Music Video of the Day: Dilly - Band of Horses

While looking through live Band of Horses video for a post yesterday, I came across this video from 2010 for the song "Dilly" off Infinite Arms. I'm a little disappointed with myself that I hadn't noticed it earlier but am just thankful to have it now. It's one of the funniest/most brilliant clips I've ever seen. It's such a departure from the airy "Laredo" video that primarily showed the band on a stage and yet still keeps their Southern vibe alive in a more retro (yet very natural to them) sort of way. Not a lot of bands could get away with a video so kitschy without coming across as obnoxious or a copycat of the millions of other bands doing a vintage look right now but this has such substance. It reminds in a way of Muse's video for "Knights of Cydonia" in the same old fashioned cinematic Western way yet it's even more tongue in cheek and maybe even more original. It's also reminiscent of Quentin Tarantino.

I don't know. Take a look for yourself. It's definitely worth a few minutes.

Horses Tell the Sweetest Love Stories

Tyler Ramsey, Band of Horses guitarist

Band of Horses has some of the greatest love songs I have ever heard. So simple, so slow, so painful and slightly sad.

Not in time for Valentine's Day but still a good choice of music for a loved one.

I love the image of everything else in time getting older and love staying fresh. It's difficult, right?

The intertwining of country and rock is also perfect.

(and this band is kind of gorgeous too. oh my.)

October Fires: Autumn Playlist 2010

Not only is autumn my favorite season, it also seems to be the time I find some of the best music - whether new or old. Every time I put together one of these lists I feel like I'm giving away treasure. I don't often share music one on one so the songs become really personal to me. I have reasons for loving every one of these songs but really their defining characteristic to make this list is fall appeal. I can easily envision someone in a tweed coat and hat enjoying a crisp leaf shower while playing any one of these songs. Autumn is a time of breezy coziness and the music has to match. I hope you enjoy.

01 Band of Horses – Blue Beard
I'm completely crazy about Band of Horses. If The National weren't so incredible, they would probably be my favorite band. This song particularly has a dark, Beach Boys vibe that I continuously come back to.

02 Blood Feathers – Don't Know You At All
I found this band last week and already I'm smitten. It's probably the most important song on the list to try out. If you like The Felice Brothers, Johnny Cash, or Buddy Holly, you will love them.

03 Sam Bisbee – Molecules
This song is ridiculous, full of talk-rap, incredible beats and real, authentic musicianship of the strangest kind - like the way Owl City would be if they were cool.

04 Sic Alps – L Mansion
Another recent discovery but one I'm so excited about. Sic Alps has a throwback appeal in a Kinks sort of way and I have iTunes to thank for finding them.

05 Wolf People – October Fires
Wolf People are an English psychedelic rock band that is fairly new but extremely interesting. Their sound sounds at once familiar and very different. October Fires is my favorite track so far.

06 Gayngs – Crystal Rope
I had been hearing about Gayngs, a rap/indie rock supergroup featuring Justin Vernon of Bon Iver, for a long time now and finally got around to checking it out a few days ago. I instantly fell in love with this song although I don't think the entire album lives up to its "mood music" reviews.

07 Ray LaMontagne – Shelter
The most beautiful song of the past several years.

08 Drake – Fancy
After his performance on the VMA's this year, I couldn't get this song out of my head. Although it's the least autumny of the bunch, it's a great song to dance around to with your pet.

09 The Ramones – I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend
I had been listening to the Pete Yorn cover of this song for so long that I forgot what this version sounded like. I'm not typically into punk rock but this transcends the genre and what better time to celebrate a new romance than autumn?

10 Ambrosia – Biggest Part of Me
One of the bigger hits on the list, this song is so reliable yet I don't think it gets proper credit. Ambrosia is certainly not a well-discussed classic rock band in the same way as Boston or Journey but their songs are equally as classic. One line of this song and you'd know it instantly.

11 Foreigner – Waiting for a Girl Like You
This song has that eerie, sad/happy feeling that I always crave. It's equal parts nice ("I've been waiting for a girl like you to come into my life") and troubling ("Maybe I'm wrong, won't you tell me if I'm coming on too strong, this heart of mine has been hurt before").

12 Sting – I’m So Happy I Can’t Stop Crying
This is probably my current favorite on the list. Instead of the usual lite-rock sound, Sting comes in with a country twang that rivals Ryan Adams and discusses how he's "so happy" about his significant other leaving him. I always appreciate a good double meaning.

13 Ryan Adams – Somehow, Someday
Off Adam's 2001 album "Gold", Somehow, Someday is one of the best tracks. It's classic Ryan Adams but also one of those songs that evokes its own mood instantly.

14 Wheat – Half of the Time
Although they're still primarily unknown, Wheat has been making music for over a decade and were featured on the soundtrack to Cameron Crowe's film "Elizabethtown". This is a newer song off their 2009 album "White Ink, Black Ink" that perfectly portrays their sound. I'm in love with it.

15 Naked Eyes – Promises, Promises
This just reminds me so much of Hall and Oates that I'm drawn to it. Naked Eyes is probably best known for "Always Something There to Remind Me" (which is fantastic) but this is equally as good vintage synth-poppy music.

