I heard Brontosaurus was a band fans of Black Heart Procession might dig, and after a few listens to their LP Cold Comes to Claim, I’d say that was pretty accurate. The opening track, “Beware” has that epic post rock meets prog rock darkness Black Heart tends to employ, and Brontosaurus make it their own with haunting organs and Califone-style folk vocals. And both Nicholas Kelley and Nicholas Papaleo, the duo behind Brontosaurus, take the lead on those vocals.

I feel this may have gotten off on the wrong foot. Too much relating this band to others. Brontosaurus’s “Beware” can be described as darkly emotive orchestrated folk-pop. The description is a bit lengthy, but it fits – for the most part. It also borders on the experimental.

There are elements of post-rock — the song definitely encapsulates the soft valleys and loud peaks. And there is plenty of prog with more arrangements than the standard verse-chorus progression. But aside from the technicalities, from a subjective standpoint, “Beware” is pretty damn good.

Cold Comes to Claim hits the street June 14.

Download: “Beware” by Brontosaurus

Brutal insanity might be less dark than Black Earth by Implodes. Blending drone with hints of fuzz and immense, everlasting soundscapes, Implodes’ new album is a mysterious, intriguing work of art. It’s one thing to listen to Black Earth through speakers – it only gets better when imbibed through headphones. And I’d place a fair bet on it being something astonishing to take in live.

“White Window”, oddly enough, would seem to fit in the soundtrack of Gaspar Noé’s epic psychedelic masterpiece Enter The Void. But wouldn’t necessarily consider Implodes to be psychedelic; in a way it has traits conducive to the genre, but its scope is far beyond being so limited. Noise. Experimental. Drone. They all fit, but, again, are too limiting. The soundscapes have the ability to encompass universes, stretch beyond the limits once thought capable.

It’s rare for a band to go from calming to terrifying in the space of a millisecond, but Implodes achieves this again and again on Black Earth. “Screech Owl” and “Oxblood” both start out on a pleasant note and ultimately come to dominate with dark, swirling, fuzzed out guitars that drone hauntingly from some unknown location, masked by blackness.

The most notable, however, are “Marker” and “Meadowslands”. These two feature vocals drowned in echoing reverb backed by colossal guitars and the occasional erratic fuzzed-out guitar freak out. But even their mellow tunes hold substantial weight. “Song for Fucking Damon II (Trap Door)” and closing track “Hands On The Rail” have laid back vocals and lighter melodies despite the intense volume. What never fails to astound is Implodes’ experimental ability, and it shines through here (although I feel a bit odd associating the word “shine” with this band).

Put on headphones, crank up Black Earth, close your eyes and watch the nightmare that your subconscious produces on the backs of your eyelids. It will be terrifying and brilliant. Just be sure to hold your sanity close. Very impressive.

Look for Black Earth later this month on Kranky Records.

Download: “Marker” by Implodes

Kranky Records [CD, 2011]

1. Open The Door
2. Marker
3. White Window
4. Screech Owl
5. Oxblood
6. Meadowslands
7. Wendy
8. Experimental Report
9. Song for Fucking Damon II (Trap Door)
10. Down Time
11. Hands On The Rail

Last week saw the quiet return of a great label, one that we here at FensePost have been following for quite some time. It wasn’t so much a return, rather the branching out away from label head Jon Rooney’s solo project Virgin Of The Birds. And he certainly chose the right artist to mark the label’s first release in quite some time. Like Pioneers boast a slew of artists with a hefty background in creating phenomenal music. Let’s see, there’s Bound Stems, Chin Up Chin Up, Vacations, and The Narrator. While I haven’t spent much time with the latter two, the former are totally legit.

There’s really not much you can say about Piecemeal other than that it’s really, really good. It’s one of those albums that doesn’t need all those descriptive statements and over-thought metaphors. You just put on the headphones, close your eyes, listen, and smile. It feels good, sounds good, and therefore it is good. From opener “Some People” to the immensely catchy single “Gift From A Holiday”, to closing track “Crab Candy”, it’s just… flat out… good. Beginning to end, it is packed with pure, upbeat, feel-good pop music that’s worthy of loud volumes and good company. There truly is not a weak song on the album. Throughout, Like Pioneers impresses thoroughly.

