The most recent track is “Day Off.” This song doesn’t steer far from the carefree flavor heard in other tunes from Freelance Whales, but adds a little bit more of raw sound to the track than what’s typically expected. The band also released a new video for their “Enzymes” single:

If you want to catch Freelance Whales live, be sure to check out the following dates:

04.10.11 Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom
04.11.11 Seattle, WA @ The Showbox at The Market
04.12.11 Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
04.14.11 San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall
04.19.11 Houston, TX @ Fitzgerald’s
04.20.11 Dallas, TX @ The Loft
04.21.11 Austin, TX @ La Zona Rosa
04.23.11 St Louis, MO @ The Firebird
04.25.11 Minneapolis, MN @ The Varsity Theater
04.26.11 Chicago, IL @ Metro
04.27.11 Columbus, OH @ Outland Live
04.29.11 Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom
04.30.11 Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Concert Theatre
05.01.11 Montreal, QC @ Le National
05.02.11 Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
05.04.11 New York, NY @ Terminal 5
05.05.11 Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre of the Living Arts
05.06.11 Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
05.07.11 Baltimore, MD @ Ottobar
05.08.11 Pawtucket, RI @ The Met

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For more information on Freelance Whales, visit freelancewhales.com.

If you’ve been on the fence about Freelance Whales, then you should grab this exclusive track because it showcases a whole new side of the group without losing sight of their roots. (Maturity!) This track is noticeably a little rougher around the edges– especially in the opening 30 seconds or so– and gradually unravels itself throughout the entire track to make for one solid-sounding single.

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For more information on Freelance Whales, visit freelancewhales.com.

If you’ve encountered the new Twitter campaign, you have more than likely been exposed to Freelance Whales without even knowing it (unless you count the background track and the obligatory Weathervane vinyl shots in the promo). The band also recently gave the the “Hannah” track a video:

11.05.10 Hoboken, NJ @ Maxwell’s
11.06.10 Washington, DC @ Black Cat
11.07.10 Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506
11.08.10 Atlanta, GA @ The Drunken Unicorn
11.10.10 Houston, TX @ Fitzgerald’s Downstairs
11.11.10 Austin, TX @ The ND / 501 Studios
11.12.10 Dallas, TX @ The Loft
11.14.10 Tempe, AZ @ Clubhouse Music Venue
11.16.10 Costa Mesa, CA @ Detroit Bar
11.18.10 West Hollywood, CA @ Troubadour
11.19.10 San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Stop
11.21.10 Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge
11.23.10 Seattle, WA @ Crocodile Café
11.24.10 Vancouver, BC @ The Biltmore Cabaret
11.27.10 Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court
11.29.10 Denver, CO @ Hi-Dive
12.01.10 Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry
12.02.10 Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
12.03.10 Columbus, OH @ The Basement
12.04.10 Pittsburgh, PA @ Brillobox
12.05.10 Buffalo, NY @ Mohawk Place
12.07.10 Toronto, ONT @ El Mocambo Club
12.08.10 Montreal, QC @ La Sala Rossa
12.09.10 Cambridge, MA @ Middle East Restaurant & Night Club
12.10.10 Northampton, MA @ Iron Horse Music Hall
12.14.10 Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s
12.15.10 New York, NY @ Webster’s Hall

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For more information on Freelance Whales, visit freelancewhales.com.

»Album Reviews For Release Date: 04.13.10
by Joshua Krage

This week is all about voice, from radiant solo artists to large vocal ensembles to six string vocals to the strange voices that can be found from whatever instruments happen to be inhabiting your garage. Wonderful innovations await on this week’s list, look closely:

Amber Pacific

Jeff Beck, Emotion & Commotion – by far the darkest horse of all classic rock guitar heroes, Jeff Beck’s solo album output has been a colourful array of stylistic divergences, not quite eluding mainstream popularity so much as ducking around it, and while his last LP (2003′s Jeff) paired his fretboard wizardry with a dance/electronica palette, this outing matches him up with a 64-piece orchestra and production from ’90s pop maestro Trevor Horn for a different kind of wizardry. Arguably the most inventive and nimble of his six string contemporaries, Beck shelves his jaw-dropping chops here and focuses instead on his amazing sense of phrasing, employing taste and restraint over blistering solos and bombastic beats. Vocal contributions from Imelda May, Joss Stone, and Olivia Safe are tasty, but when a guitarist of Beck’s caliber tackles songs like Puccini’s “Nessun Dorma” and the perrennial classic “Over the Rainbow,” you know you’re in for something special.

