Indigo Tree - Lullabies of Love and Death

One thing I hate about making year end lists is the fact that you will always stumble upon an incredible album much too late. Lullabies of Love and Death is another fine example of that fact, another album I randomly downloaded from sordomusic that turned out to be something really special. I am kicking myself for not discovering it sooner because I am fairly certain it would have ranked pretty high in my year end list.

From first listen I knew there was something different about this band. The music itself is very laid back avant-pop that is comparable to a tamer Panda Bear. With simple guitar chords driving the songs, they also mix in trumpets, hand claps and occasional drums in such a way that it sounds almost dreamlike. To be honest, this record is a dream in album form. One of those perfect dreams that you really don't wish to awaken from.

After listened to it at least a half a dozen times, I started doing some research on the band itself. What I found was very surprising. Even though their lyrics are in english and they sing it very well, the band is from Poland. I guess it can be blamed on lack of trying, but I've never listened to a band from Poland before. If asked a few weeks ago what modern Polish music would sound like, I would use adjectives such as dark, brooding and creepy. I now realize how ignorant such a thought is, but I guess I'd rather be ignorant than stupid.

Listen to this album and let it destroy the little box that you've already placed 2009 in.

Indigo Tree - Lullabies of Love and Death

Try
Buy
Website
Last.fm
Myspace

Miracle Fortress - Five Roses

Graham Van Pelt is another in a long line of incredible artist hailing from Montreal. With his solo project Miracle Fortress, Graham crafts complex pop songs that build and swell with walls of sound lapping at your ears. Much in the same vein of Brian Wilson, he is able to create these wonderfully addicting songs without losing any sense of his artistry.

Ranging from instrumental rock songs like the opener "Whirrs" and the finger snapping/hand clapping filled "Next Train" to the ambient masterpiece "Five Roses", this album tries many different styles and ends up doing them all well.

Overall it may feel a bit chaotic, but that's probably the main reason I enjoy it so much. If you are looking for a challenging pop record that will leave your fingers numb from snapping, give this a shot.

Miracle Fortress - Five Roses

Try
Buy
Last.fm
Myspace

Chad VanGaalen - Soft Airplane

"Recorded primarily on an old tape machine and a JVC ghetto blaster in Chad’s Calgary basement, Soft Airplane retains the handmade charm and singular character of his previous records, while incorporating new layers of sophistication and weight. Recalling Neil Young at his most fragile and plaintive, and Thurston Moore at his most resolved and vital, Chad’s emotive vocals anchor these songs while tackling the pervasive themes of death and dreams with an unexpected air of certainty and hope that is far from ominous—-instead it’s luminous. Through a complex interplay of guitar, drum beats, loops, samples, found sounds, unorthodox percussion, xylophones, distortion, synthesizers, accordions and more, Chad has made an album that sounds bigger than one man.

It sounds like a lifetime."

There really isn't much to add, it's a haunting album that you cannot fit inside a specific genre. This scary and beautiful album never ceases to impress me and every time I listen I come away with something new and wonderful. If you like your music a bit on the weird side this is for you.


Album
Myspace
Label