Captain Obvious

Snow In Mexico

2009-11-15T19:17:00.014-06:00

You Should Know

I can't find much biographical information on Snow In Mexico so let's keep this short and sweet. I've surmised that they are an Italian duo that makes dreamy shoegaze music sans drummer. Backed by drum machine beats, the band's EP is filled with hauntingly echoed vocals and floating guitars. They are a bit reminiscent of Slowdive, which is interesting because I've been on a major Mojave 3 kick lately (Neil Halstead was in Slowdive). The band is offering up their lovely EP for free on their website. Yes, good music for free. Click here to download. -- Capt. Obvious

Listen:
MP3: Snow In Mexico - You And My Winter

Tags: Snow In Mexico

David Bazan: Please Baby Please

2009-11-15T19:01:00.015-06:00

COTV

Tags: David Bazan, Please Baby Please

Matthew Ryan: Dear Lover (2009)

2009-11-15T17:55:00.022-06:00

New Wax

Nashville's Matthew Ryan has been quietly releasing soul-bearing albums with workmanlike precision over the years. Last year's Matthew Ryan VS. The Silver State, one of my favorite albums from 2008, was filled with childhood reminiscence and musings on lost love. On Dear Lover, Ryan's 12th album, the veteran songwriter visits similar emotional territory while going all-out DIY. Not only was the bulk of the album recorded, mixed, and mastered in his Nashville home studio, but Ryan also financed and self-released the album. Musically, Dear Lover utilizes more electronic instrumentation than the more Americana-oriented Silver State, but it's not unfamiliar territory for fans familiar with Ryan's older material such as From A Late Night High Rise. The songs vary from electronically driven fare like "City Life" and "Spark" to the distorted shoegaze guitar-riffs of the title track to the no-pulled-punches country twang of "Some Streets Lead Nowhere." Regardless of backing instrumentation, Ryan maintains a candid, heart-on-his-sleeve narrative voice throughout. On the intimate "The World Is," Ryan sings in his signature gravelly vocals: "The world is held together with lies and promises, broken hearts, and brand new days for you to start all over again." Ryan gives off an honest, blue-collar vibe that lends real emotion to his words and Dear Lover is an impressive addition in this overlooked songwriter's catalog. Dear Lover is available now digitally and is set for physical release on February 16th, 2010. -- Capt. Obvious

Listen:
MP3: Matthew Ryan - Your Museum
MP3: Matthew Ryan - The Wilderness

Tags: Matthew Ryan, Dear Lover

The Covers Mixtape XXI

2009-10-28T13:42:00.048-05:00

SIDE A
1. Joshua Radin - Sesame Street (Joe Raposo Cover)
2. Bat For Lashes - Kangaroo (Big Star Cover)
3. Magnolia Electric Co. - Lawyers, Guns And Money (Warren Zevon Cover)
4. Califone - No Expectations (Rolling Stones Cover)
5. Wilco - True Love Will Find You In The End (Daniel Johnston Cover)
6. Matthew Ryan - Something In The Night (Bruce Springsteen Cover)
7. M. Ward - Green River (Creedence Clearwater Revival Cover)

SIDE B
1. Serena Ryder & The Beauties - The Funeral (Band Of Horses Cover)
2. Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - Puff The Magic Dragon (Peter Paul & Mary Cover)
3. Joshua James - Losing My Religion (R.E.M. Cover)
4. Marissa Nadler - Clairaudients (Bright Eyes Cover)
5. Josh Rouse - Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want (The Smiths Cover)
6. Emmy The Great - Where Is My Mind? (Pixies Cover)
7. Metric - Don't Think Twice It's Alright (Bob Dylan Cover)

Interview: James Graham of The Twilight Sad

2009-10-11T16:14:00.037-05:00

Conducted by Capt. Obvious

Obvious: Congratulations on the release of your wonderful new album Forget The Night Ahead. While it's still a noisy album, it seems to be more complex structurally and more melody driven. Was this a conscious decision and do you see your future material moving in that direction?

