Mumford & Sons were a random find a while back that falls in the “Thank God I decided to check them out” category.  There’s probably another 30 albums in my inbox that I’ll think are simply amazing, but truth is I probably won’t ever listen to them.  Sad, for sure.  Mumford & Sons caught a break, because I looked at the sea of emails and just clicked one randomly.  I proceeded to listen to their wonderful album Sigh No More for the next two weeks pretty much non-stop.

Usually in determining an album deserves to be among the top 10 of the year, it really comes down to two factors.  One, do I know a majority of the lyrics, and two, did my roommate get sick of hearing the album blaring from my room and playing in my car to the point that he gives me an “Are you serious?” every time it’s playing.  Sigh No More gets a definite yes and yes to both of those.  As a kid, I’d sit with albums for days straight and know every lyric and note by heart and it’s sad to think I rarely have time to do that anymore.  So, I have to take note when an album gets me to listen faithfully to it like I did in the good ol days.

There’s so many stand-outs on this album I won’t write a lengthy track by track review and instead just tell you a few things I really enjoy about it.  If you can imagine Glen Hansard and his Swell Season project, only way more intense both lyrically and musically, then you basically have Mumford & Sons.  Songs like “Little Lion Man” and “White Blank Page” stand out as straight forward, loud, folk songs, while “I Gave You All” and “Dustbowl Dance” take the cake for slower songs that build into a few of my favorite song climaxes of the year.  I think I listened to “Dustbowl Dance” on repeat every morning going to work to wake me up for a good two weeks straight.  It starts off nice a slow, which fit on my morning drives because I was just waking up, but by the end when the drums kick in and everyone just goes nuts, I couldn’t help but notice my heart rate jump up and me yelling, “Hell yeah!  Let’s sell some shoes!” (I work at a shoe store part time by the way on top of my record label side stuff).

I think I’d said enough to at least get you to check them out.  Their sound is the complete opposite of Freelance Whales, but both should crack my top five of the year if nothing else slips in suddenly.  Sigh No More is easily among the year’s best, and it’s just a shame that they’re only just starting to get noticed here in the states.  I’ve done my part giving this album to anyone I even vaguely know.  Bugging them until they’d finally given it a few good spins.  And for the most part, everyone’s really enjoyed it.  Their brand of intense folk isn’t necessarily for everyone, but it sure struck a chord with me, and I’ll say it again.  Thank God I randomly stumbled upon this album.

Mumford & Sons
Sigh No More
Perch Score: 9.555/10

Little Lion Man [mp3]

Dustbowl Dance [mp3] (at least listen to the 3:06 mark when they go crazy and tell me it doesn’t make you want to crank the volume up)

Little Lion Man Video

Live Videos at ICA London,
March 4, 2009

-Roll Away Your Stone (documentary style)
-I Gave You All
-Timshel
-Winter Winds + The Cave

Official Site / Myspace

I had intended on reviewing Firekites’ album The Bowery a while ago, but I guess it never got past the point of being just a draft.  I liked what I wrote, but I think I’ll just scrap that draft and write up a quick one that gets right to the point.  Firekites’ album The Bowery was released in 2008, so I’m in no way claiming to be on top of things here, but if most of you are like me, then you’ve never heard of them to start with.  And that’s a shame and the very reason I’m introducing all of you to this great band.

Fans of Owen or possible American Analog Set should take to Firekites immeditately.  Right from the opener, “Last Ships”, you’ll know whether Firekites’ music is for you or not.  It’s music like theirs that make me miss sitting in the library for hours listening to my ipod, playing my “study mixes”, full of bands like The Books, Boards of Canada, Eluvium, and so on.  Bands that I wouldn’t necessarily get super excited to just pop in while riding in my car, but ones that hold a special place in my musical heart because I spent hours with their music in the background.  Don’t get me wrong though, I sure as heck don’t miss the actual act of studying for hours in the library.  That, my friends, I’m sure of.

But Firekites falls in somewhat of a grey area for me.  It has worked as background music as I sat quietly and read my new book, but I’ve also found myself wanting to play it on my way to work in my car, and being just as happy hearing it “actively” with my full attention.  To me, I think that should make you perk your ears up a bit, because if you’ve read the Perch loyally over the years, rarely does an album work in both ways for me.  So, take note my friends.  This album is a keeper.

Stand-outs include “Last Ships”, “Mirror Miracle”, “Same Suburb, Different Park”, and “Autumn Story”, which has an amazing video you should watch below.  The whole album really works as a whole, but if you have to start at a few songs, start with those.  Otherwise, sit down and listen to the whole thing straight through.  It’s really that good.  Check out the mp3’s below and the video for “Autumn Story”, and let me know what you think in the comments.

(all the links, videos, and tunes after the jump!)

