_Four or More 2012

Bury Me a Lion – Year of the LionSelf-released, online– out now4 / 5 From out of nowhere comes this leaping lion at us from New York City, a quartet’s worth of slightly punked modern rockers. Go ahead, spin up that opener; if “Be Your Own Bomb” doesn’t swagger like a Mick Jagger then maybe you’re hearing wrong – these guys are the real deal, and they sway with as much confidence as any sum of Strokes has. Actually, that’s probably our best approximation to the Lion’s sound: a Strokes kind of drive with a more enthused singer (and he’s really solid to boot). OurRead More →

Kitty Clementine – Self-TitledClumpty Records-out now4 / 5 Who’d’ve thunk an Aussie from Sydney would bring gypsy charm and Big Easy stomp to, we don’t know, rock? Big band? We’re not too sure, but in either case, she’s got big brass – horns – on her debut here, and how we appreciate horns. The dozen tracks here get dirty, in a foot-stomping, down-but-not-out blast-you-off-your-[butt] kinda way. It is pure pleasure being inundated with the personality, frustration and joy of this self-described “magician’s daughter.” Whether it’s a straight-rocker like “We Should Know Better” or “It’s Been Real,” born from some muddy back alley in New Orleans,Read More →

Joe Pug – The Great DespiserLightning Rod Records-out now4.5 / 5 We at the blog make no secret of the fact that we really enjoy Joe Pug. Well, mostly. On his sophomore album, the folker strums back into a sound more reminiscent of his debut EPs; acoustic, bare, laid back. And while we generally don’t up-thumb an artist who doesn’t develop their sound, strangely enough, there’s something a bit deeper on this one. Pug masters an incredible confidence in his singing and writing, pulling off relatively simple sons such as “Silver Harps and Violins,” “One of Many,” and most everything else here, never droning outRead More →

Field Music – “Plumb”Memphis Industries– out today!4 / 5 We liked their previous double-album Measure, and really, we like Plumb even more. Field Music has drawn comparisons to Electric Light Orchestra, and on this latest release, they certainly show ELO’s ambitious sense of suite. As fifteen tracks (roughly 2-3 min each), you get a sense of incredible journey, of a brilliant, coherent travel through so many different shades of their innermost creativity. As a thorough (and rather gorgeous) suite, it’s difficult to pick out a single or two that describes this album, and that’s our main reason for loving this album. Yet, if you absolutelyRead More →