Summer 2014 Pick of the Season: Nickel Creek - "A Dotted Line"

Nickel Creek - A Dotted Line

This was unfortunately my first experience with Nickel Creek. I'm not sure what kind of rock I was hiding under but the group has been around for over 20 years. Fortunately for me Jimmy Fallon present the stage for the rock to be removed on his April 1st show episode. It was an amazing performance. A great song that was sung with enough conviction to really engage even the TV viewer. Throw on top of that some solid musicianship and even better harmonies. My understanding was that they were a bluegrass band which had never interested me prior to this performance, but I got sucked in. From what I can tell it seems to be a departure from their previous albums (too broke at the moment to check out their previous work :-) ). The album has much more of an alternative/rock influence that what I had guessed coming in.  The basis of the ensemble is still the trio of mandolin/violin/guitar, but a bassist also joins them throughout the album as well as other instruments, namely percussion.

The album is unfortunately only ten tracks but they are a great ten tracks. It's not hard to believe the group has been around for a while as each track seems to make the most of what they are trying to accomplish. For instance, I often find myself adding my own harmonies to different songs/groups just because you kind of feel that it's more or less not complete. Not so for this album, it's well developed, creative, and produced just right. It has a seemingly intuitive flow to the album knowing when to pick up the pace and when to slow it down and utilizing the best instrumentation and effects to maximize each moment. 

Needless to say I've thoroughly enjoyed the album. It's an easy listen and has a wide appeal to a great deal of people. You don't need to be a fan of bluegrass to engage and indulge. I'd like link you to the that performance I mentioned, but I'm unable to find it. That being said, the below video will have to do and here is link to the album in iTunes. Take a listen and let me know what you think.

Willis Earl Beal - Nobody Knows (E)

Mr. Beal really has an amazing back story (which he hates), I don't have the space to get into it all here but you can get more info about where he's come from the Guardian. The highlights: joined the Army at 22, dishonorably discharged by 23, worked various odd jobs in Chicago and Albuquerque while struggling to stay afloat including a homeless stint in New Mexico.  He would leave his own handmade flyers about his music around town in attempts to get his music heard. Eventually, a friend posted three of his tracks on a website where they were discovered by a music writer and the rest is history, or so they say.

His music is likened to blues crooners the likes of Tom Waits, Scott Walker, and Cat Power (who makes an appearance on the track "Coming Through").  At times his voice is rough and desperate almost begging and pleading for help.  Other times the edginess of his voice becomes a monster threatening everyone listening. It's this juxtaposition that seems to paint the portrait of who Willis Earl Beal has been over the course of his life whether he likes it nor not.

Nobody Knows is startlingly frail, exposed, and honest. The opening track "Wavering Lines" begins with just Beal's vocals it's not until two minutes into the track that a pad of strings subtly enters.  It's a stark contrast to what most people will expect from an opening track and it serves as an invitation to catch a glimpse of his life as told by the music over the course of the album. The second track, the aforementioned "Coming Through" is a needed reprieve from the forced intimacy of the first track as the beat picks up and as mud of a feel good vibe as you're going to get from Willis Earl Beal is established.

The two tracks that stand out the most to me were "Too Dry to Cry" and "Ain't Got No Love". The first of the two tracks is yet another showcase of his ability to utilize stark instrumentation and still be incredibly effective. The twangy simple guitar line puts you on the porch of a house just off of a dirt road in the deep south. As the song builds and you delve deeper into his psyche the setting shifts to a considerably darker place. His own vulnerability and self-exposure can just as easily leave you feeling exposed. The later song, "Ain't Got No Love" has a more complex build, but just as quickly gives you glimpses of the dark places and experiences Beal has experienced. As the title of the song implies there is no love to be had here, and he's fine with that. It's his life and he's not asking for help. He doesn't care what other people think. He'll take it as it comes and keep to himself. Life is what it is.

This album won't be for everyone but it does have merit. Very rarely do we come across someone whose been through the kind of struggles Mr. Beal has and have them conveyed in such a way that gives an accurate (at least it feels that way) and visceral depiction of what it might be to have lived in his shoes. It's not always fun trip to take, but it does have its startlingly moments of realization that make it worth it. Get it here.


Broken Bells - After the Disco 

After the Disco is a result of the collaboration of The Shins frontman James Mercer and producer/DJ Danger Mouse (aka Brian Burton) and follow up their debut self-titled album, Broken Bells. The first album was well received, albeit I was a tad bit let down. I'm a huge fan of the work that they had done previously in previous projects. The Shins were seemingly a guiding force for me during certain parts of my collegiate experience and Danger Mouse's exploits include Gnarles Barkley, the Gorrillaz album Demon Dayz, Beck's Modern Guilt, and much more. Again, the first album was a good album, it just didn't blow me away as I was hoping it would. It did offer a new sound for the two of them though. If you have a chance to hear Danger Mouse's other work you'll start to get a flavor for what he brings to his collaborations and when you factor in James Mercer the result was definitely a new creation for the two of them, but not one you couldn't see coming. (That's easy to say in retrospect.) Basically, you get the idea that Broken Bells was the duo feeling each other out and After the Disco is a result of a more shared picture or idea.

After the Disco doesn't punch you in the gut or anything but one gets the impression that it is a more complete picture of the duos vision. The album is well constructed with a really nice flow and you get the impression that they both started to really open up to each other the work that they wanted to do, there is less holding back on their parts. James Mercer is much more direct with his lyrics, something your not used to if you're familiar with The Shins, and Danger Mouse brings a litany of loops and tracks that balance and blend the lyrics extremely well. The album, while not providing a ton of variety, still offers quite a bit of contrast knowing when to slow down and speed up on an album is ever so critical and really quite difficult. Not only this, but they also play a nice contrast in the sounds/instrumentations they use over the course of the 11 tracks.

As you listen through the album you'll likely find as I did that it goes by all to quickly.  Part of this is due to the fact that it is only 46 minutes, but it is also an engaging 46 minutes, even if your attention is 100% devoted to the listening. It's a very accessible album and really enjoyable to engage.  Here's a link to the album on iTunes.

Catching Up

Gungor - I Am Mountain 

Gungor has been one of the few Christian bands that I will listen to on a regular basis. (As a disclaimer, when I say Christian I'm implying that their lyrics are inherently Christian, not just the faith of the members.) They aren't your stereotypical four chords CCM that has plagued the Christian music scene for years.  They're talented, very talented in fact, well produced, and challenging. Let's look at a little bit of background on the band first.

