I hear you screaming out to the light

Young the Giant brought down a sold out house at the Riviera Theater on Thursday (with opener Walk the Moon), courtesy of MTVU.

Today's progressive indie rock outfit is a 4-piece from D.C. with an attitude and an especially attuned sense of musical style. U.S. Royalty carefully crafts each song as a purely unique and original inspiration, and their renowned production team headed by Gus Oberg (The Strokes, Albert Hammond Jr., Bloc Party) made sure the final product of their debut LP released last January, MIRRORS, fully conveys that passion and dedication. Sliding up and down the scale from Blues-y psychedelia to perfectly harmonized indie folk, these boys pour enough heart and energy into these tracks to fuel any mood throughout your day. Check these smooth ones:

Equestrian by usroyalty

Monte Carlo by usroyalty

It's a bloody hill and a broken wall

Australia has been pumping out a steady stream of incredibly talented new groups lately, and this is another one that epitomizes the movement. Falling somewhere on the spectrum between Fleet Foxes, Local Natives, and Mumford & Sons, but with their own completely unique and brilliant twist, Sydney-based Boy & Bear are definitely the next big thing in indie folk. When one of my closest friends introduced me to a song of theirs on youtube last year, I was impressed but unconvinced that they would find their own niche in the scene. With a wonderful knack for catchy harmonies, driving rhythms, and impressive instrumental combinations, they have done exactly that. Throw in some beautifully crafted lyrics, and this 5-piece's debut LP Moonfire (released in August) is bound to take off in no time. The whole album honestly deserves your undivided attention, but start off with these two tracks:

Boy & Bear- Feeding Line by MMMusic

(This second one has an excellent longer intro that was shortened for your listening convenience, not by my choice.)

Boy & Bear - Milk 'N' Sticks by Music As Usual

Are you still afraid to drown?

Local Natives came to Chicago a few weeks ago, and did not disappoint (as ever). But the best part was that they were merely the opening band...

The National brought down the house, with pretty much unanimous crowd participation. Of course all this is to be expected from two of the most notable and accesible bands to represent the indie genre.

Today I want to introduce you to Motopony, an unassuming but quickly rising act from Seattle. Balancing neatly between hard-driven progressive rock and enchanting acoustic indie, this five-piece group does their Pacific Northwestern roots proud on their debut eponymous album released last May.
Hear for yourself:

Motopony - Seer by Song of the Day

One way or the other, we all fight something

Hipster artists NewVillager performed here in Chicago on Friday, and put on an interesting show to say the least. They only brought a small portion of the visual artwork to adorn the stage and backdrop, but the decorations included a costumed roadie rising up in the middle of the set and dancing around the room, to the audience's delight (and confusion). Their harmonization and instrumentation were not quite as smooth and polished as on the album, but the young band shows signs of promising production in the future.

Typhoon, the emerging band of the day, hails from Portland, Oregon and has been performing together since 2005. Known for their complicated instrumental arrangements and experimental combinations of styles, they have received some attention from the indie community but not as much as their carefully and adeptly constructed sound warrants. With thirteen individual members, it is incredible that so many instruments and influences can produce such harmonious indie-folk, and frontman Kyle Morton's sincere and beguiling vocals and introspective lyrics tie it all together in a way that demonstrates the abilities of this upbeat ensemble. After a quiet and gradual rise to notability, their second LP Hunger and Thirst shows the quality of work of which this band is capable, and the release of their EP A New Kind of House this past March anticipates the continuation of their unique and powerful style. Give these tracks a listen, and pay particular attention to the lyrics.

Typhoon - White Liars by Sound Thinking

Typhoon - CPR/Claws Pt. 2 by inhouseradio

A shock in the arms and a death in the gutters

Chicago-based indie folk group Maps & Atlases first formed while all four members were attending Columbia College downtown, and after a couple years of experimenting with different sounds achieved widespread indie attention at various festivals including SXSW with the release of their first EP Tree, Swallows, Houses in 2006. After touring the U.S. extensively for a couple more years, they finally settled down and released their first full LP Perch Patchwork last June 2010, and the album clearly demonstrates their increased focus on sound and style. Sometimes classified as math rock, the album's catchy hooks and intricate rhythmic patterns defy any definitive genre-branding and lead singer Dave Davison's nasal cooing and illustrative (if not somewhat fantastical) lyrics tie together its uniqueness. Some tracks seem a bit scattered, but the overall sound of the album promises even greater things for this homegrown Midwest act. Try it out:

Maps & Atlases - Living Decorations by Fat Cat Records

Maps & Atlases "Solid Ground" by Barsuk Records

Maps & Atlases happens to be playing in Chicago at the A.V. Fest THIS SUNDAY outside the Hideout, so R.S.V.P. NOW and check out the other up-and-coming acts supporting charity.

Sound is the color I know

After experimenting with a variety of traditional European folk styles and experiencing unexpected popularity amongst the indie music community since its formation in 2006, Santa Fe-based group Beirut headed by the hipster music sweetheart Zach Condon have produced their third and most confident album, The Rip Tide, released yesterday. While Beirut's previous albums were indisputably interesting and fun to listen to for their variety of instrumental combinations and foreign sounds, Condon finally seems to have settled on a style to call his own. His pleasant and full-hearted vocals sing out gorgeously (but not too much so, as perhaps on earlier projects) over a folk-pop blend of catchy and, as reviewers have variously branded it, "agreeable" tracks. Although containing only 9 songs, The Rip Tide accurately and elegantly makes a statement of the band's unique styles without some of the abstract instrumental interludes that may have turned off listeners on his previous albums. It still maintains the heart of Condon's composition, often trading in guitars for ukeleles and horns, but appeals to a wider and less European audience, with excellent results. Check out these examples, then look up "A Candle's Fire" and "Port of Call," respectively the opening and closing tracks of the album.

Santa Fe - The Rip Tide by PompeiiRecordingco

Beirut - East Harlem by artsandcraftsmx

Beirut will be playing in Chicago at the Congress Theater on September 26 with Laetitia Sadier, so get your tickets NOW.

Stay on track

San Francisco-based Vetiver's summer album The Errant Charm, released this past June, follows in much the same style of their 2009 indie-breakthrough album Tight Knit, but demonstrates that frontman Andy Cabic is exploring new limits for both his vocal range and song depth. After the band's origins in the freak folk movement alongside close associate Devendra Banhart, they moved toward a gentler, more accessible style that is best enjoyed floating gently through your open windows on a sleep summer day. Where Tight Knit seemed almost too gentle, Cabic has explored a slightly more experimental style on this new album while still maintaining the accessible and dreamy "charm" that has made his sound popular among the indie scene. Enjoy these:

Vetiver - Can't You Tell by subpop

Vetiver - Wonder Why by subpop

They are coming through Chicago on September 8, playing at Lincoln Hall with Fruit Bats and Breathe Owl Breathe. Get your tickets NOW.