music monday

Zach Condon started out as a solo musician with extraordinary composition and recording skills. When his recording of Gulag Orkestar gained a lot of attention, the band expanded to become Beirut and travel the world. In 2007, Beirut released The Flying Club Cup—… Read the restan album inspired by french culture, fashion

In October, the French indie-pop band M83 released a highly anticipated double album Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming—… Read the restan ambitious creation that lead man Anthony Gonzales promised would be confident and epic. Gonzales wanted the album to feel like a journey through varied landscapes and emotions. He hoped the confident vocals

There is something special about Gillian Welch and David Rawlings. Whether they are singing a sweetly sad serenade or stomping their cowboy boots and playing the banjo, the duo definitely makes you want to listen. Jamie Cowperthwait of Rolling Stone… Read the rest says they “can lull you into near-hypnosis and then make

My first experience with The Head and the Heart was entirely on a whim. Late on a Sunday night some friends and I found ourselves bopping our heads and humming along with the rest of the crowd at the Wonder Ballroom in NE Portland, Ore. And I’ll be honest, the… Read the rest

I’m still trying to figure out WU LYF, but maybe that’s the point. They call themselves “heavy pop,” but it feels too intense, primal and sinister to be poppy. The inspired beats, funk rhythms and wandering melodies draw you in but something about the chilling tone keeps you holding back… Read the rest

A full album listen is a better introduction than any amount of words to describe Carolina Chocolate Drops. Part old-time string band, part New Orleans jazz, part ragtime funk–all woven together with strong, soulful gospel voices. The band blends myriad traditional and modern music styles to make their personal genre… Read the rest

I’m jamming out to some classic Afro rock/funk this morning at WEND… Read the rest HQ. The smooth sounds of multi-instrumentalist Joni Haastrup and his band MonoMono, first released in the 1970s, are making their CD debut later this month. Three CD debut, as a matter of fact, with the band’s 1971 debut

Most Music Mondays showcase a world or folk-style band. Said band is generally composed of members from all around the world, bringing Latin and African influence to their music. And I love it.
But this Monday—what might be one of the last real days of summer weather in the Pacific… Read the rest

Equal parts hip-hop, funk and reggae—with some soul in there as well—Nappy Riddem is a unique (and fun) listen. The duo is comprised of Rex Riddem and Mustafa Akbar and they sound great together. And even though you just missed the release party for their debut album One World Sovereignty … Read the rest

Listening to roger Clyne & The Peacemakers is a unique experience. With a sound that I can only describe as, “Old Wild, Wild West-style,” it almost feels like I’ve gone back in time. Which, it seems, is sort of what they’re going for. According to the band’s bio:
“Fifteen years… Read the rest

The band SHUSMO is aptly named. That the band’s music is heavily influenced by Middle-Eastern style is clear within the first few seconds of listening to one of their songs, and yet the exact genre is difficult to nail down. There’s definitely some jazz inspiration in there, as well as… Read the rest

I can’t think of a better word to describe Mala Rodriguez’s music than enchanting. Her Spanish rhymes are both sultry and terrifying. Even her name calls is mystifying. Born Maria Rodriguez, she goes by the nickname “Mala” that her aunt gave her as a child because she had a habit… Read the rest

Here at Wend… Read the rest, we’re frequently inclined to bring you world music on our Monday feature of sounds. But today we’re celebrating our American roots by featuring a band that hails from Louisiana and plays a Cajun style of folk music more than worthy of a Monday listen.
The band

Carla Morrison‘s voice is soft, subtle and soothing. And the Mexican musician’s cooing sound carries lyrics in spanish that touch on the subjects of ‘Lagrimas’ (Tears), and ‘Este Soledad’ (This Solitude) with melancholic charm.
Morrison’s music almost sounds as if it could be echoing out of a small child’s music… Read the rest

Take a look at this three-and-a-half-minute music video and you may not realize it took, according to the artists, Mattson 2, “5 men, 2 cars, 13 airplanes, 32 beers, 12 eggs, a broken generator, sunblock, a 10-22mm wide angle lens, a giant caterpillar, 1/2 of a kitchen and an ocotillo… Read the rest