Lambchop's Mr. M subtly crafts a distinctly American pastoral epic

In a city well known for its music scene, Lambchop may be the best Nashville country band you've never heard of.

To call them full fledged country would be a mistake. Band leader Kurt Wagner borrows from a vast array of styles, including alt-country, lounge jazz, and old southern soul. It melts together to form a blend that is distinctly American, but unmistakably unique.

The key to Wagner's songwriting approach is that everything is very subtle. His voice has a folksy timbre with a quaint delivery, while a backing crew of organs, strings, and acoustic guitars quietly fill in behind. You may be wondering if the music is this subdued, are there even any strong hooks to get attached to? There are hooks, but you have to be paying attention. Mr. M is one of those records that reveals more and more with repeated listenings.

For those looking for comparisons, Red House Painters and perhaps Wilco's Being There album seem appropriate, but anything beyond a cursory glance reveals there's far more to it than that.

Mr. M often sounds something like old man's parlor music, but Wagner gives it a kick in the ass. The opening track, "If Not I'll Just Die," opens with an elegant string arrangement, and you might be thinking this is going to sound like a snooty lounge record in the vein of Steely Dan's Aja, but when Wagner drops a profanity of the very first line of the song it quickly becomes evident he has something much different in mind.

That's not to say that he only means to parody this music. From listening to his previous records, it is clear the sound heard here is indeed Lambchop's signature sound. However, Wagner is one of those rare musicians who can play music like this without taking it too seriously, and in fact can even poke fun at the genre's overindulgences. That's what makes Mr. M such an uncommon record.

There are specific moments when you get to see this in action. For example, consider the self effacing "The Good Life (Is Wasted)." The track sees Wagner reveal that underneath the moody organs and glorious strings, he's just an average guy who really knows about as much of country clubs and swanky ballrooms as any average citizen, perhaps even less.

This motif is not stated throughout the whole record, however. "Gone Tomorrow," perhaps the best song on the record, features a melody that freely flows like water running from a brook. The track's best feature, however, is the instrumental interplay from the rest of the band. Peaceful piano chords are complemented by descending melodies on the synthesizers, while drummer Scott Martin puts on an all-star performance.

There are plenty of cozy colloquialisms to be found in Wagner's lyrics. He touches upon many creature comforts, such as the joys of cooking, lounging around in your grandfather's living room, or taking down the Christmas lights in the mid February. "Mr. Met" shows him at his most sentimental, recalling the profound impact that friends, fear and knowledge play in our lives.

Wagner is also well known for his dry brand of humor. "Buttons" is the best example of this, on which Wagner tells the tale of a stubborn man down on his luck. He details his efforts to try to find a crappy job and stay out of jail, and then ridicules him for landing a girl and driving her away. All before revealing that he used to be just as big of a prick himself.

There are a pair of instrumental tracks here that show how each interlocking segment of the band's sound fits together to form a whole. "Betty's Overture," in particular gives the synthesizer a chance to shine. It all wraps up with "Never My Love," which is surprisingly brief and direct for this album's standards. It is Wagner's concise but unassuming thoughts on where he would be without the love of his life.

Mr. M is a smashing success because it blends several musical styles that are very familiar, yet have rarely been brought together the way Wagner manages to do here. It also impresses with its beatifically realized minimalist mission; this is a record that seems to communicate more with what it doesn't say that with what it does. It is a subdued pastoral masterstroke of the highest order, and one you owe it to yourself to get lost within.

Score: 91/100

Lambchop's low key approach holds hometown crowd spellbound

There is nothing like a homecoming. Especially in a city like Nashville.

Nashville's long standing alt-country heroes Lambchop wrapped up their latest tour with a show in their hometown, and it couldn't have felt more like home.

Lambchop's leader, Kurt Wagner, takes a unique approach to his song craft. Most of what he does is extremely subtle. He weaves an unusual blend of alt-country, lounge music, and soul in a compelling fashion, but if you aren't paying attention you're bound to miss the meat of his message. That might explain why the packed crown at VFW Post 1970 listened in near silence Saturday night. You really can't afford to miss a word he says.

Lambchop's Kurt Wagner lays down a mean lick during his May 12 show at VFW Post 1970.

Their latest album Mr. M, which released in February, sounds like fancy, rich man's parlor music, but Wagner gives it a kick in the ass. Consider "If Not I'll Just Die," which is very proper sounding, wine and jazz type music. But when Wagner drops an F-bomb on the very first line, you quickly get the picture that this affair isn't quite going to play out the way you thought.

