Don't Haunt This Place

While I’m getting ready to leave for Lollapalooza early tomorrow (got to grab my place for Radiohead early), I’ve been listening to Hometowns, a spectacular debut album from Canadian artists The Rural Alberta Advantage.  I’m honestly wondering how this album could have been out there this long without me hearing about it, but after reading recommendations from Chromewaves, Song By Toad, and Berkley Place, I had to check it out on my own, and now I can personally attest for the CD’s quality.  The album has been constantly compared to Sufjan Stevens in it’s historical/geographical themes centered around one place (instead of a state, it’s the band’s hometown province of Alberta) and musically to Neutral Milk Hotel in the intensity and passion of the music (as well as the similar sounding vocals).

The band has graciously put up nearly half of Hometowns on their website for download, and I’ve loved every song I’ve heard from it.  It doesn’t get much better than “Don’t Haunt This Place” though, a song that hooks you from the start with a very unique drum pattern, soft organ, and a poignant cello that somehow work perfectly together.  The vocals are especially stellar as well, much of the song featuring lead male and female vocals that mix wonderfully with the overall sound.  Easily one of the most sonically interesting and just plain cool songs I’ve heard in a while.

“Frank, AB” which describes how the town of Frank was completely lost in a landslide (read about it here) is another big highlight of the album.  The song has a killer chorus which is vocally made up entirely of whooing that reminds me very much of another oft-compared-to Canadian band (I’ll let you guess who).  The song builds until the very end when everything almost everything drops out except the vocals providing for a moving climax.   I expect really big things for this band once more people catch on to it’s brilliance.  Download the two tracks below and check out the band’s website for a few more.

MP3 The Rural Alberta Advantage – Don’t Haunt This Place
MP3 The Rural Alberta Advantage – Frank, AB

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I’m planning on doing alot of Lollapalooza coverage over the next week or two (I just got a new camera and I’m taking tons of pictures this weekend). I also got a job at State Farm as a customer service rep that starts next week on Monday.  It’s gonna be a busy week.

PAS/CAL

Firstly, thanks to those who commented on the wedding mix.  Celeste and I had a fantastic honeymoon in Destin, Florida and our adjusting to our lives in our new apartment and our new jobs.  Hopefully I can find the time to start posting more frequently once things settle down here.  One thing I was very excited to see when I got back was that indie pop maestros, PAS/CAL, had finally gotten around to releasing a full-length after a string of consistently solid EPs.  I’ve been listening to the new album and it contains some of the best songs I’ve heard from the band along with some old favorites like “O Honey, We’re Ridiculous” and “Summer Is Almost Here”.

Like many, my introduction to PAS/CAL was the song “The Bronze Beached Boys” during a Saturn commercial and the blog buzz that accompanied.  The band’s breezy, sunny sound is immediately likable and the rich pop arrangements are reminiscent of artists like Elliott Smith, Belle & Sebastian, and even Destroyer.  I Was Raised on Matthew, Mark, Luke, and Laura raises the stakes for the band as they expand their sound to be more colorful, ornate, and completely full of hooks.

The highlight of the album is enthusiastic, lively “You Were Too Old For Me”.  The song doesn’t stay in one place for too long and the tempo changes just add to the excitement.  Even at six minutes long, the track flies by.  Unlike many pop artists, PAS/CAL doesn’t short you when it comes to lyrics, providing plenty of memorable and clever lines throughout the album.  Overall, it’s easily one of the funnest and best pop albums I’ve heard of the year.  But I didn’t expect anything less from this extremely talented band.

MP3 You Were Too Old For Me
MP3 O Honey We’re Ridiculous

Falling Slowly: 19 Love Songs (Our Wedding Mix)

The day is finally here.  In a few hours I’m going to be a married man and this is the mix that we are giving out as CD favors (along with a few random musings that I included in a booklet) to the guests.   I want to thank all my readers for the kind words over the years about me and Celeste, and for reading what I have to say here.  I’m going to be gone for a week, honeymooning, but I hope you enjoy this mix while I’m away. Huzzah!

1. Sleeping At Last – Umbrellas
This is “our song”.  I proposed to Celeste at a Sleeping At Last concert while this song was playing, after a special dedication from the band.  We also shared our first dance to “Umbrellas”.

