Reboot: Album Of The Week Feature

In the spirit of renewing this blog, I'd like to update one the features that I haven't touch in a LONG time… the Album Of The Week.

I initially started this feature as a way to share what I was listening to and what I thought was good out in the world of the music. I did try to stay current and relevant by only featuring new(ish) albums, but as time wears on I'm finding it harder and harder to find new music that I enjoy. Call that a symptom of age or a symptom of a failing music industry, either one is probably applicable.

I'd like to at least try to re-boot the Album of the Week feature. However, I'll be focusing more on what I'm actually listening to that week whether that be new or old music. I might feature a new rock album one week and the next could be an Mariah Carey's Music Box. Whatever strikes my fancy will be fair game!

You'll be able to join in the fun by listening to the sample clips in the upper left of the main page (or if you're an RSS reader, simply click on through to the blog) helpfully provided by Amazon. If you're feeling the music (or nostalgia) and want to buy it, just click through to Amazon MP3 and if you buy the tracks, I'll get some tiny percentage of a penny added to a pathetically small pile somewhere on my Amazon account that will never actually be used. But it'd be nice of you anyway!

I'll also give my full write up of the album and why I picked it for Album of the Week. Most likely you'll see the post on the weekends or by Monday at the latest, if only so I have time to actually digest any new albums I might throw into the fray. That said, expect a new Album of the Week to be up soon!

Album Of The Week: Dark Night Of The Soul

This week I thought I'd share an album that I actually like as my Album of the Week. It's another new one, which was a bit unintentional, but regardless it is really, really good.

Dark Night Of The Soul is the new collaborative effort spearheaded by Danger Mouse, this time with Sparklehorse. Given that Danger Mouse is the mastermind behind another group that I absolutely love, Gnarls Barkley, it isn't much of a surprise that I'm also digging Dark Night of the Soul, but even though the Gnarls Barkley sound is similar to the Dark Night sound, Dark Night has a definitively Alternative rock feel and sound to it.

Instead of focusing on one vocalist for the whole album, Danger Mouse brought in a few different vocalists to lend a note to each of the tracks on the album which helps to keep each track fresh and interesting. On my first few listen throughs I found myself completely enthralled with the variety of artists involved in this album. I knew each track would offer something different than the last and I was looking forward to each song, but I did not want the song I was listening to end.

For those looking for a pop sound, this is not the album to find it. For those looking for something alternative and rocky, this album likely won't deliver. For those looking for something interesting, unique, and fresh with a hints of different sounds tossed together with a dressing of Danger Mouse, this will satisfy perfectly.

Some tracks to pay attention to: Revenge, Little Girl, Pain (with Iggy Pop!), and Everytime I'm With You. Tracks to avoid: none really. Not every track is perfect, and some sounds are a bit overused, but nothing stood out at me as just plain terrible.

Check out the samples on the left side of the site. If you like 'em, you know the drill. If you hate them… well, you wouldn't be the only one as my husband isn't a big fan either. In any case, I'm digging the album, I hope you do too!

Obsessions Part 1

I'm in a musical rut. To me, music should be enjoyed at all times of the day. I've always got a song playing in my mind if I'm not listening to my iPod and when I'm at home playing games, I'll usually turn down the in-game music so that I can listen to my music. Lately though, I just haven't found any music that truly inspires me. It use to be that I would find an album that I would obsess over and listen to at least once a day, if not more, then branch off from that sound to find more like it or something wholly new. But I haven't been able to find that recently. Well, recently as in about 2 years.

It drives my completely insane that I can't find music that completely enthralls me! Don't get me wrong, I've found artists and albums that I like, but nothing that completely captivates me. So I've decided to follow through on a little exercise and start listing albums that I've loved and obsessed over along with a few of the reasons why I loved it. What will this do? Hopefully, it'll help jog whatever is clogged in my mind and let me get back to enjoying music! So here's my first entry:

Green Day - American Idiot

If you want a solid example of what modern punk should be, Green Day's American Idiot is hands down it. Forget all the others like Good Charlotte and Sum 41 (they were both more pop anyway), Green Day is a real punk band with an honest sense of sound and self-identity.

American Idiot was the rebirth of Green Day, a come back in the truest sense of the word. They had not really disappeared from the mainstream, but they certainly weren't the leading men of Rock when AI released. At the time, we had begun the Iraq war and were mired deep into the Bush presidency and our country was full of anger, angst, confusion, and betrayal. We didn't know who to believe, and anyone that question the obvious authority of our reigning regime were relegated to the idiot corner. The boys in Green Day had something very poignant to say about the whole situation.

The opening track, American Idiot, was a rousing punk anthem that immediately gave voice to everyone that hated where we were as a nation and who was leading us. The song, along with the video, was one of the first public criticisms of Bush's War. It was an immediate hit, rising quickly to the #1 slot on the charts. At the time, Pop and Hip Hop dominated the charts, so it was an even larger achievement for these 90's alt-rockers to burst back on the scene nearly a decade after their first major hit. I was in love again.

The album is built in a more theoretical style. Most albums are really just a collection of tracks without much more thought than "this song is good." Green Day took a different angle, quite possibly an older angle, with American Idiot: they went with a concept album/rock opera. They wanted to tell a story with their album, which is a relic of the '70s rock scene. Very few artists have really been able to pull off the concept album well because they either sacrifice pop-sensibility for artistic vision or the listeners just get confused and move on. Somehow, Green Day crafted a beautiful epic story laid into the foundation of 13 tracks.

Now when I say this was a story, I don't mean in a literal chapter by chapter sense. This was the story of a broken America. The story revolved around the American dream and trying to cope with the fact that that dream is gone for so many people. In the process though, the fellas in Green Day put together 13 amazing tracks, each with it's own story and feel, each easily a radio single. There was no "filler" on this record. Every track was good.

How good? People that didn't like Rock music, much less Punk Rock, were eating up this album (my oldest brother, for example). That was part of the magic of American Idiot though: it wasn't just the music that drew me and others in, it was the emotion. We felt it. We knew the story of the album and of the songs. We knew that we had a voice in this album and that we didn't have to sit back and pretend like everything was OK any longer.

I still listen to American Idiot, I'd say once a week or so. It's an extremely empowering album and very well done music.

Album Of The Week: Jay Brannan's Goddamned

For this week's Album of the Week I decided to reach out to a slightly older album, but certainly one of my favorite recordings I've had the privilege of listening to: Jay Brannan's Goddamned.

I've written about Jay before when I first saw him in concert. Seeing him live is certainly a great experience and seeing him live without any previous exposure to his music was a complete and total surprise in the best possible way. This guy is a true singer/songwriter in many, many senses. I was recently able to see him on stage again here in Chicago, and although the venue (Beat Kitchen) was not the best, it was still an absolute pleasure to see him perform live.

Some things hold true about Jay no matter whether you see him live or listen to his albums, particularly the perfect qualities of his voice. I can't say it any better than I did the first time around:

This is a voice that you don't often hear in the music world. Soft and strong, perfectly pitched with a solid vibrato, and the accuracy of a trumpet with the rhythm of a percussionist. This was a musician on stage, not just a guy with a guitar.

Goddamned was his first effort at a self-produced album. That normally spells amateur and barely passable when it comes to most singer/songwriters, but Jay isn't really your average bloke with a guitar. This guy is a true musician that understands his art. He knows his voice, he knows his ability, and he knows how to allow the song to flow from within him, acting as the vessel to art rather than the patriarchal creator. There's something magical about that as it is a rare quality to find in a musician.

