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Did you ever imagine a time where the theatric glam-pop band of Montreal would compare one of their albums to a Dr. Dre track? Well, that time is now. Sort of.

According to frontman Kevin Barnes, False Priest, which is set to release on September 14, incorporates several musical elements that we are not used to hearing from the group, like deep, pounding bass. Blast some of Montreal in your car and it sounds almost like Dr. Dre, right? That’s a bit of a stretch, but Barnes says that he worked with Jon Brion, co-producer of Kanye West’s Late Registration, to enhance the record and add a little of “the low end,” as he calls it, that was so prevalent in classic hip-hop.

The band’s tenth album also features appearances by Solange Knowles and Janelle Monáe, giving the record an R&B twist while still maintaining that element of danceability we have come to expect. This slight deviation from style creates a sense of unpredictability that Barnes claims is essential in his music taste:

“We try to have these “holy fuck” moments where you’re really having your mind blown, especially if you’re listening to it on headphones.” – Pitchfork

And this album is nothing short of whimsical. With eye-opening lyrics like “we dance for miscarriages” and “now I see your face selling Chinese urine,” Barnes shows that he is a man of his word.

Did we expect anything less?

myspace | myspace.com/ofmontreal]]> http://www.indieshuffle.com/preview-of-montreal-false-priest/feed/ 2 http://www.indieshuffle.com/yeasayer-all-hour-cymbals-2/ http://www.indieshuffle.com/yeasayer-all-hour-cymbals-2/#comments Sun, 22 Aug 2010 02:37:34 +0000 kmanning http://www.indieshuffle.com/?p=10454

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Psychedelic rockers Yeasayer have not always brainstormed through the power of LSD to produce trippy yet poppy bass-driven tunes. The Brookyln band’s first studio effort, All Hour Cymbals, thrives with an unproduced sound, gritty even, with near whispy vocals from Chris Keating. At first glance, this doesn’t even seem like the same band that just crashed onto every hipster’s iPod.

Released in October 2007 on We Are Free, All Hour Cymbals is a mellow, acoustic-heavy version of their present selves. Duh, right? Well it takes a bit of digging to find the pure-rock driven Yeasayer that we all know and love today, but it’s there. With Middle Eastern influences, the drums drop heavy beats resembling that of their recent years. Made up of three core members (Chris Keating, Ira Wolf Tuton and Anand Wilder), Yeasayer dubbed themselves as “Middle Eastern-psych-snap-gospel” after this album was released.

With full understanding of all comparisons, Yeasayer takes some of the most unlike genres of music and fuses them together beautifully. “2080” is the powerhouse anthem of this album. Keating’s vocals echo throughout the entirety of the song, making this album underrated by means of “dance-worthyness.” The vocals range with every tone imaginable — the song fades out as children sing the lyrics and an acoustic guitar plays a peaceful melody.

One thing that Yeasayer has got down pat is the ability to create visuals in the listeners mind — of people, things or just patterns. With All Hour Cymbals, as with Odd Blood, the band doesn’t back down with psychedelic and trip-tastic instrumentals.

myspace | myspace.com/yeasayer]]> http://www.indieshuffle.com/yeasayer-all-hour-cymbals-2/feed/ 3 http://www.indieshuffle.com/ty-segall-melted/ http://www.indieshuffle.com/ty-segall-melted/#comments Fri, 09 Jul 2010 20:35:13 +0000 Taylor Fife http://www.indieshuffle.com/?p=9041

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Ty Segall’s been stomping about San Francisco playing straightforward garage rock in the vein of local favorites Thee Oh Sees and Sic Alps for a hot minute now, so the retro lo-fi sound on his latest shouldn’t be a shocker. On Melted, Ty delivers 30 minutes of short, snappy fuzzed out songs perfect for a bedroom rock-out sesh. Some tracks are quirky pop tunes, while others get lost in reverb and effects and lack structure. Somehow, Ty makes it all work out on this release from Goner. Before he started playing with his current band, Ty was known for his energetic one man band performances. He’ll be doing a solo throwback performance in San Francisco on Thursday July 15^th at Milk Bar. Weekend is headlining the $5 show on Haight; check out epicsauce.com for more details.

