The Shins To Release New Album In March 2012

As cool as the Broken Bells project was at times, it just wasn't The Shins.  Great news right here, can't wait.

http://www.theshins.com/news/new-album-port-morrow-coming-march-2012




Tracklisting:
1. The Rifle's Spiral
2. Simple Song
3. It's Only Life
4. No Way Down
5. September
6. Bait and Switch
7. Fall of '82
8. For A Fool
9. 40 Mark Strasse
10. Port of Morrow

A Dogwood Bark Christmas

Before I dive into the annual year-end lists, I offer up a Christmas mix.  Here you'll find a mix of traditional and contemporary; religious and secular.  Some are classics you've heard a million times, and others are slightly more obscure.  Hopefully there's something here that helps you appreciate the silent majesty of a winter's morn, the clean cool chill of the holiday air, and an asshole in his bathrobe emptying a chemical toilet into my sewer.

1. Sufjan Stevens - Hey Guys! It's Christmastime!

2. The Beach Boys - Little Saint Nick

3. A Fine Frenzy - Christmastime Is Here

4. John Williams - O Holy Night (Home Alone Soundtrack)

5. Dean Martin - Silver Bells

6. The Chipmunks - The Chipmunk Song (Christmas, Don't Be Late)

7. Joni Mitchell - River

8. John Denver & The Muppets - The 12 Days Of Christmas

9. Mavis Staples - Christmas Vacation

10. She & Him - Baby It's Cold Outside

11. Sufjan Stevens - Come Thou Fount Of Every Blessing

12. Frank Sinatra - Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

Happy Thanksgiving from The Dogwood Bark.

Here's to family, friends, food and football.

Musical Moments In TV/Film: Partners In Kryme - Turtle Power

Every guy from our generation remembers the feeling of uncontrollable anticipation coursing through our boring human veins when we found out that our favorite animated heroes were being brought to the big screen.  I won't go into the significance of the movie in this post, as I am known to ramble about things close to my heart.  However, I will take this moment to revisit the song that blared from the theater speakers as the credits rolled.

Morning Drive - November 14, 2011

Until a recent search told me so, I did not realize that Midlake is comprised of former members of the now defunct Cornbread All-Stars.  I distinctly remember seeing that kooky band name on a flyer that had been plastered almost apologetically among a sea of other brightly colored papers on a bulletin board post that looked as if it would crumble at any minute under the weight of the hopes and ambitions of hundreds of talented bands in Denton, Texas at the turn of the millennium.  Much like many of the budding young musicians at the University of North Texas, jazz was the influential art form of choice for the All-Stars in the beginning.  And as the transformation took place to the more traditionally titled Midlake (named for the geography of Denton County), the sounds of Herbie Hancock gave way to the sounds of Thom Yorke.

The stunning Trials of Van Occupanther sounds like a more straightforward Jethro Tull, minus the moments of medieval monotony.  Don't let the conceptually heavy-handed videos fool you, this stuff is great.  It's perfect for a brisk autumn jog; or even more appropriately, a chilly morning drive.  It's like guitar driven Radiohead sewn into the sounds of leaves crunching underfoot.  It's not overly immediate, mind you.  But with repeated listens, the rewards unfold exponentially.

Morning Drive - October 27, 2011

As the garage door lifted this morning, I was treated to something I hadn't felt in quite a while:  cool, brisk air.  With temperatures finally hovering in the mid 50's, it's time to revisit some of my favorite albums for this awesome time of year.  First up, Belle & Sebastian's masterpiece If You're Feeling Sinister.

This was my first exposure to the beloved Scottish band, and it still tops their consistently impressive catalog to this day.  The subject matter here is fairly typical at times, but the tunes drift by effortlessly.  A relatively modern showcase of Smiths and Nick Drake inspired song craft, Sinister does not venture too far from its main path of mid-tempo harmonized pop that endeared so many to the group from the beginning.  The vocals fit perfectly for this style and have spawned quite the series of imitators.  At least the accents here are legitimate!

Morning Drive - October 17, 2011

Review: Wilco - The Whole Love

September 27, 2011
dBpm


Rating:  8.9/10

As a keeper of a meticulously sorted iTunes catalog, I attempt to rate each song on a scale of one to five stars.  Granted, this is a continuously evolving process that does have its merits when it comes to compiling playlists, making recommendations, etc.  In a collection of over 12,000 songs, however, roughly 300 or so have received the elusive five-star rating. 

These are the tunes that have blown my music-hungry mind at one point or another.   These are the songs that I will listen to throughout my entire life.  Not just reserved for obvious choices such as “God Only Knows,” “The Boxer,”and “A Day in the Life,” the five-star tag has also been placed on more recent and relatively obscure anthems like “Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks,” “Passing Afternoon,” “Fake Plastic Trees,” etc.  Two of the most recent inductions into this personal hall of fame serve as the bookends on Wilco’s impressive new album, The Whole Love.

“Art of Almost” lures you in with its slightly off-kilter droning before blasting you into rock and roll oblivion with some of the best shredding to ever come screaming off a Wilco record.  I found myself drumming on the steering wheel so hard that I bruised the palms of my hands.  Well, almost.  That’s how you earn five stars.

The hauntingly beautiful closer, “One Sunday Morning,” achieves instant classic status for completely different reasons.  Don’t be put off by its length, as this song simply surrounds you and drifts by in the fastest, most care-free twelve minutes you’ll ever experience.  The vocal performance is subdued yet astounding, and the sparkling and distant piano lines here are otherworldly.  The repeating eight note riff that is so aptly strummed, plucked, chimed and played will follow you around throughout the day.

But let’s not forget the wonderfulness that falls between these two numbers.  Here, you’ll find some outstanding vintage Wilco pop rock (“Dawned On Me,” “Born Alone,” “Whole Love”) mixed in with experimentally tinged bits of acoustic glory (“Sunloathe,” “Black Moon”).  Leaning closer towards the latter, one of my favorite interior tracks is the absolutely stunning “Rising Red Lung.” 

Found a fix for the fits,

Come listen to this.

It’s buried under the hiss,

And it glows.

If I could give four and half stars, it would be appropriate here.  Another standout, “Capitol City” takes the listener down a bouncy lane towards the fabulous pop music of the past.  Something tells me I’ll still love this one when I’m 64.

As a whole, this album shines unlike anything we’ve heard out of Wilco in quite some time.  It’s consistently brilliant and measures up track for track with anything they’ve done since Yankee Hotel Foxtrot.  Undoubtedly, this is the best new music I’ve heard in 2011.

Wilcoworld.net

Wilco on Facebook

Buy on Amazon

Morning Drive - September 28, 2011

R.E.M. announces break-up.

"Hey, kids, rock and roll.  Nobody tells you where to go, baby."

Earlier this month, R.E.M. announced that they were amicably going their separate ways and calling it quits as a band.  As a fan of their many solid contributions to the rock world over the past three decades, I found this news fairly disheartening. 

While some of the most recent material has left something to be desired, the band from Athens, Georgia created what I consider to be a spectacular run of albums between 1983 and 1996.  Fortunate as I was to grow up around family with good taste in music, I was exposed to their influences from a fairly early age.  My dad long claimed them as one of his favorite bands, and my step-mom shared a home town with Stipe and the boys.  My mom and my brother took me to one of my first concerts, Radiohead opening up for R.E.M.  That experience helped shape me as a (self-proclaimed) connoisseur of good music. 

As is the case with many R.E.M. fans in their late 20’s/early 30’s, I was introduced to the sounds of R.E.M. through the commercially successful hit singles of the late 80’s/early 90’s.  Songs like “Losing My Religion,” “Man on the Moon,” “The One I Love,” and “Shiny Happy People” dominated the alternative airwaves and flashed continuously across the MTV dial on our faux-wood side-paneled 19-inch picture tube television sets.

The true genius to this band, as I would later discover, lies in the earlier indie-slanted college rock albums of the early and mid 80’s.  The jangle and buzz of a rock band realizing its unique place in music can be heard throughout an amazing span of records including Murmur, Reckoning, Fables of the Reconstruction, and Life’s Rich Pageant.  I invite any music fan that only knows R.E.M. through the staples to start back at the beginning and let these albums grow.

For a brief retrospective, take a look at some of the videos below.  R.E.M. will be missed.

The Dogwood Bark Gets a New Look.

After tiring of the gray and green scheme of the past two years, I decided it was time to spruce things up a little bit.  Hopefully the blog is easier to read and navigate.

Musical Moments In TV/Film: The Simpsons - Deep, Deep Trouble

I was a huge fan of the Simpsons when I was a kid.  Although the quality has dropped off over the years, I still watch the show fairly regularly.  In the early 90's, the animated family was at the absolute peak of popularity.  Therefore, they cashed in on every marketing opportunity and promotional gimmick known to yellow-skinned man.  The album "The Simpsons Sing the Blues" was one of my very favorite cassettes, mainly because of this gem.  Take that establishment!  You tell 'em Bart.

Favorite Albums Desktop Wallpaper

I played around in Photoshop one day to create a dual-monitor wallpaper for my work computer.  It moves somewhat chronologically by decade from left to right.

(Click the image to view full size.)

The albums:

The Beatles - Revolver

Neil Young and Crazy Horse - Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere

Van Morrison - Astral Weeks

Led Zeppelin - I

The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground

The Kinks - The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society

The Zombies - Odessey and Oracle

The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds

The Beatles - Abbey Road

Simon & Garfunkel - Sounds Of Silence

Neil Young - Harvest

Nick Drake - Pink Moon

Led Zeppelin - IV

Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here

The Beatles - Rubber Soul

David Bowie - The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars

The Who - Who's Next

Led Zeppelin - III

Joni Mitchell - Blue

Neil Young - After The Gold Rush

The Clash - London Calling

Bruce Springsteen - Born To Run

Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti

The Grateful Dead - American Beauty

George Harrison - All Things Must Pass

Simon & Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water

The Who - Quadrophenia

Fleetwood Mac - Rumours

Pixies - Doolittle

R.E.M. - Murmur

The Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream

Belle & Sebastian - If You're Feeling Sinister

The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead

Neutral Milk Hotel - In The Aeroplane Over The Sea

Arcade Fire - Funeral

Elliott Smith - XO

Jimmy Eat World - Clarity

Built To Spill - Keep It Like A Secret

Sufjan Stevens - Illinois

Bright Eyes - I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning

Brand New - The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me

The Shins - Chutes Too Narrow

The Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound

Iron & Wine - Our Endless Numbered Days

The National - Boxer

Okkervil River - Black Sheep Boy

Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

"Seussian" Album Review - The Beatles - Revolver

I was recently challenged by a member of a message board that I frequent to write an album review in the style of one Dr. Seuss.  I don't anticipate making this a regular feature (or ever doing one again) as it took me about three lunch breaks to write.  Regardless, I accepted his challenge and present to you the following.

August 5, 1966
Parlophone

 Rating:  10/10

Best of all time? It’s surely sublime.  Let us pander a gander through gibberish and rhyme.

Make sense this shall not, but it’s worth a shot.  It’s at least worth a razzer, pitsnitch or tubsplot.

George opens the album with an amply paced beat, an impressive feat that he would not repeat.  The Taxman tactfully taxes your street.  The Taxman tactfully taxes your heat.  Checking his sheet, his job won’t be complete, until he taxes your seat and at long last, your feet. 

And Eleanor Rigby, aging and feeble, laying rest beneath steeple, pointing out cuptillions of sad lonely people.

Dreary strings subside to rhythmic swings that invite us to all to go floating up streams.  Triple x-labeled jugs, or mind-bending drugs, could have led to the presence of drawckab ratiugs.  If you ask me they all deserve a snug round of hugs.

The next in the show comes off as an ode, to musical things in abodes round the globe.  Fear not though, for just up the road are melodious tones known for getting girls off their toes.

Poetic balladry aside, let’s all take a ride, on a lemony vessel where even hornswaggles abide to reside.

Here’s the thing though, it’s not always neato, when the time finally comes to let Ringo sing-o.

The following entry is a tune for the century, about bleak conversational rudimentary imagery.  The concept here is poignant but elementary.

All of a sudden, the flowers are budding.  The great sun’s rays’ displays are erasing the flooding.

Good day to yours, good day to mine.  Good day to curtain-splitting morning sunshine.  This song should be designed into every alarm clock chime.

The happiness train picks up some steam as the plot zings to a green bird who swings things and sings in one of the catchiest numbers that I’ve ever seen.  Know what I mean?

I now want to tell you, nay, sell you and pay value to the next stretch of three that many give hell to.  For no one should mock or throw away in a box, or feed to a lox tales of generically named docs.

If this does cause forlorn, than perhaps I may warn you of a soulful little romp adorned fully with brass horns.

The fact is we all love Paul, after all.  He sounds good in the mall, he sounds good at the ball, he might even sound good in the famed Albert Hall; assuming no holes through which he could fall. The fact is we all love Paul, after all.

This masterpiece culminates with a spectacular show.  One of chaos, one of fury, one with which minds will blow.  And if you say “no, for this mine won’t be blown,” check back tomorrow ‘cause by then you’ll have known.

Now that we’ve taken some looks and copycatted books, it’s easy to see how the world got so shook.  Only a schnook could possibly overlook the chances the Beatles took in creating these hooks.

The Beatles on Facebook

http://www.thebeatles.com/

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Musical Moments In TV/Film: Freaks And Geeks - Come Sail Away

This scene comes from the pilot episode of Freaks and Geeks.  If you've read any of the entries in this blog at all, you know all about my admiration of this series.  Earlier in this particular episode, Sam was denied by Cindy when he asked her to the dance.  In a moment stemming from the all too popular "charitable cheerleader syndrome," she reluctantly agrees to save him one dance.  At least she's doing her part, right?

Well, after a quick collaboration with his buddies, Sam comes to the instant conclusion that this one sacred dance would have to be of the slow variety.  In typical F&G fashion, the music takes a firm grip on the scene and helps steer the plot.  In this case, it's the definitive example of guilty pleasure arena rock, Styx's "Come Sail Away."  Anyone that's ever shamefully held up a lighter to this saccharin-infused moment of cheese rock knows that it starts innocently enough as a piano-laden ballad, perfect for slow dancing.  The rest of the scene speaks for itself.

Review: Frank Turner - England Keep My Bones

June 6, 2011
Xtra Mile Recordings, Epitaph


 Rating:  8.0/10

I keep having dreams of pioneers, and pirate ships; and Bob Dylan.  These folk songs for the modern age are for punks, and folks and journeymen.  Not everyone can be Freddie Mercury, but everyone can raise a glass and sing. 

We are electric pulses in pathways of the sleeping soul of the country.  The path I chose isn’t straight and narrow.  It wanders ‘round like a drunken fellow.  Some days it’s hard for me to follow, but if you’ve got my back I’ll go on.  If you’ve got my back, I’ll go on.

