Cayucas - 'High School Lover'

'High School Lover' is infectious slacker rock at its best.  Coming in at three and a half minutes, it's the pogo tempo that really sells this song.

Stream 'High School Lover' by Cayucas in the SoundCloud player below:

Phosphorescent - 'Song for Zula'

Phosphorescent is Matthew Houck.  And Houck has hit it big with his breakout single 'Song for Zula.'

'Song for Zula' is one of those epic songs that only get better with time.  Indeed, I think each time I spin this track, I find myself a little more touched.  Be prepared for this song to begin pervading the scores of hip indie flicks and the background music of foreign car commercials--badges of honor for the alternative bands of today.

Stream the wonderful 'Song for Zula' in the SoundCloud player below:

Haim - 'I'll Try Anything Once'

This is a skillful cover of "You only Live Once" by singing sisters Haim, although this deviation is entitled 'I'll Try Anything Once.' 

Stream the Strokes cover in the YouTube player below:

Kurt Vile - 'Wakin on a Pretty Day'

The new single from Kurt Vile comes in at a whopping nine and a half minutes.  But it doesn't feel quite that long.

The tune features a leisurely pacing; with just the right balance of volume and tempo, of guitar and vox. 

Stream 'Wakin on a Pretty Day' in the SoundCloud player below:

Django Django - 'Hail Bop'

Art popsters Django Django hit indie radio pretty hard in 2012 with their goofy, but infectious,  ''Default.'  Now, they've dropped 'Hail Bop,' a much more serious -- and more focused-- foray into driving electro pop.

Stream the robust 'Hail Bop' in the SoundCloud player below:

The Lonely Note on Spotify

We've just created a new Spotify playlist featuring all the great songs we've posted over the years.  Go to Lonely Note Radio to begin streaming today!

Local Artist Spotlight: Trouble Lights

Rural Iowa might not be the first place you'd expect to find intelligent, electronic-based dance music.  

Then again, it probably isn't the first place you'd expect to find unique ethnic cuisine, sustainable living and a school for transcendental meditation.

But there it is: Fairfield - nestled in the cornfields of southern Iowa.  It's a small town of less than 10,000 with a diverse and rich arts and cultural scene and home to the Maharishi University of Management (a school started by the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the famed guru of The Beatles). 

Director David Lynch has held annual "Weekends for World Peace and Meditation" at the campus since 2005, featuring world-renowned musicians and speakers.  

Last spring, Lynch's foundation website heralded a new music video from a Fairfield duo called Trouble Lights, and since then, the band has burst onto the local music scene. 

The video, for the song "Safe With Me" (directed by Geoff Boothby), was heads above other videos I'd seen for local artists.  In fact, the professionalism and appeal of the song and video had me do a double take as to why I'd never heard of this group before.

Trouble Lights is the project of vocalist Adrien Daller and musician Philip Rabalais.  It's highly-charged electronic pop music with powerhouse diva vocal melodies from Daller, who studied musical theatre in the UK before returning home. The resulting sound falls somewhere between the classic pop of The Eurythmics and the dark theatricality of Lady Gaga.

The group recently released their debut album, The Endless Prom, on Maximum Ames Records (home to Leslie Hall, The Poison Control Center, Christopher the Conquered and more)

Below is the music video for Trouble Lights' latest single, "Ready".  It's a steam-powered, head-on-collision of dance grooves.  Once the chorus hits with the "Whoa-oh-oh"s, the party is full speed ahead. 

Watch it here:




For more on Trouble Lights, visit their official website.

And be sure to check out these other Fairfield, IA artists:  Greg Brown, Jefferson County Green Band, Surgery, Utopia Park and Little Ruckus.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra - 'Swim & Sleep (Like a Shark)'

'Swim & Sleep' by Unknown Mortal Orchestra weaves an unforgettable guitar hook throughout its entire production, and the effect really sells the song.

Chill out and stream 'Swim & Sleep' in the SoundCloud player below:

Foxygen - 'Shuggie'

'Shuggie' by Foxygen reminds me of some of the quirky--yet brilliant--singles that gained radio traction in the mid-1990s. Songs like 'Girl Like You' by Edwyn Collins, and even 'Whoever You Are' by Geggy Tah spring to mind. Perhaps it's because 'Shuggie' borrows heavily from the prevailing musical themes of the sixties while managing to shapeshift halfway throughout the tune?

In any event, watch the video the intriguing 'Shuggie' below:

Bear in Heaven - 'Sinful Nature'

'Sinful Nature' is some fine chilled-out synth rock.  The seductive introduction pulls one in, while the subsequent chords and verses hypnotize its listener.

You can stream 'Sinful Nature' by Bear in Heaven in the SoundCloud player below:

Ty Segall - 'Thank God for Sinners'

Taking a page from the Elephant 6 recording collective, Ty Segall revives lo-fi garage rock in his recent single, 'Thank God for Sinners.'  It's half slow burner; half fuzzed out space jam.  The guitar work inspires, and the melody is tasty.

Stream 'Thank God for Sinners' in the SoundCloud player below:
 

The Rosebuds Cover Sade

Anyone who knows me knows I have a major soft spot for Sade.  

Sade's ultra-chill, smoothed-out R&B struck a chord with me very early in life.  Back in 1985, I would bob and sing along to "Smooth Operator" from the child booster seat in my parents' van.

So, when I heard that indie-rock act, The Rosebuds had covered her 1992 album, Love Deluxe, in its entirety - and released it for free -  I was delightfully curious to say the least.   

One listen to the opening track, "No Ordinary Love", and I realized what a beautiful tribute this is.  To cover an entire album so effortlessly, and with the depth of emotion found here must truly be an act of love and respect from the artists.

According to The Rosebuds' bandcamp page, they covered the album to commemorate its 20th anniversary:

"To say this album is a constant influence to The Rosebuds and the records we've made over the years would be an understatement. We’ve always been fans. Ivan’s been covering Sade songs since I’ve known him--he sings them in the house, he sings them while driving, he sings them with or without a guitar in hand, he sings them when he doesn’t even realize he’s singing aloud. It’s the language he hears music in."

You can download The Rosebuds' LOVE DELUXE below, and I whole-heartedly encourage you to do so.

Wild Nothing - 'Paradise'

Eighties college radio lives on in Wild Nothing's 'Paradise.'  Atmospheric stoicism rules the day on this track, with colorful synth effects interacting quite wonderfully with Jack Tatum's vocal production.  Listen to this one on headphones if you want to catch all the sonic nuances.

Stream 'Paradise' below:

Alt-J - 'Fitzpleasure'

Dub-popsters Alt-J have produced a dynamically raucous tune of a song in 'Fitzpleasure.'  This is one of those singles you just can't quite put your finger on, as it spans many different genres in a short four minutes.  Nevertheless, the final product is rich and inspiring.

Stream the video to 'Fitzpleasure' below:

Pinback - 'Proceed to Memory'

Dirge rockers Pinback are back with a solid single, 'Proceed to Memory.'  This is one of those songs that builds up kind of slow but smoothly morphs into a likeable head-nodder.

Stream 'Proceed to Memory' in the SoundCloud player below: