Mac Review Cast

Artist: Summer Cats
Title: Songs for Tuesdays
Label: Slumberland
Recommended tracks: 5, 1, 9, 13, 4,7
Yay or Nay: YAY!
Review: In case you haven’t notice, C86 jangle pop that is more about energy than playing perfect notes (or playing in perfect time) is back and more popular than ever. Okay, maybe it isn’t super popular among the masses but it is certainly a style of music more bands than ever are playing and lucky for the label Slumberland, it is their singnature. Upbeat, playful, and charming in a crooked smile sort of way, the Australian band Summer Cats are the Go-Betweens for the next generation.

Artist: Matt the Band
Title: Don’t Worry
Label: Slanty Shanty Records
Yay or Nay : Yayish
Recommended tracks: 2, 3, 5
Review: I never thought I would hear a record and have the opportunity to say this record is clearly influenced by Atom and his Package but ALAS that day has come. No longer a one man band, Kevin has been joined by his lady who comes baring synths. Their sound is something like Andrew W K if he wrote music for the Care Bears with the Go-Team. Move over Mates of State, this couple who rocks together also bakes cupcakes for their shows. Yummy tummy tickling goodness.

Artist: Clark
Title: Totems Flare
Label: Warp
RIYL Caribou, Ninja Tune, Warp Records Electronica
Recommended tracks: 2, 3, 9
Yay or Nay : YAY!
Review: Clark knows how to mix chunky analog synthesizer sounds with complicate beats and kooky timing. He goes from glitch hop to heavyweight house to delicate dance in a wink. If you have been as bored as I have been by electro crossover artists as of late, this is a much listen to. The only time your ears will be bored is when they are waiting for the next track to kick in.

Artist: God Help The Girl
Title: s/t
Label: Matador
Recommended tracks: 2, 10,12, 13
Yay or Nay: Nay
Review: The problem with epic stories told on a record about teen life is these tales are brought to life by people who are way past their teens, What could be less cool and off the mark than grown ups playing 60’s inspired pop tunes with a 45 member orchestra trying to talk the talk of youth using very adult voices (with the exception of a girl from Smoosh). It doesn’t work BUT when it is done by Belle & Sebastian leader Stuart Murdoch, you will have people who will give this modern day musical minus the performance on a stage major props. Sorry, I find this record 100% squaresville.

Artist: Silk Flowers
Title: s/t
Label: PPM
Recommended tracks: 4, 1, 10
Yay or Nay : Nay
Review: And you thought Interpol liked Joy Division. This Brookyln trio takes that upside down smile sound to a whole new electro level. Somewhere members of Suicide are hoping they get a royalty check from these kids. Its hard to write a review when I am doing the robot and trying to look at miserable as possible. I am tempted to file this under comedy just cause I am a jerk like that.

Artist: Cass McCombs
Title: Catacombs
Label: Domino
Recommended tracks: 3, 2, 5, 8
Yay or Nay : Ya(wn)
Review: What makes this American label proclaimed “troubadour” so special? Well he is on a hip well respected label and has opened up for Modest Mouse as well as the Walkmen which is code for I can’t tell you what makes this man’s music terribly special and unique. A touch of Paul Simon, Sufjan, Red House Painters, Gravenhurst, I wouldn’t call Cass a musical leader of the pack but that doesn’t make his music bad, either, it mostly just makes him run of mill decent or great for rainy days and early AM.

Artist: Tiny Vipers
Title: Life on Earth
Label: Sub Pop
Recommended tracks: 3, 7
Yay or Nay: Nay
Review: A female Bill Callahan AKA Smog, and great for those of you who are turned off by the vocal styling of Karen Dalton or Cat Power. There is less smoky drama to her voice but she is no less haunting and still heavy with sadness. Warning : this record if listened to during one sitting will make you sleepy and yes this is a polite way of telling you that for some this spells boring times ten.

Artist: The Most Serene Republic
Title:And the ever expanding
Label: Arts and Crafts
Recommended tracks: 1, 2, 4, 8, 11
Yay or Nay: Yayish
Review: There aren’t many labels I can do this with but I am pretty certain if you blindfolded me and played me a bunch of new indie rock – all the ones with charming handclapping massive sounding pop songs are probably all on Arts & Crafts. This label really has corned the market on this good clean fun boy/girl rock. Broken Social Scene, Stars, Los Campesinos…TMSR is a perfect fit to the label’s now trademark sound. I still haven’t liked anything as much as their debut but like always there are a few keepers to be had and track 8 sounds like Shellyan Orphan for you old school alt rockers.

Artist: Magic Magic
Title: s/t
Label : self released
Recommended tracks: 1,2, 5,6
Yay or NAY: YAY!
Review: I am not gonna lie, I thought there was a girl in this band but alas, just a gent with some an incredible set of lungs on him. Imagine an Arts and Crafts band pop sensibility with just enough ooomf to excite BBC radio. One more note. I have played 10 CDs today at the record store and this is the only one a customer has asked to know more about. I am picturing them on a mix with Broken Social Scene, Flaming Lips, Camera Obscura and Radiohead. Magic Magic is a band an 09 band to watch and a must listen.

Artist: UUVVWWZ
Title: s/t
Label: Saddle Creek
Recommended tracks: 1,3,5,9
Yay or Nay: Nay
Review: The band's name is a DJS worst nightmare only because their band name is tough on the mouth. Pronounced double – yoo – double you vee – double double yoo zee. Now that we have that behind us I can tell you they sound like next generation nowave which means a less exotic Blonde Redhead or a less headache inducing Marnie Stern / Deerhoof.