"You can take my body, put it in a boat, light it on fire, use the gasoline"
Willow Tree - Chad VanGaalen

Sunday 27 April 2008

was played - four tet

the one-man outfit four tet (kieran hebden) has been cranking out tunes since the late 90's. many have haphazardly thrown his glitchy, often off-the-wall musical pieces into the "stay away from me crack head" electronica/dance corner, but thankfully, i gave him a chance beyond those labels.

granted, some of his albums may give first time listeners aural epilepsy (everything ecstatic, i'm look... hey, don't try to... no. i'm looking at you, don't... i said put down that gallon of red bull this instant.)

the real thing that counts here however is his devotion to sticking his head out there. although it may not always pan out, he is willing to experiment get his ears dirty. that, in itself, deserves some respek.

rounds is the album that got me hooked. released in 2003, the music is intelligent, thoughtful, and most of all, accessible.

who would have thought that the repetitive nature of these incessant guitar loops, ambient noise and redundant electronic beats could keep me interested? it's some of the only electronic music i can concentrate on. good work hebden, you successfully got me into electronic based music.

put some into your headphones and enjoy.

<|electronic, instrumental, experimental|>

mp3s: (from rounds)
four tet - "she moves she"
four tet - "as serious as your life"

riyl: album leaf, do make say think, giving a five year old a lighter and a map leading to a secret stash of fireworks

stumblin' sunday

so i'm in the middle of a stumbling session and found some great links.

(1) some funny, thought provoking photos

(2) my dog rocky needs one of these




(3) "an engineers guide to cats"

Saturday 26 April 2008

now playing - bon iver

a few weeks ago, bon iver was able to meander his way into my headphones. he's a singer/songwriter who's originality could resonate within this branch of indie folk for a long time. his virb.com profile explains the sound of his songs perfectly:

"Justin Vernon moved to a remote cabin in the woods of Northwestern Wisconsin at the onset of winter. Tailing from the swirling breakup of his long time band, he escaped to the property and surrounded himself with simple work, quiet, and space. He lived there alone for three months, filling his days with wood splitting and other chores around the land. This special time slowly began feeding a bold, uninhibited new musical focus." (read the rest here)

keeping this in mind while hearing the songs puts things into new perspective. the atmosphere that surrounded him must have put him at complete ease, making him capable of crafting these elegantly simple acoustic masterpieces. his voice is very original, but doesn't remind me much of iron and wine, to whom i've seen him compared.

the indie world has heard this before, but it is a refreshing face to see on a genre that i believe has been dumbed down significantly. this is one of the few recent indie projects that seems legit. it will set the bar a bit higher for anyone else looking to be the next in my headphones, that's for sure.

<|indie, acoustic, low-fi|>

mp3s:
bon iver - "re: Stacks" (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED)
bon iver - "skinny love"
bon iver - "flume"

riyl: andrew bird, deertick, not worrying about a dang thing because it's the weekend

Friday 25 April 2008

just wait for the end, it's worth it.

here's a little something to brighten your day, courtesy of www.decoymusic.com:

she has a boyfriend

Monday 21 April 2008

recs of the moment - pickin' the netz

so after an hour or so of digging through my daily lineup of blogs, here's some worth while stuff i was able to pick out:


captain obvious wrote a short blurb about an interesting band called frightened rabbit. this got me clicking over to amazon to place my order... but i'm going to wait to see if i can dig any more up about them. reminds me of dear and the headlights.

<|indie pop, acoustic, rock|>
frightened rabbit - "heads roll off"


obscure sound put up quite the article about the explorers club, an indie pop group bent on making you feel goooooooood.

<|indie pop, surf, great hamonies|>
the explorers club - "i lost my head"


can you see the sunset put up a mix that i noticed included a song from the one and only alkaline trio. big fan of the band's music, as with this song.

<|punk, rock, pop|>
alkaline trio - "fire down below"

Saturday 19 April 2008

now playing - someone still loves you boris yeltsin

all of my wishes have been fulfilled. i'm a pretty lucky guy.

i'm not quite done putting in my "required" listening time that i normally give to albums, but this one just couldn't wait. i became somewhat of a someone still loves you boris yeltsin fanboy rather quickly, appreciating the raw sound and easy going vocals of their previous effort broom.

i was pretty unsure of the band with the first few listens of broom. it grew on me, however, as a result of their lighthearted, relaxed persona.

i didn't expect much of a departure from their type of surf tinged pop rock with their latest album pershing. and although they haven't fundamentally changed their style, which they perform oh so perfectly, they sure have tamed and polished that beast. what keeps me interested in these guys is their ability to craft carefree indie-pop songs of overwhelming simplicity, knowing their boundaries, staying concise, and delivering. their official site offers a perfect example of what can be expected from pershing. no over-the-top web design, minimal links, and to the point.

pershing seems a perfect length as well. making the album run it's course in a bit less than 40 minutes pushes the listener to replay it without requiring an entire day's worth of devotion. the album is never allowed to drone and each of the songs can be enjoyed as individual efforts as effectively as the entire album can. it is a shiny collection of soothing vocals (both fore- and background), occasional hand claps, a horn section, acoustic and electric guitars, bass and drums.

this is the kind of timeless music that can be enjoyed by even your parents. first listens made me think of old weezer, but later on the beatles and even the beach boys as well. everyone knows how accessible they are, and although i've never been an avid listener of any of those bands, the influences are there. other influences are many, but everything boils down to one thing: accessible indie-pop rock. anyone can really get into this stuff. i'd suggest picking this one up if you're looking for a solid summer album.

<|indie pop, surf rock, acoustic|>

riyl: the beatles, the beach boys, wishing there was more well done feel-good music out there

mp3s from pershing:

think i wanna die (from polyvinyl records)
glue girls (from instrumental analysis)
modern mystery (from my old kentucky blog)

and here's the good, laugh inducing video for "think i wanna die":

Wednesday 16 April 2008

i wish.

this video just blew my mind.



thanks to drew for lending me his inspirationz.

recs of the moment - the relaxer


here's a few songs that i've been diggin'. rec'nize.

a great and epic song, nothing looking to start a fight:
the american dollar - "war on christmas"
<|piano, instrumental, post rock|>

reminds me of finding an army of fireflies in kait's backyard at dusk:
do make say think - "a tender history in rust"
<|indie, acoustic, instrumental|>

i actually just found this song, but you all know how much i like this band:
balmorhea - "baleen morning"
<|piano, instrumental, indie|>

riyl: wanting to exit your surroundings if only mentally

Tuesday 15 April 2008

now playing - efterklang

so what makes a band unique?

i think that the answer lies within the listener. it depends upon the background of music that he has invested time into. it relies upon the listener's ability to recollect certain properties of the music they've heard in the past to make an educated assessment at the present.

if the brand of music offers huge and obvious influences of punk rock, for example, the music may be considered by many general listeners to be over and done with. they may figure that all punk rock sounds the same. someone with an extensive background in listening to punk rock, however, will be able to pick out nuances that make it stand out in a certain respect. they will be able to appreciate it more than one who doesn't have the ability to.

one's library of music really can dictate what new music the person is capable of breaking into. i don't mean it to sound elitist by saying that some music is an acquired taste, but i believe that it can be. i don't think that it applies directly to a genre of music, although it can also be the case, but particularly to an album. i can't recall how often it's taken me ten or more listens to an album to really appreciate it. it all has to do with what the artists were intending.

this, i believe, were the intentions behind parades by efterklang. released in october of 2007, it is a prime example of why an album should never be written off without being given multiple listens. the album made it into rotation sometime in january for me, and hasn't left. for every listen, it gains more value. i gradually notice more and more meticulous instances that make the album stellar. the band has thought this one out thoroughly, surprising me on every track.

i truly appreciate this type of music, which is very much in the vein of anathallo, being airy and atmospheric without traveling too far into space. they stay grounded and keep the listener interested while retaining their overwhelming uniqueness. there have apparently been an estimated 30 guest musicians making an appearance on the album, including a string and a brass quartet, as well as full choirs.

i have a hard time coming up with comparisons to other bands for this immense danish undertaking because i simply have not heard an album such as this. if the mp3's don't convince you to go buy this album, maybe the quirky music videos will.

