4Play: Broken Bells, The Courteeners, Monster Movie, Houston Brothers

March 14, 2010

Broken Bells - Broken Bells - Sony Music
Danger Mouse teams up with The Shins’ James Mercer for this skillful side project band/duo, on which the pair play every instrument on the disc save for the string section. “The Ghost Inside” references Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy” beat and pairs it with a snappy high vocal; “Citizen” is all patchwork samples and sharp harmonies; and the more subtle, quieter “Trap Doors” goes more gloom-pop. If you’re a fan of either artist, you’ll find both of their styles sonically reflected here, although the songs themselves are new and eminently interesting.





The Courteeners - Falcon - Ume Imports
More thoughtful and less belligerent than The Courteeners first effort, the band’s second set of songs shows far more depth, with songs that are more carefully constructed and given readily-accessible hooks as ammunition. “The Opener” shows maturity in the lyric-writing, and offers an arena-friendly melody, while “Take Over the World” steps in solidly from the first note; elsewhere, first single “You Overdid It Doll” (although strangely enuciated so that the title refrain sounds more like “you wore a tank top”) has ‘radio hit’ written all over it with its catchy refrain.




Monster Movie - Everyone is a Ghost - GF Records
Shoegaze-pop duo Monster Movie - aka Christian Savill and Sean Hewson - have crafted a set of ten deftly-realized songs here that draw on a range of experimental influences, from Bowie to folk, and that showcase the musicians translating their compositions through everything from chill beats and sonic static to synths, piano, and ukeleles. First single “Bored Beyond Oblivion” sets the tone for the entire set with its scratchy, heavy guitars counterpointing sleek, echoey vocals and a sharp mix - and luckily, the rest of the album follows suit.



Houston Brothers - The Archer - Chocolate Lab Records
Brothers Justin and Matt Faircloth finally begin to get their due attention well beyond their native land of North Carolina with their latest indie-pop-folk set, on which the pair showcase their extensive talents. Brother Justin sings, plays keyboards with his right hand and drums with his left, while brother Matt plays guitar, takes care of bass pedal duties with his feet, and adds backing vox. This makes their detailed, richly layered songs even more impressive, from the reflection of “Wasted Youth” to the quirky romance of “Chimney Rock” and the catchy “Confederate Dunce.”