na: andrew bird, bon iver
We’ve been looking forward to this day for a very long time, and it was worth it. Oh, and some records came out, too! Andrew Bird, Bon Iver, Antony and the Johnsons and so many more. For those looking for Animal Collective, Telefon Tel Aviv or AC Newman, here’s the deal: AC goes up tomorrow; TTA we’re working on (that record is amazing, btw) and the Animal Collective will be coming at some point, but most likely not anytime super soon. Still, there’s plenty here that you’re going to download, so maybe we’re doing you a favor in the end? Okay, maybe not.
Andrew Bird, Noble Beast: I haven’t listened to Bird in earnest since his Bowl of Fire and Squirrel Nut Zipper days (I gladly stand by both bands), and I just hit play for the first time on this one just this moment, and it sounds nice, very ’70s in a way I didn’t expect. But it’s hard for me to offer a whole lot else on Bird — the same with a number of today’s big additions — and so we’re going to spend next week’s EVR show (this week Mr. Naidus is taking the helm) talking about the big records this year so far and how we feel about them. Could be boring, could be contentious. Tune in!
Bon Iver, Blood Bank EP: Which is the bigger record, I wonder, between this and Andrew Bird? I opted for the alphabet in their ordering (Antony is a clear third) as a cop-out. Anyway, we listened to this last week, and I liked it very much, and the rest of the gang — Bon Iver haters, all — conceded some nice points to it. Most of the discussion has been around “Woods” and its use of Vocoder, and let us weigh in merely to say that we are pro its usage here, and the arrangement of that song is really miraculous. I like this dude.
Antony and the Johnsons, The Crying Light: Joe Keyes, noted Scott Walker fan, lover of dramatic music, fan of Hercules and Love Affair, is not an Antony fan. I still don’t understand this. I do count myself as an Antony fan — after hearing “Hope There’s Someone” how can you not? — and I have yet to listen to The Crying Light. The kids seem to like it, though!
Cut Off Your Hands, You & I: For Cut Off Your Hands, they take the “we” approach with You & I while the Walkmen went “us” with You & Me. Just wanted to point that out. We like Cut Off Your Hands. We named their EP one of last year’s great records, and after seeing them at CMJ 2007, I wrote very favorable things about them, and I’m still betting on their promise. I’ll try to listen to this album eventually.
Drug Rug, The Kitchen Tapes: Right now, if I had to guess which of these albums posting today that I might still be listening to in four months, I would pick this EP, which I am hearing for the first time today. But this kinda lo-fi, Neil Young-like sound is pretty much everything I love in music all together. It’s rough for sure, but the songs are fantastic.
Modern Skirts, All of Us In Our Night: The kids seem to like this band! A couple of years ago, Joe and I were going through some super long chart of best-selling albums on eMusic, and tucked amongst the Ray Charles’ and Johnny Cash’s and Arcade Fire’s was this band called Modern Skirts, and neither of us had ever heard of them. When we listened we were not exactly impressed, but it definitely made us curious about where their support came from. It ended up being something related to Paste magazine. Curious if there are similar returns with this record.
Psychic Ills, Mirror Eye: Haven’t heard yet. I’m a fair-weather fan.
Wildbirds & Peacedrums, Heartcore: I’m rooting for this. I still haven’t listened all that much, but the samples are very progressive, with a super-expressive female vocal that sounds like… I still can’t place it. And it’s all very out there and imaginative and really diverse but focused, too. Released by the Leaf Label, who also handle Hawk and a Hacksaw and Colleen, so there’s good pedigree here.
Will Sheff and Charles Bissell, Will Sheff Covers Charles Bissell | Charles Bissell Covers Will Sheff: This is one of those releases that is someone’s absolute dream come true. That’s the case for at least one person out there, I am certain of it. For those who aren’t super fans, Will Sheff is the dude in Okkervil River and Charles Bissell is the dude in the Wrens. And here they play each other’s songs.
Benjamin Fincher, Ellis Island: If you had played this for me this morning and said “this is the new Andrew Bird” I would have been pretty impressed! I know nothing about the man aside from him being French (he sings in English), but this is pleasant.
Coconut Records, Davy: Coconut Records is Jason Schwartzmann (Rushmore, Phantom Planet), and his first record was a pleasant surprise, and this one feels much the same, in a Lilys-type way.
The Phantom Band, Checkmate Savage: I feel like I’ve heard people be excited about this, but this sounds aggressively normal to me. There are hints of bigger things, but those impulses aren’t acted on so much. It will do well.
Yellow Moon Band, Travels Into Several Remote Nations of the World: The samples to this sounded good enough for a download, but actually listening to it it’s boring.
Fiction Family, Fiction Family: One of the Nickelcreek dudes has a new project.
Platinum Pied Pipers (PPP), Abundance: Joe is excited by this album.
Adam Payne, Organ: I think anyone who’s into Guided By Voices or really into Sebadoh might like this.
Music Go Music, Warm in the Shadows: Disco!!!!!!!!!!! More in the Glass Candy school from the ten-minute A-side. The rest is kinda Neko Case. It’s all done pretty well, but still, that level of dilettantism makes me nervous.
Slow Club, Let’s Fall Back in Love: This sounds like a church where people smile a lot.
Any word on the new Matt & Kim record?