None of this means Jay is anywhere close to Sainthood though. With Goddamned, he explores the underbelly of money-hungry religious leaders, he reveals his promiscuity, and he revels in his many and varied neuroses. And not a moment of it is off-putting, because in every song the listener can relate on some level. We've all had the one-night stand, or the moment when we felt a bit whoreish, or that moment when we impatiently waited by the phone for that boy/girl to call us back even though we know in our heart they aren't going to call. More than just about any other songwriter, Jay finds a way to tap into all of those things in a way that both exposes himself and the listener at the same time, creating a bond that is hard to come by in an album.

Jay is a gay man, and although his songs often explore his life as a gay man, he abhors being called a "gay singer/songwriter." He's been known to delete references to his sexuality from his Wikipedia page. I'm not completely sure why it is important to him to be known as just a plain ol' singer/songwriter when his songs so explicitly handle the queer psyche, but it is important to him so I'll comply: He's a songwriter. That is also gay. And writes mostly gay-themed material, because that is his experience. But he's just a singer/songwriter.

Tracks to pay attention to: Half-Boyfriend, I Want To Be A Housewife, Bowlegged and Starving. Songs to skip: none. They're all really amazing with great production value. Minimalist, but well-done. If you don't own Goddamned, I strongly suggest that you add it to your collection. He has a newer album as well, but I'll cover that another time. For now, go get Goddamned and enjoy the hell out of it!

A.T.W. - Brett Dennen's Hope For The Hopeless

Let me just get this out of the way.  It's been a long time since I wrote up an Album of the Week post.  Partly, it's because I'm a bit lazy at times, partly I've had other priorities, but mostly, the passion I had for music had faded a bit.  That was until Brett Dennen's new album came out.

Hope For The Hopeless is Brett's third outing, and I'm glad to say that it's my favorite so far.  I first stumbled onto Brett last summer when I found his second album So Much More, sometime around the time that I found Ray LaMontagne and was starting to get heavy into the resurfacing folk scene.  Although he is purely a folk artist, Brett's voice (both his physical voice and his lyrical voice) are genuinely unique and beautiful.  He has a style of song crafting that finds a way to slide into your soul, do a little jig, and then set up shack for a couple of days while you whistle his songs incessantly.

With Hope For The Hopeless, Brett took a slightly scary approach for a folk musician: He added a heavier layer of production over his soulful songs.  His past two records have been fairly bare, which suits his voice well.  The more attention on his most unique and endearing feature the better.  But there's something absolutely magical about Hope's added polish that absolutely shoots this record to the top of my favorites list.

The album opens with San Francisco, a track that showcases a lot of what Dennen is: Soulful, poetic, and folky.  The meat of the album, though, starts with the next two tracks.  Make You Crazy, the opening single for this album, is borderline pop with the perfectly catchy hook and quasi-Caribbean-esque rhythms (check out the video at the end of the post).  I'll be honest here and say that I've caught myself belting this one out in the shower over the past few days, even if the subject matter is a bit heavy.  I suppose he was in a deep mood while writing this album though, as the next track, Heaven, delves into religion and a persons quest to find peace.  Don't let that turn you off though, as the track is simply bliss with it's expertly crafted guitar riffs and flowing vocals.  Other stand out tracks: the quite So Far From Me, the plea-ful Ain't Gonna Lose You, the finger-pointing of Who Do You Think You Are, and the quintessential Brett Dennen sound of World Keeps Turning.

In short, I'm highly recommending this album.  It's phenomenal and looks to be one that I still queue up on my iPod years from now.  And be sure to get it from the Amazon MP3 store links on this page.  It's cheaper than the iTunes store, integrates right into your iTunes without you having to do anything, and has a bonus track you won't get from Apple (not to mention the few pennies they throw my way when you buy it through my links).

Brett Dennen - Make You Crazy

Album Of The Week: Buckcherry's All Night Long

Sadly, this week it's my duty to bring you another Album of the Week that just isn't all that great. Why, one might ask, would I bother bringing this to your attention? To which I would answer for the same reason I brought Ed Kowalksihfjnuual's solo album to your attention: because it's so disappointing it makes me sad.

Buckcherry is one of those "love them or hate them" rock bands. They have a bit of Aerosmith flair and a definite penchant for party rock and frat house lyrics. Perfect for singing along with at the bar after you fourth or fifth beer. Or tenth. You know, whichever. If you have no idea who they are, you might remember their hit circa 2000 Lit Up (I've included that in the player on the page as well in case you need a reminder). It's that very same core rock and roll sound that kept me coming back and enjoying their subsequent albums, even though they did not get nearly as much attention. I suppose that is what happens when you take several years off after your first album to rebuild the band, but that's just my idea.

Their newest album, All Night Long, just misses the mark in a lot of places. Sure, it's the same formula as the others: take two pieces of "radio friendly, slightly shocking song," one-two pieces of borderline ballad, and six-eight pieces of fun, upbeat rock and you have an album! But the heart and soul is missing from All Night Long. Mediocre production and slightly tired songwriting really hamper this album, which is really sad because this is just one of those bands that has to actively try to make a boring record.

All that said, it is not utter crap like Alive was. It's still very listenable, although I'm not sure why you'd chose to listen this All Night Long over 15 or Black Butterfly (which I think is a very overlooked album). All Night Long, It's A Party and Oh My Lord are still good tracks though, and it might be worth it to just grab those on their own.

It did worry me a bit when I saw All Night Long announced and realized that it was releasing just about a year after Black Butterfly. Turns out my concern was warranted. Personally, I'm thinking this is just another bump in the road for Buckcherry and they'll recover in a year or two with another actually good album. In the meantime, catch them live if you can and pester them to play some Crazy Bitch.

Buckcherry queer link: apparently the band got their name from a local drag queen named Buck Cherry after they found out their original name, Sparrow, was already copyrighted.

Review: Muse - The Resistance

I have a Tuesday morning ritual. Well, really I have a ritual for every morning, but Tuesday's are really special for me because new music comes out Tuesday mornings. Some weeks there is just utter crap being released, and others there are interesting little gems. I'm also a bit ridiculous because I try not to look and see when my favorites artists are releasing new albums. I like to be surprise on Tuesday morning with 10 or 15 new tracks and the brooding face of whatever rock star it is that week. It's like Christmas in iTunes!

This week I was surprised to see The Resistance, a new release from Muse, the British progressive rock trio that's been steadily rising in popularity here in the states. I originally found Muse at the same time that I found Travis: I was on a tour of England/Scotland/Wales with my college chamber choir. One day when we were in Bathe, I popped into what looked like an indie record store (could've been a chain store for all I know) and asked the clerk her opinion for the two best rocks bands at that moment. She smiled, turned around and grabbed a copy of Travis' The Man Who and Muse's Showbiz. When I was finally able to listen to both cd's I was in love and subsequently ready to move to London so I could stalk both bands simultaneously.

Since then I've been following both bands, and while Travis has popped out a series of consistent albums, Muse has been a bit shakier on their releases with some being spot on rock releases (Showbiz, Absolution) and others being just off (Origins of Symmetry). In my opinion, the new offering, The Resistance, falls into the "off" category, which is just a bit disappointing after Black Holes and Revelations.

Resistance and Undisclosed Desires stand out as good tracks, and the remainder of the tracks are just ok. Truthfully, there's nothing terrible on this album, just very little of anything stellar. For example, the opening track Uprising is completely standard Muse. Soaring vocals, swelling chord progressions, everything we've heard from them before. Oh, and they've decided to fancy themselves as composers now. The boys have tacked on a three-part symphony to the end of The Resistance called Exogenesis, which could have easily been left off and no one would have missed it.

