stuff you should listen to

How He Loves

2010-08-08T17:55:00.000-07:00

Unlike most Christian worship music, this version of this song gets deeply personal for the singer/writer in the last verse as he struggles to get through the memory of losing someone. It's heartbreaking and beautiful.

See How Man Was Made

2010-08-04T13:07:00.000-07:00

Listen to more here.

Emanuel and the Fear

2009-07-25T10:00:00.000-07:00

This band is great. They are an electro/orchestral pop group from New York. So far they only have an EP released, most of which can be heard on their myspace, but they are working on a full length. Apparently they are an 11 piece band made up of people who have played with various other artists, including Sufjan Stevens and The National. I especially enjoy the first three songs from the EP: the bright, poppy "The Rain Becomes The Clouds," the folkier "Comfortable Prison," and the dancy "Jimme's Song" which goes into an extended experimental electronic section.

Mayer Hawthorne

2009-06-25T19:53:00.001-07:00

Just heard this today, this single is currently free on itunes!

Colossal

2009-06-24T18:41:00.000-07:00

I realize I have never mentioned them on here before. They are a great band that blends punk with a little bit of math rock and jazz--and they happen to be from my hometown! Here is their myspace.

This Town Needs Guns

2009-06-24T18:34:00.000-07:00

That last video reminded me of this one because of the jolty stop-motion stuff. This band is pretty good, too, they have that odd time indie/math rock feel with cool repetitive guitar riffs that remind me of Colossal and Anathallo.

Ida Maria

2009-06-24T18:24:00.000-07:00

I just listened to her album Fortress Round My Heart for the first time and it inspired me to return to this blog I nearly forgot about. Of course she's from Norway, which further affirms my belief that there is something special about Scandinavian pop... Here's "Oh My God":

Phoenix

2009-04-06T18:02:00.000-07:00

I saw these guys on Saturday Night Live the other night. The first and last time I heard them before that was on the soundtrack to Lost in Translation, but I never listened to any more than that. I don't know if they've changed their sound much since then, but I listened to their new album Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (which I think is a pretty sweet title) a few times and I really like it. On SNL I thought the lead singer sounded a little like Ben Kweller. The band is much dancier than Kweller's, in fact they sometimes verge on groove/lounge music, but they can still rock, and I prefer those songs in which they do. Oh yeah, did I mention they're French? You wouldn't have even noticed. Maybe they should sing a few songs in French. (Maybe they have, like I said I'm not familiar with their earlier work). Anyway, here's their performance on SNL:

K'Naan

2009-04-03T15:04:00.000-07:00

Aaron just hipped me to this dude. I dig his stuff, it's honest. It's got kind of a Will I Am or Wyclef Jean vibe to it, but it's a little different because of his Somalian background. His full album is available streaming on his myspace.

Adele

2009-03-31T21:09:00.000-07:00

I saw Adele on Letterman last night and it reminded me to mention her on here. I've seen a few other of her late night talk show appearances and I enjoyed all of them. Her album is mostly great, too, but I particularly enjoyed the extra cd of live songs that came with it. I think sparse accompaniments of just one main instrument really suit her voice well. Oh, and in case you didn't realize, the album is called 19 because she was 19 when she recorded it! She already has two grammys at the age of 20!

Thao

2009-03-30T18:19:00.000-07:00

I've been enjoying Thao Nguyen's cd We Brave Bee Stings And All lately. It's a pretty good album and I think along with her band The Get Down Stay Down she has somewhat of a unique sound going for her, and could establish herself as the next big female voice in indie rock. Her lyrics aren't bad either. Here's "Bag of Hammers":

Nina Simone

2009-03-27T11:19:00.000-07:00

Nina Simone's start is interesting: she began playing piano in church, aspired to be a classical pianist and studied at Juilliard, but in order to pay her way through school she began playing clubs and started to sing jazz standards. Though she's playing jazz in her early work, you can definitely hear the classical and gospel influence. Her version of "I Loves You, Porgy" is heart-breaking and fantastic:

Here's one of her later performances:

Damien Jurado

2009-03-15T15:55:00.000-07:00

I started listening to Damien Jurado with his early albums Waters Ave S (1997) and Rehearsals for Departure (1999), and he's had some good ones after that, but I kind of lost track of what he's been up to lately. Then I read an article about his latest album, Caught in the Trees, in the Jan/Feb issue of Relevant Magazine. Although the songs on this album are based on his personal life, specifically a recent divorce, Jurado collaborates with Eric Fischer and Jenna Conrad on the songwriting, and the result is quite good. Here's the music video for "Caskets":

Noble Beast

2009-02-06T12:48:00.000-08:00

Andrew Bird's new album Noble Beast is available today for $1.99 from Amazon.com! I've listened to it once so far and it is very good!