On the worst days, when it feels like life weighs ten thousand tons, I sleep with my passport, one eye on the back door so I can always run.  But love is free, and life is cheap.  As long as I’ve got me a place to sleep, clothes on my back, and some food to eat, I can’t ask for anything more.

Teenage kicks and gramophones, we will hold them in our hearts.  They remind us of things that matter; home, and hearth and history.  And I still believe in the need for guitars, and drums, and desperate poetry.  I still believe that everyone can find a song for every time they've lost and every time they’ve won.

I always keep an open house, and I always do right by my friends.  And when I get to St. Peter’s gate, I’ll tell the people that I’m not the one who needs to make amends.  It doesn’t matter where you come from, it matters where you go.  No one gets remembered in this listless life for things they didn’t do.

And on the day I die, I’ll say ‘at least I fucking tried.’  After all, it was rock ‘n roll.

www.frank-turner.com

Frank Turner on Facebook

Buy on Amazon

Review: Bon Iver - Bon Iver, Bon Iver

June 17, 2011
Jagjaguwar, 4AD


  Rating:  8.4/10

Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon has come a long way since the quaint little recording session in a cold and desolate cabin that birthed the wonderful For Emma, Forever Ago.  One of the best records of 2008, For Emma still sees heavy rotation almost exclusively during the winter months.  It just doesn’t feel right at other points throughout the year.  The fact that it lacks a certain versatility of mood shouldn’t detract listeners who have yet to experience its icy bliss though.

Earlier this summer, Vernon and friends burst back onto the scene the somewhat confusingly titled Bon Iver, Bon Iver.  The album art is stunning and reminds me of the inner lining of a sleeping bag that I used frequently as a kid.  If the various side projects that surfaced between Bon Iver releases were any indication, I knew that this one was going to be treading down the path towards the fairly common, often frightening, “new direction.”  I don’t believe that any fans of the first record were expecting a similarly stripped down and rickety sequel.  But I also don’t concede that any of them could have predicted something so gleaming, so smooth around the edges. 

Yes, the production on Bon Iver, Bon Iver is crisp, but it is not annoyingly slick.  Instrumentally vivid and (at times) lush, Vernon simply exposes us to what we already knew was there, the sounds of an artist realizing his vast capabilities.  Moments of pin-drop beauty intertwine seamlessly with countless examples of rhythmic and melodic prowess.  Rusty and creaky guitar strings have been replaced by crystalline tones.  Cinematic passages reminiscent of The National slide by amidst harmonies that are vintage Bon Iver.  The instantly recognizable falsetto still soars, but Vernon ventures into baritone territory here as well.  Varying payments of homage to some of the musical tacticians of the 80’s make their presence felt often. 

The songs themselves hold up extremely well and mold together to form a journey that seems to fly by regardless of time of year or temperament of self.  There might not be anything that measures up individually to the beauty of “Flume” or “Re: Stacks” (“Holocene” comes close), and I do find myself wondering what an “Mtv Unplugged” version of this album would sound like.  Nonetheless, what we have here is a cohesive sampling of the aural paintings taking up wall space in Vernon’s creative psyche.  My not-so-bold prediction:  Bon Iver, Bon Iver will end up scattered across every single best of ’11 list that cyberspace has to offer, including my own.

BonIver.org
Bon Iver on Facebook
Buy on Amazon

12 Song Mix - July 4th

As I have spent the past month painstakingly planning a huge overblown fireworks show, I have also neglected my Dogwood duties.  In the meantime, countless topics have sprung to mind only to be filed away for later posts, for less strenuous times of year.

However, as I drove home this evening making conscious effort after conscious effort to remove myself from the mind-numbing work related details swimming around in my head, "America" by Simon & Garfunkel came on the shuffle and instantly did the trick.  That wonderful piece of musical genius launched me into the creation of this very mix.

Rather than load the reader down with traditional patriotic standards, I'd prefer to offer up some choices with some substance and some unique elements.  Songs for the lake, songs for the grill.  Songs for watching fireworks, and songs for after the fireworks.  Songs for cracking that first iced down holiday brew.  I like to think there's something here for everyone.  Enjoy the Fourth.

 1. Band Of Horses - The General Specific
Pants have got to go.  We're on an island on the Fourth of July, it looks like the tide is going home.

 2. Iron & Wine - Freedom Hangs Like Heaven
And night birds digging until dawn, freedom hangs like heaven over everyone.

 3. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers -
                                                                            American Girl
God it's so painful when something that's so close, is still so far out of reach.

 4. The Decemberists - July, July!
And we'll remember this when we are old and ancient, though the specifics might be vague.

 5. The Gaslight Anthem - American Slang
And here's where we died that time last year, and where the angels and devils meet.

 6. Bruce Springsteen - Independence Day
At night they walk that dark and dusty highway all alone.

 7. Elliott Smith - Independence Day
Everybody knows you only live a day, but it's brilliant anyway.

 8. Wilco - Ashes Of American Flags
All my lies are only wishes.  I know I would die if I could come back new.

 9. American Football - Never Meant
Best friends, and better halves.

 10. Ryan Adams - Firecracker
Well everybody wants to go forever, I just wanna burn up hard and bright.

11. Bob Dylan - Chimes Of Freedom
Tolling for the wounded ones whose wounds cannot be nursed.  For the countless confused, accused, misused, strung-out ones and worse.  And for every hung-up person in the whole wide universe.


 12. Simon & Garfunkel - America
Counting the cars on the New Jersey Turnpike, they've all gone to look for America.  All gone to look for America.

Musical Moments In TV/Film: Freaks And Geeks - Free Bird

Again with this show?  That's right.  The producers really knew what they were doing with their song selections and the corresponding scenes in which they were so brilliantly utilized.  There are a lot of cool things going on in this one too.  An awkward conversation between Nick and Lindsey, Kim and Daniel's traditional bickering, and Ken finally getting some sideburn action all take place at an early 80's planetarium laser show.  They thought they were going to hear some Pink Floyd.  Turns out, it's southern rock night.  All is not lost though, since they get to hear this Skynyrd classic.

Morning Drive - May 25, 2011



Jimmy Eat World - Clarity (1999)

Summertime, with all of its crazy weather patterns, is moving into north Texas.  Therefore, my craving for Jimmy Eat World's third album, Clarity, has increased substantially.  This band has always provided the music-listening public with quality pop rock that is consistently a notch or two above that of their contemporaries.  I, along with most I would presume, first heard the band on huge radio singles "The Middle" and "Sweetness" from the Bleed American album.  The unbelievably catchy and energetic hooks were enough to draw attention from fans of many different genres.  As a result, I became a casual admirer of the group at that point.

A few years later, as my obsession for quality tuneage began to grow exponentially, I heard about Clarity on an internet message board.  The praise I was reading simply merited a blind run-through.  Instantly, I was blown away by the power and passion of the record.  Despite its easily digestible song structures, I realized immediately that there was something extra here, something that would stick around indefinitely.

It's obviously not as crisply produced and radio-friendly as later offerings from this band would prove to be, but that's part of what endears it to me so strongly.  This thing still sparkles in all the right ways, but you can hear the subtle nuances of a band, for lack of a better term, playing music.  For example, the amazing opener, "Table For Glasses," demonstrates a simple drum pattern that plods forward beneath crystalline guitar arpeggios before crashing into an angelic pinnacle.  All the while, the layered vocals don't release at the same time on the word "fast," and I love that about the song.  The imperfections on Clarity truly add to its enduring character.

On the next few tracks, you can almost hear the popular "emo" bands of the early 2000's being inspired and influenced simultaneously.  A chilling ballad called "12.23.95" fits amazingly well into a release that feels so summery otherwise and has become a staple of every Christmas mix I've made over the past few years.  Other standouts include the breathtaking "For Me This Is Heaven," the highway road essential "Blister," and the incredible (albeit, long) closer, "Goodbye Sky Harbour."

It's a little disconcerting to know that after this release, Jimmy Eat World was released from their label.  Clearly though, that would not impede the band's locomotive of progress.  This is my favorite in the catalog, but I also admire everything they have put out since.  I recommend this to anyone who enjoys the massively appealing anthems of Jimmy Eat World, but doesn't mind a little edgy sentiment and frenzy in their music.

Musical Moments In TV/Film: Freaks And Geeks - Ripple

Freaks and Geeks is one of my all time favorite TV shows, and it's a damn shame that it only lasted one (magnificent) season.  Linda Cardellini, James Franco, Seth Rogen, and Jason Segel served as key pieces to a nearly perfect cast.  The final scene, in which Lindsay has fooled her parents into believing that she is leaving for an academic summit for two weeks when she is actually departing to follow The Grateful Dead on the road, is so well done and captures the bittersweet moment perfectly.  The use of "Ripple" here provides a stunning and memorable ending to a brilliant show.

Review: Manchester Orchestra - Simple Math

May 10, 2011
Favorite Gentlemen

 Rating:  5.9/10

The third full-length from Atlanta rockers Manchester Orchestra misses more often than it hits.  Believe me, I'm not listening for blaring originality when I put on an album from Andy Hull and the boys.  Usually, I know I'm going to get some mildly aggressive and melodic rock music.  In the case of "Simple Math," however, I find myself consistently comparing MO to the bands that clearly influenced their sound.  As much as I'd like to just sit back and casually enjoy these songs, I just can't stop myself from thinking, "wow, they are going for Built To Spill (or Nirvana, or Pink Floyd) here."

I'm not saying that a band wearing its influences on the proverbial sleeve is always a bad thing.  There are plenty of records out there that I love that are more or less homages to the history-makers of rock that came before.  It just rubs me the wrong way on this one.  Throwing in the phrase "comfortably numb"  and hitting us with a "brick in the wall" style children's chorus a few tracks later just doesn't sit well for me.

