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iminloveonfriday · 11 years

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Week #17: The Joy of Nothing Will Only Lead To Bad Blood and Heavier Things

Newbies

Joy of Nothing by Foy Vance (2013)

Track Listing:

Closed Hand, Full of Friends

Joy of Nothing

At Least My Heart Was Open

You and I (with Bonnie Raitt)

Feel for Me

Janey

Paper Prince

It Was Good

Regarding Your Lover

Guiding Light (featuring Ed Sheeran)

I’m BAAACCCCKKKKKKK. School has been cray but I’m back and better than ever (I hope)! And there really is no better way to start back reviewing than with this album.

I reviewed Foy Vance’s EP this summer and have been on pins and needles waiting for his full length LP to come out and it was WELL worth the wait. It’s rare that I will call an album flawless; only two albums are flawless to me and that’s City and Colour’s Sometimes and Ray LaMontagne’s Trouble. Foy Vance’s Joy of Nothing has now been added to that list. The lyrics, the melodies, and his raspy yet powerful voice all come together to make one of the best albums of the year.

The first track Closed Hands, Full of Friends thrusts you into the album. Vance’s previous EP showed a quieter, softer side but Joy of Nothing packs an emotional punch that has the ability to leave you reeling. To be a relatively unknown artist Foy Vance collaborates with two big names: Bonnie Raitt and Ed Sheeran. The collaboration with Raitt, You & I is one of my favorites on the album. Their voices mold perfectly together and form one of the most beautifully orchestrated songs on the album. His collaboration with Ed Sheeran is just as beautiful. Guiding Light works as a perfect album closer. It’s reminiscent of his EP, there’s a gentleness and submissiveness in this song that counteracts some of the more passionate, driven songs earlier in the album. The truth is I could talk all day about how good Joy of Nothing is, but nothing compares to just taking the time to listen to it. Crank up your speakers and enjoy one of the best albums of 2013.

Favorite Track: Feel for Me

Feelings in a GIF:

Oldie But a Goodie

Heavier Things by John Mayer (2003)

Track Listing:

Clarity

Bigger Than My Body

Something’s Missing

New Deep

Come Back to Bed

Home Life

Split Screen Sadness

Daughters

Only Heart

Wheel

This album throws me back to my middle school/high school days when I was making real progress in learning the guitar and was scouring the internet to find all the best guitar players. John Mayer was and still is one of my favorite guitarists. I feel like so many people get caught up in the music and the person that is John Mayer and they forget that he really is one of the best guitar players in music. Heavier Things shows off his guitar skills more than any of his other albums (in my opinion, and well how much is that really worth??)

Bigger Than My Body was one of the first songs I ever heard by John Mayer and I was hooked. To be as big as he is, John Mayer writes his own songs and I respect anyone in the popular music genre that creates their own music. Heavier Things is multilayered album, all the songs fit together but also operate separately. Each songs has their own little world and Mayer creates a masterpiece in each one. New Deep and Wheel carry a jazz feel while Only Heart and Come Back To Bed carry a more traditional rock feel. The guitar solo in Come Back To Bed is still one of my favorite guitar solos of all time.

I’ve yet to listen to Mayer’s new album, but I can only hope he’s reverted back to the more organic days of Heavier Things. I felt like he got a little (okay A LOT of track) in the past few years and from what I’ve heard he’s back and better than ever. This album will always be important to me, it started my foray into rock music which led me to my coffee-drinking, black skinny jean wearing, record player owning hipster self that I am today. So if you want someone to blame for my hipsterdom blame John Mayer…that’s the takeaway from this week’s blog.

Favorite Track: Come Back to Bed

Feelings in a GIF:

The Great Unknowns

Bad Blood by Bastille (2013)

Track Listing:

Pompeii

Things We Lost In The Fire

Bad Blood

Overjoyed

These Streets

Weight of Living, Pt. II

Icarus

Oblivion

Flaws

Daniel In The Den

Laura Palmer

Get Home

Bastille’s been on my radar for a while now and finally took the time a few weeks ago to listen to them, needless to say…I’ve not looked back. This London based band gets bigger and bigger every time I turn around and once you’ve listened to this album you will definitely know the reason why.

Pompeii kicks this album off and is probably the one song everyone knows by them. I mean the history geek and me loves this song because they reference on of my favorite events in history. Of course like any good hipster band this is just their obscure way of referencing love. There’s literally nothing better that cranking this song up and driving with the windows down…so if you hear that song coming from a car on UNC’s campus…yep that’s me. They keep with the referencing of Roman/Greek history with Icarus, which is my favorite track on the album. There’s something in the orchestration of Bastille’s music that sets them apart. The drums break through and give each song such a driving force it’s hard to not like it. Daniel in the Den is a close second as my favorite, the lyrics come from the voice of the biblical Daniel but with a modern twist of course. I love a band that can pull themselves apart from their own experiences and try to write from someone else’s perspective.

I can see this band growing bigger and bigger as the go along it in its cycle. I can only hope that they’ll tour near me, something tells me these guys are AMAZING live. I’m off to listen to this record about a hundred more times.

Favorite Track: Icarus

Feelings in a GIF:

#foy vance #joy of nothing #john mayer #heavier things #bastille #bad blood #alternative #rock #indie #album reviews #reviews

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iminloveonfriday · 11 years

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#the cure

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iminloveonfriday · 11 years

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Week #16: Dear Lorde! I Think Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros Might Be My New Favorite

Newbies

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros by Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros (2013)

Track Listing:

1. Better Days

2. Let’s Get High

3. Two

4. Please!

5. Country Calling

6. Life Is Hard

7. If I Were Free

8. In the Lion

9. They Were Wrong

10. In the Summer

11. Remember to Remember

12. This Life

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, one of the most famous bands you’ve never heard of. And guess what? They have a new album out, so of course here I am reviewing it. Normally, during a review I’ll talk about each band member and what they contribute, etc. But not this week, ESTMZ (what they’ll be for the rest of this review, kay? Kay.) has about 50 different members (I exaggerate but, for real, it’s a lot) so I’m not going to go that route this week. But apparently having 50 different members works GREAT for them because this album is fantastic.

Their self-titled release is filled with what I’m going to call hippie feel good music (I’m calling it “hippie” because it sounds like it’s being sung by a chorus in the 1970’s somewhere outside of Woodstock.). And there’s nothing wrong with that, in fact, I really enjoy it. This is music generated by a large group of people and that’s evident as you listen to this record. There is also a vintage sound to this record, the guitars in Country Calling are reminiscent of old 60’s and 70’s rock music. And with all of the new modern recording equipment, it can actually be a bit difficult to get that sound on a record, so kudos to them. So what actually sounds like it was easy to record WASN’T. Songs like Better Days are tunes that get down into you and make you feel as good as the music sounds. I could sit here and break down each song and get technical, but this is one of those records that you just have to listen to in order to understand what I’m getting at. This album is very much an experience, one I would recommend experiencing on one of those final summer road trips with your friends.

ESTMZ have always generated top quality music and this is no exception. They’re one of those bands that people who want to be hipsters like to reference when they are trying to fit in with people who are ACTUALLY hipsters. And yes, I’m cracking a lot of jokes in this review, hopefully this isn’t taking away from the fact, that yes, I do really like this record. But, hey I’ve got to keep this reviews interesting from week to week, and this week, I brought jokes! Hey, but in all seriousness take a listen to this record and let all of those hippie good vibes soak through you.

Favorite Track: Remember to Remember

Feelings in a GIF:

Oldie But a Goodie

New Favorite by Alison Krauss & Union Station (2001)

Track Listing:

1. Let Me Touch You for Awhile

2. The Boy Who Wouldn’t Hoe Corn

3. The Lucky One

4. Choctaw Hayride

5. Crazy Faith

6. Momma Cried

7. I’m Gone

8. Daylight

9. Bright Sunny South

10. Stars

11. It All Comes Down to You

12. Take Me for Longing

13. New Favorite

Long before my hipster days of skinny jeans, coffee, and vinyl records I was HARDCORE into bluegrass. I knew every artist, who the best guitar/banjo/mandolin/ player was, I loved the roots of the music, the traditional artists, and the ones who broke every rule in bluegrass but managed to still fit into the genre. Bluegrass is a communal music, it was what connected old mountain towns where the only thing to do on a Friday or Saturday night was to get together with the family and neighbors and have a “pickin’”. At the center of my bluegrass obsession was a band, Alison Krauss & Union Station. I was obsessed with these guys, they had aspects of traditional bluegrass and broke genres by infusing meaningful lyrics and more mainstream techniques. Alison Krauss’ voice has an angelic quality and can carry the vocals on their more pop-like songs while Dan Tyminski and Ron Block have a more traditional bluegrass twang in their voice and perform their more traditional songs. This album sums up everything that this band is: a mix of the old and the new.

