Mumford & Sons - Babel

I loved Sigh No More.  It took me a few listens to get into, but once I did, I was hooked.  Babel takes that album and steps it up a notch.  It's a little bigger.  A little darker.  A little better.  It sets a mood at the beginning, and it keeps that mood throughout the entire album.  It's sinister, yet still inviting.  I'm 4 listens in, and I'm in love.

One added note.  I had this album on while Carpenter's Halloween was on the TV, and it worked really well.  Something about the dark, driving rhythms on this album fit really well with that movie.

Rating: 5/5
Favorite track: "Below My Feet"

In the past, I've made promises about keeping up with this blog on a more regular basis.  I'm going to attempt to make that promise again.  I have found myself a bit over-my-head with blogs lately (in addition to this one, I also write about horror movies and sports), and this is the one that has suffered the most.  I'm going to try to be better about that.  And if that means a series of short reviews like this one, then so be it.  I have discovered that I'm not the greatest music writer, so shorter is probably better.

Music to Work To

Smashing Pumpkins – Oceania

Combines the feel of Mellon Collie Pumpkins with a nod to Zwan-era Corgan. The guitar riffs are still
there, but the album overall seems to have a bit of a pop lean to it. It’s a completely different feel than
Zeitgeist, but that’s okay.
Also, I swear he uses the theme of Suspiria in “Oceania”, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.

Favorite track: "The Chimera"
Rating: 4/5

Twin Shadow – Confess

A heavy dose of 80s-era synth-pop. I would assume that he was mocking the genre if he didn’t seem so
earnest about it. There are a handful of really good songs on here, but there are also a lot of moments
where the songs start to run together. I’m sure more songs will begin to distinguish themselves upon
repeated listening (which I will most certainly be doing).

Favorite track: "Five Seconds"
Rating: 3/5

Dirty Projectors – Swing Lo, Magellan

I don’t get it. I’m not sure if that means I’m old. It seems like they know how to write a good pop song
(the title track is proof of that), but it seems like they’re more concerned with being “weird” instead. It
doesn’t even seem arty to me. It just seems like they’re trying to be weird for the sake of being weird (I
believe that’s what they call “po-mo”. Isn’t that right, Mr. Szyslak?).

Favorite track: "Swing Lo Magellan"
Rating: 1/5

Chains of Love – Strange Grey Days

50s/60s era pop. It’s a short album, but it’s solid. Not a bad song here. Seems like it will be a good
album for the rest of the summer. (It should be mentioned that there seem to be a lot of bands that fit
this description that have come out in the past few years, and I seem to love most of them. Keep ‘em
coming!)

Favorite track: "He's Leaving (With Me)"
Rating: 4/5

The Gaslight Anthem – Handwritten

Good, driving rock n’ roll. I read a review that mentioned this album as being a bit “too Springsteen”.
As long as you’re drawing your influences from Born to Run Springsteen and not Working on a Dream
Springsteen, I really don’t see what the problem is. I’m not sure how well this will hold up with repeated
listens, but, after one listen, I really like it. Sometimes you just need a good rock album.

Favorite track: "Too Much Blood"
Rating: 4/5

Driving Music: Old and New

A few months ago, I got into a wreck.  Thankfully, I was okay.  Unfortunately, the car was not.  One of the things I loved about that car was the radio.  A few years ago, we got a new radio installed with an iPod connection.  So I would listen to stuff from my iPod on my way to and from work every day.  I usually listened to newer music and podcasts.
But my new car only has a CD player.  So I've been listening to CDs every day on my commute.  There's something about picking out a CD that is different from choosing music on an iPod.  When I see a CD on the shelf, I'm taken back to the time when I bought it.  I remember my life where it was at that time.  So I have found myself listening to a lot of older albums.  It's been fun.  So, while I will one day replace this radio with a newer one, I have been enjoying this time of going back and listening to some albums that I haven't listened to for a while.

So I present to you a list of albums I have listened to in the past month or so.  As you will see, there are some newer albums on this list, but there are a lot of older ones, too.  There is a lot of nostalgia here.

Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream

Stavesacre - Stavesacre

Starflyer 59 - Gold

Pixies - Doolittle

Norah Jones - Little Broken Hearts

Metric - Fantasies

Morella's Forest - Ultraphonic Hiss

Jenny Owen Youngs - An Unwavering Band of Light

Rihanna - Talk That Talk

The Beatles - Abbey Road

Wilco - Summerteeth

Beck - Odelay

Bright Eyes - Lifted, or The Story in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground

Kate Nash - My Best Friend is You

Plankeye - Commonwealth

Neva Dinova - Neva Dinova

Counting Crows - Recovering the Satellites

Dinosaur Jr. - Where You Been

DJ Shadow - Endtroducing

U2 - Pop

The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds

Sugar + The Hi-Lows, M. Ward, Sharon Van Etten

Sugar + The Hi-Lows – Sugar + The Hi-Lows

This is a band comprised of Trent Dabbs and Amy Stroup.  With only 8 tracks, it’s a short listen.  Which is nice.  It doesn’t overstay its welcome.  It’s a nice little summer album, full of slick rockabilly/blues/doo-wop inspired songs.  The guitars are clean (with more than a hint of Scotty Moore’s influence), the drums provide a nice little backbeat and the vocals are perfect.  There’s not a whole lot going on in this album, but I really like it.  It’s hard not to smile while listening to it.

Favorite track: “I’ve Got You Covered”

Rating: 4/5

M. Ward – A Wasteland Companion

Ward is amazing at slipping in and out of genres, and yet making it all fit within the confines of an album.  That skill is on full display here: from the foot-stomping distortion of “Me and My Shadow” to the toe-tapping pop of “Sweetheart”, to the desolate folk of “Pure Joy”, he sounds equally at home in each of them.  As with most of Ward’s albums, this one seems like it was plucked from some distant past.  Perhaps not quite as distant as The Transfiguration of Vincent, but distant all the same.

Favorite track: “Crawl After You”

Rating: 4.5/5

Sharon Van Etten – Tramp

I had heard great things about her last album, Epic, but I never really got it.  I tried, but it never took.  So, when I heard she was recording this album with a member of The National, and that her backing band would be comprised of members of The National, The Walkmen and Beirut, I was cautiously optimistic.

But, as it turns out, that was setting the bar entirely too low.

This album is amazing.  It’s dark and haunting and beautiful and hypnotic and threatening.  It is all those things, and often on the same song. 

There’s a kind of dark feeling that lurks in the background of each song, and that really helps to tie the album together.

Favorite track: “I’m Wrong”

Rating: 5/5

Waxahatchee - American Weekend

Waxahatchee is the solo project for Katie Crutchfield.  Though she has been in a couple other bands (P.S. Eliot and Bad Banana), I have not heard either of them.  This album was featured on Up and In: The Baseball Prospectus Podcast (by the way, if you're a fan of baseball - specifically the prospect side of things - you need to listen to this podcast), and I immediately fell in love with it.

It's basically a lo-fi folk record.  But that oversimplifies it.  It's definitely a sparse album, with only a guitar and Katie's voice in each song (the lone exception being "Noccalula", where she trades in her guitar for a piano).

So the songs are sparse, but they also feel full.  Her voice is gorgeous, and it really fills the songs out.  She makes each song unique and interesting.  I have listened to this album a ton of times, and I have never been bored.  The way she is able to wrap her voice around each song keeps me coming back to the album over and over again.  And it only improves with each listen.

The lo-fi production was pretty distracting at first.  There are moments where it's rougher than others.  Some of the songs sound like old Alan Lomax field recordings.  But, once I started falling in love with the songs, I didn't notice the production so much.  In fact, it kind of added to the songs.  There's something timeless about these recordings.  I wouldn't have been the least bit surprised to find that this was a recently unearthed recording from 1920.

In case you couldn't tell, I love this album.  It's bare and raw and beautiful.  I can't get enough of it.

Rating: 5/5
Favorite song: "Bathtub"



If you want to buy this album (which I highly recommend that you do), go here.  I bought the vinyl for $10, which is a tremendous price.

