popwreckoning

What do hip hop, rock and country have in common?

Seemingly nothing. Except they each contribute to Clay Hughes’ genre-bending album The Whether Machine.

Released on June 7 through Sharp County Records, various Midwestern musicians came together for the project, including producer JKR70, Lennon Bone (Ha Ha Tonka) and Mac Lethal, to name a few.

This cross-genre collaboration is just partially the reason this album could appeal to a wide range of music lovers. The other reason: singer and guitarist Clay Hughes. His low, soulful voice could be featured over any backdrop, attracting indie kids with tracks like “The Love I Gave Ya,” which predominantly embraces instruments, and hip-hop fans with tracks like “Confessin’,” highlighting emcees Johnny Polygon and Jabee.The fluid movement is sure to keep you interested and engaged, even if the style is not something you usually listen to – I knew when I first saw Clay Hughes live that I had never heard music quite like his (and I’ve been hooked since).

Koo Koo Kanga Roo is all about dancing, yelling, and bringing the party. Founders Bryan and Neil won’t be satisfied until the entire room has joined in on the fun. Think the Beastie Boys multiplied by Sesame Street plus the driving dance beats of Daft Punk and the live show antics of the Flaming Lips.

Performing in an indie rock band was fun…for a while. Then the constant lugging of gear, half an hour sound checks, and an audience who was only ever half interested in the music they were playing began to take its toll. Bryan and Neil agreed there was more to being in a band than just playing music for their fans. The goal was to create the most fun interactive live show that no one had seen before. The tools to accomplish that goal were; a giant roll of paper (to cover their dorm walls with ideas), a few sharpies, their super weird imaginations, and no rules. A few months later, with those goal accomplished, a dance duo was formed, and that duo was Koo Koo Kanga Roo.

Koo Koo Kanga Roo’s new EP Midnight Slushie will be released on September 13^th and features a guest appearance by Justin Pierre of Motion City Soundtrack. 

Koo Koo Kanga Roo have just launched a “Bestest Friend” cover contest and the winner gets a Koo Koo Kanga Roo show at their house. The band wants you and all of your friends to cover their new song “Bestest Friend” off their new album Midnight Slushie which comes out September 13. Click here for the song: www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wGcmW5A5CI

 It’s only 3 Easy Steps:

 1. Video Tape a One Take, Single Shot Video of you and all your friends covering “Bestest Friend” live on your instruments and stuff. (No Edits, use your computer camera, etc.)

2. Post on Youtube with the Title (Koo Koo Kanga Roo “Bestest Friend Cover” – Name of your group)

3. Email the link to your video to kookookangarooparty@gmail.com 

Here’s a link to additional info and a message from the band: http://kookookangaroo.com/bestest-friend-bestest-cover-contest.

I was pleasantly surprised when I listened to Peter, Bjorn, and John’s sixth record, Gimme Some. I was prepared to hate it, and was mildly dreading writing this review. Instead, the record is a surprising sprint through a variety of genres all culminating into well played Swedish pop songs. Like, Jens Lekman, Frida Hyvonen, and the Shout Out Louds, this band further proves my theory that some of the best music being made today is coming out of Sweden.

Gimmie Some really does run the gamut. There are traces of baroque, mainstream rock, a couple different varieties of punk, plenty of new wave, and even a bit of good old American indie pop. It’s all a bit fascinating. I hear a variety of influences, but can’t quite place my finger on any of them. It’s all filtered together quite well.

The album begins with “Tommorow Has to Wait” which sounds like a marching band on tranquilizers.  The song starts with a fuzzy guitar line, before a single drum starts being beaten, a female harmony joins, and then the male vocal begins singing the lyrics: “I don’t think you are sorry for what you did.” It’s blissed out noise, and it’s beautiful.

Immediately after, ”Dig A Little Deeper” starts with a guitar line out of the ‘60’s. It has a surf sound reminiscent of pop songs from that decade with a more modern edge.  I adore the chorus: “all art has been contemporary/dig a little deeper” complete with plenty of “whoa ohs.”

Late in the album is “black book” which is ‘80’s hardcore softened slightly, but quite good. This album is truly all over the map. I can’t imagine it’s easy to tackle this much territory, but Peter, Bjorn, and John do so. My favorite song on the album, “Down Like Me,” starts after that. It’s a chugging thing that would’ve easily fit on The Magnetic Fields’ 69 Love Songs. It ends in incoherent guitar lines behind a temperamental new wave beat that is completely great.

