Beyond Brooklyn

Review: Bill Callahan - "Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle"

2009-06-24T15:36:00.002-04:00

9.2

From the opening track, “Jim Cain”, it is clear that “Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle” is going to be a different kind of album than the comparatively sunny “Woke On A Whaleheart”. Callahan states on the opener: “I used to be darker/then I got lighter/then I got dark again” ushering in a sorrowful mood so frequently employed by Callahan during his Smog days. Maybe as a fanbase we should do as much as possible to keep Callahan miserable because “Sometimes” is his most cohesive and brilliant work since his landmark “A River Ain’t Too Much To Love”.

Presumably this is a break-up album. The woman that brought Callahan the joy that was so visible on “Woke On A Whaleheart” has flown the nest, and rejoined the flock of thirty-something singles migrating into middle age. Bird imagery is everywhere on “Sometimes” and gives the album a cohesive, tight feel. From the third track, “The Wind And the Dove”, until the second to last track, “Invocation of Ratiocination” birds are the focus of each track. Birds seem to represent change, and unsurprisingly, flight for Callahan. But the bird milieu goes far beyond that, to ideas of nesting and the anonymity of the flock. Callahan was always a masterful lyricist and his ability to convey the collapse of a relationship through bird imagery is impressive. Unlike other break-up albums, The Mountain Goat’s “Get Lonely” comes to mind, the sad nature of the subject-matter does not hinder the musicality of the album. There is a compelling mixture of mid-tempo tracks like “Eid Ma Clack Shaw” and “My Friend” with slow burners like “Too Many Birds” and “Jim Cain”.

The single misstep on this album is that it is weak towards the end. “Invocation of Ratiocination” is a two-minute song that is reminiscent of angel’s gargling and adds nothing to the album. The closer, “Faith/Void”, is relatively upbeat compared to the rest of the album and gives the album a good sense of closure. However, at 9:44 it is just too long and its lyrics are entirely too repetitive (mostly “It’s time to put God away” ad nauseam). It’s not a terrible song, but compared to the strong beginning and middle of the album, it seems like a let down.

Even without a spectacular finish, “Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle” is one of the years strongest albums and reestablishes one of folk’s most consistent songwriters as a force to be reckoned with.

Review: Eels - "Hombre Lobo"

2009-06-21T20:40:00.003-04:00

8.3

It has been a long time since we have heard from Mark Oliver Everett. After his three disc monster (some would say masterwork) “Blinking Lights and Other Revelations” was released in 2005, E focused most of his energies on his autobiography “Things the Grandchildren Should Know”. “Hombre Lobo” is a solid rock album that is more akin to his pre-Blinking Lights work like “Shootenany” and “Souljacker” than his more sentimental, personal work. This is likely to leave many casual fans cold and many critics accusing E of regressing to an earlier, unpopular period in his career. Though this album may not find much of an audience with Eels faithful, it is a smart, at times raunchy, gallop through a rarely seen side of E’s personality.

The first track, “Prizefighter”, is a straight rock song with a funk kick. The lyrics aren’t especially inspired, but the beat makes it a solid opener. The album really shines when it is faster-paced and rough. The two standout tracks on the album are “Lilac Breeze” and “Tremendous Dynamite”. The former is a fairly straight rocker that is the quintessential summer song. The latter is a funky rambling ode to a bachelor stalking his prey. Both are much different than anything found on “Blinking Lights”, but both are cleverly written songs which are tremendously fun. Two other good songs that are also fast-paced are “Fresh Blood”, another ode to the mindset of the the single male looking for love (or sex, actually mostly sex) and “Beginner’s Luck”, a poppy song about new love.

However, not all songs on “Hombre Lobo” are rocking tributes to male virility. Songs like “That Look You Give That Guy” are written in classic downer Eel’s style. Yet, the slower songs that made albums like “Blinking Lights and Other Revelations” and “Electro-Shock Blues” spectacular albums seem out of place and hinder the pace of “Hombre Lobo”. It doesn’t help that none of the new slower material covers novel topics (it’s more of the same down-on-his-luck pleas for love). It is actually the slow, emotional songs that hinder an otherwise very good album.

Taken as a whole, “Hombre Lobo” is a mixed bag. It contains some of the strongest rock songs of E’s corpus. Songs like “Tremendous Dynamite” and “Lilac Breeze” will find there place in summer mixes for years to come. Unfortunately, what was once the Eels’ biggest strength, emotionally devastating ballads, do not fit with the mood of “Hombre Lobo” slowing it down and sucking out the masculine crudeness which makes the album so powerful. Unfortunately, this album is likely to alienate many die-hard Eels fans while not winning over many new fans who look for their rock music elsewhere.

Best of 2009 List and More Music Videos

2009-03-25T10:43:00.003-04:00

Hey all,

Not a ton of time to comment, but I thought that you might enjoy some music videos. Here are a few that I have found various places:

Bonnie "Prince" Billy - "I am Goodbye"

Great Lake Swimmers - "Pulling On A Line"

Here's the list of my favorite albums of 2009 so far:

1. The Deep Dark Woods - "Winter Hours"
2. Phosphorescent - "To Willie"
3. William Elliott Whitmore - "Animals In The Dark"
4. Great Lake Swimmers - "Lost Channels"
5. Jon-Rae Fletcher - "Oh Maria"
6. Timber Timbre - s/t
7. Neko Case - "Middle Cyclone"
8. M. Ward - "Hold Time"
9. Vetiver - "Tight Knit"
10. The Handsome Family - "Honey Moon"

So far it has been a strong year for established bands. With the exception of The Deep Dark Woods and Jon-Rae Fletcher all the albums that I have really liked so far have been from acts that I knew and liked. I have been especially impressed by the new M. Ward album. I didn't love She & Him and I was afraid that Ward would continue with a solo album of retro-pop of the same ilk. However, Ward came back with a great rock album that could be a top summer album. The Great Lake Swimmers also turn up the intensity, delivering a more uptempo, consistent indie rock album then they have ever made before. "Pulling On A Line" is a complete gem and "Concrete Heart" is emotionally devastating, but the album is good from beginning to end. The Deep Dark Woods album is just a great Americana album. It mixes folk and country elements perfectly. "Two-Time Loser" is my song of the year so far and shouldn't be missed.

If you have any questions about the albums discussed above or just want to comment, drop me a line. Look for more postings as summer rolls around and I have more time. Also forthcoming albums by Bill Callahan and Eels will definitely merit a blog post or two...

Some Videos For You Guys

2009-02-26T11:28:00.003-04:00

Hey all!

Just a quick post today. I haven't posted any music videos in awhile and here are a few that I have really enjoyed in the past year or so:

Okkervil River - "Lost Coastlines"

Fever Ray - "If I Had A Heart"

M. Ward - "Hold Time"

Antony and the Johnsons - "Epilepsy Is Dancing"

Hope you like these! See y'all soon!

The Return of Clem Snide!

2009-02-16T23:30:00.004-04:00

Hello everyone!

I have some exciting news! Singer-songwriter Eef Barzelay has reunited with his original band Clem Snide. They just released their long-awaited 6th album "Hungry Bird" which is a solid album that will be enjoyed by longtime fans of the band and Eef. Even more exciting is that Clem Snide will be going on tour beginning this March. Here are the dates:

3/11 Atlanta, GA 3/21 Toronto, ON
The Earl Horseshoe Tavern

3/12 Chapel Hill, NC 3/22 Cleveland, OH
Local 506 Beachland Ballroom

3/13 Asheville, NC 3/23 Fort Wayne, IN
Grey Eagle Tiger Room

3/14 Arlington, VA 3/24 Chicago, IL
lota Schubas

3/15 Pittsburgh, PA 3/25 Minneapolis, MN
Club Cafe 400 Bar

3/16 Philadelphia, PA 3/26 Madison, WI
World Cafe High Noon Saloon

3/18 New York, NY 3/27 DeKalb, IL
Bowery Ballroom House Cafe

3/19 Cambridge, MA 3/28 St. Louis, MO
Middle East Off Broadway

Hopefully this will be the beginning of a longer reunion will further touring and more recorded material!

Clem Snide - "Find Love"

More updates forthcoming...

My Top 23 Albums of 2008

2009-02-04T14:21:00.005-04:00

Sorry to have to do this to you guys, but I don't have time to write up descriptions right now, but here are my favorite albums of 2008.

1.The Tallest Man on Earth - “Shallow Grave” (Folk)
2. Peter and the Wolf - “Mellow Owl” (Folk)
3. Silver Jews - “Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea” (Folk Rock)
4. Pete Greenwood - “Sirens” (Folk)
5. The Mountain Goats - “Heretic Pride” (Folk)
6. The Burning Hell - “Happy Birthday” (Folk)
7. A Weather - “Cove” (Folk Pop)
8. Sun Kil Moon - “April” (Folk)
9. Frontier Ruckus - “The Orion Songbook” (Folk Rock)
10. Laura Marling - “Alas I Cannot Swim” (Folk)
11. Johnny Flynn - “A Larum” (Folk)
12. Super XX Man - “Volume XII: They’ll Be Diamonds” (Folk)
13. Horse Feathers - “House With No Home” (Folk)
14. Blackbird Harmony - “Hardwood Exits” (Country Folk)
15. Okkervil River - “The Stand-Ins” (Indie Rock)
16. Jason Anderson - “The Hopeful and the Unafraid” (Folk Rock)
17. Ezra Furman and the Harpoons - “Inside the Human Body” (Rock)
18. Shoreline - “Time Well Spent” (Folk)
19. Elliott Brood - “Mountain Meadows” (Rock)
20. Neil Halstead - “Oh! Mighty Engine” (Folk)
21. Donovan Quinn and the 13th Month - s/t (Folk)
22. James Yorkston - “When the Haar Rolls In” (Folk)

More coming soon! Hope to give you guys some videos and stuff from these albums when I have time!

My Favorite Albums of 2008: 29-23

2008-12-26T21:06:00.005-04:00

Here are my favorite albums #29-23:

29. Noah and the Whale - "Peaceful, The World Lays Me Down"

My favorite cheery pop album of the year. This joyful little album never ceases to put a smile in my face, no matter my mood. Songs like "2 Atoms In A Molecule" combine intelligent, cute lyrics ("If love is a game/how come it is no fun?/ If love is a game/how come I've never won?) with upbeat drumming and a fun chorus. But Noah and the Whale is not simply a one dimensional pop band. The title track shows a more sensitive side of the band and shows their ability to write good mid and low tempo songs. The two highlights on this album for me were "5 Years Time" and "Give A Little Love". "5 Years Time" is a great pop song about how we should enjoy every minute of our time together today because who knows where we will be in the future? "Give A Little Love" is a more mid-tempo track that combines the message of giving love unconditionally and trying to pursued a girl on the fence to not break her male lovers heart. This band has achieved a decent level of popularity in their native England and if they can keep the core the band together (especially Laura Marling who has a burgeoning solo career) then they could be a pop force for years to come.

Key tracks: "5 Years Time", "Give A Little Love", "2 Atoms In A Molecule"

Noah and the Whale - "5 Years Time"

28. Gus Black - "Today Is Not the Day...To Fuck With Gus Black"

Gus Black is an American singer-songwriter who has been around making songs for quite some time (he covered "Don't Fear The Reaper" for the Scream Soundtrack), he is also an actor having appeared on the television show "Californication" with David Duchovny. Black, unlike Noah and the Whale, seems to be a very unhappy man. Most of his songs are about being depressed or angry or both, but hot damn the man can write a killer lyric. Sung in a kind of hissed whisper the title track has killer lines like "Is she really that shallow/I heard she's sleeping with Vincent Gallo". The more I listen to this album, the more it reminds me of a darker "Boxer" with lyrics that touch the more surreal elements of our everyday experiences. Also, like "Boxer", "Today" didn't grab me at first as being particularly special, but the more you listen to the album and catch the lyrics the more impressive this album becomes. I would not be the least surprised if I was listening to "Out on the Amsterdam" and "Little Prince Town" ten years from now because good music and song-writing like this is timeless.

Key tracks: "Little Prince Town", "One For the Arrow"

Gus Black - "Little Prince Town"

27. Micah P. Hinson - "Micah P. Hinson and the Red Empire Orchestra"

Micah P. Hinson, a folk musician from Abilene, Texas, has one of the purest voices of any young folk singer. His deep baritone voice has a grainy texture that is not so clean as to be saccharine, but not so rough as to leave splinters. "Orchestra" is a marked improvement, from a songwriting perspective, compared to Hinson's earlier works. Still a few too many instrumental tracks on this album and the orchestration can get a bit masturbatory at times, but "Orchestra" has a smooth flow to the album where tracks seem to melt into one another. Songs like "Sunrise Over the Olympus Moons" have a pronounced Southern feel, but the string orchestration makes the track feel sophisticated and deep, a sentiment I rarely feel towards Southern music. Hinson, who has had a troubled past with substance abuse, with his recent engagement, seems to have finally found a stable, happy place in his life and his music is a reflection of the stability he has found personally.

Key tracks: "The Fire Came Up To My Knees", "Throw the Stone"

26. Fire On Fire - "The Orchard"

The latest release on this list, "The Orchard" is the first full length release by Portland-Maine-based Fire On Fire. After the release of their "5 Song EP" late last year, Fire on Fire have built up a cult following among folkies and indie rock bloggers. What's more, "The Orchard" did not disappoint. Certainly not as consistent as their 2007 EP, "The Orchard" is a very diverse record which picks influences as diverse as Eastern European folk music and Neutral Milk Hotel. At its core it is a jangly folk-rock record with joyously, crescendoing choruses and ragged, strained vocals. The album opens with a bang, "Sirocco" is one of the best songs on the record and it is reminiscent of their EP which should relate it to those who liked their previous stuff. "Hartford Blues" is another song in the same vein, which should immediately draw fans of indie rock as well as folk. Songs like "Toknight" sound like Eastern European Neil Young covers. Some may be turned-off by the Young-esque vocals, but for those who are used to modern folk and indie rock the vocals shouldn't be too radical (I mean it's no "Clap Your Hands, Say Yeah!"). The album is a bit over-long, clocking in at about an hour, but it is a great first effort for these guys. I expect these guys to gain a lot of popularity in indie rock circles in the next few albums.

Key tracks: "Toknight", "Sirocco"

25. Fleet Foxes - s/t

Everyone loooooves Fleet Foxes. I won't say too much about this album, since it has already gotten a lot of press and should be familiar to most of you. Fleet Foxes' first full length is folk inspired soft-rock album with a similar sound to Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young. "White Winter Hymnal" is one of the best songs of the year (awesome harmonization) and "Oliver James" is a great closing song. Just get the album, you'll be glad you did.

Key tracks: "White Winter Hymnal", "Oliver James", "Ragged Wood"

Fleet Foxes - "White Winter Hymnal"

24. The Moondoggies - "Don't Be A Stranger"

This is a deceptive album. At first, I was quick to categorize this album as another country-rock revival album along the lines of Elliott Brood's excellent "Mountain Meadows". However, upon further listens I began to hear to clear folk elements that seeped through the entire album. There are still the stomp along tracks on this album ("'Ol Blackbird" comes to mind), but the album is really anchored in slower lyrically introspective tracks like "Ain't No Lord" and "Old Hound". The album is rock solid, with the exception of the momentum killing "Night and Day". To be completely honest this album has just stuck around. I always want to listen to it and its diverse tempos and moods keep it fresh even with repeated listens.

Key tracks: "'Ol Blackbird", "Bogchiel Rain Blues"

23. Jacob Borshard - "A Glow In The Dark"

This album really snuck up on me at the end of the year. Jacob Borshard's release "A Glow In The Dark" is a diverse, ukulele centered pop masterpiece that was just the kind of album to bring some joy into a dreary year. From its first track, "Mary 2007", this album is clearly brilliant. Bringing together elements of indie pop with expressive ukulele playing, Borshard creates an album of joy. Sometimes the lyrics get silly, like on "There Was A Moon", but often the lyrics toe that fine line brilliantly ("Data And Worf" for example). There are some catchy songs on this album like "Hello Piero" and "In Love Again Again" which make the album stand up to repeated listens brilliantly. Possibly the best album of the last quarter of the year.

Key tracks: "Hello Piero", "Data and Worf"

More forthcoming! Including a review of a band we haven't heard from in awhile.

My Favorite Albums of 2008: 39-30

2008-12-23T19:31:00.003-04:00

Hey everyone! Let's resume my top 50 albums of 2008:

39. The Felice Brothers - s/t

The first of several Dylan-sounding bands on this list. The Felice Brothers have a raw, old-timey sound which was popular this year. On their self-titled release, they build on the momentum from the solid 2007 release "Tonight at the Arizona" and get ever closer to that break-out album that could establish them as a crossover success. The album has a good balance between faster, jangly rock tunes ("Take This Bread", "Frankie's Gun") and slower melancholy songs ("Saint Stephen's End"). Though this album does have its high points, the second half is rather weak (with the exception of "Helen Fry") and the album lacks a real stand-out track. Furthermore, I just narrowly missed seeing them live so I didn't get to experience these songs live, which I think would do some of them more justice ("The Greatest Show On Earth" especially). But overall a very good album by a band that I think will release a fantastic album in the next few years as they perfect their sound.

Key tracks: "Frankie's Gun", "Helen Fry", "Take This Bread"

The Felice Brothers - "Frankie's Gun"

38. Tyler Ramsey - "A Long Dream About Swimming Across the Sea"

One of the great surprises from early 2008, Tyler Ramsey's first full length album is a great mixture of folk and Americana that is easy on the ears. Once a de facto member of Band of Horses, Ramsey's sound is clearly influenced by the Horses, yet it distances itself from the harmonies and rockier numbers that have made them famous. Unlike most folk albums from this year, Ramsey has a classically good voice which can be appreciated by those outside of the folk-set. He is also a damn good guitar player. Some of the songs (especially the title track) drag on for far too long, but some of the songs ("Once in Your Life", "Chinese New Year") are perfectly paced. The album can be a bit sleepy for some, but I found its laid back feel refreshing. A good album that could use a bit of a kick in some places and some editing down.

Key tracks: "Once In Your Life"

37. Langhorne Slim - s/t

No album has moved around more on my list than Langhorne Slim's self-titled release. Definitely his strongest album and one with some of the best songs of his career and the year in general. The album flies out of the gate with "Spinning Compass", "Rebel Side of Heaven", and "Restless" which are three incredibly strong, up-tempo tracks. After that there are a couple of medium paced tracks and then the absolute stunner "Collette". "Collette" is the perfect Langhorne Slim song: well-paced, great lyrics ("Collette I knew the second we met you'd go to my head"), and a lot of fun without being silly. Unfortunately, the second half of the album was a real let down for me. Slim seems more concerned about doing his best Dylan impression than sticking to what made the first half of the album so good: faster, fun songs. I love a good ballad as much as the next guy, but the second half of the album is just too slow. Though it is an unbalanced effort, it cement's Langhorne Slim as one of the best when he is on.

Key tracks: "Restless", "Collette", "Hello Sunshine"

Langhorne Slim - "Restless"

36. Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - "Lie Down in the Light"

Will Oldham along with John Darnielle and Jason Molina forms a trio of singer-songwriters that have able to keep-up a consistently high level of production for almost two decades. Oldham seemed to be slumping however after "Then the Letting Go" failed to latch on with many previous fans and he continued to barrage his fanbase with frequent re-releases and re-recordings of old material. Thankfully, "Lie Down in the Light" represents a return to form for Oldham. Much more upbeat then much of his recent material. "Light" is almost a duet album, frequently paring Oldham's voice with female vocalist Ashley Webber. It might not be his best work (it's pretty hard to top "I See A Darkness"), but it is a rock solid album of Americana tinged folk songs that is both accessible to new fans and likely to bring a big ole smile to many of Oldham's devotees.

