Aqueduct - Or Give Me Death
Produced and engineered by Jason Holstrom, Charlie Smith, David Terry and Matt Pence
Recorded at Charlie Smith Music HQ
Mixed by Jason Holstrom at The Cabana
Mastered by Ed Brooks at RFI Mastering

It is easy to get lost in the Beck-like keyboard clicks and whirring, insistent guitars and heralding trumpets and not realize that Aqueduct's lyrics are very gloomy and remorseful on Or Give Me Death. David Terry pays unsparing attention to the power-pop hook and the lushness of his songs, and his lyrics serve as punctuation points that only bolster the body of the songs.
Opening the album is "Lying In the Bed I've Made," in which Terry laments, "You've made me painfully aware of what you think of me / I've started to believe it's true." The song is a remorseful, introspective look at the regrets of being a father who isn't there and the second-hand and often vindictive information that the child receives in his absence.
The melancholia digs in deeper for "Living a Lie." Amidst the cheer of Mates of State-esque keyboard plunking and with vocals similar to labelmate John Roderick's (The Long Winters), Terry sings, "It's not living a lie if you're not living at all." The insertion of guitars into the song adds a biting edge to the tinkling loop of the keyboards.
Terry manages to sprinkle a bit of caustic resin onto "As You Wish," a take on the movie The Princess Bride, quoting from the interaction between Westley and the Dread Pirate Roberts. A trumpet's fanfare, sounding like a lone Mariachi player, begins the song and leads into the doo-wop lyrics, "Please, I beg you for my life / For true love waits / You see I must survive / I'll probably kill you in the morning."
Or Give Me Death, a truncated version of the famous Revolution-era quote, seems to indicate that liberty is not an option. However, it is apparent that, despite Terry's darker leanings, the album has given him the freedom to express his talented musicianship. (Barsuk Records)

www.barsuk.com

-Kristen Schaer

Ral Partha Vogelbacher - Shrill Falcons
Recorded by Ral Partha at Teen Lad Fantasy Studios
Mixed by Dee Kesler at Frozen Skeleton Ice Castle Studio
Mastered by J.J. Golden

With the increasing ubiquity of the term "freak folk," it's tempting to appropriate the "freak" label and place it upon the Bay Area's Ral Partha Vogelbacher, in light of the band's experimental approach and penchant for strange lyrics. On Shrill Falcons, Ral Partha's third album, bandleader Chadwick Bidwell handed the compositional reins over to Dee Kesler of Thee More Shallows, concentrating his own efforts on lyrical and vocal duties.
The album demonstrates its range early on, going from the up-tempo, serrated jangle of "Messy Artist" to the throbbing drone and squalls of feedback that comprise "Aeroflot." The beautiful "Birthday in Beijing" artfully incorporates a borrowed recording of traditional Chinese music. On "New Happy Fawn," Anticon artist Odd Nosdam contributes meditative murmurs to accompany the repeated refrain, "I never considered my mother a widow," until the brief Sabbath-heavy conclusion. More heavy fuzz, droning, and feedback permeate the similarly death-themed "Party After the Wake."
The album is dedicated to Bidwell's deceased father, and the song "CDB National Park" is the most direct tribute, naming the fictitious park for him. (Unfortunately, the song's protagonist breaks his wrist attempting to scale the park's iron gates, resulting in the ominous "Hide the fracture from the silent bone collector" refrain). China is another repeating lyrical motif, appearing in "Three Gorges," "Birthday in Beijing," and "Swimming with the Sturgeon" - the latter composed of a simple recurring piano line and that same droning fuzz and feedback. "Silver Mines" is the album's only other upbeat number, with the repeating line: "Shooting strychnine in the silver mine with the black panthers and the lazy, lazy burros."
Apropos of the lyrical concerns, this is a joyless album. While some of the sonic and lyrical experiments are more interesting than others, it contains moments of great beauty nonetheless. (Monotreme Records)

www.myspace.com/ralpartha

-Mike Baehr

Careless Hearts - Careless Hearts
Produced by Derek See
Recorded by Bart Thurber
Mastered by Kris Ziakas

