Andrew Bird – Armchair Apocrypha

andrew-birdl.jpg

The Birdman is back. If you checked out other music blogs recently, you may have already heard that Andrew Bird’s new album, Armchair Apocrypha, leaked yesterday—I didn’t have time to make a post yesterday, so I’m a few hours behind the game. Regardless, I am absolutely positively in love with this record. It is, by far, going to be one of the best albums of 2007. The actual release is March 20th, on Fat Possum Records.

Beware of those quick to judge “playa haters” out there saying Armchair Apocrypha isn’t good. Some listeners, unfortunately, dismiss albums after an artist has had previously successful albums. People wait for the album, and somehow build up in their heads what the album should sound like. If it sounds the same as past albums, critics accuse the songs of being repetitious, and if they vary, people get upset that it’s not the same as the old album. Take it for what it is–great work. This may actually turn out to be my favorite Bird album to date.

In my opinion, “Armchair Apocrypha” sounds more like “Mysterious Production of Eggs” than it does “Weather Systems,” however, it sounds more like “Weather Systems” than “Mysterious Production of Eggs” sounds like “Weather Systems”. Hmm, try figuring that one out. My two favorite songs on the album are Simple X and Cataracts, but many more are very close at hand. Be sure to pick up this album when it becomes available for purchase.

Armchair Apocrypha:

Updated MP3: Andrew Bird – Heretics

Andrew Bird – Simple X (removed by request)

Andrew Bird – Cataracts (removed by request)
Site | Myspace

Consider Buying New Shins Album In Vinyl

Wincing the Night Away

Many of you will probably be buying The Shins new album, “Wincing The Night Away,” tomorrow or soon after, and I thought I would offer a suggestion. Starting this month, Sub Pop put into effect an awesome policy where if you buy the vinyl, they will include a coupon to download the MP3 files of that album. That means for a few more bucks, you can get the same music as you would from an iTunes download, but in addition, you’ll also get a great collectors album.

About a year ago, I started collecting a few vinyl’s, and while I rarely listen to them because MP3’s now make the whole listening process so much easier, I love having the vinyl’s for the enlarged cover artwork, and in some ways, it just really makes you feel closer to the music.

In my mind, with this great offer, there is no other way to go. The only drawback is the waiting period for the vinyl to come. If you want the music instantly after it goes on sale, you’ll have to buy it either via itunes or your local record stores.

Buy from Sub Pop

The Shins – Phantom Limb

My two favorite songs on the album are “Red Rabbits” (track 6) and “A Comet Appears” (track 11). Listen out for them.

Release Date Set on Wilco Album

img_0453.JPG

Wilco fans have been anxiously awaiting an album release, or even news of a release, after the bands 2004 gem, “A Ghost Is Born.” Now we’ve got answers. On May 15, given that Nonesuch doesn’t mess up the release like Reprise did with “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot,” I am happy to inform those of you who don’t know, that Wilco, the best band on earth (possibly universe), will be releasing “Sky Blue Sky”.

Thanks to Wilco’s more than generous recording policy, many of the songs that will potentially be on the album have been recorded in live format. Knowing Tweedy, and seeing the recording process for YHF on the documentary, “I Am Trying To Break Your Heart,” any of the songs are open to change. “Impossible Germany” may become “Impossible Norway”–you just never know.

Jesse Jarnow grouped together a handful of new songs on his site, Jesse Jarnow’s Frank and Earthy Blog, that Wilco has played around the country, some of which will most likely make an appearance on the album in some form. From the press release, “Some of the 18+ plus tracks recorded and being considered for inclusion are “Impossible Germany”, “Shake it Off”, “Glad it’s Over”, “Side with the Seeds”, “Walken” and “Either Way.”

Wilco has creative ways of releasing their material, and working with the fans, so we can probably expect some sort of album streaming, possibly even before the release. Nonesuch, if you are reading this (ha), and want to leak the album once it’s done, that would be marvelous–I promise to still buy the album, maybe even several times. This is the first album produced with all six members of the current band, and most songs were written in the studio as opposed to previous albums were Tweedy composed more himself. I’ll keep you updated, when more news becomes available.

Prospective Songs on “Sky Blue Sky”:

Jeff Tweedy – Thanks I Get (Sunken Treasure DVD)

Wilco – Walken (7-16-06 Pines Theater)

How To Cure Dyslexia – Take It Outside

htcd.jpg

You read it right, hopefully– How To Cure Dyslexia. If I’m not mistaken, this EP is the bands first released recording, but on Feburary 5, The Tempo of Bicycles and Boats, will be released as a full album. If the album is anything like “Take It Outside,” listeners can expect lo-fi music with lower chords, giving a “haunting-like” quality to it. Some songs on the EP are sung, while others are mellow instrumentals.

