The CHIRP Blog

Caitlin Lavin writesCaitlin Lavin’s Best of 2009

Throughout the month of December we’ll be posting lists of the best music of the year as determined by the volunteers that make CHIRP what it is. Today’s is from CHIRP DJ, Caitlin Lavin.

Woods – Songs of Shame (Woodsist) Amazon / Insound / iTunes
If I was making some sort of pseudo-indie flick of nihilism and despair, sitting on my couch w/ the phone of the hook in a lobotomized state – “Military Madness” would be the background music.
Thee Oh Sees – Help (In The Red) Amazon / Insound / iTunes
The best description I’ve seen of Thee Oh Sees is “Mamas and the Papas” in a blender. This record is an amazing, rockin’ romp of tunes. Do you remember that scene in High Fidelity where they put on the Beta Band and someone asked who it was? That was my challenge at the Record Fair w/ “Ruby Go Home” …and it worked
Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest (Warp) Amazon / Insound / iTunes
A popular artist that I didn’t spend to much time with before, I thought they were too sleepy for me. Strive for perfection is apparent in this album, multiple layers, multiple voices – brilliant. “Two Weeks” is my song of the year – it puts a smile on my face every time I hear it. I especially love the “ooh-wee-ooh” doo-wop throw back vocals at the end.
Fresh & Onlys – Self-Titled (Castle Face) Amazon / Insound / iTunes
Colleagues of Thee Oh Sees, on John Dwyer’s label Castle Face. Another super fun garage rock album from San Francisco. “Peacock and Wing” makes me incredibly, blissfully happy. I wish someone would say to me “You should really be my fresh and only – You have a smile on my face that I can always see only…” Way to throw the band name in there, guys.
The Fiery Furnaces – I’m Going Away (Thrill Jockey) Amazon / Insound / iTunes
Let me preface this review that before I would never consider myself a Fiery Furnaces fan. Their angular-rock-pop never quite got through to me. So I would never imagine that one of their records would be on my end of year list. Just adding a little more fun, a little more melody and I think a bit of easy going made this record for me. After this record, I want to hang out w/ Charmaine Champagne, Johnny Ramero, and all the other characters mentioned in this album.
Dutchess & The Duke – Sunset/Sunrise (Hardly Art) Amazon / Insound / iTunes
Sunset/Sunrise is further testament that the 60’s were an amazing time for music. There is an obvious surge in psychedelic and garage rock revival, but the Dutchess & the Duke leans towards the pop balladry of early Rolling Stones and Velvet Underground. Influenced by the time when these bands were known as musicians and not for their reputations. Their lyrics are simple and straightforward, but not lazy. The sound is all too familiar, but still very new.
Bowerbirds – Upper Air (Dead Oceans) Amazon / Insound / iTunes
Quickly became one of my favorites of the year. I liked their last record 2008’s “Hymns for a Dark Horse” – and I thought this was a cult-ish folk family group, because it sounds like there were many singers and performers. I was surprised that the group is a trio, but perhaps they still are a folk family group all their own. This album is a little more subdued and pulled back from the last album, but that hesitation is still excellent. Can’t beat the lovely female vocals over accordion, either.
Sonny and the Sunsets – Tomorrow Is All Right (Soft Abuse) Amazon / Insound / iTunes
Is there anything that came out of San Francisco this year that wasn’t awesome? This release, featuring the works of Sonny Smith – is a collective featuring other SF mainstays like Kelly Stoltz, Tim and Shayde from Fresh & Onlys, and sometimes John Dwyer adds to the mix. This release is a little more poppy than the other garage-rock driven SF bands, with comical Jonathan Richman-esque lyrics.
Pisces – A Lovely Sight (Numero Group) Amazon / Insound / iTunes
The Summer of Love took place not in the Haight-Ashbury, or in the East Village, but in Rockford, IL. A never before released psych record from 1968 is one unsettling acid trip. Haunting and imaginative, how come this album was looked over?
Death – …For the Whole World To See (Drag City) Amazon / Insound / iTunes
Another fantastic record that was looked over during the time that it was recorded, never before released until this year. Three brothers from Detroit, were playing R&B in the early 1970s, but were inspired by proto-punk bands of the area – the Stooges and MC5. Together they created seven songs that were just as jam kickin’ as their peers. Apparently, they were rejected by the labels because of their name – but let’s be fortunate that the world is not nearly as narrow-minded now a day, so we can all finally “see” this record.

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Categorized: Best Albums of the Year

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Jenny Lizak writesMake the call for the Local Community Radio Act!

Dear Friend of CHIRP,

We are so pleased to report that the Local Community Radio Act is moving along quickly in the House of Representatives, and may be voted on next week! The bill has never been this far, and we feel confident that we will prevail in passing it out of the House. However, we need your help to make sure that this happens. This Monday December 13, 2009, we are asking all friends and supporters of CHIRP to participate in CHIRP House of Representatives Call In Day.

The Chicago Independent Radio Project (CHIRP) asks you to tell your Representative to VOTE YES on The Local Community Radio Act of 2009 (HR 1147). There are currently over 800 LPFM stations operated by schools, churches, civic groups, and other nonprofit organizations across the country – but, because of limitations imposed by Congress in 2000, there are still many more groups like CHIRP who are waiting for LPFM service to be expanded so we can have a chance to apply for a station too. The Local Community Radio Act of 2009 (HR 1147 / S 592) would expand Low Power FM radio, potentially opening the airwaves to tens of thousands of new community radio stations across the country.

Please help CHIRP have a chance to apply for a low power FM signal by asking your Representative to VOTE YES when the Local Community Radio Act comes to the floor – maybe as soon as next week! It takes just a few minutes to make one phone call following the instructions below, and you’ll be helping ensure that this bill passes in the House of Representatives next week!

ACTION STEPS FOR CHIRP HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CALL IN DAY

Look up your Congressional Representative. Go to http://www.congress.org if you don’t know who your Representative is.
Find out if he or she is a co-sponsor of the Local Community Radio Act.
Call your representative and follow the appropriate script below.

For your convenience, we have provided a list of Illinois-area representatives, their phone numbers, and where they stand on the Act.

ALREADY CO-SPONSORS

“Hi, my name is (NAME) and I’m calling from Chicago, Illinois. I’m calling Representative (NAME) today to thank her/him for her/his support of the Local Community Radio Act, HR 1147. This bill is important to me because I am a supporter of the Chicago Independent Radio Project, a group working to bring a low power FM community radio station to Chicago. This Local Community Radio Act will expand low power FM radio service to hundreds of community organizations, churches and other groups like CHIRP across the country. I thank the Representative for taking leadership on this issue, and hope that she/he will continue to do everything possible to help this Act pass in 2009. The Act is going to come to the floor of the House for a vote this week, and I would like to ask that the Representative do everything that he/she can to help it pass. Can I count on the Representative for her/his support? Thank you.”

District 2 Rep. Jackson, Jesse – (202) 225-0773
District 4 Rep. Gutierrez, Luis – (202) 225-8203
District 17 Rep. Hare, Phil – (202) 225-5905
District 14 Rep. Foster, Bill (202) 225-2976
District 15 Rep. Johnson, Timothy – 202-225-2371
District 9 Rep. Schakowsky, Janice – (202) 225-2111

NOT CURRENT CO-SPONSORS

“Hi, my name is (NAME) and I’m calling from Chicago, Illinois. I’m calling Representative (NAME) today to ask her/him for her/his support of the Local Community Radio Act, HR 1147. This bill is important to me because I am a supporter of the Chicago Independent Radio Project, a group working to bring a low power FM community radio station to Chicago. This Local Community Radio Act will expand low power FM radio service to hundreds of community organizations, churches and other groups like CHIRP across the country. I am asking Representative (NAME) to join with his/her colleagues in signing on as a co-sponsor of the Act, and voting YES next week when the Act comes to the floor of the House for a vote. Can I count on the Representative for her/his support and vote of YES? Thank you.”

District 1 Rep. Rush, Bobby – 202-225-4372
District 3 Rep. Lipinski, Daniel – (202) 225-5701
District 5 Rep. Quigley, Mike – 202.225.4061 (CHIRP’s office is in his district)
District 6 Rep. Roskam, Peter – (202) 225-4561]
District 7 Rep. Davis, Danny 202/225-5006
District 8 Rep. Bean, Melissa 202-225-3711
District 10 Rep. Kirk, Mark 202-225-4835
District 11 Rep. Halvorson, Deborah (202) 225-3635
District 12 Rep. Costello, Jerry (202) 225-5661
District 13 Rep. Biggert, Judy 202-225-3515
District 16 Rep. Manzullo, Donald (202) 225-5676
District 18 Rep. Schock, Aaron 202.225.6201
District 19 Rep. Shimkus, John (202) 225-5271

IF YOU’RE FROM OUTSIDE ILLINOIS, YOU CAN FIND YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND THEIR CONTACT INFORMATION AT CONGRESS.ORG.

GENERAL TIPS FOR CALLING CONGRESS

Call during regular business hours (between 9am and 5pm), when Congressional offices are open.
You’ll most likely be speaking with an assistant to the Congressperson who will take down your name, address, and a note about what bill you are calling about, which side of the position you are on, and what you are asking the Congressperson to do. Speak clearly and slowly so they can understand you.
Always be polite! Your call is a reflection on all supporters, and loosing your head could hurt our cause. Remember that the staffer who answers the phone may be busy, overworked, or unfamiliar with the issue.
Add in your personal connection to the Act – tell your Congressperson why this issue affects you. For example, if you are a musician, you may want to talk about how your band could get more exposure on an LPFM radio station.
Keep your call brief, no more than five minutes.
If you are transferred to a voicemail, leave your name, address (including zip code) and one or two sentences about the bill and what you are asking the Congressperson to do.
When you’re finished, hand the phone to a friend, roommate, family member or co-worker, and ask them to call too. The more calls in one day, the more impact!

Thank you so much for your help!
—the CHIRP legislative team

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Categorized: CHIRP Radio News and Info.

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'O Celestial Golfball That Rules The Night... writesDavid Staples’ Best of 2009

Throughout the month of December we’ll be posting lists of the best music of the year as determined by the volunteers that make CHIRP what it is. Today’s is from CHIRP volunteer, David Staples.

National Skyline – Bliss & Death (Self-Released) Amazon / iTunes
National Skyline grew from the broken pieces of Hum. Only available through download, Bliss & Death is an epic and emotional roller coaster, and by far my personal favorite release from Nat. Skyline. It’s a shoegaze wall of sound flavored with layered guitar harmony. I can’t say enough. Ok… I’ll go ahead and say it: This is the best album I’ve heard in years.
Camera Obscura – My Maudlin Career (4ad) Amazon / Insound / iTunes
his album breaks my heart every time I hear it. Tracyanne Campbell’s voice is simply arresting. Of the eleven songs on the album, I called nine of them my favorite of the bunch at one time or another during the period that I spent steeping and soaking and immersing myself in this outstanding release.
Engineers – Three Facts Fader (K Scope) Amazon / Insound / iTunes
My Shoegaze appreciation indicator needle redlined and then snapped with a rifle sound when I first heard this. This is just the kind of trancey Shoegaze bliss that a fella could get lost in (..could also make you drive faster than you’d intended, or maybe miss your train stop). These guys have been around for awhile, but this is only their second release in the past 5 years.
Andrew Bird – Noble Beast (Fat Possum) Amazon / Insound / iTunes
This was my first exposure to Andrew Bird which makes it harder to compare it to his earlier releases, but I’ll say this: If you’re into masterful violin, lyric and whistling that’s waaay better than the temp in the cubicle next to you.. then you’re in the right place, kiddo. This album is full of songs that patiently build & grow to fill your room or headphones. Shut your eyes and smile.
Neko Case – Middle Cyclone (Anti) Amazon / Insound / iTunes
The first track, “This Tornado Loves You” grabbed me by the throat immediately. I listened to it over and over so many times that it took me days to come to the realization that the rest of the album was just as perfect. Neko Case’s vocals are what makes it so great. Piercing and sharp enough to shake down a brick building, warm enough to warp your record collection.. (if you leave it too close to the speakers)
Isis – Wavering Radiant (Ipecac) Amazon / Insound / iTunes
I’m definitely not a fan of “cookie monster” vocals. I’m normally put off by it, but Isis uses them as ‘another tool in the box’ rather than as a foundation of the sound that makes up Isis. In this context it’s not only tolerable, but completely at home and quite essential. I don’t know how to categorize Isis, but if i were pressed, I’d probably end up calling it “odyssey metal”. There are layers and layers, and songs within songs here, and the whole thing feels the soundtrack to a Homerian or Tolkenian epic. (am I being mellow-dramatic?)
Dinosaur Jr. – Farm (Jagjaguwar) Amazon / Insound / iTunes
The ninth full album from Dinasour Jr since they began in the mid-80’s, Farm took me by surprise. I thought “how can these guys keep making great music? aren’t they just milking the whole reunion tour thing?”. But no, despite my lack of expectations it won me over instantly. (I should know better, I suppose). Farm features twelve songs of great guitar work from J. Mascis, and those who followed Lou Barlow to Sebadoh and Folk Implosion will be able to hear his influence throughout the album. I especially enjoy the songs Lou Barlow wrote and sings, such as “Imagination Blind” and “your weather”.
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – Self-Titled (Slumberland) Amazon / Insound / iTunes
The Pains of Being Pure At Heart are a noisy and upbeat indie rock band from New York City. This ten song Debut full length album of theirs wants to be played loudly. This stuff brightens your mood and quickens your pulse (its good music to clean your apartment to. You’ll be done in half the time!) A couple of the songs on this album remind me of pre-Lovless My Bloody Valentine. I guess it’s just that same kind of happy distortion that I associate between the two.
Metric – Fantasies (Metric Music Intl.) Amazon / Insound / iTunes
Sexy indie-stadium pop from Canada. Here’s another one that dominated my playlist for weeks when I first got it. Fantasies is solid, catchy and high energy album. Any of the first twelve songs could stand on their own in a mix CD for your new girlfriend or boyfriend. <3 😉
It Hugs Back – Inside Your Guitar (4ad) Amazon / Insound / iTunes
This album came out of nowhere for me. I still don’t remember where I first heard it, but who cares?
It’s all a dose of blissfull dream pop wholesomeness. Soft vocals and warm melodies are plenty. This is one of those albums that I found myself playing back in my head as I wandered through the grocery store or at work. I love it when that happens because it simmers and brews in my head all day and I have something to look forward to as soon as I get my hands on my little electric jukebox.

Short list of best albums not from 2009 that I only just now discovered:

Torche – Meanderthal (from 2008) Amazon / Insound / iTunes
Torche is currently a three piece outfit from Miami Florida. Fast and heavy sludge metal, Meanderthal is a solid album from top to bottom and the songs fit together nicely. One notable example is the way “Healer” runs into “Across The Sheilds” (songs 6 and 7). This album charges me up and just flat-out blows my mind. There should be an Interview with lead guitar & vocalist Steve Brooks on The Apparatus quite soon.

Witchcraft – The Alchemist (from 2007) Amazon / Insound / iTunes
Black Sabbath-esque doom metal from Sweden. These guys sound like they stepped out of the 70s with their vintage sound. The lyrics are mostly in English, but a bit of Swedish (I assume) too. Great stuff… very listenable.

Band of Horses – Cease to Begin (2007) & Everything All the Time (2006) Amazon / Insound / iTunes
As Neko Case is the Female Vocalist whose voice can pierce through 2 inches of military grade steel, Band of Horses’ Ben Bridwell is the Male counterpart. I’m late on the bandwagon, they’ve been pretty well exposed before I ended up hearing them for the first time in a freestyle street bike video:
[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z19zFlPah-o]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z19zFlPah-o[/url]

Very, very short list of albums that I’ve only heard once as of the writing of this list, and therefore didn’t deem it fair to include them (it) on the list despite the fact that it’s awesome:

Them Crooked Vultures – Self-Titled (Columbia) Amazon / Insound / iTunes
Josh Homme, Dave Grohl, and a little bassist known the world over as John Paul Jones. (!) Supergroups often don’t live up to expectations to say the least. However, when I listened to this album at a friend’s house, my skeptical ear did not find one single half-baked or hokey moment throughout. TCV has my attention, and I’m going out to buy it right… nowwww… P.S. you can clearly hear the John Paul Jones signature in the basslines, and that’s awesome.

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Categorized: Best Albums of the Year

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Mike Bennett writesiPod/MP3 Friday Shuffle — Happy Birthday Brenda Lee Edition

After four years in retail, I developed Christmas Music Aversion. An overload of festive cheer generally has made me a Scrooge when it comes to the holiday tunes. But a few songs are so good, they break down my resistance. One of those songs is from Little Miss Dynamite, the classic “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” by Brenda Lee. So I thought it would be a great idea to honor Miss Lee on her birthday, for making this season a little more tolerable. If everyone could grab his or her iPod/MP3 player, hit shuffle and share the first 10 tunes that come up, maybe there really could be peace on earth and good will to men, in a new old fashioned way.

Eggstone — The Dog (Somersault): An amazing modern power pop track from this Swedish band. A lot of ’90s power pop showed some influence from Husker Du (loud melodic guitars) and Pixies (dynamics). That’s evident on this song, which mixes chirpy verses with explosive guitar fueled choruses, and then moves on to a whimsical sing-song middle eight, a killer twang guitar solo and then a pretty instrumental coda to bring it to a close. Of course, they never equaled this on either of their albums.
John Lee Hooker — Tease Me (The Legendary Modern Recordings): Boy, my iPod is in love with this John Lee Hooker compilation. I won’t complain about that.
Buck Owens — Nobody’s Fool But Yours (The Buck Owens Collection): This was not a major Buck Owens hit, but it is sure cut from the same cloth. Yep, maybe some of Buck’s honky-tonk songs were forumulaic, but his expressive voice that is sunny on top, wtih heartbreak underneath, and Don Rich’s pithy lead guitar parts and perfect harmony vocals always sound great.
The Wonder Stuff — Unbearable (Eight Legged Groove Machine): In the late ’80s, The Wonder Stuff were an aggressive Brit pop band with an ultra-sarcastic lyrical stance:* “I didn’t like you very much when I met you/and now I like you even less.” Lead singer Miles Hunt could really craft a hook and the band was really tight and this debut album holds up pretty well today.
The Negro Problem — Father Popcorn (Welcome Back): There was a great L.A. pop scene in the mid-‘90s, featuring creative bands like The Wondermints, Cockeyed Ghost and The Negro Problem. This band was led by Stew, who went on to win a Tony Award for his semi-autobiographical musical Passing Strange. Stew’s music encompassed a lot of territory, from classic songwriters like Burt Bacharach and Jimmy Webb, to some of Love’s hippier stuff, with just the right amount of muscle. This song showcases Stew’s expressive voice, which is a bit gruff but more than able to handle his fantastic melodies.
The Shangri-Las — Right Now And Not Later (The Best Of The Shangri-Las): I love the classic ’60s girl group sound and The Shangri-Las were to the girl group sound what The Sonics were to garage rock. With Mary Weiss on lead vocals, they were the baddest girls on the block. This is a proto-feminist song with Weiss demanding that her guy commit to her, and if not, she’s finding someone else.
Yello — Swing (You Gotta Say Yes To Another Excess): Unfairly pigeonholed as a novelty act due to the ubiquity of “Oh Yeah” (featured in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and many other movies, subsequently), Yello started off as a really bizarre synth-rock act on Ralph Records, and graduated to being a quirky synth-pop act on a major label. I’d give 2-1 odds that The Cure’s Robert Smith listened to this song before penning “Love Cats”, as there are some foundational similarities. This is a cool faux-jazz head bopper with a debonair vocal by the always debonair Dieter Meier.
Happy Hate Me Nots — When I Die (The Good Thats…): Dale Gardner introduced me to this smoking Aussie punk band. They put their own twist on the R & B fueled punk sounds of The Saints, developing a distinctive sound. The Happy Hate Me Nots simply explode out of the speakers, the urgency and passion of their music evident with every note.
Uncle Tupelo — Postcard (Still Feel Gone): The evolution of Uncle Tupelo from a rocking band with some rootsy influences into alt-country standard bearers is a great story. But I wish they could have stayed in their rock phase for an album or two longer. This Jay Farrar song does a great job balancing aggressive guitars with quieter country moments. Although the band’s identity morphed a great deal, there was never a point where they weren’t distinctive, and part of that is due to Farrar’s great voice (and that Tweedy fellow wasn’t too bad either, as I recall).
Jethro Tull — Locomotive Breath (Aqualung): I became a Jethro Tull fan when a friend of mine was able to get me some stray promos of some of the band’s older albums. I had no real opinion on Tull one way or another before then, that I recall. Listening to these scattered albums, I was struck by how whatever Ian Anderson did, he was usually working with basic English folk song structures, in a way I found appealing. On Aqualung, these motifs are married to some terrific guitar riffs, while Anderson, when he’s not rocking the flute, rants about the evils of organized religion. This is second tier classic rock staple and Anderson’s anger and disgust is palpable.