The thing with progressive and ambient rock is that as an artist you have to try really, really hard to not come off as pretentious snobs. The majority of your music already speaks mostly to a niche market, but if you're lucky and/or talented (and Muse is both), you'll be able to pump out a few mainstream-ish tracks per album so that you can sell records and concert seats. But that doesn't save you from the pretentious fate, and neither do "artistic" efforts like rock symphonies. Don't get me wrong here, rock symphonies can be great when done correctly. Just ask the Moody Blues, or hell even Metallica managed to pull off a set with a symphony backdrop, but a crappy symphony is a crappy symphony… but then add to that the trappings of rock and self-involved rockers, and you have probably created an evil cacophony monster.

Overall, The Resistance is a solid offering, just not a up to the standards we know Muse is capable of. The album isn't very cohesive and the "symphony" at the end throws a whole bunch of random into this mix of tracks. This may even be one instance in which I'd condone by single tracks as compared to the full album… maybe.

Only The Newbies Can Top

Call me jaded, call me bitter, call me the sexiest man you've ever encountered… or something close to that. But I've recently taken to getting annoyed with these end of year lists, in particular when it comes to music. I'm a music snob. I have a tendency to like what I like and that's about that. But it's become evident to me that I don't see eye to eye with many editors and reviewers.

Take for example Amazon's Editor's Picks for Top 100 Albums of 2008. The one, and probably only, thing I like about these lists is that I get reminded of a few artists that I still need to check out, but more often I'm reminded that the music industry is overly obsessed with Youth. Gay culture is keen on Youth. The music industry drinks Youth's blood in hopes of staying alive one more day. And I don't mean that they are only targeting young people, I mean that they really only value new artists. Looking at the Top 100, there are only about 20-ish bands/artists that have released more than one album on a major label and/or on a major scale. Out of all of the artists in the world that released new records this year, you mean to tell me that only 20 of the best ones came from veterans? Yeah, I highly doubt that.

New musicians bring new sounds to the market. Sometimes. Most times, it's a variation on a tried and true sound, perfected by an elder artist. Many of the Top 20 on Amazon's list are rehashes of another act, adding just a splash more synth or boring and over-rated Falsetto. A few are ones that I need to check out, like Santagold and Kings of Leon before I can really say much else (truth be told, they sounded decent from the clips, but the others in the top just didn't impress me). I also think labels find it easier to promote a new band, and sales numbers traditionally suggest that an artists first major outing will be their most well-received on the sales floor, but whether that's due to laziness on the label's marketing efforts or actual decline in artistic content is up for debate (ok, who am I kidding, it's usually the damned label's fault).

It just saddens me when really good music goes unnoticed, in particular if goes unnoticed because it's the band third or fourth record. Bands like Unwritten Law and Alanis Morissette released new albums this year, and both were great, but nowhere near the Top 100 according to Amazon. Hell, Ray LaMontagne released his third outing and Brett Dennen his second (still my Album Of The Week… after several weeks…), both amazing efforts, and crap like Duffy hopped onto Amazon's list. It's nice to see a group like Gnarls Barkley get recognition (even if it's at 76), but that's lessened when MGMT grabs a top 10 spot for using an already tired Shoe Gaze sound.

So here's what I say. Grab Alanis' album. Check out Ray LaMontagne. Give Scott Weiland's new solo album a whirl. Hell, give Buckcherry a third chance. But don't just drop these artists by the way side because they're "old news." Their albums have done more to advance music this year than most (not all) of these newbies on Amazon's Top 100, and they've shown that they have some staying power in this apparently Youth-centric industry. New isn't always bad, but honoring new simply because it's new doesn't make much sense if they "old guard" is still putting out better products.

Foxboro Hottubs: Green Day Gives Up The Goods Again!

This was an odd week for me.  I've been listening to a crap ton of Jason Mraz, but in between spats of Jason, I was determined to find a new sound to occupy my time.  What I wasn't aware of was that one of my favorite bands, Green Day, had released a new album!  Well, not actually Green Day, but their new quasi-side project, the Foxboro Hottubs!

