Preston School of Industry
Monsoon
Matador Records
••••••7.5•••

“Monsoon,” Preston School of Industry’s latest album, is as much a statement of the beauty of life as it is the perfect soundtrack for a summer’s drive through the Pacific Northwest. The reason is that Scott Kannberg, the band’s principal member, has written a tribute to the love of his new home here in Seattle. Kannberg got his start in Pavement under the moniker Spiral Stairs as a guitarist and songwriter. With his new band, he’s kept the slacker vibe of Pavement, but gone are the screaming and squalling guitars; they’ve been replaced with warm strumming, keyboards and beautiful harmonies. On his first album “All This Sounds Gas,” Kannberg recorded songs that he had written over the course of a few years. “Monsoon,” in contrast, was written all at once, providing the album with a feeling of unity, which was lacking on the former release. Kannberg stated that his life has been “Great! For the past year and a half, I’ve been moving into my new house and recording this album.”

The song “Caught in the Rain” jumps in with a mandolin hook, provided by Scott McCaughey of the Minus 5, and relives the feeling of elation that we’ve all experienced simply being caught in a sudden downpour. When asked how he’d got help from Wilco and the Minus 5, Kannberg responded with, “Well, I’d done a lot of touring with Wilco and we’ve kept in touch. So when they had a day off when they were in town for Bumbershoot, I had a BBQ at my place. We just hung out in the backyard and one by one I took them down into the basement to lay down the tracks. Same thing with Scott McCaughey on mandolin, I had to have him over so I could get that Seattle sound.” Kannberg does feel that his album has a Seattle sound or at least was heavily influenced by his move to the Pacific Northwest. “I wrote a bunch of the songs once I moved up here and recorded them in the studio that I built in my basement,” he said. “Just look at the title ‘Monsoon;’ it’s a positive description of my new city. I love it here.” To a cynic it may not seem wonderful, but it’s the simple things that Kannberg finds beautiful that makes this album stand out from the bevy of cynical musicians. “If The Straights of Magellan Should Ever Run Dry” is Kannberg’s current favorite track and with good reason. The last song on the album, “Tone It Down,” closes with the refrain “It’s alright now,” a small signal that he’s having a damn good time.—Nathan Walker

Himsa
Courting Tragedy and Disaster
Sub Pop
•••••••8.5••

Arena-worthy guitar blitzkrieg, fused with stunning Denmark-by-way-of-the-Bay-Area rhythm, crossbred with raw angsty vocals. Traditional Rue Morgue harmonics fueled by bellowing Furious Guy, whose dense sinister lyrics roar with wretchedness and alienation, or whisper of torment and loss. A bewildering amalgam of gothic devil-lock imagery, SuicideGirl culture and former members of shit-hot local outfits such as Trial and Undertow. Recent line-up changes have essentially yielded a whole new band, and the unexpected result is this neo-thrash apocalyptic post-hardcore hybrid.—Wendy Colton

Himsa will be playing April 20 at Graceland, Seattle and April 21 at Meow Meow, Portland

Brent Arnold and the Spheres
Last Boat
Up! Records
••••••7•••

Brent Arnold applies the arranging talent he shared with bands like Quasi and Modest Mouse to his own debut album, which sounds so much like Thalia Zedek’s post-Come work that you can almost hear her singing behind Arnold’s only slightly more masculine voice. The title track sounds like an outtake from “The Phantom of the Opera,” but the rest of “Last Boat” is solidly orchestrated pop and stands tall next to any of the recordings Arnold contributed to behind the scenes.—Catherine P. Lewis

Sondre Lerche
Two Way Monologue
Astralwerks
•••••••8••

No longer a wunderkind, Sondre Lerche left his teens behind between the release of “Faces Down” and “Two Way Monologue.” Granted, the Norwegian still sounds wise beyond his years on this strong follow-up to his startling debut. The comparisons to Rufus Wainwright and label mate Ed Harcourt stand, but there’s a greater confidence this time around and he’s added new colors to his palette. As before, there are lots of strings, put to especially fine effect on “Track You Down,” while the pedal steel on “Stupid Memory” and accordion on “Maybe You’re Gone” show him branching out into new directions.—Kathleen C. Fennessy

Aqueduct
Power Ballads
Popular Music
•••••••8.5••

Aqueduct’s debut album “Power Ballads” is one of the most innovative albums I’ve heard from the indie scene in a long time. Instantly likeable, this punchy album makes you want to throw off any indie pretension and move. The lyrics approach the clichÈs of heartbreak and relationship from angles that keep them interesting. My only complaint is that it was recorded mostly at home, so some of the levels are a bit off, and even though the vocals were recorded at Bell Labs they are only in the left channel, which can be very annoying on strong stereo systems or headphones.—Bryan Costanich