Graham: First of all, thank you for your kind words on our new record. The songs on Fourteen Autumns & Fifteen Winters were the first songs we had ever written together so I think it wasn't as much a conscious decision but more of a natural progression. We knew we wanted to balance the noise with the melody to compliment each other. We always start off by making sure we have the song written first then we layer up the noise and other instrumentation.

Obvious: While vague, some of the lyrical content on your first album Fourteen Autumns & Fifteen Winters pointed towards a traumatic childhood. Have family members ever asked about the meaning of your songs?

Graham: To be honest, the songs on the first album were about me, my friends and family, and the actions of others around us that effected us in some sort of way. A lot of people have asked me about my lyrics and I haven't told anyone. A few people have commented that I must have some sort of bad relationship with my family, but it's the exact opposite. I have the best relationship with them and they support the band 100%. My parents have asked me what the songs are about but I told them not to worry. They don't reflect badly on them.

Obvious: Martin Docherty, formerly of Aereogramme, has been playing keyboard and some guitar for you during live shows. How has having an extra member changed the way you approach your live performances and will Dok become a permanent member of The Twilight Sad?

Graham: It has given Andy a lot more freedom to focus on the main guitar parts as before he was playing two or three parts at a time. Dok plays the guitar, organ, and loops, so it fills out the sound a lot more than the early days when it was just the four of us. We knew we needed someone else to be in the live band as we knew we couldn't play the new songs on our own and we were just lucky that Dok was around and a fan of the band and most importantly he was also a friend so we knew he would fit in. At the moment Dok is in the live band and we haven't really talked about him joining the band as we have been so busy, but I'm sure when we get the time to discuss it, it will get sorted as he is very much a big part of this band now.

Obvious: You recently toured with Frightened Rabbit and We Were Promised Jetpacks (who you're still touring with). How was it having an all-Scot tour?

Graham: Right now I'm sitting in Ann Arbor and we have 2 more gigs until we go home and I suppose it's a good time to reflect on the past month and what's happened. The first half of the tour was amazing as we were good friends with Frightened Rabbit and we haven't had a lot of time to hang out back home as we have both been so busy. So it was great to drink, watch them play, and just hang out with them. The shows were nearly all sold out and it was just a good time all around. We didn't really know the Jetpacks that well before coming over but they have become really good friends as well. They are one of the most consistent bands I have ever seen. They seem to kill it every night. The shows that we have headlined have been amazing too. They've nearly all sold out and for a small Scottish band from Glasgow that's pretty mind-blowing for us. So there has been a lot of drinking and good times!

Obvious: After spending time with you and the other bands on your recent tour, I catch myself saying "You booze, you lose" in a feigned Scottish accent more than I'd like to admit. Have you picked up any lingo or mannerisms from fans on your latest American tour?

Graham: Not really. We just teach our American friends our fucked up ways of saying things. Esteban, our tour manager, Steven, our sound guy, and Terry, our bus driver, have slowly learned how to understand us. They have all now started using our Scottish slang in everyday life. As for "you booze, you lose," that term is used a lot, especially when we're Manky (Scottish word for drunk)!

Obvious: "I Became A Prostitute" is one of my favorite tracks off the new record. What's your favorite synonym for a lady of the night? I'm partial to "harlot."

Graham: Fuck, I don't know! Eh, "whore" is probably the word that is used the most back home. I don't really know too many as I don't really hang around those parts of towns where these ladies do their business. Our bass player Craig is probably the best person to answer that question as he loves all ladies of different shapes, sizes, and professions.

