Neon Indian - Era Extraña

It was the summer of 2009, and it had been a long one. At the time I was working the overnight at McDonalds and suffering from massive panic attacks on a regular nightly basis. The one thing that managed to keep me going was a girlfriend who lived about six-hundred miles away in New Jersey, and the days leading up to when we would see each other in August when we headed back to school. During this time the only other thing that held my sanity together besides the days counting down until I would see her again was music. As July began to come to an end one song in particular began to strike a chord with me that defined this particular summer; that song was Neon Indian’s “Deadbeat Summer” it encapsulated exactly what I was longing for and that was to make-out with my girlfriend again, get away from the sweltering heat, and enter back into the playful amusement park of college life.

While Neon Indian’s debut Psychic Chasms was upbeat and flavorful, Era Extraña comes across as dark, isolated, culminating the last breaths of summer. With Era Extraña the production values are tighter. The broader melodic sound heard on Era Extraña is highly intricate almost as if the never-ending layers of synth build up into one majestic wave only to find themselves crashing into one another creating a digital wall of sound. It’s here that you see the masterful production that defines Alan Palomo in more ways than one. This collection of songs is built upon the foundations set by 80’s synth-pop/new wave artists such as Depeche Mode and Joy Division, while at times acting as an extension of what contemporaries like Ariel Pink have done within the past decade.

What the songs on Era Extraña do is further define Alan Palomo’s songwriting abilities, the overall sense of longing and heartbreak make this an accessible album. It’s these feelings that combined with the digital effects that make it sound like an updated My Bloody Valentine’s Isn’t Anything for the 21st century. Not only within the music itself but even in Palomo’s voice you feel his hurt and his loneliness, it’s cold and isolated like being left waiting on a frozen lake. The albums opener “Heart: Attack” acts almost like a computer booting up, bringing forth the realization that a lover isn’t coming back and then shifts into the dark yet pop heavy synths on “Polish Girl” where Palomo looks back on this relationship even asking “do I still cross your mind”, which is brilliantly haunting and relatable to anyone who has experienced heartbreak. “The Blindside Kiss” mixes both electronic sounds and shoegaze elements which folds out into a powerful dance track filled with raw power to “Halogen (I could Be a Shadow)” which sounds almost exactly like M83’s beautifully enchanting “Kim and Jessie”.

Being that this is only the band’s second release it is a major improvement from the haplessly put together Psychic Chasms in terms of how each song transitioned, Era Extraña is an album that is highly appealing yet at times can be a bit heavy considering it’s subject matter.

Polar Bear Club - Clash Battle Guilt Pride

"I've gotta take my grab at something great" those words resonate loudly as vocalist Jimmy Stadt sings on "Pawner" the opening track on Polar Bear Club's third LP Clash Battle Guilt Pride. The five-piece Rochester, NY outfit seems to have finally come into own over the course of the last six years from their first release The Redder, The Better which in my opinion was a strong debut but always left a desire for wanting something more.

The first thing about this record is that each song matters, unlike 2008's Sometimes Things Just Disappear and 2009's Chasing Hamburg I found that there is no need to skip to the next track, ad each one of these songs flows effortlessly into the next; an astonishing feat for a band considering how difficult it is to make the perfect record.

The is filled with melodic undertones along with Stat's coarse voice match up well against the rapid drum assault, creating a blend of pop-punk similar to contemporaries The Gaslight Light Anthem and Fucked Up. On "Screams In Caves" Stadt's delivery of each phrase is riveting in the way he transitions from gruff screams to calm crooning that flows with unrest and resolve while matching every riff coming from guitarists Chris Browne and Nate Morris.

"My Best Days" hones in on Stadt's vocals accompanied by minimal instrumentation, and carries on a bit of nostalgia either about the history of the band or about a past relationship that went south. Clash Battle Guilt Pride is a versatile album that lyrically reaches out to a variety of different tastes that are relatable to a wide spectrum of listeners.

What PBC have done at this point in their career with Clash Battle Guilt Pride, is craft an album that is organic in sound and personable yet very genuine. While not many albums contain this much energy packed into every song - it feels nice when you listen to it, it becomes one of those rare instances where it feels like each song was written specifically for you. It captures the emotions and uncertainties that face many twenty-somethings in post college life as they transition into adulthood.

