Godley & Creme - The History Mix Volume 1

Genre: New Wave, Synthpop

Buy: $16 on Amazon 

In Less Than 10 Words: A little less 10cc, a little more New Order

Top Tracks: Cry, Golden Boy, Side A in it's entirety

This is a gem. Whether you are a fan of New Wave or fan of 10cc (Hotlegs), The Magic Lanterns, or music video directors. Kevin Godley and Lol Creme have done it all. Their presents in the states flies under the radar for the most, but the single, Cry, off this album did have it's time in the sun at one point. This record starts off with kick ass dancey remix of prior songs strung together like it was done by modern DJs simply dubbed Wet Rubber Soup which is followed by a remix of the single Cry, before you flip it to hear the actual single! It's a really fun album to have and it's full of surprises. The flip side takes things down a notch, but it a good way. It's different because though it's still synthy, it's a lot more mellow, along with the single version of Cry. Take a chance on this one, you won't be able to find it on Spotify at the moment, so if you find it for cheap (got mine for $5), I'd grab it!

Pair With:

Recreating the original video is an amazing rendition by super group Gayngs. Check it out, and if you haven't yet, check out Gayngs which is comprised of members of Bon Iver, Doomtree, P.O.S., Polica, Har Mar Superstar, the Rosebuds, and many more!

LOCALS ONLY: RX Bandit's Play Fingerprints for Free

Date: 9/21/14
Address: 420 E. Fourth St., Long Beach 90802

Ska band RX Bandits are back from their hiatus with a new album and they are doing a free show at Fingerprints in Long Beach. Their new album Gemini, Her Majesty is out, and if you buy it at Fingerprints you will be put on a priority guest list for the event and you'll get an event poster as well.

While you are at it, check out the RX Bandit's Facebook for a free download.

Folk Fridays: Red House Painters - Songs for a Blue Guitar

Genre: Folk Rock

Buy: Discogs $48

In Less Than 10 Words: Mark Kozelek's beautiful music adds some rock guitar.

Top Tracks: Have You Forgotten, Song For a Blue Guitar, All Mixed Up, Revelation Big Sur, Make Like Paper

I was lucky enough to find this on eBay for only $20! If you are fan of Red House Painters, you'll notice that this album shares a lot of the same qualities, but also some newer sounds. Mark Kozelek was even quoted as wanting to release it as a solo record rather than Red House Painters. The time of the albums release has some crazy history behind it, as it was when they were dropped from their label 4AD. Luckily it was released later by Supreme Recordings, which was owned by non other than John Hughes (thanks Mr Hughes!). While the entire album is great, even the insane guitar solo driven cover of Paul McCartney and Wing's Silly Love Songs, the main reason this album is so magical is the opening track Have You Forgotten. It's so tender and well written, you'll find it hard to get past it. The album contains other covers too, the Cars' All Mixed Up is probably the strongest, but Yes' Long Distance Run is also great. And while Red House Painters keep their soft "sadcore" esthetic, this album also introduces a few songs that have heavy rock driven guitar with insanely jam-y solos. Make Like Paper is a fine example of this. If you find this record, grab it quickly and love it tender (as you can see mine is still in it's shrink wrap). The vinyl version wasn't released until 2009 by Plain Recordings on a heavyweight vinyl, with 500 being blue. 

Good luck finding this one, and Happy Hunting.

Vote for Vanguard Records RSD 2015 ReIssues

From Vanguard Record's Facebook

Record Store Day seems like months away, but that doesn't mean you still can't participate in it. Vanguard Records, known for it's Blues and Folk artists, is doing a poll to see which 5 reissues will be released next year. You can vote here.

Some notable releases include Charlie Musselwhite's Stand Back, Junior Wells' It's My Life, Baby, Country Joe & The Fish's Together and Doc & Merle Watson's Ballads From Deep Gap.

Vote now!

LOCALS ONLY: Record Parlour $1 Sale

The Record Parlour's Facebook

Date: 9/6 - 9/7/14

Starts: 10:30am

Address: 6408 Selma Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028

Man oh man do I love this monthly sale. Over 5000+ LPs and 12" from all genres will be out Saturday and Sunday this weekend. Plus a bunch of vintage gear like amps, speakers, and turntables from the 1960's - 90s. And like before, you'll receive a $20 Guitar Center gift card with a purchase of $20 or more (while supplies last). If you haven't been before, it's pretty amazing and you'll find rare finds and great records for only $1. Worth the drive! Don't miss out.

