Morrison Hotel - The Doors

In the everlasting purpose and quest of starting shit off right, I do implore you to start the summer off correctly by listening to and, or, having on hand, Morrison Hotel. If you're like me, you've got specific albums you listen to at certain points throughout the year, and this is my all time, gotta have it, summer album. Roadhouse Blues, Land Ho!, and Peace Frog are just a few of the amazing tracks featured on this 1970's album. If you don't have this, go get it. Blood in the streets of fantastic LA, damn!

Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

I had originally intended to use this blog to complain about all the music I hate, which is most of it. But now I'm finding that it's more fun to talk about the music I actually like. That brings us to our next entry - Phoenix. Why won't this band go away? There is absolutely nothing special about this band. It's like the indie rock version of Maroon 5. On top of it all they named their album Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. That's not even clever or funny. It's just dumb. Fuck these guys.

Varnaline - Songs in a Northern Key

Maybe it's a sign of getting older but my music choices have mellowed out considerably since high school. When I first listened to Varnaline's Songs in a Norther Key all I could think was, why haven't I heard this yet? This has everything I love about music right now. Acoustics, a whiskey soaked voice, the occasional distorted bass (!?) and a melody that gets you stuck humming it for days. If I was 16 I would hate this.

Soft Metals

Hottest band in America. Soft Metals encapsulate everything you loved about 80's synth pop bands.





Soft Metals

Gorillaz - Plastic Beach

The good is good and the bad you can skip. This has a lot of awesome guest appearances, too - Snoop Dogg, Mos Def, Lou Reed, the guys from The Clash - and debuted at #2 on the Billboard charts. Who knew there could be life after Blur?

Ke$ha - Animal

Turns out I love pop music. I had no idea.

Apples in Stereo - Travellers in Space and Time

Most of this album reminds me of ELO and in no way is that an insult.

Narrows - New Distances

I was (and still am[and will always be]) upset that These Arms Are Snakes broke up. These Arms Are Snakes were one of the few bands that got me through high school so they hold a special place in my heart. That pain relaxed slightly after I saw Narrows a couple weeks ago. I had heard this album and enjoyed it, but it really came to life after seeing them live. Listening to the album I was impressed except it starts strong and ends weak, having a long, instrumental track finish the album. When I saw them live they opened with the last track on the album and it worked perfectly. The guitarist let his looper pedal do the work while he went to the bar to get another beer. It was the quintessential build up to a live show. By the time he returned to the stage with a fresh Tecate everyone in the small venue was ready to rage. The band is a veritable super power with members coming from such bands as the aforementioned These Arms Are Snakes as well as Botch, Tropics, and Some Girls. By the end of the show, with everyone in awe, I expected the singer to grab the mic and say, "We know what we're doing."

Townes Van Zandt - Delta Momma Blues

The only country album you need to own.

David Sandström - The Dominant Need of the Needy Soul Is to Be Needed + Om Det Inte Händer Nåt Innan Imorgon Så Kommer Jag + Pigs Lose

You might remember David Sandström as the drummer from Refused. You know, the hardcore band that has only gained popularity since they broke up and have basically attained a legendary status. It's members have gone off and done other projects. The singer was doing The (International) Noise Conspiracy for a while. Which was good, but not as good as Refused. Then there was the band Text which had the other three members of Refused and the album Text released sounded absolutely nothing like Refused which could be disappointing if you were looking for The Shape of Punk to Come PT. II. So when I finally tracked down these David Sandström albums I was a little worried. Would it sound anything like Refused? Would it still be good? And the answer is no to the former and yes to the latter. Pigs Lose is more of a throwback to straight up rock and roll while still being good. He's got a good voice for a drummer. Who knew? And the Om Det... album is incredible. It's full of piano and strings and xylophone and delicate guitars (and I swear I heard an oboe in there) and distorted bass over hard hitting rock/n/roll drum beats. All while singing entirely in Swedish. My friend from high school would call it "powerful." The point is that this dude is awesome and you should give him all your money.