Merry Christmas from Carry You Away

No matter what you celebrate, Carry You Away would like to wish everyone a safe and enjoyable holiday season! Thanks for a good year, we'll see you in 2009 with our best songs from 2008.

The Christmas Song - Nat King Cole
O Holy Night - Troy Andrews
River - Rosie Thomas
Silent Night - Skye
Let It Snow - A Fine Frenzy
When I Get Home For Christmas - Snow Patrol
2000 Miles - Coldplay
White Christmas - Frank Sinatra
Christmas Time Is Here - Vince Guaraldi Trio
(There's No Place Like) Home For the Holidays - Perry Como
Silver Bells - Kate Smith

Merry Christmas!

The Best Albums of the Year

This year has been an incredible one for music. I don’t know if it was the full year of blogging about it, but I have learned and heard so much during the past year, making it incredibly difficult at times to really narrow down what was the best of the good. Looking back over the year, there were some clear choices, some not so clear, and a couple that surprised me. Already, 2009 is shaping up to look like a good year already.


Runners up: Always the Bridesmaid: Decemberists, Human: Civil Twilight, A Hundred Million Suns: Snow Patrol, Let It Go: Jon Regen, View from the Root: Adam Ezra Group, A Good Day: Priscilla Ahn.

10 - The Fairline Parkway, Memory of Open Spaces / The Weepies, Hideaway

Memory of Open Spaces is a light affair, and carries a quiet grace from its opening song, Westward Bound, that is sustained throughout the album with a soft and balanced sound. I like it because it's soft, reflective and interesting throughout with a great sound and good lyrics.

Tied with this album is Hideaway by the Weepies. Like the Fairline Parkway, this album is soft, rythmic and interesting. The sound is evenly balanced between the two vocalists with a sweet and relaxing sound to it.

9 - Bombadil, A Buzz, A Buzz

From the first bars of Bombadil's debut album A Buzz A Buzz, you'll know that there's something very different about their sound. Trip Out West starts out soft but strong, before launching into a series of incredibly diverse, lyrically unique and tight songs. There's a wide range of sounds here, and seeing these guys life is an experience in and of itself, as they move around the stage, often switching instruments.

8 - Oren Lavie, The Opposite Side of the Sea

Oren Lavie's first CD Opposite Side of the Sea is a labor of love, and has been getting a wider audience from the use of several songs in a commercial. While overall, this album is on the softer side, there's a rich variety of themes throughout the album, helped along by his rich voice and lyrics.

7 - Tina Dico, Count To Ten / Sia, Some People Have Real Problems

Ironically, these two singers have a common link: the Electronic/Pop outfits Zero 7, whom both have collaborated with for several songs over their three albums.

Tina Dico's album Count To Ten is the good sort of pop music. She starts off with an incredible voice and beat and sustains it throughout the course of the album with a number of absolutely fantastic songs that continue to impress me numerous listens later.

Sia's latest album, Some People Have Real Problems is easily her finest album to date, with an electro-popish sound with an urgent, yet at the same time relaxed feel to it. The tracks slow down and speed up but each one is just fantastic.

6 - Death Cab for Cutie, Narrow Stairs

This album got lot of nay Sayers when released - a lot of this "The band has turned their backs on their fans/roots/style" crap. Bullshit. This album is easily their strongest, with the same strong lyrical style that we've come to expect from these guys, with a richer and far more refined sound throughout. This new album is emotional, intense and rich with sound.

5 - Goodtimes Goodtimes, Glue

Technically, this came out in 2008, but I really got their album in January, so this makes the list. Goodtimes Goodtimes blew me away when I first heard their first track, Kids, with it's bright and optimistic beat that still gets me moving fifty listens later. The rest of the album is just as good too. Each song here sounds fantastic, with some excellent guitar work and lyrics. Every time I pop this into my car's CD player, I sing along, and feel good afterwards.

4 - Coldplay, Viva La Vida/Prospekt's March

I'm counting both of these albums together, along with Lhuna, as one package. Coldplay, after the commercially friendly A Rush of Blood To the Head and disappointing X&Y, proved to be an extremely fresh breath from these guys, proving that they still have the talent to not only produce a good record, but to produce one that drastically refines, changes and exceeds expectations. Viva La Vida is a tight and cohesive affair, with some of their best works to date. Prospekt's March is likewise as good, with several tracks that didn't make it on the album, but carry much of the same feel or talent along with it. Already, there's talk of a follow-up - let's hope that it's a good one.

3 - Amos Lee, Last Days at the Lodge

Amos Lee has come a very, very long way since his first, self titled debut. His second album exceeded that one, and Last Days at the Lodge likewise exceeded that one. Where Supply and Demand really changed around his sound, Last Days brings Lee back to some of his root sounds, revisits some familiar ground and breaks anew, infusing a distinct blend of soul, R&B and folk-rock into the eleven fantastic tracks. The album is intimate and emotional at times, while blatant and fresh at others.

