May 24, 2010
Broken Social Scene “Forced to Love” - Forgiveness Rock Record
Forgiveness Rock Record is Broken Social Scene’s 5th full length album, and its obvious that they’re a different breed than the flash-in-the-pan buzz bands. Forced to Love is a pretty straight up rocker, but it’s the catchy chorus and driving drums make it super rad.
Skybox - "Morning After Cuts" – Morning After Cuts
Skybox originally formed in Tempe, Arizona, but the band found their sunny stilted pop sound after moving to Chicago and fleshing out the band with a couple more members. Morning After Cuts, the title track of their second studio album, is the perfect summer pop song to play when you’re driving a little too fast on an empty road in the afternoon but you don’t really care.
Wintersleep - "Black Camera" – New Inheritors
I got to see these guys opening for Wolf Parade after the release of their 2007 album Welcome To The Night Sky, and I’m thrilled that their studio work is just as amazing and driving as was their live show. Black Camera, off of their 4th album adds a little bit of 80s allternative in the vein of The Tragically Hip or Midnight Oil to their simple-yet awesome rock sound.
The Futureheads - "Heartbeat Song" – The Chaos
Arriving on the wave of post-punk revival in the mid 2000s, the Futureheads remind you of all the 1970s punk rock your dad used to play, which you thought was really good, but you wouldn’t admit was really good cause your dad played it. “The Chaos” is a bit darker and more punky than their previous stuff, and Heartbeat Song increases the awesome by sampling Springsteen’s Born To Run. Can you find it?
The National - "Bloodbuzz Ohio" – High Violet
High Violet, The National’s fifth studio album, is amazing in every way. Matt Berninger’s inimitable baritone manages to be calming, wine-soaked, and totally f’ing insane all at the same time. Bloodbuzz Ohio proves that modern songs can still be epic, and don’t have to sacrifice catchiness for sheer pulse and adrenaline.
Woods - "Blood Dries Darker" – At Echo Lake
Another band who sounds totally fresh despite having 5 albums under their collective belts, Woods have been putting out these campfire fuzz-folk tunes from Brooklyn since about 2005. Fans of Blitzen Trapper and those like them will definitely find something to love. You Ain’t No Picasso describes Blood Dries Darker as “What would happen if Pavement grew up in a log cabin.” Lo-fi done so so right.
<3 Angelina
April 08, 2010
In honor of the Neutral Milk Hotel song by the same name, here's new music for April 8th!
Black Tambourine – “Throw Aggi off the Bridge” – Black Tambourine
Hailing from that weird yet wonderful era of 90s indie pop, this vintage song from now-defunct Black Tambourine sounds as fresh & new as anything you’d care to compare it to. Fans of The Jesus and Mary Chain & other noisy pop will be hopelessly in love with this 20th anniversary re-release.
Jason Collett – “Love is a Dirty Word” – Rat a Tat Tat
This collaboration with Arts N Crafts labelmates Zeus is a ballad with bite. The sparse guitars and drums are sparse and kind of twinkly. It’s a summer song, but not the kind you listen to at BBQ’s… the kind you listen to while jumping on a trampoline and drinking iced tea… or something.
JJ – “You Know” – JJ No. 3
Currently on tour with the xx (clever, right?) jj’s dreamy twee-pop has that rare ability to seem light and druggy at the same time. Though many report that their live shows are semi-disastrous, Elin’s honey-coated voice on this particularly perky song redeems any shortcomings.
Josh Rouse – “I Will Live on an Island” – El Turista
Josh Rouse is what would have happened if Paul Simon had babysat the Broken West when they were small. And that’s awesome. I Will Live On An Island is nicely tropical, & just a seriously fun track. If you care to, there’s a great takeaway show of this song at http://vimeo.com/groups/indie/videos/8522157
Strange Boys – “Friday in Paris” – Be Brave
Tracks with good Hammond Organ parts turn me to jello, and this one is no exception. Hailing from Austin Texas, Be Brave is the band’s debut album, despite the fact that they’ve been around since 2003. Definitely worth the wait. It’s raw and gritty, and sounds like it was made right alongside folks like Roky Erikson or the Byrds.
