Here are a few independent rock songs that are certainly worth checking out:

Funky Munky by Northside (SlowCore)
Gun in the Sun by Wavves (Surf Rock)
Help You Out by The Go (Neo-Psychedelia)
Pickpocket Song by The Ponys (Garage)
Little House of Savages by The Walkmen (Post-Punk-Revival)

Aha Shake Heartbreak

The Kings of Leon have exploded onto the mainstream scene with their latest album “Only By The Night.” Sex on Fire, in it’s prime, was heard on every major radio station in North America, or at least it seemed like it. But before this quartet of Tennessee-born rockers made it big, they had 3 albums under their belt. First coming was “Youth and Young Manhood,” a real southern sounding hard rock album, with indecipherable lyrics. Their second album, which we will be going into depth later, is titled “Aha Shake Heartbreak.” It’s my favourite of all, filled with catchy riffs and short, to-the-point songs. Third in line was “Because of the Times.” It was seen by many as an attempt to break into the mainstream, and failed, to a point. It was regarded by critics as a good album, but didn’t sell as expected. Although it contains many solid, Kings of Leon-style tunes, it didn’t achieve the success that was built up around it. “Only By The Night” is their latest, and I’m sure many of you know how that album has done. As a long time KoL fan, I still see it as a decent album. They stayed true to their style in many of the songs (and stayed true to the “5 syllables per album name” rule), they just developed their sound a bit more, and made some tweaks in order to appeal to more people. But now, lets break down the album “Aha Shake Heartbreak.”

1. “Slow Night, So Long”

The song starts off inconspicuous, but that all changes when the drums kick in. It instantly gets your foot tapping, and you think “wow, this album sounds pretty good already.” That’s exactly what it’s designed to accomplish. A lot of style is thrown into this one, with many vocal breaks where the guys just rock out. The ending is probably the most interesting part of the song, it’s the most interesting ending to any other Kings of Leon song I’ve ever heard. It totally changes tempo and Caleb repeats “Rise and shine all you gold digger mothers, are you too good to tango with the poor poor boys” and slowly fades out.

2. “King of the Rodeo”

Oh boy, you know you’re in for a ride when the first note is played. It picks up almost instantly and just takes you away. It’s my favourite Kings of Leon song of all time. It wraps you up in the melody, but the crazy vocals that you can’t understand and the twin guitar playing is phenomenal. You must listen to it live to fully appreciate this song, though.

3. “Taper Jean Girl”

This song has a lyric which is the title of the album, so it is kind of seen as the “title track,” and it does its’ job well. A bit slow, and droning for a Kings of Leon song, but it’s still what you would expect. Great lyrics, drums, and an excellent solo in the middle is what makes this song a great one. Perfect for any party, or hoe-down for that matter, that you would host. A great ending which picks up the tempo sets this song apart from the others.

4. “Pistol of Fire”

This song gives you the impression of an intense gun battle, which is pretty apt considering the title. It seems to alternate from awesome vocals, to awesome guitar solo, and back again. Caleb’s unique vocals are put on display in this one. It’s a pretty good pick-me-up song in the early half of the album. Ends a little abruptly, though. I would have liked to hear a little more of a creative ending to this one.

5. “Milk”

This one will put you to sleep. It takes too long to get started, and most people will press the skip button on this one. The vocals are pretty much the only thing that happens in this song. A few interludes of drums and bass, but that’s it. You have to have headphones on to fully appreciate it, but even then, it’s not that great. I like to think of it as a bit of an early “Knocked Up.” But what “Knocked Up” accomplishes in a catchy hook, this song does not have.

6. “The Bucket”

Picks up quickly after “Milk” lulls you to sleep. It has a happier tone than most of the other songs on the album. Repeats the chorus throughout, and will have you singing along. The lyrics make absolutely no sense, so don’t even try to figure it out. The only people that know the true meaning behind this one are the Followills. Not their best, but not their worst. It probably won’t bring too many new fans in, but for people who appreciate Kings of Leon music, it’s a must have.

7. “Soft”

A very recognizable song, right from the first note. A great party song about…partying I assume. I’m not sure what kind of party Caleb has been attending, though. Lyrics like “I’d pop myself in your body/I’d come all over your party but I’m soft” have me wondering. Yeesh. Great song, though. Easy to rock out to and has a neat alternating guitar at the end.

