I’m coming to realize this week that holidays (vacations) as I knew them are over. In the past, holidays with Dr. O’C have been leisurely affairs – sleeping late, consuming novels like candy, leisurely walks on the beach, wandering through the ancient cities of Europe, luxurious dinners. Well, with the introduction of a toddler terrorist into the equation things have changed. There is certainly no sleeping in together. We did take a walk on the beach yesterday, but there’s a difference between leisurely and zigging and zagging in a generally backward direction after a toddler who’s recently learned to run. In fact, most of our holiday thus far has been spent chasing Boy Z, making sure he doesn’t take a flying leap off of a jungle gym. Seems to me that young boys are biologically programmed to kill themselves.

The result? Complete exhaustion by Boy Z’s bed time. After that wonderful exhalation that slips involuntarily out of my lungs when I’m sure the boy is asleep, an overpowering weariness sets in – fatigue so strong that I can’t read, write or anything other than cuddle up with Dr. O’C in front of the TV, in fact we’ve become completely addicted to the American version of The Office (on DVD) this week. Don’t know what we’re going to do when we run out of episodes. Oh well, I’m back to work on Monday where I can relax a bit.

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All this preface is just an excuse for being a blogging slacker for the last few days. My intent was to finish my Top 10 list before the end of the year and with two to go on New Year’s Eve, I’ve run out of time. So, let’s jam them in before the deadlie. Here’s where we were when last we spoke:

10. The Hold Steady – “Stay Positive”
9. The Black Angels – “Directions To See A Ghost”
8. Sun Kil Moon – “April”
7. Frank Turner – “Love, Ire & Song”
6. Vampire Weekend – “Vampire Weekend”
5. Jon and Roy – “Another Noon”
4. Frightened Rabbit – “Midnight Organ Fight”
3. Okkervil River – “The Stand-Ins”

Coming in at Number 2 is the latest from one of my favorite bands of the last decade. With two lines from their 1998 debut “Gangstabilly”, the Drive-By Truckers made me a life long fan:

The devil says the only thing that’s buggin’ him
is Hell’s filling up with Republicans…

Alabamans who settled in Athens, Georgia about the same time I did, the Drive-By Truckers built up a dedicated local fan base with their first couple of records of clever, tongue-in-cheek country before garnering deserved national attention for “Southern Rock Opera” in 2001. With this record, the band made the transition from a kind of novelty act to a proper Southern rock band and became the best that genre has seen since the 1970’s. 2003’s “Decoration Day” was the band’s masterpiece, and probably one of the best records of the decade.

The band has been in a constant state of flux since then. They added a third guitarist, the outstanding Jason Isbell, who has since left on a solo career. I worried a bit for the Truckers, as their last album seemed slipshod, but with the release of “Brighter Than Creation’s Dark” earlier this year they made a statement that they are in it for the long haul. It’s a rambling beast of a record and has earned comparisons to The Stones’ “Exile on Main Street” and Wilco’s “Being There”. It is by no means a perfect album, nor is it the Drive-By Truckers’ best album, but it is another great one from a band at the top of their game. Have a listen to the opener and if you like what you hear, buy “Brighter Than Creation’s Dark” from .

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That just leaves Number 1. My Top 10 list is mine and thus I get to make the choices. There have been a couple of criteria throughout. First, all the albums are by unsigned artists or artists signed to a truly independent label. The Big Four lost my business earlier by clamping down on bloggers in a desperately Orwellian fashion. They’ll get no more of my money, nor will I shill for them for free anymore. The second criteria is simple – albums that I listened to over and over and that made me happy this year. The latest record from the husband and wife team Mates of State is the perfect example of that latter criteria. There’s nothing groundbreaking or original about “Rearrange Us” – it is just perfectly crafted pop music. It’s wonderfully written. There isn’t a bad track on the record. And it’s perfect to sing-along to. Do you need more? The record kind of got panned by the critics. I don’t know why. It’s as close to a perfect pop album as I’ve heard in years and it was my favorite album of the year. I can give you A Free Man guarantee that if you buy this one from you will not be disappointed.

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Oh, and there’s the little matter of the Grand Prize winner – the lucky reader who will be receiving all ten of my favorite albums of 2008. There was a total of forty entrants and to insure complete randomness, I used random.org to generate a random number between 1 and 40. And the winner is…

Heather from Ghost of a Smile!

