Well... This is Exciting

It looks like the new Swan Lake (Everybody's third favorite Spencer Krug project!) album is due in March.
The tracklist looks a little like this, for those of you who are into song titles with no idea of what the song actually sounds like:

* Spanish Gold, 2044
* Paper Lace
* Heartswarm
* Settle on Your Skin
* Ballad of a Swan Lake, Or, Daniel’s Song
* Peace
* Spider
* A Hand at Dusk
* Warlock Psychologist

But for now, just listen to All Fires, again and again and again.

Swan Lake - All Fires
(Note to powers that be that keep taking down my posts: This mp3 is freely available off of the Jagjaguwar website.... So don't take this down.)

Also, I got a chance to hear Animal Collective's Merriweather Post Pavillion that I've been ridiculously excited for. It's amazing, and I really like where they're going with their sound. However, I'm terrified of posting anything from it due to said powers that be. I don't like paying fines.

So let's just have another look at the mesmerizing cover art, shall we? (Note: Not an animated GIF...YOUR EYES ARE TRICKING YOU!)




Merry Christmas everybody.

Songs of the Year, pt. 1

(This is just getting annoying. Blogger keeps taking down my posts, and I keep getting e-mails for posting mp3s. I think I'm going to take a break, find a new place to host, and then move... So again, a repost, no links)

OK.
My original plan was to put up a whole list of songs at once, and organize them in a Mix CD fashion.
But, due to time constraints, this hasn't happened. (also - apologies for the lack of updates lately. Like I said, time constraints.) So, what I propose to do, is post the songs in groups, and then at the end, hopefully put them in a zip file in a mix cd. How does that sound? Lovely. I know. I should also note that these are in no particular order, unless you consider the order of which I thought of things to say about the songs.

TV on the Radio - Lover's Day
When I hear this song, I like to think that TVoTR were reading Prince fan fiction on some Prince message board somewhere. I imagine that someone wrote a long, involved, heart-wrenching story about Prince moving back home and leading the University of Minnesota Gophers marching band - a Mr. Holland's opus type story, if you will. Obviously, after reading this, they wrote Lover's Day.
(From: Dear Science)

The Walkmen - In the New Year
This song is a really good first date. At first, the band is hesitant, maybe a little shy. But then they see you like them despite their shyness. Maybe you gave a knowing smile. Or a real laugh, instead of the polite chuckle we've all given or experienced at some point. Maybe you even offered to let them try your food. Whatever you did, they started to feel more confident and started to open up. Stories are told, adventures are shared, and then the night is over. You drop them off at their doorstep, go home, and lie in bed, hitting repeat over and over again, hoping the night never ends.
(From: You & Me)

Chairlift - Bruises
Before this song became ubiquitous, before 'grass-stain', 'frozen strawberry', and 'bruised knee' were different colors of iPod, there was the 2:18 mark of this original mix of the song, where Caroline Polachek's voice gets the slightest inflection of genuine sweetness and convinces you that maybe, just maybe, she's actually got you in mind.
There was also this video. Which I'm really not sure what to think of. I feel the acting is there, but the direction could use some work.
(From: Does You Inspire You?)

The Bug - Angry f. Tippa Irrie
People who don't wave after a lane change. People who sing ballads at karaoke. West Edmonton Mall. Phil Jackson. The ignorance of lunch caterers to the fact that there's a lot of people out there who simply cannot stand mayonnaise.
(From: London Zoo)

Department of Eagles - No One Does it Like You
I could make the obligatory Grizzly Bear reference. I could give you facts, like before releasing the album, they had only played live once, for a radio show. I could even draw comparison to the Eagles of Death Metal, Don Henley, or even the Philadelphia Eagles. But it would all be pointless. The only things you need to know about this song are the jingle-jangle guitar, hand claps, and "ah ah, ba dah ah ah."
(From: In Ear Park)

Honeymoon's Over

(This is a re-post w/o links. The power's that be clearly didn't approve of my Kanye bashing and took down the whole thing.)

