Incepted in 1997, Britain’s The Clientele has always successfully combined its influences into a tasteful form of pop music that has over the years been equal parts melancholy, wistful and cerebral. Its latest EP, “Minotaur,” finds the band in top form from its Byrds-esque title track to spoken word “The Green Man,” the latter of […]

You know, the organ is an instrument just not heard very often on pop albums these days. And then what’s this? No guitar?!? While this may sound like a bad polka album in the making, Fitz and the Tantrums have a style that doesn’t require the typical pop instrumentation and styling. Their throwback 60s soulful […]

Sub Pop’s post-grunge resurgence seems to be rooted in finding good jangly pop bands from a particular geographical location and signing them to a deal – take a look at some of its roster beginning with The Shins (Albuquerque) until you get to, say, Avi Buffalo (Long Beach, Calif.). The label’s Milwaukee discovery, Jaill, fits […]

With only the knowledge that Wildbirds & Peacedrums is a Swedish husband and wife duo, thoughts of a death metal White Stripes popped in my mind. Then learning that “Rivers” was originally two vinyl EP releases, now combined to one album, I became skeptical that this could be any good. Hodgepodge death metal duo might […]

Last year, The Love Language’s self-titled release led us to believe they were after a piece of The Strokes market share. With “Libraries,” The Love Language ensures us that any Strokes connection was purely coincidental, and that The Love Language and The Strokes just, maybe, shared a few influences. That’s all. This time out, the […]

Since 2004, one of the leading purveyors of revivalist psych rock, Darker My Love, have succeeded in a delivery that gives the ever-cited era an added and welcome spice. Cosmic reverb and thick gloomy haze were key features on their ’06 self-titled debut whereas sophomore effort “2” was supported by a chunky, guitar-led Brit rock […]

For all the talk of “greatness” and “perfection” that floats around when the topic turns to the music of Versus, the topic doesn’t turn that way all too often.  In the annals of jangly nineties indie rock; Pavement, Yo La Tengo, and Sonic Youth are the medalists, and Versus also ran.  They were robbed.  Now […]

Looking at the title of Dreamend’s new album, and adding the knowledge that it was lyrically inspired by the writings of a serial killer, the last you’d expect is the accompanying tunes to be lush, light and almost happy. This unexpected juxtaposition of upbeat music against very dark-themed lyrics makes “So I Ate Myself, Bite […]