Well, here is part II as promised. I pared it down from six to five. I am somewhat going "out on a limb" on this one because, quite frankly, I am not very up on these bands. But, when I weeded through the new releases list for this week, these intrigued me. As I said before, I don't have the funds to buy all these albums. So, don't expect to read below a long write-up review on them. And, in some cases, I had to rely on written reviews by others to get a better understanding of the music. This is important to know. Consider this an introduction to something new, which it is for me and hopefully will be for you. Also, my selection for the track posted was sort of haphazard at best. Thanks, to my Amazon and iTunes accounts, I was able to get a track for each. But, I am not sure whether these track selections are the best or fully representative of what the whole album sounds like. I will say, that I like each and every track that I picked. Well, here goes my, possibly considered, "lame" attempt at presenting these second five new releases to you. Enjoy!


All I really know about these guys is that they are from Seattle and they were formed as a band in 2008. Their music is described as atmospheric indie rock. Further descriptions say that their music incorporates a "spacious rainy neo-traditional pop-infused folk-rock aesthetic". Not surprising from the area's music scene that they hail from. Well, worth checking out further.

mp3 Running In Place

Black Whales - Origins (2009)



Well, since I was "out of the loop" during 2008, I know how I missed out on these guys. The Dodos received fairly critical acclaim with their 2008 release Visiter where the band described their music as "country-blues fingerpicking meets West African Ewe drumming meets metal meets indie pop sounds". Hmmm, interesting. The band formed in 2006 and their latest Time To Die is their third proper release. From all accounts the new release showcases the band taking a somewhat slower approach to their music and focusing on their pop sensibilities. The band still effectively skirts the edge of the indie rock mold. The track "This Is A Business" has a bluegrass feel to it, that is reported to be fairly consistent on the album but also actually rocks out at times. Another one that deserves more attention to.

mp3 This Is A Business

The Dodos - Time To Die (2009)



I am a little more familiar with this one since I heard their 2005 S/T debut. This Brooklyn based band are into both post-punk and psych rock, right up my alley. Their new one, Sunshower, is reported to be a collage of styles and influences - all the way from Disco, to punk, to reggae, to ska and to 90's college rock. According to the reviews I've read, despite the heavy influences the band does a good job of making it their own work. Check it!

mp3 Made In A Day

Jupiter One - Sunshower (2009)



On 2006's Centuries Before Love And War the indie rock quartet Stars Of Track And Field embraced the digital age, heavily using electronics and samples to augment their music. Shades of post-punk and straight forward indie guitar rock still shined through complemented by the use of electronics. It marked a new path for the band but a successful one. 2009's A Time For Lions also reportedly marks a change in the bands direction, back closer to the sound they started with on their 2003 Eponymous debut. They have effectively shed the electronic flourishes of their previous effort for a more straightforward rock sound. Reviews, I've read, vary on the merit of this change. Obviously, I need to hear the whole LP to make an adequate judgment. The track "End Of All Time" is pretty decent melodic song. Overall, worthy of investigating further.

mp3 End Of All Time

Stars Of Track And Field - A Time For Lions (2009)



Bay area based The Lovemakers produce a hybrid of indie rock mixed with dance friendly, disco laden music. Their latest second full length Let's Be Friends is "keeping with tradition, the songs range from the sweet melodic intensity of The Cure to the unapologetic ass-shaking of Prince". "The album boasts big, 80s narrative-driven pop songs instructed by plenty of dirty, gritty fun". The track "See What I Wanna See" is a highly danceable tune, worthy of merit. Sounds like a fun album!

mp3 See What I Wanna See

The Lovemakers - Let's Be Friends (2009)