Archive for the 'bishop allen' Category

BOTM vol 06

Published
by
billy
on April 1, 2008
in best of the month, bishop allen, botm, collections of colonies of bees, cover, death cab for cutie, indie, john mayer, joy formidable, kara keith, lismore, live, mgmt, modest mouse, mp3, music, over the rhine, pete townshend, peter moren, radiohead, rilo kiley, smashing pumpkins and sons and daughters
. 4 Comments

I really could use a new graphic for Best of the Month. I’ll get on that right after I kick my addiction to video games on xbox live. Honestly, it’s been hitting me hard the last week or so. I apologize for the lack of new and brilliant posts, but you need to check out the live tracks I posted last week by Zach Williams. Honestly.

For those of you who are just stumbling by this little blog today let me explain what the BOTM series of posts is. Every month I use my considerable amount of free time {I’m pretty much a good for nothing grown up kid} to scour the web, the albums, the emails, and the blogs for the best thirteen tracks I can find in any one calendar month. Then I put them all together in one simple post and allow you to enjoy them at your leisure. And as a special added bonus I’ve now begun adding my own witty commentary with the tracks. Get excited. If you’d like to check out all the previous volumes you can do that just by clicking here. And now, in the words of Freddie, on with the show.

All the tracks in one zip file : here {zshare = left click}

mp3 : Bishop Allen - Middle Management
I love this track as it just never seems to quit. The lyrics are spit fire, the phrase “the end is coming soon” is chanted a few times, and the music drives along in a jangly bouncy mess of fun from start to finish. I seem to gravitate towards music that sounds as if they’re having a ton of fun making it, and this is just such a track.

for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Collections of Colonies of Bees - Flocks III
There are some songs, like the previous Bishop Allen track, that reach out and grab you on the first note. There are other songs that build and grow. They start slow and morph from one movement to the next in a way that is intense, lackadaisical, fluid, and abrupt. This sprawling eleven minute track is one of the latter. It careens from soundscape to colonial army drumbeats, from fluid guitar work to soaring melodies.

for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Death Cab for Cutie - I Will Possess Your Heart
To be fair my heart is still in the air on this track. I feel as if it’s a legitimate fifty fifty chance that I won’t like their new album {due May 13}. And that’s quite possibly what Gibbard, Walla, and crew were aiming for on this album. They’ve offered many a disclaimer stating that this album won’t be for everyone and quite possibly will alienate a large portion of their fan base. The truth is that this track just isn’t enough to decide yet how the rest of the album will fare.

for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : John Mayer - Kid A (Radiohead Cover)
I really don’t like John Mayer all that much. His guitar work is amazing, his jazz trio was inventive and original, and his talent as a musician is pretty much on par with any contemporary guitar player out there today. On the other hand his lyrics are abysmal. Always. That’s why I can boldly state my love for his cover of one of the best lyricists out there, that being Thom Yorke and his pals that some people refer to as Radiohead. Kudos to you Mr. Mayer for choosing a great song to cover.

for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Kara Keith - Kick This City
I got this track in an email {one that I actually read apparently} and I loved the smooth and smoky vocals that Kara features on this track. The music is comparable to a lot of indie rock/pop that’s been floating around festivals and EP’s lately and it’s executed very well. It serves as a perfect jaunting backdrop to her subdued vocals.

for more : myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Lismore - 1979 (Smashing Pumpkins Cover)
This was easily one of my favorite tracks ever layed down by Chicago based Smashing Pumpkins and I was a little leery upon hearing a cover of it. It’s not every day that a band can take a song and pay adequate homage to the song’s heritage {witness the total destruction of Landslide by the Dixie Chicks}. I must say that Lismore did a great job at both recreating 1979 while still honoring where the song originally came from. It’s just a great cover.

for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Mgmt - Time To Pretend
It seems as if my BOTM this time around is filled with slightly melancholic indie rock songs. I love this track for the verse that talks about missing, quite literally, everything in the world. Unfortunately there’s nothing Mgmt can figure to do about this situation. Fortunately for us, if all else fails, we can simply put this song on repeat and let them sing us to sleep.

for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Modest Mouse - Fly Trapped In a Jar
This song appeared as the second single to Modest Mouse’s latest album We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank and I think it’s a good example of the dichotomy of the band. On one hand they can be wildly and infectiously melodic {see Float On} and on the other hand their music can be filled with harsh, even grating, dischord, guitar work, and flat out screamed lyrics. The great thing about Isaac Brock and company is that no matter which way they’re swinging it’s all excellent.

