Weekend Music Roundup

As promised, this weekend I'm sharing with you all new albums. After nearly a month of not listening to music that I hadn't heard before, it was a welcome return to the norm. I had a ton to chose from, having gathered new music without having to listened to it, the list grew rather long. A lot of these are records that I've been anticipating for quite some time, while others are ones I wanted to take a shot on. Given that new music had escaped for a bit, I didn't want to overload with too many of the same sounds and mixed in a lot of different genres. Hopefully there's something on here for you to discover. Enjoy.

Sun Kil Moon - Universal Themes: Following up last year's fantastic Benji album, Mark Kozelek continues his re-invented style of songwriting on the band's new album released this week. Taking a Beat Generation sort of approach, once again these are tales of his every day life, relationships, and experiences told with brutal honesty. There's the danger of songs like this to become boring, but it never happens as musically the desperate mood expands and evolves. This certainly isn't for everybody as it is an album that demands thought and attention, but I really enjoyed it, and as with Benji, I see it growing on me with each listen.

Holly Miranda - Holly Miranda: The former Jealous Girlfriends vocalist and guitarist released her second proper solo record last month, her first in five years. Her debut was an album that I loved, and I got the chance to meet her twice and get her to sign my vinyl copy. I've been waiting for this record for quite some time and it certainly lived up to my expectations. Slightly more pop influenced, this collection of beautiful ballads is as honest and genuine as her debut, and even more consistent. Easily an album I will return to over and over again.

S.T.S. x RJD2 - S.T.S x RJD2: Philly rapper Sugar Tongue Slim teams up with the West Coast instrumental hip-hop artist for this collaborative album that came out last month. There's a 70's feel good vibe to this record that reminds me in part of Crooklyn Dodgers and a little bit of Souls of Mischief. A perfect summer album for the BBQ set. I really enjoyed this, finding it hard not to smile while it was on. Definitely worth listening to if you're into that old school hip-hop funk.

Kamchatka - Long Road Made of Gold: The Swedish blues rock band's fifth album came out two weeks ago and is a heavy dose of psychedelic blues. They have a bit of an Alice in Chains vibe, but more rooted in '70s hard rock than any kind of metal. Perhaps a heavy Deep Purple would be a better description. A solid rock album, even if not very inventive. For fans of the genre, you could do a lot worse, but for casual listeners, there are certainly more definitive records to pick up first.

Ryan Adams - Live at Carnegie Hall: Over the years, I tend to go back and forth on Ryan Adams, not that I've ever not liked his music, just sometimes I'm more into it than others. I thought this would be one of those albums that I would enjoy because it's just him in a acoustic setting. I thought that might be the perfect atmosphere for his work, and I was right. This is fantastic! Both nights are wonderful, so make sure to hear both if possible. The song selection spans his career, and to top it off, he's hilarious throughout. This is certainly a definite for fans, as well as for any fair weather fans like myself. A true achievement and probably to be on the year end list. 

Lyrics Born - Real People: The Japanese born Cali rapper's sixth album was released last month and it's quite the up tempo party record. This album is funky as hell, with a Sly Stone vibe that runs throughout. Sometimes it amazes me what happens in pop music, how a terrible song like "Uptown Funk" can become a hit, but a truly energetic creative interpretation of the same vibe can linger in obscurity. Not a perfect album, but a fun one to play on summer weekends. 

Long Live the Game

I've had very little time for television over the past month, but there is one show that I will continue to make time for no matter what. In it's fifth season, Game of Thrones continues to be as compelling as ever. Just about half through the season, the storylines are beginning to ramp up and hint at some stunning events to come. Currently, the plight of John Snow in the North and Sansa Stark are the most interesting and desperate. I'm also enjoy Stannis as he marches on Winterfell. The intensity is definitely in the North now that winter is coming, though the South holds intrigue as well. 

Perhaps the best part of this show is the shifting alliances and continuing flux of power in the Seven Kingdoms. It truly is a game to see who will sit on the Iron Throne and currently there are no front runners to win. Of course, I have my favorites, as do most viewers I'd imagine, but honestly at this point, I'm simply enjoying the ride.

Weekend Music Roundup

Another week has passed by without the chance for me to listen to new music. It's been a few weeks now since I've listened to new albums, but hopefully that will change this week as I've come up with a new plan on how I can introduce new sounds into my world. In the meantime, I'm continuing to share my love of music with my daughter, playing at least one vinyl record for her a day as I hold her. Though I've been mixing in tons of stuff, I frequently select an all time favorite of mine to play for her. She seems to love any kind of music, much like me, but prefers albums that I can sing to her. Here's her take on some of my favorites. Enjoy.

The Rolling Stones - Goats Head Soup: After a few days of introducing her to The Beatles, I decided it was time she heard The Stones, and went with this '73 record, one my favorites of theirs. Her favorite song seemed to be "Winter". 

John Lennon - Plastic Ono Band: Like most humans, I love The Beatles, but I also truly love the first Post-Beatles albums of John and George, perhaps as much as any Fab Four album. This is a great one for baby and she loved "I Found Out." 

Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea: It was a special moment to share this record with her, and one that I truly hope she continue to love. There's an innocence to this record that makes it simply perfect. As expected, she loved "Two Headed Boy."

Van Morrison - Astral Weeks: Not only one of my all time favorites, it's also my cats' favorite record, so it was important that she hear it. I played this for her last Sunday, as it is the perfect Sunday morning album. She loved "Beside You." 

