The Avett Brothers: The Format & Bowerbirds meet

It often just takes one song to draw you in, and for me that was The Avett Brothers’ “Die Die Die” off of their latest album Emotionalism released back in May 2007.  Not the typical bluegrass band, the Avett Brothers take pieces of other styles and create their own sound kind of a mix of The Format and the Bowerbirds.  This is easily a song made for the summer muxtape.  Thoughtful layering characteristic of true musicians, the ability to make an interesting and enjoyable song from beginning to end, and a fulfilled spirit are just a few of the pieces that make the Avett Brothers stand out from the average bluegrass scene.

The Avett Brothers – Die Die Die

Ratatat: New but classic

Ratatat has just hit a new note with their song “Mirando” off of their new album LP3. Ratatat has always had this distinct electric guitar feel, but they’ve really incorporated some quite interesting new textures with the creation of their LP3, and it is sounding good.  “Mirando” has new sound best described as Ratatat taking the Mario Brothers on a spacey trip to Bollywood for the weekend and writing a sound about it.  So never in the song do you forget that it’s a work of Ratatat with their classic sound infused into every note, but you can definitely tell they’ve been expanding their range.   Even if you aren’t usually a fan of Ratatat or instrumental bands, I think this song will surprise you.

Ratatat – Mirando

Lykke Li: Takes some time

Easily the music of Lykke Li could be considered too slow for a lot of listeners (myself mainly).  For the same reason I could never really get into the Bjork or Sigor Ros movements, it took me it took me a while to feel Lykke Li’s unique sound.  However, something in her songs beckoned me to keep trying.  After about the fifth listen, I finally got it.  It’s the steady soft beat in the background that drives the song and the rhythmic movements of her voice that are the entrancing core.  Softness can still have strength (that almost sounded like a Secret deodorant slogan), and Lykke Li is proof.  It was worth ever unsuccessful listen to eventually find song love.  Thanks again, Sweden!

Lykke Li – Dance Dance Dance

Lykke Li – Tonight

Regina Spektor: The Caspian highlight

I just went and saw Prince Caspian at the movie theater yesterday, and I was startled to find Regina Spektor wrapping up the last scene in the movie with her wonderful little piece “The Call”. This is definitely a less quirky side of Regina, but beautiful nonetheless. When paired with the movie, it hits just the right heart strings. If not for the movie itself, you should see Prince Caspian for this song.

Regina Spektor – The Call

Immuzikation: Beautiful and simplistic mashing

Often mash-ups can sound like two songs haphazardly spliced together or have so many overlaps that that they just become pure noise. Girl Talk has mastered this art of finding the beautiful in between. Overlaying the bass line of an old song with the lyrical gyrations of a new song, it takes the ordinary to another level. Immuzikation, aka Alfredo Lapuz Jr., is the newest kid on the block in the neighborhood of legit mash-up artists, and he is making quite an impression. Hailing from the fabulous Athens, GA (the city also responsible for Of Montreal), the dude has been playing up a mighty storm at all the clubs the city has to offer. He has not yet taken it the level of Girl Talk in my book, but the kid is making a valiant effort worth appreciating. His style is simple and his creations artistic allowing an appreciation for two unique artists simultaneously.

There’s lots of songs to love from Immuzikation. This is just a taste and one of my favorites off of Immuzikation’s Probly Normal album. Less like a boxing match analogy where the song would be titled “Jay-Z vs. Postal Service”, I would consider this song more of a duet (or trio), and a beautiful one at that.

Immuzikation – Life Along

Mates of State: Slightly re-arranged and refined

This is my current squeeze from Mates of State’s new album Re-Arrange Us. It’s a more mature Mates of State, but this refinement doesn’t get in the way of making their classic sound come through just as strong on this album as on Team Boo.

Mates of State – The Re-Arranger (removed per label’s request)

Sad, that is an incredible song. So anyhow, hopefully this other little authorized ditty will tithe you over until you get your hands on their album (amazon), which you need, and experience the awesomeness for yourself.

Mates of State – My Only Offer

The Kills: Sexy like a dare

So even though this is The Kills’ third album, Midnight Boom is my first experience with this raucous duo, and so far it’s been intense. The Kills have this sexy swagger about their music that pulls you in like a dare. What’s cool about this band is their songs’ reliance of beats to almost create the melodies but lack of an actual drum set in the band. The minimal instrumentation gives a raw and cold one-night-stand feeling to it all. The classic rock sound is infused it with a modern thrill it’s been craving since the Velvet Underground.  So basically, it’s awesome.

The Kills – Sour Cherry

Death Cab for Cutie: E for Effort

Unfortunately with Narrow Stairs I was expecting an epic album, and what I received was an album that was struggling between epic and old-school, but never quite hitting the target on either one of those. Some albums flow effortlessly, and at every song change you’re sad the last has finished but excited about the next. I actually skipped some songs halfway because I thought I might fall asleep at the wheel, which is a disgrace to my patience but also a sign of an unequal album. Slow languid songs populate the beginning of Narrow Stairs while more energetic pieces pick it up on the second half. In my opinion the second half songs are the ones that show the interesting change in the sound of Death Cab, so hopefully they’ll embrace that even more on a next album. What came as a surprise to me was the lack of lyrical complexity.  That spark that Ben Gibbard can infuse with his lyrics wasn’t shining as brightly.  But for now I will take what I can get, and enjoy it all.

In “Your New Twin-Sized Bed” Death Cab produces a refreshing beat they haven’t done on a previous album. It has this nice groove that is smoothed out by Ben Gibbard’s relaxing vocals. I love ironic songs when happier beats collide with sad subjects, and this song illustrates that perfectly as it portrays the defeat of loneliness in the form of a twin bed all set to a summery beat.

You look so defeated lying there in your new twin size bed
With a single pillow underneath your single head
I guess you decided that that old queen was more space than you would need
Now it’s in the alley behind your apartment with a sign that says it’s free (lyrics)

Death Cab – Your New Twin Sized Bed

And if that’s not enough Death Cab for you, Ben Gibbard did an interesting article for Paste on the meaning of life (and he did not conclude it to be 42) in which he lived life in the shoes of Jack Kerouac.

Pete and the Pirates: Refreshingly classic

It’s very easy to dismiss Pete and the Pirates at first listen.  In the first thirty seconds most people recognize the indie sound, harmonies, and British accents as something done many many times before and move on.  But  Pete and the Pirates deserve a much more thorough listen than that.  There’s just something about the classic unadulterated indie sound, tight harmonies, and friendly British accents that take them beyond the usual.

“Come On Feet” is a single off of Pete and the Pirate’s album Little Death.  The energy of this song easily propels itself through the speakers (my knee was bouncing in seconds), and the intensity doesn’t let up until the last second.  The clapping is infectious as well and sets the pace for this song.  If you need another song to get you excited about summer, this would be good place to start.  The only thing that Little Death seems to lack is being pretentious, and that’s very refreshing.

Pete and the Pirates – Come on Feet

Muxtape: And my humble attempt

Mixtapes were replaced by Mix CD’s which are now being challenged by the Muxtape. It’s unfortunately as easy as creating a login, uploading 12 of your favorites, rearranging them into that blissful flow, and sending it out into the cyber-world for all ears to enjoy. No advertisements, no clutter, minimal settings… I think I’m in love. Feel free to check out my first humble attempt at a muxtape. And if you send your own mux out into the cyber-world, post it in the comments and share the love!