The Mountain GoatsOne problem with being in the UK for a year is that I can't bring a lot home with me. Unfortunately, I'm in the land of 7" singles, which I collect, and have to resist buying loads of vinyl everytime I'm in Avalanche. But I had to get the new Decemberists single, 16 Military Wives, because I'm a completist. The b-side is a demo of "From My Own True Love," which is cool, but I'd rather have one of the new songs from the Picaresqueties sessions. I guess I'll just have to get the cd single. Anybody going to the Colin Meloy solo shows want to pick me up whatever solo EP he's hawking?
Also at the record store for cheap was The Mountain Goats' Tallahassee, my favorite of their albums, and lucky for me, one I don't own. Calling it a concept album seems a bit funny, but that's exactly what it is. The concept being a failing relationship, fleshed out over 14 gorgeous and honest songs. I could easily pick any track and rattle off some amazing lyrics, but I'll leave it to this:
"I don't mean it when I tell you/ That I don't love you anymore."
A couplet which encompasses all the frustration, desperation, resentment and dependence the Alpha couple experience - a fitting farewell and one hell of a heartbreaker.
The song's I've posted today are from one of my favorite ideas in music, John Darnielle's "Going To..." series. I'm a sucker for geography and acoustic guitars, even if the songs are only ostensibly about different places. Hey, I think I've just explained my Sufjan Stevens addiction!
The Mountain Goats - Going to Scotland (hey! I'm in Scotland! yeah!)
The Mountain Goats - Going to Port Washington
The Mountain Goats - Alpha Double Negative: Going to Catalina
Ever wonder what albums Mr. Darnielle would recommend you listen to? Behold! He's listed them for you.
Enjoy.
The Black Keys
Think of a band that rocks. I mean really rocks. A band that leaves you floored when you see them live, and hopefully even when you listen at home. The Black Keys come to mind, and I was fortunate enough to catch half their set at a festival a couple years ago. A guitar and drums duo, they shredded and howled and it was awesome, and I was converted. Their songs are dirty and bluesy and loud, but can manage a heartrending tenderness, a sign of a truly great band. Hear for yourself on "The Lengths," one of the most honest and beautiful songs I know. Or if you'd rather rock without the heartache, listen to "10am Automatic," a flat-out barnburner. It burns the barn. What else could you want?
From Rubber Factory:
The Black Keys - The Lengths
The Black Keys - 10am Automatic
From Thickfreakness:
The Black Keys - Set You Free
The Black Keys - Have Love, Will Travel
Check out the new DVD, if that's your scene!
Enjoy!
Kings of Leon
Why do people think Kings of Leon are a joke? I like both of their records, I don't care if they have stupid hair, and I don't care if they sound like the Strokes. Hell, I like the Strokes! So what's the deal? "The Bucket" is sublime - witness:
From Aha Shake Heartbreak:
Kings of Leon - The Bucket (recommended!!)
Will this end up on any of the ubiquitous end-of-year/best-of-year lists? Probably not.
Bonus video! This is one of my favorite music videos, directed by the great Patrick Daughters:
Kings of Leon - The Bucket (video)
Yeah, that guy's hair is pretty stupid. For further reference, check out this Music Cherry post and grab "Four Kicks."
Enjoy.
Thanks & Praise
Folks, I feel your love. Thanks to The Rock Robot and An Aqarium Drunkard for being awesome.
I'm new to the Rock Robot, it contains some very intriguing treatises on rock/roll (what else?). And with awesome titles like "It Is Expensive Being A Guided By Voices Fan, part 2," how can you not love it? So topical....
I've got to make this one quick (and crappy), class and a new set of speakers call my name. Hopefully I can keep up the daily postings, but exams are upon us and time is a precious commodity. Unfortunate, I know.
You know how everybody has some magical cure for hangovers or tiredness? Well I have one too, not exactly for the morning after, but one to lift the spirits. Listen to Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and then listen to Page France's Hello, Dear Wind. Maybe it's the shake-up of going from one extreme to the other, but it works for me.
From Wilco's beloved Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, the song with the best title of all time:
Wilco - I Am Trying To Break Your Heart
From Page France's Hello, Dear Wind, quickly becoming a favorite of mine:
Page France - Chariot (so recommended it's not even funny)
buy, buy, enjoy, I'm out!
web radio: new Hold Steady and more
For good photos of the Rosie Thomas and Ester Drang show, head over to Smalld Music Photography. Actually, for great photos of shows in general. By a fellow Edinburghian. If that's the term.
