Listen: Jamaican Queens - "Water"

If you were to take some sort of weird inventory of all the things I've spoken highly about you'll notice a common thread; sure they're all GOOD but they also have an added link of me not really knowing what is happening. That's not bad. My favorite music just happens to be the type that manages to deftly dodge any labels that you try to stick on to it. The latest being Jamaican Queens, borne from the experimental chamber pop remnants of Prussia, the Detroit trio had pretty much shed all of that and chameleoned itself into a different beast entirely. Even going from single to single (we've heard three so far) there's not really a definitive clear concise way to label what it is Jamaican Queens are going for. Which is fine. Instead you have to actual listen to them.

Their latest single "Water", begins with a rather sludgy synth-intensive deluge that gives way for the entrance of Ryan Spencer's vocals. That's the only break you get before layers upon layers are stacked and the waves of poppy synth goodness gather more and more intensity. It's intricate as hell while managing to be utterly engaging and catchy as all hell.

Jamaican Queens are prepping to release their debut full length Wormfood and it'll certainly be an unpredictable and interesting thrill ride. I know I'm looking forward to it. It'll be out March 5th. 

Listen: Alessi's Ark - "The Rain"

After releasing a terrific sleeper album in 2011's Time Travel and finally releasing her debut record Notes from the Treehouse for the first time in the US late last year, folk songstress Alessi Laurent-Marke aka Alessi's Ark has certainly had a busy releasing schedule. So much so that the news of another record took me pretty much completely by surprise. And yet, her latest album The Still Life will be out in April. Colorful me excited.

It's hard to tell what first single "The Rain" means for Alessi's direction. She's had non folky sounding songs before and yet "The Rain" takes her dreamy atmospheres and places it with a sort of pop friendly percussion.  In fact all the instruments involved have a far more percussive role while allowing Alessi's vocals to shine through. It's a downright catchy number which balances that catchiness with being interesting. A definite reason for excitement.

Listen to the first single "The Rain" from The Still Life out April 30th in the US and April 16th for those lucky UK folk.

Watch: The Acorn - "Rapids (Mère de les chaudières)" (Herd Mag Session)

I mentioned on my most anticipated albums list that Canadian folk pop band The Acorn were preparing their follow up to 2010's No Ghost and since it's announcement last year, we're finally getting a taste of what we can expect on Vieux Loup. Sort of. In his original announcement The Acorn's Rolf Klausener promised a R&B, dance, and experimental infused album which we don't really see too much of in the new track. It's in progress so maybe it'll be treated a bit differently in studio. Whatever the case this live rendition of "Rapids (Mère de les chaudières) is pretty great and recalls Glory Hope Mountain. My favorite The Acorn album and the one I hope they return to for defining their band sound one day. Until then, Klausener seems content to experiment and the results sound pretty amazing so they're not complaints here.

Enjoy this live rendition of "Rapids" for Herd Magazine:

Jherek Bischoff - Composed (2012)

It's hard to imagine I almost missed this record: there might not be record so relevant to all of my interests than Jherek Bischoff's Composed. And yet that was almost the case. I had no idea of its existence until "Eyes" was featured on Sondre Lerche's Best of 2012 Spotify playlist and was reminded to check out the whole album by it's featured spot on We Listen For You's Overlooked Albums of 2012.  

Jherek Bischoff's record certainly boasts an impressive list of players; from legendary heavyweights David Byrne and Caetano Veloso to somewhat newer acts in Deerhoof's Greg Saunier and Mirah Zeitlyn (of Mirah and Thao + Mirah fame) but the featuring of such a talented and eclectic bunch of performers is secondary to Bischoff's own talents. Featuring an enormous orchestral sound, Composed is more of a display of Bischoff's excellent producer talents than anything. Recording friends, collaborators, and co-conspirators separately and layering them to get sound of an orchestra.

