song of the day: february 28/2011

The Presidents of the United States of America - Stranger

Album: The Presidents of the United States of America [1995]

one of the most unlikely success stories of the post-grunge alternative rock scene, the presidents traded in the heavy guitars and heavy angst of their seattle counterparts, and rejected torment for humor. by writing short, simple, and absurd punk songs that relied more on goofy attitude than sludgy riffs, the group's self-titled debut album became a double-platinum record much to the surprise of many critics, music industry insiders, and the band itself. childhood friends chris ballew (lead vocals, two-string basitar) and dave dederer (three-string guitbass, backing vocals) played in a number of groups and projects before forming the presidents in 1990. with a heavy dose of youthful appeal , the off-kilter storytelling of primus, and a razor-sharp sense of irony, each and every song on their debut album are utterly undeniable. "stranger", which sounds an awful lot like an old modest mouse song, is likely the most well-writen song on the album (musically, that is). obviously, since you haven't heard of them since, the band never became much more than a one-album wonder but it's still a fun listen nevertheless. they released four albums after this - up to as late as 2008 and taking long hiatus' between.

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song of the day: february 27/2011

The New Pornographers - The Bleeding Heart Show

Album: Twin Cinema [2005]

this vancouver indie rock supergroup's third album, "twin cinema", garnered a good deal of critical praise and received near-perfect rankings from such influential outlets as rolling stone and pitchfork (doesn't really mean anything, just sayin'). it's a bright, hooky record that sounds cheerful even when the tempos slow down and the melodies drift toward a minor key. it's sharp and tuneful, abundant in references to classic guitar pop yet never sounding beholden to the past, thanks to the lively, loose performances, a simple yet powerful production, and smart writing, usually from the pen of "leader" a.c. newman. although he writes 10 of the 13 tracks here, newman has a different perspective when writing for the new pornographers as opposed to his solo work, composing within a specific framework that emphasizes the collective nature of the group, giving every member more or less equal time. and, as the album proves, collective is a better word to describe the new pornographers than band, since they have a friendly, casual vibe that sounds like the product of informal jam sessions. that's appealing, but it's also part of the reason that the group doesn't have a distinctive personality or focal point outside the tunefulness of the music itself. anyway, it's a deliberately charming in its modesty, which makes for an endearing listen. the hooks and harmonies on this tune tumble out one after the other, as the band plays with energy and enthusiasm. neko case's harmonies match newman's vocals so well, and the "ooooh ooooh"'s and "hey la's" at the climax of the song are damn near orgasmic. always a pleasure, just like sunshine.

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song of the day: february 26/2011

Blitzen Trapper - Below The Hurricane

Album: Destroyer of the Void [2010]

with sub pop's help, blitzen trapper hit a creative peak with 2008's "furr", a collection of songs resulting from a band boiling down its many influences into a cohesive, unique americana sound. however, this song might embody what the band can accomplish a little better with all of it's wonderful varying parts. this song is the highlight on "destroyer of the void", though there are a few others that come close to matching it's instant gratification. frontman eric earley's obvious love of the beach boys, gram parsons, bob dylan, and neil young hangs like a fog over the song. a great atmosphere is created with the ambient, echoed vocal harmonies and piano parts along with the bright guitar work. the song reaches it's boiling point during the first harmonica solo, just after the bass and drums have come in, and the results are breathtaking.

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song of the day: february 25/2011

Yuck - Get Away

Album - Yuck [2011]

yuck displays a firm grasp of all things that make noise pop and/or shoegaze so great, like dynamics, male/female vocal tradeoffs, a bitter romantic lyrical outlook, and tons of pedals and guitars! this debut album is stunning and overloaded with loud, fuzzy guitars that whine and grind through the songs, just like they should. this song, the first on the album, rocks-out mightily and would make j mascis (dinosaur jr.) and dough martsch (built to spill) proud as hell. along with the ferocity comes restraint too, and the record is dotted with quieter songs as well which show the band can succeed without loads of volume. "yuck" is an impressively assured debut from such a young band. their love of shoegaze and loud/quiet 90's guitar rock is unadultered and it translates into the songs and their sound, making it pure and easy-to-love for all those who have ever been fans themselves (*raises hand).

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song of the day: february 24/2011

Nick Drake - Hazey Jane II

Album: Bryter Layter [1970]

a singular talent who passed almost unnoticed during his brief lifetime, nick drake produced several albums of chilling, somber beauty. with hindsight, these have come to be recognized as peak achievements of both the british folk-rock scene and the entire rock singer/songwriter genre. sometimes compared to van morrison, drake in fact resembled donovan much more in his breathy vocals, strong melodies, and the acoustic-based orchestral sweep of his arrangements. his was a much darker vision however, with disturbing themes of melancholy, failed romance, mortality, and depression lurking just beneath, or even well above, the surface. ironically, drake has achieved a far greater stature in the decades following his death, with an avid cult following that grows by the year. part of his failure to attract a mass audience was attributable to his almost pathological reluctance to perform live. his debut, "five leaves left"[1969], was the first in a series of three equally impressive, and quite disparate, albums. with understated folk-rock backing, drake created a vaguely mysterious, haunting atmosphere, occasionally embellished by tasteful baroque strings. his lyrics hinted at melancholy, yet any thoughts of despair were alleviated by the gorgeous, uplifting melodies and calm, measured vocals. "bryter layter" was perhaps his most upbeat effort, with traces of jazz in the arrangements. on some cuts (the title track for example), he dispensed with lyrics altogether, offering only gorgeous, orchestrated instrumental miniatures that stood well on their own. neither album sold well, and drake, already a brooding loner, plunged into serious depression that often found him unable to make music, work, or even walk and talk. he managed to produce one final full-length work, "pink moon" [1972], a desolate solo acoustic album that ranks as one of the most naked and bleak statements in all of rock. drake's final couple of years were marked by increasing psychiatric difficulties, which found him hospitalized at one point for several weeks. He had rarely played live during his days as a recording artist, and at one point declared his intention never to record again, although he wished to continue to write songs for others. on november 26, 1974, he died in his parents' home from an overdose of antidepressant medication; suicide has been speculated, although some of his family and friends dispute this. he is undoubtedly revered by many listeners today, with a following that spans generations, and his pensive loneliness speaks directly to contemporary alternative rockers who share his sense of morose alienation.

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song of the day: february 23/2011

Tripping Daisy - Sonic Bloom

Album: Jesus Hits Like the Atom Bomb [1998]

pleasantly inspired by the beatles' psychedelic period as well as the more heavy riffers of the 1970s, alternative popsters tripping daisy came together in dallas in 1991. this wonderful song comes from the album (their third) that followed their most well-known work, "i am an elastic firecracker" [1995]. critics were quick to write off the first two records as average post-grunge alt-rock, but with this album came a big stylistic breakthrough, as the band enhanced their psychedelic subtext while retaining their melodic sesnsibility. while there are a few times where their ambitions outweigh their achievements , the entire result is an impressive record that balances punk-pop with art-rock. hints of lead singer tim delaughter's future brain child, the polyphonic spree, can be seen at every smart, ambitious turn. the polyphonic spree actually released the "wait EP"a few years ago in which they re-recorded this very song. the differences are minimal (a la arcade fire's "no cars go"). a year after the release of "jesus hits like the atom bomb", guitarist wes berggren's death from an overdose effectively ended the band, with their self-titled 2000 effort appearing posthumously.

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song of the day: february 22/2011

Vetiver - You May Be Blue
Album: To Find Me Gone [2006]

vetiver are commonly lumped into the "freak folk" movement alongside the likes of joanna newsom thanks to leader andy cabic's friendship with scene founder devendra banhart. however, the band's roots reach deep - encompassing U.K. shoegaze and mid-'90s indie rock like sonic youth. while studying at the san francisco art institute, cabic met fellow student banhart and instantly established a close working relationship with him. while playing live gigs with banhart, newsom and others, he started writing songs for his new project vetiver. "to find me gone", the band's second album, features more percussion alongside low-key folk-rock and a mildly psychedelic tinge. the psychedelic aspect can certainly be heard on this track - one of the most hauntingly engaging (or, best) songs of the 2000's in my opinion. while cabic's songs are at their heart placid reflective works, they're given some dreamy, at times trance-like ambience with the layering of sighing backup vocals, subliminal background droning elements, and campfire-in-the-woods percussion. their 2009 release, "tight knit" is probably their most complete album and sees the band heading into more sunny territory. certainly one of those bands that continues to spread their wings and impress while flying well under the radar.

