AIPTO: Maybe You Should Drive (Barenaked Ladies)

Who? We round off our month of endless posting with Ed. Ed is the other lead of BNL. Although he has no musical side-projects to speak of, he has his pilot’s license, and his own TV show in Canada. I have only seen bits and pieces, but it’s pretty fantastic. Well, I mean, Ed’s pretty fantastic. He comes off as fun and sincere and down-to-earth and goofy. And I think you know by now that being in BNL means you’re in the top tier of musicians. It’s hard to say things about Ed that I haven’t already said about everyone else, because he does deserve some sort of distinction. Ed is made of awesome. Ed’s…he’s Ed, is the thing. And if I were to describe someone as Ed-like, you know that person would probably kick ass.
Why it’s awesome: This is BNL’s second album, which didn’t actually do well commercially (only because people are idiots, not because it isn’t great). I don’t have a favorite BNL album, but if I were trying to pick one this would totally make it to the finals. This album has such a pleasant cohesiveness to it…maybe some sort of unifying softness. I can’t describe it. Anyway, you should own this one too. It has a great cover, if nothing else.
In One Word: Tile
Song Rec: Am I the Only One?
Link: BNLmusic.com

And with that, we are finished.

Sometimes I make myself nervous

I have a term paper that's worth 30% of my grade in the class that I absolutely can't fail due in 2.5 hours and I'm not even a third of the way done.

Here's the thing, though: I'm 99% sure I'm going to finish it. And it probably won't suck too badly. Just, until then, I'm going to be a little tense. That might be all the caffeine, too.

AIPTO: Poetry and Airplanes (Teitur)

Who? I don’t know much about this guy, except that he’s from the Faroe Islands, which are part of Denmark. I could be making that up, though. All I really remember is that Andrew asked me once where this guy was from and I think that was the answer. I have a term paper due tomorrow (for Film Theory, which is my only really serious class) and I have no time to look things up.
Why it’s awesome: Again, term paper. Smooth voice. Interesting sound. Good lyrics. Kind of storybook-ish.
In One Word: Dough
Song Rec: Joesephine
Link: Teitur.com (I don’t know that that’s actually the website, but I need to get this posted and get back to work.)

AIPTO: Andiwork II (Andy Creeggan)

Who? So I said all the Ladies would get their own spot, and to be completely technical, Andy is no longer in BNL. But he was once, and I think that deserves a bit of a shout out. Andy is Jim’s brother, and he left the band after their second album, I think. He went to McGill University, which makes me kind of jealous. He also plays a million different instruments, which also makes me kind of jealous. Actually, I’ll just come out and say that I’m jealous of Andy Creeggan. If I weren’t supposed to be working on my paper, I’d write more, but Andy and his casual sophistication makes my mind roll.
Why it’s awesome: This is just such a cool compilation that it makes me ache not to own the first Andiwork. I think my brother may be getting it for me for Christmas, though. He’s a good kid. Anyway, if my life were a movie, I’d want this music playing in the background. It’s modern but still classical and kind of jazzy and a little experimental. I love it.
In One Word: Brown
Song Rec: Lullaby and With Dad. The latter kind of relates to the decoration of the blog.
Link: TheBrothersCreeggan.com

AIPTO: Horses and Grasses (Hard and Phirm)

Who? I could tell you about Hard and Phirm, but Chris and Mike wrote their own bio and I feel like it covers all the important parts. "Hard 'n Phirm began performing musical comedy together in the Spring of 1994 at UCLA. The next year, they won Spring Sing, UCLA's annual school-wide talent show. Baffled by the cold truth that there is, in fact, no money in the school talent show circuit, they disbanded to pursue other interests, vowing to reunite exactly eight years later. Their debut album "Horses and Grasses" contains songs about The Carbon Cycle, Pi, The Loyal Order of Moose, patriotic dinosaurs, and "Rodeohead," a bluegrass medley of Radiohead songs. They worked very, very hard on it. Hard 'n Phirm are both able and anxious to display their comedy wares for an 18-34 year old audience with a hilarity-smoothie of stand-up, music and multimedia slide presentations. They currently reside in Los Angeles and are nice."
Why it’s awesome: If you couldn't tell from reading that last bit, these guys are pretty frickin funny. And funny + talented = awesome. So there you have it. Can you tell I'm not feeling the updating vibe today?
In One Word: Rubber
Song Rec: First, go watch the Pi video on YouTube. Then you can listen to American Dinosaur.
Link: HardandPhirm.com

AIPTO: Daydreams (Joe Pisapia)

