Brown Chicken Brown Cow: Yo April

Fourth month, same as the first...here's stuff to check out.

Albums

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Dig, Lazarus, Dig - Inspired by the stories of Harry Houdini and Lazarus, this is one of the only concept albums that actually gets it right with a story (loosely) and exceptional music (The Streets being the other). Whether on purpose or not, last year's side project Grinderman seems to have rejuvenated Cave, as this album leans heavily on the rock n roll, and it is better for it. Besides the great musicianship, this record includes some of the most humorous lyrics in a while.

Firewater - The Golden Hour - Speaking of Nick Cave, the vocals on this album swing between sounding like him and the singer in They Might Be Giants. The focus of the album is frustration with the world today, and many worldly elements are included in this. Frontman Tod A. spent three years traveling the Middle East, India and Southeast Asia, recording musicians along the way and incorporating them in the album.

Atmosphere - When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Sh*T Gold - While Ant and Slug are generally pretty creative when it comes to using a variety of instruments and sounds as backing beats for Slugs vocals, this album takes it to another level. The live band is used on a lot of the album, and more synthesizers are used than before. The majority of the lyrics are reflecting on parenting, adding to the step in a different direction from before.

M83 - Saturdays = Youth - For the last 3 albums, M83 has been what I would pick for a soundtrack for space. The music just fits in such an expansive and soaring arena. Saturdays = Youth is the easiest full album to listen to yet, and the space idea still works, except you replace planets with clips of '80s movies. Kim and Jessie is my favorite song of the year so far.

Pete & The Pirates - Little Death - Anthemic and jangly indie pop at it's best. It's hard not to move when a song starts out urging "Come on feet/One, two, three" followed by hand clapping. The vocals are similar to the Futureheads, with a little more giddy-up.

Jim Noir - Jim Noir - I can't really tell if this would fit better in the '60s, '80s, now or maybe ten years from now, and that probably means this is even better than I'm giving it credit for. This is just an album that once you start listening to, you want to hear what's coming up next. Like a more electronic and British Beck.

Santogold - Santogold - If Tegan & Sara did the vocals for M.I.A., you would come up with something very similar to this new artist (and Bud Light Lime soundtracker). Maybe the catchiest album out this short year.

Playlist

M83 - Kim & Jessie