Netherfriends - Calling You Out EP (2009)

This is another of my certain favorites of the year. Though it's just an EP and not a full album, Netherfriends pack quite the punch into this recording with these six songs. They play psych pop along the lines of Animal Collective, who are certainly their biggest influence, but with more focus on legible lyrics rather than Animal Collective style where more often than not the focus is on the sound of the overall recordings instead. At first they might sound very similar to AC, but I gaurantee you: listen to them closely, and you will quickly realize they are anything but that. I think the main reason I made that comparison at first is that honestly, I've never heard a band that makes anything that sounds remotely like AC before. It's possible that I just missed it, but as far as I'm concerned they were totally unique for a very long time. However, the Netherfriends don't restrain themselves to only making music in that psychedelic spiritual, magical pop vein. In fact, they quite often cross over into other genres. Mom Cop is an indie rock/pop marvel that bares more in common with poppy dance punk bands (but much better, I hate most of that crap), and the EP has elements from a whole array of influences that show. Also, sticking with the AC comparison because I think it is the best way I can describe them, a major difference is more melodic rhythym guitar and much, much less relying on electronic elements. When all is said and done, and you've listened to the album a few times, you won't be able to stop. This is, without a doubt, one of the best debut EPs I have ever heard from any band that I can think of. If you don't listen to this, you deserve to be shot. Just sayin.