Alberta Cross: "Lucy Rider" (Get On Your High Horse)

I've been listening to a lot of classical music lately (finals, bleh), so when Alberta Cross's "Lucy Rider" started playing I was slightly surprised. I soon settled in and fell hard for the song. I've never quite understood why the ladies love British accents so much, but the thinly disguised accent that is Petter Ericson Stakee's voice is gorgeous. I'm not entirely sure if it is a combination of some Scandinavian accent and a British one (I've never heard the man actually speak, nor do I know his family history), but either way I wish I could find more of it. He expertly shifts into his falsetto in the back end of the chorus's main phrase, and it makes my hair stand up on my neck more often than not.

Finding itself on the more folksy side of rock, "Lucy Rider" concentrates on vocals nearly the entire song, leaving the guitars (electric and acoustic) to serve in the background, despite their beautifully wrought sounds. Beyond the gorgeous voices, the track employs a chorus that begins on the second beat, rather than the first. The delay is fantastically executed, and when combined with the descending vocal melody, it leads to a dropping sensation, finally landing on the first beat of the next measure. A pure joy to listen to, every time.

Alberta Cross - "Lucy Rider" [MySpace] [Last.fm] [Buy]

Efterklang: "Cutting Ice To Snow" (Cool Chords)

Since Efterklang hails from Denmark, of course I found them through Hits in the Car and the ever-tasteful Stytzer. The first half of "Cutting Ice to Snow" is a slow building exercise in chord progressions, modulations and subtle tonal shifts. But once the piano begins the first true melodic line in a wonderful, tinkling fashion, the track begins to leave Ambient Drone Station and chug towards the Annuals city, complete with rhythm guitar, layered half-singing half-shouting vocals, huge, echoing bass drum and snare, long, centered bass note anchors, and a droning mini-organ background. Absolutely beautiful, despite the heavy borrowing from the Annuals.

Efterklang: "Cutting Ice To Snow" [MySpace] [Last.fm] [Buy] [Via]

Why Live Does In Fact (Often) Mean Better

I love live music, without exception. (Live music entails, well, live music, not live talking/singing over prerecorded music.) The energy that flows from performing musicians often cannot be matched by studio recordings. For those of us who want the energy of live performances and the fidelity of studio recordings, live sessions are the closest thing to heaven.

Hence, this post. Over at HearYa, Dusty Rhodes and the River Band stopped in for a rollicking 4-song set, one I highly recommend. The recordings surpass First You Live, their latest LP. Their slopped vocals and instrumentals lend an energetic, endearing air to their southern tinged indie rock. (Plus, sing-along choruses are a million time more engaging when performed live.) I much prefer this to the fairly sterile recordings on First You Live.

If you can't stand live music, at least give "End of the Rhode" a chance. I'm pretty sure that it's poor blogging etiquette to re-post or directly link exclusive tracks, so I won't, but the link goes to where you can download the song. The mid-track spoken bridge is a little... underwhelming at first, but the chorus is killer. Please, give it a listen.

Dusty Rhodes and the River Band [MySpace] [Last.fm] [Buy] [via HearYa]

Vampire Weeked: "Oxford Comma" (Or: When the Antithesis is Rather Attractive)

I have had "Oxford Comma" sitting on my hard drive for a few months. My initial time through the song failed to leave an impression, so there it sat, until I randomly stumbled across it the other day.

There is no denying the simple catchiness track this track. It lacks musical complexity, which is usual a negative in my view, but Vampire Weekend keeps the rudimentary instrumental parts in supporting roles so that their lack of interest is kept out of the front listener's mind the majority of the time, a place where the keyboard and bass excel. The only misstep in the composition and arrangement (which are in most respects superb) lies at the halfway point, where they melodic reigns are handed over to the guitar player, who proceeds to take it absolutely nowhere. What makes this song take off is the quality vocal work by Ezra Koenig, who adds the badly-needly rhythmic and melodic complexity and really manages to carry the song the entire way.

Vampire Weekend - "Oxford Comma" [MySpace] [Last.fm] [Buy]

Lykke Li: "Little Bit" (Or: When Similarities are Readily Apparent)

I'm not a fan of determinism. The idea that time follows a fixed, linear path doesn't make sense to me. When I move through my days I often feel the limitless possibilities stretching out before me and can sense how every decision eliminates vast swathes of potential outcomes. But every so often I am struck by just how similar my feelings are at the present moment to how I've felt in the past. This brings to mind one of the common themes in Battlestar Galactica, where the antagonist Cylons repeatedly declare, "This has happened before and it will happen again."

