nodep5

Their song Wagon Wheel (which I believe has a connection to Dylan) Am I wrong?, is one of the best songs written in the whole alt country, americana, country whatever in years and years and years. It is instantly classic. Ranks up there with Excuse Me While I Break My Own Heart, New Madrid, Windfall, instantly feels like it has always been. A standard if you will.

I've come to view autumn based on how the Cubs are doing. I distinctly remember cool crisp days in 89, 98, 03 and 07, 08 for both beautiful and tormenting reasons. However I do truly associate the season with the Cubs.

That rules!!

 

My kids got really into the new Wilco album when they saw the album cover. "Play the camel album daddy!" They had no idea what was on it, but it had a camel... so they were in. My son thought Wilco (the song) was saying 'coco.' Later when he realized what it really said he would relate his previous mistake - "They aren't saying Coco daddy. They're saying Wilco." They also liked 'the song with the girl' - You and I. So, I made a mix that included both songs as well as a bit of Feist. The 'Counting Song' (1234) was also a big hit.

yeah my son was also initially drawn in by the Camel. My son is able to identify all Wilco albums by their cover (he can't read yet), the first time he did this when he was 2 1/2 years old, it kind of freaked me out. You know, when you have those moments when you realize they are paying attention and they don't miss anything. Whenever I pop any cd in the car he insists on looking at the album cover. I think Dinosaur Jr.'s Farm got the longest perplexed look.

I've been listening to the three Spoon albums I own (KTM, GF, GGGGG) and for me Spoon is awesome on a mix cd here and there, but a whole album at once is hard for me. I just don't connect with anything lyrically from them and the whole cool vibe and sound grows old after 4 or 5 songs. I guess it is kind of like the Strokes for me. I guess I'm missing the connection on a deeper level outside of "Man that is a sweet groove"

My son is three so the majority of his reactions to music are pure and visceral (i believe). I mean I know he knows I love Wilco for example, so he always will ask "Is that Wilco daddy?" But I try to expose him to all kinds of music (that I have available) while staying objective to his reaction.

his current list of favorite song is:

Sliver by Nirvana (some how he knows how to play grunge air guitar)???

Angelika by Devendra (he thinks his singing is funny)

Wilco (The Song)

Car Car (Donovan's Version)

The Office Theme song

parenthood is fun

I'm pretty sure Dylan asked Adams what a "winding wheel" was and Adams said he didn't know. true story.

you know, it is such a great song that I never questioned what it is.

didn't tom rush or somebody have a song called "Driving Wheel"?

Maybe it is like that?

did he only get the Dylan tag circa Heartbreaker?

 

reason i ask - there is a song or two very Dylan-esque on that album.

 

is it Damn, Sam i'm thinking about maybe?

Oh absolutely, there are a few songs on that album that sound like nobody but Dylan, but i think that is crap to lay that on somebody because that a wrote a song that sounds similar.

It is one thing to say it sounds like dylan or has the dylan vibe, but to expect that type of songwriting is crap especially when you look at everything Ryan did pre - heartbreaker. It holds little similarity to a Dylan type songwriter.

I have no issues with that underrated/overrated list. You could write an entire full length article about the treasure trove of unreleased music Ryan has created.

The part that bothers me is the lazy journalism of this whole "Ryan as the new Dylan". I know this "New Dylan" tag has been around since Steve Forbert, but cmon. Ryan never once seemed like the new Dylan to my ears. The "New Westerberg" for sure, but he isn't that type of songwriter. Ryan is a melody man, and heart on the sleeve guy. He never struck me as a poetry songwriter or an angry truth teller.

I think alot of the criticism toward Ryan is due to people placing their own expectations on him. I don't think Ryan intented to be the new dylan or some indie singer songwriter. I think he wanted to be it all and had the chops to do as he pleased. I don't think Ryan owes anybody any thing in relation to expectations. He has exceeded them all.

To be honest the only songwriter that I think fits the "New Dylan" tag is Conor Oberst. That guys is crazy wicked with his lyrics.

Anyway, just my two cents.

I've seen some bad turnouts

maybe a dozen or less to see Possum Dixon in bham al back in 95/96

literally 3 people for blue mountain in tuscaloosa al ivory tusk in 98

maybe half a dozen for Dolorean in columbia mo back in 2004 or 2005

maybe half a dozen for Bobby Bare Jr. & YCSL in columbia mo back in 2004 or so

you know I try not to care when it happens, but I always just end up spening the entire show worrying about the musician having their feelings hurt.

