The Vox Acerbus Best Music of 2009 is currently being developed and should be released on or around December 1.
2009 was a sabbatical year as far as blog writing goes, but it was a terrific year for new music, and it's likely that the collection will span 2 volumes to include a "Further Listening" addition just like 2006.
Stay tuned . . .
I'm out-
KWass
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Friday, November 28, 2008
The Vox Acerbus Best Music of 2008
I don't post often, but when I do, I come bearing gifts. After much listening, soul searching, and sleepless nights, the Vox Acerbus Best Music of 2008 is finally finished.
First, a quick rehash of the rules for the new readers.
Lyrics are key, except of course in the case of an instrumental track that made the cut for 2008 - a Vox Acerbus first. (OK, not technically an instrumental, but the voice is offering melodic support rather than words, per se.) The music can be great, but if the lyrics are stupid, I can't in good conscience pass it along to you. Each song below has a lyric that for some unexplained reason caught my ear and made it worthy of consideration.
I don't release the list until I'm certain of it. And this year, it took over a month to get it right. I lost track of how many times I changed it, and I would wager that a over 1/3 of the list was not included in the original version.
And finally, after I make the picks, I write a few liner notes to tell you *why* the song was included. Part of that is because I think it's as important as the music, but most if it is because I am a huge dork and I live under the illusion that you care what I think.
Also, new for 2008 - the order of the songs. Since 2003, I have presented the list in chronological order from earliest release to latest. This year, I let iTunes do it. I shuffled the playlist, and this is the result. Done.
And so, without further interruption, I present the Vox Acerbus Best of 2008.
1. "Sanvean" by Sarah Brightman, from Symphony
2. "And Then We Fell" by Brian Vander Ark, from Brian Vander Ark
"and all the while gravity is pulling us straight into Hell"
"And Then We Fell" was tested in front of audiences as the show opener starting in early 2007, and you can hear the progression from some of the bootleg versions that are out there. Brian Vander Ark is one of the most prolific songwriters of our time. His songs go beyond the formulaic offerings of today's pop music; they tell a story. He's a modern day troubadour, the kind who went the way of the typewriter and the door-to-door vacuum cleaner salesman, who continues to earn the praise and admiration of his fans one song at a time.
"And you held us in your city lights when our eyes had lost the stars"
Adams is 1/2 of the former folk-pop duo eastmountainsouth, who disbanded after just one terrific self-titled album in 2003. This is his second solo effort, and while Leavetaking is a stellar album, it's the absolutely stunning song here that will stop you cold. For lack of a more colorful description, this song is gorgeous.
4. "Coney Island" by Good Old War, from Only Way to Be Alone
"Reminisce why I still hate it here"
I think Good Old War is what Nickel Creek would have sounded like if they recorded in the 1960's. This is a rare Vox Acerbus pick - a song with a driving tempo - but it is still sad and forlorn. Who says melancholy can't be conveyed with a tasty groove?
5. "The One I Love" by Greg Laswell, from Three Flights From Alto Nido
"I'll bring your words along with me, maybe one day they will mean something"
A time honored tale of the grass always being greener on the other side. Sometimes people act in a manner where there is no logical explanation for doing so, and we've all done it. Laswell brings a unique piano presence to a guitar dominated genre.
LaMontagne's third album is less restrained and more adventurous than his previous work, which really says something, because he remains as distant and stoic as ever. People knock him for being so tormented and brooding, but what they don't realize that's where the brilliance comes from. Let the man be miserable, because it works. He already cut the set list short this past October in Detroit (I know because I have it) - you want him to stop touring and making records altogether? Shut up already.
7. "Coming In Too Low" by Steve Reynolds, from The Carnival Papers
"who is the person I have become?"
Reynolds is a Canadian artist who brings a modern touch to the normal "trials and tribulations of life" stuff of folk music. This song starts in a low drone and is driven by the low toms instead of the snare drum before building into a heavily layered and epic ending.
8. "A Thread Cut With A Carving Knife" by Stars, from Sad Robots EP
"close your eyes until tomorrow, it could bring joy it could bring sorrow, but it will come sure as light"
The Canadian duo returns with a song about "the next day", a lesson that no matter what course of action we choose (like the 3 sample verses here: continuing a loveless relationship, comtemplating suicide, and drinking to forget), the sun will come up tomorrow. The tone ranges between hope and hopelessness and is layered like an onion with synth waves and distortion.
10. "Maybe Be Alright" by William Fitzsimmons, from The Sparrow and the Crow
"I was just a stupid kid"
The beard alone gets this guy in. His songs are full of pain and regret, which we love here at Vox Acerbus. Truth is, anyone of the songs on this album could have made this collection, so it should be no surprise that two of them did.
11. "The World is Outside" by Hem
". . . all the ways to feel the world forgot you . . ."
12. "Alicia Ross" by Kathleen Edwards, from Asking for Flowers
"Was your darkest day as dark as this one?"
First, a quick rehash of the rules for the new readers.
All of the music below is in my collection. I don't Google it and crank out some half-ass amalgamation of somebody else's favorites. You get inside *my* head - that alone is worth the price of admission.
Lyrics are key, except of course in the case of an instrumental track that made the cut for 2008 - a Vox Acerbus first. (OK, not technically an instrumental, but the voice is offering melodic support rather than words, per se.) The music can be great, but if the lyrics are stupid, I can't in good conscience pass it along to you. Each song below has a lyric that for some unexplained reason caught my ear and made it worthy of consideration.
I don't release the list until I'm certain of it. And this year, it took over a month to get it right. I lost track of how many times I changed it, and I would wager that a over 1/3 of the list was not included in the original version.
And finally, after I make the picks, I write a few liner notes to tell you *why* the song was included. Part of that is because I think it's as important as the music, but most if it is because I am a huge dork and I live under the illusion that you care what I think.
Also, new for 2008 - the order of the songs. Since 2003, I have presented the list in chronological order from earliest release to latest. This year, I let iTunes do it. I shuffled the playlist, and this is the result. Done.
And so, without further interruption, I present the Vox Acerbus Best of 2008.
1. "Sanvean" by Sarah Brightman, from SymphonyThe first "instrumental" ever included on a Vox Acerbus best of collection, Brightman's version of Lisa Gerrard's (formerly of Dead Can Dance) "Sanvean (I Am Your Shadow)" replaces Gerard's lower vocal registers with soaring purity. It feels like a long descent.
