southern rock // soul
Sothern rock bursting with soul! Alabama Shakes amplify my love for music. Their powerful groove and vigorous energy makes me a little less sad about great 60′s acts I was born too late to see live. Janis Joplin meets Nina Simone rocking out with The Black Keys, shedding gleams of hope to shake loose dusty spirits.
Turn it up.
Alabama Shakes – Hold On
Alabama Shakes – You Ain’t Alone
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alternative rock
Of all the songs I love with endless feeling or thought attachable, Kinnie Starr‘s “Friendship and Creativity” goes beyond; joining core values of who I am. Her confrontational statements unsettle then affirm as she slides between tranquil and stern, with music swelling among concerns, confusion, and vehement frustration. It’s her direct, lively and personal manner that resonates viscerally in me, and this hasn’t been matched since discovery in 2000. She speaks to and of humanity, tying into her honest desires and one simple, nakedly exposing wish. (thx, Nelly)My favorite song.
Kinnie Starr – Friendship and Creativity
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indie folk // rock
“How long can you disguise what you feel with a song?” is my favorite lyric from one of the more intriguing albums I’ve heard. Infantree‘s Would Work is similar to what a present-day Déjà Vu might be: deeply poetic with louder rock, banjo-fringed folk and baroque styling. Strong lead vocals, each unique to their three songwriting members, and marvelous harmonies stay my attention alongside progressive musical arrangements. Every song is a piece of art; brushstrokes in a surreal painting embodying the band, individually detailed with touching piano, disquieted hallways, or Spanish hue. Infantree is serious yet playful; connected to growth and learning. Unstitched fibers of their being are rooted in sound branching out, forming a companionship that includes you. (thx, Elana)Poetic timbre.
Infantree – Mourning Glory
Infantree – If She Could
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indie folk // alt pop 
It’s hard to believe that the intricately layered melodies of Folded Light are the product of two friends (and not say, a legion of musicians), but it’s true. Steve Damstra and Jaffe Zinn make up the Los Angeles-based band, who released their self-titled debut in 2009, and Kelly earlier this year. Folded Light’s deceptively simple and catchy soundscapes belie the complexly woven arrangements beneath them. There is an oddly cinematic feel to Folded Light’s music; “Landscape” in particular conjures up images of open roads and rolled down windows. (It doesn’t come as a total surprise to learn that both Zinn and Damstra have other film-based projects: Zinn is currently finishing post-production on his first feature length film and Damstra composes music for television and film). Summer might be winding down, but take a listen to two of my favorite songs from Kelly, and see if you can’t extend the feeling a bit longer. The hints of lo-fi fuzz amid rolling guitar licks made “Kelly” one of my summer jams, while “Landscape” is a delightfully woven fabric of intricate melody, sweet vocals and humming instrumentals.
Delicately fuzzed-out melodic harmonies.
Folded Light – Kelly
Folded Light – Landscapes
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post-rock // cinematic ambient
The cinematic aural experience that post-rock can create is really quite unique to the genre. Arms and Sleepers have previously toured with Aurgasm favorite, The American Dollar, but they were spotted back when I went to an event called Split/Signal. There, bands performed live, providing score to silent short films. Unquestionably, Arms and Sleepers’ performance was the most stunning. The songs below come from their older work; vocals fans may enjoy their newest release, Matador.
Equally divine in both fore and background listening.
Arms And Sleepers – The Motorist
Arms And Sleepers – Runner Misplaced
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