Download: “Gift From A Holiday” by Like Pioneers

Abandoned Love Records [Digital LP, 2010]

1. Some People
2. English Garden
3. Gift From A Holiday
4. Exit Row
5. Crop Circles Plus Legs
6. Polkadot
7. Teakettles No. 1
8. Ike
9. Metal Oscar
10. Crab Candy

It’s time to grit your teeth, suck in your last bit of fresh air, and prepare to have the shit shook out of you through a drastic post-punk explosion. Chicago based band The Streets On Fire know how to have a good time. And their debut full length album This Is Fancy is a prime sample of what it means to be entirely out of control, yet perfectly sane enough to dance the night away to release all tension entirely.

As soon as the first track, “No One’s Fucking To The Radio” hits your ear drums, you will know instantly that you are in for something almost unforgettable. Raw, unadulterated, damn cool hysteria will shock your brain until you feel completely taken over by a feeling euphoric and basically unstoppable. And before you know it, you’re hearing the end of “Betty”, and the world just stops. You are left to ponder what the hell just happened to you. Isn’t it lovely when a good time havin’ group like this can completely take over your whole existence?

With touches of surf and old school rock n roll, The Streets On Fire bring a terrific new spin on the world of post punk. They have the lyrics of Robert Smith or Morrissey, but the energy of Henry Rollins before he became an intellectual film scholar. This Is Fancy is loud, arrogant, and at times a big disorienting. And that is just perfect!

Download: “No One’s Fucking To The Radio” by The Streets On Fire

The Currency Exchange [CD, 2010]

1. No One’s Fucking To The Radio
2. The Basement
3. Hey Lou
4. Chadwick Shut Up
5. Hello From Eastern Europe
6. Astronaut Love Triangle
7. Hard To Find
8. Fancy
9. Five
10. Color Stereo
11. Betty

Secret Colours create classic psych-pop music that has the sound the bands of the 60s and early 70s. Their new self-titled LP is packed with this style and “Jellybean” is a prime example of what makes Secret Colours a more than noteworthy up-and-coming band. Dreamy, melodic vocals front an attack of wild cymbals and echoing guitars that create a wall of sound. There’s a major emphasis on percussion that not only fits but enhances the psych-pop sound; it’s safe to say that without it, Secret Colors would not nearly be as impressive. Still, each part adds significantly to the whole. “Jellybean” is the full realization of the heritage 1960s and early 70s groups bestowed upon our modern era of psychedelic pop music.

Check out the band’s self-titled LP on the Secret Colours’ bandcamp page.

Download: “Jellybean” by Secret Colours

Earlier today (which, if you’re reading this on the day it was published, was actually yesterday), I cranked up Neutral Milk Hotel’s In The Aeroplane Over The Sea for the first time in at least a year. Coincidentally, while looking for a band to cover in a feature for tomorrow (i.e. today), I came across White Nights. The band has an obvious Elephant 6 reference in the music the music they create; undoubtedly pop, the band has a clear guitar backed by a fuzzy lo-fi drum kit beat and fronted by fuzzy lo-fi vocals. A definite nod to Jeff Mangum.

“Home Tonight” comes to us from a ggnzla records sampler comp packed with artists like Leo Gebhardt, Partman Parthorse, Sorry and many more. I mention this for a specific reason: most the bands on this comp, to my knowledge, hail from Seattle or the general nearby vicinity of Seattle. Not White Nights, who call Chicago home. But their lo-fi pop is oddly at home with artists like retro lo-fi folk-rock Gebhardt, the erotic Partman Parthorse, and the garage-inspired Sorry.

“Home Tonight” will spark that long repressed nostalgia, reinvigorating and reigniting your love for the good ol’ E6. The song can also be found on the band’s seven-song EP titled Broken Diapason Stop. You can pick up that EP and two other White Nights releases (Basement Piano and The Down Times) over at White Nights MySpace Page.

