In a few words: Funky, Harmonic, Break-beat Jungle Pop
This record will blow your mind. Haha. I became a fan of tUnE-yArDs quite recently when I heard the first single from this album "Bizness." A wonderful little ditty with an extraordinary rhythm to it. The song opens with strobe of vocal sampling that sends your ears on a sonic journey chasing the notes in every direction they travel. This sets the theme for the whole song, as more traditional percussive sounds join the party followed by a crazy-powerful vocal track that grabs you and never lets go. And this is just one of the many gems from this, the second LP from the mind of Merrill Garbus. Yes, that is correct. All of these sounds come from one remarkable lady's mind. Impressive to say the least. Every song is an adventure and she guides us through them with creativity and emotion, riding on funky bass-lines and break-beat rhythms. An eclectic mix of genre-splitting joy all tied down by Garbus' vocal mastery. Enjoy the ride, I did immensely.
video for "Bizness" from the forthcoming album W H O K I L L.
In a few words: Intimate, Exposed, Piano-driven Emotion
Imagine if you had a friend, and this friend happened to play the piano. Maybe this friend hadn't been playing the piano very long and maybe this friend hadn't even shared the fact that they owned a piano with you. Now, imagine you have been invited to their place and upon arrival you find the door cracked open and from the space within you hear the echo of this piano and your friend singing over it some intimate and personal lyrics. Now, rather than enter and disrupt the beautiful moment you have suddenly become apart of, you linger at the door and listen, taking in every bit you can before being discovered. This is the feeling garnered in every song on Lady Lazarus' Mantic. A wonderfully revealing and voyeuristic journey paved with simple, sometimes imperfect piano runs and sweet, subtle, emotion filled vocals. Beautiful.
In a few words: Atmospheric, Reverberating, Noise-Rock
Young Prisms certainly have developed a sound on their debut album, but they don't do much to keep the listener involved in it. An echochamber of distant vocals, guitars laden with reverb and delay, and a drum track that does little to keep you interested all makes for a somewhat suffocating scene. I couldn't help but feel like I was falling throughout the whole thing, and I kept waiting for something to catch me, and it never did. With all that being said, the album wasn't all that torturous. I can see the appeal of putting this in the headphones for some relaxing recharge time or for a quick escape. It would suffice nicely.
Here's a quick little taste of Young Prisms' "Friends for Now" from the album of the same name. For more, head over to their myspace
In a few words: Pulsating, Vocal-driven, Luscious ambiance
I could start with a comparison to a myriad hybrid of other bands. Maybe Animal Collective meets Explosions in the Sky meets... I don't know, lets not do that. Braids are by all means worthy of standing on their own after all. This album just oozes Cool. From the very beginning, Native Speaker will suck you in and spit you out somewhere beyond the Local Group in interstellar, zero-gravity space. Or maybe someplace patterned after that where you can still hear sounds. Braids weaves pulsating tones in and out of a deep endless sound-scape and drapes all of that with touching, and sometimes soaring vocals. Mood altering, and mind expanding, a wonderful and thoroughly enjoyable debut. Very cool.
Unofficial. Video for "Lemonade" off of Native Speaker by Braids
In a few words: Masterful, Immersing, Fuzz-Rock wonder
Upon first listening to Smith Westerns self-titled debut, I found myself slightly annoyed and bothered by the sound. The vocals were disorienting and off putting at first, but as the album played, I found myself turning the volume in my headphones up song by song. The album had held my interest so long that I even began to question it. At the end, I was confused because I wanted to listen to it again. I had liked the album, and I wasn't sure why. Well, Dye It Blonde, the sophomore release from Chicago natives Smith Westerns, put that confusion to death... by firing squad. The disorienting vocals have vanished, and in their place are dreamy, meandering harmonies layered over a brilliantly sculpted sonic landscapes and ripe, cutting guitar riffs. A pure rock n roll base with layers of fuzzy and clean textures make for a rewarding and worthwhile experience to any listener. Smith Westerns, you have a new fan. Thank you.
Video for "Weekend" the first single from Dye It Blonde by Smith Westerns
For me, The Decemberists have always been a time-investment. One that usually pays off at the end. To fully enjoy the extent of this band, I knew going in that I would have to invest at least 45 minutes to get the full effect. This album was different for me though. From the first harmonica howl, I knew that these songs could stand alone if they needed to. A wonderful mix of country instrumentation and male/female harmonies galore, The King is Dead is a lesson in Americana. Share any of the gems from this album with a friend and dare them not to get lost in the sound. Never disappointing. Well worth the investment.
In a few words: Light, Airy, Beach-pop, Love Songs
Cape Dory, the debut from Tennis, is packed to the brim with sweet, simple three minute love letters that transport you back to a scene from an early sixties coastline filled with polka dotted bathing suits and over-sized sunglasses. From the top, you are hit with a retro pop sound, filled with light and airy vocals that almost certainly could be emanating from a boat off the Atlantic coast somewhere. Maybe one with clean, white sails and sun-tanned lovers. This is probably due to the fact that the two people that make up the Tennis duo, were inspired by such an atmosphere. A seven month journey up and down the coast. Soft, subtle harmonies and simple minimalist structures help the songs on this album flow in and out of each other much like the tides on a beach. And that is just where they belong. A great first effort.
4.5/5 