Careless Hearts' self-titled debut has a lot to offer the country rock-loving masses, California and Nashville alike. Primarily a country band disguised as a rock outfit, the California-based ensemble covers a lot of ground, scratching out rowdy dance floor busters and just as easily swinging a ballad.
Despite rhythmic differences, the narrative remains the same. Alternately plaintive and joyous, the lyrics manage to weld emotions into the hallmark purpose of country music: celebrating the celebration of misery. "Never to Return" tells the story of a boy whose father leaves early in his life, and how that absence affects his own ability to stick around. The lyrics are heartbreakingly candid: "Mama turned to me 'cuz I had ears and arms to shoulder half the ball of sorrow that she could not roll alone." By the end of the tune, he has left a wife of his own, pondering the possibility of disappearing forever - and it feels like pure relief.
Over the course of the album, the music starts to run into itself; songs that are true gems on their own get muddied inside the context of the album. This tendency reveals a few things about Careless Hearts. Mainly, they have the right kind of talent: they can write a song and a compelling arrangement. Give them more time and they'll surely produce an album that is full of top-notch songs rather than merely sprinkled with them. On a more specific note, they currently rely too often on the all-too-prevalent "fade out and repeat" shtick for the conclusion of their songs. But in matters of heart, it seems this band is on the right track. (Self-released)

www.carelesshearts.com

-Ali Marcus

Graves - Easy Not Easy
No production information available

Easy Not Easy nods to that early Beck sound, when he was on K Records and his songs were acoustic, experimental and amazingly simple. Here, Graves is all about nylon-stringed acoustic guitars, mature lyrics, smooth vocals and casing the result in a crisp, high-fidelity tone. On this album, Graves is precocious, breaking some new ground by mixing in Belle and Sebastian-like taboo and sexiness into intrepid folk with unmistakable pop undertones.
The tempo of Easy Not Easy never breaks from its unhurried pace. Singer Greg Olin is tactful and controlled, centering the emotional crux of the album on sexy subtlety and lyrical competence. The minimalist R&B song, "Death Left a Message," moves at a snail's pace with a romantic saxophone, the now-staple walking bass, and Olin's catchy lines, "Death left a message on my phone / In a rather awkward tone / Rambled on and on and on / Still not sure just what about / It got cut off, the tape ran out."
Other album highlights include the easy-going songs, "Dirty Bird" and "Val K." The former is sexy and bold, as Olin croons, "Sing a song buzzing for me / With the shadows casting in your eye / Can you feel it on your skin? / Does it make salt castles when you cry? / I know I'm a dirty bird." The latter takes a romantic bass line and gently massages in a hushed organ and sensual female murmurs.
A splendid and surprising gem, Easy Not Easy strikes both touching and intimate nerves. Graves has carved out a unique approach to the folk style - the craftsmanship of their songs is trumped only by the group's ability to entice the listener into deeper foreplay before putting on Marvin Gaye's Let's Get It On. (Hush Records)

www.hushrecords.com

-Christopher Petro

The Dont's - Inner El Camino
Recorded and mixed at Tiny Telephone and San Francisco Soundworks by Aaron Prellwitz and Tony Espinoza
Mastered by J.J. Golden
Produced by The Dont's

Hailing from San Francisco, the breeding ground for artsy indie rock, are The Dont's - an abrasive indie band without the traditional indie elements. Inner El Camino is a clamorous exploration of noise and improvisation with undeniable funkified dance elements veiled by raw "freak pop."
The album begins in the same vein as New York percussive dance outfit Professor Murder in that opening songs "Blah Blah Blah" and "Throwing it All Away" utilize discordant noises and a throbbing bass line to drive gritty vocals. This styling completely vanishes with songs "Worldview" and "Tapping" - tracks bordering on a soft Velvet Underground aesthetic with indisputable Lou Reed vocal qualities.
The Dont's are quite adept in regards to the orchestration of their songs and have an effortless talent when it comes to producing melodies that flow naturally, giving their sound a certain surreal Sonic Youth aura. However, once mixed with singer Jonny Dont's vocals, which are a coarser version of Alex Kapranos' stylings from Franz Ferdinand crossed with David Draiman's growl from Disturbed, the music takes on a less approachable, abrasive aesthetic.
Yet, past the jaggedness of the album's vocals, The Dont's reveal their talent for lyricism. "Plastic We All Are" features sharp references to the dualities present in the human psyche: "When we seek sage advice in the wallet / We should be ashamed / When we castrate both ends of the rainbow we might look like we live with the dead."
The Dont's are aware that Inner El Camino won't find a coveted spot on syndicated radio and they embrace this fact with uncompromising eclectic orchestrations true to their cacophonous artistic vision. (Self-released)

