Sunday Sountrack

Sorry I haven't posted in a few days, a lot of things have just come up and I've been away from my computer. I'll get back to my regular posts starting with this Sunday Soundtrack.

"Gold Dust" by DJ Fresh (Flux Pavillion Remix) *Song Of The Week*

"Occident" by Joanna Newsom

"Crazy Little Thing Called Love" by Queen

"Sam" by The Smiles And The Frowns

"Skinny Love" by Bon Iver

"Girls And Boys" by Blur

"Little Brother" by Grizzly Bear

-S

Man I'm not as sharp as you

Great little acoustic-y ditty. The song is called "Safe Travels" by Peter and the Wolf. The song has a vocal style that pretty closely mimics what would be the love child of Bon Iver and The National with the dark far-away sound that both the latter bands tend to rely on.

What really makes the song interesting though is the acoustic guitar mixed with the ukelele making a very light and airy sound. Another odd device that drives the song is the oddly assorted and placed backing vocals. All in all the song is pretty short in its composition-at least for 2:27 its pretty short. Here's the track, enjoy.

"Safe Travels" by Peter and the Wolf from Lightness (2006)

-S

Laziest Week Ever

MY SUMMER SOUNDTRACK Pt. VIII

"Bracket, WI" by Bon Iver

"A History Of Lovers" by Iron & Wine

"Goodbye" by Best Coast

"We Will Walk" by Matisyahu

"Ao Canto Da Noite" by Luis Represas

-S

Summertime blues

Well, I realized that posting a full on post was a little ambitious-I get real tired over the summer so a full post is a little much. So, instead, I'll just post a 5-song playlist weekly.

MY SUMMER SOUNDTRACK Pt. I

"We Don't Speak Americano" by Yolanda Be Cool and DCUP

"Dirt" by Phish

"Right On" by The Roots

"Blood Bank" by Bon Iver

"End Of The Movie" by Cake

-S

Placid as I melt in to the sea

This song isn't really comparable to anything else I know. It's The XX's "Crystalised" (intentionally spelled wrong, I think not). The driving guitar really powers through the song in a way that you get a little out of Modest Mouse's "Dramamine" but not nearly as pretty and just as hypnotizing. What stands out most about "Crystalised" though, is the vocals. They are incredibly haunting in a way that you hear with bands like The National or Bon Iver in some cases. I really don't know much about The XX except for the fact that they are from England.

The day I heard this song I was working my first Pre-J gig at the radio station and one of the hosts told me to try putting on this song. I was instantly struck by how beautiful it was. I'm not sure I love it, or even like it for that matter, but it is certainly striking.

Something just grabs you right from the start and doesn't let you go until the final wind down and the really classy fade at the end, its like a breakdown, that is the only way to describe the close which comes just as softly as the intro. One of my favorite parts was the overlap of vocals in the last minute, it is really awesome and pretty powerful to listen to as an effect. Hope you enjoy!

"Crystalised" by The XX from xx (2009)

-S

P.S. Try and check out the whole album, it was rated one of the best of the year 2009 by Rolling Stone.

A good song, even if you haven't read the Arthur Pendragon books

I'd like to say thanks really quickly to Spencer for letting me blog.

At college, I swap music libraries like some people swap bodily fluids at college; frequently and indiscriminately. I get some good music from my friends, but more often than not I get music I don't mind, but I don't love. So when I heard "Flume" by Bon Iver my mind was blown. I had been shuffling through my ipod and this song grabbed my attention with the first few seconds.

The song sounded like the illegitimate love-child of Iron and Wine, The Shins playing in slow motion, and a homeless guy with a guitar crooning on the street. The melody is really haunting and eerie and gives you this sense that your surrounded in this strange mist. It reminded me of Samuel Beam of Iron and Wine fame, singing so softly you can barely hear and yet it consumes all of your attention.

The lyrics are really simple, but powerful. Strong enough to make you feel what the singer is feeling, yet vague enough that you can't describe what it is your both actually feeling. Musically, the song is pretty basic and a bit repetitive, but it's ok because that's how it was intended to be. Like showing up in jeans and a stained t-shirt to a friend's house, it's not bad because it's what's appropriate and what you intended. Definitely give it a listen.

"Flume" by Bon Iver from For Emma, Forever Ago (2008)

-E