Jason Castro
Coheed & Cambria
The Contrast
Edguy

Freelance Whales, Weathervanes – wow, the word “experimental” springs up brightly from every track of these independent innovators’ quirky debut album. Recorded with a smorgasbord of fringe instrumentation by a band who had sussed out the songs by playing them live on New York City streets, subways, and in clubs, this is DIY done right, and frontman/mastermind Judah Dadone’s musical vision is a freeing and refreshing breath of creativity into the indie pop scene. You just never know what you’re gonna hear next, but it’s always something unexpected and excellent.

Kaki King
Matt Pond PA
Natalie Merchant

MGMT, Congratulations – I love that “Time to Pretend” song as much as anyone, but I felt the rest of this modern psychedelic duo’s debut was a bit off. That feeling returns abundantly listening to this followup LP, as now I know what happens when a few unfettered creative experimentalists are handed a big budget and a mountain of hallucinogenic expectations. Repeated listens may reveal some true genius here, but all I hear at the moment is art for art’s sake, which makes for fascinating “scholarly study” but rather unrewarding entertainment.

Raul Midon, Synthesis – third LP from a fascinatingly versatile vocalist/guitarist who slides between styles with subtle, hard-earned skill. Got some rock, R&B, samba, jazz, a Beatles cover, and even a little reggae and he pulls them all off like he was born to them. Great singer/songwriter with an amazing voice, worthy of much more merit and attention.

Stanton Moore, Groove Alchemy – I don’t get to hear much jazz these days, but awhile ago somebody dropped me a free mp3 of this drummer and I was floored by his amount of groove and control. This record packs an explosive punch, picking up Moore’s trio with guitarist Will Bernard and organist Robert Butler (who contributes most of the original material) in amazing form. This is the best instrumental jazz record I’ve heard in years, and Stanton Moore possesses more funk and soul than most proper funk and soul bands.

Murs / 9th Wonder
Justin Nozuka, You I Wind Land and Sea – not confirmed, but a listing for new album from the cross-cultural Japanese/American/Canadian R&B crooner/guitarist. From what I’m hearing so far, this followup is leaps and bounds past his debut, with full string arrangements and amazing compositional diversity. And of course he’s singing about love on pretty much every track.

Straight No Chaser, With a Twist – the human voice is by far my favorite instrument, and between these ten guys there’s enough a capella muscle to emulate entire rock bands easily enough — convenient on this album, which takes on the oft-executed idea of modern songs “with a twist.” Songs “twist”ed here include hits by Queen, Beyonce, Coldplay, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and even Barry Manilow, and of course they’re all played out with amazing vocal arrangements which really do sound like full rock band orchestration in many places.

Tears For Fears – rarities
Trampled By Turtles
Steve Vai

That’s all I have time for this week. The sky is falling and I have to run out and catch a piece of it before it’s all gone. See you next week for more tasty tuneage.

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To view past reviews, visit our archives.

SXSW 2010
by Brianne Turner, Photography by Nick Chaivarlis

The strongest/longest day of SXSW was definitely Friday, beginning with a very electronic Toro Y Moi set at the French Legation Museum (and more sound problems!). From there we moved to the Galaxy Room Backyard where we caught Freelance Whales and also Local Natives, who are getting better and better at killing sets and winning fans. The crowd more than doubled just before Local Natives took the stage (smart) and grew enthusiastic about the band’s cover of “Warning Sign.” This was the band’s sixth SXSW show of the nine they played, but no trace of exhaustion was evident in the band as they played an incredible and high-energy version of “Airplanes” before bringing Fool’s Gold to the stage to help close the set/crush hearts with “Sun Hands.”

Solid Gold and Tanlines played Club de Ville for the Green Label Sound Party, where the bands played back-to-back sets. Solid Gold got the crowd ready, but Tanlines got the crowd going by combining songs seamlessly to maximize dancibility. Though it did seem to minimize set time, the duo put in their allotted time and made room for the next act.

Down the street at Emo’s (Windish), Danish band WhoMadeWho took beers from the audience while they played an entertaining set, integrating spooky harmonies, trance-based effects, and dramatic buildups while their audience danced it out and fed them more beer. (Best fans!) Delorean (yes, again!) followed WhoMadeWho, continuing the dance party for an even larger, possibly drunker crowd.

In an unintentional attempt to change the vibe, we made a very intentional trip to see The Trews at Prague’s Canada Night. The set was plagued with sound problems but the band played a solid rock ‘n’ roll show for a bar full of enthusiastic Canadians who showed allegiance to their countrymen by knowing every lyric to every song. Though the four band members remained seated throughout all eight songs, their energy never waned. The Trews were also one of the only bands we saw who didn’t let the venue’s sound issues eclipse their performance.
Rock ‘n’ roll, fuck yeah.

