All Around Sound's Favorite Tracks of 2013

While 2013 turned out to be an off year for many of my favorite bands, there was surprisingly no shortage of new music from them anyway. While every year I seem to lament the decline of the album as a cohesive narrative and more as a home for a single or two, 2013 proved me wrong in that regard - many of my favorite songs (the songs that stuck with me long after I put down my headphones, etc.) happened to be from my favorite albums but when making this list I have only two rules: 1) No songs from my favorite albums should be on the favorite tracks list. 2) No repeat appearances by the same artist. This year more than any other it was harder than ever to stick to these rules (I've broken them in the past but not this year! I promised myself.) So without further delay, here's some of my favorite tracks of this year in no particular order other than release date.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra - "Swim and Sleep (Like a Shark)", II
I'm ashamed to admit that I essentially forgot all about this tune/this year's latest UMO record until right around Best Of season. While the majority of II sounds rather like it could've easily been included UMO's self-titled debut, "Swim and Sleep (Like a Shark)" stuck out as one of those tunes that's so remarkably distinctive. Much of Unknown Mortal Orchesta's songwriting aesthetic involves such heavy repetition that it's hard to remember that it's actually pretty damn inventive. Take "Swim and Sleep (Like a Shark)" whose lyrics I never really took note of until UMO released their acoustic Blue Record - manages to spin a whole delicate yarn out of a fun fact about sharks. It also really highlights Ruban Nielsen's vocals in a way I never appreciated them before - soft and supple, even as the track pulses forward unrelentingly.



Local Natives - "Breakers", Hummingbird
It's no coincidence that my favorite track from Local Natives' triumphant sophomore effort is the first single. While Hummingbird is unfettered emotional flood, "Breakers", curtails a little bit of that in favor of a subtle build and noticeable pop sensibility much like a port in the storm. It's no coincidence that it's smack dab in the middle of the album either. It's a refreshing breath of exactly why you should like Local Natives and delightfully so. The swooping, craning vocals, the intense drumming, the surging melodies and atypical songwriting structure, these are all undeniable parts of not only what makes "Breakers" work but also Local Natives' own strengths. "Breakers" is Local Natives operating at peak performance. Maturing between albums but still creating something not wholly unfamiliar with just the right influx of new ideas, "Breakers" is a track that has dominated an insane amount of my time since its initial release and rightly so - it's an utterly captivating piece of pop songcraft while serving an important purpose in the context of its album. It's great - no ifs and or buts about it.  




The Cave Singers - "Have to Pretend", Naomi
A very special (one-sided) relationship formed between the Cave Singers and I when they opened for Fleet Foxes at United Palace. Despite being absolutely incredible, when they played a dancier number ("Black Leaf" and invited the audience to leave their seats to rock out with them, no one did. It was tragic and in retrospect I should've gotten up and made a total goof of myself if only to validate the band's awesomeness. "Have to Pretend" is essentially another go at infectious dance music for the folk rock band and it's a rather valiant effort. The kind of song that'd probably move a venue full of jaded/lazy New Yorkers easy that manages encapsulate what makes Cave Singers so damn enjoyable. The band continue to demonstrate a charming familiarity in creating ear catching folk rambles and Peter Quirk remains a consummate front man his rasp adding a bit of grit to easy breezy melodies of "Have to Pretend".




Night Beds - "Ramona", Country Sleep
My introduction to Nashville based singer/songwriter Winston Yellen aka Night Beds was in "Even If We Try", a emotive little ditty that made ample use of the man's golden immaculate falsetto. Little did I know a song like "Ramona" could come from such a man. That's not to say the two songs are that remarkably different - Yellen's lyricism is still top notch as are his vocals but "Ramona" far more faster paced than I expected from the man whose vocals flourished at such a slow crawl. Unsurprisingly, "Ramona" marked the end of Yellen's sole proprietorship of Night Beds and shift towards that as band leader, lead vocalist, and songwriter. "Ramona" is an entirely different breed of song but one that ultimately still finds displays what's so endearing about Yellen. Even finding room for his falsetto at the song's apex.



Born Ruffians - "Needle", Birthmarks
In terms of a contender for outright best track from an indie pop group released in 2013, Born Ruffians would win that coveted honor. There really is no arguing that fact. In addition to being an absolutely brilliant album opener, it's got big pop hooks which is sort of casually slides into. It's not big from the get go. No, instead Born Ruffians perform a magnificent slow build that cements the track's complete and utter pop decimation. The band is firing on all cylinders after the triumphant return and it shows. "Needle" is a pretty much immaculate piece of songcraft that pretty much transcends Birthmarks. Normally that might be a bit of a bad thing but here's it's quite good and hopefully a sign of things to come. The bar has been set and Born Ruffian pretty much have only themselves to beat.



Night Panther - "Fire", Shaking Through Vol. 4
It's always a good sign when the live version of a song is favored above the recorded version and that's the case with Night Panther's "Fire". Already a favorite cut on their self-titled debut record they released this year, there's a certain magic of the group that's thankfully been captured by those dedicated engineers over at Weathervane Music and their Shaking Through sessions. "Fire" is perhaps the best introduction to Night Panther for the tragically uninitiated featuring their trademark sassy dance pop and creamy falsettos which is guaranteed to make you want to dance - unless you're dead.



Empress Of - "Tristeza", Systems EP
Empress Of's "Tristeza" is a testament to how you can be completely consumed by a piece of music by feel alone. The emotive gem is in Spanish and yet is so beautifully sung and played that you don't even really understand what she's singing to be utterly captivated by her words. There's very little else to focus on besides the words but even despite the language barrier - enough of its meaning can be gleaned from tone. That and Rodriguez's brilliant vocal choices as she mimics the intense intakes of breath that occur during an extreme cry session.



Thin Hymns - "Lady Mountain", Black Water EP
While Thin Hymns had essentially won me over with their Logic & Theory EP, this year's Black Water EP was beast of an entirely different breed. Where Logic & Theory was more experimental than it was pop, Black Water carried no such distinction. That's not to say that they hung up their tonal shifts and textural interplay entirely but Black Water took Thin Hymns propensity for complex soundscapes and pinned them to melodies whose poppy tendencies were far more immediate. "Lady Mountain", arguably the most stellar of Black Water's four tracks, is the perfect blend of Thin Hymns experimental proclivities and a noticeable forward momentum. It's expansive - clocking in at 6 minutes and change but never suffers even an instant of lethargy. It rolls forward pretty much unceasingly while the band interlocks in a multitude in an interesting array of formations.



BRAIDS - "Amends", Flourish//Perish
While Montreal art pop trio BRAIDS create the kind of albums that not only follow a cohesive flow but seems to take organic songcraft to its very limits, there's always a song tucked in their that I manage to love more than the others. On Native Speaker it was "Plath Heart" and on Flourish//Perish, it turned out to be the very first single "Amends". While not officially a dance band everything about "Amends" lends itself towards that reaction. From its steady (though syrupy) pulse, to its wide expanse, it's not only serves a dance fodder but it's also one of those tracks (especially live) where BRAIDS sophisticated polish is entirely responsible for that effect. Each layer is regarded with an exceptional amount of care like the assembly of a stain glass window and the combined effect is way more impressive than all of its various moving parts.



San Fermin - "Sonsick", San Fermin
If I'm being completely honest, almost any off the San Fermin record featuring the lovely ladies could probably ended up on a list like this. While San Fermin in its whole is a complicated, varied, and potentially polarizing record there's no doubt to anyone who hears say "Crueler Kind", "Sonsick", "Oh Darling", or even "Daedalus (What We Have)" that while Ellis Ludwig-Leone is a talented composer, he can write an exceptional pop hook. And yet, the success of that is certainly due in part to the appearance and delivery of Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig. Their vocals are bold, brassy, and immaculate. What separates "Sonsick" from San Fermin's other brushes with pop however is in the just-so way everything comes together in it. The brass, the lyrics that resonate outside of the album's concept, the way that slowly rises into triumphant splendor - not as an ebb and flow but as flood of heartwarming emotion.