OK... Remember that time like two weeks ago when I said I was quite enjoying winter?
Yeah. That's done. It is very cold outside. But that's only the start of it.
Something is clearly wrong with the heating ducts in my building, and there's this omnipresent howling noise. But not a howl, because it has no clear beginning or end. It just keeps going.
It's like Kanye West is stuck in my walls with his auto-tune machine. I feel like a captive from Guantanamo Bay going through that Metallica in a dark room torture. Or something far less drastic.
Anyways, where was I? Oh yes... winter again. While I will likely still be listening to that fantastic Beach House record (which will no doubt be reaching my top 20 for the year. Which will be coming near Christmas), there is nothing better for cold, cold weather than Burial.

So here's a remix
Burial - Archangel (Phaseone remix) (Link removed)

Also, more random Kanye West thoughts:
I still can't decide on the new album. Sometimes I appreciate it, but then, just as it starts warming a little more, I remember how terrible of a lyricist he is. Honestly. Don't get me wrong, it works at times - if you're rapping about the Good Life with T-Pain, nobody cares about your lyrics. But, Kanye, if you're reading this... if you're going for self-introspection, we're going to notice more. I'll let the tired pop-culture references slide most of the time, but I cannot forgive "How could you be so/Dr. Evil?" from "Heartless". Most of the time, you'll reference something that's at least happened in the last year, then you get a six-month grace period before you start sounding dated, but an Austin Powers reference? Really? I know Jay's not ghostwriting for you anymore, but you should still at least keep in touch... maybe run a few of these by him every now and then, and then I hopefully wouldn't be writing this blog. But, no... you need to go it alone and remind everyone of that trilogy from which we're all so desperately trying to chalk up to experience and move on.

So, just for reference. You don't actually have to listen to this, nor do I expect you to, but it's really the only way you'll believe that lyric actually saw the light of day:

Kanye West - Heartless (Link Removed)
(from: 808s and Heartbreaks)

Gangsters Don't Dance...

... we boogie.



Ruth - Polaroid-Roman-Photo
(From: BIPPP - French Synth Wave 1979-85)

Tales Tall as Cliffs

I was walking home from work and saw an old man with a guitar. He was sitting outside the abandoned YMCA, and his face was weathered and crusty, like three-day old mandarin orange peels.
I sat down beside him and asked him to play me a song. As he began to strum, I recognized the chords, and told him so.
"That's a lie!," he said... "I wrote this just this morning."
I squinted, and asked him to repeat himself.
"Just this morning, at dawn, as the sun rose over the North Saskatchewan," but his voice was full of hesitation, "Some of the chords didn't even exist - I had to invent them." He was playing a D.
I wanted to tell him that the song was by Margot and the Nuclear So and So's, but I couldn't do it. Instead I decided to clap and sing along - I was wearing gloves, so it was a deep, thudded clap. He didn't ask how I knew the lyrics.
A crowd gathered as he gained volume and confidence. They joined in, slapping briefcases, stomping feet, and shuffling shoes.
When he finished, the crowd applauded then slowly made their way back into the dead of the Edmonton winter. I looked at him and asked what the song was about.
"Everything, man. It's about coalition governments, Somali pirates, Will Smith, Tom Cruise, and Miley Cyrus. It's about the medals I got in Korea..."
"Wait... The Olympics? or the war?"
"The Olympics, man... do I look like a veteran? Darnit, no! I was a pole vaulter." He paused..."Where was I?"
"...medals in Korea"
"Oh, yes. That's right. It's about those medals, and the apartheid, and the 1994 baseball strike. But mostly, it's a love song I wrote for Lauren Conrad."
Then I asked him why he lied to me. He slung his guitar over his shoulder and headed to the Greyhound station.

Margot and the Nuclear So and So's - As Tall as Cliffs
(From: Not Animal)

Honeymooning with Winter

Up until today, I had largely ignored Beach House's Devotion, which came out way back in March. I gave it a couple cursory listens upon release, and then by and large forgot about it as the weather warmed, days grew longer, and Edmonton broke out of its wintery chill. Nights were spent on patios, and days were spent longing to be on said patios. This is not the setting for Beach House.