Enough complaining though, because there are some positives to be found in this otherwise mediocre batch of tunes.  "Pensacola" is a radio-friendly pop track that edges uncomfortably close to Blue October territory without ruining the song.  "Apprehension" is another solid offering that would have fit in nicely on one of the Orchestra's finer albums.  The paramount moment occurs with the raucous brilliance of "April Fool," which is a throwback to the heyday of alternative rock.  If I keep one thing in the regular rotation from this collection, it will be this headbanger.  Hull shouts at us, "I've got that rock and I roll!"  On this one, Andy, you sure do.  I just wish it appeared more often.

http://www.themanchesterorchestra.com/
Manchester Orchestra on Facebook
Buy on Amazon

Review: The Decemberists - The King Is Dead

Rating:  7.6/10

When I heard The Decemberists play "Down by the Water" on one of the late night talk shows, I was a little torn.  I liked the song, but I distinctly remember being confused by the straightforward alt-country sound of it.  Wondering if we were going to get an album full of stripped down foot-stompers, my curiosity and subsequent anticipation for the release of The King Is Dead grew.

To be fair (or unfair, depending on how you look at it), I never even bothered listening to 2009's The Hazards of Love.  I had heard/read just too many negative reviews about grandiose, Broadway-style theatrics and overly colorful instrumentation that I just didn't take the time to give it a chance (and still haven't to this day).  So, unlike many articles I've read about the latest offering from The Decemberists, this one won't be clouded with night and day comparisons between the opposite ends of the spectrum from which the two albums were born.

Instead, I will discuss The King Is Dead on its own merits.  Besides, it's not like we've never heard stylistic changes from The Decemberists in the past (as subtle as they may have been in comparison).

First off, Peter Buck from R.E.M. plays on three tracks.  So as you can imagine, there are numerous moments in which the boys from Athens, Georgia come to mind.  While we're name-dropping the obvious influences on this record, how about Neil Young and early Wilco?  Getting the picture yet?  TKID showcases some really pretty melodies as well as some rustic tunes that rattle forward like a countryside train.  For the most part, it all fits into a nice little pleasant package.  The aforementioned "Down by the Water" features an instantly hummable melody with backing vocals from Gillian Welch.  Another highlight, "January Hymn" shows off Meloy's uncanny ability to create a simple and beautiful tune.  It's about the songs this time around, and each one has its own space to breathe. 

I don't foresee this album landing at the top of the rankings in the Decemberists' catalog (probably somewhere in the middle, in fact).  But I'm not looking to listen to a classic every time I plug in the iPod.  Sometimes I just want to hear something enjoyable; something that gets me drumming on the steering wheel.  The King Is Dead does the trick.  Highly recommended.

Review: Okkervil River - I Am Very Far

May 10, 2011
Jagjaguwar

  Rating:  7.8/10

The Austin based Okkervil River has done it again with the recently released I Am Very Far.  With a back catalog that includes indie treasures such as Black Sheep Boy and The Stage Names, this band consistently proves that they just don't release bad records.  Frontman Will Sheff has one of the best voices in rock 'n roll, ranking right up there with the ambling tenor of Jim James and the refined baritone of Matt Berninger.

The beginning of this particular release is fairly jagged and disjointed, I'll admit.   It does its best to immediately grab you by the shirt collar with the uptempo stomp of "The Valley" before sauntering into a throw-away of sorts and a Springsteen imitation.  While these tracks are not bad by any means, things really get going for me at the album's mid-section.  The churning balladry of "Lay Of The Last Survivor" displays Sheff's traditional sense of melody and ability to deliver a charming vocal.  "White Shadow Waltz" is a definite highlight that ventures into the majestic sounds of touring companions, Arcade Fire.  It's a regal sounding tune, complete with plodding guitar lines, spastic percussion, and orchestral flourishes.  Another goosebump worthy moment occurs a few moments later on the quietly beautiful "Hanging From A Hit," which will go on to rival some of the most dramatic moments from past Okkervil River collections.  As the album's pinnacle slips a little further into the rear view, you will still be engaged and enthralled as you drift towards the floating finale. 

Where this album will rank amongst other offerings from this band is hard to predict.  The aforementioned Black Sheep Boy (and appendix) and The Stage Names are some of the most frequently revisited records in my entire collection.  While there may not be any individual songs that could go on to top "Singer, Songwriter" or "Lost Coastlines," I would proclaim that Far is more consistent from front to back than The Stand In's.  As any fan of OR will tell you, that's really high praise.  This band can do no wrong.

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Musical Moments In TV/Film: The Mysterious Cities Of Gold - Theme Song

As a kid, I loved many of the same classic 80's cartoons as the next guy.  Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Transformers, He-Man, Thundercats, etc. all spent their fair share of time on my 19" Magnavox screen.  I also liked some of the more obscure stuff like Danger Mouse, Hair Bear Bunch, and this gem, The Mysterious Cities Of Gold.  This was a Japanese-French show that featured a Spanish boy named Esteban, and it ran from 1986-1990 in the U.S. on Nickelodeon.  I remember it having a really interesting storyline, and my internet digging in recent years confirms that this show has quite the cult following.

Anyway, the point of this post is to highlight the greatness that is the theme song for this childhood treasure.  It reminds me of some of the other great theme songs of the era including David The Gnome and Gummi Bears. Tell me this isn't dripping with overly dramatic 80's pop goodness.

