Best New Music - February 22

While you were gone:

The Low Anthem

Toro y Moi

Middle Brother

Papercuts

Drive-By Truckers

And also spin: The Baseball Project, The Cave Singers, Dom, East River Pipe, Shugo Tokumaru

The Low Anthem

Add Date: February 22 

Artist: The Low Anthem 

Album: Smart Flesh 

Label: Nonesuch 

Genre: Folk 

Comments: I've never thought too much about the concept of space in music, but it's undoubtedly the key to The Low Anthem's brilliant new record, Smart Flesh. The LP was laid down in an abandoned pasta sauce factory in the Rhode Island town of Central Falls, near the band's native Providence. "The space was the main instrument for the whole record," frontman Ben Knox Miller says. "The resonance was chilling. We were able to experiment with new recording techniques to capture the sound at difference distances. Mics 100, even 200 feet away caught the sound barreling across the room."

Helped along by the quartet's unorthodox instrumentation--pump organs, musical saws, stylophone and jaw harps take their place alongside guitars, banjo, drums, horns and Jocie Adams' clarinet--and similarly unconventional approach to those instruments, in which Miller, Adams, Jeff Prystowsky and Mat Davidson routinely jump from one thing to the next--Smart Flesh is equal parts fascinating, eerie, gorgeous and spectacular. There's not really a band out there quite like The Low Anthem, but their music will appeal to fans of Emmylou Harris, Tom Waits and The Avett Brothers.

One of 2011's best. Start with "Apothecary Song," "Boeing 737" (which wouldn't sound out of place on In the Aeroplane Over the Sea), "Burn" and "Hey, All You Hippies!"

Toro y Moi

Add Date: February 22 

Artist: Toro y Moi 

Album: Underneath the Pine 

Label: Carpark 

Genre: Electropop, funk, pop 

Comments: Causers of This, the debut LP from Chaz Bundick's Toro y Moi project, was an enjoyable collection of reverb-drenched dance pop tunes. But really, chillwave was SO 2010. As soon as last spring, we started to see Bundick branch out on the killer psych-pop 7" "Leave Everywhere," and Underneath the Pine produces more sonic exploration, with some funk, disco, dance-rock and more '60s pop.

From the promoter: "Having spent the year listening to film composers like Ennio Morricone and Francois de Roubaix, Bundick returned to his home in Columbia (S.C.)... to bring his new ideas to fruition. The result of these sessions is an album evocative of R. Stevie Moore's homespun ruminations, David Axelrod's sonic scope, Steve Reich-ian piano phrasing, and the pervasive funk of his first record."

Check out the electro-funk masterpiece "New Beat," the space-rock gem "Light Black" and the post-disco head-nodder "Still Sound."

Papercuts

Add Date: February 22 

Artist: Papercuts 

Album: Fading Parade 

Label: Sub Pop 

Genre: Indie pop 

Comments: Hazy, slightly psychedelic and dreamily downcast pop tunes from Jason Robert Quever's band Papercuts on Fading Parade, the band's fourth LP and first for Sub Pop. Says SF Weekly: "It's hard to hear the '60s-influenced, lo-fi indie pop of San Francisco's Papercuts and not want to wrap yourself in their blanket of melancholic musical introspection." For fans of Grandaddy, Grizzly Bear and Camera Obscura. Try "Do You Really Wanna Know" and "White Are the Waves."

Drive-By Truckers

Add Date: February 22 

Artist: Drive-By Truckers 

Album: Go-Go Boots 

Label: ATO 

Genre: Folk rock, alt-country 

Comments: Southern rock powerhouse Drive-By Truckers laid down about two dozen tracks during a late 2009/early 2010 recording session, and the band decided to split those up into two albums. The first release was 2010's The Big To-Do, a collection of '70s-drenched guitar rock tunes that drew the band even closer to the likes of Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Compared to its companion release, Go-Go Boots is folksier and more stripped-down, with some classic soul and country seeping in. (Is that Sam Cooke whom Patterson Hood is channeling on album standout "Everybody Needs Love"? Did Mike Cooley turn into George Jones on "The Weakest Man"?) Drive-By Truckers are one of the best rock bands around, but Go-Go Boots is proof that statement reads the same when you take out the word "rock." Try 6, 8, 1 and 5.

Is/Is

Add Date: February 22 

Artist: Is/Is 

Album: This Happening (EP) 

Label: Guilt Ridden Pop 

Genre: Rock 

Comments: Feedback-heavy guitar pop from the trio Is/Is on their debut EP, This Happening. Sarah Nienaber (of Gospel Gossip), Sarah Rose and Mara Appel have drawn comparisons to late '80s/early '90s underground heroes like Black Tambourine, Galaxie 500 and Spacemen 3, and the likening to Hope Sandoval's vocals in Mazzy Star is inevitable.

A very promising start. All four songs on This Happening are worth your time, but my favorite was lead track "So Long."

Webelos

Add Date: February 22 

Artist: Webelos 

Album: Shadow Seasons 

Label: Self-released 

Genre: Rock, garage pop 

Comments: From the promoter: "Webelos showcase their surfy side on 'Fire Ant Season' and 'In My Last Act'. However, it's tracks like 'Jack the Ripper' and 'Inside My Head' that are the album's highlights, bringing a poppy feel to their garage rock. Fans of Wavves, The Shins and Ty Segall will love Shadow Seasons."

Return to Mono

Add Date: February 22 

Artist: Return to Mono 

Album: Framebreaker 

Label: Audio Villain 

Genre: Electronica, electropop 

Comments: The San Francisco trio Return to Mono combines elements of house music, dance rock and even some Massive Attack-style trip-hop into an electronic pop stew, all held together by Tanya Kelleher's invitingly dark vocals. For fans of Goldfrapp and Morcheeba. Try "The Promise" and "Seeker Circuit."

Dom

Add Date: February 22 

Artist: Dom 

Album: Sun Bronzed Greek Gods (EP) 

Label: Burning Mill/Astralwerks 

Genre: Rock, pop 

Comments: Massachusetts' Dom is described by the onesheet as a group of "twisted-pop rockers" with a "surfy-psych, fuzz-pop sound." After selling out a limited cassette and 10" vinyl run and getting plenty of positive press last spring, their debut EP Sun Bronzed Greek Gods is being reissued by Astralwerks. At different times throughout these seven tracks, I'm reminded of Surfer Blood or Drums-style indie pop-rock, chilled-out shoegaze like Wild Nothing or synth-driven experimental pop in the vein of A Sunny Day in Glasgow.

Excellent stuff. Check out "Jesus" and "Bochicha."

Malachai

Add Date: February 22 

Artist: Malachai 

Album: Return to the Ugly Side 

Label: Domino 

Genre: Electronica, trip-hop, psych pop

Comments: From the promoter: "Talking influences, (Malachai vocalist) Gee mentions '60s pop-psych bands The 23rd Turnoff and The Savages; (bandmate) Scott adds Portishead's third and DJ Shadow's first, with a feel in tandem with recent Gonjasufi and Flying Lotus albums... (Malachai's) second record, Return to the Ugly Side, has more moods than your mom's old mood ring--everything from a beautifully orchestrated intro to a Lennonesque (song) 'Anne', to the metallic crunch and dreamy core of 'Mid-Antarctica (Wearing Sandals)' to the far-out psychedelia of 'Rainbows'... We like 3, 4, 10, 11."

Art vs. Science

Add Date: February 22 

Artist: Art vs. Science 

Album: Magic Fountain (EP) 

Label: Self-released 

Genre: Electronica, dance rock 

Comments: The Australian trio Art vs. Science seem to borrow equally from DFA-style dance punk and industrial electronic rock. Try the title track.

East River Pipe

Add Date: February 22 

Artist: East River Pipe 

Album: We Live in Rented Rooms 

Label: Merge 

Genre: Rock 

Comments: The story of F.M. Cornog, the musician behind East River Pipe, is one of triumph over adversity. From the label: "As a younger man, Cornog's appetite for self-destruction was Dionysian. Alcohol, depression, and drugs landed him in the Hoboken train station, until Barbara Powers heard some of his songs, took him in, and provided him with the TASCAM mini-studio that would prove to be his new drug of choice."

Cornog and Powers are now married, and he's holding down a steady day job. We Live in Rented Rooms is also his seventh release as East River Pipe, and it's another fine collection of tunes that pull inspiration from '70s post-punk, '80s and '90s alternative and indie rock, and, undoubtedly, Cornog's struggles with addiction and homelessness. For fans of Lou Barlow, Elliott Smith and Guided By Voices. Check out "Cold Ground" and "I Don't Care About Your Blue Wings."

Middle Brother

Add Date: February 22 

Artist: Middle Brother 

Album: Middle Brother 

Label: Partisan 

Genre: Folk, alt-country, folk rock 

Comments: Move over, Monsters of Folk, as another indie-folk supergroup has arrived. Featuring John McCauley (Deer Tick), Matthew Vasquez (Delta Spirit) and Taylor Goldsmith (Dawes), Middle Brother's self-titled debut has arrived on Partisan Records. Much like the 2009 issue from M. Ward, Jim James, Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis, Middle Brother is a collection of really good songs from great musicians, if not a truly cohesive album.

