Top 5 Albums Of The Moment

1. Bibio – Mind Bokeh (2011)

This album takes a few listens to get into but it is one that is definitely worth sticking with. There are some great moments in here. The creativity just flows on this album.

2. Washed Out – Within and Without (2011)

Everyone loves Life of Leisure EP I know. But if you are dismissing this as a second rate album I think you are wrong. Great sounds and moods on this album. One thing I have noticed about Ernest is that he has a knack for great melodies. To me that is why Washed Out is so successful at what they do.

3. Phish – Slip Stitch & Pass (1997)

Love this live album from Phish. Wolfman’s Brother is so funky, especially the 2nd half after Trey’s solo. Listen how the four of them come together to play some super tight funk that only these guys could pull off. I’ve been dancing with my daughter on this one.

4. Gomez – Five Men In A Hut: A’s, B’s & Rarities 1998-2004 (2006)

Love love Gomez. Great springtime and summer music. If you are a Gomez fan I highly recommend this album. The B-sides and other unreleased tracks are just as good as what is on their albums. Actually I’d say some are even better in certain cases, something that Gomez would likely agree with since they admit that some songs, though they knew they were great, just didn’t fit the vibe of the album. Great stuff to explore on here.

5. Mew – Frengers (2003)

AllMusic lists this early mew album as their pick for their favorite Mew album. I haven’t given it enough listens to come to that conclusion, but I am loving what I hear so far. Love the creativity and love the different song structures and chord changes they use. Like all Mew albums, it is a fun uplifting album.

30 Albums For Spring

30 Albums For Spring

Yes, it’s that time of year again. Here are 30 albums for a perfect spring soundtrack. In alphabetical order. Note the prevalence of Brit-Rock. And, as always, feel free to share your own springtime faves.

1. Jamiroquai – The Return of The Space Cowboy (1994)

Probably my favorite Jamiroquai album. Such a great combination of jazz and funk. Great experimentation as well. Right now I’m obsessed with the bass. Stuart Zender is unreal.

2.  Belle &Sebastian – Push Barman to Open Old Wounds (2005)

I love the rawness and simplicity on this album. Great, timeless songs. If you are a B&S fan this album is a must.

3.  Air – Talkie Walkie (2004)

This album has really held up well over time. I go back and forth with this album and Moon Safari as my favorite album. Great springtime songs: Cherry Blossom Girl, Run, and Universal Traveler.

4. Beth Orton – Central Reservation (1999)

A perfect springtime album. Beth is so good at creating great songs that seem both fresh and spontaneous.

5. Bibio – Ambivalence Avenue (2009)

A perfect spring album for the urbanite.

6. Cat Stevens – Mona Bone Jakon (1970)

Cat’s first album he made after being bedridden with tuberculosis. Perfect spring songs: I Think I See The Light, Katmandu, and Fill My Eyes.

7. The Charlatans UK– Some Friendly (1990)

Great spring album you can listen to from beginning to end.

8. The Cocteau Twins – Heaven or Las Vegas (1990)

My favorite Cocteau Twins album. Love the bright, warm sound.

9. The Cure -  The Head On The Door (1985)

A more upbeat Cure album with some great songs. Some great spring songs: In Between Days, Six Different Ways, Push and Close to Me.

10. The Dandy Warhols – Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia (2000)

My favorite Dandy’s album. Another great springtime in the city album.

11. Gorillaz – Gorillaz (2001)

Just getting into these guys (I know, sometimes I am late with this sort of thing). This is their first album and the one I seem to enjoy most.  I love that the musicians come from all different backgrounds to come together and create a fresh, new sound.

12. Groove Armada – Vertigo (1999)

Great springtime grooves. See: Chicago, Whatever, Whenever, and Serve Chilled.

13. Herbie Hancock – Maiden Voyage (1965)

Definitely my favorite spring jazz record. When the sax comes in on the opening track it is pure bliss.

14. Jónsi – Go (2010)

Jónsi captured some great energy on this album. Great happy, bright songs.

15. Kula Shaker – K (1996)

A perfect album for those who enjoy some great experimental Brit-Rock.

