As far as I’m concerned, 2006’s Yellow House was a decent album, with a few songs, most notably “Knife” and “On a Neck, on a Spit”, that blew the listener away and at least put Grizzly Bear on the map. But, for me, it was a bit overrated as the album was devoid of many memorable moments and was, well, boring. A beautiful album yes, and it was certainly evident that there was something there that hinted at Grizzly Bear’s talent and potential, but as a whole, I put the album on the back burner and never really felt a need to come back to it. Enter In Ear Park, the 2008 release from Grizzly Bear’s sister band Department of Eagles. Led by Daniel Rossen and featuring 2 other Grizzly Bear members, I surprisingly felt a much greater connection with this release and considered it one of the best albums of the year, just barely missing out on my top 10. There were elements on this release that I felt could benefit Grizzly Bear, but who knew if that would ever happen, so in essence, I became a fan of Department of Eagles more so than of Grizzly Bear.
I didn’t pay any attention to Grizzly Bear news, including their Friend EP release in 2007, but knew they had a new full-length album in the works for 2009 and was sure I would at least give it a listen. My first sense of excitement surrounding the new release was hearing “Deep Blue Sea” on the Dark Was the Night compilation (also featured on the Friend EP as a Dan Rossen home recording) and noticing hints of what I hoped Grizzly Bear could become and despite the fact that “Deep Blue Sea” would not be featured on the new album, the hype for Veckatimest continued to grow. The album leaked in early 2009 to horrible quality, but continued to generate buzz. So here we are, three years after Yellow House and with a fantastic side project release in between, Veckatimest finally has its day, and alas, the foundation laid by Yellow House has been built upon to create an epic release, easily Grizzly Bear’s masterpiece, that is sure to go down as one of the year’s best and the album that takes Grizzly Bear to a new level.
I saw this reported all over the internet today, but The Yellow Stereo was where I first caught wind of Fanfarlo making their fantastic debut album Reservoir plus four bonus tracks available for only a buck on their website until July 4th (it’s also a much better quality than you’ll get on itunes, where it’s also pretty cheap at $6)! Fanfarlo is a London based band that I first heard on the All Songs Considered podcast a few weeks back featuring lesser known bands that listeners suggested for the show. I consider the band kind of a mix between Beirut, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and maybe even a little Arcade Fire. The Beirut comparisons jump out at me right away in “The Walls Are Coming Down” which at first could be mistaken for Beirut’s “Elephant Gun”. But find out for yourself for only $1 by skipping over to their site…you won’t be disappointed.
[“The Walls Are Coming Down” – Reservoir] – Download the album here for just $1 until July 4th!
Lots of new albums I’ve come across in the last few weeks, so I figured I’d just lump them all together here in a post mainly because I don’t really have time to do a review for each of them. I will, however, save the Grizzly Bear and Phoenix releases for full reviews…maybe.
It’s Frightening is the sophomore release from the Brooklyn sextet and was produced by Spoon’s Britt Daniel so it is of course very Spoon-like. These guys drew Spoon comparisons ever since their debut, Fort Nightly, but bringing Daniel on only enhances those comparisons and considing Spoon is one of my favorites, I’m totally okay with it. It’s a very percussion and piano driven album with some great tunes and some throwaways.
Another Brooklyn based band, this one a electronic indie pop female trio with a name referencing a line from Pee Wee’s Big Adventure. Still Night, Still Light is their follow up to 2007’s The Bird of Music. I haven’t given it too many listens so far, but I’m pretty sure it’s a grower. It’s not as twee as you would expect from an all female electro-pop group, and that’s a very good thing.
[“Another Likely Story” – Still Night, Still Light]
Jeremy Enigk – OK Bear
Maybe only Jeff Mangum can say he has the indie rock super god status of Jeremy Enigk, but whereas Mangum has drifted into reclusiveness to create more of a cult following, Enigk is still out there releasing solo albums since his Sunny Day Real Estate days. However, I can’t help but think Enigk’s legacy would have prospered even more if he had followed Mangum’s path because Enigk has basically become a less edgy modern adult rock artist and OK Bear only helps solidify that. There are rumors of a SDRE reunion…let’s hope that happens sooner rather than later.
