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

A little more stupid, a little more scared

The National just came out with a new album, High Violet, and even though they have been around since '99 I feel like I am still trying to figure them out. It isn't the like I don't enjoy their music, I think it is that there is a complexity in their music and Matt Berninger's voice. I just feel a little lost, and thus cannot pass any sort of judgment on them.


That being said, I have just listened to one of their new tracks, "Afraid Of Everyone," (a must listen) so far so good I guess. As I said before though, I'm still trying to figure them out, and what better way to do that they comment on another one of their songs. That song being "Slow Show."

It starts off with a very distressed guitar part that is extremely low key that conflicts with Berninger's low voice and relatively up beat lyrics. There is kind of a cognitive dissonance that comes with this song, I feel like I should be hearing something about it, and it is just on the tip of my tongue but I just cannot put it in too words, and I just cannot resolve it. I think, deep down though, that I do really enjoy this song, it is incredibly beautiful and well written, definitely a must for people who feel as I do though; a little confused and looking for direction in The National's music. If you were wondering where I can cite the song for being well written by the way check out this little gem: "Looking for somewhere to stand and stay I leaned on the wall and the wall leaned away," that is incredibly sad...

"Slow Show" by The National from Boxer (2007)

"Afraid Of Everyone" by The National from High Violet (2010)

-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.

Sunday Soundtrack

About to leave my house, but here goes nothin':

"The Piano Has Been Drinking" by Tom Waits (Best version I could find song starts around 20 seconds)
"Set The Fire To The Third Bar" by Snow Patrol ft. Martha Wainwright
"Breakeven" by The Script
"Slow Show" by The National
"Small Catastrophe" by The Tiny Tin Hearts
"Your Ex-Lover Is Dead" by Stars
"Boo" by Pinback

— S