The Thrills

i first got this album some months ago and initially wasn't that impressed.  i mean, it was good, but nothing that special.  and that may still be true, but after coming back to it after a while and listening to it a few more times, i'm really digging it.  i love the theme of the album (all the songs deal with life as a teenager), which is kind of appropriate for the sort of nostalgic power pop they play.  indeed, the concept of nostalgia should probably be applied to the musical aspects of the album as well when listening.  they aren't trying to do anything especially cutting edge, and once you accept that, i think they've got a pretty good album here.  here's "there's joy to be found... the boy who caught all the breaks" (that's right, two tracks in one!)

Cloud Cult

thinking about folk songs about haunting ghosts from last post, i was reminded of cloud cult's "the ghost in our house" from the album feel good ghosts (2008).  i love the eccentric, innocent sound of singer/songwriter craig minowa's voice.  

Hayden

elk lake serenade (2004)

i recently missed an opportunity to see this guy play live, which is unfortunate because i would be curious to see if his songs would sound just as warm and intimate in a live setting.  there's something sad and nostalgic about this album, which is embodied in "1939," a song about a ghost of a girl who drowned in the writer's current home.  moments of it sound much like adem to me, but it is appropriately more haunting.

The Four Mints

i just heard this song on the radio and wanted to share it.  it sounds like any generic rip off of a temptations song, but i think the modification of the folk/kids song is what does it for me.  "life with you would be a dream..."

The Cribs

men's needs women's needs whatever (2007)

sometimes, there's nothing like some good punk rock.  granted, the cribs are a little commercial to call straight punk, but their rough-edged pop songs just feel good to listen to.  it makes sense, though, because the three bothers from england have been playing together since they were just nine and five years old.  the album was produced by alex kapranos of franz ferdinand, and there is definitely a strong strokes influence, and once in a while some weezer-esque things pop up, and the shouting background vocals remind me of cursive, but the cribs are definitely doing something of their own in this album.  it's a progression in the genre that i welcome warmly.  here's "men's needs."

Beirut

"nantes" from the flying club cup (2007)

i first heard about this band/project from a cousin of the lead singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist zach condon, and then from an accordion-enthusiast i know, and i admit, i initially wrote it off as a little too "out there" for my tastes.  it just sounded too gimmicky.  take ordinary indie rock and then throw in some accordion and brass instruments and the hipsters will eat it up, right?  well, after actually giving them an honest listen, i have to say that i am really enjoying it.  the songs are very literary and romantic, but there seems to be something real and honest to them.  condon's voice has a swelling, quick vibrato to it that both fits with the current indie music trends and what i would imagine is part of the eastern european folk music influence.  the instrumentation is very refreshing (no guitars or drum sets to be heard!) and ranges from intimate to raucous.  listen to how this song builds, condon adds overdub after overdub and it works beautifully.  

Nick Drake

"the thoughts of mary jane" from five leaves left (1969)

it's songs like this that make me wonder why i've never tried marijuana.