We ended the night back at Emo’s (Windish), this time at the main stage for The Very Best, who are the (very) best at getting Americans to sing in a Malawian accent. After handing out Heinekens to audience members and partaking in some stage dives, The Very Best encouraged the entire audience to crawl onto the stage and dance it out to “Warm Heart of Africa,” sans Ezra Koenig.

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Continue reading » Day 4: The Morning Benders, Wye Oak, Ben Gibbard, Titus Andronicus, Here We Go Magic, Picture Plane, The Very Best, Sleigh Bells

SXSW 2010
by Brianne Turner, Photography by Nick Chaivarlis and Brianne Turner

All good things must come to an end, and like the best of things, SXSW’s finale is leaving us feeling a small void these last few days. The social networks (for the most part) have stopped crawling with ridiculous hash tags and concert updates, and you don’t have to read about how much fun your friends (or the people you envy) are having in Austin without you on a minute-by-minute basis.

We may not have had time to see your favorite band last week in the midst of all the musical chaos, but it’s an absolute certainty that we covered some bands who could definitely become some of your newest favorites. We know this because they became ours. Here is our SXSW coverage, broken down by day:

Day 1: Brazos, Body Language, Visqueen, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, The Walkmen, Broken Bells, Spoon

Day 2: The Antlers, Bobby Long, Delorean

Day 3: Toro Y Moi, Freelance Whales, Local Natives, Solid Gold, Tanlines, Delorean, WhoMadeWho, Cymbals Eat Guitars, The Trews, The Very Best

Day 4: The Morning Benders, Wye Oak, Ben Gibbard, Titus Andronicus, Here We Go Magic, Pictureplane, The Very Best, Sleigh Bells

Cymbals Eat Guitars, Bear In Heaven, and Freelance Whales stopped by The Earl in Atlanta, Georgia to wrap up their final shows before attending SXSW in Austin, Texas.

Freelance Whales started the night off to a smaller crowd who didn’t seem too familiar with their arrangements, but also didn’t take long to get comfortable to the musical circus they were performing on stage. After the tunes of a harmonium, glockenspiel and pipe dream lyrics, Bear In Heaven changed the mood on stage to a slightly darker one, but still a very experimental one. Psychedelic and electronic sounds spilled from the stage as the crowd grew in size and the pretentious swaying (because actually dancing to the music is a bad thing, right Atlanta?!) started to come out of the woodwork.

It was undeniable that the crowd was anticipating Cymbals Eat Guitars, but they were still stiff as boards for the majority of the set. This music is made for thrashing and the crowd remembered that as Joseph Ferocious walked them through a sweaty rendition of it as the quartet wailed great energy to “And The Hazy Sea,” and also when Matthew Miller accidentally dismembered part of his drum kit, honestly reiterating the band’s name.

It’s comforting to see musicians not be affected by the lull of their audience and continue to pump the venue with endless amounts of passion and performance stamina. Everyone experiences music differently, but these bands showed them how New York experiences it, and how maybe next time we should all experience it.

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For more information on Cymbals Eat Guitars, visit cymbalseatguitars.com.
For more information on Bear In Heaven, visit bearinheaven.com.
For more information on Freelance Whales, visit freelancewhales.com.

Preview: “Generator ^ Second Floor”
First Impression: A simple track with interesting arrangements, layers, and instruments.
Listen To: When you’re hunting for the perfect story that you won’t have to read.
»Save It: “Generator ^ Second Floor”

Don’t miss Freelance Whales on their spring tour:

03.01.10 New York, NY @ Webster Hall
03.05.10 Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s
03.06.10 Washington, DC @ Rock and Roll Hotel
03.07.10 Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506
03.09.10 Nashville, TN @ The End
03.10.10 Knoxville, TN @ Pilot Light
03.11.10 Atlanta, GA @ The Earl
03.12.10 St. Augustine, FL @ Harvest of Hope Festival
03.13.10 Orlando, FL @ Will’s Pub
03.14.10 Tallahassee, FL @ The Engine Room
03.16.10 Houston, TX @ Mango’s
03.22.10 Phoenix, AZ @ Rhythm Room
03.23.10 San Diego, CA @ Casbah
03.24.10 Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo
03.25.10 San Francisco, CA @ Bottom Of The Hill
03.28.10 Seattle, WA @ Crocodile Cafe
03.29.10 Vancouver, BC @ The Biltmore Cabaret
03.31.10 Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court
04.01.10 Denver, CO @ Hi Dive
04.02.10 Lawrence, KS @ Replay Lounge
04.03.10 St. Paul, MN @ Turf Club
04.04.10 Chicago, IL @ Schuba’s
04.06.10 Toronto, ON @ El Mocambo
04.07.10 Montreal, QC @ Il Motore
04.08.10 Boston, MA @ Middle East Downstairs

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For more information on Freelance Whales, visit freelancewhales.com.

