Even though I haven’t posted new music in a while, I’ve been sinking a lot of time into my site. Much of it has gone into behind-the-scenes stuff, but some of it is visible. For example, I’ve reorganized my Archives and Links pages and redesigned the footer at the bottom of each page (also below for convenience).

I hope to roll out a couple new features relatively soon. The first will be a Twitter widget on the sidebar of my front page which should help me fill in the sometimes lengthy gaps between posts. The second will involve resurrecting (and rebranding) my monthly podcast. Stay tuned for further detail.

Regarding my recent lack of activity: I should be back to my normal self once the semester ends next week. In the meantime, enjoy the song posted below. There’s not much I can say about it except this: it will crawl under your skin with its simple, gorgeous melody.

[mp3] The American Analog Set :: Aaron & Maria

Despite listening to an insane amount of music, I have yet to encounter the “perfect” album. To be clear, I define the “perfect” album as one containing absolutely no filler, sounding best when played in its entirety.

This honestly surprises me. With all the music I listen to, I thought there’d be at least one album in my collection that fits the bill. But no. Even my all-time favorites contain a few tracks I could live without. In 2008, Frightened Rabbit came pretty close with The Midnight Organ Fight. And in 2007, Menomena’s Friend and Foe flirted with perfection. But as good as these albums are, I still skip a few songs on each.

I’m starting to think I should lower my expectations. With the music industry fully embracing the internet, focus has shifted from albums to singles. Pretty soon, I envision some musicians abandoning the album format altogether. After all, if most people download only one or two tracks, why waste time and money recording the entire album?

Maybe I shouldn’t be so cynical. Every now and then I stumble upon an album or band that renews my faith in the music business. This time it’s 3 Rounds and a Sound, the stellar debut album from Blind Pilot, a tiny band from Portland, Oregon that apparently only tours via bicycle.

Musically speaking, 3 Rounds and a Sound breaks little new ground. I’d describe the album as a straightforward mix of rock, pop, and folk. But what it lacks in complexity it makes up for with raw emotion, beauty, and catchiness. Further proof that the best music is simple and direct.

And while 3 Rounds and a Sound still isn’t perfect, it’s damn close. I can’t remember the last time I heard such a confident, effortless debut. Maybe Bon Iver’s For Emma, Forever Ago. Anyways, I’ve posted two tracks from the album below: “Oviedo” (the opener) and “3 Rounds and a Sound” (the closer). Pick up the rest of the album to find out what happens in between. You won’t be disappointed.

[mp3] Blind Pilot :: Oviedo
[mp3] Blind Pilot :: 3 Rounds and a Sound

PS — I want “3 Rounds and a Sound” played at my wedding, along with Beirut’s “Postcards From Italy.” So romantic.

Sometimes I wish I was still a kid. Life was so much simpler back then — playing catch in the front yard until the last rays of light left the sky, building skateboard ramps in the driveway, cruising aimlessly around the neighborhood on my bike. No worrying about credit card bills, career paths, or social networks. No worrying about financial meltdowns, global warming, or terrorist attacks.

The problems confronting the world today seem unparalleled. But maybe they’ve always been this big; maybe I just never noticed them as a kid. And they’re getting pretty hard to ignore now. It seems like the more I learn, the more serious the problems become.

So how do we respond when faced with such daunting challenges? Barack Obama offered an answer to this question at his inauguration yesterday: stand united and work together towards a better future. It won’t be easy, but it needs to start happening. Soon.

And although I agree with him, I still miss the carefree days of childhood. Oddly enough, I’ve recently discovered two songs that remind me of those simpler times. Which is one of the many reasons I love music: a few well-placed notes can transport you to a different time and place, or even conjure up a long-forgotten memory.

The first song is “Kids” from MGMT’s Oracular Spectacular. In addition to its fitting title, “Kids” features a ridiculously catchy hook and some vague lyrics about growing up. After listening to this song a few times, it’s easy to see why MGMT topped so many lists at the end of 2008.

