Jesu - Infinity (2009)

This album is one 49 and a half minute song, which is not atypical of this type of music, but can be a bit exhausting. It shifts seamlessly between somber ambient parts and droning guitars with vocals every now and then. Overall it's a relatively depressing listen, but is quite interesting. I don't see myself listening to this in its entirety very often, but in parts it's great. I think this is the musical equivalent of a scene like that on the album cover. His last album "Conqueror" (2007) is a bit more accessible, mainly due to length, but musically they seem very similar.

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An Horse - Rearrange Beds (2009)

Until I can catch up, here's something I've enjoyed recently. Finals are almost over and I'll get back into this for new releases that come out in the new year.

This is kinda like Mates of State's Rearrange Us (2008). Female fronted, catchy-as-hell pop music. This isn't quite that sweet and sugary though. I think it's comparable in quality. The lyrics seem a bit more intelligent, and the vocals are somewhere in the middle ground between Tegan & Sara's style and the super sweet vocals of the likes of Camera Obscura. The singer (apologies, dont know her name) doesn't seem to be trying to make her voice sound all that "good." She sounds great, but not as though she's trying too hard, which is good. Musically, this is pretty basic. Mid-tempo backdrops for the vocals, which are the main focus of the album, and it works.

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The Duke & The King - Nothing Gold Can Stay (2009)

The Duke and the King, not to be confused with The Duchess and the Duke (who released a very good album two months ago) are the side project of Simone Felice, from The Felice Brothers. Simone is The Felice Brothers’ drummer, who sings lead on a few tracks, and has a soulful tenor that pales in comparison to his brother’s gritty, Bob Dylan-esque croon. The Felice Brothers are more suited to that style, so when Simone sings lead, it often sounds a bit less inspired. On this project, he really steps up though, in my opinion. I think this is because he has more lively music backing him, and shares vocal duties with his band members. Check out “Still Remember Love” for some great vocal harmonies. This is still very much grounded in the folk aesthetic, but it actually sounds nothing like The Felice Brothers. Whereas The Felice Brothers sound like they’re coming right out of the small Catskill Mountain town where they formed, The Duke and the King are a bit closer to your local coffee shops. It still has that folk feel to the music, in the lyrics, instrumentation, and general attitude and presentation. Compared to Simone’s day job, I think this is a bit more accessible, even to folks who may not gravitate towards rural sounding music. On their myspace they describe themselves as a glam-soul-folk quartet. Indeed, elements of soul can be heard, mainly in the vocals, but I have no idea where the glam comes from.

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Fossil - Insonia (2009)

This is a good instrumental post-rock album. It’s their only album so far, and it does have a couple of flaws. For one, it’s a lot of loud-quiet-loud, which isn’t a terrible thing, but coupled with their relative lack of variety, the music does wind up sound a bit formulaic. That doesn’t mean it isn’t an enjoyable listen; most post-rock bands, as long as they can stretch some pretty notes out for seven-plus minutes, manage to at least be pleasant, if not mind blowing. Fossil is worth a listen if you like instrumental music, but don’t expect to hear anything you haven’t heard many times before. Potential is there.

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Camera Obscura - My Maudlin Career (2009)

This came out a while ago, but I'm posting it now because I didn't like it the first time I heard it and only listened to it again in the past few days. I don't think it's quite as good as their last two, and I still haven't heard their debut, but this is good enough. I think the main attraction here is the vocals, which strike a nice balance between sounding pretty, but so pretty that they become comical. Stylistically, I really don't think this is all that different from past work, other than the fact that this batch of songs isn't as immediately affecting as the past two.

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Animal Collective - Fall Be Kind (2009)

It’s interesting that they’ve released two well-received full-length albums over the past two years, and have also released two short EPs of songs that would probably have fit on either of those albums. Maybe there are some subtleties that I am not getting, or some aspect of their artistic vision that makes the first sentence of this paragraph incredibly stupid, but from what I’m hearing these are along the lines of their recent work. “Graze” has some pretty, echoing vocal harmonies over fluttering synth and what sounds like flute. It’s sunny, cheerful, a bit abstract, and very beautiful. In other words, it would have sounded great on the latter half of Merriweather Post Pavillion. “Bleeding” isolated their vocal harmonies, lending an echo to both voices, which sound like they are in conversation with each other over droning synths. Both tracks are similar in quality to the best they've released over the past couple of years.

I read the pitchfork review of this EP, anxious to find out what I’m missing. Were these songs not complete on time for MPP’s release in January? Did they simply not make the cut because something had to be cut and these were it? Were they artistically uncompatible? Certainly, these 27-minutes of music would have made MPP way too long and turned a perfectly satisfying album into a pleasant, yet complex, exhausting affair. Pitchfork was no help, as is the case 50% of the time. They launched into descriptions of Animal Collective’s perfect use of tension, their departure from typical hipster-approved indie stylistic choices. They did not know why these songs were isolated onto this EP, but indicated that they were written around the same time.

Anyway, the music here can be described with any adjective used to describe any of the last 4 Animal Collective albums. Of course it’s good. They’re a good band. They have so much going on, layered electronics, multitracked vocals, songs that seem to change direction at the drop of the hat, and others that shift subtly over five-plus minutes. And, they manage to make all of this sound good. The highlight isn’t their adventurousness, or their status as extremely influential and respected, it’s that this sounds really pretty. I know that’s a simplistic assessment, and one that most of their fans would turn their nose up at. But this EP stays interesting throughout and has a nice, dreamy, psychedelic sound that barely masks their pop sensibilities, which are part of what make them a good band. For the longest time, I resisted liking this band, but with MPP, I really couldn’t do that anymore, and this EP is almost as good.

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Condo Fucks - Fuckbook (2009)

Condo Fucks are really Yo La Tengo, and this is a cover album of short, punchy garage-rock songs, as opposed to Yo La Tengo's typical drawn-out jam sessions. Though the shortness is appropriate, it's an enjoyable album of fun music and is a welcome break for those who may appreciate the band's aesthetic but lack patience for their indulgence.

