The original plan for today was to get back to one
artist at a time, but for the sake of cleaning up my
inbox, catching up on some big releases and
completely geeking out I have put together an EP for
your listening pleasure. Each of the acts
below would have most certainly been the subject of
their own post if I had not been in SXSW recovery
last week, so be sure to kick back and give them the
attention they deserve. Enjoy.
:Make
Believe - Just Green Enough:
Until last week I didn't even know that Tim Kinsella had
rejoined the band, so the fact that they had all managed to
pull together for a new record was certainly a surprise.
It sounds like they've calmed a bit and expanded their sound
to incorporate a few new tricks, so I'm thinking you should
definitely keep an eye out for Going To The Bone Church
on Flameshovel.
:Islands
- The Arm:
I don't know why, but I was sort of expecting this to be a
bit more eccentric. I mean, not only does one of the
members hail from the oft-missed Unicorns, but the act's
debut, Return To The Sea, had a slew of interesting
pieces. Still, this number is beyond catchy, and I'm
curious to see if the upcoming Arm's Way will hold my
attention as well as I hope it will. If anything, it
should at least be a good time.
:Be
Your Own Pet - Becky:
I think this vintage pop tune is one of the best songs in
Jimena and Co.'s entire catalog, so it really annoys me that
Universal has decided to cut it from the US release because
of lyrical concerns. It's just silly! Regardless
of ridiculous label issues though, this gem shows an
incredible jump in songwriting skills, and I'm absolutely
convinced that this is an act that's going to be around for
a long time to come. It's a packed bandwagon, but
we'll make room for you if you aren't already on it.
:Yael
Naim - New Soul:
To be honest, this was suppose to be in the podcast this
weekend, but I had a brain lapse and accidentally left it
out. I blame Roland Emmerich. Anyhow, most of
you may recall Yael because of the Brittany Spears cover
that I posted a few weeks back, but just about all of you
will know this song when you hear it. I won't say why,
as that wouldn't be fun, but just know that I think it's one
of the most light-hearted, easy-to-love numbers of 2008.
I seriously need to check out the rest of her material.
:Portishead
- Machine Gun:
It's a little surprising, but I've noticed that not everyone
seems to be thrilled with the first single off of Third.
Personally, I think it's a great song with a wonderfully odd
arrangement and nice vocal work. Granted, it does take
a few listens to adjust, but that should have been expected
after an almost 10 year hiatus! I'm just glad this
group is making music again. You should be too, so
give yourself a moment to let the new record stand on its
own.
- John Laird -
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