Nevermind 20 Years Later

September 24th 1991. The day music changed as we know it, when the Aberdeen, Washington trio Nirvana released their critically acclaimed album Nevermind. In '91 I was two years and into Sesame Street, Batman, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and The Terminator. While Nirvana's music had little effect on me at this age, my earliest recollection of hearing them was at the age of four on our local alternative rock station called the Nerve (This station is now long gone has since become a classic rock station). And any knowledge of the Nirvana had been from their singles "Smells Like Teen Spirit", 'Come As You Are", "Lithium", "In Bloom", "Heart-Shaped Box", "All Apologies" and "Rape Me". But what those road trips with my parents to the store, and hearing those songs played on the radio had were one that began to cultivate my knowledge of music later on in life.

While Nevermind has had more of an effect on me later in my life, for those who were in their teenage years and early twenties in September of ’91 this is an album that means a whole lot more to them. Kurt Cobain's lyrics (and smells like teen spirit in general) gave these kids and young adults a voice. It showed that generation x was a demographic that had long been overlooked and ignored by the baby boomer generation. Nevermind managed to transform punk rock into a mainstream commodity for the 90's MTV generation - and soon after bands like Bush and STP following in Nirvana's footsteps and further pushing the grunge rock sound.

But I digress to be completely honest here the first time that I actually picked up Nevermind wasn't until I was a freshmen in high school I was about fourteen or fifteen years old and felt like I didn't belong to any particular group in high school. For me Nevermind was my escape, I only had a few friends freshmen year and was really shy and awkward around girls but lets be honest who isn't at fourteen and fifteen. Nevermind showed me that it was ok to be different, in essence it's what caused me to grow my hair out during my high school years, which when there aren't a lot of guys in your high school with long hair people start seeing you as interesting.

The effects that Nevermind had on my freshmen caused me to rebel in my own way yet at the same time allow me to open up more to people. It wasn't until this past year (roughly seven years) that I would pick up Nevermind again. This time around I paid more attention to how each song was performed and who Cobain was trying to sound like. When Cobain wrote Nevermind one of the more obvious influences is the Pixies, Cobain's vocal delivery is similar to Black Francis' even the way the plays has a Pixies feel to it. Other influences that are less noticeable are Sonic Youth, R.E.M. and to some extent even Dinosaur Jr. But the effects that Nevermind has had on music, as a whole has been huge. When you look at Weezer's early records Weezer (1994) and Pinkerton (1996) you hear how great of an impact Nevermind had on Rivers Cuomo, to bands like Pavement, Cap'n Jazz even to some extent Titus Andronicus. For an album that honestly didn't have hopes of making it, it most certainly has and while Cobain's death in 94 marked the end for Nirvana, the bands legacy and the impact that Cobain has made within popular culture is one that continues to live on.

The songs on Nevermind express the feelings of young man who honestly felt as though he didn’t belong with the rest of the world, even at times predicting that the impact that this record was going to have on music as a whole. This being clearly stated in Smells like Teen Spirit “I’m worse at what I do best /and for this gift I feel blessed/our little group has always been/and always will until the end” It seems as though Cobain had a premonition of the success that would come from this album and is possibly warning their fan base of his future demise. By the time you get to ambiguous lyrics of “Something in The Way” you’re left wondering what is Cobain singing about here? Is he describing how bands sell out and become pawns to record labels that destroy artistical merit and only care about profits? Or is Cobain indicating his internal demons are preventing him from achieving the happiness he craves. These answers however will forever remain a mystery; the deep meaning behind Kurt Cobain’s lyrics will forever be left up to the interpretation of his followers. As Nevermind’s 20th Anniversary comes and goes the only thing that remains is the impact that this album had on changing music, and the effects that instant fame had on an individual who didn’t want anything to do with it.

Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost

2011 is truly a year that won’t be forgotten in terms of music, in February Arcade Fire won a Grammy for album of the year with The Suburbs, James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem decided to call it quits and Bob Dylan celebrated his 70th birthday. This has also been a year where artists have embraced a more retro sound to their musical repertoire, San Francisco’s Girls, return with yet another solid release after their highly acclaimed debut in 2009 with Album, and last year’s follow-up EP Broken Dreams Club. While their music absconds with such ease from the past without contrition they produce a sound that welcoming and unique.

After the first listen of Father, Son, Holy Ghost the initial reaction consisted of an unearthly sense of familiarity. The songs feel as though they are part of some forgotten dream, a suppressed memory, even tracking down the exact sounds that are being referenced at times can be a bit distressing. On “Honey Bunny” Christopher Owens’ vocals follow a similar pattern to that of Bob Dylan’s “If Not For You”; “My Ma” which has a similar structure to that of The Beatles “While My Guitar Gently weeps” where “Magic” is arranged in a way that embellishes the quirky side of Elvis Costello.

