Just over a year ago, Animal Collective released an album that I noted was “a great balance between art and pop,” a trend that continued thoughout 2009, the year that experimental indie bands began to embrace pop sentiments and make amazing albums. Without missing a beat, Yeasayer gives their own brilliant take on experimental and… Continue reading Yeasayer brilliantly balances pop and experimental on Odd Blood
Category: New Albums
Massive Attack is inconsistent, but ultimately gratifying, on Heligoland
2010 is the year of the archipelago, it seems. Having already mentioned Shearwater’s upcoming The Golden Archipelago quite a few times, we can now dive into Massive Attack’s Heligoland, named after the German archipelago in the North Sea. What is it about archipelagos that makes us want to associate them with music? I suppose the… Continue reading Massive Attack is inconsistent, but ultimately gratifying, on Heligoland
Hot Chip gets serious, evolves on One Life Stand
Hey remember Hot Chip, that quirky electro dance band that always keeps it silly and fun? Well let me introduce you to Hot Chip, that quirky sometimes quirky electro dance electro dance-influenced indie band that always keeps it silly and fun sometimes keeps it silly and fun but suffers from heartbreak, just like the rest of… Continue reading Hot Chip gets serious, evolves on One Life Stand
Marching Band to follow up spectacular debut album, Spark Large, with Pop Cycle
Best news of the week day past hour! Marching Band, those Swedish wunderkinds, are back! The duo is set to release a sophomore LP entitled Pop Cycle in May 2010 on U & L Records. Pop Cycle is said to be slightly darker than Spark Large, which has to be expected, considering Spark Large had… Continue reading Marching Band to follow up spectacular debut album, Spark Large, with Pop Cycle
Josh Ritter to release new album, So Runs the World Away
Yay! One of the most awesomest songwriters you may or may not have heard of, Josh Ritter, has just announced his sixth album, So Runs the World Away, will be released on May 4th in the U.S. This will be his first since 2007’s The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter, and it will also be… Continue reading Josh Ritter to release new album, So Runs the World Away
U.S. Girls plays off impulses, raw emotion on Go Grey
If 2008 was the year for lo-fi and 2009 was the year for thoughtful experimentation (not necessarily so, but), perhaps 2010 will be the year for thoughtful lo-fi experimentation. Perhaps. Or perhaps it will just be the year that U.S. Girls came onto the scene with a wonderfully lo-fi experimental album that fuses basic tribal… Continue reading U.S. Girls plays off impulses, raw emotion on Go Grey
[MP3] Her Magic Wand: “Mistakes”
Nothing like some dreamy pop to start your no longer dreamy day off, am I right? Her Magic Wand, a one-man project out of Paris, France, is equal parts smooth and sugary, with a pinch of a darker undertone. This is some mighty fine electronic pop – reminiscent of Letting Up Despite Great Faults, but… Continue reading [MP3] Her Magic Wand: “Mistakes”
Why wasn’t Malachai’s Ugly Side Of Love released here ages ago??
Ok, somebody please explain to me how this whole album releases in the U.S./UK thing works, because I’m LOST (no appropriately timed pun intended). Bristol band Malachai released their debut full-length, Ugly Side Of Love, last year in the UK, but it didn’t make it across the Atlantic until this week. What’s the deal? Is… Continue reading Why wasn’t Malachai’s Ugly Side Of Love released here ages ago??
Hands gears up for release of “Hold”, provides new, instrumental MP3 “Tonight”
So, that happened quickly. Remember when I profiled L.A. duo Hands a couple months ago and said “watch for big things soon”? Well, uh, I wasn’t expecting this soon. They’re on top of several playlists, notably with their glorious single “Hold”, which will be released in physical format February 26 on German label Headphonica. “Hold”… Continue reading Hands gears up for release of “Hold”, provides new, instrumental MP3 “Tonight”
Midlake is pretty much pretty great on The Courage of Others
Midlake is a lot like a musical chimera. But not in a bad way; it’s more of a badass chimera, like one you’d fight in Final Fantasy X (shut up). I say that because the base of the music is generally acoustic, and a lot of “folk” generalizations can be made about the band. But… Continue reading Midlake is pretty much pretty great on The Courage of Others