Keeping Up My Promises

Well, here I am, and while this may not be the first thing I did upon this sunday, it is among the first. I'm almost done with Harry Potter and it is still fantastic. All the kids are makin' out!! Hogwarts is now a den of sin. But now on to the stuff you came here for, die musik. I'm letting loose a plethora of goods today for a few reasons. I know I started with doing an average of two things a day, but considering I don't plan well and would do them at night, my bed times ended up being much later than I wanted, so downed it to one a night. Now, however, on this Sunday afternoon, I have plenty of time. Also, I want to put on my good face for some newer folks, a "welcome to the club" if you will. So I'm offering up three things today, all of which more or less chosen at random, but don't let that say anything towards the quality of the 3 albums.

The first is Neutral Milk Hotel's 1998 album, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea. As much as I enjoy the Decemberists, lets face it, they own quite a bit these boys. This is a somehow equally lush and low-fi album. Most of the track don't move beyond usual rock band instruments (save some horns and woodwinds thrown in) this album is just big. "Oh Comely" and "Holland 1945" being worth the free price of you downloading this alone, the latter's drums are massive, which may or may not be exciting for you, but it sure as hell is for me. "Oh Comely" clocks in at around 9 minutes making it, outside of most of Sigur Ros' catalog, one of the few very long songs that I can play over and over (yeah, I'm looking at you Mars Volta; lay off that bong for musics sake, please). So, yes, I may have singled out a few songs but damned if all 30-odd minutes of this album aren't fantastic. Unfortunately they are on an "extended hiatus" seemingly never to return, but luckily those Decemberists kids have decided to pick up the slack with a midas touch. As an aside, for those in my current area, the the DC area, drummer Jeremy Barnes very excellent folky side project A Hawk and a Hacksaw will be playing a show at The Warehouse Nextdoor on August 5, I'll be there.

Neutral Milk Hotel - In The Aeroplane Over The Sea

Next up, in a much more opposite vein, we have Ratatat's self-titled debut. A friend of mine suggested this to me when it was released about a year ago, saying it was a hip-hop album from one of Dashboard Confessional's guitarists. Without getting to much into the sore subject of DC on my part, I can say I had a hard time believing this meaning I wanted to hear it all the more. Mike Stroud, the guitarist, and Evan Mast have have created a fantastic album full of big beats, 300-thread-count sheets of guitar, and washy synths. Mind you, there is no rappin' from any white boys on the album (thankfully) just head noddin' beat mongering. "Seventeen Years" is gonna knock you on your ass which is exactly what should be expected out of a first track. Enjoy todays #2 special.

Ratatat - Ratatat | Two

And, for my final trick of the day, as sort of promised before, I'm posting more Les Savy Fav. I believe I've said enough about these guys for you to know that I really like them (read: a couple days ago). This is their most recent LP Go Forth. It's a little more restrained than The Cat And the Cobra but that's not really saying much. This wasn't recieved as warmly by hipster circles, and I'm not sure why, I think I listen to this one more than TCATC. It's a bit catchier and all the players have obviously become more comfortable in their craft. The guitars ring clearer, the drums thrash hartily, and the bass is dubbed out and funked out more than ever. And what of the lead singer? He's as coo-coo for coacoa puffs as ever. "Reprobate's Resume" and "Crawling Can Be Beautiful" is among the best song pai.rs ever and the flow together like magic. Speaking of which, back to that damn wizard kid. Hope you've enjoyed yourself.

Les Savy Fav- Go Forth | Two

Love,
John

P.S. It's going to be a good week fo you all, I don't have work. Hotcha!

P.P.S. I really enjoyed this article in the Post today and thought it was worth putting up : Learn About Us