|
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
|
The Avett Brothers - I and Love and You (Sony) [upcoming shows] [audio]
The deceptively poppy "Kick Drum Heart" is not representative of The Avett Brothers' I and Love and You. Look closer: you'll find some jangle and twang, genetically connected harmonies (they are brothers), and surprisingly rockin' bridges that take you on unexpected journeys. Lyrically, this album is the epitome of simple sincerity. From the vulnerable "January Wedding" to the self-aware "Ill With Want," I find new ways to fall in love with each listen.
- stacie d.
|
|
Released 02.02.2010
|
|
|
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
|
Against Me! - White Crosses (Sire) [upcoming shows] [audio]
This being 2010, saying anything about a band having sold out is a pretty hollow complaint. They all sold out years ago. White Crosses is about trying to get as much radio and Hype Machine buzz as possible and little else. That's why Against Me! sounds like The Killers now. Well, they sound like The Killers would sound if Brandon Flowers had cut his teeth on punk instead of new wave. "I Was a Teenage Anarchist" might be popular soon, so maybe it worked?
- sam
|
|
Released 06.08.2010
|
|
|
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
|
Artichoke - 26 Scientists Volume 2: Newton — Zeno (self released) [upcoming shows] [audio]
A concept record about 14 more scientists and each song title is a scientist's name along with the years they existed, contributions to the advancement of science, biological information, and other weird facts. As with all musical labors of love, despite the exhaustive effort it takes to make an album like this, it really means nothing if the end result is not worth hearing. This is quite the opposite; even if you didn't have the track listing, this is an album of quirky indie pop, similar to electropop-era Of Montreal.
- mark
|
|
Released 01.12.2010
|
|
|
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
|
Alkaline Trio - This Addiction (Epitaph) [upcoming shows] [audio]
Alkaline Trio sounds exactly like Alkaline Trio. It's like how Morrissey sounds like Morrissey, and as the years go by the sound changes very little as the lyrical themes remain a constant. This Addiction continues the band's fascination with love and death, using imagery befitting an angst-ridden goth's t-shirt or popular tweenie vampire movie. But as so many others have proven, trouble in love brings about a hearse-load of amazing melodic hooks. As on past releases, it's bassist Dan Andriano's songs that stand apart as the best.
- cormac
|
|
Released 02.23.2010
|
|
|
Monday, October 05, 2009
|
Air - Love 2 (Astralwerks) [audio] [upcoming shows]
The sad, horrible truth is that Air peaked five years ago with Talkie Walkie. Everything since resembles the scattered and reverberating soundwaves from earlier albums that have gone out into space, bounced off Saturn's rings and come back to Earth completely watered down and played out. Love 2 is a constant 46 minutes of highly stylized mush. It sounds rich and romantic and dreamlike, all things which Air is known for. That's the extent of it, however. No one's gonna remember this album a year from now.
- paul
|
|
Released 10.06.2009
|
|
|
Monday, August 31, 2009
|
Among the Oak & Ash (Verve Forecast) [audio] [upcoming shows]
Josh Joplin and Garrison Starr have taken long-lost Appalachian folk songs and turned them into pop songs. Songs gathered from centuries ago, a somehow not-too-out-of-place Smiths cover, and a couple of originals make up this record which at its root is a simple collection of folk tunes. Only this folk is really catchy. This folk is ready to start a revolution at one moment, and sweet and tender the next. Just watch out—Garrison Starr has a voice that can break your heart if you let it.
- cormac
|
|
Released 06.16.2009
|
|
|
Tuesday, July 07, 2009
|
Akron/Family - Set 'em Wild, Set 'em Free (Dead Oceans) [audio] [upcoming shows]
It's a great year for bands who rounded out the freak folk scene in the early '00s, because they've shed a lot of their more experimental tendencies in favor of solid and direct sounds (see also: Grizzly Bear). On Set 'em Wild, Set 'em Free, Akron/Family give us an album that's still textured and cerebral, but based on driving and persistent grooves. The opening cut "Everyone is Guilty," in particular, sounds like something from the first or second Chicago album. Good luck finding another band willing to explore that style.
- paul
|
|
Released 05.05.2009
|
|
|
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
|
Zee Avi (Brushfire) [audio] [upcoming shows]
I'm surprised I haven't read other reviews of Zee Avi's debut cd make any mention of her similarities to Leon Redbone. You may think I'm being ridiculous, but if you took the cute little Malaysian girl out of these songs and put that straw hat-wearing, bellowing, quirky sexagenarian in her place, the transition would be a smooth one. Zee Avi makes Tin Pan Alley styles a cuddly, almost twee kind of thing, but it's still the real deal.
- paul
|
|
Released 05.19.2009
|
|
|
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
|
AT (Corleone) [audio] [upcoming shows]
While not emulating the dire religious overtones of the Violent Femmes' Hallowed Ground album, the nine tracks here fall into a similar genre and there are also plenty of references to Jesus, the devil, and angels. This is casually recorded, edited and largely country and blues influenced, frail wavering high pitched vocals a la Unbunny, gentle acoustic strumming, a few rag tag acoustic singalongs, a learn as you go whistling chorus, and an instance of singing the chord changes as they happen.
- mark
|
|
Released 01.06.2009
|
|
|
Thursday, May 07, 2009
|
Aria Orion - Let the Sharp Stone Fly (self released) [audio] [upcoming shows]
Aria Orion remind me of Dead Can Dance. I thought the first track was in Latin or Catalan or whatever it is that Lisa Gerrard sings. In fact, the phrasing just makes "Dark and Light" sound like a foreign language. As for the music, it veers from industrial cello to nervous oboe to what sounds like The Alloy Orchestra scoring a Buster Keaton flick. The entire album has the vibe of an experimental "Peter and the Wolf," eliciting characterization through instruments and making each song a mini epic. What do you see when you listen?
