The Downtown Fiction have begun to gain some popularity with the release of their second EP. The young trio are earning their pop rock chops. This record is short and sweet; six tracks, just under twenty minutes, but leaves you wanting more. This band has a sound that can be described as a favorable mix of Gin Blossoms and earlier All American Rejects. The first single, "I Just Wanna Run" is going to get stuck in your head (fair warning). Instrumentally, these guys are incredibly sharp. The guitar riffs seem to cut at just the right time, but are melodic when they need to be also. Lead singer, Cameron Leahy has a fresh and effortless voice that you'd swear was made for this. The content is sort of universal. It's catchy and poppy enough for teenagers, but is genuine and mature at the same time. There are themes of love, regret, frustration, and angst. They will persist through the middle of this year on tour, but are expected to begin working on a full length album soon.

RedletterDaydream

Past Works:
The Downtown Fiction EP

Track:
I Just Wanna Run

Direct from the Danish capital of Copenhagen come alternative rock trio, New Politics with their self-titled debut album. Having formed only about a year prior to this release, many rock fans will notice the hallmarks of an underdeveloped band. The record is sharp, but fails to show any real creativity. The singles, "Yeah, Yeah, Yeah" and "Dignity" are catchy, but follow suit with the rest of the album in that there is little originality. The first single as well as tracks like "Nuclear War" exhibit a sort of feax punk sound that is hard to take seriously. The whole work seems to be the band's own self indulgent rockstar fantasy that is inherently generic and only midly enjoyable. New Politics do, however show promise. The instrumentals and vocals are tight. They're spot on musically, there just needs to be more organic artistic expression on their sophomore work or they will surely lose any credibility in the American market.

RedletterDaydream

Past Works:
N/A

Track:
Love is a Drug

They're back. It's been 7 years since the last album and 7 years of waiting but it all pays off in the end. Cake has been a band thats never changed, they only get better and more clever. John McCrea is a beautiful lyricist and he really puts his mind to work when he writes these songs. Musically they haven't changed at all, they still have the rest of the band singing back up which is my personal favorite thing about Cake. Cake's music feels timeless and it's also extremely interesting to listen to and try to decipher what some of his lyrics mean. For most of the fans you will feel like you were transported back into early 90's or 2000's when you listen to this album, but don't worry you're in 2011, it's just that captivating sound that Cake produces and hypnotizes you with. The album runs under an hour just like every other Cake album and they never overstay their welcome. Each song is the perfect length and they don't over do it like most bands on their "triumphant" return. But...this is a triumphant return for Cake because they know what music is and they know how to play it.

LoopedEyeless

Past Works:
Pressure Chief
Comfort Eagle
Prolonging The Magic
Fashion Nugget
Motorcade Of Generosity

Track: Sick Of You

The best thing to come out of Kentucky since the fried chicken, Cage The Elephant is five young men on a mission; to make music they love and stay real. They're doing incredibly well as of yet and do not show any signs of relenting. The second studio album is all about those principles of staying true to themselves and making music they are proud of. It rocks hard just like the debut album released in 2008. They are assaulting the tracks with an audacity that is compelling and sharp. The first single, "Shake Me Down" is indicative of the album's grit and instrumental range, starting off slowly but raising the tempo as the track progresses with fierce guitar riffs and vivid percussion. The track, "Sell Yourself" is an 'in your face' mission statement of sorts that chronicles the band's intentional deviation from conformity. The content doesn't seem quite as angry as the first record, but that element is still present. Lead vocalist Matthew Shultz is singing more on this work also, as oppose to the debut which was more alternating between yelling and talking. "Thank You Happy Birthday" is an explosive and intense sophomore release from one of the most promising bands in rock & roll.

RedletterDaydream

Past Works:
Cage The Elephant (self-titled)

Track:
Shake Me Down

Badly Drawn Boy A.K.A. Damon Gough, the English one man band released his seventh studio album late last year to mixed reviews. A man who's been accused on past works of not putting forth enough effort as well as trying too hard to be witty has produced a record that will be hard to derogate. The tracks are the usual Radiohead-esque ambient style that blends synthesized melodies with a wide array of instruments resulting in an ornate and eclectic final product. Gough's vocals are sort of lower fidelity and slightly echoed throughout the work which lends a haunting quality that conjures feelings of a cool and peaceful breeze on an autumn night. The whole album is complex and heavy, yet uniquely refreshing. This release is billed as part one of a trilogy, the second installment of which set for release later this year.

RedletterDaydream

Past Works:
The Hour Of Bewilderbeast
About A Boy
Have You Fed The Fish?
One Plus One Is One
Born in the U.K.
Is There Nothing We Could Do?

Track:
What Tomorrow Brings

"The Fool" is the debut studio album from the Los Angeles based Warpaint. All four members of the band are female, which I mention because there is an unmistakable feminine quality to the work, but it fortifies the artistry as oppose to undermining it like some other female bands. The majority of the tracks could be described as psychedelic or experimental rock. It's low, but ominous and at times overpowering. Warpaint's sound is sort of like a mix between Radiohead and Red Hot Chili Peppers, if they were all women. The lyrics are monotone and obscured under the instrumentals at times, but it's entrancing; like the vocals are luring you further beneath the dark waves into a peaceful stagnancy. This record is more tranquil and artistic than 2008's "Exquisite Corpse" EP, which shows that the band is developing. Their sound alone sets them apart from most other female bands, and their content is not anywhere near as superficial as one might expect from an LA band.

RedletterDaydream

Past Works:
Exquisite Corpse EP

Track:
Set Your Arms Down