Wow

Looks like this here site has lain dormant for too long a time. The goal was to split work and personal between two blogs, this being the personal one [work one here]. But, as Ferris warned against, life moved pretty fast. Oh I stopped and looked around… but rarely. It will be a new goal [let's see if it sticks] to try and post here once a week. Not sure with what, but the same will apply for the work site. The only way it’ll succeed if it starts with a small goal in mind. What I’ll speak about on here, still not sure.

Hit the road Jack…

I leave in a few hours. Part of me is chomping at the bit, another side a wee bit nervous. Going on these trips, these sojourns, I usually leave a bit up to chance. That’s where the truly interesting and inspiring moments dwell.

Two hours until it begins.

The Big Man’s Brew: Volume 2, Number 5

1. Crinan Wood by Alexi Murdoch
I chided the filmmakers behind Away We Go for underusing Murdoch in the scoring of the film. They seemed to use same song over and over and over to the point of annoyance. The whole of the score was a mish-mash of his previously prevalent tracks alongside some fresh gems. Why Mendes and Co. decided against using the complete available library of song I do not know. Crinan Wood, in ways, is somewhat skin to Mendes way of thinking It uses the same, light strumming throughout. But, unlike Away We Go‘s use of music in the film, its wholly non-annoying.

2. Be Here Now by Ray LaMontagne
LaMontagne is an odd fella. I caught him at the Bijou years ago. The stage lights were turned down so low, that I could barely see him. If you’ve ever been in the Bijou you know its an intimate setting. So barely being able to see the musician was a curve ball. All that said, he gave a helluva performance. At first I didn’t think he’d speak to the crowd. But, about halfway through, he made a few jokes in his own somewhat awkward way. Be Here Now is a tremendous song. Something about the interplay of his [good lord this isn't gonna sound right] breathy vocals and the confluence of lightly strummed guitar, piano and orchestration send chills up my spine. Add onto that some subdued speaking / barking / whateverthehellitis during the chorus, and you have a true classic. For an amazing image representation of this song, check out the Away From Her trailer.

3. Frank’s Death-Soldiers [Requiem In D Minor] by John Murphy
With the score from the film 28 Days Later [sorry for the spoiler but if you haven't seen that film by now shame on you] Murphy seems to do what he does best: mix the contemporary with the classic. Murphy’s work is pretty astounding, and its a shame that he’s not more of a go to guy for scoring films. He and Clint Mansell are at the top of their game right now, and more should take advantage of that very fact.

4. Dripping Whispers by The Soul’s Release
I may get kicked in the nads for this, but The Soul’s Release sounds like the love child of Explosions In The Sky and Sigur Ros. Rich [The Soul's Release is only one guy, twenty year old Alex Rich] appears to take elements of both, mash it up in a blender, and drop it on tape. Very nice, very subdued. For now, his only release is the EP Sometime, Somewhere. Its really cheap on iTunes, and worth checking out.

5. Sleep Tonight [Junior Boys remix] by Stars
Don’t really know all that much about Stars other than their original music is usually not as good as the remixed version. I may be partial though. Junior Boys is a group that I picked up on years back with the tune In The Morning, which is a great example of what good electronic music can be. So, when I happened upon a mp3 blog post full of remixed tracks, the Stars one remixed by JB shown like a diamond in the rough. That’s what it is. JB takes a subpar song, and turns it into something special.

6. Sleepyhead by Passion Pit
Sleepyhead didn’t latch on to me the first go ’round. It took hearing it on random one day to fully grasp how head-bobbingly good this song is. Its the confluence of a whole heap of elements, one of which I thought to be some sort of Indian chant. Turns out its a sample of Irish singer and harpist Mary O’Hara. The mass of electronics, and child-like pieces make Sleepyhead a joy to listen to.

7. My Night With The Prostitute From Marseille by Beirut
Beirut’s first album had a lot of heat, but I couldn’t really get into it. I stumbled upon My Night With The Prostitute From Marseille a few months back, and, like Sleepyhead, didn’t think much of it at first. Same story, different verse; heard it on random, and picked up on it. My Night With The Prostitute From Marseille has a few layers going on, and they’re all pretty consistent. The oddest one is that Condon’s vocals seem to be both mixed on the high end and very low end as accompanying vocals. In fact, the low end, almost indistinguishable, sounds like something straight out of a horror flick. I keep expecting it to burst into a “muwhahahahahahahaha!!!!”

