Health: Get Color

Artist: Health
Album: Get Color
Date Released: September 8, 2009
Genre: noise rock, alt-rock, indie-rock
Rating: 7.1

Health is an American noise rock band from Los Angeles, California. The band has collaborated with Crystal Castles and toured with Nine Inch Nails -- and it's fair to say that their sound is firmly situated between the two. Health's dark, noisy and experimental flair is offset by its predilection for synthy, high-energy and upbeat music.

On Get Color, the band is once again loud, noisy and digitally distorted in surprisingly beautiful ways. The tracks are fun, inventive and highly listenable -- though you have to have the patience for this kind of music. Track highlights include "Die Slow," "Before Tigers," and "We Are Water."

Lightning Dust: Infinite Light

Artist: Lightning Dust
Album: Infinite Light
Date Released: August 4, 2009
Genre: indie rock, alternative rock, indie folk, acid folk, sadcore
Rating: 8.1

Lightning Dust, a Canadian indie rock band from Vancouver, British Columbia, is a side project of Amber Webber and Joshua Wells, both members of Black Mountain. But unlike Black Mountain, Lightning Dust has a sound that's softer and more melodic. As Wells has noted, the band arose from a desire to "do something that was sparse and minimal, and with a lot of space around it." Webber, who performs vocal duties, described the band as an opportunity to "explore her goth side."

And it's clear from the opening track, "Antonia Jane," that this is not a Black Mountain album -- far from.

Infinite Light is a lyrical, gentle and atmospheric album. It's also very sad and dark -- a mood that's punctuated by some spacey sonic elements, and of course, Webber's lyrics and vocals. Indeed, Infinite Light is an acid-folk tour de force for Webber's singing and she clearly takes center stage. Her warbly and somber delivery is an indelible part of the Lightning Dust sound, a style that's reminiscent of a much more subdued Grace Slick.

Another solid release from a very talented and prolific duo.

Bear in Heaven: Beast Rest Forth Mouth

Artist: Bear in Heaven
Album: Beast Rest Forth Mouth
Date Released: October 13, 2009
Genre: indie rock, neo-psychedelia, progressive rock, alternative rock
Rating: 7.9

Beast Rest Forth Mouth is the sophomore release from Brooklyn's Bear in Heaven, a band that incorporates influences from prog, psychedelia, electronica and krautrock. Thanks to bands like Mew and Muse, prog-rock is no longer a dirty word -- but as far as Bear in Heaven goes they're much more like the former than the latter. Where Muse wears its pretension like a badge, Mew and Bear in Heaven take a more subdued and ethereal approach to their music.

Beast Rest Forth Mouth is a prime example. It's an album of steady and hypnotic beats, synthy and spacey rhythmic sequences and dreamy vocals. The tracks are paced and have a shoegaze element to them at times, while frequently coloured with power-chords and some very heavy synth pulses.

Sonically, the album is gorgeous from start to finish; but stronger tracks and a clearer commitment to melody would have propelled this album from good to great. Track highlights include "Beast in Peace," "You Do You," and "Lovesick Teenagers."

Atlas Sound: Logos

Artist: Atlas Sound
Album: Logos
Date Released: October 20, 2009
Genre: post-rock, experimental, indie rock, alt-rock
Rating: 8.9

Atlas Sound is the solo project of Bradford James Cox, the lead singer of Atlanta four-piece Deerhunter. Logos is the follow-up to his debut, Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See but Cannot Feel.

Often awash in ambient textures and post-rock zone-outs, Logos is a gorgeously produced and intricate album that pays as much attention to texture and sound design as it does to sheer track strength. Featuring guest appearances from Noah Lennox (Animal Collective, Panda Bear) and Laetitia Sadier (Stereolab) the album is blessed with some excellent talent. The Sadier track in particular, the epic and washy "Quick Canal," is emblematic of Cox's ability to intertwine atmosphere with melody.

Though Atlas Sound could be considered more experimental and daring than Deerhunter, closer inspection reveals a highly accessible album. Don't let the labels fool you: Logos will appeal to a wide cross section. Don't miss this one.

