The Wheel's Still In Spin

Best Albums Of April 2008

With five Tuesdays of new releases this month, there was a long list of strong albums to listen to. Here are The Wheel’s Still In Spin’s favorite releases for the month:

1. Langhorne Slim – Langhorne Slim | buy the CD or the vinyl at amazon
   Download “Rebel Side Of Heaven” (mp3)
   

   Langhorne Slim is backed by The War Eagles with conciliated upright bass and snare snapping drums. They amiably support Slim’s genuine voice and acoustic guitar and give the album a naturally warm feel. The rest of the album is fleshed out with the addition of piano, organ, keyboards, tuba, trombone, and violin. The vocals and production are sincere. Langhorne Slim wonders, “If I have something in me to believe/ I don’t know if that’s a blessing or a curse.” Mr. Slim, it’s a blessing, and like you, “All I wanted was a good song and a fair friend.”



2. Elbow – The Seldom Seen Kid | buy it at amazon
   

   This Elbow album is the first entirely produced by the band. The result is songs full of orchestra pop with guitars, organs, strings and horns. The swelling production creates tracks that are both dynamic and mammoth. The vocals have an emotional and endearing quality with lyrics that are vivid and veracious. Go to www.theseldomseenkid.com to hear this fantastic album.



3. The Childballads – Cheekbone Hollows (Pop. 1/2 Life) | buy it at amazon
   Download “Cheekbone Hollows” (mp3)
   Download “Laughter From The Rafters” (mp3)
   

   Stewart Lupton once was the front man of Fire*Eater. When that band broke up ten years ago, three of its members formed The Walkmen. Lupton, however, was not heard of musically until now. He went to George Washing University and studied poetry, modern art, and medieval studies. Finally, Lupton has formed and released this captivating EP. There is an acoustic guitar, organ, glissando-style vocals, and roomy drums. It’s got an alt country feel – but with a rocking, full sound – like Sticky Fingers or The Basement Tapes.



4. Jason Anderson – The Hopeful And The Unafraid | buy it at amazon
   

   Jason Anderson has kept some good company. He played piano with David Dondero, drums for Tilly & The Wall, and guitar in Mount Eerie. On this album, he was graced with some musical solace from former members of Magnolia Electric Co. The Hopeful And The Unafraid was put to tape in two days. The songs were recorded live with a few overdubs added. The energy of the tracks make them raw and powerful, especially for the roots rock style. Anderson’s vocals endlessly surge with honesty, intimacy, and committed fervor.



5. Cloud Cult – Feel Good Ghosts (Tea-Partying Through Tornadoes) | buy it at amazon
   Download “When Water Comes To Life” (mp3)
   

   Sonically, this album sounds similar to Cloud Cult’s previous release, The Meaning Of 8. The chamber pop instrumentation focuses into more pop oriented songs while wonderfully meshing with the thumping percussion. The subject matter on Feel Good Ghosts, however, deals with otherworldly themes. Determining that “Man must explore,” Craig Minowa sings, “Even though I don’t know God I’m happy with the mystery.”



6. Atmosphere – When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold | buy it at amazon
   Download “Shoulda Known” (mp3) (clean version)
   

   This album has tight beats supported with synths, keyboards, and piano. Slug puts down some solid rhymes and focuses on topics like addiction and double standards with lines like, “Got a little cocaine habit/ But he says he only does if somebody else has it,” and, “Shoulda known better not to fuck with you/ Ain’t got nuthin but too much to lose/ Lost in the rush don’t know what to do/ That drug got you like I want you.”



7. The New Frontiers – Mending | buy it at amazon
   Download “Mirrors” (mp3)
   Download “Look At Miss Ohio” (mp3) [non-album track, Gillian Welch cover, from www.absolutepunk.net]
   

   The deceptive part of this album is its consistent quality. The opening track, “Black Lungs,” is solid and catchy like a throwback to Son Volt’s Trace but with the more relaxed vocal of Nathan Pettijohn. The acoustic guitar is the center of the songs. Sometimes the acoustic is picking its way through songs and supported by sustained swells. Other times the album moves through countrified rock songs with serenely salient melodies. The album holds up as a complete entity and gets is more enjoyable with each listen.



