Ear on TV: Week of 05.31.10: The Mountain Goats

As you've no doubt guessed by not receiving any mail today, it's a holiday week, so the talkies are in repeat mode. So we're venturing up the dial for this week's focus. First up: IFC's Dinner with the Band.

This week's guests are The Mountain Goats, who's latest release has them interpreting bible verses. But wait, don't go! The songs are equally moving, beautiful and dark and resemble nothing in all of Christian music (whew!). But best of all for DWTB: the members of the band are incredibly witty. Chef Sam Mason can seem a little dry when there's no one to bounce off of, and between singer/songwriter John Darnielle and (especially) drummer Jon Wurster, this should be a very fun episode. Besides being a world class drummer, Wurster is one half of the radio comedy team Scharpling & Wurster, but I don't think I've seen him on television doing anything but drumming, so watch out for that.

Elsewhere, Vampire Weekend get a lesson in truthiness as they visit The Colbert Report. Looking back, it's interesting to see how Colbert's lampooning of right-wing talk transformed itself to also became a showcase for music. Pretending to take actors, politicians and authors to task is one thing, but doing it to musicians has proven to be trickier. It will be interesting to see if Colbert chooses to seize upon the propped up class issues that have dogged Vampire Weekend since their beginnings. Nothing says elitist like a Columbia University diploma, right Colbert?

Playlist: Picks for the week
Monday, May 31
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Slayer (REPEAT)
CBS: Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: Willie Nelson (REPEAT)
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: The Raveonettes (REPEAT)
OVATION: The Search for Robert Johnson: Robert Johnson
OVATION: Elvis '56: Elvis Presley
VH1: Bret Michaels: Live as I Know It: Bret Michaels
Tuesday, June 1
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Stone Temple Pilots (REPEAT)
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Band of Horses (REPEAT)
CBS: Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: Willie Nelson (REPEAT)
DOCUMENTARY: Amy Cook: The Spaces in Between: Amy Cook
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Reflection Eternal (Talib Kweli, DJ Hi-Tek)
IFC: Dinner With the Band: The Mountain Goats
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Natalie Merchant (REPEAT)
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: The Airborne Toxic Event (REPEAT)
OVATION: Lou Reed: Live at Montreux: Lou Reed
OVATION: Jimi Hendrix: American Landing: Jimi Hendrix
Wednesday, June 2
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Damian Marley and Nas
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Black Lips (REPEAT)
OVATION: Johnny Cash: Half Mile A Day: Johnny Cash
Thursday, June 3
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Miike Snow
COMEDY CENTRAL: The Colbert Report: Vampire Weekend
DOCUMENTARY: Born 2 oogie: T-Rex: T-Rex
DOCUMENTARY: Bob Marley: Prophecies and Messages: Bob Marley
FUEL: The Daily Habit: The Henry Clay People
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Snoop Dogg (REPEAT)
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Phish (REPEAT)
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Keane (REPEAT)
OVATION: Last 48 Hours of Kurt Cobain: Nirvana
TBS: Lopez Tonight: Peter Frampton
Friday, June 4
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Deftones
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings (REPEAT)
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Damian Marley and Nas (REPEAT)
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Doves (REPEAT)
SUNDANCE: Live From Abbey Road: Fleet Foxes, P.J Harvey & John Parish (REPEAT)
VH1: NWA: Dangerous Group: NWA, Ice Cube, Dr Dre, Eazy-E
Saturday, June 5
PBS: Austin City Limits:
Sunday, June 6
HBO: Treme: Various artists from New Orleans

Chuck vs The Honeymooners: Handcuffed No More

One of the main complaints against Chuck has been that so much effort has been put into keeping Chuck and Sarah apart, which wouldn't be such a problem if they'd found a way to do it organically. But instead we get characters and scenarios that are constructs with the obvious purpose of keeping our heroes apart.

