|
|
|
Lenka
:Album Description:In Sydney, Australia, Lenka was a teen actress who trained with Cate Blanchett, thereafter landing leading roles on stage, television and indie films. A self-described 'punk-ass art school student' and vocalist/keyboardist for acclaimed indie Electronic/ambient outfit Decoder Ring. She has flung herself into two new worlds simultaneously: she's moved to California and become a solo artist. Whether channelling our long-repressed terrors ('Trouble') or long-lost innocence ('We Will Not Grow Old'), her music evokes primal emotions, unblemished by pretense or cynicism and unashamed of cracking a smile occasionally. Lenka's fresh sensibility ...
|
|
|
The Crane Wife
: :Capitol raised a few eyebrows when they signed indie stalwarts the Decemberists. There's nothing blatantly commercial about the Portland quintet, from Colin Meloy's quavery voice and hyper-literate lyrics to the band's wide-ranging music, which encompasses baroque pop, prog rock, and dozens of other styles. Then again, he did once sing, 'I was made for the stage,' and those who've seen the group live know this to be true. Sure, they're storytellers, but they're entertainers, too--just not in the Top 40 sense. Never ones to play it safe, their major label debut ...
|
|
|
Fallen
: :\N :The Daredevil soundtrack provided a nice boost for this previously unknown quartet from Little Rock, Arkansas. Evanescence’s songs 'My Immortal' and the imposing 'Bring Me to Life' are clear standouts in the film, mainly because they work so well with the dramatic, eerie undertones of the storyline. They reappear here on the band’s debut, alongside a selection of similarly brooding tracks that evoke pensive artists like Tori Amos and the Cranberries. Vocalist Amy Lee has the kind of voice that can cause weeks of insomnia, but on songs like ...
|
|
|
Songs for Christmas
:Album Description:In December 2001, Sufjan set out to create a Christmas gift for his friends and family. The result was a seven-song recording that he called 'Noel Vol. 1'. Over the next several years, he created new EPs to add to the collection. This 5-CD box set includes all five volumes, plus a 42-page booklet with an original Christmas essay by acclaimed American novelist Ricky Moody, two essays, a short story by Stevens, a holiday sticker, chord charts, lyrics, comic strip, family portrait poster, photos, and an animated video. :Every year ...
|
|
|
Boxer
:Album Description:The follow-up to 2005's 'Alligator' is filled with lush arrangements and sees the band incorporating new instrumentation and expanded musical elements such as piano, trumpet, and more prominent background vocals. :With Boxer, the National have reached four albums into their increasingly lauded career, never hurrying the tempo, never over-reaching in volume or instrumental density. Instead, the quintet's balanced on a pin, emotionally austere, if not utterly downhearted, finding brilliantly dusky ways for Matt Berninger's lovelorn voice to mesh with a pair of unobtrusive guitars and, here, an occasional phalanx of ...
|
|
|
Struggle from the Subway to the Charts
:Album Description:The follow-up to 2005's 'Alligator' is filled with lush arrangements and sees the band incorporating new instrumentation and expanded musical elements such as piano, trumpet, and more prominent background vocals. :With Boxer, the National have reached four albums into their increasingly lauded career, never hurrying the tempo, never over-reaching in volume or instrumental density. Instead, the quintet's balanced on a pin, emotionally austere, if not utterly downhearted, finding brilliantly dusky ways for Matt Berninger's lovelorn voice to mesh with a pair of unobtrusive guitars and, here, an occasional phalanx of ...
|
|
|
The Rhumb Line
: :Following a trying summer during which the band dealt with the death of drummer and founding member John Pike, Ra Ra Riot regrouped and recorded this debut full-length, which features nine originals and the best Kate Bush cover ('Suspended In Gaffa') you've ever heard. Their earlier self-titled EP and dark-edged joyfulness onstage garnered acclaim from the likes of Rolling Stone, Nylon, NPR, and NME. They've toured with Tokyo Police Club and Editors and will headline their own tour in support of this release.
|
|
|
Takk...
: :Just when this Icelandic crew seemed stuck in loud/soft/loud/ soft rut a la Mogwai or Godspeed You Black Emperor, they release their most beguiling, subtle and beautiful album yet. This album, allegedly the group's first sung in Icelandic rather than their own made-up 'Hopelandic' (not that this listener could tell the difference) is relentlessly joyous, unaffectedly rad and inventive but never just for its own sake. Strings hold an ever more prominent place in the music, and this is a good thing. Songs unfold slowly as usual, but they take unexpected ...
|
|
|
Another World
: :Antony & The Johnsons emerged on the international stage in 2005 with their breakthrough 'I Am A Bird Now.' His first new material since 2006 is a prelude to the new full-length, 'The Crying Light', coming in January 2009. Of the project, Antony said, 'I wanted to mark this moment very clearly in my life. I love and feel so anchored by the natural world, which gave birth to me, which supplies and supports my life, this experience of color and light and aching beauty. But the world is changing ...
|
|
|
Ágætis Byrjun
:Album Description:UK version of the Icelandic experimental/alternative act's international debut (their third album overall). Originally released in 1999, 'Agaetis Bryjun' is multi-platinum in their homeland. Includes the singles, 'Svefn-G-Englar' and 'Ny Batteri'. Single disc packaged in a very cool envelope style digipak. 2000 release. :Reykjavík-based noise quartet Sigur Rós are the biggest band in their native Iceland, which should say much, much more about the collective insanity of that earthquake-ridden, blizzard-beaten crag of an island than anything to do with Sigur Rós's sound. But in their music, Sigur Rós reflect all ...
|
|