Dec

22

Favorite Albums Of 2009 Part 1

By Rachel | Album Picks, The Lists | 6 Comments 

Other Lives – Other Lives

Other Lives took my breath away with their debut self titled album. A big harmonization of sounds… Combining folk, indie rock and classical string arrangements to create an original and beautiful sound. Other Lives has swiftly become one of my favorite new bands that I have found myself recommending time and time again.

mp3:  Don’t Let Them

The xx – xx

An indie pop band hailing from London and knocking our socks off with a debut album that has certainly been on constant rotation in my car, at work and at home. I love the sleek, sexy synthesizing pop.

mp3:  Shelter

The Leisure Society – The Sleeper

Yet another UK band, and now that I think of it they are not the last one. The Leisure Society is an indie folk band with just a dash of pop. Poetic lyrics and gorgeous melodies fill this album. If you enjoy Grizzly Bear, I think you may be in favor of The Leisure Society.

mp3:  The Sleeper

The Decemberists– Hazards Of Love

I really went back and forth on this album… It usually takes me quite some time to really get into one of their albums. There are so many different layers to their music, they mesh so many different genres into their own unique sound. I was driving home the other day and The Hazards of Love 4 (The Drowned) shuffled on and I was completely lost in it. This album proves once again that The Decemberists are one of the most creative and profound groups of their indie folk-rock genre and possibly of this generation.

mp3:   Hazards Of Love 2 (Wager All)

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Dec

18

The Death Of My Hard Drive…

By Rachel | News & Info. | 4 Comments 

dead_hard_drive

For a moment last night a part of me died… When I heard the clicking and the computer froze I kind of knew deep down that this couldn’t be good. When Shane told me the news I broke down, I just started crying… Thinking of all that I lost and beating myself up for not taking the proper precautions. I was assured that it would all be recovered eventually but still even that couldn’t be guaranteed… I cried myself to sleep.

Today Shane was finally able to read the hard drive, my documents, music and pictures were all recovered (possibly even my favorite 2009 list) and I didn’t need to outsource the hard drive and spend a ton of money on document restoration. Yay!

Since this little snagglefoo happened just as I was creating a new post there will be a few day hiatus, but I should be back Sunday with the first part of my Favorite Albums of 2009 list.

p.s. Back everything up, if you think it can’t happen to you, it can and eventually will… And we don’t all know a magical computer fixer. Thank you Shane for everything, for fixing any PC that needs fixing. This is the 2nd computer in 1 week that he has fixed. It is so appreciated.

***Edit***I spent most of the day getting my computer in order, downloading programs and frantically trying to recover my bookmarks. Still putting together my year end lists, tomorrow for sure I will have part one. For now, I am going to bed. :-)

Dec

14

And All The Rest Part 3

By Rachel | Music Mix Up | 3 Comments 

Metric-Fantasies

I can’t say I absolutely loved Metric’s latest album as a whole… Even though the album was a synthesizing indie rock pop fest and certainly their best album to date. Unfortunately for me only 3 songs on this 10 track album have made it onto the ipod (Help I’m Alive, Collect Call & Gimme Sympathy) the rest I was left feeling a bit bored with. However, those 3 songs are really quite good, they stick to you and play over and over in your head… Addictive and I love it. As for Collect Call, one of my favorite songs of the year. Enjoy!

mp3:  Collect Call

Fantasies 2009 (Metric)

Available at eMusic

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Dec

9

Lissie Seems To Shine

By Rachel | Album Picks | 2 Comments 

lissie-why you runnin'

I came across Lissie while trolling through eMusic the other day. First off, I am not a big country fan, however I do not really feel like she is as country as she has been labeled, borderline. I would classify her music as indie folk/singer-songwriter with a Mississippi mud influence…. Kind of like Band of Horses, which is not a coincidence considering the bassist produced this 5 track EP. Lissie hails from Rock Island, IL where my father grew up. She has a small town feel to her music, her lyrics are simple and easy to relate to. Her voice billows through the speakers and right into your heart. She has a ton of soul and I am intrigued to say the least. A couple of the songs off the EP crossed a little too far over my Country threshold but man she shows major promise and I cannot wait to hear more from her. Enjoy!

mp3:  Everywhere I Go

Why You Runnin’ 2009 (Fat Possum Records)

Available on eMusic

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Dec

3

And All The Rest Part 2

By Rachel | Music Mix Up | 3 Comments 

Fanfarlo

Fanfarlo is an Indie Pop band that debuted their full length album Reservoir in October. It kind of exploded all over the place, NPR, KCRW, MP3 Blogs around the Internet hailed it as one of the best albums of the year. I have to agree to a certain extent, however as uplifting as this album is I just couldn’t sink my teeth in to the entire album… There are about a handful of songs that really made my heart swoon on this 12 track album: I’m A Pilot, Ghosts, Comets and Sand & Ice really were the stand out tracks for me.