www.thedonts.com

-Jen Tartaglione

Lifesavas - Gutterfly: The Original Soundtrack
Recorded by Lifesavas at The Promiseland in Portland, OR, by Norwood at Norwood's Crib in Venice Beach, CA, and by Chief Xcel at Accompong Compound in Oakland, CA
Mixed by Mike Cresswell at Accompong Compound and by Josh "Alter Echo" Derry and Lifesavas at Sonic Arts in Portland, OR
Mastered by Eddy Schreyer at Oasis Mastering in Burbank, CA

This album is further proof that artistically conscious hip-hop is still vibrant amongst cookie-cutter rap radio play, and it is no coincidence that it comes from the world renowned Quannum Projects label. The Lifesavas hail from Portland, where listeners do not necessarily associate with ghetto lifestyles. But this point does nothing to prevent the duo, JUMBO the Garbageman and Vursatyl, from painting a larger-than-life picture, universal to all that live a life hustling in the streets.
Despite its deceiving album title, this album is not yet associated with any film project, but is more a concept album about a fictional place named Razorblade City and its colorful inhabitants. The sounds on it cover a drastically beautiful range. Primarily funk-based with an urgent political vibe, the album also contains soulful tributes to its characters. Guest musicians like Fishbone and Vernon Reid of Living Colour inject fresh flavor; additional production help from Stones Throw's Oh No and neighboring Vitamin D hold down the album with rich beat arrangements. Lyrics from visiting MCs like George Clinton, Camp Lo and Butterfly of Digable Planets help to illustrate the story with depth and introspection.
Like a great novel, this album reveals a narrative full of conflicts and triumphs, but also leaves the imagination free to contemplate its many inconspicuous and undefined themes. Like a streetwise William Burroughs novel, nothing is spelled out implicitly, and that's just fine since this album will captivate ears more than any other sense. Only a sophomore release, Gutterfly: The Original Soundtrack easily transcends backpacks to dance floors and living rooms to the streets for many more than just a couple listens. (Quannum Projects)

www.lifesavas.com

-Grant Inaba

Jatun - Jatun
Engineered, mixed and produced by Jatun
Mastered by Carl Saff at Saff Mastering

When words fail, strive for colors instead. That seems to be Portland duo Jatun's approach to their impressive and mostly instrumental self-titled debut. The electricity pylons on the album's cover, backlit by eerie, radiant twilight, hint at the tone of the songs - a sound which band members Alan Grosvenor and Scott Worley describe as "orange-tinged" and a "mish-mash of cables, circuits, ivory and alcohol." Album opener "Ghost and Grey" warns listeners, "Ghostly forms and shades of grey have come to greet you."
The band's similarly shaded website highlights the multiple ad spots and DVD soundtracks which have used Jatun's atmospheric ambiguity to sell - what else? - sneakers (Nike) and snowboards (Signal). Fortunately, however, the lyrically-scarce anonymity of Jatun's verdant and well-crafted synth arrangements moves more than simply products.
"Young Crooks" sounds like an outtake from Tears For Fears' The Hurting as heard through the headphones of DJ Shadow - an astute mix of post-millennial comedown and pre-dawn yawns. "Fashion Whore" is a rousing take on the retro-futurism of Vangelis' Blade Runner soundtrack, and it delivers in glossy spades. Elsewhere, "Move It or Lose It" shares the lunar pull of M83's electro malaise, while "Ghost and Grey" polishes its billowy guitar hiss and feedback with knowing drum kit crackles and vocals possessed with a chemical airiness.
Seeing as how the band began recording this album in September of 2005, here's to wishing its follow-up a hefty dose of punctuality. Nevertheless, Portland of late seems to be abuzz with this brand of meticulously pored-over and absorbing musical output. Jatun is no exception and stands to be a vibrant addition to an already brilliant palette of talent. (Other Electricities)

www.jatunmusic.com

-Andrew Kersey

Deadwood Revival - This Old World
Produced by Jason Mogi and Kim Trenerry
Recorded by Leo Bidne at Strait Music and by Jason Mogi at Chilly Ass Basement Studios
Mixed and mastered by Jason Mogi and Leo Bidne

