Captain Obvious

Rocky Votolato: True Devotion (2010)

2010-02-07T21:30:00.050-06:00

New Wax

Set for a February 23rd release date via Barsuk, True Devotion, the sixth full-length studio album from Texas-born, ex-Waxwing singer Rocky Votolato extends his pension for the country-tinged, soul-baring fare established on his last two albums, Makers and The Brag & Cuss. After years of touring, Votolato's private bout with depression and anxiety became overwhelming and he, for all intensive purposes, became a recluse. After spending a year holed up in his apartment studying existential philosophy, history, theology, and physics, Votolato's songwriting muse finally returned and True Devotion materialized. While tapped into the same sonic vein as his last few albums, the songs on True Devotion are more pared down and mostly acoustic. Thematically, Votolato tackles self-doubt, mortality, and life on the road. Votolato, a married man with two children, sounds road-weary and homesick on "Instrument" as he belts out: "Just wanna come back home to you again/ 'Cause I just wanna be free." Votolato's words are often understated yet loaded and he delivers them with the authenticity of a man privy to both the darkness and light. He muses on the finite nature of life on "Sparklers" when he sings" Sparklers only burn for so long," but elsewhere he sounds enlightened, hopeful, and very much in love with the woman he's chosen to build a life with. True Devotion, like life, is a mixed bag of emotions, and Votolato tackles that subject matter with a measure of honesty often unparalleled by other songwriters. -- Capt. Obvious

Listen:
MP3: Rocky Votolato - Red River
MP3: Rocky Votolato - Sparklers

Tags: Rocky Votolato, True Devotion

Covers Mixtape XXIII

2010-02-05T15:29:00.033-06:00

SIDE A
1. Peter Gabriel - Flume (Bon Iver Cover)
2. Fruit Bats - Never Tear Us Apart (INXS Cover)
3. Eef Barzelay - Two Tickets To Paradise (Eddie Money Cover)
4. Phoenix - Sad Eyed Lady Of The Lowlands (Bob Dylan Cover)
5. M. Ward - Sadie (Joanna Newsom Cover)
6. Denison Witmer - Comfort You (Van Morrison Cover)
7. Florence + The Machine - Addicted To Love (Robert Palmer Cover)

SIDE B
1. Manchester Orchestra - I Could Be With Anyone (Kevin Devine Cover)
2. Wilco - One Hundred Years From Now (Gram Parsons Cover)
3. Calexico - I Send My Love To You (Palace Brothers Cover)
4. Dinosaur Jr. - Just Like Heaven (The Cure Cover)
5. Vic Chesnutt - Buckets Of Rain (Bob Dylan Cover)
6. Rosie Thomas - River (Joni Mitchell Cover)
7. Basia Bulat - True Love Will Find You In The End (Daniel Johnston Cover)

J. Tillman: Wild Honey Never Stolen

2010-02-04T20:45:00.005-06:00

COTV

Tags: J. Tillman, Wild Honey Never Stolen

Los Campesinos!: Romance Is Boring (2010)

2010-02-04T19:52:00.033-06:00

New Wax

".. Just calm the fuck down!" screams Gareth Campesinos! in unison with his bandmates on "This Is A Flag. There Is No Wind." It's an ironic sentiment coming from the hyperactive Cardiff, Wales band Los Campesinos!, whose newest album Romance Is Boring was recently released via Toronto label Arts and Crafts. While the band still exhibits a wealth of energy on the new release, they seem more keen on letting the songs breathe rather than packing instruments into the arrangements. Don't worry, the band still flexes it's punk-rock infused pop on the breakneck "Plan A," but elsewhere they seem more measured and concise. Romance veers away from the brightness of their debut Hold On Now Youngster and focuses more on the hard-edged sound of 2008's We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed. Gareth's pen is as scathing as ever and he shifts from serious subject matter to sarcastic witticisms at the drop of a dime. On the particularly venom-tongued "Straight In At 101," Gareth half sings/half yells: "I think we need more post-coital and less post-rock/ Feels like the build up takes forever but you never get me off." When Gareth's not poking fun at music genres, he's musing on a close friend's eating disorder. This unpredictability makes him an interesting lyricist. With Romance Is Boring, Los Campesinos! turns in their most mature effort, but this growth doesn't mark a letdown in brute energy. After all, a band so in tune with the ennui of folks in their early 20's should sound a little bit pissed off. -- Capt. Obvious

Listen:
MP3: Los Campesinos! - Romance Is Boring
MP3: Los Campesinos! - The Sea Is A Good Place To Think Of The Future

Tags: Los Campesinos, Romance Is Boring

The Radio Dept.: Clinging To A Scheme (2010)

2010-02-04T17:49:00.014-06:00

New Wax

After years of rescheduling and delays, Swedish dream-pop heavyweights The Radio Dept. are finally set to release their third full-length album entitled Clinging To A Scheme in March via Labrador. It's been four years since Pet Grief, which peaked at #11 on the Swedish charts and garnered the band a devout worldwide following, and it seems the time and effort the band poured into Clinging To A Scheme has paid off in spades. Brief but intoxicating opener "Domestic Scene" tangles hypnotic guitar and echoed vocals over a repetitive drum beat to stunning result. Next is the surefire hit "Heaven's On Fire" with its hazy vocals, highly danceable rhythm, and unexpected saxophone. Clinging To A Scheme perfectly marries the band's earlier pension for noise with the more dreamy aesthetic of Pet Grief and takes that marriage even further. Pulsing synthesizers mix with fuzz, ingeniously placed electronic beats, and lush, ethereal vocals. From the reggae-infused "Never Follow Suit" to the soaringly ambient "A Token Of Gratitude" to the driving early 90's indie-rock reminiscent guitars on "The Video Dept.," Clinging To A Scheme not only delivers in variety and quality but it justifies the album's long road to release. There's not a misstep to be found on this release, which easily ranks as one of the more notable of this young year. -- Capt. Obvious

Listen:
MP3: The Radio Dept. - Heaven's On Fire
MP3: The Radio Dept. - David

Tags: The Radio Dept., Clinging To A Scheme

The Bears Of Blue River

2010-02-04T17:16:00.017-06:00

You Should Know

Hailing from Chicago, The Bears Of Blue River have just dropped a new EP entitled The Killer Bee Scare. Engineered and produced with friends Margot and the Nuclear So & So's, The Killer Bee Scare combines breezy indie-pop with folk sensibilities. EP opener "Crayola" builds slowly over a jangly guitar riff and simple drum beat only to crescendo into a chorus of voices. "Betty Homemaker" is a sunny little folk tune that features playful tag-team his and hers vocals. Infectious harmonies abound, and the mood in both instrumentation and lyrical themes remains light and fun. Even when Gavin Wilkinson and company implore "Don't waste your time on me!," the backing music seems all honeybees and flowers. This melodically addictive little EP seems unfit for a January release date. The Killer Bee Scare seems better suited for spring. It's the musical equivalent of a light-breeze bicycle ride on a clear, sunny day. -- Capt. Obvious

Listen:
MP3: The Bears Of Blue River - Crayola

Tags: The Bears Of Blue River, The Killer Bee Scare EP

Dave Rawlings Machine: To Be Young

2010-02-03T16:26:00.004-06:00

COTV

Tags: Dave Rawlings Machine, To Be Young

Yarn Owl

2010-02-01T16:47:00.039-06:00

You Should Know

Washington-state band Yarn Owl creates music that not only evokes imagery of the Pacific Northwest but they do so without skimping on the pop sensibility. Their 2009 limited edition cassette release Tiny Dots masterfully combines a lo-fi aesthetic with sweeping reverb-heavy guitar play, echoed vocals sure to please anyone keen on Fleet Foxes and Band of Horses, and a knack for catchy harmonies and smart arrangements. On Tiny Dots opener "Yarn Blues," lead singer Javier Suarez's understated vocals interplay gorgeously with dreamy, pastoral instrumentation. This is pop music for the mountains. Having already shared the stage with heralded Northwest bands such as Grand Archives, The Helio Sequence, and Fruit Bats, the band hopes to build on their momentum with a new EP entitled Stay Warm due for release in 2010. If the instantly catchy single "Bicycle" is a reflection of the rest of the album, this band is in store for big things. -- Capt. Obvious

Listen:
MP3: Yarn Owl - Bicycle (from the upcoming Stay Warm)
MP3: Yarn Owl - Yarn Blues (from Tiny Dots)

Tags: Yarn Owl, Tiny Dots

Postdata (2010)

2010-01-27T18:02:00.040-06:00

New Wax

Postdata is a new self-released project by Paul Murphy, who otherwise fronts award-winning Nova Scotia band Wintersleep. The album started a few years ago when Murphy and his brother Michael sketched some ideas into rough songs which were meant as a gift to their mother. The duo later got together to add polish to those sketches and to add more tracks to what would eventually become Postdata. Sonically, the project couldn't be more different than Wintersleep. The songs are sparse and atmospheric and combine a stripped-down folk aesthetic with noisy undertones. Thematically, Murphy's sentiments revolve around some heady themes: family, time, mortality. Murphy references his grandparents a number of times and pays homage to them with cryptic lyrical snapshots. Elsewhere, like on the lovely "Paranoid Clusters," Murphy displays an image-driven stream-of-consciousness approach. He sings: "Beneath a paranoid cluster of falling stars/ In the big black belly of the universe/ Old rotted out lumber and abandoned cars/ Bring your friends and family, flashlights, tape recorders/ Random stacks of letters, pens, postcards unmarked/ Cellphones smashed and scattered, plastic body parts, acre upon acre, layer upon layer/ Photographs of Jesus, Brando, Joan of Arc." Poetic at times, earnest and melancholy others, Postdata manages to be both intimate and far-reaching, personal yet dialed into themes universal to the human condition. -- Capt. Obvious

Listen:
MP3: Postdata - In Chemicals
MP3: Postdata - Tobias Grey

Tags: Postdata, Paul Murphy

January Mixtape

2010-01-27T16:29:00.026-06:00

SIDE A
1. The Tallest Man On Earth - King Of Spain
2. Surfer Blood - Swim
3. Beach House - Norway
4. Owen Pallett - Lewis Takes Action
5. Seabear - Lion Face Boy
6. Fionn Regan - Protection Racket
7. Worker Bee - No Dreams

SIDE B
1. Midlake - Acts Of Man
2. Rogue Wave - Good Morning
3. Shearwater - Black Eyes
4. She & Him - In The Sun
5. Get Well Soon - 5 Steps/7 Swords
6. Wild Yaks - River May Come
7. Thomas Western - Your Front Door

Lissie: Wedding Bells (Hear Ya Live Session)

2010-01-27T01:50:00.007-06:00

COTV

Tags: Lissie, Wedding Bells, Hear Ya Live Session

Lohio

2010-01-26T23:34:00.022-06:00

You Should Know

In the span of five songs, Pittsburgh's Lohio covers plenty of sonic territory. On their latest effort, a self-titled EP self-released late last year, the trio shifts from jangly Americana to bouncy indie-pop. Take the slow-burning, Neil Young-inspired opener "Grandfather's Chaise," which builds from quietly sparse to raucous and loud. Then there's the infectious "Waiting For The End Of The Summertime" with it's 70's pop aesthetic and Beach Boys-reminiscent "ooh ooh ooh ooh." On the sunnier tracks, singer Greg Dutton's voice is reminiscent of The Jayhawks' Gary Louris, while other times, like on the hushed "We'll Hide Ourselves Underneath," he exhibits the fragile timbre of Elliott Smith. His vocal pliability suits the music well because their genre seems to change from track to track. That's what makes the band's new EP such a treat. Lohio manages to offer variety in spades and they tackle each song with a deft understanding of melody and arrangement. Definitely worth a listen. -- Capt. Obvious

