»The Christmas/Holiday Tuneage Alternatives Edition
by Joshua Krage

Sure I love Christmas music. But walking into a big-box store and being assaulted with the latest Disney star’s canned version of “Joy to the World” over the PA is only two steps away from waterboarding in my book. If you’re like me, you want some alternatives– and that’s what I’ve compiled here for you. A few choice Christmas/holiday albums you won’t find at your local WarMalt but you may be able to track down via iTunes or the internets, and which will definitely make your indie-lovin’ seasons bright. Enjoy:

Maybe This Christmas (+Maybe This Christmas Too? / Tree) – released between 2002-2004 on the Nettwerk label, these are a mix of classics and original songs for the indie music fan’s palette. Some of my favorites are Dan Wilson’s “What a Year For a New Year,” Copeland’s serene rendering of “Do You Hear What I Hear?,” Rufus Wainwright capturing the holiday spirit with “Spotlight On Christmas,” and the spritely Barenaked Ladies/Sarah McLachlan duet on “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” in full swing with a bit of “We Three Kings” thrown in. Something different and interesting for everyone looking to avoid stale fare, though some now-major-names do appear.

Bela Fleck & the Flecktones, Jingle All the Way – if you’re looking for excellent instrumental Christmas music but have worn out your copy of Vince Guaraldi’s ACharlie Brown Christmas album, here’s something staggeringly inventive and enjoyable. Fleck is a banjo master many times over, his band is one of the tightest jazz collectives known to man, and together they power through a tasteful set of holiday standards and lesser-known gems, like Joni Mitchell’s “River” and a Bach oratorio. The solo banjo Xmas-song medley is one truly jaw-dropping tour-de-force.

Over the Rhine, Snow Angels – already an undeservedly-obscure indie band, Linford Detweiler and Karen Bergquist’s Over the Rhine don’t need to cater to anyone’s expectations of their work, and this Christmas/holiday album is very representative of their unique and qualitative ethic. Full of enrapturing piano tones and well-constructed songs (check “Goodbye Charlie” for a spot-on Vince Guaraldi tribute), this is both a great Christmas album and a strong stand-alone album in its own right, for any time of year.

Selah, Rose of Bethlehem – needing a contemporary Christian Christmas album but not wanting Amy Grant’s re-warmed fruitcakes? This is a vocal trio of unchallenged quality, particularly female member Nicol Smith, whose voice goes from a reverent whisper to a majestic declaration in stunning fashion all over this album. Interesting new inventions of classics here also, alongside some truly glorious traditional songs.

Gary Hoey, Ho! Ho! Hoey! 1, 2, & 3 – If you’re a fan of the awesome guitar-shredder instrumentals on the Trans-Siberian Orchestra albums, this is the guy who had that idea first, and released three separate albums of face-melting Christmas guitar solos and serene meditations on holiday classics. Especially noteworthy: the low-end riff-damage from his take on “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch.” Heavy!

Merry Axemas, Volumes 1 & 2 – along the “shred the halls with riffs of fury” lines, there are these two entries from guitar virtuoso Steve Vai’s Favored Nations label. Highlights include Tomoyasu Hotei’s slowly-building version of “Happy Xmas/War is Over,” bass titan Stu Hamm’s “Sleigh Ride” on his four-string, Vai’s own serene cut of “Christmastime is Here,” and an absolutely perfect choir-infused rendering of “Amazing Grace” from Jeff Beck, which is among my all-time favorite tracks of all time.

Christmas Songs (Nettwerk) – a little-known assembling of different takes on holiday songs from the Nettwerk label featuring some of my favorites for the season. My picks here are Matthew Ryan’s raspy “Little Drummer Boy,” a tear-inducing song called “The Cat Carol” from Meryn Cadell, and the sweetest little version of “Ave Maria” you’ve ever heard, by the angelic Jennifer McLaren.

Future of Forestry, Advent EPs I & II – one of my all-around favorite bands since their inception, San Diegan Eric Owyoung’s Future of Forestry does everything with an epic scope of atmosphere and rhythm dynamics. These two EPs are different in form (first being huge, stratosphere-reaching electric-ambient guitar masterpieces and second chiming in on the acoustic angle) but Owyoung’s yearning tenor and inventive arrangements transform them from warmed-over holiday fare to thrilling centerpieces.

Johnny Mathis, Christmas with Johnny Mathis – sure it’s akin to more traditional/classic side of things, but I grew up with this album and still have not heard its equal for a classic-sounding LP from a pop vocalist. Johnny Mathis’ voice is pure butterscotch joy, you can just feel his warm smile singing “The Sounds of Christmas” or imparting the virtues of a “Marshmallow World” in the winter. Plus his recording of the “Hallelujah Chorus” is a great blend of chorus and his fine voice.

That’s about all I have off the top of my head. If you have things you think should be added, please do chime in. And if you find something here you like, I’m happy to have made anyone’s season brighter, by whatever measure I can.

Other obvious selections: A Very Special Christmas (vols 1-7), Trans-Siberian Orchestra (three albums), Mannheim Steamroller (lots of LPs), Vince Guaraldi’s A Charlie Brown Christmas, Now That’s What I Call Christmas!, the list goes on.