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/thetwilightsad

Listen:
MP3: The Twilight Sad - I Became A Prostitute

James Graham, Interview, The Twilight Sad

Woods: Rain On

2009-10-11T16:09:00.002-05:00

COTV

Tags: Woods, Rain On, Captain Obvious

Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson: Summer Of Fear (2009)

2009-10-11T15:30:00.036-05:00

New Wax

Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson's impressive 2008 self-titled debut exhibited the young songwriter's inner (and outer) turmoil with noteworthy flair. Now signed to Omaha's Saddle Creek Record, Robinson returns with a sophomore album entitled Summer Of Fear. Whereas his debut employed the production expertise of Grizzly Bear's Chris Taylor, his new album was overseen by Kyp Malone of TV On The Radio. Over an infectious brand of Americana-tinged rock, Robinson's volatile voice navigates timeless notions of frustration and general pessimism. From whisper-soft to raucous, Robinson's vocals exhibit a borderline-cocky self-assuredness that's infused with just enough candidness and vulnerability. Musically, Summer Of Fear is more orchestrated than its predecessor. On the soaring "Summer Of Fear Pt. 2," The string-laden wall of sound peaks and cascades behind Robinson's soulful croon. Even when he's delivering heady lines like "Why would I try to hate on anyone else/ It's a hard enough time just trying to hate myself" on "The Sound," you can't help but tap your feet. With Summer Of Fear, Robinson has turned in an album that perfectly balances painful self-examination with much-needed catharsis. -- Capt. Obvious

Listen:
MP3: Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson - Shake A Shot
MP3: Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson - The Sound

Tags: Miles Anthony Benjamin Robinson, Summer Of Fear

Dead Man's Bones (2009)

2009-10-11T14:47:00.027-05:00

New Wax

Let's get this out of the way. Dead Man's Bones is a collaboration between Zach Shields and Ryan Gosling. Yes, that Ryan Gosling. Isn't he dreamy? The young actor has turned in some fine performances over the years in independent fare such as The Believer, Lars & The Real Girl, The United States Of Leland, and Half Nelson, but any time a movie star tries their hand at music, you can't help but listen with a skeptical ear. Dead Man's Bones' self titled-debut album is somewhat of a concept album that revolves around themes of the supernatural, hence the appropriate band name. The band also employs the talents of a full-fledged children's choir from the Silverlake Conservatory of Music. It all sounds pretty gimmicky, but Dead Man's Bones ends up being one of the more interesting albums of the year. While the songs work at varying levels of success, there's enough creative fervor here to warrant a close listen. Gosling's vocals interplay nicely with the lo-fi arrangements and kid's chorus, and when Dead Man's Bones gets it right, like on album highlight "Pa Pa Power," they hold their own with some of indie music's elite. The track sounds like it could be an Arcade Fire song, and one of their better ones for that matter. For all of its unevenness and weirdness, Dead Man's Bones never ceases to intrigue. It'll be interesting to see what Gosling and Shields do next. -- Capt. Obvious

Listen:
MP3: Dead Man's Bones - In The Room Where You Sleep
MP3: Dead Man's Bones - Pa Pa Power

Tags: Dead Man's Bones, Ryan Gosling

Interview: Scott Hutchison of Frightened Rabbit

2009-10-10T13:25:00.034-05:00

Conducted by Capt. Obvious

Obvious: Your last album The Midnight Organ Fight seemed to be fueled by heartbreak. Is it ever difficult staying emotionally connected to that material as time passes? How do you keep a fresh perspective on those songs when you're constantly playing them live?

Hutchison: The songs' initial sentiment certainly dulls over time, and the only thing that keeps them fresh are all the people who come to see the shows. These songs perhaps mean more to others than they do to me at this point in time - don't get me wrong, I still love the songs but its the energy that the audience brings that keeps them exciting for me. People come and sing with such passion and gusto, that its hard not to get caught up in that.

Obvious: There was a noticeable evolution in the band's sound from Sing the Greys to The Midnight Organ Fight. I hear you've finished recording a new album that's slated for release early next year. How would you describe the new album in terms of the band's progression in sound?

Hutchison: It's a lot more delicately layered. On the last record, there wasn't enough time to get the songs to sound just as I wanted them to. This time round, we were able to add more detail and the result is a richer, better record. I think its a great deal more mature and I feel much more confident in the material than I did last time.

