Tapes N Tapes "Walk It Off"

New Tapes N Tapes.

Its an OK record. 

Cloud Cult-Feel Good Lost

This is the new Cloud Cult record "Feel Good Ghosts." I am excited to see them at the Walker in on the 21st. The first 2 tracks are a great example of the busy, yet, genuine Twin Cities Rock n Roll. On the way to a Hulk screening, Greg and discussed if they are Christian rock band. If anyone knows or has a theory-please share.  

Finally, if people want I can post their previous release "The Meaning of the 8" I will post that. 

Jonathan Coulton

Geek rock is not a term that really gets thrown around much anymore. With They Might Be Giants moving into the realm of Children's music, Ween falling to their own excesses, Barenaked Ladies being too Canadian for anyone to notice anymore, Mike Doughty's recent stuff having too much bacon for the pan to handle, and Ben Folds next album seemingly years away, it appears geek rock has gone the way of Disco, prog rock and Elvis. We can't leave the geek rock mantel to Weezer, even though Pork and Beans has a hilarious video, they suck.

Is there no place for well crafted songs with humor, that are about over educated, undersexed, video game loving males between the ages of 25-40? Riding his guitar like a white steed to the rescue the geeks rescue is Jonathan Coulton. You may remember Johnathan from this post, about John Hodgman's 700 Hobo names. Jonathan actually comes from the world he writes about. A former computer programmer his songs seem like Office Space or an episode of the Office put to music. Songs like Code Monkey, RE: Your Brains, and Pizza Day are songs about office life that could only been written by some one who has actually lived it. RE: Your Brains, by the way points out my fear of an office being taken over by Zombies, but that is another story.

Jonathan has the required songs about historical events, presidents, and NPR morning hosts. But where Jonathan really shins are his songs about unrequited love. They are painfully funny and heartbreaking. Songs like Soft Rocked by Me, Madeline, and I'm Your Moon, one wish he would get laid and one wishes he wouldn't so he will continue to write songs just like those.

Jonathan also has the odd ball songs that are about every day life, but with an odd geek twist. And for some reason a song about people having sex outside. Jonathan also has a strange obession with Monkeys.

As with geek rock pioneers, They Might Be Giants, Coulton has used the internet and other ways of licensing his music to get it to the geeks. Jonathan uses Creative Commons licenses, which allows the artist to choose how they want to control their work. For example an artist can have all rights reserved to have an open free source type stuff. Jonathan's stuff is closer to the later. So basiclly you don't have to feel bad about stealing it. Though f you like it you can donate to Johnathan here (I did).

He also has a song about curling. So that is cool.

For your listening pleasure I have uploaded his four songs a week thing. Number two is prolly the best. Enjoy.

daniel johnston - selections & why me?

the semi-legendary 47 yr old reclusive genius singer songwriter artist who still lives with his parents.

if you haven't seen the documentary entitled The Devil and Daniel Johnston, it should be on your short list.
http://www.sonyclassics.com/devilanddaniel/aboutthefilm.html

there's a lot of recording material to sift thru, but with many diamonds buried in the rough... so i've posted a collection of my favorites along with a live album entitled Why Me? love or hate it.

Andrew Bird Soldiers On

I give you the newest Andrew Bird release, Soldier On, an eight-track EP. If you are familiar with Bird's Fingerlings series, this release will fit right into the same mold. Full of experiments, sketches, things that got crowded off of albums, and remarkable live performances.
Pitchfork Review

Also, the cover artwork is done by the ever-talented Jay Ryan (if you have ever been to my house, you may recognize a few of his pieces). Brilliant in his own right.
The Bird Machine

She and Him Volume One

Now I don't like M. Ward. Why? I can't put my finger on it. Maybe it is the love he get from almost everyone I talk to; maybe it is his pretenious name of M. (there is only one dude who should ever be called M and that is this guy and he had the sense to realize M was a dick way of saying I am better then you); maybe it is because I got into an on-line argument about M Ward being the next Bob Dylan. Mainly I would say it is voice, it is too annoying. It is the point of this whispery smoked addled sound that breaks into this false falsetto at the end and beginning of lines. You can hear him straining to be cool. It is not.

