Cleaning House before the Holidays

I just couldn't find a particular album to blog about today, so I hope you will settle for some odds and ends, at least until I get fed up with my inability to focus on anything and quit in mid-sentence. I gave some thought to blogging about Neko Case's The Tigers Have Spoken, but decided that my knowledge of the material wasn't current enough to do it. Maybe another day.

I am fairly excited that both Neko Case and A.C. Newman are putting out solo albums in 2009! Newman is touring to support his album - hopefully Case will, too - so with any luck, I'll have at least one decent show to go to next year.

Christmas is coming up. I can't lie to a blog, even, I don't enjoy the holidays much. But it will be kind of nice to see family, and just be out of the office for a few days. Hopefully the weather is nice or at least not terribly seasonal.

Also I am going to see the Dandy Warhols for New Year's! More on this to come, but I'm already excited.

Films of 2008

Today, there will be no to very little music discussion. Today, I'm going to discuss the films I saw in 2008. Specifically, I'll list the 10 best, in reverse order. Note: I haven't seen Milk yet, but hope to this weekend. From what I hear, Milk may be good enough to bump some of these films down. To be fair, though, this hasn't been the best year for movies - the past two were much stronger. Anyway:

#10: Be Kind Rewind. This was pretty lighthearted, but entertaining, and very clever in places. Some decent laughs to be had here. It also gets filed under 'what if', as the Mos Def part was supposed to be played by Dave Chappelle. While I like Mos Def, it's hard to say that this wasn't a missed opportunity. Still, not a bad film, fun for what it was.

#9: WALL-E. Probably the least impressive Pixar film I've seen, but still visually stunning. I don't know that I could sympathize with the characters much, and it was fairly preachy for an 'all ages' film. But it was amusing. Started strong but petered out in the second half.

#8: Burn After Reading. I couldn't decide what to make of this film, as it wasn't funny enough to be a comedy, but not really serious enough for a drama. The whole thing seemed to be one extended, violent episode of Seinfeld, really. Still, all the parts worked together well, and it had a couple genuine laughs in it. Without giving away too much, Brad Pitt's character was the best part of the movie, though the other principal players were strong.

#7: Paranoid Park. Hard to decide whether this or Rambow should be #6. This was a dark, quiet film, the kind that eventually gave some of its secrets away but not willingly. Pretty well presented. I don't know, maybe I'm just a sucker for noir. I feel like this film had potential for a much more dramatic climax, but maybe I just wanted it to be Brick too badly.

#6: Son of Rambow. This was more like what Be Kind Rewind should have been: a whimsical film that is basically fueled by the imagination of children. Not my favorite movie, by any means, but it had as much good-natured charm as anything I've seen this year. I don't know anyone else who saw it, and that's a shame.

#5: Iron Man. It's rare that I enjoy blockbuster films, the type full of 'splosions and big names. This film was very polished, but it still succeeded on a lot of levels. It was exceptionally well cast, and the special effects didn't get in the way. Also, I never really read Iron Man comics, but I have to say the ending was a pleasant surprise. I'm not against big-budget action films, but they rarely have much appeal for me. While this one might not have been impeccable, it was certainly good by any stretch of the imagination.

#4: Redbelt. This was a really well done, reserved drama that most people probably didn't see. It owes a lot of its success to the actors, Chiwetel Eijofor (spelling) in particular. This is what martial arts films should be like - character-driven and thought out, not all alpha-dog posturing and preening. I will admit that the film ends too conveniently, but it wasn't enough to spoil an otherwise fine piece.

#3: In Bruges. I came out of this film contemplative, partially impressed by how clever it was, but partially wondering why so many plots failed where this one got all the details right. It was a well-cast film, with solid characters, and a script that didn't get ahead of itself. The film itself was wonderful to watch, as the city of Bruges really elevated a film that would have suffered if set in New York City or some other generic metropolis. Perhaps the sum of the parts wasn't quite enough to endear itself to me, as it lacked something I could really connect with, but it probably had the fewest weak links of any film I saw this year.

#2: The Dark Knight. Fine. Yell at me for not putting this #1. Do it. This film had some faults, but let's start with the good points, which were not hard to find. Wonderfully shot, just enough special effects, well acted, Morgan Freeman. All the moral ambiguity and consequences were timely and completely rational. And Heath Ledger. If this wasn't one of the two or three best performances I've seen in a film, I don't know what would beat it. I wish he would have laughed a little more in the movie - I guess I'm partial to the Joker from the animated Batman cartoon of the 90's, who seemed to enjoy himself a little more - but it's a minor gripe about a mountain of gold. I think he does fit with the gritty tone of the movie exceptionally well, to be fair. If anything, the film is somewhat heavy-handed, particularly when Ledger isn't onscreen, and it could have easily been 30 minutes shorter. Still, this is exactly what a superhero film should be, with respect to Iron Man: not just tights and 'splosions, but moral consequences and questions about what is right and how far is too far.

#1: The Fall. I doubt if you saw this, either. It essentially had two films in one, and both of them were pretty great. It managed to be visually stunning without making a spectacle or losing sight of the intimate portion of the film. Yes, this film owes a fair debt to The Princess Bride, and while it isn't as light-hearted, it also isn't as tongue-in-cheek. Sometimes it was absolutely somber, other times very pulpy, but the end product was amazing. Some films manage to be epic and grand, while others strive for emotional resonance; this film managed to do both. Some of the stories I've read about this movie, specifically about the details of how it was filmed, really emphasize how wonderful it is. I suppose I might argue that it doesn't aim as high as The Dark Knight, but it also came closer to realizing its potential more often. (In comparison, I thought In Bruges had a lower ceiling than either of these two films, but came closest to reaching it.)

So there you have it. Feel free to disagree with me, or don't. Either way, this wasn't the greatest year for movies - while I liked The Fall a great deal, it didn't give me the same feeling that Once or Brick did, and my top 10 from this year felt weaker than the last two years. Hopefully Milk will be a positive experience - even if it's just fair, I appreciate the attention being given to a worthy subject. Also, I'm looking forward to the adaptation of The Road, which should be out early next year.

Coming soon: some more music news.

In Other News:
I am physically beat today. Still going to the gym, though.

Screw winter.

Lucky

Today's Music of the Day is Nada Surf's Lucky. This is something I picked up from the library, for no real reason other than I would have felt guilty for checking out all the John Coltrane albums that were in. I wish I had some other history with Nada Surf, as they seem to be popular with some of the kids, but I don't. Maybe this will work in my favor, allowing me to evaluate the music objectively; we'll see.

I'm kind of on the fence about this album. It sort of sounds like teenage heartbreak, as though most of the songs here could have been used as theme music for Dawson's Creek spin-offs (yes, I know I'm dating myself a little here). However, the album isn't all that bad. It's not overly preening or facile, and has some nice instrumentation in places. These moments are fleeting, though, and they aren't enough to compensate for an album that is too tender and weepy to really be enjoyable or interesting.

In Short: You might like this album, and while I wouldn't think less of you for feeling so, I also wouldn't agree with you. It's nice enough, I guess, but for an album to run on emotion, the heart needs to bleed a little bit.

In Other News:
Decent weekend, all things considered. Winter is here, though, and I'm annoyed by it.

Coming Soon: my 'films of 2008 review'. Maybe. It all depends on whether I get around to seeing 'Milk' this weekend or not, and whether I feel like waiting to see it before posting my list.

Cellar Door

First off, I want to apologize if you saw the title and immediately got excited about Donnie Darko. I would have. Unfortunately, the title of today's post is the subject's album title. I hope you'll read anyway; I'll probably talk about Donnie Darko after the normal blog topic.

Moving on, today's Music of the Day is Cellar Door, by John Vanderslice. This album came to me by way of the public library, having stumbled upon it one day at random. I almost immediately claimed it for checkout, because of A) the aforementioned Donnie Darko connection, and B) I had no idea who John Vanderslice was at the time.

Enough with the history lessons; that's what Wikipedia is for. Let's talk about the music.

This is something of a pop album, but it's not really pop in the sense that, say, the New Pornographers are pop. These songs are very tightly controlled, to the point that the tension affects the mood, and consequently the entire sound is unfriendly without being dark. It isn't much like the Church or the Cure, but I would place his sound somewhere along the lines of Echo and the Bunnymen.

Cellar Door is hardly unlistenable; it's a pretty good album. However, it's not an easy listen, as the album is as stern and tense as any pop album I've listened to in recent memory. The lyrics are good, very good in places; the soundscape is busy but cooperative. The instruments are very rough, and the percussion almost industrial at times, but everything is moving - or at least being pulled - in the same direction. Listening to this album, though, gives a person all of the tension and very little of the resolution. It is sort of a strange effect, an album with such clearly defined emotional boundaries, but it's not a failure by any means.

There are some songs I care for more than others, here; 'June July' isn't bad, but it's hardly an inspired choice for an album closer. The opener, 'Pale Horse', isn't horribly dramatic, but it does set the tone well. My favorite song on this album, 'Promising Actress', is possibly the most well-resolved song. (It also happens to be about David Lynch's Mulholland Drive, one of the more interesting movies I've seen, a pretty good film but not Lynch's magnum opus.)

