Damn….

STUCK BETWEEN STATIONS – The Hold Steady

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Words…can…not..describe…

just…

damn…..

I love The Hold Steady.

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Promising Albums of 2007

So far there has been a myriad of releases. These cds, all by talented artists demonstrate; from most, the result of a one year hiatus. For others a hiatus of 2 years and for one a hiatus of 20 years.

These are the promising albums of 2007.

The Arcade Fire – Neon Bible

Watch The Arcade Fire Play Intervention at Youtube

I brought the special edition of this cd. I wouldn’t reccomend anyone else doing it. Its a excellent cd but the….special features of the special edition do not make sense. Two flipbooks and a holographic cover. Not worth the 10 dollar premium if you ask me. The cd is excellent it sounds like the perfect followup to the album of 2004, Funeral.

Buy Now at Insound

Dinosaur Jr. – Beyond

Download Almost Ready
via [Pitchforkmedia]

Pre 90s hipsters, Dinosaur Jr. were the inspiration that made the grunge revolution possible. Long heralded by bands like Nirvana and Sound Garden, Dinosaur Jr. Has not sounded the same since their 1988 Senior release, Bug. Joe Mascis and Lou Barlow had a fight that tour that caused Barlow to be kicked out of the band. Dinosaur Jr. continued playing and putting out albums that while popular was basically Joe Mascis solo project. In 1997 Mascis dropped the moniker and went under his own name. Now, in 2007, nearly 20 years since putting out their last album together, Joe Mascis and Lou Barlow have reunited. The new material sounds like the last 20 years were 20 minutes. Its fresh new Dinosaur material. A pre grunge sound with the familiar Mascis vocalizations and the riveting Barlow instrumentations that made Dinosaur what it originally was.

Pre-Order at Fat Possum Records

Modest Mouse – We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank

Watch the Music Video for Dashboard at Youtube

20 years of music making and one radio hit later Modest Mouse puts out a new album. With the inclusion of ex-Smiths guitarsman Johnny Marr the album after their most popular one provides a exemplary overview of Isaac Brocks voice. A perfect reintroduction to the Modest Mouse sound Johhny Marr’s typical bravado is blended into the swaggering cherubim sound that Brock portrays.

Buy Now at Insound!

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Revised List: Best Albums of 2006

I have decided to revise my list. Previously it was composed of the 10 best albums of 2006. Now it will be composed of the 20 best albums of 2006. Albums I previously forgot to mention and otherwise ignored will make it on this list. This list will not be only compromised of the albums I think were the best musically but also those I listened to the most.

20. Alexi Murdoch – Time Without Consequence

Alexi Murdoch the wunderkid singer songwriter (whose voice has been included on the sountracks of movies like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Garden State) has finally graced us with entire studio album. After years of wanton half-glory with his Four Songs EP, Time Without Consequence marks a newfound maturity in the young artists career.

19. Johnny Cash - American V: A Hundred Highways

Johnny Cash truly was a legend. The traditional folk songs mixed with his original content makes up his American series. This one in particular, recorded just before he died, demonstrates the powerful morbose voice Cash features as part of his legend.

18.Belle and Sebastian – The Life Persuit


As Indie Rock cinderellas, Belle & Sebastian will never be overshadowed. The source of their popularity? Dark and morbose yet truthfully bleak love ballads which haunted those growing up in the nineties. These same themes are leaking to a new generation of indie fans in the form of The Life Pursuit.

17. Cat Power – The Greatest

Chan Marshall as a musician has had an ability to transcend all other neo-jazz artists. Her talent is beyond that of Norah Jones or any other modern jazz singers. While Norah Jones takes a modern sound and twists its to capture the jazz of the 60s, Chan takes a original creative sound and makes jazz a slave to her voice instead of the driving factor behind it. The Greatest is posibly one of the greatest pieces in the neo-jazz sound. Its something of a cornerstone in this genre.
 
16. Band Of Horses - Everything All The Time

2006 saw a championing return of Southern Rock. Last year My Morning Jacket revolutionized the genre with Z. This year Band of Horses, previously longtime comrades of groups such as Cat Power and Iron & Wine, has demonstrated a inate ability to create quality music from the gitgo. Pioneering what could be called the true southern sound, Band Of Horses is deffinetly headed for big things.

15. The Knife - Silent Shout

Hailed as the second coming of electronica for a unworthy generation by some, for me Silent Shout is simply a great fullrounded and haunting album. I won’t call it the best of the year or the century and I don’t know what Pitchfork was thinking when they called it that but I do beleive its a pretty good album.

