Angus and Julia Stone - A Book Like This

Tracklist:

01. The Beast
02. Here We Go Again
03. Wasted
04. Just A Boy
05. Bella
06. Hollywood
07. A Book Like This
08. Silver Coin
09. Stranger
10. Soldier
11. Jewels And Gold
12. Another Day
13. Horse And Cart

Genre: Acoustic/Folk
Website: www.angusandjuliastone.com
Release Date: 2007-09-08
Label: Capitol

Keeping it real and keeping it in the family are Angus and Julia Stone. A brother-sister duo from Sydney, Australia, they originally stuck it out as solo artists at bars, finally collaborating in early 2006. Each still brings his/her own songs to the table, after which they coordinate on structure and harmonies.

I had previously stumbled across their two previous EP's and went through an ensuing love-hate relationship with them. I love one voice (Angus) and hate the other (Julia). Not that she has a bad voice, it's just not my cup of tea. It's too fractured and frail for my liking. Angus might occasionally sound like a girl but as one critic put it, Angus has a "smoke-on-the-beach" drawl. I love smoke on the beach.

But this album is solid. A few downs to more-than-a-few ups. Of course, my beef is with the songs showcasing Julia's voice. They sing about interesting stuff... I can't always piece together the meaning of each line of every song but it's been fun trying to decode them.

Tracks 4 and 11. Those are my favorite. Track 3 is also great (oh, and 5), but you know how I feel about both song 3 and two songs from the beginning of the album.

Enjoy.

Aaron Ross - Butterfly Man

Tracklist:

01. As The Sun Goes Down
02. Standing On The Bridge
03. Butterfly Man
04. Take These Chains
05. Lay Low
06. Delivered
07. Tired Of Waiting
08. Come And Get It
09. New Place
10. When The Night
11. Savannakhet Breakdown
12. Only Life
13. Mandarin Oranges
14. Daylight

Genre: Folk-rock
Website: www.myspace.com/aaronchrisross
Release Date: Advance
Label: Lit Fuse

Doing some light reading on this singer-songwriter's myspace page shows off just how human Aaron Ross is. Growing up in a rootsy old-fashioned kinda way and writing songs for all the right reasons (women) he finally ended up in the Distrito Federal in Mexico. Word has it he puts on a mean show but I'm guessing he isn't coming round these parts.

This album is not only a diamond in the roughness that I've been finding lately (too much emo) but it would actually be good anyways. Take folked up acoustic guitar and spin it in as many ways as possible and you've got what Aaron Ross did with this album. You'll find some Brett Dennen flavors and Amos Lee flavors shining through a few of the tracks.

Track 2... guess why? poppy!!! Track 10... anybody? nooope not cuz it's sappy. cuz it rocks your socks off. Someone who I won't name (JT) who likes to complain about how all the music on this blog is quite sub-par was the inspiration for track 10 because maybe someone (JT) so thickheaded can hear past his ego and realize you don't need a synthesizer or an MC to make good music.

Feel the beat motherf*cker.

God Or Julie - This Road Before

Tracklist:

01. Nothing Further From The Truth
02. Waste Your Tears
03. Say Your Last Goodbye
04. Bury Me
05. Being Human
06. Let It Bleed Again
07. Fallen Angel
08. I Was So Wrong
09. This Road Before
10. White
11. Oxygen (Remastered)
12. Fallen Soldier (Remix)
13. I'm So Happy I Could Die (Demo)

Genre: Rock w/ a hint of Emo
Website: www.godorjulie.com
Release Date: 2007-11-27
Label: Thrashbox/Indeegoot

God Or Julie is based out of Brooklyn, NY (but began in Denver, CO) and was guaranteed a great debut album thanks to help from Aaron Johnson (co-produced The Fray's debut album), producer David Bendeth (of the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus), and drummer Aaron Stern (of Matchbook Romance). Vocalist/Guitarist JP Johnson tells us that the band has a friend who writes songs about only two things: God or Julie. They took their name to represent their songs which are about everything in between.

I feel some Queen in the wailing vocals and a lil Muse in the song structure. It's a diversified album with very few "bad" songs. They claim that the first track sets the stage for the album but I see it as setting the bar which most of the rest of the album never reaches. I'll let you decide.

For your listening pleasure are tracks 1 and 8. Choosing a track besides the first one was difficult because none of them stand out quite as much. Track 2 was a good contender but sharing only the first few tracks of an album is always misrepresentative when everybody knows the best songs get bunched at the front. Track 8 has some weezerishness going on. Just a lil bit though.

Ear it f*cking now and enjoy.

Side Note: I post music on an "as found" basis, meaning whatever I stumble across that's worth listening to is what you'll be getting. If you notice trends towards certain genres feel free to request alternatives in the comments and I can dig into my extensive backlog to please your ears.

Mike Doughty - The Gambler EP

Tracklist:

01. The Gambler
02. Strange Powers
03. St. Louise Is Listening
04. Busting Up a Starbucks
05. The King of Carrot Flowers
06. Janine

Genre: Singer-Songwriter/Covers
Website: www.mikedoughty.com
Release Date: 2005-07-19
Label: ATO

Mike Doughty, founder of The Mike Doughty Band, came out with this solo-ish album(there are supporting keys on a few tracks and a whole band in the first track) in mid 2005. Comprised of mostly live songs and covers (some are from Soul Coughing, Doughty's former band), this EP gives the listener a chance to get past the production and hear some bare naked Doughty.

