All My Life Spent Alone

Okay, so it's over a week. Congratulations to those of you who bet against me. You've won. Anyway, I had considerable trouble when trying to come up with the subject for this post. Then Autumn happened. I stepped outside Sunday morning and was immediately taken with how crisp and clean the air was. I love this time of year. It makes me want to huddle close to someone on a park bench and watch the sun go down as a brisk breeze blows over us by the lake. It makes me want to fall in love.


And so last night, I did what I always do when I feel all dovey and nostalgic for a past that's not yet behind me. I put James Iha's "Let it Come Down" on the turntable.


James Iha - Be Strong Now

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For anybody who somehow doesn't know, Iha was a guitarist in The Smashing Pumpkins before they broke up and subsequently "reformed" without him. He went on to work with an eclectic variety of musicians including A Perfect Circle and members of Hanson and Cheap Trick (yes, THAT Hanson). But in 1998, before the Pumpkins' released "Adore" he quietly released this solo album. Critical reaction was mixed and it didn't sell very well. To be honest, I was a HUGE Pumpkins fan and I didn't bother to buy the album until after the band broke up, but it eventually found its way into my collection.


James Iha - Sound of Love

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I remember going to some awful record store on the south side of OKC that was run by a local promoter when I was first getting into vinyl. The shop is long-since gone and the former owner has done less than his fair share of jail time, but that's another story for another day. Anyway, I was thumbing through everything they had when I happened upon a used copy of this record. I'd never listened to it, but I knew right then and there that I had to have it. I put it on as soon as I got home and immediately fell in love with it.


James Iha - Silver String

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There are few things that hit the spot like this album does for me. Sure, it's kinda cornball, James' voice isn't the strongest thing in the world and the word "love" makes more appearances than "sun" on a Polyphonic Spree record, but (and this is important) it feels sincere. So often, I listen to a record that's this heavy on "love" songs and it sounds forced or contrived. Not so here. It has that same honest, heart-on-the-sleeve quality that I love so much about all of The Avett Brothers' records. James genuinely sounds like a young dude head-over-heels for some sweet little thing from a small town in the midwest who has a good relationship with her father and loves "Pet Sounds" and Fleet Foxes in equal measure. But enough about me. All in all, this record is a fantastic little slab of alt country that would stand up well next to most of Ryan Adams' and Wilco's early respective outputs. Sappy, sweet and saccharine love songs that would make any feeling person with good taste melt a little on the inside.


James Iha - No One's Gonna Hurt You

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The bad news is that It's out of print and it's not on iTunes, but with rumors circulating that he's working on a second solo album (over ten years later mind you), it might be a good time for him to consider a deluxe reissue with bonus tracks and such. Otherwise, it's readily available used on ebay and amazon or, if you feel so inclined, illegally. And since you won't be taking any money out of his pocket by downloading an album that's been out of print for some time now, I see no harm in linking you to this. Yeah, I know that I'm asking for trouble, but whatever. Just don't expect me to make a habit out of this sort of thing. Bear in mind that the songs are probably out of order and I can't vouch for the bitrate. I may up a higher quality version with some bonus tracks eventually if I can track down my CD copy. Just keep checking back and you'll probably see it here at some point.


For a preview of coming attractions: More Nostalgia!!!


**EDIT**


Changed the last link since the video got taken down due to a "terms of use violation." Looks like Square is really living up to their name/reputation.

Music from Vacation: Volume 2

Well, ladies and gentlemen, it seems that once again it has taken me longer to post than originally planned. Combinations of family illness and the lack of a consistent internet connection have gotten in the way (mostly the internet thing) but no more! The time is nigh for a long-promised post about Owl & Penny label-mates, Boys & Frogs.


Boys & Frogs - Every Daughter's Dance

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Now, I know what you're thinking. "What are the chances that two bands from the same greater metro area, on the same label with similar naming conventions would both be very good, much less worth writing home about?" Well wonder no more. These kids are legit. As with Owl & Penny, I picked up their EP "In Desperate Need of a Car Crash" while on a "working" vacation in Phoenix, AZ (and by "working," I mean being a drunken mess of a groomsman at my best friend's wedding for the better part of a week [Danial, I love you man]). This was actually the first disc out of three to which I listened and I was immediately impressed.


