Album of the Month

Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes

Produced by Phil Ek

The singing has to come first with Fleet Foxes. On this Seattle band’s first LP, obin Pecknold’s unforced tenor and the rich layers of vocal harmonies carry each song through longing, or dreaming, or drifting, to clarity. It’s not the lyrics — while there are some great moments, this album is about texture. The song “Heard Them Stirring” rolls through big echoey toms, the flat arpeggios of a koto, warm traditional acoustic guitar, well-placed accents of electric guitar, and banjo on the upbeats. All the while, wordless vocal harmonies set the mood; they start out apprehensive and get a little braver when the electric guitar comes in.

Fleet Foxes’ sound is rich, as delicate and deliberate and strong as a spider’s web. Widespread reverb sounds less like an electronic effect than church choir acoustics. When the album is at its most down-home, it takes on this sacred sound rather than bluegrass jumpiness or lonelycowboy poses. “Oliver James,” the closing song, stands out with a strong solo vocal line backed only with restrained acoustic guitar and that heavy reverb. The lyrics tell a sort of Moses story, about a baby boy in a cradle pulled from the river, in a kind of plainsong. When Pecknold goes solo after all these choral pieces, the quality of his voice stands out. “Ragged Wood” is a perfectly-positioned example: coming after the first two songs, once their crystalline harmonies have established themselves, his clear, lone voice feels fresh and almost surprising.

This LP was recorded before the band’s debut EP, Sun Giant, but the EP was released first, in February. Fleet Foxes seems to have less to do with rock and more with harmony. Its moods take the listener across open grasslands, wide rivers and mountains, but spend a lot of time in the cathedral of the woods, the still, shady places in the Northwest where every patch of sunlight is a reason to tilt your face up to the sky.

(Sub Pop)

www.myspace.com/fleetfoxes

-Kjersti Egerdahl

Common Market

Black Patch War EP

Produced by Sabzi

With all the hip-hop coming out of Seattle these days, you would think that the city is due for another full-blown musical revolution. Well, it is pretty much happening in the form of a tight Northwest underground scene and new leaders are emerging to charge forward. One of these is Common Market, demonstrated by their new seven-song EP, Black Patch War, which brilliantly melds together a musical paradox of exquisitely sampled sounds and thought-provoking lyrics.

The EP is short, sweet and gets to the point almost immediately. “Oldham Era,” with its funky organ guiding a fierce head-nodding beat, creeps unmercifully along until finally the chorus is unleashed with a fat synthesizer layered on top that sends the song to the stratosphere. “Watership Down” stands apart from the rest of the disc, not by being cutting edge production-wise, but by applying the art of sampling such a delicate and tightly woven way that the silence between each sample slice speaks volumes. Finally, “Bonanza” ends the EP with one of the best feel-good hip-hop cuts made in a long time, featuring layers upon layers of beautiful jazz piano woven over a prime beat. DJ Sabzi’s production stands out for its raw intensity and perhaps uncanny knack for detail. But it’s RA Scion’s passionate lyrics about social injustice and the accountability of one’s own actions that round out the album and make it feel whole.

Black Patch War is a record made for the tried and true hip-hop fans, but with the accessibility to garner many new listeners looking for something great. Hopefully there will be a full-length follow-up coming soon. (Massline Media)

www.myspace.com/commonmarket

-Casey P. O’Neill

The Little Ones

Terry Tales and

Fallen Gates EP

Recorded by David Newton at Rollercoaster

Recording in Burbank, CA | Mixed by David

Newton and James Ford | Mastered by Dave

Schultz at Digiprep in Atwater Village, CA |

Produced by David Newton and The Little Ones

It’s been two years since the release of The Little Ones’ indelible Sing Song EP and a year since their digital Lovers Who Uncover remix album shook the world with its startlingly great renditions by CSS and Stereolab. After the L.A. five-piece was

released from EMI/Astralwerks due to devastatingly vast company-wide cutbacks, its debut full length, Morning Tide, waits anxiously, now slated for release this summer on the band’s own Branches Recording Collective label. Still ironing out the kinks, The Little Ones gratify eager fans with a memorable window into their upcoming release with this fast-paced six-song EP. Sing Song sets the textural, intricately patterned pop momentum, which this follow-up maintains with an edgier punch. Terry Tales and Fallen Gates glows with driving guitars, thrusting rhythm and anthemic indie rock vitriol — almost as if documenting the trials of the label tempers. Songs like “O-A (There’s A Sun)” signal that the band is optimistic in the face of discouragement, playing momentously through frustrations.

