I have been waiting for this for a quite a while. To be exact, I've been waiting since I interviewed them last February. :-) At any rate, this is one of the music addict's take on Ladytron's latest and greatest.
The opening track is "Black Cat". Think "Turn It On" and "True Mathematics" off their sophomore album, Light & Magic. It's chill, goth and addictive to listen to. The only thing I wished they did for "Black Cat" was segue it into "Ghosts." Being their first single as well as making a music video, "Ghosts" is to their Witching Hour's "Destroy Everything You Touch" - solid. "I'm Not Scared" and "Runaway" stand as solid pieces leading us Ladytron fans to a surprise. "Season of Illusions" features Mira Aroyo's singing voice that does not consist of haunting Bulgarian mantras heard on "Fighting in Built Up Areas" from WH. She sings well and hopefully this will broaden horizons for future works.
"Burning Up" is reminiscent of "Another Breakfast With You" off 604 with the lyrics. I was not impressed with "Kletva" for one reason- unnecessary to the *sound* of Velocifero. I am a supporter of the musicality and the performance of Aroyo and the group, but the style of the song did not fit the album. I realized "Kletva" didn't fit because it wasn't written by Ladytron. I am not knocking the writer, but this song would have been perfect for a B-side they should have featured in a future B-sides/remixes compilation. They should come out with one anyways (hint, hint).
"The Gave You A Heart..." has great vocals heard in "Seventeen" where Helen Marnie is echoed by Aroyo - classic! Two extremely different songs came to mind when I heard "Predict The Day." The song opens with a whistle giving me a deja vu of "Engel" by Rammstein and the background vocals of "This is a Landslide" by Intramural. It's crazy to compare German industrial metal with American indie rock, but it's so true!
"The Lovers" is probably my favorite track off the album. This song is what Ladytron is all about - dark, driving, haunting and gorgeous. "Deep Blue" is yet another classic example of combining sweet lyrics with a dark melody making it a track of full of intrigue. "Tomorrow" stands as a combination of "Beauty*2" (from WH) and an 80's song I can't think of at the moment. "Versus" is also a goodie for two reasons. One is Ladytron is an expert at picking the perfect closer for their albums. The other is you hear one of the boys singing!! I'm not sure if it's Reuben Wu or Daniel Hunt, but it's one of them and I was so excited to her him with Marnie as well as belting out a solo. Bravo!
This is obviously a strong recommendation if this electronica underground band is your bag, baby. If you're just starting to hear about these fine folks and like them, I suggest you start from the beginning and get 604, Light & Magic and Witching Hour. I'd also recommend getting on iTunes to look at their other stuff. Their remixes are badass (especially Placebo's "Because I Want You") and Extended Play is brilliant as well. They're on MySpace, Facebook, and touring the US as we speak. They will be saying hello to the ATL next week on a very fitting June day, Friday the 13th.
1. Black Cat 2. Ghosts 3. I'm Not Scared 4. Runaway 5. Season of Illusions 6. Burning Up 7. Kletva 8. They Gave You A Heart, They Gave You A Name 9. Predict The Day 10. The Lovers 11. Deep Blue 12. Tomorrow 13. Versus
Speaking of NIN... they just came out with a new album yesterday (in stores at least, it's been available online for a month or so). Anywho, you know you're a hard butt when you're not as impressed as you thought you were gonna be with one of your favorite band's new tunes.
Ghosts I-IV, a two-disc instrumental compilation, gives off two different feelings for each disc. Out of 36 tracks are "four" songs, "Ghosts I" (tracks 1-9, disc one), "Ghosts II" (tracks 10-18, disc one), "Ghosts III" (tracks 19-27, disc two), "Ghosts IV" (tracks 28-36, disc two). "Ghosts I-II" is like hearing "Pinion" off Broken in 18 different ways. It's very piecey (if that's a word) and there isn't quite an idea fully formed for the disc. There are points when there's a thought process, but gets cut off abruptly. One thing you do hear that reminds me of "The Frail" (off The Fragile) is a great use of the piano featured on multiple tracks. What's also new for Trent's group is the guitar "sound" making me think of Duane Eddy's "Rebel Rouser" that works great. When you get to "Ghosts III-IV," it gets much better. Segues are used a lot more, subtle beats are heard more and the edginess as heard on "10 Miles High" is hinted. Two tracks I recommend are #9 and #14 off the second disc.
