Beth Bombara

MAN I can't believe 2017 is almost over.  I need to do a post on the top bands of 2017, but I have so little free time I can't even contemplate it right now.  While I continue to procrastinate, I give you: Beth Bombara.  This girl is from the Midwest, and has a distinctly American sound to her music.  There are aspects of old-school Americana in it, as well as a strong folk influence.  Noisetrade is offering a sampler from her album "Map & No Direction", and it is quite excellent; I don't normally go in for much Americana unless it's really retro-sounding, but this is just right.  It sounds like a little bit more rocking version of The Honeycutters.  The musical layering is quite expertly done, and her voice complements the instruments very well.  Give her a listen! 

Good Lovelies

This Canadian folky-indie trio is pretty solid.  Evidently they've been together for more than 10 years, although I only I came across them on noisetrade a few weeks ago.  I've seen them classified as country, although I'd definitely classify them more as folky.  The harmonies are excellent, and I really like the backing instrumentation.  They are less retro and more poppy than the Honeycutters, but I'd generally classify them as Americana/folk.  You can download a sampler of their music on noisetrade.  Give them a listen. 

The Tourist Company

This alternative pop-rock band out of Vancouver, BC, has a really nice, orchestral sound, with a formidable array of instruments in use on different songs.  The lead singer sounds a bit like Ben Gibbard of Death Cab; the style of music is less whimsical, at times sounding like straightforward alt-rock (similar to Side Saddle, for example), and at other times sounding like synth-heavy 80s pop.  They have managed to span a lot of different styles and recent periods of music pretty successfully, in my opinion.  Their recent LP is actually available for free on noisetrade; give it a listen.

Aquilo

This band was a recommendation from a friend in Fort Collins, whose music taste I have considerable respect for.  Evidently they are a duo from England.  I've just been listening to their soundcloud page, and I have to say they are quite good.  The style of the music I would put somewhere between indie rock and electropop.  Perhaps more on the contemplative, mellow side in general; I would even classify many of their songs as dark.  There is a fair amount of soul to the riffs, actually reminiscent of some Oh Wonder songs.  They are definitely worth listening to! 

Your Friendly Neighborhood

This is a dude from our hometown of Boulder, Colorado!  I would classify the music as super mellow and relaxing alternative rock, even bordering on ambient rock.  Noisetrade has a sampler mix from his album Overflow, and it's quite compelling.  The electronic aspect of the music is kept to a minimum, with more classic alternative rock drum and guitar riffs.  I highly recommend giving it a listen, particularly during a night drive if you have the chance...the song "Backroads" seems designed for that purpose.  The vocals are almost reminiscent of Bon Iver, but a bit less experimental and more down to earth.  You can download the Overflow sampler here.

Joshua Lee

This guy is sort of an old-school bluesy rocker with a voice that reminds me of Matt Berninger of the National.  I listened to his "Promise Land" EP on noisetrade; it's worth checking out.  The variety of style in the songs is considerable; some of the songs are pretty moving actually.  The chord progressions are classic, and they work well with his understated but deep voice.  I'll be curious to hear this guy's future work; I think he has a lot of potential. 

Sufjan Stevens, Bryce Dessner, Nico Muhly and James McAlister: PLANETARIUM

I've been meaning to do a post on this phenomenal album for quite a long time now.  I first heard of it through some references online, but didn't make time to give it a listen until a personal recommendation from my boss (who has spectacular taste in music).  It's a fascinating album.  All of the vocals are done by Sufjan, and much of the musical style seems right in line with the rest of his work in the last few years.  Some songs are strongly reminiscent of Carrie & Lowell (and are just as masterfully simple yet powerful), while others are more similar to the Age of Adz (i.e., somewhat electronic and decidedly dark...and occasionally terrifying).  The range of emotions on the album is incredible.  I highly recommend listening to it, even though you will likely have a hard time listening to some of the songs.  The tuneful ones make up for it. 