When I first here Lykke Li's "Little Bit", I immediately felt like this had happened before. The bass line is more than just reminiscent of Peter, Bjorn and John, and the wood block substitutes for PB&J's cowbell. I much prefer Li's tender vocals over the ultra-Indie vocal stylings Peter Moren. The vibe stays true to her fellow Swedes', but "Little Bit" unfolds with much more subtlety than any song on Writer's Block. The scattered steel drum riff, the accompanying miscellaneous rim taps and triangle add depth to an otherwise sparse guitar part, while the bass and cymbals push the song to a close. Of course, this would all be for naught if Li wasn't such a delicate and beautiful singer, as her voice fills up a track that is otherwise fairly minimalist.

Lykee Li - "Little Bit" [MySpace] [Last.fm]

Oh, and did I mention she has some gorgeous angles?


Unfortunately, her digital EP is only available is Scandinavia, but you can buy the 10" vinyl here.

Burial: "Archangel"

Very few songs stun me the first time through. Catching on a hook is one thing, but being truly affected by new sounds - that is something altogether different. An understated backbeat and soft, weeping strings form the spine of the affecting "Archangel", and set a darkly ethereal stage upon which shifted, pitch-corrected vocals plead for forgiveness (though I cannot claim to understand the lyrics). The warm faux-vinyl fuzz, brooding reverb and echoes create a space so far removed from my world that I cannot help but join Burial in his beautifully moody existence.

Burial - "Archangel" [Myspace] [Last.fm] [Buy]

innerpartysystem: "Don't Stop"

Another part of my electro-binge: innerpartysystem. "Don't Stop" takes a more straightforward approach to electronic music than either Sally Shapiro or Sam Sparro, taking standard rock elements to fill out their sound rather than Italian disco or smooth soul. I'm a big fan of upbeat music and innerpartysystem delivers, only letting off the heavy beat for a slow-building bridge that leads into a final chorus and glitchy finale. The track is solid from start to finish with the sole exception of the first few measures of the chorus. Until the huge synthesizers come in to back the vocals up, the chorus lacks the punch the rest of the song has and feels empty. And lyrics exploring the darker side of fame is always welcome.

innerpartysystem - "Don't Stop" [MySpace] [Last.fm] [Buy]

Black and Gold Keep Me Alive

I've been on an electro-inspired binge recently, with these two tracks leading the way.

Sally Shapiro - "He Keeps Me Alive" [MySpace] [Last.fm] [Buy]
Sam Sparro - "Black & Gold" [MySpace] [Last.fm] [Buy]

Sally Shapiro has an ethereal voice when it is in the right context and on "He Keeps Me Alive" she is transcendent. The lyrics are heartbreaking and the synths are otherworldly (but not in the sci-fi sense). The first time I listened to Disco Romance (the UK release) I wasn't very impressed. But even since this song was released on the US version I went back and found that I am quite partial to her Italian disco-influenced pop.

Sam Sparro, on the other hand, is sexy and soulful. His voice caresses the senses and feels like velvet. Given his rich voice I mistakenly thought he was black, so I was surprised to find out that the voice I have fallen in love with comes from a white Californian. "Black & Gold" is a sensual song set to swirling synthesizers and pulsing bass.

Both are highly recommended.

[Sally Shapiro via]
[Sam Sparro via MOKB]

The Electric Soft Parade: "If That's the Case, Then I Don't Know"

Yes, yes, I know this band's day in the blogosphere happened a while ago, but I just ran across them again and, as it happens, the track "If That's the Case, Then I Don't Know" is available for free over at Last.fm. I am thus obligated to bring it to your attention once again.

This song is cat-chy, as they say. If you aren't hooked when the crunchy/phased guitar enters I don't know what planet you are from. It's weird when the verses are catchier than the chorus, but with guitar hooks like those the Electric Soft Parade shows off here, I can't say I'm disappointed.

The Electric Soft Parade - "If That's the Case, Then I Don't Know"

[MySpace] [Last.fm] [Buy]

Sunday Shorts

A few songs from around the interwebs this past week:

[Head of Femur - Leader and the Falcon] My initial reaction was Matt Pond PA: similar vocals, uncomplicated guitar, a violin, harmony, yadda yadda.

[Sick of Sarah - Bittersweet] This song could be a top 40 hit if Kelly Clarkson was singing it. Tight structure, strong hook and a passionate female behind the reigns. The guitar is a little lacking, but this is made up for in the vocals.