If you’re into weird, challenging pop music this is your thing. I’m excited about this album, and the fact that they have five others. This is going to be with me for a while.

Track listing:
01. Tomorrow Has to Wait
02. Dig a Little Deeper
03. Second Chance
04. Eyes
05. Breaker Breaker
06. May Seem Macabre
07. (Don’t Let Them) Cool Off
08. Black Book
09. Down Like Me
10. Lies
11. I Know You Don’t Love Me

So normally I enjoy records where the content is random and has a good sound. Take for instance, bands like Radiohead which experiment with different sounds and lyrics in everyone of their albums to make their sound fresh. Colourmusic is just that… random! This one came as a surprise to me being this band has been out since 2005.

Yet they have only two full length albums and a couple EPs out. Another thing that struck a chord with me was they way they described their music as “hardcore and a little Oklahoma Sex Rock.” What exactly is Oklahoma Sex Rock? (Insert Oklahoma joke here.) Sorry I’m fresh out of jokes for the state of Oklahoma, especially after they stole the Seattle Supersonics.

This album can be described as mondo-bizzaro meets indie. I can’t really say there is a stand out track on this album as each one goes from decent to really random, to just flat out bizzare. Take for instance the second track off the album “Whitbey Island” is nothing but three minutes of ocean sounds. Another track “The Beast with Two Backs” sounds like stock music you would hear in a campy horror film.

However the rest the album is a breath of fresh air with a grungy sound that you would only hear with a garage rock band. Some of this album would be complimentary to an indie-film soundtrack. I’m not talking about one of those cheesy poorly produced straight to DVD films you see flooded on the new release section at Blockbuster, i’m talking like IFC produced films that make an impact.

The title of this album shows how random this little record is. Colourmusic knows how to keep their fans happy and they did just that with My ____ is Pink. I don’t know if I could put this as one of my favorites of the year, but it could be with time. This is something I would need to let grow one me for a few weeks.

Track Listing:

1. Beard Listen
2. Jill & Jack (A Duet)
3. Feels Good to Wear
4. We Shall Wish (Use Your Adult Voice)
5. You For Leaving Me
6. Tog
7. Dolphins & Unicorns
8. Pororoca
9. The Beast with Two Backs
10. The Little Death (In Five Parts)
11. Fold/Unfold
12. Mono
13. Whitby Harbour
14. Yes!

Love Notes/Letter Bombs by The Submarines is indie pop filtered through pop punk filtered through the Los Angeles sun. One immediately gets a sense of fun buried in smog. The bass hits hard, and the keyboards are thrilling. I’m reminded of Mates of State, Viva Voice, and other bands anchored by husband/wife duos.

The first two tracks are mid-tempo numbers focusing on the subjects of love and loss. Its weird mix of ’80′s new wave somehow made new. It’s all very interesting. Track three, “Ivaloo” is where things get things interesting.  The song begins with a ukulele and handclaps before the female vocals come out. Shortly, after that the male vocals respond. It’s kind of an argument in song, which is fun.

After that we have another highlight, “The Sun Shines At Night”. This is happy, sugary stuff but it’s pretty infectious. “We’re in love and it feels alright” goes the chorus, and you can’t help but get swept along. I’d usually hate this kind of thing, but it’s so goddamn joyous I can’t help myself.

The album ends with “Anymore”, which might be the best thing here. The song clicks and bleeps as Blake Hazard sings about love and jealousy. The album is best when she takes the lead, as this song proves.

Despite the fact that The Submarines sound like a lot of other bands, they have an originality that I respect. When I first this record on, I thought it was more of the same but it grew on me pretty fast. There is something exciting about this band that I can’t quite put my finger on.  If you’re a fan of indie pop, you’ll dig this.

Track listing:
1. Shoelaces
2. Fire
3. Ivaloo
4. The Sun Shines At Night
5. Birds
6. Tigers
7. Where You Are
8. Plans
9. A Satellite, Stars and An Ocean Behind You
10. Anymore

Honestly, I don’t even know where to begin with Thursday’s blog. It was St. Patrick’s Day and I had originally RSVP’d to a few daytime showcases, expecting to see a handful of smaller, lesser known bands. However, without the wristbands of the day before and with the confusion of RSVP lists, I didn’t actually end up getting into anything for the first part of the day. It was a minor disappointment but it did allow me time to go find the press room and photo edit for a bit- something I desperately needed to get caught up on before I was drowning in a five day backlog.

