Best New Releases for Jan. 20, 2009

Today is proving to be quite a release date and will make quite a dent in my pocket book.

Andrew Bird - "Noble Beast" (Fat Possum)

*MP3: Andrew Bird - "Sovay"
Buy on Amazon

Animal Collective - "Merriweather Post Pavilion" (Domino)

*MP3: Animal Collective - "My Girls"
Buy on Amazon

Atmosphere - "God Loves Ugly" (Reissue with DVD) (Rhymesayers)

*MP3: Atmosphere - "God Loves Ugly"
Buy on Amazon

Bon Iver - "Blood Bank EP" (Jagjaguwar)

*MP3: Bon Iver - "Beach Baby"
Buy on Amazon

Coconut Records - "Davy" (Young Baby)

*MP3: Coconut Records - "Drummer"
Buy on Amazon

MFR: Week In Review

My Sunday afternoon WIR posts are ever-evolving. This week, I thought I would post our most popular posts and tracks in the week. In case you missed the fun, here's what we've been up to:

Hot MFR Posts:
1.) MFR's Ultimate Comprehensive List of Year End Lists for 2008
2.) On The Road Mix No. 5
3.) MFR's Top Ten Best Records of 2008
4.) MFR's Top Ten List of Pitchfork's Top 100 Songs
5.) MFR's Top Ten Best Local Records of 2008

Hot MFR Tracks:
1.) *MP3: Paramore - "I Caught Myself"
2.) *MP3: Beyonce - "Single Ladies" (Put A Ring On It)
3.) *MP3: N.A.S.A. - "Whachadoin?" (Featuring M.I.A., Spankrock, Santogold, Nick Zinner)
4.) *MP3: Kings of Leon vs. Lykke Li - "Knocked Up" (Rodeo Remix)
5.) *MP3: Bon Iver - "Babys"

Video: Bon Iver on "Letterman"

Bon Iver - "Blood Bank" EP

Download: Bon Iver - "Blood Bank" (Link removed by request of label)
Download: Bon Iver - "Beach Baby" (Link removed by request of label)

We talked about Bon Iver's new "Blood Bank" EP on Monday and posted "Babys," however, we find ourselves wanting to post yet again about it, because two songs have been released since. Both are lovely soundtracks to your snowy winter. Vernon has maintained his quality song-writing, while moving onto better fidelity; accomplishing the soft, bedroom feel of "For Emma, Forever Ago," while still getting better.

But along with posting these two mp3s, comes a concern about purchasing this record, so, if you like what you hear, you can buy any and all things Bon Iver-related at the following links:

Bon Iver on Myspace
Buy "For Emma, Forever Ago" at Jagjaguwar
Buy "For Emma, Forever Ago" at Amazon

"Blood Bank" will be out Jan. 20 on Jagjaguwar.

Bon Iver - "Babys"

Download: Bon Iver - "Babys"

Yes! A new Bon Iver EP will be out on Jan. 20 via Jagjaguwar! Pre-order your copy HERE. Here's the beautiful "Babys" to get you in the pre-ordering mood.

Bon Iver on MySpace

Bon Iver on Late Night with Conan O'Brien

For those of you keeping score at home, this is rad.

Bon Iver on MySpace

(Ian Anderson)

Bon Iver at First Ave: Tickets Go On Sale Today

Here's hoping that Bon Iver get a better reception at First Ave on August 13th than they did at Lutefest. Seriously, St. Olaf, what the hell is the matter with you? First, Carleton College gets Gospel Gossip, then their choir covers Vampire Weekend, and now, apparently Bon Iver totally harshed your Case Day buzz, maaaaaannnnnnnn? One of the best portraits of solitude since Elliot Smith, or Jeff Buckley, and you're too drunk on Grain Belt to even notice? What, you'd prefer friggin' Dave Matthews? Does St. Olaf have anything cool at all anymore? There's only so much work that this blog, Jayber Crow, and Masses With Masses can do.

Buy tickets here, dammit. Watch above and learn, you asshats.

Bon Iver MySpace Page

(Jonathan Graef)

Bon Iver Remixes The Rosebuds

Download: The Rosebuds - "Get Up and Get Out" (Bon Iver Remix)

We never thought Bon Iver to be the remixing type, but this re-imagining of The Rosebuds' "Get Up and Get Out" obviously proves us wrong. The track is taken from the free remix record that Merge Records gave away on their website. You can listen to Bon Iver's remix at the top of the post, and download the remix album here.

The Rosebuds MySpace Page
Bon Iver MySpace Page

(Jonathan Graef)

Bon Iver - "The Wolves (Acts 1 & 2)" Video

A totally appropriate video for a totally appropriate song.

Bon Iver on MySpace

(Ian Anderson)

Bon Iver's For Emma, Forever Ago Out Today - Plus Radio Interview With Justin Vernon

Download: Bon Iver - "Skinny Love"

Those of you who didn't pick up Bon Iver's debut album, For Emma, Forever Ago during its original, self-released pressing finally have the opportunity to head down to their local record store and pick up what is widely regarded as a fantastic, auspicious start. In addition, you can listen to an interview that the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire radio station with Mr. Justin Vernon himself here. Thanks to reader AJ for the tip.

Bon Iver MySpace Page

(Jonathan Graef)

Tonight: Bon Iver In-Store At Electric Fetus

Download: Bon Iver - "Flume"
Download: Bon Iver - "For Emma"

The re-release of Eau Claire-based winter soulster Bon Iver's stunning debut For Emma, Forever Ago, is just around the corner (next Tuesday, the 19th, in fact). In order to celebrate such an occasion, the man still known to loved ones and relatives as Justin Vernon is playing an in-store at Electric Fetus tonight at 8 p.m. What makes this in-store particularly special is the fact that it's a "private" in-store. Not that kind, pervert.

