I got through about 40 independent/unsigned artist CDs today and I’m still looking for one I’m really excited about. There were a couple really solid bands, but I’ve got a huge stack to get through yet.

As for established artists, there are several upcoming or new releases I’m excited about. David Bazan’s new solo album, Curse Your Branches, doesn’t come out till September 1 but we got to listen to it this week and it’s a really good listen. It’s similar to his Pedro the Lion stuff – heart-rending, questioning narratives, this time told more in the first person. He’s playing at Cornerstone July 2, and I’m intrigued to see how Christians there receive him. I’ve always been able to relate to how he feels, and I appreciate his honesty. Check out this interview with him from 2004.

Until June’s new EP, Sound of Defeat, is out now, and I’ve only listened to it once but I liked it a lot. It’s crazy that The Devil Wears Prada debuted at number 11 on Billboard, props to them. Their new album is pretty solid.

Couple questions for the weekend: What new releases are you waiting for? Also, do you listen to any hip-hop or rap, and if so, who do you listen to?

What do you make of the Bazan-approved quote below?

Glad our cat Marvin came back,
Corey Erb

“At the very least Christians have a divided allegiance. For surely one of the great betrayals of Christians in America to America is confusing America with the Kingdom of God. Christians have done so because we assume that America is a democracy and democracies are less coercive than other forms of political organization.” – Stanley Hauerwas

Here are 3 releases I have been looking forward to and they all release May 19, 2009

Family Force 5 – Dance or Die With a Vengeance


mewithoutYou – it’s all crazy! it’s all false! it’s all a dream! it’s alright”


Until June – The Sound Of Defeat

Here is Until June’s video for the song “The Man Who Lost His Soul”.  Check out their imeem profile. Their new ep Sound of Defeat releases May 19, 2009

Here is the cover art for Until June’s Sound of Defeat

Along with signing to Authentik Artists, Until June have a new EP The Sound of Defeat releasing May 19, 2009

Authentik Artists is proud to announce the signing of Los Angeles group Until June. The band will be releasing their new EP “Sound Of Defeat” on May 19th, 2009. Until June has been making waves all around the world during the past few years, including topping the charts in Greece, Norway, and Japan with their hit “Sleepless”. Their new single “The Man Who Lost His Soul” is already climbing the charts in Greece and a music video for the track will be premiering shortly. The band will be hosting their record release show for “Sound of Defeat” at local tastemaker venue The Hotel Café on May 19th.

“We are excited to get Sound of Defeat in the hands of our fans. It’s been a long time coming and we are excited to see the project come to fruition. Our experience working with producer Dave Darling challenged us to explore another side of Until June. We hope everyone enjoys the record as much as we do, please check out our new track “The Man Who Lost His Soul” on our Myspace. Thanks again for all your support”. – Josh / Vocalist

Preview music from the new EP on the bands Myspace and follow the band on Twitter.

via PureVolume™ | We’re Listening To You.

The Man Who Lost His Soul

Growing up I found the life that knew
Overshadowed by the anger in the clutch of abuse
Shells and bullets fell and dropped to floor
I put an end to an era and I started a war
When I carried out the worst of my plans
I was the only one surviving and miserable man

All my life,I’ve takin over slowly
Feel my hands, and see what become
Oh so wrong, to leave your love behind me
I gained the world, lost my soul, is there no one to save me

When I conquered, no one came to my side
Ruined the life I wanted and burned what was mine
In the ashes I had found what I lost
Nothing left inside me and cursed at the thought
I sat alone,  put my head in my hands
What I thought was a solution, was a horrible plan

Until June Blog.

O alta melodie pe care o iubesc foarte mult.

Dar tu… mai tii minte cum ascultam melodia asta in continuu? La un moment dat credeam si eu ca am luat-o razna

Hmm… ce vremuri… ce mult as vrea sa retraiesc acele clipe atat de minunate, pe care stii bine ca nu o sa le uit.

Until June have a free download of Always Christmas

Until June is releasing a free Christmas song soon:

Tuesday, November 04, 2008

“Always Christmas”

By Thanksgiving UJ will be releasing a live version of their original Christmas song “Always Christmas”. This song will be available as a FREE Download on their myspace page and website.

The song was recorded live in the living room of the Until June apartment with friends on November 3rd.

via Myspace.com Blogs – “Always Christmas” – until june MySpace Blog

I gained the world and lost my soul…Is there no one to save me?”

Until June have a new song The Man Who Lost His Soul. Listen to the song at www.myspace.com/untiljune If this song is any indication the album “The Sound of Defeat” will be anything but that.

