the national

The Kissaway Trail will be releasing "Sleep Mountain" in a few weeks, and it's certainly a contender for the best album of 2010.  Sonic, wonderfully painted melodies are encased in powerful, resonating guitars; layers of blissful vocal melodies are only met with even more layers of tranquil pianos, banjoes, synths, acoustic guitars, and other instruments.  If you like the way Arcade Fire did it, but appreciate the more epic tendencies by bands like Mew and Sigur Ros, you will absolutely love this record. 

Shout Out Louds are back at work. It only just dawned on them what the rest of us have known for a long time: they were born to do this. This is what they do. They write songs, record them, and tour. Thats their work. Hence Work, the title of their third album.