But today (thanks to a nudge from Gorilla v. Bear's Best of 2008 list), I decided to revisit it, and it was perfect. The reverb drenched vocals and keyboards seem infinitely more appropriate while looking out my corner cubicle window, happy to be inside, drinking green tea, enjoying a relatively slow day at the office than wishing that I was anywhere but. The snow is new and clean, without a hint of brown of the gravel and salt ridden slush that will plague the city for months to come.

Soon, I will grow tired of Edmonton's long, harsh winter, but for now, I'm still in the honeymoon stage, and its soundtrack will be 'Devotion.'

Beach House - D.A.R.L.I.N.G
(From: Devotion)

(After re-reading, that sounds far more emo than I wanted it to... oh well.)

Teenage Fanclub

Now.
Everyone has pet bands/albums. I have a few. This is allowed because I have a blog. If you don't, you're only allowed one. Deal with it.
Anyways, the one I'm going to talk about on this particular day - one filled with snow and political strife - is Teenage Fanclub's Bandwagonesque.
I'm fascinated by this album for a number of reasons, but the foremost is I really have no idea why I like it so much. If I really listen to it objectively, it's by no means a great album, but I still love it. Since I don't feel like writing in paragraph form anymore, here are some bullet points about the album:

- It's biggest claim to fame is being accidentally well-regarded. Allow me to explain: Back in 1991, when the album came out, Spin magazine bestowed upon it the honor of being named the album of the year. Pretty big deal. You'd think that would get it some respect. But no - the #2 album that year, according to Spin, was Nevermind. So, after Nevermind became a classic (and that's a whole 'nother blog), Bandwagonesque developed a notoriety for being named the #1 album of the year ahead of Nevermind. For years, that was all I knew about this album.
- It also gets overlooked because it came out of the UK in 1991, when there was an insane amount of quality music coming out of the UK - but it doesn't really sound like your typical britpop, so it gets brushed to the side a little.
- It has an awesome lyric in "She don't do drugs/but she does the pill". I find this to be clever.

But, aside from all of that, it's a pretty plain album. But I love it. And I don't know why.

Here's two songs - And please... please comment if they're actually good or not. I need to know if I'm actually insane for loving this album:

Teenage Fanclub - The Concept
Teenage Fanclub - Alchoholiday
(From: Bandwagonesque)

(See... Even the song titles are kind of lame... Alcoholiday sounds like it could be a Nickelback/Theory of the Deadman Double LP. For the love of good bread.)

Continuing Education

Here are some things I learned on the weekend:
- John C. Reilly needs to sit down and watch Hard Eight and Magnolia. After doing this, he will hopefully remember that he is a very good actor and will stop wasting his time on moderately amusing movies like Walk Hard.
- I am good at some things. De-boning a chicken thigh is not one of them.
- Certain NFL broadcasters are able to distinguish time in 'literally nanoseconds'. While impressive, this talent probably be used for something more useful. I just can't think of what that is yet.
- I had gone far too long in life without watching a Woody Allen film. It made me want to go to New York even more.
- Certain friends of mine have never heard Silent Shout (this is about to be remedied)
- The Comas, which I had thought were fairly unknown, are apparently somewhat well known because their lead singer used to date Michelle Williams, who used to be married to Heath Ledger
- Despite being a pretty cool song for the Christmas season, "Maybe this Christmas" will forever be tainted by the memory of Ryan and Marissa's trip to the mall being ruined when Marissa decided to shoplift while on her slow descent into alcoholism. Selfish, selfish Marissa.

The Knife - Silent Shout
(From: Silent Shout)

The Comas - The Last Transmission
(From: Conductor)

Ron Sexsmith - Maybe this Christmas

Its not your money that they're after boy, It's you.

