Kyst - Cotton Touch

Ever since I stumbled upon the gem that is Indigo Tree, I decided to dive head first into the Polish folk/freak-folk scene. I must say that I'm impressed with the quality of a lot of these artists and it baffles me how some of them aren't household names in the States yet. One such band is the Norwegian/Polish band Kyst. Consisting of Tobiasz Biliński and Adam Byczkowski, they've released an ep, album and run their own record label all while being under the age of 20. If that doesn't make the average person feel lazy and unambitious I don't know what will.

Cotton Touch starts off with the amply titled "Climb Over", a slow build up of a guitar, drums and eventual violin that crescendos at the perfect time. It's a fantastic opener, nothing too long or pretentious, yet a wonderful nod to classic post-rock artists. "Complain/Cheer" has an almost live feel to it, very reminiscent of some of the quieter Akron/Family songs as it perfectly mixes the erratic with the subdued. This wonderful mixture continues for the remainder of the album as it's textured with bits of the Microphones and Grizzly Bear(I'm talking Horn of Plenty, not that Yellow House or Veckatimest bullshit) showing through every so often. The album finishes with the fantastic instrumental outro "Summer Love" that will leave you with your eyes closed, head bopping and a smile on your face.

I have fallen in love with this record and I can't wait to see what they will come up with next. If you enjoy meticulously crafted songs full of texture and warmth, you are going to adore this record.

Cotton Touch

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Gingerbread Records

AU - Versions

Like learning a new word, before you use it you have to learn how to say and spell it, so before I get into Versions, a little about AU's pronunciation and spelling. Pronounce it "a-u", like the two separate letters it consists of (A, U), or like you're trying to get someone's attention while speaking in a bad imitation of a cockney accent, "'ay you", but not like the word 'au', as in 'au revoir' or 'au gratin', like you're a snooty, stinky french chef. Also, keep it in all caps: AU, like the postal abbreviation for Australia, but they aren't from there.

The bass drum beats like a heart beat on "Ida Walked Away", the first track of Versions, letting you know, this album's got some life to it, coincidentally, some "Death" too. The EP runs the gamut emotionally and musically, yet keeps it cohesive and concise. Upbeat percussion created with the aid of a shaker or two, familiar clicks of a snare's rim, some bells, and, of course, some, almost inevitable claps, propel Versions consistently from start to finish at such a rapid, but not rushed, speed that it ends before you even realized there was a song switch. The quick-listen may also be as a result of the short track list on the latest effort by the two men who make up AU (Luke Wyland and Dana Valatka). At only 7 songs, there's no time for a wasted beat or breath, and waste they don't, but want you will. Fortunately it definitely warrants a second, and third and fourth, listen.

Give Versions another spin, if only to decipher the lyrics, which are delivered in vocals that are, at times, hauntingly ghostly yet substantial, not ethereal, like a ghost with some girth, think - Grizzly Bear with a little more grizzle. At other times, AU sings out with yelps and screams (Au "Are Animals" afterall) that could knock the inhibitions off even the most conservative of listeners, and by the end of the album find them chanting, foot stomping, and air punching along to "Ashemoto Ne" even if they haven't a clue what it means, think - that one time you drank a bit too much at the Akron/Family show. Versions is lively with some edge and experimentation about it, by musicians who you won't mind lending your ears, or Friday nights, to.

Place well-played piano and rim shots in an album and I'm pretty much sold, tell me the band's from Portland and oh shit, there goes my soul too, but AU's Versions actually deserves the praise, or at least a listen. Listen
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Old Canes - Early Morning Hymns

One thing that has always fascinated me about musical taste is how quickly and drastically it can change over just a few short years. Back in 2004 when this album was released I remember enjoying a few songs from it, but for some reason I just completely shoved it aside and forgot about it. Luckily a few weeks ago as I was wading through my albums I decided to play Early Morning Hymns for the first time in years. Just expecting a decent album, I was shocked at how much I ended up enjoying it. Fast forward a week, a couple dozen spins and this album is quickly becoming a personal favourite.

Early Morning Hymns is the perfect mix of frantic acoustic guitars, horns, banjos and even the occasional harmonica. The result is a sound that drunkenly walks the border between the chaotic nature of Neutral Milk Hotel and the calmness of an Owen record.

From this overlooked gem to his criminally underrated band Appleseed Cast, Christopher Crisci just can't seem to catch a break. We can only hope that in the near future he will finally get the recognition he sorely deserves.

Early Morning Hymns

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Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson

Easily one of the most overlooked gems of 2008 and completely caught me by surprise. This album ranges from pure Will Oldham type folk to an Akron/Family style freak-out. The album keeps you on your toes and almost forces your attention. This isn't something you can put on in the background, it's an album you need to pay attention to and listen intently. He is going to make a name for himself in the coming years. Until that happens I will just patiently await his next release.

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