<|indie, experimental, atmospheric|>

riyl: anathallo, eluvium, making believe you're the star of a lifelong movie about someone else

mp3s:

efterklang - "cutting ice to snow" (from their official site)

efterklang - "caravan"

myspace, official site

videos:


"caravan"


"mirador"

Monday 14 April 2008

austria blog post

hallo zair.

i just threw up a post and pictures from my snowboarding trip to austria. check it when you can. and listen to these peculiar sounds while doing so.

man man - "hurly / burly"

<|experimental, indie, rock|>

Thursday 10 April 2008

some rec'd blogs


it was a good day today. work went smoothly, wiki'ed a few very interesting topics (see coffee and chrono trigger for some good reading) and figured out that i wouldn't be getting most of my music without help from the good ol' word of mouth.

here are some of the blogs that have been feeding me my addiction lately:

captain obvious: i've been following the blog for a few weeks and they're never short on good music to be heard. i like the mixtape idea, something that strangely brings back memories of tapes (clumsy by our lady peace in particular).

can you see the sunset from the south side: with a good and varied selection of music, they're very accessibly and not limited to just one genre.

it's hard to find a friend: one of the top three that i check out everyday. the ben gibbard (death cab for cutie frontman) april fools joke is priceless.

by the way, annuals has a new split ep with three new songs. i was absolutely ecstatic last night to hear the news.

annuals - "sore" (from local vertical, another great blog)

<|indie pop, rock, experimental|>

Tuesday 8 April 2008

now playing - cartel


jeez. do i have a lot to say. i've been mulling over this album for weeks.

cartel is a young band. let's get that out of the way. they hadn't been on the scene for more than an enthralling EP the ransom and one amazing full length chroma prior to their self-titled release.

chroma garnered a huge amount of praise. everyone was in love with it. i couldn't avoid reading about the newest pop-punk alternative rock band ravaging everyone's ears. there's no doubt that it rocketed cartel into the mainstream. but although they gained some momentum, they remained relatively underground.
sure, they had some trl appearances and "honestly" became their first single, but something i've kept in the back of my mind is that they weren't (at the point of the record's production) a product of the mainstream. they had written an album that was true, virgin music before everyone's ears could have their way with it.

shortly after this chain of events, cartel were inevitably signed to a major. this action left them with an obvious and daunting dilemma. they wanted to write a new album, but were sweating in spotlight hounding them by their ever growing fan base. their label pushed them to do a sponsored promotional stunt which filmed the band's attempt to write the self titled album in a "bubble." all of these things going on would make anyone lose some focus, so in the midst of it all, how could they possibly top chroma?

given that position, a band must have quite a bit to think about. do they branch out and reinvent their sound, risking fans who will think that they're trying too hard to stand out? do they stick to what they know and do so well, risking fans that will think they've lost their edge? do they do a little bit of both? i think that no matter what they did, people wouldn't see them as the same band.

the self titled was released in august 2007 without making much of a splash. the few reviews that i had read before making the purchase had little to say. everything i read, however, had confirmed my fears. the band had watered themselves down. they did what all bands do when they lose focus of what made them so great. it was something i reluctantly expected (to some degree), seeing their progression to a major and more frequent stops in the spotlight.

now why would i be making such a big deal of a band that i had thought to be just another sell out? well luckily, there's a mammoth sized difference between the past and present, especially for me.