myspace | myspace.com/tysegall]]> http://www.indieshuffle.com/ty-segall-melted/feed/ 3 http://www.indieshuffle.com/magic-bullets-magic-bullets/ http://www.indieshuffle.com/magic-bullets-magic-bullets/#comments Thu, 24 Jun 2010 03:22:51 +0000 Taylor Fife http://www.indieshuffle.com/?p=8660

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Magic Bullets’ newest album is jangly pop masterpiece with a decent chance of getting you to sit up in your chair and ask ‘How have I not listened to this before?’ As a newer band on a smaller label, Magic Bullets hasn’t had much of a chance to develop a following, but with such an earnest and pleasant sound they’re sure to be more than a few people’s favorite band by the end of the year.

The 2010 San Francisco meets 1980’s Manchester sound comes dangerously close to being an all-out Smiths rip off at times, but it’s done with such sincerity and charm they can’t exactly be faulted for it. It’s like the group discovered a secret unreleased Smiths album from 1983 that they’ve finally decided to share. ‘Magic Bullets’ isn’t just a Morrssiey/Marr tribute album, however. There’s plenty of that San Francisco sound in there; it’s a little bit retro, has a lo-fi vibe, and would feel just right on the same bill as your favorite local psych outfit.

This isn’t to say the album is perfect. For a pop group, the mix and recording seem a touch too slapdash. The hint of lo-fi isn’t quite pronounced enough to make it worth it, and is an unfortunate diminution the quality of the record. I haven’t seen them live, but based on their sound alone, I’d imagine this is one of those bands to see up close and personal. Luckily, all you California folks have the opportunity to see them as they make their way up and down the coast in early July. The final verdict on Magic Bullets? Buy their album, see them live, and let them be your new favorite band.

myspace | myspace.com/magicbullets]]> http://www.indieshuffle.com/magic-bullets-magic-bullets/feed/ 4 http://www.indieshuffle.com/tame-impala-innerspeaker/ http://www.indieshuffle.com/tame-impala-innerspeaker/#comments Tue, 01 Jun 2010 04:30:47 +0000 Jason Grishkoff http://www.indieshuffle.com/?p=7973

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Tame Impala were at first listen anything but tame. Their EP came out more than a year ago, featuring five tracks of in-your-face psychedelic rock-and-roll. You could easily have convinced me they were out of the sixties, but how wrong that’d be! While their sound is old, this Perth trio is anything but (as evidenced by the picture at right). I won’t say I’ve been looking forward to this album since that initial EP, but I probably should have been. This album is epic for both its modernity and its taste for classic sound. The track that led me to conclude that this album is worth spreading was “Alter Ego”. Perhaps that’s because the lead-in, “Desire Be Desire Go” was featured on their EP, allowing me to segue from familiar territory to the auditory surprise of something new. While I unfortunately don’t have much time to keep reviewing this right now, I’ll let Aquarium Drunkard speak for me:

Taken from the band’s self-titled EP, “Desire Be, Desire Go” reminds us where the band started, but our introduction to these youngsters from Perth, Australia really begins with the following track “Alter Ego“. It’s the moment where Tame Impala leave Earth and introduce Innerspeaker’s signature multi-octave guitar leads. “Why Won’t You Make Up Your Mind” and the seven-minute trip “Runway, Houses, City, Clouds” both offer even more captivating examples by trading fuzzed out blues scales in favor of lazer-guided melodies.

