While we love going to shows, we also love putting on headphones or blasting an album on the stereo. Here's a sample of some of the music that we've been enjoying lately.
Tickley Feather - Hors d'Oeuvres - Tickley Feather, the project of Virginia's Annie Sachs, provided one of our favorite sets at CMJ last week. We liked it so much that we picked up this album, her latest LP. One can describe Tickley Feather as "lo-fi," but her compositions go well beyond being noisy for the sake of kitsch, cutesiness or pretension. Her music is weird and off-kilter, and it sounds perfect living in the hazy 4-track recorder atmospheres that she creates. Though the album is loaded with distortion and fuzz of many sorts, Ms. Sachs' pristine voice still meanders its way through the mess she's created, emerging as a something resembling an unvarnished Elizabeth Fraser.
Sleigh Bells - We sadly didn't see any of this duo's CMJ sets last week. It's probably our biggest regret of the music marathon, but we'll be sure to catch them live as soon as possible, and you should to. For now, though, we'll just keep the songs posted on their Myspace page on repeat. Sleigh Bells don't have any official releases that we know of, but the songs we've heard are bursting with energy and hooks. "Crown on the Ground" is a blown-out, floor-shaking call-to-arms. "Ring Ring" is a laid-back jam showcasing singer Alexis Krauss' slippery, sugary vocals. "Beach Girls" screams with swagger and sexiness. "Infinity Guitars" sounds like Karen O and Marnie Stern crashing into each other. Don't take our word, though. Listen to these songs on their Myspace page and look for more from them soon.
Mount Eerie - Wind's Poem - Phil Elverum, the man behind Mount Eerie (and before that Microphones) always has something good up his sleeve. This time that something is a bit louder than his previous efforts, but Wind's Poem maintains Elverum's intimate and insightful perspective. The album dresses up Elverum's rock solid songs with resounding orchestration. The result is an album with awesome depth. There are many rewards to reap as you delve into these tunes. You can catch Mount Eerie at Market Hotel on Halloween (October 31) and at Le Poisson Rouge on November 1.
Tickley Feather's "Trashy Boys":
Sleigh Bells performing "Crown On The Ground" at Le Poisson Rouge:
