I've never really been very interested in jazzy folk, until the day when, while riding the London "tube", I was violently hit by Joni Mitchell's album Hejira, a CD I was actually on my way to sell. The Canadian singer songwriter is not one of those artists who leave storms of disciples, like say The Velvet Underground. Probably because while every half assed (but charismatic) musician can put together a 3 chord moody song and sing it slightly out of tune, updating Mitchell's legacy requires a humongous dose of talent and self discipline (which has never been a rock'n'roll must...)
Becca Stevens has the talent and the instrumental skill to pick up Joni Mitchell’s legacy. Her level of musical maturity is outstanding for her young age. Her debut album Sea Bye Tea showcases her many abilities: a beautiful alto voice, complex but balanced and original songwriting, an intricate and personal way to play the acoustic guitar, and last but not least: a bunch of musicians who aren't interested in playing the old boring standard folk parts. We saw Becca perform solo at the Williamsburg Songwriter Competition 2008 and we were captured. Hopefully she’ll find the strength to keep at this and explore new paths in a musical genre that desperately needs young, daring heroes. - PDG - website

So that's where Ian Curtis' ghost went. The Crystal Stilts represent Brooklyn's morose, rockin' freshly undead population—or that's the impression their music gives. Bathed in a thick coat of Joy Division and glittered with a blend of the Smiths and Cramps-style zombie surf, the Crystal Stilts are bringing back an air of goth in music but (thankfully) leaving the adjunct fashion trends behind.
A few of their songs (and tourdates) on their Myspace page and a free download of their very own theme song ( found at Stereogum) should tide you over until their debut album Alight of Night is released on the Sumberland label at the end of the month.
The Crystal Stilts will be off to the West-coast for a bit after their October 25th show at the Yard (a perfect pre-Halloween fix)—so see them soon or prepare to wait for their imminent return with the rest of New York's slothenly creatures of the night. - website

Department of Eagles possesses a peculiar sound, different from most music at the moment. Faint traces of influence from other musicians are detectable, but only in the most basic ways. Matthew Herbert comes to mind, with his penchant for musique concrete (recorded sounds and noises not necessarily musical), minus the political commentary. Beyond this, DoE really stands apart as an unparalleled force to be reckoned with. With its eerie instrumental elements and oft disturbing high-pitched harmonizing, its overall aesthetic proves not only original, but also largely indefinable. What springs to mind upon listening to “In Ear Park” is a carnival. A circus. A bizarre bazaar. These entities together greet the past and meet the future within what can only be described as a cross between a dream and a nightmare. Fred Nicolaus, Daniel Rossen, Chris Bear and Chris Taylor are responsible for this methodic and compulsive departure from mainstream to above and beyond anything you’ve heard before or since. Experimental with a twist of extraterrestrial, DoE’s sound surprisingly reminds me of The Beatles, both musically and lyrically. I’ll leave you with a clever line from the third track on the album, “Classical Records”: “Do you listen to your classical records anymore?/ Or do you let them sleep in their sleeves where they weep?” Poetic and poignant, this snippet merely scratches the surface of this laudable disc, laden with deeper meaning and packed with potential. Best songs? “No One Does It Like You” and “Around the Bay.” – Nell Alk - website

I know this CD came out ages ago (August 2007), but records follow mysterious routes before they land on our CD player, and a late landing isn't a good reason to forget about a quality flight - and yes, we'll put this ill-conceived airline metaphor to rest now. "Snowbeast" sounds like the product of an inspired and talented artist who spent several months playing around with his toy (music), discovering and experimenting with a series of instruments, ranging from the acoustic to the electronic. There is a strong traditional element in this record, which constitutes its solid songwriting spine. But in this world overloaded with good songwriters, the next level is found in the details, and details put this CD in a category of its own: the odd tempos popping up suddenly in the chorus of "Saturday People", the plodding piano in "Serious" and that samba rhythm that comes to the surface every now and then; the unexpected quirky analog synths in The Owl Song, the droney vocals punctuated by the banjo in Time Rolls A Hill - which almost sounds psychedelic in an early Pink Floyd kind of way. Overall, the arrangements are top notch - creative without sounding too quirky, imaginative but still "organic" - they serve the song and add to it, rather than distract. Luke Temple sounds like Beck would - if he had a much higher registry and a background in country music rather than indie rock and hip hop. His well tempered falsetto can sound whimsical and theatrical, but also sincere and compelling when required, in the latter reminding one of our adopted NYC heroes: Jeff Buckley. "Snowbeast" is a fantastic record, obviously created in a moment of grace. It's music at its best: a profound but entertaining toy for our ears. - PDG - website

In today's overcrowded, constantly experimenting indie rock arena, genre bending (mixing and shaking) is almost the only possible route for artists that aspire to sound original.
Needless to say, beside the obvious importance of songwriting, musical skill, character and all that jazz, the choice of the ingredients (i.e. the various genres for the "mix") has its fair share of importance. Chairlift's pick is a very intriguing one - and the band, in their debut full length CD "Does You Inspire You?" demonstrates the skills of mixing them together like the musical equivalent of an iron chef. There's something really wonderful about the song called Earwig Town: it somehow manages to merge Morriconian cowboy movie soundtracks and ethereal atmospheres - strongly emerging about half the way through the song - reminiscent of Enya and The Cocteau Twins.
"Planet Health" - a droney, mellow number - brings in pretty Chinese chimes melodies in some sort of Nick Kershaw-y arrangement (huge Nick fan here!) - poppy slapped bass line included! (Please note that slapped bass has been purposely banned from indie music for decades...) Chairlift, with their confident female vocals, their beautiful musical architecture built on exotic and varied influences, the sometimes ironic male voice counterpoint (see the song "Evident Utensil"), is a complex, compelling band that brings new life to a scene that cannot survive without the blessing of imagination. - PDG - website

I've always had a problem with the term "Alt Country" applied to Wilco's "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot", simply because the country elements in that record sound extremely subtle to my ears.
Samamidon's "All Is Well", on the contrary, sounds exactly like Alt Country should sound: music that delivers classic country elements - arpeggioing acoustic guitar, banjos and fiddles, a slightly melancholic voice telling stories about little guys called Johnny Brown - altered through an alternative take on it. In this case, traditional country music loses its direct approach and density of instrumentation in favor of sparse, repetitive, slowly building atmospheric songs. Samamidon's melodic cadence - throughout the album - works as a constant reminder that this is a country record, even when the banjos and fiddles are nowhere to be heard, like in the mellower tracks. Relying on a few words, a rather repetitive melody, and a progressive raise in tension, "Little Johnny Brown" is a song that is at once powerful, disturbing and enjoyable - we need more of this, more goosebumps from music. - website