Dave Hayden

Holy FuckHoly Fuck(Independent)Is there anything that Brian Borcherdt can’t do well? Between the Remains Of Brian Borcherdt discs and his Holy Fuck output, this guy is getting the reputation of being some sort of supergenius. And this new EP is no different, proving that the success of the first album is neither hoax nor fluke. […]

Hudson BellWhen the Sun is the MoonMonitorSometimes the easiest music to grasp — in sonic terms — is the hardest to write about without resorting to oft-abused cliches or making the review sound like an experiment in creative writing. And so is the case with Hudson Bell, a Baton Rouge- born songwriter who is creating […]

Peter Elkas Party of One(Maple)The strengths Peter Elkas demonstrated as principle songwriter for the Local Rabbits— catchy, strong, extended melodic lines—continue on his debut solo LP. But instead of the Springsteen comparisons of old, it sounds as if he has been spinning some 30-year-old white man soul albums while discussing the merits of minor-key ballads […]

Sarah HarmerAll of Our Names (Cold Snap)It’s been over two years since her solo debut charmed everyone, and with All of Our Names Sarah Harmer has returned with nary a stutter step. Tracks like “Dandelions in Bullet Holes” and “Tether” see her dreamy voice and intimate arrangements (cello and muted horns) dance like fall leaves […]

Chad VanGaalenSkelliconnection Flemish EyeChad VanGaalen is anything but the fragile, brooding Elliott Smith-like performer you might have envisioned while devouring his remarkable 2004 debut, Infiniheart. That album was essentially a summary of songs this Calgary-based visual artist had amassed over years, hunched over found or constructed instruments and recording devices in his bedroom. A sense […]

The New PornographersTwin Cinema (Mint)While Vancouver’s The New Pornographers has always been considered a supergroup — the band features Dan Bejar (Destroyer), alt-country goddess Neko Case, Limblifter’s Kurt Dahle and the Evaporators’ John Collins — it’s really AC Newman’s baby. He writes most of the material and the ’60s-meets-’80s production steers much closer to his […]

Iain ArcherFlood the Tanks (Bright Star)Iain Archer already has plenty of cred to his name as guitarist for the supergroup Reindeer Section and Snow Patrol. But if this album gets its due, he may be poised to become one of indie rock’s newest shining stars along the lines of Sparklehorse’s Mark Linkous. Flood the Tanks […]

Foo FightersSkin and Bones(SonyBMG)This live acoustic-with-strings set by the Foo Fighters will draw comparisons to Nirvana’s classic MTV Unplugged. Perhaps that’s unfair but it is unavoidable and necessary. Beyond the obvious connection—Dave Grohl—it provides a concrete example of what works, and doesn’t, with sessions like this. The MTV set was held in a small room […]

Early ManClosing In (Matador)The heavy-metal primitivism of Columbus, OH’s Early Man may seem like an odd choice for a Matador release. But it just goes to prove that America’s premiere indie-rock label is not too shy to put its stamp on something even if it doesn’t fit neatly within its expected paradigm. Replete with screaming […]