Friday, December 28, 2007
Listening Too Long To One Song: Caribou "Sandy"
Funny how a song can sneak up on you. I remember listening to Andorra quite a bit earlier this year, and I remember "Sandy," being my favorite track on the album. I made a mental note that those would probably make my list of favorite albums of the year/favorite songs of the year, and to go back and listen to them again as the end of the year got closer. Sure enough, I was absolutely right in that prediction. Though I repeated the song maybe once or twice when listening to it earlier in the year, when I put it on last week something about it really grabbed me and I found myself walking an extra block before I made it home just so that I could hit repeat one more time. It's one of those songs that you feel like you can actually step inside of, well actually every song on the album fits that description, this is just the one that I would most want to. The measured drums and bells that open the song spill neatly into a wall of drums, bells, strings, flute, vibraphone, vocal harmonies AND backing ahh- ahhs. The prettiest psychedelic dream you ever happened to wander into. Speaking of which, check out the live performance of the song posted below. You could almost be fooled into thinking that they actually made this in the 60s if it weren't for the modern look of the video and, well, the presence of a laptop. If you want to hear the album version it's posted on their Myspace page.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Pop Sale!
If you ended up resorting to I.O.U.s for Christmas, and your friends and family are really into the Lucksmiths (or could potentially be really into the Lucksmiths,) you are in luck! Matinee Recordings is having a nifty little holiday sale with most cds/eps/10 inches, a dollar or 2 less than they normally sell for. And most of the 7 inches are going for the unbelievable bargain price of dollar or a dollar fifty! Surely you and everyone else in your life needs another 7 inch or two to add to the collection. You can see the complete list of items available here. There are also some downloadable holiday themed goodies on the label's sounds page including our most major long distance crush Math & Physics Club's unreleased cover of "Marshmallow World," and my very favorite Razorcuts song, "Snowbound." It's also probably worth your time to pay a visit to your own favorite record label's website if you haven't done so in awhile. You never know what treats may be in store for you. Happy hunting!
The Blue Light from the Christmas Strands is Beautiful
Hello all! I hope that everyone had a lovely Christmas complete with seriously great Christmas music. We switched to Michael Jackson's Number Ones, and Wolfie 7 inches by about 11 am where I was, but the day did begin with Bing Crosby and Ella Fitzgerald singing the classics.
I'm up early contemplating whether or not I realistically have time to make a compilation of my favorite songs of the year (normally, I have it together to give people in addition to their Christmas gifts.) Though, I am pet sitting this week which means a lot of nights in, and so many good songs to sort through...
Also, as a bit of a late Christmas present, and further proof that 2008 is going to be an awesome year for music. That song that the makers of my favorite album of 2007, A Sunny Day in Glasgow will have released as part of the Slumberland 7 inch series? A Pastels cover!!! They describe it like this:
"Slumberland Records will release our cover of the Pastels' "Sometimes I Think About You" on 7" in March of 08. We think it's a pretty cool cover. For reasons we don't understand at all, it kind of sounds like Underworld and maybe Neu! covering the Pastels? We don't know how it happened."
You can read that directly from the source, as well as some other interesting tidbits (other new singles, a potential new album, a vinyl release for Scribble Mural Comic Journal, etc.) here.
I'm up early contemplating whether or not I realistically have time to make a compilation of my favorite songs of the year (normally, I have it together to give people in addition to their Christmas gifts.) Though, I am pet sitting this week which means a lot of nights in, and so many good songs to sort through...
Also, as a bit of a late Christmas present, and further proof that 2008 is going to be an awesome year for music. That song that the makers of my favorite album of 2007, A Sunny Day in Glasgow will have released as part of the Slumberland 7 inch series? A Pastels cover!!! They describe it like this:
"Slumberland Records will release our cover of the Pastels' "Sometimes I Think About You" on 7" in March of 08. We think it's a pretty cool cover. For reasons we don't understand at all, it kind of sounds like Underworld and maybe Neu! covering the Pastels? We don't know how it happened."
You can read that directly from the source, as well as some other interesting tidbits (other new singles, a potential new album, a vinyl release for Scribble Mural Comic Journal, etc.) here.
Friday, December 21, 2007
I Made a List, I Wrote it all Down 3...2...1...Fiiive
My 5 favorite records of the year... countdown style!
