ODDISEE, PEOPLE HEAR WHAT THEY SEE

I'll be honest, I have trouble keeping up with all of Oddisee's musical projects. But I eventually always get myself caught up and marvel at what he does. Born, Amir Mohamed el Khalifa, Oddisee is a producer, MC, and rapper who has been at the center of helping to create a strong and focused hip-hop community in and round Washington DC that is referred to as the DMV Movement. For all of his efforts, People Hear What They See is considered Oddisee's true debut album. I see it more as another step in the evolution of Oddisee as an artist. On People Hear What They See, Oddissee's beats, raps, and lyrics come together in a fine way to lift up and convey his thoughts, perspectives, and social mindedness. I hope that Oddisee finally gets the national
                                                        attention that he is due and deserves.
                                                        Let It Go [explicit]  

ON ROTATION

Liars, WIXIW
Otis Hart of NPR Music wrote that "WIXIW may just be the best Radiohead album since Kid A." I could not agree more. But Liars is not a Radiohead knock-off band. This trio has been producing some of the most creative, interesting, and experimental rock out there since their 2004 release They Were Wrong So We Drowned. For me WIXIW is by far their most successful album to date and brings a new level of sophistication and control to their creative process. 
No. 1 Against The Rush  

The Tallest Man On Earth, There's No Leaving Now

Kristian Matsson, who performs as The Tallest Man On Earth, is right up there with Josh Ritter as being one of the best singer-songwriter's of their generation. Since discovering Matsson in 2010, I have continue to be amazed by his output of near perfect songs and albums, one after another. There's No Leaving Now is yet another sublime collection of songs that only help reinforce Matsson's place as one of today's most special musical artists.
1904   

Melody Gardot, The Absence
I have been impatiently waiting for Gardot's follow album to My One And Only thrill, since 2009. Finally, Melody Gardot has returned with a wonderful collection of new songs. Over the past few years, Gardot spent time traveling the globe, experiencing and absorbing the music of the many stops she made along the way. On The Absence, Gardot strays into new musical territory as she draws inspiration from three of the countries she spent time in; Brazil, Morocco, and Portugal. These influences have helped Gardot produced some of the richest and most sophisticated songs that she has released to date. 
Lisboa  

An Awesome Wave

Normally on Mondays, I feature Scattered's album Picks Of The Week. This week, my picks will have to wait until Tuesday. Today, I am compelled to write about the debut album by the British band Alt-J, which is one of the best albums that I have heard so far this year. Released in the UK on May 28th, An Awsome Wave is set to be released in the US on September 18th. 

Upon its UK release, the BBC called the album "a stunning and encompassing affair of both innovative and electrifying musicianship and exemplary song writing." The Guardian wrote that "the music is rich and quirky enough to match the imagistic literacy of the lyrics, from the majestic, cinematic sweep of 'Intro' onwards." For me, An Awesome Wave in an intelligent, innovative, frisky, and wildly engrossing album that I have not been able to stop listening to since I first heard it. 

While An Awesome Wave will not be available in the states until September, the band is streaming it for a period of time on SoundCloud, which is also embedded below. Enjoy!

ON ROTATION

Silversun Pickups, Neck Of The Woods
I was fortunate enough to meet the Silversun Pickups a few years back when they played in Seattle at the Paramount. It was the first real concert that my two older kids had experienced and the band invited us backstage before the show. Beyond being great and talented musicians, they are genuinely nice and down to earth people and I will always be appreciative for them taking the time to meet with my kids. At the time they were touring in support of their album Swoon, which was a killer album. Last week the band released their forth album, Neck Of The Woods. While the band does not break any new real ground in terms of their musical style, it is another fine album and one that finds the band continuing to expand and develop its sound quite nicely.
                                                        Bloody Mary (Nerve Endings)  

Beach House, Bloom

The Baltimore due of Alex Scally and Victoria Legrand, better known as Beach House, have creating some of my favorite dream pop music since 2006. I was particularly enthusiastic about their 2010 album, Teen Dream. On their newly released, forth album, Bloom, the two extend their track record of producing outstanding music. Together, they are masters as at creating warm and lush songs that have great pop sensibility at their essence, but live in a dreamy state. This slows everything down and allows their songs to gently meander in time and space. With Bloom, they have achieved a new level of clarity with their vision of where their music lives. Songs are richer and perfectly textured with vocals that have a wonderful ethereal quality to them
                                                       which compliments the music beautifully. It all makes for an 
                                                       outstanding album.  
                                                       Myth   

Tindersticks, The Something Rain
Through twenty years and nine albums, Tindersticks has been creating music that is hard to pin down and not what I would call highly commercial. My kind of music. Their music has been called chamber pop by some, due to orchestral elements that the band often incorporates into their music. But that is really only part of the music's equation. Tindersticks' music is ambient, melancholy indi-rock that is soaked with emotional lyrics and heavy themes and is always interesting and always intriguing. On their latest release, The Something Rain, the band has created a dark, beautiful, and haunting album that really needs some quiet time to fully enjoy and absorb. When you do give it its due, you will be rewarded, having experienced
                                                       one of the more distinctive albums of the year. 
                                                       Medicine  

JACK WHITE, BLUNDERBUSS

What can be said about Jack White that has not already been written? There has always been so much to admire about White; his songwriting ability, his guitar playing, his music production, his showmanship. But what I have always most appreciated about him is the fact that he is a true student of music and its history. With this, when you hear him talk about music, you can sense the respectful that he has for all kinds of musical genres and periods. It helps elevate his approach to writing, creating, and producing music to a level that few other artists of his generation share. 

On his new release, Blunderbuss, White gives us a another great collection of songs and once again shows us why he is such a force to be reckoned with musically. Besides just being a collection of electrifying songs, White's approach to creating this album incorporates some very cool ideas and elements. Rather than me discuss them all, here is an interview that he did with All Songs Considered's Bob Boilen, explaining his approach to this album. Watching it is a must for any White fan.
                                                       Missing Pieces 

RUGUS WAINRIGHT, OUT OF THE GAME

Rufus Wainwright has been an artist that I have admired from afar for many year. I say afar, because while I have always appreciated him as an artist, I have not always cared for his art. That all changes for me with Out Of The Game, Wainwright's most straightforward effort to date. For almost two months now, I have been relishing every song on this album. Sounding like someone who's been spending time listening to classic mid-70's pop-rock albums by artists like Billy Joel, Wainwright has crafted a collection of timeless pop songs that are just so good. This is one of my favorite albums of the year so far.
Out Of The Game