2. "And Then We Fell" by Brian Vander Ark, from Brian Vander Ark"and all the while gravity is pulling us straight into Hell"
"And Then We Fell" was tested in front of audiences as the show opener starting in early 2007, and you can hear the progression from some of the bootleg versions that are out there. Brian Vander Ark is one of the most prolific songwriters of our time. His songs go beyond the formulaic offerings of today's pop music; they tell a story. He's a modern day troubadour, the kind who went the way of the typewriter and the door-to-door vacuum cleaner salesman, who continues to earn the praise and admiration of his fans one song at a time.
"And you held us in your city lights when our eyes had lost the stars"
Adams is 1/2 of the former folk-pop duo eastmountainsouth, who disbanded after just one terrific self-titled album in 2003. This is his second solo effort, and while Leavetaking is a stellar album, it's the absolutely stunning song here that will stop you cold. For lack of a more colorful description, this song is gorgeous.
"Reminisce why I still hate it here"
I think Good Old War is what Nickel Creek would have sounded like if they recorded in the 1960's. This is a rare Vox Acerbus pick - a song with a driving tempo - but it is still sad and forlorn. Who says melancholy can't be conveyed with a tasty groove?
5. "The One I Love" by Greg Laswell, from Three Flights From Alto Nido
"I'll bring your words along with me, maybe one day they will mean something"
A time honored tale of the grass always being greener on the other side. Sometimes people act in a manner where there is no logical explanation for doing so, and we've all done it. Laswell brings a unique piano presence to a guitar dominated genre.
6. "Sarah" by Ray LaMontagne, from Gossip in the Grain
LaMontagne's third album is less restrained and more adventurous than his previous work, which really says something, because he remains as distant and stoic as ever. People knock him for being so tormented and brooding, but what they don't realize that's where the brilliance comes from. Let the man be miserable, because it works. He already cut the set list short this past October in Detroit (I know because I have it) - you want him to stop touring and making records altogether? Shut up already.
7. "Coming In Too Low" by Steve Reynolds, from The Carnival Papers"who is the person I have become?"
Reynolds is a Canadian artist who brings a modern touch to the normal "trials and tribulations of life" stuff of folk music. This song starts in a low drone and is driven by the low toms instead of the snare drum before building into a heavily layered and epic ending.
"close your eyes until tomorrow, it could bring joy it could bring sorrow, but it will come sure as light"
The Canadian duo returns with a song about "the next day", a lesson that no matter what course of action we choose (like the 3 sample verses here: continuing a loveless relationship, comtemplating suicide, and drinking to forget), the sun will come up tomorrow. The tone ranges between hope and hopelessness and is layered like an onion with synth waves and distortion.
"It's been minutes, it's been days, it's been all I will remember"
This is really nothing more than a simple love song. A lot of people are calling it this album's version of "Chasing Cars", but that's an oversimplification. This song more than stands on its own merits. Slick pop production, yes, but worthy all the same.
10. "Maybe Be Alright" by William Fitzsimmons, from The Sparrow and the Crow "I was just a stupid kid"
The beard alone gets this guy in. His songs are full of pain and regret, which we love here at Vox Acerbus. Truth is, anyone of the songs on this album could have made this collection, so it should be no surprise that two of them did.
11. "The World is Outside" by Hem
". . . all the ways to feel the world forgot you . . ."
No cover art for this one. This was released via Hem's website last spring, and is likely just a skeleton demo of a song that might appear on the next record sometime in 2009. That's how unbelievably talented this band is.
12. "Alicia Ross" by Kathleen Edwards, from Asking for Flowers"Was your darkest day as dark as this one?"
I am a huge fan of Edwards, ever since I heard "Sweet Little Duck" from the Failer album back in 2003. I love the story offered between the opening lyric ("I am a girl with a forgettable face) and the closing line ("Now I'm a girl who's face they'll never forget"), but the subject material is the saddest imaginable. It's a paradox that a song about a young girl's murder could sound so beautiful.
13. "Beautiful Lie" by Yoav, from Charmed & Strange
"Fade away like frozen photographs"
It's unbelievable that every sound in this song was made by a single acoustic guitar. Sure, it's overdubbed and looped, but it's still pretty damn impressive. We need to embrace world music artists like him.
14. "Washington Square" by Counting Crows, from Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings
"And time is a number that rests on a wall"
Admittedly, before this record, I was not a big Counting Crows fan, but there is something so sparse and desolate within this pretty song, I had to include it. As you know, paradoxes rule at Vox Acerbus.
15. "Ships" by Tyler Ramsey, from A Long Dream About Swimming Across the Sea
"Cause by now I've seen too many of us seamlessly upon the sea, whose sails are clinging desperately to ships that once were worthy."
This entire album is amazing, but the lyric above is the reason I picked this song from the rest - those words are powerful stuff.
16. "Your New Twin-Sized Bed" by Death Cab for Cutie, from Narrow Stairs
"It's like you're in some kind of hurry to say goodbye"
This was a difficult choice, because this album had so many standouts, but in the end, the contant synth drone that starts in the second verse and continues throughout the rest of the song was the deciding factor because it adds such a sonic stability and depth to an otherwise light track.
17. "Lullaby" by Priscilla Ahn, from A Good Day
"This old library has thirty books and one dictionary"
This is a song about a desire to leave a small town behind for bigger and better things. My favorite feature of this song is the raw texture of the string arrangement. Ahn also sang with William Fitzsimmons on a couple of tracks on his The Sparrow & The Crow album, from which 2 songs made this year's list.
18. "If You Would Come Back Home" by William Fitzsimmons, from The Sparrow & The Crow
"Call the surgeon . . . mend the pieces"
Another song of heartache and despair. I feel bad for the guy that he had to go through whatever it was that brought so much pain, but the songs are so stunning and brilliant, I'm glad he did. Sorry, William - that sucks, man.
19. "Gossip in the Grain" by Ray LaMontagne, from Gossip in the Grain
"The beggar that holds is tongue . . . dines on none but air alone"
This song has a ethereal element much like his songs "Be Here Now" and "Empty" from the Till the Sun Turns Black album of 2006. His sorrowful voice and the haunting intro of flute and glockenspiel make for a powerful combination.
