Awesome Lyrics and Refreshing New Music
591657
These guys are new and they will be big.  Think of Switchfoot when they were playing smaller venues and you were listening to them and thinking to yourself wondering "who are these guys?".  Cry Out are fresh and their lyrics are true to the message.  They will be big-mark my words.
404760
The best new music I've heard in years.  Fantastic follow up to Metamodern.  Sturgill is the real deal.  Will see him in concert in Lexington, KY, tomorrow night!
115012
I really enjoyed this album.  For once, I'm hearing something new and refreshing.  I am also astonished at the lyrics; extremely deep.

SOUND

I would call this "cruising" music, great for the open road; upbeat and cool.  Energetic, with a bad little edge to it.

The songs mostly feature a strong beat, a quick rock tempo, but with cool ballads, and excellent vocals.  I think the lead singer has a great voice, reminiscent of some kind of a cross between Bono and Prince- especially the falsettos.  Overall I'd describe this as a "hero" with a mean streak.

There is one song on here that just about choked me up.  Its called "Taps", and I don't think I've ever heard a song quite like it.  I won't spoil it for your, but if you have never heard it, its the only slow song on the album, and it takes you through the steps of life- from the cradle to the grave- like a journey.  I swear I've never heard anything quite like it.

Hopefully the artists will include these kinds of songs in the future.

Song no. 2, "Lights Out" is cool as hell, and probably one of the top 250 I've ever heard.  Anyone who really appreciates music will likely find themselves playing a few of these songs over and over again, especially "Ghost", "Taps" and "Lights Out".  The incredible degree of writing really is astonishing.  REALLY Good stuff.

I don't give many 5 star ratings, but this album deserves it.

Looking forward to your next album!
4697124
There is nothing I don't like about every single song. Insightful, intelligent, poignant, neurotic lyrics. A veritable free for all of genres - creative, clever, emotional, authentic, danceable, shoutable. I had heard several of their songs on the radio and enjoyed each of them for different reasons without knowing they were all the same band. I am well into middle age but never give up on finding my next new favorite band even though I find them less frequently than I used to. Twenty One Pilots is my favorite in the recent crop of quite good Alternative and Indie music. These guys are brilliant and genuine (and hilarious behind the scenes). Looking forward to becoming acquainted with their previous records. And to seeing them live. Somewhere! Where have I even been that I didn't know about them sooner?! Old, complacent and jaded no more It is so exciting to be excited about something new and a relief to know the fangirl within me was sleeping and not dead.

EDIT: Here it is more than a year later. I did see them live, it was stunning. I'm still absorbing their earlier stuff which just adds to my obsession. Anticipating what comes next. I'm kind of in awe.
1113938
This was given to me by a colleague to listen to and I'm digging it.  I immediately wanted to pass it on to another friend!  The lyrics are thoughtful and amazing and witty:

"Befriend a tree/write poetry/cook from scratch/be playful/with the heart of a child/read a lot of books/remember your dreams when you wake up/never take yourself too seriously/stand corrected/know nothing/hold no grudges/learn a new language/make a sandwich and split it with a stranger/don't be in a click/don't be in a crew/don't be pigeonholed/have no genre/borrow no money/cut up your credit cards/and spend less time on the computer/call up your mother/be thankful/and live in the moment/and enjoy life/and breath more"

See?  And that's just one part of the song, sung in a chanting rapping style over minimalist beats and strange frenetic harmonies, a free ranging 70's funky groove overlaying it all.

It's different and fresh and you should give it a listen.
1003595
I think this record is a great step forward for Gungor. They have certainly set a new bar for many bands in this genre of music and those artists should take notice. People are bored with radio music and are excited about projects like this. This is a breath of fresh air and lyrically the album adds to a much needed conversation.
2590780
This is an outstanding sophomore album from an up-and-coming group. You can really tell that they put a lot of thought and hard work into their music. Not only is the music incredible, but the lyrics are moving and actually have meaning. This is a great album to listen to when you just want to get in your car, roll the windows down, and drive somewhere. It does feel a little short (only around 30 minutes), but most albums these days wouldn't have more than 10 songs.
748218
I discovered this album and Intuition quite by accident, and what a fabulous surprise it has turned out to be! I am woefully ignorant of most of the synthpop scene, yet Further appealed to me instantly. Garrett Miles has a fantastic voice. Clear, smooth, with a golden quality that becomes more coppery when he is really feeling what he is singing. He impresses me with his range and consistency. But what Ken Porter creates with the music lends at least as much mood and emotion to the songs; it lays the foundation for why I can't get enough of this album. The way the music is paired with the vocals takes you right where the lyrics want you to go. Aside from times when I am thirsty for the music be a little more dominant, I love nearly all the songs, especially the second half of the album. There are small bits that I find to be truly brilliant. There is something new to enjoy, something more to feel, each time I listen.
4864114
I love this album, but let me tell you why. It is both familiar and fresh.