16. Mew – And The Glass Handed Kites (2005)

A seriously good band out of Denmark. Experimental pop rock.

17. My Bloody Valentine – Loveless (1991)

Perfect album for spring. The sound they get from their guitars is ridiculous. An artistic masterpiece.

18. Nick Drake – Bryter Layter  (1970)

The somewhat, more upbeat Nick Drake album. Songs such as Hazey Jane I, Fly and Northern Sky are perfect spring songs.

19. Oasis – (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? (1995)

The album that got me into Oasis. They are masters of creating a big sound while still maintaining an urgency and freshness to it. I am obsessed with Morning Glory right now, probably my favorite Oasis song.

20. P.O.S. – Never Better (2009)

The energy on this album just reminds me of spring. Talented guy and lyricist.

21. Pearl Jam – Vs. (1993)

The album that had the difficult job of following Ten. Vs has more of a rawness to the sound than Ten which is the reason I included it on this list. I wasn’t into Pearl Jam when Ten came out (too young), but I definitely was a big fan when Vs came out. That’s why it will always be a special album for me. Rearviewmirror is as good of a song as they have ever written.

22. Phish – A Picture of Nectar (1992)

One of Phish’s best. Great energetic grooves such as Llama, Cavern and, or course, Tweezer.

23. Radiohead – Pablo Honey (1993)

I know some people don’t really like Pablo Honey, but I think it has held up pretty well. It is no OK Computer or Kid A, but the band was at a different state then. There are some great fun songs on this album. I’ve have some great memories of listening to this album.

24. Red House Painters – Red House Painters  (Rollercoaster) (1993)

An album that reminds me of strolling through San Fransisco in springtime. Listen to Grace Cathedral Park to hear what I mean.

25. Ride – Nowhere (1990)

The best of the early 90′s British shoegazer rock (along with Loveless and The Stone Roses). An album that’s worth hunting down for Brit-Rock enthusiasts.

26. Smashing Pumpkins – Pisces Iscariot (1994)

I remember when this came out it seemed to be marketed as another Pumpkins album, not a collection of B-sides and demos that it actually is. And after almost 20 years I pretty much consider this another pumpkins album. The songs are so good. Great energy and emotion in every song. Songs like Frail and Bedazzled, Whir, Hello Kitty Kat, and Starla are some of the best songs the pumpkins ever recorded. Pisces Iscariot is just further proof of how good these guys were at this time. For me, no other band was close.

27. The Stone Roses – The Stone Roses (1989)

An album, such as Loveless, that will be fun to listen to in 20 years (or 50 years). Every song is a classic. The bright washed-out guitars are a perfect spring soundtrack. I think if I had to choose my favorite spring album The Stone Roses would be it.

28. Supergrass –I Should Coco (1995)

Probably their best album. Some fun, in-your-face Brit-Rock on here.

29. Washed Out – Life of Leisure (2009)

Love this LP from Washed Out. Destined to be a classic. Infusing so much mood into electronic music isn’t an easy thing, but Ernest makes it seem effortless.

30. Yonder Mountain String Band  – Elevation (1999)

Gotta throw some bluegrass in here. Love the harmonies. Springtime in the Rockies.

Top 5 Albums of the Moment

Summer 2011 edition! A mix of older and newer albums that I have been digging this summer.

In no particular order.

1. The Roots – How I Got Over (2011)

You have to have a little hip hop for the summer soundtrack and I love the newest Roots album. I know they are Jimmy Fallon’s Late Night band but they still manage to sound inspired on this. Great lyrics and great music.

2. Phish – A Picture of Nectar (1992)

Phish should be on anyone’s shortlist for summer music. Who can resist their crunchy grooves?

I actually have been listening to a bunch of live Phish shows, especially their 2004 Summer Sampler (which is sweet), but since it’s not really an album I went with A Picture of Nectar. Sure Tweezer is sweet, but I also love the opener Llama.

3. The Swell Season – Strict Joy (2009)

LOVE this album right now. Great songwriting straight from the heart. Writing love songs can sometimes sounds overdone, but Glen and Marketa write them in such an interesting and fresh way. The song The Verb is sooo good.

