‘Mirage Rock’ by Band of Horses
Allow me to start with a quick note: Three singles from Band of Horses Mirage Rock have already been released: Knock Knock, Slow Cruel Hands of Time and Dumpster World. Although the group currently offers a free, full-length stream of the album online, four of the five tracks that the band self-produced at Sonic Ranch...
‘Sheilds’ by Grizzly Bear
Brooklyn-born, art-rock outfit Grizzly Bear—Edward Droste (vocals, guitar, omnichord, keyboards), Daniel Rossen (vocals, guitar, banjo, keyboards), Chris Taylor (bass, backing vocals, producer) and Christopher Bear (drums, backing vocals, glockenspiel)—is set to officially release their hotly-anticipated, fourth studio album Shields tomorrow (September 18) via Warp—their first LP since 2009’s, Veckatimest. A free stream of the complete...
Old friends remembering long-forgotten chord progressions: Sebadoh in Chapel Hill, NC
Sebadoh can be a puzzling band with their chaotic riff-rock alongside gentle acoustic strumming; their sensitive, lovelorn lyrics preceding LSD-infused skin dives. On their current three-week tour of the East Coast celebrating Secret EP — their first new release in over ten years — the trio made a stop in Chapel Hill and represented all...
1993 nostalgia meets middle class musical tastes: A review of Sebadoh’s ‘Secret EP’
Before I get to my review of Sebadoh’s Secret EP, let’s explain the bias in what appears to be a very Terrence Malick-like style, only unlike Terrence Malick, something might actually happen in this review. Also, people won’t say that I’m a genius when they are done reading it – that is to say if...
Oceania by The Smashing Pumkins
I confess, I was never really into The Smashing Pumpkins when I was younger; I missed them by a generation, I suppose, being too young to really find interest in their style. But after listening to their freshly-released Oceania LP—well, it appears that I missed out. Available as a convenient, free stream online, the ‘album-within-an-album’—an...
On repeat: The Lumineers by The Lumineers
For the past month, my daily routine has warped to the tune of The Lumineers’ self-titled debut album—the strongest debut album I’ve heard in a while. Investing four years of writing, three years of home recording, two EPs and later re-recordings, the trio of Wesley Schultz (guitar, vocals), Jeremiah Fraites (rhythm) and (cello, mandolin, piano)...
Take two of two on ‘World Kid’ by The Hudson Branch
Midwestern indie rock quintet The Hudson Branch will release their sophomore album World Kid on April 24. Admittedly, this is the first time I’d been exposed to their work but my first listen did get me excited to start the review. It’s important to note however, that when juxtaposed with their debut album Tightrope Walker...
Take one of two on ‘World Kid’ by The Hudson Branch
The Hudson Branch are from Chicago, which used to mean something to me. It meant that their music would be covered with a thin gauzy layer of synths, deeper than deep bass guitars playing, interesting and meandering bass lines, and drums that were less likely to provide the foundation for the music but more likely...
‘Acousmatic Sorcery’ by Willis Earl Bearl
Here’s a strange record that landed in my inbox. Apparently – I don’t know this for a fact – this guy tried out for that X Factor show, and is now producing some strange and folkie anti-folk music (think Sebadoh’s The Freed Weedas a good example of this). I don’t know and I don’t particularly...