THIS WEEK'S FINDS
week of Feb. 20-26

"California" - Low
How much to keep sounding the same and how much to evolve and explore is a question that faces all bands that manage to stay together for more than a few years. Remain too much the same and risk staleness ("There's a fine line between a groove and rut," as Christine Lavin once sang); change too much and risk alienating fans who like how you sound already, thank you very much. And in the indie rock world, any change that smacks of "accessibility" is treated with the harshest of scorn, for reasons I have never quite figured out. In any case, here's Low, a band from northern Minnesota that cultivated a devoted following through the '90s while giving new depth of meaning to the word "slow" in the so-called "slowcore" genre. And here's a song from their latest CD, The Great Destroyer (Subpop Records) that moves with a nice crunchy, toe-tappy bounce. This is not the first upbeat song the band has recorded by any means, but so far they remain indelibly associated with their brooding, slow-burning material. Me, I'm enjoying the grit and intensity a band that knows slow brings to a peppier number. On the one hand, I love the big, fat, but still ambiguous chords that open the song, and drive its center; but on the other hand, check this out: right at the moment in the song where songs that have these kind of big, fat chords will break into a bashing, cathartic instrumental break (at around 2:00 here), Low, slyly, retreats into quiet--instead of big bashes we get a slow, ringing guitar and gentle harmonies, which simmer slowly together before delivering a final almost-bash. Pretty cool. The MP3 is available on the Subpop web site; the CD was released in January.

"Born" - Over the Rhine
Over the Rhine's Linford Detweiler and Karin Bergquist have learned over the years how to make a singular sort of aching, exquisite music--at once brilliantly wrought and deeply relaxed, equal parts off-hand expertise and deep humanity. "Born" is soft and soulful, an acoustic strummer enhanced by melancholy, restrained steel guitar accents and a piano played with such a warm touch I want to curl up in bed with it. And then of course there's Bergquist's bewitching voice, which, if an acquired taste, is way worth acquiring. "Born" will be found on the band's new CD Drunkard's Prayer, set for release in late March on Back Porch Records. The MP3 is one of two from the CD now available at PasteMusic.com.

"Sidestepping" - Doris Henson
From the largely ignored metropolis of Kansas City, Kansas comes this curiously named five-man band with a curious-sounding song. Over an itchy, bare-bones rhythm (drumbeat, erratically strummed guitar with some well-placed feedback), "Sidestepping" begins sketchily, singer Matthew Dunehoo's airy, high-pitched voice kind of toying with the lyrics at first. There seems not to be a verse or chorus; instead, Dunehoo merely sings a lazy, descending melody in between instrumental breaks. But, hey: the volume and intensity of the accompaniment cranks up a notch at around 2:13 and as this subtly new soundscape unfolds, I am transfixed. Everything is the same but different: the lazy descending melody is stretched and hung now upon dramatic chord changes, and Dunehoo's singing acquires an edgy substance that sounds appealingly to me like Brian Eno doing his best Ray Davies impersonation. "Sidestepping" comes from the band's new CD, Give Me All Your Money, their second, which will be released later this month on Desoto Records. The MP3 can be found on the band's web site. Thanks to the ever-resourceful, always incredible Largehearted Boy site for the lead.

Because of the holiday weekend in the U.S., "This Week's Finds" will be posted on Tuesday this week. The songs should be up by around 10 a.m. EST tomorrow, instead of the usual 1 p.m. Thanks for your patience, and your continued interest.

THIS WEEK'S FINDS
week of Feb. 13-19

"Silence" - the Layaways
An untamed growl of guitar noise lays at the heart of this pop confection, like a bit of crunchy frog sealed within succulent Swiss chocolate, as it were. It's a simple song, but the vibe works well for me, a vibe constructed through a combination of an appealing melody and a knowing ability to romp through some of the choicer specimens in rock'n'roll's sonic back catalog: from Jesus and Mary Chain-esque squalls of sound to Yo La Tengo-ish understated vocalizing to (this is the kicker, for me) a Cars-like use of catchy synthesizer riffs. While I'm generally all for the '80s touches that seem to be inspiring lots of today's independent bands, I particularly enjoy when there's integration going on rather than re-creation, however exuberant. The Layaways are a trio from Chicago; "Silence" is the lead track on the band's second CD, We've Been Lost, released in December on Mystery Farm Records (which appears to be simply a label set up by the band for its own releases). The MP3 is available on Amazon.com, if you have an account there. The band prefers you to download via Amazon if possible, due to bandwidth limitations on their own site, but if you lack access to Amazon, there is a direct link on the band's site. Thanks to visitor Jen for the tip.

"Aussie Girl" - Laakso
From Sweden comes this idiosyncratic, joyful blurt of a bittersweet song. Wrap Conor Oberst up with the Decemberists, give him a fetching little Swedish accent, speed him up and spin him around blindfolded, and maybe he'd sound like this. Any four-person rock band featuring one member who plays trombone, trumpet, accordion, and glockenspiel is going to immediately catch my attention, and I must say I do enjoy the subtle texture said member (David Nygård) delivers. For what is in fact a fairly precise song, there's an endearing fringe of sloppiness oozing out around the edges here, due I think to lead singer Markus Krunegård's wavery energy and unbridled spirit. And while a song bemoaning the torture of a (very) long-distance relationship is unlikely to break new ground observationally, I find that good pop music has the happy ability to keep me unworried about cliche. "Aussie Girl" can be found on the band's first and only full-length CD, I Miss You, I'm Pregnant, released on Adrian Recordings, a Swedish label. The MP3 is available via the band's site.

"Beautiful Close Double" - Damon and Naomi
I like how Naomi Yang's dreamy voice floats against a rooted instrumental base here. Too much of what is sometimes known as "dream pop," while perfectly agreeable, does tend to drift off into an airy sort of neverland. Damon and Naomi--two-thirds of the landmark indie band Galaxie 500, back in the day--keep things grounded in a variety of subtle ways. (Key word subtle: be warned this song can in fact sound as if it's merely drifting off into neverland if you don't pay close attention.) To begin with, the song is set against Naomi's classic-rock bass riff (sounds like "Cinnamon Girl" to me, actually). Second of all, drummer Damon Krukowski, while starting off cymbally and understated, echoing the bass line for a while, kicks out a few jams (subtly) now and again. Distant layers of muted trumpet add a distinct substance as well. As for Michio Kurihara's rubbery-sparkly guitar licks, well, they're pretty dreamy I guess, but what the heck, they're still cool. "Beautiful Close Double" is the song that opens Damon and Naomi's new CD "The Earth is Blue," set for release this week on the duo's own label, 20/20/20. The MP3 can be found on their site.

THIS WEEK'S FINDS
week of Feb. 6-12

"Inaction" - We Are Scientists
A playful yet blistering piece of dynamic guitar pop, "Inaction" is, actually, all action--two and a half minutes of alternately crunching and blazing guitar work supporting an edgy, propulsive melody. Singer/guitarist Keith Murray plays and sings with a bursting sort of restraint while his two band mates--what we've got here is a nice 21st-century version of a venerable rock institution, the power trio--punch out a pulsing backbeat. California born and NY based, We Are Scientists bristle with the sort of energy that may in fact only be available to this clean, three-pronged approach to popular electric music; I even think I hear an homage to Cream--rock'n'roll's first widely-acclaimed power trio--in the assertive guitar riff that pops in at 1:39. And yet there's nothing ponderous about this group; both the lyrics and Murray's delivery of them have a subtly goofy edge, perhaps to be expected from a band that includes the following instructions on their download page: "To download songs, click on the title. To stream an mp3, click 'stream'. To tie your shoes, twist the laces around each other as many times as you can, then light them on fire." "Inaction" comes from We Are Scientists' self-released 2004 EP, The Wolf's Hour; the MP3 is on the band's web site. Thanks to the good folks at 3hive for the head's up on this one.

"Alive With Pleasure" - Viva Voce
The opening juxtaposition of a buzzing synthesizer and a big old-fashioned non-digital drumbeat is distinctive, and an immediate sign that this husband-and-wife do-it-yourself duo will visit some interesting musical places before they're through. And, in fact, "Alive With Pleasure" feels like a few songs rolled into one, as the bashy introductory section--all drums, claps, and stomps--gradually wobbles into a slower, lovelier vocal section (wife Anita Robinson does the singing) with a Beatlesque melody and increasingly orchestral overtones. But before things sound too familiar, husband Kevin cranks out a loony, wah-wah-ish synthesizer solo seguing us into a coda that stompily reprises the introduction and there, we're done. Are we having fun yet? "Alive With Pleasure" is the opening track on the band's third and latest CD, The Heat Can Melt Your Brain, released in September on Minty Fresh Records. The MP3 is available on the band's web site.

