Top 10 Tracks of the Week 03/13/12

05.

Sleigh Bells

“Irreplaceable” (Beyonce cover)

[Live on Zane Lowe]

Sleigh Bells dip back into the sunny acoustic vibes of “Rill Rill” with this cover of Beyonce’s classic “Irreplaceable.” Derek Miller shows off a bit of country-western twang with his guitar work, but it’s the breathy and unexpectedly tender vocal work from Alexis Krauss that steals the show. While many of us have enjoyed the thrill-a-minute joyrides of Treats and Reign of Terror, performances like this one suggest that a mellower Sleigh Bells release could be wonderful in its own right. Until then, you know the words: to the left, to the left…

– Josh Becker

Original post


04.

Rosie Thomas and Sufjan Stevens

“Where Were You?”

[Sing-A-Long Records]

The days of a quiet, passive man creating albums about various states is long gone. But I’m happy to welcome in the new Sufjan Stevens, a slick and futuristic version of freak folk, and a pleasantly enjoyable one as well. Stevens’ newest split with Rosie Thomas, to be released on Record Store Day, will immediately remind listeners of Age of Adz, experimenting with auto-tune and a nearly all electronic backing. At first it comes across as cheesy and overwrought, but as “Where Were You?” carries on, these tricks become real, and Rosie and Stevens create a beautiful track together.

– Erik Burg

Original post | Track Review


03.

Radiohead

“Skirting on the Surface”

[new song live]

Radiohead has debuted a few exciting new songs on their current U.S. tour, with “Skirting on the Surface” being the most laid-back of the bunch. Colin Greenwood’s chunky bassline and Thom Yorke’s typically gorgeous vocal melody steer the song towards a Neil Young vibe, while airy guitar atmospherics and a thick synth riff fill out the blank space of the song. It’s classic Radiohead with a tinge of middle-aged mellowness.

– Chris Letso

Original post (watch the video here)


02.

Beach House

“Myth”

[Sub Pop]

Beach House must feel invincible at this point, as they gear up to release their fourth album in a little under six years, and the album teaser, “Bloom,” is practically met with unanimous praise the second it surfaces. In the past few years, the duo has been touring with a live drummer, yet Teen Dream was still dominated by drum machines. “Bloom” suggests that a greater emphasis on percussion is the next step in refining their signature sound, and it helps that Alex Scally’s guitar line is one of his sharpest to date. There’s no mistaking that this is one of the band’s finest, even if they are playing it safe.

– Michael Tkach

Original post | Track Review


01.

Burial and Four Tet

“Nova”

[TEXT]

When artists follow a formula for too long, they tend to become white noise. This isn’t the case with Burial. On the contrary, it seems that the more the UK producer sticks to his trademark sound, the more popular he becomes. Burial teams up with Four Tet (Kieran Hebden) to put together the wondrous “Nova.” Pitch-shifted vocals accompany what sounds like chopsticks striking wooden wind chimes before the processed rhythm kicks in. The hypnotizing synth hook that floats over the arrangement would be right at home in a vocal-trance setting. “Nova” is both something we’ve experienced before and something we’ve been hoping would come along. This is emotional electronic music at its finest.

– Nicholas Preciado

Original post


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