But because this particular prize won’t cost me any money and so there will be slightly fewer disappointed readers, I’ve decided to pick a couple of other winners

Father Muskrat (thank god, because I’m pretty sure he was going to kick my ass if he didn’t win) and Mickey from The Prettiest Denny’s Waitress. For those of you who didn’t win (i.e. losers), don’t fret. I’m going to try to come up with a little post-New Year’s thank you gift.

Congrats to Heather, Father Muskrat and Mickey. I’ll be in touch with you guys after I’m back from vacation with details on how to claim your prize.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to get back to this:

10. The Hold Steady – “Stay Positive”
9. The Black Angels – “Directions To See A Ghost”

I was really struggling to come up with a way to write about the latest LP from Mark Kozelek (aka Sun Kil Moon). I knew I loved it. I knew it was one of my favorite records of the year, but the words to describe “April” (Caldo Verde) were eluding me.

Then the other day I was driving up into the Adelaide Hills toward Cleland Wildlife Park with my boy and I turned “April” on to have another whack at finding the right words. I turned it up loud. And I got it. Sun Kil Moon’s latest is a driving album. Not in the standard hard-driving rock barreling down an interstate highway at 80 mph sense. The long, meandering tracks are perfect for a slow ride through the hills or along a coastal road. Rather than motivating or exciting, “April” is soothing and lulls you into an emotional zone that’s perfect for cruising a lonely road.

Lyrically, “April” is all lost love and loneliness. But, to be honest, when I listen to this album I don’t hear sadness, I just hear the beautiful musical textures that Kozelek (formerly of The Red House Painters) constructs. He paints with his guitar, it’s his intricate playing that keeps this album from veering into self-indulgent noodling. The rich guitar and Kozolek’s wonderfully imperfect voice are enough to keep the listener enchanted for what is a fairly long record. “April” is one of those records that is meant to be listened to as a record, that is designed to take you inside yourself. If you like what you find there, then you’ll love this album.

Have a listen to “Tonight The Sky” which, with it’s Neil Young inspired guitar, is my favorite track on “April”. If you like what you hear then take a punt on Sun Kil Moon’s latest.

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Contests! You’ve still got a couple of days to get in on the limerick contest. Bust out your best crappy poetry – it’s easy, I did one yesterday:

In Adelaide lived a man who was free
And faced the bright days with much glee
But the day of Christ’s birth
Filled him not with mirth
In fact, the whole season just spurred him to flee.

See? Easy peasy. Stay tuned for another contest announcement this weekend. Also, I’ve got a bit of a deal for those of you that are inclined to buy a little new music this Christmas season. If you purchase any of my top 10 albums through the iTunes link at the bottom of each post, I’ll give you your choice of one of the other Top 10 (or honorable mention) albums free. So, if you would like a buy one, get one free deal send me an e-mail (chris at afreeman dot org) to let me know which album you bought and which you want. Valid for the rest of December. My effort to stimulate the economy.

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Sun Kil Moon’s “April” is available from .

Image credits:

Mark Kozelek

Here’s my review from back in April:

Well, he came without warning
like 10,000 men swarming.
Right out of the sky, like a torch
in the night.
The rocks were screaming, and
the sand it was breathing.
I’ve been here before,
When I was killed in a war.

-The Black Angels – “The Return (a warning to prepare)”

Austin’s The Black Angels sophomore LP stomped its’ way on to the interwebs this week ahead of its CD release date in May. A Free Man is still feeling the aftershocks. The Texan sextet is capable of a big sound. “Directions to See A Ghost” is the follow-up to the critically acclaimed “Passover” and represents a musical progression from the debut. The new
record is dark, droningly hypnotic a mixture of harmonic riffs and pounding martial rhythms. The Black Angels are recognizably the band that played “Passover” but they’ve nailed down a sound that they are happy with, they rarely diverge from a trudging tempo – reminiscent of the Velvet Underground or the Melvins, they lean heavily on 60’s inspired vocals in the style of Grace Slick or Jim Morrison and they throw in the occasional psychedelic guitar or sitar solo.

The Black Angels, however, are far more than apologists for 60’s music or a house band for a “hippie party”. There are songs like “18 Years” that open with the sunshine chimes of a 60’s girl band before Dave Gahan-esque vocals and dirging guitars take the listener to a place that hasn’t seen the sunshine in quite some time. The faster tempo and brighter tone or “Science Killer” is sucked back down to the dirt as “Mission District” creeps, predatory with glimpses of the Lizard King in the vocals. The sitar chimes in sporadically hearkening the music of the East but, In general the record stomps forward with an almost militaristic rhythm as if The Black Angels would destroy anything in their wake – like Hannibal’s war elephants.

