emo

The second I heard the song "Blackheart vs. Captain America" kick in, I knew The Lonely Forest were something special.  Not only were the somber melodies and anthemic lyrics charming; the lyrics and casual honesty found in the band's lyrics is remarkable.  Chris Walla (Death Cab For Cutie) picked up these guys next record (coming out in 2010) for his Warner Bros. Records imprint, Trans, but their 2009 record "We Sing The Body Electric!" is beyond superb.  Certainly a contender for the best album of 2010, it would be a true shame for you to miss this band.

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. 

This band from Missouri released "What Makes Us So Alive?" some time ago, but in these wintry months, it seems more than relevant.  Breathy, tranquil, and emotional, We Are Voices blend dreamy pop melodies and glimmers of guitars.  Don't just take our word for it; download their album for free.  It's worth your time.

“Often I feel I go to some distant region of the world to be reminded of who I really am. There is no mystery about why this should be so. Stripped of your ordinary surroundings, your friends, your daily routines, your refrigerator full of food, your closet full of your clothes- with all of this taken away, you are forced into direct experience. Such direct experience inevitably makes you aware of who it is that is having the experience. That’s not always comfortable, but it is always invigorating.”

Mean Everything To Nothing , the second album from Atlanta's Manchester Orchestra, is everything you want a rock record to be: raw, urgent, emotional, and 100 percent authentic. "There is nothing fake about this record," says frontman and lyricist Andy Hull. "There's not one fake sound on it. We recorded it live because we wanted it to sound like a band, and I think it does: live and loud!"