Happy Hunting!

Minus the Bear - Highly Refined Pirates

Genre: Math Rock
Buy: Amazon for $21.29, Various Priced Versions on Discogs
In Less Than 10 Words: Insane math guitar licks with silly track names.
Top Tracks: Absinthe Party at the Fly Honey Warehouse, Get Me Naked 2: Electric Boogaloo, Spritz!! Spritz!!, I Lost All My Money At the Cock Fights

Seeing The Blood Brothers at FYF made me very nostalgic to bands I listened to in High School, and the albums they put out then. One of my favorite bands back then was Minus the Bear. Sadly, my love for them has grown apart, and they have been putting out more and more records. But a few records store days back, when I found Highly Refined Pirates in a sales pile, I had to pick it up. And I have to stay, this record still holds strong. With a mixture of hard math rock like Spritz!! Spritz!!, Women We Haven't Met Yet, and Thanks For The Killer Game of Crisco Twister, to the soft ambient melodies of I Lost All My Money at the Cock Fights and We Are Not a Football Team, this record has something for everyone. The top track by far is one of my favorite drinking songs to date, Absinthe Party at the Fly Honey Warehouse. The record itself comes in a variety of different pressed colors, from black, blue (I own blue), green, orange, red, tie-dye purple, and many others, making open up a sealed record really fun. If you like great tunes, nostalgia, or bands like Pinback, you'll like this record.

Happy Hunting!

The Songs Lennon and McCartney Gave Away

This album is in honor of Paul McCartney's return to L.A. and seeing him tonight at Dodgers Stadium. Why do the numerous Beatles albums that everyone already knows, or Wings, or NEW. A part of me thought of doing it on Billy Preston, the 5th Beatle, but I thought I'd keep that one in my back pocket for later.

It's hard not to hear the Beatles in all these songs. Opening the album is a very Beatles-esque song, and it's no wonder, because it's Ringo. The song I'm The Greatest was originally written by John Lennon. The Strangers with Mike Shannon give a slight surf rock feel to One & One is Two, written originally by McCartney and Lennon. From A Window was preformed by Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas and give a dreamy feel, a L&M original piece. Nobody I Know (written by L&M)  is preformed by Peter and Gordon and has a Beach Boys type feel rather than a Beatles feel. Like Dreamers Do (L&M) performed by the Applejacks has a bit of a China Girl feel. I think this album could of used more Cilla Black, giving Beatles songs a soulful female voice, which is what she did with Love of the Loved. Instead of going on about the rest of the songs on the album (and their are a bunch) I am going to let you guys find out when you listen to it for the first time!

I got this copy in a $1 bin sale and have no regrets. If you want to avoid the hunt, then you can get it Amazon for a pretty penny ($99 used) or Discogs for $80. So dig my friends, dig through, and hopefully you'll get luck too!

Pair With:

As mentioned earlier, the perfect pairing to this would be hearing the songs Paul McCartney kept live at Dodger's Stadium. Tickets are sold out but you can check Craigslist tonight for people looking to get rid of their unwanted or unused tickets (and hopefully avoid any scalpers).

Photo from Oh She Glows

Can't make it to the show? Besides Paul McCartney playing Dodgers stadium tonight, another great perfect pairing would be unlocking your inner McCartney and making an awesome veggie burger. Angela over at Oh She Glows has a really delicious recipe for a Spicy BBQ Chickpea Burger which will make even the most meat loving person drool. Be sure to check out her other delicious and inspired recipes! This would be a perfect way to get into Meat Free Mondays, a way to be healthy and earth conscious!

Photo from meatfreemondays.com

Radical Face - Ghost

Lazy Saturday morning, sorry for the late post. But this record is great for a lazy morning. I saw Radical Face at the Hollywood Forever Masonic Lodge and it was by far one of the most funny depressing amazing shows I've seen, maybe the best show I've seen there, and I saw DeVotchKa and tUnE-yArDs there. Ghost is maybe their most well known album simply due to the fact that Welcome Home is on it, a song that numerous people don't know, but have heard on commercials or in movies. We're talking Chevy Volt and Nikon commercials to movies like Humboldt County, Forks Over Knives, and The Vicious Kind to TV like Graceland and Blacklist. This song has gotten around. But a doubt few have really dived into the album it's on, because it's full of other amazing songs that have a great magnitude and catchy hooks.

