Last Week's Album

Cory Branan is a Nashville-based singer/songwriter who shifts from heart-wrenching ballad to happy-go-lucky ditty without missing a beat. On his third album, Mutt, he sings of hard-luck dreamers, heartless heartbreakers and lonely survivors over acoustic guitars, blaring horns, pulsing drums and brooding strings. It’s an album that wanders through sounds like a stray through the streets, and on it Branan packs as much creative bark as he does playful bite.

Sounds Like:

Tom Waits, Ryan Adams, Bruce Springsteen, John Mellencamp, Todd Snider

“The Corner” warmly welcomes you into Branan’s song space. He draws you in with soft picking – still tuning up, mind you – and introspective imagery: “Down on the corner of what I walk / And what I tend to get / Day drinking and dreaming of you, I let / the ashtray smoke my last cigarette.” Sounding like Richard Buckner with a lot more pep, Branan meanders between talking and singing, much like he shifts from soft picking to hard plucking. Yet for all the walking he’s done, he’s still got miles to go, singing “I ain’t transcendin’ nothin’ / I’m still down in it.” Welcome to the Cory’s corner, where clever meets sincerity.

“Survivor Blues” flies in like a bat out of hell with electric guitars, snare-heavy drums and a rolling bass line. It’s Branan’s take on Springsteen – crescendoing guitars, chanted choruses, pounding pianos. And most importantly, a story of moving on. “Struggled to read his knuckle tattoos / beneath the ring and the scar / but the left said love and the right read true / she said please say you got a car.” The pair of jaded lovers ride off into the sonic sunset of waning guitars, screaming vocals and down-beat crashes, trading war stories the whole way.

A tuba, horns, piano and double-beat drums turn up the vibe on “Bad Man.” Branan’s character doesn’t much stock in what other people think of him, and he turns their unkind words around on stay in the good graces of his woman. “They say I’m a bad man and they’re right/ I’m a bad man / but baby, I think a bad man
/ would do you good,” he quips. Yeah, it’s a little cheesy, but Branan owns up to it with chanted choruses, barroom ballad piano, and a crafty bridge that brings the song back from near-silence.

                                  Cory Branan performs “Survivor Blues”

On “Darken My Door,” Branan croons/whispers a slowdance number over steel guitar, acoustic guitar, piano and organ. He calls for total darkness in the night, wondering of those who keep their lights on, “What do they think the night is for?” Soft female backing vocals and light percussion help set the mood so he and his lover can shed their “overcast pasts” with some “dark red wine.” Ultimately, the darkness allows him to appreciate and embrace the light of their new day. If you like Ryan Adams, you’ll love this song.

“There There, Little Heartbreaker” opens like a Broadway ballad. Strings and a softly plucked harp layer on the sarcasm of Branan’s tongue-in-cheek sympathy. “There there, little heartbreaker / It’s only one night alone / Just keep away from the windows / And stay way away from the phone,” he croons to a downtrodden Don Juan who yearns to get back out there and lie to lovers. The harp becomes the song’s central instrument, cascading through the choruses and squeaking through the solo as Branan mocks our protagonist.

Branan himself admits Tom Wait’s influence on “The Snowman.” A bongo beat and horn stabs carry us through this woozy, boozy, trippy trip along a scorned lover’s journey from hapless sap to heartless bastard. Cory coldly sings, “We are the ghosts / We don’t even believe in / We are the snowmen / We are the snowmen.” Creepy indeed

“Yesterday (Circa Summer 80 Somethin)” plays like a walk down memory lane. “It was undeniably summer / and I was certifiably cool / With my acid wash jacket and my stonewash jeans / I rose out of the kiddie pool” he sings with a smirk in his voice. Branan employs an appropriately Mellencamp-y strum rock vibe – he even namedrops The Cougar – along with lively drums and, oh yes, hand claps. A scorching, over-the-top electric guitar solo rounds out the most obvious opus you’ve ever heard. But Branan knows it, and that’s what makes it okay.

Key Tracks:

The Corner, Survivor Blues, Karen’s Song, The Freefall, Jericho, Lily

“Karen’s Song” comes pounding in with a kick drum, bluegrass acoustic guitar and waning steel guitar. Branan sings of the good times he had with an ex-girlfriend who “fancied herself a fiddle player” – “I guess it gets as cold at night / She done strung my blood with light / She lined my cold with kites / She lined my cold with kites.” A foot-stomping tambourine-and-kick-drum beat keep this one kicking, and a rousing steel guitar solo rounds it out nicely.

“The Freefall” tells the tale of two lusters who need someone more than they do each other. It’s a percussion-heavy rhymefest in which Branan strings together couplets like it’s nobody’s business. “I was fucked up / As my haircut / She was wasting / Good perfume / It was useless / As the truth is / In these ruthless / Little rooms.” Super-simple pensive piano, double-beat trashcan drums and dramatic steel guitar build a lonely, needy tune, until he changes the beat up at the last second – leaving you with that uneasy feeling of a one-night stand who just walked out into the early morning.

“Jericho” opens with Branan’s voice, a thumpy bass line and electric guitar strums. He shifts to organ echoes for a verse, then it’s all rock guitars, hand claps, foot stomps and horn stabs. Branan spews quick rhymes about the meaning of life and nonsensical “ba ba ba’s” until a crazy sax solo steals the show. He slows things down before building ‘em right back up with all the feel-good orchestration, adding in a chanted cacophony of overlapping voices. “No one knows how no one feels / I wonder why I bother” they sing over one another, giving up on figuring it all out in favor of resigning to making a glorious noise.

Best Lyric:
“I woke up like a bullet wakes up from a gun / Too late to turn around / All hammered down and done” - “Hold Me Down”

Branan shifts gears to an angst-filled number with “Hold Me Down.” Theatrical strings, a lightly pounded piano and an evenly strummed guitar add to the tension as he pines for his lover’s affection: “Hold me down / Hold me still / Love me like you always will.” He slows it all down, and female voices chime in, creating an unexpected-but-nice call-and-response effect.

“Lily” continues the gloomy vibe with another slow, sad song. He’s at the deathbed of an old woman, waiting for her to pass and thinking about both the meaningless and the meaningful. He picks acoustic guitar over heavenly bells, reflecting on the biggest lesson she taught him about life and all its innerworkings: “Lily, I guess the best trick / is to see the magic / once you’ve seen the wires.” Like “Darken My Door,” this tune also reminds me of Ryan Adams.

Finally, Branan bookends Mutt with “Survivor Blues (The After Hours).” It’s exactly what its title makes it sound like – a chill, somber version of the rocking earlier track. Acoustic guitar, shaker beat and steel guitar give it a very different mood. They both have their strengths, although I think I dig the other one better. Nonetheless, this one shows Branan’s flexibility and diversity as an artist.