Now I realize that these days (and by 'these days' I mean since 2001) its very en vogue to knock any new Belle and Sebastian record for being having too many strings, too many horns, and too much production in general (as well as not enough Isobel Campbell). Of all these criticisms, only the last holds any weight. Isobel is amazing.
But that's beside the point. You can't expect a band to write perfect bedroom pop about kissing your elbow forever.
So that brings us to today's songs. First listen to Like Dylan in the Movies. Listen to the melody closing the chorus. "Its not your money that they're after boy, its you". Ok. Got it?
Now listen to Women's Realm (from the oft-maligned/overlooked Fold your Hands Child, you Walk like a Peasant)Clap along. Now listen to the strings, right around the 2:34 mark. There it is. Same melody.
This is self-reference at its finest. Not in the hip-hop sense of listing past triple platinum albums (jay-z, I'm looking in your general direction), just a subtle wink/nod that lets listeners know that behind all the production, they're still the same Scottish kids that used to sing about lying in bed, kissing just for practice.

Belle and Sebastian - Like Dylan in the Movies
(From: If You're Feeling Sinister)

or... from the new Live @ BBC Album
Like Dylan in the Movies (Live @ BBC)

Belle and Sebastian - Women's Realm
(From: Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like a Peasant)

Side note:
I was really looking forward to full-out hating 808s and Heartbreaks. It was welling up inside of me. I wasn't even going to listen to it. But... it's not as bad as I was expecting. I'll never be crazy about it, but if you go in expecting a fairly disposable pop-album with a copious amount of auto-tune, well... your hopes can't be that high, so you can't be all that disappointed.

Fluxblog captures these feelings far more eloquently than I ever could.

TV on the Radio are quickly becoming one of my favorite bands. Now, this shouldn't be anything shocking, as they've put out four brilliant records in the span of five some years.
But still, there was always some reservation on my part that they may, to some extent, be a product of their producer (Dave Sitek, who made Scarlett Johansson's album good.) So when I saw them live a few months ago, I was a little worried about how things would translate - especially any material off of Return to Cookie Mountain, which seems especially reliant on studio work.
What I should have done instead is listened to Ambulance. It can be an easy track to overlook, coming right at the end of side A of Desperate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes(And let's face it, any song would have a hard time living up to the opening trifecta of The Wrong Way, Staring at the Sun, and Dreams), but its pretty much perfect - without any weighty production, just voices. It's the song that led me to half-jokingly refer to them as "so post-barbershop" for all these years (I guess post-doowop might be more appropriate, but oh well). And even though the a capella is more of an exception than the rule, its quickly becoming the song by which I define the band. (There's a joke in here about Boyz II Men singing silent night on fresh prince of bel-air, but I'm not going to touch it, even as Christmas approaches.)

TV on the Radio - Ambulance
(From: Desperate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes)
Photograph by: Joseph Rotindo

Sleeping

I am going to bed soon. So here's a song which makes me want to sleep. A Lullabye, if you will.
As well as a random picture I took of a pagoda.
I guess you could sleep in one of those.

Sol Seppy - Enter One

Edit: After re-looking at that picture, I almost feel like I should have posted a song by some Japanese Wilco cover band, which I don't actually know, but certainly exists....
See what I mean?

Writer's Block

As it is late Sunday night, I am tired from the weekend, am absolutely intimated by the quality of writing at Said the Gramophone lately, and yet still feel obliged to post something to this blog, here are a collection of songs that will define the past weekend for me.
None of them are for download. But I will let you try and piece together exactly what happened. And then I'll put up some songs that I've been listening to lately. Sounds good? OK.

TotalEclipseoftheHeart.BorntoRun.AlloutofLove.BarbieGirl.
StillDRE.Vindicated.Excursions.ItisWellWithMySoul.

Confused? Yeah. Me too.

School of Seven Bells - Half Asleep
(From: Alpinisms)

Chad Van Gaalen - Willow Tree
(From: Soft Airplane)

Super Negro Bantous - Professional Super Bantous
(From: Lagos All Routes)

Dangling On A String

Sometimes I think I would like to be a DJ. But not at a bar. At a pub. Or an alehouse. I would like to do this on Tuesday nights. I don't think my playlists would really work on a weekend, or on a Thursday, and Wednesdays don't seem right for some reason. Tuesday is perfect. People would reminisce about the weekend that passed. Stories would be told, and plans would be made for the coming Friday over bottles of Pilsner, or whatever the draught special is for that particular night. As the crowd thins out and handshakes are exchanged with promises to call before Saturday, I would play this song to close down the bar.

