Jon Foreman - Fall & Winter EPs

Fall and Winter are the first two of four solo EP's released by Switchfoot frontman Jon Foreman. To be completely honest, I don't care much for Switchfoot. Not to say that I don't recognize their musical abilities or appreciate them for such, but I don't like them. Irrelevant? Not so much. All of that was to say that I am thoroughly impressed by the stripped down acoustic songs that Foreman has expertly crafted.

A big thank you to Devin for this one.

Fall:
1. The Cure For The Pain
2. Southbound Train
3. Lord, Save Me From Myself
4. Equally Skilled
5. The Moon Is A Magnet
6. My Love Goes Free



Winter:
1. Learning How To Die
2. Behind Your Eyes
3. Somebody's Baby
4. White As Snow
5. I Am Still Running
6. In Love

The Kinks - Lola Versus Powerman and the Money-Go-Round

I had heard of The Kinks, but had never taken the time to listen. Then, a few weeks back, my girlfriend and I [along with a few friends] were watching the Wes Anderson film, The Darjeeling Limited and I heard an incredible song. It was folky and had banjo and a great vintage sound. Little did I know that it was the song "This Time Tomorrow" by The Kinks. Immediately I began investigating and it wasn't long before I had the album in my possession.

Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround is a wonderfully written album, in the spirit of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, but with much more of a folk edge. Reminiscent of George Harrison's solo work, but catchier. Most certainly worth your time.

Tracklisting:
1. The Contenders
2. Strangers
3. Denmark Street
4. Get Back In Line
5. Lola
6. Top Of The Pops
7. The Moneygoround
8. This Time Tomorrow
9. A Long Way From Home
10. Rats
11. Apeman
12. Powerman
13. Got To Be Free
14. Lola [bonus][mono single version]
15. Apeman [demo]
16. Powerman [demo]

Highlight Tracks: "Strangers", "Denmark Street", "Lola", "This Time Tomorrow"

A. C. Newman - The Slow Wonder

The Slow Wonder is the debut solo album by A.C. Newman, of The New Pornographers and Zumpano fame, released in 2004 on Matador Records. If, by chance, you're expecting Newman's solo venture to be anything like The New Pornographers, then you may find yourself disappointed. You will not find Neko Case or Dan Bejar on this record, as it is founded more in straight-up rock and indie genres.

I couldn't tell you why, but for some reason, I decided recently to listen to this album, instead of the few that remained in my current roatation, and found that I had found a new favorite. The songs are catchy and fun, but well written and don't even come close to getting old. A great album. Take my word for it.

Tracklisting:
1. Miracle Drug
2. Drink To Me, Babe
3. On The Table
4. Most Of Us Prizefighters
5. The Battle For Straight Time
6. Secretarial
7. Come Crash
8. Better Than Most
9. The Cloud Prayer
10. The Town Halo
11. 35 In The Shade

Bright Eyes - A Christmas Album

[copied from Wikipedia]

A Christmas Album is an album by Bright Eyes released in 2002. The proceeds of the album go to the Nebraska AIDS Project. The album was arranged by Conor Oberst and Maria Taylor. The performers also include Jake Bellows, Gretta Cohn, Armand Costanzo, Denver Dalley, Stefanie Drootin, Orenda Fink, Neely Jenkins, Jiha Lee, Andy LeMaster, Mike Mogis, Matt Oberst, Stephen Pedersen, Blake Sennett, Macey Taylor, and Nick White.

Tracklisting:
1. Away In A Manger
2. Blue Christmas
3. Oh Little Town Of Bethlehem
4. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
5. The First Noel
6. Little Drummer Boy
7. White Christmas
8. Silent Night
9. Silver Bells
10. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
11. The Night Before Christmas

Sufjan Stevens - Songs For Christmas

Beginning in 2001, Mr. Stevens began recording both original and re-imagined Christmas songs, and releasing one EP per year for 5 years. In the spirit of the impending holidays, I present you with all five EP's.

Songs For Christmas, Vol. 1: Noel

1. Silent Night
2. O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
3. We're Goin' To The Country!
4. Lo How A Rose E'er Blooming
5. It's Christmas! Let's Be Glad!
6. Holy, Holy, etc.
7. Amazing Grace



Songs For Christmas, Vol. 2: Hark!

1. Angels We Have Heard On High
2. Put The Lights On The Tree
3. Come Thou Fount Of Every Blessing
4. I Saw Three Ships
5. Only At Christmas Time
6. Once In David's Royal City
7. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing!
8. What Child Is This Anyway?
9. Bring A Torch, Jeanette, Isabella



Songs For Christmas, Vol. 3: Ding! Dong!

1. O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
2. Come On! Let's Boogey To The Elf Dance!
3. We Three Kings
4. O Holy Night
5. That Was The Worst Christmas Ever!
6. All The King's Horns
7. Ding! Dong!
8. The Friendly Beasts



Songs For Christmas, Vol. 4: Joy

1. The Little Drummer Boy
2. Away In A Manger
3. Hey Guys! It's Christmas Time!
4. The First Noel
5. Did I Make You Cry On Christmas Day? (Well, You Deserved It!)
6. The Incarnation
7. Joy To The World



Songs For Christmas, Vol. 5: Peace

1. Once In David's Royal City
2. Get Behind Me, Santa!
3. Jingle Bells
4. Christmas In July
5. Lo! How A Rose E'er Blooming
6. Jupiter Winter
7. Sister Winter
8. O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
9. Star Of Wonder
10. Holy, Holy, Holy
11. The Winter Solstice

The Beatles - Love

[copied from Wikipedia]

Love is a Grammy Award-winning soundtrack compilation album of music recorded by The Beatles, released in November 2006. It features music compiled and remixed for the Cirque du Soleil show of the same name. The album was produced by George Martin and his son Giles Martin, who said, "What people will be hearing on the album is a new experience, a way of re-living the whole Beatles musical lifespan in a very condensed period."

To me personally, the re-imagination of these classic Beatles songs changes the tracks from what they originally were, into how people perceive[d] them. The album is much less straight forward than the original material and feels as though all of the songs contained within were writting during the Sgt. Pepper days.

I love it.

Tracklisting:
1. Because
2. Get Back
3. Glass Onion
4. Eleanor Rigby/Julia (Transition)
5. I Am The Walrus
6. I Want To Hold Your Hand
7. Drive My Car/The Word/What You're Doing
8. Gnik Nus
9. Something/Blue Jay Way (Transition)
10. Being For The Benefit of Mr. Kite!/I Want You (She's So Heavy)/Helter Skelter
11. Help!
12. Blackbird/Yesterday
13. Strawberry Fields Forever
14. Within You Without You/Tomorrow Never Knows
15. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds
16. Octopus' Garden
17. Lady Madonna
18. Here Comes The Sun/The Inner Light (Transition)
19. Come Together/Dear Prudence/Cry Baby Cry (Transition)
20. Revolution
21. Back In The U.S.S.R.
22. While My Guitar Gently Weeps
23. A Day In The Life
24. Hey Jude
25. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)
26. All You Need Is Love

The Welcome Wagon - Welcome To The Welcome Wagon

[Copied from www.asthmatickitty.com]

The debut album by The Welcome Wagon unveils a ramshackle sing-a-long enterprise of a Presbyterian pastor (the Rev. Vito Aiuto) and his wife (Monique) wrestling out the influences of folk music, religion, popular culture, and church tradition in a collection of songs that is as soulful as it is good-humored. This gorgeous brew is reflected in the group’s repertoire, which unflinchingly consolidates a vast history of “sacred” song traditions: from Old Testament psalms, to Presbyterian Psalters of the 17th century, to iconoclastic pop innovators of the 1960s (The Velvet Underground), to charismatic Catholics of the 1970s (Lenny Smith), and into the melancholy lovelorn pop of the 1980s (The Smiths). There are even a few originals. Armed with a particleboard parlor guitar and a plastic glockenspiel, pastor and wife stumble their way through an arresting catalog of hymns—hallowed and unholy—with the simple desire to know their Maker—and to know each other—more intimately. The result—due, in part, to producer/arranger Sufjan Stevens—is an awe-inspiring collection of hymns, pop covers, and originals that render soulful stunts from quiet skirmishes of home recordings. Gathering together a camaraderie of musical helpers (among them members of Vito’s church: a gospel choir, lap steel guitar, upright bass, and a brass ensemble), Sufjan enlivens The Welcome Wagon’s quaint haberdashery of songs with epic flourishes, drawing out allusions to honky-tonk, Broadway theater, and funk with the curatorial eye of an over-excited musicologist. The final product results in a stunning cross section of rehearsals and home recordings serendipitously captured in living rooms, churches, and home studios across Brooklyn and Queens over the course of some eight-odd years.

