The second edition of my new Sunday series is here! I spent most of the last week in DC, so these were kind of my theme for my journey from Iowa City to the Inauguration. I spent a lot of time Tuesday and Thursday wandering around town so I racked up a lot of “dial time”.
These were just things that I heard for the first time in the last week. And like usual just add thing that you heard in last week, preferably good, but feel free to warn us all from the truly awful. Our ears thank you.
This weeks list features six albums and one impressive EP from Bon Iver (I told you it would show up here), as well as several Canadians as I make my way through the Polaris Award nominees (for best Canadian album on artistic merit).
For those older readers:While there may be a great distance in age, you may find something great here. In fact my favorite album from last year (Gaslight Anthem’s “The ‘59 Sound”) was also both my parents favorite.
Stars’ “In Our Bedroom After the War” – Every once in a while you hear something that feels like you got kicked in the teeth it is so good. This was that album, a huge crescendo throughout the intro track, building for what awaits in the first full song “The Night Starts Here”. Even as I write this, I feel like listening to the whole thing again, instead of picking out my favorite pieces. Speaking of which “Take Me To The Riot” is very likely my favorite here, but “Midnight Coward” and “Barricade” are great. The best vision here is in the story song “Personal”, reflecting on a personal ad, done slow and purposefully. While there are weaker songs here, none could be considered bad.
Bon Iver’s “Blood Bank” – I actually prefer this to “For Emma, Forever Ago” simply because there is less “dead space” here. Don’t get me wrong, I like the cabin creaking feel, but it didn’t really feel like I got an albums worth of material. This is different. “Woods” seems like he is trying on his Kanye West Auto-tune chops, and I could not imagine is it any other way….once the background joins in. The title song “Blood Bank” has classic Vernon emotion in the line “well I meet you at the blood bank”. This is also the first effort with a full band, not just over-dubbing.
The Bird and The Bee’s “Ray Guns Are Not Just The Future” – “Polite Dance Song” is such a great song, lyrics sound like they are from a rap song, but sung by a stellar female vocalist:
Give it up for me please/ Put your hands in the air
If you know what’s good for you/ You wanna shake it like you just don’t careWould you please clap your hands/ Now get up on your feet
I beg of you to get up and dance/ It’s such a crazy kick ass beat
And the old guy with carmex who saves the day in that video is fantastic. Lots of this album reminds me of Regina Spektor, especially on “You’re a Cold”, but a little less weird. “Love Letter To Japan” is about as poppy as this group gets, but it works.
Shad’s “The Old Prince” Canadian version Atmoshpere, or maybe Kanye (without the ego). Socially conscious, with a great flow, and a certain “high brow” attitude. “The Old Prince Still Lives At Home” is great, but “Brother”, with its lyrics of empowerment strikes a chord, especially in light of Obama taking the reigns.
The AKAs’ “Everybody Make Some Noise” – They refer to themselves as “dance hall fight music” and they are driving and abrasive, but with that great sing a long sound that reminds me of Bouncing Souls. “Confessions of A Dangerous Mouth”, “Knives on 45s”, and “Dead Flowers Forever” are my favs.
Lenka’s “Lenka” – So I have a thing for anti-folk female singers, again like Regina Spektor (with whom she shares Russian heritage), but from Australia. “Skipalong”, “Knock Know”, “Trouble Is A Friend”, and “The Show” all speak to me, but she could sing the phone book and I would be captivated.
Love Is a Story’s “The Science of Sound” – The first appearance of my love of powerpop, I can’t help it. It my musical junk food not good or good for you, but you enjoy the high it gives you. You can’t live off it, since it will make you sick, but you give in to it often so it stays around. “Science of Sound” and “Pink and Red Hearts” are just fun, while “Questions for An Ex Lover”, the heaviest track but the lyrics are great, asking about how the person feels about the new love in comparison to the old.
Does he know you like to dance?
Does he make you laugh?
Did he pour your favorite drink?
Does he like the way you think?
So what whats your new stuff this week?