Emma Pollock

I think that we can all acknowledge that very few artists make albums anymore. It's more about the one catchy song that everyone will download or Apple will use for their iPod commercial. As a former musician, I do not begrudge this stance - musicians need to eat! As a fan, I miss the days of going on a journey with the artist. I'm not talking concept records (which I mostly despise) but simply an album which you know the songs were meant to be played together to get the big picture. It could be for thematic reasons or simply the mood of the music. Whatever the case may be, you knew that out of context the songs would take on different meaning BUT in context you would be rewarded with a greater understanding.

It's no great surprise that Emma has released an actual album... The Delgados were masters of the album. Emma's first solo record was good but I never felt strongly that it was an album. I saw her live a few times in support of the record and was happy to see her winning over the audience night after night. Live the songs really got a chance to come to life. I was excited to see her back at home on Chemikal Underground with this release and admittedly that fact alone gave me great hope that this would be more of a return to form for her. Obviously, I feel as if it is.

It's difficult for me to pick one song to represent what I feel is an album. I Could Be A Saint is one of the songs where the Emma Pollock songwriting style is in full effect. In other words, a good introduction for those of you who maybe haven't heard her, and something for those of you who know her to see that while she continues to grow she's still recognizable to us who have been longtime fans. The Law of Large Numbers is released in the U.S. today, March 2. Already available in the U.K. If you still believe in the album I recommend this to you. I hate to lecture but Chemikal Underground is an independent label and should be rewarded for carrying on and consistently releasing great material - don't be an ass and download this record for free.

Dum Dum Girls

I don't think I'll surprise anyone by stating that I've been sort of unexcited about most of the music that's been coming out for the past few years. I fully admit that this has caused me to write stuff off on the basis of one or two songs. Even worse, it's caused me to discount some things just based on the hype. The Dum Dum Girls fall into that category completely.

At x-mas time I downloaded the Crocodiles & Dum Dum Girls track and was super into it. Thought that perhaps the time had come to give them a shot. Shortly after that Jail La La became available and I grabbed it. Based on those two songs I have to say that I'm pretty excited to hear the full length coming out on Sub Pop March 30. I'm a sucker for the pop, what can I say?

Red House Painters

I got into the Red House Painters while working in a record store in the mid 90s. I actually found the live performances to be where the band really shined. The first time I heard Mark fill a room with his voice off mic I was blown away. The recordings are a bit much for me. I was never a huge fan (I think it's clear that I generally like more concise pop songs) but over the past few months I've been obsessed with this version of Smokey. It's the demo version taken from the Shanti Project Collection benefit cd. Just a simple solo acoustic version with some very slightly altered lyrics.

My best friend in the entire world is a huge fan. She loves sad bastard music even more than me. I think the Painters qualify as the saddest of sad bastard music out there. I can't tell you how many nights we drove around getting thoroughly depressed listening to this stuff. Yet those are some of my fondest memories. That's how life works, my friends.

The Great Danes

The Great Danes is a solo project from One Happy Island member Rebecca. She writes some of the most charming pop songs I've heard in ages! When she sent me some songs I was thrilled and have been meaning to ask her if I could post one. As you may note, time has gotten away from me here... Anyway, I'm here now!

Milling is a catchy little pop ditty that takes often hijacks my brain. As the song builds so do perfectly nuanced little layers of instrumentation. Her voice is maybe my favorite part of it all. This girl has the perfect indie pop voice! I look forward to hearing more of the recordings and if Rebecca ever wants to take it live I hope to talk my way onto the drum throne!

(I promised that I would put in a disclaimer that this is a very rough recording. However, I don't think the disclaimer is necessary! The recording is just another charming aspect...)

Darlene Love

I'm not a fan of x-mas particularly. I especially hate being aurally assaulted over and over by Jose Feliciano's version of "Feliz Navidad" which seems to be the most popular x-mas song played in NYC. I'm not even sure I had ever heard his version before moving here. There is one x-mas song that I never tire of though. I just spent a few minutes thinking about why I love Christmas (Baby Please Come Home), aside from the fact that it's just fantastic, of course. Rather predictably I've come to the conclusion that I love it because it's sad. X-mas makes me sad so it's unsurprising that I like melancholy x-mas songs.

