Can You See the Sunset? » indie pop

Carl Hauck – Windjammer

Eric — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 01:05:18 +0000

So Chicagoan Carl Hauck’s Windjammer might just be (along with Laura Veirs’ July Flame) my favorite folk-ish release of the year. Delicate and layered folk music with gorgeous melodies, great guitar playing, and interesting accompaniments that include a Kenny G style saxophone part. Adding the sax is a bold move, but it’s there. Can you handle it?

MP3:
Carl Hauck - Windjammer

Good Old War – Good Old War

Eric — Sun, 12 Dec 2010 21:14:27 +0000

So, yeah, Good Old War’s sophomore album (which is unironically titled Good Old War) is out now and something you might be into if you’re a fan of great vocal harmonies, playful melodies, and unobtrusive (but engaging) indie folk instrumentation. What that really means is that almost everyone I’ve played either Good Old War or the band’s first album for has really enjoyed them. There’s just something timelessly and universally appealing about what they do (and not entirely dissimilar to Simon & Garfunkel). The band also kills it live so check ‘em out if you ever have the chance.

MP3:
Good Old War - My Own Sinking Ship

Matt & Kim – Sidewalks

Eric — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 02:31:13 +0000

It really took me a few listens to figure out how I felt about Sidewalks. I mean, Matt & Kim’s last album, Grand, was one of my favorites of last year, and for all it’s synthy indie-pop, there was still more than a wee bit of raucous punk attitude spilling from those tracks. Here, not so much, but somehow I’m OK with it. While Sidewalks boasts no shortage of ultra-catchy melodies and head-nodding beats, there seems (at least to my untrained ears) to be a few extra layers of production and supporting elements to these songs than just the basic Matt & Kim formula. At first I wasn’t thrilled, especially since I’m a punk at heart and since I don’t like change, but then I realized that these songs are really really good. Change just happens, and while I’m hopeful that it will remain just the two of them when they play live, expanding the sound on their albums is a logical progression and (even though it’s a lot more) it isn’t an overwhelming departure. Not that it’s anything but playful and fun, but these two couldn’t just play “Yeah 3x” over and over, could they? Not that I would have minded… Still, even if their music was terrible I’d still find a reason to cheer for Matt & Kim, they just seem like the nicest, cutest couple ever.

MP3:
Matt & Kim - Cameras

Laura Veirs – July Flame

Eric — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 01:59:52 +0000

Laura Veirs has long been one of my favorite female singer/songwriters and her latest album, July Flame, may be her best yet. It’s fragile, beautiful, daring, soothing, playful, and so damn good. It’s a little more straightforward than some of her previous material, but might be even more affecting because of it. Totally worth checking out if you like smart acoustic music and/or spending time in the woods on a sunny day.

MP3:
Laura Veirs - July Flame

Jonsi – Go

Eric — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 05:44:14 +0000

I’ve loved the Icelandic group Sigur Ros for quite some time now, but was skeptical just how good frontman Jonsi’s proper solo debut, Go would be. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Go is a skitteringly gorgeous album that wraps you up in melodies that could only come from Jonsi and his angelic vocal cords. So so good and (in my case) unexpected.

MP3:
Jonsi - Go Do

Frankel – Anonymity Is The New Fame

Eric — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 02:34:39 +0000

Note: This has been sitting in my draft posts folder since March so I figure I should post it now or forever hold my words, right? Frankel is pretty doggone good at what they do. The band’s classic melodies recall the pop of Simon & Garfunkel and the 1960’s filtered through something decidedly more modern. Their sound is stately, wispy, and intimate with a hushed sadness that’s reminiscent of the late Elliott Smith. This is true pop a la The Fab Four or (if you’re looking for a more modern comparison) some of Brendan Benson’s (or perhaps The Shins’) quieter and less rambunctious moments, but it’s got a little bit of Americana flavor (maybe a little like Good Old War) that eludes direct comparison to the aforementioned. Their 2009 album Anonymity Is The New Fame was released by the good people at Autumn Tone.

MP3:
Frankel - Faux Science

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Recess Monkey – The Final Funktier

Eric — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 02:24:21 +0000

Not that I’m a kid (even though I oftentimes act like one) but my favorite new kids music band is Recess Monkey (get it?) from Seattle, Washington. Their latest album The Final Funktier is super fun for kids (and grown ups) of all ages. From my perspective they sound like some awesome amalgam of Ben Folds, Imagination Movers, Fountains Of Wayne, and Ultimate Fakebook. They also kinda sound like the band Dada (a highly underrated alt-rock band from the early 90′s). It means that I might actually listen to this even though they’re singing about moon boots, jet packs, science projects, sunglasses, robots, and more… I’m not even kidding. The music is full of seriously catchy melodies and hooks that will bury themselves deep inside your skull. The lyrics are clever (see “Ukulalien” for just one example) and, well, it’s all put together in a way that’s not childish at all.

