Album Review: Owen - L'Ami du Peuple

Album Rating: A

Anytime a new Owen album surfaces, there somehow always manages to be a place for it on my list of top releases. L'Ami du Peuple is no different - Kinsella's fine ear for instrumentalism continually improves, and each of his releases are essentially stepping stones towards the newest point in his musical history. The emotional presence on each of his albums is slightly varied as the man himself grows to adopt new ideas and his own life story changes a little bit every couple of years, but it's no less present on this album as his self-titled debut. In fact, probably the most impressive thing about Mike Kinsella is his ability to reflect a different side of himself on each album, and L'Ami du Peuple is a powerful example of just that.

Artist Of The Day: Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate)

There's little reason not to love the solo project of Michigan's Keith Latinen. Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate) echoes twinkly bands of the 90's into the present and ceases to amaze with sounds so very reminiscent to Mineral and American Football that you can taste the bittersweet melancholy on the tip of your tongue when you pop in the band's solo full-length effort What It Takes To Move Forward, or anything else they have out, for that matter. More importantly, though, it seems the band actually does understand what it takes to move forwards (horrific, but it had to be said), as their Facebook page details news for their sophomore album, which was officially started on April 8th. Hopefully this means we'll be receiving LP2 from the great folks in Empire! Empire! sometime in 2013, finally closing their now four year gap between full releases, but delicate care produces great results, and more often than not, the wait is worth it. With such talented and good-spirited folks in the band, the album will be nothing less than incredible.

While you eagerly await any more news on Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate), you can listen to their discography for free on Bandcamp.
Also, be sure to order the repress of When The Sea Became A Giant.
Finally, be sure to check out the Count Your Lucky Stars Facebook page for details on how to download Empire! Empire!'s entire discography for free next week!

Artist of the Day: Japandroids

Japandroids is a fun band. It's hard to say that about artists that take themselves too seriously, but Japandroids releases material that is easy to listen to, not too over-produced, and has a raw sound that has a carefree vibe to it. The band released their second full-length this last June, and it's a work to be remembered. Not in a solemn way, either; it's a record that you listen to and enjoy thoroughly, nothing withheld, and in doing so, cheer yourself up, bring yourself around to have a good time. Songs like "Fire's Highway" and "Adrenaline Nightshift" bring lots of energy to their repertoire, which is a strong suit for the unrefined garage-rock band, and they really bring out the kind of performance a live show might bring out, but leaves it to be accessible on your phone or iPod, any time you want it. And after three years without a "real" release, critics were just as excited as fans; the lively track list was commended all around and the album was received with acclaim. It's not a surprise, though; one listen will tell you exactly why it was received so well, and why this lo-fi noise-rock duo strikes it well with so many people.

To listen to the album, you can stream it for free on their Polyvinyl Records page.

Jukebox: Volcano Choir - "Still"

When I did my artist of the day about Bon Iver, I looked at Blood Bank for the first time from a critical standpoint, and there were a few things that shocked me about it, like the auto-tune. However, upon a re-listen of "Woods," I've come to appreciate just how much artistic merit the song actually holds, how using auto-tune as an instrument to blend differently auto-tuned voices together was an incredibly new innovation to me. It was disconcerting at first, but now I look at it as a stroke of genius, and props to the band for having that kind of creativity and ingenuity.

And then I discovered Volcano Choir. A side-project of Justin Vernon's, the band releases similar works to the more group-oriented material of Bon Iver. Specifically, I'd found that "Woods" had been re-recorded on The Volcano Choir's Unmap as the song "Still" (seriously you probably already know this, but it's blowing my mind right now) and the differences are as wonderful as they are varied. While "Woods" has only the auto-tuned vox as instrumentation, "Still" utilizes vox in addition to clean, powerful guitars and layers of depth from synthesizers. The result is something incredibly close to post-rock, something I would never have associated Justin Vernon with in a million years - yet Volcano Choir proves me wrong, right in front of my face. Although it was up in the Billboard 200 back in October 2009, it's just really cool to see a tie with everyone's favorite indie band and my favorite genre of music.

Artist of the Day: The Act of Estimating as Worthless

There really isn't a better time to listen to folk/indie than the Fall. There's something about this season that compliments the subtly dark and atmospheric tone that genre generally has, and The Act of Estimating as Worthless may be the best I've come across all year. Just released this February on Birthquake Records, Amongst These Splintered Minds, is a nearly flawless album that ranges from being rustically relaxing to hauntingly dark. From start to finish the album is all around beautifully entrancing, which fans of folk/indie acts like Mount Eerie should more than appreciate. And, to make things even better, it's up for free download on their Bandcamp page.