8. “Razz”

Drums and bass are on show in this short, but effective track. The “Razz the kid!” chorus will have you singing along, and the slick bass line will have your foot tapping. The short chorus, and quick tempo make this song end too quickly. You want it to hang around, but before you know it, it’s over.

9. “Day Old Blues”

This one is pretty much “Milk” part 2. I actually like the “yodeling” part more than others, but it was criticized pretty badly. He basically says “Day ol’ day ol’” funny, and I like it. The bass and harmony are neat in the chorus, but other than that, this song leaves you asking for more. Another song that I’m sure is close to Caleb’s heart, but isn’t exactly what the fans are asking for. The 2 slow songs make the album unique, though in my opinion. They had some guts to put these songs in, and whether it worked or not, it sets them apart. A feat that other Kings of Leon albums fail to match.

10. “Four Kicks”

Another short one, like “Razz.” This one focuses on the drums. There’s a neat little pause in the chorus that shows off some special song writing. How they make it work is beyond me, but it sounds damn good. It’s hard to understand the vocals yet again, but they sound good so who really cares! A great solo caps this song off, and sends it on its’ way.

11. “Velvet Snow”

This one will wake you up if you’ve started to doze off. It has a very quick tempo. Some neat lyrics in this song make it great. It all seems to fit, amid the chaos. Another short one, but then again, this is average for a Kings of Leon song. Caleb’s vocals turn into basically a scream near the end, and it slowly works its’ way into the finish.

12. “Rememo”

Starts off with a circus-like feel. Slowly working its’ way along, like you’re in a drunken stouper. Caleb’s awesome voice comes to play when he spits out some of the few curse words on the album, “And the mother fuckers gonna go to hell.” Damn, he sounds pretty bad-ass when he says it, doesn’t he? Oh yeah, 5 bucks for whoever can tell me what in the world a “rememo” is. Thanks. Great song, though. It ends with the familiar circus feel, playing it into the fade.

13. “Where Nobody Knows”

The bonus track. Does it count? Sure it does. It sounds pretty much like the other songs on the album, fits in very nicely to be honest. “Rememo” may have been a better choice to officially play out the album, but this is a bit slower than the other songs as well, so it works. Caleb’s voice is on display yet again. Nobody can sound like him, and they make a point in showing it off. The way he says “Here it goes now” cannot be imitated, and that’s why I love Kings of Leon. They rock out like nobody else does.

And that’s it! I hope you enjoyed the song-by-song breakdown of Aha Shake Heartbreak, my favourite Kings of Leon album. Although the guys have taken a bit of flack for “selling out” recently, I’ll always be a fan because they created this. One of the best albums in the past decade.

The track listing and song lengths of Black Moth Super Rainbow’s new album “Eating Us,” which is set to be released on May 26, 2009, have been leaked onto the internet via their label Graveface’s Last.fm profile. Here they are:

• “Dark Bubbles” – 3:09
•  ”Born on a Day the Sun Didn’t Rise” – 4:03
•  ”Iron Lemonade” – 3:29
•  ”Twin Of Myself” – 3:20
• “The Fields are Breathing” – 3:34
• “American Face Dust” – 3:19
• “Tooth Decay” – 2:02
• “Gold Splatter” – 4:14
•  ”Untitled Hidden Track” – 8:02
•  ”The Sticky” – 2:09
•  ”Bubblegum Animals” – 1:40
•  ”Smile The Day After Today” – 2:33

I, for one, cannot wait for this album to come out. If you’re like me, and need something to pass the time until this album gets released, I have prepared a special package for you. Two tracks that I have scrounged up on the internet. First one is a live version of the new song “Born on a Day the Sun Didn’t Rise” and the other is a remix of the song “The Fields are Breathing.” Definitely worth picking up for a bit of a sneak peek. You can download it here.

Band: Wolf Parade
Released: 2005

1. “You Are a Runner and I Am My Father’s Son” – A heavy drum and rangy vocals dominate this song about a father who left his home. Grade: 9.3

2. “Modern World” - Perhaps the most casual fan friendly track on the album, it features a great guitar solo in the middle which leads to a great finish. Grade: 9.5

3. “Grounds For Divorce” – One of my favorites off the album, this song features an inspiring little electronic sequence that gives way to a more stable, upbeat and edgy rhythm. Grade: 9.8

4. “We Built Another World” – A bit harsher on the ears and less catchier than many of the other tracks on this album, this still is excellent for those who crave a sound closer to punk than “indie”. Grade: 9.0

5. “Fancy Claps” – Yes, yes, there is clapping in this song. Up tempo – lyrically and musically – the whole way through. Features a nice blend of electronics and strumming. Grade: 9.2

6. “Same Ghost Every Night” – Slow, ghost-like, and windy…that’s all. The best part is Boeckner belting out a “oOoOoO” in a ghastly spirit. Grade: 9.7

7. “Shine A Light” – You’d expect “Shine A Light” to be a slow one wouldn’t you? Not at all. Boeckner again is excellent and his supporting crew is even better. Grade: 9.5

8. “Dear Sons and Daughters of Hungry Ghosts” – A very chill, slower sing a-long that is always a live favorite. Grade: 9.4

9. “I’ll Believe In Anything” – One of the best stretches of lyrics all-time in a song:

and I could take another hit for you
and I could take away your trips from you
and I could take away the salt from your eyes
and take away the spitting salt in you
and I could give you my apologies
by handing over my neologies
and I could take away the shaking knees
and I could give you all the olive trees
oh look at the trees and look at my face and look at a place far away from here

Krug wants to keep a relationship in tact, but it is over and both parties know damn well. Grade: 9.9

10. It’s a Curse - A catchy post-punk revival-esque beginning simply demonstrates the variety and determination to try new things the band possesses. Grade: 9.3

11. “Dinner Bells” - Perhaps a bit more apropos as an album finale than the second to last song, in this track Krug addresses the effects of global warming and death. This is perhaps the most well-written and accessible track the album offers. Grade: 10

12. “This Heart’s On Fire” - “This song is about my mother…. who died….. Three years ago…. today….” Boeckner said in an interview. This concluding track represents a complete volte-face from the first track “I Am…” Grade: 9.6

Final Grade: 9.5

1) “Sit and Wonder” – A spacey opening leads to horns and electronic noise. Ashcroft’s vocals recall Thom Yorke’s earlier productions. Grade: 9.3

2) “Love Is Noise” - Reminds me of Bloc Party except a bit more accessible. This track was definitely the most hyped of them all and for good reason. Grade: 8.9

3) “Rather Be” - Slower, more vocally dominating than the first songs, this song almost has an R&B feel to it. Grade: 8.84) “Judas” – Similar to “Rather Be,” but more encompassing in terms of vocal variety and technique. I guess you could classify this as “Brit Pop,” but that label doesn’t do any justice. Grade: 9.1

5) “Numbness” – A low tempo folk/mod track that reminds me a bit of Paul Weller. Grade: 9.0

6) “I See Houses” – A piano/electric combo that screams Radiohead. As the song progresses, a certain aura of psychedelia is felt. Grade: 9.0

7) “Noise Epic” – The title says it all. The background noise is epic. At about the 2:10 mark, the song really picks up and sounds like something out of the late 80s/early 90s alt-rock scene (think Pixies or Sonic Youth). Grade: 9.4

“Valium Skies” – One of the only slight fuck-ups this album offers. Casual fans might say this is one of the better songs off Forth, but it amounts to a modern U2 sound, which isn’t all that great. Grade: 7.3

9) “Columbo” – This ought to make the Stone Roses happy. The slappy bass and far-reaching vocals provide for a nice recovery after the average “Valium Skies.” Grade: 8.9

10) “Appalachian Springs” – Clearly not an amazing concluding track, it still holds up well. The chorus is kind of annoying while the verses aren’t. Grade: 8.6

Total Grade: 8.8 – Forth will go down as one of the best albums of 2008 and why not? With an abundance of great tracks, the Verve has reassured its status as one of the all-time great rock bands of the 90s and 00s.

1. “Comfy In Nautica” – A nice little clap along mixed with the ambient and exotic sounds that have made Animal Collective an experimental staple. Grade: 9.5

2. “Take Pills” – The title leads you to believe that this song is a song promoting drug use. Maybe that’s so, but regardless it makes you feel like you’ve taken one too many. This is an ideal song to start the children on. Grade: 9.6

3. “Bros” – As one YouTube commenter put it: “This song is insane while tripping on acid.” When not on acid, it is still quite insane. Add a little Tornadoes and a little Cat Stevens and you’ve got the song’s main riff and a secondary guitar part. That, of course, combined with epic noise elements. Grade: 9.8

4. “I’m Not” – Panda Bear makes High Places look like Rick Astley. Other than amazing, there is really no other way to put it other than perhaps “chills-inducing”. You could compare this to “Kid A” but even that comparison doesn’t do much justice. Grade: 9.9

5. “Good Girl/Carrots” - Good Girl is more accessible vocally than most of the prior tracks, this one really hits the spot combining folk, psychedelic, and experimental patterns. It is an awesome listen especially while doing homework. Carrots is just nuts. It’s awesome nuts. Grade: 9.9

6. “Search for Delicious” - Have you ever felt a really nice breeze while sitting outside chillaxing on a scorching hot day? This song is that breeze except in music form. It’s the kind that you keep wanting and wanting. Grade: 9.9

7. “Ponytail” – What a sad way to end things. I guess the only solution is to put the album on repeat and play it from the beginning again. Out of all of the tracks this is perhaps the most chill and subtly upbeat. There is no flaws in this song to prevent it from getting a… Grade: 10

Total Grade: 9.8

History: CYHSY is the brainchild of Lee Sargent, who had aspirations of starting a band in 2004. The band, comprised entirely of Connecticut College alums, officially formed in 2005. They self-released their self-titled album that year. In October of 2005, they signed to Wichita.

Years Active: 2005 to Present

Label: Wichita Recordings

Line-Up:
Alec Ounsworth – Vocals/Guitar
Robbie Guertin – Keyboards/Guitar
Lee Sargent – Keyboards/Guitar
Tyler Sargent – Bass
Sean Greenhalgh – Drums

Genre: Independent Lo-Fi

Musical Style: Rambling vocals backed by strong keyboard and guitar riffs

Moods:

Best Album: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (2005)

Top Songs:
“Satan Said Dance”
“Over and Over Again (Lost and Found)”
“Sunshine and Clouds and Everything Proud”

Influenced By:
Talking Heads
David Bowie

You Might Like CYHSH If You Like Wolf Parade or Arcade Fire

Shout out to Ray for playing CYHSH on the ride to Radiohead. I am officially hooked.

These are bands that you should at least attempt to listen to before you hit the dusty trail. If you don’t like them then that is just fine.