Listen:
MP3: Lohio - Grandfather's Chaise

Tags: Lohio, Self Titled EP

Retribution Gospel Choir: 2 (2010)

2010-01-26T21:30:00.029-06:00

New Wax

On their eponymous debut Retribution Gospel Choir, Alan Sparhawk and company proved they could very well bring the rock. Sparhawk, who's better known as an integral piece of the slowcore band Low, shook all preconceptions by churning out a collection of songs more keen on arena-sized rock riffs than slow-burning minimalist fare. Under the production of Mark Kozelek, the band's first album exhibited decidedly Crazy Horse-esque leanings. Their new album 2, which is their first on heralded label Sub Pop, extends that sound with bigger guitars and catchier hooks. While moments on the album vary in success from over-the-top bar band ("White Wolf") to catchy hard rock ("Working Hard"), it's refreshing to hear Sparhawk indulge a bit, even when the results get a little overblown. From the instantly likable "Hide It Away" to the sprawling "Electric Guitar," the band keeps the volume knob on 11. High five for forced Spinal Tap references! -- Capt. Obvious

Listen:
MP3: Retribution Gospel Choir - Hide It Away
MP3: Retribution Gospel Choir - Poor Man's Daughter

Tags: Retribution Gospel Choir, 2

The Covers Mixtape XXII

2010-01-22T16:01:00.046-06:00

SIDE A
1. Fanfarlo - A Minor Place (Bonnie 'Prince' Billy Cover)
2. The Low Anthem - Dignity (Bob Dylan Cover)
3. The Rural Alberta Advantage - Eye Of The Tiger (Survivor Cover)
4. Wilco - Any Major Dude Will Tell You (Steely Dan Cover)
5. Califone - For The Turnstiles (Neil Young Cover)
6. Eels - Can't Help Falling In Love (Elvis Presley Cover)
7. Jay Reatard - Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle (Nirvana Cover)

SIDE B
1. Joshua James - Custom Concern (Modest Mouse Cover)
2. Vic Chesnutt - Like A Monkey In The Zoo (Daniel Johnston Cover)
3. My Morning Jacket - Rocket Man (Elton John Cover)
4. Dan Mangan - There Is A Light That Never Goes Out (The Smiths Cover)
5. Matt Pond PA - Holiday Road (Lindsey Buckingham Cover)
6. Woodpigeon - Mother (Pink Floyd Cover)
7. Laura Marling - Roll Away Your Stone (Mumford & Sons Cover)

Warpaint: Elephants

2010-01-11T18:13:00.003-06:00

COTV

Tags: Warpaint, Elephants

Lissie

2010-01-11T17:37:00.012-06:00

You Should Know

Listening to Lissie Maurus' EP Why You Runnin' feels like thumbing through a photo album of sepia-toned Midwestern imagery. Her songs are about cornfields, moonshine, the mighty Mississippi River, and of course, lost love. It's folk music with a hearty helping of soul and Lissie's vocals throughout Why You Runnin' soar. Her delivery is one part blues-chanteuse/one part old-school country songstress, and with that trance-inducing echoed vocal effect it's no wonder that Band Of Horses member Bill Reynolds played a pivotal role in the production of the EP. She even tackles classic country territory with a lovely cover of Hank Williams' "Wedding Bells." Recently released on Oxford, Mississippi's reputable Fat Possum label, Lissie's Why You Runnin' should pique your curiosity. It'll be interesting to see what she can do with a full album of original material. -- Capt. Obvious

Listen:
MP3: Lissie - Everywhere I Go

Tags: Lissie, Why You Runnin'

Laura Veirs: July Flame (2010)

