Nothing says early August like two fistfuls of new tracks for our perusal.

Hinkley - "Hanging Tree"
University of Rochester alums (that’s NY for the neophytes) from the early 90’s like myself can say with certainty that area’s music scene has never been very fertile …
still have my Popfest Compilation as evidence. So it’s nice to hear a record from upstate with a strong opening cut, this mournful ballad that quickly builds into a massive My Morning Jacket style stormcloud. I can’t say the whole album is as affecting, but at least they knew well enough to put their best effort upfront.

Alina Simone - "Pacifica"
This one’s very reminiscent of Shannon Wright without the benefit of her pipes or Steve Albini’s bass-heavy production. Get beyond that and it’s a reasonable effort, but so much of the playbook is similar (like the occasional doubled vocals in the middle of the verse, or the way the song peters out only to pick back up with a rash of drums and a wail) I think I’d rather just pull out a few of Shannon’s less radio-friendly efforts.

Okkervil River - "A Girl In Port"
After largely being unswayed by the balance of Okkervil River’s catalog I guess I’m finally finding a positive place for them, perhaps years of exposure slowly wore away that defensive layer of skin. Or perhaps just this song, seemingly about a girl spied in a crowd, tripped my switch. The singer seems to speculate on the details of her past, romanticizing the encounter until it’s difficult to tell whether these events are being recounted or imagined. Played on 8/2/07.

Tegan & Sara - "Burn Your Life Down"
I always had an (unearned) negative opinion about this duo until I caught one of their earlier efforts on a fellow dj’s show. This new one feels like it’s getting quite a bit of notice, and it’s certainly a very professional pop package. This song is crisply recorded and well constructed, with a great downward note chorus after an equally upbeat verse and a shouty bridge. Overall the album is a mixed bag but at least there are a few jewels that require further inspection.

You Say Party! We Say Die! - "Opportunity"
This was the only song from this new release that worked for me. In general it’s soupy unfocused post-punk with a press-one-note-at-a-time organ riff and a struggling female vocalist. While the pace is positive they can’t seem to focus on any one element of the song, instead shifting ideas about every 15-30 seconds. ADD anyone?

Birds & Batteries - "Soft Surveillance"
A lovely melding of light-touch electronics and Palace-style country, complete with an awkward vocalist that dredges up enough character to carry the song. Due to the electronics this possesses a driving beat unique to the genre. Still it unfurls quite easily, never feeling all that urgent. The slide guitar certainly helps in that regard. Worthy of further exploration, I played this one on 8/2/07.

Manual - "Marbella"
Stellar shoegazer instrumentalists offer us a 2 CD collection of previously unreleased works, collaborations, compilation tracks and b-sides thrown in for filler. In my mind they’re near the top of the mellifluous pile, this particular song ebbs and flows with sonic wave after wave kissing sweeter than wine. Not everything works, and given the scope that meets expectations.

Port O’Brien - "My Eyes Won’t Shut"
I’ll forgive the schizophrenic nature of this band’s effort as this is lifted from a career sampler, even if that career only spans two records. Still this sounds like the collective effort of a commune taking turns at the musical helm. If anything this song reminds me of the more countrified efforts of Modest Mouse, it unfortunately also drops and f-bomb just like Isaac. Other tunes are less coherent, the tin pan drums work well here with the dueling acoustic guitars.

Northern State - "Away Away"
The most pop-oriented song on this feminine hip-hop lp mates a repetitive sung chorus with some rapping in the verses and a lazily insistent bassline. Simple but effective, reminds me of KHanna’s rapping attempts with Internal/External but of course much much slicker. Still there’s that Bikini Kills nasalness to it w/o any of the accompanying political fury, instead focusing on the boy that left.

Stereo Total - "Ta Voix Au Telephone"
You make me feel like dancing! The duo cadges liberally from Leo Sayer’s disco hit for this less-than-energetic dance tune with their typically laissez-faire professionalism. Read that as barely competent, yet still undeniably delicious. On first go-round I’m guessing each song on the new album is inspired by a hit from the past, as several of them sound suspiciously familiar. Played this one on 8/2/07.

The Steinbecks - "Shin’s Journey"
I’ve never adopted these aussie-poppers despite the plaudits from their adoring twee-pop fans. More of the same on this new one, as the songs seems desperate to congeal yet end up nothing more than a fidgety portrait aspiring for catchiness. This particular tune seems to work the best of the lot with an affecting guitar in the chorus and lyrics about an art-school infatuation that will bring back memories of crushing romantic defeat to everyone coherent within an audible area.

