Ethan Goodman

I’m always nervous when a band I love announces their next release; I get anxious, thinking that it could be the best one yet, or the one that loses me. This sense of uncertainty is especially present when it’s an eclectic group like of Montreal, who debuted in ’97 with joyful, 60s obsessed twee pop

After three years, Dan Deacon is back with twinkling synths, clacking stacks of percussion, warped vocoders and a nervous but overall optimistic outlook. With Gliss Riffer, Deacon has tightened his song writing and honed his pop sensibilities without losing his creative edge, carefully layering fun DIY electronica with indie sensibilities and modern classical rhythms. Lyrically,

After the half ­drunk, half­ melodies of a Jeff Tweedy look alike and the smooth, heartfelt schtick of Uke-­Hunt, Kid Congo & The Pink Monkey Birds took the stage in denim jackets, striped shirts and swaths of spring reverb. For those unacquainted, Kid Congo Powers has had a long history in music, playing with such