29th December 2010: Sean Smith / Playlist

Featured: Sean Smith - Christmas (Tompkins Square)

Sean Smith plays the guitar, or so he would have you believe. It is far more likely, however, that Sean actually plays some sort of magic orb that causes you to feel from your deepest-self, most exquisitely. Sure the orb makes guitar sounds, and when you look at it, you even think you’re seeing a guitar, but these illusions are just a testament to the power of the orb... and our willingness to accept things as normal when they are actually extraordinary, like good music, you know, the one-true-miracle.

Unlike many other guitar-men of immense technical skill, Sean doesn't play just to hear himself noodle, to boast of ability, or to illuminate some obscure passage of musical history. Instead, he is playing for you to live the song, hoping that it will be as much yours as it is his. You should really just listen to some of his tunes.

Sean Smith has released several albums under his own name, and has produced and contributed to the compilations Berkeley Guitar and Beyond Berkeley Guitar. His latest album, 'Christmas', is a gorgeous, contemporary acoustic guitar recording featuring fourteen well known Christmas classics and two Sean Smith originals.

Considering the vast amount of syrupy instrumental music in this genre, Christmas is a most welcome holiday album, and one which could well become a classic for many years to come.

Sean Smith

Radio Playlist 29th December 2010

C. Joynes - Christmas Medley: i. I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing In ii. In The Bleak Midwinter iii. The Holly & The Ivy (God Feeds The Ravens)
Black Mountain - Radiant Hearts (Wilderness Heart)
Sean Smith - We Three Kings (Christmas)
**
Jason Simon - Let's Begin (S/T)
Dungen - Nasta Sommar (Skit I Allt)
Wolf People - Tiny Circle (Steeple)
**
Sean Smith - Little Drummer Boy (Christmas)
Voice Of The Seven Thunders - Out Of The Smoke (S/T)
Mondo Drag - Black River (New Rituals)
**
The Demon Parade - Afterworld (God Said It's Legal EP)
Sleepy Sun - Desert God (Fever)
Sean Smith - Silent Night, Holy Night (Christmas)
**
Hawkwind - Silver Machine (Johnny Walker Radio 1 Session, August 2, 1972) (At The BBC 1972)
The Beautiful Daze - City Jungle Part 1 & 2 (v/a High All The Time Vol.1)
Tame Impala - It's Not Meant To Be (Innerspeaker)
**
Jimi Hendrix - Sunshine Of Your Love (Valleys Of Neptune)
Pat O'Connell - The New Year (Demo)
Sean Smith - Auld Lang Syne (Christmas)

22nd December 2010: The Morning Benders & Interview / Playlist

Featured: The Morning Benders - Big Echo (Rough Trade)

The Morning Benders began to take shape in 2006, when Chris Chu moved to Berkeley to attend school and started learning to play guitar, releasing the a collection of songs recorded on his laptop, the Loose Change EP, just a year later. 'Talking Through Tin Cans', the band’s first full-length album (2008), attracted rave reviews across the board and was named iTunes Top Independent Album of the Year.

The Morning Benders’ new album, 'Big Echo' (Rough Trade Records) was recorded at The Hanger in Sacramento with Chu self-producing. These sessions were then handed over to Chris Taylor of Grizzly Bear who mixed the album at his Terrible Studio in Brooklyn. Critical acclaim has followed, including Pitchfork Best New Music status – a golden ticket in today’s cut-throat indie market.

“The title Big Echo sums up what we’re doing sonically and textually,” singer, lyricist, song-writer, Christopher Chu, reveals. “The idea was to take sounds from all different eras and all different kinds of music, throw them together, and see how they sound bouncing off each other. Throw it all into an echo chamber.”

The Morning Benders

Radio Playlist 22nd December 2010

James Sera - In The Evening (The Reality Of The Fantasy)
Sun Kil Moon - You Are My Sun (Admiral Fell Promises)
The Black Heart Procession - Last Chance (Six)
**
We Are Willow - Hard Lines (Part 2)
The Mountains & The Trees - Up & Down (I Made This For You)
Jason Collett - Cold Blue Halo (Rat A Tat Tat)
**
The Morning Benders - Worth The Fight (Daytrotter Session 27-02-2009)
The Morning Benders - Excuses (Big Echo)
The Morning Benders - Excuses (Golden Filter remix)(Demo)
The Morning Benders - Ram On (Demo)
**
Dead Leaf Echo - Act Of Truth (Truth)
The Soundcarriers - Signals (Celeste)
Kendra Smith - Heart & Soul (v/a A Means To An End)
**
David Lynch - I Know (Good Day Today single)
Floorian - Ecoute/Avatar/Namaste (More Fiend)
This Is Nowhere - Perfect Helpless (EP)

15th December 2010: William Tyler / Amaya Laucirica in Session / Playlist

Featured: William Tyler - Behold The Spirit (Tompkins Square)

William Tyler is a native of Nashville, Tennessee and a guitarist who has spent the last several years recording and touring with Silver Jews and Lambchop among others.

In addition, William has contributed to albums by artists as diverse as Charlie Louvin, Candi Staton, and Wooden Wand, as well as taking part in a large ensemble piece by composer Rhys Chatham. 

He also recently contributed a track to Tompkins Square's acoustic guitar compilation, Imaginational Anthem Volume 4 : New Possibilities.

'Behold The Spirit' reveals an astounding array of talents. In addition to his beautiful playing, William is also an ace arranger, augmenting complex textures and various instrumentation with his lyrical compositions.

'Behold The Spirit' is a stunning, beautiful and varied guitar album for the ages.

