COTV
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9.30.2008
9.29.2008
September Mixtape
SIDE A
1. Jenny Lewis - Acid Tongue
2. Crooked Fingers - Phony Revolutions
3. Deerhoof - Offend Maggie
4. Lambchop - Talk Like A Pirate Day
5. Land Of Talk - Corner Phone
6. McCarthy Trenching - Roasting Song
7. Peter Bjorn & John - Inland Empire
SIDE B
1. Ten Kens - Refined
2. Mason Proper - Lock And Key
3. Margot And The Nuclear So And So's - As Tall As Cliffs
4. Castanets - Glory B
5. Annuals - Confessor
6. The Stills - Being Here
7. Bob Dylan - Mississippi
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9.24.2008
TV On The Radio: Dear Science (2008)
New Wax
Highly regarded Brooklyn art-rock band TV On The Radio's new album Dear Science is a little less avant-garde and a little more... well, dancy. Any time a band makes a bold step in a new direction it's admirable and the album is being considered by many critics as the band's best material, though I'm not sure if I'm willing to jump on that bandwagon. I really thought the densely cinematic Return To Cookie Mountain held layers of subtle genius that peeled back a little more after each listen. More straightforward than its predecessor and laced with handclaps and horns galore, Dear Science is undoubtedly the band's catchiest and most accessible release, but that doesn't come at the price of their usual brainy songwriting. Certain moments on the album are very Prince-like with singer Tunde Adebimpe's falsetto laid over funky guitars and rhythms, but it works much better than it did on My Morning Jacket's latest album. Built on echoed piano, "Family Tree" is a musing on forbidden love and is one of the more subdued yet memorable songs on the album. The string-heavy "Love Dog" is another highlight, and the album closes on an overtly sexual note with "Lover's Day," whose "I'm gonna make you cum" proclamation is sure to leave an indelible mark. No pun intended. All in all, Dear Science is another glowing example from an important band that's well worth your careful attention. -- Capt. Obvious
9.23.2008
Blackbird Harmony
You Should Know
If you're like me you've probably asked yourself: What is this shit on CMT they try to pass for country music these days? A songwriting vehicle for Evan Birdsong (if that's his real name, he was born to sing country songs), Blackbird Harmony creates the kind of music I wish popular country was... ok, not really, let's keep the good stuff underground. Described by his label Yer Bird as "American Gothic, Country Folk," Birdsong is backed by Texas country outfit 1100 Springs on his new album Hardwood Exits. While I don't see him listed on Birdsong's influences, I hear a lot of Gram Parsons on Hardwood Exits and the country-tinged female backing vocals of Mara Lee Miller are in the same ilk as Emmylou Harris so that helps strengthen the comparison. Definitely a must-listen for those of you who were forced as kids to listen to Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings only to find that your current tastes have been shaped by what you once perceived to be child abuse. -- Capt. Obvious
9.22.2008
Damien Jurado: Caught In The Trees (2008)
New Wax
Seattle's Damien Jurado has cemented himself as a veteran of indie folk-rock and his recent releases have been predominantly somber journeys so the more upbeat feel of his new album Caught In The Trees seems like a sensible respite for the songwriter. Background vocalist Jenna Conrad adds an interesting element to the material and the rock-out knob is turned a few notches up from his last handful of albums while never quite reaching the volume levels of 2002's I Break Chairs. While Jurado's proven to be adept at penning melancholy slow-burners, Caught In The Trees sadly never quite materializes into anything more than a passable release. Sure, the album's opener "Gillian Was A Horse" is a nice little driving song, but like many of the album's tracks, it never quite digs its claws in you. The latter half of the album is more delicate then the first, and there are some nice moments such as the hushed "Paper Kite," but there's just not enough glue here to hold. While I don't think Jurado's capable of making a bad album, Caught In The Trees isn't as consistently engaging as some his better material. That being said, a middle-of-the-road album from one of the better songwriters around is still worth a careful listen. -- Capt. Obvious
