Spoon
Transference
(Merge)
****1/2
Transference is the seventh record from Texas’ ultra-consistent indie rockers Spoon. Frontman Britt Daniel is at his most icily cool yet — and given how svelte and cryptic his songwriting has increasingly been over the past decade, that’s saying something. Spoon has basically built its career on muted grooves, meticulously arranged guitar and piano stabs and Daniel’s disorienting falsetto. And “disorienting” is indeed the right word for Transference. “The Mystery Zone” abruptly cuts off after nearly five full minutes of lush, immaculate hypnotics, while scruffier tracks like “Goodnight Laura” and “Who Makes Your Money” are so mumblingly intimate that it’s hardly surprising to discover they’re in fact demo versions. That the record was self-produced helps explain this approach, but I think it also speaks to the group’s fundamental restlessness. For a quartet so crisp and composed, they sure can’t sit still for long; before you know it, they’re taking already-terrific songs and chopping up the vocal tracks, or swapping out entire instruments from the mix.
And you know what? It still sounds just as good. Maybe even better.
MICHAEL HINGSTON

Lissie
Why You Runnin’?
(Fat Possum Records)
****
Like a diamond set in a simple gold band, Lissie Mauras’ stunning voice — which has Florence Welch’s big-lunged delivery and Janis Joplin’s bluesy soul — shines on her new stripped-down EP. The 27-year-old Illinois native is a wise believer in “less is more.” She uses a quietly strummed acoustic guitar to produce a heartbreaking cover of “Wedding Bells,” a rare and tender ballad from Hank Williams Sr., and needs only simple piano chords for the hymnal “Oh Mississippi” to confess her love for the muddy river of her childhood. The songs feel intimate, like she’s singing to the night on her front porch, but when she lets loose on the howling hand-clap outro of “Little Lovin,’” or the goosebump-raising chorus of “Here Before,” she proves she’s a force to be reckoned with. In an age of auto-tuned vocals and “artists” like Ke$ha dominating the charts by rhyming “crunk” with “junk” and “drunk,” Lissie’s honesty, passion and raw talent are a breath of much-needed fresh air.
JOSH MARCELLIN

Chokeules
Hypergraphia
(Backburner/Dehsloot)
***
My initial impression of Chokeules’ Hypergraphia was that it sounded like a refreshing addition to the world of hip hop. I realize I know very little about this underground world, but upon further inspection, I found this album has all the expected accoutrement of hip hop and little else. This includes, but is not limited to, the obligatory masturbatory track “Lyrical Dope” where the artist references his pseudonym numerous times while rhyming with his featured partner, (in this case SJ the Wordburglar,) about smoking weed. Chokeules does prove his worth on this album as his lyrics are heavy with witty wordplay showing an astounding amount of love and care was invested in writing and recording his debut solo album. Though the album might be slightly generic, the beats are smooth and the lyrics can give a few laughs, which is worth something.
CRAIG PALMER

Nickodemus
Sun People Remixed
(ESL Music)
****
A flavourful disc of re-mixes encouraging your mind to soar and senses to heighten. From the very first track, a wandering flute begs you to join this journey across the sand and is followed by 11 more radiant interpretations of Nickodemus originals, “meant to uplift your spirits,” as the liner notes direct. These remixes keep you entranced as you traverse the globe with them, sink in to various underground clubs and fill your soul with colours. Vibrant ginger orange. Dark cherry red. Such compassion as these colours breathe life in to instruments so they may complete your journey. The third track, “Brookarest (The Pimps of Joytime Remix),” holds the back beats while a zydeco accordion trips you through a New Orleans style Bollywood. Now THAT’S musical flavour! Now it’s time to dig out the originals and hope the follow up disc, Moon People, is just as memorable.
RACHELLE SANDY

Motion City Soundtrack
My Dinosaur Life
(Columbia Records)
****
Just when you thought indie rock was dying comes a needed new release. The fourth album from Motion City Soundtrack is an excellent 12-track line up of punk and pop rock likings. With help of producer Mark Hoppus, Motion City Soundtrack has classically and notably constructed a smash hit record with teen angst, and ardor passion. Lyrically poetic and musically competent, My Dinosaur Life offers similar sounds to Barenaked Ladies and Blink 182, effectively bringing back the 90’s rock we all used to listen to. With enjoyable lyrics such as, “I fell asleep watching Veronica Mars again,” and fun titles like “Pup Fiction”, “@!#?@!” and “The Weakends,” My Dinosaur Life shows the signs to stand the test of time. 
KATIE NELSON