The second song, “Hands Remember” by Seabear (aka Sindri Már Sigfússon), sounds like a peaceful dream. A gorgeous string section accompanies Sigfússon’s gentle vocals. Again, the lyrics have a nostalgic feel, talking about revisiting and repeating the past. If you like this song, I highly recommend checking out the rest of The Ghost That Carried Us Away. It’s one of the best albums I’ve heard in a while.

[mp3] MGMT :: Kids
[mp3] Seabear :: Hands Remember

I didn’t actually see that many concerts in 2008, but the ones I did were incredible. So incredible that I’ve decided to spend an entire post reliving my favorite ones. This will effectively end my coverage of the best music of 2008. ‘Twas a great year, but I have a feeling 2009 will be even better!

MY MORNING JACKET :: GREEK THEATRE, BERKELEY, CA :: SEPTEMBER 19

From the very start, I wasn’t feeling this show. A heavy mist blanketed the Greek as My Morning Jacket took stage. They quickly launched into newer songs like “Evil Urges,” “Off the Record,” and “Aluminum Park” — definitely not my favorites. I worried the rest of the show would be similar. I thought about leaving early: the risk of catching pneumonia outweighed any enjoyment I might get from staying for the entire concert.

Or so I thought. After 30 minutes, the mist began to lift and MMJ started playing some older stuff. Before I knew it, I was rocking out on my air guitar (like an idiot) to songs like “Phone Went West” and “Dondante.”

Never before has this happened to me at a concert. Not the air guitar. I do that more than I care to admit. No, what I’m talking about is the complete turn around in my attitude. Usually once I lose interest, I’m not coming back. Yet somehow MMJ brought me back. Not an easy task. Well done, boys, well done.

[mp3] My Morning Jacket :: Tyrone

JUSTIN TOWNES EARLE :: HSBG 8, GOLDEN GATE PARK, SAN FRANCISCO, CA :: OCTOBER 5

This is the story about how Justin Townes Earle singlehandedly saved my first experience at the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival (or HSBG for short).

Getting to Golden Gate Park was quite the adventure, involving a Muni train packed to the gills, a cab ride cut short by insufficient funds, and a 15-block walk. When we finally arrived, we navigated through a sea of people to the stage where Iron & Wine was scheduled to play. We grabbed some overpriced (but delicious!) food and eventually found a spot to sit.

Despite a huge tree blocking my view of the stage, I was excited to see Iron & Wine play again. I became even more excited when Sam Beam took the stage for an entirely acoustic show. Sadly, my excitement didn’t last long. Sam listlessly stumbled through a set of music that should’ve been amazing.

After the disappointing first act, we again cut through a sea of people to the stage where Justin Townes Earle was playing. Thankfully, he was on a smaller stage. The sparse crowd made it much easier to find great seats. By the time Justin took stage, I felt a little better.

Over the course of the next hour my mood would only improve. Justin put on a remarkable show. Every song he played was a journey, transporting us to a simpler time and place. We were no longer in Golden Gate Park; we were somewhere in the south. Perhaps Tennessee or Georgia.

Throughout this journey, Justin effortlessly jumped between genres — from folk to rock to swing to blues. His bandmate Cory (aka “Swiss Army knife”) helped make it all possible. He played nearly every instrument under the sun. But he absolutely killed it on the harmonica. It was quite the sight.

But the true highlight of the show came at the end. Justin closed his set with an incredible version of “A Desolate Angels Blues.” The studio version of this song sends chills down my spine, especially the part near the end when everything cuts out except Justin’s vocals. But the live version was even better. The concert couldn’t have ended on a better note.

And that’s how Justin Townes Earle singlehandedly saved HSBG 8.

[mp3] Justin Townes Earle :: A Desolate Angels Blues

GRAND ARCHIVES with SERA CAHOONE :: SLIM’S, SAN FRANCISCO, CA :: JUNE 28

I already wrote about this concert here. Unfortunately, I can’t think of anything new to add to my review except for the following thoughts.