Theresa Andersson

2009-02-05T09:45:00.000-08:00

I saw her for the first time on Conan last night. It's like an exaggeration of what Andrew Bird does with pedals, which is impressive, but I think I would prefer a full band. Maybe if she is committed to the one-woman act she could experiment with more amps to imitate a band spatially.

Ray Charles' Saxophonist Obituary

2009-02-04T13:46:00.000-08:00

David "Fathead" Newman

Last month, three saxophonists that worked with Ray Charles died: Hank Crawford, who was probably the most well-known, Leeroy "Hog" Cooper, who was primarily a bari sax player, and David "Fathead" Newman, my personal favorite. Here's "Hard Times," from Newman's first album Fathead: Ray Charles Presents David Newman, which also features Hank Crawford on bari sax:

L.E. Flaco

2009-02-02T18:15:00.000-08:00

This is cross-posted at The Joy of Daily Living.

Photo from myspace.com

I figure after last week, why not continue with the foreign language theme? L.E. Flaco is a hip-hop artist I found back when I was in school and trying to learn Spanish. I figured I could find songs I like, memorize the lyrics, translate them, and then magically be fluent in Spanish.

It didn't work. Still, L.E. Flaco was super cool when I sent him myspace messages (in broken Spanish, I'm sure) and we corresponded the best we could for a bit. He lives in Madrid, Spain with a beautiful girlfriend and really cool dog. I know this because they were mentioned in just about the only lyrics I could translate!

L.E. Flaco's flows are tight and fast over quality production. Click here for his myspace. Here is one of his videos. I love when he throws in some English ("hurry up," "don't worry").

Here's another of his newer videos.

When I corresponded with him I asked what his lyrics are about, but since he isn't fluent in English it was hard to grasp. Many have social and political themes (or at least did in 2006). Because I'm so used to Mexican Spanish, it's really hard for me to pick up words with his Spanish accent. I just here "th, th, th" and then one or two words I can catch.

The Walkmen

2009-01-30T23:27:00.000-08:00

The Walkmen have a new album out, and it looks like they have the whole thing available streaming from their myspace! It doesn't sound too different from past albums, but that's not a bad thing. I've liked pretty much everything I've heard from them. They have a very unique style that sounds kind of like Bob Dylan except with everything driving and distorted, and then some latin influence thrown in every once in awhile. Not that there aren't sparse moments; the overall arrangements in addition to the vocals can have quite a range in expression.

Here's a recent performance from Conan O'Brien

Somos Nós a Justiça

2009-01-26T10:08:00.000-08:00

This is cross-posted at The Joy of Daily Living.

This is one of my favorite SNJ songs. I'm so happy to find it has a video! Two years ago there was no trace of this song online.

In 2006 I spent two months living in Brazil. I checked out many music stores and attended a few concerts, but could not for the life of me find the underground & Brazilian hip-hop scene. Everyone I asked led me to Will I. Am and Wyclef. (Note: Neither Brazilian, nor underground.) (It probably didn't help that I don't speak the language.)

My final week there I found a music store that seemed to carry more titles by independent artists. They had a little boom box there and would allow customers to pop in CDs. I spent a couple of hours there listening to crappy song after crappy song, then I came across Somos Nós a Justiça. I immediately snapped up both CDs available. Their sound is chill, their flows are tight, and although I cannot understand every word, it's clear the lyrics are meaningful. If I could find SNJ music reviews, I'm guessing reviewers would throw them into the "enlightened" or "conscious" hip-hop category.

Somos Nós a Justiça have no Myspace, but one album is on Amazon for purchase and small song "samples" are available for listening. Another site shows the same album available for free download, but of course I cannot endorse that. (If you're still interested, click here.) You can also find their sounds at lastfm.

SNJ's story is available here, but it is in Portuguese. My gleaning is that they came from northern Sao Paulo and started making music in the 1990s. Their members have changed a lot over the years due to various problems. They put out a simple CD-R that hugely impacted hip-hop. They defend respect, honesty, personality, dignity, and humanity. They have taken part in events defending workers and the Black movement. They have exploded on the radio and in shows.

Albert Hammond, Jr.