2 - Ray LaMontagne, Gossip in the Grain

Like Amos Lee, Ray LaMontagne has improved upon his sound over his past two albums, really redefining his sound each time. Gossip in the Grain has done much of the same, giving us a new look at this singer as he's refined and honed his skills. His voice isn't as raspy as it was in Trouble, and the backing band here absolutely blows each song away. This album is emotional, touching, personal, romantic and somber all at the same time. It is easily his strongest and best work to date.

1 - Bon Iver, For Emma, Forever Ago

Bon Iver's For Emma Forever Ago is my favorite album of the year, and I knew it from the moment I heard the first track, Flume. Recorded in a cabin in the woods during a troubling time for Justin Vernon, what we get is an album that is a mix of raw emotions that is honest, thrilling and simply beautiful to listen to. Each time that I listen to this album, I get chills throughout at the intensity and reflection presented here in the songwriting. Bon Iver has done with this album something that I thought was impossible - show me that there are still huge surprises waiting out there in the music world, and even after listening to it literally hundreds of times, it still shakes and invokes the same emotion and thrill that is present in the notes.

Best New Artists of 2008

Like last year, I came across a huge number of new songs and new artists. There were some that were very good, and some that were well worth forgetting. Here's my favorite new discoveries of 2008:

Bombadil
These guys out of North Carolina play a mean live act. There's energy, lots of hand-eye coordination and some very good songs. While not quite out there as an indie group such as the Decemberists, these guys have a quirky nature to their songwriting that really makes them stand out.




Bon Iver
Excuse my gushing about Bon Iver. He's easily one of the best new artists of this year, and has a fantastic indie-folk sound. More later.



Civil Twilight
I first came across Civil Twilight when their song Human was featured on House, MD. These guys have a good alt-indie-rock sound with plenty of energy and beat behind the lyrics.



The Fairline Parkway
These guys have a light touch when it comes to lyrics and sound. Their first album, A Memory of Open Spaces was catchy and didn't fall into most of the normal sounds that I tend to listen to. It's not quite folk, not quite rock, but something inbetween. Perfect for driving with the top down.



Findlay Napier and the Bar Room Mountaineers
Findlay Napier recently formed the Bar Room Mountaineers with a neo-scottish folk sound that explodes with subtle energy throughout their songs with a distinct modern flavor. I'd love to see them live sometime.

Goodtimes Goodtimes
Franc aka Goodtimes Goodtimes has a strong hand at the guitar. From the opening notes of his first album, Glue, there's a strong rhythm and a set of brilliant lyrics.



Helen Lawson
Helen Lawson's sound seems to be strongly rooted in her home country of England, with a rich history of folk, which she really draws upon here. Her debut EP, Crossing the Bridge is light, soft on the ears and lyrical.

Jon Regen
Regan has released latest album, Let It Go, which is strongly reminiscent of the sound of Marc Cohn. He wouldn't sound out of place in a jazz lounge, and according to the frequent updates I get from him, he's touring strongly.

Let It Go - Jon Regen

Joseph Arthur
Arthur isn't new to the music scene, but he is new to me. His recent album Could We Survive caught my ears, and he carries a strong alt-country/folk sound with him.



Kat Flint
Flint has a new album coming out, Dirty Birds, and she has been on my radar all year as a strong female vocalist. Her voice is solid, guitarwork firm and her lyrics gold.



Matthew Ryan
Ryan is another new artist to me, but he's been around for a little while now. He sings with a gravelly tone that really reminds me at times of Tom Waits (not quite as harsh). His new album Matthew Ryan Vs. the Silver State is a subdued, somber album that sounds fantastic.



Natalia Clavier
Natalia Clavier's album Nectar is a downtempo affair that has a fantastic, smooth sound to it out of South America. There's energy and emotion here, all wrapped up in a fantastic sound.



Oren Lavie
Lavie has released a wonderful album that he recorded himself. Hailing from Israel, his song Her Morning Elegance caught my ears off of a commercial, and the rest of the album has the same unique sound and lyrics that set that one apart.



Sarah Siskind
Sarah Siskind came to my ears via Bon Iver, when he covered one of her songs, and later sang with her. She's gotten another album on the way in 2009 that is something to keep an ear out for. She reminded me a lot of a favorite of mine, Sara Wheeler, but with more depth and drive to her songs.



Tina Dico
Tina Dico is another girl who's worked with Zero 7 before (Sia is also well know for her work here) Her latest album, Count to Ten is a fantastic listen in alt-pop music with some real talent with lyrics and melody here.

Coming Up: The Albums of 2009

As 2008 comes to a close, everyone is starting to think about the upcoming year and what will be coming out. There's never a shortage of artists who we always want to be releasing new materials, and already, I've started looking for what will be coming out in 2009. Here's what I'm really looking forwards to:

Untitled - Carbon Leaf
Carbon Leaf is my all-time favorite band. I've seen them numerous times in concert, and for the past year and a half, there's been talk of first two albums, then a new album and a remake of an old one, and now another one. Their concerts have featured several new songs, such as I'm In Love (With Another Man's Woman) and Meltdown, two fantastic songs. The album was finished earlier this fall, but we haven't seen a title or track listing yet. The band has said that the album should drop around February sometime.