I'm out-
KWass
"Fade away like frozen photographs"
It's unbelievable that every sound in this song was made by a single acoustic guitar. Sure, it's overdubbed and looped, but it's still pretty damn impressive. We need to embrace world music artists like him.
14. "Washington Square" by Counting Crows, from Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings"And time is a number that rests on a wall"
Admittedly, before this record, I was not a big Counting Crows fan, but there is something so sparse and desolate within this pretty song, I had to include it. As you know, paradoxes rule at Vox Acerbus.
15. "Ships" by Tyler Ramsey, from A Long Dream About Swimming Across the Sea"Cause by now I've seen too many of us seamlessly upon the sea, whose sails are clinging desperately to ships that once were worthy."
This entire album is amazing, but the lyric above is the reason I picked this song from the rest - those words are powerful stuff.
16. "Your New Twin-Sized Bed" by Death Cab for Cutie, from Narrow Stairs"It's like you're in some kind of hurry to say goodbye"
This was a difficult choice, because this album had so many standouts, but in the end, the contant synth drone that starts in the second verse and continues throughout the rest of the song was the deciding factor because it adds such a sonic stability and depth to an otherwise light track.
17. "Lullaby" by Priscilla Ahn, from A Good Day"This old library has thirty books and one dictionary"
This is a song about a desire to leave a small town behind for bigger and better things. My favorite feature of this song is the raw texture of the string arrangement. Ahn also sang with William Fitzsimmons on a couple of tracks on his The Sparrow & The Crow album, from which 2 songs made this year's list.
18. "If You Would Come Back Home" by William Fitzsimmons, from The Sparrow & The Crow"Call the surgeon . . . mend the pieces"
Another song of heartache and despair. I feel bad for the guy that he had to go through whatever it was that brought so much pain, but the songs are so stunning and brilliant, I'm glad he did. Sorry, William - that sucks, man.
19. "Gossip in the Grain" by Ray LaMontagne, from Gossip in the Grain"The beggar that holds is tongue . . . dines on none but air alone"
This song has a ethereal element much like his songs "Be Here Now" and "Empty" from the Till the Sun Turns Black album of 2006. His sorrowful voice and the haunting intro of flute and glockenspiel make for a powerful combination.
I'm out-
KWass
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Cubicle Tunes - Week of June 17, 2008
Music is constant, even if my writing isn't, and though I wasn't able to blog over the last few weeks, I was able to listen, and as always, you - the reader - are the beneficiary.
Big news! The bitchin' Saturn ION 3 is now reloaded with XM Radio. I told myself back in May of 2007 that I couldn't justify the expense. Then I told myself that I was a complete tool, and things got pretty heated until my sensible self just up and bitch slapped my frugal self with a stinging backhand. You should have seen it. It was textbook technique, employing the obliques and turning with my torso to generate power, and the next thing I know, I was telling myself "I got knocked the #@&* out!".
So, allow me to pontificate with these:
1. Viva la Vida – Coldplay (2008)
Teaming up with Brian Eno, Coldplay is back with their fourth album, and I think it’s just swell. “Life in Technicolor” is a great opener – I like the idea of starting a record with an instrumental track. Other favorites include “Viva la Vida”, which generated substantial anticipation through the iTunes teaser spots, and the album’s closer, “Death and All His Friends”.
On a related note, I still hate the song “Yellow” from the Parachutes album. I can’t fathom how such a crappy song could come from an otherwise pretty cool band. I mean, every band has a few misses in their discography, but rarely are they so far off the pace.
2. Narrow Stairs – Death Cab for Cutie (2008)
This album is tremendous. The opener, “Bixby Canyon Bridge”, starts calmly and builds pressure and explodes into noise and chaos before settling back into serenity. “I Will Possess Your Heart” is a sublimely creepy account of a distant infatuation turned obsession: “you reject my advances and desperate pleas; I won’t let you let me down so easily”. Damn – call the cops!
“Pity and Fear” must be listened to at ridiculous decibel levels. The distortion stops so abruptly that I went back and checked iTunes to make sure I had the whole song.
And finally, “Your New Twin Sized Bed” is my new Death Cab favorite, and is the first song to be guaranteed a spot on the Vox Acerbus Best of 2008.
3. The Seldom Seen Kid – Elbow (2008)
The return of XM makes an immediate impact with the discovery of this band. I was scanning stations and chanced upon XM 45 as they were playing the magnificent track “One Day Like This”, punctuated by a blend of sweeping and staccato string arrangements. Other favorites include “Mirrorball” and “Grounds for Divorce”, where the album title is taken from the lyric “Mondays are for drinking to the seldom seen kid”. They also have one of the coolest websites out there. Check it out here and make sure your volume is up at the intro screen – you can play piano by scrolling over the different letters! Their extensive discography will certainly warrant further listening.
4. Gavin DeGraw – Gavin DeGraw (2008)
I was hooked on Gavin DeGraw the night I saw him open for Barenaked Ladies back in 2004. I had no idea who he was before then, but he put on one of the best live performances I’ve ever seen. The single “In Love with a Girl” picks up right where the material from Chariot left off. Other favorites include “Next to Me (Wait A Minute Sister”, “Untamed”, “We Belong Together” and “Cheated on Me” (I love a song that I can relate to on such a personal level).
So what if it took him 5 years to release another album? I love it, even if he does look like a dead ringer for Mike Damone from Fast Times at Ridgemont High on the album cover.
5. Gattaca – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1997)
Michael Nyman’s score is gorgeous. This is a film where the score holds critical importance; the surrealism and depth of the movie could not have been attained without this music behind it. Try this one on your iPod some time when you retire for the evening – a dark room with no distractions would take this up a notch, methinks.
I’m out-
KWass
Big news! The bitchin' Saturn ION 3 is now reloaded with XM Radio. I told myself back in May of 2007 that I couldn't justify the expense. Then I told myself that I was a complete tool, and things got pretty heated until my sensible self just up and bitch slapped my frugal self with a stinging backhand. You should have seen it. It was textbook technique, employing the obliques and turning with my torso to generate power, and the next thing I know, I was telling myself "I got knocked the #@&* out!".