And for me, that works. This is a dark album and lyrically abstract, the songwriting showing an appreciation for or acceptance of pain and evil. There are thinly veiled political tracks like the nod to election day in “Vikings” and historical interpretations “You In Color”. But in general the lyrics are poems to personal darkness:

The curtain surrounds you
you begin to forget
The hammer cracks
the iron core of your mind

The verdict: If you liked the first Black Angels, you’ll love this one. If you’re a fan of Depeche Mode, Smashing Pumpkins, Jefferson Airplane, 60’s garage bands, The Doors, or The Velvet Underground – you’ll probably like it. If you’re open minded about your music, “Directions to See A Ghost” is definitely worth a punt.

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Just another reminder about my first contest of the month. Share your best anti-Christmas limerick for a chance to win a couple of my honorable mention CDs and a little something extra. I’ve managed to line up some more prizes for later in the month, so I’m looking for good ideas for another contest – something that is a little bit challenging, inspires a little creativity and is a lot of fun. Hell, let’s have a contest for the best contest idea. I’ve got a promo copy of Salme Dahlstrom’s new album “The Acid Cowgirl Audio Trade” that I’ll give to the person who comes up with the best contest idea. It’s not really my thing, but if you’re into Goldfrapp, Gwen Stefani, Grace Jones or Marianne Faithful – she might just be for you.

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The Black Angels “Directions to See A Ghost” is available from .

Image credits:

The Black Angels

In the car

They are shamelessly derivative but in an era in which nothing is truly original, Finn’s band turns creativity on it’s ear by trying (and often succeeding) to do Springsteen better than The Boss ever did. It’s old school American rock and roll and Finn is a lyrical genius, painting a sonic picture of inner city America in the 21st century. His songs are populated with skaters, druggies, hood rats and he tells their stories with an uncommonly sharp poetic voice.  “Stay Positive” is a summer record, a driving record, an onslaught of speeding guitars and frantic lyrics. And that, my friends, is a great thing.

I had incredibly high expectations for this album. I fell in love with The Hold Steady a couple of years ago with the opening lines of “Boys and Girls in America”:

There are nights when I think Sal Paradise was right.
Boys and Girls in America have such a sad time together.
Sucking off each other at the demonstrations
Making sure their makeup’s straight
Crushing one another with colossal expectations.
Dependent, undisciplined, and sleeping late.

And I was a little bit disappointed by this record. Maybe Finn’s narrative is wearing a little thin or maybe the Springsteen influenced sound has lost a little of its lustre for me, but this album wasn’t what I had hoped. The Hold Steady may have hit their peak with the last record or this may be a temporary glitch. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a great album – tenth best of the year in fact – but if you’re not already a fan then don’t start with this one. Pick up “Separation Sunday” or “Boys and Girls in America” and hear a great rock band in their prime.

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Now for the important bit – the first contest of the month. I have copies of two of my Honorable Mention albums that I’m going to give away to a lucky and irreverently creative reader. I asked Dr. O’C for an idea for this one, so it’s her fault. I would like you guys to come up with your best anti-Christmas limerick and leave it as a comment on this post. Let’s set the deadline for a week from today – December 14. Bonus points for . Dr. O’C will pick the lucky winner next Monday who will receive The Pharmacy’s “Choose Yr Own Adventure” and Super XX Man’s “Volume XII: There’ll Be Diamonds” and potentially a bit of Oz schwag – maybe a kangaroo scrotum change purse or something. The racier and more irreverent the better. Good luck!

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The Hold Steady’s “Stay Positive” is available from .

Image credits:

Craig Finn

Bit of a twist this year. Because of my loosely enforced boycott of the major labels, this year’s top ten list will be the Top 10 Albums from Unsigned Artists or Artists Associated with Independent Record Labels.* Catchy title, eh? I don’t want to give any press to the Big 4, so I’m going to focus on the little guys. Guys that may not get the attention of an R.E.M. or a Kings of Leon but may be making better music. Now, I don’t own every album that was released in 2008, so this list is really just personal favorites. I’ll feature one of my Top 10 every couple of days until the end of the month.

Christmas blows but I’m not completely opposed to the Season of Giving concept. I’m working on a repeat of last year’s musical giveaways and am hoping to scale it up a bit this year. So, stay tuned for some reader rewards that will hopefully give me a chance to say thanks to those of you that enjoy the music that you find here at A Free Man.

