Bombay Bicycle Club. This London based indie outfit consists of Jack Steadman (vocals, guitar, banjo, xylophone), Jamie MacColl (lead guitar, backing vocals, banjo), Ed Nash (bass, keyboard, backing vocals, mandolin), and Suren de Saram (drums, backing vocals, guitar). The band is currently signed to Island Records (UK). With colorful guitar hooks and mellowed out vocals, BBC is everything that one could ask for in a typical indie or low-fi band. Think Mike Kinsella, but backed by Tokyo Police Club. This band is easy on the ears from the first listen, but writes with enough depth to leave you wanting more.

On July 12, 2010, the band released their sophomore album simply entitled “Flaws”. The album was a swift departure from their previous work, as it was comprised entirely of acoustic songs. Some covers, some originals, and some revisits of their own material, “Flaws” was met with mixed reviews among critics. Given the bands previous history of ambient electric sounds, a wholly acoustic release was more or less a leap of faith. As it stands alone, this album has a great feel to it, reminding me more of folksy acts like Iron and Wine and M. Ward.  That being said, it takes a whole new direction than anything they have released before. As with any major change, this album was met with both love and hate. How will it stack up? I’ll let you be the judge.

This album has a very relaxed feel to it, and consequently lends itself well to first time listens. Songs like “Many Ways” and “Ivy & Gold” leave me unknowingly whistling their catchy melodies for hours after each listen. None of the tracks run much longer than 4 minutes and they all generally blend well together. This album does a good job of employing the full potential of an “acoustic album”. It offers catchy acoustic guitar hooks and soft snare beats, but also employs the banjo, xylophone, mandolin, and even the occasional keyboard. It offers a full band feel, but still retains the unplugged sound that BBC sought to create. The vocal delivery of Jack Steadman mixes very well with an acoustic sound, and album as a whole begs to be listened to several times in order to encompass all of it’s subtle nuances. Whether you are a relative newcomer to the indie scene or a seasoned veteran, “Flaws” has plenty to offer.

The cons for this album are ones that may be commonly noticed among acoustic albums. Mainly, some of the songs sound a little same-y. Although it is quite a common theme among such albums, I feel like there was more that this album could have offered. While some songs stuck out vividly, others seemed to be mere skeletons in comparison. Ideas that could have and should have been expanded upon, but then again there is only so much that one can do under the pretense of an “all acoustic” album. With only two LPs, one would presume that BBC will make a return to their electric sound, which leaves to question how well this album will be remembered among their other work. Overall, it has a great sound, and great potential, but there are a few loose ends that need tying up.

“Flaws” is a solid, admirable effort from the London indie rockers. It has plenty of aesthetic charm, but still has enough depth to warrant multiple visits. Judging this album standing alone, I would say that it is a very good album, however it should be noted that a decent portion of BBC’s fanbase was less than satisfied with this bands new direction. I personally enjoyed it, but it’s all a matter of personal preference. All in all, this album is definitely worth a listen.

I definitely work based off recommendation. As Cathy from Sargent House Records has tweeted recently, Gypsyblood is a favorite new band she is pumping. Of course this is a good thing since SHR line up has some of the best musicians in the indie scene right now… and when SHR says a band is on the up and coming, it’s most likely because it’s true.

Gypsyblood, a Chicago product, just put out an EP today (it’s August 23rd today). Gypsyblood is the sort of music I wish Xiu Xiu was: a bit more streamlined in the approach rather than abstract and distracting, a bit more vocals than random noises from instruments, and a bit more fun in general rather than loathing and depressing. Other than the upgraded version of Xiu Xiu, Gypsyblood would most likely attract shoegaze fans of The Radio Dept and jj, whereas the other side of their sound will attract big guitar fans of Surfer Blood, Fang Island, and Russian Circles. Check out Gypsyblood EP below:

Big rock meets loud vocals. Dash in a bit of long form choruses and verses here and there and you have a recipe for something very interesting. It’s not as overly dramatic as most shoegaze seems to be these days, and that’s great. Usually, shoegaze and that crop of indie music that calls itself experimental leaves a bad taste in my mouth after I finish an album, but Gypsyblood is more of an appetizer I wish were a main course. Got to love the full guitar sound and not leaving anything behind. It seems as if most bands lately are over-thinking their riffs, becoming too technical or saving the shredding for later… Gypsyblood has a swagger that seems as if it just comes together and fuses into a nice pile of rock music.

