Helplessness Blues

Fleet Foxes

2011

Sub Pop

Fleet Foxes’ first, self-titled album, released in 2008, displayed high-quality songs fueled by amazing harmonies, well-written arrangements, and lyrics that pulled the listener in to the art.  With an essence of warmth radiating from Fleet Foxes, the band found themselves in the midst of success, with a critically acclaimed album.  It’s an album that wore its influences on its sleeve, somewhere between indie-folk and sunny california pop.  However, their latest record, Helplessness Blues, pulls at the seams of that sleeve and shows a tear forming (Yay extended metaphors!) at that same warmth.

The theme of depression and insecurity abounds on Helplessness Blues.  Leader Robin Pecknold, found in the throes of eminence from their last record, seems to have experienced these emotions during the creation of, and possibly because of, the new album.  Setbacks because of touring, scrapped recording sessions, and the painstaking care Pecknold put forth into this project resulted in inner turmoil it seems.  And this inner turmoil comes out fully on the record.

The album starts with the beautiful “Montezuma,” opening with the lines “So now I am older than my mother and father when they had their daughter, now what does that say about me?”  Already the listener should be aware that this isn’t the same folk-band that left us with “White Winter Hymnal.”  At no time is the idea of insecurity more apparent than on the title track where Pecknold chants over and over, “If I had an orchard, I’d work ’til I’m sore.”  Wishing he was “a functioning cog in some great machinery” is not the optimistic lyric one would expect from Fleet Foxes, but there it is, pushing Pecknold, and by default the entire band, with the artistry of their music.

Less time is spent focusing on the sound-scaping harmonies that crafted Fleet Foxes’ first album.  Instead, the background voices are used more subtly, such as on “Bedouin Dress.”  Here the voices are used more as instruments, with Pecknold taking the lead.  The beautiful harmonies are still apparent, just to a lesser degree.  However, one style left over from Fleet Foxes is the building of arrangements.  Take “Sim Sala Bim” for example.  It starts as, maybe, the quietest song on the album then grows sonically until the music breaks into a whole other quicker part.  This nonlinear form of expression only enhances the bitter mood of the album, culling the insecure temperament into an incredible experience.

Upon first hearing that the new album would be titled “Helplessness Blues,” I was taken aback by what I deemed to be an uncreative pseudonym.  But that is simply not the case.  The album is nothing, if not creative.  It takes its creativity so seriously, that nothing but “Helplessness Blues” would be apt for this collection of dark, but inspiring songs.  Fleet Foxes have outdone themselves.

Ozzy Osbourne

2007

Epic Records

There seems to be an underlying theme running through Ozzy Osbourne’s ninth studio album “Black Rain.” Released in 2007, it was the first album Ozzy had released in about six years. Combing over this album, it seems the Ozz-man felt he had something to prove to those criticizing his abilities to perform any longer. His attempts were not in vain, however, because the album went Gold in the United States.

This album was not in the least, “typical Ozzy,” and it’s safe to say that was exactly what he had in mind while creating it. Songs like “The Almighty Dollar,” even came off as sounding as if they were diving into a 90’s alternative territory, a place one wouldn’t expect to find an Ozzy tune. “The Almighty Dollar” begins with a strong bass line that continues onto the first verse, overlayed by Ozzy’s vocals, where the 90’s sound works. Many of the songs had a powerful metal sound, but at times lacked substantial lyrics.

For over 20 years, guitarist Zakk Wylde leant his musical talents to Ozzy Osbourne’s records. However, with the release of “Black Rain,” the musical relationship between New Jersey native Wylde and the Prince of Darkness came to an end.  Although there was no clear reason for Wylde’s departure, “Black Rain” would be the last studio album to feature the guitarist.

The riffs on this album are complicated, but aren’t always riveting. Wylde’s signature pinch harmonic makes an appearance in nearly every song, making the sound distinct to Wylde and not Osbourne. This really hurt the album, as it could be construed (obviously without having heard the vocals) that the songs could be from Zakk Wylde’s band, Black Label Society.

