Eternal Summers is another one of those indie rock groups that sounds better in the summer than it does in the winter. I take all the blame for this one though because their debut album, Silver, has been sitting in my downloads folder since the end of the summer. My bad. Now that I listened to it, I'm regretting my storing it away in the bowels of my computer like my "Fall 2010" law school folder. What's even more upsetting is that this duo is from Roanoke, VA... a hop, skip, and a jump from my college town of Williamsburg. I'm having this very weird moment right now where I'm dying to go back to Rolfe Road to play catch in the back yard. We'd always have music playing for those lazy summer days right before school started, and this album would be perfect for a long drive down the Colonial Parkway to the beach or just lounging on the front porch of the lodge with a beer and barbecue. This duo excels at demonstrating how versatile lo-fi guitar-drum teams can be. This album is very real - you can hear when they screw up. It's as if they just did 10 takes with absolutely no computer processing, picked the best one, and said, "Okay, I guess that'll do." I think that's enviable, and I think that's what much of modern music is missing. But alas, I'd rather be listening to something else. There's something very special about the carefree summer lifestyle compared to the flu-ridden and drearily-cold-and-snowy mentality of winter (although, I have to admit it's fun living in a place where it's summer all year long). Definitely do not take my advice on this one and definitely grab this album. Unlike the suspect Smith Westerns' album I wrote about yesterday, I know this one will be on my summer playlist. For now, I give it a 2.8/5 because I can't think of a time until summer when I will want to listen to it again. In a few months, I expect it to be at least a 4.2/5. Favorite songs: Pogo, I'll Die Young for Rock n Roll, and Bully in Disguise.
I have a very strong appreciation for folk singers. But that also means I'm very critical of them. Giant Sand is completely new to my folk collection. This guy is awesome; I'd lump him with the likes of The Tallest Man On Earth and J. Tillman. There's one thing though that sets Giant Sand apart from the other two: Howe Gelb, Giant Sand's frontman, doesn't play the prominent instrument. That belongs to the killer guitarist on this album. Seriously, kudos to him. But when Gelb is playing piano, it's almost always completely overshadowed by the five piece band (the exceptions are Chunk Of Coal, Lucky Star Love, Time Flies, and Love A Loser in which he solos wonderfully). I've decided that doesn't matter though. This guy is from Arizona, the band is mostly from Denmark. One listen to this album and you know who did all the work. He is bluesy, country, wild-westy, jazzy, rocky, and folky all on one album; and man do he and his band do it well. The percussion is almost all done with brushes, the guitars have low distortion on them to give the album a rustic appeal, and a steel guitar provides color commentary. Gelb is kind of a bad singer, but an excellent story teller. His lyrics are captivating: I was lonesome / and the wind blew bold / Lonesome / and the wind blew bold / I was lucky she had the eye / to find the diamond in / this chunk of coal / The story's been told a thousand times / but it never gets old / You don't miss your water 'till your well runs dry / You don't miss your spark 'till the night turns cold / But everything she touches turns to gold / She had the eye / to find the diamond in / this old chunk of coal. Despite his great poetic lyrics and story-telling rhetoric, it's completely noticeable when he's off key. But that does not subtract from the album because his singing style adds to the maturity and appeal of Blurry Blue Mountain. Sorry, I should have mentioned the album name earlier. Easily a 4.7/5. Picking favorites for this album is difficult because all the tracks offer something different, and they're all great. But I'm going with: Chunk Of Coal, Spell Bound, No Tellin', Time Flies, and Love A Loser.
I cannot stop listening to the Kisses album I suggested two days ago. If you haven't had the chance to hear it, I definitely think you should. The more I do, the more I like it.
Also, as a note, I'll probably be posting less over the weekend.
Best, Jonathan
Showing posts with label Kisses. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kisses. Show all posts
Friday, February 25, 2011
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Kisses and Jazz Liberatorz
Since it's becoming apparent to myself and to many of you that it won't be enough to accurately classify the merits of an album by saying "this album is good" or "this album is bad", I'm going to start a rating system from 0 to 5. Although very arbitrary, it'll give you some basis for comparison.