The opening track Let Me Touch You For Awhile lets you know that this band is not your typical bluegrass ensemble. They bring in lyrics that belong in a less colloquial music such as bluegrass. The sounds remind you of singer/songwriter music rather than a bluegrass band. Songs like Crazy Faith and I’m Gone have haunting guitars that literally pull at your heart strings. I pretty much modeled my guitar soloing techniques after Ron Block; the way he makes his guitar sing during a solo is enough to make you want to cry. Songs like The Lucky One and Daylight are a great example of the melding of traditional bluegrass and newgrass. The fingerpicking guitar gives it the driving feel of bluegrass and the twang of Jerry Douglas’ dobro adds that traditional feel. But the lyrical content and the construction of the melody reminds you that this music is something entirely different. However, they don’t abandon the traditional bluegrass completely; Bright Sunny South, Momma Cried, and The Boy Who Wouldn’t Hoe Corn pays homage to those who came before them. Dan Tyminski has one of the finest voices in bluegrass; it’s crystal clear but has that traditional twang that cuts down to your bones. The lyrics, the vocals, and the instrumentation makes this record a triumph.

Alison Krauss & Union Station are still one my favorites to this day. Though I traded in my banjo for obscure metaphorical lyrics and bands that no one’s ever heard of, I still love bluegrass. It’s my first love in the musical sense and I try to incorporate the techniques I’ve learned into my music today. If you’re looking for a foray into bluegrass music, then I strongly recommend checking out this record, New Favorite might be twelve years old, but it is hasn’t aged at all.

Favorite Track: Let Me Touch You For Awhile

Feelings in a GIF:

The Great Unknowns

The Love Club EP by Lorde (2012)

Track Listing:

1. Bravado

2. Royals

3. Million Dollar Bills

4. The Love Club

5. Biting Down

Okay, I’m not gonna lie, I’ve listened to this EP borderline obsessively for the past couple of weeks. Yes, it’s that good. I always love finding new artists, there’s an excitement to it that I love. But Lorde, is one of those artists stick out in the myriad of new artists I find. I’m convinced that all good music comes from overseas and with Lorde being from New Zealand, well, I shouldn’t have been surprised at how good the music was. Her version of indie pop is one that is rising to the surface of music along with other artists like Austra.

The opening track, Bravado, is subtle for an album opener but eases us into the new, original sound that Lorde brings to the table. This song starts off slow and I was wondering if it ever would pick up, but the when the chorus finally came, I knew Lorde was something new and exciting in the world of indie pop. Royals and Million Dollar Bills are proper pop songs that have a driving beat but underneath lies lyrics that transcend normal pop stereotypes. She lets us know that she doesn’t come from much but that doesn’t mean she’s going to settle where she is, and I like that. The Love Club brings us down from the climax of the last two songs and then prepares us for the haunting drum-infused track, Biting Down.

I love this EP because it’s got meaning, but it doesn’t make you want to cry into your drink (like most of the music I review on here). It is quintessential pop, but steps out of the normal mold to create something new and unique. I can’t wait to see what she does next and I’m more than ready to see her release a full LP. If her full length album is anything like The Love Club EP, then we’re all in for one of the best records of the year. So drop everything and go and listen to Lorde and don’t miss one of the best up and coming artists of the year.

Favorite Track: Bravado

Feelings in a GIF:

#edward sharpe and the magnetic zeros #lorde #love club ep #new favorite #alison krauss #alison krauss and union station #bluegrass #indie pop #alternative #Album Reviews #reviews #not my gifs

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iminloveonfriday · 11 years

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Week #15: The Native Son and Fiona Apple Went Off To Fight The Civil Wars

Newbies

The Civil Wars by The Civil Wars (2013)

Track Listing:

1. The One That Got Away

2. I Had Me a Girl

3. Same Old Same Old

4. Dust to Dust

5. Eavesdrop

6. Devil’s Backbone

7. From This Valley

8. Tell Mama

9. Oh Henry

10. Disarm

11. Sacred Heart

12. D’Arline

Well, 2013 keeps turning out phenomenal music and this album is absolutely blowing me away. The harmonies between Joy Williams and John Paul White go straight through you and get down to your soul. Their previous release was flawless as well, but their new, self-titled release trumps anything they have done in the past. This band almost saw it’s end when the two admitted irreconcilable creative differences, but thank God that was not permanent. These guys are too amazing to hang up their hats now.

The One That Got Away reminds us that nothing much has changed in terms of sound, we know this is The Civil Wars and they are here to stay. The lyrics this time around are even more heartbreakingly beautiful than their previous record. The lyrics in Dust To Dust get you where it hurts:

“Oh, you're acting your thin disguise All your perfectly delivered lines They don't fool me You've been lonely, too long Let me in the wall You've built around We can light a match And burn it down Let me hold your hand And dance 'round and 'round the flames In front of us Dust to dust”

The lyrics cut through like a knife, and the way they are delivered flows like a conversation between Joy and John. That’s one thing about this record, every song is a conversation, an honest, heartbreaking conversation between the lovers addressed in each song. In songs like From This Valley their roots break through, this song sounds like all of the old timey gospel songs us southerners grew up with in church, but this is a love song; A prayer to God for the lover in this song to return to them:

“Oh the caged bird dreams of a strong wind That will flow beneath her wings Like a voice longs for a melody Oh Jesus, carry me Oh won't you take me from this valley To that mountain high above Oh I will pray, pray, pray till I see your smiling face I will pray, pray, pray to the one that I love”

Other songs like Oh Henry delve into the country/folk roots of this band. But, The Civil Wars don’t stay acoustic for the entirety of the record, Devil’s Backbone features an electric guitar that adds to the angry, passionate nature of this song. This record is emotional, beautiful, heartbreaking, and everything that you would want in a record and more. I’m going to be listening to this record until I absolutely wear it out. You’ll cry, feel lovesick, and stomp your feet to the beat of this phenomenal record.

Favorite Track: Dust to Dust

Feelings in a GIF:

Oldie But a Goodie

When The Pawn…by Fiona Apple (1999)

Track Listing:

1. On The Bound

2. To Your Love

3. Limp

4. Love Ridden

5. Paper Bag

6. A Mistake

7. Fast As You Can

8. The Way Things Are

9. Get Gone

10. I Know

While The Civil Wars carry a more subtle passion, Fiona Apple’s 1999 release carries an in-your-face-I’m-going-to-let-you-know-how-I-feel passion that won’t leave you alone. I’ll admit I haven’t listened to a lot of Fiona Apple’s music in the past but she’s been on my music rotation for the past few months and this album stuck out (and you know, it came out 14 years ago, so it fits this category PERFECTLY.). Oh 1990’s how I miss you and your in-your-face music, though I love all obscure hipster-clad metaphor infused music, I love honesty as well. And this album…is HONEST.

The first track, On The Bound, wastes no time in getting to the point, there’s a type of growling in her voice and you can sense the anger she feels toward her lover. The boldness doesn’t stop there but continues into To Your Love and keeps flowing into all the other tracks. There’s a jazz feel to this record, her vocals, the piano, and the subtle horns in the background. There’s a flow to this album that’s hard to find in music these days. Every song is connected and flows into the next perfectly. The progression from the opening to tracks to some of the closers like Fast As You Can all fit together to make a record that is clearly one giant venting session from a failed/tumultuous/passionate romance.

The emotion behind each song is evident and is what makes this record so great. The nineties poured out some fantastic music and no I’m not talking about the Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears, I mean artists like Fiona Apple who made their own music and put unbelievable passion behind it. Take a listen and get to know the music of one of the finest products from the music of the nineties.

Favorite Track: The Way Things Are

Feelings in a GIF:

The Great Unknowns

Native Son EP by Harlan (2011)

Track Listing:

1. The Come Down

2. Native Son

3. Private Party

4. Wild At Heart

5. I Never

6. Dancing On The Bed

After two rather intense albums this week I thought I would through in an fun, easy listen. A few weeks ago I reviewed Little Brutes’ EP which is made up of Rachael Cantu and Harlan. I had never heard of Harlan before Little Brutes so I decided to check out his EP. This EP consists of six fun, indie songs reminiscent of artists like MGMT.

