David Sylvian / Nine Horses:
Snow Borne Sorrow
Nine Horses is a collaboration between David Sylvian, his brother and frequent collaborator Steve Jansen and electronic composer/remixer Burnt Friedman. I wore this disk out during 2007. Favorite tracks are: Wonderful World, The Banality of Evil, Darkest Birds, and Serotonin.
Wikipedia says "The album successfully fused together elements of pop, avant-garde jazz, folk and electronica, creating an overall sound...". While there is a dud or two, some of these have great ear candy. I interpret many of the songs as revealing the anquish, torment, and recrimination following a divorce. Sure, heavy but it conveys.
Sufjan Stevens: Illinoise!
It's kind of a roundabout story. In early December of 2006 Ned Wharton, NPR's Weekend Edition Music Director made gift recommendations for Christmas. Several artists caught my ear: Sufjan Stevens, Pat Metheny/Brad Mehldau, The Decemberists (see below), and Jon Auer's Songs From the Year of Our Demise.
Wharton was recommending the most recent release from Sufjan Stevens which was a compilation of Christmas related music Stevens had recorded over the past few years. The music sounded creative and that led me to Amazon.com. Instead of the Christmas release, I picked up his previous release called Come on, Feel the Illinoise! This is the disk I wore out in the first half of 2007. Uniquely, Stevens was two steps along a pledged effort to make a CD of music and songs about each of the fifty states. Wikipedia says: "As with Michigan, Stevens used the state of Illinois as a leaping-off point for his more personal explorations of faith, family, love, and location." and "Among the subjects explored on Illinois: the cities of Chicago, Decatur and Jacksonville; the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893; the state's (somewhat confusing and obscure) observance of a holiday in honor of Casimir Pulaski; the poet Carl Sandburg; and the serial killer John Wayne Gacy Jr." Wikipedia has detailed entries for Sufjan Stevens and, more specifially, the Illinoise! release.
Labels such as Indie folk, Experimental, Folk rock, and Baroque pop have been applied to Sufjan Stevens music. I liked the Illinoise! disk so much that I've since obtained most of his catalog from Asthmatic Kitty Records . Yes, I'd say some of his earliest work does sound like Baroque Pop. I find elaborate arrangements on Illinoise! that make me think classical. My favorite selections off of this are: Chicago, Decatur, Jacksonville, and Night Zombies.
The Decemberists: The Crane Wife
I took a chance on The Decemberists The Crane Wife. I like it! And I wore it out during 2007. Intelligent lyrics and creative, developed rock music. Where else can you hear names of birds like cranes, curlews, and cormorants in rock lyrics? Their rock sound of today draws on much of the classic rock of the last 30 years. I hear Kansas, Jethro Tull, and xxx in their sound. But their sound is their own too. Wikipedia says: "...the band's songs range from upbeat pop to instrumentally lush ballads, and often employ instruments like the accordion, Hammond organ, Wurlitzer organ, and upright bass. In their lyrics, the band eschew the angst and introspection common to modern rock, instead favoring a storytelling approach,..."
I caught them on tour in Knoxville, TN during December 2006. What a great venue! And their show was enjoyable. Most of their readings were much like the studio versions. Still, it was nice to see the music brought to life. The best songs are: The Crane Wife Parts I, II, and III; O Valencia!; and The Island (both parts).
Darla Label Samplers: Little Darla Has a Treat for You
Here's a bit of a story as well. In the late 80's, I liked a (4AD label) band called The Cocteau Twins. Their lush, chiming guitar sound mainly stemmed from their guitarist, Robin Guthrie. The band broke up over ten years ago. While browsing on Amazon.com, somewhere I saw Robin Guthrie's name. That led me to search Amazon.com and find that actually Robin Guthrie had been producing solo work over the past ten years. I ordered one or two of his disks to try and catch up on what he's been creating. In one of the Amazon reviews of his work, was a reference to a single, exclusive track that was ONLY available on a Darla label sampler. That led me to Google "Darla Label". There I found a label that gives a viable outlet for many artists and bands which the large labels ignore.
I must mention Japancakes. This band from Athens, GA is a large instrumental band. They have violin and pedal steel in addition to more traditional band instruments. You might say much of their work sounds the same--well, I like it all. Sure, the pedal steel could be interpreted as a "country" sound but I see past that to the wonderful lead instrument that it is.
Flaming Lips: At War With the Mystics
The Flaming Lips followed up 2002's Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots in 2006 with At War With the Mystics. This is a fine album. My favorite tracks are The Sound of Failure, Mr Ambulance Driver, Pompeii am Götterdämmerung and an instrumental, The Wizard Turns On.... What I like about the Flaming Lips is that they don't sound like a lot of other bands to me. They sound unique.
I saw the Flaming Lips at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. It's the loudest concert I've ever been to and I failed, unfortunately, to put in my earplugs. Yes, the show was amazing and I'd recommend a Flaming Lips show to anyone for sheer entertainment.
Other Highlights:
