Listening to....

I couldn't stare at it any longer. The "Listening To..." portion of this page, sitting just to the write of these here words, sat there mocking me, pointing outthat it hasn't been adjusted since January, proclaiming my affection for albums I frankly hadn't listened to in MONTHS. The previous Andrew Bird selection, Fingerlings 3, was particularly brutal in its derision, because a FULL LP has come out since then. How shameful.

I thought given the happily updated state of my "Listening To..." section, I'd post a little something about each album therein, so here we go!

• Cadence Weapon - Breaking Kayfabe
  This here is some quality hip-hop that reminds me quite a bit of one of my favorites, Anti-Pop Consortium. It's very electronic with fractured beats and the typical ATP lyricism jumping from incomprehensible to straight forward "back off my grill" stuffs.


• Feist - The Reminder
  I've got a crush on this album like I've not had in quite some time. There's nothing unsatisfying about this album, and the more I listen to it, the closer I get to declaring this my favorite album of the year. It's remained high on my owner personal playlist since it came out this spring, and shows no signs of waning now. I heard tell of a certain in-law in Germany who initially derided our fair Leslie, only to change her mind later. That's the way with Feist. Also, peep out each and every one of her insanely adorable music videos. They are beyond precious.


• Pretenders - Pretenders
  Speaking of precious, that is the name of the opening track to this amazing debut LP. Upon listening to the Pretenders, I had to askwhy was I not told that this band totally rules??? well they do, as outlined in detail in the previousl link. The tracks are pure gold.


• Iron and Wine - The Shepherd's Dog
  I do have to admit that I've not let this album digest to its fullest. In my defense, my chosen music player of American-capitalistic persuasions was down and out for a solid month there. And I've yet to load the album up on it, so I'm limited in my listening capabilities. (Editors note: Those who listened to music before 2001 have taken the author outside and sacked him severely. When he begged for mercy and asked why, all they did was throw a vinyl copy of the Pretenders' debut album, which they claimed to have bought when it came out.) Ouch man... that hurts. Anyway, I'm listening now, and it's taking longer for this album to digest. Where When The Creek Drank The Cradle glimmered with sheer immediacy, and the subsequent albums settled in after a mere second listen, it's taking this album a little longer. But certain tracks are starting to stand out, and I appreciate how this album is best taken as a whole, rather than having a collection of suitably equal, but still quite seperate gems, a la Our Endless Numbered Days which for many just serve as a wrapping around the track "Naked As We Came."


• Andrew Bird - Armchair Apocrypha
  I have surprisingly little to say about this album, mainly because so much has already been said in every magazine, website and public radio station that I've got nothing to add. The albums has settled nicely into my library, right along side the rest of his albums, and I now eagerly await Fingerlings 4 to come out, whenever that may be. I desperately, DESPERATELY need a live soundboard recording of "Fiery Crash." I wouldn't mind the same for "Self Torture."


• Beruit - Gulag Orkestar
  My pal Graham used to write a poem about jumping on trends late in the game. So yeah, I'm quite aware that Beruit already has another album out, as I am aware of anyone carrying a Nina Totin' Bag is already all over this guy. But I love it. I described the album for a friend of mine thus: It's like what happens if a stereotypical indie band gets together and has a baby with the movie Amelie. Yes, it's that cute.


• Amy Winehouse
  Yeah yeah, add this to the same list as the above. We're all over Amy Winhouse like Rush Limbaugh on perscription drugs, and far be it for me to argue. She's awesome, and that "Tears Dry On Their Own" sounds like "Ain't No Mountain High Enought" and that makes me happy.


• Caribou - Andorra
  I'll tell it to you like this. Pitchfork compared this album to the Beach Boys and the Zombies in the first paragraph of their review. I'd had it downloaded from eMusic before I finished the review. HOT!

That's it folks. Hopefully it won't be another nine months before I update that section.