4. Vampire Weekend – Contra (2010)

Had to throw this one in here. This album oozes summer. It takes me to an ocean beach where I’m sippin a cocktail. It’s just a fun album. Love it.

5. Return To Forever – Hymn to the Seventh Galaxy (1973)

Jam music always sounds a little better in the summer. So why not go back to the early 70′s with one of the all-time best? Chick Corea, Bill Conners (who would later be replaced by Al Di Meola), Stanley Clarke, and Lenny White bring a little more of a rock sound than their previous jazzy efforts. This is pretty sick stuff.

The combination of Chick Corea and a Fender Rhodes is musical perfection. It’s a fact.

Phish Plays “Loving Cup” On Jimmy Fallon

Here’s Phish’s performance of the Rolling Stones’ “Loving Cup” from a few nights ago.

Good to see these guys on TV. It’s been a while!

Phish 3D

Be cool of they did this back in the Junta days but this should still be very good. Looks like you need a sub woofer to appreciate it though (Billboard says they favor the high end and Gordon and Fishman get a little left out).

‘Phish 3D’ Movie Brings the Jam to Fans

Intricate jams, flying glow sticks, pot smoke hanging in the air, totally unselfconscious dancing–plus comfortable chairs, unbeatable views and air conditioning. This is the kind of almost-live experience that a 3D jam-fest concert film would ideally provide, and “Phish 3D,” opening nationwide on April 30, does a pretty decent job of creating it. Plus, as one audience member at Brooklyn’s April 20 screening put it, “if you take off the 3-D glasses, you can see what Phish usually looks like to most people.”

Filmed over three days in October 2009 at the band’s Festival 8 in Indio, Calif., “Phish 3D” focuses on two evening shows and one daytime acoustic set. The film offers both field-wide shots and close-up, instrument-level views during Phish’s performances of favorite songs such as “Tweezer,” “Maze,” “AC/DC Bag,” “Mike’s Song,” and newer tracks off their 2009 album “Joy” including “Stealing Time from the Faulty Plan”. The film also contains portions of the band’s performance of the Rolling Stones’ “Exile on Main St.,” part of Phish’s Halloween “musical costume” tradition of playing an entire album by another artist.

Not just a gimmick, the 3D aspect does add value in terms of bringing the concert experience that much closer to the real thing–crowd-spanning shots from behind simulate the feeling of being part of the audience; balloons floated by the real-life crowd caused theater-goers to swat the air in front of them. At several points throughout the film, theater staff tossed real glow sticks into the seats as concert staff would do at a live Phish show. Audience members danced, applauded, sang along and even lit up a few (something theater managers should undoubtedly be prepared for). The festival was filmed by Action 3D Productions and presented in association with AEG Network Live and Cinedigm.

The film’s biggest flaw is the sound mix, which favors the high end of Trey Anastasio’s guitar and Page McConnell’s keyboards over Mike Gordon’s bass and Jon Fishman’s drums, an imbalance that detracts somewhat from Phish’s famed improvised transitions. And longtime Phish purists might lament the film’s reflection of Phish’s move away from extended, jazz-inspired improvisation to more straight-ahead, rehearsed rock performance.

Still, by the time the film closed with Phish’s energetic horn- and backup vocalist-supported performance of “Suzy Greenberg,” the theater crowd volume was loud and a number of people were out of their stadium seats and on their feet. “Phish 3D” isn’t going to give fans the same experience as a three-day camp out in the desert, but that might not always be a bad thing.

All-Time Favorite Double Albums

Here’s my list of all- time favorite double albums. Studio releases only, no compilations or live discs (In Rainbows doesn’t count). I realize that there are some classic albums that I am leaving off this list. The main reason for that is I really haven’t listen to those albums enough to include them.

Some examples of great double albums I left off include: Bob Dylan’s Blonde on Blonde, The Who’s Tommy, Wilco’s Being There and Led Zeppelin’s Physical Graffiti.

1. Smashing Pumpkins – Mellon Collie & The Infinite Sadness (1995)

A modern rock masterpiece. Billy’s at his songwriting peak. Which, at this time, is genius.