Obvious: Much of the lyrical content on The Midnight Organ Fight was metaphorically driven and paralleled a broken relationship with the atrophy of the human body. Have you noticed any recurring lyrical themes on the newly recorded album?

Hutchison: The body stuff is still in there, but the overriding theme seems to be the sea this time round - I recorded most of the demos in a tiny village on the East coast of Scotland, so it seeped into the music. I think it's less directly about me - my life's been eventful over the past year, but pleasantly so. I had to move more into storytelling than on the last record, and the result is a bit more oblique.

Obvious: I've read that the band's name stems from you not being entirely comfortable with social situations as a child. You seem very comfortable on stage. Can you expound a bit on that juxtaposition between your public persona as the lead singer of a band and your personal, more private persona? How does meeting and interacting with fans play into this?

Hutchison: I love meeting fans. Frightened Rabbit fans are all fucking awesome people, which helps. I think the stage persona thing took me by surprise too, but ever since my first show as a solo performer, I've felt confident that what I'm doing is worth something and that helps with the confidence thing. However, if you throw me into a party full of strangers, I'll still struggle to make small talk.

Obvious: You just finished an American tour with fellow Scots and labelmates The Twilight Sad and We Were Promised Jetpacks. How was that experience and how do American audiences compare to those in Scotland?

Hutchison: They are actually surprisingly similar. Our audiences here in Scotland have a sense of national pride in their own bands, and that comes across when you play a live show here. There's nowhere in the world that matches that. The level of excitement on this US tour was great, though. It was such a great bill and I'm a massive fan of both of those bands - I was as excited as anyone else about watching the shows night after night. It felt like a big fun school trip.

Obvious: I don't think you sound the least bit like Adam Duritz. Do you ever want to cause physical harm to those who constantly bring that comparison up?

Hutchison: Haha! Not physical harm - I'm not much of a puncher. Its often intended as a compliment, so I usually graciously accept it and then never talk to that person ever again. EVER.

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/frightenedrabbit

Listen:
Stream Frightened Rabbit's new single "Swim Until You Can't See Land" here.

Tags: Scott Hutchison, Interview, Frightened Rabbit

Emily Jane White: Two Shots To The Head

2009-10-08T14:31:00.004-05:00

COTV

Tags: Emily Jane White, Two Shots To The Head, Captain Obvious

Molina And Johnson (2009)

2009-10-08T14:06:00.018-05:00

Album Previews

Great news from Secretly Canadian found its way into my inbox the other day. Jason Molina of Magnolia Electric Co. and Songs:Ohia fame, and Will Johnson, principle songwriter for Centro-matic and South San Gabriel, combined forces and recorded an album in Texas earlier this year. The album is slated for release on November 3 in the states and November 2 in the UK on the aforementioned Secretly Canadian label. The first single, which you can listen to below, is entitled "Twenty Cycles To The Ground." Sounds like Will Johnson takes on lead vocal duties on the track while Molina provides background vocals. Sounds wonderful. Yet another album to look forward to in a year overwhelmingly jam-packed with gems. -- Capt. Obvious

Listen:
MP3: Molina & Johnson - Twenty Cycles To The Ground

Tags: Molina And Johnson, Twenty Cycles To The Ground

Built To Spill: There Is No Enemy (2009)