Untitled - Dave Matthews Band
All this year, I've come across rumors that Dave Matthews and his band will be returning for another studio album. I always look forwards to these, because they can really shape up and change their sound from album to album. Compare Stand Up to Under the Table and Dreaming, and you'll see what I mean. Considering that their last studio album was released in 2005, we're long overdue for another one. No title, release date or track list yet. I don't know if the death of bandmate Leroy Moore will affect this or not.

Untitled - Coldplay
With the highly sucessful release of Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends and Prospekts March this year, Coldplay has been unstoppable, it seems. Their songs are ever more popular, and for good reason - this has been their strongest year yet. With all the press, they've said that they'll be releasing a followup album next year, most likely in the fall/winter. Hopefully it'll be just as good.

Untitled - Cary Brothers
I've been seeing little bits here and there, so this is mostly speculation on my part, but Cary Brothers is back in the studio, recording a followup album. I was a big fan of Who You Are, and it was one of my favorite albums of last year.

Bloodbank EP - Bon Iver
This easily has to be the most anticipated album. For Emma, Forever Ago was brilliant, heartwrenching and emotional, and easily one of the best albums of the year. (You'll see it on my best albums list coming soon). There's an EP being released in January, entitled Bloodbank, and it can't come soon enough.

A Sucker's Dream - The Alternate Routes
The Alternate Routes released their first album last year, Good and Reckless and True, which I really enjoyed, and it likewise made it onto my best albums list last December. After the release of an EP this year, they'll be back with a new album with some of their new songs. From the first single, The Future Is Nothing New, this one will be another good listen.

Hazards of Love - The Decemberists
2006's The Crane Wife is a wonderful album, and it's fully turned me to the Decemberists (whom I really didn't like at first). It was a fantastic album, and while they've been releasing new materials this year via 3 EPs, Always the Bridesmaid, a new LP from these guys will be a welcome thing for sure. Should be due out May of 2009.

Battler - Gregory Douglass
Battler is the latest album from Gregory Douglass, and one of the tracks will be featuring Grace Potter. The first track, Broken Through is fantastic, building on some of the sounds from his last album, Up and Away, which I loved. Battler is coming in February of 2009.

Stay tuned for the Best Albums, New Artists and Songs lists, coming soon!

Cover & Original : I Can See Clearly Now

It's been a while since I've done one of these features. Here's a wildly optimistic song from a while ago that I haven't heard in a very long time.

I Can See Clearly Now (Johnny Nash) - Ray Charles
I Can See Clearly Now (Johnny Nash) - Otis Redding
I Can See Clearly Now (Johnny Nash) - Bob Marley
I Can See Clearly Now - Johnny Nash

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New Alternate Routes Video + Album

The Alternate Routes have a new video for an upcoming single from their next album, due out February 24th, 2009. Add it to the list people! The album is called A Sucker's Dream, and will have the following tracks on it:

01 On and On We Whisper
02 Ain't No Secret
03 All That I See
04 The Future's Nothing New
05 Just A Dream
06 Desdemona featuring Patty Griffin
07 Tow The Line
08 A Sucker's Dream
09 Already November
10 Never Gonna Be Rich
11 A Better Way

..

I'm looking forwards to this new release. Their first album, Good and Reckless and True was fantastic, one of my top ten of last year, and this one sounds very good.

The Future's Nothing New (Live) - The Alternate Routes

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Winter Acoustic

Winter is finally here in Vermont. For some reason, I'm equating winter with acoustic rock, so here you go.

Hazelton - Bon Iver
Westward Bound - Fairline Parkway
Love and Some Verses - Iron & Wine
Rages of Babylon - Joseph Arthur
Northern Sky - Nick Drake
I Still Care For You - Ray LaMontagne
Saro - Samamidon
Falling Stars - Sarah Siskind
Hazy Shade of Winter - Simon & Garfunkle

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Vote for Carry You Away!

Blood Bank EP

This is certainly worth coming out of the woodwork again - Bon Iver's announced a new EP, entitled Blood Bank, due out January 19th, 2009.

Here's the tracklisting:

1 -Blood Bank
2 -Beach Baby
3 -Babys
4 -Woods

Blood Bank, according to Bon Iver's website, is about warmth, where For Emma was about the cold. I'm eagerly awaiting it.

Bon Iver's going out on Tour, and I'm hoping to catch him later next month on Boston:

12/03/08 Dublin, Ireland - Dublin National Stadium
12/05/08 Rennes, France - Trans Musicales Festival w/ Sister, Sammy Decoster
12/06/08 Ghent, Belgium - Gent Vooruit w/ Land of Talk
12/07/08 London, UK - Apollo Victoria Theatre
12/10/08 New York, NY - Town Hall w/ The Tallest Man on Earth
12/11/08 New York, NY - Town Hall w/ The Tallest Man on Earth
12/12/08 Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg w/ The Tallest Man on Earth
12/14/08 Boston, MA - The Wilbur Theatre w/ The Tallest Man on Earth
12/15/08 Philadelphia, PA - The Trocadero w/ The Tallest Man on Earth
12/17/08 Louisville, KY - Headliners w/ The Tallest Man on Earth
12/18/08 Chicago, IL - The Vic Theatre w/ The Tallest Man on Earth
12/19/08 Madison, WI - The Barrymore Theatre w/ The Tallest Man on Earth
12/22/08 Eau Claire, WI - State Theatre

I can't wait.

Blood Bank (Live) - Bon Iver

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Mini!

I got a new car. A 2002 Mini Cooper, in fact, a car that I’ve been wanting to get for literally years now, but I’ve either been intimidated by the fact that a good portion of them happen to have manual transmissions, or that I was never really in a position to be able to buy one until recently.

Last week, I came across an ad (thinking back, I can’t for the life of me think how I got around to searching for one - probably just a whim, honestly) for a 2003 mini (This one had an automatic transmission) in Grand Isle for a very reasonable price. I ran some numbers and realized that this was something that was well within my budget. I talked with my dad about the possibility and for advice, and a day later, he let me know that there was another Mini for sale near where he worked - this one was slightly more expensive, but it had far fewer miles on it, and the difference, I reasoned, would certainly make up for the higher price in the long run. This was a 2002 Mini with 35,000 miles on it - at the price, it was certainly a good offer. This one was also a five-speed.

On Friday, went up to take a look at the two of them, looking first at the automatic one up in the Islands and loved it. The car handled great, and minus a few problems (tires were worn, and there was a small leak in the back somewhere) it seemed like a good deal. The next one was in Williston, and having learned to drive stick the day before at home and on some of the back roads of Moretown, I test drove this one out of traffic around my dad’s office - it was a little different than the car that I practiced on, but I liked it just the same. The dealer, Williston Wheels, offered an additional price drop on it, which had me sold.

So yesterday, instead of trooping in New Hampshire, I called up the dealer and arranged to pick it up. Dad came along with me and we looked at the car again, then went to the bank, finalized the loan and paperwork, and the car is now mine. I got a very good loan rate, and I arranged it so that the payments will come directly from my paycheck, which will be really good. The rest of the day I spent getting used to the car and the 5-speed. I’m still not totally there when it comes to driving stick, mainly with starts and hill starts, but I’m getting better at it quickly. I spent a couple hours driving around in circles in an industrial park practicing, then went to see a couple of friends to show this off to them.

I’m very, very, very happy with this vehicle. The Mini handles very well, is responsive, beautiful and suits me well for what I need a car for. It’s a huge step up from my other car - powered things, a CD player (this was a big plus for me, as my old car didn’t have even a tape deck), remote entry, etc. While I liked my Prizsm, it was time for a change. There was a rash of problems this past summer that sapped up quite a bit of money, and honestly, I wanted something that stands out a little bit. It’s not that I want to be noticed or something like that, but wanted something ‘cool’. And this car is certainly cool.

I know when I first fell in love with the little car - when I saw the film The Italian Job, released in 2002, in theaters with some campers on a change-over weekend. The last half of the film basically runs as a commercial for the car as they zip around with a half ton of gold, in and out of traffic and through places that certainly aren’t designed for cars. Since then, I’ve always seen them, especially in Europe, on the streets, and I’ve never gotten tired of how they look or wavered in really wanting one. So, I quite literally have a dream car here.

To Get Down - Timo Maas
On Days Like These - Matt Monro

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Veteran's Day

Thanks to all those who have served.

The War Was In Color - Carbon Leaf

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VOTE

Get out and vote tomorrow.

Ah Mary (Live) - Grace Potter & the Nocturnals

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End of the Line

I'm sorry to say, but this is the end. I'm going now. Farewell.

Between work and play, I can't keep up, and some things have to go. Carry You Away has been a very fun ride, with a lot of shows, albums and sounds coming through it, and I've really enjoyed working on it. Rest assured, I'll still post up something when I hit a concert or when I come across something interesting, but it won't be often, I'm pretty sure.

If a composer could say what he had to say in words he would not bother trying to say it in music.

~Gustav Mahler

If you're really interested in what I'm up to, you can always do the following:

My regular blog, where I talk about Sci-Fi & other serious things, is here:

http://jeditrilobite.wordpress.com

My 501st Blog, about the 501st Legion, is here:

http://tk3220.wordpress.com

The Last Song - Foo Fighters

Life on Mars

Last night's Life on Mars brought a couple more good songs to the episode. The show's still doing okay, but the music, like its predecessor in the UK, is definitely a highlight. Last night's episode was a good one - they're starting to deviate a bit from the original, which is good.

Sweet Cherry Wine - Tommy James & the Shondells
Just A Little Lovin' - Dusty Springfield
Reflections of My Life - The Marmalade

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Album Review: The Good Life

Tim Myer's recently released EP The Good Life opens lightly with A Beautiful World, a folk-pop song that helps to wash away any problems you might be having for the three and a half minutes that you listen to it. This is Myer's second release, following 2007's RevolutionEP, which gained acclaim and a lot of airplay on shows such as Army Wives and Grey's Anatomy.

Myers sounds much like prior artists Joshua Radin or Chris Stills in a sort of indie-alternative-pop that seems to be tailor made for inclusion in a television show's soundtrack or a college freshman's playlist. The sound is catchy, pleasant and done before by other artists.

