I have been woefully uninspired in terms of writing. I chalk it up to a very busy fall spent with my band tightening up the sound in preparation for our return to the studio. BE PREPARED!
Anyway, I still have been listening to a shit-ton of music and here's my favorite 10 records of the year, irrespective of genre. I will do a metal/heavy-rock list later, because even though the top 5 are all power-poppy and Americana records, I still love my metal. But more importantly, I love great songs, be they heavy or slow or hard or dreamy or toe-tapping or sing-along or shout at the top of your lungs. A great song is a great song.
So the order for these were determined by the following methodology: which record would I want more. So if you were a jerk and started taking records out of my collection and saying "you can't have this" this would be the last 10 getting plucked.
10 - The Autumn Defense - Fifth: A perfect slice of 1970s FM radio. For fans of Wilco and Jackson Browne.
9 - Pallbearer - Foundations of Burden: Super heavy prog meets doom metal with hooks. These guys should be the standard bearer for stoner rock. For fans of pot.
8. Alcest - Shelter: Ethereal French progressive rock. It isn't showy but the melodies and the moods are beautiful. For fans of clouds.
7. Elephant Stone - Three Poisons: Psychedelic India-inspired rock from fine Canadian band. Second year in a row they have made my list. For fans of the George Beatles songs.
6. Opeth - Pale Communion: Opeth have fully embraced their inner-prog-nerd. Old fans might hate the direction but I am glad to see the Cookie Monster vocals are a thing of the past. For fans of Pink Floyd.
5. Sloan - Commonwealth: Canadian power-poppers great double album where each member gets a side. Four distinct song-writers that together are brilliant. For fans of Paul Beatles songs.
4. The Both - s/t: Aimee Mann and Ted Leo join forces for an album of wonderful songs. For fans of harmony.
3. Foo Fighters - Sonic Highways: No Dave Grohl saturation for me this year. I love the record and I love the exuberance he has for rock n roll. If he can turn people back to rock music, the world is a better place for it. For fans...frak it, you know who this is.
2. Jenny Lewis - The Voyager: A lost Stevie Nicks record by a great song-writer. And produced by Ryan Adams, who by the way....
1. Ryan Adams - s/t: The best record he has made since Gold. The record Tom Petty used to make. Glad to have Ryan back.
There it is. That's the list. Find me another list where you'll find The Autumn Defense AND Pallbearer AND Jenny Lewis AND Opeth.
Showing posts with label the autumn defense. Show all posts
Showing posts with label the autumn defense. Show all posts
Monday, December 29, 2014
Friday, July 25, 2014
Autumn (Defense)'s In The Air
The Autumn Defense is a project featuring Patrick Sansone and John Stirratt, both members of Wilco. While Sansone has been part of Wilco for only a few years, Stirratt has been playing bass there since they formed from the ashes of Uncle Tupelo.
The Autumn Defense offers the two an opportunity to share the spotlight, which in Wilco is occupied primarily by Jeff Tweedy. Whereas Wilco started as alt-country, morphed into a sort of American-Radiohead, before settling into a dad-rock niche, TAD delights in the soft rock of the 70s. Singer/songwriter type stuff but lushly produced and orchestrated. I have listened to a few of their albums before but with their latest, called Fifth, they finally and perfectly hit their stride.
I am a big fan of the early records of the band America, and Fifth fits in perfect harmony with those records. Fifth sounds like it stepped out of a time machine, especially the lovely "August Song" which could easily find itself on Homecoming. The harmonies are not as overt as America did in their best days (think "Ventura Highway") but TAD come close. "The Light In Your Eyes" has a particularly great chorus section.
I would not categorize the record as an homage, because that is a bit of a negative descriptor. Fifth is a great record on it's own merits. It's well written and well played and extremely well made. There is nothing searing our loud or heavy here. Fifth is the kind of record you play on cool night on a desert highway with the top down. It doesn't push boundaries but it plays within established ones to great effect. Great songs are great songs. And when they sound this good they make for a very enjoyable listening experiencing.
Here's "August Song"
The Autumn Defense offers the two an opportunity to share the spotlight, which in Wilco is occupied primarily by Jeff Tweedy. Whereas Wilco started as alt-country, morphed into a sort of American-Radiohead, before settling into a dad-rock niche, TAD delights in the soft rock of the 70s. Singer/songwriter type stuff but lushly produced and orchestrated. I have listened to a few of their albums before but with their latest, called Fifth, they finally and perfectly hit their stride.I am a big fan of the early records of the band America, and Fifth fits in perfect harmony with those records. Fifth sounds like it stepped out of a time machine, especially the lovely "August Song" which could easily find itself on Homecoming. The harmonies are not as overt as America did in their best days (think "Ventura Highway") but TAD come close. "The Light In Your Eyes" has a particularly great chorus section.
I would not categorize the record as an homage, because that is a bit of a negative descriptor. Fifth is a great record on it's own merits. It's well written and well played and extremely well made. There is nothing searing our loud or heavy here. Fifth is the kind of record you play on cool night on a desert highway with the top down. It doesn't push boundaries but it plays within established ones to great effect. Great songs are great songs. And when they sound this good they make for a very enjoyable listening experiencing.
Here's "August Song"
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