The listener gets reflective, dynamic melody twists and unexpected pacing with the experimental rhythm and upbeat moodiness on harmonic island-shaker “Unlock the Door!” as Edward Reyes sings, “Where did it all go / We waited so long / Our time is our time and our time has just begun.” Instrumentation recalls Sing Song, but with more dirty and curling guitars, bass, drums and distorted/pulsing keys as well as surprising, investigative work on steel drums, noted on the summery getaway “Boracay.”

Terry Tales regularly returns to the theme of frustrating destiny stifled by things out of one’s control, as found on “Forgive Yourself” with Reyes repeating, “Isolation has everybody chained.” The release plays as a reminder that the spotlight isn’t always ready when we’re ready, and that in the face of obstacles, we can draw out inspiration regardless. (Branches Recording Collective)

www.wearethelittleones.com

-Christopher Petro

The Old Haunts

Poisonous Times

Engineered by Johnny Sangster and Matt

Buscher at Neanderhall and Crackle & Pop |

Mixed by Johnny Sangster at Crackle & Pop |

Mastered by Roger Seibel at SAE Mastering |

Produced by Johnny Sangster

Poisonous Times, the third Kill Rock Stars release by Olympia’s The Old Haunts, is an

album of razor sharp guitar playing by Craig Extine that is backed with a well-paired rhythm section. It is the first release by The Old Haunts to feature Bikini Kill drummer Tobi Vail, and her terse beats compliment the skittish precision of Extine’s guitar with a restraint that provides exquisite tension. As if in reaction to the era that its name evokes, the tone of Poisonous Times is often defiant and rowdy; fortunately, it

provides ample space for the band’s quieter side.

While its sharp guitar lines and sneering melodies give the more upbeat numbers plenty of edge, Poisonous Times delivers its most poignant moments during the sparser tracks. And those moments, not surprisingly, highlight Exitine exclusively. The drug dirge “Hung Up on the Down Side” and its foil, the twinkling “Sunshine,” underline Extine’s capability to wield his guitar in disparate emotional directions. It’s his melodic playing and quivering voice that push the songs forward, and that’s basically true of the rest of the album as well.

Extine’s vocals deliver vulnerability without losing face. He can talk about how emotionally scattered he feels or how sunshine makes him happy without sounding like a crybaby, which is important for an indie rock band. Naturally, he’s heavy on the attitude, but that’s not a bad thing. When Extine sings, “I keep on trying / to fall asleep lying / with optimistic rhetoric,” the listener can appreciate his statement all the

more for the cadence with which he delivers it.

On the whole, Poisonous Times feels too intricate to be labeled exclusively garage rock. Its tattered soul feels too wounded to be a product of suburban ennui, its sentiments more symptomatic of time spent in the gutter than the garage. But there’s a brightness to the songs, a hit of snarky optimism that fends off the darkness. In times like these, what attitude could be more appropriate? (Kill Rock Stars)

www.oldhaunts.com

-Andres Jauregui

Experimental

Dental School

Jane Doe Loves Me

Recorded by Jay Pellicci at EDS HQ and Tiny

Telephone | Mixed and mastered by Jesse Hall,

Shoko Horikawa and Greg Saunier

Emulation is the highest form of flattery and on their new record, Jane Doe

Loves Me, Experimental Dental School are making nice with Deerhoof. For those not convinced by Deerhoof drummer Greg Saunier’s co-production credit on the album or the bands’ recent tour together, fret not: the record itself holds many parallels to

the disjointed, tangential songwriting and aesthetic parlor tricks of the oft-celebrated Bay Area foursome.