You know I don't know who I hate more that I should love M. Ward, Colin Meloy, Sufan Stevens, or Ben Gibbard.

With that being said, he is a hell of a producer. His collaboration with actress Zooey Deschanel is down right amazing. Going by the moniker of She and Him, the record Volume One is a collection of more She then Him. Zooey writes most of the songs on the album (less a view covers and a collaboration with Max Fischer) and does a majority of the singing. M. Ward's vocal input is thankfully limited, though his voice does not grate on my nerves in his short harmonies with Zooey.

The album in a nut shell is short, beautiful, with a antique feel. This may unfortunately have a limiting effect on the shelf life of the album, but right now it is one of my favs. There isn't a bad song on the album. The single "Why Do Let Me Stay Here," is the standout. Though the Beatles cover works well too.


Well enjoy suckers.

A Belated St. Patrick's Day Message from Ryan Adams

Don't Comb The Leprechaun from Ryan Adams on Vimeo.

Mike Doughty - Golden Delicious

Mike Doughty's new album continues his ambition to showcase his music with more of a "band" feel, and here he takes it to another level, allowing many of the songs to include all out jam sessions. Mike's music continues to mature, and this is as good as he's ever been. Tracks like Fort Hood, I Just Want The Girl In The Blue Dress, and Nectarine are pure Mike Doughty. But on most of these tracks he brings his band more to the forefront. Another highlight is the full-band, amped-up, re-recording of 27 Jennifers (originally heard on the Rockity Roll EP). While this song's overly polished slickness seems like overkill for a song that started out as a simple accoustic number, you can't help but tap your foot along anyways. Now if we could just figure out why he decided to include the silly and out-of-place More Bacon Than The Pan Can Handle, which is a pretty embarrassing track on what is otherwise a superb album.

Vampire Weekend

Vampire Weekend is the best new band of 2008, according to every hipster in 2007.  I would describe their music as the Soundtrack to a Wes Anderson about upper middle class college-age kids from out East on vacation and drinking in a tacky tiki bar, but I'm not a writer so I'll cite the people with these jobs. 

I dig tracks #1, #5, & #8 after the first listen. Since then everything has changed I like other songs just as well. Enjoy. 

Posted will listened to Barack Obama is great talk. 

Real Emotional Trash - Stephen Malkmus & Jicks

Somewhere in the post Pavement world Stephen Malkmus decided that it would be a good idea to try to bring back the jam. Why he decided this is beyond anyones guess because according to anyone who knows anything that any song over 10 minutes is inherently terrible. Anyone who has sat through a Phish show and was not stoned knows what I am talking about. Real Emotional Trash has only one of these songs, which is good. It's not that the title track is a bad song, it is actually quite good, it is too damn long, and has some unnecessary parts.

I like this record. It maybe SM's closest work to Wowee Zowee era Pavement. Former Slater Kinney drummer Janet Weiss makes a solid addition to the Jicks as the cornerstone to the rhythm section. Hilites of the record include the stoned out opener Dragonfly Pie and the first single Baltimore. I also really like Elmo Delmo which seems like a left over track from The Terror Twilight, if it was about 3 minutes shorter.

What is missing from this album is a sense of fun. Oh I am sure SM & Jicks had a great time with is record, but there is a lack of playfulness within the songs. There are no psychedelic freakouts, references to Geddy Lee, or Oysters. Which I think ever song or album should contain.

Anyway Enjoy,

A Fine Frenzy: One Cell in the Sea

I didn't own an album by a female singer until I graduated from college. I have nothing against them, it just happened. I had a soft spot for Natalie Imbruglia for a while, but never bought her album. Lately, though, it's all I seem to be listening to. This is A Fine Frenzy's One Cell in the Sea. It's poppy, with the requisite piano. Give a listen to Come on, Come out; Almost Lover; Ashes and Wine; Hope for the Hopeless.

Sunset Rubdown--RandomSpiritLover

If you love Wolf Parade, and you love pop music in general, you will love Stephen Krug's latest masterpiece under the name of Sunset Rubdown. I have no idea where he got that name. This album is from October 2007. Enjoy it or else.

We are now on-line. The album should be available. Enjoy!