Gungor is led by Michael Gungor, a multi-instrumentalist and vocalist. It is his talent and vision that are the driving force behind the group. In various interviews he has described Gungor as a music collective, that is to imply that it is more so a community of musicians pooling their ideas together to form the band and its music. This may be true, but as I mentioned, Michael's behind the wheel. One of the members of the collective is his wife, Lisa, who plays various instruments and shares the vocal responsibilities. Together they are the worship leaders for a church in Colorado.

While they've been around for some time, Gungor's breakthrough album was Beautiful Things, released in 2010. They had a few singles on this album that were especially popular in worship services, most notably the title track, "Beautiful Things". They followed that one with a concept album, "Ghosts Upon the Earth". The name for the album was taken from a C.S. Lewis book, The Great Divorce, and makes reference to our time on Earth being passing and brief. The concept of the album is the creation, fall, redemption, restoration narrative that is ever present in the Christian realm. An excellent album, one that I didn't think they'd be able to top until I heard, I Am Mountain. They released another album, A Creation Liturgy, in 2012, but I have to admit I haven't listened to it yet.

I Am Mountain is a bit of a different sound than anything Gungor had produced before. In their previous albums Beautiful Things and A Creation Liturgy Gungor brought a much stronger praise and worship aspect to their music. With Ghosts Upon the Earth, they followed through on the idea of a concept album. Each album had a specific point and message. This isn't necessarily the case with I Am Mountain. Much of the songs are independent in theme from the others.  For example, the opening/title track is a recognition of how simple and small we are in the context of the universe with lyrics like, "I am mountain, I am dust, constellations made of us". It speaks to glory, imagination, and wonder that is God. Gungor follows this with a song entitled, Beat of Her Heart, a mythological tale in which Michael personifies a Satyr chasing after a beauty, even going to Hades to bring her back, only to lose her at the last possible second.

I could go on, but this is getting long. This album is gorgeous, although it's not necessarily thematically connected from song to song, it still carries itself as a complete album from beginning to end. Definitely worth your time and worth the price of admission if you get a chance to go see them live.

Video for I Am Mountain:

A killer acoustic version for their song, "When Death Dies", off of their album Ghosts Upon the Earth.

Hiromi - Move

Hiromi Uehara was first brought to my attention by my good friend, Ben Fisher (who's a fine pianist himself), while perusing through youtube videos. He shared with me a video of Hiromi playing her own arrangement of "I've Got Rhythm" (video below). As a musician, sometimes you hear people play and it inspires you to grab your horn and join in. Other people you hear, and it is so good it makes you want to quit because, "what's the point?" Hiromi tends to make me feel like the later. She has an amazing talent that has people comparing her to the likes of Oscar Peterson and Art Tatum. It's not just that her playing is extremely technical, it's also that she's able to pass her passion and joy through the music to the listener as well. This may be most evident in the fact that she often smiles as she plays. You know she's enjoying it, and as a result we do to.

The album is themed around her day which always starts with the alarm clock's chirping on the title track, "Move". It then delves into the chaos most of us feel as we struggle to wake up and process what's going on around us. This carries through into the song "Brand New Day", I imagine this track is the "after the first cup of coffee" part of the morning. From there she gets a little funky, almost a throwback to Herbie Hancock's "Chameleon" from Head Hunters with the synth she uses. Her three track "Suite Escapism"paints a pretty stark contrast between "Reality", "Fantasy" and "In Between". "Reality" is chaotic, constant, and fast paced. The "Fantasy" is very laid back relaxed and flowing. As you might imagine, "In Between" is just as advertised a nice balance of the chaos of "Reality" and the placidness of the "Fantasy".  The next tune opens up with a funk bass line which really lets you know what time it is, "Margarita!" time.  It's a fun tune that lets you relax, tap your foot, and groove along. The last song on the album, "11:49 PM", seems to be a reflection on the day and a relenting to see it go. The struggle to stay awake and say goodbye to the wonder that was the day that has passed and the unfortunate future that awaits with the alarm clock in the morning.

It is a very complete album from beginning to end, one that is very entertaining to listen to and engaging throughout. Hiromi's energy really comes through and captivates the listener. Very much worth your time and money, especially if you're looking for a new jazz album.

Quick Hits:

Justin Timberlake - The 20/20 Experience: Part 1

I can barely believe that I: 1) even bought this album, and 2) liked it enough that I thought I'd mention it in a post. I remember driving up to D.C. to see a friend and getting upset with how much I was enjoying the album.  As you may or may not have guessed I don't really do the whole pop scene. At least not the current pop scene. I love me some Michael Jackson circa 1982. Which actually ties in to why I enjoy this album so much. Both had extreme talents performing at their peaks and both were extremely well produced. Don't get me wrong, Timberlake's album doesn't hold a candle to Thriller. Michael and Quincy were maybe the best two at their craft there has ever been, but that doesn't mean The 20/20 Experience: Part 1 was not well done. The album is very well thought out and it seems that JT is consistently trying to get the most out of each track, and for the most part succeeds. If you are looking for an album that's easy to take in and like the neo-soul/r&b sound than this might just be the album for you.

*Note: I intentionally left out Part 2 as it wasn't nearly as good of an album, although the single "Take Back the Night" was the best song of either album. Very much a throwback to MJ and "You Wanna Be Starting Something".

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Show Your Bones

This album came recommended to me by a friend after I had mentioned that I was enjoying the Yeah Yeah Yeahs most recent album, Mosquito. I'll keep this quick. With this album Karen O. gets in your face, slaps you around a little bit, refuses to apologize, and leaves you groveling at her feet, all in the span 40 minutes. So, yeah check it out.

Janelle Monáe - Electric Lady

Monáe follows up her big breakout album with Suites IV and V of what seems to be her seven suite masterpiece.  As the title implies, this album really is electric.  Monáe continues life as her alter-ego, Cindy Mayweather, an android freedom fighter from the distant future.  In terms of the overall concept of the album, and the suite, I have to say that this album makes a lot more sense and seems more complete as a result. The radio interludes, in which DJ Crash-Crash checks in on the vibe of the city, do wonders to facilitate the setting of the scene. In retrospect the album does wonders for helping understand and take in her previous album, ArchAndroid. Musically, this album continues the performances and creativity Monáe has given in the past. Lastly, if you can somehow manage to track it down check out her performance at the September iTunes Festival in London. At the end of her set I was thinking she was a female James Brown and have personally dubbed her, "The hardest working woman in show business"

Summer 2013 Update Pt. 1

Since it's been a while since I last updated, I just decided to do a mega post and through a bunch of stuff at you and see what sticks. I'd also like to say that it's crazy how cyclical culture is.

