Music | Grist

Indie folksters do Willie

Friday music blogging: Phosphorescent 0
Posted 3 weeks ago Phosphorescent is a low-key, low-fi indie folk band along the lines of Iron & Wine or Bon Iver -- your basic haunting, echo-y, twangy music for bearded folk. They've never really broken out, but if you're among the bearded, trust me, they will richly reward your attention. Their new album is called To Willie, and as you might guess from the title, it's a tribute album to Willie Nelson, along the lines of Nelsons' To Lefty from Willie.
Friday music blogging: Here We Go Magic 0
Posted 3 weeks, 6 days ago Here We Go Magic is the new project from Seattle singer-songwriter Luke Temple. It is quite a departure from his previous albums under his own name, which were folky, hummable affairs. HWGM, on the other hand, is like krautrock meets Graceland meets Bon Iver meets ... a really big bong. Drony, pulsating, ethereal, gorgeous, occasionally latin tinged, this is an excellent album for the long, cold nights of winter. Snuggle up.
EMA, meet Uma

Happy birthday, EMA Awards ... and you other groups, too 0
Posted 4 weeks, 1 day ago This weekend marks the twentieth annual Environmental Media Association awards -- see who else is celebrating a milestone this year, and vote for which party you'd attend.
the rhymes they are a-changin'

Eve of Destruction (New Millennium) 5
Posted 4 weeks, 1 day ago As a rallying cry for this weekend's Day of Climate Action, veteran activist Ken Ward rewrote a classic tune -- see him perform it with partner Andrée Zaleska here.
'Teach me how to use / the love that people say you make'

Friday music blogging: The Avett Brothers 2
Posted 1 month, 1 week ago I was bummed to miss FMBing last week, because last Tuesday marked one of the most anticipated events of the year for me: the release of The Avett Brothers' new album I & Love & You.
Acres of Apathy

Does anyone still care about “the land”? 25
Posted 1 month, 2 weeks ago The newest climate anthem features earnest stars bleating that it's time to take a stand -- "for our land." And literally billions of people turn a deaf ear.
Sting sends a Rainforests SOS 0
Posted 1 month, 3 weeks ago
Hello Cleveland! Are you ready to sway in your seats?!

Friday music blogging: Monsters of Folk 0
Posted 1 month, 3 weeks ago Several years ago -- I think around 2004 or 2005 -- I caught a show in Seattle that I figured was a once-in-a-lifetime thing. Conor Oberst (of Bright Eyes), Jim James (of My Morning Jacket), M. Ward (solo artist and She & Him), and Mike Mogis (who played on and helped produce records from all the above) were touring together, on hiatus from their respective day jobs. They each played on the others' songs and did a few covers, jokingly calling themselves "Monsters of Folk." It remains one of the more spontaneous, delightful shows I've ever seen.
Hip-hop legend Russell Simmons gets the message right 0
Posted 1 month, 3 weeks ago
Glowsticks at the ready

Friday music blogging: Röyksopp 0
Posted 2 months, 1 week ago
Fact: At some point, everyone could stand to give in to a little cheesy Euro-disco-electronic music. Do not try to dispute this.

To celebrate this late-summer sunny day in Seattle and my upcoming birthday, here's something more upbeat than usual. Röyksopp is a Norwegian duo that makes music that lends itself to television -- their songs have been used in all sorts of shows and commercials. They do know their way around a hook. Their latest is called Junior. This track is called "This Is It."
Back to roots

Friday music blogging: The Low Anthem 0
Posted 2 months, 2 weeks ago
The Low Anthem originally released their debut, Oh My God, Charlie Darwin, last year. It's been a sleeper hit (as these things go), gradually spreading by word-of-mouth to the point that label Nonesuch felt compelled to re-release it this year.

It's a really special album -- been steadily growing on me for a while. I'll wager these guys are going to blow up soon.

The trio alternates between spooky folk harmonies and gargled Americana barn rock, and they do both extremely well, so here's one of each. The first is called "Ohio," the second "The Horizon Is a Beltway."
Hippie brit blues pop, or something

Friday music blogging: Gomez 0
Posted 2 months, 3 weeks ago
Gomez is one of those bands that for a brief moment in the late '90s and early '00s aaalmost reached the big time, and then ... didn't. But when their moment of almost-fame passed, they didn't quit. They've soldiered on ever since as a solid second-tier draw, touring incessantly and releasing a modest-selling album every few years. These kind yeoman, committed career bands don't get enough credit.
Let's get non-physical

Digital downloads are greener than CDs 1
Posted 3 months ago
Several studies have looked at the climate impact of internet infrastructure and information technology, and other studies have attempted to compare the relative efficiency of internet retailing vs. traditional bricks-and-mortar stores. A new study takes a different spin on the subject.
Haunting, dramatic, and ... Canadian

Friday music blogging: Lightning Dust 1
Posted 3 months ago
Last year I FMB'd Black Mountain, a druggy, bell-bottomed Canadian indie band that does fantastic stoner rock.

Two members of that band, Amber Webber and Joshua Wells, formed a side project a few years ago called Lightning Dust. They have a new album out, Infinite Light, and it's well worth your time.
Tune in

Dave Matthews Band offers free music downloads for eco-pledges 1
Posted 3 months ago
Take an eco-pledge to download a free album featuring the Dave Matthews Band and supporting acts from their tour like The Avett Brothers, Gomez, and more.
From Miley to Marvin

JoBros, Miley Cyrus send on eco-message, and more 1
Posted 3 months, 1 week ago
Miley Cyrus, the JoBros, and other Disney tweensters want you to "send it on" -- your love for the earth, that is.
It Could Be Verse

Climate-news poem: Tween-pop edition 0
Posted 3 months, 1 week ago
Could Miley Cyrus be our climate salvation? The mind reels.
Notable quotable

How Barack Obama is like Marvin Gaye 3
Posted 3 months, 1 week ago
EPA chief Lisa Jackson draws the comparison.
Technically Saturday morning

Friday music blogging: David Bazan 1
Posted 3 months, 2 weeks ago
David Bazan is an indie artist from Seattle (wo0t!). He fronted the beloved Pedro the Lion until he went solo back in 2006 with a stellar EP called Fewer Moving Parts. His first full-length solo album, Curse Your Branches, is finally coming out on Sept. 1. You can pre-order it now, and anyway, I'm too jazzed to wait. Bazan has the potential to become an iconic American songwriter.
The Grist List: From Heath to Health

Heath Ledger harpoons whaling, and more 3
Posted 3 months, 2 weeks ago
He's no joker: Before his death, Heath Ledger created a grim music video about whaling for Modest Mouse.