en http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/ Thu, 1 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 Thu, 1 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 60 http://www.audioscrobbler.net/data/webservices http://www.last.fm/user/breakingground/journal The Last.fm journal for breakingground. Last.fm journals are a place to talk about all things music. http://www.last.fm/user/breakingground/journal/2008/03/29/b65os_tift_merritt_-_another_country Sat, 29 Mar 2008 17:21:54 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/breakingground/journal/2008/03/29/b65os_tift_merritt_-_another_country Tift Merritt’s new album “Another Country” delivers on the promise her previous solo albums, 2002’s “Bramble Rose” and 2004’s “Tambourine”, brimming over with a new maturity and an atmosphere of hope. I lot has happened to Tift in the last 4 years – a stay in Paris to reconsider her career, a 30th birthday (she doesn’t look a day over 27, by the way), the launch of a grass-roots public radio show… It makes sense that she would bring a newfound maturity to this new batch of songs. From her humble beginnings playing to townsfolk on lawn chairs from the porch of the local general store to appearances on Austin City Limits and the Tonight Show, Tift has approached songwriting with an Emmylou-like sincerity and a voice that’s a mix of Dusty Springfield, Karen Bergquist, and the midday sun on a July afternoon. There’s a strong Innocence Mission vibe on Keep You Happy, while Tell Me Something True hearkens back to the soul/gospel vibe of Merritt’s sophomore effort Tambourine. On the title track, a melancholy ode to lost love, Merritt’s gentle voice melts like butter over a warm banana-nut muffin, supported by warm keys and soft guitars. There’s an undercurrent of hope on this album, as evidenced by track titles like Morning Is My Destination and I Know What I’m Looking For Now. But, living a life of hope in a cruel and jaded world isn’t an easy task, as Merritt sings on Hopes Too High – “No place to run to for a girl like me, a whole lot of used to’s and supposed to be’s. I want to burn like August, shine like gold dust, where everyday living can’t hold me.” I’m so glad I found this girl, and I look forward to getting to know her better as she continues to put out heartfelt folk songs.

]]> http://www.last.fm/user/breakingground/journal/2008/01/09/b65or_2007_top_30_albums Wed, 9 Jan 2008 03:07:43 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/breakingground/journal/2008/01/09/b65or_2007_top_30_albums Hello, everyone. I'm happy to say that my top album list is finally finished. Believe it or not, I spent a lot of time over the course of the last month on this. Hopefully a few people will enjoy wasting some spare time looking around and making some comments. I've set this up again this year so that people can comment on specific albums. I don't know if that makes it easier or not, but that's how it is. Again, I must give the disclaimer that these are my favorite albums, the ones that I really enjoyed, not necessarily the most original or the ones with the best musicianship. So, keep the name-calling to a minimum. Also, as is always the case, there are some albums that would have made my list if I spent more time with them (Doug Burr and St. Vincent immediately come to mind). 2007 wasn't a bad year for music, and it wasn't a great one. There were a lot of albums that I really liked - I had trouble narrowing down my list. But, there weren't a whole lot of really great albums - I had trouble narrowing my list in part because no albums immediately stood out as being the best of the year. Also, XPN's year-end poll inspired me to list some of my favorite songs, so before I get into the albums, here they are in no particular order:
Arcade Fire – Keep the Car Running
Dan Deacon – Wham City
Flight of the Conchords – Hiphopappotamus vs. Rhymenocerus
Jens Lekman – Your Arms Around Me
John Butler Trio – Fire in the Sky
Josh Ritter – Empty Hearts
Keller Williams – Celebrate Your Youth
Last Town Chorus: Modern Love
Modest Mouse – Missed the Boat
Over the Rhine – If a Song Could Be President
Peter Case – Ain’t Gonna Worry No More
Prince – Guitar
Romantica – Drink the Night Away
Rosie Thomas – Much Farther to Go
Ryan Adams – Goodnight, Rose
Sarah Masen – The River
Son Volt – The Picture
Spoon – The Underdog
They Might Be Giants – The Mesopotamians
Wilco – What Light

Now, for the albums:


30. Tim Armstrong: A Poet’s Life
Tim Armstrong lent his guitar and vocals to Operation Ivy and Rancid in the 80’s and 90’s, before releasing his first album under his own name in 2007. On A Poet’s Life, Tim dishes out a collection of danceable permanent-wave ska songs that are perfect for driving with the windows down on a warm summer’s day, or for anytime that you need to feel like you’re driving with the windows down on a warm summer’s day. This might be my pick for feel-good album of the year.


29. El Perro del Mar: El Perro del Mar
I, for one, like Sarah Assbring’s vocals. They may be an acquired taste for many, though. The lonely Swede delivers her lyrics like she’s on the verge of crying with every breath, even on the happy songs. With candy-apple acoustic guitars and handclaps, and girl-group harmonies aplenty, El Perro del Mar is both uplifting and morose, both sexy and forlorn.