8. Los Campesinos! – Hold On Now, Youngster... | buy it at amazon
   Download “Death To Los Campesinos!” (mp3)
   

   2007’s Sticking Fingers Into Sockets was my favorite EP of that year. Now, Los Campesinos is back with their first full-length album. I had been looking forward to its release since I heard the aforementioned EP. The best thing about Sticking Fingers Into Sockets is the unadulterated mess that became pure pop pleasure. On Hold On Now, Youngster… they reach for that same immediacy and disheveled potency and come very close in capturing it while making an album that sounds less lo-fi.



9. Man Man – Rabbit Habits | buy the single disc or 2CD version at amazon
   

   I’ve never had the pleasure of seeing this band live, but have heard nothing but great things. Rabbit Habits, the band’s first release for Anti- and third overall, is animated and distinct. The varied instrumentation – including piano, numerous brass and woodwinds, and marimbas – could have lead the album to a more melodic, orchestral sound. But Rabbit Habits is a bombastic, indie pop album.



10. Tokyo Police Club – Elephant Shell | buy the CD or the vinyl at amazon
    

    In 2006, Tokyo Police Club released an EP, A Lesson In Crime, that this site described as “an assault of sharp hitting drums, attacking guitar riffs and cutting vocals.” Elephant Shell, their first full-length album, retains the musical attitude of that original EP. The vocals, however, are not cutting on this album. Where the EP’s vocals are coarse and pointed, Elephant Shell’s vocals are more restrained. This is still a good album, but not as harsh as that original EP.

New Releases – 1 April 2008
New Releases – 8 April 2008
New Releases – 15 April 2008
New Releases – 22 April 2008
New Releases – 29 April 2008

The Wheel's Still In Spin's Best Albums Of January 2008
The Wheel's Still In Spin's Best Albums Of February 2008
The Wheel's Still In Spin's Best Albums Of March 2008

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Best Albums Of March 2008

Normally, The Wheel’s Still In Spin posts the month’s preferred albums on the last minute of the month. That didn’t happen in March, which is always a good month. Maybe it’s SXSW, the fact that spring arrives, or just the timing of the end of the first quarter, but this month is consistently one of the strongest months for new releases. This year it was an incredible month with a lot of great releases. Here are my favorites:

1. Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks – Real Emotional Trash | buy it at amazon
   Download “Cold Son” (mp3)
   Download “Baltimore” (mp3)
   

   Stephen Malkmus has assembled a perfect ensemble of supporting musicians. With longtime Jicks Joanna Bolme and Mike Clark on bass and guitar/keyboards, respectively, this is the first Malkmus album with former Sleater-Kinney drummer Janet Weiss. And this is best album the former Pavement member has released since pursuing a solo career. The vocal and guitar melodies share the lead on this well produced album.



2. The Raconteurs – Consolers Of The Lonely | buy it at amazon
   

   This band made a strong splash with their debut, Broken Boy Soldiers. Splitting vocal and guitar duties between Jack White and Brendan Benson, the album had some great songs like “Steady As She Goes” and the title track. But on their new album, which seemed to drop out of thin air with only a week’s notice, The Raconteurs seemed to have a more cohesive sound that gives the band more definition as a unit instead of a collaboration of great musicians.



3. Adam Green – Sixes & Sevens | buy it at amazon
   Download “Morning After Midnight” (mp3)
   

   For his fifth solo album the co-founder of The Moldy Peaches offers diverse album full of quirky and unassuming lyrics. The production fleshes out some of the more simplistic songs with horns and subtle strings arrangements. The songs keep his deep baritone voice front and center and makes it sound better than it’s ever sounded.



4. Connie Price & The Keystones – Tell Me Something | buy it at amazon
   

   Connie Price is one of the drummers for this deep funk band, but Dan Ubick writes the music for the band. For Tell Me Something, they take the sound of 70’s funk influenced jazz and condense it into single oriented songs. Then they add 8 guests as MCs and vocalists. The end result is a diverse, intelligent hip hop album that has some of the tightest and most original backing tracks. Tell Me Something was released as 2 discs – one with the vocalists and one with the instrumental tracks.