Radiohead- Scotch Mist NYE Webcast

Not too much to say about this, I'm sure you have all by now heard the excellent album (and my pick for album of the year) IN RAINBOWS.

Well, Radiohead recorded a live set of the entire album and put it up as a webcast on NYE. You can download the podcast of the webcast on iTunes for free, but I have provided just the audio for your iPod pleasure.

Do You Like Rock Music?

The amazing new album from Brighton Bad Boys, BRITISH SEA POWER, hits the states in February. Those of you in Minneapolis, they are playing the Triple Rock, and it is NOT to be missed.

Their first album, The Decline of British Sea Power, is an amazing mix of Arcade Fire style epic songs with the indie mentality of the early 2000's. They followed this instant classic with Open Season, which left some of the epic(ness) at the door, trading it in for more smooth indie rock.

BSP brought the Epic back in force on their new album. The first single, Waving Flags, has been described as a summer festival mainstay, so epic in nature it has to be compared to Arcade Fire.

Please enjoy and support this excellent band that gets shafted constantly in the states.

New Doughty

It's not often where I'm excited....genuinely excited....for an album to come out. The feeling I used to have when I was just a kid and it was a week before Christmas....the feeling I had when the new Matrix sequels were almost out. The feeling that something truly special, something near and dear to my heart was about to come out, and I was 110% sure that it would be spectacular. the new Mike Doughty release is instilling that feeling in me once again. I think it's safe to say that he is my favorite musician, period. His new album Golden Delicious is set to drop Feb 19, but I found an mp3 for download. Check it out:

http://www.herohill.com/MP3/TheBlueDress.mp3

Requests from 2007

Who's going to scratch this itch?

Iron and Wine: Shephard's Dog
Arcade Fire: Neon Bible
New Pornographer's: Challenger
The National: Boxer
Aesop Rock: None Shall Pass
Editors: An End has a Start
A Fine Frenzy: One Cell in the Sea
Of Montreal: Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?
Brother Ali: The Undisputed Truth

[Note: If you're of the mind that a music sharing website shouldn't take requests and should instead rely on the fickle goodwill of its members to buy, zip, and post albums of interest when they so damn please, then feel free to ignore my request. Otherwise, let's see what you got.]

Request.

Does anyone have Sam's Town by The Killers that they'd like to share? I'd love ya forever, and stuff.

buena vista social club

traditional Cuban tunes from a fantastic Havana dance hall group.... recorded circa 1997... there's also a documentary film of the same name. i'll supply the audio, you'll have to rent the film if interested. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buena_Vista_Social_Club

Regina Spektor: Begin to Hope

Happy New Year music robbers. Jessica requested I snag this Regina Spektor album (her third) through LaLa, and it showed up today. Jessica never fails to point up quirky women vocalists, and this one pleases more than she disappoints. Give "Fidelity," "Samson," and "On the Radio" a spin. There's some quiet energy here and some rockin' piano. Echoes of Tori Amos, and it has some smarter moments.

Rogue Wave - Asleep At Heaven's Gate

Fresh from under the christmas tree, this is Rogue Wave's newest album, and it's pretty darn spiffy. Word.

EDIT: For those who want some additional info, here's what I got. This is Rogue Wave's third album, and it's great. I've really been digging this genre lately, with new albums from the likes of Iron & Wine, The New Pornographers, and Band of Horses taking up most of my listening time. Rogue Wave fits right in there, and their progression musically is great to follow. Their first album is basically all acoustic guitar, and it wasn't until their second album that the band's front man Zack Rogue really embraced the full band sound. This third effort elevates their sound even further. These three albums have become staple listening in the house for Kristen and I. Here's the first single they released from this album:

Atmosphere - Strictly Leakage

A nice little Christmas present from our friends Sean and Anthony. Those Atmosphere boys must've had a busy year. Grab this free album while you can and sit tight while you wait for their next release.

http://rhymesayers.com/atmosphere/

Top Ten of 2007 plus One

These are not necessarily my best songs of 2007, but they are the ones that summed up my year.