The saving grace here is that Myers works the sound pretty well, which does help. The sound is tight and doesn't entirely pigdgeonhole into any one catagory. A Beautiful World is far different from the ending track, Magic, soundwise, for example. The rest of the album falls somewhere between there and predictability, but comes out as a good sound overall.

The album is overwhelmingly positive, which is a plus considering the state of the world today. A Beautiful World is followed by The Good Life, both of which are carefree and agreeable, while California and On Your Side inject a good dose of nostalgia and a certain amount of longing for the recent days gone by. While this is a nice sound, it's misleading and somewhat representative of the Y-age, of a generation that feels very entitled and has a hard time stepping up to the plate and being accountable. To me, this optimism is one that is somewhat misplaced and not long for this world, for as soon as something challenging comes along, it evaporates.

The Good Life is a fine EP, a good one even - there isn't a bad song on it. It's a bit short, given its status as an EP, and it feels like Myers is testing the waters a little before jumping into the pool. He does well making sure the album isn't peppy-optimistic, but with his sound, I want a little more variety - I want some cynacism and I want to hear a song that will jolt me from an overly-positive haze and bring me back down to earth a little.

A Beautiful World - Tim Myers

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New Artist: Break and Repair Method

Occasionally, I click on banner ads, and Hypem.com was running one for these guys the other day, and I have to say, they have a fun and pretty interesting sound that hooked me in.
The Break and Repair Method is a side project by Matchbox Twenty guitarist Paul Doucette, and recently released their first album, Milk the Bee back in September. Vocally, this stands out a bit for me, and its accompanied with some fun lyrics with an energetic, indie-popish type of sound.
As a first release, Milk the Bee falls under the radar. There are only a couple of songs here that really stand out, my favorites being I'm At A Low, You Won't Be Able To Be Sad and This City (Is Bound to Do Us In). While this is a light number for an album, these couple of songs stand out a bit enough for me to sit up and take notice. There's certainly a feel for MB20 with a couple of these songs, while others, such as Low, this isn't the case.
In any case, this is a decent first effort from the group, one that shows quite a bit of promise if we hear more from them in the future. The group is currently on the road with Matt Nathanson.

I'm At A Low - Break and Repair Method

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[Excitement]

If all goes well, I'm off for a couple days...

EDIT: Nope. I guess not.

Leavin' on A Jet Plane - John Denver
This Time Tomorrow - The Kinks
International Airport - Carbon Leaf

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Concert Report: Ray LaMontagne @ the Boston Opera House

So despite having two ways in which I usually keep track of songs during concerts, my iPod (creating an on the go playlist) for bands that I have an absurd amount of music of, or a pad of paper and a pen to scribble down lyrics and song titles that I catch while trying to enjoy the show. Sadly, I left both of these methods in the car, a mile away from the concert hall and as a result don't have a set list for anyone.

That being said, I can say that the following songs were played: Hold You In My Arms, Sarah, Meg White, I Still Care For You, Three More Days, Trouble, Roses and Cigarettes, Hey Me, Hey Mama, Empty, Henry Nearly Killed Me (It's A Shame) Gossip in the Grain, You Are The Best Thing, and a couple of others that I'm forgetting.

Ray LaMontagne plays a fantastic show. One thing that I noticed right off was that he doesn't play front and center like most lead singers - he was off to the side, with the entire crew in a sort of semi-circle. I'm not sure if that was just for acoustic reasons, or if it relates somewhat to his personality, but it was something different.

The set that he played was excellent. There were a number of songs off of the new album, Gossip in the Grain, but a couple of favorites, such as Trouble and Three More Days, which was fantastic to hear. Soundwise, this was a really intimate show - the audience was fairly quiet, and seated, and it felt like we were in a much smaller place than the Opera House really was. The sound in that building was absolutely fantastic, and I've been do shows there before in which the same was true.

Ray had one guy thrown out, which caught me a little by surprise. I don't remember exactly what happened, but he seemed to get very mad all of a sudden, stopping the music, which put a little bit of a damper on the rest of the encore. He's also the first musician that I've seen do two encores, which was pretty cool.

Overall? Excellent, energetic and thoughtful performance.

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Review: Gossip in the Grain

Ever since I've started up my music blog, I've come across hundreds of new artists and found a lot that I've liked, and a lot that I haven't liked. But, there are only a handful of artists whom I literally count down the days until I can pick up their new album. This is the case with Ray LaMontagne, whom I've been a fan of since his first release, Trouble.

Gossip in the Grain is his most personal, emotional and well crafted album, and is easily one of the best albums of the year. It comes as an extremely bittersweet release for me, because a number of the songs hit so close to home for me that it literally knocked the breathe out of me during a couple of songs.

Gossip expands the sound of Trouble and Till the Sun Turns Black, building on the sound and feel of both extremely well, while not being boxed into any particular mode - this album represents an evolution in his sound - very similar to what Amos Lee did with his own third album earlier this summer, Last Days at the Lodge. The album opens with horns in the opening track, You Are The Best Thing. The playlist reads like a story - a love story, with all the hurt, joy and love with You Are the Best Thing, Let It Be Me, Sarah, I Still Care For You, and later, with Falling Through. This is the section that is absolutely brilliant, but at times, far too relatable, at least for me.

