Radio Cure

Latest Listen: Arcade Fire - The Suburbs

2010-09-27T20:14:00.002-05:00

Arcade Fire - The Suburbs

This album is a no-brainer purchase. Much better than Neon Bible, haven't decided how it measures up to Funeral. Regardless, it's a fantastic album.

Best Songs: City with No Children, Ready to Start, We Used to Wait...the list goes on.

Rogue Wave playing at Thacker Mountain Radio

2010-09-21T21:18:00.000-05:00

Thursday, October 7th, 2010
Author: Dave Isay
Author: Antonya Nelson
Musical Guest: T-Model Ford
Musical Guest: Rouge Wave
Location: Off Square Books

New Belle and Sebastian

2010-09-21T21:05:00.002-05:00

Belle and Sebastian's new album has a new album coming out: Belle and Sebastian Write About Love, due out October 12 via Matador. Listen to a track from it called "Come on Sister" at Some Kind of Awesome.

Alejandro Escovedo at Square Books in Oxford, MS Podcast

2010-09-21T21:03:00.001-05:00

Photo courtesy of http://www.squarebooks.com/square-books-podcast-alejandro-escovedo-eugene-marten-september-14-2010

Check out podcast

Pavement on Colbert

2010-09-21T21:01:00.002-05:00

The Colbert Report

Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Pavement - Gold Soundz

www.colbertnation.com

Colbert Report Full Episodes

2010 Election

Fox News

John Prine Goodness

2010-06-26T09:08:00.003-05:00

This week came the release of a John Prine tribute album: Broken Hearts and Dirty Windows, check out the allstar cast:

01 Justin Vernon: "Bruised Orange (Chain of Sorrow)"
02 Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band: "Wedding Day in Funeralville"
03 My Morning Jacket: "All the Best"
04 Josh Ritter: "Mexican Home"
05 Lambchop: "Six O'Clock News"
06 Justin Townes Earle: "Far From Me"
07 The Avett Brothers: "Spanish Pipedream"
08 Old Crow Medicine Show: "Angel From Montgomery"
09 Sara Watkins: "The Late John Garfield Blues"
10 Drive-By Truckers: "Daddy's Little Pumpkin"
11 Deer Tick: "Unwed Fathers" [ft. Liz Isenberg]
12 Those Darlins: "Let's Talk Dirty in Hawaiian"

Also, Prine recently released a live album titled In Person and On Stage
1. Spanish Pipedream
2. She Is My Everything
3. In Spite Of Ourselves
4. Long Monday
5. The Late John Garfield Blues
6. The Bottomless Lake
7. Bear Creek Blues
8. Saddle In The Rain
9. Angel From Montgomery
10. Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven Anymore
11. Mexican Home
12. Unwed Fathers
13. Glory Of True Love
14. Paradise

The National Post

2010-06-10T16:21:00.002-05:00

From the Montreal Gazette, fantastic interview:

MONTREAL - The National's fifth full-length album, High Violet, has met with across-the-board praise since its release in May and has provided a springboard for a lengthy tour that brings the Brooklyn quintet to Montreal's Osheaga Music and Arts Festival on July 31. For full information on the festival (which continues Aug. 1), see www.osheaga.com.

The Gazette's Jordan Zivitz spoke to National singer Matt Berninger shortly after High Violet's release. Here's a transcript of the interview.

Gazette: It seems like a lot of bands recording a follow-up to a successful album try hard not to repeat what they did the previous time. Did you have any of that going into High Violet from Boxer?

Matt Berninger: Well, we had some of that going into both Boxer and High Violet. The funny thing is, we thought we went pretty far away from Boxer with High Violet. But I think when you have the same five people making music, we didn't reinvent ourselves necessarily. But we were trying in some cases to avoid the sort of stately elegance of Boxer. We were trying to rough it up a little bit and make it a little uglier and a little more cathartic, and a little less distant and more direct. Whatever exactly that means. But yeah, we did try to do stuff like that.

Gazette: When you said "stately elegance," I couldn't tell if there was a note of distaste in your voice. Do you look at that side of Boxer as something you lost the taste for?

Berninger: No, not necessarily lost the taste for, but we just wanted to not repeat Boxer. Boxer has a very specific kind of personality. It wasn't designed necessarily that way from the beginning - it just turned out to have a kind of a vibe, a personality, that was really special, and we didn't want to try to recapture that. We were trying to go into some other dark corners, slightly new territory for us. And we didn't know what kind of territory that was going to be, but we did try doing things a little bit differently and we tried to avoid some of our habits, I guess, with High Violet and tried to discover some new things. I was saying I don't think we reinvented ourselves necessarily - we just stretched ourselves and went into some new places within the small world of The National, I guess. And it was really satisfying. A lot of that is the guitar tones, avoiding fingerpicking songs, even though Runaway does a lot of that. And then I was focusing a lot more on melody than I ever had in the past, trying to find these more active, moving melodies and less of my mumble-talk singing that I've done a lot of. That was just the way I would naturally sing the song, but this time I was trying to not worry about words so much and find more infectious, catchy melodies for the stuff before I even thought at all about any words or themes or ideas of what the songs would be about. I think that has made the record feel for us like a new thing. I think we were all happy with the discoveries and the development of the band, of ourselves, of whatever.

Gazette: That idea of focusing more on melodies ... not that it's you vs. the rest of the band, but did that align your songwriting more with the other members?

Berninger: Well, I've always been sort of in charge of the vocal melody; as far as musically, we all chime in. But this one, it was just my own desire to find new things, singing in high registers. I never thought that much about melody before High Violet. Mostly it was just getting the words and trying to get the ideas, and the feeling and the delivery. How you tell a story or how you sing a song or how you tell a joke is much more important than the words of the joke. And I would try a million different ways in the past. And a lot of the time I was never really worried about whether it was a quote-unquote "good" melody, you know? That never seemed that important to me. Just, does it sound real? Does it sound forced? I'm always trying to avoid something that sounds too forced. But this time I actually started thinking, well, maybe I should think more about melody. Just for something new. And I still sing the way I sing - I'm not exactly David Bowie on these songs - but I do think there are things in a lot of the songs that we might not have done before, because this time around I put the lyrics aside and didn't worry about those until I felt like the song was going to be good even without words. And the truth is, the harder part was getting words to work in a song that didn't ruin the melody. And that's a weird thing. Sometimes if the song lyrically is too written or over-thought or too detailed or too specific, or whatever, a great melody can sound terrible with the wrong words - and vice versa. So the lyrics ended up being in some cases more difficult than any of our other records, because often some of the stuff I was writing made the melody sound silly. When two things are kind of playing the same role, they conflict with each other. These things have to be dance partners; they can't both lead. And that's always the trick, I think, with songs: realizing that the song or the melody is doing a lot of the heavy lifting, and so sometimes the words need to stay out of the way. Or just give enough that it gives a bit of an image or a bit of an idea, but let the melody and the music fill in the rest of the colour. I think when it comes to the writing, the hard part is figuring out how to take away stuff and how to not overwrite the songs.

Gazette: So would you get no pleasure out of writing in a more florid style? I mean, I'm a huge Nick Cave fan, but he definitely draws attention to his own lyrics.

Berninger: Well, Nick Cave is one of my heroes, and you can hear that in my songwriting, the way he can be brutal and hilarious and fearful and vicious, all within the space of two lines. He can go everywhere. But sometimes his stuff does seem extremely written, and I think he writes a lot and he writes fast and he's a genius. Well ... I don't know how fast he writes. But it does seem like he just spills awesome ideas. It's never-ending. With me, it's a much slower gushing process. Some of my favourite lyricists do things that I love, but also do things that I want to avoid. I mean, Bob Pollard is one of my favourite lyricists, but there are certain things he does that I try to avoid doing. I don't want the songs to be abstract poetry or refrigerator magnet poetry. And that's what Bob Pollard does. He does more than that, but he'll put a street sign next to a Burger King slogan next to a Dylan Thomas quote. He'll stitch things together in wild ways to see what kind of tension he'll create by weaving those together. Sometimes what he's doing, I think you can hear the randomness in it. And I guess I'm trying to avoid a little bit of that. That is where the weird energy happens, with the juxtaposition of types of phrases, but I scrutinize them to the point of the minutiae of those connections, and it takes a long, long, long time. And I don't know necessarily what I'm looking for when I'm looking for it, but I do it until it feels right. It's not a quick, random stream-of-consciousness process by any means. The collecting of ideas is more like that. But the fine-tuning of the lyrics for a final song is a much more deliberate and calculated and slow process.

Gazette: So do you come across lines that you love but wonder if they really fit a song? That line "I was afraid I would eat your brains" leaped out at me in Conversation 16 ... it seems hilarious or out of place at first, but then if you look at it in another light it seems really poignant.

Berninger: Yeah, that's an example where that song needed a torque. It needed a weirdo torque for the rest of the song to work. The whole record, actually, needed that sort of bizarro absurdity. For me, a song can't just be a bunch of awesome phrases, awesome one-liners. I fill books with things that I put three stars next to - like "oh, that's so amazing, what a great line," but it'll never work in a song, because sometimes you have too much. It's too "all caps." There are lines that you can tell when it was written you gave yourself a high five. Those very rarely work in songs, because they sound overwritten. So it's a combination of the fragments that just hint at something, plus you've got to put a sincere heart on your sleeve - earnest things right next to the absurd jackass moments. You have to have them both for most of our songs to work. There are occasions when you can just go straight down the middle with a song - like Runaway, it's very direct. It's got a little abstract imagery, where I'm not even sure what the flood is or what the swallowing of the sun is, and all that kind of stuff. It's abstract, but it feels like it means something very, very important, and that's why it works with the rest of this simple song about devotion and about loyalty. So that one doesn't have any goofball moments, but in the context of the record that song plays a very important role. It's a big puzzle piece and a big part of getting the balance of stuff. The "eat your brains" line, when I first put that in the song, right towards the end, I think the other guys bristled at that a little bit, because they felt, "Well, that just sounds ridiculous." But now I think that's become one of their favourite lines because in the context of all the songs, it's both funny and sweet. There's something tender about it. It's obviously not about zombies or cannibalism - it's about how you're afraid that you're going to mess somebody up. You're afraid that you're going to somehow make someone screw up their inner beauty by being a boring asshole or something. You're afraid that you're going to bring them down with you. That's kind of what I hear in that moment of that song now. Anyways, so it's a slow process of getting just the right plates spinning on the right levels, and getting them all going for them to work with each other the right way. Create a balancing act.

Gazette: You're talking musically as well as lyrically, right?

Berninger: Yeah, definitely. Bloodbuzz (Ohio) is an example where if it weren't for the way Bryan (Devendorf) plays the drums, that song would be a completely different song. I sing it almost in a gentle croon, and the fact that he's just slamming it at 100 miles an hour with this force, it creates this tension. And what those guys are doing with the guitars and the horns and pulling it all in a different way ... a lot of our songs have that. I mean, I guess that's what any band does ... a bunch of people playing different instruments and putting stuff together, it's always trying to find that alchemy. It's like making the perfect meal, the perfect banquet, where you need just the right amount of salt and the right amount of wine and the right amount of meat. It takes a long, long time to find that balance. And with us, because nobody's in charge, nobody knows what we're trying to cook in the first place. So it's a slow process of us all pushing and pulling in different directions until we start to find those places where it starts to balance. It starts to work. I think that's why it takes us a year and a half to make a record. I mean, we weren't being lazy. I don't feel like we were working slowly at all. I felt like we were working non-stop for a year and a half, and it still just took that long. And we even felt like we didn't have enough time and we had to hurry it up at the end. But that's just the way it's always been with us.

Gazette: Do you sometimes fight against your instinct, or try to write counterintuitively? You mentioned Bloodbuzz Ohio, which seems like a song where you could have easily lapsed into your Abel or Mr. November scream.

Berninger: Right. Even if it feels like something that we've done before, if it feels right, we won't over-think it too much. We try not to be overly cerebral about it, and if something just feels good, we'll follow it, even if it might be footsteps we've walked in before. But if it feels like we've done it before, it's got to be really, really good for us to do it again. In Bloodbuzz, there was a moment after the choruses where the guitars are playing this hocketing rhythm - dun-dun dun-dun dun-dun da-da-da-da dun-da-dun - that used to be all done with horns and trombones, and it was this really powerful brass moment.

Gazette: Like the end of Fake Empire?

Berninger: Exactly. It was great. And it was a major part of the song, and it was in the very last days of making this record when Aaron (Dessner) and I were like, "You know what? It's awesome, but we've just got to get rid of it, because it's like Fake Empire 2.0 in that moment." And the truth is, what happens with the horns at the end of Fake Empire is better. And that was one of the biggest battles we had, because people had been listening to it with this really powerful horn part for months. And Peter Katis, who was mixing, and the other guys thought we were committing suicide with that song by taking those horns out. But that's an example where, yeah, it did sound great. It was really, really good. But that was definitely a shirt we had worn before, and we looked better in it last time. But we knew we could find a different way of creating a really powerful instrumental moment in that song, so I'm really glad that we went with the guitars, the way the guitars are playing that aggressive role. It's this dark, weird, floaty song, and then with the horns, all of a sudden it turned into this party moment. So the personality didn't feel right, either. Those are the type of things that I think happen in every single song over and over again, for the whole course of writing something. I think that's the main thing that makes us a pretty good band: we will throw away good things to try to find something a tiny bit better. We do that a lot. We also will not worry too much about the song being kooky or academically weird. Sometimes we'll embrace simplicity, or what you might think is simplistic. But there's a big difference between simple and simplistic, and we'll go ahead and pursue something very simple and develop it in a way without trying to be avant-garde or an indie-rock art-school project. I don't know ... we do both. At the same time, there's a side of us that will pursue complex orchestration along with the ugly garage-y moments. I think we value both of those perspectives on the song.