Meg McRee and Peter Gardner

So, it's apparently been like three months since I last did a music blog post.  Not sure how that happened.  But I'm going to try to be more regular again now.  To start this off, I give you this recent discovery.  To me, they sound like a mix between the Civil Wars and Oh Wonder...folky, but with a hint of bluesy jazz.  They have some extremely creative and delightful songs, with a really nice blend of acoustic guitar in a minor key, similar to recent work by the Oh Hellos.  You can download their music on noisetrade.  I would highly recommend it. 

David and Deidre Casey

I came across this alt-folk husband-wife duo (from Helena) on noisetrade, and we immediately intrigued.  They have a very polished indie-folk sound, with lots of really interesting and creative melodies.  Overall I would describe them as a mix between The Both and Trampled by Turtles...a bit less orchestral than the former, and a bit less frenzied/fast than the latter.  The music is a fascinating fusion of retro style with elements of new indie rock, and their simple voices work really well with it.  Their album "Little Fox Little Bird" is quite excellent, with hardly a bad song on it.  It's definitely worth a listen, especially since it's currently available for free on noisetrade.

Newfoundman

I'm not sure how it's been over a month since I last posted.  Sarah introduced me to this super chill, indie-folky artist.  I pronounce it similarly to Newfoundland...not sure if that's what he intended, but it's got a nice ring to it.  His songs feature simple but very pleasant guitar riffs, which pair very well with his down-to-earth conversational voice.  It's pretty relaxing music.  To me, it's evocative of landscapes, particularly the woods.  Good road trip music.  I highly recommend giving his EP "Thrown by this Eastern Wind" a listen.

SEE

I came across this girl's music on noisetrade.  She's from New York, and sounds very much like the lead singer from Ms Mr.  Overall her music is an intriguing blend of electropop and alternative rock; the tunes and harmonies are pretty compelling, with a nice mix of instrumentation in the background.  At times it's stripped down to just an acoustic guitar, and at other times a heavier alternative-rock sounding orchestra.  I can't vouch for the wholesomeness of the songs necessarily, but the style of music is quite cool.

The National Parks

I was initially torn on this band; I couldn't quite decide if the music was too poppy and sugary sweet for me.  But after a few listens I'm pretty sure there is a lot of talent here.  They are evidently from Provo, which is interesting, and have only been around since 2013.  The musical style sounds like a mix between Tow'rs and Coldplay; it's quite poppy but the melodies and instrumentation are very well done.  So far I've only listened to their most recent album "Until I Live", but it's quite a pleasure to listen to.  There is a hint of electropop influence to the style, but also a hint of country/western.  I really like it.

DOSSEY

Alright, here's another electropop offering for all you fans of the genre.  This girl is from Austin; her music is a bit stronger on the "pop" side of electropop, but what I've heard is quite catchy.  Evidently her April EP "Electric" is no longer available for download on noisetrade, but the music is still worth checking out if you can.  There is a strong resemblance to Kye Kye in the musical style, actually...with maybe a bit less dreamwave and a bit more straight pop.  The last song on the EP is a cover of Peter Gabriel's "In Your Eyes"; it's hard to go wrong with such an awesome song.  Give it a listen.

The Harbor

This is another recent noisetrade discovery.  This super chill ambient duo is from Austin, TX.  I'd compare them somewhat to Explosions in the Sky, but they have lyrics (which are very solid).  On top of the ambient vibe, they also take the best elements from the alternative rock genre.  The lead singer has a really ethereal voice, and the layering background instruments, particularly the picked guitar, really complement it well.  Their music is deeply powerful, in my opinion.  Definitely listen to their EP, which is available on their noisetrade; it's excellent.

Oh Wonder

Man, it's been a while since I've done a post.  The time has come.  This electropop duo from London is my most exciting recent discovery.  They sound a bit like CHVRCHES, a bit like the XX, a bit like 21 Pilots.  Their songs are intriguingly catchy and impossible to get out of your head.  Their voices work together very well, and I particularly appreciate the layering and variety of instruments.  The bass is especially awesome.  The style of the music has an undeniable R&B influence, which I don't normally enjoy, but for some reason they make it work.  Their self-titled LP has 15 songs (so refreshing in a day when most new albums are like 7 songs, 30-40 minutes), and is like $6 on amazong.  Evidently they have a new album coming out in about 6 weeks, which I will definitely be checking out.  If you listen to only a couple of their songs, check out Technicolour Beat and Livewire for the breadth of their music.  This band could become quite big I think.