2. Sigur Ros – Hoppipolla
“Hoppipolla” (which is Icelandic for “Jumping Into Puddles”) is the song that played during the recessional and is one of the most beautiful songs I’ve ever heard.

3. Iron & Wine – Love and Some Verses
Iron & Wine is Celeste’s favorite band and this is one of their prettiest love songs.  Sean and Whitney gave a lovely performance of this song at our ceremony.

4. The Frames – Falling Slowly
This beautiful track is the theme to the film Once, it won best original song last year at the Oscars and is one of our favorite love songs.

5. The The – This Is The Day
This is an awesome wedding song and who doesn’t love accordian solos?

6. Nada Surf – Always Love
We both love the lyrics to this infectious song: “Always love , Hate will get you everytime”.   Not bad advice, right?

7. Feist – Mushaboom
Feist is most famous for her “1234 “ iPod commercial, but this song is her best.  The lyrics are about starting your life together and not having much other than love.  Sounds like us!

8. U2 – Unchained Melody
This is U2’s enchanting version of the classic Righteous Brothers’ love song.

9. Barry Louis Polisar- All I Want
A cutesy folk tune with some clever love metaphors and a zippy harmonica solo.

10. Sufjan Stevens – Dress Looks Nice On You
Sufjan Stevens is my favorite singer/songwriter (take note, music appreciators) and I love just about everything he’s done.  This gorgeous acoustic piece is no exception.

11. Stars – Ageless Beauty (The Most Serene Republic Mix)
This is the acoustic version of one of my all-time favorite songs.  Brings a huge smile to my face every time I hear it.

12. Bob Dylan – I Want You
This is probably Dylan’s most accessible, irony-free track, and it’s one of his best.

13. Islands – Jogging Gorgeous Summer
This mix needed a bit more tropical flair.  I love the lyric “Millions of sunsets but the one I remember, the one where you told me you’d love me forever”.

14. Bright Eyes – First Day of My Life
This is a folky love song that deserves the title of modern classic.  It’s a heart-tugging, extremely honest track and the melody is lovely.

15. R.E.M. – At My Most Beautiful
One of my favorite ballads.  This song is just completely heartwarming.

15. Headlights – Cherry Tulips
Headlights is an awesome band from Champaign, IL. This gushing love song was just released this year and it’s already one of my favorite indie pop songs.

17. Belle & Sebastian – Funny Little Frog
One of my personal favorite bands, I could pick a dozen tracks from Scotland’s Belle & Sebastian to add to this list. This is such a easygoing, irresistable love song.  What other band can rhyme court with throat so convincingly?

17. Wilco – On and On and On
Wilco is another wonderful band that is very meaningful to me personally. “On and On and On” is their ode to marriage.  The end of this song is simply magnificent.

19. U2 – Can’t Help Falling In Love
U2 closed all their shows on their Zoo TV tour with this passionate, gorgeous cover.  I get chills every time I hear Bono hit that falsetto.  It’s the perfect song to end our mix.

Weddings, Hiatuses, Awesomeness, etc.

This post is mostly a forewarning that there won’t be much happening on this blog for the next week and a half.  Why you may ask?  Well, I’m getting married on Saturday (that’s two days).  And then I’ll be honeymooning in Florida for a week.  It’s gonna be an experience, for sure.  I’m excited.  I’m going to be posting a wedding mix on Saturday along that we’re also handing out as favors to guests.  I’ll also have pictures once they become available.  It’ll be just like you’re there. Until then, here’s some things that I’m finding awesome this week:

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Okkervil River‘s latest album The Stand-Ins (aka The Stage Names: Part Two) leaked this week and I’ve been slowly letting it sink in.  It’s very good, much better than just a Stage Names B-Sides collection, but not as great as Shearwater‘s Rook.  So far, The stand-outs on the album are the duet between Sheff and Meisburg (who recently left Okkervil River for good to focus on Shearwater) on “Lost Coastlines”, as well as the epic “Blue Tulip” and the triumphant closing track.

MP3 Okkervil River – Lost Coastlines

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Rumors are saying that Obama might be at Lollapalooza this year at either Wilco or Kanye West‘s set (both of which I’m planning on being at).   I think seeing Obama on stage with Kanye both singing “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” would be particularly mind-blowing.