Ingrid Michaelson, Cloud Nothings

Ingrid Michaelson – Human Again


She seems to take her music to another level on this album. It’s a stronger set of songs, and they’re a
little more filled out than normal (a lot more strings show up on this album than on previous albums).
She still makes room for her sparse, heartbreaking songs (like “I’m Through”), but most of these songs
just sound bigger than her previous songs. When all is said and done, this will probably end up as my
favorite album of hers to date.


Favorite song: “Blood Brothers”
Rating: 4.5/5

Cloud Nothings – Attack on Memory


Reminds me of Nirvana’s Bleach, just from the general mood. It’s dark, raw, and no overproduced
sheen on it. It’s a rock record, with strong nods to punk. It’s also pretty uneven. There are moments I
really loved, and other moments that just got on my nerves. But the good moments seemed to trump
the not-so-great moments, if only slightly.


Favorite song: “Stay Useless”
Rating: 3/5

Top 20 Albums of 2011

Over halfway through January, I am finally writing about my top albums of 2011.  I think I'm a little slow.  Feel free to agree (or disagree) with me in the comments.  It lets me know that there are people reading.

20. Okkervil River - I Am Very Far

For the most part, a little more mellow than their past couple albums.  But they're able to keep it interesting throughout the entire album.  They have a lot of things going on in their songs.  I find I hear something new with this album everytime I listen to it.

Favorite song: "Mermaid"

19. Gemma Hayes - Let it Break

I've seen Gemma described as "folk-pop", and I guess that's somewhat accurate, but it doesn't quite describe her.  Her songs are beautiful and complex.  She does have a folk-pop vibe about her, but she also experiments with electronics and ambience.  But she also sounds equally fantastic when it's just her and a piano.  She has a terrific voice.

Favorite song: "Fire"

18. Korey Dane - Loomer

A cool little folk album, that delves into bits of jazz and blues from time to time.  Most of the songs are lovely...his voices plays very well off his female counterpart. 

Favorite song: "Blue (Kids on the Weekend)"

17. Radiohead - The King of Limbs

Something a little different from them (but what else is new).  They mix their brand of rock in with some different beats, and, in the case of "Feral", bass that could very well destroy a house.  It took me a little longer to really "get" this album than normal, but I really like it.

Favorite song: "Little By Little"

16. TV On the Radio - Nine Types of Light

Sleek, polished, and extremely well produced, this album picks up exactly where Dear Science left off.  This album can be soothing one minute and abrasive the next. 

Favorite song: "New Cannonball Run"

15. Florence + The Machine - Ceremonials

There is less experimentation with musical styles this time around.  There's nothing like the in-your-face punkness of "Kiss With a Fist".  Everything feels like it should be an anthem of some sort.  Big drums, building choruses, and Florence's voice rising above it all.

Favorite song: "Bedroom Hymns"

14. Frank Ocean - Nostalgia, Ultra

I'm not a huge fan of most R&B, so it took me a little while to really like this one.  But, once it clicked, I couldn't stop listening to it.  His voice is amazing...smooth, soulful, and a little menacing at times.  This being a mixtape, he will occasionally sing over existing songs (Coldplay's "Strawberry Swing" and The Eagles "Hotel California" being the most notable tracks), and that can be a little distracting, but he brings his own sound to the entire album.  There's a little something for everyone on this album.

Favorite song: "Swim Good"

13. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues

This album is a big step up from their previous album.  It is able to maintain the intimacy of the first album, while also making a much more polished album.  It sounds pristine...like an album recorded in another era, but with today's recording equipment.  The entire album sounds clear as a bell, but there's also something kind of dusty about it, like it's meant to be listened to on vinyl while you're sitting on the dirty floor of a cabin.  It's a magnificent folk album.

Favorite song: "Helplessness Blues"

12. EMA - Past Life Martyred Saints

In this album, EMA creates a world that is simultaneously violent and beautiful.  She builds soundscapes that envelope you.  All you want to do is turn the music up louder and let it fill the room.  It took a while for this album to click, but, once it did, I couldn't turn it off.  It's definitely not for everyone, but, if you're looking for something a little different, give this one a spin.

Favorite song: "Marked"

11. Feist - Metals

There are some beautiful pop songs on this album...which really isn't a surprise, given her past work.  The instrumentation is gorgeous and lush, with songs at times exploding into clanging and chants.  Every time I listen to it, I find something else to like about it.