[“Life’s Too Short” – OK Bear]
The Love Language – The Love Language
I was introduced to this group by Paste Magazine‘s May music sampler and was impressed enough to do some research and I liked what I heard so I decided to get the album. Now, the song on the sampler isn’t on this album, but the 9 songs that are make The Love Language’s eponymous debut full-length a very nice addition to my 2009 album collection. There are hints of Arcade Fire in the songs, but of course not nearly as epic.
I first heard of these guys on NPR’s SXSW preview show when they were mentioning bands with funny names. They came up a couple more times but the music was never really mentioned, but when I started to hear Los Campesinos! comparisons, I jumped on this album right away. The Glasgow, Scottland sextet certainly has the energy of Los Campesinos! but some of the songs are a little more hardcore sounding than what I prefer. But the songs that don’t feature the screaming are indeed the indie pop tunes I would expect from the group.
This was my first Akron/Family experience that I came across by going to their website. And well, that pretty much sold me on the album. Akron/Family is a experimental indie rock group with folk influences and Set ‘Em Wild, Set ‘Em Free is their fourth album. I’m not that impressed with the rest of the album, but there are some keepers, especially “River” which is one of my favorite songs of the year so far.
[“River” – Set ‘Em Wild, Set ‘Em Free]
Great Lake Swimmers – Lost Channels
For some reason, I held off on getting this 4th album from Great Lake Swimmers, but once I got Lost Channels, I was very pleased. It’s just basic indie folk rock songs that serve as a very easy listen…nothing more, nothing less.
Back what seems like ages ago, I made mention of the brilliant album Hospice by The Antlers as one of, if not my favorite albums of the year so far. What I didn’t mention is that Hospice was self-released by The Antlers which may have something to do with what little press it has been getting outside of the blog world. Well, news has surfaced that Frenchkiss Records has picked up Hospice and plans to remaster the album before re-releasing it in August. I expect a similar reaction to the release that surrounded Bon Iver’s For Emma, Forever Ago when it was re-released on Jagjaguwar last year (without the whole controversy of releasing an album in two different years that screwed around with soooooo many “Best of” lists). So, a nice little week for Frenchkiss, which as I recently noted has an album being released tomorrow that could also be one of the year’s best. Anyway, this is very cool news for The Antlers, and very well deserved. So here’s another track from Hospice as well as the two that I featured back in my original post.
The cover of the latest release from the Conor Oberst catalog features a picture of himself along with his backing band, only Conor is wearing a blindfold as a way to symbolize his first album where he gives credit to a backing band and allows them to rise to the forefront. Well that’s all good and nice, and a fine gesture from Conor, but hopefully it’s nothing that we’ll have to get used to. Just 9 months after his self-titled album, his first released under his own name, Oberst returns with Outer South which features 16 songs, a handful of which Conor didn’t write and does not contribute vocals to. Predictably, the Oberst songs are the strength of the album (with a few exceptions). “Ten Women” and “White Shoes” are the kind of stripped down acoustic folk ballads that show Conor at his best, and along with free-wheelin’ rousers like “Slowly (oh so slowly)” these are the kind of songs that helped Conor earn the tag of the “New Bob Dylan”.
The seven songs led by members of The Mystic Valley Band aren’t nearly as strong (with a few exceptions) with “Difference in Time” and “Eagle on a Pole” being the highlight of those (both Jason Boesel led tracks). And a quick shout out to bass player and Birmingham, Alabama native (and fellow Homewood High School alum) Macey Taylor who sings lead vocals on “Worldwide” which is the lone Oberst penned track that Conor doesn’t sing himself. However, a song as bad as “Air Mattress”, a non-Oberst written song, should never find its way onto a Conor Oberst release. As a whole this album is exactly what it was meant to be: a collection of fun folk-rock songs that Conor and the band wrote while on tour supporting the self-titled release. However, that’s all it is…a collection of songs, which is why it’s nothing special. What Conor has always done so well, as his Bright Eyes releases can attest, is create an album that is more than just a bunch of songs thrown together. So kudos to Oberst for allowing his friends and back-up band to get a little credit, but when’s the next Bright Eyes album already?
Well, with 1Q 2009 (that’s first quarter of 2009 for you non-business savy) in the books, its time to highlight some of the releases so far this year that deserve mentioning. It’s been a semi-disappointing year to this point, but there have been a few excellent releases. Here’s a few that were released in the first 3 months of ’09 that are sure to stand out when all is said and done for this year.