There are tracks that are easily some of the best that LaMontagne has done thus far. In addition to the aforementioned tracks, Meg White proves to be a fun listen to singer Meg White, of the White Stripes, Henry Nearly Killed Me (It's a Shame), and the title track, Gossip in the Grain. There's a wide variety of emotion and sound, and we see LaMontagne at vulnerable times, and when the cuffs come off and the sound takes right off. With this, there's a wide blend of rock, acoustic, bluegrass and country brought in here to build a fantastic sound.

This album is easily one of the best of the year, and its sure to make a high point on my end of the year lists. Its emotion, energy and spirit sets this far above most of the albums that I've listened to, and proves that LaMontagne is still capable to release better material as his music career ages, and that he is one of the best, and defining musicians of the decade.

I'm particularly excited to see LaMontagne live tomorrow night (Stay turned on Monday for a review)- he is one of the artists on my priority to see list, and it'll be nice to see his performance live. Gossip in the Grain is due out next Tuesday, October 14th.

You Are The Best Thing - Ray LaMontagne

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Cover & Original: Life on Mars

Tomorrow, ABC will be airing the US remake of the brilliant UK show by the same name. The title takes its name from the David Bowie song, Life on Mars. In the story, detective Sam Tyler is hit by a car and wakes up in 1973, where he has to exist while trying to find his way home.

The UK version is one of my absolute favorite shows of all time, and it's got a fantastic soundtrack to boot. I'm excited for this US remake, and a little worried that it won't live up to expectations. There was a scrapped pilot that has since been re-shot, and it looks like it could be a good one.

Life on Mars (David Bowie) - Michelle Branch
Life on Mars (David Bowie) - Phish
Life on Mars (David Bowie) - Seal
Life on Mars (David Bowie) - Seu Jorge
Life on Mars - David Bowie

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Artist Evolution: Nick Drake

I'm going to do something that I haven't done in a long time - an Artist Evolution Feature. The artist that I'm choosing for this is the late Nick Drake, one of my absolute favorite musicians of all time, and one whom I hold in especially high regard. Drake first captured my attention when I listened to the Garden State soundtrack when that was released. At first, I didn't really pay much attention to th song, and it wasn't until a couple years later, when I came across a couple other songs that I really began to listen to his works.

Drake was born on June 18th, 1948 in Burma, where he lived until the age of two, when his family moved to England - Tanworth-In-Arden. He played music from a fairly young age, but it was when he turned 16 that he turned to the guitar and began writing his own music shortly there after. He attended college in Cambridge where he was noticed and encouraged to sign to Island records, where he began to tour and record music. During this time, he was reclusive, and stopped performing in public in 1970. His first record was Five Leaves Left, released in 1969, which was followed up by Bryter Layter in 1970.

Drake was a troubled young man, and after submitting Pink Moon in 1972, he claimed that he was done with music. A year later, however, he began writing again, but a year later, in 1974, he was found dead in his bed, apparently of an overdose of anti-depressants. A collection of his music was released in 1979, Fruit Tree, and in 1994, Way to Blue, a best-of collection was released. Finally, in 2007, a collection of rarities and masters was collected and released in a two disc set called Family Tree.

Drake's music has been extremely influential to a number of artists, and has found a resurgence in the past couple years, thanks to the use of his music in commercials and the aforementioned Garden State Soundtrack. One of my earlier features, Artist Comparison, featured Nick Drake against newcomer Alexi Murdoch, and I suspect that Jose Gonzalez and numerous others have been influenced, while artists such as Tim Reynolds, My Morning Jacket, Denison Witmer and Norah Jones have all covered his songs.

Five Leaves Left contains some of my favorite Drake songs - Time Has Told Me, River Man, Day Is Done and Way to Blue. This introduction features somber vocals and lyrics, and the delicate work with his guitar. I'm really reminded of a rainy day when I listen to this, but I'm never put in a depressed mood while listening to it. This album seems down, but it always keeps me positive.

Bryter Layter has quite a different feel from its predecessor. There's a lot more emphasis on strings right from the get go, with Drake's guitarwork cutting right through in an elegant fashion. There's horns, electric guitar and and overall richer and more energetic sound. There's more life here.

Pink Moon is more of a return to the sound of Five Leaves Left - Drake recorded it solo, and there is an incredibly stark and lone feeling to the entire album. What hasn't changed over all of the albums here have been the level of songwriting - there is an incredible unity between the vocals and guitar work, the culmination of his prior albums and the peak of his career.

The remainder of Drake's music is mixed, with several collections being released after his death. I'm particularly fond of Made to Love Magic, while I'm not terribly thrilled with Family Tree. There are several very, very good songs here, but others, unsurprisingly, aren't finished, and are merely demos that have an incredibly rough feel to them that doesn't nearly match up to his other works. What it does do, however, is give some insight into his personality, when he speaks, or when he sings with his mother.

It's a shame that he died at such a tragic, young age. Drake, in my opinion, was not just one of the world's greatest singer-songwriters, he was a great poet, and with his death, we only saw a glimpse of his potential.