Emily Haines & Soft Skeleton - "The Bank"
Lead singer of Metric takes a shot at the solo life with a Cat Power-esque turn that relies less on pathos and more on polish. This ep is a mind refresher for her under-promoted full-length which has been available for over a year now. Jeff "Summer" Breeze tipped me to her charms, so with an educated air I’ll say when the full-length works well it’s particularly melty, when it doesn’t it’s simply polish. The ep sits somewhere in between, truthfully it would not compel me to make an otherwise worthwhile purchase of the lp.

Milton and the Devil’s Party - "Have To Have Everything"
With Brian McTear’s name on the producer’s credit we’ll assume this band is out of Philadelphia … lord knows it’s probably comprised of several members of other equally obscure area bands. This one deliciously digs into a refined late 80’s Go-Betweens vein and coughs up blood on several tunes with delicate yet weighty pop and appropriately yearning vocals. Past experience tells me to rein back the enthusiasm as sometimes candy turns into salt, so I’ll just be appropriately enthusiastic about this effort.

Earlimart - "Answers & Questions"
The LP captures pretty much everything I personally expect from an Earlimart release, with perhaps a bit more wax on the floor. There’s more than a flavor of early 90’s REM jangle here vacillating between potently refined pop-rockers like this one and hi-fi attempts at lo-fi alt-country introversion. Fitfully beguiling, yet I yearn for more vocal punch in the equation.

Alamo Race Track - "On The Beach"
Here’s a bit of a 60’s Beatlesque flavour that nicely alternates predominantly drum and bass sections with flourishes from other plucked and strummed instruments to create a rather precious pastiche in the midst of a punchy pop song. Some of their efforts are reminiscent of the nicest bits of 90’s fuzzpop while others dollop on nostalgia from other eras.

Junior Senior - "Ur A Girl"
So help me at first spin this song reminded me of finest pop moments of The Osmonds, who were terrifically competent trend copiers. So it goes here with dashes of violins dotted by an earnest falsetto chorus in between pleas for attention from the opposite sex that mature at about a middle school level of reality. Needless to say this one’s getting dropped on Joanie at some point in the future.

Smokey and His Sister - "Creators of Rain"
A few 60’s era Sundazed reissues came in this week, including this brother-sister folk duo which the liners claim was never properly released. Some very nice strings and bass elevate it into pop category, and the gender roles are switched vocally as she has the deeper stronger voice while he takes more of a fey approach. Quite pleasant if you enjoy the orchestral folk of the day, the production is restrained and provides an airy instead of overwhelming feel.

The Groop - "Nobody At All"
The other 60’s era Sundazed reissue this week is strongly reminiscent of the Association with intricately constructed orchestral pop backing and multiple vocalists working in and out of harmony. Anything with a Millennium connection immediately gets my attention, and while this one is down on the creamy meter and up on bombast, it still contains multiple charms.

The Mams - "All Hail The Dilettantes"
This Britpop revival is so super insistent on their powerpop charms that more often than not I found myself sweatily pouncing on the FFWD button to get past their demanding happy bouncy smiley pop charms. Still, I made it through a few of their cuts stem to stern so it can’t really be all that oft-putting, can it? Or maybe I’m just one sick sucker.

The Takeovers - "Molly & Zack"
Here’s another new Robert Pollard effort with a passel of guest stars and collaborators, Chris Slusarenko taking most of the blame. If you possess an opinion that Pollard’s ability to imbue his half-formed ideas with that old magic left him with Cobra Verde during GbV days this one will only confirm your suspicions, as every gem is leavened with a toss-off or two. Here simple works best as an acoustic guitar and horn is all that’s needed to create a pretty little ditty about a couple or something, I’m still not quite sure. Spun on 8/2/07.

Marissa Nadler - "My Love And I"
The recent success of Joanna Newsom has likely cleared many thickets from the path to publishing pedaled by female folkies with odd voices. Now a reasonable gamble in the musical landscape, there’s even less hindrance for those blessed with fetching genes. Of course my concern is the music, which unfortunately for Ms. Nadler only occasionally rises beyond fitfully precious and sibilant. Still, I played this one on 8/2/07 as she was looking lonely on the ol’ new rack.

Justice - "Waters of Nazareth"
Somehow Winamp’s random function saved the best for last this time around with the exciting debut album from Justice turning back the Daft Punk clock 10 years for some super sonically dirty beats designed to make full use of subwoofers across the world. Considering they cull a hefty portion of its material from 5 years worth of stellar club tracks, it's no surprise that we have an immediate top ten contender here. This one does Digitalism one bettah by eschewing clever samples for potently gritty funk and occasional but effective guest vocalists. Played this on 8/2/07, you’ll be hearing others in the near future.