22: Flux + ESP (4.5/5)

Year: 2010

Genre: Progressive Mathpop

Label: Best Before Records

TRT: 47:55

At first I wasn't entirely sold, but the more I listened, the more sold I got.

Now I'm bought and paid for.

They're like Circa Survive meets The Mars Volta meets Meshuggah meets glitter and glowsticks.

I'm in love. I can't get enough.

01 Plastik

02 Gotodo

03 Flux

04 I Am That I Am

05 Disconnecting From the Grid

06 Kneel Estate

07 Loopwhole

08 Power Is So Yesterday

09 Perspective Pleiadian

10 Susurrus

11 Abdomental

their EP ESP (Extra Sensory Play) is also fantastic.

Tilly and the Wall: O (4.5/5)

Year: 2008
Genre: Indie Twee Pop(?)
Label: Team Love
TRT: 32:33

Tilly and the Wall is a rather unique band, in that their percussion section is mostly filled by a tap dancer instead of the usual drum kit. Initially, I thought that was a sort of neat gimmick, but a gimmick none-the-less. The fact that they were on Conor Obersts “Team Love” label didn’t help any either. As much as I’m a fan of Bright Eyes, “Team Love” has always struck me as the label that signs the bands the elder Oberst deemed “not good enough” for Saddle Creek, whether or not that’s actually the case. And since Conor was in a band with a couple of the members of T&tW back in the day, I had a sneaking suspicion that that was more why they were signed than the merit of the band itself.

Back in 2004, that may have been the case. Wild Like Children, while containing a few good tracks, is mostly a mediocre album, with little more going for it than the previously mentioned gimmick. But since then, that seems to have changed. I didn’t make any special effort to check out 2006’s Bottoms of Barrels, and the band had mostly slipped from my radar until sometime in 2009, when more on a whim than anything else, I decided to give O a listen.

What I heard there really took me by surprise. Instead of being hit-or-miss, sometimes ho-hum sometimes flashy, but always just a little out of their element, they were, to put it bluntly, kicking ass and taking names.

The music is extremely well written, and the tap dancing has been almost flawlessly integrated into their sound, transcending from being a novelty to hook people, to being essential to their sound. The lyrics are poignant and clever, without ever crossing into pretentious or arrogant. O exudes confidence and energy. But I think my favorite part, the part that really holds everything together, is the vocals. Whether brash and confrontational ( Pot Kettle Black, Too Excited) or subdued and contemplative (I Found You, Tall Tall Glass), the sincerity is unmistakable, and the delivery is flawless, holding everything together in exactly the right way.

This album is infectious, fun, and as I’ve already said…it just plain kicks ass.

01 Tall Tall Glass
02 Pot Kettle Black
03 Cacophony
04 I Found You
05 Alligator Skin
06 Chandelier Lake
07 Dust Me Off
08 Falling Without Knowing
09 Poor Man's Ice Cream
10 Bloodflower
11 Too Excited

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fun.:Aim and Ignite (4/5)

Joshua's Non-Metal Picks for 2009
#10 of 10



2009: 2009
Genre: Indie Power Pop
Label: Nettwork
TRT: 42:15

This is one of the most upbeat, happy and feel-good album I've heard in a long time. A collaborative effort between guys from The Format, Anathallo and Steel Train, they seem to have named their band after the sort of music they wanted to play.

So sing along and shake dat ass.

01 Be Calm
02 Benson Hedges
03 All the Pretty Girls
04 I Wanna Be the One
05 At Least I'm Not As Sad (As I Used To Be)
06 Light a Roman Candle With Me
07 Walking the Dog
08 Barlights
09 The Gambler
10 Take Your Time (Coming Home)

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Tegan and Sara: Sainthood (5/5)

Joshua's Non-Metal Picks for 2009
#3 0f 10



Year: 2009
Genre: Electro Pop Rock
Label: Sire
TRT: 36:57

Sainthood is chock full of catchy and inventive pop songs just screaming to be played on the radio. It's infectious and addictive, and I like it more every time I listen. One thing that struck me upon repeated listens, is that different songs would jump out at me each time. That's something I don't come across often, if ever.