1. Fiery Crash - Andrew Bird
I spent a lot of time in airports and airplanes over the past year. This song sums up the feeling of waiting helplessly in Airports, and the only way to have a good flight is to imagine it crashing before you get it on.
2. Goodnight Rose - Ryan Adams
This song gets me every time. It is kinda cheesy, but damn if it doesn't make me want to go follow the Dead
3. I'm impressed - They Might Be Giants
TMBG is the first band I started liking on my own. I was glad to see them take a more rocking turn on this song. The kiddy stuff can get kinda annoying.
4. Wild Mountain Nation - Blitzen Trapper
I just found out about this band a last week. Described as Pavement meets the Dead scared me away, but damn if this isn't a fine album and a great song.
5. Between My Legs - Rufus Wainwright
Ah Rufus, you are so unabashedly gay you nearly become a stereotype. Do we need the Phantom of the Opera reference in this Song, no. Did we need the album of Judy Garland covers, prolly not. Are you one of the best song writers alive today, maybe. This song goes from Rocking to weird in the span of 4 minutes and 30 secs
6. Life on Mars - The Bad Plus
From their release Prog, takes my favorite Bowie song to its natural prog-rock/jazzy conclusion
7. What Would Jay-Z Do? - Ben Lee
I love Ben Lee, yes he has been described as a rainbow riding a unicorn, but damn if he doesn't write clever pop songs. And who hasn't wondered what would Jay-Z do?
8. All the Old Show Stoppers - The New Pornographers
Damn, damn, damn. Is there a better album out this year? Is there a better song on the album? I'll fight you if you want.
9. Lyndale Avenue User's Manual - Atmosphere
Remind of the early fall days of living in Minneapolis.
10. Dreamworld - Rilo Kiley
Yeah the album was boring, but I really like the Fleetwood Mac-esque song on this album
11. It's Only Divine Right - Michael McDonald
technically from 1979, but unearthed this year, it is truly a great song. Unfortunately the audio recording does not do it justice. Check out the video here

Daft Punk: Alive 2007

[Update] Pitchfork review captures the sentiment well:
Daft Punk Alive 2007

Eddie Vedder - Into The Wild

This movie soundtrack is a sparse, pleasant walk through Vedder's crooning and acoustic guitar playing. Vedder plays every instrument on the album, and wrote all but two of the tracks. Most of the songs are only around two minutes long, but at 33 minutes in total runtime, this album is best ingested as whole anyways.

PJ Harvey - White Chalk

Here is her new album, it is much different than anything else she has ever done. On White Chalk, Polly Jean just sings and plays simple piano, no guitar. The lyrics are sparse, haunting, and she uses her voice as an instrument to set the tone of the album. You could say this is her Sea Change album. Give it a listen then google some reviews.

I'm Not There Soundtrack

As both Paul and Colin can attest to I have been obsessed with Todd Haynes' Dylan biopic I'm Not There. I don't know if it is the subject matter or the pomposity of the six different actors playing Dylan (Cate Blanchett? Richard Gere, a 12 year old black kid?), but I am obsessed. This of course is not Rotten Tomatoes, so I am gonna save my review of the film itself for another place.

This is of course the place where I can wax philosophically about music, and albums. the official sound track to I'm Not There, is in essence a Bob Dylan tribute album. This albums reads like a list the most popular indie singer songwriters (Jeff Tweedy, Sufjan Stevens, Iron and Wine, Cat Power etc.) and a list of artist whom my dad might think is cool (Jack Johnson, Eddie Vedder, Richie Havens, Roger McGuinn, etc.). On any tribute album you can go one of two ways, first is to take the words/music of the orginal song and change them to fit your own personal style; or two pay homage to the song and play the song as close to the original recording as possible. This album does it both. For those artist unfortunate enough to attempt the latter the songs are in short miserable. The shining example is "Highway 61 Revisited," which sounds like Karen O decided it would be a good idea to get drunk and go down to the 400 Bar's Dylan sound like contest.

There are song great takes on Dylan songs here, I espeically like Tweedy's "Simple Twist of Fate" which treads the line perfectly between a homage and making the song his own. Sufjan takes his own brand of pomposity on "Ring them Bells" and makes it work. Also former Pavement frontman Steven Malkmus does a fine job on the two tunes he was charged to do.

