In Your Ear-7.28.11

Drive By Truckers

Southern Rock Opera

Over the July 4^th Holiday, the crew at the Sound Opinions Podcast interviewed Patterson Hood of the Drive-By Truckers. I wasn’t familiar with their music and didn’t particularly enjoy their in-studio songs, but I listened to his stories and his influences and decided to give them a try.

The downtown library had their first release, a double CD, which as is an homage to the South and to Alabama in particular. Heavy guitar driven tracks with lots of twang and blues and references to Southern culture and history. The alternating vocalists provide a nice change of pace as you make your way through songs.

A couple of songs that I really liked:

Shut Up and Get on the Plane

Life in the Factory

Birmingham (reminded me of the time I lived there)

72 (This Highway’s Mean)

KEXP—Music that Matters Podcasts

Episode 250: Mix of techno based of songs. Very chill. Golden Child by Okay Colour was my favorite track.

Episode 251: Mixture of different sounds and genres.

Fave tracks:

Blue Sky Black Death - Our Hearts Of Ruin

New Division - Bucharest

Moby - Sevastopol

The One AM Radio - Sunlight

The Kills - DNA

Episode 256: Lots of electronica songs. OK on in the background but only Numbers in Action by Wiley caught my attention.

In Your Ear-5.24.11

The xx, XX

After coming across a couple of songs from this group, I checked out the full album. Not sure how to describe the music. At times dreamy, at times pulsing, at time electro-pop. I didn't really pick up any new tracks, which was disappointing. The album wasn't horrible but it's the sort of thing that is great background music but nothing that's gonna get you four or five stars on your iTunes.

Fav tracks:

Intro

Crystalised

Night Time

Black Keys, Brothers

I finally listened to the latest album from the Black Keys. I picked up the Live at the Crystal Ballroom DVD over the holidays and loved it.

This album starts strong (especially Everlasting Light and Howlin’ for You) but fades towards the end (in the fine tradition of modern music). Some of the tracks really grab you and have an energy that can't be ignored, but for the most part it seems muted somehow. It’s worth a listen and great for chillin out on the back porch with a beverage.

KEXP podcasts

Wow. What can I say about the latest ones I’ve listened to? I can't bring myself to delete them from my ipod because I just to listen to them over and over again. The hit all types of music and make me wish I had time to track down these bands and really search out music. Alas I don't have that sort of time, so I'll take whatever they give me while trying to break free from my ingrained playlists.

Here are some amazing tracks to find:

Episode 235

The Hundred in the Hands—Pigeons

PS I Love You—Facelove

Episode 236

Steve Wynn & The Miracle—Resolution

Episode 249

THE WHOLE EPISODE

1. Charles Leo Gebhardt IV - Teach My Heart

2. The Cute Lepers - Noisy Song

3. Beach Fossils - What A Pleasure

4. Craft Spells - Party Talk

5. Crystal Stilts - Shake the Shackles

6. Moon Duo - Mazes

7. My Goodness - Blackout Baby

8. The Kills - DNA

9. Yarn Owl - Seashell Wind Chime

In Your Ear-1.26.11

Took a trip in the way back machine recently to 1987 and visited Aerosmith’s album, Permanent Vacation. I really enjoyed that album growing up with great songs like Rag Doll and Dude (Looks Like a Lady). The last track, The Movie, is one my favorites for the mood it creates. Surely this has been used in a movie. I picked up a copy of Pump in high school and that was pretty good, but it was pretty much down hill after that. And now Steven Tyler is on American Idol. Not sure about that.

Based on a recommendation from @soundopinions, I checked out Jaime Lidell's album, Jim. A couple tracks in I recognized a song, which I had already liked, so I was enjoying the album. I realized after a little while that the album alternates between upbeat, poppy tracks and more subdued soulful tracks, which I didn’t enjoy as much. So I liked half the album, especially the tracks Little Bit of Feel Good, Hurricane, and Where D'You Go?

Best Coast, Crazy For You. Again another suggestion from @soundopinions. Love some of the songs but getting through the album straight through was rough. Even I can only handle so much depression and longing wrapped up in pop songs. Sprinkle this band into your playlist, especially songs Boyfriend, The End and When the Sun Don’t Shine and you’ll be golden.

Foals, Antidotes. Somehow I came across the Foals. Maybe KEXP. Anyway, picked up the album at the library. They sound like somebody, I just can’t place it. It was ok.but didn’t find a song that grabbed me. Probably decent background music at a party.