Overall, it's not bad but not that great either. It's definitely a must for NIN fans and for people into instrumental, experimental tunes. After listening "Ghosts I-II", it makes me want to forget it all and listen to this burned CD I have including Slipknot and Flatus instead, which makes me happy. :-)
So I bought a CD on iTunes last night. Yep. I actually bought it. I saw American Babies at SxSW, and I was so impressed by them, and super happy to learn they had an album being released soon after that. American Babies is now out in stores and there for you to purchase. Lucky you!
I've already listened to it about five times since last night, and I've dubbed my favorites. "Brooklyn Bridge" is up there on my list for it's deceiving and slow start that breaks into a catchy chorus that you just have to sing along to. The twangy guitars and mature vocals have totally grabbed me by the horns and kept me flailing for the entire three and half minutes.
I'm also completely in love with "Invite Your Friends" because, well, it makes me want to crack open a beer (with my teeth) and prance around a field party bonfire with my friends. It's just like that. That doesn't mean I can't come down into self-loathing misery (the very good kind) with "Baby, Don't Cry." Because I can. And so can you.
Part of Mark Lanegan (of Screaming Trees and Queens of the Stone Age) and Greg Dulli’s (of The Afghan Whigs and Twilight Singers) creation is intrigue. The majority of this is just unusual for the lack of a better word and in favor of the Gutter Twins with hints of their musical evolution. I was surprised to hear a few spiritual-inspired tracks that worked out well such as “Who Will Lead Us.” Somewhat critically speaking “Front Street” seems a bit theatrical, but not out of place. The softest track would have to be “The Body,” giving off that chill mood heard in “66” (AW’s 1965) and “Twilight” (TS’s Twilight as Played by the Twilight Singers). However, that mellow mood is shaken with “Idle Hands." "Hands"creates this chaos that climaxes to this instrumental anarchy of ascending/ descending chromatic patterns one minute before the track is over - wow.
As far as recommendations, it’s okay if you don’t have the whole album because it’s not that much of a concept album, but it helps your psyche if you do. Vocally, Dulli’s best is “Front Street,” Lanegan’s best is “All Misery/Flowers” and together is “God’s Children” and “Each to Each.” Check them out on MySpace or their official website to check out their tracks and tour dates.
Tracks 1. The Stations 2. God’s Children 3. All Misery/Flowers 4. The Body 5. Idle Hands 6. Circle of Fringes 7. Who Will Lead Us 8. Seven Stories Underground 9. I Was In Love With You 10. Bete Noire 11. Each to Each 12. Front Street
So I've talked about Carousel 5 before, because, well, I like them, and I think you will, too. They graciously sent me their new CD, Counter Clockwise, and I've given it a listen at my leisure. And I likey what I hear! I'm not sure what it is, but there's a pretty sick calming effect...maybe it's Tori's vocals? Maybe it's the bwangy guitars (yeah, I make up words, deal with it). Maybe it's the underlying jazzy sensation pouring out of every song. Whatever the case may be, their formula works well to ease the senses.
Honestly, it's nice to hear something like this come along in this town. Why? Well, not to dog anyone, but I'm finding myself repeatedly bored with most of the acts I see over and over again, save my staple favorites. Although I'm still recovering from The Devil Stole the Beat last week (by the way, our show on Friday sold out at Smith's! Yay!), I'm going to jump back in the saddle on Friday night, February 29th, to catch Carousel 5 at Red Light Cafe. It's $5.00, and I feel like you may want to spend your Friday night there, too, if you go listen to the songs on their MySpace page (linked above).
Guys, if you're looking for weekend plans already, then go ahead and jot down (or type in, for you technically savvy folks) Harrison Hudson's CD release at Vinyl Saturday, February 9th. They may be tearing up the Nashville scene now, but they used to kick it all over Atlanta when they were based here not so long ago. Thankfully, they always make sure to visit often.
