As April comes to a close, here are 5 tracks I found irresistible for the last 30 days. Enjoy. Or don’t. You decide!
1. Lotus Plaza – “Strangers”
Though Lockett Pundt lacks the indie-ubiquity of his Deerhunter bandmate Bradford Cox, his second solo album under the Lotus Plaza moniker confirms his ability to write music that is big, catchy, and incredibly good. “Strangers,” the first single from Spooky Action at a Distance, finds its lineage in Pundt’s Deerhunter contributions (especially “Desire Lines”), but doesn’t sound like a leftover from any of their sessions. Guitars twinkle and shine in between one another beneath Pundt’s calming voice in pure pop perfection. I could have picked any track from Spooky Action, but “Strangers” stands out for the simple fact that after nearly a month, I still want to listen to this song multiple times a day.
2. Father John Misty – “Hollywood Forever Cemetery”
For such a spare, minimally composed song, “Hollywood Forever Cemetery” packs an immediate punch. While I’ve never been a big fan of Fleet Foxes (the reasons why could fill a separate blog post), former member J. Tillman adds a jagged edge to their simple formula to craft a song that has more power than it would seem at first listen. With just reverb soaked guitar and clattering drums, “Hollywood Forever Cemetery” is the kind of song you can listen to at both 2PM and 2AM and experience it differently each time. Equal parts catchy and dark, the song showcases Tillman’s ability to craft complicated ideas in simple arrangements with great effect. (The Aubrey Plaza-starring video makes for an awesome companion btw)
3. The Walkmen – “Heaven”
The Walkmen have come a long way from the the discontented 20-somethings that broke onto the scene with their fantastic second record Bows + Arrows. On 2010’s Lisbon, they finally found the middle ground between the fire and passion of “The Rat” and the gorgeous “We’ve Been Had,” and the lead, eponymous single from their newest effort finds them in an even more comfortable spot than before. Hamilton Leithauser still lets his uncertainties and doubts come to the fore, but they’re mixed in with a sound and feeling of contentment the band has yet to display. I don’t know when exactly The Walkmen became one of my favorite bands, but songs like “Heaven” verify why.
Stream “Heaven” here
4. MMoths – “Heart (Featuring Keep Shelly in Athens)”
While fans of louder, faster tempo jams might find “Heart” too slow and atmospheric, the standout track from the band’s self-titled debut has been in heavy rotation for me since first hearing it. Equal parts meditative and moving, “Heart” builds slowly to a drop that is subtle, but powerful. The song finds the middle ground between Grouper’s palette of washed out beauty and Beach House’s dreaminess, coming together to create a song that draws you in and becomes embedded in your mind.
5. The Death Grips – “Get Got”
I’m going to be completely honest and say I have no idea why I find this song as compelling and great as I do. Sometimes, a song just has intangible qualities that are hard to define, and “Get Got” is undoubtedly one of them. I don’t know if it’s the track’s wiley hook or frontman MC Ride’s seemingly disinterested snarl or even the inherent weirdness of the song that has kept it on repeat, but whatever it is, it works incredibly well.
Honorable Mentions: Screaming Females – “It All Means Nothing,” The Chromatics – “Kill for Love,” Breton – “Edward the Confessor,” Dirty Projectors – “Gun Has No Trigger,” Japandroids – “The House That Heaven Built”
Best Old Song Discovered Now: Grizzly Bear – “Easier (Alternative Edit)”
Daniel Rossen’s fantastic solo EP led me back to the welcoming embrace of Grizzly Bear, especially this alternate take on the opening track from 2006’s Yellow House. A b-side to the band’s breakthrough, “Knife,” this version of “Easier” features a different set of lyrics and some major arrangement changes that in many ways are superior to the album cut. This song isn’t just for obsessives like myself either. It’s a gorgeously arranged song with a level of emotional resonance that made the band’s name in the first place.
