With the first frosts of the year just around the corner which of October’s biggest independent releases are real winter warmers and which will leave you out in the cold.
Sufjan Stevens The Age Of Adz (Asthmatic Kitty)
Reviewing any release by baroque-popster Sufjan Stevens is no mean feat, his records are complex, bedazzling works full of minuscule moments of genius you won’t discover until the umpteenth listen. ‘The Age of Adz’ is no different; bleeping synth symphonies, delicate interludes of folk beauty and blissful guitar freakouts all intertwine into an epic indie rock opera. This is an album that definitely warrants its infinite replay value.
oOoOO oOoOO EP (Tri-Angle)
When he’s not spending his time creating totally un-googleable pseudonyms, San Francisco’s oOoOO is bringing to life moody, evocative soundscapes in the dark electronic terrain of witch house. oOoOO recalls everything from 80s 4AD dream pop to the ambient electronica of Darkstar. For all the buzz around oOoOO, this is a genuinely affecting and haunting listen.
PS I Love You Meet Me At The Muster Station (Paper Bag)
Canadian fuzz merchants PS I Love You return with their debut full-length for Paper Bag Records. ‘Meet Me At The Muster Station’ sees the duo smashing together Dinosaur Jr. style trashiness with cathartic vocal exercises that would leave the Pixies’ Black Francis hoarse. Single ‘2012’ is a jaw-dropping indie rock singalong to rival the heyday of their aforementioned influences.
Breathe Owl Breathe Magic Central (Hometapes)
Recorded in guitarist Micah’s log cabin in rural Michigan, Breathe Owl Breathe’s ‘Magic Central’ is exactly what you’d expect: a collection of lovingly-crafted, intimate, indie folk songs. Armed with an arsenal of weird and wonderful instruments to rival even The Arcade Fire, tracks such as ‘Across The Loch’ are weaved with rustic beauty. It’s just a shame that compared to the band’s previous EPs, things drag on a bit across a whole full-length release.
Liars Proud Evolution EP (Mute)
Taken from their critically lauded 2010 release ‘Sisterworld’, ‘Proud Evolution’ sees Liars unleash a slow-burning krautrock jam to devastating effect. The rest of the EP is a mixed bag however, a Thom Yorke remix of the title track drains away the original’s impact whilst three exclusive b-sides offer something for the die-hard fans, just not for the rest of us.
Broken Records Let Me Come Home (4AD)
Orchestral indie rock full of theatrics certainly seems to be in vogue at the moment. Just look at the chart success of The Arcade Fire, Mumford & Sons and Fanfarlo for proof. Edinburgh’s Broken Records’ sound could easily be classed within this bracket; it’s all rolling, rollicking rhythms, bluegrass instrumentation and shout-along choruses, the only box it doesn’t tick is originality. The stomping beat of ‘A Darkness Rises Up’ is Arcade Fire through-and-through whilst the arcane beauty of the chorus to ‘The Motorcycle Boy Reigns’ hooks you from the first listen. It seems safe to say that the songwriting quality is there, the innovation just isn’t!
Darkstar North (Hyperdub)
Following a slew of singles on Hyperdub, one of the most forward-thinking labels in the dubstep scene, Darkstar’s debut album ‘North’ comes across rather disappointingly. Gone is the sense of urban isolation and paranoia so well portrayed on previous releases such as ‘Dead 2 Me’. In its place is 40 minutes of synth-led minimal techno, a cover of The Human League’s ‘Gold’ and a heavy debt to Kraftwerk, 30 years too late on that bandwagon then!
Starfucker Julius EP (Polyvinyl)
Danceable indie darlings and recent Polyvinyl signings Starfucker have been doing pretty well for themselves recently. The Portland-based quartet have been selling out shows all over the US on the strength of their hook-laden indie pop. ‘Julius’, the first single from their as-of-yet untitled sophomore release, is a slice of inoffensive, bland synth-pop. For a band that places so much importance on catchiness, is this really good enough?
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