Playing Catch-up

To start things off for proper, I'm going to brush the dust off a couple of tracks that have just rocked my socks this year.  From a white-bread disco-funk song about a chess match, to a guy rapping about his bling bling (in this case, his 1986 Volvo), all the way down the line to a Fleet Foxes-esque Vancouver group harmonizing their way through a spell of bad weather.

Gordon Voidwell - Ivy League Circus
This gem of synthed out electro-funk from the Bronx by Gordon Voidwell is tough to beat. His racially-charged humor continues to inspire songs with such titles as "Black Kids," and "White Friends." This toe-tapper does a great job of poking fun at white privileged ivy league students while encouraging you to put on your dancing shoes.

Ra Ra Riot - Too Dramatic
With their sophomore disc "The Orchard,"  Ra Ra Riot doesn't disappoint.  The pop-rock group out of Syracuse are backed by a cello and violin which consistently add a unique twist to their sound.

David's Lyre - Heartbeat
What starts out as a sweet, quiet tune with simple plucked strings and vocals, quickly becomes almost frenetic with a drumbeat that helps give a feeling of apprehension and a sense of purpose to the repeated line "this heart won't beat forever."

Yukon Blonde - Wind Blows
It's immediately apparent who the influences for this Vancouver indie-rock group are.  With vocal harmonies, and pop hooks reminiscent of West coast artists like Fleet Foxes, and Said the Whale, Yukon Blonde is a joy to listen to.  Their refrain of "listen to the wind blow, can you hear the rain drops outside of your window" gives such fitting imagery to the multi-layered storm that hits at the 3:20 mark.

The Bloodsugars - Light at the End of the Tunnel
Pure indie pop at its finest from a four-piece out of Brooklyn. The ebb and flow of this song really gets me with lots of break downs, build ups, single instrument sections, and multi-layered choruses.  Despite the possibilities of optimism you may glean from the title, "Light at the End of the Tunnel " retains an overall theme of anguish, and heavy hearts.

Chilly Gonzales - You Can Dance
Any song that has the words 'dance' in the title, starts off with a robot voice, and is about chess is immediately in my good books.  Canadian piano virtuoso, Chilly Gonzales, supplies the soundtrack to "Ivory Tower," a film about an epic chess battle between Tiga, and Gonzales himself.  Hand claps, huge choruses, and breakdowns ensue.

Grynch - My Volvo
The practice of covering yourself and your dog in diamonds is a theme that is much too frequent in main-stream rap these days.  That's why Grynch's "My Volvo" is a refreshing twist:  a solid hip-hop track about a guy and his beloved 1986 Volvo.  "You want to hear about my Bentley?  I'll probably never get one."

Dog is Dead - Glockenspiel Song.mp3
The huge, triumphant opening vocal section of this song just sells it immediately.  The syncopated rhythms from the band stand opposite of the sweeping melodies of the vocal lines.  This Nottingham group describe themselves as "Louis Armstrong lost in disco."  Well, you can draw your own conclusions on that one.

Gin Wigmore - Too Late for Lovers
Without New Zealand's Gin Wigmore and her fantastic vocals, this track could easily dissolve into a campy, cheesy love song, complete with backing strings.  However, her Amy Winehouse-esque voice gives it an entirely new feel, making it more sincere, and letting you forget about the fact you're listening to a pretty traditional love song.

The Acorn - Restoration
With no discernible chorus, 'Restoration' is a great piece of songwriting that goes against the grain of traditional song structure. The entire 3+ minute running of this song is one steady build up of increasing intensity, culminating in a celebratory last verse.