15 Great Connecticut Albums From 2011

I know I promised to do a top ten list of my favorite Connecticut albums from this year back when I made my original list schedule, but it was too hard to narrow the list down to just 10. I simply heard too many good albums from my home state this year to pick so few as my favorites. I also found it too difficult to order them properly, so I just put them in alphabetical order. So, with that having been said, here is the next installment in my list series: 15 great Connecticut albums from 2011! Bandcamp links to stream each album are available when applicable.

1. boy crush - hauntr

Indie Pop, Psychedelic Pop

 The High Pop singer’s debut album from his solo project boy crush demonstrates an impressive level of maturity that I never expected. Hauntr is a brief but memorable collection of fragile, lo-fi pop songs about ghosts. Apparently it was recorded in a haunted house, which you may or may not believe after hearing it.

2. Bust It! - Hell Is Other People

Hardcore Punk

Seeing Bust It! live at The Mannor last month made me feel like it was 1983 and I was in Washington, D.C. Their EP Hell Is Other People, released back in March, isn’t entirely derivative of 80’s hardcore punk, but it does have that same level of raw aggression and recklessness. It’s also a lot of fun too, as evidenced by the dynamic opener “Intro/Empty Drawer,” which somehow fits three or four distinct movements into three minutes.

3. Co-Pilots - All My Friends Are Crutches, Because God Knows My Legs Are Broken

Indie Rock, Emo

You could look at Co-Pilots’ All My Friends Are Crutches EP in two ways. In one sense, it’s an album that has perhaps the most potential of any new band in the Fairfield county scene to lead to something truly great, with its inspired lyricism, very lengthy, epic tracks that never get boring, and song structures derived from post-rock. On the other hand, it’s probably the most crushingly frustrating record I’ve heard in a long time, as much of the album’s potential is stymied by its demo-quality production. Thankfully, the band has announced that they will be putting out a new EP this winter. Stay tuned for more information on that! 

4. Fugue - YEARS

Post-Rock, Math Rock

In a year full of crushing breakups, Fugue’s disbandment was one of the saddest, especially for people in the Connecticut/Massachusetts scene. On their final EP YEARS, the band had just started to truly live up to their potential as a sweeping, dynamic, instrumental post-rock band. YEARS’ math rock inflections and subtle electronic influences set it apart from the pack of local post-rock groups, leaving listeners with a great last release to remember Fugue by. 

5. Giles Corey - Giles Corey

Slowcore, Shoegaze, Ambient Folk

Seeing this record here is probably no surprise to anyone who read my Top 50 Albums of 2011 list, on which Giles Corey claimed the top spot. I’ve said a lot about this already, so I’ll keep it brief here. It’s interesting that despite consistently producing great music, Dan Barrett’s Enemies List Home Recordings doesn’t really feel like a part of the local scene at all. The New England identity of Giles Corey goes much deeper — Back to the Salem Witch Trials in 1692, from which Barrett’s solo project takes its name. Listening to these creepy, hollow sounding ghost folk songs in that context gives them even greater emotional power. 

Purchase the album HERE.

6. The Guru - Native Sun

Indie Rock, Indie Pop, Psychedelic Pop

No other record defined my Connecticut summer this year more than The Guru’s debut LP Native Sun, a joyful, resonant, and deceptively funky indie pop gem about youth. I caught tons of Guru shows over the summer, which were consistently packed, and witnessed these songs being brought to life, but when the summer turned to fall and the kids went their separate ways (Two went off to college together), I still had Native Sun blasting through my speakers to remind me of those summer nights.

7. Heavy Breath - Ugly Americans

Sludge Metal, Post-Hardcore

A lot of great punk came out of Connecticut this year, but nothing was as heavy or as badass as this. Heavy Breath’s Ugly Americans EP is a brutal indictment of American politics, culture, and society, conveyed through scorching bass and guitar grooves and delivered by chord-shredding vocals. If you’re pissed off at America, or if you just want to feel pissed off, Ugly Americans is for you.