And finally, there’s the mind-blowing single “Solitude is Bliss”. Set against shuffling drums and swirling guitar chords, Parker’s delivery is consistently casual until that soaring chorus line hits, “You will never come close to how I feel”. It’s the most compelling moment on the entire album. Formulas are often thought of as a crutch in music, but it can also set a template that educates and inspires us to dig deeper into an artist’s work. When you first listen to Innerspeaker it’s going to feel indulgent and formulaic at times. But ignore the stereotypes that psychedelic music can evoke and focus on the brilliant drumming and guitar solo work on “Expectation” or the simple fuzz-rock melodies on “Lucidity“. This is a band that directs your attention to the classics yet always sounds as if they’re moving into the future.

myspace | myspace.com/tameimpala]]> http://www.indieshuffle.com/tame-impala-innerspeaker/feed/ 0 http://www.indieshuffle.com/the-black-keys-brothers/ http://www.indieshuffle.com/the-black-keys-brothers/#comments Mon, 26 Apr 2010 01:32:37 +0000 el gringo rico http://www.indieshuffle.com/?p=7149

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Sounds like: Dan Auerbach, Danger Mouse

It comes then with great regret that I announce my wavering opinion of this album. After four or five listens, I like the album, I really do. After all, no self-respecting band can play the exact same style of music forever, no matter how perfect or awe-inducing that sound may be (tear…). The Keys HAD to move in a new direction. And this new direction isn’t bad. Your main man Brian “Danger Mouse” Burton steps in for his second Keys album (DM also produced “Attack & Release”) and it certainly shows. Almost every song is layered with two or three guitars, all of which I have to presume are played by Dan and thus incapable of being played live. For the best examples of DM’s production quality, listen to the organ backing on “The Only One,” or the keyboards and Dan’s howls on “Too Afraid to Love You.”  If anything, this album seems much more… sad… than any other Keys album. Almost every one of these songs is about heartbreak or regret. It’s a classic blues album with an incredibly distinct spin courtesy of the Mouse. The song “Sinister Kid” is one of my favorites because it has some great backing vocals (Jessica Lea Mayfield, I think) and some of the only guitar solos of the album.

So what’s my main issue with the album? It’s slow. With one or two exceptions, there are no thrashers…no raw energy. All the songs are about love gone wrong. It’s missing the classic Keys touch. The album resembles more of Dan Auerbach’s solo release “Keep it Hid” than any other past Keys album.

I suspect Keys enthusiasts like myself will have one of two reactions to the album: 1) (akin to my reaction) “But I was expecting more classic Keys!!! All I want to hear are ripping guitar solos and drums until my ears bleed.” or 2) “They had to make this album. They had to move on. They didn’t want to fall into the classic trap that musicians all too often fall into. Jack Johnson can play the same style of music forever and still sell billions of albums, but do we respect him for it? We respect musicians who evolve and push boundaries, guys like Bob Dylan who went electronic when the whole world loved him for his folksy guitar. (Not trying to compare the Black Keys to Bob Dylan here, please don’t freak out).”

To all those whose first exposure to the Keys is indeed “Brothers,” aren’t they great? If you like this album even a little bit, and wonder how these two might sound unleashed and less produced, start with disc 1 of the discography (The Big Come UP) and set yourself free….

One parting thought: maybe they were sick of the White Stripes comparisons? If anything, this album should put those comparisons to rest.

Elsewhere on the Web:
myspace | myspace.com/theblackkeys

Click image to view band's Facebook

Sounds like: Frank Zappa, Parliament, Allman Brothers

While Pants for Bears is definitely a live band first, I was pretty surprised by the quality and diversity of the tracks. In this recording I hear the ass shaking party grooves of Parliament, the weirdness of Frank Zappa, the down-home soul of the Allman Brothers, and the hundreds of dirty guitar riffs that inspired bands like the Black Keys.

So what is the difference between a progressive psychedelic band with indie cred and one without? Three or four synthesizers? A fabricated lo-hi aesthetic? A complete unwillingness to make music people can dance to? Well the truth is I don’t know, and don’t really care. This is the kind of band that is just going to get better and better on record, with each member pushing each other to get weirder, better, more exploratory, and willing to take risks. The good news is Pants for Bears is ready to enjoy right now as the group is making live sounds that people used to wait months to see. You went to go see Parliament because they had the funk, and you wanted it badly. Well Pants for Bears has the funk…and some pants…for bears.