So, allow me to pontificate with these:
1. Viva la Vida – Coldplay (2008)Teaming up with Brian Eno, Coldplay is back with their fourth album, and I think it’s just swell. “Life in Technicolor” is a great opener – I like the idea of starting a record with an instrumental track. Other favorites include “Viva la Vida”, which generated substantial anticipation through the iTunes teaser spots, and the album’s closer, “Death and All His Friends”.
On a related note, I still hate the song “Yellow” from the Parachutes album. I can’t fathom how such a crappy song could come from an otherwise pretty cool band. I mean, every band has a few misses in their discography, but rarely are they so far off the pace.
2. Narrow Stairs – Death Cab for Cutie (2008)This album is tremendous. The opener, “Bixby Canyon Bridge”, starts calmly and builds pressure and explodes into noise and chaos before settling back into serenity. “I Will Possess Your Heart” is a sublimely creepy account of a distant infatuation turned obsession: “you reject my advances and desperate pleas; I won’t let you let me down so easily”. Damn – call the cops!
“Pity and Fear” must be listened to at ridiculous decibel levels. The distortion stops so abruptly that I went back and checked iTunes to make sure I had the whole song.
And finally, “Your New Twin Sized Bed” is my new Death Cab favorite, and is the first song to be guaranteed a spot on the Vox Acerbus Best of 2008.
3. The Seldom Seen Kid – Elbow (2008)The return of XM makes an immediate impact with the discovery of this band. I was scanning stations and chanced upon XM 45 as they were playing the magnificent track “One Day Like This”, punctuated by a blend of sweeping and staccato string arrangements. Other favorites include “Mirrorball” and “Grounds for Divorce”, where the album title is taken from the lyric “Mondays are for drinking to the seldom seen kid”. They also have one of the coolest websites out there. Check it out here and make sure your volume is up at the intro screen – you can play piano by scrolling over the different letters! Their extensive discography will certainly warrant further listening.
4. Gavin DeGraw – Gavin DeGraw (2008)I was hooked on Gavin DeGraw the night I saw him open for Barenaked Ladies back in 2004. I had no idea who he was before then, but he put on one of the best live performances I’ve ever seen. The single “In Love with a Girl” picks up right where the material from Chariot left off. Other favorites include “Next to Me (Wait A Minute Sister”, “Untamed”, “We Belong Together” and “Cheated on Me” (I love a song that I can relate to on such a personal level).
So what if it took him 5 years to release another album? I love it, even if he does look like a dead ringer for Mike Damone from Fast Times at Ridgemont High on the album cover.
5. Gattaca – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1997)Michael Nyman’s score is gorgeous. This is a film where the score holds critical importance; the surrealism and depth of the movie could not have been attained without this music behind it. Try this one on your iPod some time when you retire for the evening – a dark room with no distractions would take this up a notch, methinks.
I’m out-
KWass
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Cubicle Tunes - Week of May 6, 2008
You thought you had heard the last of my incessant musical ramblings, yes?
1. You Have No Idea What You're Getting Yourself Into - Does It Offend You, Yeah? (2008)
2. Who You Are - Cary Brothers (2007)
3. The Slip – Nine Inch Nails (2008)
The Slip is the second full length album released through the Nine Inch Nails website, and as a thank you to his loyal fans for years of support, Trent Reznor is offering it free of charge. Just click here, fill out the information, and you’ll get an e-mail with a link to the download site, where the files are available in many digital formats. You can also register and become eligible for presale tickets for the upcoming North American tour.
The album continues the raw machine-gun energy of 2007’s Year Zero, but for those (like myself) who revel in NIN’s darkened soundscapes, “Corona Radiata” and “The Four of Us are Dying” fit the bill.
4. Transatlanticism – Death Cab for Cutie (2005)
In anticipation of next week’s release of Narrow Stairs, I thought it prudent to revisit my favorite Death Cab album to date. Favorites include “Title & Registration” and its clever opening verse (“the glove compartment is inaccurately named, and everybody knows it, so I’m proposing a swift orderly change, because behind its door, there’s nothing to keep my fingers warm”) and the epic title track, which is one of those songs meant to be listened to at full volume. The record also contains one of my favorite songs of love desolation, “Tiny Vessels”, where Ben Gibbard sings “It was vile, and it was cheap, and you are beautiful, but you don’t mean a thing to me.”
5. Nonsuch – XTC (1992)
I am among the very few who wonder why people laud Skylarking so much more, because to me, Nonsuch is a better album. In fact, I would also rank Apple Venus Vol. 1 ahead of Skylarking as well. Blasphemy? Not to me, and it’s my blog. There it is.
XTC are some of the best lyricists ever. “The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead” is probably the most recognizable track, but the real gems here are “My Bird Performs” (“the cage is open but she has no desire to fly”), “The Disappointed” (“seems your ring upon my finger signifies that I’ve become the spokesman of . . . the disappointed”), and “Then She Appeared” (“and the moon which formally shone on the marbled midnight mile suddenly just packed its bags, now shines from her bright smile”).
It’s good to be home.
I’m out-
KWass
To be honest, I thought I might have written the last of said musical ramblings. Lots of bitter happenings in the world of Vox Acerbus lately - a real estate deal gone sour, work travel for 3 of the last 5 weeks, and another real estate deal to replace the aforementioned sour one. Rodney Dangerfield said it best in Ladybugs:
"Two-story house. Yeah - before you buy it they give you one story, after you move in you get another story."
But I digress.
Through it all, I've managed to stay abreast of some very cool new stuff, as well as finally getting around to giving some earlier procured tunes their due credence. A few thousand miles in a van affords you that kind of opportunity.
1. You Have No Idea What You're Getting Yourself Into - Does It Offend You, Yeah? (2008)This album goes against EVERYTHING that I like, and yet I can't stop listening. Electro-punk, funk-rock - whatever you want to call it - it ain't the soothing acoustic melancholy I usually immerse myself in. My favorites are "Battle Royale" and "Being Bad Feels Pretty Good", which would be quite at home on The Killers' Hot Fuss album. A paradox of the aural variety.
2. Who You Are - Cary Brothers (2007)I was initially drawn into this record for the worthy cover of The Thompson Twins' classic "If You Were Here", but the dark and lonely miles of the western Michigan Upper Peninsula revealed the greatness of the rest of the album. "Ride" is simply stunning, and "Precious Lie" is epic sadness. And "The Glass Parade" features just the type of lyric that Vox Acerbus appreciates: "Just a voice inside your head, whispering that all the hope is dead, all the time you had to prove that no one really loves you". That, boys and girls, is why we listen to the words.
