Music Reviews: Slim Twig, Amanda Blank, Kleerup

Slim Twig, Contempt! (Paper Bag) Meet actor-musician Max Turnbull—better known by his Rip Torn–inspired stage moniker Slim Twig—a pompadour’d Goth-dandy from Toronto. (Think Jack Skellington in 1950s Memphis.) On his debut long-player, Contempt!, Turnbull moves away from his avant-rockabilly roots found on early EPs in favor of more macabre fare, layering Elvis-like vocals over gritty, reverb-heavy samples and found sound. Surprisingly likeable, his track “Patty Ann” even adds hip-hop to the mix, one of many sonic curveballs from the new poster boy for indie-quirk. —Annie Clinton

Hockey, Mind Chaos (Capitol) The debut album from Oregon’s Hockey delivers a hat trick of electro-infused dance, pop and disco. But despite its spirited arena appeal, frontman Benjamin Grubin’s brand of alt-pop ultimately sounds like a poor imitation of the Strokes. Most tracks by the five-piece are at least palatable toe-tapping fun, but “Song Away” wavers over an abyss of generic sweetness—the Killers on MDMA, perhaps. —Carolyn Gregoire

The Lovely Feathers, Fantasy of the Lot (Sparks Music/Tommy Boy) After the release of their promising debut album, the members of Montreal’s preeminent pop brotherhood abruptly disbanded to pursue their graduate studies. Three years on, the Feathers are back like a really catchy phoenix rising from the ashes of responsibility and adulthood. From Fantasy’s exuberant opener “Lowiza” to the stadium triumph of “Loading Dock,” the Feathers once again prove themselves master crafters of melody, shouting lyrics that inspire, rather than annoy. Guys, don’t stick to your day jobs. —Ben Barna

Simian Mobile Disco, Temporary Pleasure (Wichita) On their sophomore effort, Temporary Pleasure, London-based producers James Ford and Jas Shaw serve up an exhilarating party platter of analog dance anthems, featuring an indie wet dream of collaborators from the Gossip’s Beth Ditto and Hot Chip’s Alexis Taylor to Telepathe. Standouts include “Off the Map,” which finally gives Jamie Lidell the dancefloor credit he deserves, and the plaintive-rap, Obama-spoofing stream of consciousness “Audacity of Huge,” featuring Yeasayer’s Chris Keating. The dance album of the year, it’s both immensely pleasurable and unfortunately temporary—thank God for the loop option. —Nick Haramis

Amanda Blank, I Love You (Downtown) Amanda Blank’s dirty, sex-charged solo debut is predictable electro-rap brilliance. Tracks from the Spank Rock protégé range from the album’s rapidfire opener “Make It Take It” (a sonic lovechild of Santigold and Toni Basil) to the bass-heavy “Make-Up,” which dips into trance territory. Blank’s old-school 2-4 rhymes hit hardest on “Lemme Get Some,” featuring Chuck English, but indie sensibilities abound: sensitive-side ballad “A Love Song” gives the bad-girl hedonism a nice counterpoint, and the Lykke Li collaboration “Leaving You Behind” is a low-tempo affair that boils to a fittingly epic finish. —Foster Kamer

Tiny Vipers, Life on Earth (Sub Pop) Tiny Vipers’ second album begins with a question: “Do you recall when the world was still young?” When absorbing the gossamer innocence of Seattle-based singer-songwriter Jesy Fortino, the answer is yes, yes we do. Beautifully cut off from the world, her lyrical poetry weaves together a narrative held up by lilting, folksy guitar melodies. A heady mix of haunting and longing, Life on Earth meanders dreamily from loves lost to places forgotten, at once earthly and ethereal. —C.G.

Kleerup, Kleerup (Astralwerks) Releasing his grip on Sweden’s soulless fascination with electro-pop monotony, multi-instrumentalist Andreas Kleerup leans instead on house beats, heavy string accompaniment and a gaggle of female Scandinavian compatriots (Robyn and Lykke Li, among others). Li’s gravelly squall is put to gorgeous use on “Until We Bleed,” while Kleerup’s “On My Own Again” and the moody, misanthropic “Thank You for Nothing” (allegedly inspired by a falling out with collaborator Cyndi Lauper) make this solo debut more unforgettable than an IKEA commercial. —Eiseley Tauginas