8. Jerkagram  - We’ve Only Come To Leave

Math Rock, Post-Rock

Jerkagram is a pair of cerebral Connecticut musicians who, despite being well versed in art rock and angular math rock, really enjoy simply jamming together. Their debut record We’ve Only Come To Leave finds those two musical worlds colliding, with a stirring, semi-improvised mix of mathy guitar bursts and impressive percussive fills. Despite opening for artists like Kayo Dot and Marnie Stern, this album went under the radar, which is unfortunate. You should all check it out if this sounds like your thing.

9. M.T. Bearington - Love Buttons

Indie Rock, Indie Pop

The New Haven band M.T. Bearington have been working up to this release for quite a while, getting sponsored by the likes of Mates Of State and releasing a number of records since getting started around 2006. Love Buttons represents the apex of their vision: A smart, undeniably catchy indie pop record with just enough weirdness to stand out. I first saw the band live opening for Man Man back in October, and although I didn’t particularly understand the pairing at the time, it makes a lot of sense now.

10. Ovlov - What’s So Great About The City?

Indie Rock, Noise Rock, Shoegaze

Connecticut’s best 90’s indie rock revivalists put out an unmissable EP this year, entitled What’s So Great About The City? The album placed on my top 50 list, so I won’t go into detail, but suffice to say it’s an extremely catchy and memorable indie rock record with heavy shoegaze guitars. With just four tracks, you can sit through the record in just over 10 minutes, or replay this over and over again if you want.

11. Sinforiano Diaz - The Moosup Sessions

Indie Folk

Although Thomas Diaz, best known as the singer from The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die, has been recording as Sinforiano Diaz for years, this is the first piece of recorded material from his solo project that I’ve been able to dig up. Although the four songs on The Moosup Sessions were not recorded this year, the album itself was made publicly available early in 2011. These songs — Fragile, delicate folk gems — give listeners a tremendous insight into the mind of one of the more enigmatic frontmen in the Connecticut scene right now.

Read more about Sinforiano Diaz / Download The Moosup Sessions HERE.

12. Suns - Be Good Boy

Indie Rock, Emo

Fairfield County trio Suns raised their stature earlier this year with their EP Be Good Boy, a record that brought an aggressive rawness to their indie rock product. The album’s not as consistent as I would have liked it to be, but it’s got a great sound and some singularly great songs. Fans of anthemic, angst-ridden indie rock bands like Titus Andronicus will definitely want to check this out.

13. Wess Meets West - Chevaliers

Post-Rock

This is another one that placed high on my year end albums list. Wess Meets West’s Chevaliers was one of the biggest and heaviest albums I heard all year, especially of the post-rock variety. With Fugue having disbanded, this decidedly smaller group now stands head and shoulders over their peers in the local post-rock scene, and this incredibly ambitious record solidifies their place.  

14. The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die - Are Here To Help You (split w/ Deer Leap)

Emo, Indie Rock, Post-Rock

Based on the amount of coverage that I gave it ever since its release, it should be pretty clear that The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die’s split with Deer Leap is one of my favorite records of the year. TWIABP’s side is the highlight, boasting four fantastic atmospheric emo songs that are easily my favorites from the band. Topshelf Records recently released the split as a 12”, and my copy came in the other day on white vinyl. It sounds fantastic, and I’m really glad I ordered it. 

15. Year In Review - I’m Sorry Mario, But Our Princess Is In Another Castle

Pop-Punk, Indie Rock

The Fairfield County scene really cleaned up this year, as it turns out, with a number of great new bands sprouting up and releasing solid material. Year In Review is a pop-punk band from the area with indie rock credibility and none of the annoying cliches generally associated with that style of music. Their record I’m Sorry Mario, But Our Princess Is In Another Castle is an EP comprising five songs about growing older, approaching adulthood, and losing the innocence of youth. It’s pertinent, catchy, and interesting, and definitely worth a few listens.

____________________________________

Check back here tomorrow for the final installment in my list series, my 10 favorite shows of 2011. 

Anonymous asked: are you going to fuge's last show tomorrow?

