Feb

8

All Weekend I Heard The Sound of Rain

By Rachel | Album Picks | 2 Comments 

This is really how beaitiful it is outside right now…

It has been a glorious weekend… I did nothing and it rained off and on… Beautiful white fluffy clouds graced us in the afternoons, rainbows, rain and even waterspouts just South in Huntington Beach, which is kind of scary, but hey my philosophy is that any weather in Southern California is good weather. Anything different than sunny and 75 degrees is just fine with me… I suppose some would probably ask what I am doing in sunny California then and I ask myself the same question… But for now this is home until something else presents itself further North.

It was nice to just relax and watch recorded old episodes of Saturday Night Live and the 1998 film, Happiness. I have had a  busy couple of weeks at work… *sigh*

The Grammy’s are on tonight… *crickets*

God bless Blind Pilot… Israel Nebeker and Ryan Dobrowski are the duo who create beautiful guitar arrangements on their 2008 album 3 Rounds and a Sound… Israel Nebeker sings dreamy melodies that make the heart pitter patter. And get this… Not only can they create amazing music but they went on a bike tour together hauling all the equipment behind them to city after city… Talented and earth friendly… Yummy. Check out their tour schedule for dates in your area but make sure to also check their blog for updates on cancellations and general info.

mp3:  The Story I Heard

mp3:  I Buried a Bone

3 Rounds and a Sound 2008 (Expunged Records)

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Feb

4

Andrew Bird Takes Me Away

By Rachel | Album Picks | 3 Comments 

He just takes me some place else… And I like it. His new album Noble Beast has taken awhile to digest but then again so did Armchair Apocrypha. Andrew Bird strips it down and goes a little more natural on this album. His beautiful voice soothes along with mellow acoustics.  The album is 13 songs deep with a couple of second long filler/transition tracks. The album gets a little more dynamic towards the middle on Not a Robot, But a Ghost…

Andrew Bird is always gorgeous in my opinion… I have found that his albums grow on me and I find myself returning to them year after year. The album as a whole is really well done, however at this point I have no idea if Noble Beast will appear on my end of the year list… Only time will tell.

Andrew Bird is coming to the Los Angeles area on February 18th at the Orpheum Theatre, with Loney, Dear. You can also get a little taste of Andrew Bird live on NPR.

mp3:   Nomenclature

mp3:   Anonanimal

Noble Beast 2009 (Fat Possum)

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Feb

2

Something to make me smile

By Rachel | Music Mix Up | 2 Comments 

This picture cracks me up

I know it has been quiet this last week… I felt like I was running all week long, I was looking forward to the weekend. I think it all caught up to me though because on Friday night I got my first migraine… It was awful, I was in a fetal position on the bed… I have never felt such pain… And then the aftermath… It is just as vicious, it feels as if you are recovering from being hit by a bus.  So that being said I have been resting all weekend.

I am in love with this song right now, Of Montreal can always put a smile on my face even if it is Sunday night. :-)

mp3: First Time High (Acoustic Remix)

Jon Brion Remix EP 2009 (Polyvinyl Records)

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Jan

26

No, I do not like the Woods

By Rachel | Album Picks | 9 Comments 

I do not usually do this but I have to say upon first listen… I really dislike that song Woods… Bon Iver’s new Blood Bank EP… Justin Vernon synthesizes his voice throughout the entirety of the song and it just drives me nuts. Really not a fan… I did hear remnants of it on For Emma, Forever Ago but I could see past it… There is no seeing past this. Now, the rest of the tracks on the EP are beautiful and gentle, perfect for a winter day. His voice warms my soul 99% of the time… Except when he decides to go synth happy.

p.s. this does mean that I do not care for the music of Kanye West because he too gets a little synth happy… Far too often for my taste.

p.s.s this track is really the star of the EP but the other two are really pretty gems as well.

mp3: Blood Bank

Blood Bank EP 2009 (Jagjaguwar)

Jan

25

In Anticipation…

By Rachel | News & Info. | 3 Comments 


La Llorona by Beirut

Beirut’s new double EP, March of the Zapotec is set to be released February 17th and I am excited to say the least… This first part of the EP will be Latin inspired and from the little taste I have heard it sounds like the same amazing Beirut flare… The second part of the EP is a little unexpected as Condon revisits his pre-Beirut days under the name “Realpeople”, which is essentially the days of his home electronic creations… It should be interesting, definitely something to look forward to.

