Continuing the surge of experimental-pop from Montreal, Pop Winds excel in diverging colorful psychedelia and indie-rock to create a sound that is familiarly addictive, yet still relatively incomparable. On “Owl Eyes”, the trio’s vocals combine for multiple harmonies over squirts of brass and synth arpeggios, the wide variety of synths sliding and squirming all over their creative palette to create a sound that is more majestic electro-pop than 16-bit SNES tributes. It would be fairly easy to compare Pop Winds to Animal Collective’s more accessible works, recently “My Girls” and “Summertime Clothes”, simply because they specialize in similar arsenals and are able to show their experimental chops while keeping it initially engaging. But it would be more justified to name The Helio Sequence instead, as Pop Winds certainly show more pop than psychedelia through song structures that are traditional and somewhat restrained, even if percussive and melodic elements travel with greater ambition than most pop groups.

An obvious appreciation for brass infusion into electronica is shown in both “Owl Eyes” and “Drowning in the Dark”, but unlike the pathetic abundance of unnecessary brass solos (which even the likes of Junior Boys are guilty of), these are additions that expand the initial composition into an even more worthwhile state. The three members of Pop Winds – Austin Milne, Devon Welsh, and Kyle Bennett – are adept at collaborations and certain mutual appreciations like this show their chemistry well, as they tread just the right line between automated-sounding electronica and completely organic pop music. The 8-bit drum machines or samples that are often used as percussion only work because the other arrangements are so impressive, with “Drowning in the Dark” taking on its own evolutionary form through glittery synth arpeggios and “Owl Eyes” seizing the concept of anthemic with a chorus bursting with exuberant yelps, brass, and synths. It can really get you going, like most tracks on the trio’s newest album on Arbutus Records, The Turquoise.

“Feel It” is most dependent on the brass, as it actually serves as the lead melody initially. This is of course not the case for long, as fluttering synths eventually align themselves perfectly with the trio’s vocals (which – as stereotypical as it sounds – does sound like a meshing of Panda Bear, Brandon Summers, and Fred Schneider). But as the trickle of synths quickly descend and ascend, the success and originality becomes apparent. The afro-pop vibe here is extremely noticeable as well, especially when the vocals cry out “No! no! no! no!” in a rhythmic combustion that could be likened to Paul Simon. Of course, since electronica aligns with afro-pop and indie-rock in the most seamless of ways, the comparisons will be a bit more contemporary than Mr. Simon, even though he remains an integral influence today with this emerging hybrid. Pop Winds is one of the few artists that enable this formula to sound fresh. The other artists are all brand names in indie-rock at this point, and if they keep it up I would not be surprised to see Pop Winds achieve the same status.

RIYL: The Helio Sequence, Menomena, Animal Collective, Rogue Wave, Annuals, Vampire Weekend, Ambulance LTD, Earlimart, Fruit Bats, Pinback, Stars of Track and Field, Matt Pond PA, Aqueduct, Minus the Bear, Local Natives, The American Analog Set, Viva Voce, Enon, The Rosebuds, Mellowdrone, Sea Wolf, Maritime, Band of Horses

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Pop Winds – Feel It

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Pop Winds – Owl Eyes

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Pop Winds – Drowning in the Dark

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Arbutus Records

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The post Pop Winds appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

Librarians are certainly different than the professionals they take their name from. Their recent material finds solace in its own untidy ambition as opposed to systematic convention, a flexible ideology that allows their plethora of influences to shed their skins most appropriately. Their second album, Present Passed, will likely be one of 2010’s breakouts due to this newly infused mentality, which was somewhat absent on their debut, Alright Easy Candy Stranger. While receiving plenty of praise, the lack of attention their debut received can be chalked up to a feeling of complacency that resonated throughout the album. Whereas with their debut it seemed as if one memorable twist in a song was good enough, Present Passed finds a band taking less pressure off themselves in regard to writing a song that will get them noticed. This excellent album finds albums full of adventure and capriciousness instead, even with short two-minute interludes like “Island Jam” that fit wonderfully in the midst of a subtly complex album full of varying atmospheres and styles (from tropical-tinged pop to brooding folk). Complexity is not usually so discreet, but as Librarians’ songs evolve and flourish in a surprisingly cohesive narrative there will be cause to replay several songs for the sheer reason of so many enjoyable things going on. For pop music this readily accessible, it is an incredibly rare thing.

