Other Lives
Tamer Animals
tdb Records
Street: 05.17
Other Lives = Sigur Rós + Goodspeed You! Black Emperor
If in need of a burning swell to kickstart your heart, then I recommend Other Lives second album, Tamer Animals. Force-feeding an ethereal reverberation complete with strings and horns could have you wondering if you’ve died, and despite common threats to the contrary, landed yourself in heaven. From the first bouncy bellows in "Dark Horse" to the gentle instrumental death of "Head East," each track is layered with a familiar thump that closely resembles that powerful muscle which gives you life. Title track "Tamer Animals" is a constant push of faultless harmony which bleeds into the next track and then into the next in an indefinable separation of each tone. It’s more than music; it’s an atmosphere where every stroke of the piano key, every pull of the bow and every tiny noted nuance is perfectly crafted to make the body come together as a whole, because one part simply couldn't work without the other. –Liz Lucero

Pet Shop Boys
The Most Incredible Thing   
Astralwerks
Street: 03.22
The Most Incredible Thing = Pet Shop Boys + Tchaikovsky + disco
I have to confess that I don’t have much knowledge of classical music—This doesn’t mean I don’t like what I hear—it is just not my cup of tea. If Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe only made dance and pop music that was lacking in classical elements, I would have been more apprehensive about this release, which is their original score for a contemporary ballet based on a Hans Christian Andersen fairytale. My apprehension was unfounded, thankfully, since this is essentially still a Pet Shop Boys release, and it is by turns (or should that be pirouettes?) interesting, thought-provoking and above all, enjoyably listenable. By mixing classical elements (quite beautifully rendered with orchestrations by Sven Helbig and conducted by Dominic Wheeler) with striking electronic ones and occasional voices, this album makes for a riveting listening experience. Mr. Tennant’s unmistakable voice is heard fairly early in the score, midway through the mesmerizing “The Grind,” although truthfully, there is nothing that could be construed as single-worthy here. There is drama and pathos in the music and elements of surprise in this ballet for sure, but what resonates the longest is a buoyant happiness that continually rises to the top. Which for a mostly classical piece, may be the most incredible thing of all. –Dean O Hillis

Psychedelic Horseshit
Laced
FatCat Records
Street: 05.10
Psychedelic Horseshit = Black Lips + M.I.A + Desertion on a desert island
Matt Whitehurst, aka Matt Horseshit of Psychedelic Horseshit calls his style of music, “Shitgaze.” If the artist himself calls it as such, who am I to say it’s not. Hell, he proved it to me, just listen! “Shitgaze” is a play on the genre of shoegaze, with the latter being lush and sonic guitar-driven ambient rock music. “Shitgaze,” as it’s presented here on the Laced L.P., is lo-fi jungle psych noise pop. Laced is replete with melodies accompanied by sonic freakouts and audio hallucinations. The album is a cloudy, inversion-like confusion, though it’s not entirely unpleasant. In the book The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, an LSD chemist takes too large of a dose and finds himself shifting through time and ultimately having to rebuild the universe with his mind. Laced would be a fitting soundtrack for the early stages of such an endeavor. “Tropical Vision,” with its sun-scorched guitar melody, is like the rantings of a madman on a deserted island listening to the tribal drums coming his way, considering his impending doom. “Another Side,” a neo-folk track with a nice harmony, was the most musical track on the LP. Laced is what drum circles sound like on Mars. I would advise listening to it when you’re not actually tripping but just need to make your day a little more interesting. –Tom Bennett

The Raveonettes
Raven in the Grave
Vice Records
Street: 04.05
The Raveonettes = Panda Bear + Siouxsie & The Banshees + A Place to Bury Strangers + The Jesus and Mary Chain
From opening track “Recharge & Revolt,” it’s clear that Raven in the Grave is remarkably different than the music that came before it. The sunny, radiating surf sound found on earlier Raveonettes albums is noticeably absent and has been replaced with lo-fi vocals, synths that barely shimmer over the surface and an ethereal sound created by loads of feedback. “Forget that You’re Young,” and “Let Me On Out” are some of the only tracks that resemble the group’s earlier work. Although the album takes a huge leap in a different sonic direction, it maintains a feeling of enchantment and wonder. Raven in the Grave isn’t as catchy as earlier work—it will take quite a few careful listens to fully devour these songs, but ultimately, it’s worth it. The Raveonettes may have ditched some of their pop hooks, but the result is beautiful songs that feel dreamier and more like lullabies than anything that they’ve done before. –Jeanette D. Moses