There were promising songs on this album, but nothing extraordinary. Ozzy has showed over the years that he is never afraid to let his emotions show in his music. “Black Rain” features two ballads “Lay Your World on Me” and “Here for You.”  “Lay Your World on Me” is a pleading slower song with a deeper tone, where “Here for You” seems a bit more uplifting and features more instrumental pieces.

The radio hit “I Don’t Wanna Stop” solidifies Ozzy’s reassurance that he, unlike many other rock stars of his stature, isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. However, once again, it comes off sounding similar to Black Label Society. Still, it’s a fast and heavy tune with a lot of energy.

A benefit to this album would have been to show and not tell. Ozzy is a music icon, a founding member of Black Sabbath and a musician who has had a hand in creating heavy metal.  He didn’t need to say anything about still being capable of kicking metal in the ass, just making an album would have been sufficient. His vocals are still as strong as ever—I mean, come on, the man can really belt out a wicked note. His music is still a conduction of high energy and passion, and it’s evident on every song on this album. Proving anything just seems unnecessary, and gnaws at the back of my neck while I listen and can be quite distracting. The fact of the matter is that fans still would have bought the album, because it’s Ozzy Osbourne.

The Good Feeling Music of Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele

Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele

2009

Paw Tracks

It’s always a treat when the performers at concerts have a powerful stage presence.  Antics from the musicians might include joking around with the crowd, jumping off drum sets, or even windmilling their instruments a la Pete Townshend style.  However, it’d be a surprise if this came from a twenty-something kid wearing glasses and a sweater while playing the ukulele.

Imagine my and Steve’s astonishment when we saw Dent May (and his Magnificent Ukulele, which is always billed with him) live, doing all those stunts.  Hearing that Dent May would be opening up for A.C. Newman, I had bought this record to be accustomed to the music.  He and his band has put on a really entertaining show for the duration of their set.  If only the actual album kept up the level of excellence of the concert.

Now, none of the songs are really terrible, per se.  It’s just that some of them are lacking in ways that experienced musicians have already figured out how to adapt.

However, let’s start with the good.  May’s melodies are always catchy and soaring.  Songs like his single “Meet Me in the Garden” and album-closer “Love Song 2009″ allow his crooning singing style captivating outlets.  On these and other pop-perfection songs like “Oh Paris!” and “You Can’t Force a Dance Party,” the bouncing of his ukulele brings around the fun atmosphere that is May’s niche.  On the surface, most of his songs are, sonically-speaking, pleasing.

Slightly below the surface, though, is where the problem lies.

At the concert, I noticed all the hipsters around me knew all of the words to all of his songs.  I had listened to the album a few times in the weeks beforehand, not enough to memorize all of the words, but enough.  However, songs such as “College  Town Boy,” “Howard,” and “God Loves You, Michael Chang” were being chanted by most of the crowd.  Why had I not figured out the lyrics to these songs?

Take a listen to a lot of the songs on The Good Feeling Music and one will notice that they’re character-driven, boring, pop drivel.  Some, like the sneering “College Town Boy,” are cringe-worthy.  With lyrics like “He’s smoking reefer everyday now, his tastes are extremely high-brow,” it becomes an easily-skippable song.  Some songs are even worse.  ”Howard,” for instance, doesn’t just have careless lyrics (“Howard’s getting fatter, he’s rusty in the sack”), but is musically boring as well, with a dragging feeling for the length of the song.

There are a few highlights on Dent May’s first release (on Animal Collective’s Paw Tracks record company), however a majority of the tracks just feel drab.  May knows what his genre is, which is a good sign for his future, but he just needs to explore interesting facets of it.  The forced story-songs with excessive immaturity can be forgotten about. But, on the other songs where May has flashes of brilliance, well, those are the songs to look forward to seeing pure rocking out on his magnificent ukulele.

If Not Now, When?

