Too Much Good Music Pt. 2: More Good Music
So yea, there’s always good music coming out. This summer is no different. There have already been and handful of articles about albums already on here this summer, so I figure, why not throw one more into the fray:
The National – Trouble Will Find Me
The National is the ultimate sad times band. Their new album is an extension of anything you may have already heard. They excel at downbeat melodies that remind you that as sad as you might feel, the guy who wrote this song might be worse off than you. I think they are one of the more important rock bands in an era where true rock bands don’t do as well as they used to. If you like The National, theres no reason why you shouldn’t buy this album. Also The National earns cool points for the song they put at the end of the criminally underseen film Warrior, and for their “Rains of Castamere” song from Game of Thrones. This track sums up the sound you can expect on the new album:
The Limousines – Hush
I feel the need to champion this band all the time, because in today’s popular music climate, they are making the best pop music no one is listening to, and that is a crime. This album was funded via Kickstarter before Kickstarter funding became the norm for people with too much money to be pulling that. Anyway, they have a Matt and Kim-like sound, but in my opinion they are better. They have a bit more versatility in their sound. This new album is them exploring some darker pop sounds. There is still heavy synth, but the darker shades have left the album in a more M83-esque epic area. That to me, is a good thing. This is the best track on the album:
Bear Mountain – Xo
I didn’t know one thing about this band until one of my best friends, Fiona mentioned them a few days ago. I’m really glad she did because it’s right up my alley. I’m a sucker for indie pop and electro dance beats. That is what Bear Mountain is. It’s that with a dash of psychedelic influence, so you can dance to it, but also just vibe out. I think it’s great summer music. They are reminiscent of NewVillager. This is the best track on the album:
John Michael Rouchell – The Separation
Reviewing your friends stuff is the hardest, because you actually like them, but for John Michael’s new EP this is easy. This EP is fantastic. If you know his band, MyNameIsJohnMichael, you’ll realize the solo project sound is a bit of a departure. I would compare the departure to Girls’ frontman Christopher Owens’ solo project. It’s in the Girls family, but it’s also different. It was jarring at first, but the more I listened, the more I liked it. The lyrics this time around resonate a bit deeper for me, and I also love this EP’s embrace of like 5 genres at once per song. Most of the songs on the album can fit into a number of categories, which I think is a true testament to the creativity on display. I’ve seen his band in various incarnations over the last four years, but this one, may just end up being my favorite. My favorite track on the EP is “Three Little Questions”, but I can’t find a link of it, so I’m linking my second favorite track: