Wow, Okay, Let's Take This Easy Now...

Hey, so it's been a long time... I apologize.

I will be updating this more often starting... Now. I promise. At least for the next month or so, I'll be putting an album up every few days.

I'm going to open up this list with my top albums of 2009! I'll be putting (most) of these up! Woo!

15. Analog Moog - Endless Air
14. Cymbals Eat Guitars - Why There Are Mountains
13. The Avett Brothers - I And Love And You
12. Brand New - Daisy
11. Andromeda Mega Express Orchestra - Take Off!
10. Double Dagger - More
9. Neko Case - Middle Cyclone
8. Bomb The Music Industry! - Scrambles
7. Andrew Jackson Jihad - Can't Maintain
6. Cursive - Mama, I'm Swollen
5. Pianos Become The Teeth - Old Pride
4. St. Vincent - Actor
3. Manchester Orchestra - Mean Everything To Nothing
2. Future Of The Left - Travels With Myself And Another
1. The Rural Alberta Advantage - Hometowns





And we will kick off this newfound inspiration to blog with my #4 album, St. Vincent's Actor (2009)!


Annie Clark (featured on the album cover), the guitarist, lyricist, composer, and sweet-voiced mad scientist behind St. Vincent, had me so intrigued when I first listened to her new album, Actor. It was a mixture of beautiful woodwinds fluttering, haunting lyrics with dark, dark (dark) overtones, and ugly, gnarly guitar solos. Badass, right? I really recommend checking out this album: she has toured with Sufjan Stevens and was once a member of The Polyphonic Spree.

Her album was first composed on garageband (extra credit from me!), then redone using real people. Basically, it's indie pop mixed with old Disney songs making up a sprawling beautiful lake, but underneath, in the murky depths, there lie guitars that have been awoken and they swell up and out like monsters before falling back into their cold, muddy lakebeds.

Okay, sorry. Here, just listen, okay?



Pretty awesome, right?

Recommended Tracks: Actor Out Of Work, Laughing With A Mouth Of Blood, Marrow
Genres: Indie
Link: http://www.mediafire.com(SLASH)?rmzjzzqxzvw

The Future Is Glorious!

One year ago, I went to see Against Me! with Ted Leo And The Pharmacists (what a sweet bill, right?). The opener was a band called The Future Of The Left, and I was uninterested in them. I had never heard them, never heard of them. Whatever. We got to the show late, and caught the end of their set, and that's when I realized.

Holy shit! That's Andy Falkous, the singer from McLusky, on stage right now.

Holy shit! I didn't even realize he was in a new band, nonetheless that they're arguably even better than McLusky!

The Future Of The Left - Travels With Myself And Another (2009)



The newer release is similar to the McLusky album I posted before, but, perhaps, a little less raw and a little bit better. It's got all the things you loved: having your face bit off by fuzzy guitar lines, getting kicked in the balls by unfairly awesome bass, and getting mechanically separated by the drums. This time, though, you've got a (somewhat) more mature outing, complete with (somewhat) political leanings (Hint: they're in the future) and (significantly) more interesting songwriting.

So yeah, the guitars are loud, the basses are loud, the drums are loud, and Falco's vocals are utterly bile-filled (if not as screamed as they were in mclusky). Everything comes together beautifully to make a truly great, true rock album. And in 2009! Who would've thought this to be possible?

Anyways, this is up in my top 10 list for the year. Here's a song off of it to give you an idea of what the record sounds like (plus a picture of the three strapping young members of FotL!):


Recommended Tracks: Arming Eritrea, You Need Satan More Than He Needs You, Stand By Your Manatee
Genres: Rock, Experimental
Link: http://www.mediafire.com(SLASH)?m2tqtkhotjy

Because We Need This, Oh, So Bad

This is a crisis, you guys. I feel bad putting this full album up, as these guys are just barely getting started and are in need of some honest lovin'. If you download this cd and like it, I recommend seeing them live if they happen to be in your area or even buying it from Saddle Creek when it comes out (tomorrow). So yeah, this cd has been my latest obsession, I've been listening to it nonstop for the past few weeks. Just realy great.


The Rural Alberta Advantage - Hometowns (2009)

The Rural Alberta Advantage came up from the depths of a terrible homesickness. Singer/songwriter Nils Edenloff moved from his hometown in wilds of Alberta to the crushing, crowded cityscape of Toronto. In an apartment, he penned love songs for his hometown; songs about the icy north in Canada, love, lost love, bridges, and anything else that reminded him of home.

His voice bleats like John Darnielle of The Mountain Goats, the drums flail about in syncopations that resemble the genre of Drum And Bass, and the lyrics hit closer to home than you'd like to believe. Each song lives and breathes and leads into the next; the album goes from quiet introspection to noisy punk rock whenever necessary. Overall, this album is great for anyone who liked The Weakerthans, Ted Leo, Cursive, or The Mountain Goats, but I'd say check it out regardless, because it's just a cool cd.

Let's try this: here's a sample video!



Recommended Tracks: Don't Haunt This Place, The Dethbridge In Lethbridge, Luciana
Genres: Indie, Folk
Link: http://www.mediafire.com(SLASH)?nyzkym2jzim

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!

Manchester Orchestra - Mean Everything To Nothing

So, I'm seeing this band tomorrow, so I'll write the real review then. Until then, just take this: This is my favorite album of 2009 so far. It's everything I wanted it to be and more. I'll post a few of my other favorites later in the week. REAL REVIEW COMING TOMORROW. Sorry, I'm fucking exhausted from seeing Bomb The Music Industry! in a fucking convenience store. Awesome.

OKAY, it's now two days from then and the show didn't happen, so here's my review:

This album is basically a rock album, at its core. Classic line up: one guitar, one bass, one drummer, one keyboardist, and a singer/songwriter/guitarist who knows exactly what he's doing. The bearded Andy Hull has a higher, soulful voice that perfectly compliments the hard drum hits and punkish guitar parts in the background. Songs are yelled and screamed, sung sweetly, and generally blazed through. This is my favorite album of 2009 so far and I invite you to check it out and enjoy.

Manchester Orchestra - Mean Everything To Nothing (2009)


http://www.mediafire.com(slash)?zndyahrnnua
Genres: Rock, Indie, Punk, Folk