Gazette: And having a simple arrangement doesn't preclude having a lot of complexity woven into it. It took me a few listens to Runaway before I really got what the brass was doing.

Berninger: Right. And a good example is the song Afraid of Everyone, which if you strip away some of the vocal melodies and some of the things, the backing vocals that Sufjan (Stevens) did, and you take away everything except for the guitars and drums, it's kind of what we would refer to as a meatball song. Without those things, it's musically simplistic. But we know you can take some of those things and then bend that with those other elements to turn those things into a really good foundation. And it took a long time for that song to become not just a stupid meatball song. But now it's one of my favourite songs on the record. I think it's one of the most interesting, both musically and lyrically. But it started out from something that could easily be described as just stupid music. Aaron did describe it that way to me, in fact. He sent me a sketch that had three parts to it, and I took out the two parts he thought were interesting and looped the one part he thought was stupid, and that was the basis for that song. He was a little shocked and dismayed that that was one of the songs that we were going to work on, because Aaron sent me 60, 70 different sketches and that was probably his least favourite. And I devoted all this time to it and he was a little bummed that I was throwing away other songs to pursue Afraid of Everyone. But there was just something about it that I was attached to: the simple guitar progression and the vocal melody I was doing that I knew, with work, we could make into something great. And it took work. But I think we did. My point is that we trust each other. Even though at first he thought it was a waste of time, Aaron trusted me and the fact that if I'm hearing something in that song, there must be something there and we'll find it. And then I'll trust him. On the other side of it, the song Little Faith wasn't one of the ones I thought I would be able to write to, and I wasn't that attached to it, but it was a song that the other guys were really excited about, from the perspective of the music and just the basic sketch. So I trusted them and just kept working at that song. That's kind of how it works with us. There are arguments, but we'll also follow each other down these dark alleys. We're always willing to chase each other's whims.

Gazette: On Little Faith, the rhythm section sounds like the core of the song, but then there's a passage where it drops out and the mood completely changes. Is that the type of thing where the song can turn an unexpected corner for you?

Berninger: Yeah. That song wouldn't work without that moment where the bottom drops out and suddenly there's nothing but wide open space in something that a moment before was clattering forward with this frantic energy. That's one of those things where we knew we just needed to find those spots that would make the rest of the song work. One of the interesting things about Little Faith is, I think Bryce (Dessner) and Bryan just hit record and Bryce turned on his pedals, and that sound was already there from some old thing he was messing around with. It starts with just that loop, that guitar feedback loop, but that was a mistake. It wasn't something that he planned to do for the song. That was just happening, and then Bryan just started hitting the drums and Bryce on a beat started playing a rhythm, a different riff, and I think most of what you hear on the record was that very first moment of chaos, trying to figure out how to turn the buttons on to start working on a song, and those guys, without thinking, just recording something. And I know Bryan spent a lot of time trying to redo those drums, because I think maybe the fidelity of the recording wasn't great, but he never actually was able to replay those drums in a way that sounded as effortless and spontaneous. Because it was only spontaneous that one moment. And he was never able to top it, I think. That was one of the other things that was different about this record, is that since we had our own studio, we had the luxury to just press record every time we walked in and turned the lights on. We would just keep everything. And because of that, we were able to keep those sorts of moments like on Little Faith, or on Terrible Love - the guitar tone that starts out the whole record was kind of just from the demo.

Gazette: When that song came on, I wasn't sure what the album was going to be like. I thought, "They've gone really dirty and grungy." Was it a pointed decision to put that at the top of the album?

Berninger: No, we didn't think of it as a statement at all. It's just where it sounded best. We were trying to put together the sequence; it took us weeks and weeks trying to figure out the sequence. And putting that song first wasn't a moment of "let's freak people out and do something controversial or ugly at the beginning." We never thought of it that way. We thought the song sounded awesome there. And that song's weird, because when we started playing it live, it started to find a different sonic vibe. And then we played it live on television - it was the first song I think anybody heard at all, and it sounds very different to the recorded version, and people got really attached to it. And the truth is, it has become I think one of the best songs that we play live. And it sounds different than the record. And people would argue that live sounds better than the record. Live it has a tighter, less chaotic, less ugly low-fidelity vibe than the record version. But yeah, the record version, we never actually thought of it as being that bad. (Laughs) It wasn't until we played it better on TV that people, when they finally heard the version on the record, were kind of disappointed. At first. I think people have grown to like it both ways. But yeah, that was never a strategic play by any means. We had no idea how that song was going to turn out when we play it live. We just wait and see what the record is going to end up like, and we don't have much perspective on it until much, much later.

Gazette: I remember three of High Violet's songs being played at your last Montreal show, in May of last year - Runaway, Bloodbuzz Ohio and Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks. When you preview songs live, does it strengthen your impression of how they should be approached, or does it make you less certain?

Berninger: That's a good question. Bloodbuzz was a song we played live a lot before we figured out a recorded version, and that was one of those cases where we were playing it live with that horn fanfare stuff I mentioned, and that was how we thought the song should be. But when we cut it in the studio, I think the fact that we had been playing it like that for so long was one of the reasons why it was hard to let go of something that was an identifying part of its character, just from the live show. We've never been a band that wants to capture what we sound like live on the record, or vice versa, try to perform the way that the song sounds on the record. But it's often the case where the songs that we play live will sometimes blind us a little bit. When we play it live for so long, it will sometimes blind us to what's good about it, or the other possibilities of directions in which to take that song, because it gets ground into our head one way. And sometimes it isn't that great of a song yet. So sometimes we have to work backwards to forget about what kind of song we think it is. That was the case with a bunch of them that we had been playing together. But we don't know. I also think on another level that in some cases it really helps to find a new energy for a song by playing it live before you record it. We haven't settled on any one way of doing anything. We just know we'll keep exploring and keep trying different ideas until we have 11 or 12 songs that we think are great. That's the only strategy we've ever had.

Gazette: You played a considerably larger room each of the three times you came to Montreal after the release of Boxer. Do you miss the smaller venues, or are you happy to move on and upward?

Berninger: Well, there is something kind of amazing about being in a small room that's packed and hot, but to be perfectly honest, we played to really small rooms for a long, long, long, long time, and no, I don't miss it that much anymore. And we'll still do that. We just did three shows in Brooklyn before the record came out at this small place called Bell House, and a couple of shows also at this little store. We'll do some of that stuff. But no, we're happy we're playing at some of these bigger places. And some of the theatres and venues we're playing are just so beautiful. The BAM Opera House (in Brooklyn) or a lot of these places just feel really good. So no, I don't miss it that much. And Massey Hall (in Toronto) is one of those famous, iconic places we've been dying to someday get to a point where we can play. The small places have an awesome vibe about them, but am I bummed we're playing places like Massey Hall and Radio City and Royal Albert Hall? No. I love it. It's awesome. Scary, but awesome.

Go Here to Download live versions of Terrible Love and Runaway. I am particularly intrigued by this version of Terrible Love.

Go Here for to Download "I'm Afraid of Everyone" with Sufjan on Letterman

Go Here for a live version of Vanderlyle Crybaby Geek

Go Here for that Bloodbuzz horn ending he discussed, I like the album version better.

New Release Tuesday

2010-06-08T16:42:00.003-05:00

Deer Tick - The Black Dirt Sessions

Ratatat - LP4 stream

Blitzen Trapper - Destroyer of the Void stream

Also, check out these tunes I've been listening to lately:

Mumford and Sons - Roll Away the Stone
S. Carey - In the Dirt
Tallest Man on Earth - The Wild Hunt
Edwin Sharpe and the Magnetic Zero's - Home
The Hold Steady - The Weekenders
Ratatat - Bilar
The National - Lemonworld
Band of Horses - Factory
Drive By Truckers - Birthday Boy
Temper Trap - Down River
Frightened Rabbit - Yes, I Would

Latest Listen

2010-05-20T21:47:00.001-05:00

The Temper Trap - Conditions

h/t pepe'

The National - High Violet

2010-05-17T20:40:00.001-05:00

THE NATIONAL - HIGH VIOLET
Need I say more??

Latest Listen

2010-05-05T19:05:00.004-05:00

Jonsi - Go

Sigur Ros frontman goes solo and creates spine-chilling, chill bumping tunes. Amazing a pagan can make such moving religious-esque music. (H/T Jonathan S. for the thought).

Latest Listen

2010-05-05T18:58:00.005-05:00

Drive By Truckers - The Big To-Do

Great record by DBT. "The Wig He Made Her Wear" is a fascinating account of the Mary Winkler debacle. Also, "Birthday Boy" might be one of Cooley's best yet. "Santa Fe" is gorgeous. "The Fourth Night of my Drinking" is a interesting account of a drunk binge.

Latest Listen

2010-05-05T18:54:00.003-05:00

The Tallest Man on Earth - The Wild Hunt

Another fine release by unique-voiced TMOE. Check it out if you like Dylan, Mountain Goats, Clem Snide, or Langhorne Slim.

New Albums

2010-04-04T17:21:00.002-05:00

March

2: Rogue Wave - Permalight
9: Frightened Rabbit - The Winter of Mixed Drinks
9: Pavement - Quarantine: Best of Pavement
16: Drive By Truckers - The Big To-Do
16: The Whigs - In the Dark
23: She & Him - Volume Two

April
6 - Jonsi - Go (Sigur Ros singer's solo album, I streamed it and was impressed)
6 - Dr. Dog - Shame Shame
13 - Trampled By Turtles - Palomino
13 - MGMT - Congratulations
13 - The Tallest Man on Earth - The Wild Hunt
20 - Horse Feathers: Thistled Spring
20 - Plants and Animals: La La Land

May
4 - Broken Social Scene: Forgiveness Rock Record
4 - The Hold Steady - Heaven is Whenever
4 - New Pornographers - Together
4 - Josh Ritter - So Runs the World
11 - The National - High Violet
18 - Band of Horses - Infinite Arms
18 - The Black Keys: Brothers
18 - LCD Soundsystem: This Is Happening

June
8 - Blitzen Trapper: Destroyer of the Void
8 - Deer Tick - Black Dirt Sessions
22 - Stars: The Five Ghosts

Latest Listen

2010-04-02T21:13:00.002-05:00

The Helio Sequence - Keep Your Eyes Ahead

This is fantastic stuff. Flew under my radar last year. I couldn't ever pull the trigger, but now it is on emusic so wa-la.

Latest Listen

2010-03-29T18:05:00.002-05:00

Frightened Rabbit - Winter of Mixed Drinks

Almost as good as Midnight Organ Fight. The album is filled with more anthem type tunes similar to Midnight's "Heads Roll." I HIGHLY recommend this album!!

Great Interview from Pitchfork with National Singer Matt Berninger

2010-02-02T19:29:00.001-06:00

From Pitchfork:

When he first wakes up in the morning, the National singer Matt Berninger sounds exactly the way you'd expect, his voice a craggy rumble deep enough to have seismic implications. That voice is a huge part of the reason his band's brooding anthems have become popular enough that they can headline festivals and show up in a Google commercial.

And now we're about to hear another set of those brooding anthems. As previously reported, the National will release an as-yet-untitled new album this May, via 4AD. And this spring, they'll hit the road, bringing the new songs to audiences in North America and Europe. Earlier this week, Berninger checked in with Pitchfork after rolling out of bed to talk about the new album, the intra-band battles surrounding it, and the Sufjan Stevens guest appearance that should make the final cut.

Pitchfork: Is the new album finished?

Matt Berninger: No, it's close. We're scheduled to master it in three weeks. I'd say it's 75 percent done. But with us, the songs often change drastically in the last couple of weeks, in the mixing. We know what songs we're trying to finish, but what exactly the songs are going to end up like is still a mystery. It's the most frustrating and exciting part of the process. So from a time perspective, we are almost done, but what the thing's going to end up like, it's hard to tell.

Pitchfork: What's the most frustrating aspect of this stage?

MB: At this point, everybody's getting attached to certain versions or arrangements or forms of songs, and everyone's getting attached to different versions. At this point, we'll be chopping songs apart, cutting them down, and then rearranging them, just to try to figure out the magic middle ground between everybody's ideas. So it's where everybody starts to just dig their feet in the sand, and it's where all the arguments happen because we know how drastically something can change at the last minute. It's easy for us to ruin a song in the last day or two of working on it.

Pitchfork: Do you think you've ruined songs before?

MB: I think we have, yeah. Well, not ruin, but there are versions of songs that we had that we maybe got cold feet about. We did something to them that we thought would put it over the edge, but it actually kind of ruined the original vibe. It ends up being a pretty good song, but the song "Guest Room", on our last record, had a sort of a different personality until the last week or so. It sort of became muffled up, and I think it hurt that song a lot.

But the other side of the coin is the song "Fake Empire". It wasn't 'til the very end of the process that we added the whole fanfare, the horns at the end, which turned a sleepy little simple song into something more exciting. That whole moment at the end of "Fake Empire" makes that song in many ways. It's an average song without that. We're right in the place where those kinds of things happen.

Pitchfork: Your songs are always pretty layered and complicated. I would imagine that figuring out the last little details when you're putting these things together would be a really tough process.