28. Ron Sexsmith: Time Being
As my good friend Adam once pointed out, Ron Sexsmith, despite having the word “sex” in his name, is a decidedly un-sexy looking guy. This album, however, is certainly not ugly. Known for being a “musician’s musician” (among his fans are Elvis Costello, Elton John, and John Prine), Ron Sexsmith has a knack for cranking out great folksy compositions that are laced with wit, wisdom, and a hint of melancholy. Never Give Up On You is a great love song for anyone who’s serious about the business of love, and Ship of Fools reminds us of our connectedness while floating on a sea of retro guitars and keyboards.

27. Balkan Beat Box – Nu Med
I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t have my finger on the pulse of today’s dance-techno scene. That’s one particular genre that I don’t usually connect with, and pretty much ignore. But when I heard about these two Israeli gentlemen from New York City, and their propensity for combing electronica with traditional Balkan and Jewish musical forms, I was intrigued. The result is an amalgamation of beat-boxes, samples, gypsy horns, middle-eastern lyrics, and Jamaican dancehall rhythms. I confess, I don’t fully get it – but, it’s an enjoyable and interesting listen nonetheless.

26. Iron and Wine: Shepherd’s Dog
I discovered Iron and Wine the same way that most of us did – singing a low-key cover of Such Great Heights on the Garden State Soundtrack. I haven’t really followed Iron and Wine since then, but when Shepherd’s Dog came out several months ago, it got such good reviews by Paste Magazine and WXPN that I figured I’d better give it a shot. This time around, Sam Beam kicks things up a little, adding a bit more energy to his trademark whisper, and filling out his acoustic Appalachian sound with a heavy dose of percussion, some keyboards, and even a sample or two. Strangely enough, my two favorite songs (Lovesong of the Buzzard and Resurrection Fern) are the two quietist and sparsest songs on the record.

25. Minnie Driver: Seastories
Yep… that Minnie Driver. I never would have guessed that this starlet would put out such a good album. My instinct is to dismiss such a high-profile actress out-of-hand, but when I think about it, I haven’t really seen her in any cringe-worthy movies (she starred in Good Will Hunting and Grosse Point Blanke, among others), so maybe she does have a certain level of artistic integrity. Her voice really isn’t bad, and the music is decent. There’s nothing groundbreaking here – just straightforward, pretty folk-rock sort of stuff. But, what she does, she does well. Sorry Baby and Mary are both enjoyable, mid-tempo, riff-heavy tracks, and Beloved is actually a very beautiful love song. Overall, the album suffers a little bit from the cleanness of its made-for-TV production, but it’s a good album none the less.

24. Romantica: America
This was an album that would have probably been several slots higher in my list if I had found it earlier in the year. There are a handful of excellent tracks on this disc that keep getting better every time that I listen to them. Ben Kyle and company serve up a beautiful slice of americana, dripping with melancholy. The album has some bright, catchy moments, but a down-tempo, comtemplative mood dominates throughout. Ben Kyle spent his formative years in Ireland, before moving to the states in his late teens, and it's interesting to hear americana sung with a bit of a brogue. Drink the Night Away and God Walks on the Water are two beautiful, melancholy songs about searching for love and faith in the midst of darkness, even when the darkness is self-created. Queen of Hearts and I Need You Tonight are both catchier, well-crafted alt-country songs. The biggest fault of this album is that it loses steam part-way through, and starts to drag a bit in the second half of the album.

23. Patty Griffin: Children Running Through
The album opens with You'll Remember, with it's stark, jazzy bass and cocktail drum kit serving as a vehicle for Patty Griffin to showcase her voice, before changing gears with Stay on the Ride, a clever moral tale in which a sophic elderly gentleman teaches his bus driver a little bit about the nature of this trip called life. The album continues to unfold in this pattern, rising and falling in tempo and tone. The main attraction here is Griffin's beautiful and sultry vocal delivery. The softer songs would make a great soundtrack for a romantic evening, or a snowy afternoon. Emmylou Harris lends her harmonies to Trapeze, one of the album's early standouts. Probably my favorite track on this album, though, is No Bad News, a super-catchy tune that finds Griffin longing for peace and love instead of disease and fear over a soundscape of bright acoustic guitars and infectious horns.