Ted Leo and the Pharmacists – “The Mighty Sparrow” – The Brutalist Bricks
Mighty Sparrow starts out with Leo’s signature *yelp! * And doesn’t let up for the entirety of the 165 second track. Brutalist Bricks was influenced by the 80s hardcore scene, and it’s definitely apparent in the spit-fire of rock that is this song.
The Splinters – “Mysterious” –Kick
The essence of devil-may-care DIY, this four piece girl group channels The Breeders and X into a new brand of garage-rock that makes you forget that the “riot grrrrl” thing was anything other than awesome. Also, they have a member whose sole purpose is to play tambourine. Yeee!
Broken Bells – “Vaporize” – s/t
A collaboration between Danger Mouse and The Shins’ James Mercer, this soulful acoustic guitar-driven track sounds exactly like you’d expect a collaboration between The Shins and Danger Mouse to sound… but that’s not a bad thing. Hypnotic and subtle, the song has a horn outro that is all kinds of sweet.
March 03, 2010
Sorry it's been so long! we'll be back on the weekly schedule here at the music department. SXSW in two weeks! full report here as well...
Titus Andronicus – “A More Perfect Union” – The Monitor
http://www.myspace.com/titusandronicus
The first track off the Civil War themed Titus album starts with a quote from Abraham Lincoln and immediately drops a Bruce ref AND a Billy Brag ref in the first verses…woah. There’s a lot to say about this new album. Early comparisons to Conor Oberst/Bright Eyes were more right on than I gave them credit for. The melodies are classic. The guitar riffs were made for air guitar. The lyrics are dense. This album doesn’t let up.
Seabear – “Wolfboy” – We Built a Fire
http://www.myspace.com/seabear
Described as “Sufjan Stevens meets an unplugged Arcade Fire” by some critic who has only listened to someone’s top albums list of 2008, Seabear hail from Iceland’s small but thriving music scene. To the unnamed critics’ credit, the anthemic quality of Wolfboy does fit the comparison as well as the hushed vocals of the singer. Perhaps it’s comparison bias, but I can see the clear blue of Iceland’s pools in the music.
Twin Tigers – “Everyday” – Gray Waves
http://www.myspace.com/thetwintigers
In a scene dominated by strange folk and indie rock, Twin Tigers explosive wall of shoegaze is surprising. The popular local band from Athens is releasing its debut on Old Flame Records. Echoes of Jesus and Mary Chain bounce through the record as well as new-comers A Place to Bury Strangers.
The Ruby Suns – “Cranberry” – Fight Softly
http://www.myspace.com/theruby suns
The New Zealand bands first release on Subpop is a long jump from the venerable Lil’ Chief Records in distane and sound. Subpop’s second acquisition from Lil’ Chief (The Brunettes were first) will hopefully be more successful. The album has a world feel like El Guinco remixing Animal Collective. Throw some Hot Chip synth in there for good measure too.
Golden Triangle – “Jinx” – Double Jointer
http://www.myspace.com/goldentriangle
Brooklyn band of three dudes and three chicks signed to Subpop sister label Hardly Art for their debut album. Jinx is a hooky pop song with cavernous vocals. Take your favorite indie pop song, put a bunch of reverb on it, throw in some catchy chants and yelps and dance.
Fang Island – “Life Coach” – Fang Island
http://www.myspace.com/fangisland
Formed at RISD, Fang Island describes its sound as “everyone high-fiving everyone.” Sweet. The album features lots of guitar work and a generally sparing use of vocals. More effective due to the infrequency, the gang vocals sound like great shouts at a concert. “Life Coach” is a bit out of the mold but better as a result as it marries the classic rock solo guitars with some contemporary vocal styles.
November 23, 2009
Air Waves – “Sweetness” – Golden Hour Box Set
http://www.myspace.com/airwavesmusic
Ok so I know I already made this point, but 2009 is the year of surf rock. Air Waves are another awesome Underwater Peoples band doing cool stuff down in the city. “Sweetness” follows a simple two chord structure with a melody that sounds like a Moldy Peaches sing-by-numbers songbook. Breathy vocals recall the lazy days of Irish and Scottish pop of The Thrills and Trashcan Sinatras.