Firekites
The Bowery
Perch Score: 8.799/10

I can’t get the whole album to stream, just 30 second clips, but click here to head over to Imeem and stream the whole album.

Last Ships [mp3]

Autumn Story [mp3]

Autumn Story

Same Suburb, Different Park

Official Site / Myspace

Add to the string pieces Sufjan’s new film, entitled The BQE (Brooklyn-Queens Expressway), and it’s accompanying soundtrack, and we’ve got ourselves a whole slew of new Sufjan related instrumental tracks.  I’m still dying for a new Sufjan album, and when that’ll come out is beyond me, but a friend of the blog sent me this video of an apparently new song called “There’s Too Much Love”, and while it gets a bit weird towards the end, I still enjoyed it quite a bit.  Here’s all the new Sufjan info I’ve gathered as of late and let me know if I missed anything. (all things Sufjan after the jump!)

There’s Too Much Love

Osso
Run Rabbit Run (a string quartet re-imagining of Sufjan’s Enjoy Your Rabbit)
Release date: October 6, 2009
Pre-Order it Here

1. Year of the Ox (arr. Michael Atkinson)
2. Enjoy Your Rabbit (arr. Michael Atkinson) [mp3]

3. Year of the Monkey (arr. Michael Atkinson)
4. Year of the Tiger (arr. Rob Moose)
5. Year of the Dragon (arr. Nico Muhly)
6. Year of the Snake (arr. Olivier Manchon)
7. Year of the Horse (arr. Rob Moose)
8. Year of the Sheep (arr. Maxim Moston)
9. Year of the Rat (arr. Olivier Manchon)
10. Year of the Rooster (arr. Gabriel Kahane)
11. Year of the Dog (arr. Rob Moose)
12. Year of the Boar (arr. Michael Atkinson)
13. Year of Our Lord (arr. Michael Atkinson)
The BQE
a film by Sufjan Stevens
Soundtrack and film released: October 20, 2009
Pre-Order it Here

1. Prelude on the Esplanade (2:56)
2. Introductory Fanfare for the Hooper Heroes (1:07)
3. Movement I—In the Countenance of Kings (5:19)
4. Movement II—Sleeping Invader (4:34)
5. Interlude I—Dream Sequence in Subi Circumnavigation (3:33)
6. Movement III—Linear Tableau with Intersecting Surprise (4:09)
7. Movement IV—Traffic Shock (3:24)
8. Movement V—Self-Organizing Emergent Patterns (3:45)
9. Interlude II—Subi Power Waltz (0:28)
10. Interlude III—Invisible Accidents (0:54)
11. Movement VI—Isorhythmic Night Dance with Interchanges (3:17) [mp3]

12. Movement VII (Finale)—The Emperor of Centrifuge (3:51)
13. Postlude—Critical Mass (2:59)

THE BQE- A Film By Sufjan Stevens from Asthmatic Kitty on Vimeo.

Asthmatic Kitty Official Site / Sufjan Myspace

Expiration Date

Little Things

Beat the Horse

Hail Mary

Single Ladies

Pomplamoose Myspace / Buy their music on Itunes / Youtube Channel

Static Waves [mp3]

First Day of My Life (live) [mp3]

Andrew’s Blog / Myspace

Bowerbirds
Upper Air
Available now on Dead Oceans

Beneath Your Tree [mp3]

Northern Lights [mp3]

Bonus Links:

“They Shoot Bowerbirds Don’t They” Session
Bright Future [video]
Beneath Your Tree [video]
Teeth [video]

Sessions at Studio B with Bowerbirds [video]
Daytrotter Sessions [link w/mp3's]

TOUR DATES:

Official Site / Myspace / Order Upper Air from Dead Oceans

Mad props to new friend of the Perch, Kip, from the blog Digging for Days, for stopping by and indirectly introducing me to Miniature Tigers through his blog.  Tell it to the Volcano is perfect summer music.  Laid back, super poppy, love songs.  I’d say the best comparison would be to Someone Still Loves You Boris Yelstin.  A Perch fave you’ll remember if you’ve been following the blog the past year.

Of course, it’s not quite summer yet and is only just now starting to get nice most places, so their brand of laid back, summer pop may not click with some of you right off the bat.  Much like Kip, this album had to grow on me.  My love for Boris Yeltsin kept me listening to the Tigers’ similar sound, but trying to match the brilliance that is the opener in “Cannibal Queen” is one tough task and had me shrugging my shoulders after my first listen thinking, “hm, that was some good pop music”.  It always helps that I write a blog, because I’m forced to listen to the albums I’m planning on writing about more than I normally would, so that helped their album grow on me faster than normal.  But, there’s no denying how good songs like the title track, “Giraffe”, and “The Wolf” are.

I’ll leave it up to you guys whether Miniature Tigers fit your brand of pop, but give it a few listens and I’m sure it’ll end up being a keeper.