Opening is the haunting instrumental Asleep on a Train, which starts off with a chair squeak, a sample he does bring with him during touring. It's disturbing as it is peaceful. Then the big hitter, Welcome Home, there isn't too much you can say that hasn't already been said up there. It's catchy, it'll get you singing, and it feels good to listen to when you are homesick. Let the River In is spooky, hell the whole album is spooky, like a creepy ass lullaby, but what do you expect with an album called Ghost There is something pretty and unsettling about the line "don't scare me off now I'm your only friend." Glory begins with the sounds of army soldiers marching and whistling into battle, and why the song contains a very pretty piano, it's about a solider who defected from the army and went into hiding with his lover, only to be turned into the authorities by her after a fight and watch as the whole town stoned him to death. Grim as hell, but sounds beautiful right? He tell's you the song meanings during his shows which are all very grim and borderline disturbing, but their is a weird beauty to them too, because they all sound so hopeful and up-lifting. Strangest Thing embraces the spookiness of the album and dives you into a dark melodic song filled with crows and thoughts of madness. Turn it over and you have what I think is my favorite song on the album, Wrapped In Piano String. It has a great melody and great hooks, again it's morbid because it's about committing suicide and haunting your family, but you'd honestly never tell. Back comes that creaky chair for Along the Road, which sounds like a glorious piano resolution. Then you have Haunted, with its simple repeating piano hook, it feels like you've opened a music box filled with old ghost. The mood continues to go down a dark rabbit hole as you get to Winter Is Coming, and no it's not about Game of Thrones, it's actually about a man who discovered that the seasons are people and sensed a bad Winter was coming, so he kidnapped Summer and kept him locked in his basement until winter eventually came anyways and the man and his family had to flee before they were destroyed, pretty imaginative. Sleepwalking is a slow and mellow as it sounds, bringing your through the motions of the nocturnal act of unrest. Ending the album is Homesick, a raw acoustic recording that perfectly brings the album to a close.

Great for rainy days, Halloween, spooky nights alone in a giant house, or if you like really good music. You can get the album on Amazon for $20. You won't be disappointed, if you like dark lyrics or uplifting melodies, there is something for everyone. And to prove that Radical Face aren't full of nothing but despair, here is their cover of Robin Hood's Not In Nottingham:

Enjoy and happy hunting!

FOLK FRIDAYS: Harry Dean Stanton - Party Fiction OST

Harry Dean Stanton is a major badass actor. His career in film has spanned over 50 years! From cult films like Repo Man, to indie films like Seven Psychopaths, to major studio films like Cool Hand Luke, The Godfather II, or The Avengers. His latest escapades involve a documentary which dives into the amazing life of Harry Dean Stanton and his untapped career as a folk musician. He breathes new life into classic folk songs, giving them a piece of his raw soul. The music comes out as both wondrous and heartbreaking.

This album is majority cover songs, but they display a level of raw painfulness that Harry Dean Stanton's voice just nails. Opening the album is a bit of banter talking about how this is just a raw recording, which just makes Blue Bayou even more magical, giving you the feeling of that the recording is happening right in your living room, really capturing a Roy Orbison feel to it. Next is a cover of Fred Neil's Everybody's Talkin' which has been covered numerous times (most noted is Harry Nilsson's version which was used in Midnight Cowboy), his version stays a little truer to the folk sounds of the original. She Still Thinks I Care was made popular by George Jones, by was covered by the likes of Elvis and the Moody Blues. Harry Dean Staton's voice really gives this song it's resonating feel of hiding hurt feelings. The Mexican Cancion Mixteca has a very poetic intro as it goes into beautiful spanish lyrics. The song was used as the theme to a film he stared in called Paris, Texas. When I Get My Rewards is a very bluesy country song, made popular by Levon Helm with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. On the flip side, Promised Land (Chuck Berry) delivers more umph to the album. He'll Have to Go is a beautiful rendition of the Jim Reeve's song. Help Me Make It Through the Night was originally preformed by his friend Kris Kristofferson, giving this sad ballad a bit of glee. Roy Acuff originally preformed Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain, but Willie Nelson made it famous, and this version is soulful whisper. Tennessee Whiskey (David Allan Coe) is a hopeful song you could share with someone tender. No Hands On The Wheel isn't the Schoolboy Q track, it's Bill Callery, and it's as somber as it's peaceful. Closing the album is the classic Danny Boy, which is the unofficial Irish national anthem, and he is able to pinpoint the poetic aspect of the song.

