Confession Time

Alright folks, clearly I owe my wonderful readers an apology. My best intentions aside, the commitment to writing a post a day on this blog was as naive as I feared it might be. Now that spring is here and other projects have taken over my life, I am just totally falling down on the job. I'm going on vacation this coming week, and when I return hopefully I'll have a new idea of how to keep this ball rolling in a more realistic way. Until then, if you haven't heard Neko Case's latest album, I'd highly suggest it. I'm a sucker for her voice, and I'll admit that it took me a couple of listens to get into it, but now I'm sold on this album.

Happy spring!

Brazilian Girls - eponymous

I love this album. It's excellent background music when you want to feel chill, maybe dance a little, but just a little, kind of just swaying back and forth, mostly just enjoy hanging out. When I put this album on, I feel like there are instantly a bunch of very cool people in my apartment, being mellow and having a lot of fun doing not a whole lot. Kind of keeps me company. Really good on a cold night like tonight when I just want to stay in, but feel like I'm still having a good Friday night.

I don't know much about the Brazilian Girls. I bought this album a few years ago after I heard one of the singles on the radio, and it's been on top of the cd pile in my house since then. It's a good one to have on standby when you can't think of anything else you want to listen to. You don't have to fast forward any tracks, 'cause they're all good. There's a consistent atmosphere of lots of layers, including a droning keyboard, that all work together, but allow for a nice amount of variation too. The lead singer seems to be comfortable in French, English, and Spanish, which is fun. She's got a nice, sultry voice, but never gets too corny, keeps it light.

If you have kids, I need to warn you that not all of their lyrics are PG - they might invite some conversations that you aren't ready for, or you might find your toddler has memorized lyrics you really don't want him to sing in public. But as long as you keep it to yourself, this is a great album to have around. Let me know if you want it!

A Tribe Called Quest - "People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm"

It's Fall 1991, and I'm a freshman in college. I'm in the other freshman dorm, Barrows. Dozens of us are packed into someone's small, cinderblock dorm room. The lights are off and people are dancing - we're all a bit giddy but trying to play it cool. And then someone puts on this song.....at first it sounds familiar - isn't that a Lou Reed track? But then clearly it's not. It's so good, I have no idea what it is, but everyone else seems to - there are lots of hands in the air, lots of "Oh, shit!" in that particular way that acknowledges an understood coolness.

I feel like we listened to "Can I Kick It?" and "Bonita Applebum" on repeat that night, but that might just be my nostalgia getting carried away. All I know for sure is that hearing those two tracks for the first time that night was the beginning of a big shift for me. At that point, I was still way more into jumping into mosh pits and flailing around than actually dancing to any hip hop or r&b. And I'd never even heard of house music. (That would change, but that's for another post.)

Even after that dorm party, it took me a little while to fully catch the bug and fall for hip hop. By the time I was converted, A Tribe Called Quest had come out with their second album, "The Low End Theory," which I memorized like it was scripture. Then came "Midnight Marauders," which was also amazing. So it was only after playing those albums 'til they started to wear out that I went back to "People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm" to see what else had been on that first album other than those two incredible singles.

It's too bad that this album has such a long title - that's really the only fault I can find with it. Other than that, it is just fantastic - it's fun, it's creative, it's surprising, it's political, and it's silly. Yes, silly. A track called "Ham n Eggs"?! Another called "Pubic Enemy"? Oh, the promise that this album showed when it ushered in the golden age of hip hop (that would be 1990 - 1995, if you didn't know :). It's good to go back to these roots and reflect on all that has come since then. And it's so much fun. You have to have this album in your collection if you love hip hop, as long as you don't need to take it all too seriously. If you don't have it, let me know - once I safely copy and back up the whole thing for posterity, it'll be on it's way to you.

Spoon - "Ga Ga Ga Ga"

My last post got me in a rock sort of mood, so I decided to pick up this Spoon cd and bring it with me in the car this weekend. This band got a lot of hype last year, and so I bought the album. It's a'ight. But really, I don't think it's anything to write home about. I wanted to like it more than I do. I imagine that if I had some nostalgic connection to any of these songs, that would make me more attached to them. Or even if I was from Austin, TX and had watched them try to make it for so long and was proud of them for finally hitting it sorta big.

But neither of those things are true for me, so my verdict is that this is just a totally okay rock album. I can't really say that they hit me in any particular way, or that they have defined a sound that is very distinct. The only song that I really get into is "The Underdog," which I think is trying to be kind of political. Maybe it's their anthem against George W. Bush? But maybe I'm reading into it to justify liking it. It's kind of an indie rock take on Billy Joel. There's lots of clapping and stuff, and it's very reminiscent of "Only the Good Die Young." Why that makes me like it, I don't know. It's just a fun song, and makes me want to get up and dance. Which none of their other tunes do.

So there you have it. If you're trying to build your rock collection, or you have some sort of nostalgic or emotional affinity for Spoon, I would be so happy to send you this album. For now, I'm going to copy "The Underdog" and leave it at that.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Show Your Bones"

Alright, alright, I'm back. For real. The Lo Fi Life Project is officially back ON. We have a new President, the Inauguration was an unbelievable experience, and life is moving on. In many confusing ways, but moving on. I've been struggling to regain momentum for the Lo Fi Life Project, and never thought that a day of being grumpy would do the trick. But here I am.

I've been grumpy most of the day because I stayed up too late watching the Duke v. UNC game last night. Totally worth it, excellent game, and the right team one. But I'm paying for it. So this evening when I had to motivate to cook, I grabbed this Yeah Yeah Yeahs cd and literally threw it on. Oh man, chopping vegetables to this album was really perfect for my bad mood. It worked like a charm.

The Yeah Yeah Yeahs rock. Literally. This is straight up rock, a full court press from start to finish, the intensity never lets up. It's also complex enough to keep things interesting. There are lots of inferences and straight up borrowings throughout, but they're pared down and spliced together in ways that just work. When I first heard the track "Phenomena," I couldn't quite remember where I knew the mantra "something like a phenomenon baby, something like a phenomenon" from, so I texted my sister, and she wrote back immediately: "De La Soul, duh." They throw all kinds of licks in there. And it works.

I've got a short list of bands I wish I'd already seen live, and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs are up near the top. I've heard that Karen O, the singer and frontwoman of the band, goes nuts on stage. It's not hard to imagine. The hard driving beats and catchy licks that switch up all over the place, and together come out strong and sexy, would lend themselves to a crazy show.

I'll admit that I have some bias toward this band, given that Karen O and drummer Brian Chase met at Oberlin in the late '90s. But that's not clouding my judgment here. At least I don't think so - tell me if you beg to differ. I'm amazed that they've only put out two full albums so far (the next one is supposed to come out this April), because I think they've already established their sound and presence so well. I'm keepin this whole album for sure, and I have a feeling it'll stand the test of time. It's definitely good for screaming along to while chopping onions in a grumpy mood. Let me know if you need a soundtrack for that kind of a day.

Marvin Gaye - "What's Going On"

Today is the official 50th anniversary of Motown. Like so many (I might argue most) people, the music of Motown has had a profound influence on my life. The Temptations, The Four Tops, Stevie Wonder - I'm forever grateful that as a white kid growing up in the south in the '70s, these guys were held up by my dad as people to look up to and emulate. My favorite song when I was a toddler was "Get Ready" by The Temptations. Of course I had no idea what it meant, but I LOVED it, and would do the little Temptations dance that my dad taught me for hours.

Over the years, though I'm sometimes slower on the uptake than others, I've loved diving further into the many layers of Motown. Early on, I was hooked by the rhythms and the joyful melodies. As a teenager, I started catching on to the more contemplative, political side of Motown. Songs that used to just be fun to dance to or sing along to suddenly had deeper meaning. Stevie spoke to me just as much as my political consciousness developed as he had when I was learning to dance.

If there is one album that, above others, stands for Motown's political side, it is, of course, Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On." From start to finish, Marvin takes on the issues of the days in what really is one continuous meditation/anthem. Apparently, Berry Gordy argued vociferously with Marvin Gaye, asking him not to do this album. Gordy thought it would ruin Gaye's career. Up until this album, Marvin Gaye was known for his beautiful love songs and duets. But Marvin was adamant. He had taken a break from music for a couple of years after Tami Terrell, his collaborator and dear friend, died of a brain tumor, and this was the only album he was interested in making.

Thank goodness Marvin Gaye prevailed. This album is as relevant today as it was when it was released in 1971. It's sobering to realize that all of the issues that Marvin so beautifully and painfully illustrates are just as critical today as they were over thirty five years ago. War, the economy, ecology. I'm sure if he were alive today, the world we've created in the last couple of decades would still make him cry "mercy, mercy me."

This week, I'm getting ready to go to the inauguration of Barack Obama. Celebrating Motown's anniversary, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Obama's inauguration all in the same week is certainly significant. Amazing, really. But as centrist politician after centrist politician are named to the Obama administration, I find myself singing along with Marvin Gaye. We've certainly achieved some change, and we've got to celebrate, but we still need a lot of change. Real change. And we've got to continue to stand for that.

So this album is definitely going to be part of the soundtrack of my Obama inauguration experience. Once again, Motown, such a big part of the soundtrack of my life, and the soundtrack of life for so many of us. If you've lost your copy of this album and need Marvin to remind you what's going on, gimme a holler.

