January Roundup

I seem to be tired all the time. Tired of making the 50-mile round trip commute to school and work seven days a week. Tired of only working for 2.5 hours after driving half an hour to be there and walking away with $25 in my pocket. Tired of being sick. Tired of classes and reading and grades. I need a vacation.

But at least the music's good.

The new Panda Bear album, Person Pitch leaked. I thought the Bro's 12" that came out a few weeks ago was outstanding, like a 21st century Beach Boys on (more) LSD. Almost every song on the album is just as good. Lots of people really love the more abstract noise-folk that the Animal Collective offers up on their albums. I've always been a bigger fan of their poppier and more accessible songs (obviously you'll never find an actual pop song from AC), like "Chocolate Girl" and "Winter's Love." That must be why I love Panda Bear's solo stuff so much, he really is the pop backbone of the collective.

Plus how cool is this album art?

Explosions in the Sky's All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone also leaked a while back, though I never wrote about it. It's good, and continues with the more restrained Explosions we've come to know and love since The Earth Is Not a Cold Dead Place though are no real standout tracks like "Your Hand in Mine" or "Greet Death."

Woodpigeon is a quiet, folky, indie-pop outfit from Calgary that I was turned on to by Said the Gramophone. I listened to the songs on their myspace and then bought the album on iTunes (thanks for the Christmas gift cards, everyone). Excellent album, especially "Home As a Romanticized Concept, etc." that you can hear on their myspace and "Feedbags."

Ok, I'm done.