The Lonely Forest ::: photo by Josh Lovseth

We’ve known for years that this day would come for The Lonely Forest and we couldn’t be prouder. Today the Anacortes’ band debuted their first single from the forthcoming Trans Record release on Stereogum.

Download “Live There” courtesy of Stereogum

But there’s more than just a Stereogum debut to be proud of. The band’s first single, “Live There” is a love song to the Pacific Northwest and to the life we are afforded simply by the blessing of calling this slice of Washington home. The Lonely Forest have always been proud of where they come from. The band has always claimed Anacortes as their home, never bowing to the pressure or ease of selling themselves as an up-and-coming Seattle band. “Live There” finds the band still wearing their heart and their hometown on their sleeves.

While Stereogum strangely compares the band to Band of Horses, “Live There” seems to me to be the answer to Death Cab for Cuties “Why You Want to Live Here?” The Lonely Forest, as produced by Death Cab’s Chris Walla, sing the answer: we don’t.

Posted this Cults track a while back and am still insatiably obsessed with it.

Lucky for us they just released a video for it, equally as beautiful, equally as mysterious.

Who is this blonde girl?  And why does she throw puppies?

Go Outside from Helene Park on Vimeo.

Cults - Go Outside

Source: Gorilla v. Bear

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Hot Chip, you’re popular dance rhythms do little for my aural capacities, but your absolute spot-on ability to broadcast bizarreness has a city block of my heart all reserved for condos.

I swear.

Hot Chip - I Feel Beter

Hot Chip | MySpace Music Videos

I can only watch this video once though, as the lazer beaming white skeletor haunts my waking dreams.

Source: Stereogum

Fleet Foxes at Sasquatch ::: Photo by Josh

Hopefully you’re not all voted out for the year because starting now you can lend your vote to a couple of locally based best-of polls for album of the year.

KEXP’s Top 90.3 Albums of 2008 voting is now open. You get ten unordered choices. Choose wisely!

While the KEXP list is for all albums, local, national and international, the Three Imaginary Girls poll that went live today is just for Best Northwest Releases of 2008. You get five ordered choices on this one. They’ve even provided a handy cheat sheet of bands that have released albums this year. I’m very interested to see what this poll comes up with.

Stereogum has already had it’s own bloggy poll for their Gummy Awards and Fleet Foxes won album of the year. The band has also been top five in numerous other publication editors’ polls. I wonder if this will this be repeated in these peoples choice polls? Methinks yes.

A truly (virtual) whip-lash inducing headline was on Stereogum today.

“New Blind Melon - ‘Wishing Well’”

I went right past the story as I was doing my daily scan, my mouse finger working faster than my brain. As soon as it registered, I did the equivalent of an internet u-turn - just to make sure I’d read the name correctly. Blind Melon? 90’s, bee girl video Blind Melon? Indeed, apprarently, the very same.

… by voting on the interwebs for their favorite album …

… where dem librul’s hang their chad’s
NPR’s All Songs Considered Best Album of 2007 Poll

… where the hipster’s annoint a ceremonial king and queen and promptly insult their new royalty’s prowess
Stereogum’s 2007 Gummy Awards Poll (voting closes 12/6)

… where the treehugger’s ponder each other’s didgeridoo’s
Three Imaginary Girls Best Northwest Releases of 2007 Readers Poll

… where the music lovers vote
KEXP’s Top 90 albums of 2007 Poll

I’m paralyzed with indecision right now. I’ve still got to look at other people’s lists to see what I’ve missed out on. Need helpful primer to jumpstart your task? I advise checking the Metacritic top 30 of 2007, Harp’s list and Paste’s 100 to get a sense of what paper publications are saying.

 I’d officially like to declare my love for Menomena. Every single new thing I learn about these guys, makes me  love them even more.

This started from the very first thing I’d ever heard about Menomena, which was their name. I was instantly hooked. Even if I hated their music (which I don’t) I was going to love these guys. C’mon a refrain from a Muppets song as your band name? Now that is briliant! Though… beware: as soon as you remember the song it’s from- said song will become permanently lodged in your head.

Then I fell in love with the band’s album, Friend and Foe, which was the first album a record label (the wonderful Barsuk) had ever sent to Sound on the Sound to review. Menomena sounded like no other band I’d ever heard, but despite being unique their material is completely accesible and addictive.  

Next I saw Menomena live, from the front row and they were incredible… even though the audience was the worst Seattle crowd I’ve ever experienced. People threw beer at the band, yelled about how their first album sucked, didn’t cheer, and generally blew goats. (you can read josh’s take on the show, here) Sure the band didn’t play an encore (for a sold out crowd) but you couldn’t exactly hold it against them.

Earlier this week I found a new Menomena tour poster and about collapsed with sheer joy. (c’mon I’m a child of the 80’s!) It is doubtlessly the BEST POSTER EVER! No joke.

And finally today, thanks to the fine folks at Stereogum I found Menomena’s first video for their song, “Wet and Rusting.” God, as if I didn’t love these guys enough already! The video is everything and more I’d come to expect from these guys- cleverly cheeky and very true to themselves. It’s great to see a successful indie band not take themselves too seriously, despite being talented innovators on the verge of a big break.

Take the time to explore Menomena, if you haven’t heard the album, head to Barsuk where you can stream the album for free.  Begin your love affair with Menomena today!!