Paul Simon - "The Rhythm of the Saints"

I woke up this morning still wiped out from this cold that is lingering. (That's my excuse for neglecting my blog duties yesterday.) I wanted to put on some music that was pleasant and would help me wake up, but wouldn't upset my delicate system very much. "The Rhythm of the Saints" was somehow on top of a pile of cds, though I haven't listened to it in a long time. It was the perfect soundtrack to my sleepy morning.

I have a feeling that Paul Simon is one of those musicians you either like or you don't. I doubt there are many people out there who like one of his albums but not the others. I happen to like most of his stuff, and so I like this album. But I don't think it's worth my time trying to convince anyone who's not a Paul Simon fan to listen to this one.

If you do like Paul Simon, and you haven't heard "The Rhythm of the Saints," or haven't listened to it in a while, I'd recommend it. I'm no expert on his career, but it seems like he spent some time in South Africa, and then put out "Graceland," and then he spent some time in Brazil, and consequently put this album out. "Rhythm" isn't the classic that "Graceland" is, but it's really good. Typical Paul Simon melodies and lyrics, but with some Brazilian percussion to back them up. There are moments when it's obvious that it was recorded in 1989 - the bass slapping at the beginning of "She Moves On" is a dead give away. But overall, it's a really solid album of easy to listen to melodies, thoughtful lyrics and fun rhythms.

Lush - "Gala"

Yesterday my friend Darryl from back in Div School days posted the video for "Sweetness and Light" on his facebook page, which made me really happy! It was the final push I needed to end my international travel/jetlag/holiday/cold - induced hiatus. So the Lo Fi Life Project is officially back on. Happy new year everyone! I hope you all had wonderful holidays. I had a fantastic trip to South Africa and Botswana. If you want to see some pictures, just let me know.

So on to the topic at hand. "Gala" came out in 1988. That's twenty years ago. This makes me realize that I am not so young anymore! But the fact that the lovely music of this album, and "Sweetness and Light" in particular, has never been far from my heart, cements "Gala" as a classic in my world. I think it's stood the test of time very well.

What I've always loved about Lush is the swirling, ethereal, enveloping wall of sound their guitars create. It's just so beautiful. This music is all about atmosphere. I don't know if I heard the Cocteau Twins or Lush first, but they occupy similar places in my musical life. When I want to be surrounded by gorgeous, contemplative sound, I look to these bands. The big differences are that Lush incorporates much more straight ahead rock rhythms than you'll hear on any Cocteau Twins albums, and their lyrics are all in English. So whereas I listened to the Cocteau Twins constantly while lying on the floor of my bedroom in the dark when I had mono, Lush is better for a solo road trip on a sunny afternoon.

Seeing Lush in the video Darryl posted endeared me to them all the more. I had never seen the video, and sadly never saw them live, so I had no idea that they were so dorky. I kind of figured they'd be all dressed in black, kind of too cool for school, but in fact one of them is wearing this cotton shirt with a floral pattern at the top. Made me wonder if my extremely bad fashion of twenty years ago wasn't so unique....

Figuring I had a few other things to learn, I read their wikipedia page last night. Turns out that one of the Cocteau Twins produced "Gala," which isn't surprising, and that Lush initiated a genre of music that came to be called "shoegazing." I think that genre has already come and gone, and I had no idea, but there you go. Apparently, "Gala" was actually a compilation of the band's first three EPs, which explains the fact that a number of the songs appear more than once on the album. It's a little embarrassing but no surprise that in my college haze when I first fell in love with "Gala," I failed to notice that. But honestly, it really doesn't matter. The music is so hypnotic that it works.

There's a certain amount of nostalgia in my love for Lush, for sure. Last night while listening to "Gala" and playing Take Two (a great game by the way), a visceral memory of those ratty couches in the WOBC office came flooding back. I could feel the scratchy fabric on my leg. But this album really is as enjoyable to listen to in the home I own today as it was back in my college days. If you don't own "Gala," and want to give it a go, let me know. And again, happy new year to all!

On Hiatus

Well, folks, the Lo Fi Life Project is going to have to take a break for a few weeks. I'm heading off to South Africa today to visit Emily and Raphael. Woo hoo! For all y'all who have signed up to get the originals cds from the Lo Fi posts so far, they're all set to go, and Sarah is going to put them in the mail to you to tomorrow. (Thanks Sarah!)

We'll resume our broadcast at the end of December, so be sure to tune back in. Happy holidays everyone!

Ben Harper and the Blind Boys of Alabama - "There Will Be Light"

I've never been a big Ben Harper fan, though that's not his fault. I've just got bad associations with him - someone whom I had a hard time with years ago was obsessed with him. One of those kinds of things. So silly, but it runs deep. But when Ben Harper put this album out with the Blind Boys of Alabama in 2004, I figured that I could probably handle it. I'm really glad I got over myself at least a little bit, because this is a great album.

