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Cliff, Concert Review, father john misty, funtime, rochester, Tor-Buff-Chester, water street music hall — 0 comments

Concert Review: Father John Misty

Saturday night I coped with the impending closing of the Mohawk Place by taking a trip east on the 90 to take in the Father John Misty show at the Water Street Music Hall in Rochester. That's just the way I handled that situation, and I have no regrets because Josh Tillman and FJM delivered an impassioned set that blew away the WNY crowd and confirmed their status as an act to watch. In fact, I'd almost have to call it a religious experience, a perfect bit of synchronicity considering the funeral taking place that night on Mohawk Street. I don't know what happened to Mr. Tillman on his magic mushroom fueled migration from Seattle to Los Angeles, but he unlocked something potent and primal, and it was on full display Saturday night.

San Francisco's Magic Trick started the evening's entertainments with a subdued set of countrified psychedelia that went over fairly well with the assembled crowd. Of particular note was leader Tim Cohen's interest in Buffalo, asking if anybody from our city was in attendance before launching into a bizarre little story about getting mediocre chicken wings at Avenue Pizza on their way to Rochester, a story that elicited absolutely no sympathy from the Buffalonians present. Seriously, how are these bands visiting WNY ending up eating at the shittiest joints? It's getting out of hand and I'm tired of hearing about it at shows. I mean, don't they have Foursquare, or use Yelp? Anyway.

Father John Misty. The name calls to mind a sketchy, unfrocked priest looking for a good time in low places, an impression that comes to life onstage when Joshua Tillman gets down, leading us astray, and wooing the ladies. Starting off with the lead track on their 2012 debut Fear Fun, "Fun Times In Babylon," the pattern for the night was set: dry, witty banter followed by a spirited jam featuring the peculiar gyrations of the frontman, followed by more dry witty banter and women throwing articles of clothing onstage so the frontman can dab sweat from his brow to protect the stitches he earned the night previous in Cleveland jumping into the drum kit. Is Tillman the first honest to goodness indie rock sex god? I don't know if he's the first, but he's definitely an indie rock sex god because it got a little Elvis up there more than a few times during the set, something you just don't see at Indie shows too often. Thankfully Tillman is also thoroughly hilarious, so his banter with the crowd and the ladies about father figures, religion, and the fashion sense of the audience was very entertaining.

But everybody was really there for the music, and while it was all fun and games, on the music front Father John Misty didn't disappoint. Tillman and the band worked their way through Fear Fun, transforming the stately and mannered folk rock of that album into rowdy, lived in American rock jams. Every song felt caffeinated and explosive, and the sound at the Water Street was perfect for communicating the delicate and beautiful depth of the music, with Tillman's evocative vocals front and center. The main set closed with a reckless and wicked demolishing of "Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings" that showed why Tillman ended up with stitches the night before in Cleveland while whipping the crowd into an evangelically delirious frenzy that carried over to the acoustic encore we got from Mr. Tillman when we hushed up to savor the news songs he performed for us, the perfect end to a perfect set.

If I sound a little over the moon for Father John Misty, it's because I am. After seeing them open for Youth Lagoon I was deeply impressed, but now after seeing them with all eyes on them as headliners, I definitely feel some of that religious zeal that Father John Misty inspires. Women want to be with him, men want to be him, and for my part I think he'd be a great Thursday at the Harbor choice. His timeless and pleasingly dangerous American rock would be a slam dunk in with Buffalo audiences and catnip for the hipsters, especially for the hipsters rightly mourning the Mohawk. Saturday night, Father John Misty provided, and I sincerely hope he gets to do so in Western New York again this year.

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buffaBLOG Road Trip: Father John Misty

It's a busy night for music fans in WNY, with Night 2 of The Mohawk's Last Waltz, the Joywave show with Love Scenes at Duke's, and an hour to the east at the Water Street Music Hall in Rochester, the return of Father John Misty. The stage name of former Fleet Foxes drummer Josh Tillman, FJM made a big splash last summer when they opened for Youth Lagoon at the Town Ballroom and stole the show with a rowdy set that tore through their 2012 debut album, Fear Fun, (not Tillman' first album, but his first as Father John Misty, an entirely new entity) and showcased Tillman's impressive talents as an zealously charismatic frontman. To be fair, Youth Lagoon's set was great, evocative and beautifully reverb drenched, but Father John Misty just got the crowd too riled up with their potent 70's AM radio rock for anybody to adequately follow them, and Youth Lagoon ended up getting the short end of the stick. Tonight however, Father John Misty is headlining with San Francisco's Magic Trick providing opening support, and after a dizzying breakthrough in 2012, anticipation is high. Tickets are $17 and doors open at 7 PM.

