Carl Sandburg Visits Me In A Dream

Perhaps I have an affinity for The Redwalls because of their faux-UK 70s sound, or perhaps it is because they reign from nearby Deerfield, Illinois (30 mi. from Chicago). But either way, The Redwalls are damn good. Their “second” LP De Nova (2005) really defined the band as Anglophile rockers trying to create an authentic classic rock sound. But their new self-titled third LP The Redwalls shows an even greater maturity and originality than before.

On The Redwalls, the band seems to straddle between discipline and a certain laidbackness, as they take a conscientious approach to a rather fun and entertaining album. I found myself enjoying the album much more with headphones on, as it appears that I was able to pick up more of the subtleties in the instrumentation and vocalization. The CCR-like “Into the Maelstorm” is a wonderful ditty, and the Dylanesque “Little Sister” is so endearingly sweet that the five-minute length seems too short. However tracks like the higher-charged “Modern Diet” or the nostalgic “Summer Romance” really set the band apart as an original outfit. Indeed, in trying to bring back a golden age of music, The Redwalls are in fact creating something entirely new and delightful in the process.

Go and get The Redwalls.

Listen to “Summer Romance” (4.8/5)

Listen to “Little Sister” (4.8/5)

Get those jangly guitars and those raspy vocals out of the closet–you’re gonna need ‘em if you want to play along with Cass McCombs. McCombs reigns from “here and there, US”, and his most recent release Dropping the Writ is a real soft-spoken gem that slowly eases its way into your consciousness. McCombs’ music ebbs and flows, caresses and resists, bends and stretches with the natural rhythms of the mind. This probably won’t make as much sense in words as it will once you queue up Dropping the Writ. These are songs for a lazy Sunday morning, for the days when your mind wanders into other realms, when you need something to ground you. Have a listen to the instantly charming “That’s That” or the warming “Petrified Forest” and you too will instantly know what I mean. So stop reading! Go and get Dropping the Writ.

Listen to “That’s That” (4.9/5)

Listen to “Petrified Forest” (4.6/5)

Hopefully, all of those from the great country of the red, white, and blue (that’s the US, not France!) are feeling in tip-top shape after turkey and stuffing overload from last night. I’m not trying to be profound here, but what a friggin’ genius holiday…seriously…a holiday that revolves around the most important aspect of America–excess.

But enough of that. Here are some musical leftovers for you to peruse and enjoy. Stay well everybody, it’s getting cold!

Sam Sparro – Black and Gold

What a fantastic beat! It’s a shame the rest of the EP is a little lacking.

Andy Kim – Rock Me Gently

Ever since I heard this song in that commercial for Jeep, I’ve been really digging this old gem.

The Shins – We Will Become Silhouettes (Postal Service Cover)

The Shins’ cover is a more cheery take on the Postal Service ‘classic’.

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Advanced courses like 70-297 and 70-291 can be attempted and successfully completed after the basic criteria course 70-282 is completed.

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You probably have never heard of Chuck Prophet (neither have I) until now, but it sure baffles me why not. A veteran singer-songwriter for the past 20-some years, Prophet really hasn’t had his share of recognition. But I tell you–take one (or 5) listens to Prophet’s latest album Soap and Water, and you’ll be praising his abilities until you’re blue in the proverbial face.

Prophet seems to channel Tom Petty in his guitar, Dylan in his tone, and Mark Knopfler in his voice. Prophet sounds cool and assured on Soap and Water, his confident baritone filling well with the bluesy folk rhythms. He effortlessly moves from ballads like glazey harmonious “Happy Ending” to the more upbeat rock tracks like the southern twangy “Freckle” or the spoken word “Down Time”. Prophet seems to tie it all in with his fresh witty ‘isms, his excellent musicianship, and (you guessed it) a children’s choir. It seems as though Prophet is indeed a wise elder, a statesmen of a generation of singer-songwriter rockers teaching the youngins how to lay it down.

Go, go, go and buy Soap and Water.

Listen to “Freckle” (5/5)

Listen to “Happy Ending” (4.8/5)

Are you ready to rumble?

Well, UK quartet The Rumble Strips sure are! Their peppy little LP Girls and Weather is simply sugary sweet, complete with some lovable vocals and some high-charged guitars. If you remember the post about fellow countrymen The Holloways (and hopefully you liked it), then you will surely get a kick out of the jangly rock-pop delivered by these guys.

Get a copy of Girls and Weather.

Listen to “Girls and Boys In Love” (4.6/5)

Listen to “Oh Creole” (4.7/5)
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642-432 cannot be attempted if 642-453 as well as 642-552 is not done.

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I figured that I would post a couple of tracks that I’ve been listening to lately, which have been floating around the world wide web over the past week:

Feist-1234 (VanShe Technologic Remix)

A well-produced remix that really reinterprets Feist’s cutesy 1234 as a legitimate synth heavy party anthem.

Jens Lekman-You Can Call Me All (cover)

Covering the well-known song by Paul Simon, Lekman does quite well with “You Can Call Me All.” Nevertheless, I still think this cover leaves something to be desired. But what’s average for Lekman is better than a whole lot else.

Jose Gonzalez – Four Forks Acre

A sparse acoustic (what else!) instrumental from the quiet, reserved Swede who can’t seem to do wrong. I can see why it’s a B-side, but he certainly could’ve added on to the 10-track In Our Nature!!
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642-642 series is usually considered an asset in an applicant for 70-526. Advanced credit like 70-296 does well too.

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Dubliner Cathy Davey’s sophomore release Tales of Silversleeve sounds very much in the same vein as nearby artist KT Tunstall’s Drastic Fantastic. It’s quite rare these days to wade through the crap that is standard fill for today’s female singer-songwriters. I’ve said this before, so I won’t belabor the point; I’d much rather like to embellish in this incredible effort from Davey.

Tales of Silversleeve showcases Davey’s infectious vocals; playful but serious, cute but piercing at the same time, Davey uses her voice as an effective instrument throughout the album. She also has a real knack for the upbeat, driving rock song, infusing each track with unique rhythms and fantastic basslines. “Mr. Kill” is Top 40 ready, that sounds more like a B-side from The Cardigans. Davey also delivers some great ballads like the doo-woppy “Rubbish Ocean” or the folky “My Heart Today”. Davey impresses on nearly every track, but the real standouts are make this album tick. “Reuben” is a piano-driven delight with Davey’s sweet voice lifting the track to another level with the accompaniment of a child’s chorus. “Moving” is another one of those purposed pseudo-basslines backed by Davey’s captivating vocals.

Tales of Silversleeve is ripe with wit, class, and a whole lot of rhythm. So grab a copy of Tales of Silversleeve and enjoy.

Listen to “Moving” (4.95/5)

Listen to “Reuben” (4.96/5)

 UK trip-hop electronic collective Neon Heights has just released their proper LP You Make Love to Robots & You Wonder What People are For. I’ve always been partial to epic-long album titles, and the music really does justice to the expectations. I have been following Neon Heights over the past several years now, and this release is certainly the most mature and ambitious to date. You Make Love spreads itself over a wide range of genres, hitting dub, hip-hop, downtempo lounge, and even some classic rock in all the right spots. “Walked Out This Morning” is a drawn out lullaby of the famous line from James Taylor’s “Fire and Rain”, perhaps the highlight on this album. The track “A Delicate Thing” is coated in pure sugary goodness–a 6:16 vocal delight. “Hot n Freezing” is an upbeat Zero 7-ish tune, that leads well into the loungey “Stop Playing” and the Gnarls Barkley-esque “Dreaming”. It’s hard to go wrong with this album, so get yourself a copy of You Make Love…

Listen to “Walked Out This Morning” (4.9/5)

Listen to “Stop Playing” (4.6/5)

I know the great Sufjan’s BQE performance has been reviewed ad nauseum, but that’s where this Sufjan-admirer strays from the beaten path. After some digging, I managed to come up with a live version of the BQE performance–all 33 minutes and 35 seconds of goodness (courtesy of archive.org and user “Adam”). But if you still want a well-written review of the BQE performance (you know I’m just riddled with jealously over not being there), check out stereogum’s review.

Listen to “The BQE” (in its entirety)

ALSO! Check out the new shenanigans going on at Asthmatic Kitty Records (Sufjan’s label). They’re having a contest for the best Christmas song, and the deal is that the winner trades writes to his/her own song for the rights of a previously unreleased Sufjan Stevens song!! Pretty friggin’ awesome.

The epic origins of Citay actually began as a studio project by one Ezra Feinberg. Since 2004, the project has expanded into a full-fledged octet of incredibly talented musicians. The result is the first LP Little Kingdom, which has received considerable praise from critics everywhere (even Pitchfork!). Reviewers keep on throwing around the word ‘epic’ to describe Citay’s music, and as much as I hate to regurgitate what other people have said, the term is true to form.

Little Kingdom is a collection of beautiful soundscapes that are all topographically different, forming canyons with their complex dissonant valleys and their arching vocals. Each song fills a great expanse, as they possess an incredible voluminous character that is without rival. This work is certainly not derivative, nor would I classify it under any kind of improvisational genre. Every note seems loose and free, but yet I get the feeling that each is also precisely calculated. “Final Fantasy” is a magical conglomeration of the best of the Blue Man Group, the Allman Brothers, and Air, yet still remaining entirely unique. “Moonburn” is a dreamy sojourn through several rhythms and emotions, yet like every track on Little Kingdom, it serves as more of a celebration of music itself. Let the partying continue.

Go and get Little Kingdom. NOW!

Listen to “First Fantasy” (4.9/5) (courtesy of their record label, Dead Oceans)

Listen to “Moonburn” (4.6/5)