However, this stroke of luck landed me in the line for Stubb’s about two hours before the doors, meaning I was one of the first twenty people in the door. Stubb’s tends to be one of the more popular venues (and it’s one of the few all ages venues) so it tends to get pretty full fairly quickly. Meanwhile hundreds of people filled out the outdoor venue (something this Seattle girl wasn’t used to). I planned on staying at Stubb’s for most of the evening, then wandering to see what was going on at a few other places.

Before that night, I had never even heard of Foster the People (I know this is practically blasphemy, but I live under a rock sometimes). After listening to amazing songs like “Pumped Up Kicks”, “Helena Beat”, and “Houdini,” I’m more than convinced that they will be one of the defining bands of this decade and quite possibly in the genre of indie pop. For a band that has been out about a year and a half, they are already playing Coachella and SXSW. Their first full length album, Torches, is due out May 24^th. For someone who absolutely can’t stand most mainstream indie bands, they caught me by surprise.

For me, they aren’t just another cookie cutter indie pop band. Their anthems are catchy, California summers recorded for posterity against a background of synth and some addictive drums, all layered with a dose of frontman Mark Foster’s incredibly dulcet tones. The Los Angeles based band is not just musically sound, but they are an amazing live act as well. Every single person in the crowd was dancing, clapping, and singing along, and the show was a blast. Next to Flogging Molly, they were probably one of the better shows I saw all week.  From lo-fi pop to catchy dance hits, they are going to be one of this summers greatest new bands.

Up next was Noah and the Whale, playing new tracks off their early March release, Peaceful, the World Lays Me Down. Overall they weren’t bad, but they weren’t exactly to my tastes either. An almost painfully stereotypical English indie folk band, they are classically talented and good, if that’s the sort of thing you are into. Visually, they weren’t very entertaining, but overall they had a fairly solid set. Good acoustics, decent music, and a breezy, warm summer night and you’ve got a decent show. Even if you don’t like indie folk, they are worth a listen and even maybe a gander at a live show.

The third act of the night at Stubb’s was Portugal. The Man. I had never gotten to see them live, and due to press restrictions in the photo pit, I couldn’t actually shoot the show. However, I did get to stand back and really listen- something that I don’t get to do too often at festivals. After about twenty minutes I came to the conclusion that it was minorly anticlimactic. As good as they are recorded, I just wasn’t feeling their live set. For an indie prog rock band of this magnitude, I was expecting more energy, more precision, more general enthusiasm. That just wasn’t the case for that night. I plan on catching them in Seattle at some point, but until then, I can’t really make an adequate assessment of their live set.

After two vaguely disappointing sets, I decided to hit the Velveeta Room, a tiny bar on 6^th to catch Adam Arcuragi & The Lupine Chorale Society with some friends. Surprisingly, for this infectious blend of blues, country, indie folk, alt rock, and soul, their set was pretty amazing. It was two-step at its finest and was a great way to mellow out between the other sets. Adam Arcuragi is immensely talented, but from what I could see and hear of the Lupine Chorale Society, they either needed a better sound tech or a whole new ensemble – I’m honestly not sure which. Adam’s songs are soulful, a coined “Death Gospel” of poignancy and cathartic lyrics and melodic ballads. Probably one of the more heartfelt sets of the festival, I was truly blown away by the artistry and skill that was apparent in every note of his. Some tracks could have used more piano, some a fiddle or a cello, but overall they were obscenely good to be playing a half empty venue on St. Patrick’s Day.

To round off the night, I found out that Ron Sexsmith was playing an acoustic set at the Hilton Garden at Creekside (a trek and some hunting to find, but worth it for Sexsmith). Acoustics in conference rooms are barely adequate for someone of this caliber, but with an acoustic set, I was surprised. The Canadian singer-songwriter played some of his more popular works, taking requests from the sheepish and adoring crowd. Ron played his guitar and sang his heart out, soulfully pouring passion and skill out into the waiting crowd with precision of a master of his craft. Between songs, he charmed the audience with a running commentary and some general discussion about his works and his life. Pushing the boundaries of intimacy with his fans, Sexsmith managed it with stammering grace.  One of the best acoustic performances I have seen to date and another highlight of the festival, I will definitely be checking out his catalogue and film extensively in the near future.

