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I first heard of Twin Shadow around this time last year through Urban Outfitters’ Music Mondays blog, which collects the best new hipster-approved tracks in bite-sized weekly instalments. “Castles In The Snow” stood out to me because it was so different from everything else I was listening to at the time: its atmosphere is melancholy, irresistibly beautiful and weightless all at once. Now that I have had the privilege of listening to Twin Shadow’s first full-length album Forget, I am pleased to see that it reads in much the same way as that sample track. Although the songs are tinged with sorrow and an abstract feeling of unease, they often defy any superficial negativity and soar to inspiring musical heights.

The Modern Superstitions isn’t like most teenage bands. Hailing from Toronto, this teenage trio of high school buddies step onto the scene with their debut album All The Things We’ve Been Told. The band blasts through with short and sweet six-track LP that flaunts all their quirky little traits. The heart of the Modern Superstitions lies in their lead vocalist Nyssa Rosaleen who adds a fierce, electric voice to the already dazzling popish tunes that makes you feel like you’re back in the ‘60s. Her voice has the confidence and swagger of an experienced singer and makes the young band seem beyond their years. All six songs tend to dwell on the topic of young love, which is one of the only times when you realize you’re listening to a such a youthful band. Characterized by strong guitar melodies and steady, cadenced beats, their songs effortlessly float through pop, rock and punk.

Chateau Crone, by Sacramento/Austen trio Agent Ribbon, is this week’s top album at KSPC! The all-girl group has just released their sophomore album and has been described as a combination of “victorian punk,” “baroque pop,” and 50s-60s rock. Chateau Crone was released by Antenna Farm Records on October 12, so check it out or tune in to KSPC 88.7fm to hear more!

Check out the rest of our top 30 after the jump!

For the second week in a row, Austin natives The Octopus Project have this week’s top album at KSPC! Hexadecagon is full of experimental, electronic, indie pop for everyone! They’ve come a long way since being voted up to play 2006’s Coachella through a myspace fan-based competition. Now they’re on their 4th full length and it’s kickass!

Check out the rest of our top 30 after the jump!

Instead of spending this Halloween in the ITS parking structure grinding to some random mash up artist and drinking vodka out of a hidden flask, I drove out to Hollywood with some friends and saw my all-time favorite band play an incredibly epic show. How’s that for a change of plans?

Thomas Meluch, who records music as Benoît Pioulard. has been making lo-fi acoustic folk since the mid-1990s but his releases have always been limited releases on CD or cassette. Recently, however, Meluch has started releasing his unique brand of hazy bedroom folk pop on small labels.

If there were a movie that was based on post apocalyptic mars (this assuming that water had been cultivated on mars, and then there was life, and then the apocalypse) where the remaining people are all very attractive but tend to drink too much, fight, and then kiss a lot, this would be the soundtrack to that movie.

Let me start this review by saying that the Hollywood Bowl is not a good place to see music. At all. In fact, it’s a pretty terrible place. It’s all seating and any seat that’s reasonably priced is so far away from the stage you might as well just gouge your eyes out (don’t actually do this) because you won’t be able to see anything anyway. Now let me say this. Despite these problems, the show I attended at the Hollywood Bowl last Friday night was one of the best I’ve ever been to. Partially from some sneakiness that resulted in “borrowed” seats much closer to the stage than our purchased ones and from the fact that LCD Soundsystem, Sleigh Bells and Hot Chip can really rock it.

After fruitlessly attempting for months to get free ticket’s to Friday’s LCD Soundsystem, Hot Chip, and Sleigh Bells show, I thought my weekend would be full of eating twizzlers while watching youtube videos of live LCD Soundsystem performances, weeping silently while texting friends at the show. However, I was SAVED by my summer-bought tickets to see The National and Owen Pallett! To be honest, I didn’t really think it would compare. I severely underestimated the effects a looping machine, Matt Berninger, and a general admission show can have on me.

Photo by Ari Mygatt. June 2010.

Thursday night I bounced over to the Music Box in Hollywood to see the Morning Benders, granted admission FO FREE by the tickets I won while listening to this very radio station. Accompanied by one lucky, lucky friend, I arrived early and was therefore up front and center for the evening’s three-band lineup.

The Hush Now is a band out of Boston, Massachusetts that offers upbeat poppy ballads that can appeal to nearly anyone. The album name, Shiver Me Starships, sets an important tone as all the tracks provide an ambience similar to a space shuttle launch; but, a really happy, indie, space shuttle launch. Where everyone wears brightly colored astronaut suits.

“LA, You’re like that hot girl who is like, kinda cold sometimes, you know?” -Win Butler

This past Thursday I lived out every 16 year old indie girl’s and 38 year old pretentious music snob’s wildest fantasy: I touched Win Butler. I should back peddle a little bit first before I dive into that story.

With an arsenal of three instruments, a synthesizer, several microphones, and a collection of childrens’ toys, Genevieve Feiwan Lee, Pomona piano professor, commanded the Little Bridges stage during her Saturday night solo recital. In a tour-de-force of keyboard literature, Lee offered a sampling of five centuries of keyboard music, ranging from the Baroque Troisieme Ordre in C of Couperin to an electronic, post-twentieth century composition of Tom Flaherty.

Toronto’s Owen Pallett has made a considerable name for himself in just the last five years. From his understated 2005 album Has A Good Home to his 2010 orchestral opus Heartland, he has proven his musical range and incredible composing skills and received much critical acclaim, including the inaugural Polaris Prize for He Poos Clouds. Owen’s specialty during live performances is looping polyphonic melodies through a mechanized pedal, which allows him to manipulate each tune to rise and fall at just the right moment and make something spectacular. He accomplishes this with only his trusty violin and his voice, creating a melancholy-sounding yet addicting brand of beautiful, handcrafted music.

[Dirty Projectors at The Glass House, Pomona, CA, 9/23/2010 review]

Thursday afternoon I was feeling lazy and distracted and soooo not wanting to go to a concert. However, my boyfriend last minute was swamped with homework and offered me his ticket to Dirty Projectors show for that night over at The Glass House. And given the opportunity to see the band… for free… 10 minutes away… it’s really hard to say no.