After Justin Vernon came out of his cabin in the woods with his solo debut, he also came out of the minimalist confines that the instruments in his solitude offered him. Blood Bank EP is meager in tracks, but rich in content.
Indie
Record #64: Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago (2007)
When I first heard For Emma, Forever Ago, I was a folk singer. And most of my inspiration came from the old country of Johnny Cash and Emmylou Harris, as well as the humble figerpickings of Sufjan Stevens and Damien Rice. But I was listening to so much else–Radiohead, Sigur Ros, mewithoutYou–but my musical pallet didn’t have room for too much outside of an acoustic guitar, harmonica, banjo, voice, and occasional trumpet or drum set.
Then I heard Bon Iver.
Record #26: Beach House – Teen Dream (2010)
A couple weeks ago, I couldn’t decide whether I wanted to spin Beach House or something else. I asked my wife, and she chose the other, stating “you listen to that record too much.”
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Record #21: Atlas Sound – Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See but Cannot Feel (2008)
Between his main band and his Atlas Sound moniker, Cox has released new material every year since 2007. 2008 saw four releases, with Deerhunter’s double-release of Microcastles and Weird Era, Cont., and this LP/EP set.
What’s even more remarkable than his great prolificacy is his consistency. Every album released in the past five years has been truly great, even as far as his musical center has traveled in those years.
This album, his first official solo release (he had recorded under this nom-de-plume since he was a teenager) finds him delving once more into the ambient meanderings of Deerhunter’s excellent Cryptograms. But, while that LP featured hazy atmospherics that would recede to punk-tinged pop songs, here those atmospheres serve as the basis of those songs instead of transitional pieces. It’s an incredibly laid back record. When necessary, tape loops and drum machines are called in to add a beat to swirling drone of heavily effected guitar and synth pads that serves as the focal point of most of the songs.
Cox’s use of his voice supplements the haunting textures. Whether he’s singing single vowels or stretching his words across measures, he takes his time to say what he wants to say, which is unclear–the lyrics are ambiguous and the vocal track is drowned in the mix. Instead, the emphasis is on the wash of sound flowing out of the speakers, and it is an excellent wash of sound, to say the least.
Another Bedroom EP, included on the vinyl version of the release, is very much in the same vein. However, this time around the wooshing guitars and ambient vocalizations are paired with softly played drums and the occasional acoustic guitar. Unlike most other EPs, the non-lead tracks don’t feel like filler. Rather they are all fully fleshed ideas that flourish in the same way as the single (even the loop-based Spring Break).
Previous listens to this album (all digital, as I procured the physical copy less than an hour ago) rolled over me like a warm breeze; it was a pleasant experience, but I wasn’t left with too much of substance. This closer listen reveals much to latch onto. It’s a subtly wonderful record that exists in the realm of ambient without falling into the realm of boring. But what is important to remember is that this is primarily a bedroom record–Cox performed, sang, and recorded every sound here himself–and while it maintains certain elements of DIY, the record never forces you to listen through the limitations of the recording process. Instead, it is a beautiful and pleasing affair that I’m certain will become a frequent visitor of my turntable.
Record #13: Andrew Bird – Noble Beast (2009)
Somewhere between 2007 and 2009, Andrew Bird faced the challenge of following a nearly perfect record (because let’s be frank; Armchair Apocrypha is very truly nearly perfect).
During that time, he must have sat down and made lists about what worked (just about everything) and what didn’t (just about nothing), because he returned with Noble Beast, which offers more of every good part of Armchair. Continue reading
Record #12: Andrew Bird – Armchair Apocrypha (2007)
Andrew Bird is a world-class whistler. He’s also a concert-level violinist.
But neither of those are likely to be your first impression of his breakout album, Armchair Apocrypha.
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Record #9: The Album Leaf – Into the Blue Again (2006)
See: chill music.
This is one of the first post rock records I ever got into. In fact I hadn’t even heard the term “post rock” yet, but one thing I definitely heard was how tranquil and haunting it was. Continue reading