- meredith
|
|
|
|
|
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
|
Art Brut - Art Brut vs. Satan (Downtown) [audio] [upcoming shows]
This is a band who'll never again be as good as they were on their debut album Bang Bang Rock & Roll. Fortunately, Art Brut's third album comes close and is a very welcome rebound after their textbook sophomore slump with It's a Bit Complicated. Eddie Argos is a revitalized frontman, his sing-speak diary entries once again full of wit. The music is equally sharp, having moved from the garage to the studio. Surely this can't be sustained for much longer, but for now... Art Brut, 1; Satan, 0.
- paul
|
|
Released 04.21.2009
|
|
|
Thursday, April 16, 2009
|
Actionslacks - Kids With Guitars EP (self released) [audio]
The Actionslacks boys have long been rocking whilst keeping their day jobs, putting out just a few records in more than just a few years. The latest is Kids With Guitars, a 7-song ep that, like most Slacks' releases, is a grower that is very worth repeated (loud) listens. There's the familiar social-political commentary sung with careful enunciation, the rockin' riffs, and the melodies you can't ignore—it's a good time to become a fan.
- cormac
|
|
Released 01.27.2009
|
|
|
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
|
Lily Allen - It's Not Me, It's You (Capitol) [audio] [upcoming shows]
Compared to other points in time over the last couple decades, pop music is reasonably strong right now. Stronger still is the continued presence of Lily Allen. Between her first album and her second, all the tabloid attention only served to fuel her creative fire. It's Not Me, It's You doesn't sound like a second album, but like the work of a tested veteran. Her voice is stronger, figuratively and literally. She's become a peerless storyteller and songwriter. Suck on that, next week's indie band du jour.
- paul
|
|
Released 02.10.2009
|
|
|
Friday, January 23, 2009
|
Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion (Domino) [audio] [upcoming shows]
I wouldn't be surprised to find out Noah "Panda Bear" Lennox had flexed more creative muscle here than in the past, because it's more a follow-up to his own Person Pitch than any Animal Collective release. It's exquisitely and densely melodic, with songs that wind around themselves in search of an end instead of simply arriving with no map. "Summertime Clothes," especially, makes no effort to obscure its pop song foundation. I really do like this, and I can't say that about other Animal Collective albums.
- paul
|
|
Released 01.20.2009
|
|
|
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
|
Christina Aguilera - Keeps Gettin' Better: A Decade of Hits (RCA) [audio] [upcoming shows]
She was once a Britney-come-lately, but ten years later she's got a body of work that's way better than you probably remember it being. "Dirrty" especially holds up, but hardly seems as scandalous now that she's a happily married and normal mother. The best part of this compilation, though? New stuff. Reinvented versions of "Genie" and "Beautiful" showcase an icy new Goldfrapp-inspired direction, spilling into "Keeps Gettin' Better" and "Dynamite." Her next record is suddenly, unexpectedly, aniticipated...by me.
- paul
|
|
Released 11.11.2008
|
|
|
Monday, May 05, 2008
|
Alien Father - Paste (Brother & Brother) [audio] [upcoming shows]
23 tracks of distorted shambolic lo-fi space rock boombox recordings. While some of it will have you scrambling for the 'skip' button and are clearly meant to punish the listener ("Fgt Lawbuster" for example), others will leave you filled with the feeling of great potential, especially when they sound like the early days of Sebadoh, Minutemen and The Grifters. I'm not sure if these songs were recorded in order but just when it starts to have momentum and blow you away, it's over.
- mark
|
|
Released 12.11.2007
|
|
|
Thursday, February 21, 2008
|
Ascension of the Watchers - Numinosum (13th Planet) [audio] [upcoming shows]
The previous works of Burton C. Bell and John Bechdel seem to have little bearing on the content of this recording. The dark ambient music with Pink Floyd-esque vocals is almost chant-like in its repetitive nature. When you think that you "get it" they throw a curveball at you with an ethereal cover of Simon & Garfunkel's "The Sound of Silence". Their flair for industrial sounds makes this album somewhat unique and interesting, but it might be difficult for the masses to digest.
- j.p.
|
|
Released 02.19.2008
|
|
|
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
|
The Keith John Adams - Unclever (Happy Happy Birthday to Me) [audio] [upcoming shows]
There's something quite mod about Keith John Adams' particular brand of British garage pop. Something akin to a mid-'90s Ted Leo singing unreleased Kinks songs with strange lyrics...and trying to do a Billy Bragg imitation at the same time. But in a good way. In a very good way. Danceable low-fi rockers like "Elizabeth Hodgkinson Warzone" and "Other Side of the Road" will surely convince you that you made a wise purchase.
- cormac
|
|
Released 01.29.2008
|
|
|
Monday, November 26, 2007
|
American Catapult - Trees of Mystery (Cooking Vinyl) [audio]
I'm not sure how an Uncle Tupelo album can manage to contain nary a rerence to Jay Farrar... well, besides some lines from "Goodbye" to which I'm assigning significance: "There's no depression welcome here / These are the moody minor chords that you used to play". I'm also not sure how this record surfaced in Southern California this Spring rather than in REM-era Athens, GA. While several tracks run into each other (albeit pleasantly), a few stand out, like the mournful "Crooked Straight" and the driving "Find Another Way."