Probot
Probot
Southern Lord
•••••6••••

Let’s start with the name Probot in its entirety: “Professional Robot—Musician Edition.” You may be shocked to realize that the Dave Grohl-bot is the first prototype adaptable to grunge and stoner rock drumming and is even capable of playing with the Metal Gods of the ‘80s. This musical robot has managed to play with King Diamond, Max Canalera and even Lemmy in Probot’s self-titled release! This Grohl-bot is a goddamned rock monster!—Nathan Walker

Camera Obscura
Underachievers Please Try Harder
Merge
••••••••9•

If, like me, you were disappointed by Belle & Sebastian’s Trevor Horn-produced “Dear Catastrophe Waitress,” Camera Obscura may restore your faith in twee Scottish pop. No pretensions here. Just pure pop bliss: as influenced by the Ronettes, Patsy Cline, Leonard Cohen and Scotland’s legendary Pastels. And what a lovable album cover! Twee as all get-out, but I’m a sucker for gals (and guys) in knit caps, vintage specs and fur collars who are as fond of teddy bears as video cameras. Hey, that sounds kind of kinky... yet another reason to love this lovely long-player.—KCF

Theo Prince
Sad Songs for Sunshine
Theodore Baron Prince
•••4••••••

Theo Prince is the singer and guitarist for Weapons of Mass Creation. Where Weapons of Mass Creation fail to pen moody emo pop anthems with a polished, professional blandness, Prince’s nearly compositional, occasionally pretty acoustic songs are cookie cutter ballads—at their best having a nostalgic verity and Buddy Holly’s earnestness—affording glimpses of much greater potential.—Tom Healy

John Vanderslice
Cellar Door
Barsuk Records
•••••••8••

John Vanderslice has fine-tuned his craft on his latest release, “Cellar Door.” Vanderslice laments the difficulties and absurdities in dealing with “America’s most sought after institution,” the family. On “They Won’t Let Me Run” he quips, “you step out of line, poor sap, family council will sit you down.” On the more up-tempo “Coming and Going” he graciously sings “when I got down to the morgue they pulled back the slide, it wasn’t my son, I wasn’t his dad.” Vanderslice proves again the indubitable ear he has for the minute and subtle soundscapes that can propel a song to new heights.—Michael John

Royce Da 5’9”
Death Is Certain
Koch
••••••7.5•••

Take Pac and Big’s nihilist fatalism, years of frustrated underdog status and one of rap’s most vicious flows, and you’ve got this: Royce’s all-or-nothing sophomore album. Here, Royce Da 5’9” finally achieves that moment of clarity his fans have been clamoring for. He’s doing what he does best—morbid, wickedly witty hardcore hip-hop. From honestly assessing his role in a shady industry (following the aftermath of his fallout with rap’s kingmakers), to asserting his sheer lyrical superiority and knocking contenders the fuck out, Royce’s airtight delivery and vastly improved song craft hook your ears.—Larry Mizell Jr.

Aaron Sprinkle
Lackluster
Tooth and Nail
•••••••8••

I didn’t believe Aaron Sprinkle when he told me that hearing his old songs in a new order would be exciting. Turns out he was right. “Lackluster” contains songs from Sprinkle’s three obscure solo releases plus one new track, with slightly spruced-up mixes. The pop melodies are killer; Sprinkle is a masterful guitarist; and his production just keeps getting better. I will always rail against “greatest hits,” but the number of times I have played this disc betrays my own better judgment.—Joel Hartse

Mary Lou Lord
Baby Blue
Rubric
••••••••9•

Mary Lou Lord continues her tradition of cover songs with “Baby Blue,” collaborating with Bevis Frond mastermind Nick Saloman. Much of the album is peppy and upbeat, but she reworks the Frond’s melancholy “Why Stars Burn Out” as a memorial to her longtime friend Elliott Smith. Lord adapts the songs to her own voice so seamlessly that this solid album can only be considered her own.—CPL Fennessy

Kanye West
The College Dropout
Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam
•••••••8.5••

We may just have the document to make heartfelt, intelligent rap the norm again. Sharing the mic with some of rap’s best—including some bizarre pairings—West sets the stage for real expression to be commercially viable again, all over his signature soul-brother-#1 sonic backdrops. This album is being pushed like hell and singles will be rammed down your throat; but that don’t change the fact that it is a much-needed breath of fresh air.—LMJ

Mocean Worker
Enter the MoWo!
MoWo Inc.
•••••••8.5••

This record’s ultra-fresh approach to mixing styles of soul-jazz, funk and electronica exceeds expectations and makes it one of the most exciting listen in some time. Adam Dorn has worked with numerous musicians and producers and the diversity of his influences is evident on almost every song, from the cool ‘60s soul of “Chick a Boom Boom Boom” to the haunting remix of Nina Simone’s “Blackbird.” The samples are woven seamlessly into each track, accompanied by an array of accomplished musicians, giving each selection an organic feel.—Kristopher Monroe