Scott Walker - Bish Bosch   

I saw this one when I was perusing Metacritic for new release. I listened to about 2 seconds of the track "Epizootics!" (which starts with a contrabass clarinet) and bought the album. I had NO idea of what I was getting myself into. I'll keep it short and be frank about this one. This album is avant garde and isn't something you sing along with. Very very different from anything else I've been listening to recently or since I had to for class in college.  That being said, I haven't listened to it enough to give an honest review of it. This one takes a little more intentionality in listening to it and is likely going to take more than seven listenings for me say anything intelligible about it. Its is rated highly on Metacritic though

M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming

If you listen to adult alternative radio you've heard the song "Midnight City" which was my first introduction to the band. The song has been played ad naseum on the radio and I still don't mind it when it comes on. This tells me that it's basically a great pop song. Anyway, before we get into the music a little bit about M83.  One thing that I love about M83 is that they got their name from a barred spiral galaxy called Messier 83.  This hits on one of my key random infatuations in that I love space and learning about all things universe related.

On to the album, Hurry Up, We're Dreaming almost sounds like it belongs in the 80's, and that's not a derogatory comment. The title of the album is very appropriate as much of the album does feel like a dream (or that could just be because I'm tired).  You can tell the band takes their music serious, but it's as if they don't ask you to, you can listen to it seriously, but you don't have to. The audience is free to engage with it however they please. In this sense it is very much a piece of art.  I don't know what their intent was with this album but in the proper setting it provides a very complete listening experience. Some albums require the proper setting to be fully appreciated and as I listen through it again with the windows down at 11:45 on a perfect summers night, the album couldn't be any more appropriate.

That being said, if you find yourself in a peaceful state of mind on a late summers night, this may just be the album for you.


Boy - Mutual Friends

This one comes courtesy of Starbucks, the song, "Little Numbers", was one of their downloads of the week.  Boy is a Swiss/German folk/pop duo consisting of two women. Valeska Steiner and Sonja Glass met while they were both attending a university for music in Germany. While they've already started to make a name for themselves in the European, they've just recently made it across the pond to the U.S. with their single "Little Numbers" gaining substantial notoriety already.

The album itself was recorded over the course of 2 and a half years!!! That's a long time to put into one album, but I think it is reflected in the quality of the music. Upon first lesson, the catchy up tempo songs, such as "Little Numbers" and "Oh Boy", are the tunes that come most naturally to the ear.  Nothing wrong with this, but once you listen to it again, and perhaps a little more intently you'll start to be turned on to more of the album.  This is another way of saying that the album gets better every time you listen to it.  Not only that, but the album is accessible on different levels of audibility, let me explain. The first couple of times I listened through the album I had listened to it through my iphone or my earbuds, both ways providing an enjoyable experience, but they don't provide the greatest auditory effects. So then I began listening to it in my car, again, not the greatest way to engage music, but I've actually got a decent 9 speaker system in my car with a 10" sub and it provides for a much better effect than what you get on the earbuds. That being said I felt much more engaged with the music as I drove down the highways. It was much more of an actual experience. Now here I sit with my headphones on, and again not the absolute best option, but they are studio quality Sony's and are giving me a level of insight and detail into the album that I was previously un-privy to. There's much more detail in this album than I originally thought. You might think this is true about most albums, but unfortunately it's not.

The album is excellent. It is very enjoyable, well mixed and produced, and leaves you feeling good. It's not afraid to go deep, but does so in a way that doesn't have you reveling in misery as you listen. Obviously I would definitely recommend this album.

Buke and Gase - Rhythm and Repose

Fun fact about the band name, Buke is taken from a baritone Ukelele and Gase is a hybrid bass/guitar.  Those are two of the handmade instruments the band uses.  The first song I heard on this album was "Revel in Contempt". I had it in my library since at least early 2010 but had never knew it was there until last year. Since then I've downloaded the full album and have been very happy with it since.  I'm not familiar at all with Buke and Gass and haven't heard any of their other work outside of this album, but I love what they did on the album. For nearly every song on the album they use a compound meter, generally 12/8, to offset themselves from anything you normally hear on a regular basis, it gets your attention for sure.

The album is generally driving and keeps you on your toes although the compound meter does get a little overwhelming towards the end. My personal favorite song of the album is "Naked Cities" and for completely musical geek reasons. It had me reminiscing of rhythmic dictation in college. I'll admit it did take me a little while to figure out the patterns but I did figure it out, I have my analysis at the end of the post.

Aloe Blacc - Good Things

Like the previous artist/album this is another one of those albums where I had a song in my library and had no idea why. The song was "You Make Me Smile", which I enjoyed quite a bit but never really took a second look at Aloe Blacc for some reason, that is until someone at work mentioned him. He was actually asking me for advice on music he might like and I happened across the song in my library when he said, "I've got that album and it's great! Definitely worth checking out." So I did.

Again I didn't really know much about the artist or the album with the exception of the one song.  As I listened through the album two things became prevalent. First, Blacc is a talented singer and has a lot of style and soul in his voice, very reminiscent of John Legend. His voice doesn't carry quite as much trustworthiness as Legend's does, likely because it's got a little more edge to it, but it still makes for an enjoyable experience. The second thing I noticed was that the production on the album was, this may seem a little harsh, but it just seemed poor. There were quite a few great ideas expressed throughout the album, but at least once or twice in a song you'd here something that stands out noticeably and just confounds you. Worst yet is when it happens at the end of a song where the ending is abrupt or maybe just slightly unsettling. Either way, one of the worst things a song (or album) can do is end poorly. It just leaves such a bad taste and makes you second guess the quality of the rest of the piece. All that being said, I don't hold that against Blacc, I hold it against the producers for not demanding higher quality. That's their job. So, definitely go check it out, especially if you're in the need for some catchy soul music, you won't be disappointed.

The Strokes - Comedown Machine 

I initially became acquainted with The Strokes in high school. I came across their single for the album, First Pressions of Earth, and was infatuated with it, especially the song "Juicebox". When I got to college I decided to look further into their repertoire and bought the album Room on Fire. I loved that album very angsty and gloomy and but almost jokingly so. Their most heralded album, however, is their first studio release, Is This It, which is an excellent album in of itself (ranked as one of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time by Rolling Stone).

