Brief notes

I have been listening to, beginning to listen to and trying to listen to a fair amount of new/semi-new music lately, but I have been a bit lazy/busy as of late, so I'm going to give a series of updates and mini-reviews to clear up my backlog for an essay on indie music I've been meaning to write.

Listening to:

"Ellipse," by Imogen Heap
The electronically enhanced melodies of Heap's voice are often quite lovely, and the easy-listening feel is often punctuated by a surprising urgency and infectiousness. Most of the music might not be "real," but that doesn't detract from its beauty. This album will probably be on my albums of the year list, and "Swoon" might be the year's best song.

"Far," by Regina Spektor
While her intentional oddity might turn some people off, there is an overwhelming sense of buoyancy about this album that makes it both catchy and charming. I also find "Laughing With" to be quite thought provoking.

"Wild Young Hearts," by The Noisettes
I first heard about this band after hearing the absolutely fantastic "Never Forget You" on the radio, and I hoped for an equally fantastic album (their debut is of a completely different -- and not very good -- style). It's not a superb release, but it's growing on me. One of the things I appreciate the most about it is its intentional desire to feel like a throwback to some of of the 60's greatest female African-American artists, most notably Diana Ross. There's plenty of fun stuff here, too.

"Church Music," by David Crowder Band
Though it's not nearly as cohesive, lyrically inspired or original as the band's benchmark "A Collision," it's just as musically inventive and even more technically executed. It is very long and cut to seem like a continuous take, which can make it seem rambling at times, but the band's deft ability to change genres mid-album keeps things interesting. The two prog-rock songs at the end are must-listens.

Beginning to listen to:

"The Incident," by Porcupine Tree
This is a long album, and I've lacked time to listen to the whole thing, but I really like what I've heard. The lyrics are their usual blend of clever and thought provoking, and the music -- most of which consists of different segments of a long song -- is varied and ripe for immersion. While I prefer the pre-metal days of the band to the "In Absentia" and beyond releases, Steven Wilson & Co. still manage to consistently create admirable albums.

Wanting to listen to:

"I and Love and You," by The Avett Brothers
I've only heard two songs by this band, but both are fantastic examples of jangly folk-rock, and I'm a big fan of the vocals. Check them out.

"My Old, Familiar Friend," by Brendan Benson
Again, I've only heard the opening single "A Whole Lot Better," but I'm excited to hear more.

And lastly, after hearing John Lennon's "Mind Games" on the radio today, I wish to renew my quest to find out which of The Beatles would have made it as solo acts if not for the success of their original band. Paul would have succeeded without question, I'm thinking no with Ringo, and I'm not sure about George and John (although I'm leaning "no" with Mr. Lennon). We'll see what happens.