by: Tan Doan
The Books - The Way Out (Temporary Residence)
The Books continue to piece together minimalist sound collages for your listening pleasure. Sometimes its reversed vocal samples, sometimes its horns and chimes, organs, hi- hats, and sometimes some simply plucked guitars. Almost always it is beautiful.
Lost In The Trees - All Alone in An Empty House (Anti)
Awesome folk-pop, acoustic singer song writer stuff from Chapel Hill. If you like The Mountain Goats, Okkervil River, or similar artists, but with better vocals, check this one out.
VA - Third Man Records Comp Vol 1 (Third Man)
Third Man Records is run by Jack White, of The White Stripes, The Racontours, and The Dead Weather. With that in mind, imagine a comp put out that was produced entirely buy Jack White and you have this Third Man Comp right here. Generally, the music is raw and powerful with an old bluesy rock bent, but there?s a piano piece in track 4 if you want it. It?s all pretty good, but stay away from the Dead Weather and Jack White tracks unless you want somebody to send you a scathing B-play email.
The Angry Orts ? ST (Self Relased)
Frontwoman Sarah Hernandez sure can belt out some powerful vocals over whatever the rest of The Angry Orts play. Sometimes it?s dancey punk, such as their lead off track, and sometimes they slow down. While comparisons to Sleater Kinney and Pretty Girls Make Graves are not entirely accurate, (hell, bodyblood (tr 6) makes me think of Neko Case) they put the band in good company.
Paper Tiger - Made Like Us (Doomtree)
Paper Tiger has released a fine, mostly instrumental hip hop album. If you liked Dessa?s last album, his production was on a lot of it, and Dessa joins Paper Tiger on a pair of tracks here as well. Goes great with the latest Blockhead album (if you want to stay in the genre), or anything chill.
Vanish Valley ? ST (Self Released)
Vanish Valley have released a good more folky than country album that?ll feel right at home in between some M.Ward and Matt Pond PA. Between Clem Snide and the Silver Jews. Between your band and your friends band.
Wavves - King of the Beach (Fat Possum)
Summer must be here if I added The Drums last week, and Wavves tonight. Then again, since Wavves hail from San Diego, the beach theme isn?t a surprise. Take a 60?s guitar pop album, and make it a little more raw, and a little more punk, and you get this album.
Mahjongg - The Long Shadow of the Paper Tiger (K Records)
Take a bunch of crazy electronics and drums, and throw in a bunch of keys and guitars to build the ?wall of sound? up and you have the beginnings of a Mahjongg album. Rhythmically, The Long Shadow of the Paper Tiger is just a tad bit off on purpose, to make you really work on the dance floor.
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