The Spells release songs on NPR Music

Carrie Brownstein, blogger for NPR Music’s “Monitor Mix” and former guitarist of the critically-acclaimed rock band Sleater-Kinney, is releasing four songs recorded with fellow musician Mary Timony today on NPR Music. Recorded as part of Brownstein and Timony’s side project The Spells in 2000, the previously unreleased songs are now available to hear exclusively at NPR Music, where two tracks are also available the next two weeks for free download: http://www.npr.org/blogs/monitormix/

As The Spells, Brownstein and Timony recorded eight songs – four that made it to an EP in 2000, and four previously unreleased that are now available on NPR Music: “Bat Vs. Bird,” “Viola,” “Champion Vampire” and “Antarctica.”

Brownstein blogs on “Monitor Mix” that while she and Timony had bigger plans for The Spells, both became busy with bands and tours. “We did, however, manage to start the process,” Brownstein writes “In the summer of 2000, we recorded four songs in a couple of hours, the same amount of time in which we'd written them a few months earlier. If nothing else, making these songs available now is The Spells' way of finally acknowledging that we aren't going to get around to finishing the album. “

“Monitor Mix” is one of two NPR Music blogs, and is where Brownstein introduces her favorite music and comments on developments in the industry. Her writing on music has also appeared in The New York Times, pitchforkmedia.com and various book anthologies on music and culture. She is also one-half of ThunderAnt, a comedy duo with Fred Armisen. Brownstein is currently working on her first book of non-fiction.

NPR Music, marking its one year anniversary, features content from NPR and 12 NPR Member public radio stations, as well as original-to-NPR Music features such as live performances, studio sessions, exclusive first listens to forthcoming albums, interviews, reviews and blogs. The site’s continuously expanding sections are dedicated to rock/pop/folk, classical, jazz/blues, world and urban music. NPR Music culls from NPR’s and the stations’ extensive music archives to present thousands of features; more than 240 new features are added to the site every month.