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Maybeshewill - Sing the World Hope in Four-Part Harmony (2009)

Maybeshewill is a post-rock band from the UK who sample spoken word passages over their music to lend a lyrical effect. These speeches are invariably political in theme and, while meaningful, do not really add all that much to the music. It works best on the last track (title track) on the album.
While this doesn't feel all that cohesive, it quite good musically, with arrangements that aren't among the best of the genre, but are passable. They are similar to French Teen Idol, another post-rock group that pulls this off a bit better. Despite this, Maybeshewill have released an album worth its runtime, and if nothing else, they provide a nice break from all the pop/rock music I listen to, especially when I feel tired of those same Mogwai and Sigur Ros albums.

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Built to Spill - There is No Enemy (2009)

I'm very pleased with this album. Built to Spill have a great sound, but have not always been able to make great albums. I love their messy, dreamy guitar sounds, and similar vocal style, but they haven't always combined them with great songwriting. Instead, there have been some very good albums, that were plenty enjoyable, but seemed a bit aimless at times. I tend to find myself revisiting the standout tracks, jumping between albums, rarely letting one play all the way through. I really love this band, but there are only so many times I can play "Goin' Against Your Mind," or "Carry the Zero" without wishing I had an entire album of similarly awesome songs. So, I was pleased to find There is No Enemy more cohesive than anything they've released in at least ten years, if not ever. It has their typical hazy guitar sound, but it also has some of their strongest songwriting in a long time, and is among the best releases I've heard this year. The guitar work in "Aisle 13" is a treat. The country/bluesy feel of "Hindsight" is similarly glorious. The horns in "Life's a Dream" are a nice touch. The last track on the album is also among their best, with a bass heavy guitar melody. It's little things like this that give the album more flavor than some of their past ones have had. To me, this album has the band at their best, and although they have not released an album I don't like, this could become my favorite.

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The Cribs - Ignore the Ignorant (2009)

The Cribs' fourth album features a notably cleaner, more streamlined sound than their popular Men's Needs, Women's Needs, Whatever (2007), but it isn't necessarily worse off. The songs are still punchy, catchy, and full of energy, with solid lyrics. Even though nothing is quite as great as "I'm a Realist," "Men's Needs," or "Be Safe" from two years ago, this really shouldn't lose them any fans.

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Kickball - ABCDEFGHIJKickball (2006)

Kickball are a band I know very little about and cannot seem to find much information on them on the web. I forget from whom I got this album, so I cant do much more than describe the music and let you take a listen. I guess I'd call them an indie rock band with elements of math rock, in the vein of Minus the Bear or Pinback. It’s very rhythmic, with the bass high in the mix and the guitars providing more textures than riffs. It also has a high degree of similarity to latter-day emo groups with vocals that are delivered in a very plaintive emotional way. This resides somewhere in the middle ground between groups like The Promise Ring and Minus the Bear.

Link in the comments.

The Fall of Troy - Doppelganger (2005)

There’s some insane guitar playing on this album, although the more melodic vocals get on my nerves a bit. This is still really great, even though it’s been a while since most people have been impressed by this sort of hardcoreesque stuff. It’s a really well done blend of styles that winds up sounding really intense but it’s those really great guitar parts that make this good. Highlights: “I Just Got This Symphony Goin’”, “Act One, Scene 1”, “Mouths Like Sidewinder Missiles”, and “Whacko Jacko Steals the Elephant Man’s Bones.” LISTEN

Against Me! - The Original Cowboy (2009)

Eight demos of songs from their second album As the Eternal Cowboy (2003). They do sound somewhat different from the final versions, mainly they’re a bit rougher around the edges, but none of these are really alternate versions of the songs, and thus they may not seem necessary for those who aren't already fans of the band. None of the songs are really different enough to merit purchasing this. Against Me! is my favorite band, so this is worthwhile for me, but unless you are a fan or haven't heard them and want to, you probably don't need this. LISTEN

Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavillion (2009)

I’ve been having trouble keeping up. Anyway, 2009 is almost over and I thought I should post some of the more interesting stuff I’ve heard this year, whether or not I love it. Some really great stuff has come out this year, much more so than last, I thought. Anyway, here’s Animal Collective’s eighth album in nine years and even though half the world seems to be drooling over it, this is quite an impressive album. I guess the main knock on it is that there’s so much going on, and that’s a legitimate complaint. They really want their music to be a challenging listen and there always seems to be a mess of electronics, atmospheric sounds, and other chaos swirling about. Since their early albums, their sound has shifted towards more accessible territory, and Merriweather Post Pavillion is the next logical step for them. If you can get past the unconventional sounds, this is actually very poppy and some of these songs are extremely catchy. Besides just being an adventurous listen, this is also a very satisfying one, and that makes it their best release yet in my mind. LISTEN

Tegan and Sara - Sainthood (2009)

Heard the leak and it's pretty good. A bit more energetic than their last few albums. Some of their songs are so catchy that I can forgive the mediocre lyrics and abrasive vocal pitch. LISTEN

Converge - Axe to Fall (2009)

Axe to Fall is their seventh studio album and I think it’s a step up from their excellent 2006 album No Heroes. Musically, this is a bit more diverse than anything they’ve done, and it doesn’t sacrifice that intense catharsis for which they are known. Everything about this band is heavy, the vocals aren’t just screamed, they’re screamed in such a way that the human throat should not be capable of. The slower dirges are really powerful too. The drums are frantic and intricate, as are the guitars which play some really awesome riffs here. My favorite tracks are “Dark Horse” which has a delightful guitar riff, and “Cruel Bloom” which has some cool vocal parts. If you don’t like heavy music, stay away, but if you do, this band makes the some of the most intense music on this planet.