Son Lux - "TEAR Part 1"/"TEAR Part 2", TEAR
Son Lux has a had a pretty exceptional year. Working with yMusic on their new album, as well as with Sufjan Stevens and Serengeti on their collaboration Sisyphus (formerly s/s/s), it's hard to imagine Ryan Lott has any time for his own music and yet, he certainly has. While 2013 saw the release of another full length in Lanterns, Lott's experimental piece TEAR is more than worthy of its own praise. A song in two parts, TEAR does precisely what Son Lux does so well - takes a song apart at its very foundations and plays around with all the various combination those parts can make when paired differently. It's a nifty enough idea in theory but even more impressive is how Son Lux can pull such a thing off without revealing his hand. By inviting you into to his creative method somewhat, he shines a light on his own brilliance but also obscuring the truly important bits of what he's doing by music sleight of hand.



Mister Lies - "Magichour" ft KNOWER
While the summation of his debut record Mowgli did very little for me, "Dionsyian" and the constant almost unrelenting praise from mutual friends has essentially insured that I approach each Mister Lies release from now until pretty much forever with an open mind and a trusting heart. This approach was rewarded quite quickly with "Magichour". Featuring Los Angeles duo KNOWER's Genevieve Artadi on vocals, "Magichour" is like a rocket ride. Slow and methodical as the gear is checked and everyone prepares for lift off before everything gels in the most magical way. It's the kind of track where absolutely everything about the track works to its favor. Mister Lies' own touches in the form of the arrangements and construction and even the little experimental flourishes create a unique and engaging path while Artadi's vocals light and feathery serves to illuminate that path and all it's wonderful curves and bends.




Hop Along - "Sister Cities", Shaking Through Vol. 4
Frances Quinlan is the kind of frontwoman every rock band should have - articulate both in her songwriting and vocal delivery, openly emotive with a punky edge "Sister Cities" spotlights all Quinlan's strengths without sidelining the rest of band.  Probably Hop Along's best song thus far, "Sister Cities" takes everything that worked so well on Hop Along's 2012 debut Get Disowned and distilled them into a single song. Quinlan's narrative voice is clearer and sharper, the band tighter and fiercer when the need arises. There's none of the genre-suspension of Get Disowned but that's hardly necessary. Instead " Sister Cities" is content to be the sort of intelligent rock song that keeps you coming back over and over again. In that it succeeds in spades.



The Shakin' Babies - "Easy Meal", Stoked Casual
While I was almost instantly charmed by Minnesota doo wop/garage rock hybrid The Shakin' Babies at this year's FMLY Fest Brooklyn, it wasn't until I was home curled up with their excellent debut record Stoked Casual that I realized just how many levels the band operate on. Songs like "Mary Wants to Rock" sounded like your standard rock 'n roll jam but as I listened to deeper cuts The Shakin' Babies revealed themselves are clever and occasionally humorous songwriters hiding tales of devil worship and drug addiction under sugary sweet melodies. "Easy Meal" just happens to be my favorite of those dual operating tracks. Lyrically describing a shark attack I was at a loss for whether it was an elaborate metaphor or if it was really just that. The correct answer may never be known (I suspect it's both) but the track is downright infectious - a perfect demonstration of the bands 60s inspired garage pop.  



North Highlands - "Halo", "I'll Do My Best"/"Halo" 7"
When news that Brooklyn indie pop outfit North Highlands had new songs in the works I could hardly contain my excitement. Their debut album Wild One was a surefire favorite and an eclectic blend of styles that converged into this interesting folk-inspired dance-pop played on rock instruments. No one could accuse North Highlands of copying their style. On their latest release the "I'll Do My Best"/"Halo" 7", North Highlands didn't pick up where they left of. No, instead they turned their sights toward surf rock. But North Highlands are nothing if not creative and their dip into summery beach pop was anything but typical. "Halo", surprisingly doesn't sound like North Highlands jumping the shark and trying a new genre on for size. Instead "Halo" (and "I'll Do My Best") is their own take still featuring their sweetly sung, dance inducing brand of indie pop goodness. A slightly new look for North Highlands sure but not one that incredibly far removed from their Wild One days.




Salt Cathedral - "Fields", Salt Cathedral EP
Arguably one of my favorite discoveries of 2013, Salt Cathedral are a band that appeal to virtually ever part of music-loving ways - a fantastic live band with intricate yet accessible song composition and real sense of original vision, Salt Cathedral (formerly il Abanico) are hopefully destined for big things. To the great benefit of the Brooklyn via Columbia band, pretty much any song from the sextet's EP could've ended up here but "Fields" with its radiant, sunny sheen just happens to properly articulate what's to love about the band. The progressive rock recalling layering, the rhythmic complexity,the soaring emotive and deeply felt vocals - it's all there, masterfully doled out and interlocked into a heady rush of pure elation that is "Fields"



Kishi Bashi - "Philosophize In It! Chemicalize With It!"
There really is no denying Kishi Bashi's unique talent for layers. Which seems unsurprising considering it's the main method of his song composition but K. has an ability to exceed above and beyond your expectations there. Another one of K.'s fantastic psychedelic trips, "Philosophize In It! Chemicalize With It" takes flight almost immediately with its vibrant, soaring melodies. Kishi Bashi always seems to be at his most innovative when dreaming up unique ways to dress up love songs and there's certainly no shortage of creativity here. "Philosophize With It! Chemicalize With It!" is a wildly enjoyable flight of fancy that finds the perfect balance between its high energy and an emotive core. K.'s words ring true but they also shimmer and glide while they do so. They're a fresh take on an age-old idea that Kishi Bashi finds a way to make extra resonant.



Gracie - "Jackson II"
Gracie is anything but a conventional artist and that's probably most apparent on "Jackson II" a track for the mixed media project for Kai Flanders' novella 'The Red Bicycle'. Inspired by/accompanying the novella's first chapter Gracie makes pretty inventive use of the chapter's two most important elements - a plane and the titular red bicycle. But they're subtle touches - not utilized to excess while the track bops along at it's leisurely pace on just the right side of dance-y. It's the kind of track the even separate from 'The Red Bicycle' soundtrack manages to be delightfully engaging and charmingly clever.



The Debauchees - "I've Got Energy", Big Machines and Peculiar Beings
What can I say about The Debauchees that I haven't already said before? I've written about them a bunch of times in their rather short band life and they continue to amaze. On "I've Got Energy" they put their absolute best foot forward allowing their music to speak for what could've been an agonizing/annoying gimmick. Teaching themselves their instruments after deciding to be in a band, being young with clearly classic music tastes, the single ahead of their excellent debut album Big Machines and Peculiar Beings combines fiery intensity with Sydney Chadwick's cool purr. The Debauchees offer up the kind of tunes that'd make any rock purist proud and rightly so.



ARMS - "Sleepwalker", EP2
Truth be told, a large part of my excitement concerning the release date of ARMS Summer Skills follow up EP2 was purely based on my ability to own and listen to "Sleepwalker" whenever I damn well pleased. I had spent over a year hearing the track at every ARMS show I attended (which happened to be A LOT) and it always stuck out to me the best display of Todd Goldstein's pop chops and my new favorite ARMS songs. That's not to say the other songs weren't enjoyable in their own ways but "Sleepwalker" was at the forefront of my memory and the wait for their EP to find a home was made all the more laborious due to its absence from my collection of dangerously repeated tracks. While Goldstein set out to tell stories outside/separate of ARMS supernatural thriller Summer Skills, "Sleepwalker" delivered where no other EP2 cut did. Invoking a visceral reaction due not only to Goldstein's intelligent, descriptive lyricism but also the track's moments of pop mastery. When Goldstein sings "I want you always", it's evidently the track's climax, the tipping point where the track finally lets loose all its built up energy and the result is nothing short of deeply enjoyable. It doesn't barrel forward to the end like such a dam burst is to wont to do but there's no more build up, the track unravels and marvelously so. "Sleepwalker" succeeds where no other EP2 track does because it pairs arresting musical moments with the frenetic energy ARMS reserves mostly for their live sets. Goldstein still retains the knack for building these engaging little worlds but the charm of "Sleepwalker" is in its domino effect as Goldstein's meticulous world building crumbles in ts frantic finish.
  