A follow-up to 2006’s 2 1/2 Creatures, the songs on Jane Doe Loves Me are not so much predictably unpredictable as they are requisitely weird. The album liberally flaunts the kinds of trappings that appropriately place the group under the umbrella of art rock. Casio blips, processed noise and churning guitars form the backdrop to songs about screwing ghosts and taking pills (not necessarily in that order). Although the sounds that constitute the songs — particularly those emanating from Shoko Horikawa’s atonal Casio — at times push the limits of tolerability, the song structures themselves are familiar enough, and the melodies palatable enough to make the album ultimately listenable — even catchy. The title track hides a conventional song structure beneath shifting dynamics and tempos. The bleeping/trudging tension on “Microscope Lab Voices” is alleviated by its brainteasing, if somewhat cutesy, broken-English refrain: “I am machine and am programmed for questioning.” “Obscene Back Porch Floating” and its tides of background noise and raga-folky melodies demonstrate a softer, spacier side that is underrepresented amongst the album’s jagged guitar ‘n’ drum stabs and free-form keys.

n Jane Doe Loves Me, XDS display an admirable pursuit of making the unexpected happen. While undoubtedly taking steps toward defining themselves in their own right, it’s clear that these three are following the lead of those innovators that preceded them. Their music might appeal most to fans of Deerhoof and to adherents of the latter-day cult of Captain Beefheart, but given the popularity of those groups among the avant-garde, following precedent is certainly not a bad thing. (Cochon Records)

www.experimentaldental.com

-Andres Jauregui

Derby

Posters Fade

Engineered, recorded, mixed and produced by

Derby at Secret Ships Studio in Portland, OR |

Mastered at SuperDigital by Tony Lash

Portland must have something in its water — how dare it give us another

magnetic indie rock outfit? Derby is one of those artists, both prolific in songwriting and awesomely talented at D.I.Y. recording. Note the above production credits — the only help the trio received was from Heatmiser’s Tony Lash, who mastered the album.

The strength of Posters Fade rests on Derby’s ability to infuse a degree of mystery throughout the album, as each tune wildly varies in tempo, grit, texture and instrumentation. The title track opens strong with driving electric guitar, marching percussion and Nat Johnson’s smoldering vocals, groaning and carrying an edge sharpened by the gritty rhythm. He sings, “You’re showing your face to the world / You turn me around / You do / You’re backing up / Just leave.” Contrast that song with

the bruteness of the following track, “Stumps,” which lumbers with an “Eleanor Rigby” air and shines with slow pulls of trembling strings, a drumless rhythm and spilling, doubled harmonies.

At times nearly indistinguishable, Johnson has a hazy voice, obscured and camouflaged by the thick strata of guitar texture and Isaac Frost’s flourishing, outpacing drums. Vocals are unruffled and smooth; absent is the flash or attention-grabbing boisterousness found in other Northwest acts like Modest Mouse or The Shins.

The complex structuring of Posters Fade rests squarely in the bedrock of interlacing textures from strings, guitars and harmonies. Surprisingly, the album’s continuity is found in its unexpectedness: the differentiation of unique, well-written pop songs exploring distinctive styles (melodic pop, country, soul and rock) and noodling through multiple tempos and tempers. Derby’s strength is in maintaining consistent hooks and foreseeable — to the point of whistling along — melodies. Posters Fade is a strong sophomore release for a highly promising up-and-coming band. (Green Submarine Records)

www.derbyrock.com

-Christopher Petro

Calico Horse

Mirror

Engineered, mixed and produced by Pall

Jenkins at home and at SDRL in San Diego |

Mastered by JJ Golden at Golden Mastering

San Diego’s Calico Horse rose like a phoenix, or in this case a dappled

equestrian, out of the ashes of the now defunct The Clock Work Army. Mirror started as a Clock Work album but singer and co-songwriter Emily Neveu was forced to mature away from cohort Scott Wheeler after he left for Portland. For Calico’s inaugural trot

through the studio (led by Black Heart Procession’s Pall Jenkins), there’s a palatable brooding force and playful erudition left over from Clock Work’s EP debut and sole release, A Catalyst for Change.

This is most noticeable as Neveu’s vivacious piano filigrees propel the wistful and bitter portrait of “Father Feed Me.” Her vocals follow the same logic on summer-noir fairy tales like “Rush of This.”

It’s quick critical shorthand to throw Calico Horse off as yet another indie band injecting slowcore’s languor into post-rock’s sense of thick ambiance. “Awake in the Clouds” is the album’s standout but also proves to be a perfect example of Mirror ’s barbed protectiveness. Industrial drum hits, mantra-like whistling and ghostly backing vocals swirl in a happy malaise.

Many of the songs on the album are tantamount to a carved grin into one’s face — perfectly happy in their cloistered states and clasped tight with a death grip. “Hi-Fi Plane Ride” with its tick-tock drum programming may see Neveu droop over dominant lines like “I want to eat your fingers / and clean them to the bone,” but Mirror isn’t heinously morbid. There are plenty of dark passages to explore with varying lengths of effectiveness. “Interlude 5” is haunted parlor instrumental music whereas “Gold” finds Neveu’s voice sounding particularly close to Kim Deal’s.