MB: Of the reasons that it's hard to figure out what the song's going to be like until the last minute is that, in the process of going from just a little sketch of an idea-- you know, a melody, and maybe a simple piano or guitar part-- we'll just start layering lots of different things on it with the idea that maybe we'll use 20 percent of this, but let's try everything. We'll also have three or four different drum parts that completely change the whole character of the song. So when we start picking the elements that complement each other and work well together, a song could be just this huge epic, or it could be a folky little scrappy ballad. It's not quite that extreme, but if you add strings or something, a song becomes a totally different song.

That's where the fighting happens between us. There's the one camp that's always like, "This song's better simple," and then there's another camp that's like, "It's boring simple." That switches around from song to song, and it gets heated, but it's how it's always been. Since our second record, we started to know this is the phase we always go through, and we usually will come out the other side still friends, and with a pretty good record.

When we were making Boxer, it got so tense between all of us that we worried whether we could even continue being friends and being a band toward the end. It was just so stressful on everybody. This time around, it's still as tense, but we're not worried. We realize that this is just what happens to us when we're near the end of making a record. A week after the record's done, we all laugh about the mean and horrible things we've said to each other. It's like a family at Christmas: Sometimes you say the worst things possible to each other, but you know you'll come back next Christmas.

Pitchfork: Do the band's sets of brothers [Aaron and Bryce Dessner, Scott and Bryan Devendorf] team up with each other?

MB: Yeah, sometimes [laughs]. The fact that we have two sets of brothers, it balances out. I'm sort of in between. It's hard to tell who's going to go one way with a song. It's never the same fights. You can never expect who's going to want something one way or the other way. Those guys will talk to each other a lot on the car rides home and resolve problems. [Laughs] I make this sound like all we do is fight, but that's not quite true. It's a very balanced warfare up here. Nobody's a favorite at any moment.

Pitchfork: Does the new album have a title yet?

MB: No, it doesn't. We've been kicking around ideas. Every time we have an idea for a title, it lasts a few days and then we realize how bad it is. Not long ago, we were calling it Summer Lovin' Torture Party. Thankfully, we realized that's just a stupid title. So right now, it's still untitled.

Pitchfork: Can you name any of the songs that will be on it?

MB: It's hard to tell because we're still going to chop some. One of the contenders is "Love Buzz, Ohio". There's one called "Romantic Comedy", there's one called "L.A. Cathedral", there's one called "Quiet Company", and there's one called "Runaway". There's a bunch that are untitled. There's a few that we've played live before. Most of those will make it, but I think we're still going to chop a couple of songs, and we don't really know which ones we're going to chop yet.

For a long time, we thought "Love Buzz, Ohio" was going to be a big, important song on this record, but just last week we were all thinking maybe it doesn't even belong on the record. It's so weird how quick we shift around the idea of what kind of record this is going to be. That song has had the potential to be good, but we just haven't found it yet. We haven't quite found its heart yet. But now we've jumped in and out of it and have done a few things, maybe stripped it way back.

Pitchfork: I was just watching a YouTube video of you doing that song last summer, and it sounded huge and epic.

MB: Yeah [laughs]. Well, that's the problem. If it becomes too epic, it sounds ridiculous. For a while, we've sort of pushed it too far, to where it sounds just like a bloated attempt, like we're trying to make an epic, and that can just sound bad. That happens with almost every song we work on; we push them too far. We make them too pumped up and overcooked, and you can hear that, I think. For us, the last phase of the process is always realizing that we ruined most of our songs, so let's go back, try to pull stuff out, and find its core. Maybe it should just be three instruments, not all these bassoons and horns and all this kind of stuff. Other ones, without that stuff, don't work. We went through this phase where everybody was just scratching their heads, and it sort of became an annoying song. I think it's back from the brink, but there's no telling.

Pitchfork: Boxer was a much more restrained album than Alligator. You had big choruses, but you weren't yelling them anymore; they didn't build up to these big cathartic endings. How does this one fit on the spectrum between those two records?

MB: I don't think it sounds anything like Alligator, but it's less restrained than Boxer, that's for sure. I don't quite scream my head off in the way I did with "Mr. November", but I do think it's cathartic. Boxer was all tension without a whole lot of release. This builds a lot of those same kinds of tensions, but I think there's at least a little bit of bloodletting in this one. I'm trying to sing out and higher a little more, and the melodies move around a little more. When we started this record, I worked on melodies before I worked on lyrics. A lot of my melodies are sort of in a limited chanting, murmuring range, which has always worked for me. But I was trying to work on melodies this time much harder than I ever have in the past, and I think that alone has made the songs feel like they release more.

I don't know; we're talking about abstract things. There's a lot of yelling on this record, but not quite the guttural, psychotic screams that were on songs like "Abel" and "Mr. November". I also think this record moves faster. I think it's going to be a longer record than Boxer, but hopefully it's going to feel shorter. The songs have much more momentum, somehow. It's less stately, a little more... Catchy is not quite the word, but I think this record will be fun to drive to. Hard to tell, though.

Pitchfork: Sufjan Stevens played on the last album. Do you have any guests on this one?

MB: We have a bunch of people who have come in and out of the studio, which is behind Aaron's house. It was sort of an open door policy; friends come over and do stuff. So a lot of people did do things. I don't know exactly how much of everything we're going to keep. I will say that Sufjan did something that we are going to keep on a song. He sang some weird little backing vocal melodies-- no words. It was on a song that had just the right sort of odd, creepy vibe. There are a few other people that have come in and out. I don't want to say who yet [laughs] because we still might be editing them out. But I'm pretty sure that the little Sufjan vocal thing is going to be in there. It really did something special with that song.

Pitchfork: You're playing, for the most part, much larger venues than you played when Boxer first came out. Does that change the way you write songs, imagining how they're going to be heard in these bigger venues?

MB: That's a good question. I don't think so. I don't know if I would even be able to have perspective on that. Maybe we do without even realizing it. Throughout the Boxer touring cycle, we played a range of venues. And then, by opening for R.E.M., there were some gigs we were playing arenas. But I don't think we actually did anything different. I think even when we were playing the little clubs, we were in many ways pretending we were playing in front of thousands of people. We've always been trying to put on these big, passionate, powerful live shows. So it didn't feel that weird, actually, when we opened for R.E.M. and as our crowds sort of got bigger and bigger.

But then again, a lot of songs did change-- like "Squalor Victoria", for example. Playing it live definitely changed the song into a much bigger, more anthemic song. I don't know if we would've done that if we were just playing Pete's Candy Store-- if the same thing would've happened to that song, or if it's because these rooms were bigger and we were reaching for the rafters more. That song completely evolved into a different kind of song live than it is on the record. That may just be the natural shift that happens to us when we're playing for bigger crowds. I don't know if we've been trying to make a big record with that in mind. I know we didn't want to make another Boxer. From the beginning, there was a conscious idea of making a faster and slightly less sensitive record. I don't know how you would describe Boxer, but, less of a moody... I guess this thing really is still very moody, but we wanted to make a meaner record. And maybe that has something to do with it. We know how it's going to be fun to play these things loud and big for shows. It could very much be in the backs of our heads.

Pitchfork: Is there any music that you were all listening to recently that might have influenced the record?

MB: I don't think there's anything that we were all listening to or talking about collectively. We all listen to very different kinds of things. In fact, I was hardly listening to anything this past year and a half, just because I had my headphones on so often, trying to write lyrics for this record. When I took the headphones off, the last thing I wanted to do was have other music in my head. I had been listening to these sketches for five hours a day, trying to think about them and write to them, so I missed an entire year of music in some ways. I listen to a song or two from people that I loved, just for inspiration here and there, but I don't know if it actually worked. I think it just frustrated me. You know, when you hear something you love so much and you feel like you're getting nowhere with a song, it often just makes it even harder to write to it.

Pitchfork: Are you looking forward to the whole touring cycle kicking up again after the record comes out?

MB: Yes. I don't love being on the road. I don't love living in a bus, even though touring has become so much nicer than it was a few years ago. We don't have to drive, pack into a little van, sleep on floors. But you're still away from home, and you're still just floating around. It does get to me after a couple of weeks. This time, we're trying to do slightly shorter tours. I mean, I am really looking forward to playing these songs live, and I always love the shows, but living in a bus or hotel rooms for weeks and months, I don't take well to that. I go a little crazy.

I also have a one-year-old baby at home. When you miss three weeks of a little one-year-old, you miss a lot. I'm a little freaked out about that, but my wife and the baby will come for some of it. The truth is I've been trying to not even think about touring right now, just trying to finish the record. But we're all excited about playing Royal Albert Hall and Radio City; these are dreams come true.

Pitchfork: You're playing Paris with Pavement.

MB: Yeah, if somebody told me I was playing in Paris with Pavement five years ago, I wouldn't know what I'd think. It boggles my mind that that's going to happen. Scott and I-- we're not alone in this-- but that was probably the band that made us want to be in a band. Or at least they gave us the confidence. Somehow, you realize you can kind of do anything in music. You don't have to be good at a certain thing; you can just do whatever you want.

Pitchfork: The band was just the focus of a commercial for Google. Was that weird for you?

MB: They just contacted us. Our manager said, "Hey, you guys have an offer for a Google ad." And at first, we saw dollar signs. We were like, "Google?" I have a kid and stuff, and we'll sell a song to a movie or a TV show or an ad if the money's good enough. And the Google thing, we were interested because we thought it would just be a ton of money. Turns out it was hardly any money, but then we saw the ad that they were talking about, it's basically just an ad for our band. So it seemed like a smart thing to do.

I'll be honest; I think we all debate that whole thing. Having your songs in movies or TV or commercials, does that hurt your band, or does that hurt the music? We debate that all the time. But the Google thing is an example where it's like, well, it supports us, and it's about us, so we were OK with it. And to be honest, we were excited about it. But yeah, we didn't get rich off it.

New Releases Recent and Coming Soon

2010-01-25T18:59:00.003-06:00

Earlier this month:
Vampire Weekend - Contra
Spoon - Transference
Langhorne Slim - Be Set Free
Cold War Kids - Behave Yourself EP

Jan. 26
Beach House - Teen Dream
Fredrik - Trilogi
Los Campesinos - Romance is Boring

February:
2: Midlake - The Courage of Others
9: Hot Chip - One Left Stand
9: Yeasayer - Odd Blood
23: Shout Out Louds - Work

March:
2: Rogue Wave - Permalight
9: Frightened Rabbit - The Winter of Mixed Drinks
9: Pavement - Quarantine: Best of Pavement
16: Drive By Truckers - The Big To-Do
16: The Whigs - In the Dark
23: She & Him - Volume Two

April:
13: The Tallest Man on Earth - Dead Oceans

May:
4: The New Pornographers - Together
TBA: The National

Top Albums of 2009

2009-12-20T20:34:00.005-06:00

All in all, it was not a good year in music. I am sick of the lo-fi, weird music being popular. Take me back to the days when the Shins, Arcade Fire, and Modest Mouse were hot ticket items.

15. Great Lake Swimmers - Lost Channels
14. Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest
13. Blind Pilot - 3 Rounds and a Sound
12. Son Volt - American Central Dust
11. Passion Pit - Manners
10. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
9. The Thermals - Now We Can See
8. The Felice Brothers - Yonder is the Clock
7. Julian Casablancas - Phrazes of Youth
6. The Cave Singers - Welcome Joy
5. Monsters of Folk - S/T
4. Wilco - The Album
3. Deer Tick - Born on Flag Day
2. Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (Very very close second)

1. Avett Brothers - I and Love and You - I thought I was going to hate this album, but ended up loving it. So different from their old stuff, but in some strange, weird way, I love it. It's cheesy at times, but at the same time, those times are amazing.

I would love to see your top ten:

Top 60 Albums of the Decade

2009-10-18T13:16:00.005-05:00

Copycat or not, might as well take my stab at the top albums of the decade. I figure the listeners like me (who don't buy into the lo-fi, rap, or psych electro music that Pitchfork tries to cram down our throat) need a voice. Here it is. Enjoy and feel free to leave comments or your top album list. I tried to limit the same artists to two albums.

60. The RAA - Hometowns

59. Dan Bern - Breathe

58. The Cave Singers - Welcome Joy

57. Kings of Leon - Youth and Youth Manhood

56. The Decemberists - The Crane Wife

55. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago

54. Interpol - Antics

53. The Go Team - Thunder Lightning Strike

52. Cold War Kids - Robbers and Cowards

51. Death Cab For Cutie - Plans

50. Dan Bern - New American Language

49. The New Pornographers - Twin Cinema

48. The Hold Steady - Stay Positive

47. Trampled By Turtles - Trouble

46. The Strokes - Is This It?

45. Air - Talkie Walkie

44. Spoon - Gimme Fiction

43. Ryan Adams - Gold

42. Wilco - The Album

41. The Avett Brothers - Emotionalism

40. Sigur Ros - ( )

39. Richard Buckner - The Hill

38. Kings of Leon - Aha Shake Heartbreak

37. Sun Kil Moon - Ghosts of the Great Highway

36. The Strokes - Room On Fire

35. Wolf Parade - Apologies to Queen Mary

34. The Mountain Goats - Sunset Tree

33. Conor Oberst - S/T

32. Destroyer - Destroyer's Rubies

31. John Vanderslice - Cellar Door

30. Explosions in the Sky - The Earth is Not a Cold Dark Place

29. Death Cab for Cutie - Transatlanticism

28. Belle and Sebastian - If You're Feeling Sinister

27. Modest Mouse - Moon and Antarctica

26. Vampire Weekend - S/T

25. Belle and Sebastian - The Boy with the Arab Strap

24. The Felice Brothers - Tonight at the Arizona

23. Frightened Rabbit - Midnight Organ Fight

22. Deer Tick - Born on Flag Day

21. My Morning Jacket - Z

20. The Thermals - The Body, The Blood, The Machine

19. Fleet Foxes - S/T

18. Modest Mouse - Good News for People Who Love Bad News

17. Sufjan Stevens - Illinois

16. The Shins - Chutes Too Narrow

15. The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots

14. The National - Boxer

13. My Morning Jacket - At Dawn

12. Drive By Truckers - Dirty South

11. The Postal Service - Give Up

10. Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

9. Band of Horses - Everything All the Time

8. Bright Eyes - Lifted...

7. The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America

6. Deer Tick - War Elephant

5. The Felice Brothers - Adventures of the Felice Brothers Vol. 1

4. Arcade Fire - Funeral

3. Sigur Ros -- Agaetis Byrjun

2. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! - S/T

1. The National - Alligator

Streaming Ben and Jay

2009-10-16T22:55:00.001-05:00

NPR is streaming Ben Gibbard and Jay Farrar's new album, One Fast Move Or I'm Gone: Music From Kerouac's Big Sur due out October 20th.

