Freelance Whales at PMA | Pretty Much Amazing

Posts Tagged: Freelance Whales

MP3 / Remixes — 20 Comments
16
Mar 10

Freelance Whales “Generator ^ First Floor” (Passion Pit Aislyn Remix)

Freelance Whales Generator ^ First Floor (Passion Pit Aislyn Remix) mp3

The April 13th release date of Freelance Whales’ stellar debut record Weathervanes is almost upon us. You can still pre-order the album today on CD/LP and get a limited edition hand-signed Freelance Whales poster. To celebrate this monumental occasion in the band’s young career, labelmates Passion Pit (you may have heard of them?) have remixed Weathervane’s stunning lead track, “Generator ^ First Floor”. Rather, Passion Pit’s Keyboardist Aislyn remixed the Whales track.

The remix does nothing but complement the track’s already honed aesthetic, taking it to intergalactic levels — stuff the discerning Passion Pit fan isn’t unfamiliar with. Download the remix below: Continue reading →

Live Performances — 11 Comments
26
Feb 10

Freelance Whales “Generator ^ Second Floor” (Live at Grand Street Recording) Video

PMA favorites, Freelance Whales, set up in Grand Street Recording in Brooklyn for a homey Stereogum session. According to the Whales, this is the first time the band has ever recorded in a real studio, so it’s especially great that this experience has been documented.

What’s also great is how Freelance Whales switch up the arrangement for their debut single “Generator ^ Second Floor” (which you can download here, for free). What they were recording for is still a mystery to me. Maybe they where they retouching tracks on their self-released debut album for its re-release on Frenchkiss later this Spring. Or maybe they will be releasing an EP from these sessions. Or maybe they were just having fun, I don’t know.

Another bit of news: the release date for Freelance Whales’ Weathervanes has been moved back a month to April 13th (to give them time to retouch the tracks?). You can now pre-order the album now on CD or LP, and get a limited edition poster hand-signed by the band and an mp3 download immediately after check out, meaning you won’t have to wait until April to listen to the album on your iPod. Get to it.

Favorite Songs / MP3 — 9 Comments
24
Feb 10

Freelance Whales “Generator 2nd Floor”

Freelance Whales Generator 2nd Floor favorite songs

As I’ve sad before, Freelance Whales’ stunning debut album, Weathervanes is finally getting a proper release through Frenchkiss Records — who released great works by The Antlers and Passion Pit last year — on March 16th. The New york quartet is now giving away their debut single, “Generator 2nd Floor”, just one of Weathervanes‘ highlights.

Freelance Whales will also be playing at this year’s Sasquatch Festival and touring with Cymbals Eat Guitars and Bear In Heaven. Download “Generator 2nd Floor” for free below, and check out their tour dates after the jump:

Freelance Whales "Generator 2nd Floor": Play Now Play in Popup
3240 playsDownload

US Tour Dates: Continue reading →

Podcasts — 20 Comments
21
Jan 10

PMACAST No.026

pmaCAST No.026 Photo by Kevin Cooley

Last week the PMACAST celebrated its twenty-fifth installment on its one year anniversary — yet no one wished us a Happy Birthday! What rude listeners we have.

Anyway, moving on to the twenty-sixth episode, we are looking at 2010’s first quarter in music releases. I’ve assembled a 17-song playlist that will hopefully give you a nice taste of the album’s we’ve liked that will be released in Twenty-Ten. Download the mp3 below, find the tracklist after the jump.

PS:Subscribe to the pmaCAST via iTunesor RSS feed to stay up-to-date on the newest episode updates!

MP3: PMACAST No.026: Play Now Play in Popup
2165 playsDownload

M4A: PMACAST No.026 (w/ Chapters): Download

Continue reading →

Favorite Songs / Listen / MP3 / Music — 2 Comments
15
Dec 09

Local Natives – Sun Hands

Local Natives Sun Hands favorite songs
A few days ago I reported that Local Natives had been signed to Frenchkiss records (Passion Pit, The Antlers, Freelance Whales) and were going to release their full-length debut Gorilla Manor on February 16th.

Well the good news keeps rolling out. Frenchkiss (which is quickly becoming our favorite label) will be releasing the first single from Gorilla Manor, “Sun Hands” on January 5th (that’s the single cover above), but you can download it now for free.