Chris Holm - "Sealed", Kilos
Chris Holm's solo record Kilos, his first stepping out from bands Young Dreams and Bloody Beach (and a multitude of others, I'm sure), happens to be an album of experiments. That sounds a little like Holm putters around unsure of what he's doing but he does that much is exceptionally clear. The album is a blend of Holm's varying influences and inspirations that somehow managed to be stay moored by his passions in them. From the sort of tropicalia hip-hop hybrid of "H.A.A.R.P." to the psychedelic rock stylings of "Raleigh's Peak", it's an album of unprecedented musical exploration. Each song is special and good in its own way but, and forgive me if I'm gushing, "Sealed" is a real standout. It's Chris Holm's try at singer/songwriter pop game like pals Sondre Lerche and Matias Tellez but it's uniquely his own, making extensive use of layers and textures and this sound and that in a way that embellishes not distracts from Holm's songwriting. There's some poignant lyricism crafted here that definitely establishes Holm's solo talents and not just his talents are an ensemble artist. "Sealed" is the moment I realized Kilos would not be enough. Holm's needs to make more solo music and often. Here's hoping he does so.



R. L. Kelly - "Feels Real", Angeltown
Since being introduced to R.L. Kelly's empowering brand melancholy pop at Orchid Tapes' Brooklyn showcase, it's been my utmost pleasure to keep taps on her, watching and hearing her grow her small but powerfully engaging collection of songs. While there's been no shortage of great R.L. Kelly songs this year, my favorite might very well be "Feels Real" which was featured on Orchid Tapes Los Angeles show compilation tape Angeltown. Not quite sparse as "Life's a Bummer" but not as crunchy as "You're Not the Only Monster in Hell. It's a pleasant little number that engages in some absolutely earcatching musical moments with not only the vocals but its guitar melodies.




Lapland - "Metal Lungs", Lapland
Brooklyn based singer/songwriter Josh Mease underwent a bit of a renaissance, reemerging under the moniker Lapland. It takes a particularly gifted songwriter to have not only a song but a whole album engage bases on songwriting talents alone but that's precisely what Mease does with Lapland. "Metal Lungs"combines normal singer/songwriter heartbreak fodder with a rather uplifting take on it. Invoking dusty Midwestern plains, "Metal Lungs" sounds like a rallying cry as Mease's moving, creamy vocals are employed like a cleverly concealed weapon.



Sondre Lerche - "Rejection #5", Public Hi-Fi Sessions #01
Despite the fact that 2013 held all the faint whispers of a full length record in the works from Norwegian popsmith Sondre Lerche, sadly it was not meant to be. Instead it seems like in 2014, Lerche will be doubling down on releases and that suits me just fine. However 2013 wasn't completely without its fair share of Lerche jams and in addition to takes on Scott Walker's "The Plague" and Miley Cyrus' "Wrecking Ball", Sondre Lerche let two songs free from his majestic pharaoh's tomb of an archive in the form of Two Way Monologue era "Rejection #5" and "Screen Door" for Jim Eno's Public Hi-Fi Sessions. The twist being of course that "Rejection #5" was unfinished until recently and was recorded with Eno taking part for the release. Though written around Two Way Monologue it's got a very Phantom Punch era sassiness thrown in for good measure. The fact that it's basically a new track at this point shows that not only has Lerche not lost touch with his roots but that his genre-bending ways aren't long forgotten. "Rejection #5" is a funky little number which manages to bring the past 5 years or so of Lerche's musical career full circle with a clever little reference to George Lazenby. Unexpected collaborations and inspirations abound and the result is a song of pretty much boundless confidence. The kind of song that'd soundtrack Travolta's cocky strut if Saturday Night Fever was remade with modern music for some weird reason. A jam in every sense of the word that's a more than suitable placeholder for Lerche's forthcoming 7th full length.



Honorable Mention:
Alex G - "Joy"

Conveyor - "Pushups", "Mammal Food"/"Pushups" 7"

Daughn Gibson - "Kissin on the Blacktop", Me Moan

Gracie - "Creature Pleaser", Bleeder EP

Hiss Golden Messenger - "The Serpent Is Kind (Compared to Man)", Haw

Incan Abraham - "Tuolumne", "Tuolumne"/"Whidbey" 7"

Pitstop: Night Moves

                                                            (Photo by Nick Walker)

My discovery of Minneapolis foursome Night Moves happened as most of my discoveries tend to - by their affiliation with another band, in this case Night Moves being the headliners at an upcoming Brooklyn show featuring ARMS.



Perhaps the most endearing thing about the quartet is the way their music kind of hang out on the very fringes of genre. There's a dream folk haze, undeniable pop rock moments, and sparringly employed string arrangements that rival those of your standard indie pop band. Night Moves are sort of an amalgam of all these things and more. Recalling a sort 70s psych rock group with a modern twist, I was actually surprised to learn they weren't from the Bay area of California.



Their debut album Colored Emotions released last year on Domino Records is the perfect summation of their influences and inspired sounds - every label you can ascribe to the band finds a proper footing on the album and is utilized to make an absolutely  unpinnable album - there's a sort of vintage folk rock purr as the base with an electronic fuzz giving the songs their hazy atmospheric glimmer,  baroque pop grandeur, and classic rock intensity that ensures the whole Frankenstein's monster of influences eventually ambles its way towards the finish line.



Night Moves are more than just a nostalgia act however, their influences are properly utilized and deployed in a way that ensures the group's songs are not only intense enjoyable but also infinitely memorable. Considering my numerous replays of Colored Emotions in full, I'd say they achieved a near perfect alchemical  balance of well-intentioned thought and excellent presentation. It's enough to make you incredibly excited for the opportunity to catch them live. Which you won't actually have to wait too long for since they just hit the road. You can view tour dates here.

Listen: ARMS - "Comfort"

Ending on a definite somber note on their excellent sophomore record Summer Skills, Brooklyn indie rockers ARMS have return almost two years later with the incendiary "Comfort". Where Summer Skills crackled and surged with urgency and drama, "Comfort" feels far more ambulant; where Summer Skills sweltered and scorched, "Comfort" rolls forward with the all the intensity of a refreshing spring breeze. That's not to say "Comfort" doesn't rock, it most certainly does but ARMS reinvigorated return strives to be less cinematic and far more scenic this time around. Todd Goldstein contents himself with exploring guitar tones underneath the track's billowing, caressed melodies and the result is a balance of experimental texture play with a softer edge.

"Comfort" is ARMS' declaration of independence from themselves, content to be far less cerebral and enjoy its sumptuous traverses a little more than previously allowed. It's not a terribly revolutionary bit of reinvention with many an ARMS trademark still in use but it's a breath of fresh of air deeply felt from its members able to find the comfort their track laudably condemns. Welcome back ARMS, we've certainly missed you.



ARMS 2nd EP, the appropriately titled EP2 will be out September 10th on Paper Garden Records.

All Around Sound-Off No. 4: ARMS

A little known fact is that in addition to giving the All Around Sound-Off its name, Todd Goldstein better known as the frontman of Brooklyn indie rockers ARMS was actually the first interview I ever did right around the release of the band's sophomore record Summer Skills. The interview was lost forever into the ether and while it's been essentially a long-standing inside joke between Todd and I that we would replace it with another, the news that ARMS would soon be recording/releasing a new EP seemed like probable cause to reach out to Todd Goldstein again to see if he would finally be game for another chat. Thankfully he was and we met outside of Pianos after one of their sets earlier this year to continue a conversation that had started nearly two years prior.


Dante (All Around Sound): I'm really excited about your new EP...like SO much. What can we expect from it?
Todd Goldstein: Well, we recorded it ourselves which was a not new but a return to that from working on a big studio album. That was in part because of resources and in part because I really missed the feeling. The home recorded stuff just sounds a lot closer to what I'm hearing in my head and I have more control over it and part of that control is giving up control to like shittily recorded tracks and first takes and just kind of leaving it as it is and just letting the magic of it, if it is in fact magic, be there. It's five tracks and it was most of what I wrote in the last year after Summer Skills. I don't know, it's just kind of in terms of - I was thinking this, because you know I'm an ex music writer and all that stuff, in terms of adjectives: If Summer Skills was - someone described it as sinewy once which I really liked. It's sort of moody and sinewy  then this new EP is sort of careening and expressive. It's really high energy and it's really rough around the edges and it's a lot more fun than anything.