River Man - Nick Drake
Hazy Jane II - Nick Drake
Place To Be - Nick Drake
Three Hours - Nick Drake
Blues Run the Game (Jackson C Frank) - Nick Drake

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Ray LaMontagne!

I got tickets to see Ray LaMontagne later this week! A friend of mine is going down, and picked me up an extra, for the show in Boston's Opera House this Friday. Damn, I'm excited for this show. His new album, Gossip in the Grain, is coming soon, and from all appearances, this album is going to rock. Hard. Stay tuned for a concert review and set list.

DAMN, I can't wait.

Trouble - Ray LaMontagne
Three More Days - Ray LaMontagne

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Basement Song - Adam Ezra Group

CarryYouAway's good friend Adam Ezra has offered up one of his songs from his latest album View from the Root for a free download. It's one of their more political songs, and has the following message:

ok, so here’s the deal. on 11/4/08 you can change the world by voting for the next president of the united states. we’ve posted the song “basement song” from “view from the root” as a free download from adam's facebook page. ( http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=891725392 ) download it, listen to it, pass it along to as many people as you know! pass along this voter registration info as well and make sure you get out and vote on nov. 4. depending on where you live, you might even be able to cast your vote now! if you are not registered, here are a couple of sites you can go to to register:

http://www.rockthevote.com/rtv_register.html

http://www.maps.google.com/vote

there is so much at stake; serious issues that affect us all: war, the economy, education, energy, the environment…

thanks for making a difference!

aeg

I'm right there with him. If you haven't - go vote. Use wikipedia, the New York Times, Washington Post, National Public Radio, candidate webpages, watch the West Wing, do something, get involved, learn about what's going on in the world and vote.

Basement Song - Adam Ezra Group

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The Best of September

My, that month went by quickly. September had some very good music here - a couple new artists, but a lot of old favorites, such as Bon Iver, The Decemberists and Snow Patrol releasing some fantastic new material.

With the fall about to blow past just as fast as September, I'm starting to think about what the best songs of 2008 were, and most certainly, will be looking over these lists and doing a recap at some point, as well as looking back over last year's favorites.

For Emma (Myspace Edition) - Bon Iver


Flume (Myspace Edition) - Bon Iver


Bon Iver released a free EP via myspace, which featured four re-worked songs from his first wondeful album, For Emma, Forever Ago. These songs have a more expanded and richer sound behind them and sound beautiful. If only they had also recorded Re: Stacks...

Make You Crazy (feat. Femi Kuti) - Brett Dennen


Brett Dennen is back after a short hiatus with his new album Hope for the Hopeless, being released on October 21st. I'm not the biggest fan of Dennen, even after seeing him in concert last year, but this song is catchy, and really seems to fit with the current state of American politics, with a lot of awareness to outside issues to a level that we haven't seen until recently. What's going on in the world can certainly make me go crazy and mad.

Blow Away - Chris Blake


I came across Chris Blake randomly earlier this month with the track Blow Away, which really captured my attention with a good beat and energy. Wave is his first album, and while I haven't gotten a chance to listen to the entire thing, it's gone onto my to-get list, because this sounds like a promising new musician.

Valarie Plame - The Decemberists


The first track off of the Always the Bridesmaid series, Valarie Plame follows with Decemberists tradition of singing about some really random things - this time, about the CIA agent who was outed by the Bush Administration that's caused them a lot of problems. You can read the initial article that started it all here.

Grounds for Divorce - Elbow


This song was featured on the trailer for a movie called Burn After Reading, the latest from the Coen Brothers. I have yet to see the movie, but this song really got my attention with its heavy beat and interesting, haunting sound. It sounds like a cool song that just begs for things to happen in slow motion.

Silver Purse - Helen Lawson


I was very impressed with Helen Lawson earlier when I reviewed her initial EP, Crossing the Bridge. Her music is lyrical, smooth and very beautiful. Her lyrics and voice here match really well, and I'll be awaiting her first LP whenever that is released.

You've Changed (Original Mix) - Lauren Flax feat. Sia


I love Sia's voice and alt-pop sound. Mixed with an electronic/techno type song, it really fits well, and this song works very well with Sia's voice and style. It's interesting to see her in a different electronica song than her other work, with Zero 7.

Shattered (Turn the Car Around) - O.A.R.


I've enjoyed listening to O.A.R. (Of A Revolution) since college. They're not a favorite, but I've loved That was a Crazy Game of Poker, Hey Girl and Mr. Moon. They're a good band for the Adult Alternative listeners, with a nice blend of rock/alt-country/folk-rock and a little reggae thrown in for good measure. Shattered is a very typical sounding song from them, but it's a solid one, with a good beat and feel.

Take Back the City - Snow Patrol


Snow Patrol is back with a follow up for Eyes Open. This song sounds like it could have made the album, but for a bit more energy attached to it. This song, along with Shattered, feel comfortable, and have a good alternative/rock sound to it that makes me think that this will be a popular radio hit when their upcoming album, A Hundred Million Suns is released. I like this sound - it's solid and sounds pretty good.