The idea of a well-balanced concert satisfies different styles of music. In terms of the New York scene coming together, this tour should be interesting. Cymbals Eat Guitars and Freelance Whales are equally creative in their styles, but their sounds — not so equal. If you feel like you need to hear a toned-down version of Cymbals Eat Guitars so you don’t fear Cymbals eating Whales, you can grab those tracks courtesy of Daytrotter.

03.05.10 Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s
03.06.10 Washington, DC @ Rock and Roll Hotel
03.07.10 Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506
03.09.10 Nashville, TN @ The End
03.10.10 Knoxville, TN @ Pilot Light
03.11.10 Atlanta, GA @ The Earl
03.12.10 St. Augustine, FL @ Harvest of Hope Festival
03.13.10 Orlando, FL @ Will’s Pub
03.14.10 Tallahassee, FL @ The Engine Room
03.16.10 Houston, TX @ Mango’s
03.18.10 Austin, TX @ SXSW
03.19.10 Austin, TX @ SXSW
03.20.10 Austin, TX @ SXSW
03.22.10 Phoenix, AZ @ Rhythm Room
03.23.10 San Diego, CA @ Casbah
03.24.10 Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo
03.25.10 San Francisco, CA @ Bottom Of The Hill
03.27.10 Portland, OR @ Berbati’s Pan
03.28.10 Seattle, WA @ Crocodile Cafe *
03.25.10 San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of The Hill
03.29.10 Vancouver, BC @ The Biltmore Cabaret
03.31.10 Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court
04.01.10 Denver, CO @ Hi Dive
04.02.10 Lawrence, KS @ Replay Lounge
04.03.10 St. Paul, MN @ Turf Club
04.04.10 Chicago, IL @ Schubes
04.06.10 Toronto, ON @ El Mocambo
04.07.10 Montreal, QC @ Il Motore
04.08.10 Boston, MA @ Middle East Downstairs
04.09.10 Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

* Cymbals Eat Guitars will not be playing

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For more information on Cymbals Eat Guitars, visit cymbalseatguitars.com.

With the most gluttonous of holidays behind us and the last month of 2009 in the throes of its annual death rattle, we’re using this time to leave you with our requisite year-end, “best of” list. There was a lot of music that slipped through the cracks in 2009, but we dug deep and gathered a substantial amount of albums which we believe to be the best that the last official year of the decade had to offer. Though, due to technological constraints, we weren’t able to include every artist, we have provided a playlist of highlights from the majority of the albums in our list!

As an independent music website run by a collection of music fans, we really appreciate every possible shred of support you send our way, so thank you for everything you’ve done to help contribute to the growth of Audioholic Media over the past year. Hi-fives for everyone, and happy New Year!

Audioholic Media‘s Favorite Albums of 2009
In alphabetical order, so as to not play favorites amongst our favorites:

Air
Love 2
12 tracks, Astralwerks — Caroline
Coming back around from their last foray into experimental music for experimenting’s sake, this stylish French duo turn in an album full of brilliant, accessible melodies and delightfully dense textures. Face it, these guys are freakin’ geniuses with all the grooves and tones they can pull out of those keyboard layers, and the driving, almost spy-like themes on some of these tracks take them in a whole new direction. Despite having a cover that looks more like an Air Supply album, the songs are dynamic and well-conducted, pared down in instrumentation but fleshed out in arrangement. Hip, stylish, catchy, and synth-y – coolness = maintained.

The Antlers
Hospice
10 tracks, Frenchkiss
This album shows us that we can have a dark side and be compassionate all at the same time. The haunting and melodic tunes of Hospice bring an unconventional feeling to easy listening. Make sure to listen to this album from beginning to end (no shuffle option, either!) because the whole story unfolds that way.

Antony and the Johnsons
The Crying Light
10 tracks, Secretly Canadian
The Crying Light is a quiet, polished and slightly left-of-center album either best or worst listened to while on psychedelics. The third studio release from the band, Antony Hegarty and his Johnsons created something that feels almost uncomfortably personal, with Hegarty’s unusual and slightly eerie voice and lyrics lingering over each melody. The album creates a sense of mystery and is a little haunting in an unearthly sort of way.

