Honorable Mehntion #3

French Kicks: "Sex Tourists" (from Swimming)

I'm not sure what the lyrics have to do with sex tourism, largely because I can't understand most of them. This mid-tempo soul number with falsetto, tremolo guitar, a barely changing drumbeat and a monotone chorus somehow adds up to much more than the sum of its parts. Addictive.

Sally Shapiro: "Time to Let Go (Lindstrøm Remix)" (from Remix Romance Vol. 1)

Much like Lindstrøm's other works, this nearly eleven-minute track changes gradually, almost imperceptibly. Shapiro's vocal, though quite lovely in the original, barely makes an appearance here. When it does, it's just another layer. Toward the end a hook from another Shapiro track from Disco Romance shows up to surprise the listener. It's a treat to get lost in.

Air France: "No Excuses" (from No Way Down)

A lovely track from another group of Swedish disco fetishists, though it's probably not intended for the dance floor. It's more like having a dream about dancing.

Hercules and Love Affair feat. Antony Hegarty: "Blind" (from Hercules and Love Affair)

Antony should contribute vocals to every dance track from now on. By everyone.

The Last Shadow Puppets: "My Mistakes Were Made For You" (from The Age of Understatement)

I've got a secret fetish for some of the darker movie music from the 60s. This track, as well as several from the album, have a bit of a Bond theme/Andre Previn vibe. This song is probably the best of them.

Coldplay: "42" (from Viva la Vida)

No, I'm not being sarcastic. I think Coldplay is one of the most unfairly maligned bands in existence. I think most hipster critics who have never given them a decent review would love this track if they didn't know it was Coldplay. "42" changes gears almost seamlessly several times, shifting from a stripped-down ballad to a perhaps intentionally Ok Computer-esque paranoiac dirge and back again. It's probably the most well-executed song on the album.

The Mountain Goats: Heretic Pride

For the first time since John Darnielle began recording albums with actual studio production, the glossy arrangements on Heretic Pride strike balance with his formidable talents as a songwriter. The production on The Mountain Goats' first couple of albums on 4AD overshadowed Darnielle, while onmuch of Get Lonely, it was an unnecessary and incongruous distraction. Finally, it seems that producers John Vanderslice and Scott Solter have provided only enough support to buoy Darnielle's melodies and accent the emotional peaks and valleys of his lyrics. Heretic Pride is the first album to confirm fans' hopes that, with the resources of 4AD at his disposal, Darnielle could be a juggernaut.

My Teenage Stride: Lesser Demons

This Emusic-only EP from 80s fetishists My Teenage Stride makes me wonder why imitation is looked down upon in music. Lesser Demons strip-mines the entire decade for influences: The Jesus and Mary Chain, The Cure, and especially Joy Division. In fact, their Peter Hook-like bass form a subtle but omnipresent cornerstone to almost all the songs. On "The Loud Confessor" and "Skin Lieutenant" in particular, Jedediah Smith sounds like he could have served as a voice double for Ian Curtis in Anton Corbijn's film about Joy Division, Control. This is not to say that My Teenage Stride lack their own charms. An EP, by nature, displays a narrow range of a band's sound. Lesser Demons is a compelling enough listen that I'm now eager to hear their albums.

British Sea Power: Do You Like Rock Music?

Do You Like Rock Music? is British Sea Power's fittingly titled but surprising turn toward arena-sized rock. After the stately and frequently meek new wave of Open Season, no one quite expected these weirdos to come out with something as loud and large as this album. This is probably why the lauded and vilified Pitchfork Media copped out of giving it an actual rating, opting instead to sarcastically compare BSP's new album to U2's most recent preenings. Once one gets past the steamroller-like choruses turned up to eleven, BSP's songs are as tender and introspective as they've ever been. This, combined with their newfound affection for bleeding eardrums, makes Rock Music much more interesting than its predecessor.