Ottoman - Vampire Weekend


Vampire Weekend is back with a new song that's sure to be very popular with the indie-hipsters. It's a pretty typical song from the group, with a quirky sound and interesting guitar work, these guys are sure to be somewhat popular until they release their next album. While I enjoy this song, I'm not sure how much longer I'll enjoy listening to it. Time will tell.

That's all for this month - October is sure to bring some very good music.

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Phish Announces Reunion Tour

The jam-band Phish announced earlier today that they would be reuniting for a 3 night concert stand March 6th, 7th and 8th, 2009 in Hampton, Virginia, with a 2009 tour to be announced later on. Tickets go on sale 10/18.

I'm not surprised by this news - members of the group have dropped hints over the past year that this would be happening, and reunions seem to be all the rage now. I'm wondering if they'll come back up to Vermont, where they played their last concert, and because this is their home turf. No doubt, this will be big news here.

I'm a casual fan of Phish - I think their album A Live One, is one of their best works, and they're one of the few bands whom I actually like better live than studio. It'll be interesting to see how well they do this time around - their last concert was horrible.

Slave to the Traffic Light (Live) - Phish


Sample in a Jar - Phish

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Goodtimes are Coming Back

A little while ago, I posted up that one of my favorite discoveries of this year, Goodtimes Goodtimes, out of London, will be releasing a new album sometime soon. There's no title, release date or track list for this album yet, but there are a couple of demos that I've just come across and received permission to pass along.

Listening to the tracks that I got, I'm more excited than ever. Goodtimes Goodtimes' first album, Glue, was a fantastic listen with a great sound, beat and lyrics. Here, it sounds like his sound has matured - it's more rich, but keeps the same basics that made the first album a brilliant one. These tracks rocks - Get Ready builds and builds to an exciting chorus that just explodes with energy about halfway through, while Let It Begin and For All My Kingdom keeps the energy going with a great beat and sound.

I'll certainly be posting more information up about this, but already, this is going to be one of my more anticipated albums, whenever it comes out.

Let It Begin - Goodtimes Goodtimes


For All My Kingdom - Goodtimes Goodtimes


Get Ready - Goodtimes Goodtimes

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New We'll Write

We'll Write, the geeky, end-of-the-world-predicting acoustic duo is back this month with another installment of their serialized album, Songs for the End of the World, with Trampoline Song, the fourth installment of the album. Like the prior two installments, they have two additional B-Sides, Scars and Winter's Dawn, which you can get by signing up for their mailing list.

This song is a lot more optimistic than some of their prior songs. It's not my favorite of all the songs that I've heard from them, but it's not a bad one. Scars is a much better installment, in my opinion. In any case, I can't wait to hear what they have next.

Trampoline Song - We'll Write

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New Video: You Are the Best Thing

With Ray LaMontagne's upcoming release just next month, a new video of the first song on the album has surfaced:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pQepjhgv1U

It's a really great song, and I'm already anticipating listening to this album. From this, and the other two songs that I've heard, I can't wait.

You Are the Best Thing - Ray Lamontagne

How to Bluff a Music Geek

Wired just posted up this hilarious article:

Bluff a Music Geek

Ever been smacked down by a friend with an encyclopedic knowledge of music? You can fight back without really having a clue.

Adopt obscure tastes. So obscure they're nonexistent. Tell your friend you're a big fan of the Egyptologists or some other made-up group. (What's he gonna say — "I've heard of every band, and that's not one of them"?) If he can't get a handle on your palate, your opinions are unimpeachable.

Answer questions with questions. "I think I've heard of Flop. Who was their manager?" Checkmate. It's surely not your fault this so-called fan can't provide enough background info to help you pluck Flop from your mental jukebox.

Use the magic words. To paint bands you know nothing about with broad, meaningless strokes, you need only two adjectives: overrated and underrated. With careful use, you can position yourself as a sophisticated critic of criticism, a qualified judge of not just music but the canon itself. Leg-sweep your foes with baffling pronouncements. The Beatles? Underrated.

I Know You Are But What Am I - Mogwai

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Cover & Original : Jason Mraz

I came across some interesting Jason Mraz covers earlier today, which helped clinch what I was going to do for the feature today.

The first set up is a cover of one of Mraz's songs, I'm Yours, off of his latest album, We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things, by Shael Riley, a nerd-core artist out of New York City. This is an interesting cover, a little angsty sounding. It strays more into the pop-realm than I really like when it comes to songs, but it's not enough to dismiss out of hand.

Next up are two covers that Mraz has performed live at concerts, No Woman No Cry, originally by Bob Marley, and Sweet Child O' Mine by Guns n' Roses. Both fall with the originals pretty faithfully - this is a concert, after all, and people like hearing what's familiar. Of the two, I prefer No Woman No Cry.

I'm Yours (Jason Mraz) - Shael Riley


I'm Yours - Jason Mraz


No Woman No Cry (Bob Marley) - Jason Mraz


No Woman No Cry - Bob Marley


Sweet Child O' Mine (Guns n' Roses) - Jason Mraz


Sweet Child O' Mine - Guns n' Roses

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