Múm - Sing Along To Songs You Don't Know

A great album by a great Icelandic band. Released 21.08.2009 with songs about fish and breast milk–how can a person go wrong? You should listen to this album... or maybe you're, in fact, listening to it at this very moment and you don't even know it. Yes, it is that good. They put on a fantastic show at The Walker in late October. Mind you, I'm a bit biased. I once drove from Minneapolis to Lawrence, Kansas to see them play... Happy New Year, enjoy!

The Rural Alberta Advantage-"Hometowns"

I found 2009 to be a very disappointing year in music. I've been enjoying the end of the year lists and podcast, but continue to be less then impressed. So, I am going to declare The Rural Alberta Advantage's (RAA)debut "Hometowns" the best record of 2009.

Musicheads reviewed it with a comparison to Neutral Milk Hotel's brilliant album "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea." I quickly rushed out to buy it. Initially, I was lukewarm on the RAA, but it has really grown on me.

Try tracks: 6, 1, & 4 to start.

If you like it and live in the cities, I'm going to see the RAA on January 15th.

Alec Ounsworth: Mo Beauty

The Decemberist's lead singer does nothing for me, but the front man for Clap Your Hands Say Yeah totally does, and his new album "Mo Beauty" rocks. I don't think his vocal range is as great as it is with the band, but his style is definitely still there. For the most part the songs hang together well. There's a range of rocking alternative tracks and calmer, quieter ones.

Highlights for me include "When You've No Eyes", "Me and You, Watson", "Modern Girl (...with scissors)", and "Obscene Queen Bee #2".

Give it a listen.

The xx: xx

The xx offer an album with a lot of space. It's open and simple, with sultry female lead vocals and some (surely hipster) guy accompanying her. The duets really works for me. Start with VCR and Stars and Basic Space and Islands and really the whole album is solid. It's mostly electronic with industrial accents, some nice guitar, maybe hand clapping, and piano. This has been called the one of the greatest make out records of the decade. Not that I've tested it out or anything. Flint is has a dearth of appealing women. But *in theory* this album should be excellent for wooing. Report back in the comments.

Them Crooked Vultures

The final supergroup of the year is the most interesting. Them Crooked Vultures is Josh Homme from Queens of the Stones on guitar and vocals, drummer Dave Grohl of Nirvana fame, and Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones on bass and keyboards. A one sentence review could be: Imagine a more prog-rock version of Led Zeppelin.

The best way to start is with #6 Scumbag Blues. You'll be transformed back to late 60's Cream and at the 1:08 mark the keyboard solo is best 18 seconds of music this year. Throughout the record the rhythm section is awesome; they are loud, imposing, booming, and almost make up for the boring songs. That is the problem; unfortunately, the album is just OK. The guys from Sound Opinions reviewed it well by saying that songs just aren't there. I agree. After 6, try 1, 5, and eventually 2 & 3.

3 out of 5 stars on Paul's iTunes

Felt – Felt 3: A Tribute To Rosie Perez

The Felt boys are back and this time your boy Aes Rock is the drummer.



Slug and Murs are back with another Felt project for the backpackers to get giddy about. This time with the tantalizing addition of Aesop Rock on production. An interesting choice for sure, Aesop certain brings a different flavor to Felt. And I have to admit that I like his production. But this album is way too long and too serious at points. To me, a Felt record should be fun and a bit silly. It should be an opportunity for Slug and Murs to let go, show off and rap about women they'll never get.

Don't get me wrong, this album is worth a listen. It's just not the best Felt record, but Slug and Murs are both too good to sleep on this. Highlights for me include Protagonists, Felt Chewed Up, Henrietta Longbottom, and She Sonnet.

Enjoy.

Phoenix: Two Albums

Drew a request for two more Phoenix albums, and they're up now: Alphabetical and It's Never Been Like That. I saw them in-store at the Fetus last time I was in the cities, and they're fun.

p.s. The New Moon soundtrack and Built to Spill's new one are also up. Enjoy

Mike Doughty - Sad Man Happy Man

aka "Mike Doughty Rediscovers the Cello." This album has Doughty going back to his roots. And I mean that in 2 ways....his Soul Coughing roots are being revisited in the form of out-of-tune string instruments popping up on a bunch of songs. And also, this album sounds much more like Skittish than it does like either of his two newer albums...meaning it's a lot of (but not exclusively) just him and a guitar, no band. Which, in the end, makes this much less of a pop album than his previous two were. I gotta admire the effort by Mike, and this "progression" mostly succeeds. A few songs are strange just for the sake of it, and it's at those moments the album unfortunately stumbles a bit. But it wouldn't be a Mike Doughty album without those "experiments", so I've learned to expect them, if not embrace them. At least there isn't a "More Bacon Than The Pan Can Handle" track this time. *shudders*
(This review brought to you by your local Mike Doughty enthusiast. My apologies if you didn't follow what I was saying. I'm not usually this elitist.)

Built to Spill - "There Is No Enemy"

Here's Built to Spill's new album. I've only discovered these guys about 4 years ago, even though they were making music while I was in high school in the mid-nineties, their music doesn't feel old or dated to me. I'm not really able to tell you what this sounds like or if it's novel or anything, I just know I love their sound. This new album is quite fantastic, one of their better albums, so if you dig 'em, rock out.