The band is lead by front man Julian Casablanca who has a fairly distinct and recognizable voice. In total their are five members of the group, which originated from New York. Their sound is multi-faceted, especially on this record, Comedown Machine. The styles can vary from indie rock to synthpop to post-punk revival. All are evident on this album.

The album starts with this quirk and random little guitar riff. It seems to mainly function as an attention getter, and to that effect it works.  I won't go song through song, but there are a couple of songs I'll talk about.  Right off the top is the first track, "Tap Out" with that quirky little solo at the beginning of it. If you've listened to The Strokes much before the first track will grab your attention because it's nothing you've heard from them before. It's more layered and seems a little more intricately woven than most of their music, plus you throw in female harmonies and the way the vocals just seem to slide into the established groove and you get something you're not used to with The Strokes.

One of my favorite tracks on the record, "One Way Trigger", has a much more familiar Strokes feel to it. The tempo is pushed here and it immediately gets you moving with the music. The familiarity also stems from the rhythmic synth loop and of course Julian Casablancas unmistakable voice. This track also kicks off what I feel is the meat of the album. Although the styles vary throughout tracks 3-7 they're all done well. "Welcome to Japan" is another track that establishes its groove quickly and never lets up until the end where it leads into "80's Comedown Machine" quite nicely. The next track, "50/50" is as post-punk revival as it gets. I didn't grow up in the glory days of punk, but this track lets me imagine being a skater in the late 70's/early 80's. Lastly, "Slow Animals" is just a solid track. I could stand the vocal mix to be a little more prominent, but I must say I love the off-beat hand claps in the chorus.

All in all the album is a good listen. If you're not acquainted with The Strokes, I'm not sure I'd recommend it first out of their discography, but it's still worth your time.

"Naked Cities" Rhythmic Analysis:
Intro: 9/8 - 3 measures; 6/8 - 1 measure
A1 Section: 7/4 - 20 measures
B1 Section: Alternating 4/4 and 12/8 - 28(?) measures
A2 Section: 7/4 - 12 measures
C Section: 7/8 - 7 measures before it breaks/ends

Let me know if you count the same thing!

January 2013 PotM: Lupe Fiasco - Food & Liquor II

Sorry it's been a while, a long LONG while, but between the job and not really listening to much new music it's been tough carving out time to sit down and write. Toss in the the fact that there hasn't been a ton of music that I've been excited about, or at least there wasn't. This post started in November and has taken until for me to finish.  Fortunately I've got a couple of albums that are worth checking out. Now on to the music.

DAN DEACON - America 
This album was another recommendation from Relevant Magazine. I had no previous acquaintance with Dan Deacon or his music and thus didn't really know what to expect. Per wikipedia: "Dan Deacon (born August 28, 1981) is an American composer and electronic musician based out of Baltimore, Maryland. " Simple enough, eh? Prior to going to Japan and meeting my good friend and electronic musician, Aaron Dishner, I was without much exposure to Electronic music. Being back in America one thing that has been evident is that  electronic music is gaining ground in the pop culture of America.  I'm not sure how much of a foot hold it will gain, but we are starting to see more and more electronic elements throughout pop music. I'm starting to feel that it will grow along with pop music.

After listening through his album, America, it's obvious that Deacon is a true musician. By that I mean that he actually knows what he's doing and could explain what he's doing if he needed to. Too many times I get the feeling that the musicians aren't capable of doing that. They just play the music because it sounds good. Come to find out Deacon has a degree in music from SUNY Purchase in electro-acoustic and computer music composition.  He was in a number of ensembles while in school including one where he played the tuba. After completing his degree he moved to Baltimore, Maryland where I believe is home base for him today. This is his most recent release and he has six or seven releases to his name. Now, on to the album.

As Deacon describes on his sites home page, and as the title of the album implies, it is about America. 

When I was writing Bromst [previous album], I wanted a title with no pre-existing meaning, something free of any prior associations. For this album, I wanted the exact opposite. America is a word with an infinite range of connotations, both positive and negative. Even its literal definition is open to discussion. In using it as the title of the album, in a small way, I‘m contributing to the discussion. To me, the underground DIY and wilderness are just as American as their evil brethren, corporatism and environmental destruction. It‘s that juxtaposition of fundamentally opposed ideologies that makes up the American landscape.

Given this context it's interesting to listen through the album and take a audible journey through America via a combination of electronic and acoustic music.  It isn't an easy album to take in on first listen, but if you are intentional about it the music will definitely grow on you.  The album does contain a number of minimalistic elements which makes me wonder if that's just his writing style or if he's making a comment on American culture, and if it's the later, what is that comment exactly. The lyrics throughout the album apparently have very intentional and relevant meaning, but they're generally pretty hard to understand. It's partially the style of music and partially the balance, but for the most part the voices seem to just be there for texture.

To end the album he has a suite entitled USA which is in four movements. Each movement has it's own title: "USA I - Is a Monster", "USA II - The Great American Desert", "USA III - Rail", and "USA IV - Manifest" After reading the preface on his home page the album makes a great deal more sense and becomes that much more engaging.

This album won't be for everybody but if you have any electronic music tendencies than I'd recommend checking it out.

SLEEPING AT LAST - Storyboards 
So, according to my iTunes I've had this album since at least the summer of 2010 and I am really just now listening to it for the first time. The band, Sleeping At Last, is actually just one guy, Ryan O'Neal. O'Neal grew up in Wheaton, home of my alma mater, and I'm thinking this is likely how it ended up in my library, but I still can't be sure. The band formed in 1999 with his brother on bass/keys and then a drummer while at Wheaton. I wish I could give you more on their background but that's all I got.

The album is very Wheaton appropriate, especially with the winter season here. O'Neal's voice isn't going to blow you away. It's soft, slightly removed, and unobtrusive. It invites you to listen but doesn't demand that you do. The whole album itself can be described in such a way.  Soft, subtle, unobtrusive. Getting back to my earlier point about being Wheaton appropriate, the album conjures up memories of being at Wheaton during the long winter months, snow on the ground and everything being relatively quiet as the snow absorbs the sound and everyone is inside keeping warm.

The track that represents this idea the best I think has to be "Naive". It's stark and sparse, but leaves you slightly on the edge waiting for something that never comes. This track is followed by a more stereotypical sound for the album where the banjo, mandolin(?), and drums work together to keep the music moving forward. The music sounds complete, yet harmless.

