tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51575030083237402642024-03-13T10:08:24.527-05:00The Jeopardy of ContentmentA Kansas City & Lawrence Music BlogMatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04193898227002522826noreply@blogger.comBlogger570125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157503008323740264.post-15303112739858698372020-12-15T13:36:00.006-06:002020-12-15T13:36:49.114-06:00100 Best Songs of 2020<p> </p><iframe src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/0U2i3UV2rmDags2KqJrT2Q" width="300" height="380" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe>Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00984832754508877918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157503008323740264.post-55601267420752254712020-12-11T12:53:00.003-06:002020-12-11T12:53:38.951-06:00Favorite Albums of 2019<div style="text-align: left;"> Sooooo, I noticed while putting together my favorite albums post of 2020 together that I never published my favorite albums of 2019. So for posterity sake, here they are. Better late than never.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">50. Sharon Van Etten - Remind Me Tomorrow<br />
49. Tyler Ramsey - For the Morning<br />
48. Vincent Neil Emerson - Fried Chicken & Evil Women<br />
47. Hiss Golden Messenger - Terms of Surrender<br />
46. Joseph Huber - Moondog<br />
45. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Ghosteen<br />
44. Emily Scott Robinson - Traveling Mercies<br />
43. Better Oblivion Community Center - Better Oblivion Community Center<br />
42. The Highwomen - The Highwomen<br />
41. Robert Ellis - Texas Piano Man<br />
40. Billy Strings - Home<br />
39. Angel Olsen - All Mirrors<br />
38. Charley Crockett - The Valley<br />
37. Bruce Springsteen - Western Stars<br />
36. Dylan LeBlanc - Renegade<br />
35. Garcia Peoples - One Step Behind<br />
34. Vampire Weekend - Father of the Bride<br />
33. Kelsey Waldon - White Noise / White Lines<br />
32. Freddie Gibbs & Madlib - Bandana<br />
31. Strand of Oaks - Eraserland<br />
30. Paul Cauthen - Room 41<br />
29. Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Colorado<br />
28. Wilco - Ode to Joy<br />
27. Carloline Spence - Mint Condition<br />
26. Jenny Lewis - On the Line<br />
25. Great Grandpa - Four of Arrows<br />
24. Jason Hawk Harris - Love & the Dark<br />
23. Brittany Howard - Jaime<br />
22. Baroness - Gold & Grey<br />
21. Michaela Anne - Desert Dove<br />20. The Hold Steady - Thrashing Though the Passion </div><div style="text-align: left;">19. Bon Iver - i,i
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18. Charles Wesley Godwin
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17. Kevin Morby - Oh My God
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16. Sturgill Simpson - Sound & Fury
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15. Durand Jones & the Indications - American Love Call
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14. Joshua Ray Walker - Wish You Were Here
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13. Mike & the Moonpies - Cheap Silver & Solid Country Gold
<br />12. Hatchie - Keepsake
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11. Lillie Mae - Other Girls</div><div style="text-align: left;">
10. Lana Del Rey - Norman Fucking Rockwell<br />
9. Tyler Childers - Country Squire<br />
8. Craig Finn - I Need A New War<br />
7. Kelly Finnigan - The Tales People Tell<br />
6. Big Thief - Two Hands<br />
5. Ian Noe - Between the Country<br />
4. Weyes Blood - Titanic Rising<br />
3. Big Thief - UFOF<br />
2. Orville Peck - Pony<br />
1. Purple Mountains - Purple Mountains</div>Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00984832754508877918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157503008323740264.post-41055896237723918352019-12-02T11:15:00.002-06:002019-12-02T11:15:30.091-06:00New Album: Til Willis & Erratic Cowboy - Dirtflowers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXPsgT4Xb0P0OR8Y4JRC1qZcbXdRUa2elCDqTrXnWakOXvK4QRJU6Kx8DfAbj0WjDrwRbUjm5lA7mmUWOlwXmJfX5tr3wImEHxjW5fsDeUFyEId0U_EcN1SJwrami6JPPZbCkPVTQgze5q/s1600/Til+Willis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="570" data-original-width="570" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXPsgT4Xb0P0OR8Y4JRC1qZcbXdRUa2elCDqTrXnWakOXvK4QRJU6Kx8DfAbj0WjDrwRbUjm5lA7mmUWOlwXmJfX5tr3wImEHxjW5fsDeUFyEId0U_EcN1SJwrami6JPPZbCkPVTQgze5q/s1600/Til+Willis.jpg" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.tilwillis.net/" target="_blank">Til Willis</a> is one of the most prolific and consistent Lawrence songwriters and he is putting out a new album early next month with his band Erratic Cowboy. Til's music is good old fashioned rock n roll with a healthy mix of blues, country, punk, and folk thrown in the mix. Til & Erratic Cowboy's new album, <i>Dirtflowers</i>, is his 13th studio album and his fourth with Erratic Cowboy. <i>Dirtflowers </i>spans 11 tracks and is out digitally and physically (CD & Vinyl!) on December 6th.<br />
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I tend to latch on to opening tracks of albums for a few different reasons. The first being the obvious that it's usually the first song you hear from the record unless you've been checking out pre-released singles. I have a sneaking feeling that most bands purposely put strong songs to kick off the album. I also tend to gravitate towards them also as a intro into what story an album is going to try and tell. All that noted my early favorite song on <i>Dirtflowers </i>is definitely the opening track 'A Better Depression'. It's got a fantastic baseline and acoustic guitar to start the song. Add in Til's low growl and the horns that kick in about a minute into the track and I was sold.<br />
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I believe <i>Dirtflowers </i>is without a doubt Til's best work that I've heard. Songs like the Replacements-esque rocker 'American Questions' and 'I Bring the Rain' are also highlights of the first half of the record. The second half is just as good though and that is one of the most impressive things about Til's new album...the whole thing is really solid from front to back. 'Outlast the Moon' has some really strong lyrics and the chorus is an earworm while the track 'When It Happens' has my favorite guitar riff on the record. There is just a ton to enjoy and dig into on <i>Dirtflowers.</i><br />
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The album closes with another great song in 'Paper Cranes'. It opens with the lyric "I'll never live up to all the love that's been heaped on me unless I pass it on to you" which I assume (possibly incorrectly) is referencing being a father. This kind of stuff hits me hard and when it's coupled with some awesome guitar playing you have a really standout album closer.<br />
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Til Willis & Erratic Cowboy will be celebrating the release of <i>Dirtflowers </i>at the <a href="http://kawvalleypub.com/" target="_blank">Kaw Valley Public House</a> in Lawrence this Saturday, December 7th at 9PM. Don't miss it.<br />
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-MattMatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00984832754508877918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157503008323740264.post-90006574664595657772019-08-30T14:03:00.001-05:002019-08-30T14:03:25.882-05:00New Album: Jason Hawk Harris - Love & the Dark<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm not going to pretend I know what country radio is or isn't playing these days. You'd think guys like Cody Jinks, Chris Stapleton, and Tyler Childers would be ruling the radio since they're selling out giant rooms all over the country. Hearing <a href="https://www.bloodshotrecords.com/artist/jason-hawk-harris" target="_blank">Jason Hawk Harris</a> for the first time made me think he'd have some clear country radio hits, but if those guys can't get on the radio, why would he?<br />
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<a href="https://jasonhawkharris.com/" target="_blank">Jason Hawk Harris</a> is originally from Houston but resides in LA now. His music has a bit of both places intertwined into his debut album. It's a country record no doubt but there are orchestral elements and a lot of rock n roll influence as well that doesn't make it so easy to pigeonhole it into one genre. You may find some typical country tropes here but the opening track ('The Smoke and the Stars') and the album closer ('Grandfather') are great examples of where Harris's music transcends the genre.<br />