Wagner's folksy delivery sparkled as he led us through the majority of the Mr. M album. The keyboard and organ added a barely noticeable coloring to the music, while the bass and drums are probably the most noticeable elements after Wagner's mellow timbre. The music is designed to sound like everyone's doing their own thing, but obviously there's much more to it than that. Then, in the rare moments when the entire eight-piece band comes together, it will blow you away.

Some of the night's best tunes included "Gone Tomorrow," the best representation of aforementioned instrumentation, "Mr. Met," which features some of Wagner's most insightful lyrics, and "Buttons," which showcases Wagner's offbeat sense of humor. The song tells the story of a bullheaded man down on his luck. But it drew a chuckle from the audience for its most caustic verse, in which Wagner derides the song's subject for landing a girl and driving her away, before admitting that he is just as big a prick himself.

I also discovered that I'm becoming a big fan of Scott Martin's drumming style. He specializes in gentle brushstrokes, which discreetly but unquestionably provides its own flavor to the music. It's just so chill. And he possesses a  special ability to move all around the kit with various fills and rolls, all while perfectly playing off the rest of the band.

William Tyler's mellow playing energizes Lambchop.

After finishing off the Mr. M songs, Kurt and crew got a little more talkative. His pianist engaged in a bit of banter, Courtney Tidwell got a chance for a vocal show off, while Wagner exhibited more of his patented humor.

"We're going to play a few more songs," Wagner announced. "Then I can start drinking."

The venue itself was rather small and cramped. It was obviously a pretty old building, and the white Christmas lights hanging from the ceiling made it feel like the kind of place that might host your 20 year high school reunion.

But the tight confines gave a special feel to the evening, as though being a part of the crowd made you a small part of a much larger collective on hand to witness an extraordinary performance. The only real negative was that my head was swimming by the end of the night due to the overabundance of cigarette smoke.

The Altered Statesmen opened the night with a brief 30 minute set. Steve Poulton warmed up the crowd with a soulful 50s style croon. It reminded me of music you would hear at a Las Vegas wedding reception. Not bad, per se, but ehhh. Not really my thing.

There was one other really nice touch. After the show, Wagner was standing outside the front door, thanking patrons for coming out to see his show. He proves he's not only a first rate performer, but a real class act to boot.

Best Coast's Bethany Cosentino aims for big change on new LP

For many of us, the summer of 2010 was curiously colored by a small town California girl named Bethany Cosentino. That was when her debut, Crazy for You, was released, a fun little record mish-mashing fuzzy surf rock with retro melodies and jangly pop hooks. It was a perfect summertime record with a refreshing lo-fi grimy sound.

Cosentino became an overnight guru on heartache, felines, and good ole Mary J. Despite that, though, it was hard to get over the feeling that the music was made by someone whose hair was perpetually unwashed.

All this set the stage for the release of the band's sophomore set, The Only Place. This record introduces marked changes for the band. Overall, it's a mixed bag. Cosentino certainly still maintains a penchant for writing simple pop songs that are short, catchy, and to the point. Barely a track breaches the thee minute mark. What's changed? Evidently Cosentino snatched a bottle of conditioner and trimmed those bangs, because The Only Place sounds much sleeker, cleaner, and sexier.

John Brion's production has enhanced several key elements. The most notable beneficiary is Cosentino's voice. It is much richer, cleaner, and syrupy sounding, which in turn allows her personality to shine through even more clearly and radiantly. She's come a long way from the days of early singles like "Sun Was High (So Was I)," which was such a muddled mess that it wasn't easy to pick out her vocals from the background instrumentation. Now, tracks like "Last Year" feature a beautiful aria from Bethany at the end. The closer, "Up All Night," may be the best track in this collection. Her tale of lost love and heartbreak tugs at your heart strings like no other song in her catalog.

The vocal performance on her more obviously retro themed pieces aren't too shabby either.

"No One Like You" is a 50s style soul ballad that wouldn't sound out of place on a Four Seasons record. The song sees Cosentino expressing her devotion for her sweetheart like a lost lovesick puppy. "How They Want Me to Be," another highlight, features 60s girlpop vocals and a theme that focuses on becoming more sure of yourself. 

Other noteworthy tracks include the title track and album opener, which kicks off with a chord progression that sounds like something straight out of Juno, before launching into an unabashed ode about the joys of The Golden State. Lines like "we were born with sun in our teeth and in our hair" sound like a treatise on everything it means to be part of the under 25 crowd on the California coast.

