New Releases: Grand Archives, Atlas Sound

No full album review this week (since I had business of massive, earth-shattering proportions to take care of over the last week), but both the debut Grand Archives album and the first proper Atlas Sound record hit stores today.


The Grand Archives (fronted by former Band of Horses/Carissa's Wierd member Mat Brooke) offer up some decent indie-country tunes on their self-titled debut, ones warmer and less sterile than the much of BoH's Cease to Begin. However, the album grows monotonous after a little while, and probably could have used an explosive, dramatic defining moment a la "Is There a Ghost" to break the easy-going feel. Still, a very pleasant, listenable indie pop record, one I would recommend for fans of the demos that surfaced last year.


Grand Archives - Torn Blue Foam Couch

Buy at Amazon Grand Archives MySpace


The Atlas Sound album, Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel, is the better of the two releases, a touching collection of ghostly, often heartbreaking ambient pieces, though one that may prove as divisive as Deerhunter's 2007 output. This isn't to say the record's is bad (quite the opposite) or to say Bradford Cox's solo effort sounds like Deerhunter (it doesn't, most of the time), just that Let the Blind won't be everyone's cup of tea.


Atlas Sound - River Card

Buy at Amazon Atlas Sound MySpace Deerhunter/Atlas Sound/Lotus Plaza Blog