Who? Guster Joe. Giver of good hugs and rememberer of Keri and me. The awesomeness of Joe, Marc’s Brother. This is his solo album. But it’s also our last chance to talk about Joe, the fourth Guster. Joe is the only numbered Guster because, as I believe I mentioned in a previous entry, he was added in later. At first he was just jamming with them but now he’s (thankfully) an official member of the band. If it’s possible, he made the band even better. He's an extraordinary musician and songwriter, and super friendly. He also has the best footwork of all of the Gusters, in my opinion. If you ever manage to go to show, stand Joe-side (stage left, usually on the same side of Brian). It's good fun.
Why it’s awesome: I have trouble not listening to this album over and over. The first time I listened to it was the day after the Macon show in March, and I played it in my DVD player because my desktop wouldn’t play CD’s, and it basically stayed playing all day. I paused it when I left the room, but when I came back in it went right back on. I do this frequently with songs, but it’s never happened with a whole album. It’s a neat composition, this thing…kind of stream of conciousness and unpretentious and soothing. My copy is signed (that makes it even better).
One Word: Fleece
Song Rec:I was going to give you Sometimes, but I think that’s readily available online. And Lullaby is too long to upload here. And Riversong can be freely downloaded from the JMB website. So Empty it is.
Link: JoePisapia.com

AIPTO: Colors (Ken Nordine)

Who? Ken Nordine is a voiceover guy. He also does jazz. And this album. This is the album that I couldn’t find on the computer…turns out it was on my window sill. Anyway, that’s all I know about Ken Nordine. I don’t even know if he’s alive right now. I think he is though. I want him to teach one of my classes though, just so I listen to him all the time. Also, with no logical segue, the BNL album Maroon was named after track number seven.
Why it’s awesome: First, because Ken Nordine has a remarkable voice. Second because this is spectacularly written. And third because it personifies colors, which is something I love to do. This whole album is like spoken prose poems. And that’s pretty cool. I can’t say much more, because the album kind of speaks for itself.
In One Word: Warm
Song Rec: Green and Muddy. Oh yeah.
Link: Amazon.com

AIPTO: Hanukkah Rocks (The LeeVees)

Who?So Thursday was the kick-off for the holiday season, and you’re probably already sick of hearing Christmas music on the radio. Thus, I present The LeeVees, a combination of Dave Schneider (of the Zambonis) and Adam Gardner. Which, of course, gives us our chance to discuss Adam, the other lead singer of Guster. That's a weird thing to say. First because I think that if we're talking about the three original Gusters they were all equal players because you can't write off Brian as just the drummer. And if you're talking the post-Joe era...there are more Ryan songs, I think, but that doesn't mean that Adam is any less of a key figure. I don't know why I'm touchy about this, but I guess I am. Maybe I don't feel the need to pick just one 'lead' singer because I'm used to BNL and the Ed/Steve dynamic. And that's kind of the thing--Adam's of an equal awesomeness as the other Gusters we've discussed. Excellent musician, great song writing, dig the voice...the kind of blow-your-mind amazingness that you come to expect from a member of this sort of band. The only thing about Adam is that he's not as social in person as the others, but I can't blame him because seriously...I'd be the same way. And Adam started Reverb, and is trying to save the world (he even got to testify before congress). Boy gets madprops for that. One more piece of fun trivia and then we can move on: on the cruise, I was alone in the Greening lounge with Adam for a good solid five minutes, but I couldn't think of anything to say other than, "You're Adam." So I didn't say anything at all, until he said hello, and even then all I did was smile and say hi back.
Why it’s awesome: For someone who’s not particularly religious, I have a lot of holiday music. And subdivided in that, for someone who was raised by southern Baptists, I have a lot of Hanukkah music. But when every other dorm in the country has the classic Christmas music that they play on the radio blasting at their Christmas party, I have alternatives. I have Romanian carols. I have traditional Christmas tunes as played by rubberbands. If we're talking less random, I have Barenaked for the Holidays, and I have the LeeVees. This is certainly a must-have for the holiday season (or any Guster fan to listen to all year round because it does, actually, rock that hard). The songs on this are so fun, and they have a great sound (kind of Cake-y sometimes, but who doesn't like Cake?).
In One Word: Confetti
Song Rec: At The TimeShare. Hear me out on this one. There’s a bit in the middle (and again at the end) from Dave’s mom, and it’s very obviously staged, but at the same time, it’s so obviously staged that it’s authentic. You know, like…you’re making a record and you’re trying to get your parents to help and they’re just trying to play along because they love you. Perhaps I read too much into her overacting, but seriously…he’s got a good mother. Also, use the link below and watch the video for How do you Spell Channukkahh. It’s wonderful.
Link: TheLeeVees.com

AIPTO: Sleepyhead (The Brothers Creeggan)

