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It's not that I condone baby-eating unicorns per se, but
what bigger tourist trap could there ever be? of Montreal's
lyrical ingenuity presents its misshapen head in a predictably
unpredictable fashion on False Priest. "Like a Tourist" includes
a reference to the aforementioned mythical quadruped as well
as the equally mythical female erection. Feelings of alienation
also run strong in "Famine Affair," the video of which presents
a colorful representation of the self-deprecation conveyed by
the lyrics. Together these comprise compelling pieces of yet
another great oM album. [SS]
Nana Grizol
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Sophomore album Ruth is full of lovingly crafted pop songs
determined to pull your heartstrings and revive a sense of
hopefulness. Bearing strong ties to the Elephant 6, many
of the tracks hold true to the collective's classic sound of
folksy eccentricities, simple guitar lines and bursts of lush
horn arrangements. Nana Grizol's ability to tenderly tell rent
able stories through cleverly arranged lyrics is unforgettable.
[Jessica Smith]
Hanl
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Haml's unique blend of idiosyncratic psych-pop combines
elements of easygoing Western swing, spacey psychedelic rock
and energized garage rock. Full of glimmering tones and sum
mery riffs, there's a warm, well-worn vintage feel encompassing
their sound. As the off-beat band's fourth LP, Let's Go On...
contains even more twists and quirks than previous releases.
[JS]
Maarati
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In 2010, even as the members of Maserati reeled from the
premature passing of drummer and friend Jerry Fuchs, they
turned out one of their finest and most concise statements
to date. Pyramid of the Sun was unmistakable in its radiant,
expansive instrumentation, but it was also the sound of a band
turning a new and exciting corner. Fuchs' final recorded work
put the lid on Maserati's first act with a thundering, declara
tive shudder. [Gabe Vodicka]
Modern Skirts
Retaining the melodic sensibilities of their formative piano-
pop years, Modem Skirts have finally overcome their appre
hension towards experimentation and embraced a more open,
evolved sound. Structured off of a skeleton of bedroom record
ings, Gramahawk reflects an exploration of less conventional
territory and a transition from docile rock into darker, poly
rhythmic tunes. [JS]
art Hiw Mexicans
Mini
Like the buzz of a good beer, this self-titled release is
a bit fuzzy and occasionally incoherent, but gratifying and
consoling nonetheless. Their raw aesthetic guided by strong
DIY principles evokes memories of visiting hidden swimming
holes, summer house shows and falling asleep to the sound of
trains. With immediate, hook-ridden melodies and heartfelt,
well-intentioned lyrics, Hot New Mexicans create accessible pop
punk full of candidness and sincerity. [JS]
Harvey Milk
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The Neil Hamburgers of sludge metal returned in 2010 with
their strangest, most uncompromising offering to date: A Small
Turn of Human Kindness was bleak, bruising and beautiful.
From the cover art (courtesy local photog Mike White) to the
song titles to the 38 moldering minutes of music within, every
thing about the record affirmed Harvey Milk as one of the most
brilliantly inscrutable groups around. That these guys aren't
universally colossal would be a travesty if they actually gave a
shit. [GV]
Ike 6M Party
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Coming in under the gun (it was only finally given a proper
release last week), this five-song teaser from Athens' premiere
new wave revivalists is a stunningly produced, tantalizingly
brief look at the future for this talented quartet of scene vets.