The lyrical focus is not as dark as 2007's The Con, at least not at first blush. But upon further inspection, it becomes clear that they still have the same level of urgency, even if their hearts are no longer on their sleeve. Their vocal runs are also as clever as ever, half the time that's what gets stuck in my head for days.

And once again, they hit the perfect album length of 37:00, which is just a tad shorter than you want it to be, causing back to back listens on a regular basis.

Another couple albums of this caliber, and I'd be hard pressed not to list them among my favorite acts.

01 Arrow
02 Don't Rush
03 Hell
04 On Directing
05 Red Belt
06 The Cure
07 Northshore
08 Night Watch
09 Alligator
10 Paperback Head
11 The Ocean
12 Sentimental Tune
13 Someday

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Secret Powers: Secret Powers And The Electric Family Choir (4/5)

Jonathan's #19 out of 20 Album of 2009



Year: 2009
Label: Self-Released
Genre: Psychedelic Sunshine Pop
TRT: 52:37

This album has a lot of interesting bits to it...first throughout the entire recording there are short pod casts that sound like they were recorded from the microphone of the recording engineer (which may have been a guy in the band). Each pod cast is a comedic approach of showing interactions between the band's personnel...along with Schmed Maynes (song-writer & musician for Secret Powers) self-proclaiming and being called the 'Messiah'.

The most interesting thing about the song writing is that it echoes a lot of the 60s-70s pop hits and their song writing formulas that have become so big over the years. Although you should expect to hear the effects of a psychedelic tidal wave having crashed all over this album. You may experience some secret powers along the way.

01 Introduction
02 Pod Cast #1
03 Orange Trees
04 Pod Cast #2
05 Maryanne
06 Pod Cast #3
07 By the Sea
08 Heavy
09 Lazy Men
10 Pod Cast #4
11 Misery
12 Ghost Town
13 Treat Your Mother Nice
14 Smoething About that Girl
15 Pod Cast #5
16 One Less Star
17 Pod Cast #6
18 You Know It's Time
19 Pod Cast #7
20 Both Sides of the Candle

Kool Kat Music - Secret Powers

Sin Fang Bous: Clangour (4/5)

Jonathan's #16 out of 20 Album of 2009



Year: 2009
Label: Morr
Genre: Psychedelic Indie Pop
TRT: 43:31

I heard this album really early in the year and I really liked it then...but as the year went on it started slipping back behind other recordings. I still really like it as it has made my list, but I've also heard it enough to form a solid opinion. For a one-man operation it is definitely well executed and there are a lot of interesting sounds going on. I like his tasteful use of heavy reverb in certain areas....also his smooth voice gives the entire recording a reserved mellow feel. I personally would have liked a little more variation in the beats made for this record and his vocal runs sound very similar to each other....but I can imagine that this was all part of the vibe he was going for. It's a good listen to come back to every now and again.

01 Advent in Ives Garden
02 The Jubilee Courses
03 Catch the Light
04 Sinker Ships
05 Melt Down the Knives
06 Clangour and Flutes
07 We Belong
08 Carry Me Up to Smell Pine
09 A Fire to Sleep In
10 Fafafa
11 Poirot
12 Lies

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Animal Collective: Merriweather Post Pavilion (4.5/5)

Jonathan's #7 out of 20 Album of 2009



Year: 2009
Label: Domino
Genre: Psychedelic Electronic Pop
TRT: 54:05

I'm not a big fan of electronic music so for this to make my top 10 this is a huge exception. Textures should be the title of this album. The cover itself has some pink/purple photo or something under the neon green moving (optical illusion) pattern. The music has so many great layers of sounds from tamborines > stick clicks > claps > bells > and other random noises tweaked with echo or delay. This recording has some flourishing harmonies that I wish the guys could pull off live [from most of the videos I've seen they're always off key]. But, no matter how they sound live...this recording is pristine and perfect in structure and the moods created.