14. Sufjan Stevens – The Avalanche

For an album thats all outtakes and extras The Avalanche sounds very fresh. Every song from the number one album of 2005 has a counterpart on this album and I think its equal to Illinoise in many ways.

13. Justin Timberlake – Futuresex/Lovesounds

Timbaland is pure talent. This album proves it as will his new album TBR this summer. Ultimately it comes down to the electroclash hip hop tone that timbaland introduces. Its a background for a musical story beyond compare.

12. Islands – Return To The Sea

With links to the all famous Unicorns, Islands takes what was the sound of the gods of indie pop and transforms it into what makes the the gods of indie rock. Overall a very enjoyable and haunting record.

11. My Brightest Diamond – Bring Me The Workhorse

Shara Worden is somewhat of a miracle, a beautiful women with a beautiful voice singing for a indie star like Sufjan Stevens? Whats even more incredible is that she has the voice of an angel and is a clasically trained opera singer. No bashing
Sufjan Stevens but his music ain’t the type that would be attracting the rich goldigger type. Well leave that to Kanye. This means that Shara Worden is the REAL thing. Beautiful, talented, with a predisposition for music that is second to none! And to think she likes the kind of music Sufjan makes. This girls a keeper. This album is also a keeper.

10. The Pipettes – We Are The Pipettes

The sound is Phil Spector on steroids, old school meets updated college feminism. With a tinge of sarcastic ironic remorse the members of this group sing about teenage things with a mature college point of view and a sound that is classic Specter deluxe.

9. I’m From Barcelona - Let Me Introduce My Friend’s

Just recently released domestically this album has been available half the year in europe. A supergroup composed of over 20 musicians and vocalists, I’m From Barcelona is most deffinetly not from Barcelona instead they hail from Sweden and resonate a clean, cheerful, childish pop sound that can only be defined as something like that Illinoisemakers singing songs for children written by children. Haunting and cheerfully enthusiastic Let Me Introduce My Friends provides the equivalent of a orchestral get well letter from a 5 year old. Filled with cheerful colors and melodies that don’t make sense to adults no matter how much you try but are real and heartfelt nontheless.

9. Tapes ‘N Tapes – The Loon

A insane yet lovely romp through audotorial spectrums and the proper use of acoustic guitars and loop machines, The Loon really is a inventive and creative album. Theres not much more I can say about this one.

8. The Decemberists – Crane Wife

Based on a old japanese wives tail, Crane Wife is a introspective and well built progressive rock album.

7. Sunset Rubdown – Shut Up I Am Dreaming

Adding a female vocalist and a guitarist to his small band Spencer Krug has reached the possible nirvana of Krugginess. Its Spencers show and he demonstrates that all the work here is pure unadultered Krug genius.

6. Arctic Monkeys – Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not

This album made people excited about rock again. It was the new sound, the new alternative wave. It was the new grunge. It ended up saddly not amounting to much. Great jam thought. Definetly.

5. Tv On The Radio – Return To Cookie Mountain

A beautiful album with strange sychronocities. The only other band I can compare them with is Wolf Parade. David Bowie singsbackup on a song as well.

4. Grizzly Bear – Yellow House

A hauntingly beautiful and melodical album made with a crazy assortment of instruments. The most beautiful melodies I have ever heard are featured here. A serious demonstration of progessive rock.

3. Sufjan Stevens – Songs for Christmas

Featuring truly beautiful renditions of several classic and original christmas songs by Santa Sufjan and the Illinoisemaker. A boxset of 5 eps that have yet to be released. It is the best christmas cd I have heard.

2. Joanna Newsom – Ys

Joanna Newsoms loving haunting voice fills this record. She has talent and intelligence beyond her years.

1. The Hold Steady - Boys And Girls In America

Wow. Just. Wow. This album is….Amazing. Listening to it is like getting drunk. The album case the cover art it all smells of alcohol and drugs. The album is made up of wasted youth and no one can sing about it like Craig Finn. Its like he wrote it during his drinking escapades. Like it were emitted inbetween vomiting and drinking sessions. Inbetween attending festivals hight and drinking contests. This is the best album of the year. Possibly of the century.

Well that raps it up! thats ultimately how I feel about things and I think this top 20 list turned out better then the top ten list.

2006: Top Ten Songs

As one reflects on the albums released this year it is hard to imagine single songs from them as that single songs. A single song seems like a head cut off floating in a great void when you compare it to the beauty of a album as a whole. The creation of an album is a work of art; each cut must be placed in its perfect position or it is ruined. What would Led Zeppelin IV be like without Black Dog in its place. What would The Wall be like without Goodbye Blue Sky in its present place as a quiet interlude to the insanity that follows?

