Weekend Music Roundup

I know it has only been a few days since the last roundup, but that's okay. My favorite weeks are the ones that last only 3 days. For me, this week was all about getting back into the full swing of working full time on my book again. I did some writing while on vacation, more than I planned, but it's still not the same thing as secluding myself in my office and filling the air around me with the sweet noise of an atmosphere of my choosing. 

This was a strange week for listening in that I almost exclusively listened to material I hadn't heard before. Most of that is due to the first two entries on my list:

Natural Snow Buildings: Daughter of Darkness I-IV - Clocking in just over 6 hours long, this is an epic piece of drone folk that completely took over my afternoons. It weaves a story through it's soundscape that may be missed by some listeners who may find 6 hours of drone folk to be repetitive. As for me, it felt like the perfect soundtrack for my cloudy days working on a story about a dying planet. I love it...though I will mention that there are no vocals, which I'm fine with, just I was expecting them because of The Dance of The Moon and The Sun.

Natural Snow Buildings: Daughter of Darkness V - As if the 6 hours weren't enough, I then spent another nearly 2 hours on this follow up which went seamlessly with parts I-V. 

Elvis Perkins in Dearland - For me, this was the most highly anticipated album of the year. Anyone who has talked music with me over the past two years has heard me praise the first Elvis Perkins album Ash Wednesday. It was my favorite album of the year in 2007 and has edged it's way onto my 10 favorite albums of all-time list. Tough act to follow...but followed extremely well. So far, a sure candidate for my album of the year.

Pink Mountaintops: Outside Love - This is Stephen McBean's (of Black Mountain) side project which has put out two previous albums, both outstanding. The signature neo-psychedelic sound is a bit more understated on this album, but it works. Great voice + great craftsmanship = great listen.

It's a Buffalo: Don't Be Scared - After 8 hours of drone folk, I was in need of something like this, a straight up good indie rock record.