Hot of the presses yesterday, check out Monsters of Folk’s new video for “Say Please” below. . . it features a very old timey setting with roller skating pioneers on the frontier (in the middle of a war?). I don’t quite get it, but I like that and admittedly really like how it all came together.

In more MOF news, their video contest “Dear God (Sincerely M.O.F.)” is in full swing. Sponsored by Apple/Quicktime and Death + Taxes Magazine, Monsters of Folk are inviting fans to make their very own video creation for “Dear God.” The winning video will be posted on the Monsters of Folk website, with the winner receiving $5000, a Gibson guitar signed by the band, and a copy of the new Final Cut Studio software. Jeepers, that’s a lot!

But if you don’t win, there’s still some cool goods to go around. . . the five runners-up will get a signed vinyl album for their efforts. Cool! For more info on being a part of the contest, click here! You could go down in indie folk rock history!!

What could be a dream team of indie folk have finally released their highly anticipated collaboration. Calling themselves Monsters of Folk, M. Ward, Conor Oberst, Jim James (Yim Yames) and Mike Mogis are far from monsters of music. Unless by monsters they mean brilliant, folk artists that create haunting, timeless tunes, then yes, indeed, they’re monsters. But their name is not to be taken literally, it is a misleading by design to sidestep any labels. The record includes everything and all these four have, with bits and pieces of rock, blues, country and folk scattered throughout. As Oberst says on their website in an interview with Michael Hill,

“I think it’s good to have a little bit of misconception. If I had heard that name, I would think, first, that it’s a terrible name, and then I’d picture guys on bar stools, unplugged style, playing songs like that. But I think the record has a lot of different dimensions and I’m pretty happy with how it came out.”

I can’t imagine a more inspiring group of artists and their debut not only displays their individual strengths in a subtle, non-overbearing style, it smartly combines all their best qualities into an easy-going, ego free, stirring album. After listening to all 15 tracks, I was left feeling like I got to be a part of one of their effortless jam sessions. . . which is very cool to say the least.  So get yours here (available on vinyl too!), you’ll be pleased you did!

For a sampling of the album, watch the video for their first single “The Right Place” below. It’s a foot-tapping, swaying in your seat kinda jam, and I luuurve it.