Metallic Falcons - Desert Doughnuts

Genre: Freak Folk, Experimental, Psychedelic
Year: 2006
Label: Voodoo-EROS
Who: Sierra Casady and Matteah Baim
Where: Brooklyn
Like: Being in a rough tall tree patch at the foot of a mt. range
Rating: 9/10

Compare to: Jana Hunter, White Magic, Vashti Bunyan, Islaja

Casady of CocoRosie and Baim, make an enticing haunt of a duo. With densely Gothic vocals, Metallic Falcons take dark psyche to a whole new level of beautiful. Their albume Desert Doughnuts, released in 2006, certainly inspires visions of a young self figure in the 1800s splashing free-heartedly in a vine engulfed fountain.

1. Journey
2. Airships
3. Night Time And Morning
4. Snakes And Tea
5. Desert Cathedral
6. Silent Night
7. Berry Metal
8. After Metal (Sound Of Stars)
9. Pale Dog
10. A Heart Of Birdsong
11. Misty Song
12. Ocean
13. Disparu
14. Four Hearts

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Talkdemonic - Eyes at Half Mast

Genre: Post-Rock, Instrumental, Experimental, Strings
Year: 2008
Label: Arena Rock
Who: Kevin O’Connor and Lisa Molinaro
Where: Portland
Like: Traveling through the rundown country without stopping
Rating: 8/10

Compare to: Growing, The Octopus Prjoect, The Dead Texan, Horse Feathers, Whip

Formed in 2002, this folktronic duo, Talkdemonic, certainly knows the trade of instrumental music. Their September release of Eyes at Half Mast makes this their fourth studio album; one that is intricately orchestrated to an honorable degree, and meticulously dynamic throughout. It's a perfect fusion of electronics, strings, and percussion.

1. Leaving Light
2. Ending the Orange Glow
3. Duality of Deathening
4. Shattered into Dyes
5. Tides in their Grave
6. Civilian
7. Black Wood Crimson
8. March Movement
9. Dim Sky
10. Shallow Doldrums
11. Dust and Heat
12. Huancayo Orchestrelle
13. Dream by Heart
14. A Hundred Faces in the Neon Forest

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Lackthereof - Your Anchor

Genre: not-so-quirky, Lo-Fi, Folk, Solo Project
Year: 2008
Label: Barsuk Records
Who: Danny Seim
Where: Portland
Like: Driving over a big bridge in a foreign city
Rating: 8/10

Compare to: School of Language, Menomena, Field Music, Throw Me a Statue

Seim, the drummer and founder of Menomena, started Lackthereof in 1997, but since the recent touring and grand attention garnered by Menomena, Lackthereof has become the side project. Alone, Seim has a significantly less orchestrated sound, respectfully, as well as a noticably more energizing, light-hearted style compared to his usual, yet still achieves equal texture. Great for a midafternoon listen. Not peppy indie riffs, but instead a hint of electronic fuzz and lo-fi undertones mixed with extremely accesible vocals. Seim's third studio album for Lackthereof, Your Anchor, was released this july and has gained some critical acclaim thus far.

1. Chest Pass
2. Fire Trial
3. Choir Practice
4. Doomed Elephants
5. Locked Upstairs
6. Last November
7. Ask Permission
8. You Can
9. Vacant Eyes
10. Fake Empire

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Grouper - Draggin a Dead Deer Up a Hill

Genre: Lush, Dark-Ambient, Experimental, Shoegaze
Year: 2008
Label: Type
Where: Portland
Like: A muffled, slow-motion replay of a tragic montage
Rating: 10/10

Also listen to: Belong, Growing, TwinSisterMoon, Inca Ore

1. Disengaged
2. Heavy Water/I'd Rather Be Sleeping
3. Stuck
4. When We Fall
5. Traveling Through A Sea
6. Fishing Bird (Empty Jutted In The Evening Breeze)
7. Invisible
8. I'm Dragging A Dead Deer Up A Hill
9. A Cover Over
10. Wind And Snow
11. Tidal Wave
12. We've All Time To Sleep

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Wildildlife - Six (Limited Edition 08)

[Psychedelic, Accessible Noise Rock, Sludge, Hookish Experimental]

Yea thats right, hookish experimental aka Animal Collective gone manic! Just what we've always wanted! These guys do everything perfectly. Watch me dance to experimental doom rock, better yet watch a twee-pop indie kid (not me) dance to this album, because it'll happen. You just wait. O.K. maybe just the single, but whatever.
This is their debut album Six, formally of the SXSW showcase, each track is different and each incredible. Wildildlife is most definitely three Seattle men of top ability, especially on the track "Things Will Grow".

