May 7

Damiera, Quiet Mouth Loud Hands

Equal Vision Records has finally given the date for the new Damiera record: June 24th.  It’s called “Quiet Mouth Loud Hands.”  I’m incredibly excited to see where they’re headed.

Their first album M(US)IC is great.  Imagine early Further Seems Forever with the guitarist from Fall of Troy.  “Via Invested” is just plain amazing.  A friend and I slowed it to half-speed and still couldn’t play it consistently.  Of course, we do suck at guitar.  But that’s not the point.  It’s awesome, so go download it.  And then be as excited for the new album as we are.

Below is the track list:

1. Rainman
2. Quiet Mouth Loud Hands
3. Nailbiter
4. Image and Able
5. Teacher, Preacher
6. Weights for the Waiting
7. Chromatica
8. Blind Sir Bluest
9. Woodbox
10. Silvertongue
11. Trading Grins

Mar 19

Death Cab for Cutie released (streaming from their MySpace) the first single from their forthcoming album, Narrow Stairs.  It’s an 8 and a half-minute jam called “I Will Possess Your Heart,” where the at least the first half is a bass-infused groove reminiscent of a more mid-tempo, jammier, “National Anthem.”  It’s pretty good.  The lyrics strike me as typical Gibbard fare.  I think it could’ve been shorter, but they warned us.  People are already preemptively calling this Album of the Year, which is a bit far to go after one single, but it definitely has promise.

Honestly, though, it’s not quite as much of a change as I was expecting, given the original promises/threats.  Take a listen: