The Age of Rockets - Hannah (2008)

This album was atop my list of favorite albums of 2008. The sophomore release by NY's The Age of Rockets, Hannah is the group's We, the Vehicles. A wonderful palindrome of a record, it contains bits and nuances of melodies on opposite sides of its length. Their sound has been likened to "The Postal Service with a full orchestra behind it," and that's not an exaggeration. Songs like "Avada Kedavra" and "Elephant & Castle" are perfect blends of synth and programmed elements atop live instruments. Not too long ago, frontman and founder Andrew Futral posted the record on The Age of Rockets' website for the listening public to download for free, and personally, I can't thank him enough for the gift. Follow the link below and you'll see (well, hear) exactly what I'm talking about.

*As an added bonus, you can also download their cover of Tegan and Sara's "Hell." Isn't that nice?

For fans of: The Postal Service, Dntel, The Robot Explosion, The Depreciation Guild

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The Depreciation Guild - Spirit Youth (2010)

“You know how airplane cabins have a drone to them? Well, it’s like an A note, and I was singing melodies over it in the bathroom.” That quote, made by The Depreciation Guild's frontman Kurt Feldman last year was the jumping off point for Spirit Youth, the band's sophomore release. Let me just tell you friends, man... What a release it is. Fuzz, drone, pop, bleep, bloop and rock come together to form this Megazord of a record. The album opens with "My Chariot," a song whose synth-y beginnings and matter-of-fact style of lyric delivery draw the listener in and keep them entranced for ten songs worth of wonder, including (but not limited to) the album's single, "Dream About Me."

For fans of: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, MillionYoung, Letting Up Despite Great Faults, Cocteau Twins

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Damon Albarn and the UK Chinese Ensemble - Monkey: Journey to the West (2008)

This is the eponymous soundtrack of the stage show that bills itself as a "circus opera," another project by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett, the masterminds behind Gorillaz. The musical is an adaptation of Journey to the West, a 16th Century novel by Wu Cheng'en, but this is nothing like that cast recording of Les Misérables that you claim not to own, kids. If per chance you're feeling hesistant, check out this track, "Monkey Bee." It'll give you an inkling as to what you're in for. This record can be approached three ways, the first being fluent in Chinese. In the event you're not, it can be fun to go on Wikipedia and do some light reading so as to grasp the plot and know what's going on from track to track. The third (and easiest) way to approach it is simply clicking play and letting your mind go on the journey your ears present it with. Knowing the plot is fun, but it's not essential to enjoy this wonderful fifty-nine minutes and thirty-one seconds.

For fans of: Gorillaz, Damon Albarn, Demon Strings

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Sibylle Baier - Colour Green (2006)

This record is a perfect example of the fact that ninety-nine percent of the world's best music never makes it to the radio. Recorded by German actress and singer/songwriter Sibylle Baier at home on reel-to-reel between 1970 and 1973, Colour Green was almost never publicly released. It wasn't until around three decades later when her son compiled the songs on compact disc and distributed them to family members as well as J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr., who then showed the album to legendary indie label Orange Twin, who released it in 2006. Baier's whispering melodies carry deeply personal lyrics like, "I grew up in declivities, others grew up in cities where first love and soul take rise. There were times in my life when I felt mad and deprived, and only the slopes gave me hope," over fluttering finger-picked guitar. I can't believe this was kept away from the world for so long, but now that it's been released, I'm unceasingly grateful for its presence.

For fans of: Nick Drake, Vashti Bunyan, Karen Dalton

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Jeff Mangum - Live at Jittery Joe's (2001)

Recorded in 1997 by documentary filmmaker Lance Bangs (known for the awesomely spastic video for Death Cab for Cutie's "Talking Like Turnstiles," among many, many others), but released in 2001 to combat the gargantuan prices that bootlegs were going for on eBay, Live at Jittery Joe's is a recording of a solo performance by Neutral Milk Hotel frontman Jeff Mangum at Jittery Joe's in Athens, GA. It's a wonderful and intimate performance, as there was no official setlist prepared, so Jeff accepted and honored requests from audience members. Being that's it's Jeff Mangum and it's not a studio release by Neutral Milk Hotel, it of course includes the track "Engine," as well as a cover of Phil Spector's "I Love How You Love Me." The rest of the setlist is a captivating mixture of songs from both of Neutral Milk Hotel's studio releases. Get comfortable, plug in your headphones and give this a listen. It's really something else, and has that prodigious quality that a choice few records possess, and that is that it never plays the same way twice. It's unpolished and unadulterated, but as most of us know, some of the world's most prolific beauty can be found in imperfections.

