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ARTIST: Will Stratton

August 27, 2010 in ARTIST by Logg | No comments

will_strattonI know Chris puts no pressure on any of us to post as frequently as he does, but I still feel like a bum.

My blogging habits may suggest otherwise, but my summer has hardly been devoid of music. With the amount of incredible music surfacing this summer, no one should be wanting. A favorite find of the summer for me has been Will Stratton, who was introduced to me through a very special ‘birthday mix’ given to me by my friend Hillary. (The mix also came with a six-pack of coke. Pretty much ideal.)

Will Stratton pretty much has every good thing going for him right now. This 23-year old singer-songwriter has ‘functioned under the wing of Sufjan Stevens” and is a “self-professed disciple” of Nick Drake. These influences, most prominently Drake, are apparent in his music, but I loath to just throw Stratton into a ’sounds like’ category. Far from just mimicking the style and sounds of Drake, Stratton is exactly what made these musicians so beloved, an expert lyricist with the prodigious musical skill to back it all up. His latest album, New Vanguard Blues, was just released last month and its a promising candidate for anyone’s year-end list.

mp3: Will Stratton – Katydid
from the album What the Night Said (buy it here)

mp3: Will Stratton – Bluebells
from the album New Vanguard Blues (buy it here)

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NEWS: Sufjan on tour

August 9, 2010 in NEWS by Logg | 4 comments

sufjan_tour

This is something you’re going to want to jump on.

Sufjan Stevens Fall 2010 Tour

Pre-sale starts tomorrow (Tuesday) at 1 PM EST and he’s hitting at least two of our homebases (Indianapolis and LA).

Sorry Niels and Las Vegas.

(Thanks Lynsey for the tip)

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ARTIST: Blind Eyes

August 3, 2010 in ARTIST by Logg | 1 comment

blind_eyes

This past week I found myself in one of the most delightful record stores I’ve ever set foot in. (Seriously, I was filled with delight the whole time.) Vintage Vinyl of St. Louis embodies everything that is right with music right now, at least on the retail level. After nearly two hours of browsing I approached an employee and asked a question, “I want to walk out of this store with some St. Louis rock. Can you help?” There are a lot of ways the clerk could have responded to this question, some bad, (think ‘High Fidelity’) but he seemed to revel in the opportunity and immediately ushered me to the “local” section and started handing me album after album. That right there is why I love independent record stores.

I walked away with one of the catchiest albums I’ve heard in a long time Modernity by The Blind Eyes.

This St. Louis band has crafted an album, released in 2009, full of hooks and catchy choruses that you unwittingly hum later while you sit in a rocking chair waiting for your delayed flight back home. (Yup, the St. Louis airport has rocking chairs…awesome.)

‘January’ is the first track from Modernity and it greeted me with everything I would love about The Blind Eyes. Catchy lyrics, great vocals, solid guitar, and a jazzy upbeat delivery of the whole thing. (I don’t know if that jazz feeling has anything to do with The Blind Eyes being from St. Louis, but I hope so.) And apparently they absolutely kill live. I believe it and am looking forward to a future album set to be released sometime this year.

mp3: The Blind Eyes – January
from the album Modernity (buy it here)

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SONG: Subliminal Message by Happy Birthday

July 14, 2010 in SONG by Logg | No comments

happy_birthdayI really don’t intend on taking a summer hiatus, but I’ve been blissfully away from my computer for the past month…and life couldn’t be better. I don’t look forward to that time in my life, which is fast approaching no doubt, when there is no such thing as “summer break.”

And as much as I enjoy sitting around reading and watching TV, I still need to share the occasional awesome song. Truthfully, I have been enjoying this song along with many other songs by Happy Birthday for some time. (Ex. ‘2 Shy’, ‘Pink Strawberry Shake’, and ‘Maxine the Teenage Eskimo’) But was saving this post until today, July 14th, because it just makes sense to post on a band with a name like Happy Birthday when we are actually celebrating a birthday here at WiAC.

mp3: Happy Birthday – Subliminal Message
from the album Happy Birthday (buy it here)

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CONCERT: Portugal. The Man at The House of Blues

July 1, 2010 in CONCERT by Logg | No comments

portugal_theman2

I sort of have a “concert bucket-list.” Its a pretty unofficial list, I don’t think I’ve ever written it down, but it lists the bands and artists that I just have to see live. Some are long shots (Cat Stevens), some are prohibitively expensive (Paul McCartney), and some will have to wait until another life (The Beatles).