The Flaming Lips: Embryonic

Artist: The Flaming Lips
Album: Embryonic
Date Released: October 13, 2009
Genre: indie rock, alternative rock
Rating: 8.2

Embryonic is a surprising and welcome return to form for these beloved freak-rockers. And by return to form I'm not talking Yoshimi -- Wayne Coyne and company have taken inspiration from earlier periods in their storied history.

The Flaming Lips have put aside the glitter and sparkle for this one, replacing it with some lo-fi atmosphere, tons of reverb and many shades of grey. That's not to say the album is gloomy -- quite the contrary. The track "I Can Be a Frog" (which features Karen O of The Yeah Yeah Yeahs) should put a smile on anybody's face.

Sound design and acoustics have replaced melody and sheen; On Embryonic, The Flaming Lips are wild and rowdy -- and at times even a bit jazzy. Embryonic is complex, noisy and experimental, making repeated listens a rewarding experience.

Wild Beasts: Two Dancers

Artist: Wild Beasts
Album: Two Dancers
Date Released: September 8, 2009
Genre: indie rock
Rating: 8.7

Two Dancers is the second full-length release from England’s Wild Beasts; the group have steadily climbed their way up the ranks of British music since they signed to Domino Records (Arctic Monkeys, Franz Ferdinand) in early 2007.

Falling somewhere between the aura of Sigur Ros and the intricacies of Foals, this album stands on the shoulders of their debut released last year. It builds on the characteristics of their established sound whilst bravely venturing into new musical territory.

Opener “The Fun Powder Plot” gracefully layers itself into an irresistible and frictionless groove. The relatively lengthy opener ends with a repeating haunting wail from front man Hayden Thorpe.

Thorpe’s salient voice delivers a fantastic performance on “Hooting & Howling”. During the introduction, the lyrics sit on top of the lone bass line remarkably:

Carry me hooting and howling
to the river to wash off my hands
of the hot blood, the sweat and the sand

“We Still Got The Taste Dancin’ On Our Tongues” opens with yet another streamline vocal hook, then the song develops to accentuate other traits such as the clever construction of the percussion. Considerable contagiousness is found in the flawless beats throughout Two Dancers, particularly on the track “This Is Our Lot”.

Even though I took a fancy to last year's debut effort Limbo, Panto, I really wasn’t expecting Wild Beasts to immediately release a charismatic follow-up of such distinction. Wild Beasts have masterfully moulded a sound so exquisite that they stand alone without the burden of guidelines or an overpowering fame. Two Dancers is sharp and proud; it is surely amongst the exclusive elite of British records released this year.

Reviewed by Leigh Padley.

Girls: Album

Artist: Girls
Album: Album
Date Released: September 22, 2009
Genre: indie rock, indie pop
Rating: 8.3

Girls is a much-hyped duo based out of San Francisco -- two guys riding the wave of excitement generated by a trio of highly successful videos for "Hellhole Ratrace," "God Damned," and "Lust for Life," Girls have managed to weather this storm of unrealistic expectations by putting out a remarkably solid debut album simply called Album.

Their sound could be characterized as being a bit retro, with hints of the Beach Boys and other surfer rock bands of the 1960's. You could characterize Album like that, but you'd probably miss the point. Intermixed into their sound are hints of Spiritualized, Pavement and Dinosaur Jr. -- not to mention some dark and sobering lyrics not typically found in the jangly beach-rock of a different era.

Album is a contradiction in terms: the tracks are kinetic, bright and colored by high energy, but the lyrical tone is one of pain, frustration and coming to terms with life's difficulties. It's this juxtaposition (or is it irony?) that propels this album to a higher level. Album is a highly accessible and enjoyable album from a new band that has managed to live up to a lot of the hype.

Built to Spill: There is No Enemy

Artist: Built to Spill
Album: There is No Enemy
Date Released: October 6, 2009
Genre: indie rock
Rating: 8.4

One of the most overlooked bands in the history of the universe, Idaho's Built to Spill continue to produce stellar albums after 16 years of loyal service . This year's release is no exception; There Is No Enemy does not venture into any new musical territory, but it showcases a band doing what they do best: the crafting of solid and hooky songs with fantastic lyrics and wide expanses of guitar zone-outs. Die-hard fans will be overjoyed. New fans have some catching up to do.