Perfect for a rainy day, or maybe you are one of those people that like to listen to sad songs when your sad. Either way, you should not miss this album. First few pressings are done on an orange vinyl. Consider it a great compilation album if you are just getting into folk and country music. You can find it on Amazon for $18 ($12 used). Don't miss out!

PAIR WITH:

Obvious choice, check out the documentary! Harry Dean Stanton: Partly Fiction played at the Los Angeles Film Festival last year. Throw it on your Netflix queue, or watch it now.

Not a fan of documentaries? Why not check out Harry Dean Stanton breakout movie Paris, Texas. With a Rotten Tomato score of 100% Fresh, 94% by Audience, it's a sure hit. You can rent it for 2.99 on iTunes! Low on dough? Check out Harry Dean Stanton's other works on Netflix and Prime!

Speaking of films about growing up in Texas, have you seen Boyhood yet? You really need to get out there and see Boyhood! I'd love for this soundtrack to come out on vinyl. 

Belle and Sebastian - Are You Feeling Sinister

The wistful Glasgow pop of Belle and Sebastian is appealing to many people. Their sophomore album If You're Feeling Sinister received pretty high praise, following under many Top 100 lists of albums from the 90s (Pitchfork - 17, Rolling Stones - 75, Spin - 59). Since Tigermilk was such a rare find back then, many considered this their debut album. It was part of the 33 1/3 book series on different albums. Sadly, during it's release, it didn't reach popular heights since music was primary dominated by Grunge at the time. Never-the-less, it's a must have for every collection.

The Stars of Track and Field open the album with a very solemn guitar strum and bass line, but slowly builds up until it hits a pumping drum snare and begins to serenade you. Whimsical can be easily used a lot in this review, so I'll use it once for Seeing Other People, but know it pretty much describes the whole album. Me and Major will be understood by any guy who has daddy issues, especially with the line "there is too much history, too much biology between us. Not to mention the killer harmonica solo at the end. The fun display of paranoia in Like Dylan in the Movies makes it hard to take this cautionary tale serious. The tender track The Fox in the Snow closes out the A-Side. The catchy tunes of Get Me Away from Here, I'm Dying is littered with folk inspired guitar. The title track starts out with the sounds of kids playing in school yards and leaves you with the feeling of youthful mischievous. Mayfly is the perfect summer listening song. The Boy Done Wrong Again feels like a funeral or something that Harold and Maude would slow dance too. Closing is one of my favorite songs, Judy and the Dream of Horses, it's just so freaking catchy, you get hooked to the very end.

If you are a fan of the Smiths meeting Simon and Garfunkel then you should give all the works of Belle and Sebastian a try. Amazon has it $18, but you can get it on Matadors official store for $16. This is a great album to relax too.

Happy hunting!

Pair With:

There's two things you can pair this album with. The first, is  Stuart Murdoch's first film, God Help The Girl starring the beautiful Emily Browning (I'll be the first to admit I have a crush on her). The movie was powered by a Kickstarter. It will have it's limited release Sept 5th. But if you are a member of Cinefamily you can go to a member's only screening with Stuart Murdoch in person Sept 2nd!

Also, catch Belle and Sebastian on their small tour. They'll have two shows at the Ace Theater in downtown Oct 6th and Oct 7th. I saw their amazing Hollywood Forever Show, where they screened Trainspotting (which Stuart had a minor role) and played at midnight, opening with Sukie In the Graveyard. They are not to be missed. The shows are both sold out, but you can keep your eyes peeled on Craigslist for tickets or on StubHub.

Check out the music video of the title track featuring Emily Browning here.

Quadron - Avalanche

Released last year was danish duo Quadron's sophomore album. It was sort of a sleeper hit, receiving positive reviews, but being unable to break into the mainstream. While it wasn't a hit in the states, it spent 12 weeks in the top ten in the bands native land, Denmark. The band delivers soulful electronica.

The album starts off with a bang with LFT (Looking For Trouble), the sensual and sexy hit single. The pops of the horns and jazzy sounds of Favorite Star give it a night club in havana feel. The beats of Hey Love can be played in a club. The sensual Crush will give you a girl crush on her booming voice. Befriend is both haunting and tender. On the flip side is Neverland, a song with a big band sound driving it. It's Gonna Get You snaps and beats will feel Michael-Jackson-esque, as her aggressive lyrics come forth at you. Better Off brings in hip-hops rising star Kendrick Lamar rapping over her lascivious voice. Slow dance or take things to the bedroom with Sea Salt, very Mo-Town inspired. The title track closes the album, saying "so long good times, I am on my own now."