This season the series was handcuffed by Shaw (Brandon Routh), an obvious obstacle that we never really got to know at all before he flipped. Now that Shaw is gone and there are no more obstacles placed in front of the pair, the series feels suddenly lighter. In an ironic twist, Chuck and Sarah had to work together in actual handcuffs, making it a tool that keeps them together, for once, instead as an obstacle to keep them apart.

Playlist: Chuck - Episode 3.14
1. "Holiday" - Vampire Weekend
2. "Four by Four" - Shout Out Louds
3. "Leaving on a Jet Plane" - Jeffster unplugged
4. "Light & Day" - The Polyphonic Spree
5. "Feeling Good" - Nina Simone

Previously: Chuck vs the Other Guy (episode 3.13)

Ear on TV: Week of 03.02.20: Vampire Weekend on SNL

Now that the Winter Olympics are in the past for NBC, the late night lineup is back in nearly full strength. One Coco casualty notwithstanding, I for one am glad to have the talk shows back from break, along with some new SNL (that doesn't feature J-Lo), and this weekend Vampire Weekend returns to 30 Rockefeller Plaza with a number one album under their designer belt.

I've already profiled the Columbia grads twice in the past two months, but having seen their mind-bending recently released video for "Giving up the Gun," we might as well go to that well again. Featuring funny cameos from Jake Gyllenhaal, Joe Jonas, Lil' Jon and the Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA, their hasn't been a video with this many celebs since Jamie Foxx's ridiculous video for "Blame It," which appropriately enough also featured Jake Gyllenhaal. Fitting in with Vampire Weekend's Ivy league sensibilities, the video centers around a tennis tournament that looks like it was staged inside an Apple Store. RZA officiates, Lil' Jon coaches and Gyllenhaal hams it up playing with a fifth of whiskey in hand. Verdict: advantage Vampire Weekend.



Meanwhile, Jay Leno is back in his old familiar Tonight Show slot. Putting aside the fact that I don't find the chin very funny at all, I'm mourning the loss of music discovery that Conan (and Max Weinberg) at least tried to bring to the show. To wit, the best this week has to offer is overexposed artists Adam Lambert and Avril Lavigne (yawn). Music director (and laugh-at-anything) Kevin Eubanks has a foot out the door (staying on briefly for the re-launch, then moving out of the spotlight), so maybe they'll bring on someone to better for the job. But this is NBC, so consider expectations adjusted.

Elsewhere, Spoon makes it back to Letterman just ahead of their annual SXSW visit, and The Partridge Family is reuniting on the Today Show as part of the morning show's week long TV family reunions. While they're likely not performing (not a real band, only David Cassidy and Shirley Jones contributed to recordings), it's worth mentioning if only to point you to the Detroit-based "Soul Club" episode featuring Richard Pryor and Louis Gossett, Jr.

LATE ADDITION: Joanna Newsom was added to Friday night for Jimmy Fallon.

Playlist: Picks for the week
Monday, March 1
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Josh Turner
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Ludacris
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Daniel Merriweather
SYNDICATION: The Ellen Degeneres Show: Daniel Merriweather
Tuesday, March 2
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Jonny Lang
NBC: The Today Show: The Partridge Family
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Len: Adam Lambert
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Ludacris
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Phoenix
Wednesday, March 3
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Jet
FOX: Lopez Tonight: T-Pain
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Len: Avril Lavigne
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Erykah Badu
SUNDANCE: Spectacle: Elvis Costello With...: Elvis Costello, John Prine, Ray Lamontagne, Lyle Lovett (REPEAT)
Thursday, March 4
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Galactic
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Spoon
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Silversun Pickups
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Fanfarlo
Friday, March 5
CBS: Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: Regina Spektor
FUEL: The Daily Habit: The Soundtrack of Our Lives
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Joanna Newsom
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Arctic Monkeys
Saturday, March 6
NBC: Saturday Night Live: Vampire Weekend

Sasquatch 2010 Lineup Revealed!

Tonight at the Crocodile, Sasquatch celebrated a launch party with Surfer Blood, Atlas Sound and Fresh Espresso, but the real attraction was Sasquatch's 2010 lineup.

