Calling all indie rockers...

Centurymantra,

How's the new Califone album? I have roomsound and it's got some great stuff on it. Just picked up the new YLT album; not a rocking song on the thing. But that doesn't mean that it won't still be good. For my money though, Painful and I can hear the heart are their best.

Anybody into GYBE! or modest mouse?

Nicko...

I haven't fully digested the new Califone disc, but I can conclusively say that it's another excellent Califone recording. It does see them developing towards an expanded sound. The more melodic aspects of the songwriting are a little more upfront, yet solidly mixed with the more abstract backdrops they have been developing in the soundtrack recordings they have been getting into as of late.

I have not really soaked up much of the GYBE recordings, although I do appreciate what I've heard in passing. The new one is supposed to be a pretty great one. That aside, the GYBE 'vibe' hasn't quite grabbed me as much as what their label-mate bands Do Make Say Think (recommended above) and Silver Mt. Zion Orchestra have been doing. I do need to pick up on some of their material and dig a little further into the music though...I was planning on snagging that new one that was recorded with Steve Albini sometime soon.

There's a Califone side-project BTW that I'd suggest you make a point of checking out. It's a band called Secret Machines that includes two of the guys from Califone and their producer and is very, very cool stuff. I seem to remember reading a review at www.pitchforkmedia.com at one point that you could check out for a more eloquent summary.

Happy listening~

Yeah, Pitchfork is great! If I could make a living writing for them I'd change my career. Thanks for the info!

1) Sleater-Kinney..."One Beat"
2) Kings of Leon "Holly Roller Novocaine" EP
3) Interpol "Turn on the Bright Lights"

A few of my favorites in the past few years:

Wilco--YHF, Summerteeth
The Notwist--Neon Golden
My Morning Jacket--At Dawn
Alaska--Emotions
Badly Drawn Boy--The Hour of Bewilderbeast
Brendan Benson--Lapalco
Broken Social Scene---You Forgot It In People
Doleful Lions---The Rats Are Coming, The Werewolves Are Here
Flaming Lips---The Soft Bulletin
John Vanderslice---Life and Death of an American 4-Tracker
McLusky---McLusky Do Dallas
Microphones---The Glow Pt. 2
Modest Mouse---Lonesome Crowded West
Radiohead---Kid A, OKC
Sebadoh---III
Spoon---anything
Super Furry Animals---Rings, Phantom Power
Ted Leo---Tyranny of Distance
Unwound---Leaves Turn Inside You
Ween---anything
Wrens---Secaucus, Meadowlands