I’m still playing catch up after a week away on my honeymoon (Again, details to follow). So, here is #5, later than I had hopes, but what’s new…

Listening in Blue Shift 05
New Americana: Traveling Music For those with Nowhere to Go

1. [00:00] ill lit: Across Country
   [From Tom Cruise, 2006]
2. [03:54] The Basement: Summertimes
   [From Illicit Hugs & Playground Thugs, 2006]
3. [06:21] Howe Gelb: Get to Leave
   [From ''Sno Angel Like You, 2006]
4. [09:13] Grand Archives: Sleepdriving
   [From the self-titled LP, The Grand Archives, 2008]
5. [14:33] Coyote Bones: Let the Burden Be Mine
   [From Gentleman on the Rocks, 2007]
6. [18:39] The Secret Show: We Blaze a Trail
   [From Impressionist Road Map of the West, 2007]
7. [21:18] Drag the River: Beautiful & Damned
   [From It's Crazy, 2006]
8. [24:24] Phosphorescent: Cocaine Lights
   [From Pride, 2007]
9. [30:24] Eels: Railroad Man
   [From Blinking Lights and Other Revelations, 2005]

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 Listening in Blue Shift 05: New Americana [34:37m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (87)

While it’s earlier than my planned Wednesday post dates for the Listening in Blue Shift Podcast it seemed appropriate that I got this up before Mardi Gras…

Oh, and fair warning, this is NOT a “feel-good” mix…

Listening In Blue Shift 04
4 Ice Cubes: Songs About Booze

1. [0:00] The Magnetic Fields: Too Drunk to Dream
   [From Distortion, 2008]
2. [2:57] Cold War Kids: We Used to Vacation
   [From Robbers and Cowards, 2006]
3. [6:68] Earlimart: We Drink On The Job
   [From Everyone Down Here, 2003]
4. [9:12] The National: All the Wine
   [From Alligator, 2006]
5. [12:25] Guided by Voices: A Drinker’s Peace
   [From The Same Place the Fly Got Smashed, 1998]
6. [14:15] The Handsome Family: Drunk By Noon
   [From Milk & Scissors, 1996]
7. [17:00] Radical Face: Drink Until Your Brains Shut Down
   [From "From the Teeth of 4-Tracks", 2002]
8. [19:53] The Good Life: Album of the Year
   [From Album of the Year, 2004]
9. [25:00] Spent: Excuse Me While I Drink Myself to Death
   [From Songs of Drinking & Rebellion, 1995]

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 Listening in Blue Shift 04: Songs About Booze [28:47m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (76)

Here’s to a first step towards a better track record of do things I want to be doing with better regularity. So without further unnecessary commentary, I present you with Listening in Blue Shift 03: Somewhere in Clip. A collection of songs to turn the volume up to…

Listening In Blue Shift 03
Somewhere in Clip

• [00:00] The Black Spoons: Marie Curie
  [from My Dear Radium]
  I can’t say enough good things about these guys. Hailing from NYC, originally a trio, currently a duo, making straight forward rock music with insight and intelligence that is not often found in music. Tom Sean, the guitarist, lead singer, and song writer, has assured me they are working on their 3rd album currently.
• [04:02] The Secret Machines: Lightning Blue Eyes
  [from Ten Silver Drops]
  When I first started this site the first article I wrote (and summarily NEVER published) was for The Secret Machines, Ten Silver Drop, which I had manged to get an advance release of. Now the album is 2 years old, but still lives in heavy rotation on my playlist. Yet another previous trio, now a duo from Dallas, TX making music that can best describes as “Arena Big” (without the irony).
• [09:26] British Sea Power: Lights Out For Darker Skies
  [from Do You Like Rock Music?]
  The album title pretty much sums it up. No clichés. No pretense. This album is on my list for one of the best albums of 2008.
• [16:01] Okkervil River: Unless it Kicks
  [from Stage Names]
  I can’t escape the urgency in Will Chefff voice. His pure, raw emotion is splayed out for all to see, and the music follows suit.
• [20:38] Ringo Deathstarr: Starrsha
  [from the self-titled ep, Ringo Deathstarr]
  If anyone was to improve on the Jesus & Mary Chain, I’d put my money on these guys from Austin. Not simply imitating, Ringo Deathstarr (clever name, no?) have mastered the “Wall of Sound” made famous by JaMC, My Bloody Valentine, etc., while keeping their own unique sound in it.
• [22:44] Hallelujah the Hills: Effie’s On the Other Side
  [from Collective Psychosis Begone]
  This album has been a difficult listen for me; one that I’ve had to walk away from several times, but I keep going back and finding new things that I didn’t catch the first time. I’m torn in regards to challenging albums like this; whether it’s worth the effort required to really catch the nuances or whether I can just accept it for what I like on a surface level and move on, losing no sleep. Regardless, there are some standout tracks like this one that took no effort to engage me, and didn’t simply prey on a catchy melody or what have you.
• [25:42] Think About Life: Paul Cries
  [from the self-titled, Think About Life]
  How can you go wrong with highly dance-able and distorted, raw pop music?
• [28:56] Parts & Labor: Fractured Skies
  [from Maps]
  Chest Pounding Vocals, Impossibly metronomic drums, driving rhythm, and all of that and they don’t even use any guitars. These guys make music that no else has thought to make before and do so with astounding success. High volume listening is a must, though likely to do some very serious damage.

