Portugal. The Man - In The Mountain In The Cloud (2011)

In The Mountain In The Clouds opens with the super catchy “So American” -- a blast of falsetto driven psychedelic rock n’ roll announcing that Portugal. The Man is back. They may now be on Atlantic Records, after stints with Equal Vision and Fearless Records, but the major label hasn’t disrupted the quality of their songwriting that made them a QuickCrit favorite. As with all of their recent albums, their sound continues to evolve. In The Mountain is not as sexy or funky as last year’s American Ghetto, ditching its glitchy electronic buzz and replacing the psychedelic soul of the Satanic Satanist, with cosmic glam. It all makes for even greater sonic grandeur on songs like the anthemic “Got It All (This Can't Be Living Now)" or the soaring “Everything You See (Kids Count Hallelujahs).” Guitars swirl and ring while the vocals alter pitch and pace. Lyrically, singer/guitarist John Gourley is still grappling with life in 21st century America. He seems to accept that we may all be fucked, but that’s just fate, and we might as well “be cool with it.” The songs build, crash and flow together nicely, closing with the "Sleep Forever", which escalates slowly into a wonderfully epic ballad -- a perfect closer to a fantastic album.

Secret Machines @ Webster Hall

Openers TK Webb & The Visions put on a great set perfect for guitar junkies and general rock enthusiasts alike. Their sound is all over the musical map and they totally put on a stellar performance that showcased not only their debut album Ancestors, but just how unique their musical vision can be. And seeing them live transformed my casual interest into actual intrigue.

Currently on tour in support of their eponymous third studio release, Secret Machines got their space rock on for a crowd chock full of longtime devotees. They played a healthy mix off their previous two releases Now Here Is Nowhere and Ten Silver Drops as well, including my favorite track “Nowhere Again,” which is an erotically charged number that grows in intensity and always gets the audience’s collective pulse racing. The music just swells and throbs in all the right places.

Secret Machines are, at best, a three-prong rock outfit that really electrified the place with larger-than-life drumming, heavy guitar riffs, atmospheric keyboards, and the kind of vocals that grab you by the lapels and don’t take NO for an answer. Even their stage set-up was eery and dark as they performed in this cage that resembled some sort of steel cable cobweb. I kinda dug it.

School Of Seven Bells - Alpinisms (2008)

School of Seven Bells play dreamy, but not too sleepy electronica. It's fronted by two sisters - their similar voices overlapping and creating harmonies as the beats chug along. I don't usually follow this type of music, but the guitarist from the Secret Machines quit that band to join this one and that got me interested. Some songs incorporate exotic and sometimes slightly discordant world instrumentation in a way that reminds me of music on the Theivery Corporation's ESL label. Songs like "Face To Face On High Places" and "Wired For Light" are beautifully hypnotic, the lyrics chanted and sung over the clickity click of electronic beats. However, like a quite a bit electronic music, it can get a little repetitive after a while, especially on the 12 minute "Sempiternal/Amaranth". Overall, the album would be the perfect soundtrack for a chill urban lounge.

Black Mountain - In The Future (2008)

I listened to Black Mountain’s sophomore album long and hard. I feel that it required a rather extensive listening because the genrefication of their style (“Space Rock,” I’ve been told) can be difficult to place. Ultimately, I feel their efforts are influenced just enough by metal/rock legends, such as Zeppelin and Sabbath, to allow me to struggle past the monotonous stretches, and just unique enough to be a reasonable addition to rock fanatics playlist. Between their two albums, Black Mountain has a respectable catalog, but as for In The Future by itself? I personally would have enjoyed a little less space, and a little more rock. Notable selections: "Stormy High," "Angels," "Tyrants"