With that chilling beautiful set, it was time to return my gear to the hotel, a long walk to the breezy Austin night and catch some sleep before the weekend events and the upcoming long haul.

(Look for the rest of my SXSW coverage coming soon!)

Find the artists here:

Foster The People
Noah and the Whale
Portugal. The Man
Adam Arcuragi & The Lupine Chorale Society
Ron Sexsmith

SXSW

Check out more of my Day 2 photos here!
(Please note that due to memory card failure, this is a fairly small set).

I got my first And You Will Know Us By the Trail of the Dead album in 2000. I was ten years old and amazingly blown away even then. The new album Tao of the Dead is just another chapter in the prolific decade plus long career of Trail of the Dead, and frankly, probably my favorite.

Tao of the Dead was recorded in ten days, comprised of their bare bones quartet line up (stripped down from their previous six members) and is comprised of two movements. Movement one (Tao of the Dead) is split into eleven separate tracks and recorded in the key of D. Movement two (Strange News From Another Planet) is five tracks combined into one long compilation song and recorded in the key of F. Similar to the way records were concepted and recorded in previous eras and generations (just ask bands like Pink Floyd, Rush and countless others), this gives the listener a unique experience- two albums per se, for the price of one.

The first movement speaks back to their roots and is complete prog rock, anthematic and cerebral all at once. The lyrics have been placed with painstaking care, budgeted into a background of psychedelic tunage that is sure to scorch you down to your toes. The guitars are loud, obnoxious and incredibly well tabbed, as well as the drums being mildly muted to lend a beat to the song without overpowering the other elements. Bass reverberates and rattles around your brain as frontman Conrad Keely spouts out lyrics with careless grace and pointed nonchalance. Like prog rock of years past, it is very reminiscent of Sunny Day Real Estate and carries overtones of newcomers like Japandroids and Mogwai (who also has a new album out).  It features eleven amazing tracks that blend into one another for an experience that is pretty damn amazing, completely calling for a dimly lit (or unlit) room, surround sound, a lava lamp, and in some cases, a bong (if you’re into that sorta thing).

Favorite tracks from the first movement include “The Wasteland,” “Spiral Jetty,” and “Pure Radio Cosplay.” Lyrics from “Spiral Jetty” have been invading my thoughts at the weirdest of times,”I found a jetty of stone /and I’m standing on my own/the lake enclosed” really resonates with the tone of song and hits close to home, although I am not sure why yet.

The second movement echoes the first, although a little grittier, a little harsher, and even more generally cerebral than the first. At 16:31 in length, I am a tad surprised that it shows such a diversity of the band’s talents. Included are everything from slow anthem pieces to faster dancey indie parts, and even a hint of old ‘90s alt rock. It’s a cacophony of sound and brilliant in its integrity and structure. Following the same general style as they usually bring to the table, they take it a step further in making it one cohesive track. Really, it’s probably one of my favorite pieces of all time. It’s prolific, it’s beautiful, and it’s purely Trail of the Dead.

The album itself is entirely worth buying just for the music. However, add in Keely’s album artwork, and you have one INSANE deal. Not only is the album musically brilliant, but the packaging is pretty. And I mean pretty. Go pick this up now, and sit back and relax. And of course, buy it on vinyl. It’ll sound that much better.

Track Listing:

Tao of the Dead Part I: Tao of the Dead
01. Introduction: Let’s Experiment
02. Pure Radio Cosplay
03. Summer of All Dead Souls
04. Cover the Days Like a Tidal Wave
05. Fall of the Empire
06. The Wasteland
07. The Spiral Jetty
08. Weight of the Sun (or the Post-Modern Prometheus)
09. Pure Radio Cosplay (Reprise)
10. Ebb Away
11. The Fairlight Pendant

Tao of the Dead Part II: Strange News From Another Planet
12. Know Your Honor
Rule by Being Just
The Ship Impossible
Strange Epiphany
Racing and Hunting

Kansas City’s HOLY mountain took the time between touring and recording their debut effort to dazzle PopWreckoning with smiles, share secrets to success and give other insights into the band. Read the transcript of the interview or watch the video of it below:

PopWreckoning, Bethany: Can you tell me who you are and what instruments you each play?
Carlos, HOLY mountain: I’m Carlos. I play guitar and drums and I sing vocals.
Dave, HOLY mountain: I’m Dave and I play piano and guitar.
Elijah, HOLY mountain: I’m Elijah. I play bass, sing and play guitar. Shaker.
Cameron, HOLY mountain: I’m Cameron. I play the drums, the bass and I sing one time.

