Estranged Covers

Three Hundred Thirty-One

Artist - Mogwai
Album - The Hawk is Howling
Released - 2008
Label - Wall of Sound
Genre - Post Rock

Tracks:
A
I'm Jim Morrison, I'm Dead
Batcat
Danphe and the Brain
B
Local Authority
The Sun Smells Too Loud
Kings Meadow
C
I Love You, I'm Going to Blow Up Your School
Scotland's Shame
D
Thank You Space Expert
The Precipice

To like is to like and to love is to love.  With like, it's something you can tolerate or accept for a brief period of time, but to love is something you are willing to withstand through the test of time.  I like a lot of artists and their music, but it takes something special for me to love it and I know that I love Mogwai.  I think the more I listen to post-rock, the more I appreciate music without lyrics.  Hearing the sounds of the instruments; guitar, drums, bass allows you to make up what you wish to think about at that moment.  Mogwai's sixth album, The Hawk is Howling is one of those albums.

Enjoy!

A Wolf, A Panther and an Eagle

Three Hundred Eight

Artist - This Will Destroy You
Album - This Will Destroy You
Released - 2008
Label - Magic Bullet
Genre - Post-Rock

Tracks:
A Three Legged Workhorse
Villa Del Refugio
Threads
Leather Wings
The Mighty Rio Grande
They Move on Tracks of Never Ending Light
Burial on the Presidio Banks

A semi-local band, hailing from San Marcos, Texas, is another great post rock band that I've heard as of late.  Since my roommate listens to a lot of post rock, he recommended this album.  If you have seen the movie Moneyball, The Mighty Rio Grande makes an appearance.  This is This Will Destroy You's debut album.

Enjoy!

Just Be Calm

Two Hundred Seventy-Five

Artist - The Calm Blue Sea
Album - The Calm Blue Sea
Released - 2008
Label - No Label
Genre - Post-Rock

Tracks:
Side 1
We Happy Few
Literal
This Will Happen Again
Side 2
The Rivers That Run Beneath The City
After the Legions
Now Those Ashes Are At The Bottom

Enjoy!

Art, Artistic and Artsy

Two Hundred Sixty-Seven

Artist - Wolfe Parade
Album - At Mount Zoomer
Released - 2008
Label - Sup Pop
Genre - Indie Rock

Tracks:
Soldier's Grin
Call It a Ritual
Language City
California Dreamer
They Grey Estates
Fine Young Cannibals
An Animal In Your Care
Kissing the Beehive

Enjoy!

In the Heart

Two Hundred Thirty-Five

Artist - Atmosphere
Album - When Life Gives You Lemons, Paint That Shit Gold
Released - 2008
Label - Rhymesayers
Genre - Hip-Hop

Tracks:
Like The Rest of Us
Puppets
The Skinny
Dreamer
Shoulda Known
You
Painting
Your Glasshouse
Yesterday
Guarantees
Me
Wild Wild Horses
Can't Break
The Waitress
In Her Music Box

One of my favorite artists of all time, Atmosphere is pure poetry (in my world at least).  His storytelling type rhymes are just so perfect and so real, so here we have When Life Gives You Lemons, Paint That Shit Gold.  In fact, this is the album that I heard that when I fell in love with Atmosphere that cold November night in 2008.  Ever since then, I've been such a strong supporter of all things Atmosphere, which entails going to all their shows every time they come to Austin, Texas.  Yesterday is an amazing song that makes me think about life, whereas Guarantees talks about real life struggles.  Slug, hardly rapping about most of the stuff that is out there today, keeps it real and to the point.  Let's not forget he's a genuine guy.  Never a complaint from me, Atmosphere is fantastic.

Enjoy!

Lately

Two Hundred Twenty-Eight

Artist - The Helio Sequence
Album - Keep Your Eyes Ahead
Released - 2008
Label - Sub Pop
Genre - Indie Rock

Tracks:
Lately
Can't Say No
The Captive Mind
You Can Come to Me
Shed Your Love
Keep Your Eyes Ahead
Back to This
Hallelujah
Broken Afternoon
No Regrets

Keep Your Eyes Ahead is the fourth album by Portland Indie Rockers The Helio Sequence and I just read a fun little fact about a song on this record.  You Can Come To Me samples sound effects from Super Mario Bros. 3.  Ahhh yes, now I'm going to need to pay closer attention to that song the next time I listen to it.  For the most part, this album is great, but I think Lately is one of my favorites, even though it's mainly about a break up.  Another band that I got to see live at Fun Fun Fun Fest this past November, this duo can definitely put on a great show.  It amazes me how two people can put on such a great live performance without the help of a bass and any other instrument.  Much respect to two piece bands that can rock out live.  Anyway, here is a fascinating blurb from their record:

A future that was and is

so seemingly within each,

but out of hand still.