A Place to Bury Strangers - Exploding Head (2009)

As with many shoegaze/dream pop albums, it isn’t hard to hear some pretty standard pop motifs here, whether they be a guitar riff or melody or vocal hook. The difference, of course, is the hazy guitar sound that turns this into something else altogether. The drums and vocals are very low in the mix so you hear the wailing guitars, and what drums and vocals there are seem to be coming up from beneath something chaotic. This chaos is an illusion though, because if you listen close, which you should be if you decide you like this, you’ll hear that this isn’t very well disguised pop music. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but when you take away the haze, you might think you’re hearing a Cure cover band, so those guitars really are necessary. Overall, this is pretty good, but I find that it’s better background music when I’m in the mood for something a bit challenging and abstract. It is being a bit overhyped, but I’ve given it a fair amount of time, and it is a solid release, I think. (Record label won't let me share this with you)

Lightning Bolt - Earthly Delights (2009)

A heavy noise album, although it isn't as chaotic as one might expect noise to be. Instead, it's pretty musical, oftentimes taking a bass-heavy riff and just sort of running with it for a while, as the occasional random noise seeps in and out. It's pretty interesting. LISTEN

Jurassic 5 - Power in Numbers (2002)

Another type of music I don't normally listen to. This is intelligent hip-hop that has a really good flow to it, and lacks the posturing and cliche of so much other rap music. I still very rarely listen to hip-hop, but I think this might be my favorite album of the genre. LISTEN

John Zorn - O'o (2009)

Got some catching up to do. This is a really good jazz album. Even if you don't normally listen to jazz, you might find this a pleasant listen. LISTEN

Elliott Smith - XO (1998)

Some of Elliott Smith’s most tuneful songs are on “XO” which makes his poetic lyrics, relevant song themes, and pleasant singing voice that much more pleasant. All Music Guide describes the record by saying it’s easy to get lost in the beautiful melodies and not realize what he’s singing about. The words are as beautiful and the guitar playing. My favorites: “Waltz #2 (XO)”, “Baby Britain”, “Independence Day”, “Bottle Up and Explode!” LISTEN

TRACKLIST

1. Sweet Adeline – 3:15
2. Tomorrow Tomorrow – 3:07
3. Waltz #2 (XO) – 4:40
4. Baby Britain – 3:13
5. Pitseleh – 3:22
6. Independence Day – 3:04
7. Bled White – 3:22
8. Waltz #1 – 3:22
9. Amity – 2:20
10. Oh Well, Okay – 2:33
11. Bottle Up and Explode! – 2:58
12. A Question Mark – 2:41
13. Everybody Cares, Everybody Understands – 4:25
14. I Didn't Understand – 2:17

Arab Strap - Monday at the Hug and Pint (2003)

Arab Strap was a Scottish duo known for their very sad, downtempo indie pop songs featuring heavy doses of sarcasm, self-deprecation, and even perversity. By all accounts, their output was unwaveringly depressing until “Monday at the Hug and Pint,” their fifth album which has songs of varying tempos. I think this album is more interesting that their others for that reason, because none of the songs sound too much like the ones before them. Drum machines, strings, and acoustic guitars are constantly present, with a few surprises (horns) thrown in. Singer Aidan Moffat’s heavily-accented voice is a constant, as is the generally somber mood. He constantly sings about relationships that haven’t gone very well, and the music behind his lyrics fits the theme perfectly. LISTEN

TRACKLIST
1. The Shy Retirer – 4:21
2. Meanwhile, at the Bar, a Drunkard Muses – 2:25
3. Fucking Little Bastards – 6:15
4. Peep Peep – 3:10
5. Flirt – 3:22
6. Who Named the Days? – 4:22
7. Loch Leven (Intro) – 2:28
8. Loch Leven – 3:17
9. Glue – 3:12
10. Act of War – 4:10
11. Serenade – 3:50
12. The Week Never Starts Round Here – 2:17
13. Pica Luna – 2:56

Belle and Sebastian - If You're Feeling Sinister (1996)

Belle and Sebastian’s If You’re Feeling Sinister seems to be their most appreciated album, and that makes sense because it’s filler-free, intelligent, humorous, whimsical, catchy, inviting, warm, friendly, (can't think of any more appropriate adjectives, but that's enough). LISTEN

TRACKLIST

1. The Stars of Track and Field (4:48)

2. Seeing Other People (3:48)

3. Me and the Major (3:51)

4. Like Dylan in the Movies (4:14)

5. The Fox in the Snow (4:11)

6. Get Me Away From Here, I'm Dying (3:25)

7. If You're Feeling Sinister (5:21)

8. Mayfly (3:42)

9. The Boy Done Wrong Again (4:17)

10. Judy and the Dream of Horses (3:40)

Sleepercar - West Texas (2008)

Sleepercar is a folk-influenced pop/rock group led by Jim Ward (from At the Drive-In and Sparta). His voice has always been his most noteworthy trait, and it lends itself quite well to this type of music. There's a lot of anguish in it, and although his other projects required a lot of screaming and howling, it always conveyed a lot of emotion. Some songs come from a more pop/rock place, such as "Wasting My Time" and "Kings & Compromises." The bulk of this borrows from more rural genres, with steel guitar and gentle acoustic guitars throughout. Some songs embody that rustic feel especially well ("Heavy Weights"). According to wikipedia, this was influenced by Wilco, Ryan Adams, Tom Petty, and Bob Dylan. That sounds about right. LISTEN

TRACKLIST

1. A Broken Promise (2:58)
2. Wasting My Time (2:57)
3. Fences Down (3:53)
4. Wednesday Nights (4:04)
5. Kings and Compromises (4:52)
6. Heavy Weights (4:42)
7. Sound the Alarm (4:19)
8. End of a Year (3:36)
9. You Should Run (4:20)
10. All Will End Well (1:22)
11. Stumble In (2:57)

Monster of Folk - Monsters of Folk (2009)