22. Caedmon’s Call – Overdressed
I lost touch with Caedmon's Call in the late 90s, after their self-titled full-length propelled the band to CCM stardom. Over the next few years, they remained one of the few "christian" bands that I truly respected, and enjoyed hearing on the City on a Hill albums and such. When I heard that former member turned solo artist Derek Webb was rejoining the band for this effort, I knew that it would be worth a listen or two, and I was not disappointed. Derek and his wife Sandra McCracken, a great artist in her own right, lent their musical and songwriting talents, making this a fairly well-rounded, rootsy album of spiritual songs about love, humility, and looking for the sacred in everyday life. Though it may sound cheesy, this album centers me - it has an apocalyptic affect on me, taking my thoughts and focus away from myself and at least making me think about what really is important in life. The music is not without it's CCM gloss, but still good enough to be taken seriously, and the lyrics are subversive without being too caustic for your average pew-sitter. The one song on this album that I can't stop listening to is Expectations, which is also one that I consider among the worst on this album. The verse-chorus of the song is flat and a bit melodramatic, but the instrumental interlude and ending is just about perfect. I can't get that guitar line out of my head. Share in the Blame is a real standout, reminiscent to me of Amos Lee, with it's bluesy chord structure and it's call for seeking unity in our fragmented world.

21. Modest Mouse: We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
Three years after striking indie radio gold with Float On, Modest Mouse returns with a new batch of songs, and a new member in rock god Johnny Marr. This album, though, is largely absent of radio-friendly post-indie rock schmaltz, although hit single Dashboard does come dangerously close, and Missed the Boat packs plenty of catchiness without being too grating on the ears of all those Coldplay fans out there. The songs are complicated, disjointed, and at times gloriously pretentious, as one would expect Modest Mouse to be. Johnny Marr brings some very Smith-esque guitar tones, which fit surprisingly well with the heavy-handed drumming and yelping vocal delivery. The album as a whole probably won't enjoy a great amount of post-2007 play on my ipod, but there are enough really great songs (see March Into the Sea, Missed the Boat, and Steam Engenius for starters) to deserve a spot on my year-end list.

20. Erin McKeown: Sing, You Sinners
Sing, You Sinners finds Bostonian Erin McKeown taking inspiration from the American Songbook in this collection of jazz standards from the early half of the twentieth century. Piano, stand-up bass, snare and high-hat provide a backdrop for McKeown's folky voice, which translates suprisingly well on most of these songs. Alternately whimsical and sultry, and always nostalgiac. The collection includes some of the usual suspects (Paper Moon, Something's Gotta Give), as well as some more obscure tunes (Rhode Island is Famous for You, Thanks for the Boogie Ride). The highs are high, inspiring dancing in even the most austere of indie kids, while the lows at times fall flat. While it may be a bit of a novelty, it's a fun album nonetheless, and worth the listen.

19. Ryan Adams: Easy Tiger
As a would-be songwriter, I have a lot of respect for Ryan Adams. The guy is very prolific, having recorded nine official full-length releases in the past seven years, not to mention a smattering of EPs and a host of unreleased material. He reminds me a little bit of Tom Petty, in that not all of his songs are spectacular, but I haven't really ever heard a Ryan Adams song that wasn't good. This album is very consistent from start to finish, which many attribute to Adams' newfound sobriety. Goodnight Rose starts things off on a high note, with its run-on lyrics and dueling guitars. The Sun Also Sets hits me in my mid-20s, melodramatic heart, with lyrics like "I wanna know how it all works out; I didn't know that people faded out so fast" and "We are only one moment from death; We are only one push from the nest". Another favorite is the soft and harmonic Pearls on a String.

18. Son Volt – The Search
The story, in a nutshell, goes like this: In 1987, Jay Farrar and Jeff Tweedy formed Uncle Tupelo, which became one of the most influential bands in the early days of "alternative country". They released several records which didn't get much exposure, and broke up in 1994. Jeff Tweedy went on to form Wilco, and Jay Farrar went on to form Son Volt. Most fans of Wilco think that Farrar was a hack, and most fans of Son Volt think Tweedy rode on Farrar's coattails. As the good book says, "either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other." I've decided to not take sides. Farrar is a great songwriter, in the vein of Petty and Young. His voice, although far from pretty, fits well with the gritty instrumentation (most of the time). Farrar often takes on the role of a rock and roll street preacher, declaiming against war and commercialism. By the way, I think that The Picture might win my vote for the best song of 2007.


17. Loney, Dear: Loney, Noir
Loney, Dear's sweeping chamber-pop makes me happy. The orchestral arrangements, with all of their handclaps and xylophones are bright and joyful, and the lyrics are brimming over with that effervescent mixture of hope and sorrow. Emil Svanängen and his falsetto get everything right, even when singing lines like, "I get things wrong, I'm not accustomed to this". The thing that I love about this album is that, even with its lush instrumentation, nothing seems out of place. There is no musical masturbation present here - every sound fits. The songs rise and fall on waves of building dynamics that remind me at times of Sigur Ros on Ativan. It's hard to believe that most of this album was recorded in Svanängen's basement, with him playing nearly every instrument.