In short: interesting if not pleasing. Listenable but maybe not for you? Hard to say.

In Coincidental News:
It was J.R.R. Tolkien who said that 'cellar door' was one of the most pleasing phrases in the English language, but I'm willing to bet that I'm not the only one who heard this idea first from Donnie Darko. Lately, I've been hearing a lot of music from the soundtrack of this film. Recently I heard Gary Jules's rendition of "Mad World" at a bar, and on Sunday I heard the Church's "Under the Milky Way". (Both great songs.) I also heard the Echo and the Bunnymen song "The Killing Moon" (?) somewhere, recently, though it escapes me at present. Maybe it just means I should watch Donnie Darko again; I suspect the film is a little dated, and probably less mature than I want to believe, but I'd be hard pressed not to encourage anyone to watch it. I suppose there is a greater debate here, whether it's best to look at something objectively or to enjoy it in spite of its flaws, but this blog has gone on long enough for one day.

In Other News:
I think my foot is good enough for capoeira again. Yays!

This weekend should be fun if everything doesn't happen at once.

Covers and Misc.?

Today's Music isn't an album, it's actually a mix disc of cover songs that a friend gave me. I sort of listened to it on Saturday, but I wasn't really in a mood to blog, so I suppose this will happen today. But first, as is my style, I will devise a scale on which to rate these songs. Today's scale is going to be pie. As always, feel free to disagree with my taste in music, or pie. With no further interruptions, the scale, listed from the bottom up:

Chicken Pot Pie: I don't think I've actually had one of these in fifteen years or more, and for good reason. Yikes.
Mincemeat Pie: Save this one for my grandma, I'll pass.
American Pie: let's go with the Don McLean song, which has its moments but mostly ruins its charm by being four times as long as would be necessary, and not the crappy movie with Eugene Levy.
Cherry Pie: Not necessarily bad, just not really my thing.
Lemon Meringue Pie: Pretty good, just can't compete with the better fruit pies.
Apple Pie: Solid if unspectacular, a good choice if not always special.
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie: Oh, goodness. Now we're talking.
Raspberry Pie: In this case, top of the line. I am particularly thinking of a raspberry pie from a family holiday a few years ago, made by my grandmother, that was so tart that my younger cousins couldn't eat it. Wow. What a pie.

Well, enough pie talk, as I am getting hungry. Let's get to the music:
*P.M. Dawn - medley with '1999' and others - okay, not a bad start. Cherry Pie.

*Dolly Parton - 'Shine' - actually better than the original, still not a great song. Dolly Parton deserves more attention for her music, which is underrated, to be honest. Lemon Meringue Pie.

*Wire Waltz - 'Modern Love' - pretty good stuff, a nice slow burn, very much in the vein of Mazzy Star with a dash of twang. I'm not sure exactly where to rate this one, but it probably warrants a Strawberry Rhubarb Pie.

*Chris Cornell - 'Billie Jean' - not bad, I guess; I just can't get behind Chris Cornell trying to rein in his voice for an acoustic cover like this. Good intentions, but undelivered promises. Cherry Pie.

*Counting Crows - 'Borderline' - this song seems to suit their style; it's too bad they didn't have much in the way of style to begin with. Not awful, I guess, but very pleasant in a conservative white-underwear sort of way. Sometimes, though, this band makes groups like The Hold Steady look like the hardest rock band imaginable. We'll say American Pie.

*Cat Power - 'New York' - yeah, it's probably unfair that Cat Power gets a pass but Counting Crows draw my ire. This song is actually a little atypical of Cat Power's sound, but it still works okay. Lemon Meringue Pie.

*The Automatic - 'Gold Digger' - I didn't care for this too much. Kind of cute in a spastic sort of way, but not really an improvement. Mincemeat Pie.

*Antony and the Johnsons - 'Crazy in Love' - yeah, not so much. Though I blame Beyonce for putting out a pretty crappy song to begin with. Still, the melodramatic delivery doesn't work for me here. Mincemeat Pie.

*Puracane - 'Summertime Rolls' - this one has a great album title, "Things You Should Leave Alone". This one is a little too 'hey it's 1998 and let's do dancey remixes of everything' but it's not that bad. A much better use of style than the previous two. Cherry Pie.

*Willis - 'Word Up' - pretty decent, at least better than the Korn version of this song. This one works better than some of the previous string-based efforts; it's not my all-time favorite but I kind of like it. Apple Pie.

*Donny Hathaway - 'Jealous Guy' - nice enough but see the Counting Crows entry above. Really, I didn't care for this at all; 'blue-eyed soul' generally means 'elevator music' to me. Chicken Pot Pie.

*Trinidad Steel Drummers - 'Cissy Strut' - no score given. The recording was too faint for me to make heads or tails of any actual sound.

*Ramsey Lewis - 'Dear Prudence' - all strings and Muzak, basically. Probably has to go with Mincemeat Pie, simply because the world doesn't really need an orchestral version of a Beatles tune.

*Prince - 'A Case of U' - not so bad. Not really my style - it's a sweet ballad with minimal percussion and dominant piano, but it's simple enough and plays to its strengths. Lemon Meringue Pie.

*Pucho and his Latin Soul Brothers - 'Got Myself a Good Man' - not bad, takes a little time to get going, though. All instrumental, not super but definitely listenable. Lemon Meringue Pie.

*Aretha Franklin - 'Border Song (Holy Moses)' - yeah. It's wicked good. Maybe not everyone appreciates Aretha, but some people are fools. Strawberry Rhubarb Pie, and that's really not fair.

*Nina Simone - 'Suzanne' - okay, I guess, but too schmaltzy. Probably American Pie at best.

*Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 - 'For What It's Worth' - decent but not really on the money; fun but not ultimately very satisfying. Cherry Pie.

*The Brother's Rap - 'The Revolution Will Not Be Televised' - this is a gimmick track but it's a good one. Man, do I love sassy kids. It only loses points because spoken word tracks like this are basically a novelty, though this one has a good message. Strawberry Rhubarb Pie.

*Ray Charles - 'Living For the City' - maybe too busy at times, but you will have respect for Mister Ray Charles. The early part of the song, where it's just Ray, is amazing. When the other singers come in, it's not bad, but it's like putting some kind of condiment on a perfect, juicy steak. It's just more, and while it doesn't spoil everything, it's not really better. Strawberry Rhubarby Pie, and apologies to Ray.

*Nina Gordon - 'Straight Outta Compton' - yeah. Pretty good in its own right, and all the sweetly sung vulgarity is just glorious. Perfect way to close a covers album, just enough to make me wish the whole album was like that. Raspberry Pie, all the way.

So there you have it: some real stinkers, strong efforts by the folks with serious chops, a couple novelties, and a real dynamite send-off. Thanks to The Cheese for this disc!

In Other News:
Pretty good weekend, just what I needed. I didn't get everything I wanted - my foot hurt too much last night for running, among other things - but it was fun.

Christmas

Today's Surprisingly Tolerable Holiday Music is Christmas, by Low. This album was given to me as a gift, partially because I mentioned it some time ago, but possibly a little bit to make me dislike the holidays less. Yes, I'm something of a Grinch, particularly about Christmas music. I suppose I wouldn't dislike it so much if I wasn't browbeaten with it from the moment Thanksgiving ends until the moment Christmas Day ends.

Anyway, this album sounds exactly like what would be expected from a reserved, semi-minimalist band writing Christmas songs. They're not festive, exactly, but more like Low songs that happen to be about Christmas. There are a couple covers here, which don't sound out of place, but the album is mostly originals.

This isn't really Bing Crosby Christmas music, nor is it music for a warm Christmas with your loved ones. It's more Christmas music for softly falling snow and cold winds, the kind of music that wants to celebrate the holidays but which brings a mood more fitting for a chilly night spent inside. I'm glad Low put out this album when they did, as the band's sound has changed a little, and the overall effect of a Christmas album put out under a vintage Low sound is more powerful than something under their modern ideas (which aren't bad, just more accessible).

In Other News:
Man this week has been a struggle. Maybe the weekend will lift my spirits? Who knows. But even as I complain, somewhere, people are outside in this frigid December, working or just trying not to starve or freeze to death. My 'problems' are all relative, whether they seem that way all the time or not.

Receivers

Today's Music of the Day is Receivers, by Parts & Labor. This band's previous album, Mapmaker, was something reviewed here at Support Your Local Catgun in the recent past, and it certainly received the acclaim, if not attention, that it deserved. Apparently, after the release of the excellent Mapmaker, the band's drummer left. (This is possibly due to 'creative differences', or maybe because of a freak gardening accident that the authorities decided was best left alone.) So how did things hold up?

Fairly well, actually. The sound is definitely different - there are drums, but they carry much less of the record. This album seems to be a little more vocal-driven; the melodies are still present, but they're less confrontational. Sometimes the edge is clearly missed - "The Ceasing Now" has about a 15% rock to 85% drag ration - but this album is far from awful. It very much makes me think of a similar situation with another band - The Secret Machines - that released one very good album (Now Here is Nowhere) and followed up with another album that was fair but not up to the first album's standard.