It would be remissed, if I did not mention the back up band for many of the tracks, The Million Dollar Bashers. A supergroup of side men consisting of Sonic Youth stars Lee Ranaldo and Steve Shelley, Wilco guitarist Nels Cline, Television guitarist Tom Verlaine, Dylan bassist Tony Garnier, guitarist Smokey Hormel and keyboardist John Medeski. They really shine and are the highlight of the album. Execept they play on the aforementioned "Highway 61," which is pure shit.

WEEN- La Cucaracha

Did I already post this? Oh well, it is deserved of a second listing.

This is the newest album from the brothers WEEN (actually not brothers and not named WEEN). For those unfamiliar, WEEN started as Gene and Dean Ween out of New Jersey, with their first album God WEEN Satan on Minneapolis label Restless Records. They would go on to record an album while high on gasses and glue (The Pod), an album of country music original classics (12 Golden Country Greats), the sexiest album cover of all time according to Playboy (Chocolate and Cheese), one of 2000's best albums (White Pepper) and one of the best albums Phish could only dream of recording (The Mollusk). I didn't even mention the other classics like Pure Guava, Quebec and the many live albums and website only releases.

La Cucaracha is classic Ween. Songs that break the barrier of definition, songs that meld early 90's electronica with Polka, songs that make you smile, dance, want to hit your bong (or your bubbler, depending on preference) and songs that just plain rock.

If you dig this album, I highly suggest checking out White Pepper, Chocolate and Cheese and The Mollusk.

Songs on La Cucaracha to listen to first: Sweetheart in the Summer, Friends, Blue Balloon, Learnin to Love and Spirit Walker.

Iron & Wine - The Shepherd's Dog

Sam Beam apparently hasn't read the indie rock handbook. Rather than keep with his traditionally sparse sound, The Shepherd's Dog features lush production and a new direction for Iron & Wine. Fans of Iron & Wine's early recordings may not care for this new direction. But I think it's a sign of maturity and natural progression of an artist. Beam brings the same delicate vocals and well crafted lyrics but this time with something much more substantial to back it up. Enjoy.

His Name Is Alive – Xmmer

Xmmer is the latest record from His Name Is Alive released on September 18, 2007. Lead by Warren Defever, HNIA hails from Livonia, Michigan (which is just outside of Detroit for those of you on the west coast). This is the second record to feature Andrea Francesca Morici (ANDY FM) on vocals.

I just bought this record after their show last night at the 400 Bar. Fantastic show. Great songs, great band with some noisy weirdness thrown in for good measure. They're live shows usually consist of homemade stage props made from painted cardboard and people in gorilla outfits running around passing out bananas. Before this show started, they handed out a dozen or so tambourines for audience participation throughout the show. This added a nice looseness and it was kind of like a hootenanny without all the singing. Lots of good shakers last night strutting their tambo skills. Nice.

Blockhead - Uncle Tony's Coloring Book

Blockhead is probably best known for his production work With Aesop Rock, as well as some Rhyme Sayers artists. Blockhead's newest solo album is faster and more upbeat than his two previous efforts, but it's still 100% Blockhead. Dig it.

In Rainbows album artwork

Thanks for the upload. It took me awhile to find the album artwork for this, but I believe this is the official one, for those of you who are as anal as me and give a shit about something this trivial.

For those who don't like this particular one, there's a pool of album art here.

Radiohead - In Rainbows

Sounds like the Radiohead we all know and love. I paid £ 2, service charge £ .45 for a total of $5.00. There is talk that the 128 bit rate is poor quality. Sounds OK through my earbuds. Enjoy

Muse - Absolution

In reading the reviews for this album, I noticed that everyone mentions Radiohead. So that means I have to as well. But these guys are more than a clone band, they have their own grand ambitions. I'll let another reviewer sum up the album:

[It's] the sort of opus that Queen might have made had they been 25 years younger and brought up on Radiohead and Metallica as well as classical music and opera.

Overall, Muse has won me over with their grandiose rockingness.

Atmosphere-Sad Clown Bad Fall (Number 10)

Fresh off the heels of Sad Clown Bad Summer (Number 9), comes the Fall EP. Similar in style to the Summer album, this one is supposed to be about the joys of fall, the depression of the end of summer, and, well, whatever Slug wants you to think.

