of Montreal - False Priest (V0)

Me: Holy shit, look who it is…

Disappointment: Hey! I haven't seen you since like… since WOMEN released their second album?

Me: Yeah, that's probably the last time. So when did you get here? Track 2?

Disappointment: Nah, I got here before the album even started. I'm gonna have to go soon, but I'll be back a bit later.

Me: Why? If you're already here you might as well stay the whole time.

Disappointment: Well, when track 3 starts I'll have to go and pick up embarrassment from his loft in the city.

Me: Loft in the city? The fuck is he doing there?

Disappointment: I don't know, something about dogs. I don't really listen to him; he's just not worth hearing anymore.

Cat Power - The Greatest (V0)

Billie Holiday would be proud. Chan Marshall, also known as Cat Power, is one of the few artists participating in the reclamation of American folk. The Greatest, released in 2006 to widespread and ubiquitous critical acclaim, is perhaps one of the pinnacles of the New Weird Americana movement of the earliest years of the 21st century.

The soulfulness of Cat Power's voice and the presence of her Georgian influences is astoundingly clear throughout the entirety of this album, harkening back to the earliest days of Americana, drawing what seems to be a direct bloodline to the likes of Duke Ellington or Sarah Vaughan, and reinforcing Cat Power's own blues heritage. Arrangements of piano and strings, alongside blues staples like pedal steel guitar and trumpet, beautifully accompany Cat Power's voice, which, again, is one Holiday herself would be proud of.

Download.

Elysian Fields - Dreams That Breathe Your Name (V0)

Dreams That Breathe Your Name is the third album by Brooklyn-based art rock band Elysian Fields, released in 2003. This album contains an array of sounds and tones that blend together seamlessly, ranging from dark and moody to classic dreamy pop/rock. "Narcosmicoma" is one of the highlights of this album; 5 minutes and 42 seconds of piano-driven, ethereal bliss, including the title of the album within its lyrics ("Into the dreams that breathe your name"). Another fan favorite is "Baby Get Lost," the pushy, yet playful, second song from this album. Among the more notable tracks featured on this album is "Scratch," a song about sex, and "Passing On The Stairs," which features vocals from Oren himself. "Dog Of Tears" ends this album on a beautiful, yet slightly foreboding note. Jennifer Charles' sultry voice guides the listener's gondola along the canal that is Dreams That Breathe Your Name. There's nothing I can say I don't like about this release from Elysian Fields, and I hope that all of you can find enjoyment in listening to it as well.

Elysian Fields is comprised of Jennifer Charles, who provides vocals, as well as various instruments, and Oren Bloedow, the guitarist. Most people know Jennifer Charles from her involvement with the downtempo band Lovage, alongside Mike Patton and Dan the Automator. While Elysian Fields and Lovage hold similarities, there are no raunchy, comical lyrics to be found here; instead, EF bestows upon the listener a lush, varied soundscape, almost unlike any other band I have ever listened to.

Instant impact made you see.

The Future Sound of London - Dead Cities (320)

Put simply, Dead Cities is nothing short of a masterpiece of ambient techno. Taking cues from Aphex Twin and B12, FSOL create a convincing and intricate post-apocalyptic landscape unlike any other I've heard. Dead Cities rewards close listening, as many of the details, sound effects, and motifs may elude you at first. The album changes gradually and with purpose but every song is memorable and different. I literally have nothing bad to say about this: if you are even the least bit interested in techno or electronic music in general, I recommend this highly.

Everyone in the world is doing something without me...

Yes - Relayer (320)

Yes's interpretation of Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace divided many critics at the time, but with hindsight many now view this album as one of their very best. Coming off the heels of Tales from Topographic Oceans, not their best effort to say the least, they finally got their shit together and created an undeniable progressive rock masterpiece (again). It's denser, louder, and more complex than CttE, but more varied and jazzy. As always, the musicianship is second to none. It's said that if you look up the word "epic" in the dictionary, you'll find Relayer's album art.

Experience the heat of battle.

The Constructus Corporation - The Ziggurat (320)

The Ziggurat is, without a doubt, the most complex and ambitious hip-hop album I've ever heard. It is a concept album revolving around a multinational corporation that distracts the populace with a giant floating pyramid, or something. I couldn't really tell you what its about because the lyrics are very abstract, intricate, and difficult to decipher. It has to be heard to be understood, and even if you can't wrap your head around it all (I can't), you can admit that it has some damn cool beats.

Metatron One, I've been known to get the job done.

Feral Children - Brand New Blood (V0)

The following is a police report of an event that occurred sometime in the early months of 2010 regarding the murders of Animal Collective and most of Modest Mouse.

According to one "Isaac Brock," disillusioned with what was once his own "indie rock," he finally grew tired of his bandmates, pulled out a shotgun (yet to be found) and burst into the studio where the other members of "Modest Mouse" were recording, killing each of them one by one. Brock made no attempt to hide his deed(when cops arrived two days later all the bodies were still where they fell and blood was everywhere). Isaac then began to leave, but noticed that one of his band mates had brought an album (titled: "Strawberry Jam" by Animal Collective) with him and left it on a desk. Mr. Brock was unable to explain why he had decided to stop and listen to the album, but stated after he had listened to it he had yet another urge to kill. He called a friend who quoted, "He asked me for some odd request, the address of Animal Collective’s studio."

We estimate that four days later Mr. Brock arrived at the studio, killed the band (Animal Collective) that had been practicing inside and then, in his own words, "ate their hearts to gain their power." Brock then remained in the studio for 48 hours and used Animal Collective’s instruments to create the attached album. We found him there, still covered in blood, bodies still on the floor, blood everywhere. When we took him in for questioning (and a soon to be conviction) he kept screaming for us to take the enclosed album with him.

Find the aforementioned album attached within.