Thursday EPs: The Mountain Goats!

The Mountain Goats are fantastically prolific; ever since taking on the moniker in 1991, John Darnielle has recorded and released well over 500 songs. It's difficult to know where to start with a back-catalog of that size. So, instead of posting his full LPs (there'll be a time for that), here are a few EPs from 2008. Next week, I'll do a few other Mountain Goats EPs (believe me, I have plenty).


The Mountain Goats - Satanic Messiah EP (2008)

This cd, despite having an evil looking cover, contains no electric guitars at all. Instead, it's almost entirely piano; an instrument that rarely takes center-stage in Mountain Goats songs. Its music is smooth and calm; two songs are about death metal bands, one is about a religious revolution, and the final song is about an Ethiopian riot over high taxes. This cd is probably the most tender of all of the Mountain Goat releases and it certainly has some of the best songwriting I've ever heard.

Recommended Track: Gojam Province 1968
Link: http://www.mediafire.com(SLASH)?dtmgllmgejm




The Mountain Goats & Kaki King - Black Pear Tree EP (2008)


I saw this combo together on the The Last Best Night Of Your Life Tour in November and it was simply stunning. Kaki King is a very talented guitarist and a great singer, and when she works with the songwriting genius of John Darnielle, you get King's complex style with Darnielle's complex literature in one place. Between half-serious songs like the title track (Blossoms black and sweet as Texas crude) and serious ones like Bring Our Curses Home, you get the full spectrum of what The Mountain Goats are capable of.

Recommended Track: Thank You, Mario, But Our Princess Is In Another Castle
Link: http://www.mediafire.com(SLASH)?jqy2xmwdmmi

Genres for both: Indie, Folk

There you have it! Two Mountain Goats EPs for Thursday, two more for next Thursday! See you tomorrow, dudes.

I Always Dreamed Of Classic Cars And Movie Screens

The Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound (2008)

I'll start this one off by apologizing to my friend Brooks, who probably wanted to review this album.

The Gaslight Anthem are a couple of punk kids from New Jersey who grew up on Bruce Springsteen and all those classic rock acts. Their sound is as if Social Distortion, Jawbreaker, and Bruce Springsteen were somehow completely mixed into one sound. They have the intensity and speed of a punk band and the midwestern charm of a rockabilly group, all while still maintaining the clarity and epic power that come with some of the rock and roll kings from the 70s and 80s.

This cd is defined by the imagery; the lyrics and music work together to describe a lost time in history (even the album cover looks like an old LP). Songs reference Springsteen, Petty, Dylan, Seger and nearly everyone else from the 70s and 80s. They depict taillights, old ferris wheels, high top sneakers, and sailor tattoos, completing the 50's imagery. You can practically taste the old days through the words. Brian Fallon's voice suits this absolutely perfectly and the rest of the band is spot on. They are the ultimate driving band and I expect you'll be seeing a lot of them in the future.

Recommended Tracks: The '59 Sound, High Lonesome, The Patient Ferris Wheel
Genres: Punk, Rock
Link: http://www.mediafire.com(SLASH)?czmyyy3zmjy

Guest Post: Grant Green & Bobby Hutcherson - Idle Moments

Grant Green & Bobby Hutcherson - Idle Moments (1963)

This review is courtesy of Jamie, a man who I honestly believe is a musical genius; a rap, funk, and jazz connoisseur. This cd is easily one of my favorites, and when Jamie asked me if he could review it, I was ecstatic. Grant Green is my absolute favorite jazz guitarist, so I definitely recommend this to anyone who wants to hear one of the best. Here's the review:

Featuring-
Grant Green-Guitar
Joe Henderson-Tenor Saxophone
Bobby Hutcherson-Vibes
Duke Pearson-Piano
Bob Cranshaw-Bass
Al Harewood-Drums

Grant Green's "Idle Moments" is, in my humble opinion, is one of the greatest jazz albums to come out of The Cool era. The album manages to cover the entire emotional spectrum, from the discontented stillness of "Idle Moments" to the upbeat nature of "Nomad". Contained in each of the four tracks is some of the most original and amazing writing that I have ever heard and, while the musicians have chops to spare, they do not feel the incessant urge to show off and pound the listener with flurries of notes. This is not your can of bebop, so beware ye Charlie Parker fans: you will be in store for something completely different. "Idle Moments" is both incredibly simple while at the same time equally as complex. It is elegant and sophisticated and one of the coolest albums to ever be released.