"Blue Angel" - Rose Polenzani
And sometimes the ear needs just an acoustic instrument or two, a lilting melody, a simple but resonant human dimension to the music. (Especially after a Super Bowl loss, eh?) I have long admired Polenzani's vocal bravura--she can go to some really exposed places when she wants to--but in this song she reins it in in such a way that you hear it indirectly, like something you catch out of the corner of your eye but disappears when you look at it. One of the things I like best here is how she subtly shifts the rhythm on us as the song unfolds--what begins as a clear, softly swinging 3/4-time confessional pushes into a more urgent 2/4-time plea by the end, even as she sings the same notes. Instrumentally and lyrically reminiscent of R.E.M.'s "Half A World Away," this song like that one has a keening poignancy to it that also seems appropriate the day after. "Blue Angel" comes from a CD of home recordings Polenzani released this past October entitled August; the MP3 comes from her web site.

THIS WEEK'S FINDS
week of Jan. 30-Feb. 5

"Judy Garland" - Veal
"If you looked like Judy Garland/I'd be over it in half a shake/But you stood there dumbfounded/You looked nothing like Judy Garland" is how this song that appears at least partially to be about being knocked unconscious begins. We're instantly right in the middle of something (although exactly what is part of the quirky mystery), a feeling enhanced by the smart cascade of (mostly) major chords, which change on the first beat of each measure, and the asymmetrical use of seventh chords (at "half" and "nothing"). I feel pulled in, delighted, and yet still completely unprepared for (okay, I'll use one of the music industry's hoariest cliches because nothing else quite applies) the killer chorus this leads into. I won't describe it (much; but do listen for those extra two beats, the crazy lyrics, and how sharp the harmonies suddenly are), but yes, absolutely, it's a killer chorus. Veal is a Canadian trio led by singer/guitarist Luke Doucet, whose cheery voice has a wonderfully elastic upper register. (The drummer, I feel compelled to point out, is simply named Chang.) "Judy Garland" comes from the band's third and most recent CD, "The Embattled Hearts," released in 2003 on Six Shooter Records. The MP3 can be found on the band's web site.

"The Adjustor" - the Octopus Project
A lo-fi-ish, white noise-y, scratchy-boopy instrumental with genuine warmth and charm. Which shows that all things are possible (good news for Eagles fans, I should note). A quartet from Austin, the Octopus Project sounds like a surf-dance band attempting to play jazz on R2D2's spare parts. First we spend an agreeable minute or so establishing the basic groove--a chiming sort of repeated melody propelled by a perfectly fetching sort of clickety-scratching percussiveness (sounding a bit like someone trying to play the snare drum on a broken guitar neck). Then come some (for lack of a better word) solos: the minimalist solo played by a squeaky-honky gizmo (sampled tricycle horn?) which begins at 1:13 is well worth the download by itself; so is the one played by what sounds like a sampled dial-tone, at 2:13. What makes it work so well for me is that, for all the electronic manipulation going on, the song still happens in an expansive aural space--due no doubt to the fact that the band uses actual drums and guitars along with the machines. "The Adjustor" can be found on the band's new CD, One Ten Hundred Thousand Million, their second, released last week on Peek-a-Boo Records (the label which spawned the group Spoon). The MP3 is available on the band's site.

"Misery is a Butterfly" - Blonde Redhead
Talk about a simple, repeated melody--"Misery is a Butterfly" succeeds, to my ears, largely because of the plain, recurring piano riff that serves as a backbone for this atmospheric, borderline melodramatic piece. There are strings, there's almost a dance beat popping up here and there, there are breathy-emotive vocals from guitarist Kazu Makino, there are Rachmaninovian chords, but time and again we get back to the piano riff, and everything seems all right again. Blonde Redhead is a veteran NYC-based trio that has gravitated over time from a Sonic Youth-style dissonance to a lusher sound that early fans of the band might not like very much. Me, I'm kind of intrigued by the still-somewhat-strange-ness of the whole thing. The song is the title track from the group's sixth CD, released last year on 4AD Records; the MP3 is found on the Beggars Group, U.S.A. web site.

THIS WEEK'S FINDS
week of Jan. 23-29

"Attagirl" - Bettie Serveert
With a charmingly slinky verse and disarmingly catchy chorus, "Attagirl" might not, still, have succeeded so well without the captivating presence of Carol van Dyk (alternatively spelled Dijk)--the Canadian-born, Netherlands-raised singer who fronts this veteran Dutch band. Rilo Kiley fans take note: Jenny Lewis may yet sound like this (she's cut from the same cloth), but there are ineffable aspects of tone and timbre that remain out of reach when you're only in your 20s. From start to finish we are in the hands of a comfortable and confident crew here; I like the scratchy-frenetic guitar in the background, subtly undermining the faux-bossa-nova ambiance, and of course I love that wordless "ohhh" in the bridge, alternating back and forth on a fetching fifth--the song gets expansive and smooth right there in just the right way, with layered vocals and a quivering complement of things being strummed (do I detect a mandolin, even?). This leads into a most excellent chorus, with an urgently sing-songy melody, words that sound, somehow, better as sounds--"Don't get stuck somewhere in the middle/You've paid all your dues and you're not a second fiddle"--than than they do as a sentiment, and a superb and snazzy off-the-beat finish: the way van Dyk breathes out "Attagirl" at the end is just too cool for words. "Attagirl" is the title track off the band's new CD, scheduled for release on Minty Fresh records on Tuesday of this week. The MP3 is available on the Minty Fresh web site.

"Sacred Heart" - Cass McCombs
This is the kind of song that convinces me that we are, truly, entering a new golden age of rock'n'roll. And I'm serious. When a 20-something guy like Baltimore's Cass McCombs can take all his influences (I hear '80s stuff here--a touch of Smiths, a dollop of New Order, a sprinkle of Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark--and then '60s stuff too, such as his unexpectedly Dylanesque turns of phrase and word selection) and wrap them into something this timeless and thrilling (geez, I find simply the open, vibrating chord that starts the song bizarrely thrilling), and when he is one of many doing this very sort of thing, and yet each differently, here in the middle '00s, what else to call it? A new golden age. If I'm wrong, at least I'll go down swinging. In any case, rock has weathered a lot, including being eviscerated by Madison Avenue and shoved off the pop-cultural main stage by hip-hop, but even so there is something timeless at its core. Sure, you have to sort through an incredible amount of nonsense to find it (were there quite so many inept troubadours in the Middle Ages as there are unlistenable singer/songwriters in the Information Age?), but it is here to be found: specifically here with this gentle-urgent vocalist, singing his sweet descending melody with aching assurance; and generally out there, as McCombs is hardly alone on the scene with serious rock'n'roll talent and know-how. "Sacred Heart" is an advance single from his new CD, PREfection, set for release on February 1 on Monitor Records. The MP3 can be found on the Monitor web site. Thanks to the estimable record review site 75 or less for the lead on this one.

"Cover" - Engine Down
It's very easy to be very loud and very fast; it's significantly less easy to be not-quite-very loud and not-quite-very fast, and harder still to do so while exhibiting a strong sense of melody and craft. The Virgnia-based foursome Engine Down churn up a lot of dust here, but right away I hear plenty to separate this from the output of the many (many) loud and churning bands nowadays filling the web with their MP3s. They know some interesting chords, to begin with, and push us through them right away--you can hear how the whole musical ground shifts and shifts as the melody in the verse progresses. They have a sense of production perspective as well, allowing various elements to flow through the aural center of the song as the piece blazes along--a lead guitar line emerges from the noise here, a nice wall of vocal harmonies there. And to me the great hook is the off-beat delivery in the chorus: singing on the second and fourth beats here (the "Your cover has been blown" line) is an ineffably delightful twist in a hard-driving 4/4 song. Consider it all another vote for experience: Engine Down have been around since 1996; "Cover" comes from the band's fourth full-length CD, self-titled, released on Lookout Records in August 2004. The MP3 is available on the Lookout web site. Note that the link I'm providing here is not a direct link to the MP3, as per Lookout's policy; when you get to the page, look for the MP3 to the right in the "Track List" section--you can download it yourself from there.