5. Born Ruffians – Red, Yellow And Blue | buy it at amazon
   Download “Hummingbird” (mp3)
   

   This Toronto trio has a lush, booming sound. Imagine Vampire Weekend melodies, but with a power pop trio as the backing band. This debut full-length album, produced by Rusty Santos – who produced Animal Collective’s Sung Tongs, Panda Bear, Ariel Pink, and more – is an indie pop opus full of dynamic and melodic instrumentation that makes this three-piece sound larger than they are.



6. The Dodos – Visiter | buy it at amazon
   Download “Fools” (mp3)
   

   This is a good folk based album from the duo of singer/guitarist Meric Long and drummer Logan Kroeber. These songs have good melodies and minimal instrumentation – but this band doesn’t need much more than the vocals, acoustic guitar, and percussion. The biggest strength of this album, though, is the way is endlessly flows. From track to track, each song beautifully melds into the next making an album whose sum is greater than its parts.



7. Elf Power – In A Cave | buy it at amazon
   

   Elf Power has been the musical project of Andrew Rieger. The supporting cast has changed through the past fifteen years with members of other Elephant 6 bands. Currently, there are members of Olivia Tremor Control, Of Montreal, and Instruments. Taking another page from psychedelic pop, Elf Power makes a catchy and mollifying rock album. It’s fuzzed out, but mellow. It’s orchestral pop, uncannily distorted.



8. Jaymay – Autumn Fallin’ | buy it at amazon
   Blue Note is streaming the song “Gray Or Blue” here, at least for now.
   

   Jamie Kristine Seerman (musical alias Jaymay) is a New York singer-songwriter whose first full-length album was originally released at the end of 2007 in the UK. March 11, Blue Note finally released it here in the States. Track one, “Gray Or Blue,” is incredible with opening lyrics, “I feel so helpless now, my guitar is not around/ And I’m strugglin with the xylophone to make these feelins sound.” The album is a portrait of dealing with a crumbling relationship as winter hit New York. That opening song is the one that captures the mood with its mellow rhythm and the lyrical poignancy of, “I keep starin at your mouth without wonderin how it tastes,” “And I notice she’s your love, but she’s nowhere near your heart.” Jaymay is a crafty storyteller. Autumn Fallin’ is an unfeigned folk album. “Gray Or Blue” is one of the best songs of the year.



9. Kevin Ayers – Unfairground | buy it at amazon
   Download “Cold Shoulder” (mp3)
   

   In the 60’s, Ayers was a founding member of the psychedelic band Soft Machine with Robert Wyatt. He also worked with Brian Eno, John Cale, Nico, and Syd Barrett. Now he has released his first album in fifteen years. Still getting assistance from Eno and Wyatt, artists who were influenced by Ayers’ earlier work also accompany him on this album. These musicians include members of Architecture in Helsinki, Neutral Milk Hotel, Psychedelic Furs, and Teenage Fanclub. Full of orchestral production, the album is accessible but solitary.



10. What Made Milwaukee Famous – What Doesn’t Kill Us buy it at amazon
    Download “Resistance St.” ( mp3)
    

    Equal parts pop and blues rock, What Made Milwaukee Famous’s second release is diverse. The influences are classic and modern, ranging from Led Zeppelin to The White Stripes to The Beatles to Spoon, to name only a few. The handful of opening and closing tracks are the best on this album.

New Releases - 4 March 2008
New Releases - 11 March 2008
New Releases - 18 March 2008
New Releases - 25 March 2008

The Wheel's Still In Spin's Best Albums Of January 2008
The Wheel's Still In Spin's Best Albums Of February 2008

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Best Albums Of February 2008

2008 is shaping up to be a very strong year. There was a great set of albums released during January. Now, February follows with even more fascinating albums. Here are my favorites:

1. Mountain Goats – Heretic Pride | buy it at amazon
   Download “Sax Rohmer #1” (mp3)

   John Darnielle started The Mountain Goats as a solo project recorded on his boom box and released on cassette. Those early recordings were full of acoustic guitar, emotional dynamics, and potent lyrics. After about a decade, The Mountain Goats landed on the label 4AD. With the release of Tallahassee, Darnielle’s subject matter became more directly internal. The production of the recordings has noticeably increased since the boom box days with John Vanderslice and Scott Solter now manning the consoles. With Heretic Pride, Darnielle appears to have returned to the subject matter of his earlier recordings while continuing to record at Tiny Telephone.