Elsewhere on the web:
myspace | myspace.com/pantsforbears

Click image to download full album

Sounds like: Dr. Dog, Elephant 6 Collective, Drug Rug

For the better part of the decade Apollo Sunshine has pumped out two fantastic albums. They were wild collections of technically proficient and jammy rock and roll songs, which contained touches of wonderfully psychedelic oddness. Then with their third release, “Shall Noise Upon”, Apollo Sunshine decided to turn down the rock and turn up the psychedelic soundscape. Even though the album features two fantastic chugging rock songs (“Brotherhood of Death” and “666: The Coming of the New World Government”), this album truly shines in its ability to deliver a light-hearted world for the listener to travel into. It seamlessly moves from slow atmospheric dream-state songs (“We Are Born When We Die”) to the dirty funk bass lines in “The Funky Chaberlain (Who Be Got Who):.

Elsewhere on the web:
myspace | myspace.com/apollosunshine

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Sounds like: The Band, Blitzen Trapper, Delta Spirit

What’s so good?
It’s sort of a funny coincidence that I got my first chance to listen to Dr. Dog’s new LP “Shame, Shame” on the same day that my vinyl copy of their 2005 album “Easy Beat” arrived. I mean, they are still the same, but damn they’ve changed. “Easy Beat” is one of my favorite albums of the last decade because of it emotional, nostalgic, lo-fi quality. Every sound from the LP seemed like it was aching to get through the speaker. All of their oohs and aahs were coming from some drunks in the back of the bar, and the drums sounded like they were being played in the apartment across the hall. These were endearing characteristics for me, and ones that made the album perfectly suitable for the vinyl format.

Over the course of their next two albums they seemed to become progressively more comfortable in the studio and this album seals the deal. For “Shame, Shame” the drums are popping and crisp, the guitar tones are cleaner, and the background vocals and harmonies are clear and damned pretty. It’s the same soul Dr. Dog always had, just with some well-placed bells, and tasteful whistles added on. Near the end of a song called “Station”, a life-on-the-road ballad reminiscent of The Band, there’s a mini cacophony that really contrasts sweetly with the rest of the song. The guitar solo at the end of “Where’d All The Time Go?” adds the perfect exclamation point. Pretty much every song has something like that, which makes you remember each one differently. The lyrics by the way, are arguably the strongest part of the album. This band never has a problem writing things I don’t mind singing over and over again, a quality so many classic groups have. This is really a great addition to what is becoming a really stellar catalogue. Can’t wait to see them in the mountains of High Sierra this summer.

From “Mirror, Mirror”:

They found the body in the river,
they found a note left in the sand
Leave my worries to the water,
and leave my body to the land

Elsewhere on the web:
myspace | myspace.com/drdog

Click here to download full album

Sounds like:The Black Keys, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Ten Years After

What’s so good?
Ethan Kennedy is the new Black Keys. He is better than the Black Keys. The Black Keys ruined themselves by following up a mediocre Attack+Release with an even worse Blakroc. Ethan Kennedy is so fresh that he can’t possibly ruin himself yet. He is the Black Keys to the power of Led Zeppelin, The Beatles and Jimi Hendrix. He is intricately more interesting and far more exciting. The world needs to hear this stuff. (Note: Some of this is hyperbole. The Black Keys can’t really be upstaged – they created a niche and epitomized it. Further, the songs I’ve put up aren’t nearly as raw as the Black Keys or as reflective of their similarities).

But seriously, folks, the parallels are right there. Ethan Kennedy is a two man outfit; so are the Black Keys. They both play psychedelic blues rock like pros (though I’ll be the first to admit that the Black Keys use a shitload more distortion). They’re both as passionate as Saint Francis of Assisi was about the animals. They both kick ass. Hell, just take this song as an example:

Until I’d done my research, I wouldn’t have figured there were only two members to this band, with the multi-instrumentalism and layering being so diverse. But as it turns out, Ethan Kennedy and a gifted young drummer, Aeran Shabi, account for the myriad instruments heard on the album. [UPDATE: When playing live, the band has three members, with the addition of Sam Calvert on bass]