8. Butterflies + Hurricanes by Muse
Its astounding that Muse is not bigger here in the States. I would liken Muse to another great, British band: Queen. This song is a perfect concise example of their more epic tunes: slow build, strong turn, explosive moments. Their expansive repertoire of what they consider rock to be is a new, non-shitty version of prog-rock… and they do it very well.

9. Ain’t Nothing Wrong With That by Robert Randolph + The Family Band
Do you recognize this song? The Discovery Channel used it in one of the most uproarious commercials I’ve seen in a long while. Randolph’s track interspersed with rabidly kinetic cuts made the minute long advertisement exciting, enthralling, and a whole mess of other ‘happy’ adjectives. Other than that, Randolph is a tremendous at playing the lap steel. Though, in his case, the guitar appears to be the size of a large keyboard. Even though he’s a big guy, the steel still looks ginormous. There’s a video of the band performing Ain’t Nothing Wrong With That on Letterman, and its completely spellbinding… and’ll probably make you shake your ass.

10. Sighns by Lichens
I was lucky enough to catch Lichens [aka Robert Lowe] opening for Explosions in the Sky in Atlanta last year. At first, didn’t think much of the guy. Mr. Lowe appears to be a heroin’d out, scrawny fella, with a They-called-me-Mr.-Glass-like obtuse afro. So up steps a calm, jittery guy with only a guitar and a whole mess of foot pedals. Then he starts chirping, like a bird, into the mic… and the sound grows and grows and grows and grows. Turns out, he’s recording and looping the sounds. He then strums a large, deep lick. Which proceeds to repeat. He continues this process until he’s built this Tower-of-Babel-sized wall of sound. The song ended at the twenty minute mark, and left me absolutely floored. A lot of the hipster kids in attendance waxed on about how he “sucked,” but what the hell do they know?

11. Things Ain’t Like They Used To Be by The Black Keys
It took me a while to get into The Black Keys. I had a smattering of songs for a long while, whilst not owning any actual albums. Attack + Release was the first I purchased, and it was the first album I popped in on my road trip to Memphis. Boy did it ever set the tone of the trip [cold, blistering weather made all that much more harsh coming off the Mississippi]. Things Ain’t Like They Used To Be ends the album, as do a lot of my picks for TBMB, and was repeated ten or twelve times that very day. I think Jessica Lea Mayfield’s backing vocals turn this song from really good to trulyfuckingamazingtastic. Which, oddly enough, is the same person that lends her the previously included When The Night Comes by The Black Keys’ guitarist / vocalist Dan Auerbach.

12. Where Will You Be by Sara Watkins
Sara is one-third of the overly-talented AlterniGrass [my own phrase] band Nickel Creek. The other two members, her brother Sean and Chris Thile, have released a hefty amount of solo material, with her self-titled album being her first solo effort. She started out on the right foot, having legendary Zeppelin-man John Paul Jones produce the album. With that, the album is a pretty good effort. It ends with the somber, hauntingly beautiful, full-of-longing song Where Will You Be. Very low key, with a nice worbly guitar in behind her breathy vocals.

13. Valley Of Tears by Solomon Burke
Valley Of Tears is off of Solomon Burke’s 2006 return-to-his-country-roots album, Nashville. The album, from beginning to end, is a tremendous effort. From the kick off, soulful That’s How I Got To Memphis to the sweepingly somber ‘Til I Get It Right, the albums never falters or fails one iota. Valley Of Tears is a great example of both how good a singer Burke is, and how talented Buddy Miller is as crafting music. Its sad, it begs, it aches. Even so, its an amazing track.

14. Barcelona by Rufus Wainwright
Speaking of sad. Barcelona, off of Wainwright’s debut album, sounds somewhat sad. At the same time, it has this other-worldy feel. That probably comes from both the title, and the fact that some of the lyrics are sang in Italian. Anyway, its a beautiful song about leaving your troubles behind. For all the heft of the middle portion of the track, the beginning and ending sparsity is what makes this one stand out. Its just Rufus with his amazing voice, and that soft guitar. That’s what makes this song oh so special.

