Review: Volcano Choir - Unmap (* * 1/2)

Whatever your opinion of his music, you have to admire Justin Vernon, a man determined to push boundaries. When his former band, DeYarmond Edison, fell apart several years ago, Vernon removed himself from society and retreated to the woods of Wisconsin, where with some basic recording equipment, guitars, and very little else he managed to create one of the best albums of 2007 (or 2008 if you count the re-release) and the finest work of his career as Bon Iver. And people noticed – the singer/songwriter, who had before kept an extremely low profile, would suddenly find himself in the indie spotlight amid heaps of critical and popular praise. Not one to simply sit around and bask in his newfound fame, Vernon followed For Emma, Forever Ago with this year’s Blood Bank EP, an experimental four-song set that showed him branching out from his unique brand of melancholy folk in seemingly counterintuitive ways, including an auto-tuned, a capella track (“Woods”) that saw a fairly mixed reception from fans. And now we get Unmap, Vernon’s full-length collaboration with experimental group Collections of Colonies of Bees and another clear indication that he has little inclination to repeat success with a proven formula. (Continue Reading...)

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MP3 Monday (Part I): Volcano Choir, Junk Culture, Port O'Brien, The Black Crowes

I have too much great music to fit comfortably in one post this week, so I'm doing a double feature MP3 Monday with EIGHT songs total. The first four are here for you to enjoy:
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Volcano Choir - Island, IS (MP3)

Justin Vernon, of Bon Iver fame, is releasing a collaboration with Milwaukee band Collections of Colonies of Bees under the moniker Volcano Choir. The group's debut was actually recorded before the production and distribution of Vernon's first solo record, but is just now getting a release on the 22nd of September. Check out the excellent first single, "Island, IS," above from the intriguingly titled Unmap. (MySpace)
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Junk Culture - West Coast (MP3)

Deepak Mantena is Junk Culture, an electronic rock project recently signed to the Illegal Art label, home to Girl Talk and Steinski. His debut EP, West Coast, is set for release on October 27th - but you can get a preview by downloading the title track above. It's the only song I've heard thus far from Junk Culture, but it's a compelling first impression. (MySpace)
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Port O'Brien - My Will Is Good (MP3)

Port O'Brien released an excellent and generally undiscovered album, All We Could Do Was Sing, last year and now the indie/experimental/folk band is back with Threadbare, due out on October 6th. If you haven't heard the group before, the new single "My Will Is Good" would be an excellent place to start. I, for one, am very much looking forward to this release. (MySpace)
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The Black Crowes - I Ain't Hiding (MP3)

The Black Crowes have an interesting concept for their upcoming album, a two-part release called Before The Frost... and ...Until The Freeze respectively. The first part will feature 11 new tracks and will include the second album, a collection of eight new songs and a cover, as a free download and 'thank you' to fans. The psychedelically-flavored single "I Ain't Hiding," is from the first half and makes the idea of such a monster release quite appealing. (MySpace)