onotob

The Mystical Music Release, vol 002

Note: I occasionally share new music that I’ve acquired with a group of my friends. I’m going to start posting the emails that go along with each release to this web site, but you’ve already got to be on the list to receive the torrent. Email me if you want to beg for it. Volume 001 has been posted back in time.

In the interim between this release and the last one I acquired almost 1,000 new songs. About 70% of this material was suitable for release in this forum, but even that would have been overwhelming. Hell, I’m overwhelmed and I did it to myself on purpose. I’ve managed to pare the selection down to 203 songs, 1.2 GB of music. Still a lot, but you’re worth it. If you feel buried, just start with the highlights.

There’s a little something for everyone in this collection, so if you don’t find something you love then you’re a moron and I can’t do anything to help you (try as I might). So, without further ado…

!!! – Louden Up Now
This New York octet (!) (pronounced Chk-Chk-Chk, or any other percussive sound repeated thrice) lays down the funkiest post-punk this side of, well, anywhere. By the time I got to the middle of track two I was hopping around my living room shouting along with the lead singer: “Like I give a fuck! Like I give a fuck about that motherfucking shit!”. If cynical office workers have been lacking an anthem in their struggle to deal with the banality of office politics, they just requisitioned one. Highlights: Pardon My Freedom, Dear Can, Shit Scheisse Merde (part 2).

Cat Power – You Are Free
Cat Power (Chan [pronounced “Shaun”] Marshall) is one of those bands that I should have been into for a long time. The name kept coming up in conversations with people who’s taste I trust, but I just kept forgetting to check it out. Then, one night, sitting at the computer feeling bored I started looking around for new music. Ah-ha! Cat Power! The opening bars, a simple little piano line played by itself, are intriguing. Then she sings “You were swinging your guitar around” and I fell in love. These sparse, delicate, gruff, honest songs form an engaging thesis on love and freedom that has earned not only my love (and lust!) and respect, but constant rotation on every device I own that will play it for me. Tracks one through seven are gold, Jerry. Highlights: I Don’t Blame You, Good Woman, Werewolf.

Various Artists – Mute: A Hush Records Instrumental Compilation
Hush Records gave us The Decemberists, and we love them for it. They are, not surprisingly, also the home of some excellent but as-yet-unknown bands, and this collection of instrumentals is an excellent showcase. I know absolutely nothing about the bands themselves except that some of them are on the other Hush Records compilation in this release, but their output is noteworthy. It’s definitely rough at some points, but with a pretty solid start. Play this on some lazy Sunday morning while you sip your coffee and slowly start the day. Highlights: Nova, Centralia, Ceiling Fan (Remix By Chad Crouch).

Various Artists – Read: Interpreting Björk
Covering Björk is tricky, particularly because your audience is full of fanboys like me. Hush Records, in their infinite wisdom, put together a pretty damn good collection of covers, both faithful and original. With very few exceptions (the awful, lazy, loungey version of Hyper-Ballad) the songs succeed in not only conveying the messages of the originals, but in taking them into interesting areas unique to each performer. The unabashed geek in me requires that I disclose my annoyance that one of the songs (It’s Oh So Quiet) is a cover of a cover. Highlights: The Hunter, Possibly Maybe, Unravel.

Low & Dirty Three – In the Fish Tank
I downloaded a bunch of Low albums and a bunch of Dirty Three albums, so I decided just to give you the one where they play together: In the Fish Tank. Low are apparently the kings of slowcore (or melancore, or sadcore), but I wouldn’t know because I haven’t had time to listen to their albums. Dirty Three are a three-piece (violin, guitar, drums) from Melbourne, Australia that plays chamber music for the indie rock era, or something like that. The music they make together is intriguing, beautiful and brooding. Highlights: Down By the River, Invitation Day, Cody.

Mirah – C’mon Miracle
All of the reviews I read about this woman compared her to everyone except Frente, of whom she is greatly reminiscent. Better, but reminiscent. C’mon Miracle has a folk heart that likes to rock out from time to time. Her voice is sultry and naive at the same time, lending the songs an adolescent confidence, a bit of a strut. Highlights: The Light, We’re Both So Sorry, The Dogs of B.A.

