Fleet Foxes are the latest buzz band to release an album on Sub Pop Records, the trendsetting label based in Seattle. Fleet Foxes self titled debut was released last summer and the band’s popularity has continued to increase ever since, due in part to the success of their first single “White Winter Hymnal,” a brief piece of indie pop gold. Fleet Foxes sound like a mixture of their labelmates Iron & Wine and Band of Horses, as well a little My Morning Jacket. The entire record is very folk oriented and has a distinct older feel to it. It’s almost as if they got in time machine and recorded it in the 70s. Even the cover art looks old. I like Fleet Foxes but to be perfectly honest there is nothing really outstanding about this record. I know that they ended up on about a thousand critics top ten lists last year and the songs are great, but they have a way of blending together with very little distinguishing song to song. It is however a great album to put on when going for a drive. It’s quite relaxing. My first exposure to Fleet Foxes came when I saw them perform today’s song on Letterman. I didn’t catch the beginning of the performance and I was trying to figure out who it was the whole time. When the bridge kicked in about halfway through the song, I was hooked. I later found out it was them and then got lucky and found the album for $5.00 on Amazon.com. Definitely money well spent even if I’m not totally blown away by the record.
The Myriad are one of the more innovative bands on the Christian music scene these days. Now I know some people already just turned their brains off when I said “Christian music scene,” but please hear me out. They’re not the average Christian rock band what with having the most played video on MTV2 last May as well as having a song featured on Rock Band. The Myriad have a pretty epic sound that reminds me a lot of Muse and a little bit of Lovedrug. The band has been releasing EPs since 2002 and their debut full length You Can’t Trust a Ladder dropped in 2005. The Myriad signed with Koch Records and prepared to release the follow up, With Arrows, With Poise last May. The result is an excellent collection of rock songs that are at times ethereal and at others danceworthy. They had a minor hit on the Christian charts with “A Thousand Winters Melting” which is the most poppy and hopeful song on the record. Today’s tune is probably the heaviest and in my opinion the catchiest song on the record. Just try to keep yourself from singing along before it’s over. The Myriad are a promising young band and I see no reason why they couldn’t be huge in the future. Just jump on the bandwagon now so you can say you knew them when.
Ace Enders and a Million Different People is the new project of former The Early November front man Ace Enders. After TEN called it quits in 2007, Enders never stopped writing songs and began posting demos on his Myspace shortly thereafter. The style of his new music is very much along the lines of the Mother disc from The Early November’s final 3 disc album, The Mother, the Mechanic and the Path. That is to say it’s a little more acoustic in nature, rocking out at times, but with more of an alt-country feel when it does. I’m not saying Enders is trying to be like Ryan Adams or anything, but he’s a little less emo this time around. Enders has yet have a proper release save for a digital only single of his cover of The Verve’s “Bittersweet Symphony.” It can be purchased on iTunes and the proceeds go to benefit VH1’s Save the Music Foundation which preserves music programs in public schools. Enders has stated that the name Ace Enders and a Million Different People comes from the line in “Bittersweet Symphony” that says “I’m a million different people from one day to the next.” Last year, an eight song album named The Secret Wars was put up for free download at fuse.tv. It’s a good sample of what he’s been working on. Today’s song is my favorite of the collection and features and outstanding guitar lick. His first official full length will be entitled When I Hit the Ground and will be out on Vagrant/Drive-Thru Records in March. If The Secret Wars is any indication of what to expect, I’m eagerly anticipating it.