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Jan

23

In starlight you came from the other side

By Rachel | Album Picks | 5 Comments 

Tonight, let in the darkness… Turn the lights down and put on the new album from Antony and The Johnsons, The Crying Light… I want to make sense out of all of this… But we know better then that don’t we? Reason doesn’t live here anymore, left long ago. Fuck it. Who needs fucking reason anyway? Let us drown out the world and hide here forever… Seek shelter from the war raging on outside of these four walls… Turn the lights off… Sit here in silence. Ashes to ashes and dust to dust.

mp3: One Dove

The Crying Light 2009 (Secretly Canadian)

p.s. The Crying Light is beautiful, dark and honest from the beginning to the end… It will take your breath away. Sit down and lose yourself in this gorgeous music.

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Jan

21

It’s Raining, It’s Pouring

By Rachel | Album Picks | 4 Comments 

I think it is really quite interesting that it has been miserably dry here in the West for the better part of 2 weeks now and since the holiday new music releases have been scarce… Then today the clouds rolled in and the temperature dropped about 10 degrees, there is rain in the air… I come home and check emusic and I officially have no more downloads for the month… That is correct I used all of my 75 downloads all in one sitting. It is not uncommon but still never so fast… Andrew Bird, Antony and the Johnsons and Bon Iver all have been some of the first to release new music for 2009 and I am excited to listen and absorb.

While I am doing that please do have a listen to an EP from this UK based duo, Slow Club. Their EP was released in 2008 but has just come available on emusic about a week ago. Charles And Rebecca create delicious folk that is a delight… I love them.

mp3:   Dance To The Morning Light

Lets Fall Back In Love 2008 (Moshi Moshi Records)

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Jan

19

A New Day…

By Rachel | Music Mix Up | 8 Comments 

Tomorrow you will find me dancing in the streets for joy, I will be singing away as I am ecstatic that the administration that has been in office for the last 8 years is finally coming to an end. Finally.

It has been so frustrating and we have a lot of work to do to clean up the mess that this country is in right now. I am excited that for once the candidate that I supported is finally able to represent me.

I feel this country is in good hands, Obama is selecting an excellent well rounded administration unlike his predecessor who seemed to choose to surround himself with his good friend Bob and Peggy Sue. I am ready… I have been ready for quite some time… I have waited patiently… And it is about damn time we got someone but a white man in office to represent this melting pot of immigrants we call America.  Tomorrow will be one of America’s brightest hours… I can not wait.

mp3: Brightest Hour

The Submarines on myspace

Honeysuckle Weeks 2008 (Nettwerk Records)

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Jan

16

Bound in blue…

By Rachel | Music Mix Up | 3 Comments 

I doubt everything… I can’t help it. It can be an issue at times and I try to let go but it always comes back to rear it’s ugly head… Frustrating… Tiring.

mp3: Honest Doubters

Words Are Dead 2006 (Lucky Madison)

Horse Feathers on myspace

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Jan

13

Contrast Podcast – The Feet

By Rachel | Music Mix Up | 1 Comment 

It is a new week and that means a new Contrast Podcast… Weeeeee! I just have to say I have a lot more songs with the word Feet in them than I originally thought. It was not an easy decision which is why I have to share a couple of my other favorite tracks with reference to the feet.

Go on over and check out the Contrast Podcast where you can listen to a bunch of us all talk about feet hehe and you can listen to my intro as well as my selected track… Feet are awesome.

mp3: Music Moves My Feet

Liam Finn, I’ll Be Lightning 2007 (Yep Roc Records)

mp3: Yer Feet

Mojave 3, Out Of Tune 1998 (4AD)

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