Yellow Bird Project

Thanks to Dan Mangan's tweet the other day I came across the Yellow Bird Project. The project was started by a couple university grads that, like Bryce and myself wanted to spread the word about indie music but also wanted to give something back. The Yellow Bird Project is a non-profit organization out of Montreal that commissions indie artist such as Bon Iver, Hayden, The National and Broken Social Scene to design t-shirts (American Apparel to!) that will be sold via Yellow Bird Project with proceeding going to various charities. I bought a couple t-shirts and a hoodie yesterday and I already want to buy some more. Head on over to Yellow Bird Project to get the full story and buy some shirts!

- Spence

The National - "Think You Can Wait"

We don't normally talk a lot about movies on Blue Sloth, but when they involve new The National Song's we do. The upcoming film Win Win starting Paul Giamatti looks to be a good one and will be featuring a new song from The National called "Think You Can Wait". I'm really enjoying it, so check out the trailer for Win Win and the track "Think You Can Wait" below.



The National - Think You Can Wait

- Spence

A Sufjan Stevens Christmas with friends from The National and Arcade Fire

Sufjan Steven's seems to love the holidays, he has released Christmas albums in the past and this year with help from Dessner's brothers from The National and Richard Reed Perry from The Arcade Fire he has released another Christmas EP. Sufjan does an Christmas EP for his friends each year, so it is yet to be seen if this will see a full release on either iTunes or vinyl. Nonetheless, you can listen the EP via Consequence of Sound HERE.

Happy Holidays!

- Spence

Tis the Season of Giving Back: Dark Was The Night Contributes Over One Million Dollars to Charity

These days when you summon a bunch of great artist together to make a collaboration it is rare that the finished product is a good album. 2009's Dark Was The Night, spearheaded by Aaron and Bryce Dessner from The National featuring artists such as Bon Iver, Sufjan Stevens, Spoon, Iron & Wine, Feist and Andrew Bird is not only a great album but a great humanitarian effort. Dark Was The Night proceeds have contributed over a million dollars to non-profit charities.

Have a listen to Yeasayer's "Tightrope", The Books with Jose Gonzalez's "Cello Song" and Justin Vernon and Aaron Dessner's "Big Red Machine". If you like what you here, go and BUY this one, either through iTunes, Amazon or your local record store.



Yeasayer - Tightrope

The Books w. Jose Gonzalez - Cello Song

Justin Vernon and Aaron Dessner - Big Red Machine

- Spence

Terrible Love - The National and Sufjan Stevens

Last Night at the famous Brixton Academy in London, The National teamed up with Sufjan Steven's to play "Terrible Love", the show stopping track from High Violet. Check out the fan shot Youtube video of the performance below. The quality is choppy but it's worth seeing these ingenious artists together, both of which will have tracks and albums contending for album and track of the year. That's right you read correctly, we current working of the best albums of 2010 and best tracks of 2010 so stayed tuned in December for that.

Also you can listen to the alternate version of Terrible Love from the recent release of High Violet: Extended Edition below.



The National - Terrible Love (Alternate Version)

- Spence

The National - Wake Up Your Saints

The National's most recent album High Violet is being released again in an expanded version that will feature several new tracks. Wake Up Your Saints is one of those and it will probably be one of the happiest instrumentals you will hear The National ever play. However, Berninger’s lyrics and voice and lyrics keeps the song in line with the sound that we are all used too from this group. You can check out the new track right here:

The National - Wake Up Your Saints

-Bryce