I spent this afternoon making and wrapping some holiday gifts, and was looking for some feelgood tunes to get me in the mood. Straight up Christmas music doesn't always (or usually) do it for me, but digging around a bit, I came upon this cd. Totally perfect. I hadn't listened to it in years. The old school gospel sound and positive vibrations were a really sweet accompaniment for my projects.

When I purchased this album I listened to it a lot for a while, but I don't think I ever read any of the sleeve. As I worked away this afternoon, I assumed that what I was listening to was a set of traditional gospel tunes. I even imagined that the Blind Boys might have let Ben pick his favorite old school gospel songs for the album. Well, it's good to read those liner notes! Turns out that Ben Harper wrote all but two of the tracks. Well, alright. I'm not an expert, but I have done some time in a gospel choir, so I'm not a novice. I'm impressed.

I took one more listen to the album after I'd been enlightened, and I could hear a bit more of the modern influence. The second song, "Wicked Man" sounds a little bit Black Crow-ish. But overall, I'm still blown away that he wrote almost all of these tunes. Certainly helps to have the Blind Boys of Alabama to make them sound legit. Together, they've put out a foot-stompin album that's just downright great.

Maybe someday I'll be able to take Ben Harper off my do not play list. Until then, I'm glad I at least got over myself and got "There Will Be a Light." If you need a little light in these darkest days of the year, lemme know, I'll send this right over.

Billie Holiday - Greatest Hits

Yesterday I was sick, just totally run down. I couldn't muster up the energy to write a review. But I did manage to find an album to listen to that worked really well for my day, helped me feel better. It's pretty hard to go wrong with Billie Holiday's Greatest Hits. Though the songs range from the giddy "Cheek to Cheek" to the heart-wrenching "Strange Fruit," they're just all so beautiful and expressive. Or rather, she is.

It feels a little silly to write a review of a greatest hits album of an iconic artist. What's to say? I'm nowhere near an expert on Billie Holiday, and wouldn't pretend to be able to tell you if this is the definitive collection. In fact, I'm pretty sure it's not! I purchased this cd from the Co-op Bookstore (R.I.P.) in Oberlin when I was teaching myself about jazz. I asked Tim, one of the guys who worked there, what Billie Holiday album I should buy if I wanted to learn about her. Tim was no dummy, and though we were friendly, I'm sure he could spot a sucker. So I doubt that this 18 track compilation on Bella Musica is what jazz experts would point to as the best collection of her work. But it works from start to finish for me, and just reminds me that I should pick up that endeavor I started fifteen or so years ago, and build my Billie Holiday collection beyond this introduction. If you need to start yours, I'll send this one your way.

Totally Hits 2

Ahem. This is going to be a short one. If you were listening to pop music in 1999, you'll know these songs. I must have bought this cd for a party we threw at Green Street, which makes me feel less unclean for owning it, cause I know we had a good time. I can guess which track I was after, but I'm not tellin. I will, however, indicate which songs I'm burning into my own collection tonight. And if 1999 was a fabulous year for you, and you have really fond memories of these songs, or if there's just one of them that you'd be psyched to hear again, claim this cd. It's yours.

Here are the fine tracks of "Totally Hits 2."

Santana (featuring The Product G&B) "Maria Maria" - nope
Christina Aguilera "Genie In a Bottle" - definitely
Third Eye Blind "Never Let You Go" - nah
Sugar Ray "Falls Apart" - no way
Lonestar "Amazed" - um, no
Lou Bega "Mambo No. 5" - ack
Madonna "Beautiful Stranger" - sorry, no
Whitney Houston "My Love Is Your Love" - have to, it's an anthem (I didn't say it was good.)
Filter "Take A Picture" - cute, but no
TLC "Dear Lie" - oh how far they fall
Missy Elliott "Hot Boyz" - love it.
Moby "Natural Blues" - sure, though not quite sure why
LFO "Girl On TV" - this got recorded?!
N Sync "I Drive Myself Crazy" - thank god JT found Timbaland and Pherrell
Donell Jones "U Know What's Up" - yeah, so smooth, i'm into it
Monica "Right Here Waiting" - a Richard Marx cover???? that's low
REM "The Great Beyond" - no need
Sarah McLachlan "I Will Remember You" - nausea

Violent Femmes - eponymous

This morning I woke up with "Good Feeling" in my head. I don't really think of the Violent Femmes as music I necessarily want to start my day with, but it was kind of nice to sing those lyrics as I puttered around making breakfast. Since this album was pretty close to the front of my next drawer of cds, I decided it was meant to be. I grabbed the cd and headed for the grocery store. By the time I pulled into the parking lot, I was banging my hands on the steering wheel and singing/screaming along. Really satisfying.