Overall Rating:

Mutt plays true to its name – a mixed breed of themes, sounds and styles. And while Cory Branan hasn’t composed the most cohesive album of all time, he does put his unique mark on each track. His signature style is one of clever wordplay, character perspective, nonstandard phrasing and emotional depth. At times he can get a little cheesy, but he’s smart enough to know where to draw the line. So if you’re looking for a singer/songwriter with a dogged taste for variety, give Mutt a listen.

Baltimore-based dream-pop duo Beach House attempts to exceed lofty expectations following its 2010 hit Teen Dream with their fourth release, Bloom. Written primarily while on tour in support of the former, the latter was recorded at Sonic Ranch in sparsely populated West Texas. The isolated recording space allowed vocalist/keyboardist Victoria Legrand and multi-instrumentalist Alex Scally the freedom to focus and refine their hazy, dream-pop sound.

Sounds Like:
Beach House records in secluded West Texas and strikes it rich in indie dream-pop gold

A falling cascade of electric guitar arpeggios rise above a drum-machine beat and keyboard on “Myth,” Bloom’s opening track and first single. Legrand’s trademark breathy, contralto vocals immediately provide a strong contrast to the backing sound. Purposeful lyrics explore the difficulty and necessity to move on following a failed relationship: “If you built yourself a myth / You’d know just what to give / What comes after this momentary bliss? / The consequence of what you do to me.”

Blaring organs, mid-tempo drum-machine beat, and a bouncing guitar riff kick off “Wild.” The band’s lyrical strength is highlighted on this track, as a dark tale of a broken family told through the eyes of the child is vividly and emotionally executed, despite its relatively few words. Legrand poignantly summarizes the real tragedy of the situation over the repeating chorus, lamenting: “Wild in our ways / What we are making / Heartless to say / Go on pretending.”

Key Tracks:
Myth, Wild, Lazuli, Other People, Troublemaker, Wishes, On the Sea, Irene

Bloom’s second single, “Lazuli,” begins with a drifting keyboard riff intro, before fading into layered keys/organs and mid-tempo drum beat. These elements combine to create a hazy, dream-pop delight during the long outro. This track finds Beach House right in their wheelhouse.

The tone gets relatively brighter on “Other People.” Droning organs and measured drum beats carry the intro and verses, while the chorus favors a catchy, warm, bouncy electric guitar riff. Lyrically, verses discuss the myriad of internal and external challenges facing relationships, while the chorus reminds us “Other people want to keep in touch / Nothing happens and it’s not enough / Never thought that it would mean so much / Other people want to keep in touch.”

                                     Official music video for “Lazuli”

Ominous organ and a floating guitar riff with heavy reverb effects begin “Troublemaker.” The extreme range of sounds found throughout this track make it a standout. From its spacy, unassuming intro, the track slowly picks up intensity via subtle variations in instrumentation; guitar effects become increasingly distorted, while drum-machine beats grow from light beats to pounding drums. The sound ebbs and flows without a hitch, as the orchestration ranges from thread-bare simplicity to the opposite extreme.

Best Lyric:
“If you built yourself a myth / You’d know just what to give / What comes after this momentary bliss? / The consequence of what you do to me.” - “Myth”

Like “Troublemaker,” “Wishes” and “On the Sea” both reflect tracks that find Beach House pushing the envelope of each tunes’ melodies. While the former is heavy on the keyboard, the latter is guitar-driven, representative of the band itself. The grinding synths and mesmerizing keyboard riff on  “Irene,” Bloom’s closing track, bring to mind a cloudy day on a Martian beach. As the track wanders into space, Legrand’s repetitive chorus summarizes Bloom well: “It’s a strange paradise.”

Overall Rating:

Though Beach House did not significantly change its sound on Bloom, there is no doubt that this new album shows significant growth from Teen Dream. First and foremost, Legrand’s lyrics show greater understanding of a bigger picture; where Teen Dream may have focused on a break up, Bloom discusses the importance of getting over it and moving on in life. This change in perspective, combined with the band’s increased attention to detail allow for well-delivered lyrics, adding to their emotional potency. Bloom is a solid effort and a “can’t miss” for anyone that was into Teen Dream.

Last week, Derek reviewed Father John Misty, the moniker-using former Fleet Foxes drummer. Ready for a crazy coincidence? Now I’m reviewing Dana Buoy, another pseudonym-wielding drummer of an indie folk band. Also known as Akron/Family percussionist Dana Janssen, Buoy blends their psychedelia with the softer sounds of the Beach Boys to craft his solo debut. So grab your sunblock, and meet me at the next paragraph to dive into the tropical electronica of Summer Bodies.

Sounds Like:
A summer vacation love affair on the beaches of Mars

“The Anatomy of Now” sets up the electric beach vibe of Summer Bodies rather well. It opens with an a cappella cacophony of layered, affected voices, sounding like Paul Simon meets Harry Belafonte. Smooth, quick guitar lines, a light drum beat loop, and a handful of shakers blow through the track. “I bathe in you / Believing all I want to / It’s nothing new / Enchanted actualities” Buoy calls out, letting his voice echo across the digital waves as he basks in the moment of summer ecstasy.

“Call to Be” sets a quick tempo with bongos, whip cracks, and heavy tambourines. Echoing vocals, grungy guitars and shoegaze synths pound throughout, as a second wall of tribal voices weave in and out unintelligibly. Buoy opens and closes the track singing of progress and growth – “Surprising you and others / We penetrate, we lift, we conquer / Letting you discover / A promise kept made trust these offers” – until all the swirling elements crescendo and quickly fade.

Like the first track, Buoy begins “So Lucky” with his slightly electrified vocals, this time with soft glockenspiel-ish synth pulses underneath. A lively, trashcan drum beat really gets this one going in a fun, jammy MGMT sort of way. Buoy lays down the deep, joyful lyrics again, with lines like “Celebrate, you’re so happy to see with fragile eyes / That we love unconditionally / How have I, how have I been…?” Thought he never quotes the song’s title, it’s understood that it should follow each verse’s unfinished phrase.

Key Tracks: 
The Anatomy of Now, Call to Be, So Lucky, Come My Side, Hand Over Hand, Futures Part

A quickly strummed electric guitar riff starts “Satellite Ozone” with an appropriately spacey vibe. Soon, hand snaps add a chill beat, Buoy’s vocals wail into the ether, and ringing keys in the background make you feel like you’re orbiting Earth on a bed of sand. He croons falsetto over bleeps and blips, channeling 60s soul and 80s electronica as he poses transcendental questions like “Could it be / So easily / These rays just haven’t yet been found?”

“Come My Side” starts off sounding like a Broadway number, with sing-song vocals that make you wanna swing around a lightpole. Then it moves from pure musical to a more of a Stomp sound. Trashcan drums, heavy synth and quick hand claps build together, until a whirl of synth keys and chords take the bridge to a deeper level as Buoy breaks it down with quick-tongued verses. Then he throws you for a loop as the song drops out and comes rousing back in for an extended, singalong fadeout.

