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<\/center>\nThe Spiracles \u2013 How Things Went When I Met You<\/em><\/strong>
\nWhile they’re another in a long line of two-person acts signed to Saint Marie Records, The Spiracles<\/strong>‘ similarity to those other acts ends there. How Things Went When I Met You<\/em> is shimmering, extremely appealing pop. Aracell Fern\u00e1ndez<\/strong>‘s vocals deliver just the right amount of emotion, and Luis Rodriguez<\/strong> creates a nicely textured sound that sounds and feels like a full band. There are but three discrete songs (plus two remixes of the catchy \u201cFireflies\u201d), but they should be enough to whet the appetite of those who’d enjoy a sound halfway between The Smiths<\/strong> and Sixpence None the Richer<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
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<\/center>\nDrivin’ n’ Cryin’ \u2013 <\/strong>Songs From the Laundromat<\/strong><\/em>
\nKevn Kinney<\/strong> put this band together in 1986 in Atlanta. Their music has gone in any number of directions over the years, but on Songs From the Laundromat<\/em> they strike a sound that recalls The Replacements<\/strong> crossed with 70s boogie bands like Foghat<\/strong> or Grand Funk<\/strong> (or, perhaps, to cite a more contemporary artist, Wolfmother<\/strong><\/a>). The songs have the swagger, the finesse and the power, and better vocals. \u201cAin’t Waitin’ on Tomorrow\u201d has more dynamics than yer typical riff-rocker, and the clever tribute \u201cREM\u201d sounds more like Murmur<\/em> than anything Stipe<\/strong> & Co. did from Monster<\/em> onward. Recommended.<\/p>\n
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<\/center>\nSway \u2013 <\/strong>This Was Tomorrow<\/strong><\/em>
\nThat rare Saint Marie Records act that’s a full band, Sway<\/strong> delivers gauzy dream-pop on This Was Tomorrow<\/em>. The breathy, plaintive vocals are buried in an ocean of guitar textures that suggest Radiohead<\/strong> with less arty aspirations. This is the sort of music where it’s sometimes difficult to pick out what individual instruments are doing, but that’s not a problem: it’s the overall effect that’s important here. While the lyrics are often indecipherable (thanks to the dense mix and a bit of the dreaded autotune applied for effect) the overall vibe is more upbeat, less melancholy than one might expect.<\/p>\n
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<\/center>\nMarkus Reuter \u2013 <\/strong>Kopfmensch<\/strong><\/em>
\nMarkus Reuter<\/strong> is the obscenely talented touch-guitarist who’s currently working with King Crimson<\/strong> alumni\/members\/whatevers Adrian Belew<\/strong>, Tony Levin<\/strong> and Pat Mastellotto<\/strong> in Crimson ProjeKct<\/strong><\/a> and Stick Men<\/strong>. But his activities go well beyond that; in addition to designing his instrument (something similar to that thing Crim alumni Trey Gunn<\/strong><\/a> plays) himself, Reuter plays on all manner of other fascinating releases. A sampling of these has been collected on Kopfmensch<\/em>, and it’s a stunner. Stick Men’s \u201cAbsalom\u201d delivers that equal-arts-weirdness-and-malevolent-power of Discipline<\/em>-era Crim, but all of the tracks show Reuter’s talents as an ensemble player rather than a hot-dogger. Brilliant.<\/p>\n
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<\/center>\nSunshine Factory \u2013 <\/strong>Sugar<\/strong><\/em>
\nWhen you call yourselves Sunshine Factory<\/strong> and title your album Sugar<\/em>, you shouldn’t be surprised if people expect light pop confections a la The Fifth Dimension<\/strong>. But in a clever case of bait-and-switch, this duo trades in hypnotic sounds having more in common with the most accessible end of Velvet Underground<\/strong>. They apply the Jesus & Mary Chain<\/strong> approach of wedding sturdy pop melodies to more jagged arrangements, but then they apply a layer of tasty sonic syrup to the whole affair. In places (like \u201cSmile\u201d), they actually sound a bit like Stone Roses<\/strong> without as much guitar riffery.<\/p>\n
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