Phosphorescent- Here's to Taking it Easy

On my drive home I have two ways to get to my garage, one is a direct route which is a straight line from where I was coming—the other is a trip around a neighboring block that brings me coming to the garage from another direction giving me thirty more seconds to my drive. Why would I do such a seemingly inconvenient thing? “Mermaid Parade” by Phosphorescent. Rarely does a song come along that is so fantastic that I feel the need to add that extra thirty seconds to my drive just to keep listening.
Phosphorescent aka Matthew Houck’s latest album is called “Here’s To Taking it Easy” which completes the transformation he was hinting at with his last album “To Willie” a surprisingly fantastic cover record that dove deep into the Nelson catalogue with satisfying results combining the mysterious and sometimes weary style of “Pride” with a clear interest in his childhood heroes and influences of true American-made Country music.
The new record is a full on country record, backed by a full band that could easily be the backing band to any honky-tonk act in a no-name southern town, providing a true intimate feeling. The standout track though, “The Mermaid Parade” is a personal almost voyeuristic look into the narrators mind, wondering if his girlfriend is still thinking about him as he thinks of her—a subject almost every listener can relate to. The song progresses to him admitting that he is with someone and he heard she too with someone, an older, married man and he gives a sincere “aw you be careful m’am” But it is the following line that really hits home, after the well wishes and reminiscing it seems as though he can not help himself straying before the chorus with a soulful and almost defeated “oh goddamn it Amanda, oh god damn”. It is as if verbalizing the fact she is with another man made him burst out in the calling, barely fitting in the feel of that bar band from Nashville, as you sit with your back to them and a glass of Jim in your hand, hearing that line being enough for you to turn around and start listening to the band. Just enough to jar up those memories of the one that got away. Grab the album if you’re taking a road trip through any southern states this summer or just sitting in the backyard sipping a beer on a faded away night, the record is worth a listen.

Take a listen to "The Mermaid Parade"

Band of Horses- Infinite Arms

Alright all biases aside, I love Band of Horses. Looking at my music collection, you’ll most likely be able to tell that I have a love for Southern rock and true country music, especially alt-country. Thusly Band of Horses are right up my alley. I first heard them by a suggestion and a quick grab of their cd from a now defunct local record store before a road trip. I listened to the first track aptly named “The First Song” and never really made it past that until about a year later when I gave the whole album the once through and absolutely fell in love. Worried they might be a one album band I waited to listen to their second until I felt I had fully absorbed the first.
When I finally got around to the second I was impressed, slower, quiet songs on the second half of the album but the band was sure to keep the listener on their toes by throwing in perhaps the best track on the album “Cigarettes, Wedding Bands” late on the record. Maintaining the important balance between the fast and slow paced songs on the b-side of the album.

After these two my hopes were clearly very high for “Infinite Arms” being patient past all the leaks to finally grab the vinyl the day it came out. I must say though, I’m let down.

The album starts out strong, with a song we’ve expected from Band of Horses keeping their usual upbeat rock tune, but from there it kind of lets down. The band has always played larger venues from their start, they are by most regards, a modern day arena-rock band, not in the sense of Poison or Metallica though, it’s a closer relation to the concerts of Lynyrd Skynyrd, lead Ben Bridwell often sporting a cowboy hat and always a beard that would make the most grizzly backwoodsman proud. And there surely were those arena rock songs on their past records, look at “The Great Salt Lake,” “Weed Party,” or the aforementioned “Cigarettes, Wedding Bands”, I mean they are on tour with Pearl Jam right now if those don’t clairify the point for you. Regardless, I found myself waiting for that turn-the-volume-up-all-the-way track on the album as I gave it the once through, but it never came.

Bridwell gave up the sole songwriting duties for this record, which may be to blame. There are a few standout tracks however, looking at my personal favorite, formally named “Bartles + James” renamed “Neighbor” for the albums final release, it is the track that I could see myself listening to the most. It’s a Ford F-150, nighttime drive song, for those who can relate to that. The band has always had a track late, or last on the album that had Bridwell’s hushed vocals over minimal music and those have always been stand out tracks, I’m glad to see they kept with this tradition at least on “Infinite Arms” overall though, I am a bit disappointed—Perhaps my hopes were too high, or perhaps this album will just take some growing on me.. only time will tell.


STREAMING SONG REMOVED BY REQUEST

Dom- Sun Bronzed

Dom--I heard so much about them before I heard them. I feel like they were destined to be good after not hearing a single bad review, the few reviews that were out there but those that did chose to cover them did so in an abundance. I heard a lot of comparisons to the band Girls, whom I also loved but after grabbing the "Sun Bronzed" EP off iTunes, I didn't really hear it--Girls are rock this is more electronic. Regardless, the chorus of the first song "Living in America" is "It's so sexy/living in America" I mean come on, that's awesome! And also a fact.
The EP does not disappoint the whole way through, I find myself putting it on when I scroll through my iPod on my daily dog walks when I can't find anything else to listen to, it's becoming a standby for good tunes for good weather. The lyrics are a bit tougher to decipher but it doesn't matter because the music is cheery and keeps a little dance-hop in your step. In fact, I would be surprised if you didn't start nodding your head a bit while listening to this, try it--I bet you'll catch yourself soaking in the good vibes from this record.
"Rude as Jude" starts of with a killer catchy guitar riff followed by some blissed out vocals, in tune with what is feeling good in the music world right now, kind of tip-toeing between a pop song and something darker, the whole time maintaining something never the less upbeat.
Grab this one for your cookout playlist, or for some relaxing times as the sun continues to grace us with her presence.

Listen to Rude as Jude below-

Twin Sister- Color Your Life EP

I'm back ya'll. Pulled off some good grades and got a good job this summer. Most importantly I've sifted through the outpouring of new music that I've come across these past months and am ready to share it will you. I'm not going to beat around the bush either and talk about all the 'okay' artists I've found waiting to reveal the best ones--we're starting from the top here. Twin Sister. Wow. Stumbled across this band's blog (found here) during one of my classes that was in the computer lab, popped in a head phone and listened to their first EP which they offer for free on their site, and was so impressed that I did not do work that day but listened to this album on repeat. When class was over I power walked home and promptly downloaded it and have been in a summertime daze ever since.
The lead singer, Andrea Estella (what a name) has such a unique voice, yet it nods to several female vocalists that I've loved dearly for some time. It is smoky and raspy in a quiet/firm way. The music seems to be a call to 1980's pop, like Cocteau Twins, but does so in a way that you aren't thinking it, I had to really think to get a band this reminded me of for introduction purposes. I would describe their sound as lush perhaps, without trying to be overly done. The EP "Color Your Life" seems to almost be unfinished in some aspects. The band clearly has a lot ahead of them, and seemed to be eager to release their music to the world, as a child realizing that he is making a good drawing might rush through the rest to run and show mom. However the whole thing does sound complete, like a complete thought- I think I'm just excited to see what they come out with for their first full length. They seem to have their heads on straight and surely will put out what is to be a 'top of the top 10 end of the year list' album. Grab this one for the not so sunny summer days or the overcast beach days that are still warm enough to lay out on a towel.

Download their first EP "Vampires with Dreaming Kids" straight from the band here

And Listen to standout track "All Around and Away We Go"