matt pond PA - The Dark Leaves

matt pond PA
The Dark Leaves
(Altitude Records!)
Rating: 2.8 of 5


Despite recording and touring as guitarist in The Wooden Birds for 2009’s Magnolia, Matt Pond will never forsake studio time to work on what will be the next Matt Pond PA release. He has continued to serve up singles to his fans that are in anticipation for The Dark Leaves, the seventh installment from the band in a decade of existence. And, out with it he comes. Perhaps now suffering from album-by-album dittoing just as The Wooden Birds’ songwriter Andrew Kenny has been pronounced guilty of with his predecessive outfit American Analog Set, Matt Pond PA can’t seem to get over the lag.

It’s true that both artists have fingers in the same pie; the contraposition of brooding lyrics with crisp and sometimes lush chamber pop. While Kenny has done something to rejuvenate his songwriting by unplugging the guitar and enlisting harmonic female vocal support for his new project’s debut record, Pond hasn’t so much as changed a pair of socks since he left Mel’s Rock Pile to release Measure under the PA moniker in 2000.

The shades of green in Pond’s music are a little richer and a little bluer on The Dark Leaves. Sure, the plainly-titled “The Dark Leaves Theme” is stirring with its ‘love kills me’ chorus. Lovely still are the soft melodies, cello lines, and acoustic guitars of “Brooklyn Fawn” and “Winter Fawn”. The first two tracks “Starting” and “Running Wild” have Pond in vibrant display of his dexterous pop and melodic savvy. The cliffhanger “First Song” finishes out the record; its tempos akin to John Vanderslice-esque undulation.

The Dark Leaves is a pretty-sounding and rapt deliberation of love and longing twined in the dewed foliate textures of Pond’s nimble indie pop—not unlike all of the others he’s offered before. ‘You already know/what you don’t even know/read the cover, the flap/you just put it back’, he confesses on his appeal for support “Remains”. You can heed his warning if you want.

Starting - matt pond PA

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The Disco Biscuits - Planet Anthem

The Disco Biscuits

Planet Anthem

(Diamond Riggs)

Rating: 3.3 of 5

Here in their fifteenth year of activity, The Disco Biscuits continue to load up ubiquitous genres in the trunk with their fifth studio album Planet Anthem. Once holding deep roots in the soils of jammy incongruity, this collection flutters high in the sky with breezes of melody and intelligent song craft. Featuring plenty of East Coast hip hop vibe, Planet Anthem is a rambunctious busybody; the fruits of which spawned from collaborations in the recently purchased Philadelphia studio space once owned by DJ Jazzy Jeff.

Appointing big name producers and other outside hands, such as Don Cheegro and Dirty Harry and Roc-A-Fella’s co-founder Damon Dash, maintains the fatty sheen of gaudy production. How appropriate, however.

Electro hop “On Time” is on deck for the pop charts with the lead vocal track sheathed in dripping Auto-Tune and one of the most toothsome breakdowns you will hear. “You and I” sounds 3OH!3-approved with pandemic hooks and teasing drum breaks. Arabian nuances add refreshing mystique to the otherworldly trance of “Über Glue”. Tracks “The City” and opener “Loose Change” can be heard influenced by countless white-boy underground hip hop records of the past decade and a half.

Verse for verse, “Fish Out of Water” is as close to indie rock as they get; however, the chorus falls back upon something that could of come from the Fun Lovin’ Criminals canon—minus the politics, of course.

The Disco Biscuits run the gamut from synth-rock to electronica to alternative hip hop. So wildly all over the place, it’s amazing how everything gels together. While lyrically nothing to write home about, Planet Anthem is still replete with convivial, radio-friendly pop songs.

On Time - The Disco Biscuits

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Full Coverage (Vol. 1: MGMT)

Sunny Pittsburgh, PA has succumb to cloudy skies and thunderstorms in the past couple of days. No complaints here. It might impede my walk down to the Hop House for Monday karaoke and free pool night. But, dammit, it's been long overdue for some good ol' spring showers and cloud cover.

Let us rejoice in the rain and pay homage to the cloud cover with a new feature here on PSoV.

* * * * *

We'll start off with MGMT. Just about two weeks ago, they finally released their second record, Congratulations, on Columbia Records. MGMT is currently three dates deep in their summer tour of North America--check them out in a city near you.

We can never get enough of Oracular Spectacular, however. I present to you three covers of singles from their eclectic debut.

Time To Pretend - Jónsi
Kids - The Ooks of Hazzard
Electric Feel - Katy Perry
Closer (Nine Inch Nails cover) - MGMT

"I wanna fuck you like a dinosaur!!"

So fucking pretty... (Vol. 1: Bon Iver/Justin Vernon)

I posted an entry on Peter Gabriel's covers album, in which he featured Bon Iver's "Flume".

Here is Justin Vernon (Bon Iver), in response, paying homage to Gabriel's "Come Talk To Me" from his 1992 release Us.

In addition, I'm offering you a wonderfully pretty version of "For Emma" recorded with the Eau Claire Memorial Jazz Band...

Come Talk To Me (Peter Gabriel cover) - Bon Iver
For Emma - Justin Vernon with the Eau Claire Memorial Jazz Band

Stupidity tries; songs for your Saturday

I've been away for a bit, but it proves that I've been busy.

Coming soon to PSoV is a feature interview with the guys in Untied States. Many more album write-ups to come, as well.

* * * * *

It's a Saturday off for me! I woke up bright and early (your call if you think 8:45am is early) meaning to head out to my old high school to help judge the local annual art show. But, with setbacks being what they were, I was unable to make it out there. Good luck to all of the young contestants, I would've loved to have seen the work!

I've spent the free morning tying up a few loose ends and getting ready for another big day. Because of the promise of the art show and the want to end the procrastination and complete some of my assignments, I unfortunately had to postpone the KFC Double Down Challenge.

What am I talking about, you might ask? Welly welly well... I've convinced a couple of friends to partake in a rather disgusting eating contest. Hell, I've even got twenty bucks riding on it. It will take place sometime soon, and I'll provide you with the indigestive details when it all goes down.

A little background; the Double Down is the new repulsive bunless sandwich from Kentucky Fried Chicken--two slices of cheese, two strips of bacon, and Colonel's Sauce slabbed between two hunks of fried chicken. Read more about the gastronomic onslaught here!!

I dared them to eat three of them... in one hour! For all you YouTube opportunity-seekers out there, this might make for some disgusting entertainment. The two contestants, Jake and Dave, (I'm not subjecting myself to this) are only to drink carbonated, sugared, and caffeinated soft drinks during the eating session. No bathroom breaks, of course, and that includes an additional half-hour after time is up.

We're talking about 96 grams of fat and some 4,000 mg of sodium consumed in sixty minutes. As it is, my money is against Dave. Hence, the bet. Stupidity tries, right?

Enjoy your Saturday any way that you can!!

Hello Saturday Morning - Lee Hazlewood
Saturday - The Essex Green
Saturday Waits - Loney, Dear
Stupidity Tries - Elliott Smith

Plants and Animals - La La Land

Plants and Animals
La La Land
(Secret City Records)
Rating: 2.9 of 5


Albums recorded using all analog tape equipment serve up as tasty nuggets in the indie rock phylum. Sometimes, it adds to the efficacy when the artist(s) ‘date’ the sound of the record with the sonances of decades past. Montreal-based Plants and Animals’ sophomore effort, La La Land, further explores these leanings. Throw in a bluesy sax solo in front of tolling horns, and the jangling beat of third track “American Idol” pumps with the Memphis sound of a particular well-respected Alex Chilton-fronted band. Sure, Big Star still has its signature on many releases from sprouting indie bands; but the influence is contagious and the songwriters pull upon each other. Only two years removed from the last record, Plants and Animals may have been listening to their share of Grizzly Bear since then.

Wanting to follow up big to their brilliantly-subdued, under-the-radar debut, Parc Avenue, Plants and Animals decidedly go more-electric and find fascination with the city of Los Angeles. These constructs are built for big hooks and West Coast-derivative classic rock reworkings. But, the smoked-up laze, obtuse lyrics, and lack of chunky humbug choruses leaves La La Land flatulent.

Comparatively to Parc Avenue, the album is lank in instrumentation. It lends to more of that ‘out on the canyon’ vibe, but the appeal is gluttonously lost somewhere in the bustle of Sunset Boulevard. Ample filler throughout the record substantiates that fat needs a-trimming.

“The Mama Papa” is a fun, bouncy affair and “Jeans Jeans Jeans” measures out the record quite well in the final slot. The few coveted musings here tend to be the shorter ones with the sun-bleached “Undone Melody” being a patient and delivering exception.

