[Local] Hand-Me-Down Cardigans by The Raised By Wolves

(via DC Music Download)

I have a bad habit of not associating certain songs with certain people. Once upon a time, this was true only for guys I was dating. However, when I confessed this tendency to my friend Adam, he was a little miffed that I didn't have a song for him. It was a fair point. I'm highly emotionally invested in music and if I'm at all close to a person, friend-wise or otherwise, I should be able to have a song that reminds me of them.

Frequently, I meet a person and I immediately know "their song". Sometimes, in other cases, it takes a few months before "their song" shows up on shuffle. More rarely, I'm convinced "their song" does not exist. 

With one of my friends, his song didn't really exist until today. 

The Raised By Wolves are a local Maryland/DC band that just popped up on my radar a few hours ago, via DC Music Download. Their debut album, Sadie Hawkins, was released today. It's a fantastic array of experimental, indie-pop-rock. I really appreciate albums that I can leave on in the background while focusing at work, but also have the occasional song or two that pulls me out of the "Excel trance". 

When I heard Hand-Me-Down Cardigans, I stopped searching through my email inbox and immediately went straight to the lyrics page. It was a strange visceral reaction but I quickly knew who this song reminded me of. This makes sense, but there's a distinct feeling of "district" feelings/relationships/friendships sprinkled throughout the lyrics. 

[She was standing alone again in that little black dress

And if she became a silhouette, that would have been best

Because I was cut from a different cloth]

[There lives a stranger inside of me that you will never know

Because a heavy hard heart is worth its weight in gold]

[And I never didn't love a girl who loved me first

And I could never be your one and only

Be your one and only lonely one]

To all the dudes I've been friends with here, this song reminds me of one of you. Is this blog getting a little too personal? Quite possibly. 

You can download Hand-Me-Down Cardigans and the entire Sadie Hawkins album (for free, or pay as you wish) on The Raised By Wolves' bandcamp page. Maybe, one of their songs will remind you of someone too. 

[Local] Moonless EP by Blatant Neon Ion

Once upon a time, an ex-boyfriend of mine declared he was working on a theory that coming to age exists on the spectrum between Frightened Rabbit's Midnight Organ Fight and Neutral Milk Hotel's In The Aeroplane Over the Sea. I sometimes hate how brilliant this sentiment is.

I'm convinced that the Moonless EP by Blatant Neon Ion should be a milepost somewhere on the same spectrum.

With rough vocals that are reminiscent to me of Frightened Rabbit and Foals, Moonless EP is an acquired taste that is quick to acquire to.

The exact lyrics aren't readily available, but this is my interpretation. The album tells a story of a young man going through many of life's themes and downturns and how those themes and downturns continue to exist when a love ends.

Marianna is rooted deep with this theme of time passing regardless of a relationship's existence [didn't feel any time pass at all/ not ready yet/ too scared/ give us our dreams/ don't leave me/ crash]. Moonless delves into a similar theme with the monotony of every day life [fresh pot of coffee/ save me a pot, okay/ it's 7am and I'm leaving/ let me take you to the movies/ tell me you love me again]. Restless Ashes discusses the life cycle in general and possibly how we fit in with the rest of the earth [from here this is all I know/ scatter my restless ashes/ return me back to where I came]. Rocket Summer seems to be a flashback to a nice, simple summer with a lovely lady and the aftermath of trying to not only hold onto the memory but repress it from every day thoughts. I adore the dreamy, softer backup vocals here. Alone spends equal parts of time reflecting on how to exist while alone but also the struggle to navigate back home. This is the perfect ending song -- despite how emotional the whole album is, it still feels like there's a build up that ends here.

I'm sold. This may be my new go-to when things feel particularly rough with life and love.

You can download Moonless EP (for free, or pay as you wish) on Blatant Neon Ion's bandcamp page.