Coming In 2008!!!

[murlough23]

Oh yeah, and they're changing their name to "Koldplay".

Right, and then they're moving to Kalifornia.

I think I liked their last two albums a bit more than most people, but I wasn't on the "instant classic" bandwagon I saw some others boarding.

I don't think any of their albums are classic, though each of them contains some classic songs, so their greatest hits album oughta be an instant classic if they don't botch it with bad remixes and obvious omissions.

[Aaron]

Some albums I've been listening to already that haven't dropped yet but could be of interest to some people:

Cyrenic - The Whites of Our Lies
- Brian Zuckerman goes by the band name Cyrenic.  It's a one man show but the production on the album makes it sound like a full band (a la Trent Reznor and others). His myspace shows is influences to be: Evans Blue, Breaking Benjamin, Finger Eleven, Red, Skillett, City Sleeps, Saosin, Thirtysecondstomars, Stabbing Westward, The Used, Story of the Year, Staind, Garbage, Phil Collins, Fleetwood Mac, Bryan Adams, Bon Jovi.  I'm surprisingly enjoying this album.

Matt Costa - Unfamiliar Faces
- To me, the best artist on Jack Johnson's Brushfire Records (right ahead of ALO- Animal Liberation Orchestra).  His album is refreshing, creative, honest, and artistic.  He's played at Bonnaroo, Coachella, Lollapalooza, and appeared on Austin City Limits.  Elements of power pop, piano rock, country, and folk. 

Secondhand Serenade - A Twist In My Story
- We're used to this by now: solo artist goes by a band name (Jack's Mannequin, The Rocket Summer).  This album is much like a mixture between a JM and TRS album and the prototypical vocals that go along in this genre.  It's a half-decent album but one I've heard many times before.

The New Frontiers - Mending
- These guys are on The Militia Group and are in the latest issue of Paste.  However, nothing on this album kept me interested after one full listen through the album.  Not alot of variety between the songs as far as the music but it's not the worst album I've heard.

Pillar - For The Love of The Game
- Not sure why people like these guys but whatever. I gave the album a listen to be fair.  I've made it a goal to listen to everything possible this year.  Rob's vocals really drag this band down.  The immature phrase I'd use is "Rob makes this band retarded."  As usual, IMO, the drummer is the most talented musician in this band and everyone else suffers from the not that good-itis.  If you're the run of the mill, don't really care cause it's CHRISTIAN RAWK fan, then get the album.  Otherwise, save your ears and pass.

Ringo Starr - Liverpool 8
- There is a reasont that Ringo didn't write most of the songs for The Beatles.  I never thought I'd rank this album lower than a Pillar cd but I had to due to it's horridness.  The songwriting is tacky and the vocals even tackier.  I'm very disappointed in Ringo but then again, this is the same guy that was the conductor on Shining Time Station in the 90s.  George Harrison could make better music from his grave.

Barton Carroll - The Lost One
- Acoustic folk with passionate vocals.  Very refreshing to me since I am a huge fan of the folk singers of the 60s and 70s.  Carroll's album is a very relaxing and enjoyable cd. 

Edison Glass - Time Is Fiction
- This album speaks for itself.  If you liked their first album, you'll thoroughly enjoy the new cd.  The sound is tight, aggressive, solid, in your face vocals, and they show amazing passion and care for their art.

The Apes - Ghost Games
- This is an album I'd expect a place like Pitchfork to like alot.

[murlough23]

I've made it a goal to listen to everything possible this year.

Good luck with that one! (Though I guess the ones you don't get around to could just be considered the "imposible" ones, thereby making this an attainable goal by way of tautology.)

Rob's vocals really drag this band down.  The immature phrase I'd use is "Rob makes this band retarded."  As usual, IMO, the drummer is the most talented musician in this band and everyone else suffers from the not that good-itis.  If you're the run of the mill, don't really care cause it's CHRISTIAN RAWK fan, then get the album.  Otherwise, save your ears and pass.

Cool, something to add to my "Morbidly Anticipating List". Usually there are at least one or two songs on their albums that I really love and the rest is just meh, but I couldn't get into The Reckoning at all despite noticing that they had tried some new things.

Edison Glass - Time Is Fiction
- This album speaks for itself.

Ack! Why I am I not hearing it, then? MUST. LISTEN. AGAIN.