At this point I have to make a confession, and maybe an apology to Sleeping at Last, the lyrics take a back seat for me. Most of the time I'm not paying attention to them. The vocals serve to provide further texture to the music.  Maybe this is something that O'Neal is going for. I can't say for sure. But his voice, in the context of the music, fits well enough that lyrics almost seem not to matter so much.

Probably the most surprising track on the album is "Clockwork" it opens with a nice little orchestral introduction that definitely catches you off guard, even after listening to the album a couple of times. The composition compliments the music well. It serves it's purpose of providing a different setting but not dominating the music rather effectively.

For me, this isn't an album that I can sit and listen to over and over, and can at times feel like it's dragging on or that you've already heard it before. In short spurts it's fine though. And because he's a Wheatie I have to give the seal of approval (I'm not really recommending this because he's Wheatie, but it doesn't hurt.)

GLEN HANSARD - Rhythm and Repose 
This one is slightly different than any other write up because I've actually had the fortune of meeting Mr. Hansard back stage at a The Swell Season concert. It was a brief meeting but I will say that he's a delightful man with charm and a disarming smile. In the concert itself he carries a lot of passion into each performance. I've only seem them twice, but I've watched a handful of videos on youtube as well and the energy and commitment still come through.

Some background info: he's Irish, born and raised in Dublin. At the age of 13 he dropped out of school to become a street musician in Dublin. In 1990 he formed the band that he's spent his professional career with, The Frames.  The Frames have since become one of the more popular folk rock bands in Ireland, especially because of their live shows. His claim to fame in America came with the film, Once, in which he teamed up with future The Swell Season partner, Marketa Irglova to win an Oscar for best original song.

As mentioned above I have had the fortunes to meet him and see them twice in concert. I saw them once in Tuscon, AZ at a theatre that held about 2,000 and again at the Hollywood Bowl along with 20,000 other fans. It was remarkable to see him and the rest of the band, but primarily him, still carry on the passion and energy in both settings.

This album, Rhythm and Repose, is his first official solo album. I haven't had a chance to check out any of The Frames music yet, but you can hear lots of similarities between this album and the music Hansard did as part of The Swell Season.  Much of the album is relaxed and non-confrontational (this is  said in contrast to songs like "Lies" and "When Your Minds Made Up" by The Swell Season). This is evidenced by the first two tracks, which are soft and not the typical way to start an album. It's almost like when you go to a concert and they open up with a slow song to honor somebody or to just get it out of the way. There is some build in the first track, "You Will Become", but not enough get you going too much. The second track, "Maybe Not Tonight" is a little more of what you expect from Hansard. Solid but nothing terribly unexpected.

However, the third track, "Talking With the Wolves", immediately gets you  to perk up. I have been trying to figure out how to describe it for some time now but am failing. The biggest contrasts in the song are likely the driving drum beat and the smooth electronic bass, just a thought. It's a great song, probably my favorite on the record. Not just because of the music, which is highlighted by some really nicely done harmonies, but also because of the chorus. Here it is:

Love that's given freely

It doesn't die, it only changes

And love that's taken easy

It has to hide in these exchanges

It's a well done, thought provoking chorus that I think has some truth to it, at least for me.

The other song on this record that I'll mention has to be "Philander". While the lyrics and the title don't get me excited the music behind it is really intriguing. This is probably the most conflicted song on the album, or at least it feels that way, and he does it musically as compared to the vocal/instrumental methods used while with The Swell Season. Throughout the whole song the piano and strings are stringent. I especially like the contrast between the different parts of the lyrics that the music reinforces. Anytime he's with his philander he's conflicted as shown by the dissonant chords and the plucked piano strings, but there's real emotion there when the strings begin bowing and the piano will use the sustain. Throughout the song he's conflicted and the way it ends you can tell he's still unsure. It's a well done song.

Overall the album is enjoyable. Nothing Earth shattering, but a good experience as you listen through it. Obviously I'm going to recommend it since I'm writing about it, but also check out some of his other stuff too if you get a chance. He's a talented musician and of course well worth your time.

This is the actual album cover.

LUPE FIASCO: Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album, Pt. 1 (E)
Lupe Fiasco is easily the highest profile rapper with a message. His conscientious rap has worked it's way to the top of the American charts and with each album his message becomes more obtrusive and challenging. It's a spectacular example of someone with a gift doing what they can to actively address issues. I'll be honest  with you, as a musician I know there are ways to help people with my music, but it hasn't been my soul focus. It is that way for Lupe and he doesn't have to sacrifice quality to get results. In contrast, Lecrae is a popular name in the Christian community and is likely the most comparable comparison to Lupe the community provides. I thought about reviewing Lecrae's most recent album, but it didn't get me excited. There's no doubt he's talented, but Lupe's music compels you to listen. It's engaging in a way that Lecrae hasn't been able to achieve yet, at least for me.

Sorry, I'll get off my soap box. A little more about Lupe. He's a proud child of Chicago and the concerns facing that city tend to be his primary focus because that's what he identifies with. His first album, Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor, was pretty solid but the message was only beginning to be formed. It's a solid album, but it was actually the third album of his that I had heard and it's not as good as his next two.  His second album, Lupe Fiasco's The Cool, has been my favorite album of his. I think that, although the message is still not as consistent as it is on the later two albums, the music is more engaging. It's hard not to get songs from that song stuck in your head. His third album was Lasers. Here his message is strong throughout each song. Addressing issues from government incompetence to racial issues/civil rights and incorporating some inspirational songs encouraging people to struggle through the tough times.

This album continues the trend of directness. I was actually a little taken back about how direct it is. Not only taken back but impressed. For example, the first lyrics Lupe himself delivers on the album is as follows:

Now I can’t pledge allegiance to your flag

Cause I can’t find no reconciliation with your past

When there was nothing equal for my people in your math

You forced us in the ghetto and then you took our dads

The belly of the beast, these streets are demons’ abs

I’m telling you that setup in them sit-ups is so sad

The system is a slab

Corruption is the swinger sittin’ high ridin’ dirty, drag racin’ into danger

And it’s so clean, pine trees smellin’ good

With work off in the trunk and n****s in the hood

So I can’t shed blood on any battlefield of yours

I pray the ugly truth comes and shatters your decor

And as it all falls down and tatters on the floor

I shed tears, I don’t know what really matters anymore

Cause I don’t know what really matters anymore

Now, if that doesn't get your attention I don't know what will, and the album goes on from there. I'm impressed because to be so outspoken and critical on such a large platform requires some courage. Every song on this album will challenge you to think about various issues. The second single from this album is "B*tch Bad". Although it has flagrant uses of the word b*tch, the song is a discussion about the perception of the word and how it's degrading our culture. It's a great song.

