Wednesday, March 26, 2008

ben christophers-spoonface [2001]

i've had this album for a long time. when i first heard ben christophers i really got into him. he has such a unique style. i'm sure you'll notice it as well. his voice is so piercing. ben has four albums out to date with the last being in 2005. don't know why he still hasn't come up with anything new but who are we to judge, right? anybody reading this ever come up with something better? didn't think so. if you really think you have, send it to me and i'll listen to it. if it's better, i'll consider posting it here under the title "i was wrong. one of our readers may have made something better than ben christophers". not bloody likely though. anywho, check out the songs "leaving my sorrow behind", "hooded kiss", and "transatlantic shooting stars". you'll like em.

  1. leaving my sorrow behind
  2. the stream
  3. falls into view
  4. transatlantic shooting stars
  5. hooded kiss
  6. easter park
  7. songbird scrapes the sky
  8. spoonface
  9. losing myself
  10. the opium willows

Monday, March 24, 2008

kathryn williams - relations [2004]

i like this album. kathryn williams is a british singer/songwriter with a pretty nice voice. this album, though, did not require to "songwrite". its an album of all covers. now, normally i am not a huge fan of covers, especially beatles covers. if you can't rival the original (and the beatles you just can't) then it just bothers people more if you sing it than if you'd never tried in the first place. that said, she does a good job with a couple of these. i recommend her cover of the leonard cohen classic "hallelujah"....it maybe the best version of the song out there, and i've heard some good ones (i.e. jeff buckley, damien rice, rufus wainwright). also, the bee gees cover, "i started a joke" is good but still not as good as the wallflowers (as seen in zoolander). anywho, check it out....see what you think. below is the song title along with the original recording artist.

  1. in a broken dream (david bentley)
  2. birds (neil young)
  3. thirteen (big star)
  4. hallelujah (leonard cohen)
  5. ballad of easy rider (the byrds)
  6. a guy what takes his time (mae west)
  7. candy says (the velvet underground)
  8. how can we hang on to a dream (tim hardin)
  9. i started a joke (bee gees)
  10. easy and me (lee hazlewood)
  11. spit on a stranger (stephen malkmus)
  12. all apologies (nirvana)
  13. beautiful cosmos (ivor cutler)
  14. these days (jackson browne)

Friday, March 21, 2008

the envy corps-dwell [2007]

i don't have much to say about this album....i don't know it all that well. i just came across it this week and thought it had a couple of nice licks. you can decide for yourselves. from the initial listen you may think this is a u.k. band. not so, interestingly enough. the envy corps hail from the great state of iowa. i myself have been to iowa on three or four occasions. i gotta say that of the midwestern states it certainly is one of the most beautiful. i am not surprised that this music could be produced in such a beautiful place. that's beside the point. check out the songs "wires & wool", "rhinemaidens" and "before the gold rush" (note connection to neil young's "after the gold rush". not only are they iowan, they're witty, and neil young fans).

  1. wires & wool
  2. sylvia (the beekeeper)
  3. keys to good living
  4. rhinemaidens
  5. before the gold rush
  6. walls
  7. 99, 100
  8. rooftop
  9. party dress
  10. story problem
  11. baby teeth

sir paul mccartney-chaos and creation in the backyard [2005]

forget the long title, this album is simply amazing. after years and years of struggling albums paul finally got his reputation back when, in 2005, he collaborated with radiohead/beck-producer nigel godrich (who also worked with travis a ton) and came up with this work of art. now, i am a die-hard beatles/paul fan. i can honestly say that through thick and thin i follow his work. but it took me this album to officially bring him back around on the long-lasting-amazing-writing scale. well he's there. no question. check out "too much rain", "this never happened before", and "english tea", especially the intros....

  1. fine line
  2. how kind of you
  3. jenny wren
  4. at the mercy
  5. friends to go
  6. english tea
  7. too much rain
  8. a certain softness
  9. riding to vanity fair
  10. follow me
  11. promise to you girl
  12. this never happened before
  13. anyway

Thursday, March 20, 2008

van halen-best of volume I [1996]

holy crap. you know, i have resisted posting this album for some time. i can't hold back any longer though. simply incredible music; no way around that. i have been listening to this album since the 8th grade when me and my best friend mike were riding around with his older brother and he put this disc in and went straight to song number 13 and we rocked out the "right now" until our brains got too joggled in our heads from banging em. you may have a more "crystal" clear memory of that song being used in the classic "crystal pepsi" adds. however you remember it, it's fantastic. aside from that, this album is packed with classic van halen goodness. i still get goose bumps when sammy hagar does one of his "heys" right after the stirring intro in "when it's love". holy crap. this post, this album, is for all the second guitar part-players out there. eddie taught you the best he possibly could. take note folks. few can rival these second parts.



  1. eruption
  2. ain't talkin' 'bout love
  3. runnin' with the devil
  4. dance the night away
  5. and the cradle will rock
  6. unchained
  7. jump
  8. panama
  9. why can't this be love
  10. dreams
  11. when it's love
  12. poundcake
  13. right now
  14. can't stop lovin' you
  15. human beings
  16. can't get this straight
  17. me wise magic

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

the weepies-say i am you [2006]

this is a great album. i first heard of the weepies from my little brother about six months ago and my wife hasn't stopped listening to them since. the female vocalist (deb talan) just has an amazing and tantalizing voice. i am told that they are the source of much of famous (ha!) pop singer mandy moore's music. wouldn't surprise me though. if you need something to relax you and just make you feel happy all around this is a perfect one. check out "gotta have you", "city wide rodeo", and "world spins madly on".

  1. take it from me
  2. gotta have you
  3. world spins madly on
  4. city wide rodeo
  5. riga girls
  6. suicide blonde
  7. a painting by chagall
  8. nobody knows me at all
  9. not your year
  10. twilight
  11. stars
  12. love doesn't last
  13. slow pony ride

adele-19 [2008]

i don't have a ton to say about this one but i think it's worth checking out. i only really know that she's from england and she has a nice voice. i'm not saying she's the greatest thing around but i've listened to this album through more than once and it's not shabby. maybe you'll like it. check out "crazy for you" and the bob dylan cover, "to make you feel my love" is better than garth brooks' version at least.

  1. daydreamer
  2. best for last
  3. chasing pavements
  4. cold shoulder
  5. crazy for you
  6. melt my heart to stone
  7. first love
  8. right as rain
  9. make you feel my love
  10. my same
  11. tired
  12. hometown glory