But the best tracks on the LP certainly rival anything that the trio have done with their other bands. Perhaps because of his reedy, unmistakable voice, and perhaps because of his brilliance as a songwriter, the songs penned and sung by McCauley stand out, from album opener "Daydreaming" to mid-record standout "Me, Me, Me," and even including a song that he didn't write (a cover of The Replacements' "Portland"). Also try Vasquez's country stomp "Blue Eyes."

Ringo Deathstarr

Add Date: February 22 

Artist: Ringo Deathstarr 

Album:Colour Trip 

Label: Sonic Unyon 

Genre: Rock 

Comments: The Austin-based trio say of their music: "We just write cool little pop songs but we just bury them under loud amounts of noise". Which sounds worse than what their music actually is like, but don't take "noise" too literally here. From the promoter: "The group plays music of a shimmering and harmonious variety which marries the ecstatic ramble of early Jesus & Mary Chain and effect-laden assault of MBV with the plug in and play attitude of Royal Trux and Sonic Youth". Still not convinced? Try "So High", "Dreamy Day" and "Other Things".

The Megaphonic Thrift

Add Date: February 22 

Artist: The Megaphonic Thrift 

Album: Decay Decoy 

Label: Sonic Unyon 

Genre: Rock 

Comments: From the promoter: "The Megaphonic Thrift is something of a Norwegian supergroup. Made up of members of Casiokids, The Low Frequency and Stereo 21, the Bergen-based band has become well known on the festival circuit and are now ready to release their debut album, Decay Decoy. Heavily influenced by '70s Krautrock and bands like Dinosaur Jr. and My Bloody Valentine, the quartet play loud, less traditional-sounding rock music that uses harmony as the starting point for the song rather than the key determinant." Try "Neues" and "Sister Joan."

Shugo Tokumaru

Add Date: February 22 

Artist: Shugo Tokumaru 

Album: Port Entropy 

Label: Polyvinyl

Genre: Experimental pop 

Comments: Shugo Tokumaru hits again after his fascinating 2008 U.S. debut Exit. I couldn't put my finger on it before, but Mojo magazine made me realize what his music reminded me of: Michel Gondry's movie soundtracks. A combination of mystery (I mean, unless you speak Japanese, you don't really know what's going on in his lyrics), magic and a wonderful mix of instruments, topped with the listener's own child-like wonder in front of what he hears--a summary that doesn't really do justice to the Shugo Tokumaru experience. So give him a listen. Start with "Lahaha", "Linne" and "Laminate".

Chris Riffle

Add Date: February 22

Artist: Chris Riffle

Album: I Am Not From Here (EP)

Label: Self-released

Genre: Folk

Comments: Understated folk from New York-based singer/songwriter Chris Riffle, whose hushed vocals and acoustic guitar are nicely complemented by cello, steel guitar, organ, percussion and more from a talented surrounding cast. Try the title track or "To a Dream."

The Cave Singers

Add Date: February 22

Artist: The Cave Singers

Album: No Witch

Label: Jagjaguwar

Genre: Rock, folk, blues

Comments: From the promoter: "By all accounts, No Witch is The Cave Singers' rock record... grander and more lush than The Cave Singers' previous efforts. It's also a nervier, scrappier affair: greasy guitars buck and rear up; Eastern-influenced blues snake through songs, gospel choirs rise up like tidal waves. There are big, grinning nods to Beggars Banquet-era Stones, the best of Mellencamp ("Clever Creatures") and the juke joint legends of Mississippi like Junior Kimbrough and R.L. Burnside ("Black Leaf" and "No Prosecution If We Bail"). Of course, it's all filtered through that particular, magical Cave Singers formula: Pete Quirk's reedy, behind-the-beat delivery and existential wordplay, Derek Fudesco's lyrical guitar runs and drummer Marty Lund's no nonsense rhythms."

After two well-received LPs for Matador, The Cave Singers jump to Jagjaguwar (Lia Ices, Okkervil River, Black Mountain) for a bluesy, psychedelia-laced folk-rock stomp of a record. Check out tracks 3, 8, 6 and 11.

Those Dancing Days

Add Date: February 22

Artist: Those Dancing Days

Album: Daydreams & Nightmares

Label: Wichita

Genre: Rock

Comments: While listening to Those Dancing Days' new sophomore LP, I went to the band's page on AllMusic.com--a common practice, I'll admit. This time, though, I did a double-take when the quintet's sound was compared to other indie-pop acts from their native Sweden, like The Concretes and Acid House Kings. Not having heard Those Dancing Days' 2008 debut In Our Space Hero Suits, I'm going to assume, then, that Daydreams & Nightmares represents a pretty significant sonic shift.

This is 37 minutes of New Wave-inspired post-punk--still very much pop music, but this time driven along by the guitars, crashing percussion and what the promoter aptly calls "Linnea Jonsson's sweet sultry vocals." Check out "I'll Be Yours" and "Can't Find Entrance," as well as late-album tracks like "One Day Forever" and "Keep Me in Your Pocket," which hew closer to the band's original sound.

The Baseball Project

Add Date: February 22

Artist: The Baseball Project

Album: Volume 2: High and Inside

Label: Yep Roc

Genre: Rock, power pop, baseball

Comments: You don't need me to tell you how dominant sports are in American life. But even within our sports-centric (SportsCentric?) culture, baseball fans are a different breed. They're certainly no more passionate than, say, your average Cheesehead or Kentucky basketball nut. But that passion seems to play out in a different way: second-guessing, years later, a base coach's decision to send the runner in Game 2 of that playoff series, or the manager's failure to lift the starting pitcher in the seventh inning of that game in June. "Minutiae" isn't in your baseball diehard's vocabulary.

So it's hard to imagine something like "The Football Project" or "The Basketball Project," without thinking of really campy tribute music. But The Baseball Project works. Now, it certainly helps that the quartet features alt-rock veterans like Steve Wynn and Scott McCaughey, as well as R.E.M.'s Peter Buck, and that the guest list includes The Hold Steady's Craig Finn (on Minnesota's anthem from the 2010 playoff push, "Don't Call Them Twinkies"), Death Cab's Ben Gibbard, The Decemberists' Chris Funk and John Moen and Yo La Tengo's Ira Kaplan. (As a YLT fan, I can tell you that their name is derived from an episode involving Ira's beloved Mets, but that's a story for another day...)

And so when the group sings about Mark Fidrych's spectacular 1976 rookie season, Jack Hamilton's infamous beanball on Tony Conigliaro in 1967, or (in Finn's case) the '87 and '91 World Series champion Twins as if these things happened yesterday, it's neither cheesy nor surprising. It's baseball. Check out tracks 4, 3, 8 and 1.

Mikey Jukebox

Add Date: February 22

Artist: Mikey Jukebox

Album: Mikey Jukebox

Label: Young Lion of the West

Genre: Rock

Comments: As Mikey Jukebox, Mikey James--former drummer for Longwave and frontman of The Blood and the Mercies--churns out toe-tapping pop-rock songs that draw equal inspiration from '50s rock 'n roll (hence the all-too-brief "Song for Chuck Berry"), '70s and '80s pop and modern indie rock. Try "Come On Along" or "Ghost of Rock 'n' Roll."

Best New Music - February 15

Rock on, Arcade Fire; top adds:

Asobi Seksu

Banjo or Freakout

Telekinesis

Imaginary Cities

PJ Harvey

And more: Rachel Goodrich, La Sera, Loch Lomond, The Luyas, Sean Rowe

Asobi Seksu

Add Date: February 15 

Artist: Asobi Seksu 

Album: Fluorescence 

Label: Polyvinyl 

Genre: Rock, shoegaze pop 

Comments: Asobi Seksu started out as a wall-of-noise shoegaze pop band, and the New York quartet hit its stride on 2006's excellent Citrus. I saw the band on their subsequent tour, which passed through Charlottesville, and their terrific live show was the second-loudest concert I've ever been to. (The loudest, not coincidentally, was My Bloody Valentine.)

But then, the 4-piece became two, and Yuki Chikudate and James Hanna decided to go in a different direction, abandoning guitar effects in favor of dreamy, stripped-down pop. That led to Hush, a sadly forgettable LP of new material, as well as Rewolf, in which the band reworked earlier songs for their new configuration. The stylistic change wasn't exactly a failure, but Asobi Seksu couldn't pull it off nearly as well as their excellent take on shoegaze rock.

Fortunately, that misstep has been recognized, and Fluorescence sees the band attempting to recapture some of its earlier magic. But they haven't exactly abandoned pop, either, and the first half of the LP seems disjointed at best--save for the incredible Cocteau Twins-inspired "Perfectly Crystal," one of the best tracks that Asobi Seksu has ever recorded. On the second half of the album, though, the layered, heavier pop tunes come back with a vengeance, and all seems well; try "Trance Out" and "Sighs."

Banjo or Freakout

Add Date: February 15 

Artist: Banjo or Freakout 

Album: Banjo or Freakout 

Label: Rare Book Room 

Genre: Rock, shoegaze, experimental 

Comments: There are a lot of things happening in Banjo or Freakout's music, but, perhaps misleadingly, the banjo isn't one of them. From the promoter: "Italian-born and London-based Alessio Natalizia makes stargaze pop, with feet firmly set forwards from the sonic footprints left by artists like Kevin Shields, Can, and Arthur Russell, and contemporaries Caribou, Deerhunter and A Place to Bury Strangers...