However, some are doable, like catching Portugal. The Man at the House of Blues in Downtown Disney.

Portugal. The Man kinda blew me away. Their show was an absolute spectacle. Their smoke machine going almost constantly, shrouding the band in perpetual mist, and a psychedelic laser and light show that gave the stage an almost otherworldly feel. Then the music, oh the music, was just so perfect.

Portugal. The Man is one of the more powerful and captivating bands I’ve seen lately. They absolutely powered through song after song, sometimes stringing them together like an extended jam session. (Or like the last half of Censored Colors.) The setlist itself seemed to favor songs from The Satanic Satanist, with ‘Lovers in Love,’ ‘People Say,’ ‘The Sun,’ and ‘Guns and Dogs.’ (The last being an absolute favorite) All of their other albums were well represented, except American Ghetto. (I might be wrong, and please correct me if you were there, but I don’t remember a single song from that album being played.) Its hard for me to be disappointed, because the show was pretty much perfect, but American Ghetto is really solid and its exclusion was kind of baffling.

The band experienced some unfortunate technical difficulties with lead singer John Gourley’s amp during the later half of the show, but they still refused to let up. And finally, the encore of ‘1989′ from Censored Colors capped of everything flawlessly.

mp3: Portugal. The Man – Guns and Dogs
from the album The Satanic Satanist (buy it here)

mp3: Portugal. The Man – 1989
from the album Censored Colors (buy it here)

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SONG: Stay Lucky by The Gaslight Anthem

June 16, 2010 in SONG by Logg | 1 comment

gaslight_anthem

It really is shaping up to be the “Summer of The Boss” for me. Just as I’m finding myself entranced by all things Bruce Springsteen, my old roommate (not knowing who I was listening to at the time) sent The Gaslight Anthem’s latest record American Slang my way.

Although this roommate is pretty much the man, we’ve never shared a love of the same music. He is into punk music and besides the occasional foray into The Ramones or The Clash, I am not, and although its not necessarily punk music, I was still a little hesitant to listen to The ‘59 Sound when it first came out and he presented it to me, just to take it on a test drive and see what I thought. I can honestly say I liked it, but I don’t remember it.

However, here I am in 2010 unable to stop listening to American Slang, wondering what’s changed between now and then, with me, that makes this album resonate so strongly. Maybe its like my brother said, when we found out we were both listening to Bruce Springsteen at  the same time without knowing it, “Must be something in the wind.” This music really was made for the summer. Perfect summer music for when you’re barreling down the highway with the windows rolled down.

The album itself is stunningly insightful. Touching on topics like life, death, and youth (specifically the loss of youth). The song “Stay Lucky” is an anthem on the loss of youth and the surprising swiftness in which maturity and adulthood seems to descend on us.

Enjoy.

mp3: The Gaslight Anthem – Stay Lucky
from the album American Slang (buy it here)

mp3: The Gaslight Anthem – American Slang
from the album American Slang (buy it here)

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SONG: The Ghost of Tom Joad

June 15, 2010 in SONG by Logg | 2 comments

ghost_of_tom_joad

Every now and then I get sucked into a song and can’t ever get enough of it. “The Ghost of Tom Joad” by Bruce Springsteen (and Rage Against the Machine’s version) have been playing constantly on my computer for the last two days. I can’t say I’m relating to the song, I’m probably the least oppressed person in the world. Oppressed or not, I think its one of the most powerful songs ever. The kind that leaves that revolutionary flavor in your mouth after listening to it (be careful though, one listen too many and the next thing you know you’re wearing a ski mask and smoking a pipe in Chiapas).