A woozy sax and crackling hiss wander about at the outset of “Untitled 1.” It’s a short instrumental with echoing bells and a sporadic flute. A nice breather from the big, booming tracks it follows, but it does feel a bit out of place on the album. But whatever.

              Dana Buoy performs “Futures Part” on WNYC’s Spinning On Air

“Delicate Suitor” opens with synth hits that sound like a deep panflute and a cello. Buoy croons, “As we admire summer bodies that lay in the grass soaking waves / We once were under certain skies that were lit only by distant sun.” A thumb piano solo adds whimsy to the tense backing chords, as does the swirl of guitars and effects that come in halfway through. This kaleidoscope of sound carries the song through a second wind of dreamy, upbeat wooze. Overall, it feels like the perfect score to some slow motion footage of a summer day at the boardwalk carnival rides.

The rockin’ country guitar lick that backbones “Hand Over Hand” pumps just enough energy into Summer Bodies’ cool lull to keep it going. And Buoy adds plenty of West Coast elements to keep it in line with the rest of the album: a quick drum loop, soft backup vocals, electric effects, high bells, and a piano ending solo. If Conor Oberst teamed up with Bon Iver, I think it would sound something like this, and that’s what makes it awesome.

Best Lyric:
“Old world, new world, it seems it’s still the same world / Hearts remaining hearts, and naked is naked” – “Hand Over Hand”

“Futures Apart” rocks back and forth like the hull of a boat smacking through a heavy wake. Sliding guitar lines, echoing synths, soft cymbals, and crooning voices ring out to create a late 70s AM gold sound. Buoy jams out some silky guitar work as he hums, “It seems no matter who you are / our nature all together ties to you.” Nice, simple harmonies close the song out to a nice, slow effect.

“Best Around” sounds like an lullaby from outer space. Buoy starts to let us down easy with a barren track that tiptoes through crescendoing vocals, synth echoes, distorted effects, and ethereal crackling. He drops short, rhyming triplets like it’s nothing, then lets the song’s spacey sounds ebb and flow until they all fade away.

Lastly, “We On the Sea” washes us back up onto the shore with soft waves of electric guitar and layered, harmonizing vocals. You can feel the sun setting, the wind blowing, and the day coming to a tired but satisfied end. A few synth stabs wean here and there like seagulls yelping their last calls of the day. “Just you and me / On the sea / Sailing,” Buoy and his 10-odd echoing selves murmur.

Overall Rating:

Summer Bodies does a phenomenal job of transporting you to that perfect beach in your mind’s eye where all is right with the world. You know, that final scene of so many action movies where our lead character find themself relaxing in the rays after all their life’s problems have been forever solved? Yeah, that place. Buoy craftily blends the spacey sounds of electronic beats with the natural tones of string instruments to create a uniquely foreign-yet-familiar, cool-yet-warm album of summer love. Just like beach volleyball, be prepared to play this all summer long.

Father John Misty is the moniker used by former Fleet Foxes drummer Josh Tillman. Though this is Tillman’s eighth solo release, Fear Fun marks his first release under this name and the first following his break from the Northwest indie-folk superstars. Tillman received accolades for his contributions in crafting the Foxes’ sound, so it would be safe to assume that Fear Fun should fall in line with the dreamy, folk-pop sound he helped create, no? Aside from familiar vocal harmonies and other elements inherently exclusive to each (via Tillman), this couldn’t be further from the truth.

Sounds Like: Former Fleet Foxes drummer finds new persona while moving to LA, resulting in indie-alt/country record of bizarre tales of the city’s unglamorous side.

Not only released under a new moniker, Fear Fun was also recorded in Los Angeles, a stark departure from Tillman’s previous abode in the Pacific Northwest. In an enlightening bio on Sub Pop’s website, Tillman describes his trying journey south, which leads him to write a novel, allowing him to develop a new persona, or voice, as a writer. In this voice, Tillman rejects the notions of self-pity and rehashing other tried mantras, and instead strikes his own path, speaking harsh yet relatable truths behind the guise of the new pseudonym. With this change in songwriting philosophy, and in conjunction with his immersion into various substance-fueled subcultures lurking throughout the greater LA area, Tillman finds an intriguing new voice as Father John Misty.

Fear Fun begins with softly strummed acoustic guitar and piano chords on “Funtimes In Babylon.” The momentum gradually builds with Tillman’s strong, layered vocals through the verses, as strings, mandolin, trumpet, and handclaps add subtle nuances to the slow and steady tune. In a heavily ironic air, the smoothly delivered lyrics foretell of the main characters dark urges over a sauntering beat, complete with a backing female chorus of “ooh’s”, ultimately warning “Lookout Hollywood, here I come.” The album’s second single, “Nancy From Now On,” carries a Fleetwood Mac-like beat and finds the main character fully embracing the wild LA party scene: “Everyman wears a symbol / And I know I have mine / I’ve got my right hand stamped / In the concentration camp / Where my organs scream ‘Slow down, man!’” Lyrically, Tillman vividly illustrates the absurdity and dangers of such a lifestyle, juxtaposed against an upbeat, easy-feeling sound.

                           Official music video for “Nancy From Now On”

“Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings,” the album’s first single, is characterized by a fuzzy, distorted electric guitar riff, representing a stark sonic contrast to the Fleet Foxes’ staple acoustic sound. Like the title suggests, this track’s tone is dark, tragic, and emotionally raw, as the character searches for someone to share his grief: “Someone’s got to help me dig.” A quick strummed acoustic guitar, piano boogie riff, and subtle organs drive the country-inspired “I’m Writing a Novel.” This track boasts a number of hilarious quips, as the main character recounts various off-the-wall experiences encountered in the LA area, which, ironically, is filled with “people writing novels and living on amusement rides.”

Tales of unique encounters unfold on “Only Son of the Ladiesman” and “This is Sally Hatchet.” First Tillman pays tribute to his “ancient hero on Sunset Strip” upon his death. Driven by a steady beat and a strummed acoustic guitar, a plethora of harmonized vocals serve as a poignant, if not irreverent, tribute to a fallen icon: “They tied down his casket with a garter belt / Each troubled heart was beating in a sequined dress.” Then a sharp electric guitar riff joins harpsichord, mellotron, piano, and strings weaving in and out in an uneasy, spacy groove on “This is Sally Hatchet.” The haunting vibe of the song reflects the equally gloomy tale of a former celebrity’s daughter fallen upon hard times: “Pretty rattled by the way she empties a few clips out / Do I have a choice now? / ‘Point that thing away from me, Lady!’”

