Jesse Malin- Outsider?

One of the great things about working merch for bands is the people that you meet. I have had the privilege of working with the best rock band on the planet-Marah- the past year or so. I have been able to travel around the east coast with them. This has let me meet many more people outside of Baltimore as well as see some great venues and hear some amazing bands. Marah opened for Jesse Malin at the legendary The Stone Pony in Asbury Park N.J. this summer. Not only did I get a chance to see this historic venue that Bruce Springsteen came out of, but I finally got to see and hear Jesse Malin. What a treat.

Jesse was born in Queens, N.Y. and fronted his first band Heart Attack at the age of 12. In 1991 he formed DGeneration which was a cross between glam rock and punk music. They put out three albums before disbanding in 1999. Even though he was known as a punk rocker, he wrote poetic lyrics and was looking for a new direction to take with his music. He teamed up with Ryan Adams, who had been a huge fan of D Generation, and produced Jesse’s first album The Fine Art of Self Destruction which was released in 2003. He has recorded six other albums since then. He has toured internationally many times and is a big draw in England. He has a following from artists as diverse as Bruce Springsteen, Steve Earle, and Green Day.

The uniqueness of Jesse's work is his ability to combine his poetic lyrics with his pure rock and roll attitude. He has things to say. His newest album released this year is New York Before the War. The album focuses on how gentrification has changed the city. Corporations are building huge skyscrapers and to do this are buying up cheaper land and putting people out of their homes. He talks about how NYC has changed since his early days of punk rock and the change isn’t always good. Enjoy “Addicted” from his new album:

“Now they are closing down the bookstore and putting up a condo”. As you can see Jesse has something to say not only about the city he loves, but many American cities. He is a part owner in the Bowery Electric club in NYC. Jesse is trying to keep the spirit of independent music alive with his club. I have been there with Marah. I can vouch for Jesse’s live shows. A lot of energy from a very talented band. Jesse is a very down to earth person. He is kind, courteous and thoughtful. I got to help him when he came to Baltimore and he gave me an advance copy of his new album Outsiders due out in the Fall. Another killer album from this talented musician!!!!

Lord Huron- Strange Trails

“I get a what?” I asked. “A graphic comic” replied the cashier at a local record store. I had just gone in to purchase the new album from Lord Huron and found out that because I was one of the first people buying it, I also received the comic book. I felt this was a pretty interesting promotion for this band trying to make its mark in today’s indie music scene. I took the comic with me, but was most excited about the new record. I wasn’t disappointed through my many listens.

Lord Huron is a band out of Los Angeles that was originally a moniker for a solo effort by Ben Schneider. Ben grew up in Michigan and had fond memories of his dad playing music as they sat by Lake Huron. He went to college to study art and even spent some time in France. He came back to the States to pursue a visual arts career. He had always been interested in music, but it was more of a pastime or a way to earn a few extra dollars. In 2010 he put together and released his own EP titled Into the Sun. He did his own artwork for each EP. The music started to pick up some traction online and Ben put together a band so he could tour the music. Ben put out another EP and got signed to the iamsound label and released his first full length with a band, Lonesome Dreams in 2012. Ben added some more musicians that he had known from Michigan who completed the sound. They then released Strange Trails this past April.

I got on board Lord Huron’s ship with Lonesome Dreams. Its luscious rootsy style music led me through the path of an old western. Strange Trails continues the bands full and deep sound. It looks into the relationship of man’s loneliness and how it fits into our natural surroundings. It is a very ambitious sound that takes a number of listens to really grasp the depth of the lyrics and sound. It is worth the work. This single  "Fool For Love" is from Strange Trails. Enjoy:

Ben continues to mesh his visual and musical lives together. His visual artwork is on his albums covers as well as the insides. His comic book enhances the mysteries he explores in his music. I encourage you to pick up this new album and get lost in its vast landscape. 

Parquet Courts/Parkay Quarts-Stand Up/Stand Out

A few weeks ago I was in my favorite record store in the country, Twist and Shout (Denver), looking for some music I really wanted. I love this store because of its expansive selection of CD’s, vinyl, and even DVD’s. I was checking my list I had made of music I wanted to purchase. I knew I was going to have to make a difficult decision when it came to the band Parquet Courts. They had released not one, but two acclaimed albums in 2014 and I was going to have to decide on just one. I knew it was going to be a tough decision. Twist and Shout must have also have also known this, because in front of me I saw that they had packaged both albums together for a great price. What a relief that was and I am glad I did not have to make the tough decision on which one to buy.

Parquet Courts is an indie post punk psychedelic band out of Brooklyn. Their music is layered with screaming guitars reminding me of Television and Sonic Youth. The band is fronted by Andrew Savage and Austin Brown. They formed in 2010 and released their first music on a cassette tape in 2011. They released their first full length album in 2012 called Light Up Gold. My blog partner Larry picked a song from that album as one of his top songs of that year. Way to go Larry!! The album created a lot of buzz and was released to wider distribution on the What’s Your Rupture label out of NYC. They toured relentlessly behind it and because their live show is so good, it created a larger fan base. After the tour they went back and recorded and released Sunbathing Animal in 2014. They were not finished for 2014 because they surprisingly then dropped Content Nausea a few months later as Parkay Quarts. Very clever because it was basically Andrew and Austin who recorded most of it as a sort of side project that caught on. It is a bit more experimental than the straight forward rock of Sunbathing Animal.

It is a pretty impressive thing that a band can release two albums in one year that are both strong and different. They perform songs from both albums when they tour. These guys have a bright future ahead of them as they move forward. Please enjoy “Bodies Made Of” from Sunbathing Animal:

I am so glad that I did not have to make a decision on which album to purchase. They are both fantastic. There is a thread through both but each one is musically diverse and unique in its own way. So run to Twist and Shout and buy the package deal. If you can’t get to Denver then just go to your local independent record store and buy both.