2. Nada Surf – Lucky | buy the limited edition [2 discs] or the 1 disc version at amazon
   Download “See These Bones” (mp3)

   When I first heard 2003’s Let Go, I was instantly attracted to Nada Surf’s music. “Blonde On Blonde,” “Inside Of Love,” and “Blizzard Of ‘77” had me hooked. With The Weight Of The Gift, I had to give the record a few listens before I was hooked and it wasn’t as strong of an appeal for me as Let Go. Lucky, their first album is three years, falls somewhere between those previous releases. It didn’t take as long to work its way into my head, but it doesn’t stick as strongly as the songs on Let Go. Perhaps it’s too difficult for a band to surpass the sound that perfectly captivated you. It may be my second favorite Nada Surf album, but it is still far better than most releases by every other band. And much like The Weight Of The Gift, this album grows on me even more with each listen.



3. Throw Me The Statue – Moonbeams | buy it at amazon
   Download “About To Walk” (mp3)

   Scott Reitherman is the man behind the curtain, so to speak. And what appears on the aural surface of Throw Me The Statue’s full-length debut is a realm every bit as clairvoyant and spellbinding as the land of Oz. This album received limited release in 2007. Now, Secretly Canadian has given Moonbeams a national release. The album is a bouillabaisse of indie pop goodness.



4. Headlights – Some Racing, Some Stopping | buy it at amazon
   Download “Cherry Tulips” (mp3)

   With their first full-length album, Kill Them With Kindness, Headlights attracted a lot of attention for their keyboard and reverb laden indie pop. On Some Racing, Some Stopping, the band continues to write accessibly poppy songs, but the production is more straightforward. The songs are layered with more instruments and guests on accordion, guitar, xylophone, and other instruments.



5. Lemuria – Get Better | buy it at amazon

   This three-piece band is a mixture of power pop and punk. Sheena Ozzela (guitar, vocals), Alex Kerns (drums, vocals), and Jason Draper (bass) all share songwriting duties on this debut full-length album. As I wrote a few days ago, this album “is an assemblage of distorted and restless ear candy.” (Sorry for using that same phrase, but I haven’t been able to come up with a better description for this album in the past few days)



6. Lightspeed Champion – Falling Off The Lavender Bridge | buy it at amazon

   Devonte Hynes, former member of Test Icicles, made an autobiographical album for his solo debut. Released on Domino Records, this album was created with the help of many members of Saddle Creek bands, included the production work of Mike Mogis. The instrumentation is mostly acoustic with horns, woodwinds, and pedal steel added. While it is a departure from his previous band, Falling Off The Lavender Bridge, is a layered and distinctive singer-songwriter album.



7. Aidan John Moffat – I Can Hear Your Heart | buy it at amazon
   Download “The Boy That You Love” (mp3)

   I’ve seen this album described as an audio novel, poetry, or “spoken word from the Scots Bukowski.” The album is accompanied by a written story, entitled “Poop,” to be read before listening to the audio story, entitled “Loop.” Atop the vinyl scratches and ethereal samples, Aidan John Moffat tells a broken love story that begins, “We like to fuck and shag/ We’re not in to making love.” It gets vulgar and descriptive. He recites the Dorothy Parker poem “A Very Short Song” and closes the album by covering Springsteen’s “Hungry Heart.”



8. Say Hi – The Wishes And The Glitches | buy it at amazon
   Download “Northwestern Girls” (mp3)
   Download “Toil And Trouble” (mp3)
   Download “Zero To Love” (mp3)

   Eric Elbogen shortened his band name from Say Hi To Mom to simply Say Hi with this release. The album is an infective set of synth heavy songs with indelible melodies and continuously gyrating rhythms.



