Grouplove

A mashup of The Pixies and Girls, Grouplove deliver multi-dimensional musical bliss on Colours, the runaway hit from their debut EP, which dropped only a few short weeks ago and is already garnering radio play on the current and vociferous declarations of love from indie fans across the nation. Colours caught my eardrums the other night and had me instantly turn the dial up without hesitation. Delivering unmatchably wry and beautiful lyricism and one of the catchier hooks I've heard in a while, Grouplove showers its listeners in indie-rock ear-nirvana.

So I pull the switch, the switch, the switch inside my head

And I see black, black, green,and brown, brown, brown and blue, yellow, violets, red
And suddenly a light appears inside my brain
And I think of my ways, I think of my days and know that I have changed.

It's the colors you have
No need to be sad.
It really ain't that bad.

Peace of Mind

[photo : Star Tribune]

Last week I was blessed with the opportunity to see one of my favorite artists of all time, Ms. Lauryn Hill in concert and fortunate enough to meet her after the show. Her energy was unbeatable and being in her presence was the best early birthday gift I could hope for. Exchanging words with her was a beautiful experience and it compelled me to reflect on the many incredible concerts I've gone to and what they have done for my mind, body and soul.


My first concert was Sting, whom I still credit with being one of the most charming and talented male musicians of his time. In high school I rocked out with Weezer and the Foo Fighters and just about lost my shit seeing Anthony Keidis on stage at the Chili Peppers extravaganza. (Even in a plaid kilt and bright red tie I'm pretty sure he's the foxiest californicator on the planet). I've seen Prince, Atmosphere, Brother Ali, and Dessa; all local acts that I've written about, screamed about, and attempted to absorb just a little of their magic by being part of a crowd that stood amazed in their talent. Nothing makes me feel more alive than live music. Seeing MGMT and Sharon Jones last summer at Rock the Garden was another amazing day, and one I will never forget.
Through the often times tumultuous nature of growing up, we are all apt to suffer a few losses. Friends and lovers, houses and schools, but mostly ideas. The great news is that despite the unpredictable nature of life and the frightening facts of trying to navigate adulthood, music and all it stands for can never abandon you. As Ms. Hill would say, "you are my peace of mind." Music is truly the greatest comfort, most unfailing, inspiring art form in my life.

When I think of my relationship with music, (one of my longest and most fulfilling relationships to date,) I'm reminded of a quote from Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat Pray Love. The quote is in reference to the inner strength she finds in hard times, but it also reads a lot like what music would say to me in a love letter.

"I'm here. I love you. I don't care if you need to stay up crying all night long. I will stay with you. There's nothing you can ever do to lose my love. I am stronger than depression and I am braver than loneliness and nothing will ever exhaust me."

Rockin the Suburbs

Moody and languid, The Suburbs is Arcade Fire's latest and greatest album. Bashfully discovering this gem about 4 months after its release, I was amazed at the change of pace from previous Arcade Fire tracks. While former releases (such as Neighborhood #1) proved evocative and trance-like, their latest album is purely transformative.
An immediate standout is Ready to Start. "If the businessmen drink my blood, like the kids in art school said they would - I guess I'll just begin again, you say can we still be friends? Well if I was scared, I would, and if I was bored you know I would..." Not only does the lyricism on this song command a sort of Holden Caulfield nuance, it serves as a great introduction to the album's tone as a whole; that of an indie extravaganza that is simultaneously semi-detached and drenched in sentiment.
Another standout is Modern Man, with a deliciously Kings-of-Leon flavor. "So I wait in line I'm a modern man; maybe when you're older you will understand; why you don't feel right - why you can't sleep at night." On the orchestral Half Light I the album climbs the heights of its creative pinnacle; seamlessly carving out a timeless hipster-slow-dance-anthem. This song is by far the most genuinely alternative, screaming out to be used in combination with black and white still-lifes or as the backdrop for a Sofia Coppola film. "Oh this city's changed so much since I was a little child, I pray to God I won't live to see, the death of everything that's wild." Stripped down yet complex, The Suburbs is a timely amalgamation of all things starkly beautiful.