Slightly Similar to These Crazies or Vice Versa: Om, Earth, Raccoo-oo-oon, Pocahaunted, A Place To Bury Strangers

Wildildlife - Six(LE 2008) (pt. 2)

Wovenhand - Ten Stones (08)

[Gothic Americana, Rock, Experimental]

Finally, heres the fifth release from David Eugene Edwards' solo project, Wovenhand entitled Ten Stones. It's a wealthy combination of lulling drones, gothic nuances, and experimental charm. It's rock solid and a respectable follow up to 2006's Mosaic.

Slightly Similar to These Crazies or Vice-Versa: 16 Horsepower, Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, Celestine, Jay Munly, Bauhaus

Wovenhand - Ten Stones (2008)

Chairlift - Does You Inspire You (2008)

[Electronic, New Wave, Lushhh]

In some parts this band is too cute for me or shall say bubblegum, but despite their single "Evident Utensil" the album is a pretty solid mix between cute pop and trippy electronic rock. "Chairlift formed in Boulder, Colorado in early 2006 to make live music for haunted houses. Frequenting the Broker Inn on the edge of town for empty late-night jazz shows, Caroline Polachek, Aaron Pfenning and Patrick Wimberly were mystified by the 1980's faux-gothic architecture, oak-cabinet aquariums, vacant dancefloors, fake trees, crystal chandeliers and dark velveteen booths. The inn provided them with the ideal setting for a new breed of pop: a place where subtle clashes blossomed into uncanny pleasures."Their debut album, Does You Inspire You, following their EP, Evident Utensil, is a refreshing and appropriate upgrade. The album is growing on me for sure, especially "Make Your Mind Up." Some tracks her vocal tone gives me huge chills. The album is due out in stores at the end of October.

Slightly Similar to These Crazies or Vice-Versa: Chromatics, Beach House, Fountainheads, Lights the band, Acrylics

Chairlift - Does You Inspire You (2008)

Free Blood - Royal Family EP (08) & Never Hear Surf Music Again (08)

[Electronic, Dance, Indie, Fryk Beat]

"The concept was simple: A soundtrack for parties gone awry.

Music to fuel awkward sexual dalliances, desperate yelled misunderstandings on the dance floor, toilets over-flowing with the night's collective regurgitation, lonesome midnight ramblings, hair-brained (possibly illegal) parlour games, stereo components fried by heat and moisture, backyard furniture bonfires, power outages, mass hallucination, etc." This is pretty much perfect. I love this band.

"Free Blood, the Brooklyn-based duo consisting of former !!! (Chk Chk Chk) member John Pugh and fashion designer Madeline Davy, are releasing their debut single (through Rong Music / DFA Records) entitled “Never Hear Surf Music Again” (due out tomorrow on 12” vinyl and digital download). A second single dubbed "Royal Family" (due out July 15th) comes with the title track, the B-Side "Grumpy", and some bangin' remixes from The Brothers and Greg Wilson. You can expect a Fall 2008 full length release with all these singles and more. Below are a couple Free Blood tracks and a Hot Chip remix that will help convince you of this band's greatness."

Slightly Similar to These Crazies or Vice-Versa: Shocking Pinks, Muscles, Holy Hail, The Whip, Riot in Belgium

Free Blood - Royal Family EP (2008)

Free Blood - Never Hear Surf Music Again.mp3

Free Blood - Quick And Painful (Hot Chip Remix).mp3

Thee Oh Sees - The hounds of Foggy Notion (08) & The Master's Bedroom...(08)

[Garage, Lo-Fi, Psychedelic, Acid Folk]

These two album may just be my favorite garage albums of this year, though I am not fully certain yet. There is an admirable distribution of mellow riffs and memorable hooks throughout, but theres no telling if that'll be enough to drive this band toward the same kind of acknowledgment. All I know is I enjoy, listening to them even if they've been several different bands over the span of a few years. Maybe this will be their year. I personally prefer the faster pace of Master's Bedroom compared to the lullish lo-fi sound of Hounds of Foggy Notion.

