It's been a while, but I am back and here with a new mix. The whole crazy snowstorm this past weekend has inspired me to create a little mix of some rather bleak and scarier sounds. Happy Halloween everyone!
Real Estate, hailing from the great state of New Jersey, put out one of my favorite records of last year; however, I must be honest, when I found out they were putting out their sophomore record this year, I was a little indifferent. I had simply gotten tired of hearing their sound. It became wallpaper to me, but this new record,Days, has reminded me why I love this band so much. They found a sound that's great and they haven't changed anything on this record. I have read a great deal of reviews for Days, some calling this album one of the best of the year and others panning this record because it sounds nearly identical to their debut. My thoughts: when you're hot, change nothing. I may have gotten tired of this band's first record, but this new record is still just a joy to hear. Real Estate is no longer a band experimenting with a sound, but rather a band that is perfecting their craft on Days.
Like Girls and St. Vincent, Megafaun are a band that have really made a name for themselves very quickly (all these bands just releasing their third studio record). Most impressively, they have come to popular acclaim in the shadow of a former band member's grand success: Justin Vernon (Bon Iver). Vernon has not forgotten his roots however, performing guitar on a few songs on this self-titled album. On first listen, the newest Megafaun album will strike you as the best Grateful Dead album never released. "Real Slow" is a beautiful tribute to Garcia-esque guitar licks and sweeping harmonies. However, the album goes on a few different paths during its 54 minute runtime. This a record of fantastic experimentation, which is certainly something I suggest you see and hear live. Nevertheless, while the cool sounds and guitar distortions that line the outer wall of this record really make this a solid, cohesive album, what really sticks out to me are the "simple" songs. Tracks like "Real Slow," "Get Right," and "Second Friend" are all my favorite cuts because they are a return to true psych-folk, paying homage to bands like The Byrds, Grateful Dead, and a little bit of Crosby, Stills & Nash. This is a record that I think many people will enjoy a great deal on two levels: those of you who love late 60's, early 70's psych-folk will certainly love this, and also for those of you who love great sonic music. I highly suggest you get Megafaun a listen.