"The immediacy of Banjo or Freakout's sound--a sprawl of guitars, synths, drum loops and effects--is simply mesmeric. Born from [Natalizia's] love for artists like Dennis Wilson and Bobb Trimble, opener '105' sets the pace, a woozy epic of tremolo guitar, horizon-set acoustics and heartfelt vocals. From there the album's oblique lyrics, rhythmic tribal beats and lush melody all suggest something otherworldly, an intangible feeling."

"105" is the standout--be sure to check out the excellent music video--but also spin "Move Out," "Dear Me" and "Idiot Rain."

John-Alex Mason

Add Date: February 15 

Artist: John-Alex Mason 

Album: Jook Joint Thunderclap 

Label: Naked Jaybird Music 

Genre: Blues, roots rock 

Comments: From the artist's web site: "[John-Alex Mason's] sixth full-length album... Jook Joint Thunderclap is a world boogie collaboration of master players from Chicagoland, Holly Springs, Guinea and Colorado. On this project Mason added djembe, bolofon, fiddle, mandolin, harmonica, bass and flos to his one-man band of kick drums, electric guitars and vocals."

Modern blues with elements of roots rock, jam and rap (thanks to Cody Burnside on standout tracks "Riding On" and "Gone So Long") seeping in. Also try the folksy "Diamond Rain."

Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears

Add Date: February 15 

Artist: Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears 

Album: "Booty City" (single) 

Label: Lost Highway

Genre: Soul 

Comments: The latest single from blues band Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears is a funk-filled, epic, soul-sung track that is, in a word, awesome--all the instuments you'd expect, a group-sung chorus, great buildup and rhythm. Definitely worth a spin.

Green River Ordinance

Add Date: February 15 

Artist: Green River Ordinance 

Album: The Morning Passengers EP 

Label: Self-released 

Genre: Alt-country 

Comments: Green River Ordinance's The Morning Passengers EP is an acoustic, 6-song output from the band (also celebrating their 10-year anniversary). A lot of guitar strumming, rootsy banjo and harmonica, some mandolin and organ, and emotive vocals. Relaxed alt-country; nicely executed instrumentally, if not occasionally overly-heartfelt--try the more upbeat track 1.

The Vaccines

Add Date: February 15 

Artist: The Vaccines 

Album: The Vaccines EP 

Label: Sony

Genre: Punk-pop 

Comments: The Vaccines' self-titled EP is a collection of three tracks, all lo-fi pop with some clear punk references and great harmonies. The opener, "Post Break-Up Sex" has a hilariously tongue-in-cheek chorus that maintains the title will "help you forget your ex", while "Wreckin' Bar" is a short, wildly upbeat old-school punk track, tinged with group-sung "rah rah rahs." The final track, "Blow It Up", is a slower, summery lo-fi number. Definitely a promising EP.

The Luyas

Add Date: February 15 

Artist: The Luyas 

Album: Too Beautiful To Work 

Label: Dead Oceans

Genre: Pop 

Comments: Bright experimental pop with the right amount of noise on The Luyas' Too Beautiful to Work. Charming, quirky, and sometimes stilted female vocals are highlighted by strings, noisy crackling effects, and the use of a moodswinger--which is apparently a 12-string electric zither with an extra third bridge. Featuring help on violin from Owen Pallett and Arcade Fire's Sarah Neufeld, the record is lush and space-age-y. Try tracks 1 and 2.

Telekinesis

Add Date: February 15 

Artist: Telekinesis 

Album: 12 Desperate Straight Lines 

Label: Merge 

Genre: Rock, power pop 

Comments: The guitar-driven power pop of Michael Benjamin Lerner is a perfect fit for Telekinesis' label, Merge Records. Drawing on influences ranging from Merge's founding band, Superchunk, to '90s pop wizard Mark Robinson to Paul Simon to Death Cab for Cutie (whose Chris Walla has produced both Telekinesis LPs), this music is right at home among labelmates like Apex Manor, Imperial Teen, Spoon and touring partners The Love Language.

A very solid sophomore effort. Start with "You Turn Clear in the Sun," "50 Ways" (inspired by Simon's "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover") and "Fever Chill."

Winter's Fall

Add Date: February 15

Artist: Winter's Fall

Album: At All Angles

Label: Velvet Blue Music

Genre: Rock

Comments: Winter's Fall's third album, At All Angles, continues the group's characteristic style of futuristic sounds meets the West. Synthesizers help with the former quality while the lead singer, Peter Winter Stanley, employs his deep, country twang for the latter. The result is good alt-country/rock with decent lyrics, but with a whole lot more environment and texture to the sound. If you like Neil Young, which should be most people seeing how he's in the running for most influential musician ever, you should definitely listen to this album. The instrumental first track gives a great opener, but also try "Maybe I Do."

Tobie Milford

Add Date: February 15 

Artist: Tobie Milford 

Album: Alyosha (EP)


Label: Surface To Air 

Genre: Folk, experimental pop 

Comments: From the promoter: "[Tobie] Milford was inspired by the music of Chicago songwriter Andrew Bird, which led him to return to the violin and experiment with loop pedals... Milford's eclectic set of influences, which range from Radiohead to Philip Glass to Sufjan Stevens and Godspeed You! Black Emperor, are palpable in his music."

Check out "Death!"

Paper Arrows

Add Date: February 15 

Artist: Paper Arrows 

Album: In the Morning 

Label: Quell 

Genre: Rock, pop 

Comments: AAA-friendly pop-rock from the Chicago band Paper Arrows, whose music brings to mind the less adventurous moments of Keane, Snow Patrol or The Fray. Try "Echo in Disguise."

The Golden Dogs

Add Date: February 15 

Artist: The Golden Dogs 

Album: Coat of Arms 

Label: Dine Alone 

Genre: Rock, indie 

Comments: If gang vocals were to fit any style of music, The Golden Dogs play exactly that style. This album is way too much fun. Really, Coat of Arms is nothing but a ray of sunshine when you first put it in, and that doesn't seem to stop throughout the record. The Golden Dogs are experts at exciting, high energy, and interesting rhythms--all the while creating melodies that you can't help but bop around to. Dry but powerful guitars, synths, and bass lines that are out of this world make this album great.

You want to check out this record; you will enjoy it. Start with 1, 2 and 3.

Viva Viva

Add Date: February 15 

Artist: Viva Viva 

Album: Viva Viva 

Label: Fort Point 

Genre: Rock 

Comments: Lots of fun and energy on this self-titled record by Viva Viva. They play stripped-down rock 'n roll, similar to Jack White or The Strokes. From the band's web site: "With influences from the heyday of the '60s and '70s, [Viva Viva's] sound is equal parts infectious-pop and dark-stomping-blues, combined with their own blend of hope, disappointment, grit, and wit."

Yellowbirds

Add Date: February 15 

Artist: Yellowbirds 

Album: The Color 

Label: Royal Potato Family 

Genre: Rock 

Comments: This is a great record, and I instantly found myself singing along within 30 seconds of listening to the first track. Yellowbirds sound like a hyperactive and somewhat less mature Fleet Foxes, boasting similar reverb-heavy and trancy sounds. There are plenty of '60s pop influences throughout the album as well. A pure joy to give a listen. Start with 3, 5 and 1.

Beaten By Them

Add Date: February 15 

Artist: Beaten By Them 

Album: Invisible Origins 

Label: Logicpole 

Genre: Rock, instrumental

Comments: This is an instrumental record with heavy emphasis on guitar parts and long, slow-building melodies. The drums are a lot of fun (not your typical drum set) throughout the album. Some songs are bright and cheerful, others long and dark; some songs are 30 seconds long, others 11 minutes long--there is plenty of variety on this record. Start with 2, 4 and 1.

Phil Barry

Add Date: February 15 

Artist: Phil Barry 

Album: Between the Carolinas 

Label: Princess 

Genre: Folk rock 

Comments: Very enjoyable, Elliott Smith-inspired folk rock from Kalamazoo, Michigan's Phil Barry. As the touring guitarist for Rachael Yamagata some years back--raise your hand if you remember her 15 minutes of fame; it's been a while now--Barry shared the stage with acts like Ryan Adams and Ray Lamontagne. Between the Carolinas is quiet, contemplative folk, with the occasional burst of '60s pop or '70s cosmic country.

Start with "Cora," "Mercury" or the Jayhawks-leaning country-rock tune "Never Gonna Be Your Man."

La Sera

Add Date: February 15 

Artist: La Sera 

Album: La Sera 

Label: Hardly Art 

Genre: Rock, dream pop 

Comments: La Sera is the new project of Katy Goodman, a.k.a. Vivian Girls bassist Kickball Katy. From the onesheet: "In February 2010 Goodman started working on some fresh material that inspired the formation of her brand-new band, La Sera. Her inspiration sprang from an attraction to early pop hits from the 1950s and ethereal choral vocals. Her new songs contain warm celestial-pop melodies that echo with the dreamlike effect of a church choir and effuse a softer, less aggressive sound than the Vivian Girls."