for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Over the Rhine - If a Song Could Be President
I’ve been a closet fan of Over the Rhine ever since a college roomie of mine turned me onto this husband wife duo out of Ohio. Although I’m not a huge fan of the overt country style tones available on this track it’s always fun to hear a new song by a band that you really enjoy. And seeing as how overly dramatic the coverage of the presidential primaries are in the States right now this track only seemed appropriate.

for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Peter Moren - Social Competence
I never was a huge fan of Peter’s other group {Peter Bjorn & John} for various and sundry reasons. I guess it just boiled down to the fact that I just wasn’t that into them. But here it’s just Mr. Moren on his own {with some almost whimsical hand claps} and it’s a whole new beast for my heart to love. I dig it.

for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Rilo Kiley - Let My Love Open The Door (Pete Townshend Cover)
Rilo Kiley was the first band featuring mainly female vocals that I genuinely liked listening to. I remember that moment clearly. To hear them cover a Pete Townshend classic is, well, classic. Although it’s a live track and it takes a bit to actually get started it’s worth every wonderful second. And who would’ve thought that ukelele would be perfect on a Pete Townshend song?

for more : site myspace amazaonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Sons and Daughters - Johnny Cash
I’m a huge fan of the Man in Black and consequently this track title caught my eye. Fortunately the song kept my attention from start to end as a title is only clever enough to keep me stationary for about seventeen seconds. What you’ll find here is a healthy dose of southern rock with a salting of driving rockabilly. And to be honest, it just wouldn’t be a song called Johnny Cash without a nice baritone voice singing over the brooding music.

for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : The Joy Formidable - Cradle
I posted about this new band just a few days ago {you can read that post here} and I must say that their music has the infectious staying power that all musicians strive for. Well at least all musicians who wish to be loved by their fans. Although this track by The Joy Formidable is easily the one most likely to be overplayed on popular radio it’s also the one that you will be begging to hear again and again. Yes, it is that good.

for more : myspace

That wraps up the sixth volume of Best of the Month. I really can’t believe it’s been going on this long. Quite a lot of fun this little adventure has been. As always, enjoy the music.

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The Best Albums of 2007

Published
by
billy
on December 29, 2007
in 2007, arcade fire, band of horses, beirut, best albums of 2007, best of the year, bishop allen, boty, cloud cult, foo fighters, indie, mp3, music, radiohead, rock, sea wolf, sigur ros and weakerthans
. 1 Comment

At long last here are my top ten albums released during the past twelve months. Download all the tracks and play them loud, support the artist by buying their albums, merchandise, or concert tickets, and most of all continue to enjoy great music. This list was ridiculously hard to create due to the amount of talent in the musical realm, but, these are the albums that I was most excited about in 2007. {note : in the list below the artist name links to their website, the album title links to the album on amazon, and the iTunes link will open iTunes to the appropriate information}

All the tracks in one zip file : here {zshare = left click}


01 : Cloud Cult - The Meaning of 8 (iTunes)

Easily the most cathartic album I’ve ever heard the general storyline of this album chronicles the path frontman Craig Minowa took while coming to terms with the death of his son. Most of the tracks on this album have to do with what little Kaidin’s life would have been like {he would’ve turned eight this year} or how he inspired his father and those he met with the joy of life. It was a very close call between Cloud Cult and The Weakerthans for album of the year, but this band from Minneapolis pulled it out in the end. From beginning to end there is not a single note that I would change about The Meaning of 8.

mp3 : Cloud Cult - Take Your Medicine
mp3 : Cloud Cult - Your 8th Birthday
mp3 : Cloud Cult - Purpose


02 : The Weakerthans - Reunion Tour (iTunes)

Second place, and by a very slim margin, goes to one of my favorite bands of all time, The Weakerthans. Coming a full four years after their previous effort, this studio album had a lot of fans wondering if rust and age would tamper with the signature lyrical and melodic brilliance of The Weakerthans. All fears were laid to rest after one listen, though, with the only complaint being it clocks in under forty minutes. John Samson tells these wonderful vignettes about empty rooms, curling tournaments, and runaway cats that are filled with a sense of forlorn truth. Something in this album rings true on every listen. If you’ve never heard The Weakerthans their newest disc is easily a wonderful starting point.

