Okay, we’ve been through the drill before. Bishop Allen are releasing an EP every month for all of 2006. August is a little late because it’s a live EP featuring 13 songs recorded at the Middle East (in Boson?) plus one bonus track from Piano’s in New York.

MP3: Bishop Allen – The Flood (live)
I’m saving my thunder on this one. “The Flood,” or as it was known previously as both “Rain” and “Rocking Chair,” represents the highest point of unity between Justin’s lyrics and Christian’s instrumentation. I’ve heard a studio version of it, and I can honestly say that it’s my favorite song that I’ve heard in a couple years. But while I’m saving my real feelings for the studio take, I guess I can offer up a bit on this live version?

“The Flood” is one of Bishop Allen’s most driving songs yet. Forgoing Justin’s usual character-profiling lyrics, they’re able to summon vivid imagery to help do more than keep the song afloat (pun intended). But instrumentally it does all it can to keep going. The frantically strummed guitar echos the idea of swimming for your life, while the saxophone adds just enough flavor to keep it interesting.

So it’s a nice enough song, but I know it’ll only get better after further studio treatment. With songs like this, I get the feeling that Clementines is going to blow us all away.

Two more MP3s off the new EP at their site
Buy August or any of the new EPs for just $5
Bishop Allen on Myspace

BONUS MP3: Bishop Allen – Little Black Ache (from Charm School)
BONUS MP3: Bishop Allen – Corazon (from “January”)
BONUS MP3: Bishop Allen – Vain (from “February”)
BONUS MP3: Bishop Allen – The Monitor (from “March”)
BONUS MP3: Bishop Allen – Flight 180 (from “April”)
BONUS MP3: Bishop Allen – Butterfly Nets (from “May”)
BONUS MP3: Bishop Allen – The Same Fire (from “June”)