Who? The Brothers Creeggan is one of my favorite bands, if we're being honest. I walked out of a Kevin Hearn show to see The Brothers Creeggan on Ships and Dip and was heart-broken until I sat down and saw Jim and Andy (and Tyler, who was drumming for them), in the flesh and close to me. It was totally worth it in the end. They just have such a smooth sound--it's something you could listen to at any occasion. The sad thing is that it seems like they've kind of stopped working on stuff, since Jim has BNL (and a family) and Andy has his solo projects (and a family). But there are four very solid CD's in The Brothers Creeggan collection, and that's nothing to sneeze at.
Why it’s awesome: These songs are so simple and perfect and fun and honest. So much about it is the music process and the act of making it. If that sounds like something someone who is very tired would say, it is. The thing is, nothing I could say would adequately describe TBC. It's like being sad--there are so many words for it because nothing really covers it as well as actually feeling it does. If The Brothers Creeggan were a color, it'd be all over my bedroom walls.
In One Word: Ball
Song Rec: Long and Slow
Link: TheBrothersCreeggan.com

AIPTO: You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (Original Off-Broadway Cast)

Who? This is the Peanuts musical. Yeah, I know. I don’t necessarily prefer the original cast, but I don’t prefer the revival cast either. If we could mix them, that’d be good. Anyway, I own the original Off-Broadway cast, so that’s what you’re getting. The more I think of it, I should look up the more recent cast...I heard somewhere that Peter Paige played Snoopy. I don't know if it's true, but it's totally worth checking out.
Why it’s awesome: Oh, does it need explaining? It’s one of the few musicals not written by Sondheim that I adore. The lyrics aren’t exactly award winning but they are still charming, and it suits the comic characters well. And who doesn’t love Snoopy? Seriously. I’ve never seen it, but the soundtrack is inspiring.
In One Word: Team
Song Rec: The Red Barron, because Snoopy was totally the most dynamic character in the whole series. If I remember when I’m back at school, I’ll give you The Book Report, because it’s remarkably accurate.
Link: Amazon.com

Notes

First: yesterday, today, and tomorrow, I’m posting from Columbia, Mississippi. There isn’t high speed internet here, but we’re lucky it’s not dial-up any more. Seriously guys. It takes close to ten minutes to load a page. NaBloPoMo is about commitment, though. Even when keeping your end of the bargain means not getting comments, not deleting your crappy entries (which would be most of them), and posting from your eighty-year-old Grandfather’s bedroom.

To that end, all the songs up until Sunday were uploaded on Tuesday morning so don’t wait around if you’re going to download them. I don’t know how long they’ll last and I can’t do that kind of stuff here. Oh, and Happy Thanksgiving.

AIPTO: Goldfly (Guster)

Who? It’s funny that we’re doing Ryan today because I kind of need to be quick and there’s a lot to say about him. Not that I haven’t consistently failed in successfully discussing any of the other artists here. Anyway, Ryan is (one of) the lead singer(s) of Guster. One of my favorite things about him is his (stage?) personality...he's goofy and friendly and the embodiment of the un-rockstar rockstar. One of the things that causes this concertlust for Guster is the give/take ratio of the band to the crowd is close to even. The more the crowd loves Guster for rocking, the harder Guster rocks. Ryan is an integral part of that kind of magic. And he's super nice in person. And his songwriting is amazing. (So is Brian's...did I mention that when I talked about him? This internet runs too slowly to go and check. Anyway, Brian's songwriting rocks.) Sometime I will post a video of him and his dog (or you can find it on the Guster road journal, I think it's on one of the recent entries) and you will start to love him as much as I do.
Why it’s awesome: This wasn’t the album I was going to give you this time around, and it’s not entirely the most appropriate choice if one wanted to highlight Ryan (in fact, I’m totally having an affair with a song that would illustrate everything I adore about the man, but it’s kind of a rareity and I don't feel right just giving it to you straight-up), but this is our last time talking about Guster this month and I wanted to give you one of the songs that means something to me in terms of the band. A little less than three minutes into Demons, there’s an instrumental divide that kind of initially mirrors the beginning, and then builds with the different parts…you’ll know what I’m talking about when you hear it. Anyway, that part…the part where all of them come together is one of the most amazing concert moment, if you’re really into the show. I won't even attempt at explaining why, but every time they start playing this song live at a concert I feel...like if my heart were to stop right at that very second it would be fine. I would be totally fulfilled and ready to go. If the feeling I feel with Guster is the way people feel when they use drugs, I totally understand why people get addicted.
In One Word: Cappuccin
Song Rec: Demons
Link:Guster.com

As it turns out, today is Ryan’s birthday. So Happy Birthday, Ryan!