Potential always betrayed.

A self-made foreign self-spite.

That which I know and have known

and have no reason to unlearn,

no matter the wise words

of friends or philosophers.

From the suburbs, where I find

living without a center a possible reality,

but a banal tragedy,

to the city, where I find

no center by an octopus of too many worlds,

many possible realities,

and a banal tragedy still.

And at last, a hole in a sock so big

that daring means creating newness

in negative space, a transplant,

a lattice-worked piece of sustenance

on the heel where it is walked on the most.

Chrzin, CZ 1/1/05

Enjoy!

Lovin' Vinyl

It's amazing how far I have come with all these vinyl records and sticking with this.  For my one hundred forty-sixth pick.

Artist - The Dodos

Album - Visiter

Released - 2008

Label - French Kiss

Genre - Indie, Alternative/Folk

Tracks:

Walking

Red and Purple

Eyelids

Fools

Joe's Waltz

Winter

It's That Time Again

Paint the Rust

Park Song

Jodi

Ashley

The Season

Undeclared

God?

The second album by The Dodos, Visiter is a fantastic record.  Of course that goes without saying that they are a group of exceptional musicians who make amazing music.  I saw them last year, here in Austin, and I have to say I was very impressed with their live performance.  One of my favorite songs on this record is Undeclared, I guess because I'm a hopeless romantic that like all types of sappy songs.  I'm going to make this short because THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL.  Sorry, I absolutely love music and all, but I only have the NFL 4 months out of the year, not counting the playoffs.

Enjoy!

Boxed In Life

Such a serene, tranquil record.  My one hundred thirty-first pick.

Artist - M83

Album - Saturdays = Youth

Released - 2008

Label - Virgin

Genre - Electronic, Dream Pop

Tracks:

Side A

You, Appearing

Kim & Jessie

Skin Of The Night

Side B

Graveyard Girl

Couleurs

Up!

Side C

We Own The Sky

Highway Of Endless Dreams

Too Late

Side D

Dark Moves Of Love

Midnight Soul Still Remains

The fifth studio album by M83, Saturdays = Youth is such a beautiful record.  Skin Of The Night literally made me happy and relaxed at the same time.  I was having a discussion with my roommate today about listening to records, because he asked me what I thought about the new Divine Fits record (I know, totally off topic).  I told him I was a combination of Spoon and Handsome Furs/Wolf Parade.  When I hear an album and I feel it the first listen, I'm good.  If I'm skeptical in the first listen, I pretty much just write it off, but I will still listen to it.  This M83 album is one I loved when I first heard it.  Of course, the majority of these albums I have on CD/MP3, but listening to them on vinyl is such a better feeling, especially when you can play it loud.  The synths with mixture of piano really make this record so amazing.  Ahhh, I think this record is definitely one I can listen to on repeat while reading, cooking or doing pretty much anything.  Music that can be used for anything is always good in my book.

Enjoy!

Enter the Calm

The calm before the storm.  Or maybe there is no storm.  Regardless of what is to become, here is my one hundred twenty-seventh pick.

Artist - Fleet Foxes
Album - Fleet Foxes
Released - 2008
Label - Sub Pop
Genre - Indie Folk, Folk Rock

Tracks:
Sun It Rises
White Winter Hymnal
Ragged Wood
Tiger Mountain Peasant Song
Quiet Houses
He Doesn't Know Why
Heard Them Stirring
Your Protector
Medowlarks
Blue Ridge Mountains
Oliver James

So I learned a new word today and this word probably should've been something I already knew, but whatever.  So when I usually pick an album, I wiki the album just to get the specs of the year and what they classify the genre as compared to what I classify them as.  When I pulled up this album, this is what it said: 

Fleet Foxes is the eponymous debut studio album by the Seattle, Washington-based band Fleet Foxes.