With a name like Plants and Animals, the trio personifies the kind of harmony and in-unison work of that this band is capable. But, lustrous production and up-tempo rock selections for the tracklisting don’t treat them as kindly as they might have hoped. La La Land evinces them way ahead of themselves already—a lesson learned one too many times in the past by bands with acclaimed debuts.

Tom Cruz - Plants and Animals

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Untied States - Instant Everything, Constant Nothing

Untied States
Instant Everything, Constant Nothing
(Distile)
Rating: 3.5 of 5


The dank, sweltering, seedy city streets of Fulton County, Georgia; a byzantine conduit delineating parking garages, subway stations, and vacant warehouses, this is Atlanta—a hub mostly credited to a burgeoning hip-hop scene. But, with some of those empty buildings serving as practice spaces, indie rock has spread its wings and flown 70 miles west from Athens to the big city. First Deerhunter, now we have the difform sounds of the Untied States.

The first big-time studio recording from this quintet, released by the French label Distile, is a jagged salmagundi of post-punk, alternative, post-hardcore, nugaze, prog, and experimental art-rock genres. It’s a mindfucker of an album with Hail to the Thief-era Radiohead nuances, contorted vocal stranglings, loads of Fender guitar chinks, and an extreme lack of song choruses.

Sometimes misanthropic, seldom too frightening, and many times bizarre; Instant Everything, Constant Nothing flashes like hot light refracting. Taking sharp turns in trajectory; songs flip and fold back upon themselves in acute angles.

“Not Fences, Mere Masks” is a neverending tunnel ride through the dark trenches of the underground; making use of descending chords and trodded heavily upon by the bass track. “Unsilvered Mirrors” squirms about in sudden and extreme changeableness. A small stolen melody line from Cream’s “I Feel Free” twice surfaces, briefly.

“These Dead Birds” is very Thurston Moore; a foot-stumbling and staggering waltz that comes back to bitingly sneer. Industrial shapes backdrop “Delusions Are Grander” and “Wrestling With Entropy in the Rehabbed Factory”. It’s all so busy and frenetic, at times, that skipping about on the record will satisfy you none.

It’s important to let Instant Everything, Constant Nothing get its chance with a full spin on your player, and probably several more. The fascination in hearing these tracks deconstruct before your ears will compel you to do so. As if dully mesmerized, you just will.

Unsilvered Mirrors - Untied States

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***see them play tonight... Tuesday, April 20th at Garfield Artworks in Pittsburgh
9pm start w/ Grasso Electtrica

Brasstronaut - Mt. Chimaera

Brasstronaut
Mt. Chimaera
(Unlimited Sounds)
Rating: 3.6 of 5


When one says jazz-pop, a few artists might come to mind. Herb Alpert. Steely Dan. Surely, those are some throwback names. What might the future hold for the genre? We may have the answer to that question in Vancouver band Brasstronaut. Between the breezy rhythmus, the synthesizers, and the colorful horns—all in song format; I’d say that their latest release classifies.
Mt. Chimaera postdates two EPs from Edo Van Breeman’s unclassifiable four-piece outfit. And, comparatively, encounters on something more brisk and poppier.

This record picks up steam early as the first song “Slow Knots” culminates around gated piano and shouted whoops. Drummer Brennan Saul utilizes the brushes behind “Hand Behind” as singular trumpet laments from Bryan Davies complement the electric guitar swells nearly to perfection. John Walsh’s wooly electric bass line on “Lo Hi Hopes” propels from the intro to the 6/4-metered chorus. However, the lot of these recordings tends to define Walsh as primarily a stand-up player.

The final track “Insects” is an engaging eight-minute medley teeming with dynamite transitions before reverting back to the opening motif in chilling Dixieland threnody.

Many of the vocals resound cavernously; looming just barely above the turbulent frenzy of the multi-instrumented backing band during pinnacle moments. The crescendos are majestic and anticipated, yet the guitar solos are nonexistent. Instead, Brasstronaut relies on Van Breeman’s chiming piano parts and Davies’ linear horn lines—all to great effect.

Pleasingly unconventional in its approach as a pop record, Mt. Chimaera is crisp, yet soothing—an ideal nighttime listening enjoyment

Slow Knots - Brasstronaut

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The Hold Steady at Diesel (Wed. Apr. 14th, 2010); live review

photo by Brian Osberg

City of Pittsburgh, Hold Steady!

Craig Finn and Co. rolled into town Wednesday night brandishing their triple guitar-fueled drunk rock. The band's set was legion with fist-pumping rockers from all four of their previous records and showcased new material from the highly-anticipated Heaven Is Whenever.

Hearing live for the first time "Hurricane J" and "Rock Problems" from the new record, a packed house got behind The Hold Steady with more crushing singalongs despite Finn's earlier bit about Heaven Is Whenever being 'less anthemic'. Sandwich these tracks between the likes of "You Can Make Him Like You" and "Navy Sheets" and you get quite the positive result.

No Franz Nicolay, of course, as he amicably left the band earlier this January to pursue a solo career as a 'vaudeville troubadour', so absent or subdued were fill-in Dan Neustadt's keyboard parts that interlace the leads on "Navy Sheets" or the piano breakdown in the encore "Stuck Between Stations". Nonetheless, the guitar trio of Finn, Tad Kubler, and tour addition Lucero's Steve Selvidge powered through "Massive Nights" and "Same Kooks" from 2006's Boys and Girls in America. I can't even believe it was that long ago; sounded so good to me hearing six picks from this record.

The capstone of the hour-plus may have been the reckless spit of "Cattle and the Creeping Things". Other inclusions from the first two records included "The Swish" and "Your Little Hoodrat Friend". No "Positive Jam", nor "Citrus", which they did first encore with the previous night at the Beachland Ballroom and Tavern in Cleveland. Looking at that setlist, it's proof that they've really been mixing things up city to city on this tour.

It was an unfortunate miss on our part not to find the crew out at the bars in South Side post-performance (a misleading tip from the owner took us to an almost-empty Bar 11). But, we can still imagine that hypothetical conversation with a half-fuddled Finn about how the singer, guitarist, and bassist of openers The Oranges Band looked like Ben Folds, Steve Carell, and Elliott Smith, respectively.

Hurricane J - The Hold Steady

Songs about breakfast

Waking up early to grab some breakfast at the Original Pancake House. The bacon pancakes and house coffee are to die for...

I need to find me a Tuesday paper. That New York Times crossword is going down.

Good morning, everyone!

Good Morning, Good Morning - The Beatles
Mouth Wooed Her - Animal Collective
Pancakes For One - Of Montreal
Breakfast Time - Orange Juice
Coffee Girl - The Tragically Hip
Orange Juice Blues (Blues for Breakfast) - Bob Dylan & The Band
Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast - Pink Floyd

One More Dance Before I Lose You

Finally finished the instrumental from a couple of days back.

One More Dance Before I Lose You - Vestry of Mil

Sin Ropas - Holy Broken

Sin Ropas
Holy Broken
(Shrug Records)
Rating: 3 of 5


Holy Broken? Holy reminder! From the get-go, I’m instantly hearing the resemblances to that Number Seven Uptown record from Swearing at Motorists. From the use of distorted guitars and slag tempos to the Hayden-tinged sound of the vocals (Swearing at Motorists covered Hayden’s “Bullet” on the aforementioned LP); the album from this duo, known as Sin Ropas, is a spitting image of the Midwestern lo-fi ramble rock I knew so well.

Well, it pays that Tim Hurley and his wife Danni Iosello (Hurley of Califone and Red Red Meat fame) make the city of Chicago their hub for production. However, Holy Broken was actually recorded in a cabin located in the mountains of North Carolina.

If you’re hankering for a bluesy swank, “Nailed In Air” features the slow sway of a bar band whose lead singer is drugged up on Valium. And, we also get a taste of Joseph Arthur-style cooing two-thirds the way through.

‘What good is stealing light from another star?’ Hurley slurs overtop pedestrian acoustic guitar strums on the dusky “Stolen Stars and Light”. The smooth husk of his singing is so reminiscent of Paul Hayden Desser that this could’ve been plucked from 1998’s The Closer I Get. “The Fever You Fake”, at the head of the record, achieves an energy that is never surpassed from the rest that plays out. But, it sweetly owes to 90s alternative rock, sounding like a product of Lou Barlow and Mark Everett from Eels.

You’ll continue to hear strange clattering and electronic drones throughout Holy Broken, as Hurley used instruments that he tailored himself out of who-knows-what; certainly retaining a bit of uniqueness on the album. Yet still, the bumbling chord changes and nightmarish lyrics are all but exact copies from other lesser-known songbooks. Hurley does steal light after all, but only from the dimmest of the stars in the indie rock universe.

Stolen Stars and Light - Sin Ropas

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And then that song comes on...

There's so much busywork/fun stuff to do in the next few weeks. Some good shows coming up include The Hold Steady, Untied States, Against Me!, Aloha, the list goes on...

