Maggie

 

 

He's also done some killer covers - Mystifies Me, Looking at the World Through a Windshield, Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way? (frequent closer on Son Volt's last tour), Going, Going Gone, Effigy, and Lucifer Sam immediately come to mind.

I'm obsessed with that cover of Going, Going, Gone. Almost put it on my list, but didn't want to take up space that could go to a Farrar original

Creosote

No More Parades

Last Minute Shakedown

Left a Slide

Medicine Hat

Route

Tear Stained Eye

Bandages & Scars

Methamphetamine

Slate

Fifteen Keys

Fall Down Easy

Still Be Around

Wipe the Clock

Steal the Crumbs

Anodyne

Outside the Door

Feel Free

Cahokian

Buzz & Grind

This is way too hard to do. These are basically 20 random songs that jumped at me as I scrolled through my collection.

For some reason nothing from No Depression stood out.

After 3 listens I think this is going to be a good one for me. Perhaps top 5 of the year material.

Interesting how reviews seem to be super positive or really negative.

The only reason I initially bought one of their records (Neon Bible) was the fact that it was inspiring some pretty nasty arguments on a message board I used to post on. I made the purchase simply because I wanted to see what the fuss was about. I guess nothing much has changed over the last couple years.

The Band - The Last Waltz Suite: The Last Waltz (Refrain)

Paul McCartney & Wings - My Love (from Wings Over America)

Dixie Chicks - Wide Open Spaces

Rogue Wave - Like I Needed

Magnolia Electric Co - Hard to Love a Man

Noah and the Whale - Love of an Orchestra

Golden Smog - Another Fine Day

Alejandro Escovedo - About this Love

Gillian Welch - Caleb Meyer

Nellie McKay - Work Song

Abigail Washburn - His Eye is on the Sparrow

Andrew Bird - [untitled Track] (track 12 from The Mysterious Production of Eggs)

My Morning Jacket - Run Thru

The Wrens - This Boy Is Exhausted

Townes Van Zandt - Waitin' Around to Die

Ryan Adams - Hallelujah

She & Him - Brand New Shoes

Grizzly Bear - Reprise

Gob Iron - Instrumental #3

Calexico - Frontera

 

Is it just me or does this band, especially Ben Bridwell seem like pretty normal nice guys?

I could have sworn I had read some pretty negative stuff about Ben a while back. I'm thinking he flipped out on a fan who was taking pictures at a show, or something like that? But between seeing them live and watching a few interviews this year I too thought that Ben came off as a very pleasant kind of guy. Someone you might like to meet.

SThey also threw in a cover of Gram Parson's " A Song For You" which was sweet.

 

I downloaded a a show they did in Germany earlier this year, which included that song. It's absolutely gorgeous. I was familiar with the original, but it never hit me the way their cover did. I listened to it once yesterday and it's been stuck in my head since.

I really want to see these guys again as soon as possible - as in, I've been thinking about them every day since I saw them open for Pearl Jam in May. So far it doesn't look like they're coming to my city any time soon.

It's kind of funny. At the end of 2009 I was a casual BoH fan. Didn't really care if I'd ever see them live, but the albums were pleasant to listen to. In 2010 they come out with an album that gets horrible reviews and suddenly they're one of my favorite bands. Who would have thought?

I got my copy in the mail today but I haven't had time to listen to it yet.

I've received my copy Friday. Very pretty, but no particular song struck me on first listen.

interesting. i find shonna's songs on this album way subpar compared to the last. lyrics like 'we got a lot of love' just don't fit with patterson and cooley's mature songwriting. in addition, they just aren't good songs. the last album had houston and purgatory line which were excellent. my fear on the next album is that we're gonna hear the new keyboard guy sing a song of his own. i wish they'd just stick with cooley and hood. it is a dense album (both in length and content) and it is hard to give it attention when there is so much stuff to listen to. it's all a trade off.

I liked Huston, the other two songs on Brighter than Creations Dark didn't work for me. And I think it's worth emphasizing I "kinda" like her songs. They're not great, but very pleasant to my ears. I'd definitely prefer the number of Cooley songs to be upped, and have Shonna skipped altogether. Come to think of it, that's a big part of why The Big To-Do doesn't do much for me - not nearly enough Cooley.

well, i had some issues with the new DBT when it came out and got nothing less than lambasted for it. i guess it was because it was in that thread. i do like the first four songs. i hate to say it, but Shonna's songs really bring down the album. maybe one by her per album would work. there are too many songs, like most DBT records, so it's hard to get through. i also agree that it's produced/mixed horribly. too much treble and just has a garage sound to it. i guess that is what they were going for, but i miss the immediate, warmish production of decoration day. especially the drum sound. this new record has so much crash cymbal it's ridiculous. louder doesn't mean better. at the same time, i wouldn't know which songs to cut. i've given it some time and it plays well to me, despite my criticism. i spent money on it and really respect the band, so i forced myself to like it.

 

I kinda like Shonna's songs this time around. A big improvement on her contributions to the previous album, in my opinion.

I haven't been able to decide what I think The Big To-Do overall. It's not unpleasant to listen to (aside from the bad production, which I can live with). Still, it isn't terribly compelling. The songs are fine, but no single one sticks out for me.

There are too many other new albums I'd rather listen to. As a result I've only given it a handful of listens.

My favorite thing about Brothers is that it's made me obsessed with a band that I only liked casually before. I love when that happens. I just received copies of The Big Come Up and the Crystal Ballroom DVD in the mail the other day, and I'm thinking about going to Amazon.com to fill in the last couple gaps in my collection. Unfortunately that would blow the rest of my music budget for the month of July.