Still, there are good songs, particularly "Satellites" and "Nowhere's Nigh". "Wedding in a Wasteland" has a fairly awful title but it is one of the better tracks here. I also like the way the songs transition right into each other - a number of albums that I'm especially fond of share this trait. Even the weaker songs aren't terrible, though they could stand to bump the volume by 10% and the tempo by 20%.

In short, this is a nice album with some strong moments, but Parts & Labor should probably get their drummer back.

In Other News:
More freakin' snow.

Today is going to be better than yesterday, I can already tell. A good workout will do me wonders, though. I feel okay, just haven't felt like myself for a couple days.

Cannery Hours

Today's Music That Jason Actually Didn't Steal is Cannery Hours, by a band called The Occasion. What I know about the band is minimal; I got this album from eMusic after having heard one of its tracks on Pandora. Thus far, the reviews are positive, but perhaps not overwhelmingly so.

Cannery Hours is an introspective album, one that has a message but doesn't really ever beat you about the head with it. This album is so quiet and unobtrusive that it might be mistaken for a soundtrack at first listen. It's not really light, though; the band makes me think of a less engaging Mogwai, though that's not really an apt comparison. I really like the sound, though sometimes I wish there was a little more of it. This is very much a 'fall' album, if you have to give it a season.

The title track and "You May Know Me" are the standouts here, at least in my opinion. I know this review is somewhat abbreviated but I don't know if I've been able to give this album a dedicated listen yet. Overall, this is a solid effort; I just hope the band listens to a little more Explosions in the Sky and a little less Von-era Sigur Ros.

In Other News:
My keyboard is working somewhat inconsistently and it's driving me mad.

The weekend was good, if unproductive.

I know the font is not so great here but it's more trouble than it's worth to make everything consistent.

Pause

Today's Music of the Day is Pause, by Four Tet. This album came to me by way of eMusic, on the heels of the wonderful Rounds.

As unfair as it may be, I have to compare this album to Rounds, at least a little. Pause is a fine electronic and instrumental work, one that has foreboding touches but that keeps from being intentionally ominous. It's a pretty good listen, maybe a little inconsistent - sometimes I'd like the tracks to be a little more aggressive. "Everything is Alright" is probably my favorite track on the album, and it's definitely among the more uptempo tunes here. This is less a criticism of the album and more a statement of personal taste - I tend to enjoy the songs that push the envelope a little more.

And to contradict myself, I'm listening to Low as I write this.

So, to sum up a review that barely needs a summary, Pause has a couple outstanding tracks but is okay overall; it's good, but no Rounds.

In Other News:
I have the next five days off. Woohoo!

Happy Thanksgiving. Maybe I will post some more after the break, possibly even during. I have my doubts, though.

Lost in Translation

Today's Soundtrack That Kind Of Suffices For An Album is the soundtrack to the film Lost in Translation. This soundtrack was in all likelihood put together by the film's director, Sofia Coppola, and really served to accentuate the moods of the various scenes. I don't want to give much away about the film, but it's one that I really liked and related to when it was in theaters several years ago. I have to admit that I rewatched it recently, and it hardly had the same effect - I attribute that mostly to my changed outlook on life. Maybe the film was never really that good to begin with. In any event, the soundtrack has aged very well.

The prevailing sound here is electronic and reserved - tracks by Squarepusher and AIR fit the mood if not set it. There are a couple upbeat songs - "Too Young" by Phoenix and "Just Like Honey" by the Jesus and Mary Chain - but even these tracks are as wistful and longing as anything on the album, perhaps just more direct with their emotions than some of the other songs. Kevin Shields contributes a couple tracks that work well alone and in the film's context - one of these (I think) is My Bloody Valentine's "Sometimes".

If I have a favorite track on this album, it's AIR's "Alone in Kyoto", a quiet instrumental piece that is probably my favorite AIR song as well. Really, this is a hushed, introspective soundtrack, and it really fits well with the movie, regardless of the merits of either. To discuss this sountrack more would require me to delve into the film, and I would have a difficult time doing so without taking a personal approach, so I think the blog entry ends here. Just be thankful you got anything today, there are kids in Africa who don't even get self-involved fools posting blogs about music.

In Other News:
Tomorrow I have a 7 mile run that should be ridiculous. I bet it will be fun for a couple miles, then I will just hope for it to end. Maybe there will be something to chase!

Absent w/o Leave

I'll post here again, I swear. I just downloaded my eMusic quota for the month, so hopefully you'll get a post before the holiday. But maybe not. In any event, I'm alive and well, stop freaking out.

Also I've been using Pandora again. (Pandora is, of course, a web-based radio-type service, not a person, get your mind out of the gutter.) While Pandora is nice, it doesn't lend itself to blogging about albums very well.

Wish me luck, Saturday is a ridiculous freakin' race that I only have a 60% chance of surviving. Should be fun.

New Pornographers B-Sides and Bonus Tracks

Today's Music That Is Just What You Would Expect From The Title is a bunch of random New Pornographers tracks that I got for buying Challengers early. As this isn't really an album, I will actually review the individual songs, albeit briefly.

I decided that I will rate the songs on a scale equating my approval for each song to a certain condiment. That scale is as follows, in ascending order of approval:

mayonnaise - disgusting. thanks a lot, white people.
ranch dressing - stop putting this on everything. it's not a freakin' condiment!
ketchup - not so great.
marinara sauce - better, but still not quite there.
barbecue sauce - now we're talking
mustard - yellow and toxic, just the way nature intended. delicious.
basil pesto - done well, it's the cat's meow.
hot sauce - yes, please.

So now, the songs:

• The Arms of Mary / Looking at a Baby - pretty good stuff, even with the religious overtones. Maybe not the best NP track but still good. Score: mustard

• Failsafe Demo - I'm not overly fond of this song but I do like it. I prefer the album version, with Kathryn Calder doing the vocals (A.C. Newman is the singer here, which is fine). Score: barbecue sauce
  
  
• Silent Systems - not bad, either, but a B-side at best. Score: barbecue sauce
  
  
• Showstoppers Demo - I think the album version works better for a song like this, but it still has a little magic. Score: Mustard
  
  
• Go Places lite mix - pretty good! While I like the album version, the bare-bones version means less to compete with Neko's voice, always a plus. Score: basil pesto
  
  
• Speed of Luxury - I'm a little surprised this didn't make the album, but it's definitely worth a listen. Good stuff, here. Score: basil pesto
  
  
• Myriad Harbor Demo - okay, I guess. Not my favorite Bejar song. Works better with more instruments and a larger sound in general. Score: Marinara Sauce
  
  
• Fugue State - not bad, just lacks the dynamite hook of the better tracks. Score: Barbecue sauce
  
  
• Fortune - Really strong, probably would have been the first or second track to be added to the album if something had fallen off. Score: basil pesto
  
  
• Joseph, Who Understood - probably too sappy for what I would normally expect, but it might be my favorite track in this group. Score: basil pesto

So there you have it! Overall, this is a good but not great group of songs. I really like some of them, but I have a hard time picking this over one of the New Pornographers' albums.

In Other News:
I'm not sure if I'm excited or nervous for tomorrow. But I'm glad it's happening. This week needs to end!

Monster

Today's Music That You Shouldn't Hate Even Though Some People Do is R.E.M.'s Monster. This is probably one of the oldest CDs in my collection, possibly only preceded by Credence Clearwater Revival's Chronicle and a few Miles Davis albums.

This album came out in 1995, very much on the tails of the whole 'grunge' movement, and it's hard to say that the album wasn't influenced by grunge in mood if not sound. It's very different from most anything R.E.M. put out prior - while there were some straight-forward rock songs scattered in their back catalog, there wasn't much fuzzy distorted rock in such great chunks. Consequently, I think a lot of people disliked this album immensely. In hindsight, I don't think it was such a bad album, just not the introspective, literate work that R.E.M. had come to give us in the past.

I can't say that this is my favorite R.E.M. album, not by any stretch of the imagination, but I do think it is a strong work if something of a detour. It does seem as though this album indicated that we wouldn't get another "Losing My Religion" or even another "Everybody Hurts" for a while, if ever, though I believe that the people who became R.E.M. fans due to Out of Time were bound for disappointment to begin with.

There are some wonderful songs on this album, though: "What's the Frequency, Kenneth" is pretty enjoyable, "Crush With Eyeliner" and "King of Comedy" are strong, too. Even the dated and fuzzy "Star 69" isn't bad; some people like "Strange Currencies" but it's a little too close to "Everybody Hurts" for my taste. Even "Let Me In" has its merits, though the story behind it is pretty sad. Basically, the whole album isn't bad, outside of "Tongue", which I will probably never like.

So, to summarize, Monster is awful and you'll hate it. Unless you like things that are fun, in which case you might enjoy jumping around to some of these songs.

In Other News:
Suprisingly, things seem okay today. Maybe? Yes.

It's gray and rainy outside today. This probably makes you unhappy but I love it.

Also, I'm almost unpacked. Finally.