As much as I’d like to, I’m not going to Fugue’s last show tomorrow. I’ll be too busy playing a Bright Eyes halloween cover set at my school. How does my costume look?

Left of the Dial Radio Playlist - 10/21/11

Thanks to everybody who listened to my show last night. Just as a heads up, I’m not going to be doing my show next Friday (October 28th) because I’ll be playing a show at my school. Regular broadcasting will resume as usual the following Friday, November 4th. 

Here’s the full playlist from the show last night, complete with youtube or bandcamp links to each song when I could find them.

• 1. Pixies - “Debaser”
• 2. Titus Andronicus - “Upon Viewing Breughel’s ‘Landscape With The Fall of Icarus’” 
• 3. Ramones - “I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend”
• 4. The Stone Roses - “I Wanna Be Adored”
• 5. M83 - “Reunion”
• 6. The Pains of Being Pure At Heart - “Heart In Your Heartbreak”
• 7. Girls - “Lauren Marie”
• 8. The Feelies - “The High Road”
• 9. Real Estate - “Easy”
• 10. Elliott Smith - “Son Of Sam”
• 11. Elliott Smith - “Waltz #2 (XO)”
• 12. Elliott Smith - “Rose Parade”
• 13. St. Vincent - “Year Of The Tiger”
• 14. Dntel - “(This Is) the Dream Of Evan And Chan”
• 15. Primal Scream - “Higher Than The Sun”
• 16. Coldplay - “Hurts Like Heaven”
• 17. Fugue - “White Tiger Of The West”
• 18. Into It. Over It. - “Pinky Swear” (Daytrotter Session Version)
• 19. The Postal Service - “Nothing Better”
• 20. Youth Lagoon - “July”
• 21. Modest Mouse - “Cowboy Dan”
• 22. The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die - “I Will Be Okay. Everything”
• 23. Trash Talk - “Awake”
• 24. Invisible Hand - “There’s Room In My Will”
• 25. Snowing - “Pump Fake”
• 26. My Heart To Joy - “All Of Life Is Coming Home” (Virgin Sails version)
• 27. Pavement - “Fillmore Jive”

Fugue Announce Breakup

Towards the end of what’s shaping up to be a pretty bad month for bands breaking up, Connecticut’s own instrumental experimenters Fugue have added their name to the ever-growing list. On their facebook page earlier today, the group wrote a lengthy post detailing the reasons for their impending disbandment. “What it boils down to is that the six of us couldn’t commit to this band the way we know we need to,” the post reads, “We honestly believe that for the life of this band we were creating something special, and unique but it really took all six of us to make this band what it is. And keeping the six of us together to create it became too great a task.”

This announcement comes in the midst of a tour that has included dates opening for artists such as Mt. Eerie, as well as headlining shows throughout the Northeast United States. The band will play two final shows before officially breaking up, including one in Salem, Massachusetts on September 30th. Their final show will take place on Friday, October 28th in Hamden, CT, where they will be opening for Tera Melos and Melt Banana. More information about that show can be found HERE.

Over their relatively short career, the band released three EPs, all of which are available for purchase on their bandcamp page. Their most recent release, the excellent 2011 EP Years, is embedded for streaming below. It is also available for free download.

The Guru: “Native Sun” Release Party

Connecticut’s The Guru  are officially releasing their excellent album Native Sun on June 11th, and it’s going to be a party. They’re having a special show at The Space in Hamden, CT that will start at 6 PM and will go until around 11. In total, 7 great bands are playing, including fellow Connecticut bands Fugue and High Pop, and a reunited Lovers and Thieves, who are being flown in from California for the show. The full lineup is below, complete with set times. There were 150 tickets onsale online back when this show was announced, but that number is quickly shrinking! Buy tickets HERE for 12 dollars. 50 tickets will also be available at the door. CDs and t-shirts will be onsale as well. If you still haven’t listened to The Guru, check them out on bandcamp HERE.