Stream: “Home Tonight” by White Nights

One of the earliest music blogs I followed was IndiePages. Based in Seattle and with a hefty predilection toward twee and indie pop, my musical preferences meshed very well with that of Chris McFarlane. Following the site, I was introduced to many favorites from around the world. It was there I discovered Ivy League, which became the first ever FensePost feature (the band went on to change their name to This Is Ivy League prior to the release of their self-titled debut LP). I’ve covered several other bands first found on the site, including McFarlane’s very own Patience Please (a long-time favorite). The latest band to snag my attention is Boshus.

Boshus is from Chicago and their pop is jangle-heavy and filled with multiple vocalists who sing in high-pitched vocals with oft indecipherable lyrics. Super infectious, songs like “Icecream Shop”, “Elephant” and “Monkey Time” will become instant favorites. None of the three in which I’ve heard top a minute-thirty; they’re all very brief, and very good. Given a short amount of time (i.e. the precise amount of time it takes Boshus to give us a proper full-length, or even a solid EP), this band could very well become your favorite indie pop group.

Boshus: Elephant [mp3]

Boshus: Icecream Shop [mp3]

Bellingham by way of Chicago artist The Heligoats masters the power of pop songwriter sensibilities in their new album, Goodness Gracious (Greyday Records). The band is fronted by new Washington resident Chris Otepka, who wrote and recorded the band with Mike Mergenthaler, David James and Steven Mitchell. Collectively, they are The Heligoats, a band who blends folk and rock and pop for a sound that is familiar yet warm, somewhat contemporary but truly and honestly good.

A song like “Heat Vents” demonstrates the band’s capabilities to write a powerful tune; backed by a consistent, heavy strum and fronted by emotive vocals, The Heligoats blend a sound somewhere between newer Bright Eyes and older Tilly And The Wall. And that’s just on this song. The band’s influences stem far and wide, from Clem Snide, who Otepka toured with recently, to bands who add that epic swirl of post-rock guitar (also found on this song). Not to mention the folk leanings in tunes like “A Guide To The Outdoors” and “Goodness Gracious”.

The Heligoats are on the road right now, winding their way across the states for the next few months. When they return to Northwest Washington, I think I’ll have to catch a show; these sounds bode well for Bellingham.

The Heligoats: Heat Vents [mp3]

The Heligoats: Fish Sticks [mp3]

It’s been a while since a real intelligent art punk band has emerged from the sewers of the dying underground. With the up-and-coming return of pop punk hitting the mainstream (knocking cry baby bullshit emo bands out of the tear-filled water), it’s almost hard to understand why any artist in their right mind would want to try and handle such a quickly burning torch. Enter Castevet and their debut album Summer Fences. Now we’re talking. Break out the acoustic guitars, PBR, and lack of self respect. It’s time for a good scream.

With an undeniably refreshing and original blend of every genre you can think of, Castevet rips through non-descriptive typecasts and impulsive hatred many listeners have for art punk rockers. With their lo-fi brand of chaos, Summer Fences plays out like a raging lion roaring over a batch of Soul Asylum instrumentals. It’s unlike anything you would even look for in a band if you are too afraid of the unfamiliar. They take you just outside of your limits, but not far enough to scare you back onto the subway of normalcy. Not right away, at least.

There are a good number of calm and folky instrumental sections within Summer Fences. There are also a shit load of screaming bloody murder before your step dad busts your door down with his bare hands if you don’t turn down that god damn music moments. Castevet is one of those groups that your friend from the coffee shop can tell you about in full detail and, before you know it, you’ll find yourself at one of their shows (very likely to be in a basement or apartment complex parking lot). Their originality is their most obvious appeal. But their subtle ways of destroying everything that is conventional in the world of punk rock is what sets them apart, and ablaze, from their competition.

Castevet: Plays One On TV [mp3]

Count Your Lucky Stars Records [CD, 2009]

1. Between Berwyn And Bryn Mawr
2. Beating High Schoolers At Arcade Games
3. Plays One On TV
4. I Know What A Lion Is
5. Stranger You Know
6. Space Jam (The Return)
7. Evil Robot With Swords For Hands
8. When A Movie Is Made In France It’s Called Cinemas

Contemporary folk-pop is an arena that is swamped with imitators, yet a select few artists stand out above the rest. Andrew Belle is one such artist thanks to the inclusion of female backing vocals and boisterous orchestration. “Static Waves” hits all the right points – it’s catchy and plush and clean and colorful. There’s a lot going on here, a lot more than your typical artist fitting this genre descriptor. It’s easy to hear why Belle was selected to open for Ben Folds, although I’d also put him in the same camp as masters like Andrew Bird.

