I’ve been through a long music drought through the end of winter. I finally have some albums worth referring. Enjoy.

Band of Horses
Everything All The Time

Just buy this album. It’s hard not to just put this thing on repeat and play it to death. I’ve been wanting something like this for a while. Seriously–buy this, listen, then come back and check out the rest. You’re still reading. Go get it. My Morning Jacket’s Z was the last album that made me play this much. Before that? Not even sure.

Mates of State
Bring It Back

The first few runs through the 30 second samples didn’t convince me on this album. How wrong I was. In the right mood they finally hooked me. And now, upon more listening, not sure why I didn’t dig it from the start.

Metal Hearts
Socialize

A softer, poppy group of tracks–but Metal Hearts are getting good rotation on the stereo and the iPod–at work, at home, in the car. The cover art reminds me of Magic Numbers–and maybe the sounds do too (not really–sorry it was late when I wrote this). Socialize is the stickiest of the tracks with a hooky repetitive loop that ebbs and flows through the arc of the song.

Tapes ‘n Tapes
The Loon

A unique set of tracks that sound distinctive yet familiar. I think the albums I’ve selected for this Fulminate all fit well into a playlist–as evidenced by my recent tracks played.

The Lilys
Everything Wrong Is Imaginary

This is a pretty whacked out set of songs. Play. Play again. Enjoy. It may take a while to grow. But it will. Gina was unimpressed through the first few tracks I previewed for her. I think she’s warmed up to it like a good spicy chai.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Show Your Bones

It’s not Fever to Tell, but I think I like to better. Too early to tell. But not too early to know there are some winning tracks here. Like Mates of State the songs didn’t immediately grab me but have since.

The Sounds
Dying to Say This to You

This is grrl garage rawk. If I had a 67 Impala I’d be pumping this at volume 11 and riding the roller coaster pasture hills of my childhood home of Wisconsin. A sixer anyone?

Must Have

Various Artists: Future Retro
I screened the 100+ iTunes albums, EPs, and singles in crazy mood today. This album popped out. I imagine much of it could be the soundtrack for Sophia Coppola’s adaptation (I wish) of Middlesex.
This is, as the title suggests, a remix of “retro” tunes. The best tracks aren’t those by Yaz, Depeche Mode and Cure but instead: Devo (by far the best track on the album), Echo and the Bunnymen, and Alphaville’s Forever Young.

Iron and Wine: Live Session EP
You can’t be human if you’re not affected by this album. Sam Beam, with sister Sarah, perform songs that rattle around deep in your insides. As I said, it was a weird morning for reviewing the tracks, and this album just came up and walloped me. Beam does this in his other songs–but for some reason, a track like “Faded Winter” does even more, slowed way down and without the vocal effects, is just pure raw resonating music. When it’s this bare, and this pleasing, it means mastery–of song writing and performace. Can I say it in any other way?

Built to Spill: Goin’ Against Your Mind Single
An 8 minute 41 second epic by solid Built to Spill. I don’t buy singles, as a rule, but broke that rule today. I’m not sure what’s to come with the release of the upcoming album. I’m hoping for new stuff–but unsure since the album title looks to be “Time Trap 1994-2006.”

Of Interest

Arctic Monkeys: When the Sun Goes Down EP
I usally don’t bother with EPs or singles–but a friend has an advance copy of the full release and it perked my interest. Hearing this EP, I’m unconvinced. A further reason to stay away: Time did a story on them.

Belle and Sebastian: The Life Pursuit
I haven’t yet cross into Belle and Sebastian fandom–but there is quality worth noting–and those who are more inclined to them ought to give this one a preview. I’m in a rare music mood today so what get’s purchased and what is of interest might be a little weird.

MC Lars: The Graduate
This is a definite must-preview–very funny–check it out. The track titles such as these tell all:
Download This Song”, “The Roommate from Hell”, “Hot Topic Is Not Punk Rock”, “Rapgirl”, “Generic Crunk Rap”, “iGeneration”, “If I Had a Time Machine, That Would Be Fresh”, “Internet Relationships (Are Not Real Relationships)”, and “Six Degrees of Kurt Cobain.”