- meredith
|
|
Released 05.22.2007
|
|
|
Thursday, October 18, 2007
|
The Aliens - Astronomy for Dogs (Astralwerks) [audio] [upcoming shows]
Even if The Beta Band never strayed too far from what they did best, you could hardly say they were a bore. Well, The Aliens (former Beta Banders) are a pretty big letdown in that regard. Astronomy for Dogs is like Let it Bleed-era Rolling Stones filtered through the rosy shades of 1990s "Madchester" foolishness on (yes, sorry) sheets and sheets of acid. It at least sounds nice, what with the heavily-layered background vocals and rumbling use of the Hammond B3 as the foundation for a few songs. Too bad it has no discernable aim.
- sam
|
|
Released 06.19.2007
|
|
|
Monday, September 24, 2007
|
Aesop Rock - None Shall Pass (Definitive Jux) [audio] [upcoming shows]
After wading through another hour of intentionally obtuse bullshit from the mind of Aesop Rock, I am finally ready to declare that his "art" has no worth. His voice is a monotone rhythmic instrument that values rhyme over communication. The continued attempts to fool listeners into thinking that vapid bullshit is somehow valuable if it requires a dictionary, thesaurus and half pound of cannabis to decipher is insulting. The only thing Aes does better than anyone else is sound like a pretentious asshole. If you want us to care, we need more than a vocab lesson.
- tom d.
|
|
Released 08.28.2007
|
|
|
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
|
Angel & The Love Mongers - The Humanist Queen (Disgraceland) [audio] [upcoming shows]
Sort of an interesting mix from these guys. Sounds like an Americanized solo Morrissey with some weird glam guitar work thrown in too. At the same time, they're very '80s British-influenced like The Smiths, obviously, but also The Psychedelic Furs, a jaunty-ier Church and some pleasing dark synths lurking in the background. See also: Pre-Rick Rubin Cult!
- eric
|
|
Released 06.05.2007
|
|
|
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
|
Aether - Aether Sound (self released) [audio] [upcoming shows]
Aether build a large and ambitious sound on what seems to be a very simple premise; the proto-shoegaze of Cocteau Twins and the romantic tomfoolery of The Psychedelic Furs. But upon that already sturdy foundation, they heap layers and layers of modern, epic, gorgeous guitars and lush reverby organs and keys. The singer, at his best, sounds like your favorite Bono stuff and at worst, your least favorite Bono stuff. For fans of The Furs and, probably, The National.
- eric
|
|
Released 12.19.2006
|
|
|
Friday, July 13, 2007
|
Arizona - Welcome Back Dear Children (self released) [audio] [upcoming shows]
Arizona has at least a surface similarity to a handful of Canadian darlings like The Arcade Fire, Broken Social Scene, Feist, etc; beautiful and delicate melodies, brittle production and good singin'. If you like The Shins and you like the idea of Rufus Wainwright, if not his music itself, then Arizona will lightly rub the same opiate receptors, like when you hug a girl and try to feel her nipples against your chest. Immensely listenable, highly recommended.
- eric
|
|
Released 06.20.2006
|
|
|
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
|
Ryan Adams - Easy Tiger (Lost Highway) [audio] [upcoming shows]
When people talk about Ryan Adams in present-tense, it's because he's saying or doing something fucked up. Talk about his music, though, is always either a relentless stream of fawning praise for his earliest work or completely ponderous discussion on how he'll be regarded 20 years from now. If you'll allow me to break in with a word about Easy Tiger, I will. It's a continuation of his hit or miss 2005 trilogy; inoffensive alt-country that's largely forgettable except for the two or three absolutely breathtaking songs he always seems to write by accident.
- paul
|
|
Released 06.26.2007
|
|
|
Monday, June 18, 2007
|
Andy the Door Bum - The Mt. Holly Sessions (After Birth Casserole) [audio]
The musical grab bag of the year (so far) is here. Andy comes at you with some drugged folk; Tom Waits crossed with early Sebadoh. The full band kicks in on "Eyes #2", recorded in glorious drum heavy lo-fidelity. Add to that droning middle eastern music with taped messages of someone refusing to surrender his weapons. Some of the backing vocals will induce vertigo and as a bonus, there's also some speedy screaming folk. Andy is the beloved troubadour who never bothered taking music lessons because he blew the money on booze.
- mark
|
|
Released 05.01.2007
|
|
|
Friday, March 23, 2007
|
Aqueduct - Or Give Me Death (Barsuk) [audio] [upcoming shows]
Aqueduct isn't making retro records now in the same way The Rentals and Pulsars weren't making retro records in the '90s. Yes, the songs may be covered up with analog synths maxed out on their silliest settings, but the instrumentation is just an afterthought. The songs are actually so contemporary it hurts. Unfortunately for Aqueduct, "contemporary" translates directly to "Barsukian." Look past the accessories and you've got some nice throwaway indie pop—a quick fix for your musical sweet tooth. It's pleasing, but ultimately unsatisfying.
- paul
|
|
Released 02.20.2007
|
|
|
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
|
Lily Allen - Alright, Still (Capitol) [audio] [upcoming shows]
It's that accent, innit? Listening to Alright, Still just makes me go back to old Julie Andrews movies in my head. Lily Allen sounds every bit as prim and proper as Mary Poppins, except she leaves her prudence at the door every evening when she clocks out. She's flirty, she's cross, she's vindictive, but still knows how to live carefree. And with so much to tell us, those Caribbean dancehall rhythms (playing the part of the spoonful of sugar) really help that medicine go down.
- paul
|
|
Released 01.30.2007
|
|
|
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
|
American Hardcore DVD (Sony Pictures Classics) [trailer]
American Hardcore is a well made documentary that covers the US punk scene from 1981-1986. The DVD has a bunch of deleted scenes that are mostly just snippets of interviews, but fans of hardcore will be into it. There are live performances from way back when by SS Decontrol, Bad Brains and more. The DVD also features live footage of D.O.A and the Circle Jerks from the movie premiere. A commentary track by the director and writer is another feature on the disc which is interesting half the time.