15. Long Goodbyes by Signaldrift
Signaldrift’s album Set Design is an odd mix. Its part otherworldly, ambient pieces, mashed up beside boring break-out-the-glow-sticks techno. Which is both disappointing and reassuring at the same time. I mean, we know they have the ability to do good work. Its just those pesky, repetitive-without-reason beats that make you jump for the ‘forward’ button. Long Goodbyes is an all too short track that showcases the Eno-esque music they are able to create.

16. I Know You Are But What Am I? by Mogwai
Mogwai where a piano is the main instrument? Huh? Whuzat? The post-rock godfathers abandoning their wailing, harsh guitars for I Know You Are But What Am I? is an odd turn of events. The song is… it gives me the sense of longing. Its not depressing, nor happy. Feels kind of like a funeral march of sorts. Oh, its beautifully crafted, don’t get me wrong. In the end its just different, which is nice.

17. Lilah by Morphine
I wish Morphine were still around. Not only cause its tragic that Sandman died so young, but, with The Night, Morphine’s future looked… I would say bright but bright is no way to describe their music. Let’s just leave it at The Night is an amazing album, probably in my top twenty-five ever. I was eager to see how they would proceed after that. Unfortunately, Sandman passed on right when Morphine was at its peak. Lilah, while off Like Swimming, is a great intro to Like Swimming. Then, later, its core was also expanded upon for the actual track The Night. Which is hauntingly beautiful, morose-sound track.

18. Window Lights by The Sea + Cake
Window Lights is off of the amazing soundtrack for Reach the Rock… which I still have yet to see due to its complete unavailability. I’ve heard its great, an odd film for the otherwise voice-of-teens-everywhere John Hughes. The soundtrack is a heavy with Chicago-based indie musicians Tortoise, The Sea and Cake and John McEntire [of Tortoise and The Sea and Cake]. I picked it up, of all places, at the annual WUOT vinyl sale [for those not from Knoxville, WUOT is a classical / jazz radio station housed on UT's campus]. This was ten years ago. The cover looked cool, and I recognized Tortoise. Plus it was only $1. Which is the right price for giving damn near any album a chance.

19. Sleeping Lessons by The Shins
Now to a fun one. After such a hefty later half of this mix, I decided to end it on a happy note. The Shins, probably known best for their acoustic-ey contribution to the Garden State soundtrack, truly rock out on Sleeping Lessons. It starts with a long, slow build… then explodes into a wail of guitars. I triple-dog-dare-you not to smile and bob your head from 2:25 on.

Photos from trip to Jack Daniel’s Distillery

Uploaded photos from trip to the Jack Daniel’s Distillery here.

The Big Man’s Brew: Volume 2, Number 4

1. Pink Maggit by Deftones
White Pony, which Pink Maggit was the tail end of, marked a new direction, a more mature direction, for the Deftones. But, the song was then transformed into a more abrasive, condensed version for radio + TV called Mini Maggit. I prefer Pink Maggit, obviously. It has a patience, a build, that is straight up phenomenal.

2. Everything That Happens by David Byrne + Brian Eno
Otherworldly. That’s about the only world I can use to describe this song. There’s something… hopeful in the structure of the song, including the vocals which recite a completely hopeless tale. But coupled with the warbley [somewhere between warm + wobbly], scant piano strikes, and layered vocals, takes this song to a whole ‘nother plane.

3. Amazing Grace by The Pipes + Drums + Military Band Of The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards
Rhonda thinks this a sad tune. It feels empowering to me. I love how its bookended with solos, be, even more so, how a bevy of bagpipes pull together at around the fifty-three second mark. On top of that, they just keep piling on more and more bagpipes. Only to end, as mentioned before, with a sole performance that seems to whisper off into the night.

4. Here’s Looking At You, Kid by The Gaslight Anthem
Just because they’re from Jersey, The Gaslight Anthem seems to be thrown in with the likes of Springsteen. Which isn’t all that surprising, but seems kinda lazy. Though, Here’s Looking At You, Kid sounds eerily similar to I’m On Fire. Its probably the steady, driving-yet-light drums that run throughout the measure of the song. For my money, The Gaslight Anthem’s album, The ’59 Sound, has closer ties to the songs from Eddie and the Cruisers. Which is a compliment.