1. The Decemberists
2. Psychedelic Furs
3. Sonic Youth
4. Sunset Rubdown
5. The Raveonettes
6. Bloc Party
7. Weezer
8. Head Automatica
9. La Rue Ketanou
10. The Bravery
11. Bishop Allen
12. Radiohead
13. The Veils
14. The Libertines
15. The French Kicks
16. The Walkmen
17. Dirty Pretty Things
18. The Beach Boys
19. Black Lips
20. The Jesus Lizard
21. Weird Al Yankovic
22. Beat Happening
23. Babyshambles
24. A Guy Called Gerald
25. The Modern Lovers
26. UB40
27. Aesop Rock
28. Afrika Bambaataa
29. Against Me!
30. Alice in Chains
31. Animal Collective
32. ….and you will know us by trail of dead
33. Animal Collective
34. Anti-Flag
35. Apartment
36. Arcade Fire
37. Arctic Monkeys
38. Art Brut
39. Audioslave
40. Bad Brains
41. Bauhaus
42. Be Your Own Pet
43. Beat Happening
44. Beatles
45. Big Black
46. Billy Bragg
47. Bjork
48. Black Flag
49. Black Stalin
50. Bo Burnham
51. Bob Dylan
52. Bob Marley
53. Blue Man Group
54. Blue Oyster Cult
55. Bobby Venton
56. Brett Dennen
57. Bright Eyes
58. British Sea Power
59. Buddy Holly
60. Built To Spill
61. Buzzcocks
62. Camera Obscura
63. Caribou
64. Cash, Johnny
65. Cat Power
66. Circle Jerks
67. Beethoven
68. Talking Heads
69. Clinic
70. Cold War Kids
71. Count Basie
72. Cuff the Duke
73. Current 93
74. Daft Punk
75. The Dandy Warhols
76. Daniel Johnston
77. Datarock
78. David Byrne
79. Dead Kennedys
80. Death From Above 1979
81. The Descendents
82. Devo
83. Dinosaur Jr.
84. Dirty Pretty Things
85. Dntel
86. Doc Gyneco
87. Doves
88. Drifters
89. Echo and the Bunnymen
90. Editors
91. Elvis Costello
92. EPMD
93. Eric B and Rakim
94. Everly Brothers
95. Fatlip
96. Fear
97. Figurine
98. Folk Implosion
99. Fool’s Garden
100. Frankie Valli
101. Franz Ferdinand
102. Frog Eyes
103. Fugazi
104. The Shins
105. Iron and Wine
106. Geto Boys
107. Hot Hot Heat
108. The Animals
109. Husker Du
110. Iggy Pop and the Stooges
111. Immortal Technique
112. Inner Circle
113. Interpol
114. Terry Jacks
115. Jefferson Airplane
116. Jimi Hendrix
117. Joy Division
118. Kaiser Chiefs
119. Kasabian
120. Kings of Leon
121. Kraftwerk
122. Lali Puna
123. Led Zeppelin
124. Les Cowboys Frignants
125. Les Trois Accords
126. Louis XIV
127. Love Spit Love
128. Main Source
129. Malajube
130. Mando Diao
131. Maximo Park
132. Minutemen
133. Miracle Johan
134. Mission of Burma
135. Mobb Deep
136. Morrissey
137. Mud Honey
138. Mystery Jets
139. New Order
140. Nine Inch Nails
141. Nirvana
142. Page France
143. Patsy Kline
144. Patti Smith
145. Paul Weller
146. Pavement
147. Pete Seeger
148. Peter Bjorn and John
149. Peter Gabriel
150. Peter Tosh
151. Pharoahe Monch
152. Peter Paul and Mary
153. Pink Floyd
154. The Pixies
155. Rage Against the Machine
156. Ray Charles
157. The Replacements
158. Richard Cheese
159. Rogue Wave
160. Rolling Stones
161. Sam Roberts
162. Sam Spence
163. Sebadoh
164. Sigur Ros
165. Simon and Garfunkel
166. Soul Sonic Force
167. Stellastarr*
168. Stone Roses
169. Supergrass
170. Swan Lake
171. Swans
172. Tapes N’ Tapes
173. Tech N9ne
174. The 1990s
175. The Arcade Fire
176. The Constantines
177. The Cure
178. The Fratellis
179. The Hives
180. The Kooks
181. The Lovely Feathers
182. The Moldy Peaches
183. The Nightwatchman
184. The Pharcyde
185. The Ramones
186. The Stills
187. The Strokes
188. The Vaselines
189. The Veils
190. The Velvet Underground
191. The Verve
192. The Who
193. Tokyo Police Club
194. Tool
195. Travis
196. Tupac
197. Van Morrison
198. Wesley Willis
199. Wolf Parade
200. Wu-Tang Clan

Wolf Parade is back with their second full-length album, titled “At Mount Zoomer.” It’s refreshing to hear new Wolf Parade after having their other (fantastic) songs basically on repeat for months, so let us break it down, song by song:

1. “Soldier’s Grin“

Good up-tempo song to kick off the album. Boeckner has a more mainstream sound than Krug, so I’m not surprised they went with him to begin the album. “Soldier’s Grin” is not one of Boeckner’s most fantastic jaw dropping songs ever, but it gets the job done. It has a catchy rhythm, and good lyrics (“Horse shapen fire, draggin’ stereo wire,” love that line for some reason.) But it’s not about the lyrics on paper, as Boeckner professes, it’s about the delivery. His vocals make it work, and make it worth a listen.