Wilco - Live at the University of North Texas, Denton (May 7, 2011)

When I found out that one of my favorite bands was going to be playing in a building that I had class in at one time on the campus of the University of North Texas, I was beyond psyched.  What I didn't predict, however, was that the Auditorium Building in all of it's vintage glory would be as hot and stuffy as a summer sauna on gig night.  Which concert promoter thought it would be a good idea to cram all of these people into this place without selling concessions?

All in all though, this bothered me up until downbeat on Wilco's set.  By the middle of "Ashes of American Flags," I had forgotten all about the uncomfortable conditions.  The small crowd was treated to some of the best rock and roll going these days featuring some incredible guitar action from the always impressive Nels Cline.  Jeff Tweedy joked about the hilariously unnecessary metal barricades that had been placed a few feet in front of the stage.  "We're probably going to be arrested for inciting fun."

This was only my second live Wilco experience, but it didn't disappoint in the slightest.  Highlights for me included "Via Chicago," "Handshake Drugs," "Shot In The Arm," "Impossible Germany," and "Airline To Heaven."

Musical Moments In TV/Film: Almost Famous - Tiny Dancer

I claim this movie as my all-time favorite, and this is one of the best scenes.  This is a great film for any music lover, so check it out if you haven't already.  "I have to go home."  "You are home."

Morning Drive - May 3, 2011

The Gaslight Anthem - Sink Or Swim (2007)

It was as if my 2006 self visited me and offered to take me for a ride; a road trip over past days and miles of countryside.  Bound for the northeast; in a classic car with outlaw cowboy bands on the radio, we cruised into New Brunswick, New Jersey.  Stepping over cracked sidewalks surrounded by sprawling tufts of weeds, we arrived at a run-down old warehouse building near the river.  Upon further inspection, this particular edifice was serving as a rehearsal space.  Turning back a section of rusty and dusty chain link fence like the first page of the best book I’d yet to read, we approached to the sounds of muddled yet melodic Americana-flavored punk rock.  Crouched against an aging brick wall beneath windows that had seen far too many tossed stones, I was told to listen up.  A band that my current self already loved and had inversely introduced me to the influential albums of their predecessors was here, getting their start.

That’s what Sink Or Swim sounds like.

Morning Drive - May 2, 2011

Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2001)

Based on the news-worthy events of the past 24 hours, I thought a spin of this album would be appropriate for this morning's rainy commute.  I won't beat you down with tired proclamations about never forgetting 9/11, but I will fill you in as to why this record hits home in an almost eerie fashion today.

Originally scheduled to be released on September 11, 2001, record label issues prevented YHF from being available to the masses until a week later.  Without getting too detailed about the brilliance of this album musically (my top album of the 2000's), it was somewhat of a departure from the traditional alt-country sound of Wilco's earlier works.  Hints and traces of Dylan, Radiohead, Pavement, and damn near everything in between can be felt throughout.

Now, I have always had a sort of melancholic fascination with that particular day in history.  I watch every documentary I can find on the anniversary each year.  I remember where I was when I found out (walking through the Student Union at UNT).  I remember where I went to eat after I found out classes had been canceled (Sweetwater Tavern in the Denton square).  What I wasn't aware of at the time, however, was that there was a critically acclaimed album floating around that featured some strange parallels with this infamous day.

The cover is adorned with two large structures from the Chicago skyline.  A lyric in the masterful song "Jesus, Etc." illustrates "tall buildings shake, voices escape singing sad, sad songs," and "skyscrapers are scraping together." Another passage from earlier in the recording states "It's a war on war, you're gonna lose."  Although contextually irrelevant, these isolated phrases paired with the intended release date make for some pretty crazy coincidences.

And just to kinda bring things full circle here, I am also lucky enough to have tickets to Wilco's concert on Saturday taking place at none other than the UNT Auditorium building in Denton.  So yeah, this was a good choice for today.  "I would like to salute the ashes of American flags."

Morning Drive - April 28, 2011

George Harrison - All Things Must Pass (1970)

My favorite Beatle.  My favorite of any of the Beatles' solo albums.  Yeah, Ram is great.  Plastic Ono Band is a classic as well.  Neither of them touch this one for me though, imagine that. 

Driven by several tracks commendable enough to take a spin on any Beatles album, All Things Must Pass steers the listener through a series of exquisitely constructed melodies that truly stand the test of time.  Harrison later proclaimed that the songs themselves and Phil Spector's typical reverb-soaked production techniques didn't merge well on this particular record.  With all due respect to one of my enduring heroes, I politely disagree.

"Behind That Locked Door" is better than some of McCartney's entries on White.  "My Sweet Lord" and "What Is Life" still feel fresh and relevant 30 years later.  "If Not For You" is one of my mix-tape staples and makes a great ringtone for when loved ones are calling.  The songs hold their own here, studio switch tinkering aside.

I will say that the jam sessions at the end probably won't escape my speakers but for a handful of times over the course of a lifetime.  The rest, however, is extraordinary.