There's something refreshing about hearing a band mature over time, both physically and musically. Listening to the tracks contained on Blood, Sweat and Sweat makes me smile, because HH has obviously grown to be a seasoned rock band. Rock. What is rock anyway? This stuff is like a melting pot of any genre that massages your eardrums, from Cash to the Stones, to the Killers...it's all there if you listen as intently as I've found myself doing. The first couple of songs on their MySpace page are straight from the new album - and I think you'll find that the little taste you get will have you salivating for more like Pavlov's dog. "Baby Blues" has a sweet tinge of pop rock reminiscent of the bands popular in the sixites. "Kill Her With a Kiss" is an endearing ode to the wanted girl, and at the same time, the one you want to be (unless you're a guy, duh).
So, go listen, then go see, and go say hey to Harrison.
I think everyone has that one soundtrack they cherish as much as the movie they know every line to. Pulp Fiction, High Fidelity, Trainspotting, Empire Records, The Graduate and Saturday Night Fever are a few that come to mind. Well, to add to this list of soundtrack greatness and "desert island" discs is the music from the motion picture Juno. Thanks to getting the hookup from Arbell, Juno came in the mail Friday and I have listened to this compact disc nonstop until 15 minutes ago when I'll finally import it into my iPod.
The first thought I had listening to this album is the music tells more of a love story than the film itself. From the get go, you hear the opening credits track, "All I Want is You" by Barry Louis Polisar, "Dearest" by Buddy Holly and "Sea of Love" by Cat Power. In between these tracks along with other notables are Kimya Dawson making up six not forgetting to mention the Moldy Peaches track making a grand total of seven. From the minute-and-then-some track, "Sleep," to Sonic Youth's cover of "Superstar" (I can't help but think of Tommy Boy every time I hear that song), it's all here!
Other cool tracks I didn't notice off the bat from the film until I put the CD in are "Vampire" by Antsy Pants (which is made up of kids) and "I'm Sticking With You" by The Velvet Underground. Tracks I did recognize that I think shaped the movie (even though they all shaped Juno) are "Tire Swing" by Kimya Dawson, "Expectations" by Belle & Sebastian and "Anyone Else But You" by The Moldy Peaches. As a bonus, the last track is Michael Cera and Ellen Page's cover of The Moldy Peaches track from the last scene complete with hearing the runners before the track is over.
Overall, the soundtrack is as eclectic as "Juno" the character and worth getting in some way, shape or form.
The "sacred vessel" tracks: 1. All I Want is You - Barry Louis Polisar 2. My Rollercoaster - Kimya Dawson 3. A Well Respected Man - The Kinks 4. Dearest - Buddy Holly 5. Up The Sprout - Mateo Messina 6. Tire Swing - Kimya Dawson 7. Piazza, New York Catcher - Belle & Sebastian 8. Loose Lips - Kimya Dawson 9. Superstar - Sonic Youth 10. Sleep - Kimya Dawson 11. Expectations - Belle & Sebastian 12. All the Young Dudes - Mott the Hoople 13. So Nice So Smart - Kimya Dawson 14. Sea of Love - Cat Power 15. Tree Hugger - Kimya Dawson & Antsy Pants 16. I'm Sticking With You - The Velvet Underground 17. Anyone Else But You - The Moldy Peaches 18. Vampire - Antsy Pants 19. Anyone Else But You - Michael Cera & Ellen Page
The mail lady at my real jobby job has come through once again! If you're not a female who lurves songs that rip the opposite gender a new one, then you might not dig this. I, however, happen to be one of those females, in case you somehow missed that over the past couple of years. So, I was very happy to take some of my downtime to check out this CD by Kate Nash that just landed (literally) in my lap last week, Made of Bricks.
You probably don't want your preteen daughter listening to Nash's uncanny manner of insulting any man boy who has crossed her path in a very wrong way with songs like "Dickhead" and "Shit Song." But then again, one of the singles, "Merry Happy," manages to balance out all of that hate at the end of the CD with an aura of, well, happiness. Luckily, the other thing I love about this album is the fact that this is not just some chick and her guitar. Nope. It's a mix of electronics and a thick British accent, and it's oh-so-lovely. It's kind of like when you go to Cold Stone Creamery and make your own mix of all your favorite things to put in the bowl, and it tastes so perfect, you're convinced it should be bottled and sold. If you have no idea what I mean, just trust me . . . it's pretty much the best thing ever.