I was ecstatic upon finding the archives of in-studio appearances on Minnesota Public Radio's 89.3 The Current. Besides cd-quality web radio, The Current also archives performances, including a recent set by the Hold Steady (streaming). Two of their three songs are new, and awesome. "Stuck Between Stations" blew me away.
Check the full list, hear sets from Feist, The National, Andrew Bird, The Shins and a million more.
b-side: The NationalI agree with the commentor in the last post: Canada is sweet. Without a doubt, some of the year's best are from the Great White North. Wolf Parade, New Pornographers, Constantines, Feist (does she count for 2005?), and Final Fantasy all impressed me this year, many for the first time.
BUT
Do they have this band? Nope. The National were the happiest surprise of the year for me, I've already posted on them numerous times for goodness' sake. And I won't stop until they get the credit (I feel) they deserve!
A treat! From the Abel digital single:
The National - The Thrilling of Claire (Yousendit)
It's in the style of Alligator, no surprise. All understated and glimmering, another gorgeous song.
Enjoy! (And if you do, you can buy it via your phone! How novel.)
show: Rosie Thomas + Ester Drang
Cabaret Voltaire is quickly becoming one of my favorite venues, with it's cavernous atmosphere and good sound. Tonight I saw Rosie Thomas, along with openers Ester Drang. The latter were just fine - a bit bland but tasteful. I felt bad because nobody really watched them, and their set was pretty short. Their music dragged at times, but the faster tempo they used in the last song suited them well - hopefully they'll work with that more in the future.
From the upcoming full-length, Rocinate:
Ester Drang - Come Back Alive
Rosie Thomas was in good Thanksgiving spirits, sharing her humorous side on stage and creating a very warm presence. Apparently when she asked a taxi driver on the way to the show, "Do you have any kids?" he replied, "I fire blanks." Random stories like that made it personal and comfortable, so we felt fine just sitting on the floor and listening.
It was nice to hear more of her songs, while many are similarly simple, some are real gems. She's got a knack for gorgeous melodies, and I like her voice. I thought "Wedding Day" would be the highlight of the night, but hearing her duet with her brother on "Red Rover" was worth the price of admission alone. It was beautiful.
From Only With Laughter Can You Win:
Rosie Thomas - Red Rover (with Sam Beam of Iron & Wine)
Rosie is also a self-described "sewer," and had scarves and bags and wristbands to prove it. I was going to get a wristband as a gift, but they were really expensive and Rosie wasn't around to give them away for free as she had said. Oh well, it was a good night regardless.
Enjoy Thanksgiving.
The Weakerthans
My love for the Weakerthans has played an essential role in my discovery of the music I now love. I remember listening to the first Sub City compilation and being into bands like Scared of Chaka and Algebra One, pop-punk which was all pretty similar. The Weakerthans had a track on the comp, an old version of "Everything Must Go." It was different - hushed and actually sung, slow and sad and pretty. I bought their first album, Fallow, out of curiosity, hoping to find more of what intrigued me in the first place. That album was good, but it was really the next one which won me over. Left and Leaving, in my opinion, remains the best of their three albums, although their latest is great as well, if only because it has "One Great City!" on it.
From Left and Leaving:
The Weakerthans - Aside
The Weakerthans - Everything Must Go! (from Radiofreeinternet)
From their latest, Reconstruction Site:
The Weakerthans - The Reasons
The Weakerthans - Plea From A Cat Named Virtue
Bonus video! From the Watermark EP
The Weakerthans - Watermark (video)
Enjoy.
The Secret Machines
I mentioned I downloaded the September 000 EP yesterday by the Secret Machines. It's good, but I don't think it tops their full-length Now Here Is Nowhere (get it? Nowhere? Took me a while...). That record is one of my favorites, it's incredibly forceful and driving - the drums are heavy - while maintaining perfect melody throughout. I love it when three people rock this hard.
From Now Here Is Nowhere:
The Secret Machines - Nowhere Again
Bonus video! Directed by the great Patrick Daughters:
The Secret Machines - Nowhere Again (video)
Go here, click Directors > Black Dog > Patrick Daughters to see his other work, music videos and creepy short films. Highest recommendation.
Enjoy.
Free
Thanks to Colin and An Aquarium Drunkard for tipping me off on eMusic's 50 free mp3 downloads. No strings attached! And believe me, there is a lot to choose from. It's great for the random rare songs that appear on compilations which are never quite worth buying. It's also great for albums you're interested in but haven't heard, and aren't willing to pay full price for. Which makes it great all the way around, no?
I got:
The Hold Steady - Almost Killed Me
Page France - Hello, Dear Wind
The Secret Machines - September 000 EP
My Morning Jacket - Does Xmas Fiasco Style
...and other random rarities
Here's a great song from Almost Killed Me. Like any other Hold Steady song, it's highly allusive and flat-out awesome. While you listen, check out this annotated guide to the track. Brilliant.
The Hold Steady - The Swish
I am excited to hear Page France's album. I haven't heard him before, but am very interested by what I've heard of him.
From Hello, Dear Wind:
Page France - Junkyard
Enjoy!
Rilo Kiley
Up early and feelin' good. Here's the band that's getting me through today. That sounds too depressing - I mean here's Rilo Kiley, The Band of the Day!
These songs are from their 2002 album The Execution Of All Things, my introduction to Rilo Kiley and favorite album of theirs. Last time I saw them was at the Sunset Junction festival in LA, and I was in the very front and caught some huge flowers which Blake threw out after an amazing "Portions for Foxes." Perhaps that's why I equate them with happiness?
From The Execution Of All Things:
Rilo Kiley - With Arms Outstretched
Rilo Kiley - The Execution Of All Things
Enjoy!
Grizzly Bear
According to this, I enjoy Grizzly Bear. The thing is, I don't know much about them, aside from the fact that they are Brooklynites and, being weird and folky, draw comparisons to Animal Collective. My first introduction to them was Final Fantasy's remix of "Don't Ask," which I absolutely love, and from then I've been collecting tracks as I find them. I've liked them all so far, both the normal tracks and the remixes from the deluxe-issue, which I went ahead and bought for the mere $11 asking price.
I can't quite say what the draw is to their music - much of it is lo-fi acoustic folk, which doesn't stand out on it's own. But there's something special here, check it out and see for yourself.
From The Horn of Plenty:
Grizzly Bear - Don't Ask (recommended)
Grizzly Bear - Fix It
Grizzly Bear - Deep Sea Diver
From The Horn of Plenty Remixes:
Grizzly Bear - Don't Ask (Final Fantasy Remix) (recommended)
From their website (unreleased?)
Grizzly Bear - Owner of a Lonely Heart
Grizzly Bear - Colorado
Make friends with them, hear more songs, and watch a video at their MySpace page.
Then, go buy for cheap!
Enjoy.
show: The National
Last night I saw The National and Film School at King Tut's in Glasgow. I've only been listening to The National since I've been in Scotland, ironically, but have become absolutely enamored with their music in that short span. Alligator is without a doubt one of the year's best albums, and the sick emo kid in me couldn't pass up a chance to see a live show described as a "[draining] display of pathos" in the Information Leafblower Top 40 Bands list, in which The National ranked second (!).
The venue was as great as I expected, although initial confusion led my friend and I upstairs to soundcheck where we were mistaken by the band for journalists. Film School played first, and, to be honest, bored me out of my mind. Were they really hand-picked for this tour by the headliners? Somebody must like them.
The National took stage afterwards, and began with "Secret Meeting," as I had hoped and expected. An immediate and lasting impression was the musicianship - being a yard in front of Aaron (I think) Dessner and watching his intricate and forceful guitar work, often in awe, made me appreciate even more the band's undeniable talent. Vocalist Matt Berninger wore himself out very visibly during the set, yet instead of it being frustrating hearing his voice deteriorate, it was compelling and forgivable. It was terrifying watching him curl up on the floor smoking and then rise up again, his frame skinny and stressed and lines like "I'm so sorry for everything" coming out of his mouth. An affecting display of self-loathing indeed.
The set was composed of a fair amount from Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers and Cherry Tree, and of course most of Alligator. Aside from the expected standouts like the driving "Mr. November" and "Abel," more subtle numbers like "Cold Girl Fever" were engaging as well, showing the band to be masters of atmosphere and dynamics.
From Alligator:
The National - Abel
The National - All The Wine
From Cherry Tree EP:
The National - Wasp Nest (recommended)
From Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers:
The National - Slipping Husband
From The National:
The National - Cold Girl Fever
Enjoy!
Clogs
I'm a big fan of The National (going to see them Thursday!), and was therefore happy to hear the music of Clogs, a group which features guitarist Bryce Dessner of the aforementioned band, along with sometimes-collaborator Padma Newsome on viola, Thomas Kozumplik on percussion and Rachael Elliott on bassoon. Could she be the titular character from the National's "Murder Me Rachael"?
You decide! From Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers:
The National - Murder Me Rachael
Anyhow, Clogs make some gorgeous and unique music, their mostly instrumental songs sounding eerily familar for being so very different. The group's talent is apparent upon first listen, as Newsome's outstanding work pulls the listener through a forest of sound which I can only describe as magical. Not quite in the happy-hippie Joanna Newsom sense, but in a more enchanted and urgent way.