UPDATE: I wanted to let you know of two albums that have come out  from bands we have written about before. The first is the Damnwells self titled album is out and it is fantastic.  It is the first album by the original members in many years. It is both lyrically and musically amazing. Courtney Barnett has just released a follow up to her acclaimed first album. It is titled Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit. It again shows her clever wordplay lyrically. Both are amazing albums and in my opinion both are must haves. Run to your local music store and purchase both. you won't regret it.

Jump on Board- Ark Life

Denver has had a burgeoning music scene the past few years. Bands like The Lumineers, Tennis, Elephant Revival, and Slim Cessna’s Auto Club have all broken through being just a regional band.  I have really fallen for a new band Ark Life. They call themselves “rock and roll with western soul”.  I think this is a great way to describe their music.

The band is led by the main songwriter and vocalist, Jesse Elliot.  His name might sound familiar in that he held the same position with the hard working band, These United States. That band is currently on hiatus after touring endlessly for a number of years. Jesse moved to Denver and quickly fell into the great music scene in this Mile High city.  He soon met the players who make up Ark Life (Lindsay Giles, Anna Morsett, Natalie Tate, and Ben Desoto). All of these players were in other bands or doing solo work when they met Jesse.They all knew when they played together they had something special. Jesse started writing songs especially for this band and they just released their first album, The Dream of You and Me, a few months ago.

Jesse wanted to make sure the band would be compatible, so he made a choice to do things a bit backwards from other bands. Ark Life went out on the road first to make sure they could be and work together in close quarters. Magic happened with the amazing songs and harmonies they put forth. They then decided to record the album and have been on the road touring it.

They have a very unique sound. With three female singers and Jesse, they have killer harmonies. Having three female voices gives their songs a very special sound. Trust me in that it is very beautiful and even better live. Here is "Proud of Me Out There Mama":

I had the pleasure of working their merch table when they came through Baltimore a while ago. They had been on the road for a while but they were so kind and to me and others. I loved their vibe not only musically, but as people. I look forward to getting back to Denver and hanging out with them again. In the meantime, you should listen to their rock and roll western soul, and see them for yourselves.

Say Yes To This War On Drugs

I am telling you to say yes to this War on Drugs. To most of us baby boomers, the war on drugs was a naïve and failed policy that encouraged people to “just say no” to drugs during the Reagan years. The War on Drugs I am encouraging you to check out is an amazing band out of Philadelphia. They have made a steady incline into the business the past few years and have just released a critically acclaimed new album.

The War on Drugs is fronted by Adam Granduciel.  Adam grew up in California before moving to Philadelphia in 2003. He, like many other artists, starting recording his own music on a tape machine from his bedroom. He had a thing for Dylan’s music and when he got to Philly he met Kurt Vile, who was also into Dylan. They hit it off and Adam joined Kurt’s band The Violators. Adam was still making his own music as War on Drugs. In 2005 together they released an EP as War on Drugs and did a tour together. The band was signed to the Secretly Canadian label and put out their first full length titled Wagonwheel Blues.

It received some good press and they toured America and Europe promoting it. Kurt left after this tour to promote his own solo career, so Adam became the sole front person. Because Adam tends to be a perfectionist the band went through some personnel changes. Adam then recorded Slave Ambient which was released in 2011. This is the album I was happily introduced to this band. They toured this album to more critical acclaim.

Adam's career was now to the point where he could do music full time. He then started the process of recording the next album. Because of his perfectionist tendencies he would record a song, re-record it a number of times, trash it and go back to the first recording of it. He was feeling a lot of pressure and during this time his life took a bit of a tailspin personally. His long term relationship ended, he was feeling insecure, depressed, and couldn't move forward. He gave up drugs, smoking and changed his diet which all made him feel better. Adam then made a decision to become more democratic and involve his current band to help him out in the studio putting together this new album. This was a great choice and they in March released Lost in a Dream. Pitchfork calls this album “psychedelia-smeared country rock”. I couldn't agree more. Please enjoy the new single "Red Eyes"

I think you have just heard some of his influences like Dylan, Petty, and Springsteen.I have never had the opportunity to see this band live but I have heard great things about their shows. If you liked this one, you should also check out "Under the Pressure" which is an 8:00 reverb drenched guitar anthem.  I hope this gives you reason to say "yes" to this War on Drugs.

Two Sides of LP

The artist LP is a testimony to perseverance in the music business. She has been signed to labels, dropped, resigned, dropped, and every time continued to move forward. She never gave up and just recently put out her first full length album (or I could joke LP) and it has been getting a ton of attention. LP may be short in stature, but not in determination. When you hear her powerful voice you wonder how it can come out of her body. Her voice soars and brings you into her lyrics immediately.

LP was born in NYC in the early 80’s. She likes to be a bit mysterious (hence using a moniker rather than her real name) and not giving a date of birth. Her dad was a lawyer and her mom was an opera singer who passed away while LP was still in high school. Music is how she coped with her mother’s passing. David Lowery from Cracker heard her and featured her on a 1998 Cracker song. Lowery produced her first full length album but if never caught on. In 2006 she performed at South by Southwest and a bidding war was started to sign her. She signed to Def Jam records but left the label before she put out an album due to artistic differences. She then signed with RedOne Records, but that also never materialized an album.

LP was however writing tons of songs and a few of these songs were picked up by major artists. These varied from Rihannah to Backstreet Boys  to Christine Aguilera to Joe Walsh. Millions of people were hearing her songs and not knowing who wrote them. LP had earned a great reputation as a songwriter in the industry and was sought out after for her hit songs. Because of the overwhelming demand for her songwriting ability, she moved to Los Angeles. In 2011 she started performing again with her traditional ukulele by her side and this time drew large crowds to see and hear her. LP signed with Warner Brothers who put out an EP in 2011 titled Into the Wild.  The title song got a lot of airplay and was featured on a national bank TV commercial. All of a sudden everyone wanted to know who was behind that voice. LP just released her first full length album on Warner Brothers Forever For Now. I am not going to play "Into the Wild" but rather chose  "Night Like This" for your listening pleasure:

I recently had the privilege of work an LP show when she recently came to Baltimore. I had not heard much about her, so I didn’t know what to expect. I can tell you that she was one of the most humble artists I have worked with. She appreciated everything I did for her at the merch table. What impressed me most was she signed merch after the show. The line was very long and she spent time with each person one on one. She asked their names, had a short conversation, took pictures, and made each one feel like a friend. She wasn’t doing it to sell merch, she was really interested in what each person had to say. Her honesty and kindness came through. I was very impressed with her positive attitude about life, especially since she has gone through a lot to get to where she is today.

