Sparklehorse - Dreamt For Light Years In The Belly Of The Mountain (2006)

With their latest album, Dreamt For Light Years In The Belly Of The Mountain, Sparklehorse have created - in my opinion - one of the finest albums of recent times. The group creates music that is laden with joy, sadness, angst, and acceptance, often within the one song.
Sparklehorse is not so much a band, as the musical creation of Mark Linkous - lead singer, song-writer, and the only constant member in the band’s ten-plus year existence. Linkous has had a somewhat difficult career trajectory, which has included recurring bouts of severe depression and debilitating drug addiction, along with the release of a number of excellent albums that have been critically praised, yet have failed commercially. The band’s 2001 album, It’s A Wonderful Life, is one of my all-time favorite albums, and the fact that it did not introduce Sparklehorse to the music listening public at large is baffling!
Dreamt For Light Years In The Belly Of The Mountain serves up the same sonic brilliance of its 2001 predecessor, using all manner of weird sounds to craft songs of sonically textured wonderment. For those unfamiliar with Sparklehorse’s sound, two of Linkous’ collaborators on this album - Stephen Drozd (Flaming Lips), Dave Fridmann (Mercury Rev / Flaming Lips producer) - may provide some indication of where Sparklehorse lie musicically.
The music, for the most part is ethereal, tranquil and uplifting. Songs such as Shade and Honey, Some Sweet Day and Morning Hollow are all fine examples of Sparklehorse's gentler side, while Ghost In The Sky and It's Not So Hard show that the band are not afraid of rocking a little harder.

Check Out: www.myspace.com/sparklehorse

Islands - Return To The Sea (2006)

Throughout the last forty or so years, islands have played an integral part in the development of modern music. First, in 1949, Chris Blackwell - an English man in Jamaica - founded Island Records, which would be home to such musical luminaries as Bob Marley, U2, and, for a short, yet productive time, Tom Waits. Then in 1983, came the Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton country-crossover hit, Islands In The Stream - a rousing love song that paired two of country musics finest, and that is everything a love song should be. Finally, in 2006, Islands, a band from Montreal, Canada, released the excellent Return To The Sea, which, in some strange place in my mind, brought everything full circle.
On Return To The Sea, the two core members of Islands - Nick Diamonds (vocals, guitar) & J'aime Tambour (drums) - enlisted the help of a number musicians to play all manner of instruments (accordian, cello, violin, charrango, flute, organ, etc.) to aid in bringing their eccentric, poptastic tunes to life - and, in this, they most certainly succeeded.
I love when bands have a cracking track as the first song on their album. Islands have done this with the epic opener, Swans (Life After Death). Clocking in at over nine minutes, the song carries you along with its driving beat, and its playful, yet oddly poignant lyrics, before changing time and rocking out at the eight minute mark. Very cool - especially as it is a clear indicator of the quality of music to follow.
Islands mission seems fairly clear: To write clever, intelligent pop music, while never taking themselves too seriously - at least that is the feeling I get from songs such as Don't Call Me Whitney, Bobby - which is another favorite of mine.
Return To The Sea is a great collection of songs that, like any good pop music, makes you feel something real, while also engaging your mind. Obviously, for the most part, this type of pop music is no longer available in the world of commercial radio or television, and so, must be sought elsewhere. Islands is as good a place as any to begin your search.

Check Out: www.myspace.com/islandsareforever

The Sand Pebbles - Ghost Transmissions (2004)

The Sand Pebbles, a very cool band from Melbourne, Australia, have been making music together in various line-ups, since way back in 1999. Ghost Transmissions, is the album that brought them to the attention of various tastemakers in the Melbourne scene, though not before a cover of Julian Cope's Out Of My Mind On Dope And Speed saw them written up in various influential publications in the U.S. back in 2002.
Ghost Transmissions is a shining gem of psychedelic-pop-rock. Perhaps, like me, psychedelic conjures images of the band disappearing up their own collective-paisley-coloured Khyber at some point in the proceedings, venturing off on their own - never to come back down again - trip, man. I can assure you that this is not the case. From the slow burn of the opening track, The Day Summer Fell, Ghost Transmissions is, for the most part, a mellow, groove-ridden, journey, through which the band happily plays the part of the pied piper, leading the ever-willing listener.
There are some excellent instrumental tracks on the album, including the 'perfect for driving along the coastline' rock-out of Hanging Out, and the 'this song is making me all warm and fuzzy' groove of Sioux City Falls. The track, Black Sun Ensemble, clocks in at just under twelve minutes, and encompasses all of the best elements of The Sand Pepples sound (i.e. psychedelic-pop-rock). With awesome lead guitar, that is never over-indulgent, and the bass and drums rhythm section locking onto a solid groove throughout, this has to be the standout track of the album.
Finishing with the loose, rocking All My Life (I Love You), Ghost Transmissions is a an awesome listening experience from beginning to end. The Sand Pebbles - who released Atlantis Regrets Nothing - the follow up to Ghost Transmissions - in 2006, are definitely a band worthy of your attention.

Check Out: http://www.myspace.com/sandpebbles

The Devastations - The Devastations (2003)

My introduction to The Devastations came late last year, when I was lucky enough to see them play the support slot for The Drones' show in L.A.. As I arrived at the venue quite late in the evening, I missed the first few songs of their set, though I certainly heard enough to convince me that The Devastations had a great sound and were a band that demanded my further attention. After my initial listen to this album, I was convinced that my earlier conviction had been accurate.
The Devastations play music that can be tender and somber one moment, raucous and nettled the next. The album opens with the slow, plaintive instrumental track, He Wasn't Like That When I Knew Him, which features piano, a quietly plucked banjo, violin, and drums. The pace soon picks up on the rambling, break-up themed track, Loelene, which, among other things, features the sultry, French sung vocals of Emilie Martin.
While the album as a whole is excellent, there are two stand-out tracks that stay with me each time I listen to the album, long after the last song has played. The first, is the sublimely brilliant, Previous Crimes. With lines such as "I do not believe in forgiveness/Or setting suns/I cannot conceive your setting sun", this is perhaps the most tender moment of the album. It is a track that would not be out of place among Nick Cave or Leonard Cohen's song catalogues, two people with whom The Devastations share a similar musical aesthetic.
The second track that has chosen to imbed itself deep within my psyche, is the beautifully restrained, We Will Never Drink Again. Here, we find the songs' protagonist sorting through the broken pieces and unanswered questions of a failed relationship. Rarely has someone else's heartbreak sounded so delicate and, oddly, comforting.
The Devastations play the type of music that is perfect for dark, wintry days; perfect for days when your in the mood for a glass (bottle) of red wine and some healthy introspection; perfect for days when you are happy being sad.

Check Out: http://www.devastations.net/music