So, we’ll start off today with the Honorable Mention albums:

The Pharmacy – “Choose Yr Own Adventure”: I fell in love with this cheeky Seattle trio earlier this year. I’m a sucker for the harpsichord as well as Kinky psych-pop and The Pharmacy has both. Their debut LP is a Buy it directly from Don’t Stop Believin’ Records or download from .

MP3: The Pharmacy – “Black Ice Cream”

Motel Motel – “New Denver”: I get a load of music through my inbox, the bulk of which goes pretty rapidly into my trash. If something doesn’t make me sit up and take notice on the first listen then it rarely gets another shot. So, the unsigned bands that I feature on this site are the ones that make it to the second listen. Every now and again, one gets a third or fourth or fifth. One of those is Brooklyn’s Motel Motel. The album is kind of all over the place, but when these guys are good they’re damn good. Check out their debut LP, “New Denver” available from .

MP3: Motel Motel – “Coffee”

Cat Power – “Jukebox”: I love Chan Marshall. She is my rock and roll fantasy girlfriend. But her record company, Matador, has been heavy handed with bloggers. This is really a shame, because they’ve got some great acts in their stable. Matador, I’d like to be friends, really I would. But until you make an effort to be friendly to bloggers, I’m afraid I have to treat you as a Major label. At any rate, Cat Power put out one of the best records of 2006 with “The Greatest”, but this follow up pales a bit. It’s kind of a step backwards for Chan. Still pretty good, though and certainly worthy of mention. As Matador will send the sheriff after me if I link to a song from “Jukebox” here’s an excellent live version of”New York, New York”.

MP3: Cat Power – “New York, New York” (Live)

We Grow Up – “Night Kitchen”: There seems to be a real movement in music right now toward simple, almost primitive, melodic pop. I’ve got to tell you, this makes me happy. I ran across an unsigned Aussie band from right here in Adelaide a while back and was immediately enchanted. Their sophomore LP, “Night Kitchen” is just a joy to listen to and they’re surprisingly mature songwriters for a young band. They’ve signed with Half A Cow and “Night Kitchen” is available from the label.

MP3: We Grow Up – “Celia” 

The Mountain Goats – “Heretic Pride”: John Darnielle, the brain behind The Mountain Goats, has a discography stretching back to the early 1990’s but he just really got on my radar this year with the lyrically stunning “Heretic Pride”. Two of my favorite music bloggers are huge fans and convinced me to have a proper listen. Man, am I glad that I did. I’ve always been a lyrics man and Darnielle is a poet. Have a listen to “Autoclave” and if you like what you hear, you won’t be disappointed by the LP. Buy it from 4AD.

MP3: The Mountain Goats – “Autoclave” 

Bon Iver – “For Emma, Forever Ago”: Another folky, lyrical guy is Justin Vernon of Bon Iver. He’s making spare, slightly spooky and gently ethereal music that is perfect for lullabies, among other things. I have a bit of experience. But beyond its usefulness to parents, Bon Iver makes beautiful and subtle music and “For Emma, Forever Ago” (Jagjaguwar) is a treat. Buy the record direcly from the label. By the way, remember that name (Jagjaguwar) you’ll be seeing these guys again, they’ve got some fantastic artists in their stable.

MP3: Bon Iver – “For Emma”

Super XX Man – “Volume XII: There’ll Be Diamonds”: Must be something about the rain in Portland, because that city is home to some wonderfully wistful, lo-fi artists here at the end of the 00’s. The latest to make me long for the Pacific Northwest is Super XX Man. The musical vehicle for Scott Gerrard is prolific, with their latest “Volume XII: There’ll Be Diamonds” (Tender Loving Empire) marking their twelfth (or so) long player. It’s addictively and simply charming and is available from the band.

MP3: Super XX Man – “There’ll Be Diamonds”

The Bell – “Make Some Quiet”: One of the unexpected, and pleasant, surprises of spending so much time in Sweden over the last few years was the discovery that Sweden right now is to melodious, beautifully crafted pop music what Florence in the 1400’s was to religious painting. There’s just an amazing number of incredibly talented pop bands coming out of the frozen north. One of my favorites is Stockholm’s The Bell, an heavily 80’s inspired trio. Their debut LP, “Make Some Quiet”, made some noise earlier this year and if you’ve got a taste for some of the darker music from the totally awesome decade it may just be for you. Check out my interview with Matthias Strömberg and if you like what you hear, buy their record from .

MP3: The Bell – “Do You Know How To Feel”

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* Independent means really independent. No boutique labels, no distribution deals (see Sub Pop).