Having just seen them live in LA this past week, I am glad to say their touring band (consisting of Ant on the one's and two's, and a full backing band) is amazing and ads that element to his songs that is missing when it is just him and Ant. Slug took in the LA love for the entire 2 hour set, breaking down old classics and new tracks, including 4 new songs from the forthcoming full length, When Life Gives You Lemons. If the tour is coming near you, I HIGHLY suggest it.

With that, check out Lyndale Ave Users Manual and Peyote.

bob - contract with the lord

for those of you who are not familiar with the often passed over "born again" era of dylan's career (roughly 1979-1982), here's a great live recording from one of twelve shows he did in San Francisco in Nov 1979, filled to the brim with jesus lovin' grooves, soapbox sermonizing, and random shout outs from the crowd. bob seems to do little without creating a stir, and that especially goes for this period in his career. opinions may differ on the music and ideas that came out of bob at this time, but one thing is for certain: this is no put-on, he believes every word of it.

the baddest yet of the bad plus

300

So I have a non-music entry. This is the movie itself, not the soundtrack or anything. I figured we just got a bump in storage recently, so why not. Let me know if the quality is decent for you guys.

The Fountain Soundtrack

Sometimes a piece of music can evolve way past it's original intent to become a culturally recognized cue. Clint Mansell created one of these with his leitmotif on the soundtrack for Requiem For A Dream, "Lux Aeterna." It's a piece that everyone has heard at least once, somewhere, in a movie trailer, in a commercial, or maybe on SportsCenter. Putting aside any issues someone might have of this being a simple sell-out job, "Lux Aeterna" remains a haunting, powerful, and brilliant piece of music. (if you wanna hear it, do a youtube search for it, you'll get a bunch of different versions of it.)

So, wait...why am I talking about music that I haven't actually uploaded? Well, for as good as "Lux Aeterna" is, I think that his most recent collaboration with Darren Arnofsky is even better. The soundtrack for The Fountain is one of those soundtracks that truly enhances the film, elevating it, making the film that much more powerful. It's really low-key & mellow, so pop this music in while you're star-gazing, or reading the newspaper on a rainy Sunday morning.

The New Pornographers-Challengers

There are no surprises, power pop with lots of complex melodies, even some semi-glam. The musical variety makes for good listening. I like track 1-My Rights Versus Yours and track 4-Myriad Harbour.

Tenacious D - Live

Posted is Tenacious D's live concert in Winooski, Vermont, Sept. 2001

It is not new (but still pretty funny).

Gogol Bordello

In anticipation of Gogol Bordello's recently announced tour, specifically First Ave on November 1st, I'm posting their last two albums for your listening pleasure, Super Taranta! and Gypsy Punks: Underdog World Strike. Both albums are fantastic but neither really give you the full Gogol Bordello experience. Seeing them live is like running away with the Circus. You will get sweaty, loose your voice, and maybe a bit bruised, it will be one of best live shows you could attend this year. So, download these albums, listen to some Gypsy Punk, and join me at First Ave on November 1st.

Built To Spill - Ancient Melodies of the Future

Built To Spill is one of my favorite new discoveries. I know, I know, they've been around since MTV was playing the first Pearl Jam songs, but I only started listening to them last year. I guess I'm finally catching up on a band that was ahead of it's time.

I'm no music critic, so you wont hear me talking about how their music "blends intensely layered harmonies and pounding rhythms with emotional resonance that isn't unified on the sonic surface, but with enough patience, resonates on a level that connects the band's body of work, while also taking it a step further. "

Whatever.

Here's what do I know; this is their 2001 release Ancient Melodies of the Future, and it's spectacular. It is easy to come back to this album again and again. The songs are varied and intricate, and move from hard rock to soft ballads to twangy old country. Most of you have probably heard these guys before, but if you haven't, it's accessable alternative rock that gets stuck in your head. Most notably, The Weather is an emotional track that really connected with me.

Also, if anyone has their newest album You In Reverse, I wouldn't mind having that.