The timing of this show was perfect. My obsession with Sera Cahoone was beginning to fade and I hadn’t really given Grand Archives the attention they deserved. But witnessing both bands put on an amazing show rejuvenated my interest in their music.

I’m seeing Sera again at the end of this month (unfortunately, Grand Archives have been replaced by Fruit Bats). If it’s even half as good as the first time, we are all in for a real treat!

[mp3] Sera Cahoone :: Happy When I’m Gone
[mp3] Grand Archives :: Sleepdriving

According to iTunes, my 10 most-played songs of 2008 come from only two albums: Frightened Rabbit’s The Midnight Organ Fight and Sera Cahoone’s Only As the Day Is Long. Which probably explains how these two albums found themselves at the top of my Top 10 Albums of 2008 list.

But the above songs are not my Top 10 Songs of 2008 for several reason. First, it would be a little boring. Second, I would probably run into legal issues if I posted half the songs from those two albums. And third, my most-played tracks in iTunes are not necessarily my favorite songs of 2008.

With that said, I present my actual list below. The songs are ordered in a way that I think flows best. A zip file containing all 10 tracks is provided below for your convenience. Enjoy!

I begin my coverage of the best music of 2008 by resurrecting an idea from two years ago. It’s called the “New to Me” list and it has nothing to do with music released in 2008. Instead, it gathers a few excellent bands that I discovered this year, even though they have been around much, much longer. You might also call it the “I’m Embarrassed to Admit It Took Me So Long to Discover These Bands” list.

DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS

It’s crazy to think about how a simple action or decision can have huge consequences. At the trivial end of the spectrum, there’s the decision about which song to first listen to when you discover a new band. If you choose the wrong one, you might never listen to that band again.

That’s almost what happened to the Drive-By Truckers. A few year ago, after reading some glowing reviews, I decided to give the Truckers a try. I think I listened to “Puttin’ People On the Moon,” which can be downloaded for free at the band’s website here. The song’s odd pacing and hostile tone turned me off big time. I probably stopped the track halfway through, shelving the band after hearing only two minutes of their music.

Earlier this year, the Truckers released Brighter Than Creation’s Dark and again I read some pretty good reviews. I decided to give the band one last shot. This time, however, I listened to “Goddamn Lonely Love.” What a difference a song makes: it’s way more mellow than “Puttin’ People On the Moon.” If you’re a fan of sad bastard music like I am, you will absolutely love it. After a while, you might even warm up to “Puttin’ People On the Moon” (as I have).

[mp3] Drive-By Truckers :: Goddamn Lonely Love

JOSH RITTER

Last time I talked about Josh Ritter, I got a little carried away. I went on a mini rant about how Ritter, as a singer-songwriter, gets very little love from certain critics. Since writing that post, I’ve come to terms with the fact that not everyone will like the same music as me.

Despite a few lukewarm critical reviews, I really like Josh Ritter. Over the course of 5 albums, he’s changed his sound quite a bit. On Golden Age of Radio, my favorite Ritter album, he sounds like a twangy Dylan. On Hello Starling, he sounds like a folk troubadour. And on Animal Years, he sounds like an apocalyptic indie rocker.

Regardless of his sound, Ritter has maintained his knack for writing simple, affecting songs. To understand what I’m talking about, just listen to “Here At the Right Time,” the closing track on The Animal Years. It doesn’t get much better.

[mp3] Josh Ritter :: Here At the Right Time

CARISSA’S WEIRD

Why is it nearly impossible to track down anything released by Carissa’s Wierd? I’d really appreciate it if someone could answer this question for me. I’ve only been able to track down Songs About Leaving, which isn’t even their best album. The rest I had to download “illegally.”

I put the word illegally in quotes because I seriously doubt I’m breaking any laws by downloading an album that is out of print (and therefore can’t be purchased legally). Please correct me if I’m wrong. Anyways, after a little searching, I found a blog where you can download the band’s entire catalog (here).