5. Moonlight Mile by The Rolling Stones
I will fully admit that I heard the song Moonlight Mile long after seeing the film with the same name. Someone had pointed to the song, so I whipped out my unlistened to copy of Sticky Fingers to give it a spin. very good, very different tune for the Stones. Its rather lush and gorgeous… other than Mick’s gruff begging, which is still good.

6. Takin’ State by The City Champs
I did a double-take at the release date if The City Champs’ Takin’ State. It sounds like a track off of an old Booker T. + the M.G.s record. It even has that layer of noise which makes it sound as if it were actually ripped from vinyl.

7. Her Morning Elegance by Oren Lavie
Her Morning Elegance was one of the early, free music videos offered from iTunes, which is an amazing achievement in stop-motion animation. The song ain’t half bad either. Nice, mid-tempo, somewhat folky tune with a hint of, well, elegance.

8. Another Likely Story by Au Revoir Simone
I love the intro to this song. Once it gets to the vocals, its just alright. The pulsating electronics that inhabit the first minute twenty are astounding. It truly seems that the song has to stop in order for the singer to sing. Which somewhat pulls away from how good the track really is.

9. Say Hello, Wave Goodbye by David Gray
This version trumps the original so much its not even an argument. Both lengthy, spacious, David Gray’s take on Soft Cell’s hit steps about four steps forward. Transmorphing a blippy, electronic, ’80s tune into a lavish, yet folky, piece of utter pop brilliance.

10. Breathing Out by Doveman
Doveman appears, at first, to need to breath out a bit more, as his vocals are barely audible. This track has a morose feeling throughout, both in music and lyrics. Not sure who hurt Man de la Dove, but man is he ever taking it hard. Maybe he needs to take a listen to the next track.

11. Good Arms Vs Bad Arms by Frightened Rabbit
Again with the one word descriptor, I would describe Good Arms Vs Bad Arms as lovely. In the charming, British way of course. Thoroughly upbeat in musical nature, one can’t help but bouncy along to this song. The lyrics are abrasive in spurts, seemingly telling a tale of a jilted guy. But that drumbeat, that acoustic guitar, the electric guitar, what even sounds like a mandolin, everything comes together into one glorious song.

12. Fake Empire by The National
The kick off track from The National’s thoroughly impressive album, The Boxer, Fake Empire is a mash of all sorts of influences. Starting with a spacey sound that leads into a pretty steady piano riff, the song escalates at every twist and turn. Adding layer upon layer of carefully crafted noise, until finally orgasming with a heap o’ horns at the tail end.

13. Excuse Me While I Break My Own Heart Tonight by Whiskeytown
“Onetwothreefour” kicks off Whiskeytown’s destined-to-be-played-at-every-bar-across-ths-great-land’s Excuse Me While I Break My Own Heart Tonight. Ryan Adams sings along to jangled banjo strumming, pop-y drums and an oddly subdued fiddle. A little after two minutes in, Alejandro Escovedo pops his head in, which is a nice pairing with Adams’ take on the track.

14. All My Days by Alexi Murdoch
This track used to resonate a lot deeper with me. Then I saw Away We Go, and got a little tired of it. Don’t get me wrong, its a helluva song. But the film uses it ad nauseam, both in vocal and instrumental form. What’s wild is that Murdoch has a volume of good work. For some reason Sam Mendes felt the need to continually use All My Days… blast it all to hell!

15. Take the Long Way Home by Lazlo Bane
I used to think I really liked the Supertramp original. I checked it out recently, and was dismayed at the result. Eek. The original feels hokey. Whereas Lazlo Bane’s take is fun and lighthearted, whilst being grounded in a solid song. I reckon The Kurgan was right, there truly can be only one.

16. You Had Time by Ani Difranco
Nick Hornby does a much better job than I in describing what makes Ani Difranco’s You Had Time such a good song. So there’s really nothing I can say. Check out Hornby’s Songbook to find out what he thinks.

The Big Man’s Brew – Volume 2: Number 3

1. Recurring Dream by Idiot Pilot
For a large chunk of my music there seems to be some odd story of how it was stumbled upon. Recurring Dream is a shining example of that very thing. The band, Idiot Pilot, was suggested by someone on the Templesmith site. From there I went to the band’s website, which fully streamed their latest album… backwards. Recurring Dream is the last track, and the furthest I made it that day. Tremendously epic song, and I don’t mean that ironically.