2. Genesis – The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway (1974)

The last Genesis album featuring the classic lineup of Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford, Steve Hackett, and Peter Gabriel. One thing I love about this album is that there are so many layers to peel away. This album, along with their Selling England By The Pound (1973), is progressive rock at it’s finest. Peter Gabriel is my hero.

3. Pink Floyd - The Wall (1979)

I know some people think this album is weird and a product of Roger Waters’ self-indulgence, but I very much disagree. This is the album that made me realize what a musical genius Waters is. His passion and vision (not to mention the guts) to create something so powerful and unique is something I find extremely rare and lacking in today’s music.

4. Aphex Twin – Selected Ambient Works II (1994)

My favorite ambient album. The standard by which I judge all others. Based on the dreams of Richard James. When he awoke, he would attempt to recreate the sounds and record them. One of the coolest ideas ever IMO.

5. The Beatles – The White Album (1968)

My 3rd favorite Beatles album (after Abbey Road and Rubber Soul). Some quirky songs yes, but also some of the best songs ever recorded by anyone.

6. Jeff Buckley- Sketches For My Sweetheart The Drunk (1998)

The final album before Jeff’s tragic death from drowning. It was left unfinished before his death, then released posthumously in 1998. The polished songs are mixed with the more “rough” drafts but you don’t really even notice. This album shows his unreal talent as a performer and songwriter. What an amazing voice.

7. Miles Davis – Bitches Brew (1970)

A landmark fusion album. An album with no barriers. There is nothing else like it ever recorded. Miles blows the doors open.

8. Outcast – Speakerboxxx/The Love Below (2003)

Great stuff from Andre and Big Boi. These guys seem endlessly creative.

9. The Who – Quadrophenia (1973)

The Who’s second double-album rock opera (Tommy being the first) and my favorite Who album. “Love, Reign o’er Me” is one of the all-time best closing songs.

10. Phish – Junta (1989)

Phish’s first proper studio release is also one of their best. Jams like David Bowie and The Divided Sky are hard to top.

11. Stars Of The Lid – And Their Refinement Of The Decline (2007)

Some of the best new ambient music out there. Patient, simple, beautiful.

12. Yes  – Tales from Topographic Oceans (1974)

Pretty much anything from the 70′s-era Yes is great and this album is no exception. The Revealing Science Of God is in my top 3 Yes songs.

13. Godspeed You! Black Emperor – Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven! (2000)

Ambitious symphonic prog-rock from this short-lived Canadian band. A great mix of beautiful orchestral music with epic rockin’ climaxes. These guys definitely know to to build a song (though it may take a while with an average song length over 20 min).

Top 5 Albums Of The Moment

1. Stars Of The Lid  – And Their Refinement Of The Decline (2007)

Beautiful ambient music from Austin, TX. If you love ambient music this is a must. And even if you don’t listen to much ambient, you will enjoy its meditative and sleep provoking qualities.

2. Sufjan Stevens – Come On Feel The Illinoise (2005)

This album is a masterpiece that grows better with each listen. Sufjan’s best album IMO (Seven Swans not far behind).

3. Phish – Joy (2009)

Just heard this and thought it was a solid Phish album. Great energy and songs that have been road-tested for sure. As produced a sound as Phish gets (it was produced by Steve Lillywhite who also did Billy Breathes), but that’s not really a bad thing. I have always found some of Phish’s writing to be a little goofy (lyrically and musically) but once they kick into a jam I’m hooked.

4. Moby  – Last Night (2008)

Love this album from Moby. Maybe not his best, but it’s at the top of the list for sure. Last Night is Moby’s “ love letter to dance music in New York City.”  Yes it’s dance music, but still very eclectic. The slower songs are also great, especially the song “Last Night” with a heavenly outro.

5. Red Garland – Red Garland’s Piano (1957)

One of the very best jazz albums I own. Red, with Paul Chambers on bass and Art Taylor on drums form a stellar trio. This album reminds me of Kind Of Blue in the sense that it’s great jazz that’s accessible and everyone can enjoy.