Genre: Soundtrack P.S. I Love You out December 21 (Thanks Arbell!)
The cool thing about this soundtrack is it's not all sappy. For instance, you got the opener ("Love you 'Till the End" by The Pogues) reminding me of The Cure, which is a good band. Then you got a James Blunt track from All The Lost Souls and a Flogging Molly tune, "If I Ever Read This World Alive."
The two songs that make this album of various artists are "Everything We Had" by The Academy Is... and "In the Beginning" by The Stills. The reason why I picked these two are they sum up what the movie is about - love in today's society. They are neither lovey-dovey nor to the point (you know what I mean). If anything, be a sport and have a listen to those two tracks. You can also check them out when you hear them in the film when it hits theatres tomorrow.
Verdict: C+ There are definitely no Moulin Rouge! reenactments going on like when I'm singing along with Ewan McGregor (growl), but The Stills and The Academy Is... tunes are worth getting on iTunes in case you don't have the albums!
CD Review Paul McCartney Memory Almost Full CD/DVD Deluxe, Super Duper, Special Edition
This was better than I expected when I popped it in. I'm also surprised because I'm not that big of a fan of Beatle solo stuff. Memory gave me a sense of who Paul is as a songwriter and as a human. He much more than the charming Beatle that complimented the rebel (John), the quiet one (George) and the "lovable mascot" (Ringo). For 65, he's a phenomenal composer and musician - as if we didn't know already! Memory talks about his parents, Linda, Heather and so on in a surprisingly moving way. You hear bits of Sgt. Pepper, Abbey Road, "The White Album," etc. and have a few Wings moments in this enjoyable combination (see what it says in the parentheses what songs, didn't do specific Wings references but they're present). Plus there's two great instrumental tracks ("In Private" and "222") that's quite nice and am pleased Paulie has them on here.
Verdict: B+ Stocking stuffer approved.
Tracks (CD) 1. Dance Tonight ("Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds") 2. Ever Present Past ("Baby You're a Rich Man") 3. See Your Sunshine 4. Only Mama Knows ("Eleanor Rigby") 5. You Tell Me ("Golden Slumbers") 6. Mr. Bellamy ("She Came In Through the Bathroom Window," "Eleanor Rigby," "Strawberry Fields" piano ending) 7. Gratitude ("I've Got a Feeling") 8. Vintage Clothes 9. That Was Me ("Flying," "A Day in the Life," "Cry Baby Cry") 10. Feet In The Clouds 11. House Of Wax 12. End Of The End ("Golden Slumbers") 13. Nod Your Head ("HelterSkelter") 14. In Private 15. Why So Blue 16. 222
DVD (the first five tracks were taken from London live) 1. Drive My Car 2. Dance Tonight 3. House of Wax 4. Nod Your Head 5. Only Mama Knows 6. Dance Tonight (music video - see below!) 7. Ever Present Past (music video - see below!)
I'm going to try something different for this Nine Inch Nails newbie - commentary.
1. "Gunshots by Computer" - Saul Williams Have you ever wondered what the lyrics would be to an instrumental track? This is the answer to "HYPERPOWER!"
2. "The Great Destroyer" - Modwheelmood You won't hear the "Transformers" "great destroyer" chant before the noisy clatter, but you do hear the lyrics (part of) more clearly.
3. "My Violent Heart" - Pirate Robot Midget Much like the original track, you nod your head and get some dancing action to this tune.
4. "The Beginning of the End" (J-Type Overdrive Mix) - Ladytron I might be biased, but this is up there with Ladytron's take on Placebo's "Because I Want You To." In other words - fan-freaking-tastic! You hear faintly in the chorus Helen Marnie, one of the two female vocalists (the other Mira Aroyo), with Reznor's growl along with her haunting calls. The best part (besides the whole song) - the ending. I won't spoil the surprise. Reznor's next project should be: remix Ladytron songs!
5. "Survivalism" - Saul Williams The lyrics did some "simma-down-now" that worked out to Reznor's new discovery, Saul Williams. Instead of bobbing your head, your slowly nodding your head.
