Three Friends

While Fletcher and I loving sharing new artists with you, we also enjoy catching up with artists we have written about in the past.  Today I am going to write about 3 previous bands who have put out some amazing new albums in the past few months that I can't stop listening to.

Alabama Shakes first appeared in our Best of 2012 post.  Fletcher selected "Hold On" as one of the best songs of the year while I selected Boys and Girls as one of the best albums of the year. Since 2012 AS has toured the world, grown in popularity and worked on their sophomore album, Sound and Color. Their new album moves in some surprising directions, preventing the band from becoming locked stylistically into the retro sounds of their first album, and establishes the band as one that continues to grow musically and takes risks.  They have not let their sound become boxed-in by their success. Whereas Boys and Girls was clearly influenced by creative classic southern R&B sounds, Sound and Color's musical influences are much greater.  In addition to the classic R&B sounds that defined the sound of Boys and Girls, one can hear the band playing homage to some of the music that they grew up with.  Listing to Sound and Color I hear echos of several psychedelic bands, Led Zeppelin, and others.  Those influences, blended with the sounds that defined AS's debut album, along with the growth of the band's music makes Sound and Color work so well.

Fletcher and I have been fans of The Damnwells for over a decade.  We first saw them perform live at one of WTMD's first ever First Thursdays in the Park concerts when the band was touring for their debut album, Bastards of the Beat. Over the years, the band, fronted by songwriter, singer, and guitarist Alex Dezen, has gone through several personal changes.  One of the many joys of their new album, The Damnwells, is that the original band is back.  The new album used crowd-sourcing by fans via Pledgemusic as a funding mechanism.

The Damnwells first four albums have featured terrific songwriting by Dezen, whose songs are often based on his personal experiences.  This album continues that tradition.  Dezen, who turned 37 in June, composed songs about growing up for this record, and growing up is not always pleasant. While the album's songs are performed by musicians who have recently reunited, many of the stories on this record are about breaking up. For example, Dezen recently divorced as that life experience is shared in this music. While breaking up is never pleasant, listening to this record is. The Damnwells are a great band, one that deserves far more attention than it receives.

The Lone Bellow: Fletcher's May 31, 2013 post turned me onto this terrific band. While I enjoyed their first album, I'm totally blown away by the melodies, harmony, and musicianship of their sophomore offering, Then Came the Morning.  I play this album, in its entirety frequently. Each time I listen to it I find myself feeling refreshed, having a positive outlook, and feeling a profound sense of joy.

So there you have it.  I encourage you to check out all three of these records.  They will add to your enjoyment of your summer.  In a few short week's Jason Isbell's new album 24 Frames will be coming out.  This is turning to be a great year for music.  

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.

Connecting With The Punch Brothers

Books such as The Big Disconnect, by Catherine Steiner-Adair, lament how we humans are changing as we increasingly connect more to our technology than each other.  Books such as Howard Rheingold's Netsmart give us suggestions as to how to balance our technical connections with our connections to each other.    In the "Phosphorescent Blues" The Punch Brothers take on these types of questions, deeply, thoughtfully, and ultimately beautifully.

The Punch Brothers feature two artists who grew up in professional musical families.  Chris Thile, mandolin, started playing with Nickel Creek when he was 8 years old.  Chris Eldridge, guitar,  is the son of Ben Eldridge of The Seldom Scene.  While, all the musicians in the band are virtuosos at their respective crafts, the Punch Brothers music also features terrific songwriting. Their music, while hard to categorize, is a progressive mix of alternative music, jazz, classical music and bluegrass.  The resultant sound is complex, etherial, and richly attractive.  The Phosphorescent Blues is the band's 4th album for Nonesuch Records.  The production, wonderfully understated, by T-Bone Burnett is terrific.

In my day job I work to help prepare students, who will retire in the late 21st century, for their futures. As such, a fair amount of technology is involved.  I'm passionate about helping young people be technologically savvy while leading balanced, happy, and meaningful lives.  The striving to achieve that balance is the theme of this special album.

Most of the songs on this album ask questions without answers. “How long, oh Lord, can we keep the whole world spinning under our thumbs?” the band warmly harmonizes on “My Oh My,” their voices rising and falling. What a wonderfully important question!

Enjoy the Punch Brother's performing, "I Blew It Off".  As you enjoy this performance pay particular attention to how this song develops and morphs.

