8/13/05: I'm planning some updates and changes to this section in the relatively near future- probably some actual record reviews, a "Least Recommended Listening" page, and maybe some other fun things. In the meantime, you can check out my Last.fm/AudioScrobbler page to see what I'm listening to at this very moment. Enjoy!
The Album Leaf- In a Safe Place
This gorgeous, cinematic record was recorded with the aid of Sigur Ros at their studio in Iceland. Think Sigur Ros meets Dntel and you have a good idea of what it sounds like. For the band-reference-comparison-challenged, this is an album full of subdued clicks and beeps, sweeping melodies, and beautiful, wistful melancholy.
Aloha- Here Comes Everyone
Aloha have been stuck with the post-rock moniker, something that their unconventional arrangements, improvisation-friendly tunes, and avid use of marimba would seem to indicate is fitting. In reality, though, they're just a really strong, jazzy pop band, and this shines through on Here Comes Everyone. If you wish Denali had been less emo, or Tortoise were more interesting, you'll like Aloha.
American Analog Set- Know By Heart
American Analog Set have found a signature sound and stuck with it for something like four or five records now. Subtle, subdued slowcore with delicate melodies and a hushed, velvety atmosphere, this is the ultimate in intimate, chilled-out indie rock. All of their records are equally solid, but Know By Heart stands a head above the rest- it's packed with songs that would be standout singles from anyone else, but are simply AmAnSet at the top of their game. Did I mention that their keyboard player is a fan of QC? Super bonus points for them!
The Arcade Fire- Funeral
There simply aren't enough positive adjectives to describe this album, or the Arcade Fire in general. Bombastic, anthemic, fiercely emotional (and yet not emo in the slightest), this is a seriously intense and ecstatic record celebrating the joys and sorrows of life and death. Imagine the Talking Heads merged with Hot Hot Heat and a healthy dose of incredible songwriting and you have a good idea of the sound. I am proud to say that I was saying these guys would be the Next Big Thing long before Pitchfork or any of the other big pundits were singing their praises- praises they justly deserve. The best album of 2004? Quite possibly.
Architecture in Helsinki- Fingers Crossed
8 adorable Australians playing a children's crusade worth of instruments, all dedicated to some of the sweetest, catchiest pop you're likely to hear anytime soon. Twee without being twee, spazzy without being self-consciously so, and a lot of fun to listen to. Their new record is even better, from first listen (it's actually playing as I write this) but Fingers Crossed is definitely the place to start with this band.
The Avalanches- Since I Left You
Crazed sample-happy funk from down under. Imagine if Motown and old-skool hip hop met up with some skanky Detroit techno under a bridge and you have a good idea of what this sounds like. This has been out for a few years, but it's an essential buy for anyone interested in sexy, danceable electronic music.
Blood Brothers- Burn, Piano Island, Burn
Completely fucking INSANE post-hardcore. Throw William S. Burroughs into a blender with an enraged wolverine and this is what it would sound like. The most astounding thing about this album, other than how goddamned LOUD it is, are the incredibly catchy melodies hidden beneath all the screaming and broken-glass guitars. Not for the faint of heart.
The Books- Lost and Safe
The new Books album isn't so much a departure from their established sound as an extension in a more song-oriented direction. Vocals are much more prominent on this album, and the duo is beginning to explore some fascinating percussion work that equally recalls Paul Simon's afro-beat stuff and the glitched out electronic music from which they were born. Fun stuff.
The Books- The Lemon of Pink
Cut and paste acoustic guitar and cellos meet the most inventive, unique, and sometimes humorous found-sound manipulations ever to produce an album full of totally unique pop music. There's nothing else out there that sounds like the Books, and I can virtually guarantee that everyone will like this record.
Broken Social Scene- You Forgot It in People
This was my favorite album of 2003, and possibly the only true indie-rock masterpiece of the last couple years. There is not a single bad song on this album, from the joyous rock of "Almost Crimes" to the pensive "Anthems for a 17-Year-Old Girl" to the FUCKING AWESOME HAND CLAPS of "Stars and Sons". I get more "thank you for introducing me to this band!" emails about this record than anything else in my collection.
The Decemberists- Picaresque
This record is a perfect distillation of the pop craftsmanship of Castaways and Cutouts and Colin Meloy's expository meanderings on Her Majesty. The Decembrists have found a blissful harmony between the bedraggled sea chanteys ("Mariner's Revenge Song") and chiming pop gems ("The Engine Driver") that put them on the map. This one is going to do well on everyone's end-of-year lists, I can guarantee it.
The Decemberists- Castaways and Cutouts
The Decemberists are often described as the spiritual descendents of Neutral Milk Hotel, but that's really neither here nor there (unless you're a big NMH fan). What really makes them such a wonderful band is the strength of their songwriting and the lyrical wit of their singer, Colin Meloy. In his signature semi-nasal drawl, he sings about pirates and prostitutes, sailors and stillborn children, to name just a few subjects. It's fair to say that if you enjoy indie rock or traditional pop music, you will enjoy this record. While it's not their most recent release, it's the perfect jumping-off point for the rest of their catalog. Start here, and explore to your heart's content.