Incubus

2011

Epic

Incubus is a curious band to me; I heard of them about the same time as most people did, when “Drive” seemed to be playing on at least two radio stations at any given point of the day.  In fact, I even went out and purchased that album, but I just couldn’t quite sell myself on the band.  Fast forward to earlier this year, when a friend of mine and I were swapping music.  She told me about Brandon Boyd and I thought to myself, “wow, I can’t get over how familiar his voice sounds…”  It was like having an epiphany when I came to realize that he was the lead singer of Incubus.  I highly recommend checking out his solo offering, but more recently Incubus has released a new album:  If Not Now, When?

The album starts off with a tune that is reminiscent of Blondie’s sound to me, but doesn’t have quite the synthesized sound that protrudes through Blondie’s catalogue.  The album’s title track sets a nice tone for the album as a whole and especially for the next track, “Promises, Promises.”  This being the first song I had heard off this album, I’m inclined to like it very much but that’s not the only reason to do so.  It’s quite a good song, and exemplifies how Boyd can evoke emotion in the lyrics without needing to yell.  It’s something he does really well, and does through the whole album.

“Thieves” is another standout track featuring wonderful lyrics, which Boyd spews flawlessly.  One example of a line that really makes you think is “Oh everything is fine/As long as you’re a god-fearing, white american.”  To continue quoting some of my favorite lyrics, this time from “The Original,” we have “you’re a skeleton key, opening me.”  The entire track is quite good, but I am partial to the bridge near the end of the song.  It’s simple, but something about it just clicks with me.

I made mention of Boyd’s solo work (The Wild Trapeze) earlier in the review, and the best way to gauge if you’d enjoy it or not is to listen to “Defiance” off of this Incubus album.  It’s short and simple, but damn if it isn’t one of my favorite tracks off this record.

“In The Company Of Wolves” is an interesting track.  At first glance, the length seems somewhat daunting, though not quite to Sufjan levels (“Impossible Soul,” anyone?).  However, it’s definitely a good thing they didn’t cut the song down like most bands today might.  In the middle, there’s a short interlude before the melody returns, then fades into a slight cacophany as the song soldiers to it’s conclusion.

“Switchblade” seems an interesting with it’s verses, but the chorus reminds us that it’s Incubus, and not Chronic Future on ritalin.  “Adolescents” is the track where we most see the whole band come into play, their parts outshining Boyd’s vocals at times.  This isn’t a bad thing though, and I think it actually reminds us that there’s more to the band than the frontman.  The album closer, “Tomorrow’s Food” just forces me to draw comparisons to the Shins.  It’s a slow, mellow song with not a lot of vocals, though they aren’t as understated as Mercer’s tend to be on such tracks.

Overall, I can make two comparisons with this album.  On some tracks, it sounds like an American Analog Set album with less electronic effect.  On others, like a collection of mellow Foo Fighters songs.  We can discuss how Boyd is a much more refined vocalist than Grohl another time.  For now I’ll just say that I like when Dave belts out his lyrics, so no negative meaning was implied with that statement.  At any rate, I’ve enjoyed this new album, and it definitely has made me go back and re-listen to Make Yourself and indulge in more of Incubus’ catalogue.  Nothing on this album may match the success that “Drive” had some years ago, but that may not be a bad thing.  After listening to this record a few times, I can definitely offer my opinion that it isn’t.

Cage the Elephant

2009

Jive Records

In 2009, something strikingly different emerged over the radio waves to rescue the ears of many who have grown tiresome of the same old, auto-tuned, talentless noises that somehow pass for music these days. It was Kentucky’s own, Cage the Elephant. And it was good. Damn good.

Lead by singer Matt Shultz and brother and guitarist Brad Shultz, Daniel Tichenor on bass, Lincoln Parish on guitar and Jared Champion on drums, Cage hit the rock scene in 2009 with their self-titled album “Cage the Elephant.” Shultz has a distinct talk-sing style, similar to that of Cake, howling with a Southern style over twangy 70’s punk rock. Unlike many bands who have beaten the retro rock n’ roll genre to its absolute death, Cage tackles it all with a snarky attitude and music to fit the bill.