Thanks, Jamie! Oh, and to anyone who downloaded the first link of this before I posted it (there were three downloads, you cheating hackz0rz), this version has the missing track.

Recommended Tracks: There are only four, so I would say all of them, but the title track, Idle Moments, is probably my favorite.
Genres: Jazz
Link: http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?nmzxmcdmgyt

It's Good To Be Home From Time To Time

Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly. - Chronicles Of A Bohemian Teenager (2006)

When I first heard Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly's music, I was walking alone at 1 AM, not sure where I was going. I decided to play it on my iPod out of desperation for any kind of music on my walk to anywhere. The album feels like a soundtrack to your night; the guitars are fingerpicked, mostly, Sam Duckworth's voice is higher-pitched but not obnoxiously so; he's a beautiful alto-tenor that sounds like he maybe used to be a punk singer, but ended up doing acoustic indie folk music instead. He's pretty much the only member in this cd; he plays guitar, trumpet, keyboards, programs the drums, and sings. The whole album sounds like what you want someone to tell you when you're in a bad mood; the lyrics tell you that everything will be okay and that it'll all work out and you can't help but agree.

The best part of the album, I would say, is the way it varies so little, while changing so much. The songs all have the same instruments on it; acoustic guitars, drum machines, keyboards, vocals, some have a little trumpet, whatever. Nothing jumps out as being out of place; each one, you might say, is a chronicle. Each song another chapter, therefore saying so much without trying to outshine any others. It's generally a great, great cd and the way that each song seems compounded by the next one is just fantastic. I recommend it to anyone looking for some kind of mixture between acoustic indie pop and punk rock; what you end up with is just beautiful.

Recommended songs: Chronicles Of A Bohemian Teenager (Part Two), I-Spy, Lighthouse Keeper
Genre: Indie, Folk, Punk
Link: http://www.mediafire.com(SLASH)?y0tdz2idlm2

But I Can't Remember The Sound That You Found From Me

The Weakerthans - Reunion Tour (2007)

The Weakerthans are my all time favorite band. Their music has so much energy to it, John K. Samson's voice so much sincerity, and his lyrics so thoughtful. They are what I want music to always be; tender and warm while still being fun and enjoyable to listen to.

This cd, Reunion Tour, is their latest. It came out in 2007, and it was this cd that got me into them. I had listened to Left And Leaving once, but it didn't strike me. However, the opening chords on Civil Twilight had me hooked. Each song is a kind of mixture between punk and indie that literally sounds like they use their warm music to combat the icy winters of Winnipeg, where they live.

Every time I listen to this cd, something hits me so hard that I have to rewind it and hear it again. Today, it was a point in Relative Surplus Value, when Samson describes a pause while facing his boss as being as long as "an extra year of high school." Seriously, this is the sort of music that I can always listen to. And I could not recommend it any higher. If you don't have this cd, pick it up and be joyous because it's honestly the best release of 2007 (except for maybe Okkervil River's The Stage Names, you guys).

Let me restate that: THIS IS MY ALL TIME FAVORITE BAND AND THEIR NEWEST CD. That felt good.


Genres: Indie, Punk, Rock, Folk
Recommended Tracks: Civil Twilight, Relative Surplus Value, Sun In An Empty Room, Virtute The Cat Explains Her Departure, um every other song on it? I mean, seriously
Link: http://www.mediafire.com(SLASH)?0h3jzuzmdy1

A Few Thursday EPs

Sorry guys, I can't think of anything exciting to put up tonight, so maybe I'll make a habit out of putting up two little EPs every Thursday over the summer, instead of a full album? Who knows, let's try it out.

These two are some of my favorites, so I figure I'll put them out sooner than later. Enjoy, dudes!

Cursive - Burst And Bloom EP (2002)

This cd has got everything. Yelling parts, calm parts, cellos, cool sounding guitars, and some of the best lyrics this side of Omaha! Cursive are one of my favorites and this release is just fantastic. Anyone who likes music should definitely pick this up, it's one the best.