Obviously, the cons aren’t too bad since there were only three songs to judge a band by. The dynamic of this band is yet to be determined. In a longer form of judgement (aka more songs) I might lean to say this band has a honed sound but doesn’t depart from it, which potentially leads to boredom after the initial love-shock wears off… although I might be very wowed and impressed about the depth of sound these guys could achieve. In either case, the jury isn’t necessarily out on Gypsyblood yet… so only time will tell whether or not these guys are the ish or just another pile of ish.

You can’t go wrong with a condensed bite-sized version of good rock. Whether or not it’s something that can keep it’s flavor is something to be on-the-look-out for. Until that time, enjoy these guys. Would love to see a Gypsyblood and Russian Circles show. Please, Cathy?

MakeupBreakup is something between interesting and dirty. On one hand, this album makes me feel like I’m listening to power-pop from the 90s. On the other hand, this makes me want to go to a show and get turned down by stuck up hipster girls. In either case, this music is definitely emotive… to say the least.

The Providence band releases Scents August 31st and is slowly gaining some hype from some of us bloggers. These guys are a mix of Placebo meets… I don’t know. Something dance-y. Action Action comes to mind, but these guys aren’t as angsty as Action Action. Then I think maybe Gatsby’s American Dream, but these guys aren’t really on the same instrumentation par of GAD. Then I start thinking about all of those early 2000′s dance jam bands and I am reminded of a happier time. Dance party shows. Accidentally head-butting girls in the dance pit (sorry again). Minus the Bear without long hair + without albums after Menos el Oso. A nostalgic aura, indeed. However, how does that fair for MakeupBreakup though? Here’s a sample from the album:

Dance your face off rock meets 90s vocals you miss. MakeupBreakup breaks my heart because it’s everything the indie music scene isn’t putting out right now. Simple 4/4 time meets catchy choruses. Happy guys meet rock band instruments. It’s hard not to smile when listening to this. I would know since while driving around with this album on, some girl thought I was smiling at her. She looked away disgusted. Probably because my car is way dirty.

Yet another double-edged sword. As much as I love Brian Molko (and as much as Michael Lamantia Jr sounds like Brian Molko), the vocals will be the acquired taste for this band. If this doesn’t deter you, prospective listener, then the next hurdle would be whether or not you like dance rock. If you don’t, leave. Who doesn’t like smiling? Who doesn’t like head butting girls in the dance pit? People who are not happy people. That’s who.

Love it. That’s just me. But the band and the music is way fun too. Sure, it’s dance rock… and that’s not crazy-new… but it’s the vocal clone of Brian Molko. And for people who wanted to know what Placebo as a dance band would sound like, it’s this. And it’s awesome.

Lately, many bands have been toying with the idea of many EP releases rather than a full length album every one to two years. This almost completely eliminates the idea of the extended length concept album. Enter Light Chasers by Cloud Cult. A seemingly traditional concept album about a journey of some sort, the music considered is anything but traditional.

These Twin City fellows have been in the process of experimenting with their own indie sound since 1995. I give it up to these guys, since it seems that their previous eight albums have all been close to breaking the surface but never quite obtaining something their fans could consider legend. Light Chasers seems to be the one that has broken through. A heavy mix of their old sound, infused with varying electronic production, and an inspiring concept behind the album makes this one a very pleasant surprise for 2010.

It’s what the Arcade Fire should have gone and released this year. It’s what The Flaming Lips wanted to be. Hell, it’s what The Polyphonic Spree should have been. Cloud Cult’s Light Chasers is something between a musical orgasm and a necessary release to make this indie-pop genre something different. This album spans practically every interesting bit of the indie scene. From orchestral-esque arrangements, to hard four-piece rock band sounds, all the way to the acoustic heart-breaker singer-songwriter. Usually, too much on an album never pays off, but Cloud Cult had an idea in mind and didn’t stop until it was practically perfect. Ambitious idea paid off.

