If you haven’t read part one of this, go to this post and get the first recommendations. Some of these may have been released in 2008, but I don’t care. 2009 is the year I learnt to love them properly. Here are my recommendations, so start saving to get them all (some are free or cheap, so I helped you a bit there!). All of these are high class releases in my book, and 2009 have been a brilliant year of music so far. Heeere we go! 
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – s/t
I knew long before I heard this album that I would like the debut from the Pains of Being Pure at Heart a lot, – everything I had heard so far from this band has been extremely good. So is the album.
I got it yesterday and haven’t had the chance to listen a lot to it, but after a couple of listens, I like it enough to give it my recommendations. I need to give it some more time before I can say a whole lot more about it, but I think it’s a safe buy, and you will probably not be disappointed at all! This is music to be happy to, music to be sad to, music to dream to, – music for any occasion.
Clue to Kalo – Lily Perdida
I have waited with great expectations for this new album from Australia’s Clue to Kalo (a.k.a. Mark Mitchell), and I am surprised if this will not be in my top 10 of 2009. A wonderful-wonderful-wonderful album! His previous albums have been big favourites of mine (and still are), and the way this man “thinks” music is very interesting. You’ll never know what you’ll get on a new album from Clue to Kalo, because he constantly develops and works with his sound. The only thing I know, based on my experiences with 3 albums of his, is that I’ll love it…
On his third album “Lily Perdida” he goes less electronic and the instrumentation and arrangements are even more interesting this time. His first album was easy to characterize as “dreamy electronic pop”, his second continued with melodies more in front and stronger song structures, and dropped some of the electronics in favour of “real” instruments. This one is not that easy to put in the electronica-category, since the electronics are just there to fill in and colour the music. Other instruments dominate. The songs are strong, the arrangements really interesting and his vocals are wonderful as always.
The album is a concept album about the story of the titular character from life to death, using the view points of those close to her. The song titles tells us who’s viewing point we should take, like “User to a carrier, by the sister”. It’s HIGHLY recommended, and after this Mark Mitchell/Clue to Kalo deserves the same status as artists like Sufjan Stevens and the like. He is a Genius. Strong words, I know, and I hate using strong words, but this time it feels ok.
Emmy The Great – First Love
Several singles from London-based artist Emmy The Great have found their way to my heart, and I can only say that the debut-album from Emmy the Great was worth the wait. This very special singer/songwriter has her own view on everything, and it’s an experience to listen to her beautiful, warm acoustic songs and listen to her lyrics. Very clever lyrics. There are a lot of young singer-songwriters out there, but Emmy the great is one of a kind. Emmy IS great!
I also recommend you to stop by her myspace once in a while, since she often uploads some of her own very special versions of other people’s songs. Right now there is a cover of the Ash’ classic “Burn Baby Burn”, and she made a good song even better.
2 out of 3 Rule – Really Elementary
2 out of 3 Rule is a band I found on myspace and decided to listen more to. I am SO happy I did! I bought their album “Really Elementary” on CdBaby, and have been listening to the 20 (!) songs over and over again since it came here, and the songs are all so good.
The London 4-piece play beautiful indie pop with jangly guitars, great melody-lines and wonderful vocals from singer Claire Diamond. It’s easy to compare them to bands like Camera Obscura or Heavenly, and these 3 definitely have a lot in common. 2 out of 3 Rule also have a darker, more melancholic side, which sometimes makes me think of Kristin Hersh, but I am aware that this might be a reference only I can hear…
The album is filled up with great pop, so get over to cdbaby and buy it now!
MP3: 2 out of 3 rule -artman
Wool Strings – 2 EPs and more
Wool Strings’ two EPs have become some precious items in my collection, and I’m very happy that the EPs + 5 new songs now are available for sale in the album format via CDBaby.
I haven’t heard all the new songs yet, but the EPs are so great that this album is a must have! Get it via this link. Wool Strings’ music is acoustic Japanese indie-pop with wonderful melodies and very interesting arrangements and instrumentation.
Aujourd’Hui Madame – El Americano EP
A small 3” cd with a red and stylish paper cover arrived in my post-box some weeks ago, and it has been on constant rotation in my player ever since. It’s the fine Peruvian label Susy Records who has released this gem, and the band is called Aujourd’Hui Madame.
The 4 song EP is filled with jangly pop songs mostly sung in French, and comparisons may be bands like Teenage Fanclub or BMX Bandits, – highly melodic and harmony-filled in other words.
