Hangin' Out In 100b

Ah June, the long warm (wet) days, the weddings, the new releases. This month of luuuve and new beginnings brought us two debuts that blew me away, and a couple of albums by more established artists that more than lived up to their preceding records.

Wolf Parade and Hot Club De Paris both had the unenviable job of following up extraordinary and much-loved debuts and did a great job. They delivered albums that don’t have quite the same instant impact, because when they first came out they were unlike anything we’ve heard at the time. Their respective second albums are an exploration and a maturity of their sound. They’re packed with staying-power and beautiful songs that are sure to become firm favorites after a couple of listens. Wolf Parade’s At mount Zoomer was a bit hard to get into at first, especially with the fantastic Apologies To The Queen Mary in mind, but once it gets under your skin, it’s there to stay. Hot Club De Paris had their work cut out with an outstanding debut like Drop It Till It Pops, but Live At Dead Lake is amazing. They kept their melodic wit but every once in a while songs like “The Dice Just Wasn’t Loaded From The Start” reveal a sweet sensitivity and tenderness that’ll break your heart.

   Hot Club De Paris – The Dice Just Wasn’t Loaded From The Start

Unless you reject all forms of media, it’s impossible to have missed Weezer‘s so-called Red Album coming out last month. Highly anticipated albums like these are in danger of being drowned out by the hype surrounding it, but there’s no need to worry, it’s a gem. This time the rest of the band shares song-writing and vocal credits with Rock’s most elusive front man, with varied result. As always it’s self-deprecating and catchy, but it’s also slightly schitzo if you ask me, which is not a bad thing! When a thoroughly strange song like “The Greatest Man That Ever Lived”, which goes from metally to hip hoppy to Beach Boy ‘n Beatles-y, is sandwiched in between the über poppy “Troublemaker” and “Pork And Beans”, it makes it hard to pin-point what their next song is gonna sound like. It’s good, it’ll keep ya on your toes.

Then there’s the two debuts that made my ears flutter with delight. The first is by a band that caught aDawgg’s attention last year. White Denim‘s Workout Holiday is an incredibly fun rabblerousing record that doesn’t always hit the right spot, but when it does, it’s magical. That’s OK, it just means they left some room for growth. Their, often psychedelic, interpretation of seventies, garage rock combined with a Sam & Dave-ish soulfulness is refreshing and so exciting. The second incredible debut is also my vote for favorite album that came out in June: wee pop pixie Lykke Li‘s Youth Novels! A simple beat is really all she needs to create a mind-blowingly perfect Pop song. Her voice is so cute, so sweet, so little, and yet so commanding. From the beautiful Kate Bush-inspired “Time Flies” to the darker, repetitive “Complaint Department”, it’s Pop of the highest order.

   White Denim – Darksided Computer Mouth
   Lykke Li – Let It Fall