2006: An Early Take

Well we are almost at month 5 and what has 06 given us? More Pitchfork-hyped indie/folk whinners from up north aye. I hated the NY scene movement (Strokes,Vines,Hives,White Stripes) when it served it's time in the lime light, but at least that scene had a bit of a punk pulse somewhere under the hype.. I can't say that about this latest indie mutation. Artic Monkey Arcade Fire Yeah Yeah Yeah Destroyer Islands.. Enough. God knows rap's sold it's soul and now indie's tearing down the same path, apparently its taking folk along for the ride. Oh well. There are a few bright spots in the miasmic gloom... here's what I got at the moment: Hardcore: Genghis Tron - Dead Mountain Mouth Bigger, faster and techier than their EP this may very well be the hard album of the year. Grind meets glitchy Aphex Twin beats and brutality. Actually if Converge and 65daysofstatic put out a record it might sound like this. [Homepage] Genghis Tron [MP3]Genghis Tron - Chaples Post-Hardcore Prog The Sound of Animals Fighting - Lover, the Lord Has Left Us Anthony Green tends to polarize listeners; people absolutely love to love him, or absolutely love to hate him. Being a natural born hater you can imagine which camp I fall into. That was until The Sound of Animals Fighting. SoAF is Green's third band and while I enjoyed the spirit of their EP, Duke and the Tiger it's always seemed like a weak attempt at the Mars Volta sound. Well if SoAF is running with Volta then Lover... has triumphed where Francis the Mute failed. As experimental art rock goes THIS is how to do the damn thing. SoAF first full length has transcended simply eclecticity and achieved a work that is nothing short of absolutely fearless. Apparently this cd is so avante garde nearly everyone who's heard hates it. That's the first sign of a true masterpiece right there. [Homepage] The Sound of Animals Fighting [MP3]Sound of Animals Fighting - Skullflower Indie Mason Proper And speaking of eclectic this is probably the best album to be pressed in The Year of Our Lord Two Thousand and Six. These guys touch on every great indie sound from Old (read:good) Weezer to Beck to Radiohead to The Notwist to Built to Spill to Elbow to Old (read:same as weezer)coldplay to ___________ (insert phenomenal indie band) Every time I listen to this album it gets markedly better. WATCH THIS ONE. [Homepage] Mason Proper [MP3]Mason Proper - The World is Smaller Than You Think [MP3]Mason Proper - A Chance Encounter Post Rock Jeniferever Absolutely beautiful. Lead singer has a kind of classic emo/midwestern-indie simple majesty tonality and he is supported by a band producing some of the most dreamy and lush music since Sigur Ros' early stuff. [Homepage] jeniferever [The 'Space] Jeniferever Hip Hop Gnarls barkley DJ Danger Mouse and Cee-Lo. Yep. Remember what Dan the Automator did with Glassjaw’s Daryl Palumbo? This is that- but instead of post-hardcore meets dance punk we have Dire Soul meets underground Hip Hop Awesome. Just awesome. [Homepage] Gnarls Barkley [The 'Space] Gnarls Barkley