# Best New Releases – Poor Moon, La Sera, AFC, Brothertiger, Oberhofer, Zeus, Caveman, Young Prisms, Retribution Gospel Choir

- Link: https://indierockcafe.com/2012/03/best-album-releases-2012-poor-moon-la-sera-oberhofer-mp3-singles/
- Published: 2012-03-31T06:50:12-04:00
- Author: Rick Sosa

The first quarter of the year closes out with this week’s batch of new releases 
from artists like Vivian Girls’ bassist Katy Goodman’s second solo album as **La
Sera;** the new supergroup, **Poor Moon**, founded by two former members of **Fleet
Foxes;** the debut from orchestra pop band **Oberhofer**; the country and folk-influenced
pop of **Justin Townes Earle**; the sophomore release from Swedish trio **Miike 
Snow, **and Paul Weller’s 11th studio solo album since **The Jam** broke up.

There are also noteworthy new albums from **The Mars Volta**, who turn out a largely
experimental LP, and the amazingly melodic debut from Caveman. Don’t miss the new
single from **Low** band member **Alan Sparhawk**‘s latest release via his side 
project, the **Retribution Gospel Choir**.

First up, though, is the debut release by **Poor Moon**, a band that was originally
formed in 2008 by **[Fleet Foxes](https://indierockcafe.com/2011/05/releases-fleet-foxes-beastie-boys/)**
and **Crystal Skulls** members, **Christian Wargo**, and **Casey Wescott**, and 
brothers, **Ian** and **Peter Murray**, of the **San Francisco** band **The Christmas
Cards**.

Long-time friends, Poor Moon began as a long-distance collaboration, working on 
demos and sending them back and forth to one another while Wargo and Wescott were
touring extensively in support of Fleet Foxes’ hugely successful, and critically
acclaimed, self-titled debut album. Soon after, the four began to take the project
more seriously, and started performing house parties in Seattle using a variety 
of playful and disposable monikers, such as Cookie Mask and Rabbit Kingdom.

However, it was when the band opened for **Deakin** at the **Seattle** venue, **
Neumos**, under the alias **Peppermint Majesty**, that things really started to 
get rolling for the band. As the months wore on, and the band spent more time together
recording and performing, they realized they had something special that was worth
pursuing. It was then that Sub Pop signed them up.

The four members eventually decided on the name Poor Moon, the title of Wargo’s 
favorite **Canned Heat** song. This week, after four years in the making, the band
released their first debut EP, _Illusion_, which is available for [only $4.95 via Amazon](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/B007JCPALG?ie=UTF8&tag=indroccaf-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B007JCPALG).

However, hard core Fleet Foxes fans, indie folk aficionados and Sub Pop enthusiasts,
who realize the value that a first pressing may have in the future, can grab the
[vinyl edition](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/B0073US9DA?ie=UTF8&tag=indroccaf-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B0073US9DA)
or [CD](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/B006ZIVMBC?ie=UTF8&tag=indroccaf-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B006ZIVMBC)
version via Amazon as well.

**MP3:** [“People in Her Mind”](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/11402.mp3)–**
Poor Moon** from _ Illusion _ on Sub Pop

Poor Moon kicked off their first cross-country tour at **The Loft **on the University
of California San Diego campus in **La Jolla,** California March 20th. They’ve played
eight cities so far (as of 3/29) with another 16 to go, when they will wrap up on
April 20th at **The Aquarium** in **Fargo**, North Dakota.

The very talented band, and Sub Pop artist, **Lost in the Trees**, are opening for
Poor Moon for the entire tour with the exception of the last three gigs. Check out
[Lost in the Trees’ new single](https://indierockcafe.com/2012/03/best-new-releases-the-shins-yukon-blonde-lost-in-the-trees-morningbell-tanlines/),
and more, released last week. Get details on Poor Moon tour dates via Sub Pop.