We has assumed that a reunited Pavement was one of the headliners, but that turned out to be a red herring, and the three Sasquatch ended up with were on hardly anyone's radar. Massive Attack, My Morning Jacket and Ween. Playing armchair festival runner for a second, besides Pavement, Vampire Weekend, MGMT, or even Public Enemy might have been better choices instead of Massive Attack or Ween, but I never usually worry who's on the main stage at the end of the night... the second stage is where I always end up.

Here's the deets, UPDATED! with day-by-day tentative scheduling:

Saturday, May 29th
My Morning Jacket / Vampire Weekend / The National / Deadmau5 / Broken Social Scene / OK Go / Wale / Public Enemy / The Hold Steady / Miike Snow / Z-Trip / Brother Ali / Minus The Bear / WHY? / The Very Best / Portugal. The Man / Mumford & Sons / The Lonely Forest / Nurses / The Middle East / Patrick Watson / Laura Marling / Morning Teleportation / Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros / Fool's Gold / Garfunkel & Oates / Dam-Funk

Sunday, May 30th
Massive Attack / Pavement / LCD Soundsystem / Tegan and Sara / Kid Cudi / Nada Surf / Dirty Projectors / The xx / The Long Winters / Simian Mobile Disco / Midlake / Girls / Vetiver / The Tallest Man On Earth / YACHT / Booka Shade / Caribou / Avi Buffalo / City and Colour / Cymbals Eat Guitars / A-Trak / Fruit Bats / tUnE-yArDs / Local Natives / Freelance Whales / Jets Overhead / Rob Riggle / Luke Burbank

Monday, May 31st
Ween / MGMT / Band of Horses / She & Him / Passion Pit / The New Pornographers / Drive-By Truckers / Boys Noize / Camera Obscura / The Temper Trap / Dr. Dog / Neon Indian / No Age / The Mountain Goats / Phantogram / Quasi / Japandroids / Mayer Hawthorne & The County / The Low Anthem / Fresh Espresso / Hudson Mohawke / Telekinesis / Past Lives / Yes Giantess / Craig Robinson

Now Downloading: New Releases 01.12.10

It's first substantial week of new releases, thanks to Vampire Weekend's sophomore release, along with new releases from Owen Pallett/Final Fantasy, Laura Veirs, Freedy Johnston, OK Go, Jason Boesel and Ringo Starr and the tremendous score to the movie The Road by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis.

Playlist: New Releases 01.12.10

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Vampire Weekend - Contra
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

I get the impression that there's kind of two camps for Vampire Weekend fans... those who enjoy the music, and those who secretly enjoy but claim not to like them because either VW misappropriates African music or have something against their Ivy League background. To that I say phooey. If you didn't like Vampire Weekend (or, rather, secretly liked it but show public disdain for the aforementioned reasons), Contra probably won't change your mind, as they're still employing African Soweto style (and have yet to renounce their Columbia University background). But for existing fans, there's the perfect amount of added weirdness that's artful and yet palatable. Take the opener, "Horchaata," which has a wordless and tribal chorus that's akin to something Animal Collective would do. It's the perfect opener, announcing both that they're still VW, yet willing to take some risks. Meanwhile, the final two songs are all about risk... that and The Clash. "Diplomat's Son," I assume, refers to Joe Strummer (who was the son of a diplomat) and it samples M.I.A., making a meta-reference thanks to the Clash-sampled "Paper Airplanes." And the last song, "I Think Ur a Contra," bubbles and floats us to the finish line, sounding nothing at all like anything on their debut. The journey there is worth the ticket.

AOL Album Stream
Download: "Horchata" [mp3]

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Owen Pallett - Heartland
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

Ok, here's the deal as I understand it. Owen Pallett is giving up the name Final Fantasy after this release -- he wanted a clean break, but his decision came too late and it was cost prohibitive to do it. However, it takes little time to make the change digitally, so if you're downloading, it's Owen Pallett. Physical release = Final Fantasy. MP3 = Owen Pallett. Got it?