Genres: Punk, Indie rock, Emo
Recommended Tracks: Mothership, Mothership, Do You Read Me?, Fairy Tales Tell Tales
Link: http://www.mediafire.com(SLASH)?owdyqmk24nc





Arcs - Arcs (2006)

This is a band from Toronto (aren't all indie rock bands these days?) who I constantly find myself turning to when I'm in the mood to listen to something that has a hard edge to it and is big sounding, but not overdone. This band is just fantastic; catchy and fun, but serious.


Genres: Indie Rock, Punk, Pop
Recommended Tracks: Ghosts Of Shopping Malls, I'm An A-Sharp
Link: http://www.mediafire.com(SLASH)?oungeynhz22





There you have it! Sorry this is so lame, guys. If you like it, though, LET ME KNOW! I'll start doing this sort of stuff more often if I hear that people like this sort of thing

Can You Dig It?

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Dig!!! Lazarus!!! Dig!!! (2008)

Nick Cave is best known for his brooding, slow, piano-y music. This newest cd, however, was a complete change of pace. The guitars were pulled right out of the 70s, cranking the volume to 11 for a classic rock feel. The bass grooves in time with the syncopated drum beats, and of course, the organ stabs. Now, of course, this can't all be too normal, so there's some weird tape sounds and feedbacking instruments that occasionally play so low in the background that you have to strain to hear them. All of this, of course, is under Nick Cave's commanding voice.

Cave nearly raps the entire album; his speak-singing only slightly tuneful, like he's an actor reciting his lines, using his intonation to let you know the emotions. Utterly fantastic. He's a storyteller above all else, and his ability to spin the classic tale of Lazarus (the man Jesus brought back from the dead) as a new story (in this version, Lazarus wakes up in 2008, lost in New York City, ready to take all of the drugs he can and have sex with all of the women) is just so animated in its exploration. You should get this album, whoever you are. It's ear-opening.

Recommended Tracks: Dig Lazarus Dig, Albert Goes West, Lie Down Here (And Be My Girl)
Genres: Rock
Link: http://www.mediafire.com(SLASH)?2tbzjq5emlw

Tuesday Guest Post: Sufjan Stevens (Washington Irving'd/Irving Washington'd)

Sufjan Stevens - Come On! Feel The Illinoise! (2006)


So I asked my friend Donald to write a review for Sufjan Stevens - Come On! Feel The Illinoise! Unfortunately, what I got was a three page essay about the album. Because I don't have the time or the patience to go through and edit such a triumphant and beautiful review, I've come up with a solution. In spirit of Yossarian, I will only give you the adjectives. The full review will soon be available on his own website here.

So, without further ado, here are the adjectives that Donald saw fit to describe Sufjan Stevens' (in my opinion) best cd:

Dazzling, awe-inspiring, smooth, mercurial, crowning, ambitious, critical, pseudo-Christian folk, legitimate, Salinger-esque, powerful, historical, cultural, small, fascinating, quirky, calm, effervescent, subdued, young, serene, quasi-chronological, beautiful, monument to grandeur and glory, lamentful (this one isn't a word, Donald), brooding, triumphant, faint, upbeat, syncopated, blossoming, poetic, personal, haunting, harrowing, graphic, serial killing, hidden, unsuspected, intimate, urban, local, thematic, fertile, magnificent, good, great, minimalistic, strumming, plucking, soft, passionate, haunted, soul-bearing, heartfelt, subdued, ethereal, prevailing, touching, Christian, religious, Christ-like, hard-edged, surreal, otherworldly, introspective, chilling, razor sharp, atmospheric, chilling, religious, haunting, jazzy, Brubeckian, dreamlike, storied, expressionistic, mystically repetitive, percussive, calamitous, HE PLAYS NEARLY EVERY INSTRUMENT USED ON THE ALBUM, seemingly oversaturated, brilliance.


I generally agree with each of those words. This album is absolutely beautiful and it is THE ALBUM that got me into indie rock; the way it melds history and modern culture is absolutely brilliant and the way the album sounds is perfect. This album was the crossover point for me between punk and whatever I am today, and it is definitely in my top 10 favorite albums of all time. If you'd like to read the full review, it is/will be up at http://www.wjgroundruledouble.weebly.com and I highly suggest reading the full thing. Thank you very much, Donald! I hope you don't mind my butchery. I thought it was funny...

