Björk -- "Moon"

To be truthfully honest, I have always had more admiration and respect for Björk, then I actually had enjoyment listening to the music of Björk. She is an absolutely brilliant and creative mind, but her music is often too "out there," especially on her more recent albums. Records like Volta were masterfully conceived, but are often uninviting to the average listener. However, the last few tracks I have heard that are to be on her forthcoming album, Biophilia, which will be the first album to be made in collaboration with apple, have really blown me away. First, "Crystalline" just totally slays me with its almost dubstep-esque/ DJ Shadow's Entroducing sounding climax. Then I heard "Moon," which I also loved for a very different reason. It's a song that will throw many people off because of its compound time signature, but will intrigue many others with its beautiful simplicity. It's a simply stunning piece of music. This song and "Crystalline" are clear signs that Biophilia will be a record that I see being up there with the best of em' from this year, but only time will tell. Be sure to check out Biophilia on October 10th.

R.E.M. Call It Quits

It truly is a sad day, but thank you for all the years of great music... your music will live on forever.

Lana Del Ray -- "Video Games"

When I first read of Lana Del Ray, I was far from intrigued, besides her beauty, which floured me, I thought she was just another pop musician who was getting pointless attention on the blogosphere. However, I clearly read too far into her or maybe didn't read into her enough. I heard "Video Games" just a few nights on NPR's excellent Fall Music Preview (highly suggested). It would be an understatement to say that I just enjoyed the song. It made my jaw drop; it's sexy, beautifully produced, and the vocals are simply stunning. They are magnificently understated alongside of absolutely gorgeous instrumentation. I am sure that this is a young women who is destined to be a shining star very soon. Can't wait to hear more stuff by her, but for now I am very happy to just listen to "Video Games" on repeat.

Lana Del Ray -- "Video Games"

PREVIEW: Altas Sound // Parallax

Bradford Cox, the brilliant man behind both Deerhunter and Atlas Sound, has been one of the most consistent men in music of an "independent" persuasion for about five years now. The guy hasn't put out a bad record... ever. The music Cox puts out under Atlas Sound is often more dreamy and stripped down than on his releases with Deerhunter, but this isn't to say that the man can't put out a great pop song under Atlas Sound. Such is the case with the release of "Mona Lisa," which was a song that many have heard under Cox's Bedroom Databank recordings last year. While "Mona Lisa" is a little "poppier" than most of Cox's past releases, there are certainly still songs on Parallax that are classic Atlas Sound sounding. "Te Amo" is a song that, like "Mona Lisa," I first heard live about a year ago. At the time the song was "Untitled," but I will maybe never forget the first time I heard it because it blew me away. It's some of most beautiful, but yet simple and rudimentary guitar work I have ever heard/seen, especially live. I think this a record that is soon on its way to be considered one of the best records of the year. Be sure to check it out November 7th via 4AD.

Atlas Sound -- "Te Amo"
Atlas Sound -- "Mona Lisa" (Bedroom Databank Version)

2011 Has Finally Arrived...

Maybe it's just me, but this year's music has been rather lackluster. The album's that I expected to land in on "record of the year" material just haven't done it for me. Records like Radiohead's King of Limbs and TV On The Radio's Nine Types Of Light were good records, but didn't hit the media in the event in which I thought they may cause (granted this is all conjecture, so don't kill me). Furthermore, there have been a great deal of pretty enjoyable albums this year, but none that have connected with me on a level that makes me want to listen to them over and over and over again (like My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy did for me last year).

However, this past week or so has really brought some albums that I hope others besides myself could see being "record of the year" material. Specifically, Girl's Father, Son, Holy Ghost, Wilco's The Whole Love, and St. Vincent's Strange Mercy are all records that I expect to see great followings for. This I believe will happen because these are all bands that have come into their own on their most recent albums. Girls and St. Vincent have both put out two very solid releases in the past few years, but now have finally come into their own on Father, Son, Holy Ghost and Strange Mercy, respectively. They, like Wilco on their last few records, have been bands that are so very close to being at the top of their game and now have rightfully reached a brief plateau of brilliance.

Wilco -- "Dawned On Me"

Girls -- "Honey Bunny"

St. Vincent -- "Cruel"

The Avett Brothers -- "Laundry Room" (NPR Tiny Desk Concert)

I write this post in response to an intense, but yet fascinating, discussion I had just a few days ago with a passionate music lover. The question was brought up of whether or not a live performance of a song could be better than the recorded version of the song. On the surface, the simple answer to this question is of course yes, but on another level, this is a question that could be answered "no," simply because the song wouldn't exist live without it's conception put on record. To make a long (and stupid) argument short, I told my friend that she should listen to The Avett Brothers' performance of "Laundry Room" for NPR's Tiny Desk Concert. This is my example of a live performance that slays compared to a still great recorded version. I love the record this song is off of, I and Love and You, but whenever I hear it on the record I immediately go to their performance for Tiny Desk. It's brilliant. (Just go to about 28 seconds into the video to hear "Laundry Room")

I MEEEESSED YOOUUU!