Ultimately, Neveu steals the show with her strong piano work and brittle voice. Mirror is the sound of tumbleweeds blowing by at midnight. (Banter Records)

www.myspace.com/calicohorsemusic

-Kyle Lemmon

Flashing Red

Lights

Bridges

Produced and mixed by Zach Schrock and

Mack Slevin at Aermotor Studio | Engineered

by Zach Schrock

For the most accurate representation of a band’s sound, one often finds it

advantageous to hear a description directly from the source. Mack Slevin, lead singer and guitarist of Los Angeles’ Flashing Red Lights, had this to say about the group’s debut EP, Bridges: “[It’s like] a freshly fleeced sheep standing at the top of a great mountain, shivering and yawning into the depths of a mighty canyon. With guitars.”

While those words may not immediately translate to the typical form of musical hyperbole, it’s certainly a fitting description for a five-strong outfit of ethereally-tongued indie rockers with nimble fingers — the muted picking found on “Strings & Brass” is a particularly charming album highlight — and alt-country temperaments. Perhaps a more accurate (and accessible) summation is found in the rather apt opening lyric from mid-album track “Lucky,” in which Slevin softly proclaims, “It’s beginning to look a lot like / Texas.”

It’s in this same Southwestern vein of influence that one notices the myriad hat tips and nods the group gives to fellow warm-tone rockers: anthemic, Wilco-esque guitar interludes saturate album opener “The Big Idea,” while Slevin’s lazy voice is reminiscent of Iron and Wine frontman Sam Beam, or something like The Decemberists’ Colin Meloy after catching a head cold.

As a longtime veteran of the L.A. music scene, Slevin’s name can be found credited in almost as many bands as there are songs on Bridges, having been a part of The Ghost Kings, Darci Cash and a spattering of other Southern California collectives. But it’s in Flashing Red Lights that Slevin truly finds his voice; Bridges synthesizes the lullabyed elegance found on Darci Cash’s Three Hands EP, the playful round-the-campfire feel of The Ghost Kings and the atmospheric melancholy of Slevin’s other side project, The Absentee.

To put it yet another way — it’s pretty darn good music. (Yukon Records)

www.myspace.com/flashingredlights

-Mike Isaac

Presto

State of the Art

Mastered by Tom Coyne at Sterling Sound in

NYC | Produced by Chris “Presto” Douglas

Rooted back East, dirtied down South and certified out West, Chris “Presto”

Douglas has bided his time marinating amidst the constant flux that is the modern hip-hop game. Rather than adhere to the many moneymaking trends, Presto lays low in the lab, culminating his Thelonious style of jazz-infused hip-hop. With distribution through Fat Beats, State of the Art is Presto’s second album released on his indie start-up, Concrete Grooves.

More maestro than emcee, Presto follows in the steps of fellow

instrumentalists Pete Rock and the late J Dilla, opting to render State of the Art a compilation album of sorts with a different featured artist on every track. From L.A.’s local mic heroes Blu and Trek Life to hip-hop legends Sadat X, O.C. and Large Professor, Presto flexes his network capably.

Presto’s jazzy spin on golden-era hip-hop sheds an entirely different light on certain established personalities. For example, Fatlip, formerly of The Pharcyde, plays the role of a rapping lounge lizard on “What’s What” as he spits three verses of pure game over a melody so laidback, it’s almost hypnotic.

CL Smooth seemingly applies the seal of approval to Presto with his usual “been there, done that” swagger on “Part of Greatness” — a beat truly reminiscent of Pete Rock. “On” featuring LOWD gets downright grimy as Presto demonstrates his knack for fundamental drum patterns laced underneath a whirring bass line.

Like most compilations of this nature, the sound does have a tendency to bleed from one track to the next as the BPMs remain uniform throughout the entire album. Whether this is a case of being monotone or monotonous can only be left up to the maturity of the listener’s ear. Presto represents a whole other chamber of sound in hip-hop. (Concrete Grooves)

www.myspace.com/prestojazz

-Franklin Grimes

Les Blanks

Shoot the Horse

Produced by Les Blanks | Engineered and

mixed by Josh “The Cane” Latham | Mastered

by Jeff Lipton at Peerle

ss Mastering

Los Angeles indie trio Les Blanks brings the bravado in droves with this most recent

LP, Shoot the Horse, a sing/speak-styled effort vocally reminiscent of Fu Manchu’s Scott Hill or Frank Black of Pixies fame.