Jamie, exhibiting a way with words surprising for a Florida alum, aptly describes the panorama of fans found in our north Florida high school. He is correct in his statement that the amount of red in the team’s uniform was directly proportional to the amount of red in the fan’s neck. He is also correct that I was not a Georgia Bulldog fan in high school. If the truth be told, and this is shameful, I was a casual Gator fan in high school. But upon graduation, I bolted north for college and have not looked back since.

But what he fails to mention is that high school was two decades ago and I think that Jamie and I are both proud of the fact that we are nothing like the people we were in high school. Hell, we were both Republican supporters in high school and I suspect that he cringes in shame as I do when he recalls working to elect George I in 1988. I’ve evolved since high school, I’ve made the transition from the boy I was in 1989 to the man I am today. But, like the mascot they revere, most Gator fans have sat in evolutionary stasis since the Cretaceous period (thanks for the talking point, Gypsy).

When did I become a fan, Jamie? How many games did I attend? I feel as if I’m under some sort of political inquisition – I did not have sexual relations with that woman. Wait, wrong topic. I became a fan some time after I enrolled in the University of Georgia in 1996 as a “mature” student. I’d urge Jamie, and anyone else inclined to question my loyalty to read this post for more detail about my evolution as a Dawg fan. I didn’t get to take my seat in Sanford Stadium as many times as I would have liked because I worked two jobs while studying at the university full time. I spent virtually every game day serving coffee, beer or checking the IDs of red and black adorned fans. I became a lifelong fan on a June day that I did get to take a seat between the hedges. This time wearing a black gown and a mortar board. On that day the University of Georgia, the finest university in the South (I’m not winking, Gator boy) became my alma mater. As Jamie no doubt knows, that Latin translates to “nourishing mother” and questioning my loyalty to the University of Georgia is equivalent to insulting my own mother.

Damn, I hate Gator fans.

Now that we’ve cleared things up a bit, let’s talk about Saturday. Up until last year, Gator fans liked to throw around a lot of numbers – 15 of 18 was one of their favorites, referring to the number of times that Florida had won the game in the last 18 years. What’s funny is that you don’t hear a lot of numbers coming from Gator fans anymore. I think that even Gator fans, with their simple reptile brains, realize that what happened in the River City last year was a transformative experience. When the Dawgs drove for the first score and the whole team took the field in celebration, the Gators’ death grip on this series slipped. When the scoreboard read Georgia 42, Florida 30 at the end of the game a new day dawned for the Bulldog Nation.

Jamie’s given you a borderline apocalyptic version of what he predicts will happen in Jacksonville. Sounds more like the Book of Revelation than a Saturday in northeast Florida, but I’ve got to give him credit for pretty words. But pretty words aren’t going to do much for his alma mater this weekend. The simple fact is that Urban Meyer and his unevolved reptiles fear their canine tormentors. Tim Tebow, last year’s Heisman Trophy winner and the Florida quarterback, had his worst game of the year against the Dawgs. This is largely because he spent most of it on his back. What do you think is going to be running through Tebow’s head as he faces up against the Georgia defensive line for the first time on Saturday afternoon? A defensive unit that made him their bitch last year?

This game rarely has much to do with the superior football team and I’m not sure which team has more talent this year. It is a game of passion and history and hate. The team that brings the most of those three things typically wins.  Last year’s pounding has made the Gators angry, but it has also filled them with fear. Florida Coach Urban Meyer was so shaken by the game last year that he now speaks only in the third person. When the two teams take the field on Saturday in Jacksonville what we’ll have is a quivering band of nervous little boys, with their reptilian brains playing back their humiliation of 2007. On the other side of field will be a proud and confident legion of men in red and black ready to strike another blow for all that is right in the world.  

It’s time for the big dog to eat, Jamie. Saturday’s menu features one of those Sunshine State specialties – fried gator tail.

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Georgia vs. Florida kicks off Saturday at 3:30 p.m. Eastern (6:00 a.m. Adelaide) in Jacksonville on CBS. Expat fans can watch the game online by using a loophole to get around CBS’ U.S. only regulations. Send me an e-mail if you want to know how.
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Athens, Georgia’s own Vic Chesnutt seems a fit for this post. The legendary songwriter has recently released a new album done in collaboration with fellow Athenians Elf Power. “Dark Developments” (Orange Twin) was recorded over last winter in Chesnutt’s home and the album has the feel of a winter day spent inside in front of a fireplace. Chesnutt and Elf Power are blogger friendly artists, so if you like what you hear, buy the whole album here.

