Cheat Sheet #6 2011

The Low Anthem - Ghost Women Blues from slowcoustic
I am very excited about the release of this album, because I was such a fan of Oh My God Charlie Darwin.This tracks follows the same formula from that album; slow building melodies with a folk tinge. A sweet Oboe (I think) solo to top it off.
From the album Smart Flesh due out Feb.22
Band website

The Ravonettes - Forget That You're Young from Off the Radar
A little bit of a change in sound from The Ravonettes. Still has that surf guitar but they have lost the back beat garage drums. A softer gentler Raveonettes, which hopefully translates to a great new album.
From the album Raven in the Grave due out April 2011
Band Website

The Lovely Eggs - Have You Ever Heard a Digital Accordion from Swill Merchant
Discovered these guys through NPR - All Songs Considered. They love to write a song in rounds and some people find the singers voice and their music utterly annoying, but that is what I find charming. The video below is Don't Look at Me which is from their most recent album and Digital Accordion (above) is  from their previous effort If You Were Fruit.
Most recent album Cob Dominos came out last week.
Band Website

Akron / Family - Silly Bears
Akron / Family - So It Goes both from The Dada   
Just look at the name of the album and you know these guys are stoner rock. Probable Kurt Vonnegut reference with that second track.
From the album S/T II: The Cosmic Birth and Journey of Shinju TNT out now
Band Website

Yuck - Coconut Bible from Your Third Ear 
Yuck - Rubber  from Chromewaves
Here is one I missed. These guys are blowing up all over and I just heard about them this week. They do rock, but I'm still unsure. Rubber is sonic sludge!!!!
Self titled album out now.
Band Website


Bonus: New Radiohead album out this week - King of Limbs. Here is video number one off the album

Low Anthem

From Providence, RI the Low Anthem were one of my favorite discoveries of 2009. I heard about them from listening to NPR All Songs Considered coverage of the Newport Folk Festival. They use an array of instruments and produce mellow and sometimes sad music that sounds like it was inspired by the great depression. Makes sense, since that is what we are in now. The songs are simple but well composed. I find myself humming along all the time and get the tunes stuck in my head while at work. This is great driving music. In other words I recommend them highly if you haven't heard of them yet. So the whole reason for the post was to let you know you can check them out on NPR All Songs Considered again, this time on tiny desk concerts. 
Here are some bonus videos from their album "Oh My God, Charlie Darwin."