Nick Robin
I recently bought this and this from Insound. The package they arrived in included the usual 2:1 ratio of collateral marketing material to music product. Among the collateral was a small, square glossy catalog/zine. The theme of the issue was “indie rock road trip” and it was actually a pretty good read. However, nowhere did it mention perhaps the best driving-themed song I’ve heard all year: Nick Robin’s “Drive-On”. Nick’s slow, careful folk glows with yearning. And it’s got vibes, which earns automatic bonus points in my book. Go buy the album here. (Many thanks to Lise for the suggestion.)
Links Fixed for The Weakerthans
Early Man
Those of you already familiar with Early Man, “two Pentacostalists from Columbus,†might find it strange to hear them called “quaint.†But that’s what comes to my mind when when listening to the monster, and unapologetically analog, riffs blaring out of these digital speakers. The song names could have come from Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, or early Metallica records, and so could the angry guitar and manic drums. The whole thing takes me back to those Halcyon days when my skater friend got me off the Depeche Mode with an interventionist helping of Ride the Lightning. In fact, Early Man are so earnest about their music that listening to them really is infectious, even if they’re telling me to die a slow, horrible death.
3hive’s 2005 Guide to eMusic
The Truth About Au Revoir Simone
Jason Anderson
Regular readers of 3hive know that, as silly as it sounds, we sometimes have problems figuring out the names of the bands we profile. Case in point: Is it Jason Anderson or Wolf Colonel? Greg says, “Who cares?” (Someone will, I’m sure, as I’m sure we’ll hear about it. For the record, I think it was the former and is now the latter.) He — Greg, that is — suggested Jason Anderson, and I’m okay with that, because the plaintive folk-pop of “O, Jac!” pairs nicely with the Michigan’s snowy forecast. Thanks, G!
New MP3s by The Clientele and The Rosebuds
Letting Up Despite Great Faults
Electronic, acoustic, classical, it all goes together to create beautiful music. Letting Up Despite Great Faults create music from the heart, ignoring formulas and expectations, letting their freedom and creativity flow. There are no great faults, and hopefully no letting up.