So another month has passed us by, and it’s getting darker and colder out there. Let’s have a look at some of the new releases the end of summer ‘09 brought us, shall we?

Girls‘ debut album, Album, was widely talked about – in fact, I only checked out the album because I’d seen their name all over the place – and is, as it turns out, quite good listening. They aren’t doing anything hugely new, but that’s ok sometimes – their brand of fuzzed-over surf-ish California pop is a lot of fun (when it isn’t sounding completely lovelorn, that is). Their sound doesn’t exactly pop, but would make some excellent heartbreak or late-at-night listening. Oh, except for “Big Bad Mean Motherfucker” – that one rocks hard.

The Cribs‘ Ignore The Ignorant, their fourth album, came out last month as well. Let me start by saying that I was a huge Cribs fan back when their debut came out. I was seriously in love with that album (and still am). I enjoyed the second as well, though maybe not quite as much, but was less impressed with the third. But at least it had some kind of catchy singles. So it pains me to be so bitterly disappointed in this new album. It’s just … boring. Blah. Blerg. I hear Johnny Marr in there and that should be cool, but honestly, I’m not sure what he adds in this context, especially when the songs just aren’t there to begin with. I’m not all that surprised really, what with how Men’s Needs … never fully caught my attention, but this is an even bigger let-down than I’d have thought possible. Bummer.

Before I get to my last album of September, I should mention here that I’m still trying to get my grubby hands on Kid Harpoon’s full-length debut, Once. I’m a huge fan of his First and Second EPs, so I seriously cannot wait to hear this. Mr. Harpoon has tracks streaming on his website, so go have a listen here. It sounds fantastic, doesn’t it?

My favorite – by so far I can’t even see the others in the distance – is, without a doubt, Monsters of Folk by the folk-supergroup of the same name. Oh my, this album is a serious winner – each song definitely sounds like the member it was written by, and each of their voices are as distinctive as ever, but this never feels like a compilation of Conor Oberst, Jim James (or, inexplicably, Yim Yames), M. Ward, and Mike Mogis songs. Their styles and voices blend so beautifully, so smoothly, it feels like this foursome always existed as one. It’s so hard to pick a single stand-out track – is it the Marvin Gaye-meets-folk “Dear God (sincerely M.O.F.)”, or the old-timey country-gospel ditty “Goodway”? I’ll go with the cowboy-tinged “Man Named Truth” for the moment, but I have a feeling it’ll change constantly as I keep listening to this wonderful album.

And now it’s time to look at our favorite singles. Some months I choose certain singles because they’re not great but not bad either, so to give the band the benefit of the doubt I include them in the Merry Merry list. This time, however, I didn’t have to use any filler songs! It doesn’t happen very often so I’m really excited about September’s releases. I am smitten with every single one of these singles.

This is a sweeping bit of stomping folk. It starts off simple and urgent, but by the chorus you’re swept away by beautiful layers of fiddles and voices and a banjo, I think.

The song and the video are both so very adorable. It’s upbeat and melancholy and over way, way too fast.

The second single of their debut album is a wonderfully warm song. Fanfarlo is an amazing multi-instrumental band and has a beautiful, rich sound that has one leg in tradition and one leg in a mystery bucket of beauty. Yeah, I suck at telling you what they sound like but don’t let that stop you checking them out. They’ve been compared to Arcade Fire and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah but try to clean your musical palate before you listen to this band. Their music is strong enough to stand on its own without the heavy shadows of other great Indie bands luring over them.

This song is lovely – a melodic pop song with a bluegrass ‘tude. Her enchanting voice transports me to a soft summer day in a beautiful field, which is hard to do because it’s fricking freezing today.

Her voice is so bizarre but cute. For some reason the music reminds me of a trippy yet slick nineties commercial and I love it. This song also makes me wish for carefree picnics in a park – Sigh, I might just be projecting my sadness for the demise of summer on these songs…

With this strange song The Drums rediscover the surfing theme without revisiting The Thrills. It vaguely echoes and pays homage to California surf pop, but with a wonderfully intricate contemporary feel. There’s also handclaps and whistling, I swear it’s like Bean dreamed up this band.

I mean it’s The Dodos. They rock. I was gonna leave it at that, but all the other ones got a wee descirption so it just wouldn’t be fair. “Fables” from their third album is catchy and swinging and a fun and flighty introduction to their fantastic new album. It’s almost poppy but with tremendous substance and depth.

A gentle number about lost love with electronic bleeps and a sad, sad voice. It’s sparse compared to the other singles in this list, but conveys as much, if not more emotion with so little.