The song “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked” quickly became a radio-friendly hit soon after the album released. With its catchy guitar riff and a splash of country twang accompanied by Shultz’s crooning voice telling the tale of three down and out characters. The chorus sings true to many listeners, “No I can’t slow down/I can’t hold back/Though you know I wish I could/No there ain’t no rest for the wicked/Until we close our eyes for good.”

“Back Stabbin’ Betty” follows the theme of less-fortunate characters, with the tale of a man oppressed by a cold-hearted female partner. The music on this one is raw, and Cage takes you through the story in a tempo much like a slow and heavy walk, with moments of chaos. Shultz has you rooting for the underdog throughout the song in his talk-singing narration.

After listening to this disc, there is no doubt that Cage the Elephant is a band that has a fiery attitude about their music. “In One Ear” is the opening song to the self-titled album, and right off the bat is seemingly letting the world know what they’re about. With its couldn’t-care-less vibes, the song leaves no room to care about critics’ assumptions and opinions. They make it very clear they have a passion for what they do and no time for bullshit as Shultz confronts critics in the chorus, “So it goes in one ear and right out the other/People talking shit but you know I never bother/It goes in one ear and right out the other/People talking shit, they can kiss the back of my hand.” With that, they’ve laid it all on the table, take it or leave it.

For those down on their luck, off the beaten path, and rock lovers in general who are in for something fresh, Cage the Elephant plays up to everything their hits offer. Needless to say you won’t be disappointed. The self-titled album is unquestionably worth the listen.

Cold Roses

Ryan Adams & The Cardinals

2005

Lost Highway Records

Country music seems to have grown a cancerous stigma attached to it.  I’m not quite sure how this entire genre has been relegated to just being an association to hicks, blue-collar comedy, and Confederate Flag-waving, mud-covered off-roading vehicles.  Although country music appears to be thriving, and one of the most loved genres currently, it is also one of the most despised.  I’ve never come across a genre of music that is so polarizing as country.

Now, I dislike the popular CMT-Country (or what Chuck Klosterman calls “Wal-Mart Country” in his book Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs).  However, not all country is made by such annoyances as Trace Adkins, Toby Keith, or Kenny Chesney.  This is where Ryan Adams comes in.  Like other alternative-country musicians, Adams got his start in punk music and somehow wound up on the path to his current genre.  Here, Adams has thrived.

Cold Roses is Adams’ sixth solo album (In the 1990′s, he was part of the band Whiskeytown), released in 2005.  His songs aren’t the shit-kicking type that popular country flourishes with.  Adams is a craftsman, adhering to his songwriting tendencies.

It could be argued that one flaw with this album is Adams’ narrow subject matter.  Most of his songs revolve around the same cliche-ridden topic of the angst of love.  However, his lyrics are sung with such earnest self-consciousness that this subject becomes fresh again.  Almost no topic is original anymore, and yet, it is what one does with the matter which creates fresh perspectives.  Adams’ awkward hiccups and cracking voice (two qualities that could be left over from his punk tendencies) help steer his lyrics into a different territory of enjoyment.

His lyrics, too, display the anxiousness apparent within his purposeful vocals.  Bordering on insecurity, the words often second guess themselves.  On “Mockingbird,” he sings “Love her in the ways that you want to be loved, but the way I’m loving her, it must not be enough.”  ”Now That You’re Gone” offers us the gem of “And it means everything, well, sort of.”  And, of course, if we’re speaking about the awkward quality in the lyrics, we can’t escape “Beautiful Sorta,” which is apparent even in the title.