Monsters of Folk: Monsters of Folk

Artist: Monsters of Folk
Album: Monsters of Folk
Date Released: September 22, 2009
Genre: indie rock
Rating: 7.7

Hey, how can you go wrong when you put a band together consisting of Jim James (My Morning Jacket), M. Ward, Mike Mogis and Conor Oberst (Bright Eyes)? The album is tight, the tracks pop and the production is stellar. It's just lacking a bit of depth and cohesiveness.

Arctic Monkeys: Humbug

Artist: Arctic Monkeys
Album: Humbug
Date Released: August 25, 2009
Genre: rock, indie rock
Rating: 7.8

The Arctic Monkeys, victims of their intense popularity, have faced some fairly high expectations since announcing work had begun on their third full-length album. It’s fair to say that Humbug is an important album for the band; the effort will reveal whether or not the Arctic Monkeys have the resolve to make it past the two-album mark while still being able to progress their sound.

Queens Of The Stone Age front man Josh Homme produced all but three of the tracks and his influence can definitely be heard at points. This is as heavy as the band has ever sounded and it's fair to say that they've definitely taken on a new direction -- and one for the better.

Of the ten tracks on the album, the first that pricks the ears is third track "Dangerous Animals", which starts with the ominous words “pinned down by the dark", before launching into a hammering riff. Simple but hooky, the song exudes a menacing persona while beaming the familiar characteristics of an Arctic Monkeys song. Following on from the third track is the more subdued "Secret Door", which draws comparison with "The Only Ones Who Know", a track off their previous album from 2007, Favourite Worst Nightmare.

Front man Alex Turner’s lyrics have become more intriguingly themed in places, especially on the final track of the record, "Jeweller’s Hand", where he sings “But you know what it’s like to hold the jeweller’s hand, that procession of pioneers all drowned”, which hints at a potential change in lyrical theme for future work.

The third offering from the Sheffield based-band more than meets the high expectations placed on it. Humbug has a darker thickness to it than their previous albums, elevating it to their most established and conscious record to date.

Reviewed by Asa Masters.

Dananananaykroyd: Hey Everyone

Artist: Dananananaykroyd
Album: Hey Everyone
Date Released: April 6, 2009
Genre: math rock, new wave/post-punk revival, indie rock
Rating: 7.9

I've had a soft spot for this band ever since a love interest gave me a mix-tape with a Dananananaykroyd track on it a few years back. Cheesy and cringe-worthy, I know, but the early version of "Song One Puzzle" had a certain charm to it -- the rawness of the cherub rock-esque demo left a lasting impression. Now in 2009 the Scottish six-piece have finally released their debut album, Hey Everyone, and it doesn’t fail to impress.

After a highly excited introduction, the band manages to raise our pulses and warm our ears through its awesome display of power. Indeed, the first half of Hey Everyone is gleaming and it displays a startling amount of confidence for a debut. The Naykroyd proceed to thud their way through the tuneful songs, "The Greater Than Symbol And The Hash" and the anthemic "Black Wax".

A truly pummelled drum kit furiously backs the Moore/Ranaldo drone guitar riffage of "Pink Sabbath". This scolding song is a strong highlight located smack-bang in the middle of this feverous full-length. But not to worry, the hot-hooks and gallant chants continue until the album draws to its close. "Infinity Milk", "Some Dresses" and the fantastic ender "Song One Puzzle" all enhance the anticipation of their destructive live show.

I highly doubt I'm biased on account of my Dananananaykroyd foretaste -- after all, this band has spent considerable time on the road since their formation in 2006. I’m sure their well earned fan-base fully backs Hey Everyone as it's a very vibrant debut cleverly marrying the hardcore and shoe-gaze influences found on their early demo recordings.

Ultimately, this record is a lot of fun to listen to. Hey Everyone! roll up! roll up!, get your Fight-Pop!

Reviewed by Leigh Padley

The Antlers: Hospice

Artist: The Antlers
Album: Hospice
Date Released: August 18, 2009
Genre: indie rock, chamber pop, lo-fi, experimental
Rating: 8.9

Review: Dark and brooding, Hospice is the fourth studio album from Brooklyn's The Antlers. The brainchild of Peter Silberman, The Antlers are like a more experimental version of Bon Iver and The Walkmen. Hospice chronicles Silberman's personal journey through themes of isolation, death and his relationship with the larger world. The stunningly beautiful "Prologue" is a definite standout on what is a very good but challenging album.