An excellent debut of dreamy tunes. La Sera does share one key component of Vivian Girls' music: the concise pop song. (La Sera's 12 tracks clock in at a brief 27 minutes.) Check out "Never Come Around," "Hold" and "Sleeptalking."

The Drowning Men

Add Date: February 15 

Artist: The Drowning Men 

Album: Beheading of the Songbird 

Label: Self-released

Genre: Rock, post-core, indie 

Comments: This is a great indie-pop band from Oceanside, Calif. They use electronics, big guitars, keyboards, and lots and lots of energy throughout this album. Beheading of the Songbird is a lot of fun to listen to, and definitely should do well on our station. Most anyone even slightly interested in indie rock will enjoy this record. Start with 2, 3 and 1.

Marcus Pereira

Add Date: February 15 

Artist: Marcus Pereira 

Album: Escape 

Label: Self-released 

Genre: Jazz, international 

Comments: A fine jazz fusion record from the Brazilian Marcus Pereira. Slow, methodic, and melodic tones all work in a trance-inducing fashion, making the listener do nothing but relax.

Robinson

Add Date: February 15 

Artist: Robinson 

Album: England's Bleeding 

Label: Palawan 

Genre: Folk, rock 

Comments: This is a fantastic folk album from the English singer/songwriter John Robinson. His songs remind me a lot of Teitur, or even Damien Rice. Robinson boasts a certain clarity in his voice and melodies that is especially refreshing. He sings of politics, mass marketing, social issues, and man-to-man conflict. The topics of his lyrics are as diverse as the various influences found in the musicianship throughout the album. This guy is a top-shelf songwriter. Start with 3, 2 and 5.

Rachel Goodrich

Add Date: February 15

Artist: Rachel Goodrich

Album: Rachel Goodrich

Label: Yellow Bear

Genre: Pop

Comments: In November 2008, The New York Times published an article detailing the burgeoning Miami music scene and the artists behind it. Rachel Goodrich, who just released her debut album, Tinker Toys, seemed to be at the forefront of this movement. With a listen to her new self-titled album, you can easily see why. Goodrich sounds like Feist: the south Florida edition. Goodrich layers her clear voice on top of piano, rhythm guitar, and even whistling to produce an album of enjoyable and upbeat pop without being too saccharine. Talk about a strategic release just in time for beach season. Start with "Na Na Na" and "Easier Said Than Done".

Brutes

Add Date: February 15

Artist: Brutes

Album: Wonderous Punch

Label: Driftnet

Genre: Rock

Comments: Brutes' Wonderous Punch will fit nicely in your collection of garage rock. The group employs distorted electric guitars, punchy drums, and sweeter, upbeat melodies to produce a sound similar to The Strokes. The songs are catchy and singable, but the album as a whole is a little unfocused. The lyrics don't carry much maturity or enjoyable quirkiness. The tracks, while the average length of three and a half minutes, are a little long in comparison to songs produced by the group's influences. Wonderous Punch lacks the vitality and unique character needed not only to separate itself from other above-average garage groups, but to personally resonate with the listener. I recommend "Yourspace."

Sean Rowe

Add Date: February 15

Artist: Sean Rowe

Album: Magic

Label: ANTI-

Genre: Folk, rock

Comments: Though I've never participated in murderous plots to hold onto stolen kingdoms, I can understand, in relation to music, Shakespeare's line from Macbeth that "blood begets blood". My frenetic lifestyle as a student leads me to listen to the frenetic, complicated pop, rock, and, yes, even rap that is ubiquitous on college radio and on my iPod. In turn, this clamorous noise engenders more frenzy. The cycle never ends. Emotions and music will always build on each other in a cyclical fashion.

In the midst of this increasingly crazed state of mind, Sean Rowe's Magic provides a much needed reprieve. In every sense of the word, this album is minimalist. The soft plucking of acoustic and electric guitars provide generous space for the vocals and lyrics to be the focal point. Rowe uses his deep voice to croon, bellow, and whisper through the tracks, which ponder and speak of the confusion and quiet beauty of living. Magic will settle your room and quiet your soul. The album is worth listening to all the way through, but start with "Surprise," "American," and "Night."

Neon Legion

Add Date: February 15 

Artist: Neon Legion 

Album: Empire 

Label: Self-released 

Genre: Electronica

Comments: Neon Legion, the brainchild of German-born NYC resident Philip Kressin, combines dance-friendly electronic sensibilities with heavy/steady guitar and consistent backing percussion on their record Empire. A nice hybrid between alt-rock and electro (also featuring members of The Hidden Cameras, Bahamas and Holy F**k). Catchy, with crooning, quirky vocals. Start with tracks 1, 2 and 5.

Sonic Youth

Add Date: February 15 

Artist: Sonic Youth 

Album: SYR 9: Simon Werner A Disparu 

Label: SYR 

Genre: Compilations/soundtracks, experimental 

Comments: SYR is the record label started by legendary band Sonic Youth for "work that was deemed too experimental" by their major label. SYR 9: Simon Werner A Disparu is a soundtrack that's highly creative--all interesting drum rhythms, guitar chords and progressions. While it might not seem to sound "like" Sonic Youth at first listen, the record really reveals the basis for the group's style, once you stop waiting for the vocals to kick in. The guitar stylings, particularly on "Theme de Simon" and the epic "Theme de Alice" (13 minutes long, but probably the most obviously Sonic Youth-esque/radio-friendly), are unmistakable. Start with tracks 2, 11 and 13.

PJ Harvey

Add Date: February 15 

Artist: PJ Harvey 

Album: Let England Shake 

Label: Vagrant

Genre: Rock

Comments: PJ Harvey's eighth album, Let England Shake, is a creative, eclectic output which sees the multitalented Polly Jean thrive. While the album is apparently focused on discussing the political situation in England, the message isn't heavy-handed, and while some of the urgency of the topic comes through in Harvey's vocal intonations, it's not overwhelming. Harvey returns to her guitar base, basically ditching the piano from her recent records, and also experiments with an autoharp--offset by occasional horns, and the sound is pleasantly serious. The ambience is slightly desolate, but also gritty--overall, an excellent return to form. Start with tracks 4, 6 and 8.

Loch Lomond

Add Date: February 15 

Artist: Lock Lomond 

Album: Little Me Will Start a Storm 

Label: Tender Loving Empire 

Genre: Orchestral pop, folk 

Comments: According to SPIN: "Loch Lomond boast a well-plotted dynamism and a knack for intriguing storytelling. Intimately folksy but compellingly orchestral." Indeed, Loch Lomond's release Little Me Will Start a Storm is full of folk elements--mandolin, violin, theremin, easy percussion, etc.--all complemented by the vocal harmonies of the group. The orchestral tone of the album is full but not heavy; the choice of instruments stops the layering from being overwhelming. Slightly more winter-weather appropriate than our recent 65 degrees, but a lovely album--try tracks 2, 4 and 8.

Imaginary Cities

Add Date: February 15 

Artist: Imaginary Cities 

Album: Temporary Residents 

Label: Hidden Pony

Genre: Rock, pop 

Comments: Unique vocal stylings backed by solid indie rock/pop instrumentation on Imaginary Cities' Temporary Resident. The tracks are catchy and relaxed--the slowed down pace on "Calm Before the Storm" (track 3) lends itself well to lead vocalist Marti Sarbit's tone, while "Don't Cry" (track 4) allows her to show off her range. Overall, a great effort. Start with tracks 3, 4, and 6.

Best New Music - February 8

Top adds for the week:

Cut Copy

Akron/Family

The Twilight Singers

Jessica Lea Mayfield

Mother Mother

And lots more good stuff: Beans, Bright Eyes, James Vincent McMorrow, Silk Flowers, Spokes, Yuck and a collab between Carolina Chocolate Drops and Luminescent Orchestrii

Cut Copy

Add Date: February 8 

Artist: Cut Copy 

Album: Zonoscope 

Label: Modular 

Genre: Electropop, dance rock 

Comments: Melbourne synth pop giants Cut Copy return with Zonoscope, their third LP and the much-anticipated followup to 2008 breakthrough In Ghost Colours. Fusing decades of electronic and dance influences--from '70s disco to '80s New Wave to the sublime dance-pop of Daft Punk--Cut Copy are, without doubt, one of the best electronic pop bands around these days.

While there are plenty of dance-rock anthems to be found here--in particular, the record's opening tracks, "Need You Know" and "Take Me Over"--Zonoscope proves that the quartet has no interest in resting on their laurels. From the promoter: "A melting pot of ideas streaming from a collective of music fanatics, the album embraces new combinations that span a rhythm section on motorik overdrive ('Alisa'), the reincarnation of Chicago's raw house pioneers producing EBM deep in the wilderness ('Pharaohs & Pyramids' and 'Blink and You'll Miss a Revolution') and the epic 15-minute closing minimal disco mantra ('Sun God'). Seamlessly bridged together by a series of ambient hallucinatory miniatures, the percussion-drenched celebrations are lively awakenings."

If I may say so about two albums in the same week, Zonoscope is one of the best records of 2011. Don't be left behind.