This Royal Nation

This easy-listening, upbeat electropop artist out of Boise has captured a really nice sound.  His music is poppy, but with a nice balance of syncopated rock rhythms and orchestral-sounding electric guitar.  Some of the riffs remind me of old school Switchfoot, but with slightly more of an electronic slant.  His 3-song EP "Now And All At Once" is available for download on noisetrade; it's evidently his first release.  Each song has a unique enough sound that I've been quite intrigued, and would certainly be interested to hear more from this guy.

Explosions in the Sky

I was looking back through my old posts, and I can't find anything on this band out of Texas.  They are a bit more well-known than the typical band I comment on.  I've known about them for several years; however, at a recent yurt trip for a friend's bachelor party, one of the other groomsmen was playing their most recent album on some speakers he brought on the trip, and it was extremely good.  Although the band has been around since 1999, this album "The Wilderness" was evidently their first one in five years.  The music is exclusively instrumental, and highly orchestral, with a large variety of instruments and sounds.  Overall it's sort of "epic" in the original sense of the word.  Much of it sounds like a landscape.  There are quite a few other bands who have a similar vision and sound (such as Mogwai and This Will Destroy You), but Explosions in the Sky is probably the best-known.  If you haven't listened to them, do it.

Weaver at the Loom

This is an electropop group out of Minneapolis.  They remind me of a substantially more upbeat, rocky version of Beach House (somewhat more like Coldplay in that regard).  The lead singer has an extremely tuneful voice, which works well with the backing instruments.  The end result is quite a pleasure to listen to if you like alternative rock and electropop.  They have an EP entitled "Lap Dog" (which I originally thought was the name of the band, but it's already taken by another band) available for download on noisetrade; evidently they also have two full length albums which I have not yet listen to.

Tow'rs

I thought I had already done a blog post on these guys, but I haven't been able to find it anywhere.  They are sort of an indie-hipster folk group out of Flagstaff with a lot of soul / blues influences.  They sound a bit like a Christian version of the Head & the Heart.  The dude has a really deep and gruff sounding voice, and it works really well with the girl's voice.  The backing instrumentation is pretty extensive, with lots of guitar and various types of percussion as well as a lot of strings.  I initially heard of the group when they put up one of their EPs up on noisetrade, but was just reminded of them today as they posted their recent full-length album "Grey Fidelity" for free download.  It's phenomenal.  The rhythms and guitar work are exceptionally well done.  I think this is one of the best up-and-coming indie folk bands I've heard of.

The Hope Arsenal

I came across this guy on noisetrade today.  He sounds like an more much epic and orchestral version of WASHA.  It's an extremely powerful and well-executed blend of indie-folk and electropop, with really redemptive lyrics.  The combination of instruments, and the building dynamics in each song give it a pretty unique intensity, which is particularly well complemented by his understated, deep but very tuneful voice.  It's extremely good.  Check it.  There's a free download on noisetrade.

Young Oaks

This band sort of reminds me of Beta Radio, with a more consistent mellow alt-folk sound.  There's also a girl that sings on some of the songs, which gives the music a nice sound.  Her voice sounds like girl from the Welcome Wagon...the band sounds like a less epic and orchestral version of the Welcome Wagon.  I like the simple guitar riffs and pleasing harmonies.  They have a free download available on noisetrade.

Vic Chesnutt

This guy is a bit outside of my normal genre, but he definitely made an impression.  He's from Athens, GA, and he sounds like that town to me!  He's got a raspy, earthy voice, and creates this very atmospheric, grungy-sounding Americana with just a few instruments.  The style is pretty minimalist overall.  He has a unique voice that almost sounds like it's out of the 1800s.  He's a storyteller during his songs as well.  Give his stuff a listen if you like this slightly more country style than my normal posts.

Project Diem

I came across this group on noisetrade, as usual.  Evidently they are a Brooklyn-based electropop due, with a sound falling somewhere between Beach House and Ms Mr.  I heard only one song, "Broke Soundiem", but it was compelling enough to catch my attention.  The combination of the percussion and the extremely creative melodies along with the leading girl's somewhat wavering voice works really well.  I highly recommend giving them a listen.