3. The Slip – Nine Inch Nails (2008)The Slip is the second full length album released through the Nine Inch Nails website, and as a thank you to his loyal fans for years of support, Trent Reznor is offering it free of charge. Just click here, fill out the information, and you’ll get an e-mail with a link to the download site, where the files are available in many digital formats. You can also register and become eligible for presale tickets for the upcoming North American tour.
The album continues the raw machine-gun energy of 2007’s Year Zero, but for those (like myself) who revel in NIN’s darkened soundscapes, “Corona Radiata” and “The Four of Us are Dying” fit the bill.
4. Transatlanticism – Death Cab for Cutie (2005)In anticipation of next week’s release of Narrow Stairs, I thought it prudent to revisit my favorite Death Cab album to date. Favorites include “Title & Registration” and its clever opening verse (“the glove compartment is inaccurately named, and everybody knows it, so I’m proposing a swift orderly change, because behind its door, there’s nothing to keep my fingers warm”) and the epic title track, which is one of those songs meant to be listened to at full volume. The record also contains one of my favorite songs of love desolation, “Tiny Vessels”, where Ben Gibbard sings “It was vile, and it was cheap, and you are beautiful, but you don’t mean a thing to me.”
5. Nonsuch – XTC (1992)I am among the very few who wonder why people laud Skylarking so much more, because to me, Nonsuch is a better album. In fact, I would also rank Apple Venus Vol. 1 ahead of Skylarking as well. Blasphemy? Not to me, and it’s my blog. There it is.
XTC are some of the best lyricists ever. “The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead” is probably the most recognizable track, but the real gems here are “My Bird Performs” (“the cage is open but she has no desire to fly”), “The Disappointed” (“seems your ring upon my finger signifies that I’ve become the spokesman of . . . the disappointed”), and “Then She Appeared” (“and the moon which formally shone on the marbled midnight mile suddenly just packed its bags, now shines from her bright smile”).
It’s good to be home.
I’m out-
KWass
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Cubicle Tunes - Week of April 1, 2008
It’s time for the biweekly submission of my weekly feature. Believe it, boys and girls; it’s just below this paragraph. I used letters and words and everything.
Looking back at my New Year’s Resolutions, posting regularly isn’t the only goal where I have failed miserably. That head of steam was quickly doused, wasn’t it? I guess there’s still time, but the fact remains that I wasted a full ¼ of the year. The only April Fool here is the author.
There has been enough great stuff released already this year to assure that the Vox Acerbus Best of 2008 will be a multi-volume offering. So, if nothing else, at least you have that going for you.
Did anyone notice that The B-52's released a new album last week? No? Neither did I.
1. Accelerate – R.E.M. (2008)
R.E.M.’s valiant return – a boisterous, angry album with great lyrics such as “if the storm doesn’t kill me, the government will”. I can now forgive them for the Reveal debacle. I may adopt “Living Well is the Best Revenge” as one of my personal theme songs. Welcome back.
2. “I Will Possess Your Heart” – Death Cab for Cutie (2008)
This is the first single from the forthcoming release Narrow Stairs slated for May 13. Clocking in at an epic 8+ minutes, the musical tone is set well before Ben Gibbard’s vocals begin halfway into the song. If this single is any indication, then another brilliant Death Cab for Cutie album is upon us.
3. “In Love With A Girl” – Gavin De Graw (2008)
This is the first single from the forthcoming self-titled second album from Gavin De Graw, which has been pushed back to a May 6 release. He retains and expands the pop sensibilities of 2003’s Chariot album, which by my account (and who else’s account really matters?) was a great record. He also puts on a very high energy show, so I hope his tour passes near my neighborhood.
4. Winterpills – Winterpills (2005)
A recent e-mail from a friend reminded me of this band, which unfortunately, for some unknown and inexplicable reason, had been relegated to iPod obscurity. My favorite song is “Portrait”, where they eschew the typical elegant and hollow professions of undying love and devotion for the simple phrase “I can’t pose for this portrait without you”, and the all too true "there's honey in the chemicals".
5. Synchronicity – The Police (1983)
Raise your hand if you can believe this landmark album was released 25 years ago. Yes – you are old like me. The album yielded timeless classics like “Every Breath You Take”, “King of Pain”, and “Wrapped Around Your Finger”. A lot of people fault Sting for being pretentious, but they’re just pissed that he wrote a lyric about Scylla and Charybdis and they didn’t know what it meant. Ignorance, while rampant, is no defense. Sting has knowledge, and you are a dumbass. Deal with it.
I'm out-
KWass
Looking back at my New Year’s Resolutions, posting regularly isn’t the only goal where I have failed miserably. That head of steam was quickly doused, wasn’t it? I guess there’s still time, but the fact remains that I wasted a full ¼ of the year. The only April Fool here is the author.
There has been enough great stuff released already this year to assure that the Vox Acerbus Best of 2008 will be a multi-volume offering. So, if nothing else, at least you have that going for you.
Did anyone notice that The B-52's released a new album last week? No? Neither did I.
1. Accelerate – R.E.M. (2008)
R.E.M.’s valiant return – a boisterous, angry album with great lyrics such as “if the storm doesn’t kill me, the government will”. I can now forgive them for the Reveal debacle. I may adopt “Living Well is the Best Revenge” as one of my personal theme songs. Welcome back.
2. “I Will Possess Your Heart” – Death Cab for Cutie (2008)
This is the first single from the forthcoming release Narrow Stairs slated for May 13. Clocking in at an epic 8+ minutes, the musical tone is set well before Ben Gibbard’s vocals begin halfway into the song. If this single is any indication, then another brilliant Death Cab for Cutie album is upon us.
3. “In Love With A Girl” – Gavin De Graw (2008)
This is the first single from the forthcoming self-titled second album from Gavin De Graw, which has been pushed back to a May 6 release. He retains and expands the pop sensibilities of 2003’s Chariot album, which by my account (and who else’s account really matters?) was a great record. He also puts on a very high energy show, so I hope his tour passes near my neighborhood.