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 Listening in Blue Shift 03: Somewhere in Clip [32:55m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (82)

Those of you that know me, are well aware of my fondness love unnatural obsession with modern Icelandic music. I can’t place the ground-zero of this particular infatuation, but I know it has been in the sides of my brain for several years now. I don’t speak Icelandic; nor do I understand it, for that matter [though that is somewhat irrelevant as much of this is sung in English], but the music always moves me on a truly emotional level. And so for the second podcast I thought I’d share some of the songs & artists that Iceland is producing. Enjoy.

Listening In Blue Shift 02
Sunset: Icelandic Music

• [00:00] Blindfold: Sleepless Nights
  [from the self titled, Blindfold]
  The solo project of one of my favorite artists, Birgir Hilmarsson, AKA: Biggi. One of the most somber & immediate songs I think I’ve ever heard.
• [04:40] Múm: Green Grass of Tunnel
  [from Finally We Are No One]
  Glitchy and fragile music-box melodies. If there was a sound that Iceland brought to mind [never having been there] Múm would be it.
• [09:29] Björk: Who is It?
  [from Medúlla]
  So I haven’t the faintest what rock you must have lived under for all of the 90’s if you aren’t at least passingly aware of Björk. Regardless, she isn’t afraid to try new things; some work and some not so much. This particular song is truly amazing if you consider there are no instruments being used to make that songs. It’s two beat-boxers, Mike Patton [from Faith No More], and Björk. Check this video clip out to really get what the hell I am talking about. [link]
• [13:32] Benni Hemm Hemm: Beginning End
  [from the self titled Benni Hemm Hemm]
  Big, bright orchestral swells; it’s a bit like Iceland’s answer to the Polyphonic Spree without the choral robes spectacle.
• [15:51] Sigur Rós: Saeglopur
  [from Takk...]
  Listening to Sigur Rós has a tendency to make one forget that the rest of the world exists, leaving you alone in the open-ness of their sound. In the past, the lead singer, Jón Þór “Jónsi” Birgisson sang in a made-up language, called “Hopelandic”. This is song is allegedly sung in Icelandic. Would I know the difference? Probably not; but it’s damn pretty music.
• [23:06] Ampop: Rodent
  [from Nature is Not a Virgin]
  Biggi’s ambient-pop group. Sawtooth synths and icy rhythms with Biggi’s trademark almost ghostly vocals.
• [28:03] The Album Leaf: Eastern Glow
  [from In a Safe Place]
  Ok, so this isn’t ACTUALLY from Iceland. But this album was mostly recorded and mastered in the relative isolation that is Sundlaugin [Sigur Rós' studio], giving him [Jimmy LaValle] a very “Icelandic sound” [whatever that REALLY is].

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 Listening in Blue Shift: Sunset - Icelandic Music [34:10m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (459)

So I’ve been saying I’d do it for close to a year now, and I finally decided it was time to make good… I bring to you the first of many music-mix podcasts…

Listening in Blue Shift: Episode 01
Music You Haven’t Heard

• [00:00] Patrick Wolf: Accident & Emergency
• [03:11] Menomena: Evil Bee
• [07:52] The Brother Kite: Out of Sight
• [12:20] Arcade Fire: Keep the Car Running
• [15:48] The Broken West: On the Bubble
• [18:22] Ned’s Atomic Dustbin: Hibernation
• [21:37] Cloud Cult: Chemicals Collide
• [24:51] The Brobecks: Bike Ride
• [28:03] ill lit: Satan’s Doing Fine Without Me

I’d love to hear what you think of it, so if you’d like drop me a comment. And if you liked an artist from the podcast, buy an album or a t-shirt from them.

I intend to have this listed in iTunes by this weekend; so those of you with who preffer iTunes will have an easy was to subcribe. The rest of you can geek out with me and just use the RSS feed and a podcatcher…

Technorati Tags: Listening in Blue Shift, Patrick Wolf, Menomena, The Brother Kite, Arcade Fire, The Broken West, Ned’s Atomic Dustbin, Cloud Cult, The Brobecks, ill lit, Podcast, Music

 

 Listening in Blue Shift: Music You Haven't Heard [32:32m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (131)