2009-01-25T15:06:00.000-08:00

After discovering Little Joy a little while ago, I thought to myself, "isn't there another side project of a Strokes member?" Albert Hammond Jr. is the rhythm guitarist of the Strokes and he has a couple albums out under his name. I've only heard the most recent one, Como Te Llama? but it wasn't too bad. There is a definite Strokes influence, but maybe a little more poppy? Allmusic says that his first album, Yours to Keep, was better and a little more original, so I'll have to check it out. Here's a live, acoustic (minus the bass) performance of a song from that album:

"In Transit"

Gypsy Jazz: Biréli Lagrène with Angelo Debarre and Stochelo Rosenberg

2009-01-21T20:00:00.000-08:00

I had never heard of any of these guys, but man do they have chops! Enjoy.

Monomes

2009-01-21T19:58:00.000-08:00

I want one of these so badly. Too bad the smallest model is $500, not to mention they are somewhat scarce and sell out every time they introduce a new batch. I would love to create and perform something with samples like this. The minimalist design is pretty cool, too. There a ton of videos of people using this if you're interested, this was just the only one I saw that incorporated a little bit of actual instrument playing. You can go to their website for more info and videos.

People Under the Stairs

2009-01-19T07:21:00.000-08:00

This is cross-posted at The Joy of Daily Living.

from rapreviews.com

People Under the Stairs (who often go by PUTS) are a hip-hop duo from LA who have been kickin it since the late nineties. Click here for their myspace, and here for their website (which mysteriously ends in .uk.)

They have about a million CDs (okay, their website says 39), but my favorites are The Next Step, O.S.T, and ...Or Stay Tuned. That might just be because those are the ones I've listened to the most, however.

I adore People Under the Stairs for a few reasons. Their beats are super chill and sometimes funky and jazzy. Also they can rhyme well and have a sense of humor. On of my favorite lines ever from them is "I shoot the gift like NRA members on Christmas." It's from the song "Time to Rock Our Shit," shown in this Youtube video:

Enjoy!

Little Joy

2009-01-17T14:55:00.000-08:00

I heard these guys a little while ago on a late night talk show of a former MTV host that I'm a little embarrassed to admit I was watching, but they were really good. I looked them up and learned that they are a project of Farbrizio Moretti, the drummer of The Strokes, Rodrigo Amarante, a Brazilian singer/guitarist, and Binki Shapiro, an LA-based singer. The album sounds like it's produced just like a Strokes album, but if the Strokes had a Brazilian singer and a female singer and were influenced by old island music. Here are some acoustic live videos of a few of their songs:

"Unattainable"

"Next Time Around"

Nickel Creek

2009-01-13T22:54:00.001-08:00

Alright, so I admit when I started writing this post it was about Fiction Family, the new project of Jon Foreman of Switchfoot and Sean Watkins of Nickel Creek. But after listening to their songs up on their myspace and not being incredibly impressed (the album's not out until next week), and then doing some research and realizing that Sean Watkins is not the lead singer/songwriter of Nickel Creek, I decided to just go with Nickel Creek since I haven't mentioned them yet on this blog. Not to say that Fiction Family won't be worth a listen, especially if you're a fan of Switchfoot. And if you really are interested, they are playing at Abbey Pub in Chicago tomorrow (Thursday) night.

Chris Thille is the lead singer/songwriter/mandolin player of Nickel Creek I was hoping for. I only have their album Why Should the Fire Die? from 2005, but there are a few solo acoustic songs on that album written by Thile that are really nice. The full band arrangements lean more towards either pop or bluegrass and are pretty good, too. Here's a video of "Jealous of the Moon" from that album:

(Sean Watkins is the guitarist/background vocalist on the right)

All-American Rejects cover Britney Spears

2009-01-12T15:55:00.001-08:00

This is cross-posted at The Joy of Daily Living.

I have to admit, I'm not very familiar with All-American Rejects and I'm not a big fan of Britney. Still, this is pretty awesome. They cover her new single "Womanizer" and then drift into a little bit of "So Happy Together" by The Turtles. Their instrument choice is unique and includes a miniature accordion and beer bottles.

The above video has also prompted a whole slew of people to cover Britney's "Womanizer," and their videos can be found on Youtube too. Here's Lily Allen's cover of "Womanizer":

My next music post might involve a cover too. They can be fun, no?

PS, Thanks to Fancy Llama for pointing this out!

Ragged Claws

2009-01-08T15:13:00.001-08:00

Local indie folk band Ragged Claws has made a new EP available for free download here. It's a little ragged (... sorry for the pun), but not bad. Some of the melodies remind me of old Bright Eyes. Enjoy.