After trademark issues sprang up over the band’s original name, Muso, the group settled on naming itself after critically lauded documentary filmmaker Les Blank. Just as The New York Times described Blank as “a documentarian of folk cultures,” Shoot the Horse chronicles a seemingly Southerly-raised youth coming to understand and criticize the world, juxtaposing Bible Belt-bred piety and God-fearing reverence with implied hypocrisy. Most apparent in the Wurlitzer-driven “Grand Kickstand,” lead singer Joshua Caldwell croons, “Strong hand commands in holy land / Brain brand the kid with Judas tan.”

Nothing if not dynamic, the album’s sound runs the gamut — the tinny, rapid-fire thrashing coming from Caldwell’s Telecaster on “Starry Tilting Sizzle” invites the swagger and sway of hips and boots on crowded dance floors, while the ragtime-tinged piano found in “La Reina” calls for a laidback saloon-style listening session.

Drummer Brian Soika shows his obvious affinity towards a teetered, snaretight percussive approach, while bassist Parker Todd Brooks underscores Soika’s energy with full, well-mixed support. The result is subtle yet moving, effectively pushing the listener to the brink of each break, then backing off just before and letting the twangy, tough guitar flood through the Vox cab and flush the chorus out into the ears of an anxious audience.

It’s the same anxiety that ends the record, leaving listeners in a Kerouac-inspired trance, wanting for further movement and continued rollicking. Ironically enough, in “Ages Old,” Caldwell asks for direction from a higher authority: “Oh St. Christopher / You’ve been paroled / Now come lead us / To our homes.” (Self-released)

www.myspace.com/lesblanks

-Mike Isaac

The

Starlings

Marveling the While

Recorded at Jupiter Studios in Seattle, WA, Jackpot!

Recording Studio in Portland, OR, Soundhouse

Recording in Seattle, WA, PineBox Recording in

Auburn, WA and Art Institute of Seattle | Produced

by Chad Hinman | Mixed by Chad Hinman and

David Dressel | Mastered by Garrett Haines at

Treelady Studios in Turtle Creek, PA

Wikipedia says that starlings, the birds, “have been known to imbed sounds from their surroundings into their own calls, including car alarms and human speech patterns.” The Seattle-based band of the same name tastefully avoids car alarm samples, choosing instead to uphold the reputation of the songbird’s powerful melodic intuition. Weaving through the roots of Americana, The Starlings stylishly mesh bluegrass,

country, folk and blues in service of that everlasting tune.

Marveling the While is a catchy record; producer Chad Hinman has left almost no room for improvement on the compelling arrangements and crystal-clear production. There is no wandering without purpose and no silence without grace. Joy Mills’ vocals have the lovely timbre of a brass bell, at their best ringing clear to the bone. Tom Parker’s rural affect grounds the harmonies in duet and lead vocals as well. “Geraldine,” with its touching lyrics and perfectly entwined chorus, stands out as a classic American story for the ages.

The album loses some of its organic feel in the various vocal overdubs — there seems to be no need to double Mills’ harmonies if Parker is standing by to provide them in real time. Additionally, though many of the songs display stunning moments of lyrical clarity, there is a general sense that the lyrics are still in rough-draft form.

A variety of moods throughout Marveling showcases the band’s creative approach to songwriting. “Bluebird” is an arresting dirge, demanding the listener’s attention with a chord progression like quicksand. Juxtaposed with singalongs like “Back to the Land,” and much appreciated humor, as in “If I’d Ever Change,” Marveling leaves a person feeling thoughtful and relaxed; seriously happy.

www.starlingsmusic.com

-Ali Marcus

From Bubblegum

to Sky

A Soft Kill

Recorded, engineered, mixed and produced

by Mario Ishii Hernandez | Mastered at

Capitol Mastering

From Bubblegum to Sky spawns from the vision of Mario Hernandez, a pop prodigy

drawing influences from his time spent in Japan and classic bands like The Beatles. His third and most recent release since 2004’s Nothing Sadder Than Lonely Queen, A Soft Kill continues From Bubblegum to Sky’s journey into the depths of lower-fi pop with 11 concise songs on an album totaling only 30 minutes in length. Classic warmth is achieved through the use of reel-to-reel analog tape, and the result is a modern

flurry of pop numbers with a retro sound that’s easily digestible.