6. "Capital G" - Epworth Phones Reminding me a lot of Underworld, a great dancie tune you'll lose track of time to especially when you "drop, drop, drop, drop, drop... the bomb." It's something you'd hear at a trendy Wendy nightclub with good taste... MJQ?
7. "Vessel" - Bill Laswell If your got a fever from the original, they used more cowbell on this track (aka: hotter!). A slight bit of an echo to the vocals adding more grit if that was possible. This is the one track that stayed very close to the instrumentation of the original - that's not a bad thing.
8. "The Warning" - Stefan Goodchild featuring Doudou N'Diaye Rose The beginning reminded me of the movie Halloween, but ended up with tribal tom-toms accompanying the vocals. Definitely a different take.
9. "Meet Your Master" - The Faint Much more upbeat and giving more personality, something else you'd hear at MJQ... maybe.
10. "God Given" - Stephen Morris & Gillian Gilbert The reduction of the "noise" makes you listen more intently to the lyrics - although I do miss the abrupt pause and start up of the music. During the I'm-telling-you-a-secret transitions Trent whispers there is a happy beat playing which is quite nice to hear.
11. "Me, I'm Not" - Olof Dreijer One of the longest instrumental songs I've heard (it's 14 minutes and 1 second long), this put me in a trance and walked with zombies... in a good way. This isn't like "La Mer," but more like driving down a long road in the middle of the night thinking of Lost Highway or David Lynch in general accompanied by whales. Like "Gunshots by Computer" gave lyrics to "HYPERPOWER!," Dreijer did to "Me, I'm Not." Track 11 is very strange, but a lovely surprise.
12. "Another Version of the Truth" - Kronos Quartet & Enrique Gonzalez Müller I can't help but think of "The Frail" (on Things Falling Apart) and Requiem For a Dream when I heard this. I can't say anything more than it is heart-breaking, complex, terrifying and stunning.
13. "In This Twilight" - Fennesz I hear a lot of With Teeth in this track ("The Line Begins To Blur"/"Beside You In Time"/ "Right Where It Belongs"). It's very self-reflective and much more powerful.
14. "Zero-Sum" - Stephen Morris & Gillian Gilbert I'm very pleased they raised the volume on Reznor's "vocals" on this one.
So... should you buy it? That's totally up to you. If your a big fan of NIN, you should have it already! If you're looking for something different, I'd suggest getting the original Year Zero album before venturing out to this one. As far as I rate it - Trent baby, you did good.
Here's a band from Montreal that sent me some of their songs. As I listen, a small smile stretches across my face, because I hear a twinge of the 90s, which I have been saying is about to explode back onto the scene for about two years now. I love it when I'm right. But, I also have boobs, making that a blatant fact.
Plajia's got this rock power chord thing going on in their song "Dummy," but it's still boasting a light and airy feel to it that makes it easy on the ears. And that's never a bad thing.
I listened to the other tracks they sent me, and I didn't too much care for the cheesy pop and listless lyrics in "Beautiful Explosion." Maybe I had too much Mexican food earlier or something. "Beating the Charms" is okay. It's kind of retro and flowy. It reminds me of seeing fairies in a forest. (And no, I've never actually seen a fairy in a forest, but I imagine if I were going to, this song might be on the soundtrack.)
If you like it, you can go to their MySpace and get more. Holla!
Have you ever been pleasantly surprised over something you wouldn't have dreamed would surprise you? That's how I felt when I put I'm Not There in my CD player (thanks to Sam). The reasons why the soundtrack to the Bob Dylan biopic is pretty darn good...
I've haven't been this excited about a movie soundtrack since Trainspotting... okay that's a slight exaggeration. Not knowing a whole lot about Bob Dylan or his work, There was neither hard to follow - by "hard to follow," I mean you don't have to be a Dylan fanatic to get it. It's ideal to listen to on a lazy Sunday morning or a peaceful drive. You don't feel like you're listening to a "best of" tribute CD, even though in a sense you are...
I think one of the gutsiest moves musicians make are doing covers from legendary peers. If one does this, it's a make or break deal. Luckily, it worked out for the 25 or so musicians on this two-disc compilation of Dylan songs. To answer why it worked is because the musicians featured aren't a flash in the pan - Willie Nelson, Iron & Wine, Karen O from Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Los Lobos, Jack Johnson, Mark Lanegan (yay!) of Screaming Trees and The Gutter Twins and more. You can hear his sound and lazy vocals in the musicians without it being cheesy or a mockery...