While Father, Son, Holy Ghost does a faithful interpretation of the past; it’s Owens’ vocals that bring the record to life. Owens seems to have a powerful gift in that he knows the deep and powerful emotions that define us. His songwriting jumps from acoustic ballads (which personally I think are his main strength) to the more lively and upbeat Indian summer anthems. The fact that he does this with such ease makes Girls sound completely fresh and relevant even if their music sounds like a complete archive of almost fifty years of music. Vocally Owens has moved away for sounding like an Elvis Costello clone, and focuses on a warmer approach where at time he starts sounding almost like Elliott Smith.

What makes Father different from Album, is the effortless transition from song to song, telling a continuous tale of heartbreak and sexual frustration that at times cleanses the soul. The albums closing track “Jamie Marie” which acts as final act of apology for all the mistakes he’s made to a lover that has come and gone. While the album feels as though nothing has fully changed in terms of sound, one thing is certain is that it has, the way these songs are executed define Girls as a versatile band that can take something that has been done before and craft it in a way that sounds entirely new.

Lana Del Rey- "Video Games" and "Diet Mnt. Dew"

Speechless is literally how you will feel once you step into the world of Lana Del Rey (Lizzy Grant). This self described 21st century "gangsta Nancy Sinatra" brings fourth a sexy seductive vibe with her cinematic dark dream pop, that has all the qualities of the "bad girl next door" image. Her voice has similar seductive characteristics to that of Cat Power, making her even more alluring to her audience. On "Diet Mnt. Dew" her sultry vocals are almost borderline Lykke Li, while on "Video Games" she sounds almost like a Nancy Sinatra clone. Lana's unique style of music is sure to tap into your psyche, and become something that is almost like a drug habit that you won't be able to quit.

WU LYF- Brooklyn Girls

WU LYF recently debuted a new song as part of a live session at Maida Vale studios entitled Brooklyn Girls; a reflection on the bands recent trip to NYC and features bassist Tom McClung on vocals. Brooklyn Girls differs from the material on Go tell Fire to the mountain in that it's very stripped down yet just as beautifully haunting.

WU LYF – Brooklyn Girls by pmwtumblr

Neon Indian- "Fall Out"

Fall Out, the first single from Neon Indian's upcoming album Era Extraña made it's debut today. The spaced out dreamy single sounds like a mix between a slowed down version of Haddaway's What is love, and Beach House's walk in the park but with a heavy club sound. You can either listen to the song below or enter you email address into the widget below to download it.

M83- "Midnight City"

Today after three years of waiting M83 debut the first single Midnight City and first track off the highly anticipated release Hurry Up, We're Dreaming. Midnight City, sounds like the ultimate 80's dance party that Patrick Bateman would crash and start killing killing everyone. The shimmery synths act as a lucid dream provoking an intriguing sense of mysticism with an accompaniment by a sax solo that screams sexy. You can either stream the track below or download it here.

Midnight City by M83

WU LYF- "Go Tell Fire On The Mountain"

WU LYF, a band that is truly a diamond in the rough and are rare commodity among their peers. That is to say World Unite Lucifer Youth Foundation play the game by their rules, and that is they answer to no one. This is a band that has pissed off the press, only to receive praise for doing so, their cryptic web presence or should I say lack of web presence, makes Radiohead’s presence look like that of someone say Justin Bieber. Frontman Ellery Roberts, presence is completely incomprehensible yet alluring in an artistic way that redefines the basis of experimentation with music. This acts as the main focal point on Go Tell Fire on the Mountain- an album that generates a religious cleansing of the spirit through tribal like drumbeats, scathing guitar chords, and the celebratory moment when everyone raises their beer in unison forming a tight knit brotherly bond.

Go Tell Fire, is unique in that it brings forth a comforting sense of togetherness, an element that usually goes unnoticed in music. When looking at this album listeners will notice that it syncs up to just about everything, the tension of a morning commute, a TV spot of a sporting event even the climatic moments of a film. While one would think that this sound could be achieved within a studio setting, WU LYF on the other hand took a similar route that Arcade Fire did on Neon Bible, which was to record the album in an abandoned church. While recording in an empty church seems like a gimmick in generating intrigue to press hungry for information, the acoustics of a building of that sort provides the necessary essence that allowed the band to capture the sound they were search for. The enriching lush melodic guitar lines carry an extra dimension with each attack and release, while the pipe organ carries out an angelic sustain. What this does for the percussion is enhance each blow, allowing the reverb to enhance the kick drum in a way that takes your breath away. Allowing the band to live up to their self-generated hype.