New Felice Brothers Mixtape/newish CD

2009-10-16T22:52:00.001-05:00

Check it out. BUY HERE FOR 10 bucks.

1. Forever Green
2. Ahab
3. White Limo
4. Let Me Come Home
5. The Captain’s Wife
6. Indian Massacre
7. Old Song
8. Marie
9. Marlboro Man

New Music Tuesday

2009-10-05T21:24:00.001-05:00

The Mountain Goats - The Life of the World to Come

Lucero - 1372 Overton Park

Built to Spill - There is No Enemy

Noah and the Whale - First Day of Spring

The Clientele - Bonfires on the Heath

Air - Love 2

Califone - All My Friends Are Funeral Singers

New Releases

2009-09-28T20:43:00.000-05:00

New Avett Brothers and new Langhorne Slim out this week.

Also, new albums from the Swell Season and Zero 7.

Releases and Live Shows Updated

2009-09-01T08:37:00.002-05:00

Upcoming Releases and Live Shows Updated on sidebar.

Strange Collaboration: Farrar, Gibbard

2009-08-30T08:59:00.001-05:00

Death Volt

From Rolling Stone:

Death Cab For Cutie’s Ben Gibbard and Son Volt frontman Jay Farrar have teamed up for a set of original music inspired by Jack Kerouac’s novel Big Sur. The music will be featured in an upcoming documentary about the cult author entitled One Fast Move Or I’m Gone: Kerouac’s Big Sur. Gibbard and Farrar, who began working on music for the project in 2007, used Kerouac’s own Big Sur prose for the song’s lyrics.

Both the documentary and its soundtrack, featuring 12 new songs from Gibbard and Farrar, will be released on October 20th, the 40th anniversary of Kerouac’s death. The doc will also feature appearances from both Gibbard and Farrar, as well as rock poet laureate and “living god” Tom Waits, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Patti Smith and playwright Sam Shepard. One Fast Move Or I’m Gone will be released as a stand-alone album, a CD/DVD combo featuring the doc or a special edition with the CD/DVD, a 40-page book and a copy of Kerouac’s Big Sur.

As Rock Daily previously reported, Gibbard is a well-known follower of Kerouac’s works: On 2008’s Narrow Stairs, the track “Bixby Canyon Bridge” is filled with references to the Beat Generation author — Gibbard actually composed songs for the album while staying in the cabin Kerouac wrote about in Big Sur — and both We Have The Facts and We’re Voting Yes’s “Title Track” and “Lowell, MA” feature lyrics penned in the style of Kerouac (Lowell, Massachussets was Kerouac’s hometown.)

Check out the soundtrack’s track list below:

One Fast Move Or I’m Gone
1. “California Zephyr”
2. “Low Life Kingdom”
3. “Willamine”
4. “All In One”
5. “Breathe Our Iodine”
6. “These Roads Don’t Move”
7. “Big Sur”
8. “One Fast Move Or I’m Gone”
9. “Final Horrors”
10. “Sea Engines”
11. “The Void”
12. “San Francisco”

(Not So) Monthly Playlist/Mixtape

2009-08-28T18:38:00.003-05:00

1. Wilco - I'll Fight
2. The Cave Singers - Hen of the Woods
3. Sigur Ros - Olsen olsen
4. Mott the Hoople - Henry and the H-Bomb
5. Uncle Tupelo - Effigy
6. The Low Anthem - The Horizon is a Beltway
7. Son Volt - No Turning Back
8. Deer Tick - Smith Hill
9. Kudzu Kings - Amsterdam
10. Modest Mouse - Satellite Skin
11. Yim Yames - Love You To
12. Bob Dylan - Mississippi
13. Grizzly Bear - Two Weeks

DEER TICK and SON VOLT PLAYING AT LYRIC IN OXFORD, MS (not on same date)

2009-08-27T17:02:00.004-05:00

One of my favorite acts Deer Tick is playing at the Lyric in Oxford, MS on Wednesday October 14, 2009. I am fired up!!!

Son Volt is playing Son Volt on Saturday November 7, 2009 (Northern Arizona Game) at 8:00 PM

The Cave Singers - Welcome Joy

2009-08-27T09:09:00.003-05:00

I recently got The Cave Singers - Welcome Joy off of emusic, and I am truly impressed. They sound a bit like Ryan Adams or David Gray, but a touch more rough around the edges sound like Langhorne Slim or Lucero. Alt-Country fans should enjoy. The instrumentation contains catchy guitar riffs licks, yet it maintains simplicity and a crispy sound.

Hail from: Seattle, WA
Websites: Myspace; Bandsite
Sounds Like: Ryan Adams, David Gray, Langhorne Slim
Shows Coming Up:
Sep 23 2009 8:00P
Hi- Tone cafe Memphis, Tennessee
Sep 24 2009 8:00P
The Bottletree Birmingham, Alabama

Oxford Music Updates

2009-08-20T14:04:00.002-05:00

Thank you sir may I have another.

Drive By Truckers at the Lyric Friday, October 23 (Ole Miss v. Arkansas) weekend.

The Felice Brothers at Proud Larry's Saturday, September 19 (Ole Miss v. SE Louisiana weekend)

New Releases and Amazon Deals

2009-08-06T20:19:00.008-05:00

New Releases this past week:

Modest Mouse - EP No One's First and You're Next

Simone Felice's The Duke and The King release Nothing Gold Can Stay (on emusic)

Throw Me the Statue releases Creaturesque. (on emusic) (3.99 on Amazon MP3)

Fruit Bats - The Ruminant Band

Jim James or his moniker Yim Yames' EP Tribute To (George Harrison)

Yacht - See Mystery Lights (on emusic)

Amazon 50 for $5.00 including Phoenix's new one, Sunset Rubdown's new one, Simon and Garfunkle, Radiohead, David Bowie, and Dirty Projectors, etc.

Deer Tick Mp3's (Dead Flowers, et al.)

2009-08-03T21:46:00.002-05:00

Deer Tick - Dead Flowers from LaundroMatinee on Vimeo.

Great Stuff

Oh, and Download the whole session on mp3 and also watch here.

Deer Tick - Houston, TX
Deer Tick - These Old Shoes
Deer Tick - The Dance Of Love
Deer Tick - Dirty Dishes
Deer Tick - Dead Flowers (Rolling Stones cover)

Upcoming Releases

2009-08-02T08:43:00.000-05:00

October 6 The Clientele - Bonfires on the Heath

October 6 Air - Love 2

September 29 Swell Season - Strict Joy

September 25 Wrinkle Neck Mules - Let the Lead Fly

September 25 Monsters of Folk - S/T

September 8 Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johanson - The Breakup

September 8 Yo La Tengo - Popular Songs

August 25 Arctic Monkeys - Humbug

August 18 Destroyer - Bay of Pigs (EP) Vinyl Only

August 11 Patrick Wolf - The Bachelor

August 4 Modest Mouse - No One First and You're Next (EP)

August 4 Yim Yames - Tribute EP

Amazon MP3 Daily Deal

2009-07-28T20:12:00.001-05:00

7/28 Daily Deal: the Dodos' Time to Die, available exclusively @amazonmp3 a week early. Today's price: $2.99. http://bit.ly/AMP3

Avett Brothers on Daytrotter

2009-07-27T20:40:00.005-05:00

The Avett Brothers do a session on Daytrotter and play a new song off of the upcoming I and You and Love. Also, an unreleased, one off of Four Thieves, and one off Emotionalism.

Laundry Room
Lover Like You
More of You
Paranoia in B Major

Download the session free and legal at link above.

Also, The Thermals stopped by with:

I Let It Go
I Can't Let Go
You Dissolve

All you have to do is sign up your email and he sends like one email a week. Then, you will have access to a ton of free and legal tunes by great bands like the ones above and Deer Tick, Dent May, Blitzen Trapper, Fleet Foxes, Felice Brothers, The Hold Steady, etc. Check out this amazing resource.

Latest Listens

2009-07-26T16:23:00.003-05:00

There has not been a real plethora of new tunes lately. However, I will impart my opinions on what has been released.

Wilco - The Album
I am a huge fan of Wilco's latest release. I must say I was not expecting much after Sky Blue Sky. However, it exceeded my expectations. "One Wing" and "I'll Fight" have been battling for my top song spot on the album. I do love the "Can't Stand It"-esque "Wilco the Song." I would highly recommend checking it out.

Passion Pit - Manners
Although I am not a huge fan of the electro pop fad, this album is better than the average Pitchfork-approved. "Moth's Wings" and "Little Secrets" are the highlights.

Deer Tick - Born On Flag Day
One of my favorite bands Deer Tick delivers again on their sophomore album. I am still debating on whether it is as good as War Elephant. It is certainly worth a place in your collection. Opener "Easy" is a scruffy ole number that sets the tone for Deer Tick's rough around the edges sound. It will no doubt have you singing "You Don't Know..." "Hell on Earth" is another top track. Great album.

White Rabbits - It's Frightening
I have given these guys another chance, and I am just not that impressed. I mean it is decent, but nothing special. Their music is so monotonous to me. I get bored so quickly. If you are questioning them after hearing the samples, do not buy it.

Pitchfork Music Festival Streaming

2009-07-19T13:58:00.002-05:00

Pitchfork Music Festival is streaming over at Pitchfork. Schedule for today is:

SUNDAY JULY 19
1:00 The Mae Shi
1:45 Frightened Rabbit
2:30 Blitzen Trapper
3:20 Pharoahe Monch
4:15 The Thermals
5:15 The Walkmen
6:15 M83
7:25 Grizzly Bear
8:40 The Flaming Lips

New Conor Oberst, M. Ward, Jim James Track

2009-07-17T13:10:00.003-05:00

Monsters of Folk: Conor Oberst, M. Ward, and Jim James new band has its first track available for stream/download. Go Here.

News Bytes

2009-07-17T08:15:00.003-05:00

Stream new Modest Mouse song: "History Sticks to Your Feet"

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah's Alec Ounsworth is going solo and putting out a record Mo Beauty on October 20 on Anti- Records. The album was recorded in NOLA with a bunch of funky folks like George Porter, etc.

The Strokes' Julian Casablancas also debuts his solo project called The Phrazes for the Young LP.

Stream the whole Dodo's new album, Thanks to Grit Music for the heads up.

Wilco and Feist on Letterman:

Wilco with Feist on Letterman

2009-07-14T20:33:00.001-05:00

Tonight, July 14th, Wilco with Feist on Letterman!

MP3 Daily Deal

2009-07-13T19:53:00.001-05:00

Explosions in the Sky - How Strange Innocence on Amazon MP3 for $1.99, today only.

New Music Tuesday

2009-07-07T07:13:00.007-05:00

Rural Alberta Advantage - Hometowns

This is a re-release on a major label (Saddle Creek). As a lot of you already know, this is a wonderful album.

Son Volt - American Central Dust

The blogs love it, Pitchfork hated it, but then again, who doesn't take what Pitchfork says with a grain of salt, especially when it comes to alt-country.

Son Volt's website proclaims ACD is more in line with Trace.

Avett Brothers EP - I and Love and You

New Music Tuesday

2009-06-30T12:11:00.002-05:00

Wilco - The Album. I dig.

Monsters of Folk - Album out September 22, 2009

2009-06-26T09:44:00.002-05:00

Monsters of Folk, a project with Conor Oberst, Jim James (or Yim Yames), M Ward, and Mike Mogis, will be out September 22, 2009.

Also, Yim Yames (Jim James new doppleganger) is releasing a tribute album to George Harrison.

New Music Tuesday

2009-06-22T20:31:00.005-05:00

Good Tuesday from two of my favorite bands.

Deer Tick - Born on Flag Day. Also, catch Deer Tick on Daytrotter. Available on emusic.

Patterson Hood - Murdering Oscar. Available on emusic.

From Belle and Sebastian's Stuart Murdoch. God Help the Girl - S/T. Available on emusic.

Sunset Rubdown - Dragonslayer. Available on emusic.

Regina Spektor - Far

Mixtape

2009-06-21T21:05:00.002-05:00

Mostly new tunes on this one, but there are a few oldies.

1. How We Fade - The Thermals
2. Furr - Blitzen Trapper
3. Boy From Lawrence County - The Felice Brothers
4. Summertime Clothes - Animal Collective
5. Manhattan - Kings of Leon
6. Donde Esta La Playa - The Walkmen
7. Colorado Girl - Steve Earle
8. Dream On - Mister Baby
9. Moth's Wings - Passion Pit
10.Tightrope - Yeasayer
11.The Mountain - Heartless Bastards
12.Paper Planes - M.I.A.
13.Tornadoes - Drive By Truckers
14.Love You All - Cloud Cult

Avett Brothers at Lyric

2009-06-08T22:06:00.000-05:00

Avett Brothers are playing at the Lyric in Oxford, MS, Tuesday, September 22.

Deer Tick on Brian Williams

2009-05-29T23:39:00.000-05:00

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Jay Bennet (fomerly of Wilco) Dies

2009-05-25T14:18:00.002-05:00

See full story at Stereogum. . Its really strange because I recently read that he was suing Jeff Tweedy.

New Modest Mouse Tunes

2009-05-18T22:09:00.003-05:00

Satellite Skin

Check out "Guilty Cocker Spaniels" at Stereogum

New Music Tuesday

2009-05-18T21:55:00.005-05:00

John Vanderslice - Romanian Names i listened to it on stream and was impressed. Reminiscent of Cellar Door. Stream It is also available on emusic.

Iron and Wine- Around the Well a 2-CD collection of rarities and unreleased material.

Also,
Passion Pit's Manners

White Rabbits' It's Frightening

Streams (of above two)

Stream the new Wilco Album and John Vanderslice

2009-05-13T21:27:00.003-05:00

Stream the new Wilco Album. Thanks to Grit Music for the heads up!
I haven't really discussed this, but Wilco is naming their album Wilco (the album) first of all, it better be good if you are naming it that. There is also a song called Wilco (the song)...talk about egos, geez.

Also stream the new John Vanderslice.

New Release Tuesday

2009-05-12T07:10:00.002-05:00

Steve Earle's tribute to Townes Van Zandt Townes is available at Amazon Mp3 for a mere $2.99!

New Music Tuesday

2009-05-04T21:52:00.002-05:00

Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band - Outer South

Latest Listens

2009-04-30T21:08:00.002-05:00

The Thermals - Now We Can See

The Felice Brothers - Yonder is the Clock

Kings of Leon - Only By the Night

Blind Pilot - 3 Rounds and a Sound

Songs:

The Thermals - How We Fade, Now We Can See, When I Died, At the Bottom of the Sea

The Felice Brothers - The Boy From Lawrence County, Run Chicken Run, Chicken Wire, Penn Station

Kings of Leon - Manhattan, Use Somebody, Sex on Fire

Blind Pilot- One Red Thread, The Story I Heard, Oveida

M.I.A. - Paper Planes (from Slumdog Millionaire)

News: Conor, KOL, and New Bluegrass

2009-04-26T09:58:00.000-05:00

A free documentary is avaiable about Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes HERE.

Also, Rolling Stones lists the new Bluegrass bands to watch. HERE

Rolling Stone lists essential Kings of Leon songs: HERE

Moment of Clarity Songs Mixtape Volume 4

2009-04-24T06:00:00.000-05:00

See original post regarding the Moment of Clarity Mix.

1. Raining At Sunset - Chris Thile
2. One Big Holiday - My Morning Jacket
3. The State I Am In - Belle & Sebastian
4. In This Home On Ice - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
5. Do You Realize?? - The Flaming Lips
6. Gold Soundz - Pavement
7. Sleep The Clock Around - Belle & Sebastian
8. The Rat - The Walkmen
9. Shine A Light - Wolf Parade
10. This Year - The Mountain Goats
11. San Antonio Burning - The Felice Brothers
12. White Winter Hymnal - Fleet Foxes
13. John Allyn Smith Sails - Okkervil River

Wilco Tickets for Thursday in Oxford

2009-04-21T07:14:00.003-05:00

One of my friends has four extra tickets for the sold out Wilco on Thursday in Oxford, MS at the Lyric. Let me know if you are interested. He is selling them for what he paid when he ordered them from the Lyric. (I think $35/piece).

Also, FYI: Robert Earl Keen is playing at the Lyric on Friday Night!!

New Deer Tick due June 23rd

2009-04-16T22:09:00.003-05:00

One of my favorite bands Deer Tick releases a new album Born on Flag Day on June 23rd!!! I'm quite excited.

New Son Volt coming in July.

2009-04-15T12:42:00.000-05:00

I am kind of over Son Volt, but this sounds somewhat promising.

From their website:

SON VOLT RETURNS WITH 'AMERICAN CENTRAL DUST,' OUT JULY 7th ON ROUNDER RECORDS

Son Volt returns with ‘American Central Dust,’ out July 7 on Rounder Records, a plaintive 12-song collection that recalls the melodic succinctness of the band’s debut album ‘Trace.’ After the musical experimentation of 2007’s ‘The Search, ’ ‘American Central Dust,’ the band’s first album on Rounder, refines the band’s robust sound. Fiddle, pedal steel, lap steel and sparkling piano add an atmospheric nuance to Son Volt’s Americana inspired rock, surrounding band leader Jay Farrar’s stream of consciousness lyrical imagery.

Album highlights include; the rootsy shuffle of album opener “Dynamite,” on which Farrar declares “this love is like celebrating the 4th of July with dynamite,” the tremolo soaked rocker “Down To The Wire,’ the gorgeous, piano led “Cocaine And Ashes,” an empathetic tribute to Keith Richards, references a man who’s “the same as everyone, just kind of lucky,” and ‘Sweetheart of the Rodeo’-esque rocker “No Turning Back.”

When asked about signing to the new label, Farrar said "Rounder has shown a long term commitment to music forms, like folk and blues, that I have a lot of respect for. Going with Rounder has been a kind of a full circle continuum -- the first Rounder person I met with was instrumental in booking Uncle Tupelo gigs years ago"

‘American Central Dust’ features Jay Farrar (guitar, harmonica, vocals), Dave Bryson (drums), Andrew Duplantis (bass guitar, backing vocals), Chris Masterson (lead guitar), Mark Spencer (keyboards, steel guitar). Son Volt’s national tour begins in July.

‘AMERICAN CENTRAL DUST’ tracklist:
1. Dynamite, 2. Down To The Wire, 3. Roll On, 4. Cocaine And Ashes, 5. Dust Of Daylight, 6. When The Wheels Don’t Move, 7. No Turning Back, 8. Pushed Too Far, 9. Exiles, 10. Sultana, 11. Strength And Doubt, 12. Jukebox of Steel

New Music Tuesday

2009-04-13T21:22:00.002-05:00

Death Cab for Cutie - Open Door EP Stream

The Boy Least Likely To - The Law of the Playground

Pomengranates - Everybody, Come Outside!

Silversun Pickups - Swoon

Moment of Clarity Songs Mixtape Volume 3

2009-04-12T18:14:00.000-05:00

See original post regarding the Moment of Clarity Mix.

1. Hoppípolla - Sigur Ros
2. Neverending Math Equation - Sun Kil Moon
3. Anything You Want - Spoon
4. Let's Not Shi+ Ourselves - Bright Eyes
5. Black Fur - Fredrik
6. The Shining - Badly Drawn Boy
7. All The Wine - The National
8. Two - Ryan Adams
9. Phantom Lamb - The Shins
10. Wagon Wheel - Old Crow Medicine Show
11. The Geese Of Beverly Road - The National
12. The Funeral - Band Of Horses
13. The Wolves (Act I and II) - Bon Iver

Amazon Mp3 Deals

2009-04-09T07:23:00.001-05:00

Today's special: Dr. Dog's Fate.
Everyday low price: $7.99
Today's price: $1.99

Also,
Fleet Foxes Sun Giant EP (which is amazing) is only 99 cents!! HERE

New Music Tuesday

2009-04-06T21:18:00.004-05:00

Great week of music. I can strongly recommend:

The Felice Brothers - Yonder Is the Clock STREAM

The Thermals - Now We Can See (on emusic)

The Hold Steady - A Positive Rage (Live Album) STREAM (on emusic)

Arcade Fire - Mirror Noir DVD

The Great Alt-Country Post

2009-04-03T06:20:00.006-05:00

With the recent death (last year's) of the great No Depression magazine, I felt it was certainly a ripe time to bring forth "The Great Alt-Country Post," basically to tip my hat to such an influential and amazing genre. I will take you through the birth of my personal alt-country beginning and welcome you to share with the readers your experience as well.

Notwithstanding that I felt the death of the genre was inevitable, I believe it is still alive and kicking today. Maybe not with the prowess it once had, but certainly with a significant amount of dignity to the pioneers of it. I aim to tell you something you don't already know about alt-country and more importantly introduce you to some new tunes.

The only place I know where to start is the birth of the one and only Uncle Tupelo. The band started with the "divine" meeting of Jay Farrar and Jeff Tweedy in Belleville, Illinois, a quaint little town, I visited around three years ago. The name sprang from a cartoon a buddy drew of a fat Elvis, born in Tupelo, MS, sitting on a chair. As Greg Kot writes in the masterpiece Wilco: Learning How to Die, the name was further confirmed by two nouns, one being Elvis' birthplace, on a page that sounded great together. At the outset, I would highly recommend this book. Go here to buy it for a mere $11.20.

The band released the monumental album No Depression in 1990, which combined the country twang of Johnny Cash juxtaposed with the head-bobbing punk of the Ramones. The back porch favorite "Screen Door," and brutally honest "Whiskey Bottle" would bloom into a sub-culture uncharted previously. The band would go on the release three more official albums.
Still Feel Gone in 1991 with gems like the beautiful "Still Be Around," the clever "Gun," and class song-esque "Looking For a Way Out."
March 16-20 in 1992 with folkies like speak-for-itself "Moonshiner," moving yet puzzling "Black Eye," and gorgeous protest song "Criminals."
The band's last album Anodyne in 1993 contained tightened tracks like legend nodding "Acuff Rose," masterpiece "Fifteen Keys," and violin induced "Slate."

As certain as death and taxes is the inevitable break-up of an epic band, especially one with more than one lead vocalist. Both bands, Son Volt and Wilco, continued with their created genre. With the first release, Son Volt won the true to life underground battle of the bands. Son Volt's Trace was the beginning point for me. I would venture to say probably my most influential album. Banjo, lap steel, and fiddle made up the release. Jeff Tweedy and Wilco's first album, although a great album, certainly did not have the effect Trace did on UT beloved followers. However, with each release, the respective bands shied away from their creation - the alt-country genre. Slowly each twangy instrument disappeared. Son Volt would release Trace (1995) with gems like "Windfall," "Drown," and "Tear-Stained Eye", and Straightaways (1997) with high points "No More Parades," "Back Into Your World," and "Last Minute Shakedown", by the band's third release the country in alt-country was diminished to more of a form of rock. With Wilco, AM brought sounds of banjo, lap steel, and fiddle with banjo kicking (a song I love but apparently Tweedy hates)"I Thought I Held You," almost comical but catchy "Passenger Side," and "I Must be High." With Wilco's sophomore release Being There, the band had begun its ascent out of alt-country. BT did show a few dying calls of the genre with classics like banjo doused "Forget the Flowers," steel guitar whining "Far, Far Away," and "What's the World Got in Store." By the band's next release, any country hints were under the bridge.

On the cusp of Uncle Tupelo's belligerent break-up, North Carolina's Ryan Adams and Caitlin Cary formed the band Whiskeytown. WT released Faithless Street in 1995 which included such stout tracks as "Midway Park," "Black Arrow, Bleeding Heart," and "If He Can't Have You." Two years later brought WT's first major label debut Stranger's Almanac which, in my opinion, is their most important and enthralling work. With the first pluck of the guitar on opening track "Inn Town," I was hooked. The song then slowly winds through your whole soul, somehow evoking a familiar relation to you and each perfect-timed instrument and harmony. Of course, number two blasts out the gate with banjo, steel, and fiddle with the catchy "Excuse Me if I Break My Own Heart." Other notes are gut-wrenching "Houses on the Hill," sing-a-long "16-days," and "Dancing with the Women."
Adams and Cary next released their swan song Pnuemonia that some claim is their masterpiece. Although I thoroughly enjoy the album, I still have to side with SA. Notable tracks are "Ballad of Carol Ann," "Bar Lights," and "Sit and Listen to the Rain." All good things must come an end, and, you guessed it, she gone. Ryan Adams would go on to record Heartbreaker and Demolition with classics "Come Pick Me Up," and "Hallejuah," respectively. Although he did release a couple hundred more albums, some with hints of country, personally, my interest was lost.

Also, a band that did not receive much spotlight also help pioneer the genre. That band is Blue Mountain. Starting out as The Hilltops, Cary Hudson and John Stirratt started a rockabilly band in the hills around Oxford, MS, and released one album Big Black River (which is available on emusic!). BBR features a few gems like "Broke Down and Busted" and "Mary Jane." Thereafter, John's sister Laurie formed Blue Mountain with Hudson, and drummer Frank Coutch. Blue Mountain released classic Dog Days in 1995; Homegrown in 1997; Tales of a Traveler in 1999; and Roots in 2001. Again, they broke up, but unlike most relationships that end, Blue Mountain reformed in 2007. Midnight in Mississippi was released in 2008 and proved they are far from done or washed up. Songs like "Blue Canoe," "Soul Sister," "Jimmy Carter," "Wink," and "Lakeside" shaped alt-country in the most prominent ways.

Singer/songwriter Richard Buckner emptied his gut-wrenching unique voice upon me around 1998 when I first heard Since. Buckner's collection is loaded with trophies. I would recommend the albums Since, Devotion & Doubt, The Hill, Bloomed, & his self titled album. Songs I would direct you to are: "Faithful Shooter," "Ten Day Room," "Blue & Wonder," "Lil Wallet Picture," "Roll," "Lucky Buzz," "Goner with a Souvenir."