Key tracks: "For Every Field There Is A Mole", "So Everyone"

35. Slim Cessna's Auto Club - "Cipher"

The first true country record on the list, even if it is a fusion of country and punk rock. Slim Cessna has been one of my favorite Southern Gothic themed bands (joining The Handsome Family, 16 Horsepower, and Freakwater), but "Cipher" sees Slim and Co. heading in a new direction towards punk and even mainstream rock and away from their country roots. Their hit "Americadio" is case and point of this, as there is little in way of country music to see on this song. However, songs like "Children of the Lord" and "Red Pirate of the Prairie" are more country rooted. This album is full of hard-hitting rock songs that are just fun and often goofy. Slim has a way of skewering dogmatic religion that is humorous without being elitist and songs like "The Fierce Cow Is Common Sense In A Country Dress" illustrate this perfectly. Unfortunately, I fear that this might be the last country album (or last album period) in Slim's catalog, as Munly gains solo popularity and the band moves in a more mainstream direction.

Key tracks: "Boom Magalina Hagalina Boom", "Children of the Lord"

Slim Cessna's Auto Club - "Americadio"

34. The Gunshy - "I Gave Too Much Time To The Wine"

Every year needs a Tom Waits album or at least a Tom Waits sound-alike. Matt Arbogast sounds eerily like Tom Waits and his spoken-word songs as well as his regular songs are very much in the Waits vein. Usually, something this close to Waits would pale in comparison, but the songs here are very good. Certainly there a few ill-fated forays in ska-esque rock ("The Darling Days"), but when Arbogast slows it down "Wine" is a great folk album. This album isn't for everyone, especially those who hate Wait's gravely voice, and it is too long, but if you are looking for a collection of good folk songs and just need that Waits sound, this is your album. The flirtations with punk and ska should also draw some listeners in who have no interest in the ballad portion of the album, but I personally found those elements a distraction to the singer-songwriter portion of the album.

Key tracks: "I Gave Too Much Time To the Wine", "For Julia"

33. Beatbeat Whisper - "Wonder Continental"

A brother-sister duo that releases melodic nature folk isn't an exactly groundbreaking idea. However, if those siblings are Ayla and Davyd Nereo, then they might just make one of the most beautiful folk albums of the year. At points Ayla sounds similar to folk starlet Joanna Newsom and Davyd's vocals are melodic, singer-songwriter sounding. I really like nature-folk music so I might be a bit biased towards this album, but up-tempo songs like "Mismanaged Skies" could appeal to any audience. Also, this is their first major release, so there is lots of room to grow and improve, which is scary to think of when you hear how crisp the instrumentation and vocals are. If you like the Bowerbirds and albums in that genre, you should like this album. Oh yeah, there is also a song called "A Childhood of a Playful Heart" where they sound like The New Pornographers. It's weird, but better than "Challengers".

Key tracks: "Mismanaged Skies", "Tennessee"

32. Misophone - "Be Glad You Are Only Human"

Another late year release from Misophone who ended 2007 with "Where Has It Gone, All The Beautiful Music Of Our Grandparents? It Died With Them, That's Where It Went...". "Human" is a carnival themed album, which often sounds like weird background music at a fair from the 1920s. I personally find the first half of the album too cutesie and even a bit annoying, but I think fans of The Boy Least Likely To will eat it up. The second half of the album distances itself from the carnival atmosphere and more in the realm of whisper folk. "Been in the Storm" is the highlight of the album, with a steadily building chorus garnished with lush instrumentation and an almost operatic background chorus. "Homeward, Gone" though a bit on the carny side, manages to balance the carnival elements with a strong crescendo at the end of the song. There is a lot to like here, however this is a love it or hate it kind of album and fans of more mainstream music should steer clear.

Key tracks: "Been in the Storm", "Homeward, Gone"

31. The Hold Steady - "Stay Positive"

Another disappointing album that has moved around a lot on my list. I expect an awesome release from these guys every time they put out a record and at first listen I thought this was more of the same great stuff from "Boys and Girls in America". However, this album did not stand up like past Hold Steady albums to repeat listens. There are some great songs for their catalog like "Magazines" and "Constructive Summer", but there are also some crappy songs like "Navy Sheets" and gimmicky songs like "One For the Cutters". Also characters like Charlemagne are gone from this album. That might be a minor point, but it takes away an element of familiarity that I came to enjoy in Hold Steady albums. It seems like even Hold Steady fans are split on this album, some love it (especially songs like "Joke About Jamaica") and others, like myself, were disappointed. Overall, "Stay Positive" has some good songs, but is a disappointment compared to recent Hold Steady albums.

Key tracks: "Stay Positive", "Lord I'm Discouraged", "Magazines"

The Hold Steady - "Stay Positive"

30. Eef Barzelay - "Lose Big"

Eef Barzelay, former frontman of Clem Snide, released his second solo album of 2008 and it was almost universally panned by reviewers. Even with the bad reviews, I really enjoyed this album. At first I agreed with the reviewers like Pitchfork that thought that this album was abysmal. The addition of electric guitar and the often dorky lyrics were off-putting to someone who loved his first solo release "Bitter Honey". Yet the more I listened to this album the more I liked it, especially the back-end. Tracks like "Lose Big", "Make Another Tree", and "True Freedom" are among the best in Eef's catalog. Sure the beginning of the album is kind of boring, though fans of Clem Snide might like it, but even it offers more than meets the ear upon initial listen. Eef Barzelay is one of the underrated song-writers making music right now and if you like "Lose Big" you should really check out his first solo album and Clem Snide's work because Eef's ability to create characters and sing from odd perspectives (a stripper, covering a Christian Aguilera song, etc.) can be really interesting.

Key tracks: "Girl's Don't Care", "True Freedom"

Eef Barzelay - "Lose Big"

More coming up in the next couple days. Happy Holidays to all!

बेस्ट अल्बुम्स ऑफ़ २००८ ५०-४०

2008-12-21T22:00:00.002-04:00

Hey guys! Sorry for the long hiatus, but at long last I am here to post my favorite albums of 2008. It has been a great year for music (no matter what the haters say), most notably a significant resurgence of traditional folk music. So here are the first part of what will be a five part list!

50. Grampall Jookabox - "Ropechain"

This is a funny place to start because this was one of the most disappointing albums for me in 2008. As any of you who have seen my list from last year know, "Scientific Cricket" finished in my top twenty albums. "Ropechain" comes in with a much more beat-oriented, almost hip-hop, sound, which is a genre that I do not particularly like. That being said, there are some incredibly catchy songs on this album. "Black Girls" with its nonsensical lyrics and thumping bass is a very strong opening song, but the next several tracks are weaker. "Old Earth, Wash My Beat" is by far the strongest track on the album and is one of the years best songs. Overall, a bit of a sophomore slump by these guys, but a few very good tracks save "Ropechain" from being a complete disappointment.

Key tracks: "Black Girls" and "Old Earth, Wash My Beat"

49. The Dodos - "Visiter"

"Visiter" is one of the most universally critically acclaimed albums on this list, drawing praise from Pitchfork and The Onion AV Club among others. I also really like this album. The heavy percussion mixed with the guitar plucking gives "Visiter" a unique sound that stood out in a strong year for folk music. For me, the album is anchored by the song "Winter" which is reminiscent of the earlier work of the Magnetic Fields. However, "Winter" with its deep baritone and depressing lyrics is the exception and not the rule on this generally upbeat and accessible album. At times the percussion could get grating and disrupt the overall flow of the album (especially in the latter half). I guess I feel like this album is solid, but I am surprised that it garnered so much attention especially with many superior folk rock albums out there to choose from.

Key tracks: "Winter", "Walking", and "Fools"

48. Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson - s/t

One of the best rock albums of the year. Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson's self-titled debut album is a release full of promise, but also hurt by inconsistency. This inconsistency may be due to Robinson's hard lifestyle, which saw him miss appearances due to drug use and drunkenness (two addictions he has struggled through for years). However, when this guy is on, he produces impeccable early Modest Mouse sounding rock music with smart, downer lyrics. "Buriedfed", the first song off the album, is a crescendoing rock song lashing out at the pressure to live despite wanting to fade away. Without a doubt, "Buriedfed is one of the strongest rock songs of the year and other tracks in a similar vein "My Good Luck" and "The Debtor" are almost equally strong. Yet the rest of the album is bogged down with mindless guitar fuzz and is generally unfocused bouncing between Sonic Youth inspired noise rock, standard indie rock, and punk often in the same minute of a song. This may sound cool, but in reality it is jarring and sometimes unlistenable ("The Ongoing Debate Re: Present vs. Future"). Robinson has a lot of talent, though he might be best served by having a strong-armed producer to force him to focus his creative talent better.

Key tracks: "Buriedfed", "My Good Luck"

Miles Anthony Benjamin Robinson - "Buriedfed"

47. Peter Broderick - "Home"

And now for something completely different! Peter Broderick is perhaps best known for his work with Horse Feathers, however it is clear with the release of "Home" he is also a brilliant solo artist. "Home" takes the best parts of the ambient and folk genres and blends them together into a soothing, frequently beautiful album somewhat reminiscent of last years "Pride". "Not At Home" is my favorite track off the album, perhaps because it is Broderick at his folkiest. This album really is intended to be listened to as a whole, as most ambient albums are, and taken as an entirety is awe inspiring in its scope (sometimes Brodericks vocal seems to stretch through all of space and time) and beauty.

Key tracks: "Not At Home", "And It's Alright"

46. Magnetic Fields - "Distortion"

Another album that was a bit of a disappointment for me, but only because I hold these guys to incredibly high standards. "Distortion" is a noisy, pop-rock album based on a single premise: distortion in every song. Personally, I like my Merritt pop to be as clean (figuratively speaking) as possible. Yet, Merritt is such a good song-writer even a bad idea like distorting every song produced several excellent tracks. "California Girls" is a hilarious song about wanting to beat the hell out of spoiled, California heiress brats, "Too Drunk To Dream" has some great bitter/sarcastic lyrics about hitting the bottle after a hard break-up, and "The Nun's Litany" proposes a funny scenario about a nun dreaming about doing some very ungodly things. As always, these songs are smart and catchy, yet a few mistakes ("Zombie Boy" is an ill-fated Anthony and the Johnsons wanna-be gone horribly, horribly wrong) and a bad initial idea left me feeling relatively cold on "Distortion".

Key tracks: "California Girls", "Too Drunk to Dream", "The Nun's Litany"

45. Grand Salvo - "Death"

Rarely does a good story-album come along, let alone one about animals, but Grand Salvo managed to pull it off with their album "Death". Like many of the other albums on this part of the list it is inconsistent. Some of the spoken word parts are excessive and break up the flow of the album. However the music is often beautiful and I give these guys a lot of credit for attempting something so epic in scope. The song "Bear" is probably my favorite on the album, it is sweet nature-folk. Due to the impressive creativity and pleasant music Grand Salvo have created on this album I expect an even better, more consistent, album next time around.

Key tracks: "Bear"

44. Matt Bauer - "The Island Moved In The Storm"

This is the standard folk album with country influences, yet Bauer's talent as a vocalist sets him apart. Mostly done with just banjo and supporting female vocals (with the odd hint of strings, drums, and horns) "Island" is a sparse feeling album upon first listen. However, as one begins to listen deeper, Bauer's rich vocals begin to fill the void left by the sparing instrumentation. His voice is husky sounding, worn, but not from substance abuse or age. Like William Elliott Whitmore, he sings about country themes mixed with personal stories. This album has two principle failings that push it out of the top twenty: it is far too long (16 tracks!) and it doesn't have a home run song to anchor the album. So what you get is 16 tracks of solid, well-written sparse folk music which is most years would be a strength. Yet in a year as loaded with good folk albums as 2008, there was nothing to see Bauer apart and so "Island" slid out of my regularly listened to albums.

Key tracks: "Rose and Vine" (kinda)

43. Lesser Gonzalez Alvarez - "Why Is Bear Billowing?"

Another consistently "good" album that never wowed me. A acoustic guitar driven album with lilting vocals, Alvarez has all the tools to become a top notch singer-songwriter. Some of my friends really love this album, so it might just be a personal bias, but "Bear" never connected with me. I find some of the guitar work repetitive and Alvarez's songwriting never consistently impresses me. That being said, I do find myself listening to this album sometimes for no good reason, so there must be something bringing it back to me time and time again. Maybe it is all the other praise it has received. So I feel a bit ambivalent about this album, but don't take my word for it, I seem to be one of the few that hasn't liked this album.

Key tracks: "A Magic"

42. Mates of State - "Re-Arrange Us"

It seems that every year there is a pop album that I like that everyone else hates. Last year it was "Under the Blacklight" and this year it is "Re-Arrange Us". Mates of State's newest came under fire from die-hard fans for not using their trade-mark organ in any of the songs. I loved the organ as much as the next guy, but it was clear that it was limiting their sound. Moving to a piano has given Mates a more versatile sound that has allowed them to churn out a variety of straight pop ("Get Better") and ballads ("Blue and Gold Print"). Its a fun album that you don't have to try hard to get and it has been a solid change of pace album from all the folk and rock that I have listened to over the past year.

Key tracks: "The Re-Arranger", "Get Better", "Blue and Gold Print"

41. Man Man - "Rabbit Habits"

Another kick in the teeth from these guys. Though the songs are more structured than they once were, Man Man's erratic style is still plenty evident in their newest record. Songs like "Top Drawer" and "Mister Jung Stuffed" leap out of the speakers and assault your ear drums. Furthermore, they put on one hell of a live show and I would recommend seeing these guys wherever and whenever you can.

Key tracks: "Top Drawer", "Poor Jackie"

Man Man - "Mister Jung Stuffed"

40. Elephant Micah - "Exiled Magicians"

Joe O'Connell has consistently churned out some of the best folk and folk rock music out there. "Exiled Magicians" sees O'Connell opting for a more stripped down sound with little to no guitar fuzz. This stripping down of his music has brought his stellar vocals into sharper focus. This is especially true on the tracks "Exotic Criminals" and "Levi and Daniel". Unfortunately, this album got a bit lost in the crush of great folk records this year and is probably deserving of many more listens. But the list has to be completed some time (before the end of the year) and this one didn't quite get the number of listens it deserves. So keep an eye out for this one, if you like O'Connell's work or emotional folk music this is a definite must-get. Also, the first track ("Exotic Criminals") always reminds me of Great Lake Swimmers, though the rest of the album sounds nothing like it.

Key tracks: "Exotic Criminals", "A Spider Lives Here"

39-30 tomorrow. See you guys then!

Mid-Year Top 30 Songs of 2008

2008-07-31T19:40:00.002-04:00

So I made a top 20 list of albums for the mid-point of 2008 and have been getting really positive feedback about it, so I decided to make a top 30 songs list as well. Unfortunately, I don't exactly know what to say about songs, so it's hard to give a review. I will at least try to provide a score and tell you what album it's from in case anyone wants to check these tunes out. Enjoy!

1. Silver Jews - "Strange Victory, Strange Defeat" - Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea (9.7)
2. The Tallest Man on Earth - "A Gardener" - Shallow Graves" (9.6)
3. Langhorne Slim - "Collette" - Langhorne Slim (9.6)
4. The Mountain Goats - "Michael Myers Resplendent" - Heretic Pride (9.6)
5. Sun Kil Moon - "Lost Verses" - April (9.4)
6. Okkervil River - "Lost Coastlines" - The Stand-Ins (9.4)
7. A Weather - "Shirley Road Shirley" - Cove (9.3)
8. Silver Jews - "Party Barge" - Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea (9.1)
9. The Hold Steady - "Magazines" - Stay Positive (9.0)
10. Micah P. Hinson - "The Fire Came Up To My Knees" - Micah P. Hinson and the Red Empire Orchestra (9.0)
11. Laura Marling - "Failure" - Alas I Cannot Swim (9.0)
12. The Burning Hell - "The Second Cigarette" - Happy Birthday (9.0)
13. Noah and the Whale - "Give A Little Love" - Peaceful, The World Lays Me Down (8.9)
14. Elliott Brood - "Miss You Now" - Mountain Meadows (8.8)
15. Neil Halstead - "Paint A Face" - Oh! Mighty Engine (8.8)
16. Johnny Flynn - "The Box" - A Larum (8.6)
17. The Dodos - "Winter" - Visiter (8.6)
18. Slim Cessna's Auto Club - "Boom Magalina Hagalina Boom" - Cipher (8.3)
19. Jens Carelius - "Summer Skin" - The First Songs (8.3)
20. A Weather - "Pilot's Arrow" - Cove (8.3)
21. Noah and the Whale - "5 Years Time" - Peaceful, The World Lays Me Down (8.3)
22. Fleet Foxes - "Mykonos" - Sun Giant EP (8.3)
23. The Hold Steady - "Lord I'm Discouraged" - Stay Positive (8.0)
24. The Burning Hell - "A Grave Situation Part I" - Happy Birthday (8.0)
25. Jason Anderson - "El Paso" - The Hopeful and the Unafraid (8.0)
26. The Magnetic Fields - "Too Drunk to Dream" - Distortion (7.8)
27. Pickering Pick - "The Ballad of Kevvy and Jenny" - A Twitch Upon the Thread (7.8)
28. King Darves - "She Wants My Song" - The Sun Splits For ... The Blind Swimmer (7.5)
29. Port O'Brien - "Fisherman's Son" - All We Could Do Was Sing (7.5)
30. Breathe Owl Breathe - "Drop and Roll" - Ghost Glacier EP (7.4)

That's the list! Hope you guys like it! Catch you later!

A Great Cause and a Great Song!

2008-07-28T13:09:00.002-04:00

Hello everyone! In light of my recent best albums of 2008 mid-year list, I have been alerted that there is a free song available by The Tallest Man on Earth at the Yellow Bird Project. The Yellow Bird Project is a great cause by which indie bands like The National, Wolf Parade, and Devendra Banhart (just to name a few of my favorites) design t-shirts for sale and then donate that money to a charity of the band's choosing. The shirts all have cool designs (I think Devendra's is my favorite) and most importantly they help needy charities like Teenage Cancer Trust and Le Chainon Women's Center give services and support to those in need. And just for icing on the cake, there is even a free song by The Tallest Man on Earth available here.

If you can spare the money, please buy a t-shirt for a worthy cause! For more information click here or the banner below. Thanks and be back with a mid-year song report soon!

Mid-Year Observations

2008-07-27T22:09:00.002-04:00

I know it has been a very, very long time since I last posted, but I have been very busy with Sweden and then my summer internship. I apologize to all three of my very loyal readers.

However, I do have a surprise. A mid-year top twenty albums list. Some of these albums aren't out yet, but I can assure you I will buy every one of the ones on this list and I suggest you do too (even if you can get it for free on the internet) because these artists are just so damn good.

1. Silver Jews - "Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea"

Dave Berman is one of the best lyricists in the business and this album does not disappoint. Though some have been critical of this album cough:Pitchfork:cough I think it is better than "Tanglewood Numbers" and narrowly the best album in a year lacking an absolute stand-out album. LMLS manages to find the perfect balance of humor ("Party Barge") and melancholy ("Candy Jail"), as well as having a great story song ("San Francisco, BC") and possibly the year's best song ("Strange Victory, Strange Defeat"). I could do with less female accompaniment (courtesy of Berman's wife) and I wish the album was longer, but otherwise it's pretty damn good.

