Okay, I said some things about Sigur Rós last week that weren’t entirely friendly. This is largely due to my irrational hatred of them (I’ve decided to make Quarashi my personal pinnacle of Icelandic music, judging Björk to transcend borders).  I felt a little bad, because a lot of people really enjoy Sigur Rós, and if you’re one that might, but don’t yet know it (it seems to be the rational thing).  So here are the two tracks that I enjoy.  “Svefn-g-englar” I know from the Vanilla Sky soundtrack, and “Starálfur” you may know from The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.  I think I mentioned that already.  Anyhow, songs I do enjoy.  Enjoy them yourself.

 Sigur Rós - Svefn-g-englar: Play in Popup | Download
 Sigur Rós - Starálfur [6:47m]: Play in Popup | Download

Recently my best friend told me she got the new Radiohead album, In Rainbows, and said she enjoyed it, and it was her first real Radiohead experience. Well, of course, hearing that, I feel the need to educate on Radioheadian values, so I made a mix for her. Of some of the head’s more noteworthy songs.

Radiohead

Bulletproof is a track from an Unplugged Radiohead album. Love it. Reckoner is my new favorite from In Rainbows. How to Disappear Completely is one of my favorite tracks from Kid A, as well as In Limbo. How to Disappear Completely also happens to be Damon’s girlfriend’s favorite Radiohead track, period.

 Radiohead - How to Disappear Completely [5:56m]: Play in Popup | Download
 Radiohead - Reckoner [4:50m]: Play in Popup | Download
 Radiohead - In Limbo [3:31m]: Play in Popup | Download
 Radiohead - Bulletproof [2:42m]: Play in Popup | Download

Its trackadelic.

Buy In Rainbows

 Radiohead - Reckoner [4:50m]: Play in Popup | Download

My plays on words never fail to amuse me. Meryll’s album is called ‘Happened’. Teehee.

Imagine a Chris Conley-like voice, on top of indie/emo rockish stuff, with a few surprises thrown in here and there. Everytime I’ve thought I made a formed opinion of them, I hear something else in the music and have to change my opinion. This is definitely a good thing, I’ve decided. Andrew (band member who contacted me) mentioned to me it would be akin to a mix of Jimmy Eat World and Yo La Tengo. And, he used correct punctuation. Good for you, Drew.

Mostly softish, not hard. You have your electric guitar and kit and all, but the tone of Meryll is a good one; soft, smooth, and eerily reminescent of many bands I once knew and forgot, so listening is like talking a stroll down a misty nostalgic high school road. Good fuzzies on this one. Check them out.

You never know what you’re going to get when you get a CD in the mail. I don’t see myself as some music Goddess determining a bands fate, lets not kid ourselves here, we’re not Stereogum, and for that I am thankful. But a lot of the time I get sent stuff that is shit. Really. Like, ow, did my ears just suffer through 45 seconds of caterwauling/offkey instrumentals/cheesy lyrics/welldone music meat? Every now and then I get a golden surprise, and this is definitely one of them. I seriously enjoyed listening to this album, I didn’t wince over any particular tracks and when finished, felt good about it. So, feel good about it. I do. Let’s pretend I am a goddess and you do what I say.

I’ve got a couple of tracks from the album up here for you to preview; the album isn’t officially released until October 23rd on Esotype Records, a tight little label based…somewhere. Hemlock Football really takes me back to high school, You Broke Up the Fight is lovely to listen to again and again, and the surprising instrumental introduction on the album, Brother the Hunter, is also a favorite. Indianish.

Check ‘em out.

Meryll Official Website // MySpazz // Buy Happened

P.S. If you’re in Texas in the coming months, they have some shows coming up in that area. Check out the dates on their MySpace. Band worth seeing.

Hemlock Football - Meryll (Streaming Audio)

You Broke Up the Fight - Meryll (Streaming Audio) 

 Brother the Hunter - Meryll [3:33m]: Play in Popup | Download

Hello you lovely ladies and gentleman. It's been a while. We have some catching up to do. 

First of all, I apologize sincerely for not bringing you awesome music in the past couple of weeks. Summer caught up with me, wrapping me up in romantic bedtime stories and lovely magical time with my significant other, thus distracting me from my responsibilities. And also, in all honesty, I haven't heard anything that really smacked me in the face, and made me feel I had to share it. One of my low points; it happens several times a year.  

Forgetting all that stuff, let's get to the reason why I'm posting. One of my favorite albums is the reason. It be called "Marking Time", and features a lot of guess who? the John Butler Trio.

I actually discovered this album a couple of years ago, and take it for a spin quite frequently since I got it. A classic. Love it. Never gets old. It has this funky mix of JBT's music and Indian pizzazz, and the other artists featured on the album, such as Khalil gudaz, Martin Armiger Band, and Oumou Sangare rock the hose too.

I actually never even heard of the ABC miniseries that this soundtrack is supposed to be for, I just somehow found out that JBT was featured on it, so I wanted to check it out, and was not disappointed at all. Keep in mind that if you're someone that doesn't dig Indian sitars and other such trippy mellow stuff, you may not like. I, however, love that stuff. Can't get enough. Thus, I share. Be glad I'm so nice.

We have 3 tracks here to check out. If you like what you hear, drop me a line and I'll let you listen to another one. Enjoy, folks. 

P.S. I figured out why we never saw it. It was in Australia. Duh.

P.P.S. This album has JBT's version of "Across the Universe" on it. Sweet deal! 

Marking Time Wiki // Buy this Soundtrack, please 

Hear It: 

You Friend Tracy - John Butler Trio MP3

[audio:http://lovethemusicreviews.com/audio/07%20Your%20Friend%20Tracy%20-%20John%20Butler%20Trio.mp3]

Girlsong - Mir Wais and Jade Macrae MP3

[audio:http://lovethemusicreviews.com/audio/16%20Girlsong%20-%20Mir%20Wais%20and%20Jade%20Macrae.mp3]

N'Guata - Oumou Sangare MP3

[audio:http://lovethemusicreviews.com/audio/10%20N_Guata%20-%20Oumou%20Sangare.mp3] 

There is a lot of music out there that I know I should be listening to, and just haven't yet.  Two ways that I generally do this are through live albums and tribute albums, which is how I really got into the Clash at first.  One of the really standout tracks on both From Here to Eternity: Live and Burning London: A Tribute to the Clash was "Straight to Hell", which closes out both albums.  I present here Moby's smooth organ chords and Heather Nova's floaty vocals.  The song is beautiful, and one of my favourite ways to end things.  Dig it!

Straight to Hell - Moby and Heather Nova

[audio:http://lovethemusicreviews.com/audio/Moby%20&%20Heather%20Nova%20-%20Straight%20to%20Hell.mp3]

Buy This CD