Indians

Somewhere Else

4AD

It’s pretty, fragile music, but the lyrics are smart and melancholy. Danish multi-instrumentalist Søren Løkke Juul knows better than to wallow in his pain, that melancholy is not all he knows. Relationships are, or have ended. He accepts that, and moves on, knowing better times are ahead.

This music is also one of the better pairings of folk and synths I’ve heard. He stresses the synths and uses them to blend in with his acoustic instruments, whether they are piano or guitar, which makes for a nice, soothing mix.  This album is perfect for late night listening, or quiet times.  Indians is one of the better debuts to keep an ear out for, simply because he is smart, and has a positive outlook on things.  Out now on iTunes, and the 29^th of January in all formats. www.heyiamindians.com 

Andrea Weiss

Calculon

Feel EP

Loose Squares

At times funky, at other times skittering around.  This fast, lively techno is complex fun to listen to, as there is so much going on, between the interplay with the drums, bass and other synths. A given for the dance floor, and for anything that requires a lot of movement.  www.loosesquares.com

Andrea Weiss

French Horn Rebellion

Love is Dangerous EP

Featuring Jody Watley’s Cold Enough

Poster Girl EP

These are two EPs by this New York duo. One high energy, Love is Dangerous, that swings all over the place, in all three remixes, with lyrics that are self explanatory, and very good.  The Jody Watley collaboration is also good, with a song that could make it Christmas in July.

The Poster Girl EP is a bit lower energy over its remixes, but no less danceable. A guy loves a girl on a poster, and the twist is that he’s really going out with her.  They don’t get far, and he wonders what it was they had.  Overall, both EPs shine, for their contrasting styles,  and for the way they get you moving. http://www.facebook.com/frenchhornrebellion

Andrea Weiss

Yo La Tengo

Fade

Matador

Gentle, fragile, if not altogether quiet and calm music, also reflects bittersweet  lyrics.  A long-time married couple looks back, sees how happy they are, and then looks forward, knowing that what they have will last. But as they grow older, they realize that someday they won’t be here anymore.

This music is far from being a downer, or dark, or even sad. There is some wry, dry humor here, musically and lyrically, and some of these tracks are orchestrated, are a new direction for them.  Mortality is also a new direction, and a good one, as rock rarely gets this wise about aging.  Overall, another fantastic album from this long running Hoboken, NJ group, and even though Ira, Georgia, and John won’t live forever, their music will. http://www.facebook.com/TheRealYLT 

Andrea Weiss

Dog Blood

Next Order

Boysnoize Records & OWSLA/Big Beat

The video to this excellent song, which is my first exposure to dubstep, is very trippy, and fun to watch. A guy has a very interesting trip involving astronauts, the streets, pretty women, and helpful strangers. The audio is great  for dancing.  Another good move by Boys Noize, and fun, too. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6vwuS6oy8I 

Andrea Weiss

Boys Noize featuring Snoop Dogg

Out Of The Black

Self-Released

I’ve already, in my full review of Boys Noize’s excellent album Out Of The Black, made my distaste known for Snoop Dogg’s lyrical stances. So this review focuses on the music and rapping. Snoop Dogg is a great rapper. I like his laid back style, and his matter-of-fact take on what he’s into. Boys Noize’s music perfectly complements Snoop’s rapping, laying down a jagged, humming, and very melodic bed of sound that augments the rapping perfectly. If you like The Dogg, take my viewpoint on his lyrics with a grain of salt and check out this track, one of the best on Out Of The Black, and get dancing to it. http://boysnoize.com/

Andrea Weiss

Scott Walker

Bish Bosch

4AD

Continuing what he started on The Drift, Walker proves that he is like no other operating outside the mainstream, and indeed, most of indie rock.  Bish Bosch, with its dark ominous music and lyrics, nevertheless manages to be more positive than The Drift, simply by taking a more cerebral approach to dysfunction, bodily functions, history and his fascination with dictators like Attila The Hun. 

The album’s title comes from Hieronymus Bosch, whose painting Garden of Earthly Delights, also sets the tone and mood here.  The music is harsh, abrasive, sparse, haunting, does evoke hell, heaven but also in a twisted way as in going through hell to get to heaven. 

While this album is not for the faint hearted, or those accustomed to more conventionally structured music, those that do brave it will find very complex things going on. It’s make one think and feel dread, but also relief that however bad everything is now, it will get better.  http://www.bishbosch.com 

Andrea Weiss