William Tyler 

Radio Playlist 15th December 2010

The Tallest Man On Earth - Like The Wheel (Sometimes The Blues Is Just A Passing Bird EP)
Valla - Stenar Viska (S/T)
William Tyler - Missionary Ridge (Behold The Spirit)
**
Johannes Matzdorf - Nattvandring (Demo)
Volcano Choir - Seeplymouth (Unmap)
Housefire - Burning (EP)
**
William Tyler - The Cult Of The Peacock Angel (Behold The Spirit)
Lost Brothers - Angry At The Sun (Trails Of The Lonely Parts I & III)
Basia Bulat - Heart Of My Own (Heart Of My Own)
**
Amaya Laucirica - Sun On My Face (Live on Sideways Through Sound)
The Burning Leaves - You Only Wanna Dance (S/T)
William Tyler - Tears & Saints (Behold The Spirit)
**
Amaya Laucirica - Climb Up High (Live on Sideways Through Sound)
Pikara - Raise The Stakes (S/T)
The Besnard Lakes - For Agent 13 (The Besnard Lakes Are The Dark Horse)
**
William Tyler - Ponotoc (Behold The Spirit)

8th December, 2010: The Phantom Band / Playlist

Featured: The Phantom Band - The Wants (Chemikal Underground/Other Tongues)

'No man is an island' wrote John Dunne, but what about bands? Well, they're probably not islands either, but like most things in life, you need exceptions to prove the rule. That's why it was so remarkable when The Phantom Band, with their legion of musical references, still managed to sound quite unlike anyone else when they released Checkmate Savage in 2009.

Twelve months later, they're still in a movement of one, and their follow-up, 'The Wants', looks set to cement their reputation as one of the most inventive and vital units at work today.

"The Phantom Band was built on the site of an ancient Indian burial ground, so every time they record it's like an emotional exorcism. It's painful, prolonged, confusing; at times it's hard to tell what's happening outside of this other-world." Guiding them through this tortuous birthing process was the chimerical figure of Mungo Bang, 'a spiritual adviser of sorts who came highly recommended. He also added vibes.'

The end product represents a major leap forward for the band, a sound more of their own. Juxtapositions are more apparent - arcane folk melodies and gothic lyrical imagery straddle vintage analogue synths and primitive drum machines. "Where Checkmate Savage was varied, we've intensified those elements, because we've got no reason to be subtle with them..." says Wake.

The Phantom Band

Radio Playlist 8th December 2010

Caitlin Park - Cat On The Roof (Warriors With Wild Hearts EP)
Children Of The Wave - Come Play Frolic (v/a Lost Tribe Sound: One)
The Phantom Band - A Glamour (The Wants)
**
The Rectifiers - Beard Of Bees (Playtime For John Mountain)
Dead Cinema - Get Away Lane (Portmanteau)
Sufjan Stevens - Vesuvius (The Age Of Adz)
**
The Phantom Band - The None Of One (The Wants)
Night Friends - Memories From The Invisible World (Lanthorns)
French Rockets - Scopin' The Radar (555)
**
Super Furry Animals - Pric (Dark Days / Light Years)
A Dead Forest Index - Anchoring The Hands (Antique EP)
The Phantom Band - Walls (The Wants)
**
Major Chord - Winding Road (EP)
The Duke & The King - Children Of The Sun (Long Live The Duke & The King)

1st December, 2010: The See See / Playlist

Featured: The See See - Late Morning Light (The Great Pop Supplement)

Following four killer sold out and now highly sought after 45s, The See See release their wondrous debut full length on vinyl through Sideways Through Sound's favourite label, The Great Pop Supplement (also home to their first two 7”s).

'Late Morning Light' delivers two sides chock fuller of killer tunes recalling the west coast vibe of The Byrds, The Burritos in their country pomp and the pioneering country-rock fusion of the International Submarine Band.

A dozen super tight, hazy sunshine pop songs make for an epic first full length, released in a numbered edition of 250 copies, don’t be slack now…

The See See

Radio Playlist 1st December 2010

Liz Melia - Colder (Fen Basin EP)
The Maple Trail - LoveDeathGreed (Highwire EP)
The See See - Late Morning Light (Late Morning Light)
**
Jona Byron - Extinct Hearts (alt brood mix) (Extinct Hearts (bonus tracks)
Mono Stereo - You Gotta Take Me Home (7")
Sonny & The Sunsets - She Plays Yo-Yo With My Mind (v/a Raven Sings The Blues: Volume 2)
**
The See See - Powers Of Ten (Late Morning Light)
Henryspenncer - The Timeless Valley (Demo)
The Morning Benders - Stitches (Big Echo)
**
The Cult Of Dom Keller - You Are There In Me (Demo)
Sun Ray - Tears At Sunrise (Baby Honey EP)
The See See - Mary Soul (Late Morning Light)
**
Palm Springs - Taint & Trespass (The Hope That Kills You)
Matt Bailey - On The Wire (The Three I's)
Band Of Horses - Infinite Arms (Infinite Arms)
**
The See See - Keep Your Head (Late Morning Light)
The Wolf People - Silbury Sands (Steeple

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Sideways Through Sound Archive


30th December 2009: EOY Special
23rd December 2009: Sparkwood & 21
16th December 2009: Cave Country/Eva apRoberts
9th December 2009: Jack Rose
2nd December 2009: Espers
**
29th December 2008: EOY Special
22nd December 2008: Sean Smith
15th December 2008: Fovea Hex
8th December 2008: Trensmat - Sonic Attack
1st December 2008: The Driftwood Manor
**
27th December 2007: EOY Special
20th December 2007: Owls Of The Swamp
13th December 2007: Six Organs Of Admittance
6th December 2007: v/a Post-Asiatic Lost War Dream Music