9.21.2008
Conor Oberst (2008)
New Wax
He certainly has his share of detractors, but I've always been pro-Bright Eyes, so I'm not quite sure why it's taken me so long to get to this album, but I've spent some time with it lately and it's quality material. More recognizable by his Bright Eyes moniker, Conor makes his debut under his own name on Merge Records rather than Saddle Creek and he strays from his usual formula by opting against using Mike Mogis as a producer. Backed by a new cast of musicians dubbed the Mystic Valley Band and recorded in a private home in Mexico, the album might just be Oberst at his most mature and relaxed. The out-of-tune yelps of his earlier material seem to be long gone and while that frantic and unadorned creative energy will be missed, Oberst has settled nicely into his new folk singer persona. Vocally, Oberst is at his most musical and self-assured, and the arrangements accompanying him are jangly and fun in a way reminiscent of vintage folk. Always burdened by constant Dylan comparisons, Oberst might have actually put out the first album vaguely worthy of such lofty comparisons. Lyrically, the album's imagery is more concise and Oberst's constant allusions to the road give the album an Americana feel. When Oberst sings "There's nothing that the road can't heal" on "Moab," you almost believe him. If Conor Oberst is a sign of things to come for the young songwriter, then we're in for a treat. Hopefully he's just getting started. -- Capt. Obvious
9.19.2008
The Covers Mixtape X
SIDE A
1. Ava Quigley - Don't Think Twice, It's Alright (Bob Dylan Cover)
2. Birds & Batteries - Heart Of Gold (Neil Young Cover)
3. Doveman - Footloose (Kenny Loggins Cover)
4. The Delta Spirit - Duncan (Paul Simon Cover)
5. Jonna Lee - The District Sleeps Alone Tonight (Postal Service Cover)
6. Damien Jurado - Where Lies My Tarp (Microphones Cover)
7. Adem - Unravel (Bjork Cover)
SIDE B
1. The Low Lows - Modern Romance (Yeah Yeah Yeahs Cover)
2. Denison Witmer - Have You Forgotten (Red House Painters Cover)
3. Death Cab For Cutie - Rocking Chair (The Band Cover)
4. Phosphorescent - Right Now I Am A Roaming (Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds Cover)
5. Ryan Adams - Dead Leaves And The Dirty Ground (White Stripes Cover)
6. Seth Avett - Mary (Langhorne Slim Cover)
7. Xiu Xiu - Fast Car (Tracy Chapman Cover)
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9.18.2008
Bon Iver Offers Free EP
You Should Know
I have my qualms with Myspace and its bastardization of the term "friend." Millions and millions of horny teens with their pouty-lipped default pictures and blog entries misusing the word "your" in place of "you're". The spammed friend requests from girls named "Candy" imploring you to check out their "wEbCaM!!!!!" Ughh. I will, however, humbly concede that it can be a useful tool for staying in touch with people when used in the proper context. There's also no denying that it affords musicians ample opportunity to market their music. Recently Justin Vernon, aka Bon Iver (now backed by a full band), contributed to the Myspace Transmissions series, an ongoing collection of in-studio sessions from different bands (I'll refrain from making fun of James Blunt, though let's face it, it wouldn't be hard). Being the talented and all around humble guy that he is, Justin is offering the EP for free download. Here are a few tracks below. To download the entire EP, click here. -- Capt. Obvious
The Low Lows
You Should Know
Does anything breed poignant art more than misery? I think not. In the case of Athens, GA's The Low Lows, lead singer Parker Noon, formerly of the New York duo Parker + Lily, seems to be using his failed relationship with ex and former co-songwriter Lily Wolfe as his source material for his new band. Utterly undefinable, The Low Lows' sound covers a wide spectrum from psychedelia to slowcore to alt. country. Their slow-burning songs seem informed by a wide variety of bands ranging from The Velvet Underground to Sparklehorse. Ironically, one of the most affecting tracks on the band's new album Shining Violence is Noon's entrancing take on the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' "Modern Romance." Opening with a spare acoustic guitar strum and the droning tremolo of electric guitars in the background, Noon's fractured vocals command the words so authoritatively that it's surprising he didn't pen them. Overall, Shining Violence can be an uneasy listening experience and Noon expels his share of lyrical venom, but that's part of what makes the album so intensely moody and worthwhile. -- Capt. Obvious