Boys & Frogs - Good Sons

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If you're into artists like Owen Pallett/Final Fantasy, Arcade Fire or even Morrissey (a touchstone I don't often cite as a positive influence, but it's actually applicable in a good way here), you're going to dig this collection of tunes. The instrumentation throughout is eclectic enough to remain interesting, but not eccentric enough to be off-putting or pretentious. These are all well-crafted indie-pop songs that get under your skin which you will find yourself whistling in public restrooms on a regular basis. Admit it. The reverb is awesome and whistling in the restroom is the easiest way to keep people from trying to engage in conversation with you while you bleed out those 44oz of soda you drank after lunch. The only gripe I have about it is some of the mixing choices, but that's just the ugly, elitist audiophile in me talking. At it's core "In Desperate Need of a Car Crash" is an excellent first effort. Should the EP not sate your appetite, there is also an iTunes-exclusive single called "In Dreams" which I can recommend without hesitation.


Next post is coming in under a week. You can bet on it.

Music from Vacation: Volume 1

Hey everybody. Long time, no see, eh? I've had some family stuff going on here over the past few weeks and haven't really had time to deliver new tunes to your e-doorsteps. Sorry about that.


Anyway, when last I blurbed about this blog on facebook (which, if you don't "like" this over there, you probably should, especially if you don't have a Blogger account), I mentioned a little something about blogging from the magical land of Phoenix, Arizona. You know, the state that cheated on New Mexico with California? Anyway, it turns out that week was more action-packed than I had anticipated, so didn't really get to do any actual blogging, BUT I did find time to slink off to a local record shop and pick up three CDs by bands native to the Phoenix area. Two of them were outstanding and one of them was bloody awful. Today, you get to learn about one of the great ones.


Owl & Penny - Summerflower

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Owl & Penny is essentially a one-man outfit from what I can gather. The dude writes really great, plaintive acoustic folk tunes. Touchstones for listeners would probably be Iron & Wine or Bright Eyes, but less whiney than Conor Oberst and not as literary-minded as Sam Beam. I suppose it falls somewhere in the middle of both if you need that sort of reference point. Either way, these are well-written songs, and while he touches on subjects like homesickness, nostalgia and recreational drug/alcohol use, it never sounds stale or well-trod. Something about it manages to stay fresh.


Owl & Penny - Wooden Rings

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The songs here are from the CD version of "Fever Dreams" and I can honestly say there's not a bad song on it. It was hard picking just two. It's online as two EPs, "Fever Dreams" and "Stolen Silver," both of which are on the old iTunes and thinkindie.com. He's also just released a new digital, two-song single called "Two Beasts" from his forthcoming next album, available through the same avenues. And hey, he's even taking pre-orders for T-shirts on his facebook page if you need something with which to cover your jubblies... ladies. And maybe if enough people like this post, I can convince him to come play in Oklahoma City and crash on my couch sometime. Buy it. For the children.


Music from Vacation: Volume 2 coming soon. I'll give you two hints as to who it is: 1) They share a label with Owl & Penny and 2) They're not the band that sucked. Vague, I know, but happy hunting. See you next time (which I promise won't take nearly as long as this time).

Well Crap...

Looks like a draft for this epic post I've been working on for the last week didn't actually get saved... which is kind of funny in a way if you know what it was about. So, as a stop-gap, here's an obscure Longwave B-Side. You're lucky it's not a drone track the way things are going right now...


Longwave - Disappointed

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You Think You Have What You Own?

I don't expect that this blog will ever be on the cutting edge of what's new and awesome. Hell, I'll be lucky enough to just stay on the bleeding edge of what I like. So, in that very spirit of blood and sharp objects, I want to take a moment to draw your attention to a record I actually picked up a few months ago. That's not to say that there's anything violent about Retribution Gospel Choir. Then again I never claimed to be a master of segue's.


Retribution Gospel Choir - Hide It Away

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Retribution Gospel Choir is fronted by Alan Sparhawk, better known as the main man behind Low. It features Low bassist Steve Garrington which leaves drummer Eric Pollard as the only member not doing double duty in Low. With all of this Low cross-pollination, you'd probably expect a very slow and quiet record. Not so here friends. This is toe-tapping, foot stomping, appendage flailing rock and roll at it's finest. These are expansive, bombastic and epic rock songs with soaring choruses to spare.


Retribution Gospel Choir - White Wolf

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These tracks come from their latest record, "2." They also have a self-titled first album that's quite good. This one's already in the running for my year end "best of" list. After all, it's already July. You have to start thinking about these sorts of things early. Anyway, pick this one up. Like you would do anything else.

