Circa Survive Session on Daytrotter

CLICK HERE

http://www.daytrotter.com/dt/circa-survive-concert/20031352-51526.html

Stars -The Five Ghosts

This week i picked up the Stars latest album The Five Ghosts. I have loved this band for a long time. In Our Bedroom After the War is a favorite of mines and the indie mix-tape classic “Your Ex lover is Dead” put them on the map.
So even before I unraveled it I couldn’t help but notice a theme; the cover is something to look at, a grainy double exposed picture, clearly visible a little girl in an old fashioned dress holding a ribbon bouquet of long flowers and the not so visible a shot of two ladies sitting and each holding a child on their laps. I also noticed the titles of the songs “I Died So I Could Haunt You” and “He Dreams He’s Awake” and there’s a interesting semi-morbid concept/story of ghosts.
Don’t be fooled by this fact of ghosts and think they have to make songs that remind you of death. The album is easy to listen to and easy to love immediately; Stars invented the formula to craft perfect dream pop songs. I had favorites immediately, this album is very upbeat and danceable the tracks “Fixed” and ” We Don’t Want Your Body ” really prove that. You’ll find yourself grooving and singing along fairly quickly. The Five Ghosts isn’t short of the bands notorious boy/girl melodies either (how can you not love a good duet). The album also slows it down, in a very good way, “Changes” and “Winter Bones” drops the tempo and makes Amy Millan’s voice glow. “Changes” reminds me why i loved the band how it made me melt and coo at every lyrics. Reminiscent of Metrics newer album and some Morrissey songs this hasn’t been there most popular work; look at any review its been bashed and trashed. But i must say i strongly disagree with them (HATERS!) blame it on the fanism of many many years and the they-can-do-no-wrong way i see them i enjoy this album very much and it gets better and better with every listen. They have a extensive tour lined up and i can’t wait to see them.

Tracks:
1 Dead Hearts 3:30
2 Wasted Daylight 3:43
3 I Died So I Could Haunt You 3:05
4 Fixed 3:27
5 We Don’t Want Your Body 3:26
6 He Dreams He’s Awake 4:05
7 Changes 4:14
8 The Passenger 4:17
9 The Last Song Ever Written 3:17
10 How Much More 2:57
11 Winter Bones 2:59

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Wednesday Artist: M. Ward

Matthew Stephen Ward, known by his stage name M. Ward

| myspace | last.fm | site | facebook |

This singer-songwriter and guitarist has been blowing my mind since 1999. Having released 7 studio albums and 2 EPs was just not enough for this lovely fellow. He started a collaboration with American actress, Zooey Deschanel. As she wrote the lyrics, he’d come up the guitar rhythms. With that, She & Him had officially released an album that reached charts and melted hearts. In 2010, She  & Him released Volume 2 for the world to hear. That isn’t the last you’ll hear from M. Ward.

One of my favorite projects he has been part of is Monsters of Folk. Now, if you aren’t familiar with Monsters of Folk than you must have been hiding in a closet for the past few years. Monsters of Folk consisting of Jim James from My Morning Jacket, Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis from Bright Eyes and yours truly, M. Ward. They all joined together around 2004, but didn’t release their first album until 2009. For my 19th birthday, I got to see Monsters of Folk live at Stubb’s BBQ in Austin, Texas. It was pretty magical. I mean, come on, the NIGHT of my birthday I got to see all these guys play some of MoF tracks PLUS some MMJ, Bright Eyes, and M Ward stuff. Nothing can describe how magical that night was.

Last summer, I got the chance to see M. Ward live. Last summer, I got to fall deeply in love with this 36 year old singer-songwriter. He has talent, yes, we all know that. But, his charm is just on an entirely different level. His dark hair that sometimes has that grey spice in it, his dark brown eyes that you can literally get lost into, the way he always postures himself, his body language, the way he closes his eyes while he sings, everything this man does just makes me weak in the knees.

His 2009 album Hold Time made it to my Top 10 of 2009 chart. However, my favorite album of his HAS to be Transfiguration Of Vincent (2003). I will never be able to express how emotional that album makes me feel. It gives me feeling. It gives me feelings beyond belief. It’s as if I am just sitting on top of the world, listening to his music and watching life happen. It’s such a beautiful state of mind this album puts me in. I’m telling you, there’s just something special about Matther Stephen Ward.