mp3 : The Weakerthans - Tournament of Hearts
mp3 : The Weakerthans - Virtue the Cat Explains Her Departure
mp3 : The Weakerthans - Sun in an Empty Room


03 : Radiohead - In Rainbows

Not much else could be written or said about this album other than what has already been said. Radiohead tops many of the best of lists across various publications and blogs. They released their album completely on their own, with their own website, and charged nothing for the music if that’s what you chose to pay. They bucked convention with this release, just as they’ve continually created new and innovative sounds on each of their albums. This, their seventh studio album and first in four years, is an amazing musical achievement even without the marketing {or lack thereof} hype.

mp3 : Radiohead - Reckoner
mp3 : Radiohead - Videotape


04 : Arcade Fire - Neon Bible (iTunes)

Although many a rabid fan and critic balked at the slightly new direction Arcade Fire went on their sophomore effort I challenge you to find another band that made this interesting, layered, and talented a second studio album. Moving away from stories involving apocalypse and funerals this album instead finds its voice in a social commentary of sorts {which is perfect when you’re influenced by Bruce Springsteen}. I thought this album was a perfect follow up to Funeral. Yes, it is different, but so are we.

mp3 : Arcade Fire - (Antichrist Television Blues)
mp3 : Arcade Fire - Intervention


05 : Bishop Allen - The Broken String (iTunes)

Throughout 2006 Bishop Allen, which is a collaborative effort between Justin Rice, Christian Rudder, and various backing musicians, released twelve EP’s; one for each month. It was with much anticipation, then, that I awaited their first proper studio full length this past July. And Bishop Allen did not disappoint with The Broken String. From start to end the storytelling, the music, the melodies, and the undeniable fun of the album had me playing it for anyone who would listen. Over five months later it still amazes me that this amount of quality music was put on one album.

mp3 : Bishop Allen - The Monitor
mp3 : Bishop Allen - The Chinatown Bus


06 : Foo Figthers - Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace (iTunes)

Foo Fighters released their most mature and grounded album to date while finding a way to showcase Dave Grohl’s massive talent without the use of a sprawling double album. From start to finish this album shows the diversity of the entire Foo Fighter’s cannon while always keeping you on the edge of your seat, anticipating what song is coming next. From a pure rock anthem like Come Alive, to the bombast of The Pretender, down to the the ecstasy found on The Ballad of Beaconsfield Miners, there is no stone left unturned on this, the best rock album of the year.

mp3 : Foo Figthers - The Ballad of the Beaconsfield Miners
mp3 : Foo Fighters - Come Alive


07 : Sigur Ros - Hvarf/Heim (iTunes)

Sigur Ros is easily my favorite band that I cannot seem to describe to others. Or for that matter get other people to listen to. They’re a band out of the great land of Iceland and lead singer Jonsi sings in one of the most beautiful falsetto voices I’ve ever heard. If the angels from on high sang in Icelandic then this is what the music backing them would sound like. This release was a double album with the disc labelled Hvarf containing studio versions of previously unreleased tracks and the disc called Heim containing acoustic versions of previous favorites.

mp3 : Sigur Ros - Heysatan
mp3 : Sigur Ros - Staralfur


08 : Beirut - The Flying Club Cup (iTunes)

Originally scoring much higher in my list Beirut fell to number eight after repeated listenings. Although this album didn’t have the staying power I thought it would have it still is a solid effort from Zach Condon throughout the mix as he brings his particular ecclectic/gypsy/folk/balkan style of music and makes it a true edition to the great new American Folk wave. There’s something in his music that cannot be found anywhere else. Due most likely to his extensive traveling throughout eastern Europe during his developmental years and the fact that a wrist injury keeps him from playing the guitar properly.

mp3 : Beirut - Guyamas Sonora


09 : Band of Horses - Cease to Begin (iTunes)

The critics who hated and/or panned this album when it was released have almost nothing in common with me. I, for one, cannot fathom what they were looking for in the second studio album from Band of Horses. Cease to Begin showcases a sound and style that are uniquely theirs; from the driving guitar rhythms to the unique crooning style of frontman Ben Bridwell. I thought this album was solid from start to finish with the inclusion of a few incredible tracks like Island on the Coast and Is There A Ghost. Band of Horses is one of the best bands in the past couple of years and I’ve been excited about their music since their first release.

