Top Ten Tracks on Elbo.Ws Reviewed in 50 words or Less: June 15th—June 30th

1. *MP3: Black Moth Super Rainbow - “Twin of Myself (Go! Team Remix)”

The exuberant English sextet take the more serene aspects of the original (the chiming bells, and heavily, heavenly processed vocals) and bring them out of their Air-esque shell by increasing the tempo and adding precocious instrumental touches. Like hearing a psychedelic flower bloom into a quirk-pop rose, even with the abrupt end.

Grade: B+

2. *MP3: Polvo - “Beggars Bowl”

The math-rock pioneers reunite on “Beggars Bowl,” which references their past work while focusing on a more melodic future. The common rock riffage doesn’t bode well in a post-grunge musical landscape, but the swirling soundscapes and structural digressions give “Beggars Bowl” an unpredictability that coalesces into a jaw-dropping end. But those generic riffs still loom large.

Grade: B+

3. *MP3: Don Diablo - “Song for MJ (Remember The Time)”

One of many remix tributes to surfice after the King of Pop’s passing, Don Diablo layers different iconic references to Jackson’s catalog (the vocal melody from “Remember The Time,” the drum beat from “Billy Jean,” for instance) to fashion a melancholic, mournful tribute to a man who brought joyful music to many. The juxtaposition is brilliant, and so is this remix.

Grade: A-

4. *MP3: Spoon - “Got Nuffin”

With a drumbeat square in the middle of “Graveyard Girl” and “My Sharona,” Spoon move forward with a distorted bass line and a minor key vocal line. Strangely, “Got Nuffin” resembles an indie-pop take on The Cult, but with less focus. Meandering guitar soloing all but guarantee that “Nuffin” fades into musical, well, nothingness.

Grade: C

5. *MP3: Fleet Foxes - “Blue Spotted Tail”

A BBC live recording, “Blue Spotted Tail” benefits from its Pollard-like lo-fi setting, which help draws the listener’s attention to the simple, reassuring pleasures of a guitar and a voice, near falsetto. The humble nature of “Tail” contributes to its charm. That said,  as with most Fleet Foxes tracks, the question remains: Why this, and not CSNY?

Grade: B-

6. *MP3: Don Diablo vs The Roots - “The Seed 3.0”

Don Diablo remixes a classic Roots crossover track, about seven years too late, and with too many remix-y bells and whistles. Average in as many ways as one could imagine.

Grade: C-

7. *MP3: The Avett Brothers - “I and Love and You”

There’s a soothing familiarity in the piano strains and low-key harmonies of “I and Love and You.” In spite of several lovely elements in the arrangement (esp. the violin), “…You” doesn’t reach the level of plaintive profundity due to a lack of a strong hook. Relaxing atmospherics can only carry you so far, though peace of musical mind should never be taken for granted.

Grade: B-

8. *MP3: Noah And The Whale - “The First Days Of Spring”

Between this and the Avett Brothers, there’s strong sense of deja vu, as Noah and the Whale’s ambient, moody alt-country is in a similar musical vein. Because NatW are stronger at creating grand crescendos, while effectively using whisper-to-a-bloom dynamics, “The First Day of Spring” has a more immediate impact, especially when the grand, orchestral finale blossoms.

Grade: B+

9. *MP3: Fool’s Gold - “Surprise Hotel”

A shuffling, afropop groove augmented with clean, sweet guitar tones, and even sweeter multi-part harmonies makes Vampire Weekend comparisons inevitable. However, taking their cues from David Byrne, and not Paul Simon, serves as a plus, as does the band’s borrowing from the effortless, excitable drumbeats found in couper decaler make “Surprise Hotel” an irresistible visit.

Grade: A-

10. *MP3: A.A. Bondy - “When The Devil’s Loose”

An easy-going alt-country (boy, that seems to be the watchword for this set, doesn’t it?) song from an 90s alt-rock expatriot, one that more than recalls similar music made by Ryan Adams. A cautionary narrative can always grab one’s attention, but keeping it requires more than hitting on past genre sweet spots (chiming guitars, violins, crooning vocals, soft, bluesy drum beats).

Grade: C+

(Jon Graef)