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buffaBLOG's Best of 2012: Staff Picks - Mike Torsell

Well, I am sitting here listing to the Charlie Brown Christmas album on repeat, which means one thing...it is the end of the year. And, with it being the end of the year, my overlords at the blog demanded an end of the year post from all of us. And, with me having sold my soul to this blog over the summer, I oblige. So, what can we say about 2012? I mean really? Mac has a gun to my head for this post so I should really say something...help?

2012 offered a lot to be enthused about with great new releases throughout the year. Whether it was already established artists like Grizzly Bear, Flying Lotus, Jens Lekman, and Spiritualized or new ones like Grimes, Tanlines, and DIIV, there was no shortage of great music. For me, this year was marked by moments where I genuinely began to feel like I was hearing something new - artists taking earlier genres and styles and recombining them in ways that felt fresher than they had in a long time, without feeling like a simple pastiche. Narrowing down a top 5 was difficult, but here are mine:

[Note: This was also a great year for album art, so somehow my favorite albums musically linked well with some of my favorite albums visually.]

Cult of Youth – Love Will Prevail: This may be one of the most underrated albums of the year and a reminder that folk music could be something other than the nostalgia and saccharine fueled mix of recent years. Combining psychedelic elements with darker, more ambiguous lyrics, Cult of Youth created a diverse and challenging album that was willing to blend the discordant with the pastoral in a very satisfying manner.

Grizzly Bear – Shields: Shields feels like the realization of everything Grizzly Bear has been doing to date. Where Veckatimist felt like somewhat of a step towards something, a step away from the quieter/sparser Yellow House, Shields feels like a synthesis of the two. Grizzly Bear creates haunting and atmospheric music, music that builds until its catharsis seems inevitable. They key may be that they often hold out that catharsis for just a little longer than you expect. This is music built around an emotional core, around anxiety, a sense of being resigned to fail, of never being able to begin in the first place. Yet, in a way, and through these moments of release, which hit all the more intensely because they are delayed, it offers an almost ritualistic offering of all these feelings into something greater. There are moments here where your hair stands on end. Seeing them live in Toronto was a definite highlight of the year concert-wise.

Mac DeMarco – 2: While nothing on the new Mac DeMarco would sound out of place on an early 80’s release from Postcard Records, there was still something so undeniably great about this album that I had to include it. It might be how effortless everything sounds; DeMarco comfortably turns out brief, catchy, pop songs with jangly guitar and a sauntering backbeat. The whole thing comes together unbelievably well.

Wild Nothing – Nocturne: Dream pop has been everywhere this year and there were certainly some excellent examples of the microgenre, but Wild Nothing transcended that label and made one of the year's strongest albums. In fact, if I had to pick an album I enjoyed the most this year, it would be this one. There is something so appealing to me about Wild Nothing’s aesthetic that I found it hard not to react to this on an almost naïve level. Each song, draped in reverb and a buzzing echo, is tightly composed and deftly layered. It was one of several examples of acts following up an excellent debut with an even more accomplished 2^nd record. Maybe the sophomore slump is a myth after all.

Laurel Halo - Quarantine: This had to be one of the most unique and interesting records to come out this year. Spacey and effecting, Halo composes challenging, ethereal songs that seem to take on spatial dimensions as the album progresses. The instrumentation and vocals mix in such a way that Halo's vocals become spectral, literally haunting the cut up compositions. There is definitely something new and exciting about Halo's work and I am excited to see what is next.