UPDATE: The gorgeous harmonies of Sweden's First Aid Kit are back with a new release titled Stay Gold. I have written about them in the past and this album has some stronger writing but continue the mesmerizing sister harmonies. Do yourself a favor and check it out. 

They Are Something-Cloud Nothings

I know my faithful readers are going to worry about me writing about the band Cloud Nothings. They understand that I love bands with beautiful harmonies and melodies, but every now and then you just need to turn the volume up to eleven and rock out. If you need to do that, you should be doing it to this band from Cleveland.

The band is the brainchild of Dylan Baldi. Dylan went to Case Western Reserve University where he was studying audio recording. He tired of it and dropped out to work on recording his own music in his parent’s basement. He did all the instruments, vocals, and recording himself. He started putting his songs on his My Space site and started getting noticed quickly. A couple of up and coming bands heard his stuff and asked him to tour with them as an opener. He then put together a touring band and hit the road. He gained more notice and signed with Carpark Records in 2010. He went into the studio as a one man band and came out as a trio now known as Cloud Nothings. They released the self-titled record the same year.

I fell in love with them from their 2012 album Attack on Memory. This album features screeching feed backed fuzz guitars and the desperate vocals of Dylan wailing about the sad state of growing up young in America. When I heard this band for the first time I was brought in by his vocals of despair and alienation. It reminded me of the first time I heard Kurt Cobain with Nirvana. The power of the music and vocals makes you have to listen to what they have to say. Dylan is speaking for an alienated youth that needs to be heard. The song "Wasted Days" was one of my favorite songs of that year. Cloud Nothings just released last month their new album Here and Nowhere Else. It is a bit heavier but still has the reverb, fuzz, and echo that make them so good. Here is "I'm Not Part Of Me" which is the single off the new album:

This band puts on some of the best and most intense live shows you will ever see. They are trashing all over the stage because they are so into their music. Please see them when they come to your town. Even if you are not wowed by their sound, their too good live to not see them.

Riding the Wave-Courtney Barnett

If you haven’t heard of Courtney Barnett yet, you will soon. This Australian based singer-songwriter is ready to ride the wave out of her home country into our homes. She is mega-talented in a number of different ways. The first thing you notice are her lyrics which are deadpan, funny, and serious, sometimes in the same song. I love the way she puts together her words. Here is the opening of “Avant Gardener” (have to love the title): “I sleep in late, Another day, Oh what a wonder, Oh what a waste, It’s a Monday, It’s so mundane, what exciting things will happen today”.  Then she delivers her lyrics in an ironic style with amazing phrasing. She punctuates her music with a killer guitar that at times can be psychedelic and other times can be subtle.  

Courtney started her career as a solo act in Melbourne. She then played guitar in other people’s band before stepping out on her own to play her own music a couple of years ago. She became the front woman of her own band writing her own songs. In 2012 she started her own label Milk!Records and released an EP titled I Got a Friend Called Emily Harris. This garage pop EP got her a lot of acclaim in her native country. She quickly followed up with another EP titled How to Carve a Carrot Into a Rose. The lead single “Avant Gardner” drew international attention. The song is a true story based on an anaphylactic panic attack she had during a heatwave in Australia. The song has earned a heavy rotation in a number of Triple A radio stations across the country. There has been so much buzz about Courtney that she has packaged her two EP’s into The Double EP: A Sea of Split Peas. It will be released this April. Here is the song that will turn you into a Courtney Barnett fan. “Avant Gardner”:

Courtney recently came to the US for a short tour in February. She stopped by the WTMD radio station for an interview with the morning DJ (and my good friend and rock and roll comrade) Erik Deatherage for his Saturday morning show Sunny Side Up. Erik is one of the best interviewers I have had the privilege of listening to. His thoughtful questions always make the interviewee feel comfortable and relaxed. Courtney admitted to him that she is very shy (but not on stage). At a party she isn’t telling the story, she is the one listening. She said she takes the observer role and then tell stories through her lyrics and music her own way. If her double EP is an example of her stories, I can’t wait for more. Please check out her music and ride her wave as she is getting ready to put out a full length in the near future. Be the first one on your block to tell people about Courtney. 

Update: One of my all time favorite bands, and my favorite live band ever, Marah, has released a new album featuring song lyrics from a folklorist who lived in the mountains of Pennsylvania over 100 years ago. David Bielanko and Christine Smith of Marah brought together local players to provide music to the lyrics, including an 8 year old fiddle prodigy, to record this album old school style. It is recorded in Monophonic. So Marah! The album Mountain Ministrelsy is amazing. It steps back 100 years and yet keeps that Marah pure rock and roll flavor and attitude throughout.

Upcoming Women of Baltimore

I am so fortunate to live in such a vibrant city for music. I like to brag about our music scene to folks all over the country. We have many bands and artists who have signed to major or mid-major labels. Beach House, Wye Oak, Future Islands, Dan Deacon, J. RoddyWalston, and Lower Dens to name a few. We have lots of label reps and A and R people who come to Baltimore looking for new talent to sign. I have written about some of these bands named above in these pages. I have also done some previous posts about some upcoming Baltimore bands that you should know about in this blog. Today I am going to feature three women who are all amazing in their own style.

