On Rotation 6/25/09
I took a little hiatus from doing On Rotations for a while but now I am trying to get back in the routine. I got motivated to start it up again after hearing all these great albums taht have been coming out recently.
NEW ALBUMS
Deastro – Moondagger
We have done an occasional post on this band in the past and have put them on a couple mixes, but now we get to hear a full album, and it’s really good. Not sure exactly how to describe the music, it’s like poppy 80’s new wave meets m83, meets shoegaze (some of it reminds me of a more sparkly Brother Kite). The title song “Moondagger” is my favorite on the album, but this song is great as well. Deastro
The Antlers – Hospice
This is a pretty heavy album (heavy emotionally, not metal) , very well orchestrated, and completely immersive. If you like Shearwater, then you will probably like this, and it has plenty of it’s own thing going for it to make it only a loose comparison. purchase
The Antlers “Bear”
The Antlers “When You Sleep” (MBV Cover)
Discovery – Self Titled
A great summer/spring album for the nice weather. It’s got a lot of R&B flavor, including doing an interesting cover of a Jackson 5 song, and a few other riffs/melodies that sound like they came out of a motown catalog. It has the catchiness of the most recent Vampire Weekend and Ra Ra Riot albums with an added electronic flare. Definitely worth checking out.. I’m not sure where I will be with this album in a month, but for now I love it. purchase
Dinosaur Jr – Farm
I’ve been a pretty big fan of Dinosaur Jr. since I first heard Been Chopp’n on 99.1 in high school. I never really followed the solo Mascis years except for a few songs here and there, and I didn’t expect much from them when they got back together. I just figured it would last an album. Well, the second album is proving to be better than the first since the reunion. It’s the same tired vocals over wailing guitars that you have always heard from them, but underneath it all are songs that are catchier than any they have ever written.Here’s to mascis and barlowe setting aside the differences to make good music. purchase
Wye Oak – The Knot
I love that this band is about to put out an album that is better than their first.. no sophomore slump for them. There are a few songs on it that sound like they have been around forever, they just have a timeless classic feel. purchase
Rubdown DragonSlayer
When it comes to Wolf Parade and its offshoots I have always put the main band first, then Handsome Furrs, then Sunset Rubdown, then whatever else they do. But with this new, very accessible, Sunset Rubdown album, the heiharchy might change a bit. I still kind of wish they would just focus all their efforts on Wolf Parade all the time, but they still make good songs on their own and it’s pretty much a non-issue. purchase
Bill Callahan Sometimes I wish I were an Eagle
This is one of those albums that I turn on at work and people walk by and ask “What the fuck are you listening too, neil diamond??”.. or something like that. I’ve never gotten into Smog or previous albums, but I definitely will now. This is just soothing for me to listen to, the lyrics are great and his voice has a Cash-like talking singing cadence. purchase
SINGLES
Elephant Stone “I Am Blind”
Pretty mellow fair somewhere ebtween the Papercuts and Belle and Sebastian. Their songs are consistently good, and there is just something nice and relaxing about them. Makes me want to just sit outside and sip on a cold one. purchase
Patterson Hood “I Understand Now”
I spontaneously went to a Drive-by-truckers show a couple weeks ago, not really knowing what to expect. I walked in and immediately became a DBT fan. Maybe I was just in the right mood that night, but this was just good country-rock music singing about drinking and having fun. This is like what the Hold Steady would be if they didn’t try so hard. It’s music that makes you kind of want to shout “America, fuck yeah!”, and you might feel a little cheesy yelling it but that’s ok. I think it takes seeing them live to get into them. This is from the solo venture of one of the lead singers Patterson Hood. purchase
Jim James (Yim Yames) “Behind that Locked Door” George Harrison Cover
Jim james is putting out a tribute album to George Harrison, you can get this song for free of his website and learn more about the album. It’s two things that seem like they would fit perfectly together Harrison and Yames.
New Villager “Rich Doors”
I really know nothing about this band or where I found this song.. but I have been playing it over and over again. It’s incredibly catchy, it reminds me of something that I can;t put my finger on. The song takes a very strange turn in the middle of the song, pretty unexpected. purchase
Experimental Aircraft “Upper East Side”
A good driving baseline is hard to pass up. This reminds me a bit of some newer Kings of Leon songs (the ones that sounds a bit like the pixies), just without the cheesy lyrics and a little rougher around the edges. There are just little details about this song that make it good, like when the female singer comes in, or the song breaks and begins again in the middle. purchase
REMIXES
It’s rare that I find a remix that enjoy, but there have been a few recently that have just been automatic. Most the time people overdo things on remixes, or fail to create an interesting new version of the song.. these are pretty subtle remixes that just work.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs “Soft Shock” (Them Jeans Acoustic Remix)
Tokyo Police Club “Be Good” (RAC Remix)
Animal Collective “Summertiume Clothes” (Dam Funk Remix)
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