Shenanigans

Today's Music That Isn't So Great But Has A Little Worth is Shenanigans, by Green Day. I think this came from the library, somewhere, in an attempt to bolster my workout playlist. It largely succeeded in that respect, but I'd be lying if I said this album made any inroads into my inner circles of appreciated music.

It sounds like the Green Day we've come to expect, for the most part: straightforward vocals and guitars in a frenetic refined punk sound. That might not seem like such a bad idea, but punk's appeal is not in its polish. The music is pretty simple, structurally and lyrically, and I suppose it might have been more interesting in 1996, but now it's hard to listen to this and not think of all the Fall Out Boys or the Sum 41s and their ilk. The music is uptempo, though, and not awful on the motivational scale.

That's it! No moral. There just isn't enough here to warrant more discourse. I'm surprised I made it all the way through the album today, as I've been on a more instrumental / post-rock kick on this wet and gloomy Friday.

Things I've listened to today:
Thom Yorke, The Eraser
Apparat, Duplex
(the above Green Day album)
some live Explosions in the Sky show from March of this year. (Yeah. It's amazing.)

In Other News:
Snow? Are you freaking kidding me?

I'm almost done unpacking. Maybe a move-in party? Or just a sampling of some beers and wines?

Not Yet

Yesterday, I realized that I have a Four Tet album which I haven't listened to yet. This is a sad thing. I did listen to some of it while I was unpacking, but I didn't pay enough attention to it to justify a full review yet. Hopefully I will have this rectified by the end of the week.

This depressed me today, a little bit, as I thought about what a misplaced album means. As I acquire more and more music, each piece of it means a little bit less. This direction is not what I would prefer; while expanding and refining one's knowledge is admirable, it also means that each thing is too easily categorized and less memorable. I suppose I'll always have a few albums that I discovered for myself or picked up on a recommendation, and loved, but maybe that part of my life has come and gone. Who knows. Sorry for being all serious and such today.

I don't know that I have another music review just off hand, but I'll see what I can do.

In Other News:

YayBama. I wish I could have been out celebrating last night, or doing anything besides trying to sleep, but life rarely stops long enough for me to appreciate it.

I also found some Cadbury Creme Eggs this weekend, that I had initially stashed in my freezer some months ago. Needless to say, they're long gone now.

Mapmaker

Today's Music For a Friday Afternoon is Mapmaker, by Parts & Labor. This album came to me, somehow, as I found the first track ("Fractured Skies") and decided it was worth investigating further.

And, I'm glad I did. This is very much a modern rock album, not the kind of rock you would hear on the radio, but the kind that isn't afraid to let its instruments - even the drums - carry the show. Some vocals, sure, but not the sort of strained rasp that would give the illusion of rage or darkness to the uninformed. Really, this entire album made its way into my workout playlist less than a week after my first full listen. It's glorious hard rock, music that isn't afraid of horns. The whole album is pretty good - the opening and closing tracks ("Fractured Skies", again, and "Knives and Pencils", respectively) are the standouts. However, there really isn't a weak link.

In short, this music might not be for you, but give it a shot. This is what indie rock should be, not Conor Oberst whining about how nobody loves him for two hours. Sorry, Conor.

In Other News:
Sorry for the short blog post but it's Friday and I have to move. Wish me luck. Parts & Labor deserves a better blog post but that may have to wait.

I voted. Maybe it's for your candidate and maybe it isn't.

On Avery Island

Today's Music of the Day is Neutral Milk Hotel's On Avery Island. Naturally, I got this after having found In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, but I'll try to judge it on its own merits and not just make this a straightforward comparison blog.

On Avery Island is kind of bizarre and meandering, but has a pretty interesting sound. It's very much Neutral Milk Hotel, all fuzzy and nasal and full of crazy instruments. It does seem to have some more electronic elements than I would have expected, but nothing that would lead you to believe the lo-fi sound is at risk.

I found this album a little more difficult to get into, but rewarding nonetheless. It has some pretty good songs, though even at their most upbeat, there is nothing to rival "King of Carrot Flowers" or "Holland, 1945". "Song Against Sex", the album opener, is pretty good. I suppose if this album suffers from anything, it's being a little too reserved, as it doesn't have one certain anthem that the rest of the songs rally around.

In short, this is one of those albums that isn't bad by any means, and I actually enjoy listening to it. However, I can't say that it really connected with me, but I'll probably end up listening to it more than albums I like better in the future, for the sake of trying to figure out exactly what I think about this album.

In Other News:
I slept a little last night but I need more rest.

I'm probably going to miss Halloween just for the sake of moving. Not a big deal but still kind of sad. Hopefully the new place gets a little more sunlight.

My strategy of not buying groceries and eating everything I have, in order to minimize the moving process, isn't working out as well as I would have liked. Just a couple more days...

Postcards From Italy, or How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Give Radio a Chance

Dear Grand View College Radio,

I just wanted to tell you thanks, for playing decent music in the mornings lately. You really caught my attention a couple weeks ago when you let some guy play all of Kind of Blue on a rainy day, which was about the best thing that could have ever happened to anyone. Because of this, I decided to give you a chance.

And so far, you've been pretty good! Granted, you play too much bad rap in the late afternoon, and your kids show on the weekend is unwelcome (but not surprising, given that all of your student DJs are likely hung over). In the mornings, though, and sometimes even in the evenings, your playlists are pretty decent. Some of the artists you've given me in the last week alone are Devotchka, Hot Chip, Okkervil River, Bon Iver, even the Dead Kennedys. As much as I'd like to mourn the death of radio and just listen to my White Stripes CDs on the way to work, you've probably given me enough reason to keep your frequency as one of my radio presets.

Of course, this morning, you played 'Postcards From Italy', the Beirut song that everyone loves. I had to sit in my car and finish listening to it, and for a moment, there, I was in Portland, jumping around like a teenager with the worst headache I've ever had, living for the horns and the strings and the crowd.

Don't get too excited, okay? I'm still going to listen to the 90's at Noon sometimes when I am out and about over the lunch hour, and at night I'll probably opt for NPR's Night Music if you're playing Mike Jones or something else equally silly.

Sincerely,
Your Local Catgun

In Other News:
I have to start sleeping sometime. Cripes.

I'm also a little confused today but it's probably nothing. As usual.

Music I'm listening to today: Neutral Milk Hotel - On Avery Island, and Parts & Labor - Mapmaker. I really like both of them, though they are quite different in sound and tone. Full reviews likely coming later this week. If I feel like it.

The Places We Lived

Today, I thought long and hard about reviewing a special album for my 150th blog post. Perhaps it would have been one of my favorites, or just something I considered to be important in terms of music history. However, I decided against that, and instead will complain about another album.

Hence, Today's Music of the Day is The Places We Lived by Backyard Tire Fire. This is an album I claimed via eMusic after having heard the title track on the radio one day when I was driving to get groceries. This song was a light, enjoyable piece of pop fluff, something like a rustic Architecture in Helsinki might play. So at the end of the month, when my eMusic downloads came through, I tracked this album down and downloaded it, largely on the merits of taking a chance on some new music.

It turns out that I didn't like this album all that much. The title track has a nice progression to it, but the rest of the album was sort of airy and unaffecting. It made me think that the band might have found the opening sheet of an A. C. Newman song and decided to run with it, without getting any of the electricity that comes in the latter parts of his songs. I suppose another listen might endear this album to me a little more, but I don't see it; this seems to be the sort of cute, earthy album I didn't actively dislike but that just didn't connect with me.

In Other News:
I'm in somewhat passable condition today. The weekend was harrowing but great fun.

Why the hell is winter here already?

Jeff Mangum Update That Is Far Outdated

http://www.slate.com/id/2185219/

Yeah, pretty much. The link is completely safe but probably of no interest to you unless you like Neutral Milk Hotel, which I am willing to bet is at least one of the three people that looks at this site. The link is not recent, having been established in 2006, but it's still an interesting (albeit brief) read.

Otherwise, I probably am due to blog about In the Aeroplane Over the Sea one of these days, but not today. It seems like a fine album to blog about when I hit some kind of monumental number of blog posts. Also, it's hardly an obscure album any more, so I have doubts as to what I would say that hasn't already been said by a better writer, or at least one who is more polished.

In Other News:
I am traveling this weekend so don't flip out if you can't contact me for a couple days. Capoeira! I am on vacation tomorrow and Friday.

I'm not asking you to do anything, just please don't yell at me for a couple days. That will be plenty.

Up

Today's Music of the Day is Up, by R.E.M. I gave some thought to writing about another R.E.M. album, such as the superb Reckoning, but Up seems like an album that has more mixed opinions than most R.E.M. albums. Plus, it has some sentimental value to it.

Up, for those of you non-R.E.M. fans, is the first album that the band made after Bill Berry left to go farm somewhere in Georgia. It's very much not an R.E.M. album in either mood or sound, even with all the distinctive Stipe vocals. This album is decidedly withdrawn and rooted in despair, with nary a friendly rock song to be found. It's strangely electronic in many places, not quite a shoegaze album (do people still use that term?). This album, more than any other, doesn't fit with the rest of R.E.M.'s catalog; I suppose only time will tell if it's a welcome departure or just an anomaly.