Now, in order to create a novel outlook on relationship-angst in songs, the music has to be involved (otherwise it wouldn’t be a song now, would it?).  The Cardinals, Adams’ backing band (which is a term Adams vehemently abhors – he preferred to just be known as one of the members), fill this void amazingly.  Consisting of Brad Pemberton, J.P. Bowersock, Catherine Popper, and Cindy Cashdollar, the Cardinals tailor their music around Adams’ lyrics.  The band explores dynamics to create interesting arrangements.  Nowhere can this be found more than on “Meadowlake Street.”  Starting as the quietest song on the album, with Adams almost whispering his vocals, the song builds as it progresses into a climax of emotional sorts.  That isn’t to say the band can’t rock out, either.  Listen to the song “Cold Roses” with its intertwining guitar parts and vocal-harmony breaks.  It’s been said that country musicians are some of the most talented, and Cold Roses certainly helps that argument.

The most surprising part of this album is that it’s actually a double-album.  Consisting of eighteen songs, each CD has nine tracks.  Sure, many artists have done this.  However, in the context of the time, this is impressive for Adams.  Cold Roses is the first of three CDs released in 2005.  The other two consist of 29 and Jacksonville City Nights, both also enjoyable albums.  I’m just pointing out that for Adams to release three albums, one of them being a double-album, in the span of one year to the caliber of this quality is quite the feat.  For a lowly country star, that is.

Wasting Light

Foo Fighters

2011

RCA

It seems these days that a lot of bands are grasping at straws to draw in listeners any way they can muster. With the death of the stereo hanging over our heads, a lot of bands come across as desperately seeking uniqueness and novelty. Not the same can be said of the Foo Fighters. In times where music arrives so quickly on the internet, streaming quietly through our ear buds, Dave Grohl and his band mates have taken it back to the basics for their seventh album “Wasting Light.” They’ve taken it way back to garage sounds.

Recorded in Dave Grohl’s garage “Wasting Light” is driven by raw emotion and music that takes the Foo Fighters sound back to the old and around to the new in every way. It melds into a brilliantly crafted album that brings fans to a realm of matured and creatively navigated 90’s grunge.

“Wasting Light” is the first Foo Fighters album to reach number one on the Billboard charts. It was also produced by Butch Vig, who also produced Nirvana’s “Nevermind.” With Grohl on vocals and lead guitar, Taylor Hawkins on drums, Nate Mendel on the bass, Chris Shiflett on guitar, the band welcomed back original member, Pat Smear playing guitar. Featured guests on this album include Huskur Du’s Bob Mould, Motorhead frontman, Lemmy, and to the pleasure of Nirvana fans, Krist Novoselic.

Novoselic is featured on the bass and accordion in “I Should Have Known” a tune that seems to purge the pent up emotions of Kurt Cobain’s death in 1994. The song inhabits a 90’s low-key tone, successfully delivering the rough and beautiful sound only at-home recording can bring. With the lyrics,“I should have known./Couldn’t read the signs./Couldn’t see the light./I should have known,” it’s as if Grohl is facing an inner-battle of grief and frustration before us.

Songs on the album like the hit “Bridge Burning” and “White Limo” which features Motorhead’s, Lemmy, pack more of a heavy metal sound. Others toe the line of melodic pop-punk, and a pleasing nostalgic alternative concoction.

“Back and Forth” begins “Once upon a time/I was somebody else./In another life/I saw myself./Way back then,/back when I was new.” The song is reminiscent of toe-tapping catchy songs like “Monkey Wrench” and “Big Me” but brings something new to the table with a solid and seasoned sound, lead by Grohl’s powerful vocals.

“Wasting Light” brings the career of this talented band full circle. While staying grounded to their roots, they expand into new directions all at once. It’s clear they’ve been through a great deal and their experience is not in the least left unheard on this album.

But, alas, no more.  I come bearing exciting news.  As of next week, Stereo Control will return (so, not technically true, as this post itself is a return of sorts…) with album reviews.  One major problem with the original operandi of Stereo Control was to try and update once a day.  However, we will not make this mistake again.