PW: How did you get together and form HOLY Mountain?
Cm: Well, last April {2009} we played a worship set at this church that I used to go to and we really liked the way it sounded. Dave was actually playing the acoustic guitar and singing. Carlos was playing the guitar. Elijah played the bass and I played the drums. We liked the way it sounded. So we went back to Dave’s house a couple of days later, set up in his living room and played a few songs. We just jammed out, but we ended writing our first two songs that way. So we thought maybe it will go somewhere and we just kept going.

PW: Where did name come from?
E: There’s this verse in the Bible–HOSEA. HOSEA chapter 2 and it’s actually on our t-shirts. It just speaks about the end of the age and the coming change. We believe it’s now. So this name has a lot of meaning to us. We didn’t completely agree on it to begin with. Cameron even said ‘I’d never be in a band called HOLY Mountain.’ After awhile it was the only one that stuck.
Cm: That’s what I said, too.
E: We went through so many names…I think we all kind of love it now.
D: I still don’t care.
Cr: That’s his opinion on everything though.

PW: Would you label yourselves a Christian band?
HM: We’re Christians in a band. That label, just the word Christian itself, it’s so misused. We believe in God. We believe in the Bible. We make music and write about it because it is the most important thing in our lives. But, we’re not playing in churches on Sunday night. I mean, I wouldn’t mind playing at a church, because, you know? We’re just dudes playing music that happen to be Christians and love the lord.
Cm: Amen.
Cr: Amen. Alright, let’s have a moment of prayer.

PW: How would you describe your sound/classification?
Cr: Simple, but big.
Cm: Post-rock with a heavy twist.
Cr: Hits you in the face.
D: Old, classic.
Cr: Hit you in the face and then pet your butt.
Cm: Haha. Ahh.
PW: I’d say you just invented a whole new genre.
Cm: I would say that there’s definitely a very strong post rock feel to it, but we don’t only come from that. You can pick up on that here and there, but there are definitely sounds from influences and people that do not play post rock. So, it’s interesting.

PW: What artists are your influences?
E: Neil Young would be a big one for me at least, especially in my guitar playing.
Cr: Sigur ros, the Appleseed Cast, Minus the Bear.
D: The Beatles.
E: Mogwai, American Football. Just a full collaboration of everything we listened to growing up. Even like Bossanova to classical music. We grew up with a ton of Bossanova music. Dave is a classical trained musician. I had no idea what Cameron grew up with.
D: Sleepy yawns?
Cr: N’Sync. We were loving that N’Sync stuff. Haha.
Cm: Yeah. That was a good one.
Cr: No Strings Attached.
PW: You guys knew all the dance moves.
Cm: Yeah, Backstreet Boys had a sick album.

PW: What is your songwriting process?
D: Usually one of us brings an idea and we just layer on that idea. Sometimes its nothing more than just two or three chords.
Cm: We’ve all been writing songs for a long time. There’s literally hundreds of songs that I’ve written, but then Dave writes the most killer song that I’ve heard: about 1 every six months. We go from it. We bring an idea. Seventy-five percent of our songs had some sort of context to it before it was brought in for us to go off it; 25 percent are just written while we’re jamming.
Cr: We write a couple of songs that just happen when we’re just hanging out and just jamming, but for the most part somebody brings an idea. It never turns out the way we think it will at first. We do a voting system. If 3 people like a guitar then it stays and the person that doesn’t like has to deal.
E: We feel things out a lot. It’s usually a lot of fun. Writing songs is one of the best parts about practice. We sit there and we just start playing. A lot of it is speaking and trying to figure things out. It’s fun.
D: It kind of sucks that we have to keep playing a set because I feel like we could be writing a new set about every week or so.
Cr: Recently, when we’ve been writing a song, we’ll sit and play that song for about 4 or 5 hours straight. Next practice we’ll just pick up and play that song again. We just abandon our other songs and just kill over and over until we’ve picked apart every note: change that note here, that little tiny part, we try to master the song. It’s always kind of a work in process.

