It's time to take a look at the best (read: my favorite) albums of 2010 so far. It's been a great year and quite honestly, this list has changed about a dozen times in the last week, but what you see hear should give you a good idea of the best music I've heard this year. Below are my five honorable mentions and soon I'll give you my top 10. Honorable Mentions/11-15 (Alphabetical): [...]
I'd never heard the term "folkestra" before I saw it on indie band Hey Marseilles' MySpace page, but it's about the perfect way to describe the group's chosen genre. This Seattle collective, seven members strong, seamlessly mixes elements of both traditional folk and orchestral pop (among other things) with consistently gorgeous and melodic results on their upcoming album, To Travels & Trunks, due out June 29th. This appropriately titled debut indeed travels over a variety of musical landscapes during its hour length, ranging from soaring epics to lovely instrumental interludes and utilizing the enormous collective talent of the [...]
When Delta Spirit arrived on the scene two years ago, they did so with a sort of fiery retro-rock sound that was about impossible to ignore. Ode to Sunshine , their debut, was as bombastic as it was melodic, with crunchy guitars, clanging piano and singer Matt Vasquez's emphatic wail making for an enjoyably noisy racket. So subtlety wasn't part of the equation, but their lack of restraint is part of what made the record such a great listen. This time around however, with History From Below , Delta Spirit take a decidedly different approach. There are still [...]
A songwriter since 8 and a guitarist at 16, it still took a while for Chris Pureka to get her musical career off the ground. But a little maturity and experience seem to have payed off; since 2004 this talented musician has released three acclaimed albums, and her latest--entitled How I Learned to See in the Dark --has really made an impression on me. Pureka makes gorgeous and often haunting Americana music, relying on her expressive voice and compelling songwriting to stand out from among her many like-minded peers. At times Pureka sounds withdrawn and delicate, but these quiet [...]
You may know the band Milagres by their former name, The Secret Life of Sofia, or perhaps--like me--you are just now getting introduced. Either way you would do well to give these guys a listen. The group recently made the name change (which is Portuguese for "Miracles") and just released their debut under the new moniker, Seven Summits , a mature and accomplished album that certainly belies the band's experience and gets them off to a great start with their updated name. The record isn't truly a "concept album," but it does have a unifying theme--mountain climbing, which stems [...]
The Avalon, Salt Lake City June 5th, 2010 Rubik I arrived probably earlier than was necessary at The Avalon to get a close seat for the show, but I had a feeling it would be worth it to see openers Rubik live. Granted, I had no real reason to expect they would be fantastic--I was just betting that was the case. And you know what? I wasn't disappointed in the least. Rubik hail from Finland and definitely [...]
I didn't see or hear much about Band of Horses moving to a major label for the release of their third effort, Infinite Arms . This kind of news is often received with a heavy dose of skepticism about the effect such a transition will have on the quality of future output, but for Band of Horses it just didn't seem to cause much of a stir. I suppose that's probably because this move wasn't exactly unexpected; Band of Horses seemed almost destined for the kind of post-indie fame enjoyed by the [...]
Producer Jason Amm, or Solvent, isn't flying completely under the radar, but unless you're at all connected to the experimental electronic scene, it's very possible you've not heard his name yet. I only recently discovered him with the release of his new album, Subject to Shift , but it was enough to quickly make me a fan. The record is a spacey collection of electro tunes that blends bright synths, digital percussion and Amm's manipulated vocals in a way that might best be described as synth-pop, just not the kind that is so frequently associate with that term lately. [...]
New Jersey octet River City Extension makes music I'm pretty much programmed to like--a combustible mix of folk, rock, and pop that revels in big choruses and gritty lyricism. So take that for what it's worth, but I'm fairly certain their full-length debut album, ... And The Unmistakable Man , is a great record despite any bias on my part. Having eight members in a band would suggest a lot going on, noise wise, and you get what you expect in that department. Thumping drums, crunchy guitars, blaring horns and more add to the record's energetic and often [...]
Any band that relegates a guest list including Sufjan Stevens and Justin Vernon to tiny font in the liner notes obviously sees no need to capitalize on the recognition recording with these artists might bring. And it's true the National don't need to be famous by association. These five gentlemen from Brooklyn have—in what could perhaps be described as a most traditional and unspectacular manner—transitioned into one of the indie world's most revered rock bands. Now, with their fifth release, High Violet , they've about reached superstar status, and they're ready for their close-ups, as it were. A quick [...]