Ace Enders and a Million Different People - "Rain"
Sandra McCracken is a name I first became familiar with after reading somewhere that she was married to Derek Webb, a very talented Christian singer/songwriter. I love Webb’s music so it seems like I would’ve taken the time to check out his wife too right? But sadly I had never actually heard her music until I witnessed in person last fall during their stop on the Art Music Justice Tour. The AMJ Tour was put together by Sara Groves and featured McCracken and Webb alongside Charlie Peacock and Brandon Heath. It was a very unique show that blended some great music with lots of great stories about social justice and the role the modern church plays in bringing about justice for those less fortunate around us. I was most excited about hearing Derek Webb and he was the only artist on the tour that I really knew well. But I figured that if Sandra McCracken was good enough to be married to Derek Webb, her music probably wasn’t bad either. And that was a good assumption because her 5 song set was nothing short of amazing. With just a voice and a guitar and with a little background help from her husband, McCracken captivated the small crowd and I became an instant fan after hearing songs like “Broken Cup” from her 2006 album Gravity/Love. After she played a few songs from her latest record Red Balloon, I knew I needed to have it. The album is pretty laid back and was entirely self recorded and self produced in McCracken’s home studio shortly after the birth of her first child. The instrumentation is mostly acoustic but there are some excellent keys peppered throughout and some bluesy electric guitar on a few songs such as “Halfway.” Today’s song was the one that really grabbed me the most in the live setting. “Lock and Key” is a fantastic song about trying to reach out to someone that doesn’t want to be reached. The album version expands on the more stripped down version that I first heard, including drums, keys and a little electric guitar. I think it’s great but I’m also a little partial to the acoustic version and for that reason I’m including it as well. Click on the download link to have it for yourself. Red Balloon has flown pretty much under the radar, even by indie standards but be sure that you don’t let it pass you by.
Sandra McCracken - "Lock and Key"
Sandra McCracken - "Lock and Key (acoustic)" [download]
Underoath are an anomaly for me. I never really got very into the whole metalcore/screamo scene with very few exceptions. Of those exceptions, Underoath are the only band that I’ve gone back to time and again because to me, there is so much more to them than just a bunch of screaming. But don’t get me wrong, there is a lot of screaming. More than ever actually on their latest album Lost In the Sound of Separation. Like a lot of people, I first got heard them when 2004’s They’re Only Chasing Safety came out and blew everyone away. It was a great mix of screaming and pop punk with melodies galore. The band followed up in 2006 with the decidedly heavier Define the Great Line, which scaled back the pop elements and delivered more on the metal side of things, with Spencer Chamberlain’s blistering scream taking center stage. I liked that record but not quite as much as Safety and I was a little skeptical about how I would feel about Lost In the Sound of Separation. Well Underoath makes it quite clear within the first few seconds of the brutal opener “Breathing In a New Mentality” that Chamberlain is at the helm. I didn’t think I would be as into this album, but it grew on me and I came to discover it’s many merits. Underoath has never sounded tighter than they do here. Aaron Gillespie’s masterful drum skills almost make up for the fact that we don’t get to hear his voice as much this time around. There are also so many electronic elements involved that weave all the parts of the songs together as a cohesive unit. And lead guitarist Tim McTague doesn’t slouch when it comes to delivering memorable riffs that are instantly recognizable as Underoath. That being said, Underoath is probably a band that most people have already made up their mind about. And that’s fine. They’re definitely not for everyone. But I chose today’s song because I think it shows a side of their sound that most people wouldn’t immediately think of. This is the lightest song the album and the one that most prominently features Gillespie on the mic. Chamberlain even forgoes his trademark growl for a good portion of the song and shows us that he can actually sing when he wants to. Of course there is some screaming at the very end. I guess it wouldn’t be Underoath without it. However, it works so well in the structure of the song that I think you have to at least appreciate it even if it’s not your cup of tea. Underoath impressed me with this album by showing that they weren’t content to just use what worked before. Because of that, I’ll probably be more apt to buy their records in the future, always sure that they’re going to deliver something that I might not have counted on.
I’ve been into Lovedrug for a few years now ever since hearing “Blackout” from their first record Pretend You’re Alive. They built upon the greatness of that record with their sophomore release Everything Starts Where It Ends, creating their own brand of pseudo-grunge cemented with the distinctive voice of front man and songwriter Michael Shepard. I wasn’t sure what to expect going into their third release The Sucker Punch Show, having been thrown for a bit of a loop by “Everyone Needs a Halo,” one of the preview tracks on their Myspace page. The song is heavier than anything they’ve ever release and far angrier as well. I think it’s safe to say that Shepard may have had an unpleasant couple of years preparing for this album. The lyrics were much more crass as well. All that being said, the song still rocks and I was still looking forward to hearing the whole thing. There’s no doubt that The Sucker Punch Show is a different kind of record for Lovedrug but it’s just as good as their previous material. The overall guitar sound is much heavier this time around and the themes of the album are much darker and more brooding than before. “Blood Like” is much more piano driven than anything they’ve done before. The lyrics and vocal delivery are spot on. You can’t help but believe Shepard when he sings “I’ve got a little problem with my own head.” The Sucker Punch Show is a great rock record made by a very competent and promising band. It’s not always for the faint of heart but that’s part of what makes it great. And if you’re already a Lovedrug fan, you really can’t go wrong here.
