I Didn't Ask For These Powers

...But I'm learning to live with them.

The Important Thing to Remember

Those who are dead never truly die, so long as they live on in our memories.

THE ALGORITHM CONSTANTLY FINDS JESUS

THE ALGORITHM KILLED JEEVES
THE ALGORITHM IS BANNED IN CHINA
THE ALGORITHM IS FROM JERSEY

Real Lunch

If the country music genre were put on its head and spun like a top around on a folding table with a map of music in general lying on it, and that top were to stop on the Indie music genre, the musical offspring of the top and of the map would generally resemble the genius found here:

Real Lunch

The Day Before

The Exchange's Purevolume Site

The Exchange's new album, The Day Before is out. There are two new songs on their Purevolume site, along with a re-recording of Aperture that sounds amazing and is also included on the record. The 5 tracks that made up the wholesome goodness of the Aperture EP will never be forgotten, but in this sophomore attempt, Derek, Joey, and Jorge have only surpassed their previous efforts. Every track is a hit: weighing in at ten songs ("Tale of Old" and "Aperture" are the only old songs; these were re-recorded because the band was upset by how they came out on the EP) and clocking in at 41 minutes, it's one non-stop Let's-make-Indie-good-again album.

Here's some notes on the tracks (I don't want to give everything away, so just notes)

1. A Window Seat- It's a song about a man with a photographic memory, which may or may not be a shout-out to the theme of the EP. It's a very good start to the album.
2. Progress- Great drum intro, great piano solo. Pop-rock at its best.

3. Sleeping City- Wintery slumber conjectures. It's beautiful.

4. In Summary- It kind of reminds me of a "20 years after Anna Lee" remiscence. Joey sings down an octave, which is new.

5. Goodnight- It can't be compared to Folds' "Lullabye" because it's a completely different kind of song....but I like it more.

6. Tale of Old- Wow. Re-recorded, and amazing. Now I finally understand why Jorge never liked the version on Aperture, and why it's such a crowd favorite at concerts. Truly the "Legend" of our time.

7. Orange- Joey reminds me of Ben Gibbard, voice-wise, when he starts this song. Not that that's a bad thing....and the song is genius.

8. Aperture- again, re-done and re-done well. It's less whimsical and more....well....just more. It has more substance.

9. Poor Man's Blanket- It took me a while to notice what was different; then I realized that the song has an acoustic guitar in it. Yes, that's right: this song not only has an acoustic guitar in it, the songs starts with it! My favorite song on the album, and not only for its novelty.

10. A Ceiling Fan- A very well-done closer. Probably not something they would close with live, but it ends the album with a satisfied sigh.

I'm really in awe of this album. I give it 5 stars, 10/10. The way each song flows into the next one (sans the jerkiness that accompanies other artist's attempts at this, like Green Day's Holiday-Boulevard transition) is amazing. This band, these guys, have something special.

Morningwood....Is a Terrible Name For A Band

Seriously now, that's just some bad frazology.

Nth Degree- Morningwood

Bad band names aside, this song is fantastic. I know the whole "spelling" thing is certainly past its Indie prime, but I forgive all trespasses against me here, as this song is just so well put together. There's no much else to say about it, because lyrically it isn't breaking any new territory...but listen and enjoy.

It Didn't Mean Anything to Me.....

Rarely can I say that a song has gotten me through a hard time. Rarely do I identify with the desperate sense of genius behind a bare-bones recording, and say "hey, I could really give that another listen!"

Jonathan Coulton- Dance, Soterios Johnson, Dance

Jonathon wrote this about the local weather man in NYC. And I don't know if the lifestyle implied of the guy is true. But I'll tell you this- you want Soterios Johnson to keep dancing. Because there's something so urgent that's been infused into this song. It reminds me of some terrible Spring days when I just didn't want to wake up, but I did wake up, and now I'm glad. At last I knew it would be sunny.

Jonathon Coulton- Mandelbrot Set

It's always weird recommending a song about math to my friends. But if you actually listen to the lyrics, not only do you realize that they're hilarious....but that they're actually really good too. You can actually learn math by listening to this song, and it's intensely enjoyable to listen to. I've had several very impressionable teachers even in my high school years; should I ever go anywhere good at all, I pray tat I'll be able to write about one of them in a light manner one day. The thing about this song is the chorus.....it's just such a smooth succession of things that you'll find yourself repeating it later on in the day. Add in a fairly cool bridge and you have a song that, while bare-bones in appearance, is actually quite fleshy, and quite good.

Jonathan Coulton- Ikea

Let's not beat around the bush- we've all shopped at Ikea. Bought charming Swedish pieces of furniture; the kind that art-deco people despise and ordinary people venerate for its price-to-performance ratio. Like every other Coulton song, the humor is pretty well rounded; sharply satirical, but not at all biting. Any song that mentions college kids and divorced men in the same lyrical sentence should be worth revealing to the world, and when it is wrapped in a package like the rest of this song, it's a pity to see it buried. Not something that I would play over and over again, but certainly worth at least several listens to get everything that's said.

Look Down Upon the Valley

It's long past time for an update, now that everything's over.

Hot Buttered Rum String Band- Evolution

It's funny to hear a song that presents such a strong visual. The intro manages to pack the sound of a train traveling across a prairy, the Irish wilderness, a medieval castle, and a graveyard all into one 30 second piece. And then the actual song begins; the tale of an epic journey towards realization. The instruments slowly ramp up with the singer, as they explore metaphorically the philosophy of Darwin. Normally, this music would be folksy, "forest-made and listened to" kind of stuff, but because of the charming lyrics, it's passable with most music lovers. And, unlike most indie songs, this piece doesn't end just when it could have been most interesting. Each and every instrument gets a work out in an un-foreseen kind of way, and it keeps the continual unfolding fresh. I see a man climbing a mountain; there is a path, but it is treacherous and he is very caught up in the sights....only by sheer luck does he not fall. But the music is uplifting for the very reason that he doesn't fall. All of nature (represented by the instruments) are working to make sure just that: that he doesn't fall, that he doesn't fail in his climb. To see the top would be glorious.

To be at the top already, knowingly waiting for him, would be by far the best.