2010-01-10T21:53:00.031-06:00

New Wax

Some music is gorgeous to a fault, and if you're not listening closely enough, Portland folk songstress Laura Veirs' new album July Flame may, at first glance, appear to be a pretty-yet-forgettable affair. Sure, Veirs' unassumingly thin vocals and lushly ornate arrangements make for decent background music, but to overlook the artistic merit of July Flame would be a shame. While Veirs' songs are undoubtedly delicate they are not without their surprises. The horns on "Summer Is The Champion" add an unexpected robustness while My Morning Jacket's Jim James' throaty vocals lend an interesting juxtaposition to Veirs' on the sparse "Make Something Good." Elsewhere, the disarming "Where Are You Driving" overlays a loosely plucked banjo with beautiful string flourishes and the plugged-in title track offers punch to an otherwise understated album. Veirs even visits alt. country territory on the pedal steel-laden "Sun Is King." With July Flame, her seventh album to date, Veirs offers plenty of variety and the deftness you'd expect from a seasoned songwriter. Just don't blink, you might let its beauty pass you by. -- Capt. Obvious

Listen:
MP3: Laura Veirs - July Flame
MP3: Laura Veirs - Wide-Eyed, Legless

Tags: Laura Veirs, July Flame

Vikesh Kapoor

2010-01-10T20:50:00.033-06:00

You Should Know

Sometimes as a music blogger you're confronted with an awkward situation: an artist contacts you and gives you material that just doesn't resonate with you. They've poured their blood, sweat, and tears into their art, and here you are, a lowly blogger, passing judgment on the fruits of their labor. When Vikesh Kapoor contacted me recently with his new 3-song 7" entitled Newspress Scare, I really hoped I'd like it. After all, he seemed like such a nice guy. Well Vikesh, color me impressed. Having self-released an EP in 2008 entitled On The Tail Of A White Donkey and opened for acts such as A.A. Bondy and Willy Mason, Vikesh returns with this lovely 3-song collection. The mini-album opens with a sprawling title track. Through a fictional story about a town whose news press has broken, Kapoor muses on media's societal influence and the frightening power of propaganda. With a laid-back yet precise delivery, Kapoor navigates effortlessly through lyrical nuggets such as "The mayor slumps up on his soapbox and looks to his scuffed black boots/ He knows his megaphone is plugged with slogans he never understood." On the less lofty, yet equally gorgeous "Oh, Siv," Kapoor visits well-traveled girl-leaves-boy territory without sounding trite or disingenuous. Rounding off this impressive little 7" is a wonderful cover of the popular standard "Mack The Knife." Kapoor's future as a songwriter is bright, and Newspress Scare is merely a glimpse into his potential. The 7" will be available digitally on February 1st via Michigan record label Good People. -- Capt. Obvious

Listen:
MP3: Vikesh Kapoor - Newspress Scare

Tags: Vikesh Kapoor, Newspress Scare

The Cap's Favorite Albums Of 2009: #10-1

2009-12-23T12:17:00.040-06:00

MP3: 10. Woods - Rain On
(from Songs Of Shame)

MP3: 9. Grizzly Bear - Two Weeks
(from Veckatimest)

8. Califone - Buñuel
(from All My Friends Are Funeral Singers)

7. Bowerbirds - Northern Lights
(from Upper Air)

6. We Were Promised Jetpacks - Quiet Little Voices
(from These Four Walls)

5. Fanfarlo - Luna
(from Reservoir)

4. Mewithoutyou - Timothy Hay
(from It's All Crazy! It's All False! It's All A Dream! It's Alright)

3. The Antlers - Two
(from Hospice)

2. David Bazan - In Stitches
(from Curse Your Branches)

1. A.A. Bondy - A Slow Parade
(from When The Devil's Loose)

The Cap's Favorite Albums Of 2009: #20-11

2009-12-22T13:14:00.049-06:00

MP3: 20. M. Ward - Hold Time
(from Hold Time)

MP3: 19. Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - Beware Your Only Friend
(from Beware)