2. Heard From Telegraph Lines by Boards Of Canada
Boards Of Canada creates small soundscapes that leave one wondering just how in the world they are able create such texture. If you figure out, let a brutha know.

3. Blackbird by Doves
I know, I know… “how dare someone cover The Beatles! The horror… the horror!” This variation doesn’t start out all that strong. The vocals, in the first couple lines, are kinda flat. Then, at about forty seconds in, the song starts building. After that, its all gravy.

4. I Don’t Like It Like This by The Radio Dept.
The Radio Dept.’s music goes hand in hand with a lot of indie bands of the 80s like The Cure, Joy Division, etc. Soft, dreamy, waifty vocals floating over the top of little electronic blips, accompanied by steady set of keyboards, with a set of warm, abstract, ambient noises thrown in for good measure. This gem was featured on the Marie Antoinette soundtrack.

5. And Yet… by Signaldrift
Signaldrift album Set Design [which has somehow disappeared completely] goes back and forth. Some songs are beautiful little electronic pieces, while others are your typical electronica fare. Think glow sticks and E, all while hearing “dun-chi-dun-chi-dun-chi-dun-chi-dun-chi-dun-chi-dun-chi-dun-chi-dun-chi-dun-chi-dun-chi-dun-chi-dun-chi-dun-chi-dun-chi-dun-chi-dun-chi-dun-chi-dun-chi-dun-chi-dun-chi-dun-chi-dun-chi-dun-chi-dun-chi-dun-chi-dun-chi-dun-chi-dun-chi-dun-chi-dun-chi-dun-chi-dun-chi-dun-chi-dun-chi-dun-chi-dun-chi-dun-chi-dun-chi-dun-chi-dun-chi-dun-chi-dun-chi-dun-chi-dun-chi-dun-chi-dun-chi-dun-chi-dun-chi-dun-chi-dun-chi.” Boring. But they fully make up for it with the half that is, in fact, not only decent but very well crafted electronic music.

6. We Belong In The Sea by The Red Paintings
I was lucky enough to see the performance art that is a The Red Painting concert / show. Whilst the band performed, many local artists painted a variety of pieces on a mixture of canvases… which included human bodies. Very weird, very [and I hate to sound pretentious] avant-garde. We Belong In The Sea is a lush, rolling tune that is an odd inclusion to their usual noise rock filled EPs.

7. To Build A Home by The Cinematic Orchestra
Apparently this song has been used in a ton of television shows. But I first heard it on the KCRW podcast a few years back. It still amazes me how lush, yet basic, this song is. Something about the marriage of Patrick Watson’s breathy vocals, striking piano fingering and wee bits of orchestral strings that makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up every time. Even years later this song gives me chills.

8. Opus 36 by Dustin O’Halloran
Another one from the Marie Antoinette soundtrack. O’Halloran is half of the band Devics [along with Sara Luv]. He has also produced two wonderful albums of piano work aptly titled Piano Solos Volumes 1 + 2. This is my favorite though. Something about the delicateness of it astounds me.

9. Burning Benches by Morning Runner
I reckon you could classify Morning Runner as a derivative of Coldplay. Strong pianos, epic sounding songs. This one takes a bit of a detour, though, around 2:26 when they ratchet up the guitars and pure volume turning the tune into a rocking venture.

10. Beautiful by Clem Snide
I’m not going to tell you who the original is by. You’re gonna have to figure that one out on your own. All’s I will say is that this is a tremendous cover version of a trite, yet somewhat heartfelt, song. The way Eef and the boys keep building and building and building and building to the tension is flat out amazing.

11. Ready To Go by The Faults
The now-defunct The Faults released only one album, but it is one hell of a record. The band consisted of three-quarters of The V-roys [Mic, Paxton + Jeff] and Robbie Trosper [of The High Score]. Ready To Go a guttural, asskickin’ piece of music that just begs to be seen live. Also, I swear the WB used to use a clip of it in their morning bumpers, during The Daily Buzz.

12. The Opening Credits by Helen Stellar
Helen Stellar is a band I found via the Elizabethtown soundtrack. Cameron Crowe said that HS sent him a demo featuring IO [This Time Around] which ended up not only in the finally cut of the film, but also on Volume One of the soundtrack. Later Helen Stellar released two EPs, one of which contains The Opening Credits. I just love how the sound teeters on the edge, up until the very end when the band lets it all hang out, going completely apey.