Eponymous means (of a person) being the person after whom a literary work, film, etc., is named.  You learn something new everyday.  To continue with this album, which is a surprisingly mind blowing, I enjoy listening to Fleet Foxes.  One of my favorite songs on this record is Ragged Wood.  Such great lyrics and so beautiful.  I consider myself to be more of a lover when it comes to music so when I hear an album that pleases me and they lyrics are just as good, I fall in love.  It's easy for me to fall in love with an album, if it's that good and this album is one of those that I have fallen in love with.

Enjoy!

Like a lick of Ice-Cream

Let be known that despite this album being four years old, it is one of my favorites.  For my one hundred eighth pick.

Artist - Thao with the Get Down Stay Down
Album - We Brave Bee Stings and All
Released - 2008
Label - Kill Rock Stars
Genre - Folk Rock

Tracks:
Side One
Beat (Health, Life and Fire)
Bag of Hammers
Big Kid Table
Swimming Pools
Geography
Feet Asleep
Side Two
Yes, Soon and So On
Fear and Convenience
Violet
Travel
We Go
Tallymarks (Live)
You Really Got a Hold on Me

Thao with the Get Down Stay Down is pure, raw and sweet.  I guess those are the only words I can think of that describes this band. When I was at the record store a few weeks ago, I saw this album.  My friend even mentioned it to me, pointing it out, but I did not buy it at that moment.  Two days ago, I was in an emotional funk and needed to get out of my house and get away from painting that I went back to the record store (End of Ear in Austin, Texas) and picked up this record along with 4 other vinyl records.  Man, buying vinyl records can be pretty pricey, but if you look, it is rewarding.  Anyway, back to this album.  So not only is this band a great band, but each song is so perfectly played and well sung.  On this record, my favorite is Bag of Hammers and You Really Got a Hold On Me.  Definitely one worth checking out.

Enjoy!

It's Been THAT kind of Weekend

Not only has it been one of THOSE weekends, but I'm glad to say that I've enjoyed it to the last minute.  So here, to celebrate the awesomeness of life, I bring to you one of my favorite bands who I've had the pleasure of seeing three times live.  They are just amazing.  For my sixty-fourth pick.

Artist - The Walkmen
Album - You & Me
Released - 2008
Label - Gigantic
Genre - Indie Rock


Tracks:
A
Donde esta la Playa
Flamingos (for Colbert)
On the Water
In the New Year
Seven Years of Holidays (for Stretch)
Postcards from Tiny Islands
Red Moon
B
Canadian Girl
Four Providences
Long Time Ahead of Us
The Blue Route
New Country
I Lost You
If Only it Were True

You & Me is the fourth album by The Walkmen and one of the best songs on this album is In the New Year.    Don't get me wrong, this is a great album with great tracks, but that song is just perfect.  A lot of people I know do get annoyed by Hamilton Leithauser's voice (the lead vocalist), but I like it.  They say he has a bit of a whine to him, but I think it makes sense.  Of course, that is my opinion, just as the rest of my summaries on this blog are.  What I like someone else might dislike and I'm totally okay with that.  But I love The Walkmen and I think Hamilton puts a great touch on these songs and just seeing him dressed in, most of the time, a three piece or two piece suit is mystifying.  When I saw them at ACL (Austin City Limits Music Festival), I felt bad.  Here it is, September and the Summer's in Austin are just HORRIBLE.  He was just sweating is ass off but still put on one hell of a performance.  Let's not forget to mention Matt Barrick who does exceptionally well on drums.  If you ever get a chance to see The Walkmen live, I would suggest doing so.

Enjoy!

Between Love and Lust is Reality

There is not much I can say without stating the obvious.  I LOVE ATMOSPHERE and throughout this year long trek, they will be displayed a few times.  So for my forty-eighth pick:

Artist - Atmosphere
Album - Sad Clown Bad Spring #12
Released - 2008
Label - Rhymesayers Entertainment
Genre - Hip Hop


Tracks:
Less One
Good Daddy
Carry Me Home
Happymess
Not Another Day

I did not want to cheat the list or anything like that, but I could not decide on what to display today.  After a productive workday and then my run, I kept thinking about what I felt like listening to.  Initially I wanted to listen to something smooth and soft until I figured it out, you know, like a light bulb going off over you head.  Then it hit me, I could definitely use some Atmosphere in my life right about now and then I remembered I got the Sad Clown Bad Spring #12 EP.  For the most part I wanted to just display LPs on this blog, but I thought, what they hey...it's my blog, I can do what I want.  But if it makes you feel better, it is the same size as a regular LP.  That has to count for something, right?

