Aidan Moffat "How to Get to Heaven from Scotland" (2009)

It's surprising to me when I hear the sudden intrusion of electronic beats on this album.  I'm thinking "this would NEVER happen on a comparable American album".  There seems to be a more thorough integration of dance influences on what we would normally call rock music in the UK.  Will that change post-UK folk resurgence?

On the whole this record simply fails to grab me. 

Laura Marling "Alas I Cannot Swim" (2008)

You never really know the winner until the race is over, but Laura Marling shows all the signs of being the most significant musician to emerge from the UK's latest folk scare.  Her music seems to have the same relationship with her peers as Joni Mitchell's did in the early 70s.  While others are concentrating on acoustic versions of pop songs, Marling is stepping back and working from a more sophisticated place.  Of course this means that her work is a bit more challenging and not nearly so rewarding on initial listens.

Jessica Lea Mayfield "With Blasphemy So Heartfelt" (2008)

This is one of my favorite debuts from recent years.  Basically a duo album, JLM sings while the Black Keys' Dan Auerbach overdubs all instruments, JLM's artistic voice belies her young age.  While there's clearly an indie rock sensibility to the record, JLM's childhood in her family's bluegrass band subtly informs the music with a variety of traditional elements.

Koushik "Out My Window" (2008)

Out My Window is a gentle blend of 60s sunshine pop, hazy millennial stoner pop infused by a hip hop sensibility.  The hip hop isn't the street wise gansta stuff, but the heady underground vibe favored by several West Coast musicians in the late 90s & early part of the 21st century.  It's probably not surprising that Koushik hasn't made a bigger splash in music circles, although it predates much of the Pitchfork championed indie sounds that come a few years later.  Somewhat ironically, Koushik is actually much better than those later acts.

Daedelus "Exquisite Corpse" (2005)

There is a lot going on with this album.  Musically, you have orchestral passages, skittering beats, and other elements you'd expect to find in turn of the millennium electronica.  But he's also enlisted the help of a variety of A list underground rappers -- Doom, Mike Ladd.

It's not surprising that Daedelus' music hasn't ever really caught on in a big way.  But given the success of other LA acts you'd expect that he'd see more interest just from being part of the same locale.  This is challenging, but worth the effort.

The Felice Brothers "Tonight at the Arizona" (2007)

While these guys are often considered some sort of country band, in my mind they're clearly on the rock side of the divide.  That's not to say that there are traditional elements or influences in their music.  Yes, they are there.  But the playing and singing itself come from a sloppy indie rock place.  Imagine if the Band had started out playing 90s indie rock instead of rockabilly. 

Anyway, Tonight at the Arizona may be my favorite of their albums.  Mostly that's due to song selection.  While I haven't bothered to compare track lists, it feels like most of my favorite songs are here.

Mayra Andrade "Navega" (2007)

This is an absolutely beautiful album from this Cape Verdean singer.  Think a more energized Cesaria Evora.  There's a wonderful cosmopolitan summery feeling throughout.  It's like listening to Brazilian music in the shade on a hot summer day.  Apparently this was quite successful in Europe, but mostly overlooked in the States.