Music Update
I've been listening to a good bit of new music lately. Some of these songs may be old but hell they are new to me. Here are some hi-lites. Does anyone know how to spell high-lights properly? Highlites. That looks right. Anyway here are some things for your consideration. They can all be found via
Large Hearted Boy - I'm much to lazy to even think about going and finding all the links. Why? Because I already have all these songs fucker...that's why.
The Black Keys - The Lengths - This song is incredible. It's slow. It's sad. It's beautiful and the guy has that great broken crackly smokers kind of voice. I just can't get enough of this song.
Beck - Everbody's Gotta Learn Sometime - It's the song from the Spotless Mind. It's not the most wordy song in the world. But, somehow, with 20 second pauses it manages to get through with only 5 lines of chorus. It's good Sea Changes type Beck.
Badly Drawn Boy - Year of the Rat - This isn't his best work or anything but his worst work outshines most people's best. It's simple. It's quiet. It's clingy and it's exactly what most people need.
The Fiery Furnaces - Chris Michaels - These guys are coming to the Ottobar at the end of the month. I'll be there. This song is like 7 minutes long and it changes faces about 6 times. But, it tells a cute little tale about spying on someone who's cheating and it has two distinct singers, one a girl, and the other sounds like the guy from Cornershop.
Kimya Dawson - Loose Lips - I mean if you don't about Kimya I just feel really sorry for you. You'll never want to be friends with someone more than you would want to be friends with Kimya.
Hope of the States - Nehemiah - Hmm...it sounds like The Verve but if The Verve were not very good. That's not all that much of a loss considering the skills of The Verve. It may tickle some people more than me. I like most of their stuff. This just doesn't strike me as a move in the right direction.
Cat Power - I don't Blame You - I like Cat Power a lot. I've liked them for a while they just haven't had anything for me to crow about. This song really isn't all that much to preach about but I wanted to put them in here because they have a solid way about them.
The Libertines - Hooligans on E - You know...these guys...well...I wish had someone else to listen to them with who already liked them and I didn't have to convince them that they were a good band. Because I tried that the other day. I attempted to say that The LIbertines were a damn good band...it's almost like trying to get someone to like the Sex Pistols without understanding the Sex Pistols. I don't think they are very talented but I like their songs. They are simple tunes that are easy to lsiten to and always manage to make you at least once want to get up and dance.
The Streets - Fit but You Know It - British rappers. Should have left it to Slick Rick because I don't care how many times he gets into rolling stone Mike Street, or whatever his names is nothing more than a witty British guy. He has no flow or anything. It's just kind of a joke. But this song is actually kind of cute.
The Court & Spark - No Hex - My Morning Jacket meets Kings of Leon. Well maybe - I like this band. I like most bands with a slight country draw and an easy jam band kind of fluffiness to them. This song is a slow ballad that sound like Randy Travis doing Bob Dylan.
John Vanderslice - They Won't Let Me Run - Yeah we've all read about the genius Indie producer now out singing live and taking people on. But he bills the hype and his songs...especially this one, are extremely well put together. It sounds exactly like what it is, a producer making his own music.
Citizens Here and Abroad - Appearances - This usually isn't my cup of tea but since they used a little reverb on the guitars and almost tried not to sing poppy they got in. But, it's really really close to being radio friendly and sickeningly good. The chorus alone and the ease of the song make you want to make out with a girl. This song will be in a Gap commercial soon.
IN OTHER NEWS - one of my favorite bands of all time broke up not too long ago. Remy Zero from Gerogia broke up this year. They have decided to go and do their own things. Prophecy was probably their first slight hit, in a Harvey Dnager type vein but only sort of locally, and then they did Save Me for Smallworld and ended their band much like I knew they would. Once good bands sell out in order to pay the bills they can't look at each other in the face anymore and have to go be reborn in new music. I'll miss Remy Zero. It was a good band.
www.remyzero.com
