East Hundred – Passenger

March 3rd, 2010  |  by Jess Alatorre  |  published in female vocalists, shoegaze  |  2 comments

Today’s indie rock scene doesn’t always have enough female fronted bands that get me addicted. But, with bands like Land of Talk, Rainer Maria and now East Hundred, I say “Hand those chicks a mic, and let their vocals spill out emotion!” East Hundred’s story isn’t all that unpredictable: boys grow up together, boys make music, one asks girlfriend to add vocal track, girl and boy break-up, band survives and grows from it musically (The break-up lyrics really shine through on “Pony”).

The Radio Dept. – Clinging to a Scheme

February 24th, 2010  |  by jason grishkoff  |  published in indie pop, shoegaze  |  7 comments

What makes this slightly different, though, is that unlike most of today’s pop-loving indie rockers, The Radio Dept. goes as far back as 1995, when Swedish classmates Elin Almered and Johan Duncanson began playing music together. Since then, players have come and gone, with the most-recent lineup adding Martin Larsson, Lisa Carlberg and Per Blomgren. Which leads me to a confession: I wasn’t being completely straightforward earlier. These guys aren’t pure indie pop; they’re shoegaze, too.

The Besnard Lakes – Are The Roaring Night

February 10th, 2010  |  by jason grishkoff  |  published in post-rock, shoegaze  |  5 comments

The whole album kind of plods along. About my fourth time through “Chicago Train,” it occurred to me that playing the song live probably isn’t any fun: there’s nothing in here to hook an audience. And “Glass Printer” is a shockingly forgettable song. Literally. I’ve listened to the album quite a few times now, and I can’t seem to remember that this one exists. Even “Albatross,” the good first single, loses a little bit of its luster when its couched by glassy-eyed dead-enders.

Beach House – Teen Dream

January 27th, 2010  |  by jason grishkoff  |  published in indie pop, shoegaze  |  3 comments

By the time you finish the harrowing and gut-wrenching “Real Love,” it is apparent that Teen Dream marks the ascendancy of a great band. Not only is the album the best of Beach House’s short but brilliant career, it is also an early candidate for album of the year.

Headlights – Wildlife

December 31st, 2009  |  by Jess Alatorre  |  published in dreamwave/chillwave, experimental, female vocalists, indie pop, shoegaze

As a band, Headlights is usually everything that good indie pop is made off: cute lyrics, catchy melodies, and solid harmonies. However, this album went a little headier, a little more emotional and a little fuzzier. The album “Wildlife,” released in October, is 42 minutes of wonderbliss.

Warpaint – Exquisite Corpse

December 21st, 2009  |  by jason grishkoff  |  published in acoustic, female vocalists, shoegaze

Warpaint are a band whose name is being increasingly dropped around the internet, and upon my first listen through their EP, I decided that it needed to be dropped some more. So here goes: Warpaint are a Los Angeles based psychedelic/shoegaze band formed in 2007, who have notable press from the late Heath Ledger, Billy Zane, and also from John Frusciante under their belts. In fact, it is John Frusciante who produced their debut release Exquisite Corpse for Manimal Vinyl earlier this year.

Girls – Album

November 12th, 2009  |  by jason grishkoff  |  published in alternative, indie pop, shoegaze  |  2 comments

Girls are a set of 60s revivalist musicians, partly because it’s the music they love, and partly because its all lead singer Christopher Owens was ever exposed to during his childhood and teenage years. Album is a masterpiece of personality, and reveals more of itself to you with every listen.

Roofwalkers – Roofwalkers

November 3rd, 2009  |  by jason grishkoff  |  published in alternative, local, shoegaze, washington, dc

Roofwalkers’ 2009 album release brings back the shoegaze sound that I haven’t heard in a couple years. It’s both easy to listen to, and easy to get lost in. Local to the Washington, D.C. area, they worked on their debut self-titled album for two years before releasing it.