2009-10-07T14:56:00.005-05:00

New Wax

Indie-rock stalwarts Built To Spill have never put out a terrible album, but lead singer/guitarist Doug Martsch and company haven't quite recaptured the magic of 1999's classic Keep It Like A Secret. Sometimes when a band has a signature sound, their albums start to sound a bit samey and predictable, and Built To Spill's 2006 effort You In Reverse sounded like a band noodling about in over-stomped territory. While the band's newest release There Is No Enemy doesn't digress much sonically, it qualifies as a surprising return to form. Strangely, it's Martsch's lyrics, which he's always downplayed, that make the new album so good. Sure, Martsch's impressive repertoire of kaleidoscope riffage is still on display, but songs like "Life's A Dream" and "Nowhere Lullaby" dial it down and show the band in a more intimate light. Over the steady-tempo of "Life's A Dream," Martsch sounds wise and worn: "Waste your life/ but you don't know what it's worth/ Comb your mind/ For all the treasures of this earth/ Too close to find/ anything outside yourself." When he sings "Goddammit, things fall apart" on the aptly titled "Things Fall Apart," Martsch has never sounded so candid. It's this personal feel of There Is No Enemy that makes it one of the band's more notable releases to date. Oh, and the guitars are fucking awesome. -- Capt. Obvious

Listen:
MP3: Built To Spill - Aisle 13
MP3: Built To Spill - Hindsight

Tags: Built To Spill, There Is No Enemy

Neal Morgan

2009-10-07T11:39:00.045-05:00

You Should Know

Portland, Oregon's Neal Morgan plays drums and sings background harmonies for psych-folk chanteuse Joanna Newsom and he's set to self-release his first solo album, with distribution from robust label Drag City, entitled To The Breathing World on October 20. So you're thinking "hmm, solo album, probably some dude with an acoustic guitar"... wrong. Neal's album consists entirely of his voice and his drums, nothing more. Such a venture could go two ways: painfully pretentious or excitingly original. Thankfully, the latter is the case. Morgan's voice is just as dynamic an instrument as his feral, fitful drumming is. He layers and folds his voice onto itself, creating intricate, otherworldly harmonies. There's a celebratory aesthetic sheen on To The Breathing World, and Morgan's lyrics have an abstract, childlike quality even when he's singing about loneliness and isolation. On "Despair," Morgan sings over a booming drum beat: "Art is not a freezer/ Music is not a bruised body." Much of the album is filled with similarly vague yet poetic sentiments, but when taken as a whole, what initially seems to be a non-sequitur jumble of words transforms into something holistically poignant. To The Breathing World plays like a love-letter to the natural world and all the sadness and ecstasy it entails. -- Capt. Obvious

Listen:
MP3: Neal Morgan - Salamanders

Tags: Neal Morgan, To The Breathing World

The Wooden Sky: Oh My God (It Still Means A Lot To Me)

2009-10-05T17:37:00.005-05:00

COTV

Tags: The Wooden Sky, Oh My God (It Still Means A Lot To Me), Captain Obvious

Califone: All My Friends Are Funeral Singers (2009)

2009-10-05T16:33:00.022-05:00

New Wax

Chicago's Califone, now signed to Dead Oceans, which is home to the likes of Bowerbirds, Akron/Family, Phosphorescent, and John Vanderslice among others, follows up their wonderful 2006 album Roots & Crowns with a new album entitled All My Friends Are Funeral Singers. While the album stand's on its own musically, it is also a companion piece to Califone lead singer Tim Rutili's first feature film, which shares the same title and is about a psychic woman who lives in the woods alone. Over the years, Califone's ability to meld an experimental aesthetic with the feel of folk music has been unmatched, and All My Friends Are Funeral Singers is yet another impressive addition to their criminally overlooked catalog. The band's soundscape has always been intriguingly varied. There's the more rock-oriented "Giving Away The Bride," with its industrial feel and tribal-like percussion. Then there's the acoustic-based yet feedback-laden "Polish Girls" and "Funeral Singers," which contains eerily sampled voices. Then there's the jangly, violin-laden "Bunuel," a nod to the lauded experimental Spanish filmmaker, with its disembodied "oohs" and unexpected guitar solo. This is what makes Califone so freaking good. They somehow meld disparate sounds in a way that's organic and unforced. Violins, fiddles, and banjos interplay seamlessly with found sounds, noisy textures, feedback, and samples. It's a difficult band to describe. What is it? Postmodern roots-folk? Who knows? Who cares? What matters is Califone consistently puts out material that challenges the status quo, and All My Friends Are Funeral Singers is no exception. -- Capt. Obvious