Sandy Robson goes by her stage name Letitia VanSant when she is performing. She does country flavored Americana with a voice that will melt you. She works with her talented band The Bonifides that produce sounds that warm the heart and heightens her lyrics. She has released one full length album, Breakfast Truce, which shows her true range and talent. She is in the process of putting her second release into the world and the songs I have heard, that will be on it, are very strong. She is a peace activist and a lot of her songs talk about the world and making it a better place. Her music also will look deeply and passionately into the lives of folks who struggle. Her songs show a wide range of emotions but are always delivered with her angelic voice. Enjoy "Brother Left the Mine"

Cara Kelly also has a powerful voice, one that is much different than Letitia's. Cara’s voice comes from the gut. It is bluesy, soulful, and powerful. The minute she sings, she gets your attention. Cara also has assembled a great backing band The Tell Tale Heart (what did you expect, we are from Baltimore). This group of talented musicians is strong in bringing out that guttural sound of Cara and they heighten the power and passion that moves their audience to the beat of their own drummer. Cara has released an EP titled The Unexpected in 2012 and is also working on her first full length album that should be out this year. Many of us in Baltimore are eagerly awaiting its release. Enjoy "Free"

Shelby Blondell is a real newcomer to the scene. I first heard this singer/songwriter with a twist opening for the Wild Feathers a few months ago. I tell people over and over that you need to see all the bands on a bill, for you never know when you might hear an opener blow you away. The minute Shelby started singing the audience went from drinking and talking to listening attentively. This does not happen often but Shelby commands the stage with her voice. It is sort of between Letitia and Cara vocally which is appealing. She is very young (20 years old) but has already opened for people like Howie Day and the Wild Feathers. Shelby is currently a student by day and musician by night. When not in school she focuses on her music which is what she wants to do. I feel she has the talent to do it. Shelby has released an EP Fly last year and is getting ready to record a full length sometime in the near future. Here is "Dancing in the Rain"

The three things that put these three women together is their talent, voices and songwriting ability. It is great to be in Baltimore and watch their growth.  I feel each of these artists has the passion and talent to do things outside of Baltimore. For now we are fortunate to have them playing here. If you enjoy them please visit their websites and purchase their music. 

Best of 2013

It is once again that time of year where Larry and I go through all the music that we have collected and enjoyed throughout this year and give you our choices for both songs and albums that we think are the best. Once again Larry and I thank you so much for reading our blog. We love having the opportunity to share with you our musical tastes and really appreciate your support of this blog. It makes it all worthwhile when we get notes from people telling us just how much they enjoyed a particular album or band that we have featured. That is exactly why we share our love for music with you. We encourage you to leave us a comment as to what albums or songs did we leave out that you think need to be included.

Fletcher’s Best of 2013 picks

I know I say this every year, but this year brought some amazing new music from not only bands I love, but many new bands that have hit the scene. Usually I only have 5 top albums, but this year I couldn’t do that so I struggled to whittle it down to nine. I have put links for two songs from each album so I hope you spend some time listening, enjoying, and hopefully hearing some new music!!!!

Top Albums of the Year (listed alphabetically by band)

Dawes. Stories Don’t End- This band continually puts out great music. Taylor Goldsmith may be the strongest and most consistent writer of music the past few years. There is not one weak moment on this album. Enjoy “From a Window Seat” and "Just Beneath the Surface".
Ha Ha Tonka. Lessons- Another strong album from this band from Missouri. Love this band. This new album is very sonic and shows real growth as they move forward. Have worked the table for these guys many times. Great musicians and even better people. Enjoy the harmonies and sonic boom of "Lessons"
and "Rewrite our Lives". 

Ivan and Alyosha. All the Times We Had. What a joy it was listening to this bands debut album on Dualtone. This is the same label that gave us The Lumineers last year. This album doesn’t disappoint either. Check out “Running for Cover” and “Be Your Man”.

Kopecky Family Band. Kids Raising Kids- I wrote a post about this band earlier and I stand by the post. One of the most exciting bands to breakthrough on a year where a lot of bands had success. Love these folks both musically and personally. Enjoy  "Heartbeat"   and; "Wandering Eyes".  

Little Green Cars. Absolute Zero- This Irish band is making waves on the other side of the ocean, but it won’t be long before they taste success here in the States. Killer male-female harmonies and they write really catchy pop tunes with brains. Here is “Harper Lee” and “The John Wayne”

The Lone Bellow. The Lone Bellow- I also wrote about this band earlier this year. Got a chance to see them open for Brandi Carlile at Red Rocks in Denver. They killed it there like they have everywhere they go. Lot of press about this band. They deserve it. Listen to "Bleeding Out"   and  "Green Eyes and a Heart of Gold"

The National. Trouble Will Find Me- I knew when I wrote about them, that they would be on my top albums list. I continue to listen to this album over and over and I discover new things with each listen. Take pleasure in "I Should Live in Salt" and "Graceless".

Portugal. The Man Evil Friends- I have championed this band from the early days of our blog. every year they put an album out, it made my best of list. This year is no different. I don’t champion them because I like too, I champion them because every album they put out is amazing. This new one is dark but incredible. Listen to “Atomic Man” and “Purple, Yellow, Red and Blue”

Wild Feathers. The Wild Feathers. A ton of buzz about this band especially their live show. I had the privilege to work two of their shows this year. I want to add to the buzz. Great album. Killer live show.  Enjoy “The Ceiling” and "Backwoods Company".

Top Songs of the Year (listed alphabetically by band)

Birds and Arrows. Safety- My favorite song from my favorite band from North Carolina. Andrea’s voice is amazing. Such clarity.

Black Joe Lewis. Come to My Party- Wonderful new single from this Austin rock-funk band. I want to be at his party.

Eleanor Friedberger. Stare at the Sun- Had the pleasure of working the merch table from this former Fiery Furnaces frontwoman. She still has it!!

Kodaline. All I Want- Another Irish band who deserves a larger audience. Love this video also along with the song.

Local Natives. Heavy Feet- A great song from this LA band. The song has a lot of richness and beautiful harmonies. Lot of depth in their music.

Love Language. Calm Down. My favorite song of the year. Love that the title is opposite of the music.

Mount Moriah. Bright Light- I don’t know what they drink in North Carolina but whatever it is everyone should drink it. Amazing song, amazing band.

Pure Bathing Culture. Pendulum- Really like this West Coast band. Love her voice and his guitar work is very intricate.

Thao and the Get Down, Stay Down. We the Common- Thao has this very cool sound and style of music. Listen and you will become a fan also.