Despite it's opening and the rather straightforward David Byrne led "Eyes", Composed is a lot more than clear trodden lines and accessible fanfares. On, "The Secret of the Machines", Bischoff plays with instrument timbres and employs their percussive qualities and drafts fleeting ornaments before allowing everything to unravel noisily into a slightly jarring outro. While dark, languorous "The Nest" plays like an interesting mix of cabaret and gypsy song. With it's rotating cast of players, the album's truest source of cohesiveness comes from Bischoff himself and his artful arrangements to keep things from sounding like too many hands on the jukebox.  

Writing the songs himself on ukulele before expanding them into the orchestral pop majesty you hear at play and shining a spotlight on those who offered to take it, it's rather unsurprising that Bischoff's album escaped widespread notice last year as he seems more than content to work from the sidelines, providing all the tools for an impressive victory while taking so very little of the credit. A humble record bursting not only with talent but a myriad of ideas skillfully employed.

Get a taste of the brilliant record with this sampler from Brassland:

Listen: Thao and the Get Down Stay Down - "Kindness be Conceived" (ft. Joanna Newsom)

Truth be told I haven't listened to a whole lot from Thao and the Get Down Stay Down. My easiest opportunity to rectify that was seeing them live when they opened for a sold out The Head and the Heart at Bowery Ballroom was thwarted by my own planning. Concert-hopping I arrived just in time to see the headliner (the aforementioned The Head and the Heart). Apparently that was a big mistake.

On her new track "Kindness Be Conceived", Thao Nguyen teams up with Joanna Newsom for a rather simple but intensely enjoyable folky ramble. It's harmonies, harmonies, harmonies and it's beautiful in its simplicity. I may not have paid a whole lot of attention to Thao and the Get Down Stay Down before but my interest has certainly been piqued, my attention grabbed. Her new record We the Common is now officially on my list.



Thao and the Get Down Stay Down's We the Common is out February 5th.

Listen: Nerves Junior - "Goodnight Nobody"

Like a phoenix Louisville band Nerves Junior rise from their flames of assumed self-destruction and are born anew as a far more polished beast than I could've ever expected. I enjoyed the fuzzy guitar rock of their 2011 debut full length As Bright As Your Night Light but the newly minted quartet's comeback single "Goodnight Nobody" off their upcoming Craters EP is crystal clear treadable pop rock of a rather enjoyable caliber. Nothing is obscured as each member shifts in an out of focus to the tune of an everpresent synthy hum. Nerves Junior's new path  may be more brightly illuminated but even that's not enough to pigeonhole the band.

The pop dolled out here isn't your throwaway, bubblegum variety. Nor is it the pretentious self-serious artiness that's the other extreme. No, instead Nerves Junior return with newfound clarity that hints at sunnier days and good times on the horizon. "Goodnight Nobody" is accessible but not cheaply so. The melody is what's really important here as each bandmember skirts around the edges with helpful embellishments and yet, there's a drive that keeps it from being more than that. There's a rock band at play here. They may not be playing with balls-to-the-wall energy but they're alive and well, precise as hell and smart enough to know when to stay out of the way.

Watch: Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers - The Russell Sessions

It's certainly been awhile since we've heard from Michigan folk rockers Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers. If you've been in the Michigan area, there's certainly been no shortage of appearances by the  quintet but for everyone else there's been relative little to for you besides a one-off single the band released last summer. Well now you're in luck. Back in November, The Rainbow Seekers holed up in an industrial building by the name of the Russell Industrial Center and filmed a set of brand spanking new songs completely live. They recorded both videos of the endeavor as well as audio and we get to revel in both as we wait for the eventual follow up to 2011's On Being.

From their very On Being-esque "Your Story" to the sax-infused jazzy baby making vibes of "Feel", Joe Hertler and his band establish two things: 1) That good things come to those who wait. Offering a eclectic set of songs that balance the serious nature of Hertler's introspection a la On Being as well as the fun times the band and vivacious energy the band is known for 2) The band quite simply needs to tour more. It's downright criminal that only the Midwest gets to experience the talented, interconnected of this band. These videos are enough to make us all a little jealous.


"Garden"


"Your Story"


"Feel"


"River Runs Dry"


"Red Wings"

You can download the digital album at their bandcamp here.