13. Stolen Car by John McEntire
This ‘bumper’ is from the fantastic score/soundtrack for the film Reach The Rock. Mr. McEntire, of the hellacious band Tortoise, scored the film, and did an amazing job crafting undercurrent tunes for the prison drama.

14. Back Home Again by Low
Low’s version of Back Home Again is off of the Mark Kozelek produced tribute to John Denver, Take Me Home. The entire record is pretty astounding, most musicians elevating Denver’s songs to something other than just overtly wholesome folk pop tunes. Back Home Again is a shining example of how, at its core, most of Denver’s music is to be cherished.

15. Angelica by Lamb
Why this one is named Angelica instead of Clair de Lune I have no idea. All it is is an electronic reworking of Debussy’s original. That said, its really damn good. Nice to hear a variation.

16. I’m On Fire by Bat For Lashes
…and talk about your variations. Elements of Springsteen’s original is nowhere to be found in Natasha Khan’s rendition of I’m On Fire. Her version aches. It pines. It meanders. It throbs. Beautiful.

17. Intro by Trespassers William
18. Lie In the Sound by Trespassers William
Lie In The Sound was pointed out to me by Karen and Courtney. Dreamy vocals blanketed over the top of gorgeously constructed music. Somewhat reminds me of Mazzy Star and Julee Cruise. Breathy singing and wobbly guitars.

19. Gideon by My Morning Jacket
This is not the definitive version of Gideon. For that, you’re gonna have to go to YouTube, and search for MMJ’s performance of it on Letterman. That one has the Boston Pops Orchestra backing the band. That said, this’ll do pig.

The Big Man’s Brew – Volume 2: Number 2

1. Echoplex by Nine Inch Nails
Echoplex is a “thanks for supporting me” tune from Trent. When the online-only business model of the Ghost project was a success, Reznor sent all of his fans a message saying “thanks and here’s a free tune” [shortly thereafter he did the same with the entire The Slip album, which included Echoplex]. All that aside, its just a good tune. Kinda reminds me off… there’s a Brit-dance-club movement that’s been going on for the past few years. The best example I can give is from the movie Layer Cake. The first scene that Sienna Miller makes an appearance [ugh, back when she was actually cool] has this mellow, yet fast, drum machine going. I have a few tunes that emulate that, and feel that, at its heart, Echoplex is a derivative of the movement… intentionally or unintentionally, I have no idea.

2. Invaders Must Die by The Prodigy
Adding this to the mix makes me dorky in a wholly other way, I know. I like the explosiveness of the tune. Hell, its what made me buy the album. But there’s something, upon listen after listen, that makes it kinda… goofy. Maybe the repeating of the title. Still really good music, couldn’t ask for much more bombast.

3. The Royal We by Silversun Pickups
Upon listening to Swoon, The Royal We is the standout track. The only song that I constantly and consistently hit the back button once its over. This tune sticks because of the deft use of driving strings that propel the song forward… which is a fancy way of saying the strings frickin’ rock.

4. Strange Times by The Black Keys
Strange Times is a throwback, rough ‘n ready tune. Never lets up, never stops pounding away. Even during the portions that are somewhat subdued, the drums are still thumping away. The guitar seems to come in short, sharp bursts.

5. Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked by Cage the Elephant
There’s no true descriptor for this tune. Its somewhat jingle-jangly, with a white boy rap over the top. Maybe that’s the appeal. It has this swaggering, somewhat funky bravado that’s not really present in indie rock.

6. All My Friends Are Crazy by 500 Miles To Memphis
Is punk country a genre? That’s about a perfect fit for Ohio’s 500 Miles to Memphis. Hell, the photo on their website [www.500milesmusic.com] is a great insight to the band: Ryan Malott, tall boy of PBR firmly in hand looking like a punk icon, and David Rhodes Brown sitting behind him on the lap steel, looking weathered, older and grisly complete with giant cowboy hat. Throw in a fiddle, some heavy guitar parts and you have a truly unique sound.

