Dirty Projectors by Becky Rother

The energy around Lincoln Hall Thursday night was palpable as the crowd from Dirty Projectors’ early show dispersed and more fans arrived for the second show of the night. Both had sold out weeks ago, and it was clear that those who’d bought tickets had been looking forward to the night for a long time. The venue filled up more quickly than normal, perhaps because of the later start time (inside doors opened at 9:30 pm), but also perhaps because the band has amassed a devoted following since their debut in 2003.

Cross Record by Becky Rother

Supporting the Brooklyn band for both shows were the lovely Cross Record, a local band lead by multi-disciplinary artist Emily Cross. She was clearly excited to be opening, but she and guitarist Dan Duszynski were professionals, playing a tight 30 minute set with Cross’ sweet, light vocals bringing to mind Wye Oak and a quieter Torres. The band kept the stage dark for most of their set, ensuring the focus remained fixed on Cross’ voice, and the audience was surprisingly respectful of the quiet. The set ended with a cover of Townes Van Zandt’s “Don’t You Take it too Bad”, a song Cross said was one of her favorites.

Dirty Projectors by Becky Rother

Dirty Projectors’ 10 years as a band was evident as soon as they started setting up. I was impressed by the overall amount of things and people they were able to fit on Lincoln Hall’s relatively small stage. Having just finished a tour opening for The National, they’re probably used to having a bit more space, but they handled it well.

Dirty Projectors by Becky Rother

The band opened with the title track from their most recent full-length album, last year’s great Swing Lo Magellan, and quickly followed with “Offspring Are Blank”. Vocalist/guitarist Dave Longstreth paused to introduce the band, thank Cross Record, and call out a guy in the front row for vogueing during “Offspring are Blank”. Longstreth put on a great performance, using the whole stage to dance, jump around and generally act like a rock star during the band’s more upbeat songs. His performance was offset by vocalist Amber Coffman, who was immensely professional and seemed to do her best to ignore shouts of “marry me Amber” and “get it guurl” from the audience throughout the set.

The setlist was made up primarily of songs from Swing Lo Magellan, but the band reached into its extensive library for a few popular songs, like the excellent “Stillness is the Move”, which they played in their encore. The band played until past midnight, pretty late for a school night, but the audience remained engrossed throughout the whole set, screaming “please come back” both before and after the encore, and lingering in the venue after the house lights had come up, perhaps hoping the band might come back out for one more song. It was a slightly older crowd, incredibly respectful through the entire night (I didn’t see nearly as many phones light up as in some other shows), and they knew every word to every song.

Dirty Projectors by Becky Rother

Overall it was a great set, paced well to keep the energy in the room up for the entire performance without wearing people out, and technically well-produced, especially considering the complexity of many of the band’s songs.

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Cosmo Sheldrake is insane. Of course, it’s the great kind of insane; the kind that creates odd-but-great Tunes (with a capital T). Somehow, he always manages to outdo himself. So if his latest adventures saw him filming himself in a pigsty in the video for “Rich” or smashing slates into the Welsh mountains for some percussive noises in “The Fly”, now he’s gone and found himself a group of fishermen to, of course, record a live take of a song on the boat – as they fish.

Absolutely bonkers, and absolutely brilliant. It’s amazing how he manages to pull it off, but I’m sure what we don’t see in the video are the major headaches it must have taken to put everything together. It’s all for the sake of art though, right?

You can watch the video below, and for more information on Cosmo Sheldrake you can read our Introducing feature on him.

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Kveikur introduces us to the new three-piece lineup with “Brennisteinn”, a song that lives in a world all its own. That world is apocalyptic, dark, and violent; the accompanying music video pairs the music with gorgeous and horrifying visuals fraught with bodily disembowelment, destruction, and neon yellow filtering. The song explodes, implodes, and then immolates, leaving behind the charred remains of our emotions, fragile and crumbling. Not only is it an excellent mood piece, but it also showcases the band’s ability to make music that’s actually catchy at the same time. That chorus has echoed around in my head for the last few months, and even though I only vaguely know the pronunciation, I sure as hell know the melody.

No other song on Kveikur is as groundbreaking as “Brennisteinn”, but the album works unbelievably well as a whole. It develops in a natural way that only people who have played together so long can execute; each song is a miniature journey and the album has a consistent, powerful, professional feel. The departure of multi-instrumentalist Kjartan Sveinsson hasn’t affected the band in any way, and in a sense, they seem at their most confident in over a decade, but the one thing I miss is the raw experimentation that has made every one of their albums so uniquely distinguished. If I heard a song from (), Takk…, Með suð, or Valtari, I could instantly tell you which album it came from simply based on their respective sounds, motifs, and themes. Here, songs like “Isjaki”, “Stormur”, and “Rafstraumur” seem to lack that unique personality specific to any album.

