New Music: Softlightes + Eleni Mandell

Video: Softlightes - Heart Made Of Sound [WATCH NOW] I was running around like a mad person with her head cut off yesterday and didn't get an opportunity to post - you forgive me? Please accept Softlightes amazing video for "Heart Made Of Sound" Directed by Kris Moye as penance. We cool? I must say this January shaped up to be one of my most fruitful months in terms of finding new music. I've been in a wicked dry spells where everything sounds the same and nothing sparks my fancy. Discovering acts such as To Live And Die In L.A., Fujiya & Miyagi, The Pity Party, Dodo Bird, and The Broken West has made this time of uncertainty and transition bearable. This week brought two additional discoveries which I found oddly enough in my own backyard: Softlightes and Eleni Mandell. SOFTLIGHTES [MP3] Softlightes - Heart Made Of Sound My first introduction to Softlightes came by way of my good buddy Kevin at the Buzz Band Blog. I was immediately drawn in by frontman Ron Fountenberry's voice. It sounds like a daydream. Softlightes debut album Say No! To Being Cool, Say Yes! To being Happy (due out Feb 13th on Modular Records) is infectiously upbeat pop. This is the kind of music a 13 yr Ben Gibbard would write while soaring on Robitussin. I'm not saying that's a bad thing AT ALL. In the grand tradition of the forbearer's of folktronica (The Flaming Lips, Postal Service) SN!TBC, SY!TBH is slightly tongue in cheek, quirky, at times shy and passive, yet never waivers thanks to a solid bass and majestic pop overtones. This record is pure childlike wonder, sunshine, and imagination. Softlightes are midway through a Thursday night residency at Silverlake Lounge and will be performing TONIGHT with Amy Cooper. Rykarda Parasol, Aushua. You can also catch the band Feb. 9th at The Tangier (CD Release Show Sponsored By KCRW). Music.For-Robots has a fantastic Lo-Fi-Fnk remix of "Girl Kills Bear" available for download. get it while you can! ELENI MANDELL [MP3] Eleni Mandell - My Twin [MP3] Eleni Mandell - Dear Friend I have seen Eleni Mandell's name on concert calendars for years. It wasn't until a kind soul dropped her new album Miracle Of Five in my mailbox last week that I was able to sample her smooth blend of coffee shop pop and classic jazz for the first time. Eleni's deep, sultry voice immediately conjures images of the first time I heard Neko Case - and we all know how I feel about Neko Case. Miracle of Five will be released next Tuesday on Zedtone Records in states and V2 in Europe. I'm really excited to see Eleni for the first time at her CD release show Feb. 8th at The Echo with Charlie Wadhams and Ferraby Lionheart. I'm NOT-SO-SECRETLY hoping that Ferraby and Eleni will do some sort of duet. The thought of these two voices in perfect harmony makes me teary eyed. Consider this my official plea to the both of you - Work something out! For my sake! COOL ON THE INTER-NERD: NEWS FLASH: "When Guerilla Marketing Goes Terribly Wrong" or "People In Boston Take Things WAAAAAAAY Too Seriously." You pick. [READ MORE] The Shins new album - Wincing The Night Away despite being leaked to the web 4 months prior to release date debuted at #2 on the Billboard chart selling 119K units in its first week - 30% of which were digital sales. Indie Rock kids love their MP3 Devices. [READ MORE] iConcertCal could be one of the coolest programs I have seen in the longest time - AND IT'S TOTALLY FREE. My only complaint: It apparently doesn't like M. Ward and 90% of the shows I go to around Los Angeles. (P.S. M. Ward is playing at the El Rey Theater Tomorrow night. Tickets are still available) TONIGHT IN LOS ANGELES: Young Love, Moros Eros, Pop Noir @ Knitting Factory, Main Stage Softlightes, Amy Cooper. Rykarda Parasol, Aushua @ Silverlake Lounge Peter Bjorn & John @ The Roxy Dosh, The One AM Radio, Occidental @ The Echo Kris Special, Service Group, Enid The Dowl, The Henry Clay People @ MR Ts Bowl - FREE Helmet, Totimoshi @ Troubadour Tin Hat Trio @ Largo Elan Slamka, Scott Kinnebrew, Kelly Demartino @ Tangier JAX - The Rock Insider