Honorable Mention:

Father John Misty - Fear Fun

DIIV - Oshin

Tame Impala - Lonerism

Flying Lotus - Until the Quiet Comes

Jens Lekman - I Know What Love Isn't

Sun Araw/M Geddes Gengras/The Congos - Icon Give Thank

Cliff, father john misty, town ballroom, youth lagoon — 1 comments

The New Testament According to Father John Misty

I have to give Youth Lagoon a ton of credit. It takes a lot to get on stage after Father John Misty, and Youth Lagoon was more than up to the task last Tuesday night at the Town Ballroom. Feeling YL's reverb drenched indie rock reminisces in my guts as it surrounded me was transporting, life affirming, and thoroughly wonderful, but that said, it was Father John Misty who damned near almost stole the show out from under him "like a preacher stealing hearts at a travelling show."

Even after enjoying that music video with Aubrey Plaza from Parks and Recreation and doing a little research (because you've GOT to know your opener, especially if you're a music blogger), I was still utterly unprepared for what the former drummer from Fleet Foxes had in store for us. Indeed, Joshua Tillman has made the right choice going his own way and making a go of it under the Father John Misty moniker because he is a force of nature on stage and a shockingly excellent front man thanks to his clear, emotive and powerful voice, tasteful moves, and wry humor and presence. Watching Tillman wittily deadpan banter with the appreciative audience and lead that band merry hipsters through a fast paced and intense set of pure 70's AM radio American rock, I couldn't help but think that he'd been sandbagging behind the drums. In any case, I think being a killer frontman is his true calling.

Yes, that set from Father John Misty was all about channeling unabashedly that now mythical time when everything still ran through the AM radio dial, and Tillman and co. were more than up to the task of interpreting the music of that halcyon, long ago time. That sense that, against the odds... that it is still possible... only made their performance more powerful, dazzling, and profoundly satisfying. It was so wonderfully timeless and quintessentially American, by the end of their set I even felt deep stirrings of national pride. It was crazy. But I guess that's what happens when the Father John Misty show rolls through town. Ecstatic visions of what was and what could be, the joy of communal discovery, and some "truth," before it's all over and we're left to wait for them to pass through again.

When I went to see Youth Lagoon, I wasn't expecting that.

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Know Your Opener: Father John Misty

During our mid-year recap; I noted that Father John Misty's Fear Fun was, by far, my favorite release from the last six months. So, it should come as no surprise that I highly recommend you show up early to tonight’s show at Town Ballroom to see him opening for Youth Lagoon. But, you may be asking yourself, who is this mysterious man, pictured above looking bored amidst a coven of wandering witches (which, I am told on the highest authority, happens all the time in the Pacific Northwest)?

Father John Misty is Joshua Tillman, and he has been releasing music since 2004 under the name J. Tillman, and during his tenure as the drummer of Fleet Foxes. Tillman left Fleet Foxes in early 2012 to further pursue solo work. As J. Tillman, the singer wrote quiet and minimal folk songs for a series of earlier releases. Recasting himself as Father John Misty, Tillman set out to do something different, and Sub Pop released his debut, Fear Fun, under this new moniker.

Fear Fun is in the vein of singer-songwriters like Sharon Van Etten and Cass McCombs. It is stylistically diverse with strong, clear, vocals uniting each track. Tillman handles the larger change in musical direction deftly, demonstrating his versatility with strong songwriting and witty lyrics. Sweeping and stirring songs like “Only Son of the Ladiesman,” are mixed with rockers like “Hollywood Forever Cemetary Sings,” and more mellow pieces like “Nancy from Now On.”

Father John Misty is a headlining act in his own right. Being paired with the equally strong Youth Lagoon makes tonight’s show at Town Ballroom an excellent opportunity to see two rising stars in one place. Please enjoy the video, linked below, for the single, “Hollywood Forever Cemetary Sings,” which features Parks and Recreation’s Aubrey Plaza. In it, Plaza plays a very unique funeral guest.

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Tonight: Youth Lagoon

Tonight the summertime thread of stellar indie shows will continue with Youth Lagoon and Father John Misty at Town Ballroom. Backing his acclaimed debut album, Year of Hibernation, Youth Lagoon, aka Trevor Powers, will take the stage in Buffalo for the first time. buffaBLOG recently talked with Powers about his music, amongst other things, and you can read that interview here. His bewitching tracks include “July” and “Montana”, which capture every pin of effervescent light steadily and in progression they are released through equal part drum-machine and Jazzmaster, and the sonic weight of it all is only intensified when Power’s vocals are evocatively weaved among them. Father John Misty is J. Tillman. The former Fleet Foxes drummer is releasing music under a new solo moniker, and with his newest collection Fear Fun, he has hypnotized audiences with his folk-rock anthems. This might be the best 1-2 bill to hit Buffalo all summer. Tickets are $20 at the door. Town Ballroom will open its doors at 7.

