Best of the Rest...

Another year-end list season down, and another bunch of gems that I missed out on during the year. Here are some of my favorite recent finds:

First of all, Pitchfork introduced me to King Khan & The Shrines, my favorite find of the season, with their lists of songs and albums. Their sound combines a couple of sources, all of which sound vintage, including 60s garage rock, Motown, James Brown, and the raw power of The Stooges. The Black Lips had a big year doing something similar, and deservedly so. This is better. I don’t know much about the band at this point, but trust me, if those influences make you weak in the knees then you won’t be able to resist their latest album, What Is?!.

MP3 :: Welfare Bread
MP3 :: No Regrets
(from What Is?!. Buy here)
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Shake Your Fist had a really great list of their favorite songs of the year. Below are 2 of my favorites from their list, but really, do yourself a favor - download the whole thing and make yourself a playlist. Many many hidden gems.

MP3 :: Daddaughter / Madzak
(from Life Beginnings. Buy here)

MP3 :: Igloo / Clear Tiger
(from Brutal. Buy here)
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As part of PHW’s Year-In-Review series comes a recommendation from Jacob Berns of The National Lights. His favorite album of the year was Electrelane’s No Shouts No Calls. I haven’t heard the whole record yet, but “To The East” is shimmering, melodic indie-pop of the highest order.

MP3 :: To The East
(from No Shouts No Calls. Buy here)
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Finally, I heard a few songs from Times New Viking’s Present The Paisley Reich over the past few weeks. Their use of fuzzed out noise may be too graphic for some viewers, but underneath the violence are some pretty cool tunes. Look for an early ‘08 release from their new label, Matador Records.

MP3 :: Teenage Lust!
(from Present The Paisley Reich. Buy here)
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