The intoxicating indie pop release Wooden Arms, by Canadian band Patrick Watson will likely be a contender for one of the best releases of 2009. The band's 2006 release, Close To Paradise, was awarded the 2007 Polaris Music Prize (Canada's Mercury Prize) and the band was nominated for Juno Award in 2007 for Best New Artist.

Sculpting songs that range from carnival-sounding track "Traveling Salesman" to the haunting transitions of "Where The Wild Things Are", Patrick Watson demonstrate a sophistication in musical arrangements that give their sound a deeper, almost seductive sound as demonstrated on the title track "Wooden Arms" and the opening song "Fireweed". The band also create songs that appeal to a larger, pop tune-loving audience. To that end, catchy songs such as "Man Like You" and "Big Bird In A Small Cage" fit the bill perfectly. Band members in addition to Watson include guitarist Simon Angell, bassist Mishka Stein and percussionist Robbie Kuster.

"Tracy Waters" - Patrick Watson from Wooden Arms (2009)
"Fireweed" - Patrick Watson from Wooden Arms (2009)
"Man Like You" - Patrick Watson from Wooden Arms (2009)

Portland's Viva Voce's newest album, Rose City, reportedly written and recorded in less than a month, is a welcome departure from 2006's applauded Get Yr Blood Sucked Out. On Rose City, original band members and husband-and-wife team Kevin and Anita Robinson recruited new members to provide a fuller, more engaging sound. And it worked - very well.

Besides Viva Voce being one of the best underrated female vocalist bands in recent years, Rose City is, for the most part, one of 2009's overlooked album jems - surprising because it is a wonderful record featuring an array of well-crafted dark tracks like the alt rock of "Devotion", the pleasant harmonies of "Octavio" or the spacey and lovely melodies of "Midnight Sun".

"Octavio" - Viva Voce from Rose City (2009)
"Devotion" - Viva Voce from Rose City (2009)

Other popular indie husband-and-wife bands include Low, Yo La Tengo, Mates of State, White Stripes and Quasi.

White Rabbits 2009 release It's Frightening is anything but scary; instead, the album is full of catchy, melodic songs wrapped in a rich array of instruments, including piano, tambourine, percussion, mandolin and guitars. While It's Frightening could be forgotten once the best indie albums of the year lists come out in a few months, there are definitely some stand-out tracks worth checking out, such as "Percussion Gun", "Right Where They Left", "Company I Keep" and "They Done Wrong/ We Done Wrong".

"Percussion Gun" - White Rabbits from It's Frightening (2009)
"Right Where They Left" - White Rabbits from It's Frightening (2009)

Labels: Best Indie Rock Songs, Indie Artist/Group Profiles, Patrick Watson

Album cover of Panda Bear's 2008 Person Pitch

One 2007 release that cannot be emphasized enough is the last release from Animal Collective's Noah Lennox. As one of the many characters that make up the wildly popular psychedelic pop rock outfit, Lennox, better known by his moniker Panda Bear, released his third solo album last year. The more I listen to it - even now - the more it becomes apparent just what an awesome release it was.

Combining the high chorus, echo pop sounds of Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys with his own brand of songs lush with sampling and electro-pop influences, a significant departure from Lennox's previous acoustic-centric release Young Prayer.



His record label, Paw-Tracks Records, wrote of Lennox's debut release: "Person Pitch is suffused with the kind of feel good modern toe-tapping pop that seems harder and harder to find these days." Indeed.

"Comfy in Nautica" - Panda Bear from Person Pitch

For those of you who missed it, here's an amazing remix from Panda Bear of a great Notwist song. Enjoy.

"Boneless" (The Notwist) - Panda Bear Remix

MySpace: Panda Bear

Labels: Best Independent Music, Best Indie Rock Songs, Panda Bear