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-MattMatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00984832754508877918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157503008323740264.post-2192089272203825872019-07-22T13:21:00.001-05:002019-07-22T13:21:44.817-05:00Five New Songs I'm DiggingSince summer is here and concert season in the area is getting really busy, I wanted to try and ramp up posting here again. To begin here are a few songs I've been obsessed with early this summer.<br />
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<b>Lillie Mae - 'You've Got Other Girls For That'</b><br />
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One of my most anticipated albums of the summer is <a href="https://www.lilliemaemusic.com/" target="_blank">Lillie Mae's</a> <i>Other Girls</i>, out 8/16 on Third Man Records. Here debut album is one of my favorite country records of the past few years. The first single off the record is an earworm that I've been spinning at least a few times a day.<br />
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<b>Tyler Ramsey - 'A Dream Of Home'</b><br />
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This song just feels like a musical warm blanket to me. I caught <a href="https://www.tylerramsey.com/" target="_blank">Tyler </a>& My Morning Jacket's Carl Broemel recently at a tiny place in Kansas City and it was amazing. His album, <i>For The Morning</i> is a severely underrated album of 2019 so far.<br />
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<b>Orville Peck - 'Roses Are Falling'</b><br />
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What I initially thought was just some kitschy country co-opting bullshit turns out to be one of my favorite records (country or otherwise) of 2019. <a href="https://www.orvillepeck.com/" target="_blank">Orville Peck's</a> <i>Pony</i> is haunting and brilliant and I can't say enough wonderful things about it. His show in KC this fall is my most anticipated of the year.<br />
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<b>Big Thief - 'Cattails'</b><br />
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Another one of my favorite albums of 2019 is <a href="https://bigthief.net/" target="_blank">Big Thief's</a> new one <i>U.F.O.F.</i> They've now put out three brilliant albums in a row with each one possibly being better than the last. My favorite off the newest one is 'Cattails'.<br />
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<b>Hatchie - 'Her Own Heart'</b><br />
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I really do love dreampop and shoegaze so when someone like <a href="https://hatchie.net/" target="_blank">Hatchie</a> comes along and combines both quite nicely I'll take notice. This whole album is really solid as well.<br />
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-MattMatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00984832754508877918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157503008323740264.post-54660239179361114522019-05-23T13:47:00.001-05:002019-05-23T13:47:19.430-05:00Upcoming Show: Kelly Finnigan @ Record Bar<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Another show that flew under my radar until recently is <a href="https://www.kellyfinnigan.com/" target="_blank">Kelly Finnigan</a> appearing at Record Bar next Tuesday, May 28th. Finnigan (also a member of <a href="http://www.monophonics.com/" target="_blank">Monophonics</a>) released his first solo album, <i>The Tales People Tell</i> on <a href="https://www.coleminerecords.com/" target="_blank">Colemine Records</a> earlier this year.</div>
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Kelly's debut solo album is already one of my top five albums of 2019 and doesn't look like it will likely be knocked down anytime soon. <i>The Tales People Tell</i> is one of those new soul albums that sound like it could have been recorded any time in the past 50 years. It's got that vintage sound that is timeless and really stunning. I highly recommending picking it up and I also recommend getting yourself to Record Bar on Tuesday to see Kelly bring these songs to life with his band The Atonements in front of an audience where they'll likely get the room moving like rarely before. </div>
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-Matt</div>
Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00984832754508877918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157503008323740264.post-24622140910031940482019-04-19T11:02:00.001-05:002019-04-19T11:02:18.913-05:00Show Tonight: Charley Crockett & Joshua Ray Walker @ The Granada<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One of the most promising songwriters in country music today is <a href="http://www.joshuaraywalker.com/" target="_blank">Joshua Ray Walker</a>. Not since John Moreland have I heard an artist whose songs and lyrics immediately affected me like Walker. Just listen to the lead track off his new album, Wish You Were Here, called 'Canyon'. It's a fantastic songs and just touches on how good he is once you listen to the whole album. Walker will be at The Granada tonight opening for <a href="http://www.charleycrockett.com/" target="_blank">Charlie Crockett</a>.<br />
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I don't know as much about Crockett but I've been digging into his catalog since finding out Joshua Ray was opening up for him. His music moves back and forth between blues and country and I have to admit, the country stuff is pretty damn good. Just check out his really solid cover of the famous country tune 'That's How I Got To Memphis' below.<br />
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-MattMatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00984832754508877918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157503008323740264.post-53029914168538806212019-04-15T11:10:00.000-05:002019-04-15T11:10:04.460-05:00Columbia's Roots, Blues & BBQ Festival Announces Lineup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm getting a little too old for the festivals I use to try and attend with some regularity in my 20's. However, after attending the 2018 festival, I'll definitely be trying to make a yearly pilgrimage to Columbia, Missouri at the end of September for the <a href="https://rootsnbluesnbbq.com/" target="_blank">Roots, Blues & BBQ festival</a>.<br />
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They announced the 2019 lineup on Friday and it's a really good one. There's plenty to like from the headliners all the way down to the smallest row of local acts. I'm always excited to see Jason Isbell, The New Pornographers, Amanda Shires and Ben Harper again but I'm most excited for the acts I've never seen before. John Prine, Lukas Nelson, Patty Griffin, and Doug Kershaw are all at the top of that list for me.<br />
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I <a href="http://www.thejeopardyofcontentment.com/search/label/RootsNBluesNBBQ" target="_blank">reviewed </a>the three day festival last year and raved about how much we enjoyed it, so don't miss out!<br />
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-MattMatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00984832754508877918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157503008323740264.post-25250935009287477842019-04-09T13:57:00.000-05:002019-04-09T13:57:28.326-05:00Show Review: Durand Jones & The Indications at Record Bar<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinhzb14TqFshVMSIMHP8vcZE4qjqHZZFuA_d0nfIVI0tEZyQmrrciHHAN7oAVxpLsAVDQXGfJYWFPbxPB2xODTJzsBqYrN79T0KErPTQGvAUudELD_wOoafaHj2c6dDzWLSzuVOueJQhyphenhyphen_/s1600/IMG_3875.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="428" data-original-width="570" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinhzb14TqFshVMSIMHP8vcZE4qjqHZZFuA_d0nfIVI0tEZyQmrrciHHAN7oAVxpLsAVDQXGfJYWFPbxPB2xODTJzsBqYrN79T0KErPTQGvAUudELD_wOoafaHj2c6dDzWLSzuVOueJQhyphenhyphen_/s1600/IMG_3875.jpg" /></a>On Saturday night the folks that packed the sold out Record Bar were treated to one of the best shows they're likely to see all year. <a href="https://durandjonesandtheindications.com/" target="_blank">Durand Jones & The Indications</a> are touring behind their fantastic sophomore album, <i>American Love Call</i>, and they showed what an impressive live force they are. The Indications are a really tight band that provide a fantastic background for Durand Jones and drummer Aaron Frazer to shine on vocals. Durand is a true band leader and puts on a frontman show reminiscent of James Brown or Marvin Gaye. At numerous points in time Jones was singing from his knees, flat on his back, or sitting off to the side and letting his band shine. The secret weapon of The Indications though is Frazer. Not only does he absolutely kill it on the drums but his falsetto vocals on songs like 'Is It Any Wonder', which received one of the biggest crowd reactions of the evening, are breathtaking.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji-nwJO9Rkhg3cvU9576iBE1kTMZCgtSm1z2ectTdThDpa10fuVfLZRKYpsaltj73OqCdYdCklTrJmAV79I8Q3i_JFOpIBd5bFcJOndGJnEoLN9dM0UtcnckOkTEwJm9Uo6WVQkgKnlJQo/s1600/IMG_3845.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="428" data-original-width="570" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji-nwJO9Rkhg3cvU9576iBE1kTMZCgtSm1z2ectTdThDpa10fuVfLZRKYpsaltj73OqCdYdCklTrJmAV79I8Q3i_JFOpIBd5bFcJOndGJnEoLN9dM0UtcnckOkTEwJm9Uo6WVQkgKnlJQo/s1600/IMG_3845.jpg" /></a>The band played most of their two albums and peppered a few well placed covers in the set as well. A sped up version of Curtis Mayfields '(Don't Worry) If There Is A Hell Below, We're All Gonna Go' was a highlight of the night as well as their show closing cover of The Beatles 'Don't Let Me Down'.<br />
