38. M. Ward – Hold Time
Andy: 26 :: Dave: 39
M. Ward’s black and white approach to indie folk calls to mind music from an era that has been long forgotten. The latest in a career that has now spanned a decade, spawned a pairing with Zooey Deschanel in She & Him, and cemented his status as one quarter of the supergroup Monsters of Folk, Hold Time continues Ward’s winning formula – understated, smoky vocals paired with a feeling of timelessness.
Combining an American approach to gospel themes of God and death with the sunny view of someone who can’t be bothered with either, Ward’s easygoing songwriting is comfortable – almost familiar. And while at first blush that description may turn some listeners off, those in search of something more pure than the latest dubstep remix will find a refuge in M. Ward.
M. Ward – For Beginners (mp3) from Hold Time
37. Silversun Pickups – Swoon
Andy: 37 :: Dave: 27
Silversun Pickups, a now moderately famous Indie Rock band from California, have steadily gained more notoriety in their relatively short career thus far. Their latest effort, Swoon, finds the band in the usual follow-up mode: slightly more experimental though not too much swaying from what has, for them, been a good thing. There are a few well thought out wrinkles, though much is similar to what we became accustomed to with debut Carnavas. The Pickups play a more straightforward rock than is usually appreciated by us here at Tympanogram, though with good reason. It’s better than the usual straightforward rock. Bands that fall in this category are at time dismissed by the indie music/blog arena, viewed as naturally inferior. We clearly feel that to be a mistake.
Silversun Pickups – Substitution (mp3) from Swoon
This past week and weekend were slow ones ’round the blog, but that’s because it was a party weekend. I am good and exhausted, but have the best girlfriend, friends and family that anyone could ask for. Dave and I were both going to tweet the occasion, but that didn’t end up happening. I can’t imagine that people would care anyway.