MP3: Local Natives – Sun Hands

The song starts off slow and mellow, gaining momentum in a natural progression. The crescendo and the band finally hits their stride somewhere around the two-thirds mark of “Sun Hands”. At this point is, the song has exploded into a frenzy of riffage before quietly seeing itself out.

Feature / Giveaways / Music — 207 Comments
11
Dec 09

Pretty Much Amazing’s Best Albums of 2009

Artwork by Brian Kuperman

2009 was an exceptional last year in an exceptional decade for music. In 2009 we were bombarded with solid release after great release after epic release throughout the entire year (upfront: I didn’t listen to every album released in 2009), so narrowing my picks for the best albums of the year was not easy. Nonetheless, I have here Pretty Much Amazing’s 25 best albums of the 2009.

At the end of this list, you will have the chance to enter the last PMA contest of 2009. I will be giving away — courtesy of my wallet, unless someone wants to sponsor — a copy of every album on this list on vinyl (or CD, at winner’s request) in a Vinyl is Forever Tote Bag, along with a poster featuring one of the listed artists of their choice, and a custom one year subscription to Paste Magazine. More details on that at the end of the list. Continue reading →

Music / Podcasts — 11 Comments
28
Oct 09

pmaCAST #20: There’s Something Living In These Lines

pmaCAST #20: Theres Something Living In These Lines music I watched Gigantic for the first time tonight. It was an odd movie, for sure, but I was delighted to see the movie’s last few seconds scored by Animal Collective’s “Did You See The Words?”

It was the perfect odd-ball song to close an odd-ball film. What was better yet was the music binge I went on right after the credits closed. These songs are what make up this twentieth episode of the pmaCAST. Hopefully you’ll find the track list fitting of this milestone episode.

pmaCAST #20: There’s Something Living In These Lines Tracklist

Continue reading →

Album Reviews / Favorite Albums / Music — 15 Comments
27
Oct 09

Freelance Whales – Weathervanes, Album Review

Don’t forget to rate this album at the end of the post.
Freelance Whales Weathervanes, Album Review albumreviews Freelance Whales
Weathervanes
Self-Released
out August 23rd
87/100
[Rating Scale]

Falling in love with a young band is a lot like falling in love with a young woman – the same exhilaration, the same trepidation, the same split-second panics. Is this a fleeting fling or a lasting relationship? Will I look back a few years from now and regret this commitment? Is it too early to friend her on facebook? There’s an excitement unique to young bands, a promise and enthusiasm that’s difficult to capture.

Freelance Whales embody that promise, with a debut album that has garnered more praise and buzz in the last few weeks than it did during its first few months of existence. The hype train is pulling out of the station, whether you’re on it or not. Remember Passion Pit? Those smug little popsters who captured our hearts with synths and falsettos last year are passing the torch to folkier conductors.

And despite my hesitations and my fear of commitment, I’m on board. Continue reading →

Favorite Songs / Listen / MP3 / Music — 5 Comments
26
Oct 09

Freelance Whales – Starring

We introduced the break out band, Freelance Whales, with their powerful hits, “Generators ^ First Floor” and “Generators ^ Second Floor.” Continuing on the excitement train, the song “Starring” further demonstrates the strength of the band, making you forget they came to being in December of 2008 (yes, less than a year ago).

“Starring” is a stand-out track on their new album, Weathervanes (released in August). With a heartfelt pop chorus, the track leaves you feelings lifted and free. The song makes you want to throw on lose fitting clothes and run through a field, skipping and picking daises along the way. It’s has a sentimental melody that contributes to the greatness of the album.

“Starring” is a track signifies the undeniable greatness of Freelance Whales and demonstrates the groups potential to become one of the break-out bands of the year.

Freelance Whales – Starring

Listen / MP3 / Music — 3 Comments
25
Oct 09

Freelance Whales – Hannah

Freelance Whales Hannah listen

“Hannah” is yet another track off the Freelance Whales’ debut album, Weathervanes, which we’ve listening to non-stop here @ PMA for a couple weeks now.

While previously posted tracks have featured quiet but epic instrumentation, “Hannah” comes out loud, with strong beeps and blips that make the Whales sound more like a Postal Service wannabe than the next big thing.

But once lead singer Judah Dadone croons “and if you’re partial to the night sky,” the electronics fade away, and the beautiful harmonies of the Freelance Whales kick in, we’re in for another treat of a song from this original band. Weathervanes was self-released on August 23rd. You can buy it on iTunes or CD Baby.

Freelance Whales – Hannah