Ethan Kennedy endeavors to conjure this magic, not by a novel calculation of genre, but by energetically imparting his own unique character to his music. He belts out lyrics unencumbered with convention, though accessible through their earnest, yearning delivery. His singing is enveloped by music that is rock and roll in its heart and bebop in its brain. But it doesn’t stop there, it only starts there – Ethan Kennedy

Elsewhere on the web:
myspace | myspace.com/ethankennedymusic

Click here to download full album

Sounds like: Surfer Blood, Girls, Best Coast, Ganglians

What’s so good?
I’ve been meaning to post something for weeks and weeks about Brooklyn band Real Estate, another pioneering group in the increasingly popular psychedelic surf pop movement which I’ve been heavily overindulging myself in recently. In the same vein as all my blog favourites such as Surfer Blood, Girls and Best Coast – Real Estate make snippets of 60s pop psychedelia coated in fuzzy reverb and drenched in sunny harmonies. The difference between this band and the others is the total chillout mentality they show across their entire self-titled debut album, leading to a whole load of comparisons to the other chillwave bands of late.

Unlike their synth laden companions such as Toro y Moi, Washed Out and Neon Indian they make chill out surfer pop music with more of a classic rock influence than one from electronica. Again, another feature sets them apart from bands like Surfer Blood and Woods is the fact that they coat their meaningful and heartfelt lyrics in meaningful and heartfelt music. As with most of the albums I’ve been posting about recently, this is another one for your Sunday morning collection.

Real Estate is bassy and slow-paced with occasional bursts of energy across the ten-track Woodsist Records release. The spaced out vocals of Martin Courtney don’t feature heavily – and when they do, its more the notes they hold than the lyrics they deliver. It’s not shoegaze, but at times the lyrics make more of a background appearance in relation to the simple melodies than a dominant one.

Elsewhere on the web:
myspace | myspace.com/realestate

Click here to get the full album

Sounds like: Widespread Panic, Moe, Led Zeppelin, Wilco

What’s so good?
Hailing from Hamilton, Ontario, Huron is a self-described rock and roll band, but I would say they are a bit more dynamic than being pigeon-holed into the massive genre of ‘rock and roll.,’ I’d define them as ‘real, good, music.’ It’s certainly clear that Huron stays close to their rock roots; with influences ranging from the Beatles to Neil Young and Pink Floyd, Huron spans both the psychedelic and southern rock musical spectrum.

Their 2009 self-titled debut is solid, combining big guitar driven riffs and melodic jams. I can’t be sure who is supplying the majority of the vocals, but they are reminiscent of Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy. Huron differs from Wilco however, shedding the painfully boring instrumentals for something with some get-up-and-go. Huron is the band I wish Wilco was. I’m sure Wilco fans will string me up a pole for saying that, but its true, Wilco sucks and so do you.

I’ve checked out the band’s website and myspace, and it appears they are only touring within Ontario, CAN, so I’ll be waiting to hear them live (other than Youtube) for most likely… ever. I can only hope they get heard down here in the land of the free and the home of the brave, because I’d certainly love to check this band out in person.

Elsewhere on the web:
myspace | myspace.com/huronband

Click image to download full album

Sounds like: Grails, Mr. Gnome

What’s so good?
If Mr. Gnome had a male singer, they’d sound like Apse. And if you like Mr. Gnome, then the psychedelic, post-rock, experimental grooviness of Apse is sure to garner your attention. This music isn’t pop. It isn’t meant to sit in the background while you work hard on homework. Rather, it commands your full focus. In doing so, the band opens themselves up to two possible takes: the first involves complete immersion and acceptance; the second, and perhaps less preferable, is a considerable attention to detail. The latter is dangerous, as that is when the band’s lack of maturity becomes evident.

