After collaborating last year with Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim for the first volume, Stones Throw are back with another edition of Chrome Children. Vol. 2, presented by their very own Peanut Butter Wolf, is sixteen tracks deep with cuts from artists such as Madlip, M.E.D., Oh No, and others. It is also free to download from the Stones Throw site- for a limited time, of course, so head over quick before its gone.

These hip hop jams are sounding pretty good right now.

[free compilation] Stones Throw presents Chrome Children Vol. 2

In related news, the new trailer for the Aqua Teen Hunger Force movie is up at the Adult Swim website.  Get ready for randomness.

[trailer]  Aqua Teen Hunger Force movie

This morning I was taking a stroll though Hollywood (don’t ask why) when a transient man in a large green army jacket approached me and asked if I had an extra cigarette. I remember he had this big black trash bag that he carried over his shoulder and his tired face was covered by a thick, dark beard- for a second I thought he was the drummer for a really hip indie band on Merge Records. Turns out he was just a transient though.

I told him ’sorry, I don’t smoke’ and he just continued on his way as if he had never even stopped. I thought that was really badass and cavalier of him.

Later on in the day I stumbled across yet another transient, however, this time instead of bumming a smoke off me, he invited me to his alleyway and played a beautiful song for me on his guitar which he plugged into a tiny, fuzzed out amp and strummed like a crazy man. The song was about the perils of smoking and how there is no excuse to get into the nasty habit. I thought, ‘wow, this bum’s got skills’.

The song, oddly enough, was called ‘Don’t Smoke’ and the man’s name, even more oddly, was Phil Elverum.

Yes, it is true. Phil Elverum, the man behind the Eerie of Mount, has resurrected the legendary Microphones monicker for a brand new mini-record called Don’t Smoke/Get Off the Internet. No, he isn’t playing free shows in an alleyway dressed as a bum, but that would be awesome if he was. I’m sure it would make for an interesting bio at the very least.

Anyway, ‘Don’t Smoke’ sounds a lot like what you’d hear off the Glow Pt. 2 which means it’s pretty good. Elverum is selling the 7″ on his own website P.W. Elverum and Sun for 7 dollars (shipping to US) so head on over and buy it. In a few years it will be a collector’s item and you can show it off to your nerdy indie friends.

[mp3] The Microphones - Don’t Smoke
[buy] The Microphones - Don’t Smoke/Get Off the Internet 7″ @ pwelverumandsun.com

Loney, Dear
Loney, Noir
SubPop Records

Like a cute furry mogwai, Loney, Dear’s twilight pop songs come alive during those dark, lonely hours between midnight and the next morning.  Their SubPop debut, Loney, Noir, is practically a soundtrack for all relationship-induced insomnia around the world. 

Opener, ‘Sinister in a State of Hope’, fades in slowly with just a quiet keyboard and some unplugged guitar, however, through gradual increments, it expands into a living, breathing pop song that cleverly invades your subconscious.  By the time you notice the various horns and keys swirling about the background of the song, you will already have fallen victim to the bittersweet allure of its lyrics.  ‘Summer nights bring me cold,’ songwriter Emil Svanängen coos in his light, high pitched delivery, ‘All I want is a state of hope’.  Much of Loney, Noir’s ten songs operate with this kind of stealthiness.

Anyone who has spent an entire evening dissecting phone calls, picking apart pauses in speech, and obsessing incessantly over the opposite sex can find something to appreciate in Svanängen’s delicate songwriting.  On ‘I Am the Odd One’, a lonely organ floats innocently underneath as the song’s narrator apologizes repeatedly for ruining the good spirits of a prospective lover.  The next track, ‘I Could Stay’, is a melancholy look at leaving friends and family in pursuit of your own fortunes.  The record’s bouncy single, ‘I Am John’, is the quick worded account of a night spent running from ‘dogs’ and struggling to fulfill our promises of support and love.  Similar to David Bazan of Pedro the Lion, Svanängen is an economist with his words, preferring to use short, succinct verses when drawing emotion from the listener.