(Someone made the point that this album had some interesting parallels to Radiohead's Kid A; both albums were radical changes from the band's traditional sound, going more electronic and sparse, but the reception for each couldn't have been more different. Up was viewed as something of an abberation, whereas Kid A was viewed as a bold statement.)

Having said all that, I do enjoy this album for what it is, even if I would have preferred something more along the lines of New Adventures in Hi-Fi. As it is, the album had some high points, a fair amount of meandering, and some songs that were fair but just not affecting. I don't think it's one of R.E.M.'s better albums, but it's not bad, just far different than what anyone would have expected. In hindsight, it looks much better; at the time, some long-time R.E.M. fans really thought we were seeing the band put one foot in the grave.

Well, enough depressing historical perspective. This album does have some songs that I like - the Leonard Cohen-inspired "Hope" is pretty good, and everyone should enjoy "Lotus". "Falls to Climb" is too somber to really be enjoyable but it's a nice song. If this album had carried the sneer of "Lotus" all the way through, with a couple semi-anthems like "Daysleeper", it would have been a more natural progression.

So, to summarize: Not the best R.E.M. album, but an interesting listen and a historical curiosity.

In Other News:
I'll be damned if Ben Folds' "Mess" isn't the song of the day for me.
"and i don't believe in god
so i can't be saved
all alone as i've learned to be
in this mess i have made..."

HOLY CRAP http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gonzo_Ballet

The Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place

Today's Music That Should Have Been Discussed Long Ago is Explosions in the Sky's The Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place. This is an album I've been in possession of for over two years, and I've really enjoyed it.

Explosions in the Sky are the kind of band that won't have a dramatic difference in style from album to album, and their music is very much the definition of post-rock. By that, 'post-rock', I mean songs that have very few to no vocals and don't have radio-friendly song lengths all the time.

EitS manages to tell fantastic stories without any words; their particular brand of post-rock sounds exactly like what the band name would convey, a spectacular event that is too far away to completely absorb. The Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place may not be their greatest album, but it's certainly an accomplishment, a triumph for anyone who appreciates the guitar. This album is full of six-and-eight minute epic songs, led by a ringing guitar that you might expect if the Edge had left U2 in 1988 and lived alone with some decent amphetamines. While this isn't really a 'hard' rock album in most senses of the word, I'd be lying if I said the guitar didn't kick things up a notch (I suspect that somewhere, in the belfry of the band's repertoire, there are guitar riffs that would cause Slash to melt or at least stop pimping Guitar Hero all over the place).

It probably is worth noting that EitS did the score for "Friday Night Lights", a decent movie about a small town and its football team, and the music really works in the context. Is there anything EitS can't do?

Anyway, I wholly recommend this album, as long as radio hasn't ruined your tolerance for actual music. Think of this album as being full of little symphonies if you will, or a guitar out on an adventure to save you from Nickelback, but just listen to it. I could go on and on about this album. The entire album really works as a whole, but the individual songs stand alone; in particular, the closer, "Your Hand in Mine"

Plus, this album cover is glorious. Look at it:












Please, Explosions in the Sky, don't sue me for using this, it just looks great. I'll take it down if you want.

In other news:
Hooray for Friday.

So Jealous

Today's Music of the Day is Tegan & Sara's So Jealous. This album came to me by way of the public library, after having listened to If It Was You so many times that it wasn't even funny.

This album doesn't stray too far from the T&S sound - it's very straight-forward rock with a little bit of a folk edge. Unlike If..., this album doesn't seem to be as laid-back; it also doesn't use the banjo that had a nice if limited presence on If....

These songs are simple but powerful. I'm surprised that T&S haven't really had much of a radio presence, as some of their shorter songs would seem well suited for the format. Maybe they don't say 'love' enough. I especially appreciate the mood of this album (and T&S's sound in general), as it's a little bittersweet. There's enough spite and loathing here to go around, but it doesn't ever dominate the album or make it difficult to listen to.

I don't know if I have a favorite song on this album - "Walking With a Ghost" is pretty good, "Downtown" and the title track are also strong. I don't know if this is the album for everyone, and I don't know that I like is as much as If It Was You, but it's still pretty good. Hopefully I can get my hands on a copy of their latest album, The Con, sometime soon.

What do you think of If It Was You for an album title? It's grown on me a little bit.

In Other News:
I'm just barely holding it together this week. Where the hell is sleep hiding?

I love it when the moon is visible in the morning sky, especially a full moon. It's just a little reminder that the previous night actually happened, as though the cosmos is saying 'hey, I was there too, it was great'. I appreciate a reminder of something that would otherwise be lost in the rush to get to the next day of work or grocery run or whatever. Plus, I love the night sky and nature in general. Mostly, though, I like the morning moon because it is out of place, and it feels like a prize for getting up early, something that I might have missed were I preoccupied. I just love secrets like a morning moon.

More Driving

Today's Music from Grand View College Radio, as brought to you by the morning commute of one man:

Blur - "Song 2" - might get old, but not yet. Not quite the '90's that I want to remember, but still two minutes of fun.

Ramones - "Texas Chainsaw" - not my favorite Ramones tune, but let's face it, there isn't that much difference between them. They're still pretty fun, though.

Chemical Brothers - "Let Forever Be" - this song and I go way back. When I was working for the county one summer in College, doing some kind of ridiculous GPS-related survey project, one of my regular radio stations played this song almost every day. I never quite got into the Chemical Brothers, but I do like this song, even if it's a little too tightly controlled.

Some other band I didn't recognize but wasn't bad - instead, let's just say this is Cheap Trick - "Surrender". Fun! It always bothered me that Cheap Trick had to reference KISS in this song, though, as Cheap Trick didn't need to drop names and definitely reached a greater point of musical relevance than KISS. Also, Gene Simmons will put his name on anything.

WAIT. There's more!
Today's Music That Ended Up Being A Pleasant Surprise is The Heroin Diaries, by Sixx A.M. Apparently this is what Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue (? I can never keep all those godless hair-band pansies straight) is doing now. It was loaned to be as an afterthought in a Satanic ritual gone awry that involved a good deal of blood and also some rocks in my pocket.

Now, my contempt for hair bands and their ilk is well-documented, so normally I probably would have passed over this without a second thought. But because it was placed in my hands, I felt some obligation not to treat it lightly. As it turned out, this probably isn't my favorite album, but it turned out to be much better than I expected.

Some of the tracks are mostly spoken word with some instruments - these are the tracks I didn't care for as much. I'm sure they were done with dark, brooding, sinister, black metal intent, but they just came off as adolescent Tom Waits-ish posturing. However, there are a number of straight-forward rock songs that are decent! About half of this album has made its way onto my iPod shuffle, which sees exclusive use in the gym, and I don't regret adding those songs there. I suppose the moral of the story is that everything deserves a chance. The songs I like? I think "Pray For Me", "Tomorrow", and "Accidents Can Happen" are pretty tolerable. There are some others, but I'm not about to go through the album now to figure it out.

In Other News:
I love rainy days, moreso when the rain is warm enough to walk around outside.

I think yesterday was the first day in a week, maybe more, that I didn't get some kind of new bruise or scrape. Sad!

Let's go to Ledges this weekend if the weather is tolerable. Come on!

Good Morning

Is there any better music for a brief morning commute than the Dead Kennedys? Perhaps, but I'll be damned if "Stealing People's Mail" didn't make the day a little more interesting.

Thoughts From the Interstate

This past weekend, I had some drive time, which I actually kind of enjoy. Sure, sitting in the car gets old after a while, but the first two hours are usually kind of pleasant, some time to be alone and just listen to music without any distractions. Also I can sing in the car and nobody will tell me to knock it off.

Anyway, I listened to three albums and a little bit of radio on the road, so have some thoughts.

The New Pornographers - Challengers - Not sure why I picked this album but it was a good choice. I maintain my belief that it might be the most serious of the NP's albums, and possibly the least important, but it's still worth listening to. It only has pinches of the frantic energy that Mass Romantic (and to a slightly lesser extent, Electric Version) hit us with, and it hardly compares to the drums and seamless ambition of Twin Cinema, but it's still got something going for it.

Fiona Apple - Tidal - Now, I feel badly about this one. I think Fiona Apple is talented, and she seems to be less appreciated every year. Her song catalog is wildly uneven - there are plenty of 'oh skip this' songs on her albums, but her best songs would make an old woman steal. Having said that, Tidal has some strong moments, places in time that were once transcendent but have dried and not aged as well as I would have liked. I can't say I dislike this album, but it wasn't a good choice to listen to after Challengers, and probably isn't a good driving album in general. Sorry, Fiona. Call me.

Arcade Fire - Funeral - There probably isn't any new insight on this album, but having taken some time away from it, my perspective is strangely unchanged. I would say the album has aged a little, but it's still enjoyable if emotionally draining to listen to. The songs here are wonderful (except for the album closer, which I probably never will warm up to), though I can't say I'm always in the mood for the Arcade Fire's particular brand of bleeding-heart music. Still, an album so personal and revealing is rare, and if you listen to this and can't enjoy any of it, you might be more of a music snob than even me.

