THE MORNING BENDERS - Excuses

Yours Truly offers up this absolutely gorgeous live video of The Morning Benders performing "Excuses", the opening track on their new album Big Echo (due March 9th). The clip really showcases what a talent singer Chris Chu is. But the talent doesn't stop there, The band invited fellow San Francisco pals Christopher Owens (Girls) and John Vanderslice to join in. Another cool note: the track was produced by Chris Taylor (Grizzly Bear). Get the new track "Promises" for free at themorningbenders.com.


Yours Truly Presents: The Morning Benders "Excuses" from Yours Truly on Vimeo.

Best of 2009 - Guest List - Class Actress

As the year winds to an end, we've asked some of our favorite artists to select their five favorite releases of 2009. Class Actress is the brainchild of Brooklyn based artist Elizabeth Harper, and she is poised to breakout in a big way in 2010. Her debut ep Journal of Ardency is scheduled for a February 9th release on Terrible Records, the new offshoot from Grizzly Bear's Chris Taylor. If you haven't yet, get the leadoff track "Careful What You Say" below. Harper took time out from her busy schedule to share her favorite things of the year.

2009 In no particular order.

Girls - "Lust for Life" (single)
A warm, honest hug from the friend you wish you had who'd admit they were as fucked up as you.

Mariah Carey - "Obsessed" (single)
Nobody does it like Mariah, she just makes hooky, bitchy, diva pop hits.

Cass McCombs - "You Saved My Life" (track from Catacombs)
Epic love song. Seeing him play this live at the Bowery Ballroom was beautiful. I have a crush on him.

Patrick Cleandenim - "Telephone Song" (track from Orange Moonbeam Floorshow)
I listened to this song for a month straight. Maybe because I had a crush on him, maybe not.

Chairlift - "Evident Utensil" (video)
I was tied up limb for limb to a tree in the woods, whipped by Victor (Boy Crisis/Das Rascit) and then baptized in a river.

Bat for Lashes - "Daniel" ( live on David Letterman).

Das Racist - "Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell" (track)
Kinda genius.

Major Lazer - "Pon De Floor" (Video)

Robert Pattinson

Girl Crisis

Let the Right One In (film)
still and romantic

FULL YEAR-END COVERAGE HERE

SXSW - Day 2 Girls, Here We Go Magic, The Golden Filter, Nite Jewel, JDS and more

-Girls

I started day two off at The Peacock for Gorilla vs. Bear's annual party, aptly titled Gorilla vs. Booze III. The scene was insanely crowded and unbearably hot, but it didn't stop anyone from jamming their way inside the venue to catch the amazing lineup. Brooklyn's Here We Go Magic are hands down the best new discovery I've made here in Austin. Their music is absolutely gorgeous and captivating. I think these guys will be huge really soon.

Girls played next, delivering a mostly hot & sweaty, rocked-out set, with the exception of the pain-ridden slow burner "Hellhole Ratrace". The crowd seemed to intensify when The Golden Filter took the stage. Their high energy dirty electro suited the sauna-like conditions well, but it was so packed I couldn't see a thing. Sounded fantastic though.

*****

I kind of accidentally stumbled across a great pair of sets at Todd P's party, held in the dusty backyard of Ms. Bea's, a rather rundown local bar. The setting here is gritty, but really charming. It's a trip to watch the Hispanic locals intermix with the hipsters, but it's also beautiful to see this tiny bar get an overwhelming amount of business.

-JDS

First, I caught JDS, an experimental violinist from Brooklyn who plays over tripped out samples and dramatic micro korg synthscapes. I was so taken with her music that I introduced myself to her afterwards. She was really lovely and explained how her parents owned the property, which led her to curate the "Day Into Night" portion of the Todd P event.

-Nite Jewel

Nite Jewel are an awesome new electro duo from Los Angeles. I've recently become increasingly addicted to their debut disc Good Evening and the lush sound translates perfectly live.

As the sun began to set, I headed back downtown for what turned out to be an incredible night. More on that later. Got to get back out there again!