AIPTO: Trunks (The Brothers Creeggan)

Who? The more I think about it, Jim might actually be my favorite member of BNL. If I had a favorite, I guess, but even without qualifying. I recently watched A&E’s Private Sessions with the band, and Jim couldn’t make it to the taping so he sent a replacement. The performances were still good and all, but they lacked a certain…spark. Part of that might be the lack of an audience; both Guster and BNL are a million times better live than in the studio, but I think the lack of Jim throws me off. That’s because Jim is a bass god. He might actually be God, come to think of it. He has magic fingers, and his voice is like fresh air. Any time I feel like I really should relax, I turn to my TBC collection. You’ll see them again on Friday, so I’ll save the rave about the band for then. Just know that BNL without Jim is like eggs without salt. It’s not something you do on purpose.
Why it’s awesome: This was the first TBC album I acquired (I believe it's their third chronologically) and it's a good one to start with if you're just starting to delve into the wonder that is Jim and Andy. There's not a bad song on this album and it's got a great overall vibe and continues the jazzy/rock tradition. I had a really hard time picking a rec song because they're all excellent. I feel like there's a whole lot more to say about them, and I'm sure there is, but I'm really tired (which also means that this is probably full of typos and mistakes) and facing a drive home in fifteen minutes. So just listen to Inchworm and take a nap for me.
In One Word: Matelasse
Song Rec: Inchworm
Link: TheBrothersCreeggan.com

AIPTO: The Eminem Show (Eminem)

Who? Now I know you all know this one. And that’s good, because I’m afraid I don’t know anything more than the basics. That’s why we’re going to go straight to the album specific part.
Why it’s awesome: You’ve probably noticed that I’m a sucker for details. This album pays attention to details for serious. I love the talking at the beginning of Cleaning out My Closet, I love the skits (especially Curtains Down), I love the continuity. I think including his daughter on the album is endearing. Also, I think the man is a genius, in the over-used sense of the word. There’s a sense of triumph of seeing the line, backing up, and jumping straight over the sucker. Emimen’s about addressing the stuff on the other side of the line. About being unreasonable. And at the same time, really human and identifiable. This is my favorite of the Eminem albums I have (which is an admittedly limited number), but I’m very glad to own it. Also, it makes great train/bus music.
In One Word: Sand
Song Rec: Superman
Link: Eminem.com

AIPTO: Night Light (Kevin Hearn and Thin Buckle)

Who? I know, I know…you just had a Kevin Hearn album and I theoretically plan this stuff so that doesn’t happen…but the album I was going to give you today isn’t on my computer. I don’t know how that happened. The folder is there, but the files are not. It’s upsetting. But I’d been thinking about how much of an oversight it was that I hadn’t put another Kevin album on the list, and since today’s album has to be put off until I go home...voila. Anyway, this is the same people who played on Mothball Mint, but now they call themselves Thin Buckle.
Why it’s awesome: Both Night Light and his most recent album, Miracle Mile have this honesty to them. I like. This isn’t an album that wants to debut at number one on the Billboard charts. It’s not a fad, and it’s not going to beg you to like it. I can dig it. Put this album on your shopping lists. It’s great Sunday music.
In One Word: Chenille
Song Rec: Where Did You Go?
Link: KevinHearn.com

AIPTO: Flutterby (Butterfly Boucher)

Who? Emily and I saw Butterfly Boucher while we were in high school, when she opened for BNL. She’s from Australia, and Butterfly is her real name. I find that really endearing, the name part. The Australian thing is just cool because I like her accent. She has picked up a bit in popularity, I think, but since I’m not really into that kind of thing I don’t really know. I do know that she did a cover of a David Bowie song for the Shreck 2 soundtrack, and they've used her songs on Grey's Anatomy a few times. That's a good sign.
Why it’s awesome: Ok, first, and this kind of hurt her when we saw her live, she plays everything herself. Drums, bass, guitar, keyboard...she’s crazy talented. She also does her own back-up vocals, and I read somewhere that she arranged the album herself too. Anyway, the lack of a band makes her show a little lacking, but overall she's hard core (and super talented). She has a really rich voice and has a strong songwriting style. I feel comfortable saying that this is one of the best albums I own.
In One Word: Crimson
Song Rec: A Walk Outside
Link: ButterflyBoucher.com

AIPTO: All About Chemistry (Semisonic)

Who? We’ve talked about Semisonic before. Same dudes. Still cool.
Why it’s awesome: The first thing I like about this album is the title. Because it’s not actually after a song on the album...it's after the chorus of a song on the album. For some reason, I’m really into that. I guess they do it to some extent on all of their major releases. This is a little less edgy than their other albums, but I think it works for them. Most notable occurrence...Carole King guest vocals! You can’t deny the power of Carole King. But here’s the other thing—there’s totally a Joni Mitchell reference on this album that I didn’t catch until I was listening to songs in an attempt to pick one to rec. Apparently they consider her to be an inspiration for their sound. Who knew?
In One Word: Felt
Song Rec: We're going to start with Bed because that's what I was going to give you first, but you get El Matador too, because it's the Joni song.
Link: Amazon.com

AIPTO: Mothball Mint (Kevin Hearn)