Every now and then the production is a little more over-the-top than necessary. From excessive vocal arrangements to random choices of auto-tune. Most of the cons are based solely around the vocal arrangements. Musically, about half way through the album I felt as if it were a different album. This isn’t necessarily a con, since the album itself is a concept album and has a little more emphasis to do as far as mood and storytelling is concerned, but from a person interested in this as just music… it might be a little off putting. Especially since the electronic production is more prominent in the second half of the album. It would be like subtly changing between Jonsi’s Go into Owen Pallett’s Heartland except instead of single singer-songwriters it’s eight people.

I would hope some indie band out there who picks up this album is seriously inspired. I’d rather have bands like this out there than the slew of indie-pop that is just more along the lines of mainstream-pop you would hear on your local “alternative radio station”. Very good, Cloud Cult. Very good.

I hate blatant rip off bands. Owl City aka The Postal Service pseudo-cover band. Neon Trees aka The Strokes pseudo-cover band. I hate it. It’s up there along the lines of a sampled song that gets more popular than the original song (Jason Derulo’s “Whatcha Say” aka sampled version of Imogen Heap’s “Hide and Seek”). However, the fine line that is walked is the line between crappy copying and innovation through elaboration. The prototype of innovative and elaborative bands should be Magic Kids, as follows.

Sure, it’s not necessarily a shocker a band like Magic Kids are coming out on the scene this year. However, what happened to a slightly less streamlined and slightly more cultish Ann Arbor band called Saturday Looks Good to Me? I do recall most of their songs harping on similar song structures and melodies… even down to the vocal melodies at times, I’m reminded of a band Michigan has buried in it’s dead music scene. This isn’t a slight by any means to Magic Kids. This is more of a testament to doing something very well at the right time. What Saturday Looks Good to Me lacked was timing and precision. Half of their songs weren’t along the lines of the smiley-sunshine-pop sounding tracks pulsing through Magic Kids’ Memphis. Much less, the indie-pop scene wasn’t ready for a surf rock and sunshine pop revival in 2004. But it’s 2010. Are we ready now? You be the judge…

The surf rock scene gets another band in the arsenal with Magic Kids. Not exactly what Best Coast or Surfer Blood sounds like, but along the same idea. Within that idea, a freshness factor through the revival of a style. Lots of hand holding on this album. I can see the argument against these guys, with some saying they are forcing this hand holding full teeth smiling music, but I feel this is bigger than five people from Memphis forcing a band together. I think this is more along the lines of opening up the indie pop scene to a time in music that really was truly experimental. Don’t get me wrong, there is a good amount of experimental in the indie scene, and it’s for better or for worse. Magic Kids aren’t really trying to claim themselves as experimental, but it’s an area of this sort of music that isn’t getting much attention and some would say that this style of music (done correctly) is a lot more interesting than the straight across sounds coming from Surfer Blood, Real Estate, and Best Coast at the moment. For that, this album sprouts a necessary sound for a relatively new indie music genre, and they do it relatively well.

The double edged sword of an album like this is that it comes off as one-dimensional. It’s surfy. It’s indie. There’s some good vocals and a tasteful mix of strings alongside the core band. But the description ends there. Some could say the amount of twee packed into this album leaves a sort of film on your tongue, similar to that salivating feeling you get right before you projectile vomit. Others could argue that the instruments aren’t dynamic enough, or the vocals, or the whatever. I can see the short comings in a handful of areas, but those are small cons to a giant pro. The shock and awe definitely wears off after the third of forth time around for this album. If you haven’t been converted to a Magic Kids lover after the first take, you might find this album on seldom on-the-go playlists but not much more than that.

So what? These guys are copping a sound. So is everyone else. I believe this was a great idea, and the album itself was good enough to be enjoyed. Is it something I could stand for long durations? No. But I am excited for more of them, just not more of the same. The best description for these guys would be “a good idea”. Let’s say your good idea had the possibility to be an amazingly executed venture. Why wouldn’t you take the chance? At the same time, this idea could have also had dire consequences… but luckily, the coin landed with a chin up.

