Take Care - Somewhere Safe

         After carefully honing their sound, and launching an extremely successful Kickstarter campaign to fund recording, Take Care has finally released their debut album, Somewhere Safe. The Boston-based group, led by brothers Kyle and Dan Joseph, has crafted an album that has kept me coming back and listening again and again. On the album, the brothers find a sound that, while combining many familiar elements, succeeds in forging new ground. Jazzy interludes lead into catchy pop hooks and soaring synths with superb percussion throughout.
         While overall a fairly poppy set of songs, each track reminds you not to jump to conclusions too quickly, and keeps you guessing the whole time. A song that reminded me of a happier version of The Strokes, was followed by a track with Bon Iver-like vocal harmonies. The group displays a wide variety of styles, each one better than the last. This album falls perfectly between its influences and something brand new. It ends up showing obvious influence from a broad selection of sounds while maintaining strong originality. It is not very often that a group comes along with a sound that you can truly call new. Take Care is one of those groups. Take a listen and enjoy!

Buy Somewhere Safe on iTunes

Take Care-"Lockjaw"

Take Care-"Orphan"

New Delta Spirit Song - "California"

San Diego-based group Delta Spirit are gearing up to release their third album on March 13th. The upcoming self-titled offering was recorded in an old converted church in Woodstock, NY. To hold you over until the album drops, they have released the first single, "California," an ode to their home state. They are also about to embark on a nation-wide tour with WATERS. Tour dates are below. Enjoy!

Delta Spirit-"California"

Alabama Shakes On KEXP

Alabama Shakes, one of the most buzzed about bands of the last year, recently stopped by Seattle radio station KEXP to perform "Hold On," a song that perfectly encapsulates their blend of rock, blues, and soul. Check it out!

Shower Hour: Spring Show #1

Last night, Shower Hour returned to kick off the Spring season on WMFO. It was a very laidback night with a whole bunch of great folk tunes. Check it out!

Stream Shower Hour: Spring Show #1

Town Hall Covers Jimmy Eat World

Town Hall, the group behind the wonderfully charming Tour EP we wrote about a few months ago, has released a fantastic video of them covering Jimmy Eat World's "The Middle". Quieting the song down, and bringing their young charm to the pop hit makes it a cover worth hearing. Also, the group has re-released their Tour EP with new recordings of all the songs! The Sticky Notes & Paper Scraps EP is available for free on their bandcamp and is streaming below! Enjoy!

New Andrew Bird - "Eyeoneye"

Andrew Bird has just released the first single off his upcoming album, "Break It Yourself," due out March 6th. The single, "Eyeoneye," has a much fuller sound than most of his previous work and includes his trademark whistling. If you buy a ticket to Bird's upcoming tour, you will get a download code for the upcoming album and two live EPs. Tour dates are after the jump.

Fleet Foxes and Joanna Newsom on Austin City Limits

Joanna Newsom and Fleet Foxes appeared on last night's episode of "Austin City Limits". Both of the groups ran through a few great tunes and the video is a great snapshot of each artist's live skill. Many of our favorites have appeared on the show, including Arcade Fire and The Head and The Heart. Watch past episodes here.

Los Campesinos on Letterman

Last night, Welsh group Los Campesinos stopped by The Late Show with David Letterman, to perform the first track off their latest release, Hello Sadness. The track, "By Your Hand," is a catchy pop hit that very well exemplifies the band's sound. Enjoy!

New Dr. Dog Video!

Our great friends Dr. Dog have released a second video for the single "That Old Black Hole" off their forthcoming album Be The Void. Try and keep up.

Yellow Ostrich Announce New Album

Alex Schaaf and crew have announced that they will soon be releasing the follow-up to their fantastic debut album, The Mistress. The upcoming record, Strange Land, will be released on March 6th! One of the tracks on the album will be "Marathon Runner," an excellent tune that they recorded for their latest Daytrotter Session. This is one of our favorite Yellow Ostrich tracks yet, and we could not be more excited to hear more.

Yellow Ostrich-"Marathon Runner"

Coachella Lineup Announced

The lineup for the 2012 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Fesitval has just been anounced! The Black Keys, Radiohead, and Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg are the three headliners. The lineup includes dozens of great acts including some of our favorites, M83, Bon Iver, Beirut, Justice, The Shins, Andrew Bird, Manchester Orchestra, Dawes, and The Head and The Heart

The Shins - "Simple Song"

The Shins recently announced that they are working on a new album, entitled Port Of Morrow, that is due out on March 20th. The group has just released the first single off the new album through their mailing list. The track, "Simple Song," is a raucous poppy jam that gives me great hope for the upcoming album. Take a listen and enjoy! The group's current tour dates are after the jump.

The Shins-"Simple Song"

Of Monsters And Men

Of Monsters And Men, undoubtedly the next big thing to come out of Iceland, have acquired a range of very flattering nicknames, ranging from "New Arcade Fire" to "Iceland's Mumford and Sons". The six-piece folk band from Reykjavik truly deserves all the attention. Their sound, with trading male/female vocals can be easily compared to a less hippy-ish Edward Sharpe, but also with a feel that could only come from somewhere with brutal winters. They have recently gained some attention stateside and are in the process of recording their American debut (Their debut in Iceland, My Head Is An Animal, was released in September). Their debut EP, Into The Woods, is an excellent four-song taste of the greatness that will surely come from this group. Take a listen!

Of Monsters And Men-"Little Talks"

Of Monsters And Men-"Six Weeks"

Local Natives: Take Away Show

While this video is not extremely new, I recently rediscovered it and felt like it must be shared. In February, for La Blogotheque, Local Natives performed an incredible, moving version of "Who Knows, Who Cares," off their fantastic debut album, Gorilla Manor. This video gives you a good idea of the live power of their music. Enjoy!