Written by Fense
For some reason, I missed Structure & Cosmetics by The Brunettes last year. Not only is the album on Sub Pop, it’s indie-pop! This male/female duo crafts beautifully melodic tunes that, at times, are surprising coming from a band on this label. Read More »The Brunettes [Feature Band]
Written by Fense
Sub Pop is a continual source of surprise; sure, they’ve had their share of genre-swapping, but the latest add to the roster still comes as a bit of a shock. Daniel Martin Moore (MySpace) is a folk artist in the truest of senses–his songs feature him and a guitar. His vocals are melodic and pleasant–and in combining those two words as I have in the past, I realize that Moore may live up to the statement more than any other artist about whom I’ve made the offhand melodic and pleasant comment. Read More »Daniel Martin Moore: Stray Age [Album Review]
Written by Fense
Oh I like this video. It’s a bit of a departure from Fleet Foxes’ first video, “White Winter Hymnalâ€, but it’s just as good. The video displays perfectly the group’s ability to construct multiple-part vocal harmonies, and emphasizes the band’s folk-rock sensibilities. If you’re new to Fleet Foxes, you’re in for a treat; if you’re an old hand at their music, you pretty much know what to expect. Either way, the video is worth it. Read More »Fleet Foxes: He Doesn’t Know Why [Video]
Written by Fense
A comfort band is one that you can return to at any time and any place and still enjoy; the true comfort band typically falls into a categorization that includes some all-time favorite albums and groups that make top personal end of year charts. Their songs have that certain something—a connection—that is, if nothing else, comforting. Grand Archives (MySpace) is such a band for me. Read More »Grand Archives: Miniature Birds [Video]
Blitzen Trapper (MySpace) has been on my radar for some time now, but I just haven’t been paying them the attention they deserve. Chalk it up to their country swagger—something I’m generally not fond of—or the sheer amount of music out there at this time (I am fairly limited by the number of hours in a day). Luckily, their latest release, Furr, just arrived in my mailbox. Read More »Blitzen Trapper: Furr [Album Review]
Earlier this week I mentioned Foals’ iTunes exclusive. Well, they’re not the only Sub Pop artist rocking the exclusives with iTunes these days–add The Gutter Twins to the shortlist. Yep, earlier this month, Greg Dulli (The Afghan Whigs) and Mark Lanegan (Screaming Trees), the duo that make up The Gutter Twins, released Adorata exclusively on iTunes.
Read More »The Gutter Twins [Feature Band] 
Written by Fense
As I write this, I am not listening to the recent Sub Pop release of Antidotes by Foals (MySpace), which is a great album by the way. No, I am listening to their Daytrotter Session, available for download here. I am also reading a nice little notice by Sub Pop updating their beloved press contacts with the latest Foals news. Read More »Foals: Olympic Airways [Video]
Written by Fense
For some inane reason, listening to Soft Airplane by Chad VanGaalen reminds me of Michel Gondry’s follow up to one of my all-time favorite movies, Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind. The movie in question is La Science des Rêves, better known here in the states as The Science of Sleep. Read More »Chad VanGaalen: Soft Airplane [Album Review]
In sitting down to review Nothing Is Precious Enough For Us, I was immediately stumped. Three listens later, I realized I would have an extremely difficult time reviewing the album, not because I didn’t want to and not because it wasn’t good–it most definitely is. I’d have a difficult time because it left me baffled. It’s that confounding!
Read More »Death Vessel: Nothing Is Precious Enough For Us [Album Review]