Stream/Download

Tumblr 

Artist Of The Day - Bywater

I think that any time a band can be called unique is something of an accomplishment. More often than not, comparisons can be made between bands, which is never a bad thing so long as there's something that separates one from the other. With Bywater, we have a two-piece band that has crafted a sound that is very familiar, blending atmospheric and post-rock with a fair amount of technicality and experimentation, and put just enough of a spin on it to render comparisons impossible. Sure, at times you can hear a little Circa Survive in the guitars, maybe Moving Mountains, as well, but to say to anyone that they sound like either of those bands would be a complete misrepresentation. Suffice it to say, Bywater is a breath of fresh air in the post-rock community. The instrumentation pulls you in and then crushes you with slowed down, heavy hitting breakdowns, and both vocalist/guitarist Mike Ventimiglia and drummer Bob Wulff give their all on every track.

Artist of the Day: Some By Sea

Some By Sea was a quiet little indie band from Seattle that changed the lives of lots of fans forever with their music. Unlike most bands that had a rough, unrefined sound and vocals that were slightly out of tune in order to keep a naturalistic feel to their music, Some By Sea has a very clean, perfected sound that conveys a sense of comfort, regularity, and nostalgia, even if it's your first time listening to something they've written.

The band began as a small group of five friends that wanted to get together and play music just to have fun. The band released a couple of records on their own to high praise in the Pacific Northwest. However, it was really the release of their most recent full-length effort, On Fire! Igloo that garnered them a lot of national attention. After the release, the band began doing much bigger shows, which is possibly what garnered the stress felt between bandmates. Unfortunately, about a year after the release of On Fire! Igloo, Some By Sea decided that by being a band, their friendships had been compromised, so they decided to go their separate ways. Somehow, though, this makes the music they've made together even more special. Whenever I pick up On Fire! Igloo, it makes me think of everyone I know and love, and that's really all due to the band behind it, and what they were aiming for: songs written by friends in order to show love for each other and the music they were writing.

Check out Some By Sea on Myspace and PureVolume

Artist Of The Day: Photocomfort

If you're in the mood for something different and refreshing, I can't think of anyone better to recommend than Photocomfort.  It's a music project featuring singer/songwriter Justine Bowe, who, alongside a handful of friends, have put together one of the best folk/indie ep's I've heard in quite some time.  It's dark, beautiful and all around entrancing from start to finish, with slight leanings into chamber pop.  There's a really haunting element in the music they right, made only more prevalent by Bowe's entrancing vocals and touching lyrics.  Granted, not everyone has a penchant for folk/country/indie music, but those who do should be floored by how heartfelt and tear-jerking Bowe is capable of being.

Photocomfort's self-titled ep can be download for free on their Bandcamp.  Highly recommended for fans of Belle Histoire, Neko Case and Lissie; as well as anyone who is open to hearing something new.

Stream/Download

Facebook

Album Review: I Am Carpenter - My God Clara

Album Rating: A

If this year has shown us anything, it's that music, in all of its different forms, just keeps getting better and better.  Everywhere you look, bands and labels alike keep putting out phenomenal albums, and thanks to the internet, the bulk of them are receiving a fair amount of recognition.  However, there's still a small amount of bands that come out of nowhere with an incredible album, and aren't being mentioned nearly enough.  Such is the case with I Am Carpenter's debut full length, My God Clara, a genre-bending album that somehow incorporates everything that's great in bands like Balance & Composure, O'Brother, and Manchester Orchestra, while still capturing a sound that is completely their own.

Jukebox: The Dimes - Walden and the Willow Tree

The Dimes are very much indie folk, working with a lot of acoustic instruments in order to find a traditional sound. The Portland-based outfit self-released four EPs before being picked up by Pet Marmoset and recording a debut full length. Each one of their songs on their most recent album, The King Can Drink The Harbor Dry, has a vintage sound that brings an instant charm to their sound, and stand as the indie folk band that's instantly likable.

"Walden and the Willow Tree" is first and foremost an acoustic song. It's laid back, and floats along like a cloud, or like the ship on the album cover across a clear, gently moving ocean. The song style feels akin to early Owen tracks, when Mike Kinsella would have essentially zero effects besides his guitar and his voice. A harmonica lazily drones over the single guitar, and Johnny Clay whispers about romanticism, Oregon, and facial hair in a voice that doesn't seem to care much about any of it, but intently focuses on finding his own quietude: "Far from Salem by the sea, to Walden and the willow tree / stop and ask Elias how / the beads stay on your dressing gown." The song talks about all of these trivial things and finds some relation with the world outside with an easy inner peace that grows within.