Score: 9.4
Key Tracks: "Strange Victory, Strange Defeat", "Party Barge"

2. The Mountain Goats - "Heretic Pride"

Another one of music's best lyricists, John Darnielle produces another fantastic album in the mold of "The Sunset Tree". While lacking TST's continuous themes and personal viewpoint, "Heretic Pride" sees Darnielle moving away from the melancholy of "Get Lonely" in favor of a more balanced emotional album. Filled with all sorts of emotions from intensity ("Sax Rhomer #1") to desperation ("So Desperate") to redemption ("Heretic Pride") this is a very complete feeling album that I am always in the mood to listen to. Unfortunately Darnielle fell ill after the release of this album, here's to a speedy recovery and a return to full health for him and his family.

Score: 9.3
Key Tracks: "Michael Myers Resplendent", "Autoclave"

3. The Tallest Man on Earth - "Shallow Graves"

Who would have thought that the years best folk album would come from a Dalarna-raised Swede? A brilliant combination of folk and Americana a la early Bob Dylan, "Shallow Graves" manages to feel raw within the confines of traditional song structures. The vocals are right out of "The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan" and the lyrics are flat out brilliant. "A Gardener" tells the tale of a man willing to commit countless offenses to stay pure in the eyes of the one he loves and "The Blizzard's Never Seen the Desert Sands" touches on the realm of unknown possibility. Good crisp length and excellent songwriting make this guitar and vocals album a must for 2008.

Score: 9.3
Key Tracks: "A Gardener", "I Won't Be Found"

4. Okkervil River - "The Stand-Ins"

This yet to be released gem is a perfect example of what a great band can do in their prime. Only a year after releasing the brilliant "The Stage Names", Will Sheff and crew (now minus Shearwater frontman Jonathan Meiberg) have struck gold again with 2008's "The Stand-Ins". Touching on many of the same themes like the price of fame and the relationship between band and audiance, as "The Stage Names"; "The Stand-Ins" shine a decidedly darker light on the life of the rock-star. As the second part of a conceived double album, TSI's is strongest when it just rocks. Tracks like "Lost Coastlines" (a duet between Sheff and Meiberg), "Pop Lie", and "Calling and Not Calling My Ex" are just great rock songs that can be appreciated on many levels from the cerebral lyrical quality to the thumping of drums and wailing of guitars. Though not much of an evolution from their previous work, TSI is a testament to Okkervil's genius and flow of creative productivity.

Score: 9.3 (and rising)
Key Tracks: "Lost Coastlines", "Pop Lie", "Singer Songwriter"

5. A Weather - "Cove"

As someone who has been inundated with Dylan-inspired folk albums so far this year, "Cove" represents a welcome change of pace. The first element of "Cove" that really stuck out to me was the male-female vocal harmony achieved by Aaron Gerber and Sarah Winchester on standout tracks like "Pilot's Arrow" and "Shirley Road Shirley". A Weather's song manages to be both understated and extremely moving. Hushed vocals blend with a wandering piano, rhythmic bass, and militant snare drum to completely hypnotize the viewer. The lyrics are also brilliant, "I never hated you/I loved you all at the time" whispers Gerber on the first track "Spiders, Snakes", being just one example of numerous one-liners that hit you right in the gut. Though "Pinky Toe" is a bit of a misstep, the positives outweigh the negatives by such a wide margin and even the missteps sound beautiful (they tend to be lyrical).

Score: 9.1
Key Tracks: "Small Potatoes", "Shirley Road Shirley", "Pilot's Arrow"

6. Laura Marling - "Alas I Cannot Swim"

The diminutive 18-year-old Marling is not what one thinks of when they assess the future of popular folk music, but maybe she should be. Even at such a tender age Marling writes incredibly mature songs that can be enjoyed by young and old. Marling is at her best when singing about loss, but this is no emo whiner crying about having her allowance taken away, "Ghost" sees her discussing "The ghosts that took my heart before I met you" and "Failure" devotes an entire song to unrealized dreams. But it is not all doom and gloom, "You're No God" is a call-to-arms and "My Manic and I" is a love song with a twist. What is amazing about Marling is how young she is and how much potential she has to improve. The voice is there, the emotion is there, the songwriting acumen is there, hell even the live show was impressive. With folks like Marling representing the future of folk music, I would say that the future is in good hands.

Score: 9.0
Key Tracks: "Failure", "Ghost", "My Manic and I"

7. The Hold Steady - "Stay Positive"

It is hard to be disappointed by a Hold Steady album, there are always a plethora of great one-liners, roaring guitars, and sing along choruses. But I can't help but feel like "Stay Positive" maybe be a step back for the kings of the bar rock scene. Sure the great songs are still there: "Magazines", "Constructive Summer", and "Sequestered In Memphis" just to name three. But a lot of the humor is gone, the production is getting almost too polished, and there is not a single mention of any of the characters in The Hold Steady universe (Charlemagne, etc.). This is still a very good album and even the weak tracks like "Navy Sheets" aren't oppressive, but I fear that this might be the beginning of the Hold Steady drifting too far away from their roots and turning into just another indie band. I hope that this doesn't happen, since they are one of my favorite groups and seem to be some of the nicest guys in the business.

Score: 8.7
Key Tracks: "Magazines", "Lord I'm Discouraged"

8. Sun Kil Moon - "April"

This is a very polarizing album. Quiet and long, it is easy to be overwhelmed by the lyrical density and seeming musical sameness of "April", but I caution you, dear reader, to not pass judgment on "April" too hastily. Most of the songs are over five minutes and consists mostly of understated vocals and quietly strummed guitar, but the lyrics are deep and each song has a few achingly beautiful moments. "Lost Verses" is the real gem here, being heart-rederingly sad, yet incredibly beautiful. One of the year's best tracks. "April" may be a bit overlong and certainly isn't for the faint of heart or the easily distracted, but for the patient, devoted listener "April" is a very rewarding record that has the depth to stick around in my rotation for years to come.

Score: 8.7
Key Tracks: "Tonight in Bilbao", "Lost Verses"

9. The Burning Hell - "Happy Birthday"

A delightful oddity, "Happy Birthday" like "Scientific Cricket" before it, is a strange but fun album with quirky lyrics, brilliant orchestration, and severe identity crisis. At times Mathias Kom sounds like Leonard Cohen, The Magnetic Fields, Jens Lekman, and The National on song topics ranging from an epic battle between a moth and a lightbulb ("General Electric vs. The Imperial Moth"), geesers in cover bands ("Dinosaurs"), and a bond between lovers that lasts after death ("A Grave Situation Part II). "Happy Birthday" must be heard to be appreciated (I hear their live show is absolutely fantastic as well). Sometimes the most refreshing music has a sense of humor and puts a smile on your face.

Score: 8.6 (rising)
Key Tracks: "A Grave Situation Parts I and II", "The Second Cigarette"

10. Micah P. Hinson - "Micah P. Hinson and the Red Empire Orchestra"

Another gorgeous baritone voice. Hinson's orchestration and mellow voice are beautiful. Maybe not as fully realized as it could be, another guy with a lot of potential. Might have the best voice of anyone on this list. If you like William Eliot Whitmore or Silver Jews you should also like this guy. "The Fire Came Up to My Knees" is a brilliant intense song that really showcases his vocal talent.

Score: 8.4
Key Tracks: "The Fire Came Up to My Knees", "Throw the Stone"

11. Noah and the Whale - "Peaceful, The World Lays Me Down"

Delightful pop album that should be fully embraced by lovers of Belle and Sebastian, Jens Lekman, and Herman Dune. Songs like "5 Years Time" and "Give A Little Love" never cease to put a smile on my face. Could raise much higher on my list as I listen to it more.

Score: 8.4 (rising)
Key Tracks: "5 Years Time", "2 Atoms in a Molecule"

12. Neil Halstead - "Oh! Mighty Engine"

Very laid back summer folk album in the vein of Kings of Convenience. Hushed vocals and muted guitar glide the listener through each delightful folk track. A very consistent album, nary a misstep. Might sound too samey to some. "Paint a Face" is a really exceptional track. Need more time with this one to fully review it, but it is so obviously a quality album that I had to put it here.

Score: 8.3 (rising)
Key Tracks: "Paint a Face", "Oh! Mighty Engine"

13. Elliott Brood - "Mountain Meadows"

Boy is this a fun album. Straight Americana guaranteed to get your foot tapping. No frills here, just well written fun songs. "Miss You Now" is the highlight here, but the album is very consistent overall. "Write It All Down For You" is defintely a top five rock song this year (or any year) for me, just gets those toes a tapping.

Score: 8.3
Key Tracks: "Miss You Now", "Write It All Down For You"

14.Jason Anderson - "The Hopeful and the Unafraid"

Was it love with this album at the beginning of the year, but it has a weak middle. "El Paso" is a lyrically brilliant rock song and "Watch Your Step" is another highlight. "This Will Never Be Our Town" really hurts this album, as it just has nothing going for it. Definitely a step in the right direction of Anderson though.

Score: 8.2
Key Tracks: "El Paso", "Watch Your Step"

15. Langhorne Slim - s/t

Collette is a brilliant song and the whole album makes me feel good. More straight Americana occupies a similar spot to Elliott Brood.

Score: 8.0
Key Tracks: "Collette", "Spinning Compass"

16. The Felice Brothers - s/t

Bob Dylan sounding guys, great straight folk album with a few big missteps. Maybe a better collection of songs then a cohesive album.

Score: 8.0
Key Tracks: "Frankie's Gun"

17. Slim Cessna's Auto Club - "Cipher"

Southern Gothic country stars release an album with five awesome tracks, but a bunch of really bad songs. I am afraid they are moving away from their country sound and more into straight rock, Woven Hand territory.

Score: 7.8
Key Tracks: "Ladies in the Know", "Boom Magalina Hagalina Boom"

18. Jens Carelius - "The First Songs"

If you like Nick Drake you will like this guy. Norwegian folk singer who sings in English, very consistent, but also very samey. Lots of potential here.

Score: 7.8
Key Tracks: "Summer Skin"

19. Fleet Foxes - s/t

A few great songs, but their EP was much more consistent. Fades away at the end. Lots of hype around these guys and they sound beautiful, but could be more consistent.

Score: 7.6
Key Tracks: "White Winter Hymnal"

20. Breathe Owl Breathe - "Ghost Glacier EP"

Great, even if it's just an EP. More of the same from these guys.

Score: 7.5
Key Tracks: "Drop and Roll"

Got a little tired out there at the end, hope you guys enjoy this! Be back soon hopefully!

Samamidon and Lacrosse

2008-02-08T06:28:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone! Last weekend I went to Copenhagen to visit my girlfriend who is studying there this year. Copenhagen is a classically beautiful city more in the guise of Amsterdam than Stockholm. Though lacking in impressive buildings like those found in Uppsala (see Cathedral pictured above) or in the Gamla Stan region of Stockholm, the culture of Copenhagen is much more laid back than the fast paced, New York-ism vibe of Stockholm. In Copenhagen, like Sweden, there is almost no crime and the longest jail sentence is sixteen years. But in Denmark citizens who disagree with minor laws, such as the state's indoor smoking ban, will violate the law en masse to illustrate its foolishness.

Also while in Copenhagen I saw a great indie pop band from Sweden (well actually they are Canadian...) called Lacrosse. You can check out their myspace here. It is fairly straightforward indie pop, but they have great energy on stage and the intimate atmosphere made for a great show.

Finally I would like to point to the fairly favorable review from Pitchfork given to Samamidon's 2007/2008 album "All is Well". While the score is not as high as I would have given it, I am glad the review spoke very positively of him and recognized his musical talent.

And last but not least, a video of Samamidon's "Saro" which is one of my favorite songs on "All is Well".

Sweden Update

2008-01-25T08:25:00.000-04:00

I arrived in Uppsala, Sweden last week and began my orientation program at the University of Uppsala immediately. So far I have taken my first class on Swedish history and signed up for my nation (a social club of sorts), which is Kalmar Nation. Tomorrow night at Kalmar there is going to be a concert by the Tupelo Honeys which I am excited about. The architecture and culture of Sweden's one time capital is stunning and must been seen to be appreciated (pictures to come).

Unfortunately, I haven't had internet in my room for the past week so I haven't had much access to internet leaks or been able to post. I did rediscover Blitzen Trapper's "Wild Mountain Nation" which I completely forgot about. I also picked up Cat Power's "Jukebox" covers album, but found it to be a bland, samey compilation of uninteresting tracks, though her voice gets more beautiful with each album.

I hope everyone has a good weekend and I will be back soon.

Live From Sweden

2008-01-14T13:23:00.000-04:00

I am studying abroad in Uppsala, Sweden next semester and so I will be living and posting from there. After a terrifying plane ride from Reykjavik to Arlanda this afternoon, I arrived in Stockholm. I was instantly struck by the old-world charm of Sweden's cultural capital. I have only had time to explore Gamla Stan so there is much more to do.

I hope to see some concerts, especially jazz shows which seem to be a specialty of Sweden as well as performers like Jens Lekman and Iron and Wine. But do not fear, I will still be posting music reviews and news even in Sweden.

Bless,

Matt

Best Albums of 2007

2008-01-10T21:46:00.000-04:00

I know it has taken me too long to post this list, but here are my favorite albums that came out in 2007 (note the strong folk bias):

1. Breathe Owl Breathe - "Canadian Shield"
Gorgeous nature-folk with elegantly played strings and catchy songs. There are gorgeous harmonies. Very simply put this is my favorite album of 2007 hands down. It is a treat to listen to the whole way through, but my favorite tracks are "Landmark", "Kids + Cats" and "Toboggan". Miss this at your peril.

2. Peter and the Wolf - "The Ivori Palms"
Red Hunter is one of the greatest song-writers to come out in the last few years. Along with last years "Lightness", "The Ivori Palms stands as an enduring homage to life's simple pleasures and fears: friendship, kindness, loss, simple love. Like Jason Molina, Hunter's music is permeated with recurring themes such as travel (specifically train travel) and moons. Hunter's lyrical brilliance is sparsely orchestrated with acoustic guitars, thumb-drums, and bass guitar. The Ivori Palms' beauty lies in how understated the whole album is. A few of my favorite tracks are: "100 Days", "Scarlet and Gray", and "Where Summer Goes".

3. Okkervil River - "The Stage Names"
Alot has been said about this album and this band, and deservedly so. Will Sheff and company managed to exceed even in the face of colossal expectations after the success of "Black Sheep Boy". Though a definite departure from BSB, "The Stage Names" presents Will Sheff on the top of his lyrical A-game. Songs like "Plus Ones" illustrate his incredible way with words, making rhymes and metaphors with ease. My favorite songs on this album are: "Plus Ones", "A Girl in Port", and "Savannah Smiles" though there are a plethora of brilliant songs here. Also try to find the albums bonus disc, which features acoustic versions of all the songs found on "The Stage Names". Some songs on the bonus disc, especially "A Girl in Port", rival the more flushed out electric versions in beauty and power.

4. Bon Iver - "For Emma, Forever Ago"
This album came out of nowhere. Unlike Okkervil River, Peter and the Wolf, or even to a certain degree Breathe Owl Breathe, Bon Iver's success was a complete surprise with no precedent. After a favorable Pitchfork review brought "For Emma, Forever Ago" to the attention of internet taste-makers (like myself :P) it was one of the most blogged about albums on the net and also one of the most beloved in online forums like Metacritic. This praise eventually landed Bon Iver a deal with Jagjaguar and a full release in 2008. The album combines acoustic instruments with a beautiful falsetto that brings songs like "For Emma, Forever Ago" and "Flume" to life. This album is just dripping with emotion. Whether it be love or longing, there is not a single track on "For Emma, Forever Ago" which lacks emotional force. Look out for these guys in the future, it looks like this could be just the beginning of a bright future. My favorite tracks are: "Skinny Love", "Flume", "Re. Stacks" and "For Emma, Forever Ago".

5. Beirut - "The Flying Cub Cup"
Another lauded album, Zach Condon's second full album as Beirut is as stunning as his debut "Gulag Orkestar" though very different. Whereas GO drew heavily on Balkan influences, "The Flying Cub Cup" shifted Condon's focus to France, where he was originally inspired to become a musician. Though some have claimed that "The Flying Cub Cup" lacks the big song that the "Lon Gisland" EP (Elephant Gun) and GO (Postcards from Italy) had, I think that there are many great songs on the album, which come together to paint a picture of the golden age of post World War I France. Condon's songwriting has also matured, the trumpet and ukulele no longer dominate songs as they seemed to on GO and songs such as "Cliquot" show a marked improvement lyrically from earlier work. Overall another spectacular album from one of music's brightest young stars and I expect we have seen on the tip of the iceberg that is Condon's talent and that he will continue to improve as a songwriter. A few favorites are "Cliquot", "Nantes", and "Guyamas Sonora" but to appreciate Beirut one must listen to the whole album through.

6. The Ike Reilly Assassination - "We Belong to the Staggering Evening"
This is just a really fun album, but it does not lack lyrical or emotional depth like "Under the Blacklight" and some other indie rock releases did this year. Ike Reilly is a great political songwriter and, though his metaphors may be transparent at times, Reilly is always able to get his message across to his audience with humor and skill to spare. Tracks like "Valentine's Day In Juarez" and "Broken Parakeet Blues" show his debt to Bob Dylan and tell stories in the Dylan vein. "Broken Parakeet Blues" is an acoustic ballad and protest song, bemoaning the future of American soldiers sent to Iraq and criticizing the public for standing idly by. Not all of Reilly's music is deep or political, "You're So Plain" and "When Irish Eyes are Burning" are good ole' rockers. The album fades a bit to the end, but the first seven tracks are all great and a whole lot of fun.

7. The Avett Brothers - "Emotionalism"
The Avett Brothers understand the pacing of an album better than any other band and "Emotionalism" is no exception. By combining fast paced songs like "Die Die Die" with medium and slower tunes like "I Would Be Sad" create a very balanced album that I just couldn't stop listening to. "Emotionalism" is definitely more polished than past Avett Brothers releases and may come as a bit of a shock to those who love "A Carolina Jubilee" or "Mignonette". My favorite tracks are "I Would Be Sad", "Pretty Girl From Locust" and "Die Die Die". I also caught The Avett Brothers in concert this past year and they absolutely blew me away with their energy and passion. I highly recommend seeing them if you are withing 200 miles of a gig.

8. Samamidon - "All is Well"
This might technically be a 2008 release, but to me it stood out as one of the best leaks of 2007. Like Breathe Owl Breathe, Samamidon combines folk sensibilities with strings to create a more full and, oftentimes sad, sound. "All is Well" is highlighted with two of the best songs I heard all of 2007: "Saro" and "O, Death". "Saro" is an incredibly rich song with luscious horns and gentle, hushed vocals. It is a very subtle song that, like Bon Iver, uses emotion to win over the listener. "O, Death" on the other hand, is an incredibly depressing song about a dying child told from the child's perspective. The song is one of the sparsest on the album and it's heart rending lyrics have almost driven me to tears many a time. "All is Well" is another album that is best appreciated as a whole, but my favorite songs from it are "O, Death", "Saro", and "Little Johnny Brown". I expect to hear a lot about Samamidon in the coming year as "All is Well" gets a wider release.

9. Bowerbirds - "Hymns for a Dark Horse"
Bowerbirds are another band that I was very impressed with live (I saw them with The Mountain Goats) and as a result gave their album a second listen. At first I dismissed them as another faceless nature-folk act, but after a second listening I began to feel the pull of the album. All of the singing on "Hymns" is brilliant and the songwriting is top notch, especially the catchy "Bur Oak" and "In Our Talons". This is a group of very talented musicians who could and should become a very popular act among folk circles in the next few years.