9. Atlas Sound – Let The Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel | buy it at amazon

   Brandon James Cox, of Deerhunter, released this album as a solo project under the name Atlas Sound. Lush layers of noise and keyboards create a musical bed that is sonically betwixt between haunting and soothing with Cox’s vocals washed with effects but still remaining mesmeric.



10. Jason Collett – Here’s To Being Here | buy it at amazon
    Download “Out Of Time” (mp3)

    As a member of Broken Social Scene, Collett keeps good company with Kevin Drew, Emily Haines (Metric), Feist, and Andrew Whiteman (Apostle Of Hustle), and many others. Collett’s solo albums are guitar driven and have a countrified classic rock feel while his vocals are sung with a glissando style reminiscent of a slightly more refined Dylan.

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Best Albums Of January 2008

2008 started out with a busy month full of strong releases. Here are my favorites:

1. Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend | buy it at amazon

   Vampire Weekend self-describes their music as “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa” and “Upper West Side Soweto.” The band is a foursome that connects with the upscale, liberal areas of Cape Cod or Upper West Side Manhattan and the South West Townships of South Africa that is known for an uprising against apartheid in 1976. They play indie rock that is influenced by African pop, like the Conga dance rhythm kwassa kwassa. You can read what you want into this band, but they play intelligent, syncopated rock that swells with its guitar and keyboard melodies and drives with its percussive rhythms.



2. The Helio Sequence – Keep Your Eyes Open | buy it at amazon
   Download “Keep Your Eyes Ahead” (mp3)

   Every time I listen to this album, it sounds like a combination of Band Of Horses and Modest Mouse. There are layers of resounding guitars, mellifluous keyboards, benevolent reverberation, and dexterous rhythms. Beneath the production, however, you can hear the roots of folk songs that developed into resonant pop songs.



3. Jeffrey Lewis – 12 Crass Songs | buy it at amazon

   Anti-folk singer-songwriter and comic book artist Jeffrey Lewis released the best cover album of the month. Originally released in the UK in October 2007, 12 Crass Songs finally came stateside. Adapting 12 songs by the anarchic punk band Crass, Lewis breathes life into the songs with his acoustic guitar. The simplistic production of this album highlights the intelligence and despondent pragmatism of Crass’s lyrics.



4. Thao Nguyen – We Brave Bee Stings And All | buy it at amazon
   Download “Beat (Health, Life And Fire)” (mp3)
   Download “Bag Of Hammers” (mp3)

   With a sultry voice, Thao Nguyen presents her hypnotic take on folk rock. “Bag Of Hammers” is one of my favorite songs of the month with its rollicking, repetitive rhythms and tuneful melody. The songs on this album are rooted in Thao’s voice and acoustic guitar, but are backed by driving but controlled drums and well placed compliment of banjo, mandolin, piano, and more.



5. MGMT - Oracular Spectacular | buy it at amazon

   This electronic rock duo has found a way to mix the sounds of The Verve, Muse, and Big Star with the mock earnestness of The Flaming Lips. “Time To Pretend,” the opening and standout track, records how the band “pretends” they became the big hit. “This is our decision to live fast and die young./ We’ve got the vision, now let’s have some fun// Yeah it’s overwhelming, but what else can we do? Get jobs in offices and wakeup for the morning commute?”



6. Tyler Ramsey - A Long Dream About Swimming Across The Sea | buy it at amazon

   This is a relaxing release. It makes complex compositions sound simple. His voice bears a strong resemblance to Neil Young and Ben Bridwell, Ramsey’s Band Of Horses band mate, while being padded with mollifying and skillful acoustic guitar playing.



7. The Spectacular Fantastic – Consume / Reward | buy Consume at 75orlessreocrds | download Reward here
   Download “Limitless And Free” (mp3) from Consume
   Download “Feelings” (mp3) from Reward

   This is a combination of 2 EPs, one to purchase (Consume) and one to download (Reward), that bring together 10 tracks for a total of 25 minutes worth of indie power pop. Consume demonstrates more of the diverse elements of The Spectacular Fantastic. For example, within the first 1:30 of “I Don’t Want To Live,” which is only 2:31 long, the guitar tones switch from propulsive clean tones to overdriven, darker ones, before turning back to cleaner, more subdued picking. And it works!