Listen:
MP3: Califone - Funeral Singers
MP3: Califone - Alice Marble Grey

Tags: Califone, All My Friends Are Funeral Singers

Goodtime John

2009-10-05T15:49:00.016-05:00

You Should Know

Dublin, Ireland's Goodtime John is offering a free EP entitled Dark Slipped Its Cloak. The EP was recorded by Phil Elverum of Microphones/Mount Eerie fame in Anacortes, WA at the end of the summer in 2007. 11 songs were recorded, of which 5 have been hand chosen by Goodtime John for the EP. Guest musicians include Kevin Erickson on organ and Guitar, Adrian Orange (aka Thanksgiving) on drums, Ruth Allison on bass and backup vocals, Karl Blau on harmonies, and Elverum himself contributes on drums, piano, and guitar. The musicians were brought in to record without having heard any of the songs, so the EP maintains a loose, off-the-cuff aesthetic throughout. Highly recommended for fans of jangly, slow-tempo folk music. Download the EP for free here. -- Capt. Obvious

Listen:
MP3: Goodtime John - Make A Run For It
MP3: Goodtime John - Dark Slipped Its Cloak

Tags: Goodtime John, Dark Slipped Its Cloak

Old Canes: Feral Harmonic (2009)

2009-10-03T17:23:00.026-05:00

New Wax

For those of you who missed out on it, Chris Crisci, who you may know as the lead singer of post-rockers The Appleseed Cast, put out an impressive little folk album entitled Early Morning Hymns under the moniker Old Canes back in 2004. Newly signed to Omaha's lauded Saddle Creek Records and equipped with a new album entitled Feral Harmonic, which is due out 10/20, Crisci returns with his brand of infectiously upbeat folk-rock. Fans of Early Morning Hymns will recognize Old Canes' signature sound immediately on the jangly "Little Bird Courage." There's that same lo-fi, Neutral Milk Hotel-reminiscent aesthetic and the same interplay of ramshackle acoustic guitars, rattled drums, uplifting horns, and random thriftstore-found instruments. For the most part, Crisci's lyrics extend the positive, hopeful vibe of Early Morning Hymns. On "Little Bird Courage," he sings: "When I'm thirsty/ You are the fountain/ In the face of danger/ I am not afraid." While the sentiments on the album dwell in a positive vein, Crisci's lyrics sometimes take a turn for the cautionary. On "Trust," he warns: "Little one be careful/ There are people out there who steal your soul." It seems Crisci is well aware of the ugliness in the world, but Old Canes has always seemed like a project more focused on learning to keep your head up rather than burying it in the ground. If you read this blog, you'll know my affection for sad music. It's poignant because it sheds light on the suffering so common to the human condition, but sometimes there's nothing better than opening the curtains. Feral Harmonic feels a bit like much needed sunlight. -- Capt. Obvious

Listen:
MP3: Old Canes - Little Bird Courage
MP3: Old Canes - Trust

Tags: Old Canes, Feral Harmonic

We Were Promised Jetpacks: Roll Up Your Sleeves

2009-09-27T21:52:00.005-05:00

COTV

Tags: We Were Promised Jetpacks, Roll Up Your Sleeves, Captain Obvious

September Mixtape

2009-09-27T19:43:00.027-05:00

SIDE A
1. Miles Benjamin Robinson - The Sound
2. Old Canes - Little Bird Courage
3. Dan Mangan - Robots
4. Basia Bulat - Gold Rush
5. Monsters Of Folk - Dear God (Sincerely M.O.F.)
6. The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - Higher Than The Stars
7. Sandbox Astronomy - Lost Languages

SIDE B
1. Kurt Vile - Hunchback
2. Castanets - Worn From The Fight
3. Sea Wolf - Wicked Blood
4.Port O'Brien - Oslo Campfire
5. Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros - Home
6. Thao & The Get Down Stay Down - Know Better Learn Faster
7. Early Day Miners - So Slowly