But, I can’t fundamentally count that as a fault; to do so would be shallow. As I said before, Kveikur, is a melting pot of every album Sigur Rós has done, so in a way, it’s the most definitive one. ”Isjaki”, “Stormur”, and “Rafstraumur” are not anywhere bad tracks, and the first and last rank among my favorite Sigur Rós tracks of all-time. Elsewhere, the title track “Kveikur” is another piece of bludgeoning sludgy post-rock that hits many of the same highs as ”Brennisteinn” and “Hrafntinna” echoes the moody harmony of ()‘s more uptempo pieces with a few bits of Valtari‘s subtle electronic manipulation. The closer, “Var”, returns us back to the subtle soundspace that is life without Sigur Rós with a gentle ambient composition.

I love Kveikur, and I think it serves as an excellent addition to Sigur Rós‘ discography, encompassing all the sounds of Sigur Rós over their many years together. However much “Brennisteinn” led me to believe the band was going full doom metal on us, the rest of the album doesn’t disappoint, although I could use a little more of the unabashed experimentation that made me fall in love with them all those years ago (but Jónsi will never read this, so my input hardly matters). Still, all these years later, the band is going strong and, I suspect and dearly hope, will continue to do so for many years to come.

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PMR Records is having quite the moment. With the massive success gathered recently by Jessie Ware and, more recently, Disclosure, it seems that all they touch turns to gold. Of course, it could be that what they’re working with to start with is gold, but regardless, they’re doing something right.

Their latest signing is the somewhat mysterious Dornik, who emerged last week to much fanfare. He is apparently Dornik Leigh, former drummer in Jessie Ware’s touring band, though he occasionally got a bit of the spotlight. Now he seems to want a bit more of that spotlight and he’s put out a stunning debut track to get it. “Something About You” is an incredibly slick, modern R&B that reveals a very capable vocalist with a good ear for production. There’s traces of Michael Jackson in his voice, and also even The Weeknd‘s Abel Tesfaye at times – though of course, the latter is very tied to the former vocally.

In fact, if I had to make a direct comparison (despite some considering these lazy), I’d say that “Something About You” lands around what a Disclosure-produced The Weeknd track might sound like. It’s sleek, it’s sexy, and it’s a hell of a good time – though in this case sans the drug fueled haze.

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Spectrals’ sophomore effort, Sob Story, is a throwback in the truest sense of the term, bringing to mind the pub rock of the mid-70s so effortlessly played by the likes of Nick Lowe and Elvis Costello. The man behind Spectrals, Louis Jones, has mentioned Costello more than once as an influence. Like his bespectacled predecessor, Jones likes to genre hop, bringing a newfound interest in country that widens the sound of Spectrals. Add to this a confidence that was missing on Bad Penny, and you have the makings of an album that should be something special. While there are some good songs on the record, Sob Story unfortunately just misses out on hitting greatness.

This time around, Jones is joined by his brother, Will, on the drums, and Girls’ bassist JR White doing production duties. From the opener “Let Me Cave In”, it’s clear that this new combination brings out the best in Louis Jones’ songcraft. “Let Me Cave In” does what all good openers are supposed to: it grabs your attention and gives you plenty to like and grab hold of. It’s got that pub rock swagger that toes the line between indie and punk, dosing the listener with a dazzling hook and some decent instrumentation. It’s the hooks in this first part of the album that really gain hold, with “Heartbeat Behind” and “Karaoke” making their way into your ear and refusing to let go.

Then, Sob Story switches gears on you with the twang of the title track. It’s a lovely facsimile of what country music sounds like as its mixed through the indie rock filter. It brings forth memories of Louis Jones’s hero, Elvis Costello, and his forays into country. So many people remember Costello in his angry young man phase that they forget those detours into country, classical music, and pop. But, all of those interesting turns and sidesteps felt like a person playing a role, instead of feeling lived-in. Spectrals falls into that category, delving into those country sidestreets like a tourist instead of a resident.

It’s that tourist mindset, of an individual visiting a song and its feeling, that is the lasting impression of Sob Story. For the most part, the songs are confidently built, but too repetitive at times and not quite strong enough to remember after they’re through. Only when the album hits “Blue Whatever” and “Keep Your Magic” does the record truly cook, bringing a sense of purpose that was sorely needed. Spectrals even manage to combine that country twang with its power-pop sensibilities on “Gentle”, creating a tune that feels like the culmination of that newfound confidence.

Spectrals have the skills and now the confidence to create something that goes beyond not only their influences, instead of just the genre exercises they seem resigned to try. That’s not to say Sob Story is a bad album; On the contrary, it has a couple of solid songs that’ll fit in with your iTunes playlist. The record as a whole, however, doesn’t have enough great tunes to make it a solid listen all the way through and with the type of talent Louis Jones has, it’s fair to say that anything less than great is something of a disappointment.

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Chicago trio Smith Westerns are set to release their third album, Soft Will next week, after pushing it back from it’s original June 11th date. You’ve already heard some of its highlights - “Varsity”, “3am Spiritual”, and “Idol” -, but the record as a whole is a cohesive work that shows just how much the band has grown since the release of 2011′s great Dye It Blonde.