For fans of: Neutral Milk Hotel, The Mountain Goats, The Olivia Tremor Control

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The Anniversary - Designing a Nervous Breakdown (2000)

The first full-length release by legendary Lawrence, Kansas emo outfit The Anniversary, Designing a Nervous Breakdown houses a sound that bridges the gap between classic second-wave emo and what at the time paved the way for third-wave emo. Let's be clear, I'm not blaming them for third-wave emo, I'm just saying that this record was among the first of the emo albums of the new millennium and its catchy melodies and heartfelt lyrics still hold their own to this day. The band's sound had shifted by the release of their second (and final) full-length, Your Majesty, but this record, now being over 10 years old is a delightful pop classic that will be enjoyed for years to come.

For fans of: The Get Up Kids, Hot Rod Circuit, Hey Mercedes

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Bambara - Dog Ear Days (2010)

I'm going to provide a list of adjectives that do their best describe this record: Gloomy, noisy, trippy, spooky, alarming, unexpected, unparalleled, dark, layered, enveloping, dirty, foreboding... Get the picture, yet? If you thought no, then good. That was the correct answer. You will not understand this record until you hear it for yourself. It never plays the same way twice, either. With each listen, one discovers something new. It's an acquired taste, as in, "You better acquire a taste for this, otherwise, you're missing the fuck out."

For fans of: Cocteau Twins, Sonic Youth, Maserati

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GIVERS - GIVERS (2009)

Released in 2009 by Louisiana's GIVERS, this self titled EP is made up of five tracks that will have your brain dancing in whimsical confusion. The band itself is such an amalgamation of sounds and vibes that trying to accurately compare their sound to other artists is like trying to divide by zero. Suffice it to say though, that these five songs are some of the most fun your ears will ever have. Enjoy!

For fans of: The Flaming Lips, The Color Bars, a third band or artist I can't quite put my finger on

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Chris Zabriskie - O Great Queen Electric, What Do You Have Waiting for Me? (2008)

Described by the man himself as "an album about failed love, lost religion and horror movies," O Great Queen Electric, What Do You Have Waiting for Me? is the sophomore solo release by composer and musician Chris Zabriskie. The record opens with "Time Life," a humorous recording of a voicemail (left by lo-fi legend Marc With a C) that brings the listener's guard down right before they get hit in the face with the awesomeness that is the second track, "I Can Be Your Love," a song filled with the fuzzy goodness that Neutral Milk Hotel and Sleep Station fans have come to love so much over space age synths that sound like they came straight out of the record store scene in A Clockwork Orange. The album is also home to a track called "I'm On a Talk Show" which sounds like it could've been taken from one of Ben Gibbard's solo tours. Intellectual listeners should be sure to check out the album's closer, "Joss Whedon." Long story short, this is nine tracks of sheer brilliance.


P.S.: All of Chris Zabriskie's records are available for free download on his website.

For fans of: Now It's Overhead, Ben Gibbard, Sleep Station

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The Bad Plus - These Are the Vistas (2003)

This album does to your record collection what sugar does to corn flake cereal. It instantly makes it better. The sophomore effort and major label debut of Minneapolis jazz trio The Bad Plus, We Are the Vistas is a zestful blend of ebullient... Oh, fuck it. It's jazzy. I know, I know. Sailing on the old Redundant Sea there, but it's true! Jazzy record is jazzy. Banter and memes aside though, it's really good. It mixes fresh original pieces with a handful of covers, including Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit," (which Cobain always felt was a bit of a Pixies ripoff anyway) and Richard D. James' (better known to some as Aphex Twin) "Flim." This one is not to be overlooked, friends.

For fans of: Ornette Coleman, Avishai Cohen, Happy Apple

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The Ethnographers - The Ethnographers (2009)

This is the eponymous debut record by Greenville, NC indie septet The Ethnographers, and before reading the rest of this, you should click on the link below and begin the download. No, really. I'm serious. Every second not listening to this album is a second that is seriously lacking in the aural wonder department. Go ahead, click it. I'll wait. Got it? Good. Now we can continue. Where was I? Oh yes... Well, by now you're probably thinking, "What the hell? What makes this record so great?" I'll tell you. This album takes the ingredients to regular old cookies and ends up baking you a giant delicious cake (See? The cake is NOT a lie). The record opens with "The Trouble with Sleeping," which actually opens the door to the record and leads the listener into the first gem in the collection, a song called "Fine and Dandelions," which, like Maritime's "Guns of Navarone," makes the listener feel a sudden need to get up and dance. The combined vocals of lead singers Megan Kennedy and Danielle Eiler, as well as those of keyboardist Sam Hollen compliment each other in a way that's not been seen since Kanye West caught a glimpse of his own face in a reflection. The next track, "The Marathon Runner," reveals another layer of the band, introducing guitar work akin to I Was a Cub Scout's first (and well, only) record. "Avec Moi" is a must for George A. Romero fans, or those who like upbeat and unsullied pop, or those who possess the ability to hear, really. "I Was Young Once" contains vocals that combine Heathers-style harmonies with a lot of balls behind them. "Looking Eyes, Holding Hearts" is a song that sounds like it floats on waves that have been caused by the thumps of a heartbeat, and is then followed by "Grandfather Said," which introduces the listener to the vocal stylings of guitarist Ian Collins, which blends with the other vocalists in an almost uncanny way. We've reached the point where I've decided to end this track by track synopsis because if you'd followed the directions at the beginning, you'd be hearing it for yourself now, wouldn't you? If per chance you're the kid that payed attention in class, but didn't follow directions, then now's your chance to catch up. Besides, who likes spoilers, anyway? For a band with seven members, nothing ever feels cluttered or unbalanced. Everyone in the band has a part that compliments the other six members, which is a rarity in itself, and now you, the listener have been given an opportunity to indulge in said rarity, and this is only the beginning! If this is the band's On Avery Island, I can't wait to hear what their In the Aeroplane Over the Sea will sound like.