the biggest mistake i made was not bothering to LISTEN to the music being reviewed. i let my assumptions take over. i let myself be pulled into common opinion. i was played by the 'scene' or whatever you'd like to call it.

six months or so after it was released, i decided to check out their myspace page for gits and shiggles. i sauntered in there holding my presumptions like a soapbox ready to righteously laugh off anything that came through those headphones. and laugh, i... didn't.

i will admit that "lose it" (the first song that plays on their myspace) is not the most appealing of songs on the album. it does fit well as a single, but wasn't anything that hooked me into buying. that award goes to the song "wasted". it singlehandedly slew the presumptuous beast lurking inside me.

maybe it was the high that the song gave me that pushed me to click that "one click buy" button on amazon's mp3 store (they make it too easy for a junkie like me.) the lead singer's voice is a drug for me... his range is impeccable, so sugary sweet. call it a guilty pleasure, but i just dare you not to like it. just... one more...

but i digress.

the self titled is pop-punk. actually, pop is an understatement. the album is literally dripping in sugar. the melodies are crack-level addictive. hooks are embedded in every song (covered in fourteen layers of that soft serve chocolate shell stuff) waiting for you to sink your teeth in to take you for a ride.

this is not something to be ashamed of listening to. pop such as this has come packaged with a stigma associated with it. i feel as though people with more "mature" tastes would scoff at this record the second "the best" meanders through the speakers. i say that those with that sort of attitude don't deserve to listen to it. if you can suppress all those prejudices for shiny, overly produced, and (oh no you din't) adolescent music; then i say, is this for you. leave all those presumptions at the door and just enjoy it for what it is.

cartel has far surpassed my expectations. i wish i could just say i'm sorry to the band for questioning them. i want to never again fall victim to mindless reviewers who don't take the time to listen. and although the "everyone has their own tastes" card can be played, i think it's hard to deny that there was, contrary to popular belief, a significant amount of effort put into this project. the effort shows, and shines right through that "sophomore slump" moniker. i dare you to give this record a chance and if you don't like it, give it another.

we're all wasted.

<|pop, punk, rock|>

riyl: rocket summer, valencia, getting the feeling that everyone else just sucks at listening to music

Monday 7 April 2008

a warm song for a cold day - death cab for cutie


it was freezing today. i heard it was pleasant at home in new england though.

here's a new song from death cab. i've listened it over a few times and can say it's worth a listen... or eight. it cashes in at around 8 and half minutes. the name of the song might just do what it says it will.

death cab for cutie - "i will possess your heart"

<|indie, pop, rock|>

riyl: the decemberists, ben gibbard, diving in outrageous ways from the high dive at a swimming pool

Wednesday 2 April 2008

i'm going to austria. to snowboard.

i'm just blown away.

i leave tomorrow after work. hopefully everything goes well, seeing as how i haven't even gotten my tickets for the train to erlangen yet. i'm heading there first, then taking a car ride down to the mountains for three days.

i haven't been this excited since i got to germany.

here's a song for you. listen and enjoy.

the colour revolt - "a siren"
<|alternative, rock, punk|>

even if you need it all.

Tuesday 1 April 2008

home made playlist of greatness

last night i decided to add another playlist to my never ending list of lists, and called it "what a life indeed." mostly relaxed tunes, nothing over the top.

here's a simplified version, with one song from each band:

the new frontiers - "the ones you keep"
<|relaxed, acoustic, alternative|>

the national - "fake empire"
<|folk, piano, pop rock|>

josh preston - "safety feels the exit"
<|acoustic, folk, singer/songwriter|>

fleet foxes - "drops in the river"
<|indie pop, lo-fi, folk|> (highly recommended)

deer tick - "the ghost"
<|folk, americana, acoustic|>

casey deinel - "dr. monroe"
<|piano, female vocals, pop|>