If the wee hours wear you down and leave you begging for something, anything to make those still moments come alive, put on Loney, Dear’s Loney, Noir and let the Swedish songwriter’s melancholy music confront and put your qualms to rest.

[mp3] Loney, Dear - I Am John
[stream] http://www.myspace.com/loneydear

After two full lengths and a few EPs on Baltimore label Fall Records, songwriter Michael Nau and his bandmates in Page France caught the attention of Suicide Squeeze Records in 2006, inked a deal, then promptly re-issued their 2005 release Hello, Dear Wind to a very warm (re)reception. After receiving rave reviews from internet publications like Aversion, Splendid, Pitchfork, and 30music, the band held off their fan’s appetite for new music by releasing a short tour only EP called Tomato Morning. Finally in September 2006, the band found some time to hit up the studio and record what would become …and the Family Telephone, the band’s third studio album and first for Suicide Squeeze.

Slated for release on May 8th, …and the Family Telephone looks to show off a different side of the pop band. On ‘Hat and Rabbit’, one of two new songs released to the public, Nau’s delicately raspy vocals carry a more traditional band leader delivery, as opposed to the campfire sing-a-long style of Hello, Dear Wind. As for the music itself is pretty standard for the band, implementing a simple guitar riff, some soft percussion, and what sounds like a xylophone off in the background. Altogether, Page France sound more like a full band on ‘Hat and Rabbit’, which gives their music greater appeal in my opinion.

The other new track, ‘Me, Violin and Dancing Bear’, is even more of a departure for Nau, as he does his best Bob Dylan over a folky, barely audible acoustic guitar. Then, three minutes into the pleasant, slow-building pop song, the band suddenly breaks into this bouncy outro that manages to rock without being very loud or noisy at all. It’s a strange effect that Page France have always seemed to pull off very well, and this is no exception. With the growth and maturation shown on these two tracks, its no surprise that we’re excited to hear what’s up the rest of the band’s precious sleeve.

[mp3] Page France - Hat and Rabbit
[mp3] Page France - Me, Violin, and Dancing Bear

[stream] http://www.myspace.com/pagefrance

Menomena
Friend or Foe
Barsuk Records

One of my pet peeves as a music listener is when a young band confuses eccentricity for creativity. Bizarreness for the sake of being bizarre is not genius- it is as stale and unimaginative as following the latest mainstream trend. It’s lazy and it lacks creativity. No amount of woodwinds, computer effects, or Alec Ounswarth yelping can attest otherwise.

So when a record emerges that combines exotic elements and strange textures without sacrificing songwriting I can’t help but cry a bit inside. The first record of 2007 that fits this description is Menomena’s wonderfully strange Friend or Foe.

Like the aforementioned lazy hipster bands, Friend or Foe is loaded with layers and layers of instruments, however, the boys in Menomena use them discriminatively to enhance the natural structure of their songs. The bleeps and bloops aren’t the songs themselves. This shows that songwriters Brent Knopf, Danney Seim, and Justin Harris have an understanding of pacing and melody that extends beyond trying to sound cool or quirky.

There are still tons of quirky elements at play here, but like the piano pop of opening track, ‘Muscle’n Flo’, Menomena have more in common with conventional rock than any experimental art movement. ‘Wet and Rusting’ is another stand out track that shows the band’s ability to set limits and keep their sonic palette within the bounds of reason. There is a lot at work but the song never becomes a brain freeze of sugar and excess.

The best way to experience the delicate balance of Menomena is to listen yourself, so grab the mp3 below and check out their Myspace page. It’ll be worth it to hear the first exciting full length of 2007.

[mp3] Menomena - Wet and Rusting
[buy] Menomena - Friend or Foe @ Amazon.com

[stream] Menomena on Myspace

Love of Diagrams
Self Titled EP
Matador Records

If Love of Diagram’s self titled EP feels more like a sampler than an official short player, it’s probably because it is.

