Here We Go Again: Wintry Mix Three

And you thought you could put away the sweaters and parkas. Like a surprise snowfall after a warm Friday, Monday brings the third Wintry Mix of 2011. This one is the most icy-sounding, the first half a chilly blast with the back end bringing the ’90s resurgence into sharp relief. This will probably do it for these until the return of Summer Fridays. Enjoy.

DOWNLOAD WINTRY MIX THREE

Tracklist:

1. Lykke Li – I Follow Rivers
2. Silver Swans – Secrets
3. Love Inks – Black Eye
4. Princeton – To the Alps
5. Cat’s Eyes – Not a Friend
6. The Answering Machine – Animals
7. Banjo or Freakout – Go Ahead
8. Still Corners – Don’t Fall in Love
9. Martial Canterel – Secret Stores
10. Generationals – Tell Me Now
11. Gross Relations – Fuzzy Timelines
12. Lifeguards – Paradise is Not So Bad
13. Young Boys – Bring ‘Em Down
14. Girls Names – Seánce on a Wet Afternoon
15. Mr. Dream – Holy Name
16. Radical Dads – Recklessness
17. PS I Love You w/Diamond Rings – Leftovers
18. Telekenesis – I Cannot Love You
19. Violens – When to Let Go
20. BNLX – It Was a Good Day

Like all my mixes, the songs segue together so do yourself a favor and don’t listen on shuffle. Liner notes after the jump.

1. Lykke Li – I Follow Rivers
A little bit more ambitious for for her second album, Lykke Li is still working with Bjorn Yttling but it’s all grander, more dramatic. And less danceable, to I’m sure many’s dismay. This is the new single and will probably get remixed into something you can shake it too, but here it’s atmospheric and tribal. I like it.

2. Silver Swans – Secrets
Clyde at Twentyseven Views hipped me to this San Francisco duo who make minimalist ethereal electropop. This one’s over before you know it. (Get more at their Soundcloud page. ) Would not be surprised if we in NYC got SS at this year’s Popfest.

3. Love Inks – Black Eye
What is known about this Austin group seems to be regurgitated from a press release, something about setting restrictions on their instrumentation/recording. Blah blah blah…who cares. What’s important is this is a nice little song that has me wanting to hear more. Plus: they’re signed to Italian label Hell Yes! who first tipped me to Tamaryn. Keep a black eye out for more from them.

4. Princeton – To the Alps
New single (a one-off I think) finds this LA pop band going a little more synthy than on their debut album, which is an appealing direction. A little bit like the Blue Nile, but I seem to be saying that about everything these days.

5. Cat’s Eyes – Not a Friend
A colaboration between The Horrors’ Faris Badwan and classically-trained soprano Rachel Zeffira, Cat’s Eyes is miles away from the gothy shoegaze of the former. This is the only song we’ve got to go on right now, which is like a chilly Henry Mancini tune from the ’60s.

6. The Answering Machine – Animals
First single from Manchester’s underrated The Answering Machine (shouldn’t they be called Ansaphone?) and I like this more than just about anything on their debut. The woodblock percussion is a nice touch. I also like that they don’t try and hide their accents. No doubt where they’re from. Check ’em at SXSW if you’re going this year.

7. Banjo or Freakout – Go Ahead
I think some people wanted Banjo or Freakout to stay in soundscape mode but Alessio Natalizia seems to have moved on to songwriting for his debut album (out March 8) and I for one am glad for it. This for some reason makes me think of The Alan Parsons’ Project. In a good way.

8. Still Corners – Don’t Fall in Love
This one will frost up your windows. Every element of this song keeps you at a distance while beckoning you closer. Alan McGee’s shortlived Revolving Paint Dream comes to mind. These Brits may or may not be signed to Sub Pop.

9. Martial Canterel – Secret Stores
Sean McBride is a synthpop Luddite who treats his music as if it was still 1980. This was made entirely with old school synths, sequencers and drum machines, the kind that require dozens of patch cords which gets him an A for Authenticity. That fake accent only gets a C+, though, but how else you going to sing on something like this?

10. Generationals – Tell Me Now
What I assume is New Orleans’ only indiepop band. And a very good one. I loved last year’s Trust EP and their upcoming Actor Caster is pretty swell too. This is my favorite track from it, understated and perfect.

11. Gross Relations – Fuzzy Timelines
We now enter the Neo ’90s Indie Rock portion of the mix with Brooklyn’s Gross Relations who will bring to mind The Rentals, Number One Cup and Sammy for some of us. Pretty damn catchy.

12. Lifeguards – Paradise is Not So Bad
Two months into 2011 and Robert Pollard has already released two albums… can he keep this up for a whole year? (There’s a Boston Spaceships album to come for sure.) Lifeguards is his colaboration with former GBV cohort Doug Gillard and it’s pretty darn good as this track shows.

13. Young Boys – Bring ‘Em Down
New band from New York (probably Brooklyn) that’s firmly in the pouty, long coat wearing post punk style. That’s a plus, mind you. If you like your JAMC-style skuzz with a little gothy flair, this one is probably for you. Kind of an icky name, though.

14. Girls Names – Seánce on a Wet Afternoon
First taste of Girls Names’ debut album which is coming out on Slumberland on April 26. This is a little less Crystal Stilts-ish than their previous EPs, which is good as those two bands now share a label and will have records out at roughly the same time. There’s room for everybody.

15. Mr. Dream – Holy Name
This band from right here in Brooklyn (I know can you believe it?) contains not one but two former Pitchfork writers. (Actually one of them still does.) One of whom is the very funny Nick Sylvester who clearly loves early Sub Pop and the DC scene of yesteryear. (And Punch-Out.) Thier debut album, the rockin’, catchy, rifftastic Trash Hit, is out next week. The best rock critic band since Zodiac Mindwarp & the Love Reaction. Grandma take me home.

16. Radical Dads – Recklessness
Radical Dads also like the early ’90s DC scene I think as “Recklessness” sounds like it could have come out on Simple Machines or Desoto. Shouty, short and sharp.

17. PS I Love You w/Diamond Rings – Leftovers
A collaboration between Toronto indie rock duo and glammy bedroom dancepop performer Diamond Rings may sound weird on paper, but these two disparate acts are longtime besties who’ve toured together before and are about to again starting this week. That’s a double bill not to be missed. Will they perform this one for the encore? Seems likely.

18. Telekenesis – I Cannot Love You
Seattle one-man powerpop wunderkind returns with his second album that demonstrates Michael Benjamin Lerner’s mastery of many instruments and songsmithery. “I Cannot Love You” has more ideas and hooks in under two minutes than most bands muster over the course of a whole album.

19. Violens – When to Let Go
New download-only single from Violens who seem to be working at a quicker pace now that they finally got that debut album out of their system. A pretty simple little pop song for these sometimes purveyors of bombast. Nice.

20. BNLX – It Was a Good Day
Enigmatic, awesome Minneapolis duo BNLX keep up the new-EP-every-quarter pace that marked their first year of existence (2010) with EP #5 that’s out next month on Susstones. It might be their best yet, concluding with this killer cover of this 1992 Ice Cube classic.