Has a more personal feel than past Pains records.

1. Crystal Fighters – “Love Alight” (Zirkulo/PIAS) Since the debut of their 2010 debut LP, London’s Crystal Fighters have continued a gradual transition from their folktronica roots to something much more dance-y. As their newest single, “Love Alight,” has all the elements needed for a massive summer push, we figure we would share before you grow tired of the track’s …

[xrr rating=3.25/5]It seems the Pains of Being Pure at Heart grew dissatisfied with being the Pains of Being Pure at Heart almost immediately. Their 2009 self-titled LP was about as perfectly formed as debut albums get, instantly mastering a certain tone of fuzzy twee mixed with bright, jangly guitars. It was as though the band had emerged fully formed to …

These excellent records fell just short of our Top 20 of 2011 list. The Antlers- Burst Apart [Frenchkiss] I suspect I’m not the only one who slowly scrolled through this very site’s Top 20 Albums of 2011 feature a few times in a vain attempt to locate Burst Apart. It had to be there somewhere, right? It wasn’t, though, and …