Five Albums You Should Be Listening To Right Now

Every two weeks, titans of the mediasphere give Hooksexup their music recommendations. This week: Taylor Johnston, founder/editor-in-chief of Music For Kids Who Can't Read Good and staff blogger for mtvU.com.

Surfer Blood, Astro Coast

Right now I'm fully immersed in music from 2010, which luckily is already overflowing with great albums. Surfer Blood's Astro Coast is definitely one of the funnest records I've listened to in a while, reverb-heavy garage rock made by a group of Floridians who grew up with bands like Pavement and Built to Spill. "Swim" is their first single and the song simply kills, with a huge fist-pumping guitar riff, infectious sing-a-long chorus, and an Afrobeat/Tropicália-influenced breakdown just for kicks.

Shearwater, The Golden Archipelago

Shearwater is a criminally underrated band from Austin, TX that makes eloquent, gorgeous baroque-pop. The band specializes in hauntingly beautiful melodies and meticulous instrumental arrangements that reward careful listeners. Jonathan Meisburg's vocals are some of the most striking and vital in indie rock; combined with the dramatic percussion and rich orchestration, they make Golden Archipelago one of the most captivating releases of the year.

Two Door Cinema Club, Tourist History

Two Door Cinema Club is probably my favorite find of 2010 so far. I've been playing their debut album, Tourist History, non-stop for the last few weeks and it's a genuinely exhilarating listen from start to finish. The band follows in the footsteps of Phoenix (with whom they're currently touring) by making enthralling, immensely catchy dance-rock with crisp, exuberant production and irresistible pop hooks. Check them out now before their music starts showing up in car commercials.

Owen Pallett, Heartland

Owen Pallett is an absurdly talented composer, multi-instrumentalist, and singer who previously released music under the name Final Fantasy, and is otherwise best known for composing the string arrangements for Arcade Fire. His latest album, Heartland, is a magnum opus, mixing grandiose, classically-inspired instrumentation and addictive pop melodies. "Lewis Takes Off His Shirt" may be my single favorite track of the year.

Hot Chip, One Life Stand

British electronica band Hot Chip are known for their club bangers like "Over and Over" and "Ready for the Floor", but One Life Stand focuses more on straightforward pop songwriting, resulting in the band's most consistent and overall best album yet. The songs are more heartfelt and musically accomplished without ever losing their dance-floor appeal. Check out the slow burning "Thieves in the Night", which starts out with a modest beat and some electronic flourishes before exploding into a kaleidescope of flurried disco and cascading synths.

FIND MORE
Five Albums You Should Be Listening To Right Now, from Dan Harris
Five Albums You Should Be Listening To Right Now, from Josh Modell
The 40 Sexiest Front Women in Rock History

Comments ( 22 )

why is everything on here rock/popish/electronica.......boring! mix it up!

mike commented on Mar 03 10 at 4:09 am

Agreed. Why should I be listening to boring, navel-gazing power-pop? Because that's always what's thrown up for review in these articles! Not all of us are hipsters and we don't all like the same music! Drive-by Truckers, another band just like these who don't get as much attention as they should, are coming out with a new album on March 16th, did you ever think to mention that? No, because they don't play boring hipster-friendly power-pop!

md commented on Mar 03 10 at 5:29 am

These are just five albums that he's digging. They're not being billed as the five greatest albums in the world, so you can't really call Taylor out on his musical preferences.

JK commented on Mar 03 10 at 10:32 am

That Surfer Blood album is okay. Happy Hollows - Spells FTW, though.

Frik commented on Mar 03 10 at 12:26 pm

Owen Pallett's album is beautiful, reminds me so much of Andrew Bird. Maybe slightly sadder though.

feg commented on Mar 03 10 at 1:27 pm

You peeps should relax. "Albums You Should Be Listening to Right Now" should not be taken as "If You Don't Listen to these Albums you're Girlfriend Will Dump you and You will Never be Allowed on hooksexup.com Again!" Everyone has tastes. This is Taylor's.

TwL commented on Mar 03 10 at 1:30 pm

Why is everyone commenting on the Hipsterism of these selections(albeit valid) and not the fact that you can't stream any of these goddamn things without signing up for some bullshit service. Re-stream these for free because I for one barely have the time to post this let alone, look up each artist/album/song to taste test this. And without the streaming music, this column is Fucked.

BrianT commented on Mar 03 10 at 2:19 pm

Lala IS free, chief. But I understand that your time is precious.

@BrianT commented on Mar 03 10 at 3:17 pm

@md: I'm actually a big fan of Drive-By Truckers. Great band. As JK said, this isn't a representation of my five most essential albums or whatever, just five albums I'm currently digging.

Taylor commented on Mar 03 10 at 3:59 pm

These are great selections and for me exactly the type of music I would expect from Hooksexup. Mixing it up is fine but this is really a terrific list. I haven't been able to get into Shearwater, something about the lead singer's voice that holds me back, but Two Door Cinema Club is fantastic and a great recommendation.

kevin commented on Mar 03 10 at 4:30 pm

I think this new Hot Chip is their best album yet. Bold statement, but feels so true.

Melanie commented on Mar 03 10 at 5:23 pm

Two Door Cinema Club is fantastic, great find.

Spencer commented on Mar 03 10 at 6:00 pm

I think you have great taste in music. Look forward to reading your next post!

CL commented on Mar 03 10 at 6:55 pm

Thanks for all the kind words! I don't know if I'll have a next post here CL (unless they ask me again) but I post regularly at musicforants.com/blog.

Taylor commented on Mar 03 10 at 7:06 pm

snore.....
go listen to the new Johnny Cash....he had chunks in his stool that were more interesting than these kids.

CT commented on Mar 03 10 at 10:10 pm

what is this? Brooklyn Vegan?

JT commented on Mar 03 10 at 10:20 pm

Definitely too much quaint, '90s-inspired indie sweater-rock here. I want my music to be a little more dangerous, a little more cutting edge. These selections are ready-made as background music for iPod commercials, or for listening on earphones while thriftstore shopping lazily on a sunny day in Park Slope with a 7-month-old strapped to your stomach. Boring.

R. commented on Mar 04 10 at 12:39 am

@R. Describe some current bands that are dangerous / cutting edge please.

Taylor commented on Mar 04 10 at 12:57 am

I'm glad you like this but these songs sound like they were put together in a total of two days. Would like to more Hot Chip. I suggest the Ultra production series for people who like this treatment/style.

Two for Tea commented on Mar 04 10 at 11:29 am

Seriously, how about something with BALLS? This is all nice and sweet and fine, but as the other posters mentioned, the new Drive By Truckers should be getting some love here after it drops on the 16th. I already have Pitchfolk bookmarked, I'm looking for something on par here. All respect, but you know...come on, man, mix it the fuck up.

josht45 commented on Mar 05 10 at 2:37 pm

these recommendations suck. they are consumed with finding "new" music no one has heard of. which can also suck. and it does. blahhh

blah blah commented on Mar 22 10 at 6:29 pm

huh? why would you want recommendations for old music that everyone's heard of? do you need someone to validate your love of abba?

@blah blah commented on Mar 23 10 at 10:11 am