mp3 : Band of Horses - Island on the Coast


10 : Sea Wolf - Leaves in the River (iTunes)

Rounding out the top ten albums of 2007 is this little gem by Sea Wolf. This band is the brainchild of Alex Brown Church, who formerly played with the band Irving, and he incorporates a variety of devices and sounds to tell his stories. Although at times the record can sound like a smooth amalgamation of various sources, in the end it is a blissful thirty five minute mosey through Alex’s life, music, and stories.

mp3 : Sea Wolf - Leaves In The River

Download all the tracks in one zip file : here {zshare = left click}

And there you have it. In my humble opinion those were the best albums of 2007. Other noteworthy albums that didn’t quite make the top ten include In Our Bedroom After The War by Stars, Wednesdays by Wakey!Wakey!, From Here We Go Sublime by The Field, Sawdust by The Killers, Magic by Bruce Springsteen, B Sides Live by Zach Williams, Graduation by Kanye West, and We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank by Modest Mouse. As talented and wonderful as this past year has been I’m looking forward to 2008 when there will be new albums by my favorites Sufjan Stevens, Cloud Cult, the Magnetic Fields, the Postal Service, and Weezer.

For those of you who just found my blog take a minute a peruse other posts here at The World Forgot. I hope you enjoyed yourself this year, 2008 is sure to bring something amazing to everyone.

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BOTM vol 01

Published
by
billy
on November 1, 2007
in arcade fire, best of the month, bishop allen, botm, bright eyes, cover, feist, jeff tweedy, mix, mp3, nada surf, radiohead, remix and sufjan stevens
. 8 Comments

I did this style of mix a couple of times in the past but now they’ll hopefully become a regular part of the lineup here on The World Forgot. So welcome to the first of many Best of the Month compilations. Basically I do a lot of random reading, listening, searching, finding, digesting, etc. of all the music that I can possibly get my hands on. And let’s be honest, I probably have a bit more free time than you do. Judging from the fact that I’m writing this extensive explanation and you’re simply skimming through it looking for the mp3 links I would say that’s a fair assessment of our relative free time to work time ratios. But in this case when I win, with more free time than you suckas, you end up winning with more good music.

Here listed below are tunes I randomly sampled and loved from across the interwebs this past great month of October. By no means is it a conclusive list of who’s who and what’s what, but it is a small smattering of great music that you might have missed as you carried on with your fascinatingly involved thing some people call a “real life.” Seeing as how I haven’t had one of those since I graduated from college and failed to find a “real job” I guess it’s only fair.

As with all future BOTM volumes I recommend each and every track listed here below. They’re all worth a moment of your time. Cheers, and enjoy the first volume of BOTM.

mp3 : Arcade Fire - Poupee de Cire, Poupee de Son (Serge Gainsbourg Cover)
mp3 : Bishop Allen - You Ain’t No Picaso
mp3 : Bright Eyes - Southern State
mp3 : Feist - Mushaboom (Postal Service Remix)
mp3 : Jeff Tweedy - Simple Twist of Fate
mp3 : Nada Surf - See These Bones
mp3 : Radiohead - Faithless the Wonder Boy
mp3 : Sufjan Stevens - Ring My Bells

Is it just me or does Jeff Tweedy sound like a young Bob Dylan on this track. And I might be reaching here but this Radiohead track I swear would fit in perfect as a b-side for Weezer’s Pinkerton. Maybe I’m crazy, you be the judge. And for once can Nada Surf make an entire album that lives up to their full potential for a full length? Please.

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EA Mix vol 7 - Oh, Where Have We Gone

Published
by
admin
on November 1, 2006
in akron family, alela diane, ben folds, bishop allen, blid boys of alabama, decemberists, ea mix, hidden cameras, joseph arthur, mix, mp3, music, now it's overhead, old 97's, sufjan stevens, tori amos and zach williams
. 2 Comments


01 : Joseph Arthur - Can’t Exist (Live) : Joseph Arthur is one of the best ten artists who will never be famous. He’s smooth, many of his songs are instant classics, and the man creates some of the weirdest paintings I’ve ever seen in my life. This is a gorgeous track and to hear it stripped down and live is amazing. I would love to see one of his shows.

