Athens66: 10/1/09

Yeasayer finally offer Ambling Alp

So what if the Big-3 (Pitchfork, Stereogum, Melophobe) have already posted this. The real deal is that Yeasayer have finally released a new single. It's call Ambling Alp and is offered for free. Their full follow-up album Odd Blood is expected February 19 on our beloved Secretly Canadian (belated birthday present?). We've also featured this (along with a number of other mp3s) on our Tunes of the Week section on the right (since this feature is quite new). Enjoy!

Yeasayer - Ambling Alp

Artist.Site Order.Single

Cobra Killer bring Uppers and Downers

Gina and Annika, the crazy german electroclash duo, are back after 4 years of absense. Their new material is titled Uppers & Downers and contains the usual madness we came to expect from these girls. Some songs are simply awful, some are simply amazing...true Cobra Killer style. The only difference I can spot is the pair of elf ears they seem to have grown (have no clue why)! Anyway, we stil love them as always. Enjoy only if accompanied by lots and lots of alcohol!

Cobra Killer - Vitamine

Cobra Killer - Good Time Girl

Artist.Site Buy.Amazon

Winter Gloves are all About a Girl

How on earth did we miss this one? Our fellow blogger Zeugolator did warn us last year but we somehow still managed to oversee it. Winter Gloves are an indie band from Montreal that make incredible indie songs. Their debut About a Girl was released last year and should have been on our top list...but I guess it's never to late. Their track Invisible is just playing endlessly for the last couple of days and the rest of the album is equally briliant. Don't miss it (like we did)!

Winter Gloves - Invisible

Winter Gloves - Factories

Winter Gloves - About A Girl

Artist.Site Album.Buy

Athens66 @ Poplie Radio - Take Three

As always, we had our 2 hour session yesterday from 20.00 till 22.00 on Poplie Radio. This week's tunes started off dirty, slowly lightened-up and ended in our usual mellow way (the fine bottle of Metaxa that BLR brought might had something to do with this!). Hopefully next time you'll hear us live we'll have a new mic, since it seems to be getting worst and worst. Nevertheless, feel free to download yesterday's show from the link below and comment on our choices. Enjoy and see ya next week!

Download.Show

Let it Beep the Royal Bangs

Royal Bangs are a indie rock band from Tennessee. They released their debut titled We Breed Champions last year and they are now back with new material. Their new release is called Let it Beep and was released on September 15th in the US on Audio Eagle and is currently released in Europe under City Slang label. Their sound is quite interesting, offering a mix of classic indie guitars with a bit more contemporary electro tweaks and a sence of grunge. I accidently had this one in my playlist yesterday and immediately caught my attention. Their music sounds so pure and exciting, it's really a pleasure to hear this album from end to end. Check it out!

Artist.Site Album.Order

Are they simply Amazing?

Christoffer Gunrup, Reine Fiske, Johan Holmegard and Fredrik Swahn are simply The Amazing. This is a new band from (guess where) Sweden that is slowly making a name for themselves. Their single Dragon was recently featured/reviewed in Pitchfork and they are currently touring the US (they are playing Music Hall of Williamsburg tomorrow in Brooklyn...which is our new header pic btw!). Their music is a mix of pop-rock folk and prog-rock with a few elements of psychedelia. They are probably following the US trend set by Fleet Foxes, Vampire Weekend and Yeasayer (amongst others). Nevertheless, they do make beautiful songs and they are Swedes, so they are more than worth a listen. Their self-titled debut album was released in iTunes and Sweden back in April but is available worldwide now on Subliminal Sounds label. Enjoy!

The Amazing - Dragon

The Amazing - Code II

Artist.Site Album.Order

Magnolia Electric Co are back with Josephine

This is yet another of those bands that we've come across from time to time but never really paid enough attention in order to recall later on. Jason Molina is the man behind this act and has already realeased a dozen (or more) records under the name Songs:Ohia before recording his last LP titled Magnolia Electric Co. This signaled the stage name change to Magnolia Electric Co along with a few more albums, until we reach this year's latest release titled Josephine. Jason's music is sweet lo-fi folk with elements of alt-country that bring obvious comparisons to the master Will Oldham. Then again, I'm no exepert on this genre but I surely enjoyed this album for a change of pace from my usual pop/rock sounds. Beautiful melodies, a sence of darkness and a deep, trembling voice is enough to ensure you'll be quickly lured into it as well. It's nice to re-discover some artists afterall!

Magnolia Electric Co - Josephine

Magnolia Little Sad Eyes

Artist.Site

Phantogram and their Eyelid Movies

Phantogram are an electronic duo from Saratoga Springs, NY. Their music ranges from electronic to experimental and from pop to shoegaze. Josh and Shara take turns on the vocals and so does the tempo, from slow ambient vibes to full drumming beats or mellow soul vibes. Their debut LP Eyelid Movies has just been released on BBE label and is worth more than a couple of spins. We've already included them in our weekly radio show...and will probably do again!

