Band of Horses - Infinite Arms (2010)

I’ve been a huge fan of Band of Horses’ combination of folk and arena rock. Their guitar sound makes their best songs sound absolutely massive. Infinite Arms is somewhat different from their first two albums. It’s more towards the folky end of the spectrum, with an overall quieter sound and less atmospherics going on. The focus is clearly on the songs themselves, the hooks and melodies, instead of just creating an intense atmosphere and it works pretty well. It’s too soon to say whether this reaches the heights of the previous two albums, but it’s pretty clear this isn’t a disappointment by any means. Some songs like “Compliments,” “Laredo,” “Dilly,” and “Older” are among their catchiest.

Holy Fuck - Latin (2010)

Holy Fuck do electronic music really well. They have that whole thing down where you take a simple beat and riff, preferably a catchy one like the bass riff that propels “Red Lights,” and gradually add elements to build to song to build tension that eventually erupts as the song concludes. Drums join the bass riff, followed by warm synth notes, and then the underlying riff changes occasionally to keep the song interesting. Holy Fuck’s Latin is just filled to the brim with gripping beats, unpredictable turns, and tunefulness throughout. This album starts with a gloomy ambient track, “MD,” before it really gets going. The mood is distinctly eerie, as on “Latin America” which has an almost-industrial backdrop to a cymbal-heavy beat. One interesting thing Holy Fuck do throughout is combine contrasting sounds. On “Stay Lit,” for example, a sunny synth melody provides the backdrop for grungy guitar noise that comes and goes as the song progresses giving the song a dark, almost post-punk feel, though you cant ignore the almost blissful synthesizers. “Stilettos” is the reverse of this. The song uses a bass melody and a tribal-sounding drum beat to provide the rhythm, while the synths add brightness in spots. Latin is a compelling album because it isn’t content to just give you something to dance to; every catchy electronic melody is replaced or shifts into another equally catchy one. Also the album plays with different moods to an interesting effect. There is really no electronic album I’d rather hear at this point.

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Pianos Become the Teeth - Old Pride (2010)

“Old Pride” is a fitting name for this Baltimore band’s debut album. They’re a throwback to the days when screamo has yet to be popularized and bastardized by fashionable scenesters but was an outlet for pure anguish. Most mallcore faux-emo bands are about dyed hair and controlled (safe) bursts of aggression. They wouldn’t know true catharsis if it kicked them in the face, let alone came through their Bose speakers. Pianos Become the Teeth, true to those D.C. bands from twenty years ago, are not about pummeling your eardrums until they bleed. Often the screamed vocals are backed by beautiful, melodic guitar work. They frequently mix in mellow, atmospheric passages, which give the music added complexity. In this way, the music represents a wider range of human emotion and just feels more relevant. Sure, these songs are generally bleak, often heavy, and not all that accessible, but they are diverse despite residing within the framework of early emo. Within a given song, the mood changes and shifts, tension builds and is released, guitar melodies come and go. The percussion is intricate and the pretty guitar-based ambient parts, such as on the last half of “Young Fire” are gorgeous. These 8 songs breeze by lasting only 36 minutes, and I immediately found myself needing to relisten just because I hadn’t quite gotten enough. That said, if you don’t like heavy music, or have an aversion to screaming, this is not for you.

For their singer’s explanation of the album title and the meaning behind each of the songs, check this interview.

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The Kissaway Trail - Sleep Mountain (2010)

While listening to The Kissaway Trail, I kept thinking of The Arcade Fire and Death Cab for Cutie. The Kissaway Trail’s brand of indie rock relies on a very spaced out, atmospheric vibe. The songs tend to start slow and gradually built to a huge-sounding climax. They make heavy use of ambiance, using strings to build tension like The Arcade Fire. The record also feels very safe. It’s approachable, unchallenging, and wears its heart on its sleeve. The music is beautiful throughout, though it isn’t really distinctive. Anyone can play a pretty melody, and The Kissaway Trail do that throughout the album. The problem is that it is very clear what sort of sound they are going for, and they do not do it as well as some of their obvious peers. Additionally, at 55 minutes, the album is too long. You probably won’t remember anything ten minutes after it ends unless you spend a lot of time with this album. My favorite track is “Don’t Wake Up,” which uses a pleasant organ melody to make it stand out slightly. The drumming is the most lively component of the band, and it goes a long way to lending a sense of hugeness to these songs. The Kissaway Trail are a band worth watching, but they haven’t done anything especially noteworthy yet.