16. Laura Veirs – Saltbreakers
Laura Veirs follows the indie rock recipe pretty closely. Start with a mid-tempo mix of guitars, bass and drums, mix in some piano, then add strings, handclaps, xylophones, and gang vocals to taste. Cover and let set. In a separate bowl, mix together arpeggiated chords and whispery vocals, then fold in introspective lyrics. Mix contents of both bowls together and bake for 50 minutes. Let cool before enjoying. Yeah, there's not anything groundbreaking here. Laura Veirs employs pretty much the same tricks you would hear in any other indie rock album, but has a way of putting them together that makes for an enjoyable listen. Maybe its just her innocent appearance that makes me want to think the best of her. Still, the songs are literate and catchy, especially the title track, with its male chorus and tambourine. Also, I remember waking up one time singing the chorus of To the Country.

15. The Innocence Mission: We Walked in Song
My first real date was in the winter of 1999, when a young woman named Laura accompanied me to the legendary Chameleon Club to see The Innocence Mission and Denison Witmer. Looking back, it feels like a movie or maybe a storybook. Neither of us really knew the band, although our older siblings seemed to be into them. You have to remember, these were the days when my favorite band was Slick Shoes and I was wearing plaid pants and spikey hair. The club was set up as I've never seen it before or since, with candlelit tables arranged on the moshing floor, and coffee being served from the bar. Needless to say, listening to the Innocence Mission always arouses a sense of nostalgia in me. Their stark, dreamy music always gives me a feeling of coming in from the cold, of being in a safe and joyful place with a cup of hot tea cradled in my outsrtretched hands. Even now, listening to the album as I write this, tears are welling up in my eyes, simply at how beautiful everything is, and, yes, there is a brotherhood of man, and I'm part of it, god-dammit, no matter how hard I work to isolate myself for fear of being rejected and hurt, and there's a whole world out there, and there's snow on the ground, and I need to breath that crisp winter air, need to put on my winter coat and my scarf, I certainly can't forget my scarf, and I need to go out and walk the streets of my neighborhood, because I'm alive, and this is my home!
I like the Innocence Mission.

14. Arcade Fire: Neon Bible
It's not much of a stretch to see Neon Bible as a polemical commentary on christianity in America. As one with a proclivity towards criticizing the american church (be that good or bad), I was drawn to this album. First, the music - the sound is big and epic. The band makes full use of its multi-instrumental membership and loads most songs with plenty of swelling strings, keys that are alternately brooding and bright, and big drums. Husband and wife team Win Butler and Régine Chassagne handle the majority of the vocal duties, and rarely falter. The one song that feels very out of place to me, both musically and vocally, is the Waitsian closer My Body Is a Cage. Lyrically, the album is an intelligent and somewhat sympathetic look at a religion that seems to have lost the plot and shaken hands with politics, television, and commercialism. The outlook looks bleak, as they sing "no chance for survival if the neon bible is right." The story goes on, as one of the devoted who once "heard your voice ring like a bell" deals with the problem of serving a god who seems impotent as violence and decay surround him, before eventually deciding that its up to him to work it out for himself. The Well and the Lighthouse reminds me thematically of Pedro the Lion's Slow and Steady Wins the Race, with the damned getting what's coming to them, while the resurrected live in a lighthouse, doing their duty of guiding ships to port. The overall tone is cynical without being mocking or hateful. Probably one of those albums that any thinking christian should listen to.

13. They Might Be Giants: The Else
John Flansburgh and John Linnell have been making music together for as long as I've been alive, and it shows. These guys are tight, and have such a gift for crafting rock music that is experimental but accessible, that is witty but never pretentious, that is childlike without being childish (except when it's supposed to be). While this disc doesn't contain a new Birdhouse In Your Soul or Don't Let's Start, there are some great songs featured here, especially the album closer The Mesopotamians. There's nothing quite like driving in your car with the windows down and singing "Sargon, Hammurabi, Ashurbanipal, and Gilgamesh!" at the top of your lungs. The album starts of strong, with I'm Impressed and Take Out the Trash leading the charge, and giving the Johns equal opportunity to set the course. Another highlight is With the Dark, which starts off as an earnest indie rock song about broken hearts, before taking an abrupt and soulful turn, as the horns start up and Flansburgh starts singing "Busting my pirate hump, rocking my peg leg stump, my mind naturally turns to taxidermy." Naturally, John, how could it not? Countrecoup should be required listening for nursing students. How do these guys come up with this stuff?

