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I Predict a Graceful Explulsion is out 5/22 via Mute.

When we talk about the “indie classical” phenomena on Sequenza 21 and Signal to Noise, as we’ve done a fair bit in recent times, we’re often referring either to concert music composers who incorporate elements of indie pop or classical presentations that incorporate or are created by pop musicians. But increasingly, musicians with both feet firmly planted in the pop arena make music that can just as easily be called “indie classical.”

The record companies may market these releases as pop, but the songs contained therein have arrangements that use concert instruments deftly with a composerly aesthetic. And, unlike some great pop albums that outsource the band charts, the “songwriters” do their own arranging, often playing much of the material themselves. Thus, it’s worth remembering that the classical crossover phenomena is, happily, a busy two-way street. And while this is nothing new (Frank Zappa is just one notable antecedent), it’s certainly a resurgent phenomena that’s fostering fertile music making.

A case in point is Birthmark, a project whose principal songwriter is multi-instrumentalist Nate Kinsella. The track below, “Stuck” (an embed from Soundcloud), is a preview from his forthcoming third LP Antibodies, which will be released via Polyvinyl.

With hushed vocals accompanied by strings, winds, and mallet instruments aplenty, it would fit right in on the Ecstatic Music series or a release on Brassland or New Amsterdam. Kudos to Polyvinyl: it’s nice to see more labels branching out into this polystylistic milieu.

“Doubt” by Bensh is a good song: moody, folksy indie pop with a loping bass-line and a chorus that, while catchy enough to sing along with, still provides the appropriate dosage of angst.

But, when you add a video (filmed in Berlin and directed by Lynn Kossler) that’s influenced by M.C. Escher: now that was the extra ingredient that grabbed my attention!

Bensh’s LP Clues is out now.

Proceeds from Carrie Newcomer’s latest CD, Everything is Everywhere, benefit the Interfaith Hunger Initiative (IHI), an all-volunteer not-for-profit organization bringing together two dozen faith communities in the Indianapolis area who work together to end child and family hunger. Buy the recording on her website.

Great Lake Swimmers releases New Wild Everywhere, a new album, today via Nettwerk. If the leadoff single, “Easy Come Easy Go,” is any indication, one can sense a revitalized spring in their collective steps, and copious fiddle tunes surrounding their now customary felicitous vocal harmonies.

Check out a video of the song performed live at the Grand Theatre in London, Ontario.

Valtari, the sixth LP from Icelandic band Sigur Rós, comes out May 25, 2012.

Video preview below.

Dent May is sharing “Best Friend,” the lead off single fromDo Things, his forthcoming Paw Tracks album, via Soundcloud.

A lot of chatterboxes in the audience, but here’s a video of Magnetic Fields performing “Andrew in Drag” this past week at All Tomorrow’s Parties. The song is the “single” on their new Merge recording Love at the Bottom of the Sea. Merge is also sharing a download of the song via Soundcloud (embed below). And there’s an official video too: here’s the link, but, given the subject matter, some may find it NSFW. Then again, when have the Magnetic Fields been entirely SFW?

Andrew Bird has an upcoming collaboration with La Blogothèque and Radio France. He shared a brief teaser of it on YouTube last week.

Meanwhile, he’s also recently released a new full length recording, Break it Yourself via Mom + Pop.

And we’ve got a lengthier, and artsy, video, also posted to Bird’s YouTube channel, for more extended viewing below.

I love this video about Tim Fite’s diligent, almost obsessive, work ethic, both as a visual artist and as a musician.

Fite’s Ain’t Ain’t Ain’t is out now via Anti Records.

Check out album track “We Didn’t Warn You,” streaming via the File Under ? Tumblr page.