Slightly Similar to These Crazies or Vice-Versa: No Kids, White Denim, Women

Thee Oh Sees - The Master's Bedroom Is Worth Spending The Night In (2008)
Thee Oh Sees - The Hounds of Foggy Notion (2008)

Women - Women (08)

[Noise Pop, Lo-Fi, Shoegase]

Women is a vaguely named quartet from my beloved Alberta, Canada, signed to Flemish Eye Records. Their respectively titled debut released this July is rapidly creeping up the yearly top charts of many fellow music collectors. The album was produced my veteran Chad VanGaalen in the guys' basement. I took a quick liking to it, but I am prone to loving the tacky lo-fi trend. Nonetheless, the album is a sturdy debut.

Slightly Similar To These Crazies or Vice-Versa: David Burt, Chorus, Dr. Dog, Parenthetical Girls, Animal Collective

Women - Women (2008)

Black Taj - Beyonder (08)

[Psychedelic, Hard Rock, Southern Drive]

Hailing from Chapel Hill, but you would never know it, Black Taj is one rock band of epic proportions. They do it right. This is a beautiful example of intelligent, quality, classic rock n' roll from a group of four highly talented men. This is what music is all about. By far a better example of their driving rock ability than their debut album in 2005, their 2008 release Beyonder is a must have psychedelic, dirty rock album, specifically the leading track "Move Me".

Sounds Slightly Similar To These Crazies and Vice-Versa: Idyll Swords, Helium, Pavlo, The Black Keys, Cuban Knights, Libraness

Black Taj - Beyonder (2008)

Tilly and The Wall - O (08)

[Female, Pop-Rock, Folk, Vomitously Catchy]

Tilly and the Wall sprang out of Omaha, NE - a Midwestern band of like-minded friends with pockets full of melodies, and a lot of pockets. The serendipitous result of five Omaha residents with a penchant for the same classic '60s pop, boy/girl harmonies and Americana folk records, Tilly and the Wall celebrates the petulant, determined, feisty nature of youth. They rejoice in tales of dreams followed, mistakes made, and hearts broken. If you're by chance a fan, here is their 2008 elusively, mysteriously named album, "O", follow up to Wild Like Children.

slightly similar to these crazies or vice-verse: Mates Of State, The New Pornographers, Rilo Kiley, Mirah, Eisley

Tilly and The Wall - O (2008)

Stay alive, judging by tomorrows narsty forecast, I will inevitably be bored into a posting coma frenzy.

Ponytail - Ice Cream Spiritual (08)

[Noise, Experimental, Hookish Lawlessness, Garage]

Ponytail is a noise rock band from Baltimore, known for the stop-on-a-dime fervor with which they assault their instruments and the animalistic sounds emanating from their vocalist, Molly Siegel. Currently releasing records on We Are Free with their brothers Yeasayer and Indian Jewelry. Here is their 2008 sophomore release, Ice Cream Spiritual.

slightly similar to these crazies or vice-versa: Times New Viking, Japanther, Deerhoof, Indian Jewelry

Ponytail - Ice Cream Spiritual (2008)

White Denim - Workout Holiday (08)

[Garage, Lo-Fi, Dub, Voodoo Rock]

The Austin Chronicle published a list of "10 ATXers to Watch in 2007." Opening act White Denim placed ninth on the list, and the band’s set this evening completely justified the accolades. Their kinetic sound recalls everything from the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion’s garage stomp to Old Time Relijun’s lo-fi voodoo to the Minutemen’s funk-flavored punk. The drummer did awe-inspiring things with polyrhythms and beat displacement. The bassist played fleet-fingered runs with such intensity that his glasses frequently flew off of his face. Here is there 2008 debut release, Workout Holiday.

slightly similar to these crazies or vice-versa: No-Age, Black Lips, Apes, Foals, Brazos, Tacks

White Denim - Workout Holiday (2008)

Tickley Feather - Tickley Feather (08)

[Lo-Fi Gold, Experimental, Freak Folk, Lyric Dub, Electronic]