Deadwood Revival is Jason Mogi and Kim Trenerry, a Port Angeles, Washington-based duo that has earned significant acclaim for their neo/old-time jams. They bonded over Neil Young while playing in a jam band in Atlanta, and ended up on the very northwestern tip of the lower 48 singing a different tune.
Mogi and Trenerry have a vocal chemistry that draws listeners in. They could make any nonsense a pleasing waltz or a raucous romp with the right harmonic twist. Their blend has a gratifying timbre, and their instincts are perfectly in sync. That's not to say the lyrics take second string, especially with lines like, "You wanna get to heaven after foolin' 'round in hell."
Deadwood Revival swoops in with a large sound that belies their two-piece setup. Their broad range emphasizes their remarkable talent for making the right choices. "This Old Bar" demonstrates the purity of their intentions in a simple harmonica solo, pulling all the right strings without virtuosic show.
Mogi's clawhammer has a confidence that speaks to his past as a drummer. Often he slips into the blues, turning Trenerry into a scorching songstress. It's a rare ability to pull off a hoedown and a seduction at the same time, and it bodes well for the future of the Revival.
The choice of cover songs on This Old World reveals the extent to which Deadwood Revival is steeped in the folk tradition. A smattering of old time banjo ("Sandy Boys"), spiritual ("Fully Saved Today"), folk staple ("The Farmer is the Man") and the inevitable - and unusually rendered - Dylan ("You Ain't Goin' Nowhere"), the selections span the history, most likely, of their own musical foundation. The striking feature here is how much these covers sound like original Deadwood Revival works - meaning it's a revival of the best kind. (Self-released)

www.deadwoodrevival.com

-Ali Marcus

Genre Peak - Ends of the Earth
Engineered, recorded and mixed by Christopher Scott Cooper at Blue Seven Audio
Mastered by Tom Carr at The Annex
Produced by Christopher Scott Cooper

Sacramento-based songwriter and electronic musician Martin Birke started Genre Peak as a solo project in 2005. The following year, he expanded to a trio with the addition of Daniel Panasenko (bass, effects, etc.) and Stephen Sullivan (guitar, synth, misc.) in order to fill out the lineup for live shows and the recording of Genre Peak's debut, Ends of the Earth. The opening track, "Bring Me the World," forms almost a dyad with the single "Always Empty" as the former slips faultlessly into the latter. Three instrumental tracks, "Microsphere 13, 3 and 8" also make a handsome rave-influenced set amongst themselves: "8" subtly channels Utah Saints while "13" and "3" suggest the world beat influence so prevalent in the '90s. One of the strongest songs in the folio, both musically and lyrically, is "Point of No Return," which is particularly outstanding because it flows so effortlessly.
Depeche Mode must be mentioned, for they are an enormous influence here. The dark, delicate feel of Birke's singing and song structure brings to mind DM's Martin Gore and Dave Gahan, and also early '80s new wavers The Fixx. Genre Peak, on the whole, takes a lot of influence from past electronica and updates it handily to fit the cultural progression of the new millennium (the best example being "Night Falls on Chance," which is very much in the vein of the recent global electro revival). The album art is evocative of classic Japan or David Sylvian releases, and its abstract imagery impeccably reflects the post-postmodern sound of Genre Peak - detached, cool, minimalist and wired. (In-code Music)

www.genrepeak.net

-Susan Brooks

RTX - Western Xterminator
Engineered by Nadav Eisenman and Brian McKinley
Produced by Jennifer Herrema, Nadav Eisenman, and Brian McKinley

Jennifer Herrema was half of one of the most uncompromising underground bands of the '90s. Royal Trux's lo-fi Stones-y swagger and fuzz - edged with druggy weirdness - blasted its way through the scrap heaps of the decade, earning song shout outs from Pavement and Silver Jews.
Formed after Royal Trux's demise, Herrema's new outfit, RTX, is back with their second album, Western Xterminator, which appears like a bloodied beast on the innocuous pop horizon. The title song that kicks off the album is both the best and the least typical. A vaguely evil wind blows through its spacious, menacing desert landscape; it could be in an Ennio Morricone-scored Sergio Leone western.
On the remainder of the album, it sounds as if Herrema has joined a gang of leather-studded heshers. Songs like "Knightmare & Mane" and "Balls to Pass" are head-banging anthems. The four men who make up the rest of RTX often sound like Sunset Strip cock rockers.
The album packs an undeniable punch, but the music is usually too conventional, even bordering on slick, like a less ironic Andrew W.K. Too often flash and bombast take center stage. Herrema is one of rock's great singers, possessed of a trashed, throaty, and ferociously singular voice. Here she sounds somewhat smothered by the unimaginative production and the band's overheated metal tendencies, which become increasing monotonous. Only the album's closer, "Rat Will Kill," returns to some of the vivid strangeness of the opening song, shifting away from the sweaty clubs to a decaying wilderness.
Herrema has clearly lost none of her edge or iconoclastic spirit, but this album doesn't truly do her justice. (Drag City)