I need to post as a reminder to myself to complete the following mundane activities.

To Do List:
-State & Local Taxes
-Put away all of the comic books my parents brought over from the house
-Laundry
-Tidy up the living quarters
-Make the necessary phone calls--come Monday and next Monday
-Fix the damn iPod so I can record the new stuff
-Go guitar shopping

I'm currently recovering from an annoying ailment. The medication that I've been prescribed is giving me terrible chest pains as a side effect; work has been unbearable because of it. Yet, the pennies I come across all face heads up. It appears that I've already pretty much made a full comeback, yet I have to finish out this 'scrip. Celebrations will begin Monday night where I believe I'll be heading down to the Hop House for healthy doses of karaoke and booze.

Trying to make do on a Saturday night. Headed down to Tramp's later on. The bartender has been kind enough to put on a pot of coffee for me whilst I return to full health.

On the bus this afternoon, I was mulling over the events of the past few days. A few sparing leaves are beginning to turn over--it always seems like I get to feeling a certain way, and then that certain song comes on...

While I had the iPod on shuffle, a couple of really good songs came on however...

Outside the City - Young Galaxy
I Don't Think So - Dinosaur Jr
Power of Your Tenderness - Teenage Fanclub & Jad Fair

Camel Lights, neck pains, and Johnny Hodges

Due to technical difficulties, my recording sessions did not go well today. My concentration is failing, as well. I've been drinking entirely too much coffee and smoking entirely too many cigarettes--not enough sleep, too much work to do.

All I want to do is sit down and listen to these songs...

Isfahan - Duke Ellington
In A Sentimental Mood - John Coltrane
Tears For Dolphy - Ted Curson Quartet
Myself When I Am Real - Charles Mingus

Black Francis - Nonstoperotik

Black Francis
Nonstoperotik
(Cooking Vinyl)
Rating: 3.2 out of 5


Only the second album of his solo career to carry the name of his old Pixies tag, Black Francis; Charles Michael Kittridge Thompson IV picked up a new band, an old guitar, and reemployed producer of several Frank Black and the Catholics’ albums, Eric Drew Feldman, to put to tape ten thematic new originals and one rousing cover. The package deal is called Nonstoperotik; a rousing astrological interpretation of love and sex. Yes, sex. Black Francis is back to brass tacks.

The record takes bends a little less sharply, and that is what distinguishes it from Pixies’ work. This is not at all different from other irons Thompson has pulled out of the fire during his solo songsmith-ing. It is gratifying, however, to hear him write about the sensual side of love again, now with twenty years of age added.

“Lake of Sin” kicks things off with a stomach-churning chord structure and guitar-chugging buildups. Almost too soon, Nonstop slips in energy with a couple of soft crooners. “O My Tidy Sum” does reap the benefit from some seesawing keyboard string synths. The comeback is in the form of the mildly rocking rendition of the Flying Burrito Brothers’ “Wheels”.

The next few sound a bit flimsy in production for being so intendedly rock-driven. Thompson yowls on “Dead Man’s Curve” with that same quality throatiness. “Six Legged Man” sets forth from the introductory dedication and has Black Francis spitting short lines on the mic in a wild party of double-time hi-hat, kick, and bass line thump.

The lines of “Wild Son” pay homage to typical Pixies-like marriage of sexuality and creed. And, then we have Thompson’s ode to oral sex, “When I Go Down On You”. There is a strange McCartney moment late in the second verse when one can hear a sung melody that could be resolved by the chorus of “Band on the Run”.
The title track, the acme of Nonstop’s power, courses with desperation—an intensely passionate plea for carnal knowledge. With its ‘verse, then a solo’ arrangement, the piano ballad segues into the descending flat-fifth arpeggios of the excellent tribute to the underground, “Cinema Star”.

These songs are more mature and reflective. Lacking the same kinky explicitness of Pixies’ classics like “Is She Weird” or “I’ve Been Tired”, the new material on Nonstoperotik breathes somewhat languidly on the fleshy topics. Not to knock—after all, Thompson did just turn 45.

Cinema Star - Black Francis

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...and in support of Black Francis' 45th birthday yesterday, Happy Belated Birthday!!

Levitate Me - Pixies

Midlake at Diesel (Mon. Apr. 5th, 2010); live review

It was an outstanding eventful day. After watching the Pirates put the Dodgers away at gorgeous PNC Park on 2010 Opening Day (and grabbing a quick bite at Pizza Sola), I made my way down to Diesel in the South Side for the Midlake show.