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song of the day: february 21/2011

Big Star - Thirteen

Album: #1 Record [1972]

the first of many oldies i'll start putting up, this is one of the my personal favourites of the past and has been covered by the likes of wilco, land of talk, and elliott smith. the quintessential american power pop band, big star remains one of the most mythic and influential cult acts in all of rock & roll. the memphis-based group fused the strongest elements of the british invasion era - the melodic invention of the beatles, the whiplash guitars of the who, and the radiant harmonies of the byrds - into a ramshackle but beautiful sound which recaptured the spirit of pop's past even as it pointed the way toward the music's future. although creative tensions, haphazard distribution, and marketplace indifference conspired to ensure big star's brief existence and commercial failure, the group's three studio albums nevertheless remain unqualified classics, and their impact on subsequent generations of indie bands on both sides of the atlantic is commendable. despite solid critical notice and some radio airplay, their brilliant 1972 debut "#1 record" nevertheless fell prey to distribution problems - more often than not, the album simply never made its way to retailers. as time passed, the album's truly innovative qualities were lost because listeners probably encountered the work it influenced first - such is the problem with coming in late on an artwork lauded as "influential". thus, if you are hearing big star's debut album for the first time decades after its release (as, inevitably, most people must), you may be reminded of tom petty & the heartbreakers or R.E.M., who came after. what was remarkable about the album was that nobody except big star wanted to sound like this - simple, light pop with sweet harmonies and jangly guitars. since then, dozens of bands have rediscovered those pleasures. these are sturdy songs, feelingly performed, and once you get beyond the style to the content, you'll still be impressed.

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song of the day: february 20/2011

Morning Benders - Hand Me Downs

Album: Big Echo [2010]

released two years after the group's debut, "big echo" is an aural document of a band moving across the country, trading its california home for the urban enclaves of brooklyn, switching labels, and replacing its '60s sunny, strummy pop sound with something distinctly modern. the album also relies fairly heavily on the whole group, with electric guitars accompanying the first albums acoustics along with dense, layered soundscapes reigning supreme throughout. rarely do the piles of auxiliary instruments threaten to bury the band - if anything, the album takes a page from the beach boys classic, "pet sounds", by allowing the production to shine on its own, highlighting the studio embellishments but never shifting focus away from the band's own hooks. this is arguably the heaviest song on the album, and may rely least on orchestral arrangements, but showcases singer chris chu's love for iconic pop music. one of the best tracks of 2010.

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song of the day: february 19/2011

Forgone Conclusion - Freelove Freeway

Album: Episode Four, The Office (UK) [2004]

this british singer/songwriter once played with a popular american band named texas.....i'm tired and hungover and feel as though this is the best song to post today. hooray for david brent and comedy :)

song of the day: february 18/2011

Frightened Rabbit - Last Tango in Brooklyn

Album: The Lifted Brow [2008]

one of most obscure tracks you'll ever hear (as i've come to realize while researching it), this song apparently is from an australian compilation called "the lifted brow". it's more of a literary publication with musical accents at times and frightened rabbit was featured once with this song. it's not on any of their albums or singles or ep's, which has left me confused as to where and when it originated. on the band's "fat cat" label website, the song is called "fun stuff". nevertheless, it's a slow ditty reminiscent of their strong acoustic tunes like "poke" or "keep yourself warm". essentially, the song is clever but purposefully naive pop and sounds about as bold as their moniker would suggest. like most of their songs, it's about a relationship gone sour - in this case, the narrator (singer scott hutchison) talks of an affair that caused his relationship to break and he's now pining for the girl he lost. it's all very straightforward, but his lyrics are what sets them apart. frightened rabbit has released three albums, with 2008's "midnight organ fight" easily being the highlight. having said that, the band continures to grow with each release, offering humble, moody folk-pop and expanding it into straight-up indie rock.