Modest Mouse: No One's First And You're Next [EP]

Artist: Modest Mouse
Album: No One's First And You're Next [EP]
Date Released: August 4, 2009
Genre: indie rock
Rating: 8.2

Review: Easily overlooked as 'just an EP,' veteran indie-rockers Modest Mouse have released 8 new tracks (yeah, kinda generous for an EP) that sound more like the Modest Mouse of old. Nothing against their two most recent albums, Good News for People Who Love Bad News and We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank, but die-hard fans will enjoy this rough and rugged return to form (and for those fans who pine for the days of Lonesome Crowded West). Track highlights include "Autumn Beds," the raunchy "King Rat," and "I've Got It All (Almost)."

jj: jj n° 2

Artist: jj
Album: jj n° 2
Date Released: July 17, 2009
Genre: indie rock, indie pop, dream pop
Rating: 8.4

Review: jj n° 2 is the dreamy debut from Gothenburg Sweden's jj -- a little known group that intermixes gentle Carribean beats and African rhythms with a distinctly European melodic sensibility. jj's whisperey and understated female vocals, along with its soothing rhythmic grooves, would be as appropriate on the beach as on the dance floor.

Overall the tracks are mid to slow tempo and awash in reverb. Tracks like "Ecstasy" bring to mind Fever Ray or The Bug -- but with more attention paid to melody and a minimalist nuance. jj n° 2 also features some dynamic arrangements; the album shifts from time-to-time to acoustic tracks like "Are You Still in Valda?"and the uber-cute "Me & Dean."

The tracks "From Africa to Malaga" and "My Hopes and Dreams" best exemplify the band's sound -- but it's "Things Will Never Be the Same Again" that shines brighest, representing one of the strongest tracks of the year.

Cursive: Mama, I'm Swollen

Artist: Cursive
Album: Mama, I'm Swollen
Date Released: March 10, 2009
Genre: indie rock
Rating: 7.5

Review: Cursive's seventh studio album, Mama, I'm Swollen marks a dramatic transition for this veteran band: they've toned down their sound (slightly) and are now clearly focused on production values and more sophisticated arrangements. The tracks may not be as strong as before -- though "From the Hips" is as good a track as you're going to hear from this band. And as usual the lyrics are wry and provocative. True Cursive fans won't be disappointed and will appreciate the new direction and maturity.

Mew: No More Stories Are Told Today Sorry...

Artist: Mew
Album: No More Stories Are Told Today Sorry...
Date Released: August 25, 2009
Genre: prog-rock, space-rock, dream pop, space rock, indie rock
Rating: 8.4

Review: Who says prog has to be pretentious? The fifth studio album from Denmark's Mew is a meticulously crafted and challenging album that reveals itself only after repeated listens. Fans of Muse will enjoy this release.

Sonic Youth: The Eternal

Artist: Sonic Youth
Album: The Eternal
Date Released: June 9, 2009
Genre: indie rock, alternative rock, experimental rock
Rating: 8.2

Review: Veteran alt-rockers Sonic Youth return with The Eternal -- an album that features many of their hallmarks (including Kim Gordon's acerbic delivery, de-tuned guitars, and flirtations with dissonance), but also a characteristic new direction established by Thurston Moore on his recent solo album, Trees From Outside the Academy (e.g. "Antenna"). One of my favorite lyrics of the year comes in "Sacred Trickster": "What's it like to be a girl in a band?/I don't quite understand/That's so quaint to hear/I feel so faint my dear."

Manic Street Preachers: Journal for Plague Lovers

Artist: Manic Street Preachers
Album: Journal for Plague Lovers
Date Released: May 12, 2009
Genre: indie rock, Britpop, alternative pop/rock
Rating: 8.1

Review:

Those looking for "The Holy Bible – The New Testament" are just going to have to keep looking well after the release of Welsh band Manic Street Preachers' ninth studio output.