I'd really like to see these guys live, but I missed them earlier in the year and their next show near me is as an opener for Kings of Leon . . .

My top four:

Band of Horses Infinite Arms

The Black Keys Brothers

The National High Violet

Phosphorescent Here’s to Taking It Easy

After that there's lots of good stuff that I'm having trouble ranking.

The worst album I've purchased this year was Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. I wasn't a huge fan to begin with, but this album is terrible. Even at the low price of $6.99 I feel like I wasted my money.

The Elevator Drops made some excellent glam-pop rock in the 90s.

The Gin Blossoms were one of my first "favorite" bands. I still play New Miserable Experience every so often.

I always hesitate to enter into things like this. My list would definitely show my age and general ignorance to music that was made before I was born--really, the oldest album I own is Doolittle. The top 10 would likely contain 5 Radiohead albums and my list wouldn't include a single Beatles, Dylan, or Beach Boys album, as I have never listened to one (yes, I know the songs). I guess I could help things out and skew the list more "modern".

I can see where you're coming from. I know my classic rock and roll pretty well, but my list will still be skewed toward the 90's and 00's. I mean, I've loved the Beatles since I was 13 (that's more than half my life), but as much as I appreciate Revolver I don't feel a connection to it the way I do with albums that have been released within my lifetime (even if I purchased them 10 years after original release). There will surely be older albums on my list, but not as many, and not at the very top.

My personal concern is that while I've considered myself a major music fan over half my life the majority of my collection was amassed in the last five years, when I started to broaden my interests (and finally had a little money to spend). That's a short period of time and a ton of music that hasn't exactly had a lot of time sink in. In 2004 my top 50 would have consisted of Pearl Jam, some other "grunge" bands, Tori Amos and a bunch of albums that looked good on a list. Today I don't even know where to start!

I plan on sitting down with my iPod and a notebook this evening and seeing if I can come up with anything.

Last night I saw Dawes play a free show at Hartwood Acres, near Pittsburgh PA. They sounded great and truly seemed happy to be headlining an outdoor show with a decent sized audience. I have to say that the live performance puts their recorded music to shame - and that's saying a lot, as I quite enjoy the record.

Immediately after the show all the band members came out to sign autographs (many of them going to small children who wanted their hands autographed). Interesting note: apparently the band had just come from Bonnaroo, where they had sold out their stock of CD's. As a result they sold quite a few vinyl records last night (including the copy I purchased).

On a Wilco related note, the opening act, 1/2 of a local band called 28 North, played a decent rendition of California Stars.

My copy of the record did not come with the 45. I'm a little bummed, but I realize it was just an added surprise for the earliest purchasers.

I haven't actually played the vinyl yet, but I have listened to the mp3's. I couldn't understand a word the man is saying, but it seems like he was having fun. That's got to be worth something.

My one complaint is that while the packaging looks really cool the metallic surface is a major fingerprint magnet. I feel like I should never touch the thing again.

Got my tickets for Pittsbrugh - Row C, center section on the floor!

September feels so far away, I don't know how I'll stand the wait.

Ryan Adams Political Scientist (LOVE IS HELL)

 

top 10 all time record for me and that song is atroscious

Yes!! I thought I was the only person who felt this way.

Love is Hell seems to a favorite of many fans, but for me Political Scientist has always held it back from being the best it could be. If the song was somewhere in the middle it wouldn't be such a big deal, but when an album starts off with such a bad song it alters the whole listening experience for me. I don't want to press play and hear a song I don't like right off the bat.

How about Ben performing Hunger Strike with Pearl Jam?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6MkU0tBZ-8

I love this one. Ben still comes off as a bit awkward, but it seems like he was just overwhelmed by the experience. The vocals actually worked quite nicely in my opinion. Much better than All Along the Watchtower.

As a side note, I'm officially obsessed with Infinite Arms. I totally understand why so many people are disappointed with it, but I can't get enough.

Sinister Kid and Next Girl

I've had Sinister Kid playing in my head constantly the last few days. It might be my favorite song of the year so far.

you're not the only idiot...i bought the vinyl also...oh well...if it sucks there's always somebody out there that will pay double for my copy! haha

I ordered as well, and I haven't even liked the guy's last two proper albums. Just couldn't help myself.

Anyone get the physical cd yet? What a cool surprise!! In the thousands of discs I've handled in my life I have never seen this done before.

Thanks for letting us know. I got mp3's with my preorder, so I wasn't planning on putting my copy in the computer. Very cool.

thanks. i am really digging the olson louris record lately. never gave it much time when it came out. gonna check out vagabonds despite these reviews

I really like Vagabonds - more than Ready for the Flood to tell you the truth. It's got sort of an adult contemporary feel, but it's quite beautiful in my opinion.

I don't actually own any of Mark's solo stuff. I can only take so much of his voice. I'm not sure I'd enjoy listening to Mark without Gary harmonizing with him.

I listened to Infinite Arms on vinyl last night, and I have to say it was a wonderful experience. Upon first listen of the leak I was disappointed, but it's growing on me and may end up as one of my favorites of the year.

They were great opening for Pearl Jam in Cleveland last week. I was excited to see that that a pretty large crowd showed up to see Band of Horses. The best way I can explain it is to say that it felt like a real concert. The lights went down and I felt like I was seeing a headliner, not an opening act. But I had a pretty good seat I'm biased, so I may be way off here.

I want come back and say thanks for posting this video.

I'm listening to North Hills for the first time and really enjoying it. As it turns out Dawes will be playing a free show near me next month, and I now plan on going. I would have missed out on some great music if not for stumbling upon this thread.