The Come Down and Native Son get you used to Harlan’s electronic, indie sound. These songs are fun and give the listener a good idea of who Harlan is as an artist. Wild At Heart really brings forward the 70s and 80s jazz funk that is present in his music. He’s got an easy going sound to his music, which I would throw on while cleaning up my apartment or just walking across campus. Sometimes it’s fun to turn on something like this, as much as I love the heartbreakers, music like this is great as well.

Harlan is set to release more music with Rachael Cantu for Little Brutes and I’m excited to see what else he adds to the duo. So if you’re feeling good today or if you need to feel good go and listen to this EP!

Favorite Track: I Never

Feelings in a GIF:

#the civil wars #fiona apple #when the pawn #harlan #native son #indie #alternative #folk #bluegrass #Album Reviews #reviews #not my gifs

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iminloveonfriday · 11 years

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Reviewed these guys a couple of months ago, they are STELLAR. Looking for them to do huge things.

#kitten #alternative #new wave #rock #the warner sound #sxsw #so good I can't even

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iminloveonfriday · 11 years

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Week #14: Francoise Hardy Loves Girl Talk and Wounded Rhymes

I’M BAAAACCCCKKKKK! I took a little summer break and now I’m back and you can expect weekly posts on Friday/Saturday every week! Now, let’s get started…I’m sure you’ve missed me…

Newbies

Girl Talk by Kate Nash (2013)

Track Listing:

1. Part Heart

2. Fri-end?

3. Death Proof

4. Are You There Sweetheart?

5. Sister

6. OMYGOD!

7. Oh

8. All Talk

9. Conventional Girl

10. 3AM

11. Rap for Rejection

12. Cherry Pickin

13. Labyrinth

14. You’re So Cool, I’m So Freaky

15. Lullaby For An Insomniac

Kate Nash was one of those artists that I’d been hearing about in passing for years but never took the time to listen to. She’s different from the majority of artists I listen to, but her drive and aggressiveness is making me fall in love with her music. In the same category of artists like Fiona Apple and those artists that dominated the late 90’s and early 2000s, Kate Nash’s latest release doesn’t stray from that iconic sound. The passion in this record is off the charts, in a few tracks it’s like she can’t sing loud enough to get every emotion out.

The second track pushes you in full force; she’s yelling at the antagonist and his/her mistreatment of her. I love the punk rock vibes in Fri-end, it makes you want to jump around on your bed and scream along with her. This album never slows down and I love that. Most of the time I’m all about a few slow jams in the middle, but not in Girl Talk, every song except the opener and closer keeps you head-banging from start to finish. The only song to take a step back is Are You There Sweetheart, but the brutal honesty of the lyrics makes up for the slightly slower tempo. Nash throws heartbreak into this record, but not in the way you’d expect. Instead of dealing with how she feels she criticizes her lover/partner telling him everything he did wrong. She throws in a feminist anthem, Rap For Rejection, which is clear indicator that Nash is done with love for quite a while.

So, needless to say if you’re dealing with some anger towards an ex, go and listen to this album. Jump up and down on your bed, smash that hideous tchotchke your great aunt got you, and scream at the top of your lungs. This album is an adventure from start to finish and not one to be taken lightly, so strap yourself in and enjoy the ride.

Favorite Track: Are You There Sweetheart?

Feelings in a GIF:

Oldie But A Goodie

Comment Te Dire Adieu by Francoise Hardy (1968)

Track Listing:

1. Comment te dire adieu- It Hurts To Say Goodbye

2. Où va la chance

3. L’anamour

4. Suzanne

5. Il n’y pas d’amour heureux

6. La mésange

7. Parlez-moi de lui

8. A quoi ça sert

9. Il vaut mieux une petite maison dans les nuages

10. La rue des cœurs perdus

11. Etonnez-moi, Benoit

12. La mer les étoiles et le vent

If any one of you knows me, you know I’m an anglophile through and through. And to truly emulate the English, this certain distaste for French culture tends to follow. Don’t get me wrong, France is great and everyone should visit, but England has my heart. However, I have one sweet spot, one guilty pleasure, and it’s French music. Francoise Hardy and the French Canadian band, Karkwa is at the top of my list (I’ll reviews those guys in weeks to follow). I discovered Francoise Hardy this past semester and fell in love with her earlier albums, especially this one. All the great bits of 60’s music are there and even though I have NO IDEA what she is saying (those three semesters of French REALLY paid off y’all) the music is still gorgeous.

Comment te dire adieu starts the album off and for those of you who enjoy 60’s and 70’s music you can appreciate this track (and all of the others). That grooving chord progression reminds you of the era and makes you want to go back and time and jam along with the hippies of the era. Every song is beautifully produced; songs like A quoit ca sert flow beautifully and make you want to drift off to sleep. These songs are relaxing; they’re not too loud or flashy. The album is engaging and fun to listen to, but it’s an easy listen. I used this album many a time last semester as background music when cooking, doing homework, or cleaning up my apartment.

A great deal of music from the 60’s and 70’s has been pinned as cheesy but Francoise Hardy is definitely not in that category. Don’t be put off form this record because it’s not in English (I know it’s ‘Merica and all but French music is worth getting over any xenophobia…trust me) you don’t need to understand every single word to understand that it’s beautiful. The French language flows perfectly along with music and I encourage everyone to listen to this album. You won’t regret it.

Favorite Track: Comment Te Dire Adieu

Feelings in a GIF:

The Great Unknowns

Wounded Rhymes by Lykke Li (2010)

Track Listing:

1. Youth Knows No Pain

2. I Follow Rivers

3. Love Out of Lust

4. Unrequited Love

5. Get Some

6. Rich Kids Blues

7. Sadness Is A Blessing

8. I Know Places

9. Jerome

10. Silent My Song

I didn’t know if I should put Lykke Li in this category but she’s one of those artists I feel like a lot of people know about but even more don’t know about. And honestly, I adore her music too much and I want EVERYONE to know about her. Lykke Li hails from Sweden…which means, yes, she’s amazing. This has been the week of strong women here on I’m In Love On Friday and Lykke Li is one my favorite up and coming artists. She has really soared to new heights within the indie/hipster/I only drink fair trade coffee/and live in Williamsburg, Brooklyn crowd and I hope before long she’ll break into the mainstream (GASP, I know, how un-hipster of me…).

The first five tracks of this album prove what a force of nature Lykke Li is; Youth Knows No Pain, I Follow Rivers, and Get Some are the types of songs you go around humming for days. The hooks are as catchy as any mainstream pop out there, but with that indie flair that keeps her separated from the rest. This album lives up to the title, Wounded Rhymes, each song is full of heartbreak and angst. Each song is a remnant of a wound left by a past lover; songs like Unrequited Love and Sadness Is A Blessing (which contains the title of the album) are prime examples of past wounds being reopened. The sadness is balanced with some playful songs like Get Some, which I mentioned earlier. She covers every emotion of love in this album; from lust to love to heartbreak to rejection, she covers it all beautifully.

If this is the first you’ve heard of Lykke Li, go and find her music (check out the playlist I post on Spotify/Twitter after this blog and take a listen). Spread the word because she could be bigger than she already is, her fresh take on music is what we need in a world of over produced pop and shotty lyrical content. More artists like her, and we can see a turnaround in music.

Favorite Track: TIE between I Follow Rivers and Get Some

Feelings in a GIF:

#kate nash #girl talk #francoise hardy #comment te dire adieu #lykke li #wounded rhymes #indie #oldies #french music #alternative #album reviews #reviews #not my gifs #week of women

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iminloveonfriday · 11 years

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Week #13: Tristen, Don't You Know That Trouble and Stories Don't End

Newbies

Stories Don’t End by Dawes (2013)

Track Listing:

1. Just Beneath The Surface

2. From a Window Seat

3. Just My Luck

4. Someone Will

5. Most People

6. Something in Common

7. Hey Lover

8. Bear Witness

9. Stories Don’t End

10. From the Right Angle

11. Side Effects

12. Just Beneath the Surface (Reprise)

I reviewed Dawes in one of my first round of reviews (can’t believe I’ve been writing these for over three months now…time flies when you’re having, um, fun.). This album was already released when I reviewed their previous album and I have been meaning to review this album for a couple of months now. Dawes’ Stories Don’t End has a more grown up sound from Nothing is Wrong, but their classic rock sound still remains.

