Cubicle Tunes - Week of February 23, 2010

2010 is already shaping up to be a pretty great year for music. It's not even March, and I already have 5 or 6 legitimate contenders for the Vox Acerbus Best Music of 2010. That doesn't even take into account the multiple releases I have spotted on the horizon. It could be the first multi-volume offering since 2006.

Dig these:

Vampire Weekend - Contra (2010)

I didn't give their self-titled debut much of a listen, but I become a huge fan after the inclusion of "Ottoman" on the soundtrack for the movie Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist. Funny how one song can make you a believer. My runaway favorites here are "Taxi Cab", which features a very unique string arrangement and a constant melodic line trickling from the piano, and "Run", which unlike the other tracks, is driven by intricate synth programming.

Peter Gabriel - Scratch My Back (2010)

80's and world music icon Peter Gabriel returns with a collection of covers in a very unique way. The complete lack of drums and guitars creates ethereal arrangements of piano and orchestra, and turns some formerly bright pop songs into darker excursions. Gabriel covers acts such as Neil Young, Talking Heads, David Bowie and Arcade Fire among others, but the standouts here are Paul Simon's "Boy in the Bubble" and Bon Iver's "Flume". This one is best reserved for some dedicated, uninterrupted listening.

Shout Out Louds - Work (2010)

The Swedish group Shout Out Louds were featured in the Vox Acerbus Best of 2007 with a bouncy number called "Your Parents Living Room", full of energy and sound and a Cure/Robert Smith-ish vocal delivery. Three years later, this record is much more subdued and stripped down, allowing the pop essence of the band to come through with songs of longing, sadness, and nostalgia. My favorites are "Four by Four" and "Play the Game", but the album is solid throughout.

Editors - In This Light and On This Evening (2009)

I was drawn to this record by the name alone, and it quickly ascended in the play count of my iPod. Even though the album is full of sweeping synth programming, it maintains a very raw quality. The goal in the studio was "to give the machines a human feel", and by not polishing every song into submission, they've done just that. My favorites include "Papillon" (included on the Vox Acerbus Best of 2009), "Bricks and Mortar", and "The Boxer". This album was a complete and radical departure from the sound of the previous album "An End Has A Start", which reached number one in England. For lack of a more elegant way to say it, that takes huge balls.

We Were Promised Jetpacks - These Four Walls (2009)

I didn't find out about this Scottish band until my brother turned me onto them very late last year, or else they would have been represented on my annual collection. They have a very intense, emotional quality to them, and aren't afraid to let their songs build and maybe even go a step too far, because face it - sometimes emotions do that despite our best intentions. I like to think of them as similar to Snow Patrol, but more like Snow Patrol getting punched in the face so they are right and pissed off. My favorites are the opener, "It's Thunder and It's Lightning", "Conductor", the epic "Keeping Warm", and "Moving Clocks Run Slow".

I'm out-

KWass

Cubicle Tunes - Week of February 16, 2010

Today marks the first installment of Cubicle Tunes since June 17, 2008.

The way I figure it, if I’m back on the bike, then I need to be back on the keyboard as well.

Writing is enjoyable and somewhat cathartic for me, and I can’t fathom how or why I have only written about my greatest passion – music – twice in the last 20+ months (those writings being the annual best music collection liner notes).

Here’s a quick refresher. I spend a lot of time in a cubicle, and during those hours, my iPod fills the dull silence with aural pleasantries. How do you think I compile the annual best music collection? That research goes on all year long, and I make notes of lyrics that catch my ear or songs that stand out for whatever reason.

These are the albums that will grace the triumphant return of my musical musings.

Ellis Paul – The Day After Everything Changed (2010)

Paul returns to contemporary folk form after the children-themed album “The Dragonfly Races” of 2007. This album is a markedly different offering and features Paul in more uptempo full band arrangements. A lot of people hate it when an artist breaks their mould, but I appreciate the evolution of an artist. Favorites here include the title track, “Lights of Vegas”, and the opener, “Annalee”.

Patty Griffin – Downtown Church (2010)

Recorded in a church in downtown Nashville (hence the title – duh), the album is a collection of gospel inspired songs, only 2 of which were written by Griffin herself. Admittedly, I wasn’t excited at the prospect of a gospel album, but when the opening lyrics were “People steal, they cheat and lie”, well, we here at Vox Acerbus were right on board. Favorites include “Little Fire”, “Coming Home to Me”, and “Waiting for My Child”. Griffin’s voice dominates this record, and trust me – that’s a good thing.

The Swell Season – Strict Joy (2009)

The Swell Season is none other than Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, the duo who starred in and recorded the gorgeous soundtrack for the movie “Once” back in 2006. This album branches out a little further, featuring some mid-tempo numbers and some bigger instrumentation, but the underlying beauty remains. The deluxe edition features 14 live tracks from various albums, and the live version of the Oscar-nominated “Falling Slowly” will burn itself into your soul.

Owl City – Ocean Eyes (2009)

Although I have gravitated into the singer-songwriter genre over the last several years, I am still a big fan of synth based music, and simply stated, I love this record. I first heard “Fireflies” on Radio Disney (XM 115) of all places, and have been transfixed by it ever since. Favorites include “Vanilla Twilight” and “Tidal Wave”. It’s a rare occurrence when such a mainstream record makes this forum, so savor the flavor, because it may not happen again for a long time.

10,000 Maniacs – Our Time in Eden (1992)

This was the last studio album to feature vocalist Natalie Merchant, and that’s a damn shame. Merchant and the band both continued on, and for Merchant, with some degree of success, but this was the apex for both of them. “Jezebel” is on my all-time favorites list, and other highlights include “If You Intend” and “How You’ve Grown”. To hear how completely talented and flawless this band really was, I highly endorse the “MTV Unplugged” live set from 1993.

I'm out-

KWass