Fans of their work include Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar and Prince. If you like jazz inspired electronica, you'll really like this album. $20 on Amazon ($14 from unofficial stores). Throw it on during a party, or when you are having a girls (or guys) night in.

TUESDAY RELEASE: Garden State OST

Photo from Wikipedia

For the first time on vinyl, the 2004 album that brought the Shins into the mainstream. Zach Braff handed picked all the songs on here creating almost a personal mix tape to share with the world.  Garden State has been called the Graduate of our generation. Included on here are Nick Drake, Thievery Cooperation, Iron & Wine's cover of The Postal Service, and many more. This album helped tons of people dive into the indie music scene and music discovery. The price is around $30 on Amazon and probably the same in the stores.

Pulp - Different Class

I would love to say that discovering Pulp's Different Class in high school help pinpoint my budding sexuality, but that would be all too perfect. No, instead I just shook my butt and weirded my friends out. There is a lot of fun history with the album cover as well. You can check out the Buzzfeed that is all about the wedding the album cover was taken.

This is probably Pulp's biggest and best album. Opening is Mis-Shapes, a toe tapping with a simple start that builds up to it's climatic chorus. The taboo Pencil Skirt is full of an overly sexual aggressive Jarvis Cocker in all the right ways. The huge hit off this album and maybe out of all of Pulp's work is Common People, a hit you can shake your bum and scream the lyrics too. The french noir themed I Spy is very Serge Gainsbourg meets Dr. No. Throw Disco 2000 on at any high school reunion and dance the night away with the one who got away. Live Bed Show is the sad point of view of a bed and the lonely women, who at one point got a lot of action, but now occupies it alone. Taking things to the B-Side starts things off with the dreamy Something Changed. Then the Sorted For E's & Wizz gives off the vibe that it could have inspired The Flaming Lips. F.E.E.L.I.N.G.C.A.L.L.E.D.L.O.V.E gives you a feeling of being on a dark street corner until it explodes into cascade of synth and guitar. You won't forget how to spell this song after you listen to it (much how I still have to think of Gwen Stefani when I want to spell bananas). Underwear is a sad song that some girls can really relate too unfortunately. The epiphany brought on by Monday Morning is not a great one, but it does perfectly describes the mundane feeling of finally hitting adulthood. Ending the album is the sensual and sweet Bar Italia, which is about getting up after a night out with the worst hangover ever, a great way to end this album. 

I was lucky enough to see Pulp reunite a few years back, it what was an amazingly fun show. If you like britpop the Stone Roses or just great sexually charged dance music that isn't full of the word "bootie" and over driving bass, then you should give Pulp a try. Amazon has it for $32 since it is an import from the UK, but you can search eBay in hopes of finding a cheap use copy. 

Happy hunting!

PAIR WITH:

If you were lucky enough to get tickets then you probably don't need this suggestion, but the perfect pair would be going to the Ace Theater to see Pulp: A Film About Life, Death & Supermarkets with a bonus QnA with both the director and Jarvis Cocker. But if you can't make it, be sure to check out the trailer and hopefully it will be released theatrically or streaming:

The film premiered at SXSW and has been making the rounds, but you can check to see if there is a screening in your area.

UPDATE!
I just read on Oscilloscope's Facebook that the movie will be released nationwide in the US Nov 19th!

$1 BIN MONDAY: Bread - The Best Of Bread

Bread were a moderately successful soft rock band from California. You may or may not know them, but you'll probably recognize a few of their hits. When you think of Bread, you probably think of Guitar Man. While you'll find that on the digital reissue of this vinyl, you won't find it on this vinyl (it was later released on Best of Bread Vol 2). I am sorry. But for only a $1 you get Bread's other great songs, which you may have never heard of, but are pretty wonderful.

Opening the compilation is Make It With You, a soft rock classic. Everything I Own has a great melodic guitar and is a tribute to lead singer David Gates father, a beautiful song.  The dreamscape set up by Diary gives it a very soothing and swaying feel. It reminds me of the intro of A Day In The Life. Baby I Want You can't help but make you sway and fill you with good feelings. The high notes Gates hit are serendipitous. Another dreamscape feel is crafted with If, which has been covered numerous times by folks like Dolly Parton, Tom Jones, Olivia-Newton John and many others. Then the B-Side kicks things up a notch with Mother Freedom, breaking the boarder of soft rock and venturing into rock. And things stay in that genre with Down On My Knees, with the fast crashes of cymbals to the up tempo. They take it back with Too Much Love, which features an Almond Brothers-esque guitar solo. The pounding drives of the guitar get your feet taping with Let Your Love Go. The pains felt from Look What You've Done is a great break up song for anyone. Ending the album is Truckin', the traveling song with the Fleetwood Mac feel.