Electrelane
The Power Out
Too Pure
•••••••8.7••

Electrelane last CD, “Rock It To the Moon” was soundscape heaven. Songs linger, shook and rocked at a leisurely pace. With the Power Out, the four-piece UK band has kept their experimental edge but introduced a more spikey shorter songs. “On Parade” rocks out while “The Valley” is choir singing and lush arrangement. Working with Steve Albini has given the band a more raw feel to their songs but they still manage to produce a transcendent sound. They continue to create one of the best and interesting music around. This is ace!—De Kwok

Electrelane plays Tuesday, April 6 at Chop Suey, 8pm, $8

Cordero
Somos Cordero
Daemon Records
••••••7•••

You know all those scenes in Antonio Banderas movies where he makes the ladies scream “eeez too sexy!”? I have an inkling that it’s the Spanish guitar being gently strummed that builds much of his sex appeal. There’s something so passionate in flamenco and mariachi music that most never achieve. Cordero’s debut beautifully blends Latin charm into an indie rock package. With those Spanish guitars, hip shaking rhythm, sultry bilingual vocals and some wonderful horns, this album has encouraged me to cook some deliciously spicy food and drink a bit too much red wine.—NW

Various Artists
Bay Area Funk
Luv 'n' Haight
•••••••8.5••

As the liner notes put it, Sugar Pie DeSanto ("Git Back") doesn't "take no stuff from no one!" Then there's 12-year-old Little Denise ("Check Me Out") who's "got her thing together." Add a few horns, a touch of flute, some blues guitar, a whole lotta earth-shakin' bass, and that pretty much describes all the funketeers on this fine comp. “Bay Area Funk” proves that Sly and the Family Stone were just the tip of the S.F. Bay’s "iceberg of funk." This collection of rare sides from 1967-1976 includes lively bios and plenty o' pics. A must for the funk aficionado.—KCF

Grant Lee Phillips
Virginia Creeper
Zoe/Rounder
•••••••8••

Produced by Jon Brion (“Punch-Drunk Love”), “Virginia Creeper” solidifies Grant Lee Phillips' standing as a singer/songwriter of exceptional talent. While I miss the dream-pop of his defunct trio, Grant Lee Buffalo (particularly their debut, “Fuzzy”), I'm impressed by the sophistication of his third solo outing. And the voice remains the same: Phillips invests his chamber-folk with phrases by turns breathy, jazzy and soulful, somewhat akin to Nicolai Dunger or the late Jeff Buckley. Although the songs aren't equally strong, the extremely catchy "Mona Lisa" makes up for that (and for the adept, if extraneous cover of Gram Parsons' "Hickory Wind").—KCF

The High Llamas
Beet Maize & Corn
Duophonic Super 45s/Drag City
••••••7•••

If you can imagine the Beach Boys with a British accent or XTC on tranquilizers, you can imagine the High Llamas. Even if you haven't heard any of their (many) recordings, you've surely heard Sean O' Hagan's inventive arrangements for Sondre Lerche, Stereolab and others. “Beet Maize & Corn,” their seventh full-length in just over a decade, is mellow and pretty—pleasant music for pleasant days. It's also rather dull. Each of the 12 tracks is barely distinguishable from the next, making for a consistent, if uneventful, listening experience. Nice, but much too close to background music for (my) comfort—KCF

DJ Signify
Sleep No More
Lex Records
•••••6.5••••

It’s intriguing to hear hip-hop being done in such a spooky and, to borrow from the title, sleepy way. DJ Signify has leapt the boundaries of traditional turntablism on this album and created what feels like a soundtrack to a dark, unsettling mystery. Buck 65 and Sage Francis aid him on the mic and pen; adding to the creepiness with their slow, hushed tales of the lost. With commercial hip-hop slumping in excess and parody, this record offers an alternate glimpse at the future.—NW

The Bobby Teens
Cruisin' for a Bruisin'
Estrus
••••••7.5•••

The Bobby Teens have quite the garage-rock pedigree. Drummer Russell Quan, for instance, was in both the Phantom Surfers and the late, great Mummies. He's also the only male member of this San Francisco quartet, which brings to mind such trash-rockers as the New York Dolls, the Ramones and the Runaways. “Cruisin' for a Bruisin',” the band's third release, could just easily have been titled “Rock & Roll High School”—if it hadn't already been taken, of course—since all the songs revolve around teenaged obsessions: smokin’ (in the bathroom stall), drinkin', drivin’ and sex, sex, sex.—KCF