8. Times New Viking - Rip It Off | buy it at amazon
   Download "(My Head)" and "R.I.P. Allegory" (mp3)
   Download "DROP-OUT" (mp3)

   This lo-fi trio from Columbus, OH, released 2 previous records that lead to their signing with Matador Records. Moving to a more prominent indie label did not change the sound of the band’s recordings. The short punk songs were recorded with harsh, clipped sounds, much like The Paisley Reich, but somehow this noisy rock is mesmerizing and abrasively haunting.



9. The Motion Sick - The Truth Will Catch You, Just Wait... | buy it here
   Download "30 Lives" (mp3)

   This album puts the vocals front and center. The lyrics are full of existential and potent subjects, but with whimsical hedonism. There are references to revenge and murder mixed with quips about mood rings and Nintendo cheat codes and a Joy Division cover.



10. Black Mountain - In The Future | buy it at amazon | buy the limited edition version at amazon
    Download "Tyrants" (mp3)

    Full of psychedelic, prog, and stoner rock, Black Mountain returns for their sophomore release. In The Future it’s still the 70’s. Anthemic and epic songs full of classic rock guitar virtuosity will apparently still be the main aural pleasure.

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Better Than The Chili: The Best Cincinnati Albums of 2007

Every Friday this year, I will be highlighting a band from the Greater Cincinnati area. Whether you prefer Skyline or Gold Star, you will agree that this music is "Better Than The Chili."

For this first post, I'd like to showcase some of the best albums of 2007 from Cincinnati musicians. Mike Breen and the City Beat staff compiled reviews of some of the best local albums of the year. They were able to list about 40 albums that they favored. Here's my personal list of top five local releases for 2007.

1. The Great Depression - The Great Depression | Best Albums of 2007 #8 | website
   

   2 guys and 2 acoustic guitars singing songs about heartache, drugs, and loss. It sounds simple. But only rarely are certain musicians able to make the simple so beautiful and poignant. Every live show this band has performed has blown me away. This album is equally astonishing.



2. 500 Miles To Memphis - Sunshine In A Shot Glass | website | buy it here
   

   This band has some high energy alt country in the vein of the countrier side of Black Rebel Motor Club or a punk version of the Drive-By Truckers. Equal parts rockabilly, country, punk, and rock and roll, this band drinks hard and plays harder. This album is incredibly well produced. It's pristine, but without losing the energy or emotion of the band. The album's opening song, "All My Friends Are Crazy" is one of my favorite tracks of the year.



3. The Seedy Seeds - Change States | website | buy it here
   

   Their brand of indie/folk/dance music has been called "Appalachitronica." Few bands can create such appealing music by mixing a banjo and electronic drum beats. Their meldoies stick in my head like a melted chocolate bar brazes to its wrapper on a hot day.



4. The Spectacular Fantastic - Outer Space In Nothing But A Lie | website | Download this album for FREE here
   

   Both spectacular and fantastic, Mike Detmer and company make retro pop sounding music. If you are a fan of the Elephant 6 bands, you should definitely check out this band. Luckily, after making this album, they made it available with a free download from their website. The band has a new album coming on out January 30th, which I'm looking forward to.



5. Pearlene - For Western Violence And Brief Sensuality | website
   

   Pearlene's latest album is full of the garage blues music. The first track opens with a honky tonk sounding piano, but the album then launches into a psychedelic bar band song, then retro-influenced blues songs.

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Best Albums of 2007

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Best Albums of 2007

1. Okkervil River - The Stage Names | Read the short story review | buy it at insound! CD, LP, or MP3
   

   Musically expansive, lyrically incredible, and melodically delectable, The Stage Names has to be the best album of the year. As I wrote earlier this year, "the whole album adds up to a very descriptive tale. The imagery and symbolism is clear and tangible. Musically, the album is dense, dynamic, and diverse." There may be some albums released this past year that have better individual songs, but this album is the best cohesive album.