From the Until June blog

Friday, October 10, 2008

New Page New Music

Record coming soon!

Source

Just got Until June’s latest album and it is awesome. They definitely are influenced by Keane, which is okay by me as they rock too. Below is their video for their song “Sleepless.”

De astazi inainte ar trebui sa speram la zile insorite, zile cu o anumita aroma,
zi-le de primavara.
Am ales sa-ti spun despre primavara cu ajutorul unei piese care nu are cum sa nu
te cucereasca Until June – Sleepless, de asemenea piesa aceasta sa fie cadoul meu de martisor pentru voi.

P.S. Melodia am descoperit-o undeva pe la inceputul luni decembrie a anului trecut
si de abia acum am observat ca a inceput sa prinda la noi.
Tare mi-as dori sa devina un hit cantat pe toate radio-urile din tara.

…und noch etwas ganz Tolles, was ich an dem Kongress erlebt habe (und was definitiv einen eigenen Post verdient): Ich hatte schon seit bald einem Jahr mit dem Gedanken gespielt, mir mal das Debütalbum der kanadischen Band Turn Off The Stars (das denselben Titel hat) zu kaufen, konnte mich aber bis jetzt nie dazu durchringen.

Und dann stöbere ich am Freitag Morgen nichtsahnend am Gerth-Medien-CD-Tisch herum, und was sehen meine entzückten Augen?! Turn Off The Stars, und zwar für – haltet euch fest – gerade mal 3 EURO!!! Erstaunlich und wunderbar zugleich, wie Schumi sagen würde…

Die Investition hat sich auf jeden Fall gelohnt – ich bin von der CD absolut begeistert. Der Sound ist so eine Art atmosphärisch-impressionistisch angehauchter Alternative Indie-Rock und irgendwo zwischen Bands wie Coldplay, Until June, The Verve und den Doves anzusiedeln.

Hörts euch an – die Band muss unbedingt bekannter werden!

The AbsolutePunk-sponsored Melee, Matt White and Until June tour kicks off tonight in Orangevale, CA. Make sure to go to one of the shows if it’s in your city!

I can see I am not going to get this finished anytime soon so before it gets too far into the year ….In no particular order are my favorite albums of 2007. I would like to think they are also the best albums, but that might be too presumptuous

Anberlin / Cities / Tooth and Nail

Until June / S/T / Flicker

Deas Vail / The Houses All Look the Same / Brave New World

Thrice / The Alchemy Index Vol. 1 & 2: Fire & Water / Vagrant

Thrice break out of the hardcore/screamo mold with this ambitious first installment of the Alchemy Index.

The Brothers Martin / S/T / Tooth & Nail

Brothers Ronnie and Jason bring the best of their other bands (Joy Electric and Starflyer 59) to this collaboration.

Dustin Kensrue / Please Come Home / Vagrant

Dustin’s solo debut is miles away from Thrice musically with an acoustic/alt/country sound. Lyrically the album explores life, love and faith.

Lovedrug / Everything Starts Where it Ends /

Paramore / Riot! / Fueled By Ramen

A nearly flawless pop/punk album that was fun to listen to. (and more that 500,000 others must have thought so too)

Relient K / Five Score and Seven Years Ago / Gotee

Relient K deliver their characteristically great pop/punk music and still retain their humor, but they also show the ability to branch out with the beach boys sounding intro, the country tinged “faking my own suicide and the epic closer “death bed”.

Some others favorites:

Radiohead – “In Rainbows” /The Arcade Fire – “The Neon Bible” / Falling Up “Captiva” / U2 – “The Joshua Tree” Remastered Box Set / Eisley – Combinations / Mae – “Singuality” / We Shot The Moon – “The Cougar and The Polar Bear” / Seabird – “Let Me Go On” /  The Swirling Eddies – The Midget, The Speck and the Molecule  / All Star United – Love and Radiation / Luna Halo  – S/T

I ran across the band Evoka while reading Relevant magazine. I am not sure how to pronounce their name and the album title doesn’t exactly roll off your tongue, but the songs sound good.

You can also get their debut album “Cries from the castlegate empire” at Relevantstore.com. You can listen to selections from that album at their website evokamusic.com

As I watched the trailer for the upcoming sigur ros film and album “Heima” (see info at Paste magazine ) I was reminded that a few years ago I missed seeing them at Calvin College. I heard it was a great concert (so says my friend from Safely Framed and this review at Relevant Magazine ) and I was bummed and I still am….

See the trailer here:

sigur ros link: sigur-ros.co.uk