Neutral Milk Hotel "In The Aeroplane Over the Sea"

Ahh... such good memories come flooding in when I listen to "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea" (1998) that it's hard for me to discern why I love this album so much (but it's probably because of the abundance of bird samples). The album was the follow up to the critically acclaimed "On Avery Island" (1996), their debut album. The band grew out of the Elephant 6 Recording Company, that was a collection of like-minded indie artists at the time. When you hear Neutral Milk Hotel you are listening to the howled convictions of Jeff Mangum with a voice so powerful it will make you cringe at times.

The album begins with "King of Carrot Flowers Pt. 1" which starts out building upon playful imagery with lyrics that are bound to make you think of good times in your own life. Many people that I have showed this album to in the past didn't seem impressed by the Mangum's vocals except for my guitar teacher who had commented that he could really sing loud and proud. I've always enjoyed the vocals of Neutral Milk Hotel and believe it adds to the overall uniqueness of the album and I haven't heard his sound replicated since. It's hard for me to choose just a few songs to talk about because this album is gold. "Two-Headed Boy" focuses solely on guitar and vocals and Mangum stands out by sustaining high notes and singing higher than I could ever hope to. So go out today and purchase this album or listen to it any way you can ! You probably won't regret it ! (You can purchase the album Here)

As for the future of the blog, I will continue posting albums if anyone is interested. Feel free to invite your friends and whoever.

"Oh, Comely"

 

'Two-Headed Boy"

Cut Copy "Zonoscope"

"Zonoscope" starts out strong and immediately you feel compelled to dance. Cut Copy is an Australian band consisting of Dan Whitford (vocals), Tim Hoey (guitar), Ben Browning (bass), and Mitchell Scott (drums). Dan's vocals are reminiscent of the 80s when disco reigned as king. They fit in nicely with a more modern approach to electronic music rather than pursuing a formulaic approach to disco music. The first song, "Need You Now" continues to build on a memorable hook ("I know we're going crazy / But i need you now /I know we're running baby / But i need you now") while progressing with the rest of the composition to reach a really fun climax that gets people moving. It's a really fun, memorable song that I could see being used behind montages in the future. "Take Me Over" is the next song on the album and it's catchy bass-line supports the integrity of the rest of the song. Once again I feel nostalgic for the 80s and I wasn't even alive back then! Powerful stuff this "Zonoscope" is...

 "Strange Nostalgia for the Future" is a creative song that immerses you into a world full of vinyl clicks, a synth so bright you need to cover your eyes, and a reverberant piano that brings you back to the "nostalgia" of the future. Interesting. "This is All We've Got" takes us out of the previous song and focuses the album back to the dance fever that it began as. In my opinion, the first two songs of the album are the best ("Need You Now" and "Take me Over") because lyrically they are memorable while I can't say the same for the other songs. Other than that, great album overall. Listen to this when you're doing the dishes or some other menial task and dance like the 80s never ended! You can purchase the album here.

"Need You Now" 

"Take me Over"

Big Bud's "Blue + Green"

Today’s album is all about how good drum n bass can sound. Everyone needs good electronic music in their life and lately this sub-genre of EDM seems to be overlooked.  “Blue + Green” was released by Big Bud in 2012 through Beatport. Right from the beginning of the album you can hear the quality of the drum samples. The cymbals and snare cut through the mix and create a really nice strong foundation for the rest of the song to build off of. Since this is a drum n bass album you can’t go wrong with great sounding drums. Now for the bass. I find it to be especially nice sounding in the first song “Angel” and I couldn’t imagine listening to the song without a subwoofer because it would really lose a lot of its power. As for the rest of the album the low end plays a large role in why I like it so much and I suggest listening in the best environment you can find.

"Wobbegong” gets even more aggressive with the low end and as I listen to it right now with the sub cranked up I wonder if the neighbors are O.K. with it. Hopefully they’re not home right now. Big Bud introduces some really fun tech sounds that come in later in the song that helps to add more depth to the track. If I was still DJing this is a song I would definitely play late at night. Another fun song on the album is “Rubadub”. Drum n Bass always mixes well with reggae music and this song doesn’t disappoint. You can purchase the album here on Beatport.

"Angel" 

 

"Rubadub"

Woods "Bend Beyond"

Woods began in 2005 as a side project of Jeremy Earl, formerly of Meneguar. The album was released last year in 2012 under Woodsist, Earl's very own record label. The title track, "Bend Beyond", captures the essence of the album with folk and rock undertones alongside Earl's falsetto vocal arrangement. I imagine this song to be very radio friendly and the lyrics (Just to see / just to know / just to bend beyond the light) are just as memorable as the melody. The song climaxes with a guitar solo which I imagine the band delves deeper into in a live setting. The second song on the album happens to be my favorite, titled "Cali in a Cup". The harmonica riffs throughout the song are decidedly lo-fi as are some of the other elements that occur throughout the rest of the album album. The lyrics once again shine through the album as being memorable and help to make it a feel-good song.