And now with my finals coming to a close this week I’m thinking of picking up The Grapes of Wrath for a little summer reading and maybe drifting across the country for awhile. Or what is more likely, I’ll just delve into Bruce Springsteen’s catalog. Who knows? The prospect of a free and open summer is exhilarating.

mp3: Bruce Springsteen – The Ghost of Tom Joad
from the album The Ghost of Tom Joad (buy it here)

mp3: Rage Against the Machine – The Ghost of Tom Joad
from the album Renegades (buy it here)

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ALBUM: Rabbit Songs by Hem

June 6, 2010 in ALBUM by Logg | 1 comment

hem

A little over a year ago my oldest brother Ty started sending me music. Most of these gifts were no doubt the result of his frequent trips to the nearby thrift store. I imagine that he has duplicates of what he sends me and that perhaps since we’re brothers we share the trait of not being able to see a favorite album languishing in a used bin. The albums Ty sent me were rarely anything too modern, most are between 5, 10, 15, and even 30 years old, but each was something special. Most have been absolute eye-openers to me. Moments in music that I’d forgotten, never heard, or never really appreciated. Ever since writing about one of these albums, I’ve been throwing around the idea of writing about the rest, not as some cheesy homage to my brother Ty, but because its good music.

So I’ll start at the beginning with the first album Ty ever sent me, Hem’s Rabbit Songs released in 2002.

Ty sent me this album after we talked about Leslie Feist (who had just released The Reminder) and how we both loved good female vocals. About a month later I got this CD in the mail along with this note:

Logan, (Notable because no one in my family actually calls me this. Weird.)

This CD is one that I’ve listened to a thousand times – I just love the voice. Maybe you won’t like it – pretty mellow late night or Sunday morning music and maybe it takes a few listens to grow on ya. Beautiful music though.

This is music that fits a mood perfectly. Its about 1 AM as I write this, I’ve spent the day researching and getting virtually nowhere on a paper I’m writing and I just felt like I needed some time to cool down before going to bed. Hem is some perfect unwind music for the end of a stressful day. The music itself is a gentle union of folk with pop and bluegrass elements and Sally Ellyson’s vocals are strong, but soft. For me this album is the musical equivalent of comfort food and a warm bed.

mp3: Hem – Halfacre
from the album Rabbit Songs (buy it here)

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VIDEO: Ólafur Arnalds – Hægt, kemur ljósið

May 30, 2010 in VIDEO by Logg | No comments

My love of Olafur Arnalds is starting to border on the obsessive.

I’ve been listening to his forthcoming album for a few weeks now and its nothing short of majestic. I was so happy to see “Hægt, kemur ljósið” (one of the strongest tracks from …and they have escaped the weight of darkness) get the video treatment.

…and they have escaped the weight of darkness will be released June 8th (the same day I turn in the paper that is currently making my life hell. Really looking forward to that day.)

mp3: Olafur Arnalds – Tunglid
from the album …and They Have Escaped the Weight of Darkness (buy it here)

SONG: No Children by The Mountain Goats

May 23, 2010 in SONG by Logg | 1 comment

mountaingoats

This is one of those pages you somehow stumble across and can’t for  the life of you remember the myriad of links you clicked to discover it. (Like how you start reading on Wikipedia about Reaganomics and end up on a page about notable bow tie wearers.)

However I found it, I’m glad I did cause I needed a laugh.

The Mountain Goats Will Cure Your Bieber Fever

mp3: The Mountain Goats – No Children
from the album Tallahassee (buy it here)

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ALBUM: True Love Cast Out All Evil by Roky Erickson w/ Okkervil River

May 13, 2010 in ALBUM by Logg | No comments

roky

There is a lot of back-story behind this album. A lot of press about Roky Erickson, his past, and now his triumphant return to music with True Love Cast Out All Evil. However, if we were to ignore everything that went before this album, not allow Roky’s story to skew our thoughts, this album would still be sensational. There is no denying the beauty of the music and Roky’s voice sparkles with sincerity.

But when you know the history, the dark and heartbreaking history, this album becomes something else entirely.

A simple collection of songs becomes the autobiography of a man, the destruction of his life, being brought down by unbearable burdens, and then his final redemption. Ultimately, this is a story of redemption where the album you’re listening to is the climax. The album doesn’t just tell the story, it’s part of the story, and its the happiest part of the story. So even when this album is at its darkest, it still shines just because you’re listening to it. Does that make sense?

Read the rest of this entry »

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VIDEO: The Ooks of Hazzard – Kids (MGMT Cover)

April 26, 2010 in VIDEO by Logg | 2 comments

My friend Alison sent me this and it is seriously the greatest thing.

I love MGMT, but I think I love this more. There, I said it and I’ll never take it back.

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