10. Iron and Wine - "The Shepard's Dog"
Iron and Wine are another band, like Okkervil River, that came into 2007 with the burden of expectation weighing on their beards (or maybe just Sam Beam's beard). After becoming a household name because of the success of the movie Garden State and the advertising opportunities that followed, many expected big things from Iron and Wine's next project. Iron and Wine answered the call in spades releasing "The Shepard's Dog" which was traditional enough to appease the die-hard fans of the band, yet was enough of a departure from their previous work to appease critics. The addition of African-inspired drumming on songs like "White Tooth Man" and "Pagan Angel and a Borrowed Car" gave "The Shepard's Dog" an instant catchiness lacking in previous I&W albums. Though this album wore on me after many listens and some of the songs do blend together a bit, I must applaud Iron and Wine for living up to expectations when so many other bands (like The Shins and Arcade Fire) failed to meet the hype and managing to be innovative without losing their targeting audience. The best tracks to my ears are: "White Tooth Man" and "Boy With A Coin".

11. Magnolia Electric Co. - "Sojourner"
This box set is a splendid treat for Jason Molina fans as well as any fan of country-Gothic. Molina paints his usual pictures of rain and ghosts and continues to be an enduring songwriter admired for both his skill and proficiency. Molina rarely fails in writing intriguing songs and "Sojourner" is no different and because of the sheer amount of material on this disc it is a must have for any serious music fan. My favorite disc of the bunch was "Nashville Moon" and my favorite track was probably "Texas 71".

12. Deer Tick - "War Elephant"
Another pleasant surprise. I had never heard of John McCauley before this year and I am now convinced that he is an important figure in the future of independent music. Combining a unique songwriting style with elements of Two Gallants and William Eliot Whitmore, Deer Tick paint rural tales and sing the blues, but with the sarcasm and wit of an urban hipster. Unlike Whitmore who comes off as Waitsian, Deer Tick bypass Waits for deep southern blues. It's a footstomping good time on tracks like "These Old Shoes" or it's a bawler's cry on tracks like "Ashamed", but it is never boring or predictable and that's what makes it great.

13. Jose Gonzalez - "In Our Nature"
Very similar to "Veneer". If you like Gonzalez's previous work this should also be appealing songs like "In Our Nature" and "Cycling Trivialities" are the core of the album and also his most adventurous tracks. The album is a little slow and some of the songs are retreads of old work, but a solid album from a respected artist like Gonzalez is never bad.

14. Bill Callahan - "Woke on a Whaleheart"
A very impressive release from Bill Callahan (formerly (Smog)). Much more open and happy than his past releases, I kind of miss the sarcasm, but it is still great songwriting and musicianship. A very accessible album. I recommend "Diamond Dancer", "The Wheel" and "A Man Needs A Woman or A Man to be a Man" very highly.

15. Great Lake Swimmers - "Oniagra"
This places here because "Your Rockey Spine" is undoubtedly one of the best tracks of 2007. The allegory of the Canadian wilderness as a woman's body is well written and beautifully sung. Much of the rest of the album is rather samey, but is alright.

16. Grampall Jookabox - "Scientific Cricket"
The most fun album of 2007. Just silly in many parts like "Little Timmy Toothpick" and "Barbershop Cricketet". Very catchy, you will have these songs in your head for days. Can also be serious as heard in "Good Country Folk". Very small release, but worth the difficulty to find, especially for lovers of lo-fi fun.

17. Begushkin - "Nightly Things"
A darker Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Begushkin's hushed tones and eerie lyrics are the perfect accompaniment to nighttime. "Olly" is my favorite song on the album and has a creepy, Lord of the Rings sound to it with the key line "Olly, Olly comes from the North/she's disguised as me". This is another album best appreciated as a whole.

18. Pale Young Gentlemen - s/t
Fun, upbeat piano driven rock. Album starts with a bang as "Freuline" and "Me and Nikolai" are both great rock songs. Fades a bit at the end as they try too many ballads, which just aren't their style. The lead singer has a very dramatic voice and many of the songs are very catchy. A great surprise.

19. Phosphorescent - "Pride"
Fucking beautiful. Listen to the song "The Waves at Night", so onomatopoetic and plush. Amazing. Sounds like a choir of angels in many parts.

20. Adrian Orange & Her Band - s/t
The love it or hate it album of the year. A barrage of powerful horns greet the listener from the outset and never let up, but many people hate the vocals. Adrian Orange is also the lead singer of Thanksgiving, a well respected folk outlet from the Northwestern US. If you like big horns and can tolerate a unique, often out of tune, voice, than this album may just be for you.

Many of these albums are fairly obscure, but if anyone has trouble finding them please message me and I will try to point you in the right direction.

Be Back Shortly...

2008-01-10T21:42:00.001-04:00

Sorry for the long hiatus. I will be back shortly with more music news...

The White Stripes - "Icky Thump"

2007-07-04T20:46:00.000-04:00

One of the biggest releases this year, "Icky Thump" is the first new White Stripes material in over a year due to frontman and guitarist Jack White's indie rock project The Raconteurs who released an album and toured extensively in 2006. The last White Stripes album 2005's "Get Behind Me Satan" which saw Th White Stripes moving away from their roots and into more innovative territory with such singles as "The Denial Twist". "Get Behind Me Satan" was met with mixed reviews by critics, many of whom were shocked and displeased by the more full instrumentation found on the album, but did win a Grammy for Best Alternative Rock Album (beating out the more deserving Arcade Fire). "Icky Thump" is in many ways a return to the form of "Elephant" and "White Blood Cells" delving deeper into riff-based roots rock with sparse instrumentation. Many fans will find this a welcome return to form with hits aplenty scattered throughout "Icky Thump" this album should garner serious radio airplay and be quite the cash cow for Jack and Meg. Speaking of Meg, I believe her drumming has improved noticeably on "Icky Thump" and, though she still sounds inexperienced and symbol reliant at times, she does not weigh down the sound of the album and does not seem to hinder the overall musicianship of the album.

My big problem with this album is that I fear it is a regression of sorts. Though there were some very ugly moments on "Get Behind Me Satan" it was refreshing to see The White Stripes try to expand their very limited sound. "Icky Thump" does further cement Jack White's virtuosity with the electric guitar and the riffs on the album are as catchy as ever, yet this album does not expand on the sound of "Elephant" and is actually much rawer and heavier at times than that album. With Jack White spending considerable time with The Raconteurs, I really wonder if Jack will ever try to expand the instrumentation of The White Stripes again or save his material for The Raconteurs.

There are also some very jarring moments on the album especially for those who enjoy The White Stripes' slower, more folky songs ("We're Going to Be Friends" etc.) especially in songs such as "Conquest" and "Rag and Bone". But if you like previous songs like "I Think I Smell A Rat" or "Ball & Biscuit" you will love this album.

Here is a track by track review:

Track 1: "Icky Thump"

Not a bad beginning track. Starts off with a heavy guitar and is very reminiscent of late 1970s blues rock. The riff gets repetitive after a few listens and is not one of the best tracks on the album, but an OK start. A little too wanna be Zeppelin for my taste.
6/10

Track 2: "You Don't Know What Love Is (You Just Do As You're Told"

Great lyrics in this song and not as riff based as the other songs on this album. Killer chorus. This song really grew on me, very reminiscent of "White Blood Cells" era White Stripes. One of the best on the album.
8.5/10

Track 3: 300 MPH Torrential Outpour Blues

Some people love this song, but I am not really one of them. I find the rapid dynamic shifts jarring and distracting. Lyrics are repetitive and not particularly interesting. Meg White goes symbol crazy on this track. I don't like guitar freak-outs and this song is a big reason why (though Jack White is obviously a very good guitar player)
4.2/10

Track 4: Conquest

I love this song. The opening horns are in a mariachi vein and the driving guitar really gives this song a sense of urgency. Lots of fun and actually shows some innovation. Will be one of my top 50 tracks of the year for sure. Great guitar.

9.2/10

Track 5: Bone Broke

I think this song is a filler song, though it is one of the only ones on the album. Doesn't do anything good or bad, just there. Completely based on a riff that is only mediocre.

5.5/10

Track 6: Prickly Thorn, But Sweetly Worn

I like the guitar and bagpipes on this song. Another album highlight for me, really shows the Stripes stretching their musical horizons. Good lyrics. Celtic themed which is very unique, but not annoying or out of place on the album. Almost Jethro Tull-esque at times (minus the flute of course).

7.9/10

Track 7: St. Andrew (This Battle Is In the Air)

Do nothing filler, spoken word by Meg White. Sounds like the beginning of The Who's "Baba O'Reilly".

4.2/10

Track 8: "Little Cream Soda"

Killer riff and great guitar work spoiled by asinine and annoying lyrics. Too many "Oh wells". So much potential, but after the riff's initial shock the lyrics and vocals really get to me.

6.5/10

Track 9: "Rag & Bone"

Another great riff, very bluesy. For some reason the lyrics here don't bother me as much, even though they were improvised. Brings me back to old time blues, but with a little punk rock twist. Great to dance to, very fun. Another album highlight.

9.1/10

Track 10: I'm Slowly Turning Into You

Another song that reminds me of "White Blood Cells", very simply. Not particularly interesting, but not awful. Suffers from being after Rag & Bone. Another showcase for Jack White's made guitar skillzzz.

6.2/10

Track 11: A Martyr for My Love for You

Good build-up and solid lyrics. Good, but not spectacular song. Yet another song that could be off White Blood Cells.

7.0/10

Track 12: Catch Hell Blues

More great old school blues guitar to be found here. I also enjoy this song quite a bit and I like it's subtlety and guitar work. Not much singing, which really allows the listener to focus on the guitar.

9.0/10

Track 13: Effect & Cause

Not a killer of an ending, but still more good blues work. A grower. Not as much fancy guitar work, but good singing and lyrics.

8.2/10

Overall a very solid album with many fun tracks on it, but also with a few real killers. It doesn't help that this album isn't really my style, but I do love the blues and Jack White does some great blues guitar playing and singing on many of the tracks. Good, but not one of the years best.

8.3/10

I am trying to decide what album to review next, probably either Bowerbirds or Feist. Later folks and keep listening!

Southern Gothic

2007-07-01T20:08:00.001-04:00

Due in no small part to my continuing love of The Handsome Family, I have fallen in love with the concept of Southern Gothic. I have scouted more bands similar to The Handsome Family and in the process discovered genre pioneers 16 Horsepower whose album "Sackcloth n' Ashes" is very impressive. Something about the storytelling of Southern Gothic musicians has really drawn me in. I have always loved good songwriting, whether it be Bob Dylan, Ike Reilly, or Okkervil River, but the sheer imagination of songs such as "The Bottomless Hole" continue to amuse me, even after repeated listens.

But my obsession is not limited to music, film and literature have also become victims of my obsession. I just picked up Flannary O'Connor's book "The Violent Bear It Away" and am looking forward to reading it. I also plan on reading some Faulkner later this month. Likewise for film I have scoured the film world for movies such as "The Night of the Hunter" which embody this gothic ideal.

As for music however, here is a list of some of the essential music for Southern Gothic lovers:

The Handsome Family - "Through the Trees"
Johnny Cash - "American IV"
16 Horsepower - "Sackcloth n' Ashes"
Munly and the Lee Lewis Harlots - s/t
Murder By Death - "In Bocco al Lupo"

Up tomorrow, I am going to do a track by track review of the latest White Stripes album "Icky Thump".

Chucky K and Dreyfus

2007-06-13T11:02:00.000-04:00

So about a week ago I finished "Sex, Drugs, and Coco Puffs" by Chuck Klosterman. In it Chuck details the assorted epiphanies he has late at night right before he falls asleep. These epiphanies range from the social implications of Pamela Andersons popularity to reminiscing about touring with a Guns N' Roses cover band. Some chapters are better than others (depending on how interesting you find the content) and the entire work is written with a sharp wit and provides several fascinating insights. However, this work is severely limited by what it is and that is a book of unrelated late night epiphanies. In my experience with such epiphanies, I find that they seem brilliant at the time, but upon further reflection there are always clear logical gaps in my argument or the idea just simply is not as cohesive as I once thought. Klosterman's book suffers from the same syndrome. At first, Klosteman's evaluation of internet pornography as one of the major driving factors behind internet technology seems like an intellegent, almost Foucauldian argument, exposing how our primal sexual desires can have such a great impact on something as abstract, non-primal as the internet. This argument seems brilliant for about ten minutes, until one begins to think of all the other motivating factors for the development of internet technology: e-mail, AIM, Podcasting, music downloading, etc., etc. This same failure holds true for most of Klosterman's other arguments in "Sex, Drugs, and Coco Puffs" and is the real limit of this work in terms of its social and political significance. Klosterman is also an infuriating character at times. He obviously tries to come off intellectual, hip, and well-read, while at the same time denying those things and villifying those who he sees as representing faux intellectualism or hipsterdom. This contradiction is made especially clear in his chapter where he attends a prominent Seattle gathering of music critics, he attempts to expose their hipsterdom via pointed attacks at their music listening preferences, and attire, while at the same time labeling them as smart people with nothing to talk about but music. This is all done in the midst of Klosterman's own obscure references to bands like Uncle Tupelo, which, along with his affinity for dropping the odd obscure literary or historical reference, prove to me his membership in the group he tries so hard to villify.

All that said, the book is an entertaining read. The prose reads very quickly and Klosterman's wit is chuckle-worthy. A good summer book, but not as deep and intelligent as Klosterman would like you to believe this book is. I mean I bought it at Urban Outfitters, so it isn't exactly literary journal material.

On to other news. I am in the process of writing a comparison between Arendt's analysis of the Dreyfus Affair and the current legal situation at Guantanimo Bay involving the illegal holding of POW and "terrorists" without fair trial or legal representation. The main gist of my argument is that both the Affaire and the Guantanimo Bay situation set unfortunate legal precedents that did and could have dangerous consequences in the future. Just as Arendt argues that the Affaire was a dres-rehersal of sorts for the antisemitism displayed by Europe during the Holocaust, I plan to argue that the Guantanimo Bay situation could eventually lead to a further erosion of American legal rights and the possible detention of certain relgious and ethnic groups in the manner of Japanese internment camps during World War II. So if anyone has any information about either the Affaire or the current Guantanimo Bay situation, please send me a message.

In musical news, I have fallen in love with The Handsome Family and everyone should check out their awesome music. Also, Icky Thump has leaked and is garnering some very positive reviews (though I am still on the fence about it) and new Iron and Wine has also leaked (though only in a low quality rip). I will leave you with The Handsome Family's video for their song "Amelia Earhart"

My Apologies!

2007-06-07T12:35:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the long hiatus, I lost my password for awhile and school and you know. But I am currently in D.C. doing some interning at the Center of Concern. This does not mean that I haven't been on top of the latest music since I have moved, on the contrary I have been tracking the new White Stripes release titled "Icky Thump" and have been listening to some of this years coolest established and emerging artists...kinda.

This year has been an awesome year for music so far (apart from the new Bloc Party record...yuck) with new bands like Battles, and YACHT pairing with excellent releases from bands like The Great Lake Swimmers, Feist, The Ike Reilly Assassination, and others. At the mid-year point my top five albums are as follows:

1. The Ike Reilly Assassination - "We Belong to the Staggering Evening" (check out the PopMatters review here)
2. Wilco - "Sky Blue Sky"
3. Wooden Wand - "James and the Quiet"
4. Great Lake Swimmers - "Oniagra"
5. Feist - "The Reminder"

I was really surprised by The Ike Reilly Assassination, which sees itself as a cross between the blues rock of Springsteen and rap-rock a la early Rage Against the Machine. For people who feel in love with "Boys and Girls in America" last year, this is the album for you. "Sky Blue Sky" is getting a lot of negative press in large part due to its subtlety. Songs such as "Impossible Germany" seem bland at first listen, but is a steady grower. Wooden Wand turns out yet another solid effort. "Delia" is the killer track off of this album, but warning this album is also very subtle. Great Lake Swimmers and Feist have both turned in beautiful new albums which must be heard to be appreciated. I envision Feist as the cross-over success story of 2007 much like Regina Spektor in late 2006.

I am going to be posting a much more detailed list in the near future and further updates on "Icky Thump" and my expanding book collection (I am reading "Sex, Drugs, and CoCo Puffs" now, it is very entertaining, but lacks true depth). I will leave you with this heinous video of Lou Reed dueting with Conor Oberst...scary.

Top Twenty-Five Tracks of 2006

2007-01-07T16:43:00.000-04:00

This the annual top tracks of the year list. I include only one track from each artist so as to not overflow the list with only a few bands. I hope you enjoy!

1. Destroyer - "Painter in Your Pocket"

A simply beautiful song with freelancing guitars and clever lyrics. Truly the masterpiece of Dan Bejar's career thus far and yes, that does include his work with The New Pornographers and Swan Lake.

2. Belle and Sebastian - "The Blues are Still Blue"

A very catchy track with a great riff. The lyrics are not incredible, but they do not take themselves too seriously, so it is tolerable. This song never gets old for me and I have probably heard it over 100 times this past year.

3. The Hold Steady - "Hot Soft Light"

The best guitar riff all year cemented by some great vocals and iced with Finn's most melodic singing ever. A great track which concludes a stellar three barrel track attack to start off one of the great albums of the year. It is just an awful shame it had to be followed by the cliche and disorganized "Same Kooks".

4. The Decemberists - "Culling of the Fold"

A great violin line cuts through this track like a katana through a melon. Meloy harkens back to his "Picaresque" days with lyrics violent, treacherous lyrics and a snarling vocal style. Surpasses the similar "Shankhill Butchers" because of a faster pace and that evil violin.

5. Band of Horses - "St. Augustine"

A gorgeous airy ballad. Band of Horses is at their best here with their open sound filled by the emotional intensity and beauty of the vocals and guitar, without feeling claustrophobic. One of the least appreciated tracks this year.

6. Camera Obscura - "Hey Lloyd, I'm Ready to Be Heartbroken"

This song has a very 1950s/60s Motown feel to it. With the ever so sweetly sung vocals and childish vocal inflection this song almost single-handedly catapulted Camera Obsura into the pantheon of stellar acts in the indie pop scene. Also this song has a very different sound then their mentors Belle and Sebastian, which tells me they are beginning to create their own sound instead of leeching off of the already successful B & S.

7. Neko Case - "Maybe Sparrow"

Like Band of Horses this song sounds very open, yet at the same time Case's voice fills the space enough to avoid hollowness. Case is my favorite voice in the genre with soaring vocal highs and thundering tenor lows, this song makes my hair stand on end and my skin rise in goosebumps. An incredibly beautiful song.

8. Beirut - "Elephant Gun"

Though there are many great tracks on the "Gulag Orkestar" LP, it was a track from the "Lon Gisland" EP that really stood out to me. "Elephant Gun" sees Zach Condon mastering his trumpet playing and really utilizing his vocals instrumentally. It is a great track and, though difficult to obtain, worth the struggle.

9. Midlake - "Roscoe"

Can't elaborate much more than on what critics and other bloggers have said about this track. It is beautiful and unique, even on it's own album, which is both good and bad. I would like to see Midlake begin to gravitate towards the rich sound found on "Roscoe" and away from their Band of Horses-esque sound found on the rest of the album.

10. TV on the Radio - "Wolf Like Me"

One of the few bright spots I found in this critically acclaimed album. Wolf's driving bass-line and frantic vocals make it the centerpiece of "Return to Cookie Mountain" and one of my most played tracks of the year.

11. Regina Spektor - "Samson"

12. Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins - "Rise Up, With Fists!!"