The EP closes with a very unexpected cover song, “Atmosphere” by Joy Division. Aujourd’Hui Madame show me new sides of the classic song, and they do it with respect. You can buy the EP from Susy Records.
The Very Most – Spring
The Very Most is a band I have listened to with interest lately. Their album “Congratulations Forever” is wonderful, and I was happy when I heard that the digital-only label Indiecater Records (run by Kevin from the blog MP3hugger) had released a new EP from the band. It is called “Spring”, and all the songs are inspired by the season.
The four songs are more of what we got on “Congratulations…”, beautiful, optimistic, seemingly care-free pop-music with boy/girl vocals, delicious choruses, tambourines and handclaps. My favourite is “April is the kindest month”, – it’s a song with clever arrangements combined with a great melody, – and I’m born in April, so April IS the kindest month…
This EP is a must-have, and it is so easy to get it from Indiecater’s website. It’s cheap too, only a couple of $ and it’s yours. Get it from the label-link above, and if you’re quck, you might get a free remix album of the same songs too (only if you buy “Spring” first).
MP3: The Very Most – April is the kindest most
The Felt Tips – Bought and sold
In my world, a release from WeePop! records equals quality, and The Felt Tips is a band I always have combined with high quality pop-music. The Felt Tips have a new 3” out on WeePop! now, and two times quality must be good, – and it is. 3 great pop songs!
The EP can be bought on weepop’s website (see link above), and I recommend you to grab something else from their shop too while you’re there.
MP3: The Felt Tips – The one that got away
Jonathan Johansson – En hand i himlen
This is an album I have waited for for a long, long time. Jonathan Johansson sings in Swedish, but although his great lyrics may add an extra element to the music, it’s not necessary to know the language to fully enjoy Johanssons music.
The beautiful upbeat single with the same title as the album is probably known by some of you already, and there are more of these beautiful gems on the album. Johansson has a wonderful diversity in his vocals that I really, really like. Parts of it is full of warmth and openness, while another part is kind of “I don’t give a damn”-ish. And both parts appear at the same time. I loved Johansson’s first album, and I love this new one even more. Highly recommended!
The album is out now on Hybris, and ou can get it as a download on Klicktrack.
MP3: Jonathan Johansson – En hand i himlen
The Bumblebees – The Bumblebees EP
The Bumblebees is probably one of my new favourite bands, and they earned the title after just one single release. “Bumblebees EP” is a self-released little thing with SO much charm and this is the perfect medicine on a bad day. One listen to The Bumblebees and you are cured!
It’s obvious that the trio enjoys playing together, and this has a great impact on my enjoyment of the music. The melodies are ace and the band also seem to work a lot on the rhythmic parts of the music. It’s easy both to sing and move around to these songs. You can order the EP through The Bumblebees myspace, and please do, – you won’t regret it!
The Sarcastic Dharma Society – Other peoples songs (volume 1)
– This is a wonderful acoustic cover-album with songs that The Sarcastic Dharma Society has transformed so brilliantly into their own sound that it just doesn’t sound like a cover-album anymore. The songs aren’t that different from the originals, but it’s just the way they are played and the overall atmosphere on the album that makes me feel that these are The Sarcastic Dharma Society’s songs and no one else’s.
The sound is deliberately lo-fi, – not as in low quality, but you can sometimes hear the sound of the surroundings, – which adds a lot to my experience of the music. It makes the music more alive, and I really feel/see/hear/imagine Mat Vuksinich (the Sarcastic Dharma Society’s only member) sitting there in the room pictured on the cover of his album, playing “his” songs on a guitar, a piano, an old organ. Did I say that I love Mat’s expressive vocals? Very good!
The whole album can be downloaded for free over at cllct.com, where you also can get other goodies for the same price from other artists (and tsds’s first EP too).
MP3: The Sarcastic Dharma Society – This is the first day of my life (Bright Eyes cover)
The City and the Horses – I don’t want to dream
This is an album I stumbled over browsing the different pop-categories on CD-Baby. The City and the Horses was probably listed under “Sunshine Pop”, “Jangly Pop” or “Twee Pop”, can’t remember, but all of those may describe their music. Anyway, it’s a wonderful album with great songs, and I don’t think they sell as much as they deserve to, so get yourself over to cd-baby and buy/download a copy! You will not regret it. The singer even wrote me an email afterwards, thanking me for buying it. Nice people! Some of their songs remind me of bands like Trembling Blue Stars, Math & Physics Club, Belle & Sebastian or BMX Bandits. A very nice album! It’s also on iTunes, eMusic and Amazon and probably other places too.