This album is a total classic. I can't imagine too many arguments to the contrary. I'd love to be able to figure out the number of people who know all the words to these songs. I think it would be on the high end of that sort of statistic, especially among 30 - 45 years olds who went to high school in the U.S. I would also guess that most of us have some pretty vivid memories attached to these songs. On this album, the Violent Femmes achieved their own unique (and pretty-near-perfect) expression of teenage longing, anxiety and frustration. Those are emotions that burn images deep into your psyche. For some reason I always visualize my 9th grade World History room when I listen to this album. I also remember sitting on some random drunk guy's shoulders at the Lake Fairfax Festival while we all yelled the lyrics right back at the Violent Femmes. I was sixteen, terrified and excited, and I thought I might have even achieved being pretty cool for that moment.

I hadn't thought too much about who the Violent Femmes actually were before today. Turns out they are still going. This album was released in 1982. For the next twenty years they put out a ton of material, and they're still touring. I do remember them being amazing live. I loved that all three of them stood in a row at the front of the stage. I especially loved that the drummer was standing while he banged on a snare drum and a cymbal. What I didn't know then was that these guys came from Milwaukee. Who comes from Milwaukee??? I think that's cool. Apparently they got discovered by The Pretenders, who heard them playing on the streets.

In terms of the other albums by the Violent Femmes, I've never listened to them, and I don't feel the need. (Though if I should, please let me know!) I feel totally satisfied with this one nearly perfect album. The new cd version adds two extra tracks onto the end, which I think was a bad move. I think that "Good Feelings" is the best closing song you could ask for. But if you ignore that, "Violent Femmes" the album is so good from beginning to end. Most people know the first two tracks, "Blister in the Sun" and "Kiss Off" best. They're definite crowd pleasers. Personally, I've come to love the last two tracks the most. "Gone Daddy Gone" features a marimba, and it rocks. That's impressive.

I don't know how I would describe the Violent Femmes' music to someone who hasn't heard it. (But if you haven't, definitely jump on the chance to get this cd.) The cd sleeve describes it as a combination of "rock, folk, rockabilly, and original lyricism." On their website, they describe themselves in many different ways, starting with "the originators of folk punk." I just like that they have a sound that I've never heard replicated - though they've certainly influenced many bands - and that they made this one classic album that will always be really really fun to sing/scream along to, tapping into that teenage frustration with life.

Joshua Redman - "Moodswing"

Happy December! I took a few days off for Thanksgiving, but I'm back. And this is a fantastic cd to get me started again, 'cause it's just led me through the kind of experience this project is all about. I hadn't listened to Joshua Redman in years, but when I pulled this album out of the drawer, I remembered really liking it once upon a time. Well, that's because it's beautiful.

I first heard Joshua Redman at Oberlin (Is it starting to seem that all roads lead back to Oberlin in my music life? Hmmm....) when I was visiting my sister, must have been 1996. Finney Chapel - which is a really large church - was absolutely packed, and I'd never experienced a crowd so totally enthralled with a jazz trio. Everyone was on their feet, and it was hot! A few days later, the tour came through Boston and I saw the trio play at the Regatta Bar to a super stiff crowd of New Englanders, which wasn't exactly the same. Just a lot of polite clapping and knowing nods. Oofta. But the band was still amazing.

Somehow, in the ensuing years, I only managed to purchase one Joshua Redman cd. I followed the careers of Brian Blade, the drummer in that trio in '96, and Christian McBride, the bassist. I even bought a few of Christian McBride's albums, which I like a lot. But "Moodswing" is the only Joshua Redman album I've bought. Truth be told, I haven't been listening to a ton of jazz recently. I'm such a dunce that today after listening to "Moodswing," I thought, "Wow, I wonder if Joshua Redman ever put out any other records? I know he went to Harvard and almost went to law school, so maybe he just left the jazz world...." Um, not so much. Turns out while I've been spaced out, Joshua Redman's been turning out tons of critically acclaimed albums. Check out his website, you'll see.

It's definitely time for me to get some more Joshua Redman. I'll do that soon. In the mean time, I'm happy to be listening to this album again. "Moodswing" is a great name for it. He swings between slower, more sultry and melancholy tracks that reference vocal melodies, to more straight ahead tracks with unbelievable solos. That's the stuff that really works for me. There's a definite Cannonball Adderley influence, and that gets me every time.

So, yeah, I woke up today to the reality that Joshua Redman is probably one of the great jazz musicians out there right now, and I wasn't even paying attention! I'm awake now. Let me know if you need a great jazz cd to add to your collection.

Josh Ritter - "The Animal Years"

When my sister was finishing up at Oberlin, in early 2000, we were chatting on the phone one day and she admitted something to me. There was a guy at Oberlin who sang and played the guitar, and she actually liked his music. Emily and I share the same apprehension when it comes to singer songwriters, and I think it's safe to say that she has even less tolerance than I do. (I admitted in an earlier post that I've never been a huge fan of female singer songwriters, but in truth, I don't have much stomach for male singer songwriters either.) So, for Em to be psyched about this guy, he had to be pretty cool.