[Deer Tick - These Old Shoes] I love this man's voice. A song of the "I tried so hard to get to your side but my plane crashed, car hijacked, etc" variety, it isn't one of my favorites from Deer Tick, but it is still memorable.

[The Forms - Bones] Time shifts, shifty vocals, smart harmonies. Slightly gritty indie = stuck on repeat.

[Bishop Allen - You Ain't No Picasso] No explanation necessary.

(via The Bomb Shelter, Largehearted Boy, Shake Your Fist, Stereogum, and You Ain't No Picasso, respectively)

Ha Ha Tonka: Buckle in the Bible Belt

Please, allow me to gush about Ha Ha Tonka a little more. I'll be the first to admit that I go through music extremely quickly, usually on a weekly basis. When a band holds my attention longer than that given week it means there is (in my view) something special about said band.

One such group has been Ha Ha Tonka. When I found "Caney Mountain" I was absorbed by the Midwestern vocals, rocking guitars, and four-part harmony. I immediately bought there debut album, Buckle in the Bible Belt, from the venerable eMusic, and quickly burned the CD in order to listen to it in the car. BitBB is a rollicking good time, full of said strong guitars, Midwestern twang, and sweet, sweet harmony.

The opener, "Up Nights", gets Bible Belt off to an excellent start. Absent from the previously featured tracks was the piano, which it utilized here to an appealing end. This mellows out the gruff sound of "Caney Mountain" and makes Ha Ha Tonka much more radio-friendly.

Ha Ha Tonka - "Up Nights"

"Gusto" revels in off-beat heavy guitar and pushy percussion, matched with a much calmer chorus.

Ha Ha Tonka - "Gusto"

Finally, "Hangman" is an exercise in expert four-part harmony and soaring vocals. A wrenching scene of a man sentenced to hang... short but amazing.

Ha Ha Tonka - "Hangman"

BitBB rarely slips and loses your attention. As tends to happen with debut albums (really, albums in general), the less well-crafted songs are left for last and bring the LP to a slower ending that I expected, but the pure power and energy of the first 8 tracks (give or take a few moments and "Falling In") more than make up for it. Highly recommended!

(Buy Ha Ha Tonka's Buckle in the Bible Belt at Amazon or eMusic)

Rubik

I stumbled upon an "old" favorite of mine (in my book, old begins at a month) today: Rubik's Bad Conscience Patrol. I originally found Rubik through the trustworthy Hits in the Car. Stytzer's comparisons are apt: both Radiohead and (most obviously in my mind) Mew are readily apparent in Rubik's sound (you could fit Muse in there is well).

After falling in love with "Haiku Motorik" I immediately sought out Rubik's initial release, People Go Missing. Unfortunately this debut EP had sold out in their native Finland and I couldn't get my hands on it anywhere else. Thanks to a very helpful Last.fm friend, I found out that they were due to reissue People Go Missing with an extra disc of remakes, called Jesus. The reissue, titled Jesus vs. People ended up being slightly disappointing, especially given the lengths I had gone through to obtain the disc. "Haiku Motorik" was an obvious standout, with a catchy piano lick, bouncy bass line and swanky chorus - the first true song from a young band. The other tracks (even the re-works) left much to be desired.

Rubik - "Haiku Motorik"

But all was not lost, friends! Before I had actually received Jesus vs. People I had discovered (from the same lovely Last.fm-dweller) that Rubik was set to release their first LP, Bad Conscience Patrol, which I quickly obtained and immediately fell in love with. Though uneven, BCP was nowhere near as inconsistent as J vs. P. Rubik had clearly matured since their first release and found a consistent sound that could hardly disappoint.

BCP has gravitas - distinct, prog guitars; melodious, dramatic vocals; complex song structures; shifting time signatures; and (of course) choruses with staying power. My initial (and continuing) reaction is that Rubik is Mew's little brother, emulating, but ultimately falling short of, the older brother. But don't discount Rubik because of this; when they get it right they can be unforgettable.

Take the first single, "City & the Streets". Interestingly, this is one of the more low-key efforts on the album, and the only one on the first half of the disc. Underlying guitars counterpoint the soft vocal melody, as the song slowly builds to the first chorus, with sweet, synthesized backing vox giving it a heavenly feeling. After downbeat chorus, Rubik launches into a synthesized vocal bridge that launches into a swinging finale of guitar and synthesizers.

