Indie done right

I can tell my loyal and devoted reader base is crying out for more excellent music! - so here are some music reviews of quality music. Where do I get off telling y'all what's good? Betcha I listen more closely and more often to music than you do. What - music's just supposed to sound cool and be pretty in the background? Oh, well then...feel free to go back to listening to Viva la Vida.

Vampire Weekend - Privileged white college kids (like yours truly) smart enough to get some Africanesque beats going and to keep their songs sharp and short. Only so much to be said about this sort of life we live, but they say it pretty well. 18/20

Tokyo Police Club, Elephant Shell - Only one song barely over three minutes, all points made quickly and then they get out - and not afraid to use the word tessellate. Sure they're Canadian, but its something to listen to if the 35 minute Vampire Weekend is too long for your busy life. "Give us your vote, if you know what's good for you" - and unlike the usual Republicans who make this claim, they're pretty good, so - 18/20

The Magnetic Fields, Distortion - Best album I've heard yet this year (okay, so it came out in January). Sure, Stephen Merritt's voice is deep and morose, but this album which has, as 69 Love Songs did, hilarious social commentary in "California girls," music imitating music (in this case the distortion filled charm of say, early My Bloody Valentine or The Jesus and Mary Chain) that's often better than the original stuff, and an excellent drinking song. "I've gotta get, too drunk to dream, because dreaming only makes me blue" - well, at least he's honest and cheerful about it. Did I mention there's a song about a zombie? 19/20