Foxboro Hottubs emerged as an attempt by Green Day members to try a slightly different sound.  Try as they might, that's about all they could achieve: a slightly different sound.  In my opinion, that's not a bad thing.  At all.  A good chunk of Green Day's albums remain in regular rotation for my MP3 player, and I still haven't really gotten over the awesomeness that was American Idiot.  But, this isn't exactly the Green Day we all know and love either.

First think you'll notice is the decidedly old-school 50's rock/pop/modern punk fusion.  The production on this record harkens back to the days of the Beach Boys, when a good vinyl record was the top of the line audio recording.  But shortly after the opening riff, you're reminded that this is still Green Day after all, and getting away from Billy Joe's now-ubiquitous vocals and lyrics isn't easy for the group.

The album flows smoothly and delivers some absolutely great pop hits.  The Title Track Stop Drop And Roll starts the record off right with a driving hook and punch.  Stand out tracks include poppy Mother Mary, trippy Red Tide, and punky Sally, although I think the whole album is best taken as one piece.

Foxboro Hottubs definitely delivered a good recording this time out, and I'm excited to see what this new Green Day-infused retro-rock band can do in the future.  For this same reason, I'm naming Foxboro Hottubs Stop Drop And Rol!!!! my album of the week!  The sound is uniquely punk and pop, which if you ask me, is just about the perfect combination... almost better than peanut butter in coffee ice cream... almost.

The Law Gets Unwritten On A New Label

This week's weeks album of the week was a tough struggle.  Honestly, this week saw a good many releases worth noting: Gavin Rossdale's solo album,  a new Disturbed record, Weezer's third self titled release, and a new collection from Aimee Mann.  The bad news is that is a big hit to my wallet.  The good news is that I didn't buy most of them because they didn't really stand out to me at all.

What did stand out to me was a new Self-Titled release from an old favorite band of mine, Unwritten Law, on the fresh new label Interscope.  These guys have been through a crap ton of hand changing over their career, switching labels more often than Hillary changed staffers.  The changed labels so much that when they released a "greatest hits" compilation, they had to re-record all the songs and pay royalties to their various copyright holders just to get out of one of their contracts.  That's hardcore.

Unwritten Law is a slightly new and refreshed sound from the Law.  Compared to some of the harder, faster, punk infused hit factory that was Elva, Unwritten Law is subdued.  That doesn't mean the boys have gone soft, by any stretch.  Rather, they've taken a few moments to learn how to craft a solid, lasting tune, not just a pop-friendly hook. 

The album finds the Law putting out a few more ballads-esque songs than previous efforts (an Unwritten Law ballad is a complete oxymoron), but I think that's a good thing.  I intensely enjoyed tracks like Seein' Red and Save Me, and to hear a few more songs in that same vain is welcomed.  They are some pretty kicking tracks though, so don't be fooled.  These boys are still very SoCal, even if their years in the biz have simmered them a tad bit. 

Check out Unwritten Law's Self-Titled album, it's worth the listen and worth the buy.  Granted, Gavin is way more adorable than these boys, but it seems his wife's hold on him stretches even to his music...

I Want To Be Jay Brannan's House Wife

A little over a week ago, I had the privilege of seeing an up-and-coming singer/songwriter out of New York. I hadn't heard of the guy before, but my good friend David would not stop praising this man and his music. I've admitted before, I'm a bit of a music snob, which is a problem mostly when someone recommends a new artist to me, because my immediate assumption is that it can't be that good if I haven't heard it yet (yeah… I'm working on that part of myself, ok, don't judge me).

David had been planning on see this guy for awhile, and he had asked me a few times to go with him. I admit, I was pretty wishy-washy about the whole deal. I had just moved, and sitting in a concert for a couple hours without ever hearing this guys music seemed like a bore. But come that Monday, I decided that I needed to get out of the house, and I figured the guy couldn't be that bad. So I met up with David later that night and snagged one of the tickets at the door.

