This stuff combines all my dirtiest, guilty-pleasure pop secrets into a single, distinct sound with a stylistic aesthetic to match (captured by the awesome bloodstained Keds album art). In fact, for funsies, why don’t we run through that checklist of cheesy things I love?• ’60s girl-group vocals from a super-hot lady? Yup.• Drippy Rick Springfield […]
Brooklyn
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Royal Baths — Better Luck Next Life
The two comprise Brooklyn’s Royal Baths, and their second record, “Better Luck Next Life,” shows an impressive self-assuredness, conviction and carefully crafted sound that seems only common among the calculating acts from New York these days (see: Sleigh Bells, Body Language). They’re also savage and unafraid of dissonant guitar noises, something they probably learned from […]
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Craig Finn — Clear Heart Full Eyes
“Clear Heart Full Eyes” (yes, the title’s a play on the catchphrase from “Friday Night Lights,” of which Finn is admittedly an enormous fan) really seems to follow the groping, narcotized and promiscuous teenagers that characterize The Hold Steady’s discography, as it moves away, discovers integrity, grows up, and/or finds Jesus. It follows pretty logically […]
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Girl grows up
Given the silly name and bright, Simon & Garfunkel-inspired harmonies, Brooklyn folk-rock act Girlyman sounds like it was born out of a happy place. The thing is, it wasn’t. “Our first rehearsal was scheduled for Sept. 11. We were putting together press kits and complaining about how crappy doing it was … what an upstream […]
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Theophilus London — Timez Are Weird These Days
Nothing out of the ordinary with that, but it oughta tell you that if you’re looking for a true spitter, then look elsewhere. From get-go track “Last Name London,” the Brooklyn rapper(ish) makes it clear that he’s aiming for modern pop-star status. I offer the following as evidence: • the Kanye West “Lost in the […]
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City folk
Music sometimes makes you do crazy things, like trade the peaceful plains of Kansas for the bustling concrete jungle of Brooklyn, N.Y. That’s what roots-rock band Country Mice frontman Jason Rueger decided to do a few short years ago, making the move from his quiet home of Beattie — population: about 300 — to the […]
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Sleigh rides into town with rock
Noise-pop duo Sleigh Bells’ story is a charming one. Singer Alexis Krauss met guitarist/producer Derek Miller when he waited on her and her mother at a restaurant. Miller — who previously played guitar in the hard-core band Poison the Well — mentioned he was looking for a female vocalist for a new project. Krauss’ mom […]