PW: Dave – how does your classical training affect you in the band?
D: The classical training really only comes in on more of a technique level. Especially when I play piano…but I think, well I’ve played not just classical, but a lot of jazz, too. Most of my stuff, half of my stuff that I play in the set, I feel like I’m improv-ing every night.
Cr: That’s a problem when we’re trying to record. Haha. He plays whatever.
D: Through that jazz stuff you have to think quickly and think on your feet. Everything kind of comes through in the jazz. I wouldn’t say it is too much different than anyone else’s.
E: It is a little different process.
D: Yeah, I mean, sometimes I struggle with weird beats and stuff like that some of these guys throw out there.
E: Bear with me.
D: I don’t know. I think that since we all come from such different musical backgrounds; it’s a fun balance.
Cr: Even though me and Elijah are brothers, we have probably the opposite the idea of what we think in music is good, but for the most part, somehow we’ve worked together and we write together. we have pretty much the opposite idea on every aspect of life.
E: We like a lot of the same music, but for completely different reasons.
Cr: Exactly.
E: It’s really funny to sit and compare why. Pick a band we both like and I’ll give you a completely different reason for why I like it…Mine and his relationship when we both play, really affects our music.

PW: What’s your secret to success and being like family?
D: you shouldn’t think that we don’t [all get on each other's nerves.]
Cr: We’ve all been friends for so long. I mean Lei? has been my brother my whole life, Cameron has been my best friend since the 4th grade and he met L the same time. Dave went to high school with Cameron and we met him back then and we didn’t hang out as much, but it just goes so far back.
Cm: Now D and L and I all live together and Carlos is married living two blocks away. His wife, Jackie, is one of our best friends. We’re always around each other. We’re pretty much inseparable. With that comes annoyances, but it is so small compared to the love that we have for each other.
E: We’re family.
Cm: Yeah, we are. We’re family.

PW: What’s it like trying to be a KC band gaining Lawrence acceptance? Is there a division between the two cities?
E: Lately, we’ve been surprised at the connectivity between the two scenes recently. It seems like when one scene in one city kind of drops, then the other one builds up and then they help bring it over. I’ve been here for like 15-16 years now in the area of KC/Lawrence and I’ve gone back and forth a lot. It is really interesting to see the dynamic. I think they’re a lot more interconnected than some people believe. We’ve received a lot of help from bands in Lawrence and vice versa. It’s been pretty cool to meet people and people you barely know go out of their way just to help the music and help you out. In return, you want to try and help them out…It’s cool. We have such a unique geographical location being that there are two remarkably different music scenes very close to eachother and they really help eachother.

Cm: They’re really good music scenes. The cool thing that I’ve found out and a lot of our friends brought up is that in the music industry which is so make or break, you kind of have to fight for yourself, it is an industry where here there really is a lot of community between KC and Lawrence music scene. We’ve met the guys from some bands here, met them in passing, and they’ve been so friendly and genuine. It is really remarkable how much everyone wants to see everyone else succeed. It’s been a blessing.
Cr: Kacie Brown is also a big secret to our success.
E: Best manager ever.
Cm: We call her mom.
Cr: Mom and Dave’s babysitter, but we’re also Dave’s babysitter.

PW: What should people look out for in HOLY mountain’s future?
Cr: We’re just writing and trying to make our sound better and fuller and more in your face and just having fun. Look out for our smiles.
Cm: We’ve got some blinding smiles.
Cr: We’ve got some bllllinnnding smiles.

Shortly after the rise in popularity of “Juno,” people in mainstream markets of the record industry stopped to take a look at music in a way they hadn’t bothered to notice prior. Suddenly, artists like Kimya Dawson of the Moldy Peaches and Daniel Johnston, who sport a less than in tune approach to fronting a band, were not only viewed as acceptable, they were embraced as trendy. Overnight, it became the “it” thing in music to care more about the message in music than the pitch in which you present it.