www.dragcity.com

-Lukas Sherman

M-Field - Current of Life
Produced, engineered and mastered by M-Field

M-Field's first full length is a nine-song album that does exactly what it should: deliver fresh new dance songs for the masses that still love pure, electronic dance music.
The album opens with "Foundation," an airy song filled with nu-skool break beats and soft synths that permeate throughout the track, giving it an ominous air. This is the type of song that helped international superstar DJ Sasha develop his signature style. The title track is a trance-thumping anthem that leaves behind all the silly cheesiness plaguing the genre, and instead slowly brings the listener into a world that is purely electronic but with a heart - albeit, a very dark heart. "World Soul" is a track that any big name DJ could use as an opener to a set. But the standout track happens to be the very last song on the album, "Memory Traces." This down-tempo thumper could easily find itself being used for any number of movie soundtracks and is in fact eerily reminiscent of music from The Matrix.
M-Field are an excellent production duo making electronic music that is sure to make waves across the scene. Their style is unique and one of the most creative, raw and compelling to come out of the North American trance scene as of late. With this release, they are easily positioning themselves for great things to come in the future. (PsyBooty Records)

www.psybooty.com

-Casey P. O'Neill

Goodbye Gadget - Killing June
Recorded by Steve Orlando at ECDA in Emeryville, CA and Johannes Luley at Enormous Studios in Mar Vista, CA
Mixed by Ryan Young and Joe Chiccarelli, with assistance from Jared Warner at SF Soundworks
Engineered by Steve Orlando at ECDA with assistance from Pave and Josh Gold
Mastered by George Burden

Goodbye Gadget, formerly known as Inspect Her Gadget, is back with a new band member and their long-awaited follow up to 2004's Look Harder! EP. Last year saw the all-female group take on male drummer Pave, who was included in the writing and recording of their latest work, Killing June.
On the album, singer Ana Isabel's vocals have a nasal quality and a throaty punk rock punch. They have a tendency to cloud the meaning of her words, but a quick glance at the liner notes reveals why the song made the album. Through lyrics like "I want to live inside the life of those who live in vain / A myriad of twisted eyes that manufacture fame / Cuz we build the concepts of perfection based on opinion to give the forced obsession," the band's true rebellious fashion becomes compelling.
Other songs on the album worth noting are "June," "Arm Candy," and "Dirty In Your Eyes" for the topics they cover. "Arm Candy" is a poppy stab at the pride of the homecoming queen who marries young, living in a dream that crumbles into dancing "on Wednesday nights inside the bar" as her only means of survival. The chorus of "Dirty In Your Eyes" conveys the boredom some find in domestic relationships, causing them to go astray and realize "the stranger in our bed is me."
Standing as a solid effort by the newly incarnated Goodbye Gadget, Killing June is an enjoyable listen that hints at an equally inviting live show. (Self-released)

www.goodbyegadget.com

-Krystal Iaeger

Signal Hill Transmission - An Empty Space
Recorded at Front Page Recorders and Romulus
Additional recording at Mo's Garage and 4th Street Recording
Mastered by Bill Dooley at Paramount Mastering
Produced by Signal Hill Transmission