Merge Records never lets me down. This is why I dream of working with these guys one day. My admiration and appreciation towards this record label is endless.

Pack your bags and walk your way to the top of the world with M. Ward.

Download Transfiguration Of Vincent here.

Neon Indian chills Emo’s ATX crowd

This past Monday night, Neon Indian performed at Emo’s in Austin, Texas. Mind you, this was my first time seeing Neon Indian live. During SXSW, I always managed to miss their set. The one time I was set to see them, they were performing inside Emo’s while I was watching the outside performances. Thus, I was readily excited to finally see them.

So much energy was shared with every person in the venue from these guys. Every member as beautiful and talented as one another, had so much passion in the music they were playing. It was beautiful.

I wish I could name drop the songs he played, but I will openly admit that before Monday night, I wasn’t really into the whole Neon Indian scene. I had never owned an album of his, I can’t even say I recognized a single song that was played. Yet, I mean this when I say that this was definitely a favorite show I’ve been to.

Grinding upon strangers hasn’t always been my idea of a favorite show. Being high with strangers has never been on the list either. But, when you put Alan Palomo behind a mic, everything just turns magical. Ronald Gierhart, guitarist and vocalist, literally blew my mind from the second I saw his long hair and big tee. As he was tuning up his guitars, he said a small greeting to me and flashed a smile so precious that my breathe was nearly taken away. Jason Faries, drummer, had the most beautiful blonde hair that would tousle everywhere as the fan hit his body. He was an amazing drummer. And, of course, Leanne Macomber, keyboardist, was the most beautiful woman I’ve seen in awhile.

Putting these 4 members together to play music has to be one of the greatest decisions ever made in the music business. These guys, they are passionate. They know what to do and how to do it. They have the ability to control an entire crowds emotions with their music. It’s beautiful.

A couple of kids next to me popped out these glow sticks and started throwing them out to everyone within the first song. It was amazing. Everyone was dancing; everyone was either high or second hand high; everyone was one with the music. There’s just something so special and chill about shows like this that makes me want to spend the rest of my life attending and photographing these shows.

Music, no matter what the genre may be, is just beautiful.

Check out more photos from Neon Indian here.

Dickies Showcase for SXSW 2010 || RSVP

Dickies Showcase- RSVP HERE

A World Full of Jonsi & Alex

There is just something so beautiful about the works of Jonsi and Alex that, at times, I can’t even begin to put into words the way their sound makes me feel.  The rush of emotions explode everywhere even after the last track finishes playing.  I am a woman of music.  My body is composed of sounds.  My life is composed of records.  Jonsi and Alex bring my life into another dimension when I listen to Riceboy Sleeps.

This isn’t going to be a review.  This isn’t going to be me praising the works of Jonsi and Alex.  This is going to be the chance to explore this 9 track record and enter another world.  It’s time to leave your body and greet another side of the world.  A world full of everything you want it to be.  A word full of Jonsi and Alex.

01. Happiness || download here ||

This, right here, is the opening track.  This is the song that will slowly take you away from everything you are doing.  You will feel this pressure around your body as if it is trying to be released.  Your thoughts will start circulating around your mind in such a fast motion, you won’t even be able to have control.  Your pulse will begin slowing down.  Your eyelids might even start to get heavier. The sounds are just swirling around you.  It feels almost as if you’re in a black and white film and everything around you is happening so fast as you sit on a bench and look around.  Everything gets slower as the music progresses.  The sounds are everywhere.  Every emotion is sinking through your mind right now.  Sadness is tugging on one arm as happiness tugs on the other.  This is life.  This is another life full of no words, just sounds.  People begin disappearing.  No one else is around.  It is just you.  You are your feelings.  You and your thoughts.  This will be the loneliest you’ve ever been.  It’s just the beginning.

02. Atlas Song || download here ||

Walking around a dead street.  As you begin walking, things start turning into color.  Things start coming to live.  This dead street turns into a beautiful road.  Flowers bloom.  The sun shines.  This cold breeze greets your face.  People start appearing.  Everywhere.  People are everywhere.  You’re not alone.  Do you hear those voices?  You are never alone.  You know already that people don’t stay in your life forever, though.  You’ve gone through the pain.  You’ve suffered.  These people know what it’s like.  They are scared too.  They are scared of being left alone.  Yet, they still leave you.  Once again, you’re alone.

