matt pond PA is a group that has managed to coast along the indie pop shoreline, never quite hitting the sand and never fully receding into the blue abyss. The song structures are generally melancholic with some predictable dynamic shifts, but Matt Pond’s restrained and longing vocals set the album apart from it’s genre contemporaries. The decorative and subdued nature of their sound is prevalent on The Dark Leaves. Therefore, previous fans will be satisfied, but the band probably won’t gain any new ones.
RIYL: Bon Iver
Recommended Songs: 1*,3,7,9
3 out of 5 stars
Download: “matt pond PA - Starting”
(courtesy of Altitude Records)
Debut album from Communist Daughter, an indie band named after the Neutral Milk Hotel song. Led by the vocals of John Soloman (and female backgrounds) this here is a melancholy (lyric wise) pop album with upbeat melodies and stylings. Sadness streams out of the speakers in a soft wave that is more comforting than depressing. This cd feels nostalgic to me, like I’ve heard it before but not in a bad way, it makes me think of driving around in high school or something like that. It’s kind of sugar sweet.
fcc: clean
play: 9, 2, 5, 3, 7
riyd: fiery furnaces, the shins
Capgun Coup’s sophmore release is ”A near perfect slice of lo-fi garage rock that owes an equal debt to both late 60’s era Bob Dylan and The Modern Lovers” according to Brooklyn Rocks blog. And it is! A beautifully whiny voiced southern twinged lo-fi garage rock extravaganza that I kind of want to call freak garage (to make up a genre). Recorded live in one room at the Frank Hotel in Omaha, this raw, energetic dream is pure fun. Just look at those guys up there, would you expect anything less from a cover like that?! Every song leaps in and out of the aformentioned freak garage, to surf rock, to folk, all the while heavy on the keyboard and echoes for a rough, perfect, DIY sound reminiscent of the 60’s and the now at the same time. Don’t miss this one folks!
fcc: 2, 4, 7?
play : 3, 5, 6, 8, 10
riyd: woods, the strange boys, nobunny
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“Sitting on the Sidewalk”
(courtesy of team-love.com)
This composer, saxophonist, & son of a Turkish parent plays Turkish-jazz fusion in Istanbul Turkey w/ French trumpeter Truffaz contributing embellishments & three highly regarded Turkish musicians playing bass & percussion. Evocative and fascinating.
It seems as though Brian Burton (aka Danger Mouse) has managed to re-imagine and transform another subversive musical icon into a project all its own. On this effort, Burton has teamed with James Mercer of the exquisite pop rock group, The Shins. Together, the duo works to create an intellectually constructed pop album that is comfortable to explore unorthodox sounds and meld them together with ease and elegance. Though the album lacks in the traditional catchiness that comes with Mercer’s cutesy cadence, the void is filled by Burton’s dissonant and endearing production sense. A wonderful start to an exciting new musical endeavor.
RIYL: The Shins
Recommended Songs: 1*,2,4,8
3.5 out of 5 stars
Download:
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(courtesy of Columbia Records)
Iraqi & Iranian musical roots filtered through American jazz re: Ornette Coleman.
Four clarinets w/rhythm section, spoken word & vocals. The music is engaging, but vocals get in the way. There are some worthwhile instrumental tracks w/a thorough composed feel.
March 29th, 2010::Sub Pop
The Dum Dum Girls originated from bedroom recordings of a California girl named Dee Dee who had the utmost appreciation for girl groups from the sixties, pop music, and punk rock. After enlisting three other girls in the band and releasing several EP’s featuring the Dum Dum Girl’s brand of lo-fi girl group garage pop, “I Will Be” is their debut full album release on Sub Pop and was produced by Richard Gottehrer (the brains behind “My Boyfriend’s Back” recorded by the Angels in 1963). Upon first listening to the record, the recording is much sharper than past Dum Dum Girls’ recordings and it sounds fantastic. Dee Dee’s new songs are punk, charming, poppy sing-a-longs. Standout tracks include: “Jail La La”, the single of the album which is an incredible pop song about actually being in jail with beautiful harmonies, :Yours Alone”, a strict bag of garage hooks backed by a crunchy distorted guitar, “Blank Girl”, an updated fifties high school dance song led by Dee Dee’s uber pretty voice and backed by Brandon Welchez (Dee Dee’s husband) perfectly matched deep vocals, and “Lines Her Eyes”, a dirty garage rock tune with an intensely dark poppy chorus that might make you start crying. I Will Be is an impressive and astonishing take on the Dum Dum Girls’ favorite old records.
Play: 3,4,6,10
Listen:
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(courtesy of Sub Pop Records)
Trombonist/composer leads quintet through an odd mix of “art music”, free-bop, blues & avant jazz. Sabir Mateen shines on reeds & plays off well against trombone.