The Wrens
33RPM Design, 2009

Maybe you’ve heard this song before?

The lyrics to “Lisztomania” are entirely inscrutable as a whole, but there are enough phrases that ring out and demand identification that it’s hard to listen without trying to make sense of every line. Obviously, English is not Thomas Mars’ first language, but previous Phoenix songs were rarely so cryptic — if anything, he erred on the side of directness and simplicity. It could be that as his life has become more public, he has opted to obscure his self-expression somewhat with strange imagery, random asides, and allusions to things that have no obvious connection to the apparent theme of the song. Usually songwriters start out this way and become increasingly open, so it’s odd to find someone move in the opposite direction.

Here’s a possibility: Maybe he just doesn’t care what the words are because he knows that with a song like this, it barely matters. It’s all in the sound, and especially the spring in the beat, the shuffle of the guitar, the plinking of the piano, and the keening of the melody. Romantic joy, romantic confusion, romantic angst, romantic foolishness. It can be whatever we want it to be, as long as the romance is there, and oh God, it is.

Buy it from Amazon.

FYI, the indie-schismatic Vivian Girls will release their new LP, “Everything Goes Wrong,” on In The Red in September.

Clickmusic reviews Grizzly Bear's new Veckatimest album, giving it 4 out of 5 stars.

Big hype, a sound influenced by classic American alternative music and featuring devastating four-part harmonies, you might forgive Grizzly Bear for being somewhat peeved at the success of Seattle's new finest, Fleet Foxes. Except they probably wouldn't care because they seem like such nice guys. Perhaps conscious of the timing of the release the band have moved on from the more pastoral and outdoorsy sound of 'Yellow House' to create something more inward looking and enigmatic. 'Veckatimest' is a record that retains its nuggets of sunshiney pop while concocting a tense and threatening edge that creaks through.

Tiny Mix Tapes gives the disc 3 of 5 stars.

Grizzly Bear Week continues at Drowned in Sound with indie rock notes from guitarist Daniel Rossen's mother.

Former Husker Du member Grant Hart talks to the Schenectady Daily Gazette about his music.

“I just haven’t been disposed to mix the art and politics in such a direct way, or, I would say, obviously,” Hart said during a recent phone interview from his home in St. Paul, Minn. “You know, there’s probably a lot of ex-Harvard business majors that went to Husker Du concerts who had a good deal to do with the screwing up of the country and the economy in the last 10 years. Not everybody keeps their youthful idealism; it’s kind of hard to in a smash-and-grab era like this.”

The La's frontman Lee Mavers talks to BBC News about recording the band's second album (19 years after releasing the first).

The Georgia Straight profiles former Grandaddy frontman Jason Lytle.

Eye Weekly profiles Apostle of Hustle.

The latest Apostle album, Eats Darkness (Arts & Crafts), is a fascinating study in contrasts. Whiteman has indulged his love of found sound and unexpected sonic textures, splicing in snippets of radio dialogue, sports broadcasts, percussive sound effects and kitchen-sink samples. At the same time, there’s a more focused intensity to the collection, with many songs that come closer to conventional amped-up guitar rockers than anything they’ve done to date.

The Denver Westword's Backeat Online interviews Camera Obscura's Tracyanne Campbell.

Love Live! Bootlegs from Bucklberry offers mp3s of live concert and studio demo recordings. Recent live show downloads include Son Volt, the Decemberists, and Tom Waits.

Actionslacks is offering a "pay what you want" model for its new album, Kids With Guitars.

Amazon’s 33% off 33rpm vinyl sale: Radiohead, REM, Belle & Sebastian, Liz Phair (Guyville!), the Hold Steady… and a crapload more, go check it out!

The Radio Dept – “David” From the forthcoming David EP (“David” / “Messy Enough” / “David” (Rice Twins Remix) / “The Idle Urban Contemporaries”), out 6/24 on Labrador.

MySpaceIt takes a lot to get me past my aversion to slap bass. I have no fondness for the technique, in fact it’s pretty much anathema to me - so it’s no small thing when I say that on Seven Across the Sea, the second album from Toronto’s Key Witness, it works. The lead track, “Brother John”, kicks off with a pretty intense slap attack before segueing into a barnstorming country rock number, and that approach - the melding of seemingly incongruous styles onto a raw, roots-rock core - is what makes Key Witness unique.

In theory, what makes roots-inflected music such is a no frills approach, but Key Witness’ creative restlessness never compromises the underlying simplicity of it all. Even when shifting from genre to genre within each song - at various points throughout the record, atmospheric, prog, funk, post and chamber are all appropriate descriptors - things remain impressively focused, anchored by J.M. McNabb’s authentically hoary rasp, the band’s taut musical prowess and their rollicking yet hook-laden songwriting.

There’s never the sense of experimentation for experimentation’s sake - Sea may take an unexpected route to get where they’re going, but considering the intense and frequently exhilarating record that results, there’s no doubt that they’ve got the map and know exactly where they’re going.

Seven Across The Sea was released back in March, but doesn’t seem to have made its way into any online outlets I can find, but I’m sure the band would be happy to hook you up with a CD copy and it’s lovely, wax-sealed (!) packaging. Or, pick one up when Key Witness play the Drake Underground tomorrow evening, May 28, as part of the Pitter Patter Festival.

MP3: Key Witness - “First Wave”

Drowned In Sound interviews Jason Lytle.

Explosions In The sky talk to Spinner about the state of their new album and confess that they still haven’t seen Friday Night Lights, the show that’s no doubt bankrolling at least some of the new record.

Perhaps Mark Kolzelek can fill them in on what they’ve been missing - he tells Pitchfork that Friday Night Lights is his favourite TV show.

Spinner Canada talks to Metric.

Exclaim has a feature piece on Grizzly Bear.

The Independent talks to Sonic Youth’s Kim Gordon. The Eternal is out June 9.