This album is wonderful, due mostly to the amount of liberties that it sounds like Sufjan took in the production process. I imagine that this is one that Kathryn will squeal a little about, and it may garner an eye-roll from Devin.

Tracklisting:
1. Up On A Mountain
2. Sold! To The Rich Man
3. Unless The Lord The House Shall Build
4. He Never Said A Mumblin' Word
5. Hail To The Lord's Anointed
6. But For You Who Fear My Name
7. American Legion
8. You Made My Day
9. Half A Person
10. Jesus
11. I Am A Stranger
12. Deep Were His Wounds, And Red


Part 1
Part 2

To Hold All You Animals Over...

I can't honestly say that I will be able to update very much in the near future. The power cord to my computer has decided to go on strike and now I am left with a battery that drains like a sieve and a wallet that does the same. So, in the spirit of sharing [which is the purpose of this blog], I am going to share links for the albums that have been sitting in my Mediafire account, waiting to see the light of day. More than anything, I've been waiting until I was in the mood to listen to these albums, so that I could write a fresh and honest review, rather than relying on my memory [which isn't too good]. So here you are:

Akron/Family - Akron/Family [2005]
Genre: freak folk, lo-fi
For Fans Of: Devendra Banhart, Danielson Famile

Arctic Monkeys - Favourite Worst Nightmare [2007]
Genre: indie, rock, brit-pop
For Fans Of: The Last Shadow Puppets, Modest Mouse, The Fratellis

Cold War Kids - Robbers & Cowards [2006]
Genre: indie, piano, lo-fi
For Fans Of: Modest Mouse, Spoon, Feist

Jaguar Love - Take Me To The Sea [2008]
Genre: post-hardcore, post-rock
For Fans Of: The Blood Brothers, Neon Blonde

Of Montreal - The Sunlandic Twins [2005]
Genre: indie, dance, pop
For Fans Of: Vampire Weekend, LCD Soundsystem, The Shins

Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot [2002]
Genre: indie, rock, country
For Fans Of: Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, anything else by Wilco

The Duchess and The Duke - She's The Duchess, He's The Duke

I happened upon The Duchess and The Duke a while ago, but it wasn't until today that I [finally] was able to get my hands on their record, She's The Duchess, He's The Duke. Hands down, this is a Devin Phelps album. Listening to it, I half expect to blink my eyes and suddenly be sitting on the big orange couch in his living room, listening to this "vintage" band, while he plays Grand Theft Auto: Vice City on his PC.

Devin, I hope you enjoy this one.

Tracklisting:
1. Reservoir Park
2. Out Of Time
3. Ship Made Of Stone
4. Strangers
5. The Prisoner
6. Back To Me
7. Mary
8. You Can Tell The Truth, Now
9. I Am Just A Ghost
10. Armageddon Song

The Flaming Lips - At War With The Mystics

Lately, I'm finding that I'm getting into The Flaming Lips more and more. They're as weird as you could possibly want it, but still manage to create some of the coolest and accessible songs that you could possibly want. I'm really digging this album. Plus, it's The Flaming Lips, c'mon. Download it if only to see what all the hype's about.

Tracklisting:
1. The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song
2. Free Radicals
3. The Sound Of Failure
4. My Cosmic Autumn Rebellion
5. Vein Of Stars
6. The Wizard Turns On...
7. It Overtakes Me
8. Mr. Ambulance Driver
9. Haven't Got A Clue
10. The W.A.N.D.
11. Pompeii Am Götterdämmerung
12. Goin' On