Vampire Weekend. Diane Young- another very strong album from this NYC band. Always moving forward with hummable tunes. You will listen to this a few times.

Best Musical Moments- Two shows stand out above the rest. The first was seeing Dawes live. Incredible. Never seen a band pace and build not only a show, but every song so well. Bands are afraid to build songs so slowly except for Dawes. Saw them in July and am still amazed by what I witnessed.

            The other was seeing Wild Feathers twice. I had heard how much energy they put into their live shows. People weren't lying. Amazing show. Amazing harmonies. Amazing songwriting. Really nice guys. See them soon.

            I had the honor and privilege this year of working two of my favorite all time bands. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and Brett Dennen. Had such a great time. They are both very humble and down to earth despite their huge successes. It was an honor to meet and work with both!!!

Looking Forward to in 2014- The DAMNWELLS!!! Am so excited they have new music coming out. Also Clap your Hands Say Yeah. Heard some of new songs and it sounds great. My buddies Wye Oak are back in the studio and should have a new album dropping in the Spring. Cool new sound and they are set for a long tour also. I am also very happy to hear that Nicole Atkins is putting out new music in February. Always excited to hear new songs from her.

Larry’s Best Of Picks

Like Fletcher, I found this year to be an amazing year for great music.  I found myself continually playing the following 6 albums. The top 5 songs that I picked are all special.  Please check them out and share your comments with us.

Top Albums of the Year (listed alphabetically by band)

Catlin Rose. The Stand-In - Stalin Rose’s terrific songwriting and performing is starting to get the attention it deserves.  “Waitin’” was recently featured on ABC’s hit drama Nashville.  Pink Champagne is another favorite from this album.

David Bowie. The Next Day - A delightful treat for anyone who enjoyed David Bowie’s old music.  The songs on this album stand up to the best of DB’s old stuff.  They rock and continue to be edgy.  Enjoy The Next Day and The Stars Are Out Tonight.

Jason Isbell. Southeastern - A jewel of an album and a likely candidate for best of the decade. This album has made many top lists of the year. I reviewed this album earlier this year and I continue to love it.  Elephant and  Stockholm are two standouts.

The National. Trouble Will Find Me - One of the many things I cherish about blogging with Fletcher is learning about terrific artists I was not acquainted with.  The National are outstanding. I find myself enjoying the humor in their writing along with their tight, but not too tight, sound. Check out Fireproof and Don’t Swallow the Cap.

Neko Case. The Worse Things Get, the Harder I Fight, the Harder I Fight the More I Love You -  This album, Neko Case’s 6th, has many things to love.  Neko’s voice is in top form, the guitar work is stellar, and the songs memorable.  Check out Man, and The Night Still Comes.

Vampire Weekend. Modern Vampires of the Modern City - This album marks a tangible maturity in the bands maturity as songwriters, both in their music and their lyrics.  The band’s hard work paid off as this album is both extremely well crafted. Both “Step” and “Ya Hey” are excellent examples of the music on this album.

Top Songs of the Year (listed alphabetically by band)

Aoife O Donovan. Beekeeper - What a lovely voice she has.

Billy Bragg.  Goodbye Goodbye - This tune is simply beautiful.

Kurt Vile. Wakin on a Pretty Day - If you enjoy nice psychedelic jams like I do, sit back and enjoy this one.  It’s pretty special.

The Lone Bellow. You Never Need Nobody -  The passion of these artists for their work can not be surpassed. Pay attention to how the harmonies develop over the course of this song. Thank you Fletcher for turning me on to this extremely talented group.

Parquet Courts. Stoned and Starving - This tune sits on top of a great simple riff.  It rocks, has passion, and I love the tone on each instrument.

 

Best Musical Moments - Highlights for me included seeing the Amazing Esperanza Spalding perform live.  I’ve been wanting to see her for years. As good as he is on her albums she’s even more amazing in person.  Another highlight was catching Dawes live.  They really know how to craft a show. Their show builds so gradually, subtly, and deftly that you barely realize it’s happening until they are going full bore.

Looking forward to in 2014 - I, like Fletcher, am very psyched that the Damnwells are releasing a new album. Further, Alex Denzen is reuniting all of the original band members from their first album, Bastards of The Beat.  A rising Canadian singer songwriter, Joe Nolan, has a new album, Tornado, coming out in January.  Also, Sharon Jones is releasing her first new album since she was diagnosed with Cancer.

As you can see 2014 promises to be another terrific year for new music.  Fletcher and I look forward listening to and sharing our thoughts about music with you, our readers, next year.  

Are You Listening- Kopecky Family Band

The Kopecky Family Band has what some in the merch business call “The Great Unknown Bounce”.  Let me explain what this means. First is that the band is great, and trust me this band easily meets that criteria. The “unknown” is that because they are a band that is getting popular, they are at a stage where they are opening for more well known bands. Probably more people are coming to see the headliners than the support acts. The “bounce” means that many times they are outselling the headliners at the merch table because they are so impressed by them. Many people may already have merch for the headliner and when you hear a band that is so good, you want the merch to remember and support them. Then you can say when they become a headliner that “you knew them when” and have the merch to prove it. I recently had the privilege of working the merch table and the Kopecky's outsold the headliner. I love it when people come to buy things at the table and you hear “Wow this band is so good, they are going to be huge.”

The Kopecky Family Band is not a family in the sense of being related by blood. They consider themselves a family because they work and tour together and have to support each other. They are based out of Nashville and met each other while in college at Belmont University in that city. Kelsey Kopecky and Gabe Simon formed the band back in 2007. The rest of the band consists of Steven Holmes, David Krohn, Markus Midkiff, and Corey Oxendine. They write what I would call Indie rock-folk and pop song mix. They have a sonic music palette. Not only are the songs catchy and stick in your head, but it is all done with intelligence both musically and lyrically. You will hear the standard bass, drums, and guitars but it will be interspersed with cello, lap steel, horns and keyboards. There are places in their live show (which is great!) where they switch instruments, but don’t lose the flow of building the show. To top it off they have killer male-female harmonies that will send goose bumps up your arm.

