In order to return my blog to its usual format, I need to clear out the backlog of music created by my summer hiatus. This post should bring you up to speed on some of my favorite albums released in the past few months. It won’t be poetic, but then again, housekeeping rarely is.

MY MORNING JACKET Official Website | MySpace | eMusic | Insound | Amazon | CD Baby | Amie Street

After the massive disappointment that was Z, I expected very little of My Morning Jacket’s latest album Evil Urges. After several months of listening, I can honestly say Evil Urges doesn’t suck. In fact, it’s pretty solid. The band continues to distance themselves from the sound they perfected on At Dawn, which, at least for me, is disappointing because that’s the sound I originally fell in love with.

I think, however, I’ve come to terms with their new direction. Seeing them live at the Greek two weeks ago definitely helped. These guys put on an amazing show. One of the many highlights that night was an incredible version of “Touch Me I’m Going to Scream Pt. 2,” the epic closing track on Evil Urges. The studio version of this song is posted below.

[mp3] My Morning Jacket - Touch Me I’m Going to Scream Pt. 2

THE WALKMEN Official Website | MySpace | eMusic | Insound | Amazon | CD Baby | Amie Street

On You & Me, The Walkmen not only perfect their sound but finally feel comfortable with it. And they sound as if they’ve just shaken off an epic hangover: their new album contains a sense of weariness and regret not present in previous albums. Maybe The Walkmen have grown up.

If so, it’s for the better. You & Me is their most consistent, and ultimately, their most rewarding album to date. Ironically, its consistency might also be its biggest turn-off. Songs sometimes bleed too much into each other. It takes repeated listens before tracks distinguish themselves. After nearly two dozen spins, I’m finally there. Right now, “On the Water” is my favorite track, but this will probably change on a weekly basis.

[mp3] The Walkmen - On the Water

SHEARWATER Official Website | MySpace | eMusic | Insound | Amazon | CD Baby | Amie Street

Similar to The Walkmen, Shearwater sounds like they’ve finally figured themselves out. With the release of Rook, Meiburg and his band fully step out of the shadow of Okkervil River. I’m only disappointed it took so long.

There is a lot going on under the surface of Rook. The shear gorgeousness of the music often masks a strong undercurrent of anger and frustration. Which is part of the reason I like Shearwater so much: their ability to combine beauty and violence is striking. The title track from Rook, which is posted below, captures this balance perfectly.

[mp3] Shearwater - Rooks

SIGUR RÓS Official Website | MySpace | eMusic | Insound | Amazon | CD Baby | Amie Street

Sigur Rós has yet to release a disappointing album. With every new CD, they manage to explore new territory while at the same time maintaining their core sound (My Morning Jacket should take a lesson from them). The first few tracks on Með Suð Í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust, for example, can almost be described as joyous, which is definitely new territory for the band.

This mood, however, doesn’t last long. Soon the band retreats to familiar ground, slowing the flow of music to that of a glacier. “Illgresi,” the track posted below, resides on the slower second half of Með Suð Í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust and features the band at its simplest: a pretty acoustic guitar riff, some violin flourishes, and Jónsi’s plaintive vocals.

[mp3] Sigur Rós - Illgresi

What do you think of the new website?

I love it. It’s way better than the old site.
It’s OK. It might grow on me.
I hate it. Bring back the old look.
I don’t really care.
View Results

Welcome to the new and improved Mike Went West! Version 2.0, if you will. I’ve spent that past month overhauling my website. In fact, I took my initial design to about 75% completion only to trash it and start over again. What you see is actually my second revision. It was a ton of work, but was also incredibly rewarding.

Needless to say, I love my new design. But that is beside the point. I want to know what you think. Please take a moment to respond to the survey below. For those of you who’ve already forgotten what my old site looked like, the image on the left should refresh your memory.

Also, feel free to browse the other tabs on my site. You might notice that some pages are still under construction. I’ll fill these in whenever I have spare time. The front page, however, should be fully functional. Please let me know of any bugs you discover.

Note: those of you still using IE 6.0 will experience problems viewing my site. More precisely, the layout will look like complete garbage. I recommend upgrading to IE 7.0 or switching to Firefox for optimal viewing.

You may also notice that my domain name has changed. I decided to switch the site over to mikewentwest.com to match the title of my blog. Please make sure to update your bookmarks!

So with the bulk of the redesign complete, I can finally write about music again. The fresh look should inspire me to post more frequently. Or at least that is the hope.

To celebrate this momentous occasion, I want to share one of my favorite songs from the past few weeks. The first time I listened to it I experienced a moment of déjà vu: I could’ve sworn I’d heard the song before but couldn’t quite place where. After some internet research, I finally figured it out. But instead of just telling you, I think I’ll let you figure it out on your own (if you really want to know, check the comments).

Anyways, the song is “How It Ends” by Devotchka Official Website | MySpace | eMusic | Insound | Amazon | CD Baby | Amie Street, a band from Denver that reminds me of Beirut. Or maybe it’s the other way around - Devotchka actually predates Beirut. Regardless, the song title is particularly fitting as I bid farewell to my old site. More importantly, however, the song itself is fantastic. Especially the violin ending.

[mp3] Devotchka - How It Ends

Before closing, I’d like to thank my roommate Eugene for all the help he gave me over the past month. I couldn’t have redesigned my site without his guidance. I’d also like to thank Danielle and Verna for the additional feedback they provided along the way. You guys rock!

For the past year or so, I’ve felt the overwhelming desire to move up north for the winter and live by myself in a cabin. Kind of like Bon Iver, but not really (mostly because I doubt anything as beautiful as For Emma, Forever Ago would result). Also, I’d want to go somewhere more mountainous and snowy than Wisconsin. Probably either Alaska or western Canada.

The reasons for this are multiple. First, I want to experience the full intensity of winter (I love cold and snow). Second, I want to gaze upon the Northern Lights in all their glory. And third, I want to see how I respond to prolonged periods of darkness and isolation.

So when a good friend suggested I read North Into the Night, a story about a guy who spends a winter alone in the Arctic, I happily obliged. At the very least, it would be an entertaining read, and might even help me prepare for my adventure.

Without giving too much of the book away, the guy nearly goes crazy after spending over 5 months in complete darkness and isolation. He sleeps for days on end and often loses control of his temper and sanity. Even though my proposed adventure wouldn’t be as intense, his story filled me with apprehension. Could I really go 5 months without seeing another person?

All of this got me thinking about the nature of isolation. After some serious reflection, I’ve come up with two kinds (though I’m sure there’s more). The first type of isolation, as described in North Into the Night, is largely physical; the author (Alvah Simon) ventured to a part of the world that few inhabit, so quite naturally he was alone. The second kind of isolation is best illustrated by the story told in Justin Townes Earle’s heartbreaking song “Yuma.” The isolation he portrays is mostly psychological; the (hopefully) fictional character feels completely alone even when surrounded by scores of people in a city.

I think psychological isolation is easier to sympathize with and understand. Most of us live in populated areas. Yet somehow the constant presence of other people doesn’t always fight back feelings of isolation and loneliness. Especially with the rise in popularity of iPods and personal music players. Just pop in those little white ear buds and the surrounding world disappears!

Anyways, if you like the song posted below, I highly recommend listening to the rest of Justin Townes Earle’s Official Website | MySpace | eMusic | Insound | Amazon | CD Baby | Amie Street EP Yuma, as well as his LP The Good Life. He has an amazing voice and a knack for penning gorgeous songs that perfectly articulate those universal feelings of heartbreak and loneliness. Which, coincidentally, sound amazing through the ear buds of an iPod.

[mp3] Justin Townes Earle - Yuma

I knew this day would come. It had to. Dogs normally don’t live fifteen years. Especially fifteen years with three rambunctious boys.

Yet somehow Molly endured. Far beyond even our most optimistic expectations. Even towards the end, when she couldn’t hear and struggled up and down the stairs, she still kept doing the things she loved: lying in the sun at the front door, wolfing down her food as though she hadn’t eaten in weeks, and doing her best imitation of my mom’s shadow.

Reality still hasn’t sunk in. My beloved dog is gone. She won’t be there at the door to greet me when I come home next time. And I won’t bring back nearly 3 pounds of dog hair with me to California.

So here’s to Molly, forever my little puppy. Here’s to the endless stream of stupid nicknames that flowed in her direction, the sleepless nights caused by her innate ability to hog the entire bed, the cute way she flicked snow up in the air with her nose, and the countless scraps of food she pilfered from the kitchen (including a Christmas ham from the refrigerator).

Here’s to the good times and the bad. Here’s to my faithful childhood companion. I’m going to miss you Molly.

[mp3] Sigur Rós - Andvari

First of all, thank you for all the responses to my survey. I apologize for being a little melodramatic. I’m not going to shut down my blog. If anything, I’m going to redesign and (possibly) expand it. Hopefully over the summer when I have more time.

I also apologize for my recent lack of activity. I’ve been extraordinarily busy with school. Specifically, writing papers about engineered system failures and national public policy. Needless to say, it’s difficult to follow topics like those with what I typically address on my lowly blog.

To make matters even worse, I’ve been struggling with the following question. How do you write about something so inherently personal? Subjectivity is, after all, part of music’s appeal. A song can be technically flawless, but that doesn’t mean everyone (or anyone) will like it. Music that makes some people “want to kill themselves” may, to others, serve as a crutch or an escape.