Given the unusual way in which Sam Amidon approached his first two albums, you might expect him to either be relegated to the smallest of niche markets or to feel pressure to write a record using more conventional methods. Instead, the young folk musician has found his unique songcraft to be quite sustainable, and he's garnered increased acclaim over the past few years—especially with 2008's lovely All Is Well . Of course, Amidon isn't the first person to take traditional folk tunes and reinterpret them with a personal twist, but the obscurity of his chosen songs and the lengths [...]
Roky Erickson - True Love Cast Out All Evil (* * * *) Roky Erickson's life and career have been marred by pretty severe personal turmoil (to say the least), but his latest record, True Love Cast Out All Evil , proves he's been able to put that behind him and still make great music. Recording with indie mainstays Okkervil River, the psychedelic rock legend offers a gritty, rough and ultimately uplifting set of bluesy rock tunes that appropriately focuses on such topics as [...]
Urban Lounge, SLC May 13, 2010 I've mentioned this before, but shows at the Urban Lounge start late. Like 10 p.m. late, and sometimes after a long day of work I find myself struggling to get excited about a show on the weekdays (yeah, I'm prematurely old - alright!?). But Thursday the 13th I had no issues getting myself out of the house to see Frightened Rabbit and Maps & Atlases. I arrived and--as expected--found the place fairly full, awaiting the latter band to take the stage (I unfortunately missed what was [...]
Emily Jane White We here at Chewing Gum for the Ears (we meaning me, of course) are always looking for those folk artists out there who deserve your attention, and Emily Jane White is one such musician. Her new album, Victorian America , is a darkly-tinged collection of Americana tunes that in no way belies her sunny California origins, but it does make very clear her gripping songwriting ability. Even at a solid hour in length and with its generally sparse aesthetic, the record remains entrancing due to White's vivid storytelling and her beautiful, emotive [...]
Let's face it: even on an off day, the New Pornographers make some pretty good music. And given that the group incorporates the collective talents of AC Newman, Neko Case and Dan Bejar, you would probably expect that to be the case. But even a great band becomes a lot less interesting when they release a by-the-numbers type record. There is something to be said for the fact that the Pornographers have album construction down to a science; and getting what you expect in terms of structure and style certainly isn't a bad thing (especially after 2007's Challengers [...]
You have to hand it to any band that willfully alienates a good portion of their fan base in the name of progress, though you may wonder if the decision MGMT made was the right one. Their first album left them among the hottest rock bands in the world, receiving critical acclaim and popular attention with hook-filled tunes like "Kids" and "Time to Pretend." It seemed only logical that they would capitalize on this success by turning in an even more radio-friendly record, but instead MGMT head determinedly in the opposite direction for their second full-length, Congratulations . Of [...]
Austin singer/songwriter Dana Falconberry seems to have already made a name for herself in her hometown. The Austin Chronicle even labeled her as one of the city's "most arresting female vocalists," which, considering what must be stiff competition, seems like pretty high praise. And with her most recent album, Halletts , I think she just might find a bigger audience for her stirring brand of folk music. The collection of eight tunes revisits some previous recordings and includes some new songs as well - though for me it has just served as a convincing [...]
So working in a band has many advantages - it provides an exchange of ideas, it offers varied perspectives, etc. - but there's also something to be said for those artists who prefer to keep their music to themselves. Getting the best of both worlds is Sebastian Kreuger, operating as Inlets, who seems to make the majority of his creative process a solitary one, but certainly isn't opposed to collaboration. The talented newcomer has recorded or performed with the likes of Fiest and DM Stith, and on his debut LP, Inter Arbiter , he gets some assistance from Beirut [...]
Grovesnor - Rob Smoughton, recording under the moniker Grovesnor, is a member of Hot Chip - though despite the connection it's unfortunately unlikely you've heard much about the guy. As Grovesnor, he makes a brand of electro-funk that seems in some ways related to the music of his other band, but Smoughton leaves behind the endearing geeky sentiment for a sleek, sexy pop approach that's just as difficult to resist on his new album, Soft Return . On cuts like the groovy "Taxi from the Airport" and the appropriately sultry "Nitemoves" Smoughton proves he's [...]
Laura Marling - I Speak Because I Can (* * * *) To call Laura Marling's sophomore album, I Speak Because I Can , a sign of growth for the precocious songwriter might seem to undermine her remarkably accomplished first effort, Alas, I Cannot Swim . Yet as mature as her debut certainly was, her latest record shows a definite increase in the quality and depth of her songwriting and singing. I Speak continues Marling's penchant for emotionally weighty material, and here she has the added [...]
Chewing gum for the ears
Azealia Banks - '1991' [Listen]
Metric Debuts Album via Synthetica Hide+Seek, Tickets On Sale Now For Fall Tour
