Something Like Sound

It’s high time that I sat down and pointed you in all directions at once. All over the web there are great, free & legal downloads from some of Colorado’s finest (bands, that is… the police don’t really have much out there). Just click on the images to go to the places.

Savoy – Self-Titled EP: The entire thing is free on the group’s website. Unfortunately we missed their set at Monolith, but fear not! They’re doing a show November 21 at the Bluebird.

Hello Kavita – To A Loved One 2 song sampler. It’s been a while since we’ve heard from these guys, but they’re finally releasing another record on October 23 at the Hi-Dive, with Houses and It’s True! Even just listening to the 2 sample tracks, I’m excited for what these guys have in store.

Arliss Nancy – Dance To Forget: Fort Collins own answer to Lucero, this record is technically a $5 donation, but you could get it for free if you really like. Click back a few pages to see our review.

Rob Drabkin – On These Heavy Feet: Rob’s still got this link up for people to download his full length. He did it as a way of saying “Thank You” for all the cool stuff that his fans have helped him with this summer.

Dualistics – Last Call single: Featuring the sharp new song “Last Call” and a great b-side “Sabbatical,” this is a must download for fans of solid rock music. The file also contains a few tracks from this group’s self-titled EP.

Pretty Lights – Discography: Pick up Filling Up The City Skies and Taking Up Your Precious Time for free from the Fort Collins-based group. Definitely listen to “Solamente.” Also, just announced, the new Pretty Lights record Passing Behind Your Eyes will be available October 6.

Drag The River - Live at the Starlight: This long-out-of-print record is still being offered as a free download by our friends at Suburban Home Records. It’s a great live album and a bit of CO music history.

Rabbit Is A Sphere – Discography: It was sad to see these guys go on indefinite hiatus, but you can still enjoy their music and a high-quality bootleg via the link.

M. Pyres – Consider Me, Ghost and other FTU albums: Matt Sage of Fort Collins is quickly becoming a lo-fi phenomenon (if there can even be such a thing). Give Consider Me, Ghost a listen, then stay tuned for Apart The Echo, which is coming soon.

Young Coyotes – Basement EP: Possibly one of my favorite recordings released this year, Young Coyotes have their first EP (which was recorded… in a basement) for free on their website.

Cowboy Curse – Nod Up And Down: I first heard this band at the UMS this year. Definitely check out their song “Negative Space.”

Alright, that’s enough for now, I’ll let these build up a bit then do another one in another month or so.

There are not many Thursday nights I can remember that were as wild as last night. The big kick-off for the Denver Post’s 9th annual Underground Music Showcase was certainly a solid start for what is shaping up to be a good weekend (weekends start on Thursday, right?).

When I first rolled in to the Baker neighborhood, I strolled in to the Hi-Dive to catch Dan Kaufman Superstar Eruption, an almost indescribable mixture of imagery and improvisation. I stuck around to catch Cowboy Curse, a rock band with a straightforward style, and generous use of falsetto. I decided it was time for a change of scenery, so I wandered over to Michaelangelo’s Coffee & Wine Bar to catch John Common. The venue space played well with his acoustic set, although I am looking forward to seeing a little full-band-action from him this weekend.

As I entered the Hi-Dive, I caught the last few songs from Light Travels Faster, and I must say, they had the best outfits I’ve seen yet this festival. As far as their music is concerned, it was very intense, lots of yelling, rocking out, etc.

As Light Travels Faster wrapped up, the crowd began growing bunny ears; it must have been time for Rabbit Is A Sphere. The last time I saw these guys was opening for The Appleseed Cast, but last night’s set was different. Amidst the pretense that RIAS is going on hiatus, their set served as a bit of a temporary “good-bye,” it made every note hit a little deeper. Up next was Brooklyn, NY-based Kaiser Cartel. The folk duo was good, although perhaps a little too mellow for my demeanor (I really needed something rowdy to wake me up a bit at that point).

Everything Absent or Distorted is another Denver group that we won’t be seeing much of soon (however, unlike Rabbit Is A Sphere, these guys are calling it quits for good). That made their rambunctious set all the more memorable.

For the last set of the night I opted to stay where I was for Langhorn Slim (who had opened for Josh Ritter earlier in the evening). His folk-rockabilly sound, complete with upright bass, was a good way to end the night.

The Appleseed Cast, a progressive post-rock band from Lawrence, Kansas, started out over 10 years ago. During the late 90′s The Appleseed Cast found themselves a part of the historic mid-west emo scene, grouped with the likes of The Get Up Kids and Sunny Day Real Estate. However, they are no longer even vaguely emo. Those familiar with the current national indie scene would not be far off to compare the group’s current sound to that of Explosions In The Sky. For those who don’t speak hipster, that means “heavily instrumental music with cutting edge rhythms, melodies, and harmonies.”
Expectations ran high last Saturday as The Appleseed Cast came to Denver to play at the Hi-Dive. A preview of the show ran in both Westword and The Onion, and was lauded as a highly recommended concert from both newspapers. Needless to say, there was an air of anticipation as things got underway at the Hi-Dive.

Now for the concert itself. Up first was a local group, Rabbit Is A Sphere. Their pop sound was catchy and tinged with occasional experimentation. The highlight of their set came when the group’s lead guitarist began using two slides to achieve a unique sound.

Following Rabbit Is A Sphere was the 1090 Club, a pop-indie group from Billings, Montana. The best way to describe 1090 Club is intense. Their piano and guitar driven songs were complimented by violin and a good mix of vocals.

Finally it was time for what everyone was waiting for: The Appleseed Cast. By this point in the night, the venue was packed (and I’m fairly certain that it was sold out). Ripping through song after song, they played for over an hour and a half, only stopping for five minutes to take a quick break. Focusing primarily on their newer material, The Appleseed Cast played songs from their 2006 release Peregrine and the newly released record Sagarmatha. The group’s intense and skillful delivery of “Here We Are (Family In The Hallway),” “The Summer Before,” and “Fight Song” stood out in a strong set.