16 Rihanna – Only Girl
This is her latest single and basically it's really fun. Also I won't deny that I can relate to the lyrics.

17 Fitz & the Tantrums – Moneygrabber
One of my favorite bands. Their debut album "Pickin' Up the Pieces" just came out last month and this is the track I've been playing over and over again.

18 Pete Yorn – Velcro Shoes
Although his new album has yet to be released, Pete Yorn has been giving away individual tracks for free on various websites for the past several months. Velcro Shoes, a fast-paced rock song that strays slightly from Yorn's usual formula, is my favorite of these tracks so far. Full album available September 28th.

19 The National – The Geese of Beverly Road
What can I say? It reminds me of Halloween and makes me feel a longing for something indescribable. Perfect for fall.

20 Duck Sauce - Anyway
I take it all back, this is my favorite song on the list. Watch!



To sample some of the other songs go to: 8Tracks

And to relive last year's list: http://musicmavens.blogspot.com/search/label/Autumn%20Playlist%202009

I LOVE BAND OF HORSES

Top Albums of 2010 So Far

Initially I was not going to make this list but the pressure of a helpful reader lead me to believe that it would be a fun idea. Although this is not as comprehensive as I would like it to be, here are my top 10 favorite albums of 2010.

01. The National - High Violet
It is no coincidence that the best band in the world also came out with the best album of 2010 so far. While it's their most melodic, accessible album to date, it's the emotion of each song that brings this album to life and lets me find new things with each listen. This Brooklyn-based, indie rock band also managed to get their highest ranking ever on the Billboard charts with this album during one of music's slowest weeks of the year. That alone proves their power. Soaring ballads like the gorgeous "Runaway" are balanced by poppy fare like the catchy "Anyone's Ghost" but really it's the entire album as a whole that will leave you unable to listen to anything else for the rest of the year. This is the best album I have heard in the past five years, forget the past seven months. I promise you will not be able to get Matt Berninger's voice out of your head.
Best Tracks: Conversation 16, Lemonworld, Runaway, Bloodbuzz Ohio, Anyone's Ghost (in that order)

02. Jack Johnson - To the Sea
Although I was a huge fan of Johnson's 2001 debut, Brushfire Fairytales, I was never overly impressed by his follow up albums until now. To the Sea continues Johnson's appreciation for relaxed, upbeat little songs but unlike some of his other recent work, you can't as easily picture Curious George singing along with them. There is a maturity on this album that makes his music much more lush and introspective. Somehow I believe him more on this record than any before and I have fallen in love with a few of these songs. A song will start off barely audible and turn into a fun, strange story within seconds. "Only the Ocean", the closing track, is a slow, painfully beautiful ode to the ocean that even has a non-swimmer like me relating to. Although "Flake" off Brushfire remains my favorite Johnson track, To the Sea has become my favorite Jack Johnson album overall.
Best Tracks: You and Your Heart, Red Wine, Mistakes, Mythology, Only the Ocean

03. The Bird and the Bee - Interpreting the Masters Volume 1: A Tribute to Daryl Hall and John Oates

While this album came out in March, it was a recent, accidental discovery for me. I had been searching on iTunes for different versions of the Hall and Oates classic "One on One" when I noticed that The Bird and the Bee had done a cover. I had heard of the band before so I just listened to the 30 second sample and it blew my mind. A female voice singing these familiar radio mainstays was not only interesting but happily refreshing. It brought an entirely new perspective to the lyrics while their arrangements stayed very true to the original, only updating the sound slightly. After purchasing "One on One", I went on to get the best track - and probably best known - "I Can't Go For That" which far exceeded my expectations. As a big fan of Hall and Oates, I didn't anticipate appreciating a cover so much. I don't know why The Bird and the Bee thought a Hall and Oates tribute was necessary or if there will be a volume two focusing on a different band, but I am now a believer in this band's abilities.

Best Tracks: I Can't Go For That, One on One, Kiss on My List

04. Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings - I Learned the Hard Way

This may be a biased choice as Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings are one of my favorite bands, but this particular album is so smooth and funky that in it's own genre there is nothing that has come out this year that can compare. There's been a lot of talk about Sharon Jones singlehandedly leading the soul revival of the past few years and while I believe that to be true, it has to be mentioned that Jones herself is 54 years old and in fact grew up with the music that these competing twentysomething bands are trying to mimic. Sharon Jones is the real deal and this album, like her other vintage-style classics, proves it once again. Unlike many, she is contributing to the '60's soul sound, not copying it.

Best Tracks: Better Things, I Learned the Hard Way

 

05. The Black Keys - Brothers

This is one of the only albums in 2010 that I was actually looking forward to ahead of time. There was an anticipation lingering in the air for several months before the record was released and airplay of the single, "Tighten Up", made it that much more exciting. Somehow it's come about that I still have yet to spend a lot of time with each of these songs but there are some tracks I've listened to more than any of their previous work. The album, released on May 18, marks the band's highest selling album to date with 73,000 copies sold in its first week and received almost unanimous praise from critics.

