by: Lily C and Tan D
Gifts From Enola ? ST (Mylene Sheath)
I was floored last summer when I went to see my friends open for Gifts From Enola. Being a big fan of shoegaze, I was curious when I watched the band setup and every member (except for the drummer) had a Line 6 Delay pedal. In fact, a couple of them had 2, which surely makes up for the one the drummer didn?t have. They put together the best post-rock set I?d ever seen. This time around, they?ve cut back on the effects, and focused on heavier instrumentation, and even threw in some vocals on track 2, which is a great track to start on, since it?s only 6min long. But if you have the time, play it all.
Lake Heartbeat - Trust In Numbers (Service)
Trust In Numbers is super lush (both vocally and instrumentally) and very good. Imagine Phoenix lending their skills to M83.
Judgement Day - Peacocks / Pink Monsters (Self Release)
Cue bad joke: A violinist, cellist, and (an awesome double bass metal) drummer decide to make a band. What do you get? Judgement Day. This is some face melting metal, done with classical instruments run through various pedals over very intense drumming. This ain?t no Dirty Three.
Blue Sky Black Death - Third Party (Fake Four)
Third Party is a lush electronic album, and the RIYL M83 is very accurate. I would also toss in Schneider TM and The Notwist as well. At times, it tends to head into darker (and sometimes heavy (bassy?) like track 7) , 80s pop territory, and makes it definitely a night time album. Personally, I tend towards the obvious ?happier? tracks, such as 2 and 5, but it?s all worth listening to.
Land of Talk - Cloak and Cipher (Saddle Creek)
When I hear songs like Swift Coin (4) I am reminded of how textured a band can be with just three members. Ellizabeth Powell constantly cranks away on her guitar while filling the the rest of the available space with her Canadian Drawl.
Someone Still Loves You Borris Yeltsin - Let It Sway (Polyvinyl)
Solid ?indie-pop.?
Beak> - Recordings 05/01/09 > 17/01/09 (Ipecac)
Beak> features a member of Portishead, which I guess is enough to call it a side project. If you?re into kraut-rock, this is probably an album for you.
Ami Saraiya ? Archaeologist (Self Release)
Ami is a talented artist with a strong voice and great range. The instrumentation is interesting and varied as well. Somebody should take the time out to tell me if the lyrics are any good.
Eliza Rickman - Gild The Lily (Self Released)
From the album cover and name, I expected this CD to be very ?elfish,? whatever that really means. She?s got a really good voice, but the two octave piano that is her main instrument quickly becomes grating. I?d really like to see what she can do with better instrumentation.
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