03. Indian Summer || download here ||

The street turned into this water creek.  The creeks rush with water and the sound of it is so peaceful.  You’re so alone, yet you feel so good.  The sound is there.  You remain wandering around the creek.  You want to touch the water, but you hesitate.  You try to think of the worst scenarios that could happen.  You try scaring yourself away from doing something so simple as touching the water.  You listen to the sound longer.  ”Why am I so afraid?” you ask yourself.  You don’t want to restrain yourself from living.  Nobody is around to tell you what to do and what not to.  Yet, you sulk in this fear of doing wrong.  What is wrong?  You keep on listening to the sound.  You become almost depressed with yourself for not having enough power to control what you want to do.  The sound quietly fades.  A few seconds go by and there is no sound.  Never have you felt more scared, more alone.  The sound comes back.  You can finally breathe again.  This one prolonging sound surrounds your state of mind.  You look up at the sky and the clouds are moving by in a fast pace above your head.  You look at the water and back at the clouds.  You close your eyes. You finally hear Jonsi voice.  You race towards the water and jump in it.  The cold water hugs your entire body.  You laugh and scream and throw the water up in the air.  Nothing has ever felt better.  Nothing can ever beat being alive.

04. Stokkseyri || download here ||

Being alive gives so much hope to you.  It opens this world that you’ve always been to scared to peek at.  But, no longer do you live in fear.  You live to be alive.  You live to explore this world.  You run around the creek and enter the woods.  You’re running and running, you’re not out of breathe.  You’re eyes wander around the entire forest as you try to beat the wind.  You finally come to a stop.  You look in front of your feet and notice how you are on top of a cliff.  From this cliff, you can see almost everything.  Everything.  This is the cliff that leads to the world you’re about to set foot in.  Everything, everything looks so beautiful.  Colors emerge from everywhere.  Happiness races through your veins.  Your face begins hurting from your smile. You look around making sure no one is following you.  You remain alone.  Never has it felt so great to be alone.  Never has it felt so great to start over.  Before falling off this cliff and entering this new world, you look back at your old life.  You look back at all the stupid decisions you’ve made.  You look back upon you’re unhappiness with not only the world, but yourself.  You look back at how fear controlled every aspect of your life.  You’re done looking back.  You’re ready to enter this new world.

05. Boy 1904 || download here ||

As you jump off the cliff, the fall is taken in slow motion. This whole track, this whole sound, is the process of you falling into this new world.

06. All The Big Trees || download here ||

You finally land in this new world.  You hear no sound.  You place your head down and walk in sadness.  ”This was too good to be true,” you think to yourself.  But, then, you hear this sound.  Your head slightly raises.  You look around and follow the sound.  You hear more noises.  You look around, aimlessly.  Everything starts coming together.  The colors start flowing around.  Butterflies and birds surround you.  People are coming out of the houses and are waving towards you.  You feel like a celebrity.  You feel noticed.  You feel loved.  The sound doesn’t leave you.  The butterflies and birds don’t leave you.  You are not alone.

07. Danell In The Sea || download here ||

As you continue walking around, you encounter this one person that takes your breathe away.  You stop walking and just stare at this person.  The person stares back.  You exchange smiles with this person.  The sound you are hearing is unfamiliar.  ”Is this the sound of love?” you ponder.  You don’t know what else to do, so you walk away from this person.  You become scared.  As you pass the person, you realize that your old self would have done that.  You fight with your mind, “I’m not the same person. I do not live in fear.  Leave me alone, fear.”  You turn around and walk back towards the person.  The person shines a smile of relief.  You reach for this persons hand and squeeze it.  You look at this person and then you look at the world.  You give this person a kiss.  You think of how your old self would have never done that.  You feel pride.  You feel strength.  You feel a connection that cannot be torn. You feel love.

08. Howl || download here ||

Exploring life has never felt so fascinating.  With this person in hand, the world has never looked brighter.  Even at night, the stars shine so brightly.  This is all about the night.  The night becomes your favorite.  Everything around you becomes your favorite.  You don’t want to close your eyes because there is still so much to see.  You don’t want this to ever end.

09. Sleeping Giant || download here ||

What happens when the sound comes to an end?  What is a life lived if there is no sound to explain it?  Sound will never leave you.  Sound will forever be playing.  This life you discovered, this life will never end.  This person you fell in love with, this person will always remain loving you.  Whatever you want will never leave you.  Whatever you need will always be there.  You will never be alone.  You will always hear the sound of Jonsi and Alex.

