"SAX ROHMER #1"
Heretic Pride
The Mountain Goats
The Mountain Goats continues its successful tradition of off-key vocals and simple pop riffs. On "Sax Rohmer #1," the singer-songwriter behind the Goats, John Darnielle, bleats out an upbeat tune about a wayward traveler on his way home. Though just about everything in "Sax" is uncomplicated, it is the epitome of the Goats' style and a welcome first look at the group's forthcoming album, Heretic Pride.
"I'M LEAVING YOU BECAUSE I DON'T LOVE YOU"
Jens Lekman
OK, everything we knew about honesty was obviously
wrong. Jens Lekman apologizes for being "this brutally honest," to the poor
soul he's dumped. And he should apologize. This kind of breakup song makes the
perfect soundtrack to a night of knife sharpening and wrist slitting. Whatever
happened to "it's not you, it's me"? Let's bring back the bullshit; it may be
cliché, but this is just too much. The beat is quite catchy, though.
"A&E"
Seventh Tree
Goldfrapp
Forget the sweat-soaked nights spent grinding on
club-going hotties. The Goldfrapp of "Ooh La La La" and "White Horse"-the one
that dripped with sex-has been replaced by a tender show of emotion. But once
listeners get used to the new sound, this softer Goldfrapp shines. Singer
Allison Goldfrapp's voice dances over complex and subtle electronic keyboards.
While "A&E" may not be right for the heat of the rave, it's the perfect
tune for driving home on a sun-drenched morning after.
"AMES ROOM"
Ames Room
Silje Nes
A strange little
lullaby by Norwegian Silje Nes, "Ames Room" has the quirky little background
sounds of CocoRosie mixed with ambient qualities stolen straight from Sigur
Rós. The song skips through a dreamlike state that makes listeners never want
to wake up.
