No Sleep, 2010

Balance & Composure somewhat inconsiderately steal the show on this eight track split; the quintet have hiked up the intensity of their driving, emo-touched rock some considerable notches, and it’s an impressive thing to behold. Fellow Pennsylvanians Tigers Jaw’s four contributions are a more modest affair – in a bare-boned indie-punk way – but are very solid in their own right, if not quite living up to their stellar predecessors.

Creator-Destructor, 2010

The debut from California’s Seahaven takes influences from both Brand New and Crime In Stereo, but ends up sounding like neither. This is a good thing – their melodic indie-punk mixture has its own infectious and somewhat downbeat character, which avoids drowning in its gloomy waters due to the frequent injections of youthful buoyancy. Very promising.

Self-released, 2010

Museum Mouth’s debut album hits the sweet spot between noisy lo-fi production and catchy, memorable songwriting. The result is a combination of raw 90’s indie rock (read: Pavement) and modern shoegaze, with some noise thrown in. This is one of the most unique releases I’ve heard this year.

Self-released, 2010

Very much in the vein of Moving Mountains, It’s Just Vanity’s debut is a mix of atmospheric post-rock and some more catchy emo-tinged indie. It’s a touch too close to the afore-mentioned band, and not quite as good, but it’s a decent start.

Count Your Lucky Stars, 2010

Any of the songs on this album, taken individually, are awesome. Joie De Vivre’s brand of downtempo indie rock is very powerful, with inventive bass and drum grooves laying a nice foundation for the downtrodden (but certainly not emo) vocals and occasional trumpet. As an album, though, the songs all start to sound very similar. These guys have potential, but they need to find a way to shake up their own formula.

Count Your Lucky Stars, 2010

From Long Beach, CA, Boris Smile brings simple pop tunes in the form of a concept album about space travel, with six tracks that are sure to pull on the heart strings and have you focusing on the lyrics and the stories they tell.

Deep Elm, 2010

If Bon Iver joined a shoegaze band, this would be it. The falsetto-heavy layered vocals sit back in the mix, sharing the stage equally with the band’s alternately restrained folk style and driven indie rock approach. The songs are all catchy and concise, so there’s a lot to enjoy on this album in repeated listens. My only criticism is that the band’s sound is a bit inconsistent – the album sets you up for a relaxed listen with the first few songs, then suddenly the drums come pounding in and it’s a bit jarring.

Count Your Lucky Stars, 2010

Empire! Empire!, described as ‘emo-veterans’, bring a down-tempo track with emotion and feeling, but it might be a bit too down for some people. Simple guitar parts twinkle away whilst low-key drums work away in the background, and heartfelt vocals float on top. Football, etc. bring female emo-rock to the equation, with big dynamic shifts and long sustained vocal patterns.

Distiller, 2010

French electro-pop, which sounds as you’d expect: bright, airy, cheerful, disco-tuned. Fortune’s debut is a bit too sugary sweet for me, and unvarying in its shiny synth sound, but might be worth checking out if you’re into Phoenix’s poppier numbers.

Bella Union, 2010

Folk / country / indie, No Ghost varies from slower numbers with innovative electronic elements to upbeat indie-folk akin to that of Mumford & Sons and Of Montreal. Catchy, complex songwriting, and I also detected hints of Animal Collective in there too on some tracks.

Paper + Plastick, 2010

Recent Paper + Plastick signees Restorations come out swinging on their debut 4-track EP Strange Behavior, released digitally on May 4th with a 12 inch vinyl edition forthcoming. This isn’t your average “young, loud, and snotty” punk record, but rather a taste of more lush, complex instrumentation and slow, lingering melodies that work themselves into your brain for days to come. Recommended for fans of Jena Berlin and Lucero.

Tiny Engines, 2010

Philadelphia-based band with math-indie-rock sound, with catchy, energetic songs. There’s a real punk sound to this album, but with twiddly guitar parts every now and again. High energy tracks throughout, big guitar chords and riffs soaked in fuzz and distortion are backed by solid, imaginative drumming as the vocals float on top.