9.17.2008
Ra Ra Riot: The Rhumb Line (2008)
New Wax
So I'm moreso sit-on-the-porch-and-smoke-cloves guy than hipster-dance-party guy, so I tend to gravitate towards music of the more chill variety. Not knowing the first thing about New York's Ra Ra Riot, I assumed (because of their name) they'd be some sort of synthy indie-pop dance band, but I'm glad I gave their debut LP The Rhumb Line a chance. What makes this album is the wonderful interplay of violin and cello and some thoughtful lyrical content. While the album has an upbeat vibe, if you listen closely you'll find some dark undertones. This makes sense considering that the album was influenced by tragedy. After a show in Providence in 2007, drummer John Ryan Pike (who co-wrote a number of songs on the album) went missing and his body was found the next day in a nearby bay. While songs like "Winter '05" tackle loss and grief with lines like "If you were here, winter wouldn't pass quite so slow," there is also a wealth of life-affirming content on The Rhumb Line. For instance, take "Oh, La," which reads: "We've got a lot to learn from each other/ We have got to stick together." Overall, the band proves on The Rhumb Line that easy-on-the-ears pop music doesn't have to be thematically vacuous. -- Capt. Obvious
9.15.2008
Vancouver
You Should Know
It's hard enough keeping up with all the great independent bands in the US and Canada, but there's a wealth of talent overseas as well. Italian band Vancouver (oh, the irony) was initially started as an instrumental band, but when Alain Merenghi became a member, he not only brought along his emotive vocals but his melancholic lyrics as well. Melding a variety of styles from post-rock to shoegaze and drawing from an eclectic list of influences, Vancouver creates an accessible and catchy album with Even My Winters Are Summers. Album opener "Jennifer" sounds decidedly Smashing Pumpkins, so much so that you halfway expect Billy Corgan's voice to enter the mix, but lead singer Alain Merenghi's got a nasally brit-rock sort of voice that suits the grandeur of his backing music nicely. The most realized track on the album is the epic "Shape Of Your Knees," which clocks in at more than 6 minutes. Opening with almost 3 minutes of swirling shoegaze guitars and key flourishes, the song showcases the band's instrumental prowess with its loud post-rock breakdown while still managing to maintain the catchiness of a pop song. Granted, Vancouver hasn't reinvented the wheel with Even My Winters, but they built a pretty cool rig with all those borrowed wheels. -- Capt. Obvious
9.12.2008
Blog Roundup 9.12.08
Props
Photo by Royce Wagner
Aquarium Drunkard, a benchmark of music-blog quality, has an interview with Liam Finn, musician and son of Crowded House singer Neil Finn.
The always well-done Music Is Art has news on the upcoming Annuals album along with a few mp3s for your perusal.
Pelican's Perch links to a nifty new song called "I Can Feel A Hot One" from melodic indie-rock band Manchester Orchestra, who absolutely won me over with their live show a few years back here on the Gulf Coast. The band has an EP/DVD combo due out in October, and they are hard at work on a new full-length entitled Mean Everything To Nothing.
Speed Of Dark revisits the Coen Brothers' classic comedy The Big Lebowski, which turned 10 years old this year. Great movie. Makes me want to wear sandals and drink White Russians.
When You Awake can always be counted on for quality country-tinged mixtapes. Brooklyn band Parts And Labor, who is set to release a new album on Jagjaguwar in October, compiles this edition entitled "Top 10 Countryish/Folkish Songs By Artists That People Don't Consider To Be Country/Folk."