Monsters of Folk is a "supergroup" consisting of Conor Oberst, Mike Mogis (of Bright Eyes), M. Ward, and Jim James (My Morning Jacket). This doesn't meet my astronomically high expectations, and is merely very good. I think the reason for this is that the members were so excited to work with each other that they were content to explore their bandmates' sounds. Instead of really great collaborations between these four, we have songs that sound like M. Ward songs ("Whole Lotta Losin," "Goodway"), songs that sound like MMJ songs ("Dear God," "Losin Yo Head") and songs that would fit on a recent Bright Eyes album ("Ahead of the Curve," "Man Named Truth"). Even though most of these songs feature the entire band's voices, they wind up sounding more like one of the artists. Jim James' backing vocals contribute nicely to "Map of the World" but it still sounds like a b-side from Bright Eyes' "Cassadaga." Mike Mogis was that guy who stayed on the stage during Bright Eyes shows when everyone except Conor and some other guy left the stage; when I saw them this was to play "When the Brakeman Turns My Way." The songs Mike leads are good enough to justifiably be put alongside the other ones here. "Magic Marker" is his, and though his bandmates provide nice vocal harmonies, it suggests that a Mike Mogis solo album would be worth tracking down. "Baby Boomer" is probably the closest thing to what I'd expected from this album, since it at least seems to have all four singing equally. This is a very, very good folk album. It captures the aesthetic perfectly, but if you like any of these artists' previous work, you will no doubt be expecting more. This is unfortunate, since this is very good. LISTEN

TRACKLIST

1. Dear God (sincerely M.O.F.) (5:07)
2. Say Please (2:48)
3. Whole Lotta Losin' (2:45)
4. Temazcal (3:49)
5. The Right Place (3:48)
6. Baby Boomer (2:53)
7. Man Named Truth (3:51)
8. Goodway (2:01)
9. Ahead of the Curve (3:40)
10. Slow Down Jo (3:21)
11. Losin' Yo' Head (4:37)
12. Magic Marker (3:20)
13. Map of the World (4:24)
14. The Sandman, the Brakeman and Me (3:23)
15. His Master's Voice (4:50)

Caspian - Tertia (2009)

Caspian are a five-piece post-rock group from Massachusetts. “Tertia” is their second full-length album, and like their debut, it’s pretty standard fare for this type of music. To be honest, it does not really deliver what I look for in the genre, but is a fine album nonetheless. Very few post-rock bands turn their instruments into truly communicative devices. Mogwai did it on their best work. Explosions in the Sky and Sigur Ros do so without fail, crafting music that might as well be spoken in plain English because of the wealth of thoughts and images it conjures to go along with the sheer beauty of the songs. “Tertia” doesn’t really do that. It does create a mood, but the mood is often very created in a very rudimentary, obvious sort of way. The guitars swirl in a dissonant sort of way, often with the rhythm section and keys thundering behind it. The image created by this is a simple one. Many post-rock bands can do this in their sleep—give the illusion of tension building and then subsiding, like a storm approaching and then giving way. The best songs of this genre make it more convincing though. They do it in a “show, don’t tell” sort of way. Caspian do a fine job of imitating the basics of post-rock, but this album isn’t a very powerful listen. Then again, when I want a good instrumental album, sometimes it’s enough for it to just rock for forty minutes. I can put Caspian on and listen without feeling like time was wasted, but nothing about them will drop your jaw. LISTEN

Tracklist
01. Mie (4:12)
02. La Cerva (5:00)
03. Ghost of the Garden City (7:32)
04. Malacoda (5:02)
05. Epochs in DMaj (5:03)
06. Of Foam and Wave (6:16)
07. Concrescence (4:22)
08. The Raven (6:59)
09. Vienna (6:12)
10. Sycamore (9:00)

Mogwai - Young Team (1997)

This is one of my favorite post-rock albums. There isn't a sound on this album that isn't damn near perfect. Everything works together to create the most emotive, energenic, captivating music possible using just guitar, bass, drums, and occasionally piano and a couple other things. It just feels so organic and real, and the music is constantly shifting, never grows stagnant or gets into a rut, but the music seems to follow a fairly logical progression with nothing feelings arbitrary or out of place. Mogwai's best moments were the 16 that make up "Mogwai Fear Satan" which grows more and more intense and choatic before giving way to a beautiful flute section. It might be the most communicative instrumental song I've ever heard. LISTEN

1. Yes! I Am a Long Way from Home (5:57)
2. Like Herod (11:41)
3. Katrien (5:24)
4. Radar Maker (1:35)
5. Tracy (7:19)
6. Summer (Priority version) (3:28)
7. With Portfolio (3:10)
8. R U Still in 2 It (7:20)
9. A Cheery Wave from Stranded Youngsters (2:18)
10. Mogwai Fear Satan (16:19)

Sufjan Stevens - The BQE (2009)

I'm sure a lot of people are searching for it, so here it is but it's not that good. I guess to be fair, I should just say I don't like it. I don't like Sufjan Stevens. I spent a lot of time listening to some of his albums, especially "Illinois" which had some good songs, but then he did too many smug interviews in which his pretentiousness turned me off. The highlight was one where he described "Chicago" as appealing to the lowest common denominator. His obnoxiousness made albums where every other song is a twenty-second burst of orchestral noise or a train whistle, far less enticing. Should I sit for an hour to hear the twenty minutes of exciting folk-pop, or just get it elsewhere, where the music is more focused, and spends less time trying to be art (becoming ever more artistic by that fact alone)?

Now, Stevie really isn't doing anything all too special here. He's heard some adventurous music, and some pretty music, and some Christian music, and he regurgitates it all on his albums. This isn't original, it's sometimes pretty, but it isn't special enough for me to get over the fact that I don't like him and don't want to support his work. I hope the big guy up there is impressed (look straight up hard enough and you'll either see him, or pass out, or both) because I'm not. Some things are more important than credibility, after all.

This album is not terrible, sometimes it's pretty, sometimes the sounds he creates are actually artistically interesting. Maybe if I'd gone to art school, I'd "get it". Good for him, he's done something decent here, but it isn't done so well as to make me forget who wrote it. I don't need another modern-classical avante-electronic album that badly.