I was a bit shocked that the venue was pretty well packed. Again, I had never heard of this guy. But the entire audience was excited to see him perform. People wore shirts bearing lyrics from his songs and people chattered nervously about hopefully meeting him after the show for an autograph. This is the point where I think things started to pick up for me. Even though I wasn't familiar with his music, it seemed he was fairly popular amongst the people that did. And everyone in the audience was pretty gay. What I did know of this guy was that he was a singer/songwriter, so I had to assume some folksy dude with a guitar had to be good for a bunch of gay men to get excited about him.

After the opening act had cleared the stage and the obligatory wait between acts had come to an end, there he was. Jay Brannan strolled casually out to the stage with a simple guitar and a couple bottles of water, sat down, and smiled. I was won over immediately. He began to banter with the audience about nothing in particular, and I felt completely drawn to this man. He had a quirky, self-deprecating, forthcoming attitude that instantly endeared you to him, and a relaxed persona that flirted more with the feminine than most rockers, which allowed the audience to relate to him.

The real magic began when he played his first song though. Even though he was fingering notes on his guitar for a few moments before singing, the soft buzz of excitement still hung over the crowd. Once Jay's voice opened up to the room though, all mouths closed and ears and eyes focused completely on him. This was no ordinary voice. This is a voice that you don't often hear in the music world. Soft and strong, perfectly pitched with a solid vibrato, and the accuracy of a trumpet with the rhythm of a percussionist. This was a musician on stage, not just a guy with a guitar.
Over the next hour and a half, Jay Brannan completely entranced the audience. When the show was over, it was like waking from a dream and immediately reaching for the snooze button. Just five more minutes, and then we'll be ready for the real world again. Sadly, his time on stage was over, and I needed to go home for some much needed sleep. On our way out, we got the pleasure of meeting him and David snapped a pic with him, and we all kind of wanted to lick him.

I don't believe I can speak highly enough of this man and his music. I'll write about his album in a different post, but if you see that he is going to be playing anywhere near you, grab a couple friends and make your way to the show. It'll be worth every penny spent and more. It really isn't often that an artist comes along like Jay Brannan, and I expect we'll hear much more from this songwriter in the years to come.

And just so you get the title reference:

Album Of The Week: Spoon's Transference

It's not like Spoon is a new band or a band that has been completely unknown until recently, but for some reason they slid under my radar. It wasn't until their most recent album Transference was released and a coinciding article in Rolling Stone was penned that I even took notice of the alternative group. After I read the article, I decided to give the samples a try and found the album on sale so I grabbed it and I'm willing to admit that this record was a pleasant surprise, offering some typically alternative sound with some very catchy hooks and clever songwriting.

Transference pulled me in from the very first listen. I was expecting… well, I'm not sure what I was expecting. I was thinking I'd get some interesting songs that could pass the time while at work, but instead I got an engrossing album that found a way to sneak into my head throughout the entire day. I'll find myself singing little snippets of the songs and getting weird looks from people, which turn to even weirder looks when I try to explain what I'm singing.

Spoon isn't really obscure. Metacritic named them the best band of the decade based on their consistently high critical rankings for their albums, and they've been somewhat of an indie darling for the past 12 years or so. But, of course, I'm just finding them. Because I'm hip like that. In any case, Transference has really given me the desire to track down their other offerings and I haven't been disappointed with any of them yet.

As always, there are a few particular songs to pay attention to: Is Love Forever, The Mystery Zone, Trouble Comes Running, and Out Go the Lights. If you had to skip a few tracks (I wouldn't recommend it, but if for some reason you just couldn't listen to it all) I'd pass on: Goodnight Laura, Got Nuffin, and Who Makes Your Money. Give it a listen and let me know what you think.

Jason Mraz Makes Me Wanna Shoop

I've been listening to the new Jason Mraz's new album We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things pretty much non-stop since Tuesday when the record dropped.  I have to say, I'm pretty well enamored by his wonderful voice and overall sound, and I'm completely satisfied with this new effort.