02 : Akron/Family - Gone Beyond : I’m still not sure what to think of this band. Are they nu-folk? Are the easy listening? Do their songs even make sense to the band? I’m not sure if this one track can answer these question, but it’s a great start to the Akron/Family sound.

03 : Ben Folds - Still : Ben Folds will always be a musical genius in my book. I mean let’s be honest, the man takes even Elton John and improves upon it. About a year ago Ben set down to do something, musically, he had not attempted before. And that was to make the soundtrack for the film Over the Hedge. There are a couple of great songs off of that soundtrack but this one stands out with the classic Ben Folds sound.

04 : Tori Amos - A Sorta Fairytale : In the past I haven’t been the biggest fan of Tori. And I’m not really sure why. There are just some artists that always get associated with a sound that you don’t like. And for too long I think I was lumping Tori Amos in with Fiona Apple, whom I rather dislike. But all those years of ignorance are now washed away with this gorgeous and melancholic ballad. Kudos to my friend Cole for introducing me to this song.

05 : Bishop Allen - Like Castanets : There is a certain quality about this song that is inescapable. Something inside of me craves more music like this. Music that is light, fun, interesting, and ultimately builds upon itself with harmonies, layered instruments, and clever lyrical twists. If I had to quantify Bishop Allen I would place him halfway between Sufjan and Beirut with a light Mediterranean quality to his sound.

06 : Now It’s Overhead - Let Up : Years ago I came up with a classification of people that could best be described as “brooding romantics.” They weren’t hopeless, they weren’t carried away, they believed in true love yet they realized that the odds were stacked against them ever finding it. And now I have found the iconic group to sing their emotions to the world. Simply gorgeous music.

07 : The Hidden Cameras - The Waning Moon : It seems like one ‘out-there’ band somehow makes it onto every mix I make. In the past it’s been bands like Applejack or Wolf Mother and on this slice of nirvana it’s The Hidden Cameras. Maybe I lump all of these bands together because of their excessive use of layered vocals or toy instruments, but whatever. It’s a good song, and it’s nice to take a lighter turn, in both sound and lyrics, after the broodiness of Now It’s Overhead.

08 : Old 97’s - Question : I love this song. It’s a wonderful little story and they explain so much with so few words. It’s really what’s left unsaid in this song that makes you think. And I enjoy that quality of the Old 97’s. [crap, now i'm back to hopelessly romanticising everything]

09 : Alela Diane - Pieces of String : At one point in this song the lyrics read “I’d have a choir of little children sing along.” And during that line there is literally a choir of little children backing up Ms. Diane. And as amazing as that is, mind boggling really, the rest of the song is heartbreaking and thought provoking. It’s subdued and sets the perfect mood for a looking out your window into the rain.

10 : The Decembersists - The Crane Wife 3 : Alright, I’m finally giving in to the hype surrounding this album. Apparently it’s the bee’s knees my friends. And I’ll admit that it is good. But I will not go ahead and give it best album of 2006 just yet. What about Josh Ritter, the Killers, Robyn Hitchcock, or Ray LaMontague? Yeah, I can’t just go handing out best of the year before this year is finally come to an end. All that being said, this is a superb song.

11 : Zach Williams - Maybes : Zach continues to amaze me. And he’s been amazing some of my friends out in NYC lately as well. Apparently the man puts on an incredible and personable show. If anyone has the chance to catch him live please please please make an effort to get out and see him. He continues to impress with the offerings on his myspace page and mark my words, Zach will be huge.

12 : The Blind Boys of Alabama - I Shall Not Walk Alone : I’m not Catholic, nor will I ever be, but there’s something about the imagery of Mother Mary that is so righteously comforting. Whether it’s the Beatles or the Blind Boys singing about her, songs with Mary in them always seem to bring comfort and hope to my heart. I needed this song during the past two weeks and I’m glad to be able to share it with you now.

13 : Sufjan Stevens - Sister Winter : Sufjan is going to dominate Christmas on his way to taking over each and every one of the fifty states. It’s hard to believe that music this poetic and this wonderful [written largely with Christmas and winter in mind] has sprung from the heart of someone who used to hate Christmas music, especially carols. This November watch for Sufjan to drop a 5 EP box set with around 50 selections, some originals like ’sister winter’ here and some reworkings of old classics. This man is brilliant. [and this song proves it]

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