Tenniscoats - toki no uta (2011, Majikick)

A minimalist record, which seems to have been recorded live, on the flow, the acoustic guitar of Takashi, the vocals of Saya and a few other instruments which could be toys.  

Talons' - kamakura ep (2011, Functional Objects)

An instrumental EP of songs inspired by a Japanese seaside town. 4 songs based around 2 acoustic guitar lines. Recorded at home in Chicago, March-May 2011.

I'm just surprised Mike Tolan didn't release this EP under his Moustache Mountain alias but probably it can be seen as a reference about his "Lost time" release on Powershovel Audio, one of the tracks is dedicated to Yuichiro (Fujimoto) who is the headmaster of the label and certainly an influence too down here with his precious solo albums.

Carissa's Wierd - tucson / meredith & iris (2011, Hardly Art)

7 years after "Songs about leaving", after their split, solo careers and new bands, they are back with their original lineup. A few reunion shows have lead to the recording of two new songs finally released as a 7inch on Hardly Art, a Subpop sublabel.

Charge Group - escaping mankind (2009, Own)

This album shouldn't be downscaled to what it's not but instead should be upgraded to its real dimension, with Matt Blackman designing his sceneries after the endpoint of Purplene, and in certain ways we are in a similar scenario than the one chosen by Jeff Martin with Idaho.

Coate - spring ep (2011)

Coate is back, with this spring EP, announcing the coming back of this season in New Zealand, while it's now autumn here, on the northern hemisphere. Spring resumes perfectly the burst of energy and urgency contained into these two songs relatively more uptempo and closer to the twinkle emo melodic scene than their first album.

Saso - exitudes (2011, Melted Snow)

With "Big Group Hug" (2001), "I can do nice" (2004) and "The Middle Ages" (2006), after a five years hiatus, they are now releasing a fourth album.

But in a really strange way, "Exitudes" is much more the follow-up to "I can do nice" than the continuity of "The Middle Ages". Their two first albums have had a strong impact on me but the first one disappointed me totally as they were moving towards a definitely mainstream approach. Here they are one hundred percent back to their old ethics and I'm back too as a fan.

Owen - ghost town (2011, Polyvinyl)

Mike Kinsella still has got to record a bad album, and maybe even a bad song, and this sixth album is another confirmation where he even surprises long time fans by the high level of quality. "Ghost Town" is for a part known territory and for another part new light and the next chapter of his life as a man.

Darling - keep out 7inch (2011, Cardboard Sangria)

Their debut EP from a 2007, was truly a gem and still is, "Ground is sound". But since then, I've never been really charmed by their second EP or by their first album, as they were moving backwards, much more in the middle of the indie rock genre, giving more importance on melodies and less on a lo-fi melancholic approach.

Hilo - this is destroyer (Cambodia, 1999)

I rediscovered accidentally Hilo, a band I first listened to around 2001 an which surprised me through their similarities with the Rodan / Sonora Pine / Shipping News / June of 44 family and indirectly with Slint too.


Jonathen Swafford, Brian Ulrich,  Jenifer Bair and Patrick Ginley were releasing their first album "This is the destroyer", from their home base of Akron, Ohio, which since then gave us Trouble Books or 'Talons too.

Rivulets - we're fucked (Important, 2011)

Five years after "You are my home" (2006), now there is "We're Fucked", new album by Nathan Amundson.

I've been critical to the previous album but without condemning it. "We're fucked" is the polar opposite. And yes, as someone (TheBlueRogue) posted on my last.fm page, anticipating my review "We're Fucked is pretty great, isn't it? It's definitely become my favorite Rivulets album".

Pascal Savy - liminal (2011, Feedback Loop)

Last year I tried to listen to Pascal Savy's album "The Silent Watcher" on Audiomoves, but felt rapidly disconnected and didn't insist much more. I was uncertain about this new ep, the nice artwork invited me to try and this time I can find my marks as a listener and let the music flow.  

Penpal - postscript ep (2011)

American trio, started in 2008 as a duo by two guitarists, Steve and Brett, former members of Marquette, now joined by Josiah.

Their first album has been highly noticed among other midwest emo revivalists, as they were doing already much more than simply emulate American Football and consorts. They are back with a new EP, featuring three sophisticated math-emo-pop songs.