It's really not tough to jump onto this record. I'd recommend it, as you can find it on their Bandcamp and stream it for free. Definitely check it out.

Various Artists: Humble Music Bundle

Somewhat strange for the company that normally releases games, but the kindly folks at Humble Bundle threw together a pack of video game-related / nerdy music for a great value. Who are the folks at Humble Bundle? Why are things usually related to video games? What are you talking about, Mat?

Let me explain Humble Bundle. They're a group of generous people that receive permissions from independent artists and studios to release games in a limited-time-only, name-your-price sale. The profits from the sales go to three groups: the developers, a select charity or charities, and the folks at Humble Bundle, in order to help promote future bundles. However, not only does the sale allow you to name your own price, but it also allows you to choose where your own proceeds go. Pretty nifty, huh?

Album Retrospective: Broken Social Scene - Forgiveness Rock Record

Album Rating: B+

As summer rolls in, there's a lot of music that really fits the mood of relaxing and keeping cool, or being active and alive and joyful. I think music is an important part of making these activities memorable, and making a good experience out of something as simple as driving on a beautiful day, or playing frisbee in the park. While we don't connect with these albums on a deeply emotional level, they can make something trivial into something momentarily grand, an attention grabber that can make our day. I think Broken Social Scene's latest and final effort really fits the bill beautifully. Forgiveness Rock Record has some special qualities about it that would simply and easily make a summer day into a musical delight.

Artist Of The Day: 10 Paces, Fire

You may remember seeing 10 Paces, Fire on my honorable mentions from last year. The band resurfaced in my memory when I won half off some merchandise for a silly little Facebook fan-page contest, and I received their full length, Lakes Refract & Lakes Reflect, in hard copy shortly after. You can read more about the album on my review of it, but honestly, I had so much as forgotten about it until I'd gotten that CD, and I started listening to it again.

Lo and behold, I was instantly immersed in a wave of nostalgia, thinking and analyzing the record before Andy Wambach's 90's pop-punk, not-so-in-tune whine kicks in on the second track, "Party Hats At 2 O'Clock," and quickly remembering just how truly brilliant I thought the album was on my first time through it. I was a little taken aback by how similarly I'd felt six or so months after release, but in the early morning, on my drive to the daily grind aboard gritty public trains, the record really picks me up emotionally.

Artist of the Day: Brian Lee O'Malley

Fans of Muzik Dizcovery, today's my birthday. And everyone loves to feel good on their birthday, right? That's why I'm featuring Bryan Lee O'Malley on today's Artist of the Day.

Who the hell is Bryan Lee O'Malley? Well, have you ever heard of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World? Yeah, he wrote those. He is also a one-man lo-fi musical project called Kupek. O'Malley makes music with Kupek whenever he's feeling low, or unwanted, or dejected, or...well, human. With a first record released in 2002, he's gone on to write five or six albums (depending on whether you count a split with Faux Photos as an album or not). And while it seems that Kupek may be on a brief pause between releases, with the most recent having been put out in 2009, I have a feeling that Kupek isn't necessarily gone. Bryan Lee O'Malley is Kupek, and Kupek is O'Malley. He pours a lot of feeling into the records, and you can tell that despite the mediocrity of audio quality, there's a lot of love that's gone into refining and polishing these records.

The musical style of Kupek is mostly acoustic. As time has progressed, though, so has the musical experimentation that's gone into Kupek. In more recent releases, there has been experimentation with synthesizer, hip-hop beats, and electric guitar, but O'Malley's voice always remains the human constant, providing a reachable and tangible connection with the listener. From songs about breakups to covers of songs about sinking ships, from headless horsemen to laying in bed with cats, O'Malley never fails to reach a certain part of us that we're never really sure is there ourselves, until it's displayed for us, plain to see, in a simple and lyrical fashion. Kupek makes me feel good, as if I should. And I do today, celebrating my life with humanizing music feels appropriate.

You can pick all of Kupek's music up for free (don't worry, it's legal!) on O'Malley's very own site.