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This will likely be the smallest venue Durand Jones & The Indications will play in Kansas City and for good reason. With two strong albums in their catalog and a voracious live show, hopefully they get the huge recognition they deserve.<br />
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Openers <a href="https://www.gingerrootmusic.com/" target="_blank">Ginger Root</a> described themselves as "aggressive elevator soul" and to be honest I can't come up with a better descriptor. They were a lot of fun and I hope to catch them again soon.<br />
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-MattMatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00984832754508877918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157503008323740264.post-65019343648876395852019-04-03T13:31:00.000-05:002019-04-03T13:58:31.959-05:00Upcoming Show: Durand Jones & The Indications<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWBn7KluClTPxLmwcNHepKGUpAzuClWP69IK0XGxFcJe7U33sSYEeQBbDpmmM5BcYI_soeruN4y3HFxRJnyzdWOLQ3nL6uUedwj77HCKcZVmML8qUK0l9q_7F3yBmTJK8LvsNNBEKV7o65/s1600/DurandJonesAndTheIndications_byRosieCohe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="570" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWBn7KluClTPxLmwcNHepKGUpAzuClWP69IK0XGxFcJe7U33sSYEeQBbDpmmM5BcYI_soeruN4y3HFxRJnyzdWOLQ3nL6uUedwj77HCKcZVmML8qUK0l9q_7F3yBmTJK8LvsNNBEKV7o65/s1600/DurandJonesAndTheIndications_byRosieCohe.jpg" /></a></div>
One of the shows we're most excited about in the entire month of April is <a href="https://durandjonesandtheindications.com/" target="_blank">Durand Jones & The Indications</a>. They're a throwback to the soul and R&B music made famous in the 50's through the 70's but don't let that make you think it's stale or a rehash. Their music sounds fresh and inspired and from what I've seen of their live performances on YouTube, they put on a killer show as well.<br />
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Their new album, <i>American Love Call</i>, came out last month and is already towards the top of my favorite albums of 2019. The combination of Jones's soulful voice and drummer/vocalist Aaron Frazer's beautiful falsetto makes for some outstanding harmonies and songwriting. The album touches on politics, love, heartbreak and everything in-between. I liked their self-titled debut album, but American Love Call is on a whole different level of greatness.<br />
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Durand Jones & The Indications will be <a href="https://therecordbar.com/event/durand-jones" target="_blank">at Record Bar on Saturday night, April 6th</a>. There is no excuse for you to miss this show. Check out the video for the track 'Don't You Know' below and I'll see you at Record bar on Saturday.<br />
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-MattMatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00984832754508877918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157503008323740264.post-11096441139333454032019-03-15T12:44:00.000-05:002019-03-15T12:44:05.563-05:00Listen to Phoebe Bridgers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfIcatcuLvFSvWTRLnq3rIilS92nsEVjaEaCFmE-txLhPn2lijPxHihwXiV51Ke2nBzBf5FnZbduPQL3GR1LszvCIgTG8kzi6iL8h6Hn4VM5aLC3otHAq5MH3-9QtrystmGbiuj9rOj-7G/s1600/phoebe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="359" data-original-width="575" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfIcatcuLvFSvWTRLnq3rIilS92nsEVjaEaCFmE-txLhPn2lijPxHihwXiV51Ke2nBzBf5FnZbduPQL3GR1LszvCIgTG8kzi6iL8h6Hn4VM5aLC3otHAq5MH3-9QtrystmGbiuj9rOj-7G/s1600/phoebe.jpg" /></a></div>
<a href="http://phoebefuckingbridgers.com/" target="_blank">Phoebe Bridgers</a> has officially taken over my musical life. My family is sick of me spinning her records and playing her videos. With the release of her fabulous solo record, <i>Stranger In The Alps</i>, in late 2017 she appeared on my radar and hasn't left since. The album is worth revisiting on it's own merits alone, but Bridgers has continued to make really fantastic music with a couple of other projects as well that are worthy of mentioning. Before we move on here is one of the standout tracks from 2017's <i>Stranger In The Alps</i>, 'Motion Sickness':<br />
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I don't want to write this without mentioning the elephant in the room. 'Motion Sickness' was admittedly written about Ryan Adams long before the damning NYT story came out recently documenting his abuses. However the song bears new weight after reading how Adams treated Bridgers specifically. I've been a long time Ryan Adams fan, but hopefully others like me will turn their attention to the music of someone much more worthy of it in Bridgers.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijT5u7v4sly9Jb9uNcZslRR3o4bu-gqgi3Mw_4hoQUqdi8Qk5cvecJtdmnugneqKKpMv9zlt3iMsILU8QsMJGuRNZ5Bc2mrlTfNKUsZCSA2fqTzwF5I4-BAC2ms9AGOjdrDqvjJIsskWpJ/s1600/fa2f2c-20181117-boygenius-perform-in-the-current-studio-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="433" data-original-width="575" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijT5u7v4sly9Jb9uNcZslRR3o4bu-gqgi3Mw_4hoQUqdi8Qk5cvecJtdmnugneqKKpMv9zlt3iMsILU8QsMJGuRNZ5Bc2mrlTfNKUsZCSA2fqTzwF5I4-BAC2ms9AGOjdrDqvjJIsskWpJ/s1600/fa2f2c-20181117-boygenius-perform-in-the-current-studio-12.jpg" /></a></div>
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The moment Bridgers went from a notable new artist to an obsession for me was the release of the "supergroup" <a href="https://xboygeniusx.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">boygenius</a> EP that came out in 2018. I'd already been a big fan of Julien Baker and knew a bit about Lucy Dacus but I had no idea how much I'd love the songs the three of them made together. The whole EP is just flawless...here is my favorite track 'Salt In The Wound':<br />
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Bridgers continued this year with the release of <a href="https://www.betteroblivioncommunitycenter.org/" target="_blank">Better Oblivion Community Center</a>'s debut self-titled album with Conor Oberst. The album is another really solid effort and really shows that Bridger is as prolific as she is talented.<br />
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-MattMatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00984832754508877918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157503008323740264.post-87104086490968975032018-12-28T10:32:00.000-06:002018-12-28T10:32:05.540-06:00Best Songs of 2018<iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/user/mschram/playlist/2vZz77urWdpiPtKVFVuG8Y" width="300"></iframe>Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00984832754508877918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157503008323740264.post-3027399097080308652018-12-20T13:21:00.001-06:002018-12-20T13:21:57.544-06:00Favorite Albums of 201850. Soccer Mommy - Clean<br />
49. Iceage - Beyondless<br />
48. Calexico - The Thread That Keeps Us<br />
47. Titus Andronicus - A Productive Cough<br />
46. Adrianne Lenker - abysskiss<br />
45. Sleep - The Sciences<br />
44. First Aid Kit - Ruins<br />
43. Jeff Rosenstock - POST<br />
42. Blood Orange - Negro Swan<br />
41. Hop Along - Bark Your Head Off, Dog<br />
40. Montero - Performer<br />
39. Moaning - Moaning<br />
38. Cody Jinks - Lifers<br />
37. S. Carey - Hundred Acres<br />
36. Damien Jurado - The Horizon Just Laughed<br />
35. Nas - NASIR<br />
34. Israel Nash - Lifted<br />
33. Courtney Marie Andrews - May Your Kindness remain<br />
32. Marlon Williams - Make Way For Love<br />
31. Lucero - Among The Ghosts<br />
30. Neko Case - Hell-On<br />
29. Foxing - Nearer My God<br />
28. William Elliott Whitmore - Kilonova<br />
27. Bonny Doon - Longwave<br />
26. DJ Koze - Knock<br />