And while I love free music, I wish I at least had the option to purchase their albums. Carissa’s Wierd wrote some of the most beautiful music I’ve ever heard (though sometimes their song titles can get a little out of hand — see below for proof). Unfortunately, the band split up in 2003 after releasing only 3 albums. I guess they wanted to end on a high note.

[mp3] Carissa’s Wierd :: Ignorant Piece of Shit

Because of the movies and TV, I think all musicians are complete jackasses. They trash hotel rooms, do tons of drugs (and groupies), and have egos the size of Texas. Obviously, this is a stereotype. I’m sure most musicians are very nice people. And those who happen to be jackasses were probably jackasses long before they were musicians.

The Spinto Band live at Bottom of the Hill

But I stray. I want to talk about my first ever band interview. On the day after Halloween, I had the opportunity to interview The Spinto Band before they played Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco. At first, I didn’t want to do it. I had never interviewed anyone before, let alone a popular indie band. Also — and I know this sounds quite stupid — I thought they would be mean to me. Probably because I believed all musicians to be jackasses. In the end, however, I decided it was too good of an opportunity to pass by.

Needless to say, I was a little nervous as I sat down to interview Jeff Hobson (drums) and Joe Hobson (guitar and backing vocals) from The Spinto Band. But before talking about the interview, let me first provide a brief history of the band.

The Spinto Band first started recording music in 1998. They self released a handful of albums over the course of a few years, finally gaining some notoriety in 2005 thanks to an infectious little song “Oh Mandy” and a lot of buzz from the blogosphere. They just released Moonwink, their second album on a major indie label, and are currently near the end of a North American tour with Frightened Rabbit. The Spinto Band has six members: Jon Eaton, Nick Krill, Thomas Hughes, Jeffrey Hobson, Sam Hughes, and Joe Hobson.

While it wasn’t my initial intention, I ended up using the interview to dispel my misconceptions about musicians. After a few questions, I soon realized that Jeff and Joe are really nice guys who enjoy playing and recording music. Not at all jackasses. Here are some interesting things I learned about them and the band:

• As you might expect, they sometimes get tired of playing the same songs over and over again at their shows.
• Whoever is driving the tour van has complete control of the radio.
• Being a professional musician hasn’t destroyed their love of music.
• “Oh Mandy” is not about a girl but rather a mandolin.
• They devote their free time to things other than music (like video games) and, somewhat surprisingly, don’t stay too current with the latest bands and releases.
• They like music blogs but sadly have never read mine.

Frightened Rabbit live at Bottom of the Hill

After interviewing Jeff and Joe, I bumped into Frightened Rabbit and chatted with them for a few minutes. Again, they were incredibly nice guys — not at all jackasses. I think I’ve finally gotten over my silly misconceptions about musicians.

As for the actual concert, neither band disappointed. Frightened Rabbit opened with a loud, emotional set. The highlight was definitely when Scott Hutchison stepped in front of his microphone and sang a truly acoustic version of “Poke.” The Spinto Band followed suit, playing with an insane amount of energy. All six members crammed onto the tiny stage and, quite amazingly, managed to avoid hitting each other during their spastic gyrations. They looked like they were having a lot of fun up there.

I know I definitely did.

[mp3] The Spinto Band :: Oh Mandy

Last night was, in a word, amazing. Simply amazing. One of those experiences that rejuvenates your soul and makes the daily grind seem almost tolerable. My previous encounter with this feeling came a year ago when I saw Menomena at the Independent (and probably also this past winter while snowboarding).

Last night Sera Cahoone and Grand Archives played at Slim’s in San Francisco and it was easily one of the best concerts I’ve seen. Both acts were exceptional. Sera opened the show with a set that couldn’t have been more perfect. Highlights included “Only As the Day Is Long,” “Baker Lake,” “Happy When I’m Gone,” “Couch Song,” and an incredible version of “You’re Not Broken.” Her vocals were spot-on and her backing band equally impressive (especially the guy on lap steel).