Chairmen of the Board - (You've Got Me) Dangling on a String
(From: The Very Best of Chairmen of the Board)

Beasts, Dragons, Spoons, Remixes

Not all related, however.
Sometimes, I really like Spoon. Like - go an entire week where I only listen to Spoon. This, obviously, is one of those weeks.
But, as far as anything new, there's not much I can post in terms of songs - so we'll do a rarity. That's what we do on blogs, right? New Songs and rarities? OK. Glad that's clear.

This is from a set they did at Los Angeles' famed KCRW Morning Becomes Eclectic.

Spoon - The Beast and Dragon, Adored (Live @ KCRW)

Also, I have lost countless hours at french music blog La Blogotheque lately. They have a series of 'Concerts a emporter', or 'Take Away Shows', which are amazing. My favorite is this one, of Yeasayer:

#87.2 - YEASAYER - 2080
by lablogotheque

I implore you to go explore...

And, best for last... a band near and dear to my heart, Edmonton's own Faunts, are releasing a remix album this week, available exclusively on iTunes.
They've got two tracks posted on their myspace... including one by Euroblog darlings DVAS. That's right... EUROBLOG DARLINGS.

Finally, I apologize profusely for the lack of updates lately.
I will strive to do better. The one person who reads this (or none, judging by the lack of comments) deserves more.

Some may read and wonder where the name of the blog comes from. Am I really that arrogant? Well, no. It's just that those who do wonder likely do not listen to the Silver Jews with any regularity. Which is a grave mistake. So let's fix it, shall we?

The Silver Jews - Random Rules
(From: American Water)
I've realized over the last few years, that its actually impossible for me to get sick of this song. Even though its the same four chords, the same melody, and the same brilliant Steven Malkmus guitar solo time after time again, I can't get enough of it. Lyrically, it's just a perfect song.

The Silver Jews - Punks in the Beerlight
(From: Tanglewood Numbers)
Years after David Berman returns from screwing his way across Europe, he takes us behind the local Mac's store, where love is found with a paper bag and Pabst Blue Ribbon.

The Twilight Sad are a band I would like to see live, but will likely never get the chance as long as I live in Edmonton.
If I went to see them I wouldn't wear ear plugs, even though I should, as I've read that they are very loud.
It would stop my mind from wandering, as it often does.
I would stare at the stage and secretly worry that every song I hear might be the last.

The Twilight Sad - Cold Days From the Birdhouse (Live)


buy it at insound!

How Far is Ohio?

This seems appropriate considering Ohio took center stage last night. Sort of. I guess Barack Obama had center stage. And Virginia. And Indiana. But while everyone was watching those states do the softshoe under the limelight, Ohio did the ol' cut the sandbags from the roof routine and stole the show.

So I give you the best of many songs featuring Ohio in the title.

Damien Jurado - Ohio

I can relate to this song in one way, as at my office I also have what's considered a good view. While this is true, since it is a window cubicle, the view happens to be the Edmonton Greyhound station. I can think of much better things to overlook.
However, that's the only way I can relate to this song, as I've never met anyone who was kidnapped by their father's hired men. Sheletered. I know.

Bonus mp3:
Vampire Weekend - The Kids Don't Stand a Chance (Chromeo Remix)

I found this today, I'm not sure how new it is, but it's from the Kids Don't Stand a Chance EP, and I like it. Probably the only reason I would listen to Vampire Weekend in the winter.

Enjoy

Forget Your Politics For Awhile...

Hypocrite alert... I've got NBC on in the background as I type. And I am frightened by their 'virtual studios.'

Regardless, this song has been stuck in my head for the bulk of the day (shy of the 10 minutes around noon where someone ruined my day by mentioning 'Life is A Highway'), seems pertinent at the moment, and has pretty rad video.




