Maggie

Not really fan, and certainly not surprised, but I was sad to hear this news.

In reading various articles and comments online I've come across numerous references about the age 27. Not just the "27 club," but the concept that 27 is the beginning of adulthood, a turning point for many, etc.. I know 27 was an especially difficult age for me, though it certainly didn't compare in any way to what I'm sure Amy was going through for various reasons. As a 28 year old woman I think I'm taking more of a sympathetic take on this event than some others are. I really feel for her (and her family and friends), and that's the only reason I can think of.

I received my blue 45 today. Labels are on the correct sides and everything sounds okay to me.

I really love I Might.

1. I first heard/saw Wilco when they were on that VH1 Hard Rock Live show back in the late '90's. I didn't actually watch the show. I just remember seeing clips. I had no interest in them at the time.

2. October 19, 2007 in Pittsburgh.

I finally became a Wilco fan in 2005. I was on a huge Ryan Adams kick for about 6 months straight - listening to very little else. I was afraid of burning out on him, so I consulted my amazon.com recommendations to find something else to listen to. The first album I purchased was Kicking Television and it kinda changed my life (musically, anyway).

2011 Releases:

The Decemberists: The King is Dead

The Deep Vibration - Strange Love

The Dodos - No Color

Drive-By Truckers - Go-Go Boots

Eddie Vedder - Ukulele Songs

Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues

Gillian Welch - The Harrow & The Harvest

John Vanderslice - White Wilderness

Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring For My Halo

The Low Anthem - Smart Flesh

My Morning Jacket - Circuital

Pearl Jam - Live on Ten Legs

PJ Harvey - Let England Shake

REM - Collapse Into Now

Smith Westerns - Dye it Blonde

Vetiver - The Errant Charm

Will Johnson - Little Raider EP

Wye Oak - Civilian

The Cave Singers - No Witch

Centro-Matic - Candidate Waltz

Chris Thile & Michael Daves - Sleep With One Eye Open

The Civil Wars - Barton Hallow

The David Wax Museum - Everything is Saved

Dawes - Nothing Is Wrong

Death Cab for Cutie - Code and Keys

Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit - Here We Rest

Iron & Wine - Kiss Each Other Clean

Bon Iver - Bon Iver

Middle Brother - Middle Brother

Older Stuff (incomplete):

The David Wax Museum - I Turned Off Thinking About

The David Wax Museum - Carpenter Bird

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals - Nothing But the Water

Josh Ritter - Hello Starling

Centro-Matic - All the Falsest Hearts Can Try

Kurt Vile - Childish Prodigy

South San Gabriel / Centro-Matic - Eyas

Edit: It's almost frightening seeing this in writing.

My iTunes list is pretty boring. I got a new laptop at the end of December last year, so the top 25 basically reflects my favorite 2011 purchases plus a few other favorites/songs I like to wake up to on my iPod alarm clock.

 

1. Don't Carry It All - The Decemberists
   
2. Blue Beard - Band of Horses
   
3. Infinite Arms - Band of Horses
   
4. January Hymn - The Decemberists
   
5. All Arise! - The Decemberists
   
6. Calamity Song - The Decemberists
   
7. Rise To Me - The Decemberists
   
8. Rox In The Box - The Decemberists
   
9. Down By The Water - The Decemberists
   
10. June Hymn - The Decemberists
    
11. This Is Why We Fight - The Decemberists
    
12. If I Wanted Someone - Dawes
    
13. Dear Avery - The Decemberists
    
14. Neighbor - Band of Horses
    
15. Haller Lake - The Cave Singers
    
16. All The Talkers - Centro-Matic
    
17. All Night Long - South San Gabriel
    
18. On My Way Back Home - Band of Horses
    
19. Against The Line - Centro-Matic
    
20. Estimate X 3 - Centro-Matic
    
21. Solid States - Centro-Matic
    
22. Shadow, Follow Me - Centro-Matic
    
23. Mercedes Blast - Centro-Matic
    
24. If They Talk You Down - Centro-Matic
    
25. Covered Up in Mines - Centro-Matic
    

My top 25 on Last.fm (which dates back to late 2006) mostly consists of Wilco, Son Volt and Uncle Tupelo . . .

i quit using amazon cloud after a week. i use google music & rdio. love both. i had issues streaming with amazon

That's interesting - I haven't had any problems at all with streaming on my home computer or at work.

I've been using the Amazon Cloud Player at work for a month of so. I periodically upload a few albums while I'm surfing the internet at home, then I'm ready to go the next day at work. I don't know that I'd pay for the service, but I received the 20 GB of storage after buying an MP3 album, so why not use it? I like the fact that I don't have to remember to take my iPod to work everyday now.

Right now I'm trying out a free trial for MOG. I wasn't all that interested until I saw that I can use MOG on my Roku Box (http://www.roku.com/), which means I can listen to the music through my stereo rather than my cheesy laptop speakers. It should work out nice for work as well, and the price is reasonable.

I'm sampling the new Buddy Holly tribute right now.

I really love this band. I hope you seconding the rave will get some more folks here on board.

I think they may have made a tactical mistake with the leadoff song on the album, "Strange Love". It sounds like nothing else on the record and creates some false impressions and expectations about what follows. But if one sticks around, the "I'm Going Down" riff homage on the next song "Jack the Robber" blows the freaking doors off and it's off to the races from there. The juxaposition of those two songs creates a real tension that ultimately makes this thing a real gem.