The one piece of the puzzle that connects the CD and the listener together is the movie itself. Unfortunately, I'm Not There doesn't come out until November 21 and even then, it's a limited release. If it's as original as Todd Haynes'sVelvet Goldmine, we're in for a treat. Hopefully, the times could be a changin' and they might show There here come November 21!
Until then, pick up a copy. If you're a tech savvy person and own the tinker toy called a iPod, it's available on iTunes. If you're need a couple recommendations to twist your arm, check out "Mama, You've Been on My Mind/A Fraction of Last Thoughts on Woodie Gutherie" by Jack Johnson or "Man in the Long Black Coat" by Mark Lanegan.
The tracks...
Disc One 1. "All Along the Watchtower" - Eddie Vedder and the Million Dollar Bashers 2. "I'm Not There" - Sonic Youth 3. "Goin' To Acapulco" - Jim James and Calexico 4. "Tombstone Blues" - Richie Havens 5. "Ballad of a Thin Man" - Stephen Malkmus and the Million Dollar Bashers 6. "Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again" - Cat Power 7. "Pressing On" - John Doe 8. "Fourth Time Around" - Yo La Tengo 9. "Dark Eyes" - Iron & Wine and Calexico 10. "Highway 61 Revisited" - Karen O and the Million Dollar Bashers 11. "One More Cup of Coffee" - Roger McGuinn and Calexico 12. "The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll" - Mason Jennings 13. "Billy"- Los Lobos 14. "Simple Twist of Fate" - Jeff Tweedy 15 "The Man in the Long Black Coat" - Mark Lanegan 16. "Señor (Tales of Yankee Power)" - Willie Nelson and Calexico Disc Two 1. "As I Went Out One Morning" - Mira Billotte 2. "Can't Leave Her Behind" - Stephen Malkmus and Lee Ranaldo 3. "Ring Them Bells" - Sufjan Stevens 4. "Just Like a Woman" - Charlotte Gainsbourg and Calexico 5. "Mama You've Been on My Mind" / "A Fraction of Last Thoughts on Woody Guthrie" - Jack Johnson 6. "I Wanna Be Your Lover" - Yo La Tengo 7. "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" - Glen Hansard and MarkétaIrglová 8. "Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window?" - The Hold Steady 9. "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues" - Ramblin' Jack Elliot 10. "Wicked Messenger" - The Black Keys 11. "Cold Irons Bound" - Tom Verlaine and the Million Dollar Bashers 12. "The Times They Are a-Changin'" - Mason Jennings 13. "Maggie's Farm" - Stephen Malkmus and the Million Dollar Bashers 14. "When the Ship Comes In" - Marcus Carl Franklin 15. "Moonshiner" - Bob Forrest 16. "I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine," John Doe 17. "Knockin' on Heaven's Door," - Antony & the Johnsons 18. "I'm Not There," Bob Dylan with The Band
Remember this name - Kenotia (pronounced: keh-no-shhha). Because their catchy tunes will be stuck in your head all day!
Released today and already hard to find copies, Atlanta-based band (Marietta if you want to get technical) Kenotia's debut album, You've Dug Your Grave, Now Lie In It, was released at Best Buy, Hot Topic and fye locations across the country. This group of five 20-somethings have the energy to play way more than the 35 minutes of fun on the nine-tracked CD.
How does Kenotia sound? Think Angels & Airwaves and 30 Seconds to Mars sound with a younger, sweeter Garbage vocals. The combination is not bad and vocalist Carly's voice takes you to places where only unicorns go... kidding. But seriously, her vocals carry a lot of weight and carry it well. The instrumentation is well-balanced and good chill music when hanging out with friends or keeping yourself company. When you look on their MySpace page, don't be weird about the word "emo" as a description of their sound. The undertone is there, but it's very much considered alternative rock and ambient sound.
As far as the songs themselves, you're kept in the same mood where you say, "Nice," at the end of every song, even the instrumental track, "86 Seconds Later." "Decorating For Cinco de Mayo" and "Until This Day" are my recommendations if you plan on testing them out on iTunes, where they are also available.