13. Magnolia Electric Co. - "Talk to Me Devil, Again"

14. Gnarls Barkley - "The Boogie Monster"

15. The Mountain Goats - "Woke Up New"

16. Cat Power - "Lived in Bars"

17. Tom Waits - "Sea of Love"

18. Tilly and the Wall - "Bad Education"

19. Islands - "Don't Call Me Whitney, Bobby"

20. The Society Islands - "The Diner Song"

21. Antony - "If It Be Your Will"

22. Casiotone For the Painfully Alone - "I Love Creedence"

23. Hot Chip - "And I Was A Boy From School"

24. The Essex Green - "Rue de Lis"

25. Swan Lake - "All Fires"

Top Twenty Albums of 2006

2006-12-29T16:15:00.000-04:00

1. Belle and Sebastian – “The Life Pursuit”

Dismissed by many critics and listeners as silly pop fluff, I did not enjoy a single album in 2006 more then “The Life Pursuit”. From beautifully crafted pop songs such as “White Collar Boy”, “The Blues are Still Blue”, and “Funny Little Frog” to more melancholy pieces like “Dress Up in You” and “Mornington Crescent”, this album does not misstep in a single place. Murdoch and Co. have released, in my eyes, the best pop album of the last decade. What is even more impressive is that this was a rebound album after the bland “Dear Catastrophe Waitress”, yet B & S did not shy away from the pop melodies present on “Waitress”, but instead expanded them into a complete album absent of stinkers such as “Lord Anthony” and “Roy Walker”. A landmark release that brings a smile to my face every time, I never get sick of a single track.
Key Tracks: All of it, especially “The Blues are Still Blue” and “Funny Little Frog”.

2. The Hold Steady – “Boys and Girls in America”

Expanding their sound from simple bar songs to rock anthems comparable to the Boss, Thin Lizzy, and ZZ Top, The Hold Steady have evolved into the foremost American rock band. With insightful lyrics, courtesy of former Lifter Puller frontman Craig Finn, combined with cutting rock riffs and occasional balladry “Boys and Girls in America” is one of the most complete albums I have heard in years. This album builds on the momentum created by the single “Your Little Hoodrat Friend” released in 2005. Finn has a lyrical gift for creating lyrics that are both profound and relatable while never lapsing into cliché, opening with three power rock anthems “Stuck Between Stations”, “Chips Ahoy”, and “Hot Soft Light” which represent the three strongest consecutive tracks released this year. “First Night” the first ballad on the disc, really represents how far Finn and the boys have come since “Separation Sunday”, chronicling the nostalgia for the first night Finn and friends met Holly (the main character in many Finn songs) and the slow decline of Holly’s life and their friendship thereafter. Though there are two stinkers on this album, “Same Kooks” and “Citrus”, this album is a perfect combination of fun, nostalgia, and wit for my generation of music listeners.
Key Tracks: Everything except “Same Kooks” and “Citrus”.

3. The Decemberists – “The Crane Wife”

“The Crane Wife” represents a major shift in the musical makeup of The Decemberists from baroque pop troubadours to Victorian prog-rockers who are as comfortable with a lyre as an electric guitar. This transformation is especially apparent on the “The Island” three-part track, where Colin Meloy’s distinctive lyrical vocabulary is dashed over epic guitar distortion. “The Island” clocks in at 12:42 much longer than even “The Mariner’s Revenge Song”, yet the song does not drag once nor do the lyrics seem stretched or incompatible with the track. “The Island” is not the only heavy track on the album both “When the War Came” and “The Perfect Crime 2” echo it’s proggy nature. But fear not loyal Decemberists fans there is a lot for you enjoy as well starting with the brilliantly crafted “Yankee Bayonet (I Will Be Home Then)” which is very reminiscent of the baroque craftings of “Picaresque”. Also, if you are lucky to pick up the iTunes extended edition you get the track “The Culling of the Fold” which echoes the gory sentiments of “The Mariners Revenge Song” and has a beautiful, knifing violin part. One of my favorite tracks of the year hands-down.
Key Tracks: “The Culling of the Fold”, “Yankee Bayonet”, “O Valencia”, “Shankill Butchers’

4. Beirut – “Gulag Orkestar”

Simply a brilliant album. At the tender age of 19 Zach Condon has created an album equally likely to be heard in the home of pre-Soviet Jews living in the Pale settlement or in the swanky digs of a Brooklyn hipster. Half Kletzmer music and half Neutral Milk Hotel with a little DeVotchKa added for good measure, “Gulag” is like not album I have ever heard. It easily represents the mixing of Eastern and Western culture, as well as youth and age, this is especially obvious in the track “Scenic World”. Condon will have a long and fruitful career, I am just joyful that I get to witness it.
Key Tracks: “Scenic World”, “Postcards from Italy”, “Mount Wroclai”

5. Destroyer – “Destroyer’s Rubies”

Producing one of the most fluid listening experiences of 2006 was the Dan Bejar side project Destroyer. This album has two of my favorite songs of the year on it: “Watercolours Into the Ocean” and “Painter in Your Pocket”. Both songs showcase Bejar’s free form composition, which creates many beautiful spontaneous moments (along with the occasional dead-end jam). Destroyer was one of the most surprising albums of 2006, since previous Destroyer material has been disappointing and usually overly complex, but with the release of this new album it has the promise to join his other successful groups (The New Pornographers and Swan Lake) as a top band in the art rock community.
Key Tracks: “Painter in Your Pocket”, “Watercolours Into the Ocean”, “European Oils”, “Priest’s Knees”

6. Gnarls Barkley – “St. Elsewhere”

My top summer album. A great combination of funk, soul, rap, and alternative which propelled Cee-Lo and DJ Danger Mouse into the mainstream with the pop-soul hit “Crazy”. Subsequent hit “Gone Daddy Gone” followed in the next month, but the album is in no way limited to those two songs. My favorite songs on the album are the title track, “St. Elsewhere”, a soul-funk track and “The Boogie Monster”. What makes Gnarls Barkley such a great group is their ability to seamlessly move from genre to genre without it feeling forced or awkward. DJ Danger Mouse deserves special praise for creating some of the sickest beats of the year and really taking his work to the next level, putting him in the echelon of elite DJs.
Key Tracks: “Go-Go Gadget Gospel”, “The Boogie Monster”, “St. Elsewhere”

7. Neko Case – “Fox Confessor Brings the Flood”

Neko Case possess one of the most beautiful and powerful voices in music today and on her latest album “Fox Confessor Brings the Flood” she showcases her voice in a way none of her previous albums have managed to do. On tracks such as “John Saw That Number” and “Maybe Sparrow” we see Case’s voice at it’s all time most powerful and beautiful. This album also has much less filler in it than her previous releases, most notably “Blacklisted”, which had some great tracks, but lost it’s flow because of massive amounts of filler. It is unclear what Case’s role in the upcoming New Pornographers’ release, but if she can unleash some of the vocal power that she did on “Fox Confessor Brings the Flood” the New Pornographers will be a much better band for it.
Key Tracks: “Maybe Sparrow”, “Hold On, Hold On”, “John Saw That Number”

8. M. Ward – “Post-War”

A sneaky good album, “Post-War” did not initially impress me as a fantastic release because I saw it as simply a rehash of the superb “Transfiguration of Vincent” not the step forward that I expected from such a gifted musician as Ward. But the more I listened to the album the more it grew on me, as other summer and autumn discs wore on me quickly (especially “Bottoms of Barrels” and “Get Lonely”) tracks such as “Chinese Translation” and “To Go Home” offered more with each listen. The most notable track on the album for me is the criminally underrated “Magic Trick”, which rivaled even a manic band such as Tilly and the Wall in sheer fun factor. A true toe tapper, “Magic Trick”, proved to me that Ward was both capable of chill-out summer folk and head bobbing fun. “Post-War” is also M. Ward’s most complete release, though there is some filler, and shows him putting more emphasis on tracks complimenting each other instead of clashing (as they did on his anemic release “End of Amnesia”). Looking forward to hearing more from him in 2007, even if it comes in collaboration form.
Key Tracks: “Chinese Translation”, “Post-War”, “Magic Trick”

9. Band of Horses – “Everything All the Time”

From the airy vocals to the overall openness of their sound, Band of Horses certainly shook the foundations of the folk-rock world with their first release “Everything All the Time”. Rising from the ashes of Carissa’s Weird, Band of Horses put together a very solid record with some outstanding tracks such as “The Funeral”, “The Great Salt Lake” and “St. Augustine”. “The Funeral” is most definitely the centerpiece track of this album with it’s slow build-up to it’s powerful chorus (“on every occasion/I’m ready for the funeral”) and it’s extremely open feel, it is definitely one of the great indie rock anthems of 2006. But my favorite two songs on the album must be “St. Augustine” and “I Go to the Barn Because I Like the” because I think that Band of Horses does the slow jam better than almost any band in 2006. Both tracks evoke memories of lost love and rebirth. Band of Horses was also a band that I could get into with my friends, which in a year dominated by Joanna Newsom and TV on the Radio was not always easy to come by. Overall, a great chill-out album, which has some misses, but also some terrific hits.
Key Tracks: “St. Augustine”, “The Funeral”, “I Go to the Barn Because I Like the”

10. Magnolia Electric Co. – “Fading Trails”

Dismissed by most critics as a derivative country rock album, I see “Fading Trails” as the beginning of a new direction for Jason Molina. In Molina’s Songs: Ohia days he was too often caught down tempo and favored minimalism over full arrangements (“Ghost Tropic” though an excellent album is an example of this). It is important to note that “Fading Trails” is Southern rock done right, no Doobie Brothers or Lynard Skynard cliché present here, only down and dirty, lyrically driven, Southern rock. “Talk To Me Devil, Again” is the star track on this album, which is a driving rock track, which sees Molina at his best rhythmically and lyrically. Other standouts including “Montgomery” and “Memphis Moon” are also strong lyrical tracks that are even more kick-ass when heard live. This album does have a few stinkers, especially “The Old Horizon” which is a real tempo killer. But it is by far the most solid Magnolia Electric Co. release and with 4 albums slated to come out next year, we should hear much more from them in the near future.
Key Tracks: “Talk to Me Devil, Again”, “Montgomery”, “Memphis Moon”

11. Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins – “Rabbit Fur Coat”
Key Tracks: “Rise Up, With Fists!!”, “Handle With Care”, “The Big Guns”
12. Joanna Newsom – “Ys”
Key Tracks: “Emily”, “Cosmia”
13. The Essex Green – “Cannibal Sea”
Key Tracks: “Penny and Jack”, “Rue de Lis”, “Elsinore”
14. Regina Spektor – “Begin to Hope”
Key Tracks: “Fidelity”, “Hotel Song”, “Sampson”
15. Camera Obscura – “Let’s Get Out of this Country”
Key Tracks: “Lloyd, I’m Ready to Be Heartbroken”, “Let’s Get Out of This Country”
16. Tom Waits – “Orphans”
Key Tracks: “Lie to Me”, “Sea of Love”
17. Islands – “Return to the Sea”
Key Tracks: “Rough Gem”, “Don’t Call Me Whitney, Bobby”, “Humans”
18. Mates of State – “Bring It Back”
Key Tracks: “Think Long”, “Like U Crazy”
19. Midlake: “The Trials of Van Occupanther”
Key Tracks: “Roscoe”, “Bandits”, “Young Bride”
20. Okkervil River – “Overboard and Down EP”
Key Tracks: “O, Dana”, “The President’s Dead”

Best of December!

2006-12-25T21:55:00.000-04:00

Sorry about the long time in between posts. I have just had a brutal finals period and am in the midst of completing my top twenty of 2006 list. In the meantime here are some of my favorite songs for December. I have listened to a lot of music in the past month, whether it be while studying or just hanging out with friends. I have finally discovered the brilliance of Cat Power who I probably should have been a fan of since day one with my affinity for Jenny Lewis and Neko Case. Her songs are both emotionally touching and melodically brilliant. I also re-fell in love with Jason Molina as I listened to a lot of "Ghost Tropic" and his recent solo album "Let Me Go, Let Me Go, Let Me Go". I also finally discovered a Joanna Newsom track off of "Ys" that I fell in love with: "Cosmia". Great track. Well I should be back with my top twenty of 2006 in the next few days. Here is the December mix tape.

1. Songs: Ohia - "Lightening Risked It All"
2. Casiotone for the Painfully Alone - "Young Shields"
3. Swan Lake - "All Fires"
4. Cat Power - "Lived in Bars"
5. Broken Social Scene - "Swimmers"
6. DeVotchKa - "Viens Avec Moi"
7. Joanna Newsom - "Cosmia"
8. Islands - "Don't Call Me Whitney, Bobby"
9. Neko Case - "Pretty Girls"
10. Destroyer - "A Dangerous Woman Up to a Point"
11. The Apples in Stereo - "Energy"
12. Tom Waits - "Sea of Love"
13. Wolf Parade - "Shine a Light"

Well that's the mixtape. Hope to see you guys again in a few days. Laterr...

Radio on the Television #4

2006-11-28T15:43:00.000-04:00

Here are the videos from episode 4. Surprised we are still doing it, me too!

Scorpions - "Rock You Like A Hurricane"

Murder by Death - "Brother"

Cake - "Never There"

Sir Mix-Alot - "Baby Got Back"

Beatles - "Come Together"

The Mountain Goats - "Woke Up New"

Ben Folds - "Rockin The Suburbs"

Jenny Lewis and The Watson Twins - "Rise Up, With Fists!

The Postal Service - "The District Sleeps Alone

Jimmy Eat World - "The Middle"

More fun due up next week. Watch the show!

Radio on the Television #3

2006-11-06T22:17:00.000-04:00

Here are the videos from the third installment of Radio on the Television:

Fatboy Slim - Weapon of Choice

Tom Green - The Bum Bum Song

Blink 182 - Dammit

The Decemberists - 16 Military Wives

Okkervil River - For Real

Gnarls Barkley - Who Cares?

Daft Punk - Around the World

The Offspring - Pretty Fly for a White Guy

Nine Inch Nails - Closer

Arcade Fire - Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)

And the song that we danced out to was "The Monster Mash"

If you have any videos that you would like to request through the blog, if you would like to see a certain video again or simply want to say hi, feel free to comment. Your imput is much appreciated. More postings next week (maybe)...

Holding Steady and Maybe Even Improving...

2006-11-01T13:00:00.000-04:00

It has been a pretty good month or so for music or at least for me in the music scene. My friend Seth and I have finally gotten our show "Radio on the Television" off the ground and have been playing an eclectic mixture of videos every week (from Okkervil River to Tom Green). The show is premiers each week at 9:00 Monday evening.

I have also discovered an awesome album (maybe an album of the year candidate) in The Hold Steady's "Boys and Girls in America" which manages to capture the awkward period between adolescence and adulthood better than any album I have heard in some time. Finn's lyrics are masterful (as usual) in concisely stating the complexity of the relationships that occur between boys and girls at this awkward time, songs such as "Girls Like Status" and "Massive Nights" are perfect examples of this. I just cannot stop playing this album, it is both instantly appealing and a grower. Other CDs that have impressed me are the leaked copy of the new Damien Rice album "9" and Joanna Newsom's "Ys". Though this month has not yielded a lot of outstanding new releases, the few releases that I did pick up were very good (with the exception of the new Shins album) and albums from bands such as The Decemberists and Jenny Lewis kept me occupied through this cold period.

I also saw an excellent show featuring Death Cab for Cutie and Ted Leo and the Pharmacists. I expected Ted Leo to be amazing, but the crowd really stifled his performance with their lack of enthusiasm. Death Cab was incredible, especially for a band who I did not think would traslate well into a concert setting. It was both an energetic and long performance, which clearly showed the bands superior musical talents.

Here is the monthly mixtape:

1. Damien Rice - "Elephant"
2. The Hold Steady - "Hot Soft Light"
3. The Decemberists - "The Culling of the Fold"
4. Regina Spektor - "Fidelity"
5. Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins - "The Big Guns"
6. The Hold Steady - "Girls Like Status"
7. Death Cab for Cutie - "Tiny Vessels"
8. Destroyer - "Priest's Knees"
9. Arcade Fire - Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)
10. The Decemberists - "Perfect Crime 2"
11. Okkervil River - "O, Dana"
12. Ted Leo and the Pharmacists - "The One Who Got Us Out"
13. The Hold Steady - "First Night"

Be back next week with more video goodness!

Radio on the Television Episode #2

2006-10-30T22:36:00.000-04:00

Weekly I will update the ten videos that are played on the show Radio on the Television (hosted by Seth and I) so here are the video's for the shows second episode:

Digital Africa - Mystery Van

Regina Spektor - Fidelity

Weezer - Buddy Holly

Whitesnake - Here I Go Again

A-Ha - Take On Me

Afroman - Because I Got High

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The Hold Steady - Chips Ahoy

Weird Al Yankovic - White and Nerdy

Mates of State - Like You Crazy

Bright Eyes - At the Bottom of Everything

Those are all the videos for this week. Check in next week for more videos, including some special Halloween music videos!

Radio on the Television

2006-10-19T21:57:00.000-04:00

Finally, after much ado about nothing the University of Rochester's first music television show "Radio on the Television" has finally been taped and aired. Each week Seth Kallman and I will count down ten music videos across multiple genres and bring students up to date on CD releases and upcoming concerts in the surrounding area. I will then post the ten videos counted down on the show here via youtube for your further viewing pleasure. So here are the ten videos aired this week:

TV on the Radio - Wolf Like Me

Belle and Sebastian - Step Into My Office, Baby

Guster - One Man Wrecking Machine

Outkast - So Fresh, So Clean

The White Stripes - Hardest Button to Button

Gnarls Barkley - Gone Daddy Gone

Beck - Strange Apparition

Death Cab for Cutie - I Will Follow You Into the Dark

Pixies - Where is My Mind

OK GO - Here It Goes Again

That is all for this weeks videos. Check in next week for some more video fun!

Almost Okkervil

2006-10-14T14:09:00.000-04:00

My girlfriend and I bought tickets to go see Okkervil River and Elvis Perkins in Buffalo on October 12 and upon beginning our drive we realized that it was snowing pretty hard for this early in the year. Little did we know the chaos that awaited us. Upon arriving in Buffalo, we realized that the snow was a straight up blizzard. We stopped at my Emily's father's house to have some dinner and check if the show was on. After many unsuccessful attempts to figure out if the show was still on, a travel ban and state of emergency was issued for Buffalo and the surrounding area. Now figuring that the show was cancelled, we left her father's house and stayed with her mother, where they lost power. We were stuck there the entire next day, as the New York State Thruway was closed because several tractor trailers jackknifed. We finally arrived back around 8 o'clock yesterday. What a crazy trip! To make things worse we found out that the concert had been held and that we missed it! Well maybe next time...

What's Tickling My Musical Fancy?

2006-09-21T11:49:00.002-04:00

I have decided to do a monthly feature in what I have been listening to. I will point out the albums I liked and didn't like and forthcoming albums I am trying to get my mitts on.

The two most recent additions to my music collection are TV on the Radio's newest release "Return to Cookie Mountain" and Jeff Buckley's "Grace". It is easy to see why "Grace" is a classic record, from the seventies inspired rock heard on tracks such as "Lover. You Should've Come Over" to the excellent cover of Leonard Cohen's classic "Halleluja" this disc really does offer something for every musical taste. It is a shame that such a great musical talent was lost at such an early age. On the other side of the coin is the latest release from Brooklyn soul-rockers TV on the Radio. Many a critic's early favorite for album of the year, "Return to Cookie Mountain" has some spectacular tracks ("Wolf Like Me" and "Blues from Down Here"), but is best grasped as an entire album. Even though I do enjoy "Return to Cookie Mountain" I must say that I think it is a bit overhyped, seeing as I don't even think that it is the best album released this month (that honor belongs to The Magnolia Electric Co.'s "Fading Trails"). But overall, it is a good disc as long as you don't expect it to deliver on that 9.1 Pitchfork review.