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buffaBLOG's Best of 2012(so far): Staff Picks

Despite being only six months in, 2012 is shaping up to be a great year in music. We have seen stellar debut releases (Grimes, Alabama Shakes), worthy sophomore follow ups (Best Coast, Sleigh Bells, Chairlift) and records from indie heavy weights (the Shins, Beach House, the Walkmen, Spiritualized) that prove their staying power. While the second half of 2012 is certainly one to look forward to as new albums from Tallest Man on Earth, Fiona Apple, Yeasayer, and more will keep our ear buds waiting in anticipation, let's take our foot off the gas for a moment and soak up what January through May had to offer. Check out our staff selections for our favorite albums and songs of the year....so far.

Cliff

Favorite Album so far: Bloom by Beach House
Not only has the magic of 2010's Teen Dream been recaptured on this new album, it's been surpassed. A superb collection of songs, it marks a brilliant return for Beach House, who gets better with each album.

Favorite Song so far: "King and Lionheart" by Of Monsters and Men
This gentle yet fierce ditty puts a big smile on my face. I saw Of Monsters and Men in Rochester last month and this was one of the clear highlights of their set.

Jon

Favorite Album so far: Attack on Memory by Cloud Nothings
Straying from Cloud Nothings previous candy coated pop punk tendencies AoM has a much more strained feel. The songs are sparse and angry, almost antagonistic. There is much more of a sense of urgency on this record. The songs are still dripping with melody, but there is an undeniable tension-release relationship on this record as opposed to Turning On and Cloud Nothings. A band to watch in the future.

Favorite Song so far: "The Only Place" by Best Coast
A tribute to all things California, this pop ditty shoots an arpeggiated homage to the previous record while expanding into a more mature alt country sound. The whole album is dope, but this jam in particular is killer.

Drew

Favorite Album so far: Echo Ono by Pontiak
Favorite Song so far: "Lions of Least" by Pontiak
Echo Ono, the 2012 album by Pontiac is definitely one of the hardest rocking cuts I have heard so far this year. "Lions of Least", the first track on the album starts off with blistering intensity which transitions into a bass groove that carries throughout the rest of the song. The best way to describe it is in the words of Pontiak themselves, as printed on the sleeve, "no distortion pedals were used in the making of this record", "please listen at full volume".

Mac

Favorite Album so far: Heaven by the Walkmen
After celebrating their 10 year anniversary In January, indie rock's most consistent band releases it's 7th studio album on June 5th. While the band has slowed down over the years, most notably on the folky, soul filled harmonies of "We Can't be Beat" and the gorgeous, dream like "Line by Line", tunes like "Nightingales" shows that their signature nervy guitar work will never be a thing of the past. The Walkmen make aging look good.

Favorite Song so far: "The House that Heaven Built" by Japandroids
The Vancouver duo have a pretty simple formula: lots guitar, drums, and yelling, and damn do they do it well. The lead single off their sophomore album Celebration Rock (also out on June 5th), is another call to arms assault of nostalgic lyrics paired with arena rock riffs.

Tom

Favorite Album so far: Hospitality by Hospitality
One of the more overlooked albums of 2012 thus far, the self-titled LP by Brooklyn trio Hospitality, came to my ears at the perfect time. Songs like “Liberal Arts” and “Friends of Friends” typify the plight of the meandering, post-undergrad 22-year-old, sifting through the all too serious ideas of career, direction, and relationships. The ten song LP is extremely well-balanced, with Amber Papini purring luscious melodies that can be witty, danceable, haunting, and profound, sometimes all at once. It’s one of the few albums so far this year that I drop a needle on and revel in every single track. There are certainly no skippable moments on Hospitality, so go listen to it already.