What private means is that those of you who participated in the special Electric Fetus promotion pre-order of For Emma, Forever Ago got a ticket to the in-store. That promotion was going on until yesterday, so if you got a golden ticket, consider yourself lucky. At any rate, Bon's going to be performing songs and signing records. What a perfect pre-Valentine's Day activity for you and your sweetie.

Bon Iver MySpace Page

(Jonathan Graef)

Pre-Order Bon Iver's For Emma, Forever Ago

Download: Bon Iver - "Skinny Love"

The past few weekends have been so cold here in Chicago that weekend plans consist only of doing whatever the T.V. tells us. Whether or not somebody finds us is irrelevant. Bon Iver, AKA Justin Vernon, the Eau Claire, Wisconsin-based known for his sensitive soul-folk, probably knows a thing or two about those kind cold winters ("Bon Iver" is French for "good winter", though it's intentionally misspelled). The re-release (via Jagjaguwar) of last year's For Emma, Forever Ago should bring more widespread attention to the intimate beauty of Vernon's guitar playing, as well as his affecting croon. Though the album won't physically be in stores until February 19th, the album is available for pre-order through Jagjaguwar. If you do so now, you'll get what the label is calling "fancy, offset-printed poster". Well, if it's fancy...

For Emma, Forever Ago is out on February 19th.

Bon Iver MySpace Page

(Jonathan Graef)

The Pines - "Worried Blues"

Download: The Pines - "Worried Blues" (Traditional)

Playing with MFR-Favorite Bon Iver tonight at the sold-out Turf Club show are Minnepolis-based folk duo The Pines, who last year put out their debut album Sparrows In The Ball. Those who liked Bon Iver's stark but beautifully uplifting aesthetic should be pleased by David Huckfelt and Benson Ramsey's sleepy melodies and Guthrie-esque Americana. Listen to their rendition of the traditional "Worried Blues". If you have tickets, consider yourself lucky.

Doors are at 9 for the 21+ show.

MySpace Page

(Jonathan Graef)

Jens Lekman and Bon Iver On Radio K

Download: Jens Lekman - "It Was A Strange Time In My Life" (via Radio K)
Download: Bon Iver - "Creature Fear" (via Radio K)

Not at the same time, mind you. That would make April Wright's head explode out of pure joy. We certainly don't want that. But both Jens Lekman and MFR Favorite Bon Iver stopped by, at separate times, the Radio K studios to record tracks for their death metal side project Iverlekmanbon.

Wait, that's not right at all.

No, they stopped by to do some live tracks off of their releases Night Falls Over Kortedala and For Emma, Forever Ago, respectively. You can hear one track from each session at the top of the post. For the rest, go here, ye merry gentlemen/women. Thanks to P4K for the tip.

Jens Lekman Official Site
Bon Iver MySpace Page

(Jonathan Graef)

Tonight: Bon Iver At The Uptown

Download: Bon Iver - "Flume"
Download: Bon Iver - "For Emma"
Download: Digitata - "Spring Fever"
Download: Digitata - "2 2 Tail"

Bon Iver, the Eau-Claire, WI, singer-songwriter and MFR favorite will be playing a show tonight at the Uptown Bar. Bon, or "Ben" as he is referred to on the Uptown Bar's shows page, will be opening for Minneapolis electro-poppers (sounds like a fast-food dish, no?) Digitata and Raleigh, North Carolina folk act Megafaun.Unfortunately, the rest of the Autobots cannot make it to the show.

Show is 21+ and starts at 9:30 p.m. Tickets are 5 bucks, so none of you cheap bastards have an excuse for not going.

Directions

MySpace Page

(Jonathan Graef)

Brooklyn Vegan Showcase at the Bowery Ballroom

Before I headed over to the Bowery Ballroom to catch arguably the best all-around show apart of the CMJ week of craziness, I hung out with Bon Iver in their swanky Holiday Inn hotel room in SoHo. We ate some pasta and watched television, and I caught this great moment here.

I made my way to the Bowery later that night to catch Bon Iver, Shaky Hands, the Rosebuds and Voxtrot. All the bands were as great as I expected, but Bon Iver really stole the show. I was completely floored by how beautiful the music was live. On the record, there is a haunting loneliness that trails every track, but when they were in front of me, that loneliness just turned into to stark honesty and overwhelming passion.

Here is a downloadable summary of the evening with pictures and everything.

Bon Iver
Download: Bon Iver - "For Emma"
Bon Iver's MySpace Page

The Shaky Hands
Download: The Shaky Hands - "The Sleepless"
Shaky Hands' MySpace Page

The Rosebuds
Download: The Rosebuds - "Get Up Get Out"
Rosebuds' MySpace Page

Voxtrot
Download: Voxtrot - "Firecracker"
Voxtrot's MySpace Page

(Ian Anderson)

Bon Iver Gets an 8.1 on Pitchfork

Download: Bon Iver - "Skinny Love"

Raise your hand if you called it! We wrote about Bon Iver in August. Stephen Deusner wrote a great review of the album here.

(Ian Anderson)

Bon Iver - "Skinny Love"

Download: Bon Iver - "Skinny Love"

Bon Iver is a secret that is just waiting to get out. The Eau Claire, Wisconsin native slash Rosebuds guitarist Justin Vernon found his way into my life via former MFR-writer Kyle Frenette who is now working with Mr. Vernon (props!).

Bon Iver possesses a soft, majestic quality that is only matched by his great lyrics. Check it out for yourself.

MySpace

(Ian Anderson)