Music Blog Zeitgeist 2008

2009-01-07T23:23:00.000-08:00

This past week, The Hype Machine and Blog Fresh Radio have been going through the top artists, albums, and songs of 2008 based on votes of the music blogging community (whatever that means). You can view these lists and listen to the full albums streaming here, or you can listen to the podcast radio version that goes through one song from each artist. Here is the radio countdown so far:

50-41

40-31

30-21

Josh Rouse

2009-01-07T11:33:00.000-08:00

I recently got a hold of The Best of the Rykodisc Years by Josh Rouse. I wondered how it was that I had never heard of this guy when he already had a best of album, but then I looked on Allmusic.com and they agreed it was a little early for a best of album, but that it was still good. It is good. He's a great songwriter, and from the looks of it somewhat prolific (8 albums in the past 10 years), so I think we can look forward to hearing from this guy for a while. His songs are usually mellow and slightly melancholic, yet upbeat and poppy. Here's "Directions" (though there were quite a few of his songs up on Imeem if you want to listen to more):

Smoking Popes!

2009-01-06T21:40:00.000-08:00

This is cross-posted at The Joy of Daily Living.

Smoking Popes at Lollapalooza 2006, originally uploaded by scoobyhed.

I rang in the New Year to these guys counting down then playing Auld Lang Syne. It was awesome. Click here for their myspace page & to check out their music.

Smoking Popes are a rock/punk/indie/choose-your-favorite-term band that I fell for back in high school because of the poppy-ness mixed with meaningful lyrics. (Anyone noticing a trend in my tastes?) They are from the Chicago suburbs (holla!) and started to make it big in the mid-nineties. A few years later they broke up and left tons of fans broken-hearted. In the meantime a few of them made music with a spiritual theme via a band called Duvall. Well they're back together now & have a new album out. Woo hoo!

Here's a video of an older song called "I know you love me."

Good Albums of 2008

2008-12-31T00:03:00.000-08:00

Seeing as how this is a music blog and that the year is coming to an end, I felt that it might be appropriate to make a best of 2008 list of some sort. Since I don’t listen to that much new music, this is by no means a comprehensive list but just some things I liked from this year. I was going to upload some songs for you to listen to from these artists, but I ran into some difficulty, so hopefully this'll suffice. In no particular order:

Son Lux - At War with Walls and Mazes

I was blown away when I first heard this album. I love his mixture of electronic and acoustic sounds and his simple, emotional, at times chant-like lyrics. His weak voice might put off some, but I like it.

"Break"

Frightened Rabbit – The Midnight Organ Fight

I only recently heard of this band from Scotland, and their album was one I found myself definitely wanting to listen to several times. I like the raw sound of lead singer/guitarist Scott Hutchinson’s voice--and lyrics to match!

"Heads Roll Off"

Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago

Justin Vernon apparently stayed in his father’s cabin in the woods by himself one winter in Wisconsin to write and record this album—the name Bon Iver comes from the French for “Good Winter.” This is some nice, unique folk music. His doubled high falsetto is surprisingly pleasant to listen to.

"Lump Sum"

She & Him – Volume One

Actress Zooey Deschanel teamed up with singer/songwriter M Ward to produce this album of her songs and a few covers. It has a vintage pop/country sound to it, and it’s pretty good!

"Why Do You Let Me Stay Here"

Rachel Yamagata – Elephants… Teeth Sinking Into Heart

As I said in my previous post, I’m mostly a fan of the first part of this double album.

Anathallo – Canopy Glow

I actually haven’t gotten a copy of this full album yet, but what I have heard is fantastic. I love their odd time signatures and eclectic instrumentation.

"Bells"

Ra Ra Riot – The Rhumb Line

This is a pretty good indie/pop/punk album. It reminds me at times of a modern version of The Clash or The Police with some strings added. Maybe a little bit of Cursive as well? Whatever it is, it's cool.

"Ghost Under Rocks"

Charlie Haden Family and Friends – Ramblin’ Boy

I’m not usually a big fan of country/bluegrass music, but Charlie Haden is a renowned jazz bassist and his offspring are indie musicians. This album also has all kinds of guest artists like Elvis Costello, Pat Metheny, Jack Black, and Vince Gill.

"Spiritual"

Margot & The Nuclear So and So’s – Not Animal

I saw this band on Conan for the first time this year (below), and while I thought their performance was gimmicky (the toy piano), they’re pretty darn good. I like the folky songs and arrangements of guitars, synths, bells, harmonica , horns, percussion, and whatever else.

