Thrashings, I'd say.
In light of the fact I've owed you all a new post for months, here's a grab-bag of wonder:
Joan As Police Woman - To Survive
Where to begin telling this woman's story? Joan Wasser's not only an amazing singer-songwriter, wielding the light-yet-strong vocals of Feist (only richer, fuller, more mature) and the multi-instrumentalism so hot right now - she's also plugged directly into the heart of the whole sheebang. Who doesn't love and adore her? She started playing piano and violin as a kid, playing a stint with the Boston Symphony Orchestra before turning to rock with the Dambuilders, where she started learning more guitar and keys, a sound you can definitely hear on this newest, To Survive. I love the violin solo ending on "To Be Lonely" and the swinging-singing on "To Be Loved". After the band broke up & the death of her boyfriend, Jeff Buckley, she went on to play with members of his band as Black Beetle, playing in/with Antony & the Johnsons on their hit record I Am a Bird Now, and tour as a Rufus Wainwright's new bandmate.
No wonder this album is superb from start to finish.
For fans of: Let it Die-era Feist, Billy Holiday.
Adem - Takes
I can't get enough of this guy, side projects and all (see him live, playing foot bells). His solo work is nothing like his band work, playing bass in one of the sweetest (read: sickest) post-rock instrumental bands of all time, Fridge (together with more glorious post-rock/electronica aka Kieran Hebden). As himself, he's folky. I didn't (and still don't) think anything can top his first album, Homesongs. That collection of jangly, acoustic folk-pop tunes remains a staple in my listening rotation. But his next album, Love and Other Planets introduced more vocals, more bells, more instruments, something he carries on for this latest, Takes (vibraphone? dulcimer? autoharp? check). Is this a new album? No. It's an indie-rock kid's fantasy. Covering: PJ Harvey, Pinback, Aphex Twin, Yo La Tengo, Smashing Pumpkins, Bjork, The Breeders. Finally, a covers record of songs I know!
Best part? You won't recognize the songs until you recognize the lyrics. And it'll take you back to a time in your listening life when things were more innocent, when you weren't disgruntled by all the crap pop bands your hipper-than-thou friends are blogging about this week, when you actually listened to albums from start to finish, then hit repeat.
Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - Lie Down in the Light
I'll start right out saying it: Will Oldham is my hero. Bonafide - and I realize you only get one. This man is so awesome it hurts. What other dude could record under 6 different names? Or star in ? He makes music that just soothes me, literally has me smelling the woods, craving wet leaves. But he's a complete . He's known for his DIY style, both in his music and on-screen in Junebug, the fantastic road-film Old Joy, and vivid vignette-washed weirdness of The Guatemalan Handshake. I even saw him once at a (Slint, Zwan, Papa M, Dead Child) concert in Baltimore, rocking out in a dirty tshirt and flip-flops. He just oozes a kind of vapidness in his music that's in such opposition to his own personality. I love it. And this new record! I've been a little let down by some of his efforts in the past, generally favoring three-fourths of an album over a few songs (although the lyrics to "Rich Wife Full of Happiness" from Ease Down the Road make me laugh and nearly everything on Master and Everyone is priceless; The Letting Go has it's great moments, and Superwolf with Matt Sweeney's talent make it my favorite record; the critics will tell you I See a Darkness is one of the best albums made in the last ten years). But Lie Down in the Light is solid Bonnie P, slow country-folk, gospel-touched tunes - "I'll Be Glad" and the title track being my two favorites. It's massive Americana for kids who don't listen to Americana.
Keeping in DIY style, Oldham didn't give us much warning on this one, so take this as a lesson: don't buy the buzz. Trust your ears. And watch his movies.
For fans of: Iron & Wine (Sam Beam's a huge fan himself), Two Gallants, Bill Callahan (Smog).
Joan As Police Woman - To Survive
Where to begin telling this woman's story? Joan Wasser's not only an amazing singer-songwriter, wielding the light-yet-strong vocals of Feist (only richer, fuller, more mature) and the multi-instrumentalism so hot right now - she's also plugged directly into the heart of the whole sheebang. Who doesn't love and adore her? She started playing piano and violin as a kid, playing a stint with the Boston Symphony Orchestra before turning to rock with the Dambuilders, where she started learning more guitar and keys, a sound you can definitely hear on this newest, To Survive. I love the violin solo ending on "To Be Lonely" and the swinging-singing on "To Be Loved". After the band broke up & the death of her boyfriend, Jeff Buckley, she went on to play with members of his band as Black Beetle, playing in/with Antony & the Johnsons on their hit record I Am a Bird Now, and tour as a Rufus Wainwright's new bandmate.
No wonder this album is superb from start to finish.
For fans of: Let it Die-era Feist, Billy Holiday.
Adem - Takes
I can't get enough of this guy, side projects and all (see him live, playing foot bells). His solo work is nothing like his band work, playing bass in one of the sweetest (read: sickest) post-rock instrumental bands of all time, Fridge (together with more glorious post-rock/electronica aka Kieran Hebden). As himself, he's folky. I didn't (and still don't) think anything can top his first album, Homesongs. That collection of jangly, acoustic folk-pop tunes remains a staple in my listening rotation. But his next album, Love and Other Planets introduced more vocals, more bells, more instruments, something he carries on for this latest, Takes (vibraphone? dulcimer? autoharp? check). Is this a new album? No. It's an indie-rock kid's fantasy. Covering: PJ Harvey, Pinback, Aphex Twin, Yo La Tengo, Smashing Pumpkins, Bjork, The Breeders. Finally, a covers record of songs I know!
Best part? You won't recognize the songs until you recognize the lyrics. And it'll take you back to a time in your listening life when things were more innocent, when you weren't disgruntled by all the crap pop bands your hipper-than-thou friends are blogging about this week, when you actually listened to albums from start to finish, then hit repeat.
Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - Lie Down in the Light
I'll start right out saying it: Will Oldham is my hero. Bonafide - and I realize you only get one. This man is so awesome it hurts. What other dude could record under 6 different names? Or star in ? He makes music that just soothes me, literally has me smelling the woods, craving wet leaves. But he's a complete . He's known for his DIY style, both in his music and on-screen in Junebug, the fantastic road-film Old Joy, and vivid vignette-washed weirdness of The Guatemalan Handshake. I even saw him once at a (Slint, Zwan, Papa M, Dead Child) concert in Baltimore, rocking out in a dirty tshirt and flip-flops. He just oozes a kind of vapidness in his music that's in such opposition to his own personality. I love it. And this new record! I've been a little let down by some of his efforts in the past, generally favoring three-fourths of an album over a few songs (although the lyrics to "Rich Wife Full of Happiness" from Ease Down the Road make me laugh and nearly everything on Master and Everyone is priceless; The Letting Go has it's great moments, and Superwolf with Matt Sweeney's talent make it my favorite record; the critics will tell you I See a Darkness is one of the best albums made in the last ten years). But Lie Down in the Light is solid Bonnie P, slow country-folk, gospel-touched tunes - "I'll Be Glad" and the title track being my two favorites. It's massive Americana for kids who don't listen to Americana.
Keeping in DIY style, Oldham didn't give us much warning on this one, so take this as a lesson: don't buy the buzz. Trust your ears. And watch his movies.
For fans of: Iron & Wine (Sam Beam's a huge fan himself), Two Gallants, Bill Callahan (Smog).
