All in all.

Hello everyone. I would first like to apologize here and now for my lack of posts and to be my own advocate for a moment say that I have been busy planning a three week trip around the country and consequently quiting my job for the past few weeks, so posting has been kind of on the back burner. I will officially be back from my trip about mid-August, but until then might I suggest checking out avant hip-hop/lo-fi/Bible-spewing Soul-Junk's website/blog. If you are not familiar with what is primarily Glen "Galaxy" Galloway's musical monster check out this fairly recent interview. His blog portion is updated daily with either a spiritual musing, a piece of art or a song. A good majority of the songs posted incidentally happen to be from Galloway's newest Soul-Junk outing of recording the entire Bible. That's right. The ENTIRE Bible over choppy, psychedelic, hip-hop awesomeness. Could it get any better? I think that tops even the James Earl Jones version. The first installment is 1959 and is out now on Quiver Society. Well worth your time. I will leave you with cuts from 1958 and 1956 albums.

Soul-Junk-How We Flow
Soul-Junk-Brougham

Wipe your eyes.

So somehow last year I managed to miss what would have easily been one of my favorite albums of all of 2006, but am enjoying Embrace's This New Day immensely in 2007 anyhow. The last I had heard of them before this they had released Out of Nothing but then kind of went off of my radar for a while and sneaked a new album in on me. Lead singer Danny McNamara has recently opened a new club, so I'm not sure how big a of a priority the band is or if they will record another album (which I hope they do), but if not they could not have ended on a better note. The songs absolutely soar. Some of the most uplifting music I have ever heard.

Embrace-No Use Crying
Embrace-Target

Teenager

Everybody's favorite lads from Ireland via the OC (sountrack) are back for another round with a new album called Teenager, which is almost a bit funny considering their popularity on Hollister sound systems and prime-time TV melodramas. This album could not have come at a more perfect time for me than the middle of summer. The hooks are big and sunny and the lyrics do well in articulating that odd stage in life between childhood and adulthood for which the album is named. The album as a whole carries a sweet smell of optimism and when I hear lyrics like, "This year could be our year," I can't help but feel a little younger.

The Thrills-This Year
The Thrills-Nothing Changes Round Here

Songs for heart-break

Oh it's that time again, when love bites and your summer fling is all over, leaving you with a bunch of unrequited emotions. Well maybe that's just me...but still, today for this post we are going to explore some little ditties to relax ya when the times could be better.



Ida - Back Burner
This is a favorite of mine for when the times lack their luster and the flowers seem to droop. This song is sad enough to make a random passersby on the street break out into tears are the mere sense of the vibrations from your headphones. But don't let it get you down, for the pretty little finish with the soaring vocals is uplifting enough (despite the cold as ice lyrics.)


Codeine - New Year's
Clever imagery, eh? What can I say, I'm a biology major. But let's stay on task. Codeine has this almost supernatural way of capturing dreariness...I don't know how they do it, but this plodding tune is sure to bend some hearts back into position with it's restless, down-cast demeanor.



Gregor Samsa - These Points Balance
This soothing ode is a guaranteed winner if your hopes are sagging a bit. Just get yourself lost in the tranquil melody of one of those ever-lovely co-ed vocal duos backed by the blissful hum of a restrained, yet dreamy collage of instrumentation. Nothing takes you off guard, no big climax to unsettle your nap. Just serene from start to finish.

You were the rockets and the glow.

Happy Independence Day!

The Incredible Moses Leroy-The Fourth of July
The Violet Burning-Gorgeous