Revolving around one preview track from their up coming full length, Mosaic, the EP assembles material recorded between 2004 and 2006, including a live cover of Pylon’s ‘Cool’, one unreleased track, and their 2005 single ‘No Way Out’ (which was featured on teenage soap the O.C. in December of that year). Despite their varied origins, all four tracks blend together quite well.

The Australian band’s dancey post-punk sound is best exemplified in the bookend tracks, ‘Peace or the Patience’ and ‘No Way Out’. The preview track from Mosaic, ‘Peace or the Patience’ is a sharp, angular no-wave song that shows off the vocal play between bassist Antonia Sellbach and guitarist Luke Horton. Like much of Love of Diagrams’ music, it consists mainly of one driving bass rhythm and grows progressively more intense and noisy as the track goes on. At the other end of the EP, ‘No Way Out’ is the most accessible offering with its immediately aggressive guitar strumming and relentless pace. Sellbach’s atonal shouts during the chorus fit perfectly with the angst and energy of the song.

It Love of Diagrams are looking to make their dent in the American independent scene come Spring, this limited edition EP is a good step in the right direction. The production pays homage to the original recordings of the 1970s and 80s and the songs themselves sparkle and shine while avoiding any of that faux-sex attitude that plagues many of today’s female fronted post-punk bands.

[mp3] Love of Diagrams - No Way Out
[buy] Love of Diagrams - Self Titled EP @ Amazon.com

[stream] Love of Diagrams on Myspace

If you are looking for a release that isn’t soaked in gimmicky vintage dressing or plagued with E.I.O. (eccentric instrument overkill), then take a flier on the Multiple Cat.

Although the Iowa band are no longer with us, their breezy, upbeat songs live on thanks to The Secret of the Secret Of, a career spanning collection of the band’s mid-90’s releases. Released on Future Appletree Records, the Secret Of the Secret Of is a sixteen track look at the band’s four year career, which produced six records and saw nearly 20 different members come and go.

This revolving door of influences and players offers much welcomed variation to the Multiple Cat’s basic laid back pop core, and makes the record an easy listen. The best description I have for what you are going to hear is undercover good (I didn’t notice how much I enjoy this record until after I found myself coming back to it again and again).

Download these songs and see if they have the same effect on you.

[mp3] The Multiple Cat - A Test
[mp3] The Multiple Cat - I Like a Bridge

[buy] The Multiple Cat - The Secret Of the Secret Of

Over 300 millions songs were written in 2006. 42% of them were released commercially. 12% will never be heard by a national audience. 2% are actually just birds squawking into a baby moniter.

Yes, we know what you’re thinking: that we made up those figures just now. And if we wanted to be honest, we’d say you are 100% right. But Invisible Limb isn’t about being honest. It’s about making claims.

Solid, bold claims. About music.

Don’t mix your facts with our claims, man.

2006 was our first full year in existence. It was also the first year we got to hear all the wonderful albums you sent us for review- I’m looking at you bands & labels. Those shiny packages delivered to our inbox in yellow packaging sleeves! It was like Christmas morning everyday!

We must admit there were a handful of albums that we didn’t care for at all (well, more than a handful), but in between these depressing submissions, we received a great deal of exciting, fun albums. Albums that lifted our spirits into the outer atmosphere and sent us on a magic carpet ride to indie rock heaven.

The following write up is a recap of these records, a look back at what stuck with us in the year 2006*.

*All selections were chosen by the staff of Invisible Limb, which consists of me and my imaginary friend Lex Panther. He is half super villian, half panther.

We hope you enjoy our selections, so much so, that they compel you to go on an irresponsible music shopping spree. Afterwards, you can come back and let us know how debt feels. We’ll be here waiting.

The Tear Drop Award | Saddest Break Up of 2006

Kind of Like Spitting
(Portland, OR)

The first time I heard Ben Barnett play his guitar and struggle to sing into a microphone it was on a compilation cd I had received from the distro/label Suburban Home Records. Hidden in between an hour’s worth of slick pop punk tracks was this rough, emotional rock song. I remember it seeming so out of place I had to check the tracklisting to see who was responsible for this odd duck. The listing read Kind of Like Spitting - Birds of a Feather.