[Aaron]

In regards to Edison Glass, the guys were frustrated that the album kept being pushed back.  It was originally slated for a November 2007 release but their label kept screwing it up.  When the album was leaked back in November, all I had to say was "That is what the label gets for screwing people over."  Anyways, I'll be buying a physical copy in February.

[murlough23]

In regards to Edison Glass, the guys were frustrated that the album kept being pushed back.  It was originally slated for a November 2007 release but their label kept screwing it up.  When the album was leaked back in November, all I had to say was "That is what the label gets for screwing people over."  Anyways, I'll be buying a physical copy in February.

Right, but I downloaded the leak, so my question wasn't why I'm not hearing the album, but rather, why I'm not hearing the brilliance. It's one of those things where I'm sure I need to spend more time with it and it's not a deficiency on their part, but I don't think the genius of it is totally self-apparent, either. Maybe it is if you were already familiar with the band before.

[Aaron]

Right, but I downloaded the leak, so my question wasn't why I'm not hearing the album, but rather, why I'm not hearing the brilliance. It's one of those things where I'm sure I need to spend more time with it and it's not a deficiency on their part, but I don't think the genius of it is totally self-apparent, either. Maybe it is if you were already familiar with the band before.

Also, we have very differing tastes in music.  That has to be taken into consideration. 

[murlough23]

Also, we have very differing tastes in music.  That has to be taken into consideration.

Perhaps, though not as drastically different as you might think given what I observed about our Top 10 lists for last year.

The reasons you cited for liking Edison Glass are reasons I will often like a band, too, but if I end up not liking them, it'll probably be one of those things that just isn't my style but I still respect, rather than it being something I criticize or consider overrated.

[Aaron]

Perhaps, though not as drastically different as you might think given what I observed about our Top 10 lists for last year.

The reasons you cited for liking Edison Glass are reasons I will often like a band, too, but if I end up not liking them, it'll probably be one of those things that just isn't my style but I still respect, rather than it being something I criticize or consider overrated.

Understood.  About my top 10 list, it took me 4 or 5 weeks to nail it down and I don't think I'm even happy with the list I gave.  There are some albums I still think might be top 10 material but I don't know who to pull off the list.

[murlough23]

Understood.  About my top 10 list, it took me 4 or 5 weeks to nail it down and I don't think I'm even happy with the list I gave.  There are some albums I still think might be top 10 material but I don't know who to pull off the list.

You're not likely to bump Delopoulos off of it, though, and he was on mine. Even if you bumped off OtR and I&W, they'd still probably be in your Top 20, so I'd say we still have a healthy amount in common. Plus The Polyphonic Spree ended up in my Top 10 due to your recommendation.

[bloop]

I'm personally pretty shocked, thinking Time is Fiction would be another The Everglow - something so many would be gushing over, but that I think is merely very competent within its genre (I guessed murlough would rave about this one).  I've moved beyond that, and I obviously guessed mur wrong, but I'm not thinking 9.awesome yet, on my scale.

[Aaron]

You're not likely to bump Delopoulos off of it, though, and he was on mine. Even if you bumped off OtR and I&W, they'd still probably be in your Top 20, so I'd say we still have a healthy amount in common. Plus The Polyphonic Spree ended up in my Top 10 due to your recommendation.

No chance in hell Steven would get knocked off.  Polyphonic Spree was in my next 10.  Contrary to some opinions I read, 2007 was a solid year for music.

[bloop]

Every year is a solid year for music if you've got the time (and maybe the funds - optional now) to invest in it.

[murlough23]

I'm personally pretty shocked, thinking Time is Fiction would be another The Everglow - something so many would be gushing over, but that I think is merely very competent within its genre (I guessed murlough would rave about this one).  I've moved beyond that, and I obviously guessed mur wrong, but I'm not thinking 9.awesome yet, on my scale.

The Everglow took some time, too. So you never know.

[Aaron]

I'm personally pretty shocked, thinking Time is Fiction would be another The Everglow - something so many would be gushing over, but that I think is merely very competent within its genre (I guessed murlough would rave about this one).  I've moved beyond that, and I obviously guessed mur wrong, but I'm not thinking 9.awesome yet, on my scale.