Lyric wise, the album largely focuses on a downer motif. There are plenty of themes about being broke, heartbroken, and dealing with the pressure of trying to conform to the expectations of others. All concepts that young people can surely relate to. 

Sadly, there are more than a few problems on this record I can't overlook. For one, there simply isn't much variety. This album stands in marked contrast to the sound presented on Crazy for You, but most of the tracks on The Only Place don't truly sound all that different from one another. Take the first two songs, "The Only Place" and "Why I Cry," for example, where even the basic melodies of each song are startlingly similar.

Every song is short, simple and catchy, but the flip side of that coin is that there's not a ton of depth to any of the songs. The main thrust of each song can easily be gleaned within a listen or two, which means repeated listens will be met with diminishing returns.

This record feels like it was produced for mass consumption. Some may not mind, but personally it reminds me how much I really miss the scuzzy lo-fi charm of Crazy For You and the silly vibe that Bethany brought to that record, as opposed to the dreary mood on The Only Place. Needless to say, we probably won't be hearing many more Wavves comparisons.

I truly want to like Bethany Cosentino. She's an engaging figure with a unique personality, and that shines through vividly in her writing. The improved production gives her voice a chance to shine, but at the cost of ripping out most of the charm they had on Crazy for You. She also hasn't really escaped the repetitive song structure that was one of the few major issues on that album. I can't help but feel like The Only Place takes a few steps forward, but several huge steps back.

Score: 74/100

See also: Best Coast - Crazy for You review

Lockett Pundt stands on his own two feet with sophomore solo LP

I've made two critical mistakes since I began blogging here, both of them involving the same band. The first came when I had the chance to see Deerhunter, and instead elected to review a Fang Island concert.
The other was when I inadvertently passed up reviewing the Atlas Sound's Parallax record last year. Needless to say, I won't be repeating that mistake with Lotus Plaza's Spooky Action at a Distance, which serves the dual purpose of not only showing how stacked with talent Deerhunter's roster is, but also reminding us that we should probably count ourselves fortunate to be inhabiting the same planet as them.

Spooky Action at a Distance is the second solo effort from Lockett Pundt, better known as the guitarist for  shoegaze heroes Deerhunter. And generally the album's sound is not a huge departure from that of Deerhunter, though Pundt does sneak in a couple of personal influences from time to time. "Eveningness" and "Strangers" easily sound as if they could have been pulled from Deerhunter's latest record, Halcyon Digest. Both tracks highlight the dreamy hypnotic style that defined that album and nicely sum up Pundt's playstyle. There are also some pretty catchy hooks there, to boot.

One of Pundt's greatest talents is his ability to express ideas through sound. I don't mean simply expressing emotion. There are plenty of talented artists who can do that. What Pundt does is express tangible, concrete concepts using nothing more than sound. Take "Jet out of the Tundra," a song based on the principle of motion. This song makes me imagine sitting in the window seat of a bus and watching the trees and fields as they pass by.

Incidentally, that's almost the exact same way that Pundt himself described the feeling of the track in interviews. And he's able to get this message across using nothing more than chord progressions. Pundt has stated that the inspiration for the track came from constant din and shuffle of life on tour. It is actually rather reminiscent of the closing coda to Deerhunter's "Desire Lines," a song Pundt also wrote.

Furthering the similarity to Deerhunter is the fact that Pundt's voice is not too far off from Bradford Cox. His voice is a little deeper and flatter, but for the most party fairly interchangeable with Cox.

"White Galactic One" is anchored by the most swaggering and swashbuckling riff on the album, which sounds like something out of some kind of warped, alternate dimension shindig. Meanwhile, "Monoliths" gets straight to the point almost immediately, and is carried by one of the catchiest hooks on the album.

The album's finest moment comes perhaps with Black Buzz, a Lee Hazlewood inspired piece focusing on the dredges of mental addiction. It has a very smoky, western feel to it, and a healthy dose of reverb on the vocals. It's like you were listening to it in a haze filled room. The lyrics, which speak of the effort to kick drug addiction, are poetic and well done; Pundt explains well how easy it is to find yourself stuck in an unending cycle. "Once was becomes a never will," he notes.