--If you like Buckner, check out Damien Jurado's On My Way to Absence.

Disclaimer: Old 97's obviously should get a mention. However, I have never listened to much of them.

Also, The Jayhawks are also work a mention. I love tunes like "Save It for a Rainy Day," "Blue," and "Waitin for the Sun." See also: Golden Smog (which is a fusing of Soul Asylum, Wilco, and Jayhawks members).

The Bottle Rockets, under the reigns of Brian Henneman (who played in Uncle Tupelo), also shaped alt-country with their half-serious swayers. See "Wave that Flag," "Early in the Morning," and "Get Down River."

Hepatitis C survivor Alejandro Escovedo also assisted in the sculpting of the genre. In all candor, I am not the biggest fan. However, the man is adored by many. I own Gravity, which is a pretty good album. Real Animal, his latest release, sounds promising. Check out "Sister Lost Soul."

Watch more The DL videos on AOL Video

A lull certainly formed, at least in my collection, between the years, but another alt-country legendary band was raising hell in the dark corners of Northwestern Alabama. Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley formed the Drive-By Truckers and immediately stamped their spot in the blue collar, hard-working alt-country scene. Certainly, David Alan Coe must have shown his ten teeth when he popped in Pizza Deliverance for the first time. It all started for your narrator with Southern Rock Opera. "Women without Whiskey," "Zip City," and "Let There Be Rock" perked up my ears. Then, I was privileged enough to see them live and I was hooked when I heard the mecca of all alt-country songs "Outfit." Decoration Day is chock full of southern fried alt-country such as Blue Mountain-esque "My Sweet Annette," Skynard-esque "Marry Me," and Cash-esque "When the Pin Hits the Shell." Such brutally honest songs can't help but make one want to ride backroads with a bowling pin beer between your legs. The Dirty South, in my humble opinion is their finest. I cannot help but obsess over Carl Perkins Cadillac," "Where the Devil Don't Stay," "Danko/Manuel," and "Tornadoes." (CHECK SPELLINGS). The Truckers got high-centered on their next release A Blessing And a Curse which, in my opinion, was sub-par and quite a let-down. "World of Hurt" and "Wednesday" shine through as the only rays of sanity. However, with the departure of their finest vocalist Jason Isbell, the Truckers wenched out of the rut that was Blessing, and bullseyed with Brighter Than Creation's Dark. Ole Stroker Ace is Adam's apple and shoulders above the rest on BTCD. Outlaw country songs like "Three Dimes Down," "Self-Destructive Zones," and "Ghost to Most" prove why Cooley should get more air-play on the albums. Hood brings back the banjo on my personal favorite "Two Daughters and a Beautiful Wife." Other highlights include "Righteous Path" and "Daddy Needs a Drink." DBT is no doubt headed in the right direction.

Jason Isbell, departed vocalist of DBT, produced his first solo album, Sirens in the Ditch, while he was still with DBT. Rest assured, the next solo album will be a classic. Now that he has time to produce his own material, Isbell will surely produce more classics like "The Magician," and "Dress Blues."

Deer Tick's debut War Elephant has alt-country written all over it. Reared out of Providence, Rhode Island, Deer Tick is mind-blowing good twang. Check out: "Dirty Dishes," "Ashamed," "Art Isn't Real - aka city of sin" and "Long Time."

Cleotis is a hard to find disc. I am not even sure they had a label or not. These hell-raising boys are the definition of rockabilly. Songs like "Looking Thru a Bottle" are classic. Honestly, I wish I would have discovered these cats in college. Also, "Lord, Have Mercy on the Whiskey" speaks for itself. If you see this at an Arkansas record store, let me know. Subsequently, singer Lance Lamberth formed the band Wooden Stares.

Langhorne Slim somehow juxtaposes his white trash sound with a tiny bit of class. Songs like "Rebel Side of Heaven" and "Restless" are instant classics. Jewels in the rough such as "Collette" and "She's Gone" are great finds after the initial impact of the album. This hill country sounding artist is definitely a genre crosser.

Clem Snide is another alt-country staple. See End of Love album.

Sun Kil Moon, Mark Koselek, or Red House Painters. My personal favorite is Sun Kil Moon's Ghosts of the Great Highway. People swear by Mark Koselek's solo material, and the Red House Painters, but I find them boring. However, SKM's Ghosts is not a bit boring. "Carry Me Ohio," "Glenn Tipton," and "Salvador Sanchez" are ravers. Great, great album. SKM also released April of which I am not a fan. I do enjoy a few rousers on the Modest Mouse cover album, Tiny Cities. See "Neverending Math Equation."

The Avett Brothers bring the torque of rock to bluegrass. Fans have coined them "slamgrass." However, the Brothers can belt out a beautiful harmonic melody on about one half of their collection. Buy any of their albums. Steer away from EP's at first. Favs like "Left on Laura, Left on Lisa," "Go to Sleep," and "Talk on Indolence" will leave you sweating, while "Weight of Lies," "If Its the Beaches," and "Shame" will leave you teary-eyed.

Old Crow Medicine Show - Wagon Wheel and the new album, Tennessee Pusher bring the house with some fearless bluegrass.

Trampled by Turtles - harmonies, banjo's, and happiness. Buy Duluth and fall in love.

Dan Bern fuses Bob Dylan with alt-country. I am not a huge fan of Bern's non-serious songs, but his serious songs are unreal. "Breathe," "Sweetness," "Trudy," and "God Said No" will immediately hook. Great singer/songwriter.

The Tallest Man on Earth - Shallow Grave. Another strange-voiced dude who can yelp with a banjo. See "The Blizzzard's Never Seen the Desert," "I Won't Be Found," and "Shallow Grave."

The Felice Brothers have been praised enough on this blog. They also fuse Dylan with alt country with a dash of Tom Waits. If you haven't discovered them by now its not my fault. See "Frankie's Gun," "Radio Song," and "Whiskey in my Whiskey."

Backyard Tire Fire recently poked their noses in the alt-country scene. BYTF adds a handful of The Band to their alt country smoothie. BYTF sounds a lot like the beginning days of Wilco. Check out "A Better Day," "I Don't Know What To Do," and "Everybody's Down."

Wrinkled Neck Mules are a bit more country than alt, but good nonetheless. I would begin with "Minor Enough" and "Big Dipper."

The Be Good Tanyas. This is one of the few female bands that I absolutely love. These girls can rock out a harmony and a banjo. Blue Horse is a classic. Check out: "Lakes of Ponchatrain," "Rain and Snow," "Littlest Birds."

American Altitude is another hard-to-find album, but a gem nonetheless. AA is more on the mellow side of the tracks, but has delightful melodies such as "A Mountain and a Missile," and "Hung Like a Woman."

Also on the mellow side, Great Lake Swimmers brings the rocking chair tunes of North Carolina. Concentrate on "Your Rocky Spine," and "I Am Part of a Large Family."

Horse Feathers is another slow -tempoed alt-country ditty. However, the Applachain melodies work. See "Dustbowl."

Eric Bachmann. I recently discovered this singer/songwriter and immediately was floored. Like those aforementioned, Bachmann brings a little Dylan to the card game. See "Man O War."

Giant Bear - Nashville alt-country bumpkins GB opened the eyes of many with "Nashville" and "Jim Barton."

Jason Collett - Broken Social Scenester surprised listeners with laid back Idols of Exile. Check out "We All Lose One Another," "Hangover Days," and "Fire."

Josh Ritter - Last year, I was blown away by this artist. JR is an incredible song writer. I am enamored with The Animal Years and The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter. See tunes "Wolves," "Girl in a War," "Good Man," and "Empty Hearts."

These next two came essentially before the genre but nonetheless should appeal to lovers of it.

Robert Earl Keen. I could go on and on. Texas country to be confused with alt-country at its finest. Check out No. 2 Live Dinner, and Walking Distance. Specifically, press repeat on "The Road Goes on Forever," "Gringo Honeymoon," "Coming Home," "Feeling Good Again."

John Prine. Quirky, clever vocals emit from born songwriter John Prine to produce a backroad feel of alt-country. Check out songs, "Illegal Smile," "Please Don't Bury Me," "Souvenirs," "Paradise," the list goes on and on. Prine is a true legend.

Joe Pug - "Hymn 101" should do it for you.

Steve Earle - Check our Transcendental Blues as a start.

Lucero is a Memphis based husky alt-country acts that has been compared to the like of the Boss. If you like DBT, you will enjoy Lucero. Check out "That Much Further West," "Tears Don't Matter Much," and "I Can Get Us Out of Here Tonight."

Magnolia Electric Co. and Songs: Ohia. is slower alt-country. See "Lonesome Valley," "Memphis Moon."

Mason Jennings: the older stuff. MJ also brings the Dylan element and along with his harmonica. See album Use Your Voice.

Sam Baker - Vocally unique Singer/songwriter Sam Baker throws a little twang in his folky rootsy tunes like "Truale," "Waves," and "Orphan."

16 Horsepower. I recently discovered this band while scouring emusic. 16 Horsepower is somewhat of a gothic folk alt-country. Not quite as haunting as Grizzly Bear, but much more listenable and twangy. Hallowing vocals and plucky banjos create a nice mix of alt-country. Check out: "Outlaw Song" and "Single Girl" on Folklore.

Don Chambers and Goat. I recently discovery DC+G as they opened for Drive-By Truckers. I must admit their live show surpassed their studio material. However, I have not purchased their newest cd. Reminds me of a rocking Tom Waits. Check out "Cain" "South" and "Only a Fool."

Peter Bruntnell. Obscure alt-country artist from back in the day, Bruntnell recorded Normal For Bridgewater with Bruntnell's band, along with Eric Heywood and Dave Boquist from Son Volt. He has released four more albums since that 1999 jewel which include: Ends of the Earth, Played Out, Ghost in a Spitfire, and his latest, Peter and the Murder of Crows. Check out: "N.F.B." and "By the Time My Head Gets to Phoenix."

Stretches: Below are albums that have somewhat of an alt-country dash.

Fleet Foxes. Although pigeonholed as "indie," Fleet Foxes no doubt have a mountain background which hints at alt-country or old MMJ. See "Myokonos," "Your Protector," "Blue Ridge Mountains."

My Morning Jacket: The early stuff. Such as "At Dawn," "Just Because I Do," "Dancefloors," "Easy Morning Rebel," "Evelyn Is Not Real," and "The Bear."

The Mountain Goats - nasal indie artist John Darnielle, no doubt, draws a few comparisons to the genre. See "This Year," "Up the Wolves," and "First Few Desperate Hours."

Bright Eyes and Conor Oberst - Indie hearthrob has certainly headed in the right direction, towards alt-country that is. See "Four Winds," "I Must Belong Somewhere," "At the Bottom of Everything" better yet: the I'm Wide Awake It's Morning album, "Make War." Under Conor Oberst & the Mystic Valley Band, see "Get Well Cards," "Sausalito," "I Don't Want to Die (in the hospital)," etc.

Band of Horses clearly echoes remnants of alt-country. See "General Specific," "Monsters," and "Weed Party."

Kings of Leon: Youth & Youth Manhood. Rockabilly tracks like "Joe's Head," "Talihini Sky," and
"Tranny" most definitely have a little Tennessee backcountry between the lines.

Chatham County Line - have a few of these guy's tunes. I need to purchase more. Slam packed with banjo pickin'. CCL borderline on bluegrass.

Bon Iver is labeled as "indie" but undoubtedly has a woodsy sound. See the whole album of For Emma, Forever Ago. I must note that it is very mellow.

Iron & Wine - Sam Beam most definitely has the aforementioned mountain sound. See albums The Creek Drank the Cradle and Our Endless Number of Days. This one also gets a mellow tag.

Bonnie Prince Billy - Rope him in the the above two. See albums I See a Darkness, Superwolf, and Lie Down in the Light.

Okkervil River is another pigeonholed "indie" act. However, tunes like "Singer Songwriter," "Songs of Our So Called Friends," "Calling and Not Calling My Ex" and "Okkervil River Song" are clearly within the genre.

Bands I don't know much about but are nonetheless roped in the genre:

M. Ward - people love this guy, its just a little slow for me. I hear Post-War is the classic.
Marah - See "Dishwasher's Dream"
The Greenhornes
Jenny Lewis
Rilo Kiley
Neko Case
Ola Podrida
Paul Curreri
Radio Nationals
The Gourds
Kathleen Edwards
Scud Mountain Boys
Lambchop

Well, that about does it. Please feel free to add to this list. I love checking out some new alt-country.

Moment of Clarity Songs Mixtape Volume 2

2009-04-03T06:00:00.000-05:00

See previous post. for background.

Moment of Clarity Vol. 2

1. The Twist- Frightened Rabbit
2. Breathe- Dan Bern
3. The Bleeding Heart Show- THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS
4. Very Loud- Shout Out Louds
5. All My Friends- LCD Soundsystem
6. Lowdown - My Morning Jacket
7. Girl in the War- Josh Ritter
8. Outfit- Drive-By Truckers
9. Still Be Around- Uncle Tupelo
10. Dry The Rain- The Beta Band
11. Poppy- TV On The Radio
12. When It Hits My Blood- John Vanderslice
13. Fearless- Pink Floyd

New Felice Brothers Track

2009-04-01T20:00:00.000-05:00

The Felice Brothers' "Run, Chicken, Run" is available for download at Team Love's site. If you pre-order the new album it will ship on March 30!

Just right click on Mp3 on their website.