I have mostly been listening to alt. country and folk since going to see The Magnolia Electric Co. and Shearwater last week. "Palo Santo" is a much better album than I originally thought, but Shearwater live is still a much more rewarding experience. I am also listening to a lot of Bonnie "Prince" Billy, though I have not picked up his latest release, I am mostly listening to "I See A Darkness". But anyways here is my playlist for September 2006:

1. Jeff Buckley - Lover. You Should've Come Over
2. Morphine - Mary Won't You Call My Name?
3. TV on the Radio - Wolf Like Me
4. Shearwater - Johnny Viola
5. Magnolia Electric Co. - Memphis Moon
6. Jenny Lewis and The Watson Twins ft. M. Ward - Handle With Care
7. Regina Spektor - Sailor Song
8. Eels - Railroad Man
9. The Decemberists - O Valencia
10. Broken Social Scene - Windsurfing Nation
11. Beirut - Mount Wroclai (Idle Days)
12. Bonnie "Prince" Billy - I See A Darkness

That is the playlist for this month, see you folks later!

What's Tickling My Musical Fancy?

2006-09-21T11:49:00.001-04:00

What's Tickling My Musical Fancy?

2006-09-21T11:49:00.000-04:00

Shearwater?!

2006-09-19T14:48:00.000-04:00

I recently (last Thursday) went to the Magnolia Electric Co. and Shearwater show at the Bug Jar in Rochester, NY and was very impressed by what I saw. After a somewhat slow start by an awful local country folk act, Shearwater took the stage to the delight of the crowd (there were rumors floating around the crowd that they cancelled their set). Meiburg, lead singer of Shearwater and keyboardist for Okkervil River, immediately busted into "Seventy-Four, Seventy-Five" off of their latest album "Palo Santo" an album I had previously been very dissapointed in. But the live atmosphere and the tempo adjustments made to many of the songs made the set one of the greatest I have ever seen. Meiburg's vocals wavering between airy and snarling reminded much less of a Jeff Buckley impersonator (as the album vocals had), but more of fellow Okkervil River band mate Will Sheff. Thor, the drummer, also had many amusing comments and Meiburg dedicated the final song to all of the stingrays being killed by Stever Irwin avengers. Overall an absolutely amazing set.

After Shearwater left the stage, Jason Molina headed Magnolia Electric Co. took the stage. Though Molina was a little peeved at the absurd amount of crowd requests (especially for "Werewolves of London") he churned out a solid hour of country rock jams. The highlight of the set probably being "Be Simple" a classic from his Songs: Ohia days or "Talk to Me Devil, Again" my favorite song off of his new disc "Fading Trails." Afterwards me and radio station employee Joe Stadolnik talked with the guitarist of Magnolia Electric Co. who was a really cool guy and asked us for directions to Boston.

Upon leaving we ran into the boys from Shearwater again. I commended them on their incredible set, bought a band shirt with artwork done by Thor (it is some damn sweet art by the way), and we headed out of the bar. Granted my girlfriends car was towed and we had to bail it out the next day. But overall an awesome show and a great night. Next concert up, Okkervil River!

The Society Islands

2006-09-16T14:10:00.000-04:00

The Society Islands' freshman album "Kiss and Tell" has truly been one of the most pleasant surprises of the year. With an amusing band back-story telling of a secluded recording session on Bora Bora, Boris Rogowski (this guy pretty much is the band) creates a balmy island setting with feel good tunes ranging "Love Under the Palms" to "The Diner Song." Mixing elements of Athlete and Coldplay on songs such as "Disjoint Allocation" Boris uses sweet sounding guitars with witty (though not really prophetic) lyrics to create a sound that should appeal to a popular audience, without the cliche heartbreak and longing present in artists such as Athlete. What is especially impressive about this album is the smooth recording, which was done in a small studio in Cologne, Germany. Though this album may not be the deepest or most moving album of 2006, it sure is a hell of a lot of fun to listen to and can even make the coldest heart (like mine) smile.

Overall Score: 7.8

Elements That I Liked - I really like the cheery island attitude of this album. It is rare that I listen to an album and hear pure euphoric joy, but I hear it in this album. Very smooth recording for such a small studio.

Elements that I Didn't Like - Some of the songs feel like filler. The album fades badly towards the end. A lot of untapped potential, looking forward to future releases.

A Question on Bravery...

2006-09-03T19:24:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the long time in between postings, I have been moving back into college the last couple of days. Recently, I have been questioning the validity of labelling American soldiers heros for their actions in fighting terror, yet by the same token labelling suicide bombers cowards. The soldier is most often potrayed as a brave warrior who is willing to give his life for the sake of his country or his people, but don't suicide bombers do the same thing? They go into a given situation with a one hundred percent chance that they will die (if operations run according to plan) is this not also brave? I think the key difference between soldiers and terrorists is not their bravery, but the targets with which they target. Terrorists (or at least modern terrorists) attack civilians or poorly armed people, where as soldiers engage only enemy soldiers instead of targeting civilians who are unarmed and uninvolved in the conflict (an unarmed person who helps the opposing side is no longer a civilian). The terrorists exibit a cruel bravery, one that is reckless with life and cares not about who they kill as long as their actions create fear and death. Soldiers, or at least good soldiers, know there is a mission to complete against other enemy combatants (soldiers) not against civilians who may be disrupted by the conflict. Terrorist do not value human life on either side of their struggle, even their supporters are often used as human sheilds and even their religious buildings are used as places to take hostages. Terrorists are essentially people of death, whereas soldiers are meant to be used to keep stability in places riddled by violence. Unfortunately, terrorist tactics have begun to infiltrate the military recent barbarism in abu Gharib and Mosul have cast a deep shadow on the processes of soldiers, bringing them ever closer to the terrorists they oppose.

Music Posters and Cover Art

2006-08-29T20:41:00.000-04:00

I was wondering who everyone thought had the best cover art for their CDs or had the best concert posters. There are some obvious favorites namely The Decemberists (Colin Meloy is married to artist Carson Ellis with whom he has one child), Okkervil River (Will Sheff is actually quite an accomplished artist in his own right), and The Magnolia Electric Company. Upon delving deeper into the world of concert posters, I realized that these objects can get pretty pricey (sometimes exceeding $200) and that they were often printed in limited editions. What really took me aback however, was how detailed these posters were. I mean they seem just as interesting as any art I have seen in museums and just as well done. So if anyone has any interesting websites to go get some cool rock posters or is trying to sell some posters they own (or have drawn) send me a message. Anyways I ended up buying this sweet Decemberists poster from Galaxyreno it is quite an amazing piece of work (though a little pricey) and I should have it for years to come.

Well that is all today...see you folks tomorrow!

What Makes Tom Waits So Damn Cool?

2006-08-28T19:09:00.000-04:00

Being previously unimpressed with Tom Waits and his carnival of horrors, I was taken aback by the intense like (maybe love?) I felt when I first listened to "Mule Variations" per a recommendation from my girlfriend. I never properly gave credit to Tom for his incredible variety of music and I am truly sorry about that. In the same song Waits can cover everything from the deep South's blues to gritty New York rock doing it all with swagger and verve.

On to the formal review. Tom Waits' album "Mule Variations" is a somber reflection on Southern country folk music. There are several emotionally wrenching songs be it "House Where Nobody Lives" or "Georgia Lee" there is a somewhat deep fried desperation in his lyrics and his sandpaper voice speak of past scars. "House Where Nobody Lives" is possibly the best Katrina reflection song ever (though it was recorded long before the event) as it reflects on the bright history of an empty boarded up house. Speaking of New Orleans, Waits does a better bourbon drenched Southern ruffian than any recent imitators could have wished. This entire album reminds me of the Great Depression, I can easily picture Waits travelling in a beat up Model T over sand blasted plains searching for doubtful employment. This album is almost flawless, except for one track that really bothers me. "Filepino Box Spring Hog" is just bizarre and breaks the steady flow of the album. I really disliked this track because it broke up what was truly an amazing experience for me. Well the album is great anyways.

Overall Grad: 8.6

Elements That I Liked - Crafty song writing and incredible Southern ambiance make this the ultimate Southern fried rock album. Tom Waits' torn snarl is one of a kind and evokes 50s blues artists. A damn powerful album, especially post Katrina

Elements That I Didn't Like - "Filipino Box Spring Hog" is a shitty track, it is completely pointless. Tom's voice and music is not for all listeners.

I just downloaded the new Magnolia Electric Company CD and am liking it thus far, but am a little disapointed by their "Werewovlves of London" cover. More on this as it develops...

See y'all folks tomorrow. Goodnight.

A Sweet Summer Sampling

2006-08-27T16:08:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the long hiatus, I was in New York City visiting my aunt and such things (yes I even visited Brooklyn). Well I promised to supply a list of my top albums I discovered this summer that you should also check out. Well here goes:

10. Get Lonely - The Mountain Goats

The perfect break-up album. All elements of this CD (with the possible exception of the up-beat "If You See Light") speak to loneliness and longing. Sparsely instrumented and powered by a more vocally mature Darnielle, The Mountain Goats deliver one of the strongest emotional albums in recent memory. This CD will certainly never brighten up your day, but if you want to sulk (and face it, sometimes you do) this is the perfect CD to wallow to. So wallow away dammit...

9. Bottoms of Barrels - Tilly and the Wall

In sharp contrast to "Get Lonley," Tilly and the Wall do not dissapoint with their sophomore effort delivering infectious cheer and charging rhythms (powered by their tap dancing) with each new track revealed. I am especially partial to "Bad Education" and "Lost Girls" as they embody the very sound of Tilly and the Wall. These guys are not experts at heartfelt ballads (seeing that the Bright Eyes inspired "Love Song" is the album's weakest track), but like The Boy Least Likely To they are just so damn infectious that you can't help but tap your toes right along with them.

8. Cripple Crow - Devendra Banhart

Fusing Brazilian folk music and the whispery vocals of the legendary Nick Drake, Devendra Banhart puts together yet another solid album full of whispery jungle melodies and strange (and sometimes awkward) lyrical combinations. Though this album stagnates early due to a lacking tempo and airy Spanish lyrics, "Cripple Crow" charges hard towards the end of the album with songs such as "Mama Wolf" and "Chinese Children." A great CD to lounge to as it is low intensity, there is also an inexplicable honesty to Devendra, which I can only see as a man at the pinnacle of musical innovation and melodic craftiness.

7. The Crane Wife - The Decemberists

I know it isn't out yet, but I came across a leaked copy and have been in love with it ever since. Colin Meloy, possibly the greatest song writer of our generation, is yet again in top form as he weaves excellent ambience with both "O Valencia" and "Sons and Daughters." But what is especially interesting about "The Crane Wife" is the fifth track "The Perfect Crime 2" which sees Meloy using almost a disco beat to convey the funky intensity of a perfect crime. I have only begun to tap the beauty and complexity of this album and it would have undoubtedly been higher had I the opportunity to do so (probably 2 or 3). Definately check this one out, it may be the strongest album of The Decemberists' career.

6. Post-War - M. Ward

M. Ward has a gift of being able to seem old fashioned, yet at the same time be seen as hip and relevent. "Post-War" is no exception to this rule and is an excellent follow up to the stellar "Transfiguration of Vincent." With mellow vocals and gently strumming guitars it is in some ways remeniscent of Devendra Banhart, yet the rhythms are more upbeat harkening more to an earlier time than foreign soil. The entire album is outstanding, but the tracks "Rollercoaster" and "Magic Trick" are especially memorable. If you like Nick Drake or guitar driven folk, you will love this album as I did.

5. Gulag Orkestar - Beirut

A truly amazing debut album from Zach Condon's Beirut. Sounds like some sort of Eastern European folk music blended with the vocal of Neutral Milk Hotel. An excellent use of horns and ukelele power this album, with Condon's voice sounding more like an instrument than a lyrical machine it gives the album an ambience of musty ballrooms or a creepy undead dance scene in a Tim Burton film. Probably the most unique and innovative album of this year (thus far), at only 20 years old it looks as though Condon as a long and bright career ahead of him.

4. St. Elsewhere - Gnarls Barkley

In dramatic contrast to the rest of the albums on this list, "St. Elsewhere" has been one of the top selling albums of 2006. With DJ Dangermouse cutting killer beats and Cee-Lo fluttering over the beats with his soulful vocals, this album is not your typical best selling album. With amusing, clever lyrics and catchy, danceable beats this album is very accessable yet not cliche. Mixing Motown quality vocals, with intelligent catchy beats, and nerdy, white-boy humor this album is truly an oddity and a loveable oddity at that. Did I mention their outrageous costumes during live shows? They only add to the personality and uniqueness of this band.

3. Antony and the Johnsons - Antony and the Johnsons

With one of the most beautiful and enchanting voice in recent memory, Antony of Antony and the Johnsons captivates his audience. This album is full of sorrow and longing, but approaches it in a more hopeful tone then "Get Lonely" and other bleak acoustic records. Even in the most depressing songs like "River of Sorrow" there is still a dim light of hope burning brighter with each bellow out of Antony's lungs. A gorgeous debut album, one of the best in the last ten years easily.

2. The Essential Leonard Cohen - Leonard Cohen

I don't know if it is fair to match the collected works of a legendary artist such as Leonard Cohen with fragments of acts which are clearly growing into a more mature sound, but I will do it anyways. Maybe the greatest song writer of all time (along with Dylan) songs like "Suzanne" and "Tower of Song" are essential to any "best of" singer-songwriter collection. Brilliantly shows the entire scope of Cohen's career and how his sound changed as he aged. "Chelsea Hotel #2" is one of my favorite songs of all time and details his affair with Janis Joplin, the crown jewel in a truly remarkable career. Buy this album ASAP!

1. The Sunset Tree - The Mountain Goats

Though Cohen could easily be here, I decided that The Mountain Goats' landmark album "The Sunset Tree" is my number one. The album is chock full of great tracks whether it be the teenage desperation of "This Year," the soft warble of "Love, Love, Love," or youthful romp "Dance Music" it is an amazingly multifaceted work. Yet at the same time, Darnielle and Co manage to keep the music focused and the transitions graceful. Though the subject is very sad, a timeline of sorts about his hatred of his abusive step-father, the ending of the album ("Pale Green Things") is decidedly upbeat and puts a positive ending on a great album. "This Year" is one of my favorite tracks ever, so go pick this treasure up now...

A few great albums that missed the list are:
Let's Get Out of This Country - Camera Obscura
I'm Your Man - Various Artists (Soundtrack)
Magnolia Electric Company - Songs: Ohia

I will be back tomorrow with more ramblings and maybe a Tom Waits review...so check back tomorrow!

Thanks To DIG!

2006-08-22T19:41:00.000-04:00

I just finished by first internship at the Digital Influence Group in Waltham, MA. It was an amazing experience and I learned more than I could have imagined. I would like to thank especially Jasmine and Lisa for all of their help using software and integrating me into their work routines. I would also like to thank Rachelle and Maryjean for giving me the opportunity to work for this wonderful organization and Sarah Mason for all of her HR help. Digital Influence Group is a very professional and classy organization full of talent and expertise. I wish the company and its employees much success in the future.

I am also reading a book called "The Parallax View" by Zizek and am getting a bit confused by some of the Heidegger in it. If anyone has any insights that would be great. Thanks!

More Fun With Lists (Singles)

2006-08-22T18:38:00.000-04:00

Since I have already gone through my biggest musical dissapointments of the summer, the next step is to list the top singles of my summer. This was quite a task to narrow down a considerable list into only ten, but here goes:

10. Just Be Simple - Songs: Ohia

From the longing guitar that opens the song, Molina and company take the house down with a gorgeous country ballad about a crumbling relationship and the lonliness that accompanies it. With Molina's typically masterful song writing taking center stage (If Heaven is coming back/I hope it has a heart attack) and a sparse, but solid musical backing of guitar pings and steady drumming this is a can't miss song off Songs: Ohia's most complete album yet.

9. Magic Trick - M. Ward

An uncharacteristcally bouncy track off of M. Ward's forthcoming album "Post-War" leads with the cliche line "she's got one magic trick/just one and that's it/she dissapears" and bounces along at a catchy rockabilly pace. A song that I endlessly wish was longer being a crisp 1:44 and being the center-piece of a break-out album from the guitar strumming god.

8. The Boogie Monster - Gnarls Barkley

One of the many great tracks off of "St. Elsewhere," TBM separates itself with it's driving baseline and eery/cheeky vocals, but what is the real kicker is the ending comment, "the only thing that could bring me back to life woman/is some good good head." This song perfectly exemplifies Gnarls Barkley's mixture of cleverness and camp. More funky and stylish than "Crazy" yet still as catchy and fun. Hopefully DJ Danger Mouse and crew have many more of these albums in their future.

7. Fistful of Love - Antony and the Johnsons (ft. Lou Reed)

The powerhouse song off of Antony and the Johnsons mainstream smash "I Am A Bird Now." Fistful of Love details the pain of imperfect love and the almost physical pain that can be caused by it. With Antony's warbling falsetto gently buoyed by the Johnson's gorgeous piano and Lou Reed's aged accompanying vocal this song reminds one of a forgone era when big bands reigned and powerful soul singers ruled the plane. Antony truly has a vocal gift and puts to shame his idol Boy George in both vocal talent and song writing. Not to mention these guys put on a blistering live show. One of the true great up and coming acts.

6. Baby Jane - Belle and Sebastian

I have been a sucker for a good Belle and Sebastian pop song, since the release of their masterful album "The Life Pursuit" earlier this year and the song "Baby Jane" coming on their "White Collar Boy" fulfills that need. Though Stuart Murdoch's vocals seem to be right on the edge of breaking several times during the song he holds it together over a pumping bass line and a seventies sounding horn section. Possibly Belle and Sebastian's saddest song since their "Boy with an Arab Strap" days, I real surprise and a great song from a great band.

5. Bad Education - Tilly and the Wall

Always a fun band with their furious tap dancing and witty Oberst inspired lyrics, "Bad Education" is by far the strongest song off of their 2006 release "Bottoms of Barrels." Fast and driving is the only way to describe this song, the band almost feels out of control, but manages to everything going. A fun song that is great to dance to and is more universally appealing than many of the songs on this list.

4. Get Lonely - The Mountain Goats

No song manages to convey loneliness as well as The Mountain Goats' "Get Lonely." Between the bare instrumentation and wayward vocal of John Darnielle this song covenys absolute hopelessness and dispair. The enunciation is what really sets this song appart as Darnielle almost seems timid and afraid as if he is cowering alone in a dark closet waiting for his love to come back and discover him. Not to mention this song made me shed a few tears when I first heard it.

3. Chelsea Hotel #2 - Leonard Cohen

The hight of Leonard Cohen's masterful songwriting. In "Chelsea Hotel #2" Cohen expands on a previous poem about his one night stand with songstress Janis Joplin in the 1960s. Though this experience may be unique (I mean not everyone could have had sex with Joplin) the theme of gritty sex is universal. Having sex on an "unmade bed" perfectly conveys the sponteniety of a passing love affair. All this is tinged with a sense of longing and regret creating a harmonious tribute to a remarkable past.

2. This Year - The Mountain Goats

This song was the theme of my summer. Working daily for the first time, it was often difficult to motivate myself to get out of bed in the morning, but the Darnielle's lyrics of "I am gonna make it through this year/If it kills me" concisely sums up my summer. This song is probably the most accessable Mountain Goats song yet abandoing the lo-fi production that characterized his earlier albums, Darnielle creates a more complete sound even without tape hiss that always backed earlier albums such as "All Hail West Texas." This song is truly a rebirth in both how I listened to music and the style of future Mountain Goats' albums.

1. I'll Be Your Mirror - Clem Snide

Though the original is a Velvet Underground classic, Clem Snide's twang cover puts the emotion of Lou Reed's lyrics back into the song that was lost in the faux masculine drone of Nico's voice. Eef Barzelay transforms a antaseptic reflection of the distorting quality of love into a quaint piece of unrequited love. The delivery of the lyrics feel so honest as to remind one of youthful love untainted by fears of mortgage payments and soccer practice. This is truly a classic take on a classic song.