Bradford Cox may be the driving force behind Deerhunter, but Pundt shows the band wouldn't be who they are without his signature dream like playing style. His debut solo LP, Floodlight Collective, buried his voice under a wall of fuzz and distortion, but Spooky Action at a Distance sees Pundt now beginning to find his way as an artist and performer. His vocals and lyrics are clearer, and the composition sounds much more well thought out. The result? It's not just noteworthy in comparison to Deerhunter's works. Spooky Action at a Distance proves it's a great record of its own accord.

Score: 92/100

Swallow the Sun weaves vibrant textures through the Emerald Forest

Mikko Kotamäki once told me the trick to pulling off a harsh vocal style is to make sure you're not pushing out too much.

I wonder how he manages to avoid that, then. When he unleashes his trademark guttural roar, it hits with the force of 10 men. It's the type of growl that echoes off the walls and rings all the way to the deepest recesses of a concert hall. And it's an asset that serves him well on Emerald Forest and the Blackbird, the fifth album from the renowned Finnish doom metal outfit.

Swallow the Sun has entranced its listeners by summoning forth layers upon layers of agony, and burying its fans under the crushing force of Juha Raivio's guitar riffs. But do not think they are all slam and bang. One of the Blackbird's key strengths lies in its ability contrast softer passages with ones much more sinister and heavy.  Check the very first track or a pitch-perfect example of this.

The title track opens the album with some slow, doomy chord progressions accented by enchanting keyboard melodies. The stage is set for Kotamäki's thickly accented speaking voice, which informs us he is going to be reciting a story of some sort:

"Sleep my child, lay down your head and leave this pain,
I'll read you these last pages of the tale"

Kotamäki continues in his eerie lower register, with accompaniment by a ghostly female aria. Meanwhile, the guitar falls silent to give us a chance to soak this all in.

It's precisely at that moment that get blindsided by an intense blast of death/doom metal guitar work, while Kotamäki's vocals are so bleak and oppressive they could literally swallow the light of the sun and devour it whole. His story focuses on two lovers who become eternally separated from one another under the green glow of an emerald forest. The climax delivers the prolific bombast of 90s style black metal riffage, complete with blasting double bass and a sense that you've lost a part of yourself you'll never get back.

With Emerald Forest and the Blackbird, Swallow the Sun once again demonstrate they know how to play with our emotions. As always, there is heavy helping of gothic elements. There are themes anger, despair, lovers being separated, and the like. There are whispers of hardened hearts who bear no forgiveness. And the lyrics are filled with eloquent nature references - being trapped in a dark forest, haunted by the ghosts of winter, and bathed in the summer rain. All pretty much par for the course in doom metal.

And yet one of the key elements that make Swallow the Sun unique is the way Raivio's winding guitar leads play off of and complement Kotamäki's voice.

The closer, "Night Will Forgive Us," is a prime example. Some of Juha's best leads are heard here, while Kotamäki spells out one of the darkest messages on the album - that our wounds never truly heal, and stay with us in some shape or form all through life.

The band also does a great job of presenting a sense of variety. "Hate, Lead the Way!" sounds like the name of a Children of Bodom song, and perhaps it's no coincidence that the shrill, raspy vocals are somewhat reminiscent of Alexi Liaho. This is one of the few tracks on the album that stays aggressive throughout, while still keeping true to the sonic nature of the rest of the album.

Then you have "This Cut is the Deepest," which features all clean vocals. It's a very lush, atmospheric track with a catchy chorus. Mikko's spoken word rasp is accented perfectly by Juha's guitar and the clashing of Kai Hahto's cymbals.

Without a doubt, one of my favorite tracks on the album is "Labyrinth of London," a no holds barred song telling the story of Jack the Ripper stalking the streets of London. The spitfire riffing truly breathes life into the dark and gritty nature of the subject matter.  Midway through, there is a spoken word sample of London by William Blake, which gives it a "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" type feel. We are then treated to one of Juha's most majestic and powerful solos, while bells toll in the background.

I wish we got to hear them sound like this more often.

"Cathedral Walls," another of the album's highlights, features guest vocals from Anette Olzon of Nightwish. The piece opens with a sweet, winding, Opethy guitar lead. Kotamäki begins with some heartfelt vocals, and there is some subdued piano which leads into Olzon's wispy chorus. All parties involved do an admirable job, although the transition from the heavy passage back into Olzon's final stanza is rather abrupt.

At this point in their career, you basically know what you're getting with a Swallow the Sun record. That said, Emerald Forest and the Blackbird is another solid entry into their catalog, and perhaps even slightly mellower than some of their previous work. The Opeth, Katatonia, and My Dying Bride similarities continue to shine through, though perhaps if you appreciate bands like Agalloch and Dissection for their attention to nature you may well appreciate this also. Personally, I find they begin to drone on after a while, although there are several choice cuts to be found here. At any rate, its' a record that will provide you with plenty of new details to discover each time you load it up.


Score: 83/100

Sleigh Bells' demented Christmas jingles ring like carols from Hell

What has four legs, jingles, and has steadily been gaining hype in the indie community? Brooklyn duo Sleigh Bells raised eyebrows a couple years back with their debut album Treats, which combined heavy metal guitar riffing with sugary sweet vocals backed by infectious indie dance pop.

Unfortunately, the followup, Reign of Terror, fails to live up to the potential of the debut. Once you look past the wigged out song structures, you'll realize Sleigh Bells are still guilty of blinding us with too much flashy pop and not enough substance.

But first, let's try to explain exactly what it is Sleigh Bells do. On initial listen, this music will likely sound chaotic. Imagine looking at a great piece of artwork. Perhaps a watercolor painting, or a pencil sketching done on notebook paper. Now picture someone crumpling it up. As you're eying this crumpled ball, you can see all the lines, shapes and textures are all bent back onto one another and have collapsed together into a big jumbled pile.

That's kind of how this is. Alexis Krauss's airy vocals tend to overlap the background cheerleader shouts in ways that may seem awkward, while the various electronic effects mesh with the guitar parts in a seemingly clumsy manner. With repeated listens your mind will slowly begin to untangle the hodgepodge. At that point it becomes clear how heavily the record relies on strong pop elements, in spite of all the experimentation.

It could be argued that Reign of Terror is little more than Top 40 pop marketed to a hipster audience. Indeed, many of the hooks themselves are strong enough to be featured on mainstream radio. In their defense, this is certainly one of the most unique, and perhaps on initial listens one of the most perplexing albums you'll you'll hear this year. However, Reign of Terror also commits several of mainstream pop's worst tropes. Namely, the album is horribly, horribly repetitive on virtually every track.

I'm not going to be signing up for Krauss's fanclub anytime soon; they should have been left her in whatever girl pop group she was plucked from. Krauss is responsible for overloading the music with bubblegum. And this isn't good girlpop either, ala Best Coast or Dumdum Girls. Everything from her "sha-la-la" girl group delivery on "You Lost Me" to her continual ah-ah's and oohs and ahhs are straight out of the deepest recesses of the girlpop textbook. Every so often she'll actually sound ominous, or mysterious. But again, the music itself is just too bloody repetitive for my taste.

I know. Sleigh Bells are an experimental noise group. Cutting edge, it's said. They're supposed to be above such reproach. But if you listen closely, you'll see that it really isn't as artsy as some would have you believe. Guitarist Derek Miller had a chance to produce truly outstanding instrumental work on this record. Treats was packed with tracks like "Riot Rhythm" and "Straight A's" that conjured a very dark and exotic feel by cleverly making use of their industrial/noise/electronic influences. But this time around they didn't even get that right. The overall production was massively cleaned up, which was probably necessary. But it had the added effect of making the music feel safe and sterile. It's certainly unique, but it lacks the punch that Treats had. 

The lyrics are pretty scatterbrained. Every now and then you'll get a song like "Comeback Kid," which speaks of pulling yourself up by your bootstraps. But more often you get songs like "You Lost Me," which seems to glorify death, or "Never Say Die," where she keeps repeating random words. Is it supposed to be deep? What exactly does she mean? Nobody really knows, on any of these songs. It's all just such an incoherent jumble. On the first album that worked to some extent, as the bizarre nature of the music lent itself to having equally bizarre lyrics. Now that the sound has been cleaned up, that approach doesn't make as much sense.

When she's actually writing something coherent, her lyrics have a viscous tendency to play on our deepest fears and insecurities. Observe this passage from "Born to Lose;"

Heard you say
Suicide
In your sleep
Just get on with it 
You were born to lose

She certainly isn't coy. There are moments that make you think Krauss and Miller are capable of writing worthwhile lyrics, but it just doesn't usually come through. 

Some of the better tracks include "Comeback Kid," whose hooks are minor variations of one another, yet play off each other very well. The foot stomping "Demons" is also a pretty nice find, which contains high energy pep rally chants which might make this track a perfect fit for Zumba classes.