In trying to contemplate the best ten albums of this years music I feel I ultimately failed: while many albums had great songs their work as a whole couldn’t hold a flame to other albums who weak individual songs were made up for by strong track placement. Its hard to judge artists like Band of Horses, Sunset Rubdown, and Johnny Cash by these standards. While some like Horses cater to a more mainstream audience others like Sunset and Cash are either too abstract to possibly present a complete thought or are to dead to design the track placement.

#1- Weird Al Yankovic - Stuck in the Drive Thru

Greatest single ever, it drones on for eleven minutes of drudgery. Its the most mind numbing experience available.
Thats what makes it so damn genius.

#2- Sunset Rubdown – Shut Up, I am Dreaming of Places Where Lovers Have Wings

(Also holding second place for longest song title after Sufjan Stevens placed first with his Illinois album last year) Shut Up is the quintessential Krug piece. “Quintessential?” you may ask. You  can reason that the man is a newcomer but with as many pet     projects as Spencer has I can easily say this. Hauntingly beautiful it it makes about as much sense as the Presidents Iraqi peace plan. But thats exactly why we love it.

#3- Johnny Cash – God’s Gonna Cut You Down

 The first time I heard this song was in a trailer, A movie trailer!   It was for some documentary about catholic priests abusing children. It was hauntingly appropriate. I had brought my father the CD for a Birthday present but had made the error of not listening to it. I borrowed it and this stands out as one of the strongest songs there.

#4- Tapes ‘N Tapes- Insistor

 I don’t know what it is about this track. It gives me chills with its  epic southern guitars. It transforms to something out of a punk
bands record of rejected songs. It reminds me of the 80s punk
movement. Though it really sounds nothing like punk.

#5- Wolfmother – Woman

 Wolfmother pretty much rocks. Yeah I am stealing material from 
Moroccan Role what can I say? I read it a lot. I actually discovered Wolfmother way before their big boom of popularity. Itunes had a great deal on their ep and I took a bite. I realized it was great.

#6- Joanna Newsom – Emily/Monkey & Bear

 Recently I took a road trip on down to Dallas and besides listening
to old Arcade Fire albums I also listened and learned to love  
Joanna. I am going to have to convince everyone to learn to love
her. Frankly shes awesome.

#7- Alexi Murdoch – Orange Sky

Sorry, sorry but I LOVE Alexi Murdoch. When I read this scathing
     review of his latest CD I had a fit of tears and intentions to stomp into the Pitchfork headquarters and force feed them my thoughts. Oh well…this song is still beautiful.

#8- The Hold Steady – Stuck Between Stations

Yeah more post-post-post-punk indie goodness. They sound too much like the  Arctic Monkeys on the rest of this album for me to believe in their reputed creative genius. Generally the rest of the rest album sounds exactly the same and thats why I can’t get into anything beyond this song. …she was a really good kisser and she wasn’t all that strict of a christian…got it stuck in my head again! GAR!

#9- My Brightest Diamond – Something of an End

This Debut track of Illinoisemaker’s leader Shara Worden’s solo project is probably  the best part of this elegant debutantes introduction to the world. She will awe you. No doubt one of the top voice talents of today.

#10- Sufjan Stevens – Star of Wonder

Must we always suffer Sufjan’s music on my lists? You can ask away.The mans a genius. Sorry and this song lead by Sufjan on piano and the Illinoisemakers on chorus are great.

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2006: Top Ten Albums

Its been a year: A great year. Indie Music which has slowly been evolving has finally taken center stage in many places around the world. The Artic Monkeys Whatever They Say I Am Thats What I’m Not has broken all the records in the UK music scene; Indie or Non. Great battles have been won by the likes of The Decemberists who were featured on The Colbert Show. And althought Indie rock fans cheer and applaud such strong moves each time something like this happens we die a bit inside. The Indie music scene is ceasing to be a grassroots movement and instead is becoming what Hip-Hop became in the past century: Music for the Masses.

You can sense it somewhat in Death Cab for Cuties latest sounds. Bands like The Arcade Fire grab the limelight and the Indie community is once again left to examine where we stand. We will tread lightly next year as we try to remember why we exist and where we came from. Indie Music is not about sold out SXSW shows featuring Sufjan Stevens. Its about small cofee houses even retirement homes where Danielson and Santa Sufjan began. And so as I began to compile a list of what I felt was the best of music this year I had a struggle trying to figure out what I should search for. Is popular Indie Music still good music or has it been degraded in a attempt to reach popularity? These questions and more ran throught my head and in the near future it will run throught all listeners heads.

