Bloomington, Indiana's Elephant Micah, whose revolving cast of musicians is spearheaded by principle songwriter Joseph O'Connell, is set to release Louder Than Thou on O'Connell's own Product of Palmyra label on January 31. O'Connell's prolific output, which includes an eclectic assortment of limited edition, home-produced, and hard-to-find recordings, has garnered him a modest yet devoted following. Deservedly so. O'Connell's obviously well-versed in classic songwriters, but he builds on this foundation by exhibiting a zest for experimentation. Shades of Jackson Browne and Neil Young pepper the varied canvas of Louder Than Thou, but O'Connell is unafraid to supplement his [...]
Philadelphia song-maestro Kurt Vile is now offering up a deluxe edition of the masterful Smoke Ring For My Halo. It includes a new six-song EP entitled So Outta Reach . The songs on the EP were recorded during the Smoke Ring sessions and, like most of Vile's output, occupy a similar headspace. Heck, there's even two variations of the same song on the EP, the more rocking "Life's A Beach" and the more acoustic-oriented "(so outta reach)." Not many artists can manage to sound so samey yet still engage their listeners, but Vile's unique blend of deft [...]
When I first heard the infectious "Murderous Joy" from Carter Tanton's Freeclouds , his voice sounded very familiar. Turns out I had heard that voice before on Tulsa's overlooked yet noteworthy 2007 EP I Was Submerged . After some difficulties with their label the band split and Tanton went on to play guitar for Marissa Nadler. His experience playing and arranging on Nadler's recent self-titled album served as a catalyst for his recent solo effort Freeclouds. Tanton's base sensibilities are decidedly singer-songwriter, but his brand of Americana is accented by an array of genres from lo-fi to psychedelia [...]
While New Jersey's Real Estate might get lumped in with the current trend of surf-inflected indie rock, their hypnotic guitar interplay and nostalgic musings on lost youth seem better suited for wind-beaten autumn and winter shorelines rather than sunny climes. The likable lo-fi shimmer of their 2008 self-titled debut carries over somewhat to Days , but there's a noticeable increase in polish. Sometimes higher production value can betray a band, but here the extra glimmer is an asset rather than a hindrance. Days kicks off with "Easy," a charming midtempo number about the sobering realizations of growing up. This [...]
We've always been strong proponents of A.A. Bondy's music here on C.O. so news of new material from the underrated troubadour is always welcome. Set for a September 13th release on Fat Possum, Believers marks Bondy's third full-length album for the Oxford, Mississippi label. Where 20092s When The Devil's Loose gave the full-band treatment to the sparse arrangements of Bondy's debut American Hearts, Believers takes that evolution a step further. Bondy's image-driven, vaguely-spiritual songwriting remains an unwavering backbone, but the instrumentation on Believers is accentuated with more experimental, expansive textures. Pulsing keys add an [...]
I mentioned Minneapolis-based duo Peter Wolf Crier after they released their infectious debut album entitled Inter-Be last year on Jagjaguwar Records. The duo is back with a follow-up called Garden Of Arms , which is set for release on September 6th. Where their debut album boasted a likable blend of lo-fi and folk-rock sensibilities, Garden Of Arms strays from the folk mold while proving to be the brawnier, more compelling version of the band's earlier sound. "Right Away" instantly marks Garden Of Arms as a sonic departure. The production is more involved yet not to [...]
I'm always astonished by how little appreciation Richard Buckner gets. Perhaps it's the overwhelmingly simplified genre tag of "Alt. Country" that makes it easy for some to overlook a songwriter that, in my opinion, is of the highest ilk. Luckily for his modest yet devoted fanbase (Justin Vernon of Bon Iver fame included), Buckner returns with his first album of new material since 20062s typically overlooked Meadow . Our Blood hearkens back to the smartly stripped-down fare of Devotion & Doubt and Since while incorporating subtle yet effective electronic flourishes. With contributions from [...]
The creative vehicle for frontman Adam Granduciel, The War On Drugs isn't the easiest band to categorize, but I often, and perhaps insufficiently, describe them as psych-Americana. Echoes of classic rock stalwarts abound: Bruce Springsteen (the anthemic "Come to The City"), Tom Petty ("Your Love Is Calling My Name"), Fleetwood Mac ("I Was There"), Bob Dylan, Neil Young, among others. Combine those influences with Grundiel's celestial vocals and a kaleidoscopic array of textures ranging from 802s-era synths to hazy waves of psychedelia and you're somewhere in the band's wheelhouse. It's the melding of seemingly disparate elements that makes Slave [...]
Small Sur is a Baltimore, MD three-piece headed by Bob Keal, whose vocal cadence fits in nicely with genre-mates Will Oldham and Mark Kozelek. Musically, Small Sur takes some cues from Kozelek, melding the more folk-oriented vibe of Sun Kil Moon with the slowcore down-tempo of Red House Painters. With contributions from members of fellow Baltimoreans Lower Dens and Wye Oak, the band's new album Tones is introspective, image-driven, and mesmerizing. On slow-burner "The Woods," Keal sings longingly "In The Woods/I will find what I seek/ Build a home there beneath the canopy." The aptly titled Tones [...]
Austin, Texas trio Pure X, formerly known as Pure Ecstasy (another band already had that name copyrighted, hence the name change), have built some buzz on the strength of a few memorable 7-inches. With their debut full-length Pleasure , the band offers a cohesive collection of hazy summer jams... run through a morphine drip. It's the otherworldly wooziness of Pleasure along with its one-take aesthetic that makes it stand out. The album was actually recorded live without overdubs, mistakes and all, so there's an organic, authentic vibe throughout. While every song on Pleasure adheres to sepia-toned haziness, [...]
