solace

i think just school cafeterias

hmm... i think most (myself included) would argue that Alligator is more uptempo than Boxer... regardless, as great as Alligator was, i like this more already

yes, yes it is see if they have the Mothers, Sisters, Daughters, & Wives one too, as much as i love RBW, MSDW kicked my ass even more. nothing on this new record (even the awesome Firecracker) touches Soft & Warm, Rise Up In The Dirt, or the title cut for me...

even the total Coldplay, made-for-tv-movie anthem, Grey's Anatomy destined "Real Life Version"? it's a pretty song, and i don't hate it, but imo it sounds TOTALLY out of place, and it's gonna be one of the sticking points of a number of reviews i'm guessing. if they'd closed the record with it, i wouldn't have as big of problem with it.

he owes a ton to Mike Mogis too

agreed. i think if he'd go back and re-record those earlier records w/ his voice now, as well as the more interesting/lush music, i'd probably enjoy them quite a bit, cuz lyrically he's always been pretty great.

yeah, i probably like less than 10 songs of his prior to Lifted... and i don't love all of Lifted either, for that matter

album is already up there w/ my top 3-5 on the year... i can't stop listening to it

moooooooooooovin' ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut

not gonna be as stupid to say he's never touched the stuff, but i have a friend down in Omaha who grew up with and is still best friends with Tim Kasher. As a result he's pretty close friends with Conor as well, he's said that Conor was a lot more of a druggie when he was 15-18 than he is now. And that he mostly just drinks way too much and occasionally smokes weed as of late. ah yes, because Bright Eyes songs are all first person

Andrew Bird Arcade Fire The National Wilco Dinosaur Jr. those for sure, anything else, check that other thread as for my top 3 at the moment, as much as i like them, I really hope only one of those ends up there at the end of the year (would be ecstatic if none of them were though!)

lol. as much as i love AF (duh.), it's not album of the year material at all (although it's currently top 3 for me) it's definitely gonna be up there come end of the year for me, but i wouldn't be shocked if it's near the bottom of my top 10 either...

all of the rumors of his drug use were greatly over-exaggerated... drinking & weed smoking, sure... TAC = ? The Appleseed Cast? did not know they had a record out this year

love Soul Singer as well

Lime Tree is the only song on the record i don't like Brakeman still kicks my ass i'm pretty smitten w/ Boxer right now however

yeaaaaaaaaaah.... it's my 3rd or 4th favorite

i much prefer TMT's news honestly... their "snarky" stuff is actually funny often, and not holier than thou

Grant Lee Phillips rules.

i like that one, but not a fave of the year and it's not my favorite of theirs either...

so good. finally scored a ticket to her sold out show here in May as well

love that song too

for some people it definitely seems that way, yeah

yup. on one hand it's too bad that some of the best records take a number of listens, as they often get reviewed by people who listen to something once or twice. but you also can't really expect someone who reviews albums for a living (or a hobby either), to give something that many chances for the sake of a review. i enjoy the record a good deal now. only 2-3 songs that i find pretty damn bland, but i still stand by my 7.5/10 assessment, unfortunately. really good record, just not the amazing debut full length i'd hope for them. they also picked a really bad first single too (Blood Red