5. The Clientele God Save the Clientele (Merge)
Bottom line is the Clientele make perfect records that are always rooted in the lush pop that they do better than almost anyone else recording music these days. The addition of a full time violinist/pianist adds to the enjoyment of the music, as do the elements of Nashville (where they recorded this one,) that show up in all the right places. I'm a huge fan of records that are good to take long walks to, and this one will accompany me on those for years to come.
4. Okkervil River The Stage Names
(Jagjaguwar)
This is the most lyrically compelling record I heard all year. Probably due to the fact that you feel every word that Will Sheff sings even (especially) the nasty ones. Because here's the kicker, even when our narrator is doing awful things, he's painfully aware that he is doing awful things. And the band is tight, and the music sounds big even on the more quiet songs. It's also been a long time since I've been affected by a semi-epic ballad that could have been lifted from the seventies, but "A Girl in Port" got to me in a way that no other song did this year. The stories contained in it are bittersweet, and the band picks up, and and then let's up in all the right places. Like Band of Horses' "The Funeral" last year, this song is so masterfully produced you kind of forget that it hasn't existed for years and years.
3. The Hepburns Something Worth Stealing (Radio Khartoum)
Okay, so the stage names was probably a technically better record than this one. God Save the Clientele too, but this is precisely the sort of British pop that I live for. Simple, deliciously clever, and it contains plenty of songs that one can bob one's head to. I will likely listen to this album more than any other on my list. I only have one of their previous albums on vinyl (The Magic of the Hepburns). I think 2008 will find me aiming to fix that.
2. Tullycraft Every Scene Needs a Center (Magic Marker)
And this is precisely the sort of American pop that I live for. Sure it's the most mature Tullycraft record to date, but it's still more fun to listen to than anything else I heard this year. And it's still a trademark Tullycraft record with nods to classic pop guitar, giddy ah-ah's/back up harmonies, and mile a minute obscure references many of which I won't get until next year, or the year after. When I do though, it's the most satisfying thing pretty much ever.
1. A Sunny Day in Glasgow Scribble Mural Comic Journal (Notenuf)
One of my friends played a song from this record on his radio show back in January. I didn't hear the show, but I saw the playlist. Naturally, I was intrigued by the band name, and asked my friend about them. He said they were good and sort of reminded him of the Cocteau Twins. To my knowledge he never played anything from this record again, but I finally heard it and here it is as my favorite record of the year. Go figure. The Cocteau Twins reference makes sense. It's all heavily layered instruments/vocals/vocals as instruments, distortion pedals, and the result is (in my opinion) the noisest, prettiest, most compelling overall record of the year.
Honorable mention in no particular order:
Betty Lavette with the Drive by Truckers The Scene of the Crime (Anti)
Sweet soul from a master with everyone's favorite Southern indie rockers as her capable backing band. The music speaks for itself.
Caribou Andorra (Merge)
Mmmmm, bells, lot's of bells.
Sister Vanilla Little Pop Rock (Chemikal Underground)
This record is just flat out cool. A nice offering from the Jesus & Mary Chain with the neat twist of Linda Reid as the lead vocalist.
Malcolm Middleton A Brighter Beat (Full Time Hobby)
More great, witty, and at times heartbreaking Scottish pop. It opens with the hilarious juxtaposition of upbeat music to downer lyrics on "We're all Going to Die," the rest of the album carries on from there.
Jay-Z
American Gangster (Roc-A-Fella)
I think that there are very few people out there who need to be convinced that Jay-Z does what he does oh so well. I still need to see the film that inspired tis album.
BOAT Let's Drag Our Feet! (Magic Marker)
BOAT make accessible/weird pop music that sounds like no one else who makes accessible/weird pop music.
John Vanderslice Emerald City (Barsuk)
Twenty years from now (if you still attend rock shows twenty years from now) you will be standing at a venue, and hear a kid in front of you ask the kid next to him/her, "Have you heard (insert John Vanderslice album here?) he's got to be one of the most important artists of the 21st century."
Exciting EPs/singles:
Le Switch Hello Today (Self Released)
Super tight musicianship, killer melodies that you'll hum for days, and vocals that will stay with you even longer.
