It’s easy to think of The Doors as a one man band, with Jim Morison as the star of the show.  And it is true that Morrison was incredibly talented and put a face to The Doors that has gone down in rock history.  But The Doors were so much more than that and yesterday a large part of that amazing group, keyboardist Ray Manzarek died.  It’s hard to picture The Doors  without thinking of the astounding keyboard skills of Manzarek.  Whether it’s the hectic and catchy sounds of “Light My Fire” or the cool misty solos on “Rider on the Storm” it’s hard to picture The Doors without that distinctive keyboard.  And heck, the band probably wouldn’t even exist without Manzarek, who proved himself to be a great muse for Morison and convinced him to join the group in the first place.  You could even say that Manzarek was two members of the band, the keyboardist and the bass player, since he played both parts on his electric keys.  The Doors will always have a special place in my heart.  They were one of the first bands I ever really listened to with appreciation and envy.  The first band for which I (proudly) owned the entire studio discography.  And a large part of that was the musical prowess of Manzarek, the glue that helped hold the band together as they created some of the best music of all time.  Just listen to “Light My Fire” again and it’s impossible not to see what a truly great talent was lost.

-M. Kauf

I’m a big fan of the show Adventure Time, not only for it’s incredibly clever plot line that speaks to all age groups but sometimes for it’s amazing songs.  In the latest episode, Finn and Jake’s adorable robotic friend BMO shares his favorite song, “No Wonder I.”  Who knew BMO has such amazing taste?  This single off of Washington band LAKE‘s upcoming album Circular Doorway is a fuzzy mellow ball of sweet sweet music.  Singer Ashley Eriksson floats in like the scent of fresh spring flowers floating through the wind carrying nothing but good vibes and love.  Accompanied by a gentle yet steady drumbeat, like some happy creature skipping down the sidewalk, this song is as catchy as they come.  Know wonder BMO loves this song.  Check it out below and hear more by the band here.

-M. Kauf

LAKE – No Wonder I

It’s hard for me to describe Har Mar Superstar in any sort of succinct manner.  He’s a chubby, long-haired dude from Minnesota who likes to take off his clothes during shows and sing R&B.  But there’s so much more than that.  Har Mar (aka Sean Tillman) has one of the most powerful R&B (or music in general) voices I’ve heard in a very long time.  He’s got the retro sound down pat and he knows how to have fun with it.  But it’s the voice that really gets to me.  From the first heart-wrenching scream of “Lady you shot me!” at the beginning of the song, through the up tempo beats and back to the sultry sound of heartbreak, Har Mar Superstar wipes away all the goofy gimmicks and really lives up to the last word of his alias.  For a truly powerful taste of R&B with a hint of soul, check out his latest album Bye Bye 17, which came out last month and listen to the single above.

 -M. Kauf

…And we’re back.  There have been lots of travels and adventure in the last week or so, but now we’re here and we’ve picked up some new music along the way.  One such band is Secret Colours.  Combining a retro psychedelic sound with a twist of 90s rock, this band knows how to make a slick single.  A simple riff and a quiet voice turn into a sort of mantra that travels throughout the song, keeping it grounded throughout its electronic twists and turns and chill drumbeats.  It’s not often a song can take the heavy sounds of the 60s and slide them into a dark velvety package but “Blackhole” is just that.  Check out the strange and retro video for the single above, and look for their sophomore album, Peach May 28th.

-M. Kauf

Two years ago, Vows released a beautiful debut album Winter’s Grave.  Now as summer approaches, they release an album for a new season: Stranger Things.  Vows have been honing their sound while they were away.  What used to be more often quiet and mellow than not has become bright and clear.  One of my favorites “The Golden Hour” is the perfect example.  Synths hum in the background and guitar after guitar barrage rays of sunshine through their amps.  It’s still the same great harmonies and the same great style, just taken up a notch, and they’re all the better for it.  Check out the new album on their bandcamp and listen to the single below.

-M. Kauf

Vows – The Golden Hour

I originally wasn’t going to post this song because it was released over three years ago (Intuition’s Girls Like Me) and I don’t know much about Intuition but I’ve had it on repeat for months now so it’s going on the blog. The song centers around the idea that once you’ve achieved fame, and become numb to it, you can never recapture your old magic. Kind of like sex on ecstacy, or so I’ve heard. The infectious hook and soothing guitar are too nice. Intuition comes through with some witty self-deprecating lines and Slug does what Slug does: rap about struggles with music, substances, and women. Overall it is a great song which actually has a feel-good vibe despite its message. Check it out!

-Elmar

Vampire Weekend have slowly been leaking out songs from their fast-approaching third album, Modern Vampires of the City.  Where “Diane Young” took on a sort of 50s rock n’ roll doo-wop blend and “Step” was beautiful and delicate, “Ya Hey” is a triumphant march into the sunset.  Upbeat drums, lively piano and choral backing vocals push the song forward proudly, the beat for that isolated yet ever-optimistic vagabond, traveling with no purpose but to be and to love.  The group stretches their classic sound on this one with the vocal distortions and overall it feels like they’ve crossed a boundary into newer and more interesting territory than even.  Check out the lyrics video accompanied by a montage of people opening champagne.

-M. Kauf

Well this is a pleasant surprise. The legendary MF DOOM has shed the MF and linked up with super-producer Clams Casino on this new track. Clams’ style is much different from the traditional Madlib soundscape that has become inextricably linked with MF DOOM, but this song just flat out works. DOOM’s flow is almost non existent, but it pairs nicely with the spacey production and his lyrics are on point.

-Elmar

Download here

Bravestation released an amazing album last summer, but it looks like they’ve been busy at work sine then.  Today, they released their new single “All We Have is Us” off of their upcoming EP IV.  In typical Bravestation fashion, the song moves to the beat of electric drum kits and steel drums.  Like some tropical paradise from the past under a moonlit sky, “All We Have is Us” moves with a swift passion.  In the few months since their album, it even seems like they’ve evolved.  Their sound used to be a launching from the shore, reaching for distant lands, but his new song is that arrival from the waters into this strange paradise.  Look for the EP May 15th, download here, and listen below

Bravestation – All We Have is Us

Somewhere in between the dramatic and powerful sound of early Genesis, 80s angst and singer Antony lies Blaue Blume.  This singer form Copenhagen has but one released song under his belt, and boy is it a good one.  ”On New Year’s Eve” is strange and fragile, a song with dark undertones and a delicate voice, skipping from note to note as if the melody could shatter at any moment due to the desperate voice.  It’s the setting sun, dark and fleeting which quickly becomes darkness and then the dawn, dancing into a new and mystery day.  It’s enveloping and you can hear it below.  Hopefully we’ll here more about this guy soon.

Blaue Blume – On New Year’s Eve