#### Vivian Girls’ Bassist’s Alter Ego La Sera Drops Sophomore Album

The lead single, “Please Be My Third Eye,” from **La Sera**‘s sophomore album, _
[Sees The Light](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/B007JCP9VC?ie=UTF8&tag=indroccaf-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B007JCP9VC)(
on sale via Amazon for $5.99), _is a dance oriented, thumping pop track awash in
melodies and harmonies interwoven with blissful synth keys and the spectacular vocals
of **Katy Goodman**, who is also the bassist for the popular female-fronted band,**
Vivian Girls**, and of course, the founding member and force behind La Sera’s success
in the past few years.

Related Post:  Top 10 Songs of October 2012 - Freelance Whales, Lord Huron, Ben 
Gibbard, Tame Impala, A.C. Newman, Matt & Kim

_⌊brothertiger-golden-tiger⌉⌊brothertiger-golden-tiger⌉

#### Brothertiger’s _Golden Years_ LP Out Now

**Brothertiger**‘s new single, [“Lovers,”](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/brothertiger-lovers)
is a soft synth pop track that has some 80’s new wave revivalism going on, and a
drum beat, and bass line, that sound like they were “heavily influenced” by a **
Hall & Oates** song.

Anyways, it’s not a bad track, but it probably won’t be remembered in a month from
now with all the music that has been released so far in 2012, and what has been 
announced is on the way. We have not heard the album, _Golden Years_, but if anyone
has, let everyone know what you think of it; we sometimes incorporate listeners’
comments into posts after they’ve been published. Hell, why not?

   ⌊alcoholicfaithmission⌉Danish Band Alcoholic Faith Mission Dropped Fourth Album;
But Plays Hard to Get

Up next, the Danish band, **Alcoholic Faith Mission**, who we featured exactly one
year ago, have returned with a new album, _Ask Me This_. Today or tomorrow, make
sure to look out for a post about AFM in a new series called Band Update. The post
describes their humble beginnings, strange recording rituals, their understated 
previous albums and EPs, a review of (although it is strangely hard to get), and
more tracks from, their new album. In the meantime, here’s one of the albums various
standout track, “Into Pieces.”

**MP3:** [“Into Pieces”](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/03.%20Into%20Pieces.mp3)–**
Alcoholic Faith Mission** from _Ask Me This_

![oberhofertimecapsule](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/51I6PKy4H-L.
_SS500_.jpg)

#### Long Awaited Debut Albums from Brooklyn’s Oberhofer and Toronto Band Zeus

This week also marks the official CD release of the debut album, _Time Capsule II_,
by **Brooklyn** band **Oberhofer**. The debut from Oberhofer is definitely one of
our top anticipated albums of the month. When we first featured Brad Oberhofer in
November of 2009 he was still a largely unknown artist and a DIY lo-fi one man band.

 There was very little online that we could find about him, and when we profiled
him, we were one of the first indie sites to do so, which he later told us helped
lead to his name getting out, and helped build momentum that started started when
Oberhofer performed at New York’s 2009 CMJ Music Marathon.

He was a 19-year-old NYC student working as an intern for **Matador Records **at
the time, and some of the folks at the label were reportedly blown away when Oberhofer
gave them a couple of demos that came out of his DIY one-man band experimentation.

One Matador employee, Thom Williams, told _The Hartford Courant_ in November of 
2009: “I have not seen someone with as much potential as he has. Give him a year
or two and he could be a **MGMT** figure.”

In the past two and a half years since then, Oberhofer, hasn’t quite reached the
level of MGMT, nor should they (at the time, MGMT were big within the ‘indie’ circles;
now they’re mainstream). Yet, they have toured endlessly, played festivals, and 
released demos that got a lot of play on music blogs.

Eventually in 2010, they signed with **Glass Note.** We expected a debut album at
some point in 2010 or 2011 because usually labels require a first album get released
within months of a signing in order to maximize the momentum an artist has at the
time. But, for whatever reasons, it took longer than expected.