Well that concludes the list...be back soon with the summer's top albums.

Some Summer Dissapointments

2006-08-19T20:19:00.000-04:00

Every summer I download a ton of music and this summer was no exception. Most of the bands I download I really like or enjoy at least a few tracks on the downloaded CD, but here are five CDs which I simply could not get into. Hopefully repeated listening will bring appreciation.

5. The Ghost of Fashion - Clem Snide

I really like Clem Snide, especially their "Beautiful EP" which is a perfect mixture of humor and beauty, but I was sorely dissapointed with "The Ghost of Fashion." Often considered their landmark album (or at least their most popular) I found most of the tracks too eccentric or too serious. The balance was sorely lacking. Though not a terrible album, it was in no way as exceptional as it was billed to me by my friends and critics.

4. Descended Like Vultures - Rogue Wave

Another band that I really enjoy. This album simply does not stand up to past releases. The songwriting is less moving and the songs are bland and cookie-cutter. I doubt this album will grow on me, but I hope this band rebounds with a strong next album which sees them get back to the original power that made them beautiful.

3. The Loon - Tapes n' Tapes

I really don't like this album. Highly touted by critics (especially Pitchfork) after SXSW 2006, I saw neither what made them so innovative or why their CD was so awesome. I just don't get this CD at all it reminds me of Arctic Monkeys a lot of hype, but nothing really very interesting.

2. Great Lake Swimmers - Great Lake Swimmers

The sound a lot like Band of Horses, but their song writing is lacking and it gets boring...fast. I really like the song "Moving Pictures, Silent Films" but after that I turn the CD off. Could be a good springboard for future success, but this CD simply lacks variety or fun.

1. Palo Santo - Shearwater

I love Okkervil River and I love John Meiburg, but "Palo Santo" moves too far away from the original Okkervil and Shearwater sound into something wispy and boring. Unlike their exceptional "Theives EP," "Palo Santo" is less powerful and reminds me of a bad Buckley (really bad for that matter). Maybe they are better live as I am going to see them with the Magnolia Electric Company. I hope so...

Be back tomorrow with my best singles of the summer.

How Does One Pronouce Sufjan?

2006-08-17T11:33:00.000-04:00

Sufjan Stevens' album "Illinois" was almost unanimously voted the best album of 2005 by music writers and musicians (also Pitchfork). Sufjan's masterful song-craftsmanship is at its best in "Illinois" as he begins to experiment with full choruses and deeper string arrangements. Stand-out tracks such as "Chicago" and "Come on Feel the Illinois" are powerful arrangements that display both fullness of sound and lyrical mastery. And even though Sufjan can be too damn smug and lyrically pretentious at times (not to mention religiously fanatical), this album steers clear of all of those problems. At it's best "Illinois" is a marked improvement over "Greetings From Michigan" in compositional complexity and is eerily catchy in it's choruses and horn arrangements.

Having said all of these wonderful things, one emotion ran throughout "Illinois" for me: disappointment. Since this album was so highly touted (over superior albums from bands such as Okkervil River) and uniformly praised, I expected a truly revolutionary album, a "Velvet Underground and Nico" for generation Y. This is not to say that this is a poor album or even an average album, it is above average, but yet it is not the resounding statement that it was originally perceived as. Sometimes critics can take praise too far in the same way they can often be too negative, this is a slick album and has moments of true beauty and power. But too many times I felt myself wanting more: more emotion, more strings, more soul. Sufjan delivered in none of these things. Did I mention that the album is twenty-two songs long, needless to say it could be trimmed down a bit, especially towards the end ( Is "Let's Hear that String Part Again.." really necessary). A good release, but not the great one that it is too often valued at.

Rating: 8.1

Elements That I Liked - Very well crafted songs, innovative use of choruses and strings. Very slick production. Some songs are complete knock outs like "Chicago" and "Jacksonville." Is a step in the right direction. No Christian craziness.

Elements That I Didn't Like - Not as innovative or powerful as the critics claim. Overlong. Feels souless and hollow at times (Sufjan is the whitest guy named Sufjan ever, I mean Colin Meloy is funkier than this guy). Seems like it takes itself too seriously at times.

Thanks and be back tomorrow.

Getting Slapped Around

2006-08-16T10:00:00.000-04:00

The Mountain Goats' revolutionary 2004 album "The Sunset Tree" saw the group (or John Darnielle as he is the only consistant member of the band) move away from their low-fi roots and embrace a fuller, more complete sound. Gone is the omnipresent tape hiss and the endless battle between the vocal and guitar tracks, replaced by a more refined and professional sound. I have to say that for me this was a little dissapointing as I had always appreciated The Goats' unique lo-fi sound and Darnielle's desperate cries over the fierce hiss of tape and frenetic guitar strumming, but after some listening the sound grew on me. The refined sound allows more instruments, particularly the cello, to be utilized to their full ability. This type of production also allows for more differentiation as certain The Mountain Goats' albums such as "All Hail West Texas" suffered from differentiation issues (all tracks sounded pretty much the same).

The other shocking feature is the more personal songwriting present on "The Sunset Tree." Gone are lighthearted fares such as "The Best Ever Death Metal Band Out of Denton," which are replaced by the sheer emotional desperation of songs such as "This Year" and "Dance Music." As per usual Darnielle's lyrics create powerful swirling images, but these images are much more melancholy and fearful than on past Goats' albums, since they deal with Darnielle's frightening childhood at the hands of an abusive step-father. "Dance Music" is the most forward in expressing this fact "while my step father yells at my mother/ launching a glass straight at her head/ and I dash up stairs to take cover." Though this CD is very serious, having also listened to the soon-to-be-released "Get Lonely" I long for Darnielle to rediscover his humerous side, since these albums are very emotionally draining to listen to.

Another problem that I have with "The Sunset Tree" is that it seriously fades at the end of the disc. With the exception of the cutesy "Love, Love, Love" there is not a single standout track in the last five songs, which causes me to switch albums after the song "Up the Wolves" in most cases.

Rating: 9.2

Elements That I Liked - Powerful songwriting and new hi-fi production give this disc a fuller sound than past Goats' albums. "This Year" is one of my favorite tracks of all time, just an amazing overall song. More complexity allows for greater song differentiation. Cello's rule...

Elements That I Didn't Like - Album fades sharply by the last five tracks. Very serious and emotionall draining listen.

In the news scientists have finally decided the fate of Pluto's planet status and looks to include a few more planets as well. The cease-fire in Lebanon is still holding...for now.

Blinking Lights for Everyone

2006-08-15T10:12:00.000-04:00

In his newest album Mark Oliver Everett (the only consistant member of the Eels) delivers a hauntingly personal narrative about his quest for love and the unfortunate journeys along the way. Sounding somewhere between the ghostly whispers of an abandoned carnival and a weeping lonely child "Blinking Lights and Other Revelations" is definitely the Eels most consistant album in the last five years, maybe even of his career. Though it is epic (33 tracks) even the lyricless ambient tracks have their place in illustrating the progression of a man combatting the lonliness of growing older whilst at the same time over-analyzing his own love and what it means ("Ugly Love" is a good example of this). Gone are the fuzzy, often harsh beats of "Souljacker" and the faux enthusiasm of "Daisies of the Galaxy" replaced by quiet strings and mellow background vocals ("Marie Floating Over the Backyard").

Is this the Eels best album? Maybe. Though "Beautiful Freak" is probably the most accessable of E's albums and "Electro-Shock Blues" is probably his most deep and honest, neither album exibited the same level of songwriting and humor as Blinking Lights. By stating that this album is deep I do not mean to imply that there are no stand-out tracks as "Blinking Lights (for Me)," "Ugly Love," and "Hey Man, Now You're Really Living" all stang among E's best written and endearing tracks in an incredibly deep discography. Though it is impossible to judge which album is E's "best" since they all differ in focus and intensity, it was "Blinking Lights and Other Revelations" that resonated most strongly with me due to it's unique perception of love and almost surreal ambience.

Rating: 9.4

Elements That I Liked - Beautiful song writing, E is truly a master. Wonderful ambience, full of longing and hopelessness. Not a single bad track on the album, rarely can I listen to a full double album, but this one is truly good from beginning to end. Hell even the live album "With Strings: Live at Town Hall" is a good buy and so are the "B-Sides and Rarities."

Elements That I Didn't Like - Only good for a certain mood. May be too long for some listeners with ADD. Not very upbeat.

Calling from the Emptiness of the Void

2006-08-14T09:24:00.000-04:00

1. The First Song (3:43)
2. Wicked Gil (2:57)
3. Our Swords (2:26)
4. The Funeral (5:22)
5. Part One (2:36)
6. The Great Salt Lake (4:45)
7. Weed Party (3:09)
8. I Go to the Barn Because I Like The (3:06)
9. Monsters (5:21)
10. St. Augustine (2:41)

Band of Horses' freshman release "Everything All the Time" is an amazing accomplishment for a band of any duration, yet alone a first release. Upon hearing the first lyrics of "The First Song," the listener is immediately struck by the sense of spaciousness in the sound. It seems almost as if the band recorded in a desolate Kansas wheat field or in the barren tundra of Nunavut. The second element of Band of Horses' sound that strikes the listener is the sweet singing of Ben Bridwell often sounding like a angel wandering an endless universe (or at least My Morning Jacket). What is especially amazing about Bridwell's vocals (especially on tracks "St. Augustine" and "I Go to the Barn Because I Like the") is that they fill up just enough of the massive space that is the sound to avoid a hollow and cold emotional reaction from the listener. With another, weaker vocalist this space would not be properly utilized and would leave the sound weak and wounded.

This is a very complete album. There is nary a bad track on the entire disc, though "Wicked Gil" and "Weed Party" are the weakest tracks they are still very listenable and rarely cause track-skippage. The strongest tracks are "The Funeral" and "St. Augustine" both beautiful testaments to Bridwell's vocal talent and the seeming paradox that is the fullness of their sound. "St. Augustine" sounds more like the hymns of medieval Christianity then a modern rock song, whereas "The Funeral" is a tongue-in-cheek knock at the encompassing dread of certain people ("On every occasion I'll be ready for the funeral" calls Bridwell). The completeness of this album is a testament to the experience Bridwell gained whilst a member of Carrissa's Weird (also a good group to check out) and the cohesiveness of group where Bridwell and guitarist Mat Brooke had a great amount of experience playing together. An overall fulfilling and innovative album. A possible front-runner for album of the year.

Rating: 9.4

Elements I Liked - Dramatic, open sound, which was still capable of conveying emotion. Complete album without any filler tracks. Innovative without being weird or unlistenable.

Elements I Didn't Like Lacks the killer tracks of other albums, though "St. Augustine" and "The Funeral" are both very good. Not for everyone, some people may hate the openness of the sound. Mat Brooke has left Band of Horses and it remains to be seen how his exit will effect future releases by the band.

In other news, it appears that Israel and Lebanon have reached a lasting cease-fire agreement.Though citizens of Lebanon are not out of trouble yet, since there is still the threat of unexploded shells and food and water shortages. At least the bombing has stopped. Meanwhile, the violence in Sri Lanka continues as 43 school girls were killed in a government air raid agaist the rebel Tamil Tigers. The violence in the small island nation has been steadily on the upswing since a cease fire fell apart in late July, spawning a government raid and the ensuing revenge attacks by the Tamils. I will update the cease-fire if I hear any more news on it. Have a good day!

In Other-Worldly Scream Resonating from a Forest Enveloped by Fog

2006-08-11T09:26:00.000-04:00

1. Black Sheep Boy
2. For Real
3. In A Radio Song
4. Black
5. Get Big
6. A King And A Queen
7. A Stone
8. The Latest Toughs
9. Song Of Our So-Called Friend
10. So Come Back, I Am Waiting
11. A Glow

"Black Sheep Boy" last year's landmark release by Southern fried New Hampshirian's Okkervil River was my favorite release of 2005. Though suffering from some balance issues and a few unlistenable tracks ("A Stone" and "Get Big"), the album's strongest tracks "For Real," "Black," "The Latest Toughs," and "Song of Our So-Called Friend" are all among my top thirty songs of 2005. These tracks achieved this status because of the raw emotional power of frontman Will Sheff's voice mixed with radical creshendos and decreshendos to keep the listener on their toes. From the opening line of "Here I am back home again, I'm here to rest. They only ask where I have been, knowing I've been West," quoting from a cover of folk icon Tim Hardin, there is an eery mist that descends on the record. The guitar will oftentimes seem to be to slow for Sheff's screeching vocal, especially on "Black" and "For Real," creating a sense of panic and desperation. Overall a very complete album, with the best song of 2005 ("For Real") and a foreboding ambiance that can rarely be conveyed through recorded material.

Rating: 9.7

Elements I Liked - Great energy and ambiance. Will Sheff's anger and crying is powerful enough to evoke emotion, but not so powerful as to be grating. "For Real" is an amazing song. Very complete album, with a wide variety of emotions represented.

Elements I Didn't Like - A couple of tracks were really bad. The Appendix to the album is too slow and incosistant...

No real news, but be back tomorrow with another review. Cheers!

This Beauty is a Beast!

2006-08-10T08:59:00.000-04:00

1. The Stars of Track and Field
2. Seeing Other People
3. Me and the Major
4. Like Dylan in the Movies
5. The Fox in the Snow
6. Get Me Away From Here, I'm Dyin'
7. If You're Feeling Sinister
8. Mayfly
9. The Boy Done Wrong Again
10. Judy and the Dream of Horses

Since I felt like some of my political ramblings were beginning to get out of hand, I have decided to do a multi-part series on some of my favorite albums...EVER! What better album to begin this list than Belle and Sebastian's benchmark album "If You're Feeling Sinister," which, in my eyes, is the most complete album of the last twenty years. Not only are there no unlistenable tracks on this CD, but it is packed with great songs from the driving guitar of "Me and the Major" to the soft whisper of "The Fox in the Snow." Very few albums awake quite as varied emotions as "If You're Feeling Sinister" with the lighhearted joking of the track "If You're Feeling Sinister" the listener gets tongue-in-cheek lyrics about faith, but by track eight one feels shame in listening to the heart-wrenching "The Boy Done Wrong Again." What is especially impressive is that all of these emotions transition perfectly into one another and none of the songs feel forced or overstated (which B & S became guilty of at later points in their career). This was the first CD that really related to me on a deep emotional level, especially "The Fox in the Snow" and "Get Me Away From Here, I'm Dyin'" portraying emotions of sadness and alienation that are easy for a teenager to relate to. This album is also responsible for exposing me to the wonderful world of independent music and reevaluating to me the importance of writing good pop songs after years of listening to mostly metal and classic rock (I am part of the generation that associated pop with boy bands and Britney Spears). So not only does this album hold an important place because of it's excellent music, but also because it was important in reevaluating my musical tastes for the better.

Elements I Like - Amazing in every way, from the first track to the last chord. Good crisp length that does not drag on. Great range of emotion, without awkward transitioning.

Elements I Didn't Like - Why couldn't "Dear Catastrophe Waitress" be like this?

News: The La Route du Rock festival kicks off in Saint-Malo, France tomorrow and features Belle and Sebastian, Franz Ferdinand, and TV on the Radio amongst many others. Also Brightblack Morning Light kick off "Quiet, Quiet Forest Spectrum" in Big Sur, CA tomorrow. Thanks and see everyone tomorrow!

Iraq Casualties

2006-08-09T08:57:00.000-04:00

Add to the ever-growing list of Iraq War casualties the political career of Senator Joe Lieberman from Connecticut. Lieberman was defeated in the Democratic state primary by millionare turned politician Ned Lamont on the zephyr of a strong anti-war message. Lieberman said he will run as an independent against both Lamont and the Republican nominee Alan Schlesinger. This upset comes the day before a recent poll on Iraq War support calculated that sixty percent of Americans are against the war in Iraq. Other political, especially Democratic, candidates should take note of this statistic or suffer the same fate as Lieberman who was often very critical of the anti-war position held by the majority of the Democratic Party. Hopefully this kind of political pressure will speed up the Iraqi hand-over, since there is no better motivation for the beareucratics in Washington to end this senseless war, then the fear that they may lose their re-election bids for supporting it.

In completely unrelated news, I was discussing the stigmata with my girlfriend last night and I brought up the theory that it simply was a case of mind over matter. She was skeptical about the idea and since I didn't have the means to get sources, I looked more or less like a raving lunatic. Wikipedia quotes that

Some believe that the condition can be explained by 'frontier science' such as with the unexplained phenomena of the mind exerting physical effects on the body. There have been claims that non-religious people under deep hypnosis, when told that they had a crown of thorns on their heads cutting into their flesh (in the manner similar to Christ), have had bleeding welts appear on their foreheads even when nothing had come into contact with the skin. Thus if this is true, the effects have been inflicted by the mind onto the body. Other accounts of this strong mind-body connection have been observed and documented in experiments such as the case in which heart disease patients were administered a placebo pill, but told that it was a new 'super-medicine', and their conditions noticeably improved. It is thought by some that the deep trance-like state which deeply religious people claim to go into mimics this type of hypnosis, and the extremely strong and vivid impressions of the wounds and suffering are somehow transmitted from the mind to the body. This also fits with the fact that stigmata was first observed at around the time when graphic detail of the crucifixion started to appear in Christian art, making the wounds and suffering easier to comprehend and imagine in the minds of observers of the art.

There is another, more personalized, resource about an individual case which can be found here.

That is all for today. Bye!

What I am listening to: Belle and Sebastian - Baby Jane

Lollapalooza!

2006-08-08T09:35:00.000-04:00

In a concerted effort to try to limit my political rambling I was wondering around music websites this morning looking for interesting stories. I found two and only one was remotely musical, so here goes.

I found a sneaky little Pitchfork article about Lollapalooza, which at first seems an innocous critique of the poorly orchestrated Lollapalooza lineup (too many oldies, not enough new artists, but upon further inspection is simply a sly marketing plan for the Pitchfork Music Festival. Pitchfork's two part series on the Pitchfork Music festival made it out to be a utopian festival where everyone was well dressed and behaved and every musical act played their best set in five years. Whereas every Lollapalooza band was either plagued by sound issues or had a musical style that did not fit with a festival atmosphere (Built to Spill, among others). I know Lollapalooza has been sub-par in recent years as the alt. rock scene has evolved and the festival has taken on more rap artists, but I think that it is important for Pitchfork to recognize that without festival style events such as Lollapalooza it is doubtful that the Pitchfork Music Festival would exist, especially in the wake of the disasterous Woodstock '99.

Here is a ridiculous article, brought to you by the good folks at the New York Times.

Well that is all for today! Have a good afternoon and keep cool!

Comedy, Brought to You by Fox News!

2006-08-07T09:09:00.000-04:00

Sometimes when I am lonely or sad I listen to music to try to cheer myself up. But when music cannot lift my spirits, I go straight to the opinion section of foxnews.com. There I can find incredibly comical articles about stories as varied as how the Jews should milk the Mel Gibson anti-semitism gaffe to border security, I never cease to get a laugh out of Fox News. My personal favorite jokester is Bill O'Reilly, a comical genius who can expertly blend ignorance with, well, border security. In his most recent column, O'Reilly explains the dangers of "Islamic fascism" (as if we didn't already know the dangers...September 11th...), but quickly switches topics and begins attacking the liberal media. The connection between the liberal media and Islamic fascism is still somewhat unclear, but maybe if I become a premium member or buy some sweet O'Reilly kitch at the O'Reilly Store, I will begin to understand.