4. Winterpills – Winterpills (2005)
A recent e-mail from a friend reminded me of this band, which unfortunately, for some unknown and inexplicable reason, had been relegated to iPod obscurity. My favorite song is “Portrait”, where they eschew the typical elegant and hollow professions of undying love and devotion for the simple phrase “I can’t pose for this portrait without you”, and the all too true "there's honey in the chemicals".
5. Synchronicity – The Police (1983)
Raise your hand if you can believe this landmark album was released 25 years ago. Yes – you are old like me. The album yielded timeless classics like “Every Breath You Take”, “King of Pain”, and “Wrapped Around Your Finger”. A lot of people fault Sting for being pretentious, but they’re just pissed that he wrote a lyric about Scylla and Charybdis and they didn’t know what it meant. Ignorance, while rampant, is no defense. Sting has knowledge, and you are a dumbass. Deal with it.
I'm out-
KWass
Friday, March 21, 2008
William Fitzsimmons - Music Video
Check out the first video from William Fitzsimmons - the gorgeous song "It's Not True" from the Goodnight album.
If you haven't checked out his music yet, you are denying yourself indescribable aural pleasure.
I'm out-
KWass
If you haven't checked out his music yet, you are denying yourself indescribable aural pleasure.
I'm out-
KWass
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
The All Day Shuffle Experiment
Inspired by a recent post by fellow Spunkybean writer on her blog, The Queen of Useless Knowledge, I decided to see what kind of a playlist an entire workday of iPod shuffle would generate. How triumphant (or embarassing) would it be?
This is risky business. I work for the government in a rather sterile work environment, and frankly, some of my music isn't appropriate in that setting. Ludacris on long road trip = good. Ludacris in your cubicle = bad. Lady Luck frowned on me, and I was sent scrambling to the volume knob with the 3rd song of the day.
I also have 5 or 6 Yanni albums. And 2 John Tesh albums. This alone constitutes a valid reason for a beat down. And since Yanni popped up at #33, I fully deserve to get my ass kicked.
So, out of 15,843 songs, below are the 88 songs my Ipod deemed worthy between 8 and 5 today. I would love to comment on them all, but I really don't have that kind of ambition. Maybe later I'll add some statistical analysis or something, but for now, res ipsa loquitur - the list speaks for itself.
1. Rise Up With Fists – Jenny Lewis & The Watson Twins
2. Here Comes – INXS
3. HWC – Liz Phair
4. Broadway – Alison Krauss & Union Station
5. River – Holly Cole
6. Unforgettable – Natalie Cole
7. I’ll Go Crazy – Bruce Willis
8. Lily Dreams On – Cotton Mather
9. I Am You – Depeche Mode
10. And So It Goes – Billy Joel
11. Innocent World – Joseph Arthur
12. Blasphemous Rumours – Depeche Mode
13. World Full of Nothing – Depeche Mode
14. Love In Itself – Depeche Mode
15. Indian Summer – The Rippingtons
16. Steam Trains to the Milky Way – Danny Wilson
17. Sunshine – Keane
18. Theme from New York, New York – Frank Sinatra
19. The Science Fair – Meet the Robinsons Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
20. Twisted – Annie Lennox
21. Welcome to Rome – Hudson Hawk Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
22. Miss Gradenko – The Police
23. You’re the Buddha – Howard Jones
24. Chief – Patty Griffin
25. Dream On – Depeche Mode
26. Afterall – William Fitzsimmons
27. Weapons of Mass Distortion – Crystal Method
28. Hidden #3: Conquest of the Planet of the Apes – They Might Be Giants
29. Manhattan Project – Rush
30. Disappearing World – David Gray
31. Firewalker – Liz Phair
32. Belief – Gavin DeGraw
33. You Only Live Once – Yanni
34. All the Way to Reno – REM
35. Selfless, Cold and Composed – Ben Folds Five
36. The Portrait – Back to Titanic: Titanic Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
37. Fools Game – Bonnie Raitt
38. My Time – Earshot
39. Goodnight, California – Kathleen Edwards
40. Switch 625 – Def Leppard
41. Wichita Skyline – Shawn Colvin
42. Tenderness on the Block – Shawn Colvin
43. Not the Red Baron – Tori Amos
44. Circulate – Swing Out Sister
45. Big River – Johnny Cash
46. Like It or Not – Madonna
47. Yesterday Once More – The Carpenters
48. Perfect Romance – Lynn Miles
49. Survivalism (Tardusted Remix) – Nine Inch Nails
50. Black Crow – Diana Krall
51. All Night Long (All Night) – Lionel Richie
52. Hypnotist of Ladies – They Might Be Giants
53. Rhymin’ & Stealin’ – Beastie Boys
54. The Chain – Fleetwood Mac
55. The Night – Catie Curtis
56. Get Here – Oleta Adams
57. Love Love Love – Tristan Prettyman
58. Low Down Dirty Business – Swing Out Sister
59. You Can’t Hurry Love – Phil Collins
60. You Happy Puppet – 10,000 Maniacs
61. Chicago Song – David Sanborn
62. Communication Breakdown – Led Zeppelin
63. Path of Thorns – Sarah McLachlan
64. I Like To – Men at Work
65. Matter of Minutes – Shawn Colvin
66. One in Ten – UB40
67. People Just Love To Play With Words – Men at Work
68. Crystal Ball – Keane
69. Master & Servant – Depeche Mode
70. The End – The Doors
71. We’re Not Deep – The Housemartins
72. A Question of Time – Depeche Mode
73. Call Me Mellow – Tears for Fears
74. Take This Waltz – Leonard Cohen
75. Love Oh Love – Lionel Richie
76. Top of the World – Patty Griffin
77. Streets of Laredo – Johnny Cash
78. Fantastic Dream – Alphaville
79. Dancing on the Ceiling – Lionel Richie
80. Nothing Is Good Enough – Aimee Mann
81. Sister of Night – Depeche Mode
82. Our Song – Yes
83. Oranges on Appletrees – a-ha
84. Love Sick – Bob Dylan
85. Scars – Rush
86. Red Light – Catie Curtis
87. Go Back Home – Stephen Stills
88. Sound of Your Voice – Barenaked Ladies
Worship my iPod before it destroys you.