Once in a while, there will be albums here I don't like (see Muse "The Resistance"). Sometimes I'm curious about new releases I don't expect to enjoy. Sometimes albums I've been anticipating turn out to be a dissappointment. Sorry for the negativity. LISTEN

Tracks:
1. Prelude On The Esplanade — 2:56
2. Introductory Fanfare For The Hooper Heroes — 1:07
3. Movement I: In The Countenance Of Kings — 5:19
4. Movement II: Sleeping Invader — 4:34
5. Interlude I: Dream Sequence In Subi Circumnavigation — 3:33
6. Movement III: Linear Tableau With Intersecting Suprise — 4:09
7. Movement IV: Traffic Shock — 3:24
8. Movement V: Self-Organizing Emergent Patterns — 3:45
9. Interlude II: Subi Power Waltz — 0:28
10. Interlude III: Invisible Accidents — 0:54
11. Movement VI: Isorhythmic Night Dance With Interchanges — 3:17
12. Movement VII (Finale): The Emperor Of Centrifuge — 3:51
13. Postlude: Critical Mass — 2:59

The Flaming Lips - Embryonic (2009)

The newest Flaming Lips album is noisy, catchy, adventurous, and often psychedelic, like most of their stuff but it lacks the warm feeling of previous albums created by Wayne Coyne’s endearing personality. For all intents and purposes, this might be their most “serious” album, in tone and mood. The bass dominates much of these tracks, being very high in the mix. The guitars, drums, and synths add flavor but don’t command as much attention as the chugging bass on songs like “The Sparrow Looks Up at the Machi” and “See the Leaves.” Even the synth based tracks, such as “Evil” and “Gemini Syringes” are dreary and tend to be heavy on the low end. MGMT guests on the noisy “Worm Mountain” but I wouldn’t have known (or cared) if I hadn’t read about it. Karen O (Yeah Yeah Yeahs) appears on several songs. Highlights are: “Convinced of the Hex,” “See the Leaves,” "I Can Be a Frog" and my personal favorite “Watching the Planets.” As engaging as these songs are, though, the album is just too long for anyone but the most devoted fans, and the gloom that engulfs nearly every song will be a turn off for a lot of people. Despite this, musically it is still very very good. The Flaming Lips are such a unique band, they can do whatever they want and not sound contrived and on Embryonic they sound very original, which is an illusion, because if you remove Wayne Coyne’s vocals (see the mostly instrumental tracks) they might sound like any old dream pop or psychedelic band. His voice lacks the relative friendliness I hear on some of their 90s and early 2000s material, contributing to the more serious sound of this album. However, very few things the band tries to do fail. They have a keen sense of what they can pull off, or maybe they can just pull off pretty much anything. They have such a distinct personality that they’re worth hearing if you even remotely like music, but all the things I appreciate about this band do not make me love them. Their music may not always speak to me too directly, but at the very least it is always very adventurous and a joy to hear when my mood demands it which is certainly not every day. LISTEN

Tracklist:

1. Convinced of the Hex 3:56
2. The Sparrow Looks Up at the Machine 4:14
3. Evil 5:38
4. Aquarius Sabotage 2:11
5. See the Leaves 4:24
6. If 2:05
7. Gemini Syringes 3:41
8. Your Bats 2:35
9. Powerless 6:57
10. The Ego's Last Stand 5:40
11. I Can Be a Frog 2:14
12. Sagittarius Silver Announcement 2:59
13. Worm Mountain 5:21
14. Scorpio Sword 2:02
15. The Impulse 4:06
16. Silver Trembling Hands 3:58
17. Virgo Self-Esteem Broadcast 3:45
18. Watching the Planets 5:16

Passion Pit - Manners (2009)

I wouldn't expect to like this as much as I do. Passion Pit are a synth-pop band from Massachussettes. The most striking thing about them are the vocals which sound like Jackson Five. I didn't like this at first, but it was recommended to me by someone I really trust, so I gave it a second shot. After about four listens, I have to admit this is pretty catchy. In fact, it's so catchy, the vocals actually start sounding alright. That airy falsetto complements these really great pop songs, somehow making the hooks really strong. The synths give this a sunny feel, and the drums add energy, making this very much a summer album with really catchy, well-written songs. LISTEN

Tracklist:
1. Make Light 4:56
2. Little Secrets 3:59
3. Moth's Wings 4:16
4. The Reeling 4:48
5. Eyes As Candles 4:08
6. Swimming in the Flood 4:59
7. Folds in Your Hands 3:39
8. To Kingdom Come 4:04
9. Sleepyhead 2:55
10. Let Your Love Grow Tall 3:32
11. Seaweed Song 4:25

LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver (2007)

Here's a fantastic album I've been a fan of for a while. I'm more a "Sound of Silver" fan than an LCD Soundsystem fan; this album is more cohesive and instantly gratifying than their debut or their "45:33" project. Highlights include "Get Innocuous," "Someone Great," and "All My Friends," but the entire album is a consistantly strong slice of electro-dance-rock that is both immediately gratifying and deeply emotional. "Get Innocuous" opens the album in style with an beat that shifts subtly over the course of the song but remaining pleasantly catchy without being overly kitsch. It serves as a nice introduction to the album, and is rhythmically engaging, as is much of the album. "Someone Great" is a more somber song, that shows a more overtly emotional side to the band. The song opens with a complex beat before chimes and ringing synths back the vocals. The vocal style appeals more to me than the more assertive declarations on tracks such as "North American Scum" and "Time to Get Away." I think restraint is a good thing here; the song's textures are brilliant and the meaning of the lyrics is less obscured by the way they're delivered. "All My Friends" is not only the best song on the album, but one of my favorites of at least the decade. Over seven minutes the song, which begins with rapid percussion and a simple keyboard tune, gains tension and intensity as it progresses. The song never loses steam, until it's over, and leaves me wishing it would go on a few more minutes. It's the album's most catchy moment, yet it has a strange alluring beauty to it, probably having to do with the way the keyboard invite you in and the great lyrics. The album's lowest point is its last track "New York I Love You..." which is an admittedly fairly truthful, depiction of New York City that nevertheless sounds like an all-too-hip love letter to the city. Musically, it strips away much of the layered electronics and gives us James Murphy and a piano, which just isn't all that interesting. LISTEN

Tracklisting

1. Get Innocuous! (7:11)
2. Time to Get Away (4:11)
3. North American Scum (5:25)
4. Someone Great (6:25)
5. All My Friends (7:37)
6. Us v Them (8:29)
7. Watch the Tapes (3:55)
8. Sound of Silver (7:07)
9. New York, I Love You but You're Bringing Me Down (5:35)

A Couple Things...

