Bank Robber Music - Film, TV, & Commercial Music Licensing

Portastic

"Be Still Please"

Mac McCaughan, founder of Merge records, leader of seminal indie-popsters, Superchunk, and current Portastatic mastermind is a busy man. In the past two years, the dude's put out 3 (!) Portastatic http://www.portastatic.com/ records alone. And Portastatic was supposed to be his side-project. Thing is, no matter how much stuff McCaughan puts out, it's always damn brilliant. The last Portastatic rock record, Bright Ideas, was a sleeper hit, and to my ears one of the single best records that Merge has ever put out - if you missed it, you missed out on one amazing, hook-filled guitar jam after another. The new proper follow-up, Be Still Please, is no different. Opener, "Sour Shores" is trademark Mac. Like Superchunk's Hello Hawk, "Sour Shores" is filled with anthemic reedy chorus', swooping string crescendos, and squaking indie-rock guitars. Awesome.

Califone

"Roots And Crowns"

The guys in Califone have mastered that all too rare balancing act of being experimental as all get out, while at the same time remaining incredibly accessible to boot. The band's latest Thrill Jockey album, Roots And Crowns, is filled with weird horn sounds, and trashcan organs, plunky acoustic guitars, and sweet understatd vocals. And sure this track evensounds like Wilco produced by Brian Wilson. 8.7 on pitchfork for reals.

Honeycut

"The Day I Turned To Glass"

Honeycut's

Quannum debut, The Day I Turned To Glass, is like Gnarls Barkley for people who care about little things like "indie cred." Next to the Barkley jam, I can't think of another record that so seamlessly merges party-flavored, beat freaked soundscapes with traditional pop and soul songwriting. This should come as no surprise given that the guys in Honeycut have all had success in different projects in their own right - songwriting heartthrob, Bart Davenport, Quannum in-house keyboard guy Herve Salters, percussion guru Tony Sevener. At points, Day sounds like some crazy collaboration between Dr. Dre and Jamie Lidell, and then at others I can envision an infinity of party-hungry college kids bumping this in between G Love and Madlib. Good job Honeycut.

Soulwax

"Nite Versions"

Nope, in spite of their name, Soulwax aren't some jazz-hop hybrid Jam band from Vermont. Soulwax actually promises to be the next Modular Records euro-sensation. To this point the group has delivered three acclaimed dancefloor-cracking remixes for the likes of Daft Punk, Gorillaz, and LCD Soundsystem. Nite Versions is an entire album of reworkings and reinterpretations of earlier Soulwax tracks, a definitive showcase for the band's party 'til you drop, Red Bull-crazed, woofer-pounding jams. Most of the remixings and retwistings are based on cuts from the group's '04 debut, Any Minute Now, which itself has been something more than a cult favorite among clubgoers.

Plus/Minus

"Let's Build A Fire"

Some really amazing, catchy indie rock from the folks over at Absolutely Kosher. Plus/Minus' irresistible new record, Let's Build A Fire, is packed with sparkly, vaguely Death Cab For Cutie-esque indie pop jams. Sure, it rocks out but it's also got a sensitive, bookish heart. Feel free to jump around your living room - but, uh, have a tissue handy too.

Various Artists

"Bank Robber Music Volume 8 Compilation"

Hey Supervisor Friends-Bank Robber Music Volume 8 Compilation is now available! Featuring tunes from Richard Buckner, Angela Desvaux, What Made Milwaukee Famous, Pajo, Ben Kweller etc etc. If you don't have one please hit us and we will drop one in the mail old school style.

The Fucking Champs

"Drag City"

They say that when it rains it pours. It must be raining over at lauded Chicago-based indie label, Drag City. Since 1989, DC has established itself as the go-to label for fine, genre-defining indie sounds. Will Oldham. The Silver Jews. Jim O'Rourke. Stereolab. And the DC shows no signs of slowing down. The past couple of months have seen a slew of stellar, best-of-'06 contenders from artists as diverse as Bert Jansch and Imitation Electric Piano. There is something for everybody - but if you're of the acoustic-loving folky mindset, you're really in luck. We at BRM are all too impressed with the aesthetic sea change going down over at DC HQ. The label's sounds have never been more simultaneously accessible, smart and unforgettably original… and you know I'm not just talking about the new Joanna Newsom record! First check out some older DC jams with The Fucking Champs:

Joanna Newsom

"Ys"

Anyway, speaking of… Joanna Newsom's Ys has to be one of the most anticipated records of the year. It's lush - ornate even - as Joanna's netherworld harp lullabies flirt with famed Brian Wilson collaborator/all around quirky genius, Van Dyke Parks' meticulous arrangements. Of course, there are only five songs on Ys, and yes, most of the running times stretch into the double digits - but don't let that stop you. Since the soundfiles are so large we're not going to be able to post any tracks, but instead just enjoy this shot of the cover art - it speaks volumes. Literally.

Bert Jansch

"The Black Swan"

One of Joanna's biggest influences is seminal Scottish folk troubador, Bert Jansch. In fact, Jansch might be the godfather of the current "freak folk" movement. His time in famed 60's folk rock outfit Pentangle, along with his many 60's and 70's solo releases revealed a brooding, bittersweet genius of weighty acoustic guitar playing, and gauzy, haunting vocals. Let's just say Nick Drake was probably inspired by him, instead of the other way round. It's Jansch's allegiance to all things inward that has allowed his discography to age so well. Phrases like "ahead of his time" were made for guys like this. The Black Swan, Jansch's debut for Drag City, gives the rest of the world a chance to catch up. Swan features some of Jansch's most melodic, timeless material, and it even has guest vocals from Beth Orton and Devendra. Ever since some of Jansch's back catalogue popped up in the Squid and The Whale, there has been a lot of interest in his music. If you're a Jansch's newbie, The Black Swan is the perfect place to dip your foot in the water.

Mark Fosson

"Lost Takoma Sessions"

Mark Fosson is a guy that shoulda had a huge cult following like Bert Jansch, but never did. Fosson was pretty much an undiscovered genius of ultra-melodic, fingerplucked, folksy acoustic guitar stylings. He was signed to John Fahey's Takoma label in the early 70's - and yet this record never actually made it out into store shelves until now. This year Drag City saved it from a cruel death in obscurity. It's only a testament to how great The Lost Takoma Sessions that these beautiful instrumental sounds from decades past, still sound as fresh and alive as ever.

Imitation Electric Piano

"Blow It Up Burn It Down Kick It Til It Bleeds"

Now, just when you thought the DC had gone absolutely totally "folk" on your asses, they dropped this little flabbergastingly great kistchy, lounge pop jam from Imitation Electric Piano. I gotta say Lyle and I both agree that Stereolab alumni, Simon John's group, Imitation Electric Piano, have made one killer record for Drag City. Blow It Up Burn It Down Kick It Til It Bleeds, rocks harder than anything the 'lab had done for the past decade. Plus, these songs - filled with ba-ba's, wiry irresistible guitar solos, and sugar-sweet vintage organ breaks - actually sound like a band jamming it out in the studio as opposed to some ultra-modern, obscure audio project. Dare I say at time this even sounds a little like Yo La Tengo at their most hypnotic. And Lyle loves the Clavichord. What's a clavichord, you ask? Just press play.

Eccentric Soul

"Mighty Mike Lenaburg"

More irresistible soul from the Numero vaults. These guys are just on fire and can't be stopped. This golden R&B nugget from 1968 comes to us off the latest installment of Numero's Eccentric Soul series, Mighty Mike Lenaburg. Like Little Richard minus all the fame and wealth and ladies. Thank god for reissues.