Múm – Finally We Are No One and Summer Make Good
I want to take this time to thank Jonathan for repeatedly asking me if I’d listened to these guys yet, which caused me to finally download them. I downloaded a lot of their work, and it’s good enough to merit including two albums in the release. Summer Make Good is the latest from this Icelandic crew. After the noisy wash of the opening track comes a sound that had me enthralled when I first listened to it with headphones. This is moodiness, this is ambience, this is emotive. This Is Good. Highlights (from Summer Make Good): Weeping Rock, Rock, Nightly Cares, Will the Summer Make Good for All of Our Sins.

Rachel’s – Selenography and systems/layers
Another double-album entry. I am constantly moved by the beauty in these tracks. A chamber music garage band populated with genius skater kids, or something. When I first read about the blend of chamber music instruments with drum kits and acoustic guitars I was pretty psyched. Then I listened to it, as executed by these bloody brilliant kids, and was blown away. Highlights from Selenography: A French Galleasse, Kentucky Nocturne, An Evening of Long Goodbyes. Highlights from systems/layers: Water From the Same Source, Last Things Last, 4 or 5 Trees.

The Album Leaf – In a Safe Place
In the same vein as Sigur Ros or Mogwai, The Album Leaf puts out the kind of droning, low and intentional music that is at once soothing and unsettling. Primarily the work of classically-trained pianist Jimmy LaValle, the songs move from the moody chords of the opener to the unexpectedly beat-driven Thule. Vocals are few and far between, and the instrumentals all seem to end too soon. Lovely. Highlights: Thule, TwentyTwoFourteen, Over the Pond.

The Arcade Fire – Funeral
Montreal’s The Arcade Fire found a way to completely capture that dueling sense of certainty and naivete that pervades adolescence, and then they rocked out with it. Bursting with desperation and anticipation, these are songs that grab you from the very beginning, even if you can’t understand the words (they seem intentionally obscured at times). I always seem to find myself pounding on the steering wheel and yelling at the top of my lungs when driving to this music. They’re also full of great little nuggets of wisdom like “If you want something, don’t ask for nothing.” Highlights: Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels), Neighborhood #2 (Laika), Une Annee Sans Lumiere.

The Fiery Furnaces – Blueberry Boat
This brother and sister team not only have a serious penchant for the quirky and theatrical, but also for creating songs epic in scope and duration. It takes a certain amount of guts to make your album opener over 10 minutes long. It may take a few listens before it all really starts to sink in, but it’s worth the effort. Tracks will change tone and tempo at the drop of a hat, but always be on message. What that message is I’m not sure. These guys are playing at Emo’s in Austin on October 22 (with Rilo Kiley) for anyone who’s interested. Jonathan and I will be attending. Highlights: Straight Street, I Lost My Dog, Mason City.

The Foreign Exchange – Connection
The Postal Service of hip-hop, Connection was put together through Internet collaboration between Phonte (Little Brother) and Dutch producer and multi-instrumentalist Nicolay. The production is warm and relaxed and the lyrics are confident and smart. Some of the best new hip-hop around. Highlights: Raw Life, Let’s Move, Sincere.

The Walkmen – Bows + Arrows
I keep coming back to this album and only listening to The Rat. That one song could carry this entire album, but it doesn’t need to. Quiet and loud, somber and furious, Bow + Arrows never fails to please. Go listen to The Rat right now! (Alex Ross is never wrong) Highlights: The Rat, Little House of Savages, 138th Street.

TV On the Radio – Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes
For the first couple of seconds of the album opener you think “jazz”. Then that driving loop arrives and the horns take on a different feel. And then the driving loop doesn’t go away! And then the song has soul, and you’re dancing around the room, jumping up and down, and various and sundry other expressions of joy. Ring in the new! So on and so forth for the rest of the album. Highlights: The Wrong Way, Staring at the Sun, Ambulance.

Tycho – Sunrise Projector
If Music Has the Right to Children was a vague and anonymous childhood filmed in 8mm in the 70’s then Tycho’s Sunrise Projector is the story of a similar childhood, shot with MiniDV some time around 1998. Confused? The influence of Boards of Canada is unmistakable in the songs on this album. The same meandering melodies populate this alien landscape, but they’re cleaner, shinier. In this case, more of the same is definitely a plus. Also, for you design geeks, Tycho is also the mastermind behind the lovely prints of ISO50. Highlights: Sunrise Projector, Pbs/Kae, Lapse.