Warm Ghost

Add Date: February 8 

Artist: Warm Ghost 

Album: Uncut Diamond EP 

Label: Partisan

Genre: Electronica
 
Comments: From the promoter: "A set of beautifully executed, lush pop songs that beg for repeat listening...[with] elements of '80s new wave, cold wave, and synth pop" from Paul Duncan (aka Warm Ghost) and collaborator Oliver Chapoy. Give 1 and 4 a listen.

Yuck

Add Date: February 8 

Artist: Yuck 

Album: Yuck 

Label: Fat Possum

Genre: Indie rock 

Comments: Yuck is the highly anticipated debut album of the London-based band with the same name, which apparently has already started building a fan base with their singles "Georgia" and "Rubber," released just a few months ago. With a sound that the 20-year-old (!) lead singer Danny Blumberg describes as "schizophrenic" (Spinner), they don't disappoint. Clearly, "schizophrenic" here has a positive connotation, even by more objective standards of assessment. From the promoter: "... a band capable of sprinting off in pretty much any direction you can think of, so diverse and fully realised is its vision".

Their sound makes me think of a glorious encounter between The Raveonettes and Yo La Tengo on the streets of London. I recommend "The Wall," "Suicide Policeman" and "Holing Out."

Spokes

Add Date: February 8 

Artist: Spokes 

Album: Everyone I Ever Met 

Label: Counter

Genre: Shoegaze, folk, pop 

Comments: Wonderfully-crafted debut album from the Manchester 5-piece band Spokes. Melancholic, yet comforting sounds often reminiscent of Andrew Bird's complex violin structures dominate the entire album. From the promoter: "This is an album that moves from the chamber shoegaze pop of title track 'Everyone I Ever Met', through heartfelt acoustic folk on 'Sun It Never Comes', slowly building piano balladry ('Give It Up To The Night'), spinning revelry on 'Torn Up in Praise', rural-psych in 'Happy Needs Colour' and beautifully poised pop [in] 'When I Was A Daisy, When I Was A Tree'."

Fort Wilson Riot

Add Date: February 8 

Artist: Fort Wilson Riot 

Album: Predator Prey 

Label: Self-released 

Genre: Pop 

Comments: Folk-inspired, alt-country-tinged pop from Fort Wilson Riot on their most recent release, Predator Prey. Excellent use of shimmery vocals and guitars, interesting rhythms, and occasional keys; try tracks 2 and 3.

The Twilight Singers

Add Date: February 8 

Artist: The Twilight Singers 

Album: Dynamite Steps 

Label: Sub Pop 

Genre: Rock 

Comments: Greg Dulli has been making terrific tunes for a quarter-century, going back to the long tenure of The Afghan Whigs and now, for the better part of a decade, as the driving force behind The Twilight Singers. The Whigs were always on the fringe of mainstream success in the '90s, but Dulli's obsession with the sounds of soul and R&B didn't mesh with the grunge that, for better or for worse, dominated alternative rock at the time. So while they weren't exactly toiling in obscurity--the band released two albums on Sub Pop and three on a major label--the Whigs never got the same break that catapulted, say, Nirvana into stardom.

Now, four records into The Twilight Singers' venture, Dulli is back on Sub Pop, and Dynamite Steps is easily the best album that he's recorded with his current band. While there's plenty to like on Blackberry Belle--"Teenage Wristband" is still, seven years later, one of my all-time favorite tracks--Powder Burns and the covers LP She Loves You, the new record is vintage Dulli. This is soulful post-punk at its finest, and while there's a killer guest list--Mark Lanegan (of Screaming Trees and Queens of the Stone Age fame, and Dulli's bandmate in The Gutter Twins), Joseph Arthur and even Ani DiFranco stop by to lend support--no one steals the show from Dulli and his band, highlighted by some excellent guitar work from Dave Rosser.

One of 2011's best. Start with "On the Corner," "Blackbird and the Fox" (with DiFranco), "Last Night in Town" and "Waves."

Stereoflower

Add Date: February 8 

Artist: Stereoflower 

Album: It's Alright, It's OK, Satellite Commander 

Label: Walking Horse 

Genre: Rock 

Comments: Based equally around flowing guitar lines and relaxed, garage-rock-esque vocals, Stereoflower's debut LP It's Alright, It's OK, Satellite Commander is a solid first album for the group. The almost casual vibe surrounding the execution of the sound is refreshing, and the variance between the heavier, denser tracks (like the opener) and those that are a bit more slowed down (like harmonica-filled alt-pop number "The Cocaine Bebop") is enjoyable. Try tracks 1 and 2.

Beans

Add Date: February 8 

Artist: Beans 

Album: End it All 

Label: Anticon 

Genre: Hip HOP 

Comments: Beans' new album (and his first on Anticon), End It All, is highly stylized, agressive but not necessarily angry, and supported by what are being described as "lush, darkly tinted soundscapes from... Four Tet, Clark, Tobacco, Son Lux and Interpol's Sam Fog". In short, the production is as spot-on as Beans' lyrical mastery and technical delivery. Luckily, we got the radio-friendly version, so play away: start with tracks 1 and 2.

Deep Dark Robot

Add Date: February 8 

Artist: Deep Dark Robot 

Album: "Won't You Be My Girl?" (Single) 

Label: Custard

Genre: Rock 

Comments: Single from Linda Perry's (of 4 Non Blondes fame) newest project, Deep Dark Robot, titled "Won't You Be My Girl?" It's a heavy, garage-rock track, slightly suggestive (although not technically explicit, probably would be best post-10 p.m.)--and well worth a spin if you host a late-night show.

Shipbuilding Co.

Add Date: February 8 

Artist: Shipbuilding Co. 

Album: Radios and Flying Birds 

Label: Greyday

Genre: Pop 

Comments: Shipbuilding Co. is the project of Michael James Partington, who sings, plays all the instruments, and writes (along with wife Maggie Pedersen) almost all of the music and lyrics. Multitasking aside, Radios and Flying Birds is an ecelctic, non-aggressive pop album, recorded in Partington's apartment in Taiwan with only a guitar, keyboard, mic and laptop. The resultant sound is nicely balanced and maturely playful; try tracks 2 and 3.

Carolina Chocolate Drops/Luminescent Orchestrii

Add Date: February 8 

Artist: Carolina Chocolate Drops/Luminescent Orchestrii 

Album: Carolina Chocolate Drops/Luminescent Orchestrii (EP)

Label: Nonesuch

Genre: Folk, gypsy-punk hybrid 

Comments: Wonderful collaboration from radio favorites the Carolina Chocolate Drops (currently touring!!) and NYC gypsy punk staples Luminscent Orchestrii (ridiculously mesmerizing live). Although the release only contains four tracks, they all combine the old-time haunting string sound of the CCDs with the Balkan melodies and harmonies of Luminscent Orchestrii--the results are wonderfully complex and fused, with tangible energy, and impressive rhythms provided by human beatboxer Adam Matta. Honestly, try any track.

Social Distortion

Add Date: February 8 

Artist: Social Distortion 

Album: Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes 

Label: Epitaph

Genre: Rock 

Comments: Social Distortion are back with Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes, their seventh studio album. While the classic SoCal punk roots are still noticeable, this record plays up the melodic aspects of SxDx's sound, and also carries some heavy Southern rock influences (particularly on the second track, "California (Hustle and Flow)", which could easily have been a Black Crowes release). Overall, it's definitely a matured sound--but what else would you expect when Mike Ness has been fronting the group since the late 1970s? Try tracks 2 and 3.

Drawn from Bees

Add Date: February 8 

Artist: Drawn from Bees 

Album: Cautionary Tales for the Lionhearted 

Label: Bonefinger 

Genre: Rock 

Comments: This is a fine indie-rock EP released by Drawn from Bees. The EP is comprised of melodic, vocal-focused songs. This is obviously a young band trying new and interesting things, excelling in some attempts and falling short in others. Nonetheless, this album is worth giving a spin if you're interested in relatively unkown music that certainly has plenty of potential. Start with 2 and 3; DNP 1.

Michael Bernier & the Uprising

Add Date: February 8 

Artist: Michael Bernier & the Uprising 

Album: Do Not Write to Me Here 

Label: Chillhouse 

Genre: Funk, rock, jazz 

Comments: This is a funk album with some reggae and rock influences. Sounds similar to Dispatch, Sublime, and at times Hootie and the Blowfish. Start with 1, 3 and 4; DNP 2.

James Vincent McMorrow

Add Date: February 8 

Artist: James Vincent McMorrow 

Album: Early in the Morning 

Label: Vagrant 

Genre: Folk, rock 

Comments: One can't listen to this album and not instinctively compare McMorrow's sound to Bon Iver. Nonetheless, this is a very, very good album, with well-written songs that boast layers and layers of melodies and harmonies.

From promoter: "From start to finish, Early in the Morning is a 10-song recollection of one man's journey through a time of change and transition. Having four years worth of songs written and endless time to document them allowed for James to dissect each song and perfect [it]. Early In The Morning begins with a 5-part harmony echoing over the sounds of an organ and folk guitar in the eerie opener, 'If I Had A Boat.' 'I always knew when I wrote this song that it would open the album,' acknowledges James. 'The last two years that preceded this record being made involved some of the greatest change I’d ever experienced, physical, emotional and spiritual.'"

This is a fine folk album, definitely worth checking out. Start with 3, 2, 1 and 6.