On their third release, An Empty Space, longtime L.A. indie darlings Signal Hill Transmission have crafted a fine-tuned, melodic departure from their previous volume of work. An undeniable product of the local indie scene, Signal Hill Transmission's sound draws on the same bouncy pop as fellow pop/rock outfit Irving, but also dabbles in a jazzy The 88 realm, with traces of Elliott Smith and Sea Wolf melodies all worked in to their layered sound.
An Empty Space boasts a range of styles that are both naturally cohesive and aurally pleasing. "Pipe Dream," the album's opening track, has a beautifully finger-picked intro matched with thoughtful lyrics: "Just one last thing before you go / I'll have you know, I'll have you know / Your picture-perfect painted scene / Is an illusion, a pipe dream." Perfectly juxtaposed with the track's layered magnificence is "Alright," a rocking, nostalgic homage to the '70s glam rock scene in L.A. "No More Rides for Free" is a complete departure from this sound and is the song most highly reminiscent of Sea Wolf's textured alt-country/indie-folk sound. The title track continues this trend with its bouncy indie ho-down appeal. Clocking in at close to five minutes, "95 North" is comprised of a mere 25 words that are carried by surreal instrumentals that have an improvised feel but a clean sound.
The ten tracks on Signal Hill Transmission's new album each have a unique instrumental quality that is cohesively held together by singer Scott Warren's jazzy vocals. The orchestrations are uplifting and are layered with soft harmonies that work together to produce a whimsical romp through many different styles. (P.A. Juice)

www.signalhilltransmission.com

-Jen Tartaglione

Extropy - The Machineries
Engineered by Dave Andrus and Jeremiah Savage
Recorded at Skeptik in Santa Rosa, CA and Miasm Studio in Layton, UT
Mixed and Mastered by Dave Andrus at Skeptik
Produced by Extropy

For those who long for a forward-looking band with an epic worldview and the chops to match, look no further than Extropy. This is dark, determinately intelligent electronic music with dystopian, literary lyrics. Every detail, from the beautiful album art to the ambient noise, has been painstakingly crafted, enough so for any prog rock devotee to appreciate.
Extropy examines, "The long shadow of progress / The illusion of change" on "The Optimist." These lyrics may not stimulate hardened hipsters, but in the tradition of Rush, Metallica and Tool, Extropy tenaciously attempts to challenge the listeners' view of politics and technology with its allegorical imagery. When the programmed beats burst in on "The Optimist," what comes to mind is an extremely textured Nine Inch Nails, perhaps collaborating with Squarepusher. The vocals are like a less hammy Maynard James Keenan or Martin Gore, but with an alien quality to them. In addition to the cut-up beats and round synth sounds, there's some great sounding acoustic piano and guitar work that recalls Joy Division - teasingly starting a catchy pop song, only to end it a minute later.
One of Extropy's greatest strengths on The Machineries is how it paces itself, using songs that rarely repeat parts to lead the listener into a completely different episode. The track names do little to distinguish one "song" from another, as on "The Quiet Attraction of Suburbia," where an instrumental metal jam is cut off by cluttered television clips. Extropy keep flirting with a dance beat here or a rock riff there, but pull back as soon as it becomes comfortable. The eighth track, "Wisdom," is very dynamically surprising as a bass-heavy, dance floor song, an example of the numerous rewards that come with studious listening to this vivid and resonant work. (Self-released)

www.evolvesingularity.org

-Jake Rose

Push To Talk - Push To Talk
Produced and engineered by Tim O'Heir
Recorded at Prairie Sun in Cotati, CA and Good and Evil in Brooklyn, NY
Mixed by Tim O'Heir at Mirror Image in New York, NY
Mastered by Emily Lazar at The Lodge in New York, NY

Push To Talk is the first album released by the Oakland band of the same name. Primary songwriter James Leste composes in a cheerful and upbeat style that belies his East Bay punk roots. He doubles as frontman and sings his self-penned lyrics with sprightly conviction. With a total of five members, Push to Talk has a full-bodied sound: Guitar, bass, keys and drums are added to the vocals to create a classic pop recipe.
There is a live performance quality to this band's recorded music because of the lively percussion and energetic vocal delivery. The songs almost seem as though they were immortalized in one take in the studio in the fashion of vintage '60s pop groups, and the album's thirteen tracks offer a veritable wealth of material for a relatively new band.
"Haunting 56th Street" opens the album with a catchy melody and pretty vocals, clearly emphasizing the band's accessible sound. "Walk It Off" and "Lose My Head" continue in the same fast-paced and upbeat manner, while "Give It Up" and the appropriately titled "Take It Slow" provide the contrasting ballads requisite for a band with popular aspirations. "Problems" quotes one of Push To Talk's influences - "Roxanne"-era Police - with a tight guitar and bass beat on the verses. "Way Around the World" echoes another early '80s, Caribbean-inflected band, The English Beat, with its loping rhythm, passionate singing and theme of conflicted interpersonal communication; the single line, "You've got some explaining to do" neatly summarizes the emotional state of affairs outlined in the song. Many of Leste's lyrics are equally clever - "A yes takes a no to make a maybe" and "You are a fashion disease" are also especially memorable phrases. (Doghouse Records)

www.pushtotalkrock.com

-Susan Brooks

Odd Man Out - An Outsider's Perspective
Produced and arranged by Daniel Lippincott at Petri Disk Studios