The Band is currently on tour.  It looks like their shows should be terrific. You can see their tour schedule here.

What a Voyage- Jenny Lewis

A lot of us have grown up watching Jenny Lewis and maybe we didn’t even know it. We tend to think of her with her music career both solo and with Rilo Kiley. She has had quite the career already in music, film, television, and commercials. We will explore some of her voyage up to this point.

Jenny was born in Las Vegas and made her debut as a child actress in a Jell-O commercial. From there she went into television working with Lucille Ball in a sitcom in the late 1980’s. Then onto other television roles and as a teenager was in demand in films. Her most noteable box office success was in Troop Beverly Hills in 1989. At some point in the early 90’s she met another child actor, Blake Sennett and they officially formed Rilo Kiley in 1998 out of Los Angeles. They produced a sound that I would call indie country pop. The signature was Jenny’s beautiful voice and vocal inflections. Rilo Kiley was signed to Barsuk Records in 2001 and they released their first album. They then signed to Saddle Creek Records and released The Execution of All Things in 2002. This is the album I discovered the band. Poignant and personal songs with some great musical stylings and rhythms sold me. In 2004 they released More Adventurous which was distributed by Warner Brothers who would then sign the band to their own label. This album made a lot of inroads and gave them a lot of recognition. At this point after a successful tour the band needed some time away from each other and Jenny toured with The Postal Service to great acclaim. The band got back together and released their last album in 2007, Under the Blacklight. At this point here was a lot of tension in the band and they knew they were all heading in different directions.

Jenny sensing the inevitable went and put out her first solo album in 2006 titled Rabbit Fur Coat using the Watson Twins as her backup singers. This album received a lot of critical acclaim and gave Jenny the confidence that she could do it as a solo act. I was fortunate to see this tour and was really thrilled to see Jenny doing it on her own. In 2008 she then released Acid Tongue totally on her own. She met and has been dating Jonathan Rice and they put out an album in 2010 as Jenny and Johnny. Jenny just released, in July of last year, her first solo album in 5 years titled The Voyager. It shows her journey in personal songs dealing with the breakup of Rilo Kiley and the death of her father. The album is filled with moving and emotional songwriting. It shows her growth as a songwriter in a real positive way. Enjoy this song from the new album “Just One of the Guys”

I hope you enjoy this video that features a look at sexism and fitting into today’s world. If you enjoyed this video I really encourage you to explore some of her earlier work with Rilo Kiley. Despite that Rilo Kiley has been broken up for a few years, I think that their style still sounds fresh today. It is wonderful to see her voyage from child star to incredible musician.

Update: Every now and then Larry and I will update new things about bands we have already written about. I want to give you some Damnwells news. First of all, the new album with all of the original members, will officially be released on April 14. I for one can't wait. In the meantime to tide you over, Alex Dezen produced a series of 4 solo EP's last year. The final one was just produced and I have purchased all of them. The music is stunning and I highly recommend purchasing them. The images and stories are personal and brilliant. Just click on the link to his name and enjoy!!

Best of 2014

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. You will soon know our favorite music of 2014.  What were your favorites from this year?

Fletcher’s Best of 2014 picks

This year for me was a good solid year of music. Some of my favorite artists put out new music and there were a bunch of really good new bands to the scene. I always love listening to new bands and introducing you to them. I find a lot of bands I write about end up in my favorite albums and songs, but I guess I write about them because I like them so much. So no harm done, hopefully. I did finally whittle my top albums of the year to six. Make sure you click on all the links of songs for they go to a video of each chosen song.

Top Albums of the Year (listed alphabetically by band)

Ark Life. The Dream of You and Me- From the first time I heard this band from Denver, I really fell in love with the songwriting and 3 female to one male harmonies. I had the opportunity to work their merch table when they came through Baltimore. I was worried how the studio sound would translate live. It was amazing. Enjoy “(Rock and Roll Got) The Best of Me” and "Have to Leave You Now".

Courtney Barnett. The Double EP & A Sea of Split Peas. Love this women’s sense of humor and word play. Great stories and a wonderful delivery and phrasing of her lyrics. Check out "History Eraser" and "Out of the Woodwork".

Jukebox the Ghost. Jukebox the Ghost- This album came out late this year but is a solid effort from my friends from Brooklyn. This album shows a lot of maturity musically but keeps their fun loving piano based pop style. They write such catchy tunes that you will be humming throughout the day. These are all great songs to get stuck in your head.Enjoy "The Great Unknown" and "Made for Ending".