"As Tall As Cliffs"

Los Campesinos - Hold On Now, Youngster

See the post below.

... What'd you guys like this year?

Music Monday: Los Campesinos!

2008-12-30T09:18:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone. I'm Jessica, Matt's sister. He's letting me post here once a week. I know he mentioned Los Campesinos once before, but hey, I have some new info and a different video. Enjoy. PS, This post is cross-posted at The Joy of Daily Living.

Los Campesinos! photo from kevchino.com

Los Campesinos! have been my favorite band this year & they are COMING TO THE UNITED STATES SOON! WOO HOO! Go to their myspace page to hear their music and see the tour schedule. (In Chicago on February 7th baby!)

Okay, so I jumped ahead of myself. Los Campesinos are a deliciously poppy UK 7-person group. Sometimes all seven of them sing/shout in unision! YES! Their music is exciting, energetic, and in my humble opinion, a perfect example of the Twee genre. The lyrics are actually deep and sometimes depressing, which makes the whole experience as a listener richer. That said, get listening! Here is Los Campesinos!'s video for You! Me! Dancing!

Oh & for those who wonder, "los campesinos" is a Spanish term that means country person, peasant, or farmer.

(Oh & you might've noticed it's Tuesday already...forgive me! It's the holidays!)

Machito

2008-12-20T23:16:00.000-08:00

I recently downloaded some music of Machito & His Afro-Cuban Orchestra, including the album Kenya which this track was taken from. If you, like myself, were wondering who was laying down that great alto playing, it's none other than Cannonball Adderly. I know--I was like, "I didn't know there were any Cuban guys from the 50s that could play like that... oh." (no offense to Cuban guys). He has a lot of short but sweet solos throughout the album. Solos aside, though, doesn't this music make you wanna dance?

Animated Hip Hop/Electronic Videos

2008-12-15T23:57:00.001-08:00

so i've been listening to more hip hop/electronic music lately, most of which my sister has hipped me to over the years, and i was looking on youtube and found a bunch of cool videos with animation in them. check em out.

Daedelus - Fair Weather Friends

daedelus, or alfred weisberg-roberts, is a bass/bass clarinet player/multi-instrumentalist turned electronic musician who studied jazz at USC. sweet. maybe i have a future in electronic music.

Kid Koala - Basin Street Blues

i love the way he uses the turntables to create a stylistic improvisational solo like you'd find in an acoustic jazz setting. apparently he's a classically trained pianist.

The Grouch - Artsy

i like the hp commercial parody. funny song, too.

Atmosphere - God Loves Ugly

Madvillain - All Caps

madvillian = madlib, a dope producer + mf doom a great, laid-back, rapper with a dr. doom mask. this is from like 5 years ago, i hope they work together again.

Peanut Butter Wolf - B-Ball Zombie War

A Change is Gonna Come

2008-12-01T14:59:00.000-08:00

seal recently covered sam cooke's "a change is gonna come." it might not be quite as good as the original, but it's pretty good. it might not have been coincidence that they released the recording near obama's election, it seems pretty appropriate, even though seal's english. can you imagine what sam cooke would think if he knew the united states had elected a black president? here's a music video of the song, it's from a whole album of covers simply called "soul."

Los Campesinos, Ra Ra Riot

2008-11-24T19:47:00.000-08:00

here are a few groups i've been listening to lately that are sort of in the same vein, sort of an indie pop/rock/punk thing with not all the usual instruments, los campesinos being a little more raucous of the two. i would include vampire weekend since everything i've read about ra ra riot compares the two, but i've only heard a few of their songs and can't say i was as intrigued. here are two videos i found on youtube:

"death to los campesinos" los campesinos

"can you tell" ra ra riot (on letterman)

Rachel Yamagata

2008-11-12T12:21:00.000-08:00

a friend sent me Elephants... Teeth Sinking Into Heart a while ago, and i really like it. when i first got it, it was only in one folder of sound files on my computer, so i didn't realize that this was a two-disc set. but after finding this out, it made a lot of sense, with the title and all and the variation in style. the first disc is much softer and gentler with really nice string arrangements, and the second is much more rocking. i definitely prefer the first. the rock sounds slightly outdated to me. but i do think it's an interesting concept. i think the softer arrangements really showcase the full range of her voice, which sounds to me like a cross between fiona apple and damien rice. here's "duet," which features her with ray lamontagne, who also has a great voice that is quite similar to hers when you put them up to one another.