I'm going to skip to "It Ain't Easy" because it's a more personal sounding song than any of the previous ones mentioned. I especially liked these lyrics: "And ain't it hard to say it ain't easy, looking for different ways to make things stay the same". I felt as if these words came directly from the way Jeremy Earl was feeling at the time and I can relate. "Bend Beyond" is a collection of great songs and the more I listen the more I like all of them. Support this artist (and his label!) so we can continue to hear great songs like this in the future. You can purchase the album here.

"Cali in a Cup"

"Is it Honest?"

Flying Lotus "Until the Quiet Comes"

It's hard to put into words exactly what is going on in the album I'll be looking at today but it's worth a shot. "Until the Quiet Comes" was released by Warp Records on September 26 (my birthday!), 2012. I realized this site was starting to completely lack any kind of electronic music and I hope this album makes up for it. Steven Ellison is the man behind Flying Lotus and he grew up as a laptop DJ / producer until he nestled into the distinct style he has today.

I appreciate "Until the Quiet Comes" because of how quickly the mood changes from song to song how they flow from one to the next.There is a certain sense of continuity throughout the whole album that leaves you wanting more when the last song sounds. I will admit that the first time I listened to Flying Lotus I had found one of his older CDs and it sounded to me like a lot of mashed up sounds that sometimes sounded chaotic. The more I listened I started to understand his song form and it was refreshing to hear something so different than other electronic tunes out there. The vocals are a nice addition to the sound as well and Flying Lotus found guest vocalists to contribute such as Thom Yorke, Erykah Badu, and Niki Randa. Sonically the whole album sounds great and I suggest listening with either headphones or a nice set of speakers. Enjoy, and remember, this is great music and all, but I have noticed that it is NOT the music to listen to if you're stressed out driving in traffic or studying last minute for a test you have to take in 10 minutes. Otherwise, happy listening parties for all !

"Putty Boy Strut"

"Tiny Tortures"

Tedeschi Trucks Band "Everybodys Talkin'"

Today is the day to listen to the Tedeschi Trucks Band. Established in 2010 by Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi (husband and wife), the TTB is an 11-piece band that has created a blend of rock, soul, and blues that seems reminiscent of a time not so far away. Seeing that Derek Trucks played with the Allman Brothers Band when he was 16 can help to explain the TTB’s sound. The album I’ll be looking at today is their most recent release, titled “Everybody’s Talkin’”. The songs have been picked from a number of their live shows in 2011 to highlight their best performances of each one.

           

 The first track is “Everybody’s Talkin’” which was originally released in 1966 by Fred Neil. The Tedeschi Trucks Band has only released one full length studio album of original material so they do throw in classic blues / Americana covers into their live sets. The end of the first song leads into a Derek Trucks solo which gives you a taste of what’s to come throughout the rest of the album. The solo leads perfectly into “Midnight in Harlem”, a TTB original. The focus in the song is on Susan Tedeschi’s beautiful soulful voice. The lyrical content of the TTB and the way the words flow is what makes this big band truly special. I suggest that everyone listens to this album all the way through rather than just listening to a few songs because it’s a wonderful work of music. Hope you enjoy !

Purchase Here !

 "Midnight In Harlem"

Tame Impala "Lonerism"

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Welcome! Today’s album is titled “Lonerism” by Tame Impala. If you’ve never heard of Tame Impala they describe themselves on their website as “psychedelic hypno-groove melodic rock music”. Flangers and phasers are in full effect to give the album its’ signature “psychedelic” sound; the atmospheric sounding environments also help to contribute. The first song, “Be Above It”, marks a very different direction the band has taken in comparison to their debut album “InnerSpeaker”. This is because instead of focusing on delayed guitars the band moves into different territory that includes oscillating synths and more in your face vocals. The next song, “Endors Toi”, is more reminiscent of their last album and the drums sound great! The effects on the guitar give the song a classic Impala feel and the album begins to pull you in. “Feels Like We Only Go Backwards” is another song to check out due to its hypnotic lyrics and bassline.

I chose to share a Tame Impala album today because I wanted the theme this week to be bands inspired by The Beatles. They have always been an inspiration to me and I feel as if they must’ve influenced these two artists greatly (Tame Impala and Father John Misty). It’s interesting to note how different these two artists are from each other even though they’re inspired by some of the same talented people before them. Tame Impala will be playing in Chicago for anyone that is interested on March 6, 2013 at the Vic Theater. Sadly, tickets have been sold out for quite some time and I won’t be going. 

"Be Above It"

"Endors Toi"

Purchase Here