"Serpents" - Tramp - Sharon Van Etten

MUSIC | Sharon Van Etten - “Serpents”

Yesterday Sharon Van Etten released her much awaited sophomore album, “Tramp.” And while Tramp is far more prolific than last year’s Epic, it does seem to lack just that - epic music. Sharon Van Etten is many things, but a master lyricist she is not. However, she has a knack for turning simple and repetitive lyrics into extremely layered and beautifully orchestrated stories that follow you around. After giving Tramp a few listens, it seems that perhaps this skill wanes over the course of creating a full LP, as to where her EP was likely just the small collection of songs she could really fill with that je ne sais quoi before going idle and spilling out droning cliches that rest on her magnificent and unique voice.

Sadly, and much akin to Lana del Rey’s new album, Sharon’s first single from Tramp is the highlight of the album. “Serpents” has the relativity and cynicism of Aimee Mann, the grandiose of Florence + the Machine, and the tortured sound of Cat Power. 

Other notable tracks: Give Out | Warsaw

"Where The Kids Are" - Where The Kids Are - Single - Blondfire

BLONDFIRE | Where The Kids Are

Sounds like: Metric | The Naked and The Famous

Other notable tracks: L-L-Love

"Got It, Lost It" - Vacation - Big Scary

BIG SCARY | Got It, Lost It

I can’t get over how much this guy sounds like Jeff Buckley, nor how much I love this song.

"Movin' Away" - Circuital - My Morning Jacket

MY MORNING JACKET | Movin’ Away

Beautiful and bittersweet new album from My Morning Jacket.

"Harvest Moon" - Beauregard - Pepper Rabbit

PEPPER RABBIT | Harvest Moon

Sounds like: Arcade Fire | Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros | Beirut

Other notable tracks: Tiny Fingers | Red Wine | Older Brother

"Gone the Bells" - Paranoid Cocoon - Cotton Jones

COTTON JONES | Gone the Bells

Sounds like: Slow Club | Stars

Other notable tracks: I Am the Changer | Cotton & Velvet

"Ghost Towns" - The Family Tree: The Roots (Deluxe Version) - Radical Face

RADICAL FACE | The Family Tree: The Roots
 ”Ghost Towns”

While everyone is clamoring over the new Feist album, I am elated over the long-awaited follow-up to Radical Face’s 2006 album, Ghost. Ghost and, specifically, it’s big(g-ish) hit “Welcome Home, Son” were the musical highlights of that year for me. I was beginning to think he wouldn’t come back to me ever again. So it was the greatest surprise when I logged into iTunes this afternoon to see this new LP waiting for me.

If you’ve never heard Radical Face you are totally missing out. Radical Face is Ben Cooper, whose voice you may recognize from the band Electric President. Radical Face is his much more mellow and experimental project. It’s reminiscent of early Sparklehorse and really quite touching.

Here is the ever so epic “Welcome Home, Son” off of the Ghost LP, which is a musical masterpiece and easily one of my top five favorite songs of all-time.

"Cannons" - The Year of Hibernation - Youth Lagoon

YOUTH LAGOON | Cannons

Sounds like: Twin Sister | Baths | The Besnard Lakes | Cocorosie

Other notable tracks: Afternoon | July

"Nothing (edited version)" - Nothing - Indie Spotlight Download - Young Man

YOUNG MAN | Nothing

Sounds like: Radical Face | Perfume Genius | Electric President

Other notable tracks: Tired Eyes | Strangers | Hands

"Coming Down" - Only in Dreams - Dum Dum Girls

DUM DUM GIRLS | Coming Down

Sounds like: Alela Diane | Karen O | PJ Harvey

Other notable tracks: Baby Don’t Go | Always Looking | Teardrops on My Pillow

"Thinking About You" - Winter - Big Scary

BIG SCARY | Thinking About You

Sounds like: Jeff Buckley | Benjamin Francis Leftwich

Other notable tracks: Autumn | Falling Away | Deep Freeze

DELAY TREE | Gold

Sounds like: Band of Horses | Fanfarlo | The Big Pink

Other notable tracks: Quarantine | Whales & Colors

"Jungle" - Full Hearts and Empty Rooms - EP - Emma Louise

EMMA LOUISE | Jungle

Sounds like: Emiliana Torrini | Blonde Redhead | Land of Talk

Other notable tracks: Bugs | Al’s Song

"What We Had" - Portamento - The Drums

DRUMS | What We Had

Sounds like: Best Coast | Fanfarlo | Miike Snow

Other notable tracks: I Need Fun in My Life | Submarine

"Still So Far Away" - Silver Tomb For The Kingfisher - Jay Clifford

JAY CLIFFORD | Still So Far Away

Sounds like: James Vincent McMorrow | Doveman | Iron & Wine

Other notable tracks: Echo Location | Know When to Walk Away