Staff Picks – Page 4

Category: Staff Picks

Matt’s Pick: Neon Indian: Era Extrana

Any post-2009 musician you’ve heard described with the word “chill” probably owes a huge debt to Neon Indian. The godfather of the chillwave sub-genre is all about keyboards, acid-soaked sound and reworking what the 80s got right. His newest record Era Extraña pulls a little closer to the synth of the 80s than the guitar […]

Matt’s Pick: St Vincent’s Strange Mercy

St Vincent’s new album Strange Mercy makes me feel like a big sucker. In part I fell for it because I’m a sucker for quirky pop songs, witty lyrics and colored vinyl. Mostly, though, I fell for it because I’m a sucker for St Vincent. Not in a “man, that girl is cute” way, but […]

Matt G’s Pick: Grails – Deep Politics

Grails have been flying under the radar for years now making interesting, progressive, inventive rock records, and with the release of Deep Politics they are finally ready to enter the higher ranks of the post-rock elite. The variety of the tracks both dynamically and instrumentally keeps things shifting from one track to the next; the […]

Matt’s Pick: Portugal. The Man’s In the Mountain In the Cloud

Out this week is one of my favorite records of 2011, Portugal. The Man’s In the Mountain In the Cloud. PTM have long been blenders of psychedelic rock instrumentals with classic 60s/70s pop vocals, but on this record they take it to a more tightened realm. There’s light, soaring tracks (“We Got It All”), deep, […]

Mike’s Pick: Dark Castle

The now bi-coastal duo of Stevie Floyd and Rob Shaffer, known to the world as Dark Castle, have returned with what is inarguably the best material they have ever conceived. As a huge fan of their first album, Spirited Migration and their self-released EP, Flight of the Pegasus, I can safely say that Surrender to […]

Matt’s Pick: Rave On Buddy Holly

The new Buddy Holly tribute album Rave On Buddy Holly has a dream lineup; the Black Keys, John Doe, My Morning Jacket and tons more acts check in with covers. But what’s even more impressive is that each of these bands bring their absolute A-Game to the compilation. I think we all remember a covers […]