MC Dan D. Lion is a character actor in terms of his ability to carry An Outsider's Perspective. On the album, Lion intersperses his silky verses with corny twists of tongue and nods to the golden age of hip-hop before posing the trademark underground question about what is going on in mainstream hip-hop.
But only so much can be said, and Lion spends more time than necessary calling out what every true underground hip-hop fan already knows. There is a precise and refreshing determination to producer/DJ Drunken Monkey's spread, though. Daniel Lippincott's deep soul and acid jazz atmospheres on "No Limits" give Lion just what he needs to make it the album's signature song. Lippincott's style echoes that of Japan's DJ Krush and his early and earthy work, fused with DJ Premier's soul-heavy, radio-friendly blend of hip-hop. This is a level of production that belongs on Stones Throw with Madlib and friends.
Expert sampling of The 5 O'Clock Belles' "When Nothing Began," coupled with Lion's storyteller's delivery on "Much Too Much," is on scale with Ghostface Killah's recent work. The ears start to yearn for something different on "Being Time" though, as the steady groove and subtle guitar picking grow tiresome. The most jarring track is "Dan D. Lion," which is so peppy and saccharine it could be the theme song for a hip educational kid's television show.
The group says it declined to invite guest MCs because the album was such a personal one. Granted, it does sound like a product of true love and a dedication to hip-hop. There is a potential here that goes beyond its DIY sheen. The haunting reverb on "Invisible Ones" points to a new path, something different, perhaps more than underground and above the mainstream. (Splintered Tree Records)

www.splinteredtree.com

-Mark Szakonyi

Lillydale - The Art of Becoming One's Own Shadow
Produced, engineered, and mixed by Johnny Sangster
Recorded at Chroma Sound
Mixed at Electrokitty
Mastered by Ed Brooks at RFI

It's too bad the genre "overture rock" doesn't exist, because Lillydale's genre designation would be as clear as day if it did. The northwestern quartet gives the listener a series of slow-building, climactic anthems centered around sweeping instrumentation, with a huge emphasis on lead vocals and harmony. If there's one thing the band does incredibly well, it's creating somber moods with instrumentation.
The Art of Becoming One's Own Shadow has its foundations in a vast, Phil Spector-sized wall of sound. Each song languidly grows and tapers into the next like a continuous cycle of overtures. It's not surprising that the band draws an operatic influence from other movement-based monoliths like Canadian indie rock outfit The Arcade Fire and Austin's Okkervil River. Lillydale uses keys, drums and heavy guitar forces to create a richly textured thrust that swells and carries the album's mood, while generally overwhelming the album's lesser qualities.
At his best, singer Jasil Markiewicz sings with narrow vocal inflection in the punchier, rock-based songs like "Here We Go (Again)" and the appropriately titled rock anthem, "The Last Teen Anthem." The problem is Markiewicz's voice doesn't have the vocal depth or technical force to drive the instrumentation. Think Adam Duritz (Counting Crows) stepping in for Win Butler (The Arcade Fire). The mood of the music is germinated almost solely by instrumentation, with vocals offering little operatic flare.
An exhaustive run up and down an emotional mountain range, this album and its lack of vocal and lyrical connectivity prevent any one song from emerging as memorable. (Mt Fuji Records)