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To view past reviews, visit our archives.

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.

»Album Reviews For Release Date: 09.01.09 and 09.08.09
by Joshua Krage

These last two weeks have had lots of releases but honestly nothing that got me really excited. So I’ll run it down like this, starting with the few things I’m actually excited about:

The Beatles are releasing their entire catalog remastered on Wednesday, 09.09.09. It’s gonna make them the best-selling band of this decade, and I can tell you (through leaks – yay interwebs) that it sounds much, much better than their current catalog recordings. Good stuff.

Future of Forestry (Travel II EP) is one of my favorite bands in general, trading on an incredibly dynamic guitar sound, atmospheric production, and impassioned vocals by Eric Owyoung. Consistently brilliant and inspiring.

I had mixed feelings about the debut from A Fine Frenzy, but Alison Sudol really takes some chances for her sophomore effort, Bomb in a Birdcage, and the dreary ballads are far outweighed by new, exciting, and heavier tracks on the new LP. Worth checking out.

If you like singer-songwriter stuff, you’ll enjoy perusing the new entries from Howie Day, Marie Digby, Sondre Lerche, A.A. Bondy, David Bazan, Derek Webb, and Liam Finn (+Eliza Jane).

If you’re a hard rock fan, you’ll enjoy Saoson, Thousand Foot Krutch, and The Used.

Indie hipster rock fans, enjoy Blk Jks, Vivian Girls, Yo La Tengo, Datarock, and perhaps Simian Mobile Disco.

Those are all the comments I have to offer over the last two weeks. Here’s the list in long form:

09.08.09
The Beatles – remastered (9/9/09)
Blk Jks
Boys Like Girls
Brooks & Dunn
Buckcherry
The Clean
Howie Day
Marie Digby
A Fine Frenzy
Flying Machines
Future of Forestry
Jay-Z
Stephen Kellogg
Sondre Lerche
Little Dragon
Jeb Loy Nichols
The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Os Mutantes
Phish
Polvo
Raekwon
Rodrigo Y Gabriela
Saosin
The Stone Roses
Taken By Trees
Thousand Foot Krutch
Three Inches of Blood
Tulku
Frank Turner
Vivian Girls
Wild Beasts
Yo La Tengo

09.01.09
A.A. Bondy
Andrew W.K.
David Bazan
Black Crowes
Chevelle
Cross Canadian Ragweed
Datarock
Casey Donahew
Dreams
Drive-By Truckers – Oddities and Rarities
The Entrance Band
Farewell
Liam Finn + Eliza Jane
John Fogerty
Radney Foster
Whitney Houston
Insane Clown Posse
Killer Mike
Ladyhawke – special ed.
Juliette Lewis
New Boyz
Pitbull
Porn Sword Tobacco
Queen – reissues
Chuck Ragan
Simian Mobile Disco
Rod Stewart – (yet another) best of
Allen Toussaint
Trey Songs
The Used
VA – Ministry of Sound Summer 2009
Derek Webb
Yonder Mountain

I’ll be back in top form next week with reviews of new albums by Muse, Grand Archives, David Sylvian, and the sophomore album by a band who made one of 2007′s most arresting debuts, Stars of Track and Field. I might even give that ScarJo/Pete Yorn LP a taste or two. Until then, see you when I read you.

P.S. enjoy a sampling from this week’s new songs on my MySpace page. It’s updated pretty much weekly now…

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To view past reviews, visit our archives.

»Album Reviews For Release Date: 05.05.09
by Joshua Krage

Feliz Cinco de Mayo! Compras mas musica nueva! If you have to buy tejano or norteño just to stay authentic in your celebration, then so be it, but if you want something different (i.e. non-banda), you’ve found it here!

One of the most long-awaited albums on my list drops (digitally) this week, so I’m pumped. There are also some other big-time surprises, especially from some well-established artists who evidently got tired of resting on their laurels (whatever that actually means). Read on, o music fanatic:

Akron/Family, Set ‘Em Wild, Set ‘Em Free – not from Ohio (different Akron!) and not a rap-star affiliate collective (different Akon!), this is one of the small family of bands that both fuel and benefit from legions of web-savvy, concert-going hipsters and their rapid-fire live-blogs, and with good reason. They’re like Animal Collective planted on a mountain, with full-on vintage rock freak-outs nestled snugly amidst down home folk missives, and live show interplay that dwarfs even the mightiest of mental-synergy bands. Check this band out, they’re like almost nothing you could imagine.