Tags: Blog Roundup, Captain Obvious
9.11.2008
Horse Feathers: House With No Home (2008)
New Wax
I felt that Horse Feathers' 2006 debut album Words Are Dead was criminally overlooked. Sure, it received its share of press as a glowing example of Americana, but the band deserves last.fm statistics well beyond 178,000 plays. Considering the quality of the band's new release House With No Home, I'd suspect they won't be toiling in relative anonymity for long. With singer Justin Ringle as its driving force, the Portland band creates a gorgeous brand of (insert clever genre label for folk music). With the help of his sister/cellist Heather and gifted multi-instrumentalist Peter Broderick, who has played with bands such as Dolorean, Norfolk & Western, and Loch Lomond, Ringle effortlessly weaves his whisper-soft vocals into string-heavy arrangements. The album's got its share of hushed lulls, but every time you may be on the verge of losing interest, a swell of violins, banjos, and cello brings you back into the fold. From the spare "Rude To Rile" to the banjo-laden "This Is What," House With No Home is so consistently pretty that it's easy to take it for granted. This is certainly a double-edged sword, and some critics may chalk the album up as another entry in an undeniably overcrowded genre. This isn't the case. Just listen with an attuned ear to the album's intricacies, and you're sure to find a wealth of beauty pulsating beneath its understated surface. -- Capt. Obvious
9.10.2008
Feral Children
You Should Know
Take one listen to aptly titled Seattle band Feral Children and you might recognize the band's guttural approach to indie rock as being simultaneously alien yet somehow familiar. While the band seems informed by early Modest Mouse and aware of the electro-ethereal sound of TV On The Radio, their debut album Second To The Last Frontier manages to sound new and different while containing an eerie juxtaposition of beauty and tension that parallels the awe-inspiring yet imposing nature of the band's native Northwest. Marrying seemingly warring elements, a given Feral Children song interweaves both the delicate and the primal. For example, the moody "Jaundice Giraffe" mixes disarmingly ghostly background vocals and swirling keys with primitive percussion and bassist/vocalist Jim Cotton's unhinged yelp. While I'd imagine Cotton went through his fair share of throat lozenges while recording the album, Second To The Last Frontier is just as abundant in its melodies and hooks as it is untamed energy. Produced by Scott Colburn (Animal Collective, Arcade Fire), Feral Children's Second To The Last Frontier is ultimately an eclectic marriage of sounds that is brimming with both darkness and beauty. -- Capt. Obvious
9.09.2008
Okkervil River: The Stand-Ins (2008)
New Wax
It's hard to believe that Okkervil River's last album was released more than a year ago, but surely fans welcome the news of new material with open and anxious arms. The band's newest release is entitled The Stand-Ins, and while I wouldn't quite put it on par with the cinematic grandeur of The Stage Names, it serves as a worthy companion piece. I say companion piece because the album's thematic similarities are so uncanny that it can easily be interpreted as an extension to its predecessor. This makes even more sense considering The Stage Names was initially conceived as a double-album. Still, you'd be foolish to disregard the material on The Stand-Ins as merely throwaways unfit for inclusion on The Stage Names. Will Sheff once again explores the themes of celebrity and identity with a deft pen, and songs like "Starry Stairs," which like The Stage Names' "Savannah Smiles" references doomed pornographic actress Shannon Wilsey, and the uptempo "Pop Lie" easily hold up to the band's best material. Sheff again exhibits his masterful knack for painting characters and stories, and the album ends with the intimate "Bruce Wayne Campbell Interviewed On The Roof Of The Chelsea Hotel, 1979," a song about Jobriath Salisbery, one of the first openly gay glam-era rock stars. Told in the first person, the song serves as another example of the band's impressive evolution, and The Stand-Ins plays out as yet another excellent release. -- Capt. Obvious
9.08.2008
The Covers Mixtape IX
SIDE A
1. Band Of Horses - The End's Not Near (The New Year Cover)
2. Thom Yorke - After The Gold Rush (Neil Young Cover)
3. Right Away, Great Captain! - Me & Julio Down By The Schoolyard (Paul Simon Cover)
4. Homesick Elephant - Highway To The Danger Zone (Kenny Loggins Cover)
5. David Bazan - Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen Cover)
6. Jennifer O'Connor - To Ramona (Bob Dylan Cover)
7. Colour Revolt - These Few Presidents (WHY? Cover)
SIDE B
1. Bon Iver - Blue Tulip (Okkervil River Cover)
2. The Watson Twins - Just Like Heaven (The Cure Cover)
3. My Brightest Diamond - Lucky (Radiohead Cover)
4. Owen - Stolen Car (Bruce Springsteen Cover)
5. Josh Rouse - Chloe Dancer (Mother Love Bone Cover)
6. Panda Riot - Paper Planes (M.I.A. Cover)
7. The Walkmen - I'm Your Son (Neil Hagerty Cover)
Tags:
9.05.2008
9.04.2008
Chad VanGaalen: Soft Airplane (2008)
New Wax
