Music That's Better Than You. Week 1

The following was original posted on 5/3/06 on Last.Fm This is the maiden voyage of a brand new weekly jump-off in which I will school you in all of the music that you will need to live a healthy, well rounded, long and succesful life. Come back next Wednesday for another four or five recommendations. Now please, enjoy some music that is way better than you: Metal Hearts If the rumors are to be believed the creative duo piloting this project is barely old enough to legally drink in these Unite States. So for those of you who still think life is fair this should be the last nail in the coffin. Metal Hearts put out their first album this year on Suicide Squeeze. Sounds Like: Carissa's Weird would if instead of turning into Band of Horses they took some production cues from The Notwist No really, sounds like: Soft rythmic indie to sleep or weep to. [MP3] Metal Hearts - Socialize [HOME] Metal Hearts Maritime Have you heard of The Promise Ring? Haha ‘course you have, you’re not some kind of an asshole. Have you heard of The Dismemberment Plan? Wait no? Oh. Well maybe you are an asshole. But relax bro- if you get into Maritime you’ll pull yourself out of that musical-karmic-nose dive. See Maritime is a band most notably comprised of The Promise Ring's lead singer as well as The Dismemberment Plan bassist. The resulting album is deftly crafted to balance compelling artistic maturity with pathological catchiness- it is a fine line to walk. Accordingly We, the Vehicles (2006) threatens to break into the indie-pop fray at any moment yet delights in restraint and never deviates into the realm of polished pop rubbish like so many other new indie releases... I didn't say Death Cab- did you? Sounds Like: The Promise Ring lead singer hooked up with the ‘Plans bass player and they agreed to toss in some of Pinback’s simple fuckin genius and tech. There are also distinct lush and feel-good-midwestern-indie-emo Matt Pond Pa style production vibes on this album too. No really, sounds like: Subtly techy and hopelessly melodic. This is smart indie pop with a surprising level of depth and invention lurking just below the surface. [MP3] Maritime - Calm [HOMEPAGE] Maritime Brightblack Morning Light I gotta admit this band is a real new-comer and I don’t have a lot of info on ‘em. What I do know is that they have an overt pro-nature and sticky-icky-icky stance. Believe me when I tell you this is 2006's soundtrack to toke to. The fine folk of Brightblack hale from some rural Americountry, namely down in the durty durty, and I’ve never been so glad of Baptist gospel influence (that’s a lie.) Matador signed this crew so you know something interesting is going on. Album ain’t out yet- the mothership lands June 20th and tis self titled. Sounds Like: Zero 7 kicked back with Skynard and toked themselves into a new dimension of blastedness. No really, sounds like: If the good lord had intended Gospel to be slow, funky and deliriously baked out- yeah. This. [MP3] Brightblack Morning Light - Everybody New [HOMEPAGE] Brightblack Morning Light Under Byen If I asked you if you liked Sigur Ros and Bjork I might as well be asking you if you like good music. Okay maybe that’s not fair. Maybe I’d just be asking if you like ICELANDIC music. No. Never mind. The names of both artists really are synonymous with “good music.” So if I told you Under Byen sounds like a joint venture between the above mentioned Icelandic heavenly weights (don’t look at me like that) you’d have to either be out of your mind or comatose not to be interested. Well I’m not going to say Byen lives on the same brilliant dimension as Bjork or ‘Ros but then again who the hell does. And if any other group is living on the borders it’s these guys. Their latest album Samme stof som stof came out this year- but god knows where you can find it stateside… so what are you missing? Well more than before. A lot more. While I enjoyed their first two LPs both lacked the crucial X-factor in all great albums that exude the character and longevity that all classic discs must have. This new album is different. The entire mood is darker, trippier, more aggresive and at times disticntly like old-school Portishead. From Post-Rock to Trip-Hop? Yeah, you need this album. Sounds Like: All the normal Icelandic sweeping majesty- but now with something more sinister and hip... No really, sounds like: Breathy airborne vocals soaring through torrents of epic mood- composed in a nearly classical tense and prose. A soundtrack to true beauty. [MP3] Under Byen - Hjertebarn [MP3] Under Byen - Plantage [MP3] Under Byen - Af Samme Stof Som Stof [NEW.ALBUM] [HOMEPAGE] Under Byen