Recieved my Anodyne vinyl late last week and finally gave it a spin last night. Anodyne has been my favorite album ever for years. It wasn't instant for me at the time (I was weening off Pearl Jam and Soundgarden).

The songwriting was unbelievalbe. Listening to Jay Farrar songs during this period and on through early Son Volt make his recent output laughable.

Tweedy's harmony on this album is perfect

It is just so raw and real. Everything about this record is so real.

I love this latest album. I really quite like his hippy shtick and his whole vibe. I love Vetiver even more but this new DB album is a goody.

Devendra's was my favorite this year with Vetiver's Tight Knit in second. Goin Back on Devendra's reminds me a lot of Vetiver.

I have been wanting to start listening to Devendra Banhart for a while now, but have been unsure where to start. He played at ATP in December but I missed him due to a scheduling conflict.

 

How does this album rate with in comparison to the rest of his catalog? Is this a good starter album?

It is hard to say, his early stuff (Rejoicing, Oh Me Oh My, etc ) are lo fi and more freak folk. They can be inconsistent but charming if you are in the right mood. Cripple Crow is my least favorite but has some killer songs. Smokey is a chore to sit through but has some amazing moments. He is a grower but he is on his own wave and I use to think it was to gain attention. You know, I'm the freakiest of the freaky. However I know just believe this is the type of music he is into.

I just wanted to give a shout out. Especially in today's music world, musicians spend time creating and we run through it like it is breakfast. This record is beautiful to me. I thought Smokey was a rewarding listen, albeit a bloated listen, but this one I think is the top of his game. Just a pretty album with some killer grooves.

I feel like for some hipsters or pitchfork, the better the production, songwriting, career outlook, dating life, etc gets, the less important you become. Who knows, I don't care anymore. If an album strikes me as beautiful I'm over who else thinks so, but I do want to throw some credit around.

I'm glad someone mentioned the Fleet Foxes, I knew I was missing someone.

I should have listed Spoon, but I'm completely ambivalent to Spoon (they leave me feeling cold).

I'm ready to move forward, due to only having a handful of 2009 releases yet to experience. Just curious what other people are looking forward to for this year in music.

Here are a few I believe are coming down the pipe from what I've heard:

(in no order of anticipation)

Josh Ritter

Midlake (heard the first single and it was pleasant but not mindblowing)

Dolorean (this is a big one for me, his last two are amazing)

Band Of Horses

Iron & Wine? (I thought I heard he had a proper album planned for this year)

She & Him Vol 2 (although not completly obsessed with vol. 1)

Ryan Adams (I have heard no plans, but the law of averages is in my favor)

I would go with Ryan Adams just due to the amount of released and unreleased of which i actually care about (which is 99% of it) I'm a huge ryan fan boy

as for GBV or Pollard related, I must say I haven't given him a lot of time. I think "Glad Girls" is an amazing pop song (should have been super huge), but everything else i've heard just kind of leaves me ambivalent.

I think it is a case of one of those people you are suppose to love, but don't. Like REM>

oh, btw, i have released 7 albums and one ep in this decade. well released isn't accurate if only myself, mother and in laws have a copy, but prolific none the less

Sept. '09 UK tour disk of Al James (Dolorean) demos. Holee shit these are good.

 

 

 

Wendy - how is the Woodpigeon? Looks like I've got the band booked to feb 12th for an instore. Yippee!

Dolorean demos? How do I get my hands on those. I LOVE Dolorean. You Can't Win was my favorite album for 07. and Violence In The Snowy Fields is amazing. super super underrated.

Soooo basically the only good music this decade was folk/ country based rock?

how'd you guess?

that does look pretty monotone doesn't it.

Like I said, I'm cool with what moves me, and sure the Strokes Is This It was awesome

and Yoshimi was awesome, and numerous others, but none moved me like those I just listed.

I'm alreay tired of these best of decade lists and the decade isn't even over yet. It is becoming like reading the cover of Us Weekly or something of the equivalent. Sure I clicked on the link to see what RS said, but it didn't compel me to do anything further or shed any insights.

I'm mostly grateful that I feel good about knowing what I liked and what I didn't. I feel hopeful/frustrated that there is more to be explored.