Rubik - "City & the Streets"

Though a little light on melody, "Buildings" captures Rubik's loud, stomping, time-shifting guitars and a nice slice of melody in the chorus, a song that strongly recalls Mew. Meanwhile, Rubik's handle on complex song structure manifests in "Why Don't You Let It Happen". This track begins in the form a prog ballad, with eerie synths and vocals, and a vocal performance that gets more and more strained as it progresses. This then shifts into a march (no kidding), that sets us up for a transcendent climax and transition back into a more upbeat (and much less eerie) prog ballad, that finishes of with an energetic surge in the guitar department.

Rubik - "Buildings"
Rubik - "Why Don't You Let It Happen"

Rubik's BCP may be an inconsistent effort, but come year's end I'm sure they will be among my top finds of '07.

More on Rubik: [MySpace] [Last.fm] [Buy]

Ha Ha Tonka: "Caney Mountain" / "St. Nick On the Fourth in a Fervor"

I originally put off listening to Ha Ha Tonka because of their name. It screamed scene!!! and reeked of dance beats, jarring guitar and atonal vocals. After a trusted blog posted about them, I finally gave in and fed the track "Caney Mountain" through my headphones.

Apparently, rather than referencing the famous yellow metal Tonka truck toys of my youth and the many "ha ha"s that resulted from their use, the band name actually refers to a state park in the the Ozarks of Missouri, and you can hear this influence on their music right away. Far from hipster, Ha Ha Tonka alludes to a much less urban sound than scenes tend to perpetuate. Rough, oft-unenunciated vocals, rocking guitars and and gorgeous four-part harmonies all point to their Midwestern roots. "Caney Mountain" is a rollicking foot-stomper, while "St. Nick On the Fourth in a Fervor"is more dynamic, featuring some awesome four-part harmony climaxes.

Ha Ha Tonka - "Caney Mountain"
Ha Ha Tonka - "St. Nick On the Fourth in a Fervor"

[MySpace] [ eMusic] [Amazon]

Yoav: "Club Thing" / "Beautiful Lie"

Yoav is a one man band, made up of singer/songwriter... Yoav. Born in Israel, raised in South Africa, having lived in Montreal and New York, Yoav now calls London his home, where he is set to release is debut album, Charmed and Strange, through Verve/Universal. His sound, although allegedly solely based in acoustic guitar, evokes minimalist electronica on "Club Thing", with a brooding atmosphere and understated guitar, with a persistent backing beat. His voice pairs nicely with these artistic choices, ending in a beautifully rendered track.

Yoav - "Club Thing" [MySpace] [Buy]

"Beautiful Lie", on the other hand, traverses the more standard aspects of the singer/songwriter genre, but manages to keep plenty of "Club Thing"'s minimalist vibe to remain fresh. Halfway through the song, Yoav leaves behind the usual emotional verses and chorus, choosing instead to ride a slowly building wave of energy to the finish line by placing an echoing guitar over an (eventually) pushy baseline, and finally tying the knot with a faded background vocal melody. Not a bad way to end what started off as an unremarkable song.

Yoav - "Beautiful Lie (Radio Version)"
Yoav - "Beautiufl Lie (Tronik Youth Remix)"

[MySpace] [Buy]

[via Hits in the Car]

Working For a Nuclear Free City: Businessmen and Ghosts

A year ago I fell in love with Working For a Nuclear Free City. It was the beginning of the school year and I was still using iTunes to find new music. WFANFC is one of the few bright spots in my much-wasted iTunes career that was filled with many, many (now useless) DRM'd AAC tracks. Back in those days, the "Just For You" feature in the iTMS worked beautifully: it would take all the albums you'd purchased from the store and recommend similar well- and lesser-known bands. WFANFC is one of the bands that popped up in this system and my life will never be the same.

WFANFC is by far my favorite band in the admittedly uneven post-rock genre. Falling more on the rock side of post-rock, they combine atmospheric instrumentals with gorgeous melodies and sparse, ethereal vocals. In order to avoid the transient and sometimes unengaging aspects of orchestral and instrumental music, WFANFC utilizes tight song structures and looped hooks to keep the listener consistently entertained.

Take "Asleep at the Wheel", for example. This is a new track of their forthcoming US-debut, Businessmen and Ghosts (out October 16th on Deaf Dumb + Blind), and it is almost entirely based on one guitar riff. Despite the electronica-esque repetition of said riff, WFANFC takes it to soaring heights throughout various melodic shifts and underlying chord changes, and yet manages a dynamic shift (with the same riff) to bring the song to a soft landing.