Firstly, you may notice that 3 posts on this blog do not have links. Record labels or people claiming to have to copyrights to the music have asked me to remove them. You can hear the music on the label or band's sites most likely if you really want to badly enough.

I guess I should introduce myself to folks who pass through here searching for music. My name is Max, I'm a grad student in NYC for statistics. I love music and love talking about it, and since their are some great blogs out there that have turned me on to a lot of great music, I thought it would be fun to throw my hat into the ring.

My current tastes are quite varied, but I went through many phases over the years from one where I only listened to The Beatles, to an unfortunate "frat-rock/nu metal" phase in junior high, to a pop-punk/emo phase which lasted until college where I discovered that there's a whole world out there that just doesn't get talked about enough. My need to hear more and more works from more and more styles led me to the blogosphere (hate that word) so here I am.

I'm primarily interested in music that borrows from punk and folk styles, but not all that much pure punk and folk. I'm a huge Bob Dylan fan, and my favorite band is Against Me!, but most of what I listen to would probably be called indie rock/pop by folks who are into having consise terms to classify music. I am also interested in stuff like post-punk, post-rock, electronica, and anything that sounds "rural", and to lesser extents, noise rock, heavy metal, and even some more mainstream stuff.

Anyway, thanks for stopping by and hopefully finding some stuff you like. If anyone stops here and likes what they've heard or has any suggestions for me based on what I post, feel free to let me know.

A short list of favorite bands/artists: Against Me!, Alkaline Trio, The National, Sonic Youth, The Decemberists, Bob Dylan, The Gaslight Anthem, The Smiths, Bright Eyes, Modest Mouse, The Felice Brothers, Band of Horses, Sigur Ros, Flogging Molly, and last but not least Green Day (their recent stuff has mostly sucked but their fantastic 2000 album "Warning" is still one of my favorite pop albums.)

David Bazan - Curse Your Branches (2009)

David Bazan, as vocalist for Pedro the Lion always created a mood of intense desolation. It was just something in his voice that did this, lending an even deeper emotional content to already heavy lyrical themes. His voice is deep and earnest, but doesn’t have all that much energy in it. Not that it sounds effortless, just completely devoid of any inherent positivity, which suits him well to melancholic singer/songwriter fare. This is his first solo album, and it is a bit of a downer. That said, it isn’t miserable to listen to. The first track “Hard to Be” uses a backdrop of acoustic guitar and a persistent snare beat supplemented by ringing organ and piano notes. It’s the sonic equivalent of melancholy, but not overt depression. I would liken it to being in a terrible mood during a beautiful day. That’s really how I would sum up much of this album, with a few exceptions. “When We Fell” is actually upbeat, with a chugging bass line and guitars that ring cheerfully. Backing vocals are used on this track to its benefit, breathing much more life into this song than on some of its counterparts. “In Stitches” closes the album on a sorrowful note, stripping the accompanying instruments to slow drumming and organs that churn in a rather dreary way. The album ends with a half-minute of somber piano notes giving the feeling that his disposition hasn’t changed much over the course of the album. “Bless This Mess” is one of the albums best songs, with a refrain far catchier than one might expect Bazan to be capable of. I find it difficult to explain what it is I like about this album. I do like it quite a bit, it’s just one of those cases of the whole being greater than the sum of the parts. I liked Pedro the Lion, but I don’t think any of their albums were quite as cohesive as this. It seems like this has a bit more personality to it. It’s a clearer showcase of his work, as expected, and he’s so believable it’s hard not to at least respect that. LISTEN

1. Hard to Be – 6:23
2. Bless This Mess – 3:57
3. Please Baby, Please – 3:49
4. Curse Your Branches – 3:34
5. Harmless Sparks – 2:30
6. When We Fell – 3:40
7. Lost My Shape – 3:44
8. Bearing Witness – 3:13
9. Heavy Breath – 3:19
10. In Stitches – 4:33

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart (2009)

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart’s self-titled debut came out this February. When I first heard it a few months ago I was impressed with how well it knew the basics of this style and how to use them to their fullest, as well as with their restraint. They turn in some dreamy, poppy songs, rich with hooks, and lacking the sort of endless indulgent textured sound manipulation I’ve come to expect from dream-pop groups these days. This is an album full of very catchy pop songs, that wont leave your head anytime soon. “Young Adult Friction” is one of my favorites, with its wonderful vocals and very catchy refrain of “Don’t check me out, don’t check me ou-ou-ou-out.” “Stay Alive” is another highlight with acoustic guitar under the typical chiming guitar sounds, and a very pretty chorus. Also “Contender” and “A Teenager in Love” are highlights, although the album is without a track that is significantly weaker than these. It’s a lot of pleasant, pretty guitars supplementing some very fun, well sung, songs. LISTEN

1. Contender – 2:40
2. Come Saturday – 3:17
3. Young Adult Friction – 4:07
4. This Love Is Fucking Right! – 3:15
5. The Tenure Itch – 3:45
6. Stay Alive – 4:56
7. Everything with You – 2:59
8. A Teenager in Love – 3:24
9. Hey Paul – 2:03
10. Gentle Sons – 4:32

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Higher Than the Stars [EP] (2009)

There have seemingly been millions of these dream-pop charmers releasing music over the past decade of so, seeking and capturing the hearts of legions of indie-lovers without really distinguishing themselves. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart are a different story—they’re just really good. The diversity is a strong suit because it lends a bit more identity to their work and gives incentive to revisit their work. “Higher Than the Stars” features a shimmering guitar melody that, along with the uptempo drum beat, propels the song. It would be a fine introduction to the band’s work for anyone who hasn’t heard them. “103” is a quick, poppy, tune, that keeps the alive the fun spirit of the first track. “Falling Over” features a bouncy, slightly funky, bass line and guitar part. “Twins” uses a fuzzier guitar melody and more breathy vocals than the other tracks. Then there’s a remix of “Higher Than the Stars” which is a lot of fun itself, slowing the tempo of the song and letting the beautiful female vocals and airy male vocals interact, while a subdued electronic beat draws in over the course of the song. Their debut album, released earlier this year, is also fantastic, and this EP shows that the band is good enough to be around for a while. LISTEN

