Record Reviews: The Phenomenal Handclap Band and More

Also: Mat Kearney, Pink Mountaintops, A Camp, mewithoutYou, Tortoise, Grizzly Bear and Tori Amos.

The Phenomenal Handclap Band
The Phenomenal Handclap Band
Sounds like: A mega-supergroup of indie soulsters spewing funk, disco and electro that’ll make you dance your face off.
Free association: Crowded Brooklyn dancefloor of sweaty kids drinkin’ cans of PBR.
For fans of: !!!, Justice, LCD Soundsystem.

Mat Kearney
City of Black & White
Sounds like: Coldplay-inspired singer/songwriter from Nashville written explicitly to soundtrack Grey’s Anatomy.
Free association: Gavin DeGraw and John Mayer make love while “Apologize” plays.
For fans of: ABC, ABC Family, CW, MTV, CBS.

Pink Mountaintops
Outside Love
Sounds like: Loud Vancouver stoner-rock army marches to blistering reverb, and quirky vocal teamwork.
Free association: Eyes glaze in a haze of hash, heroin and piles of weed.
For fans of: Black Mountain, Low.

A Camp
Colonia
Sounds like: Cardigans frontwoman’s sophomore solo inspired by African kings, queens and colonialism.
Free association: Country meets Sweden, flies to Africa.
For fans of: Cardigans (duh), Beth Orton.

mewithoutYou
it’s all crazy! it’s all false! it’s all a dream! it’s alright
Sounds like: PW cover-boys tone it down a bit with a folksier, acoustic (but not soft) approach to their spiritualized bizarro rock.
Free association: egetable oil-run tour bus full of animals like Noah’s Ark.
For fans of: Mountain Goats, post-post-Christianity.

Tortoise
Beacons of Ancestorship
Sounds like: Sixteen-year old Chi-town mainstay bakes up trippy post-rock, dub, electro and Krautrock souffle.
Free association: Did you slip something in my drink, or is the drummer this awesome?
For fans of: The Sea and Cake, Mogwai.

Grizzly Bear
Veckatimest
Sounds like: The best record of the year—full of modern indie compositions that swell and climax.
Free association: Timeless and contemporary like high arched ceilings.
For fans of: Digestible Animal Collective, Beach House.

Tori Amos
Abnormally Attracted to Sin
Sounds like: Seventeen (!) songs of her creepy piano and toned-down banshee voice.
Free association: Tenth record + too many concepts / Lilith Fair.
For fans of: Martha Wainwright, weirdo women.