Caribou – Odessa

Back in october when I read the Caribou Progress Report from
Stereogum, Dan Snaith said the new album would be a departure from 2007′s “Andorra.”
The 60′s chamber pop charm of “Andorra” was perfection and I was devastated that I couldn’t have more of that sound. It didn’t seem plausible to leave a sound that worked to well and still have equal or greater success with a follow up.
Jump to three weeks ago when I downloaded first song from the now titled “Swim.” I have never been so happy about being so wrong. “Odessa” sounds like the early 90′s, Cathy Dennis, and my love for the Fly Girls. There’s also a futuristic element to it as well that is sleek and polished while keeping the magic of DIY production.
Enough of my attempt to explain the triumphant return of Caribou. Download and listen for yrself.

Caribou – Odessa

JBM & Sondre Lerche at The Parish

Yesterday, February 3rd, I saw JBM and Sondre Lerche.  Yesterday, February 3rd, I died as many times as one could while being serenaded by two of the most handsome men to walk the face of this earth.  Yesterday, February 3rd, I experienced my favorite show I have been to within the past 12 years of going to shows.  Meaning, out of the hundreds and hundreds of shows and concerts I’ve been to, this has definitely been my favorite.  Yes, this even beats when I got to see Arcade Fire and Arctic Monkeys in England, London a few years back.

I’ll start with JBM.  Now, I hate to say this, but until I purchased my ticket, I had never heard of JBM.  It sounds so familiar in my folk world, but I was never graced upon hearing his music and knowing it was him.  Weeks before last night, I tried collecting as much information on JBM that I could get.  Instantly, I fell in love.  But, you know, there’s always such a huge difference hearing them through my amp I blare music with- than hearing them live and in the flesh.  As soon as my eyes found JBM, I instantly fell in love.

Let’s rewind a little bit: this show was taking place at The Parish in Austin, Tx.  I live about an hour and  half from Austin.  The doors were to open by 8 pm.  My best friend and I left our city at around 5:30 pm.  Poor choice, of course, because we are in the middle of traffic.  That’s what music is for, though.  As we made our way to Austin, we then picked probably the worst parking garage to park.  Minus the creepy man who we paid 6 dollars to, we realized that we were about 2 miles away from The Parish.  Mind you, it is lightly drizzling and pretty fucking cold.  MIND YOU, I GOT SICK the day before the show.  So, being out in the rain and cold just isn’t the greatest way to cure ones sickness.  Okay.  We get to The Parish a little past 7 pm.  There is a short line already.  We wait in the line, outside in the rainy cold, and we wait for the doors to open.  The doors open, we get out tickets ready.  We go up the stairs and enter the main stage of the venue.  I hurry and get  a spot near the right amp in the front.  Okay, let’s fast forward now.

JBM takes the stage.  His brown, messy hair that is almost as beautiful as his face- is the first thing I see.  As if his flannel shirt didn’t add any more charm to him, he picked up his guitar and started playing it peacefully.  The first song he played was “Years” off his Not Even In July record.  This song is purely acoustic.  This song is purely beautiful.  This song made me fucking weak in the knees.  But then, ohhh but then, he started playing another song.  A song with words.  As soon as I heard his voice, my stomach dropped.  I mean, holy God, it was so beautiful.  It fit him so perfectly.  His voice fit his face.  Does that even make sense?  If you ever see him live, it will.  As if the audience wasn’t swooned already, he walked over to a half drum set and started playing, while strumming his guitar, and singing.  My God. MY GOD.  JBM is GOD.  Later throughout his set, he got out his harmonica.  Oh, yes, the harmonica neck holder.  As he played his guitar, sang, and then blew in his harmonica, my life exploded.  I died.  I literally died.  Well, not so literally, but you know.  Throughout his entire set, I would lose my breathe with his beauty and talent.  JBM introduces folk onto a whole other level of awesomeness.  Did I mention he is charming?

