Favorite Album of the Year…not from this year
My favorite album of the year was not released this year and I know I am lame for not knowing about this until 2011.
Feels- Animal Collective (released in 2005)
I can put this on repeat for days. Some of my best memories this summer, not counting the expanse of live music I experienced, involved sitting in my cool basement and playing hours of Fifa 09 on the Xbox while listening to this album on my brand new 60 dollar Logitech speakers, which I highly recommend by the way. Listening to “Banshee Beat” is like a religious experience for me. This was really my introduction into anything experimental or vaguely psychedelic in nature. But this isn’t music that is hard to listen to or dense. This is blissful, exciting, beautiful sound, and I love it.
Five Essentials
Let me just start off by offering up a little primer that attempts to encompass what I have been listening to.
1. Ambient music is amazing to work or study to. Brian Eno’s Airport Music is something any college student needs on their study playlist. Everyone knows about Explosions in the Sky, and some people think their music is sad, but The Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place is just about perfect for moments of escape.
2. Folk-ish music will probably forever remain my favorite. Anyone that listens to Dr. Dog, Deer Tick, The Moondoggies, or The Cave Singers (or all of the above) is a good person in my book.
3. I took a class trip to Chicago this semester, and upon walking into the Jazz Record Mart (the largest in the nation I think), I realized that I know absolutely nothing about jazz. Sure I know, and adore, Kind of Blue, but walking through aisles and aisles of records, I was awestruck. This led to the first of my genre “goals” – to introduce myself genres I know absolutely nothing about. I’m very happy I started this, because I found some gems. Mulatu Astatke’s Ethiopian tinged take on jazz, the soaring symphonies of Boards of Canada’s Music has the Right to Children, Bonnie “Prince” Billy, and especially DJ Shadows epic epic masterpiece Entroducing.
4. Live music is life changing. Bonnaroo. A Winged Victory for the Sullen, Gardens & Villa, Phantogram (sexiest girl in music), Olafur Arnalds, etc etc. If you even have the slightest inkling to go to a show, and have the money, GO.
5. Mount Kimbie.
Back to Basics
Fall quarter is finally over!
I will soon update what I have been listening to over the last few months. It has been quite a journey. Many great things have been discovered.
For the Love of Music
I have decided to start a blog, in an attempt to share some musical recommendations and receive some in return. I definitely consider myself a fan of good music, and this past year of musical discovery (more to come on that) has opened my eyes to music’s vast scope.
Music is just not just sound. I want to offer my insights into what I listen to, and hopefully get some feedback from you guys into what I else I should be listening to. I really love recommending new music to people, and love even more when music gets recommended to me.
I recently posted the album stream for Peter Wolf Crier’s latest effort Garden of Arms. Their first album is truly amazing stuff. If you are not a fan, they definitely deserve a listen.
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Here are some of my favorites nowadays:
Band(s) - Moondoggies, Wye Oak, Sigur Ros (always a favorite)
Song - Amour Fou - Vetiver (featuring Devendra Banhart!)
Concert Venue - Beachland Ballroom and Tavern in Cleveland, Southgate House in Cincinnati
What I’m listening to right now - Shabazz Palaces
The new Peter Wolf Crier album, Garden of Arms, is streaming over at Paste. Check it out now. Album due out 9/6 via Jagjaguwar.
