The Sea & Cake - Car Alarm

One of the most remarkable post-rock outfits from Chicago underground, The Sea & Cake, known for enlisting the super-producer/drummer John McEntire as a member, is one of the most melodic and pop-oriented groups among the Chicago post-rock scene. Their songs are generally concise as one could expect from pop music, played with jazzy touch as well as indie rock attitude. On some albums one can detect a touch of bossanova (like Oui) or flirtation with electronica (The Fawn, One Bedroom).

Car Alarm, however, continues the back to basics ethos of previous album Everybody. Similarly to the earliest albums like The Biz, the band emphasizes the rock aspect, the album opener "Aerial" is especially strong and energetic opening bang from the group who generally seems to be marked by sedate restraint. Musically there's little that is new, but nonetheless Car Alarm is an enjoyable record from this consistent-sounding group, and several good melodic songs are to be found here.

Brightblack Morning Light - Motion To Rejoin

The third album by US neo-psychedelic weird folkers Brightblack Morning Light, Motion to Rejoin, was recorded in a hut in New Mexico, using power from the solar panels. This kind of off-grid approach is one indicator of the group's hippie attitude. The second indicator is certainly the music, which combines blues, psych, folk, jazz and soul into a slow and druggy trip, where the tones are set by the tender Rhodes e-piano and the hazy guitar, along with lazy horns and gospel-inflicted back vocals. Even the lyrics that point the fingers at our consumerist society and the machine-like civilization, indicate the hippie spirit of the band. Then again, BML's vision is certainly more nobler and less pursuant of druggy exstacy than the hippie stereotype would allow to presume. Also, the music of BML is not as turbulent as one can expect from psychedelic rock in general. Already for the third album BML is churning out slow and mellow music. Compared to the previous album this may be a little bit more refined. But in general, BML has remained fairly consistent in terms of sound.