S/T
Shuteye Unison
(Parks and Records)

Some of the buzz surrounding Shuteye Unison’s debut album has been more about the band’s label than the music itself. Parks and Records is a new “green” label, founded by the band’s bassist/vocalist Jon Fee. Appropriate to the recycling theme, Shuteye Unison offers a six-song debut that reaches towards the “fresh, exciting, original and unknown” sounds of ’90s indie rock. Fee and vocalist/guitarist Daniel McKenzie (both also of Rum Diary) craft great early-’90s indie-rock harmonies, and Jake Krohn’s booming, aggressive drumming adds arena-rock grandeur to their soaring vocals. But the songs occasionally struggle under the inordinate task of making ten years old sound “fresh and original” again. The ambient synth intro track “CRF 030608” and the poignantly-creepy-movie-monologue-sound-byte on “Fields Landing” sound like obligatory clichés, faltering between ironic homage and art-rock earnestness. While few argue that recycling isn’t good for the environment, the debate on how good it is for indie rock is still wide open – and though Shuteye Unison may not sound entirely “fresh and original,” there’s still some excitement to be found in their first attempt.

– Kevin Hobson

26
Nathan Moomaw
(Gazebo Music)

On Nathan Moomaw’s clever debut LP, 26, the now 28-year-old San Franciscan wrote and recorded one song for every month of his 26th year, starting with April. His approach is refreshing with well-executed depth and texture, every song evoking new themes and sounding distinct from the last. The tracks flow effortlessly into the ears, and while his winsome lyrics may be glossed over at first, they easily stand on their own. Moomaw’s gentle voice, acoustic guitar, ukulele, glockenspiel, saw (of the woodcutting variety), various percussives and friendly chuckle make for a complex, lo-fi, gypsy-delic folk romp that is both entrancing and relaxing. His soulful bowing of the saw in “May” and “June” isn’t so much haunting as it is hot and sticky. “October” is one of the album’s gems, with its mad looping beats and choppy ukulele riff (which also happens to be a highlight of his live show). The road tripping “November” delivers a warm and whimsical tune for autumn, while the slow descent into “February” conjoins soft notes with innocent lyrics, creating a cool, chant-tastic lullaby clearly worthy of ringing in the New Year on March 31st.

– Michelle Springmeyer

Talking Through Tin Cans
The Morning Benders
(+1 Records)

Just in time for summer comes the Morning Benders’ Talking Through Tin Cans, a raucous and unrelentingly catchy collection of backyard-BBQ-perfect tunes. Led by singer/guitarist Chris Chu’s sometimes tortured, always textured delivery of instantly hummable melodies, the Berkeley band – on tour now with the Kooks – tears through eleven songs in thirty-two minutes of rock ‘n roll precision. The balance between laid-back acoustic-guitar bliss and scarcely contained electrified-rock chaos is sublime throughout – standout gems include “Waiting for a War,” the album’s soaring, jangle-riffed first single, and the off-beat puniness of “Patient Patient.” While other critics offer apt comparisons to Brian Wilson’s pop-savant melodies and the Beatles’ assertively hooky production values, my first impulse was to revel in the tinge of darkness beneath the album’s shimmering surface: I imagined that the Shins finally grew a pair, started in on a fifth of whiskey at 9am on a sunny Sunday and wound up drunk-dialing their ex by three in the afternoon. Isn’t that what you’d expect a morning bender to sound like? Comparisons to past acts will soon prove to be moot, for with Talking Through Tin Cans, the Morning Benders have established themselves as the unique kind of act to which other bands are happy to draw comparison.

– Kevin Hobson

Everywhere at Once
Lyrics Born
(Anti/Quannum)

A founding member of the legendary Solesides/Quannum collective, Lyrics Born has been making quality music for well over a decade. Known for his inimitable voice, lyrical dexterity, and a ridiculously hype live show, he is a fan favorite whose style transcends simple genre labels. While he remains a rapper first and foremost, his singing chops and willingness to experiment with other styles has landed him onstage at all of the big "indie"-centric festivals, and he maintains a relentless global tour schedule.

On Everywhere at Once, his continues to expand his sound, playing with assorted cadences and surrounding himself with more live instrumentation. Bright horn blasts, funkdafied basslines, wah-wah guitars, multiple singers and '80s-type synths dominate, with his verses pulling everything together. There's a strong party vibe throughout, especially on high-octane jams like "Cakewalk," "Don't Change," and the aptly titled "I Like It, I Love It." There are also a couple good skits in the mix, and "Differences" (featuring real-life wifey Joyo Velarde) is one of the greatest songs describing the key differences between guys and the ladies.

There are a few misfires – "Top Shelf" veers dangerously close to reggaeton territory, and the politically minded "Do U Buy It" comes off like a weird Devo-meets-B52s joint – but the vast majority of the album is outstanding. It's definitely something that will appeal to listeners far outside of the traditional hip-hop spectrum, and many songs here could easily find major love on the radio (in a good way), like his breakout hit "Callin' Out" did a few years back. Like the title suggests, Lyrics Born is stylistically all over the place here, but he pulls it off like a champ. Highly recommended.


– Brolin Winning