Grand Archives: Keep In Mind Frankenstein (2009)

2009-09-27T19:05:00.024-05:00

New Wax

Grand Archives, a Seattle band led by Mat Brooke, who was formerly in the lesser-known yet notable Carissa's Wierd and indie it-band Band Of Horses, is back with a new album entitled Keep In Mind Frankenstein. While the mellow, harmony-driven pop aesthetic exhibited on their self-titled debut album is extended on the new album, Brooke and company take a notable step towards Americana on Keep In Mind. The gorgeous "Oslo Novelist" opens with a reverb-heavy guitar riff that is soon joined by intoxicating pedal steel, while the acoustic-based "Left For The Strays" incorporates harmonica. Another highlight is "Dig That Crazy Grave," which melds Grand Archives' pension for Beach Boys-esque harmonies with a jangly shuffle suitable for a bevy of folk artists. While the band's pool of influences seems vast, Keep In Mind Frankenstein harnesses a variety of seemingly incompatible genres into something that sounds, for the most part, fresh and new. There are some disjointed moments, like the unnecessary instrumental shuffle of "Siren Echo Valley Part 2," but that's just nitpicking. Whether you're keen on Americana or you prefer harmony-rich indie-pop, Keep In Mind Frankenstein has plenty to offer. -- Capt. Obvious

Listen:
MP3: Grand Archives - Oslo Novelist
MP3: Grand Archives - Silver Among The Gold

Tags: Grand Archives, Keep In Mind Frankenstein

The Twilight Sad: Forget The Night Ahead (2009)

2009-09-27T17:26:00.044-05:00

New Wax

I caught The Twilight Sad, along with labelmates We Were Promised Jetpacks and Frightened Rabbit, last night at The Bottletree in Birmingham, Alabama and would easily place it as one of the best shows I've been to. It'd be impossible to choose a favorite performance because I've worn out albums from all three and they each offer a very different experience, but when it comes down to an unadulterated, nerve-shattering aural onslaught, The Twilight Sad's set was unparalleled in its unbridled power. The band has an innate ability to evoke a raw emotional response, and trust me, the places they take you aren't very pretty. On the band's new album Forget The Night Ahead, singer James Graham and company may turn in their most accessible collection of songs, but they still force their listeners to face the ugliness dead-on. The arrangements are more intricate and more instruments have been introduced to the mix. The song structures even take a slight turn towards more traditional, but there's still enough chaos and noise to appease fans of their 2007 debut Fourteen Autumns, Fifteen Winters. The Twilight Sad is, after all, a band that relishes the battle between melody and dissonance, and Forget The Night Ahead offers conflicting energy in spades. Forget The Night Ahead extends Graham's vague yet image-driven lyricism, but this time around he's moved past reliving childhood traumas. On "I Became A Prostitute", Graham recites over thudding drums, shoegaze-inspired guitar, and a driving bass line: "Still believing what she sells/ Only girl in the town with her fingers in eyelids." It's not always clear what the meaning is behind Graham's songs, but the lack of lyrical transparency adds even more mystery to the band's already enigmatic sound. Forget The Night Ahead is a step in a more mature direction but it's still wrought with the intensity that made The Twilight Sad so damn intriguing in the first place. -- Capt. Obvious

Listen:
MP3: The Twilight Sad - Reflection Of The Television
MP3: The Twilight Sad - The Floorboards Under The Bed