I think this is a fine record, but I haven't really connected with it. I'll keep trying!

I don't think he moved back - he played the Chicago Theater last week.

I also would assume that's the case.

On only a semi-related note, I ordered the Songbook edition of Mr. Vedder's new album back in May. It was supposed to ship in "June" (no date given), and it appears the 10 Club still doesn't have the item in their hands. No updates were given - I found this out by scouring the Pearl Jam message board.

It disgusts me that such a successful band's organization can be so unorganized. Is an email update or a post on their website so hard? Not to mention that the year is half way through and the 2010 "Holiday" single is still nowhere to be seen, and it's been over a year since the last newsletter was sent out. I've been a member of the Ten Club since 1998, and it's hard to imagine giving up on them, but when renewal time comes I may very well be done. The system has never been perfect throughout the years I've been a member, but despite a HUGE price hike things are continuing to get worse. I'd rather give my money to the smaller bands/record labels who provide better service (and better music, as of late).

Okay, I'm done ranting. Just needed to get that out of my system!

Eddie's originally from Illinois, but last I heard he still lived in Seattle. It's been quite a while since I was paying much attention to that sort of thing, so I suppose he could have moved back there.

My favorites (in no particular order):

Decemberists

Dawes

Centro-Matic

Fleet Foxes

Kurt Vile

Gillian Welch may sneak in there. I haven't given that album enough listens to decide yet

I can't really name any disappointments. I've heard plenty of "okay" albums, but I didn't expect perfection from those particular artists.

I'm sitting on the floor, listening to this on vinyl right now. It's a wonderful album to listen to on a warm afternoon with a gentle breeze coming in through the windows.

So I've finally listened to this. Really quite good. Haters be damned.

Same here. I couldn't name one song that I disliked. It may not be their best, but it is miles ahead of the last one.

But maybe my perception is colored by the fact that I ordered tickets for MMJ and Neko this morning.

Which reminds me, I was listening to Wonderful and couldn't figure out why it sounded familiar. I checked the setlist from the show I saw last summer and there it was. I thinks that's a sign of a great song - almost a year later and I remembered the song after having heard it only once.

Finally listening to Candidate Waltz, and it does indeed sound very good.

Ordered mine too. Enjoying the immediate download. Sounds good. I wish Centro-matic was playing somewhere closer to me than atlanta this summer. Last winter got to see Will and Anders Parker on the living room tour and Will was great (so was anders).

I had problems with my download, emailed Undertow and never got a response, so I haven't heard the album yet.

The three song run of Blue Beard, On My Way Back Home and Infinite Arms from the Band of Horses album Infinite Arms (most of the album, really). It's been a year now and I can't get over that album. There's this emotion pull that I can't explain. Simultaneously heartbreaking and comforting.

Reservations from those Wilco guys is another big one for me. I had a lot of trouble listening to that song for a while because I was nervous about how it made me feel.

Candidate Waltz is available for pre-order and includes an instant download of the entire album:

http://www.undertowstore.com/artist/centro-matic

Finally! I just realized I've been a fan for 5 years, yet I've never experienced a new album release from Gillian. Weird.

Talk of the Woody Guthrie album led me over to Jay's website and I read this recent post from someone on his message board:

"i talked with will johnson of centromatic a few weeks ago in denton, tx. who was working on that stuff with farrar. i asked him he said. the album and artwork are done and that it would be released early next year with full tour to follow. they had been waiting for a time when everyone involved could tour. anders parker and jim james as well. so that's something right there."

I hope this finally happens!

will check this out.

 

doing some research on will and he played drums with son volt in 2007. pretty cool. also, wasn't there news that he was involved with a mermaid ave type thing with jay farrar? hope that sees the light of day. as far as albums, i'm gonna start with Navigational. i love that tune Numbers One and Three.

Yes, I believe Jim James and Anders Parker were also involved.

Interesting note for you: The songs on Navigational were recorded in a studio owned by Mr. Farrar.

Navigational is one of the albums I haven't heard yet. You'll have to let us know what you think of it.

Tine to plug the GloNo/Whiskey Bender vids from a few years ago. Check them out here. Not only were they fun to participate in, the band was super nice. There is a two part short on both bands and also a great solo set from Will. You will need to scroll and find them on this page.

 

LouieB

Thanks for the link! I bookmarked it for viewing later.

My Morning Jacket and Neko Case in MY CITY?!? I cannot believe it!

he's got so much shit out there! however, it seems like he releases everything, which is good for us.

I'm continually impressed by the consistent quality coming from a guy who has released so many recordings. I don't own everything, but I've got a pretty good sampling and it's all wonderful. Including the Little Raider EP. I'm almost finished with my first listen and I'm quite pleased. Beautiful stuff.

Will has a new EP that was just released:

http://www.undertowstore.com/product/will-johnson-little-raider-cd-ep

The Undertow store is pretty cool. CD's are reasonably priced, shipping isn't bad, and the immediately email you a link to download a mp3 copy of the album. I purchased the EP and a copy All the Falsest Hearts Can Try.

Deerhoof is a no for me.

I like to idea of Deerhunter but never get around to listening to them.

I saw Deer Tick as an opening act and loved them but can't handle much of the guy's voice on the studio recordings. The music is definitely my style - I just need to listen in small doses.

I guess I'll go with Deer Tick.