Today's Hotness: Tadoma, PODS, A Weather

>> Tadoma. You don't remember them. It's OK, it's been a couple years. The Philadelphia-based ambient electronic concern helmed by former Diagram principal Joe Patitucci resurfaced this week with the digital release of the first in a series of EPs. The new, evenly blissed-out collection is titled Field Notes, and after spending time with it we can report that our 2008 assessment of the band, "Boards Of Canada meets More-era Pink Floyd," still holds true. Tadoma's Field Notes is both generous -- at 10 tracks -- and expedient -- it clocks in at a little more than 25 minutes. The spooky, pastoral songs are constructed from e-bowed and acoustic guitars, vintage synths and Fender Rhodes electric piano, and -- unsurprisingly given the title of the EP -- field recordings. From the sleepy opening drone of "Recovery Operations" through the closer "Reconstruction" you will feel as if you are channel surfing through sedate, early '70s BBC sci-fi programming. It's decidedly wintry, overnight sound. Tadoma fetes the release of Field Notes Saturday night at Johnny Brenda's in Philadelphia, on a hot bill supporting Philly shoegaze standouts Arc In Round. Full show details are right here. A physical CD version of Field Notes will be available next week.

Tadoma -- "Red Raleigh" -- Field Notes
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[buy Field Notes from Secret Station Records right here]

>> Regular readers are aware that we follow closely the carefree antics and horseplay of Cambridge, Mass.-based pop-punk enterprise Varsity Drag. The band, of course, is a vehicle primarily driven by former Lemonhead co-fronter Ben Deily. While we had sussed out in recent years that Mr. Deily had a band in the early '90s called PODS, that band's musical output has been largely a mystery to us beyond the comically titled It's A Bummer About Bourbie EP from 1992 (which we most likely turned up here). All of this changed earlier this month when the PODS discography -- and now, a number of rarities -- was uploaded to Bandcamp. All of the tracks can be freely streamed or downloaded for a nominal fee. Certain titles will jump out at Varsity Drag fans as being part of the band's current repertoire, which is interesting (such as "Blackout," "New Strings"). Anyway, if like us you've been wanting to fill that Deily-shaped hole in your mid-'90s music library, the Internet once again provides the answer. We're embedding a stream of the hot rocker "Name In Vain" below to tease you along. Dig it.



>> Oh, A Weather, how we've waited and waited for the follow-up to your best-of-the-decade debut Cove. Our patience has finally been rewarded with the delivery of the Portland, Ore.-based slow-core unit's forthcoming sophomore set Everyday Balloons. The record is fantastic, and we'll have substantial thoughts to relay about it in the coming weeks. But for now, get familiar with the pre-release promo track "Giant Stairs." Team Love releases Everyday Balloons March 2.

A Weather -- "Giant Stairs" -- Everyday Balloons
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[pre-order Everyday Balloons from Team Love right here]