Genres: Indie, Folk, Rock, Pop
Recommended Songs: Chicago, John Wayne Gacy Jr., They Are Night Zombies!! They Are Neighbors!! They Have Come Back From The Dead!! Ahhhh!
Link: http://www.mediafire.com(SLASH)download.php?jnunzzmmnvw

Sometimes You Can't See The Horizon Between The Ocean And The Earth

Joe Strummer And The Mescaleros - Streetcore (2003)

Joe Strummer, rest his soul, died unexpectedly of heart complications in December 2002. You might remember him as the lead singer of The Clash, one of the greatest bands to ever make music. A few years before he died, he was touring and playing with his band, The Mescaleros. They recorded this, their best cd, Streetcore, throughout 2002. In 2003, it was released, and it being Strummer's last record is just the ultimate sadness.

This final cd is so world-wise and sounds like if London Calling were an indie record instead of a punk one. The music is very full sounding, has a lot of instrumentation other than the usual rock quartet sound. The songwriting is exquisite, this record is just a must. Joe Strummer was a classic figure, and this album is what I would consider the culmination of his life.

The most moving part of the whole album, easily, is the last song on it, Silver And Gold. Hearing Joe Strummer sing that about his ambitions and then add that he's "got to hurry up before [he grows] too old" is just too much knowing that this album was releast posthumously.

Oh, and if Long Shadow sounds like Johnny Cash, it's because Joe Strummer wrote it for Johnny Cash to sing... but then Cash died, as well. Its appearance on the record is a nod from deceased musician to deceased musician. Just a great cd.

Genres: Rock, Folk, Indie, Punk
Recommended Tracks: Coma Girl, Get Down Moses, Arms Aloft, Silver And Gold
Link: http://www.mediafire.com(SLASH)?mlnwyuzzmby

Tuesday Guest Post: Nas - Illmatic

Nas - Illmatic (2004)

Nas’ debut album, recognized as being one of the greatest in East Coast hip-hop history, still hits as hard as it did in 1994. His poignant description of inner-city life in Queensbridge, New York, includes desperation, violence, and, of course, a touch of arrogance.

Aside from the catchy wordplay, Illmatic also has quite a bit to offer musically. Produced by such legends as Q-Tip, Illmatic underscores its rough message with a good mixture of sharp beats and mellow sounds, for when the album slides into its more contemplative segments. Illmatic has something to offer everyone interested in rap music: a true insight into a pioneering work, a great listen, and it's definitely one of the best places to start, if you're considering checking out the genre.

Genres: Rap, Hip-Hop
Recommended Tracks: N.Y. State of Mind, Life's A Bitch, The World Is Yours
Link: http://www.mediafire.com/?mgwjnnojnzg



Thanks for the review, Jean Luc! Yo guys, I just want to direct your attention to Okkervil River's The Stage Names, which has gotten the least downloads out of anything else. It's pretty much one of the best cds I have ever heard and I so highly recommend it that I'd say it get it now if you don't already own it!! Also, this cd is SO GREAT, it's an ESSENTIAL listening for anyone into rap, for sure.

All The Donuts Have Names That Sound Like Prostitutes

Tom Waits - Rain Dogs (1985)

There are only a few albums I've heard that I would consider life changing. The first time I heard Rain Dogs, I stopped it after track 4, completely unable to listen to another word from the growling Waits, unable to stand one more squawk from the jarring rhythms, completely immobilized by the fact that this man was spinning madness, playing keyless ditties with cryptic, almost nonsense lyrics. And it was so GOOD. I started the cd over again.

Listening to it still gives me shivers sometimes. Tom Waits, for the uninitiated, is a singer/songwriter who smoked a few too many cigarettes. His voice transformed from Bob Dylan to Louis Armstrong. His songs range from very accessible, beautiful pieces, to xylophone songs that sound like a room full of men beating on percussion while he wails in the background. This cd is the perfect mixture of the two. It's one of the absolute greatest cds ever written, and the fact that it came out in 1985, before sounds like this had been thought of, proves both Tom Waits genius and his immense capacity to cherish each individual noise that goes on his records.

Oh, also, the very last track on the cd, Anywhere I Lay My Head, is the most beautiful piece of music I have ever heard. Bar none. Tom Waits is my only hero, and this is an amazing album.


Genres: Rock, Experimental, Blues
Recommended Tracks: Tango Till They're Sore, Rain Dogs, Downtown Train, Anywhere I Lay My Head
Link: http://www.mediafire.com(SLASH)?nmgcmam2j2x

It's Like You're Losing Your Mind, But You Like It!