And while most critics try to remain objective when writing reviews, they do so at the expense of making sense. For example, when was the last time you read an entire write-up on cokemachineglow? I usually just check the rating at the top and maybe read the first paragraph. I find these types of reviews to be helpful only after I’ve listened to the music (and formed my own opinions). Only then do I care about what other people think.

All this may explain the rise of the blog. People aren’t looking for objective and critical analysis, they’re looking for guidance (at least when it comes to music). The best bloggers tend to be the most personal: they describe not only the overall sound or mood of the music (the context), but also their personal reaction to it (the opinion). Most importantly, they provide samples so you can listen and try it out yourself.

The context is the trickiest part. It usually involves potentially dangerous labels and associations. Defining the music’s genre or listing similar artists, while most times overly constrictive and sometimes marginalizing, provides crucial guidance. In fact, a quick check of the previous posts on a blog usually tells the reader all he or she needs to know about the quality of the site.

By now you might be asking yourself, “Where the hell are you going with this?” As it turns out, nowhere in particular. I actually may have gone in a giant circle. I started writing this article with the purpose of conveying the recent difficulties I’ve encountered writing on my blog. To that end, this post may have helped me overcome these difficulties. We won’t know for sure, however, until the semester ends in two weeks…

Until then, enjoy a couple songs that perfectly fit my current mood of apprehension and self-doubt.

[mp3] Ane Brun - To Let Myself Go
[mp3] Nina Nastasia - Superstar

I’ve been struggling with this question for a while now. Is music a necessity or merely a luxury afforded those who have their most basic needs met?

I know how I would answer it. As someone who’s scrobbled over 40,000 tracks on last.fm in the past 18 months, music would appear to be a necessity to me. If you do the math, I spend around 20% of my time listening to music. This is staggering, especially when you consider that approximately 30% of my life is spent sleeping.

The percentage calculated above, however, is misleading: I often multi-task while listening to music. It makes routine chores like homework and commuting tolerable. In fact, music makes my life in general much more enjoyable, which itself is an argument supporting its necessity.

But do we really need music to survive? Clearly it does not provide the nutrition of food or the safety of shelter. There are lots of people out there who never listen to music, either because they lack the opportunity or because they get no enjoyment from it. I’d like to think I could continuing living without ever hearing another song again.

The key word in that last sentence is “think.” I get restless if I haven’t listened to music in a couple days. It calms and soothes, stirs and inspires. It is intensely personal, yet can unite large groups of diverse people. Music offers an escape from reality, taking me back to precise moments in my life or forward to moments I hope to experience. The Album Leaf’s “Twentytwofourteen” takes me back to the winter I spent living in Truckee, while I can imagine playing Beirut’s “Postcards From Italy” at my wedding.

I guess I’ve been pondering this question because I often dream about making music my profession. Whether critiquing or creating, I seem to have a passion for it that most people don’t understand. At the same time, however, I want to be a productive member of society. And if music isn’t necessary, how can I justify working in the industry?

Maybe one justification can be found in people like me. Music has profoundly shaped and altered my life, and for that reason it is valuable. Maybe not necessary, but important nonetheless.

[mp3] Bon Iver - For Emma

The song posted above, the title track from Bon Iver’s Official Website | MySpace | eMusic | Insound | Amazon | CD Baby | Amie Street exquisite For Emma, Forever Ago, only reinforces the value and power of music. Despite having been recorded in a cabin in northern Wisconsin during the winter, the song exudes warmth.

Fans of Explosions In the Sky already know their new CD All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone comes out on February 20th. If you followed my advice and preordered the album online through the band’s website, you may even have it now (as I do).

What you may not realize, however, is that back in 2005 Explosions released an EP called The Rescue. Only available through a limited preorder on their label’s site, the EP was part of a series called Travels In Constants. Because of the somewhat secretive nature of its release, not many people knew about the EP until it was too late. After its release, I heard it was selling for over $100 on eBay. Despite the temptation, I held on to my copy.

Those of you who missed the preorder of The Rescue aren’t out of luck. Apparently you can buy the EP at their shows (which I’ve heard are amazing). Or you can download the entire EP on the band’s site, along with select songs from their other LP’s. I’ve provided direct links to the songs below:

1. [mp3] Explosions In the Sky - Day One
2. [mp3] Explosions In the Sky - Day Two
3. [mp3] Explosions In the Sky - Day Three
4. [mp3] Explosions In the Sky - Day Four
5. [mp3] Explosions In the Sky - Day Five
6. [mp3] Explosions In the Sky - Day Six
7. [mp3] Explosions In the Sky - Day Seven
8. [mp3] Explosions In the Sky - Day Eight

I also stumbled upon another interesting find at The National website. When Clap Your Hands Say Yeah toured with The National in 2005, I remember reading concert reviews detailing how half the audience would leave after Clap Your Hands finished. The reviews then went on to mention how the people who left missed a vastly superior headlining performance by The National.