Wye Not Wye Oak

Meet Wye Oak; indie folk duo from Baltimore made up of equal parts Jenn Wasner and Andy Stack. In their latest release, Civilian, expect a cross between Florence + The Machine and Deb Talan of the Weepies. Riveting from the first beat, it didn't take long for me to wrap my headphones and heart around this amazing track, which revels in a humble combination of Elliot Smith's lyricism and the unapologetic grit missing from mainstream music. Tremendously brave and beautiful, Civilian is a song to fall in love with.

I am nothing without pretend
I know my thoughts
can't live with them
I am nothing without a man
I know my faults
but I can hide them

I don't need another friend
when most of them
i can barely keep up with
i'm perfectly able to hold my own hand
but i still can't
kiss my own neck

Second Annual - Year in Musical Review

A little glimpse into the mixtape of my year. What better way to measure your time but musically...

January
Symphonies - Dan Black

"as the lights of the cars go by in a stream
seems like i stand pretty much unseen
but i open my eyes and beams come out"

February

Ambling Alp - Yeasayer

"you must stick up for yourself, son
never mind what anybody else done"

March
Winter Winds - Mumford & Sons

"and my head told my heart 'let love grow'

but my heart told my head 'this time no"

April
The Chaconne - Dessa & Matthew Santos

"the books i read said you were a fragile kid, just as i imagined it your story goes"

May

Never Knew Your Name - Mason Jennings

"put the ghost in my sail/put the spin in my wheel/ roll me up in your heart,
awe make it seem real/i'm clay in your hands, i'm the ball in your game

i've been lovin you forever but i never knew your name"

June
Franklin Avenue - Jeremy Messersmith

"waiting for/ that sinking feeling/it's all that keeps me together + im so scared to let it unwind"

July
Mouthful of Diamonds - Phantogram

"wake up
you're getting high on your own supply
oh baby,
you're still alive when you could've died
the world is not around because of you
you know?
i'm not around because of you"

August
Eid Ma Clack Shaw - Bill Callahan

"show me the way to shake. a memory"

September
Heart of Gold - Neil Young

"it's these expressions i never give, that keep me searching for a heart of gold"

October
Who You Gonna Run To? - Solid Gold

"who you gonna run to?
who you gonna run to now?"

November
The Light - Common

"granted,
we known each other for some time -
it don't take a whole day to recognize sunshine"

December
Revival - Deerhunter

"i know they won't believe me, but i've got favorite memories
darkness, always
it doesn't make much sense"

As the new year approaches, I only hope that it is happier, calmer, and more beautiful than any year before. Try not to make too many resolutions, you don't need 'em.
xx

Kill The Light

Expect to hear these two next time you venture into Urban Outfitters.
An 80s, slightly sexed up version of Tegan and Sara, Kitten provides some good clean hipster fun with Kill The Light. Would easily fit into any techno-pop montage in a Sofia Coppola movie.


Not to be outdone, Deerhunter will leave you begging for more on the trance-like Revival - another song too short to be played less than a few times in a row.

Age of Adele

Adele, whose breakout album 19 was touted as the vocalist's powerhouse debut, comes back strong with her sophomore effort appropriately titled 21. Expected to hit iTunes this February, the first single Rolling in the Deep has been pre-released to thunderous praise from both sides of the pond. (Pure vocal power. If you want to listen to something that sounds. good. this is the song for you...) With a maturity transcending the age suggested on her albums, Adele's bold, soulful tracks resonate louder than many of her more half-hearted counterparts.
From powerful vocals to a richly transcendent artist tethered to textural fragility, Sufjan Stevens presents Futile Devices - a tiny work of art. This 2 minute gem is one of the most beautiful tracks off of Sufjan Stevens' latest album, The Age of Adz.