The Sonic Parthenon Playlist: Rest of the Summer 2009, Part 1

Bat for Lashes - "Daniel"
Natasha Khan's first waves as Bat for Lashes came off a little creepy and bizarre and inaccessible without really being any of those things. This time around she's right up front in being inviting and charming. The pop sensibilities of this 80's style dark dance song make it easily digestible.

Dinosaur Jr. - Farm
I've liked this legendary band for awhile but only in drips and drabs from what I heard over the years. I finally decided to give them a solid listen this summer and I wasn't let down. The solos. My god, the solos. And the riffs are nothing to sneeze at either. And it's not like Barlow and Murph aren't holding up their end of the bargain. The new LP, the second with the reformed original trio, is a solid display of the band's more accessible later period. Not sure how or why but Mascis's guitar skill seems to exponentially magnify in greatness as he gets older. "I Don't Wanna Go There" has the solo of the year.

Flamin' Groovies - "Shake Some Action"
What?! This isn't new! Doesn't matter. Thanks to Bob Boilen picking it as part of the All Songs Considered special on great record labels, I discovered the greatest song I never knew about before that moment.

Free Energy - "Dream City"
70's AM Gold lives! At least the good versions of it. I dare you to dislike this.

Benjy Ferree
I heard an archived performance of this joker at WOXY and "Big Business" alone was enough to make me a fan. I don't get...HIM...but I'm enjoying him.

Generationals - "When They Fight, They Fight"
Great title, excellent sounding Indie song. This is what Grizzly Bear should sound like.

Great Northern - Remind Me Where The Light Is
The follow-up record to Trading Twilight for Daylight is no fluke. Great Northern are THE great unsung band of Southern California. Eat it, Silversun Pickups! Go on tour with them, Airborne Toxic Event!

Hatcham Social - "So So Happy Making"
I haven't been bothered or have had the time to look up anything about the act behind this song but this 80's revivalist pop number is a pleasant romp.

Dave Matthews Band - "Why I Am"
It's sadness over the loss of Leroi Moore that's behind some of it, but there has been a re-embracing of DMB around these parts lately. In no small measure there is this insatiably catchy tribute to the Groogrux King that harkens back to those 90's hits where this band was something special.

Phoenix - "1901"
This is what a band this decade, OF its decade, should/would sound like. It's gleaming pop backed by steady rock-n-roll ethics. Phoenix won't leave a mark the way the Strokes did back in the early half of this decade but this track picks up the mantle.

The Sonic Parthenon Playlist: May 2009

Oops we skipped over May! Meaning we missed:

Brakesbrakesbrakes - "Crush on You"
Maybe the 90's are coming back afterall - a grungey sound with those semi-sweet mid-90's pop lyrics. Figures they're English...they just must be now getting into it.

Camera Obscura - My Maudlin Career
Right now, Metric's Fantasies is the best record of the year. This is number 2.

Elks - "Collide"
They just could be just another one of the many bands with an animal for their name, but instead Elks choose to copy the anthemic indie rock the likes of Longwave and Parts & Labor. Tis a fine choice. Besides, there has to be someone out there not listening to Grizzly Bear.

Great Northern - "Houses"
Excellent new track from the not-a-fluke dark rockers out of Southern California. Eat it Silversun Pickups!

Ben Harper & Relentless 7- "Shimmer and Shine"
Harper dropped the Innocent Criminals and the pot-head friendliness in exchange for Relentless 7 and just rocking the hell out. Good call. He's still a sap in the lyrics department though. Actually this isn't too different from "Crush on You".

The Hold Steady - A Positive Rage
Yeah I don't know who these guys are or why they have a live record or why I play it almost every day...

I Was A King - "Norman Bleik"
Picking up where "Saints" by Army Navy hasn't really left off yet, this is a strong power pop number from Scandinavia. How do they keep doing that over there?!

King Khan & The Shrines - "Land of the Freak"
All thanks to that gig in early May, I can't stop playing this James Brown meets Greg Cartwright escapade.

St. Vincent - tracks from Actor
I haven't heard much of the new record but "The Strangers" satiated me for a spell.

Honorable Mentions: Jarvis Cocker, Passion Pit