Hernandez’s focused approach on achieving vocal polyphony peaks with “The Flash,” where even his “bup-bahs” are precisely harmonized. He contrasts smooth vocals with a series of manic, unrelenting guitar riffs. In fact, contrast seems profoundly important on A Soft Kill, as Hernandez also utilizes poppy-sounding lyrics secretly hiding somber layers of depth.

A lack of dynamics results from breathy vocals falling slightly behind the music. It’s sedate in a dark, drug-induced way, and works for the most part. However, Hernandez’s nasal vocal delivery occasionally distracts on more upbeat tracks like “I Always Fall Apart,” where a little more presence and energy might prove beneficial.

The album closes strongly with “Downtown or Up?,” a song featuring a refreshing amount of variation. Distorted guitars cut out in the chorus as the song opens up, ably matching the feel of Hernandez’s lyrics: “When all the neon lights turn blue / That’s when I find myself in you.” The song ends with a very successful “Hey Jude”-esque group singalong that one can only imagine would be a hit during his live show.

Aside from a digital download, A Soft Kill will only find life in vinyl LP format. But that just keeps in line with the juxtaposing nature of From Bubblegum to Sky — it’s simply complicated. And while most artists thriving on simplicity might fall into the trap of pretentiousness, Hernandez more than provides in the field of substance. (Eenie Meenie Records)

www.myspace.com/frombubblegumtosky

-Keane Li

Shuteye Unison

Shuteye Unison

Engineered and recorded by Jake Krohn and

Daniel McKenzie at Closer Recording in San

Francisco | Mixed by Pall Jenkins at SDRL in San Diego | Mastered by Daniel McKenzie |

Produced by Donald T. Bacon

Add a little fire and water and San Francisco trio Shuteye Unison could be

one of the few bands to incorporate all four elements into its being. With its debut on the new Bay Area indie label Parks and Records — which was co-founded by bassist/vocalist Jon Fee and espouses a rather grounded mission that includes recycled album packaging and contributions for environmental preservation — it certainly has the earth part down. And with soaring shoegaze melodies awash in cloudgrazing bliss, there’s enough air circulating in the band’s sound to make any listener feel like flying in euphoria.

Fee and guitarist/vocalist Daniel McKenzie conjure lush sonic soundscapes, less rooted in the post-punk percussion of their previous band, The Rum Diary (now on hiatus). With Jake Krohn (The Action Design) on drums, they craft a rather noteworthy offering of dream-pop here that bursts in classic 4AD ethereality — from the tone-setting ambient instrumental “CRF 030608” to the cinematic “Fields Landing,” which builds from a sample of backwoods film dialogue, Indian drones and lingering, Sigur Ros-like wails into a paced post-rock meditation on distortion and liberation: “Once you’re in a crash / It’s always too soon to land.”

Feedback obfuscates some lyrics with high-toned falsettos blending into the scenery and whispers and breaths becoming instruments on their own, as on “Latin Metrics” where they buoy the song’s polyrhythmic textures. When the subdued vocals peep through on epic closer “Through Dunes” — which is saturated with a My Bloody Valentine melodic glow, hollers taken from a real-life rally and noisy fuzz layers — they beckon listeners to freedom: “Lose yourself in a crowd / Before you can be found.”

Barely passing the half-hour mark, Shuteye Unison’s debut culminates into an intensely gratifying listen that breezes by — before you know it, the wind flow you’ve been caught up in safely guides you to touch back down on Earth. (Parks and Records)

www.myspace.com/shuteyeunison

-Julia Cooper

The Uprights

Displaced People EP

Recorded, engineered, mixed and mastered

by Jake Witt at Limb and Torso Audio in

Seattle, WA | Produced by The Uprights

The Uprights are a Seattle-based group led by Jake Witt (ex-Romance) on vocals,

guitar, keys and electronics, with fellow multi-instrumentalist Vann Geondeff,

drummer Jonas De Verona and bassist Matt Meldon. Displaced People is their self-released debut EP with a brief track list of only four songs but a relatively hefty total running time of 25 and a half minutes. The band’s bio hints at recording work lost due to computer crashes (not once but twice). If repeated rebuilding helped make these songs as strong as they are, the band’s misfortune was a blessing in disguise. In

any event, the reconstruction was well worth the effort — this disc is filled with gorgeous melodies and headphone-filling sounds, songs that are panoramic in scope and performed with ardor.

