The Good Life, 'Help Wanted Nights' (Saddle Creek)
On his fourth album as the Good Life, prolific Cursive frontman Tim Kasher revels in lyrics about booze and heartbreak while delivering a string of teary folk-rock meditations. Sound familiar?
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Dragons of Zynth, 'Coronation Thieves' (Gigantic)
This Cleveland-bred band's insanely eclectic debut -- recorded with TV on the Radio producer/guitarist Dave Sitek -- almost collapses under the weight of its own fuzzy ambitions.
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Figurines, 'When the Deer Wore Blue' (The Control Group)
A Danish band who have clearly put in their time studying American indie rock, Figurines at first sound overly familiar, but before you can Clap Your Tapes Say Midlake, their third album sneaks in enough sunny '60s pop and astral strangeness to change the game. This is no slavish style bite by Euro pretenders; it's a delectable refiguring.
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Joe Henry, 'Civilians' (Anti-)
Following the tumultuous din of 2003's Tiny Voices, singer/songwriter (and producer) Joe Henry scales back to a picked-bones simplicity on his contemplative tenth album.
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Les Savy Fav, 'Let's Stay Friends' (Frenchkiss)
Les Savy Fav's legend -- built on maniacal shows and the antics of singer Tim Harrington, who requires tactile audience interaction to get off -- has only grown over six inactive years.
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Magik Markers, 'Boss' (Ecstatic Peace!)
Like their name implies, Magik Markers' music is scribbled, messy, and a malodorous high. Over the course of innumerable CD-Rs and a relentless touring schedule, guitarist Elisa Ambrogio and drummer Pete Nolan (founding member Leah Quimby left last year) have combusted a ferocious no-wave mix of detuned feedback, demented drumming, and holy-ghost free verse.