We’ve had it for a couple of weeks, but now you can stream the album in its entirety, thanks to NPR. I can’t recommend it enough.

Soft Will is out June 25th via Mom+Pop. Pre-orders are ongoing.

Connect with Smith Westerns: Facebook | Twitter | Website

Soft Will tracklisting:

01. 3am Spiritual
02. Idol
03. Glossed
04. XXIII
05. Fool Proof
06. White Oath
07. Only Natural
08. Best Friend
09. Cheer Up
10. Varsity

ANG LOW is Angelo Whitehead, a Brooklyn based art student that seems to be starting out in the music world. His debut track is “Life Goes Down”, a smooth, pop-leaning R&B number that showcases Whitehead as a more than capable vocalist. Produced and written alongside Jeff Fettig and Dan Drohan (according to ANG LOW’s Facebook), one of the track’s most interesting aspects come from the lightly vocoded vocal in the chorus, which contrasts with his hushed singing in the verses.

Two-thirds into the track’s short three minutes there’s a sonic shift, brining in odd sonic textures before continuing its normal trajectory. I’m a bit puzzled as to what the objective of that break is, though it seems to add a moment of tension in an otherwise incredibly smooth track.

You can stream “Life Goes Down” below, and download it for whatever you like from ANG LOW‘s Bandcamp.

Connect with ANG LOW: Facebook | Website

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Since releasing his stripped-back cover of “What Is Love” it’s come to light that Jaymes Young is actually a recent Warner/Chapell signing. While this doesn’t affect my perception of his music - “Dark Star” is still one of the better songs of the year – things make a bit more sense in terms of recording quality and frequency of output. Clearly, there was more to him than just a guy producing things in his bedroom.

Still, I’m all for talented artists getting opportunities, and Mr. Young is clearly taking his. Latest release “Hold You Down”, which premiered last week over at The Line of Best Fit is another strong showing of his talents. Landing somewhere between the aforementioned “Dark Star” and the more downtempo “Wondering”, the track is a classic upbeat number whose quality is the seemingly natural instrumentation. It’s instrumentally simple and straightforward without being derivative, and a clear case that sometimes less is more.

Stream it below and stay tuned for Jaymes Young 15-track mixtape, which is in the works.

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Can you imagine if there were no more puppies on Earth? Local Natives can, apparently, and their self-written video for “You & I”, Hummingbird‘s stunning opener, explores that reality. Even before you realize that though (sorry for the spoiler!) it seems like it’s something’s gone terribly wrong, with shots of hundreds of people, devastated, in a hospital. Though I guess the loss of dogs would be pretty devastating.

What follows is a man’s quest, but for what I wont’ reveal (that’d be too much spoiling!). But thankfully all you have to do is watch the video below to find out.

Hummingbird is out now via Frenchkiss.

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It’s not everyday you come across a Kenyan Swedish soul pop singer, but you’ll find her in the form of Beldina Malaika. A few years back, listening to Childish Gambino‘s EP, I was struck by the backing vocals on “Not Going Back”. A few Google searches let me know they were from somebody called Beldina Malaika, and off to her YouTube video channel I went to start perusing her various uploads. Her videos were a mix of live recordings, studio sessions, acoustic radio gigs, new material and covers, and I was instantly charmed. Listening to “Paperplane” I knew I had something special on my hands. It’s hard to say how many times I ended up listening to it that week month year. It’s the kind of song that doesn’t leave your head – not that I wanted it to. I automatically downloaded her 4-track EP, the aptly-titled Best Kept Secret, and obsessively tracked her Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube pages for new material. Unfortunately, nothing followed for quite some time.

Then, a few months ago, my prayers were finally answered in the form of new track “What Can I Say”. I was thankful to see that we were still dealing with the same Beldina. Having heard that she had relocated to Los Angeles to hone her writing skills, I was scared she’d be swallowed up whole by the American EDM scene and that her style would be sacrificed in the hopes of scoring a Billboard Top 100 hit. I needn’t have worried: “What Can I Say” builds upon the strength of her earlier releases, maintaining her smooth mixture of electronica and R&B with fantastic pop hooks.

While her sound remains the same, there’s a clear shift in her public persona. On her previous website she had declared “sorry guys – no boobs, no butts just Bell” and I can’t say that this holds true today. Not that I’m complaining; I’m all for women feeling free and comfortable and flaunting what they’ve got. And flaunt she does. Just have a look at the contrast between her videos for “Here We Go” and “What Can I Say”. In the former we get a closeup of her lovely face while she sings her heart out and shakes her hair. In the latter, the video starts with a closeup of her face but soon pans out to show Beldina in all her glory, wearing but a g-string and a bra on a California highway.

So what’s in the works for this Swedish songstress? Who the hell knows. She’s been keeping typically mum on the subject, with nothing but small teasers on her Facebook page. She hasn’t let me down before and I doubt she will now, so I’ll just let her do her thing.

Connect with Beldina: Facebook | Twitter | Website