Grant Manship

The Smashing Pumpkins - That's The Way (My Love Is)

Favorite New Release(s) of the Week - Aug. 28, 2007

I've been a little slow to post about Aesop Rock but with this weeks release of his new album None Shall Pass, the time has come.  I guess I'm fairly picky about hip-hop but the stuff coming from Definitive Jux has definitely caught my attention.  I've always seemed to enjoy "underground" hip-hop and I think it's safe to say that no label is putting out a higher quantity of quality material than Definitive Jux.  While label co-founder El-P's putting out some excellent stuff my favorite act on the label is probably Despot after seeing him open for Ratatat.  I count his track "Crap Artists" as one of my favorite hip-hop tracks ever. 

All preferences aside, the argument could be made that Aesop Rock is, hands down, the best MC on the label.  He's definitely the thinking man's rapper who requires his listeners to use quite a bit of brainpower just to keep up.  If there is any question about this consider the fact that, as this Harvard Crimson article pointed out, Boylston Professor of Rhetoric and Oratory (and Pulitzer Prize winner) , Jorie Graham, found Aesop’s lyrics to be so inspiring that she had her poetry classes bring in samples of rap lyrics to analyze.

At this point, I should point out that I'm in no way, nor do I claim to be, an expert on the world of underground hip-hop but I know what I like and Aesop Rock has fallen into that category.  With that being said, I'll let you guys be the judge by checking out the track "Citronella" as well as the debut video for the title track off None Shall Pass below.

• Aesop Rock - "Citronella" from None Shall Pass

Okkervil River - Our Life Is Not A Movie Or Maybe

Feist w/ Special Guests on Letterman Performing 1234

In case you didn't already know, Feist was joined by her friends from Broken Social Scene, The National, Grizzly Bear, The New Pornographers, Mates Of State, as well as Nicole Atkins during her performance of "1234" on David Letterman last night.  Check out the video below!  One other thing, I can't get enough of this record.  Seriously, I listen to it multiple times a day and it never seems like enough.

Caribou - Melody Day

The American Underground

A great friend of mine and occasional West Coast Corespondent here, Jake Drake, has stepped out from behind the curtain and started his own blog called The American Underground.  Jake was initially going to focus on up-and-coming American bands but quickly decided to give some love to a few of his favorite bands across the pond as well.  One thing you can count on is Jake won't hold back when it comes to expressing his opinion.  He knows what he likes and chances are, you should probably like it too!   

Animal Collective - Peacebone

The Somnambulants - Paper Trail

My first exposure to The Somnambulant's music was when the title track off their last record was featured on the soundtrack of last year's excellent film, Half Nelson.  This week finds them releasing Paper Trail which focuses on rock, blues, and pop compositions arranged using electronic instruments.  This helped the group avoid writing what they viewed to be a purely "electro" record.  I think fans of Portishead, New Order, or even the Talking Heads (to name but a few) will definitely enjoy this record.  Check out two tracks from the new album below.

• The Somnambulants - "Take It On" from Paper Trail
• The Somnambulants - "Beat Down" from Paper Trail

Superbad

Don't do anything else until you've seen this movie!

Caribou

Dan Snaith’s (aka Caribou) musical life has followed anything but a normal trajectory.    It all started with the theft of a dusty sampler going to waste in his high school’s music department.  It has since seen several critically-acclaimed albums, a mid-career name change from Manitoba, and the obvious Ph.D. in mathematics. 

Regardless of how Snaith has gotten to this point, it's good to see him continuing on the path he's chosen.  His next album, called Andorra, is due out August 21st on Merge.  Check out one of the tracks from the album below.

• Caribou - "Melody Day" from Andorra

Favorite New Release(s) of the Week - Aug. 7th, 2007

Okkervil River - The Stage Names

My love for Okkervil River started with 2002's Don't Fall In Love With Everyone You See.  Most of my love stemmed from the musical content of the record but some definitely came from the realization that I had a bad habit, at the time, of doing exactly what the title warned against.  This was just the first in a long list of moments on Okkervil River records that seemed to be in line with my own, and many other listeners, life experiences.  While I'm sure the exact inspiration for the songs differs considerably from connections made by listeners, Will Sheff has an impeccable ability to convey them in ways that seem eerily familiar despite being expressed via his esoteric prose.

On first listen, I think it will quickly become apparent that this record is considerably more upbeat than the band's previous releases like Black Sheep Boy.  It sounds like some of the broken bones, lives, and hearts that were the topics of Sheff's previous songs might be starting to mend.  "Unless It's Kicks" is a raucous affair that affirms the upbeat feeling of the album and evidences Sheff's most pop-tinged number to date.  "Savannah Smiles" is an elegant song that tells a tale of repercussions felt by a father after accidentally reading a page of his daughter's diary.  Another personal favorite on the album is "Plus Ones".  How can you not love a song that references David Bowie's "TVC15" which is easily one of my favorite (and potentially most under appreciated) Bowie songs ever!?!

Long time fans of Okkervil River will be extremely happy with this record.  It's another brilliant album from the band.  The most promising thing about The Stage Names is, however, the possible effect the album will have on those unfamiliar with Okkervil River.  There is a strong possibility that this is the album that catapults the band over the cusp and into the general public's consciousness and affords them the recognition as one of the most exceptional bands making music today.  Based on their impressive output, Okkervil River deserves it.

• Okkervil River - "Our Life Is Not a Movie or Maybe" from The Stage Names
  

Magnolia Electric Co. - A Little At A Time