12 Song Mix - Classic Album Openers

If you were to put together a mix consisting of nothing but first tracks on classic albums, what would that look like?  To narrow things down, let's limit the song pool to albums released pre-1990 for this one.  As with most of my lists, I'll stick to one entry per artist.  In an effort to make a cohesive and enjoyable listening experience, mine would look something like this:

  1. The Who - Baba O'Riley

  2. The Beatles - Two Of Us

  3. The Clash - London Calling

  4. The Grateful Dead - Box Of Rain

  5. Pixies - Debaser

  6. Nick Drake - Pink Moon

  7. David Bowie - Changes

  8. Led Zeppelin - Good Times, Bad Times

  9. Neil Young - Tell Me Why

  10. The Zombies - Care Of Cell 44

  11. Sonic Youth - Teen Age Riot

  12. Simon & Garfunkel - Bookends Theme

Morning Drive - April 25, 2011

I love my rock music as much as the next guy, but this morning was all about this 1970 classic and one of the best ballads ever written...not even ashamed!

Nick Drake - "Northern Sky" (from the 1970 album, Bryter Layter)

I never felt magic crazy as this. I never saw moons, knew the meaning of the sea.
I never held emotion in the palm of my hand
or felt sweet breezes in the top of a tree.
But now you're here, brighten my northern sky.

Been a long time that I'm waiting, been a long that I'm blown.
Been a long time that I've wandered through the people I have known.
Oh, if you would and you could straighten my new mind's eye.

Would you love me for my money? Would you love me for my head?
Would you love me through the winter? Would you love me till I'm dead?
Oh, if you would and you could come blow your horn on high.

I never felt magic crazy as this, I never saw moons knew the meaning of the sea.
I never held emotion in the palm of my hand
or felt sweet breezes in the top of a tree.
But now you're here, brighten my northern sky.

*****

Musical Moments In TV/Film: Garden State - The Only Living Boy In New York

How is that music can have such a profound impact on movie and television scenes?  As a member of the audience, a song can often communicate with me more effectively than the actual dialog or imagery taking place on the screen.  My first example of this takes place in my favorite scene from 2004's Garden State.  Call me a hipster for liking the movie, that's fine.  But it's the inclusion of Simon & Garfunkel's classic "The Only Living Boy In New York" that makes this particular section ring.  "Good luck exploring the infinite abyss!"



Review: Iron & Wine - Kiss Each Other Clean

January 25, 2011
Warner Bros/4AD

 Rating:  7.1/10

Let me just start by saying that I am a bit of an Iron & Wine homer and often refer to the Floridian folk act as my favorite artist currently making music.  Agree or disagree with my tastes, that is in the least an impressive mathematical feat for a band mixed into a library with over 10,000 songs.  In fact, the title of this very blog is a nod to a lyric from "Lovesong of the Buzzard" from 2007's masterpiece, The Shepherd's Dog ("...Lucy in the shade of the dogwood blooms).

For me, it's about more than just the music that Sam Beam so brilliantly creates.  It's about a certain edges-blurred aesthetic that reminds me of simple times and simple places.  Vivid images of wind-blown quilts, swaying willow trees, softly trickling waterways and warm light cast through open windows are common in Beam's work.  If what I'm describing sounds overly Americana or rootsy, I guess it could be deceived as such.  But I urge you to take a look at the literary sincerity with which these passages are delivered.

From the brilliant closer to 2004's Our Endless Numbered Days simply titled "Passing Afternoon:"

There are things that drift away like our endless, numbered days
Autumn blew the quilt right off the perfect bed she made
And she's chosen to believe in the hymns her mother sings
Sunday pulls its children from their piles of fallen leaves

It's not exactly "she'll be comin' 'round the mountain when she comes," now is it?

But, as my dozen or so readers are used to, I digress.  Shifting to I&W's most recent output, let's feast our ears on Kiss Each Other Clean.  I suppose one of this gem's most obvious qualities is just how very shimmery it appears on first listen.  The production is much crisper with less room for air and more room for video arcade noises.  Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of quality musical moments to behold here.  But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little taken back when I heard the record scratches in "Me & Lazarus" and the Galaga dive bombs in "Monkeys Uptown."

Another production item of note is that Beam's voice is so full and clean sounding compared to the older bedroom folk and tape hiss albums.  Not necessarily a bad thing, but it takes some getting used to for sure.  Why whisper all the time when you have a voice like that anyway?

At no point are the vocal stylings more beautiful than on the album's incredible stand-out track, "Godless Brother In Love."  This is one of the most hauntingly memorable melodies that Sam has ever created.  To be honest, the uptempo horn-laden jam sessions won't stick as long with this die-hard fan.  So, having a ballad of this caliber kind of saves the album from its own leanings towards unbridled mediocrity (at least by I&W standards). 

Other flashes of sparkling grace fly by on "Walking Far From Home" and "Glad Man Singing."  Thus, the score for this review creeps up into the seven range.  The generic phrase that suits this record the best for me is "solid and enjoyable from front to back."  Does that help?  Don't expect Shepherd or Endless (or even parts of Around the Well, for that matter), but the songcraft here is respectable and will merit many return visits from me over the years.  Hopefully it will be just another petal in the flower garden of Beam's long and fruitful career.

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