The trouble with talking about a discrete movement in pop music is that there’s only so much one can say; and more often than not, what one can say is probably a woeful generalization. Take, for example, Andy Cabic of Vetiver. Willfully nebulous though it may be, there’s probably no current movement more discrete than the quote-unquote “freak folk” Cabic and his more famous friend, Devendra Banhart, have been slowly and steadily bringing to the indie limelight since 2002 or so. It can be …

Okay, I give. Things have been far too cute and nonsensical over in Canada ever since the Unicorns’ 2003 Stateside heyday with the release of Who Will Cut Our Hair When We’re Gone. I didn’t always feel that way. The Unicorns’ album was a piece of sweet and silly pop taffy, but even their disintegration was a joy, because it lead to the formation of Islands and the creation of one of this year’s best records, Return to the Sea. However, while I can …

Every once in a while, a record appears which is not of this world. This is not to say that it was delivered by aliens (unless we’re going to talk about Elvis a little) or anything silly like that. It’s more to the flavor of smaller outsiders who live in trees, subsist only on berries and the dew from leaves, and whose whole existence seems to be wrapped up in music and the enjoyment of it. If I had less pride, I would probably …