- kyle j.
|
|
Released 02.20.2007
|
|
|
Friday, March 09, 2007
|
Aesop Rock - All Day: Nike+ Original Run (iTunes)
Aes Rizzle's latest work may be his most unexpected yet—a single 45 minute track meant to provide a backdrop for a run. The third in Nike's Original Run series, All Day attempts to take the runner through different cities and landscapes. Atypically, Aesop's vocals aren't his typical polysyllabic inundations, instead functioning as mantras weaving in and out over a series of somewhat plodding instrumentals. All Day switches up themes, but only has one major surge of energy coming in at the 31:00 mark, leaving runners (and fans) unmotivated.
- ShaneB
|
|
Released 02.13.2007
|
|
|
Thursday, January 25, 2007
|
Art Brut - Nag Nag Nag Nag EP (Mute) [audio and upcoming shows]
Want to bask in the live Art Brut experience? Well see them live then, dummy. If you can't do that, though, you can get almost all the way there with the Nag Nag Nag Nag EP. Two great new studio cuts kick off the proceedings, but they're followed by live recordings of some of the band's most popular songs to date, complete with the Eddie Argos stories and ad-libs that make Art Brut shows so unlike anything else you can buy a ticket to see these days. It's not just a live album—it's a soundtrack recorded on location.
- paul
|
|
Released 11.14.2006
|
|
|
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
|
The Atomic Bitchwax - Boxriff CD + DVD (Meteor City) [audio] [video]
[upcoming shows]
If you couldn't get enough of last year's III (who could?), then you'll be giddy over this goldmine. The four studio tracks, a.k.a. the Boxriff EP, sound like top-shelf leftovers from the III session. Following is a fun live set ("Birth to the Earth," baby) that draws from nearly every one of their albums, and is offered up at warp speed with shocking technical proficiency. If the Bitchwax continues to dominate onstage and in the studio like this (under the radar), they'll be going from overlooked to criminally overlooked.
- jason m.
|
|
Released 11.07.2006
|
|
|
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
|
Rob Anthony - Neo-Jasouloetry (self released) [audio]
It's not hip hop. It's not soul. It's not funk. It's not spoken word. It's not acid jazz. But pick a track on this wildly imaginative CD, and you'll find a match for at least one of those categories. Rob Anthony takes us on a ride through the rocky roads of his overactive subconscious, delivering insights on romantic relationships and the joy of sex with every weapon at his disposal. See the cover? Just call him the Terminator.
- michael s.
|
|
Released 06.27.2006
|
|
|
Friday, November 03, 2006
|
The Album Leaf - Into the Blue Again (Sub Pop) [audio] [upcoming shows] [videos] [mini-documentary]
Into the Blue Again couldn't have come at a more perfect time; it's one of those seasonal albums, the kind you instinctively know to put on when the weather starts to change. The songs are ambient, moody, and a bit sad - just like the coming of autumn. So button your coat, go outside, and listen to it while your sneakers crunch the leaves and wait for the first snowfall.
- diana
|
|
Released 09.12.2006
|
|
|
Friday, September 22, 2006
|
Alican Blue (Elephant Stone) [audio] [upcoming shows]
Had we still been living in the 80’s, you could argue that this Washington outfit may have been rather successful; their dated synth-pop sound immediately strikes up huge similarities with the likes of Joy Division, Depeche Mode and Human League. Tightly programmed drums, gloomy vocals, and heavily layered synthesizers assemble dark, towering soundscapes. Don’t get me wrong, this is all very well done, but rather unfortunately ... this is a sound that has had its day.
- colin
|
|
Released 05.31.2006
|
|
|
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
|
Anchors For Architects - Dirty Settlements (Papermade) [audio]
[and more audio]
[upcoming shows]
At times sparse and brooding, at other times angular and frenetic, Anchor For Architects covers a lot of ground. It sounds like that ground would best be covered by bike so you can jam econo to the summer night, breezing along, taking that gradual downhill grade to the abandoned lot for some serious midnight kickball. This is the soundtrack to that ride. Youthful exuberance, contemplative introspection, well rounded; doing it for the kids.
- lee
|
|
Released 02.28.2006
|
|
|
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
|
Peter Adams - The Spiral Eyes (self-released) [audio] [shows]
Somewhere between the reediness of Radiohead's Thom Yorke and the rasp of Stereophonics' Kelly Jones lies the sound and timbre of Peter Adam's voice. But his music resides on another plane entirely. Haunting minor-key melodies are supported by lush strings with a gypsy cast, rising in frenzied spirals; Adams calls it "violin-soaked punk folk rock." Amazingly, he recorded himself playing all the instruments and singing up in his bedroom, using a "computer, sound board and microphone." Take that, major-label studios: "Have a little faith direction and listen harmony."
- meredith
|
|
Released 12.12.2005
|
|
|
Friday, April 21, 2006
|
Ambulette - The Lottery EP (Astralwerks) [audio] [upcoming shows]
This astounding 5 song EP reveals an edgier Maura Davis (of Denali).
Crooning with her sultry signature, she’s added a little swirl of bitter in the sweet. Reminiscent of P.J. Harvey’s vocal flex, Davis stretches from operatic howls to sensual growls. The lyrics reveal a clarity of desire, but the band darkens the mood in a thick fog of
sound, full of sinister distortion. The final track “If You Go Away” (by Jacques Brel) directs the ear toward a smooth denouement. Ambulette beckons like leather and lace - reckless and ready
for some heavy play.