Key Tracks:
Funtimes in Babylon, Nancy From Now On, Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings, I’m Writing A Novel, Only Son of a Ladiesman, Well, You Can Do It Without Me, Tee Pees 1 - 12

Organ, an even-paced drum beat, and acoustic and electric guitars carry the 70s rock-sounding “Well, You Can Do It Without Me,” a humorous take on the self-centeredness of the populace encountered. In a School House Rock-like lesson on selective disobedience, Tillman summarizes his point explicitly in the last verse: “If you’re bound for the throne but the King won’t die / I can occupy the Queen but that’s for her ‘n I / Yeah, I can do her and / You’ll be ruler / Without me.” Piano, minimal percussion, organ, and subtle strings are all that accompany Tillman on “Now I’m Learning to Love the War,” a somber tune in which he mournfully reflects upon the obscene amount of oil required to record an album and create other forms of art. Tillman even goes so far as to take responsibility for his part in it all: “Let’s just call it what it is: / The gentler side of mankind’s death-wish / When it’s my time to go / I’m going to leave behind things that won’t decompose.”

Best Lyric:
“I never leave the canyon / ‘Cause I’m surrounded on all sides / By people writing novels / And living on amusement rides” - “I’m Writing a Novel”

“Tee Pees 1-12” is another track boasting a country/western-inspired vibe, complete with fiddles, syncopated handclaps, and steel guitars. Over a honky-tonk sound, Tillman sings a bizarre tale where the main character is kidnapped by a psychotic woman who eventually takes him to a plastic surgeon so the two will look alike. Understandably shaken by the situation, the character vows, “If I make it out alive of Hollywood and Vine / I’ll build a cabin up in the Northwest.” Fear Fun’s final track, “Everyman Needs a Companion,” is a somber, searching tune, driven by strummed acoustic guitar, piano, organ, mandolin, and harmonized vocals. In a moment of self-searching, Tillman also offers some insight as to the new moniker: “I never liked the name ‘Joshua’ / And I got tired of ‘J.’”

Overall Rating:

Fortunately, I had minimal expectations for Fear Fun. Although familiar with the Fleet Foxes (check out our review of their 2011 release, Hopelessness Blues), I was not expecting a carbon copy on this release. However, it should be pointed out that some Fleet Foxes-faithful may find this offsetting, as Fear Fun is a clear departure from that sound, both lyrically and musically. Tillman’s newfound voice as Father John Misty is quite remarkable, in that he is able to humanize his characters and stories in an almost unsettlingly realistic manner. Though certain lyrics may prove shocking to some, Tillman’s voice as Father John Misty is a bold step forward. Overall, I found this album to be quite enjoyable and would recommend this highly to anyone who’s into Fleet Foxes, Dawes, and other indie-alt/country bands.

Knower-of-all-things Wikipedia describes a blunderbuss as “a muzzle-loading firearm with a short, large caliber barrel, which is flared at the muzzle…” The gun is also really f-ing loud, and it shoots out in all directions. On Jack White’s first solo record, you could call the Third Man himself a blunderbuss. He fires off his signature thunderous guitar, clever wordplay and throwback style as always, but adds some Nashville flair and backing voices to Southern-fry his sound.

Sounds Like:
Jack White hires a Nashville backing band of roots rockers to help him shake off women, wannabes, critics and Doubt

“Missing Pieces” opens the album on a quick, funky piano hook. Drums and guitar jump in, and White comes in reeling about a woman who’s literally tearing him apart. “I woke up and my hands were gone / I looked down and my legs were gone / I felt for her with my shoulder / But there was nobody there,” he screams. The piano keeps riffing throughout, White throws a scorching guitar solo on top of it, and then he gets behind the keys to rock your face right off your head.

“Sixteen Saltines” is classic White Stripes, with as much Hammond organ as snare drum. Jack thrusts out a guitar riff from hell, lets out a primal “Woo!” and introduces you to the lady who’s about to bust his balls. Between that riff, Jack wails like a banshee about the one he just can’t have: “The Lord knows there’s a method / To her madness / But the Lord’s joke / Is a boat in a sea of sadness.” Nevermind that he’s a creep who licks his fingers and drinks her perfume – just headbang through those parts.

“Freedom at 21” is another one about a girl. Weird, right? But its overtime beat, killer bass line and guitar solo excuse the unsurprising subject matter. This time, our young, oblivious heroine isn’t abusing him – she’s neglecting him. “Two black gadgets in her hand / That’s all she thinks about / No responsibility, no guilt or morals,” White quips before doing his damndest to get her attention with a squealing, scratching guitar solo and a brief punk chant.

                                Official music video for “Sixteen Saltines”

“Love Interruption” unplugs the amps for a softer, more acoustic tune sung with soul and angst. Over a chill piano riff and heavy strumming, Jack and backup vocalist Ruby Amanfu croon on about the hard lessons of bad love. After getting shanked, shoved, deafened, orphaned, bitten, beaten and left for dead, they finally swear it off for good: “I won’t let love disrupt corrupt / Or interrupt me / Anymore.” 

Next up is the album’s title track, which opens with acoustic guitar, pedal steel and piano to set a somber tone. At times “Blunderbuss” sounds like some of the eerier tracks from the White Stripes’ Get Behind Me Satan. It’s got a sing-songy vibe that rocks back and forth as White recounts a dream of two lovers on their way to doing the dirty deed. “Such a trick pretending not to be / Doing what you want to” he sings as they find “a public place / To quietly blend into.”

“Hypocritical Kiss” starts with a piano flourish until drums, acoustic guitar, maracas, bass and Jack’s vocals join in. No longer upset with girls, he bitches out a dude instead. “And who the hell’s impressed by you? / I want names of the people / That we know that are falling for this,” Jack barks with palpable contempt. But amidst this and a few other biting lines, pianist Brooke Waggoner is the real star of this track, as she aptly shifts between tickling and pounding the ivories.

“Weep Themselves to Sleep” comes rocking in with piano, drums and guitars banging in unison. Underneath White’s staccato screaming, the music on this one sounds like Bruce Springsteen’s take on gospel. He wails on about “men who fight the world / And love the girls that try to / Hold their hands behind them,” as a call to arms for all the love-scorned men out there to keep on trucking. Again, Brooke Waggoner’s piano playing takes center stage, but White’s itching-and-scratching guitar solo shines through as well.

Key Tracks: 
Sixteen Saltines, Freedom at 21, Love Interruption, I’m Shakin’, Trash Tongue Talker, Hip (Eponymous) Poor Boy, On and On and On

Putting his twisted spin on an old-school R&B tune, White then covers Little Willie John’s “I’m Shakin’.” Channeling the track’s original vibe, he throws in fuzzed-out guitars, hand claps and plenty of female backing vocals. But he takes the noi-vousness up a notch with his tense vocals and twitching solo. It’s much sweeter than earlier female-fueled songs on the Blunderbuss, so perhaps White’s heart is opening back up.

Similar to “Hypocritical Kiss,” “Trash Tongue Talker” sends a big FU to some poor sap who couldn’t keep his trap shut. It’s a down-and-dirty Southern romp, complete with jittery keys, swampy drums, edgy guitars and boozy bass. In between White’s wailing – “You broke your tongue talking trash / And now you’re trying to bring your / Garbage to me / I got some words for your ass / You better find somebody else up the street” – the band cranks up the pace and the volume to thrash out.