Plants and Animals: Parc Avenue

As the cover might suggest, Plants and Animals' full-length debut is ambitious to say the least. The songs on Parc Avenue are giant, complex productions that bear immense rewards without demanding too much from the listener. The album is like a Broadway rock opera unfolding spontaneously in a forest, staged by strangers that have little in common except a cooperative disposition and a love for Canadian indie rock. Such lofty goals are rarely as fully realized by anyone, let alone by such relative newcomers as Plants and Animals

Pete & The Pirates: Little Death

Just when we thought the post-punk revival was waning, Little Death comes along. And, in fact, the fad may be in decline, as evidenced by lackluster sophmore efforts Bloc Party, The Futureheads, Maxïmo Park, and the like. Luckily, Pete & The Pirates draw as much inspiration from mid-90s Britpop and turn-of-the-millennium American indie rock as they do from Gang of Four. Their peers' follow-ups may have fallen flat because they tried to substitute style for substance, a flaw that Little Death doesn't suffer from. Pete & The Pirates' strength rests on the ability to write solid songs at any tempo on the spectrum. Let's hope they continue to rely on such fine craftsmanship on their next outing.

Breathe Owl Breathe: Ghost Glacier

This Emusic exclusive EP serves as an alluring introduction to a band I look forward to getting to know better. The sound fits in well with the freak-folk/New Weird Americana movement, but Breathe Owl Breathe has a gift for crafting gorgeous melodies that makes them stand out among their peers. Even their longer songs don't outstay their welcome. Rather, the songs end about a minute or two before the listener starts to get tired of them. These eight songs could easily have been expanded into a full-length album. However, Breathe Owl Breathe are careful not to be too ambitious; a beautiful song that ends with the listener wanting more is preferable by far to one that goes on for too long. Maybe after some more experience, the band will try their hand at creating an epic. In the meantime, I can listen to Ghost Glacier twice or three times in a row to satisfy that craving.

The LK: The LK vs. the Snow

Usually I don't pay much attention to stereotypes. However, The LK vs. the Snow reinforces a stereotype that seems to have more than a kernel of truth in it. Based on the music that's been coming out of Sweden in the past few years (Jens Lekman, Robyn, The Knife, Sambassadeur, etc.), one can easily be led to the conclusion that all Swedes are fun, intelligent, playful and capable of writing the catchiest melodies humankind has ever seen. If only that were true, I would move there right now. In The LK's case, the fun Scandinavian melodies are accompanied by deceptively complex arrangements and electronic embellishments that belie the songs' simplicity. It's a shame that this album took a year to get released in the U.S., and even more so that most Americans will never hear it.

Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip: Angles

British duo Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip's debut album, Angles, still hasn't been releases in the U.S., but it may well be worth the import price. Their rock-inflected hip-hop reminds me at times of The Pop Will Eat Itself at their peak, and at other times Sage Francis, cited by the duo as a major influence. They have been unfairly criticized for supposedly forsaking hip-hop's black forebearers. Truthfully, I don't know enough about the subject to evaluate the claim, but I suspect that it's not true. Perhaps Dan Le Sac and Scroobius Pip are just breaking with traditions in British music that have become too ingrained and comfortable. They complain in "Fixed" that English hip-hop has become complacent and dull; perhaps Angles is strange enough to make a difference in that regard.

Crystal Castles: Crystal Castles

If you enjoyed last year's collaboration between Crystal Castles and HEALTH, "Crimewave", then you are sure to like the former's debut full-length. The songs pretty much follow the template set down by "Crimewave": bizarre, erratic, punky, and above all, fun to dance to. A few songs hint at greater versatility soon to be revealed. Portions of "Magic Spells" seem like a lost Boards of Canada track. Influences from recent French indie electronic acts such as Air and M83 seep through on songs like "1991". The album even ends on an unexpectedly somber note with "Tell Me What to Swallow", in which a simple acoustic guitar is bathed in a shoegazy vocal. Considering it was assembled primarily from 7"s released over the past few years, Crystal Castles is a surprisingly cohesive listen from beginning to end.

Beach House: Devotion

I'm unabashedly nostalgic for many of the musical styles of the 80s, which is one reason that I am so fascinated with a lot of the music coming out today. The post-punk and shoegaze revivals of this decade are well-known and their respective marketplaces have become overcrowded. Beach House, on the other hand, is one of only a handful of current bands that recall the mid- to late-80s 4AD sound. The songs on Devotion have an almost glacial tempo, with their dense layers of English pop trappings played at half speed. The instruments sound as if they were recorded through gauze and barely made of matter. The music envelops the listener but passes through like a ghost. For those of us that feel the 4AD sound was perfection, Devotion is bliss.

