So I've been acquiring music non-stop and rather than you buy/download some album unawares, I'm going to give you a short review of some of the new records I've come across this year so far.
von bondies- love hate and then there's you... Don't bother. All their punchy garage rock sound has been sacrificed for emo pop sheen. In fact I'm going so far as to deleting it from my iTunes.
ac newman- get guilty... If you're looking for incessant pop hooks, this is for you, or if you want something with a little more street cred than the lastest Death Cab album. Not bad for a dreary winter afternoon, but the album won't get much play from me.
wavves- s/t... lo-fi punk a la no age and the black lips. Very catchy good song writing, and not just another hype band that will be forgotten soon (which I hope is what happens to the vivian girls and times new viking.) buy this when it comes out on fat possum in march.
mi ami- watersports... two former members of the black eyes, doing their own twist of liars, deerhunter, chromatics dub noise post rock. very promising release, though I've not heard the whole album yet. buy this when it comes out on touch and go in march.
pains of being pure at heart- s/t... despite their lack of creativity in naming themselves, these guys are surprisingly interesting. and though they wear their influences on their sleeves (smiths, jesus and mary chain, my bloody valentine, belle and sebastian), they pull off songs you want to listen to over and over again. it's out right now, and i can upload a copy of the album if anyone wants a copy.
no bunny- love visions... though this came out at the end of last year, i just found out about it from jay reatard's blog. maybe hard to find everywhere, but definitely worth it if you need some new fuzzy garage punk anthems to rock your way into spring. highly suggested for road trips when the weather is nice.
franz ferdinand- tonight... the kids bought some steely dan records, some new synths, and if you believe me, made an album worth listening to. less trapped by their britpop dance punk mainstream constraints than some of their peers (you fill in the blanks), they seem to want to break their own mold and make something less straightforward and more subtle. their lyrics are still kind of annoying, but the keyboard parts are totally engrossing me. maybe i'm going soft, but i think it is worth at least downloading, not buying. i can post this album if you want to decided for yourself.
titus andronicus- airing of grievances.. this came out last summer, but XL reissued it recently and i just though all you kids might like it. sort a noisy arcade fire, akin to those other lovable new indie darlings los campesinos. brash out of control indie pop. who wouldn't love it. now that it's on XL you ought to be able to find it everywhere. and maybe ben will let you borrow the seven inch he bought last summer before they were huge.........
also on deck is very promising new albums by the pink mountaintops, the black lips, swan lake, handsome furs and the thermals. i believe 2009 will be a good year. so far it's been a slow start musically. but animal collective's new album the first week of 2009 was a good way to start. for fucking real i can't stop playing the album.....
please let me know what you're into. i miss drinking beers and listening to music with you kids.