Do Make Say Think- Winter Hymn, Country Hymn, Secret Hymn
Imagine if Tortoise weren't a boring exercise in musical academia. Imagine if a modern jazz band weren't afraid to rock out a little bit. Now combine both bands, add a second drummer, and you have Canadian post-rockers Do Make Say Think. Part of the same collective of musicians that has produced Broken Social Scene and Stars, DMST play a sexy mix of jazz, twangy Americana-inflected rock, and digitally-manipulated Tortoise-style postrock that is truly a pleasure to listen to. This record is divided into three sections (as indicated by the title) but works just as cohesively as a whole, and is a must-own for anyone who enjoys post-rock or instrumental rock in general.
Ellen Allien- Berlinette
I'm not much of a fan of techno or house music, but this record is ridiculously addictive. It sounds like a sexy German robot assassin, strutting down the street just laying waste to dudes. Glitched-up vocals are for yes.
Enon- High Society
Ex-Brainiac member goes on to form new spaz-rock/indie-pop/electro band, releases one of my favorite albums ever. It plays more like a really good mix tape than a cohesive record, but that works to the band's advantage as each song has its own distinct identity.
Faraquet- The View From This Tower
This is a recent discovery of mine, and it has seen more play on my iPod in the last two weeks than any other CD I own. Crazy math-rock guitars meet superb, Karate-esque vocal parts to create a band that sounds like the bastard child Don Caballero and Shiner never had. This is a record for guitar nerds and melody addicts alike.
The Fiery Furnaces- Blueberry Boat
This record is fucking overwhelming. Imagine six Pete Townshend concept albums packed into 74 minutes and you begin to get an idea of just how dense this album really is. From the opening, epic "Quay Cur" to the adorably infectious "Birdy Brain", Blueberry Boat is a triumph of songwriting and raw compositional power. These guys make the Flaming Lips sound like the Ramones in comparison.
The Futureheads- The Futureheads
Insane, four-part vocal harmonies layered over wiry (even Wire-y, heh heh boy am I ever witty) post-punk guitars. Ridiculously catchy melodies, usually six or seven packed into two and a half minutes. A brilliant, concise record that you simply have to hear to appreciate. This one's going to score high on my Best of 2004 list.
Iron & Wine- Woman King EP
Holy crap, Sam Beam can get heavy when he wants to! This EP extends the full-band arrangements already hinted at on Our Endless Numbered Days and transforms Beam's works from lilting new-folk into propulsive, churning tunes that I'd call "rock" if I felt the term did them justice. And let's not forget "Jezebel", one of the finest songs beam has yet written. Excellent stuff.
Iron & Wine- Our Endless Numbered Days
Sam Beam writes the happiest songs about dying I've ever heard. Intimate folk melodies occasionally fleshed out by a full band, hazy songs about love and death and religion. This is a record for people like me, who had previously thought that folk music was boring.
Isis- Oceanic
"HOLY SHIT! What the fuck is up with the singer of this band?! He sounds like an angry bear!" I'm pretty sure that is most people's reaction when they first hear Isis. Then once they get over the initial shock of those raw-throated bellows, they stand transfixed by the monolithic rock power of the band. It's metal, all right, but intelligent metal, informed as much by orchestral bands like Godspeed You! Black Emperor as Slayer or the Melvins. This is probably my favorite metal record ever.
LCD Soundsystem- LCD Soundsystem
James Murphy, one half of the well-renowned indie production duo DFA, has put out a record that pays gleeful homage to his influences while breaking new ground of its own. From pumping house tunes like "Yeah (Pretentious Mix)" to Beatles-inflected pop ("Never As Tired As When I'm Waking Up"), this record is a self-contained party in disc form. And seriously, "Losing My Edge" is the best send-up of hipster culture since High Fidelity.
Manitoba- Up In Flames
Swirling, psychedelic electronic music equally reminiscent of Dntel and My Bloody Valentine. Not too much else to say about this one, really, except that it's very, very good.
M83- Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts
M83 in five words: My Bloody Valentine with synthesizers. That description really sells this French duo short, however- M83 have taken their shoegazer influences and constructed a tremendously inviting, deeply-layered record that is both a love letter to Loveless and a forward-looking composition at the same time. Out: Staring at your Chuck Taylors over a Fender Jazzmaster. In: Staring at your Chuck Taylors over a vintage Moog synth.
McLusky- McLusky Do Dallas
Few bands inject as much bile, black humor, and rock power into their songs as Welsh trio McLusky. Alternately bitter, absurdist, and beer-soaked lyrics over furious punk-inflected rock that will have you flailing about like a drunken Welshman within seconds.
Menomena- I Am the Fun Blame Monster
Creepy, morose electronic pop music with a sound all its own. Menomena use custom software to automatically generate some of their songwork, and this technology has led to some truly unique moments throughout the course of the record.
Modest Mouse- Good News for People who Love Bad News
Man, what a divisive record this is. For some people, it was Modest Mouse's "sellout" record. For others, it was their most accessible, yet most lackluster work. For still others, it was more proof as to why Modest Mouse sucked and Isaac Brock was an asshole. Me? I just think it's wonderful indie-rock.
