Showing posts with label white fence. Show all posts
Showing posts with label white fence. Show all posts
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Top Ten May Album Releases to be Excited About


Okay, I’m a little late on this month’s countdown, so bare with me. Luckily, many of the albums on this list won’t be seeing record store shelves for a couple weeks, so the list can stay relevant for a bit. We’re only a week into May, but it already feels like we’ve entered into summer. When you live in a city that gets overcast by the never-ending shadow of seasonal lag, it’s hard to define months like spring and autumn. I heard once that Buffalo really only has two seasons: snow and construction. Yeah, a bit pessimistic. Still, I'd much rather have an awesome new mix of music to listen to while stuck on the I-90 due to road work instead of a blizzard.

10. Teen Daze - All of Us, Together 
Two years ago Teen Daze got our attention with the bedroom-wave EP Four More Years. The formula for seaside music might've been perfected that summer, but there's always room for nuance, even in the most nailed-down of music genres, which is why Teen Daze is back with full-length LP All Of Us, Together out May 22 via Lefse Records.


9. White Fence - Family Perfume 
As of late, garage-rocker Tim Presley of White Fence has been working around the clock. He released a split LP, Hair, with touring mate Ty Segall (who I will be seeing play in Toronto this weekend) just a few weeks ago, and is due to release his forthcoming double-album Family Perfume, out May 15 via Woodsist. But hold up, that's not all! He’s also releasing a 7” called “Green Balloon” which is out May 22 via CMRTYZ. 


8. Craft Spells - Gallery EP 
Last year, Craft Spells, i.e. synth-poptimist Justin Vallesteros, released his first LP Idle Labor. It wasn’t album of the year material, but still had a lot of notable washed-out anthems like “After the Moment” and “You Should Close the Door”. The new single from Gallery, “Still Left With Me”, follows suit with blissed-out guitars and synths galore. Gallery is due out May 15 on Captured Tracks.

7. Here We Go Magic - A Different Ship
I had always heard of Here We Go Magic, but never actually got around to listening to them. I actually listened to lead singer Luke Temple’s self-recorded collection, Don’t Act Like You Don’t Care, released last year, before I heard anything from the band he is known for. I found that the two styles are very, very different, both in great ways. Temple’s solo music is more serene, and predominantly acoustic, while HWGM dabbles in the realm of electro-pop. After listening to the dazzling “Make Up Your Mind” and finding out that their latest release, A Different Ship, was produced by none other that Nigel Godrich of Radiohead fame, I must say, I am thrilled about this release, which is due out May 8 (tomorrow) via Secretly Canadian.

6. Lower Dens - Nootropics 
Batlimore synth-rockers, Lower Dens’ new release Nootropics also came out on the first of the month. And while I’ve mentioned I’m a little late than I normally am with this list, I have to tell you, I still haven’t gotten around to listening to this album in-full yet. I’ve only heard the track “Brains,” a crisp little ditty that is gently entrancing in all of it’s basket-woven facets of vocals, drums, and synth. Have a listen below:


5. Father John Misty - Fear Fun
I have to admit, Fleet Foxes’ success with Helplessness Blues last year really makes me want to propel Fear Fun to the number one spot on this list, but I can’t in good conscience do that. First off, I feel there are a few more releases that are much more anticipated, and I’m also a few days late. The album has already come out (May 1) and I feel like I would have been cheating putting it where it doesn’t belong. Don't get me wrong, J. Tillman has produced an intriguing collection of songs here, which you can listen to below. Also, check out buffaBLOG's review of Fear Fun for more details.

4. Best Coast - The Only Place
With, “We were born with sun in our teeth and in our hair,” as the opening line of Best Coast’s new track “The Only Place”, off their new album Crazy For You, there is little doubt that this won’t be a summertime favorite. The song is essentially an ode to the west coast, a theme that Best Coast has embarked on before. The record’s due out May 15 via Mexican Summer. You can stream the full album over at NPR now.

3. The Walkmen - Heaven 
Just last week we got some awesome news. The Walkmen decided they'd move up the release of their latest effort, Heaven, from june 5 to May 29. Sure it’s just a week, but the sooner the better! The latest track from the album, “Heartbreaker” sounds great, wrought in classic Walkmen fashion with the catchiest lyrics and retro guitars a-blaze.
2. Sigur Rós - Valtari
Sigur Rós are back with some new digs since their last full-length, 2008’s Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust. Ever since the icelandic rock group announced they were going on a short hiatus, there were also many rumors that they were in and out of the studio as well. They released a double CD live album in November called Inni, and announced the release of a new record in Spring 2012. Members of the band have hinted that the new album "Promises to be as exceptional as the best of the band's catalog,” and that it is a lot more “floaty and minimal.” It’s hard to argue with this commentary in light of the hushed, ambient track “Ekki Múkk”. Valtari is out May 28 and can be pre-ordered on the band's website.

1. Beach House - Bloom
The most talked about dream-pop duo in the game, Beach House, are back with their fourth studio album, appropriately titled Bloom, which will be out via Sub Pop on May 15. 2010’s Teen Dream saw much critical acclaim and was hands down the band’s best yet. Their latest single off of Bloom is called “Myth” and has just as much of the drowsy guitar and echoed vocals that we’ve come to expect from the Baltimore duo. A track list of Bloom is available on the band's website.