If you like America, Dan Fogelberg or Jim Croce, you'll like Bread (notice I took the high road and avoided an Atkins joke). I scored this copy at the $1 sale this past weekend at The Record Parlour. Add them to your collection!

PAIR WITH:

If you like soft rock and great jokes, you should check out the series Hello Ladies. The series is on HBO, but you can stream it if you have Amazon Prime. It stars Stephen Merchant, partner of Ricky Gervais and is about a lonely guy looking for love in L.A. Living in L.A., it really captures the amazing scene of the city and how quickly that charm goes away and you are stuck by yourself. But it is a great comedy that has the awkward moments you get with a lot of Ricky Gervais' work. But the real highlight is the soundtrack! From the opening song All Too Long by Hall and Oats, to works from Bread, 10cc, Al Stewart, Roxy Music and more! Worth checking out.

EOTE SUNDAY: Air - Moon Safari

The debut album from french music duo Jean-Benoit Dunckel and Nicolas Godin aka Air. Air is known for their work with Sophia Coppola's The Virgins Suicides. Their psychedelic space pop and driving down tempo make this a wonderful listen.

This album can probably be attributed to the works of Serge Gainsbourg. The sounds of static waves open up La Femme D'argent, which roughly translates to The Silver Women. This space pop instrumental is full of synthy delights. Sexy Boy sounds like something you'd see in a slo-mo club scene, with a dark bass line driving the chorus (lyrics with translations). All I Need features the vocals of Beth Hirsch, and has a very Massive Attack feel to it. Maybe one of my favorite songs on the record is Kelly Watch The Stars, which has a funky beats and simple repeating lyrics, and I think a theremin. On the B Side you have Talisman slow it down with a sexy jazz piano feel. Remember takes samples with the Beach Boy's Do It Again, and gives it a robot-ish twist. Beth Hirsch comes back to sing on You Make It Easy, a soothing song with some spanish vibes. Ce Matin-La is an instrumental that has great horns in it with a Dave Brubeck touch to it. New in the Sky is a slow space aged song that has the sound of children playing in the background. Le Voyage De Penelope closes the record, which is a very sexy song with a lot of french stylings. 

If you like psychedelic music like Pink Floyd or the electronica like Kraftwrek or Massive Attack, then you should give this album a try. Amazon has it out of stock for $14, but surprisingly Fry's has it for $11. As you might be able to see, I got mine used at Amoeba for $9.99.

Happy hunting!

The Magnetic Fields - The Charm of the Highway Strip

Did you see Arcade Fire at the Forum yesterday? Are you seeing them today? While I love them, I really wished I could be there to see the reunion of the Unicorns, one of my favorite bands in high school. Hopefully will have a headlining show from them soon! Anyways, in honor of those shows, I wanted to share a band that inspired many, including Arcade Fire. Have you heard this cover before?

The Magnetic Fields, a staple of DC rock, are known for their tongue-in-cheek lyrics, Stephin Merritt's distinct lo-fi bassey voice, and ability to make a marvelous album about 69 Love Songs. The Charm of the Highway Strip is the 3rd album from the band and contains the song Arcade Fire covered. Put out by indie power house Merge Records, known for releases from She & Him, Neutral Milk Hotel, Caribou, Camera Obscura, and Spoon.

The album itself is an ode to long drives, road side pisses, and look out the window to the seldom seen beauty of nothing around you. The album is rooted in synth-pop sounds and several odes to country music. Opening is the enchanting Lonely Highway reminds you of the sweet relief of getting out of your city. The bitter sweet feeling of long trips is captured in Long Vermont Roads. It's easy to see why the original inspired the video above, but the dark pop of Born on a Train, reminds us that some people just prefer to be moving. I Have the Moon has Merritt belt like a crooner in what can easily be a song to dance to in a wedding, if it weren't for the fact that it's clearly about vampires (maybe a compromise with your die-hard Twilighting fiancée). Two Characters In Search Of A Country Song really pays homage to historical figures, referencing William tell, Jesse James, and Daniel Webster. On the B-Side, you almost have the negative effects of life on the road and the feeling of be worn out after long distances. The dazed and confused feel of Crowd of Drifters opens. Fear of Trains is a country jam that talks about the other side of traveling, and the people we leave behind. The feeling of highway hypnosis is so perfectly described in When The Open Road Is Closing In, even the songs beat and vocal vibrato is pretty hypnotic. Sunset City reminds us that sometimes you fall in love with a place you're traveling too and it can be pretty hard to move on, it also reminds me of Reno or other subsets of the Vegas life. The album closes beautifully on Dust Bowl, an instrumental that would be the perfect fit for a roadside puppet show (hell they can play it as background music to Tinkertown).

