Dare Dukes' new album

 Dare Dukes' new album Thugs and China Dolls hits the streets January 29, a true labor of love that took more than 2 years (if my memory serves), including a successful fundraiser via Kickstarter, and Dare becoming a father. All the while, he was recording himself and a parade of collaborators laying down some impressive new material. For those familiar with his first record, the biggest change is the instrument selections. Fairly traditional arrangements for guitar, bass, drums and the occasional mandolin or banjo now give way to horns, strings and any number of other sounds. What hasn't changed is Dukes' ability to pen great songs, from poetic and poignant narratives to more fun and loose material.

The first single, "Meet You at the Bus" sounds like you happened to wander into a thrift store where some free-spirited musicians are there playing a bunch of instruments they found in the shop.

Meet You at the Bus by Dare Dukes

[via Dare Dukes]

WFMU's Free Music Archive

If you want to spend some time looking through loads of obscure music spanning probably 30 years, from the early 80s through today, then go check out WFMU's Free Music Archive. Genre-wise, it's tons of rock deviations and sub-sub-categories, with lots of serious gems if you're willing to experiment a little along the way.

Dare Dukes live at Co-Lab

Here's a little video I shot of Dare and the Blackstock Collective performing at the Co-Lab last night. There's an unfortunate amount of crowd at the beginning, but it subsides as the song picks up.



Visit Dare's website for info on music and upcoming shows.

Music at the Co-Lab

This friday, check out Sav alt-rocker Dare Dukes doing sets with Atlanta's Little Tybee and Book of Colors. It'll be an all ages show, which is nice, and the first show music show at Co-Laboratory. They've been holding the visual arts lately, and it's nice to see them branching out to help fill the need for all-ages venues (even if it's just hosting a show in an art gallery.)

Check out more on the Co-lab over at their blog, including this nice little video documenting their St. Paddy's experience.

Saint Patricks Day 2010 from Alex Farkas-worthy on Vimeo.

Meet Toro Y Moi

Damn. Don't sleep on Columbia South Carolina. Seriously. It spawned the talents of Danny Swain, who has infinite hustle, I think American Gun is from around there, if you're into the foot stompin' bar rock, and now a new addition - Toro Y Moi. Despite the seemingly plural name, it's one dude, and he makes crazy electronic bedroom indie that - sigh - will probably garner comparison to Animal Collective before the day is over - but who more rightfully belong to the traditions of Atlas Sound, or maybe a less thrashy No Age with a heavy dose of Beach Boys. Expect waves of well-textured samples building on top of each other to provide a podium that the atmospheric vocal tracks peek out from behind.

Check out "Blessa" (right click to download). His LP drops in Feb 2010.

If you're down south, check him out this week in Athens or Chucktown.

11/20 - Athens, GA 40 Watt
11/25 - Charleston, SC Andolini's Pizza

Silver Starlings "Closer"

The Silver Starlings are two members of Arcade Fire and two friends from other bands (at least I hope they are friends, and not just talented strangers who they met at a bus stop or some hip party).

They are Canadian, which, if you listen to a lot of indie rock, isn't that surprising, because I'd hazard to guess that a slight majority of the good indie in the last 4 years has come from Canada (sorry Brooklyn, keep trying.)

Toronto's Last Gang Records is giving folks a taste of what to expect from the group's upcoming album.

"Closer"


The first taste is free kid, but after that you've got to buy it.

It's pretty. A good introduction to the group, although it has a very distinct TV on the Radio feel, and could pass for a b-side from their second album.