Wye Oak "No Horizon (Merge)"
From Merge Records:
No Horizon, the new EP from Wye Oak, is the latest offering and sound of a project plumbing the depths of an “evolve or die” ethos. For multi-instrumentalists Jenn Wasner and Andy Stack, there is no fear of the unknown, no preciousness about rigidity, no hard definition of what Wye Oak is.
The resulting EP is beautiful and strange: distinctly and recognizably Wye Oak, while simultaneously unlike any other of the band’s studio work. Eerie and dreamy, a complicated, unpredictable amalgamation of thoughtful lyrics, steely glints of synths and effects, lithe guitar lines, and the depth of Wasner’s voice, it all unfurls with the ease of any Wye Oak song, built out by the Brooklyn Youth Chorus’ presence, their tangle of crystalline voices presenting like an orchestral arrangement.
The Coronas "True Love Waits"
The Irish band’s album creates new perspective while resonating with the themes of the times.
jordana "Something To Say (Grand Jury)"
From Grand Jury Music:
For 19-year-old Jordana Nye, kaleidoscopic bedroom pop songs aren’t merely outlets for observations, but ways to endure and embrace turbulence.
Following the re-release of her debut album Classical Notions of Happiness, Something To Say is a testament to the diversity of sounds that Jordana brings to her music.
Flower "None Is (But Once Was) (Ernest Jenning Record Co.)"
From Ernest Jenning Record Co.:
1986. New York City. Trash cans ablaze in vacant lots. Wheels stolen, cars on blocks. A new noise was rising amid the rubble of abandoned buildings; this was the beginning, and Flower would take root and thrive here. Over their three years of initial outburst, Flower recorded two albums; the first, Concrete, dark and raging, pounding and brutal. The following year brought Hologram Sky; a glimpse of redemption, the promise of Spring on a bitter March wind, melodic and noisy, precise and chaotic, icy and warm. Their live shows walked the third rail, one step from catastrophe, one step from Valhalla, pushing density, rhapsody and bombast to their limits. Flower were young and foolish, naively insightful and blissfully ignorant, unaware of the power with which they toyed.
Naturally, they self-destructed.
The survivors, most notably Ed and Richard Baluyut, went on to form the indie icons Versus. Ian James managed to crawl away unscathed, only to end up in Geffen flame-out Cell, but later would reunite with drummer Andrew Bordwin to form French. This was to be the lay of the land for the next three decades until…
Flower returned.
Having always remained close, while Ian was recording the most recent Versus releases, discussion turned to seeing what would happen if all four original Flower members locked themselves in the studio until an album had been written. So it was agreed, and so it was done. None knew what to expect – would they kill each other? Worse, would the music be lame? The road took many detours, but the goal was finally realized: the first Flower album in 30 years.