I’ve already come to the conclusion that this week is the most hipster week I’ve ever reviewed. All of these bands are laid back and invite you to spend the night lounging on the couch with a couple of drinks and just enjoy the music. Just My Luck is the kind of song I’d put on after a long day of class, the kind of song you might put on if you’re feeling particularly sorry for yourself (aka most days for most college students). Someone Will is a brutally honest love song he dares to tell the subject of the song how he really feels. There are no metaphors here:

About the men you love and how they all seem to get the best of you 'Cause if I don't say these things, you know someone will If that look in your eyes as I slowly go through the evidence Gives any insight into the void you can't get filled Then your heart is bigger than any that I've gone up against And if nobody's loved you enough, I know now someone will

Now, don’t get me wrong I like my metaphor laced indie songs, but I also like when a band can get down to it and say how they really feel. As I’ve listened to Stories Don’t End, I’ve come to the realization this is a break up record, there’s a heavy amount of desperation not just in love, but in their world view. Something in Common steps out of the mold of a relationship and examines love as a whole.

This record is raw and honest, with heartbreaking lyrics and that classic indie reverb backing it up. Dawes is gaining popularity within the indie world and I can’t wait to see how they develop over the coming months.

Favorite Track: Someone Will

Feelings in a GIF:

Oldie But a Goodie

Trouble by Ray LaMontagne (2004)

Track Listing:

1. Trouble

2. Shelter

3. Hold You In My Arms

4. Narrow Escape

5. Burn

6. Forever My Friend

7. Hannah

8. How Come

9. Jolene

10. All The Wild Horses

Ray LaMontagne is one of those artists I’ve known about for years, listened to here and there, but never really took the time to really listen to. So this week I decided to sit down with one of his most renowned releases, Trouble. Whether you know Ray LaMontagne or not, you know Trouble. Case and point, remember this commercial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wKzsyKUsDY. But, don’t make the mistake of letting that be the only song on this record you know. Trouble is quickly becoming one of my favorite records; it’s up there with City and Colour’s Sometimes and Tegan and Sara’s Heartthrob.

This isn’t a record you just throw on as background music, or well, you shouldn’t use it as background music. Take the time to sit down and enjoy every minute of it. Hold You In My Arms is so hauntingly beautiful it deserves your attention for the full 5:07. It’s hard to find a record where every single song is just as strong as the last. There’s always that one track you skip over, that one you forget the lyrics to. Well, that’s not the case with Trouble, every song is beautifully composed, lyrically flawless, and his voice is just as gorgeous as in the last. All The Wild Horses is one of my favorite album closers of all time, it feels like a grand finale. The strings separate it from the other songs in a way that says “this is the end of the album; I’m going to wow you one more time before the needle stops.”

I could go on and on about the perfection of this album, but we’d be here all day and I’m sure we all have lives to live (except me I’m probably going to marathon Netflix after this, #collegekidsummerproblems). I can’t wait to go through his newer records and see where he evolved from Trouble. If it’s anything like this record, I’ll be more than happy. Ray LaMontagne is one of the artists that only comes around once and a blue moon and too many people don’t realize how rare they are. I listen to enough music to know how quickly good musicians come and go. And I hope Ray LaMontagne is here to stay.

Favorite Track: Hold You In My Arms

Feelings in a GIF:

The Great Unknowns

Charlatans at the Garden Gate by Tristen (2011)

Track Listing:

1. Eager For Your Love

2. Matchstick Murder

3. Doomsday

4. Avalanche

5. Battle of the Gods

6. Baby Drugs

7. Heart and Hope to Die

8. Wicked Heart

9. Tadpole

10. Special Kind of Fear

11. Save Raina

I found this artist while listening to Spotify’s Summer for Hipsters Playlist (yes…I know…it’s just SO. TYPICAL.) I’m a sucker for a female singer to begin with and the more indie they are and if they have that semi-raspy, semi-smooth quality to their voice, I’m so incredibly sold. So when Tristen came across the stream, I knew I wanted to add her to my blog.

Charlatans at the Garden Gate is a summer time record. Every song goes down easy and the music is perfect for one of those long summer road trips with your friends. Tristen is reminiscent of bands like She & Him, possibly Ingrid Michaelson, and Lennon and Maisey also comes to mind. The opening track Eager For Your Love lets you know straight off that this is a fun record, with a little bit of cheek. The lyrics all have themes of love but she knows how to add some wit to keep them from erring on the side of broken-hearted love songs.

My favorite thing about this record is the music behind it. All of the reverb guitar, the harmonies, the grooving drum beats really seal this record together. Heart and Hope to Die has a late 60’s rock vibe and reminds me a little bit of Francoise Hardy’s music from the 60’s and early 70’s. The other albums I’ve reviewed this week have a more serious vibe and I wanted to finish off this week with a record that was fun and easy to listen to. But don’t get me wrong, fun and easy to listen to doesn’t mean it’s not fantastic. Charlatans at the Garden Gate is one of my favorite records for the summer. The lyrics are just as well thought out as my other choices and the music is just as well composed. There’s just as air of ease in this music that makes you want to crank it up as your out road-tripping, on vacation, or just hanging out with your friends. Add some great music to your summer and check out Tristen.

Favorite Track: Heart and Hope to Die

Feelings in a GIF:

#dawes #stories don't end #ray lamontagne #trouble #tristen #charlatans at the garden gate #indie #acoustic #alternative rock #reviews #album reviews

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Week #12: So Sigur Ros, If It Was You Would You Be A Little Brute?

Newbies

Kveikur by Sigur Ros (2013)

Track Listing:

1. Brennisteinn

2. Hrafntinna

3. Isjaki

4. Yfirbore

5. Stormur

6. Kveikur

7. Rafstramur

8. Blabraeur

9. Var

Well, Sigur Ros…you’ve done it again. I have no idea what you are saying, but yet, I’m completely in love. For a band that sings in a language that only one tiny country in this world speaks, these guys are insanely popular. Why is that? Well, behind their Icelandic lyrics is music that is so hauntingly beautiful and seamless that it’s hard to put down. I reviewed these guys a few weeks ago in the Oldie But a Goodie section of this blog and compared to that album, Kveikur takes Sigur Ros to a darker, but still beautiful new high.

The first track Brennisteinn caught me off guard from what I was used to hearing from Sigur Ros, in fact it was slightly scary or maybe it was just the fact that I had just watched the Luther Series 3 Premiere and was scared out my mind (Guys, seriously when that guy SLITHERED out from underneath that bed...). But as the song continued their mellower, orchestral sound pushed through. Kveikur has a more industrial sound to it, more percussion, more electric guitars, and they play with effects that give the songs a slightly sinister edge. But these elements bookend the song, the meat of the song is still quintessential Sigur Ros. The Sigur Ros that you turn on to relax, the Sigur Ros you turn on to just lay back and enjoy the beauty of the music. Rafstramur reminded me of the more orchestral songs of Meo Suo I Eyrum. It took me awhile to settle into this record because of the darker turn the band took, but I grew into it and am growing to really love this album.

This is a departure for the Icelandic band, but a departure that I believe is headed in the right direction. Give this record a chance, move past the terrifyingly industrial intro of Brennisteinn and realize that this is still the Sigur Ros we’ve all grown to love.

Favorite Track: Rafstramur

Feelings in a GIF:

Oldie But a Goodie

If It Was You by Tegan and Sara (2002)

Track Listing:

1. Time Running

2. You Went Away

3. Monday Monday Monday

4. City Girl

5. Not Tonight

6. Underwater

7. I Hear Noises

8. Living Room

9. Terrible Storm

10. And Darling (This Thing That Break My Heart)

11. Want To Be Bad

12. Don’t Confess

For every band, unfortunately, there is that record that gets pushed under the rug especially after the band hits a certain level of success. For Tegan and Sara, that record is If It Was You. Most people think Tegan and Sara started with So Jealous, but not they had THREE albums before So Jealous broke them into the Indie market. It always seemed silly to me because this record contains some of the fan favorites that they twins still break out today like Monday Monday Monday and Living Room. If It Was You was the closest, in my opinion, Tegan and Sara ever came to the “mainstream”. They hadn’t quite broken into their quirky Moog keyboard, harmony infused sound that they coined in So Jealous. But this album is one worth listening to, too many great songs are on this album for fans to turn a blind eye.

This is an album I would turn on during a summer evening or on a late night ride. There’s a certain degree of heartbreak and growing up in this album. Songs like City Girl and Not Tonight deal with the pains of a growing and changing relationship. Both of those songs, especially Not Tonight have anthem like qualities. To me, they are the songs that never get old and you can always relate to. Back when I was playing open mic nights, Not Tonight was almost always on my set list. Living Room is one of my favorite songs to see Tegan and Sara play live, everyone knows the words, and the energy they put into this song is electric. Underwater, You Went Away, and Time Running are songs that carry a sound that we only heard from the twins in this record. They’re reminiscent of all the great folk rock of the late 90’s and early 2000’s. Yes, they are different from anything they have done since, but are still great little rock songs.

