Two DC bands:
Animal Collective:
Here Comes the Indian
[Paw Tracks]
by Andy Beta
NYC avant-gardists Avey Tare and Panda Bear, responsible for 2000's incredible Spirit They're Gone, Spirit They've Vanished, return with a group of collaborators for one of the year's most beautifully bizarre records to date.
.: Apes: Oddeyesee
These art-rockers got off to a slow start with their 2001 debut, but having honed their chops over the last two years, they've come around with what just might wind up the year's most ambitious concept album. On Les Savy Fav's Frenchkiss Records.
.: Black Eyes: Black Eyes
Dischord's best release in well over a year, Black Eyes' judgemental hive mentality and carefre yet sinister lyrics made for an unsettling anti-rock cacophony.
.: Enduser: 15 Tracks
Crawling from the sonic gutter, Enduser collided harsh beatbox hits with hardcore ragga rhymes. The distorted, violent squalls and intense jungle tempos of 15 Tracks made for the most original hip-hop record in ages.
.: Iran: The Moon Boys
After scoring a 9.6 from Pitchfork on their self-titled debut in 2000, these West Coast freaks return with a stronger balance between their accessible pop hooks and freeform experimentations.
.: One Mile North: Minor Shadows
This elegant collection of ambient guitar and keyboard pieces leapt over its stagnating peers, illustrating the deafening impact of acumen.
.: Russian Futurists: Let's Get Ready...
Missing the Magnetic Fields? There's no surrogate finer than Matthew Adam Hart, a bedroom synth addict whose charm lies in his intimate and charismatic delivery.
.: Tes: x2
Warp Records' brand new hip-hop subsidiary Lex is well on its way to becoming as innovative as its electronic counterpart-- and this Brooklyn-based emcee's debut is, to date, its flagship release.
.: Wolf Eyes: Dead Hills
You might have seen this listed as one of our picks for America's new national anthem. Which is weird since these Black Dice affiliates are probably the most abrasive band on today's list. A white noise assault so finely crafted we find ourselves succumbing to the agony on a regular basis.
http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/index2.shtml
