Monthly Archives: April 2011 »
The Antlers – Burst Apart (2011)
The Antlers’ previous release, Hospice, was so emotionally stirring that listeners felt personally close to frontman Peter Silberman, like he was a longtime friend or accomplice. It’s easy to account for this attachment, as
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Track Reviews: 4/27
Reviews of these new tracks: Son Lux's "Rising", Shabazz Palaces' "Are You… Can You… Were You? (Felt)", and John Maus' "Believer"
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Mass Fiction
The role of a producer is often undesirable to many young musicians. The arrogance and pretentiousness among many in this niche leads them to believe their creative power is limitless, and so therefore their
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Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues (2011)
If you asked me about a year ago if I’d want to review the sophomore effort from the Portland-based Fleet Foxes, I’d have told you, “Absolutely not.” Simply put, I was ‘over’ Fleet Foxes.
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Lost in the Pancakes
Like many Elephant 6 acts, the solo project of Olivia Tremor Control keyboardist Peter Erchick has a mysterious enigma that is propelled by not only a nostalgic psych-pop sound, but also by the infrequency
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Win $50 in GroopEase Credit!
THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. I wrote in depth about the excellent start-up GroopEase last week, noting it as a great way to find new music and support the artists at a discounted rate
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Cass McCombs – Wit’s End (2011)
Cass McCombs’ fifth full-length, Wit’s End, is a natural progression. His early material showcased an infatuation for intricately produced psych-rock, never becoming indulgent enough to be fetishized because they were presented in a distinctive
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The Belle Brigade – The Belle Brigade (2011)
About nine years ago, it became extremely uncool to like Fleetwood Mac. This pop/rock/soul band created some of the most emotional, daring, bold music in decades. Unfortunately, the Dixie Chicks ruined everything. They released
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HAL Return… Finally
HAL were featured on Obscure Sound over five years ago. They were under-exposed then, and remain so now. That HAL have not released anything in seven years certainly didn’t help. Nonetheless, I listened to
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TV on the Radio – Nine Types of Light (2011)
The opening moments of Nine Types of Light is telling of the rest of the album. Unlike previous TV on the Radio releases, there is no grand musical build-up. Instead, Tunde Adebimpe’s vocals spring
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Panda Bear – Tomboy (2011)
Tomboy begins shrouded in uncertainty. Noah Lennox’s words – “know you can count on me” – sound suspiciously like “no, you can’t count on me.” It’s the first album in which Lennox seems to
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Groopease + The Salvadors
Regular readers know this by now: the aim of Obscure Sound is to expose quality artists that, for whatever reason, have yet to achieve substantial recognition despite their excellent material and prevalent talent. I
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Brickwork Lizards Live
Sometimes, the story of a good band can be told through the variety and blend of their influences. Put a new spin on something old, or make fire from a pile of old sawdust.
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