While I’ve heard a few of their live mp3’s, they did not prepare me for what I was to find at their site. A fan of the band has posted three live videos from their 2005 tour. One of the featured songs is “About Today” (from my “Late Night Drinking” podcast) and it is nothing short of amazing. An extended intro and intense final climax push the song over the 8-minute mark. The National has definitely climbed near the top of my list of bands to see (though they’re probably still behind Explosions In the Sky).

[video] The National - About Today [live]

The other two videos can be found here.

Each month, Eugene Gordin contributes VolumeSessions, a column about music, digital world, and everything in between.

I have blogged here about Last.fm. I have stated that its an extremely powerful tool. But today, I’m going to make it a bit more powerful.

There is a very short list of things that Last.fm lacks, but its important to realize that there’s room for improvement. Although I’m pretty sure that things like today’s subject will be released officially by the Last.fm, they currently are not, and since joining last June, I haven’t figured out why.

Okay. Enough dancing around it. Last.fm records almost every aspect of our listening habits - how much you listen to individual songs, artists, albums, as well as when you listened to them. This is massive amounts of information, and yet the best visual representation of all of that information is a bar chart?

Maybe as an avid computer user, I demand more than bar charts based on popularity. Maybe as an engineer, I know that more is not only possible, but relatively straightforward to implement. Its high time that we can visually see how we listen to music, how diverse our listening habits are, and how they have changed over time.

Luckily, there are a few Last.fm users who have created their own visual representations of their musical habits. Enough talk. Here’s what I’m talking about: below are three charts, courtesy of Kalu Kalu’s visualization of music listening habits.

Kalu Kalu’s tool also explains the following, in addition to providing the graphs: “In terms of artists, 38% of the music you’ve listened to came from your top 10 artists, 62% came from your top 25 artists, and 81% came from your top 50 artists. Approximately 19% of the music you’ve listened to lies outside of your top 50 artists.”

Pie charts aren’t the only tools provided by the site. The graph below shows how much I listen to my top 50 artists relative to one another.

The site explains: “Your top 13 artists make up about 50% of the 7826 times you’ve listened to your top 50 artists. Recall that your top 50 artists account for 81% of all 9704 songs you’ve listen to.”

This kind of information isn’t available anywhere else. There’s a lot more than these two graphs on the site, so if you’re interested in visualizing your music habits, I highly recommend you check it out.

However, Kalu Kalu’s site isn’t alone. Hans Christoph Hudde provides additional music tools using your information from Last.fm. His additional charts show how the number of artists in your library changed over time, as well as the best positions of artists in your library. Those tools can be found here.

I found both of these tools through the Last.fm Stats group, which wasn’t available when I first had this idea of visualizing music listening habits, but now has connected people who are interested in this subject.

The final thought I leave you with is the future, since this area of music habit visualization is still mostly untapped and new. Music listening trends can be art within themselves, and nothing is more representative of that than Lee Byron’s Music Trend Poster. Its not public yet, though Lee said he’s working opening it soon for public use. Its stunning, beautiful, and most importantly, informational. The future is now.

Eugene Gordin is the author of interesting finds, a blog about computer hardware, software, and technology in general. Views expressed in VolumeSessions are his own. Feedback is welcome at eugene_AT_gordin.net.

Don’t get me wrong, 2006 was great, but 2007 is gonna be much better. I can feel it.

With a new Shins album due out January 23, a new Explosions In the Sky offering on February 20, and a new Modest Mouse release sometime early this year, it’s easy to see why 2007 will rock. By the way, make sure to preorder the new Explosions disc from Temporary Residence SOON to get a bonus disc with remixes (and when I say SOON, I mean by this weekend).

Here are some bands I desperately want to release a new album: Okkervil River, The National, Interpol, Arcade Fire, Bloc Party, Iron & Wine, Andrew Bird, and Sun Kil Moon. It’s been way too long. Maybe also Sigur Ros, My Morning Jacket, and Radiohead.

Here’s to a great new year!

Each month, Eugene Gordin contributes VolumeSessions, a column about music, digital world, and everything in between.

Have you ever wanted to find out what exactly is included in the entire Grateful Dead discography? What about every album My Morning Jacket has ever released? Well you could try looking at iLike.com or Last.fm, but neither site has the detail or sheer size that discogs.com can provide.

Discogs is a site devoted to cataloging musical discographies. With a Discog account, you can add the albums you have in your collection as well as add albums you want to your want-list for others to see.

One of the coolest parts of Discogs is the Discogs Marketplace where you can buy and sell albums using the Discogs site. It’s a great way to get the albums you want that may not be in your local record store’s USED section. It’s a very useful tool so check it out.

Eugene Gordin is the author of interesting finds, a blog about computer hardware, software, and technology in general. Views expressed in VolumeSessions are his own. Feedback is welcome at eugene_AT_gordin.net.