Now if RS would have had a top ten that included:

Wilco: YHF

Iron & Wine: Endless Numbered Days

M. Ward: Post War

Ryan Adams: Heartbreaker & Love Is Hell

Josh Ritter: Animal Years

Fleet Foxes: S/T

Dolorean: You Can't Win

Matthew Ryan: Vs. Silver State

then I would claim they were genius.

As a side note: I really am cool with Kings Of Leon, but placing three of their albums in the top 100 was pure marketing to the lowest common denominator. Maybe Aha Shake Heartbreak, but cmon.

Cool, ok then. In no particular order, and subject to additions:

 

Best Albums of 2009

Califone - All My Friends Are Funeral Singers

Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest

Fruit Bats - The Ruminant Band

Marissa Nadler - Little Hells

St. Vincent - Actor

Animal Collective - MPP

Brandi Carlile - Give Up The Ghost

Tortoise - Beacons of Ancestorship

Local Natives - Gorilla Manor

Sera Cahoone - Only as the Day Is Long

Steve Earle - Townes

Vic Chesnutt - At the Cut

Volcano Choir - Unmap

Wilco - Wilco (The Album)

 

Box Sets/Reissues

Beatles

Big Star - Keep an Eye on the Prize

Iron & Wine - Around the Well

Wilco - A.M., Being There, Summerteeth vinyl

Fruit Bats - Ruminant Band is sweet (no I still don't work for Subpop)

Despite other proclomations in the past few months, my favorite record this year is

Iron and Wine - Around The Well (I know it is a compilation of old stuff, but it is adorably rightous)

Vetiver - Tight Knit

Grand Archives - Keep In Mind Frankenstein

NO I DON"T WORK FOR SUBPOP

Manchester Orchestra - Mean Everything To Nothing

Gary Louris/Mark Olson - Ready For The Flood

Those are my favs

Albums that I think are overrated would be

Neko Case - Middle Cyclone (it is no different for me than other Neko Case albums, I realy like 2 songs and the rest are entirely lost on me.

Wilco (the album) is both under and over rated

Biggest Dissapointment this year

Avett Brothers - I and Love and You (not that it was terrible, I actually like it, just short of my high expecations)

Worst Album that I heard this year:

three way tie

Bonnie Prince Billy - Beware/ Son Volt - American Central Dust/ Steve Earle - Townes

this isn't even trying. Lucinda's album isn't even in her top 5 of her career and the Willie album. cmon? They truly don't even listen.

Not to mention Wilco (the album) has very little to do with americana. wow

nothing confuses me more, or makes me feel more ambivalent than the Grammy's. First off, I feel for bands like Wilco or Radiohead when they do get nominated, because you have to show up and not look unappreciative. However, once you arrive you realize your music is being compared to contemporaries like late period Green Day. That has to be disheartening. (not that Green Day is awful, but on an artistic level it isn't quite the same)

I just don't understand how the top music awards can be completely oblivious to what true music geeks are listening to and appreciating. The Academy Awards will get behind artsy/indie movies, but not the Grammy's (unless it is some Cuban brass band that I'll never listen to anyway).

I don't know, it just seems weird to have an awards ceremony that is suppose to be honoring musicianship and art, but it seems you have to sell at least 300,000 copies to even get a listen. This isn't a music snob arguement, just more of an arguement on the blatant fact that in order to get tv viewership you have to invite the Black Eyed Peas.

 

 

I have completely fallen in love with this band over the last 18 months or so. Never a week goes by without me playing something from them. Gorgeous, sweet stuff.

I get where you are coming from. I am in love with Tight Knit. That record along with the new Grand Archives are just beautiful easy listens. Plus anyone understanding that an album doesn't need 16 tracks wins points in my book.

I sort of agree with that, but... In Rainbows is just beautiful, and most of it is quite melodic. It's the most accessible thing they've done in a long time, and overall their best record in many ways. (to me) On In Rainbows Thom takes misery to a level of beauty I've rarely heard on disc.

I'll admit, In Rainbows is the only radiohead album i've never heard (so I exclude it from my above opinion to be fair). I sometimes feel bad that I don't hear what everyone hears in OK Computer and Kid A. I can respect OK Computer but Kid A is a total loss on me (and I can dig some electronic trippiness). I just wish I "got it", and other days I'm glad I don't.