Just like MGMT, Vampire Weekend has recently released their first full-length self-titled album and it’s been growing on me like moss on a tree. They’re hitting it off relatively well and I’m seeing their name thrown all over the place. Hailing from New York, Vampire Weekend is a pop-rock indie band with an exposure to afrobeat inspirations.
They carry a pleasant tune that is fun for the whole family. If someone were to make a movie about being deserted on a tropical island like Hawaii, this would be the soundtrack to the film. There’s no way you could be depressed while listening to a song like “Mansard Roof”. The vocalist, Ezra Koenig, has a cheerful and sweet tone to his voice that goes hand-in-hand with the band’s hand drumming.
With a sound similar to Arctic Monkeys, except with a little extra sunshine, Vampire Weekend is a force to be reckoned with. Don’t get me wrong, the whole album isn’t a pile of happy-go-lucky hits you’d expect to hear from a Pixar animation. Tracks such as “I Stand Corrected” numb down the optimism and bring on an easier beat that share a similarity with Bloc Party.
The overall album reminds me of simpler times. Back when ten dollars made you rich and anything could keep you preoccupied for an eternity.
This isn’t exactly the newest album but it’s still something I look forward to listening to every time I open up my iTunes. They’re currently finishing up their newest album Elephant Shell which is rumored to be released around April under their new label Saddle Creek. Canada seems to produce a delicious breed of indie-pop which I have grown to love with each new band I learn about and Tokyo Police Club is no exception.
Since most bands don’t tend to sing about robots taking over the world, as heard in “Citizens of Tomorrow,” there aren’t a lot of similar sounds to them for comparison. They’re more of a modern version of The Unicorns without the overkill of the synthesizer. Tokyo Police Club takes on the role of a typical rock band but clashes it with some electronic harmonies to ’spicen’ it up. They deliver a perfect blend of the two, except to a higher degree and with a faster pace to give it that extra kick you’ve been yearning for.
Tokyo Police Club’s high energy performances are what pull you in, their rhythmic clapping is what hypnotizes you, and their music is what keeps you coming back. Somewhat similar to mythical sirens except with better intentions. These guys are just looking out for your ears’ best interests.
Fans of Nada Surf (I’m an admitted one), have been waiting for a new album since 2005! I remember seeing them at KROQ’s Almost Acoustic Christmas that year, and while they were the opening act and fairly new to people who only follow mainstream, they blew the audience away with excellent vocals and really set the tone for the night that was about to follow.
Lucky, their fifth album, should then prove to everyone that The Weight is a Gift was not a fluke. It features many guest artists, one being Ben Gibbard (of Death Cab For Cutie and the Postal Service fame). He sort of hinted at that during the December, 2005 concert; calling them out and praising them, during Death Cab’s own act.
Letting it play in iTunes, I wasn’t sure what to expect. But once “See These Bones” and “Whose Authority” came around, I knew I was to be in for a treat. Nada Surf has sort of found a groove playing slow to mid-tempo songs. Their lyrics and delivery are like a mix between Death Cab’s emotions and Motion City Soundtrack’s metaphorical weirdness.
Nada Surf is a band that I prefer to listen to alone. I’m not saying this in a bad way. The lyrics sort of sink in and you get the full effect all the way until the last depressing sentence in “The Film Did Not Go ‘Round.” Pop it in and give it a listen. See if you like it or LOVE it.
This unique group from Brooklyn semi-recently released their first full length album Oracular Spectacular and I have to say, I am in love with it! I’ve listened through it about thirty times now and I’m still not sick of it. I’m starting to see their name everywhere which isn’t a surprise to me at all.
“Time to Pretend” is another take on a cliche topic like sex, drugs, and rock ‘n roll, but executed under a new light. With their electronic-psychedelic beats, they will certainly keep your ears fully dilated to absorb all of what MGMT wants you to hear. Every song has its own unique sound but at the same time, the entire album joins together perfectly for childish romps in the mud and deep ponders of life.
There aren’t a lot of ways to explain MGMT’s funky sound without wanting to run to your synthesizer (assuming you have one, which you do), but I suppose if you were to throw a keyboard, a couple tabs of acid, some guy’s afro, and maybe a house cat into a blender, I’m almost certain the resulting noise would sound something similar to MGMT, and that’s not an insult. Even though they’re signed under a huge label and eager to sell out, they’ve managed to hang onto their distinct, underground style.
If you are like me, where melodies, beats, and vocals are far more important than actual song meanings and lyrical prose, then you will certainly enjoy Matt Costa. Unfamiliar Faces, his second album is more Mika than Jack Johnson.
Armed with only a guitar, harmonica, and piano, Costa was more creative in the musical side of the album. He has received a lot of undue criticism for being “too experimental” and not “creating a distinct sound.” I’d like to know how this is a bad thing. Anyone who has ever looped a Jack Johnson album while driving will know exactly what I’m on about. I usually throw a cd in and consciously listen only when I’m stopped in traffic. There is always this feeling of “ugh, this song again???” You don’t get this feeling with Unfamiliar Faces. For this, I must give him praise.
“Heart Of Stone” creates a strange feeling of desperation while “Miss Magnolia,” which follows, has a cheerful tempo. These two songs have a hint of southern influence and perhaps is an indication of the direction his music is going in. I liked it.