The Literary Greats

Add Date: February 8 

Artist: The Literary Greats 

Album: Black Blizzard 

Label: Self-released 

Genre: Rock, folk rock 

Comments: The Literary Greats, a 5-piece (with lots of guests) from Houston, mix the '70s AM radio sound with modern rock and country influences. Black Blizzard, the band's new LP, is solid throughout, but it really hits its stride with the final three songs: the country jam "I'm No Senator," the folksy rock number "NightOwl" and the Tom Petty-inspired "Mercy Mercy."

Chikita Violenta

Add Date: February 8 

Artist: Chikita Violenta 

Album: TR3S 

Label: Arts & Crafts 

Genre: Rock, lo-fi 

Comments: TR3S, the latest record from Chikita Violenta, is full of layered, textural, anthemic lo-fi tracks. Hailing from Mexico City, and recently added to the Arts & Crafts label, the group has garnered comparisons to Pavement, Silversun Pickups and Built to Spill (whom they've toured with). There's an experimental quality to their tracks, but eager percussion and vocal harmonies keep the sound in the indie-pop category; overall, TR3S is a great album--energetic and busy but not too cluttered. Start with tracks 1, 3, and 6.

Prints of China

Add Date: February 8 

Artist: Prints of China 

Album: False Fronts (EP) 

Label: Self-released 

Genre: Rock 

Comments: False Fronts, the debut EP from Seattle trio Prints of China, is a nicely developed collection of five tracks, full of steady percussion and nicely restrained female vocals. Stylistically, influences range from "surf-rock to 80s pop", but there's a nice caution to the overall sound. Try tracks 1 and 3.

Silk Flowers

Add Date: February 8 

Artist: Silk Flowers 

Album: Ltd. Form 

Label: Post Present Medium 

Genre: Electronica 

Comments: Any band described as a "New York goth dance trio" has my immediate attention (so many components I enjoy!), and Silk Flowers luckily lived up to expectations with their new album Ltd. Form. If Cold Cave and SALEM had a sonic lovechild and raised it on '80s music, it might be Silk Flowers. Ltd. Form is creepy yet danceable, full of sludgy electronic beats (the drumline on "Present Dreams" is wonderful) and occasional vocals, adding an appropriately gloomy vibe (particularly on "Fruit of the Vine"). Phenomenal. Try tracks 4, 6 and 7.

Swoon

Add Date: February 8 

Artist: Swoon 

Album: Backward & Forwards 

Label: Vaulted 

Genre: Rock 

Comments: New York quartet Swoon make catchy pop-rock tunes inspired by '90s indie and alternative. Fountains of Wayne frontman Chris Collingwood is a big fan, and has already laid down a cover of the title track. Also try "Swim Around With You."

Bright Eyes

Add Date: February 8 

Artist: Bright Eyes 

Album: The People's Key 

Label: Saddle Creek 

Genre: Bright Eyes 

Comments: Bright Eyes' seventh studio album, The People's Key, is being described by NPR as "the best thing singer Conor Oberst has ever recorded", and by American Songwriter as "the most sonically adventurous Bright Eyes album". High praise, and delightfully, the album is wonderful. It opens with a 7-minute-long winding track--part recorded speech, part guitar + fuzzy Conor vocals, all slow build--and continues to showcase a startingly nuanced style with lead single "Shell Games", wonderfully precise yet full-bodied and catchy.

Throughout The People's Key, a sense of the album being carefully arranged is realized--it's polished, but still authentic, proving once and for all that even if Oberst has continually evolved stylistically, his songwriting remains en pointe. Less atmospheric than Lifted (a middle-school staple), sonically distinct from the Americana/roots vibe of Cassadaga, but appealing in its modernity, The People's Key sounds somewhat like a nice resting place for Bright Eyes (if this does turn out to be the last album)--mature, connected to some folk-ish roots, nicely experimental and developed, and tied down by Oberst's characteristic vocal stylings and songwriting style. Try tracks 2, 3, 8 and 9.

AgesandAges

Add Date: February 8 

Artist: AgesandAges 

Album: Alright You Restless 

Label: Knitting Factory

Genre: Pop 

Comments: Portland 7-piece group AgesandAges' debut album Alright You Restless is chock-full of layered, weaving vocal harmonies, nicely complementing the constant creative percussion, guitar, and occassional strings and piano. Described as "campfire pop", the sound is full and balanced--sounding a bit like a Portland cousin to Bruce Peninsula. Pretty delightful. Try tracks 1, 4 and 5.

The Usual Things

Add Date: February 8 

Artist: The Usual Things 

Album: Middle Coast 

Label: Self-released 

Genre: Rock 

Comments: Readily accessible pop-rock from Minneapolis band The Usual Things, borrowing from power pop, folk rock and '90s alternative. Try tracks 12 (a radio edit, appropriately, of "The Radio") and 5.

Akron/Family

Add Date: February 8 

Artist: Akron/Family 

Album: S/T II: The Cosmic Birth and Journey of Shinju TNT 

Label: Dead Oceans 

Genre: Rock, psychedelic rock, folk 

Comments: A spectacular and gorgeous record from the "exasperatingly unknowable" band Akron/Family, S/T II: The Cosmic Birth and Journey of Shinju TNT sees the act--now a trio of Dana Janssen, Miles Seaton and Seth Olinsky, after Ryan Vanderhoof departed prior to the release of 2009's Set 'Em Wild, Set 'Em Free--embracing crunching, progressive-influenced psychedelic rock, especially on tracks like "Another Sky," "Silly Bears" and "So It Goes." But that's not to say that they've abandoned the quiet, gorgeously orchestrated music that, on their early work, drew them comparisons to Devendra Banhart and the freak folk movement; there's still plenty of that here, such as early standout "Island" or the suite of songs that finish out the LP.

I don't imagine that too many bands could pull off the transition from guitar-rock jams to acid folk--late '60s/early '70s Pink Floyd comes to mind, and there's certainly a lot of Syd Barrett in this music--as seamlessly as Akron/Family, which wrote S/T II in a cabin on the side of the Japanese volcano Mount Meakan and recorded it in an abandoned train station in Detroit. Akron/Family move to their own beat, to be sure, and we get to enjoy the results.

Oh No Oh My

Add Date: February 8

Artist: Oh No Oh My

Album: People Problems

Label: Koenig

Genre: Indie rock

Comments: Oh No Oh My, a 4-piece band from Austin, Texas, give their second full-length album with People Problems. Oh No Oh My is the classic indie rock band, complete with acoustic guitar, drums, and vocals from a guy who looks a little stuck in adolescence. The tracks are pretty catchy, though, and the album as a whole is charming, but nothing groundbreaking or even worth more than a couple listens.

Mother Mother

Add Date: February 8

Artist: Mother Mother

Album: Eureka

Label: Last Gang

Genre: Indie rock

Comments: Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't using the word "eureka" imply a genius invention or solution? When I first got this album, I was genuinely excited: Perhaps Mother Mother had solved the problem of creating indie rock without the usual pitfalls of being too generic or drawing on too many sounds without creating a distinct fusion. This belief even continued through the first half of the first track, "Chasing It Down." This first verse and chorus truly was better than expected and surprisingly enjoyable indie rock.

Then the song and album went haywire. When reviewing a record, I usually try to find the influences of other bands. There was definitely no shortage in this album. Blitzen Trapper? Check. The Apples in stereo? Yep. Queen? Unfortunately, yes again. Like so many others before them, Mother Mother fell prey to the desire to "be different" by toying with different styles. Chaos, in the form of Eureka, ensued. The high point comes with the middle tracks "Simply Simple" and "Problems," where the band creates good, not-too-specific hard(er) rock. You know it's bad, though, when your strong tracks are nothing short of common and forgettable.

Esben and the Witch

Add Date: February 8

Artist: Esben And The Witch

Album: Violet Circles

Label: Matador

Genre: Rock, alternative

Comments: After a self-released EP and single, Esben and the Witch have signed with Matador Records and released Violet Circles, their debut album. With a name referencing a Danish fairy tale, the group evokes the dark, gothic nature that comes with the eerie stories of the past. Rachel Davie's distant and fading voice compliments the delicate electronic instrumentals in an extremely haunting effect.

The downside comes with the extent to which the group takes this haunting. In an effort to experiment or get their tracks on the next Twilight soundtrack, Esben and the Witch place too much noise in the album without enough noticeable melodies or memorable singles. The album is definitely listenable and interesting the first time round, but it becomes easily neglected for more structured songs. Try "Marching Song" and "Hexagons IV."

Jessica Lea Mayfield

Add Date: February 8 

Artist: Jessica Lea Mayfield 

Album: Tell Me 

Label: Nonesuch 

Genre: Folk, rock 

Comments: This is one of the better folk albums released within the past few months. Jessica Lea Mayfield is a brilliant songwriter who is able to garner a unique and exceptional sound in an otherwise over-saturated indie-folk scene.

I've had the pleasure of seeing Ms. Mayfield in concert, and she certainly puts on a great show. There are parts of this album that I can't help but wish I were hearing it live. The guitar solos seems to come out of nowhere, and they add this beautiful chaotic element to Mayfield's ultra-tempered vocals.

