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]

Technorati Tags: ill lit, The Basement, Howe Gelb, Grand Archives, Coyote Bones, The Secret Show, Drag the River, Phosphorescent, Eels, music, Listening in Blue Shift, Podcast, Americana, Country

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 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 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].

Technorati Tags: Icelandic music, podcast, Blindfold, Múm, Björk, Benni Hemm Hemm, Sigur Rós, Ampop, The Album Leaf, Music, Iceland, Listening in Blue Shift

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

A number of the best albums of ’06 [In no particular order]:

• The Brother Kite: Waiting for the Time to Be Right
  Sun-bleached melodies, with a lingering melancholy without being heavy. The album reminds me of ‘Pet Sounds’ if Brian Wilson weren’t so full of himself.
• Secret Machines: Ten Silver Drops
  I can best describe this album as ‘anthemic’. It has arena heavy drums, swirling guitar sounds, and great lyrics.
• ill lit: Tom Cruise
  If I HAD to choose, this album would be my favorite. It’s cosmic road music for a generation that is trying to find home. Somewhere Gramm Parsons is smiling.
• Band of Horses: Everything All The Time
  I suppose this is best described as southern-influenced rock; a indie with a twang, if you will. There’s a comfort in the familiar sadness here.
• Belong: October Language
  This album is skittery and static-y the perfect album to turn on and drift into your own head late at night. Lyrics would have ruined this album, as its swells and distortions conjure create the emotions without manufacturing a feeling.
• The Black Spoons: The History of Modern Silence
  The sophomore album from a trio [well, currently duo] of talented musicians. It’s intelligent, thoughtful rock music with no pretenses.
• Blue October: Foiled
  If you haven’t heard Blue October by now, you must be living in a cave [Can I come over and have tea?]. It’s dark, raw, honest rock music. As an added bonus Imogen Heap sings ‘Celebration’ with them. What more do you need?
• Dirty on Purpose: Hallelujah Sirens
  This is an album of jangly indie-pop music, again, probably best suited for late nights alone with bottle of wine.
• Girl Talk: Night Ripper
  Again, if I had to chose, this album would be #2 for the year. It’s a continuous mix mash-up of hip-hop and pop music. Things you never thought could go together somehow mix SEAMLESSLY with one another. A must-have.
• Letting Up Despite Great Faults: Movement
  Apparently as I compile this ’06 was a year of melancholy. This albums is a great mix of organics like a string section, acoustic guitar, and a piano with the blips and bloops of daydreaming synthesizers and gentle, sad music.
• Snow Patrol: Eyes Open
  So, sometimes I tend to be a music snob, and I almost missed these guys without giving them a chance. Just a great emotional indie-rock album.
• Eels: With Strings – Live at Town Hall
  I typically HATE live albums, as I’ve rather SEE a band live, but this albums I think captures the intimacy that Mr. E set out to accomplish. You can almost smell the scotch on his breath.

Other notables include Té, Tex La Homa, Metallic Falcons, Brightback Morning Light, Chin Up Chin Up, Amusement Parks on Fire, Blue Sky Black Death, and the list goes on. Hopefully I’ll get around to reviewing ALL of these and more in the next year. Which brings us to our next list…

A Few Things I Intend on Doing Next Year:

• Write more regularly: Both on my blog and in general. I’m still struggling to regain my previous habit of writing. I caught myself procrastinating too much this year and self-editting to the point of destroying a piece before it’s ever started.
• Get married. I think this requires no real description.
• Read more. I got burned out on reading this year due to the high volume of tech blogs I read daily and the general exhaustion from work. I need to force myself to do this. There’s a great deal I want to read, but I just haven’t sat down to do so.
• Work on some animation. I have these ideas rattling in my skull, I should try to get them out.
• Take more time for myself. It seems simple, but I am horrid with that. I need to take time to mediate, read, and take care of myself so I can better take care of those that I care about.

Well, it’s time to get dressed and head out to toast the END of the Rockettes. Happy New Year!

Technorati Tags: best albums, The Brother Kite, Secret Machines, ill lit, Band of Horses, Belong, The Black Spoons, Blue October, Imogen Heap, Dirty on Purpose, Girl Talk, Letting Up Despite Great Faults, Snow Patrol, Eels, Lists, Resolutions, New Year