Despite all the proper elements being present to create an album destined to wrest the ideal of the rock anthem from Chris Martin’s over-eager grasp, Apse has unfortunately birthed a technically stellar record that lacks personality. In the group’s attempt to display restraint and to not bludgeon the listener with every possible emotion in the time it takes to perform a four-minute pop song, I’m left feeling quite passive about these tunes. For every instance where I’m brought to my feet with excitement (“3.1,” “Rook,” “The Return,” and “Closure”), there are cuts like “In Gold, “The Age,” “Tropica,” and “Lie” where I’m merely content to sit for a spell and wait for what might possibly happen next – Dryvetyme Onlyne

As Dryvetyme mentions, there are stellar songs on this album. And it’s because of those songs that this album made the cut. That, and a lack of much else good coming out right now (early December, 2009).

…No matter how intricately the band aspired to construct themselves, they retained a level of humanity and spirit as people and as objective artists that was not just reassuring, it was inspiring. To this end they cultivated a sound that matured into something truly unique. For a period of time, Apse literally had no peers to speak of. Nobody else was capable of technically crafting albums like Spirit, but on top of that nobody else was gifted enough to look far enough around musical corners to be able to break such ground.

So with such a pedigree to hold, Apse always has and always will have their work cut out for them when it comes to releasing new material. I mean hell, the fact that their heads didn’t all collectively explode after creating Spirit is impressive enough by itself. And this, dear reader, is why Climb Up, flaws and all, stands on sturdier legs than anything we’re likely to hear this year – The Donnybrook Writing Academy

Elsewhere on the web:

myspace | myspace.com/apse

Click image to download full album

Sounds like: Electric Light Orchestra, George Clinton, Steppenwolf

What’s so good?
This is a present day album that can really put your parents’ old turntable to use. In an age when music is becoming increasingly electronic, the Phenomenal Handclap Band’s debut self-titled album is decidedly vinyl. This group is poppy, but with a bass-infused rhythmic vibe and a range of melodies that essentially chronicle mainstream music as a whole from the 1970′s.If the first track hasn’t done anything to get you on your feet, “All of the above” should be sure to do so.

Using a disco-themed, speedy and multi-layered bassline with the support of synthesizers, harmonicas and bongo drums to boot, PHB gives this song a fairly sharp edge. The chorus and lyrics certainly don’t do anything to take out the punch either. But this track doesn’t speak to the entirety of PHB’s first album. Along the way, songs vary from rock to pop to soul, and they do so convincingly.

To be fair, the Phenomenal Handclap Band probably can’t do all things for all people. In some ways, with an end product that is not overly unique or extraordinary, this group might not be able to live up to it’s own name (can you think of a catchier one in recent memory?). But with a core of members from other bands such as TV on the Radio, L’Trimm, Calla, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Mooney Suzuki, and Sí Se, as well as the accompaniment of multiple other cameos, this collective puts forth an album that is undeniably magnetic. Not a single track lacks energy or continuity amongst the group, and the album is quite simply a lot of fun. rest assured, the phenomenal handclap band is a throwback that will most likely find a way to grab the attention of anyone who comes in its path.

Embassy Sound Productions (ESP) emerges with a fresh approach to dance-oriented rock and roll, using live instrumentation to evoke the intricate arrangements of Norman Whitfield, Quincy Jones, and Phil Spector as well as the pared down beats of contemporaries like The Neptunes and Danger Mouse. – truth & soul

There’re spaceship swoops, pulse pad percussion, high buzzing synth riffs and cowbells (of course), but also harmonica solos, alternately weeping or grinding guitar licks, and melodramatic echoing whispers for full Funkadelic props. And the beats, which step, stride and swagger unhurriedly throughout, cohere all 12 tracks together into a nonchalant but focused whole – drowned in sound

Elsewhere on the web:
myspace | myspace.com/phenomenalhandclap

download:
The Phenomenal Handclap Band – All of the Above.mp3

Click image to download full album

Sounds like: Beach Boys, Pocahaunted, Fool’s Gold

What’s so good?
Best Coast is the latest project of Los Angeles musician, and former member of Pocahaunted, Bethany Cosentino. In her first musical endeavour since her work with the latter, Best Coast marks her return to California after a year in New York with a total change in sound – from the depths of ambient experimental rock (which incidentally saw her support Sonic Youth in 2007), into beach punk and reverb soaked California roots music. She recently impressed at this years CMJ Marathon in NYC, and saw the latest in a long line of 7″ singles, the Make You Mine 7-inch, come out on Black Iris records last week.