For fans of: Stars, I Was a Cub Scout, Lowry

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The Dismemberment Plan - Emergency & I (1999)

Hailed, revered and a third word with similar meaning, Emergency & I is the groundbreaking third record by Washington D.C. indie rock band The Dismemberment Plan. This record finds its home atop many top ten/twenty/fifty/one hundred/etc. lists of the 1990s, and rightly so. It changed the face of the indie rock record. Don't believe me? See for yourself.

For fans of: Q and Not U, Travis Morrison, Burning Airlines

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On!Air!Library! - On!Air!Library! (2004)

This is the only full-length release from New York City's three-piece experimental outfit On!Air!Library!, and what a release it is. Between gaining a bit more exposure by releasing a split with The Album Leaf and going on tour with Interpol, twin sisters Claudia and Alley Deheza and Philip Wann recorded this gem of a record. This is one of the few choice albums that the listener can just let play from beginning to end. No skipping tracks 'round these parts, sir! Nine tracks of shoegaze-y vocals over semi-regular glitches and resonating melodies do a body good.

For fans of: School of Seven Bells, The Album Leaf, Ester Drang

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Various Artists - Guilt by Association Vol. 2 (2008)

This album can be summed up in three words, taken from a quote by a hip hop duo from Detroit famous for wearing makeup, "...pure motherfuckin' magic." Engine Room Recordings followed their 2007 release Guilt by Association with this, proving that lighting does indeed strike twice. They gathered up some of the most talented names in indie rock and had them cover their favorite guilty pleasure pop songs. I've posted the track listing below, items in bold are not to be missed.

1. My Brightest Diamond - "Tainted Love" (Soft Cell)

2. The Bloodsugars - "Self Control" (Laura Branigan)

3. Robbers on High Street - "Cool It Now" (New Edition)

4. Frightened Rabbit - "Set You Free" (N-Trance)

5. Matt Pond PA - "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" (My Chemical Romance)

6. Takka Takka - "In the Air Tonight" (Phil Collins)

7. Kaki King - "I Think She Knows" (Justin Timberlake)

8. Francis and the Lights - "Can't Tell Me Nothing" (Kanye West)

9. Lowry - "Africa" (Toto)

10. The Forms - "We Didn't Start the Fire" (Billy Joel)

11. Rafter - "If You Leave" (OMD)

12. Cassettes Won't Listen - "Need You Tonight" (INXS)

13. Jukebox the Ghost - "It's a Beautiful Life" (Ace of Base)

14. Max Vernon - "I Kissed a Girl" (Katy Perry)

15. The Bloodsugars - "Self Control (Acoustic)" (Laura Branigan)

For fans of: Toto, Katy Perry, Ace of Base, Phil Collins

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Black Star - Mos Def and Talib Kweli Are Black Star (1998)

This is yet another milestone in awesome collaborations. In the late 1990s, socially aware hip hop once again began to rise from the underground where it had been shoved by gangsta rap, Mos Def and Talib Kweli came together and recorded what is now a seminal staple in hip hop culture. Originally planning to release two solo records, the two artists became aware of the artistic spark between them and chose instead to work on a collaborative effort. The result was Mos Def and Talib Kweli Are Black Star, a record that used songs like "Astronomy (8th Wonder)" to give the word "black" a positive connotation. "Definition" and "Re: DEFinition" responds to the fact that hip hop at that time (and still today) seemed to constantly dwell on the subject of death with the recent shootings of The Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur and their choruses proclaim, "One two three/Mos Def and Talib Kweli/We came to rock it on to the tip-top/Best alliance in hip-hop, Y-O/I said, one two three/It's kind of dangerous to be an emcee/They shot Tupac and Biggie/Too much violence in hip-hop, Y-O." Seasoned hip hop fans will appreciate the track "Children's Story," a nod to Slick Rick's song of the same name with a message about hip hop hubris. The most poignant track, however, is "Thieves in the Night," inspired by Talib Kweli having read Toni Morrison's "The Bluest Eye" in high school. They said best alliance in hip hop, and they meant it. You know what to do.

For fans of: Common, The Roots, De La Soul

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