I discovered Jason probably about the time when most of the rest of us did, but when Waiting For My Rocket To Come first came out.  The pure individuality the man has been able to pour into his music hasn't stopped since that first record.  In fact, about the only thing that has changed is production value.  Not that the first album was poorly done, but there is a clear difference in technical quality from then till now.

To say that most artists don't make it past their sophomore album is a bit of an understatement.  That occurs for many reasons, but mostly because they are rushed and pressured to pop out another album by their label so the label can capitalize on the artists success.  Being a short-term minded business model, that usually serves to sell a few more records, but the artistry suffers.  Jason, by either some miracle or because of smart business maneuvering on his part, has been able to circumvent that vicious release cycle. 

We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things is simply phenomenal.  From top to bottom, this is a stellar release.  Every song is carefully crafted and executed to have that unique appeal that only Mr. A-Z has been able to pull off.  I'll admit it, I was a little worried with Mr. A-Z, as there were some songs on there that seemed... different.  But whether that was a fluke or by design, it doesn't matter, but Jason is back full-force with his newest album.

And for that reason, I'm naming We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things the first album of the week!  Check out the samples to the left and grab the mp3's.  Enjoy!

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Album Of The Week – Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie

I’ve decided to try my hand at the video segments again, and in this video you can check out my Album of the Week for this week: Alanis Morissette’s Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie!  It’s a kind of oldie, but definitely a goodie.  Check out the video, check out the samples in the left of the page, and leave some comment love!

Reminder: Alanis' New Album Out Tuesday

So what if I talk about her allot, she's my diva, ok?!  Ya'll get Madonna and Cher and Brittany and whatever chick is hawt at the moment, let me just have my Alanis!

Her new record, Flavors of Entanglement, drops tomorrow and promises to be another lovely helping of Alanis deliciousness!  I'm smelling an Album of The Week!

Check out the video for the first single, Underneath, which I've been completely digging on for the past week in anticipation.  Plus, if you hurry and do the iTunes pre-order, you get a bonus track and discounts on VIP tickets for her upcoming tour!

My Jams: Chris Cornell's Scream

You may or may not have noticed that the Album of the Week has changed to My Jams over on the left side of the page here. That's for two reasons: One, I can't seem to find enough music that I like enough to promote these days; and Two, I'm pretty lazy.

The new update is for Chris Cornell's Scream. I've talked about Scream before and my opinions haven't changed much since then, so be sure to check out my post on the album. It's a pretty addictive one and I think almost everyone will be surprised by how much they like it once they give a wholehearted effort.

Non-Promise Of More Video To Come

Yesterday I posted up a quick video talking about my album of the week. I tried doing video before with mixed results and feelings. The old videos got a couple hits on YouTube and I got some feedback, but my problem with doing video is that while it is a bit easier to just sit down and talk, the rest of it seems to take longer. Editing and what not, even on this amatuer, hobbyist level takes some time, and getting used to the tools that are available to me also takes some time.

But I like the format in general. Probably not for every topic, as I still really enjoy the written word and what I can do as far as revising and editing prior to posting, but for an occasional post here and there… video could work just fine.

You'll likely see more video from me in the future. If anyone has any suggestions on free software to make things easier, I'm always up for suggestions. Right now I have YouCam to do the recording (I hate it, btw) and Windows Live Movie Maker (it's solid, but I miss the built in Movie Maker that came with Vista), but I'm certainly not tied to either program.

Lady Gaga's Speechless Minus Autotune

The girl is crazy for sure, but that might be what I love about her.  Y'all know I'm not much of a pop fan.  Just look at the music I feature, it's almost all rock or folk (except Janet... she's just amazing).  But lately I've grown to really like Lady Gaga and Adam Lambert.

This clip is from her performance on Ellen this last week.  I just love it.  This song on the album is pretty good, but I like it much more without the auto-tune.  She's got a really great voice that I hope they actually feature on her next album.