Math & Physics Club Baby I'm Yours (Matinee)
More of that lush elegant pop music that they are brilliant at. Gorgeous melodies, whistful vocals, the always pleasant sound of prominent violin, and even an electro-pop song this time around!
Los Campesinos! Sticking Fingers Into Sockets (Arts & Crafts/Wichita)
Endlessly charming, giddiness inducing, and just plain fun!
Black Kids Wizard of Ahhhs (Self Released)
They got pretty huge pretty fast never having toured and whatnot. I sure do wish that I had made it to Athens Popfest this year to see them in a small venue. Sigh, good for them though. This Ep was a lot of fun to listen to.
Horowitz Tracyanne (Cloudberry)
"Popkids of the World Unite," They sold me on that one. Though all of the songs are so sweet and fuzzy.
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart The Pains of Being Pure at Heart (Painbow)
British indipop circa the mid to late eighties cleverly updated by American kids circa now.
Anything that was released on the YAY! label this year.
See the description above, although this label doesn't so much update their influences as they pay perfect homage to them. They release singles that come with posters, and handmade drawings directing you to the YAY! website, and they publish fanzines with stories of record stores, rock clubs, and of course, bands. It doesn't get much more DIY than this. And the music contained on the singles sounds like it could have been released by any one of the labels that inspired them (Sarah, K, Subway, 53rd & 3rd, etc.) By far my favorite musical discovery of the year made even better by the fact that a label like this exists so close to where I live.
There were so many releases that I either didn't hear, or spend enough time with. Some will surely grab me next year, and I will kick myself for not including them here. Others I will miss all together. This makes me sad, but it just proves that 2007 was a better year for music than most gave it credit for. And 2008 promises to be even better! Be on the lookout here for Squaregirl Kristen's favorites list which will appear soon. And I'm sure I'll come up with something to write about over the next week. Until then, merry everything!
5. The Clientele God Save the Clientele (Merge)
Bottom line is the Clientele make perfect records that are always rooted in the lush pop that they do better than almost anyone else recording music these days. The addition of a full time violinist/pianist adds to the enjoyment of the music, as do the elements of Nashville (where they recorded this one,) that show up in all the right places. I'm a huge fan of records that are good to take long walks to, and this one will accompany me on those for years to come.
4. Okkervil River The Stage Names
(Jagjaguwar)
This is the most lyrically compelling record I heard all year. Probably due to the fact that you feel every word that Will Sheff sings even (especially) the nasty ones. Because here's the kicker, even when our narrator is doing awful things, he's painfully aware that he is doing awful things. And the band is tight, and the music sounds big even on the more quiet songs. It's also been a long time since I've been affected by a semi-epic ballad that could have been lifted from the seventies, but "A Girl in Port" got to me in a way that no other song did this year. The stories contained in it are bittersweet, and the band picks up, and and then let's up in all the right places. Like Band of Horses' "The Funeral" last year, this song is so masterfully produced you kind of forget that it hasn't existed for years and years.
3. The Hepburns Something Worth Stealing (Radio Khartoum)
Okay, so the stage names was probably a technically better record than this one. God Save the Clientele too, but this is precisely the sort of British pop that I live for. Simple, deliciously clever, and it contains plenty of songs that one can bob one's head to. I will likely listen to this album more than any other on my list. I only have one of their previous albums on vinyl (The Magic of the Hepburns). I think 2008 will find me aiming to fix that.
2. Tullycraft Every Scene Needs a Center (Magic Marker)
And this is precisely the sort of American pop that I live for. Sure it's the most mature Tullycraft record to date, but it's still more fun to listen to than anything else I heard this year. And it's still a trademark Tullycraft record with nods to classic pop guitar, giddy ah-ah's/back up harmonies, and mile a minute obscure references many of which I won't get until next year, or the year after. When I do though, it's the most satisfying thing pretty much ever.
1. A Sunny Day in Glasgow Scribble Mural Comic Journal (Notenuf)
One of my friends played a song from this record on his radio show back in January. I didn't hear the show, but I saw the playlist. Naturally, I was intrigued by the band name, and asked my friend about them. He said they were good and sort of reminded him of the Cocteau Twins. To my knowledge he never played anything from this record again, but I finally heard it and here it is as my favorite record of the year. Go figure. The Cocteau Twins reference makes sense. It's all heavily layered instruments/vocals/vocals as instruments, distortion pedals, and the result is (in my opinion) the noisest, prettiest, most compelling overall record of the year.