Favorite song: "Undiscovered First"

10. Rihanna - Talk That Talk

This is her best album.  It's a concise 11 tracks, with no filler.  She mixes R&B with dance, hip-hop, pop, and rock.  It's a fantastic listen, start to finish.  And the closer ("Farewell") is absolutely perfect.

Favorite song: "Drunk on Love"

9. Zola Jesus - Conatus

Like a mixture of Bjork and Bat For Lashes, Zola Jesus mixes tribal and dance beats with dark synths to create a groove-filled and dark sound.  I was amazed at how much I loved this album.

Favorite song: "Vessel"

8. The Roots - undun

This is probably my favorite Roots album since 2004's The Tipping Point.  While they have guests on this album, there aren't nearly as many as there have been on their recent efforts.  But, more importantly, this feels more like a cohesive album than anything they've done in a while.  It's short, sweet, and to the point.  It's a laid-back album: something to throw on late at night, sit back, and relax to.  It's still an exciting album, but there's a definite laid-back vibe to it.

Favorite song: "One Time"

7. Tom Waits - Bad as Me

Waits brings his unusual mixture of rock, blues, ballads, and unique storytelling ability to this album.  It's a strong set of songs, with a great opener ("Chicago") and closer ("New Years Eve").  It's Tom Waits at his finest.

Favorite song: "Hell Broke Luce"

6. Eisley - The Valley

I loved the first Eisley album, and, while I liked the second, there seemed to be something missing.  Something had changed in their sound that didn't quite work out.  But they returned to form with this album.  It's a little dark, but they still maintain their same charm and energy that they brought on the first album.  It's a little more driven, but it's still terrific.  After repeat listens, this may be my favorite album of theirs.

Favorite song: "Mr. Moon"

I'm cheating a bit with these next two.  But they're both by Action Bronson, and they sound similar enough that I feel like I can group them together.

5. (Tie) Action Bronson - Dr. Lecter

He borrows his sound pretty heavily from Ghostface Killah.  Between his voice and the musical style (soul samples and electric guitars), he's practically a dead-ringer for Ghostface.  Not in a bad way, of course.  There's still something new about it, and he has an energy that can't be denied.

Favorite song: "Chuck Person"

5. (Tie) Action Bronson & Statik Selektah - Well Done

Bronson teamed up with producer Statik Selektah on this album, which means less soul samples.  But Bronson is so good you barely miss those samples.  He's able to meld his vocals to any style of music and make the transition seamless.  If there's any justice in this world, he should be blowing up very soon.

Favorite song: "Stay Off the Grass"

4. My Morning Jacket - Circuital

I've always kind of liked My Morning Jacket, but never really saw what the big appeal was.  This album won me over.  It's a great album...a perfect mixture of rock, pop, folk and country.  There's not a bad song on this album.

Favorite song: "Slow Slow Tune"

3. Bon Iver - Bon Iver, Bon Iver

One word: beautiful.  It's a perfectly realized album.  At times it's lush and atmospheric.  At times it's sparse. At times it's Bruce Hornsby.  But it's always beautiful.  I wasn't sure if he could top For Emma, Forever Ago.  But this album is so different that it's hard to even compare the two.  They're both amazing, but for entirely different reasons.  I can't wait to see what he does next.

Favorite song: "Holocene"

2. Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes

This is a dark, slinky album.  All bass grooves and synths and her voice.  That voice.  There's a lot of depth to her voice.  Whether she's singing "I'm your prostitute" over a tribal beat or "Oh sadness I'm your girl" as part of a reverb-soaked tale of heartbreak, she really gives her all on every line.  She's an amazing talent, and she's only getting better.

Favorite song: "Sadness is a Blessing"

1. St. Vincent - Strange Mercy

It's hard to find words to describe this album.  The songs are complex, driven by the layers of guitars and synths, all running over the deep bass and grooving drums.  Like EMA's album, this is one that I just want to turn up louder to get the full effect.  Every song has so much going on in it that I just want to drink it all in.  Even on a slower song like "Champagne Year", the instrumentation keeps me interested.  It's an album that is so amazingly interesting that I can't see myself ever getting sick of it.

Favorite song: "Strange Mercy"