25. Pusha T - DAYTONA<br />
24. Beach House - 7<br />
23. Shame - Songs of Praise<br />
22. Wild Pink - Yolk in the Fur<br />
21. American Aquarium - Things Change<br />
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<b>20. Janelle Monae - Dirty Computer</b><br />
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<b>19. Amanda Shires - To The Sunset </b><br />
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<b>18. Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats - Wasteland</b><br />
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<b>17. Shy Boys - Bell House </b><br />
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<b>16. Phosphorescent - C'est La Vie</b><br />
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<b>15. Murder By Death - The Other Shore</b><br />
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<b>14. Kamasi Washington - Heaven and Earth</b><br />
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<b>13. Kurt Vile - Bottle It In</b><br />
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<b>12. Father John Misty - God's Favorite Customer</b><br />
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<b>11. Khruangbin - Con Todo El Mundo</b><br />
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<b>10. Lucy Dacus - Historian</b><br />
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<b>9. boygenius - boygenius</b><br />
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<b>8. U.S. Girls - In A Poem Unlimited</b><br />
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<b>7. Deafheaven - Ordinary Corrupt Human Love</b><br />
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<b>6. John Prine - The Tree Of Forgiveness</b><br />
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<b>5. Kacey Musgraves - Golden Hour</b><br />
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<b>4. Parquet Courts - Wide Awake!</b><br />
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<b>3. Colter Wall - Songs Of The Plains</b><br />
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<b>2. IDLES - Joy As An Act Of Resistance</b><br />
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<b>1. Snail Mail - Lush</b><br />
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-MattMatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00984832754508877918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157503008323740264.post-70026722330014370852018-10-12T15:23:00.001-05:002018-10-12T15:23:53.523-05:00 Roots N Blues N BBQ Festival - Day ThreeDay three gave us another perfect day of weather and a few of the best sets of the festival. The first band I was really excited to finally see was <a href="http://www.thecactusblossoms.com/" target="_blank">The Cactus Blossoms</a>. After missing them open for Jenny Lewis in KC, I wanted to make sure I saw their set in Columbia. We caught the first half of their set before we cut across the grounds to see Israel Nash. The band played a few new songs which have me really excited for their sophomore release. <br />
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<a href="http://www.israelnash.com/" target="_blank">Israel Nash</a> first showed up on my radar when someone compared him to maybe my favorite musician of all-time -- Neil Young. There is no doubt Nash is influenced by Mr. Young and he puts on a really solid live show. The highlight of Nash's set was a introduced as a "Protest Song" before Nash & his band plowed through a fiery cover of Neil Young's 'Ohio'.<br />
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My wife's number one act to catch at the festival was <a href="http://amandashiresmusic.com/" target="_blank">Amanda Shires</a>. We've been fans for a while but her new album, <i>To The Sunset</i>, put here on a whole different level. Shire's set was a highlight of the entire weekend and I'd expect her to have a headlining spot the next time she plays the festival.<br />
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The final band we caught before driving back to Kansas City on Sunday night was <a href="https://greenskybluegrass.com/" target="_blank">Greensky Bluegrass</a>. Admittedly I wasn't familiar with their music before the weekend but I consider myself a fan now. The members of the band are extremely talented players and they have a really devoted fanbase that showed up in front of the stage. They play a brand of bluegrass that I really enjoy and I look forward to catching them live again as soon as I can.<br />
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I really can't say enough good things about this festival. I'm disappointed it was never on my radar before this year because their past lineups are definitely in my wheelhouse. There's a very good chance we'll be in attendance every year going forward.Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00984832754508877918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157503008323740264.post-35985087354461530252018-10-09T10:33:00.001-05:002018-10-09T10:33:33.242-05:00Roots N Blues N BBQ Festival - Day TwoI'm not sure you could hope for better weather at an outdoor event than Columbia experienced on Saturday. We got to the festival before the gates opened so we could catch some of the first bands and I'm glad we did.<br />
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The first highlight of the day was the Ben Miller Band from Joplin, Mo. They have previously been described as Ozark Stomp which is actually pretty accurate. We only caught the first half of their set to get over and see The Kay Brothers, but we really enjoyed what we heard.<br />
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I can't get enough of Ha Ha Tonka. They're criminally underrated for what a great live band they are. They also put out album after album of really great music. It's my 6th time seeing them and once again, they put on one of the best shows of the festival. KC claims them as their own so there are lots of opportunities to see them closer to home.<br />
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If we're declaring teams in the Uncle Tupelo split, I've always been with Jeff. Son Volt just hasn't ever clicked with me since 'Trace' but I still wanted to see them play live. 'Drown', 'Windfall' and a cover of Uncle Tupelo's 'Chickamauga' were the set's highlights.<br />
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Our absolute must-see performer on Saturday was Margo Price. She's a huge family favorite in my house with myself, my wife and both of my kids. Plus, after seeing her in Kansas City earlier this year we knew we were in for a treat. Somehow her stage show has gotten even better in the past 9 months which is really hard to believe. She played a few new songs and threw in covers of Tom Petty, Neil Young, & Dolly Parton for good measure. I'll also never get tired of watching her slay on the drums.<br />
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In the current state of "Outlaw Country" there is Sturgill Simpson on one level and then everybody else. That wasn't ever more evident than as Saturday's closer. Sturgill's four piece band was on fire all night and they were lead by Simpson himself on lead guitar. I've watched a lot of these new country guys play live and none of them appear to have the lead guitar skills Sturgill has.<br />
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Other random highlights of the weekend:<br />
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<li>Kelly Willis had an unfortunately set in between a couple of more upbeat bands but the few songs I caught of hers were really beautiful.</li>
<li>We caught a Dale Watson doing a great version of Merle's 'Mama Tried' in between Ha Ha Tonka & Son Volt</li>
<li>On the suggestion of my dad, we ran over to watch a bit of The Mavericks in between Margo Price & Sturgill Simpson. We saw their cover of Neil Young's 'Harvest Moon' & it was perfect.</li>
<li>Early bands Blue Jay & The Mighty Pines sets both show cased young bands with a lot of promise. I hope to catch them both in the future.</li>
</ul>
-Matt<br />
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<br />Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00984832754508877918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157503008323740264.post-32908441134588271442018-10-08T11:45:00.000-05:002018-10-08T12:46:01.355-05:00Photos - The National / Alvvays @ Starlight Theatre<a href="https://americanmary.com/" target="_blank">The National</a> played an extremely soggy show last night at Starlight Theatre in Kansas City. It rained almost the entire time and at some points it was absolutely pouring. Of course that kind of weather matches up with the The National's music pretty perfectly. They're such a tight band live and Matt Berninger is one of the best frontmen/showmen around. Here are some photos from last night:
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The National also has a long history of bringing along really fantastic opening acts. This time around it was <a href="http://alvvays.com/" target="_blank">Alvvays</a> from Toronto. They got the only dry hour of the evening and they took full advantage of it with a really beautiful opening set.<br />
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Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00984832754508877918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157503008323740264.post-42035080410235968562018-10-05T14:26:00.002-05:002018-10-06T08:19:25.445-05:00Roots N Blues N BBQ Festival - Day OneIt's been a good chunk of time since I last went out of town for a multi-day festival. It used to be an annual occurrence but with kids and careers and other things getting in the way, it was long overdue. Luckily there is a three day festival just a couple of hours from Kansas City and it consistently books tons of bands that I love. The festival is<a href="https://rootsnbluesnbbq.com/" target="_blank"> Roots N Blues N BBQ</a> and this year was it's 12th in Columbia, Missouri.<br />
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Let me just start off by saying our experience at the festival was almost perfect and we had so much fun that we're going to try and make it an annual event. I honestly don't know how I've never considered going to this in the past but somehow it was never on my radar. That won't be a problem again.<br />
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First off the grounds of the festival are nearly perfect. Lots of room, good amounts of shade, plenty of bathrooms and super friendly staff & volunteers. The ONLY complaint we had of the entire weekend was having to wait an hour for a shuttle bus before realizing we should just walk the 20 minutes from downtown to Stephen's Lake Park.<br />
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Friday was the weakest of the three days lineup in my opinion. At least Friday for me had the least amount of "must see" acts where as Saturday and Sunday were packed with them and provided some difficult decisions to make on who to see.<br />
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We spent most of our time on Friday bouncing between stages, sampling food/drinks and taking in the atmosphere until The Avett Brothers closed the night down on the main stage.<br />
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This was my third time seeing The Avett Brothers and they seriously don't disappoint. They're a well oiled machine live and put on a fantastic show. I haven't loved their last two albums as much as their previous output, but they can still put on one of the most fun shows you'll see.<br />
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Stay tuned for the Day 2 review!<br />
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-MattMatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00984832754508877918noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157503008323740264.post-32255324057782446742018-07-11T10:49:00.002-05:002018-07-11T10:53:05.500-05:00Show Announcements: Some Great Co-Bills This Fall<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>The National / Alvvays @ Starlight Theater on Sunday, October 7th</b><br />
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It will be four years since the last time <a href="https://americanmary.com/" target="_blank">The National</a> played Kansas City when they hit Starlight Theater in October. They've turned into one of the best live bands around so it's a show you definitely don't want to miss. They always bring along fantastic openers too so it's exciting to see the really great <a href="http://alvvays.com/" target="_blank">Alvvays</a> joining them in town. <a href="https://tickets.kcstarlight.com/single/psDetail.aspx?psn=2603&tnewq=0b9dc1c4-7cb4-4452-9f8d-b5c1d049872a&tnewp=68093879-9c97-4c29-b977-78952393dc0f&tnewts=1531239664&tnewc=kcstarlight&tnewe=071018&tnewrt=Safetynet&tnewh=88a6d3960506b720af12c44da893300b" target="_blank">Tickets</a> go on sale Friday.<br />
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<b>Lucero / Strand Of Oaks @ The Madrid Theatre on Friday, November 16th</b><br />
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I'm pretty sure I've seen <a href="http://luceromusic.com/" target="_blank">Lucero</a> live more than any other band. I'm happy to see them hitting Kansas City instead of Lawrence this time for a show at the Madrid in November. Lucero is touring behind their new album, <i>Among The Ghosts</i>, which comes out on August 3rd. Joining them as the opener is <a href="https://www.strandofoaks.net/" target="_blank">Strand Of Oaks</a> doing a solo set. Tim from Strand Of Oaks began his career doing more mellow folk type stuff so I hope he might pull some of that stuff out on this tour. <a href="https://lucero.shop.ticketstoday.com/basket.aspx?Action=AddTickets&eventId=186368" target="_blank">Tickets</a> are on sale now.<br />
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<b>Murder By Death / William Elliott Whitmore @ The Granada on Saturday, September 22nd</b><br />
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Indiana's <a href="https://murderbydeath.com/" target="_blank">Murder By Death</a> are getting ready to release their 8th studio album, <i>The Other Shore</i>, out on August 24th. They're an absolute blast live so I try and catch them whenever I get a chance. Fellow <a href="http://middleofthemapfest.com/" target="_blank">Middle of the Map</a> alum <a href="https://www.williamelliottwhitmore.com/home" target="_blank">William Elliott Whitmore</a> is opening the show for them in Lawrence. Whitmore is putting out his ninth album, <i>Kilonova</i>, out on September 7th. It's his first album for Bloodshot Records and it's a covers album with songs from The Magnetic Fields, Bad Religion, Captain Beefheart, & many more. You can get <a href="https://www.ticketweb.com/event/murder-by-death-the-granada-tickets/8393365?pl=granada" target="_blank">tickets</a> now.<br />
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As always, I keep the full concert calendar updated regularly <a href="http://thejeopardyofcontentmentconcerts.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">HERE</a>.<br />
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-MattMatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00984832754508877918noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157503008323740264.post-20019850836076466162017-12-26T19:53:00.000-06:002017-12-26T19:53:00.743-06:00Favorite Albums of 201750. Lilly Hiatt - Trinity Lane<br />
49. Sinai Vessel - Brokenlegged<br />
48. The New Pornographers - Whiteout Conditions<br />
47. Perfume Genius - No Shape<br />
46. Alvvays - Antisocialites<br />
45. Steve Earle - So You Wannabe An Outlaw<br />
44. Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Luciferian Towers<br />
43. St. Vincent - MASSEDUCTION<br />
42. Japandroids - Near To The Wild Heart<br />
41. Broken Social Scene - Hug Of Thunder<br />
40. BNQT - Volume 1<br />
39. Pallbearer - Heartless<br />
38. Real Estate - In Mind<br />
37. The xx - I See You<br />
36. Tori Amos - Native Invader<br />
35. Hiss Golden Messenger - Hallelujah Anyhow <br />
34. Grizzly Bear - Painted Ruins<br />
33. Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires - Youth Detention<br />
32. Ha Ha Tonka - Heart Shaped Mountain<br />
31. Nikki Lane - Highway Queen<br />
30. Margo Price - All American Made<br />
29. Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit - The Nashville Sound<br />
28. Run The Jewels - Run The Jewels 3<br />
27. Willie Nelson - God's Problem Child<br />
26. John Moreland - Big Bad Luv<br />
25. (Sandy) Alex G - Rocket<br />
24. The Afghan Whigs - In Spades<br />
23. Fleet Foxes - Crack-Up<br />
22. LCD Soundsystem - American Dream<br />
21. Destroyer - ken<br />
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<b>20. Sampha - Process</b><br />
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/5zOnoB8FdZudDcPX4O8WqF" width="300"></iframe><br />
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<b>19. Julie Byrne - Not Even Happiness</b><br />
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/4sOkNLwSWfnXduwzTFRSDd" width="300"></iframe><br />
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<b>18. Sean Rowe - New Lore </b><br />
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/5zQSyCwzbitLi5LZtBIvE0" width="300"></iframe><br />
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<b>17. Aimee Mann - Mental Illness</b><br />