This is a wonderful album from the Swedish indie songster Erik Mattiasson and has definitely been channeling some Elliot Smith and Damien Rice. It has all the weary simplicity of these two great artists. Erik Mattiasson is definitely in the vein of Rice, Smith and Oberst - but he manages to pull off optimistic without being childishly trite. Tracks like "Good with Mothers", "To be Someone" and "I should get away" have an alluring familiarity that feel like ghost tracks on some of my favorite albums. Its comforting.

BUT there are definitely fresh moments that remind me this is an artist on its own no matter how familiar it sounds - "Tropical Island" had a sexy lounge feel that was subtle yet perfectly placed. "Hello Benjamin" is my favorite it dances around the of line dark, catchy and simple (maybe some mod?) in a way that I can't really think of a proper peer. "Don't save me" is another excellent track.

If you can't get the whole album - which I  HIGHLY recommend - you must have:

Hello Benjamin
Don't save me
To be someone
Dream about me
2041718
I'd never heard of FOUNTAINS OF WAYNE until Elton John recommended them in a recent Interview magazine column.  I bought it on faith (Elton John had tipped me off to John Mayer before anyone outside of Atlanta knew about him), and it has a permanent spot in my car's CD player.  You know how until you've heard an album a few times, the songs tend to all sound alike?  Not so with "Welcome Interstate Managers." This album has it all: pop, alt rock, 60s, 70s, country.  The first time I listened, I had to check more than once to make sure I hadn't switched to a radio station.  The lyrics are infectious, surprising, and utterly original.  The music is fresh and downright brilliant.  I'm going to check out their previous albums and will patiently await whatever they decide to do next.  FOUNTAINS OF WAYNE has changed forever the way I listen to music.
3866383
Better Than Ezra is a breath of fresh air in popular music.  Bringing back, what they have always brought, which is heartfelt, lyrically driven music that will move the listner on multiple levels. You will find yourself being pulled in by the enticing melodies and in no time you will be singing along with all of the well written hooks.  The music/song writing has a timeless quality and gives the album substance.  Most of all "Before the Robots" is just good music that leaves you wanting more of the same.  Listen to this album straight through, you will not be disappointed.
375973
Toby Lightman is one of my favorite new artists. She has a sense of soul in her music and her lyrics are very insightful. She talks about life, love, and what it means to be a woman in charge of her reality, or taken over by it. I think everyone should give her entire CD a shot, since there is not one song I dislike on the album. Try it- you won't be disappointed.
3495720
I think the music is refreshing new and inovative they can only get better i wish them luck and huge future success
4631409
This is the best album I've heard in years. To me it's clearly their best release yet, a refinement of the type of sound they've been developing the last few albums. Their most consistently great album. I really love Jace Lacek's singing, he's compared to Brian Wilson a lot and I think that comparison is pretty valid. You've got this guy hitting this great falsetto, often with group harmonies that sound a bit like Fleetwood Mac (especially when Olga Goreas is in the vocal mix) but the music is reverb heavy and sort of a melodic shoegaze wall of sound. An interesting mix that sounds very unique to the Besnard Lakes. The first tune, Bray Road Beast, really builds up to an awesome groove about halfway through the song and then Golden Lion takes it to a whole new level of awesomeness. This is a great album to put on the headphones, crank it up and rock out to. I have no idea what the lyrics mean and I don't care, the whole sonic landscape of this album is amazing and what really draws me in. Nightingale is a more mellow change of pace song but the whole album is great, consistently in the same vein as their best songs from previous albums like Colour Yr Lights In and Like The Ocean. I'd give this album six stars if I could.
1503551
Every Track Shines! Can't stop listening. Refreshing and Invigorating!
10913
This is one of my favorite new albums.  If you are unsure of their talent, head over to youtube and check out Nicki Bluhm and The Gramblers "van sessions".  You will be hooked and want to buy this album.  The first single of the record, "A little too late" is great, and there are so many other amazing songs on this record it is definitely worth purchasing.  Support good music.
2858218
This is one of the best albums I've heard in a long, long time. What I love is that not only does it has catchy hooks and chorus on the songs, but the lyrics have such a deep and emotional message, you can listen to the songs over and over and recreate a story and debate about the countless meaning between lines.

Also, the collaborations are extremely welcome from Jack White to Kendrick Lamar, this album transcends every music genre and brings you something fresh that doesn't sounds like anything out there right now.

This is without a doubt Beyonce best album so far and is going to every interesting to see how will she top this in the future.

LEMONADE on repeat since the release and I love albums that have that quality to be able to listen over and over and get new takes.

Also listening loud and with headphones are 2 completely experiences, bot equally enjoyable.