She makes 60s inspired pop songs around the 2 minute mark, taking parts of the timeless Beach Boys formula and combining them with lo-fi overdriven rock. The new record, and subsequent album, is being produced by Fool’s Gold’s Lewis Pesacov. Along with her new musical partner, Bob Brunn, Bethany has said goodbye to old labels Dum Dum Girls’ and Graffiti Island’s Art Fag and jumped ship over to Black Iris.

Cosentino has played a series of support dates since summer, including some with good friend Nathan William’s Wavves, and has built up a whirlwind of hype around her shows. With a large number of pre-existing industry connections, an eager record label, and loads of fantastic material and performing experience behind her – it’s going to be a busy 2010 for Best Coast. Dates on her calendar include shows with No Age at the Art Fag fest before the end of the month as well as a date with Spaceland in December. She’s recording material for a debut album sometime next year, and constantly putting out more and more material.

Without a doubt, Best Coast is one of the most exciting emerging garage pop artists on the scene at the moment. Her songs Sun Was High (So Was I) is airy and reverbial pop song with a catchy melody line, and That’s The Way Boys Are is a careless anthem of sunny harmonies and punkish overtones. Her songs range between the airy and the upbeat, but always retain an air of youth and carelessness, and that California ‘life goes on attitude’ which comes across in everything Cosentino does. These songs will take you away, and make you want to move out there, forever. She’s a very talented individual, and at 22, has many years of life on the ‘best coast’ ahead of her.

Elsewhere on the web:
myspace | myspace.com/bestycoasty

Download:
Best Coast – When I’m With You.mp3

Click image to download full album

sounds like: Wild Beasts, Volcano!, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah!

What’s so good?
This EP is not a complete package for more than one reason. First, of course, it’s only an EP. Secondly, not all of it is good. Take that with a grain of salt, though, for where this album shines, it does so emphatically and with balls. AU is a Portland-based group (reduced to only two members from the five in their last album, Verbs) that present an experimental style of indie-rock that sounds an awful lot like Wild Beasts (with a bit more piano).

The beautiful band that it AU are set to release a new limited edition 10″EP entitled ‘Versions’. It should be released in the US in early October, but there are only 500 copies, so you better get in quick. Dana Valatka and Luke Wyland tag team on a few songs, some new and some we know, to re-enact how they reproduce their work on the live circuit. They’ve just announced a load of tour dates on their myspace too, so you can catch the real thing. After hearing the new track ‘Ida Walked Away’ it promises to be a great EP. They’ve kept the epic echoed Grizzly Bear-esque guitars and filled them with light and air. A little beauty. Check out an older post I did to hear the best from their previous release ‘Verbs’. – super ace

check out this live performance video below:

Elsewhere on the web:
needle drop interview | theneedledrop.blogspot.com
the tape is not sticky | thetapeisnotstick.com
luxury wafers | luxurywafers.net
au’s personal homepage | au-au-au.com/

download:
au – rr vs. d.mp3

Click image to download full album

sounds like: Devendra Banhart, IMA Robot, Grizzly Bear

What’s so good?
“Alex ebert could easily double as some kind of indie-rock messiah. Fronting his new band, the 11- or 12-member strong Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, Ebert appears onstage shirtless and barefoot, strands of shoulder-length hair tied back in a faux crown as he conducts his smiling, face-painted ensemble like a giddy choir director. At those moments, he is no longer Alex Ebert, hard-partying lead singer of the dance-rock band Ima Robot; he becomes Edward Sharpe, his boyhood alter ego, and his band is his family. His agenda, as 1960s as it sounds, is little more than love and honesty.” – the la times

My friend Cat Fish wrote me the other day to say that she’d seen the most amazing band, and had taken pictures of their performance for my site. Only catch was I had to review them! Check out the pictures below:

Initially, I wasn’t too gung-ho about these guys. Another buddy had mentioned that they were great live, but their recording didn’t hash up. Still, I felt obliged to look into it. So I headed to their Myspace, where I was greeted by the music video you see below. For the first minute-and-a-half I was totally weirded out. It seems like something out of a monty python movie. However, once the music kicks in, the awesome videographic visuals (put together by ebert’s mother!) absolutely won me over. Honestly, I highly recommend you watch this video.