“Hip (Eponymous) Poor Boy” calms things down a bit, signifying the second main shift on Blunderbuss. It’s mandolin-heavy opening sets a lullabye-ish tone up front, but it picks up a little speed and a whimsical vibe as drums, guitar, piano and bass enter the fray. With lyrics like “I get into the game / But it’s always the same / I’m the man with the name,” this song goes out to White’s critics who have refused to let him blend in with his bands over the years in favor of always declaring him the frontman. It’s an interesting message to send on his first solo album, but rest assured it’s no accident. To drive that point home, he lets Brooke Waggoner and Fats Kaplin steal the show on piano and mandolin, respectively.

Best Lyric:
“Such a trick pretending not to be / Doing what you want to / But it seems like everybody does this / Every single moment” – “Blunderbuss”

“I Guess I Should Go to Sleep” opens with a flurry of piano, soft tapping and gentle upright bass before settling into a couple of tired-but-still-reeling verses. That same flurry rushes back in, a tenser verse follows, and White’s handiwork on the keys jives in. It all starts to calm down back down as he reflects on whether to accept the song’s title: “Upstairs, upstaged and upset / Keeping quiet is probably my best bet yet / ‘Cause I ain’t managed to say the right thing yet / Well, I guess I should go back to bed.” After all this delirious back and forth, everyone finally sings him to sleep.

A barely-there steel pedal opens up “On and On and On” with the song’s main melody. Acoustic guitar and piano duet on the same riff, then Jack sings along over both. Repeating the melody on different instruments is a simple trick White employs throughout the track, but he’s always makes slight rearrangements so it never gets old. All in all, this track mirrors White’s career, namely his ability to continually adjust his style while still sounding distinctly “Jack White.”

White rounds out Blunderbuss with “Take Me with You When You Go,” an all-hands-on-deck number that brings in the drums, piano, guitars, upright bass and everyone’s voices, along with some fiddle for good measure. And just when it seems like an unassuming soft closer, White and crew shift gears to crank this one up into a funky electric jamout.

Overall Rating:

Blunderbuss, like Jack White, is no easy sound to peg. It starts with rocking tales of evil women and unrequited love. Then it shifts gears to more soulful songs that swear off love and flip the bird to fake friends and critics. Finally, it settles into simple-yet-complex country-ish numbers that look toward the future with acceptance. You’ll notice way more piano and female backing vocals on this album than his previous releases, along with other interesting additions like mandolin, upright bass, fiddle and pedal steel. White blends these varying sounds effortlessly well with his signature guitar work and wailing voice, yet the album’s constant shifting makes it feel disjointed at times. But this lack of seamless cohesion was obviously intentional. That’s Jack White’s ever-evolving style — he can’t not change things up, even on the same album. Like the eponymous gun this album is named after, Blunderbuss shoots a loud, wide range of liberating destruction. 

Peasant is the brainchild of Pennsylvania-native Damien DeRose, who, per the band’s Facebook page, is joined by “Alex C” and “Bruno C.” Bound for Glory is 26-year-old DeRose’s fourth release under this moniker. After touring with acts like Dr. Dog, Horse Feathers, Cursive, and Delta Spirit, Peasant has built some buzz despite their recent arrival on the scene. On Bound For Glory, Peasant spins tales of heartbreak and joy over simple but rich indie-folk sounds.

Sounds Like:
Indie-folk band focuses on simplicity to hone its sound alongside leadman DeRose’s strong vocals

An even, picked acoustic guitar riff and a solitary bass drum kick off the album’s opening and title track. DeRose’s striking tenor vocals coo reassuring words despite tenuous circumstances. The song slowly builds to a peak over the last chorus, as a soft, distant electric guitar riff joins the acoustic guitar and drum beat while DeRose croons: “Don’t worry, don’t worry / You’re bound for glory.” The album’s first single, “The Flask,” follows. Driven mostly by a warm, fuzzy electric guitar riff, the melody changes hands between piano, acoustic, and electric guitars, never dropping a beat. DeRose’s talent for crafting catchy melodies is immediately evident during the during the chorus and harmonized melody of “ooh-ooh-oohs.”

                                     Official music video for “The Flask”

A laid back guitar and drum beat start off “Girls,” where DeRose bemoans the many hardships fueled by the finer sex. A layered acoustic-and-electric guitar riff allows a second electric guitar to add sonic lamentations in the background, while DeRose murmurs, “What are we going to do? / I kinda loved you.” Peasant’s preference for simplicity is illustrated well on “We’re Not the Same,” a somber tune driven by softly strummed acoustic guitar, far-away-sounding piano chords, and a soft, steady drum beat.

“A Little One” is an upbeat tune, dripping with a bluegrass feel. Strummed acoustic guitar and mandolin carry the melody, assisted by subtle percussion. DeRose’s vocals are joined by a chorus of supporting vocals, adding to the intimate, sing-along vibe. An incredibly catchy guitar hook repeats throughout “Doesn’t Mean.” Although the lyrics don’t expand greatly, the guitar hook is joined by various instrumental elements throughout. The album’s longest song at 4:06, the band manages to maintain the intrigue through the duration, making this track also one of the album’s strongest.

Key Tracks:
Bound for Glory, The Flask, Girls, A Little One, Take It Light, Pretty Good, Stars, Don’t Let Me Down

“Take It Light” is another easy-paced, catchy track. Warmly strummed acoustic guitar, soft, steady drums, and a chorus of hums join DeRose as he sings about an argument with a significant other. Peasant kicks up the distortion level on the electric guitar on “Pretty Good.” Haunting, 60s-rock organ joins the biting guitar and drum riff. Following many acoustic numbers, this was a pleasant find.

Best Lyric:
“I know the stars I saw / And they had my name on them / And I got shot right down / And now I’m alone coming back around / Said if I do come back to you, turn away” - “Stars”

The band’s formula is again on display on “Stars.” Warmly strummed acoustic guitar, soft drums, and infectious vocal melodies add up to another solid track. “Stars” hits its highpoint toward the end, as a bluesy guitar riff joins DeRose’s layered vocals, warning: “Turn away / ‘cause you know we will work it out.” Steady piano chords and drums kick off “Don’t Let Me Down,” the album’s closer. Peasant really ends on a high note with this track, finding an entirely different sound, dominated by dueling key hooks and aided by an aggressive drum beat and subtle guitar hook.

Overall Rating:
       

Bound for Glory’s 13 tracks cover roughly 38 minutes. As a result, the relative brevity of most some tracks is noticeable. This has its pros and cons; slower songs breeze by, while the contrasting upbeat, more aggressive tracks seemed to end too soon. DeRose’s strong vocals, however, help to hide the latter. Overall, Bound for Glory is a solid effort for these up-and-comers, and would be a good listen for anyone into My Morning Jacket (especially their earlier stuff), Wilco, Ryan Adams, and the like.

