While I am by no means a music critic or an authority on the latest and most interesting music, I like to think that I listen to a diverse sampling of music and I am more than happy to recommend some of my current favourites. Here are some of the new-ish records I’m really into this summer:
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- Dirty Projectors – “Bitte Orca”
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- Steve Earle – “Townes”
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- Fanfarlo – “Reservoir”
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- Grizzly Bear – “Veckatimest”
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- Japandroids – “Post-Nothing”
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- Lykke Li – “Youth Novels”
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- The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – “The Pains of Being Pure at Heart”
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- Telefon Tel Aviv – “Immolate Yourself”
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- WHY? – “Alopecia”
Click on the following links to hear tracks by these artists:
- Bitte Orca by DIRTY PROJECTORS - DP has gotten a lot of hype for this album, and after a few listens I find it deserving of it all. A challenging, but incredibly rewarding album, featuring guitar and male/female vocal gymnastics flourishing throuhgout, it will sure put a smile on your face. Some of my favourite picks include “Stillness is the Move” and “No Intention“.
- Townes by STEVE EARLE – on this album, Steve Earle covers songs by his late friend and mentor, Townes Van Zandt. While I am a newcomer to both Earle and Van Zandt, this album has definitely got my attention: excellent guitar-playing, enigmatic lyrics, and a mix of guitar ballads and folk jams. Some of my favourites include “Pancho and Lefty“, “Rake“, and “Lungs“.
- Reservoir by FANFARLO - this album was brought to my attention via the Sigur Rós mailing list, in a message reading:
Our great friends in London Fanfarlo are making their amazing debut album, ‘Reservoir’, available for $1 (USD) until Independence Day (July 4), along with 4 exclusive bonus tracks. It’s got Sigurrós and her cousin Disa on the front cover in a pic by Jónsi’s other sis Lilja (true), and we urge you all to go and get it straight away.
They made the record in Connecticut with a guy called Peter Katis and, as the more vigilant of you may have noticed, Jónsi liked it so much that he has started work on his own solo record with the same dude.
This was enough motivation for me. It’s a catchy and consistent album, conjuring up comparisons to Okkervil River, Shearwater, Snow Patrol, Coldplay, Cold War Kids, and of course Sigur Rós. Check out “The Walls are Coming Down” and “Harold T Wilkins“. Probably the best 1$ album I own.
- Veckatimest by GRIZZLY BEAR – I wasn’t really into GB until hearing tracks “Two Weeks” and “While You Wait For The Others“, both from the new album. Upon hearing the album stream on Spinner, I became even more enthralled. The album has great dynamics, haunting vocal arrangements, and the two aforementioned songs which are some of the catchiest tracks I’ve heard this year.
- Post-Nothing by JAPANDROIDS – while I wasn’t immediately taken in by the heavy garage rock of this two-piece from Vancouver, hearing the album in full had me convinced. The album has rekindled my love for high-energy guitar rock, and is the perfect accompaniment for beers on your roof during the summer months. Check out “Young Hearts Spark Fire“. Also, it was 10$ well spent at Rotate This.
- Youth Novels by LYKKE LI - One of my favourite albums from 2008, and still in regular rotation (many of the songs are still growing on me). Produced by Björn Yttling from Peter, Björn, and John, the album is full of genuinely fun (and not over-produced) pop songs – see “I’m Good, I’m Gone“, for instance.
- The Pains of Being Pure at Heart by THE PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART – simply put: a catchy shoegaze rock album (like Japandroids, perfect for summer afternoons). Check out “Young Adult Friction” and “Stay Alive“.
- Immolate Yourself by TELEFON TEL AVIV – TTA’s last album, Map of What is Effortless, while imperfect, had a huge effect on me. Needless to say I was eagerly anticipating Immolate Yourself. Sadly, I was let down at first by the drastic change in style between the two albums after hearing the first single, “Helen of Troy”. However, all that changed upon hearing the album in its entirety. It flows really well, and satisfies my love for dark, brooding electronic music (or anything that could easily soundtrack for dystopian sci-fi films). Another cool point of interest about the album is the use of analog tape and analog synthesizers throughout (emanating in the aforementioned style change). Unfortunately, Charles Cooper, half of the the TTA duo, passed away shortly after the release of the album, placing any future TTA releases into uncertainty. I hope surviving member Joshua Eustis carries on exploring the artistic direction of Immolate Yourself. Check out “The Birds“, the lead track from the album.
- Alopecia by WHY? – the track “Fatalist Palmistry” has been one of my favourite tracks of the past year. The album, while significantly more downcast than this track, has excellent rhymes and startling imagery. Defintely not for everyone.