Tags: The Twilight Sad, Forget The Night Ahead

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros: Home

2009-09-24T19:21:00.010-05:00

COTV

Tags: Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Home, Captain Obvious

Englishman

2009-09-24T18:47:00.016-05:00

You Should Know

Englishman is the songwriting vehicle for Lexington, Kentucky-based Andrew English. The songs on his new EP were recorded at his apartment home in Kentucky but his live shows employ the talents of members of The Scourge Of The Sea, of which he is also a part of, and These United States. On his EP Taxidermy, English composes mellow bedroom folk-pop with wistful lyrics. The 5-songs on Taxidermy are decidedly quirky, but something about English's delivery lends an undertone of melancholy to the material. "He-Man Dolls" is a tongue-in-cheek musing on growing up. English sings: "It's time to sell your he-man dolls/ Paint over your rock n' roll walls" and "Horseshoes" is about, well, not having anyone to play horseshoes with. It's a charming little album from English, who has recently shared the stage with the likes of Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, Deer Tick, and Clem Snide. Definitely an artist to keep an eye on. -- Capt. Obvious

Listen:
MP3: Englishman - Ugly Rainbow
MP3: Englishman - He-Man Dolls

Tags: Englishman, Taxidermy

David Bazan: Curse Your Branches (2009)

2009-09-24T18:18:00.014-05:00

New Wax

David Bazan, most commonly lauded for his work in Pedro The Lion, has always appealed to me because while he was often labeled as a Christian artist, his lyrics never shied away from posing questions of faith that plague believers and non-believers alike. I'm not sure how Bazan would label his own beliefs at this juncture, but on his new album Curse Your Branches, he's still asking the tough questions. On the astounding album opener "Hard To Be," Bazan recounts the story of Adam and Even then injects a sentiment of doubt: "Wait just a minute, you expect me to believe that all this misbehaving grew from one enchanted tree?/ Helpless to fight it, we should all be satisfied/ With this magical explanation for why the living die." Sentiments of agnosticism run rampant on Curse Your Branches. "When We Fell" sounds like an outright attack on the concept of God. Bazan sings "If my mother cries when I tll her what I have uncovered/ Then I hope she remembers she taught me to follow my heart/ And if you bully her like you've done me with fear of damnation/ Then I hope she sees you for who you are." This is some outright heady material that displays all of Bazan's fears and doubts, and Curse Your Branches should strike a chord with anyone who's wrestled with questions of existence and religion. Musically, the album is a bit more orchestrated than past material. I'd even venture to call it poppier, but the newfound airyness in sound comes without sacrificing any of the emotional heft Bazan fans have come to expect. Highly recommended listening. -- Capt. Obvious

Listen:
MP3: David Bazan - Hard To Be
MP3: David Bazan - Lost My Shape

Tags: David Bazan, Curse Your Branches

The Duke & The King: Nothing Gold Can Stay (2009)

2009-09-11T23:25:00.024-05:00

New Wax

The Duke & The King, besides referencing "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn," is a roots-folk duo consisting of Simone Felice, who used to play drums in The Felice Brothers and has also written a few novels, and Robert "Chicken" Burke, a multi-instrumentalist who has worked with, among others, George Clinton. No worries, the duo's new album Nothing Gold Can Stay doesn't sound very P-funk, not that it would be a bad thing. Taking a page out of the "how to record a folk album" handbook, the duo recorded the 10 songs on Nothing Gold Can Stay in a makeshift cabin studio near Woodstock. Whereas The Felice Brothers albums have a jangly sing-a-long feel, Simone's voice is more soothing and while the songs here aren't necessarily complex, they exhibit surprising polish. The album cover is a fitting representation of the songs contained within: a sepia-tinted American flag stretched out on a vintage television. Felice's lyrics are decidedly reminiscent, but while he touches on some heady subject matter such as substance-abuse, dysfunctional childhoods, and homeless war veterans, there's plenty of hopefulness on Nothing Gold Can Stay. Some of the album's sweetest moments are its strongest. For example, the simplistic yet gorgeous "Water Spider" is an outright highlight on an album with many to spare. Fans of no-frills, top-notch songwriting will find much to fall in love with here. -- Capt. Obvious

Listen:
MP3: The Duke & The King - The Morning I Get To Hell
MP3: The Duke & The King - If You Ever Get Famous

Tags: The Duke & The King, Nothing Gold Can Stay