If you fancy them so much you want to see them live, they'll be at Tony's Bar & Grill in Sandy Springs on November 3 and at Swayze's Marietta/Kennesaw on November 7 before they go on tour. Don't dig your own grave and not go!
Yesterday was the release day for the snack-size EP from Ryan Adams & the Cardinals, Follow the Lights. After giving the seven songs a good listen, I'm calm and collected. Instead of jumping all over the place with the genre-hopping usually found, this collection stays on the blues/folk course quite nicely. It's not exactly rock, but it's not exactly country, either. It's balancing on the fine line between the two that Adams typically has no trouble teetering between on other albums. A clip of "Blue Hotel" is posted on his MySpace site, and you can find two other streams here. If you give your ears those three songs and you likey, you should just go ahead and get the entire thing, because the samples are an excellent indication of what's contained on that disc.
Coming back from vacation is not fun. However, finding a slew of new music on your desk when you do makes it slightly more tolerable. I've mentioned a couple of these before, but now that I've heard the full-length albums, I can give a better opinion.
-Magnet (aka Even Johansen), The Simple Life: Um, yeah, this guy is amazing. Think about if Rufus Wainwright, Josh Rouse, and Damien Rice came together, merged their music and lyrics into one, and then packaged it up with a pretty bow. Then you'll understand Magnet. I have a new addiction, and this is it. I'm quite smitten with the previous album, The Tourniquet, as well.
-Grand Ole Party, Humanimals: This album brings a carnival-like blues sound, and it brings that sound with a lounge singer laced in rock fronting it. Sound interesting? Well, that's because it is.
-Sea Wolf, Leaves in the River: This is a great collection of songs to get you in the mood for the fall and winter and the trials of nature that come with them. Many references to leaves and the weather throughout the songs just heighten the idea of the music, which is soothing and relaxing without putting you to sleep.
-Sunday Drivers, Archetypes EP: Like I've said before, the new-new wave is fluent throughout this band's music. The Editors, She Wants Revenge, and Human League might be a little jealous that the Sunday Drivers are doing as good as or better than they are.
As a child, I was a first chair violin player. Yes. It's true. That doesn't have much to do with this post, other than that's what the title of Evan McHugh's album, From the Second Chair, reminds me of.
As much as I harp on how much I don't like singer/songwriters, I've found quite a few lately that are making me drop tears of emotion into my half-glass-empty beer. The very first time I heard McHugh, I was immediately drawn because the music, which borders on folk rock, reminded me of the man I would give my first-born child for, Rhett Miller. I don't know if it had anything to do with my personal issues at the time, but I was so moved by "What Would You Do," and the lyrics that I literally listened to it 100 times in about two days. There's such an underlying heartbreaking tone to the songs that I can't help but wrap myself up in every song like they're some kind of comfort blanket from my childhood. "Last Train Home" basks in a jazzy mood that makes me wish I was sitting in a bar with a martini and a stogie. I wouldn't be surprised if Michael Buble ends up trying to rip this song from McHugh.
McHugh has the ability to jump from sound to sound and keep your ears perked and tuned for the next ration of guitar-fused goodness. There's nothing boring or mundane about this album, and that simple fact is enough for me to mark myself as an instant fan. It's engaging. It's captivating. It's yummy. Sold!
You can go listen to four songs on McHugh's MySpace site (linked above). Note that his vast variety of sound oozes talent like lava from a newly erupted volcano. When you're done, open up your old school calendar, or whip out your PDA, and mark this down: Thursday, September 20, Smith's Olde Bar, ASCAP Showcase with Evan McHugh and the Bridges. (As a sidenote, if you haven't seen the Bridges yet, you better get on it. These kids are going to be big superstars in no time, and then you'll kick yourself in the ass for not taking advantage of a small, inexpensive show when I told you to. Multiple times. Mark my words.)
This fall, Atlanta's Trances Arc is releasing a full-length album called simply XOXOX, thanks to their recent signing with Slush Fund Recordings. Although I've already had a taste of some of the songs on the tracklist, this is the first time I've had the full meal of the finished product. TA has been around the rock scene for a while, so if you're familiar with their past material, this shouldn't be much of a surprise for you, despite some line-up changes and attempts to create a grittier, more "indie," less mainstream sound. Singer Eric Toledo's wavering vocals are the most captivating part of this disc, as I find myself feeling like the music is somewhat repetitive and predictable. But then again, I'm one of those people that likes a few different sounds in one place rather than a lump of a "signature" sound.