Their new album Journal for Plague Lovers finally unleashes the lyrics left behind by ex-lyricist and rhythm guitarist Richey Edwards who mysteriously disappeared in 1995 leaving band-mate Nicky Wire (bass and lyricist) a journal of lyrics that have now laid the foundations of this band's most personal album yet.

The album has been marked by some as the follow up to their critically acclaimed 1994 album The Holy Bible, but in fact, beyond Jenny Saville’s genius cover art, there’s little more in common--just great songs.

Richey Edwards is the life and soul of this album as it starts in typical Manics fashion with audio from a film, in this case The Machinist (where Christian Bale’s unstable character closely resembles Richey before his disappearance). It then kicks into the opening track "Peeled Apples" with its dynamic and edgy guitar and thumping bass-line while James-Dean Bradfield shouts lyrics such as "The Figure 8 inside out is infinity" -- an indication of Edwards's insane obsession that he could never figure out inside his head.

The album continues into serenity with "This Joke Sport Severed" before a break down of noise into an anthemic-like rise and a truly magical rock song; these guys always nail it when using an orchestra in a rock ballad.

Title track "Journal for Plague Lovers" tells us of the times Richey searched for a cure for his inner self when staying at clinics during the Manics's early career success. The album is full of troubled images, some of which can be heard on the tracks "She Bathed Herself in a Bath of Bleach" and "Facing Page: Top Left." These are all Richey's words as he reflected on his troubled times.

Journal for Plague Lovers then takes a more juxtaposed upbeat approach with "Marlon JD" and its disco style beat similar to that of their single "The Love of Richard Nixon" from 2001's Lifeblood. The lyrics are coming from a man who had it all and threw it all away.

The Manics conclude with tracks sounding more like their stadium live act of old with "Pretension/Repulsion" and "Virginia State Epileptic Colony", the later of which has a chorus that I’m sure will be ringing around all our ears at this years' festival outings as the band chant out the word ‘PIGGY’. The album finishes with "Williams Last Words", perhaps suicidal in nature, though the band disagrees, with Nicky Wire making a rare appearance as lead vocalist.

Journal for Plague Lovers is a great tribute to a friend who clearly changed the lives of the remaining three Manics. And with it they have once again captivated their growing fan base with a new angle of music to add to their discography.

Reviewed by Alex Diffley.

The Horrors: Primary Colours

Artist: The Horrors
Album: Primary Colours
Date Released: May 5, 2009
Genre: shoegaze, indie rock
Rating: 8.3

Handsome Furs: Face Control

Artist: Handsome Furs
Album: Face Control
Date Released: March 10, 2009
Genre: indie rock
Rating: 8.2

Review:

Canada’s Handsome Furs released their second full-length on Sub Pop records this past March. Face Control boasts twelve thumping post-everything anthems. Their distinctive scratchy style persists throughout the record with each track urging the anticipation of the next.

Take the trend-setting "All We Want Baby, Is Everything" which rings out with a fantastic array of minimalist instrumentation; its juicy guitar tones and thudding electronic percussion cuts seamlessly throughout the track. This song introduces a new angle to indie-pop execution -- and at times it sounds akin to the airy characteristics of a few superb U2 songs.

The Handsome Furs' creative consistency bleeds into the proceeding track, "I'm confused," which enters with a soaring drone until the 16 second mark when it blossoms into an addictive groove that melts into a forceful guitar phrasing reminiscent of Franz Ferdinand.

Face Control doesn't have a single dull moment, but I personally feel the album reaches its heights within its second half. The eeriness of snippet track "White City" kicks this off well as it progresses into the bounciness of the following track, "Nyet Spasiba."

The album is brought to a close by a pair of explosive tracks: "Thy Will Be Done" serves as one of Face Control's best, its highs and lows emphasize passions within the album while also serving as a vocal performance peak. Fans of Wolf Parade and Swan Lake will immediately recognize the characteristic vocal style of Dan Boeckner.

The destructive entrance from final track "Radio Kaliningrad" breaks out with a wall of sound until tasteful tunefulness begins to leak from its grip. The song takes off into a mixed bag of noise and melody backed by groovy guitar work displaying some mighty and fantastic riffs. It's a catastrophic yet musically powerful ending.

Face Control is simply a great piece of work, one that's as fierce as its artwork.

Reviewed by Leigh Padley.