If you are one of the newer Tegan and Sara fans out there, go back and listen to their early music. Learn where they have come from and grow to love these albums. They’re different, but they are just as good as their newer albums like Sainthood and Heartthrob. If you’re going to love a band, you’ve got love them from the beginning.

Favorite Track: Living Room

Feelings in a GIF:

The Great Unknowns

EP by Little Brutes (2011)

Track Listing:

1. Long Time Ago

2. Do It All Again

3. Where I Used To Be

4. I’ll Be

5. Only One For Me

6. Sing To Me Sweetly

7. Meant For Me

Weeks ago I reviewed Rachael Cantu’s album and I was excited to find out that she had another project with fellow artist, Harlan. I was able to get my hands on this album when they had it for free on their bandcamp website. These two make a near perfect musical marriage and I’ve listened to this EP over and over again and I have no intention of stopping.

Cantu heads up all of the lead vocals and Harlan carries all of the background vocals. The lyrics are beautiful as expected. But what I love most about this EP is the music. You can tell this album was recorded very simply, with simple instruments. There are no frills on this album just great reverb guitar, acoustic guitar, banjo, a little piano, a little drums, a little bass, and a whole lot of perfection. This album also tells a story of love, a love that won’t let go (and we ALL can relate to that). Where I Used To Be nearly had me in tears the first time I heard it. The guitar is in an alternate tuning and finger picked with perfection, the lyrics hit close to home, and Cantu’s vocals reverberate through you bones and straight to your heart. Emotions come through strong in Sing to Me Sweetly and Only One For Me, love blossoms in Meant for Me and Do it All Again. Music doesn’t need a lot of production, and million dollar budgets to be beautiful. Two friends from California can make a homegrown project that rivals any of the music out there today.

The great news is Little Brutes is on the verge of releasing their next project and I can’t wait to see what this duo is going to put out next. If it’s anything like their EP, then we are all in for a treat. In the meantime head over to Little Brutes’ Bandcamp and download their EP and turn it up on your summer road trip, you won’t be disappointed.

Favorite Track: Where I Used To Be

Feelings in a GIF:

#sigur ros #kveikur #tegan and sara #if it was you #little brutes #rachael cantu #harlan #indie #alternative #reviews #indie rock

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iminloveonfriday · 11 years

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No Blog This Week!

Due to the last couple of days being HECTIC, there won’t be a new music blog this week. :( I know, it’s devastating. What will you do without my sarcastic, most-of-the-time-cheesy reviews???? But, I will be back next week with a great lineup for you guys! (Head over to my Spotify account and take a listen!)

P.S. This week I’ll be posting more music related things on this blog for you guys!

Cheers,

KJ

#music #alternative #indie #reviews

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iminloveonfriday · 11 years

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Week #11: Olympia! Let it Fall and Then Shout Out Loud.

Newbies

Olympia by Austra (2013)

Track Listing:

1. What We Done?

2. Sleep

3. Forgive Me

4. Painful Like

5. Home

6. Fire

7. I Don’t Care (I’m a Man)

8. We Become

9. Reconcile

10. Annie (Oh muse, you)

11. You Changed My Life

12. Hurt Me Now

I first fell in love with Austra during THAT scene (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDXZrbiTnfE ) on SyFy’s Lost Girl and if you’ve seen the scene you know why it would be hard to get it out of your head…But I was excited to see that they were releasing a new album because to be honest, I have listened to Feel It Break WAY too many times (it’s just that good you guys). Olympia has similar sounds to Feel it Break but it takes a departure and Katie Stelmanis’ voice reaches new haunting levels.

Stelmanis’ voice is the first thing that drew me to Austra, think Florence Welch with more vibrato doing indie pop. The uniqueness and dynamic nature to her voice is what makes Austra stand out amongst other indie pop bands. Songs like Fire show her capability to cut through you with just the sound of her voice. The opening track, What We Done takes lyrics from The Future form their album Feel It Break. I enjoy when artists link albums together, Olympia is further exploration of the relationship explored in Feel It Break. The lyrics from What We Done show the honesty Austra portrays in their songs:

“Come back to me You're 17 I have no signs Cause I'm a tear We knew no difference Awake the arch She saw the future And it was dark.”

I love the continuation this song provides from their older song The Future:

“I came so hard in your mouth. I saw the future, it was dark. I know I'm not afraid I'm consumed. And another thing, I'm still bruised.”

Olympia shows that the wounds have healed, but the old emotions are still there. Reconcile, to me, is the answer to all the relationship woes explored in Feel it Break. Yes, this is pop music, but it’s thought out, well composed, and will have you coming back again and again. I’m seeing these guys in September and I can’t wait to see how all of this music translates live. Indie pop is a genre full of great artists like Mika (totally used We Are Golden as part of my senior quote), Robyn, Sia, etc. But, Austra takes indie pop to a new, haunting level. This isn’t dance music, it’s music that cuts deep like more traditional indie rock. Austra’s lyrics are raw and honest, more so than most bands out there. There’s darkness to it and that darkness is the one thing that made me fall in love with this band. Indie pop has a reputation of being more lighthearted than other sub genres of indie, but Austra has chosen not to follow this trend and have hit more emotional levels in Olympia than Feel It Break. Songs like Annie (oh muse, you) and You Changed My Life are fantastic examples of how this band transcends indie pop norms.

Now, this music isn’t for the kids, it’s for grownups y’all. But nonetheless, give it a listen; you will be just as hooked and mesmerized as I was.

Favorite Track: What We Done?

Feelings in a GIF:

Oldie But a Goodie

Let It Fall by Sean Watkins (2001)

Track Listing:

1. Neo’s Song

2. Let It Fall

3. January Second

4. Ferdinand The Bull

5. Cloudbreak

6. The Birth

7. The Ant and The Ant

8. The Orange Autumn Days

9. Nostalgic

10. Over the Waterfall

Okay guys, instead of a lyrically laced album I’m bringing you an album that is almost ENTIRELY instrumental. GASP. But don’t worry…I’ll get you through this process. So many times we relate most to the lyrics of the songs we listen to, but behind the lyrics are melodies that are just as emotion evoking, we just don’t always realize it. When I started playing music 11 years ago…I’m getting old guys…I was trained to play bluegrass music and a lot of that is instrumental in nature with lyrics taking a backseat. So, naturally I love this album. But, I’m going tell you why you should too, even though there is only one song you can sing along to.

And yes, Sean Watkins is the cute little guy from Nickel Creek. He, like the rest of his former band mates, have several solo albums with Let it Fall being his first. He has since released more, all of which have songs with lyrics. But to get you started let’s start with the one song with lyrics, Let it Fall. Watkins does not sing this song himself, in fact he never really sang live or in a recording until Nickel Creek’s second album, This Side. Glen Philips (Toad and the Wet Sprocket) sings lead vocals on this song and this is hands down one of my top 5 favorite songs of all time. The instrumentation, the music, the performance still gives me chills today. So, start off with this song and you’ll be good for the rest.

Think an instrumental song can’t get to you emotionally? Well go listen to January Second, The Orange Autumn Days, and The Birth and tell me you didn’t feel a wave of emotion. Watkin’s guitar playing has a smooth jazz like quality that makes these songs just as powerful as any lyrical song out there. And if you’re in the mood for some more traditional bluegrass, take a listen to Neo’s Song or The Ant and The Ant. Regardless, this album will make you love instrumentals. And remember kids, not all songs have to have lyrics to be meaningful.

Favorite Track: Let it Fall

Feelings in a GIF:

The Great Unknowns

Optica by Shout Out Louds (2013)

Track Listing:

1. Sugar

2. Illusions

3. Blue Ice

4. 14th of July

5. Burn

6. Walking In Your Footsteps

7. Glasgow

8. Where You Come In

9. Hermila

10. Chasing the Sinking Sun

11. Circles

12. Destroy

I first heard of the Shout Out Louds a couple of years ago on All Songs Considered on NPR (fantastic radio show, check it out) and loved the 80’s alternative rock vibe they had. NPR featured them again when they gave an early listen to their newest album, Optica. I listened to this album for the first time as I was running around my apartment cooking lunch, avoiding schoolwork, etc. However, when I went back to listen to it for this week’s reviews I realized something…something horrible, WE PLAY HALF OF THIS ALBUM AT WORK. Which doesn’t seem bad, but when you have to listen to the same songs over and over while monotonously folding shirts, then, maybe then you’ll understand my difficulty. But, I got over it and the Shout Out Louds’ newest album, is one of my favorites of the year.

