Bleeding Knees Club … Virginity … 2011

Upbeat surf/garage rock from the UK. It’s fun, it’s angsty. All the song sounds the same in that simple, but good way.

Cass McCombs … Humor Risk … 2011

Part depressing odes, part ‘70s macchismo throwback, all rock. Somewhere between lust and lament, Cass is looking for salvation.

Atlas Sound … Parallax … 2011

Dense but accessible; more mod rock and Bowie-esque than I thought even Brad Cox was capable of. A varied, hard to pin down weirdo pop album that just needs to be listened to.

RIYL David Bowie

Olof Arnalds … Olof Sings … 2011

Some covers from Olof. It’s true her voice is full of spring water chasteness. Pure, beautiful, chaste.

Sigur Rós … Inni … 2011

Sigur Rós’ peculiar orchestral rock translates super well to a live setting, with only a minimal Coldplay-esque arena rock impression. The songs all feel a little stretched out and slowed down, they’re even more haunting than on the studio albums.