YEASAYER
ODD BLOOD
SECRETLY CANADIAN

After hearing this record all the way through for the first time, I loudly proclaimed it to be the best thing I’ve ever heard. Where first impressions are concerned, Odd Blood is an all-time classic. The early buzz was that Yeasayer had gone dance-pop. The first single, “Ambling Alp,” offered little in the way of contradiction; with its off-the-wall drum triggers and synth-heavy riff, the track plays bigger and catchier than anything off the band’s sensational debut, the trippy, indie-goes-Eastern All Hour Cymbals. I doubt anyone saw this coming. I mean, this is a fucking dancefloor record. No less than six of these 10 tracks seem flat-out designed to shake your rump. Even now as I type this with track six (“Love Me Girl”) playing in the background, my ass and feet will not be still. At least now I understand what they were doing co-headlining that gig with MGMT a couple years back. At the time it seemed an unlikely pairing. Maybe they were startled at the massive reception those scraggly disco mutts received, at how many of the skinny hipster kids were out there on the floor, not just nodding and sucking down Heinekens, but dancing. They must have taken notes. Odd Blood isn’t quite a revolutionary piece of work, as was my first assessment, but a transformative one. These are talented musicians, sure, that much was clear from the start. Less so, however, was the pure vocal ability of lead singer Chris Keating. His clear, powerful croon steers each and every one of these tracks. “I Remember” is good sap, the kind of overly emotional ballad that can only be saved by a legendary performance; Keating’s commitment gives it wings. “Madder Red” balances its stuck-in-your-brain falsetto chorus with gorgeous verse. It might sound like a stretch, but Keating's voice at times brings to mind Andy Bell – even more so when placed in this kind of club setting. Erasure's other half, the brilliant Vince Clarke, is probably owed a debt of gratitude here as well (that's a compliment, by the way). Some fans will hear this stuff and cringe – the same thing happened to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs last year when It’s Blitz came out. Maybe there’s something in the water in Brooklyn, some tasteless, undetectable substance that gives their young rock musicians disco envy. Personally, I tend to view a radical shift like this as ballsy, whether I like it or not. This time, I happen to like it very much. Now, where did I leave my platform boots… – Andrew Watson

PRIESTESS
PRIOR TO THE FIRE
TEEPEE RECORDS

More retro hard rock bands should worship at the altar of Black Sabbath the way Priestess does. Putting on a clinic for creating high-power openers – like they did with the amazing “I Am The Night, Colour Me Black” off their still under-appreciated 2006 debut Hello Master – the Montreal-based metal/stoner/rock band leave it all on the floor for opener “Lady Killer,” slamming solo after solo into one monstrous, never-ending riff. They don’t stop there, playing loose around their rock-solid song structures; going epic (“The Gem”), semi-acoustic (“Communicating Via Eyes”) and writing the best song ever about Robocop (“Murphy’s Law”). Of course, they save the best for last, with finale “Trapped In Space & Time” having the feel of a fiery inferno. Blaze on! – Eric Mitts

VAMPIRE WEEKEND
CONTRA
XL RECORDINGS

Vampire Weekend is a trap band. Admitting to a fondness for their sunny, Graceland-inspired afro-pop forces one to question his or her musical standards, yet roundly dismissing the band's pretentious, albeit catchy sound makes one seem old, grumpy and curmudgeon-esque. I quietly championed their debut, ignoring the wave of hype that surrounded it (I abhor such things) and still play it to this day. Contra is something different. It’s quieter, for one thing, with a modest polish. The production values have been upped considerably. I don’t necessarily feel this band warrants the tidal wave of attention they receive, but they do seem to make records people enjoy hearing. This latest should prove no different. – AW

SURFER BLOOD
ASTRO COAST
KANINE

Surfer Blood lesson one: indie rockers don’t have to fear power chords. Lesson two: afro-rhythms can work with huge whoa-oh-oh choruses. Lesson three: focusing on getting awesome guitar tones from distortion pedals shouldn’t ruin your fun or footing. Got that? Good. Now catch the wave of Astro Coast, the debut disc from this rapidly rising West Palm Beach, Fla., band, and get ready for songs like “Swim” and “Floating Vibes” to toss around familiar hooks and riffs in a frothy swirl sounding like the best elements of any eclectic indie fan’s favorite records. Dinosaur Jr., Weezer, Modest Mouse, The Shins, Vampire Weekend: Surfer Blood draws in a line from each, and more, coagulating it all into a fresh new sound. – EM

HOT CHIP
ONE LIFE STAND
EMI

U.K. indie-tronica outfit Hot Chip have partitioned their latest album into three well-transitioned sections ready for easy consumption. Beginning with the tremendous “Thieves In The Night,” and ending with the title track, the first four dance-ready downloadable songs re-establish the band, best known for their previous hit “Ready For The Floor” as the most introspective disco revivalists in the biz. The album’s middle three songs, beginning with “Brothers” and bogging down a bit with the piano-laden “Slush,” border on bro-mance balladry as vocalists Alex Taylor and Joe Goddard sing together, but the final three songs find the right balance between the two approaches, returning to musical themes from earlier in the album and giving the disc a defined sense of completion. – EM