My favorite thing about this album is that I can put it on and without taking any substances...I kind of feel like I'm tripping. So go dream (day-dream or otherwise) to this recording.

01 In the Flowers
02 My Girls
03 Also Frightened
04 Summertime Clothes
05 Daily Routine
06 Bluish
07 Guys Eyes
08 Taste
09 Lion in a Coma
10 No More Runnin
11 Brother Sport

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Shapiro: Shapiro (4.5/5)

Jonathan's #6 out of 20 Album of 2009



Year: 2009
Label: Dweeb Records
Genre: Indie Rock/Pop
TRT: 41:35

I went to the release show for this vinyl LP in Harrisonburg, VA on my birthday...and all the guys in the band are really fun people to hang out with....so I knew this album was going to make my top 10 back in April. Also, interestingly enough; I used to be in a band with Chris (guitar) back when we played metal.

I love that every gatefold cover has a different unique stamp as Nathan (guitar and background vocals) inked up his foot and started stomping....mine is smeared crazy off to the right, not like the one above. Also, they only pressed 100 of these and they numbered them so I now own 36/100.

The music on this recording is really great and original. Jeremy's (vocals and piano) voice is really well recorded and has such a great depth to it. I feel like every song is an elegant pop hit with hints of some rock in the vein of Queen but definitely with a way more modern feeling.

01 Right and Wrong
02 All Things Around the Sun
03 I'm Not There (You Can't Talk to Me)
04 When I'm With You (Soporific)
05 L-E-A-V-I-N-G
06 One Hit Pitch Pipe
07 Emily
08 You Had It Coming
09 Battle of Beatrix
10 For Something to Do
11 Prelude

Big Cartel for Shapiro

McDonald and Giles: McDonald and Giles (5/5)

Year: 1970
Genre: Psychedelic Progressive Rock/Pop
Label: Island
TRT: 46:02

Not to long ago a record store opened in town and I was buying a lot of vintage vinyl including: King Crimson, Led Zeppelin, Beatles, Yes, Nektar, etc....

I guess after seeing me buy a few stacks from him over time, the owner of the store showed me an album that he said was pretty rare that had members of King Crimson's first album. He obviously couldn't sell me his copy but he told me if I ever saw it, I should pick it up. I went onto eBay the next day and luckily ran into the Argentinean release from '77...the price wasn't even bad.

After the first listen I knew this was such a great album...I loved everything about it. Now after listening to it many times and some from different perspectives; it is probably my favorite album of all time. I know that's almost blasphemy when we talk about the best bands in the world, but for releases individually alone it is my favorite. If I could rate it a little higher than my other 5 star ratings.....I would.

01. Suite in 'C'
02. Flight of the Ibis
03. Is She Waiting?
04. Tomorrow's People - The Children of Today
05. Birdman

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Goldfrapp: Supernature (4/5)

Year: 2005
Genre: Electro Dance Pop
Label: Mute
TRT: 48:05

While 2008's Seventh Tree was a warm and dreamy, carefree slice of summer, Supernature is darker, colder, and a more engaging listen. Ms. Goldfrapp throws herself into these tracks with reckless abandon, and you can't help but get caught up in the energy and vigor exuded.

01 Ooh La La
02 Lovely 2 C U
03 Ride a White Horse
04 You Never Know
05 Let It Take You
06 Fly Me Away
07 Slide In
08 Koko
09 Satin Chic
10 Time Out From the World
11 Number 1
12 Beautiful

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Chad VanGaalen: Soft Airplane (5/5)

Jonathan's #1 out of 20 Album of 2008


Year: 2008
Label: Sub Pop
Genre: Psychedelic Lo-Fi Pop
TRT: 54:27

VanGaalen was an artist that I stumbled upon while listening to one of the radio stations I had created on Pandora.com. When I found out he had an album coming out this year I was really excited, and I had a lot of expectations based upon the earlier material he's composed. One listen all the way through and I knew it would already be one of my top albums of the year. This album has all the bells and whistles of the normal VanGaalen songs, except I think this is his best songwriting. The songwriting is so good I don't feel any low points on the album, he just keeps bringing the goodies we all love.

VanGaalen is also an amazing artist in animation. Watching the songs he's made videos for on YouTube just makes the experience of this album even more amazing than just the mental visual images I get while only listening.

01 Willow Tree
02 Bones of Man
03 Cries of the Dead
04 Inside the Molecules
05 Bare Feet on Wet Griptape
06 Phantom Anthills
07 Poisonous Heads
08 TMNT Mask
09 Molten Light
10 Old Man + the Sea
11 City of Electric Light
12 Rabid Bits of Time
12 Frozen Energon

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Fleet Foxes: Fleet Foxes (5/5)

Jonathan's #2 out of 20 Album of 2008


Year: 2008
Label: Sub Pop
Genre: Baroque Harmonic Pop
TRT: 54:27

Fleet Foxes is a five-piece Seattle based band who describe their music as "baroque harmonic pop jams". This is a perfect way to describe it because in some places you'll hear 5 part harmonies that are just so beautiful paired with an up-tempo drum beat.

I bought this vinyl from my local record store "Speakertree Records" after I'd heard the internet leak, which I was immediately digging upon my first listen. I was also really impressed to see the band was releasing not only their full-length but also the ep "Sun Giant" together with the gate fold packaging. The artwork alone is a great reason to purchase these two records but once you start listening to the music you realize the talent and songwriting is rarely matched.

There are so many tracks I could highlight but they all take you on an amazing journey. Overall, I can't get over the earthy tones, harmonies, and natural feeling this one gives me.

Full Length~
01 Sun it Rises
02 White Winter Hymnal
03 Ragged Wood
04 Tiger Mountain Peasant Song
05 Quiet Houses
06 He Doesn't Know Why
07 Heard Them Stirring
08 Your Protector
09 Meadowlarks
10 Blue Ridge Mountains
11 Oliver James

Sun Giant EP~
01 Sun Giant
02 Drops in the River
03 English House
04 Mykonos
05 Innocent Son

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Jim Noir: Jim Noir (4.5/5)

Jonathan's #4 out of 20 Album of 2008


Year: 2008
Label: My Dad
Genre: Psychedelic Electronic Indie Pop
TRT: 57:37

Jim Noir (real name Alan Roberts) is an English singer-songwriter from Davyhulme, Manchester. This is his sophomore release and I have to say he just keeps getting better. Roberts goes deeper into his electronic side which normally I don't like too much of, but everything that goes on through-out the album just continues to uplift me. The harmonies are reminiscent of The Beach Boys but they have such a great tone that I never really caught myself thinking that until now. Honestly, this reminds me the most of the writing style of Caribou, because not only are the harmonies, electronic, and guitar wonderful, but the percussion on this album stays on par with all the other instruments. I'd have to say there is no lull in this album, everything continues to flow until it is finally over.


01 Welcome Commander Jameson
02 All Right
03 What U Gonna Do
04 Don't Worry
05 Ships and Clouds
06 Happy Day Today
07 Look Around You
08 Good Old Vinyl
09 Same Place Holiday
10 Day by Day by Day
11 Welcome CJ
12 On a Different Shelf
13 Forever Endeavor

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Dr. Dog: Fate (4.5/5)

Jonathan's #5 out of 20 Album of 2008


Year: 2008
Label: Park the Van
Genre: Indie Blues Pop
TRT: 54:55

Dr. Dog is a psychedelic rock group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania which formed in 1999.