Bat For Lashes
Two Suns
11 tracks, Astralwerks — Caroline
If there’s an artist that combines modern heartache and yearning with mystical, mythical imagery more seamlessly than Natasha Khan, they’re in hiding. Her pure, crystalline voice delivers her heart’s longings cased within tales of knights in crystal armor and siren songs, evoking a palpable mystique which is both enchanting and jaw-dropping, turning from concert-hall tours-de-force to intimate piano missives without missing a step. Breathtaking in so many ways, this album amply demonstrates Khan’s place as a too-rare artist who keeps magic and melodrama dancing together brilliantly.

Bobby Long
Dirty Pond Songs
10 tracks, Bobby Long
When Bobby Long isn’t being attacked by girls who dream of being ravaged by a blockbuster vampire, he’s making really good music for girls who dream of being ravaged by a blockbuster vampire… and for the rest of us. Dirty Pond Songs is an honest album with so much depth you would think the kid is just hitting his mid-life crisis. This album is consistent the whole way through and is a pleasant reminder that music can still be solid without losing its sincerity. It isn’t packing any fancy tricks, it’s simply a beautiful album from beginning to end. Long clearly takes his craftsmanship seriously and it can be heard in every lyric of every track, particularly in songs like “Left to Lie” and “Dead and Done.”
» Read our interview with Bobby Long here.

Brandi Carlile
Give Up the Ghost
11 tracks, Columbia
In her third studio release, Pacific Northwesterner Brandi Carlile brings her trademark powerful, sometimes rugged vocals to some softer, more personal lyrics than she’s released in the past. Produced by Rick Rubin, Give Up the Ghost features a less guarded, more cerebral side to Carlile as a vocalist and occasional lyricist. “Caroline” even offers an almost-unrecognizable Elton John collaboration! They grow up so fast…

Coconut Records
Davy
10 tracks, Young Baby Records
Davy is a collection of songs built for sunny days, even when the second track, “Drummer,” begins with a lyric as honest and blunt as, At fourteen, I lost my dad, it’s true. Each track on the album is a welcome reminder that the words “fun” and “catchy” aren’t (always) synonymous with “obnoxious.” With each track lasting only about three minutes, every song on Davy has its own short story to tell, and as it turns out, Jason Schwartzman has some worthwhile things to say.
» Read the full review here.

Cymbals Eat Guitars
Why There Are Mountains
9 tracks, Sister’s Den Records
This album is a great reminder that indie rock isn’t dead (or hiding behind some really cool sunglasses). Why There Are Mountains is a great debut and steps up to the plate where other albums in this genre usually hit this standard somewhere right around their sophomore release. “Some Trees” and “Wild Phoenix” showcase the band’s ability to take songs on a musical ride. There is so much texture to these tracks, it’s almost rough to listen to at times. The joy behind it all is that you can actually anticipate the unexpected and find yourself hearing the next twist or turn that the song is about to take. If you’re looking for melodic hooks embedded into one hell of a bumpy ride, then Why There Are Mountains might be the right dose of chaos you’ve been looking for.

The Dead Weather
Horehound
11 tracks, Warner Bros.
This super-ish-group is the first creative project on which Jack White doesn’t take the spotlight (despite the fact that every headline about them has his name bigger than the band name), instead manning the drum kit and handling backing vox. This does not detract, however, and the music is trademark raw, bone-crunching psychedelic blues-rock, the kind for which Mr. Gillis is known and solely capable of producing. Alison Mosshart’s vocals do the right job, and Pat Keeler and Dean Fertita unleash this band’s melodic gunfighter-style bare-bones melodies with full barrels of dynamics and sticks of reverb dynamite. It’s undeniable — even with JW on the skins and the rushed story of the band — that this album is highly worth checking out.

Dirty Projectors
Bitte Orca
9 tracks, Domino Recording Co.
Admittedly a bit obtuse by popular standards, by musical standards no other album this year even approaches this excellent work. Long at odds with creating music anything short of eclectic and almost pretentious, DP’s veritable mastermind David Longstreth finally made some concessions and composed tunes that could almost be described as accessible and even catchy on this LP, adding yet another vocalist and solidifying their unit into a tight-as-nails full band. Wisely yielding the spotlight to his other vocalists for a few tracks also produced one of the year’s most interesting crossover tracks in “Stillness Is the Move,” with vocalist/guitarist Amber Coffman waxing soul-diva with a hook that keeps climbing to an amazing peak (SITM was recently covered by Solange and is now a legitimate hit in the R&B world as well. Variety!).
» You can see a full review of the compositional, musical, and vocal grandeur that is this wonderful piece of work here.

