Airiel - The Battle Of Sealand (2007)

This is one of those albums I can listen to over and over and not feel like I want to skip any tracks. These guys were clearly influenced by a lot of the classic shoegaze bands but they still manage to sound really different. It's really hard to classify this one.

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Washed Out - Life of Leisure (2009)

Usually i'm not into most of the bands Pitchfork hypes up, or that many other bands in this new "chillwave" genre, but Washed Out really stands out to me. It's hard to describe the sound...kind of shoegazy sounding with a dance beat? lo-fi? Either way it rocks pretty hard. Grab this EP! The closest band I can think of that sounds like this is M83 but even then it's not that close.

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Japandroids - Post-Nothing (2009)

I'm sure you've heard the hype by now. If you haven't listened to this band yet, you need to. I jammed out to this all summer and it's safe to say that this is the definitive sing-along record when you're driving around with your friends. Not what you would expect a 2 man group to sound like. I saw these guys live about a week ago and it was the greatest show i've ever been to. They are so passionate about what they are doing it's hard not to get caught up in it. Download this, sing along, have fun singing along days later when you can't get the songs out of your head. JAPANDROIDS!

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The American Analog Set - Know By Heart (2001)

I've been listening to a lot of mellow indie stuff lately. This is definitely one of those records. One of my friends recommended I check these guys out after he found out we both shared a love for slowcore/90s indie bands such as Bedhead and Low, who share a lot of similarities with this band. A great autumn record! DO IT

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Russian Circles - Station (2008)

I'm not really sure why a lot of people call this band boring and uninspired, maybe i'm just biased because Brian Cook (Botch, These Arms Are Snakes) is their bass player. Harper Lewis is probably the best song on this album and really highlights the talent of the drummer which is in my opinion the most exciting part about listening to this band. Recommended if you are a fan of Isis, Pelican, or Neuroisis.

From Last.fm:

Russian Circles is a three piece instrumental post-metal/post-rock band from Chicago. Similar to fellow Chicago residents Pelican, Russian Circles play epic, sprawling music which runs the gamut of heavy discordant metal to soft delicate passages. They are also known for their energetic live shows, which include tours with Tool, Red Sparowes, Minus the Bear and Daughters, as well as appearances at the 2006, 2007 & 2008 SXSW festivals.

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The Weakerthans - Left and Leaving (2000)

I can't say enough good things about this album. I remember first downloading the Weakerthans and having a tough time understanding what was going on. I heard they were a band with the bassist from Propaghandhi so I was expecting a little more "punk rock" type of sound. Needless to say once I got over that fact, this one REALLY grew on me. Definitely one of my favorite albums. The lyrics are some of the best i've ever heard. Don't sleep on this!

From Last.fm...
"The Weakerthans are a Canadian indie rock/folk band headed by former Propagandhi member, John K. Samson. Their blend of punk-inflected folk rock with literate, witty, introspective lyrics have made them one of the most popular bands on the Canadian music scene."

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The Mercury Program - A Data Learn The Language (2002)

The Mercury Program came together in August of 1997 in Gainesville, Florida. The band has distinct jazz influences and a similar approach to the post-rock brigade a la Tortoise and Do Make Say Think. I'm noticing a lot of math-rock influences on this record too which takes it up another level. They decided to add vibraphone to every song on this and it's AWESOME. Definitely one to check out.

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Mono - Hymn To The Immortal Wind (2009)

Yeah post-rock has been getting a little stale as of late...but this album totally brings back all my faith in this genre. If you are fan of Explosions In The Sky, or any other instrumental music, do yourself a favor and listen to this. Unlike their last album You Are There, they added a lot of orchestration to this album which really takes it to the next level. I've been really into this album for the past year and I can't find anything I dislike about it.

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Piglet - Lava Land (2005)

Great instrumental math-rock album from the Chicago 3 piece Piglet. This is one of the bands that really got me into the genre. Unfortunately these guys disbanded after they released this album in 2005.

Here's a little description copied from the Last.fm page.

"A three-piece instrumental band from Chicago, Piglet craft manic and hyperbolic orchestrated jams that the discerning listener would expect from such a storied city. Having cut their teeth in the clubs and bars of their native lakeside city, the trio capitalizes on the power afforded by Chicago’s monsters of rock and infuses it into their unique song writing approach, resulting in a style of music that they can sincerely call their own. With two members of Seyarse you know these kids are no strangers to complicated, mind-bending song structures.

Lava Land encompasses six tracks of organic, loop free, instrumental indie rock that promises not to disappoint. The opening track, “Bug Stomp” pushes the listener right off the edge and into the deep end, drowning them under lightning fast guitar and bass work and a heavy rhythm section. Later, tracks like “Caramel” and “Pangea Reunion” display the band’s versatility, touching on minor progressions and weaving in and out of genres.

Piglet ices the cake for lovers of the Heavy Rock, Prog, Metal and Math genres. For fans of Pele, Volta Do Mar, Don Caballero and likeminded purveyors of prowess."

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