Song of the Day 03/11/12: Andrew Bird - "Desperation Breeds..."

Andrew Bird, the now-famous multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter indie extravaganza, just released his new album Break It Yourself and it's already making a name for itself.

There's countless musicians out there who have love affairs with loop pedals, but to me, Andrew Bird is really the only who's mattered. His seventh studio doesn't make any huge jumps in style or instrumentation -- Bird still finds plenty of inspiration in folky acoustic guitars, quiet percussion, and wailing violins. But in Break It Yourself, Bird seems more confident than ever before. His melodies are stronger, his voice more expressive, and his arrangements more daring. Check out the opening track from the album, "Desperation Breeds..." below:

Song of the Day 03/07/12: Beach House - "Myth"

I know I like just featured these guys and you've probably already heard this song, but there is such a thing as buzz-worthy. Therefore I present to you the new track from Beach House entitled "Myth" coming off their upcoming album Bloom. "Myth" doesn't find the band moving in any drastic new directions sound-wise, but it definitely is proof that Beach House is interested in beefing up their sound a bit. The drums, synths, and bass seem to pack a little more punch this time around and everything feels fuller and more fleshed out. The song is catchy, which is to be expected -- but it's also got a certain finesse to it in that it feels leaner and more concise compared to previous Beach House songs of this kind. I'm really liking it and I'm excited to hear where the band goes with some of the non-single tracks as well.

Take a listen below:

Song of the Day 03/06/12: Lambchop - "Gone Tomorrow"

I have no idea how a band Lambchop has flown under the radar the way they have. The recently released album, Mr. M, is the first I've heard of the alternative country/lounge/soul band -- but they've been putting albums out since 1994, this being their 11th. Coming at the album with very little background knowledge of the band, I've really found a lot of the sounds and styles the album is playing with to feel quite refreshing.

The album dives into the styles of smooth lounge music and baroque pop, bringing a collective of string and horn players to the mix. "Gone Tomorrow" is the album's single, but "If Not I'll Just Die", the album's opener, is easily my favorite. Like most of the songs on Mr. M, the song is downtempo and has a lulling lounge feel -- as do frontman Kurt Wagner's casual vocal deliveries. It's the kind of song to wake up to -- easy on the ears and quietly soothing.

02/12 Album of the Month: Perfume Genius

Perfume Genius - Put Your Back N 2 It

It's been a while since I've really enjoyed an album like Put Your Back N 2 It. Blatantly sentimental, Perfume Genius' emotions are all on display in both the music and the words here. Lead singer Mike Hadreas' vocals tremble and shake ala Conor O'Berst, but the emotions feel so incredibly authentic and real. Production-wise, Perfume Genius has moved away from the hazy bedroom-pop of his previous album and given us something tangible and in-your-face to wrap our minds around. Fortunately, the project is well-suited for the new full-realized sound, allowing the emotive vocals to find a proper match in the bigger feel of the accompanying sounds. Check out the track "Dark Parts" from the album below:

Song of the Day 02/29/12: Future Islands - "Balance"

Future Islands is a synthpop trio from Baltimore who released their third LP On The Water just last year. It's one of the albums from last year that I never got around to giving a proper listen to. Now that I have, I am really enjoying the band's effortless songwriting and production. The song "Balance", which is the album's single, features this great synth melody that sounds like a dolphin cry scooping up out of the ocean. When the drum machine and wobbling bass line kick in though, it's pure 80s New Wave bliss. I think I might actually enjoy this album even more than Destroyer's awesome take on the genre from last year. Listen to "Balance" below:

Song of the Day 02/28/12: Mister Heavenly - "I Am A Hologram"

Mister Heavenly is a supergroup formed from members of the popular indie bands Islands, Man Man, and Modest Mouse. Not only are these guys a supergroup, they also had Michael Cera as their touring bassist last year. Doesn't get much more "super" than that. Fortunately, these guys are a really solid group also. "I Am A Hologram" is my favorite song off their debut 2011 album Out Of Love. The song features some awesome lyrics and some great group vocals too. These guys are pretty lighthearted and fun most of the time, which is something of a rarity among supergroups of this type. Check out the song below:

Song of the Day 02/27/12: Gorillaz - "DoYaThing"

This song is the newest collaboration in the monthly Converse music project, which has been pretty hit or miss so far. But here, we've got Gorillaz, James Murphy (ala LCD Soundsystem), and Andre 3000 (ala OutKast) putting together a track that puts the strongest points of character, skill, and personality from all three of these artists to great use. The music itself sounds like a Gorillaz song -- fun, bouncy, and cartoonish. The song really kicks into gear though when Andre 3000 gets his hands on it though. His flow is smooth and insanely fast -- such a perfect addition to the song's zany personality. He ends the song repeating the line, "Can we get the OutKast album now?" He's just kidding, but I really wish he weren't.