Check out "Parliament" and "Don't Like Leaving" (my favorite) for the best of what TA has to offer. The latter is one of those I know I'm going to find myself putting on every playlist I make to keep myself motivated to escape the boredom at the real job. When Trances Arc decides to kick the harder rock, they do it well enough to make me wish I would've worn strap on shoes so I wouldn't lose them during the involuntary tapping my feet tend to do. If you're into ballad-rock tunes that warrant the anticipation of a possibly sweet make-out session, or if you just like that Fray-type sound, "Cold Drivers" and "Look Up" will satisfy your need for that kind of fix. It's like slow-dancing at the prom with that super cute, innocent girl/guy.
Personally, I enjoy their live show, which you'll be able to see in just one week! Atlantis Music Conference is going on starting next Friday, and Trances Arc will be showcasing with a really stellar group of bands: The Empties, Modern Society (who apparently just won some kind of development contract, but I wasn't really paying attention because I don't really care for them), Y-O-U, Rantings of Eva, and Steadlur. Bands start at 9:00, and it's $8.00 (or $10, I've seen two different things) to get in if you're not lucky enough to have a wristband or conference pass. Oh, and it's at the Star Bar in Little 5 Points. I will be there to watch the best thing happening that night, as it is every year during this time.
What could possibly make a Thursday at work better than receiving the new release from Eisley? Not a damn thing. It’s almost like a higher power knew I needed this album at this very moment in life. I have, in the past, expressed my views on Eisley and how much they make me feel. I am still not sick of the previous album, Room Noises, and now I’ve got Combinations attached to my hands. The way this band manages to make music that perfectly matches the high and velvet-like vocals that emit lyrics anyone can grasp onto and etch into their emotions is severely uncanny and admirable. There isn’t really a comparable band touring now.
I have this feeling if you go to their MySpace page and take an initial listen to the songs that you won’t even have to take anything I say into account. You will just love it. It’s powerful and so much more mature than anything you’ve heard from Eisley in the past. When I say that, I mean that I have plenty of tracks from the last album on my “Bath Mix” playlist, but with this release, I’d probably stick the tracks on the “Get Over It” playlist instead. You can tell they’ve grown as a band and as people with the display of darker lyrics and a larger range of musical stylings. I’m not only a fan of the single “Invasion,” but also “Go Away” (which I find myself wanting to shout quite often), and “Come Clean.” Oh yeah, and for sure “A Sight to Behold.” These kids are like the modern day Sound of Music, as in, the long and drawn out parts of some of the slower songs make me feel like I should be sitting on top of a grassy, windswept knoll. I think I can honestly say that the first listen through of Combinations has been the best 34 minutes of my life in a very long time. And I have had some damn good times…
Hey, here’s an idea. Maybe if you’re opting for a date night made of everything good, you could go to the Loft this Saturday, August 11 to actually see them perform these stellar songs in person. If you see Claire, buy her a drink or tell her how she looks taller in person. If you want the album, it officially comes out on Tuesday, August 14th.
Tegan and Sara. Those cute chicks who sing awesome songs. The just released The Con, and reached a major point with it...their first top 40 debut. Since I got my hands on it today, I've been listening to it nonstop, and it's easy for me to hear why their super girly vocals and female-oriented rock has hit it big with a large audience. Of course, I've also fallen into one of those bitter moods that girls tend to do when guys pull that shit where they like to confuse the hell out of you...
Moving on...I put up an mp3 last week because it was one of the tunes that stood out in my inbox. I'll link it again here in case you missed it. These girls remind me of one of my most favorite bands of the 90s...the Murmurs! Songs that flow all over the place, up and down, back and forth, and dealing with growing up, falling in love, leaving, and all the other crap we all have to deal with.
This song is going to give you a really good idea of what the rest of the songs are like...and they tend to stick close to the older stuff. So, if you're already a fan, you'll love it. If you're not yet, then get put your cursor up there and click.