Sondre Lerche.  Sondre fucking Lerche.  I never thought I would see this gentleman live.  NEVER.  He is from Norway.  HE ISBEAUTIFUL.  I thought I would only write about him and listen to his music, but never did I ever think I’d see him live.  This man has the best personality I have ever encountered.  It shines so bright.  His accent just adds on to it.  He cracks jokes.  He laughs.  He smiles.  He makes the strangest facial expressions.  Most of all, he is so passionate about music.  Within his first song, he broke his guitar string by “jamming” too hard.  I mean, COME ON, does it get any better than that?  Lerche performed a lengthy set filled with laughter and sing alongs with the audience.  Austin crowd adored him.  Lerche adored us.  You could see from his eyes and expressions how delighted he got when we, as an entire crowd, started singing along with him.  There was a point where he asked the crowd, “Do you guys want to dance or mope?”  The entire room yelled, “MOPE! MOPE!”  That just blew my mind.  Moping with Sondre Lerche is a happening that only so many people get to experience. I will never be able to put into words how happy I was that night.

After his encore ended, my best friend and I waited for the crown to die down.  About half an hour to an hour later, most of the crowd had left.  We then make our way to Sondre Lerche.  A few minutes later, there he is.  Right in front of me.  IN THE FLESH.  Sitting down on some table, he looks at us with those blue eyes that literally make you weak  in every part of your body.  He smiled.  He talked.  We took a picture.  We talked some more.  There was not that many people behind us, so we took our time.  We shook hands.  We laughed.  We touched.  WE TOUCHED.

As my best friend and I left the venue, we didn’t know how else to react.  We were speechless.  We were….dead.  It had started raining a little heavier and neither of us had an umbrella or a hood.  It was freezing and the streets were wet and we were parked 2 miles away from this venue.  As we held each other and walked in the cold rain, we could not get over the fact that everything that had happened….had really, really happened.  Listening to JBM and Sondre Lerche up close and personal and getting to meet them afterwards (I bought JBM album and have listened to nothing else since!) just about summed up our entire lives.

It is safe to say the the JBM & Sondre Lerche show made my entire life.

Check out photos of JBM set here.

Check out photos of Sondre Lerche set here.

Citay’s 3rd Studio Album: Dream Get Together

It’s so awesome when you can throw on an album and listen to it completely and entirely. Whats even awesom’er is when the album makes you want to listen to it on repeat and it hooks you and has you hypnotized, and you can’t stop listening to it, you’re getting your fill, and when it ends you want more. For the last week or so, Dream Get Together by Citay has filled my ears with its full band sound, melodic tunes, and long instrumental pieces doing just that, making me want more, making my ears smile. I’ve been listening to the lo-fi/acoustic/trio at max bands as of lately so i forgot what it was like to listen to a full band. I forgot the jamming, the rocking out, the emotions entwined, the layers it has to go through to come together. In Dream Get Together they do this all as if effortlessly. Awesome guitar patterns, riffs, and solo’s, along with steady drumming, and soft basses, they throw in synths and mandolins, maracas from time to time. It’s nice to note  that this band can start from a folk-rock intro and transition beautifully into an almost showgaze ending and that they are meticulous about it. So I’ve forgotten to mention anything about the vocals but they are also magnificent and appropriate. I’m looking forward to a live show.

try it.
buy it

peace.
rome.

Girls at Waterloo Records

24 hours ago, I was standing inside Waterloo Records with a crowd that exceeded to around 75+ people.  We were all there for the same reason: We were waiting to see GIRLS.  Their set was supposed to start at 5 pm, but they got stuck in the lovely Austin traffic that we all dread.  They were driving from New Mexico, so I could not even begin to whine about their late performance.  If I were them, I would have probably fallen asleep during the set.

Now, I am still not sure to why Girls are called Girls.  For the longest time, I would look for them online and just get pictures of females in exotic poses and so on.  How did Girls fix this?  They released an album called Album.  Only the bright mind of Christopher Owens would come up with something as simple as this.

As simple as their album may be titled, their music brings much comfort to all listeners.  While they were performing their set, about half the crowd started swaying to and fro.  The guys in front of me were doing some strange hand gestures that went along perfectly with the beat of the sound.  It was just one big happy crowd that made this set even better.

Waterloo Records has become a second home to me.  I cannot begin to express my love for this record store.  Now in days, it is getting harder for record stores to earn as much as they used to before the torrents/internet starting becoming more popular.  Record stores, though, are some of the most amazing places planted in this earth.  Please continue supporting your local record stores.  Keep music alive, folks.