Sometimes Doughty reminds me of what Adam Duritz would sound like if he smoked two packs a day and played it off as a strength. That being said, this album is still not amazing by any stretch of the imagination, but it is good and Doughty undeniably has his own thing going on. Unique voice (gritty) and good covers (Kenny Rogers, The Magnetic Fields, Neutral Milk Hotel) give this EP that extra flare for those who like decent covers (like me) of bands that never get covered.

You know the drill. Ear it now and enjoy.

Nine Black Alps - Love Hate

Tracklist:

01. Bitter End
02. Burn Faster
03. Everytime I Turn
04. Pet Hate
05. Painless
06. Future Wife
07. Heavier Than Water
08. Happiness and Satisfaction
09. So In Love
10. Forget My Name
11. Under The Sun

Genre: Grunge Rock / Britrock
Website: www.nineblackalps.com
Release Date: 2007-10-29
Label: Island

When Nine Black Alps was signed a few years back they were being hailed as the post-rock saviors of Manchester. Unfortunately their debut album received some mixed reviews, most of which flagged them as posers of the bands who influence them. Since then they've managed to make something which sounds more like "them" and less like wannabes. And how did they get their name, you ask? From a line in a Sylvia Plath poem.

Nine Black Alps almost didn't make it up here for you guys. Reviews on this album were still pretty mixed: some love but more hate. So I listened to the album over and over again and found (to no surprise) that there were songs I would put on repeat and songs that I would never play again. Were the good ones good enough to keep the overall album-quality above average?

The answer is yes. What Nine Black Alps does well (tracks 1,2,3,4,6,10), they do really well. What Nine Black Alps does poorly (tracks 7 (sorta),8,9), they do very poorly. The last track doesn't fit in very well but it's acoustic and I love acoustic so I can't hate on it. You get track 1, the poppy one, and 6, the sappy one. If you like them enough to go beyond the two tracks here you will probably notice some influence from bands like the Pixies and Nirvana (track 10) and even Oasis (track 7).

As always: listen. enjoy.

Air Traffic - Fractured Life

Tracklist:

01. Just Abuse Me
02. Charlotte
03. Shooting Star
04. No More Running Away
05. Empty Space
06. Time Goes By
07. I Like That
08. Never Even Told Me Her Name
09. Get In Line
10. I Can't Understand
11. Your Fractured Life

Genre: Indie Rock
Website: www.myspace.com/airtraffic
Release Date: 2007-07-02
Label: Tiny Consumer

Air Traffic is an English band from Bournemouth, England. Like any great band there was surely a great story behind the great name. I was correct: it comes from the fact that the band used to practice next to an airport and could pick up air traffic control signals on their amps. They may not have much of a history (2006 inception) but their beginning has nonetheless been a great one (received radio airplay in the UK shortly after releasing their first single).

This band ears like a mainstreamesque Get Back Loretta which might mean nothing to some of you so i'll gladly get a review up for yall. This album mainly bounces between two settings: crunchy weezeresque distortion and piano ballads/anthems. Air Traffic's biggest asset is their singer, who with a voice sexified by an irresistible English accent forced me to love every song it was in.

Overall: Excellent. Probably a solid A/A- right now. It's a pretty safe bet considering that Air Traffic songs have been trending in my playlists. You'll be listening to tracks 4 (a truly epic ballad) and 9 (shows off their grungy side).

Listen. Enjoy.

A Moment's Worth - A Moment's Worth

Tracklist:

01. I Doubt, Therefore I Think
02. Regarding A Great Unrest
03. Fight Or Flight
04. The Eternal Optimist
05. Memories, Meet Dynamite
06. Catalina
07. Drown
08. The Surgeon
09. A Sense Of Purpose
10. Still
11. I Think, Therefore I Am
12. Untitled (Bonus Track)
13. Untitled (Bonus Track)

Genre: Emo (self described as pseudo-emo post hardcore punk rock)
Website: www.amomentsworth.com
Release Date: 2007-07-15
Label: Independent

Formed about 5 years ago, this band is the result of four high-schoolers love of music. Originally named "Dibs on Anthony," they practiced and practiced, finally turning their out-of-tune-feedback-chord-banging music into real music. As is the case with emo, their music is for those who don't want to feel like they're alone.

Yes, I like emo. At certain times and in certain doses. The thing about emo is that over-employing this genre on your playlists will actually depress you. This album succeeds in doing that considering I am now a sadder person having listened to this album start to finish. Mission accomplished by A Moment's Worth. Track 3 goes out to the pop punk lovers because it is the poppiest of them all (it goes unsaid that the track 3 slot is always reserved for this) and track 10, Still, is the raw, acoustic emo to which I am drawn moreso than the distortion (i know i'm not alone).

Overall, if you like emo or emo-ish rock, this album will not disappoint. The voice is good and the songwriting is skillful enough to avoid sounding like rehashes of their precedents music and contains enough variety to keep my finger off of the "next song" button.

Listen. Enjoy. Comment.