Japancakes: Loveless

It's probably fairly clear, if you have read some of my previous reviews, that I have great affection for My Bloody Valentine and, in particular, their masterpiece Loveless. Ordinarily, I would say that it's best not to tamper with perfection. However, Japancakes' lovingly constructed song-for-song reconstruction of MBV's album is an exception. Japancakes' have assembled their tribute with as much care and attention to detail as Kevin Shields did with the original. This album manages to capture many of the best qualities of MBV while still asserting Japancakes' identity. Stripped of the oceans of reverb and feedback, the new Loveless preserves only the melodies and rhythms, reiterating the subtle but vital role these had on MBV's album. Replacing the vocals with strings is a bold decision that has paid off well, since actually understanding the original album's lyrics would probably take away some of the magic. Both as a tribute and as a work in itself, Loveless is astonishingly gorgeous.

Honorable Mehntion #2

She & Him: "Sentimental Heart" (from Volume One)

I was excited when I found out that one of my favorite songwriters, M. Ward, was recording an album with one of my favorite actresses, Zooey Deschanel. The album as a whole didn't quite live up to my expections. The opening track, though, has an endearing simplicity that makes it shine. Zooey sounds a lot like Joanna Newsome here (a good thing). I hope that Volume Two has more tracks like this.

Excepter: "Kill People" (from Debt Debt)

This song sounds like You've Got Foetus On Your Breath or Cabaret Voltaire. If you don't know who these bands are, ask your cool post-goth aunt. It's nice to hear something besides shoegaze or post-punk in new music, as much as I love those sounds. Maybe the world is overdue for an early industrial (1976-83) revival.

Billy Bragg: "O' Freedom" (from Mr. Love & Justice)

I think the folk protest song is a lost art. Here we are, five years into an unnecessary and unpopular war, and the younger artists can't seem to write a direct and insightful song about it to save their lives. It makes me long for a songwriter with the talent and passion of Woody Guthrie. The four words emblazoned on his guitar, "This machine kills fascists," testify more credibly to the power of music to change the world than any song about the war in Iraq. In Woody's absence, though, it's great to hear a song like "O' Freedom". It has the classic structure of a protest song and its chorus is both a memorable slogan and a play on words. Its message is clear and effective. The younger generation of songwriters should take a lesson from Bragg.

Why?: Alopecia

As far as indie acts go, Why? is a strange animal indeed. "Rap" is a label that applies to a number of the tracks on Alopecia, but it's far from the whole story. Why? considers no genre off limits to its aggressive borrowing and recombination. The album assimilates elements of the recent post-punk revival, twee, and literary songwriting similar to that of The Mountain Goats. Despite the astonishing variety of influences, Alopecia is surprisingly consistent. Why? sounds familiar yet dissimilar to anyone else making music today.

Growing: Lateral

Lateral is one of the most interesting avant-garde/noise releases to come out in the past few years. Static, distortion and rhythmic noise stay mostly at the top of the mix, while a distant echo of a pastoral melody slowly emerges from the foam. Listening to the whole record in one sitting is a bit like being in a sensory deprivation chamber. It's easy to let stray thoughts latch onto a single element and get pulled along with the music. At about twenty minutes, this album is just about the perfect length. Whereas other recordings with similar ambitions start to sag in the first few minutes, Lateral leaves the listener feeling like no time has passed at all.

Radiohead: In Rainbows

Okay, I know this is review is very, very late. Everyone who likes Radiohead, and many who are just now joining the party, already have In Rainbows. So this review may only be useful to future fans not yet conceived. Nonetheless, it's one of my favorite releases of the past year and I want to comment on it.

Almost every Radiohead album since OK Computer has become my favorite within a week of acquiring it. In Rainbows is no exception. This album seems to integrate everything they've learned in the past fourteen years. Fairly straightforward rockers and ballads like those from The Bends rub shoulders with the spastic electronic experiments typical of later albums. Above all, Radiohead communicate with an air of authority and integrity. Rather than posturing and reveling in how cool they are, they just are. In Rainbows works because Radiohead agonizes over every detail, struggling to meet their own nearly impossible standards, rather than trying to guess what their audience will like. Subsequently, every new album alienates some fans, strengthens the devotion of others, and intiates more acolytes into their world.

Los Campesinos!: Hold On Now, Youngster...

The debut full-length from Los Campesinos! seems tailor-made for the hipsters and internet-based music critics. Their frenetic indie pop owes enornous debts to Pixies and The Cure, along with every other band that has ever served as an entry point into the 80s indie rock canon for nascent virtual crate-diggers. This is not to minimize what Los Campesinos! have achieved here; they have succeeded in making a fun party record for a crowd that tends to take itself way too seriously. They can pull off such a knowing send-up of obsessive fan behavior because they have done it all themselves. They took a giant risk in lampooning the very audience they intended to reach, and it has paid off handsomely.

Honorable Mehntion #1

From time to time I hear great songs on albums that I don't enjoy quite enough to write a mehcommendation. The songs deserve some recognition, however, so I am introducting Honorable Mehntion, in which I'm going to discuss some songs that have ended up in heavy rotation.

Ssion: "Street Jizz" (from Fool's Gold)

I just can't resist a song this filthy. Not only is it about having anonymous sex in a public park, but it's got one of the catchiest choruses I've heard this year. It's dancefloor-ready in its natural state and it makes me think about becoming a DJ just so I can play it.

Kid: "I'll Never Know" (from Kitsuné Maison, Vol. 5)

Pitchfork cited this track as one of the worst on Kitsuné's most recent compilation, probably for similar reasons that I enjoy it so much. It's kind of silly and it changes directions too frequently to be very danceable. The cheesy tricks applied to the vocals don't add much to its credibility. Still, I can't get it out of my head.

Liars: "Army of Me" (from Stereogum Presents... Enjoyed: A Tribute To Björk's Post)

One of Björk's most brutal and sludgy songs becomes even more so when covered by perennial eccentrics Liars. I have a some spot in my heart for weirdos, so it's no surprise that I'm so tickled by Liars treatment of the world's most unlikely pop star.

Baby Dee: "The Only Bones That Show" (from Safe Inside the Day)

Baby Dee is even stranger than one would ordinarily expect a tranny cabaret performance artist to be. "The Only Bones That Show" achieves an optimal balance between her outre musings and solid musicianship and songwriting. Baby Dee is a classically trained pianist, after all, and she's backed up by a cadre of Drag City's best musicians. This track shows Baby Dee's progress as a songwriter, and I hope that her next album is the critical breakthrough she deserves.

Diamanda Galás: "Interlude (Time)" (from Guilty Guilty Guilty)

Diamanda is a master of transforming standards into dirges. This old song was popularized about ten years ago by a duet between Siouxsie and Morrissey. While their version was a lovely, if somewhat schmaltzy, single, Diamanda captures a sense of futility and hopelessless lying just beneath the surface.

Junior Boys: "No Kinda Man" (from Body Language Six)

Junior Boys dug out this So This Is Goodbye outtake for inclusion on their contribution to the Body Language series. "No Kinda Man" is a bit more like the songs on their first album. It's one of their slower tracks, but in other ways it exemplifies what's great about most Junior Boys songs: its buttery synths give it a smooth texture that makes it effortlessly enjoyable.

M.I.A.: "Paper Planes (DFA Remix)" (from Paper Planes Homeland Security Remixes)

This is the only remix of "Paper Planes" I know of that discards the notorious and controversial gunshots in the chorus in favor of The DFA's signature drum machine noodling. It completely changes the mood of the track. While the original track is about M.I.A. triumphing over the haters by making her mark in spite of them, this remix takes the battle to the dancefloor.

Santogold: "L.E.S. Artistes" (from Santogold)

Santogold's first single is a statement of purpose. After sacrificing and paying her dues for years by writing other artists' hits, she finally has her moment to shine. "L.E.S. Artistes" shows off her songwriting talent with an outstanding fusion of post-punk and hip hop. While the rest of the album doesn't quite live up to the promise of this song, it does inspire hope that her struggle will be worth it after all.

Schedule change

I have postponed any future mehcommendations until Monday, June 9th. I have a lot come up in the past couple of weeks: emergency dental work, illness, my dog dying, etc. I will try to continue posting one mehcommendation (or more) every weekday except holidays starting Monday.