1. Higher Than the Stars (3:49)

2. 103 (2:03)

3. Falling Over (3:11)

4. Twins (3:18)

5. Higher Than the Stars (Saint Ettiene Visits Lord Spank Mix) (6:47)

Muse - The Resistance (2009)

Muse is a band I find myself on the cusp of fandom of. They have a talent for playing a catchy riff and giving it a sense of tension and monumentality. Unfortunately, they also often take it a bit too far into grandiose territory, at which time is becomes quite obvious what they are aiming for. They’ve released four albums, all of which have a few songs I return to semi-regularly, and a handful of throwaways. “The Resistance” is a bit of a let down, even by my standards. Lead single “Uprising” is a very catchy number, with a hell of a riff propelling it but the problems begin after that song. “Resistance” and “Undisclosed Desires” tread into generic pop territory where both vocals and instrumentation are concerned. Despite some promising moments, such as the latter track’s vocal harmonies towards the end of the chorus, these songs are ruined a bit by that. “The United States of Eurasia” is too Queenesque, and blatantly so. At one point during the song they actually sing the lyrics “they go on and on and on,” (heard that before?) without a shred of irony. This is only the first four tracks, but the album continues in this vein as it goes on. The songs all suffer from one of two problems, being too simple-minded (Unnatural Selection, MK Ultra) or else imitating Queen (Guiding Light, I Belong to You), sometimes both within the same song. Then the last three tracks form the “Exogenesis Symphony,” which is just too much in too many ways. I don’t think it’s fair to fault Muse for what they’re trying to do. It just isn’t what I like to hear from them. I can’t say I’m disappointed, since my expectations were not all that high to start with, but I can say this is their worst album yet. I just can’t get past the flaws in order to enjoy this album. I really like a lot of the band’s singles, and some of their earlier album tracks as well, but “The Resistance” doesn’t play to their strengths. LISTEN

1. Uprising – 5:04
2. Resistance – 5:46
3. Undisclosed Desires – 3:55
4. United States of Eurasia (+ Collateral Damage) – 5:47
5. Guiding Light – 4:13
6. Unnatural Selection – 6:54
7. MK Ultra – 4:06
8. I Belong to You (+ Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix) – 5:38
9. Exogenesis: Symphony Part 1 (Overture) – 4:18
10. Exogenesis: Symphony Part 2 (Cross-Pollination) – 3:56
11. Exogenesis: Symphony Part 3 (Redemption) – 4:36

The Mae Shi - HLLLYH (2008)

I passed over this album when it came out, not being impressed until watching a clip of them performing their single "Run to Your Grave." The song, which is one of the more tuneful ones here, has a catchy melody sung by what sounds like the entire band. The whole song has an anthemic feel. The electronics that dot the album add color to it and sound like they were lifted from an old video game. The vocals and the use of electronics rescue the album from falling into a sort, it's a very exciting listen. You get the sense they're comfortable trying anything and that they can have a lot of fun with whatever they do, even when singing about holy wars. Much of the album is in the same style of "Run to Your Grave," with the exception of "Kingdom Come" an 11-minute techno remix of all the other songs on the album. Now it takes very close listening to actually hear that this song is borrowing melodies and rhythms from other songs. On first listen it might appear to be an 11-minute electronic medley, and it's a good one that somehow manages not to disrupt the flow of the album. Overall, this is quite a good album. Some songs are a bit stronger than others, but they have a really good sound and the band sounds like they play well together. My favorites are: "Lamb and the Lion," "7xx7," "Run to Your Grave," "I Get (Almost) Everything I Want," and "Divine Harvest." Unfortunately the future of the band is in question as two members left to form "Signals" and the other two plan to continue as The Mae Shi. LISTEN

1. Lamb and the Lion (2:24)
2. Pwnd (2:49)
3. Boys in the Attic (1:25)
4. 7xx7 (2:03)
5. The Melody (2:18)
6. Leech and Locust (2:45)
7. Run to Your Grave (3:53)
8. Kingdom Come (11:37)
9. I Get (Almost) Everything I Want (3:44)
10. Party Politics (2:14)
11. Young Marks (2:06)
12. Book of Numbers (1:56)
13. HLLLYH (4:56)
14. Divine Harvest (2:13)

Have a Nice Life - Deathconsciousness (2008)

Have a Nice Life’s debut album Deathconsciousness was released in 2008 and is a very intense listen. Stylistically, it borrows from a number of touchstones without losing its general feel, and its inaccessibility adds to its mystique. With vocals buried deep in the mix, attention drawing guitars and atmospherics churn about during each song creating a fascinating mood, but not completely dulling pop sensibilities that are there (see “Bloodhail”). Some tracks lean towards this noisy pop sort of territory, while others are completely offbeat, like “Hunter” which sounds like some cult chanting in a town square at noon on an overcast day. So maybe that didn’t help you in any way imagine what the song sounds like, but the sounds conjure very distinct, yet varied, images as the album progresses. There’s something captivating about the drums on “Waiting for Black Metal…”, perhaps the fact that they seem, in theory, so out of place but work so well. Sometimes it’s haunting, other times chaotic, sometimes even intimate. The album has a lot of character and is very diverse, all the while maintaining a sort of melancholy which may be the only thing that justifies naming your album Deathconsciousness. It is difficult to classify, other than with the word “dark” and often it is unclear exactly what is going on, but that adds to the fun, I think. The negative: it’s so long. At 85 minutes, the album continues well past its welcome, and while there are some artists I can listen to for an hour and a half straight, this duo is not one of them. It’s an incredible album, best taken in halves. LISTEN