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/24NbwTMfsr94HSKyMMd8LB" width="300"></iframe><br />
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<b>16. Wolf Parade - Cry Cry Cry</b><br />
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<b>15. Big Thief - Capacity</b><br />
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/6XVDZoNVGvWhfSoqQhjJZI" width="300"></iframe><br />
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<b>14. Waxahatchee - Out In The Storm</b><br />
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/1lcHu7OTXCRQrlBV4XJiOW" width="300"></iframe><br />
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<b>13. Ryan Adams - Prisoner</b><br />
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<b>12. Chris Stapleton - From A Room Volume 1</b><br />
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<b>11. The National - Sleep Well Beast</b><br />
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/25RriQgYitvlhOso7ckY2r" width="300"></iframe><br />
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<b>10. Colter Wall - Colter Wall</b><br />
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<b>9. Mount Eerie - A Crow Looked At Me</b><br />
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/2jpaYrcduGAlHkFZwLobxN" width="300"></iframe><br />
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<b>8. The Texas Gentlemen - TX Jelly</b><br />
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/1p9UwwnIN5sG7CSXivLAq1" width="300"></iframe><br />
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<b>7. Father John Misty - Pure Comedy</b><br />
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/4ybyq1pLxA7PnbbCp6sNu7" width="300"></iframe><br />
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<b>6. Tyler Childers - Purgatory</b><br />
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/48nZLOpJOINkICPWpUuhaN" width="300"></iframe><br />
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<b>5. Julien Baker - Turn Out The Lights</b><br />
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/46Vogr8UvzcVPAgDvBpDIr" width="300"></iframe><br />
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<b>4. Kevin Morby - City Music</b><br />
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/4equkWkj4HbZD3OXHhpdnH" width="300"></iframe><br />
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<b>3. The War On Drugs - A Deeper Understanding</b><br />
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<b>2. Kendrick Lamar - DAMN</b><br />
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/6HZILIRieu8S0iqY8kIKhj" width="300"></iframe><br />
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<b>1. Slowdive - Slowdive</b><br />
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/6oeABvJGU7Oztzd3CiSv0l" width="300"></iframe><br />
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-MattMatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00984832754508877918noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157503008323740264.post-36428647149606045412017-12-19T09:31:00.003-06:002017-12-19T09:31:56.977-06:00Favorite Songs of 2017I'm currently working on a my favorite albums of 2017 list, however I thought I'd first post a playlist of all of my favorite songs of the year. Below is a full mix of over 100 songs that I dug this year. Keep an eye out for my favorite albums of 2017 post to come very soon.<br />
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-Matt<br />
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<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/user/mschram/playlist/3Nq4cfALVWLOVcxFJfBLuw" width="300"></iframe>Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00984832754508877918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157503008323740264.post-958493032672038852017-11-10T10:33:00.001-06:002017-11-10T10:33:35.402-06:00Video: The Texas Gentlemen - 'Bondurant Woman'<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6azFb6SxKFc8hI1ezMc-RLAb29uLdjBwAJXjky1l0W2hSve3Hxg7HCnHZF1Go2m-1XxxcmDGbxyHuoahrpZpPhFR3k8Lr7fRCgM09uSiCPe01gbmojyQQ3_hS1WAItwZGngnaZLXHSKHc/s1600/TexasGentlemen_0917-1-800x500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="356" data-original-width="570" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6azFb6SxKFc8hI1ezMc-RLAb29uLdjBwAJXjky1l0W2hSve3Hxg7HCnHZF1Go2m-1XxxcmDGbxyHuoahrpZpPhFR3k8Lr7fRCgM09uSiCPe01gbmojyQQ3_hS1WAItwZGngnaZLXHSKHc/s1600/TexasGentlemen_0917-1-800x500.jpg" /></a></div>
It's been a while since we've posted anything so If I'm breaking a 6+ month posting hiatus, it better be for something good.<br />
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The story of <a href="http://thetexasgentlemen.com/" target="_blank">The Texas Gentlemen</a> is an interesting one. They're a rotating group of musicians that got their start as the backing band for artists like Leon Bridges & Nikki Lane. To record their debut album, <i>TX Jelly</i>, they headed to Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals and the magic of that studio seeped into every track on their record. Every song on the album sounds like it comes from a different genre: Country, Rock, R&B, Soul, Gospel, & Folk. Yet, the album doesn't feel like just a groups of songs, there is a cohesion to it that you wouldn't expect from such a varied bunch of songs. This album is probably the most fun you'll have with a record this year and it's easily going to find it's way into my top 10 albums of the year.<br />
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Below is the video for one of my favorite tracks on the record: 'Bondurant Woman'. I feel in love with the song the first time I heard it since it reminded me of one of my favorite groups of all-time (with a similar background story as well) in The Band.<br />
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Check out the video below and come see The Texas Gentlemen open up for Paul Cauthen at the Record Bar in Kansas City tomorrow night.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" gesture="media" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9OZFQM0l8xE?rel=0" width="560"></iframe>Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00984832754508877918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157503008323740264.post-28705094866722504912017-04-21T10:58:00.002-05:002017-04-21T10:59:35.372-05:00New Song: The War On Drugs - 'Thinking Of A Place'The War On Drugs put out my <a href="http://www.thejeopardyofcontentment.com/search/label/2014%3A%20The%20Year%20In%20Review" target="_blank">favorite album of 2014</a> and it wasn't really even close. When I heard the band was planning on putting out a 12" single for Record Store Day in 2017 I got understandably excited. Even one new song from the band indicates that they are probably working on much more and even potentially a new album.<br />
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Well, the single has been released today and it's an epic song reaching over 11 minutes in length. The track is called 'Thinking Of A Place' and it packs in everything I love about this band into one song. Check out the song below and keep on the lookout for news about a potential new album.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="310" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/213900454?color=ffffff&byline=0&portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="555"></iframe><br />
<a href="https://vimeo.com/213900454">The War On Drugs - Thinking Of A Place</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/recordstoreday">Record Store Day</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
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-Matt Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00984832754508877918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157503008323740264.post-8085244741654135412017-03-03T09:49:00.002-06:002017-03-03T09:55:39.041-06:00New Song: Sharon Van Etten - 'The End Of The World'<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.sharonvanetten.com/" target="_blank">Sharon Van Etten</a> may be my favorite female voice in music today. Her last two albums are both gorgeous, moving, and two of my favorites of the last decade. I can't express how excited I am for when she releases her next record.<br />
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Until then we get these one off songs and, in this case, a cover from an Amazon TV show called 'The Man In The High Castle". The song is a fantastic old country tune made popular by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sonLd-32ns4" target="_blank">Skeeter Davis</a> called 'The End of the World' and, of course, Van Etten's cover is amazing. Listen to the track below.<br />
