I’ve been on a brief hiatus, taking some much needed vacay time with my family. Of course, I never stop listening to music.
Sometimes music just blows me away. These are the songs I spent the long weekend listening to, falling in love with, and chomping at the bit to share with y’all.
So many feels inside this simple song. Remarkable. A top music pick for 2016, you need to know, Big Thief.
Big Thief-Paul
“…I’ll be your morning bright goodnight shadow machine
I’ll be your record player baby if you know what I mean
I’ll be your real tough cookie with the whiskey breath
I’ll be a killer and a thriller and the cause of our death
Paul, I know you said that you’d take me any way I came or went
But I’ll push you from my brain
See, you’re gentle baby
I couldn’t stay, I’d only bring you pain
I was your starry-eyed lover and the one that you saw
I was your hurricane rider and the woman you’d call
We were just two moonshiners on the cusp of a breath
And I’ve been burning for you baby since the minute I left”
Big Thief is Adrianne Lenker, Buck Meek, James Krivchenia, and Max Oleartchik from Brooklyn, NY. The first time I listened to Big Thief, I was mesmerized by Lenker’s lyrical storytelling. The entire debut album, Masterpiece, is exactly what the title suggests, and is a musical journey with a surprising blast of guitar distortion in each song
Totally worth your time.
Here’s another gem.
I love when I get a recommendation from a friend. A relative of mine suggested I give Sheep, Dog & Wolf a listen. Yep, I fell deep into it and even though the album is from 2013, it sounds totally fresh. Maybe there will be new music soon, as his Facebook page hints. For now, I will just sink in to the tunes from the album, Egospect. And, the video is something to see.
Sheep, Dog & Wolf-Breathe
Sheep, Dog & Wolf is Daniel McBride and all of his music is written, played, and recorded from his bedroom in New Zealand. His label, Lil’ Big Chief Records, describes him,
“McBride creates experimental pop which blends orchestrated arrangements and layered vocals with influences that extend all the way from Norwegian Jazz (think: Jaga Jazzist), Tokyo new jazz (think: Mouse On the Keys) to Math Rock and Electronica.”
I describe him as indescribable goodness.
Traveling for the long holiday weekend, I missed a live show in Atlanta. So, on the drive out of town, I played the band’s new album and found a favorite.
Nothing-Vertigo Flowers
“And I hate
Everything you’re saying
Anxiety
It’s all about me
Watch out for those
Who dare to say
That everything will be okay
Watch out for those
Who want to be Anything at all
They’re coming for me”
Nothing is a rock band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are Domenic Palermo, Brandon Setta, Kyle Kimball, and Nick Bassett. They have a new album, Tired Of Tomorrow, out now. After Palermo spent a few years in prison, he took time off from the punk bands he played with and did a great deal of soul searching. The creative project, Nothing, helped save him from self destruction. A difficult path can sometimes bring about unexpected beauty.
I stopped in my tracks when I heard new music from Palace. Listening to their newly released song makes my heart so very happy…
Palace-Break The Silence
Here’s the skinny on Palace (blogged before, here). They are Leo Wyndham, Rupert Turner, Will Dorey, and Matt Hodges and hail from London. The alternative blues/rock band combines laid back guitars with brooding vocals.
I just call their sound, perfection.
Lastly, I will leave you with my new favorite ‘riding in the car with the windows down’ song. Enjoy.
Whitney-No Matter Where We Go
I wanna take you out
I wanna drive around
With you with the windows down
And we can run all night
From their Bandcamp page,
“Whitney was born from a series of laidback early-morning songwriting sessions during one of the harshest winters in Chicago history, after Julien Ehrlich and Max Kakacek (former members of Smith Westerns) reconnected – first as roommates splitting rent in a small Chicago apartment and later as musical collaborators passing the guitar and the lyrics sheet back and forth.”
Their album, Light Upon The Lake, is out right now. Be sure to give it a listen.