Trampled by Turtles are known for crushing it. From their fast-paced tracks to their high-energy shows to their last album that topped the Billboard bluegrass charts, these guys step right over success after success. On their sixth release, Stars and Satellites, the five deft musicians from Duluth, Minnesota do it again. But rather than replicating their concert sound as they’ve done before, Dave Simonett (guitar, vocals), Tim Saxhaug (bass, vocals), Dave Carroll (banjo, vocals), Erik Berry (mandolin, vocals) and Ryan Young (fiddle, vocals) opt for a more measured album. And somehow they still achieve a sound that’s as lively as ever.

Sounds Like:
Rollicking bluegrass band channels the ghost of Hank Williams

“Midnight on the Interstate” begins with just a lightly strummed guitar and the occasional piano key. A simple banjo hook by Carroll builds the backing for the reminiscent ballad, and Young’s fiddle adds mellow moodiness. “And I was younger / And open like a child / Man, it’s been a while / Since I felt that way,” our lead character croons. The song ends looking forward, coming full circle between the regrets of yesterday and the promises of tomorrow.

Next up, if we hadn’t seen the “lights of the city” on Stars and Satellites’ opener, we’d all be howling right along with “Alone.” The song laments our born-alone-liness and sometimes isolated existence with reflective verses and a wordless “whoa-oa-oa-oa-oa” chorus. Voice, banjo, mandolin and violin all bend their strings in varying directions of loneliness, until they finally come together in a unified plea for company.

“Walt Whitman” calls up the classic upbeat-yet-earnest spirit of Trampled by Turtles. The music may sound fun and inviting, but the lyrics lament a deeper melancholy. “We drove fast shaking all the way / Like the waves in Californ / Sorry I never know what to say at all,” Simonett sings over raucous fiddle, bass, banjo and guitar.

                                   Official music video for “Alone”

“High Water” just might be the saddest song you’ve ever heard. If you’re not careful, its heavy vocal harmonies, searing fiddle and gloomy stringwork could drag you down in the undertow. The tune bemoans the end that all of us will inevitably meet – “Young and old / Scared or bold / Do what you want with your time.” The ending slowly, craftily builds before it all subsides from the shore.

You’ll wanna put your dancing pants on for “Risk.” Young’s fiddle and Carroll’s banjo rip into a dizzying breakneck speed right from the start, and they don’t slow down for a second. Instead, the band opts to speed up halfway through the track, daring to see how fast they can play their instruments without spontaneously combusting.

After that sweatfest, “Widower’s Heart” provides a much-needed breather. Over waning fiddle and smooth banjo, our character pines over his long-gone bride with some of Simonett’s best lyrical work. It’s a rattling tale that faces the mundane reality of death, rather than the glorified fantasies such yarns tend to spin. The track’s standout moment occurs when Carroll fingers through a flamenco-ish banjo solo accompanied nicely by Berry’s Spanish mandolin backing.

Key Tracks:
Midnight on the Interstate, Alone, Widower’s Heart, Sorry, Beautiful, The Calm and the Crying Wind

Amidst an album of lonesome ballads, “Sorry” is the ironic odd man out on Stars and Satellites. Opening with honest lyrics like “There’s more to life than dying early / It’s new to me so bear with me a while,” the song feels like just another pop folk number, until the musicianship takes it to a whole ‘nother level. Banjo, fiddle, mandolin, guitar, bass, and vocals jam out in hoedown style, hitting a hard stop here and there without missing a beat.

“Beautiful” couldn’t be named better. Its poetic lyrics, heartfelt delivery and harmonic orchestration inspire us to feel the same awe for life that the song describes. “I’m scared that I… forget it / I hate that life goes on / The world so sweet and deadly / And too beautiful,” Simonett croons like a happily heartbroken hopeless romantic. Guitar, banjo, bass, mandolin and voice keep it real simple to let the track’s gorgeous message shine through.

“Don’t Look Down” reminds us of that Trampled by Turtles can hang with the best of them when it comes to rocking out. With the vocal-less confidence many bands are too scared to exude, the band cranks out an instrumental tour de force. First Berry’s meticulous mandolin picking takes center stage, then Young’s bending fiddleplay, followed by Carroll’s head-spinning banjo, until the whole band comes together for a rousing finish.

Best Lyric:
“I’m scared that I… forget it / I hate that life goes on / The world so sweet and deadly / And too beautiful” – “Beautiful”

“Keys to Paradise” finds our protagonist professing his love for the woman that can save his soul. Simonett sings her praises with crafty, heartfelt lines like “Up all night thinking of the ways to remain here” and “I get hopeful every time I see you crack a smile,” making his lyrics are the highlight of this track. There’s also a whimsical mandolin solo by Berry that captures the song’s punchdrunk-lovesick outlook.

“The Calm and the Crying Wind” lets Stars and Satellites down easy. The slow, soft waltz is gently driven by a rhythm guitar and a tambourine beat. Its mandolin-and-fiddle duet mirrors the track’s title characters, before a choral ending puts it all to rest, singing “The morning’s peaceful like it’s always been / The calm and the crying wind.”

Overall Rating:

On Stars and Satellites, Trampled by Turtles gives us an album that feels — in a good way — less like a concert and more like a record. They keep their sound captivating and evolving, which is no easy feat for a percussion-less bluegrass band, and what they do with five instruments and five voices is nothing short of amazing. Beyond their sound, Simonett’s lyrics on this album make you think as much as they make you feel. So if you’re into the Avett Brothers and/or Mumford & Sons, be sure to check out how these masterful musicians are kicking up the dust on traditional folk with their indie bent.

Note: If you dig this album, be sure to check out Derek’s review of Dead Man Winter, a side project of Simonett, Saxhaug, Young and others.

Since crushing the competition on its way to winning the 2010 Músiktilraunir, Iceland’s prestigious annual battle of the bands competition, Of Monsters and Men makes its U.S. full-length debut with My Head Is an Animal. Fronted by guitarist and vocalists Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir and Ragnar “Raggi” Þórhallsson, the Icelandic sextet has garnered a following on the band’s strong indie pop sound. Early indications, such as its domestic success in Iceland, suggest My Head Is an Animal meets its lofty expectations; but how good are these guys (and gal)?

Sounds Like:
Edward Sharp and the Magnetic Zeros, Arcade Fire, The Weepies

“Dirty Paws,” the album’s opening track, begins with a quick, intricately picked acoustic guitar riff that sets the stage for Nanna and Raggi’s harmonized vocals. The pair tells a dark, tongue-in-cheek tale of a battle between the birds and the bees. Following the more understated verses, the band opens up their sound, building to Arcade-Fire-inspired segments featuring pounding piano, electric guitar, drums, and shouted “hey’s.” Immediately, the band shows its ability to quickly change its tune from softer verses to huge-sounding instrumental choruses. “King and Lionheart” starts in much the same fashion, with Nanna’s sharp vocals over a simply strummed acoustic guitar riff, accentuated with single-strummed electric chords. As the song continues, more instruments and flourishes are introduced, further refining the complexity of their sound. Nanna and Raggi’s catchy vocal harmonies create consistency, as the band’s music builds with increased percussion, distorted guitars, keyboard hooks, and subtle accordion.