The Brilliance

This band has been absolutely blowing my mind with their new album "All Is Not Lost" over the last couple of months.  I'd known about the group for at least a couple of years thanks to my wife--the lead singer is evidently Michael Gungor's brother, and I would often get their music confused since their voices and musical style are quite similar.  I always thought their music was somewhat aimless and wandering, though.  This all changed about a month ago when we went to a show at the Boulder Theatre where they were opening for Josh Garrels.  Their songs took on a new life performed live, and with an incredibly powerful mix of electronica and orchestral arrangements.  Everything I heard from their upcoming 2017 album (which we were permitted to buy at the December concert even though it hadn't been officially released yet) was encouraging.  The album itself still gives me chills every time after listening to it many dozens of times.  You need to get it.  It's hard to envision the album not being top on my list of albums for 2017.

Benjamin James

This guy (from North Carolina) is a mellow folky singer-songwriter type that I recently discovered.  His vocals and a lot of his musical style reminds me strongly of Zach Winters.  It's extremely understated (for the most part) but quite powerful at times.  The backing instrumentation is highly variable, going from just guitar up to what sounds like a full orchestra.  The lyrics are a bit less random and more directly biblical than Zach Winters'.  Give his music a listen.  He apparently released two albums last year.

Top 10 Albums of 2016

The new year is upon us, so it's time to decide on the top ten albums of the year.  I'm having a harder time than usual filling in the ten spots, but I'll give it a shot.  Check back later for more content.

EPs:

Late Nite Cable (Late Nite Cable)

This 80s-esque electropop collection (called an EP, but about as long as your typical LP these days) feels like a timeless classic.  When I first heard the songs, they sounded like music I had known about since childhood, even though the release came out this year.  I highly recommend giving it a listen.

The Feels (The Feels)

Another excellent electropop release this year, the Feels' self-titled EP is also on the longer side of the spectrum.  The group is sort of like an American version of CHVRCHES, with a leading girl singer and super-catchy synth riffs and percussion.  Some of the songs are exceptionally catchy and will get lodged in your head for weeks, but it's a good thing.

In Moonlight (Trevor James Tillery)

This ethereal artist from LA is new on the scene this year.  His debut EP "In Moonlight" is quite good...I'd consider it alternative singer-songwriter music with folk influences but also somewhat electronic.  It's really creative, and the songs work pretty well together.  I'll be curious to see what his future work is like.

Dust to Dust (Stella Stagecoach)

I think this is about the best EP I heard this year, overall.  I'd never heard of this group before, but their unique mix of folk style with orchestral arrangements is pretty compelling.  The lyrics are extremely solid, too.  The harmonies between the guy's and girl's voices work very well.  In some ways the group reminds me of The Collection, and maybe a bit of the Oh Hellos.  I highly recommend giving this one a listen.

A Taste of Passive Aggressive (The Radio Dept.)

This very easy-listening EP from the Radio Dept. is a true pleasure.  Vocally, the style reminds me of Spoon or maybe more so the Strokes.  The music is a lot of fun, and I find it hard to believe anyone who has a taste for good music could not enjoy it.  It seems particularly good driving music.

Geode and Gold EP (ELEL)

This group out of the southeastern US has a unique sound.  It's hard to describe, but definitely has very retro elements.  I was intrigued at first listen with this 3-song EP.  I don't care for one of the three songs, but the other two are creative and catchy enough to warrant their making this list of honourable mention EPs.  Their music video for the opening song is entertaining as well.

Thrown by this Eastern Wind EP (Newfoundman)

My wife introduced me to this guy.  I pronounce it similarly to Newfoundland...it's a funny and creative name.  His music is characterized by very mellow guitar riffs and an understated vocal style.  He's got a very youthful voice, but it works well with his guitar work.  He has other music out, but this EP was released in 2016.

When Lands are Golden (LaPeer)

Apparently this guy is from Michigan, although his voice sounds Euro.  Maybe he's an immigrant.  Regardless, this EP is extremely catchy.  Some might consider it a bit on the cheese side, but musically I think it's pretty well-executed.  The style of the music is sort of 80s electropop, but it has a bit of a rock feel too.