Mountain Goats: Satanic Messiah

2008-10-28T16:01:00.000-07:00

i know i just blogged about mountain goats two posts ago, but someone just told me there's a new ep for free download (optional donation) called satanic messiah. it's only four songs and i've only listened to it once, but it's not bad. his voice reminds me of a mix between sufjan stevens and the weakerthans' john k samson. you can download the songs at satanicmessiah.com

David Bazan DVD

2008-10-14T20:32:00.000-07:00

david bazan has a new dvd out called bazan: alone at the microphone, and it looks like there's almost half of it on youtube. i particularly enjoyed the more acoustic version of "i never wanted you" (3rd song). he seems to have a penchant for themes of failed relationships and infidelity, but is himself happily married. it seems the device is used to bring light to how flawed and wrong these sometimes socially accepted sentiments are, and how sacred love is. or maybe it's just a strange fascination, i don't know. enjoy.

The Mountain Goats

2008-10-09T20:02:00.000-07:00

the mountain goats is actually the name for one guy, john danielle. this is the first and only album i've listened to by the mountain goats, and i'd say it's not bad. judging by what allmusic has to say about him, there are high literary expectations from his work and it seems as if the focus of his fans is directed towards this end and not necessarily to the musical aspects of his songs. as far as the music goes, it's fairly simple and DIY indie/folk, though this album is apparently more produced than his earlier work. here's the title track, "get lonely."

Paul Tiernan

2008-10-05T00:11:00.000-07:00

i went to see nick and norah's infinite playlist the other night, which perhaps needless to say had a pretty good soundtrack, regardless of how good or bad the movie was. i think my friend and i both agreed the song that struck us most was this one--"how to say goodbye" by paul tiernan. i was not familiar with him before the movie nor am i really now, so i can't make any promises about his other songs, but this one is nice. it's very simple--just his raw voice and a keyboard (with a little bit of string action near the very end).

How to Say Goodbye - Paul Tiernan

Farewell Flight

2008-10-02T13:38:00.000-07:00

like paste magazine (from my last post), it looks like relevant magazine features streaming full length albums on what they call the drop. right now there's a band on there called farewell flight, who i am really enjoying. i can't place exactly who they sound like to me, but i hear some slight death cab for cutie and coldplay influences in a few of their songs, and the vocals sometimes remind me of the magic numbers. check it out soon while it's still up there. if not, here's their myspace. they have a song up there from an earlier, less produced ep that i'm definitely interested in checking out in the future.

William Fitzsimmons

2008-10-01T10:45:00.000-07:00

my friend ben brought this guy to my attention. he has a new album that just came out called the sparrow and the crow and it is available to listen to streaming at paiste magazine's website. it's really nice stuff. the acoustic guitar and banjo along with his voice sound a lot like sufjan stevens sometimes, but his stuff is maybe more on the pop side ultimately. i read his bio on wikipedia--both of his parents were blind, and they divorced during his adolescence. that's gotta be a big source for song writing material.

Suburban Kids With Biblical Names

2008-09-19T12:32:00.000-07:00

when i read the sticker on this album--"swedish folk/pop/rock - a little Postal Service, a little Pavement, a LOT of fun!"--i had to give it a listen. i'm not sure how well they live up to the comparisons, but it certainly is fun. #3, put out by chicago's mintyfresh label, sounds just like two guys messing around and having fun with overdubs. the vocals--lead and background--resemble jens lekman, and the lyrics are often sort of stream-of-consciousness. here is "parakit." i really enjoy the hallelujahs in this song, suggesting something sacred about the subject matter of his hometown.

Softly and Tenderly

2008-09-13T11:27:00.000-07:00

this is a great hymn from the movie junebug

Kate Walsh

2008-09-12T15:06:00.000-07:00

apparently there is another kate walsh who is an actress on some tv show that came up when i searched for her on the internet. this is not her. this is a folk singer from the uk. a little on the commercial side sometimes, tim's house is a soft, sweet folk album. here's "your song," the first track from the album. the way she sings it kind of makes you wish it was your song.