As of now, Stereo Control will update three to four times a week:
- Ryan’s features on Mondays
- Kristen’s features on Wednesdays
- New Album Reviews (by one of us) on Fridays
- Steve’s wildcard features whenever

We sincerely hope to follow through with the continuation of This is Stereo Control, bringing you the same entertaining music writing that you so deserve.  And to get money off of the site.  We’d love to get money for writing about music.  Come pay us.  Please.  We promise we’ll pander to whoever does.

Anyway, look forward to new posts starting next week (Monday, July 11th… just to be sure).  Thank you, as always.

Volume Two

She & Him

Merge Records

2010

Finally, the new She & Him album has been released.  As you well know from a week or so ago, I was very impressed with Volume One and was therefore, waiting patiently for this, Volume Two to come out.  M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel’s collaboration on this second album is a fruition, and hopefully an inevitable look at what will come.

Whereas Volume One had more of a lo-fi vibe, Volume Two improves upon that sound.  I always thought that the first album had an old 1970′s aspect to it; not necessarily because of its folk / country / California-pop sound (which this second album still encompasses), but because of the recording noise behind it.  M. Ward has always used analog recording techniques and equipment, and on Volume One the sound had a very sparse feeling to it.  And although these same techniques were most likely used on Volume Two, the music has evolved to be noticeably more modern.  More instruments equal a fuller sound.

What’s really great about M. Ward’s arrangements is the music behind Deschanel’s voice.  Every instrument that is used is extremely clear.  They barely ever muddle into each other (with a noticeable exception for “In the Sun” where the dueling guitars are supposed to blend into each other).  “Don’t Look Back” offers a great example of this.  We’ve got a piano lick, Ward’s chugging guitar, another one or two guitars which accentuate both the rhythm and vocals, some strings, drums, and a bass. Yet, all of these instruments are distinctly apparent.  And on top of that, Deschanel’s lead vocals and numerous harmonies are pronounced.  Almost every song has this aspect which really nails a great mood in.  The mixing and production that went into this album really show off well.

Which brings us to Deschanel’s vocals.  I’ve already mentioned that I’m a big fan of her saccharine voice (as well as everything about her really).  On this new album, Zooey still has the same sweet, pure twang that she possessed on the first.  The only difference is the level of relaxation on the two albums.  On Volume Two, she sounds much more comfortable with herself as a whole.  Her voice resonates with her lyrics, helped along by Ward’s musicality.  The mix always pushes her singing up front, focusing in on her melodies.  While the instruments may be content with taking a backseat, they seek to balance her vocals with a jangly tinge.

Meanwhile, her layered background vocals and harmonies provide an intensity that only has grown between these past two years between albums.  While she was extremely talented already with this feature on Volume One, Volume Two shows her ability to grow as a musician.  This second album is prominent with layers upon layers of vocal track, creating a huge sound, seemingly on par with “California Dreaming” from The Mamas & the Papas (an obvious influence on She & Him).  One only has to be directed to the closing song “If You Can’t Sleep” to understand.  The entire song is composed of only voices, an a cappella effect that I’ve always been entertained by.  While Ward has some vocal tracks on this song, Deschanel really is the most obvious.  The reserved humming background on this track creates a simple yet effective touch, ending the album perfectly.

There are very few critiques I have about this album, as a whole.  The first, which should be apparent because I’m a stickler for it, is the tracking of the songs.  While “If You Can’t Sleep” is a perfect closing number, the introduction could’ve been replaced.  The point of the first song on any album is to draw the listener in.  Most frequently, an uptempo track will solve this problem, but a slower number can work too, if it’s interesting enough.  However, “Thieves” doesn’t quite work in either way.  It’s a good song, however, doesn’t effect the interest of the audience right away.  I probably would’ve started this album off with “In the Sun,” a song that provides a sunny uptempo idea.  This would’ve even served as a great contrast to the last song which has a more somber attitude.  Yes, it’s a small criticism, but I feel it’s important.