Between 2007-2010 they released two EP’s on their own and then a full length Kids Raising Kids. The record label ATO  signed the band in late 2012 and re-released the Kids album this past April. It has received a lot of great press from blogs, music magazines, and critics. Here is "Are You Listening" from Kids Raising Kids:   

This is a band I believe next year won’t need the Great Unknown Bounce because they will be the headliners and people will know who they are. To prove that this is a band on the upswing, the night before I worked the merch table for them, they made their major television debut on the Jay Leno show. But until they headline, please make sure you see them so that you can be the person who can say “ The Kopecky Family Band..oh yeah.. You’re just hearing about them.. Not to brag but, I knew them way back when.” 

You Should Find This Band- The National

The National  may be one of those bands you have never heard of. However their fans sure know who they are and support them all over the world. They typically will sell out the summer amphitheaters and large auditoriums that hold between 3,000-10,000 people. I am sure you are asking yourself “How come I don’t know them?”  Well it is time for you to jump on The National bandwagon. You are always welcome.

The first thing you notice about the band is that they are mostly in their 40’s and by looking at them, you would not think they are world famous rock stars. This indie band now working out of Brooklyn was first formed in 1999 in Cincinnati where they were in college. So you can see they have worked their way slowly to the current success they are having. The band presently consists of Matt Berninger who is the principle song writer and singer. It also features two sets of brothers, Arron and Bryce Dessner and Bryan and Scott Devendorf. Their sound is one of the bands who have helped define indie rock. It is dark and melancholy and many times the lyrics may be confusing as to their meaning. They have a mystique about them and this has only helped to keep their indie cred through all these years. The band put out a few highly regarded albums off the Beggars Banquet label. Their fourth album Boxer gained a lot of critical acclaim after its 2007 release. The next album released off of the 4AD  label was High Violet in 2010. Many critics had it on their top albums of the year and it has sold over 600,000 since its release. This is the album that turned me on to this band. I wondered at that point why I had never heard of them before. The National just released Trouble Will Find Me this past May. It actually reached number 3 on the Billboard chart, which shows how far they have come. Here is  “Don’t Swallow the Cap” from the new release:

I can attest to the strength of this album. If you are a National’s fan and haven’t picked it up yet, go now and purchase it. If you don’t know who they are but liked the song, run to your nearest record store and get it. They are touring all throughout the world so check out their web site and see when they are coming near you. I also will leave you with one of my top 10 favorite songs ever, “Bloodbuzz Ohio” from High Violet:

There is also a new documentary called Mistaken for Strangers made by Matt Berninger's brother Tom. Tom, a self described metal head who needed to get his life together, went out on tour to film what life on the road was like for a major band. He also wanted to find out why his brother was so loved by critics and fans. The movie is both funny and poignant and shows a lot about the differences in the two brothers. I hope by reading this post you will be encouraged to go jump on the National bandwagon. It is never too late.

They Will Do It Themselves- The Lone Bellow

I wondered how the country-gospel-soul sound on the album would translate live for the band, The Lone Bellow. Their harmonies are so lush, rich, deep, clear and full, I did not see how they could do it live. One of the great advantages of working the merchandise tables for bands coming through Baltimore, is I am there early and usually get to hear the sound check. I had fretted for days before the show worried about the live sound. All my worries went away the second they started to play. Their harmonies are the “send chills up your spine” variety. They mesh together like they have been singing with one another their whole lives. Some bands just have “it” and The Lone Bellow is one of them.

The song lyrics came from Zach Williams journal entries after his wife had a catastrophic injury after being thrown from a horse. The doctors said she would never walk again. Zach poured his heart and thoughts into this journal and a friend of his encouraged him to turn them into songs. His wife miraculously recovered and his songs went from pain and despair to redemption, rescue and recovery. Zach and his wife moved to Brooklyn and Zach began to perform as a solo artist. Zach was looking to form a band and he was eating at a diner when he ran into an old musician college friend, Brian Elmquist, who worked there. He asked Brian if he could rehearse some songs with him at the diner after it closes. Brian said sure and also invited Kanene Pipkin along. Late that night The Lone Bellow was formed. They knew the magic of the music and harmonies would tie them together as they go forward in the music business. Very quickly good things have happened to them. They were signed to Descendant Records, which is an off shoot of Sony Records, and released their self-titled album in January of this year. It has created a lot of buzz in the indie rock world and deservedly so. It is full of beautiful songs about all the ups and downs of life that they have gone through. Please be prepared to be amazed and enjoy the single "You Never Need Nobody":

The rest of the album is just as strong as that song. I highly recommend it to anybody. I loved listening to them live and wasn't disappointed at all in the translation from album to live show. As a matter of fact I think their live show only strengthens the studio songs. If it makes any difference, they are also really nice and genuine people. They were a pleasure to work the merch table for. Many bloggers are catching on to this band quickly, so I expect that they will have quite a year in 2013. I was talking to one of them and they told me they are just hoping to make enough money to be able to really afford their Brooklyn brownstones. I believe that they will easily accomplish that task this year and more!!

Update: From time to time Larry and I will post some updates of bands we have previously written about. I wanted to inform you of two amazing albums that are out and one that is out next week. The first is Vampire Weekends Modern Vampire of the City. A real step forward in this bands already amazing career. The second album out is Dawes newest Stories Don't End. It is full of reflective songs of a band on the road. Portugal the Man newest is Evil Friends. I have heard most of it and it is fantastic. By the time you read this it will be released.

This Rose Is No Stand-In

It begins with the sound of a heavily punched and distorted guitar chord immediately followed by the sound of a gorgeous female voice exclaiming, "I'm making a call to any line that's open." From that moment on, Caitlin Rose captured my full attention, no easy task these days, and thus I remained riveted as I listened intently to her second full-length album, The Stand-In, for the first time.  The opening track, "No One to Call," starts off like a rock anthem, but quickly and adeptly morphs into an alt-country lament. Much to this listener's delight, this album is full of delightfully surprising sounds.