The upstairs sections were roped off due to construction, so the intimacy of the sets to follow was ever present. Unfortunately, for the bands, only a handful of us came out to see Midlake and opening act John Grant (from his former band, The Czars).

Grant came out, hushing the whispers, on the keys with a song he announced as named "Firefly". The band came down the stairs behind him from the second selection onward; a feverous and seasoned five-piece in all, including Midlake's newly-acquired keyboardist/flautist Jesse Chandler. Grant's voice is charismatic and affecting and his humor is slightly unnerving --see "Jesus Hates Faggots".

The set featured twisting metaphoric romps "Sigourney Weaver" and "Chicken Bones", the sweetly idle "Marz", and the stripping fuck-off token "Queen of Denmark" (aka title track)--all songs off of Grant's new Bella Union release. The record was produced and instrumentally backed by Midlake.

I chit-chatted a bit with Grant's drummer outside during a smoke. He told me this was only their fifth show. But the rehearsals paid off, nothing sounded 'just put together'.

Marz - John Grant

* * * * *

After John Grant filed off the stage and bounced from corner to corner in the club, Midlake set up.

All for a love of flannel, beards, archtops, and Jethro Tull; this expanded Denton, TX septet graced the audience with their re-formatted 70s folk-rock. Sometimes one, sometimes two flutes, sometimes two, sometimes four guitars; only Midlake sounds like this--at least, these days.

Picking from a cornucopia of fruit on The Courage of Others, Tim Smith tenderly carried tunes like "Small Mountain", "Bring Down", and "Winter Dies" accompanied by the woody tones of fingerpicked Martin acoustics and melancholic flute solos. The achieving harmonies of Eric Nichelson and Eric Pulido assent to Smith's tenor live, as they do so wonderfully on record.

Pulido did all the talking as Smith assigned himself unspoken balladeer through the evening. A few false lead-ins drew curiosity out of the crowd until they were resolved to be introductory notes to works from The Trials of Van Occupanther, such as "Roscoe" or "Head Home". Many of these rehashed offerings bled into frenzied jams with jazz-rock leads from the ever-many electric guitarists and clamoring drum fills from McKenzie Smith. In total, the first six entries from Van Occupanther were performed, with the plaintive "Branches" serving as the savory encore.

Once you wade through the campfire smoke, the silver lining is still burningly evident in their music. Midlake may not have played "We Gathered In Spring", but the other favorites were represented well. "Bandits" and Courage's single "Head Home" make for radiant examples of superb live exposition.

To think, here I was prepping up for some wondrous harmonizing, but these guys can really play.

Rulers, Ruling All Things - Midlake

It's a week of cover songs, courtesy of Vestry of Mil

I've always been really infatuated with this ditty from a little-known emo band called The Hang Ups. It was featured in the Kevin Smith classic, Chasing Amy. It was really fun tying this all together for you... I hope you enjoy.

Jump Start (The Hang Ups cover) - Vestry of Mil

I wish it had been just 'April Fools'

Bad news knocked on my door. Hopefully, I'll be back on my feet again soon. I'm feeling like I'm missing out on the festivities; it will be a weekend spent at home. I'm going to try to stay excited for Monday's Pirates' Opening Day and Midlake concert, but an errand I will most definitely have to run...

The only good news to share with you all is that I've begun the launch for a new music project, myself. So far, they are just 'bedroom' recordings. It has a name. Vestry of Mil. Many new songs have and will be written. More on that at a later date...

I probably should've just slept in, but there is so much pertinent information to acquire. And, there are so much therapeutic music to listen to.

I hope this Easter weekend treats you better than it will treat me...

Everytime I'm With You (feat. Jason Lytle) - Danger Mouse & Sparklehorse
The Owl of Love - Clogs
Strangers (Kinks cover) - Vestry of Mil

Revisiting an album that I love

I've gone back to it... as can be counted on me to do. I've been tracking For Emma, Forever Ago now for the past hour or so.

It's a record that seems to have nestled itself somewhere in between where I was then and where I am now. "Skinny Love" has found its way on several mixes I have made for people over the last couple of years. "Re: Stacks" and "Blindsided" still resonate with the same forlorn intimacy and aching emotion as they did the first time heard. All, personally for me, recalling those moments of love and love lost.

One more time through, here we go...

Re: Stacks - Bon Iver

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