Over the course of three albums, Arcade Fire have become titans not just of the indie scene, but of music in general. Their third record finds the band exploring new territories musically, with solid results. Taking on the theme of urban sprawl, The Suburbs is a powerful album full that finds the band getting loud (“Empty Room”), getting quiet (“Wasted Hours”) and offering their trademark churning, building, rock songs (“Ready to Start”), creating a winning combination. (M)
Marnie Stern decided to choose a simpler name for her 2010 release than her second album (This Is It and I Am It and You Are It and So Is That and He Is It and She Is It and It Is It and That Is That) but that is just about the only thing that is simpler. On songs like “For Ash” and “Nothing Left,” Stern improbably bridges the gap between metal, jittery post-punk, and Animal Collective spazziness. And yet all of it is in service of a record that deftly depicts mental turmoil and depression in an engaging and exciting new way. (J)
After the triumph of Boxer, the National returned with another record that gets better and better with every listen. As the band has gotten older and wiser, so has their music, with lead singer Matt Berninger offering ruminations on married life and being a father as the Dessner Twins combine on the bubbling melodies below. If there was any question that the band would loose steam, High Violet more than dispelled that notion. (M)
When Sufjan released All Delighted People EP, it was a bit of misdirection, pointing at what seemed to be a continuation and slight expansion on his trademark sound, which only made The Age of Adz all the more surprising. Loaded with apocalyptic imagery and electronic instrumentation, Adz is a world away from the gentle orchestral music that Sufjan is known for. The record is dense and difficult, but immensely rewarding for the listener willing to invest some time. (J)
It’s hard to believe that in the late 90’s, Robyn was being promoted in the States as a version of Brittney Spears and the other pop princesses of the time. It’s now clear however that Robyn was going to take that crown, just a little later. The three body talk mini albums are pop perfection, full of dancable, catchy, fun songs that become ingrained in you head, not just for days, but weeks at time. Hopefully Robyn won’t take another five years to give us a follow up, and we get more great songs like “Dancing on My Own” or “Hang With Me” soon. (M)
There weren’t many records this year that were more straightforward than Crazy For You – a celebration of cats, beaches, weed, and boys. But its beauty is in its highly listenable simplicity, as Bethany Cosentino and company presented just enough variations on those themes to keep Crazy for You catchy and interesting. From “Boyfriend” to “When I’m With You,” Crazy for You was the obvious choice for soundtrack of the summer. (J)
On their first two records, Wolf Parade has had songs by Spencer Krug and songs by Dan Boeckner, but Expo 86 finds the two frontmen joining forces and crafting their most complete album yet. Expo 86 is the band’s best record to date, one that is relentless and incredibly fun to listen to. The band announced it was going on an indefinite hiatus to focus on their side projects, so until they return, but it’s a good thing we got an album this good first. (M)
After a troubled history and numerous delays, Big Boi finally unleashed Sir Lucious Left Foot on the world and it was glorious. From the bass-rattling of “Daddy Fat Sax” and “Shutterbugg” to conspicuous consumption of “Shine Blockas” to the melancholy “Be Still,” Sir Lucious Left Foot was worth the wait. (J)
Majesty Shredding comes after a nine year studio hiatus from Superchunk, but it sounds like they’ve hardly missed a beat. The record is full of energy and insanely catchy songs, and ranks among the band’s best. Songs like “Digging for Something” showcase Superchunk at their rockiest, while other tracks like “Fractures in Plaster” and “Rosemarie” show a maturity they gained in their years off. Listening to Majesty Shredding makes us awfully happy to have Superchunk back. (M)
The Walkmen are quickly getting into the musical Twilight Zone where every record they put out is so good that it is kind of boring to talk about how great The Walkmen are. Nonetheless, Lisbon may be among their best, from the light jangle of “Juveniles” to the forlorn funeral march of “Stranded” to the blister of “Angela Surf City.” The Walkmen are a more focused band right now who are currently going through their prime, churning out great release after great release, and Lisbon follows perfectly in that series. (J)
Teen Dream is a record that finds Beach House growing as songwriters, adding a lush arrangements to their dreamy (no pun intended) sound. The songs on Teen Dream are far more expansive than on their last record, Devotion, with standout tracks “Walk in the Park,” “Norway,” and “Used to Be” offering a great amount of depth and variation in the band’s signature sound. Victoria Legrand’s voice floats above Alex Scally’s surprisingly bright guitar work on a record that is the sound of late, lonely nights. (M)
It takes a mix of confidence and foolishness to attempt an hour-plus punk rock concept album about the Civil War, but it takes true genius to pull it off. With The Monitor, Titus Andronicus somehow made a record that feels both sprawling and tight, sweeping and intimate, by filtering the Civil War through modern college turmoil (or perhaps vice versa). From “A More Perfect Union” to “The Battle for Hampton Roads,” The Monitor is a record of soaring, triumphant, fist-pumping rock, concept be damned. (J)
On record number three, Bradford Cox and company seamlessly integrated the ambient rock of Cryptograms and the sprawling rock songs of Microcastle. The combination finds the band at their best, with a record that ebbs and flows, finding the right places to offer homage to the sounds that influenced them and the places to showcase their own. Both Cox and Lockett Pundt have crafted their best album to date with Halcyon Digest, a record that will undoubtedly prove to be influential for years to come. (M)
Kanye West, the genius behind the famous Twitter account @kanyewest, decided to branch out into music this year too! All kidding aside, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is an explosive pop record that manages to be sophistacted and complex but catchy and accessible. Certainly there are the singles – the straight-up nasty “Monster,” the soaring “Power,” and TUiW’s song of the year “Runaway” – but the album never slows down or stops to catch its breath. Many athletes famously use personal slights – real or imagined – to fuel their competitive fire. In 2010, it seems like Kanye worked the same way, molding all his turmoil and drama into one incredible record. (J)
With This is Happening, James Murphy and his band became the undisputed champions of their genre. As Kanye examined his self destructive tendencies, Murphy continued to examine his own status as an aging hipster, but not without giving up his goofy side, a struggle he characterizes in “Pow Pow” as having “advantages to both.” The album plays out as such, with tracks full of sincerity like “I Can Change” and “Home,” but also songs like “Drunk Girls,” where the title speaks for itself. Either way, This is Happening is a top notch record musically, with so many catchy hooks its practically impossible not to want to listen to over and over. (M)
In the mid-2000s, there were fewer indie bands hailed as much as Interpol and The Walkmen, and on September 14, they’ll resume a rivalry they probably never had to begin with when both drop new records. Interpol will release their self-titled fourth record on Matador, their home for the first (and best) two records, Turn on the Bright Lights and Antics. The album will feature original bassist Carlos D, though he has since left the band, being replaced on tour by Slint’s David Pajo.
After teasing us with 
2009 was a 
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Michael
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