Last week I stopped by The Electric Fetus, the best record store in Minneapolis, to pick up a few albums to brighten this polar vortex of a winter we’ve been having here in Minnesota. It’s a testament to this store that they had these CDs in physical form for sale, as these groups are not (yet) blowing up on the radio, but I’ve known about most of them for years now. I was very pleased then, to walk out with these in hand, and haven’t stopped listening to them since.
This is the one group I didn’t know about beforehand. What does their name stand for? Google translate won’t tell me. It seems that each member of the band takes “Campesinos!” as a last name, making them “the Campesinos!” If it does stand for anything, I think it should be “the love of wordplay, puns, and too much rhyming.” These guys from Cardiff seem to have missed the lesson in middle school when one learns that not every poem has to rhyme on every line. It wouldn’t be a problem if it didn’t constantly distract from the great musical compositions of the songs, but often the words seem to have been chosen just to fit a rhyme and end up being cheesy. A favorite pun of mine, however, from “Let it Spill” is “take no solace in coastal breezes cause the keys seem minor without you,” but in contrast I had to look up the lyrics for “Glue Me” because the line “I’ll be gloomy til they glue me in the arms of she who loves me” was bothering me so much. Actually that whole song is too annoying to listen to anymore. It’s a shame that this album, which is a cross between Frightened Rabbit and Deer and the Headlights in sound has such horrible lyrics for most of the album. I bought it on impulse because I love “Avocado, Baby” and the fact that it makes no sense, but while the rest of the album is just as catchy, it makes no sense either. It’s currently on repeat in my car, but I don’t know how long that will last. You’ll either hate it or love it. Rating: 3/5
Royal Canoe – Today We’re Believers
I have nothing, but praise for these bad-ass Canadians. Besides living in the frigid cold of Winnipeg when not touring, these guys have managed to blend several styles of indie flawlessly to create what I consider one of the best releases of this past year. I met them over a year ago in Minneapolis, opening for Savoir Adore and Sun Airway, and they were phenomenal live. It was a big group for the small stage at 7th Street, but each member of this band is important. I don’t know how they do what they do, but there is little like it out there today. Creating a dark edge to indie pop, they use vocal effects that border on disturbing in “Nightcrawlin'” and make the catchy melody truly pop in “Birthday.” Their single “Bathtubs” has been a favorite of mine over the last year, and now “Show Me Your Eyes” joins that list. I could write a full review of this album, but I don’t know if I could do it justice. Rating: 5/5
These west coast kids were discovered by of Montreal, but I was introduced to them by a good friend almost three years ago. Two cousins and a lot of electronic elements have created a shimmery summer album that just got released in the middle of winter (for whatever reason). If you have ever wondered what “west coast” indie sounds like, this album can answer that question. Listening to it, I can feel sunshine and almost hear the waves on the beach. There is a certain carefree element that becomes addicting. Although the album comes dangerously close to sounding all the same at times, each song has a distinct focus, and there is even a slow song on this album which has become my favorite – “Soft Hammer.” If you’re tired of this white snowy mess and deathly cold air, you must listen to this long-awaited LP by Painted Palms all the way through. Rating: 4/5
For more really great music recommendations please visit The Aural Premonition