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song of the day: february 17/2011

Cymbals Eat Guitars ~ Some Trees (Merritt Moon)

Album: Why There Are Mountains [2009]

an indie rock band from new york city, cymbals eat guitars made their critically acclaimed full-length album debut in 2009. starting in the tenth grade, some of the members performed covers of songs from the first two weezer albums (the only ones that matter!); by the end of their senior year, they'd begun performing original material and recorded a demo titled "joseph ferocious". as a college student, band leader joseph d'agostino worked toward forming a full band and placed an ad on craigslist, steadily assembling a full-band line-up that was christened "cymbals eat guitars" upon its formation in early 2008. after the release of their debut, their worth skyrocketed when pitchfork crowned the band as a "best new music" selection. in the long parade of critical accolades that followed, comparisons were drawn to modest mouse, pavement, and dinosaur jr., and much was made of d'agostino's youth and indie star potential. "some trees" emerges from feedback exhaust into two minutes of tightly coiled post-punk dance with wonderfully tasteful hooks. lyrically, it's much more intense than the other songs on the album; at first an environmentalist's lament of suburban sprawl, a much more sinister effect of deforestation is revealed - "i was thankful for the mystery, but by the time the girl had hanged herself, i could have looked out my back window and watched her neck just snap". this is followed by a bright little chorus that screams of modest mouse influence, which is immediately followed by a magical little solo that screams of built to spill influence. it ends very abruptly and after your head stops spinning you can't help but wonder how they're able to fit so much into two minutes.

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song of the day: february 16/2011

Langhorne Slim - Restless

Album: Langhorne Slim [2008]

something of a one-man mixture of beck's early indie records and the soundtrack of "o brother where art though", singer/guitarist langhorne slim offers a modern take on traditional folk, country, and blue. a pennsylvania native, he released his first EP, "electric love letter", in march 2004. with his high, nasally voice and predilection for warm country-inspired chords, it's easy to compare langhorne slim to neil young, but his tendency to sing long, run-on, and often non-rhyming sentences in fact puts him nearer to the bob dylan school of performance. "restless", from his self-titled 2008 album, is completely engaging and introspective. it's a classic case of a straight-up folk song that excels by not being overly complex. the instruments serve their purpose by providing a suitable background and complement to the vocals.

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song of the day: february 15/2011

Hayden - The Van Song

Album: In Field & Town [2008]

this album goes great with a sunny february morning or afternoon, so here we are. thornhill's hayden spent the bulk of two decades creating uniquely affecting music through a combination of rock and folk flourishes, personal sentiments, and a voice that channeled both the falsetto highs of neil young and the wavering raspy low tones of leonard cohen. "in field in town" is similiar to iron & wine's "the sheperd's dog" in the way that hayden's hushed, lo-fi recordings finally gave way to technicolor lushness, just as sam beam's did. hayden spent more than a decade creating somber, subdued music, which makes the album such a startlingly pleasant change. he hasn't done away with the intimacy of his previous work, nor does the singer's seventh studio album change his melancholic nature. for all intents and purposes, it paints the same picture as "elk-lake serenade", but it does so with brighter colors and wider brush strokes, capturing the slow demise of a relationship with a mix of pianos, trumpets, guitars, vibraphones, harmonica, and percussion. it's always autumn or winter in hayden's world, and the tracks bypass the springlike feel of puppy love, focusing instead on the unraveling of hope and adoration. with all of it's emotions and variety, it's probably his best album front to back.

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song of the day: february 14/2011

Mazzy Star - Fade Into You

Album: So Tonight That I Might See [1993]

thanks to the fluke hit "fade into you" - one of the better beneficiaries of alt-rock's radio prominence in the early '90s, a gentle descent of a lead melody accompanied by piano, a steady beat, and above all else, hope sandoval's lovely lead vocal - mazzy star's second album became something of a commercial success. the album comes with a core emphasis on finding a nexus point between country, folk, psych, and classic rock all shrouded in mystery. though many songs work with full arrangements like "fade into you," a thick but never once overpowering combination, other stripped-down songs demonstrate in different ways how mazzy star makes a virtue out of simplicity. this band much prefered the dark side of psychedelia, as exemplified by the most distended tracks of some of their influencers such as the doors and the velvet underground. their fuzzy guitar workouts and plaintive folky compositions are often suffused in a listlessness that is very much of the 1990s - not to mention lyrics that mix the haunting and the meaninglessly vague. during their tenure, the band remained as enigmatic and aloof as their music, rarely submitting to interviews and offering mysterious, unhelpful replies when journalists did manage to talk with them. in the end, all that matters is that it's an undeniably sexy sounding song - happy valentine's day!