Who? Back to another member of the band that changed my life. Kevin is the fifth member of BNL in the same way that Joe is the fourth Guster—he was added later. The difference is that Joe was an outright addition; Kevin replaced Andy Creeggan who will have his own entry later. I’ve always wanted to just give Kevin a big hug. Big hug. But in person, he doesn’t really give off a hug-me vibe. Not that I’ve spoken to him, but we’ve been in close proximity. Anyway, if I were creating a team of master songwriters, Kevin would be towards the top of the list. He’s got this whimsical/lonely thing...man, if you could wear music, my socks would be made of Kevin's. Every pair.
Why it’s awesome: This is Kevin’s solo album. It’s an interesting piece in context because most of his later work is centered around having and surviving Leukemia. Not that that’s a bad thing—the Thin Buckle albums are stunning (this album was recorded by all the Thin Buckle guys too, but they weren’t Thin Buckle back then). But that’s the contrast between the bodies of work, the undertones. This is a more playful album comparatively, and the songs on it are priceless. The sad thing is it’s kind of a hard album to come by these days—I had to work to track this one down for a reasonable price. But I’ll share. A little.
In One Word: Dandelion
Song Rec: Bus Depot (Hometown).
Link: KevinHearn.com

AIPTO: Southern Discomfort (Rehab)

Who? So this was the album I mentioned earlier, that Matt owns and therefore I can pretend like I own too. Although, neither Matt nor Daniel are really into hard copies right now, so I could probably commandeer this one. Above that, I don’t know a whole lot—I think they’re from Georgia. Oh, and they must have been kind of mainstream if Matt heard about them. So maybe this is old news to you.
Why it’s awesome: It’s a triumph. It’s funny and mischievous, but not so far as to glorify any of the situations it portrays. And it's universally relatable (especially today’s first song—if you can’t relate to at least one line in this thing then you might not be human). I don’t know. It’s kind of the other spectrum of the good lyrics/good music combination. My only problem is that every time I rip the songs it clips them funny, so end of the last song is at the beginning of the next. If anyone knows how to fix that, let me know.
In One Word: Blue
Song Rec: Crazy People and Rattle My Cage. Enjoy.
Link: Amazon.com

AIPTO: The Vanity Project (Steven Page et al.)

Who? So we talked about Stephen Duffy yesterday, and how he and Steve wrote songs together. This is Steve’s solo project, on which all of the songs (except for one, but maybe not the one you’d think) are Duffy/Page songs. Which means, of course, that the entire album is brilliant. Such is life. Today, though, is our time to discuss Steve, front-man of the Barenaked Ladies. My instinct is to say that I love Steve, which is true, but redundant. He’s got another one of those voices that I want to just wrap myself in, but part of the reason I like it is the hardness of it. It's like Brie--soft and smooth and yet still really solid. That might not make sense, but I'm super tired tonight, and this post and a paper topic for Film Theory are the only things keeping me from being in bed so we're running with it. You can't compare anything that isn't completely first rate to Brie--that's how good Steven Page is. I feel like I should say more things--better things--about him, but I'm in a haze of exhaustion and still kind of buzzed from the poetry reading tonight. So long as you know that Steve's the dog of my dip, we're all fine.
Why it’s awesome: I said JMB's "Around the Year with…" was the album you should buy if you only bought one this season and I stand by that. You should own this one already, is the thing. This is the French Roast of cd’s; rich and dark and unabashedly itself with undertones so subtle they’ll make your head swim. Political without being obnoxious, ironic without being cliché, sentimental without being sticky—there’s a balance in these songs that’s almost haunting for me. It makes me want to be a writer, and at the same time makes me want to find another goal because I know I’ll never be this brilliant. If you can’t have talent, you can at least own a copy of this.
In One Word: Down
Song Rec: Wilted Rose. Not that you should need a recommendation because, again, you should own this one.
Link: TheVanityProject.com

AIPTO: Lilac6 (The Lilac Time)

Who? The Lilac Time is, at least according to me, Stephen Duffy’s band. Stephen Duffy is a long-time friend/one-time idol of Steven Page. When Page was younger he used to write Duffy letters asking for songwriting advice. Later they wrote songs together. You’ll hear some of these tomorrow. Today is The Lilac Time, which occasionally has Page/Duffy songs, but mostly just has Duffy songs, which are exquisite. Fun trivia: Stephen Duffy was in Duran Duran before Duran Duran was famous.
Why it’s awesome: I bought this album for the song Entourage, but I quickly fell in love with the other tracks. His lyrics have a lot of the qualities that I like about BNL’s (fitting because he wrote some of BNL’s songs), but with less force. It’s good plant-mounting music, not that anyone else here does that, and kind of plays like the stuff my mom(/Andrew) would listen to. Except better.
In One Word: Glue
Song Rec: Wasted. This isn’t my favorite, or second favorite track on the album but for some reason I feel really possessive of those. That makes it sound like I don't like this one and that isn't true. This is a really good one. Be excited. You can also have Junes Buffalo because it's a total party song. I think someone used this in a commercial recently, but I might be making that up.
Link: TheLilacTime.com

AIPTO: Lost and Gone Forever (Guster)