Favorite Song so far: "No Sentiment" by Cloud Nothing
I have a love/hate relationship with favorite track lists. God knows they're fun as ever to read, but it’s so unfair to compare individual songs against one another, even more than it is with albums. So I wont say that Cloud Nothing’s “No Sentiment” is necessarily better than every other track I’ve heard so far this year, but I will say that it definitely kicks the shit out of Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used To Know”. Facts are facts.

Brian

Favorite Album so far: Wonky by Orbital
The current electronic music zeitgeist has become saturated with scenester posturing and historical ignorance, which is why a new album from these UK based pioneers is so important to me. Also, the fact that it's their best album since In Sides doesn't hurt.

Favorite Song so far: "August" by Catcall
This Australian singers debut is a slice of synth pop heaven. This song is already the soundtrack to my summer.

Steve

Favorite Album so far: Kill for Love by Chromatics
Easily my most anticipated release of 2012 Kill For Love not only met my expectations, it blew them clear out of the water. After a five-year gap between albums Chromatics re-arrived in a big way, making an album full of paranoid electronica that evokes bleak scenes of urban decay and lost love. The subject matter may be on the darker side but Kill for Love is beautiful and nothing short of triumphant. If you've yet to get wise to this Portland quartet do yourself a favor and have a taste.

Favorite Song so far: "Swing Star Pts. 1 & 2" by Todd Terje
Space Disco had its moment in the sun a few years ago, but it seems no one told Todd Terje. Released in January as part of the It's the Arps EP 'Swing Star' is 11 minutes of blissful loops and arpeggios that Terje constructed using only the vintage ARP 2600 synthesizer (aka the voice of R2D2). It was love at first listen.

Chris

Favorite Album so far: Blunderbuss by Jack White
After countless collaborations, White releases his first solo album with the freedom to do whatever he wanted. Blunderbuss is an excellent mix of country, rock, and plenty of White Stripey tones. Jack White can make even the most depressing of songs sound energetic.

Favorite Song so far: "Language" by Porter Robinson
Porter Robinson set out to make a new track that encompassed everything his music is about and did so very well. The song touches on electro, house, and excellent vocal use. This track could easily end up being a summer house music staple.

Mike

Favorite Album so far: Fear Fun by Father John Misty
My favorite albums often turn out to be the ones I had not heard about until a week or two after their release. J. Tillman, who has already released a great deal under his own name, left Fleet Foxes and returned as Father John Misty. Released this spring, Fear Fun is a wonderfully listenable album that is strong from start to finish. Tillman proves himself to be a clever lyricist as well as deftly capable of writing excellent melodies. The surreal album cover, done by Dimitri Drjunchin, is also worth a mention. Be sure to catch him opening for Youth Lagoon on July 10th at Town Ballroom.

Favorite Song so far: "Open Your Heart" by The Men
The Men's most recent LP, Open Your Hearth, was a close call for my favorite album this year. A mix of Sonic Youth and early Mission of Burma, the album was a diverse and definite evolution of their sound. "Open Your Heart," is propulsive and unflagging, featuring great vocals and a fantastic bridge. The band recently had some lineup changes, so I am hopeful that this song/album are only the beginning.

Katie

Favorite Album so far: Boys & Girls by Alabama Shakes
The Alabama Shakes dominated the first half of 2012. The release of their debut album also came with landing the gig as Jack White's opener and selling out nearly all of their shows on their tour. There is no doubt this band has talent and I've been loving their album everyday since its release. In my opinion, its the perfect combination of blues, soul and rock that everyone needs in their life.

Favorite Song so far: "Every Single Night" by Fiona Apple

"Every Single Night" is my favorite song so far mostly because it holds the anticipation of Fiona Apple's new album releasing in the second half of 2012, but also because I love it. It took a few listens before it made it to the top of my list but this song is gold. All Fiona fans will agree we have waited long enough for this next album and its going to be fantastic!