2. “Call It A Ritual“

The song that was pre-released by Sub Pop. It could be their first single, and I think it should be. A more tame song from Krug than most Wolf Parade listeners are used to, but it’s good to hear. The song maintains a steady, linear pattern throughout, again a little unusual for Wolf Parade listeners. I think this song shows that they wanted to go in another direction with this album, not making it a carbon copy of “Apologies to the Queen Mary.” I’m glad they did that. Nothing would have been worse than hearing 10 new “Shine A Light”’s or “I’ll Believe In Anything”’s, re-branded.

3. “Language City“

One of the better tracks off the album, with an extremely catchy melody. The guitars are simply fantastic, coming in at just the right precise moments. This song is also perfect for Boeckner’s vocals. This is “the” song for him, and he knows it too. It may very well end up being my favourite Boeckner track of all time.

4. “Bang Your Drum“

People say that this song sounds like it belongs on a Sunset Rubdown album, and I have to agree, but is that really a bad thing? It sounds like Spencer Krug, what did you expect? It is one of my favourites on the album. It’s quick and to the point. It turns a corner with Krug’s first shout of “Take a dive!” and continues on it’s merry way from there.

5. “California Dreamer“

The much anticipated track. People making predictions about it from grainy, poor-quality YouTube videos of live performances. They were touting it as the next greatest song. I really don’t see it like that at all. Yes, it is a very good song, but it’s not one of my favourites on the album. The “Think I might’ve heard you on the radio” chorus line helps make it one of the better songs on the album, just not the top song. It pains me to say this about a Wolf Parade song, but the lyrics are not the greatest (“I’ll be ’round, I’ll be ’round, I’ll be ’round. Like a teenager in town.”) Don’t get me wrong, I like this song, I just don’t think it lived up to the expectations I had for it.

6. “The Grey Estates“

This is the song you play to people who haven’t listened to Wolf Parade before. The ultimate catchy song. Probably the easiest song to pick up and listen to on the album, and it brings an element that the album needed. Boeckner definitely experimented with some other styles with this one, and I think it worked out very well. The little switch in the tempo at the end was pulled off beautifully, and solidified it’s spot as one of my favourites from the new album.

7. “Fine Young Cannibals“

Really the surprise track off this album for me. It starts off slow, and you don’t expect much out of it, but it leaves a lasting impression. For a Boeckner song, the guitars and keyboards work out surprisingly well. I really don’t know what else to write about this song, other than to check it out for yourself. If you’re a fan of Wolf Parade, it will likely leave you stunned.

8. “An Animal In Your Care“

Do not be fooled by the first half of this song. It starts out painfully slow and boring. The second half is a complete other story. I was skipping over this song constantly before I read comments left by people saying that the second half is awesome. I gave it a listen and it completely changed my outlook of this song. Just another case of having to listen through an entire song before passing judgement on it. Krug absolutely did it on purpose too, almost like an intentional contrast in the middle of a song.

9. “Kissing the Beehive“

Oh boy. This Krug/Boeckner collaborative effort has to be the fastest eleven-minute song I’ve ever heard. You get caught in the moment, and it doesn’t seem like eleven minutes at all. A fantastic way to end an album. “As if you didn’t know that it would sting!” There are so many levels on this song, which they are able to include due to it’s length. They could have probably split the song up into three parts, but there’s no sense in that. The whole thing together is just something you must hear for yourself.

Overall, a great job done by Wolf Parade, yet again. They kept it simple, but changed things up from their previous album. I believe that this album will not only generate new fans for the band, but also not disappoint their current fans. That’s a feat to be proud of in the music business.

Here are my favourite songs, in order. Feel free to share your own in the comments:

1. “Bang Your Drum”

2. “Fine Young Cannibals”

3. “The Grey Estates”

4. “Language City”

5. “Kissing the Beehive”

6. “An Animal in Your Care”

7. “California Dreamer”

8. “Soldier’s Grin”

9. “Call It a Ritual”

In case you haven’t heard already, Wolf Parade’s label, Sub Pop, has released a new song off of their upcoming album on their website. The song is titled “Call It A Ritual” and will be track 2 on the prior mentioned album. Here is the link:

http://www.subpop.com/assets/audio/4274.mp3

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