Who? Similar to the plan for talking about each member of BNL on their own, the assortment of Guster side-projects has allowed me to give each Guster a spot without breaking the two-album rule. Today is Brian’s day. It feels weird to say that Brian is the drummer because he’s so much more than that. He’s…well, they call him Thundergod for a reason—the man has magic hands. I can’t describe to you how awesome it is to watch him play (aside from at the end of Come Downstairs and Say Hello—not that it isn’t amazing, but it makes the sides of my hands hurt). If I were able to draft a dream-band, he’d be first on the list. But it doesn’t stop with serious skills, Brian’s also really friendly in person, and he blogs. Both of these things get you major points in my book. Also, if this isn’t the best article about drumming you’ve read then I think you need to shift your standards.
Why it’s awesome: This is a really aggressive album, or at least that's what I'm going to say. It's high energy and a lot of the songs have this "I'm not taking your shit anymore," vibe. I think everyone needs a good arsenal of those. This is also a really well-ordered album, track wise. I don't feel like that sort of thing is necessary to have a good album, but it adds something extra when there's a good arrangement. If you're interested, you can buy all five of Guster's albums from their website for $40, which really isn't bad. (I think it's great, but then...I think Guster is better than a long nap on a rainy day.)
In One Word: Gold.
Song Rec: Barrel of a Gun. Listen to the drums, guys. That’s what awesome sounds like.
Link: Guster.com

AIPTO: Titanic Days (Kirsty MacColl)

Who? Kazzi turned me on to Kirsty MacColl back in high school. The only other thing I know about her, other than the fact that she’s British and was killed in a boating accident. I suppose you could Wikipedia her if you wanted to know more. Sometimes it’s nice to not know everything about the musicians you like.
Why it’s awesome: She has a very smooth voice and a good attention for detail. You’ll see what I mean if you listen to the song I’ve given you. There isn't really a bad song on the album--it's all very solid. You might notice from this collection of write-ups that most of them are male, or primarily male. I don’t know why this is exactly, except that female lyrics have a tendency to be…weaker? Less catchy? I don’t know what I’m trying to say, except that Kirsty’s on the list despite her gender, which makes her special. Nevermind. I’m bad at this generalizing stuff. Just listen to the song.
In One Word: Wool
Song Rec: Bad. Listen for the background noises. Seriously. This is one of my favorite car songs.
Link: KirstyMacColl.com

AIPTO: Around the Year with...(Joe, Marc’s Brother)

Who? See previous JMB post. Same band. Different (better?) album. I’d tell you more about Joe but we’ll get to that after next week.
Why it’s awesome: It’s the same guys, and for the most part the same vibe, but there’s definitely an evolution of their sound evident. I think the lyrics for this album are stronger, not that the other was weak. I guess this is a more active album, if that makes sense. Anyway, if you were only going to buy one of their albums, I’d recommend this one. Actually, if you were only going to buy one album this season, I’d point you to this one. These guys are amazing.
In One Word: Whoa.
Song Rec: Evergreen, which I can’t stop listening to. The bit at the front, about spring…it’s also found on their first album at the end of The Heart of Love. I love that. There are more good songs on their myspace page, which is linked from their website.
Link: JoeMarcsBrother.com

AIPTO: A Collector’s Sondheim (Sondheim et al.)

Who? Sometimes I forget that not everyone knows who Stephen Sondheim is. I guess I assume, because I discovered him back in middle school, (and I’m always the last to know about everything musical) that everyone knows the words to every song in Sunday in the Park with George. But I forget, too, one key fact: Broadway is for nerds. Fitting, then, that most of the soundtracks I have on my computer have been copied from CD’s I checked out at the public library when I was in the eighth grade. Yeah. I know. But that places it for you, at least—it was the precursor to Barenaked Ladies for me. Their music was so much cooler because the lyrics were just as edgy as Sondheim, but backed by rock. Also notable is that Sondheim is, with few exceptions, where my Broadway obsession begins and ends. There aren’t many other composers that capture Sondheim’s combination of pithy cynicism and expert composition. And internal rhyme. I’m kind of a sucker for that. Listen to this song, and you’ll get the gist of what makes Sondheim...Sondheim.
Why it’s awesome: So this isn’t the perfect compilation: some of the tracks were re-recorded for the collection and all it really does is make me wish they hadn’t. But in three discs, ACS hits the high points from what is a very hefty, high-quality body of work, including some of his less common tracks like “The Boy From…” which is a parody of “The Girl from Ipanema” written under the pen name Esteban Ria Nido. Sorry, I’ll stop.
In One Word: Magic
Song Rec: One from each disc: I Remember from Evening Primrose, The Glamorous Life from A Little Night Music, and A Little Priest from Sweeney Todd (to get you ready for the movie). I Remember might be familiar to some of you.
Link: Amazon.com

AIPTO: Rock Spectacle (Barenaked Ladies)