Indeed, Josh Ritter is downright exceptional. By the time I got around to acquiring any of his albums, I was able to get both his self-titled debut (which I'm pretty sure he put out while still a student at Oberlin) and his follow up "Golden Age of Radio" that came out in 2002. I loved them both. I listened to them pretty consistently for a long time. And happily I found that, though definitely influenced by folk traditions, Josh Ritter is definitely not just a folk singer, and definitely not a guy with a guitar feeling sorry for himself. He's a really talented, fun, creative musician. His compositions go way beyond vocals and guitar to achieve big, full sounds. In fact, when I checked his website tonight, I found that he's about to do two (sold out) shows in Dublin with a 24 piece orchestra.

Over the last bunch of years, Josh Ritter has definitely garnered a lot of media attention. I've heard him interviewed multiple times on NPR. I'm sure producers and hosts love him, 'cause he's a smart, witty, affable guy who comes across super humble. When he started getting a lot of press, people were throwing labels at him like "the next Bob Dylan." That's pretty serious. I don't know why people do that, but it's definitely indicative of how impressed the critics have been, so that's got to be nice. From a very outside perspective, it seems that he's been able to stay grounded and just keep evolving as a musician.

Josh Ritter has released three albums since I picked up those first two. I dutifully bought "Hello Starling" in 2003, and "The Animal Years" in 2006. However, I had gotten to the point where I felt like I loved the first two albums so much that if I needed a Josh Ritter fix, I'd just put one of those on. I never developed much of a relationship with the next two, and I have yet to purchase "The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter," which was released this year. So I was a little worried when I pulled "The Animal Years" out of the drawer today and faced the prospect of writing about it. When I put it on, it was good to be reminded that I do really like his music, even the albums I don't know that well.

"The Animal Years" offers a nice array of songs. One of the things I really appreciate about Josh Ritter is that he can pull off super upbeat anthems, and really quiet meditations. You definitely get the gamut on this album. I'd say that overall, this cd is on the more serious side of his work, but if I can get into it, it can't be too much of a downer. I love the way he weaves in Biblical and scientific references. I'm sure that if I really took the time to pay attention to these lyrics, I'd realize that there are some good thoughts being offered. I've heard that this is his most overtly political album.

Poking around on his website today, I loved what I read. In one interview, Josh Ritter explained that after "The Animal Years" came out, he felt like "there was a premium being placed on earnestness that can be pretty stifling." Oh, I love that! So he decided to try an entirely new way of composing his next album - he put down the guitar and plucked things out on the upright piano, an instrument he doesn't even really play. He chose muses that made him happy, like Calamity Jane. That makes me want to listen to "The Historical Conquests" for sure. I mean, I've heard the single on the radio, and liked that (he's versatile enough to get a single on the radio!) but now I want to hear the whole thing.

I have a feeling that when push comes to shove, "The Animal Years" won't end up being my favorite Josh Ritter album of all time. But it's a really solid album, and it's nice to know that I do actually like it, and am happy to have it in my collection. If you want to add it to yours, definitely let me know and it'll be on its way to you. Either way, keep an eye on Josh Ritter. I think he'll be around for a long time, and I trust that he'll always be putting out quality work.

Common Market - eponymous

If I had any doubt that my hip hop taste is not mainstream, it was erased this fall. In October, I spent a week in Columbus, O-hi-o working on the Obama campaign. A big part of my job involved driving a 15 passenger van back and forth from the Ohio State campus to the early voting station, full of college students. The radio and cds we listened to were all hip hop and r&b. Literally every time something came on that I thought was cool, it would immediately get boo'd and ejected by the kids in the van.

I imagine that Common Market would have met the same fate. There must be books and dissertations out there analyzying the journey of "conscious hip hop" over the last couple of decades. What is the story??? I mean, I know the basics of the story, but it still upsets me. I need to go read some of those books and get more of the nuances so I can talk more eloquently about the race and economic factors that have gotten us to this point. Thank god that folks like Common Market are still at it anyway.

I picked up this album randomly in 2006 when I was in Seattle for my sister's wedding. I definitely listened to it a bunch right then, but it's been a while. Giving it another listen on this grey, rainy morning has seriously lifted my spirits. Common Market reminds me of everything I love about hip hop. The samples are creative, generous and melodic, the lyrics serious and probing, and the beats get your head bobbin right away. It's been a long time since I've heard hip hop that is on par with standards set back in the early 90s by the zulu nation. Amazing that two guys from Seattle, brought together by their Baha'i faith, are carrying the torch.