It's the albums that require multiple listens that usually yield the most reward. I'm on my tenth rotation of Chad VanGaalen's new album Soft Airplane and while I'd hesitate to say I've completely wrapped my head around the material, I'm going to give this review a (most likely insufficient) attempt. Hailing from Calgary, Alberta, VanGaalen is a freakishly talented person. In addition to his impressive work as a musician, he's also a highly regarded illustrator and animator. His explosive creative energy is always at play in his music and on his new album Soft Airplane VanGaalen exhibits that creativity in spades. What makes VanGaalen so unique is his no-boundaries use of instrumentation and sound. He's as adept at penning a banjo-driven folk tune as he is at turning the electro-experimentalism knob to full throttle. Yet somehow all the genre-mixing sounds cohesive. With Soft Airplane, VanGaalen soars to new heights thematically. The tone is set with the intimate "Willow Tree," a spare folk track that muses on mortality: "When I die/ I'll hang my head beside the willow tree/ When I'm dead/ Is when I'll be free." Similar heady subject matter is strung throughout the album on songs like "Rabid Bits Of Time," and the eery murder tale "Molten Light," which packs quite the emotional punch: "I dumped her body into the molten light/ It floated to the surface and it did not ignite/ She rose up slowly and walked to shore/ She stood up on the bank and she whispered 'I'll find you and I'll kill you'." Damn. Soft Airplane is VanGaalen's most realized album to date, and it's easily a top ten album candidate for 2008. -- Capt. Obvious
Listen:
MP3: Chad VanGaalen - TMNT Mask
MP3: Chad VanGaalen - Molten Light
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Thunder Power
You Should Know
Omaha's Thunder Power feels like a worn old thrift store couch - comfortable. Vocalist Kacynna Tompsett's warmly androgynous voice is accompanied by the band's genre-blending sound. Best described as creators of pop-infused (with an extra helping of pop) folk music, Thunder Power mixes acoustic guitars with playful keys, strings, accordions, and infectious basslines in a fashion that's reminiscent of music from another time. No matter how somber Tompsett's lyrics get, the mood always stays upbeat due to the band's sunny arrangements. Thunder Power's new mini-album Love Yourself makes a great listen if you're in a shitty mood and need cheering up. The album's being distributed by Saddle Creek, whose association with indie-folk acts such as Two Gallants and Bright Eyes should be reason enough to check the EP out. -- Capt. Obvious
Blog Roundup 9.4.08
Props
Photo by Royce Wagner
Slowcoustic is a great new addition to the blogroll with lots of folksy goodness. I've already found some great music I was unaware of on this impressive new blog.
Local Vertical has a write up on Swedish electro-poptress Lykke Li. I'm a sucker for cute Swedish girls.
The Wheel's Still In Spin has relocated to San Francisco from Cincinnati. Take a look at their post on this week's new releases.
Sound As Language reviews The Hold Steady's latest album Stay Positive.
Nine Bullets offers a scathing review of some super-shitty "country" band named The Lost Trailers. You should go to their myspace and listen to their song "Holler Back." If you do so without vomiting a little in your mouth, I'll give you a cookie.
Tags: Blog Roundup, Captain Obvious
9.01.2008
Ray LaMontagne: Gossip In The Grain (2008)
New Wax
New Hampshire-born Ray LaMontagne is set to release his third album entitled Gossip In The Grain on October 14th through RCA Records. We've been fortunate enough to receive an advance copy of the album here at Captain Obvious and let me assure you that it's amazing. LaMontagne once again pairs up with producer Ethan Johns, whose incredible resume includes the likes of Ryan Adams' Heartbreaker and Whiskeytown's Pneumonia. Blessed with one of the more distinct voices you'll hear, LaMontagne finds himself expanding on his solo tendencies and incorporating more of a group dynamic. Rather than relying on Johns as instrumentalist, LaMontagne is joined by members of his touring band on the bulk of the album and guest vocalist Leona Naess appears on two tracks. The album opens with the throwback horn-driven soul jam "You Are The Best Thing," which sounds like it could very well be in the Motown back catalog. The ethereal "I Still Care For You," stands out as an early favorite with its borderline psychedelic feel, and from the comical "Meg White" to the back-porch folk ditty "Hey Me, Hey Mama," Gossip In The Grain finds LaMontagne spreading his creative wings. Gossip In The Grain ultimately plays out as the talented songwriter's most diverse album to date.
Note: These songs below are not the final album versions. I'm not about to piss off RCA Records by posting the "real" versions either. -- Capt. Obvious
Listen:
MP3: Ray LaMontagne - You Are The Best Thing (Link Removed Per Request)
MP3: Ray LaMontagne - Let It Be Me (Link Removed Per Request)
Tags:
Listen:
MP3: Ray LaMontagne - You Are The Best Thing (Link Removed Per Request)
MP3: Ray LaMontagne - Let It Be Me (Link Removed Per Request)
Tags:
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