"Fate" is a really catchy album that brings back the feelings I get when I hear Bob Dylan and The Band, because it has the bluesy soul that so much of the music today has forgotten. It definitely has the newer edge to it that you would expect, but instead of letting the music from the past define them they manipulate it to their individuality to create something new and unpredictable.

01 The Breeze
02 Hang On
03 The Old Days
04 Army of Ancients
05 The Rabbit, the Bat, and the Reindeer
06 The Ark
07 From
08 100 Years
09 Uncovering the Old
10 The Beach
11 My Friend

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The Explorers Club: Freedom Wind (4.5/5)

Jonathan's #6 out of 20 Album of 2008


Year: 2008
Label: Dead Oceans
Genre: Psychedelic Sunshine Pop
TRT: 54:27

The Explorers Club are a pop rock band from the coast of South Carolina. They are a 6 man band who are heavily influenced by the harmony styles of the Beach Boys.

Although, the band has stolen the style of the Beach Boys, I can't say they've stolen anything else, nor can I say anything bad about this release. With each listen I continue to love each song more. I can't help but feel that this album in it's concept was sent through the cosmos and reincarnated into the present as the lost Beach Boys album; and not only the lost album, but possibly even the best album

01 Forever
02 Honey Don't I Know Why
03 Don't Forget the Sun
04 Lost My Head
05 Do You Love Me?
06 Summer Air
07 If You Go
08 In the Country
09 Safe Distance
10 Hold Me Tight
11 Last Kiss
12 Freedom Wind

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The Ruby Suns: Sea Lion (4.5/5)

Jonathan's #7 out of 20 Album of 2008


Year: 2008
Label: Sub Pop
Genre: Neo Psychedelic World Indie Pop
TRT: 53:14

Headed by writer Ryan McPhun, the New Zealand's The Ruby Suns formed in Auckland in 2004. Ryan and his Dictaphone (portable tape recorder) have ventured into the wilds of Africa, the ancient monasteries of Thailand, and the haunting landscapes that surround his everyday. This really shows through as I was instantly feeling the raw vibes and colourful tones wrapped into this shoegaze/world indie pop album.

The harmonies this year have been outstanding, and The Ruby Suns may just have some of the most unique blends. There are some intense sounds on some places through-out the album that I have no idea how they were made which fascinates me more than anything else. I think these sounds are so special because it really shows that the band is fishing for new ideas and feelings that haven't yet been dropped into existence.

01 Blue Penguin
02 Oh, Mojave
03 Tane Mahuta
04 There Are Birds
05 It's Mwangi in Front of Me
06 Remember
07 Ole Rinka
08 Adventure Tour
09 Kenya Dig It?
10 Morning Sun

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The Dodos: Visiter (4.5/5)

Jonathan's #8 out of 20 Album of 2008


Year: 2008
Label: Wichita
Genre: Indie Folk Pop
TRT: 59:09

The Dodos formed in the early part of 2006 in San Francisco; shortly afterward, band member Meric Long released an EP entitled "Dodo Bird".

On "Visiter", the very interesting thing that first stood out was the slapping of acoustic guitar strings against the frets meshed with the layered drum beats. Usually, musicians try to avoid the strings hitting the frets, but it really works on these songs.

This album is one of those that just keeps growing on you, although on the first listen I was already loving it. As I keep listening to this album, I continue to find places through-out where the intricacies of certain parts engage me to really listen to everything going on. It really amazes me how much the band is able to accomplish with such few instruments.

01 Walking
02 Ted and Purple
03 Eyelids
04 Fools
05 Joe's Waltz
06 Winter
07 It's That Time Again
08 Paint the Rust
09 Park Song
10 Jodi
11 Ashley
12 The Season
13 Undeclared
14 God?