Marah. Mountain Minstrelsy- I can’t get enough of this album from my favorite live band ever!!! Two years in the making but worth every second. This mountain, americana, folk, psychedelic, indie rock music strikes you to the core. Done in the Marah way, by recording it in Monophonic. They always do it their way and stay true to who they are. Go get this one now!!    Here is "A Melody of Rain" as well as "10 Cents at the Gate" (I sang this song live with them in Baltimore-see below)

War on Drugs. Lost In a Dream- I also wrote about this band earlier this year. This is a very strong album. Made many “best of” lists this year. It deserves it. “Under the pressure” is still one of my favorite songs of the year. Listen to "Under the Pressure"  and "Suffering".

Wye Oak. Shriek- It has been a few years between releases from my friends originally from Baltimore. They continue to make our city proud. When people and critics heard that this album was made without any of their usual lead guitar, people panned it before they even heard it. This brilliant album made with just keys, drums and bass is truly incredible. They made all the critics eat their words. Way to go Jenn and Andy! Take pleasure in "The Tower"  and "Logic of Color".

Top Songs of the Year (listed alphabetically by band)

Apache Relay. Katie Queen of Tennessee- This folk rock Nashville band put out a self titled album with one of my favorite songs of the year. Great vibe.

Cloud Nothings. I’m Not Part of Me- I wrote about this Cleveland band earlier this year. Still in love with this straight ahead rock tune.

Horse Thief. Devil – Had the pleasure of working the merch table for a show for this psychedelic folk rock band from Oklahoma. Very cool sound. Love his phrasing of this song.

Matt Hutchison. Only You- This Baltimore based songwriter works each song with great hooks. He is the former front person of Fools and Horses which was a big band in this city for years. Love the jangly guitar opening chords on this hummable song. I am sending you to his web site.

Ray Lamontagne. Drive-in Movies- This former shoe factory worker from New Hampshire has such a soulful and emotional voice that you believe everything he says.

LP. Into the Wild. You can’t be helped but to be moved by her soaring voice. I wrote about her this year after seeing her live and being blown away. I still am.

Scars on 45. Golden- After being dropped by their label a few years ago, I was worried they were done. Thank goodness I was wrong. They are back with their killer male-female harmonies, as good as ever.

The Strypes. Blue Collar Jane- This Irish band of four musicians under the age of 20, sound like the British invasion bands from the 1960’s who were influenced by the blues. Don’t let their age fool you, they kick ass.

Best surprise: Scruffy the Cat unreleased recordings. The Good Goodbye. I wrote last year about the tragic loss of Scruffy the Cat’s front person, Charlie Chesterman. A number of you replied that you also LOVED this band from Boston in the 80’s. I know I did. They changed how I looked and listened to music and made me thirst for underground bands at that time. They were one of the best live bands I have ever seen and I saw them a number of times. They were just joyful people who were way ahead of their time. I mean what band in the 80’s used banjo’s and mandolins with their punkish pop Americana songs. Anyway, I was so pleased that this album was released this year by Omnivore Recordings because it lets me remember their greatness. Hopefully, this release will introduce them to new ears.

Best Musical Moments- No doubt. MARAH presents Mountain Minstrelsy. They came back and came back strong with this side project that features a 12 year old fiddle prodigy. It is not a shtick, for he can play. I helped bring them to Baltimore on two occasions and became their merch guy for a number of East Coast dates. This is a band I have loved for years so for me to be in their presence was inspirational. For me meeting them is like most people meeting a Beatle. I have said on numerous occasions to anyone who will listen that this is my favorite live band ever. After going out with them on a number of dates, I can still vouch that this is true. I brought out lots of people to their shows here and they all came up to me and asked why aren’t they huge, It is because they do things the way the want to. They always do it well. They may never be rich but they can hold their artistic heads up high. They know themselves better than anyone. Anyway my best musical moment was guest singing with them at a show here in Baltimore. I asked them if I could sing and they didn’t even hesitate. What a thrill. It will be the best musical moment of my life and will be one of the best moments of my life. Thank you to Dave and Christine and the rest of the band for being so kind to me on all of our excursions. It has been an honor.

            I had another great year working the merch tables for a number of bands this year. Some new ones included the Hold Steady, Seawolf. Ark Life, and Ozomalti. Thanks to everyone who trusted me working with them this year.