Before I could make a mental comment on the sloppy guitar playing or discredit the often inaudible vocals, I found myself already sold by the raw passion of the song. To my ears it didn’t matter that the song wasn’t ‘listenable’. They loved the blemishes. By the time the song ended, at the point Barnett is barely able to utter the final line without breaking into tears (”I feel sick because I know you are going to run…but I can’t blame you”), I was ready to search out the rest of Kind of Like Spitting’s music.

At first it was via p2p, collecting random songs and live recordings, then afterwards looking up the lyrics and reading along to the song. Eventually I began to collect his full albums, starting with Nothing Makes Sense Without It, and moving on to his Barsuk release Bridges Worth Burning, the seminal 100 Dollar Room, and my personal favorite Old Moon in the Arms of the New, and in 2002 I even got to see Barnett play with a full band at the House of Blues in Anahiem.

Then suddenly on Sunday, October 8th, 2006, not too long after the release of his latest record (a split with pop punk band Lemuria), Barnett logged into his Myspace page and left a message for his fans:

“My personal life has become too intense to continue writing songs that blame others for my issues. Singing these songs and touring my life into the ground has left me lost and directionless in my life. I have spent ten years of my life getting high and blaming others for my history and inability to control my demons. I want to reach a better place. I want to move FORWARD.”

In other words, he had decided to put Kind of Like Spitting to rest.

Whether he returns to songwriting under a new name or fades off into obscurity, his music will still leave a lasting impact over those lucky enough to stumble upon it. And although every note might not be classified as ‘listenable’ to the general music fan they will always ring true.

[mp3] Kind of Like Spitting - Birds of a Feather
[mixtape.zip] Short Story Long: A Restrospective Look at Kind of Like Spitting
[buy] Kind of Like Spitting discography @ Insound.com

[video] Kind of Like Spitting performing Birds of a Feather live

[gv data="http://www.youtube.com/?v=hvt9PoQ_YuE"][/gv]

HONORABLE MENTION

Grandaddy
(Modesto, CA)

It is always sad when the band that recorded one of your favorite albums of all time (2003’s Sumday) decides to call it quits, however, lucky for us fans, Grandaddy were kind enough to record one more album before sailing off into the sunset. With stand out tracks like Elevate Myself and Where I’m Anymore, Just like the Fambly Cat serves as a respectable swan song for the great, unique California band.

I’m sure we will be hearing more from songwriter Jason Lytle and his ex-band mates, just don’t expect them to be releasing anything on V2 Records anytime soon.

[mp3] Grandaddy - The Group Who Couldn’t Say
[buy] Grandaddy discography @ Insound.com

[video] Grandaddy - Now It’s On

[gv data="http://www.youtube.com/?v=R9C2VU5An5E"][/gv]

The No Ear Plugs Required Award | Best Live Record of 2006

My Morning Jacket - Okonokos
(ATO Records)

My choice for best live record of 2006 is a band that has blessed my ears with sexiness since 2003’s marvelous It Still Moves. Of course I am talking about My Morning Jacket and their double live album Okonokos. Made mostly of songs from their last two full lengths, Okonokos is a must have for anyone who has ever fallen in love with an innocent New Orleans girl down by the bayou or eaten a baby alligator.

Ignore what this guy says; the album is worth purchasing just to hear how great Z sounds live. And the DVD version is even more incredible.

[buy] My Morning Jacket - Okonokos @ Insound.com

[video] My Morning Jacket - Okonokos DVD Trailer

[gv data="http://www.youtube.com/?v=Nhue_xoH_QA"][/gv]

HONORABLE MENTION

Reel Big Fish - Our Live Album is Better Than Your Live Album
(Self-released)

If you were a teenager in the 1990’s than Reel Big Fish was probably once your favorite band. Although their last handful of full lengths never matched Turn the Radio Off’s fun level, their live show is still something to rave about after all these years.