During high school I was a big fan of IMA Robot. When I started listening to Edward Sharpe, I could have sworn that I recognized the vocals from somewhere, and pretty soon I’d pinpointed it to that oldschool dance-party band. Still, I didn’t realize that it actually was the same guy until I started writing this article. Since that discovery, my respect for this man’s versatility and full on metamorphosis has, well, increased dramatically.

Haunting back to some older times, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros bring a raw and emotional freak-folk feel reminiscent of Devandra Banhart, but all of it’s own. I won’t be half surprised if these guys gain some serious underground momentum one of these days.

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Sounds like: Volcano!, Dananananaykroyd

What’s so good?
Certainly the falsetto crooning of Wild Beasts is not for everyone. But myself being a pretty big fan of the band Volcano!, I’ve taken quite a liking to this album. Packed with punch, It’ll take you whirling all over the place.

I’m not usually one to pay attention to the lyrics of a band, but one can’t help but notice the often crude words used throughout this album. Full of references to booty-calls, puckered lips, and dim-lit streets, lead singer hayden thorpe has a knack for dueling with the guitar in a manner oft reminscent of the aforementioned band, Volcano!

If you like the track above, you’ll no doubt get some small pleasure out of listening to this album full-way through. I can’t say there are any stand-out-gems on it, but when all the tracks are brought together, it’s rather quite fun.

“…those who like their pop arch, odd and romantically heightened will find two dancers a treasure trove. [it] reeks of well-read, middle-class lads gone bad, out on the lash and on the pull.” – guardian.co.uk

“for many wild beasts are a (to use an ugly phrase) wtf? type band. their liberal use of falsetto twinned with a general demeanour not suited to the ruthless decade we live in made them an easy target for the haters and even easier for those looking for a band to fall deeply and madly in love with.” – itsgettingboringbythesea.com

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Sounds like: The Black Keys, Jimmi Hendrix, The Stones, Cream

“Tame impala couldn’t be any more 60s if they were dancing naked in a ring with daisy chain belts and paisley headbands in golden gate park while waving anti-vietnam war placards. Like cream and The Jimi Hendrix Experience, they create a colossal sound from a basic trio format, and their songs genuinely sound like they were recorded 40 years ago using valve amps and handmade effects pedals.” qthemusic.com

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Sounds like: Death From Above 1979, Kasabian, The Black Keys

What’s so good?
Full of energy and beat, these Aussie natives have managed to produce a catchy album that will not only get you out of your seat, but also leave you standing on your toes. Okay, so you’ll be toe-dancing (some might call that ballet). The moment that really had me loving these guys was the bongo session that follows the second track, “What Are They Running.”  I’d highly recommend you check out their album, streaming free on Myspace. The only thing holding me back from giving them an “A” might be the occasional moments of redundant annoyance in some of the chorus. Those few moments, however, are more than made up for by the original sound pumping out of their amps.

…science and sorcery maintains the muscle, but also reveals their increasing abilities as catchy pop songwriters. Opening track seven sevens is propelled by rumbling percussion and a wiry guitar riff, while there is a hint of electronic punk to what are they running (given a hint of studio 54 by some strategically placed cowbell). However, like many of the songs on this adventurous and raucous album, these two tunes are also accompanied by attractive, potentially mass-appealing melodies. The same is also true of one to the other, which boasts both a crunching black keys-esque riff and a soaring, satisfying chorus – rave magazine

Elsewhere on the web:
myspace | myspace.com/wolfandcub
intertia music review | intertia-music.com
fire note review | thefirenote.blogspot.com
the vine review | thevine.com.au