Constantines - New Songs

New songs from Canadian rock band Constantines. Hear them on MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/constantines

Best of 2007

It's that time. Here comes the list.

Top Ten albums of 2007

1) Wilco: Sky Blue Sky – For someone expecting more experimental weirdness, I initially found this album slightly disappointing. But with each listen (as with all great albums) it has grown and blossomed and has become my favorite album of the year. The beauty of the songs, the cohesion of the band, the guitar splendor of Nels Cline, all serve to make this a rich and rewarding listening experience.


2) Arcade Fire: Neon Bible – The gang from Montreal continue to break new ground with their intense, emotional sound. Accordion and percussion give the music a dense, layered sound. Couple that with excellent songwriting, and a wide range of musical styles (including the channeling of Bruce Springsteen), and this is an excellent album.


3) Spoon: Ga Ga Ga Ga – Spoon continue to carve their own niche in the world of Indie rock. Turning up on iPod commercials, and late night tv, you know these guys are arriving. Ga Ga Ga Ga is another step in the right direction for Spoon.


4) Radiohead: In Rainbows – This, like the Wilco release, was a departure from what I would expect with less experimentation, and more straightforward songwriting. Although a bit inconsistent, the beauty of some of the songs (especially “House of Cards”, possibly the year’s best) is staggeringly good. Strange and surprising chord progressions and harmonies make this interesting and just weird enough so that we know this is still Radiohead.


5) The Good, the Bad, and the Queen: Eponymous – How can you go wrong when you have a band consisting of Paul Simonen (The Clash), Tony Allen (Fela Kuti), and Simon Tong (Verve)? You can’t. Even if this does sound like a Damon Albarn (Blur/Gorillaz) album, the rhythm section cannot be stopped! A really fun (albeit dark and mysterious) album.


6) Panda Bear: Person Pitch - I have called Animal Collective the new “Pet Sounds era Beach Boys” of the new millennium, but Animal Collective member Noah Lennox takes it a step further with Panda Bear, utilizing lush harmonies, strange sounds and instrumentations and an orchestral feel in bringing back the spirit of Brian Wilson’s late 60s heyday.

7) Iron & Wine: The Shepherd’s Dog – Sam Beam gets rhythm in the latest release for Iron & Wine. His singing style is still subdued, but his songs are strong.

8) Various Artists: Endless Highway: The Music of The Band – A great compilation of some pretty big names doing some of the best songs in rock. Highlights include Bruce Hornsby & the Range doing “King Harvest” and Blues Traveler with “Rag Mama Rag”.

9) The Shins: Wincing the Night Away – The Shins put out another solid, consistent effort. Although not incredibly groundbreaking, this is still a nice listen.

10) Arctic Monkeys: Favourite Worst Nightmare – Another killer post-punk, pop album from the boys from Sheffield.

Wilco in Chicago

Wilco are planning on doing a "Winter Residency" in Chicago this coming February where they will play their "completed recorded works". Now that'll be something. Can't wait to see those setlists. More info here: http://wilcoworld.net/tours/riv/index.php

Introducing Goathouse

Didya know? I'm in a band! Presenting Goathouse; a bluesy-rock, R&B, get down on the getdown band. If you'd like to check out some songs, go to http://www.myspace.com/goathouseband. The songs are from a practice session, and are a little bit rough, but it will give you an idea of what we sound like. I will also post any upcoming gig information etc..

The band is:
Joe Ruffatto - Lead vocals, rhythm guitar;
Dan Sumigawa - Lead guitar;
John Jones - Drums and percussion;
Matt LeBerthon - Bass;
Ruth Ruffatto - Vocals and percussion;
Patrick Armstrong - Percussion

Joe is the principal songwriter. All songs are originals. Thanks for listening!

Radiohead's new album out 10/10/07

Radiohead just posted the following on their website:

"Hello everyone.Well, the new album is finished, and it's coming out in 10 days;We've called it In Rainbows. Love from us all.
Jonny"

It looks like they are making it available only through this website (what rebels): http://www.inrainbows.com/Store/Quickindex.html

I've already ordered my copy! Woo-hoo!

Finally! A new one from Manu Chao

Manu Chao, my favorite French-Spanish via South America world fusion artist, has put out his first full album of new material since 2001. The title is La Radiolina and it was released on Sept. 4. I have heard some samples and it has that same, infectious sound that characterized his first two albums. Quirky loops and samples, sunny reggae stylings, and lyrics in half a dozen different languages (mostly French, Spanish, and English) make his sound totally unique and enjoyable. This is something that is perfect to play on a saturday afternoon while sipping a cool drink.

Even though it's been a long time between albums, he has been busy playing and producing, most notably on last year's Dimanche a Bamako by Amadou and Miriam. His sound can be a bit repetitious, but it is so diffferent from anything else out there that he can be forgiven for his narrow track. I am looking forward to see how much , if any, his sound has matured since 2001.

New Iron & Wine album coming out soon

One to look for on Sept. 25 is Iron & Wine's new album, The Shepherd's Dog. With his whispering singing style and understated, yet beautiful arrangements, Sam Beam is not known for rocking out. But his recent collaboration with Calexico seems to have lit a spark under Sam, if "Boy With a Coin", his single from the new album, is any indication. The energy of the song is much more uptempo than is typical for him. Supplementing his acoustic guitar with percussion and handclaps, it has a bounce and rhythm you can (almost) dance to. Given that, I have a feeling that the album will still contain those soft, haunting gems that endear me most to his music. Hear his new single on his MySpace page here: http://www.myspace.com/ironandwine