New Frightened Rabbit out today!

Fitting that my last post was about this band. I'm pumped about this CD release today... hopefully these guys don't let me down. Here's a new one:

Frightened Rabbit - Swim Until You Can't See Land

Frightened Rabbit easily became my favorite band of 2008-09. Midnight Organ Fight was one of the best albums I've heard in a long time, and they are incredible to see live. It's nice to see a band write some decent lyrics, there's been entirely too much in the way of crappy lyrics lately (*cough, Vampire Weekend, cough*).

Needless to say I'm excited for the new album to come out on March 10. I am a little wary of how this album will play out though - they've now received glowing reviews from critics and have been constantly touring to larger and larger crowds. Besides which the last two albums were about break-ups and Scott Hutchinson is apparently over all of that...

I'm worried that they're going to go too poppy, but if they lean towards this kind of pop I'm ok with it:

Passion Pit - "I Got Your Number"

Ok, so I understand that I'm a little behind the curve here. I've been hearing "Sleepyhead" and "The Reeling" for several months and at first I found them irritating. Then they slowly worked themselves into my consciousness. Their album and EP are some of the best I've heard in the last few months.

I would have thought that they would be terrible live, but I learned my lesson about electro bands with Friendly Fires - they're fantastic live!

David Bazan - "Please, Baby, Please"

I became of David Bazan's work back in college, listening to his previous project Pedro the Lion. At that particular time I was hooked on most of the Jade Tree record label bands. I haven't been overly impressed with his solo stuff to date but I came across this song and just can't get it out of my head.

He's currently on tour, playing solo in people's living rooms. Seriously.

Dirty Projectors

I fell in love with this band a few months back and then grew tired of their album quickly. Unfortunately too many of their songs are too repetitive. But there is also some intricate guitar work and melodies that draws me back...

Here is "No Intentions" performed at an in studio performance for Sirius. You have to love the harmonizing female vocals - which says a lot coming from me; I loath harmonizing...

French Kicks

My love of the French Kicks stretches back to my early college days. If you've never heard or seen them they are definitely worth checking out. The Kicks tour maybe once a year and it's usually pretty short so make a point to go see them if they come around.

This video is an "acoustic" (they're still using electric guitars, aren't they?) set featuring "Carried Away" and "Love in the Ruins".

Awesome.

Great Expectations

I want to hate Gaslight Anthem, I really do. At first listen their music seems like what it is - a rip off of Bruce Springsteen, punked up a bit. Then I found this acoustic version of "Great Expectations":
The Gaslight Anthem - Great Expectations (acoustic on AP)

Which led me to give them another chance. Their stuff grows on you - quickly. The more I listen the better they get.

And for the record - The Boss is a bit of a guilty pleasure, so that may bias my opinion here.