Local Natives are easily one of the best new bands going. My good friend has a reference to Psalm 150 tattooed on his arm. These guys make me think about making that joyful noise with stringed instruments, organs and loud cymbals. It may (or may not) be a pagan hymn they’re singing, but damn if I don’t feel moved by the Spirit.
Peter Gabriel’s latest project is an album of covers featuring songs by everyone from Arcade Fire and Bon Iver to David Bowie and Paul Simon. It is a beautifully dramatic album that replaces pop and rock with symphonic subtlety. It is an album that owes as much to Steve Reich as any of the artists covered. And Gabriel’s whispering, resonant voice sits comfortably with the string arrangments. The caressing, dancing red blood cells on the cover capture the mood of this record well.
This was one of my favorite records from last year. This band has a hazy California desert sound that reverberates through your speakers like an old b-movie coming through on the UHF station that you can’t quite tune in. Remember UHF? All that knob twisting to get the bad local station? That nostalgic, static-laced memory you just dusted off keeps this band going.
Rocking a ramshackle assortment of world beats, analog synths, dance pop grooves, a boxing history lesson, and We-are-the-Champions-style underdog motivational verve, this track off Yeasayer’s latest album, “Odd Blood” is irresistible. Throw in the fact that my first son is just over a month old and I’m brimming with plenty of fatherly pride and humility – well, Ambling Alp can’t miss.
Also, be sure to check out their trippy video for O.N.E.
This is a couple years old, but I’ve been listening to it a lot lately. You might describe Origamibiro as electroacoustic – an oxymoron that makes sense once you give the track a listen. His work is best summed up by a recent twitter post he made: Do we make an unconscious association between the crackle of a vinyl record and the crackle of a wood fire?
I like music. This is a blog about music that reminds me I'm human. There’s new stuff, my rants on old stuff, and some wallpaper designs for fun. If you are the owner of this music and object to it being posted here let me know. If you are a reader of this blog and like it, send me some propers. Peace and love,
Jeremy