RYLO (RYLO)

Another electropop classic from this year, this girl has achieved an amazingly powerful collection of three songs...they work best at very high volume.  I really like the dynamics and how the songs build, and the backing instrumentation / electronics are pretty awesome.

LPs:

10. Maybe Sometimes - In C (Grace Joyner)

This album is fairly mellow, electronic/alternative rock.  The electronic style of the music pairs well with her ethereal and occasionally intentionally slightly-off-key vocals.  The songs all have a nice chill groove.  Some of the songs could be considered a bit on the whiney side, but overall I think her sound is unique and creative enough to make the top ten list.

9. Mile Marker 295 (Enos)

This release was my introduction to this Austin-based group, thanks to noisetrade (it's actually still up there for download).  The songs are alternative rock at its best, and they work very well together.  There are a couple of standouts, such as the opening song "Wait for me Pt. 1" and "The Porter", but there really isn't a bad song the album.  The lyrics are pretty thoughtful and honest too.

8. Better Country (Before the Brave)

I never cared for Before the Brave until I heard this new 2016 album.  I would consider the musical style pretty consistent with their previous work (at least what I've heard of it), but this new record sounds more mature and more musically skillful to me.  There's a lot of variety among the songs, and many of them have a nice alternative rock feel to them, or a folky sound, which I appreciate.  It's a good album overall.

7. Cleopatra (The Lumineers)

This new release from the Lumineers is actually decent.  I didn't particularly care for their previous album, and never could quite understand the critical acclaim it received.  I feel like their sound has developed into something much more interesting with this new album.  Some songs are better than others, but on the whole it's musically superior to their first release.

6. Sentimental Creatures (Jess Ray)

This girl sounds like a female version of Josh Garrels.  This album is really solid.  The number of instruments in use is formidable, and her slightly retro-sounding, bluesy voice complements the guitar and percussion particularly well.  The time signatures of a few of the songs are quite bold and interesting.  Overall it's very creative and worth listening to.

5. Terra Incognita (Joe Hertler & the Rainbow Seekers)

This retro-sounding alternative rock band sounds quite a bit like a younger, more chill version of Jimmy Eat World.  I've never heard of them before, but their 2016 album captured my attention.  It's got quite a bit of soul, but it's the good kind of soul (for the most part), and it works well.

4. Creatures (Portage)

Portage got my attention with their 2012 release, "Landings".  The folk rock group from Duluth, MN have a unique style of soulful rock music, and their earlier album was extremely good.  Somehow this new album slipped my attention until just recently, but it's definitely consistent with the style of their earlier music.  Their sound has matured somewhat, but the grittiness and roots sound of their songs remains the same.  Sadly, the band seems to not be getting enough attention to do any touring outside of Minnesota, but I'm still hopeful that people will recognise their unique talent at some point.

3. Marathon (Francis)

This electropop group is Swedish, although they have a bit of an old school American sound.  A bit like a mix between First Aid Kit and Club 8.  And actually there is some resemblance to Grace Joyner's music.  The percussion is excellent, and the songs are arranged in very creative ways.  It's also quite a long album, which is increasingly rare these days, and there are no bad songs on the record.  There is a fair amount of variety among the styles of the songs.  It's definitely worth a listen.

2. Red Earth & Pouring Rain (Bear's Den)

This is the most recent album from British folk-rock sensation Bears Den.  They are extremely popular these days in the UK, selling out major venues all the time, but they remain relatively unknown in the US.  This album continues in the vein of 2014's "Islands", with brutal lyrics and powerful music.

1. 22, A Million (Bon Iver)

I was initially skeptical about this new release from Bon Iver.  I'm actually a fairly recent convert to his music, never having appreciated it before the last year or so.  He seems to be largely overlooked these days, having been extremely popular about 5 years ago among the hipster population.  This album is incredible, though.  It's quite electronic, and parts of it are very electronic, but the flow from song to song is excellent, and taken as a whole it's a very atmospheric record.  His lyrics make just as little sense to me as they always have.  But somehow many of the songs on this album are really powerful.  It's among the best albums I heard all year.