The best reason to pick up this double album is that the notoriously muddy production on albums like Why Do They Rock So Hard? and Cheer Up! have been replaced by a crisp, natural live recording, so even if you have those albums, you’ll want to hear their better live versions here.

[mp3] Reel Big Fish - Kiss Me Deadly
[buy] Reel Big Fish - Our Live Album is Better Than Your Live Album @ Amazon.com

The Sandbagger’s Award | Best Re-issue of 2006

Page France - Hello, Dear Wind
(Suicide Squeeze Records)

An accoustic guitar. Some chimes. Boy-girl vocals. That’s all you really need to create one of the best records that didn’t come out in 2006. Page France’s Hello, Dear Wind is a precious pop album that benefits both from its music’s simplicity and its lyrics’ ability to transcend the stigma of religion and hit the core touchstones of the human experience. Even if you’ve never been to church or attended sunday school, you will find yourself singing along to lyrics like “I will sing a song for you and you will stomp your feet for me/ and the bears and bees and banana trees will play kazoos and tambourines/ and Jesus will dance as we drink his wine”. This is a great sing-a-long record for teenage lovers nestled next to a fire.

[mp3] Page France - Junkyard
[buy] Page France - Hello, Dear Wind @ Insound.com

Number Six

Islands - Return to the Sea
(Equator Records)

Born out of the ashes of the Unicorns, Islands is a curious example of a pop band. Their first full length Return to the Sea clocks in at one whole hour, including two nine minute bookend tracks, and while their music is almost as precious as Sufjan Stevens’ at times, they always manage to throw in a melody that is so sweet on the ears you can’t help but drop the comparisons and just smile.

Rough Gem is one of our favorite songs of the year. So smooth!

[mp3] Islands - Rough Gem
[buy] Islands - Return to the Sea @ Insound.com

Number Five

The Blow - Paper Television
(K Records)

After an experiment of a record in the Concussive Caress, Khaela Maricich decided it was time to add a new bandmate (Jona Bechtolt) and begin work on what would become her first truly complete record. From the seductive Pile of Gold to the pleading True Affection, the Blow’s Paper Television is one of the most entertaining albums of 2006. This one goes up to 11 on the fun meter.

[mp3] The Blow - Pile of Gold
[buy] The Blow - Paper Television @ Insound.com

CELEBRITY GUEST LIST

Jona Bechtolt
of the Blow

Here’s my top 10 of 2006:

1. Dear Nora - There Is No Home (Magic Marker Records)
2. Adrian Orange - Bitches is Lord (Marriage Records)
3. Justin Timberlake - FutureSex/LoveSounds (Jive)
4. Bobby Birdman - Giraffes & Jackals (States Rights Records)
5. Lucky Dragons - Widows (States Rights/Marriage Records)
6. Planningtorock - Have It All (Chicks On Speed Records)
7. Valet - Blood Is Clean (Yarn Lazer)
8. RATATAT - Classics (XL)
9. White Rainbow - BOX (Marriage Records)
10. Dirty Projectors - New Attitude EP (Marriage Records)

Number Four

The Thermals - The Body, The Blood, The Machine
(SubPop Records)

The Thermals, also from Portland, have stripped away some of the recklesness and fuzz on their latest full length but they’ve replaced it with more than an ark’s worth of passion and focus. The moment the guitar and vocals kick in on Here’s Your Future you know this is going to be one hell of a record (no pun intended). All of the songs on The Body, The Blood, The Machine deal with organized religion and the supposed terror it can create if given enough political power. While most bands might turn that premise into a two hour rock opera, the Thermals keep things short, sweet, and fun. The message still coming across loud and clear.

The best pop punk record of the year.