- betty
|
|
Released 03.21.2006
|
|
|
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
|
Anti-Flag - For Blood And Empire (RCA Records) [audio] [upcoming shows]
Musically, this sounds like one of those mid-90's Fat Wreck Chords compilations, except with all the lyrics re-written by the guy from Rage Against the Machine about how much he hates stuff. Songs like "The WTO kills farmers" and "Depleted Uranium Is A War Crime" are sung with little to no emotion. This band no longer sounds as angry as their lyrics would suggest. And that's a shame.
- LeBeau
|
|
Released 03.21.2006
|
|
|
Friday, March 24, 2006
|
The Ark - State of the Ark (EMI Sweden) [audio] [upcoming shows]
I don’t really like Spoon. Or Queen. Or Bowie. So why do I LOVE this album? Is it because The Ark are Swedish? Perhaps. But I think it has more to do with the injection of New Wave sounds — a little Erasure here, a little Yaz there (I checked, but Vince Clarke does not appear on the record) — and some of the catchiest pop hooks I’ve heard in a while. The songs range from vicious kiss-offs — “This Piece of Poetry is Meant to Do Harm” — to the surprisingly sweet “No End.” And just try sitting still through “Hey Kwanongoma.”
- meredith
|
|
Released 04.11.2006
|
|
|
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
|
Arctic Monkeys - Whatever You Say I Am, That's What I'm Not (Domino) [audio] [upcoming shows]
OK, I'll play along with your silly album title: this album sucks. The lead singer has zero charisma, and is absolutely devoid of any swagger or rockstar confidence. Their melodies aren't the least bit infectious, and most certainly have not been stuck in my head for weeks. You do not smoke a cigarette on the album cover. You have not rendered any of the post-Strokes bands utterly useless, and I recommend that no one buy this album at any price.
- tom d.
|
|
Released 02.21.2006
|
|
|
Friday, November 18, 2005
|
Armored Frog - Weasel on a Weathervane (Sleepsond Records) [mp3s] [upcoming shows]
Lots of empty space, sparse drums and electronically distorted piano, organ and trumpet. The barely-there whispered falsetto vocals surface and disappear over waves of feedback and subtle spaced-out sound effects. Drums are always lurking in the background and even when they make a casual appearance, they make you realize they've been playing possum. Sometimes a tiny bit overly indulgant, lingering a bit too long in the silent spaces, anyone who appreciates Sparklehorse, Flaming Lips, or early Grandaddy has something to look forward to.
- mark
|
|
|
|
|
Thursday, September 22, 2005
|
Alien Alright - First Impression EP [mp3s]
You'll find traces of the Happy Mondays crossed with a ska-less version of The Specials. Or is this the British version of a too pretty for their own good Modest Mouse? The mysterious London-based artist has kept it simple with layered vocals piled on top piano, harmonica, and strings. Smooth production, quirky reggae beats, slow rhythms, all topped off with deliberately simple guitar solos and scales. Sometimes a bit lyrically overwhelming but I have a feeling that legendary two-stepper Bez would approve.
- mark
|
|
|
|
|
Wednesday, September 07, 2005
|
Acid House Kings - Sing Along With Acid House Kings (Twentyseven Records) [audio] [upcoming shows]
Oh, Swedish pop, you are so fun. Your dorky album cover hints at your 60s-ish schmoopy sound. Your sweet little melodies tootling in the background of my office make me want to sing along. Oh, what a happy coincidence, there's a second CD in here with just the music for my karaoke pleasure! I may need to close the door soon, as I think my coworkers are getting sick of hearing my renditions of "Do What You Wanna Do" and "Will You Love Me in the Morning."
- meredith
|
|
Released 09.13.2005
|
|
|
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
|
American Analog Set - Set Free (Morr Music) [audio] [upcoming shows]
It's unusual for a band to seldom change, yet almost never remain the
same. Play Set Free and then throw on the band's decade-old debut. You'll be amazed by how differently they utilize the same sonic chemistry set they originally worked with. The resulting songs are every bit as gentle, but possess a subtle sense of aggression and
wicked hook-laden choruses. I knew long ago this band required a
pinch of patience to enjoy, and in 2005 that waiting is finally paying off.
- paul
|
|
Released 09.06.2005
|
|
|
Thursday, June 16, 2005
|
Angeles Drake - I Wish You Would Come Home Already (Threadbare Records) [audio] [upcoming shows]
Ooh, it's as if Angeles Drake wrote this album specifically for me to listen to. They sound like my favorite Britpop/shoegazer bands of the early '90s, but they're from Los Angeles RIGHT NOW. Which means I can go see them play, hurrah. Soaring melodies reminiscent of Ride – check. Brooding guitars and occasional keyboards like the Chameleons UK – check. On the 75orless playground, they would totally be hanging off the monkey bars with Athlete.
- meredith
|
|
Released 01.17.2005
|
|
|
Monday, June 13, 2005
|
The Angels of Light - Sing Other People (Young God Records) [audio/video]
While experimental elements such as whistling, clapping and baby cooing make Sing Other People difficult to sit through at times, the cornerstones of Michael Gira's The Angels of Light - heartbreak, grief and celebration-are as winning as ever, thanks in part to backing band Akron/Family. Furthermore, some of the songs that first appeared on Gira's 2004 solo disc are beautifully redone here, and not since Swans has he written a song as terrifying as "Michael's White Hands," an "ode" to the king of pop.
- jason m.
|
|
Released 03.22.2005
|
|
|
Tuesday, April 05, 2005
|
Athlete - Tourist (Parlophone/Astralwerks) [audio/video] [upcoming shows]
I suspect that Parlophone has contract workers constructing albums; some get released as Coldplay, some as Athlete. The same piano, the same minor keys, the same slightly whiny singing - but I like it however it's packaged. The single "Half Light" is a sugary confection of pure unadulterated Britpop that stays in your brain for hours. The rest of the songs aren't quite so sublime, but after a few listens, most of them will work their way in too.
