lost and found

Over the past couple of weeks, as year end best of lists have been trickling out, I have found some gems. These are records I hadn't even heard of or just did not give the time of day when they dropped.

Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson- Summer of Fear


Miike Snow- S/T


Ida Maria- Fortress Round My Heart


These United States- Everything Touches Everything

Top 10 albums of 2009

I already posted this list for the newspaper but let's toss some youtube links in with the picks.

1. Tegan and Sara- Sainthood


2. Lucero- 1372 Overton Park


3. Dirty Projectors- Bitte Orca


4. Manchester Orchestra- Mean Everything to Nothing


5. Animal Collective- Merriweather Post Pavillion


6. The Dream- Love vs. Money


7. Cass McCombs- Catacombs


8. Freddie Gibbs- midwestgangstaboxframecadillacmuzik


9. The xx- self-titled


10. A.A. Bondy- When the Devil's Loose

Top 10 Albums of the Decade

I probably didn't spend as much time as I should have when compiling this list, but I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.
All of the albums here are included for any number of reasons: technical advancements, time they came out in my life, etc...
Hit up the comments here or on fbook with your own lists!

1. Wilco- Yankee Hotel Foxtrot


2. Radiohead- Kid A


3. Jay-Z- The Blueprint


4. The National- Alligator


5. The Hold Steady- Separation Sunday


6. Kanye West- The College Dropout


7. Spoon- Kill the Moonlight


8. LCD Soundsystem- Sound of Silver


9. Ghostface Killah- Supreme Clientele


10. The Mountain Goats- Tallahassee

a decent human being

With the stress of finals and a looming internship interview (keep those fingers crossed) I should be listening to more upbeat stuff, keep my spirits high and all of that.
This just isn't the case after I grabbed David Bazan's newest album, "Curse Your Branches."
The man formerly behind Pedro the Lion took some time away from music the last couple of years as he struggled with alcoholism and his Christianity. Those struggles are laid bare here.
I was listening to the record earlier this morning when my roommate commented on the lyrics not fitting the mood of the music. Bazan writes pop tunes, but these lyrics are all about his inner turmoil. They are full of snark and misunderstanding, making for an introspective listen.

funnies

BELL!

Click over to the Youtube page when done, the comments are great.

babies and feelings and tears and stuff

Over Thanksgiving break my father and I got down with one of our favorite past times, copping used media.
After he scooped the new Swell Season record second hand, we discussed the film the duo starred in the other year, "Once."
Both of us were huge fans and I commented about a friend who I thought would have loved the film that severely disliked it. Her main beef was the film's contents, its relationship, was too "real."
Each letting out a similar guffaw, we agreed the "real" is what made the film a standout. The "real" is what made the film get two grown men to admit it had them shedding some tears.
Not since then has a film, with a main theme of romance got to me so much as Sam Mendes' "Away We Go."
The cast, the story, the direction, everything is wonderful here.
Sam Mendes' subtle touch guides great turns from John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph as the two play a couple expecting a child, looking for the right place to start their family.
The two leads share a chemistry rare in romantic dramedies, as they actually seem in love. Not in some Hollywood way, but as two people who are so in tune with each others needs and feelings, there is no one else in the world they could be with.
So many aspects of the script set it apart from modern romantic film. Men talk about their feelings and fears, with each other and their significant others. Maya Rudolph's character is a woman who does not want to get married, out of fear and her own principles.
The film also has a great deal of laughs. Alison Janney and Maggie Gyllenhal have super turns in their bit roles, along with Krasinski and Rudolph playing off each other as if they had been a couple for years.
This thing snuck up on me, but it's one of the best films I've seen this year.

people in nightclubs

Let's chalk that up to failed tumblr experiment #2.
I think I'll just stick around here, bunch of posts still around and most links should be functioning.
Now to the music.


I'm not too familiar with David Byrne's solo work, but "Grown Backwards" is beautiful.
For those who were caught up with Eno and Byrne's record last year, this one is in the same arena. It's all lush string arrangements and varied forms of percussion.
As my roommate Kayli and her friend Katie nap on our couches, the record has turned into the perfect rainy day between class nap soundtrack.



Byrne and Rufus above