Side Note: I found Funeral one day at Best Buy for $7; that same day, I also bought Cat Power's The Greatest and Neko Case's Fox Confessor Brings the Flood, having only a passing familiarity with each album. Needless to say, I won that day handily.

Other Notes:
Why the hell does Omaha get a dedicated jazz station? I don't mean a lite/smooth/khakis-and-stupid-boat-shoes/jazz station, but a station that recognizes people like Thelonious Monk? Kiss my ass, Omaha. I want a jazz station.

In Other News:
I tried very hard to be good this weekend and failed only once, I think. I owe someone an apology; I didn't do anything wrong, but I could have done more for this person and I didn't, mostly because I second-guessed myself too much. I don't think this person is even mad at me, but I feel that I let someone down. Maybe I just worry too much.

I did some decent things this weekend, though. Just don't look at me like I ride a white horse.

Homemade banana bread makes everything better.

The Glow, Pt. 2

Today's Music That Jason Is (almost) Over the Moon About is The Glow, Pt. 2 by The Microphones. I have to credit Pandora for introducing me to a few of the tracks from this album, and also to eMusic for actually having it.

(An aside: eMusic, you have a pretty good catalog, but we're only going to be friends until you get some Yoko Kanno and/or Seatbelts.)

I don't really know much about the history of this album. I don't know when it was made, where the musicians came from, or what they are doing now. What I do know is this: the album is a little too long but very good. It's not exactly a pop album, or a symphonic album, but the kind of album that has fairly diverse instrumentation and doesn't overuse anything.

Sometimes I wish there were fewer songs on this album, or that the overall sound had a little more dynamic range, but as a whole, the mood and musicianship dwarf the minor faults I had with Glow Pt. 2. It's a reserved work, something that probably wouldn't suit other activities so well, but that is very rewarding for a dedicated listener. I suppose this album is like a person at a party who doesn't command a great deal of attention, but who has the best stories if you are willing to listen.

Often, I like to compare the sound of albums or bands to others that I would consider their peers. For this album, though, I had a hard time coming up with much. The instrumentation might make me think of Beirut, but the sound isn't really there. The only thing that really seems fitting is Neutral Milk Hotel's In The Aeroplane Over The Sea. This is heady praise, and probably a bit undeserved; I don't think Glow is quite the juggernaut that Aeroplane, one of the finest albums recorded in my lifetime, is, but it's certainly worth a listen. The fact that I thought Glow even warranted comparison should say something.

In short: Take this album on a drive by yourself, and never look back.

In Other News:
I worry too much about things.

"Sleep is like a kitty. It's that simple. Sometimes you just have to be comfortable and warm, and it will come to you, sometimes it will pounce on you when you least want it, and other times it will fight you and run from you, if you can find it at all." -Me, yesterday-ish.

Thanks, Miles

Today I might have an album review later - The Microphones' The Glow, Pt. 2 is incredible and must be discussed - but for now, I hope you'll settle for a description of my morning.

This morning I arose with my alarm clock, which is less common but somewhat welcome - I often escape from sleep before my intended hour of waking. I managed to groom and feed myself in short order, and left my place around ten after seven.

The sky was gray and heavy this morning. One might suspect that after the rains last night, only a mild haze might remain, but the air was yet heavy and damp. Who knew what the day would bring, if there will be a torrential rain or just hints and empty threats.

I climbed into my car and deposited my lunch sack - leftover chicken, some fruit, and crackers - into its normal position in my passenger's seat. As I waited for the car to warm up, I poked the preset FM station buttons on my stereo, finding uninteresting popular music on the first few stations I went through (sometimes I listen to the news on NPR, but often I like some music in the morning). The last station, the Grand View College station, proved to be more fruitful, as it was actually broadcasting jazz! It took me a minute to identify the artist (by this point I had left my parking lot and was rolling towards the on-ramp for the freeway), but I successfully deduced that it was Miles Davis.

The song ended as I waited at a red light, and the DJ's voice took over. He said that "Kind of Blue" was to be played in its entirety this morning. YES!

Rain peppered the air as I pulled onto the freeway; I sped up so I could pass a lagging yellow school bus before I left the entry lane. The drive was fine for the first 20 (of 70) blocks, but somewhere around the 42nd St. exit, traffic picked up fiercely. I had to stop half a dozen times because of traffic congestion; the commute took me just over 20 minutes, whereas it normally takes between 5-10.

I still haven't figured out what caused the traffic backup. There was the aftermath of an accident somewhere near downtown, but there weren't even any damaged vehicles there by the time I drove by. The time baffles me more than anything; had it been half an hour later, I would have expected to share the road with as many vehicles. Thank goodness for Miles Davis, the definition of cool, the perfect laid-back (not smooth) soundtrack for this day covered in cold wool.

In Other News:
This past weekend was amazing.

Last night I went for a run in the rain - it wasn't my idea, though. Still, it was everything I had hoped for and then some.

David Alan Grier has a new show coming up on Comedy Central - Chocolate News. Please, please, please, let it not be a huge failure.

The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner

Today's Music That Has A Long, Unwieldy Album Title But Is Completely Worth It is The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner, by Ben Folds Five. I think this is the last album the group put out before Folds went solo, and what a fine swan song it is. Apparently the Messner in the album title was a notable explorer, the first man to climb Mt. Everest without the aid of an oxygen tank. His name is also what the drummer used on fake IDs as a teenager. (Thanks, Wikipedia!)

Anyway, this album has all the hallmarks of a Folds LP: rambunctious, energetic piano, borderline falsetto tenor vocals, irreverent lyrics, good balance between jovial and serious songs. I've always loved how the mood of a Folds album can go from being melancholy and introspective to flippant and smart-assed (or vice versa) in the matter of minutes, sometimes even in the same song. And while the man may not be Dylan with respect to lyrics, they're certainly a strength. More than anything, though, I love this album because it is an album, not just a collection of songs.

While some albums are just a number of songs on a disc, these songs seem to fit together and are ordered and arranged well. Unauthorized starts out a little slow, and has these two wonderfully despondent ballads "Mess" and "Magic" in the middle, and allows songs like "Army" and "My Redneck Past" to lift the mood somewhat. And I'll be damned if "Lullabye" isn't a perfect album closer, the kind of song that sounds the way that crawling into bed and spooning with someone you care about feels. (The best all-time album closer, 40+ years and counting, is probably still the Beatles' "A Day in the Life". This is my opinion, but it's also damn near a fact.)

In short, this album doesn't really have any ringtones, but it's catchy, and well worth listening to. I think you'll get more out of it if you listen to it as a whole album, and pay attention, but the songs are good enough to stand alone if you can't sit still long enough.

In Other News:
Having a scooter is really great. Old Man Winter, you better stay away long enough for me to put some more miles on my scooter!

Tuesday night's capoeira practice was excusively devoted to throws and takedowns. Good fun but damned if I wasn't miserable yesterday.

Please don't let me screw this up.

"So I thought about the army,
Dad said 'Son, you're fucking high...'"

Some Updates and Miscellany

Today I don't really have an album review - hopefully in a day or two I will review Mogwai's Mr. Beast - but I do have some thoughts on things I've likely already reviewed and am listening to.

Still listening to Okkervil River - The Stage Names and The Stand Ins today. These albums really work well together. Stage Names kind of represents a louder, fiery atmosphere, like a party full of people and noise or a big concert with a sweaty crowd, whereas Stand Ins is more like an intimate gathering, or a show with only a dozen interested people. Okkervil River might never make the next OK Computer, but I'm perfectly content to buy their well-read, slightly screechy folk-rock music.

Also, I'm listening to Come On Die Young by Mogwai. This seems to be less engaging than their later work - I don't know if I like it as well as Happy Songs for Happy People or Mr. Beast but it's still enjoyable. The songs are more reserved and not as easy to get into, possibly just not as interesting or foreboding, but I still appreciate the mood.

Finally, I've been listening to Fables by Immaculate Machine again. Some of the songs drag a little towards the end of the album, but this is a really solid work. In particular, Kathryn Calder, the female vocalist, really shines. She has a very good voice, perhaps not the greatest, but I'll be damned if her vocals don't get to me a little bit. I really like the frantic songs here - "Jarhand" is pure adrenaline nonsense that I can't get enough of.

In Other News:
I actually slept okay the past two nights! I think it might be time to get out more blankets, though.

For once, I should be taking less action and talking more. How ridiculous is that?

The Stand Ins

Today's Music That Jason Likes is Okkervil River's The Stand Ins. This album is comprised of material conceived as part of the Stage Names sessions but was recorded and released separately, almost a full year later.

This album is probably not what I would consider to be Okkervil River's best work, but it's still pretty good, nonetheless. It has a notably different feel to it than The Stage Names, but it still sounds like Okkervil River, very much emotionally charged folk-rock with the occasional horn. Don't get me wrong, this is a pretty good album, plenty of depth and emotion, and some goofy song names, but I'd be lying if I said I enjoyed it as much as The Stage Names. I suppose this has to do more with the comparisons between the two than the quality of Stand Ins.

Stage Names seems to have more energy than Stand Ins; hence, it pulls the listener in more easily. Stand Ins is a more demure album, one that is not as immediately rewarding, but one that probably offers more introspection given an investment of time and attention. I'm midway through my second listen of Stand Ins and while it doesn't have the energy or the stage presence (if I can say that about an album) of Stage Names, it in no way represents a failure.