MP3 Kanye West – Can’t Tell Me Nothing

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I’ve still been jamming to Stay Positive on a daily basis.  Such a great album.  The Hold Steady‘s performance of “Sequestered in Memphis” on Letterman last night was particularly impressive (I’m still looking for the skit they did). If you haven’t gone out and got this album yet, you’re crazy.  I’m really hoping the band will come back to Chicago on a day that I’m not saying “I do”.

MP3 The Hold Steady – Sequestered in Memphis

Taking The Farm

I just started Season 2 of The Wire (which is on iTunes now) a few days ago which chronicles the War on Drugs in Baltimore (which you can’t even really call a war, because wars end).  I also started listening to the band, The War on Drugs, on a number of notable bloggers recommendations and the realization that they were on the Secretly Canadien label who always put out something worth listening to.  I’ve been completely entranced with the rich and detailed rock songs that seem to take from Springsteen and Tom Petty as much as they do from Sonic Youth and the Arcade Fire, while creating something that sounds fresh and unique.

The song that brought me in hook, line, and sinker was “Taking The Farm”.   The opening for the song is just perfect, as the song lays down all the key pieces to the instrumentation one by one.  It’s such a well-crafted intro, I’ve listened to it alone dozens of times just to try to understand it’s intricacies.  The whole song is just as amazing.  “Taking The Farm” is the albums catchiest and most anthemic song and features an extremely memorable vocal performance (that even has some very song-appropriate stuttering).  The tempo and execution of the track reminds me of “Antichrist Television Blues” but it might actually be better.

Another song that I’m loving is “Arms Like Boulders” which opens the Wagonwheel Blues with another fantastic song arrangement that mixes chiming guitars and Dylan-esque vocals.  The band has a way of making you feel like you’re listening to something important, that I absolutely love.  I would highly recommend picking up the album if not for anything else, for these two songs alone.

MP3 The War On Drugs – Taking The Farm
MP3 The War On Drugs – Arms Like Boulders

Buy Wagonwheel Blues on emusic / amazon.

New Songs: The Hold Steady, The Broken West, The Walkmen

Today I have new music from three “The” bands for you.  The first is from Twin Cities’ finest and bar-band embracers, The Hold Steady. Let me preface this by saying, when I first heard this band I was a bit thrown by their rough sound and rougher vocals, but I really warmed up to Boys and Girls in America and now I’m a fan of their whole catalogue.  After multiple listens I can safely say that Stay Positive is my favorite album from the band and one of the best of the year.  Almost every song could be a single, but my current favorite (this probably will change) is the nostalgic sing-a-long jam “Stay Positive”.  Every line of this song is instantly memorable and the call-and-response chorus is incredible.  No other song makes me want to jump around the room singing and jamming more than this one right now.

(I had to stream this one, because the Web Sheriff is working overtime taking Hold Steady MP3s down, if you really can’t find this song anywhere else and want a sample let me know).

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There always seems to be two or three songs that I love from each The Walkmen album while rest I find are just ok.  “The Rat”, “Little House of Savages”, “Thinking of a Dream” from Bows + Arrows, “Lost in Boston” and “Another One Goes By” on A Hundred Miles Off.  I don’t know if that’s the way it’s going to be for their next album, You & Me, but if so, then “In The New Year” will most assuredly come out on the love it side.  There’s so much dramatic flair to this song, the vocal performance is off the charts, and mixed with some truly inspired instrumentation of guitar, strings, and organ it makes for what is easily one of the band’s best tracks.

MP3 The Walkmen – In The New Year

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Interestingly enough, when I saw The Walkmen last they were touring with The Broken West, who also has a new song out there.  I was a big fan of The Broken West’s last album I Can’t Go On, I’ll Go On, which is still a great power-pop album and perfect for sunny day driving.  “Perfect Games” continues in the trend with a bright, upbeat melody, hopeful lyrics about “righting every wrong”, and jangly, shimmering guitar that’s reminscent of their previous single “Down in the Valley”.  That is to say, it’s another brilliant song from the band.