Modest Mouse- The Moon & Antarctica
Pretty much universally acclaimed as the band's masterpiece, this album is alternatingly claustrophobic, morbid, hopeless, angry, and high on god knows how many drugs. How the hell did they turn all this into such a breathtaking indie rock record? Damned if I know.
Mogwai- Young Team
Mogwai are Marten's favorite band (and one of mine as well). Alternately epic and utterly desolate, their music goes from massive, celestical crescendos to mournful stargazing within the blink of an eye (provided you blink your eyes for eight minutes at a time). This, their first album, is probably the best entry-point to their oevure. Start here, then buy Happy Songs for Happy People, then buy EP+2, and you'll be all set.
Namelessnumberheadman play an almost indescribable blend of Flaming-Lips style pop music and electrified rock music a la National Skyline or the Notwist. This is a warm, intimate record full of muffled loops, soaring vocal melodies, and more weird clicks and beeps going on in the background than you can shake a stick at. Did I mention it has slide guitars in one song? I can't get enough slide guitar.
The Notwist- Neon Golden
This record could be fairly described as the first definitive statement from the burgeoning lap-pop genre- a suite of wonderful pop songs enhanced by clicks, cuts, and beeps. This is a must-own record for fans of indie pop, and still stands as one of the most impressive lap-pop releases in existence.
Opeth- Blackwater Park
I'll come right out and say it- this is the best guitar album ever written. Opeth play melodic death metal and they do it better than pretty much any other band out there. This album veers from brutal, dissonant shred-metal to proggy acoustic passages to anthemic rock progressions, usually all within the space of a single song. If you like (or can at least get used to) the Scary Demon Vocals, this is a masterpiece of an album.
Plus/Minus (+/-)- Self-Titled Long-Playing Debut Album
Plus/Minus are one of those wonderful bands like The Notwist and Ms. John Soda who have taken their laptops and their guitars and blended them together in a fascinating synthesis of electronic music and pop. These guys lack the polished, European sheen of The Notwist, instead borrowing from the Guided By Voices handbook to forge some serious indie-rock muscle into their work. All of these guys' stuff is good, but this is the record to start out with. I hear they're phenomenal live, too.
Polysics- Neu!
Polysics are the best punk rock in the world right now. Which is saying something because they're not really punk- they sound much closer to the spaz-rock stylings of Brainiac and Enon than, say, Bad Religion. Basically Polysics are a bunch of Japanese dudes and ladies who dress up in Devo costumes and then play the most absurdly hard-rocking music you can imagine- think John Spencer Blues Explosion on meth and you know what I'm talking about. And then they end the album with an amazing synthpop song! YES!
The Postal Service- Give Up
Pardon me while I get something off my chest- I really can't stand Ben Gibbard. The singer of used-to-be-slowcore-but-now-they're-emo Death Cab For Cutie and The Postal Service, his mincing, oh-look-how-clever-I-am lyrics grate on my nerves like few other singers can manage. That being said, the songs on this album are just so Goddamned good that I can't help but love it. Backed by the brilliant compositions of Jimmy Tamborillo (aka Dntel), Gibbard's normally saccharine lyrics shine among the dancey, ebullient computerized pop music that The Postal Service have come to typify more than any other act. Album opener "The District Sleeps Alone Tonight" and closer "Natural Anthem" are the two standout tracks, but the album as a whole is fun, unqique (for now), and a treat for the ears.
Ratatat- Ratatat
Imagine that you are sharing a tour bus with the guitarist from Poison, Dan the Automator, and Dntel. That is what Ratatat sound like. Arena-rock guitar lixxx over hip-hop beats and sexy IDM keyboards. This record is a self-contained party.
Shining- In the Kingdom of Kitsch You Will Be a Monster
Jesus Christ, the opening track "Goretex Weather Report" is a MONSTER. Imagine if John Coltrane cut a record with Led Zeppelin as his backing band. The rest of the album is less agressive, but no less interesting, jazzy art-rock. Good luck getting to it though, track one will blow you away on its own.
The Shipping News- Flies the Fields
Do you like Slint? How about Mogwai? If the answer to either of these questions is 'yes' then you'll probably like The Shipping News a lot too. They're not a remarkable band in as much as they just put out really solid, tight post-rock jams that anyone with an ear for crescendo should enjoy. The opening and closing tracks are the standouts, but the whole record is definitely worth checking out.
Sonic Youth- Sonic Nurse
Sonic Youth are nigh-venerable at this point, and they're STILL putting out vital indie-rock records. DAMN, YO. This is definitely one of their more accessible records, with twisty guitar interplay, tight songwriting, and that classic Sonic Youth wall-of-noise ever-present.
Vitalic- OK Cowboy
What is this, techno-polka? Actually, it sounds like someone took Daft Punk and threw them down a flight of stairs- scuffed, bruised, and pissed off French house music with throbbing electro sizzle scattered liberally about. The two "Poney" tracks are apparently club anthems over in the EU, but all you need to know is that this is house music with a brain and a sense of humor.