Optimizing Your Assets

Hey everybody, I'm the new other half of the Ears Made Ready staff, here to contribute my two cents' worth of opinion to the (hopefully) diverse portfolio of your musical interests.

Speaking of diversity, how do you feel about bands from other countries? Bands that sing in languages other than English, I mean. When I was younger, I took a sort of secretive delight in listening to, say, Rammstein or Megaherz or Oomph! -- not only did I love the music, but searching out translations of the lyrics gave me sort of a thrill, like I'd deciphered a code, like I was privy to a secret, like I could speak German.

Oomph! - Die Maske

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Now, though, it's different. Not that I don't still enjoy the Neue Deutsche Härte (although Rammstein's career has been in the crapper for the last two albums and is, if you ask me, probably there to stay), but I feel differently about lyrics in music now. Not just non-English lyrics, either. I think my days of being "spoken to" by song lyrics are mostly over -- music just isn't the format where I find the kind of writing that really moves me, apart from the odd well-turned phrase -- and unless there's something about a song that really makes me want to sing along, I usually don't pay much attention to lyrics at all.

In a way it's also not-different, though, because I still listen to non-English-speaking bands. Today I'd like to introduce you to one of them. They're from Japan, and they call themselves Ogre You Asshole (hereafter abbreviated OYA for the sake of those of you with sensitive sensibilities).

OYA - また明日

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I don't have a lot of information about OYA because, well, the problem with Japanese bands is, their websites are frequently in Japanese, which I can't read. There's some stuff about them on Wikipedia, though.

OYA - クラッカー

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What I can tell you (and what you'll have heard for yourself by now) is that they're... sort of like... happy math rock? That's not very math-y? I don't know. I'm terrible with genre descriptors, mostly because I believe they're a lot of foolishness -- the dogma of the religion that is music -- and I think people sometimes get too bogged down in bandying around labels and forget to tell each other what the music is actually like. Anyway, I say "math rock" because I hear echoes of, say, Frodus in their rhythms and in the way the guitar parts sometimes twine around each other. Here, let me play you a Frodus song (and with my luck, probably inadvertently disprove my own point).

Frodus - Out-Circuit the Ending

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Hear what I mean? Sort of? Okay, so but I say "happy" because Frodus overall has more of an angsty sound. OYA just sound like they're having a good time. I imagine it'd be hard not to dance at one of their shows, and I'm an inveterate non-dancer. I mean, come on. If you don't at least feel your face breaking into a smile listening to these songs... invite some friends over, have a drink or two, and give 'em another spin.

OYA - ロボトミー

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I hope some of this music has moved you. If not, bear with me for a total about-face: I promise my next post'll be about moody music to sulk and stare at the wall to -- not so much because I think you do that, but because I know I do.

Updates Updates Updates!

Well, well, well. Looks like Mr. Steve Schiltz has been busy readying a new Hurricane Bells EP and that EP is going to be called "Down Comes the Rain." It's going to feature two new original tracks and three covers. The list goes something like this:


1. Make a Deal with the City (East River Pipe cover)
2. The Waiting Song
3. Into the Ocean (Blue October cover)
4. The Deep End
5. Will You Love Me Tomorrow? (Gerry Goffin & Carole King)


Now, he's been playing "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" on tour and I love it. Here's a little taste.

How's that for wonderful? Pretty stellar if you ask me. Now, I'm not going to bother embedding the original version of "Into the Ocean" because... well, it's Blue October and I promised when I started this page that I would try to steer clear of ranting about stuff I didn't like (but here's an external link if for some reason you're interested). I'll be very interested to hear how Steve makes this one bearable, although, I will admit the erhu in the original version is pretty bitchin'.  Anyway, what I wanted to do was get you all familiar-like with the original version of "Make a Deal with the City," because it's a pretty good song to begin with.


East River Pipe - Make a Deal with the City

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"Down Comes the Rain" is scheduled for a September 7th release date. Mark your calendars.


Now, Hurricane Bells news isn't the only update I have for you here. Turns out The Rosen Association just made their EP available on iTunes and Amazon, so if you're really just not that into CD Baby, you officially have no excuse for not getting this on the down load (you see what I did there?).


Thanks for reading. Always feel free to interact either here or on facebook. Chances are that if you like something you hear, I can tell you where to find more. Stay tuned for more goodness.