“Mountain Sound” kicks off with a quick drum beat, strummed acoustic guitar, and synth hook. The catchy, sing-along chorus extends into an extended jam session for the band. The lighthearted, upbeat tone is echoed by the whole group: “Hold your horses now / we sleep until the sun goes down.” The pace of “Slow and Steady” matches its title. Soft, muddy synth chords and ambient sounds start the tune. Although the vocal melodies continue at the same pace, drummer Arnar Rósenkranz Hilmarsson lays down some heavy beats, giving a pleasant contrast to the dreamy keys, hazy guitars, mellow trumpet melody, and smooth lyrics: “and I move slow and steady / but I feel like a waterfall.”

“From Finner” is an epic tune, which based on the band’s Facebook page, is about a “whale with a house on its back.” The track starts humbly, with Nanna’s vocals and a softly strummed, murky electric guitar. The sound builds over the chorus, as pounding drums, and ominous-sounding accordion, accompany a mob chorus of “la-la-la’s” and “hey-hey-hey’s.” Of Monsters and Men masterfully captures the theme of this seemingly silly story at the end of the song: “And we are far from home but we’re so happy / Far from home, all alone but so happy.”

                                   Official music video for “Little Talks”

“Little Talks,” the album’s first single, first caught attention when it was recorded in the band’s living room by Seattle radio station KEXP (check out video of that performance here). Like the rest of this album, Of Monsters and Men show their ability to move between simple and large, complex sounds without missing a beat. The driving trumpet hook, chorus-shouted “hey’s,” and catchy melodies make this a solid number.

Key Tracks:
Dirty Paws, King and Lionheart, Slow and Steady, From Finner, Little Talks, Six Weeks, Love Love Love, Sloom, Lake House

“Six Weeks” is another song that highlights the imagination of the group. Inspired by a random story on the Internet, “Six Weeks” is about an old American frontiersman that was left for dead after killing a bear. A stomping bass beat drives this catchy, Arcade Fire-esque tune. Raggi provides the majority of the vocals on this track, though he is often joined en masse by the group, adding to the intimate feel of My Head Is an Animal. Raggi’s lyrics capture the intensity felt by the main character: “Alone I fight these animals / Alone. Until I get home.”

“Love Love Love” is a dark, possibly misleadingly titled tune. Murky synths and softly strummed acoustic guitar accompany Nanna’s vocals. The song’s twist is revealed during the chorus: “‘Cause you love, love, love / when I can’t love, love, love you.” Lively strummed acoustic guitars begin “Sloom,” a moving number highlighting Nanna and Raggi’s vocal harmony talents. Verses are based on a call-and-response format, but the two combine for a capella choruses. Hand-claps and soft, ambient electric guitar flourishes are introduced as the track picks up momentum, all bearing down for the a capella choruses.

Best Lyric:
“And I’m never ready / ‘Cause I know. I know. I know / That time won’t let me / show you want I want to show” - “Slow and Steady”

Like the rest of the album, “Lake House” starts auspiciously with a simply strummed acoustic guitar and vocal melody, building ever so subtly to huge choruses filled with rumbling snare drum hits, horns, distorted guitars, and a chorus of vocals. The song’s joyous, reminiscent lyrics invite listeners to join the party: “Come on in. Come on in / Where it all begins.” “Yellow Light,” the closing track, has a mysterious, uneasy vibe. Starting with a simple, plucked acoustic guitar riff, the sound builds slightly, aided by soft, steady drums, a repetitive keyboard hook, and ambient sounds.

Overall Rating:

Overall I was blown away by My Head Is an Animal. Of Monsters and Men show an ability to transform a melody over and over throughout a track, as the band adds numerous wrinkles via its broad instrumentation. Most notably, the band was able to manipulate its melodies and sounds in various manners, adding some unpredictability throughout the album. For example, the increasingly aggressive percussion on “Slow and Steady” transforms the sound, while the omission of drums create depth elsewhere. After embracing My Head Is an Animal, I think it is safe to say that it is time to take note of Of Monsters and Men now, as they introduce their deep indie pop sound outside the small confines of Iceland.

For an Ethiopian-born 24-year-old who grew up in Finland, Mirel Wagner sure can sing some old-school American folk/blues. She credits that skill to the fact that while her friends were rocking out to the Spice Girls, she was in the library listening to Skip James, Son House, Jr. and Robert Johnson. On her self-titled debut, Wagner sings of death, desire and the devil with the simplicity of an acoustic guitar, the sincerity of her influences and the depth of an old soul. 

Sounds Like: 
Son House, Jr., Nick Cave, Hope Sandoval

“To the Bone” opens with slow, eerie finger-picking to set a suspenseful mood. “Your love drags me down / Like the clothes when you swim / Down deeper down / Like the roots of old trees” Wagner sings over single-chord strums. Thought it’s a short and simple track, its haunting feeling gets under your skin instantly and lingers long after the last note fades. She does a superb job of drawing you in deep right from the start of the album, only giving you a taste of her signature style, but enough to pique your interest – no easy feat for an artist with such a dark, different sound.

On “The Well,” Wagner shows off her deftly simple acoustic chops. She also switches her voice from the first track’s deep tone to a softer, childlike one. It’s a fitting transition for the song, which laments “I lean in to the well / Black water, what can you tell? / A shadow swallows my reflection / Mother, I see nothing at all.” Though our protagonist is oblivious, Wagner knows exactly what she’s doing – embodying youthful innocence as it stumbles upon answers that go right over its head. This track is so deep, I doubt Wagner was ever told, “Oh, Mirel, you’ll understand when you’re older.”

                                        Music video for “No Death”

In homage to Wagner’s lyrical honesty, I’m not gonna sugarcoat this: “No Death” gets weird. Necrophilia weird. But while on the surface it seems ghastly, the song’s deeper meaning conveys undying love. As Death slowly creeps in to take the deceased, her stubborn lover tries to protect her, singing “No death can tear us apart.” The song’s guitar picking has a dirge-like sway to it, as Wagner uses bass notes to signify Death’s footsteps making their way toward the dead girl. At the end of the song, Wagner’s voice gets whisper-soft, afraid that the nearby Death will hear. Creepy, but oddly catchy.

And now for something completely different. Wagner gets all happy and sweet on “No Hands.” “I’ve been riding my bicycle all day long / Up and down the old dusty dirt road / Look, Mother, no hands,” Wagner sings over Iron-and-Wine-ish guitar strumming. No profound meaning. No unsettling story. Just the youthful bliss of sun, wind and two wheels. On an album of mostly deep, dark tales, this one offers a welcome, momentary respite of simple nostalgia.