Sweet. I've heard some of the songs live so is it kind of a similar thing to that or did you make any changes to the songs when you brought them in to record?

TG: No, it's similar to that but you know, there's more layering and atmosphere and all that. It's just a lot more fun - they're fun songs that I had fun writing and I have fun playing them.

Hah. I wouldn't have used that adjective to describe you guys ever. I mean, you know... 

*Laughter*

When we talked before, long long ago, you mentioned that Summer Skills actually got its initial inspiration from Kids Aflame. Was there any pre-established inspiration that you drew for this one? 

TG: No. Which was sort of the scary and interesting part of doing the EP. I felt like I kind of exhausted this huge creative well with Summer Skills. I basically poured every little piece of whatever I had into it and I started with pretty much a blank slate writing afterwards which is something I hadn't really done before. I think that's in part why it's kind of taken awhile to get the motor revved again. We're in to writing another full length right now because I've kind of got the groove going but the inspiration for making these was that I just needed to find a new way to write that wasn't based on concept and let the concept become what it was going to be. Just writing some songs was the thinking. I've been happy to find since finishing the songs and hearing them together that they're definitely a piece and there's definitely some throughlines and all that stuff but the inspiration was really just writing more about myself.

For this EP was there more of a conscious effort to return to writing or did the songs just kind of come to you naturally? 

TG: It was like a real conscious effort. I really had to push it. Songwriting doesn't come easily to me like ever and with these five they really had to be ...I had to sort of force myself to write this stuff because I was like 'I need to make more stuff. I need to get past that record'. I needed to find a new voice after I had done that. That was sort of the way Kids Aflame worked and I was thinking of that kind of relationship where the songs themselves are very tightly constructed and very carefully put together but the performances are very loose and kind of tossed off, you know, in a good way. In the good attitude.

Last year you resurrected a bunch of Kids Aflame songs that you hadn't really played in awhile. Going back to those was there any kind of new revelations that you got from going back to these old songs that you wrote? 

TG: Yeah. There was an attitude I had when I was writing those that I had gotten really far away from and that i really wanted to get back to. I don't think we're a band that's been around long enough that the idea of returning to your roots is like a last ditch effort at anything, it was just kind of trying to recalibrate where I was at and just think about things differently. I really like those old songs because they're really direct and they're all kind of trying a different thing and there's a sense of innocent exploration that I had going on at that time that I couldn't get back to completely but tried to think of things that way like 'What if I wrote a song like this?' and not try to fit it in to anything larger or make it mean anything larger. It's just like a self-contained little world and that was kind of something that I learned from them - that I could go back to those songs and playing them realized I wrote some songs that I really love from that time. I don't write song like that anymore but I totally still could if I want to.

I kind of already kind of the answer to this question but who are some of your favorite songwriters? Do you feel like any particular songwriter really influenced your writing?

TG: I feel like I've gotten to this point where I don't even listen to songwriters anymore. I listen to mostly ambient music, jazz, electronic, and minimalist classical stuff and that's sort of where I hang out most of the time. I mean, you know, if I listen to my stuff there's Mark Kozelek in there; Neil Young and maybe a little bit of Elvis Costello and a little bit of Elliot Smith. Ted Leo? I don't know, I listen to all sorts of stuff. When I'm writing songs I'm just writing songs I know to write. What are your guesses?

I mean I knew about Kozelek. I know you have like moodier songwriting likes and whatnot. So for this round was there any change in what you were listening to versus what you were listening to before that you felt defintely impacted what you were doing?

TG: I think I stopped listening to indie rock. That's actually a pretty big thing. I mean, I listen to it still because it's like happening and I like to keep up on things but I stopped kind of strong identifying with it for whatever that's worth. What I play is definitely indie rock, there's no question but I just kind of stopped. On one hand I stopped really giving a shit about indie rock aside from what my friends are doing which I think is cool and picking and choosing here and there but while I stopped caring about it I think I wanted the stuff I was making to sound a little more like it. I was like 'Fuck it.' I made an art-pop album that was maybe a bit impenetrable tone-wise to some people and I kind of want to make stuff that people listen to and I want my stuff to make sense with the stuff that other people are doing so people have a door in. So I switched up the approach a little bit to make it a little more like the stuff I listened to when I was growing up. Just like 90s indie rock; Pedro the Lion and Pavement, Built to Spill and stuff like that. I can say that's like a big influence.

For Summer Skills you said some of the influence came from really intense movies like Brick. Was there any particular mindset you tried to get into when trying to write these songs that you attached to? 

TG: Yeah. I feel like this is a little bit more influenced by some books. I'm trying to concentrate a little more on smaller moments and intimate details. I read this book by Lorrie Moore called Birds of America. Every story is really beautiful and kinda sad and about very real people but it's just like so perfectly observed and I kind of wanted to do something that was more impressionistic and intimate. It was less about the widescreen mood and concept.

So it was about two or three years ago when you recorded your other EP, was there any particular way you went about it this time on this new EP? 

TG: No. More mics, better mics. We got someone to mix this album. We worked on all the tracks ourselves and got this guy Jason Finkel to do the mixing.

I know him. 

TG: You know him? Of course! Through the blog world. He's a really awesome guy and we totally get along and he just gets how to make all this stuff kind of work together. It sounds fucking great - it'll be done by the end of next week. We recorded it the same but I think the years of difference just in terms of how our views have changed and our sensitivities and stuff and the fact that we got someone to really put it together is going to make a huge difference.

 Much thanks to Todd Goldstein for sitting down with me (again) to discuss what's one of my most anticipated released. The new EP, aptly titled EP2 will be released September 10th on Paper Garden Records.      

Brazos - Saltwater (2013)

Since my discovery of former Austin indie pop trio Brazos when they played a how with similar namesake ARMS last summer, I've heard predominantly newer songs in their live set. Considering they were completely an utterly new to me at the time and my only impression of them beforehand was a great big seal of approval from ARMS frontman Todd Goldstein that wasn't really problem. When I acquainted myself more with Brazos' distinctive brand of intelligent, laid back sunny pop rock, the fact that I couldn't consistently hear what were shaping up to be some of my favorite songs stung a bit.

Now, a little more than a half a year after the trio finally rapped up production of their follow up to 2009's Phosphorescent Blues, Saltwater is out in the world. The first question fans of Brazos might ask themselves is how exactly is Saltwater different than Phosphorescent Blues? Well, the answer is actually not very much. Aside from being a completely new set of top-notch tracks. The real difference between the debut and this new record out nearly three years later is far subtler than any sort of radical new change in direction.

On Saltwater, lyricist Martin Crane remains at his astute best mixing poppy accessibility with unpredictable and exciting songwriting directions. He never quite aspires or attains the level of poetry of "The Observer" but that's perhaps for the best, especially when you remember that it's someone else's poem set to music. A trope that's interesting when employed sparingly. Crane's inventive streak continues as he borrows characters from Melville's Moby Dick in the album's title track "Saltwater"

A lot of what makes Saltwater truly different from Phosphorescent Blues is in subtle textural play. Crane and company dress up their already pretty dynamic tracks with occasional synthy swirls, electronic blips, and other seemingly unimportant minutiae but really they provide the tracks with a much appreciated added dimension. Each and every track on the 9 track sophomore record, from the swaggering "Always On" and "Valencia" to the sparse emotive showcases of "Deeper Feelings" and "Long Shot", is a real winner, a slice of summer-invoking guitar-lead pop with substance. Fans of Brazos are sure not to find the new album lacking in any way, instead improving upon many of the strengths of their debut and incorporating aspects of their fantastic live set while new listeners will find in Saltwater a brand new band and album to love. This I absolutely guarantee.

