by: Tan Doan
Eagle and Talon - In Manila (BI/AKKA)
Eagle and Talon are a female, LA based art/rock duo. They heavily use synths and guitars (along with some samples) for texture and sing over the result. The first track is instrumental.
Sleepover - The Sun EP (Circuitree)
On this record, I feel Miranda Rae is best described as a crooner, and croon she does over some really great music. This album is pretty thick with sounds, and I feel to really appreciate it, it needs to be listened to in large chunks. It is definitely hypnotizing and ethereal.
The Posies - Blood / Candy (Rykodisc)
Blood / Candy is the Posies first release in 5 years. They are a ?power pop? band from Washington. Lots of vocal harmonies, and the instrumentation can get pretty complex.
Nihiti - Other people?s Memories (Lo Bit Landscapes)
This album is dark and heavy, but not quite as into the land of industrial soundscapes. Lots of low and heavy basslines. Sometimes the basslines are offset with a simple piano melody, but more often than not the piano itself is use for dissonance. The guitar as well. Most of the album is instrumental. Definitely night time music. 4 has vocals with legit lyrics. 7 the vocals are instruments.
Jonathan Richman - O Moon, Queen of Night on Earth (Vapor)
Another personal record from Jonathan. If you are unfamiliar with his later work, it is mainly him singing while strumming simple rhythms on an acoustic guitar. His longtime collaborator Tommy Larkins is on the drums. Jonathan?s songs are typically short, personal, honest, full of charm.
Freebass - It?s A Beautiful Life (24 Hour Service Station)
I guess this is officially a supergroup. Members include Peter Hook (New Order/Joy Division), Mani Mounfield (Stone Roses, Primal Scream), and Andy Rourke (The Smiths). Singer Gary Briggs has one of those classic rock and roll kind of vocals, and the album is as good as an album with three legendary rock bass players can get.
ArinMaya - The Sound of Arinmaya (S/R)
ArinMay is a great, great singer. Her vocal style is kind of bluesy, and kind of jazzy. The instrumentation is simple most of the time, so there just to accompany her singing. Sometimes its just an instrument, like a piano, or guitar, and sometimes it goes trip hoppy
The Black Ryder - Buy The Ticket, Take The Ride (Mexican Summer)
I immediately think of My Bloody Valentine?s Soon when the CD starts. Just the way the guitar chords are pounded out. Classic shoegaze sound.
Tamaryn - The Waves (Mexican Summer)
SF based shoegaze duo. Female fronted. Lush and bass heavy.
No Joy - Ghost Blonde (Mexican Summer)
Female fronted fuzzy noise pop. Definitely falls into the shoegaze category, with the vocals being in the background, and the texture in front.
Lonnie Walker - These Times Old Times (Diggup Tapes)
First off, Lonnie Walker is a band, not a person. Now with that out of the way, they make twangy roots rock. Kind of alt-countryish, with a little bit of blues.
Tristeza - Paisajes
Post rock. The basslines tend to be a little krauty, or afro-funky. The rest of the instruments that make up the melody are sometimes jammy, and sometimes trancey and repetitive, in a psych kind of way.
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