Ernie Halter
Ernie Halter Live
11 tracks, Rock Ridge Music
This is an excellent live album which showcases both Halter’s raw talent and his genuine affability. Ernie Halter Live is a felicitous representation of the level of fun and musicianship that can be expected at a typical Ernie Halter show. If you find yourself constantly searching YouTube to get a live fix of Ernie Halter, this should save you the trouble of sorting through all of those user-uploaded covers of “Whisper.”
» Read our interview with Ernie Halter here.

Freelance Whales
Weathervanes
13 tracks, Freelance Whales
It’s hard to make assumptions about a new band that is thrown into a scene where there are endless numbers of competitors. Freelance Whales make their mark with Weathervanes and do so in a way that saves them the trouble of trying to show off. They’re not getting lost in their sound only to polish up their mishaps the following year on a sophomore album to show us how much they’ve learned, they’re simply showing us that this is what they know, and that they will be the best at it. The layering in “Generator ^ First Floor” and “Starring” take songs with simple lyrics and turn them into more complex situations that are easy to listen to. Sometimes the depth in their songs can be dismissed for quirkiness, but in all respect, that’s part of the total package of Weathervanes.

fun.
Aim & Ignite
10 tracks, Nettwerk
Forming a modern day supergroup, Nate Ruess (formerly of The Format), Andrew Dost (formerly of Anathallo), and Jack Antonoff (of Steel Train) fuse their various talents to create a band with a name that couldn’t more appropriately define their sound. Aim and Ignite establishes a lighthearted and cheerful tone on first listen, but in true Nate Ruess form, a song’s lyrics can sometimes contradict its melody. In “Be Calm,” a full orchestra swells in an aggregation of emphatic melodies and uplifting chords behind Ruess’s catchy vocals while he sings about talking himself off a ledge. The last 60 seconds of “At Least I’m Not As Sad (As I Used to Be)” bear an honesty not often explored by most artists. Despite the song’s breezy overtone, Ruess delivers an eloquent and emotionally apathetic gut punch in the song’s final lyrics when he states, “I’m not a prophet, but I’m here to profit” after proclaiming that he doesn’t fall in love, he just fakes it.

Ouch.

» Read the full review here.

Future of Forestry
Travel EP I & II
2 discs, 12 tracks, Credential Recordings
With Eric Owyoung’s breathy tenor and dynamic guitar textures mixing brilliantly with his rotating band’s masterful rhythmic and production dynamics, Future of Forestry promises to be a delightful band. These releases up the bar with some surprisingly deft world percussion flavors, skilled lyrical concept connectivity (the EPs cover themes of air, sea, and land — land being the subject of a third EP on the way in 2010), and wave after wave of huge, catchy chorus hooks. Surprises at every turn, and a solid and innovative follow-up to their 2007 debut. Top job all around.

Grizzly Bear
Veckatimest
12 tracks, Warp Records
Once the hype settled over this flagship indie hipster band’s new album (even their announcement of its title got more press than most other bands combined on the hipsterweb circuit), a careful listen revealed a wonderful album out of time, combining lush mini-orchestral arrangements, sunny harmonies, subtle production flourishes, a boys’ choir, and Ed Droste’s and Daniel Rossen’s singularly unique lead vocals leading the charge. These four guys have a lot of musical acumen under their belt, and they brought all their toys to the table here, ultimately living up to the hype this album generated, if only in retrospect.

Ice Palace
Wonder Subtly Crushing Us
10 tracks, Rebel Group
Wonder Subtly Crushing Us hints at being a folk-rock album then covers that idea with layers of grunge- and indie-rock, creating a comprehensive collection of tracks which utilize a multitude of concepts and introspective lyrics to construct Ice Palace’s second official studio release. Because the album draws from a plethora of genres and influences, critics have been hard-pressed to find a category in which to place the album — which is the album’s primary selling point as well as its (most impressive) pitfall.

Julian Casablancas
Phrazes For the Young
8 tracks, RCA
Coming in last of all the solo Strokes’ work in the ’00s, the style-idol frontman’s output really surprised on many levels. Digging and twiddling for “hip” keyboards, Casablancas hit the mother lode in sweet sounds, and used the whole payload on these eight tracks. His gift for wry, sardonic lyrics has not diminished, nor has his signature dry, disaffected delivery, but it’s the music here — both in composition and arrangement — that’s leaps and bounds beyond his work with his bandmates. Great cover art as well — a great bonus out of left field.