Who? I have a paper due tomorrow, so you’re getting someone you should know already. The Barenaked Ladies are…I don’t even know where to begin. Canadian Rock at its best. Rock at its best. Canadians at their best. But for this entry we’re going to talk about Tyler, because everyone else will get their turn eventually. Tyler was never really my favorite, and at one point I’d have said he was my least favorite. It took a while for him to grow on me. But I remember going to the concert with Lauren last year and noticing just how hard Tyler rocked. Because, you know, he rocks pretty hard. They say drummers really only have to be adequate, but Tyler's sense of rhythm and sound totally surpasses that. He also has an awesome sense of humor, and as far as BNL’s history of bad hair goes, he’s had the best of the worst.
Why it’s awesome: I picked this album because I prefer several of the songs to the originals; namely Break Your Heart, because once you hear it with that extra bit of Steve-magic you can’t really go back to the album version. (Also, I can’t listen to the hidden improvs on this album without grinning from ear to ear.) The downside is this album makes me want to see them in concert, and they’re not touring right now. 80 days until Ships and Dip III!
In One Word: Yes.
Song Rec: Straw Hat and Old Dirty Hank, although in my mind I always call reverse the old and dirty. Also, Break Your Heart because it's always worth hearing again.
Link: BNLmusic.com

AIPTO: Someone to Tell (Ari Hest)

Who? My friend Esther told me about Ari Hest, and I’ve had this CD in my car ever since. I don’t know much about him, although he apparently released a demo album with some of the same songs (Keri had it, but not this one). He’s got a new album out now, I think. The only other thing I know is that he came to Athens last year, but it was a 21+ club and I was not allowed to go. Bummer.
Why it’s awesome: He’s a smooth one, Ari. I picture him as the artsy, brooding boy who brings his guitar on camping trips but only plays when everyone’s off doing their own stuff. His lyrics show a slight disdain/fascination for consumerism—if you read that sentence it sounds like he’s playing with the ideas, but I don’t think he is. I think when he’s trying to make a social statement he pretends to be above the hype, but when he’s really just writing for himself he’s into it. I know that doesn't really answer why he's awesome, but his lyrics are good (just inconsistent in the overall album message) and usually emotionally based. And he has a really pleasant sound. And that’s what does it for me: lyrics and sound. Thus Ari makes the list.
In One Word: Coffee
Song Rec: Aberdeen
Link: AriHest.com

AIPTO: Zolof the Rock and Roll Destroyer (Zolof the Rock and Roll Destroyer)

Who? This one is cheating a little bit because I don’t actually own a hard-copy of the album, but Daniel does, and he let me copy it. His is signed, because he bought it at their concert: they opened for one of his favorites, Reel Big Fish. I’m still pleased to have it in my general vicinity, though, and I feel like the fact that he owns a copy makes it different from something I downloaded but didn’t like enough to buy. I’m going to use this logic later with something Matt gave me. Just wait.
Why it’s awesome: Maybe it's because I don't listen to this sort of music often, but I really like their sound. It's sort of an electronic/pop/rock mix, with perhaps a bit of emo sprinkled in for good measure. I usually don't like bands that scream, but these guys make it work for them in kind of an artsy/unique way. But again, I could only think it's unique because I don't listen to this type of stuff. Anyway, I think they're cool, and they have good lyrics. Look them up if you can't understand: it's usually worth it.
In One Word: Windex
Song Rec: Ode to Madonna because it's what they usually sound like and There's That One Person You'll Never Get Over No Matter How Long It's Been because I think it’s a cool sentiment, albeit a bit emo.
Link: Amazon.com

AIPTO: Great Divide (Semisonic)

Who? I feel bad because the height of what I know about Semisonic is that they still play them on the radio so everyone knows one or two of their songs, and Dan Wilson is the lead singer. Dan Wilson is only notable because he’s a fairly prominent songwriter; I believe he won a Grammy for the Dixie Chicks song “Not Ready to Make Nice,” (which amuses me because it seems like such a personal song for them and yet they wrote it with someone else). Anyway, Dan Wilson has done a lot of solo stuff since Semisonic dissolved, but I’ve never liked anything of his as much as I liked the stuff from the band. For those of you who wonder how I caught wind of them: they did a brief tour opening for BNL. Yeah, I know.
Why it’s awesome: I think this is their first album, but it’s the second one I bought. The thing I remember about getting this CD is that I didn’t like it the first time I listened to it; it took a second listen before I was totally hooked. The writing ranges from being clever and cool to just being cool: I’m not sure if it’s on this album or not but there’s a line in one song that they once admitted had no meaning but sounded good. I agree with them on the sounding good thing, but I think it’s cooler when it works both ways. The music is good—peppy but not obnoxious, and definitely rocking while not being too high-energy. Also a plus: you can buy most of their stuff on amazon.com for next to nothing.
In One Word: Lounge
Song Rec: F.N.T.
Link: Amazon.com

Bonus Post

I went to my first (and perhaps only) UGA football game yesterday. It was surprisingly fun. I managed to sneak a bottle of water in and our seats were great, and we won. It’s really more exciting when you win. The experience itself was neat, too, because it was homecoming so the stands were relatively full. There are apparently these traditional things, like cheers at certain points of the game, that were really fun to watch (although I still don’t understand what the fourth quarter thing is about—everyone holds up four fingers and waves them in time with the band—it’s kinda strange). Also, the fans spell Georgia and UGA a lot. More than you’d think. It makes me wonder if they’re proud of themselves for remembering how to spell it.