Each song acts as though it were it’s own little anthem, the albums opener “LYF” lone organ echoes similar sounding chords of the church hymn “Go tell it on the Mountain” and slowly begins to crescendo with the addition of drums and guitar as Roberts goes into a tribal like singing and shouting, embracing his inner animal instincts, giving the song a life of its own. The crème de la crème of the album is last summer’s single “Spitting Blood” that allows the listener to interpret it anyway he/she desires, by the time the song gets to its chorus Ellery and company pit out “we are so happy so happy to see…” that it’s like they’re all raising their glasses as they finish off another beer.

Go tell fire on the Mountain is truly in a league of its own if you were to look at everything else that has been released up to this point this year. WU LYF are one of the few artists that have crafted an album that is actually rewarding in an artistic sense and will most likely be over looked when it comes down to crafting end of the year lists.

The Drums- "Money"

In roughly two months the Drums will be releasing their follow-up to last year's self-titled LP, with Portamento. Below is "Money" the smiths sounding first single from the album (which has release date of September 5th), along with the creepy album art that features a demonic looking child eating what appears to be a cookie.

The Drums - Money by WorkItMedia

Tennis Cover Brenda Lee's Is It True

Earlier this year Tennis made their debut with the dreampop wonder Cape Dory. Now the band has decided to release a non album track as a free gift for you: a cover of the Brenda Lee's "Is It True?," just in time for the Fourth of July weekend. Tennis' version froths with the swimming sounds of the 60's and is an honest cover that hold Lee in high regards. You can either stream the song via youtube or you can enter your email address into the widget below for a free download. Also below is Brenda Lee's version for comparison.

Ryan Adams- Empty Room/Nutshell 7"

Singer-song writer Ryan Adams recently completed his first tour in two years this past week. During the tour fans were given the opportunity to purchase Empty Room/Nutshell a tour only 7”. The A-side "Empty Room" features Adams’ wife singer Mandy Moore on backing vocals and is the first official song that the couple has recorded together (lets hope there is more in the future), and sounds as though it could have been written during the Cold Roses era. The singles B-side "Nutshell" is an Alice in Chains cover. Adams must be an Alice and Chains fan considering this is the second song by them that he has covered for an album the first being "Down in a Hole" on 2007’s Follow the Lights. With this being his second release this year one can only hope that we'll finally get to hear the infamous Black Hole by the end of the year.

Zola Jesus- "Vessel"

"Vessel" is the latest single from Zola Jesus' forthcoming album Conatus which hits stores in September. The song sounds similar to the David Bowie's "I'm afraid of Americans (Nine Inch Nails remix)."


Zola Jesus - Vessel by souterraintransmissions

Givers- In Light

About a year ago I was stumbling through the lists of artists that were currently being blogged about on Hype machine and one band in particular struck a chord with me. That band being Givers which has generated a lot of buzz considering their sound is a mix between Dirty Projectors, Vampire Weekend and Ra Ra Riot. The five-piece Lafayette- based band is known for their explosive on stage performances that feature a mixture of shimmering guitars, and their ambitious execution with instrumentation. Their official debut In Light, pay homage to these bands but in a different direction that is entirely their own.

In Light is clearly a summer 2k11 album, and Givers wants you to know this right from the get-go. The albums opener “Up Up Up” which made its debut on their self-titled and self-released 2009 EP has been re-recorded and this particular version has a more lively and energetic feel. With its sunny guitars, pulsating drum kicks, hand claps that highlight the broad flavors that Givers puts into their music. “Ceiling of Plankton” which was also present on their self-released EP has been re-recorded as well, the overall tempo has been slowed down just a tiny bit, but the overall sound is more direct and uplifting. The percussion is focused, the Glockenspiel is more prominent and the synths have been cleaned up. The emotions that it brings out are ones that leave the listener feeling warm and bubbly and yearning for more.

For the most part In Light retains the exuberant giddy emotions similar to that of a ten-year-old at Christmas, with the exception of the albums 7:25 minute ballad “Go Out all Night” that’s as though it would be the closer if it were performed live, but then concludes with what you could call an encore with “words” that gives the album it’s final burst of energy. What Givers does is stick to what they know their audience wants which is music that is upbeat, joyous and booty shaking which isn’t entirely bad especially for a band that has so much potential to grow.

Wilco- "I Might" B/W "I love My Label"

On July 19, Wilco will be releasing their new single “I Might.” However if you were fortunate to attend their second annual Solid Sounds Music Festival you had the opportunity to pick of the 7” before it’s official street release date. “I Might” has the potential of becoming the anthem to back yard barbecues and features the b-side cover of Nick Lowe’s “I love My Label.”