I haven’t been doing much of it lately (primarily because it requires more work than posting pictures of Boy Z or vitriol about the Sunshine State), but I do like to feature new music on this site. I tend to be pretty receptive to new music, and a lot of my favorite acts are made up of musicians that aren’t much older than my students. But a lot of times, and I cringe as I say this, I just don’t get it. Like emo, the much maligned musical and fashion trend that “these kids today” are inclined toward. Thing is, I don’t really understand emo, truthfully I don’t even know what it is.

The other day, Andrew at Concrete Circles posted a review of Joie De Vivre – a Rockford, Illinois emo band. Sensing an opportunity, I left a comment for Andrew professing my ignorance regarding the nature of  “emo”. This elicited an e-mail from Patrick Delehanty, Joie De Vivre’s guitarist, who politely (with the tone that one uses with aging aunties) offered to explain it to me. What a lovely young man.

Patrick was kind enough to sit down on A Free Man’s virtual couch to explain the emo movement in music to me and all my fogey readers:

AFM: I hate to put you in the position to be the spokesman for a genre, but what the hell is emo, really?

PD: There are a lot of misconceptions about what emo is. It’s supposed to music that’s emotional, which to us isn’t really a fair description. Honestly, that’s a pretty big umbrella to place over a genre. Almost anything that’s not a Top 40 single could, by this definition, be “Emo”. But we suppose that’s why the term is used so loosely to describe a band.

AFM: What are the roots of the genre? In your music, I hear a lot of the post-grunge bands of the mid-90s (Built to Spill, maybe a bit of early Modest Mouse or Yo La Tengo), but with a lot more dissonance and atonality. Who are the forefathers of emo?

PD: The roots of the genre go back to the mid-eighties. The term emo became synonymous with the whole post-punk movement (most notably the whole Ian MacKaye/Dischord records scene). The genre back then was quite different to the one most recognize now. It was a lot more raw, honest, and socially aware than the poppy cookie cutter stuff we see on MTV with the label. Later on, bands like Sunny Day Real Estate, Mineral, The Promise Ring, and Jawbreaker ushered in a more popular (and in our opinion: the best) version of what the genre should be. Now it seems to be taken over by things we always referred to as pop punk which seems a little ridiculous. We should also mention the whole screamo thing here… it’s a real shame that something so lame and fashion based was born from something so honest.

AFM: Another thing I don’t understand is why emo gets slagged off by the music press so much. Is it just aging hipsters like me who don’t get it? Or is there a legitimate beef?

PD: The music industry is very quick to judge all things emo (especially the more traditional style) as being whiny, pretentious, and drony. But, it always seemed more honest and meaningful to us than most “popular” styles of music. Emo music gets shunned by the press because it’s not trendy.

AFM: Do you bristle at the emo label being applied to your band?

PD: Not at all. Most people that like what we do either aren’t too put off by the label or have a firm grasp as to what real emo music was and still is; we’re happy to be influenced by actual emo, and we’re proud to write through it’s great influences.

AFM: OK, enough emo. Let’s find out a little about you guys.. How did Joie De Vivre come to be?

PD: Brandon, Chris, and Steve were in a band for awhile together, which broke apart in September 2007 and wanted to start something a little more traditional, along the lines with their styles. They knew Pat and Zach for awhile from other bands. It really wasn’t a difficult thing. Things fell into place pretty easily.

AFM: You’re a quintet from Rockford, Illinois with one EP under your belt. Where do you go from here?

PD: We’re almost done with our first full length, tentively called “The North End”, we hope to have it done by the end of the year. And hopefully a tour this summer. Things are pretty difficult without a label and it’s hard to keep everything balanced. None of us have degrees and we all have terrible part time jobs so money is always an issue with us. It’s hard to book all your own shows (tours included) and still have a budget for recording and merch. But we’ll see where things go. We’ve been getting a lot a decent press lately and hopefully things will get bigger and better once we finish this record.

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So, there you go gentle readers. Check out a couple of tracks from Joie De Vivre’s latest EP. I’ve got to go and listen to some Dad Rock and work on this ear hair now.

If you like Joie De Vivre’s music, buy their EP, “The Ghost of Kennedy Hill Road” here.