Key Tracks:
The Well, No Death, No Hands, Despair, Joe, Dream

“Red” gets back to the dark side. The devil entices a girl to dance with him, play his game and fall in love with him. Though she’s warned of the dangers, she accepts them and waits for his return. Wagner draws her voice out to create lasting tension. Her steady finger-picking evokes a monotonous, trance-like state, hypnotizing your ears just like ole’ Red puts a spell on the girl. Of course, in his true nature of betrayal, he leaves her in the end: “Those eyes went red / And at the first break of day / My true love went away.”

“Despair” tells a similar tale, only this time it’s not the Devil. Sadness comes looking for a helpless victim, singing “Dance with me till all the stars begin to fall / Dance with me till there’s nothing left of you at all.” And instead of willful acceptance, the song’s character tries to fight back, although to no avail. Wagner’s finger-picking is quick and crisp, while her voice sounds appropriately helpless. It’s such an intimate track, you can hear her fingers move up and down the guitar neck.

Best Lyric:
“Your love drags me down / Like the clothes when you swim / Down deeper down / Like the roots of old trees” – “To the Bone”

“Joe” takes the feeling of despair even further. Over galloping guitar work, Wagner pines with the certainty and sincerity of our unwavering lead character. “I’m going to wash my sins away / An angel told me so,” she stoicly sings, “When they find me in the river / Tell my mother I was a good boy.” Yes, it’s a sad one, but it brings him the relief of no sorrow nor grief: “The birds are signing in the trees / They’re singing for me.”

“Dream” could be a long-lost B-side from the 1940s. It begins with a staccato, bluesy riff, before Wagner’s voice comes in angry yet soft with a touch of distortion. She draws out the verses but speeds up the chorus to interesting effect. “Cause else it’s the truth and that won’t do / And your eyes are full of moon.” This vocal trick adds just enough melody to keep you from noticing that the track’s guitar backing never wavers from the same simple riff.

“The Road” aptly ends with another slow, hypnotizing tale, this time that of a “dead man’s unwedded bride.” A rarity on the album, Wagner uses her voice on this song to approach the most traditional sense of melody. Her staccato finger-picking sounds like a wedding march, only this one isn’t headed to the altar. No, like young “Joe” from a few songs back, she’s following the road to “a lake that’s dark deep and cold,” presumably to join her late groom. Sad but sweet, finite but forever. 

Overall Rating:
       

Mirel Wagner’s self-titled debut is a strong first effort that’s mostly macabre and melancholy. It wins major points for its lyricism, storytelling, thoughtful orchestration and original style, but the bare-bones composition leaves something to be desired, as it can get monotonous. For these reasons, this album will likely polarize listeners into lovers or haters. But whichever side you choose, there’s no denying Mirel Wagner’s potential. She’s both talented and wise beyond her years. And there’s nothing dark or depressing about that.

Following a five-year absence and new surrounding cast accompanying vocalist and multi-instrumentalist James Mercer, The Shins return with their fourth full-length release on Port of Morrow. Since making waves in the indie scene with 2001’s Oh, Inverted World and 2003’s Chutes Too Narrow, The Shins were the early torchbearers for indie rock. However, anticipation has been building over the half decade following the band’s last release, 2007’s Wincing the Night Away, and I am intrigued to see if Mercer & Co. can live up to their high standard of solid indie rock.

Sounds Like:
Following five-year hiatus, The Shins find familiar indie-pop sounds and heady lyrics

Port of Morrow kicks off with a rapid drum beat and intensity-building bass riff on “The Rifle’s Spiral.” Intricate layering of a heavy bass line, synths, and a light, wispy guitar riff meld into a reminiscent, yet refined Shins’ sound. Mercer’s rich vocals and heady lyrics are also immediately present (“Now your viscera unfurls / as you rise from your burning fiat”). Overall, the high intensity on “The Rifle’s Spiral” is a great opening track after a five-year absence. “Simple Song,” the album’s first single, is a tribute to Mercer’s wife. Verses boast an upbeat 80’s guitar/key riff, against piano-driven choruses, punctuated with sleek guitar upstrokes.

Soft drums, acoustic guitar, and barely-there electric guitar accompany Mercer’s deep lyrics on “It’s Only Life.” In familiar Shins’ fashion, instrumentation is relatively deep on this track, melding seamlessly into the chorus. Catchy, subtle hooks abound throughout the tune. “Bait and Switch” features a quick, guitar-driven beat, and tells a humorous tale of a man bedeviled by his lady friend.

Key Tracks:
The Rifle’s Spiral, Simple Song, It’s Only Life, September, No Way Down, Fall of ‘82

A strummed acoustic and sleepy slide guitars give “September” a dreamy, country vibe. The increased production can be felt on this track, subtly accenting certain lyrics here and there. Mercer’s powerful lyrics help make this one of Port of Morrow’s gems. An upbeat, synth-heavy hook kicks off “No Way Down.” Mercer provides a clever preface (“Meet the son of a government man / and a pillar of salt. / I was born with blood on my hands and have all the signs of a bleeding heart”) before launching into a pro-99% anthem. In a compelling contrast, Mercer eloquently asks tough questions over a blend of bright guitars, synths, and drums: “What have we done? / How’d we get so far from the sun? / Lost in an oscillating phase / where a tiny few catch all of the rays.”

                                        Music video for “Simple Song”

“For A Fool” is slow, bluesy number and finds Mercer fighting his emotions for a woman who has and continues to play him. “Fall of ‘82” is a catchy number, where Mercer professes his gratitude and appreciation for his sister. Instrumentation is deep on this number as well, highlighted by a trumpet and flugelhorn in the bridge.

Best Lyric:
“I finally had all my ducks in a row / Peace and quite by means of subtraction. / How she got in I’m not sure that I know / But two weeks and my spine was in traction” - “Bait and Switch”

An eerie, whistled hook starts “40 Mark Strasse,” a dark tale about the children of German prostitutes living outside an American military base in Germany. Soft, acoustic guitar-centered verses stand in stark contrast against sharp, piano-driven choruses. The title and final track, “Port of Morrow,” kicks off with dark, murky keys and synths. Verses feature Mercer’s falsetto vocals over piano chords and drums. Named after a street sign in Portland the band passes on the way home from touring, this song is dark, twisted tale, inspired by the surreal emotions experienced when returning home from a grueling road trip.

Overall Rating:

At first, I was afraid Port of Morrow would be more Wincing the Night Away than Oh, Inverted World/Chutes Too Narrow. Fortunately, though, Port of Morrow is really neither. Mercer’s exquisite lyrics are as deep as ever. Musically, The Shins continue to implement sounds from other genres and put their unique, indie stamp on it. Mercer’s experience with Danger Mouse on 2010’s Broken Bells also played a part on Port of Morrow’s sound, as the increased production is present, though not overwhelming. After such an extended absence, The Shins were facing the risk of not living up to their own lofty expectations. Fortunately, that is not the case with Port of Morrow, as I feel this is an album that I will further appreciate the more I listen to it.