I need to do some clarifying: I actually totally came around on Antony. I don’t know WTF my problem was. It’s so me, that I was idiotic for ever resisting. So I am totally a fan.
I like the Platinum Pied Pipers record a lot. The last one was kinda boilerplate hip-hop, but they’ve completely changed their M.O. in this one. It’s super hazy soul/R&B — check out “On a Cloud” or “Smoking Mirrors” to get a taste. It doesn’t rewrite the lexicon or anything, but people who like R&B should really be into this.
I’m actually going to give PPP a listen even though it’s not within my normal range of sad white guys. It sounds very intriguing.
SO HAPPY to hear that one of my favorite sad white guys goes up tomorrow, that we’ll be able to check out Animal Collective at some point (this is the first record by them I’m really going to give a shot) and of course lots of new stuff, both by artists I know I like and a few I’ve heard of but haven’t committed to yet. I guess I’ll have to push Team Boo back for at least another month; this week alone is going to take all of my downloads this period and probably half of the next.
2008 started slow as syrup for me last January; this year it seems like someone waited nineteen days to knock the rock out of the pipe so 2009 could gush out an ocean of awesome music.
I’ve been a little obsessed with Heartcore all weekend….seriously awesome. I think I’ve listened to “The Window” at least 20 times. Pretty much the entire album is just her vocals and percussion–her voice reminds me at times of Bjork, then at times PJ Harvey, and other times Regina Spektor (especially on the last track).
What I’m most excited about of all the new stuff today though is that we finally get JAYBER CROW! Not just one album, but two! High energy, seemingly effortless back-porch bluegrassy folk that is just incredible…one listen to “Oh My God When I Drop Dead” (on Two Short Stories) and I dare your foot to stop tapping.
Heartcore is a great album. The Window is a fantastic track. Save them at End of the Road festival last year and they were great. Very worth seeing live.
Their second album is great too…
Just want to second that question above: any word on Matt & Kim?
The Matt & Kim is on the Fader’s new label, which we don’t have signed yet. I’m going to start looking into getting them on-board.
re: vocoder on “Woods.” I’m not a fan of the vocoder, but I’ve got to admit that Bon Iver is the only person besides Imogen Heap that I’d trust with one. It’s actually my favorite track from Blood Bank.
NA today in the country/folk area:
Chely Wright, Live EP
http://www.emusic.com/album/Chely-Wright-Live-EP-MP3-Download/11368250.html
Otis Gibbs, Grandpa Walked a Picketline (RIYL Chris Knight)
http://www.emusic.com/album/Otis-Gibbs-Grandpa-Walked-a-Picketline-MP3-Download/11368312.html
I just don’t get Antony & the Johnsons. At all.
@Wilson I agree. It felt like my grandmother (who does not sing well BTW), , backed by a Gramophone, was serenading me in order to get me into bed (and not in the Wholesome way either)
so you mean antony is yr favorite singer, right?
Only on tuesda. . . oh snap, what day is it
umm .. and some nice swervedriver re-releases… ah to be a student again….
… er back when i was a student
I listened to Antony and the Johnsons while looking at the album cover and keeping Nergal’s comments in mind and it’s so true I had to stop listening and cut it from my Saved list.
De gustibus et coloribus non est disputandum. FWIW, and just to give the other side, I find Antony’s voice heartbreaking, his lyrics moving (those perfectly poetic phrasings), his choices in collaborators impeccable (e.g., Lou Reed and Boy George), and his arrangements a case study in New York-icy cool elegance. Admittedly, though, I have to be in the proper frame-of-mind for Antony’s music (OTOH, I can listen to his vocals on the Hercules *& Love Affair disc anytime; it’s totally the opposite of his main gig).
“I just don’t get Antony & the Johnsons. At all.”
This is how I feel about Andrew Bird.
any word yet on when we’re gonna see the Animal Collective record?
I don’t get Andrew Bird either, I wish he’d just fly away…
(drum roll please)
Okay, so how soon is “not super soon” when we’re talking Animal Collective? I subscribe to eMusic for this sort of album… but I’ve been waiting so patiently. It really grinds my gears when I just go and spend the extra money to buy the CD, only to see it end up on eMusic a week or two later.
I hear you, Brad. We still don’t know. Here’s my best advice: if you feel this uncontrollable itch to hear the album in the next, say, two to four weeks, I suggest you think about getting it elsewhere. If you are happy to put it to the back of your mind because there’s a ton of other stuff you are into right now, then you should wait. That’s the best I can do.
Can someone give PIAS a nudge in the UK, the Phantom Band album sounds interesting, but no sign of it for the UK, yet boo hiss. What happened to the very helpful and informed Anna by the way, 17 dots has got very US centric since she stopped posting…
Agree with you there WattsUp, really miss a UK input to stuff. Any idea if the UK are gonna get Domino soon?
Thanks for the honesty, Yancey. Why does this happen lately with these “bigger” indie labels? Why do eMusic faithfuls have to be punished and wait an extra month or longer for a new release that we’re dying to hear?
Because naturally they would prefer you to pay the higher hard copy CD price.
any indication of whether emusic will be getting the bonus disc off “noble beast”?
I don’t think it’s been discussed, but the inclusion of the bonus track already leads me to think not.