Music

Top 5 Indie/Rock/Pop Releases: May Edition

by Nicole Villeneuve

Each month, tons of new music from many taste-spanning genres is released into a fast-consuming, unforgiving audience; it can be tough to get a handle on what’s new before it’s on to the next. In an attempt to highlight the standout releases, at the end of each month, AUX staff re-cap the month in Punk, Metal, Indie/Pop/Rock, Hip Hop, Pop, and Electronica/Dance with the top five releases in each. Consider it your cheat sheet for year-end lists.

Top 5 Indie/Rock/Pop Releases: May Edition

 

Sloan – The Double Cross

It would have been easy for Sloan to approach their tenth album—their 20th anniversary album—as an occasion for nostalgia or novelty, but instead they carried on like business as usual and in the process, produced one of their strongest, most consistent albums to date. The Toronto (but Halifax at heart forever) foursome have never lacked confidence but here they’re direct and their maturing songwriting finally seems to have found the balance between old and new. Still witty, still catchy, still unlike most other bands around right now. The Double Cross is unquestionably must-own Sloan. (Outside Music)

Austra – Feel It Break

Katie Stelmanis has been making music for herself and with others in Toronto for years, but her latest project, christened Austra to give the solidified trio of Stelmanis, Mya Postepski, and Dorian Wolf its own band identity, has been hyped beyond most expectation (worldwide attention, record deal with Domino). Feel It Break hits deep, its gothic ethereal electronic textures best on single “The Beat and the Pulse,” and though its similarity to the Knife might be a little too obvious at first, in the end, the music’s but nothing and it’s just that voice, always that voice. (Domino Records)

Death Cab For Cutie – Codes and Keys

Still brand-sparkling new with its last-day-of-the-month release day, Death Cab’s seventh studio record Codes And Keys had lots of build up with ‘leaked’ tracks, a live, scripted, one-take video, and, eventually, a full album stream. It’s a remarkable departure from 2008’s angry, guitar-swelled Narrow Stairs—guitars are largely forgotten for synthesizers (it’s not what you think) and melody after melody of Ben Gibbard’s sometimes-annoying love songs, but it’s always been about the whole package with Death Cab, and the skillful, wistful full-album deal here is no exception. Superstar mixer Alan Moulder was an outside-ear on this one, lending both an intuitive and refreshing approach. (Atlantic Records)

Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues

It’s a rare position for a band to get old-school stadium-sized famous from their first album, so when that happens as it did with Fleet Foxes, being tasked with a follow up is no small feat. Fleet Foxes didn’t change too much on their sophomore album Helplessness Blues, but then, they didn’t really need too. Singer/songwriter Robin Pecknold possesses something of an otherworldly singing talent and he knows how to write for it. The classic pop/roots bombast of songs like “The Shrine/An Argument” are no more arresting than the tense, quiet rush of “Grown Ocean,” nor the wondrous harmonies of “Montezuma.” We don’t need a lot of bands like Fleet Foxes, especially when they do it this well. (Sub Pop)

Chad Van Gaalen – Diaper Island

This one wins for title alone. And also for the songs. Eclectic Calgarian wonder Chad VanGaalen returns with his fourth full length and it’s as great as all the rest, but certainly not the same. Some of the idiosyncrasies that make Van Gaalen a consistently compelling true artist remain in tact, as does that familiar voice and production, even if this time around there’s more guitars, more distortion, more angst, actually. If you were listening to Women’s Public Strain last summer, some of the sounds here’ll ring familiar (Van Gaalen produced it and it clearly stuck with him). “Sara,” a sparse, striking standout may well be one of the most arresting songs of the year. (Sub Pop)

Surprises, disappointments and albums to watch for next month

Surprise of the month: Austra. Didn’t expect it to unravel itself as more than it sounds, which is basic synths and beats. It’s still sicking around, though. Surprises not on the list: Explosions in the Sky’s Take Care, Take Care, Take Care, which somehow manages to still make their challenging instrumental rock not only relevant but surprisingly listenable.

Disappointments: Okkervil River, I Am Very Far. Meh.

Out in June: Bon Iver (June 21). It’s already leaked and we’re jerks and have listened to the hell out of it, and it’s fantastic. So, June list, get ready.