Anyone who has seen The Gold Party live will recognize their
unabashedly '80s aesthetic on crowd-pleasers "Luxury & Light"
and "Discolite," but it's the inclusion of Feral Youth's house/
rave remix of "On Your Side" and the spacy, instrumental closer
"Smoothie" that suggest this oft-pigeonholed outfit will still
have some surprises in store when their full-length debut drops
in 2011. [David Fitzgerald]
Werewilves
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Werewolves frontman Wyatt Strother is one of the strongest
young songwriting voices working in Athens today. His lush,
familial folk arrangements embody the very spirit of creative
collaboration that makes our beloved town so special, and his
rotating gang of woodwind, horn and string players invites
warm comparisons to the poppy psych-folk of the earliest
Elephant 6 records. While this album doesn't quite capture the
pure, exuberant joy of the group's live shows, Someday We'll
Live in the Forest is a solid first outing and an exciting portent
of things to come. [DF]
Nuclear Spring
In a dead heat with The Humms' Lemonland for my favor
ite local release of the year. Nuclear Spring's greasy, snarky
full-length debut is equal parts '60s psychedelia and swamp-
drowned blues. Infusing gutter stomp riffs with clever, anti
establishment lyrics, cuts like "The Sheep Say Baaa," 'Girl'
and 'Close Eyes, Go Sleep" are the kind of sharp, inescapably
catchy tunes that get bands noticed and remembered. I've
beer\js^ying fofjLwhije now that these guys are destined for
bigger things, but they,helped make 2010 a great year for
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This lovingly crafted bedroom tape is the exact kind of
homespun gem upon which Athens's musical reputation
was made. Recorded in a friend's living room, these archly
observed, feisty folk tales about the human race's small,
everyday victories and failures are stitched into sing-a-long
melodies and three-part choir-girl harmonies, softening what
are often brutally honest lyrics. You're Not Too Old is a pitcher
of sun-tea with a shot of bourbon dropped in, and while bass
ist Elizabeth Hargrett has moved on to sunny France, Athens
can but hope that acid-tongued frontwoman Emily Armond will
continue speaking her truth for many years to come. [DF]
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awaits within the torrential interplay of their guitar/drums/
bass Bermuda Triangle. Ginger Baker isn't easy, but it is unique,
and in an age when true originality is becoming increasingly
rare, that's something to get excited about. [DF]
Honiara
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Influenced by post-punk, shoegaze and psychedelic rock,
this three-piece creates the ultimate textural blend of emo
tionally charged vocals, ethereal ambience and thundering
percussion. Full of looping noise and unrelenting fervor, their
melodies can be transcendent and downright hypnotizing.
Released on Bandcamp for a "name your price" rate, there's no
reasonable excuse not to give this album a shot. [JS]
Gift Horse
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Regardless of any expectations that preceded the album's
release, Gift Horse's Mountain of Youth is a well-mixed pleas
ant surprise. The record is chock full of intoxicating get-lost-in
layers and embodies what we miss about the early '90s. As
their first full-length release, Mountain of Youth has upped the
ante for what we can expect from this band in years to come.
[Carrie Dagenhard]
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In opting to seif-title their 10th release, Athens mainstays*
Elf Power seemed to be acknowledging both the end of one
chapter in their band's already prolific history, and heralding
the next. Dedicated to the late Vic Chesnutt, a longtime col
laborator, Elf Power is a mature, intelligently arranged psych-
pop record that cradles frontman Andrew Rieger's understated -
vocals in the dreamy strings of "Like a Cannonball' and the
hazy electronics of 'Little Black Holes' with equal ease. These
guys are in it for the long haul, and if this album is any indica
tion, their 11th will find them continuing to cover new ground.
[DF]
Efm
There is nothing else in Athens that even remotely resem
bles the musical constructions (destructions?) of Killick and
his merry band of improvisational pranksters. Pocketful of
CLaptonite. If pressed, one might classify them as jazz-metal,
but in actuality they defy classification, and almost have to
be seen live for their album to make any kind of sense. But
for those who do seek them out, a treasure trove of new ideas
LA.
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While Efren's 2009 debut Thunder and Moan was aching and
dark, Always Been a Bleede r takes a break from brooding to
offer rustic optimism. Scott Leon-O'Day's husky voice is sultry
and intimate, drawing comparisons to artists like Bon Iver
and Iron and Wine. Although Leon-O'Day is not originally from
Athens, he's soaked up the South like a sponge ami this record
is absolutely caked with North Georgia day. [Michelle Gilzenrat]
Briw-Bj Trackers
When the uninitiated ask what the big deal is about The
Big To-Do, the answer is simple: few bands are cranking out K
material this well-crafted on their first album, never mind their
10th release. But somehow the Truckers manage it. The album
features rave-ups and ballads, big emotions and little details,
and never feels overwrought or calculated. The question
shouldn't be how long can a band keep churning out such qual
ity material, but will there be another local act that will match
their impressive output? f.!as*n Bugg]
DECEMBER 22,2010 • FlAGP0LE.C0M 21