- meredith
|
|
Released 04.26.2005
|
|
|
Friday, February 04, 2005
|
...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead - Worlds Apart (Interscope) [audio]
A decidedly different effort from Source Tags and Codes. ...AYWKUBTTOD have learned to pull the density of their sound way
back, occasionally to Jack White-like levels. This allows their
trademark wall of sound approach to feel more like the crescendo it is
meant to be. The songwriting is actually improved on this record,
with a number of melodies that I have been humming all week. Add
well-placed symphonic elements, and you get a worthy follow-up with
just the right mix of growth and familiar territory.
- tom d.
|
|
Released 01.25.2005
|
|
|
Wednesday, November 17, 2004
|
Anthrophobia - Magnetic (DRP) [audio] [upcoming shows]
Anthrophobia is solid as a rock on Magnetic, lacing meat and emotion through each groove-laden brain grenade they throw at you. But this isn't surprising, as long-time fans are long-time fans simply because this band is a scarily reliable machine. It's "think-fast, act-fast" metallic hard rock without the whine that hearkens back to the latter years of the last decade, but always with a mind that’s planted in the here and now. The roaring nineties just couldn't destroy these guys.
- jason m.
|
|
|
|
|
Thursday, August 26, 2004
|
Aberfeldy - Young Forever (Rough Trade) [mp3s]
Yeah, y'know - this really is a fun record. It doesn't arrive with any pretense, even though it has every right to. Belle & Sebastian could never do twee pop in this manner, always finding ways to complicate their results. With essentially the same elements, Aberfeldy take art school posturing out of the mix and focus on creating organic, simple and largely acoustic pop songs with a trad-folk twist. "Slow Me Down" and "Vegetarian Restaurant" are two of the genre's best singles of this (or any) year.
- paul
|
|
|
|
|
Tuesday, June 08, 2004
|
Amen - Death Before Musick (eatURmusic/Columbia) [video]
For a walking intensive care unit, Casey Chaos is pretty determined. Determined to keep punk alive, that is. This record is in fact a genuine lesson in the "We'll do our own thing, thanks" attitude that most Pistols-whoring punkers fail to adopt. Boisterous and always catchy (see: "Stereo Oblivion") - and most importantly, free of any patented skip 'er overs - this begs to be described with the dirtiest of all words: perfect. Well, almost. Headbanging and humming: they can work together. Who knew?
- jason m.
|
|
|
|
|
Wednesday, June 02, 2004
|
Automato (Coup de Grace) [audio] [upcoming shows]
Nobody's talking about Automato. The hipsters are ignoring the DFA connection because it's a rap record. The backpackers are ignorning the record because of the DFA connection. The mainstream hip-hop kids don't even know it exists. Damn them all! Since when were solid and really vivid backing tracks, understated and atypical rhyming, and a mountain of potential the downfall of any record? These six kids from New York deserve a moment of your time.
- paul
|
|
|
|
|
Tuesday, May 25, 2004
|
Asobi Seksu (Friendly Fire Recordings) [audio/video] [upcoming shows]
Recorded in 2002 and released in a limited quantity, Asobi Seksu's debut is finally making its official appearance. Atop buoyant distorted guitars and solid pop grooves, Yuki's sometimes precious vocals soften the edges of these otherwise punchy songs beyond reprieve. In cases when everything works, though, like that of "Walk on the Moon," their sense of purpose is realized. While flawed, it's still satisfying; and that's more than you can say about a lot of other bands making their names in the recent NYC boom.
- paul
|
|
|
|
|
Thursday, April 22, 2004
|
Ambulance LTD (TVT Records) [audio] [upcoming shows]
Ambulance Ltd. have done their homework, and come up with a perfectly international album, one that hops back and forth between the misanthropic musical traditions of the U.S. and Britain. The whole album is such a pastiche, every song sounds familiar, though I can never put my finger on exactly what any specific tune draws on. It's all in there, from the everlovin' VU to the Smiths, from shoegaze to Beach Boys, and the result is impossible to keep out of my head, or my stereo.
- jeremy
|
|
|
|
|
Friday, January 30, 2004
|
Air - Talkie Walkie (Astralwerks) [audio] [upcoming shows]
Love them or hate them, this is still the best kind of cosmic French
sci-fi electro-lounge pop you can possibly find. What more could a
person want?
- kean
|
|
|
|
|
Monday, January 05, 2004
|
Arab Strap - The Shy Retirer (Chemikal Underground) [audio and video]
A standard bearer for Arab Strap's signature pop/hung-over melancholy mix, though it does little to fundamentally advance this idiom. "Shy Retirer" leans too heavily on the pop side, "Good Part" too heavily on the melancholy. My favorites were the B-sides "New Saturday" and "Shy Retirer (Remix)". The Van Halen and AC/DC covers are like dream Karaoke renditions (especially as Moffet's Scottish twang, to my ears, sounds perpetually drunk). They could make good road-trip sing alongs, too, as you can all pretend to have Scottish accents.
- elias
|
|
|
|
|
Thursday, September 18, 2003
|
Alta May - Dark Days (Glazed Records) [mp3s] [upcoming shows]
Young men need that one record to push them from their adolescent listening habits into adulthood. In '91 Nirvana's Nevermind pulled me out of my glam rock past in and opened all new doors. Alta May's latest should be the catalyst for many young men looking to expand their horizons. With ferocious guitars and a driving rhythm section, this testosterone-driven release sounds like the greatest riffs of Mudhoney, Nirvana, QOTSA, Local H, and Sonic Youth thrown into a blender and put on "slow grind."