A.A. BONDY
WHEN THE DEVIL’S LOOSE
FAT POSSUM

You can’t write about A.A. Bondy without referencing the time he spent as frontman for southern grunge Nirvana-wannas Verbena. Theirs was a momentary flash in the modern rock radio pan, one that Bondy recalls with little to no reverence. Likening the experience to being a “child in a crib full of bats,” it becomes clear why the man, once freed from said crib, would begin a solo career pursuing something totally and completely different. When the Devil’s Loose is his second collection of somber, reflective folk songs, and it, like his 2007 debut, American Hearts, is of the utmost quality. Bondy’s voice doesn’t overwhelm, but rather, comes across as just and sincere. Imagine James Taylor with a weathered, Alabaman drawl. This record, unlike American Hearts, employs a full band and thus, broader and more varied arrangements. Still a far cry from his previous outlet, “I Can See the Pines Are Dancing” and “The Coal Hits the Fire” capture the current Bondy at his loudest and most reckless – that is to say, they actually require amplifiers. I, for one, am not complaining. How refreshing it is to hear an artist so completely devoted to style! So single-minded and comfortable in his regular clothes! In fairness, Bondy’s lyrics have a tendency to veer into try-too-hard territory. But I forgive his occasional clichés for the strength of his delivery and the striking melodic ease he shows off on cuts like “Mightiest of Guns” and “Oh the Vampyre.” These songs roll off the ear. “To the Morning” and “A Slow Parade” elegantly filter Bondy’s folk perspective through a blues-tinted lens. Others, title track included, mine the pleasures of minimalist country. There's more than a little Nick Drake running through Bondy’s blood – I’d wager he’s got a lovingly well-worn copy of Bryter Layter in his record collection. Truth be told, I don’t normally brush up against stuff like this and come away impressed. Muted, shuffling folk music usually gives me the sleepy-eyes, you know? But A.A. Bondy is getting regular spins in my house these days. Try it in the morning with coffee and a bagel. Perfection. – AW

REAL ESTATE
REAL ESTATE
WOODLIST

It’s too easy to listen to Real Estate’s hazy, dusk-lit take on beach-pop, and dismiss its classicist leanings as derivative. These days, everything derives from something that existed before it – especially pop music. Lead singer Martin Courtney floats by on the same kind of dreamy, washed-out psychedelia that Brian Wilson once used to remove himself from common society – the difference is that this kind of stuff now has its own aisle at Best Buy. Real Estate, however, is all the better for it. Certainly some ad exec will leech on to one of these gorgeous, shimmering tracks and use it to sell Chryslers. Perhaps that’s what Courtney had in mind all along. – AW

HIM
SCREAMWORDS: LOVE IN THEORY AND PRACTICE
SIRE

In contrast to their last album, 2007’s Venus Doom, and its metal-leaning tendencies, Finnish “love metal” band HIM return with their most pop album yet. Unlike Doom’s decidedly longer tracks, every song here runs between three and four minutes, and big-time ballads like “Disarm Me (With Your Loneliness)” and “Scared To Death” bring the band’s keyboards back in full-force. Frontman Ville Valo has never sounded so dynamic, displaying his gorgeous range with all the goth-y brooding fans have come to adore. The guitars stay hard and driving for most of the up-tempo set (lead single “Heartkiller,” “Like St. Valentine,” etc.) drawing comparisons to A.F.I. or The Cure for their bright leads and acoustic runs, while maintaining their European synth-soaked signature. – EM

SPOON
TRANSFERENCE
MERGE

Fans of Britt Daniel have already found or purchased copies of this record and are hereby excused from finishing this review. You all know what to expect from the guy and are, I’m sure, quite pleased with his latest effort. As for you masses, many of whom may have heard and loved 2007’s Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, be warned! This is not Ga Ga: The Sequel. Transference is loaded with Spoon-ish rock; the band’s dry, heavily rhythmic take on modern indie is a wonderfully unique sound. There really is no mistaking them. This record, however, is significantly less immediate than its predecessor. You newbies might have to chew on it for awhile before really tasting it. Patience… – AW

THE FLAMING LIPS
DARK SIDE OF THE MOON
iTUNES

I’m no Pink Floyd fanatic, but it’s worth mentioning that I spent a good decade or so falling asleep at night to Dark Side of the Moon. That sounds somewhat derogatory, I guess, but is intended as a most sincere compliment. It is a historic album. Re-interpreting it honestly is a delicate task. Luckily, the Lips remain respectful to the nature of the songs without catering to them. Clearly, this is a Flaming Lips project. That said, their “Us and Them” carries a fragile emptiness that suits the song expertly. “Any Colour You Like” takes on a brilliant, shrieking funk persona. I was half-expecting schtick and got an honest-to-goodness love letter instead. Oh, to see them perform this on stage… – AW