You'll be humming the riffs of these songs for the rest of the night, and they'll be stuck in your head all through the workday the next day on a neverending, repeating loop. That gets annoying after awhile.

Ultimately, I can't help but view Reign of Terror  as a watering down of the band's sound. I can see the need to clean up some of the muddiness from Treats, but it feels like an overcorrection and a push towards commercialization. The result is that I can no longer listen to this record. The constant jingling of Sleigh Bells in my head gets to be too much sometimes.

Score: 61/100

Totally Unauthorized 2012 1st Quarter Report: January - March

I've begun compiling my playlist for 2012, and the plan is to issue quarterly reports running down the best individual tracks. Here are the highlights from the first three months of 2012:

 

Alcest - Là Où Naissent Les Couleurs Nouvelles

With their blend of shoegaze, black metal and prog, French outfit Alcest has gained a heady reputation even among those who don't listen to much metal. The music sounds important; the opening riff and vocal work sounds like something that might be the soundtrack for a march into a Nordic battlefield or something. Crushing riffs are complemented by quieter, cleaner guitar work, and the agonized shrieks are offset by beautiful clean vocals. By the time the final notes fade out, you'll feel like you've experienced a lifetime in the course of a single track.

Cloud Nothings - Wasted Days

In raw post-punk tradition, Cloud Nothings bring us the tale of a life where each day goes by faster and faster, with little and less taking place. Dylan Baldi screams his heart (and guts) out on this one, punctuated by a blistering and bleak instrumental build up followed by some of the most raucous vocals this side of Sonic Youth. Make no mistake, it's the closest you'll want to come to the fallout of a life gone down the drain.

Kathleen Edwards - House Full of Empty Rooms

When it comes to living arrangements, Edwards makes a strong case for favoring apartment rental rather than buying a home. The Canadian singer/songwriter weaves a melancholy and pensive tale while describing a relationship that's lost its luster. It's tough to doubt the sincerity of Kathleen's words or voice here.

 

Goatwhore - In Deathless Tradition

Fast, unrelenting, and brutal, Goatwhore's "In Deathless Tradition" impresses by paying homage to blackened death metal's old guard. Louis B. Falgoust II delivers a ghastly performance, while the guitar battery grinds out one of the best riffs on the album.

Swallow the Sun - This Cut is the Deepest

Finnish doom metallers Swallow the Sun are renowned for unleashing a tidal wave of crushing rage, but here they opt for a softer approach. Mikko Kotamaki's ephemeral vocals float to the surface of the mix, while his band produces a lush backdrop that is melodic and moving. Few bands are capable of measuring the depth of your regret like Swallow the Sun.

Sleigh Bells - Demons

The Brooklyn noise collective's sophomore album Reign of Terror may be getting attention for a slew of pop singles, but this track is just good fun. Grinding guitars complement the amped up cheerleader shouts of Alexis Krauss, which lends itself to being a perfect track for sporting events or Zumba classes.

Brad Mehldau - 26

Brad Mehldau has steadily cemented his position as one of jazz's most exciting artists, and the arrival of his latest critically acclaimed disc is plenty of reason to jump for joy. The notes flow effortlessly from the keys of Mehldau's piano; his playing is evocative, thought provoking, and well constructed. Bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Jeff Ballard lay down the foundation for joyous music that serves as the perfect soundtrack for the coming of spring.

Soap&Skin - Voyage Voyage

Experimental pianist Anja Plaschg is well known for composing erratic classical music, along with constructing a twisted bed of Apehx Twin inspired electronica, but her hallmark has the emotion she delivers to her music. "Voyage" sounds like it could be part of the soundtrack to a foreign film, with Plaschg's mournful wail setting the tone for an absolutely heart rending tune.

The Big Sleep - Four Wishes

Perhaps one of the greatest indictments of indie rock is that how often it forgets to rock. Brooklyn trio The Big Sleep seeks to remedy this with a slab of dark driving hard rock. Guitarist Danny Barria plays with speed and precision, while Sonya Balchandani seeks to hypnotize you with her vocal work. In the end, the only criminal aspect about the band is how delicious those riffs are.  

Link: The Big Sleep - Four Wishes

Brothertiger - I've Been Waiting

Brothertiger's Golden Years album is an exemplary piece of chillwave, and is also great springtime music. Thick, heavy synthesizer lines are paired with a shimmering, playful melody running over the top, and complemented perfectly with moody vocals. It's a fantastic tune to just close your eyes and drift away to.