[mp3] The Thermals - Pillar of Salt
[buy] The Thermals - The Body, The Blood, The Machine @ Insound.com

CELEBRITY GUEST LIST

Hutch Harris
of the Thermals

My fave records of this year were:

Built to Spill - You in Reverse
Sonic Youth - Rather Ripped
Cursive - Happy Hollow
The Strokes - First Impression of Earth
Detachment - Plus

Number Three

Band of Horses - Everything All the Time
(SubPop Records)

As it is with any great album, it’s hard to say something about Everything All the Time that hasn’t already been said before by countless other fans. Band of Horses combine elements of My Morning Jacket and the Shins to create a warm, lush pop sound that echoes and booms all over your senses. There are a handful of stand out tracks: the perfect album closer ‘St. Augustine’, the thumping ‘Our Swords’, and the epic ‘the Funeral’ (which was nominated as song of the year at this year’s ). Believe the hype on this one.

[mp3] Band of Horses - The Funeral
[buy] Band of Horses - Everything All the Time @ Insound.com

Number Two

Baby Dayliner - Critics Pass Away
(Brassland Records)

For most of the year, Critics Pass Away was our #1. It was so sexy that we just had to post about it again and again and again and again. We still haven’t heard anything like it. Ethan Marunas, the man behind the Dayliner, is captivating to watch live as he prances around singing into a microphone. On the record, he is nearly as addictive, laying his soulful voice over a combination of pop, new wave, and rock music. It’s a perfect mix for any hipster dance party.

[mp3] Baby Dayliner - At Least
[buy] Baby Dayliner - Critics Pass Away @ Insound.com

Number One

Brand New - The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me
(Interscope Records)

A pop punk band that doesn’t want to do interviews and take fancy press pictures? Is this a sign of the end of days? No, it’s just Brand New. While their peers spend countless hours grooming their hair and thinking up clever song titles, the boys in Brand New have decided to quit with the image and just let the music speak for itself. For their latest record, The Devil & God Are Raging Inside Me, the band has opted out of the interview circuit and kindly asked their label to cool it with the full page magazine ads. They’ve also dropped the pop punk and amped up the rock.

Another huge change is the lyrics. Vocalist Jesse Lacey might have spent his last two records talking about girls and thinking of these aforementioned song titles, but this time around he is more focused on life, death, religion, and the struggle these cause inside of us. The simple but effective Jesus is one of the stand out tracks lyrically:

Jesus Christ I’m not scared to die
But I’m a little bit scared of what comes after.
Do I get the gold chariot?
Do I float through the ceiling?
Do I divide and pull apart?

While some might meet the band’s radical change with betrayed opposition, the music on the Devil and God is as sincere and genuine as anything the band has ever recorded. Their transformation from wordy pop punkers to creative musicians with an understanding of pace and build is a pleasure to see and hear, especially in a scene where music is often less important than the image it accompanies.

Forget what you think you know about the band. This is as brilliant a mainstream rock release as you’ll come across this side of the 21st century.

[stream] Brand New @ Myspace
[buy] Brand New - The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me @ Insound.com

The Future Looks Bright | Most Anticipated Releases of 2007

John Vanderslice - TBA
(Barsuk Records)
Early 2007

The National - TBA
(Beggar’s Banquet)
April 2007

The Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
(Merge Records)
March 6th, 2007
Pre-order @ Insound.com

To cap off this look back at 2006 I would like to thank the following people:

Bob Ham & Cariwyl Hebert.
Thank you for all the help and journalistic integrity you’ve lent to the upkeep and success of this website. Without your reviews back in the beginning stages and your continued support, we wouldn’t still be around today. You both are and will always be a huge part of Invisible Limb. Stay in touch!

I would also like to thank everyone who contributed a review or article to the site. Aaron, Andrew, Reid, and Matthew. You guys are all good people and I wish you success with your future projects.

Also a huge thanks to all of the labels and kind folks who have serviced us with records to review. Big thanks to Sarah M. at SubPop for sending us a cool Christmas card and Secretly Canadian for finally adding us to their press list! You guys rock!

Finally, thanks everyone who visited the site in 2006, left a comment, downloaded a song, recommended us to a friend. We love you with all of our blogging heart. Keep coming back.