Music Update III: April 26, 2007

In the previous month, the instrumental rock/ shoegaze scene has been graced by several excellent releases. In fact, this update marks the end of Beware of Safety's run atop the list for 2007; in its place, however, stands another remarkable album in The Weak Men's Dog. Additionally, the recently re-release of Romance of Young Tiger's CDEP, I Have Supped Full on Horrors, finds its way onto this month's Top 20 via a smart mix of ambience and walls of swirling noise. Overall, the month of April has seen the release of several strong albums that may just end up on the final Top 25 of 2007.

Current Top 20 Albums of 2007

(Previous Rank)

1. The Weak Men- Dog

2. Beware of Safety- It Is Curtains (1)

3. Explosions in the Sky- All of a Sudden, I Miss Everyone (3)

4. Romance of Young Tigers- I Have Supped Full on Horrors

5. Mono- The Phoenix Tree (Travels in Constants Vol 22)

6. Stafraenn Hakon- Gummi

7. Caspian- The Four Trees (2)

8. Efterklang- Under Giant Trees (4)

9. Portland- Adrienne (5)

10. Solar-Powered People- Solar Powered-People (9)

11. Ours to Alibi- Beacons (11)

12. Boy in Static- Violet

13. Graboids- Infinite Delay (6)

14. The Twilight Sad- Fourteen Autumns and Fifteen Winters (12)

15. Rien- There Can't Be Any Prediction without Future

16. World's End Girlfriend- Hurtbreak Wonderland

17. Crippled Black Phoenix- A Love of Shared Disasters (10)

18. Fighterpilot- Between Homes and Travels

19. Ulrich Scnauss- Goodbye

20. Great Ocean- Ox and Tiger

Current Top 5 Tracks of 2007

1. Mono- Black Rain

2. Explosions in the Sky- It's Natural to Be Afraid

3. Beware of Safety- To The Roof! Let's Jump and Fall

4. Romance of Young Tigers- We Sing Sin

5. iLiKETRAiNS- Spencer Perceval

Notable Upcoming Releases

A Genuine Freakshow- 0.008% (April 23)

City of a Hundred Spires- Graveyard of Ships (May 4)

Rumskib- Rumskib (May 8)

Amplifier Machine- Her Mouth Is an Outlaw (May 11)

Joy Wants Eternity- For You Who Pretend to Sleep (May 22)

Dreamend- The Long-Forgotten Friend (TBA)

Photo-Journal I: April 6, 2007

I photograph the things that I do not wish to paint,

the things which already have an existence.

-Man Ray

Construction I

Construction II

Construction III

Construction IV

Destruction I

Destruction II

Destruction III

Rebirth

On the upcoming Music Update for April:

Several possible albums have recently surfaced that could end Beware of Safety's dominance atop the board. Update to come soon, including new features (such as reviews and sample tracks from the highlighted album of the month).