Easy Tiger - Ryan Adams

*****I had been planning to post this album months ago, but now I am finally getting around too it. *****



Ryan Adams is everything I hate about music today. He is arrogant, mean, tends to do ill advised duets, and takes himself way, way to seriously. Kinda like the Decemberists wrapped into a huge ego. With that being said Ryan Adams has put out some of the best music in the last 10 years. Beginnng with his work with Whiskeytown and moving to his solo work, Ryan music has been phenomenal. To this day Gold and Heartbreaker remain as two of my favorite albums. The later being the greatest Bob Dylan album, Dylan had nothing to do with. The most fun of his early work has been guess the influence. Ryan can go from Dylan, to Paul Westerberg, to the Smiths, to the Dead, to Gram Parsons, to Willie Nelson in the span of an album. The Love is Hell eps being perfect examples of this.

In 2005 was probably Ryan's most creative and turbulent year. Like Jay Bennett he thought it would be a good idea to release 3 albums in one year. The results were Jacksonville City Nights, Cold Roses both with the Cardinals. He capped the year with 29. While the albums are good, they are not a great as they could be. You have a feeling after listening to the albums you wish he would have spent the entire year making one awesome record, rather then the three.

In 2006 Ryan got himself clean, wrote a million songs (which I blogged about here.) And came out with a tight solid effort, Easy Tiger. Easy Tiger, is a great album. It tackles the general Adams' topics such as women screwing him over. But there is a maturity on this album, that was not generally seen in his previous work. Take for example the first single, Two. The song overcomes its unfortunate duet with Sheryl Crow, and tells the story of drug addiction and his eventual recovery. The album's closer, I Taught Myself How to Grow Old, sums up Ryan's past and his eventual future. It his harder to play find the influence on this record, which makes it seem Ryan has become more comfortable in his skin. I would be remised if I did not mention my favorite track on the album, Goodnight Rose. A bombastic, country bar classic. Which I think has one of the greatest guitar licks in recent memories. Also Ryan's vocals are great, I especially like when he has realized he has written too many words to fit in the space of the song so he just says them really fast.

*****This song updated while listening to Nick Drake on random. *****

say watt?

the first "solo" recording that i know of from the former Minutemen and fIREHOSE bassist/vocalist.

seems like he didn't really want to do this one all on his lonesome, and so he invited just about anyone of the alternative scene circa 1995 that showed a pulse or could fog a mirror... Eddie Vedder, Dave Grohl, Thurston Moore, J Mascis, Frank Black, Evan Dando, Dave Pirner, Henry Rollins, Flea, Lee Ranaldo, Mike D, Pat Smear to name a few.

gotta love the naked greco-roman cover art, i know kevein does as a wrestling fanatic.

has nice little jazz snippets too.

Atmosphere - Sad Clown Bad Summer 9

"Just in time for some Summer fun Slug and Ant drop an Atmosphere appetizer while they put the finishing touches on their 6th studio album, When Life Gives You Lemons... due early next year. Until then enjoy 5 new sun filled summer inspired songs from Atmosphere, so get 'em while it's hot and this gem is still available..."

Number 9 in the Sad Clown Bad Dub series, this is great treat for Atmosphere fans and newcomers alike. Most of the songs feature piano and have a summer groove that is undeniably head noddin'. Put this on in your car and drive around the Lake Calhoun with the windows down, these 5 songs just taste like summer. For those of you that aren't hip-hop fans, give this a try. These songs rely on sweet melodies and the lyrics are easy to swallow. Enjoy with a glass of Tang.

Mo' Music. Mo' Better.

By the will of His Steveness, we now have a lot more storage available on the iDisk. Apple recently announced a few long overdue upgrades for .Mac subscribers including a bump in iDisk storage from 1 GB to 10 GB. What does that mean for you? Well, we can now host a lot more music without worrying about the iDisk getting too full. I'll still continue to monitor the space and balance it with the rest of my usage. But don't let storage be a reason you don't upload an album. So, let's get this thing rolling.

Nick Drake-Tanworth-in-Arden

Tanworth-in-Arden is a collection of 18 solo acoustic songs recorded by Nick Drake at his home in 1967/68. The songs are traditional acoustic folk with a blues vein. Even though it is a poor recording, sounds like a home-cassette/bootleg it's still interesting to hear a young Nick Drake.