Like I said earlier, half (well okay, ¼ of this album) of this album has been played at the store I work at. Add all the hours I’ve worked together and I’ve listened to Sugar, Illusions, Blue Ice, and 14th of July around um…a million times…give or take. Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating but work in retail and then get back to me. But I have to say these songs give Optica a solid start and delve into the Shout Out Louds’ core sound. This band takes everything good from 80’s music and revamps it for the 21st century. The vocals and synths are reminiscent of the chart topping alt rock hits of the 80s, but they add new flair in their guitar and drums to shift their music into modern times. Songs like Glasgow reunite with the modern indie pop/rock sounds all the hipsters out there will love and songs like Destroy throw us right back into the middle of the 80s.

So pull out all those neons, leg warmers, and acid wash jeans and take a listen to this 80s inspired indie rock album. You won’t be disappointed.

Favorite Track: 14th of July

Feelings in a GIF:

#austra #olympia #shout out louds #optica #sean watkins #let it fall #alternative #indie #reviews #indie pop #80s #folk #bluegrass #instrumentals #album reviews

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iminloveonfriday · 11 years

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Week #10: At Last The Hurry and The Harm Has Come Along and Brought Foy Vance

Newbies

The Hurry and the Harm by City and Colour (2013)

Track Listing:

1. The Hurry and the Harm

2. Harder Than Stone

3. Of Space and Time

4. The Lonely Life

5. Paradise

6. Commentators

7. Thirst

8. Two Coins

9. Take Care

10. Ladies and Gentlemen

11. The Golden State

12. Death’s Song

If Dallas Green only knew how many nights freshman year I stayed up doing work using his albums as background music. I thought Sometimes was untouchable, no other album of his could compare to how perfect that one is; The Hurry and the Harm is proving an even match. They lyrics cut just as deep and the music is just as haunting as ever before. Dallas (or Dally as I like to call him…) has gravitated toward full band sounds instead of the guy-and-his-guitar theme of his first two records and at first I wasn’t sure how I felt about this but this new release has me loving this decision.

The opening line of The Hurry and the Harm had me knowing I would love this album:

“Everyone wants everything no matter the cost, we’re longing to live in a dream. But we can’t let go to all that we think we know, this great escape until we give up the ghost.”

Without getting too philosophical (cause this is a music blog on Tumblr, let’s be real y’all) Dallas Green has always had an interesting perspective on the human condition. He gets down deep and makes all those repressed emotions that we only face at 2 o’clock in the morning come bubbling out. We hate it and we love it.

His voice is crystal clear and makes all of his gut wrenching lyrics even more powerful, his vocals in Death’s Song are still giving me chills. And to be entirely honest, I could listen to Dallas Green sing the telephone book (remember those kids??!!) and be completely happy. 2013 is the year for music, I’m fully convinced now. So many other fantastic artists have albums out this year and I know City and Colour is a part of it. Perfection, that’s this album in a nutshell.

This is summer kids, take a roadtrip, buy this CD and hit the repeat button, let it sink down deep inside and enjoy the ride.

Favorite Track: Harder Than Stone

Feelings in a GIF:

Oldie But a Goodie

At Last by Etta James (1961)

Track Listing:

1. Anything to Say You’re Mine

2. My Dearest Darling

3. Trust In Me

4. Sunday Kind of Love

5. Tough Mary

6. I Just Want To Make Love To You

7. At Last

8. All I Could Do Is Cry

9. Stormy Weather

10. Girl of My Dreams

11. My Heart Cries

12. Spoonful

13. It’s a Crying Shame

14. If I Can’t Have You

I went real far back this week y’all. I’ve been on an oldies kick lately and decided to really take a listen to some of the classics, starting with the legend, Etta James. The fifties and sixties gave birth to some of the most legendary music in history and Etta James was a vital part of that. Many of these artists have passed on, James included, but they are never forgotten. At Last is still a song that most everyone knows (except those kids who only listen to whatever teeny bopper is popular this week) and it’s one of my favorite songs of all time.

James’ catalog of music is extensive to say the least and it took me awhile to find an album to review, but At Last featured the quintessential Etta James. It had that 1960’s feel that reminds you of all the tacky high school dances our parents and grandparents tell us about, drive -ins, diners, and classic cars. The fifties and sixties were some of the most tumultuous times our country has ever seen, but in terms of music and movies they were two of the best decades in recent history.

In All I Could Do Is Cry, you can hear the times in the music. The background singers gently crooning behind James, the reverb of the piano, the lonely sound of the strings, this is music at its best. Though I love the music today, part of me wishes we could go back and experience this era of music first hand like our parents and grandparents did, what an experience it must have been.

So put down all the modern hipster music that I normally review/suggest and just for an hour turn on the classics and see where it all originated.

Favorite Track: At Last

Feelings in a GIF:

The Great Unknowns

Melrose EP by Foy Vance (2012)

Track Listing:

1. Be the Song

2. Into the Fire

3. Something In The Water

4. Midnight Starlet

5. When All This Is Over

I was racking my brain trying to think of an artist for this category and went through every niche hipster band that no one has heard of and nothing really stood out. I was scrolling blankly down my Facebook newsfeed (as all bored kids stuck at home for summer tend to do) and noticed a friend of mine had liked this artist named, Foy Vance. First off, what a killer name, secondly he had a pretty awesome mustache, so naturally I was sold. After getting confirmation that this artist had great music in addition to the great name and mustache, I took a listen and I was blown away.

EPs have then tendency to leave us hanging, they don’t always have complete themes, or don’t show the artist’s full sound, etc. But not with the Melrose EP, after listening I had a solid idea of who Foy Vance was as an artist and I knew he was going to be on my list of favorites from now on. His voice has that haunting quality of singer/songwriters like Justin Vernon (Bon Iver) and Justin Ringle (Horse Feathers) and his melodies are reminiscent of City and Colour. The first track, Be The Song is one of the most beautiful songs I’ve ever heard (and considering how much music I listen to, that’s saying something) and though it’s a long one I could listen to it over and over again and still want to listen to it ten more times. Into The Fire explores the concept of faith and is one of those songs that really makes you think about your life as you sit beside your record player/computer/ipod/whatever-other-music-playing-device-is-out-there.

I hope Foy Vance becomes a more household name as the weeks go on and his first full length album debuts in August. Artists like Vance make you realize just how much great, homegrown, organic music is out there, you just have to go looking for it. Sometimes you find music through a website, that concert your uber-hipster friend drug you to in that strange venue downtown, or sometimes it’s just in catching up with a good friend that you’ll find an artist that renews your passion for good music.

Just get out there and listen.

Favorite Track: Tie between Be the Song and Into the Fire

Feelings in a GIF:

#city and colour #foy vance #etta james #oldies #classic #reviews #indie #alternative

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Week #9: The Modern Vampires of the City Went to Nickel Creek and Ate a Pomegranate

Newbies

Modern Vampires of the City by Vampire Weekend (2013)

Track Listing:

1. Obvious Bicycle

2. Unbelievers

3. Step

4. Diane Young

5. Don’t Lie

6. Hannah Hunt

7. Everlasting Arms

8. Finger Back

9. Worship You

10. Ya Hey

11. Hudson

12. Young Lion

Oh Vampire Weekend, I haven’t heard from them since that poppy song that had some hipsters jumping for joy and others crying in the corner from its mainstream popularity. But when I saw they had a new record out, I rushed to listen to it and I was not disappointed. Modern Vampires of the City is well constructed, well performed, and well written and an album I’m going to be listening to over and over again….so we can conclude I’m not one of those hipsters who cried in the corner over Vampire Weekend’s mainstream popularity.

Almost all of the songs on this album play like an anthem. They are the kind of songs you want to get out of your chair for and start dancing or pull out your lighter/cell phone and sway back and forth. When first listening to Diane Young I wanted dance around my room…FYI I’m not a dancer…at all (oh look, the ellipsis is back this week). Obvious Bicycle and Unbelievers showed me how the band has matured since their last album because there’s nothing worse than seeing a band stay static between albums. Each song has its own uniqueness and still manages to flow with the rest of the album. Worship You is one of the most interesting songs on the album and props to Ezra Koenig for being able to sing that fast…not sure what you’re saying, but I like it. The songs flies and then slows down during the choruses, not an easy feat, but these guys succeed.

So if you’re one of those hipsters who hate Vampire Weekend for no reason, break down the walls of your espresso coated hipster heart and let these guys back in. I’ve said this many times before on this blog, 2013 is one of the best years for music I’ve seen in a long time and these guys are a part of it. So don’t miss out on this record because it is one of the best of the year.