The Antlers
The Antlers – Hospice
For me, any talk of the best albums so far this year has to begin with this haunting album from the Brooklyn based 3 piece, The Antlers. A concept album of sorts, Hospice tells the story of a relationship forged in a hospital, which inevitably ends in sadness, and the effect it has on the protagonist from there on out. It is truly one of the most emotional albums I have heard in quite some time, and while it does tend to come off as slightly pretentious, after a few listens that mindset fades away and the gravity of the songs really set in. Musically, Hospice is an immensely dense and atmospheric album with gorgeous production thanks to the inspired work from Peter Silberman, who is the heart and soul of The Antlers. The backstory of this album is similar to Bon Iver’s For Emma, Forever Ago and the results are just as heartbreakingly beautiful.
[“Bear” – Hospice] – Download this track free from The Antlers website by clicking here.
[“Two” – Hospice] – Download this track free from The Antlers website by clicking here.
Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion
In what is sure to garner numerous album of the year awards by the time 2009 is over, Merriweather Post Pavilion is possibly the best of Animal Collective’s 9 full-length releases. I’m probably not the best source for saying something like as the only other album of theirs I have is 2007’s Strawberry Jam, but the consensus on MPP is that it is indeed their best. However, there’s no arguing that this album definitely was their most anticipated. The hype surrounding this album pretty much won it album of the year before it was even released (Pitchfork’s 9.6 didn’t hurt either). I wouldn’t call myself an avid Animal Collective fan, but I do enjoy them to a degree and there is no denying that this is a fantastic album; much more accessible than what I’ve heard in the past. Who knows where it will rank in my list, but it is certainly deserving of the hype. (Old People don’t agree)
[“My Girls” – Merriweather Post Pavilion]
Antony and the Johnsons – The Crying Light
To say Antony Hagerty’s voice is an acquired taste is an understatement. And considering I didn’t quite get the hype behind 2005’s breakout I Am a Bird Now, but now find myself coming back to it over and over again, I guess I have acquired that taste. Now here we are four years later and Hagerty has finally released the follow up with his much anticipated The Crying Light. Hagerty gets help from Nico Muhly with the musical arrangements which is an added bonus, but the star here is still Hagerty’s haunting voice. Hagerty has created another beautiful and engaging album with The Crying Light, one that is sure to go down as one of the best of ’09.
[“Her Eyes are Underneath the Ground” – The Crying Light]
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
Last year M83 filled the void for 80’s indie pop retro bands, but this year The Pains of Being Pure at Heart has decided to step in. However, whereas Saturday=Youth was more electronic and synth based, Pains is straight up guitar pop with some synths sprinkled in. The New York City four piece is set to be this year’s indie darlings with their self titled debut full-length. It’s rare for a debut album to show this much confidence and the group shows a very good knack for songwriting while still having room to grow. It’s more shoegaze than what most indie-poppers might be looking for, but for those looking for a mix of shoegaze and twee-pop, Pains has pretty much nailed it.
[“Young Adult Friction” – The Pains of Being Pure at Heart]
Laura Gibson – Beasts of Seasons
With her second album, Gibson has created another intimate masterpiece full of her gentle folksinging that helped launch the All Songs Considered’s Tiny Desk Concert series. Gibson is to be appreciated in an intimate setting and as a way to showcase that intimacy, All Songs invited her to perform at the desk of Bob Boilen. That is how I was introduced to Gibson and Beasts of Seasons hasn’t disappointed one bit. Her voice reminds me of a less crackly and quirky Joanna Newsom, while also not being nearly as freak-folk as Newsom. It’s not easy to stand out as a folk singer-songwriter, especially based out of Portland, but with her subtle musical nuances and lyrics, Gibson is able to pull it off.
It’s pretty ballsy for a band on a major label to create a “rock-opera” concept album with only one real radio song on it, however Colin Meloy had been dabbling in prog rock for a while now so it was about time. But The Decemberists pull it off and while it is their worst album, that’s more of a compliment to the Portland band’s previous 4 releases. This is still an epic release.
Bird is easily one of the most talented musicians going today and Noble Beast does plenty to showcase that. However, for me the length of this album holds it back. It’s just a little too long…a few unnecessary tracks.
Another fine release from the Portland folk singer (yes, again Portland…are we seeing a theme here?). It’s a shame that She & Him is how he was introduced to the masses, because his solo stuff has and always will blow that project out of the water.
Posted by Hawkins 
A Round of Sound 