Mates of State - Get Better

Maybe I Overestimated Myself Here

I'll admit it. I was wrong. Things were said, promises were made - and I lied.
Fact of the matter is that actually writing a bunch of 7 paragraph posts is quite a bit of work. An overwhelming amount, even if you already have a list of albums which to write paragraphs about.
So, until I have enough time to do otherwise, this is just gonna have to be your standard one or two paragraphs containing one or two songs mp3 blog.
Boring. Typical. I know.

So for now here's a song I really like.
(Yes, earth shattering insight - I know.)

Tobacco - Dirt f. Aesop Rock

mySpace: www.myspace.com/tobacco

Getting to Know Eachother

It's an age-old question. A parlor game, if you will. You're left on an island and you get to choose five albums to keep with you.

Now, let's call a spade a spade here: This game's a little outdated. We've got iPod's now. Or, in my case, we've got Creative Nomad Zen Xtra II's... (Marketing department: "Let's make the name as cumbersome as the device itself!")

There was a time when physical space and storage was probably an issue on this hypothetical island, so the five album limit made sense. I mean, you've got to put your MacGyver'd up water filtration system somewhere, right? But we've moved past that. As a tool for getting to know someone, the question still holds merit, but for actually discussing music, it seems a little antiquated. I'll go through more than 5 albums on the average day, never mind a lifetime.
So, in an effort to familiarize myself (the author) with you (the audience) - here's what we're gonna do: My 100 desert island albums - or, roughly - my 8GB desert island Nano. You can get to know me a little, fall in love (in a platonic sense, of course), and then keep reading my blog.
It's simple, really.

Two rules:
1) I'm going to be counting down in groups of five. No band can have two albums in the same group.
2) No greatest hits.

One disclaimer:

100 albums is a lot. And I'm indecisive. So don't hold me to this. It reflects my taste at this point in time, and is totally fluid. In fact, the list has even changed slightly since its inception when I paid a co-op student a dollar to fetch album art for me. You'll also notice it's pretty present-weighted. Get over it.

So let's get on with it then:

#100
Nick Drake - Pink Moon
A friend once had 'Way to Blue: The Music of Nick Drake' stuck in her car CD player. She could play the CD, but it wouldn't leave the player. This is the closest I've ever seen to an actual 'Desert Island' experience. She doesn't like Nick Drake anymore.

Pink Moon




#099
LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
There's been a lot said about this album in the last couple of years. Consensus is that it's good. I tend to agree. So let's discuss something else: No matter how long I stare at the album cover, I really have no idea what exactly is in the top corner there.
I'm going with washing machine.

Someone Great



#098
Dinosaur Jr. - Beyond
This is a tricky one. I started out with 'Green Mind' here. I think because as I got to this point on the list I felt that I had too many recent albums and needed to show more respect to those that have come before. But then I re-listened to Green Mind, and remembered that I personally enjoy Beyond much more. So here it is.

Pick Me Up


#097
Sigur Ros - ( )
I used to really enjoy The Shawshank Redemption. I haven't watched it in years. Regardless - think of The Shawshank Redepemption. Think of wise old Morgan Freeman talking about Mozart and how those two Italian ladies are singing about something so beautiful and heartbreaking that it can't be expressed in words. I feel the same way about this album.
("Yeah. Think of your own words when it comes to writing about music on your own blog", you're surely thinking.)

(Dauðalagið)
#096
The Fiery Furnaces - Blueberry Boat
I had no idea what to expect coming into this album. You know how people don't read reviews for movies so that they go in not knowing what to expect? I was the opposite on this. I'd probably read about 10 different reviews before I actually heard it, each one totally different. And I can understand that. It can be hard to listen to at first. But then you find yourself walking around, the opening chords of Quay Cur pounding in your head, urging you to skip your next class, lie down on your bed, throw on the headphones and listen to it on repeat for an hour. Or so I've heard.

Quay Cur

Next five albums to come in a couple days...