This gorgeous sepia-toned piece of Americana is the opener to Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit’s latest release Here We Rest. Entitled “Alabama Pines”, its strength lies in its universality, he may be talking about his home state, but the longing for things past and where you call home touches everyone. Blessed with an unassuming, but mellifluous voice, Isbell drives this narrative home with soaring vocals and intimately placed fiddle and guitar parts, a song that is perfect for those colder summer and early autumn nights, where its truly people and thoughts that keep you warm.
Here We Rest was released on Lightning Rod Records on April 12th, 2011
Elvis Costello’s debut album My Aim Is True sounds as visceral now as it did in 1977. Equally due to both strong songwriting by Costello and subtle production by Nick Lowe, songs from the album like “Alison” “(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes”, “Less Than Zero” and “Watching The Detectives” have all become classic rock staples. Yet for all the rock criticism that focuses (deservedly) on Costello’s cynical and smart lyricism, a New-Wave/Punk Randy Newman if you will, many don’t emphasize that My Aim Is True is just chock full of powerful and catchy melodies.
Following the devastating “Alison”, “Sneaky Feelings” features quite a hook and replete with nice backing harmonies and a swaggering Costello putting on his best Van Morrison impression trying to deal with being in love. A great song off of a great album. Also check out the excellent album opener “Welcome To The Working Week” which packs a Beach Boys homage and some powerful pop-punk into its under 1:30 run time.
I’m always game to support some local music, and Sam McDougle aka Polly Hi is a refreshing change of course from the out-there indie scene that is Brooklyn, NY. He doesn’t have an official EP yet, but has three very fine singles “In The Morning”, “All My Energy” and the song I’m featuring here, “Bombs & Galaxies”. Clocking in at a brief 2:05, the song features a strong acoustic hook and some spacey harmonies. It’s equal parts Vetiver and a more relaxed Elliot Smith. The strength of the song lies in the dynamic tempo shifts between verse and chorus. A catchy number from an artist to watch. A perfect song for those days where the skies are grey.
Chris Chu has a point. As he explains in the video, a lot of bands get pigeonholed into a certain sound when they become successful, and falter from the pressure to come up something better while boxed into one sound. Big Echo, their last album under The Morning Benders moniker, had brought them to the heights of post-Beach Boys/Beatles indie/pop, elaborate, but not overly orante pocket symphonies, the fleeting emotions following a break-up and working through it. So it’s daring that they’ve changed their approach, but ultimately it’s honest to the artist and saves their sound from becoming stagnant.
POP ETC is also very embracing of social media, and probably one of the better bands at reaching out to their fans. When they first announced their change of name, it wasn’t a little press release that gave no reasons, it clearly stated the why and their intentions. While their album isn’t due out til the 12th of June, they’ve been keeping busy with making mixes, showcasing their influences and eclectic tastes through successive Weekend Mixes.
As to the song itself, “Keep It For Your Own” is a great single, the hook that a better Coldplay might have made (I’m talking “Don’t Panic” era) and the live production touches of the Yours Truly session meld beautifully, an acoustic guitar here, an upright piano there, organic harmonies with a few electronic pieces.
The Art of the Mixtape 