If I may go on a tangent about Mae.  The Everglow was a very good album but not great, mindblowing, etc.  However, many people felt that way and really trashed Singularity because it didn't live up to hype or false expectations after The Everglow.  I found nothing wrong with Singularity.  It was a solid album albeit a different mindset than The Everglow.  All Mae did was focus more on the guitars instead of heavy emphasis on piano and keys.  I've never seen so many irrational people turn their backs on a band so quickly.

[bloop]

If I may go on a tangent about Mae.  The Everglow was a very good album but not great, mindblowing, etc.  However, many people felt that way and really trashed Singularity because it didn't live up to hype or false expectations after The Everglow.  I found nothing wrong with Singularity.  It was a solid album albeit a different mindset than The Everglow.  All Mae did was focus more on the guitars instead of heavy emphasis on piano and keys.  I've never seen so many irrational people turn their backs on a band so quickly.

Careful, man.  This is just the kind of comment that could start a 5 page war of words.

I think I maybe dropped a point from The Everglow to Singularity - idk, and I'm too lazy to look it up.

[Aaron]

Careful, man.  This is just the kind of comment that could start a 5 page war of words.

I think I maybe dropped a point from The Everglow to Singularity - idk, and I'm too lazy to look it up.

Haha.  True.

I didn't think Singularity was as good as The Everglow but it wasn't as drastically worse as many of the irrational population claimed it to be.

[Aaron]

Nathan Wiley - The City Destroyed Me
- I'm really digging this album.  For fans of Ron Sexsmith, Ed Harcourt, Joe Henry, Elvis Costello, and the like. 

[murlough23]

If I may go on a tangent about Mae.  The Everglow was a very good album but not great, mindblowing, etc.

I think that's a fair assessment. I may have personally loved it enough to give it an A-, but it was one of those things where the songs I enjoyed just reached a critical mass at some point - I was gonna go with a B-grade, but just found the album really difficult to stop listening to. There was also something about the way the songs all segued so well into each other that is pretty much always guaranteed to impress me (unless the songs themselves aren't that good or something). I like listening to an album front to back and feeling like there's a "theme" or connecting thread - I think that's my geeky inner prog-rocker talking.

However, many people felt that way and really trashed Singularity because it didn't live up to hype or false expectations after The Everglow.  I found nothing wrong with Singularity.  It was a solid album albeit a different mindset than The Everglow.  All Mae did was focus more on the guitars instead of heavy emphasis on piano and keys.  I've never seen so many irrational people turn their backs on a band so quickly.

I expressed my disappointment in Singularity, but I never meant to trash the band. They still had the emphasis on the beyboards, but it was more synth than "real" piano, so it may just be a matter of which sound tickles my ears more, which is obviously a subjective thing. Still, it's hard when a band is doing something you like and then they snatch it away from you. Singularity's a mostly solid collection of rock songs. It doesn't feel like it has quite that same "connecting thread" as The Everglow, but then I'm not gonna go expecting some sort of a concept album from what is essentially a good power pop band.

NP: "Without a Sound", Edison Glass

[Aaron]

I had no problem with your opinion of Singularity.  I was talking about people on many other forums I frequent. Then again, the average tastes of people there is TFK, Pillar, Toby Mac, Jeremy Camp, etc..

[murlough23]

I had no problem with your opinion of Singularity.  I was talking about people on many other forums I frequent. Then again, the average tastes of people there is TFK, Pillar, Toby Mac, Jeremy Camp, etc.

oh, come on. You know you secretly enjoy bashing your head against a brick wall with those types.

[Aaron]

oh, come on. You know you secretly enjoy bashing your head against a brick wall with those types.
[/quote

Not as much as I used to; I've simmered down a bit and let the peons be amazed by the laser pen on the back of the teacher's head.

[murlough23]

Actually, rather than Mae, I'm realizing that a better comparison to Edison Glass, at least in terms of what I think of them as I first approach them, would be House of Heroes. Someone here (I think it was dgp?) recommended HoH to me a year and a half ago, and it took me a long time to get into them, but then I started to really like them. I think the problem was that their attempts to be creative with the switching time signatures and stuff made it take a little longer for the hooks to "catch", if that makes any sense. It's not a fault, just something that takes a little getting used to - and it beats doing everything in 4/4 all the time.