7. Tyrants by Black Mountain
This really wasn’t my first choice to make the cut of the mix. Its inclusion had more to do with the way the song married the heaviness of the front end to the calmness of the latter half. As far as Tyrants in concerned, it sounds like something straight out of the ’70s. Big, heavy tune, steeped in sludge. Though when Amber’s vocals come in about half way through, it really pulls the song up to a whole ‘nother level. Man can she wail.

8. When The Night Comes by Dan Auerbach
Dan, better known as half of The Black Keys, released his first solo album earlier this year. Its a pretty good album, but When The Night Comes is this lovely, slumbery track that separates well from the rest of the album. That’s probably the thing about the album as a whole. It sounds more like a collection of individual songs rather than an album.

9. Enjoy The Silence by Division Day
Heh. I’m starting to wonder if Division Day does any original tunes. I have a small collection of their material from around the blogoshpere, and they all happen to be covers. As good as the original is, I like DD’s twist, crafting the sound into a degradated, detuned piece. Nice. Fits well.

10. Amsterdam by Coldplay
I know what you’re saying upon seeing Coldplay on the mix, “whatever, we’re totally on silent treatment right now, that’s  how upset I am… except for email communication, electronic only, no face to face!” I know, totally. In my defense, its not a well known track. Plus, its another slow burner, end of the album, tune [like Kings of Leon’s Cold Desert from the last mix]. There’s just something about how the majority of the song is a waifty little ditty that develops into a epic sounding finale to an otherwise already strong album. Kudos.

11. Talking Old Soldiers by Bettye LaVette
As strong as the ending to Amsterdam is, ain’t nothing in comparison to LaVette’s vocals… which sound like they’ve been soaked in cigarette ash and whiskey. Talking Old Soldiers is an Elton John song off Tumbleweed Connection, but Bettye owns it now. Kind of like NIN’s Hurt, which is now Johnny Cash’s tune. Back to LaVette, I’m not a huge fan of hers. A lot of her tunes are upbeat songs. I like the piano bar ones, and wish she’d do more.

12. Gravity by Sara Bareilles
Its a good thing Greg isn’t getting these here mixes, cause this tune would make him point and laugh at me. Yes, even my big, burly ass can listen to syrupy sweet music. Its my frickin’ kryptonite. But, just like Bettye LaVette, I like Bareilles’ more morose and sweeping songs. That’s why it took me a while to pick up on her. Love Song was the first release, and, subsequently, a huge hit. But it just wasn’t my thing [though Feist reeled me in with 1,2,3,4 so its not an exact science folks]. Then came the Christmas collabo between Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson, Winter Song. Tremendous, tremendous tune. Really can’t say enough good things about it. So Winter Song clued me into the fact that Bareilles could sing really damn well. She has a voice that’s flat out amazing.

13. Buck Up, They’re Coming. by Weaver At The Loom
Don’t rightly know how I stumbled upon Weaver At The Loom. I picked up their EP about the same time as Helen Stellar’s I’m Naut What I Seem EP. Both are well done, but, as a whole, Weaver At The Loom’s I Was Searching And I Found is the consistently superior of the two. Its somewhat emo, very CW-ish. I expect if a Google search was done, I’d see that Weaver At The Loom was featured in the latest episode of The Hills / One Tree Hill / etc. Probably.

14. Stay Golden by Au Revoir Simone
Stay Golden has been in my back pocket for a good while now. I first heard it in a trailer for the film Dedication, thought it  was lifted from Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind score. Has that same feel, noodling. Good song, very low-key.

15. Hanging by Craig Armstrong
There’s a funny story how I got into the Plunkett & Macleane score by Craig Armstrong. Never seen the film [nor has most folks]. It was a viral clip of the old Batman TV show set to the song Escape [from the P&M score] that clued me in. It was hilarious, but the music was amazing. I just happened to find a worn copy of the album at the Disc Exchange. Cut to a few years later, Hanging was used in a different movie trailer [what I cannot remember, but its recent]. Immediately I knew it was from the Plunkett & Macleane score. Looked it up on IMDb, and there it was. Already had it loaded in iTunes.

16. Festival by Sigur Ros
What can I say about Sigur Ros? There are no words to explain just how amazing this band is. Again and again, they continue to amaze me. I picked Festival because its a good barometer for their music. Its long. Soft in parts, heavy in others. Most of all, its perfect. There’s a word to describe Sigur Ros, perfect.