Tickley Feather is the moniker for Philadelphia four-track enthusiast Annie Sachs, with the similarly titled album Tickley Feather, respectfully. She is signed to Paw Tracks who released her debut album on April 28th 2008 in the UK and April 29 Stateside. She is lovely, and all together alluring. The true sister of Ariel Pink opposed to my claimed sibling of his. Aside from her rather lame and hard pulling title "Tickley Feather", she is amazing. Good thing I have enough self-confidence to claim I enjoy listening to an artist and album of such name. I hope you do too.

slightly similar to these crazies or vice-versa: Ariel Pink, Lights, Jana Hunter, Holy Shit, Peter and The Wolf, Rings, Fantastic Magic, Nemes, Money Bags

Bad name, Bad album art, Unbelievably fantastic music

Tickley Feather - Tickley Feather (08)

Dr. Dog - Fate (08)

[Blues, Lo-Fi, Alt.]

Most my friends aren't huge huge fans of Dr. Dog, and although they might claim a few reasons why this is so, I have come to the conclusion that there is only one defining difference between our contrasting point of views. They haven't seen these guys live! I was front and center almost half a year ago for Dr. Dog, and I can proudly say that after seeing them perform I completely caved to the Dr. Dog craze, which can only explain why I am super excited to be listening to their latest release entitled Fate. And, I can happily say that they have lost a bit of their washed up Beatles sound and have instead turned toward a heavier lo-fi, bluesy sound this time around.

slightly similar to these crazies or vice-versa: M.Ward, Stephen Malkmus, Tapes N' Tapes, Quiet Life, Windmill

Dr. Dog - Fate (2008): 1. 2.

String Quartet Tribute To Arcade Fire (08)

[Tribute to Arcade Fire, Instrumental]

If you're a fan of The Arcade Fire this is amazing.

String Quartet Tribute - The Arcade Fire's Funeral (2008)

The Young Gods - Knock On Wood (AS) (08)

[Industrial, Experimental, Acoustic, Swiss Rock]

The Young Gods are an electronic/industrial band, formed in Switzerland in 1985. Current and past members include Franz Treichler (lead vocals), Alain Monod (a.k.a Al Comet) and Cesare Pizzi (keyboards) and Frank Bagnoud, Use Hiestand and Bernard Trontin (drums). They are generally considered to have been about 20 years ahead of their times, generating music that could still be considered on the bleeding edge today (due to the reliance on samples and sequencers, their concerts sound pretty much the same today as they did then).


slightly similar to these crazies or vice-versa: Swans, Coil, Foetus, November, Mike Patton

The Young Gods - Gasoline Man.mp3

The Young Gods - Knock On Wood (Acoustic Sessions) (2008)

Those Poor Bastards - The Plague (08)

[Gothic, Drone, Alt-Country, Freak Folk]

Those Poor Bastards play miserable and primitive old-time gothic country music. Lonesome Wyatt (guitar, vocals) and The Minister (banjo, bass, etc.) are both legally certified holiness preachers. If you're looking for slick, over-produced, commercial songs, you'd better cover your delicate little ears. Those Poor Bastards play it raw and they play it mean. Here is there 2008 release, The Plague, off Tribulation Recordings.

slightly similar to these crazies or vice-versa: Diablo Swing Orchestra, Hank Williams III, Lonesome Wyatt and The Holy Spooks, The .357 String Band, Sons of Perdition

Those Poor Bastards - The Plague (2008)

Awesome Color - Electric Aborigines (08)

[Garage, Psychedelic, Noise, Rock]

Striking awe in nearly all concert goers who bare humble witness to their live performances, Awesome Color, a band of three hailing from Ann Arbor, Michigan, are quickly making a name for themselves. Signed to Ecstatic Peace/Universal Records, the band is still pushing onward with their outstanding sophomore release, Electric Aborigines, the follow up to their debut s/t album of 2006. The band is just about as trippy as you get without...well, actually tripping. Just look at that artwork alone. That has to tell you something. These guys jam not just for garage rock, psych rock, noise rock, or southern rock...these guys flat out jam on a whole new level of jamable rock.

slightly similar to these crazies or vice-versa: Oakley Hall, Danava, Witchcraft, Pride Tiger, Oneida, Black Lips

Awesome Color - Electric Aborigines (2008)