Recess Monkey is a perfect example of the sort of kids music band that actually gets it. If not for the lyrics (and even then only sometimes) you’d be hard pressed to identify ‘em as a kids band. Very young kids might not be really into Recess Monkey, but The Final Funktier (with it’s science-themed lyrics) would appeal to older kids for sure. All three band members list their day jobs as “teacher” and it shows (that’s a good thing). The band also seems not to take itself too seriously (based on the costumes and some of the lyrics) despite being totally serious about what they’re doing here. It’s almost like old-school They Might Be Giants without the overly quirky sound.

Let’s just say that I’m genuinely excited to see the band perform this weekend (with my daughter by my side, of course) at Lollapalooza’s Kidzapalooza. Heck yeah!

MP3:
Recess Monkey - Jet Pack

Happy Belated Birthday… CYSTSFTS turns 5

Eric — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 03:12:21 +0000

As you’ve probably noticed, there has been a relative lack of posting here on Can You See the Sunset as of late, and (in general) a lack of posting since my second daughter was born a little over a year ago. Between the 4 year old kid #1 and the (now) 1 year old kid #2, a full-time job that keeps me out of the house and away from the blog from sun up until 6PM, and everything else that needs to be done, I’m generally exhausted. I’m not sure how the “big boys” of the music blogosphere (like Gorilla vs. Bear and My Old Kentucky Blog) do it, but I’m not going to hire some guest editors or contributors to help me run this blog. The fact is I make barely enough $$ from ads and such to pay for web hosting and the other costs associated with the blog, with maybe enough left over for the occasional mailorder from No Idea or Suburban Home. There ain’t no money in music blogging.

I’m rambling a little bit here because while July 8th, 2010 was my youngest daughter’s first birthday, it was also the 5th birthday/anniversary of the first post on this blog. I completely missed it this year, but it’s pretty easy to figure out why. Sure, my frequent vacationing this summer (Dominican Republic, Florida, Northern Wisconsin) have certainly impacted my blogging schedule, but it’s really more like life playing out and priorities coming to the forefront. Being the lone contributor and writer of this blog, there have been natural ebbs and flows in the frequency and quality of posts over the last 5 years, but there have been posts. I’ve posted 1663 times since July 8th, 2005 (this post included) which works out to about 27 posts per month. It might not sound like much, but it’s all 100% me, and I’m pretty damn proud of that. It’s still hard to believe that I’ve been writing about music here for over 5 years.

Since you’re probably wondering, the answer is, “No.” I’m not about to announce my retirement from music blogging or anything like that. Why would I? Sure the amount of emails from PR companies I receive on a daily/weekly basis is unwieldy and if I generally delete 90% of them without reading more than the subject lines, and I have more music waiting for me to listen to it than I can possibly handle, but it’s not the end of the world. It’s just this giant monkey hanging off my back. I mean, with the exception of the folks from Southern Lovin’, Beartrap, Kiss of Death, IYMI, etc… I really don’t need any more promos or promo emails. Seriously, when was the last time I featured drum-n-bass, radio pop, or even hip-hop? On the other hand, I’d love to hear the music of more local bands, especially way out here in the suburbs. Think local people, think local.

Another reason that I’ve been a bit absent from Can You See the Sunset is that for the last few months, I’ve also been writing another blog. It has nothing to do with music, but covers another topic I’m pretty passionate about. So with all that life has thrown at me lately, I’m still kicking. With all that rambling aside, here is a killer summertime mix largely inspired by the soundtrack my uncle’s iPod provided while we were at his lake house in Wisconsin a few weeks ago. Normally I’m not this much of an “indie rock” kinda guy, but these are pretty good.

Cheers & Happy Summer,
Eric

MP3:
jj - From Africa To Malaga
Magic Kids - Summer
The Very Best - Warm Heart Of Africa (ft. Ezra Koenig)
Hot Chip - Transmission (Joy Division cover)
Taken By Trees - Anna
Atlas Sound - Walkabout (ft. Noah Lennox)
Gayngs - The Gaudy Side Of Town
The Concretes - Good Evening
Best Coast - Sun Was High (So Was I)
Hot Chip & Peter Gabriel - Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa (Vampire Weekend cover)

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Letting Up Despite Great Faults – Letting Up Despite Great Faults

Eric — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:00:03 +0000

Letting Up Despite Great Faults is a band from LA whose ethereal and hazy M83 flavored indie-electro-pop will whisk you off to somewhere far from here or wherever it is you are. The band’s self-titled album finds languid guitars melding with lush buzzing synths and airy breathy vocals, creating what some might call a less-pop and shoegazier version of The Postal Service. I (however) will tell you this isn’t the same thing. It’s more like the atmospheric electronic tones of Fennesz and/or Belong juxtaposed against the pop of Joy Electric and the fuzz of the JAMC. Letting Up Despite Great Faults is simply just a really enjoyable and (at times) gorgeous album that is what it is. It’s not overwhelming and that’s just the point. It’s also not the sort of album that you generally see reviewed (anymore) around here, but something I like nonetheless.

MP3:
Letting Up Despite Great Faults - In Steps