Although the summer isn't technically here yet, it sure does feel like it. This May treated us to sunshine, a fresh bloom of wildlife, and signs of new things to come. The same can be said about the musical offerings, which features an array of new sun-baked treasures. Canada is definitely not short on relevant music these days. Toronto's Metric exploded back onto the alt-radio waves this month with "Youth Without Youth", a glam-rocker that finds front-woman Emily Haines describing a new generation of youngsters who are neglecting their childhood innocence. As the summer nears, this message seems to be very much appropriate. Their new album Synthetica is available for download June 12. It's always refreshing to hear music with meaning, and this month The Gaslight Anthem delivered. The New Jersey-based punkers handed us an early summer anthem in "45", a track off their upcoming Handwritten (July 24) which features a soaring guitar riff and powerful vocals about moving on from a past relationship. Michael Angelekos, lead singer of electro-pop outfit Passion Pit, claims that there is more of a dichotomy between the lyrics and the music on the band's newalbum Gossamer (July 24). The first single "Take A Walk" is a departure from the group relying on their trademark synth grooves and gives way to Angelekos exploring themes of political nature, something we haven't seen from them before. As the weather continues to become more enjoyable, the new music seems to as well. We here will throw our sunglasses on, grab our mp3 players, and head to the beach to soak up the rays, and of course the fresh tunes.
April showers bring May flowers, and apparently they bring revitalizing mp3s as well. Although the rain may not have drenched us, the barrage of quality music cuts poured in from all corners of the musical landscape. It is safe to say the Red Hot Chili Peppers are poised to rock out the summer festival circuit, making headlining stops at Hangout, Bonnaroo, and Lollapalooza. Their latest single "Look Around", a bass-induced romp, has hit alternative radio stations and finds them at the roots of their sound. Perhaps nobody made a bigger splash through the April puddles than Of Monsters and Men. The Iceland indie-folkers brought their hit song "Little Talks" over the pond much to our approval. This tune is a swashbuckler of a good time and sure to get multiple spins. Whoever said rock-and-roll is dead has obviously not listened to Alabama Shakes new album Boys & Girls. A refreshing collection of songs from front to back, which features the bluesy pop nugget "Hold On" as the opener and centerpiece. As always, we here at FW were thrilled with what came in the inbox this month and we will soak them up one more time as the new batch of songs gets ready to bloom.
In like a lion, out like a lamb. The month of March treated us to a pot of gold filled with quality music spanning from rock to hip-hop, and much more. Sliding down the rainbow first were the Arctic Monkeyswho debuted their new video for "R U Mine?", a gritty-guitar cut off their 2011 release Suck It And See. Following suit in releasing new videos, Wisconsin indie-folkers Bon Iverunveiled their video for "Towers", successfully blending blissful sound with sight. The leprechauns handed out one more gem before the month closed the door. Musical/Visual project Gorillaz delivered their new dance-infused single "Do Ya Thing" which features the likes of James Murphy and Andre 3000. This track will sure to have you bobbing your head, spin after spin. We were pleased with all the tunes that came in this month which made for great listening. This is our deepest list yet, and we will enjoy them one more time as our whiskey glasses give one last clank.
The month of February is often associated with themes of romance and icy weather, and this year was no different. Much to our approval, Cupid was shooting his arrows in the form of hot mp3s all month long. We were the benefactors of smooth piano-pop and danceable indie grooves to keep our eardrums thumping right along. It started out with Belgian-Australian musician Gotye making his American debut with the earthly-pop sounding "Somebody That I Used To Know", a track which has already found its way onto alternative radio. It was also a pleasant surprise to see Jack White return with some fresh music off his upcoming solo album Blunderbuss. His tune "Love Interruption" is a fresh piano pop nugget where he bellows out lyrics that seem to explore desires on how to control love, something no one has yet to figure out. And last, but certainly not least, indie-rockers Dr. Dog returned with their new record Be The Void. The first single "These Days" is a peppy dance number that finds the band flexing their impressive pop muscles. As the music world continues to spin, we were thankful February decided to share the love.