One of many things that I love about this album is that it's an ALBUM. It flows, and works from beginning to end. Starts with a track, "Re-fresh," that gets you psyched right away - though it kind of cracks me up that it opens with the sounds of the NYC subway. Maybe a nod to the new york roots of their tradition by these northwest guys. Wraps up with a remix of the single "Every Last One" that I'm in love with, largely because there's some kind of go-go track running through it. A nod to D.C. that reminds me of trying to sneak into Chuck Brown shows when I was in high school. Nice.

Common Market has just achieved unique status in my music life - this is the first cd I've listened to for this project that has made me want to buy another cd. I know that's not really the point (it's kind of like the yard sale we had years ago in Somerville at the same time as our neighbors across the street, and ended up just swapping all our stuff). Luckily, I can download Common Market's new album, "Tobacco Road," and bypass the cd format. Too bad for you.

I'm not only burning this one into my collection, I have a feeling I'm going to be listening to it a lot. Until I buy their new album. By the way, I can't seem to find this eponymous cd listed anywhere on their website, so it may be out of print. Just another plug for someone to speak up and get this one in your mailbox sometime soon.

The Sea and Cake - "Everybody"

I love The Sea and Cake. They're definitely one of my all time favorites, but in a very particular way. I never get super excited about them, can't remember the names of any of their songs, and can't sing along to them (though I can whistle along). And still I love them. My friend Meryl once said that when she doesn't know what else to put on, she always turns to The Sea and Cake. Exactly. They're almost always a really nice soundtrack to my life. They never offend my ears. I don't know what their lyrics mean, they seem almost like random phrases strung together, and whenever I choose to pay attention the phrase of that moment resonates just fine. I don't even know how to describe what genre their music would fall under - pop? indie rock? electronica? ambient? It's a mish mash, but it all works together.

Lucky for me, they're very prolific. All of these guys have other projects going on, yet over the last fifteen years, they've put out eight albums as The Sea and Cake. The album that really got me, when I started paying more attention, is "The Fawn," which came out in 1996. It's definitely on my top ten list. Once I was hooked on that, I made sure I had their previous albums, and have bought each one they've put out since. "Everybody" came out in 2007. I like it as much as I like any of their other albums. I don't often reach for it first, in part because I'm not a huge fan of the first track, so that kind of throws me off. It's more heavily rock influenced than a lot of their work tends to be, as is the third track. But when I let it play beyond those first few songs, I remember that I really like most of the album. There are a couple of singles that stand out - "Coconut" got a lot of airplay on WERS here in Boston, and "Exact to Me" also gets in your head. In a good way. Really, the whole album is good. Which pieces you'll love the most just depend on your personal preferences - and this band gives you a ton of options.

So, in a nutshell, if you don't own any Sea and Cake, you should. They're really impressive musicians, and their music is unlike any other group. At least that I know of. If you don't have "Everybody," I'd be happy to pass it on to you.

Liz Phair - "whitechocolatespaceegg"

People tend to have strong feelings about Liz Phair. When I worked at WOBC in college, we hated her. All of us. We had a picture of her in the station office, and we would throw things at it. Not sure that we had actual darts, but whatever we could find we would throw. I was never totally sure why we hated her, other than that she was interviewed in Rolling Stone and said that Oberlin was totally lame. (I love that all those radical kids were so offended by someone dissing their school.) I was so good at going along with things like that that I honestly never listened to her until I graduated.

It was amazing to finally put on "Exile in Guyville" and realize that it was pretty damn great. I've never been very attracted to female singer songwriters in general. That's sometimes made me feel like a traitor to my gender, but I've just never had much patience, or been moved by, a lot of the sappy, breathy stuff that has gotten produced in that genre over the past couple of decades. I'm sure there are all kinds of sexism involved in what actually ends up getting produced and recorded by women, and the end result is that a lot of it just doesn't appeal to me. That's one of the reasons I was so psyched when I finally listened to Liz Phair, cause there's none of that going on - the sappy, breathy stuff, that is.

When I sat down to write this review of "whitechocolatespaceegg," I kept thinking, "I just like this." I've been thinking about why that is, and realizing that Liz Phair on her first three (widely distributed) albums represents some core aspects of my demographic almost perfectly. She nails the confidence, frustration, confusion, and bravado of white, overly liberally educated single women in the 90s. I love this trio of albums in descending order. "Exile" is amazing, "Whipsmart" is great, and "whitechocolatespaceegg" is real good. Nothing I've heard from or about her since then has made me want to re-engage, and that's okay with me. She captured that 90s era vibe, and somehow she hasn't translated into the 21st century. I'm sure there are all kinds of reasons for that, both personal and political.