What I do not understand about Conservatives, more specifically the aptly named "Evangelical Right," is their failure to realize their similarities with the terrorists and Islamic fascists they so dispise. Both groups are inherently conservative, with the Evangelical Right trying to preserve so-called "Family Values" such as right to life (Terri Schiavo/abortion), border security, and stem cells/genetic engineering; and Islamic fundamentalists trying to preserve their cultural heritage, which happens to include women wearing headscarves and Islamic law. These two groups are fighting for essentially the same thing, which is the preservation of cultural tradition. We also use fundamentally the same methods of preserving it: violence. Islamic fundamentalists cut the hands off of theives, whereas in the United States we lock up civilians for life after their third minor crime (California Law). Though Islamic violence is more direct, mostly due to poverty , since holding a prisoner is very expensive, holding a person in a prison for life with other, oftentimes more violent, criminals is psychological violence. Both sides are so similar they are threatened by one another, not unlike the Communists and the Fascists of World War II, they may have different aims or goals, but the method that both the Evangelicals and the Islamic Fundamentalists is essentially the same.

In musical news, the band Death from Above 1979 have officially split up, ending long speculation that they were suffering from artistic differences. Also, Johnny Marr is now an official member of the band Modest Mouse after working on some songs for an upcoming album with the band. Marr is most famous for being the guitarist for the 80's Brit rock band The Smiths. Also, don't trust Pitchfork's review of Sigur Ros' newest EP, Saeglopur, it is a gorgeous piece of musical mastery and continues Sigur Ros' legacy of producing tear-jerking ambient tunes. Well that is all for today, more news tomorrow! Peace...

Listening To: Antony and the Johnsons - "Cripple and the Starfish"

Ageism as the New Sexism

2006-08-06T21:01:00.000-04:00

Living in an older community such as the town of Marion (where I live) on realizes quickly that younger people are both undervalued and feared in the older population. Years of anti-narcotics commercials and CNN news extremism have colored younger people as drug-abusing, violent, and lazy. But how much of this stereotyping is true? Well as someone who works in a company staffed with younger employees (19-30) very little of it. Though many of my co-workers will have a drink after work at a local pub or restaurant they are hardly drug abusers or violent in any way. Most of them are trying to pay their way out of college loans and beginning to snore their way out of the party atmosphere due to having to go to work the next day. Older people face similar struggles as they are seen as living in the past or washed up.

I think that there is a key difference in the ageism expressed towards younger people; however, since I believe that, unlike the ageism leveled against the elderly, younger ageism is tinted with distrust. Middle aged folk may see old people as useless, but they are hardly seen as a threat (maybe a nuisance), whereas younger people, though seen as capable, can do grave harm be it physically or verbally. In England almost six out of every ten 16-24 year olds complained of age discrimmination opposed to only 48 percent of those over fifty. Personally, I believe that this attitude towards youth is not new, it is a reaction of an older generation to the one that is about to replace it. Fear of new customs and habits perplex and anger the older crowd who are faced with their own mortality in the eyes of the young, so they label these habits as unhealthy (see video game violence and "Parental Advisory" CDs) or claim that young people cannot handle the responsibility of mature habits (drinking, driving, etc.). The old do see the young as useful in occupying low paying jobs and completing military service (more on that tomorrow). Until the older generation realizes that the younger generation is one to be taught instead of oppressed, this ageism will always occur. (Good resource)

Thanks and have a good night!

Possible Software Change?

2006-08-05T20:56:00.000-04:00

I have been pondering switching up some software for my Mac G4 for quite some time and since I am getting a new portable hard drive tomorrow I may make that switch. The two programs I am thinking of switching are Nisus Word Processor for Microsoft Word and Opera for Safari. I mostly want to switch out Microsoft Word because Nisus has a smaller footprint (takes up less space) and allows for more customiziblity, though I am worried about capatability issues with computers running Microsoft Word. I really like Safari, but one of Opera's new features is a torrent seeder, which I would get a lot of use out of and would save me a lot of time. If anyone knows anything about these programs, let me know with an e-mail or comment, your words will be much appreciated.

The only real musical news of note is that the Strokes lead singer is going to be releasing a solo album, which may mean the beginning of the end for The Strokes depending on his solo success. We will have to just wait and see. Sorry about the lack of links, the link button is broken. Check back in for more news on my downloading exploits. Later folks.

Ohio Statehood in Question...Kinda

2006-08-04T09:22:00.000-04:00

It his upcoming documentary entitled "America: Freedom to Fascism" Aaron Russo uses a mixture of conspiracy theory and constitutional finagling to prove that there is no federal law allowing the government to enact an income tax. This concept sparked my interest because I wondered how it was possible for the government to pull the wool over the eyes of millions of citizens, since 1913 when it was drafted into law by President Taft as the 16th amendment to the United States constitution. So I wandered around the internet for a time searching for reasons why people thought that the 16th amendment was invalid or somehow did not apply to them. Here are the top three:

1. Ohio was not a state in 1913 and since Taft was elected from Ohio he was not legally allowed to be President.

This is probably the most well known argument against the income tax. It is said that Ohio had never been admitted as a state, since the 1803 document supposidly granting Ohio statehood, did not grant it statehood (officially) at all, but instead only laid boundaries for a POSSIBLE state. Ohio subsequently went on to field a few Presidents, one of which happened to be Taft in 1913 who passed into law the 16th amendment allowing the income tax. Therefore, Taft was not a legal President and had no right to pass into law the 16th amendment. Therefore, the 16th amendment is not valid.

There is one key problem with this argument. Even if Ohio was not officially a state in 1913 it was officially a territory, since 1787 as part of the Northwest Ordinance and citizens who are born in territories of the United States are still considered natural born citizens. Therefore, Taft did have the right to be President even if he was born in a territory of the United States, not in the United States proper. My verdict is that this argument is invalid.

2. Constiutionally the 16th Amendment interferes with other Amendments on the topic of the income tax and therefore is not valid.

This argument as been bounced around since at least 1939 when Arthur Porth contended that the 16th amendment violated the 13th amendment, since he saw the income tax as "involuntary servitude." Porth lost his court case and this argument has been seen as invalid when discussing the topic of the income tax, though I still believe it is a good defence against the forced draft of American males into military service.

Another challenge comes from people who interpret the 14th amendment as stating that Americans are citizens of only their particular state and that therefore the federal government has no right to tax outside of Washington, D.C. However the 14th amendment also says this, " All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside," so that argument is pretty much nixed as well. Some people have questioned the validity of the 14th amendment seeing as it was passed while the South was in the midst of reconstruction and the citizens were more or less forced to pass documents approved by Northern states.

Many other amendments have also been said to contradict the 16th amendment (including the 1st and 5th), but none have stood up in court and most are based on wording and not actual fact. My verdict is that it is possible to find a hole, but most arguments rest on linguistic fallacies instead of law interpretation problems.

3. The 16th amendment was never properly ratified because all states did not sign exact copies of the document.

It has been proven that there were grammatical errors in many of the copies of the 16th amendment that were ratified by specific states. Most of these errors were grammatical or used language which somehow interfered with state constiutional law. I believe these arguments are inconsequential, since they rely on technicalities such as grammatical errors or language contradictions, instead of flaws in interpretation or meaning. If the states understood correctly what they were ratifying, even if it was grammatically flawed, it should still be passed into law. Our government too often gets caught up in grammatical technicalities which gum up the beauracratic system and hurt overall government efficiency. My verdict is that this is silly.

If you have any more ideas about this problem contact me. I also heard that Jens was ok a Pitchfork, but that his performace was overshadowed by other groups such as Liars. Thanks, see ya tomorrow.

Old Mutantes?

2006-08-03T09:05:00.000-04:00

Howdy folks! I have been talking to some friends and checking out some forums to find what were the best/worst performances of Pitchfork Music Fest 2006. From all accounts Liars was the best performance of the festival even Devendra Banhart was blown away by their contagious energy and surprising soul. Two other performances of note were The Mountain Goats and Band of Horses who both played energetic sets (supposidly Band of Horses appeared to be quite inebriated at the time). Os Mutantes were also very good in many peoples eyes, it is always good to see Sergio out there. The weakest bands according to my sources were Tapes n' Tapes (who are terribly overrated anyways) and Devendra Banhart. Devendra has always been known to get a little weird in concert, so it doesn't surprise me that some people would be turned off by that.

What struck me most however was how old some of my favorite bands were beginning to look, especially Mission of Burma and Os Mutantes. I am not saying it is bad to get old (though old men find God and that is bad) I just want these great bands to be releasing albums forever and seeing all those gray hairs reminds me of their own musical mortality. At least we will have the music after they are gone. Overall it looked like a very solid festival, probably not yet in the realm of SXSW, but slowly creeping up into that range. Also if anyone has information about the Jens Lekman set let me know!

In other musical news, Band of Horses amongst other Sub Pop record company artist will be featured in NHL 2k7 next year. Canadians and indie rock is their any better combination? I contend that there is not.

Finally, a personal anecdote. I had a wonderful "senior moment" last night when I fogot my recently purchased book, Zizek's "A Parallax View," in Grendel's Restaurant last night. I thought about going back to get it, however it costs more for the cab fare than the book, dilemmas galore. So if anyone has read "A Parallax View" give me a heads up as to whether it is worth going back and getting.

Oh, one more thing. My buddy Seth and I are going to run an Independent music video show on URTV, but we do not yet have a name and are at a loss about where to get one. I have polled a few other forums and gotten only snarky responses, so if you have any serious suggestions e-mail me or post a comment! Have a great day team!

I Saw Her at the Anti-War Demonstration

2006-08-02T09:08:00.000-04:00

I love my girlfriend. I also love Jens Lekman. It may sound like I am making two completely different statements, but my love for my girlfriend is more intertwined with Jens Lekman then one might think. I met Emily (my girlfriend) in a philosophy of non-violence class last fall and was immediately struck by how well spoken she was, amongst other things. She lived in the same dorm as I did, but on a different floor. It was only after I had gone through the ups and downs of several relationships that I finally began dating Emily and my life has been changed ever since. But back to Jens, early in our relationship I began to get into the music of Jens Lekman, the lonely Swedish pop star, by first downloading his latest album "Oh You're So Silent Jens." On that CD is a song called "I Saw Her at the Anti-War Demonstration" and the woman described in the song was eerily similar to my own Emily down to the fact that she took part in an "anti-war demonstration" and that she had "clear blue eyes." It was at this point that I knew that Emily and I were meant to be together and that has been the song of our relationship ever since. So I would like to thank Jens Lekman for bringing me and the love of my life together, I think I will write him a letter too.

I am gathering information on the Pitchfork Music Fest (good performances, bad performances, etc.) from a few of my friends who were in attendence. The band I have heard praised most highly thus far is The Mountain Goats who supposidly played a blistering set two days ago. More news as I get it.

A couple interesting news headlines to keep your eye on. The condition of Fidel Castro remains unknown after his gastrointestinal surgery yesterday, though it was reported by the Cuban government that he was in "stable condition." Also a good opinion article submitted by Thomas Friedman to the NY Times explaining why Iran and North Korea are so ambiguous about disarmament, check that out here. Lastly, the second steriod test of Tour de France winner Floyd Landis is supposed to come back Saturday the first test reported unusually high levels of testosterone and also sythetic testosterone.

Have a great day everyone, and I will be back tomorrow.

Farewell Fidel?

2006-08-01T09:26:00.000-04:00

Is it all over for Fidel Castro as dictator of Cuba? Last night Fidel Castro announced that he was temporarily ceding power to his brother Raul while he undergoes intestinal surgery. There were celebrations all across the Southern United States, premtively believing that this will be a long term cessation of power. Unfortunately for the United States, Raul is actually more militaristic and true to the ideals of communism. It will be interesting to see if this is the end of the road for Fidel and if it is, how the United States will deal with Cuba diplomatically. The United States has already expressed interest in helping aid a transition of power after Fidel's resignation or death, but it is unlikely Cuba will willingly take the United States up on that offer.

Israel is continuing ground movement against Lebanon and are expected to move troops as far as fifteen miles within the internationally recognized Lebanese border. Israel is expected to continue full aerial bombing capability early tomorrow morning. The pressure now falls almost exclusively on Condi Rice to push both sides to a cease fire, but it seems unlikely that Israel will accept the terms of a cease fire without the full disarmament of Hezbollah, which Hezbollah will not agree to.

In music news, I have fully submerged myself in Martha Wainwright's self titled first album. With an interesting range of songs, which expertly showcase her vocal ability this album appears as though it will stay in my album rotation for a long time. The most stand out track for me is "Ball & Chain" a song that brings to mind a young Janis Joplin with it's bluesy tones and soaring power. I am enjoying this album much more than anything by her more famous brother, Rufus, of Shrek 2 fame because I think that she is a better vocalist and puts greater emotional power behind her words. So, you heard it here first Martha Wainwright is the next Janis Joplin.

Spoon's "new" album release is actually a collection of old material from the early 1990's. It has some rough guitars and lacks the overall polish of newer Spoon albums like "Gimme Fiction." Not worth the buy in my opinion, Pavement has the same type of sound except more refined.

Lastly, NYtimes.com has a great article about the Legionarre's Disease outbreak in Philadelphia in the 1970s. Well written article and I learned a lot.

Thanks for your time and I will be back tomorrow with more CD goodness and international news updates and opinion.

A Beautiful Voice and the Horrors of War

2006-07-31T09:28:00.000-04:00

Hello all, I hope this post finds you all in good health. I have decided to start this post off on a note of happiness, since there is much sorrow to follow it. After being deeply touched by his performance in the Leonard Cohen documentary "I'm Your Man," I decided to download Antony and the Johnsons' record "I Am A Bird Now" and I must say it is an incredible experience. His voice has a beautiful mixture of joy and sadness not often found, since blues music of the 1940s and 1950s. The CD also has some great guest spots by Devendra Banhart, Rufus Wainwright, and the immortal Lou Reed.

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah also recently announced the dates of their upcoming fall tour which kicks off in France on August 25th and comes to America in early September. In other music news Beirut is in production of a new EP release, which will be a dramatic shift from their current Slavic based material, Condon is one of the most gifted young musicians out there and I am very excited to see more of his evolution on his upcoming release.

Now on to more somber events. The conflict in Lebanon has become a disgusting massacre of human life even more so than the touch and go action of last week. What is especially disgusting is the amount of child deaths that have been caused by Israeli airstrikes. One cannot help but wonder what message Israel is sending to the world with these careless attacks. Though international pressure forced Israel to suspend attacks for 48 hours, the United States blocked attempted UN legislation to create a permanent cease fire because Israel sited that it needed "10-12 more days" to accomplish it's military goals. In the last hour or so Fox News has reported (rather triumphantly) that Israel has broken the no airstrike agreement and has continued airstrikes against Lebanon. One can only hope that Condi can somehow dig up the resources to force a cease fire (doubtful based on Olmert's recent statements and continued Hezbollah rocket attacks) or the UN can do something (anything?) to stop this dispicable loss of human life.

Also in the news is Mel Gibson's apology for his anti-semetic tirade after being caught and charged with DUI. I mean we all knew that Mel was an anti-semite after his depiction of Jews in his blockbuster movie "The Passion of the Christ" and after it came to light that his father was a denier of the Holocaust. Hopefully Mel will learn to keep his damn mouth shut from now on or even better discover monastic Christianity and withdraw from the public eye all together because no one needs to see the crazed decline of Mad Max in the same way we saw the dramatic fall of Top Gun.

Have a good day folks, sorry for all the depressing news. See ya tomorrow.

Is Pitchfork Evil?

2006-07-30T21:27:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the brief hiatus I was in Buffalo visiting my girlfriend and did not have time to post.

I recently got a facebook comment which brought into question the validity of my previous statements about Pitchfork. I would like to clarify what I meant. I believe that many people who use Pitchfork see it as the be all and end allof the independent music scene, which is both untrue and against the spirit of independent music. I find Pitchfork a useful resource for upcoming CD releases and concert dates, but I don't trust their reviews for shit. I also believe that Pitchfork tends to be biased towards electronica and Brit-rock music, and oftentimes disreguards important folk and alt. country albums.

I recently have seen the Leonard Cohen movie "I'm Your Man." I thought that it was an excellent documentary, especially the performances by Antony and Martha Wainwright. I thought that U2 was extremely out of place and should have been cut out of the movie. The soundtrack of the movie is also very listenable (though it cuts out Rufus Wainwright's cover of Halleluja which is featured in the movie) the tracks by Antony and Rufus Wainwright highlight the CD with covers of "If It Be Your Will" and "Chelsea Hotel #2" respectively. So check out the film if you have the chance!

First Post (Bear With Me)

2006-07-26T11:39:00.000-04:00

Hey my name is Matt and I have started this blog as a means of synthesizing daily information on music, culture, politics, or pretty much whatever I damn well please. These first couple posts might be a little rough, but please give me a chance. I am a philosophy and history double major at the University of Rochester I will be a sophomore next year. I have a lovely girlfriend and am slowly getting involved in campus TV and radio. I like long walks on the beach, etc.

Enough crap about me, I'm not that interesting anyways. Some pretty sweet CD releases out today and yesterday, specifically the soundtrack to the Leonard Cohen documentary titled "I'm Your Man." I'm Your Man features covers of famous Cohen songs done by acclaimed artists such as Rufus and Martha Wainwright and Anthony (from Anthony and the Johnsons). The CD looks really good even though I have only heard one of the Martha Wainwright songs, her cover of "Tower of Song" done on one of those evening shows (Conan? I don't remember), and it was extremely impressive. A second interesting release that has flew under the radar somewhat is Spoon's new release titled "Telephono and Soft Effects." I have listened to iTunes' thirty second samples of the tracks and the album seems a little dissapointing lacking a real hook track like "I Turn my Camera On" or "The Two Sides of Monseiur Valentine." But that is just my humble opinion.

Pitchfork is currently gushing over Girl Talk and The Pipettes (further cementing my hatred of them) and didn't review either the Spoon or Leonard Cohen album yet so no information on that front. I will download them both tonight and get back to you folks with full reviews of both.

In other music news, Mat Brooke has left Band of Horses because some of his other projects were "taking off." Band of Horses has made no announcement about a breakup so it looks as though Brooke, an important songwriter for their debut album Everything All the Time, will be replaced. Everything All the Time has been one of my favorite albums of 2006 thus far and I hope the bands song writing can stay up to par without his adept hand guiding the process.

In international news, Israel continues to exchange fire with Hezbollah militants in Lebanon. In a bombing raid conducted by Israel last night four UN Peace Keepers were killed, drawing considerable finger wagging from Koffi Annan until Condi shut him up. It is an awful shame that most people choose to blame only one side when both are wrong in their violent actions, Lebanon should know better than to support a violent terrorist party whose express purpose is the destruction of Israel and Israel should know better than to act unilaterally against Lebanon. The worst part is the people caught in between Yahoo! news did an interesting story about Americans caught in Lebanon (http://hotzone.yahoo.com/b/hotzone/blogs7873) , but what of the innocent Lebanese that are caught in the middle of the struggle or the innocent Israeli's struck by Hezbollah rockets. Well the people of the United States do not care about them and that is wrong. Nations are artificial entities created by men, but humanity towards other humans is a universal value and should be treated as such. Sorry I got a little ranty there.

In similarly important news, Steely Dan is pissed at Owen Wilson because they believe that his character in You, Me, and Dupree ripped off an old Steeley Dan song (is there any other kind of Steeley Dan song?). You can check out the article for yourself (http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/Movies/07/26/people.steelydan.ap/index.html) basically this represents why I don't like movies anymore and why I hate old, washed up rockers (see Jaggar, Mick).

Ok I'm done here. See you fuckers tomorrow (well since there probably aren't any "you" this is me talking to myself)!