January 2010
1 post
The Year and Decade in Review
2009 Albums of the Year
1. Avett Brothers – I and Love and You
In a relatively mediocre year for music, the Avett Brothers latest effort somehow found its way into the top spot. While it is by no means their best effort and much of Rick Rubin’s production value must be brushed aside, this reviewer found nothing better. A new direction for the Avetts proved lukewarm at first but upon reflection...
December 2009
1 post
Apple Buys Lala, Expands into Online Digital... →
Interesting, veeeery interesting…I wonder what scheming apple is up to now with this purchase. Is their more of a future in the sales of streaming rather than owning?
November 2009
3 posts
2 tags
One Fast Move or I'm Gone: Kerouac's Big Sur- Ben...
Ben Gibbard is truly a renaissance man. While some love him and others think he is too much of a pompous jerk, his career runs the gamut from being an central member in two influential bands (Death Cab and Postal Service), sitting the producer’s chair, being a credited and accomplished musician (in the areas of guitar, vocals, bass, and drums), and even engineering a few records in the beginning...
“I Have Loved You Wrong”- The Swell...
5 tags
The Swell Season- Strict Joy
You would think Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová would have learned their lesson by now. They, more than anyone should know better- their skyrocketing accent from virtually unknown to one of the most raved duo’s making music after the indie shocker of “Once” should have been a sign. On their first project Glen and Mar strung together effortless ditties about the usual...
October 2009
2 posts
4 tags
Brandi Carlile- Give Up The Ghost --- The Flaming...
I can’t get over how breathtakingly genuine Brandi Carlile comes across song in and song out. Her vocal and lyrical prowess is a driving force physically pushing her wall of sound against the listeners body to the bending point. Carlile sets the tone of Give Up The Ghostwith the sincere and hopeful power of “Looking Out”. Letting go of her griping hold, Carlile meditatively...
2 tags
Mayer Hawthorne- A Strange Arrangement
Where do I even start with this guy? I hadn’t heard much about him until I recently ran into a listen of one of his singles, “Maybe So, Maybe No”. His crisp throwback to late 60’s Motown soul is only an attempt at what more talented artists such at Jamie Lidell or Raphael Saadiq have accomplished with more creativity. He must think his fragile falsetto comes across as...
September 2009
3 posts
2 tags
Volcano Choir- Unmap --- The Avett Brothers- I and...
The cover art sums it up; Volcano Choir is a collection of men eerily wandering through the deep woods, singing and chanting in the echo of the open air. Their sound is essentially a less melodic and less heartfelt Bon Iver track drawn out beyond the point of intent listen-ability. Unmap begins with the soothing “Husks And Shells” that calls for a warm nap in the cool months of...
1 tag
Arctic Monkeys- Humbug
The third release from the Mercury Prize winning outfit finds these Sheffield, England brooges steering their efforts in lead singer/songwriter Alex Turner’s recent side project influence. The Last Shadow Puppets gave us a preview of where Turners writing had evolved with the same narcissistic quick wit but lyrically more scattered. The same tight and precise playing from the band resonates...
Here it is...
Yes, it’s quite true- Hardesty and I are starting a music blog.
^this is me according to google image search
I tried doing it on my own but let’s just say nothing really came of it; no one to keep me accountable. SO. In order for these two college kids to keep our word, we’ve decided to start only doing one album review a week. Where that goes, we really don’t know.
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