Lineup + Set times:

• Fugue (6:00 - 6:30)
• High Pop (6:45 - 7:15)
• Pachangacha (7:30 - 8:00)
• Black Churches (8:15 - 8:45)
• Slam Donahue (9:00 - 9:30)
• Lovers and Thieves (Reunion) (9:45 - 10:15)
• The Guru (10:30 - 11:00)

Come on out and support these great bands! Celebrate the release of one of the best albums of the year! Hang out with cool people!

(Source: theguruband)

MY HEART TO JOY Live at Lily’s Pad. New Haven CT. 3.4.11

(photo by Tyson Luneau)

Last night, a massive crowd packed into Lily’s Pad upstairs at Toad’s Place in New Haven to see the near-legendary Connecticut emotive hardcore band My Heart to Joy play. The sold-out show had been announced months in advance by Manic Productions in collaboration with The Arc Agency, who billed it as the release party for My Heart To Joy’s new Reasons to Be 7”. But for the dedicated fans at Lily’s Pad last night, the show was much more than that. 

On February 14th, the band announced on their official blog that they were planning to break up. Accompanying this announcement, they posted only two tour dates — one on March 4th in New Haven, and a final one on May 14th — thus making the New Haven show their second to last show ever. For many of the show’s attendees, this would be the last time they would be able to see the group perform live. Understandably, the show took on a deeper significance even before it happened. The burden was on My Heart to Joy to make the show incredible and unforgettable.

Given the stunning quality of the four opening bands’ sets, one may have thought this would be more difficult than it appears to have been in retrospect. Local math rock band Fugue played first, and set a high bar with their enormous-sounding instrumental music, which recalled 3rd wave post-rock bands such as Explosions in the Sky in terms of harmony and melody. My jaw definitely dropped at at least three points during their set when they threw the instrumental focus to the wind and each member began maniacally screaming into his or her respective microphone, adding a raw, primal aspect to their already overpowering sound. 

The World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die played second, and after their set was over I was sure that I had already witnessed the highlight of the night. Having seen [long band name] three times now, I can confidently say that this was their best show yet. While their performance wasn’t as note-perfect as their set at BAR back in February, the venue and the crowd perfectly suited their music. The combination of those things, plus a new setlist made it amazing. 

After an energetic and rousing set from TWIABP, Topshelf’s premier post-hardcore band Pianos Become The Teeth came on, and nobody was ready. Their set was easily the most intense thing I’d ever experienced in a live music venue, and even having only familiarized myself with their music — a mix of authentic screamo, post-hardcore, and elements of post-rock — fairly recently, I found myself truly swept up by the madness of it all. 

Bruised and battered, my friend and I took refuge behind the glass that separated the floor from the bar to hydrate and safely observe the next act, a pop-punk band named Transit, from a distance. I wasn’t really familiar with them, and I wasn’t hugely into their music, but we both agreed that it would certainly be fun to be in a band like that. The members seemed to really enjoy themselves throughout their set, and I suppose it was good to know that at least some people in this scene were not only genuinely happy but could make music that reflected that.

As great as the opening bands were, everyone knew by the time My Heart to Joy took the stage that the best part of the night was still ahead. For those who hadn’t seen a My Heart to Joy show before (myself included), their setup was immediately striking. The band’s two drummers were positioned directly across from each other, while guitarists Chris Teti and Greg Horbal stood at opposite ends of the stage, with the group’s bassist positioned between them. In the center of it all was singer Ryan Nelson, whose tremendous height and shocking blonde hair made him appear as intimidating as he was indomitable. 

The band started without warning, and opened with a track from their debut EP called “That Ungodly Arch-Villain Voltaire Is Dead”. In addition to being one of my favorite My Heart to Joy songs, it was a perfect choice for an opener. After a couple minutes of buildup, the song exploded with energy that surpassed the studio version by far. When the song reached its climax, I was instantly brought back to when I saw Titus Andronicus at the very same venue over the summer. But while screaming the lyrics to “Titus Andronicus Forever” was an amazing experience, shouting the repeated line in “Voltaire” was on an entirely different level. Forgive me if it’s cliche to relate my experience to the lyrics of the song, but at that moment, I really did feel as though not even a god damn mountain could stop us. It was a huge musical moment for me, and countless others in Lily’s Pad that night.