[Aaron]

Actually, rather than Mae, I'm realizing that a better comparison to Edison Glass, at least in terms of what I think of them as I first approach them, would be House of Heroes. Someone here (I think it was dgp?) recommended HoH to me a year and a half ago, and it took me a long time to get into them, but then I started to really like them. I think the problem was that their attempts to be creative with the switching time signatures and stuff made it take a little longer for the hooks to "catch", if that makes any sense. It's not a fault, just something that takes a little getting used to - and it beats doing everything in 4/4 all the time.

I can understand that approach to the music.  Growing up a music nerd throughout school, I played in all the ensembles including jazz band so odd time signatures are like second nature to me so I don't think twice when I hear them.  To someone who might not have had as much musical experience as myself, I can see where that would take a while to "catch".  Speaking of HoH, they have a new album coming out this year! Yes!!!

[murlough23]

I can understand that approach to the music.  Growing up a music nerd throughout school, I played in all the ensembles including jazz band so odd time signatures are like second nature to me so I don't think twice when I hear them.

I really like odd time signatures... I have Iona to thank for introducing me to a lot of 'em. It's the constantly changing ones that I have a harder time digesting - when it's difficult for me to discern the pattern in the first place. (Ironically, the one song I liked from Pillar's last album had an odd time signature that I never quite figured out. I assume you're not gonna get that from them very often.)

[murlough23]

I think the Edison Glass discussion should probably be its own thread... if a moderator would please be so kind as to split it for us?

While listening to the song "Jean Val Jean", I noticed the phrase "battle between grace and pride", which was striking because the same phrase occurs in Jars of Clay's "Worlds Apart". It's either an intentional reference, or both bands are referencing a third source, or just mere coincidence (it's not that unusual of a phrase for a Christian band to come up with).

[Aaron]

I think the Edison Glass discussion should probably be its own thread... if a moderator would please be so kind as to split it for us?

While listening to the song "Jean Val Jean", I noticed the phrase "battle between grace and pride", which was striking because the same phrase occurs in Jars of Clay's "Worlds Apart". It's either an intentional reference, or both bands are referencing a third source, or just mere coincidence (it's not that unusual of a phrase for a Christian band to come up with).

Well, at least for Edison Glass, it's an homage to the the song title's reference to the character in Les Miserables.

[murlough23]

Well, at least for Edison Glass, it's an homage to the the song title's reference to the character in Les Miserables.

Right, I knew that part, so my first instinct was to see if that was perhaps a line from Les Mis that Edison Glass (and also Jars of Clay) had gleaned literary inspiration from. But a Google search for the phrase only turns up both bands' lyrics.

[enemy anemone]

re: Gillian Welch and new album, Uncut's '25 albums you must hear in 2008' says this:

"GILLIAN WELCH & DAVID RAWLINGS
TITLE - TBC
LABEL - ACONY
RELEASE DATE - SPRING / SUMMER
GILLIAN WELCH: Everything we've done so far has been David and I doing
duets.  It's hard as shit.  I've tried to look at this dispassionately,
but I've come to believe that duet music is some of the most highly
arranged music on the planet.  You're so exposed, you can't hide behind
anything.  We work like most bands.  We start playing and when we hit
something that sounds good, we go with that.  With these songs, we
start to play them around, and when we hit a lick that's working, we
move in that direction.  It's a very unconscious, illogical process.
Invariably, when I do a mic test, I play somebody else's song.  That
becomes a textural road map.  Last week's was [the Stones] 'You Can't
Always Get What You Want'.  We have song titles, but I'm so
superstitious about this stuff.  I'd cough them up for you, but it so
happens that a couple of these songs I'm most sure about, I'm unsure of
the titles.  As far as the record goes, the working title is just
Record #5"

there's this one song that they've been playing for a couple years now. fans call it "Throw Me A Rope" or "The Way It Will Be". on Dave Rawlings' myspace blog he called it Untitled. I love the song and wonder if it's one that Gillian is referring to.

[spacebrat311]

I think their music in general is more about what sort of emotions they can wring from the sound of their instruments, rather than demonstrating amazing amounts of proficiency on those instruments. It's not like their guitar parts are any more complex than their piano parts. Just because something's not hard to play doesn't mean it's dull and boring.

I think you're putting words into my mouth here. I'm not disagreeing with any of the principles you state here. I just disagree that those songs are an example of Coldplay utilizing those principles well. Frankly, I think we're going to have to agree to disagree here, because it's not a matter of us judging by different criteria, so much as just disagreeing on whether Coldplay fits that criteria.