Hello again everybody. It's felt like an eternity, but I am back to the blogosphere, specifically our baby, Fell In Love With a Drummer. Between summer internships, and preparing myself for the new school year at Fordham, I have not been up on my game with contributing to FILWAD. But as always, my buddy Greg (who is one of the best guys you could ever know), has stuck with it consistently and I thank him truly. He's a beast. A master of disaster. A 10 pound sausage in a five pound bag. Nevermind.

So with the first post of a new school year, I bring to you my bi-weekly music column for Fordham's newspaper, the Observer. In this issue, I present to you album reviews of Beirut's The Rip Tide, Ganglians' Still Living, and Jay Z and Kanye West's Watch the Throne. Check 'em out at the link below.

http://www.fordhamobserver.com/2011/08/25/end-of-summer-release-party-2/

--Mike

GUEST POST: Will Shears' Review of Thrice's Major/Minor

I am blessed with great friends and luckily, for me, they even like music too (bad excuse for a joke, I know). Seriously though, Will Shears is a long time friend who not only has a great heart, but also has a brilliance with words. I hope you enjoy his post.

It’s not often that one finds themselves in the midst of an album that captivates and invokes such a response that it needs to be shared with the world who are otherwise oblivious. It’s human nature to aimlessly pursue the beauty in all facets of life; with all that goes on in the world and our lives the thought of finding anything that affords us even the smallest glimpse at something we can appreciate is enough to keep us searching for as long as necessary. I consider myself one of the people who personally finds such beauty in well written, emotionally executed, and insightful music. It’s condescending and a bit arrogant for me to simply say I listen to “good music.” Good is a matter of perspective and thus something most people find subjective and of personal preference. But we can ALL say that we enjoy songs that are well written and make us go “wow that’s exactly how I’m feeling.”

With the release of their eighth album, Thrice has remained one of the most consistent rosters I have listened to, and arguably in the music industry. With no roster changes, an endless array of versatile style, and bold and provocative lyrics from Dustin Kensrue, the band has come so very far in the nine years I have listened to them. Thrice is one of the many bands, like Linkin Park (another favorite of mine), who hail from harder-rock roots. Originally classified as a post-hardcore band renowned for their intense and well executed riffs, complex tempo changes, and Dustin Kensrue’s shredded lyrics, Thrice has matured into more of an alternative, experimental rock group who has found that screaming need not always be necessary to leave an impression. Where Kensrue once left crowds head banging at the climax of songs, he now leaves them in awe the whole way through with a melodically captivating voice that truly paints the image with words sketched in ink.

 Major/Minor takes the route that I was desperately hoping it would after I had bought their previous album Beggars. Beggars in my opinion was their most lyrically gifted album that delivered not only a clear and concise point, but showed people that Thrice was simply more than another band “transitioning”, but rather a band trying to bridge the gap between their roots and their future. Needless to say, Beggars left me with all the confidence in the world that this would be achieved, but not quite with that album. Like Linkin Park’s A Thousand Suns I wanted Thrice to touch base with their roots, and kind of bring more of that harder edged rock, to a newer style and lyrical prowess. Major/Minor is everything I hoped that it would be. With a deep-set array of songs that range from tales of domestic abuse (Yellow Belly) to ones that feign the question of our self-destructive tendencies (Promises), Thrice has seemingly taken issues that are popular yet relevant and often taboo, and backed by the sensational lyrics of Dustin Kensrue, are able to invoke a sense of humility and understanding.

Often times Thrice fans, or those who have heard some of their songs have asked, is Thrice a Christian rock band due to the undeniable faith of lead singer Dustin Kensrue, who has professed being devout many times. I can honestly say that while I think they obviously are not, it is Dustin Kensrue’s faith which allows him to continue to deliver morally positive lyrics, backed by a strong emotional undertone. He’s deeply in touch with the fact that he’s human, and that as humans we are deeply flawed, but also that there’s beauty and destruction in this simple fact. These days I don’t think many artists touch on something so deep and personal and so they are often “one hit wonders” or simply something people enjoy in the moment. I can safely say if you’re someone who is constantly searching for that song that empathizes with you, that raises the bigger questions while answering the smaller ones, Major/Minor is absolutely an album you should consider listening to.

Rating: 90/100

-- Will Shears

Thrice -- "Yellow Belly"

Thrice -- "Promises"

CLASSIC: Jeff Buckley -- "Last Goodbye"

I have often thought Jeff Buckley's Grace was a rather overrated record. I now realize I also think dumb things sometimes. Even if I hate the fact that Buckley's brilliant cover of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" is often over credited, songs like the title track and "Last Goodbye" make Grace a totally timeless record.

Jeff Buckley -- "Last Goodbye"