Related Post:  Best New Releases for Week of March 6th - The Magnetic Fields, Andrew
Bird, Good Old War, Said The Whale, White Rabbits

But it has finally arrived, and it’s as good as expected – you really need to hear
it for yourself, especially if you like the band’s previous, and new, singles. _
[Time Capsule II](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/B0075MK1QE?ie=UTF8&tag=indroccaf-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B0075MK1QE)_,
contains a collection of psychedelic, effervescent and heavily melodic pop tracks,
including a couple that Oberhofer himself had first sent to us two years ago as 
demos, like  “Away Frm U,” “oOoO,” (official spelling from the track listing on 
Amazon; since there have been various formats used by Oberhofer and blogs and media)
and “I Could Go.” You can listen to the [original Oberhofer demos here](https://indierockcafe.com/2009/11/the-interestingly-eccentric-indie-rock-of-brooklyns-one-man-band-brad-oberhofer/).

[“Away Frm U”](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/Away%20FRM%20U6.mp3)–**
Oberhofer** from _[Time Capsule II](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/B0075MK1QE?ie=UTF8&tag=indroccaf-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B0075MK1QE)_

**Double-shot:** – **Oberhofer** from _[Time Capsule II](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/B0075MK1QE?ie=UTF8&tag=indroccaf-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B0075MK1QE)_

 **Toronto** alternative/indie rock band, **Zeus**, dropped their sophomore album,
_Busting Visions_, this week. The band was born out of the dissolution of a previous
band called **Paso Mino** when members **Michael P. Clive** and **Afie Jurvanen**
left to pursue other ambitions.

In fact, Jurvanen went on to tour with **Feist**, and formed a solo project under
the name, **Bahamas**, which went on to become quite popular in it’s own right.

From the ashes, the remaning band members, in 2009-10, formed Zeus. The release 
of Zeus’ 2010 widely-praised debut album, _Say Us_, put them on the radar. After
listening to their newest LP, _Busting Visions_, we consider Zeus a band to watch
in 2012.

![oberhofer](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/51eg7krfRjL._SS500_.jpg)

Another debut album out this week worth looking into is the pleasantly melodic tracks
on **Caveman**‘s LP, _Coco Beware_. We were immediately smitten when we spun the
first few songs, particularly with tracks like “Easy Water,” “Thankful,” the amazing
[“In The City,”](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/caveman-in-the-city)
and the first single, “Old Friend.” The latter is a strong track, but one of the
other three would have been better choices for the first official single. _Paste_
gave the album an impressive “8.7” out of 10, calling it “…instantly catchy and 
likable on a first listen.” That is so true. They also compared the standout tracks
to “slowed down versions of early Shins’ tracks.” Also, so true.

#### Young Prisms and Retribution Gospel Choir Return With New Offerings

It’s a bit difficult to admit (especially living in the Bay Area), but we haven’t
kept close enough tabs on a band we were impressed by when we first them a couple
of years ago – **Young Prisms**.They’re a **San Francisco** quintet that play a 
range of styles from shoegaze and lo-fi psych to garage rock and surf pop.

Young Prisms carry on their woozy shoegaze bliss, but this time around, they are
also weaving in more dream pop influences on one hand – with hints of **Galaxie 
500** – and new wave touched with punk elements – echoes of **The Cure** – that 
end resulting in a pretty solid and enjoyable follow up to their debut.

 This will give even more credence to the argument that the band is under the radar
still.

But that hasn’t stop the critics from chiming in, especially, with the release of
their new album this week. In fact, one of the oldest and most respected sources
for music, _All Music Guide_, wrote: “Slowdive wish their early records were this
strong” and “the perfect Frankenstein’s monster of a retro shoegaze band.”