[murlough23]

Well, come on, when you say something's boring, you've gotta back that up somehow.

[Ian]

My Morning Jacket's new one is scheduled for a June 10 release.

:D

[spacebrat311]

Fair enough. I don't think the lyrics of those songs are a particular improvement over their other work, and the instrumentals in both "Trouble" and "The Scientist" are essentially the definition of the piano-pop stereotype done before and better. I find that many of their other songs at least have an interesting or dramatic enough dynamic to make me forget both the lyrics and the tiredness of the way they retread others' work, but both of these songs strike me as plodding and homogeneous. "Clocks" I don't so much find boring as annoying, the way a cell phone ringtone will catch your ear instantly, but it's memory will constantly annoy you.

[dgp11776]

I'm personally pretty shocked, thinking Time is Fiction would be another The Everglow - something so many would be gushing over, but that I think is merely very competent within its genre (I guessed murlough would rave about this one).  I've moved beyond that, and I obviously guessed mur wrong, but I'm not thinking 9.awesome yet, on my scale.

I'm happy to see you settled in the A- range, though.

[Aaron]

A Myspace bulletin from The Decemberists says this:

On April 8, Kill Rock Stars will release Colin Meloy Sings Live! - a 14-song set documenting Colin's 2006 solo U.S. tour. As those of you know who saw the shows, Colin stripped down to an acoustic guitar and was accompanied by a skull named Cheryl, a ship named Maya Angelou and a small stuffed sheep named Erick (the c is silent). The album will be released in the U.S. and Canada on CD and double gatefold vinyl. We expect to announce a European release date shortly.

COLIN MELOY SINGS LIVE! - TRACK LISTING

1. Devil's Elbow
2. We Both Go Down Together
3. Evoking a Campfire Singalong*
4. The Gymnast, High Above the Ground
5. Here I Dreamt I Was an Architect > Dreams
6. Dracula's Daughter (previously unreleased)
7. Wonder (previously unreleased)
8. A Brief Introduction to Shirley Collins*
9. Barbara Allen
10. The Engine Driver
11. On the Bus Mall
12. A Skull, a Ship, and a Sheep*
13. California One/Youth and Beauty Brigade > Ask
14. The Bachelor and the Bride
15. A Cautionary Song
16. Red Right Ankle
17. Bandit Queen

* indicates talk between songs


Sweeet

[Brenden]

That sounds interesting.

[Ian]

Given The Decemberists track record, that'll probably be worth a listen.

[murlough23]

Fair enough. I don't think the lyrics of those songs are a particular improvement over their other work, and the instrumentals in both "Trouble" and "The Scientist" are essentially the definition of the piano-pop stereotype done before and better. I find that many of their other songs at least have an interesting or dramatic enough dynamic to make me forget both the lyrics and the tiredness of the way they retread others' work, but both of these songs strike me as plodding and homogeneous. "Clocks" I don't so much find boring as annoying, the way a cell phone ringtone will catch your ear instantly, but it's memory will constantly annoy you.

I can understand how the repetition and/or simplicity of those songs might annoy people, so I suppose that's fair. "Trouble" isn't one of my all-time favorites, now that I think of it, but I have grown to enjoy it quite a bit. What you said about "Clocks" is funny, because back when I had a cell phone that allowed me to "compose" my own monophonic ringtones, I actually used that one for a while, because it was easy to figure out the notes.

NP: "Choose the One Who Loves You More", Copeland

(Yeah, I'm listening to In Motion after telling you I didn't have time for it right now. I changed my mind.)

[Josh]

Thanks for the Gillian Welch update, Schil-- very exciting!

Another new one to note: Elbow has a new record, "The Seldom Seen Kid," arriving in March.

[Aaron]

Thanks for the Gillian Welch update, Schil-- very exciting!

Another new one to note: Elbow has a new record, "The Seldom Seen Kid," arriving in March.

Excellent.  I'm one of the few that prefers Elbow over the popular modern british bands (Coldplay, Radiohead, etc.) with the exception of Doves.

[bloop]

Elbow is behind both Radiohead and Blur as far as I'm concerned, but I do remember liking them (and Doves for that matter).  Damon Albarn needs to chill with the side projects and give us a Blur record already - kidnap Graham if necessary.