Broken Bells’ debut album is good, but doesn’t live up to lofty expectations

James Mercer, Shins frontman, agent of delicious indie pop for the masses. Danger Mouse (Brian Burton), the genius behind The Grey Album and half of Gnarls Barkley, i.e. the ambassador of slick, creative production. A match made in heaven. …Or is it? The answer is that I believe it can be, but unfortunately the duo missed… Continue reading Broken Bells’ debut album is good, but doesn’t live up to lofty expectations

White Hinterland’s Kairos is soothing tranquility with soul power

When Casey Dienel and Shawn Creeden picked the name White Hinterland, maybe they had their reasons, maybe it just sounded cool but it’s definitely appropriate. A hinterland is often an area of rural land separated from urban areas that is often also tied very closely to the city. In other words, a place of solitude… Continue reading White Hinterland’s Kairos is soothing tranquility with soul power

Color of Clouds to release debut album, Satellite of Love, on April 6

I’ve written about Color of Clouds aplenty here on Knox Road, so it’s with much excitement to provide you with this information. The Brooklyn trio who specialize in sweet, subdued electronic pop are set to digitally release their debut full-length, Satellite of Love, on April 6 along with a record release show at Pianos in… Continue reading Color of Clouds to release debut album, Satellite of Love, on April 6

The Besnard Lakes’ Are the Roaring Night is heavy and dreamy and adequate all around

The Besnard Lakes are, in a way, everything, and their third album, Are the Roaring Night, is an illustration of this. The songs are dreamy and seem to expand outward, forever, carried by waves of atmospherics. Tracks are draped with falsetto vocals and snippets of distorted classic-rock guitar solos. Some songs build to reverb-drenched climaxes;… Continue reading The Besnard Lakes’ Are the Roaring Night is heavy and dreamy and adequate all around

jj’s nº 3 is so Swedish (read: lovely)

I love being the resident Swedish reviewer on Knox Road. Because the Swedes know what they’re doing with pop, period. So it comes as no surprise that Joakim Benon and Elin Kastlander, the duo behind jj, have delivered a stunningly refreshing work of indie pop on their second full-length album, nº 3. You know how… Continue reading jj’s nº 3 is so Swedish (read: lovely)

Liars cordially invite you on a wondrous journey to Sisterworld

I can’t think of a band that revels in changing genre and tearing apart expectations quite like Liars. Since their 2001 debut, They Threw Us All In A Trench And Stuck A Monument On Top, the band has seen changes that have taken them from the dance floor to German witch trials to “Mt. Heart… Continue reading Liars cordially invite you on a wondrous journey to Sisterworld

Meklit Hadero

Honestly, I couldn’t think of better music for a Saturday afternoon. You know, it’s that time when we’re either preparing to go out for a night of festivities, getting some unfinished work done around the house, or catching up on some “me” time. We need some laid back, groovy tunes. Don’t tell me you don’t… Continue reading Meklit Hadero

Phenomenal Video Saturday: Bon Iver does Okkervil River*

Don’t you just love when this happens? Back in, like, the dinosaur times (2008), Okkervil River released The Stand-Ins, and as a companion piece of sorts, had other bands cover the album’s songs. So they got Zykos for “On Tour with Zykos” and Ola Podrida for “Calling and Not Calling my Ex,” among others. Will… Continue reading Phenomenal Video Saturday: Bon Iver does Okkervil River*