They then proceeded to rocket through an amazing, career-spanning setlist that brought out the very best material from each of the band’s four albums. In the intense live environment, My Heart To Joy’s newer material gained a rawness that is not present on the studio versions, making songs like “Steady Habits” and “Farewell to a Raincloud” — both from Reasons to Be — flow together seamlessly with more aggressive tracks such as “The Hours Change So We Don’t Have To” and “Virgin Sails.” 

Perhaps the most impressive thing about the show was the incredible range of emotions that the group expressed through their music. Whether it was anger, sadness, or uninhibited joy, these incredible songs conveyed the most extreme feelings conceivable. While “Voltaire” may have filled me with more anger and aggression than is probably healthy, I can’t remember being as filled with happiness as I was when I heard that gorgeous opening riff to “All of Life Is Coming Home” live. Similarly, I don’t think any live show has given me feelings of such urgency as I had when singing along to “Giving My Hands Away”

The setlist was also geared towards audience participation, and featured many of My Heart To Joy’s most sing-along-ready songs. Incidentally, the crowd was more engaged than pretty much any crowd I’ve ever seen at a show. It was really something to behold, but also something that I’m proud to consider myself a part of.

Before I knew it, the show was over, but not before the band pulled out its most rewarding song at the very end. With that instantly-recognizable, absolutely sinister sounding opening riff, they began to play “Ethics”, the opening track from Heavenly Bodies. Fittingly, the band finished one of their last shows ever with their first song ever, a fifty second rager that quickly explodes and then implodes just as quickly into a gang-shout of awesome proportions before the instruments come back in for one last fifteen second stand. In concert, they expanded the shout-along part, but not by much. Nevertheless, those last thirty to forty seconds of the show packed enough catharsis to last a lifetime. 

I can only imagine what their last show is going to be like…

9/10

Setlist:

1. That Ungodly Arch-Villain Voltaire Is Dead
2. Empty Homes
3. Steady Habits
4. The Hours Change So We Don’t Have To
5. Virgin Sails
6. Seasons in Verse
7. All of Life Is Coming Home
8. Farewell to a Raincloud
9. Giving My Hands Away
10. Ethics

MHTJ (EP Release), Transit, Pianos Become The Teeth, The World is, Fugue

allagesct:

This Friday, gonna have a good time.

Follow AllAgesCT for the best local all-ages music news. Also this show is going to be amazing. 

My Heart to Joy, Algernon Cadwallader, Pianos Become The Teeth, Fugue, The World is a Beautiful Place & I am No Longer Afraid to Die at Lilly’s Pad in New Haven

Oh my god, and you thought I was excited about the Pains of Being Pure at Heart / Twin Shadow show this May…

My pal Mark over at Manic Productions just announced a hell of a show earlier… The Connecticut indie rock band My Heart To Joy is having a special show at Lilly’s Pad upstairs in Toad’s Place in honor of the release of their forthcoming “Reasons to Be” on Topshelf Records (follow the Topshelf tumblr by the way it’s great), and some very notable bands have been added to the bill. With their Kinsellian energy and indie rock sensibilities, Algernon Cadwallader made wavvvves in 2008 for essentially starting the indie emo revival scene. Similarly, Topshelf Records’ Pianos Become The Teeth rejuvenated American screamo with their aggressive blend of hardcore and post-rock, and Fugue is a local instrumental math rock band with admirable talent and musicianship. Last, but never least, I hardly even feel the need to introduce The World is a Beautiful Place and I Am No Longer Afraid To Die. Any followers of my blog know that this band is one of my favorites. With their post-rock flavored indie emo, they are well on their way to becoming one of the figureheads of the progressive emo scene, and have already essentially transcended local band status with the completion of their northeast tour a few days ago. Basically, this is the best lineup ever. 

The show takes place on March 4th, which is a lovely Friday, and tickets are ten dollars. Find more information about what is sure to be one of the best ever Manic shows over at the official show page or at the facebook event page here. I can’t even contain my excitement right now.