MySpace Album Stream

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More on the radar (and in the mp3 player) this week:
Laura Veirs - July Flame
Freedy Johnston - Rain on the City / Free AOL album stream
Nick Cave and Warren Ellis - The Road - Original Film Score
OK Go - Of the Blue Colour of the Sky / Free AOL album stream
Ringo Starr - Y Not
Jason Boesel - Hustler's Son / Free AOL album stream / "Hand of God" [mp3]
T-Model Ford - The Ladies Man
Polysics - Absolute Polysics
The Gilded Palace Sin - You Break Our Hearts, We'll Tear Yours Out
Ray Wylie Hubbard - A: Enlightenment B: Endarkenment (Hint: There Is No C)
REISSUES
Ween - The Pod
Elvis Costello - Live at Hollywood High

tags: music, album review, vampire weekend, final fantasy, indie rock, new releases, rhapsody

Ear on TV: Week of 01.11.10: Ringo Starr

For the longest time, we've all thought Ringo Starr was quite possibly the luckiest guy in all of rock and roll. (That is until we all tried playing drums on Beatles Rock Band.) Since the end of the Beatles back in '72, Starr's been content to put out the occasional album and even had a few hits ("Photograph" anybody?) but now with the resurgence of his old band through the 13 remastered albums and a certain video game, the famed drummer is striking while the irons are still hot with a new album.

Released this week, Y Not might be as close to a Beatles reunion as we're going to get right now, with Paul McCartney singing backup on "Walk With You," (written with Van Dyke Parks) and playing bass on another track ("Peace Dream"). The album also features guest appearances from Ben Harper and Joss Stone along with some other famous(ly forgotten) friends like Joe Walsh (Eagles), Dave Stewart (Eurthymics), Edgar Winter, Richard Marx and Gary "Dreamweaver" Wright. Ringo plays several times this week to promote the album, most notably on The Late Show with Jimmy Fallon on Tuesday and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart on Wednesday (with Ben Harper's band backing him).

Meanwhile, when UK's Supergrass had to deal with a long layoff due to a back injury to bassist Mick Quinn, the remaining members (singer/guitarist Gaz Coombes and drummer Danny Goffey) decided to play some gigs as a duo, and thus Hot Rats was born. Their debut release Turn Ons (out this week), is an inspired collection of covers, in the spirit of David Bowie's classic album of covers, Pin Ups (1973). Some of Supergrass' obvious influences are represented here, like The Kinks ("Big Sky"), Bowie ("Queen Bitch") and Squeeze ("Up the Junction"), but also contains some surprises like Beastie Boys' "(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right to Party."
Hot Rats will playing (likely "Damaged Goods" from Gang of Four) on Letterman Wednesday night and Fallon on Friday.

Finally, our featured performer from last week's calendar, Vampire Weekend, is on pretty much every night this week, to promote the release of their sophomore album Contra. FUEL TV's The Daily Habit has VP as their house band for the week, while the band also plays The Tonight Show (aka, The Some Time Show with Some White Guy) on Monday night. The band also taped a performance for MTV Unplugged back in July that will be aired this Saturday night on MTV2, but you can also see most of it streamed online at Unplugged's home. At the time of the taping, the band was still in the studio putting the finishing touches on Contra, and tried out a couple of the songs on the audience, including this rousing rendition of "Cousins.":


