Live At The Doug Fir Lounge: Young Magic + Quilt + Swahili

Last night saw one of the best lineups at The Doug Fir Lounge all summer. Swahili was up first, and they showed why they are one of the newer must see acts in Portland. They have a great psychedelic/experimental electro-pop sound to them. At times Swahili seems more along the lines of ambient, but then they build up to this great beat that is easy to dance along to. Check it out below.

After Swahili was the Canadian band Imaginary Cities. They have a very unique sound, a mixture of alternative pop and rock accompanied by great vocals that come from a jazzy/R&B background.  I really enjoy their sound, it's very feel good music that should be shared with everyone. Check out their new three-song EP Seasides below, I really like "Temporary Resident."

Next up after Imaginary Cities was Quilt. This three piece band is super rad, really great psychedelic pop-rock that reminds me of those groovy 70s bands. I love their sound, it's kind of a mix of Besnard Lakes and Real Estate. I've been repeating their self-titled album that came out last November via Mexican Summer. You can listen to it all below, make sure you check out "Cowboys In The Void" and "Penobska Oakwalk."

Last up was the highly anticipated Young Magic. Having released one of my favorite albums this year in Melt, I was so excited to finally see them live. Opening the show with an ambient mix that evolved into "You With Air," I knew we were in for a treat. Young Magic has such a great unique sound that could possibly be described as electro trip-step, yet it that doesn't reach far enough. Young Magic had a great performance that pushes their recording sound to a higher level. They are definitely a band to see live. Check out Melt below. You can see more photos over at KillingSasquatch.com.

Happy Tuesday! Here's Some New Music

What a great day it is today. Valentines, the anniversary of Oregon becoming a state, and it's my Friday! So let's celebrate with some new releases today.
First up is Heartless Bastards with their latest effort Arrow. Some really awesome rock 'n' roll on this album. Put some smoky female vocals on top of that care free type of rock and you got yourself a great album. Check out all of it below then go buy it on their website here. Make sure to check out that "Only For You" track.



Next is a band called Field Music. Their latest album Plumb is a much different affair than Heartless Bastards. Field Music is a kind of pop, folk, psychedelic rock band. It's a pretty cool and unique sound that they have going on. Check them out here.
I believe I shared this next band a couple weeks ago but they did finally come out with their first length Melt. I'm talking about the band Young Magic. Man, oh man! I love this album. Quite possibly an early contender for album of the year. Great chill wave sounds coming from these guys, a great debut album. Check it out below then buy it via Carpark Records here.

The Babies + Lower Dens + Young Magic

So I have come across some really great music this week and need to share it all. The first band up is The Babies. With their own brand of DIY, they give indie punk-rock a refreshingly awesome sound. Their self-titled debut album is really well put together. I really enjoy the album and looking forward to see what they come out with in the future as well. Check them out here.
Something that's more chilled out is a band called Lower Dens. Their full length that came out in 2010 is titled Twin-Hand Movement. I like it a lot, mostly because it sounds cool. Check out that album here. They also came out with a brand new single "Brains." So make sure to check that out too.
Lower Dens - Brains by Neighborhood Tapes

Young Magic is a new band that released two 7" last year. Another great band with a great sound to it. This time in the form of a tribal electronic that's nice and relaxed. Their "You With Air" and "Sparkly" singles can be downloaded for free here, and stream the other two for free.