Arctic Monkeys – live CD/DVD
British Sea Power
Nick Cave – 1st 4 albums remastered
Toni Childs
Ciara
Cracker
Deradoorian
Rick Derringer
The Devil Wears Prada

Elizabeth and the Catapult, Taller Children – I’ve been waiting for this album (out digitally 5/5, physically on 6/9) for over two years, ever since their self-produced 6-song EP arrived in my mailbox and completely dominated my stereo. Amazing, simply amazing songcraft, musicianship, arrangements… everything this band does is a well-nurtured product of three kindred souls who celebrate a broad palette of musical enjoyment, and Elizabeth Ziman’s voice is the most style-elastic croon I’ve heard. No other vocalist I know can glide from the tell-off tone of “Momma’s Boy,” to the playful romp of “Race You,” to the warm intimacy of “Right Next to You,” and straight into the weary-eyed herald of Leonard Cohen’s “Everybody Knows,” effortlessly inhabiting each song’s emotional center and fully conveying its feel and message. These are 11 dynamite compositions (plus one cover) in a wide, meaty variety of shapes and colors, styles and genres, and with inventive, masterful arrangements at every turn– I mean EVERY turn. I just can’t say enough about these guys, so I guess I’ll stop typing, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better all-around band than this.
[Read our interview with Elizabeth and the Catapult here.]

Fischerspooner, Entertainment – it’s difficult to describe this duo. Start with techno beat, add high-art sophistication, augment with intentional lyrical exploration and mysticism, bring just to a boil in a Parisian dance-club, and you’re headed in the right direction. Experimental electro on many levels, adventurous in a cavernous and haute couture fashion.

Future of Forestry, Travels EP – hits me like David Crowder fronting The Cure. Eric Owyoung’s breathy, inspiring tenor soars above sprawling highways of dynamic guitar interplay, ethereal keyboard beds, firecracker drumming, and introspective string arrangements. High standard of quality = maintained.

Gallows, Grey Britain – decent modern UK punk band out of London, heavy in all the right ways without devolving into hardcore gibberish.

Gucci Mane

Ben Harper and Relentless7, White Lies for Dark Times – anyone familiar with the homegrown funk/soul/rock of Ben Harper generally knows what to expect from anything he does, but he ups the ante on this LP by sidelining his longtime Innocent Criminals sidemen in favor of three Texangelenos called Relentless7, resulting in a sound somewhat like Ben Harper backed by the North Mississippi Allstars. Solid, delta- and tex-tinged rock and roll with less jam-fueled wandering and, well, more balls than bongs, which is just what Harper’s meandering groove needed to really kick some relevant ass. Some really jaw-dropping work here…

Jon Hopkins, Insides – British electronic innovator and longtime Coldplay concert cohort (and recent producer) finally takes advantage of some of his press, releasing his first album people might actually get to hear, since most of his work falls into the ambient/new age category. You might recognize one of these tracks as the bread in that luscious Coldplay sandwich that was “Viva La Vida.”

The Horrors
Iglu / Hartly
Isis
Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens)
Elton John – Red Piano DVD
Madina Lake
Ziggy Marley
Ralphie May
Chrisette Michele
New York Dolls
Newsboys
Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band

Peaches, I Feel Cream – I’ve never really been into this German provocateur’s riotous brand of oversexed electro dance floor pump, but the web journos seem to like her well enough, and at least she’s interesting.

Rusted Root, Stereo Rodeo – a welcome return from the most organic of all the world-inflected jam bands. My buddy Darren just witnessed their resurrected brand of virtual reality live in Vegas and got to hang with the band afterward, says they’re “really down-to-earth,” which fits with their earth-rooted ethos.

RZA – instrumentals
Frank Sinatra – live at Meadowlands
Rick Springfield

St. Vincent, Actor – winning pretty much unanimous love from the hipsternet blog community with her kitschy blend of pristine, classical-tinged alt.pop arrangements and distortion freak-outs, Annie Clark has conjured a sound wholly unmatched by her peers. Picture a quaint, wholesome department store holiday display with blankets of white and glittering tinsel; now imagine a bespectacled, bloodied mutant limping across the linoleum with a severed head in one hand and a Dickens novel in the other, and you’re halfway there. She’s witty, she’s wicked, she’s wry and world-weary with just the right perky sheen to make a civilized crowd unsure over how off-the-rails she truly is, but stay alert – she’s fully in control and has a vision with laser-point clarity. There is no adjective to sum up the creativity on this record; it’s exceedingly worth notice and will be tough to match.

The Toxic Avenger Musical
VA – Causes 2
The Vaselines – 2-disc retrospective
Elliott Yamin

Yoshida Brothers, Prism – one of my longtime favorites. Taking a traditional Japanese instrument and reshaping its uses for contemporary modern majesty, the virtuosity of these two brothers extends far beyond their mastery of the 3-stringed tsugaru-shamisen, with muscular arrangements of original compositions and mind-expanding takes on other artists’ works, like Radiohead’s “The National Anthem” on this LP (brilliant, BTW). Counts towards your cultural cred as well as your hipster cred.

Zao

So if I didn’t make it clear enough, Elizabeth and the Catapult should be first on your list to hear this week, and I’ll probably tell you the same thing in 5 weeks when the physical copy drops (you’ve been warned, approaching superfan freak-out!). Beyond that, for anyone waiting for Ben Harper to be relevant again and return to his original fire, this is the week you’ve been expecting– that album NAILS it, really incendiary stuff.

p.s. you can check out a sampling of some of this week’s new songs on my MySpace page. Just let the playlist play! It’s updated pretty much weekly now, so enjoy.

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