Favorite Track: Unbelievers

Feelings in a GIF:

Oldie But a Goodie

Nickel Creek by Nickel Creek (2000)

Track Listing:

1. Ode To A Butterfly

2. The Lighthouse’s Tale

3. Out Of The Woods

4. In The House of Tom Bombadil

5. Reasons Why

6. When You Come Back Down

7. Sweet Afton

8. Cuckoo’s Nest

9. The Hand Song

10. Robin and Marian

11. The Fox

12. Pastures New

Let me start this review off by saying this band was everything to me when I was in a middle school, back when I was an awkward, aspiring bluegrass musician…oh how times have changed into skinny jeans and hipsterdom. Nevertheless, (oooh transition words! Thank you AP English!) I still love this band to this day even though they have since parted ways and started their own independent projects.

Out of all of their albums, their self-titled album is their more traditional, but I use that word loosely. Looking back at this record I can see how even then they were planning ways to make their sound bigger and more diverse than any bluegrass band before them. As I’m typing this I’m listening to Tom Bombadil and hearing the bluegrass rhythm and trading off of solos, but the elements of classical music are evident in Chris Thile’s solos and there is a jazzy Latin style to Sean Watkin’s guitar solo. Throughout the album you can see the trio taking elements of traditional and molding them and transforming them into something never heard of before.

It’s not just the melodies on this album that break molds, but also the lyrics. Bluegrass storytelling has a tradition of being folktales spun into songs, broken hearted drinking songs, etc. But Nickel Creek took the thoughtful lyrics found in indie bands and brought them into bluegrass music. Song like Reasons Why, When You Come Back Down, and The Lighthouse’s Tale contain lyrics that still give me chills when I’m listening to them.

Nickel Creek has never been known for having simple music, it’s complex, layered, and these guys are experts on their instruments. Trust me, I spent hours learning these songs as a kid and in fact, some I’m still perfecting to this day. But the complexity of the album is what makes it so great and an album that challenged people’s pre-conceived notions of bluegrass music.

Favorite Track: When You Come Back Down

Feelings in a GIF:

The Great Unknowns

Pomegranate by Astronautalis (2008)

Track Listing:

1. The Wondersmith and His Sons

2. 17 Summers

3. Secrets of the Undersea Bell

4. My Old Man’s Badge

5. Two Years Before the Mast

6. Mr. Blessington’s Imperialist Plot

7. An Episode of Sparrows

8. The Case of William Smith

9. Trouble Hunters

10. Avalanche Patrol

11. The Most Important Track on the Album

12. The Story of My Life

Ever wanted an artist that can cross indie music with rap? Astronautalis is your go to guy. Andy Bothwell, better known as Astronautalis is one of the most unique artists out there. Before Mackelmore and other rappers who broke genre norms, there was Astronautalis. I’m still not sure why he hasn’t busted through into the mainstream yet…yes, he’s that good. I first heard about him when he toured in Europe with Tegan and Sara back in 2009, my first listen was to Pomegranate and I was hooked. I’d never been much for any type of rap, but Astronautalis was my exception.

The music surrounding his lyrics is indie alternative, you have stringed instruments, interesting, obscure sounding hipster sounds in the background, etc. He uses drums to give the songs a hip hop feel and back up his rhymes. On this album he had female accompaniment that added great layers to songs like 17 Summers and Two Years Before the Mast. Some of the songs like An Episode of Sparrows, he uses a type of spoken word. However, those songs are few and far between, songs like The Wondersmith and His Sons, The Case of William Smith, and Trouble Hunters he raps at the speed and precision of most hip hop artists out there.

His lyrics are impeccable. He uses historical events as the basis for his songs, stretching and pulling them to create a well written song. He has a tongue and cheek style in The Wondersmith and his Sons, but brings in the emotion on songs like 17 Summers and The Story of My Life. I could sit here all day and write about how fantastic I think Astronautalis is, but nothing compares to just taking the time to go and listen to this incredible artist. So, take a listen to this week’s playlist, you won’t be disappointed.

Favorite Track: 17 Summers

Feelings in a GIF:

#vampire weekend #nickel creek #astronautalis #reviews #indie rap #indie #alternative

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iminloveonfriday · 11 years

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Week #8: Dear Catastrophe Waitress, Trouble Will Find You and Give You a Kitten

These…titles….

And yes, I’m a day late..but I work retail and it’s Memorial Day Weekend, so yeah.

Newbies

Trouble Will Find Me by The National (2013)

Track Listing:

1. I Should Live in Salt

2. Demons

3. Fireproof

4. Sea of Love

5. Heavenfaced

6. This Is The Last Time

7. Graceless

8. Slipped

9. I Need My Girl

10. Humiliation

11. Pink Rabbits

12. Hard To Find

The National…where do I begin? Back when I was lonely freshman in college spending nights alone in my dorm room, The National kept me company (also began my obsession with suits and men’s fashions, these guys are DAPPER.) When explaining this band to my friends, I’ve always explained them as the grown up version of the The Strokes with suits on…best description ever. These guys are artists in every sense of the word, every note, every lyric is perfectly in place.

Trouble Will Find Me is The National’s greatest triumph. These are the best lyrics this band has ever come up with and trust me; I didn’t think anything could ever beat the perfection of Apartment Story off of their album Boxer (that song gives me chills even to this day). This isn’t an album you listen to while cooking dinner, doing homework, playing solitaire, or trying to beat that level of Candy Crush Saga that makes you want to pull your hair out because WHY IS IT SO HARD TO MATCH CANDY TOGETHER?!……This is an album you should take time to sit down and just listen to. Let it soak in because you don’t want to miss a word or chord. Let’s break down lyrical content, shall we?

Heavenfaced:

“I could walk out, but I won’t, In my mind I am in your arms. I wish someone would take my place, Can’t face heaven all heavenfaced. No one’s careful all the time, If you lose me, I’m gonna die.”

I Need My Girl:

“Remember when you lost your shit and Drove the car into the garden And you got out and said I’m sorry To the vines and no one saw it I need my girl.”

Slipped:

“I don’t want you to grieve But I want you to sympathize (alright) I can’t blame you for losing Your mind for a little while (so did I) I don’t want you to change But I want you to recognize (that I) It’ll be easy to cover Gather your skeletons far inside It’ll be summer in Dallas Before you realize That I’ll never be Anything you ever want me to be”

These lyrics y’all…maybe I’m a sucker for a good story told in obscure metaphors, maybe I’m just a dirty hipster (probably), but this album is worth a listen and worth a buy. Embrace your inner all black wearing, Williamsburg loving hipster and take a listen.

Favorite Track: Slipped

Feelings in a GIF:

Oldie But a Goodie

Dear Catastrophe Waitress by Belle & Sebastian (2003)

Track Listing:

1. Step Into My Office, Baby

2. Dear Catastrophe Waitress

3. If She Wants Me

4. Piazza, New York Catcher

5. Asleep On A Sunbeam

6. I’m A Cuckoo

7. You Don’t Send Me

8. Wrapped Up In Books

9. Lord Anthony

10. If You Find Yourself Caught In Love

11. Roy Walker

12. Stay Loose

Oh Scotland…we love you for your kilts, your ridiculous accents, and your breathtaking scenery…but most importantly we love you for Belle & Sebastian. Or, well, at least I do. Keeping with the tradition of British bands, these guys are fantastic.

And before we start…yes…2003 was TEN YEARS AGO. I know it’s horrible, we’re all getting OLD (I have SO MANY grey hairs you guys…I’m in my early twenties….help)

Like the regular twenty something girl, I have a fascination with times gone by…especially the 50s and 60s (apparently this week’s theme is…ELLIPSIS…). Belle & Sebastian reflect the reverb filled, overdrive of the 50s and 60s rock and this album displays the melding of the old and the new. New age lyrics infused with music styles of old. After listening to this album you’ll want to go buy the loudest shirt available, bell bottom pants, grown an afro, and start a commune…it’s that 60s y’all. So many people don’t realize that new age bands are recreating the sounds made famous by bands like The Beatles and The Monkees and they’re AMAZING at it. Songs like Roy Walker make you feel like you could be back in some hip music club in 1960s New York. Step Into My Office, Baby makes you want to dance around like those hipsters do at standing room only concerts (you know what I’m talking about? I’m usually just there like, “I’m content with rocking awkwardly back and forth and tapping my feet, but you go on with your free spirited self…”)

Needless to say if you’re feeling nostalgic but are too stuck in your iPhone, iPad, iWhateverelseapplecancomeupwithnext generation, give this CD a listen. You can get your obscure hipster lyrics and your 1960s rock and roll fix all at the same time…how great. Now, go listen!

