Brandon Records
The Five Albums I Most Recently Procured:
October 21, 2008
The Decemberists - Always the Bridesmaid:
Technically three singles with two songs each, my favorite is opener "Valerie
Plame" which is a few years too late, but still hilarious.
Shearwater - Discography (The Dissolving Room, Everybody Makes Mistakes, Winged
Life, Thieves EP, Palo Santa, Rook): An Okkervil River side project
for smaller songs which, since 2008, is an entirely different band, Will Sheff
staying with Okkervil and Jonathan Meiburg going Shearwater.
Tom Waits - Real Gone: I've only listened to "The Day After
Tomorrow," thanks to a glorious collection of protest songs on digg.
Dead Confederates - Wrecking Ball: Really fuzzy Southern rock.
Like really fuzzy.
Wilco with Fleet Foxes - "I Shall Be Released": This is just a single,
a Dylan cover performed at a live show that you
can get online for promising to
vote (which I've already done, suck it!), but I had to include it here, because
they do a wonderful job with the cover.
September 17, 2008
James - Hey Ma: A more cohesive version of Mika,
and infinitely catchy. Check out "Whiteboy."
Okkervil River - The Stand-Ins: I love this companion to last
year's "The Stage Names," and I listen to "Lost Coastlines" constantly.
Johnny Flynn - A Larum: This Irish folk singer (who sounds like
a twangy Fionn Regan) is responsible for my new second favorite album of the
year so far (maybe my overall favorite).
Ra Ra Riot - The Rhumb Line: Rolling Stone described them as Vampire
Weekend + Arcade Fire, and I can't think of a better explanation.
We Are Scientists - Brain Thrust Mastery: I think one of the songs is
used in all the ads for Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist.
August 3, 2008
Conor Oberst - Conor Oberst: I love geography so
much that, even if I didn't already love Oberst, I'd have tracked this down,
with songs about Sausalito, Cape Canaveral, NYC, and Moab (all of which I've
been to, except Canaveral).
The Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness: I hear
they're good. But the main reason I downloaded this was because I loved
the song from the Watchmen trailer (which isn't on this album, but still).
The Lion King OST: Yes, it's a travesty that I didn't already have
this. But it proves wrong those of you who think I spend my time listening
to it on repeat.
Mamma Mia! OST: I needed it for my Summer Top 5 lists, just to make
sure I had all my bases covered.
Mihaly Vig - Filmzenek: This is the soundtrack to Bela Tarr's films,
and even though only two songs come from Werckmeister Harmonies, I had to have
it.
June 5, 2008
Born Ruffians - Red, Yellow, and Blue: First of
all, awesome album cover. Reminds me of The Indian in the Cupboard.
Beyond that, it's a great album from experimental young kids that I've been
listening to a lot. "I Need a Life" is incredibly catchy.
John Hiatt - Same Old Man: Not sure if I'll return to this one very
often, simply because it's rather country. In fact, he sounds like Randy
Newman in a saloon. Which isn't bad, just not a must-listen.
Black Mountain - In Our Future: I feel like I've heard "Angels"
somewhere... But anyway, fun, interesting album with a glorious 16-minute
cap.
moe. - Sticks and Stones: My current listen. It's great so
far with its instrumentation and cathedral noises, and I look forward to
listening to it more.
The Last Shadow Puppets - The Age of the Understatement: Like the
Raconteurs, it seems I like this side-project (for the Arctic Monkeys, this
time) better than the original band. I've been listening to this album a
lot, and I have no complaints other than I wish this is what the Arctic Monkeys
sounded like.
May 6, 2008
Ben Gibbard and Glenn Kenny - Home Volume 5: I
don't really know what this Home series is (although I'm sure it's just a
wikipedia click away), but this is just an album of songs, half by Ben Gibbard
and half by Glenn Kenny. I've listened a couple times, and it goes by
really fast. I have nothing more to say about that.
AA Bondy - American Hearts: My folk heart cannot be satiated.
I haven't heard much about Mr. AA Bondy, but I loved the album, and have
listened to it many times in the past month. Nothing ground-breaking, just
good old-fashioned americana.
The Kooks - Konk: For some reason, I'm always more interested in
new artists than albums from bands I already like...so I've barely listened to
this. The Kooks are for summer though, and I haven't really gotten to
summer yet.
Howlin Rain - Magnificent Fiend: On the other hand, I loved Howlin
Rain's first album, and I've listened to this with the old one many times since
I got it.
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Dig! Lazarus Dig!: Reminds me of Stephen
Malkmus' latest album, but so far, I like that one better (possibly my favorite
of the year so far).
April 9, 2008
Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago: This guy secluded
himself in a cabin to write these songs, and it shows. I've only skimmed
the album, but it feels very atmospheric and melancholy.
REM - Accelerate: They tell me this is REM's best recent record,
but I literally just got it, so I haven't listened to any of it yet.
Outside of The Colbert Report, that is.
Langhorne Slim - When the Sun's Gone Down: I actually paid for
this! Don't take that as a recommendation, because the sound is a bit
weird, but if you know me, and my love for the Decemberists, Augie March, and my
other modern favorites, you'll see this fits right in.
She & Him - Volume One: Zooey Deschanel + M. Ward = heaven
The Whigs - Mission Control: Am I the only person who did not know
Athens, GA is a major music scene? B-52s, REM, Neutral Milk Hotel...
Anyway, the Whigs are my newest garage love, and of course, hail from Athens.
April 9, 2008
The Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely: I loved
the first Raconteurs outing, and I'm very excited to listen to their new album.
Counting Crows - Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings: It got less
than stellar reviews in Rolling Stone and EW, but it's Counting Crows.
I've only listened to the first couple songs so far.
Six Organs of Admittance - The Sun Awakens: It's official, I love
Six Organs of Admittance (which is really one guy), and needed to catch up on
his past few albums. River of Transfiguration rules.
Six Organs of Admittance - School of the Flower: Of these two SOA
albums, I prefer this one, particularly Saint Cloud and Procession of Cherry
Blossom Spirits.
The Slip - Eisenhower: I never get past the beginning, but still,
Children of December's very fun.
March 1, 2008
The Helio Sequence - Keep Your Eyes Ahead: Reminds
me of The Cloud Room, but perhaps more accessible. And more interesting.
Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks - Real Emotional Trash: Rolling Stone
gave it 4.5 stars, which only happened once last year. Malkmus impressed
me to no end on the I'm Not There soundtrack, so I am greatly anticipating this
one.
British Sea Power - Do You Like Rock Music: As if the band name
weren't enough.
Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend: This is the new indie band they
want you to love, and so far I do.
The Raveonettes - Lust Lust Lust: Dark, weird, and European.
Like Peter Bjorn and John in an abyss...and John's a ghost. So, awesome.
March 1, 2008
Howlin Rain - Howlin Rain: Happy, hippie, poetic
rock. With a dash of pulp.
Matt Costa - Unfamiliar Faces: I haven't gotten around to listening
to it yet, but I was elated to finally find it torrentable.
Jonny Greenwood - There Will Be Blood OST: Best score of 2007, tied
with that of Atonement.
Black Lips - Good Bad Not Evil: First album of 2008 is worthy of
its burden, appealing to my garage-love.
Rogue Wave - Asleep at Heaven's Gate: It came out last year and I
missed it, so I wanted to catch it before making my Top 10 list.