For the last year, the enigmatic Manchester band WU LYF (World Unite Lucifer Youth Foundation) has garnered an astounding amount of hype based almost entirely on anonymity. This foursome of twenty-somethings has attracted this attention in bizarre fashion: band photos with members' faces obscured by white bandanas and clouds of smoke, strange cross emblems, cryptic messages on their twitter page, odd photo collages on their website , a cult-like manifesto, a music-less myspace page rife with hidden messages. They've, in essence, created an extremely effective marketing campaign by shirking the obvious channels of self-promotion. Are they young visionaries? Or [...]
I wrote about Queensland, Australia's The Middle East on CO way back in 2008 (although Wikipedia claims I Guess I'm Floating introduced the band in May 2009) when I stumbled on the impressive track "Blood." There was little in the way of information on the band then, but it seemed they had called it quits. Perhaps the attention their music garnered spurred them to reunite. A re-release of their EP The Recordings Of Middle Eas t followed to rave reviews, and now the collective is armed with their first full-length, entitled I Want That You Are [...]
You'd be remiss to dismiss Woods as yet another lo-fi fad band rapidly churning out fuzzed-out albums at the expense of quality. Sure, the band exemplifies some of the genre's trappings: frenzied output and a ramshackle looseness that toes the line of sloppiness. Fortunately, the Brooklyn psych-folk outfit manages to capture that ever-elusive one-take aesthetic without sacrificing the integrity of their songs. Upholding their one LP per year prolificness, the band returns with Sun & Shade. The album kicks off with the sun-drenched pop of "Pushing Onlys," which finds singer-guitarist Jeremy Earl (also founder of the burgeoning Woodsist [...]
Songwriter/Producer/Illustrato r/Animator extraordinaire Chad VanGaalen is back with a new album entitled Diaper Island. The Calgary musician has always had an eccentric sonic palette ranging from Neil Young-inflected folk songs to synth-laden electronic freak-outs. He's also produced a fine pair of albums for the band Women. On Diaper Island, VanGaalen exercises measured restraint rather than the no-holds-barred experimentalism he's exhibited on past releases. The tone is set immediately with album opener "Do Not Fear," whose classic rock meets 902s indie with its crunchy guitars and lo-fi aesthetic. Diaper Island is a fitting title. There is [...]
New Wax Seattle's David Bazan is set to release Strange Negotiations via Barsuk on May 24th. Bazan took a cue from Kickstarter.com and took donations from fans to help fund the recording of the album. The now-completed and set-for-release album follows up 2009's Curse Your Branches , an unflinchingly introspective collection of songs centering around Bazan's struggles with Christianity. While Strange Negotiations plays like an extension to its predecessor, albeit with a more overreaching thematic arc, it hearkens back sonically to Bazan's days [...]
New Wax Mysterious nomad songwriter Cass McCombs, whose apparent distaste for publicity (rumor is he'll only do handwritten interviews through the mail) is only rivaled by his effortless knack for penning excellent genre-defying material. From the Smiths-esque tinge of his earlier material, to the unexpected country-influence of 2009's sublime Catacombs , McCombs has proven to be not only a deft student of music but an original voice in an overcrowded indie landscape. With his newest effort, Wit's End , McCombs has released his most peculiar, and arguably [...]
New Wax We wrote about The Low Anthem way back in 2007 and it's nice to see the band cultivate a respectable following. The Rhode Island band is back with a follow-up to their 2009 Nonesuch Records debut Oh My God Charlie, Darwin . The new album, entitled Smart Flesh , extends the bands spot-on portrayal of rustic Americana with a winning collection of songs ranging from moody to ramshackle. The first three songs on Smart Flesh serve as a fitting microcosm [...]
New Wax While I'd usually steer clear of bands whose songs have been licensed for use on an MTV show (three songs from their upcoming full-length Holiday Life will appear on the show "Skins"), I have to mention the new Carousel EP from New York band Ravens & Chimes. I wrote about their likable brand of indie pop way back in 2007 when the band released their debut Reichenbach Falls and was curious to see what their new material would sound like after such [...]
New Wax For the last few years, Philadelphia guitarist/songwriter Kurt Vile has released a steady diet of eclecticism over a series of lo-fi EPs and albums. Delving into his catalog felt a bit like mining for gems with a pickaxe. The effort yields unquestioned treasures, but you've got to sift through some bedrock. Then again, discovering songs like summer jam "Freeway" or the stripped down folk musing "My Sympathy" makes the effort worthwhile. With 2009's Childish Prodigy , Vile took a step, albeit a small one, towards a more [...]
New Wax Yellowbirds is songwriter Sam Cohen, who also serves as guitarist and vocalist for experimental psych-pop collective Apollo Sunshine. On his debut album under the Yellowbirds moniker, Cohen hones in on a more focused sound while still playing like a mash-up of several genres. Raised in Houston, Texas and now based in New York City, Cohen injects his melodic songs with a touch of the West. For example, take the throwback country-pop sound of "Rings In the Trees," which finds Sam Cohen exploring his inner Roy Orbison over an [...]
Captain Obvious
James Blake – Live Album
Gang Colours – Fancy Restaurant
Trippple Nippples
