Well, 2007 is officially 1/12th over, and it is definitely off to a strong start; and all indicators point to it staying that way. So, just for you, here is a list of some things to look forward to this year.
The Shins - Wincing the Night AwayThe Shins' primary songwriter, James Mercer, weaves an astounding dreamscape on this album. By building on songs such as "The Past and Pending" and "Those to Come" from their previous work, they have achieved a dreamy journey Lewis Carrol would be proud of. "Red Rabbits," "Sleeping Lessons," and "A Comet Appears" are almost magical in quality. "Phantom Limb" and "Australia" are some of the best pop rock songs since the Beach Boys (whose harmonies both songs are reminiscent of). Despite all of the bloggers and naysayers complaints about Zach Braff, the Shins write incredibly catchy music. I don't know if these songs "will change your life," but they are definitely a good listen.
[mp3]
The Shins - Phantom Limb
Explosions in the Sky - All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone (2/20)I didn't really listen to Explosions much until late last year, as I had always been somewhat turned off by their lack of lyrics. I had been missing out.
All of a Sudden could definitely be considered a crowning achievement. Their musicianship, and more importantly, their ability to control the emotion of a song has grown tremendously. On this album they make much more use of the piano than previously, which is a good thing. "It's Natural to be Afraid," a 13 minute opus, is the centerpiece of the album, and emphasizes the fact that Explosions share more in common with classical music than with contemporary rock (in my opinion, that is a very, very good thing).
[mp3]
Explosions In the Sky - Welcome, Ghosts
The Arcade Fire - Neon Bible (3/6)
In their Sophomore release, the Canuks with the Hooks (tm, me), prove that even though a successful follow-up to a breakthrough album is hard to pull off, it is most definitely possible. And it's not the same, old stuff they did on
Funeral; their sound has evolved quite a bit. Musically, they've expounded on their use of strings, and various other instruments (mandolin, xylophone, organ, hurdy-gurdy. Yes, a
hurdy-gurdy). "Keep the Car Running" is my current favorite, due to its awesome mandolin part and catchy refrain. "(Antichrist Television Blues)" is essentially a short story, one which I haven't exactly been able to make out fully, but the sheer volume of words in the song is pretty ridiculous (and interesting). If you haven't heard any of their stuff, they are similar to Anathallo and Sufjan Stevens, at least in the sense that they have a multitude of able musicians on stage that switch instruments as required. This is a band I definitely want to see live.
[mp3]
Arcade Fire - Intervention
Clap Your Hands, Say Yeah - Some Loud Thunder (2/5)
CYHSY's first album was groundbreaking for a variety of reasons, although few of them were musical. They self-produced, -recorded, -promoted, and -distributed their album. That's not an easy feat. Musically, they pull heavy influence from eclectic bands like CAKE and Radiohead. I really liked that album, at least in small doses. Whenever I came back to listen to it, I was surprised by the catchiness of many of the songs, despite the almost
grating vocals of the lead singer (Alec Ounsworth). Unfortunately for me, their second album builds on (what I view as) the bands deficiencies. Namely, disjointed song writing, inaccessible vocals, and esoteric mixing (some songs seem to possess cacophony solely for the purpose of making the song hard to enjoy). For me, this album is a major disappointment; instead of embracing the things I loved most about their music, they seem to have forgotten them in a push to become even more aloof and exclusive. It's a sad thing, really, because they possess an uncanny ability to write infectious melodies and rhythms.
[mp3]
CYHSY - Underwater (You and Me)
Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank (3/20)
The indie veterans are coming out with the follow-up to their major label, mainstream breakthrough album
Good News. Not much has been released on this album, except for the fact that they have collaborated with James Mercer (of the Shins) on a few songs. "Dashboard" is the only released song from the album, and it is just as good as you would expect.
[mp3]
Modest Mouse - DashboardWilco - Sky Blue Sky (5/15)
The guys are back in the studio, with their first offering since
A Ghost Is Born in '04. I don't really need to say much about this one, because, well, it's Wilco. They really
can't help but make good music.
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other albums of note scheduled to be released this year
Radiohead
Bright Eyes
The Postal Service
Sigur Ros
Jose Gonzalez
Interpol
The Smashing Pumpkins (yes, they're reuniting)
Coldplay
Band of Horses
Jimmy Eat World
Queens of the Stone Age
The Doves
Dntel
Fountains of Wayne
Iron & Wine
Stereophonics
Alexi Murdoch is a folk singer/songwriter similar to Nick Drake. He's from Scotland, and you can hear it in his voice. In fact, I think that is what I like most about him. You can hear how he forms his words. He has an album out, Time Without Consequence, which has significant influences from blues and jazz, especially in the instruments surrounding the guitar. He just played Headliners in Louisville, which I missed, unfortunately. Here is a video of him playing my favorite song from his album, "All My Days" on Carson Daly.