New Music Tuesday

2009-03-31T07:07:00.009-05:00

Peter Bjorn and John - Living Things

Great Lake Swimmers - Lost Channels

Amazon MP3 Free Mp3's from Indie Labels

2009-03-27T20:56:00.006-05:00

I usually don't get into this stuff, but this is unreal.

Go HERE to get these songs free!!
Love that Blitzen Trapper song. Dang.

01. Flight of the Conchords - Hurt Feelings
02. Vetiver - Everyday
03. Handsome Furs - I'm Confused
04. Obits - Pine On
05. Red Red Meat - Gauze
06. Vaselines - Son of a Gun
07. Blitzen Trapper - Furr
08. Fleet Foxes - Mykonos
09. Iron & Wine - Belated Promise Ring
10. Daniel Martin Moore - Stray Age
11. Chad Vangaalen - Willow Tree

Jagjaguwar Sampler!!
Bon Iver, Okkervil River, and more.

Anti Records Sampler!!
Neko Case and more.

Secretly Canadian Sampler!! including my favorite tune from War on Drugs "Taking the Farm." Also, Damien Jurado, Throw Me the Statue, Bodies of Water, etc, etc.

Dead Oceans label!! including The Donkeys, Evangelicals, and Bowerbirds

SXSW sampler including Deer Tick

Bar None Records.

Latest Listen: Blind Pilot

2009-03-26T17:40:00.003-05:00

Check out Portland's Blind Pilot. It reminds me a touch of the Shins, with a little Youth Group thrown in. It is a solid indie folk-ish album with sporadic instruments such as a banjo. They recently played at SXSW and are going on tour with the Decemberists. Check out a full concert at NPR.

Available at: iTunes, eMusic, Amazon
Website: Artist, Myspace
Sounds Like: The Shins, Youth Group, Wild Sweet Orange
Hail from: Portland, OR

Sigur Ros Takeaway Show!!!

2009-03-24T22:14:00.001-05:00

Sigur Ros - Við spilum endalaust - A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

New Music Tuesday

2009-03-24T07:09:00.005-05:00

The Decemberists - Hazards of Love

Swan Lake- Enemy Mines

Dan Deacon - Bromst

New Music Tuesday

2009-03-16T20:58:00.003-05:00

Bonnie Prince Billy - Beware
There has been quite a buzz around this album, specifically its Americana feel.

Dark Was the Night: The Videos: Yeasayer and The National

2009-03-11T22:02:00.002-05:00

Off of the Dark Was the Night album - Wow is all I can say about the Yeasayer - Tightrope

The Yeasayer - Tightrope

The National - So Far Around the Bend

Modest Mouse Live in Oxford, MS at the Lyric

2009-03-09T20:07:00.003-05:00

Setlist:

Interstate 8
Satin in a Coffin
Dashboard
Whale Song
Wild Pack of Family Dogs
3rd Planet
Doin the Cockroach
The View
Dramamine
Guilty Cockerspaniels
Baby Blue Sedan
Float On
Black Cadillacs
Ohio
Blame it on the Tetons
Dance Hall
Paper
Good Times Are Killing Me
Paper Thin Walls

_____________
Custom Concern
?
Alone Down There

100 More Tickets: Modest Mouse

2009-03-06T09:30:00.005-06:00

~~The Lyric is selling 100 more tickets for the sold out Lyric show tonight. HERE.~~ He Gone.

New Music Tuesday

2009-03-03T07:06:00.002-06:00

Neko Case - Middle Cyclone

Bela Fleck - Throw Down Your Heart Tales from the Acoustic Planet Vol. 3: Africa Sessions

U2 - No Line on the Horizon

Bell X1 - Blue Lights on the Runway

The Soundtrack of Our Lives - Communion

New Felice Brothers due April 7th

2009-03-01T16:21:00.003-06:00

The Felice Brothers release Yonder Is The Clock, due out April 7th on Team Love Records.

Confirmed Tracklisting for Yonder Is The Clock is below:

1. The Big Surprise
2. Penn Station
3. Buried In Ice
4. Chicken Wire
5. Ambulance Man
6. Sailor Song
7. Katie Dear
8. Run Chicken Run
9. All When We Were Young
10. Boy from Lawrence County
11. Memphis Flu
12. Cooperstown
13. Rise and Shine

Trampled By Turtles

2009-02-26T20:44:00.005-06:00

A buddy told me about these guys long ago, and I should have listened earlier. These cats are playing at Larry's in Oxford, MS, Monday Night, March 2. I'm am, for sure, there.

Trampled by Turtles
Hail from: Minnesota
If you like: Avett Bros; Old & In the Way; Old Crow Medicine Show
Sites: Band Website MySpace
Available: emusic; iTunes; Amazon

"November"

Last time they played at Larry's

New Wilco DVD and New Album in June!!!

2009-02-25T19:27:00.005-06:00

Wilco’s Ashes of American Flags DVD will be released April 18 2009 via Nonesuch Records. Their performances range from Cain’s Ballroom in Tulsa, OK, Tipitina’s in New Orleans, LA, The Mobile Civic Center in Mobile, AL, The Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN and the 9:30 Club in Washington D.C. Update: Pitchfork reports a new Wilco album in JUNE!!!!

Track Listing:

Ashes of American Flags, Side with the Seeds, Handshake Drugs, The Late Greats, Kingpin, Wishful Thinking, Impossible Germany, Via Chicago, Shot in the Arm, Monday, You are my Face, Heavy Metal Drummer, War on War

Avett Bros Cover The Boss

2009-02-25T19:25:00.000-06:00

Double Decker 2009!!

2009-02-25T14:50:00.000-06:00

Check out Press Release below: Nice job Mary Kathryn!!!

Robert Randolph and the Family Band will headline at Double Decker Arts Festival

Oxford, Miss,-- Robert Randolph and the Family Band will play at the 14th annual Double Decker Arts Festival, which will be held on the Courthouse Square on Saturday, April 25, 2009.

"We are really excited about this year’s line-up," says Mary-Kathryn Milner, festival coordinator, "We work to provide a line-up that is diverse and has a wide appeal, and I certainly think this year will be no exception to that.”

Robert Randolph and the Family Band's concerts are known for their lively stage performance. The group's sound is inspired by successful 1970s funk bands such as Earth, Wind & Fire and Sly & the Family Stone. The band uses a blend of music genres from guitar-driven rock to sanctified soul. Randolph and the Family Band are known to be a fierce live band through their rock and roll energy and their righteous funk sound.

Frontman Robert Randolph was listed as #97 on Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time list in September 2003. The band members are Marcus Randolph, on drums, Danyel Morgan, bass and vocals, and Jason Crosby, on Hammond organ and piano. The Family Band has opened for Dave Matthews Band for shows on their 2002-2007 tours. Robert Randolph & the Family Band opened for Eric Clapton and was 1 of 4 featured artists on the Music Builds Tour.

The first Robert Randolph & the Family Band album, Live at the Wetlands, was recorded live in 2002. Unclassified was their studio debut album released in August 2003.The last album, Colorblind, was released October 2006.The song "Ain't Nothing Wrong With That" was used in The Game Plan, Grey's Anatomy, Stomp the Yard, Discovery Channel and many commercials for NBC. The track "Thrill of It" made appearances in Saturday Night Football and NBA Live 07.

Other musical performers that will be joining Randolph and the Family Band at the festival include Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, Jason Isabell and the 400 Unit, George McConnell, Charlie Mars, The Dynamintes featuring Charles Walker, Kenny Brown, and many more.

The Oxford Double Decker Arts Festival brings together visitors and residents for a daylong celebration of music, food, and the arts. The festival gets its name from the town's authentic double decker bus imported from England in 1994. Attendees enjoy a rich variety of vendors including potters, glass craftsmen, woodworkers, painters, and various other artists, all selected by a jury put together by the Yokanpatawpha Arts Council. A "Taste of Oxford" food court will feature a mouth-watering sampling of culinary treats form local restaurateurs.

Sponsors of the Fourteenth Annual Double Decker Arts Festival include AT&T, Budweiser, Bryon and Kristy Cohron, Coca-Cola, Domino's Pizza, Downtown Oxford Inn and Suites, Magnolia Rental, Malco, Oxford Insurance Agency, Panola Paper Company, Square Books, and Zerk Wilson Golf Carts.

For more information and a schedule of the day's events, check out our website www.doubledeckerfestival.com

Two Great Indie Compilations

2009-02-22T16:43:00.003-06:00

1. Knotty Pine Dirty Projectors + David Byrne

2. Cello Song The Books featuring Jose Gonzalez

3. Train Song Feist + Ben Gibbard

4. Brackett, WI Bon Iver

5. Deep Blue Sea Grizzly Bear

6. So Far Around The Bend The National

7. Tightrope Yeasayer

8. Feeling Good My Brightest Diamond

9. Dark Was The Night Kronos Quartet

10. I Was Young When I Left Home Antony + Bryce Dessner

11. Big Red Machine Justin Vernon + Aaron Dessner

12. Sleepless The Decemberists

13. Die Iron & Wine

14. Service Bell Grizzly Bear + Feist

15. You Are The Blood Sufjan Stevens 10:14

Disc 2

1. Well-Alright Spoon

2. Lenin Arcade Fire

3. Mimizan Beirut

4. El Caporal My Morning Jacket

5. Inspiration Information Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings

6. With A Girl Like You David Sitek

7. Blood Pt 2 Buck 65 Remix (featuring Sufjan Stevens and Serengeti)

8. Hey, Snow White The New Pornographers

9. Gentle Hour Yo La Tengo

10. Another Saturday Stuart Murdoch

11. Happiness Riceboy Sleeps

12. Amazing Grace Cat Power and Dirty Delta Blues

13. The Giant Of Illinois Andrew Bird

14. Lua Conor Oberst + Gillian Welch

15. When The Road Runs Out Blonde Redhead + Devastations

16. Love vs. Porn Kevin Drew

Out today.

War Child Presents Heroes

1. Beck (Bob Dylan - "Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat")
2. The Kooks (The Kinks - "Victoria")
3. The Hold Steady (Bruce Springsteen - "Atlantic City")
4. Hot Chip (Joy Division - "Transmission")
5. Lily Allen feat. Mick Jones (The Clash - "Straight To Hell")
6. Yeah Yeah Yeahs (The Ramones - "Sheena Is A Punk Rocker")
7. Franz Ferdinand (Blondie - "Call Me")
8. Duffy (Paul McCartney - "Live And Let Die")
9. Estelle (Stevie Wonder - "Superstition")
10. Rufus Wainwright (Brian Wilson -" Wonderful & Song For Children")
11. Scissor Sisters (Roxy Music - "Do The Strand")
12. Peaches (Iggy Pop - "Search And Destroy")
13. Adam Cohen (Leonard Cohen - "Take This Waltz")
14. Elbow (U2 - "Running To Stand Still")
15. The Like (Elvis Costello - "You Belong To Me")
16. TV On The Radio (David Bowie - "Heroes")

Moment of Clarity Songs Mixtape Volume 1.

2009-02-22T15:10:00.006-06:00

As I was driving this weekend, I realized that there are some songs that just go hand in hand with driving during sundown or "sunroof days" as I call them. Most of these tracks are very uplifting, surreal, and thought provoking to me, and I hope you feel the same way. Here is the first installment.

1. Forever Young - Youth Group
2. The General Specific - Band Of Horses
3. The Crane Wife - The Decemberists
4. Fake Empire - The National
5. New Kind Of Love - Plants and Animals
6. Couches In Alleys - Styrofoam (Featuring Ben Gibbard)
7. Dirty Dishes - Deer Tick
8. Mountain Girl - Blue Mountain
9. The Weight of Lies - The Avett Brothers
10. Slate - Uncle Tupelo
11. What The Snowman Learned About Love - Stars
12. Falling Down - Tom Waits
13. Chicago - Sufjan Stevens
14. Glósóli - Sigur Ros
15. What Sarah Said - Death Cab For Cutie

Wilco Pre-Sale Oxford, Birmingham

2009-02-18T09:20:00.005-06:00

Wilco pre-sale went on sale today at 10:00 A.M. Go here and set up an account (just requires user and password) and it will allow you to purchase up to four tickets in the pre-sale and beat the rush!! Thank you Guy Glorioso, a great golfer, painter, and ~~Mexican~~ friend. ~~UPDATE: Someone just said they are gone now.....~~ Update 2: They are still available.

New Release Tuesday

2009-02-16T19:30:00.005-06:00

17 February Tuesday

Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit - S/T
M. Ward Hold Time
Beirut March of the Zapotec and Realpeople Holland
William Elliott Whitmore Animals In The Dark
Throw Me the Statute - Purple Face EP

Others:
Morrissey Years of Refusal
... And You Will Know Us
by the Trail of Dead The Century of Self
The Appleseed Cast Sagarmatha
Architecture in Helsinki That Beep

Wilco coming to Lyric in Oxford.

2009-02-16T09:20:00.004-06:00

The rumors were true. Wilco is playing at the Lyric the Thursday before Double Decker, April 23. Tix go on sale Friday, Feb. 20 at 10:00 A.M. THE SHOW WILL SELL OUT SO GET YOUR TICKETS THEN!!

Animal Collective at Library in Oxford

2009-02-04T21:57:00.001-06:00

Wow, just found out Pitchfork fav Animal Collective is playing at the Library Bar in Oxford on Saturday, June 6. Recall they recorded here in Oxford. (And discovered Dent May).

Update:

2009-02-04T12:01:00.001-06:00

Modest Mouse in Oxford sold out in 11 hours. Please let me know if you have tickets. I have them, but I already know of three people who need them. email me at radiocureblog@gmail.com

Bonnaroo!!!!

