ALBUM SPOTLIGHT

IRON & WINE - GHOST ON GHOST

2013-04-23T21:53:00Z

Iron & Wine have released their 6th album Ghost on Ghost.This album has a soothing melody throughout and some have even said it is so relaxing that it could help you fall asleep. "Winter Prayers" is a prime example of a song on the album with this "chill vibe"; it only features Sam Bean's voice and guitar, with a sympathetic piano gently reinforcing the song’s delicate melody. With each album, Beam seems to seriously expand his range. For example, he experiments with new musical modes while also integrating deeper emotions. All in all, Ghost on Ghost is a very relaxing album; if you typically are a fan of Iron & Wine, you will most likely enjoy this album! See for yourself. Listen right here to "Joy"...the music video is sweet!

RHYE - WOMAN

2013-04-16T21:29:15Z

Canadian/Danish duo Rhye's new album is called Woman. Pitchfork ranked this album an 8.5/10, which is pretty impressive. This album was inspired by the serious relationship that Mike Milosh, the producer and vocalist, had that eventually evolved into a marriage. As a result, the music on this album is very deep and intimate. In addition, it is soothing due to how well the music flows. Beats, basslines, and Milosh's voice are at the center of nearly all of them; this lean production leaves little room between the listener and the songs, which is why they feel almost within touch. Lastly, Mike Milosh possesses a remarkable voice; his voice is especially brilliant in "The Fall", although it does sound a bit feminine. Listen below and see what you think!!

BORN RUFFIANS - BIRTHMARKS

2013-04-10T19:31:13Z

Birthmarks is a very catchy album with songs that can easily get stuck in your head. Pitchfork says that this is their finest album to date! This is because Leavens and LaLonde's production sensibilities and the addition of Lloyd, all of which helped fill widening cracks in the band's former drums/guitar/vocals setup. Birthmarks is a huge step up from their previous album Say It. See it for yourself! You be the judge. Listen to "Needle" below, which sort of sounds like the Fleet Foxes. Enjoy!!

SUUNS - IMAGES DU FUTUR

2013-04-01T20:29:57Z

Images Du Futur sort of got mixed reviews, but some of our staff is really diggin' it.

According to pitchfork, "Pretty much any way you slice it, Images Du Futur is just too clinical."

NME Album Reviews says that, "Ben Shemie on murmured vocals and clipped rhythm guitar, Joe Yarmush combining bass and guitar duties, Max Henry less prominent this time but still shaping the mood on synth, and Liam O’Neill piecing together an inspired mesh of syncopated beats – and the unit sculpts its menacing, brainy rock with a winning balance of power and restraint"

I think that this album sounds sort of like their last album Zeroes QC, but it is nice to hear some new tunes by Suuns.

Why don't you see for yourself! Listen below to this track from the album.

PURLING HISS- WATER ON MARS

2013-03-25T19:45:13Z

Purling Hiss’ fourth album, Water on Mars, is the project’s first release for Drag City and their first recording as a trio; Polizze is now joined by bassist Kiel Everett and drummer Mike Sneeringer. For all its polish, Water on Mars retains a sense of spontaneity, with a handful of soft, folky tunes like “Dead Again” and “She Calms Me Down". “Mercury Retrograde” is the most unapologetically catchy rocker he’s written yet. Listen below and see for yourself!

YOUTH LAGOON- WONDROUS BUGHOUSE

2013-03-19T21:57:45Z

This record broadens Powers' musical and lyrical scope into something universal in a literal and figurative sense, evoking the cosmos, heaven, and hell. But Powers sounds curious and awestruck rather than naïve, someone who explores this lush and frightening soundworld instead of explaining it. The production is an upgrade from their previous album titled The Year of Hibernation. The main improvement is thematic. The previous album focused on escape and became defined by its limitations; however, Wondrous Bughouse looks inward and discovers the endless possibilities of imagination and introspection. Listen below to "Dropla". Enjoy!

LOCAL NATIVES- HUMMINGBIRD

2013-03-12T21:02:19Z

Album Review:

Local Native's signature agile vocal harmonies and tight instrumental interplay remains, the most noticeable change on Hummingbird is that the tone is decidedly more blue than the light-infused mindset of their 2009 debut Gorilla Manor, and it’s resulted in a richer, more layered album from the group. The shift in mood could be attributed to a number of things - notably bassist Andy Hamm’s 2010 departure from the band and the death of Ayer’s mother last summer - but the band’s ability to channel their reactions to the lows of the past two years shows an incredible musical growth from the last record. As musicians, they’re more aware of their melodic gifts and, even better, how to restrain them in order to create a polyphonous tension. They no longer use three-part harmonies as their go-to tool to make a song explode out of the listener’s speakers; instead, they’ve learned a sense of restraint that suits them well, often letting one singer take the reins while the other three members form a swirling, circular rhythm to support him. Listen to the album here!

Ducktails - Flower Lane

2013-02-27T21:50:57Z

Matthew Mondanile was thought of as regarding Ducktails as the lackadaisical counterpart to his other, more famous band, Real Estate. The Flower Lane is the latest progression for what now resembles a fully fledged group. Mondanile's hasn't tempered the echoes of his other band in Ducktails, but he isn't confined to Real Estate's shadow, either. This album also seems to have a larger musical vocabulary. For instance, a distinct difference in this album is its production. Fuller, smoother, and more polished, it’s Mondanile’s most sonically pristine effort. Previous Ducktails albums wove a flawed tapestry in which different synthetic sounds and tones were combined to emphasize a more intimate, imperfect whole; The Flower Lane, on the other hand, has clearly pronounced parts contributing to its larger, refined sound. Although, few critique this album and say that Mondanile needs to open his heart because there is a general lack of soul. Pitchfork ranked this album as a 7.1 Listen below to Letter of Intent. Enjoy!!

STRFKR -- MIRACLE MILE

2013-02-20T18:25:53Z

Miracle Mile is STRFKR's fourth record, which seems like a lot for a perennial second-tier band on the dorm-party circuit. This is a testament to Hodges' skill as a craftsman: He can turn out reasonably engaging amalgams of lightly funky disco rhythms and mildly trippy psych rock ambiance without breaking a sweat. His records-- now made in collaboration with a band that includes bassist Shawn Glassford, drummer Keil Corcoran, and guitarist Patrick Morris-- are always immaculate and thoroughly professional enterprises. But, like a machine designed to endlessly churn out identical pots, STRFKR apparently never wondered if the world needed another record like Miracle Mile. This band can capably turn out listenable, inoffensive music that conforms to the demands of the marketplace, but that doesn't mean Miracle Mile has any discernible personality or artistic character. It's just another well-made pot on a shelf with nothing inside.

Adam Green & Binki Shapiro

2013-02-06T18:30:40Z

Duo Adam Green and Binki Shapiro have just released their self-titled debut album of enchanting ballads about love and heartbreak. They seemed like an unlikely pair, but this album shows that they are a match made in heaven. They have the tender and warm appeal of She & Him and the timeless presence of Elvis Presley. If I were you, I would invest in their beautiful music. Listen to song Casanova below!