Honorable mention in no particular order:
Betty Lavette with the Drive by Truckers The Scene of the Crime (Anti)
Sweet soul from a master with everyone's favorite Southern indie rockers as her capable backing band. The music speaks for itself.
Caribou Andorra (Merge)
Mmmmm, bells, lot's of bells.
Sister Vanilla Little Pop Rock (Chemikal Underground)
This record is just flat out cool. A nice offering from the Jesus & Mary Chain with the neat twist of Linda Reid as the lead vocalist.
Malcolm Middleton A Brighter Beat (Full Time Hobby)
More great, witty, and at times heartbreaking Scottish pop. It opens with the hilarious juxtaposition of upbeat music to downer lyrics on "We're all Going to Die," the rest of the album carries on from there.
Jay-Z
American Gangster (Roc-A-Fella)
I think that there are very few people out there who need to be convinced that Jay-Z does what he does oh so well. I still need to see the film that inspired tis album.
BOAT Let's Drag Our Feet! (Magic Marker)
BOAT make accessible/weird pop music that sounds like no one else who makes accessible/weird pop music.
John Vanderslice Emerald City (Barsuk)
Twenty years from now (if you still attend rock shows twenty years from now) you will be standing at a venue, and hear a kid in front of you ask the kid next to him/her, "Have you heard (insert John Vanderslice album here?) he's got to be one of the most important artists of the 21st century."
Exciting EPs/singles:
Le Switch Hello Today (Self Released)
Super tight musicianship, killer melodies that you'll hum for days, and vocals that will stay with you even longer.
Math & Physics Club Baby I'm Yours (Matinee)
More of that lush elegant pop music that they are brilliant at. Gorgeous melodies, whistful vocals, the always pleasant sound of prominent violin, and even an electro-pop song this time around!
Los Campesinos! Sticking Fingers Into Sockets (Arts & Crafts/Wichita)
Endlessly charming, giddiness inducing, and just plain fun!
Black Kids Wizard of Ahhhs (Self Released)
They got pretty huge pretty fast never having toured and whatnot. I sure do wish that I had made it to Athens Popfest this year to see them in a small venue. Sigh, good for them though. This Ep was a lot of fun to listen to.
Horowitz Tracyanne (Cloudberry)
"Popkids of the World Unite," They sold me on that one. Though all of the songs are so sweet and fuzzy.
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart The Pains of Being Pure at Heart (Painbow)
British indipop circa the mid to late eighties cleverly updated by American kids circa now.
Anything that was released on the YAY! label this year.
See the description above, although this label doesn't so much update their influences as they pay perfect homage to them. They release singles that come with posters, and handmade drawings directing you to the YAY! website, and they publish fanzines with stories of record stores, rock clubs, and of course, bands. It doesn't get much more DIY than this. And the music contained on the singles sounds like it could have been released by any one of the labels that inspired them (Sarah, K, Subway, 53rd & 3rd, etc.) By far my favorite musical discovery of the year made even better by the fact that a label like this exists so close to where I live.
There were so many releases that I either didn't hear, or spend enough time with. Some will surely grab me next year, and I will kick myself for not including them here. Others I will miss all together. This makes me sad, but it just proves that 2007 was a better year for music than most gave it credit for. And 2008 promises to be even better! Be on the lookout here for Squaregirl Kristen's favorites list which will appear soon. And I'm sure I'll come up with something to write about over the next week. Until then, merry everything!
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Yesterday's Gone, and Tomorrow Has so Much More in Store
While I'm still finalizing my list of favorite records of 2007 I thought that it might be a good time to skip ahead to 2008 and mention a few records that I'm most excited for. This is right off the top of my head so I'll probably miss a few things, and that's where you come in! Please leave anything, and everything that you are looking forward to in the next year in the comments section below.