The drama of Liz Phair's career has been written about a lot, if you're interested. You can even start with wikipedia. I know I should probably be more focused on all of that, but what's more important to me is that when I played "whitechocolatespaceegg" today, I realized that I still know all the words, even though I haven't listened to it in years. (Sara, I just remembered that the memorization of all these lyrics on "whitechocolatespaceegg" started that really hot summer night when you and I got stuck on the crossbronx for hours and hours!) It's been fun to get these songs stuck in my head again today, and to reconnect with my circa 1998 self. And yes, to struggle a little bit again with what her career has meant in my life and in pop music. I'm happily burning the whole album into my collection. If you want to sing along too, just let me know, I'll mail it off to ya.

Lisa Stansfield - "Biography"

Wooooow. I don't even know what to say about this collection of "greatest hits." Lisa Stansfield has a strong voice, though there's nothing interesting about it other than she's got a pretty decent range. She recorded a lot of songs in the late 80s/early 90s in basically the new soul/smooth jazz vein. Most of the tracks have really prominent bass lines, much like other British soul acts from this era - M People, that sort of group. Honestly, what I picture when I listen to this album is someone getting ready to go out for the night, drinking a glass of red wine, dancing in front of the mirror on a white shag carpet, and singing along to these tracks really loudly. If you need some of that in your life, I can't tell you how happy I would be to send you this cd. For the most part, I'm mortified that it is in my collection.

I will admit that I am burning one track, because it's the reason that I spent money on this album. Here's the story: when I was in high school, my entire family went on a tour of New England colleges together. My poor sister was in 6th grade, and got dragged along. The trip was basically a bust - I only ended up applying to one of the schools we saw. And the strongest memory that any of us seem to have of that week (other than my sister learning to ask tour guides if their schools guaranteed housing all four years) was spending hours upon hours in the car singing, "Been around the world and I I I, I can't find my baby....." Yes, Lisa Stansfield. We happened to take this college tour during the one week in history when she was at the top of the charts. God help us.

Arcade Fire - "Neon Bible"

Oh, the Canadian invasion. What is it that makes them all so damn cool and lovable? I'm too tired tonight to pretend to have an articulate answer, but it is an oddly particular vibe, at least among these early 21st century Canadian superbands. They're intense and earnest, and yet so hip. A few months ago I got dragged to the Middle East to see some bands I'd never heard, and (before falling asleep during the last band - I'm really good at that) I remember turning to my friend after the first band started and saying "They're definitely Canadian." What exactly did I mean? I dunno, but I was right.

I first heard Arcade Fire when my sister put "Rebellion (Lies)" from "Funeral" on a mix for me. I loved it instantly. And when I finally got my hands on the full album, I fell for it just as hard. So I was super excited when "Neon Bible" was released a couple of years later. Sarah and I bought it just before we left on vacation that summer, and were very happy with ourselves that we could accompany our road trip to Prince Edward Island with a new album from our favorite Canadians. But the copy we got didn't agree with our car's stereo for reasons we still don't really understand, so we never listened to it, settling instead for hours upon hours of listening to the Harry Potter books. (Which was actually really wonderful, that guy that reads them is amazing.)

So, today when I moved to the third drawer of my collection and pulled out "Neon Bible," I didn't know quite how to feel. I never really developed a relationship with this album. When we got back from PEI, I sort of forgot to listen to it. Well, today was the day! Really taking in this album is no joke. It makes so much sense to me that it was recorded at "the church" in Quebec. Half the time when I'm listening to these guys, and this album in particular, I picture that intense preacher kid in "There Will Be Blood." (The same actor who was so awesome in "Little Miss Sunshine.") Moving from "Funeral" to "Neon Bible," is like the pastor preaching a strong but still easy to swallow sermon one Sunday, and then coming back the next week to really let it rip, like "actually I wasn't joking about that."

Arcade Fire are full of drama. The kind of drama that back in the 80s was too much for me to deal with. I never got into a Smiths or Cure or Depeche Mode phase. But these folks go at it with a level of confidence and joy that makes it work for me. Plus they're just really damn good musicians, and know how to put an anthem together. In fact, for the first time today I recognized a serious dose of The Boss coming through - on "AntiChrist Television Blues" in particular - not a bad choice for anthemic inspiration. I could almost feel them channeling "Born to Run."

My biggest critique of "Neon Bible," and the reason that I'd pick "Funeral" over it any day, is that this album is full throttle from beginning to end, with much less breathing room or variation than I find in the flow of the tracks on "Funeral." In moments it's also a little more creepy than the vibe on "Funeral," which isn't really my thing. But hey, seems like the preacher wants to be serious this time. And the singles, "Keep the Car Running," "No Car Go," and "Intervention" are all super solid and catchy. Just maybe a bit more fun on their own.

I may not often listen to this entire album from beginning to end in the future, but I'm glad I finally did today. I've definitely burned it into my collection, and I'd be happy to pass it on to yours. Hopefully it'll work in your car.