Fall 2007 1 New Buffalo - Cheer Me Up Thank You  Melbourne-based singer-songwriter New Buffalo (aka Sally Seltmann) wrote her second album, Somewhere, anywhere, on a century-old piano by the sea. The circumstances come across in the intimate feel of the songwriting and the recording. “You can turn your back on the world,” Saltmann says, “and it’s just you and the piano – very comforting.”
artist link 2 Joe Henry - Time Is A Lion “My only goal for Civilians was to make a better record and different record than I’ve ever made,” says veteran singer, songwriter, and acclaimed producer Joe Henry. Recorded and mixed at his home studio, Civilians reflects lessons Henry has learned in recent years producing artists such as Solomon Burke and Bettye LaVette.
artist link 3 The Pinker Tones - L'Heros The Million Colour Revolution, the 2005 album from Barcelona’s Professor Manso and Mister Furia, otherwise known as The Pinker Tones, was an intoxicating mix of traditional Latin sounds, pop, funk, soul, swing, lounge, and psychedelia. Now a remix album, More Colours, breathes new life into those tracks – a testament not only to the original material but also to their status among like-minded remix artists.
artist link 4 The Mendoza Line - Aspect Of An Old Maid 30 Year Low is apparently the final album from the team of Shannon McArdle and Timothy Bracy, who are not only calling an end to their band, but also to their marriage. Crass as it may be, musically speaking, their loss is our gain. Described as “a triumph of disappointment, sorrow and bad feelings” in the liner notes, the album reveals the band’s heroes – icons of American folk, blues, and rock – while ably defining a sound of its own.
artist link 5 The New Pornographers - Challengers Challengers is the fourth critically acclaimed album from The New Pornographers since their formation in 1997, and their most organic sounding record to date. The band’s conscious decision to minimize electronic manipulation on the recording serves the songs well, giving their clever lyrics and vocal phrasing well-deserved prominence.
artist link 6 The Budos Band - Mas O Menos On their second album, The Budos Band II, The Staten Island-based Budos Band continues their exploration of funk, afro-beat, and soul music. For the album, the eleven-piece band recorded ten new instrumentals live at Daptone's House of Soul in Bushwick, Brooklyn (also home of Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings).
artist link 7 Caribou - She's The One Though the band tours as a four-piece, Caribou’s new album Andorra is actually the (obsessively orchestrated) product of Ontario-based Dan Snaith, who played almost every instrument himself. Snaith’s wall-of-sound production style incorporates a dramatic array of organic instrumentation and electronic manipulations, all in the service of what are, at their heart, tender pop songs.
artist link 8 Manu Chao - Tristeza Maleza Manu Chau is the ultimate multiculti. Born in Paris, currently residing in Barcelona, he sings in several languages (five on the new record), and mixes genres subconsciously (rock, reggae, punk, ska, found sounds, gypsy music, and more). La Radiolina is Chau’s first studio album in six years, and both fans and critics have been eager to praise his return.
artist link 9 Josh Ritter - Rumors With a newly piano-based writing approach and a new producer (long time collaborator Sam Kassirer), Ritter’s fourth studio album continues his freewheeling (and we mean Dylan) delivery of historical, biblical, and personal subject matter.
artist link 10 Linda Thompson - Beauty Versatile Heart is the latest release by folk-rock legend Linda Thompson. Recorded in NYC and Scotland over a three-year period, it showcases a songwriter who has confidently defined her own voice since her 1970’s work with then husband Richard. “Beauty,” a duet with vocalist Antony (of Antony and The Johnstons) was written for Ms. Thompson by Rufus Wainwright.
artist link 11 Georgie James - Long Week Begun in 2005, Georgie James is the collaboration of Washington, D.C. based John Davis and Laura Burhenn. The duo’s first full-length album, Places, shows off their admiration of 60s and 70s pop artists ranging from The Kinks, Simon & Garfunkel, to Flamin' Groovies.
artist link 12 Project Jenny, Project Jan - Summertime Billboard has called PJPJ a “shockingly dynamic, danceable, and hilarious affair.” The Brooklyn duo, comprised of vocalist Jeremy Haines and producer Sammy Rubin, rocks playful dance beats and samples under some pretty wacked-out narratives on their first full-length release, XOXOXOXOXO. [Full Disclosure: Sammy is a producer at MFP.]
artist link 13 Robbers On High Street - You Don't Stand A Chance Grand Animals is the latest release on New Line Records by New York’s Robbers On High Street. The album was produced by Daniele Luppi (Gnarls Barkley, John Legend).
artist link 14 AA Bondy - There's A Reason American Hearts, the debut solo release from former Verbena frontman, Scott Bondy, is a collection of stark folk and blues melodies sung by an Alabama rocker.
artist link 15 The Most Serene Republic - The Men Who Live Upstairs Population, the second studio album from Canada’s The Most Serene Republic, showcases the raucous, polyrhythmic pop that has landed them tours with the Strokes, Metric, and Arts & Crafts label-mates Stars and Broken Social Scene.
artist link 16 Jose Gonzalez - Killing For Love José Gonzålez made a splash last year when his cover of “Heartbeats” (originally by Swedish band The Knife) was featured in the Sony Bravia TV spot “Balls.” Much in the style of Nick Drake and Elliott Smith, the Gothenburg-based Gonzalez can sound delicate on the surface while the songs themselves are often dark and brooding.
artist link 17 Montag - Safe In Sound On his forthcoming self-recorded and self-engineered album, Going Places, Montag (aka Antoine Bédard) expands his previously minimalist sound to include layers of electronic pop. The album also features a long list of guest artists, including M83's Anthony Gonzales, Stars' Amy Millan, and Au Revoir Simone.
artist link 18 Patrick Watson - Man Under The Sea Patrick Watson is a four-piece art rock outfit that sports the name of its chief songwriter. The band’s combination of influences – classical, folk, electronic, and Beatles-esque pop – earned them a prestigious spot on this year’s Polaris Music Prize Shortlist.
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