I'm out-
KWass
This is risky business. I work for the government in a rather sterile work environment, and frankly, some of my music isn't appropriate in that setting. Ludacris on long road trip = good. Ludacris in your cubicle = bad. Lady Luck frowned on me, and I was sent scrambling to the volume knob with the 3rd song of the day.
I also have 5 or 6 Yanni albums. And 2 John Tesh albums. This alone constitutes a valid reason for a beat down. And since Yanni popped up at #33, I fully deserve to get my ass kicked.
So, out of 15,843 songs, below are the 88 songs my Ipod deemed worthy between 8 and 5 today. I would love to comment on them all, but I really don't have that kind of ambition. Maybe later I'll add some statistical analysis or something, but for now, res ipsa loquitur - the list speaks for itself.
1. Rise Up With Fists – Jenny Lewis & The Watson Twins
2. Here Comes – INXS
3. HWC – Liz Phair
4. Broadway – Alison Krauss & Union Station
5. River – Holly Cole
6. Unforgettable – Natalie Cole
7. I’ll Go Crazy – Bruce Willis
8. Lily Dreams On – Cotton Mather
9. I Am You – Depeche Mode
10. And So It Goes – Billy Joel
11. Innocent World – Joseph Arthur
12. Blasphemous Rumours – Depeche Mode
13. World Full of Nothing – Depeche Mode
14. Love In Itself – Depeche Mode
15. Indian Summer – The Rippingtons
16. Steam Trains to the Milky Way – Danny Wilson
17. Sunshine – Keane
18. Theme from New York, New York – Frank Sinatra
19. The Science Fair – Meet the Robinsons Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
20. Twisted – Annie Lennox
21. Welcome to Rome – Hudson Hawk Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
22. Miss Gradenko – The Police
23. You’re the Buddha – Howard Jones
24. Chief – Patty Griffin
25. Dream On – Depeche Mode
26. Afterall – William Fitzsimmons
27. Weapons of Mass Distortion – Crystal Method
28. Hidden #3: Conquest of the Planet of the Apes – They Might Be Giants
29. Manhattan Project – Rush
30. Disappearing World – David Gray
31. Firewalker – Liz Phair
32. Belief – Gavin DeGraw
33. You Only Live Once – Yanni
34. All the Way to Reno – REM
35. Selfless, Cold and Composed – Ben Folds Five
36. The Portrait – Back to Titanic: Titanic Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
37. Fools Game – Bonnie Raitt
38. My Time – Earshot
39. Goodnight, California – Kathleen Edwards
40. Switch 625 – Def Leppard
41. Wichita Skyline – Shawn Colvin
42. Tenderness on the Block – Shawn Colvin
43. Not the Red Baron – Tori Amos
44. Circulate – Swing Out Sister
45. Big River – Johnny Cash
46. Like It or Not – Madonna
47. Yesterday Once More – The Carpenters
48. Perfect Romance – Lynn Miles
49. Survivalism (Tardusted Remix) – Nine Inch Nails
50. Black Crow – Diana Krall
51. All Night Long (All Night) – Lionel Richie
52. Hypnotist of Ladies – They Might Be Giants
53. Rhymin’ & Stealin’ – Beastie Boys
54. The Chain – Fleetwood Mac
55. The Night – Catie Curtis
56. Get Here – Oleta Adams
57. Love Love Love – Tristan Prettyman
58. Low Down Dirty Business – Swing Out Sister
59. You Can’t Hurry Love – Phil Collins
60. You Happy Puppet – 10,000 Maniacs
61. Chicago Song – David Sanborn
62. Communication Breakdown – Led Zeppelin
63. Path of Thorns – Sarah McLachlan
64. I Like To – Men at Work
65. Matter of Minutes – Shawn Colvin
66. One in Ten – UB40
67. People Just Love To Play With Words – Men at Work
68. Crystal Ball – Keane
69. Master & Servant – Depeche Mode
70. The End – The Doors
71. We’re Not Deep – The Housemartins
72. A Question of Time – Depeche Mode
73. Call Me Mellow – Tears for Fears
74. Take This Waltz – Leonard Cohen
75. Love Oh Love – Lionel Richie
76. Top of the World – Patty Griffin
77. Streets of Laredo – Johnny Cash
78. Fantastic Dream – Alphaville
79. Dancing on the Ceiling – Lionel Richie
80. Nothing Is Good Enough – Aimee Mann
81. Sister of Night – Depeche Mode
82. Our Song – Yes
83. Oranges on Appletrees – a-ha
84. Love Sick – Bob Dylan
85. Scars – Rush
86. Red Light – Catie Curtis
87. Go Back Home – Stephen Stills
88. Sound of Your Voice – Barenaked Ladies
Worship my iPod before it destroys you.
I'm out-
KWass
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Cubicle Tunes - Week of March 18, 2008
Great new stuff this week, and some great new stuff on the horizon as well. Let's cut to the chase . . .
1. Ghosts I-IV - Nine Inch Nails (2008)
The latest from Trent Reznor is the first internet-only release since his emancipation from the record labels, and it's a bold and successful offering. It consists of 36 untitled instrumental tracks, identified only by number and placement in the series (i.e. 13 Ghosts II) and layered with hope, despair, droning, grinding, simplicity, beauty, scraping, and weight. This will be my bedtime iPod music for the foreseeable future.
2. Supernatural Superserious (Single) - R.E.M. (2008)
The first song available from the upcoming release Accelerate, due out April 1. If this song is any indication, it harkens a welcome return to the days of Out of Time and Automatic for the People (and a welcome departure from experiments like Reveal and Up).
3. How The Day Sounds (EP) - Greg Laswell (2008)
Laswell is definitely a new direction for the singer-songwriter/contemporary folk genre. Many music writers label him as the genre's answer to Coldplay, but I hardly think that Coldplay could take a song like Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" and turn it on its ear like Laswell did. The comparisons are correct but reversed - Coldplay wishes they were Laswell. Highlights include the title track and the new version of "What A Day".
4. On A Clear Night - Missy Higgins (2007)
I missed this one last fall, and it was my loss. This Australian singer-songwriter is a stripped down amalgamation of pop artists Anna Nalick and Sara Bareilles. Favorites include "Warm Whispers", "Steer", and "Forgive Me".