Anathallo is a band whose name I have heard and seen in print for the past couple years but I had never taken the time to give them a full listen. Honestly, I probably wouldn’t have liked them too much a couple years ago, but when I finally gave in and checked out their latest release Canopy Glow, I was instantly hooked. The band hails from Chicago by way of Michigan. They’ve been releasing music for quite a few years now but Canopy Glow is only their second proper full length and their first album for Anticon Records. The band’s seven members are quite an ambitious bunch, incorporating a wide range of instruments beyond the standard guitar, drums and bass which include all sorts of strings, keys and horns and various percussion instruments. The result is a ten song album that feels a little like floating. It’s very relaxed but with some interesting song structures that veer away from the standard verse-chorus-verse but are not devoid of memorable hooks. The vocal interplay between Matt Joynt and Erica Froman works quite nicely especially on songs like “Italo” and the orchestral “Sleeping Torpor.” I think they are vocally at their best on the opener, “Noni’s Field” which finds Joynt hitting the high registers for one of the most memorable melodies on the record. Canopy Glow is a true gem in a music scene where so many songs seem to come from a place of anger. It’s like you almost can’t help but smile when listening to it.Today’s song is easily the centerpiece of the album. “The River” is a fantastic song that incorporates everything that is great about Anathallo from the alliterative wordplay to the meshing of the instrumentation. The lyrics are a semi-fictional story about getting swept away by a river and it’s used a metaphor for life and kind of going with the flow so to speak. Of course they say it better than I could so just listen.
OK here’s the deal: I totally dropped the ball last month when it came to updating this thing. However, I have a somewhat valid excuse. My computer was infected with no less than 9,672 deadly viruses (or is it viri?) In any event, I was rendered unable to work on this blog. When I finally got the computer fixed a week later, I realized that December is the absolute busiest month of the year and I had no time to do it. My apologies to the three of you care. I was wondering if it was too late for another end of the year list and I know the internet is saturated with these things but who cares? I’m going to go ahead and subject you to my opinion. Keep in mind that just like last year, I am not saying these are the top ten songs of the year I’m just saying that these are the albums that spent the most time in my CD player (or on my iPod once I finally moved to the 21st century sometime in April.) Without further ado, the list:
10. Jack's Mannequin - The Glass Passenger The sophomore album from Jack’s Mannequin marked the triumphant return of front man Andrew McMahon from his nearly three year battle with leukemia. He’s better now and his music is better than ever. The songs are more complex this time around and McMahon really sets himself apart from his earlier work in Something Corporate. There are several tracks that will have you singing along almost instantly including this one with its chorus of “I can’t remember when the Earth turned slowly.” Neither can I.
Jack's Mannequin - "Spinning"
9. My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges Critics and fans seemed somewhat divided on My Morning Jacket’s fifth studio album. Some were disappointed that it didn’t go exactly in the same direction as 2005’s Z. But I have to say that I was pleased. This album has a way of making you think you’ve traveled back to the 70s, from the guitar tones to Jim James’ voice, right down to the cover art. It’s a great soundtrack for summertime and it served that purpose for me this year. This song is classic MMJ and probably would’ve been at home on any of their records.
My Morning Jacket - "I'm Amazed"
8. Thrice - The Alchemy Index Vols. III & IV Thrice are easily one of the most ambitious bands playing today. This release marked the completion of their four disc Alchemy Index project which was inspired by the four basic elements of Fire, Water, Air, and Earth. Not only that, but the songs on each disc correlate to the elements both lyrically and stylistically. The Air disc of this release has several songs that feel a lot like flying. This song comes from the more organic and stripped down Earth disc. Dustin Kensrue’s Christian faith usually has a way of bleeding seamlessly and honestly into his lyrics and this is no exception.
Thrice - "Come All You Weary"
7. The Whigs - Mission Control The Whigs were being highly lauded this time last year as a band to watch. I’m usually skeptical when the media freaks out over new bands like that, but in this case it was warranted. Mission Control is just a fun record. This three piece from Athens, GA make music that just feels like the South with jangly guitars, groovy bass lines, pounding drums and raspy vocals courtesy of awesomely named front man Parker Gispert. Here’s the first single from the record and the one that got me hooked.