Andrew Bird Live

2008-09-05T16:07:00.000-07:00

i recently saw andrew bird play at millennium park, and this being the second time i've seen him, i think i can say there is nothing that really comes close to his live performance--at least not within his genre. it's amazing what he can accomplish with the unlikely combination of violin and various pedals--most notably the loop pedal--and you really can't appreciate this in his recordings. he also has a great personality that he incorporates into the set for songs like "nervous tic motion" and "why?" where he is very conversational and eccentric in his gestures. on top of that, he plays through some very interesting-looking amps that have these giant horns on them like from an old phonograph (pictured). apparently xrt was broadcasting the show live on the internet, but i haven't been able to find any good recordings yet. for the time being, here's video i found on youtube from another concert:

Norwegian Pop

2008-09-02T13:38:00.000-07:00

apparently they don't like to be mistaken for each other, but i figured since their countries are right next to each other i didn't want to leave norway out after that post on swedish pop. here are a few artists i like:

Sondre Lerche - Two Way Monologue

Kings of Convenience - Misread

Dylan Mondegreen - Girl in Grass

Swedish Pop

2008-08-25T14:41:00.000-07:00

i've noticed a phenomenon of interesting pop music coming out of sweden lately, and i know i'm not the only one. it seems they must have a pretty good scene going over there, and i thought i'd showcase some of the groups/artists i've heard. luckily for my purposes here, many also have interesting music videos, so here's what i found on youtube:

Jens Lekman - You are the Light

The Concretes - You Can't Hurry Love

Acid House Kings - That's Because You Drive Me

(there are several videos like this on youtube that are apparently from a sing-along karaoke dvd)

Jose Gonzalez - Heartbeats

this is a commercial for sony bravia and it's where i first heard his music. it's a really good commercial.

Shout Out Louds - Tonight I have to Leave it

Peter Bjorn and John - Young Folks

i'm sure you've already heard this a million times and may or may not be mad at me for getting it stuck in your head again

pretty good stuff, huh? at the very least their accents are funny/endearing.

Doveman

2008-08-12T17:03:00.000-07:00

doveman is thomas bartlett; who is apparently an in-demand rock pianist in new york who covered the whole soundtrack to footloose. the movie is a little before my time, and i have never seen it; but i think it's safe to say his version is a little different. you can read more about it on his website.

Stevie Wonder

2008-08-06T20:29:00.000-07:00

i found this early recording of stevie wonder's on youtube. it's one of my favorite songs, which i first heard played by sonny rollins, but i love the lyrics, so it's nice to hear a vocalist sing it as well. it's interesting to hear him at such a young age in a sort of transitional style between popular jazz and soul. on a side note, thinking of tenor saxophonists and stevie wonder, someone once told me that they heard stevie wonder sit in with someone and play john coltrane's giant steps and that he sounded great. impressive, stevie.

The Thrills

2008-07-15T21:07:00.000-07:00

i first got this album some months ago and initially wasn't that impressed. i mean, it was good, but nothing that special. and that may still be true, but after coming back to it after a while and listening to it a few more times, i'm really digging it. i love the theme of the album (all the songs deal with life as a teenager), which is kind of appropriate for the sort of nostalgic power pop they play. indeed, the concept of nostalgia should probably be applied to the musical aspects of the album as well when listening. they aren't trying to do anything especially cutting edge, and once you accept that, i think they've got a pretty good album here. here's "there's joy to be found... the boy who caught all the breaks" (that's right, two tracks in one!)

Cloud Cult

2008-07-02T12:42:00.000-07:00

thinking about folk songs about haunting ghosts from last post, i was reminded of cloud cult's "the ghost in our house" from the album feel good ghosts (2008). i love the eccentric, innocent sound of singer/songwriter craig minowa's voice.

Hayden

2008-07-01T09:29:00.000-07:00

elk lake serenade (2004)

i recently missed an opportunity to see this guy play live, which is unfortunate because i would be curious to see if his songs would sound just as warm and intimate in a live setting. there's something sad and nostalgic about this album, which is embodied in "1939," a song about a ghost of a girl who drowned in the writer's current home. moments of it sound much like adem to me, but it is appropriately more haunting.

The Four Mints

2008-06-21T00:42:00.000-07:00

Row My Boat - Four Mints
i just heard this song on the radio and wanted to share it. it sounds like any generic rip off of a temptations song, but i think the modification of the folk/kids song is what does it for me. "life with you would be a dream..."

The Cribs

2008-06-20T16:12:00.000-07:00

men's needs women's needs whatever (2007)

sometimes, there's nothing like some good punk rock. granted, the cribs are a little commercial to call straight punk, but their rough-edged pop songs just feel good to listen to. it makes sense, though, because the three bothers from england have been playing together since they were just nine and five years old. the album was produced by alex kapranos of franz ferdinand, and there is definitely a strong strokes influence, and once in a while some weezer-esque things pop up, and the shouting background vocals remind me of cursive, but the cribs are definitely doing something of their own in this album. it's a progression in the genre that i welcome warmly. here's "men's needs."

