The Rdio blog is your one-stop shop for all Rdio news, happenings, and exclusives, but even if you like Rdio on Facebook, subscribe to the Rdio blog feed, and follow @Rdio on Twitter and on Rdio, you might’ve overlooked some exciting news. Find what you might have missed in our weekly wrap-up below.
Here’s what happened on Rdio this week:
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The wait is over for Sufjan Stevens fans — you can now listen to his music on Rdio.
The Michigan-based songwriter and multi-instrumentalist is the mind behind acclaimed gems like Michigan, Illinois, and Seven Swans. Stevens is responsible for some of the most beloved music of the past decade, and has continued to lead fans down his intriguing rabbit-hole in the new decade — 2010’s genre-bending The Age of Adz was Steven’s most ambitious record to date, ending with a 25-minute suite that included auto-tuned vocals.
Add the Sufjan Stevens discography to your collection today, and share his music with your friends. If you haven’t listened to Stevens yet, today is a good time to start.
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Con Bro Chill isn't just a band — it's a multifarious project featuring wacky videos, party anthems, and band-branded clothing. What started as lacrosse-pro Connor Martin’s alter ego soon became a movement. He collaborated with his brother on a series of Youtube videos and friends Ty Andre and Steve Felts joined. The foursome is an unstoppable creative and enthusiastic force.
Though the band has a number of Youtube videos and the ConBroChill.com website elaborates on their fun philosophy, 3D Music represents the heart of the group as their first studio full-length. The party is available to hear exclusively on Rdio.
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It’s been a few years since fans heard from Brooklyn’s The Big Sleep, but it’s a break that the post-rock trio is glad they took. After the hectic touring schedule following 2008’s Sleep Forever, the band decided to make an album free from time constraints. The result is Nature Experiments, an album that more accurately reflects the thoughtful songwriting dynamics of The Big Sleep’s Sonya Balchandani and Danny Barria.
Nature Experiments isn’t widely available until later this month, but you can play it now, exclusively on Rdio.
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Singer-songwriter Dion found fame with his 1961 hit “Runaround Sue.” Since then, his music’s grown in both maturity and introspection. Dion’s new album, Tank Full of Blues, continues this tradition.
Listen to Dion’s latest music along with an exclusive Tank Full of Blues commentary edition featuring Dion’s own track-by-track notes.
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It’s an epic week for new releases, so hold onto your headphones. In the indie pop world, Chairlift, Nada Surf, and a pleasantly aggressive new album from Cloud Nothings arrive, not to mention a Kurt Vile offshoot single from The War on Drugs. Elsewhere, folk duo First Aid Kit releases their second album, grime godfather Wiley drops an ambitious new album, and Canadian folkie John K. Samson compiles his seven-inch series named after Manitoban highways. Listen to new music from these artists and beyond in the New Music Tuesday playlist.
Playlist Notes
Chairlift - Something
The Brooklyn dream-pop duo’s second album finds the band playing with more confidence than ever, and their crisp arrangements and production evince their chops. Even Caroline Polachek’s voice sounds strong — fans of Chairlift’s first effort will love this.
Rodrigo y Gabriela - Area 52
Mexico’s finest (and fastest!) guitar duo add a 13-piece Cuban orchestra to expand on their already unique sound. The question is, can the orchestra keep up?
Nada Surf - The Stars Are Indifferent to Astronomy
Long-running indie mainstays Nada Surf release their seventh studio album this week. It features their first full set of original songs since 2008’s Lucky.
First Aid Kit - The Lion’s Roar
Swedish folk duo First Aid Kit are two sisters whose smooth, rich voices blend together harmoniously. This should be the album that earns the band the audience their pristine melodies deserve.
Andrew Bird - “Eyeoneye”
Andrew Bird returns this week with “Eyeoneye,” the uncharacteristically brash first single from his upcoming album, Break It Yourself. Bird’s skills as a multi-instrumentalist and his balance of different tones and timbres ensure that he explores new musical territory with every release. “Eyeoneye” is another breath of fresh air from the songwriter.
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One Model Nation is the creative and intriguing side-project of The Dandy Warhol’s Courtney Taylor-Taylor, but it bears some explaining. The new album, Totalwerks Vol. 1 (1967-1977), was created by Taylor-Taylor and producer Donovan Leitch under the guise of fictional 1970’s German band One Model Nation. The band’s full story is told in a complementary graphic novel, but we’ll let the band explain the basics below. Keep your ears busy with One Model Nation's Totalwerks Vol. 1 (1967-1977) and Courtney Taylor-Taylor’s One Model Nation-inspiration playlist.
Questions with One Model Nation
Who is One Model Nation?
One Model Nation: To make a long story short, One Model Nation is a real life incarnation of what started as a fictional band set in suppressive late seventies Germany. The four real life members of OMN have basically done an auditory character study of this imagined band, similar to an actor immersing himself in a role. The living, breathing members of OMN exist as a band in this contextualized reality as a jumping off point to making music that is inspired by the past and our imagination of that time, but also thoroughly driven by our need to make modern sound systems catch fire.
What inspired the One Model Nation story?
OMN: Injustice, and the strong willed freaky people that have the nerve to do right in spite of that.- What musicians would One Model nation have influenced?
OMN: Bands that wear their ethos on their sleeve, whether that be political or stylistic. Past bands like The Clash, long-running bands such as Primal Scream, or newer bands like Handsome Furs or Ratatat.
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Here’s what happened on Rdio this week:
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When not recording with his three-piece pop band The Basics, multi-instrumentalist Wally De Backer writes and performs as Gotye. This Australian phenomenon has already recorded three albums under the moniker — Making Mirrors is his third.
Making Mirrors is now available on Rdio for your listening pleasure — don’t let this gem go unheard.
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Sri Lankan-born, American-raised Bhi Bhiman’s music is surprising. The singer-songwriter’s robust tenor evokes years of experience and hardship — but Bhiman came of age in 1990’s St. Louis before moving to the Bay Area. His debut album is an eclectic mix featuring warm, genuine musings.
Though the album isn’t out yet, people on Rdio get exclusive access to Bhiman. Listen to his tremendous debut and if you like what you hear, share it with a friend on Twitter or Facebook.
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