Music

Top 5 Indie/Rock/Pop releases: January

by Nicole Villeneuve

Each month, tons of new music from many taste-spanning genres is released into a fast-consuming, unforgiving market; 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 Metal, Indie/Pop/Rock, Hip Hop, and Pop with the top five releases in each. Consider it your cheat sheet for year-end lists.

Top 5 Indie/Rock/Pop Releases: January

 

John K. Samson – Provincial

Weakerthans frontman John K. Samson started this album as a series of EPs detailing different parts of Manitoba, but it ended up unfurling into his first proper solo debut album, Provincial. Indeed, its a study on his province, on the places and people and memories that make it what it is to him, which is, clearly, a strong part of his identity. For fans of Weakerthans or not, but there’s more than a little of the band’s familiar, defining factors—perhaps mostly Samson’s ability to turn verbose prose into lingering melodies—in abundance here. (Anti-)

Kathleen Edwards – Voyageur

Yes, this is Kathleen Edwards’ break-up album. Yes, it was produced by new beau, Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon. And yes, it’s much more than all that trivia. Voyageur marks not only a new personal but a new professional start for Edwards, breaking herself out of the alt-country mould she’d happily made and comfortably worked in for the better part of ten years. Even in the rockiest of times, something remains: Edwards has such deep confidence and strong will that even the vulnerability feels stable. It’s good to know we can still lean on her. (Maple)

Nada Surf – The Stars are Indifferent to Astronomy

If you frequent the site at all, you’ll know that I harbour a soft spot for this New York power-pop trio, and I holdfast to the belief that they’re one of the most underrated and consistent bands of the past decade. They’ve especially been on a roll since 2002’s Let Go, and while last studio album Lucky, in 2008, was seen by some as a wane, 1.) I disagree, and 2.) don’t worry, they’ve bounced back. Sometimes, there’s nothing better or more necessary in your playlist than smart and strong and easy power pop. Nada Surf do it so perfectly. (Barsuk)

Cloud Nothings – Attack on Memory

I don’t know that this is really what anyone was expecting from Cleveland’s Dylan Baldi, even knowing that him and the band he’s assembled to fill out his solo bedroom project Cloud Nothings. The only thing that was predictable here was the sound—Steve Albini recorded it, and you can tell—but otherwise the band he’s been touring with have filled in his lo-fi aesthetic with a strong and heavy rhythm section and Baldi’s embedded his hooks a little further into a rough mix that’s bright and pissed. There are a lot of touchstones referenced here (that Albini is involved could give you a hint), and it was so obvious that I didn’t want to like it. But I couldn’t help it. I did. (Carpark)

RatTail – s/t

Toronto’s RatTail have been working their soulful indie sounds for a few years now, and on their debut full-length their tried-and-true college-pop smudge gets the benefit of more touring and a bigger space to fill. Singer/guitarist Jasmyn Burke’s bluesy melancholia anchors the songs’ three-chord garage-rock simplicity while lending a warmth that’s welcome (but often unexplored) in this style, while the small production touches of leaving yelps or coughs in the background, or the vibrato effect in “Gasmask” give it a good bit of sloppy-weird charm that’s pretty much always a good thing. (Unfamiliar)

Surprises, disappointments and albums to watch for next month

Surprise of the month: Toronto’s Actual Water went pop, stayed weird on The Paisley Orchard.

Disappointment of the month: Craig Finn’s solo debut, Clear Heart Full Eyes. Actually, “exactly what I expected” might be more accurate? Truth is, I like it. But I can tell it’s not going to stick with me too much. Imperial Teen’s Feel the Sound. Just, you know. Probably enough of that, Imperial Teen.

Out in February: One of my most anticipated, Sharon Van Etten, as well as new stuff from Grimes, The Wooden Sky, and Mike O’Neill are things I have my eye on.