The Whigs - "Right Hand On My Heart"
6. Anberlin - New Surrender Anberlin have been one of my favorite bands for nearly six years now and it’s cool to see them garner the success that they have. New Surrender is first release for a major label after three hit records on indie Tooth & Nail. Longtime fans, myself included, were a bit apprehensive about Anberlin’s jump to the big leagues, where musical integrity more often than not takes a backseat to overproduced radio singles and anything that doesn’t sell a million copies is considered a flop. Anberlin refused to let any of that phase them however. Sure there is a somewhat noticeable difference in production value and some things seem a little too polished, but overall Anberlin delivered a solid album. This record will probably gain them a lot of new fans and with songs like this it’s easy to see why.
Anberlin - "Breaking"
5. Copeland - You Are My Sunshine Copeland are an excellent band that just recently seem to be comfortable in their own skin. After being put through the major label ringer following their 2006 release Eat, Sleep, Repeat, Copeland is now free to make the music they want to make and they do it well. Building on the things they started with on ESR Copeland have created a fantastic album that blends all manner of keys and strings with just the right amount of distortion and Aaron Marsh’s unmistakable falsetto. Also, in this age of online downloads and the decline of CD sales, Copeland has given fans a real incentive to buy the physical copy of You Are My Sunshine, with a special edition that includes a DVD with videos for most of the tracks as well as a documentary and extensive liner notes.
Copeland - "On the Safest Ledge"
4. Nada Surf - Lucky Nada Surf continues to impress with their fifth full length Lucky. It’s a great record filled with somewhat melancholy melodic rock, which perfectly accompanied the weather when it was released last February. Matthew Caws’ subtle voice and clever lyrical turns make Lucky worth several repeat listens. Nada Surf writes relatable songs that seem to double as the soundtrack to your life, which is a difficult task but they pull it off with great skill.
Nada Surf - "Weightless"
3. Augustana - Can't Love, Can't Hurt Most people know Augustana from their great, albeit overplayed breakout single “Boston” from a few years back. On their sophomore album the band embraces a more rootsy sound that resembles Ryan Adams with a little Wallflowers and Counting Crows thrown in for good measure. Singer Dan Layus has a distinctive voice and a knack for writing great hooks. These ten songs are outstanding and hopefully only a small taste of what Augustana can deliver in the future.
Augustana - "I Still Ain't Over You"
2. The New Frontiers - Mending The New Frontiers are probably my favorite find of 2008. The band hails from Dallas and had been playing together for a few years under a different name but things just clicked on Mending. I first ran across them on an episode the Relevant Podcast and took a chance on their album for $5 on iTunes. It was easily the best $5 I spent on music last year. From the opening note of “Black Lungs” to the final chorus of “Who Will Give Us Love?” this album is golden. I unfortunately missed two chances to see these guys live last year but maybe I’ll have better luck in 2009. Until then I will continue to enjoy this record.
The New Frontiers - "The Day You Fell Apart"
1. Death Cab for Cutie - Narrow Stairs Death Cab for Cutie has been a favorite band of mine for five years now going back to their breakthrough record Transatlanticism. They proved the naysayers wrong in 2005 when their major label debut Plans managed to go platinum and still stay true to the sound their fans had grown to love. So the big question was where they would go with Narrow Stairs. They sort of threw everyone for a loop when they released the first single prior to the album. “I Will Possess Your Heart” is a spacey song with an infectious bass line that rambles for four minutes before we get to hear Ben Gibbard’s unmistakable voice. I’ll admit it took me a few listens but once I got into I couldn’t stop listening. Narrow Stairs is Death Cab for Cutie doing exactly what they want to do and not trying to live up to anything they may have done before. Gibbard’s lyrics are as great as ever with each song reading like a short story. Musically, the album is a bit heavier than Plans but doesn’t go too far in that direction. The possibilities for the future of this band are wide open now and I have a feeling they’ll be continuing to live up to their potential for years to come.
Death Cab for Cutie - "Bixby Canyon Bridge"
2008 was a great year for music despite what your radio may have told you. I suggest you check out all these albums and also there were several worthy records that barely missed making the list. There’s plenty of good music to be heard. Sometimes you just have to go find it yourself.