- chip
|
|
|
|
|
Monday, September 08, 2003
|
Ambulance LTD - Ambulance LTD EP (TVT Records) [audio] [upcoming shows]
This charming debut EP from these rail-thin NYC hipsters brings to mind sounds of the 1990's British shoegazing movement (My Bloody Valentine, etc) coupled with a knack for swirling melodies reminiscent of bands like Ride and Teenage Fanclub. Ambulance LTD fit somewhere in the middle of the NYC music spectrum, less jumpy and forceful than Interpol, yet eons dreamier than the throngs of nü-dance bands emerging from the depths of the Hudson. More 1960's than 1980's, it's a familiar sound with a fresh dose of quality.
- cory
|
|
|
|
|
Monday, May 12, 2003
|
Alkaline Trio - Good Mourning (Vagrant)
With another blast of punk rock that sounds like "What if Green Day had stayed as good as their early 7"s?", the Trio returns with more of a bruise than an album. Substance and emotional abuse, set to a backdrop of raging fire. It should have been easier to disappoint than impress after the great From Here to Infirmary, but resting on their laurels isn't their style, it seems. It makes you want to beat the shit out of the last girl that broke your heart, then torch her house."I touch myself at thoughts of flames," indeed.
- brian
|
|
|
|
|
Friday, February 14, 2003
|
Charles Atlas - Worsted Weight (Oneida Records) [audio] [upcoming shows]
I've never exclaimed "Holy Shit!" while listening to something at work, but that's exactly what happened when I heard the fourth album by San Francisco based trio Charles Atlas. Full of lush, orchestrated loops, and all sorts of glitchy analog goodness, Worsted Weight separates itself from other instrumental records by being captivating instead of merely interesting. Few albums, Mogwai's Rock Action comes to mind, entertain the listener through 13-minute songs full of looped guitar and piano time and time again like this one does. Gorgeous.
- cory
|
|
|
|
|
Monday, February 10, 2003
|
Joseph Arthur - Redemption's Son (Universal/Enjoy/Realworld) [audio] [upcoming shows]
Arthur plays a careful balancing act, using deceptively simple pop hooks to draw you in, and when you least expect it, his emotionally complex lyrics will struggle to the surface and hit you in the chest like a sledgehammer. The subject matter is intensely personal and intimate, and at times threatens to spiral into a deep pit of self despair, but as the title track suggests, Arthur and his guitar pulls you through to the other side. Beck comes nowhere close to touching the heartache felt on Redemption's Son.
- kean
|
|
|
|
|
Monday, November 18, 2002
|
The Apples In Stereo - Velocity of Sound (spinART) [mp3]
Following their Let's Go EP, some wondered whether it would be possible to pour any more sugar into their sound but The Apples In Stereo, with twelve tracks clocking in at just under thirty minutes, instead release the fastest and loudest songs of their career. Some traces of their trademark The-Monkees-on-Dexitrim sound remain but mostly these shift between Fastbacks-inspired punk and retro-sounding slower tracks with heavily distorted power chords. These songs, with blaring guitars and drums, beg to be played at a very loud volume.
- mark
|
|
|
|
|
Friday, August 23, 2002
|
Aloha - Sugar (Polyvinyl Records) [mp3]
I guess if this is what they call post-rock, I like post rock, even though the joys of Pedro the Lion and Tortoise have eluded me thus far. But maybe the Sugar transcends the group's banal title for this, their second studio album? Maybe the group's catchy, jazz infused, percussion heavy, eclectic yet accessible stylings can be considered caramelized post rock? Yes, I like that much better.
- matthew r.
|
|
|
|
|
Monday, August 19, 2002
|
AM Stereo - Suffocation Town (Intelligent Records) [mp3s]
AM Stereo are like the opening band at the emo show: you're not really into them and just keep talking to your friends, but you're also glad they don't suck. Equal parts Replacements songwriting, Hot Water Music fist-pumping toughguy guts, and Get Up Kids jump-in-the-air energy, it's an ideal record for the Friday night drive through the gloomy New England countryside to a show in Boston. The next time they open up for your favorite band, maybe you'll pay a bit more attention.
- cory
|
|
|
|
|
Monday, July 29, 2002
|
Ash - Free All Angels (Kinetic Records) [video]
This Irish band of lads (and lass) continues to mature and mesh sugary-pop melodies with the fuzzy punk that they started playing seven years ago. This intermingling of styles results in an album full of can’t-miss singles (at least in the U.K.) including my pick for 2002 song of the year, the infectious "Shining Light". The U.S. version of this release (the U.K. version came out last year) features bonus tracks, videos, live footage and a documentary on the band.
- chip
|
|
|
|
|
Monday, July 08, 2002
|
All-Time Quarterback - s/t (Barsuk) [mp3, mp3]
I know you're so indie you had the Elsinor releases, but for the regular people, here's a recompilation of the best of Death Cab for Cutie frontman Ben Gibbard's even lower-fi experiment, including a great Magnetic Fields cover. Turn out the lights, put this on and pretend your gas stove is a campfire for the ultimate insider experience. Recorded on a Walkman's condenser mic, you really get the feeling he's singing just for you.
- leslie
|
|
|
|
|
Tuesday, June 25, 2002
|
Arlo - Stab The Unstoppable Hero (Sub Pop) [mp3, mp3]
Instantly hummable, and utterly irresistible, Arlo rock like the bastard spawn of H.R. Pufnstuff and Keith Moon. Traditionalists who put the raw power back in pop (without the press-hungry fashionablity *cough*thestrokes*cough* that has plagued all too many of their peers) these kids are easily the best thing to come out of LA since Burger King’s Shaq Pack, dunking twice as hard and with half the cheese.