Related Post:  The Format's Sam Means and Nate Nuess Release New Music Since The
Duo's Official Break Up

Back in August of 2010, IRC published one of their tracks “Weekends and Treehouses”
as apart of the extensive, and wildly popular, [Indie Summer Mix series](https://indierockcafe.com/category/indie-summer-mix-playlist/)(
the series features 12 playlist posts containing over 300 summer themed songs, and
so far have attracted over half a million page views!).

The track was originally released on their 2009 self-titled debut EP via the **Mexican
Summer** indie record label, and “Weekends and Treehouses” was one of the top tracks.

At the time, _Pitchfork_ wrote: “Their sun-drenched, washed-out sounds recall hearing**
Kurt Vile**‘s 70s AM rock through a conch shell.” The truth is there are so many
labels put on their music; _SF Weekly_ acclaimed: “Young Prisms, whose washy, insistent
psychedelia stands out among the crowded S.F. dream-punk scene,” and as noted above,
_All Music_ referred to their sound as “retro shoegaze.”  The track below, “Floating
In Blue,” is the first official single from the album.

**MP3**: [“Floating In Blue”](http://www.tellallyourfriendspr.com/singles/youngprisms_floatinginblue.mp3)–**
Young Prisms** from _ In Between @Z_

Young Prisms just wrapped up a tour a little more than a week ago that brought them
to 15 cities (including a couple of Canadian shows). A few days ago, their label,
announced a short west coast tour in May with the **Dum Dum Girls.**

May 15 – Constellation Room – Santa Ana, CA
 May 16 – Belly Up Tavern – Solana Beach,
CA May 17 – Pappy and Harriets – Pioneertown, CA May 18 – Echoplex – Los Angeles,
CA May 21 – The Blank Club – San Jose, CA May 25 – Biltmore Cabaret – Vancouver,
BC May 27 – Doug Fir Lounge – Portland, OR

![retributiongospelchoir](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/41cuLTJjw0L.
_SS500_.jpg)

**The Retribution Gospel Choir** dropped the new EP, _The Revolution_, this week,
and spun off a lead single, “The Stone (Revolution!),” that repeats over and over
again: “You want a revolution/start a revolution.” Sounds like a throw back to the
late 1960’s, not in the musical aspect of the track – because it’s clearly indie
choir pop – but in the title and lyrics. “The Stone (Revolution!) could be perfect
for Occupy mixtape. You can [listen to the EP](http://music.aol.com/new-releases-full-cds/spinner#/6)
via _Spinner_, or get it right away from Amazon by clicking the title link below.

**MP3:** [“The Stone (Revolution!)”](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/11290.mp3)–**
Retribution Gospel Choir** from [_The Revolution_ EP](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/indroccaf-2047)

And there’s more…we had to divert a bunch of other worthy singles from new releases
from a variety of artists like **Justin Townes Earle, Thee Satisfaction, Paul Weller,
Way Yes, The Mars Volta, Sleep Wave Sleep, Cats on Fire**, plus our favorite DIY
picks from **In Dee Mail** box, to a second post that will be posted in the next
day or two, so keep an eye out. We’ll also be publishing a separate post for Denmark’s**
Alcoholic Faith Mission.**

In case you missed them, check out the recent post highlighting the Top 10 songs
for the [last week of February](https://indierockcafe.com/2012/03/top-10-songs-for-late-february-with-fun-damien-jurado-grimes-wild-nothing-princeton-perfume-genius-dirty-ghosts-lambchop/),
last week’s [Best New Releases for week of Feb. 21](https://indierockcafe.com/2012/03/best-new-releases-the-shins-yukon-blonde-lost-in-the-trees-morningbell-tanlines/)(
The Shins, Tanlines, Lost in the Trees, Yukon Blonde and others), more [Top 10 Songs mixes](https://indierockcafe.com/top-ten-songs/),
and [IRC’s SXSW 2012](https://indierockcafe.com/category/sxsw-2012/) coverage.