Anyway, I felt like I should post something to mark the occasion.

Also, while I’m here: some of the songs are in .m4a format, because I’m mostly an iTunes kid these days. It’s free, and it’s kind of fantastic. I wouldn’t lie to you. It organized all the music I’d downloaded in the past year in like, thirty seconds. And it helps that it works with the iPods. My only qualm is the .m4a thing—any CD you import using iTunes is written as .m4a instead of .mp3. And you know what? I don’t mind so much. It’s a good, free program. (Also, it’s not hard to convert them back to .mp3.)

AIPTO: Dog Problems (The Format)

Who? The Format opened for Guster when I went to see them in Macon, and again at Furman and Erskine. The fun part was that I’d liked them enough in Macon to learn some of their songs for the next two shows, so at the South Carolina shows I was able to sing along and act like a real fan. The trouble is, Keri (my official concert buddy) and I found The Format fans to be super obnoxious. In fact, now whenever I see someone wearing a shirt for The Format, I think “well, you have decent taste in music, but you’re probably obnoxious.” One must not judge a band on their fans, however…and I do like the vibe of The Format. Also, they’re the first opening band that I looked forward to hearing, rather than simply hoping they’d finish so I could see who I came to see.
Why it’s awesome: One of the things I respect about The Format is that although they look like an emo band, they aren’t really an emo band. Borderline, perhaps, but they’re certainly not too far over. Their lyrics are clever when you can understand them, and musically they’re definitely talented. Notable also is that they have a good bit of cross-album continuity, which I dig, and also aren’t afraid of songs that change pace/style midway through (think Bohemian Rhapsody). They do have this one song, though, where the lead singer totally sounds like a country singer and that’s a little disturbing. Whatever…I’m glad I came across the band.
One Word:Fun
Song Rec: The Compromise. Clever premise, catchy tune. If you look up the lyrics they're easier to understand.
Link: TheFormat.com

AIPTO: See (The Ocean Blue)

Who? Honestly, I don’t know anything about these guys. I bought this at the library for a dollar, and the way the cover was designed I wasn’t sure if the band was See or The Ocean Blue. But it’s The Ocean Blue. I could swear I have four of their albums, but I only have three on this computer.
Why it’s awesome: Sometimes it's hard to find mellow music that doesn't inspire you to think about all the awful things that are going on in your life right now. The Ocean Blue is that kind of mellow--energetic, but still peaceful. Good movie music, too, I think. I listened to this on the plane to Munich two summers ago and it kind of solidified the moment within itself—I don’t know if that makes any sense. Anyway, it’s the music equivalent of a good cream-based soup: smooth and not too heavy, but still filling. I realize that I'm not really good at describing music. It's gonna be a long month.
In One Word: Grey
Song Rec: Bite Your Lip. It’s got a good groove to it.
Link: Amazon.com

AIPTO: The Debut of Joe, Marc's Brother (Joe, Marc’s Brother)

Who? The limited readership of this blog should know. But if you don’t, Joe’s the fourth Guster. JMB was the band he was in before Guster, supposedly one of Ryan’s favorites. One of mine, too, I think.
Why it’s awesome: First, Joe’s amazing. I’m going to assume that Marc is as well, although I know amazingness is not always genetic. The music itself is a great mix of mellow and a sort of bluegrassy/folk/pop sound. Some of the songs have this really crazy eighties vibe and it works really well. Also, there are times when I want to lie down and take a nap in Joe’s voice.
In One Word: Butter
Song Rec: It Still Hurts. My favorite lyric is “We never did sit down to pick out curtains for the windows in the house that we never planned to build.” If I were just picking songs for Andrew, you’d be getting Mel Bay.
Link: JoeMarcsBrother.com

Albums I’m Pleased to Own: An explanation

So a month of posting every day, although not un-doable, is kind of daunting. Especially this semester because there isn’t much to say, or at least much that I care to write down. So I’m going to focus on the CDs I'm glad to have around. Lame? Perhaps. But it’s what I’ve chosen to do. I’ll try to avoid using the word awesome, since they’ve probably already qualified as such in my mind if they’ve made the list.

But Erin, you say, we know you love BNL and Guster. Aren’t you just going to tell us about their albums for a month?

Not quite. The rule is no more than two albums per artist. This doesn’t mean I can’t throw their sidebands into the mix as well, but you won’t be getting the full BNL collection (…which is amazingly large).

So, I guess that’s it. I’m kind of making this up as I go, so I might change things around or something. I don’t know. It’s November. I don’t have to follow the rules.