David Miller, the main man behind HTCD, hails from London. His recording process for the upcoming release is quite unique. He wanted to record the album as a “live art recording installation,” meaning he wanted to find a venue to record at, and open up the recording process to the public. In his own words “the process of making a record should be seen as a work of art, as much as the finished recorded product itself.”

Take It Outside:

How To Cure Dyslexia – Jo’s

How To Cure Dyslexia – Little Else

Myspace| iTunes

NBC Signs “The Office” To Another Season

office3.jpg

A smile swept across my face when I saw NBC’s Press Release today. They are sticking with The Office for at least one more full season. I was positive the show would soon be dropped, given that it is actually good. Who wants to watch a good television show? I mean look at Arrested Development–pure garbage!

Just a reminder that a new episode is on tonight at 7:30 C. If you just can’t wait until then, there are some hilarious webisodes that are about a minute a piece on NBC’s site. Here’s the LINK (watch them in order). If you are wondering how this has to do with music, just remember that we are in for another good year of karaoke, and if we’re lucky, we might even get to see Kevin’s band play again!

Here is The Office Theme Song and Sing by Travis which Pam and Jim listened to on an iPod together in “The Client.”

The Office Theme Song – The Scrantones

Travis – Sing

A Mix For A Friend

rose1.jpg

Sorry for not posting as early as I said I would. A close friend of mine unexpectedly passed away last week, and I am still in the process of grasping that she is no longer with us. Since her passing, I have tried to take a step back and examine life.

It feels like humans in the last few decades, this one in particular, have overcomplicated the world so much. It seems at times that technology and material objects add a confusing and unnecessary dimension to our world. This virtual reality has opened up a new world to humans, sometimes distracting us from the earth we live on, and those surrounding us. I support our technological innovations, and believe that man has benefited greatly from them, however, when a good thing comes along, there is often some bad to accompany it.

One of my biggest problems with technology is that it blinds some of us as to how fragile we as humans really are. Certain people live in this immortal kind of way, where they let their thoughts be constantly filled with material objects, such as clothes, or technology such as iPhones and gaming consoles. I don’t think of any of these things are bad in moderation, but these advances are moving faster than most humans can keep up, and from what I’ve seen, people get caught up in things that just aren’t all that important. Life moves so quickly, people forget to take a second to smell the roses. I guess I am just starting to realize just how fragile we are, and how there are no guarantees for tomorrow. Life is not a right, but a privilege.

Music is a great gift that has been around since the beginning of man. It is something that should be cherished. Sometimes it deserves our undivided attention. Not while driving or exercising–but while lying down with our eyes closed, listening to our favorite albums or mixes.

I put a lot of effort into making this mix. Take a listen if you get a chance. You can DOWNLOAD THE FULL MIX HERE (so you don’t have to ‘save link as’ for each song.) Thanks for being here, and I promise I’ll be posting more. Rest in Peace, Elana. You will be forever missed.

MIX (Download full mix HERE)

Artist/Song Artists Site
Pearl Jam – Man of the Hour
X
Hayden – Dynamite Walls X
Bright Eyes/Album Leaf – Hungry for a Holiday X
Eels – I Need Some Sleep X
The Mountain Goats – Cotton X
Sun Kil Moon – Neverending Math Equation (modest mouse cover)
X
Autumn Defense – Criminal
X
David Berkeley – Jefferson X
Electric President – Grand Machine No. 14 X
Say Hi To Your Mom – I Think I’ll Be A Good Ghost X
Wilco – More Like The Moon X
Jose Gonzalez – Heartbeats
X
Benjamin Gibbard – Recycled Air (kexp live) X
Ryan Adams – Sylvia Plath X
Keren Ann – Not Going Anywhere X
Jeff Buckley – Lover, You Should’ve Come Over X
Ian Hultquist – Sunken Treasure (wilco cover)
X

‘The O.C.’ is Cancelled!

the-oc.jpg

I am sure that you will soon be hearing about how the once “to die for” teen soap opera “The O.C.” has been canceled by Fox. This news is not pertinent to the site in any way, and there is only one reason why I am bringing it up—the featured music. Alexandra Patsavas, music supervisor for shows such as The O.C. and Grey’s Anatomy, has brought to viewers attention hundreds of bands that the general public would have otherwise been left unaware of (It wasn’t until The O.C. aired that Death Cab became a household name for every 14-year-old girl on the face of the earth.)

I too have felt betrayed at times when an artist that I’ve listened to for years all of a sudden hits mainstream fame due to a show like The O.C., and then being asked if I know “fill in the blank.” However, I still support these bands getting the acknowledgment they deserve, and don’t think bands should be listened to because they are “indie”–they should be listened to for being talented, so the more people who listen, the merrier. The O.C. has been fundamental in displaying how much more successful a show can be when supported by good music.

Will The O.C. be missed? Not in my book, but hopefully future TV shows have learned a thing or two about the importance of taking the time to research music and giving viewers just one more incentive to tune in.

Hope everyone had a great holiday! Please check back, I’ll be posting again very soon.