David Bazan - (2009) Curse Your Branches

sound: Indie/Poolhall
length: 10 songs, 38.7 minutes
myspace
1. Hard To Be
2. Bless This Mess
3. Please, Baby, Please
4. Curse Your Branches
5. Harmless Sparks
6. When We Fell
7. Lost My Shape
8. Bearing Witness
9. Heavy Breath
10. In Stitches

Do you enjoy the gentle and haunting croons of Pedro the Lion? Do you consider yourself in the Indie Know? Do you have marginally good taste? Have you like me, been hard pressed to hear something worth listening to for more then 10 seconds? Then your going to like this record.
Very chill, lyrical intellect that consists of more then "word that rhyme with heart, and apart" and constantly very talented. Take a peek.

sounds like: Pedro the Lion, Walkmen

Zing.

Pedro the Lion - (2000) Winners Never Quit

sound: Indie/Chill Sauce
length: 8 songs, 34 minutes
myspace
#1 "Slow and Steady Wins the Race" – 3:44
#2 "Simple Economics" – 4:22
#3 "To Protect the Family Name" – 5:29
#4"A Mind of Her Own" – 3:56
#5 "Never Leave a Job Half Done" – 3:12
#6 "Eye on the Finish Line" – 4:37
#7 "Bad Things to Such Good People" – 3:24
#8 "Winners Never Quit" – 5:16

As far as Pedro the Lion goes my heart will always belong to It's Hard to Find a Friend. However, this record can come in a close second. Mostly impressive do to the fact that Bazan played every instrument on the record, it boasts the mind and soul of a Lucero Press and the future of Manchester Orchestra. If Bazan's gravely undertones don't seep your life spirit while simultaneously filling your heart with warm fuzz then i don't know what will. Enjoy.

sounds like: Manchester Orchestra, Lucero, Walkmen

Ding.

Eulogies - (2009) Here Today

sound: Indie/Chill Sauce
length: 11 songs, 37 minutes
myspace
1. Day to Day
2. Eyes on the Prize
3. Bad Connection
4. Two Can Play
5. How to Be Alone
6. This Fine Progression
7. Out of Character
8. A Dark Place
9. Goodbye
10. The Fight (I've Come to Like)
11. Stranger Calliope
12. Is There Anyone Here?

My first impression was this album was pretty boring but after a couple more listen's i realized i was a fucking moron. At first glance this seems to be your run of the mill catchy but chill album, but i think to say that is a lazy assessment. Eulogies are very clever at vocal progression, and creating light-hearted beats and simplified lyrics that sort of resonate in the soul. Granted they aren't doing anything Pedro the Lion didn't already but it's still a very sweet, heartfelt record. Check it out.

sounds like: Pedro the Lion, Lydia, Deas Vail

Crash

Minus the Bear - (2005) Menos El Oso

sound: Indie/Chill Sauce
length: 11 songs, 44.7 minutes
myspace
1. "The Game Needed Me" – 3:15
2. "Memphis & 53rd" – 3:40
3. "Drilling" – 5:03
4. "The Fix" – 3:31
5. "El Torrente" – 4:56
6. "Pachuca Sunrise" – 3:35
7. "Michio´s Death Drive" – 3:35
8. "Hooray" – 4:17
9. "Fulfill the Dream" – 3:23
10. "The Pig War" – 4:38
11. "This Ain´t a Surfin´ Movie" – 4:53

In the year 2005, I found myself sitting on my hands for lack of MTB when they finally dropped this precious dime of a record from nearby Seattle. Saw them live right after, blew my fucking mind. While I still maintain Planet of Ice is their best press to date, this album is a very close second. Opening with the fresh and stylistic The Game Needed Me, MTB's god of a guitarist Dave Knudson stamps and taps his way into the hearts, minds, and stereo's of infamy. Getting ahead of myself...probably, but in Menos El Oso you get crowd movers like Drilling and the Fix, followed by some Serious chill sauce like Pig War and This ain't a Surfin Movie. What more can a girl ask for? This record is without a dud in my opinion, and was a gracious break from the long drought of Highly Refined Pirates.

sounds like: Sharks Keep Moving, A Great Big Pile Of Leaves, Pedro the Lion

Bang!

Pedro The Lion - (1998) It's Hard To Find A Friend

sound: Indie/Chill Sauce
length: 12 songs, 43.29 minutes
myspace.com
1. "Of Up and Coming Monarchs" – 3:00
2. "The Longer I Lay Here" – 3:04
3. "Big Trucks" – 2:32
4. "Suspect Fled the Scene" – 3:56
5. "Bad Diary Days" – 4:01
6. "The Longest Winter" – 4:12
7. "When They Really Get to Know You They Will Run" – 2:34
8. "Of Minor Prophets and Their Prostitute Wives" – 2:48
9. "The Bells" – 4:09
10. "Secret of the Easy Yoke" – 6:41
11. "The Well" – 3:31
12. "Promise" – 2:19

Fucking saddest record of all time.
That being said, i also believe (along with many others), this is one of the greatest records of the last 10 or so years. Bad Diary Days is what every shitty ass country song tried to write about but failed. Mind you, i have on several occasions thought about blowing my brains out to this record. I fucking guarantee you i am not the first. So i warn you, if your having a bad day DON'T PUT THIS RECORD ON. You will end up with your head in an oven. Enjoy :)

sounds like: Husband&Wife, Elbow, Calla

Mash!

Elbow - (2002) Asleep In The Back

Sound: Indie/ Chill Sauce
Length: 11 songs, 57.7 minutes
myspace
1. "Any Day Now" – 6:17
2. "Red" – 5:11
3. "Little Beast" – 4:15
4. "Powder Blue" – 4:31
5. "Bitten by the Tailfly" – 6:16
6. "Asleep in the Back" (Bonus Track) – 3:47
7. "Newborn" – 7:36
8. "Don't Mix Your Drinks" – 3:16
9. "Presuming Ed (Rest Easy)" – 5:26
10. "Coming Second" – 4:56
11. "Can't Stop" – 4:36
12. "Scattered Black and Whites" – 5:30

So this album is to me the best Elbow album in existence, however my bf maintains Cast of Thousands is superior. Granted he is totally wrong, but i suppose to each their own. First 4 songs on this record, are depressing and chill as fuck. Honestly, you cant get much further in the rabbit hole then listening to Pedro the Lion.

sounds like: Pedro the Lion, Appleseed Cast, Sharks Keep Moving, Calla

Ding!

Colour Revolt - (2008) Plunder, Beg, and Curse

Sound: Indie/Alternative Rock/Chill Sauce
Length: 10 songs, 47.4 minutes
myspace
1. Naked and Red
2. Siren, A
3. Elegant View
4. See It
5. Moses of the South
6. Swamp
7. Ageless Everytime
8. Innocent and All
9. Shovel to Ground
10. What Will Come of Us?

These are guys are super chill, its a nice record for just laying around or (my favorite) putting on at a social gathering to just float around in the background. But don't mistake their liquid jams for lack of talent, these guys can bring it. Look for beauties like ultra-slick Moses of the South and haunting vocals in Innocent and All, the song See It is positively gorgeous.

sounds like: Minus the Bear, Pedro the Lion, Paper Rival, Interpol, Waxwing, 1989 Chicago Cubs

Ding!