Following her set, she sat at the merch table and chatted with fans. I asked her to sign my copy of Only As the Day Is Long and happily purchased a t-shirt from her. I hope she starts headlining shows in the future. She is a phenomenal musician and songwriter.

It took me a little while to come down from my Cahoone-induced high, but when I did, I found myself in the middle of the Grand Archives’ set. I honestly would’ve been happy if they played “Sleepdriving” and nothing else, but I actually enjoyed some of their other songs more, especially “Torn Blue Foam Couch,” “George Kaminski,” and a raucous version of “Crime Window.” The true highlight, however, was a duet version of “Louis Riel” featuring Sera Cahoone and Mat Brooke.

The show ended around 11:30pm but I wanted more. Unfortunately, this was the last stop of their tour, so I can’t tell you to go see them for yourself. Which is a true shame because they all looked like they were having a great time playing together. Instead of catching them live, I recommend reading my previous posts (here and here), downloading the songs below, and purchasing their albums if you enjoy. And then hope they decide to tour together again in the future.

[mp3] Sera Cahoone :: Only As the Day Is Long
[mp3] Sera Cahoone :: Happy When I’m Gone
[mp3] Grand Archives :: Sleepdriving
[mp3] Grand Archives :: Torn Blue Foam Couch

The city of Seattle has long been a hotbed of music and culture. And it’s easy to see why. During my brief 3 day visit last summer, I completely fell in love with the city and its many vibrant neighborhoods.

But this was skewed picture. The weather, usually overcast and dreary, was sunny and warm when I visited. In other words, not your typical Seattle experience. The contrast between the ephemeral beauty of summer and seemingly permanent bleakness of the other seasons can explain, at least partially, the type of music that emanates from the city.

Back in the 90’s, Seattle more or less gave birth to grunge music. Today, it is home to the Sub Pop record label and some of indie rock’s most influential bands.

Consider, for example, Carissa’s Weird. Formed in Seattle in 1995, the band recorded three albums before splitting in 2003. Members included Mat Brooke, Jenn Ghetto, Ben Bridwell, Sarah Standard, and Sera Cahoone. Together, they created some of the most uplifting slowcore music ever recorded, accented by Sarah Standard’s phenomenal violin playing. Their songs are consistently sad, but also incredibly beautiful, in many ways mirroring Seattle’s climate.

Since the band’s split in 2003, Mat Brooke and Ben Bridwell created the band Nov. 16 before changing its name to Band of Horses. Jenn Ghetto formed the band S and Sera Cahoone started a solo career. Later, Mat Brooke left Band of Horses to front Grand Archives.

Despite these different directions, the former members of Carissa’s Wierd have maintained their distinct Seattle sound. And while the reunion of these insanely-talented musicians might be a dream come true, it’s also fun to watch where they go on their own.

The following Regional Mix samples only some of the fallout from Carissa’s Wierd. I have yet to listen to anything released by S and Sera Cahoone doesn’t really fit the mood (though she is amazing nonetheless). Despite these omissions, I hope you enjoy the mix!

• [mp3] Carissa’s Wierd :: The Color That Your Eyes Changed With the Color of Your Hair
• [mp3] Carissa’s Wierd :: All Apologies and Smiles, Yours Truly, Ugly Valentine
• [mp3] Carissa’s Wierd :: Fluorescent Lights
• [mp3] Carissa’s Wierd :: Some Days Are Better Than Others
• [mp3] Nov. 16 :: I’d Like to Think
• [mp3] Band of Horses :: I Go to the Barn Because I Like the
• [mp3] Band of Horses :: Monsters
• [mp3] Grand Archives :: Sleepdriving

As usual, a zip file containing all 8 songs is provided here

Also, Grand Archives (supported by Sera Cahoone) are currently on tour. I highly recommend seeing them if they visit a city near you! I know I will!