Miniature Tigers
Tell it to the Volcano
Perch Score: 8.265

1. Cannibal Queen [mp3]

2. Like or Like Like
3. Dino Damage
4. Tell It to the Volcano [mp3]

5. Hot Venom
6. Tchaikovshy & Solitude
7. The Wolf
8. Giraffe
9. Annie Oakley
10. Haunted Pyramid
11. Last Night’s Fake Blood

Cannible Queen video

Official Site / Myspace

I haven’t exactly been keeping up my end of the bargain as far as helping out all the little guys out there who’ve been sending me their music, which is something I usually take a lot of pride in.  So, today I’m going to highlight one of those bands.

Nick from Spinning Wheels emailed me a while back and his email got buried unfortunately.  Well, the other day I was sifting through those emails and came across his email for his band Spinning Wheels.  They’re signed to Aviation Records and their album The Great Outdoors is out, or is about to come out soon.  Not sure exactly.  Their sound is kind of similar to early Tim Kinsella projects like American Football, with mellow, calculated melody lines that weave in and out of each other.  I actually hear a lot of similarities to Emperor X, who has that similar vocal sound and DIY style.  That band may be way under most of your radars, but look him up, it’s good stuff.

There’s not much else to say, as I really don’t know much about Spinning Wheels, but I figured I’d give Nick and his band a mention on here since he contacted me and I enjoyed the couple songs he sent me.  Head over to their myspace and shoot him a message if you like their stuff.  I’m sure they’ll more than appreciate it.

Allergy Season [mp3]

Reptile [mp3]

Spinning Wheels Myspace

The guys from Bossasaurus emailed me a few days ago, and I just had to write up a little post on them.  Not only are they super talented dj’s, pumping out tunes the like of DJ Shadow, they’re also goofy as hell.  Just watch the promo video below and you’ll see.  Here’s a link to one of their mixes, which I’ve actually listened to a few times through today and really enjoy.  I’m in a lighthearted mood today, so Bossasaurus’ mix was perfect.  Head to their site to stream a few songs if you’re curious what the mix sounds like.

Bossasaurus Megamix (17minutes)

Mix Tracklist:
1) Wings of Love Remix by Zagar(Big in Hungary)
2) Heavy Tron
3) Guidance
(Future Track with Illogic)
4) Homage
5) Special Deal 4 U
6) Silent World of Dreams(Draft)
7) Meshface
Katy Perry – I Kissed a Girl (Boss Remix)
9) The Wait is Over
10) Isis Eyes
11) Primary Sequence
12) Moonlit Trees

[vimeo 3592508]

Official Site / Myspace / Facebook

Grand Archive’s self-titled Sub Pop offering was released February of this year.  I literally had it sitting in my 2008 folder that long without even coming close to listening to it.  You’d be surprised just how many albums from this year I have sitting unlistened like this one.  I always say I’ll get to them, but honestly, it takes a fluke super bored night like tonight to get me bored enough to think, let’s give one of those album a shot!  What d’ya say?

Well, it’s a good thing I decided to check out Grand Archives seven months too late, because it’s quite the great pop number from a group of guys from Seattle, where pop music is definitely not the norm.  Grand Archives is the project from ex-Band of Horses singer/guitarist Mat Brooke, who left Band of Horses in the middle of Everything All the Time seeing all kinds of success, and he never really looked back as Band of Horses released another album and just got bigger and bigger.  But, listening to his new band’s songs, it’s pretty clear he’s happy with the choice he made.  No one writes upbeat songs like these if they’re feeling down about life.

As I keep listening to this album, it’s becoming clear to me why I never got past that first listen.  It’s one of those “you have to give it a chance” albums that I find nearly impossible to pass on to people, and equally impossible to take seriously when one is offered to me by a friend.  See the Catch-22 there?  This self-titled album easily blends in to the dreamy pop genre among countless other bands, and for that very reason I passed it up initially.  But, it’s undeniable after having it playing for three hours on repeat that the songs grow on you fast.

I either didn’t pay attention around the time Sub Pop released this album, or just ignored the reviews, but I have no idea how well this album was recieved.  I imagine somewhat well considering Brooke had the whole Band of Horses backstory for the Pitchfork crowd to latch onto.  But either way, whatever the reviews ended up being and however well their tour went, it’s all moot to me at this point.  I’m listening to the album now, enjoying the heck out of it, and am simply happier at the moment because of it.  Sometimes finding an album this late after it’s release is better because there’s no hype, no horde of reviews to wade through just to figure out if the writer liked it or not behind their moutains of pointless metaphors, and simply no one talking about it.  I’m probably the only one listening to it out of anyone I know.  And you know what, that’s just fine with me.

Grand Archives
Grand Archives
Perch Score: 7.577