From their latest, Stick Music:
Clogs - Pencil Stick
From Lullabye for Sue:
Clogs - Who's Down Now
Enjoy.
Bonus! Go over to So Much Silence and get the latest Spoon b-side, "Sunday Morning, Wednesday Night." If you're into that sort of thing.
Radar Bros.
I still get the Hard To Find Showspace newsletter, even though I haven't lived in Goleta for the past 2+ years. Although it's mostly stuff I'm not interested in, Jade Tree bands and math-rock etc., every once in a while something good comes through. Years ago it was The Walkmen opening for Hot Hot Heat, before either had found the success they have today. Last year it was local rockers Please And Thank You. And this year it's the Radar Bros., who I'll miss. When I came across them before And The Surrounding Mountains came out, I was immediately drawn in by the spaciousness of their music, which is languid and crisp. It always seemed fitting that they were from L.A., because their songs conjure images of deserts and mountains in the sun. Whatever that means. PLUS THEY SKATEBOARD. Somebody go see them.
From their latest, The Fallen Leaf Pages:
Radar Bros. - Papillon
From And The Surrounding Mountains:
Radar Bros. - Sisters (my favorite)
From The Singing Hatchet:
Radar Bros. - Open Ocean Sailing (my other favorite)
The last two are from their Epitonic page.
Enjoy.
The Portland Connection
Norfolk & Western is a folk group built around two players, Adam Selzer and Rachel Blumberg. They've maintained a low profile despite making some quality music over their last four albums, perhaps befitting their hushed and rustic sepiatone aesthetic.
Their latest, Dusk In Cold Parlours, is highly recommended.
Norfolk & Western - Terrified
From Winter's Farewell:
Norfolk & Western - Evergreen
Norfolk & Western - Hegira
Head over to their MySpace page to download a song which just may be new! And to become a valued friend. If you like, go buy buy buy from Hush while their massive sale is on!
You may recognize Blumberg from her time as drummer for another Portland band, The Decemberists. They too are highly recommended.
From Picaresque (which comes with special EP Picaresqueties when you order the vinyl!), here's one of my favorites:
The Decemberists - The Engine Driver
You may not recognize Salzer from his work with the amazing M. Ward. Ward is also Portland-based (surprise), and makes absolutely gorgeous and anachronistic folk music. The cream of the crop.
From The Transfiguration of Vincent:
M. Ward - Vincent O'Brien
Buy his latest, Transistor Radio, from Merge and get Transfiguration of Vincent cheap!
Enjoy.
Tim Fite
Last weekend I saw Buck 65 out of pure curiosity. While he impressed, it was opener Tim Fite that stole the show. Fite and his sidekick sang harmoniously in an affected C&W drawl, perfectly executed and somehow managing to avoid being ironic. Fite even rapped at times, and all the while a video projection ran in the background (sometimes of Fite himself playing the same song). It was surreal and fun, well-executed all around.
When I researched Fite online I came across studio recordings of the same songs he played for us. They lack the charm of his unique stage show, but give them a go anyhow. You might chuckle, and if he piques your interest at all give the live gig a chance, it's worth it. Scout's honor.
From his latest, Gone Ain't Gone (Anti-):
Tim Fite - No Good Here
Tim Fite - Fourty-Five Remedies
From Two Minute Blues:
Tim Fite - I'll Never Drown
Tim Fite - Bitchisaid
Tim Fite - The Hostage and the Thief
Enjoy!
The Walkmen
What better, or more appropriate, way to kick off the endeavor that is B+A than with The Walkmen, whose last album inspired its title?
From their debut album, Everyone Who Pretended To Like Me Is Gone:
The Walkmen - We've Been Had You may recognize this from a Saturn commercial. I will of course love them no less for doing a commercial, especially since I drive a '92 SC coupe.
The Walkmen - Wake Up
From their latest, Bows + Arrows:
The Walkmen - Little House Of Savages
The Walkmen - The Rat This is without a doubt their masterpiece. A still-drunk red-eyed lament in the 29th hour of being awake, this is as good as it gets.
Special!
The Walkmen - The Auld Triangle This is a Pogues cover from a show in Harvard Square. Fitting, isn't it, the Walkmen in Harvard Square?
Watch live video/antics here and music videos here.
And let's not forget John's Journey, their literary work in progress.
Enjoy.
This Right Here
...is my music blog, not to be confused with my blog that isn't my music blog. I'm working on the appearance still.
I hope to post mp3's and relevant discussion. I don't know if this will work.