Twinkling keyboards and dry, glitching electronics combine with expansive, reverby guitars, driving live drums and Witt’s vocals, which

go from sotto voce to wide open, to comprise a compelling blend of intimate and epic on opener “New September Fire.” Nocturnal insect noises introduce the magnificent eight-plus minute “Migrant Song,” which achieves an unironic, impassioned grandiosity with chiming guitar, soaring vocals and 1980s-style synthesizer. “Black Water” (the final two songs are listed out of order on the CD case) begins and ends

with a cappella vocals and echoing handclaps; the rest of the song rides on crests of massively overdriven bass, crashing drums, pizzicato keyboard strings and more shimmering cascades of guitar.

Album closer “We’ve Been Here Before” makes fantastic use of an alternating 7/4 — 4/4 modified motorik time signature (the most

danceable 7/4 rhythm since Broken Social Scene’s “7/4 (Shoreline)”), with an indelible vocal hook and gorgeous ringing guitar strums. It’s the most immediately accessible and memorable song on this impressive and accomplished debut. (Limb and Torso Audio)

www.myspace.com/theuprightsmusic

-Mike Baehr

Park Avenue Music

By Hearts + Horses

Recorded, engineered and mixed by Wes Steed

| Mastered by Eric Broyhill at MonsterLab |

Produced by Park Avenue Music

A shiny, sparkling piano is the backbone to every shiny, sparkling song on this release

from Sacramento couple Park Avenue Music. Sizzling in short electronic bursts spark drum machines, samples and fuzzy, warm synthesizers. It’s a pleasant juxtaposition between the raw organics of acoustic piano playing throughout the album and the

manufactured sterility of controlled digital noise and distortion; it’s a soundtrack atmosphere of ethereal ambience.

While the lack of structure may repel some listeners, others will be moved by the powerful imagery of complicated environments and specific places created within a mostly-instrumental soundscape. Airy vocals decorate some of the tracks and play perfectly into the mood. Distorted beatboxing samples function as an incredibly effective beat and reversed cello creates handsome vacuums of natural tones. Pitted against the spectrum of digital distortion, ring modulations, delays, reversed and bit-crushed synths, samples and drum machine, these organics resonate with a wonderful clarity, leaving the songs open to movement and the music between the notes.

Those inclined to experimental noise will be contented with the vast range of clicking, buzzing, whirring and pretty much every digital effect imaginable being tweaked tastefully above and beneath layers of jazzy piano progressions, reverberating through outer space. In fact, this is the record that, in a parallel universe, was supposed to be recorded in a lunar space station by Brian Eno and Aphex Twin, with guest appearances from Nico and Billie Holiday. But since that fell through, one can be thankful for Wes Steed and Jeannette “Juju” Faith who are making sounds that will create imaginary places-to-be here on the West Coast. (Clairecords)

-Evan “The Bug” Williamson

Webelos

Webelos

Produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by

Webelos in Seattle, WA

Sometimes albums are a lot like a hand of Texas Hold ‘Em. You have your sure

things — your pocket aces — that are almost guaranteed to rake in a big pot.

Then there are the solid hands — high, unmatched face cards that could go either way but are generally a good bet. The debut album by Seattle’s Webelos is like a suited 4-8 that, on a whim, you take a chance on, and with the right amount of luck, pays off.

This four-song disc, recorded in lead singer Jim’s bedroom, starts off rather inconspicuously with the instrumental “Another Nature Study.” Though whimsical and interesting, it represents the EP’s only misstep with a problem of sequencing: don’t begin your debut record with a non-lyrical song. That being said, the melody of “Nature Study” and the slightly off-tempo hand claps that enter the song at the two and a half

minute mark are so totally engaging that Webelos can be forgiven for not hooking the listener immediately.

Once “Yellow is the Color” kicks off with its laidback guitar and disaffected vocals, it’s obvious that this is a hand you can ride to a giant payday. Using a lyric and a vocal pattern that would make Wes Anderson swoon, Webelos craft the type of love song that gets under your skin and stays there. Reminiscent of tunes by Nico, as found on the Rushmore or Royal Tenenbaums soundtracks, it is almost impossible to get this song out of one’s head. In fact, “Another Nature Study” is much like the instrumental transitions between the songs on The Royal Tenenbaums soundtrack, with just as much sparkle and cinematic dynamics.