I notice even already that it does not take much to sell people on Present Passed, especially those enamored with widely-received artists like Radiohead and Animal Collective that tread deep waters of innovation while still retaining radio-friendly melodies and structures. The latter two artists have little resemblance in their approach, but they often find themselves in the same sentence due to their impact on respective “generations” of music, so to say. They have continued in a style that coincides with their introductory demeanor a decade ago, but also fit seamlessly within what is relevant today. Radiohead have proved durable for nearly two decades, and now eyes are on artists like Animal Collective to follow suit. There will always be creative artists like this, but the question will always be how they adapt to stylistic expectations surrounding music at the time. Radiohead have plenty of bands that sound just like them, whether they bear resemblance to the riveting alt-rock of OK Computer or more glitch-oriented key-led pop of Hail to the Thief. To a lesser extent, the same can even be said for a relatively young artists like Animal Collective and Ariel Pink, who have re-ignited interests in bedroom recording based in both synths and guitars. As a result, it is natural that they fit in with a scene fueled by their influence.

Librarians’ Present Passed seizes upon the expanding classification that psychedelia has been granted lately. As electronica becomes more accessible and acceptable due to the aforementioned artists, utilizing synths is becoming more recognizable in a style known mainly for echoing guitars, placid rhythm sections, and studio innovations. Librarians fit naturally within this range of psychedelia, as their resourceful use of instrumentation from their orchestral flourishes to stabs of synths comes off exuberantly under the rich melodic croon of Trey Curtis, who somewhat resembles the rich tenor of Grizzly Bear’s Ed Droste and is able to similarly transition from somber and retrospective to infectiously upbeat. The tone of the album shifts from track to track, in a cohesive manner of course, but still enough to make track-by-track comparisons somewhat futile. Lead vocalist Trey Curtis shines in an effort like “So What”, where the suave accentuation at each chorus’ end is part of the song’s majestic melody. “It’s like you’re always there when I need someone to talk to,” he sings in this moment. “I want to call your name and make everything new.” It is easily one of the band’s more accessible, coherent, but it sits alongside other tracks that are certainly more on the side of unconventional.

“Wait & See” and “Cranberry Palace” is essentially one song divided into two because of its excellent transitional effect, which sees the hurried and rhythmic jungle-pop of “Wait & See” collide with the serene psychedelia of its counterpart. The latter is particularly beautiful in its reminiscing of ’60s ballads and conclusion of falling synth arpeggios, while “Wait & See” should find great response in fans of Animal Collective’s fusion of high-pitched synths that resemble exotic woodwinds with gauze-y layers of soothing synth. The relaxing effect takes effect once “Cranberry Palace” emerges, and this part of Present Passed plays particularly well. “Candy Season” is also a very likable effort, employing a structure that finds evolving rhythm sections unfold over a brisk acoustic guitar loop. The build-up contained in song’s latter half, which is ushered in by a twinkle of keys, is easily the track’s most melodic moment, though the first half’s sugar-rush analogies are just as memorable. It serves as a nice summary of Present Passed, where most tracks begin with soaring harmonies and infectious rhythms before evolving into atmospheric, psychedelically coherent forms of post-rock that coincide perfectly with the success of artists influenced by these collection of artists that differ in style but not in approach, that being of staying true to one’s origins and molding the expectations surrounding them as a result.

RIYL: Grizzly Bear, Radiohead, Animal Collective, The Turtles, The Zombies, Clinic, Echo and the Bunnymen, Mogwai, The Helio Sequence, The Depreciation Guild, Leonard Cohen, Menomena, Fruit Bats, Stars of Track and Field, Explorers Club, Built to Spill, The Flaming Lips

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Librarians – So What?

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Librarians – Cranberry Palace

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Librarians – Wait & See

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Postfact Records

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The post Librarians of Present Passed appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.