Obviously, I'm pretty excited about the Slumberland Records 7 inch series. There is also the release of the first Grand Archives full length, the newish project from Matt Brooke of Carissa's Wierd and Band of Horses fame. I just adored their self released Ep so I can't wait to have more from them. And heads up, they are playing the Troubadour on February 29 with fellow Seattle darlings Fleet Foxes. Based on what I've heard about the live shows of both bands, my calendar is marked. Kelley Stoltz released one of the best records of 2006 so I can't wait to hear his new effort, Circular Sounds. Hearing an LP from Le Switch is the most exciting thing to me on the local front. New Nada Surf makes me smile, I'm intrigued by the long awaited Chris Walla solo record, and new Mountain Goats always makes for an occasion to celebrate (especially since there was no new Mountain Goats record in 2007!) Of course I'm most looking forward to that elusive new Pastels record which was reported to be released at the end of 2006. Now they are reportedly mixing it with John McEntire (Tortoise, The Sea and Cake) sometime early next year. Fingers crossed for a 2008 release! They are also working on a collaboration with Tokyo band Tenniscoats. Alright, that's all I've got before I rush off to work. As I said, I'm sure I missed a ton of stuff. Please leave it below for me to smack my forehead over when I get home.
Obviously, I'm pretty excited about the Slumberland Records 7 inch series. There is also the release of the first Grand Archives full length, the newish project from Matt Brooke of Carissa's Wierd and Band of Horses fame. I just adored their self released Ep so I can't wait to have more from them. And heads up, they are playing the Troubadour on February 29 with fellow Seattle darlings Fleet Foxes. Based on what I've heard about the live shows of both bands, my calendar is marked. Kelley Stoltz released one of the best records of 2006 so I can't wait to hear his new effort, Circular Sounds. Hearing an LP from Le Switch is the most exciting thing to me on the local front. New Nada Surf makes me smile, I'm intrigued by the long awaited Chris Walla solo record, and new Mountain Goats always makes for an occasion to celebrate (especially since there was no new Mountain Goats record in 2007!) Of course I'm most looking forward to that elusive new Pastels record which was reported to be released at the end of 2006. Now they are reportedly mixing it with John McEntire (Tortoise, The Sea and Cake) sometime early next year. Fingers crossed for a 2008 release! They are also working on a collaboration with Tokyo band Tenniscoats. Alright, that's all I've got before I rush off to work. As I said, I'm sure I missed a ton of stuff. Please leave it below for me to smack my forehead over when I get home.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Listening Too Long To One Song: A Sunny Day in Glasgow "C'mon"
It's time of year when everyone who likes to write about music feels the urge to present a best of list, and I'm no exception. Okay, I'm actually giddy over the fact that I get to present a best of list, although I'm presenting more of a favorites list. I'm nowhere near qualified, nor did I hear enough new records this year to determine which ones were actually the best. For the past few days I've been going back to the records that really stood out to me this year. I've also been trying desperately to catch up on the ones that I know I will enjoy, but just haven't been able to purchase yet. Even though there are still one or two that I need to spend more time with, I'm fairly confident that Scribble Mural Comic Journal the first full length from A Sunny Day in Glasgow will end up as my favorite. Needless to say, I've been listening to it a lot lately.
C'mon wasn't necessarily the song that grabbed me when I first fell in love with this record earlier in the year, but for some reason this time around it really has. Something to do with the slightly off instrumentation, the effects given to the vocals to make them sound like a beautifully distorted children's song, the way it all sounds so perfect in my headphones while walking around Echo Park on a chilly, dark, and slightly rainy afternoon. The video is posted below so you can hear it for yourself.
You can read an interview with Ben Daniels, the mastermind behind this project, here.
Oh! And did you hear that A Sunny Day in Glasgow are planning to release a 7 inch for Slumberland Record's Searching for the Now series sometime in 2008? I can hardly wait for that to start. Who's ready to jump immediately into the next year with me?
C'mon wasn't necessarily the song that grabbed me when I first fell in love with this record earlier in the year, but for some reason this time around it really has. Something to do with the slightly off instrumentation, the effects given to the vocals to make them sound like a beautifully distorted children's song, the way it all sounds so perfect in my headphones while walking around Echo Park on a chilly, dark, and slightly rainy afternoon. The video is posted below so you can hear it for yourself.
You can read an interview with Ben Daniels, the mastermind behind this project, here.
Oh! And did you hear that A Sunny Day in Glasgow are planning to release a 7 inch for Slumberland Record's Searching for the Now series sometime in 2008? I can hardly wait for that to start. Who's ready to jump immediately into the next year with me?
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