Throughout the album, Rose creates, with a cool aplomb, a mosaic of musical styles including rock, alt-country, country, and a bit of swing. The stories in her songs are compelling and deftly written. Scanning the credits, I note that two of this album's terrific tracks, "Only A Clown" and "Silver Sings" were co-written with one of my favorite songwriters, Gary Louris.

I also note that Rose acknowledges the author Joan Didion for inspiring the moving tune, "Pink Champagne." An early Joan Didion essay, "Marrying Absurd," about the quick passions of a Vegas wedding, proves to be the source for Rose's song.

Throughout the album, Rose and her co-writers create an album full of meaningful and witty musical lamentations. A prime example is the music video to "Only A Clown":

It's easy to see how Rose was drawn into songwriting. It's what her mother, Liz Rose, does for a living. The younger Rose was raised in Nashville.  She began writing songs at the age of 16.  Originally, her work was much more Punk influenced.  Over time she has integrated increasing amounts of the Nashville sound into her music,  and the resulting sound is what is revealed on this album.

I encourage you to answer Caitlin Rose's call and open your line to her music.  Her album is easily one of my favorites so far for 2013, and I expect that it will be in the running to be one of my top albums of the year.

A Rise From the Mountains-Birds and Arrows

I have written before and continue to say that when you go out and see live music, you need to make sure that you see all of the bands on the bill. A few years ago I went to a show and saw Birds and Arrows,  who have become one of my favorite bands. They were actually the first of four bands that night and truthfully I did not expect much from them. They walk out on stage with a guitar, drums, and a cello, and I had even less expectations from them. They launch into their first song and I was mesmerized by them. Richness, depth, clarity, and beautiful harmonies set a spell on me that continues until this day. I champion them to everyone I meet and talk about music. Now I want to introduce them to you. I will admit that I have become very good friends with them, so I am bias, but the beauty of this blog is that Larry and I are trying to introduce you to bands that we love to listen to and therefore are biased about. We don’t pretend that these are critical reviews of records or live shows. It is just bands we love.

Birds and Arrows formed in 2006 by the husband-wife team of Andrea and Pete Connolly. They still live in the Chapel Hill-Durham, North Carolina area, which is a hotbed for bands now like The Rosebuds, Love Language, and The Bowerbirds. Their name comes from a cross of wanting a good masculine-feminine sound and when Andrea had flying birds tattooed on her arms and Pete was making folk art arrow sculptures, the name made sense to the two of them. They produced two Birds and Arrows EP’s on their own. Then in 2009 Josh Starmer joined them with his cello and the group’s sound really took off. They released Starmaker through 307 Knox Records. This is when I saw them for the first time. I fell in love with their mountain and folk influenced sound, which made you feel like you are sitting on the porch of their house and listening. Andrea and Pete’s harmonies are so beautiful and lush and when combined with Josh’s cello, the depth of the music is stunning. They then released We’re Gonna Run in 2011. This year they just released their new album Coyotes, which is a huge step forward in their career. You can hear the inspiration of their rural school house-turned-cabin country home in the mountains outside of Durham. Please enjoy a song from Coyotes called Firefly. The video was done in one continuous shot, no cuts or edits.Very cool.

I also want to include a live video my favorite Birds and Arrows song Mountain Air:

The new album is fantastic.  It is produced by Chris Stamey of the dB’s and he has done a great job with it. It features other musicians from Ben Folds Five, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and Mount Moriah (another N.C. band on the rise). However while these people help support Birds and Arrows, the songs and music stand on their own. I can feel the confidence in the new songs and I look forward to their continued growth. I have worked their merch table many times and I can also tell you that they are some of the nicest people I have ever met in the music business. They are kind, considerate, humble, and very down to earth as people. I really encourage you to visit their web site and purchase the new album. It will be worth it.

The Roar From Sweden- First Aid Kit

Where does one go to hear the most authentic Nashville sound today? Why Sweden of course! The Swedish duo First Aid Kit is producing some of the most faithful country tinged Nashville music today (and that includes bands out of Nashville). They sing these incredible heartfelt lyrics such as “I’ll be your Emmylou and I’ll be your June/and you’ll be my Gram and my Johnny too” as a tribute to those who were there before them. They however don’t live in the past and are producing some of the best county and folk music I heard last year.

First Aid Kit is composed of sister’s Johanna and Klara Soderberg. They grew up outside of Stockholm and their father was a working musician who always had music playing. The two sisters can never remember a time when they weren’t singing together. This singing grew into a demo that they sent out in 2007 to radio stations in their native country, who immediately picked up on the sound and gave them airplay.  They were quickly signed to a local label and opened for Fleet Foxes when the group toured Sweden in 2008. First Aid Kit then signed with a larger label, Wichita Recordings who put out their first full length in 2010. Jack White and Conor Oberst  fell in love with their sound. Jack had them record a single for his Third Man Records and they toured with Conor. Last year the band released their second album titled The Lion’s Roar which featured a song with Conor Oberst/Bright Eyes. The album gained a lot of attention on Triple A radio stations who were in disbelief this Americana sound was coming from Sweden. Please enjoy this video of “Emmylou”.

They took their name from an English dictionary because it suggested both care and protection. I think it is hard not to fall for the charm of these sisters who are passionate about American country/folk and roots music from the 1960’s and who put today's spin on it. I hope you fall for them, as many have, and hopefully many others will. I know I have.

Best Of 2012

Once again it is my favorite time of year where Larry and I get to look back at our favorites this year in music. Over the two years that we have been blogging this has been our most popular post as many people are looking to find what people are listening to all over the world. We both spend time looking at other “best of” lists. Once again we want to thank our readers for taking to time to visit us this year.

We always hope we are exposing you to new bands and styles over the year. We hope you really do take the time to listen to these bands, for even they may not be your own personal style, we hope you can appreciate them for being good at what they do. We have gone all over the board this year in looking at some bands from Baltimore to electronica to a punk rock musical. Even though Larry and I don’t always see eye to eye on music, that diversity is what we hope to expose our readers to. We really enjoy the comments from many of our friends (even though we would love to encourage you to comment on our blog) and enjoy when people tell us about bands that they like. So anyway here we go:

Fletcher’s Best of 2012 picks

So here are my top five albums with my two favorite songs from each one. I have spent a lot of time putting underlined links for every song, so please take a while to explore and enjoy them. I want this to be interactive and for you to spend some time with the music!