The only real caveat I have for this album is that there are a fair amount explicative words throughout the album that some may not appreciate. If that's the case you could go the way of the clean version in iTunes, but "B*tch Bad is a little weird in that context and not only takes away from the strength of the message of the song but plays with it musically as well. I will say that for most rap I do tend to by the clean versions, but not the case for Lupe. He's earned my trust lyrically, but that's my personal opinion. I'll let you make that decision for yourself.

I don't have a whole lot to go in depth about on this album, but each song will get your head bobbing and the lyrics will get you thinking. All in all this album might be my favorite Lupe album to date. I don't know if it has quite the catchiness that either Lupe Fiasco's The Cool or Lasers has, but I feel like it's a more complete album from beginning to end than the other two are. It's well worth the purchase so please go check it out.

That's all for now, I have been listening to more music recently so it shouldn't be so long before my next update. Until then though, take it easy and enjoy the music. As always please comment if you feel lead to and if you have any music you're listening to don't hesitate to share.

September 2012 PotM: Ben Folds Five "The Sound of the Life of the Mind"

I apologize that I haven't had the time to listen to as much music as I'd like and do a write-up on it, and I apologize that this post is so late. I've just started a new position and am working crazy busy hours. That being said, here's my pick of the month.

Pick of the Month: BEN FOLDS FIVE: The Sound of the Life of the Mind (E)
This might come as an extreme shock to many of you, but I actually struggled mightily with this pick. The reason being is that Ben Folds Five was almost sacred for me. They were kind of my band version of the '90s Chicago Bulls teams. When they were together everything they did was awesome, but it came to an end and nothing any of them did afterwards could even come close to touching what they did when they were together. This isn't to say Ben Folds didn't have any success, but let's face it, nothing he did in his solo career sniffs the magic that was the Ben Folds Five albums (pre Ben's solo career).

All that being said I had extremely mixed reactions to the announcement of Ben Folds Five getting back together. I had a perception in my mind of what Ben Folds Five was and I didn't want that tarnished, but really, who would want to watch Michael Jordan right now in the NBA, he's probably still ok, but not what we all came to know.  That being said, it's still Ben Folds Five and this isn't basketball. I was filled with hope that the main thing missing from Ben Folds solo career were Darren Jesse (drums) and Robert Sledge (bass), aka Ben Folds Five.

So, what did I think about the album..... Starting with "Erase Me" you have to get immediately excited because the first sounds are Sledge's iconic distorted bass carried over from the grunge era of the early '90s. It's easy to hear the difference between Ben's solo work and Ben Folds Five and I will say that Ben Folds Five is better than Ben Folds.

Before I get to far ahead of myself I must say that it's not all good. There's actually quite a bit that bugs me. First, I don't know when it happened, but when did Ben start using so much falsetto? It's not falsetto in general, but his own falsetto that actually tends to urk me, I'm not sure why though. A couple of tracks it becomes a little much, see "Michael Praytor, Five Years Later" and "Hold That Thought". I actually really enjoy Robert's and Darren's falsetto's as a compliment to Ben's and it's obvious when it's their voices as compared to his own voice in the background.  As a group they have a magical blend that can't be reproduced by Ben himself.

The other thing that didn't take me as long to figure out is that it comes out as over produced. Everything is nice and crisp and manipulated. Which makes sense and gets you a nice pure sound and everything, but the other Ben Folds Five albums didn't have this kind of money and technology behind them.  Now, to be fair, I am making some assumptions here, but it still comes through in the sound.  To contrast, if you listen to the song "Steven's Last Night in Town" off of Whatever and Whatever Amen you'll hear a phone ringing in the background during a break towards the end of the song. The reason is because they were recording the album in a house in North Carolina, not a studio in Nashville. When the production quality went up the music lost some character.

Lastly, the songs just aren't what they used to be. As is the norm when people return to making music after years off (the way Ben Folds Five has), the sound of the group just sounds more mature, and there's nothing wrong with that, but part of the appeal of Ben Folds Five was the fun/immaturity of the music. It was careless, raw, and fun. The group had much more of an aura of joy that came out through the music. Some of the songs on this album hint towards this: "Erase Me", "Draw a Crowd", and "Do it Anyway", but as a whole the album is missing this.

The reason it's my pick of the month is admittedly partly because of a since of obligation, but also because it's the one I've been coming back to the most. It might seem like I've been pretty harsh on the album/group, but it's relative to their previous work.  I still think this album is better than most of what you hear on the radio, not all of it but much of it. So if you get the chance check it out.

*Disclaimer: This album does contain adult content, not too much though, most notably on "Draw a Crowd"
I hope you enjoy the music. Let me know what you think.

August 2012 Pick of the Month: JANELLE MONAE "ArchAndroid"

DAVE MATTHEWS BAND: Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King 

Dave Matthews Band has always produced music that I've enjoyed, however, it wasn't until my time in Japan in which I really began appreciating their music.  I played with some colleagues, the groups name is "High Maintenance" (because it was comprised of maintenance/facility workers), and the number one tune to jam out to was the Dave Matthews Band tune "#41" off of the album Crash. This prompted me to go back and check out the album in it's entirety. I had listened to the singles from the album on the radio, but had never listened all the way through the album. I had no idea what I was missing. The band comes off as a close group of friends who truly understand each other and love to make music with each other.  I'd be remissed if I didn't give special mention to the drummer, Carter Beauford. He's an exceptional drummer and has an incredible feel for the instrument.  If you haven't heard the album you should check it out as it may be the bands best work. That being said Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King may challenge it for that distinction.