You can listen to Saltwater streaming in full at Spin Magazine. Brazos' brilliant record Saltwater is out tomorrow, May 28th on Dead Oceans. Scoop it up and drink it down, it's a keeper.

Watch: ARMS - "Comfort" (Le Rascals Naked Session)

If you're anything like me, since the announcement that Brooklyn indie rockers ARMS were following up their brilliant sophomore record Summer Skills with an EP, you've been waiting with bated breath for a proper listen of what's to come. A listen that up until now has mostly only been available through ARMS' incendiary live sets. That's right, recently Todd Goldstein sat down with Le Rascals to played a give a very special acoustic rendition of new EP track "Comfort".



What makes the acoustic version so special is its rarity. Live, Goldstein is quite the showman completely shredding away on his guitar and in this more intimate session you can to see and hear just how complex the new track is with its nearly jaw-dropping flurry of riffs and counter melodies. Goldstein has maintained that he wanted to make the EP's songs less cerebral, less complex than Summer Skills but it's clear to see that even without the intricate layers and swirling textures that Summer Skills dwelled in that there's is absolutely nothing simple about this new track.

Not only is the instrumental work something to write home about but on "Comfort", Goldstein's lyricism remains as arresting as ever. Still adept at popsmithery without oversimplification, the track features some excellent lyrical moments delivering a 1-2 punch at just the right moments of swelling guitar and a poignantly crafted lyric that doesn't necessarily need to be all that highfalutin' to hit is mark. Whether it's the chorus of "I'm not the comfort you need" to the smaller, one-time lyrics they're all deeply affecting. Hard-hitting, heart-clenching, and occasionally smile-inducing, "Comfort" hints at an record worthy of great praise. Here's hoping it's out soon.

All Around Sound's Most Anticipated Albums of 2013 Playlist

It's a whole new year which means a whole new release calendar to look forward to! A handful of bands have recently started unearthing album details and waking up each day to a new announcement is the bee's knees. It's still rather early in the year meaning more are sure to roll in as well as more details and previews but until then these are the releases I'm most juiced for based not on mere speculation but an announcement of some kind. Because if it was based on who I thought was releasing an album this year, this playlist would be hours long.

The Acorn 
This year will see the end of Canadian band The Acorn's hibernation. Brought to my attention a mere couple months ago by my friend Corey it was the perfect time to get into them it seems. Without having to wait the three years since the release of No Ghost while also having enough time to explore their discography, I'm excited at what the new album Vieux Loup will sound like. No release date at present but a working title is a step in the right direction. Here's hoping more details are on the horizon.


ARMS
If you've been to any of their shows, this won't come as particularly shocking news to you but if you haven't, you might want to brace yourself. Maybe take a seat. After 2011's incredible underrated and criminally ignored sophomore record Summer Skills, ARMS are releasing an EP. When? The verdict is soon and for all intents and purposes it could drop any day now but a release is nigh. Any live show attendees might have heard a track or two or three or four from the upcoming five-song EP and well, I'm be straight with you: They're pretty damn great. Capturing the dramatic literary lyricism that drew me to them to the first place and pairing it with some absolutely astounding musical moment of the powerpop persuasion, I couldn't speak more highly of the forthcoming EP if I tried. And I haven't even heard it yet. But based off the 3 or 4 songs I've been lucky enough to hear, I'm willing to stake my reputation of it being one of the best releases slated for release this year. Get ready because you might never love another band more ever again. Until we can hear anything from it, here's the last song ARMS dropped - a self-remix of the title track from their sophomore record Summer Skills:



Brazos
One of my favorite new music discoveries last year was Texan turned native New Yorker Brazos aka singer/songwriter Martin Crane. His lyrics were poetic, his music full, ear-catching, and downright rocking. The strength of the introductory concert was enough to have me kicking myself for not having discovered Crane and his band all that much sooner. And yet with the release of his sophomore follow up to 2009's Phosphorescent Blues on the horizon for this year, maybe it's a good thing I didn't? I couldn't imagine being a long time fan that long having to wait nearly 4 years for new music. For those holding out that long, you have my most heartfelt sympathies. According to all the rave reviews I heard from those lucky enough to have it in their ears, the new record should be well worth the wait and makes me all that more anxious to get it in my own.

The Cave Singers 
When I say that Seattle's folk rock trio The Cave Singers were one of the best opening bands I have ever seen, I hope you don't immediately accuse me of hyperbole. Opening for Fleet Foxes back in 2011, they were a very special kind of opening band. I had heard whispers of their existence before then sure but nothing cemented my interest in them as much as seeing them rock out live. To say that I've been biding my time until they saw fit to return isn't an exaggeration. I have been and I assume when they return their set will be just as fun if not more so than what I experienced. Maybe then I can right the wrongs of a whole sold out seated venue full of people refusing to get up and dance to "Black Leaf" when asked. Maybe.


Friend Roulette 
They may have retired one of my favorite songs in their catalog indefinitely (I'm talking about the Friend Roulette EP's "Sailing Song" by the way) but the songs they've replaced it with are too incredible for me to get sore. The quirky Brooklyn chamber pop sextet has talent bubbling out it's pores and each song they write is pretty darn original and that's cause for excitement. This year, their debut full length I'm Sorry You Hit Your Head should get out of development hell and then the band can get all the praise and accolades they deserve. Seriously. For all the scores of Brooklyn bands there's few with as much originality and vision and passion as Friend Roulette. From Casablanca recalling "Or Berlin" to R&B-esque "Lie", Friend Roulette seem willing to try anything and that versatility and openness is sure to benefit them in the long run.

Guards 
In case you couldn't tell due to my incessant posting about them but I really like Guards. They take what so many bands are trying to do in the nostalgia-fueled rock vein and do so in a way that leaves very little yo be desired. It's almost impossible to explain what makes Guards work so well. Each tune we see from their upcoming debut In Guards We Trust just establishes what we already knew and why we so desperately wanted an album from the New York based trio: they're a damn good band. They manage to be both pleasant and intricate and jammy and simple without falling prey to any of the negative tendencies those involving while giving listeners and fans what they want while not being predictable about it. Guards are kind of an enigma, really but they're a rather friendly, pop song crafting one and that works just fine.

Little Tybee 

It was supposed to come out last year but due to a series of remarkably unfortunate events and the band deciding to take some extra time to make sure it was really offering up gold star material 2013 is the year of Little Tybee's For Distant Viewing. Rather nervous when they announced the album's release right after Humorous to Bees came out in 2011, I'm a little glad they took time to prioritize a stellar release over just another release in general. Especially considering the break between albums is crucial for not burning yoursef out. The few tracks we've been treated to are certainly strong enough but that extra bit of care will undoubtedly result in a far more album than anyone could possibly imagine. I'm rightfully pumped as should you be.
Little Tybee - Mind Grenade from LaundroMatinee on Vimeo.

Local Natives
I didn't really realize how much I missed Local Natives until the emerged triumphant from their latest bout of album recording. I've been a bit careless with my love for Local Natives, I'll confess. Never pouncing on opportunities to see them when I should and as the band seems poised to rocket up to bigger and bigger things, I might've missed my chance. At least without having to hardcore duke it out for my place in the Local Natives lovefest that's sure to follow after the release of their sophomore record Hummingbird. Why? After a remarkable debut, their next offering seems to be (as far as the two singles we've heard thus far will attest to) far better. Which is saying something. It's an album that's on everyone's must-have list and for good reason.


Pattern is Movement 
I'm rather late to Pattern is Movement party but better than never I say. Thanks to a sound guy at Cameo Gallery I heard and fell in love with the incredible All Together and so the news that Pattern is Movement are about to put out a new album this year is simply the best new. No idea when it'll be other than soon or what it'll be because a band like Pattern is Movement is rarely to do the same thing twice, I'm full of excitement just thinking about all the things that could be. Until details emerge this is one thing you can do to find out what you're in for: go see Pattern is Movement live. They're playing a handful of shows and have promised to play some new songs then.


