Moneymaking

Over the past few years it has become increasingly more common for indie bands to try their luck with a major label. It's worked so far for The Decemberists and The White Stripes - each having released strong records recently that actually expanded on their earlier work. Death Cab For Cutie can't make the same claim however, as their last record and major label debut (which I can't remember the name of right now) was a big letdown.

The latest moderately successful indie band to try to cash in on the big label support is Rilo Kiley. The new album, Under The Blacklight, is coming out August 21 on Warner Bros. Records. First single “The Moneymaker” isn’t making me very anxious for hearing it though - it sounds more like a dramatic attempt at a hit rather than a logical progression of the quirky, melodic pop of the last album, 2004‘s More Adventurous. The opening (and recurring) guitar riff is very clearly in debt to Modest Mouse (another major label act with albums of diminishing value), and the rest sort of sounds like a watered down Bjork or a watered up (?) Heart. Listen to the new song:

Stream: The Moneymaker
(from Under The Blacklight)
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Speaking of the White Stripes, the Peel Sessions I posted a few weeks ago absolutely killed my bandwidth, so lately I’ve been putting together posts (such as this one) that allow me to link to outside sources for mp3s and such. I think tomorrow the bandwidth issue resets, so expect regular postings later this week. Until then, here are some new albums you can stream in their entirety courtesy of AOL Spinner:

Stream: Editors - The End Has A Start

Stream: The Cribs - Men’s Needs, Women’s Needs, Whatever

Stream: The Chemical Brothers - We Are The Night

Stream: The Magic Numbers - Those The Brokes

Stream: Meat Puppets - Rise To Your Needs

Stream: Josh Rouse - Country Mouse, City House
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