Beirut

2008-06-17T00:33:00.000-07:00

"nantes" from the flying club cup (2007)

i first heard about this band/project from a cousin of the lead singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist zach condon, and then from an accordion-enthusiast i know, and i admit, i initially wrote it off as a little too "out there" for my tastes. it just sounded too gimmicky. take ordinary indie rock and then throw in some accordion and brass instruments and the hipsters will eat it up, right? well, after actually giving them an honest listen, i have to say that i am really enjoying it. the songs are very literary and romantic, but there seems to be something real and honest to them. condon's voice has a swelling, quick vibrato to it that both fits with the current indie music trends and what i would imagine is part of the eastern european folk music influence. the instrumentation is very refreshing (no guitars or drum sets to be heard!) and ranges from intimate to raucous. listen to how this song builds, condon adds overdub after overdub and it works beautifully.

Nick Drake

2008-06-11T09:11:00.000-07:00

"the thoughts of mary jane" from five leaves left (1969)

it's songs like this that make me wonder why i've never tried marijuana.

David Bazan

2008-06-06T10:21:00.000-07:00

here's a video of david bazan playing the famous leonard cohen song "hallelujah." it's definitely in his more laid-back, straightforward style as opposed to jeff buckley's or rufus wainwright's versions, but still emotionally powerful in its own right. if you want to hear more of his live solo stuff, there's a full concert from november on his website.

Esperanza Spalding

2008-06-04T22:24:00.000-07:00

so i read about esperanza spalding in an article in downbeat a little while ago and forgot to check her out, but she was on letterman tonight, and after listening to some of her other music online, i was BLOWN AWAY. she is a killin' jazz bassist and singer, but she also has a neo-soul sound in her voice and some of her songs that promise commercial success. and if all this wasn't good enough, she's a real looker, too! and only 23 years old! i think i may be in love.

check out her myspace or her website.

What Becomes of the Broken Hearted?

2008-06-04T00:30:00.000-07:00

about a month or so ago i looked on youtube for every version of this song i could find. oddly enough it looks like my two favorites were taken from the same tv show that i've never heard of before. the first is from jimmy ruffin, who originally made it famous, and the second is colin blunstone (of the zombies) with dave stewart (some british keyboardist who i'd never heard of). i know both of these singers are showmen to some extent, but it really looks like they're honestly drawing from some sort of heartbreak in their lives, doesn't it? i also really dig the synth breakdown in the latter.

Okkervil River

2008-06-01T12:21:00.000-07:00

i'm a sucker for sparse arrangements that feature the vocalist, and okkervil river throws plenty of moments into their songs that do just that. i hear some similarities to the arcade fire as well as chicago artists andrew bird and devin davis in their eclectic instrumentation and vocal style. here's "savannah smiles" off of their 2007 album the stage names.

Garrison Starr

2008-05-27T21:45:00.000-07:00

"we were just boys and girls" from the sound of you + me (2006)

i happened upon this album in my itunes and was reminded of how nice it is despite her more commercial pop/country leanings. i kind of like it when she sounds like she runs out of air and her voice almost cracks or something. it's endearing.

Ben Webster

2008-05-23T00:05:00.000-07:00

he's got a big sound and an instantly recognizable playing style. check this video out.

The National

2008-05-20T20:35:00.000-07:00

in case you haven't already heard of these guys, here is a song from their latest album, boxer (2007), called "slow show." they sound to me like a mellowed out killers or interpol, and in turn, maybe more honest. i really like the lyrics on the bridge: "you know i dreamed about you/twenty nine years before i saw you..."

John Vanderslice

2008-05-19T19:51:00.000-07:00

i heard of this guy a few years ago, but just started listening to him a few weeks ago. he's good, he has a unique voice and does some interesting things in his writing. here is " my family tree" from his album cellar door, from 2004.

Stuff You Should Listen To

2008-05-19T10:49:00.000-07:00

i'm always telling people what to listen to. not because i hope that everyone adopts my taste in music, i just like sharing the music i listen to. music is something i enjoy greatly, and it is a good way to relate to people. i like to think i have a fairly wide taste in music, so hopefully you'll like something i suggest. so here i go:

miles kurosky, former singer songwriter for beulah just put a new song on his myspace page after several years of hiatus after the band broke up. doesn't sound too far from beulah, but that's not a bad thing. it's always good to hear pop music with some nice horn and vocal arrangements.

alright, that's all for now.