk – Feed The Animals

All in all, not the best year for music, in my opinion. Bon Iver gets my #1 spot, but its not my overwhelming favourite like Handsome Furs was last year. What I like so much about this album is how it brings out so many emotions just from listening. It's a very low-key album - sad and fragile, but beautiful. It's good to listen to when you're feeling down. It's an album you can just lay back and absorb . My favourite track would have to be 'Skinny Love' with the single'Flume' (which was played on Conan O'Brian beautifully) a close second.

Cut Copy and Mates Of States grew on me alot from when I first listened. Mates of State always do a great job making enjoyable, extremely catchy indie pop, and even though I missed the usual electric organ sound, there were alot of great hooks and cathcy melodies. Standout songs included: Get Better, Help Help, and Lullabye Haze. Ptichfork called this album boring, saying that The husband/wife band made the songs for their family, but I say that Mates are still on top of their game, creating catchy pop songs that still have heart.
Cut Copy is a fantastic album, full of unique, catchy songs that just put you in a good mood. My favourite songs were: Feel the Love, Lights and Music, and Far Away.
Finally, I thought Intamacy by Bloc Party was great, no matter what the critics said. Ion Square was my song of the year, since it is probably the best love song ever. Courtship Dating by Crystal Castles was a close second, I just can't get sick of it.

So thats it, my picks of Best of 2008, Liz will be adding stuff that I missed, so between us, hopefully we covered your favourite album. Thanks for reading the ramblings that make up my first blog post ever, I hope you enjoyed it! Until next time,

-&Him

P.S. I don't really know what Salutations means.

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Some more goodies to add to the pile:
Kings of Leon-Only by the Night (saw them on this tour... top concert of the year)
Radiohead- In Rainbows (official release date jan 2008- not the leak date)
Santogold- Santogold
M83- Saturdays= Youth
Hercules & Love Affair-Hercules & Love Affair
T.I.- Paper Trail
Copeland- You Are My Sunshine (female who sings on the album, completes it)
Ting Tings- We Started Nothing
Q-Tip-The Renaissance
The Black Ghosts-The Black Ghosts
Lil Wayne- Tha Carter III (nuff said)

I'm sure there are more where that comes from but for the most part, those stand out
-She