The Walkmen "I Lost You" Gigantic
Opening with a beautiful guitar jangle reminiscent of '70s rock 'n' roll, the second single from The Walkmen's You & Me tearfully recounts a tale of longing, only to peak at its finale with an elegiac cry of remorse. The NYC indie-rockers' use of vintage instruments is evident in their characteristically old-fashioned sound, filling the room with pounding drums and echoing horns, with Hamilton Leithauser's graceful, wailing vocals atop it all. In all, it's an inspiring single from a beautiful album. A - Kevin Nihill
Vampire Weekend "Ottoman" Atlantic Records
The lyric, "But this feels so unnatural / Peter Gabriel, too," isn't the only part of this single that Vampire Weekend borrows from its eponymous debut album. Written for the soundtrack of Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, this single draws from the band's trademark "poppy" sound, complete with signature strings and lead singer Ezra Koenig's light, quirky vocals. However, any fan of Vampire Weekend could tell you that what the song does offer in its playful tone is lost in its lack of originality. B- - K.N.
Final Fantasy Spectrum, 14th Century Blocks Recording Club
The new EP by Final Fantasy's frontman Owen Pallett, of Arcade Fire fame, is one of two he is releasing this year preceding the anticipated 2009 release Heartland. On Spectrum, Pallett joins forces with Zach Condon and the rest of Beirut. Pallett makes strong use of Beirut's fantastic horn section, but more often than not he uses these horns as a replacement for the string arrangements that made him famous. While some may mourn this loss, the songs still retain his signature sound. B - Nathaniel Oak
Koushik Out My Window Stones Throw
The first full-length by Canadian-bred, Vermont-based producer Koushik Ghosh is a gem. While he is on the Stones Throw label with legends Madlib and Peanut Butter Wolf, Koushik maintains a distinct sound, with influences ranging from psychedelia, to hip-hop, to shoegaze, to Bollywood. He samples b-boy breaks, druggy guitar hooks, and soul-inspired bass, drenches them in reverb, adds a dash of ethereal vocals and comes out with perfect ambient psych-pop. A - N.O.
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