On first listen of Kisses' newest album, the first thing I thought to myself is, "What on earth is Jens Lekman doing now?" A quick jump to Wikipedia proved absolutely nothing for my suspicion that he was no longer a solo act. Myspace, however, saved the day and proved my suspicion very false. But I swear, if the lead singer in this band had traded larynxes with Jens, I would not have been able to tell the difference. Anywho, The Heart of the Nightlife is a dancy and dreamy compilation that will probably make you cry while dancing and dreaming. The album begins with a self-titled song, which is highly unusual now that I think about it because typically albums are named after songs and songs generally don't mirror the band's moniker. Kisses, the song, begins the album repeating the refrain: "So keep your heart strong / and love long / and give kisses when you can." This sets the tone for the rest of the album: love lost, incurable longing, and hopeful seeking for a replacement that never materializes as noted by the final song's lyrics, "And I roam the bus / just to be with you / I roam the city tram / just to be near you." The middle songs guide you on that journey to the bitter end. Sad, I know. But this album has a plethora of shining moments despite its overall message. I'd give it a solid 3.8/5. Favorite songs: Kisses, Bermuda, and Midnight Lover.
It's very difficult to effectively and properly combine two completely seperate genres. The Jazz Liberatorz are the best I have found at synthesizing jazz with hip hop. Fruit Of The Past is another beacon of accomplishment for this Parisian hip hop group. Clin d'Oeil, their first release, was my anthem for my time in Paris. Fruit of the Past is not necessarily a new album, but I have been so focused on the intricasies and pure genius of Clin d'Oeil that I have basically overlooked their other works. Fruit Of The Past includes the talents of not only Mos Def and Fat Lip, but also has contributions from T. Love, Dela, and Wildchild. There are other impressive names on the list, but with just those five in mind, I'm not sure how one can truly say they appreciate hip hop without having this group's albums. I give Fruit Of The Past a 4.5/5 and Clin d'Oeil a whomping 4.8/5. Here's a taste: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDZ3x4Lazqg. As for favorite songs, both albums are gems and each song should be listened to. Prepare yourself for something rarely heard in modern music.
Best, Jonathan
On first listen of Kisses' newest album, the first thing I thought to myself is, "What on earth is Jens Lekman doing now?" A quick jump to Wikipedia proved absolutely nothing for my suspicion that he was no longer a solo act. Myspace, however, saved the day and proved my suspicion very false. But I swear, if the lead singer in this band had traded larynxes with Jens, I would not have been able to tell the difference. Anywho, The Heart of the Nightlife is a dancy and dreamy compilation that will probably make you cry while dancing and dreaming. The album begins with a self-titled song, which is highly unusual now that I think about it because typically albums are named after songs and songs generally don't mirror the band's moniker. Kisses, the song, begins the album repeating the refrain: "So keep your heart strong / and love long / and give kisses when you can." This sets the tone for the rest of the album: love lost, incurable longing, and hopeful seeking for a replacement that never materializes as noted by the final song's lyrics, "And I roam the bus / just to be with you / I roam the city tram / just to be near you." The middle songs guide you on that journey to the bitter end. Sad, I know. But this album has a plethora of shining moments despite its overall message. I'd give it a solid 3.8/5. Favorite songs: Kisses, Bermuda, and Midnight Lover.
It's very difficult to effectively and properly combine two completely seperate genres. The Jazz Liberatorz are the best I have found at synthesizing jazz with hip hop. Fruit Of The Past is another beacon of accomplishment for this Parisian hip hop group. Clin d'Oeil, their first release, was my anthem for my time in Paris. Fruit of the Past is not necessarily a new album, but I have been so focused on the intricasies and pure genius of Clin d'Oeil that I have basically overlooked their other works. Fruit Of The Past includes the talents of not only Mos Def and Fat Lip, but also has contributions from T. Love, Dela, and Wildchild. There are other impressive names on the list, but with just those five in mind, I'm not sure how one can truly say they appreciate hip hop without having this group's albums. I give Fruit Of The Past a 4.5/5 and Clin d'Oeil a whomping 4.8/5. Here's a taste: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDZ3x4Lazqg. As for favorite songs, both albums are gems and each song should be listened to. Prepare yourself for something rarely heard in modern music.
Best, Jonathan
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