THIS WEEK'S FINDS
week of Jan. 16-22

"Sunday Bell" - Audible
The way the crisp guitars and simply articulated piano refrain leap into motion is instantly heartwarming; I already know I'm going to follow this song wherever it wants to go. I am quickly rewarded, as the first place it goes is into Mike Kennedy's appealing tenor--he sounds like an upbeat Elliott Smith, replacing Smith's wavering fragility with a bell-like resolution. The song gains a lot of power by its capacity to sound both sad and happy at the same tinme: the melody is bittersweet and descending, but the rhythm drives forward with vigor. Kennedy's wonderful voice bridges the dichotomy perfectly, effective at both the upper (listen to how he sings the word "decision" in the second line) and lower ends of his register (as the melody heads downward, his voice seems to expand and envelope the sonic landscape). I also like how the driving rhythm is interrupted in the bridge section, itself split into two parts: opening with a sharp, punctuating beat, the melody continues but the accompaniment glides into a swinging sort of two-step. This whole section is underscored by a subtle dissonant sustained note on the synthesizer (sounds like maybe a ninth), before resolving into a reprise of the main melody. "Sunday Bell" will be found on the band's debut CD, Sky Signal, scheduled for release on January 25th on Polyvinyl Records. The MP3 is available on the Polyvinyl web site

"I Won the Context" - Provan
Sometimes, very often, maybe even most of the time, it's just a little thing that makes a song fly. That's what we're looking for: songs that fly. Lots of songs walk reasonably well (even as, of course, many can't even crawl), but not many soar. That said, there is no--absolutely no--formula for how to fly. Often it'll be the plainest sort of extra touch (an almost random-seeming melodic twist, a particular chord in a particular place, the quality a singer's voice attains during one specific syllable) that launches a song, unexpectedly. In this case, it's singer/guitarist Joe Kelly's one-octave vocal leap in the verse--when he gets to the word "prize," to use the first example. It's a simple thing, could've even been an afterthought, but when he does that, to my ears, the song takes off. Of course, one might reasonably ask whether this little vocal leap would have had the same effect without everything else cool going on in this song: the punchy, inventive drum work, the way the melodic lead guitar works against the band's churning-crunchy sound, and the subtle strength of Kelly's voice itself the rest of the way--while he sings with the high yearning sweetness of many a power-pop frontman, he's got an underlying muscle to him (reminsicent, to me, of Peter Case, for those who know his stuff). So maybe it's not a simple thing after all, come to think of it. "I Won the Context" is a song from a yet-unreleased EP from the Brooklyn-based Provan, who have two previous EPs to their name. The MP3 can be found on the band's web site. Thanks to visitor Mary, from the PowerPop blog, for the tip on this one.

"Traffic" - Chad VanGaalen
With an endearing Neil Young-ish-ness to both his voice and the resolute idiosyncracy of his music, Chad VanGaalen is a Canadian bedroom rocker beginning to attract attention very much outside the bedroom. Crankily engaging from the get-go--there's something satisfying and brilliant about how he matches his high voice in the verse against a bass playing the same notes way below--"Traffic" pumps along with both grit and perkiness, a lo-fi production with hi-fi instincts. After 10 years of writing and recording literally hundreds of songs, VanGaalen put 19 of these songs together onto a debut CD, Infiniheart, released in a very limited way last March by Flemish Eye Records.
Slowly word began to spread; with the buzz really picking up by year-end 2004, the CD is now slated for a larger re-release this spring. "Traffic" is the closing song on VanGaalen's CD; the MP3 is available on the Flemish Eye web site.

THIS WEEK'S FINDS
week of Jan. 9-15

"We Can Have It" - the Dears
So this one begins quite literally as a lullaby--a soothing keyboard, a strumming acoustic guitar, a gentle sing-songy melody. And then the words: "Last night all the horrible/Things in life start through my dreams..." Okay, not your typical lullaby. Nor is it your typical rock song. The opening lullaby of despair continues for two full minutes, singer Murray Lightburn--who often sounds uncannily like Morrissey--here channeling David Bowie with the best of them while the band sustains interest and tension through subtle touches (listen for the melodramatic synthesizer blurts, and how the female backing vocals just sort of melt into place without your being aware they started). Then, at 1:59, the tempo kicks in double-time, electric guitar ticking a precise line against a complex drumbeat, and now there's a flute in there, and a harmonica, and now Lightburn is back, still Bowie-like but yearning now, repeating emotive lines like, "You're not alone" and "You never said I'd see you again." Eventually the song pivits once more, on this great line: "Someone somewhere says they’ve got it all/But that’s not even what we want/Not even close." From there the one-time lullaby closes as an incantation, the last minute featuring one line repeating over and over, instrumentation fading away, leaving only Lightburn and a muted chorus of voices. Pop music as therapeutic/spiritual adventure; just the thing for a Monday, eh? "We Can Have It" is the lead track on No Cities Left, the Dears' second full-length CD, released in October 2004 on SpinArt Records; the MP3 is found on the SpinArt web site.

"Slumberdoll" - the Autumns
On "Slumberdoll," the L.A.-based Autumns manage the wondrous but challenging task of being both lovely and noisy. A perky-chimy guitar and chipper drumbeat open the song, but then are suspended into a spacey wash as singer/guitarist Matthew Kelly enters with his voice distant and filtered. When his voice regularizes and the band kicks in, note that we're now hanging out in the musically tense fourth chord (that is, four whole notes up from the home chord--usually denoted with the Roman numeral IV; trust me, it's a time-honored place to hang out if you want to create tension). We're not there for long, but it's kind of fun that the song feels like it's starting there, because of the production choices leading up to this point. So when we return to the starting place, harmonically speaking, it feels wonderful. There'll be a five (V) chord in there too (e.g. around 1:08) to assist with the ultimate sense of resolution. But by now note how much noise the band has filled the song with; I particularly like the slanty discordant edges at least one of the guitars (there are a lot of guitars going on here) throws into the mix, and big open spaces the other guitars carve into the production. And yet an underlying sort of gorgeousness persists because of the unabashed use of the ancient I-IV-V progression. The return of the perky-chimy guitar helps too. "Slumberdoll" comes from the band's self-titled CD on Pseudopod Records, their third full-length (they've actually been together since 1992), released in September. You'll find the MP3 on the Pseudopod web site

"Finally" - Corrina Repp
Slightly skewed, minimalist folk-electronica from a Portland, Oregon-based singer/songwriter who was herself named by her parents after a Bob Dylan song. I like the carefully chosen sounds used to enhance the clockwork simplicity of the tune: a ghostly, bowed-saw-like synthesizer on top; a twangy, off-key guitar string randomly appearing in the middle of the sound; scratch-like swipes and buzzes of sound below. Repp's voice has a deadpan straightforwardness that reminds me of Suzanne Vega, while the unearthly, hodge-podgy aural ambiance brings Tom Waits to mind, albeit a more mild-mannered and less loony version of Tom Waits. Not much happens, ultimately, here, but on the other hand, I find that I can keep listening to it again and again with little sign of mental wear and tear. If nothing else, the entire song, for me, is completely redeemed by the whispered "okay" at 3:17 (of a 3:39 song). I'm in love with the way she says "okay" right there. "Finally" comes from Repp's second CD, It's Only the Future, released on Hush Records in November; the MP3 is on the Hush web site.

THIS WEEK'S FINDS
week of Jan. 2-8

"Fat Boys Are Not Athletes" - Imaginary Baseball League
Muscular and precise, this song is driven by a snare-less drumbeat and an itchy, energetic low-register guitar line. This is right away a wonderful thing, as rock'n'roll history is pockmarked by guitarists who tend to wail unaccountably in the upper register. But listen to how compelling and grounded and unpredictable the instrument sounds when the guitarist keeps his or her fingers up at the top of the neck. Singer/guitarist Aaron Robinson's urgent--but, also, not too high--voice adds to the tension and drive; he has the nervous edge of a David Byrne or Adrian Belew while staying largely out of their sort of upper-register singing. Robinson actually reminds me of Gary Clark, lead singer of the by now obscure Scottish band Danny Wilson (they had a hit in the '80s with the song "Mary's Prayer"); there is something reminiscent of the Blue Nile in Imaginary Baseball League as well--perhaps they have an affinity for Scottish rock bands. I for one wouldn't have expected it from a four-man band from the Nashville area, but clearly there's more to the music scene down there than the Grand Ole Opry. "Fat Boys Are Not Athletes" comes from Imaginary Baseball League's self-released 2004 CD Revive; you'll find the MP3 on the group's web site. Thanks to visitor Ben for the suggestion.

"Walking in the Air" - Seachange
A reverberant dream of a song, "Walking in the Air" sweeps me in and slows me down; it seems literally to require the listener to meet it on its own, decelerated terms. Using echoey synthesizers, aching minor chords, subtly shifting time signatures, and inventive production, Seachange succeeds in the more-difficult-than-it-seems task of creating real drama in a soft and langorous aural environment. The one-minute, ten-second introduction is itself a marvel of slowed-down luminosity; by the time the violin emerges from the background to add a sad, clean note over the gathering rumble, I feel my heart rate has already been slowed, my breathing deeper and more mindful. Singer/violinist Johanna Woodnutt's breath-filled soprano, singing largely indecipherable words, seems the ideal addition to the half-folk, half-psychedelic ambiance; what else, after all, could this song be called but "Walking in the Air"? Seachange is a six-piece band from Nottingham, England; the song, apparently not otherwise released yet, is available as a Christmas present on the band's web site. Thanks to the ever-vigilant Largehearted Boy for the tip.