My conclusion came simply from what first drove me to listen to Indie Music. The day I started listening to Iron and Wine is the day I became a indie fan. The thoughts that ran throught my head were simple, I thought, “this is good music.” What makes music good? Simply put is good music makes music good. We cannot allow others opinions or the popularity of a song to decide whether it is good or not. We must make those decisions for ourselves. So I am not gonna put any boundaries on my list. This is the top ten Cd’s of Good Music I’ve heard this year. In no way is it a complete list of must have cds. It is a list compiled from music I listened to the most over the year.

#10 The Decemberists – Crane Wife

What made this CD so great for me was the title song. It sounded new folkish to me and even thought most of the major media has dubbed this cd as Progressive I still beleive theres a lot of new folk in it. The cd is not without its flaws and the flawsare major; O, Valencia is just a horrible song. I simply can’t believe its on this cd next to gems such as The Island and Yankee Bayonet

#9 Justin Timberlake – Futuresex/Lovesounds

This cd had a really catchy single that was being played everywhere. Expecting your normal everyday Rap dribble I checked the actual CD out and was left asking myself, “Wait Justin Timberlake is actually good?” Maybe its just Timbalands work that shines on this piece but it seems most of it goes back to a groovy electro-hop sound that is so retro it makes me remember classic breakbox and even disco. This cd really took listeners for a travel throught time with its minimalists beat.

#8 Joanna Newsom - Ys

Yeah, yeah I don’t understand half of what she says. And its true the music is an acquired taste. But the womans voice…you can tell shes trying hard at whatever it is shes trying to do. Thanks to this CD all I could think about for a week was the differences between meteoroids, meteorites, and meteors. That isnt neccesarily bad if your taking cosmology. But im not taking cosmology. If it had been less annoying I could see it getting a much highter place on my list but….I can’t stand more than 5 minutes of it. Then again I can.

#7 Islands – Return to the Sea

The opening song is beautiful. The whole album is beautiful and since it has a guest appearance by my favorite band Wolf Parade it is a must have on my top ten list. The tones and themes of the music work really well and the song Where There’s a Will Theres a Whalebone has a really fun nerd rap.

#6 Tapes ‘N Tapes – The Loon

The creative wackiness of this album is just beyond all description. From Insistor to Cowbell the cd is full of original steady on tracks that pack good emotion and adrenaline into each second.

#5 The Pipettes – We are the Pipettes

It’s one of my forbidden pleasures; sorry world but this fun throwback to 60′s girl band is just too fun to pass up on. The Pipettes campaign with real girl power instead of the fake sexed up campaigns of pop divas. The girl power is presented here instead with old class sexy intellectualism that is neither cheap nor trashy.

#4 I’m From Barcelona – Let Me Introduce My Friends

This 29 man swedish group project just provides a joyous indie pop sound. The sound is so fun and carefree I can’t help but love it. Its like a european version of The Illinoisemakers
.

#3 Danielson – Ships

The quirkiness of Brother Danielson’s work never stops. Some may know Danielson Famile as the band Sufjan Stevens started in. Recently shortened to simplyDanielson the sound here hasn’t changed and Brother Danielson is supported fully by Deerhoof, Sufjan Stevens, and his Illinoisemakers among others.

#2 My Brightest Diamond – Bring Me the Workhorse

Shara Worden, leader of Sufjan Stevens Illinoisemakers is a classically trained Opera singer and you can tell from the notes she hits on her freshma album. The songs here are beautiful and original; transcending every genre. Shara Worden sounds like the best female vocalist ever here.

#1 Tie between Sufjan Stevens – The Avalanche/Songs for Christmas
/
I talk so much about Santa Sufjan; the man is a genious. The Avalanche is what Sufjan calls “Outtakes and Extras from Illinois” which was without a doubt the best album of 2005. Saddly they sound nothing like Outtakes or Extras, actually they are almost better then Illinois itself. Each song is unique and beautiful in its own way and Sufjans instrumentation works wonders here once again. The album I enjoy almost more is Songs for Christmas . It’s an album full of unreleased material celebrating the birth of christ. It provides some of the most explicitly christian work from Sufjan and the faith shown in it is heartwarming and authentic. Musically it is beyond orchestral.

Overall this year has been great year for Indie music and for those listening to it. I probably left out a cd or two that should be in this list but my memory is not always perfect. Looking forward to more in 2007; this is me signing out.