MP3 The Broken West – Perfect Games

People Talk, Na Na Na

I found this song downloading random 2008 mixes online, and I was caught off guard by how different Cheap Time‘s “People Talk” was from the standard indie fare or any other new music that I’ve been listening to.  The song is a whirlwind of straight up rock and roll.  Extremely fuzzy, lo-fi, poorly recorded rock and roll.  The song marries an awesome riff with an even awesomer chorus that consists of saying the phrase “people talk” 10 times fast followed by “na na na”.  They also somehow fits in a rad guitar solo into it’s 2 minute and 12 second running time.

MP3 Cheap Time – People Talk

So after having my face rocked by “People Talk”, I looked up the band responsible for this and found it to be part of an emerging punk/garage scene in Tennesee that was being led by someone I’ve heard of but haven’t really given a chance, Jay Reatard.  I’ve listened to about half of his latest Singles collection and while nothing has struck me like Cheap Time’s aforementioned song, I am liking what I’m hearing.  “Let It All Go” is my favorite so far.  Buzzed-out riffs, rolling drums, and a hints of new wave make it a great track.

MP3 Jay Reatard – Let It All Go

Songs for a Robot (The Wall-E Mix)

I saw Wall-E last week and absolutely loved it.  I’m a huge fan of everything Pixar’s done (except for Cars, which was just ok) and this film is right up there with Toy Story as my favorite Pixar film.  I actually got choked up in a couple parts, it was a completely wonderful movie experience.  There were so many iconic moments in the film that I know will be remembered for years to come. If you haven’t seen it yet, I urge you to check it out.

The movie inspired me to look to my music collection for applicable songs and make a 10 song mix for the film. I’ll point out what the song has to do with the Wall-E’s story while keeping it as spoiler-free as possible. Right-click the song title to download the songs.  Enjoy!

MP3 The Futureheads – Robot

Wall-E is a Robot.

MP3 Smashing Pumpkins – Tales of a Scorched Earth

The first half of the Wall-E takes place on Earth which has turned into a deserted wasteland.

MP3 Radiohead – Paranoid Android

Wall-E meets another Robot named EVE who is at first very paranoid.  Also, like Thom, Wall-E often curiously wonders “What’s there?”

MP3 Daft Punk – Digital Love

Aww, Robots falling in love.  Adorable!

MP3 The Snake The Cross The Crown – Electronic Dream Plant

We soon find out EVE’s eco-friendly purpose.

MP3 Eluvium – Indoor Swimming at the Space Station

Wall-E follows EVE to a Space Station.  Where people ride around on floating chairs and go to the pool.

MP3 Sufjan Stevens – Dear Mr. Supercomputer

There’s a very Hal-9000 type of presence on this ship.

MP3 King Harvest – Dancing in the Moonlight

Probably my favorite scene of the movie is when the two Robots are dancing in Outer Space.  It’s a gorgeous scene.

MP3 Explosions in the Sky – Your Hand In Mine

All Wall-E wants is someone to hold his robot hands (the album title here is also relevant – The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place).

MP3 Guided By Voices – Gold Star for Robot Boy

Wall-E saves the day.  Gold Star!

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Read the Ridiculously Positive Reviews of Wall-E (19 perfect scores at Metacritic)
Sign up to pre-order Wall-E on DVD.

Have a great 4th of July, everyone!

Waiting For The Sunrise

From the David Vandervelde songs I had previously heard, I had pegged him as a glam rock revivalist.  His new album, Waiting For The Sunrise, shows me a whole new side of his artistry though.  There’s a very laid back, 70’s AM Gold type of sound here complete with vintage organ and plucked acoustic guitar.  It makes for a fantastic summer album, perfect for relaxing on the porch with a summery drink of your choice in hand.

After the first few listens, the standout track for me is “Someone Like You”.  There’s something instantly appealing about the song that I can’t put my finger on.  I love the melody, the gorgeous instrumentation, the colorful lyrics, and wonderfully placed cooing background vocals.  The song floats along in such an easy-going manner, that once it’s over you won’t even notice its been six minutes.  “I Will Be Fine”, the opening track to the album, is another lovely, sunny song that adds twinkling piano to the mix.  Download both below.

MP3 Someone Like You
MP3 I Will Be Fine

Pre-order Waiting For The Sunrise