12. Kris Kristofferson: This Old Road
Erstwhile Highwaymen member and sometimes movie star Kris Kristofferson has released more than twenty-five solo and collaborative albums in his seventy-one years, and his latest, This Old Road, finds him looking back. Kris and his guitar, and little else, tell the story of a man who's been around the block more than once, learning humility from his mistakes and love from his friends and family, and is willing to share those lessons with anyone who wants to listen. There's a tone of intimacy on this record, like the listener has been invited to sit on Kris' porch and shoot the shit over a bottle of Old Crow. This is a man who knows that he has more life behind him than ahead, has done the rock star thing, and now wants to be able to look back on his life and say that he done some good, the he left the world better than he found it. Kris sings about beauty and mercy in a broken, craggy voice that reminds me of Johnny Cash's American Records releases.

11. Richard Swift: Dressed Up for the Letdown
Richard Swift crafts songs that fit equally well in your "Today's Best Indie Rock" and "60's Pop-Rock" playlists. The music has an aire of vintage to it, with its dominant piano, rich guitar tones, and warm wurlitzers. Comparisons to the Beatles and Randy Newman are inevitable, but this is more than just another retro throwback. Maybe 'timeless' is the right word to use. Every song on this album is good, and some are downright great, especially the early one-two punch of The Songs of National Freedom and Most of What I Know. As good as the instrumentation is, it's Swift's lyrics that really grab me. Cynical and sarcastic, with enough tongue-in-cheek wit and silver lining to keep me from running for the bottle. Whether he's talking about fucking up at love ("I played with your heart, but I broke two strings") or the rejection of sincere art by the soul-sucking music industry ("Sorry Mr. Swift, but you’re much too fat, and could I persuade you just to wear a cap?"), Richard Swift has a way of acknowledging the difficulties of life without sinking into a morose stupor of self-pity.

10. Keller Williams: Dream
The first time that I heard of Keller Williams was when I worked at Goodwill, and my pothead co-worker Vinnie sent a live bootleg home with me to listen to. I admit, I didn't really get it then. I think that it took watching some live footage and seeing that every sound that I was hearing came from Keller before I really recognized his talent. This latest album is about the exact opposite of what I heard on that live disc. Instead of doing the one-man band thing, Keller collaborates with some of his friends and heroes, including Bob Weir, Bela Fleck, Martin Sexton and Michael Franti. As can be expected, the instrumentation is astounding, especially on tracks like People Watchin', Cadillac and Sing For My Dinner. There's a heavy dose of Keller's typical humor here, too, which makes it all the more enjoyable. You have to love the image of Jesus, Allah, Buddha, Hare Krishna and Santa riding around in a '59 caddy. And what guy can't appreciate the song Restraint, with lyrics like "I wanna jump your bones, but you're cooking dinner, and I know it's not so sanitary." Life and Celebrate Your Youth both lean towards the more philosophical side, with some great music backing up the comparatively weighty lyrics. The only problem with this album may be its length. At well over an hour in length, its hard to make it through in one sitting, and it seems unbalanced, without any memorable songs to look forward to in the last third of the track list. Even the worst songs on this album, though, are pretty good.

9. The Good, the Bad and the Queen – The Good, the Bad and the Queen
To be honest, I never listened much to Blur (although my sister used to play that "girls who are boys who do boys" song a lot when I was a kid). But, when I heard that former Blur frontman David Albarn was assembling a dream team of musicians for this project, I decided to check it out. The lineup is impressive - Albarn, Simon Tong from the Verve, Paul Simonon from the Clash, afrobeat drummer Tony Allen, and Danger Mouse behind the knobs and buttons. The combination works well, and the individual instruments come together to be more than the sum of their parts. the songs are mostly mid-tempo, with a lot of keys and acoustic guitars, and plenty of moody electronic flourishes. None of the playing is especially fantastic, but it's layered together in a very cohesive and interesting way, with Allen's drumming being the cement that holds the bricks together. The thing that I love about this album is that it seems quintessentially British. Listening to The Good, the Bad and the Queen makes me think of Britain (which I've never actually been to) like listening to Bill Mallonee makes me think of Georgia (also never been there). I don't know if that makes sense.

8. Peter Case: Let Us Now Praise Sleepy John
Oh Peter Case, where have you been all my life? I'm incredibly glad to have discovered this guitar pickin' troubadour. It's worth noting that I found this album late in the year, and when I started to make this list, it was at number twenty-five. After every listen, though, I had to bump it up. Peter Case has a distinct, coarse voice that fits perfectly with his folky, bluesy, americana arrangements. The majority of this album is just Case and his guitar, with a little bit of lap steel and harmonica thrown in on a couple of songs. What really stands out on this album are the stories. Million Dollars Bail tells of the "two kinds of justice" that allow the man living up on the hill to kill his wife one day and be out walking the streets the next, while Underneath the Stars is a tender moral tale of a woman who ends up on the street among the drunks and addicts after a spell of hard luck, and finds no help from clergy don't want to be "helping lazy layabouts" and cops who are "just kids." Ain't Gonna Worry No More (which Case wrote in the studio and recorded in one take) is a sprawling recollection of times gone by, some good some bad, all the while interjecting that hopeful refrain. The album is pure poetry, set to a dirty soundtrack of hammer-ons and walking blues. Album closer That Soul Twist leaves us with this thought - "Forget tomorrow, the jam you're in, you're alive right now as you've ever been."