Favorite Track: Step into My Office, Baby

Feelings in a GIF:

The Great Unknowns

Cut It Out EP by Kitten (2011)

Okay you guys. I’m calling it now. This band is going to be HUGE. I had the fantastic opportunity to see them open for Paramore earlier this week and MY GOODNESS GRACIOUS, these guys are flawless. Oh and did I mention the lead singer is only 17 or 18?! Yeah, what am I doing with my life? Writing music reviews that a grand total of 2 people read…yeah…re-evaluation time. Not only do they have great music, their stage presence is some of the best I’ve ever seen. Chloe never stays still, she stage dived, climbed monitors, ran through the audience. Their keyboard player and his outrageously long hipster bangs never stayed still. If these guys come to your area, do yourself a favor and GO, they’ll melt your faces off…literally.

After seeing them live, I was stoked to come home and give their music a listen, and I was not disappointed. Most of the songs off the EP were included in their live show. Cut it Out is just as good recorded as it is live, just add a ton of jumping and twice as much energy when you hear it live. These guys can rock with the best of them, but they aren’t afraid to throw in the synths and hipster it up, it’s reminiscent of some of the Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs music, so it’s fantastic. Japanese Eyes has a synth keyboard part that will keep you dancing for days. All of these songs are tight and show off the bands talents, but nothing compares to their live show. So go buy their record and then buy a ticket and see them live, you won’t regret it! Plus they are still at the stage where you can go and meet them after, always a plus!

Track Listing:

1. Cut It Out

2. Japanese Eyes

3. G#

4. Sugar

5. Junk

6. Christina

Favorite Track: Cut it Out

Feelings in a GIF:

#the national #belle and sebastian #Kitten #reviews #indie #alternative

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iminloveonfriday · 11 years

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Week #7: Who's Feeling Human Again in the Old World Underground?

Newbies

Human Again by Ingrid Michaelson (2013)

Track Listing:

1. Fire

2. This Is War

3. Do It Now

4. I’m Through

5. Blood Brothers

6. Black and Blue

7. Ribbons

8. How We Love

9. Palm of Your Hand

10. Ghost

11. In The Sea

12. Keep Warm

13. End of the World

Who doesn’t love Ingrid Michaelson??? I honestly don’t know, and if you don’t then leave now because I’m about to let out a flood of praise for this album, cause dang y’all. I was browsing around the web trying to decide what album to review and I realized Ingrid Michaelson’s new album came out this week and I was so glad I chose it. From the first song to the last, I was floored.

I always love an album that grabs you from the first chords and when I heard Fire, I knew I was going to love this album. I can easily see Fire, This is War, and Do it Now being the big hits for this album. I have to admit that with all the new music and artists I’ve come across in my life that some do get lost in the melee of it all and welp guys, Ingrid Michaelson was one…until now. I feel like I need to just stop typing and go listen to everything she’s ever released. I’m highly partial to female singer/songwriters anyway (probably cause I’m one too) and she is up at the top of my list from now on.

*Pause for rant* So is anyone else HIGHLY ANNOYED by the Lowes’ Spotify ads???!!! Yes? Okay. Good. Now. Back to my girl Ingrid…

My sources say (ha, look at me being all journalistic) that one of the songs on this album was featured on last night’s Grey’s Anatomy season finale…good choice Grey’s. You know you’ve put out a good record when Grey’s Anatomy features you on their soundtrack, best music supervision on television with a close second to HBO’s Girls. I can’t wait to see how this album takes off, songs like Keep Warm and I’m Through will be anthems for the lovesick and broken-hearted while songs like Blood Brothers will give us that warm fuzzy feeling inside.

I’m off to listen until this album until I can sing all the lyrics by heart.

Favorite Track: Keep Warm

Feelings in a GIF:

Oldie But a Goodie

Old World Underground, Where Are You Now by Metric (2003)

Track Listing:

1. I.O.U.

2. Hustle Rose

3. Succexy

4. Combat Baby

5. Calculation Theme

6. Wet Blanket

7. On a Slow Night

8. The List

9. Dead Disco

10. Love is a Place

I’ve been doing a lot of acoustic/laid back records on this blog so I thought it was high time I brought back some rock and roll. And who better than Metric? If you haven’t figured out by now I love female fronted bands and Metric is one of my all-time favorites. When I was looking through their discography to choose an album to review my mind said “2003? That’s not very long ago. I can’t use that in the Oldie category…OH WAIT. That was 10 YEARS ago!” Guys, getting old is NOT FUN (I’m really enjoying the ALL CAPS tonight).

Sometimes when you look back at a band’s earlier albums you can sometimes be disappointed because compared to their newer albums, the old just don’t compare. With Metric, this is not the case. Old World Underground is just as amazing as Fantasies and their other newer releases. I feel like most of me just loves this album because there is a song called Succexy (the sarcastic, sometimes witty side of myself LOVES that.) However witty titles aren’t all this album has to offer. Songs like Dead Disco and I.O.U make you want to get up and dance and songs like Love is Place and Hustle Rose tend to the wounded hipster hearts in us all.

This album reminds of the kind of record you’d want to listen too when you’re 15 and angry at the world. AKA the best kind of record. I’m off to retreat to my angry teenage years and properly enjoy this record.

Favorite Track: Dead Disco

Feelings in a GIF:

The Great Unknowns

Who’s Feeling Young Now? By Punch Brothers (2012)

Track Listing:

1. Movement and Location

2. This Girl

3. No Concern of Yours

4. Who’s Feeling Young Now?

5. Clara

6. Flippen (The Flip)

7. Patchwork Girlfriend

8. Hundred Dollars

9. Soon or Never

10. New York City

11. Kid A

12. Don’t Get Married Without Me

When I think of some of the best musicians alive, The Punch Brothers contain several of them. The names of Chris Thile, Gabe Witcher, Chris Eldridge, and Noam Pikelny won’t soon be forgotten. They took the traditional bluegrass styles of their predecessors like Bill Monroe and Earl Scruggs and made the genre and styles their own. As someone who used to make her way through the bluegrass circuit I can tell you breaking the mold of traditional bluegrass is a task not easily done. The Punch Brothers have broken that mold, heck, even shattered it and are still accepted within the bluegrass community…an extraordinary feat. All of their releases have been stellar but Who’s Feeling Young Now is one of my favorite records of all time and most definitely the best work the Punch Brothers have released.

The variety of songwriting and styles within this record are astounding. Songs like Movement and Location, Flippen (The Flip), New York City, and This Girl pay more attention to their bluegrass roots while songs like Soon or Never delve into almost Celtic roots to deliver the most beautiful track on the record. I’ve followed Chris Thile for years (not literally…though…sometimes…I’ve thought about it…I just really love him okay?! Kay.) and his songwriting took a new boldness with this record, his wit came out in songs like Patchwork Girlfriend which makes philandering out to be the most acceptable, kind of adorable thing in the world. Who’s Feeling Young Now and Hundred Dollars are just….unf. <—-Yep, I went there. I love Who’s Feeling Young Now so much that I’ve been teaching it to myself by ear…that takes dedication y’all.

The first time I heard any of these songs was during the concert they put on at Memorial Hall in October (aka best night of my life) and I remember hearing songs like Who’s Feeling Young Now and This Girl live and thinking how far Chris Thile has come since Nickel Creek and how far the rest of the guys have come from their days of just being backing musicians working in the small time. I can’t wait to see what these guys will do next because I know it will be even better than Who’s Feeling Young Now. Now I’m off to play mandolin until my fingers bleed.

Favorite Track: Soon or Never

Feelings in a GIF:

‘Til Next Week!

#ingrid michaelson #the punch brothers #metric #reviews #indie #alternative

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iminloveonfriday · 11 years

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Newbies

Volume 3 by She & Him (2013)

Track Listing:

1. I’ve Got Your Number, Son

2. Never Wanted Your Love

3. Baby

4. I Could’ve Been Your Girl

5. Turn to White

6. Somebody Sweet to Talk To

7. Something’s Haunting You

8. Together

#she and him #dixie chicks #an horse #indie #alternative #reviews

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iminloveonfriday · 11 years

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So here it is Week #5! A day late I know, but hey it’s finals week. But that being said, the extra day and all the studying allowed me a lot of time to really listen to this week’s picks. So here goes!

New Album

Bankrupt by Phoenix (2013)