Music Again

And here we find ourselves again at the head of another playlist I've decided to haphazardly paste together in an effort to showcase taste, something that even when done correctly still comes off more and more as a sort of egotistical flaunt. Then again, I'm probably just being modest and paranoid.

It's funny that I've managed this playlist, because just the other day I found a quote that describes perfectly my state of mind with regards to music. Indulge me if you will:

"Where once was a wide window of musical appreciation, there sits now a shuttered pane of essential favoritism." - Me, 2009

So in an effort to prove myself wrong, I went out of my way to find some new songs that have perked my ear of late. Ironic though, is the fact that two (2) of the artists are certified and have up to around 6 [at least] studio albums to their name. Two (2) also have some serious indie street cred and one (1) is the daughter of a couple pretty/talented people, [I've featured her work here before]. Regardless, here it is...

Music: Leaves Are A Changin'

1. Cale Parks - Breathe In Tact -- off of I don't know what. I know next to nothing about Cale Parks. I downloaded this track somewhere, have no idea where he comes from, no idea where this track originates, no idea what he is up to now. The one thing solid I do know about this song is that it ends a night perfectly. It's 3 am, you're rolling down a wet main street green and red halos light your path near straight as you can, and reflected off the cool asphalt is some other eerie second reality you're pretty sure is beginning to blur into your own. You need to breathe in tact, or keep your breathe intact... whichever applies to your situation.

2. Radiohead - Down Is The New Up -- off of In Rainbows disc 2. When this album came out I didn't give the second bonus disc a real listen, the main album was enough to fill my brain, and the concentrated enjoyment had no room to stretch to another album. Earlier this week this track came across on shuffle and I began my fantastic trip of consumption of this lovely bonus disc. Down Is The New Up became a climb into the foggy beginning of Autumn in Austin. Drizzle and haze, puddled chills. Radiohead will remain my generation's premeire musical group of auteurs.

3. Charlotte Gainsbourg - IRM -- from the upcoming album of the same name. For her new album, Charlotte has teamed up with Beck Hanson to create a new set of hauntingly hypnotic tracks for the fall. Her last album, 5:55, was a wonderful little record of nighttime electronics done in collaboration with those suave Frenchies, AIR, and if this new track is any indication, she'll be moving her focus towards hypno-dance. How wonderful it is. Thanks for the help Beck.

4. AIR - You Can Tell It To Everybody -- off the new album Love 2. Pitchfork hates the album, but those that have fallen in love with AIR can't take it as anything less than perfect. The duo of Godin & Dunckel have always been masters of the lovable electro-lounge thing, and here they display it well. I just love that little harp melody's rhythm that starts this track off. I want to relax in a hazy mauve lounge, lit by Chinese lanterns through hookah smoke. There can be leopard skins on the floor, too.

5. The Love Language - Equinox -- off the Paste Music Sampler #52. To the best of my knowledge, this is the only place to find this track, that celebrates the loving reunion of friends/lovers in the fall of whatever year it may be. It is a little repetitive in it's melody, but is entirely comfortable with that. How can one not be, when you've a melody running through your head like the marathon man. These keys just kill my conscious mind, and may very well drive me crazy with catchiness. Please ignore any urge you may have to write The Love Language off right away because of their name, it sounds sappy, but damn it is more pleasurable than anything.

Here's to more frequency in the coming months...

Music Monday #2

Hope all two of you who grabbed last week's playlist enjoyed it, I'm actually interested to know what you thought...

This week's playlist isn't so much for daylight as it is for your nighttime. Maybe you like to take a walk around your neighborhood once the sun has set, giving yourself a Kafka-like stroll about the vicinity, taking a chance to collect your thoughts. Or maybe you like to sit in your lamp-lit room with the stereo on while you brainstorm ideas for tomorrow. This playlist will hopefully be a welcome companion to this time of the day. It might also be helpful during the (hopefully) upcoming colder days. So without further ado...

Night Walking ...

1 - Spiritualized - Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space -- this is the title track to one of the most amazing albums ever. Spiritualized is almost like a spiritual experience, God that's so cheesy in its redundancy but it's true. As one of my top 5 favorite bands of all time, it'd be easy to go on for a long time about J Spaceman (the mastermind behind it all), so to put it succinctly, you should grab everything by him you can get your hands on.

2 - AIR - Playground Love -- I'm sorry at the obviousness of this choice, from the soundtrack they composed for Sofia Coppola's The Virgin Suicides. AIR are from France and are comprised of just two men, Jean-Benoît Dunkel and Nicolas Godin. Another band from whom you should grab everything ever made by. I saw them live my Junior year of college and have been hopelessly devoted ever since. One of the best concerts I've ever attended.

3 - Belle and Sebastian - Sleep The Clock Around -- I hate to throw the drug culture into this, but this was the first album I listened to while under the influence of the good ol' hippie grass. And while I may not indulge anymore, the album, Boy With The Arab Strap, has not lost its value as a solid album of pure pleasure. B&S may have a rep as a "college indie rock" band, but it's hard to deny such clever craftsmanship.

4 - Gonzales - Overnight -- I'll admit I don't know too much about Gonzales. The first time I'd ever heard his name was in regards to his help on Feist's album Let It Die, a pretty fine work of art. Wikipedia tells me he's done lots of work with other quirky Canadian artists (he's one himself). This album, Solo Piano, is just as its name implies - him playing the piano by himself. The result is very nice, very moody and as a whole could be a playlist on its own. I found it in the used bin at Waterloo earlier this summer and consider it one of my better finds.

5 - Midnight Movies - Tide and Sun -- Off their debut, Midnight Movies. The bells and electro noise coincide perfectly here to form 4:22 of eerie sweetness. That great Nico-esque voice you hear is frontwoman/drummer Gena Olivier. She's tall, she's sexy, she can drum... I want to marry her. I met her once at SXSW and could hardly open my mouth.

6 - SOUND Team - Color of the Love You Have -- First, let's all take a second to mourn the passing of this band. ... Okay. It took a while for it to finally settle in that we'd never again receive anything new from this Austin band. They had a short, successful life and I loved ever second of it. This is one of the last tracks they released before it all ended. I'm not sure exactly in what capacity it was released, I got it off of an Adult Swim compilation called Warm & Scratchy. I think it's another sweet, mellow track and one that is near perfect to end on.


So that's it for this week's playlist. Hope you enjoy it whether you're walking around at night, driving during the cold, or sitting in your room before you go to sleep. If there is one thing I might suggest... the first time you listen to this, wear headphones. Again, this will be available until next Monday.