Man Man - Six Demon Bag (2006)

THIS ONE IS DEDICATED TO ALL YOU PEOPLE WHO LIKED GOOD LUCK, EVEN THOUGH IT SOUNDS NOTHING LIKE THEM, I THINK YOU PEOPLE WOULD ENJOY THIS TOO!! THANKS FOR YOUR FEEDBACK, IT'S SO APPRECIATED!!

Okay, so you think you've listen to some pretty crazy music, right? I mean, yeah, you've got some Tom Waits. Maybe you're, like, totally into Foxy Shazam or something. Oh, oh, or maybe Gogol Bordello!

Okay, now mix all of those bands. All of them. Now you have Man Man. This stuff is what would happen if you let a bunch of apes loose in a studio and asked them to make a cd. It's just ridiculous. It's fun, it's rocking, it's dancy, it's percussive... Almost tribal. I saw this band live and it was complete insanity; every band member wears warpaint and tennis outfits. It was one of the absolute best times I've ever had in my life. Youtube them to see some of the craziest live performances ever done.

So yeah, Man Man. This cd is SO GREAT. I definitely recommend it to everyone, it's just a lot of fun to listen to and to dance around to like a fool. Great, great stuff. It's got a rock and roll gypsy feel to it with raspy, but not screaming vocals. The instrumentation is so interesting and the fact that they use it on these high-speed, alm0st-klezmer songs is just SO awesome.

Recommended tracks: Engwish Bwudd, Black Mission Goggles, Young Einstein On The Beach

Link: http://www.mediafire.com(SLASH)?ignhuz4jyhg
Genres: Rock, Fun Dancy Music, Tribalish Percussive Ridiculousness?, just fucking great

Guest Post: Double Dagger - More

Double Dagger - More (2009)

Double Dagger is a three-piece band from Baltimore, and holy bejesus, they are loud. Lacking a guitar, they choose to crank the bass up so loud that it doesn't even matter, its colorful, forceful melodies weaving sloppily together through the drums and along with singer Nolen Strals’ vengeful social commentary and self-canonizing lyrics.

The bass only setup may seem gimmicky, though it’s anything but. On More (As in Balti-More, yeah?) the band comes out with their strongest set of songs yet, using understatement and restraint before exploding into thrashing punk songs. The melodies don’t jump right out at you, at times requiring multiple listens, but when they hit your ears it is certainly worth it. The notable exception is centerpiece “The Lie/The Truth”, in which Future Islands singer Sam Herring contrasts Strals’ talk singing with the most beautiful chorus on the record.

I’ve always heard bands claim Fugazi as a huge influence but never heard one that sounds nearly as powerful and important as this one. Both bands’ powerful sounds are as well suited for the dance floor as the mosh pit, and shit, Strals and MacKaye even share the same haircut. This is the best album I’ve heard this year.

Genres: Post-punk, Punk, Rock
Link: http://www.mediafire.com(slash)?c4qjtdgjzgo




Thanks, Brooks, for filling in for yesterday! Sorry I missed it, you guys. Also, whoever downloaded that Watain album (yeah, only one of you did), you're awesome for just trying it out.

Just a reminder, you guys, to download an album just change the (SLASH) into a blackslash and, also, be sure to get anything that sounds interesting. This music is free, no strings attached. Just enjoy!

Oh, like you weren't expecting something different

Watain - Sworn To The Dark (2003)

Okay, yeah, I listen to black metal sometimes. This stuff is so great; Watain is a black metal group from Sweden. I wouldn't say their music is overly inaccessable, though. Growling vocals, pounding drums, sludgy guitars... The usual from the dark, wintry depths of Scandinavia. Sworn To The Dark is kind of like if black metal were so serious that it became kind of a joke, but it's so charming that you can't help but unironically like it. Their music is pretty intense, but it has an almost-rock feel to it that makes it feel not nearly as heavy as it should. This means that it isn't bad, unlike almost all other black metal.

So yeah, if you want to listen to something heavy, but aren't in the mood for something that'll give you a serious headache, this is where to go. Of all the black metal I have, this is the only cd I can really listen to without going crazy. It's great stuff, really. Plus, there's a song called Satan's Hunger. Fuck yeah, right?

Genres: Rock, black metal
Link: http://www.mediafire.com(SLASH)?1zqv3d1gfmm