Somewhere between Russian Circles and Mineral exists the hybrid band that suffices both tastes. On one hand, the assassin-like precision of Chicago’s Russian Circles… on the other hand, a vocally charged Mineral or Sunny Day Real Estate type vibe. I wouldn’t necessarily picture Russian Circles with a singer like this, but as far as imaginations are concerned this is a very good marriage of instruments and vocals. Enter, Early & Often’s Phenomenally Yours.

Led by the musician-savant in Jeff Wright, Sacramento’s Early & Often has an instrumental vibe that is very current and pressing in the indie scene right now. Not quite what you would consider post-rock, but also not what you would label prog-rock. Maybe the best way to describe it would be if Mineral were still a band and making relevant music by today’s indie standard, this is exactly what I would imagine.

Check this page out to play the first track of their album! (Free and opens in a new window)

I love the concept of this band. This album definitely shows a lot of polish as far as newer bands are concerned. Mr. Wright, the post-production person as well as singer/guitarist/keyboardist for the band, made sure that the only mistakes on the album wouldn’t be attributed to production quality. And it definitely shows. Attention to detail, not afraid to experiment in the studio, and injecting a heavy dosage of care into the song writing makes this album the true idea of quality over quantity. It’s EPs like this that make listeners want more from the band. From the looks of the current discography (one full length LP and one split EP) this band is not lacking songs for a full length. May it be album tactics or may it be coincidence, this album is a perfect bite of this band.

Raw at times. This band is a lot of shimmer and shine in the studio, but you can taste the garage-y-ness of these guys still. A bit confusing as far as who they want to really be. Is it the melodic long-form song writers or is it the aggressive-indie rockers? The band who wants to influence the next Efterklang or the band who wants to influence the next Pedro the Lion? The other albums might suggest a more specific style, but at the moment based off this EP I’m not seeing a difference.

Can’t knock a good album. Quality from beginning to end.

I suppose sooner or later, an overly-catchy, extremely poppy album comes out of any genre. Yes, even that of the shoegaze catalog. Not saying there weren’t shoegaze anthems before. I was a huge Carrisa’s Wierd supporter for years on end. Shoegaze itself teeters between “music for a college-made indie film” and “music to make out to”. Luckily for The Radio Dept…

It seems their hit from this album, entitled “Heaven’s on Fire”, is a mixtape must this summer. This album seems to have been on relatively heavy play via the internet with said track as the jam, with the single, “David”, not too far behind. I’d have to say, these two songs are definitely jewels for this album. Some other songs, like “Never Follow”, makes me think of Ace of Base. That’s not good, either. Check out the hits below.

Lots to be excited about: more “pop” than “indie”, which is good for bands who throw in the experimental vibe. This band doesn’t stray too far from the “pop” thing, however… but maybe the safe play is just their style. Hard to stop listening to this album and I can’t really imagine many people not being sucked into the infectious beats and instrumentation. The vocals are a little stereotypical but I suppose they work just fine with what is going on. If these guys dipped into the strange just a little more I think I’d be a little more into them.

Stereotypical vocals, indeed. A pro and a con it seems. Although the singer, Johan Duncanson, does much to his vocal via effects and digitification to mask his monotonous behavior, the art behind the fuzz is really just another dude singer playing some indie pop. Nothing special. Also, a chunk of this album does make me want to soundtrack some avant garde art school film project. That might not be a con for some readers but I’m sure these guys weren’t sitting in a room thinking, “Let’s write songs for crappy movies”. No offense, art kids… but I’m sure The Radio Dept. wouldn’t be too thrilled to see another black and white short of a bathtub suicide with one of these songs playing over it. I’m sure one of these exists already. If this full-length took so long to come out with (4 years since their last LP) then why put out something that makes me meh-face more than EEE!-face?

I might be a little harsh on these guys, but the album itself does hold me over for the entire duration. If not a go-to album for a long car ride, definitely some of the best muzak you can turn on in a car, party, or bedroom. I wasn’t kidding about make out music, this Johan guy works wonders.

This is a little different for everyone, I believe. The funk/soul 60s/70s sound is sort of an in-and-out gimmick for most bands. The first time I heard the doo-wop sound in any one-off fashion was from Saturday Looks Good to Me and the song “Since You Stole My Heart”. I fell in love with the gimmick. And although bands like Saturday Looks Good to Me usually fell short of the mark of true funk/soul/doo-wop revival, I was always intrigued by the idea of a band like that coming back some way into some indie scene. This isn’t that band, but I think it is quite the bit of fresh air.