Stereo Total - Paris<>Berlin

Are they from France or Germany? I'm not really sure but they do make infectious pop music that I don't understand. Stereo Total's latest effort, Paris<>Berlin is more of the same sex-infused, euro-pop. Stereo Total will play the 7th Street Entry on September 1 with The Octopus Project. Enjoy.

Two in One Night!

One of the things that's always amused me is the state of Sam Coomes. Dude is a friggin' genius, yet he gets absolutely zero cred. Everyone wants to talk about his (ex) wife, Janet Weiss, cuz she's in Sleater-Kinney. Everyone wants to talk about the fact that he was in Heatmiser with Elliott Smith.

I've always preferred to think that Elliott Smith was in Heatmiser with Sam Coomes. Sam Coomes' drummer is also in another band, some "punk" outfit outta Portland.

I'm not even kidding. This is the guy behind The Donner Party, and the mastermind behind Quasi. Sheer pop genius, and who are the famous ones? The ones who don't deserve it.

Ah, the suffering of the preterite.

Anyway, back to this Quasi matter. If Sam Coomes had done nothing in his life besides record his work with The Donner Party, he'd already be one of my heroes. But then he went and recorded Featuring 'Birds'. Listen to those thunderous drums that open the album (okay, Janet, I guess you do deserve to be famous), listen to Sam pounding on his Rocksichord! Listen to the soaring, sickly sweet pop melodies! Listen to the bitter lyrics!

There's only one bad song on here, and it's the one written by Janet, "Tomorrow You'll Hide" (stick to drumming, girl, cuz you got that going on in spades).

You need the money
So you've got to play it dumb.
But if you play it long enough
It's just what you become.

Justice - †

Look, I'm not going to shit you - France is, by and large, a ghetto for popular music. Sure, you can point to "AIR" and maybe that Robert Miles guy (though I'm pretty sure he's half-Brit - he's got that sort of a thing emanating, bad teeth and his nose isn't big enough to be French), but AIR are basically weenies even though that first album had its moments.

Have you ever heard French hip-hop? Don't seek it out - it's so bad, it's seriously used in the soundtracks for "edgy" porn films that feature a dude with an accent and a mole on his ass.

Really, you gotta go back to the great Serge Gainsbourg before you find truly "great" music from our brothers in liberty. Dude may be off-the-charts homely, but he got all kinds of ass (Brigitte Bardot? Jane Birkin? Hello nurse!) and he laid down some off-the-wall shit. Have you heard the breaks on Histoire de Melody Nelson? Out. Of. Hand.

Anyway, all of this is a round-about way of saying how much I'm loving this new album from, yes, French rockers Justice. † (option "T" for all you Mac-heads) is pretty much a revelation. I don't know if these guys dig on the Jesus, and frankly, I don't care, because this is like Christ coming up from the dirt as some sort of flamethrower-sporting cyborg who happens to party with all the hott ladies. Seriously, I dare you to throw this on the ol' car stereo and not instantly be driving 10mph faster.

As far as highlights, the opener "Genesis" is okay, but it's when "Let there Be Light" takes off and works its magic, subtle as a punch in the face, that you know what you're up against. You know that moment in The Matrix when Keanu Reeves, our generation's most versatile actor, turns his head and says in his most solemn tone "I know kung-fu"? "Waters of Nazareth" is an approximation of what's going through his head at that moment.

This album isn't going to change your life, and it's probably going to be irrelevant in another two months. But right now, it fucking moves. Don't sleep on it.

Cross.zip

the guy that wrote that one song from the VW ads

as requested... mr. drake's three full studio albums.


five leaves left - '69


bryter layter - '70... includes John Cale and a bit of Richard Thompson.


pink moon - '72

The Thrills-Teenager

The Thrills=Irish Beach Boys-Bipolar Disorder

The Thrills are an Irish band that get their primary influence from the Beach Boys. This is not a bad thing. Van Dyke Parks wrote a few songs for them on their excellent last album.

This is album number 3.

Excellent driving, chilling, beach, lounging, party, boating music.

Mum-Go Go Smear The Poison Ivy

Mum=Sigur Ros + Woman Singer.

Enough Said.

Happy Wedding Tretter, this is my gift to you!