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Images:

Emos

MP3: Okkervil River – “Lost Coastlines”

Mash-ups and remixes are getting more and more compelling these days. I couple of weeks ago I featured a great remix of Oxford Comma and this week I’ve got a bizarrely enchanting mash up that sounds like the start of a geeky Gen X joke that inspired the title of this post. What do you get when you cross Wilco, the 1985 Chicago Bears and Kanye West? Well, apparently you get The Hood Internet. I don’t know much about these guys (girls? robots?) but they’ve got a whole website of mash-ups that’s worth a visit.

MP3: The Hood Internet – Superbowl Jesus (Kanye West + 1985 Chicago Bears vs Wilco)

David Vandervelde is the latest artist coming out of Secretly Canadian’s stables to get my attention. The Nashville based singer-songwriter has thrown down one of those guantlet-esque sophomore records. It’s ballsy, swaggering distorted guitar rock but with clever compelling songwriting. He’s a bit reminiscent of Mark Bolan at times and what I’ve heard of “Waiting for the Sunrise” puts Vandervelde squarely in a group of up and coming artists to be reckoned with. “Waiting for the Sunrise”is available from

MP3: David Vandervelde – “Nothin’ No”

I love Country music.  I don’t mean the shit that you’re likely to hear if you’re unfortunate enough to tune in a commercial C & W station in North America. I mean that lineage of music that comes out of the Deep South in the 30’s and is channeled through folks with names like Williams, Cash, Perkins, Owens, Harris, Jones and Yoakam. Caitlin Rose is making this kind of country music – it’s not alt.country, it’s Classic Country. Her song “Answer in One of These Bottles” pays tribute to the some of the greats. Check out this interview with Rose at Setting the Woods on Fire. Her EP, “Dead Flowers” is available here.

MP3: Caitlin Rose – “Answer in One of These Bottles”

Plucky and ethereal Chicago duet Aviary Ghost is the latest “making music in your bedroom” act to catch A Free Man’s attention. “Somewhere Else”, from their recent LP, is disturbingly addictive – upbeat and well crafted. Check out “Memory is a Hallway” from

MP3: Aviary Ghost – “Somewhere Else”

Omaha’s Series Two records has got a real handle on the Swedish indie scene. I’m almost regularly getting good tracks from these guys and the latest they sent my way was Uppsala’s Peace In Our Time. Johan Regner is making homemade lo-fi pop in the vein of Tafra and some of Series Two other acts.  Get “A Glimpse of Happiness” directly from the label.

MP3: Peace In Our Time – “Some Nice and Decent Thoughts”

Oh, those Swedes. They just keep on churning out the great music. It’s like they’ve got some sort of breeding program going on up there. The Tallest Man on Earth is the latest Norseman to get my attention with wonderfully understated indie folk. His debut LP “Shallow Grave” is out and available on .

MP3: The Tallest Man On Earth – “Pistol Dreams”

While we’re talking about boys with acoustic guitars, it’s worth mentioning Victoria, British Columbia’s Jon & Roy. The simplicity and humility of their name is reflected in their nicely crafted music.  Their sophomore LP, “Another Noon” came out in May and the more I hear of it the more enchanted I am. Have a listen to that album’s title track and if you like it, buy the whole record from the band or on .

MP3: Jon and Roy – “Another Noon”

Getting away from the whole simplicity thing is Miracles of Modern Science. The Brooklyn quintet is making string heavy pop that deftly avoids the trap that so many before them have fallen prey to – sounding like pretentious twats. It’s spacey, quirky and fun. No recordings out to date, but watch for these guys.

MP3: Miracles of Modern Science – “Eating Me Alive”

UPDATE!

Miracles of Modern Science debut EP is out and available FREE from amazingwow. Amazing. Wow.

Texas is represented at the top and bottom of this post today. Closing things out this week is Dallas’ The New Frontiers. The hardest rockers of this week’s post, The New Frontiers are making music that’s fuzzy, churning, redemptive – a little Ryan Adams at his heavier end. Their latest LP, “Mending” is out and available from .

MP3: The New Frontiers – “Man Down”

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Photos

Okkervil River from the Austin Chronicle

Father’s little helper and I are grateful that the weekend’s upon us. It means a brief reprieve from ten plus hour days. Here’s hoping that this weekend’s also free from flat pack furniture. Damn Swedes.

Wanted to take the chance to point you all at a band that’s been burning up my iPod this week. The Mates of State (MySpace) are a husband and wife team that came out of Kansas in the late 1990’s. They got my attention a year or so ago as the traveling band for the This American Life live show and, separately, as a contributor  to a great kids music compilation called “For The Kids Three” . They cover James Taylor on that comp and their song is one of the most earwormy you’ll ever hear.