Alice in Chains - "Black Gives Way To Blue"

Alice in Chains comes out with their first new album in over a decade. The new lead singer sounds a lot like Layne Staley (maybe too much like him?), but maybe that's just Jerry Cantrell's backing vocals making it seem closer than it really is. Either way, the Alice in Chains sound seems to be perfectly intact. I'm digging it.

Brother Ali – Us

Ali's fourth full-length album and his third with veteran Rhymesayers producer Ant. I haven't given this a proper listen yet so I can't give my full opinion. But you should already know this is worth downloading if not buying with your hard earned dollars. You can get it for just $7.49 over at LaLa. Support local Hip-Hop.

Enjoy.

The Baseball Project – Volume 1: Frozen Ropes And Dying Quails

In honor of the baseball season coming to a close and the Cubs telling Milton Bradley wear to stick it, I bring you The Baseball Project. The side project of a side project, The Baseball Project brings together Peter Buck, Scott McCaughey, Linda Pitmon, and Steve Wynn. This album is for anyone who likes baseball history and/or the musical styling of bands like The Minus 5, REM, The Young Fresh Fellow among other 90s alternative college rock.

So, download, listen and think about America's pastime. And as long as the Cubs keep beating the Brewers, hopefully we won't have to see any more ridiculous stuff like this.

Enjoy.

Califone – All My Friends are Funeral Singers

All My Friends are Funeral Singers is a movie. All My Friends are Funeral Singers is an album.

All My Friends Are Funeral Singers Trailer from Califone on Vimeo.

Califone is a band from Chicago. You should already know that.

Enjoy.

Cory Chisel and the Wandering Sons--Death Won't Send a Letter

One of my good friends went to school with Cory (he's a Wisconsin boy), and he's been trying to get me to a show in the Twin Cities for the last five years. Now that I've finally left, I regret I never went. This album is fantastic. It's moving up the ranks on iTunes (currently 39). Cory has a great voice, solid guitar work, and songwriting. There's a touch of the country music I like here (is that snobbish?). Check out the Born Again and My Heart Would Be There. And when they're in town next, hit up the show. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Blue Scholars - Bayani

After Kyle hooked us up with Blue Scholars' first album, I loved it, and so I purchased their follow-up album (on lala, which has the best prices for mp3 albums). If you liked the first, you'll like this one too.

Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga

The Airbourne Toxic Event

Despite the horrible band name, I bought this album after hearing this one song. I haven't listened to the album much, I just got it, but it seems like they have a kind of "The Killers meets Jimmy Eat World" alt-anthem-rock type thing. Take a listen and see if it grabs you like it did me.

EDIT: Ya know guys, after further review, this album isn't very good. Other than 2 or 3 decent songs, it's actually kind of annoying. I'd still be interested to hear what you guys think of it though...

Blue Scholars - Blue Scholars

Blue Scholars brand of smart, positive hip-hop first caught my ear with their song Fire for the People. This 2004 self-titled album shows the potential of this Seattle based crew. If you like this, check out their 2007 release, Bayani.

Enjoy.

Greenhouse Effect - Columbus or Bust

Greenhouse Effect was Blueprint's hip-hop outlet prior hooking up with RJD2 and putting Columbus on the scene. Columbus or Bust is the 2005 reinvention of this Weightless Records crew since loosing fellow emcee Inkwel to God. Check this out if you like Blueprint, Soul Position or underground hip-hop in general.

Enjoy.

my fave three Stones albums for Kevin

every Stones fan has a favorite version of the band... the Brian Jones years, the Keith 'n' Ronnie playing tug o' war with the rhythm guitar years, the more recent Ameriquest and Budwesier-sponsored stadium tour years? well, maybe not that last one. my fave era is the heyday of the late 60s/early 70s when I think they really earned the honorary title of the greatest rock n roll band in the world. here are Let It Bleed (1969), Sticky Fingers (1971), Exile on Main St (1972)... posted per request from a burgeoning Stones fan.

a few borrowed words on each album...

"Let It Bleed" - An album on which the Stones recover from the death of Brian Jones, which turned out to be, at most, a minor setback. Mick Taylor lends a hand on "Live With Me," the hardest rocker on the album, and "Country Honk," a revival of "Honky Tonk Women" as hillbilly blues. Keith does just fine without the backup for most of the album, from the echo valley intro of "Gimme Shelter" to the extra funky rhythm work of "Monkey Man."

"Sticky Fingers" - Do we really need a seventh minute of "Can't You Hear Me Knocking"? I'll let you be the judge. But if the jamming feels a bit excessive in places, the writing ranks among their finest hours - "Moonlight Mile," "Brown Sugar," "Sister Morphine," "Sway," "Wild Horses," "Bitch," "Dead Flowers." Plus you've got the Andy Warhol conceived album cover with a working zipper that opened to reveal a crotch shot of whitie tighties. What more could you want in an album?

"Exile on Main Street" - That rare double album you wouldn't feel comfortable editing down to 90 minutes. The band has never let it loose with more abandon or authority showing their country, blues, and soul influences... "Let It Loose," a song that could have topped the R&B charts, is a soul ballad worthy of Otis Redding.