Best Tracks: Tighten Up, Howlin' For You

06. Band of Horses - Infinite Arms

Also released May 18, Infinite Arms is Band of Horse's third studio album and released on their own record label after leaving Sub Pop. Although it received some of the best reviews of the year, I like it particularly because I don't think it strays very far from the band's other albums. The soothing rhythms and overall appeal of their specific style is still clearly intact and this record seems to serve as a continuation of 2007's Cease to Begin. In contrast to what a lot of bands seem to do on studio albums, Band of Horses is okay with staying one pace throughout and content to do what they do best - there is no experimentation or shocking bits. It's a great album for sitting in the dark.

Best Tracks: Laredo, On My Way Back Home, Blue Beard

07. Raul Midon - Synthesis

Mr. Midon has one of the best voices. It is like melted honey falling off a soft teddy bear's tongue. It astonishes me that someone like Michael Buble can attract a massive audience and yet only few know about a voice like Raul Midon. Blind from birth, it seems Midon has acquired supernatural musical powers that allow him to makes sounds with his mouth that perfectly mimic the entire family of woodwind instruments. He has successfully collaborated with living legends Stevie Wonder and Herbie Hancock and on his third studio album, Midon is at his finest both vocally and lyrically. These tracks are both surprising and familiar. They feel like coffeehouse songs you've been hearing for years with a mischievous twist.

Best Tracks: About You, These Wheels

08. Usher - Raymond v. Raymond

Definitely the most mainstream record on the list, Raymond v. Raymond, is not only undeniably catchy but rather inspired as well. Usher may be seen as a popular R&B star that dances and cheats on his girlfriends and wives but this record once again proves that he also makes long lasting pop music that falls under that guilty category despite genuine craftsmanship. With this record, Usher continues his trend of honestly confronting his own life through song while still maintaining a great high energy, rhythm-centric sensibility. As much as I don't want to, I really like this entire album.

Best Tracks: There Goes My Baby, OMG

09. Josh Ritter - So Runs the World Away

I am certainly not the first person to say that every Josh Ritter song sounds like a sweeping epic. The cover of this album pretty much says it all: with a dimly lit ocean liner and a bridge in the distance, the photograph is a 2D representation of the mood Ritter sets with his eerily serene voice and flowing arrangements. Luckily for me, this is one of the most loved records critically of the year so I have no problem recommending it. With a glass of wine and no one home on rainy day, you'll definitely thank me. Listen to the entire album twice.

Best Tracks: Change of Time, Southern Pacifica

10. Corinne Bailey Rae - The Sea

This is Rae's first album since the untimely death of her husband Jason Rae following an accidental overdose at their home. Not surprisingly, compared with her self-titled debut album, the material on The Sea is much darker and deeper. There's a beautiful sexual undercurrent and a strange mix of love and pain that makes it a difficult yet worthwhile listen. Considering that a musician's sophomore album is usually known for being poorly received, it speaks volumes that Rae's album was not only critically praised but artistically lauded. Although it is just number 10 here, it's probably one of the album's most worth your time.

Best Tracks: Closer, I'd Do it All Again

April Showers Bring May Music Sounds

I've been listening to so much good music lately. It's almost ridiculous. I haven't been in the mood to write a real post lately though - sometimes the pressure in my head gets to be too much and I can't handle my own words. Words are really powerful. I know you know that already but each one of them is a gift that doesn't need to be wrapped (but they can be rapped - my attempt at humor).

I'm in a library right now with my fantastic headphones in tow and listening to some songs I just downloaded from my beloved best friend iTunes.

Sometimes when I write sentences like the above I wonder if it makes me sound like a friend-less nerd. I'm not. My favorite thing on earth (other than music) is a good margarita. There is no other alcoholic beverage that is as delicious or beautiful. I'd like one right now. I'd like one before class or before work or before a doctor's appointment.

Anyhow, hopefully you're not here to hear about me, you're here to listen to some incredible music and I intend to give that to you.

01 Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings - I Learned the Hard Way
02 Ryan Shaw - Morning, Noon & Night
03 Brenton Wood - Gimme Little Sign
04 Joan Jett & the Blackhearts - Crimson and Clover
05 Ringo Starr - Photograph
06 Shania Twain - It Only Hurts When I'm Breathing
07 Julie Ruin - I Wanna Know What Love Is
08 Ruben Studdard feat. Rick Ross - Don't Make 'Em Like U No More
09 TV on the Radio - Crying
10 Band of Horses - Laredo
11 Jay & the Techniques - Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie
12 Martha Reeves & the Vandellas - (Love is Like a) Heat Wave
13 Damien Rice - Cannonball
14 B.O.B - Nothing on You
15 Elton John - Teacher I Need You

You can listen to these songs under the playlist "Maven Mix" and check out other mixes at http://8tracks.com/angelicadiamond

I wasn't able to find Julie Ruin on 8 Tracks but here is the song below from YouTube. This is the lead singer of Bikini Kill sampling tracks and cursing like a crazy person. I'm obsessed with it for some reason, this is not usually my thing but a good beat cannot be denied.