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The Beep Seals: Things that Roar (4/5)

Jonathan's #14 out of 20 Album of 2008



Year: 2008
Label: Heron
Genre: Psychedelic Indie Pop
TRT: 40:51

The Beap Seals may be the biggest secret in Manchester, UK. They're known for throwing huge warehouse parties and making their audiences participate in dressing up in absurd costumes. As for the music, this album is just pychedelic indie pop at its best with the off key notes hitting so perfect you don't even realize it's off. Overall, this kaleidoscopic album flows better than most albums that flow well together.

01 Biting Glass
02 Tell Your Friends
03 Use Your Other Head
04 She Sells Sea Shells
05 I Dreamt a Metal Hat
06 Join Me on My Cloud
07 Stars
08 Chariot Song
09 On Opening the Curtains...
10 Things that Roar
11 I Used to Work at the Zoo
12 Such a Bloody Pain


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of Montreal: Skeletal Lamping (4/5)

Jonathan's #16 out of 20 Album of 2008



Year: 2008
Label: Polyvinyl
Genre: Psychedelic Pop
TRT: 57:58

Of Montreal (officially typeset "of Montreal") is an American indie pop band formed in Athens, Georgia fronted by Kevin Barnes. Barnes himself has described the album as a concept album, 'detailing his transformation from Kevin Barnes into Georgie Fruit. Georgie Fruit is the name of Kevin Barnes' African-American cross-dressing stage persona, similar in many ways to David Bowie's alter ego Ziggy Stardust. Georgie Fruit was first mentioned on Of Montreal's 2007 album Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? during the song "Labyrinthian Pomp".

With all the craziness that goes along with the album out of the way the music itself is very familiar to normal of Montreal, yet as much as the constant segues and stylistic shifts disorientate, they yield a harvest of magical moments. I'm definitely a sucker for Barnes' echo-soaked harmonies, sparkling guitars, and his eclectic electronic beats. To state all of what I've already said into a sentence; this is another solid of Montreal album to add to the ever growing discography.

01 Nonpareil of Favor
02 Wicked Wisdom
03 For Our Elegant Caste
04 Touched Something's Hollow
05 An Eluardian Instance
06 Gallery Piece
07 Women's Studies Victims
08 St.Exquisite's Confessions
09 Triphallus, to Punctuate!
10 And I've Seen a Bloody Shadow
11 Plastis Wafer
12 Death is Not a Parallel Move
13 Beware Our Nubile Miscreants
14 Mingusings
15 Id Engager


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Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground: Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground (4/5)

Jonathan's #17 out of 20 Album of 2008



Year: 2008
Label: "Vinyl Collective" Suburban Home Records
Genre: Psychedelic Pop
TRT: 52:34

First things first, I had no idea what to expect when I first heard this except for that it had amazing artwork. The cover has a giant eyeball with an irregular rainbow and a gathering of clocks with everything mirroring itself. Not to mention the record itself is a milky rainbow and the label is the same eye on the cover spinning over and over. Psychedelic in all the ways that I love it.

As I was listening to the music I noticed the voice sounded so familiar but it wasn't necessarily a good reminder. As the album went on I realized it was Gatsby's American Dream, sure enough I looked up the band on last.fm and it read two members from GAD. Now this initially was a bad thing for me but as the album went on I really started enjoying his vocal performance on all the songs, and there are a lot of songs on this double record gate fold which is limited to only 300 copies.

On the specifics of the album I'd have to say it reminds me a lot of the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album. Also "Bowie the Desert Pea" (side B of record A - the first song) has a John Bonham (Led Zeppelin) drum beat right out of "When The Levee Breaks" at the beginning of the song. None-the-less this is a great group of songs by this fantastic new band.

01 Into The Realm Of The Unknown
02 Hey Momma'
03 Birds (On a Day Like Today)
04 Simon Courage Flees The Coop
05 Ol' Rum Davies
06 Bowie The Desert Pea
07 Santa Cruz Lined Pockets
08 Bloodstone Goddess
09 Cloud Country
10 Swan Ink
11 Night of the Star Child's Funk
12 One Ought To See
13 All Alone


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