Julie Peel
Near the Sun
12 tracks, American Laundromat
Julie Peel is an understated singer/songwriter of French-Canadian descent with a subtle gift for expressing the most complicated of emotions with effortless grace and melancholy frankness.  Most of her songs are so film-scene worthy it’s ridiculous, and the deceptively simple arrangements lend a sort of faded classic feel to every track. Worthy of much more notice than she’s received so far, but we hear one of her tracks is featured on that Mercy show on NBC so maybe better things are a-comin’…

Neko Case
Middle Cyclone
15 tracks, Anti/Epitaph
That voice is unmistakable, big and broad-shouldered while subtle and vulnerable, usually weaving a tale of some myriad shade of dysfunctional relationship — romantic or otherwise — past the point of repair. Neko Case’s work over her last two albums has been a perfect confluence of folk Americana and gritty roots rock with a splash of traditional country, and her lyrical ability just keeps getting better. Add to that a band which has been honed to a razor-sharp edge and that waxes and wanes in flow and power with mechanic precision to every curve, every hairpin turn in Case’s masterful songwriting. Worthy of all the multiple “best of” year-end lists on which it has found itself.

Noah and the Whale
The First Days of Spring
11 tracks, Interscope
We get it. You’re really really sad and this break up is so different than any other one we’ve heard about. You’re in pain. If you’re apathetic to the pain of a struggling artist, we don’t really blame you. There are indie films for that. The First Days of Spring not only becomes its own film, it wraps up every cliche you could imagine in a little over 40 minutes. Is that bad? It’s not necessarily something to boast about, but it’s apparent that the band members weren’t trying to accomplish anything beyond that. This album is packed full of light strings, percussion and piano, making it a very calm and peaceful experience regardless of its thematic tone. “The First Days of Spring” and “My Door Is Always Open” are two standout tracks which reflect the liveliest parts of the album as well as the parts that barely have a heartbeat.

Person L
The Positives
12 tracks, Academy Fight Song
Having a soft spot for the punk-rock movement, it’s expected that an artist like Kenny Vasoli would want something more than what’s being dished out lately. Vasoli told us in an interview that he’s waiting for someone to do something dangerous. The Positives seems to be his “dangerous” something. It’s not a flawless album by any means, but it’s an album that isn’t afraid to try different things. Person L had a habit of taking songs to a certain peak but never really exceeding expectations. This album finally makes it over that hump and brings to the table tracks like “Changed Man,” making it an unpredictable piece of work. These stylistic surprises happen from track to track, but songs like “Loudmouth” and “Goodness Gracious” are specific reminders that this band has roots firmly planted in its punk-rock influences.
» Read our interview with Person L here.

Phoenix
Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
10 tracks, Glassnote
Giving the French quartet the attention they’ve deserved for years, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix presents Phoenix as a band that the whole of the public can enjoy (as proven by this year’s late night talk show tour, showcasing the band on basically every American evening-based talk show). Still as poetic-yet-confusing as ever, the lyrics are no easier to understand upon first listen than they were on the band’s previous albums, but the songs are heavy on the dance vibe. Though “1901″ and “Lisztomania” were likely the most well-received tracks, “Rome” is the standout dark horse of the album.
Finding their footing as a band who are willing to experiment without being too experimental, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix is left-of-center without being too esoteric for, say, basic cable.

St. Vincent
Actor
11 tracks, 4AD
In her second studio album as a solo artist, Annie Clark pairs her quiet vocals with some hard-ass guitar jams and creates the 11 ethereal, catchy, and sometimes haunting tracks which make up Actor. The lyrics on “Marrow” bear the most infectious cry for help of the year while the chorus of “The Bed” is little more than a serene-yet-severe threat which demands for you to stop right where you stand and put your hands in the air. The only real disappointment on the album is that “Actor Out of Work” is entirely too short, clocking in at a mere two minutes and 15 seconds of hard beats and pedal fuzz, but whatever. If your intention is to leave everyone wanting more, you have hit the nail on the head, St. Vincent.

The Swell Season
Strict Joy
12 tracks, Anti/Epitaph
This is the album Glen Hansard has been chasing his entire 2+ decade-long career. All his work with his veteran band The Frames, most of whom are present here, has been honing his songcraft for this moment, and all it took was Marketa Irglova’s fragile harmonies, perfect piano counterpoint, and lost love to cement it all in. These are songs which look achingly back through a bumpy relationship tunnel with honest self-deprecation and wide-smiling appreciation, played by a band who fills in the sonic corners with skill and tact and sung by Hansard and Irglova with complete transparency. Special props to the subtle strings played by violinist Colm MacIomaire, adding just the right shades of cloudy sky or warm sunbeams whenever necessary.
» Read the full review here.