“Static Waves” is off Andrew Belle’s new LP, The Ladder, out February 23.

Andrew Belle: Static Waves [mp3]

It’s safe to say that Fireflies is a bedroom pop band. Autumn Almanac, their new full-length, just solidifies the statement as it follows the path Fireflies journeyed down in Goodnight Stars, Goodnight Moon. It’s the sound Fireflies’ Lisle Mitnik favored on his EPs Strange and Butterscotch. With Autumn Almanac, however, change has occurred. The band has added a great deal more orchestration to the mix.

“Paper Crane” has a full-bodied, near voluptuous sound; not something you’d expect from bedroom pop. Still, Mitnik’s hushed vocals maintain their prior soft warmth, and his guitar is as clean and cool as everything that came before. There’s also more jangle, albeit masked somewhat by the orchestration, the slap of a tambourine, and various subtle pop effects.

“Summer Too Soon” will make you long for the season to arrive, while “Sunsets In June” basks in the desire for sunny evenings to return. This is music to enjoy fireside, with a warm blanket, a fresh-brewed cup of coffee or cocoa, and reminiscence on the recently put-to-bed season of summer. The window provides a perfect division between the comfort inside and the dreary downpour just beyond the shutters.

As Autumn Almanac winds to a close, a realization hits. Mitnik has obviously progressed, and in doing so he has migrated from the bedroom to the living room. It’s a change that is welcome – the larger sounds mean there’s more depth, more intrigue. Autumn Almanac is a great release, sure to be fully loved by the fan of indie pop, baroque pop, orchestral pop, twee pop, everything in between, and everything even remotely related.

And while that early sound is absolutely stunning, and the modern one is still far from loud, this progression is worthy of a substantial nod of the head. It makes you look forward to a lazy, rainy weekend. Perfect music for Seattle, or even Fireflies very own Chicago.

Fireflies: Paper Crane [mp3]

Littlemusic [CD, 2009]

1. The Breeze
2. Paper Crane
3. Your Map
4. Piano Song
5. Everything’s Hidden Away
6. Stars Falling Down
7. Himitsu
8. Confidentiality
9. Summer Too Soon
10. Sunsets In June
11. A Thousand Days

Boy do I love fun pop, and Calling You Out by Netherfriends fits the description perfectly. You can tell just by looking at the album art, among my favorites of the year. There’s a lot more going on here than just pop, though, as the eclectic percussion on tracks like “Nunya” and “Oh-Hi-Oh”, along with the supreme guitar accompaniment and tribal-esque vocals, are on par with groups like Panda Bear and, even more so, The Dodos. However, at times the similarities are almost too much.

The cake-taker is Calling You Out opener, “Friends With Lofts”. It lacks the blatant reference to those aforementioned bands and finds Netherfriends with a sound much more their own. As the song progresses horns join, then tonal vocal da-das and whistling. And, as it bows out, a bit of a surprise – a muted trumpet. “Really?” drops in clever melodies and has that same tambourine-heavy, snare-less percussion that, when present, fills practically every moment. And when the percussion is vacant – as it is selectively here – its absence draws the listener in even more.

“Mom Cop” lacks that rampant percussion and therefore seems a bit out of place here, though after getting over the initial shock of Is this the same band? one finds merit in the tune. And it only increases as the band launches into EP closer “Don’t Invite Me”; the excessive percussion is slightly muted and it becomes ever more apparent that these guys are finding their own place amidst their influences – and that place is a good one. Calling You Out is a wonderful introduction to a band that, even this early in the game, knows a few things: 1) how to have fun, 2) how to write a damn great pop song.

Netherfriends: Nunya [mp3]

[CDEP, 2009]

1. Friends With Lofts
2. Really?
3. Oh-Hi-Oh
4. Nunya
5. Mom Cop
6. Don’t Invite Me