18. John Vanderslice - Too Much Time
(from Romanian Names)

17. Mumford & Sons - The Cave
(from Sigh No More)

16. St. Vincent - The Strangers
(from Actor)

15. Bill Callahan - Eid Ma Clack Shaw
(from Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle)

14. Volcano Choir - Island, IS
(from Unmap)

13. The Twilight Sad - I Became A Prostitute
(from Forget The Night Ahead)

12. J. Tillman - Crosswinds
(from Year In The Kingdom)

11. Gregory Alan Isakov - That Moon Song
(from This Empty Northern Hemisphere)

The Cap's Favorite Albums Of 2009: #30-21

2009-12-21T14:36:00.047-06:00

MP3: 30. Joe Purdy - Dead End Kids
(from Last Clock On The Wall)

MP3: 29. Bat For Lashes - Daniel
(from Two Suns)

28. Handsome Furs - Radio Kaliningrad
(from Face Control)

27. Dirty Projectors - No Intention
(from Bitte Orca)

26. The Mountain Goats - Psalms 40:2
(from The Life Of The World To Come)

25. Andrew Bird - Anonanimal
(from Noble Beast)

24. Great Lake Swimmers - Pulling On A Line
(from Lost Channels)

23. Other Lives - Black Tables
(from Other Lives)

22. Cass McCombs - You Saved My Life
(from Catacombs)

21. WHY? - Against Me
(from Eskimo Snow)

The Cap's Favorite Albums Of 2009: #40-31

2009-12-20T15:33:00.056-06:00

MP3: 40. The Appleseed Cast - As The Little Things Go
(from Sagarmatha)

MP3: 39. Jason Lytle - Ghost Of My Old Dog
(from Yours Truly, The Commuter)

38. Grand Archives - Oslo Novelist
(from Keep In Mind Frankenstein)

37. The Swell Season - Low Rising
(from Strict Joy)

36. Phoenix - Lisztomania
(from Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix)

35. Built To Spill - Aisle 13
(from There Is No Enemy)

34. Megafaun - The Fade
(from Gather, Form & Fly)

33. Wilco - You And I
(from Wilco (The Album))

32. Dan Deacon - Woof Woof
(from Bromst)

31. Dead Man's Bones - My Body's A Zombie For You
(from Dead Man's Bones)

The Cap's Favorite Albums Of 2009: #50-41

2009-12-19T16:47:00.058-06:00

Hey friends, I know I haven't posted in forever. Fear not, the blog will not be shutting down and I haven't been abducted and/or murdered. I moved at the beginning of the month and haven't had internet until today, so I'll be getting back into the swing of things. Anyways, it's that time of year again. The obligatory, totally subjective year-end lists will be flooding music blogs. I am merely a sheep in the herd. My love of the folksy has not waned, but I think you may find some surprises on this list. I've omitted a wealth of worthy albums, but did my best in whittling down more than 100 LP's I enjoyed at different capacities. To make it easier on myself, I've excluded EP's like Bon Iver's Blood Bank EP and cover albums like Phosphorescent's To Willie. Please post your favorite albums of the year in the comment section. I'd love to see what you readers connected with this year. -- Capt. Obvious

MP3: 50. Bruce Peninsula - Crabapples
(from A Mountain Is A Mouth)

MP3: 49. Port O'Brien - My Will Is Good
(from Threadbare)

48. The Cave Singers - Summer Light
(from Welcome Joy)

47. Elvis Perkins In Dearland - I Heard Your Voice In Dresden
(from Elvis Perkins In Dearland)

46. Sleeping States - Gardens Of The South
(from In The Gardens Of The North)

45. Cymbals Eat Guitars - Cold Spring
(from Why There Are Mountains)

44. Yo La Tengo - If It's True
(from Popular Songs)

43. Passion Pit - Moth's Wings
(from Manners)

42. Monsters Of Folk - Temazcal
(from Monsters Of Folk)

41. Ramona Falls - Russia
(from Intuit)

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