A Different Ship - Here We Go Magic (Secretly Canadian, 2012)
On this, their third LP, Here We Go Magic sort of rein things in. The self-titled 2009 debut was a sort expansive yet subtle folk experiment with plenty of electric elements, placing them in the Grizzly Bear camp, sonically. 2010's Pigeons and 2011's The January EP were a bit more in your face: funkier and a kraut-y. On A Different Ship, which was produced by Nigel Godrich (Radiohead, Beck, Pavement, etc.), the band run with the funkiness, but smoothing it out a bit. It's basically an adult contemporary/soft rock album, with nods to Fleetwood Mac, especially in the production, and even some Paul Simon. There's something else to it, though, that I just can't place. And it's the combination of that unplaceable element and the Mac-isms that wins me over. Even if I prefer the earlier releases.
Electric Cables - Lightships (Geographic, 2012)
Lightships is a new alias for Teenage Fanclub's Gerard Love, and Electric Cables continues his penchant for gorgeous pop songs with Byrds-esque chiming guitars and broad instrumentation. While these are pop songs of the ballad persuasion, and their production is excellent, Electric Cables has a lucid feel throughout, which makes it a great album to fall asleep to (in a good way). I'm new at being a Teenage Fanclub fan, and I never saw this record coming, so it was a welcome, pleasant surprise. Especially with songs like "Two Lines," "Sweetness in Her Spark," and "Stretching Out." If you happened to listen to Teenage Fanclub's 2010 LP, Shadows, and were into the song "Into the City," basically all of Electric Cables sounds like that.
Spooky Action at a Distance - Lotus Plaza (Kranky, 2012)
Lotus Plaza is the solo project of Deerhunter guitarist Lockett Pundt. His 2009 debut, The Floodlight Collective, was a collection of moody, ambient, lo-fi shoegaze tracks. It was pretty nice, but it surely didn't hit me nearly as hard as his follow up, Spooky Action at a Distance, has. The differences between the two are VAST. Not only is Spooky Action at a Distance well produced (by none other than Detroit's own Chris Koltay, which is news to me), it consists of actual pop songs. There are still some subtle shoegaze elements, for sure, but chiming Byrdsian guitars, moderate tempos and solid melodies are the main focus here. It's difficult to deny that the songs here just sound like jams Pundt could have submitted for Deerhunter records. But, they're damn fine songs nonetheless. Into it.
Open Your Heart - The Men (Sacred Bones, 2012)
The Men seem to be one of underground punk rock's big new things, so, on a whim (and admittedly based on Pitchfork's recommendation), I decided it seemed worthwhile to put in some time with the band's latest, Open Your Heart. It is raw, powerful punk rock with chaotic tendencies, but melodic sensibility a good portion of the time. Hints of The Replacements and Sonic Youth poke in and out, which is a pretty fun combination. Opener "Turn it Around," "Oscillation," and closer "Ex-Dreams" are all completely bad ass. The guitars sound awesome. CHECK IT.
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