Athlete
Twenty Four Hours EP
When I first heard Athlete’s debut back in 2003, I wasn’t quite as impressed with their work as (I suppose) I should have been. This new EP though, is unbelievably good, mixing some of the noisier, layered elements of The Stills with the sugar pop of early Coldplay. Each of the 3 songs — "Twenty-Four Hours", "Lay Your Head" and "Stand in the Sun" — have a different feel to them, and are so finely polished that it’s hard to imagine how these guys have stayed relatively unknown for so long. I can’t wait to get my hands on the full album. Check out the third track, Lay Your Head, here.
Matt Pond PA
Several Arrows Later
My favorite adult-contemporary singer/songwriter released a crisp collection of 12 new tracks earlier this month. I haven’t had a chance to listen to it as thoroughly as I have his past releases, but on first listen it’s definitely tighter than anything he’s done before. Standout tracks include "Spring Provides" and "It Is Safe" but like I said, the whole album needs to be heard. Definitely one of my favorites this year.
Clear Static
Clear Static
If you’re a fan of Stellastarr (or to a lesser degree, The Killers), Clear Static should be a perfect fit for you. Like Stellastarr, Clear Static’s music crosses the line between dancey Interpol-style post-punk and the blatant homosexuality of 80’s new wave. (Not that I have anything against being blatantly homosexual mind you … except when you use it to get chicks.) With vocals like a pop-rock boy band and beats that I have a sneaking suspicion were lifted from Phil Collins’ "You Can’t Hurry Love," it’s hard to take these guys seriously (the track "Anything at All" is confusingly lovey-dovey and a bit hard to swallow).
Lacing their songs with electronica and layers of noise just presses the point even more: these guys are Simple Plan in disguise!