As an added bonus to this list of ten albums and a meager attempt to atone for my recent laziness regarding this blog, I now give my list of the top 5 EPs of 2008. I’m sure you already know this but EP is short for “extended play” which is a release that is longer than a single but shorter than an album or LP (long play.) EPs generally have between three and eight tracks. There were some good ones out there this year and here is my top 5.
5. Straylight Run - Un Mas Dos Straylight Run came back this year with the great three song collection Un Mas Dos. The band is now a three piece and they turn up the volume just a bit on this EP that was self released online and on vinyl. All three songs are great but here is the lead off track.
Straylight Run - "Wait and Watch"
4. Jars of Clay - Closer EP Jars of Clay have come quite a long way in the past fifteen years after seeing crossover success with their first single “Flood” in 1995. The band has released several albums and EPs in that time, each one great in its own right. Jars of Clay are now part of the growing trend of bands who are functioning without the help of a record label. They have their own label and a distribution deal and they are making the music they want to make. Closer is a five song collection that sees them branching into more of a pop direction but also includes reworkings of two songs from the self titled debut. This is a great treat for fans of the band and maybe an inclination of what to expect from their next album, hopefully due out this year.
Jars of Clay - "Closer"
3. All Get Out - All Get Out All Get Out’s self titled EP is actually a repackaged and remastered version of their Spitting EP with two new songs added. The remastering is noticeable and really makes the songs pop. “Water and God” is still one of my favorite tracks of the last year because of its sheer catchiness. “Wasting All My Breath” is one of the two new tracks and is just and amazing song with excellent guitars and a very cool keyboard melody in the bridge.
All Get Out - "Wasting All My Breath"
2. Manchester Orchestra - Let My Pride Be What's Left Behind Manchester Orchestra was my new favorite band of 2007 and I spent most of last year listening to their debut I’m Like a Virgin Losing a Child. I was stoked to hear that they would be releasing a new EP back in October and even though there are only two new songs those two songs are better than most full albums that were released in 2008. Also included are three live acoustic versions of previously released songs as well as a DVD featuring videos, live performances and a short documentary film. Their new album Mean Everything To Nothing has been completed and is slated for a spring time release. I’m counting the days.
Manchester Orchestra - "I Can Feel a Hot One"
1. Paper Route - Are We All Forgotten It’s hard to pinpoint a genre when describing Paper Route. Electro-pop comes close but isn’t completely satisfying. There is a lot of depth to the five songs on this EP. Paper Route employs all kinds of electronics along with plenty of keys and strings but the vocals and melody remain the focus of these songs and I think that’s why they tend to stick with you for so long. This is probably the release I listened to more than any of the others on this list. I’m hoping this is only the beginning of a long career for this band.
Paper Route - "Are We All Forgotten"
So there you have it. I hope these 15 tracks somewhat make up for my lacking. I will continue to post new songs the third week of every month in 2009 so come back in a few weeks and check it out.
One new song everyday until I get tired of doing it again. Click on the artist's name to get more information about them. Click on the album art for purchase information. Click on the play button to listen for yourself. Enjoy.
Fleet Foxes are the latest buzz band to release an album on Sub Pop Records, the trendsetting label based in Seattle. Fleet Foxes self titled debut was released last summer and the band’s popularity has continued to increase ever since, due in part to the success of their first single “White Winter Hymnal,” a brief piece of indie pop gold. Fleet Foxes sound like a mixture of their labelmates Iron & Wine and Band of Horses, as well a little My Morning Jacket. The entire record is very folk oriented and has a distinct older feel to it. It’s almost as if they got in time machine and recorded it in the 70s. Even the cover art looks old. I like Fleet Foxes but to be perfectly honest there is nothing really outstanding about this record. I know that they ended up on about a thousand critics top ten lists last year and the songs are great, but they have a way of blending together with very little distinguishing song to song. It is however a great album to put on when going for a drive. It’s quite relaxing. My first exposure to Fleet Foxes came when I saw them perform today’s song on Letterman. I didn’t catch the beginning of the performance and I was trying to figure out who it was the whole time. When the bridge kicked in about halfway through the song, I was hooked. I later found out it was them and then got lucky and found the album for $5.00 on Amazon.com. Definitely money well spent even if I’m not totally blown away by the record.