"Silent Seven" - Controller.Controller
The Pretenders meet the Gang of Four via Public Image Ltd. Or something like that. In any case, this Toronto-based quintet has definitely found inspiration in some of the post-punk music of the late '70s and early '80s. But these guys seem to want more than anarchy or dissonance with their dancebeat; both in terms of melody and structure, "Silent Seven" is disarmingly well-crafted, unfolding with a simmering sense of grandeur. Funny, here's another song with a minute-long introduction, but how different the vibe than with the Seachange song. And here's another group with a nervous-edged vocalist, but here we have the exotic and powerful Nirmala Basnayake evoking Chrissie Hynde rather than David Byrne. As with many songs that I end up writing about, "Silent Seven" is another that delivers all the way through, rather than coasting towards a finish--note in this case the guitar chords that ring out, rhythmically, at around 3:45, and the nifty, satisfying change the instrument glides into at 3:50. This with the song nearly over. "Silent Seven" is the third track on an EP called History, the band's first recording, which was released in 2004 on Paper Bag Records. You'll find the MP3 on the band's web site.

THIS WEEK'S FINDS
week of Dec. 26-Jan. 1

"At Her Open Door" - Dead Meadow
I am always partial to bands that can establish a distinct sonic presence quickly. The D.C.-based trio Dead Meadow does well this way, with its Led Zeppelin-meets-R.E.M. vibe: big, searing guitar lines mixed into the background, propelled by a fuzzy folk-rock vibe and chords that take you right back to the late '60s or early '70s (for instance, count along with each of the opening beats and when you get to seven--there, that's a combination of notes and sounds that speaks to us from the past). I also like the quality of singer-guitarist Jason Simon's voice, how it is not of the usual tone or timbre that I'm used to hearing with this sort of slurry, heavy-chiming environment--he's more Robert Smith (the Cure) than Robert Plant (Zep). The song weaves an insistent if nebulous spell through its largely indecipherable lyric section, then opens out at about 3:30 into an extended instrumental coda. Churning, psychedelic guitars come to the front, but listen too for the dreamy, choral-like synthesizers up on top. "At Her Open Door" will be found on the band's CD Feathers, scheduled for release in February on Matador Records. The MP3 can be found on the Matador site.

"Ballad in 2D" - Bill Ricchini
This song has a lot of things going against it, to my ears. I'm not a particular fan of lo-fi, "bedroom"-style rock'n'roll, which this most definitely is; while I like Elliott Smith's music, I'm not usually happy with anyone who sort of sounds like him; and I also tend to hold in suspicion songs with lyrics that don't scan well (i.e. when the singer has sometimes to put the emphasis on the incorrect syllable to make the line fit with the music). All these things apply to "Ballad in 2D," and, what do you know, I still think it's haunting and memorable--perhaps all the more haunting and memorable because it manages to transcend its potential drawbacks. Ricchini knows his way around the sounds at his disposal, but he doesn't overdue it--he uses layers organically, while other bedroom recorders tend to overcompensate and pile on in a way that sounds phony. But what sells me finally is the beautiful and beautifully presented chorus. Here Ricchini allows the simple but brilliant, Bacharach-esque melody to take center stage, much the way Ron Sexsmith so often does with his simple and brilliant melodies. "Ballad in 2D" comes from Ricchini's one and only CD to date, Ordinary Time, which was recorded (yup) in his bedroom in South Philadelphia and released in 2002. The MP3 can be found on Ricchini's web site.

"Whole Heap" - Emma McGlynn and the Monorails
Blistering and glistening, "Whole Heap" is an emotional freight train of a song. While Ani DiFranco inevitably comes to mind (ferocious acoustic guitar work, emotive singing, hyper-self-involved lyrics, self-owned record company), I think McGlynn is carving out her own sound within this particular niche. Both musically and lyrically harsher than "Impatience" (a Fingertips Top 10 selection earlier this year) "Whole Heap" uses blazing electric guitars and thrashing drumwork to crank the intensity up a few notches. Even in the more frenzied setting, McGlynn sings with uncanny precision--a sort of out-of-control control. And then I like how she pulls back at around a minute-fifty, running her voice through a filter, only to plunge forward into a full-fledged PJ Harvey-ish catharsis as the piece careers toward a distorted, plug-pulling end. "Whole Heap" is the lead track on McGlynn's Kamikaze Birdie CD, which was originally released last year on McGlynn's own Impatio Sound label; it was apparently re-released in September of this year with distribution through Genepool/Universal. The MP3 is available on McGlynn's web site. (Be aware that there are a number of audible "naughty words" along the way, in case you're playing this on your speakers where others can hear.)

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THIS WEEK'S FINDS
week of Dec. 19-25

"Memorial" - Explosions in the Sky
At once contemplative and majestic, the instrumental "Memorial" unfolds with precision and grace; it feels like a story someone is telling you in a language you can't quite understand. With chiming guitars, an expansive sense of song, and a controlled use of both ends of the volume dial, Explosions in the Sky sound like they must be from Europe somewhere. But what the heck, they're just a little old band from Texas, which gives me more faith in Texas than I might otherwise have (no offense to the many other Texans I don't know who would also give me faith in the place!). This is an edited version (it's still 6:23) of a longer (8:50) piece; one of just five long songs on the band's second CD, The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place, released last year on the Temporary Residence label. You'll find the MP3 on the Temporary Residence site. "First Breath After Coma," another excellent song from the CD, is available as an MP3 through the Bella Union Records site (Bella Union is the band's label in the U.K.); the only reason I didn't choose that song over this one is because to access the MP3 at Bella Union, you have to give them an email address. I have no particular issues about doing that, but I prefer if possible not to feature MP3s with obstacles.)

"Kill to Know" - Amy Miles
Like Liz Phair before her extreme makeover, Amy Miles writes down and dirty songs and sings them with an appealing sort of blase-ness. The verse here is sly, itchy, and confrontational; the instrumentation effectively sparse but spacious. Well and good, left at that. But check out the chorus--even as the rhythm continues its unassuming chugging in the background, Miles here sneaks in a casually perfect melodic line (with the words "What is it that you want to know?"), something you might hear in a song by the band Garbage, or maybe in one of the Pretenders' older, poppier moments. A nugget of surprise in this homespun number, the chorus is subtly augmented by well-placed noodles on the electric guitar underneath and blossoming synthesizers above. This musical moment makes me smile each time it comes around, as does her voice the more I listen to it. "Kill to Know" is the lead track on the CD Dirty Stay-Out (2002), her only album to date. The MP3 is available on her web site.

"Here Comes Everybody" - Autolux
Breathy-noisy neo-psychedelic rock'n'roll from a well-connected new Los Angeles band. Don't miss the opening notes--they may sound like a throw-away electronic bangle but there's a lot going on here. First of all, listen to the sound itself: it's a strange and wonderful blending of a plucked string and a retro-future-y sort of synthesizer-static noise. Very cool. And even cooler that the octave interval the noise describes is seamlessly incorporated into the open-chorded introduction, and again later in the song. Turns out this bit is one of many engaging and sophisticated production touches you'll hear here. And guess why? Autolux was signed to DMZ Records, a label co-created by T Bone Burnett and movie makers Joel and Ethan Coen; Burnett is the producer here. Great to hear a gifted (older) hand at the dials for a new band--I think there are bountiful synergies to be encountered via such couplings; too bad the mechanics and economics of the music world don't often allow it. The song comes from the band's debut CD, Future Perfect, released in October; the MP3 is available on Insound.

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THIS WEEK'S FINDS
week of Dec. 12-18

"Howdy" - Danny Allen
This song is driven by a vivid, swampy-slowness that I wouldn't have previously identified as a sound that would pull me in. And yet "Howdy"--without a glistening melody or engaging complexity--pulls me in most assuredly. How does this work? Well, to begin with, the opening minor-key guitar arpeggio is satisfyingly skewed. Then Allen enters with his full-throated voice detailing a series of odd but concrete images. Before long an atmospheric steel guitar begins to issue languid phrases in the background. Then we arrive at the wordless bridge (around 1:25), a melodic moan in the middle of this overheated summer night of a song; the song sways, coalesces, gets under my skin. Danny Allen is a Californian who apparently led an L.A. band called Harvette a couple years back before striking out on his own. He's since returned to his hometown of Oakland, for what it's worth. "Howdy" is the title track of a CD released earlier this year on the Stanley Recordings label. The MP3 can be found on Allen's web site.