Them Crooked Vultures
Them Crooked Vultures
13 tracks, DGC/Interscope
Does anything else need to be said other than Josh Homme, Dave Grohl, and John Paul Jones? This is way beyond a supergroup — these three rock icons came together over their love of each other’s music and rock ‘n’ roll as a force; the result wasn’t commercial, but is unstoppable, full of face-rocking riffs and pinpoint-precise rhythm section interplay. Every track on this album has something memorable and is noteworthy for far more than the pedigree of the musicians creating it. Them Crooked Vultures is rock for rock’s sake, crafted and released into an over-commercialized world by skilled tradesmen who know their way around the crushing power of well-played rock and roll. They’re already talking album #2, and rock fans in the know are mopping up their saliva, with good reason.

The Trews
Acoustic- Friends and Total Strangers
15 tracks, Bumstead Productions Ltd.
Whether The Trews find the most joy on the stage or in the studio, their songs seem to shine best when played to a live crowd and Acoustic — Friends & Total Strangers showcases exactly that. Opening the album with solid harmonies on “Poor Ol’ Broken Hearted Me” and ending just as strongly an hour later with Colin MacDonald’s seemingly unaffected and unwavering vocals powering through “Hold Me In Your Arms,” the album is consistent throughout all 15 of its tracks. As difficult to skip songs as it is to choose a favorite amongst them, Friends & Total Strangers is a kick ass, acoustic rock show just as much as it’s one more excuse to get off your ass and go see The Trews live.

WHY?
Eskimo Snow
10 tracks, anticon
There isn’t as much alternative rap in Eskimo Snow as you might have hoped for, but that isn’t necessarily the only magic behind frontman Yoni Wolf’s talent. There’s no need to worry — his poetic license is still stapled to every single track throughout the album. The joy behind the majority of this album is the constant wit, charm, humor and raw truth behind every single word. “January Twenty Something” isn’t a long track but it holds enough momentum to feel like a pretty substantial ride. Other tracks like “Against Me” build momentum solely on a lyrical level but couple well with the calm nature of the melodies, balancing the layers of each song. At times, the content can be cryptic and unsettling, but Eskimo Snow still finds a weird way of being comfortable.

Will Hoge
The Wreckage
11 tracks, Rykodisc
Born from the accident that landed him in intensive care last year, The Wreckage features Will Hoge’s strongest studio work to date. Highlighting some of his most earnest lyrics without sacrificing the trademark rock ‘n’ roll sound he has built his reputation around, this album ties all of Hoge’s previous work together while also coming closest to exemplifying the sweaty charm of his live shows. “Even If It Breaks Your Heart” delivers the album’s biggest gut punch in the lyric Keep on dreamin’, even if it breaks your heart, broaching the eternal conundrum of every starving artist: Get rich or die tryin’.

Various Artists
Ciao, My Shining Star
3 discs, 41 tracks, Shout! Factory
A stirring and stellar (and amazingly prolific) tribute to a little-known singer/songwriter, all for a heartwrenching and heartwarming cause. Although Marc Mulcahy, and his bands Miracle Legion and Polaris, aren’t household names, luckily the list of people that had heard of him included a veritable who’s who of rock music from all genres. So, when tragedy struck his family and he lost his wife, the mother of their 2 daughters, it evoked an outpouring of support from the likes of Thom Yorke, Michael Stipe, Frank Black, and many, many others in the form of this album, a collection of Mulcahy’s songs re-interpreted by these artists and more, in order to provide him a means to support his remaining family. A noble gesture of course, but for the rest of us it is also a very satisfying piece of work — not only are these songs smart and intricate in their own right, the guest list’s renderings of them are spot-on and really incredible. Worth checking out for the charity, but more so for the incomparably great music.

Various Artists
Dark Was the Night
2 discs, 29 tracks, 4AD
A compilation for the Red Hot charity for AIDS research, somehow this double album turned into a summit of any and every big-name indie talent across the spectrum. Produced by Bryce and Aaron Dessner out of The National, this project pulled in the top-shelf tracks from anyone who’s anyone on the indie blog circuit: Arcade Fire? Check. Yeasayer? Check. Dirty Projectors? They did one with David Byrne. Feist, Grizzly Bear, and Bon Iver each appear twice, either on their own or with the likes of St. Vincent, Ben Gibbard, or each other. Sufjan Stevens even took a few moments away from his 50 States project and BQE orchestral suite to toss off a brilliant 10+ minute electronic work of staggering genius for the album. The only track that didn’t really make an impression was Kronos Quartet’s head-scratchingly dissonant title cut. All-in-all, this is 31 tracks of mind-altering brilliance — and for a good cause. You get great music, and up your hipster cred, and that’s what a great album is all about. WIN.