Secret Mountains
A couple years of plying their trade, two EPs and one cassette of new, original material later, Baltimore psychedelic rock outfit Secret Mountains are just about ready to put their debut full length out into the world. It should be cause for excitement. Though a pretty great band from the get-go, Rainer sees Secret Mountains truly coming into their own - exploring emotional depths not yet plumped, tightening up their band sound, and making their jams that much more undeniable. If there's any justice in the world, 2013 will be a big year for Secret Mountains. The progress and sheer strength of their debut makes anything else absolutely unfair. Rainer will be out February 26th on Friends Records.


Typhoon 
After what seemed like a whole year of talking it up, it's finally 2013 and Typhoon's follow up to Hunger and Thirst and A New Kind of House EP is so close you can almost hear it. Actually a couple months ago, the Portland folk orchestra gave us a taste of what to expect from White Lighter with single "Common Sentiments" and while no details have really emerged since then, it's really only a matter of time. And then the massive sensemble will tour and all will be as it should until they disappear to record a new album. Luckily we have some time with them before that's even an option.

The Voluntary Butler Scheme
The music of English multi-instrumentalist Rob Jones is a bit of conundrum. Reading about it or even seeing it, it's a process that's shocking creative and far more complex than it's sound will have you believe. Jones crafts music very much like those of the most radical experimentalists - relying far more heavily on the precise combination of sounds and a deft hand at detail than what you'd think necessary and yet that's all part of the appeal. For the complexity and innovative forethought Jones' process possess, the sound is clear, simple, and most importantly, enjoyable. It's a sound steeped in those of old despite Jones' very current approach. The third album from The Voluntary Butler Scheme A Million Ways to Make Gold seems (at least from its first single) to be a return to form from the futuristic leaning The Grandad Galaxy but rather than be some sort of backpedal just highlights Jones' ability to create smooth, svelte pop from an arduously complex process.


Wildlife 

It's the moment I've been waiting for ever since the Toronto rockers released their debut album Strike Hard, Young Diamond. Wildlife have been hard at work on their sophomore record spiriting away to a cabin to work on songs before splitting their time between Brooklyn and Connecticut to record the thing. Meanwhile they've been keeping us informed on all the update taking wacky pictures, writing blogs, and giving hints at what to come without actually giving us anything substantial to go off of. Not yet anyway. But yesterday  the Canadian quintet revealed the title and cover art for their upcoming record ...On The Heart and I am pumped. The album will be out in the world February 26th and words don't exist to describe my excitement.


Young Dreams
After three absolutely incredible singles, the debut full length Norwegian orchestral pop collective Young Dreams is almost within reach. We've heard the grandiose gladiator-themed first single "Fog of War" and we can probably something equally as majestic, as musical, as excellent of Between Places. What's more the good news is their new album might actually bring the band stateside and that's the only thing I want right now. Between Places will be out March 5th in the states on Modular Recordings.


Young Man 
I know what you're thinking: didn't Young Man just release a new album a couple months ago? Yes, yes they did. And piggybacking an album release right on the heels of an album release is normally very very risky for fear of the songs not being as developed as they should be but if there's anyone that could put out teo amazing albums close together it's most likely Colin Caulfield. He's got such a thoughtful way with words and songwriting that you just know he took time to let the songs gestate naturally. I have complete and utter faith in Young Man that their new record Beyond Was All Around Me out April 9th is going to be super. No word yet on what it'll actually sound like but any news is good news in this case. Due to the lack of a single, I'll just post a track from Young Man's brilliant Vol. 1.

All Around Sound's Favorite Tracks of 2012

In a year that I felt was far more populated by stellar singles than exceptional full length albums, the idea of cherry-picking my favorite tracks of the year seemed more than a little daunting. While my favorite albums seemed like such a no brainer, arranging my favorite songs of the year seemed like a far more stressful but not impossible endeavor. So here's my favorite tracks of the year, arranged in no particular order. Enjoy!

Plants & Animals - "Lightshow", The End of All That
It's the track that singlehandedly dominated the early part of my year, while The End of All That was ultimately a major letdown for me in terms of living up to this fantastic lead single, to omit it from this list seemed wrong. Why? Have you ever heard a more earcatching single? That question is rhetorical and the answer is no. A track that grabs you right from when you press play, "Lightshow" manages to be rather simple in construction, featuring a pretty standard slow build incorporation of instrument but it's when these all converge together that the consuming power of the track is revealed. The lyrics? Awesome. The not too balls-to-the-wall style of rock that enables the immediate attention paid to the lyrics? Also awesome. It might very well be the single greatest song the band has written/performed and that's why even after burn after constant burn, I'm guaranteed to come back.


Lower Dens - "Brains", Nootropics
The first single from Lower Dens hot anticipated sophomore record Nootropics was a righteous jam. There's no other way around it. It's the kind of track you imagine would be twice as long live because it's pretty much neverending in it's simplicity. Chug-a-long guitar riffs with a sort of question/answer voice part. It sort of belies where the rest of Nootropics was bound to go (that is, a set of non-jams). It's catchy for its insistence and manages to avoid being annoying about it. It's a track that easily gets stuck in your head but that you make no major effort to get rid of. The lyrics may be obscured by fuzz but the track is no less enjoyable. Just thinking about the track gets the repetitive chunky lines stuck in your noggin and next thing you know you're jamming along to "Brains" on repeat and anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 days have gone by. It's dangerously time-consuming but you wouldn't have it any other way.


Father John Misty - "Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings", Fear Fun
In the initial cymbal crash of "Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings" mild-mannered J.Tillman singer/songwriter/drummer of Fleet Foxes fame was instantaneously reborn as Father John Misty. While Fear Fun remains to be an album many are trying to fully wrap their heads around (myself included), one thing is clear "Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings" fully justifies Tillman's Fleet Foxes split on its own merit. It shows a more honest, decidedly more creative Tillman than we've experienced thus far and it's far better for it. It also helps that it's catchy as hell. So catchy that the lyrics aren't immediately apparent to the listener. After dozens of listens it wasn't until reading an interview with Tillman where I realized the song was about graveyard sex. Cool. It's a proper departure from the songs about heartbreak and reconciliation that your standard singer/songwriter doles out in spades. The track alone was enough to ease the hurt of no longer getting to witness Tillman charming up Robin Pecknold's awkward stage banter as well as providing something new and exciting to look forward to. Father John Misty, you can stay.


Alt-J, "Breezeblocks", An Awesome Wave
While support of UK art-pop band Alt-J seems to be split right down the middle, one thing is clear at least to me "Breezeblocks" is incredible. It might've been the accompanying video shot in reverse but from the second I heard "Breezeblocks" I was hooked. It's a spindly, slowly-raveling tune which lurches forth with more than its fair share of mood changes. Sparse folky interludes burst into a grooving, multi-layered laid-back rock. For me, it's the most appealing song from Alt-J; the track you throw on a mix or send along when you're trying to gauge whether someone would like them or just to give them a taste of what the band sounds like when it's at its best.


Patrick Watson, "Into Giants", Adventures in Your Own Backyard
"Into Giants" is the probably the best example of Adventures in Your Own Backyard's normalized grandeur, raising a simple love song to fairy tale pleasantness. But far more impressive is Watson's song construction, properly enlisting a strong female vocal to act as a foil to his soft falsetto. It's easily the most memorable song of the album and it's not hard to see why. A lighthearted jaunt composed of various little flourishes and moving parts but plays smoothly and places melody at the forefront. "Into Giants" is Watson at his absolute songwriting best creating a track that's insanely enjoyable to listen to while also giving you that heart-clench you get from a properly emotional song. The perfect balance whimsical pop that still manages to stay grounded with a bit of seriousness.


Daniel Rossen, "Not Coming Back"
Anyone who knows me probably knows that I have a major love of Daniel Rossen's non-Grizzly Bear related projects. Department of Eagles, his solo stuff, whatever, I've never been disappointed. Even though he released an immaculate solo EP this year, the greatest gift happened when Rossen entered the 21st century and joined the social networking site Twitter. Why? Because though he doesn't tweet often when he does he does something incredible like drop a previously unreleased track from days past. Case in point: "Not Coming Back" a demo that apparently Rossen doesn't think too highly of, he's since dispersed it among Silent Hour/Golden Mile and Shields and seeing no future use for the remains posted it to his Soundcloud for curious ears. Obviously Rossen is a perfectionist of the highest order because "Not Coming Back" is brilliant. An emotive jam that seems to be establishing itself as Rossen's trademark, it's hard to believe "Not Coming Back" isn't a fully realized song ready for release.