Various Artists: The Sound Supply: Supply Drop #2

Indie music is a wonderful thing. Artists releasing albums without having to cater to the wants and desires of record labels have a step-up to those chained down to demanding producers. A big problem for indie artists, though, since they don't have the label to back up their distribution, is getting their music out to the public. They don't have a lot of press unless the listener already knows who they are, and it's difficult for them to get word out. The Sound Supply is one of those fantastic mediums that helps indie artists really spread their sound, opening a small artist up to a group of people that will take to their musical ideas with widespread arms. If you haven't heard of The Sound Supply before, it's really worth a look at their "Supply Drops", because they sell a LOT of great music for a most excellent price. They feature bands like Owen, Matt Pryor, Jeremy Enigk, TS and the Past Haunts, and other indie names to get to know and love. If you want to support indie bands but don't have a lot of income, it's definitely worth it.

You can find the second Supply Drop at Sound Supply's site here.

Artist of the Day: Mike Kinsella

Mike Kinsella has brought so much to both modern indie rock and emo music that it's quintessential to look at his history before really going in-depth with his current activity. Since the early 90's, Mike and his brother Tim, as well as cousin Nate, were involved in the underground music scene of Chicago, Illinois.

First, Cap'n Jazz brought an experimental taste to emo music, branching out what was considered the "second wave of emo music," and helping, along with bands like Sunny Day Real Estate and Mineral, to establish a melodic side to a previously punk-influenced genre. After Cap'n Jazz, he contributed to the still-active project of Tim Kinsella, Joan of Arc, and continues to make contributions to this addition to the indie rock / emo genre that has a habit of quickly cycling through members. Mike actually established the short-lived math-rock / emo project American Football without Tim or Nate, moving away from other indie-rock flavored projects in exchange for simple lyrics and a softer, more complex musical side.

Album Review: Good Old War - Come Back As Rain

Album Rating: B-

Come Back As Rain begins exactly as you'd expect a Good Old War record to begin - an ambient, folk-tinged guitar lick prances around for half a minute before giving way to the dulcet vocal melodies of Keith Goodwin, Tim Arnold and Dan Schwartzman.  Just like that and Philadelphia's heralded indie-folk trio are off to the races with their much-anticipated follow up to 2010's self-titled LP.  Sprawling and soaring vocal melodies, guitar lines worth getting hopelessly lost in and those classic three-way Goodwin/Arnold/Schwartzman warbles still populate the record, yet it's hard not to feel as if something more significant is missing.  Even though Good Old War have infused these songs with the same sunny disposition and tender crooning found on past efforts, Come Back As Rain often slips into purposeless song-writing and redundant track layouts.  Still, the obvious musical prowess with which the trio operate lends the record a good deal of bright moments and a yields a generally uplifting listening experience.

Album Review: The Wild - A Collection

Album Rating: B+

Oh joy, rapture—The Wild have entered my life just in the nick of time. Whilst 2011 has been winding down, I’ve been getting glum, knowing that this fantastic year is now coming to a close. Alas and alack, however, as A Collection has arrived. A Collection is exactly what its name implies—a collection of lovingly composed tracks from a sadly ignored act, The Wild. Who are The Wild you ask? Well, albeit a bit derivative, they’re simply the epitome of what every indie/folk should be doing, and doing it damn well.

Album Review: Wilco - The Whole Love

First things first--The Whole Love is way better than anyone could have, and should have expected. After all, Wilco has sort of been on a bit of a downward slope since Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. To be fair, how couldn’t they be? After all, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot was a defining release, helping shape 2000’s indie, as well as being a stunning album in its own right. Impossible to top, yes, but Wilco haven’t been anywhere near their A game since, release records to little fanfare, and mixed critical acclaim. Well, whatever funk they were in has ended, as Whole Love not only sees Wilco return to their former, amazing selves, but it sees them creatively invigorated, ready to prove they aren’t down for the count.

Artist Spotlight: This Town Needs Guns

This Town Needs Guns is a fairly new band, having only been around for the better part of six years. Hailing from the UK, This Town Needs Guns has released an EP, as well as an album, both to critical and commercial success. Both featured a very straightforward alternative rock/indie sound, but with an exceptionally well executed math-rock twist.

This Town Needs Guns is equal parts Maps & Atlases, Sharks Keep Moving, and Minus the Bear. There's a hefty amount of guitar noodling, with infectious hooks sprinkled in as well. The band is solid, and the music they make is infectious, which is evident on their newest 7'' entitled Adventure, Stamina & Anger.

With two songs, the 7'' offers only a mere taste of this rather incredible band. It's brief, but it's well worth looking into. It's addicting, endearing, and just plain fun. Afterwards, This Town Needs Guns may just be your newest dig.

Facebook
Stream Adventure, Stamina & Anger here