Okkervil River

I can't stop listening to the new album "The Stand Ins." In an attempt to impress a girl I had marked their concert on my calendar. As the show came closer the girl changed but the objective remained the same: impress girl with depth of indie knowledge.

She said she was into going to the show. Then I realized the only exposure i had to Okkervil River was a streaming concert I had listened to months ago on NPR. So I downloaded the most recent album from the band. It's great. This falls into a category of bands and music that is yet to be named but is best described in quoting my brother when he was telling me about Pavement 6 years ago. "I think I like the music because it's music that i feel we could make. It's toe tapping, not head banging and sloppy." The writing is clever and fun.

In short Okkervil River is fun, smart and OCDELICIOUS.

Los Campesinos

I origianlly got Los Campesinos' EP from my sister on a burned CD with half of Spoon's Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga album. Seeing as how I didn't have a CD player at the time I left the CD in my mom's car in another state. But everytime i went to visit it was almost a treat know what my mom would have this CD in her car next to Steely Dan's greatest hits and the new indigo girls. So when I heard the new album by Los Campesinos was out I got it digitally and have been able to give it a proper listen.

As you all expected, I love it. Can't stop listening to this wonderful ironic exciteable dark happy music. They are pitchfork and NPR's darlings right now and they should be yours too.

I need human heat

(Originally written in July)

This week was my birthday and thank you NPR for a great present. Usually I'm not too impressed by Bob Boulin and NPR's All Songs Considered. Much like the rest of NPR arts and culure stories the ASC ends up taking themselves and artists they review a bit too seriously. But recently ASC had a poll on their website to find the best albums of 2008 so far. And the results were pretty interesting. The fist result was the new Panic at the Dicso. I know i know, Panic at the Disco was voted one of the top album by NPR listeners!! But as you most likely suspected Panic at the Disco had a link on their website asking people to vote for them. I'm imagining 17 year old youths with black hair and lip rings leaving the world of pittchforkmedia.com and hot topic to enter, if only for a strategic vote, the parellel universe of Nina Totenberg and Morning Edition. And what happens when dad walks in on that 17 year old son of whom he is so worried about because he doesn't get why he wears eyeliner and girls jeans, when that dad sees the familiar three color logo of NPR on the website? The dad goes through sock first then disbelief next comes a calming feeling of comfort, "he'll be alright, even though he may act oddly and be so aloof from the family Robert Seigel and Renee Montain will bring him back". But sorry dad you've got a few years until your 17 year old son comes around and realizes that


I had to cut myself off. the extended metaphor got away from me. But enjoy the Scottish goodness.

Bon Iver

I know some of you are sick of me talking about this guy, but I honestly have been obsessing since June, and I really can't get over it. Bon Iver. What a man. For Emma, Forever Ago is the best album that has come out since Miles Davis' Kind of Blue. I know, its a lofty claim, but hey, no one reads this blog anymore so I could say "SHIT-FIRE DAMNATION" and no one would even yell blasphemy. Seriously though,  I have a fever, and no, its not for more cowbell, its for more Bon Iver. 

http://www.emusic.com/album/Bon-Iver-For-Emma-Forever-Ago-MP3-Download/11161152.html