5. Music For The Masses - Depeche Mode (1987)
"Pimpf" and "Agent Orange" are 2 of the all time great dark room and headphones songs. This album is loaded with classics like "Never Let Me Down" (always a concert highlight when they extend the song with the Aggro Mix, like the version in the playlist below), "Behind the Wheel", and "Strangelove". It's also one my all time favorite albums covers. Dig it:
I'm out-
KWass
1. Ghosts I-IV - Nine Inch Nails (2008)
The latest from Trent Reznor is the first internet-only release since his emancipation from the record labels, and it's a bold and successful offering. It consists of 36 untitled instrumental tracks, identified only by number and placement in the series (i.e. 13 Ghosts II) and layered with hope, despair, droning, grinding, simplicity, beauty, scraping, and weight. This will be my bedtime iPod music for the foreseeable future.
2. Supernatural Superserious (Single) - R.E.M. (2008)
The first song available from the upcoming release Accelerate, due out April 1. If this song is any indication, it harkens a welcome return to the days of Out of Time and Automatic for the People (and a welcome departure from experiments like Reveal and Up).
3. How The Day Sounds (EP) - Greg Laswell (2008)
Laswell is definitely a new direction for the singer-songwriter/contemporary folk genre. Many music writers label him as the genre's answer to Coldplay, but I hardly think that Coldplay could take a song like Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" and turn it on its ear like Laswell did. The comparisons are correct but reversed - Coldplay wishes they were Laswell. Highlights include the title track and the new version of "What A Day".
4. On A Clear Night - Missy Higgins (2007)
I missed this one last fall, and it was my loss. This Australian singer-songwriter is a stripped down amalgamation of pop artists Anna Nalick and Sara Bareilles. Favorites include "Warm Whispers", "Steer", and "Forgive Me".
5. Music For The Masses - Depeche Mode (1987)
"Pimpf" and "Agent Orange" are 2 of the all time great dark room and headphones songs. This album is loaded with classics like "Never Let Me Down" (always a concert highlight when they extend the song with the Aggro Mix, like the version in the playlist below), "Behind the Wheel", and "Strangelove". It's also one my all time favorite albums covers. Dig it:
I'm out-
KWass
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Cubicle Tunes - Week of March 4, 2008
Oh, Canada! Oh, women! Oh, Canadian women!
This week, as I celebrate the release of Asking for Flowers by Kathleen Edwards, I dedicate this week's feature to some of my favorite songstresses from north of the border.
Be sure to crack a Blue or a Molson as you listen. So let's get to it, eh?
1. Asking for Flowers - Kathleen Edwards (2008)
Wow. Not much more to say than I already said here, other than I was up at 4 AM to pull it down from iTunes.
2. Slightly Haunted - Lynn Miles (1996)
Lynn Miles sings sad and beautiful songs - just the way I like them. "The Ghost of Deadlock" was one of the first songs I heard as I was being drawn into the contemporary folk/singer-songwriter genre, and it remains one of my favorites. Her show at One Trick Pony in Grand Rapids, Michigan is also one of my favorite concert experiences.
3. Colour, Moving & Still - Chantal Kreviazuk (2000)
Although I am a fan of all 4 of her albums, this one is my favorite. "Souls" is the highlight, with a gorgeous extended intro and the great lyric "Covenant, we will always grow, our skin will fade, transcend beyond all we've been told". Another favorite is "Little Things", where Kreviazuk's voice soars above string arrangements with lines like "Misery's turning my luck around" and "The past holds the truth like a lost and found".
4. All of Our Names - Sarah Harmer (2004)
Harmer's gentle voice can detract you from some very biting lyrics. See my earlier post dedicated to the song "Greeting Card Aisle". "Tether" is a pretty ballad of lament with lines like "Living this close to the road, you question your vulnerability" and "another melody is aching for a few pretty words to let it be". "Go to Sleep" is a perfect album closer.
5. Bound by the Beauty - Jane Siberry (1989)
Siberry can be eclectic (i.e. "Everything Reminds Me of My Dog") but she can certainly write some beautiful songs. "Life is the Red Wagon" is one of my all-time favorite ballads ("maybe it won't work this time, but that's the risk you take, and you want to take it). Other soothing numbers include "Hockey" and the title track.
I'm out-
KWass
This week, as I celebrate the release of Asking for Flowers by Kathleen Edwards, I dedicate this week's feature to some of my favorite songstresses from north of the border.
Be sure to crack a Blue or a Molson as you listen. So let's get to it, eh?
1. Asking for Flowers - Kathleen Edwards (2008)
Wow. Not much more to say than I already said here, other than I was up at 4 AM to pull it down from iTunes.
2. Slightly Haunted - Lynn Miles (1996)
Lynn Miles sings sad and beautiful songs - just the way I like them. "The Ghost of Deadlock" was one of the first songs I heard as I was being drawn into the contemporary folk/singer-songwriter genre, and it remains one of my favorites. Her show at One Trick Pony in Grand Rapids, Michigan is also one of my favorite concert experiences.
3. Colour, Moving & Still - Chantal Kreviazuk (2000)
Although I am a fan of all 4 of her albums, this one is my favorite. "Souls" is the highlight, with a gorgeous extended intro and the great lyric "Covenant, we will always grow, our skin will fade, transcend beyond all we've been told". Another favorite is "Little Things", where Kreviazuk's voice soars above string arrangements with lines like "Misery's turning my luck around" and "The past holds the truth like a lost and found".
4. All of Our Names - Sarah Harmer (2004)
Harmer's gentle voice can detract you from some very biting lyrics. See my earlier post dedicated to the song "Greeting Card Aisle". "Tether" is a pretty ballad of lament with lines like "Living this close to the road, you question your vulnerability" and "another melody is aching for a few pretty words to let it be". "Go to Sleep" is a perfect album closer.
5. Bound by the Beauty - Jane Siberry (1989)
Siberry can be eclectic (i.e. "Everything Reminds Me of My Dog") but she can certainly write some beautiful songs. "Life is the Red Wagon" is one of my all-time favorite ballads ("maybe it won't work this time, but that's the risk you take, and you want to take it). Other soothing numbers include "Hockey" and the title track.
I'm out-
KWass
Bowl O' Beans: Kathleen Edwards
Click here to check out my review of the outstanding new album Asking for Flowers by Kathleen Edwards over at Spunkybean.
I'm out-
KWass
I'm out-
KWass
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