Sharon Jones et al have been a Brooklyn staple since 1996, writing original funk, soul, and R&B tracks reminiscent of the Motown golden age. Unlike many indie bands who try out a funk song every now and then, I believe Jones and company most likely were either born in the wrong decade(s) or are reincarnations of past Motown acts. The music sounds like such a kick back, the first time I turned on I Learned the Hard Way I wanted to make sure this wasn’t one of those unwritten reissues from the 70s that some wack PR group sent to me. Luckily, I was pleasantly surprised when this came on:

This isn’t any copy cat band. In their throwback mentality, I’m much happier these guys are still turning these kick back wheels much more than people trying to rehash a time like the 90s. There is much to be had digging through something as inspirational and interesting as funk and soul. This band might not be the band to break that lining for the scene I’m talking about, but between the folk revival indie people and the surf rock indie revival people, I can totally see some crazy guys on stage with capes and zoot-suits jamming it something similar to these guys. Maybe the biggest pro is that this band exists and music like this is still being churned out in 2010.

Of course, this falls almost directly on that line of “not really reviewable” and “not really ‘new music’”. It’s not new… but whatever. It’s not being saturated either. I’d rather have this than 100 mediocre indie surf rockers. It’s not necessarily reviewable either since they are a little more polished than what I try to find. Of course, the hypocrite in me points over at my Joanna Newsom, Minus the Bear, and The Black Keys reviews. I am trying to hunt for the next “it” band and the next “it” genre. This could very well be the next “it” genre if there are enough capes in vintage stores in Portland and the Lower East Side. This band, however, isn’t the next “it” band.

Ambitious for me to say this could be the next hip sound, but I suppose I’m optimistic. This isn’t suppose to be about what is next, it’s suppose to be about this album. I think it goes without concern that I enjoyed this album. I hope someone smart out there enjoys these guys as well.

Not too many times am I outspoken about my star-struckenness (sp?????). Geoff Farina has been an inspiration for years for me: from Karate to his small-room solo live shows in the Boston area to Ardecore and Glorytellers to now. I’ve even gone so far as to email about guitar lesson rates because I truly believe (in my personal opinion) I would learn the most from him via instruction. Lately, Geoff Farina has dropped the electric guitar for the acoustic guitar. His latest installment, with acoustic artist Chris Brokaw, has been flying under the radar…

Chris Brokaw seems to be originally a scene drummer, much like Mike Kinsella (another Illinois inspiration). Dropping the drums for a solo outlet, this acoustic vibe seems to be what he has shot for since the switch. Many times he has been called upon for accompanist on tours or in studios, but has always been able to split time between projects and his own solo outings since 2002.

Geoff Farina shares a journey of somewhat similar trails. A jazz-fusion guitarist initially, he abruptly had to drop the electric guitar by the advice of doctors to avoid becoming deaf (or some sort of deafness). To rekindle the Karate-era-ender, Farina created many acoustic outlets for himself, some band oriented and some solo oriented. A musical journeyman, jumping between bands and his own projects, he decided to mash it up with Brokawn and see what happens.

Bedroom songs. Long drive songs. Almost any alone-time songs. Brokaw and Farina has got it. Straight forward lyrics with pulsing instrumentals — you can’t get much more simple than this. What separates these two from many who do the exact same thing is that Brokaw and Farina have had their time to shine and now they have their time to inspire. I believe they are doing it very well.

Not many can sit down to this album and just throw it on and like it. I have no real experience with Brokaw’s past post-rock outings (but I do know much about the past G.G. Allin… tries not to vomit), but I do know much about Karate and their cult following. Karate is much loved and those who enjoy the jazzy sounds of Farina will most likely follow him to the grave. As far as the newcomer who may encounter Mr. Brokaw or Mr. Farina at an unsuspecting show, it may be just musak to you. However, to many, this is legend. Maybe not exactly this album, but definitely the lead into it.

Here’s a video of them playing the title track off their album acoustic (duh… right?)