Nick Drake - Five Leaves Left: The songwriter's '69 debut is one of those perfect records and she seemed to agree. "Fruit Tree" was her favorite song.

Guns N' Roses - Lies: It was only a matter of time before I introduced her to GN'R and I decided to start with the acoustic side here, then turn it over for some real rock. She loved "One in a Million."

Stains on the Memory

Over the past year and a half, I've had little interest in inventing new stories to construct. This isn't so much due to a lack of imaginative urges as it is a result of half realized stories lingering around like so many spiders on the brain. Coupled with my fair share of industry frustrations during the course of the past half-decade, I came to the conclusion some dozen or so months ago to focus my efforts on stories that I had already worked on to varying degrees, not in hopes of gaining anything beyond my own sense of satisfaction.

Beginning last summer, I started to write the first draft of a story that had been thoroughly outlined some years ago, while also revising a manuscript that had been completed even years before that. I've since completed two revisions of that story, which now awaits its fate in the aforementioned world of "industry", leaving me the chance to return to the first draft of the other one. Though it's been a busy month, welcoming my first child into the world, I've since begun reading over the chapters that were written last summer and starting the process of reclaiming my train of thought and my mastery of the characters. 

These days I feel that I'm more of a completest when it comes to my work. In my younger years, I was so eager to simply write, write, write...but as I grow older, I feel the urge to compose. There's a fine line between writing a manuscript and building a story. So far, I'm enjoying the carpentry of it.

Weekend Music Roundup (Baby's First Records Edition)

My baby daughter continues to deter from my new music listening time, but it's opened up a whole new kind of listening this week. Over the last few days I've been listening to two or more records with her when she's fussy, and since she is my child, it's no surprise that it calms her. I've been trying to share with her not only some of my favorites, but also songs that I remember from my childhood. My up bringing was solidly based in '70s folk rock, and I see hers being steeped in 2000's folk. So without a lot of blabbing, her's what we have been listening to this week.

Rockabye Baby! - Lullaby Renditions of the White Stripes: We've listened to a few of these, so far this is the best one. She was extra fussy during this listen, so hard to gauge her interest. I honestly think she'd rather the real album. Luckily, I got that covered as well.

 Oasis - Definitely Maybe: A modern classic from the Fab Five. As expected, her favorite song was "Live Forever" but it perhaps it was a bit too rocking for the time of evening that we played it. Still, there will be plenty of Oasis in her future.

The Decemberists - The Crane Wife: Took her to a record fair yesterday and we picked this up on vinyl. She adored this album. "Shankill Butchers" was her favorite, the ideal anti-lullabye. She's also heard parts of the new album, but will get a proper listen soon enough.

Jim Croce - I Got a Name: A favorite from my childhood, I was excited to share the Croce with her. She loved "Lover's Cross" and the title track, as do I. Still want to share other great songs with her like "Operator" and "Time in a Bottle".

Langhorne Slim - The Way We Move: This album always reminds me of my dad, not only because it was the album I listened to as I drove home the night he passed away, but also because there are so many references in it that remind me of him. I was happy to share it with her, and "Past Lives" was her favorite song. 

Iron and Wine - Ghost on Ghost: The soft rhythms of his work, along with the complexities that exist under the surface make him an interesting listen. To my surprise, "Joy" was her favorite song, one that I hadn't paid much attention to before.

Neil Young - Everybody Knows This is Nowhere: One of all time favorites, also picked up on vinyl yesterday and listened to it with her. It would have been devistating if she didn't like Old Shakey, but she does. "Down by the River" was her favorite song. 

Elton John - Madman Across the Water: Another favorite of mine, and an album that I believe it is impossible not to like. She liked it, too. Another surprise here, the title track was her favorite, even more so than powerhouse hits like "Tiny Dancer" and "Levon".

Montage of Music

In case anybody was wondering what happened to the Weekend Music Roundup, the answer is simple. The birth of my daughter last weekend happened...so listening to music has not been in the plans. Well, that's not say I haven't listened to music, just haven't had time to absorb new music. However, I did have time to watch the wonderful Kurt Cobain documentary on HBO, Montage of Heck, which did feature some new music, most notably an acoustic Kurt cover of The Beatles "And I Love Her," which is absolutely brilliant.

The entire film was actually quite brilliant. Combing through home videos, interviews, and most strikingly, Kurt's own journals and drawings, the film offered a glimpse into what Kurt was truly like as a person. So often, the prevailing myths about Kurt, and media portrayal of him a depressed junkie, overshadow the creativity of his work and the humor which he displayed so often. Montage of Heck was able to show this legend in such a way that the legend became a man again, one with flaws and genius in equal parts. Bravo!

The Spreading of Wings

After several long months, the revisions of my newest novel have finally been completed. Finishing a third draft, which this essentially was, is never quite the same sense of jubilation that finishing a first draft is, but the sense of accomplishment, while not as enthusiastic, comes with a greater sense of satisfaction. The finished product feels more developed, more complete. 

It's not the last time I will be revising this story. It is off to my wonderful and insightful agent who will surely have more creative feedback. Then, if it's lucky enough to be picked up by someone, there will be more to do. It's hard to say for sure, but one thing I do know is that with each step the story comes nearer and nearer to the images that play out in my head.