If you like a good traveling album, great for road trips or travel by train (I'm being facetious, please don't bring your record player on a road trip), or love vampires, you'll love this album. Available on Amazon for the low price of $17.24 or $10 used on eBay. And if you can get your hands on 69 Love Songs on vinyl, a RSD release, I'll be mighty jealous (hell even the CD sells for $40).

FOLK FRIDAYS: First Aid Kit - Stay Gold

This is easily one of my favorite albums of '14. I used it as soundtrack on my recent trip to Nicaragua (lots of long bus rides). The Swedish sister's sophomore album The Lion's Roar was a pretty big hit, and this one takes it a step further. As a bonus, the first pressings come on a translucent gold colored vinyl. Whether your a fan of folk music or not, the songs will be catchy and appeasing to all.

The previous albums were very simple, but this album introduces a 13-piece orchestra, which gives it a fuller sound. Opening the album is the single My Silver Lining, which really shows off the orchestra with a bang. The beautiful harmonies make Stay Gold reminds us that things fade, and also brings back memories of reading The Outsiders or Robert Frost. The slow blues and slide guitar of Cedar Lane give the song its melancholy feel. The last track on the A-Side starts off with a very light and simple, but then Shattered & Hollow slow bursts about escape drive you to the end. On the B-Side, The Bell is filled with splashes, elegant harmonies, and feelings of growing up. Waitress Song is one of my favorite songs, implementing a classic country song feel that reminds me of Emmylou. The album picks up with Heaven Knows which feels like a barnyard hootenanny and will get you up off your seat and cause you to scream the line "straight to hell" in harmony. Closing the album is A Long Time Ago, a sad "what-if "song about things never being able to work, with elegantly simple piano and light strings.

If you're a fan of great hooks, harmonies, and folk, you'll love this album. You can get this album at your record store that carry new pressings or online. You can get the album at their official online store for $18.99 in gold (while supplies last). or Amazon for $22.

PAIR WITH:

1) The perfect pairing would be seeing them preform live, as they are on tour! For L.A. folks, that means seeing them Nov 12 at the Wiltern. I've seen them live back when they were backing there second album Lion's Roar and their harmonies were great to hear live. Don't miss out!

2) Hey L.A. folks, can't make it out to those shows, but love folk and country music? Maybe you're just looking to get your fix sooner. Well tomorrow, Aug 2nd, is KCRW's last Country in the City show at the Annenberg Space for Photography. See Nikki Lane and Wynonna & The Big Noise, maybe even wear a cowboy hat. It's a saturday, you deserve to let loose. RSVP at the link above.

According to Redditors, Here Are The Best Albums of 2000

Photo from Wikipedia

Recently on the subreddit Music, dirkdiggin asked, "What are, in your opinion, the best 10 albums of the 2000s?" With over 200 responses, he then organized all the results into a list of albums that were mentioned multiple times.

The results being:

"

Most popular:
*Radiohead - Kid A
*The Strokes - Is This It?
*Arcade Fire - Funeral
*Kanye West - The College Dropout

Very popular:
*LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
*Gorillaz - Demon Days
*Radiohead - In Rainbows
*The White Stripes - White Blood Cells
*The White Stripes - Elephant
*Queens of the Stone Age - Songs for the Deaf
*Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
*Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
*Modest Mouse - Good News for People Who Love Bad News
*Green Day - American Idiot

Popular:
*Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP
*Sufjan Stevens - Illinois
*Madvillain - Madvillainy
*MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
*Amy Winehouse - Back to Black
*Daft Punk - Discovery
*Outkast - Stankonia
*Modest Mouse - The Moon& Antarctica
*Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I am, That's What I'm Not
*Brand New - The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me
*Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
*Interpol - Turn on The Bright Lights
"

I've included with each album, a link to them on Discogs or Amazon, which ever was cheaper at the time of this post, in case you wanted to add any of them to your collection. I know in my own I have Kid A, Funeral, Sound of Silver, Good News, Illinois, Discovery, Stankonia, In Rainbows, and Moon & Antarctica. You bet your buns I am looking to get my hands on Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (if I can find it for cheap), College Dropout (lost multi ebay bids), Whatever People Say I am, Turn on The Bright Lights, and Wolfgang Amadeus. If you can get your hands on a copy of Demon Days, I tip my hat you. 

