Spotlight Review/Listen: Conveyor – Conveyor
Conveyor are a band who can do a lot of things, and they aren’t remotely afraid to show it on their self-titled debut.
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Review/Listen: Metric – Synthetica
Metric show no intention of shying from the attention that followed the release of Fantasies. Synthetica is another collection of almost brazenly accessible guitar and synth pop tunes that have been polished to a shine.
Review/Listen: Jack White – “Blunderbuss”
A little more romp-‘n’-roll than rock-‘n’-roll, “Blunderbuss” starts bitter, finishes sweet, but manages to be a total blast the whole way through. No need to worry, White Stripes fans.
[Review/Listen] – Alabama Shakes – “Boys & Girls”
There’s some good soul and blues to be had here, and Brittany Howard’s voice is as stunning as you’d expect, but for all of its climaxes, “Boys & Girls” could be a much more muscular album. Still, Alabama Shakes have big things in store for them.
[Review/Listen] – Fanfarlo – “Rooms Filled With Light”
Fanfarlo still occasionally sound a heck of a lot like Arcade Fire and/or Beirut, but with a dash of synths on top on “Rooms Filled With Light” they’re approaching a sound that’s a little more their own, even if it’s not new.
[Review/Listen] – We Are Pirates – “Kids Practice” EP
It’s not faultless, but “Kids Practice” is a gorgeous piece of relaxing, dreamy electronic pop, a great debut EP from We Are Pirates.
[Review/Listen] – Django Django – “Django Django”
The first half of “Django Django” is a mad romp, a thrilling combination of German techno stylings, Mamas And The Papas style harmonies and Wild West guitars. Even if Django Django are guilty of repeating themselves on the album’s second half, there’s still 25 minutes of genuinely exciting music here that’s well worth your time.
[Review/Listen] – Guided By Voices – “Let’s Go Eat The Factory”
“Let’s Go Eat The Factory” is an uneven album for sure, but it should please GBV fans with a retro hankering and suggests good things for them in future, especially if the whole band starts having as much fun as the returning Tobin Sprout clearly is.
[Review/Listen] – Cheyenne Marie Mize – “We Don’t Need” EP
No need to beat around the bush with this one: “We Don’t Need” is an almightily good EP. It’s tempting to call Cheyenne Marie Mize promising because her career is so young, but that’s underselling it: this is a compelling record, equal parts fascinating experimentation and plain fun, and as exciting as Mize’s future will no doubt be, she deserves your attention right here, right now.
[Flashback] – Beck – “Sea Change”
The first in a series of looks back at great or underrated albums from 10 years ago. “Sea Change” doesn’t feel like a Beck album; it feels like a Beck Hansen album. It took us closer to the real man than ever before, and we’ll probably never get as close again.
[Listen] – SBTRKT – “Atomic Peace”
SBTRKT releases and oldie from the vaults and onto his Soundcloud. Mighty chilled stuff, definitely worth a listen.
[Introducing] – We Are Pirates
We Are Pirates couple a dreamy, retro synth sound with an up-to-the-minute youthful attitude that’s totally infectious.
[Review/Listen] – Quilt – “Quilt”
A 60′s psych-folk throwback whose layered, homely sound is unlike anything you’ve heard…recently.
[Review/Listen] – Brazilian Money – “Jive With The Killer Instinct” EP
“Jive With The Killer Instinct” is a scrappy EP that won’t be making anyone’s year end lists, but there are a couple of songs on here that you really shouldn’t miss.
[Video] – Arcade Fire – “Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)”
Régine Chassagne is so damn fabulous!
[Listen/Download] – BADBADNOTGOOD – “Rotten Decay”
Another 6 minutes of sweet sound from the hip-hop loving jazzers of BADBADNOTGOOD, plus more singles and a mixtape are in the works. They’re spoiling us.