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-MattMatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00984832754508877918noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157503008323740264.post-3959582497875990112017-01-23T23:53:00.002-06:002017-01-25T08:55:26.986-06:00What the F**&K is Wrong with You?: PJ Harvey<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://static.stereogum.com/uploads/2016/04/3-To-Bring-You-My-Love-640x638.jpg" height="398" width="400" /></div>
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I didn't listen to many female artists when I truly began to "listen" to music, i.e. actively searching and using my own money to buy a tape or CD of somebody that <b>I</b> wanted to listen to and absorb. Being a boy around the age of 13 in the suburbs, all of my music was male-centric, from The Beatles to Led Zeppelin to AC/DC to, of course, The Partland Brothers' <i>Electric Honey.</i><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br />Two things to mention: First CD I ever bought after getting my first CD player </i></span><i style="font-size: small;">(bargain bin)</i><i style="font-size: small;">, and article symbolism later.</i></div>
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I don't believe this is anything odd and imagine that most kids starting out their active-listener lives are going to associate to artists of their own sex. I never disliked women artists (certainly not those from the 50s , 60s, or the R&B 70s), but as boy who didn't understand anything about girls, buying their music never crossed the mind. I needed some sort of connection outside of the music itself, and all of us being man-boys was the easiest connection to make.</div>
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Eventually, once I hit college in I had realized that part of absorbing music is to encounter different perspectives, and that I could listen to Liz Phair talking about blowjobs and gender double standards even if I couldn't relate (but I could still sympathize!). I could enjoy hearing Justine Frischmann sing about needing Vaseline when you're stuck like glue because, damn, sex is awkward for all of us!<br />
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<img height="400" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/9f/83/5a/9f835ac7c70ff885a416d2c479238793.jpg" width="273" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Absolutely listened to Elastica solely because of their music</i></span></div>
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While I began to listen to more females artists, I'd say most hung around the indie or just general rock genre, so while lyrically they might be bringing some new ideas to my tiny musical end table, it was still food for thought that I had ingested before. I wasn't pooping out anything new to spark the imagination, so to speak. Perhaps, I was becoming musically constipated in the bowels my artistic expansion....<br />
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There wasn't - and still isn't- as much diversity in my female artists. I still lean towards rock/indie/punk women artists (Sleater-Kinney being my absolute #1 as a whole, not just a "girl band"), along with electro-pop leaning singers and Americana/folk. Still, despite what I consider to be my own limits of female experience, I am surprised I didn't spend more time listening to PJ Harvey, as by all indications she should have been up my alley. When Witmer suggested that I take on <i>To Bring You My Love</i>, I jumped at the suggestion, kicking myself when he named the album that this wasn't something I already had on my playlist.<br />
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So, let's begin!<br />
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The Artist: PJ Harvey<br />The Album: <i>To Bring You My Love</i><br />The Listener: Chris<br />The Presenter: Scott</h3>
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(Side note: I actually thought I saw her in support of R.E.M in 1995, but it was actually Sonic Youth, I now realize).<br />
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<b><i>Track 1: To Bring You My Love</i></b><br />
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Well, hello Track 1! l love a good Track 1. Picking your first track for an album is the most important part of your track arrangement, so this bodes well. She's mentioned the desert, wandering, and Jesus in the first minute, so we are in fine shape for a rock album. This is my point: All musicians - regardless of sex - will write about those three topics at some point in their career.<br />
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Man, I am kicking myself already on this- Harvey has great character in her voice and you buy in, and already much more raw than I expected, with a great mix of the guitar falling over the rest of the instruments. I feel like her bringing love might be a double suicide. And that tremolo at the end...<b>Grade: A</b><br />
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<b><i>Track 2: Meet Ze Monsta</i></b><br />
<b><br /></b>It was fun to write that title, and I laughed, but before the track started I was also wondering if there was going to be any humor in the actual song, or it would be just really dark. Possibly being about abuse.<br />
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I initially thought I heard a little Robert Palmer with the drums, so that was a little fun. Her lyrics really are the prime example of relatability to any artist- I took it as her just having an intense night of sex, and she lays on middle-school euphemisms or just general words (like "head" and "coming") that you associate to sex even if they are not being used in that context, since I am still a middle-schooler (I taught middle school, so maybe that explains it. Ironically, I can't stand that age, but I loved teaching them. They are hilarious group of insecure dorks who all seem to discover 70s rock in 7th grade). <b>Grade: B-</b><br />
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<b><i>Track 3: Working for the Man</i></b><br />
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Now <i>this </i>track is what I was expecting Harvey to sound more like- spare drums, slight textures, a sense of something a little creepy going on. It's a nice change of pace from the first two tracks- breaking up the blues rock gives you time to breathe and get a sense of what she is fully bringing to the table. The song is a throwaway, but serves the album, so far. Lyrically, she is really seeming to push the idea of sexuality, or being under the spell of a man, as well as being powerless to God. "God of piston, god of steel/God is here behind the wheel". <b>Grade: B+</b><br />
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<b><i>Track 4: C'mon Billy</i></b><br />
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This was the first track that lyrically took on a true "woman's perspective", after three tracks that certainly could have been performed by anyone and made sense. Harvey is trying to get Billy to come back to her after she's had his son, who I assume he didn't know about, or perhaps left. The line towards the end "Damn thing went crazy" makes me think she killed the child, since she's referring to it as thing, perhaps keeping Billy from her. I also read into what seems like a trend, with Harvey serving to the will of man in her song, and I can't help but read it as commentary on the kind of life a woman leads when in this mindset. <b>Grade: B</b><br />
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<b><i>Track 5: Teclo </i></b><br />
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So my kids were listening to Veggie Tales before I listened to this, and when I hit play I hadn't clicked on the actual track. Not what I was expecting. So it's taken me a few seconds to get my thoughts back in order.<br />
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This track is more in line with how I imagined PJ Harvey to be. She throws in a lot of character into her voice, as opposed to more straight-up blues wrath from earlier. The vocals ride on sparse minor chord riffs with feedback noodling to still give it that root anchor, but certainly goes into a more modern framework. The lyrics continue the obsession or longing to be with someone else, but I have no idea what "Teclo your death/Will send me to my grave" means. Isn't Teclo a convenience store in the UK? <b>Grade: B-</b><br />
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<b><i>Track 6: Long Snake Moan</i></b><br />