In August 2008 LeRoi Moore, saxophonist for the Dave Matthews Band, died as the result of an accident while four wheeling.  A year later the band released this album as a memorial to Moore.  The album actually goes beyond that already strong emotional pull and deals with questions of the afterlife and struggles of understanding death and God. Tracks such as "Shake Me Like a Monkey" and "Why I Am" contemplate their departed member. Even the closing track "You and Me" seems to be a love song with two purposes, almost as if it was rewritten from a standard love song to incorporate additional meaning for LeRoi Moore. Other tracks such as "Lying In the Hands of God" and "Time Bomb" show the struggles the band has faced in dealing with the death of their comrade. "Time Bomb"  especially is an emotional venting session for Matthews where, towards the end of the album, he begins exclaiming in an almost yell:

Baby when I get homeI want to pick up those piecesHammer in the final nailAnd lean me up against Jesus
Baby when I get homeI want to believe in JesusHammer in the final nailHelp me pick up the pieces
Baby when I get homeHelp me pick up the piecesHammer in the final nailI wanna believe in Jesus

The album is an experience. Each member of the band does exceptional work, but what stands out the most is easily the memorial to LeRoi Moore and the emotions surrounding it.

PETER TOSH: Legalize It

For those of you who don't know, I've got brothers and I'm pretty sure each one would be fairly disappointed that I'm not more familiar with Peter Tosh and his body of work.  This summer while visiting my brothers I was reminded of Peter Tosh and how much I enjoy reggae music. Peter Tosh was one of the original members of THE legendary reggae group Bob Marley and the Wailers along with Bob Marley and Bunny Wailer.  While Tosh found success with the group, it only lasted until 1974 at which point he began focusing on his solo career and produced this album, Legalize It.  Tosh's death came in 1987 at the hand of gunmen who had been in some sort of dispute with Tosh's girlfriend. In total six people died that day.  Throughout his career Tosh had become an outspoken person on political and social issues and rarely held his tongue when faced with injustices he saw in his homeland and abroad. It was announced this month that he would be awarded Jamaica's third highest honor, the Order of Merit, along with former band member Bunny Wailer.

The album, Legalize It, isn't just what one might assume if unfamiliar with reggae music.  Yes, there is album gets it's name from the first track on the album and yes, it has become the marijuana anthem, but there is much more to the albume to it then that.  As you listen through the album a couple of things become apparent. One, Peter Tosh is deserving of his title as a legendary reggae musician and two, he's very direct with his messages in his song and isn't hiding anything. He is a Rastafarian and that message comes through very clear throughout the whole album. Legalize It is well produced and a nice change of pace from everything else I've blogged about so far. It's worth your time.

ROBERT GLASPER: Black Radio

For those of you who have ever listened to rap/hip-hop artists like: Talib Kweli, Q-Tip, Kanye West, Erykah Badu, and Common and thought to yourself "That's some solid keyboard on that track" then  you were referring to Robert Glasper.  Technically I first heard Glasper on Kanye West's Late Registration, but I didn't have that moment of revelation until I heard Q-Tip's album, Kamaal the Abstract, which is fantastic by the way. The work on the album was amazing and when I recently found out it was Glasper on the album and that he had a new album coming out, I had to check it out.  

Black Radio, while categorized as a jazz album, is not a jazz album in the purest since, and that is what Glasper wants. In a downbeat article you can read here he says, "I've gotten bored with jazz to the point where I wouldn't mind something bad happening. Slapping hurts, but at some point it'll wake you up. I feel like jazz needs a big-a** slap." Those are some pretty strong words that are very important to understand before listening to the album. The title of the album has dual meaning. First is a reference to the black box in airplanes that survive the crashes and tell the story of how the plane went down. The second is more of what you probably assumed in that it's a reference to the black artists featured throughout the radio across a variety of genres.

You won't here much technical playing or solos on Black Radio. Glasper and his bandmates, the group is called Experiment, instead choose to operate in a more ambient manner that interacts with the vocalists and highlights the music surrounding the lyrics. To this effect they show great ability and just how good of jazz musicians they are.  The ability to play around a soloist (a vocalist in this case) and still express yourself is a difficult one to grasp, and especially difficult to master as is displayed on this album.  

In the aforementioned article, Glasper mentions that the greatest jazz musicians of the past haven't been complacent with their jazz. Instead they've been the black boxes of jazz, being different survive the crash of the other musicians around them and carry the music on to something new.  Glasper hopes that Black Radio is a black box for jazz. In all honesty I don't think it will be, but then again, I'm not psychic.

Pick of the Month: JANELLE MONAE: ArchAndroid

This is another artist I've been delayed in becoming acquainted with. My brother played her for me while driving in the car this summer and it made enough an impact that I remembered the hours later when I was finally able to look into the album for myself.  Janelle Monáe is an immense talent that I think is maybe plagued by two things: first is her desire to cover a wide genre of music, and second is pop music itself.  I'll come back to this.

The album itself is rather....diluted with random influences and a track order that can be a little jarring. Let me break it down for you. The first track, "Suite II Overture" is a continuation in an idea from her first EP entitled, Metropolis: Suite I (The Chase). It's not at all what you might be expecting, but it's well written, mystical, and a little exciting which is perfect for an opening track. It sets the stage for the next three tracks which are much more of one might expect in a Hip-Hop/R&B/Dance fusion album. (For the record I place those labels very hesitantly and would rather not do it). However after those three tracks we're thrown into the indie alternative, 1950's reminiscent track "Sir Greendown". This track, like the whole album is well produced, but it's still a jarring contrast to the rest of the album up to this point.  The next track, "Cold War" is yet another shift of direction for the album that stirs up thoughts of Gnarls Barkley. It's not done poorly, but still a shift from the previous song with out much warning.

I could continue on going through the rest of the album in such a manner, but there are twelve more tracks to get through so I'll just bring up the few tracks that stand out. The single from the album, "Tight  Rope" is one of the better songs on the album (the video is below) and features Big Boi laying down a solid verse. The song is good, the video is better, so check that out.  One song that just drives me up the wall is "Make the Bus", which features Of Montreal, an indie psychedelic pop rock band. The track is such a juxtaposition to everything else on the album that it makes it hard for me to listen all the way through. In the context of an Of Montreal album it would make sense to me, but not on this album.

Finally, I've come to the one song that I've been addicted to since I heard it, the last track on the album, "Babopbye Ya". The track is orchestrated for full orchestra, which I absolutely love, and is well written for the orchestra. On the track Monáe shows us just how great of a voice she truly has.  She encapsulates her inner Ella Fitzgerald and unleashes a level of diva not shown on the rest of the album. The track is classy, sexy, seductive, edgy, anxious, mesmerizing, smooth, and confident.  It doesn't hold back. It takes you for a ride and you love every minute of it.