Many of the songs on Tell Me are catchier than most folk bands are able to achieve while still clearly falling within the realm of folk music (see track 5, "Grown Man"). The album has a nice sway from serious to happy, from fast to slow, from melodic to chaotic. This is a fantastic record. Start with 1, 5, 3 and 2.

Best New Music - February 1

Big week:

Mogwai

John Vanderslice

DeVotchKa

Cloud Nothings

Young Galaxy

And also worth a listen: Apex Manor, Bag Raiders, Charles Bradley, The Get Up Kids, The Go! Team, Kitten, Wire and a singles collection from The Radio Dept.

John Vanderslice

Add Date: February 1 

Artist: John Vanderslice with the Magik Magik Orchestra 

Album: White Wilderness 

Label: Dead Oceans 

Genre: Rock, chamber pop, folk pop 

Comments: For his latest release, veteran indie rock troubadour John Vanderslice has teamed up with San Francisco's Magik Magik Orchestra. Their collaboration first surfaced last year, when a version of JV's "Promising Actress," a standout track from 2004's Cellar Door--still my favorite among his many fine LPs--with the ensemble appeared as a featured video on YouTube. White Wilderness, though, includes nine new songs, all presumably written with the orchestra in mind.

If you're unfamiliar with Vanderslice's music--and it seems that he's always flying just under the radar--here are two reference points: his first record, Mass Suicide Occult Figurines, was named after a lyric from a Neutral Milk Hotel song, and he was featured as a guest performer on Death Cab for Cutie's The Photo Album. (Like DCFC, Vanderslice is also a Barsuk Records alumnus.) His 2009 Dead Oceans release, Romanian Names, saw him venturing more toward the folk-pop end of the spectrum, and recording with an orchestra won't change that trend.

White Wilderness will appeal to fans of Owen Pallett, Andrew Bird and Clogs. Start with "Sea Salt," "Overcoat" and "Convict Lake."

The Dears

Add Date: February 1 

Artist: The Dears 

Album: Degeneration Street 

Label: Dangerbird

Genre: Pop, rock 

Comments: Hailed by NME a few years back as "probably the best new band in the world", The Dears have carved out their own niche in the modern pop-rock scene. Their latest release, Degeneration Street, is full of hooks and tailored rhythms; it is "a sweeping collection of orchestral pop/rock that is at once enlightening, angst-ridden and mesmerizing". Certianly quasi-romatic and dramatic; start with tracks 1, 3 and 4.

Starry Saints

Add Date: February 1 

Artist: Starry Saints 

Album: Serenade 

Label: Comet Rock

Genre: Rock 

Comments: Big, energetic sound on the Starry Saints' Serenade. Called "a confluence of nugaze and pop, noise and song craft", the sound is radio-friendly, dense, and expansive. RIYL Stone Roses, Love & Rockets. Try tracks 1 and 3.

Charles Bradley

Add Date: February 1 

Artist: Charles Bradley 

Album: No Time for Dreaming 

Label: Daptone

Genre: Soul 

Comments: Phenomenal soul record from Charles Bradley. 1960s references abound, but No Time for Dreaming--the 62-year-old Bradley's debut album--is clearly a labor of love and a lifetime of planning, so the style is not simply a cheap replica. Try tracks 1, 3 and 7.

Cloud Nothings

Add Date: February 1 

Artist: Cloud Nothings 

Album: Cloud Nothings 

Label: Carpark 

Genre: Rock, lo-fi 

Comments: The songs written by Dylan Baldi, the 19-year-old Cleveland native behind Cloud Nothings, have been said to include "angsty, bored, snotty lyrics," and that's by the company that's promoting this record. And, strangely, that line is meant as a compliment. Perhaps in the great tradition of Pavement's deliberate sloppiness--and certainly in the style of contemporaries like Wavves, Male Bonding and No Age--there's a fuzzy, noisy charm to Cloud Nothings, the band's debut full-length. (You may remember Turning On, released back in the fall, which was a compilation of singles, EPs and other odds and ends in album form.)

A solid record from a band to keep an eye (or ear) on. Start with "All the Time," "Understand at All" and "Been Through."

A House for Lions

Add Date: February 1 

Artist: A House for Lions 

Album: I Want Us to Be Remembered

Label: Self-released 

Genre: Pop, rock, ambient 

Comments: This new EP by A House for Lions is refreshing and enjoyable. The lyrics are honest and relaxed. In fact, nothing about this record sounds forced or over the top. I Want Us to Be Remembered is very accessible pop, with a little ambiance thrown in to mellow things out. This EP is worth checking out. Start with 2, 3 and 1.

Craig Greenberg

Add Date: February 1 

Artist: Craig Greenberg 

Album: Spinning in Time 

Label: Seeing Green Music 

Genre: Rock, pop-punk 

Comments: Here is a really energetic, piano-based, singer/songwriter's EP that is definitely worth checking out. It's tough to do what Craig Greenberg does and not be compared to Ben Folds (my backhanded way of comparing him to Ben Folds). However, his voice is not only spot-on good, but it's definitely quirky and fun to listen to. Greenberg is a good songwriter, and this EP deserves a spin if you enjoy pop music. Start with 1, 2 and 3.

Ethan Gold

Add Date: February 1 

Artist: Ethan Gold 

Album: Songs from a Toxic Apartment 

Label: Gold

Genre: Rock, singer/songwriter 

Comments: Ethan Gold's new album is comprised of dark piano-based songs, that are more or less catchy and display a lo-fi level of production. At first listen, I thought he sounded a lot like Phantom Planet's older/darker songs. To be honest, I'm not really sure what to make of this album. Mr. Gold is doing something interesting, but something is lacking... something needs to fill it out a little more. Start with tracks 2 and 4.

How Far to Austin

Add Date: February 1 

Artist: How Far to Austin 

Album: Goodnight Madison 

Label: Self-released 

Genre: Pop, punk 

Comments: From the promoter: "How Far to Austin is a 7-piece rock/pop band from Chicago who have built an impressive following based on a very simple premise: write great pop songs that people cannot get out of their heads, throw in a heavy helping of soul, play your hearts out night after night, and repeat."

When I was first listening to this band, I thought it was a Christian rock band. This isn't the case, but the melodies and music are similar to sounds often heard in that genre. Start with 1, 3 and 4.

Jeremy Silver

Add Date: February 1 

Artist: Jeremy Silver 

Album: Everybody Knows 

Label: Self-released 

Genre: Rock, pop-punk 

Comments: From the promoter: "Chicago native. Los Angeles transplant. Multi-instrumentalist and singer/songwriter Jeremy Silver releases Everybody Knows, after a string of film and TV placements have already brought his music to millions of households worldwide. Though his voice and writing style consistently draw comparisons to Coldplay, Tom Petty, Wilco, and Ben Gibbard, everybody knows Jeremy Silver is quickly making a name for himself."

This is a decent pop-punk singer/songwriter album. Start with 1, 2 and 6.

The Get Up Kids

Add Date: February 1 

Artist: The Get Up Kids 

Album: There Are Rules 

Label: Quality Hill

Genre: Indie, pop-punk

Comments: The '90s indie/pop-punk superstars The Get Up Kids have gotten back together and released a fantastic record. Led by Mathew Pryor (also of The New Amsterdams and Reggie and the Full Effect), the band broke up in 2005 after a series of lackluster album releases. There Are Rules serves as a major pivot for these indie rock legends. The album is comprised of sounds that are both unmistakably '90s-Get Up Kids-esque and totally fresh, bizarre, and brand new for the group.

The type of bands that break up and later reunite to produce another album almost never perform up to par with their "new" sound. This is simply not the case for this new release from The Get Up Kids. The perfect mixture of teen angst, '90s punk, and the new millennium's production quality and rhythm make this album worth listening to. Start with tracks 1, 2 and 5.

The Go! Team

Add Date: February 1 

Artist: The Go! Team 

Album: Rolling Blackouts 

Label: Memphis Industries 

Genre: Pop, indie rock

Comments: I absolutely love this line from AllMusic.com: "The sound of The Go! Team, a six-piece group from Brighton, England, is a stunning blend of indie rock guitars, police show themes, hip-hop beats, and schoolyard chants built on samples and then augmented by live instrumentation." Throw in some funk, some '60s pop influences and (of course) the synthesizers, and I think that pretty much sums it up.

For a while, The Go! Team were one of the most buzzed-about bands in indie rock, dazzling with their 2004 debut Thunder, Lightning Strike and following that up with a solid sophomore LP, Proof of Youth. But it's been more than three years since the last release from the bunch; while that's enough time to forget about how much fun their music is, my memory was quickly restored by listening to Rolling Blackouts.

Check out "Buy Nothing Day" (featuring Best Coast's Bethany Cosentino), "T.O.R.N.A.D.O." and "Secretary Song" (with Satumi Matsuzaki of Deerhoof).

The Radio Dept.

Add Date: February 1 

Artist: The Radio Dept. 

Album: Passive Aggressive: Singles 2002-2010 

Label: Labrador 

Genre: Rock, indie pop 

Comments: If you're like me, last year's excellent Clinging to a Scheme was your introduction to Swedish shoegaze pop darlings The Radio Dept. Consider, then, this double-disc, 28-track collection--split evenly with 14 A-sides and 14 B-sides--to be your capstone course. On the surface, it's hard to justify such a comprehensive set for a band that's only put out three proper LPs; however, as it turns out, they have a penchant for releasing some of their best music in single and EP form. (Indeed, two of my favorite tracks on the A-side disc, "Freddie and the Trojan Horse" and "Pulling Our Weight," don't appear on any of the three full-lengths.) Not to mention that whole second disc of B-sides...

