Halfway Through 2012...

We're over half way through the year... I figured I'd rank all the new albums I've heard so far.

1. Lost In The Trees - A Church That Fits Our Needs

Emotional.  Rich.  Textured.  Atmospheric.  It's hard to find enough words to describe how beautiful this album is.  It's a perfect tribute to Ari Picker's late mother.  It's simultaneously sad and uplifting.  Rarely do you find an album with such a coherent bond between the lyrics and the music.  Here, Picker proves he's an expert in tone.

2. Punch Brothers - Who's Feeling Young Now?

I initially met this album with trepidation, since their previous album is one of my favorites, and I wasn't too keen on the first track, which was released online a few weeks before the full album.  But here they've proven that they can make music that is more accessible, but just as interesting... While staying true to their acoustic instruments.  

3. Anathema - Weather Systems

This is excellent prog rock.  It takes you through a range of emotions, it is intricately constructed (listen to the layered vocals on "The Gathering of the Clouds" in surround sound, and prepare to be blown away), and it just gets better with each listen.

4. Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros - Here

I'm probably in the minority, but I like this better than their previous record.  It doesn't have a hit song, but it does a great job capturing a traditional revival feel.

5. Great Lake Swimmers - New Wild Everywhere

Nice sincere folk rock.  All of the songs are pretty good, and there are some nice, catchy melodies here.

6. Of Monsters And Men - My Head Is An Animal

This is a fun listen.  Lots of bombast; probably closer to the first Edward Sharpe album than the new Edward Sharpe album is.  

7. Darrell Scott - Long Ride Home

Darrell is one of my favorite songwriters, and here we see him making back porch country music.  Simple, honest, and genuine.

8. The Tallest Man On Earth - There's No Leaving Here

I was never the biggest fan of this guy, but he does have an interesting Dylan-esque quality, and I like the acoustic guitar.

9. Bela Fleck & The Marcus Roberts Trio - Across The Imaginary Divide

Saw these guys at Telluride Bluegrass, and was impressed.  It's like a very tight jazz ensemble with a banjo.

10. Leftover Salmon - Aquatic Hitchhiker

I haven't been able to fully digest this one yet, but there are some quality cuts here.

Other albums I like that didn't make my top 10 yet:
Old Crow Medicine Show - Carry Me Back
Farrar, Johnson, Parker, Yames - New Multitudes
Justin Townes Earle - Nothing's Gonna Change The Way You Feel About Me Now
Carolina Chocolate Drops - Leaving Eden
Trampled By Turtles - Stars And Satellites
Rhett Miller - The Dreamer
Andrew Bird - Break It Yourself

New Release: Eisley - The Valley

Release Date: March 1, 2011
Label: Equal Vision Records

Not sure why I decided to listen to this one... Possibly because it's brand new, and I found it streaming on the internet.  Anyhow, this is an indie-pop band made up of a family (four siblings and their cousin) from Tyler, TX.  Having heard absolutely nothing of this band, I had no clue what to expect (well, the band name is derived from Mos Eisley, so I expected it to be good).

The album title, The Valley, refers to the recent hardships endured by the members of the band.  One of the DuPree sisters had a failed marriage.  The band faced an uncertain future after leaving their record label.  With this in mind, I was expecting an album filled with desperation and melancholy.

The lyrics, as expected, are melancholy.  They sing of heartbreak, disappointment, and pain.  This is all well and good, but this music has a decidedly happy sound.  The tunes are poppy and infectious, and the production is polished and crisp.  The result is an album where there is a mismatch between the music's tone and that of the lyrics–and unfortunately, it's not done in a way that leads you to believe they're just being ironic.  The Valley is ultimately a failure; while every song is listenable, I can't help but think this is maybe just a notch above your typical white suburban female pop punk (think Paramore).  Nothing here grabs me and says, "Hey, you gotta listen to this again."

The first clue something is wrong is that the longest track is only a minute longer than the shortest.  Tolerable, but uninteresting.

Tracklist:

1	The Valley	3:20
2	Smarter	3:18
3	Watch It Die	3:09
4	Sad	3:19
5	Oxygen Mask	3:25
6	Better Love	3:20
7	I Wish	3:54
8	Kind	3:07
9	Mr. Moon	3:53
10	Please	3:33
11	Ambulance	4:04

★☆☆☆

La Strada - New Home

Release Date: April 20, 2010
Label: Ernest Jenning

Here's one that you might not have heard of.  La Strada is a relatively unknown Brooklyn band formed in 2007.  I'm not sure how I found these guys, but I heard a few tracks, and decided to purchase their album (their catalog consists of New Home, and their self-titled 2009 EP).  Considering the Wikipedia page for "La Strada (band)" points to some defunct Yugoslav band, this must be fairly obscure.

If I had to describe their sound in one phrase, it would be "a more upbeat Death Cab For Cutie."  It would probably be best categorized as Indie Pop/Rock, with a easy-on-the-ears sound, lots of melody, and a good instrumental depth.  One can get a sense of that by investigating the band's lineup:

James Craft - Accordian, Guitar, Lead Vocals
Devon Press - Bass, Guitar, Accordian and Vocals
Ted Lattis - Guitar, Vocals
Brady Miller - Drums, Vocals
Daniel Baer - Violin, Vocals

I have to say, I am actually fairly impressed with this album.  The whole thing was assembled very well, with a great flow that keeps you interested, some well-designed transitions between tracks, and sleek production.  It doesn't give you the feeling that they just threw whatever songs they had written into a box and shook it up (maybe that's what they did, but it doesn't sound that way).   Often times when I listen to what is termed "indie" music, it is too electronic or too lo-fi.  These guys are just a straightforward band who know what they are good at, and make good sounding, straightforward music.

There's really not a bad track on the album.  Most are upbeat, and all of them fully utilize their entire instrumental spectrum, with the strings featuring prominently, and a very clear guitar sound.

Here is the track list:

1	Go Forward	2:58
2	Julia	3:10
3	The Traveler	4:28
4	Wash on By	3:46
5	Baptism	3:11
6	My New Home	4:55
7	Where You Want to Go	2:17
8	There's Only Love	4:14
9	the Mountain Song	5:41
10	the Wedding Song	2:55
11	Shapes in the Sky	3:57
12	Mean That Much	4:04
13	Old Hill	3:32

Alas, this might be their last album.  A couple weeks ago, they announced they are breaking up in December.



★★★☆