From the Beginning

Two Hundred Thirty

Artist - Yo La Tengo
Album - And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out
Released - 2000
Label - Matador
Genre - Alternative Rock

Tracks:
1
Everyday
Our Way to Fall
Saturday
Let's Save Tony Orlando's House
2
Last Days of Disco
The Crying of Lot G
You Can't Have It All
Tear are in Your Eyes
3
Cherry Chapstick
From Black to Blue
Madeline
Tired Hippo
4
Night Falls on Hoboken

Enjoy!

Vibin'

Two Hundred Twenty-Ninth

Artist(s) - Diana Ross & The Supremes with The Temptations
Album - Together
Released - 1969
Label - Motown
Genre - Pop/Soul

Tracks:
Stubborn Kind of Fellow
I'll Be Doggone
The Weight
Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing
Uptight (Everything's Alright)
Sing A Simple Song
My Guy, My Girl
For Better or Worse
Can't Take My Eyes Off You
Why (Must We Fall In Love)

A fantastic and soulful record, Together is an album with nothing but covers sung by the greatest musicians from Motown.  Such delight to have, this record is really a delight to listen to.

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!

Heavyness

Two Hundred Twenty -Seven

Artist - The Sword
Album - Age of Winters
Released - 2006
Label - Kemado
Genre - Heavy Metal

Tracks:
Side A
Celestial Crown
Barael's Blade
Freya
Winter's Wolves
The Horned Goddess
Side B
Iron Swan
Lament for the Aurochs
March of the Lor
Ebethron

The debut album by Austin rockers The Sword, Age of Winters is a heavy, yet fascinating record.  Heavy metal at it's best, this record, in its entirety is pretty hard.  I always admire my taste in music, not to sound full of myself, because my range is so broad.  I go from Hip-Hop to Pop to Heavy Metal and it just helps me appreciate all types of sounds.  When listening to this record, it reminded me a lot of Red Fang, another heavy metal band that I had the pleasure of seeing live at Fun Fun Fun Fest this past November.  I love the drums and guitar on this album the most.  I feels like I'm almost in a time warp when I used to listen to nothing by Heavy Metal.  Those were the days.

Enjoy!

Naked and Alone

Two Hundred Twenty-Six

Artist - Apostle of Hustle
Album - National Anthem of Nowhere
Released - 2007
Label - Arts & Crafts
Genre - Indie Rock

Tracks:
"My Sword Hand's Anger"
National Anthem of Nowhere
The Naked & Alone
Haul Away
Cheap Like Sebastien
Rafaga!
Chances Are
A Rent Boy Goes Down
Fast Pony For Victor Jara
Justine, Beckoning
Jimmy Scott is the Answer
NoNoNo

The second album by Andrew Whiteman (frontman and guitarist for Broken Social Scene), National Anthem of Nowhere is such a fantastic record.  I don't know how I stumbled upon this band, probably through Last.fm since it also recommends similar artists to what you are listening to, this was another happy accident.  Becoming very obsessed with this record at the time it was released, especially with Naked & Alone, I instantly fell for this album.  I feel like I speak about albums I like or even love as if they were people I've shared intimate moments with.  With that regard, this is a world-ly type of record because there are a few tracks that are sung in Spanish, which is interesting in itself.  A very easy listening record, I enjoy all that this album has to offer.

Enjoy!

With Much Delight

Two Hundred Twenty-Five

Artist - Sound Team
Album - Marathon
Released - 2005
Label - St. Ives Records
Genre - Indie Rock

Tracks:
A
The Fastest Man Alive
Your Eyes Are Mirrors
Orange Bird
In The Dark No One Can Hear You Sweat
B
Back in Town
Shattered Glass
Afterglow Years
Don't Turn Away

A rarity to find, I thank my friend Brian for sharing this pick.  Sound Team is a local Austin band that I've stumbled upon (through the recommendation through friends) a little too late.  Even though they broke up 5 years ago, it seems to me that that has not been the case.  Maybe because I play their music a lot and still enjoy it, maybe because Matt Oliver and Jordan Johns have now formed another group called TV Torso, who knows?  But what I know is is that this album is amazing.  The Fastest Man Alive, Back In Town and Shattered Glass are probably my favorites on this track.  The possibilities could have been endless for this band, but I think with record label woes and conflicts of interest/personalities, the end was inevitable.  If you ever come across any Sound Team tunes, they are definitely worth a listen.  Let me not forget to mention they are A-OK guys, though I can only speak for one.

Enjoy!

Queen of Pop

Two Hundred Twenty-Four

Artist - Madonna
Album - Like A Virgin
Released - 1984
Label - Sire/Warner Bros.
Genre - Pop

Tracks:
Side One
Material Girl
Angel
Like A Virgin
Over and Over
Love Don't Live Here Anymore
Side Two
Dress You Up
Shoo-Bee-Doo
Pretender
Stay

The second album by Madonna, Like A Virgin, in the notoriety that it has, other than the more popular songs, it was pretty difficult to listen to.  When I thought that, I instantly thought of the music that was around in 1984.  As much as I love the whole pop/disco movement, I did not agree with the rest of the songs.  Material Girl, Like A Virgin and Love Don't Live Here Anymore are possibly the only good songs on this record, of course because these are the songs that made Madonna what she is today (plus her extraordinary open views that she incorporated into her music/appearance).  But when it's all said and done, at the end of the day -- listening to this record in a whole can be pretty painful getting through certain tracks.

Enjoy!