Needless to say, I am excited for Businessmen and Ghosts. The released will combine their self-titled debut with the Rocket EP and some unreleased tracks (of which "Asleep at the Wheel" is one). It's track listing is as follows:

CD 1 Businessmen

224th day
Troubled Son
Dead Fingers Talking
Rocket
Kingdom
Sarah Dreams Of Summer
Apron Strings
All American Taste
Quiet Place
So
England part 2
Over
Fallout
Forever
Stone Cold

CD 2 Ghosts

Eighty Eight
Donkey
Get A Fucking Haircut
Innocence
The Tree
The Tape
Asleep at the wheel
England
Soft Touch
Pixalated Birds
Je suis le vent
Nancy Adam Susan (Shatter)
Home

Interestingly, B&G will mix up the original track listing of the self-titled album with the EP and unreleased tracks, rather than keeping original order for the first disc and reserving the second disc for the EP and new additions. Regardless, I am eagerly anticipating October.

WFANFC - "Asleep at the Wheel" [Last.fm] [Buy]
WFANFC - "Troubled Son" [Last.fm] [Buy] [via KEXP]

The Dodos: "Horny Hippies"

It's hard to say what my favorite part of this song is: the finger picked guitar, artful percusion, or beautiful, melodic vocals. Whichever you choose you've got a great song on your hands. The Dodos are a two man band out of San Francisco, playing experimental, rythmic folk. Every time through the track I get caught by the sublime transitions from intro to verse, verse to chorus, beauty only folk and post-rock can achieve.

The Dodos - Horny Hippies [Last.fm] [Buy]
The Dodos - The Ball [Last.fm] [Buy]

Isabel at Sunset: "Meet the Gang!"

There are some days when I am in just the right mood for new music. During such a period, I discovered Isabel at Sunset, an Italian indie rock outfit out on the brand new Kettle Records. The most stiking aspect of the band is the loose vocal delivery - be it the english-as-a-second-language factor or what have you - but the effect is slurred, unenunciated bliss. When this lack of enunciation is placed on top of catchy guitars, the track "Meet the Gang!" just kills.

Isabel At Sunset - Meet The Gang! [Last.fm] [Buy]
Isabel At Sunset - The Coming Back Guy [Last.fm] [Buy]

[via the Runout Groove]

Bishop Allen & the Broken String

Image via BishopAllen.com

Ah, Bishop Allen... You make me so happy with your upbeat, shimmering delight. I've been meaning to blog about these guys for a while, but it has taken me longer than I expected to get into the whole blogging thing.

After spending an entire year releasing and EP a month, Bishop Allen has released "The Broken String" (buy the EPs and the new LP here), a compilation of some of the best racks from their EPs. Some of the tracks have been re-recorded, accompanying 3 new tracks, including the first single, "Rain":

Bishop Allen - "Rain" [mp3] [Last.fm] [Buy]

"Rain" is a glorious slice of indie pop. It is a relentlessly upbeat and sunny, showcasing the huge improvement Christian Rudder's songcraft has made over the course of 12 EPs. Rudder is confidant and precise in his delivery, and the backing vocals and harmonies are deliberately and skillfully placed, creating a beautiful, catchy and enjoyable song. The icing on the cake is the conga drums the consistently shine through, serving to keep the track light-hearted and fun.

The LP, on the other hand, stumbles right out of the blocks. "The Monitor", originally from the March EP, is one of the re-recorded tracks, and has been rearranged and the orchestration expanded. The spare and slowly building beginning doesn't grab my attention until nearly 2 minutes into the song. The diffusion of counterpoint during the chorus also dispels much of the charm the original recording contained.

The same fate belies "Corazon", the centerpiece of the the January EP. Originally a tightly wound head-bobbing classic, Rudder again stripped the song and rearranged it. Though the beginning, artistically speaking, parallels the lyrics much more effectively by expressing the beating "heart" of the piano the song is focused on, like "The Monitor", it fails to keep my attention until the drums enter 45 second into the track. Even after that point the many attempts to make the orchestration in "Corazon" only serve to reduce its impact.

But all is not lost, friends! Most of the other tracks included from the EPs retain their original brilliance, including "Click, Click, Click, Click" and "Butterfly Nets". A new song, "Middle Management", is a raucous hark back to their first LP, "Charm School", with loose, punchy, distorted guitar propelling the song to its end. Overall, the disc is a solid attempt to forge an identity for a band from its previous EPs (much like Voxtrot's debut LP), though often the attempts to increase the complexity of older songs result in diminishing returns.

Bishop Allen - "Click, Click, Click, Click" [mp3] [Last.fm] [Buy]

(mp3s via BishopAllen.com)