Flock of Dimes, "Prison Bride", Prison Bride 7"
The solo project of Wye Oak's Jenn Wasner, I was too busy making up for lost time listening to Wye Oak's Civilian to pay any attention to Wasner's solo debut last year. In fact it wasn't until Caleb from Lands & Peoples mentioned that he picked up the recently released 7" that I was even aware Flock of Dimes existed and while she's put out a fairly sizeable amount of new tracks in the year, "Prison Bride" remains the most insistent, the most demanding of my attention and infinite listens. Perhaps its because so many parts of its overall construction seem so non-beautiful. The chunky beats and percussive effects compliment Wasner's dizzying vocals perfectly. Wasner seems to be on a crusade to elevate the current status of pop music and with tracks like "Prison Bride" she does a pretty good job of throwing her hat into the ring. I hope there's more songs like Flock of Dimes' or even that Wasner herself gets more popular (which is normally not a thing I wish on any of the bands I like) as everyone can do with a little more substance like Wasner seems inclined to dole out.


ARMS, "Summer Skills (Bump in the Night Version)"
Ah, some of you might think of this as the obligatory ARMS track that's meant to go on my list since my almost two year long obsession with them and perhaps you'd be right in that. But in addition to wanting to have one of my favorite bands represented in a year-end roundup there's also the fact that the jazzed up version of the title track off last year's incredible Summer Skills is a real home-run. Normally a slow-burning ballad, ARMS put a little bit of a groove-centric spin on the track (which actually got debuted at their record release show last year) and went about putting it to tape this year. Ace.  Not everyone is always in the mood for a ballad but everyone and I do mean everyone is in the mood for a jam and the Bump in the Night version of "Summer Skills" is a jam if there ever was one. Taking its place among other Summer Skills ragers proudly.


The Tallest Man on Earth, "To Just Grow Away", There's No Leaving Now
With a large part of The Tallest Man on Earth's draw (and subsequent criticism) being that each album adds a number of songs to a steadily growing songbook, every once in awhile you have a song that really stands out among the crowd. Impressive considering Matsson balances his songwriting talent pretty evenly among his albums tracklists. The Wild Hunt's was "The Drying of the Lawns" (with "King of Spain" a very close second), Sometimes The Blues Is Just A Passing Bird's was "Thrown Right At Me", and There's No Leaving Now seems to "To Just Grow Away" despite valiant efforts made by "1904" and "Revelation Blues". It's the beginning track and sets the stage wonderfully for the album's rather different take on Matsson's rambling folk reveries.
Tallest Man on Earth - To Just Grow Away by maggiemreid

AU, "Solid Gold", Both Lights
There are tons of bands that claim to be or are lauded as being energetic and then a band like AU comes around to prove what being energetic really means. "Solid Gold" with its wild, breakneck mbira is and unfettered masterpiece of unrivaled, untameable energy. Sure, there's the occasional slow down when Holland Andrews enters lovingly caressing each note but ultimately the track moves at a speed that'd be nerve-wracking if it weren't so perfectly executed. At any moment the track seems like it could burst into flames ruined by it's own hubris of flying too close to the sun but it never does. It's a musical thrill-ride, nusic as a spectacle in the best way. "Solid Gold" is catchy as hell to rival AU's artistic ambition. The track bustling and frantic but confident in its abilities. It pays off because the risk seems monumental.


Prussia - "Annie", Girl Cops single
While Prussia may (or may not) be a thing of the past, they made sure to leave us with one more nugget of sweet, quirky songwriting with the Girl Cops single. And while the single is no doubt excellent, I fell hard for the b side "Annie". Featuring Prussia cinematic scope and innovative storytelling "Annie" is one of the reasons I'm going to miss Prussia. Ryan Spencer's lyrics have a tendency to explain just the right amount to give the narrative life while making you fill in the blanks yourself and also giving more questions than answers. It's never quite clear who Annie is exactly as major of an influence as she is on the song's course - instead minor details about her shift slightly more into focus as her character hangs back in the periphery. This combined with the sort of glammy 80s synth-pop vibe that manages to stay aligned with Prussia's intimate chamber pop stylings, it's not hard for the track to win you over. Vivacious, intelligent, and weird "Annie" could very well be inspired by the messed up realm of Poor English without fitting tidily into that box.

Lucius, "Genevieve", Lucius EP
There are few bands around as good as Lucius. While band after band can and will continue to use 60s girl pop as their muse, few will do so as effectively as the Brooklyn quintet. In fact, my first brush with them turned me into a puddle of exclamation. My brain couldn't process the level of talent being dished out and that wasn't some fluke - each member of Lucius is an integral part of that effect not just Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig's tight-knit harmonies and jaw-dropping vocal chops (though they certainly do help). While the full effect of Lucius isn't attained outside of their live set, "Genevieve" is most closely captures the vivacious brassy attitudes, the sauntering melodies, the dynamic musicianship. It's short but sweet, simple but all-consuming, "Genevieve" hints at the playfulness and the rising levels of mind-shattering interplay of the band while being restrained enough that you don't utterly lose it when the track plays. Win win.

Parlovr, "Holding On To Something", Kook Soul
It was an album I was rooting for since catching the Montreal pop trio at CMJ back in 2011, the concept seemed quirky enough to work. Three Canadians find influence and inspiration in soul music - a decidedly American idiom and effective pair it with their own brand of wild, high intensity power pop. It was an idea that turned out to be far more ingenious in theory than practice. Though Kook Soul certainly was not without it's triumphs - "Holding On To Something" no doubt being the absolute best of them. It's a track much like "Lightshow" that hinted at an potential not quite reached within the confines of the album but which shines brightly on it's own. The energy "Holding On To Something" is infectious, the fellas talents for cobbling together sloshing but pristinely memorable melodies with an interesting even dance-y feel. Though the rest of Kook Soul failed to live up to the sinful pop promises of "Holding On To Something". it certain was worth the effort if only for the track's creation.

Lemolo - "Open Air", The Kaleidoscope
Perhaps it's because it's the single upbeat track in a series of brooding ones, maybe it's that it functions as the perfect showcase for Meagan Grandall and Kendra Cox's vocals accompanied purely by a piano, beat-keeping drum and a limitless sense of freedom but "Open Air" was the track I found myself returning to over and over again on Lemolo's stunning debut The Kaleidoscope. Simple lyrically as well as compositionally, it manages to grip you by putting the two ladies' harmonies fully on display unencumbered.



Illuminator - "Tangled With Bear", Soul Sister (forthcoming)
What can I say I have a real fondness for concept albums. The higher the stakes for it to be completely missed or fail completely, the more I'm interested in it. Sure, sometimes releases get bogged down with all the minute details that came from crafting a record as much more than just a musical narrative but when they really get it, it's excellent. Enter Illuminator: On paper Soul Sister (or what we've heard from it thus far rather) seems weird. Like REALLY weird. In execution though it works, surprisingly. "Tangled With Bear" kind of drops you into the middle of the action: a battle between the album's protagonist and a violent soul he's confronted through multiple lifetimes. Without the concept, "Tangled With Bear" is a rollicking blues rock jam which alternates between moments of delicate pulsating narrative-driven plotting and glorious bursting emotive climaxes. In concept, it's more than just an addictive piece of southern-inspired rock, it's cathartic and interesting to have an internal and external battle taking place with the music functioning as both weapon and battlefield. Weird, yes, but good. Normal's overrated anyway.