The Mates of State have a new album out and I’ve been listening to it non-stop since it came my way. It’s the best that I’ve heard so far this year. “Re-arrange Us” is effervescent, piano laden pop that just forces a smile out of you. A must. It’s my soundtrack for the weekend.

The Mates of State’s “Re-arrange Us” is available from .

MP3: The Mates of State – “Help, Help” (from “Re-arrange Us”)
MP3: The Mates of State – “Jellyman Kelly”

MP3: Melody Gardot – “Worrisome Heart”  .

Word of mouth is still my favorite way of learning about new music, one of the reasons for this post in fact. I got a package from Blighty a little while ago and along with wonderful English sweets was the Mystery Jets latest “Twenty One” (thanks, SSG!). Their sugary British psych-pop wasn’t quite as sweet as the Wine Gums, but nearly as addictive. Get the new Mystery Jets from Seven Digital.

MP3: Mystery Jets – “Half In Love With Elizabeth”

I don’t know much about hip-hop, but I know when something tickles my fancy. And Seattle’s Common Market did that with “Tobacco Road”, the title track from their forthcoming debut LP. The duo got a fair bit pof praise for their EP “Black Patch War” and from the sound of things, the full-length could be a biggun. “Tobacco Road is due out in Septmeber from Massline.

MP3: Common Market – “Tobacco Road”

A Free Man has already declared his undying love for Welsh singer-songwriter Eugene Francis Jnr and had that love consumated in a delightful cyber interview back in March. So it should come as no surprise that I thoroughly enjoyed the most recent single from his debut LP “The Golden Beatle”. If you don’t own this record already – it’s one of the best undiscovered gems of the year. Get it from .

M4A: Eugene Francis Jnr – “My Own Pollution” (Radio Mix)

Herman Düne is a French duet that’s been recording music for nearly a decade. This track, from their 2006 LP “Giant”, is playful, clever and horn-infused (always a selling point for A Free Man). Kind of a Magnetic Fields/Modern Lovers vibe. They’ve got a new LP coming out in October on Everloving Records.

MP3: Herman Düne – “I Wish That I Could See You Soon”

It’s been a long time since anything from Minneapolis has caught my ear, but High on Stress channels the city’s hey day. “Cop Light Parade”, from the quartet’s debut LP “Moonlight Girls”, is reminiscent of fellow Minnesotans The Jayhawks and Soul Asylum. A Free Man likes nothing more than well crafted Americana, and that’s what High on Stress is offering. “Moonlight Girls” is out and available from CD Baby.

M4A: High On Stress – “Cop Light Parade”

One of my favorite covers is Sonic Youth’s treatment of The Carpenters’ “Superstar”, it’s one of those rare covers that’s better than the original. I’m not saying that The Shock of Pleasure has superceded the Sonic Youth version, but it’s pretty damn good. I’m not sure what else the Dallas quartet has to offer, but if Kelley Christian’s vocals on this track are indicative, they’re worth checking out. Their debut LP, “It’s About Time” is out and available from .

I’ve no idea where the Roadside Graves MP3s that I heard this week came from. They certainly didn’t come through my Inbox, so I’m guessing that one of the blogs that I frequent recommended them. I like to give credit where it’s due, but just can’t remember. The memory is the first thing to go, they say.

Anyhow, Roadside Graves. Why is so much good alt-country and Americana coming from the Northeast right now? These guys are a New Jersey outfit who have just released their debut LP, available from .

MP3: Roadside Graves – “Ruby”

I’m fixing to date myself here, but Slowdive’s debut LP induced a sea change in my musical tastes in the early 90’s – away from the guitar heavy grunge that I had been toward melodic dream-pop. I still count “Just For A Day” among my Top 100. Neil Halstead, the male voice of Slowdive, has a new solo record out that’s more reminiscent of Nick Drake’s spare folk than the lush sounds of Slowdive. Outstanding nonethess. ”Oh! Mighty Engine” is out on Brushfire Records and is available from .

MP3: Neil Halstead – “Little Twig”

Closing things out today is Setting Sun, the nom de plume of upstate New York based Gary Levitt. Setting Sun sits squarely in the burgeoning, and compelling, “making music in your bedroom” genre. He recently released his third record, “Children of the Wild”, and is currently touring with A Free Man favorite, Quitzow. Check them out in a town near you and buy Setting Sun’s music directly from the artist.

MP3: Setting Sun – “No Devil Me No More”