1. A Quick One Before the Eternal Worm Devours Connecticut (7:53)

2. Bloodhail (5:40)

3. The Big Gloom (8:06)

4. Hunter (9:45)

5. Telephony (4:38)

6. Who Would Leave Their Son Out in the Sun (5:19)

7. There is No Food (4:00)

8. Waiting for Black Metal Records to Come in the Mail (6:17)

9. Holy Fucking Shit: 40,000 (6:29)

10. Deep, Deep (3:50)

11. The Future (5:26)

12. I Don't Love (6:13)

13. Earthmover (11:28)

Bowerbirds - Upper Air (2009)

This folk trio was cited as one of John Darnielle’s (Mountain Goats) favorite bands. Most dominant on their recordings, of which this is their second full length, is the acoustic guitar, which is so high in the mix that every strum commands a lot of attention. Aside from that, wonderful vocal harmonies can be heard throughout, notably on songs like “Teeth,” “Ghost Life,” and “Chimes.” All three members play percussion. This gives them the illusion of intimacy as apparent interconnectedness of musicians is more often an asset than not. I imagine it makes the live show interesting as well. Aside from their drummer, the band consists of a male vocalist who also plays the acoustic guitar and hi-hat cymbal, and a female vocalist ho plays the accordion and a bass drum. Obviously the album is very percussive; see the end of “Silver Clouds” for an example. You can almost tell there’s more than one drummer playing. This could potentially make for some very interesting recordings; with three separate minds playing the same instrument there’s more opportunity for diversity. I don’t know how this could play out, but it’s something to think about. The decision to divide the drums amongst three people must have been made for a reason; I wonder what it is. The accordion is a nice touch as well, lending texture to their already very intricate and dense music. The vocals, especially the male ones, are quite soulful, and the gorgeous acoustic guitar and accordion (sometimes I think I hear keys too) add to this. “Northern Lights” is an especially beautiful song.

1. House Of Diamonds (2:58)
2. Teeth (4:10)
3. Silver Clouds (4:30)
4. Beneath Your Tree (3:40)
5. Ghost Life (5:24)
6. Northern Lights (2:54)
7. Chimes (4:18)
8. Bright Future (4:01)
9. Crooked Lust (4:04)
10. This Day (3:08)

Low - I Could Live in Hope (1994)

Slowcore is a ridiculous term but is a fairly accurate way to characterize Low. They are defined by the slow tempo of their music and it's what makes their music so great, I think. The songs have a lot of room to breathe and reveal themselves as incredibly beautiful and powerfully emotive. For those unfamiliar, the music is sparse, minimalistic, and echoes throughout; everything about it is very slow and the vocals are pretty but a bit haunting. "I Could Live in Hope" is the band's first album. Their most recend album, their eighth, came out in 2007. Throughout their career, they've released consistently engaging material, some of which has proven a bit experimental--their most recent releases, especially. I don't think this is their best album, and it certainly is not my favorite, but it might be the one that best encompasses their sound and the reasons they're talked about the way they are. mediafire

1. Words (5:45)
2. Fear (2:12)
3. Cut (5:43)
4. Slide (3:46)
5. Lazy (5:35)
6. Lullaby (9:46)
7. Sea (1:45)
8. Down (7:24)
9. Drag (5:11)
10. Rope (6:11)
11. Sunshine (2:59)

The XX - The XX (2009)

Seems to reside somewhere in between The Cure and The Killers. Not a very descriptive classification, but they have that cold, airy sort of dissonance both those bands share. Some parts of the album are brooding, but it never reaches the same sort of post-punk melancholy of The Cure. “Heart Skipped a Beat” features a guitar tone borrowed straight from The Cure’s Disintegration. Other parts lean towards a danceable new wave feel but don’t necessarily get there. The album hints at moods without actually being all that clear about what it’s trying to be. It’s a poppy, accessible collection of songs, but it revels in its mid-tempo haze, which accounts for the mood. The vocals, both male and female, express desolation and insecurity, which fit well with the somber music. Faint electronics and percussion provide a backbone that lends texture to the songs but don’t really contribute much energy. Some of the songs drag on a bit and don’t have much going on (“Shelter” and “Infinity”). Overall, this is a confusing album. I am unsure how exactly to feel about it. There are a number of different things it does well, but it feels somewhat restrained. Something holds me back from loving this band, but this is quite a solid debut album from a group of kids younger than myself and significantly more talented. I have over 14,000 songs and this is the first artists whose name begins with X on my itunes. mediafire

1. Intro (2:08)
2. VCR (2:57)
3. Crystalised (3:22)
4. Islands (2:41)
5. Heart Skipped a Beat (4:02)
6. Fantasy (2:38)
7. Shelter (4:30)
8. Basic Space (3:08)
9. Infinity (5:13)
10. Night Time (3:37)
11. Stars (4:23)

Future of the Left - Travels With Myself and Another (2009)

First thing that comes to mind is they really love to be loud. The first track “Arming Eritrea” is a good example; a few seconds in the guitars and bass just go crazy while vocalist Andy Falkous howls about his frustrations towards some guy named “Rick.” It’s really very characteristic of this band. They create a catharsis that’s intense but more fun than threatening. “Chin Music” is a great example of how they often like to use their bass, louder than much else and carrying the melody, another defining characteristic, especially noticeable live. This band is very intense, but besides that, they know how to write some great melodies, which works with the aggression to create something both welcoming and powerful. “The Hope That House Built” is one of the catchiest songs of the year. I couldn’t get it out of my head for months. These guys don’t let aggression dull their creativity, which makes the music that much more meaningful. Also check out their debut album, “Curses.” mediafire

1. Arming Eritrea (2:57)
2. Chin Music (1:56)
3. The Hope That House Built (3:41)
4. Throwing Bricks at Trains (2:36)
5. I Am Civil Service (2:17)
6. Land of My Formers (2:47)
7. You Need Satan More Than He Needs You (2:46)
8. That Damned Fly (2:07)
9. Stand by Your Manatee (2:08)
10. Yin/Post-Yin (2:54)
11. Drink Nike (2:33)
12. Lapsed Catholics (4:15)