Memphis + Arkansas photos

Here are the photos from my trip to Memphis + Arkansas last December. I’ve decided against posting the ‘journal’ from the trip. Comes off a bit pretentious and wankery.

The Big Man’s Brew – Volume 2: Number 1

1. Falling In Love In A Coffee Shop by Landon Pigg
Found this song via an AT+T commercial. Its pretty CW-ish, but there ain’t nothing wrong with that.

2. Cold Desert by Kings of Leon
A lot of times, bands will place a long slow burner as the finale to their album [think The Tourist on OK Computer]. Cold Desert is a shining example of how a song can leave you with a taste of wanting more.

3. Act IV by Roddy Woomble
Senor Woomble, of Idlewild [the band not the movie], crafts a soft little gem of a tune. Starts out wholly mellow, only to spring to life with the burst of accompanying vocals. As Act IV unfolds, more and more elements come into play.

4. Blood Bank by Bon Iver
Mr. Vernon is in the realm of hipsters right now. Blood Bank, off of the eponymous EP, is new territory for Bon Iver, employing electric guitars, that also serves as a good driving tune.

5. Lakeside by BLK JKS
Lakeside, by South African avant noise band BLK JKS [pronounced black jacks], has bits and pieces for a wide swath of different genres of music, but they somehow make it their own. The uber high pitched vocals kind of remind me of Battles.

6. Mean Ol’ Wind Died Down by North Mississippi Allstars
Jam blues band North Mississippi Allstars created a great summer sound of a song with Mean Ol’ Wind Died Down. Sounds like something you’d equate with a late July evening out on the lake.

7. Furr by Blitzen Trapper
Blitzen Trapper kind of fits into the new of branch of indie-rock which is more indie-folk. Think Fleet Foxes, Avett Brothers and some My Morning Jacket. Furr is a great at stopping and starting up again. The furious bass drum kicks randomly and damn near makes my subwoofer dance.

8. Sunset Coming On by Damon Albarn, Afel Bocoum, Toumani Diabaté + Friends
Mr. Albarn, who is one of the most consistently good musicians working now, culled together a group of insanely talented Malian musicians for his first official somewhat solo album, Mali Music. Afel Bocoum, Toumani Diabaté, Ko Kan Ko Sata, etc play traditional, minimalist instruments that create very unique sounds that are very difficult to place.

9. Wildflower by Kasey Chambers + Shane Nicholson
I’ve been a fan of Kasey Chambers from my college years. She and her husband, Shane Nicholson, composed a stellar album, Rattlin’ Bones, but Wildflower is a true standout.

10. Somewhere Near by Richmond Fontaine
Just Willy Vlautin and an acoustic guitar, don’t need anything else.

11. Blood Embrace by Matt Sweeney + Bonnie “Prince” Billy
This one is courtesy of Mr. Provonsha. The whole song is good, but I think its the clip from the film Rolling Thunder that tips it over the edge into pure bliss.

12. I’d Rather Go Blind by Etta James
This one is a classic. That wobbly guitar, the light touches of a sax, and, on top of all that, Etta just being Etta. I’ve heard that Beyonce covers this in the film Cadillac Records. No way in hell can that nitwit hold a candle to Etta James.

13. Lost Time by Maria Taylor
Great, great, breathy tune by the rather poppy Maria Taylor. Somewhat heartbreaking feel, that at its heart has a truly redemptive message.

14. Motel Blues by Loudon Wainwright III
This version is from the 2008 re-covers album Recovery. Somewhat rambling rock ‘n roll lifestyle song, full of loneliness and concurrently an unconventional amount of bravado.

15. Shallow Grave by Randy Kohrs
Kohrs is this generation’s Jerry Douglas, the go-to dobro player. Randy has played on albums by Hank III, Dierks Bentley, Little Big Town, etc. He also has a somewhat thriving solo career. I caught him at Tennessee Shines a few months back. All of his songs are good, but this one is phenomenal in its simplicity.

Everything that happens will happen today…

As many times as I’ve watched this video, its quite amazing that the hair still stiffens up on the back of my neck. I’ve streamed the album, and “Everything That Happens” is pretty much the only truly good song. Which is sad, cause Byrne and Eno are two astounding musicians.