That'll do it for this months picks.  September has got some album releases that I'm really looking forward to including: Lupe Fiasco, Mumford & Sons, and No Doubt on Sept. 25th and Ben Folds Five the week before! I'm excited.

If you have any recommendations or comments please don't hesitate to let me know what you think.

Until next time, take care and God bless.

July 2012 Pick of the Month: OF MONSTERS AND MEN "My Head is an Animal"

P.O.D. (Payable On Death) - Murdered Love

I go way back with P.O.D. The first album of theirs I bought was Satellite. It's their most popular album and I would guess has outsold all their other albums combined.  That album is great and a solid place to start if you're not familiar with their work.  Since that time I've continued to follow what they have produced and delved into the music that came out prior to Satellite. If you were to do the same you'd find that their earlier music definitely is much heavier and has a niche crowd. The more music the band produced, the more introspective the music became. This maybe culminated with the self titled album, Payable On Death. The album itself marked a change in guitar as well the music as guitarist Jason Truby joined the band when Marcos Curiel left. (He left because he has lost his faith in Christ. He has since returned to the band although I haven't read anything about where he stands in aspect to his faith.)  Jason brought lots of soul to the band, and I'm not talking R&B soul, more of the getting lost in your inner thoughts almost ethereal at times. He remained for a second album with the band, Testify, before Marcos returned to his spot for the record When Angels and Serpents Dance.  There is an obvious difference in the sound of the whole band with each guitarist.

P.O.D. has for the most part remained consistent with the elements of what you will find in their music.  Even from the early days you will here reggae, rap, and even ska undertones in their music (that I would characterize as hard rock although some of their songs on their first album Snuff the Punk may breach the border of heavy metal). This album has Marcos' handiwork all over it. I'm not the biggest Marcos fan, but I did enjoy some of his earlier work in the band and he approaches that sound here.

All in all Murdered Love is a quasi-return to form for the band. It's nothing terribly exciting, but if your a fan of the band, especially their earlier stuff, then you'll enjoy the album. For me I listen to it every once in a while when I'm feeling nostalgic but it probably won't get any more play than that.  If you want to check out P.O.D. your best bet is Satellite, although I would also suggest Payable on Death.

PHANTOGRAM - Nightlife EP

I heard of them and this album courtesy of Relevant Magazine. Their debut album, Eyelid Movies, came out a couple of years ago, but I'm just hearing them for the first time.  The group is a duet with Sarah Barthel on vocals/keys/synth and Josh Carter on guitar.   From what I could find there aren't any super interesting stories about them except that they are from Saratoga Springs, New York and apparently Saratoga Springs is a tourist town. (I had no idea) Either way the music is what it's all about anyway, so let's get to it.

The EP is aptly named as Barthel describes the groups sound as "Beat-heavy pop with kind of dreamy, swelling guitars, spacey synths and emotional lyrics; honest lyrics." The product of this is not for everyone, but if you are open to electro-pop I believe you enjoy the album. The EP has only 6 songs on it, but it makes the most of each song. The single, Don't Move, takes a simple and catchy beat and puts you in a comfortable place where you don't feel like doing anything to exciting, but you also don't feel like being home. This is very much the mood for the whole album. Another way of putting it might be walking down the street at night and feeling safer under the street lamps, this EP puts you into the light of the street lamps. It's dark, but not. That is, all except the last track, Dark Tunnel, which takes a step into the darkness with some hope of making into the next street lamps.

RANDY WALDMAN - Wigged Out

This album is great. I heard one of the tracks, Beethoven's 5th Symphony, on the radio on the way home  a couple of weeks ago and spent the next 2 days trying to find out who it was. After I finally figured it out I got the album and have been extremely happy with it. The album came out in 1998 and is a different type of Third Stream Jazz. Waldman takes a number of famous classical and arranging them for a jazz ensemble. For the most part the group consists of a trio: piano, bass, and drums. However there are tracks where a sax or a trumpet join the group, and the aforementioned Beethoven's 5th Symphony incorporates strings and big band (I'm guessing there). John Patitucci is on bass, and Vinnie Colaiuta on drums.  The guest artists include Freddie Hubbard, Arturo Sandoval, Michael Brecker, and Bob Berg. It's a star studded list that produce awesome performances on the album. I love how they take the classical songs and use them in solos, and then as a sort of joke every once in a while you'll here them quote a traditional jazz tune like Now's the Time.

Here's what you need to know, the ensemble is tight, the arrangements are well done, and the solos are solid.  This was a very surprising album for me to find and I HIGHLY recommend it.

Pick of the Month: OF MONSTERS AND MEN - My Head is An Animal

I was going to have Wigged Out be my pick of the month, but I find myself playing this album on repeat. The album came out last year in Europe, but made it's American debut this past April. The band is a sextet with a female lead singer (Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir), an overweight male counterpart ( Ragnar “Raggi” Þórhallsson) to the female lead, and occasionally features a female trumpet player. I'm all about female empowerment and the promotion of overweight individuals in pop culture.

Anyway, the band hales from Iceland which makes me think that if you ever hear of a band coming out of Iceland you must check them out.  I'm actually not super knowledgable about the subject, but I do know that Bjork, Sigur Ros, and now Of Monsters and Men have come from Iceland and they are all very good.

Now to the music. Their sound is very much playing off of the success of Mumford and Sons last year. Much of the album has a driving folk beat behind it. It's upbeat poppy folk music and you can't help but  feel a little more peppy as you listen to it.  As I mentioned the lead singer, , is a female and she's solid. She doesn't have a dominate or over powering voice, but it will draw you in. Another nice feature reminiscent of Mumford and Sons is how the full ensemble will join in to provide deep and full harmonies that are not too common in pop music.

The single off of this album is Little Talks and for good reason. The trumpet I mentioned makes an appearance on the track and the back and forth between Nanna and guitarist/singer Raggi. The song itself tells the story of a woman having a conversation with her departed lover. This is common in their music as they'll admit they enjoy telling stories with their music and it comes more natural to to them. The best songs come on the first half of the album, highlighted by King and Lionheart, Mountain Sound, and Little Talks. That's not to say the second half of the album is a slouch, it just doesn't carry the same energy and force as the first half.  There are some very nice moments in the second half, maybe my favorite coming in the chorus of Sloom.

It's a very good album and really enjoyable to listen to. If it tickles your fancy you'll find yourself listening to repeatedly and that's not a bad thing.

That will do it for this post. Let me know what you think and please feel free to recommend music of your own!

Take care and God bless.