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Fuuuuuuuuuuck yeah! I don't care about the lyrics at all. I knew that once the first four seconds went by. I want this song played live when I go see her, preferably as an encore. I checked her set list recently and doesn't look like she's playing it. I'll need to tweet her this advice. Perfect blend of a dark, angry, sexy riff, power drums, droning organ, and that goddamn angry voice. <b>Grade: A</b><br />
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<b><i>Track 7: Down by the Water</i></b><br />
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It's amazing how much MTV could effect what I wanted to listen to or who I wanted to pass on. I mean, I prided myself on watching 120 Minutes and MTV2, so I was hip to what was going on, but if an artists song didn't connect with me on those first couple of rotations, I was probably done with them. This is what happened with "Get Up" by Sleater-Kinney and it happened with Harvey and "Down by the Water". "Get Up" is one of my least favorite SK tracks, and the same certainly is true for "Water". It's not awful by any means- the buzzing synth bass is cool, I like the strings, and it has an identity, but it just...is. After 6 tracks in, where at least 5 really had some charge to them, this just drifts down the water past my raft, without me caring to go back and save it. In fact, it can take "Get Up" with it. <b>Grade: C-</b><br />
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<b><i>Track 8: I Think I'm a Mother</i></b><br />
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Is this a dirge? Seems like a dirge. I want to write a dirge and play it a funeral, and people would say "That's quite appropriate".<br />
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The lyrics are really confusing, so I won't read too much into them. But I have to wonder what the hell "You just roll me over/You give me a mother/A man if I love her" means. Is the narrator a woman? She wants to get pregnant with a mom? Or the man's a she if she loves her? A nice little riff- Harvey is absolutely a blues aficionado who does a nice job throwing in modern interpretations to these tried-and-true melodies, and that always sticks with me. This is a back-to-back run of two songs that don't stick much with you, though. <b>Grade: B-</b><br />
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<b><i>Track 9: Send His Love to Me</i></b><br />
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Hello, 90s acoustic guitar! It's the classic overproduced acoustic track, which seems counter-intuitive. I found the organ not quite fitting this song as we have heard in others, and I wasn't quite sold on her synth-and-strings middle section. I could certainly hear this with that out and have kept it with just the acoustic and percussion. Also, she misses the love of a guy, and wants Jesus to hear her!<br />
<b>Grade: C</b><br />
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<b><i>Track 10: The Dancer</i></b><br />
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I've somewhat joked about Harvey's reference to God/Jesus in this album, but while I think a lot of time artists use biblical references, terms, or theological questions as an easy out to look deep and contemplative, it definitely is a theme for Harvey in this album- and maybe in a lot of her work. Lyrically this is by far the most direct track on the topic of God and the idea of being saved by Him. God even appears to send an angel to her to let her know he is there for her. This directness of the track also makes me want to look back at hear earlier tracks and see if the references to him might deal more with her relationship with God. It makes the idea of her constantly in want of him to be much deeper if she's seeking Him, and not a him. Musically it keeps a pretty constant melody throughout, so it's a showcase of her words, and it feels like she bearing her soul, with the music more of her background. <b>Grade: B</b><br />
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<b>Overall Grade: B-</b><br />
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This album really started strong, and even mid-way when I felt it started to lose it's luster, "Long Snake Moan" came an swallowed me whole. But that was the high-water mark, and the back end really started to fade. Lyrically she stuck with her themes, she has a hell of voice that can rip through and make a musically "meh" song really catch fire. While A B- might seem a little low, this is based on my first listen. I am going to listen to the album again, and update the overall grade if I feel different. More importantly, I am really going to go on and listen to some other albums of hers, as I hear a lot of elements of her music that made me curious about her output.<br />
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Great suggestion, Witmer! Let me know what you all think, and if there's another PJ Harvey album you recommend, let me know. I feel this would be a great 1-2 punch with <i>Exile in Guyville.</i><br />
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-Chris<br />
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<b>Bonus content! </b><br />
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If had grabbed <i>this </i><b>Electric Honey</b><i> </i>in the bargain bin, my music life would have gone a much different direction in grade school (I would have at least listened to the album more than once). However it didn't come out until 13 years later when I was in college.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEgYcmFdh_5B9UQSLHY3xk3AP8Lj_QYfoC8cemy0Kui0NDvP_GGfxFGH1v79QLfpQKqvLD3Fphdamu8yiBO6hbpr1QzRFLH9TaIrnnzBtVpGtGgxeeB5IgaLdZiZXSKKWR-T7ygXsY3GM_Av6WsNsrTpGqApCpOfCA=" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" src="http://images.junostatic.com/full/CS1703505-02A-BIG.jpg" height="397" style="text-align: center;" width="400" /></b></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Remember, when doing the photo shoot, only <b>one</b> member should look directly at the camera.</i></td></tr>
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How I felt about the album is not the point of the post. The point is this: I believe that if Vernon makes another (in my opinion) sub par album, he will decline to the musical quality and relevance of Gotye. To help Matt get a nice visual of my projection, I made this graph in four minutes (three if I wasn't interrupted by a coworker):<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVj0C6eYb6sBoTnhOItiKI5iV2oHBqPwhXH7HwG1oHrNdoJcGkq-XgKNDpSOGADiPJq7THTcZ2ZmuM6yaCUd-9NZMPM2j722gua8W59CIcyAq6GaDkQvDjAI6MK86-Wt4-6tqndf9dwIXU/s1600/Boniver.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVj0C6eYb6sBoTnhOItiKI5iV2oHBqPwhXH7HwG1oHrNdoJcGkq-XgKNDpSOGADiPJq7THTcZ2ZmuM6yaCUd-9NZMPM2j722gua8W59CIcyAq6GaDkQvDjAI6MK86-Wt4-6tqndf9dwIXU/s400/Boniver.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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This only projects out up to 2016 and his most recent output- this is science so I'm not going to make shit up. Matt believes that comparing him to Gotye as a negative is not valid: Gotye is pretty much a one-hit wonder, while Vernon has had three extremely well-received albums. Vernon also has influence in production with other artists across genres, where as we think Gotye is still recording?<br />
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I believe the comparison is valid because:<br />
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1. They are both white<br />
2. Wikipedia describes their genres as "art pop" (just one of at least four listed. Apparently Bon Iver is also "Baroque pop", which is a new one. Does that mean it's really lavish and over-the-top? Does he reference Johannes Vermeer and get <b>really</b> emotional?).<br />
3.They are kinda whiny?<br />
4. Beards<br />
5. If Vernon bombs, I can say he "got Gotyed!". Or something..<br />
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So, that to me is enough., but Matt says no. So here is the exercise:<br />
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If Justin Vernon fails - and I mean <b>fails</b>, not make an album that I myself didn't think was all that great- what artist can we compare him to at that point, using a failed release as hks absolute state orf relevancy and quality? Or, to make it more general, which currently relevant/successful artist would you compare to a one-off, middling artist <b>should</b> said successful artist drop off a cliff with their next release?<br />
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We will assume both Gallagher brothers are already nominated.<br />
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-Chris<br />
<br />Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07531149758603789643noreply@blogger.com6