Moby Tenenbaum

It’s hard to believe that the two principal members of New York-based band Alberta Cross are a Swede and a Brit, because the sound of their recently released sophomore album is so distinctly heartland America. This majestic anthem of a song, 'Magnolia', provides a great example. It starts out sounding like a mid-tempo blend of southern rock and canyon rock and then segues powerfully into quasi-Gospel call-and-response -- brilliant, brilliant songwriting. Every time I hear this song, it sends shivers up my spine.



At a time when my musical preferences are definitely skewing toward noise bands and psychedelia, it seems strange that my two favorite songs of 2012 so far are both American anthems. My second pick is 'You As You Were', by Austin-based Shearwater, which has built a reputation on lovely, quiet, shimmering tunes. Their most recent album, 'Animal Noise', which came out early this year, was a big departure from their usual serene ways, rocking much harder than their previous work. This track, which is from it, feels like an exuberant sprint toward salvation, building to higher and then higher levels before it crosses the finish line a true world champion.