Welcome back, friends. Another year of music is upon us and the early offerings were pleasantly soaked up with headphones under our stocking caps. The first month of the year brought us a few wintery gems spanning from radio favorites to laid back indie-pop melodies. It started off with Jane's Addiction releasing their second single off of The Great Escape Artist, the massive "Underground" which finds Perry Farrell back at the top of his game. Jam-rockers moe. delivered the alt-country thrasher "Downward Facing Dog", a tune off their brand new What Happened to the La Las where the band shows off their impressive slide-guitar skills. This month also featured the return of James Mercer's indie-rock outfit The Shins. They are back in action with the first single off their upcoming Port of Morrow entitled "Simple Song." If this is just a taste of what's to come this year, it looks like we are in luck as the alternative music world spins into a new year.
As the last Playlist of the year rolls in, it's nice to take a step back and think about all the joyous tunes that came to us in 2011. There seemed to be a shift in indie rock, from beards & strings to sunglasses & synths. December was no different, and the tone of the music really held ground. The month started out with the return of LA rockers Silversun Pickups. Their track "Seasick" is a haunting, eerie piece of mellow rock that makes for a great way to kick things off. The rest of the mix plays out smoothly, with familiar big name acts like the Black Keys and Foster The People making return appearances. Colorado husband-wife duo Tennis debuted a new tune "Origins" which will appear on their next album Young & Old, scheduled for February. All in all, we were impressed with this months offerings as they bounced off the Christmas lights and made us bob our heads. It was indeed a fitting end to a banner year in the alternative music world.
This year brought us a lot of quality music from all over the musical landscape. We started out with an influx of indie rock and chillwave that made even the metalheads feel all bubbly inside. As the year matured, radio rockers and mellow synth-pop seemed to come to the forefront. 2011 was a great time for up-and-coming bands, as well as established alternative rock staples. After sifting through the pile of albums we've acquired over the months, it was hard to narrow it down to only 10. Here is a look at some of the best albums of the year.
Brooklyn indie-dance band Rubblebucket made a huge splash in 2011. The band seeked Eric Broucek (LCD Soundsystem) for production on their latest release Omega La La. Their album-supporting tour garnered the attention of the jamband scene, making stops at Gathering of the Vibes, North Coast, and moe.down. With peppy dance numbers such as "Worker," and "Silly Fathers," it looks like these indie-jammers are here to stay.
It is safe to say that Chaz Bundick is still the undisputed king of chillwave after his 2011 Underneath the Pine release. The Toro Y Moi frontman weaves in and out of synth bliss on this sophomore studio effort. Danceable tracks like "New Beat" and "Still Sound" mix perfectly with the mellowness of "How I Know" and "Go With You." The band's EP Freaking Out is also worth a listen.
Other than Foster the People, perhaps nobody made a bigger splash in 2011 than Detroit's Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. The indie-pop duo dropped their first album It's A Corporate World in June and has been catching the ears of the music world. With catchy tracks galore such as "Morning Thought," "An Ugly Person On A Movie Screen," and "We Almost Lost Detroit," this record has one of the freshest sounds of the year.
How do you follow up the 4-time Grammy nominated Brothers if you're The Black Keys? Drop an equally as impressive album one year later, that's how. Their newest effort is jam-packed with radio goodness and rock chops for days. A raunchy dance party from the opening "Lonley Boy" all the way to the closing "Mind Eraser." El Camino finds the 'Keys at the peak of their songwriting and brings back a rock-n-roll swagger to the music world.
Portland Oregon's psychedelic rock outfit Portugal. The Man continues to pump out amazing record after record. This year was no exception as In The Mountain In The Cloud blends a seemingly perfect mix of rock and pop into one masterful piece of ear candy. From the opening chords of "So American," to the psychedelic "Sleep Forever," there isn't a dull moment on the album. Defying genres has never been a problem for these indie rockers, look for them at a festival near you next year.