7. Wilco: Sky Blue Sky
And now, for the other former member of Uncle Tupelo... Jeff Tweedy. With Sky Blue Sky, Wilco has released an album that is accessible, but not easy. The songs are mainly straightforward americana, but with enough experimentation to keep things interesting. This is a very texturally rich album, filled with warmth and lush production. As a would-be musician, I use pay attention to instrumentation and songwriting, but this album was the only one of the year that I listened to and thought, "whoever produced this did a great job." From the dueling guitars of Impossible Germany to the warm organ of Hate it Here to the droning beauty of On and On and On, every sound seems to matter, every dialed-in tone seems to fit. The songwriting is pretty decent, too. The songs that hit home for me the most are the confessional Please Be Patient With Me ("How can I warn you when my tongue turns to dust, like we’ve discussed, it doesn’t mean that I don’t care, it means I’m partially there") and the radio-ready ode to creativity, What Light. There's enough introspection here to keep the album from being trite, but enough light to keep it from being assuming.

6. John Butler Trio: Grand National
Call it what you want - roots, jamband, funk - I call it good music. the variegated strata of Grand National really defies genres anyway, incorporating plenty of traditional american music and string arrangements with the jam mentality, and even a dose of world music. There's back porch appalachia in album opener Better Than, freak-bluegrass in Funky Tonight, and reggae in Groovin' Slowly. Some will find Butler's politicizing to be too preachy, but I think it's dead on, and just what I'd expect from a hippie like him. Songs like Used to Get High, Devil Running, Fire in the Sky and Gov Did Nothin' are especially strong in the protest category. Fire in the Sky is definitely my favorite song on this album, pairing anti-war lyrics like "Standing here on quick sand, the more we fight we sink, and vengeance gives us hope, at least that's what we think" with strong riffs and a driving rhythm that matches the urgency of the subject matter. The close of the album finds Butler getting tender, with the sweet ballad Losing You. I have a thing for love songs that take life seriously, instead of glossing things over with a romantic veneer. "And now that I'm growing old, losing teeth and growing bald, not as handsome as I never was but, you loved me just because."

5. Of Montreal: Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?
On the latest outing from Of Montreal (who are actually of Georgia), vocalist and lyricist Kevin Barnes sets the stage from the very first line: "We just want to emote 'till we're dead - I know we suffer for fashion, or, whatever." And emote he does. Thematically, this is a pretty dark record. Barnes paints a landscape of regret, anger, lost love, and emotional instability, all to a frenetic, upbeat, and very catchy synth-powered disco rock score. Songs like the psychotropic Heimdalsgate Like a Promethean Curse and the S.A.D. themed A Sentence of Sorts in Kongsvinger come close to matching Wraith Pinned to the Mist in their catchiness. Of course, there's also the epic masterpiece of The Past Is a Grotesque Animal, which I absolutely hated the first time that I heard it, but am starting to love. Barnes sets the lugubrious tone of this twelve minute track early on when he sings, "The sun is out, it melts the snow that fell yesterday, makes you wonder why it even bothered," before going on to describe the difficulty of holding together a relationship when your head is full of darkness, telling his lover "I need you here and not here too." There are so many great lines in this song, but I especially love the line "We want our film to be beautiful, not realistic," which captures so perfectly how I so often wrongly approach relationships. While this is a dark record, born out of difficult experiences, this record does have some truly funny moments, whether intentional or not. I crack up every time I hear the blunt post-breakup chorus of She's a Rejector: "There's that girl who left me bitter, want to pay some other girl to just walk up to her and hit her." Of Montreal has expanded on the promise of The Sunlandic Twins with this release, which will enjoy frequent spins on my record player for years to come.

4. Josh Ritter: The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter
In much the same way that The Good, the Bad and the Queen strikes me as being distinctly British, The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter strikes me as being distinctly American. Ritter has expanded his embrace of indigenous music beyond his normal americana tinged folk to incorporate elements of jazz, soul, funk, and even Beach Boys style surf rock. While last year's Animal Years was filled with mid-tempo, singer-songwriter fare, Historical Conquests has ventured into more of a rock and roll arena, exploding out of the gate with To the Dogs or Whoever, and keeping the energy up through most of the album, with some contrasting slow tunes inserted here or there. Ritters witty, literate songwriting is still present here, but he seems to have spent more energy on the immediacy of the music this time around. There are plenty of cleverly written couplets, like "Bring me the love that can sweeten a sword, a boat that can love the rocks or the shore" and "I find myself hoping for a storm, each silver lining is a crown of thorns." There are some really tender moments here, too, like the apocalyptic love ballad The Temptation of Adam, and the wistful Still Beating. My favorite from this disc is Empty Hearts, a hope-tinged barroom anthem sung to those who "can't even sing to their shadows" and "save the last round for the windows."