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The Gaslight Anthem - American Slang (2010)

The Gaslight Anthem surprised me. How could anyone follow such a great record as The 59 Sound? I figured they would either try too hard to rewrite that album, or else try to hard to make something different. Instead they focused on songwriting. The melodies are terrific, vocally and instrumentally. There are some really satisfying guitar melodies, such as on “Stay Lucky.” What made their last two albums especially great was the genuine conviction in Brian Fallon’s voice. He sounds like he means every word with every fiber of his being, and it’s hard not to appreciate that. Also the humble, almost folky, aesthetic made them so likable. The 59 Sound was a warm, friendly album, and so is this new one. It took a few listens to grow on me, and I don’t think it’s quite as gripping their last one but that’s probably just because they were a new, lesser-known band then. Now, with higher expectations comes a greater potential for disappointment, but after spending time with this album, there really isn’t anything I dislike. Sometimes it sounds a lot like Bruce Springsteen, but I can live with that.

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65daysofstatic - We Were Exploding Anyway (2010)

65daysofstatic's new album will probably gain them a whole lot of new fans, but also make longtime fans cringe. This album must have been very anticipated. The band waited three years to deliver this one after taking only three years to give us their first three albums. Clearly a lot has happened over this time since their sound has undergone quite a change. Their first three albums were all relatively constant in style and quality, with frantic guitars and percussion, interspersed with nice ambient passages, and electronics used to give the music a rather unique texture. The music was confusing. It often shifted between gloom and beauty, fast and slow, loud and not so loud, but it was unpredictable for those new to it. This album is similar in style, but heavy on the dance elements. It’s less frantic and not as dark. There is some post-punk grime and some rapid percussive effects, but it’s got an entirely different feel. Their debut, The Fall of Math (2004) had more in common with Nine Inch Nails than, say, Hot Chip. I don’t object strongly to their new sound. I do think what they were doing before is less common, and they did it so well, but this is a fine album.

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The National - High Violet (2010)

High Violet (2010) is too brilliant to have come from this world. Any of the adjectives I would typically use to describe music I love would fail to do this album justice.

As for the requisite comparisons to Boxer (2007), these songs are more layered, make more use of piano, and create an ambiance that's immediately darker and more melancholic. As with all their work, beneath the somber tone I hear hope in Matt Berninger's voice. This isn't just gloom; there's a real sense of life to these songs, kind of like a dark room with light spilling in through a window. The complexity of their music demands multiple listens. The more you immerse yourself in this, the more you'll gain from it.

If, for some reason, you haven't heard this band, please do. The hype machine isn't always wrong.

Discover America - Future Paths (2010)

This is the second album from a guy named Chris Staples under the moniker "Discover America." It's a pretty basic album as far as indie pop goes, dominated by the guitar which is high in the mix and somewhat versatile, shifting between thick distortion ("Devil in the Woods"), gentle strumming ("1979," "Brighton Beach") and sweet chiming melodies ("Force the Proper Wind," "A Lock of Samson's Hair"). Unfortunately the guitars are the source of pretty much all the variation on this album, as the other elements contribute relatively little of value. Staples' voice is mid-range and breathy, often lacking the emotional content one might expect when he's singing over an especially beautiful guitar melody, or else singing about his struggles (as he does often). His guitar is really the source of the record's tone. The disconnect between the vocal performance and the instrumental soundscape is palpable but doesn't totally ruin the album. These songs are generally very catchy, and at its highest points, the album is a pleasant, whistful journey through Staples' thoughts. He seems to have a penchant for country, as evidenced on songs like "1979," which would fit very comfortably alongside whatever's on the country radio charts these days if it weren't for the vocals being decidedly un-country. Many of his guitar melodies feel like they were lifted out of some old country tune as well, which isn't a bad thing. I hope, next time around, he releases something with a bit more variety, performed with more conviction.

