AlbumS of the week

British Sea Power
Do You Like rock Music? (Rough Trade)










When I first heard of British Sea Power I was a bit suspicious of the name "British Sea Power? Seriously?" Then I heard their music and I didn't care. Three albums in, it's easy to understand the name and how it's relevant to the lads of BSP. These aren't the typical English, London rockers -or Liverpool for that matter. Try Brighton. And everything they do is more akin to traditional British custom it seems. No band from London in their right mind would name their album Do You Like Rock Music? Then again, no London band can come up with the distorted, sincere sovereign British sound like they've done once again. Ignore the lazy comparisons to U2 (as if that were a bad thing anyway). And see them live -they're very entertaining.

hear: All in It, No Lucifer, Waving Flags, Trip Out, Great Skua, Open the Door



Bon Iver
For Emma, Forever Ago (Jagjaguwar)










It's one of three or four best albums released so far this year, with 2 of the best tracks of the year so far, "Lump Sum" and "Blindsided." Much has already been made of Justin Vernon and his little experience in a secluded Wisconsin cabin. Although Jagjaguwar released the album earlier this month, it was self-released last year. I remember hearing about it and being intrigued by the entire story of man goes to cabin in Wisconsin woods, lives a JD-Salinger type life for a few months, and comes out with the best music he's ever produced. I didn't get around to it till I was reminded recently. Of course, the album couldn't be anything but a post breakup album, hence the title. The sound is rustic and raw but it's definitely been polished a bit. Vernon's vocals are urgent and impressionable, though at times it reminds of TV on the Radio -but in voice only. It's a beautiful album that's solid from start to finish, without getting redundant as you would think such a remote-style record would become. Musicians need to get lost in the forest more often.

hear: Flume, Lump Sum, The Wolves(Act I and II), Blindsided, For Emma