by: Paul McEldowney
Beach House - Bloom – (Sub Pop)
Possibly the most controversial band at KUCI. Inspiring equal parts disdain and praise, boredom to enlightenment, Beach House leaves you anywhere except on the fence. Recently I watched Miranda July's 2011 movie, The Future, and I can't remember if I've referenced it in a blurb yet. There's a scene where July's character cocoons and contorts herself into her t-shirt as a cathartic release, because of that accrued overall frustration that everyone bottles up. I don't think I'm giving too much away when I say that a Beach House song is playing. I became a fan of Beach House (again), a born again beach loving trust fund baby. As an beachvangelical, I can say that there's something secure and familiar when listening to Beach House. At the same time, there's room for flexibility. There's room for extreme contempt, but whatever, it'll always be there for you. Also, just feel the album cover. The texture is pretty cool.
OFF! - OFF! – (Vice)
Debut LP from hardcore punk super group OFF! If you don't know, OFF! features members of Red Cross (pre-shitty-redd-kross), and ex-Circle Jerks/Black Flag singer Keith Morris, probably the only white dude that looks good with dred locks. They shred it hard with 16 new no-nonsense classic face-melters that span for less that 16 minutes and makes you want to watch old punk videos on Youtube so that you can learn how to impress the pit. If the album were any longer contemporary society would just cripple. Thanks for not destroying society, OFF!
Light Asylum - Light Asylum – (Mexican Summer)
All-black dance danse macabre industrial revolution electro strobe-pop. Throbbing witchcraft party with light as a feather asylum, stiff as a board ethos.
Allo Darlin' - Europe – (Slumberland)
Following their debut, cutest band on the block re-greet you with charm that reminds you why you feel in love with their transatlantic mystique in first place. According to Sianne Ngai, 'cuteness' is a way of aestheticizing powerlessness, and its true because you'll fall on your knees listening to their masochistic brand of heart melting indie pop.
Evans The Death - Evans The Death – (Slumberland)
Hear ye, hear ye thy lordship Evans The Death hath brought unto us great delight in the form of hazy upbeat shoegazy indie pop with the bluest hair in the world.
PS I Love You - Death Dreams – (Paper Bag)
Super duo sentimental and emotive celestial always out of breath wall of sound layers upon layers post-punky indie rock.
Kindness - World, You Need A Change Of Mind – (Casablanca)
Conceptually polite 4/4 4ever dancing in your dreams anti-party rock getting low electropop. It gets super slow and R&B when you least expect it.
Birthmark - Antibodies – (Polyvinyl)
Orchestral beautiful minimal loop heavy proto-hip-hop beats mellowed out folk pop with almost schitzophrenic self-conversations on each song.
Cheap Time - Wallpaper Music – (In The Red)
Snotty everything burning down the house garagey hit after hit. Lot of warbles and anti-melody vocal groans that make my knees weak.
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