Wilco - I Might by weallwantsome1



Wilco - I Love My Label by The Line Of Best Fit

Apparently Kanye West's Mama's Boy is illegitimate

In a press release from Universal Music, The Kanye West track Mama's Boy is completely not what West had intended. Universal Music made the following statement in an email:

Statement re: illegitimate Kanye West track “Mama’s Boy”

"The version of the Kanye West recording “Mama’s Boy” that arrived on blog sites earlier this week is entirely bogus and unsanctioned, and violates the artist’s creative intentions. As is often the unfortunate case, an unknown party or parties got a hold of Kanye West’s vocal track and added their own soundbed to it, effectively and falsely releasing it as a Kanye West track from the My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy sessions. The result in no way resembles the final song Kanye West intended his fans to hear, and he is deeply disappointed that one of the most personal, meaningful and special songs he has ever written would reach people in this way. Needless to say, measures are being taken to identify and prosecute the persons responsible for leaking this material."

Well now that we know the soundbed is a fake, it now has us guessing what the real version actually sounds like. Maybe we'll see a release of it in the coming week/months.

Three Brand New Morrissey Tracks

Possibly one of the most exciting bits of news this week, Morrissey the legendary frontman of the Smiths debuted three new songs on Janie Long’s BBC 2 radio program.

The following songs “Action is My Middle Name,” “The Kids a Looker” and “People are the Same Everywhere,” are just a sneak peak of what’s to come on his highly anticipated unnamed tenth studio album. Apparently Morrissey has already finished recording the album and is currently in the process of finding a label to distribute it.

In a statement distributed to the fansite “True to You,” Morrissey said, “The follow-up to Years of Refusal is ready and fluttering wildly against the bars. There is still no record label and the years shuffle like cards. My talents do not lie in DIY.” After hearing the intensity within each of these songs, it’s safe to say this is Morrissey’s finest hour.

You can stream all three songs below thanks to paste magazine and TheNJUnderground

Morrissey - Action Is My Middle Name (BBC Session) by TheNJUnderground




Morrissey - The Kid's a Looker (BBC Session) by TheNJUnderground




Morrissey - People Are The Same Everywhere (BBC Session) by TheNJUnderground

Kanye West- "Mama's Boyfriend"

The first encounter that Kanye West gave us with Mama’s Boyfriend was last summer when West delivered it in a conference room in the facebook office, in a stunning a cappella performance. Now for the first time we are finally able to hear the finished studio product, which differs greatly from the material that was released on My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy and it is evident why West didn't include it onto the album, the song has an upbeat piano beat. Below is the studio version as well as the a cappella version

New Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks - "Senator"

In approximately two months (August 23^nd to be exact), Mirror Traffic, the Beck produced upcoming album of former pavement frontman Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks hit stores. The albums first single “Senator”, which seems highly fitting due to it’s subject matter within the refrain “What the senator wants is a blow job,” given the recent political scandals in the United States. The Pavementesque single is highly engaging, and probably one of the best songs that has been released so this summer.

Cults- S/T

Last year when I first heard Cults’ Go Outside, on the web it struck a particular chord with me; it was catchy and sweet, but it was also one of those songs that just made you feel really good inside. It was an escape from the dribble of classes and work that evoked a sentimental longing for relaxation. On their debut album Go Outside once again makes an appearance, and it lives up to the emotions that it struck up a year ago, giving off the necessary vitamins that are needed to feel fully energized, with dream like qualities that show how one element can make a band versatile in their songwriting abilities in developing an album that is both memorable and loaded with variety.

Cults’ rise to success is one that needs to be commended in that their debut is being released by Columbia, while this isn’t the first time something like this has happened to a band before it is something that should be noted. Singer Madeline Follin youthful alto pays homage to the female teen pop vocal groups that were made popular by legendary producer Phil Spector. The 60’s pop sound is heard throughout the album and is noticeable on You Know What I mean, orchestral arrangements are recreated using synths and guitars with a minimal degree of sampling while Follin’s vocals deliver an intensity that is similar to that of The Supremes.

Oh My God, which was unveiled last summer as apart of adult swim’s single series, is slightly remixed but delivers a crisper sound both instrumentally and vocally. Bumper once again embellishes the 60’s pop sound this time as a duet between Follin and her partner in crime Brian Oblivion. Together these two give off a balanced dynamic that captures the essence of 60’s pop music with a 21st century twist, while the la-da-da-da-da shares similarities with the chorus of Elton John’s Crocodile Rock.

Cults clocks in at roughly over 30 minutes, which makes it the perfect album for your morning or evening, commute and an essential album that defines what summer is. However what is more important is the fact that this is a band that executes what they’ve intended to do which is make a feel good album, while allowing themselves to grow and mature over time. Having only released four tracks in 2010, to spark an interest (three of which made it onto their debut) clearly shows that this is a band that knows how to attract an audience.