Top Albums of the Year (listed alphabetically by band)

Cloud Nothings, Attack on Memory—this band from Cleveland just explodes on stage. Their live show is so full of energy you are exhausted from watching them. My favorite song of the year is the live 14 minute version of "Wasted Days". It is killer so stay with it until the end. Also love "Stay Useless".

Delta Spirit, Delta Spirit—this third album from the band from California has a more studio polished sound, but it still rocks beautifully. Check out "Tear It Up" and "California".

First Aid Kit, The Lions Roar—who would have thought this Swedish sisters act would produce the best country tinged album with their beautiful chilling harmonies. Listen to "TheLions Roar" and "Emmylou". Yes it is a tribute to Emmylou Harris.

The Lumineers, The Lumineers—This breakthrough band of the year exploded from touring small rooms to opening for Dave Matthews this month in arenas. Enjoy "Stubborn Love" and "Submarines". I still think Submarine is the best song on the album.

Scars on 45, Scars on 45—Had the honor of working the merch table of this band from England. Love these songs and beautiful male/female harmonies. Listen to "Hearts on Fire" and "Give Me Something". You will be a fan.

Top Songs of the Year (listed alphabetically by band)

Alabama Shakes, Hold On—Great tune by this up and coming band from Athens, Alabama. Brittany Howard sounds like she has been at it for years. Just in her early 20’s. So much soul, passion and truth about her lyrics and voice.

Black Box Revelation, High On A Wire—Got to work this two piece Belgian garage band. Wow. Lot of sound for drum and guitar.

Dirty Projectors, Gun Has No Trigger—Saw this influential American band in Denver. Their time and chord changes are amazing. PS-Their web site goes right/left not up/down. Cool like them. Dig this live version with amazing vocals.

The Dunwells, So Beautiful—This British folk-rock band really had a strong year. Gaining in America with their version of their brand of beautiful harmonies and roots music.

Heartless Bastards, Marathon—Another strong album from Erika Wennerstrom and her band from Austin. This is the way to open an album. Love the way the song builds throughout.

Here We Go Magic, Make Up Your Mind—This Brooklyn band calls themselves “psychedelic electro-folk”. I say they get amazing grooves that will have your feet tapping.

Kindness, Gee Up—Who would have thought that Adam Bainbridge, a tall white guy from England would give us this amazing no-fi, electro-funk pop under the moniker of Kindness. This song is short but will stick with you all day long. My second favorite song of the year.

Ben Kweller, Jealous Girl—This American songwriter just keeps putting out amazing memorable pop tunes.Great hooks. Don’t know why is isn't bigger than he is.

Langhorne Slim, Song For Sid—I have worked the table for Langhorne many times. This year his song about his recently passed grandfather had everybody talking about it. A beautiful tribute.

The Shins, Its Only Life—Even though I wrote a post on this band this year, I am still in love with this album. Such a great song.

Best Musical Moment- For me it was getting to work for and talk to The Lumineers. You just know when you are in the presence of greatness. You can feel it, the crowd feels it, and I sold more merch in one night then I ever have. That tells me a lot. Magical moment.

Looking forward to in 2013- There are four albums I can’t wait for. Three are from bands I have a lot of personal connections with and love their music. Birds and Arrows, Goldspot, and Ha Ha Tonka. Can’t wait for music to drop!! The other is a guy I always look forward to but you never know what to expect. That would be Beck.

Larry's Best of 2012 Picks

Top Albums of the Year (listed alphabetically by band)

Alabama Shakes, Boys and Girls—What a treasure this group is. This debut album is rich with many delightful songs, elegant in their simplicity and memorable.  Many thanks to Fletcher for turning me on to this group. Hold On (one of Fletcher's top songs of the year) and "Hang Loose" are two standouts.

Avett Brothers, The Carpenter—How can one not but be impressed with the song writing and harmony of "The Once and Future Carpenter" and "Live and Die"?

Diana Krall, Rag Doll—T Bone Burnett has brought out of side of Diana Krall we've not seen before: an earthy, bluesy quirkiness.  It's a joy to hear the edge in her voice and the music.  Listen to "I'm a Little Mixed Up" and "Wide River to Cross" and you will begin to get the idea.

The Lumineers, The Lumineers—Another example of elegant simplicity.  The passion of these three musicians flies off of this album.  "Stubborn Love" and "Hey Ho".  "Hey Ho" is as popular as it is because of its beautiful simplicity and "Stubborn Love" is drop dead gorgeous.

Rufus Wainright, Out of The Game — As promised in last month's blog post, this terrific album is on the list. Enjoy the terrific melodies and wonderful scoring on both Rashida and Montauk. 

Top Songs of the Year (listed alphabetically by band)

Allah Las, Tell Me What's On Your Mind  —This band has the classic sound down cold!

Rose Cousins, The Shell— This song just blows me away.  I just discovered this artist and downloaded her album, We Have Made A Spark, prior to this post. After a couple of listens, I suspect that I'm going to regret not listing this album as one of the year's best.  

Django Django, Default —I really enjoy Scottish psychedelic music that makes me want to dance.  The video is fun too.

Tift Merritt, To Myself — I love the way Tift is branching out in this song.

The Shins, Simple Song—This terrific anthem deals with self-doubt.

Tedeschi Trucks Band,  Everybody's Talkin' -  Nilson's cover, of this Fred Neil song, that won an Academy Award for Best Song in Midnight Cowboy is its classic cover.  This cover, but this super band stands on it's own. Talk about cooking!  This just rocks! This band is amazing live.

Best Musical Moment- What an exciting year for new artists. As you can see I listed several in both my favorite albums and songs. 

Looking forward to in 2013- Rumor has it that Robert Plant will be releasing a new album in 2013.  His new stuff has been terrific. I'm also looking forward to Ra Ra Riot's new album Beta Love.