Playlist: Picks for the week
Monday, January 11
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: The Mighty Mighty Bosstones (REPEAT)
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Ryan Bingham
FOX: Lopez Tonight: Ke$ha
FUEL: Check 1, 2: Ben Harper
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Vampire Weekend
NBC: The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien: Vampire Weekend
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: David Gray (REPEAT)
Tuesday, January 12
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Findlay Brown
FOX: Lopez Tonight: Pitbull
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Vampire Weekend
NBC: The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien: Rosanne Cash
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Ringo Starr, The Roots
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: The Raveonettes (REPEAT)
Wednesday, January 13
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Hot Rats
COMEDY CENTRAL: The Daily Show with Jon Stewart: Ringo Starr, Ben Harper
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Vampire Weekend
IFC: Dinner With the Band: Owen Pallett/Final Fantasy (REPEAT)
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Ke$ha, The Roots
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Lisa Hannigan (REPEAT)
SUNDANCE: Spectacle: Elvis Costello With...: Elvis Costello, John Prine, Ray LaMontagne, Lyle Lovett
Thursday, January 14
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: The Low Anthem
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Vampire Weekend
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Loudon Wainwright III
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Pete Yorn (REPEAT)
Friday, January 15
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Vampire Weekend
FOX: Lopez Tonight: Snoop Dogg
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Hot Rats
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Paolo Nutini (REPEAT)
Saturday, January 16
NBC: Saturday Night Live: The Ting Tings
MTV2: MTV Unplugged: Vampire Weekend
PBS: Austin City Limits: Mos Def, K’Naan

Ear on TV: Week of 01.04.10: Vampire Weekend

We've barely broken in the new year and one of 2010's most anticipated releases is already upon us. Vampire Weekend's sophomore release, Contra, hits shelves next Tuesday, but they're already sharing it in entirety via their MySpace page, and it's not too far a cry from their much loved debut (Vampire Weekend).

In support of the release, these Columbia University chums play Letterman on Tuesday night, playing their version of world music dressed up in preppy cardigans and scarves.
Their Upper West Side Soweto, this time with Contra, includes a tad bit more experimentation, recalling in title and (sort of) theme The Clash's Sandinista!, except instead of gun-toting rebels, Contra appears to be about a girl. These well-off New Yorkers have little else in common with St. Joe Strummer and co. -- in fact singer Ezra Koenig's lyrical gift and vocal ease align him more with Paul McCartney. Like Macca, the Koenig is able to move us while still singing from the perspective of a class of society far above our pay grade.

Moving from starched white collar to t-shirt and ripped jeans, Vancouver B.C.'s young duo Japandroids take a much different approach to their music. Stripped down to just guitar and drums, the band is punk rock at it's core, yet when they're singing "I don't wanna worry about dying, I just wanna worry about those sunshine girls" on the excellent track "Young Hearts Spark Fire," they don't feel that far off in spirit to the much richer Vampire Weekend. The duo, Brian King on guitar and David Prowse on drums, tear apart Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on Monday night, singing a song (likely, the aforementioned "Young Hearts Spark Fire") from their critically acclaimed debut, Post-Nothing.

Finally, if you've been thinking like I have that there's probably been a bit too much Elvis Costello this season on Spectacle: Elvis Costello with..., you might be hesitant to see that this week's guest is, in fact, Elvis Costello. Well, what if I told you that Mary-Louise Parker is in Costello's interview chair? Stepping in last minute for Elton John, the Weeds star surprisingly held her own. I guess it shouldn't be that surprising, if you've read any of her music pieces she's written for Esquire magazine. Still... might be a bit too much Elvis.



Playlist: Picks for the week
Monday, January 4
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: David Gray
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Japandroids
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: OK Go (REPEAT)
SYNDICATION: The Ellen Degeneres Show: Rickie Lee Jones, Ben Harper
SYNDICATION: Live With Regis and Kelly: Flo Rida (REPEAT)
Tuesday, January 5
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Vampire Weekend
CBS: Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: Yonder Mountain String Band
IFC: Dinner With the Band: Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings (REPEAT)
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Shwayze
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Black Lips (REPEAT)
SYNDICATION: Live With Regis and Kelly: Twisted Sister (REPEAT)
Wednesday, January 6
CBS: Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: Nellie McKay
NBC: The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien: Ke$ha
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Clipse
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Bat for Lashes (REPEAT)
SUNDANCE: Spectacle: Elvis Costello With...: Elvis Costello
SYNDICATION: Live With Regis and Kelly: David Gray (REPEAT)
Thursday, January 7
Zzzzzzz
Friday, January 8
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: The Dodos
NBC: The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien: OK Go
Saturday, January 9
NBC: Saturday Night Live: Alicia Keys
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Metric (REPEAT)
PBS: Austin City Limits: Allen Toussaint

Now Downloading: New Releases 01.29.08

This week sees the release two seemingly disparate albums influenced by Africa. One by the most hyped indie acts in some time, as Vampire Weekend release their self-titled debut of wholly likable afro-pop. At the other end of the spectrum is the prog-rock assault of The Mars Volta, who's latest is far less agreeable, for both good and bad. Meanwhile, there's other gems in the stream to mine, with new releases from The Helio Sequence, Radar Bros., Xiu Xiu, Ida, Louis XIV and Robert Pollard.

