New band alert (Half Moon Run)

Half Moon Run, a Canadian trio is a musicially wise beyond their years indie rock/pop/folk outfit. Canada's Alt-J, if you will (I will). The band, with a median age of 23 years old, originally from Ottawa, ON and Comox, BC are now living and making music in Montreal. As the band describes, it seems as though making music together became a means to an end.

Their sound is indeed unique and quite mature for such a new band. The harmonies flow seemingly effortlessly and beautifully. Their sound is moody emulating a folkier, funkier Radiohead with a crooner, Devon, at the forefront.

HMR released their first album in 2012 called 'Dark Eyes'. The obvious first single off the album, Full Cirlce, is a somewhat psychedelic, beat oriented track. The song exerts the usage of an array of sounds ranging in beat and symmetry. It's very impressive, not just for a newer band, but for anyone.

Half Moon Run's most recent album, Dark Eyes is available for purchase through most Canadian music retailers.

Matt Costa (Self Titled album)

Matt Costa - {self titled}
Release date: February 12, 2013

Up until today I thought Matt Costa was Canadian. Maybe it's his small town feel, maybe it's because sometimes I make things up. Either way, he is not Canadian. He is from California. Glad I could clear that up for you.

I feel a little ridiculous thinking that Costa was Canadian now. Under the Brushfire Records umbrella Costas sound is so very Californian. Especially on his latest. When I heard that Belle and Sebastian were collaborating with Costa (I still don't know to what extent) I was expecting full on melancholy from the get go. That is not to say the album is melancholyless, though. On this more inventive album MC is seemingly trying to step outside his norm. To say this album is experimental would be an understatement. He sounds like - but constantly in his sweet, warm, Matt Costa-esque way- so many  musicians in the "indie" pop/rock/folk field.

'Loving You' starts the album off. The 50's pop sounding track is the perfect drop to a ten song score. It's a gradual slow down, starting with 'Early November' to follow 'Loving You'. The Phoenix, and Vampire Weekend parallels are clear. Costa sets himself apart with more of a vintage sound than the aforementioned bands. The song exudes happiness. I picture twinkling lights and wholesome lovers holding hands eating popsicles. That's how sweet this is. Matt Costa does James Blunt better than James Blunt on 'Eyes For you'. No, this is not a James Blunt song. But a good chunk of it sounds like a far less annoying 'You're Beautiful', mixed with Regina Spektor instrumentals. The tempo is brought back up on 'Good Times', the Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros jam band sound. Though, less hippieish. 'Shotgun' sounds like authentic Matt Costa. This track is the quintessential song of this album. It so perfectly ties all the songs, experiments into one exciting hand clapping and keys filled superjam. All the songs after 'Shotgun' sound much more rootsy. 'Ophelia' is the ultimate folk song of the album. Vocals resembling an early Dylan strung together with harmonica and lovelorn lyrics. It is the perfect near final act.

This album did not seem to receive a lot of hype, which is surprising because it is arguably Matt Costas most mature, best piece of work. This will be difficult for him to follow up.

Atoms For Peace (Amok)

Atoms For Peace - Amok

Release date: February 26, 2013

Just when you think Thom Yorke can't get any cooler (I know you were thinking it), in walks Atoms For Peace. Yorke collaborated with Flea, the man with the capability to shape shift himself to any creative effort he so pleases, to make Amok. 

Thom Yorke is cool like Call Me Maybe is catchy. It's one of those indisputable things. Despite his years of desperately trying to convey to us that he is a brooding artist, Yorke flips the switch. Granted his attitude on Amok is thanks to the ever cheerful Flea. 

Flea has a knack of spreading his groove around. This time, with Thom Yorke, it proves to be successful. It's very "sci-fi/indie rock". Amok comes off as sounding quite arty. The type of music you would hear in the basement art gallery in the meat packing district where tiny appetizers would be passed around but no one would take any, because everyone is way too damn cool. 

Atoms For Peace was not created on a whim. Like every of Yorke's projects AFP needed to be executed to perfection. Meaning, waiting about four years - yes, four years - for the world to hear anything by the collaboration was necessary. Atoms For Peace is not just made up of Thom Yorke and RHCP's Flea, longtime Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich (keyboards), Joey Waronker, and Brazilian percussionist Mauro Refosco are also hard hitters. Amok is clearly not just the Thom Yorke show (despite how I've described it so far). The artists carefully selected to work on Amok have thrown in as much guts as Yorke. 

The beats on Amok come off sounding Radioheady at times, but pick up where Radiohead leaves off with Flea's constant funkified bass. It all plays almost as though it is is one track, with quick breaths every five minutes or so. It's a hip, psychedelic trip. It becomes quite simple to look past the lyricism, which scream Thom Yorke by the way, with so many groovy rhythms going on. The sensation is almost hypnotizing. 

This "new" project is diverse straying from what you might expect from Yorke and Flea. The inventive quality, though, is what will make Amok a lasting piece of (art) work. 

New band alert (Ivan & Alyosha)

Though not entirely new to the scene, Ivan & Alyosha are releasing their debut album February 26 titled 'All the Times We Had'. The band, who are not strangers to the road, with a few EPs under their belt have collaborated with The Low Anthems Jesse Lauter and keyboardist/engineer Chad Copelin for their most recent project.

I&A are originally from Seattle, though you may have seen them perform live in your hometown if you reside on the West coast. If you decided to lock The Head and the Heart in a room with Yukon Blonde, this would be the result. I&A's 'All the Times We Had', which you can stream on NPR is full of pretty melodic hooks, and endearing lyricism. It's a rootsy, honest album. Every song sounds like a hit.

At a time where folk-pop rock is starting to seem overdone, Ivan & Alyosha come in and revive it. The band together just creates very beautiful music.

Visit their webiste to find out more: Ivan & Alyosha

New band alert (Pickwick)

A band so new they aren't even on Wikipedia yet here's introducing, Pickwick. I received an e-mail from Dine Alone Records a few weeks ago saying they had signed a new band called Pickwick. The Seattle hometown heros have a surprisingly large following for such a low key group.

Pickwick is a rough around all the right edges, soul garage rock outfit with splashes of punk for good measure. The band plays in varying styles. Some funky, some even sounding like they belong in a NOLA jazz group. Pickwick vocals are especially unique to this particular sound of dream garage rock resembling a more soulful Pixies, or Cold War Kids.

The group is the type of audiophyllic musicians who pay clear attention to detail noting, harnessing, and perfecting their influences. Hacienda Motel, the bands first song off Can't Talk Medicine is a clear debut. The song, which was also the first song the band has had played on the radio, exemplifies how rock is done right shaping their sound with varying influence.

Priding themselves in the use of unique musical aesthetic, Pickwick will be releasing their first "big" album in March titled Can't Talk Medicine. The album is available for pre-order here: http://tinyurl.com/7q48aq9