Two Gallants is back after a five year hiatus with a new album, The Bloom and The Blight, and a new record label, ATO. Singer/guitarist Adam Stephens and drummer/vocalist Tyson Vogel might have had good experiences with their other projects, but the lifelong friends have a special camaraderie that's evident in their music and album artwork (a photo of the pair as kids graces the record's front cover).
The flood that severely damaged The Helio Sequence's studio and equipment a few years ago also afforded the Portland, Oregon duo the chance to start anew with a clean slate. The setback was a push forward, giving singer/guitarist Brandon Summers and drummer/keyboardist Benjamin Weikel the perfect excuse to purchase gear — much of it with a vintage twist — and discover a new path that led to their fifth album, Negotiations.
Since Freelance Whales released its 2009 debut, Weathervanes, the local indie pop band has gone from busking on Brooklyn street corners to worldwide tours, supporting the likes of Foals, Tokyo Police Club and Fanfarlo.
There is a brutal undertow to Daughter's deceptively gentle songs; vocalist/guitarist Elena Tonra's confessional lyrics, bolstered by guitarist boyfriend Igor Haefeli's tempestuous electronic flourishes and drummer Remi Aguilella's propulsive dynamic, brim with pain, fury and aggravated beauty.
The Antlers will be in Camber Sands, England this weekend to play The National-curated All Tomorrow's Parties, but the Brooklyn band will also be much closer to home this month, as part of "4 Artists, 1 Cause," a sold-out Hurricane Sandy benefit on December 14. The Terminal 5 event also features Sleigh Bells, Grizzly Bear and Cults.
Add Omaha's Icky Blossoms to the formidable stable of Saddle Creek bands. The brash, sexy and fun electronic trio — which includes Tilly and the Wall's Derek Pressnall, vocalist Sarah Bohling and lead guitarist Nik Fackler — released its self-titled debut album earlier this year, produced by TV on the Radio's Dave Sitek.
Some albums get tagged as "autumnal" in nature and Husky's impressive debut Forever So fits that bill; there's a dusky, melancholy and evocative cast to the Melbourne band's supple harmonies and songcraft.
The Aussie folk-rockers also have an inspiring backstory — proving that tireless dedication to a dream can pay off in the end — and they're currently touring North America on their own headlining jaunt, including last night's Mercury Lounge show.
Canada's John O'Regan, who goes by the moniker Diamond Rings, has been prolific over the last couple of years, releasing his debut, Special Affections, last year and just last month his sophomore record, Free Dimensional, came out. O'Regan and his bandmates are currently touring the West coast, but they return to the New York area on December 4 for a show at Bowery Ballroom.
The Mercury Prize, the apotheosis of Britain's prestige music awards, was handed out yesterday in London to Alt-J, but also among the twelve shortlisted nominees was Django Django—the percussively-driven Edinburgh-born quartet that released its critically-acclaimed eponymous debut earlier this year.
Wintersleep's amusingly named Hello Hum, the Canadian band's fifth album, finds the quintet at its most expansive, incisive and brooding.
©WFUV 90.7 FM Public Radio from Fordham University
718.817.4550 | WFUV, Fordham University, Bronx, NY 10458-9993
