The recurring email feature that needs no introduction. Except this introduction about how it needs no introduction.
Dry the River - Shallow Bed
Do you like Snow Patrol? Do you like Mumford and Sons? No? Oh. Yeah, that's reasonable. Then nothing to see here, I guess.
Actually, this debut album by yet another indie-folk group, this one from England (or Britain), has its moments. It meanders a bit, but I do think the band has some potential. What separates them from the countless other indie-folk groups is that these guys aren't afraid to break out some crunchy guitars to give them a little more muscle. As a result, the better songs are probably the more rocking ones. But even at their least awesome, this band still does anthemic folk pretty decently. I could see this album growing on me a bit (I've only listened to it once), or I could see me getting sick of it (at which time this band will probably become a massive success and appear all over the radio dial). At the very least, expect to encounter the song "No Rest" in the future, and all things considered, I'm pretty ok with that.
Selections
No Rest
Weights & Measures (Is Grey's Anatomy still a thing? Because if this song isn't featured in that show I'll be shocked)
The Chambers & the Valves (oh, I get it. The heart. They're talking about the heart)
Lightships - Electric Cables
You would be interested to know that Lightships is actually the alias for Gerard Love, the bassist for Teenage Fanclub. Or at least you would be interested in that if you listened to Teenage Fanclub. Which none of you likely do. Which is too bad: Bandwagonesque is awesome (and objectively proven to be better than Nevermind). Anyway, this album is pretty chill, but I think it's chill in a good way: in this case in a wistful, Alex Chilton-y way. The song Sweetness in Her Spark is pretty undeniably great. Well, I suppose you could probably deny its greatness; I mean, there's people who still deny the Holocaust. But I do think it's a good song.
Selections
Sweetness in Her Spark
Two Lines
Maps & Atlases - Beware and Be Grateful
These guys kinda sound like a more accessible TV on the Radio. I happen to think that's a good thing, particularly when they're a little more upbeat.
Selections
Fever
Vampires
Now, two older releases (like, all the way back to those halcyon days of yore, 2011) that I somehow missed and only encountered this week.
Imaginary Cities - Temporary Resident
If a band gets labelled Canadian indie pop (or perhaps more accurately, if a Canadian band gets labelled indie pop) I am almost certainly going to check them out. Sure, it's ridiculous that their version of football allows you to bounce the ball and still complete a pass, but you have to give Canada credit in the indie pop department. This group is led by a female singer that has a really soulful voice. I'm a big fan.
Selections
Hummingbird
Temporary Resident
Say You
Capital Cities - EP
Danceable electropop. "Safe and Sound" sounds like good MGMT if they used trumpets.
Selections
Safe and Sound
I Sold My Bed, But Not My Stereo
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