Not to say that I am not impressed, I just didn’t fall head over heals in love. That being said I look forward to the future and what Fanfarlo will bring to soaring indie pop in the years to come.

So today I share one of my favorite tracks from the album as part of my And All The Rest feature…

mp3:  I’m A Pilot

Reservoir 2009 (Fanfarlo)

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Dec

1

The Long Awaited Fantastic Mr. Fox

By Rachel | Film Box | 7 Comments 

fantastic fox

I must begin by saying that I have been waiting for this movie to come out for a LONG time. I first heard about the release about 5 years ago and I was delighted that Wes Anderson would take on such an interesting and beloved story as the Fantastic Mr. Fox. I immediately re-read the novel by Roald Dahl on a trip back East… When I found out that one of my favorite writers and directors Noah Baumbach would return to participate in the writing of the screenplay I was afraid I couldn’t wait, I was so excited! Of course with this anticipation and excitement comes great expectation… I began to get worried… How could this film live up to all my wildest dreams? Could they pull it off?

They freaking did. It was classic Wes Anderson, all the little nuances and details were so wonderful. And the writing team of Wes Anderson and Noah Baumbach for me did not disappoint by any means. It was a darling novel twisted in a true Wes Anderson fashion, with a wonderful soundtrack that wrapped this film in a big giant red bow… I enjoyed every moment of this film and I cannot wait to see it again and again.

mp3:  Street Fighting Man – The Rolling Stones

Fantastic Mr. Fox Soundtrack 2009 (Abkco)

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Nov

25

For Tonight…

By Rachel | Music Mix Up | 1 Comment 

Lykke Li- Youth Novels

I was watching SYTYCD tonight and Lykke Li came on and I was reminded of how much I liked a few of the songs off her 2008 album, although the album as a whole didn’t speak to me she still is unique and awesome.

Tired…

Bed…

Enjoy.

mp3:  Time Flies

Youth Novels 2008 (Atlantic Records)

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Nov

17

And All The Rest

By Rachel | Music Mix Up | 6 Comments 

monsters of folk

I could sit here and give excuses for my lack of posting but quite frankly I have been doing this for almost 4 years now and I have gotten to the point where I post when I really have something to share, it is never forced and if it is it is never posted. I appreciate the readers who keep coming back even though they may get frustrated that they do not always see something new.

As I finish up the remaining part of this year I have been going through a ton of music. There is a lot I am catching up on plus I am checking my list twice to make sure I don’t miss anything divine. I am going to be sharing what I have heard that didn’t quite make the list in a little feature called, “And All The Rest”… Not to say none of these will make it on my year end list but most likely if I am posting it at this point it means I only really enjoyed a few choice tracks rather than the album as a whole. Fair enough?

Monsters of Folk is a super group that is an indie lovers Christmas morning, Jim James (My Morning Jacket), Conor Oberst (Bright Eyes), Mike Mogis and M.Ward. It really is an indie-folk lovers dream come true.

mp3:  Temazcal

Monsters of Folk on myspace

Monsters Of Folk 2009 (Saddle Creek)

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Nov

10

And So It Begins Here

By Rachel | Album Picks | 4 Comments 

Dead Heart Bloom-Chelsea Diaries

Do you ever feel like you look up at the calendar and it is already the new year? This past year flew by. And all of the sudden I realized it is that time of year when all the hustle and bustle begins, there is a chill in the air and all of us mp3 bloggers start compiling our year end lists. It has begun and man my head is spinning. These beginning stages are mind boggling… I mean I have my fair share of besties that are a shoe-in but I always get this feeling I am missing something… It is inevitable, I know, but it is terrible feeling when you really do miss something. Last year I missed Chelsea Diaries, an amazing acoustic album by Dead Heart Bloom. This acoustic album was really the brainchild of front man Boris Skalsky… He managed to create an incredibly dark but beautiful album that is honest and cynical but hidden under some fantastic mellow folk goodness… I love it.

mp3:  Chelsea Song #2 (explicit lyrics)

Chelsea Diaries 2007 (Dead Heart Bloom)

Available at eMusic

p.s. this entire album is highly recommended. xx

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Nov

5

So Caught Up

By Rachel | Music Mix Up | 1 Comment 

rachael yamagata-elephants

Not very talkative this evening. Playing something a lot more mainstream (and yes Warner Bros. is freaking mainstream to me, I know, I am a snob), Rachael Yamagata seems just right… She takes us to a darker place on this follow up album and I like it.

My grandmother has sold her condo in Florida and is moving here in the next 2 months. She is scared and angry… This breaks my heart because I wish there was some way to ease into this, but it is all happening so fast and she feels herself losing control. All we can do is be there for her though and help her understand that we are only trying to help… It is really hard though and I hope it all goes smoothly. I am a worrier. *Sigh*

Good night.  xX

mp3: Elephants

Elephants… Teeth Sinking Into Heart 2008 (Warner Bros Records)

p.s. I insist that you check out Sunday Afternoon from this album, it is a must.

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