3. Rosie Thomas: These Friends of Mine
It's hard to believe that someone who makes music this melancholy also performs as a stand-up comedian (under the moniker Sheila Saputo). I first heard Rosie singing in the art-rock band Velour 100, and didn't know until late 2006 that she continued with a solo career after the band broke up. Of course, there was a lot of buzz surrounding this record before it was released, what with indie rock darling Sufjan Stevens helping out. As the story goes, Thomas, Stevens and Lancaster native Denison Witmer holed up in her home for a few days, and wrote songs in her kitchen and on her couch, often pushing the record button mere minutes after sharing the idea. This style gave the album a real sense of intimacy, like these really are just some friends getting together for a jam session. The production is stark, save for the layered title track, which features all of those other musicians that you hear connected with the album. The track list barely stretches past the thirty minute mark, which may be a good thing here. What is beautiful and emotional for a half hour might have turned pretentious and repetitive had it been stretched out much longer. The lyrics evoke a sort of bittersweet winter landscape, where everything is tragically beautiful, and the business of love is a cruel affair.

2. Jens Lekman: Night Falls Over Kortedala
Damn you, Jens Lekman. Damn you and your lounge singer's voice and elevator music. Damn you for making a mockery of my indie-rock snobbery and my penchant for taking life too seriously. Why did you have to make an album so bright, so big, so full of wit and insight that I can't help but love it, even though it does make me so happy?
Seriously, this is one good album. Jens' sound has definitely gotten bigger. While past albums were mostly soft, acousticly driven singer-songwriter tunes, Jens has expanded on the promise of songs like Maple Leaves and You Are the Light, and filled this album with high-energy, orchestral pop that contains shades of Sufjan Stevens and Burt Bacharach, but comes together in a distinct and original way. From the accordian driven latin-tinged Into Eternity, to the disco doo-wop of Kanske är Jag Kär i Dig, to the 50's rock of Friday Night at the Drive-In Bingo, each song has enough character to keep the sound fresh for the album's fifty minute running time. The subject matter is just as varied, from pretending to be a lesbian friend's boyfriend in front of her catholic father (A Postcard to Nina), to getting a haircut by an Iraqi refugee in an illegal living room salon (Shirin), to accidentally cutting off a finger when being given an unexpected hug by a lover (Your Arms Around Me). While the premise of most of these songs are enough to make me grin, the best nuggets of wit, such as "People seem to think a shy personality equals gifted, but if they would get to know one I'm sure that idea would have shifted" and "The best way to touch your heart is to make an ass of myself" are buried a little deeper in the songs. Jens has a way of writing lyrics that are engaging, emotional, and utterly human, yet at the same time so funny, that it reminds the listener that part of taking life seriously is being able to see the humor in all of the shit that goes on.

1. Over the Rhine: The Trumpet Child
I fell in love with Over the Rhine this year in much the same way that I fell in love with Bill Mallonee a couple of years back. I don't know what happened, but I started hearing all of this great stuff on the few albums of theirs that I owned, and every lyric was hitting me like a ton of feathers, giving voice to my inner thoughts in a way that always has eluded me. Consequently, I went and bought pretty much every album of theirs that I didn't already own, jumped at the chance to see them live at the World Cafe, and pre-ordered the album about which I am currently writing (that's right, I paid for it). Over the Rhine is in love with American music, and they want everyone to know it. Linford Detweiler and Karin Berquist have served up a mix of roots, folk and jazz in the form of The Trumpet Child. The music intentionally looks back and borrows from some of their heroes, most of whom are name-dropped (Tom Waits, Louis Armstrong, Lightnin' Hopkins, Patsy Cline, Steve Earle, Neil Young, Emmylou Harris, John Prine... am I forgetting anyone?) in one form or another. The jazz starts off with opening track I Don't Want to Waste Your Time, with its sweet and lowdown horn intro and brushed snare drumming, and Karin sounding especially sultry and soulful. The next few follow suit, taking us into track six before breaking back into americana with Entertaining Thoughts. I was surprised to hear this, expecting more of a straight out roots album, but they carry it off well, and Karin's voice gives the jazzier stuff a very sexy character. If you're a fan of Over the Rhine, then you already get it. If you don't know them, I'd actually recommend starting with Ohio, not this album. Not that this album isn't great, but it'll make more sense after you see where they've been. I'll leave you with one of Linford's ruminations on american music: "America is a land of great contradiction. We’re greedy, and we’re generous. We’re optimistic and superstitious. We’re materialistic, yet have deep religious roots. And we’re the only country on earth that could have given the world Johnny Cash.”]]> http://www.last.fm/user/breakingground/journal/2007/04/21/b65oq_input_needed_%28best_summer_songs%29 Sat, 21 Apr 2007 15:20:18 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/breakingground/journal/2007/04/21/b65oq_input_needed_%28best_summer_songs%29 Well, the weather is starting to get warmer, and before you know it, school will be out and it will be summer. I'm getting a head-start on building my summer playlist, and I'm looking for suggestions. Here's my list so far:

Flaming Lips – Summertime
The Lovin’ Spoonful – Summer in the City
Ryan Adams – Summer of ‘69
Don Henley – Boys of Summer
Sublime – Doing Time
Bob Dylan – In the Summertime
Abba – Summer Night City
Mae – Summertime
Martha and the Vandellas – Dancing in the Streets
The Fire Theft – Summertime
Young Rascals – Groovin’
The Ramones – Rockaway Beach
Josh Rouse - Comeback (Light Therapy)
And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead - The Summer Of 91
Beck - Summer Girl
Belle And Sebastian - A Summer Wasting
Death Cab For Cutie - Summer Skin
The Decemberists - Summersong
Of Montreal - Oslo In The Summertime
Pedro the Lion - Indian Summer
The Who - Summertime Blues
Blue Merle - Burning in the Sun


Any suggestions? Thanks.]]> http://www.last.fm/user/breakingground/journal/2007/01/14/b65op_top_10_albums_of_2007 Sun, 14 Jan 2007 21:31:33 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/breakingground/journal/2007/01/14/b65op_top_10_albums_of_2007 I’ve been looking over some release dates for new albums in 2007, and I thought, “why not be the first to put out a list of the best albums of 2007?” So, here it is. Maybe calling it the “most-anticipated” album list would be better. Of course, some of these may be total letdowns, and I’m sure there will be a few surprises by artists that I haven’t even heard of yet. But, for the time being, here goes:


10. Rosie Thomas – These Friends of Mine
She used to sing with Velour 100, which gives her instant cred in my book. This album is produced by Sufjan Stevens and Denison Witmer, so it should have a nice, organic, folky sort of feel to it.


9. Ron Sexsmith – Time Being
Maybe this shouldn’t be on a “most-anticipated” list, since I’ve already heard the Canadian release and like it a lot. I’m still new to this guy, but I like his sound, and think that I’m going to really grow to like this new album.


8. The Good, The Bad, and The Queen – The Good, The Bad, and The Queen
This group is made up of ex-members of The Clash, Blur, The Verve, and Gorillaz. The new album is produced by Danger Mouse (Gnarls Barkley, Danger Doom, etc). I’ve watched some videos on youtube, and they’re really doing something different and intriguing.


7. Jimmy Eat World – currently untitled
Yeah, I’m a sucker for these guys. Clarity was pretty much my introduction to the whole emo/ indie rock scene, so there’s a lot of nostalgia, and my loyalty runs deep. Although “Futures” wasn’t nearly as good as “Bleed American”, I still want to hear where they’re at now. I’ll probably love this album, even if it sucks.


6. Feist – currently untitled
I love Feist’s laid-back, sexy jazz vibe. “Let it Die” was a great album that I have yet to get sick of. It will be nice to have another album of background music for cuddling by the fireside.


5. Son Volt – The Search
So far, I’ve liked everything that I’ve heard from Jay Farrar (Son Volt, Uncle Tupelo, self-titled). Son Volt’s brand of alt-country just hits a certain chord in me that makes me want to move to Arizona and work on a cattle farm.


4. Charlie Louvin – Charlie Louvin
I don’t really know much about Charlie Louvin, but according to wikipedia he’s a real veteran in the country-western and gospel genres. This new album will feature Jeff Tweedy (Wilco), Will Oldham (Bonnie “Prince” Billy) and Elvis Costello. That’s a hell of a line-up. I’ll be very interested to hear this album.


3. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah – Some Loud Thunder
The band’s self-titled debut had something to it that kept reminding me of a more innocent and simple time, where I didn’t worry quite so much, and smiled a lot more. Although the vocals get a bit annoying at times, I still love that album. This new one should be good, too.


2. Spiritualized – currently untitled
J Spaceman is a songwriting genius. Spiritualized’s songs are so holy and so carnal, layered with love, lust, drugs, and repentance. It’s been 3 years since their last release of new material. I can’t wait until this one comes out.


1. The Pixies – currently untitled
That’s right. The Pixies.]]>