- nick
|
|
|
|
|
Thursday, May 02, 2002
|
Alfie - A Word In Your Ear (Beggars Group)
What is it with Britain? Sure, the food sucks, but every barber is a genius! From the Beatles to the fauxhawk, even the most distant Gallagher cousin is guaranteed to have kickass hair. Alfie lace their warmly mellow, Belle and Sebastian-y fingerpicking with all manner of drum-machines, synths, and bird-sounds, all while cultivating far more stylish coifs than my stateside ass can ever hope to comb. Fuckin limeys.
- nick
|
|
|
|
|
Wednesday, April 03, 2002
|
...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead - Source Tags and Codes (Interscope) [audio/video]
With a name of scattered corpses and a reputation of shattered stages, a …Trail of Dead novice could be forgiven for expecting an feedback-drenched LP where only an occasional "aaaaugh" punctuates the dissonance. Nothing could be further from the truth about one of the most multilayered and quietly poignant works of rock in recent memory; the flailing is definitely present, but instead of merely pummeling, …ToD’s skinny fists raise like antennas to heaven.
- nick
|
|
|
|
|
Thursday, March 14, 2002
|
Alien Crime Syndicate – XL From Coast to Coast (V2) [Ozzy MP3]
"Please just lift up your hands, if you like Ozzy or the Motley Crue." If the chorus of Alien Crime Syndicate's single "Ozzy" doesn't get you pumping your fist in the air, then you might as well not bother with the rest of this surfspacestonerpower pop CD. As a whole, the CD may not be a masterpiece (it's awfully good though), but the single alone merits consideration for Best of Song of 2002. (By the way, my hands are lifted).
- chip
|
|
|
|
|
Thursday, March 07, 2002
|
Aesop Rock - Labor Days (Def Jux)
If mainstream hiphop lived in a shack along the Alaskan pipeline, Aesop Rock and his cronies would live in apartment complex down in the Florida Keys, just about as far as you can stray while remaining within the same genre. Mind bogglingly intelligent and intricate lyrics (at one point he references A Christmas Story) float over simplified beats and dreamlike samples. The only complaint: mental overload - too much content to digest in one sitting.
- jon
|
|
|
|
|
Thursday, February 21, 2002
|
Amscray - The Last of the Fieros (Ninespeed) [mp3s]
I've never done the "review your friend's band" thing before. But this was recorded before Cory joined Amscray, so that makes it ok. These are songs about disappointment that you can have fun dancing to - bopping along to lyrics like "your heart beat is overrated." Colin Daly’s vocals shine when he whispers over songs like "Everything That’s Wrong". As endorsement, I'd like to say that Jon had it in his disc changer for 6 months. That’s half a year, kids.
- kate
|
|
|
|
|
Wednesday, December 12, 2001
|
The Apes - Fugue in the Fog (Frenchkiss/Self-Starter)
Don't be fooled by the pretty album cover. The debut effort from the Apes is about as laid back as mixing Sam Coomes with the MC5. Almost as pretty as a botched murder. As subtle as walking into a cathedral brandishing a bullhorn. The Apes specialty seems to lie in fusing edgy pop, raw energy and pure evil together to create their very own flavor of DC rock. Simultaneously filling you with both blind rage and an urge to dance, this album is incredibly fun to listen to but not recommended for first dates or bar mitzvahs.
- jon
|
|
|
|
|
Wednesday, December 05, 2001
|
ATOMBOMBPOCKETKNIFE - God Save The ABPK (Southern)
Heavy duty stutterstepping indie rock with garbled whiteboy vocals. Picture a beefier Modest Mouse with two guitars, less transitions and fewer sparse arrangements or better yet Girls Against Boys without the busload of hair stylists. ABPK could be accused of being prolific as nearly a third of the tracks go over the seven minute mark, none played at breakneck speeds but all at louder than normal volumn levels. As I turned this one up my cat began to physically abuse himself, always a true sign of music kids everywhere will love.
- mark
|
|
|
|
|
Tuesday, November 20, 2001
|
The Avalanches - Since I Left You (Wea/London/Sire/Modular)
Question: Why didn't The Avalanches release this album directly following their tour with The Beastie Boys? Answer: It took them over a year to clear it with the legal department. Featuring more samples than a Negativland recording, incorporating everything from Madonna to Blowfly. Think of this as an Australian dance remix of American pop culture. Dance music for those of us searching for something more than just dance music.
- jon
|
|
|
|
|
Wednesday, November 07, 2001
|
The Arsonists - Date of Birth (Matador Records)
Two criterion for great HipHop: 1. It should make even the skinniest, most rythymless kids get up and dance 2. It should instantly transform the listener into a thug of Percy Miller-esque proportions. The Arsonists' sophomore effort meets and exceeds in both categories. Beats that would put the greatest producers to shame, lyrics that provide blistering commentary on the state of HipHop. The Arsonists assault their contemporaries and take jabs at the music industry while simultaneously laughing at themselves. Decent car stereo required.
- jon
|
|
|
|
|
Friday, November 02, 2001
|
The Autumns- Le Carillon EP (Absalom)
Comprised of four extremely pretty songs in an ultra sugar-coated world of 1950s dreampop, Le Carillon surpasses many of the classic songs it sets out to emulate. "Thieves in Blue" and "Slow Kiss" are locked in a death match to become the "Earth Angel" on the new millenium. Although in their band photo The Autumns look like Blink 182 on their punk rock prom night, the music is (thankfully) pure are relaxing.
- cory
|
|
|
|
|
|
