A title like The Chase begs the question: chasing what? The album is purposefully coy in providing an answer, but one can rule out ‘talent’ as a possibility—Groenland already has that in abundance. The Montreal six-piece’s release is staggeringly accomplished for a first effort. The Chase occupies a nebulous arena[Read More…]
Music
Peace: In Love
It’s baffling that there hasn’t been a band named Peace already, but four Brits have taken the moniker and are running with it. Their debut album, In Love, is chock-full of summery guitars and catchy hooks. Song titles such as “Higher Than The Sun,” “Float Forever,” and “California Daze” are[Read More…]
Ingrid Gatin: 1000 Lives
Few modern artists use the accordion in their songs, and even fewer can use it with the grace and flair of Ingrid Gatin. Her second full-length release, 1000 Lives, is dramatic and old school, relying heavily on piano, and the aforementioned accordion. Winnipegger Gatin has a dynamic, strong voice, and[Read More…]
The Besnard Lakes: Until In Excess, Imperceptible UFO
Coming off the heels of their second appearance on the Polaris Prize shortlist, The Besnard Lakes are back with Until In Excess, Imperceptible UFO, another collection of orchestral slow burners. Husband and wife bandleaders Jace Lasek and Olga Goreas and their bevy of collaborators have created eight dreamy, textured songs[Read More…]
Bonobo: The North Borders
Bonobo is back, and he has evolved. The North Borders, the British producer’s first album of original material since 2010’s Black Sands, boasts a heavily modern UK garage sound with inflections of fellow garage artist Burial. Simon Green, also known as Bonobo, is the most popular guy on the Ninja[Read More…]
Phosphorescent: Muchacho
Phosphorescent’s Matthew Houck has hit a career high with the release of his sixth full-length album, Muchacho, which creates the perfect blend of electronica and Americana. The album opens with bubbling electro synth and harmonized vocals in “Sun, Arise!,” which, along with its sister song “Sun’s Arising,” bookend the album.[Read More…]
Suuns: Images du Futur
Suuns’ lead singer Ben Shemie refers to the environment in which his Montreal band recorded Images du Futur—the Quebec student protests of last year—as, according to the press release, “a climate of excitement, hope, and frustration.” But if the album is a political statement, it would be best described as[Read More…]
Brighton MA: Oh Lost
“We weren’t built to last; we were built to explode,” croons Matt Kerstein. The lead singer of Chicago-based quintet Brighton MA delivers the line evocatively in “Bulletproof,” the opener for the group’s sophomore release Oh Lost—and at first, one is tempted to believe him. Unfortunately, the sonic vitality seen in[Read More…]
Foals: Holy Fire
With Foal’s newest release, Holy Fire, the British indie rockers have succeeded in producing a multitude of tracks that emphasize their unique sounds. Although it does not quite reach the sheer magnitude of their masterpiece “Spanish Sahara” from their previous album Total Life Forever, they have still created a fantastic[Read More…]
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds: Push the Sky Away
Australian alternative rock band Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds have been a consistent musical force over the past 30 years. Their newest album, Push the Sky Away, proves that they’re still relevant, using haunting, minimalistic instrumentation to create an eerie atmosphere that holds steady over the album’s nine tracks.[Read More…]