Michael

Favorite Album so far: Attack on Memory by Cloud Nothings
2012 will be the year of Cloud Nothings. This former lo-fi power-pop foursome has come a long way this year, releasing a near-perfect album in the beginning of the year, and supporting Attack on Memory with a nation-wide tour that exceeded most expectations. The band has graduated from their low-fi beginnings, which for many other bands is the start of their demise, but for Cloud Nothings it makes you appreciate their back catalog even more. Their show on April 2, 2012 at Babeville’s Ninth Ward consisted of Attack on Memory in it’s entirety and unless Bear Hands pull something crazy July 24th at Mohawk Place, it will go down as my favorite show of 2012. Cloud Nothing’s sound is incredible powerful and straightforward. buffaBLOGGER Jon Krol said it best that this quartet are masters of tension and release. Dylan Baldi’s catchy sing-a-along power-pop hooks along with it’s driving instrumentation has been on constant rotation in my head all year. I NEED TIMEEE TO STOP MOVIN’, I NEED TIME TO STAY USELESS.

Favorite Song so far: "Ropes That Way" by Dirty Ghosts
How this song isn’t already on a BMW commercial is beyond me. San Francisco’s Dirty Ghosts, comprised of primarily Allyson Baker with a constant-rotating gang of merry men, is raw rock at it’s finest with a heavy helping of post-punk backing (think a Joan Jett fronted Gang Of Four). “Ropes That Way” off of the band’s debut full length Metal Moon, released by Last Gang Records, is an iTUNES must-have. Take a listen to this now, because soon enough you’ll hear it all over the place. Fun Allyson Baker fact: she’s married to Aesop Rock.

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Just Announced: Youth Lagoon w/Father John Misty

The folks over at Town Ballroom barely let us register last night's incredible M83 show before dropping their latest concert on us. In fact, we learned of this show as we stood waiting for opener I Break Horses to take the stage last night. Just three days after Sleigh Bells hit town, Youth Lagoon, one of our favorite new artists from 2011, will play a show at the venue on Tuesday, July 10th. Led by Boise native Trevor Powers, Youth Lagoon's debut album The Year of Hibernation is full of emotionally heavy and at times triumphant bedroom pop. Opening for Youth Lagoon is Father John Misty, the latest project from former Fleet Foxes drummer J. Tillman. Tickets for this stellar night of music go on sale this Friday at noon for $17.

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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.

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Album Review: Father John Misty - Fear Fun

Father John Misty is the alter ego of Josh Tillman the former drummer and backing vocalist for Seattle folkies Fleet Foxes. Any indie-savvy listener would be able to guess that after listening to 10 seconds of opening track "Funtimes in Babylon". Tillman’s voice and his musical direction on Fear Fun share a hell of a lot in common with Fleet Foxes latest effort Helplessness Blues, something that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. But, the back-story to this record would lead one to expect something totally different. Tillman left Seattle and his old band behind and the Father John Misty guise was supposed to give him a new platform in a new city, L.A., from which he could create. He described it as "weird-ass songs about weird-ass experiences", but all this supposed weirdness feels a little sterile and very familiar.

The spot on melodic qualities of Fleet Foxes music are in full effect here, which shouldn’t come as a surprise considering many of the backing musicians on Fear Fun are the same folks who helped make Helplessness Blues a reality, and songs like "Only Son of the Ladiesman" and "Nancy From Now On" may as well have been included on the latter.

Thankfully Tillman is adept at making this kind of music, and the third track, "Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings", is a no nonsense bit of dusty, Neil Young-ish rock ‘n’ roll, which is quickly followed by the twinkling, upbeat piano of "I’m Writing A Novel", the happiest song of the bunch. He chronicles his drugged out journey from Seattle to L.A. on lovely closer "Everyman Needs a Companion", and the drift of the open road and a narcotic haze are palpable throughout.

Tillman is able to consistently set himself apart from his former band in one very important area, lyrics. It’s in his words that you see Father John Misty manifest himself clearly. "Nancy From Now On" begins with this attention getter: "Pour me a drink and punch me in the face, you can call me Nancy", and on "Misty’s Nightmare’s 1 & 2" he proves himself to be a clever wordsmith, "Gonna take my life, gonna take my life back one day".

As the album closes he sings, "Joseph Campbell and the Rolling Stones couldn’t give me a myth so I had to write my own". This is a fairly bold statement, especially from someone who never really gets out from underneath his previous work. Still, Tillman proves himself an able songwriter and solid musician; we may just have to wait for the myth of Father John Misty to grow over time.

Grade: C+