Atmosphere is one of the many bands who I favor the most out of everything that I know.  I know music, so with that statement alone, it's saying a lot.  My first post, number one, my first, was Atmosphere's God Loves Ugly, which is my #2 of my top 10 albums of all time.  If you want to know my history with Atmosphere, read the first post because I'm not ready to repeat myself, but I do admire and absolutely love Happymess.  I think this album came at a right time for me in my life, since I was going through so much emotionally and physically taking care of my father.  Not once did I ever regret any decision I ever made, but listening to Happymess, Less One and Not Another Day really helped me get through a lot, not to mention other Atmosphere songs.  I just feel that music is such an escape from reality, even if it's just for a little bit.  I think that is why, for the most part, I'm a pretty positive, optimistic and outgoing person.  Life is to short, but with just a little music, it makes it that much better.

Enjoy!

On the West Coast

Not only does my twenty-eight pick have a lot to do with my vacationing to Seattle, but they are also located on the West coast.

Artist - No Age
Album - Nouns
Released - 2008
Label - Sub Pop
Genre - Noise Pop


Tracks:
Miner
Eraser
Teen Creeps
Things I Did When I Was Dead
Cappo
Keechie
Sleeper Hold
Errand Boy
Here Should Be My Home
Impossible Bouquet
Ripped Knees
Brain Burner

Yet another great record from the Los Angeles based band No Age and let's not forget to mention that this is also another short record, spanning just seconds over thirty minutes.  When you listen to this album, I think it will make you want to mosh to most of the songs, with the short style, guitar bleeding sounds.  This duo, containing only a guitar and drummer (at the time of this record), put on one heck of a live performance, but breaking it down to the earlier stuff, Noun is the band's first LP.

No Age experiments with not only just the drums and guitar, but they also incorporate other experimental sounds that helped influence and display each track with it's own sound.  One of my favorite tracks on this record is Here Should Be My Home and next would be Things I Did When I Was Dead.  I recommend this album, if first listening to No Age to enjoy the way they have developed into the band that they are today.

Enjoy!

Yes, those are flowers

This is my eleventh post and I was thinking, how are people really going to know that I'm posting about vinyl records?  I take a picture of every record, yes, but usually from an above angle where you technically cannot see the awesomeness of what is a vinyl record.  Am I robbing the lovely readers of this website by NOT posting the actual vinyl record itself?  We have to think that with my massive amounts of vinyl I've collected (along with Kevin's count) that I would actually deceive the very readers I have with not posting it?  I'm rambling on what I fear that I'm robbing you of.  I'm not sure, but after this one post, I will make sure I actually view the vinyl itself along with the cover art to let you know that I mean business.  VINYL RECORD BUSINESS.  That being said, I might do little dedications with each post.

For this lovely eleventh post, I want to dedicate it to a friend that broke up with me because his ex-girlfriend was a self-centered, paranoid, insecure little girl.  I won't put your name on blast, but Alfredo, I dedicate this entry to you!  I miss you and our friendship.

Beach House - Devotion, Label - Car Park Records
Released in 2008

Tracks
Wedding Bell
You Came To Me
Gila
Turtle Island
Holy Dances
Heart of Chambers
Some Things Last
Astronaut
Darling
Home Again

Now, the reason why I dedicate it to Alfredo is because he turned me on to Beach House.  He's the one that told me to listen to them, so I did, because that's what great friends do.  So when I told Alfredo that I was going to go to an ACL after show and they were opening for Grizzly Bear, he was stoked.  As a nice friend that I am, I even got him a PERSONALIZED autographed CD from the band.  That's how good our friendship was.

But enough about that non-existent friendship, Beach House is one of those bands that you feel like can set a trend.  Quiet, quaint and humble, they are really great musicians. Hailing from Baltimore, they have definitely made a name for themselves.  Listen to this record, put on Gila, lay in bed and just take it in.  They will blow your mind with their different, raw sound.