Regina Spektor
“Far”
3.5 stars out of 5

Die hard fans of Regina Spektor might be just a tad disappointed in Far, her fifth album (third on a major label) especially after her last, Begin to Hope, contained such listener friendly gems such as “Fidelity” and “Samson”.

You’ll find all of the elements essential to a Spektor album: piano driven melodies rooted in anti-folk, Regina’s distinct mezzo-soprano vocals, quirky lyrics and just enough emotion to make the songs more than just performed notes on a page. The production is (nearly) flawless, but what can you expect when you have four experienced producers (Begin To Hope’s David Kahne U2‘s Garret ‘Jacknife’ Lee, ELO’s Jeff Lynne and pop oriented Mike Elizondo) working on the album?

Spektor starts off the album strong with the charming “The Calculation” and “Eet,” but it’s admittedly hard to keep interest until the very end. Even “Dance Anthem of the 80’s” isn’t upbeat enough to get you through the last 5 songs.

If you’re looking for the soft, storytelling Spektor you’ve grown to love, your best bet here is “Laughing With,” a characteristically silly and spiritual song that shows Regina’s growth (but certainly not her maturity).

Key Tracks: “The Calculation,” “Eet,” “Laughing With”

-MV
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Those Darlins
Self-Titled
3 out of 5

If Vivian Girls traded in their Chuck Taylors for cowgirl boots, they’d probably sound like Those Darlins. Born and raised around Nashville, Tennessee, this all-girl trio loves classic country and isn’t at all shy about it. They played a number of SXSW dates this year (dressed in short shorts and boots) and built up an underground buzz leading up to this debut on Oh Wow Dang Records.

There are songs on here about whiskey, mamas, and greasy skillets. If the stigma of the word ‘country’ makes you shaky at the knees, you’re probably best off avoiding this. If you enjoy tongue-in-cheek, self-aware country shenanigans, this will definitely be your thing. Even so, this isn’t the most scintillating listen- most of these songs are two-and-a-half minute verse/chorus ditties- so I wouldn’t advise overindulgence, no matter how appealing plaid and faded denim seem to you. I think I’ve exhausted all the country metaphors in the book, so I’m going to stop typing.

Key Tracks: “Wild One,” “Red Light Love”

-CP

It may be summer and TCNJ’s campus may be barren save for a few students scurrying off to summer class, but WTSR is going strong. Here are four highlights to look out for in our June-July playlists:

Dirty Projectors- “Stillness is the Move”
WTSR is kinda in love with these guys right now, scroll down to the video if you need proof. But damn, watching an artsy Brooklyn band with a back catalogue as quirky as DP’s craft a pop song like this is downright mind-blowing. The off-kilter guitars and ramshackle percussion are still there, but “Stillness’” greatest triumph belongs to vocalist Amber Coffman, who comes out of the woodwork to prove her indie diva-dom.

Sugarplum Fairies- “I Hate Saturdays”
An indie cousin of “I Don’t Like Mondays?” Perhaps! A band called The Sugarplum Fairies are never going to knock you on your ass, and in true twee fashion, they sound absolutely terrified on this track of the day of the week in question. But alas, a majestic indie pop hook is the result!

Jarvis Cocker- “Further Complications”
Jarvis debuted this one to his American audience at Pitchfork festival last summer, and it turned out to be a prelude to his very rockin’ Steve Albini-produced album. Judging by the white boy-soul breakdowns he went into onstage, it seems like he’s quite enjoying his new single, and it’s hard to blame him.

Grizzly Bear- “While You Wait For the Others”
Grizzly Bear are among the most intricate, talented bands around. But their music is incredibly subtle, in a way that causes their finest moments to sneak up on the listener. On their latest record, a bit more electric guitar is used than in albums past, but its usage is, of course, highly inconspicuous. On “While You Wait For the Others” their delicate sound enjoys a rare moment of electrified glory, punctuated by (in true Grizzly Bear fashion) fantastic vocal harmony.

-CP

Music Director Chris Payne interviews Amber and Nat of the Dirty Projectors prior to their 6/17 headlining gig at the First Unitarian Church in Philadelphia:

Mos Def
“The Ecstatic”
Three and a half out of four stars

Newsflash: Mos Def is a really talented dude. His 1999 debut Black On Both Sides remains a classic of alternative hip-hop and his NYU degree in experimental theatre has come in handy for films like “The Italian Job” and “Cadillac Records.”

His first solo record in three years is another helping of daring, culturally relevant hip-hop that’s being hailed as his best work since his debut. It’s a left-brained, staggeringly creative effort that’s often hard to pin down. Mos Def is a rapper who is seldom a slave to his beats or a specific song structure; his flow isn’t afraid to spill over into the margins or go off on a tangent. Fortunately, he’s a highly skilled MC, so it all works more often than not. Guest spots include Madlib and his brother, Oh No.

Disappointed in the last Common record? The new Mos Def is here to save the day.

Key Tracks: “Pretty Dancer,” “Casa Bey”
-CP
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Chairlift
“Does You Inspire You”
2.5 stars out of 5

It took me a while to realize where I had heard of Chairlift before. On top of Last.fm listing them as a recommended band for me for the past few months and their tours with like minded electro pop bands such as MGMT and Yeasayer, I finally realized that I, like the majority of the television watching population, knew them by their song “Bruises” which was in the most recent iPod nano commercial. You know the song, about love and handstands and frozen strawberries? With the packed resume Chairlift has put together over the past six months, it’s hard to believe that this is the Brooklyn trio’s debut LP.

To be honest, I would have been happier to leave my familiarity with Chairlift at the iPod commercial. Does You Inspire You is a strange, strange journey through a crazy world of synths, the 80s and Bjork inspired vocals. Then again, what can you expect from a band whose initial purpose was to perform live music for haunted houses.

Aside from “Bruises,” the most listener friendly song here is “Evident Utensil,” a song about…pencils? Why not.

Key Tracks: “Bruises,” “Evident Utensil”
-MV

Terminal 5
New York City
June 4, 2009

So Doves are kind of a big deal in the UK. Their latest release, Kingdom of Rust, reached #2 on the album charts and their last two records went to #1 in their homeland. Aside from a little critical praise and an appearance on the first O.C. soundtrack (what?), Doves never caught on in the U.S., not as daring as Radiohead or bombastic as Oasis, and therefore, an afterthought.

But the Manchester trio played NYC’s multi-leveled Terminal 5 last night, and not only did they play it, they sold it out, at $37 per ticket, no less. The fact it was their first local show in four years surely helped, but the resounding success of their layered, atmospheric indie rock remains: Doves are a force to be reckoned with. Five minute=plus epics like “Caught By the River” and “There Goes The Fear” dazzled the dapper crowd on hand, with the latter even enticing dancing, or at worst, bits of rhythmic swaying. Despite the band’s intricate pedigree, more aggressive rockers like “Outsiders” and “Words” were unexpectedly tenacious, thanks in large part to Jez Williams’ guitarwork.

Through it all, frontman Jimi Goodwin remained surprisingly unassuming, dutifully finger-picking his right-handed bass, which he plays left-handed, flipped upside-down. The only tangible bits of emotion he threw to the packed crowd were a few “How’s it going’s” and “New York, New York’s,” draped in his thick, low-pitched Manchester accent.

“Caught By The River,” the closer of 2002′s resplendent Last Broadcast ended phase one; then came an encore of classic Doves proportions: “Here It Comes,” “Last Broadcast,” and finally, the aforementioned “There Goes The Fear,” complete with it’s climactic, multi-percussionist finale.

To any band that dares list Radiohead as in influence: I hope you’re taking notes.

-Chris Payne