Fleet Foxes

The Bruegel painting on the cover of Fleet Foxes self titled album caught my attention when the album first arrived at the store.  Knowing nothing of the band, I took a risk and played the cd.   The lullaby voices and flowing  instrumentals reminded me of CSNY mixed with My Morning Jacket, and the overall effect blew me away.  I was instantly mesmerized with the classic sound and still cannot get enough!

My Morning Jacket- Evil Urges

The band took an experimental leap with this album, which was a great move in my opinion.  Jim James goes a little crazy with some falsetto and some serious funk, and the result is fabulous.  “Smokin From Shootin” is among my favorite tracks; epic, inspiring,  and just plain beautiful.  I was lucky enough to see them perform most of the album live in Montreal this summer, and it could not have been a better performance!

Mirror Mirror- The Society For The Advancement Of Inflammatory Consciousness

Yet another Brooklyn-based band, but this one really stands out in the crowd of today’s sound.  They describe their sound as  “digital baroque and ghetto cabaret”, which is a beyond perfect description.  Slightly comparable to Pink Floyd, the album is eerie, melodic, pleasureful music that  sounds like you are listening in a very large, dark, echo-filled and empty room. 

The Lines- Flood Bank

This release is a combination of two EP’s, Therapy and Ultramarine, from a post-punk band of the early 1980′s.  The sound is an atmosphere of new-wave electronic chaos, beautifully rendered into a progressive listening experience.  The band seemed to have slipped through the cracks in the 80′s, but lucky for us, 25 years later they are rediscovered!

Farm- The Cave

My final choice is my favorite local band, Farm.  This band has so much potential; with their varied sound there is a song (or more!) for everyone.  The strength of this album comes from the three members taking turns in the writing and instrumentals on each song.  They experiment with all sorts of instruments (organ, drums, guitar,bass, hollers, fiddle, mandolin, morin hurr, synth, foot clicks…just to name a few), sometimes each playing two at once.  If you ever have a chance to see them live, their performance is guaranteed to be fascinating.

If you have not heard some or any of these albums, treat yourselves to a good time and listen!