Bill Baird treats his fans well. He maintains a dedicated following that, if his new album Loveshines But The Moon Is Shining Too is any indication, should increase exponentially shortly. Baird appears quite kind to fans as well, as his tireless work ethic and dedication caught my attention in 2008, when he released two full-lengths in the span of five months. The quality of those two albums, Bright Blue Dream and The Glowing City, led me to the official release of Pink Clouds. Its first incarnation was as a cassette Baird had given to about 100 friends. But after one copy leaked, the band’s work ethic and dedication came out when they decided to re-release it in its true form. Their small but dedicated following deserved the best, at least according to the members of then-named {{{Sunset}}}. Baird and the rest of that group have been hard at work since then, dropping the ‘{{{‘ and ‘}}}’ from their name and sounding even better.

The shifting lineup that is Sunset appears to be in constant variation, but there are never signs of rustiness. Baird released a Sunset album last year entitled Gold Dissolves to Gray, but to me it sounded like a jumbled point of indecision between playful psychedelia and stabs at atmospherically-bound electronica. It sounded pretty and graceful, but pop hooks represent one of Baird’s most pronounced strength and there simply were not enough of them throughout Gold Dissolves to Gray. His fifth full-length, Loveshines But The Moon Is Shining Too, is different though. Baird’s grasp on delicate pop is still there, as his vocals never escalate with great authority despite emitting harmonious bliss, but the music benefits more from elements of pop that coincide with his twinkling vein of neo-psychedelia and folk. Experimentation is present but not to the extent of his previous effort, where fascination ad intrigue occasionally prevailed over common sense.

Loveshines But The Moon Is Shining Too gets on the right track immediately with opening “Heavy Light”, a track the combines the wintery, echoey key-laden allure of The Walkmen with the slick guitar-key harmonic collab that ’70s pop artists like Electric Light Orchestra perfected. Baird’s unique voice is as present as ever, shifting through an array of infectious coos and grunt-like tones that resemble both Neil Hannon and Beck, depending on the verse. Comparisons to other artists may be more evident here than on other Sunset releases, if only because Baird is less consumed with crafting an entirely unique sound and more focused on writing excellent pop songs. This is seen especially on tracks like “Heavy Light” and “Late Night Dawning”, the latter of which stars Crystal Fulbright and Red Hunter on vocals in a touching performance that really plays on Baird’s repeated use of tremolo. The accompaniments behind it, both on vocals and strings, are extraordinary and fully representative of Baird’s compositional prowess.

Seeing as how the original version of “Loveshines” was a song that I enjoyed and posted, it is no surprise that the original catches my attention as well. Its sequel though, “Loveshines II”, is even better. Baird slams on the keys with vigor, allowing the pulsating tremolo to eventually become engaged in a wonderful chorus that hearkens back to The Beatles’ psychedelic ballads in its outstanding use of strings. It sounds mysterious and enjoyably vintage, yet remains crisp enough to fit within Sunset’s arsenal of indie-pop and psychedelia. Baird has accomplished great things here, and it is certainly worth hearing.

RIYL: Electric Light Orchestra, Beck, The Walkmen, Brazos, The Bitters, Still Corners, Golden Ages, Grimes, Family Portrait, Pill Wonder, Tennis, Pearl Harbor, The Mantles, Pepi Ginsberg, Twin Sister, Summer Camp, Happy Birthday, Golden Triangle, Pure Ecstasy, Aska, The Delta Mirror

MP3: Sunset – Heavy Light

MP3: Sunset – Late Night Dawning

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When looking back to our high school days, many of us can likely remember reading Thoreau’s Walden. Even those turned off by the primary philosophy of transcendentalism have grasped the value of such a classic, as Thoreau’s isolated musings concerning self-sufficiency and civility seem even more relevant today in an age distancing itself from such aims. The likes of Emerson and Thoreau are covered extensively in high school as a result, for its fusion of philosophy and sociology still encompasses a rare contemporary relevance. Brazos’ new album, Phosphorescent Blues, inherits that same kind of relevance with a similar sense of social isolation and self-contemplation. Recorded in his reclusive South Austin home, Brazos frontman Martin Crane injects a series of classic naturalist themes in an intimate showing of folk and alternative-rock strongly indicative of both his poetic and melodic capabilities. While Walden showed Thoreau’s “life in the woods” as breakthrough personal meditation, Phosphorescent Blues represents Crane’s commentary on life’s most imminent and affecting tribulations in the perspective of external contemplation. Despite the chronological and reputable differences of the two works, this examination is their meeting point.

To detach oneself from society is exceedingly difficult to accomplish on its own, but to actually provide objective analysis on essential topics like instantaneous love, evolving friendship, and death itself while in this state reaches near impossibility. Perhaps the conceptualizations of eros, philia, and other classic philosophical theories were precursors to such attempted objectivity. Such ideas demanded the solely human function of reason and, whether one agreed or not, the fact that one could reason and determine their own disposition was objective enough for historical purposes. Phosphorescent Blues is so easy to relate to that its exposition of intricate concepts come off in a way that is lighthearted without being offensive. You know how your best friend tends to complete your sentences? “My Buddy” covers that with wit and caressing layers of surprisingly melodic distortion. What about that person in your life who offers great sex but nothing else? “Day Glo” medicates it with humor, joined by a droning style of key-tinged folk that recalls Phoenix with its abrupt elegance. Initial listens may reveal Brazos as little more than another variation of Little Joy or Fool’s Gold with their upbeat bursts of indie-rock corroborating with Afro-pop rhythms and folksy vocal sentiments, but their delicate procedures in touching upon these oddly relevant topics with sociological precision and varying musical ambitions are indicative enough of their separable ability.

The Austin-based trio are bound to attract enough attention with their constant wit displayed throughout Phosphorescent Blues, their first full-length after two EPs were released in 2007. Opening for Grizzly Bear, Vampire Weekend, and White Denim built up plenty of deserving hype for this, and the ten tracks on Phosphorescent Blues do not disappoint. Specifically, the unique nature of each track brings out a resoundingly strong effort that should contend for one of the year’s best full-length debuts. One of the reasons for this is how the trio is able to transcribe life’s complexities into a humorous or witty vein. “I don’t mind dying when I make love to her,” Crane sings on “Day Glo” before an entry of trippy brass unexpectedly descends upon the acoustics and keys. “Close but not close, far but not too far away.” Many of us have been in a relationship at some time that has reached its breaking point, to which we know bring decisions that were not fathomable a few months prior. This song perfectly touches upon this sticky situation, not just in a meditative manner but also in a humorous vein to provide welcomed lightheartedness in a topic where somberness is already prevalent enough. The keys that seem to dance and mingle under Crane’s quivering voice brings to mind a versatile folk artist like Andrew Bird, though Brazos do express more variation in tempo and style. Stylistic versatility, intelligent contemplation, and melodic captivation are all characteristics of Brazos, as any song on their beautiful Phosphorescent Blues could tell you.

RIYL: White Denim, Grizzly Bear, Phoenix, The Veils, {{{Sunset}}}, Sound Team, Andrew Bird, Jens Lekman

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Brazos – Day Glo

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Brazos – My Buddy

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Brazos – Kid

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