That movement in music couldn’t have come at a better time for Slow Club. Their tongue in cheek sentence structure supplies them with an almost unthinkable “aw factor” that can give any songwriter known for writing cute songs (Stars, Rilo Kiley, ect.) a run for their money. Hitting listeners with lines like “If you came back as the deep sea, I’d come back as the salt,” in “It Doesn’t Have To Be Beautiful” and “There are so many lessons that I never cared to learn” in “When I Go,” Slow Club’s charming wit is as addicting as the butterflies one gets in their stomach when their high school love walks into the room. They may not be true love or your future spouse, but goddamn if they don’t make your knees weak in a way that’s impossible to shake.

Yeah, So, the latest release from Slow Club, is a prime example indie labels in their prime. I have no doubt it could be released side by side with alumni of Saddle Creek or Sub Pop Records. Moshi Moshi, Slow Club’s current home has certainly snagged a sleeper in the group. Their release of this two disc set should turn heads once the word gets out of it’s unquestionable brilliance.

Listeners should be sure to snag the bonus disk, which includes “Christmas TV,” a track so strong it might be better than anything on the conventional release. Hell, to be completely honest, this song might be better than anything I’ve heard in the recent scene. Rocking a happy-go-lucky coffee shop feel and a sing-a-long structure, “Christmas TV” feels like a tune you’ve heard your whole life from spin one. With an addicting heart-warming feel to it, spin one certainly won’t be the last.

Track Listing:

1. When I Go
2. Giving Up On Love
3. I Was Unconscious, It Was A Dream
4. It Doesn’t Have To Be Beautiful
5. Because Were Dead
6. There Is No Good Way To Say I Am Leaving You
7. The Trophy Room
8. Dance ‘ Til The Morning Light
9. Come On Youth
10. Sorry About The Doom
11. Apples And Pairs
12. Our Most Brilliant Friends
13. Boys On Their Birthday

Odd Blood by Yeasayer is the follow-up to the band’s 2007 debut release, All Hour Cymbals, for which the band garnered much-deserved acclaim. All Hour Cymbals is filled with urgent and complex songs driven by thick electronic ambiance and shouted/sung vocals which often lay low in the mix, requiring you to listen more forcefully (and rewarding you for your efforts). Odd Blood is scheduled for release on February 9, 2010.

The album begins promisingly enough; the first track (entitled “The Children”) lets the listener know that they are in for, if nothing else, a strange but fun and interesting journey. The last 45 seconds of this track are especially stellar, with a thudding bass backing a hauntingly catchy synthesizer riff and relentless percussion. Track two, named “Ambling Alp,” is a song that some may be familiar with due to its early online release. This is an engaging and easily accessible song with a sing-along chorus and affirmative and positive lyrics: “You must stick up for yourself, son; never mind what anybody else done.” “Madder Red” follows and is easily the stand out on this album. This track is energetic and highly danceable, yet multi-layered and intriguing enough for a “headphones in your room” listen. The bass rattles and rolls its way through piercing guitar licks and barely audible backing synthesizers. The vocals suit the song perfectly, and the “ooh ooh” refrain is catchy beyond belief. “Madder Red” is dance party ready and well-equipped for longevity.

After this highlight, however, Odd Blood seems to lose its way. “I Remember” ambles through four minutes of electronic noise, building and promising a crescendo that never really comes. “Grizelda” offers more of the same, burying earlier driving percussion in the mix and leaving the listener wanting. Patience with the album will occasionally be rewarded; “Love Me Girl” delivers a giant pay-off in the closing minute in the form of a start-stop bass line and soaring vocals, and “Mondegreen” is a caffeine-fueled romp that dares you to sit still. However, these moments can be easily lost amidst weaker and ultimately forgettable offerings.

Overall, Odd Blood is often charming and exciting–and often frustrating, and it ultimately shows more potential than it delivers. With every effort to put the band’s previous album aside and gauge this album on its own merits without comparison, it’s still difficult to be more than mildly enthusiastic about this release. Is this disc worth a listen? Definitely. The strong parts of the album are well worth the price of admission. Just remember: patience is a virtue.

Track Listing:

1. The Children
2. Ambling Alp
3. Madder Red
4. I Remember
5. O.N.E.
6. Love Me Girl
7. Rome
8. Strange Reunions
9. Mondegreen
10. Grizelda

Written by Marc Gray