Town Hall - "Mary A. Longden", Roots & Bells
 If you're going to go the tall tell narrative route of folk pop, you've got to be damn good. Not just in lyrical content but in overall presentation. The tales, the arrangements, you name it they all better be pretty damn interesting otherwise you end up with a sort of "Why am I listening to this?!" sort of reaction. Because your narrative aren't grounded enough in reality to be considerably relatable. Fortunately that's not really a problem for Town Hall who released a whole album of narrative-driven songs of their own creation in Roots & Bells. One of the absolute gems being "Mary A. Longden" so good they released it twice. First on their Sticky Notes & Paper Scraps EP and then premier full length debut. They may not be doing anything genre-defying in terms of instrumentation or overall but where they do deserve some credit lies in their absolute creativity and ability to make a series of character studies into something worthwhile and accessible. Their vocals also happen to be downright crackerjack.

Johnny Flynn - "Flowers in My Garden", A Bag of Hammers soundtrack
Earlier this year, British folk singer Johnny Flynn surprised everyone with a two day jaunt across the US (one day in NY, one in LA) before retreating back to the Britain. The reason why seemed unclear. Did Flynn just miss touring after a year of theatre engagements? Yes. Was there new Johnny Flynn material on the horizon? Not quite but sure. While Flynn is still at work on his follow up to Been Listening, we did get new release from him in the form of a soundtrack he wrote for the indie dramedy A Bag of Hammers. The first track from the soundtrack out well over half a year before the soundtrack streeted, it's Johnny Flynn at his best: An updated but inspired take on actual folk music. The track sounds very much like the music used in the Shakespeare plays he's been featuring in and perhaps that's the intent. But also: The track is just plain good.


Gracie -  "Creature Pleaser", Bleeder (forthcoming)
What isn't there to like about "Creature Pleaser"? The first taste from Gracie's forthcoming full length, the track is an absolutely infectious and entirely all-consuming dance jam. If any of Bleeder's tracks come anywhere close to this one in terms of just insane catchiness, we're going to all be in real trouble. Because from the moment you press play on "Creature Pleaser", listening to anything else seems like an absolute chore. Instead you're compelled to just replay it and marvel at it's toe-tapping, body-moving splendor. Fairly certain the song is laced with some sort of high grade aural crack because one you start you're hooked and  it isn't until someone intervenes. But damn if it isn't the best 4 minute potentially life-ruining decision you've made.

Grizzly Bear - "Half Gate", Shields

Sure it's an album where each song leans slightly upon the other to support the colossal weight of the whole but for some reason "Half Gate" with wind-whipped plotting and gently unfolding piano pop stuck with it the most. More than that. It's the moment that Shields won me over completely. Before Shields, I wouldn't consider myself as a Grizzly Bear fan by any means but Shields with it's epic grandeur, it's clean immaculate twist on orchestral pop sans orchestra, has made a convert out of me. It seemed tighter and more accessible than records past while not trading in any of Grizzly Bear's notorious layered complexity. Shields seemed to me the first truly collaborative effort of the group of four musicians and "Half Gate" the best display: Placing Ed Droste's vocals with Daniel Rossen's and letting them highlight each other's strengths and fill in what the other's couldn't. Instead of just functioning as harmonic filler like times past, "Half Gate" sees the band's two main vocalists actually working together in the full context of a song. Their voices may alternate but it's the first time I felt both's vocal prowess was acknowledged and not only that - deployed together for an excellent heart-fluttering effect.  

Cheyenne Marie Mize - "Keep It", We Don't Need EP
As Cheyenne Marie Mize reaches a rather eclectic happy medium on her We Don't Need EP, the straight up feisty girl rock track "Keep It" was really what conquered me. The whole EP a charming display of personality, "Keep It" with it's rather eloquent rejection gives Sharon Van Etten's "Serpents" a run for its money with its level of casual, fiery badassery. It's as easy as that. There's no posturing, no elaborate metaphor; "Keep It" is a scorching dismissal pairing with all the rock trimmings needed to drive Mize's point home.


Lands & Peoples, "I Tried", Pop Guilt 
If an album is featured on one of my favorites list I try not to feature it on the other (try being the operative word because last year didn't work that way) but sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do. To not feature "I've Tried" would not only be the biggest slap in the face to the uber talented Baltimore lads but also to the idea of a favorites list. "I've Tried" has gotten a hell of a lot of play from me. Maybe more so than any other song on this list? Why? Well it takes Lands & Peoples "there's actually a buttload of complex things happening here but listen to how fluid it all sounds" method of song construction that I had become enamored with and put it in a decidedly more poppy context than I was used to from the band. It's also one of the few songs on their record that really shine a spotlight on the vocals. Sure there's singing all over the album but really "Ukulele", "Ghosts", and "I Tried" show Lands & Peoples at their best vocally. While "Ukulele" and "Ghosts" are more emotional fare, "I Tried" is more guilt-free pop (if you can really even call anything Lands & Peoples that), which manages both a showcase for Lands & Peoples creative accompaniment (there's a part from Terminator thrown in there!) as well as Caleb Moore's vocals. There's even a bit of that trademark L&P harmony. Just a small taste but it's a nice touch.

Secret Mountains - "Golden Blue", Winter Sessions/Rainer (forthcoming)
While Secret Mountains are certainly known for taking their time in all things, this year's tide over release Winter Sessions -  a collection of 3 songs from their upcoming full length debut Rainer saw Secret Mountains turning over a more immediate leaf. Their songs are still pleasantly lengthy but there's less build up, less pacing, and more here's what we can do as a group of tight-knit and talented musicians after we introduce you to the main idea. It's like knowing the destination but electing a new way to get there. The scenic route if you will. On "Golden Blue" Secret Mountains sure give you a lot to see too; offering winding, curling passages of subdued, tasteful pyrotechnics while deploying Kelly Laughlin's dynamite vocals, their biggest explosive of all.

Sea of Bees - "Broke", Orangefarben  

You'd be hard pressed to find a more earnest artist than Sea of Bees and her latest album Orangefarben certainly doesn't disappoint on that front especially in lead singler/album opener "Broke" as Sea of Bees lets her hearfelt feelings bubble out of her fitting considering the song's about attempting to keep your feelings bottled up. Her vocals are sincere, her feelings a very special type of raw; not quite heart-breaking but moving, gripping, and intense. I suppose that's always been Julie Bee's ace in the hole. Girl's got a hell of a lot of heart and she's not afraid to bare it. Despite what the actual lyrics of "Broke" might want you to believe. 

Sharon Van Etten - "Leonard", Tramp

It's not my most shining moment but for some reason I had never really gotten around to giving Sharon Van Etten a proper listen until I heard the fiery vitriol of "Serpents". It seemed like such a different take on the heartbroken lover shtick your most basic singer/songwriter resorts to and I was intrigued as hell. But there's a reason "Leonard" is here over "Serpents" though each song would be more than welcome on this list. My preference for "Leonard" started superficially at first a "listen to those harmonies!" moment as I watched the acoustic version featuring Sharon Van Etten and Heather Woods Broderick for i-D. But as I watched the video more and more and Tramp eventually made its way into my hands, more of it appealed to me. Sharon Van Etten's always been a profoundly honest songwriter but "Leonard" to me seemed to marry the idea of the spurned lover while also acknowledging her own faults in the mess while featuring Van Etten's uncanny knack for downplayed moments of lyrical brilliance.  

Fiona Apple - "Hot Knife", The Idler Wheel...

Perhaps it's place after a set of high intensity, emotional, catharsis-seeking moments on The Idler Wheel... but by the time Fiona Apple reaches the album's terrific conclusion with sultry pop "Hot Knife" is shined my absolute gold. Only the kicker was that it held up pretty incredibly on its own. That discredits that theory. But for all her trouble singer/songwriter-y ways, Apple is a gifted popsmith rewarding those that listened to her air of her life's various grievances, moments of pain, heartache, and ugliness with a simmering ode to sexual need. While that might sound like something you'd expect to hear on Top 40 radio and just grimace at until it was over or change the station over, lest we not forget Apple's gifts. Primitive drums beat out underneath a fugal masterpiece of layered vocals and damn if it isn't the catchiest little thing. For all her songwriting-as-therapy methods, Apple really shines when she takes on a simple truth and runs with it in a rather significantly fun way.