Hope these sparked back some past love affairs with artist. Happy hunting!

SOUNDTRACKED: David Bowie - The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars

Although I like to shy away from classic albums, I made an exception in honor of the release of Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy. If I had the time I would do it on the 7" of Blue Swede's Hooked On A Feeling, which is available on Amazon for only $2. Instead I am doing it on David Bowie's alien rock star Ziggy Stardust and whose song is on Peter Quill's Mixtape in the Movie.

With so much history with this album, it's really hard to cover it all with just a post, so for more info check out it's wikipedia page for the Production, Back Story, and Reception of it all. But what's there to really say about this album. It opens with the solemn Five Years which tells the tale of the destruction of the Earth. Moonage Daydream can be found on Peter Quill's Mixtape, and maybe heard in the Guardians of the Galaxy movie, a true glam rock song. The classic Bowie pop sound comes out with Starman. On the B-Side, you open with the beautiful piano playing of Lady Stardust. The rockabilly-esque sounds that drive Hang On to Yourself give the album a nice change of pace. Then your hit the big ones, Ziggy Stardust and Suffragette City, which you'll probably recognize right off the bat if you never listened to this album before. Ending the album is the what as known as the final collapse of Ziggy, Rock 'N' Roll Suicide, a perfect ending in his saga.

There's no need to convince you on why this is a great album since it's pretty much a classic. This album will probably set you back though, Amazon has it at $40.00 new, while most record shops have it for around $30. If you can swing it, it's well worth owning for your collection. And remember the back, it's "to be played at maximum volume."

PAIR WITH:

Original Artwork Brought To You By Fandango

This is an obvious choice, but you can check out the midnight showing of Guardians of the Galaxy. The movie stars Parks and Rec's Chris Pratt as Peter Quill, Sci-Fi Princess Zoe Saldana as Gamora, Ex-Wrestler Dave Bautista as Drax, and Vin Diesel and Bradley Cooper as the voices of Groot and Rocket Raccoon respectively. The movie is directed by James Gunn whose also done Silther and Super. It's easy to get lost in all the super hero movies, but if there's one thing Whedon's Avengers taught us is that, they make great summer movies. And be sure to check out Peter Quill's Awesome Mix Tape for more rock hits! Unavailable on vinyl (and more likely coming out on cassette), you can buy the mix cd on Amazon.

Check Fandango for movie showtimes and midnight showings in your area.

Gil Scott-Heron - Nothing New

Spoken word jazz poet Gil Scott-Heron has been an influence to many artists. I remember seeing him at Coachella '10 and then LCD Soundsystem's James Murphy dedicated Losing My Edge to him as we all screamed his name in unison. I will definitely cover his other albums down the line, but I wanted to talk about the RSD '14 release. Nothing New contains stripped down versions of his songs. It's a great intro album into his works, may he rest in peace.

The album is a XL Recordings release, the studio that put out Gil Scott-Heron's last studio album I'm New Here. It contains him doing re-recordings of stripped down renditions of his old songs with just him on the piano. It's hard to describe each song, as they are all soulful jazzier renditions of their original counterparts, filled with sorrow, pain, and beauty. Instead, I will go over the origins of each song. Opening is Did You Hear What They Said off the album Free Will. Better Days Ahead is from Secrets. Your Daddy Loves You is off of Winter In America. Pieces of a Man is off his debut album of the same name. Alien (Hold On To Your Dreams) is from a collaboration with Brian Jackson called 1980. 95 South (All The Places We've Been) is off Bridges. The Other Side is from Spirits and Blue Collar is from Moving Targets. Included are great little interludes of conversations between takes that make the album feel a little more alive. You can take this album almost as an Acoustic compilation that doesn't just focus on the greatest hits like The Revolution Won't Be Televised or Home Is Where the Hatred Is.

While this album was a Record Store Day exclusive, you can still find it various record stores and online. Amazon has it from unofficial (non-amazon) sellers for around $30 and also on eBay for around $24. This album is perfect for a rainy day or reading a book, and it's also a great intro into Gil Scott-Heron.