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Categorized: Friday MP3 Shuffle

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Jenny Lizak writesJenny Lizak’s Best of 2009

Throughout the month of December we’ll be posting lists of the best music of the year as determined by the volunteers that make CHIRP what it is. Today’s is from CHIRP’s Vice President and Legislative Wonder Woman, Jenny Lizak.

St. Vincent – Actor (4ad) Amazon / Insound / iTunes
Annie Clark’s saintly voice and beautifully crafted songs have made this onetime backup gal to Sufjan Stevens’ someone to watch this year, and in the future.
Them Crooked Vultures – Self-Titled (Columbia) Amazon / Insound / iTunes
Most rock supergroups have a tendency towards train wrecks, but Them Crooked Vultures breaks the mold – probably because Dave Grohl and Josh Homme are themselves still so worshipful of Jean Paul Jones. It’s rare to see a band that seems to be having this much fun together, and that joy brings an all out exuberance to their never-gonna-stop rock. I saw them live, they blew my mind.
Tegan and Sara – Sainthood (Sire Records) Amazon / Insound / iTunes
The sisters are back with their sixth album, and they continue to be a delight. What’s not delightful is their attempts to write together – a failed New Orleans experiment was totally scrapped, and on this album the pair continues to alternate songwriting duties. Hey, anyone who has tried to work with their sibling knows, Sainthood ain’t easy.
Neko Case – Middle Cyclone (Anti) Amazon / Insound / iTunes
After three years, Neko returns with a solo album that is, I think, her best yet. With a naturalistic (possibly biographical/confessional) theme and chock full of guest appearances by folks like M Ward, Sara Harmer and her bandmates in The New Pornographers, it’s apparent why this album took so long to be birthed, and why it was worth the wait.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz (Interscope) Amazon / Insound / iTunes
I loved this album, but I never thought that the Grammy folks would agree with anything I think – to my surprise, It’s Blitz was just nominated for Best Alternative Music Album this month.
Metric – Fantasies (Metric Music Intl.) Amazon / Insound / iTunes
While I’ve stopped fantasizing about moving to Canada and assimilating myself via my love of the Montreal music scene, it’s clear to me now that my love of Canadian indie rock will never go away, perhaps the only pleasant side effect of the Bush years. Metric returns with another album that I can’t stop playing from start to finish – and, they did it on their own album. Oh Canada… swoon!
Swell Season – Strict Joy (Anti) Amazon / Insound / iTunes
I’ve been a fan of Glen Hansard from his days with the Frames, so I was worried when Swell Season (and the movie “Once”) became overnight hits last year that his down to earth simply beautiful songs would change. Silly doubter. Not even his romantic breakup with the other half of Swell Season, Marketa Irglova, could affect Glen’s dignified devotional storytelling that often seems more at home in a church than in a rock club. Let’s hope that these two really are still “very good friends” and keep recording and playing together.
Imogen Heap – Ellipse (Megaphonic) Amazon / Insound / iTunes
Imogen’s DIY ethics in the writing, producing and recording of her albums are such that when this one was leaked and put on eBay, she and her fans bid over $20 million to prevent its sale. Now that’s a perfectionist. The wait was worth it, as Ellipse delivers with sparkling pop songs perfect for these cold winter days.
Silversun Pickups – Swoon (Dangerbird) Amazon / Insound / iTunes
Yep, I thought it was a new Smashing Pumpkins song the first time I heard the Silversun Pickups. But my reluctance to investigate them further was worn down when I remembered, hey, I really liked the Pumpkins. The second chance I gave them was worth it, and I’ve been nothing but pleased.
Scotland Yard Gospel Choir – And The Horse You Rode In On (Bloodshot) Amazon / Insound / iTunes
This album was one of my favorites from the year, as SYGC displays their increased maturity and depth in the new songs, and an overall feeling of the band coming together as one unit finally, after some years of rotating members. This feeling on the album perhaps foretold the response in darkest hour in the band’s life as they were in a serious car accident this fall while touring. All signs are that the band has indeed pulled together to heal, look forward, and count their blessings – let’s hope to see them playing songs from this album soon.