April/May Music Wrap-Up

The Music Wrap-Up is a monthly summary of my favorite and other notable new releases. The songs are for sampling purposes only. Artists or labels notify me with any complaints and I will remove the song as soon as possible. Please support these musicians as that's the reason I'm featuring them in the first place.

Yeah, I know, I'm a month late on April's Wrap-Up, but there weren't a ton of albums I wanted to spotlight. If I waited until May, though, the mother load hit. May 4th alone had four releases I was interested in. It certainly was a good month for music of all varieties.

We've got the gypsy punk of Gogol Bordello, the smooth blues of The Black Keys, the electronic pop of Minus the Bear, and the dance grooves of LCD Soundsystem, among plenty of others. I didn't even mention the two "super-groups" that put out new albums.

So go ahead and hit that jump for a playlist of all the great releases from both April and May, as well as write-ups of each band, just because I love you.

The Whole Playlist

Click that play button and cruise the net at your leisure. Just pop back to this window when your ear perks up and you can get a little bit more information from my blurb below.



The Blurbs


Tracks 1 & 2 from Horse Feathers - Thistled Spring


Maybe you're getting tired with the amount of bearded, indie-folk groups like Fleet Foxes and Blitzen Trapper, but there is no denying the soothing nature of this Horse Feathers album. There are a lot of really gorgeous sounding songs on here, and it's nice to put on and just relax to.

Tracks 3 & 4 from Gogol Bordello - Trans-Continental Hustle


A Gogol Bordello concert is sheer madness from beginning to end. I usually stay up at the front during a show, but I had to shove my way back to my friend at the back multiple times, where he was waiting with water. I was drenched in sweat, and I wasn't even moving of my own accord most of the time.

Still, the insanity of them live doesn't really translate to this new release. It almost seems tame in comparison to some of their previous records. I'm not against them growing and maturing, but I sort of see Trans-Continental Hustle as a transition period.

Tracks 5 & 6 from The Black Keys - Brothers


My previous attempts at getting into The Black Keys were fairly unsuccessful, but I'm really enjoying Brothers. I imagine my tastes are maturing a little bit more, and now I can better appreciate the bluesy rock that they're known for. Apparently this album is a return to form for them, so I'm curious to dig back into their past releases. Plus, I can appreciate the zany sense of humor they clearly have, what with that album cover and the ridiculous promo videos.

Tracks 7 & 8 from The National - High Violet


Yet another band that I've tried out before but am only now starting to appreciate. I really enjoy the somber mood that carries throughout this whole CD, and the drums are spot on and drive the songs forward really well. The National's sound has a ton of production behind it, so you might be turned off if you like a bit less structure in your music, but High Violet a few listens before you dismiss it. A lot of people say that their CDs are "growers", and I've definitely found that to be the case.

Tracks 9 & 10 from The Fall - Your Future Our Clutter


I first heard of The Fall when watching live performances from At the Drive-In. Cedric dedicated a song to them, and declared that if anyone hadn't heard of them, then they had been listening to too much heavy metal and hip-hop. So I sought them out. I don't know if I'm as fond of them as Cedric is, but they are certainly fun to listen to.

It's a very sloppy sort of post-punk, and the songs are very repetitive, but they remind me a bit of Crass in that way. They've put out dozens of releases in their over three decades as a band, so I will probably never work my way through their back-catalog, but their "Best Of" CD, and this new one is a good enough place for anyone to start.

Tracks 11 & 12 from The New Pornographers - Together


I should probably just name this entire Wrap-Up the "Late to the Party Edition". But that's why I love putting these together every month. In my search for new music to feature, I try out things I've ignored for far too long, and inevitably come away a fan of something I never expected to. Previously I had only listened to Neko Case's solo work, but I'm a much bigger fan of this CD than I was that, so I'll have to start working my way back. Anyone have suggestions on where to start?

Tracks 13 & 14 from Minus the Bear - Omni


Minus the Bear is a weird band for me. I absolutely loved Menos el Oso, but thought Planet of Ice was completely boring upon first listen. Then I went back to it at least a year later and thought "What the hell was I thinking? This is great!" So, now that Omni is out, I'm not really sure what to think. Right now, I kind of find it boring and formulaic to their past releases. Still, it's solid enough for me to recommend to new listeners, and I might completely change my mind in a year.

Tracks 15 & 16 from The Hold Steady - Heaven is Whenever


I don't think I've ever heard anybody say they didn't like The Hold Steady. They've evolved their sound very slowly since their very "bar band" -- not said in a pejorative way at all -- sound on their first release. But Heaven is Whenever is the biggest leap forward yet in their catalog. If you're a long time fan, then give it a couple listens before you decide if you like it or not.

One of my favorite songs on the entire album is the opening track, The Sweet Part of the City, but I've seen a lot of detractors that don't enjoy it's laid-back, southern blues sound. Still, Hold Steady has always been about great storytelling to me, so the lyrics will always be my main draw.

Tracks 17 & 18 from Broken Social Scene - Forgiveness Rock Record


One more band to add to my "pile of shame". How many people do they need in this band? Anyway, chances are you've all heard Broken Social Scene and I'm the only newcomer, and I don't have much to say anyway. I'm not in love with this album, but it's definitely a solid enough rock record that I can get behind it. And several members from Stars are involved in this band somehow, right? I love that band. Can't wait for their new CD toward the end of June.

Tracks 19 & 20 from MGMT - Congratulations


There seemed to be a lot of disappointment surrounding this album after release, but I kind of enjoyed it. If you really enjoyed the synth-laced pop of Oracular Spectacular, sorry. Congratulations is more closely related to the psychedelic pop of the 60s. If you're a fan of lo-fi psychedelic acts like Ariel Pink (who'll be in next month's Wrap-Up), then you'll probably enjoy this release. I certainly wouldn't call it it lo-fi, but it is definitely a psychedelic sort of surf-rock.

Tracks 21 & 22 from Dr. Dog - Shame, Shame


This record has grown on me more and more with each listen. It is such a great sound. If the more simplistic structure of The Black Keys doesn't catch with you, then this is where you should go next. There is obviously some blues influence in here as well, but the songs are much more rich with sound, and the catchy as hell. I haven't been a rabid Dr. Dog fan, but I definitely like this CD more than We All Belong and Fate.

Tracks 23 & 24 from LCD Soundsystem - This is Happening


Yep, my last "late to the party" band this month. I'm not sure why Sound of Silver didn't catch for me, but I absolutely love This is Happening. The songs are all pretty long, but they seem to flow so well that you never notice. Be sure to listen to Dance Yrself Clean at least past the three minute mark as it's a slow build, and pay attention to the amazing lyrics in Pow Pow. They're what keep me coming back for more, as well as the tendency of every song to make me tap my foot along to the beat.

Well, there you go, I hope you found some new music to love. Be sure to let me know your thoughts on the featured artists in the comments, and if you liked this slightly new Music Wrap-Up format.