Playlist: New Releases 01.29.07

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Album: Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend

Infinitely hyped, Vampire Weekend meets the iPressure head on with this instantly likable debut, full of hummable songs that's hard to take off repeat. They don't take too many chances with their formula, even starting the album with four songs that much of the hype is based on, from their EP and advance single, basically just cleaning up the songs a bit in mastering. From there, the album is filled out nicely with more great afro-pop songwriting. The afro-pop of Vampire Weekend brings to mind Paul Simon's Graceland, but it's definitely not a world music. The most overt African song should end up as their biggest single, in "Cap Cod Kwassa Kwassa," which cleverly name-checks both Peter Gabriel and Benetton, both iconic symbols associated with West-meets-African chic. There's nothing earth-shattering here, and no one is going to confuse it as important music, but it is a fun and enjoyable release that at least negotiates a nice handshake from the aggressive hype that surrounds it.

Stream "Oxford Comma" and "M79" from vampireweekend.com

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Album: The Mars Volta - The Bedlam in Goliath

If Vampire Weekend works the fun side of African sounds, The Bedlam in Goliath incorporates the dark and the voodoo, mashing them and throwing them into the already busy prog-rock mix until it's unrecognizable aside from the revved up polyrhythmic drums and song titles like blazing opener "Aberinkula" and slowburning "Agadez." Just looking at the number of tracks and song lengths, you can quickly tell that this isn't going to be the ridiculous excess of 2006's Amputechture, and that assumption is spot on. Bedlam brings The Mars Volta back into the focus of their first two releases, while still expanding their sound. Lead single "Wax Simulacra" packs in it's 2 1/2 minutes everything that's right about the band, never allowing itself to drift off into self-indulgence. There are some misteps (like the unnecessarily long "Cavalettas" and the drag of the following two tracks,) but it's a worthy return for the band back into form.

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Album: The Helio Sequence - Keep Your Eyes Ahead

The Portland duo shed some of the My Bloody Valentine references here with a more stripped down affair. As a result, Keep Your Eyes Ahead feels more urgent, more earnest... and part of that is due to Brandon Summers' necessary rehabilitation of his voice, the instrument that had recently failed him and put Helio Sequence's future in jeopardy -- hence the four year absence. Gone are Summers' yelps and screams from 2004's uneven Love and Distance -- which help damage his vocal chords while touring -- and in it's place a more plaintive, folky singing style, which compliments a more diverse musical backdrop nicely. It's a fine rebirth for a band that we'd nearly lost -- from a scream to a whisper.

Download: "Keep Your Eyes Ahead" [mp3]

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More on the radar this week
Radar Bros - Auditorium / Free album stream from AOL
Xiu Xiu - Women as Lovers
Louis XIV - Slick Dogs And Ponies
Robert Pollard - Superman Was a Rocker
Ida - Lovers Prayers
Dub Trio - Another Sound Is Dying
Joe Jackson - Rain / Free album stream from AOL / "Invisible Man" [mp3]
This Will Destroy You - This Will Destroy You
Quinn Walker - Laughter's An Asshole/Lion Land
Shelby Lynne - Just a Little Lovin'
Yoav - Charmed And Strange
The Blind Boys of Alabama - Down In New Orleans
Thao Nguyen - We Brave Bee Stings and All
Human Bell - Human Bell
Willie Nelson - Moment of Forever
SSM - Break Your Arm For Evolution

tags: music, album review, vampire weekend, helio sequence, mars volta, indie rock, new releases, rhapsody