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song of the day: february 13/2011

Angus & Julia Stone ~ Mango Tree

Album: A Book Like This [2007]

angus & julia stone's intimate folk music is anchored by the band's namesake siblings. growing up on the northern beaches of sydney, the stone's were schooled in pop music at an early age by their father, who played in a local cover band. this track comes from their debut album, "a book like this", which was released in 2007 and charted well in the bandmates' native australia. with its mix of vocal harmony, acoustic guitars, and brushed percussion, the album recals the lush, stay-warm-in-bed indie folk of the weepies and kaiser cartel. it takes strength from its two young songwriters, both of whom approach love and coming-of-age issues from their own gendered perspective. julia plays the part of the quirky ingénue, her vocals fluttering like a young joanna newsom over homespun melodies and gauzy instrumental backdrops. angus matches his sister's soft, unadorned croon throughout the album, as this song shows. drug references notwithstanding, the bulk of the album revels in its own adolescence, focusing on fairy tale folk songs and pastoral imagery. for those who have a taste for such fanciful material, it's an appropriate soundtrack for lazy sunday afternoons and slow monday mornings, when the pace of the world matches the relaxed gallop of the band.

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song of the day: february 12/2011

Forget Cassettes - Ms. Rhythm & Blues
Album: Instruments of Action [2003]

i was fortunate enough to see forget cassettes open for ...and you will now us by the trail of dead in late 2004. founded and led by the expressive vocalist/songwriter/guitarist beth cameron, this nashville-based band specializes in alternative indie rock that is angst-ridden and emotionally intense yet highly melodic. drawing on direct or indirect influences that range from pj harvey to tori amos to sleater-kinney, nirvana, and hole, it's a band that thrives on contrasts; a cameron performance can be reflective (in a dark, brooding way) one minute and turn into a passionate, aggressive outburst the next. forget cassettes formed in 2002 when cameron joined forces with drummer doni schroeder. as a duo, they recorded "instruments of action" and toured relentlessly. shroeder actually joined trail of dead when they were supporting their "worlds apart" album and fans feared that forget cassettes would be discontinued permanently and go down in history as a one-album wonder. in 2005, however, cameron added two members to the band and as a three-piece they released "salt" in 2007. "ms. rhythm & blues" showcases cameron during her more intense moments. they make a lot of stuff happen as a two-piece, and though the material isn't groundbreaking nor does it pretend to point indie rock in any new directions, it is nicely crafted and executed, and is a treat to rock out to.

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song of the day: february 11/2011

Deftones - The Boy's Republic

Album: White Pony [2000] (Limited Edition)

this song was a bonus track on the first 2000 pressings of "white pony" and the cover of this limited edition disc was black instead of the silver we've come to love. because it's arguably the best deftones album there is, it's hard to sit here and say it should've been on the album...but really, it should've been on the album. ultimately, deftones were one of the first groups to alternate heavy riffs and screamed vocals with more ethereal music and hushed singing - spawning a fair amount of imitators in their wake. the quartet's debut full-length, "adrenaline", was issued in 1995 and while the album wasn't an instant success, deftones built a dedicated fan base the old-fashioned way - by touring relentlessly. with sales of their debut topping 200,000 copies , expectations were high for their sophomore release, "around the fur". issued in october of 1997, it more than delivered, catapulting the band to the top of the alt-metal mountain on the strength of such mtv/radio faves as "my own summer" and "be quiet and drive". the tantalizing "white pony" came three years later. the band went softer, but in an impressive way. chino moreno's often intense and sour vocals throughout the record growl and stomp all over mainstream movements. the album is honest, stripped, and exposed with it's flowing guitar riffs and haunting orchestral back drops. in a time when limp bizkit and korn were outrageously dubbed as the measuring sticks in regards to heavy music, "white pony" helped the band forge ahead without any lackluster similarities to those bands, while proving their mettle by being unafraid to delve into the influences of the cure and the smiths.