I suppose there is a greater theme here, about artists attempting to imitate themselves, or maybe whether there is greater achievement in glorious, ambitious failure rather than comfortable, modest success, but that is perhaps talk for another day.

In Other News:
I feel a sleep crash coming on, and I hope to crap that it holds up until I get home from the gym.

I also bought a scooter this week, a silver Yamaha Vino. Who wants to give me a ride out to the dealer, so I can pick it up?

The Life Pursuit

Today's Music That Jason Likes But Maybe Doesn't Love is The Life Pursuit, by Belle & Sebastian. Apparently I can't label this with an '&' in the tag. Silly Blogspot. This album came to me by way of the public library, as some friends like Belle & Sebastian well enough to recommend them.

This album is pretty good but maybe not dynamic enough for my taste; as it is, it's still worth listening to. It does seem to have a little more bite to it than some of the other Belle and Sebastian albums, but that's all relative. This is light, airy pop music, what the kids would probably call 'twee', though I didn't find it too grating to enjoy in places. If anything, this album is too sweet and pleasant, a bowl of Frosted Flakes without any eggs or bacon to round out the meal.

Cripes, I wish I had more to say about the album, but I'm afraid not at this point. "Sukie in the Graveyard" isn't a bad song, and actually makes use of an organ (I think). "Another Sunny Day" and "White Collar Boy" are okay songs, too. Really, this album is fine, not quite as lame as some stuff, but just doesn't have the teeth to hold my attention. It's not a bad album for when I feel down and need a little lift, but I'll be damned if it makes me want to work out or do much besides think about clouds.

In Other News:
More eMusic comes today so hopefully I will have some better album reviews soon.

I've been listening to A.C. Newman's The Slow Wonder recently and enjoying it. It is probably what The Life Pursuit should be.

The weekend left me a physical disaster, but was good.

Neko Case, live in DSM!

Today, instead of an album review, I have a concert review. Joy!

On Tuesday, I was lucky enough to go see Neko Case in concert. The opening band was a group called Giant Sand; they were probably very interesting guys but the allure of fresh air and wine was too much for me. The concrete steps at Hoyt Sherman were pretty nice, too.

Neko Case and her band came out without much fanfare, but put on a pretty good show. She opened with "The Tigers Have Spoken" from the album of the same name. The setlist had some tracks from Blacklisted and Fox Confessor Brings the Flood, as well as some new songs from an album to be released next year. (I don't remember the name of the album but it did seem somewhat clever.) Neko and her band seemed to be in good spirits, as she joked with Kelly Hogan (her backup vocalist) and some of the musicians between songs. (Maybe I should say high spirits, but the mood was jovial in any event.) The new songs were pretty strong and incorporated the drums to an extent that the back catalogue did not; I'll be eager to get this album when it shows up in stores or wherever. Neko and her band sounded great; her voice is every bit as strong live as it is recorded.

My only gripes about this show were that I forgot my camera (photography wasn't allowed, anyway), the somewhat tepid opening band, and the cool temperatures in the theater. Also, I am of the opinion that Kelly Hogan is far too talented to be a backup singer and sidekick. Overall, I'm very happy about the show, and I can only hope that Neko and her band will come through my city or at least within driving distance again someday soon.

In Other News:
I don't know if being tired is making me depressed, or being depressed is making me tired, but I could use a hug and a nap today. The American Analog Set isn't helping, either.

This weekend is going to be crazy. I guess it's really just Saturday, but dang.

Veneer

Today's Music That Is Very Good is Veneer, by Jose Gonzalez. This is something I picked up at the library simply because I was not familiar with it. Also, the simple design of the album cover drew me in a little bit as well. Now, I don't know that much about Jose Gonzalez, except that he is European (not Spanish, though) and is apparently a star overseas. I don't believe that he is a huge celebrity to Germans in the sense that David Hasselhoff is, though.

Veneer has to draw obvious comparisons to some early Iron & Wine albums, as it's mostly just a man and a guitar. (Sometimes two guitars, maybe? I doubt it, I think Gonzalez is just a very good guitar player.) You'd think one guitar couldn't fill a soundscape the way it does here, though. The instrument really bounds and leaps, sometimes content to defer to Gonzalez's voice, sometimes competing with him, but it's never irrelevant. The sound is very bouncy but has more teeth than what you'd expect from a folk singer, and even his chords sound complicated. The guitar is only hard to listen to because I'm something of a novice guitar player, and hearing Gonzalez play is like watching a person smaller than me lift a car overhead. I would like to tell you that I want to be as talented a guitarist as Gonzalez is, but I would settle for being able to run or speak or cook half as well as he plays guitar.

The man has a pretty good voice, too. It's mellow without being bland, the kind of voice that comes through the speakers like a fall breeze comes in through a screen door, and it really compliments the guitar playing well. Maybe too well. If I was going to fault this album for anything, it would be that the vocals don't seem to match the intensity of the guitar, and that sometimes I'd like a little bit of yelling or at least some more emotion. This is a minor criticism, as the vocals aren't anything that detracts from the album and certainly aren't bad by any stretch, just that I'd like more from them sometimes.

I would probably recommend this album to most people, though. It's interesting without really being offensive or trendy. You'll probably never meet anyone with a Jose Gonzalez ringtone, but that's just fine. This album has a respectable, aged quality to it that doesn't come from trying to please anyone, just from being very proficient. (Note: this is Gonzalez's first album, and a few years old, so I'm very curious to get my hands on some of this other works.)

In Other News:
I'M GOING TO SEE NEKO CASE TONIGHT OMG

Pop Songs 07-08

This week, a blog that I have been following for a while came to its end. Pop Songs 07-08 finally covered all the R.E.M. songs that exist, for now, anyway, and concluded with a couple posts of reader questions answered by Michael Stipe.

For those of you who aren't R.E.M. fans, well, I suppose you don't think much of my opinion and probably aren't reading this, anyway. But for those who are, I'd encourage you to check out Pop Songs 07-08 and at least look up some of your favorite songs, if not read the blog in its entirety. Matthew Perpetua (cheesy pen name or not) has clearly put a great deal of effort into analyzing all this great music, and it seems a shame not to recognize his efforts. Actual album reviews return next week! Maybe.

FYI, Pop Songs 07-08 is linked at right.

In Other News:
I got more bruises. Yay!

I may have found a part-time job. This is something I'd be doing because I want to; the money, while unnecessary, is generally welcome. More to come on this, maybe, but you'd really have to ask.

I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass

Today's Music That Also Sounds Like A Threat is from Yo La Tengo, titled I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass. This album is the most recent release from Yo La Tengo, prolific and critically adored indie rock band, and also the most ridiculously named. Apparently the album title comes from basketball player Tim Thomas, who uttered the words "Everyone in this organization is afraid of you, but I’m not, and I will beat your ass" to then-teammate Stephon Marbury a few years ago.

Anyhow, this album has a lot to like: colorful packaging, a varied collection of interesting songs, a wicked title. The album starts with the retro-bebop styled "Pass the Hatchet, I Think I'm Goodkind", a pleasant enough tune that goes on for almost 11 minutes. I don't know if this album as a whole appeals to me as much as I Can Hear The Heart Beating As One, but it's pretty damn good. Heart seems to rock a little harder; while Not Afraid doesn't get stale at any point, it also stays away from the distortion and the shoegaze elements that Heart incorporated so well. Not Afraid has more of a wistful, dreamy sound, but the songs are still very listenable. Sometimes I wish it had a little more of an edge or pushed the tempo just a bit, but neither of these things are completely lacking.

To be fair, "Watch Out For Me Ronnie" and "Beanbag Chair" do have a little drive to them. This album, though, really has its head in the clouds. Just listen to "Daphnia" and "Sometimes I Don't Get You" and try to tell me otherwise. "Black Flowers" is possibly my favorite song on this album; "Mr Tough" isn't bad, either. The album really ends well, with "The Story of Yo La Tango", all 12+ minutes of it. This is an excellent album, one that even indie rock snobs should be able to enjoy; as long as your music doesn't need choreographed dancing or you don't hold your hand in the metal sign all day, you should give this album a shot.

In Other News:
I really have to try sleeping at night. Cripes.

The Shepherd's Dog

Today's Music That Jason Is Fond Of happens to be The Shepherd's Dog, by Iron & Wine. No real snappy intro today, just note that as Iron & Wine is technically Sam Beam, I'll probably use the band/stage name and the artist's name interchangeably in the following paragraph(s). Also, Sam Beam has a huge, thick shrubbery of a beard.

The Shepherd's Dog represents a departure from the earlier Iron & Wine albums, something that was hinted at on Beam's collaboration with Calexico (In the Reins) in the recent past. This can't be much of a surprise, though; as the Iron & Wine sound basically began as one man with hushed, Neil Young-sounding vocals and a single acoustic guitar, there wasn't really anywhere to go with the sound but to add more elements.