Phantogram - When I'm Small

Artist.Site Buy.Album

Athens66 @ Poplie Radio - Take Two

Another show is now history. Yet you can still catch us next Sunday from 20.00 till 22.000 on Poplie Radio for more live music and endless trash talk. Yesterday was quite an interesting mix, with lots of upbeat electro beats during the first hour and more pop/rock directions on the second half. You can download our show from the link below. Enjoy and see ya next week!

Download.Show

Athens66 on Air @ Poplie.eu

As you probably have noticed from our brand new banner on the right (and our post regarding our first playlist a couple of days ago), Athens66 now has its own radio show every Sunday from 20.00 till 22.00 (Athens time of'course) on the coolest webradio station...Poplie Radio. Just tune in and enjoy me and BLR mixing it up and serving our favorite tunes. See ya tomorrow night!

Okkervil River - Pop Lie

PS. We'll also be awaiting your live feedback on our athens66 Twitter account..

God Help the Girl Playlist

It took me quite a while to discover this one...eventhough it's been posted everywhere for quite some months now (I somehow missed it). God Help the Girl is a musical film by Stuart Murdoch (Belle & Sebastian) that will be shot in 2010 and will feature mostly new songs plus two old Belle tracks. The difference here are the all female vocals in most tracks, which give another twist to the Belle sound we came to love. To be honest, nothing can be compared to Stuart's voice...but nevertheless the soundtrack is amazing and we are highly anticipating the film. Until then, here's a playlist of all four behind-the-scenes documentary clips that Stuart has made available.

Artist.Site

How about some Sweet 'Swedish' Serenades?

There seems to be no stopping the Swedish music factory this days. Thank god for that if you ask me. The Sweet Serenades is yet another pop-rock indie duo from Stockholm. They release their First Taste EP back in 2007 and are now back with their debut album titled Balcony Cigarettes. There are numerous musical influences on their tracks but it all seems to work perfectly. Keep these ones in mind...their style and music will quickly break into more mainstream airwaves. Enhoy!

The Sweet Serenades - On my Way

Artist.Site Buy.Album

Hold it Close for Digits

Digits is the new act of Alt Altman from Toronto (previously on Europe in Colour and The Ghost is Dancing). He makes smooth electro-indie pop in the likes of Phoenix or Junior Boys but with a unique personal style. Take a listen to You're Going to Age below and you'll quickly become a fan (my tune of the week)! Amazing songs and a really great album....a hidden gem that just got released titled Hold It Close (check links below to order it). Check it out...highly recommended!

Digits - Going to Age

Digits - Nonstop

Artist.Site Buy.Album

Fresh from Pistol to Zoos

Two fresh songs for you today. First up a new Pistol Disco track titled Bad Wisdom. Much more uplifting sounds from the Swedes this time.

Pistol Disco - Bad Wisdom

And the second one is a new video from Zoos of Berlin for the song Black in the Sun Room from their new album Taxis (directed by Adam Lonczynski). Enjoy!

A Crop Rotation from Polynya

We usually get flooded by junk mail in our contact address here in Athens66 and it takes hour to sort the crap. However, there are times that all this sorting pays off. A mail from Polynya back in early August was such a case. I've received their second album via mail when I got back from holiday and I must say I was quite impressed. Crop Rotation is a mix of of pop, indie and shoegaze that really hits the right spots sometimes (although not quite always). It's nevertheless worth more than a few spins!

Polynya - People in Pictures

Artist.Site Buy.Amazon

We've Missed Those Dancing Days

I though of reviving the old theme of 'Things we Missed' and what a better way than with another Swedish band! Those Dancing Days is an all girls band from Stockholm that brings memories of those all-girl bands back in the 60's. They officially released their first album back in 2008 titled In Our Space Hero Suits and it is simply adorable (how on earth did we miss it?). The pure essence of Swedish music...Enjoy!

Those Dancing Days - Those Dancing Days

Artist.Site

Athens66 @ Poplie Radio - Take One

Yesterday Athens66 finally aired on Poplie Radio!! From now on you can hear us live every Sunday from 20:00 till 22:00 (Athens time) playing our favorite tunes and talking nonsense (as always). Stay tuned!!

Part1 Part2

Feel all Washed Out

Beautiful sunny video to recall the summer. Courtesy of Ernest Greene aka Washed Out and his debut EP titled Life of Leisure. The song is titled Feel it all Around. Enjoy...

Lacrosse are still Kids

So let's see, we have five men, one woman and all of them from Stockholm. Guess the ingridients are all there for another Swedish success. Lacrosse are just what we were looking for...Give them a go!

Artist.Site

Au Revoir Simone and Asobi Seksu serve some new Clips

Two new and beautiful clips today from mainstage girl power. First up the new video from Au Revoir Simone titled Shadows. This is coming from their latest album Still Night, Still Light and the video has been aired by the David Lynch Foundation Television.Pretty cool girls this bantch (but don't start comparing to Stereolab or Reverie Sound Revue)

And the second one coming from Asobi Seksu and their latest single Transparence from their third album Hush. The track was aired on Stereogum and is a mellow post-summer treat.

Langhorne Slim is Set Free

Sean 'Langhorne Slim' Scolnick is back with a new album. We're still trying to find it somewhere. If anyone has a lead feel free to send it our way. Seems though that he's turned more to folk/classic-troubador with this one than ever..