Madrugada - The Nightly Disease (2001)

Somewhere between Folk and Psychedelic Rock Norwegian band "Madrugada" found its niche. On their second album lyrics and music are revolving around rather grim topics, mostly darkness, death and depression; resulting in dense, atmospheric compositions which are carried away by vocalist Sivert Hoyem's haunting croon. The flexibility of Hoyem's voice is simply stunning, ranging from Jim Morrison howls to Iggy Pop snot, eventually channelling Morrissey. Sad, beautiful, mesmerizing...this is melancholy taken to an art form.

1.) Black Mambo

2.) Step Into This Room And Dance For Me

3.) Nightly Disease, Pt.2

4.) Lucy One

5.) Hands Up - I Love You!

6.) A Deadend Mind

7.) The Frontman

8.) We Are Go

9.) Into Heartbeats

10.) Sister

11.) Two Black Bones

12.) Only When You're Gone

The Good, The Bad & The Queen (2005)

"The Good, The Bad & The Queen" is the debut record by the British supergroup of the same name. Formed by "Blur" singer Damon Albarn in early 2005, the lineup consists of such legends as "The Clash" bass player Paul Simonon, "Fela Kuti"'s drummer Tony Allen, "The Verve" guitarist Simon Tong and "Gorillaz"/"Gnarls Barkley" producer Danger Mouse. Living up to the hype their music clearly exceeds the sum of its parts, with Danger Mouse's trippy production adding further edge to Albarn's gloomy Britrock. Where other "supergroup" recordings often lack consisteny and direction, TGTBATQ manage to keep it simple and effective, delivering minimalist, melancholic pearls.

1.) History Song

2.) 80's Life

3.) Northern Whale

4.) Kingdom of Doom

5.) Herculean

6.) Behind the Sun

7.) The Bunting Song

8.) Nature Springs

9.) A Soldier's Tale

10.) Three Changes

11.) Green Fields

12.) The Good, The Bad & The Queen

Tom Vek - Leisure Seizure (2011)

Coming from a family of musicians, East London-centered artist Tom Vek started his musical journey playing drums and bass in his parents garage. On his 14th birthday his father gave him his first tape recorder, the rest is history. Vek became increasingly interested in the recording process and began to experiment with sounds as well as equipment -especially electronica-, teaching himself a wide range of production techniques. Therefore his music is best described as a homogenic fusion of classic rock instrumentation and effects/programming coined by his laconic, almost spoken-word like vocals. Even though most of "Leisure Seizure" was created with Cubase and Pro Tools, Vek's garage rock roots clearly shine through the production, giving the songs a raw, authentic edge.

1.) Hold Your Hand

2.) Aroused

3.) A Chore

4.) We Do Nothing

5.) World of Doubt

6.) Seizemic

7.) A.P.O.L.O.G.Y.

8.) Someone Loves You

9.) Close Mic'ed

10.) On A Plate

11.) You Need To Work Your Heart Out

12.) Too Bad

                                          

Radiohead - In Rainbows Special Edition + Bonus Disc (2007)

 

After a mediocre live album and the rather weak "Hail To The Thief", Radiohead came back with a blast in 2007. "In Rainbows"  is their most songwriting-oriented album since "The Bends" and makes less use of electronic gimmicks than its predecessors, resulting in a very warm and organic sound. Radiohead's main achievement on "In Rainbows" is consistency; where some of their recent efforts lack substance or sound lost, there is great cohesion in these songs. Altogether this might be the most underrated Radiohead album, featuring some great b-sides on the bonus disc, most of all the mindblowing  Down Is the New Up.

1.) 15 Step

2.) Body Snatchers

3.) Nude

4.) Weird Fishes/Arpeggi

5.) All I Need

6.) Faust Arp

7.) Reckoner

8.) House of Cards

9.) Jigsaw Falling Into Place

10.) Videotape

+  8 Bonus Tracks on Disc 2

                                                                                                                                 

Pavement - Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain (1994)

Even though they were among  the leaders of the early 90's Lo-Fi movement, Pavement never actually made it past underground status. Too absurd the lyrics and too chaotic the arrangements, they remain a secret tip within the indie scene, their albums being considered modern classics by fans and critics. Stephen Malkmus, songwriter and ingenious mastermind behind Pavement, successfully copes with the balancing act of breaking with most traditional songwriting conventions and, at the same creating breathtaking caricatures of pop songs, as beyond the fuzzy guitars and lakonic vocals, beautiful Beach Boys melodies unfold.

1.) Silence Kit

2.) Elevate Me Later

3.) Stop Breathing

4.) Cuty Your Hair

5.) Newark Wilder

6.) Unfair

7.) Gold Sounds

8.) 5-4=Unity

9.) Range Life

10.) Heaven's a Truck

11.) Hit the Plane Down

12.) Fillmore Five  

Art Brut - Bang Bang Rock & Roll (2005)

Every now and then, a rock and roll band comes along, which not only reinvents the whole genre, but turns it upside down. So did Art Brut, on Bang Bang Rock & Roll.  They caricature and corrupt all rock conventions of the past 40 years, yet ironically manage to deliver music that's still gonna kick you in your whore ass! Hilarious lyrics ("I wanna be the man who writes the song, that makes Israel and Palestine get along"), unexpected songwriting and riffs that sound like shooting yourself in the face with a sawed-off shotgun make the British quartet's debut album  the most enyojable rock record of the past decade. 

1.) Formed a Band

2.) My Little Brother

3.) Emily Kane

4.) Rusted Guns of Milan

5.) Modern Art

6.) Good Weekend

7.) Bang Bang Rock & Roll

8.) Fight!

9.) Moving to L.A.

10.) Bad Weekend

11.) Stand Down

12.) 18,000 Lira

Death From Above 1979 - You're A Woman, I'm A Machine (2004) + Remixes

The most impressive thing about Toronto-based Death From Above is that the band only consists of two people. The sheer fury of Sebastian Grainger's  napalm drum beats in combination with  Jesse Keeler's  fuzzy, heavily distorted razorblade basslines sounds like a whole army rocking out. This album fuses punk and dance music to 100% pure in-your-face badassery. 

One year after You're A Woman I'm A Machine DFA released a similarly impressive album with Romance Bloody Romance which features 13 remixes  by a variety of very distinct artists, including Queens of the Stone-Age's Josh Homme and EdBanger poster-child Justice.

Portugal. The Man - Waiter: "You Vultures!" (2006)

Founded in the small town of Wasilla, Alaska in the early 00's, Portugal The Man soon became an insider's tip among indie folks. Their music is characterized by exploring unconventional song structures as well as Gourley Carothers very unique singing voice. The 2006 debut Waiter: "You Vultures!" - their most experimental record - has been described by critics as "the closest thing to At the Drive-in recording a pop album". 

1.) How the Leopard Got its Spots

2.) Gold Fronts

3.) Tables & Chairs

4.) AKA M80 The Wolf

5.) Marching With 6

6.) Elephants

7.) Waiter

8.) Chicago

9.) Bad, Bad Levi Brown

10.) Kill Me. The King

11.) Tommy

12.) Horse Warming Party

13.) Guns. Guns...Guns