“Yellow” is immediately followed by “Last Time Down in Portland,” which sees the band reaching out towards another obvious influence in Pavement, but this time with co-vocalist Tonjia taking the mic. The wordplay in this song is reminiscent of that classic indie band and features playful yet aching lyrics like “I starve myself with salad / wrote a dozen ballads.”

The EP closes with “Natural Harmonees.” Though not as strong as the previous two tracks, it is still a great tune to bob one’s head to with its prominent bass line and inviting melody, vaguely reminiscent of Nirvana’s “Lounge Act” but with more distant, despondent vocals.

Webelos have crafted an excellent opening salvo. Though somewhat inconspicuous, it shows a band that with patience and a little luck will definitely be holding a straight flush. (Whprwhil Records)

www.myspace.com/seriouslysmith

-Rob Bergquist

The

Interchangeable

Hearts

Lost

Recorded and engineered by Ellard at Lennon

Studio in San Francisco, CA | Mixed and

mastered by Ellard at Zeitgeist Rekords Studio

| Produced by The Interchangeable Hearts

Browsing Craigslist advertisements can be hit or miss. For the three musicians in San Francisco’s The Interchangeable Hearts, however, finding each other via the popular

website may have been a priceless blessing, evidenced in their debut six-song EP, ironically titled Lost.

Lina Hancock’s seductive vocals couple with rich melodies and arrangements as intricate as the heart itself to create a smooth feel throughout, while all of these unique parts keep the band beating strong. Most importantly, the new trio accomplishes this without exhibiting a forced complexity.

Appropriately introducing the album is one of its standout tracks, “Now That I’m Gone,” which begins with fluid bass and organ instrumentation and stark vocals, and gives way to a memorable chorus that highlights the perils of relationships and unrequited love. Hancock proclaims passionately, “We can’t be together / But I will love you forever / Try to understand.” Hancock’s hypnotic delivery impressively parallels that of Neko Case, Chan Marshall and Hope Sandoval, yet remains distinctly her own.

Throughout the rest of the EP, the songs are noticeably well-written and have an eerie yet delicate feel to them, highlighted best in “Maze.” Another notable track, “On My Knees” is an up-tempo offering with an appealing piano lead and a solid breakdown that keeps with the relationship theme with the lines “You won’t get out of my mind / I dream about you every night / And that ain’t right.” Overall, the release establishes The Interchangeable Hearts’ presence in the Bay Area music scene with solid indie-pop splendor.

Call off the search! In Lost, the three musicians seeking out a band may have found what they were looking for — and a whole lot more. (Zeitgeist Rekords)

www.theinterchangeablehearts.com

-Joey Dean

Conrad Ford

Secret Army

Recorded and produced by Conrad Ford at

Radio-Optik in Seattle, WA | Additional

engineering by Chris Duryee | Mixed by Tucker

Martine at Flora Studios | Mastered by Ed

Brooks at RFI

As sophomore albums go, Conrad Ford’s Secret Army plays it safe. This is one Seattle band that manages to use the hushy vocals common to indie pop in dynamic combination with rhythm and lyrics, avoiding monotony. Add that to the band’s soulful

folk vibe and knack for saying more with less, and it’s fair to say that Conrad Ford has made another good record.

The other half of that thought is that the second album lacks exactly the same things as the first one did: verve, color, delight. Start to finish is a lazy afternoon nap or a late-night drive to the middle of nowhere. Thus, where Secret Army succeeds is in its ability to displace its audience.

The stories told are hard-driving tales of toil and woe, most chilling in “Marry the Unknown,” due in part to Jonah Baker’s efforts on the saw. Andy McAllister sings, “Every town there is a traitor / Every leader there’s a savior / Maybe I’ve bitten off more than I can chew,” bringing us all into the spacious desert of his own creation.

“Breakdown” absolutely requires a singalong with its infectious chorus. “Truth Hits Hardest” is the most spirited of the bunch, and the most distressing: “You walked on water / I couldn’t even walk on the street.” Almost every track begins with an intro that catches attention, but few are able to hold it throughout. Intriguing words and strong beats give way to Conrad Ford’s signature reserve, begging the question — is there such a thing as too much space? (Tarnished Records)

www.conradford.com

-Ali Marcus