Visible Voice Winter 2011 Mixtape

So, this is the first of what will be a quarterly thing on Visible Voice...the seasonal mixtape.  I plan to use these mixtapes as an opportunity to share some of my favorite new music.  Great tunes by local or not-so-local bands that you should know and, in many cases, tracks that have not been officially or widely released yet.  For this inaugural winter mix a cold, snowy Boston is my (our) backdrop and, fittingly for this time of year, many of the songs here evoke themes of reflection.  During the cold winter months I find that the music I listen to becomes increasingly spare, unadorned, raw.  These songs fit that mold; gritty and uncompromising, yet intensely beautiful.  I'm sharing this as two "sides" (think cassettes, vinyl), instead of individual mp3s, so that this might be listened to as a cohesive whole.  There will also be a limited number of physical copies available with individual tracks, please email if you'd like one.  

A huge thanks goes out to all of the bands that agreed to take part.  Please support them by buying their music and going to shows.  I hope you enjoy this as much as I have putting it together -- and please share!

Side A
1. You Are Not My Love - Wooden Dinosaur
2. I'll Be Fooled Again - Twain
3. Great Move North - Faces On Film
4. Wither on the Vine, pt. 2 - The Old Ceremony
5. Wolves of Winter - Lonesome Lake

Side B
1. Dancing On Your Tears - Hands and Knees
2. Long Time - Guards
3. Sweeties Babies - Push Pals
4. Say What You Will - Joe Fletcher & The Wrong Reasons
5. Crooked Road Blues - Mount Peru

New music: Guards - Resolution Of One 7"

I hadn't written about Guards yet, so this post is way overdue.  Let's get up to speed...  Richie James Follin is a pretty prolific dude.  He formed Willowz when he was 19, plays guitar in Cults and has a number of side projects.  The story goes that Follin returned from Europe, wrote a handful of songs and recorded them with the help of members of MGMT, Willowz and his sister (Madeline Follin of Cults).

The songs are kind of a perfect marriage of the ethereal sound of Cults married to the heavier guitar-driven sound of Willowz.  For the most parts the songs are catchy and upbeat, though Follin allows things to meander when appropriate, at times finding a sound similar to some of Deerhunter's purest pop moments.

Now, a few months after releasing their fantastic EP (which you can still download for free here), a 7" is available featuring 3 of my favorite tracks from the album.  Listen to the fantastic, slow-burning, blue-eyed soul b-side "Crystal Truth" below, and order your copy of the 7" quickly - only 500 are being pressed.

Guards - Crystal Truth