If you spun Clinging to a Scheme, you'll recognize standouts "Heaven's on Fire" and "Never Follow Suit" from that release. Also check out tracks 10, 1 and 5 on disc one.

Billy

Add Date: February 1 

Artist: Billy 

Album: Blue Skies Blue Everything 

Label: Self-released 

Genre: Rock (with some bluegrass flair) 

Comments: Upfront rock on Billy's Blue Skies Blue Everything. With a focus on hooks and harmonies, the album maintains a solid rock 'n roll perspective, while incorporating some bluegrass inspiration and creative instrumentation--banjo, fiddle, lap steel guitar, etc. Start with tracks 3 and 6.

Bag Raiders

Add Date: February 1 

Artist: Bag Raiders 

Album: Bag Raiders 

Label: Modular 

Genre: Electropop 

Comments: Production duo Bag Raiders have spent time remixing Cut Copy, Midnight Juggernauts, and Kid Sister; now, their own self-titled debut album drops. Totally danceable electropop, the record is chock-full of disco-friendly, occasionally retro songs; lead single "Shooting Stars" (originally released in 2009) was an ARIA-chart staple (aka, a hit in the duo's native Australia) and has racked up over 1 million views on YouTube. Overall, the record is unpretentious, upfront, DJ-friendly dance pop. Try tracks 1, 3 and 11 (but note the 9-minute run-time, although the song can be cut a bit after the 4-minute mark for airplay).

Benjamin Francis Leftwich

Add Date: February 1 

Artist: Benjamin Francis Leftwich 

Album: A Million Miles Out (EP) 

Label: Dirty Hit 

Genre: Folk, acoustic

Comments: Singer/songwriter Benjamin Francis Leftwich's debut EP, A Million Miles Out, is a gentle, acoustic taste of the Brit's romantic sensibilities. While the EP focuses primarily on simple guitar and Leftwich's almost-delicate, somewhat distant vocals, the end result is somehow, not overly saccharine--RIYL Bon Iver and Jose Gonzalez. Try tracks 1 and 3.

Apex Manor

Add Date: February 1 

Artist: Apex Manor 

Album: The Year of Magical Drinking 

Label: Merge 

Genre: Rock, power pop 

Comments: Southern California musician Ross Flournoy founded Apex Manor after his old band, The Broken West, broke up in 2009. The Year of Magical Drinking is the first Apex Manor record, but it could easily pick up where I Can't Go On, I'll Go On and Now or Heaven (the two LPs from The Broken West) left off. A power pop peddler whose music is directly descended from Alex Chilton and Matthew Sweet, Flournoy's music will appeal to fans of Sloan, '60s pop, or Merge Records labelmates like Telekinesis, The Love Language and Spoon.

Start with "I Know These Waters Well," "Teenage Blood" and "Under the Gun."

Wire

Add Date: February 1 

Artist: Wire 

Album: Red Barked Tree 

Label: Pink Flag 

Genre: Rock, post-punk 

Comments: Admittedly, I'd never listened to the post-punk group Wire prior to their most recent release, Red Barked Tree (their 11th). Layered guitar, some shoegaze sentiments, and evidence of a punk background--visible in the lyrics and rhythms--combine to create a textural sound, with individual tracks maintaining individual sound profiles. "Adapt" is a wash of sounds and floating vocals, while "Smash" is melodic yet guitar-heavy; overall, there's a good amount of variation in the tracks, but an overall polished quality to the record--sometimes dreamy, sometimes clear-cut post-punk, but consistently enjoyable. Try tracks 3, 9 and 11.

Mogwai

Add Date: February 1 

Artist: Mogwai 

Album: Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will 

Label: Sub Pop 

Genre: Rock, post-rock 

Comments: Another record of stunning beauty and scope from the Scottish post-rock masters Mogwai. There are some other noteworthy bands that make truly interesting instrumental rock, but in my mind none have the capacity to engage like these Glaswegians. After a string of successful releases on Matador--most recently 2008's The Hawk Is Howling--the band has now jumped to Sub Pop for Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will.

Yes, the album title is comical, and there are tracks named "George Square Thatcher Death Party" (one of the record's best), "You're Lionel Richie" and "How to Be a Werewolf," but those aren't really even a distraction once you delve into the majestic, sweeping, orchestral rock of the group's seventh studio LP. Drawing on influences that range from Slint to Black Sabbath, Mogwai continue to impress. From NPR: "Though early essentials like [1997 track] 'Mogwai Fear Satan' will never fade to gray, there's reason to believe that the band's best work is still on the horizon."

Check out tracks 7, 8, 5 and 1.

DeVotchKa

Add Date: February 1 

Artist: DeVotchKa 

Album: 100 Lovers 

Label: ANTI-

Genre: Rock 

Comments: DeVotchKa is back with 100 Lovers, their first album since 2007's A Mad and Faithful Telling. Always cinematic, largely dramatic, and sometimes melancholy, DeVotchKa masterfully blends world-music influences (largely Balkan/Romani/general Eastern European) with modern rock, folk, and cabaret sensibilities, creating accessible yet wildly creative music. Combined with their amazing live shows (I can attest to this), the group has found a successful niche for their style--romantic, moody, and eccentric.

100 Lovers sees the group return in good form, with expansive soundscapes, layers of violin and dramatic vocals, inventive percussion and the precise use of instruments like the accordion all blending together in a danceable yet soundtrack-esque manner. Start with tracks 1, 2, 3 and 6.

Mark Growden

Add Date: February 1

Artist: Mark Growden

Album: Lose Me in the Sand

Label: Porto Franco

Genre: Rock, country

Comments: From the label: "[Mark Growden's] music moves with a natural flow reminiscent of the patterned hushes in bird trills and blowing winds. Lose Me in the Sand croons, howls, stutters, laughs, and runs, but always around a central stillness. Growden uses music to carve out silences most of us don't pause to hear."

While this comment is pretty accurate of Growden's Lose Me In The Sand, I take it less as praise for inventiveness and more as an isolating statement. The album has a quality of only being worth hearing while camping or while trying to channel your inner-cliche cowboy. The music is good, albeit a little underwhelming, but lacks the passion or thoughtfulness needed for good, lasting country.

The Forms

Add Date: February 1

Artist: The Forms

Album: Derealization

Label: Ernest Jenning

Genre: Pop, rock

Comments: Derealization is The Forms' re-imagination of songs from their previous albums, Icarus (2003) and the self-titled The Forms (2007). They enlisted the talents of The National's Matt Berninger, Daniel Hart from St. Vincent, Shudder To Think's Craig Wedren, Nat Baldwin of Dirty Projectors, and Andrew Thiboldeaux from Pattern Is Movement. If you've never listened to The Forms, this is a great introduction to their unusual yet enjoyable and accessible mix of electric, dance, and rock.

Dinosaur Bones

Add Date: February 1

Artist: Dinosaur Bones

Album: My Divider

Label: Dine Alone

Genre: Rock, alternative

Comments: With a loud, layered and distorted guitar sound, Dinosaur Bones releases their first full-length album, My Divider. As an indie rock act hailing from Toronto, the band thankfully veers away from the increasingly generic genre of one-layered alt-rock and produces a sound full of angry, passionate vocals and lyrics to go along with the fuzzy instrumentals. My Divider definitely has cohesion as an album, but it lacks the one or two songs that truly stand out, which is necessary in this singles-driven music market. Good. Not a standout.

Kitten

Add Date: February 1

Artist: Kitten

Album: Sunday School (EP)

Label: Atlantic

Genre: Alternative, pop

Comments: Kitten's first EP, Sunday School, showcases the talent that comes with youth. Leading the group is Chloe Chaidez, who flits between ethereal vocals and a more soulful or frantic sound to match the tracks, which equally drift between dream pop and a more discontented, angst-filled sound complete with lots of feedback ("Allison Day"). While this EP would carry a mature sound no matter the age of the group, it's even more so considering Chaidez is only 15 years old. This band could easily get their big break this year, considering not only the talent but the now-popular genre of girl pop.

Young Galaxy

Add Date: February 1 

Artist: Young Galaxy 

Album: Shapeshifting 

Label: Paper Bag 

Genre: Rock, space pop 

Comments: Shapeshifting is the title of the third LP from the Vancouver band Young Galaxy, but it could also describe the music contained therein. After two LPs of dreamy shoegaze pop and crunching guitar rock, which owed as much to My Bloody Valentine or Yo La Tengo as anyone else, it sounds like the band has been brushing up on its Peter Gabriel and David Byrne. The guitars don't quite fade into the background on Shapeshifting, but they're certainly overtaken by the synthesizers.

The results are somewhat mixed, and the first half of the record is truly hit-or-miss. But Young Galaxy seem to find their stride toward the end of the LP, particularly on standouts like "Cover Your Tracks" and "B.S.E." Also try "Peripheral Visionaries" and "The Angels Are Surely Weeping."