Solid Gold – “Matter of Time” – Matter of Time
http://www.myspace.com/solidgoldband
Opening like a remix of the Shins by MGMT, Solid Gold’s hooky electronics could fit in with The Gorillaz on this heavily remixable first single follow up for their critically acclaimed album Bodies of Water. Expect more dreamy synth pop next year from this Minneapolis group.
Pants Yell! – “Got to Stop” – Received Pronunciation
http://www.myspace.com/pantsyellmusic
Clever posters Pants Yell! have dropped most of the horns from their last release and turned inward to the core sound of their trio. Hailing from Cambridge, MA and signed to the venerable (and now 20 years old!) Slumberland records, they are substantially less fuzzy than most of Slumberland’s active roster. Pants Yell! are proving that you don’t have to hide your catchy factor behind lo-fi fuzz.
Drink up Buttercup – “Even Think” – Even Think
http://www.myspace.com/drinkupbuttercupband
Another lead single teaser for a 2010 release, “Even Think” follows a cheerleader melody through an 8-bit, Zelda dungeon growl. The Philadelphia psych rock quartet has signed to Yep Roc for an album in early 2010.
November 16, 2009
Real Estate – “Beach Comber” – Real Estate
http://www.myspace.com/letsrockthebeach
2009, yes, it is the year of surf rock (in case you were wondering) and one of the bands leading the charge is Real Estate. Part of the New Jersey collective Underwater Peoples that also boasts Ducktails, Family Portrait, and Air Waves, Real Estate is riding the proverbial wave across the country with fellow bliss purveyors, San Fran’s Girls. Lay back and let the sun warm your skin in this four minute sand castle.
Middle East – “Blood” – The Recordings of the Middle East
http://www.myspace.com/visitthemiddleeast
Arriving in America shortly after they reconvened, The Middle East come not from their namesake but the warmth of Australia. Kind of like a cross between Anathallo and Architecture in Helsinki, “Blood” builds with crystal clear vocals over whistle and glockenspiel hinting at the triumphant conclusion.
The William Blakes – “On Fire” - Wayne Coyne
http://www.myspace.com/thewilliamblakes
Yep, they really named their album Wayne Coyne. But it’s just homage to a hero…like naming your cat after Coyne I guess. Thankfully, they didn’t try to write any love songs for/to him (he is married I think) or otherwise send him a message. In fact, the album doesn’t really have much to do with him besides the cover that superimposes his face on a painting of William Blake. “On Fire” is a carnival ride that gets lost on its way through a railroad tunnel and eventually crashes (“We’re all lost in this tunnel” screams singer Kristian Leth). The album actually came out in 2008 in the band’s home country of Denmark.
White Denim – “Everybody Somebody” – Fits
http://www.myspace.com/whitedenimmusic
Another odd signing for Downtown records, the Austin garage duo belts out catchy shout choruses to Black Keys blues guitar. Hard to classify, the only consistent element in their song writing seems to be a blues base. Famed for high energy, explosive live shows in their hometown, the band received national attention at the 2008 SXSW festival. Fits is their first album on Downtown.
The King of Rocksprings – “How to be a Stalker” – The Milkman vs. The Postman Problem
http://www.myspace.com/thekingofrocksprings
King of Rocksprings is the project of Scott Sosebee an artist and musician recently transplanted from Athens to New York. Helped on backing vocals by LD Beghtol of 69 Love Songs fame, it’s not hard to see what drew him to this project. Sosebee’s vocal timbre and deft ability for rhyme practically ooze of Stephen Merritt. Apparently, this EP is the first of many to come…sounds good to me!
Robert Francis – “Keep Running” – Before Nightfall
http://www.myspace.com/robertfrancis
Barely 22 years under his belt and you’d never know it. Writing with the confidence of Springsteen in his prime, Francis builds dark soundscapes with repressed urgency that boils under both the most sinister bass lines and bright organ tags. Hints of Ryan Adams and other cherished alt-country voices dot the album of a surely rising star.
Gemma Ray – “100 mph (In 2nd Gear)” – Lights out Zoltar!
http://www.myspace.com/gemmaraymusic
Gemma Ray just invented a new genre. It’s called apocalyptic waltz. The UK songstress, aptly named “queen of noir,” is now signed to Bronzerat who have released her album number two. Dancing in velvet against the cool metal of warring robots, Gemma’s sultry voice sparkles with orange fire. The lava on the cover of the album says it all.