"Waiting For My Friends" - De Novo Dahl
Exuberant, theatrical rock'n'roll--one part Super Furry Animals, one part Queen, and one part something they must put in the water down there in Nashville. De Novo Dahl is a six-piece outfit that named themselves after author Roald Dahl, of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory fame; whimsy is part of the mix, in other words. So are a lot of sounds, and no I can't begin to identify them all. But what I like is how worked into the gleeful momentum of the song they all are--I didn't fully notice most of the shall we say more peculiar noises (chugging beeps, trilling boops, et al) until I listened a few different times (okay I noticed the screams right away), so otherwise transported was I by the whole over-the-top enterprise. I don't think I'm going to hear a more satisfying chorus for a while, for both its power-pop-goes-to-heaven chord progression and its unexpectedly silly-yet-poignant lyrical climax (I'll let you listen and discover it for yourself). "Waiting for My Friends" comes from a six-song EP the band released last year; the MP3, as usual, is waiting for you on the band's site.

"Transamericana" - Muckner
An exceedingly well put together song, with one masterful touch arising after another. This song is not only about traveling, it sounds like traveling: listen to the wordless vocal (hey! it's wordless vocal day) that drives the beginning of the introduction, underneath the drumbeat. It doesn't sound like a car, but it sounds like driving. "Transamericana" is propelled by a steady acoustic beat, some especially effective use of fingers-on-metal-guitar-strings sounds, and guitarist Dan Erb's gritty but gentle voice. The melody is at once urgent and soothing, full of subtle knowledge (listen to how it dips at the end of the second and fourth lines in the verse). And then the touch that seals it for me: how Lisa Smith (who plays bass and cello in the band) joins Erb in the chorus, but just on alternate lines. For some reason I really like that effect. Plus, on the first line she sings with him, she doesn't harmonize, merely sings the same notes. For some reason I really like that effect as well. "Transamericana" comes from If I Can't Talk to You, Then I Can't Talk to Anybody, released in mid-November on Buttermilk Records. You'll find the MP3 on the band's web site.

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THIS WEEK'S FINDS
week of Dec. 5-11

"Why" - Gina Villalobos
Every now and then someone new comes along doing something not-very-new so sparklingly well that it seems new all over again. Operating in the well-worn roots/Americana corner of the rock'n'roll world, Gina Villalobos invites a "usual suspects" list of comparisons--in her case, Lucinda Williams and Ryan Adams seem to be the first names out of everyone's mouths--but I find her closest to the wondrous Kathleen Edwards, both in her rasp-inflected, emotive voice and in her capacity to channel some older and deeper rock'n'roll forces (think Neil Young in particular) and give them new life and force in the new century. From the minor key Tom Petty-ness of the intro, "Why" drives ahead with an authoritative stutter in the drum beat and a brilliant confluence and melody and voice in the second half of the verse: when she sings the phrase "If I can talk to what I see in the ceiling," my goodness. Listen to the second syllable of the word "ceiling" and see if your heart doesn't melt just a little. I won't try to describe it. The song is the third track on Villalobos' second CD, Rock'n'Roll Pony, released in June on the Kick Music label. The MP3 is one of six available on her web site, and all of them are good, including a satisfying cover of the old World Party nugget, "Put the Message in the Box."

"Forest" - Dealership
A certain sort of confidence is required to open a song with the line "Let's go, and I'll play all my songs," but singer Chris Groves has such a sweet-sailing voice that he has me right there--I'm thinking, sure, go ahead, play away. A do-it-yourself style trio from San Francisco, Dealership transcends its indie trappings through gorgeous melodicism and songwriting aplomb. The song is propelled by the juxtaposition of a jittery/infectious guitar line against a bell-like (and inexpensive-sounding) keyboard underneath a melody that cascades on itself, like noiseless fireworks arcing pattern upon pattern. When Groves arrives at the chorus, singing, "An electronic forest, a pixelated version" and then whatever he sings next (I can't decipher the words at that point), we are in a certain sort of pop heaven. That guitarist Miyuki Jane Pinckard adds some solid yet airy (go figure) harmonies to the proceedings only adds to the feeling of being transported somewhere quite lovely, if a little bittersweet. I like how the band doesn't waste the last minute of the song (which is when a lot of songs go into automatic pilot): listen to the edge Groves' voice acquires at around the 2:15 point, and then feel the band pull the energy back at around 2:30 only to kick into a punched-up sprint to the finish at 2:50 or so. It's all pretty subtle but I tend to like subtle. "Forest" is from the CD Action/Adventure, the band's third, released in August on Turn Records; the MP3 can be found on the band's web site.

"Hockey" - Jane Siberry
Anyone missing the hockey season yet? Well, in any case, it's past time to get some Jane Siberry up here on Fingertips. For those unfamiliar with the work of the magical mystical Ms. Siberry, this song at least hints, in lots of small and idiosyncratic ways, at her deep and abiding allure. It's all about childhood in-the-dying-light-of-late-afternoon-on-the-river hockey games, and Siberry's earthy poetry evokes the scene beautifully, not just pictorially--"You skate as fast as you can 'til you hit the snowbank (that's how you stop)"-- but logistically: the song turns in part on the idea of how the game would wind down as more and more kids are called in for dinner, a subtle (that again) and masterful touch. I'm particularly enchanted by characteristic Siberry lyrical asides; I've never seen anyone else write lyrics like this and probably never will: "He'll have that scar on his chin forever someday his girlfriend will say hey where.../He might look out the window...or not." "Hockey" originally appeared on her 1989 album Bound by the Beauty; this is a slightly re-mixed version, with dog barks introduced to remove a potentially offending (but actually quite charming in context) word. You'll find the MP3 on her self-owned record company web site.


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THIS WEEK'S FINDS
week of Nov. 28-Dec. 4

"My Fair Lady" - David Byrne
There's an almost Baroque stateliness to this churning little ditty from the estimable Mr. Byrne. While probably not a classic addition to the Byrne oeuvre (the subject matter--entrancing woman in a magazine--seems tired by now), this contribution to Wired Magazine's Rip. Sample. Mash. Share. project has its charms, beginning with the former Talking Heads leader's inscrutably ingratiating voice. I mean, there's nothing about this somewhat whiny, high-pitched, more than a little nasally voice that should engage us, and yet I find above all it's always his voice that draws me in, through all his incarnations over lo these many years. For a geeky, intellectual sort of guy he's proven himself to be a fearless singer; maybe that's what lends such deep appeal to the Byrne vibe. If nothing else, don't miss the grunt at 2:38--it's perfect. I'm also getting a kick out of how Byrne bleeds his voice directly into the synthesizer at the end. And hey there are one or two more well-delivered grunts in the last few seconds too.

"Away" - Greta Gertler & Peccadillo
The beginning of this song sounds interestingly slidey and sloppy, like a small orchestra warming up, but keep the piano's off-kilter theme in mind--it returns very effectively later. The intro gives way to a stripped-down, beat-driven verse, followed by a simple chorus sung over an oscillating violin line, at which point this so-called "chamber pop band" (an unusual combination of strings and winds, plus Gertler's piano and some percussion) kicks in to flesh the song out with a wonderful assortment of organic flourishes. (Check out the great, punctuating sound at the two-minute mark--I think one of the stringed instruments does that, but which one? and how?). Combining a crystalline sort of yearning quality to her voice (think Lisa Loeb) with a knack for layered vocals and striking instrumentation (think Kirsty MacColl), Gertler packs a lot into a three and a half minute pop song. While the melody is relatively modest, the package is assured and engaging; when the opening theme returns about two and a half minutes into the proceedings--that wonderful, lop-sided piano theme augmented by all sorts of knowing squeaks and squiggles from the band--I'm won over for good. "Away" comes from a brand new album, Nervous Breakthroughs, that was begun way back in 1998 but was only recently finished. The MP3 can be found on Gertler's web site.

"Helen Reddy" - Trembling Blue Stars
Naming a song after a singer seems a particularly fetching thing to me. For all I know this stems from my lasting devotion to the Replacements' "Alex Chilton" (one of the mysteriously great rock songs of all time), but what the heck, the world is full of strange and wonderful inter-connections. In any case, "Helen Reddy" is its own kind of good. Driven by singer Beth Arzy's simultaneously warm-yet-distant vocals, the song succeeds in evoking the evanescent nostalgia of listening to distant radio stations at night as a child; the way certain lyrics spring forward clearly ("These nights are made for sleeping") while others recede into the blurry aural landscape accentuates the mood and subject matter. The soft but steady beat, the subtle buzz of vague keyboard noise, and Arzy's Georgia Hubley-ish voice all bring Yo La Tengo to mind, but there's an airy warmth here that's different from that band's murkier sort of reserve. "Helen Reddy" is the lead track on the band's latest CD, Seven Autumn Flowers, released on Elefant Records in Europe and, apparently, on Bar/None Records here in October, although the Bar/None web site still doesn't list it anywhere. The MP3 can be found on the Elefant Records site.

