Heartless Bastards - The Mountain

Want to turn your room into a dive bar? Grab some beers, light up a cigarette, and blast Heartless Bastard's new (esque) album, The Mountain. The Ohio-based band gives off a stellar bar band feel that captures that feel-good time and dive bar grit. The album's simplicity and shockingly consuming vocals really makes for a great listen. Especially the title track, "The Mountain". Talk about being blown away - it really feels like your approaching the daunting peak of a huge mountain. Strait Lord of the Rings forreal.

On Fat Possum Records (former The Black Keys record label), Heartless Bastards have created a really good album that's upbeat, captivating, and refreshingly unrefined. Be sure to check out the tracks, "The Mountain," "Hold Your Head High", and "Sway".

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes - Up From Below

The sound won't stay the same! Up and down, attentive and almost bored, unbelievable hit or very miss, Los Angeles-based Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros new album, Up From Below, throws out so many different sounds. Like a mix between Feist, The National, The Arcade Fire, David Bowie, and epic parts of The Lion King, Edward Sharpe throws a lot out there. And when he hits, he crushes it. "40 Day Dream", "Janglin", and "Carries On" are really good. But the song that makes this whole CD worth it is "Home". Fantastic vocals, catchy whistling, and lyrics about love, ("Alabama, Arkansas / I do love my ma and pa / Not that way that I do love you,") the song is just so incredibly catchy and amazing. Its sound is thorough and expansive, and just makes you feel good. I can't say I recommend the album as a whole, though the sounds are definitely interesting. And the album has a lot of high points throughout (though mostly in the beginning).

But yeah, check out Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros and look at the lettering on his van on the myspace page! L'Chaim!

The Dodos @ The Getty Museum, 8/8

After a trip to the Cactus Garden and seeing an unbelievable collection of photography, sculptures, and paintings, I was lucky enough to end the other day with seeing The Dodos for free in the atrium of the Getty Museum. The Dodo's signature sound (think catchy acoustic guitar riffs on top of powerful, driving drum patterns with a melodic, sweet adhesive of vibraphone and back-up percussion) featured a thorough mix of vocal loops, a sort of 'bow-on-vibraphone' induced feedback, and impressive musicianship. Almost like a subtle mix of The Shins, Modest Mouse, and Department of Eagles, The Dodos still have an incredibly unique and lovely sound. And while their live show started off relatively slow and a little nervous-looking, The Dodos picked up the energy and presence as the concert went on - accompanying the setting darkness and gorgeous lighting. One of my favorite live songs, "Two Medicines", from their album coming out this fall, Time To Die, really captured their sound and creativity. The song started with a great vocal loop and built into an expressive, feel-good, dancy, well-constructed song. The Dodos also played "Fools" (featuring a mosh pit?), "Jodi" (a true Dodocian journey), and "Red and Purple" (as their encore) off of their 2008 success Visiter.

In general, I usually have low expectations for free shows. But with the amount of Dodo that I've had in my life the past few months, I had high hopes for the band. And, while my favorite Dodos song, "Undeclared", wasn't played, I left satisfied and excited to see them again when they trek to Philly in mid-October.

Check out The Dodos here.

And be sure to check out The Getty Museum's gorgeous collection of artwork, landscaping, and architecture if you're ever in LA.

Au Revoir Simone - Still Night, Still Light

Try to imagine an almost Romeo and Juliet drugged-out scene in a late-80's high school dance. Put on some ambient, electro-pop with a soothing, fleeting mix of female vocals. Throw in a little The Bird & The Bee, and you've got Au Revoir Simone's newest album, Still Night, Still Light.

As a fan of female indie vocals, I really enjoy the relaxing sound. The power beats mixed with haunting melodies make for great music to go on a mental hiatus to. Albeit repetitive, and lacking a sort of peak-age that would make it truly great, Au Revoir Simone's album is weirdly addictive. Beautifully simplistic and gorgeous in many ways, Still Night, Still Light is a great album to check out. Listen to the track, "Knights of Wand". Do it. No joke.

Here's a link to their official website and myspace. Or follow 'em on Twitter.

Random tidbit: Apparently Au Revoir Simone just did some touring with The Antlers (I reviewed Hospice a few weeks ago. Crazy good. And, you can now pre-order Hospice on vinyl at InSound here).

Modest Mouse - No One's First and You're Next EP

It's got a giant burn hole on the shoulder. A giant green buffalo on the front. And "Modest Mouse" is written above it. It's one of my favorite shirts of all time (Mind you, I have way too many graphic T's). Advertising Modest Mouse has been one of my past times for years. Thinking about how many times I've listened to Moon and Antarctica and Lonesome Crowded West is unbelievable.

But Modest Mouse has continued to make music after Moon and Antarctica. Good News for People Who Love Bad News (2004) was great, and We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank (2007) got me for a few months. Today, Modest Mouse released their new EP, No One's First and You're Next. Featuring B-sides from the past two albums, the new EP has a very familiar and great 'Modest Mouse'-y feel to it. It's good. It's just nothing new - same sounds, vocals, and great song titles . And it marks even more of a departure from the older Modest Mouse that I loved. It's still worth getting (Check out "Guilty Cocker Spaniels", "The Whale Song", and "King Rat"). And if you've never listened to Modest Mouse, get on that! It just sounds exactly like how you'd expect unreleased and B-side tracks from the past two albums to sound.

Also, I did come across an awesome music video for the great song, "King Rat", directed by Heath Ledger before he died. Kinda cool, eh? Check it out here.

Samantha Crain & The Midnight Shivers - Songs In The Night

A few months ago, I found myself at a concert at The Church in Philadelphia. I went to see a fantastic group called Thao with the Get Down Stay Down (Check out the track "Swimming Pools"). Anywho, I wound up loving one of their openers - Samantha Crain and the Midnight Shivers.

First off, Samantha Crain's presence was amazing. Emotional, energetic, and dynamic, her mix of depressing tunes and upbeat charm had me purchasing her new album, Songs in the Night, immediately after the show. And I'm so happy I did.

Songs in the Night, another one of my top albums of 2009, is really, really good. My favorite track, "Devils in Boston", highlights her ability to captivate listeners. Her consitent sad tone is expressed through mastered dynamics, catchy guitar riffs, and swooning vowells. And her voice. Her voice! Not even close to what you'd deem an 'amazing voice', but it works so so well.

On Ramseur Records (along with The Avett Brothers), Samantha Crain is an awesome artist to check out at her official website or myspace.