April 23, 2006

The Sound The Hare Heard

Kill Rock Stars. Love Live Songwriters.

The indie label's The Sound The Hare Heard is the perfect soundtrack to this rainy weekend. In fact, with Imaad Wasif currently one of our Top 10 Stereogum Suggests™ one could conclude KRS is our Label Of The Week. If we awarded such a thing.

You've probably already heard some Hare Heard on the MP3 blogs, as it contains a demo of the title track from Avalanche (OMG!), Sufjan Steven's upcoming Illinouttakes. Once you get past that, though, and really take in this mix from today's brightest singer/songwriters, it's more than the sum of its parts. That's saying a lot with a cast this strong.

01. Devin Davis - "When the Angels Lift Our Eyelids in the Morning"
02. Laura Veirs - "Cast a Hook in Me"
03. Sufjan Stevens - "Adlai Stevenson"
04. Thao Nguyen - "Feet Asleep"
05. Wooden Wand - "Bones for Doctor Swah"
06. Death Vessel - "Dancers All"
07. Essie Jain - "Why"
08. Jeff Hanson - "Daylight"
09. Imaad Wasif - "Other Voices"
10. Great Lake Swimmers - "Where in the World Are You"
11. Owen McCarthy (of The Everyothers) - "Stargazers Are Blind"
12. Simone White - "The American War"
13. Nedelle - "Poor Little City Boy"
14. Southerly - "Dumbing Down"
15. Colin Meloy - "Lazy Little Ada"
16. Corrinna Repp - "The Sound You Warn"
17. The Moore Brothers - "Waves of Wonder"
18. Aliccia BB (of Slumber Party) - "Best Friend Forever"
19. Danielle Howle - "Kill My Love For You"
20. Lauren Hoffman - "Another Song About the Darkness"
21. Lovers - "Honea"

KRS owner Slim Moon hand-picked this comp. He explains on killrockstars.com:

"When I'm sifting through demos or following up on tips that people give me, I always pay special attention to the singer-songwriter types. I've always had a soft spot for them, from Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell to Elliott Smith and Joanna Newsom. This compilation is a distillation of the songwriters –– well established, just starting out, or somewhere in between –– who have turned me on in the new millennium."

And you're sure to be turned on to one of Slim's pickings. So, as reclutant as we are to eschew faves Colin Meloy and Laura Veirs, it's time for someone else to get the MP3 attention. We've loved Great Lake Swimmers for years, and are happy to see Tony Dekker alongside our favorite songwriters. Recommended if you like Sun Kil Moon:

Great Lake Swimmers - "Where In The World Are You" (MP3 Link Expired)

As for Imaad Wasif, he's perhaps the buzz boy of the bunch. Touring guitarist with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and former frontman for alaska! and Lowercase, his new self-titled debut has been favorably compared to the work of Elliott Smith and Jeff Buckley (we're just relaying that ... Stereogum hasn't heard anyone match either late artist's genius). Instead of the b-side included on KRS' comp, here's a cut from his haunting solo full-length:

Imaad Wasif - "Isolation" (MP3 Link Expired)

Elsewhere, Simone White's sardonic piano bop evoques Nellie McKay and Essie Jane' heart-tugging, ethereal vocals mingle beautifully with restrained pedal steel. Pick it up/download it: May 9.