Happy Monday everyone!  With this new week comes five album reviews to enjoy as you sip your morning coffee/hide inside from the heat/relax at the end of the day.  This batch of albums varies greatly, from EP to full-length, great to ok, and generic indie to original quirky rock.  Overall, these albums are great as you can see in our ratings.  Enjoy!

1.  Yourself and The Air’s Who’s Who in the Zoo

With the end of my time in high school came college and a renewed perspective on music.  My top bands transformed from Taking Back Sunday, Brand New, and Coheed & Cambria to The Shins, Death Cab for Cutie, and Bright Eyes. A similar transformation seems to have occurred to the dudes of Yourself and The Air, whose music reflects a coming of age.  Who’s Who in the Zoo is an exceptionally mature debut that shines brightest during Sick Days, a song that was undoubtedly influenced by the music they listen to in high school.  Yourself and the Air is an indie band for the emo kid at heart.

Sick Days – Yourself and The Air Sick Days – Yourself and The Air (Free Download)

2.  Alberta Cross’ Broken Side of Time

Broken Side of Time is an incredibly complex masterpiece that sends Alberta Cross into the highest ranks of mainstream-friendly rock.  With blues undertones found in bands like Kings of Leon and Killers-esque arena-friendly choruses, this band is bound for the top spot in iTunes.  It’s impossible to avoid the Neil Young comparison when speaking of lead singer Petter Stakee’s vocals, which resonate strongest in Taking Control, a song that is lovable (in a cool, manly way) from the opening chord.

Taking Control – Alberta Cross Taking Control – Alberta Cross (Buy)

3.  Royal Forest’s Self-titled EP

Austin’s Royal Forest made the trip up to New York City a couple months back and took the time to film a BUZZsession with us.  After that shoot, I downloaded their album and have been listening to it ever since.  They’re the sort of “what you see is what you get” band; they don’t try to be something they’re not, delivering extremely simple tunes in a way that is throroughly enjoyable.  They won’t blow you away with their originality, yet there’s somehting approachable about this EP that makes it worth the $5.  Comparisons to Spoon are well-deserved here for this gang of four.

Civilwarland – Royal Forest Civilwarland – Royal Forest (Buy)

4.  GIVERS’ Self-titled EP

I am hereby declaring GIVERS’ debut EP my favorite EP of all time.  It’s a bold statement, yet after spending months with this album perched atop my most-played list in iTunes, being bold seems appropriate. This album’s a gem from start to finish, each track similar enough to maintain continuity, yet different enough to allow GIVERS‘ creativity to radiate.  My personal favorite, Ceiling of Plankton is upbeat, cheerful, full, and provides the perfect example of everything there is to love about this band.  As in the remainder of the album, Tiff Lamson and Taylor Guarisco’s vocals are playful and so succinct that they act as a single entity, providing pleasure to all that listen.  This EP is one for the ages.

Ceiling of Plankton – GIVERS Ceiling of Plankton – GIVERS (Buy)

5.  Two Door Cinema Club’s Tourist History

After that glowing review of the GIVERS EP, its nice not to have a sizable drop-off with Two Door Cinema Club’s Tourist History.  Northern Ireland’s Two Door Cinema Club, as I’ve previously claimed, are going to be the next indie band to break into the mainstream, as the entire 11-track album is accessible to all.  It’s the sort of album that if I played for my grandfather, he’d keep asking what the band was called even though he’s 90 and would never have heard of them.  Tourist History is only their debut effort, yet it’s received endless praise from the most respected sources around.  Favorites include Some Good Can Work, Eat That Up, It’s Good For You, Undercover Martyn, and This Is The Life.

Eat That Up, It’s Good For You – Two Door Cinema Club Eat That Up, It’s Good For You – Two Door Cinema Club (Buy)