"Dig Up The Dead" by Mansions

"Dig Up The Dead" by Mansions was released on
April 5, 2011 on Burning House Records/King Bones
Recordings

Christopher Browder is the voice behind Mansions and it’s never rang out with more honesty and poignancy than on his latest release, “Dig Up The Dead”.  “Dig Up The Dead” clocks in at just over a half hour, but it’s filled from top to bottom with incredible lyricism and songs that are crafted into sonic rollercoasters that are usually driven with Browder’s acoustic guitar at the core of each piece.  Browder has broken the barriers that prevent songs from being both emotive and catchy, each song on this album is a brief glimpse into the reality of Browder and it’s a truly invigorating listen.

Media News: Dragon Tattoo, Don't Be Afraid Drop Trailers

So, word on the street is that the Americanized Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, starring Daniel Craig, had a red-band trailer leak earlier today. I finally hunted down a YouTube copy and immediately became at least twice as excited for the movie as I was. I said I'd never support Americanized versions of anything after a string of real hack-job remakes, but Let Me In totally changed my mind about that. This trailer took it a step further and not only can I support Americanizing movies, I can now enthusiastically endorse them.

"Take Care, Take Care, Take Care" by Explosions in the Sky

Released on April 26, 2011 on Temporary Residence Limited

Post rock is a strange animal: hard to describe as a genre without making it sound like elevator music or the backdrop for a nature documentary, yet immediately recognizable whenever you hear it. For years, one of the biggest names in this bizarre little subgenre has been Explosions in the Sky, an instrumental quartet from Austin, TX known for their larger than life crescendos laced with searing effects-driven guitar work that speaks volumes by itself without vocal accompaniment. Explosions in the Sky have risen to prominence in recent years thanks to frequent use of their music in movies and television shows, the raw emotion and epic-minded melodies in their songs a natural fit for world of film scoring.

"i want! i want!" by Walk The Moon

i want! i want!, self-released November 26th, 2010

In the early days of summer, it is always encouraging to stumble across new music that will shape the tone of the remaining warm months. That’s why finding Walk the Moon has been an absolute delight. This album is, for all intents and purposes, one of the best summer records in recent memory. The lead track and first single, Anna Sun, actually made it to the top of Esquire Magazine’s summer songs list. Evoking the early-2000’s indie-pop breakthrough acts (Killers, Thrills, et. al.), Walk the Moon manages to one-up their influences with deftly written synth lines and polyrhythmic beats reminiscent of Vampire Weekend’s world-music bend.

This album grabs you from the beginning with an unassuming intro and then erupts into layers of pulsing bass lines, adroit synth work and the crisp, explosive crunch of guitars. While Anna Sun sets the bar high, this is the sort of album that consistently exceeds expectations.