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THIS WEEK'S FINDS
week of Nov. 21-27

"Can't Be Trusted" - One Star Hotel
At once bouncy and earnest, good-natured and serious, "Can't Be Trusted" takes a timeless Allman Brothers rhythm and infuses it with a Wilco-informed indie-Americana spirit. Singer Steve Yutzy-Burkey (also the band's guitarist and songwriter) has a comfortable, Tweedy-ish throatiness to his voice and an equally Tweedy-ish way of writing subtle and agreeable twists into his songs. In fact, for Wilco fans a bit befuddled by the band's tendency to deconstruct its songs over the last two CDs, One Star Hotel may come as a comfy aural balm--Wilco without the weirdness. But this Philadelphia-based quartet has a lot more going for it than mimickry. I like the way the main melodic phrase extends into a third measure, turning upward in a way that pulls you into the center of the song. Listen also for some extra sonic treats--twinkly synthesizer flourishes, controlled use of feedback, and, I think, a touch of harmonica buried into the texture as well. "Can't Be Trusted" can be found on the band's new CD Good Morning, West Gordon, to be released tomorrow on Stereo Field Recordings. This is One Star Hotel's first full-length CD; their one previous recording was a self-titled EP released last year. The MP3 can be found on PureVolume.com.

"Côte D'Azur" - Stirling
With no free and legal MP3s to be had from the new U2 CD, this one just might serve as an admirable substitute. Stirling is a band from Edmonton, relocated to Toronto, with a flair for Bono-like drama and Edge-like guitar riffs. This is the kind of song that walks the fine line between tension and bombast, but I think the bombast is held at bay by the concise, siren-like guitar line, the satisfying chord changes, and the fact that the whole thing drives by in three minutes. Never underestimate the power of keeping things short; had the band dragged this out to five minutes (the urge to do this is apparently compelling), I think my interest would have waned. Instead I find myself taken in by the urgent melodrama of it all. The song is the lead track on Stirling's debut CD, Northern Light, released in June in Canada; the MP3 is on the band's web site.

"Saddest Day" - Ephemera
A three-woman Norwegian band channeling Astrud Gilberto via Frente--yes, the world can be a wonderful place when we all just mingle together peacefully and see what happens. Bright, silvery, and airy, "Saddest Day" is that sweetest of pop confections: a sad song wrapped in an upbeat package. Stars in their native country (they received the Norwegian equivalent of a Grammy earlier this year), Ephemera have released four CDs to date; this spring, a compilation disc called Score was released for the U.S. market. Not yet out of their 20s, Ephemera has nevertheless been together for 10 years now. "Saddest Day" was originally from the band's 2000 CD, Sun, which was their second; it is also found on a CD called Score, a compilation released for the U.S. market this past spring. The MP3 is on the band's web site. Thanks to visitor Jeff for the head's up.

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THIS WEEK'S FINDS
week of Nov. 14-20

"Falling" - S
Combining a crackling edginess with a wash of electronica mystery, "Falling" feels like how the Sundays would sound with a bit too much caffeine in their system. While neither the itchy-bass-line-driven verse on the one hand nor the more expansive, open-chorded not-quite-a-chorus chorus might stand out on their own, they work niftily against each other to create more sonic drama than often contained in a mere four minutes. The effect is augmented through some distinctive electronic stitches between sections. S is the internet-unfriendly name (Google it and you'll get more than 1 billion results) that Seattle's Jenn Ghetto has been recording under since the late '90s; "Falling" can be found on her new CD, Puking and Crying, released in September on Suicide Squeeze Records. The MP3 is from the Suicide Squeeze web site.

"With Arms Outstretched" - Rilo Kiley
Far more charming than any relatively straightforward steel-guitar-laced strummer has a right to be. Whereas last week we heard the Geraldine Fibbers cross indie rock with country to explore some raw and prickly territory, this week note how Rilo Kiley mixes the same genres like they want to be your best friend, and, on top of that, they know that you want them to be too. To my ears, no small amount of Rilo Kiley's appeal--beyond intelligent songwriting and smart production skills--lies in singer/guitarist Jenny Lewis's disarmingly direct vocal style. What can I say? I do, I want her to be my best friend. At once familiar and fresh, "With Arms Outstretched" features a leisurely and timeless-seeming melody; when Lewis is joined about two minutes in by a chorus of ragged male voices (including Bright Eyes' Conor Oberst), that does it. It's all just too charming. The song comes from the band's second CD, The Execution of All Things, which was released in 2001 on Saddle Creek Records; the MP3 is on the Saddle Creek site. Their third and most recent CD, More Adventurous, was recently released on Barsuk Records (go the band's web site and you can hear it in its entirety).

"The Answer" - Bloc Party
Cross the Strokes with Joy Division, add a touch of the Jam for flavoring, and here you are. I'm not sure what they're singing about, but you don't have to know to know; the energy is exquisitely charged, the whole burbling thing about to blow. But wow: listen to the chords they take you through in the chorus, about a minute-twenty into the song, and the lyrics with which they take you there: "Grown in a parental fugue/Weight loss in self respect/Bomb, bomb, bomb us back together/A new way into a lost answer." Like I said, I have no idea what they're singing about. But my goodness they're singing about something, aren't they? I am encouraged to no end by a new generation of bands out there who seem to be moving intelligently into the future by being aware of the past, both musically and otherwise. Here's what the band members themselves say, on their web site: "Suffice to say there would be no band without the efforts of guitar bands formed in British and American towns in the 70s, 80s and 90s, as well as visionary writers and artists of various kinds whose work has informed the world and culture itself as it stands." "The Answer" comes from the band's self-titled debut EP, released in September on Dim Mak Records. The MP3 can be found on the band's web site.

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THIS WEEK'S FINDS
week of Nov. 7-13

"Ysbeidiau Heulog" - Super Furry Animals
I don't know about you, but me, after last week, I think I really need to listen to some rock'n'roll sung in Welsh. Good thing those wacky neo-psychsters Super Furry Animals are up to the task. "Ysbeidiau Heulog" (which translates as "Sunny Intervals") was the lone single off the band's all-Welsh Mwng, a CD released in 2000 on Placid Casual Records. As the band itself notes, "this one went right over the heads of the chart organisation." I find the whole thing sort of endearing--the goofy ELO-meets-Moby-at-the-cartoons vibe, the earnest cheerfulness of the incomprehensible lyrics, and, to top it all off, the translation ("I must say that we had some/Sunny Intervals, Sunny Intervals/But on the whole it was rather cloudy..."). Super Furry Animals were formed in Cardiff in 1993, and it should be noted that Mwng was not the band's first all-Welsh effort; their debut EP--Lianfairpwllgywgyllgoger Chwymdrobwlltysiliogoygoyocynygofod (In Space)--was also sung entirely in Welsh, as was their second EP, the somewhat easier to pronounce Moog Droog. The "Ysbeidiau Heulog" MP3 can be found on an adjunct site to the band's main web site.

"Lily Belle" - the Geraldine Fibbers
Last week also prompts a deep desire to listen to music from, oh, let's say, the mid-'90s--back when men were men, women were women, and presidents felt our pain rather than created it. And this song really puts you through the paces, which feels necessary this week, from its mournful, viola-driven introduction through its cathartic burst of rage later on. Singer Carla Bozulich is almost scarily unrestrained, her depth-laced voice alternating between a duskier version of Tanya Donelly and full-throttled Patti Smith-ish-ness (she more or less out-Pattis Patti before this one is done). The Geraldine Fibbers played their singular brand of country-folk-punk, or some such thing, through three '90s CDs. "Lily Belle" was the lead track on the band's 1995 debut, Lost Somewhere Between the Earth and My Home. I know the feeling. The MP3 can be found on Carla Bozluich's web site, along with a nice assortment of others from both the Geraldine Fibbers and other Bozulich projects. Thanks to the good folks at 3hive for the head's up on this one.

"The Music Box" - Thebrotherkite
And now this muscular sort of power pop with a side order of noise is just the thing to nudge me back to life as we know it. Bristling with spirit and know-how, "The Music Box" rises far above typical indie-rock offerings through Thebrotherkite's songwriting wherewithal. After an introduction featuring a driving beat and ringing guitar theme, the song veers to the left as both the key and the time signature shift; the effect is at once unexpected and completely satisfying. The song holds its center around the tension between 6/4 and 4/4 measures, linked by a resonant melody (okay, so it's "Evergreen") and the recurrence of the opening guitar theme at crucial moments. Thebrotherkite is a five-piece band from Providence; what little press they've received so far relentlessly places them in the so-called "shoegaze" genre (one of the less wonderful coinages of recent decades, I'd say), but the band members have eclectic tastes and display an admirable sense of pre-'90s musical tradition. (For the record, I really don't think as many bands are influenced by My Bloody Valentine as internet music writers seem to believe.) "The Music Box" comes from Thebrotherkite's self-titled debut CD, released this summer on the Sacramento-based Clairecords. The MP3 is available on the band's web site.