Secondly is Zooey Deschanel’s comfort zone.  I love her voice and her vocals.  You know that already.  She seems to have a wonderful sense of control and a great sense of melody.  But I don’t ever get an idea of how much power she has behind her voice.  She may seem to be more comfortable singing on Volume Two, however her voice is always reserved and peaceful.  I’d love to hear her really belt or wail out her vocals, commanding the song to go whichever way she chooses it to go.  I understand that California-pop is supposed to be more relaxed than most, but still, I believe she has the stopping power to really have an energetic, potent showstopper.  Not that she particularly needs this aspect to her voice, but I believe it would suit her well.

She has somewhat come out of her shell as a writer on this album.  Her lyrics may exude simplistic ideas, mainly revolving around love (either lost or gained) and semi-clichés.  Yet, there are a few examples of better compositions.  A major specimen is the song “Sing.”  She mentions the MTV show “Cribs” in the beginning.  This may date her material, but it’s a specific image that really stands out.  She takes a risk with her writing, and it pays off.

I haven’t really talked much about the best song on Volume Two, the awe-inspiring “In the Sun.”  Yes, it is an uptempo track as I’ve already mentioned.  The musicality behind it is perfect though.  The piano line is really catchy, and the guitars frame it.  Zooey’s vocals really stand out, as she sounds energetic on the verses and the chorus.  Besides a few snippets of Ward’s vocals spread throughout the record, this heavily features other vocalists.  Tilly and the Wall make an appearance as the background singers, and they appeal to detail the essence of the song following Deschanels “It’s alright, It’s okay.”  The song ends with some great guitar work by M. Ward with two of them dueling.  He’s not afraid to rip with melodic lines while still keeping the atmosphere intact.  It’s his confidence that really sells it, even going so far as to end the number abruptly. 

Go out and buy this album.  That’s really all I have to say.  It’s a warm-sounding album, that peacefully underlies feelings of love and tenderness, also giving ample time to loneliness and solitude.  Ward’s arrangement of the songs brings out the mood of each song.  This is followed up by the engineering and mixing of Mike Mogis (the other half of Bright Eyes who isn’t Conor Oberst).  Anytime either Mogis or Ward is involved in a project, a level of professionalism will always be apparent.  Yet, it’s Deschanel’s vocals and lyrics that really draw the audience in.  She has a serenity available only to her distinct personality and the quality of her singing is superb.  These two really work well with collaborating with each other, and I’d love to see their sound evolve even more later on.

Buy This Album

Official Site

Tonight, I’m going to talk about new music versus old music.  I’m not talking in absolutes here, but relativity.  Personally, there is a moderately sized volume of music that I could consistently listen to without getting tired of it.  This library includes a bunch of Wilco, 311, Sublime, The Shins, Spoon, and a bunch of other stuff also.  Whenever I get ahold of some new music, whether it be a new album from an artist I know, or it’s a new artist to me altogether, I find it hard to integrate it into my listening.  I generally procrastinate listening to it for no good reason.  I don’t exactly know why I do this, maybe it’s some internal attempt to prevent myself from disappointment?  Or maybe it’s just the way I obtain the music.  For example, if I go to Best Buy to purchase a CD on a release date, I’ll pop it in as soon as I get in the car.  With new, digital methods of obtaining music, it doesn’t feel as if I’m wasting anything if I put off listening.  It’s just a bunch of zeroes and ones that I can delete and fill with something else, so why does it matter?  For example, I went out and purchased Return to Cookie Mountain, by TV on the Radio, as a CD, and I listened to it immediately as I got in the car.  More recently, I obtained their album Dear Science via digital means, and it took me a long time to actually listen to it (although I did write a review on it!).

I guess the overarching point here is that new music, no matter how you obtain or store it, should be something exciting.  There’s a bunch of new stuff that I obtained recently, like Broken Bells, Wolfmother’s latest album, and the newest Aloha album (Look for reviews of the last two soon!), and I plan to listen to it recently.  Furthermore, I have stuff that I got back around the beginning of January that I have yet to listen to, so maybe I should get on that soon….