Some nice music I’ve recently discovered from forays into AudioLunchBox (love the download system) and PopMatters (reliable as always), as well as conversations with my girlfriend:
Probably the cutest band name I’ve heard in awhile, Pedro the Lion is proof that you can write wonderfully intimate songs without sounding like a sap. Their fifth (?) album Achilles Heel is just delightful to listen to. Stand-out tracks include “Transcontinental”, “I Do” and “The Fleecing” (simple yet poignant lyrics: And we’d have more drinks / We’d speak of so many things / But I don’t know you, and you don’t know me).
For Stars is a vaguely ambient/electronic band, with synths reminiscent of those crazy Mogwai bastards and vocals that sound a lot like a more accessible Sigur Ros or more alternative Air. Their album … it falls apart is a solid collection of not-rock. “Shattered Glass” and “If It Falls Apart” are great tracks, and the whole album (all of only 8 songs) is consistently engaging.
Snow Patrol’s third album Last Straw didn’t get a very positive review over at popmatters because the quality of its 13 songs was a bit inconsistent. However, its 3 strongest tracks, the absolutely majestic “Run,” the Death Cab-trouncing “How to be Dead” and the lucid “Chocolate” (coolest use of a singular drum loop since The Doves’ “Pounding”) more than make up for the unevenness of the rest of the album. [ UPDATE: You can download an MP3 of "Chocolate" over at my pride and joy, highfiber ].
Other interesting music:
- The Clarks’ Fast Moving Cars is a welcome dose of good-natured pop rock, for fans of Counting Crows and maybe Dishwalla. The title track and “Shimmy Low” are stand-outs, but you can sample the whole album over at ALB.
- Diana Anaid’s Beautiful Obscene is a nice debut from this Aussie artist. The closest comparison I can come up with is Veruca Salt with filters.
- And I’ve mentioned this before, but Mindy Smith is going to be big. I don’t really know much about folk & country, but her song “Hurricane” seems very well-written, as does the poppy “Falling.”