I will say that if you live in NYC I cannot recommend enough taking the M7 up from 6th Ave and 15th Street up to 72nd and Amsterdam. Even the scroogiest of scrooges (yours truly) felt in the x-mas spirit while doing so last weekend. You go by Macy's at Herald Square (Miracle on 34th Street, people) and Rockefeller Center. Trees on the street are lighted. Many businesses have big decorated trees out. Even I can recognize that x-mas time here is a pretty magical affair.

The Kinks

While on the subway yesterday my iPod shuffled to The Kinks and I was immediately put into a better mood when the distorted chords of All Day and All of the Night were ringing out into my ears. It occurred to me that this may be one of the best love songs ever written. It seems that most bands feel that to write a love song they have to slow down the tempo, get rid of the distortion, and be really sensitive and emotional. No. This song proves otherwise. Yes, we get that he wants to bone his lady. We also get that the only time he feels good is when he's with her and he believes that they'll last forever. It's actually kind of perfect. Romantic love can't exist without sexual attraction, can it? Not in my world! The dirtiness of the guitar with the nasty distortion only enhances the message of the song. You feel the sexual tension bubbling under the surface... it's just brilliant song crafting! I think that it's easy to forget how great some of the songs from the 60s are because we've heard them so many times. It was a nice 2 and a half minutes spent focusing on this song yesterday.

Let It Be Me

I wonder how many songs get their own wikipedia page? The song Let It Be Me has quite a history that I only learned of fairly recently. The internet is magical in that way! My own history with the song is simple - my mom had a cassette tape in her car that had the version I'm posting on it. I must have heard the Everly Brothers singing it and probably the Elvis rendition as well while growing up but I have no recollection of this. It was as a twenty-something that I first remember hearing it, not just hearing it but becoming obsessed with it. A few years back I thought of this song and did a search on iTunes for it. This version was not available. I ended up with the live version done by Elvis which was okay but I really felt like it was missing the emotion behind this cover. In fact, all of the other versions that I listened to were missing something for me. So I kept searching for this particular release. Since I only recently found it and am overjoyed I decided to share my joy with you! This is the Betty Everett and Jerry Butler version of Let It Be Me - in my opinion, the definitive version.

The Feelies

Over the last year and a half I happened to see The Feelies twice - once opening for Sonic Youth (way back on the 4th of July in 2008) and again opening for Yo La Tengo on New Years Eve. They've been getting the reissue treatment and rightfully so! I love many of their songs but lately this one has been hitting me in all the right places. While maybe not as interesting or exciting as some of their songs I think it's a straightforward enough song for even the casual listener to attach themselves to. Especially if said casual listener is feeling a little down...
It's Only Life

Ribbons

This post will only be meaningful to one other person on the planet but that's ok.

It's Bastille Day today. There was an uprising of emotions in a person on this day 4 years ago. Their emotions almost killed them. It was a coincidence that it happened on the French holiday. Though, in retrospect, seems fitting. I didn't know this little tidbit until a couple of days ago when it came through a text message. I didn't know about this song until just a bit ago. It all coalesces. Sometimes you owe people more than you'll ever be able to repay. Sometimes you have to let that go because the weight of that will do you in. The best is when you can let that go and find your way back to the beginning.

Ribbons are currently on tour across the U.S. right now. Check out their myspace page for dates.

Lord Cut Glass

On June 23 the debut album from former Delgado Alun Woodward (under the Lord Cut Glass moniker) will be released. I've been waiting for years for this date and can't believe that it is almost here! Look After Your Wife is the first single from the album. It may seem like an odd choice for the uninitiated but I think it's perfect. Enjoy!

In other news, this will quite possibly be my last post here for awhile. I've become overwhelmed by real life which you may have suspected due to the lack of regular posting. I've decided to do an easier blog - easier because I can write it while on the subway. I present to you i haiku, do you?