Print Edition: May 7, 2014
Ramona Lisa
Arcadia
Arcadia isn’t going to make you happy. Straight up in the first track, “Arcadia,” I felt like I was trapped on a drifting spaceship. You know the feeling. It’s the gothic combination of buzzing electronic feedback, clanging tower bells, and dramatic vocals that gives you a slightly paranoid, eerie feeling. Arcadia is the debut solo album from Caroline Polachek (under the name Ramona Lisa), who hearkens from indie band Chairlift, and it leaves an impression. It’s as though Polechek is testing her musical ability, here, there, and everywhere, and the one thing she’s sure of is her beautiful falsetto, fading in and out of each track. Strongest tracks are “Arcadia” (give yourself a few listens and you’ll get off the drifting spaceship), “Backwards and Upwards,” (a hard electronic track complemented by Polachek’s powerful voice), “Lady’s Got Gills,” and — probably the happiest song on the track — “Dominic.” Listen to this album loud, and let it echo.
Little Comets
The Gentle
Released earlier this year, British indie trio Little Comets’ The Gentle is consistent with the band’s previously established trend of doling out catchy indie-pop intermingled with some of the most hauntingly beautiful, slower-paced tracks I’ve ever heard. Comprised of only four tracks, The Gentle doesn’t miss a beat, delivering a flawless line-up of songs that serve as an aperitif to Little Comets’ unique sound. The only two moderately fast-paced songs on this record are “Coalition of One” and “Little Italy,” both held up by lead vocalist Robert Coles’ incredibly passionate voice. The most striking song on this record is “The Blur, the Line and the Thickest of Onions.” Slowly and confidently, the song speaks out against misogyny and rape culture in modern society. Little Comets are the first band in the genre I’ve seen broach a theme like this in their music, and the song is also musically sublime. Both “The Blur…” and “Early Retirement,” the last song on the record, highlight Coles’ ability to hypnotize the listener with his beautifully delicate, yet concretely powerful vocals. This is an indie band that demonstrates not only musical ability, but lyrical and vocal supremacy over their contemporaries.
Augustines
Augustines
Augustines have evolved through two vastly different cities, Brooklyn and Seattle. While it nearly didn’t happen as the band struggled through an era of turbulence, their self-titled sophomore album is an accomplishment on many fronts. With a run time of just less than 45 minutes and 12 tracks, Augustines is consistent throughout with raw emotion, thick atmosphere, and strong guitar and drums. While there are resemblances to a number of bands, such as Future Islands, The Gaslight Anthem, and The National, Augustines have their own sound. The album starts off with a very pared-down intro track, essentially a showcase of vocals with a pendulum-like backdrop. That’s followed by “Cruel City,” which really grabs with a great hook and is the first single. “Weary Eyes” is poised to follow as the second single with its slightly more melodic chorus. The biggest change-up is “Walkabout,” which begins with quiet vocals only to pick up and drive with anthemic proportions. There are no individual tracks that position this album to be one of the quintessential works of the year. This is just a very well-developed album. In particular, “Kid You’re on Your Own” holds a special place with me.
