by: matt
Oh No No-Eggs [Friendly Fire Recordings]
Pretty friendly indie-pop which reflects 60s pop in a similar way as Apples In Stereo but also has more large orchestral pop complex ones too, so I can't really paint this one with a fat brush or anything. I'd say those two influences are the frame of the painting, but inside are psych, folk, electronica, and just kooky (in the Devo sort of way) influences. Lots of effort put into this one. The third track reminds me of the Bill Nye's old tv show, or the song the tri-Lambdas perform in Revenge of the Nerds.
Woodpidgeon-Die Stadt Muzikanten [Boompa]
Orchestral folk-pop of the rather delicate but big variety. Like a really
big fantasy animal that still keeps up a high cuteness ratio, right? A little bit Sufjan Stevens influenced, a little Camera Obscura influenced. Or if you don't get that comparison, stick with the big cute animal description, but stick that in the woods now for the folk influence part of Woodpidgeon.
Bear Claw-One Sider Promo Copy [Monofonus]
The earnest-type of minimalism: not slow and space-y, just a straight forward recording without extra instruments outside what is necessary. Acoustic guitar, bass, drums, and what sounds like a melodica each doing their respective business equally to make full songs. No silly extra xylophone just in the chorus, you know what I mean? But besides that, pretty intimate stuff with catchy melodies. Sounds like the Marine Girls or Pastels with the production style of Beat Happening.
Disco Doom-Green Exciter EP [Ikarus]
This little EP sort of took me by surprise. For the first 30 seconds you may just think this is a mere pop-rock album, but soon you realize those hook-y guitar leads that are kind of unique and sound SICK. Its like they are somehow rooted in drone/psych, but only if you try to think about it for too long. My Bloody Valentine/Ride style power-pop sensibilities influenced with guitar leads that are a mix of Sonic Youth and Dinosaur Jr... Basically a great mix of something rocking and curious-ing and something blissful-ing. Only three tracks, but they get progressively larger in scope.
Asobi Seksu-Rewolf [Polyvinly]
Asobi Seksu, but now going for blissful dream sounds acoustically :o!
60 Watt Kid-Welcome From the Bright Side [Absolutely Kosher
Cool experimental psych group! Fun rambling style lyrics, lots of clean and twinkly guitar work with delay, generally energetic, melodic and fun.
Retribution Gospel Choir-2 [Subpop]
Whoa-oh, a band featuring Low's Alan Sparhawk. Someone's gotta be interested. Not that its much slow-core influenced much outside of a few parts that you know, aren't fast-tempo'd. The first track is definitely the most catchy, while the others get a little more "rock n roll" as some would say.
Tan Dollar-Your Body As A Temple [Life's Blood]
Double synth duo+drummer making reverb-y pop stuff. This trio of local youths hit a certain ethereal spacey-ness, but do it fast enough so you can keep a head-bob going on which is a pretty sweet balance to have in an album. I mean, I guess you could stop head-bobbing and sway instead if you want to this too. Also just has the right amount of raw production too.
The Endless Bummer- Modern American Calypsos for Voice and Computer [Life's Blood]
The album title pretty much says it all, a man and a computer with compositional algorithms spittin' calypso. Endearing in its delivery, a neat little thing to spin. Plus, there's two versions of each track! There is an "underwater" version of the tracks, if you know what I mean.
Editors- In This Light and On This Evening [Kitchenware/Fader]
Synth-heavy dudes from the UK playin' some pretty 80s synthpop/goth influenced business. Accurate RIYL: Interpol, Joy Division, more keyboards. Play this with the recent new releases at KUCI, Blessure Grave, Blue Jungle and Piano Magic, for your instant goth-revival music block.
My Majestic Star-I haven't got it in me [Hidden Shoal]
Mellow dreamy stuff outta Australia. Really layered ethereal rock tracks, more recognizably textured, as opposed to heavy indecipherable wall of sound-type (not that there's anything wrong with that approach!) of shoegaze influenced album. But don't get me wrong, this ain't just another shoegaze album, this is fantastically put together album. This group knows how to play off each other and you can tell, great melodies all around. I'm surprisingly partial to the purely instrumental tracks too I gotta say.
VINYL ADDS
Blessure Grave-Learn To Love the Rope [Captured Tracks]
Blessure Grave- Making Death Beds for Teenage Vampires
Blessure Grave-Blessure Grave [Holiday Records]
This duo is putting out a lot of stuff! Anyway, the first one is a 12", and the bottom two are 7"s. But enough technicalities, fronted by a boy-girl duo backed with various members through different releases, Blessure Grave puts out some quality goth-influenced rock. I know that there's been a lot of groups coming out with the "goth" tag lately, but I'd put BG a grade above mindless retro-worship. These are all pretty good, even though I'm probably most down with the self-titled 7" (Cramps cover!), I might recommend "Learn to Love the Rope" if you ain't got the time to listen to all three.
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