Looking Forward to in 2015- The Damnwells!!! I know I said this last year also. The album did not come out this past year. The original members recorded the album on their own. Before they put it out a label signed them which will delay it until March/April. Can’t wait, Also I am looking forward to new Decemberists as well as Courtney Barnett. The Waterboys are releasing a new album early in the year. My fingers will be crossed. The new Lone Bellow also drops early next year.

Larry’s Best of 2014 picks

This year presented a terrific mix of new faces and the return of some old favorites, sometimes in a new form.  My favorite musical moments will take a new turn, as this year I moved from Texas to Hawai'i.  The music performed here and the music scene itself is a bit different than anything I've seen on the mainland.  As is the case with Fletcher's picks you will see many familiar artists from earlier blog posts along with, what I hope will be, a few surprises.

Top Albums of the Year (listed alphabetically by band)

The Delines. Colfax. I keep playing this album for it's terrific songwriting and for Amy Boone's amazing voice.  Listen to "I Won't Slip Up" and "The Oil Rigs At Night".
Nels Cline and Julian Lage. Room- This album, just released the last week of November, is an amazing gift for lovers of creative virtuoso guitar work. Both players are masters of their craft. Here, they selflessly collaborate to create beautiful music. I've been a fan of Nels work since he joined Wilco in 2004.  However, Nels started his career playing jazz.  Julian Lage was a child prodigy who has played with an impressive who's who of guitarists since he was a child.  This album is a tribute to Jim Hall's work. One can also hear echo's of Larry Coryell works.  Here is a link to a recent show by Nels and Julian at this year's Ottawa Jazzfest.
Ryan Adams. Ryan Adams- Ryan is rocking again, and rocking well.  I really like the tone of his guitar on this album. Listen to "Gimmie Something Good"  and "Stay With Me".
Sturgill Simpson. Metamodern Sounds in Country Music- I like good country music. Sadly, with a few notable exceptions, there has not been much great country music to listen to the past couple of decades.  Sturgill Simpson is one of those exceptions. Listen to "You Can Have The Crown/Some Days".
Temples. Sun Structures-  I really am drawn to the retro sound of this band.  Listen to "Keep In The Dark"  and "Colors to Life".

War on Drugs. Lost In a Dream- Fletcher turned me on to this band earlier this year. Both the songwriting and the performances on this album are terrific.  Enjoy a full live performance from these artists on KEXP.

Top Songs of the Year (listed alphabetically by band)

Ambrose Akinmusire. Our Basement- There are not many pleasures that can surpass hearing Amrose's amazing trumpet work tastefully riffing alongside Becca Stevens gorgeous voice. Beautiful stuff.

Drive-By Truckers. Till He's Dead Or Rises- Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley still know how to write good tunes. Here is but one example.

Jamestown Revival. California (Cast Iron Soul) – Terrific harmonies can be heard in the work of this Texas duo. This is a wonderful song.  It's melody will be in your head in no time.

Leonard Cohen. Did I Ever Love You- In the past few years Leonard Cohen has again emerged as one of the best song writers in the business. This ballad is yet another example of his genius.

Saint Saviour. Nobody Died- This is a beautiful haunting ballad. While I never cared much for her electro pop stuff her singing and songwriting here is top notch.

Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings Stranger to My Happiness. Sit still while you listen to this song.  Come on.  I dare you. I double-dare you.

Spoon. Rent I Pay- Spoon just keeps their wonderful sound coming.  I love the guitar on this one.
Wussy. Teenage Wasteland-  The sound of this band and this song is first rate.  Anyone who has ever been in a garage band, or been a fan of garage bands will be charmed.

Best Musical Moments- In February, I was fortunate to see the Manhattan Transfer perform at the Dosey Doe in Spring, Texas.  They put on a typically awesome show.  I was extremely saddened to learn that Tim Hauser passed away last month.  MT had a terrific sound that endured for decades.

As a new arrival in Hawai'i I was extremely lucky to see Henry Kapono perform in front of an intimate audience at the Playing For Change show at Ala Moana last month. He's an amazing performer that usually plays in front of much larger crowds.

Looking Forward to in 2015- Like Fletcher, I am also eagerly awaiting the forthcoming albums from  The Damnwells and the Decemberists.  Diana Krall and Bob Dylan also have new albums in the works.  It will be exciting to hear what what both of these artists are up to in 2015.