While I am partial to the earlier Iron & Wine albums, I think that The Shepherd's Dog succeeds in its own right. It still maintains a very organic, Southern sound, but doesn't lose much with the addition of the other instruments. Some of the arrangements are a little out there, but as a whole the album is pretty good (if not great). "Boy With A Coin" is probably as accessible as any track on the album, and it's certainly listenable - it probably represents what you should expect from this album as much as any individual song does.

So in short: The Shepherd's Dog doesn't have the minimalist charm of earlier Iron & Wine albums, but it hasn't lost its soul, and is worth listening to if you're an Iron & Wine fan (or if you just like music with acoustic guitars and such).

In Other News:
FOUR TET HECK YES

Also, don't let me get discouraged. It's all small stuff, really.

Did I mention that the film version of McCarthy's The Road comes out this year? I can't remember the last time I was actually looking forward to a movie. Actually, that's not true - it was the last Wes Anderson movie. I'm so white.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today I wanted to blog about Cat Power, possibly You Are Free or The Greatest, maybe even Moon Pix. But there's no time! Damn!

See you at Ledges!

Picaresque

Today's Music That Is Pretty Great is the Decemberists' Picaresque. I'm a little surprised that I haven't written about this album yet; though it's not my favorite Decemberists album, that has more to do with my personal connections to some of their other music and isn't really a judgment on the quality of this work. It does seem to be one of, if not the most well-received album from Colin Meloy and his band in general.

This is a marvelous album, with all the hallmarks of the Decemberists' sound: many instruments, somewhat nasal (not far from Stipe-ish) vocals, lyrics that seem to be lifted from 19th-century literature, just a bit of a flippant attitude. The balance on this album is exemplary, as there are a reasonable number of ballads and uptempo songs; some tracks are dark, whereas others are more good-natured. Overall I am more fond of the more boisterous arrangements of The Crane Wife or the simple charm of Castaways and Cutouts, but I don't have much to complain about here. I especially appreciate the gaul of this album's six and seven minute tracks, and one that falls just shy of nine minutes! Piss off, popular radio!

"The Infanta" is an inspired opener for an album, and it has enough energy to carry through the somber following tracks to "The Sporting Life". I know that "The Mariner's Revenge Song" is probably the crown jewel of this album, but I'm more partial to "Sixteen Military Wives". Still, the tracks are ordered impeccably, with the gentle "Of Angels and Angles" serving as the album's closer. Its brief, comforting melody is a nice contrast to the epic "The Mariner's Revenge Song".

I really have a hard time faulting this album for anything. They make interesting, enjoyable music that doesn't ever insult my intelligence; most of their songs stand alone very well, but their albums are really things of beauty to be appreciated as complete entities. Cripes, my inner fanboy is not bashful today.

In Other News:
When it rains, it pours. Why aren't things ever consistent?

Sky Blue Sky

Today's Music That Jason is Not All That Jazzed About is Sky Blue Sky, by Wilco. Before I discuss this album, let's get something straight. I'm not really a Wilco fan. I've given them plenty of chances, having listened to both Summerteeth and Yankee Hotel Foxtrot through probably a dozen times each. I couldn't get excited about either album, though. I did like parts of A Ghost is Born, and thought that it was overall a pretty good album. (Maybe a full review will show up sometime.)

Anyway, this album didn't really do anything for me. There were parts of it that I liked - track #5 had a brief moment of actual excitement when somebody accidentally played an electric guitar solo - but it was largely unaffecting. The overall sound is simply too laid-back and uninvolved; I suppose that pot or very strong cough syrup would lend itself to enhancing the listening experience, but rather than mess with either of those things, I would prefer to listen to more interesting music. It's not that the music is actively bad, but by the end of the album I was praying for Ted Nugent to show up and shoot an arrow through the disc. This album just wasn't engaging enough for me - it's borderline Jack Johnson boring, almost enough to make the Grateful Dead seem dangerous by comparison. Also, the album title is just short of terrible.

In short, this album may have confirmed my belief that Wilco is the new Eagles. If you like Wilco, I won't think less of you, but if you try to tell me how cool they are at a party, I will probably introduce you to someone else who likes Wilco and then spend the rest of the time avoiding you.

In Other News:
I'm not sure if I want a hug today or someone to shove me to the ground and yell a little bit. Maybe it's just too early. Patience, Jason, the gym will be there when you get done at work.

Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust

Today's Music That Jason Has No Hope of Translating is Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust, by Sigur Ros.

Man I can't believe I got that formatted right. Anyway, this is the fifth (I think) album from Sigur Ros, an Icelandic band known for their dreamy, magical music. I actually bought this album, mostly on the strength of the opening track, "Gobbledigook". Immediately I was curious; whereas most of their past songs were quieter, more atmospheric tracks, "Gobbledigook" was much more rhythmic and involving, with a related sound but a much different philosophy. Was this an experiment? A first step towards becoming a pop band? An initial foray into foreign markets?

It turns out that it was a false alarm, sadly. The rest of the album wasn't all that interesting; it was mostly vocal-driven with a piano and hints of strings here and there. It's not offensive, really, just a fair letdown. This is mostly simple drawn-out ballad stuff here, even if it isn't in English. I'm sure this album will bring Sigur Ros plenty of money, as all of the nice ballads would be perfect in emotional romantic comedy scenes, maybe even for use on some melodramatic television dramas, but they're (dare I say it) formulaic and kind of bland. If your conservative aunt had any idea who Sigur Ros were, this would probably be her favorite album. If it is, let me know. She can have mine. Sigur Ros, I'm not giving up hope on you, but make another ( ) or another Takk..., please.

In Other News:
My keyboard is kind of going off the rails on me.

Thank goodness for weekends.

Dead Cities, Red Seas, & Lost Ghosts

Today's Music That Is Great But Not Super Friendly is Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts, by M83. No history lesson today, let's just talk about the album.

This album (well, double-album) is pretty great! It's got a desolate feel to it; the sound is almost exclusively electronic post-rock in nature. By that I mean the tracks are drawn-out synthesizer driven affairs, mostly, with a number of other instruments and effects, and not much in the way of vocals. Some songs are more uptempo than others, but there really isn't much you can dance to here. I don't think most of the songs are as emotional as the tracks on Before the Dawn Heals Us, but rather more scientific (if it's possible to say that about an album like this). The overall mood is spooky, really, as though this is what you would hear in the night if the Thompson Twins got really into synthesizers and then died and decided to haunt your house. This album seems to make the assumption that our future will be both our past and our science fiction, and that this is what it will sound like.

I don't know that any one track highlights the album, but the title track is fairly epic. There are some really interesting tracks here: "Birds" is a fine opener, "In Church" and "Tsubasa" are strong, "Cyborg" and "America" are also pretty good. The whole album is consistently strong; I can't say it will appeal to everyone's taste, though. If you like your music more 'organic', then this may not be for you. If I was to have a party where I invited a lot of sexy, well-read gothic robots, this is definitely what I would play for them.

In Other News:
Today was perfectly gloomy until the sun came out and ruined everything.

I am sore as hell today. Mostly good-sore, but the gym is not going to be much fun.

I have a cousin's wedding to go to in a small town this weekend. If you don't have any plans this weekend, and are extremely desperately bored, you can go with me. Otherwise I'll probably hang out with my 18 month old nephew, drink Bud Light from a plastic cup, and check my email on my phone about 6,000 times. Should be ok, though.

Don't Fall In Love With Everyone You See

Today's Music of the Day is Okkervil River's Don't Fall in Love With Everyone You See. Special thanks to eMusic for providing me with this album. It's actually Okkervil River's first album, so I am working backwards on this one somewhat.

This album has all the hallmarks of the Okkervil River sound: elements of folk and a hint of Southern flavor, not enough twang to play a square dance but not really enough guitar solos to open for Van Halen (or whatever band sells out arenas now). There's a little bit of banjo, too, but it serves as more of an alternative to the vocals; DFiLWEYS doesn't have the horns and keys that would fit into the subsequent works. The songs are very good though there doesn't seem to be a consistent sound yet, as compared to later OR albums. Perhaps it's just the arrangement of the songs on the album, or maybe just relative inexperience. Emotions run high here, to say the least; Will Sheff, the singer, is a capable screamer, but has enough gears to his voice to make the screaming poignant, or at least not tired. Sometimes I wish this album had more energy, or at least fewer ballads, but it's not bad by any means, just less energetic than I'd like.

While I wouldn't consider this a stronger record than Black Sheep Boy or The Stage Names, it's still a fine album. There are some really good tracks here - "Red" and "Kansas City" come to mind. Some of the song titles are just as good as the songs themselves: "Dead Dog Song" and "Listening to Otis Redding at Home For Christmas" are fantastic. Clearly, though, the high point of the album is "Westfall", a simple enough track that goes on for roughly five epic minutes. It rocks harder than the rest of the album and has a strong build to it; without giving anything away, I'd have to say the lyrics give the song its power, though.

Overall I would recommend this album to most anyone; it's a fine starting point to a pretty decent band.

In Other News:
Finally almost caught up on sleep. At least until tomorrow, I'm sure.

Pandora just played Neutral Milk Hotel's "King of Carrot Flowers" for me. I love love love that song.