Basia Bulat’s sophomore album, Heart Of My Own, was born after over a year of touring that took her across Europe, Australia, Canada and the United States several times over. When it came time to move ahead with the new album, Basia said goodbye to the road, took the newly penned songs up in her arms and found a home for them on tape. Recorded at the mighty Hotel2Tango studio in Montreal, Quebec, nearly all the songs on Heart of My Own were written while on the road: traveling between cities, crossing the Canadian prairies, searching for a place to stop in the Nevada desert, trailing through the Smoky Mountains, standing in the bright dusk of a summer night in the Yukon.
The instrumentation on Heart Of My Own is much more varied than on her debut, Oh, My Darling: at times extremely sparse and spacious, at others dense, with spirited and rolling drums. Basia plays autoharp, guitar, piano, organ, pianoette, banjo, ukulele, bass and of course, sings; her brother and many dear friends, old and new, play everything else. The strings chase after each other as though coming down a mountain. The autoharp's versatility is explored, fitting just as well in a soul song as a folk song, its sound by turns charming and warm, then icy cold and precise. But most important is the spirit that has been captured here. There is a determination in these songs. They are at times about a broken heart, a careless heart, a faithful heart, and a hopeful heart—but above all, a wandering heart.
Scruffs - The Conquest - Scruffsville
Legendary band, The Scruffs, have returned for their 5th record, the stellar Conquest. Like the rise and fall of so many civilizations before us, The Scruffs have risen again to reclaim their role of “Best Pop Band That Nobody Knows.” This time with help from current and former members of Big Star, Belle & Sebastian, Teenage Fanclub & The Proclaimers, they might just finally become the “Best Pop Band That Everybody Knows!”
The Scruffs originally hailed from Memphis, Tennessee and became Southern pioneers of the “power pop” musical movement. Founded by lead songwriter, singer and guitarist Stephen Burns, The Scruffs recorded the classic cult album Wanna Meet The Scruffs? atArdent Studios in Memphis in 1977. Critical acclaim struck the band; much the same as fellow Memphians Big Star, and a second album was recorded entitled Teenage Gurls. (This album would remain unreleased for 20 years.)
Midlake - The Courage of Others - Bella Union
The Courage of Others is the lusted after return of the Denton, TX five-piece, Midlake. Recorded over the course of two years, The Courage of Others sees the band blending early Brit folk influences with thick-throated guitars as they propel themselves toward new sounds and emotions. Creeping and epic, tracks such as "Actors Of Man" and "Rulers Ruling All Things" flow smoothly as flute, guitars and voice are woven into broad cloaks of sound. Existing outside the plane of trends and time, Midlake have once again conjured a novel world in their quest to create a complete work. FCC Clean. We recommend tracks #1, 2, 4, 6 & 10.
Cars and Trains - The Roots, The Leaves - Fake Four Inc.
This is the sophomore effort of Portland, OR based multi-instrumentalist Cars & Trains, aka Tom Filepp. C&T deftly mixes out-of-the-box electronics and found sounds seamlessly with a myriad of instruments. Woodwinds, banjos, acoustic guitars, strings, toy instruments, distorted tape samples and banjos, all walk a blurry line together with uncommonly organic drum programming. The instruments and lushly layered found sounds intersect. This album sits at a cross section between more folk-oriented electronic groups like Tunng and the distinctive Pacific Northwest experimental folk sound. We love #3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10
Surfer Blood - Astro Coast - Kanine
Surfer Blood's debut Astro Coast on Kanine Records is already deemed a critical favorite! Receiving mad love from Pitchfork, NY Times and the NME to name a few, these young Florida guys' infectious surf-pop melodies carry throughout the whole album. Their warm sound is felt through deep, lush surf guitar with hollow, popping percussion, brought together with lovely echoing vocals. Oh yeah, and none of them even surf. If you crave the sound of old school Weezer and dig Vampire Weekend you're sure to love this. We dig #2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 10. FCC #1.
Four Tet - There Is Love In You - Domino
With his first full-length in over four years, Kieran Hebden, aka Four Tet, has returned with There Is Love In You. After a widely sought after residency in London, Hebden has taken the ideal moments of keeping a set livid and injected it into nine pulsating electro-bangers. If the records first single, "Love Cry," was a taste of what Hebden was bringing then "Sing," "Angel Echoes," & "She Just Likes To Fight" will even ignite the rhythmically inclined. There Is Love In You is not only the most cohesive Four Tet album to date, but further solidifies Kieran Hebden as a modern-day maestro amongst electronic producers. Start out with #1, 2, 5, 8, 9. FCC Clean.
Shining - Black Jazz - Indie Recordings / The End
After four critically acclaimed albums and a decade in the Norwegian metal scene, Oslo's SHINING returns with their 5th ear-crushing achievement. Fusing black metal with progressive and industrial strength, BLACKJAZZ is a synchronized launch of attacks of a sci-fi drone military army and an unstoppable force that could jolt the very Earth out of its orbit. By joining forces with renowned producer/engineer Sean Beavan (NIN, Slayer). BLACKJAZZ is an assault to the senses that will appease fans of Dimmu Borgir, Troll and The Kovenant. Features Grutle Kjellson (Enslaved) on a cover of King Crimson's '21st Century Schizoid Man'. We like: 1, 9, 6, 2.
VV Brown - Travelling Like The Light - Capitol Records
VV Brown, is a British singer, songwriter and producer. Her debut album, Travelling Like The Light was released last summer overseas to critical acclaim. The Los Angeles Times and UK newspaper The Independent both named Brown an artist to watch in 2009. She was also nominated for the BBC's Sound Of 2009 award.
Brown played all the major UK festivals leading up to and after the release of her record. She was invited by Damon Albarn (Blur, Gorillaz) to play the African Express tour. In June she also played the Glastonbury Festival at which she was the only new artist to perform on the main stage.
Brown grew up listening to early jazz artists like Aretha Franklin, Ella Fitzgerlad and Dizzy Gillespie and says her debut album, which she wrote, produced and played all the instruments on, is inspired by music from the 50's icons Elvis Presley & Ruth Brown, electronic music as well. and even her love of video games (you can hear the odd sequenced melodic sound from those kind of synthesizers throughout the record). It's a mix of influences and styles that creates a truly dynamic debut.
My Brightest Diamond - Shark Remixes - Asthmatic Kitty
The music of My Brightest Diamond lends itself well to remixes. Shara Worden's exquisite voice provides the perfect lead (or backing track) for any sort of deconstructing or restructuring of her original music. My Brightest Diamond's debut Bring Me the Workhorse (2006) was given the remix treatment in the form of a remix compilation entitled Tear It Down (2007). This collection is evidence to the strength of her compositions and voice, as remixed by such artists as Murcof, Alias, Lusine, Golden Chains among others. While Asthmatic Kitty and My Brightest Diamond had no regrets about the Tear It Down project, when the time came to talk remixes for A Thousand Shark's Teeth, they both realized a need for a more cohesive and conceptual project. They brought on four remixers (Alfred Brown, DM Stith, Son Lux and Roberto Carlos Lange (Epstein, Savath and Savalas, ROM) and commissioned them to each create a separate EP of remixed material.
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