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.

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.