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THIS WEEK'S FINDS
week of Oct. 31-Nov. 6

"V.O.T.E." - Chris Stamey with Yo La Tengo
We'll begin this week with an Election Day Public Service Announcement, courtesy of the estimable Chris Stamey and the equally estimable Yo La Tengo. "V.O.T.E." is just a 30-second ditty, standard PSA length, and it's as straightforward as can be: go out and vote. You can read a little more about this here. I've linked you to the so-called "Rockin'" version; there is also a "Fifties" version and an "Old A.M. Radio" version (follow the link in the last sentence and you'll find those). I thank an informal group known as "Music Bloggers for Democracy" for calling my attention to this PSA and suggesting that everyone with a music blog link to it this week. If you need any more information about voting, this is a good place to start. While my own political inclination may be clear to anyone paying close attention here, let me add that this is not about who you vote for, it's about voting. In this oh so important election, it's crucial that the president who is elected is the actual choice of an actual majority, not the end result of low voter turnout or other circumstances that might keep voters away from the polls (or votes from being counted, for that matter). That said, back to the music.......

"The Final Arrears" - Mull Historical Society
Colin MacIntyre--doing musical business as the Mull Historical Society--is a master of the 21st-century one-man-band genre. In this day and age, creating all the music and vocals on one's own isn't the hard part; the hard part is making the end result listenable. To my ears, the digital sleight-of-hand utilized to become a one-man-(or woman-) band tends to shrink the space of the music, resulting in songs that sound claustrophobic within a minute or two. MacIntyre, who hails from the Isle of Mull off Scotland's west coast (there really is a Mull Historical Society there), knows how to give us the aural equivalent of a 19th-century landscape: fertile valley, distant mountains, and more sky than seems possible to fit on a canvas. With its lush melody and gracious pacing, "The Final Arrears" succeeds most of all because the lovely touches are applied with care, always towards the goal of allowing the music to breathe and flow. As usual, this is hard to describe in words, but trust me that it's not just about layering and layering effects. And just when we've heard enough, along comes a loopy orchestral break three and a half minutes in, steering the song towards an odd but engaging fade-out. "The Final Arrears" is the lead track on the Mull Historical Society's second CD, Us (XL Recordsings/Beggars Group), released last year; the MP3 can be found on the Beggars Group U.S.A. site. A new CD called This Is Hope was released in the U.K. in July; no word yet on if it's coming out in the U.S.

"Fortress" - Pinback
While one-man bands receive more gee-whizzy attention, there is a venerable two-man band tradition in rock'n'roll as well. This isn't where the two guys play all the instruments, but where a band is formed around two core members (think Steely Dan), with supporting musicians shifting from album to album. Such is the history of San Diego's Pinback, the brainchild of bassist Armistead Burwell Smith IV (honest) and multi-instrumentalist and singer Rob Crow. From the opening bass pulse and the quick drum pick-up, the song has immediate presence and energy; Crow's pleasingly gentle vocals floating on top of the itchy and precise rhythm section help create an ambiance at once urgent and relaxed. For all of the band's impeccable indie-rock credentials, I'd say that "Fortress" brings to mind another talented two-man band straight out of rock's mainstream--Tears for Fears. Consider it a compliment: at their best Tears for Fears combined musical sophistication and pop know-how to great effect. When Crow heads for his upper register--particularly when repeating the words "Nobody move" about two and a half minutes in--I'm hearing "Mad World" in the back of my head. It's a good thing. "Fortress" comes from the CD Summer in Abaddon, released this month on Touch and Go Records. The MP3 can be found on the Touch and Go web site.

"Hula Hoop" - Saratoga Park
I'll admit that when I first heard the peppy-generic acoustic riff in the intro, I cringed in anticipation of a bad-local-band-nightmare sort of effort. Then an electric guitar joins in and I'm paying more attention: is it my imagination or is the electric guitar offering a discordant counterpoint to the
acoustic riff? Not my imagination. Pretty cool. Then Paul Howard opens his mouth--melody spurting in all directions--and I'm hooked. Like Yo La Tengo (them again), Saratoga Park is a quirky band centered around a charmingly down-to-earth pair of husband-wife singer/songwriters who are far more accomplished than their lo-fi affinities might suggest. Be sure not to miss the electric guitar break-out around three minutes in, and how, leading back to that peppy intro, transforms it entirely into something wonderful. Here's one local band--they're based in Vancouver, Washington (who knew?)--that knows what they're doing. "Hula Hoop" comes from the band's self-released 2004 CD The Short Bus; the MP3 is available on the band's web site.

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THIS WEEK'S FINDS
week of Oct. 24-30

"Neighborhood #2 (Laika)" - the Arcade Fire
A gut-satisfying drumbeat, sleighbells, and a distinctively plucked guitar concoct a great introduction here, and that's even before the bandoneon enters. I think this is a bandoneon; in any case, it's a charming, plaintive accordion riff, and it goes on to form the backbone of a compelling song from an eccentric Montreal quintet. With a prominent amount of shouting and/or fuzzy-megaphone vocalizing, this song is not a smooth listen; I needed to hear it a number of times before I began to like it, so hang in there before jumping to conclusions. "Neighborhood #2 (Laika)" is one of four numbered "Neighborhood" songs on the band's Funeral album, released last month on Merge Records, to wide acclaim. I should note that the Arcade Fire's emergence as one of the "it" bands of 2004 made me more than a little suspicious before I even heard them. I'm not normally prone to cynicism, but I mistrust pop music criticism's flavor-of-the-month tendencies, which are prompted by fashion rather than sound. (One critic, for instance, wrote, of the Arcade Fire, that "though the band utilizes nice melodies and lively arrangements, the nostalgia-steeped-indie-rock-orchestra pool was pretty much drained before The Arcade Fire dove in." Silly! Fashion designers may feel that a certain look is "done" once it's been too widely adopted, but musicians? An outlandish and elitist criticism. But I digress.) The MP3 is on Better Propaganda, a site which does not allow direct links, so you'll have to click on the "Free MP3" button in the "Selected MP3s" box to grab this one.

"The Dirt-Bike Option" - the Fauves
Gruff but lovable guitar pop from an underappreciated Australian band. That is, in Australia they're underappreciated; here in the U.S., they're completely unknown. But there's no way I for one am not going to like the heck out of a song with a sing-along chorus featuring this lyric: "Ooh, the dirt-bike option paid off/We never settled with the workers that we laid off." The rumbly guitars balanced by spiffy harmonies in the chorus and a wonderfully cheesy organ line are further merits. Plus I am bound to be partial to a song that arose as follows: "The title came from listening to Terry [Cleaver; the bass player] bang on backstage at a gig in Bateman's Bay about a new computer game he'd been playing; one in which he had 'exercised the dirt-bike option'. Songs about computer games are boring so the main lyric dealt with the somewhat unrelated topic of messiah complexes and cults living in fortified compounds." It seems poetic justic, somehow, that the world-weary, self-deprecating Fauves have now lasted longer than the early 20th-century art movement after which they named themselves. Formed in Melbourne in the late '80s, the band scored some commercial successes in Australia in the mid-'90s, but have struggled more recently to get themselves heard--a reality implied by the name of the 2000 single ("Celebrate the Failure") which contained "The Dirt-Bike Option" as a B-side. The MP3 is available on the band's web site, along with a number of other enjoyable B-sides and rarities.

"Graceland" - the New Pornographers
Big and exuberant, this likable rocker showcases the New Pornographers' enviable capacity to channel the sounds of bygone eras while still sounding fresh and catchy. "Graceland" (not the Paul Simon song) has the irrepressible drive and gleeful harmonies of, I don't know, an old Grass Roots song maybe. Built on top of a shuffly pair of ever-irresistible four-note intervals, the whole thing brings back the early '70s in some ineffable way. "Graceland" is posted on Insound; the song can be found on the Matador at 15 CD, which features 35 tracks spanning the 15-year history of Matador Records, released late last month.