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song of the day: february 10/2011

The Rural Alberta Advantage ~ Coldest Days

Album: Departing [2011]

the first rural alberta advantage record was rooted in a deep nostalgia for the province that gives the band its name. the wintry cover for their newest record, "departing", evokes that nostalgia, but also suggests the way the band twists and explores it. instead of bright and clear, it's covered with a snowy haze, reflected dimly in the rearview mirror of a car nearly lost in drifting snow. the band explores this feeling with a gorgeous sparseness and clarity, their bright keyboards, prominent drumming, and earnest guitar strumming all recorded in a way that makes them feel extraordinarily present. it's simple, direct, and powerful - the new album is much like the first one, "hometowns", in regards to it's uptempo numbers amongst slower numbers like this track. "coldest days" is most reminiscent of "summertime" from their first album, but instead focuses on the season we're stuck in at the moment. in a way, if "hometowns" was their summer album, their second offering is their winter album. i don't think they did this on purpose but it's the feeling i'm getting from it and i wouldn't be opposed to hearing future albums that feel like the spring or fall ;)

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song of the day: february 9/2011

Kurt Vile - My Sympathy

Album: God Is Saying This To You [2009]

kurt vile is a lo-fi indie rock singer/songwrite from philadelphia who made his commercial recording debut in 2008 with "constant hitchhiker". it was something of a sleep hit in the indie rock undergound as many online publications were quick to champion it as one of the more notable albums of the year. this track comes from his second release, a mini-album that was released a year later amidst the buzz. he is an artist who has philosophically devoted himself to the concept of muddy sound, echoing vocals, bad mixing, and tape hiss as deliberate musical elements. playful and experimental without getting too pretentious about it, vile has the goods to be more than a tiny cult figure for the home recording underground. he has since released "childish prodigy" (2010) and will be releasing another album this year. i'm just getting into it all now so we'll see what direction he chooses to take. very exciting nevertheless.

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song of the day: february 8/2011

Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues

Album: Helplessness Blues [2011]

seattle's fleet foxes are led by vocalist/guitarist robin pecknold, who fashioned his band's earthy, harmony-rich sound in honor of such perennial '60s artists as bob dylan, neil young, the zombies, and the beach boys. mixing baroque pop with elements of classic rock and british folk, the band took shape in 2006 and, after playing only a handful of shows, generated a serious amount of label interest. fleet foxes released the "sun giant EP" from sub pop in spring 2008, and the band's self-titled debut full-length that followed that summer became one of the year's best and most critically acclaimed albums. fast forward to 2011, and, early on, new songs from great bands are coming in all directions. this is another example. the title track of their new album, out may 3 (really?), features trademark acoustic guitars, swirling choruses, and simon & garfunkel-ish vocal harmonies. but this may not be the case for the entire album, given that the band cited van morrison's "astral weeks" as a lead influence of the new record.

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song of the day: february 7/2011

Mad Season - Long Gone Day

Album: Above [1995]

quite a few side projects containing members of renowned seattle-based rock bands appeared through the '90s. most failed to expand past a small cult following comprised mainly of fans of their main bands but there were a few exceptions to rule, especially temple of the dog and mad season. mad season included layne staley of alice in chains, and mike mccready of pearl jam, among others. a mix of melancholy ballads and hard rock, their first and only album "above" proved to be a gold-certified hit, while its leadoff single, "river of deceit," became a major rock radio hit. despite a smattering of supporting live dates and talk of further writing/recording, it would ultimately prove to be a one-off project as more prominant musical ventures and, ultimately, drugs ruined any chances of a second album. as expected, most of the songs sound like a cross between alice in chains and pearl jam - equally ponderous and serious amongst the '90s update of winding '70s guitar rock. staley's voice has always worked well in this setting, but it's on this track, which is more of a blues song than grunge, that he really comes to the forefront. without jerry cantrell accompanying him, you get a sense of what he could do standing alone (though we all do love those alice in chains vocal harmonies). his chops instead stand with the saxophone, and along with his awfully dispairing lyrics of better days gone by, an undeniably somber atmosphere is created. don't do drugs kids!

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song of the day: february 6/2011

Beck - Jack-Ass

Album: Odelay [1996]

his greatest accomplishment to date, "odelay" was a full-fledged, full-bodied album, released on a major label in the summer of 1996 that highlighted beck's ever-changing sounds and ambitions. the album winds up touching on a number of disparate strands - folk and country, grungy garage rock, electro, old-school rap, and touches of noise rock - but there's no snap between sensibilities, everything flows smoothly with the dense sounds suggesting that the songs are a bit more complicated than they actually are. each track twists conventions, either in their construction or presentation, giving a vibrant, electric pulse. like a mosaic, all the details add up to a picture greater than its parts, so while some of beck's best songs are here, it's an album that is best appreciated as a recorded whole, with each layered sample enhancing the allusion that came before.

