Winter 2007 1 The Slip - Children Of December  On their debut for Bar/None Records, The Slip veers from arena rock to hushed folk and pop. There is a superficial familiarity to their music, but the band's sense of fun and experimentation keeps the Eisenhower album interesting. The trio, comprising two brothers and a childhood friend, divides its time between Montreal and Boston.
artist link 2 Aterciopelados - Complemento Columbia's revered Aterciopelados last released an album in 2000, expanding an already broad palette - rock infused with bolero, mariachi, and flamenco - to include electronics and heavier dance leanings. Since then, both its core members, Andrea Echeverri and Hector Buitrago, released solo records that further broadened their wide musical horizons. On the band's new release, Oye, they bring a live band to the proceedings in a return to their 'roc' roots.
artist link 3 Joan As Police Woman - The Ride As a singer and violinist, Joan Wasser's resume includes performances and recordings with Lou Reed, Sheryl Crow, Antony and the Johnsons, Rufus Wainwright, and others. With her new band Joan as Police Woman, she is hitting her stride as a singer and songwriter. Real Life, a mature and quietly ambitious record, is the band's debut full-length.
amazon.com 4 Forro in the Dark - Limoerio do Norte Forro is a regional Brazilian dance and musical style. Percussionist-to-the-stars Mauro Refosco, well versed in the popular genre, began gathering friends and collaborators at the NYC club NuBlu several years ago, and the ever-changing lineup of Forro in the Dark became a local phenomenon. Their first record, Bonfires of Sao Joao, features guest appearances by many of the artists Refosco has supported over the years, such as David Byrne, Bebel Gilberto, and Miho Hatori.
barnesandnoble.com 5 The Lemonheads - Become The Enemy Evan Dando has become synonymous with The Lemonheads, the 80's & 90's college rock perennial that began twenty years ago. He hasn't released an album under that name in over ten years, and now, after several relatively quiet and introspective solo recordings, he has re-formed the band for a loud return to form. He is joined on the eponymous album by the rhythm section from punk icons Descendents, as well as Garth Hudson (The Band) and J. Mascis (Dinosaur Jr.).
artist link 6 Fionn Regan - Be Good or be Gone Fionn Regan's debut album, The End of History, propelled this gifted Dublin-based artist into the limelight of the already competitive Irish folk/acoustic scene (think Damien Rice). With an intimate and sometimes bare acoustic sound, the album is a beautiful introduction to one of the most watched new singer-songwriters from Ireland.
amazon.com 7 Emilie Simon - Desert After enjoying tremendous success with the March Of The Penguins soundtrack, which she composed, Emilie Simon is back with her first US album release. The album finds this 28-year old French singer-songwriter enchantingly meshing her airy vocals with synthesizers and electronic beats, creating a distinctive, steamy atmosphere.
artist link 8 Nomo - Nu Tones This Detroit band takes the Afrobeat sound, recently popularized by Antibalas, infuses it with New Orleans-style jazz, adds some electronic references, and mixes the whole package into a groove unlike any other. At the forefront of the sound are the horns and percussion, while the bass steadily delivers the funk flavor that defines the album.
artist link 9 The Blow - Pile Of Gold The Blow's minimal electronics provide a perfect backdrop for visual and performance artist Khaela Maricich's blase vocal delivery. The other half of the Portland-based duo is Jona Bechtolt.
artist link 10 The Hold Steady - Stuck Between Stations In a departure from the stylistic conceptual leanings of The Hold Steady's 2005 release, Separation Sunday, the new album Boys and Girls in America features polished production, thick with rock and roll guitars and keyboards.
artist link 11 Ballake Sissoko & Ludovico Einaudi - Laissez Moi en Paix Diario Mali pairs Italian classical pianist Einaudi with the exceptionally talented Malian kora player Sissoko to create a smooth, sometimes bluesy sound that blends their two very different traditions.
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12 David & The Citizens - The End Since the release of their earnest self-titled EP, Swedish band David & The Citizens have had limited releases around the globe. Until The Sadness Is Gone is a melodic, instrumentally eclectic and catchy album that retains their Scandinavian sound while placing them squarely in the international indie-pop world.
artist link 13 The Be Good Tanyas - Ootishenia After a break from touring and recording, this Vancouver band is back with their third full-length album release, a slow-baked project that has been over a year in the making. The result stays true to the Tanya's original folk-blues tradition, coming together with a distinctive balance of covers and newly composed originals.
artist link 14 Cassettes Won't Listen - The Sidewalk Cruise When not attending to his duties as co-founder of Dope Lotus Records or remixing the work of artists such as Midlake, Asobi Seksu, or The Doors, Jason Drake is masterminding the acoustic/electric sound of Cassettes Won't Listen. The newest CWL album, The Quiet Trial, again has him moving in a new direction, with predominantly instrumental tracks.
artist link 15 Julia Sarr and Patrice Larose - Waruna Senegalese-French singer Julia Sarr teams up with French flamenco guitarist Patrice Larose on this album inspired by a dream of producer Laurent Bizot. The album - a debut recording for both artists - pairs two rich traditions to create a fresh and worldly sound.
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