Tom Dennis
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Top Ten April Album Releases To Be Excited About


So as I’m writing this jam-packed list for April it is officially snowing outside. First and foremost, unless you’re a farmer or something (as you all know buffaBLOG is pretty popular with the agricultural scene) worried about your crop, you can stop complaining. We all knew this would happen just as it does at least once every spring. And frankly, we deserve it after the last few record-breaking weeks of 70+ degree weather we’ve been having. The hell with it, I can talk about the weather with the mailman or my great Aunt Agnes. 

The forecast for this month might as well be a mottled storm cloud, splotched red and orange on the doppler, ready to spill out an overabundance of new airs that were all conjured up in various studios during a winter that plagued us with inevitable musical drought. In April, when it rains, it indubitably pours. So while this may appear to be only a list of ten releases, don’t be a damn fool, because looks can be deceiving. Technically speaking, this list is more like a top 50 or 100 due in part to a particular holiday that celebrates Independent music and it’s marketers.

10. Sepalcure - Eternally Yrs
Sepalcure are Brooklynites Praveen Sarma and Travis Stewart. With the critical success of last year’s self-titled, bass-charged LP, this four track EP sets out to shed new light on a couple selections from that record, those being, “Hold On” which is remixed by Trevino and “The One,” being remixed by Kevin Mcphee. And while there is one new track on the EP, entitled “Don’t Cry”, there is still a lot to be excited about in so far as how these remixes will capture the diversity of sounds that Sepalcure has already been able to exhibit. The 12” is due out April 17 on Hotflush. 

Pencil Pimp - Sepalcure by amadeusblog

9. Woods and Amps for Christ - Split LP
A fascinating split LP that will be coming out on April 17 (May 1 for all you vinyl enthusiasts) is between campfire folkies Woods, and noise-smith Henry Barns, known as Amps For Christ. There is one collaborative track from the release that you can hear below called “From Oatmeal to Buttermilk,” which combines ambient guitars, a hazy zither solo, and an reoccurring chirping that sounds a bit like a locust. It’s quite entrancing. The rest of the record consists of four songs from each respective artist. 



8. Zammuto - Zammuto
Nick Zammuto released some pretty extraordinary music when he was apart of The Books with cellist Paul de Jong. The New York duo have now called it quits indefinitely, but Zammuto has amassed a band and is releasing his self-titled LP on April 3. You can now listen to the record in it’s entirety streaming over at SPIN.

7. Jack White - Blunderbuss
Finally! Jack White is releasing music under his own name. The album is called Blunderbuss and after the endless collaborations, and many great albums with the White Stripes, he has finally made a record he can call his own. It’s due out April 27. You can pre-order it on White’s website and listen to the low-key single “Love Interruption” below.


6. Moonface - With Siinai: Heartbreaking Bravery
Moonface, side project of Wolf Parade’s Spencer Krug, will be releasing the ten song LP With Siinai: Heartbreaking Bravery on April 17 via Jagjaguwar. Krug recorded the record with the hypnotic Finnish group Siinai, hence the title of the record. According to the band’s profile on Jagjaguwar’s site, the album will focus on the theme of heartbreak, stating, “If there is a place that is beautiful only because it's too dark to see whether or not ugliness exists, that's where you'll find these songs and their characters.” 


5. Spiritualized - Sweet Heart Sweet Light
In an interview with NME from July 2010, Spiritualized mastermind Jason Pierce said, “I always shy away from anything I write that sounds like a pop song, things like 'Soul On Fire' or 'Stop Your Crying'...This time I’m embracing songs like that and seeing what happens. I’m not fighting it any more.” In the three and half years since 2008’s Songs in A&E, it seems Pierce has done exactly what he has claimed with Sweet Heart, Sweet Light, and the proof is on the epic, sugar-coated single “Hey Jane”. The record’s due out on April 17 on Fat Possum.


4. Bear In Heaven - I Love You, It’s Cool
Bear In Heaven is back releasing new jams since 2009’s critically acclaimed Beast Rest Forth Mouth, with their third album, I Love You, It’s Cool, which is being co-released by Hometapes and Dead Oceans on April 3. Until then, there’s good news and bad news. The good news is the entire album is streaming on the band’s website right now. The bad news is it’s literally been slowed down by about 400,000%. Bear In Heaven 1, Music Marketing Schemers 0.


3. Ty Segall and White Fence - Hair
Lo-fi punk artist Ty Segall is following up the success of last year’s Goodbye Bread by collaborating with fellow Bay-area scuzz-rocker Tim Presley, known as White Fence, for the split LP Hair. The first track off the album, “I am Not A Game,” is a filthy-riffed guitar-driven track that is groovy as ever. There’s little doubt that this collaborative LP will be a summertime favorite.



2. M. Ward - A Wasteland Companion
M Ward, the other half of She and Him, is releasing his solo album A Wasteland  Companion on Merge records April 10, and it’s about damn time. He has already released two singles from the record, the piano-rock jam “Primitive Girl” and “The First Time I Ran Away” which already has an incredible animated video which is directed by the talented Joel Trussell and attempts to interpret the lyrics. Check it out below:


1. Record Store Day Releases!
Record Store Day was founded in 2007 and continues to be the greatest celebration of independent music and records of the year. This celebration occurs every year on the third Saturday in April and boasts hundreds of artists releasing various special vinyls and CDs. This year includes releases from Arcade Fire, Beach House, Bonnie Prince Billy, Destroyer, Jimmy Fallon, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, St. Vincent, M83, The Tallest Man on Earth, Neon Indian, Portugal. The Man, Wilco, Patti Smith, The Black Keys, and many, many more. You can check out the list of releases at the official Record Store Day website right now. Make sure to mark your calendars for April 21 and find out which Record Stores near you will be celebrating!



Tom Dennis
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