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THIS WEEK'S FINDS
week of Oct. 17-23

"Lucky Jam" - Soft
A brand new band from Brooklyn, Soft has emerged Athena-like, fully-formed from the head of the internet. According to the band's John Reineck, Soft spent a year writing, rehearsing, and recording in their practice space without once playing in public or playing for anyone else at all. Not an approach that's going to work for everyone, but I for one am enjoying the payoff in Soft's case. It takes a certain amount of gumption and know-how to craft a compelling hook from a syncopated beat, but that's exactly what "Lucky Jam" does from its opening notes, as a lovely, Edge-like guitar rings out against a stuttering drum beat. After that, singer Reineck barely has to open his mouth to have me completely engaged, his voice channeling a bygone time of power-pop innocence (does the band Shoes still ring a bell to anyone?) even as the musical drive feels fully of the current 21st-century moment and the band's sophistication--for starters, listen to how guitarists Vincent Perini and Samuel Wheeler wind their instruments around one another--gives the song a subtle depth at every turn. "Lucky Jam" is posted on the band's web site. Soft expects to have a full-length CD ready by January.

"Jody Said" - Farma
Here's a beautiful, restrained, and idiosyncratic Americana-ish ballad from the formidable San Francisco quintet Farma. From a twinkly, slightly psychedelic start, "Jody Said" proceeds with great assurance over territory that would feel downright quirky if it didn't likewise seem so familiar. The song combines the gruff delicacy of Son Volt with the jazz-inflected chord flavors of Steely Dan, fleshing out the strong melody with a lazy, soaring steel guitar and noodly keyboards. When the verse returns after an instrumental break in the middle, everything coalesces, and as the melody gets to that place where it modulates and extends beyond the frame ("I'll be dreaming in this bar, eternally"), the enterprise levitates to that place where the effect of a song transcends the particulars of its construction. "Jody Said" will be found on the band's self-titled EP, soon to be released on Wishing Tree Records. The MP3 is on the band's web site.

"Second Winter" - Patty Moon
Right away the tremulous flute and drama-queen chords tell you this is borderline kitsch, and that's even before the cinematic wash of pop-electronica sweeps in to create an eye-opening Lulu-meets-Portishead vibe. (I'll quickly note that there's nothing wrong with borderline kitsch; Blondie has always walked that line to great effect as well.) When Patty Moon, the singer (Patty Moon is also the name of the band; they're from Germany) intones "I've been waiting all this winter for a true emotion"--gee, I hope Morrissey gets a royalty check for that line--the song defeats my resistance, winning me over on its own glorious-wacky terms: like any good pop song, it creates its own kind eternity from the forces that swirl around it here in this moment. And it will always do that. "To Sir With Love," after all, wasn't necessarily a great song, but it's always listenable, and it will always evoke the British mid-'60s pop scene in a way little else will. With enough exposure (and this is not necessarily likely to get that exposure), "Second Winter" could one day evoke the mid-'00s Euro-global pop scene in a similar way. The MP3 arrives via the worthwhile German MP3 hub Tonspion; the song is on the band's CD Clouds Inside, released this month in Europe on the Berlin-based Traumton Records.

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THIS WEEK'S FINDS
week of Oct. 10-16

"36" - Christina Rosenvinge
Singing accented English with a sweet sort of weariness, Christina Rosenvinge muses whisperily on the strains of growing older. Against a quiet guitar lick that sounds like the Nutcracker's "Waltz of the Flowers" theme turned sad and lonely, "36" is a lullaby for grownups, propelled by a sing-song rhythm and an exquisitely intimate accompaniment; I particularly love the desolate, distant, slightly dissonant background tones between verses, embodying time's doleful passage. The song comes from the Madrid-born Rosenvinge's second English-language CD, Foreign Land, released two years ago in Europe and slated for a U.S. release on Smells Like Records "soon," according to the SLR web site. Her first CD in English was 2001's charming, bittersweet Frozen Pool, also on SLR. The intimate sound of these two recent CDs represents a prodigious break from her past; you'd never know that in the late '80s, Rosenvinge was a huge pop star in Spain and Latin America as one half of the duo Alex y Christina. But she quickly tired of both the media attention and the musical constraints imposed by mass-market pop success. She left Alex behind to record three solo albums in the '90s, the last of which was produced in Sonic Youth's studio in New York City in 1996. Captivated by Manhattan, Rosenvinge eventually moved there and hooked back up with Steve Shelley and Lee Renaldo of Sonic Youth, who ultimately helped her create Frozen Pool. The "36" MP3 can be found on the distribution/label site Midheaven.com; thanks to Sixeyes for the head's up.

"Queen of Verlaine" - High Water Marks
Satisfying, buzzy-fuzzy pop from an unusual collaboration between American and Norwegian indie stars. Drummer Hilarie Sidney from the Apples in Stereo and Per Ole Bratset, of the Oslo-based band Palermo, began a long-distance songwriting relationship after the two met during an Apples in Stereo tour in 2002. Eventually Sidney, from Lexington, Kentucky, went to Norway to record with Bratset, in a hotel room of all places. The end result was so apparently gratifying that Bratset has since relocated to Lexington to turn the High Water Marks into a real band (the two other members also live in Kentucky). I like a lot of things about this song, beginning with the cheery, churning vibe, and including distinct elements like Bratset's appealing voice (and geez it's really really hard to describe voices in concrete words; that's probably why writers often resort to comparisons to other voices) and the use of a distorted guitar wave underneath the basic drive of the song. "Queen of Verlaine" comes from the band's debut CD, Songs About the Ocean, released last month on Eenie Meenie Records; the MP3 is on the Eenie Meenie web site.

"Did I Let You Down?" - Folksongs for the Afterlife
This duo from New York City creates an unexpectedly rich and effective sonic stew; don't let the group's name mislead you into expecting a simple strumming acoustic guitar and sappy lyrics. Out of the gate the song engages me with its trip-hop-meets-salsa-at-the-movies stylishness. Then Caroline Schutz's clear and airy voice takes over, and watch out--I don't think I've ever heard the word "fuck" sung with such offhanded beauty. Wait for the chorus and you'll see what I mean. This song also highlights the timeless appeal of a well-placed xylophone solo. "Did I Let You Down?" can be found on the group's sole full-length CD--Put Danger Back in Your Life, released last year on Parasol/Hidden Agenda. The MP3 is on the band's site.

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THIS WEEK'S FINDS
week of Oct. 3-9

"How's It Gonna End" - Tom Waits
Take the songs Tom Waits was writing for albums like Rain Dogs and Frank's Wild Years strip them of their darkly exuberant carnivalia--the raggedy clankings and tootings and snarlings--and you're left with something slinky and creaky like "How's It Gonna End." The song is a fascinating study in minimalist production; driven by little more than a plucked bass, intermittent tom-tom, and what sounds like a small section of staccato, barely-blown horns, Waits delivers a grumbly series of bleak, vaguely surreal scenarios, tied together by the repetition of the title phrase. Every now and then something else happens musically--a tuba plays one note; ghostly background singers emerge for a few lines; fingers screech on metal guitar strings--but the song plunks along all but unaware. It's almost as if he's playing in a room full of musicians, most of whom are simply listening. The effect is at once comic and tragic, bolstered by the lyrics' characteristic mix of skeletal storytelling and cryptic pronouncements ("The reptiles blend in with the color of the street/Life is sweet at the edge of a razor"). If you don't love Tom Waits you might consider learning to love him. The song is found on Real Gone, to be released tomorrow on Anti Records. The MP3 is available on Indie Workshop.

"Heaven or Las Vegas" - Cocteau Twins
Vast, cascading beauty, as sparkling-sounding today as when it was released 14 years ago. Guitarist Robin Guthrie has an unearthly ability to make a droning guitar shimmer with joy, and singer Elizabeth Fraser's fetching incomprehensibility works its usual magic, even as you can in this case actually understand words here and there. The Cocteau Twins weren't always as accessible as this, but surely this illustrates that accessible is not always a bad thing. The song (in a longer version) was the title track of the group's 1990 release, on 4AD Records. The MP3 is on the band's site.

"Bush Must Be Defeated" - Dan Bern
In the spirit of debate week, here is without a doubt the goofiest angry protest song I've ever heard. Talk about "on message": Dan Bern does not relent, but even as I'm positive that I do not need to hear him sing the refrain any longer (alright already! I get it!), it begins to sink in that the wacky rhymes that spill from his mouth ("Bush must be defeated/His goodbye coffee heated/His inaugural spats uncleated/His White House bed short-sheeted") work doubly well because of the inevitability of the refrain. This is not a subtle song, but there are only a few weeks left; those inclined to agree with the message need it in the air. "Bush Must Be Defeated" comes from an EP released last month entitled My Country II (Messenger Records); the MP3 is on the Messenger Records site. For those unfamiliar with his work, Bern is worthwhile getting to know. He's a bit erratic, but indomitable, fearless, and more than a little gifted as a Dylan-infused singer/songwriter.

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