2009-02-03T08:57:00.001-06:00

Bonnaroo 2009 June 11-14 Manchester, TN

Bruce Springsteen
Phish (two shows)
Beastie Boys
Nine Inch Nails
David Byrne
Wilco
Al Green
Snoop Dogg
Elvis Costello Solo
Erykah Badu
Paul Oakenfold
Ben Harper and Relentless7
The Mars Volta
TV on the Radio
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Gov’t Mule
Andrew Bird
Band Of Horses
Merle Haggard
MGMT
moe.
The Decemberists
Girl Talk
Bon Iver
Béla Fleck & Toumani Diabate
Rodrigo y Gabriela
Galactic
The Del McCoury Band
of Montreal
Allen Toussaint
Coheed and Cambria
Booker T & the DBTs
David Grisman Quintet
Lucinda Williams
Animal Collective
Gomez
Neko Case
Down
Jenny Lewis
Santogold
Robert Earl Keen
Citizen Cope
Femi Kuti and the Positive Force
The Ting Tings
Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
Kaki King
Grizzly Bear
King Sunny Adé
Okkervil River
St. Vincent
Zac Brown Band
Raphael Saadiq
Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
Crystal Castles
Tift Merritt
Brett Dennen
Mike Farris and the Roseland Rhythm Revue
Toubab Krewe
People Under the Stairs
Alejandro Escovedo
Vieux Farka Touré
Elvis Perkins In Dearland
Cherryholmes
Yeasayer
Todd Snider
Chairlift
Portugal. The Man.
The SteelDrivers
Midnite
The Knux
The Low Anthem
Delta Spirit
A.A. Bondy
The Lovell Sisters
Alberta Cross

Death Cab and Cold War Kids to play at the Orpheum

2009-01-29T07:34:00.002-06:00

Death Cab, Cold War Kids, and Ra Ra Riot are playing at the Orpheum in Memphis, TN, on Saturday, April 11, 2009. Tickets go on sale this Friday at 10:00.

Also, don't forget, Modest Mouse tickets at the Lyric go on sale today at 10:00.

It's Official: Modest Mouse at the Lyric!!!

2009-01-28T09:23:00.001-06:00

It's official. Modest Mouse is playing at the Lyric in Oxford, MS, on Friday, March 6th!!! TICKETS ON SALE THURSDAY JANUARY 29TH AT 10:00AM.

New Music

2009-01-25T19:06:00.005-06:00

Andrew Bird - Noble Beast

Bon Iver - Blood Bank EP

A.C. Newman - Get Guilty

Sabbatical: Updates of Live Shows

2009-01-15T18:34:00.008-06:00

Sorry for the sabbatical. I live in a new town, with a new job, and a new house. I have been a little pre-occupied getting acclimated with my new life. Now, you're thinking what do I care. Well, I now live in a music town, Oxford, MS, therefore, you shall reap the benefits of this endeavor. Anyhow, for any locals, here is the upcoming lineup for the Lyric Theater here in O'town.

This is unconfirmed, but I just heard Modest Mouse is playing at the Lyric.

Here is what is confirmed:
Thursday Jan. 29 Lucero
Tuesday Feb. 3 Yonder Mountain String Band
Wed. Feb. 4 Disco Biscuits
Thurs. Feb. 5 Dark Star Orchestra
Thurs. Feb. 12 North MS Allstars
Friday Feb. 13 Girl Talk
Saturday Feb. 14 Old Crow Medicine Show and the Felice Brothers !!!!!!!!!
Thursday Feb. 19 Keller Williams
Monday March 23 Andrew Bird
Wed. April 15 Galactic

Elsewhere in Oxford:

Sat. Jan. 31. Alejandro Escovedo at Proud Larry's
Fri. Feb. 6. American Aquarium at Parish's
Sat. Feb. 7. Punch Brothers featuring Chris Thile at the Ford Center
Mon. Feb. 16. AA Bondy at Proud Larry's
Mon. Mar. 2. Trampled by Turtles at Proud Larry's
Fri. Mar. 13. Anathallo at Proud Larry's

Welcome Back Clyde!

Latest Listen: The Donkeys

2008-12-16T08:29:00.001-06:00

Pitchfork is actually good for something besides trendy fuzzy or electronic non-listenable tunes! As I was reading Pitchfork's Guest List Best of 2008,which is essentially musician's top albums, I noticed that Craig Finn of the Hold Steady had many similar albums as I did in his top albums. He also had The Donkeys Living on the Other Side listed of whom I had never heard. He made a reference to Grateful Dead's American Beauty in the description, which immediately caught my one good eye. Coincidentally, I had been blasting Grateful Dead through my speakers quite frequently. Thus, Living on the Other Side came to my attention at the perfect time. The album is basically indie Grateful Dead. Even if you don't like the Dead, if you like indie folk/rock, you will enjoy this number. Packed with laid back groovers, The Donkeys should be making waves in the indie community, but I guess no one has found them yet. The album came out in September, therefore, they have not had much exposure. In my humble opinion, this blows what Dr. Dog is doing out of the water.

From: San Diego, CA
Available: emusic, iTunes, Amazon
Sounds Like: Grateful Dead, Dr. Dog, The Band
Favorite Tune: "Walk Through a Cloud"
Tour in South: Birmingham, AL Thursday, January 15, 2009 at Bottletree

Amazon Stereogum Weekly Deal

2008-12-16T08:26:00.002-06:00

Beach House's Devotion only $3.99 at Amazon Mp3.

Amazon Mp3 Top 50 Best Selling Albums for 5 bucks

2008-12-14T20:07:00.001-06:00

Amazon is offering its Top 50 best selling mp3's for $5.00.

Albums include:

Coldplay, Fleet Foxes, Vampire Weekend, Noah and the Whale, TV on the Radio, etc,
etc. Top 50 for $5.00

Closer Look: The Rural Alberta Advantage

2008-12-12T11:23:00.004-06:00

Although I mentioned The Rural Alberta Advantage's Hometowns in "Undiscovered Music," I wanted to place my stamp of approval by these guys. The RAA's, somehow still unsigned, debut is quite delightful. It is remniscent of Neutral Milk Hotel's In the Aeroplane Over the Sea. I seriously would not doubt if this was Jeff Mangum's secret band. I also hear a little Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! and Silversun Pickups, given the lead vocals pitched in a whiny nasal tone. Almost every track is worth a nod. The album begins with one of the finest tracks, "The Ballad of the RAA." The album is pitched in the similar dark-welfare-music-broken-home setting of NMH's Aeroplane. The cd is only available through emusic and the band's website. In sum, someone needs to sign these guys; this is a fantastic album.

Hail from: Take a wild guess....Alberta

Available: Only on emusic and band's website

Sounds Like: Neutral Milk Hotel, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah!, Silversun Pickups

Best Song: "The Deadroads"

See Video below

Top Ten of 2008

2008-12-04T17:53:00.016-06:00

10. Langhorne Slim - S/T
I just discovered LS this year and have been thoroughly impressed. Yet another strange voice I am infatuated with...imagine that. A touch of pop peeks through the album's Appalachian folky core. Think Mountain Goats meets Avett Brothers.

9. MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
I am not a huge electronic fan, but this one is a no-brainer. MGMT blew my mind and continues to ring in my ears almost everyday. It is definitely psychedelic, but very poppy as well. The first half of the album (1-5) blows out the latter half.

8. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago

Bon Iver combines the echoing hallows of Jose Gonzalez but adds a woodsy element that is very unique. Excellent indie folk album.

7. The Hold Steady - Stay Positive

The Hold Steady is one of the finest indie acts out there. Stay Positive is almost as solid as Boys and Girls in America. There are only a couple of mediocre tunes, but these are overshadowed by the instant classics. Raise your beer bottle and show your metal fingers for Finn and they boys.

6. Conor Oberst - S/T

Conor continues to prove why he is the Bob Dylan of our time. His songwriting is second to none. I continue to be impressed by his releases, even though this one is without the Bright Eyes moniker. This album is tight from start to finish (minus the kazoo or random horn track). Two of the strongest tracks bookend the album.

5. The Felice Brothers - S/T
The Felice Brothers continue to blow me away with each disc I get my greedy little hands on. I cannot wait for the new album in March. Although this official release contained many of the tracks I already had on another album, the new ones seemed as familiar as the older ones.

4. Fleet Foxes - S/T and if you add the Sun Giant EP
FF perfect the art of harmonizing in a way that left Jim James thinking "why didn't I go that route" as opposed to the falsetto disco. I honestly thought MMJ would have sounded something like this by now. Anyway, enough about MMJ, FF stands on its own two (discs). I combined the full length release and EP in order to ratchet it up to number four. While the album is wonderful, I feel the EP needed to be one of the best releases of the year. I am looking forward to seeing them live.

3. Vampire Weekend - S/T
This album was the breath of fresh air of the year. Unique, unique, unique. Afro-pop or whatever its called, VW delivers. Not a bad song on the disc. Great sunroof album.

2. Deer Tick - War Elephant

This is the surprise of the year. Deer Tick is tough to describe, which proves their originality. The whole album is fantastic. They master the alt-country sound while keeping it interesting with stellar songwriting and catchy tap-your-boot melodies. I probably have listened to "Ashamed" and "Dirty Dishes" at least fifty times since I purchased this ditty. As the Felice Brothers almost did last year, Deer Tick almost debuted their way into the number 1 spot.

1. Frightened Rabbit - Midnight Organ Fight

Scottish indie rockers Frightened Rabbit gets the nod this year. This is a classic album slam packed with a juggernaut of great tunes that remind us what indie rock really is. My top three tracks are "Old, Old Fashioned," "Twist," and "Backwards Walk." The only track I do not love is "Keep Yourself Warm." I personally am not fond of such profane lyrics; call me a softy. Every other track blows me away. Lead singer Scott Hutchinson's rickety vocal chords wrench the emotion out of his brutally honest lyrics. Lines like "whisper the wrong name, I don't care, nor do my ears, twist yourself around me, I need human heat" prove why Hutchinson and his clever songwriting deserve this top spot. His heart was obviously ripped out and sledgehammered, but selfishly, we reaped and continue to reap the benefits from it.

I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR YOUR FAVORITE ALBUM(S) OF THE YEAR IN THE COMMENTS!!!!

Top Albums of 2008: 35-11

2008-12-04T12:46:00.001-06:00

35. Annuals - Such Fun I love parts of the album while at times I hear Nickelback.

34. Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer Not a bad release but all in all this one didn't have a thing on Apologies of the Queen Mary

33. Spiritualized - Songs in A&E Interesting release that evokes remnants of Ween and Flaming Lips.

32. Death Cab for Cutie - Narrow Stairs This is probably the last Death Cab album you will see in a list of mine. I'm just over DCFC.

31. Cat Power - Jukebox Another covers album which has an array of sweet ballads.

30. Cloud Cult - Feel Good Ghosts These guys are weird, but most of the tracks are solid. I hear Flaming Lips with a dash of Annuals.

29. The Black Kids - Partie Traumatic I have said enough about "I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance with You." A handful of others are great too.

28. The Whigs - Mission Control Enjoyed this release. Full of edgy guitar riffs and gruffy vocals.

27. The Mountain Goats - Heretic Pride I almost dug this album as much as Sunset Tree. Dude's got a way with words.

26. Colour Revolt - Plunder, Beg, and Curse These Oxonians know how to wail. Need I say more. As I said previously, Coldplay meets Korn.

25. The War on Drugs - Wagonwheel Blues Sorry for another comparison, but this one is Arcarde Fire meets Dylan.

24. Bonnie Prince Billy - Lie Down in the Light This is probably one of my favorite BPB releases. This is more folky than most of his releases. I am still cracking up from the movie Old Joy in which BPB kind of tries to make a move on his co-star. Hilarious.

23. Fredrik - Na Na Ni Fredrik are the new Stars.

22. Joe Pug - Nation of Heat EP This singer-songwriter can do both impressively. I can't wait for a full album release.

21. Coldplay - Viva La Vida Mainstream or not, this is a great album. Coldplay delivered.

20. The Rural Alberta Advantage - Hometowns I swear Jeff Mangum of Neutral Milk is secretly the singer of this band. It's happy at times and very dark at times, but never too slow. Great find of the year.

19. Okkervil River - The Stand Ins Pretty impressive release by spotlighted Will Sheff. These guys are here to stay. Can't get enough of "Singer-songwiter" and "Lost Coastlines."

18. Wild Sweet Orange - We Have Cause to Be Uneasy Birmingham's finest WSO presents us with standard indie rock.

17. Plants and Animals - Parc Avenue This album came out of nowhere and had me bobbing my head at the first note... and second note. "I wanna dance, I wanna dance." Love it.

16. Drive By Truckers - Brighter Than Creation's Dark Still not Dirty South, Still not Dirty South, but a great followup to what could have been a disaster after A Blessing and a Curse and Isbell's Departure.

15. Throw Me the Statue - Moonbeams Fine, fine indie pop. I still think their name should be Throw Me the Statute, but oh well. "About to Walk" rules.

14. The National - Virginia EP They touch it and it turns to gold. This EP is chock full of jewels.

13. My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges I am still disappointed considering the pedestal I put these guys on, but it is a good album. I vote to get rid of falsetto. Who's with me?

12. Sigur Ros - Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust I have come to love these Icelanders. I must see them live! This release, while I do not dig it as much as Takk, still rocks.

11. The Tallest Man on Earth - Shallow Grave I love a weird voice and great lyrics. Great, Great new artist.

Top Ten coming soon.