2. Brakesbrakesbrakes (aka The Brakes) - The Beatific Visions | Read the short story review | buy the CD at insound!
   

   This album melds punk and country roots into an indie rock sound. The songs are short and witty. The album starts out with one of the best and most diverse 1-2-3 punch with “Hold Me In The River,” “Margarita,” and “If I Should Die Tonight.” The title track is also one of the catchiest tunes of the year.

3. Son Volt - The Search | Read the short story review
   

   Since the breakup of Uncle Tupelo, only the occasional Jay Farrar songs have captivated me, but this album wraps itself around me like blanket on a winter night. Farrar expands the band's music adding some feverish horn parts and cloaked effects while still maintaining the alt country sound for which Son Volt is known.

4. Richmond Fontaine - Thirteen Cities | Read the short story review
   

   With such descriptive lyrics full of character's choosing how to deal with the unexpected throes of life, it is no surprise that the songwriter Willy Vlautin. also writes prose influenced by Raymond Carver and Denis Johnson and Charles Bukowski (by the way, I highly recommend reading Vlautin's novel The Motel Life). While the lyrics alone are intriguing enough, the music of this album adds to the appeal.

5. Gogol Bordello - Super Taranta! | buy it at insound! CD or 2xLP
   

   I have heard some songs by Gogol Bordello before, but never listened to an entire album until this release. The band is a gypsy punk band. They mix Eastern European gypsy music with punk rock mentality. Fronted by energetic and boisterous Eugene Hutz, the album is full of dynamic music and unique views. Most of the songs on this album are great, but “Wonderlust King,” “Supertheory Of Supereverything,” and “American Wedding” are a few of the finest tracks. I've heard their live shows are even better than their albums, but I don’t think they've ever traveled to the greater Cincinnati area.

6. Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga | Read the short story review | buy it at insound! CD or LP
   

   Whenever Spoon releases an album, there is a spot in my top ten albums of the year waiting for them. It's near impossible to pick the best track on this album with songs like "The Underdog," "Don't You Evah," "You Got Yr Cherry Bomb," "Don't Make Me A Target," "Eddie's Ragga," and...

7. Los Campesinos! - Sticking Fingers Into Sockets | buy it at insound! 10" or MP3
   

   This was the best EP of the year. With 6 tracks and 16 minutes the band shows intelligence, wit, diversity, and the indie sloppiness of bands like Pavement. This EP is not enough to satisfy me. I'm looking forward to their full-length release in a few months.

8. The Great Depression - The Great Depression
   

   About two years ago, a friend of mine made me some copies of CDs by Jeremy Pinnell. She gave me "the lost" The Light Wires' album and a disc of demos by The Great Depression. Pinnell made a name for himself in Cincinnati with The Light Wires, but it's The Great Depression that is beginning to carry Pinnell and Tim Carr well beyond Cincinnati. They've toured with Rocky Votolato and The New Amsterdams. I've had a chance to see them perform live a number of times in the Cincinnati. Each time, I am floored. They consistently bring the audience standstill. Much like their live shows, this album draws in the listener with their authentic and captivating songs. Good luck finding it, though. I don't think it's for sale anywhere online. You can usually get it at their shows. I went to both of my favorite independent stores in Cincinnati. One didn't have a copy left. The other had one in the back that I was able to purchase once I asked for it.

9. Black Lips - Good Bad Not Evil | buy it at insound! CD, LP, or MP3
   

   The band describes itself as "flower punk," but it's garage rock at it's finest. This band plays gritty and edgy punk rock with a retro feel. They're known for their wild live shows and also released a great live album this year, Los Valientos del Mundo Neuvo, recorded in Tijuana, Mexico.

10. Arcade Fire - Neon Bible | Read the short story review | buy it at insound! CD, Deluxe CD, or LP
    

    Arcade Fire finally followed up its 2004 album Funeral with an anticipated album. Meeting its expectations, Neon Bible brought the band a fair amount of commercial success. While still an indie band, Arcade Fire appeared on the cover of Time, was named Rolling Stone's fourth best album of the year, and was even nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Alternative Album. Usually the albums I like don't garner as much attention as Neon Bible has, but it is a testament to the quality of the album.

