I hate quoting myself, but listening to A Certain Feeling, the new album from Los Angeles quartet Bodies Of Water, I come back to what I wrote when I saw them open up for Sons & Daughters back in March – “a musical mystery tour through the sounds of the ’70s, paying special attention to the lessons of prog rock as well as influences you’d file under psychedelia or country”. All of which I still stand by but I need to amend it by adding what seems to be the single unifying influence on the record – rock opera.

The record’s sudden stylistic shifts, drawn-out arrangements, dramatic delivery and powerful, rotating lead vocals make much more sense in that context, instead of taken as straight pop music. And while the harmonies are the most remarkable part of Bodies Of Water’s sound, they’re not short on instrumental prowess as the extended musical sections will attest – and it’s not jamming, it’s well thought-out and executed composition. Brought together, though, it’s not so much chocolate and peanut butter to my ears. It’s too dense, too overdramatic. A Certain Feeling is something I can certainly respect, it’s just not something I especially see myself wanting to listen to a lot.

The band are playing the El Mocambo on Saturday night, August 9, and courtesy of Against The Grain, I’ve got three pairs of passes to give away and courtesy of whoever it was that sent me multiple copies of the album, I’ve also got two CDs of A Certain Feeling to give away. To enter, email me at contests AT chromewaves.net with “I will cross this Body Of Water” in the subject line and in the body, indicate if you want to enter for the passes or the CD or both, and include your full name and mailing address. Entrants for the passes should be in the Toronto area, obviously, but if you want a CD you can be from anywhere. Deadline for entry for the passes is tonight at midnight, for the CDs I’ll let that run another few days – say till midnight August 10th.

Muzzle Of Bees asks five questions of the band, NOW has an interview of no fixed number of questions.

MP3: Bodies Of Water – “Under The Pines”
MP3: Bodies Of Water – “I Guess I’ll Forget The Sound, I Guess I Guess”
MP3: Bodies Of Water – “These Are The Eyes”
MP3: Bodies Of Water – “Doves Circle The Sky”
MP3: Bodies Of Water – “We Are Co-Existors”
Video: Bodies Of Water – “I Heard A Sound”
MySpace: Bodies Of Water

Obviously unable to let Brendan Canning enjoy the Broken Social spotlight with Something For All Of Us…, Kevin Drew has released a new song for free download over at RCRDLBL.

Drowned In Sound reports that Los Campesinos! will release the follow-up to their debut Hold On Now, Youngster… and their second album of the year with We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed, due out October 13 in the UK and November 11 in North America.

The Dears will return with their new album Missiles will be out October 21. NME has reposted some musings on the new record posted by Natalia Yanchack to her blog. And I think that’s a song from the new album streaming on the band’s website – correct me if I’m wrong.

Billboard offers an early review of The Verve’s Forth, due out August 26. NME reports that even with the return of The Verve, Richard Ashcroft intends to continue with his solo career, which would explain the jammier stylings of the resurrected band – he’s saving all the ballad-y stuff for himself.

Tricky will be at the Phoenix on September 9, the same day as the release of his new album Knowle West Boy. Full North American dates at NME.

The Star-Telegram and IGM talk to The Hold Steady, who recorded a rooftop performance for PitchforkTV. The Quietus also gets a guide to surviving life on the road and Independent Weekly gets song annotations while Rolling Stone settles for a Q&A.

ClickMusic interviews Scott Devendorf of The National.

Scientific American discusses the musician/scientist lifestyle with Shearwater’s Jonathan Meiburg.

MTV declares Fleet Foxes “the most unlikely breakout band of the year”. Blurt also has a brief feature.

Filter gets to know Grand Archives.

The Indianapolis Star gets a Wilco state of the union from John Stirratt.

The Rochester Post-Bulletin talks to Gary Louris, who will release Ready For The Flood, his collaboration with Mark Olsen, on September 16.

Lucinda Williams will release a new album in Little Honey on October 14.

Yesterday I’d said The Whigs weren’t coming to town anytime soon – wrong. They’re going to be here on November 7 with We Are Scientists opening up for Kings Of Leon at the Kool Haus.