Favorite Albums of 2011 20-11

20. Hey Rosetta! – Seeds
Lush strings, crunchy guitars and anthemic crescendos propel this ambitious and addictive collection of songs from underrated Canadian indie-popsters. 

 Hey Rosetta - Yer Spring

19. Dawes - Nothing Is Wrong
The sophomore effort from California-based road warriors Dawes didn't quite meet my high expectations.  A solid effort, seemingly teleported straight out of 1975 - but just didn't grab me the way North Hills did.  Still among the best live bands you'll see, though.

 Dawes - Fire Away

 
18. The Decemberists – The King Is Dead
A welcome return to the straightforward folk sound that the band had moved away from on recent records.  No bloated arrangements or convoluted storyline - just simple songs and Colin Meloy's lyrics on full display.  Plus a little help from Peter Buck and Gillian Welch.   

 The Decemberists - This Is Why We Fight

17. Kurt Vile – Smoke Ring For My Halo
Where past records were draped in a haze of guitar effects and muddy noise, Smoke Ring For My Halo is crisp and clear.  The melodies and lyrics are discernable and the genius of Kurt Vile's songwriting is on full display.  

Kurt Vile - Baby's Arms

16. Real Estate – Days
On Days, New Jersey beachniks Real Estate clean up the production a bit without losing their lo-fi charm, and deliver another batch of summery pop songs that range from roadtrip-ready singalongs to slow-burning sunset jams.

Real Estate - It's Real

15. The Devil Whale – Teeth
A lucky discovery early in 2011, The Devil Whale released their sophomore effort Teeth in May.  The Utah-based band creates catchy indie-pop that recalls Dr. Dog or a grittier The Head And The Heart. 

 The Devil Whale - Earthquake Dreams

14. Roadside Graves – We Can Take Care of Ourselves
Ramshackle, whiskey-soaked folk-rock from New Jersey's Roadside Graves.  A concept album loosely based on S.E. Hinton's classic "The Outsiders", the story of the Greasers and the Socs sets a backdrop but never feels forced or contrived.

Roadside Graves - Hank Williams

13. Ryan Adams – Ashes & Fire
Ryan Adams' music ushered me through the most formative years of my life, from high school to college and beyond.  29, Easy Tiger and Cardinology kind of lost me - but Ashes & Fire has me back on board.  Focused, honest and sans-Cardinals...welcome back Ryan.

Ryan Adams - Ashes & Fire   

12. The Low Anthem – Smart Flesh
Local favorites The Low Anthem return with their third full-length.  What Smart Flesh may lack in cohesiveness it makes up for in spirit - with whisper-soft hymns standing alongside ragged folk-rockers.

The Low Anthem - Boeing 737

11. Tristen –  Charlatans At The Garden Gate
I was late to come around on Tristen, but have been making up for lost time.  Tristen treads in similar waters to Sharon Van Etten, a strong woman writing about ellusive love and failed relationships.  However, she paints with a more vibrant and diverse pallette - great stuff.

 Tristen - Avalanche

Review: Hey Rosetta! - Seeds

By Todd Harrington

Listening to a band for the first time can be as scary as it can be fun. Then, factor in a "review" of the record and it gets even more fun. The good news for Canadian based six piece band Hey Rosetta! is they hit the wow (and repeat) button right out of the gate.

On the bands 11 song, third full length release they blend the instruments you expect in a rock band but then toss in piano, strings and other percussive instruments and that all results in a very pleasant and rewarding listen.

Lead vocalist Tim Baker soars over the music at times, and at others is so hushed you want to give him a hug and tell him it is going to be okay. The urgency is there more often than not and drummer Phil Maloney must have a vendetta out on his drum kit the way he hits the kit.

Baker and Maloney can't do it alone though. Tracks like "Yer Spring" which starts quiet but throws you for a loop when an odd time signature grabs your ears and before you know it violinist Kinley Dowling and cellist Romesh Thavanathan make the song so full you'd swear there are 15 members in the band.

Hey Rosetta! - Yer Spring

Never to be outdone bassist Josh Ward (who really shines on the opening track "Seeds") and lead guitarist Adam Hogan offer the right amount of flash, but a constant amount of "just right" playing.  A "guitar solo" is hardly ever heard in the common rock sense. Over the eleven tracks the first real time the guitar seemed to stand out is when Hogan got a little crunchy with it on "Parson Brown" but that could also be due to the fact the song is a very laid back, string filled track from the start, only bursting when Hogan comes in.

Trust me when the lack of a guitar solo is okay to mention. The band is just "so full" you lean in at times to hear the plucking of the cello strings ("New Sum") to the odd tempo, almost "math rock" feel of the track. The band swells at the right time. The band is cautious to let the songs grow at the right time. Only the track "Welcome" seems to bust out of the gate, it mellows some, but finishes with the same urgency.

As stated at the start of this review I knew nothing about the band going in to this, but their live reviews
are glowing and if they can bring tracks from this album to the stage I can only imagine. See you in the
front row.