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The Hold Steady - Heaven is Whenever (2010)

How could anyone not like drunken singalongs? Songs like this are made to be sung by anyone and everyone, preferably in unison, even by those of us with voices that don’t sound good unless you’re too inebriated to really hear it. The Hold Steady are a band made to be played at jukebox bars; their very sound conjures images of wooden, beer-stained bar tops, in the best sense possible. Vocalist Craig Finn sings in an almost slurred drawl. His voice isn’t pretty, but it contributes nicely to the vibe of the album, and isn’t so bad as to be a turn-off. The songs are all in the form of stories, telling about things that have happened without attaching any judgment or imposing any subjective values. The music alternates between thick slabs of distorted guitar, twangy country jams, or a combination of the two, throwing in some piano, rabid drumming, and even a vocal choir for good measure. Most people probably remember The Hold Steady’s massively-hyped 2006 album, Boys and Girls in America, which seemed to be universally-lauded in similar terms to those I’ve used to describe this one. In reality, while both are great albums, this one has a slightly different feel to it. After a few listens, I like this one better. The production on the new album seems a bit sloppier, though not altogether sloppy. “A Slight Discomfort” is a bit of a departure, it’s a slow dirge with animated percussion, strings, and a haunting piano melody. The song progresses towards a monumental climax of strings, chiming keys, and rolling percussions; if this album is bar-rock (which probably isn’t a real thing), then this song is analogous to the hazy walk home at closing time. I don’t think they’ve written a more affecting song than “We Can Get Together,” which is a charming tribute to (as near as I can tell) a dead musician. Stylistically, the band hasn’t changed much over the years; if anything, they are just willing to branch out a bit more these days. This is a wonderful thing as they have kept what makes them an interesting band, and have made a conscious decision not to be complacent but not to completely abandon who they are. Heaven is Whenever is definitely a good move for The Hold Steady. If there’s a low(ish) point, it’s “Hurricane J” which reminds me very much of Fountains of Wayne. The highs are far more numerous than the lows, though, and the overall aesthetic is just unabashedly fun; this is an album that should not be missed unless you’ve already decided you hate the band. The Hold Steady’s greatest asset is the fun factor, but I don’t throw that term around as an excuse for liking a mediocre band. The Hold Steady have absolutely mastered their craft, producing a work of art, and it’s such a friendly, inviting, and absolutely relevant record.

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Broken Social Scene - Forgiveness Rock Record (2010)

Broken Social Scene make really good use of their many band members. All the elements working together nicely, to create some grand soundscapes that never really sound suffocated. Their songwriting skill is undeniable; they really know how to make their songs work with all the elements thrown in. Every guitar note, flourish of strings, vocal harmony, or what have you, is pretty much perfectly placed. That is not to say that Broken Social Scene is among the best bands out there, or that Forgiveness Rock Record is among my favorite new albums (it’s not). It’s just that given the sound and style they’ve chosen, I cannot imagine how a band could make better music within their chosen aesthetic. What makes them especially good is that seemingly every song has some melody or verse that just sticks. Usually these infectious parts are rather subdued, and wont jump out at you, but once you take notice it’s hard to forget them.

I’ve heard that they tend to be rather pretentious during live shows, and that has turned me off to the band somewhat. Their last album, 2005’s self-titled, was outstanding but I almost never listen to it. It’s unfair to judge a band based on hearsay relating to the members’ personalities, but I tend to gravitate towards music I find somehow inviting, either in mood or the emotions conveyed. Broken Social Scene’s music really requires a lot of attention; without a close listen it might just glide by, pleasantly, but without leaving the mark it is capable of leaving. If you do take the time to listen to every song on that record, you’ll find that they really force a lot of beautiful sounds into relatively small spaces and wind up with very catchy, though somewhat challenging songs. They’re challenging because they’re often absolutely infectious, but rarely appear so on the first listen. Give it some time. I was especially drawn to Emily Haines’ (from Metric) vocals on tracks like “All to All” and “Sentimental X’s.” These songs feel like short breaks in the album where the pacing is slowed down, and as such, they stand out. Haines commands so much attention and she has a beautiful voice. Broken Social Scene has always been strong vocally, and that trend continues here. The band members inject a lot of urgency into their voices, which I like. There are so many gems here, like the frantic sing-along verses of “Chase Scene,” the upbeat, poppy “Texaco Bitches,” the mellow, soothing “Highway Slipper Jam” (complete with whistling and a steel guitar), and my personal favorite, the slow, hypnotic “Sweetest Kill.” Broken Social Scene do indie rock the right way. Their music is rich in emotion, melody, and is competently arranged. Very few bands sound like them, and their back catalog, as well as this new record, should not be missed.

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