Catching Up

Because we're all busy at Range Life, with school, work, or in some cases, both, we're just not able to cover every little thing we want to cover. I honestly don't know how other blogs do it. However, we're just as obsessed with music as we've ever been, so here's a post catching you up on shows and songs we haven't covered yet. (A post briefing you on albums we missed is in the works) I hope you've got a few minutes, 'cause this might take a while.



Shows:
There have been plenty of additions to the concert calendar to make a note of. Feist has scheduled a show in St. Louis, Man Man and Yeasayer are tag-teaming Omaha, and the Mission Creek Festival in Iowa City (yes, Iowa City) is shaping up to be a good looking, affordable music festival with Dan Deacon, Cursive, Range Life favorites Evangelicals, and Headlights. Colin Meloy is playing a solo gig in a few Midwest cities (including dear Lawrence at the gorgeous Liberty Hall), Radiohead tickets go on sale Saturday (in case you forgot), and last but certainly not least, the Breeders (you know, Kim Deal's other band) are hitting up the Bottleneck! The concert calendar is updated and ready for your browsing.

Songs (mp3's):
Ruby Suns - "Tane Mahuta"
Unlike Vampire Weekend, "Tane Mahuta," as well as all most of the Ruby Suns upcoming album Sea Lion, manages to balance pop music with African rhythms and NOT sound incredibly boring. Of course, that's just my opinion. Regardless of your stance on Vampire Weekend, this track is worth a listen. And just so you know, "Tane Mahuta" is not even one of my favorites on the album, its just the one Sub Pop wants available for free. My hands are tied, but trust me, this album (out March 4) is delicious, especially if you're a fan of Animal Collective.

Grand Archives - "Torn Blue Foam Couch"
Listen to the first two seconds, and what do you hear? Its the beginning of "Suffer for Fashion," isn't it? I swear, every time I hear the beginning of this song, I'm waiting for that fucking baby to go "la la la," and some really good glam rock. Moving on, this is the first single from the first album by Grand Archives. A lot of attention is heading the band's way mostly because this is singer/guitarist Mat Brooke's first post-Band of Horses release, but what's more important are the songs. Like the Ruby Suns, this particular track isn't my favorite off the album, but again this is Sub Pop (I'm convinced they do that on purpose) and my hands are tied. However, fans of Iron & Wine and, yes, Band of Horses, should keep an eye out for the self titled debut, which is out this coming Tuesday.

Bon Iver - "Skinny Love"
Technically, this song is far from new, as Bon Iver's debut, For Emma, Forever Ago, was self-released last fall. Since then, Bon Iver has been signed to Jagjaguwar, and this coming Tuesday the album gets a proper release. The song "Skinny Love" sounds to me like Tunde Adubimpe of TV on the Radio started a solo freak-folk project. Its damn fucking awesome, that's for sure.

Songs (stream):
Here's a smattering of 2008 songs that I'm currently digging.



Los Campesinos! - Hold on Now, Youngster is available 2/19 via Phantom Sound & Vision.
Lightspeed Champion - Falling Off the Lavender Bridge is available now via Domino.
Beck - Odelay [Deluxe Edition] is available now via Geffen.
Born Ruffians - Red Yellow & Blue is available 3/4 via Warp.
Evangelista - Hello Voyager is available 3/11 via Constellation.
American Music Club - The Golden Age is available 2/19 via Merge.
Hello, Blue Roses - The Portrait is Finished &I Have Failed to Capture Your Beauty is available now via Locust.
Atlas Sound - Let the Blind Those Who Can See but Cannot Feel is available 2/19 via Kranky.
The Whitsundays - The Whitsundays is available now via Friendly Fire.
Thao (ed: not Than) - We Brave Bee Stings and All is available now via Kill Rock Stars.
Get Well Soon - Rest Your Weary Head You Will Get Well Soon is available now as an import via City Slang.
Lykke Li - I'm Good I'm Gone is available now as an import via...you know, I'm not sure, but you can order it from Amazon for only $9.99.