Case File #39: "Infinity Guitar"

Sleigh Bells
"Infinity Guitars"
Treats
(2010)




The need to know: Sleigh Bells make dance music with a metal soul.  The combined effort of ex-Poison the Well guitarist Derek Miller and one-time girl grouper Alexis Krauss is made to be played loud and often, mimicking blown-out speakers even within its noise-pop sound. Their debut, Treats, is one of the years best reviewed albums (Don't believe me? Believe Metacritic.) and posits Sleigh Bells as one of few bands going that can claim true uniqueness. In short, they own.

Why it's worthy:  "Infinity Guitars" will punch you in the mouth, and, damnit, you'll love it. Strong from the get-go, like most of the album, it's a relentless throttling of guitars and awesomeness that still maintains a pop sensibility through all that noise. Fun and feisty, it only goes to show how much everybody else is slackin'.

Quotable lyric:  "Deaf chords/ Dead ends"

Where you've heard it: The track "Meds and Feds" off of M.I.A.'s latest disc Maya features elements of Slegh Bells title track "Treats". "Meds and Feds" was co-written by M.I.A. with Derek Miller, and Sleigh Bells were the first band signed to her boutique label, N.E.E.T.


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Case File #38: "Wasted Daylight"

Stars
"Wasted Daylight"  
The Five Ghosts
(2010)




The need to know: Relying on boy-girl vocals, courtesy of Torquil Campbell and Amy Milan, and an impeccable pop sensibility, Stars have made a name for themselves since their sophomore release, Set Yourself on Fire made waves back in 2004. Six years and two albums later, the band has added a danceable flourish to their delicious pop sound. Consider their Soft Revolution complete. 

Why it's worthy: "Wasted Daylight" is an escapist's dream. Amy Milan's ode to spending the day in bed, the tune is equal parts dreamy pop and danceable energy. More likely to get you going than to lull you back to bed, it's a consolation prize for the days you can't afford to snuggle up, turn off your phone and ignore the world around you.

Quotable lyric:  "Telephone rings/ But we'll just let it sing/ Hide out 'till tomorrow/ I crawl into your shadow"

Where you've [seen] it:  In addition to his music career, Campbell has also tried his hand at acting, appearing in episodes of Sex And The City and Law & Order back in 2000, the same year that Stars was formed.

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Case File #31: "The Mall and Misery"

Broken Bells
"The Mall and Misery"
Broken Bells
(2010)




The need to know: Broken Bells combines the superpowers of The Shins' James "You gotta hear this song. It'll change your life." Mercer and multi-instrumentalist/producer Brian Burton, who you may know better as Danger Mouse--half of Gnarles Barkley, producer of Gorillaz's sophomore effort Demon Days and mastermind behind The Grey Album, his controversial mash-up of Jay-Z's Black Album and The Beatles' White Album.  The duo met and discussed a collabo in 2004 at the Roskilde festival, but they wouldn't really put the gears in motion until four years later--AND it was miraculously largely kept secret until their debut single "The High Road" emerged in 2009. If you're thinking a match up between folks with that kind of musical background would have to be awesome, then you're definitely on the ball.

Why it's worthy: A standout track on an album with many standout tracks, "The Mall and Misery" closes out Broken Bells' eponymous debut with a danceable amalgamation of layered vocals, Shins-ian verses and a modern-life-is-rubbish ideology. In short, it's the best both halves can offer the whole and done to perfection.

Quotable lyric: "I know what I know/ Would not fill a thimble/ So let your mind go"

Where you've heard it: If you're my neighbors? Through the walls a lot last Friday night.

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Case File #27: "White Wolf"

Retribution Gospel Choir
"White Wolf"
2
(2010)




The need to know: Begun in 2005 as a collaboration between melowness pursuers Alan Sparhawk of Low and Mark Kozelek of Red House Painters fame, Retribution Gospel Choir allowed the "slowcore" icons to be as rampantly raucous in a live setting as they wanted to go, unleashing a beast that would've been unwelcome amongst the tunes typical of their more well-known affiliations. By the time RCG released their eponymous debut in 2008, however, Kozelek had receded to producer status, and disappeared entirely from the band before its acclaimed 2010 follow up, 2. 

Why it's worthy: One of the most straightforward tunes offered up on 2, "White Wolf" retains some of the moodiness of Sparhawk's work with Low while letting loose crisp guitars and a satisfying chorus. Symbolism aside, it conjures a ferocious battle with a white wolf and, really, what's not to love about that?

Quotable lyric: "You think you can take that white wolf/ Then you're gonna need more blood"

Where you've heard it: While reading my interview with Sparhawk over at Stereo Subversion. (Yeah, yeah, shameless self-promotion. I know.)

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Case File #26: "Kill Me Carolyne"

The Whigs
"Kill Me Carolyne"
In The Dark
(2010)




The need to know: Since 2002, The Whigs have been building a buzz, including a nod from Rolling Stone in 2006, which asked if the band could be the next great one  to emerge from R.E.M.'s hometown. If you know anything about the Athens, Georgia music scene--and the number of bands in it--then you know that's a huge compliment, and no small task. But The Whigs are certainly up to the challenge, after accompanying Kings of Leon on several tours around the U.S. (including a sold-out Madison Square Garden gig) the trio just recently released their third record, In The Dark, a polished helping of garage rock ruckus.

Why it's worthy: "Kill Me Carolyne" is the quintessential rock single, and anthemic choruses ripe for sing-alongs and verses laden with ambiguous self-deprecation and accusatory relationship drama make this tune more than worthy of an obsession. It may not be the best tune on In The Dark, or within The Whigs' catalog, but it's pretty damn infectious without falling into the traps of drivel that fell most rock bands these days. If this song doesn't get you pumped up for a night out, or to get out of bed, there may not be much hope for you.

Quotable lyric: "I know you love me/ But you'd feel better/ If you just suck it up and/ Kill, kill me Carolyne"

Where you've heard it: The band recently performed "Kill Me Carolyne" on The Late Show with David Letterman. 

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Case File #21: "Thieves"

She & Him
"Thieves"
Volume Two
(2010)




The need to know: She is the doe-eyed, raven haired actress Zooey Deschanel. Him is countrified folkie M. Ward. Initially paired up for the 2007 flick The Go-Getter, where Him dominated the soundtrack and She starred, their one-off duet has evolved into a bona fide music group. Sure, Deschanel's an actress, and we know how it usually goes when actresses dabble in music, but She & Him defy that particular musical law. Their much-adored first album, Volume One, a collection of Deschanel-penned originals and choice nostalgia covers, emerged in 2008, and the just-released Volume Two continues to define the duos 60s-inspired pop sound. 

Why it's worthy: Who doesn't want to hear Deschanel pine away about wayward loves? Much like the twee characters she most often portrays, she knows what role she's best at and plays it to an oh-so-sweet perfection. "Thieves," another lovelorn tale, sets the tone as the lead track for Volume Two. Here, Deschanel laments with a brave face over yet another romantic ending, but by the end her
assertion that she'll still be crying seems like a triumphant victory over the matters of the heart.

Quotable lyric: "It's not all that bad/ I'll see you sometime/ Sometimes lonely isn't sad"

Where you've heard it: Deschanel tends to mix singing and acting together pretty often. In addition to The Go-Getter, her vocals have graced the soundtracks to (500) Days of Summer, Yes Man, and Elf.

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