His entirely unironic songwriting would fit in neatly next to The Avett Brothers on a tour bill or a playlist. Artifice isn’t in his bag of tricks, which means that “Accidental Thief ” positively bursts with immediate hooks. Opener “All I Know” is a jaunty, charming tune that sways and skips along easily. It borders […]
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James and Evander — Constellating EP + 2
In its stead, I’ve sought out other gentle electronica projects in hopes of filling my Gibbard/Tamborello-shaped hole. Most acts fall short by appropriating the sound, but not writing great pop songs to match. Enter James and Evander. On the surface, it seems to be everything I want in a Postal Service replacement: two dudes churning […]
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The Ladybug Transistor — Clutching Stems
They adhere closely to what the band’s press dubs “formalist” structures, which is to say that the verse/chorus/verse format isn’t just used, but praised. The songs aren’t gimmicky, nor are they hip. They’re just really solid, enjoyable tunes. In that way, they’re pretty much the quintessential Merge band at the moment: Been around since the […]
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Piñataland — Hymns for the Dreadful Night
The chamber pop of Piñataland’s “Hymns for the Dreadful Night” caught my attention immediately, as it is immaculately captured. “Island of Godless Men” is the best example of this. It’s a great song made better by the details of the engineering. Opening the piece is remarkably clear sound of the ocean, which gives way to […]
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Paul Simon — Paul Simon / There Goes Rhymin’ Simon / Still Crazy After All These Years / In Concert: Live Rhymin’
The accompanying notes state that the albums “feature the remastered sound, bonus tracks and expanded packaging from their first CD incarnations.” Translated: These are exactly the same as the 2004 CD releases, down to the liner notes. The only reason mentioned for re-releasing these albums is that a licensing agreement recently “brought Simon’s entire catalog […]
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Givers — In Light
But because the album does a half-decent job of catching that lightning in a bottle, it is a glorious blast of summery goodness. I won’t gush over Givers’ live show; I did that once already. They are the most enthusiastic band I’ve ever seen, and some of that transfers over to the 10 songs that comprise […]
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Foot joy
It’s not always just about the music, as Oklahoma City country rock band Left Foot Sally will tell you. It’s also being a salesman, but not just tickets and albums. “One of the bartenders came up to us and said, ‘You guys drink beer, and the drunker you get the better you play,’” bassist Dustin […]
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Terrace stamp
A band name isn’t all Florida hardcore band Evergreen Terrace seemingly borrowed from “The Simpsons.” With its number of ex-members (six) more than matching its current ones (five), the band took not only the beloved animated family’s street address for a moniker but also a similar affinity for a vast universe of secondary characters. “It’s […]
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Into the ‘Light’
Susan Cowsill’s made music for more than four decades, first as a child in the ’60s family pop band The Cowsills, and the last seven years solo. It’s in this last capacity that her star’s shone brightest. She’s always had a wonderfully earthy, powerful voice, but with her latest album, “Lighthouse,” she’s further showcased a […]
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Universal appeal
On paper, it would seem The Planets Align requires constant, near perfect balance to continue to exist. With the progressive rock act’s members busy with fledging careers in event coordinating, journalism, the automotive industry and even some part-time circus work, as well as upwards of two dozen former and current bands that the guys have […]