11. Southeast Engine - A Wheel Within A Wheel | Read the short story review | buy it at insound! CD or MP3
    

    Self-produced in their hometown of Athens, Ohio, the 13 tracks on this album are full of fastidious layers of pianos, keyboards, organs, glockenspiels, and strings. The dynamic songs simmer with lavish lyrics that focus on personal questions of existence. While the topics may be heavy and significant, but the music and melodies are memorable and enjoyable.

12. Julie Doiron - Woke Myself Up | Read the short story review | buy it at insound! CD or MP3
    

    This is one of the rarest of albums. The album actually gets better with each track. It's starts out with crunching full band folk rock sounds of "I Woke Myself Up" and continues to get better as the album gets to the bare acoustic guitar and single vocal of "I Left Town." The second half of the album begins with the slicing rhythm of "No More" and works its way to another strip down but pungent track, "Me And My Friend."

13. David Vandervelde - The Moonstation House Band | Read the short story review | buy it at insound! CD, LP, or MP3
    

    This album has some great songs and became a wonderful introduction to a new artist. The entire album is laced with a 70’s T.Rex style glam-rock production and moving string parts to these indie sounds and highlighted the studio prowess of this musician. During the year Vandervelde toured with a 3-piece band that showcased his guitar skills. While this is a good album, when it is absorbed with the power trio live show the announcement of a powerful new musician is understood - great songwriter, great studio musician, great guitarists/live musician.

14. Band Of Horses - Cease To Begin | buy it at insound! CD or LP
    

    One of two bands to make my list of Best Albums Of The Year for the second year in a row. While Everything All The Time is a stronger album from start to finish, Cease To Begin is a great follow up. Band Of Horses has solidified itself as one of the best indie rock bands.

15. The Fratellis - Costello Music | Read the short story review | buy the CD at insound!
    

    This is a diverse and impressive debut album. A version of this album was originally released in the UK in 2006 and supplied a total of 5 UK singles. One song was traded out for another before the US version was released this past March. The songs are catchy, humorous, and well produced. This trio makes pop based rock tunes with a blithe spirit.

16. Ted Leo & The Pharmacists - Living With The Living | buy it at insound! CD, 2xLP, or MP3
    

    Every time I listen to this album it sounds better. Leo is an intelligent and fitting writer. He has the ability to both subtly and directly place his lyrical commentary within the piercing but consolatory punk songs.

17. Oakley Hall - I’ll Follow You | Read the short story review | buy it at insound! CD or LP
    

    With matching, harmonizing vocals combined with acoustic and electric guitars, the fiddles, banjos, and banjo-strung electric guitars, this band continues to make some great and original alt country music. Song like “Marina Life” and “Rue The Blues” are chocked with continually captivating guitar riffs. The melodies of songs like “Angela” and “No Dreams” are alluring.

18. The Weakerthans - Reunion Tour | Read the short story review | buy the CD at insound!
    

    This album is full of pop based story songs. Character driven and full of specific descriptions, Reunion Tour has an overall feeling of lamenting for loss and trying to move on. The songwriting is masterful and the playing is flawless.

19. Loney, Dear - Loney, Noir | Read the short story review | buy it at insound! CD or LP
    

    This album starts out with instantly compelling tones with "Sinister In A State Of Hope." "I Am John" is rollicking second track that sets up the listener for affecting and refreshing folk based album. Emil Svanängen love songs and falsetto vocals combine with the orchestral rock arrangements to create a soothing album.

20. Cloud Cult - The Meaning Of 8 | Read the short story review | buy the CD at insound!
    

    Cloud Cult is an environmentally conscious band that is staying independent. The self-release their albums and have even started their own CD manufacturing company. With standout tracks like “Chemicals Collide,” “Pretty Voice,” “Alien Christ,” and “The Deaf Girl’s Song,” t his release combines acoustic and electronic instruments to create 19 songs, including “The Song Of The Deaf Girl,” that clock in a little over an hour in total time.