people have been buzzing about jersey-based indie/pop band real estate since the summer, but they’re just releasing their debut self-titled album today. while the songs might seem more summer-appropriate (just look at titles like “beach comber” “pool swimmers” “atlantic city” “lets rock the beach”), it’s a great listen at this time of year, especially if you’re missing warm weather and the shore (like me). the album does have an underlying moodiness that darkens it a little bit, but for the most part it’s simple, light and breezy…great for a lazy sunday. i especially like "suburban beverage" and "black lake". the band, made up of martin courtney, matthew mondanile, etienne pierre duguay and alex bleeker, list paul mccartney, the doobie brothers, kokomo, the boss and new jersey among their influences. also, they’re touring right now so check out their myspace page for dates and to listen to some tunes!
i saw the monsters of folk last night at the academy of music in philly, and i was so impressed that i felt compelled to write about them today. MOF is a “supergroup” consisting of jim james (frontman of my morning jacket), m. ward, conor oberst and mike mogis (brighteyes), all of whom have had great success in their respective careers. so it seems odd then that they’d put their main projects on hold to record an album and tour together, but seeing them live makes it clear why, as they have amazing chemistry together on stage. they each bring something different to the table, and they feed off of each others talents to create a sound that is incredibly unique – sometimes folky, sometimes it rocks out, sometimes you’re not really sure what it is (“dear god”)…but it’s always good. what i also really enjoy is that they don’t lose their individuality, and seeing them live is almost like seeing several shows in one, as they play a mix of their new music along with my morning jacket, conor oberst and m. ward songs.
i highly recommend checking out their album, monsters of folk, which was released this fall, and seeing them if they play in a town near you! in the meantime, you can watch this video for the song "the right place."
what will we be is devendra banhart’s seventh studio album, but it is his first major label release, and has drawn mixed reviews from critics and fans who were expecting more of the raw, bohemian weirdness that banhart is known for. the overall sound of what will we be has a clarity unlike his previous albums and the vocals are smooth and relaxed, but the freak-folk moments and international influences are still there. the album starts out strong - the first few songs are like a breath of fresh air and the first single, “baby”, is addicting. “rats” is unexpected but interesting, starting out slow and then rocking out like a zeppelin tune…but for me, towards the end, the album sort of lost its excitement.
listen to the album here and let me know if you agree or disagree!
atlas sound is the solo project of bradford cox, the lead singer of deerhunter (whose album microcastle was one of my favorites of 2008). with atlas sound, he is able to be more experimental than he is with the full band, blending ambience, airy electronics and soft, warm lyrics. you can hear the influence of 60s pop and doo-wop in the undertones of songs like "walkabout", "my halo" and "shelia", which when compared to the dreary melancholy of most of cox’s music, sound just like a crisp sunny day. "walkabout" is a collaboration with noah lennox (a.k.a. panda bear/member of animal collective), who also rocks. check out this cute video set to the song.
atlas sound is touring now, so check out the tour dates on myspace to see if he's coming to a town near you.
the above image is from the deerhunter/atlas sound blog.