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song of the day: february 5/2011

Horse Feathers - Albina

Album: House With No Home [2008]

the cover of "house with no home", the second full-length album from horse feathers, depicts a wintry farm dusted with snow. it's an image that's easily conjured throughout each of the 11 songs that make up the album, a subtle and quietly noble collection of americana-kissed alternative folk that echoes the work of bonnie prince billy, iron & wine, and bon iver. string player peter broderick provides the chill with arrangements that are grandoise in their simplicity and busy without ever interfering with singer justin ringle's soft, serpentine delivery. the two carve up each track like master craftsmen, finding a wonderful middle ground between the sparse, reverb-laden landscapes of the great lake swimmers and the orchestral beauty of nick drake's "bryter later".

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song of the day: february 4/2011

Dark Mean ~ Happy Banjo

Album: Frankencottage [2009]

one of my favourite songs of 2010 (even though it was released in 2009..shhhh) comes from this band from nearby hamilton. "happy banjo" is put together perfectly - the drums, followed by banjo and guitars, introduce themselves one by one and play off one another to create a vibe that can only be described as happy. the feeling is intensified when further hints of instrumentation are introduced - horns, glockenspiel (i think), and bass. the vocals, to me, are reminiscent of jeff tweedy (circa wilco's "being there") and bright eyes, while the melodies conjure up feelings of timelessness and reflection. this is one of four songs from their "frankencottage EP" which was released for free. the band works without defined roles or limitations and while the music unfolds with ease, there is a layer of complexity residing behind the effortlessness that truly unveils their ability to carve out a distinct sound. looking forward to their first full-length!

dark mean website

song of the day: february 3/2011

Fugazi - Life and Limb

Album: The Argument [2001]

during their existence, this four-piece from washington created an intensely loyal following through intelligent and invigorating post-hardcore rock & roll while living a very modest and almost secretive lifestyle. "the argument", their sixth and final album, is a bracing reminder of fugazi's confidence and passion, reflecting the experimental impulses of their previous two albums while further refining their songs and arrangements. there's a pronounced pop element at work, and "life and limb" is one of fugazi's most subtle tracks. having said that, the smart guitar work and whispery vocals create a quiet tension. moreover, the chilling drum and bass parts coupled with the foggy vocal harmonies turn the song into somewhat of a spine-tingling monster.

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song of the day: february 2/2011

Fionn Regan ~ Snowy Atlas Mountans

Album: The End of History [2006]

born and raised in the coastal city of bray, ireland, this engaging singer/songwriter absorbed folk and blues influences alongside the usual rock & roll (in interviews, he has claimed inspiration ranging from woody guthrie to the velvet underground and nirvana) due to his artistic family's bohemian existence living and working at a seaside resort hotel. picking up piano, violin, and guitar at an early age from his musician father, regan was performing in public before he reached his tenth birthday and busking across the country by his mid-teens. this song comes from his debut album "the end of history", a spellbinding listen from front to back. regan recorded the majority of the album in an old stone barn, live to a portable recorder. the natural reverb adds warmth to the often skeletal songs, most with little more accompaniment than regan's acoustic guitar and practically whispered vocals. the sense of intimacy adds weight to songs that might have otherwise seemed rather light, but at his best, fionn regan proves himself an immensely skilled songwriter. perhaps one of the strongest albums of the 2000's, it was hard to pick just one song, so here's to hoping that your intrigue will lead you to the rest of it.

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song of the day: february 1/2011

Seabear - I Sing I Swim

Album: The Ghost That Carried Us Away [2007]

iceland's seabear was initially the solo project of sindri már sigfússon but morphed into a seven-piece band by 2007. this song was handpicked from the group's full-length debut where sigfusson filled his lineup with a number of fellow icelandic songwriters. the group’s hushed, folksy music began finding an international audience in 2008, when their song “cat piano” was featured in an episode of gossip girl. still though, they're relatively unknown in these parts (north america that is!) despite having released three albums in the past 4 years. this song is delicate enough to be a lullaby even if the lyrics are relatively dark. it certainly draws influence from elliott smith but the extra instrumentation gives the song a sigur ros-esque dreaminess that really sounds good while watching the falling snow. happy february!

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