www.mtfujirecords.com

-Christopher Petro

The Brink - Ripe
Mastered by Mark Fuller

Next time Blondie and The New Cars swing through San Francisco, they'd be wise to invite The Brink to provide opening support. The duo of vocalist/guitarist/keyboardist Butch Berry and drummer Drew Yurkov recorded Ripe last year as their entrée into retro new wave (they have since added bassist Jason Smith to round out the band). Since its release, the album has gained attention on GarageBand.com, where The Brink has earned numerous awards (all listed on the band's MySpace profile).
The Brink has a serious Cars obsession. Those "Let's Go"-era keyboard washes define a good chunk of The Brink's sound. Moving past 1980, "Lot To Lose" calls even Madonna to mind, as the song's "all over, all over" device in the first verse unashamedly places the hook from her hit "Dress You Up" into the band's lexicon. Underscoring the throwback motif is the sound of a stylus crackling in a vinyl record's grooves at the beginning and end of what would be "Side One" and "Side Two" of the album.
Vocals are a strong point, as Berry's tenor slides with an ease and smoothness that will garner wide appeal. While the disc itself sounds a bit distant and has a marked demo quality to it, the songs are hooky and strong enough not to get completely lost in the low-fi sound.
Every band needs a good visual image to succeed, and Berry's red shirt and tie peeking through staggered parallelograms against the album cover's black background screams style. These guys have it, and they wear it well. (Sizehawk Music)

www.myspace.com/thebrinksf

-Michael Fortes

Throwback Suburbia - Four Play
Produced by Mark Plati and Tom McKay
Recorded and engineered by Mark Plati at Dead Aunt Thelma's Studio in Portland, OR
Mixed by Mark Plati at Alice's Restaurant in New York, NY
Mastered by Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound, New York, NY

Throwback Suburbia's first show was just over a year ago in February 2006, but in the short span of time since then the band has managed to cover a wide swath of musical turf, performing to full capacity crowds and securing radio airplay along the West Coast. Possessing production credits for the likes of David Bowie and The Cure to name a few, producers Mark Plati and Tom McKay were back and forth between New York and Portland working on Throwback Suburbia's new four-song EP, Four Play. Joining the project's high-profile roster is mastering engineer and recent Grammy nominee Greg Calbi, who has worked with some of the most influential and legendary names in rock 'n' roll. The result is an explosion of prodigious power pop marked by commanding performances and arrangements on an EP that sticks to the intelligent side of the brain while keeping the pleasure side entirely entertained.
A hard-hitting arsenal of guitars, sterling vocals and highly evolved lyrics powers Four Play. Forming a multi-faceted pallet of instrumental and melodic hooks, these songs embed themselves deeply into the listener's head. From the compound intricacy and punchy, upbeat keyboard hook of "Circles" to the deep space guitar reverb intro and pounding rhythm of the Bowie-esque "Lonely With You," this EP condenses the essence of a remarkable CD into just four songs.
The performances of Mike Collins (drums), Jimi Evans (guitar/keyboards/vocals), Paul Bond (lead guitar), and Eric French (bass) all merit individual recognition. Throwback Suburbia, as a unit, proves to be a balanced, tuned machine in the studio as well as onstage. (Self-released)

www.throwbacksuburbia.com

-Fran Gray

Executive Branch Management - The Boardroom
Produced and engineered by Savage Productions, Vitamin D, Underrated, Bosko, Torry Ward, Bean One, Nicky Six Strings and Big Ice

While underground rock is still a staple in the Northwest, the underground hip-hop scene is slowly positioning itself to take over where grunge left off. This 16-song compilation features some of the Northwest's newest upcoming producers, rappers, and R&B singers and is an excellent showcase of the raw talent that is being produced in the region right now.
"Reprogram" by the Boom Bap Project (produced by Vitamin D) shifts back to the soulful territory that is reminiscent of early De La Soul recordings and features Northwest R&B singer Chokolate showcasing her beautiful voice for the world. But the album standouts happen to be two tracks by super-producer Bosko, whose many production skills have been utilized by Kanye West, Fat Joe and Britney Spears, among others. "Coffee" starts off with a nice soulful beat as Bosko raps about his day, but the song doesn't really begin until he starts showing off his amazing voice, which includes a falsetto that would make Justin Timberlake jealous. "Jus Cuttin" highlights Bosko's ability to create melodies that listeners will find themselves singing. The lyrics may be too dirty for some people, but they add to the allure of the song. However, not every song on the album is top notch. Both Cool Nutz and Arjay have the distinction of being talented artists, but their songs sound a bit too formulaic. These are only small setbacks on the album, though. The Boardroom serves as an excellent showcase of Northwest hip-hop and as an introduction to artists the rest of the West Coast should know about. (Executive Branch Management)

www.jusfamilyrecords.com

-Casey P. O'Neill