The Battles: Tomorrow’s Eager Hands
I’d describe this band as Guided By Voices meets Arcade Fire meets Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. Can you dig it?

Various Artists: To: Elliot, From: Portland
The Decemberists covering Elliot Smith? Why not. A few other good covers… though not enough to put it into the shopping cart.

Gus Franklin: The Outer Void Intrepid Sailor
Is it bad that in the actual title, in iTunes, Gus Franklin gets “from Architecture in Helsinki & The Universe” tacked on to his name? I didn’t buy–but worth sampling.

Technorati Tags: ipod, mixjockey, music

I don’t go to many shows anymore–but I still want to know who is playing in Chicago. About 5 years ago, when I had Whet Magazine running, I wanted to build a mashup to do that (before such a thing was buzzed one). Sure, there’s Metromix, the Reader, and others that publish all the concerts. But wouldn’t it be better to have a site exclusively designed to deliver the goods? And further, it would be cool if you could tap into last.fm or pandora to filter the concerts by what you’d most like?

Via Techcrunch, I introduce the mashup I never built: Podbop. It doesn’t have the last.fm, pandora, or itunes integration that would take it over the top. But still, very very cool.

KEXP started integrating tour venues into notes of the sets they were playing way back when–and it makes perfect sense. You listen to a band, you like them, you buy the music and see them perform. Integrate the whole thing…

I think future iTunes Alternative Reviews I will try to integrate Podbop’s information.

There just haven’t been many good new releases on iTunes since my last update. Here’s the small collection of the good ones.

Must Have

Wilco: Kicking Television Live in Chicago [iTunes]
I’m not a huge Wilco fan–I know, I’m supposed to be as a Chicagoan. But I do think their music is a requirement in my collection–and fits certain moods and times. The highest rated music I have I can play at any time–it’s powerful enough to change my mood, rather than accentuate it. Wilco doesn’t quite reach that level. But good nonetheless.

Tender Forever: The Soft and the Hardcore[iTunes] [Amazon]
After listening to crap after crap new release track over the past month or two, Melanie Valera, the one-woman member of Tender Forever, stands above the rest. Her French accent, unique voice, and tripped out rhythms make this a must-have. Check out her blog.
G and I have been listening to, over the last two weeks in the car, a colossal 1000+ track playlist titled “All The Sounds Fit to Hear.” We’ve made a game of trying to guess the artist as fast as we can. It’s difficult at times. This album will make that game a little bit easier.

Of Interest

Christ T-T: 9 Red Songs [iTunes]
A folky? set of tracks–best when the speed is turned up as in Bankrupt and Preaching to the Converted.

By Divine Right: Good Morning Beautiful [iTunes]
Sounds a lot like other good Canadian bands. After previewing the tracks 5 or 6 times though, I still haven’t taken the plunge to buy. I’m afraid there’s a good possibility the album would get lost among the 1000+ others on lilbard (the name of my external hard drive for music).

Durutti Column: Keep Breathing [iTunes]
This is mood soundscape music. I hadn’t heard of Durutti Column before this. I think it grabbed my attention by the instrumentation, including the string work on Neil. I may end up buying this for the winter-that-ever-ends here in Chicago.

Technorati Tags: ipod, mixjockey, music

It’s been a while so I have a longer list than I’d like. I’m adding a new category called “Must Haves.” These albums stand out above the interesting and others I purchase. These are the albums I’ve had in heavy rotation since I’ve purchased them.

Must Have

My Morning Jacket: Z MMJ purists will probably not enjoy this album as much as I have. It’s true that James’ vocals don’t get featured in the same penetrating/haunting/exposed way as previous cds–but, true to his words, Z has an almost pop feel that maintains the My Morning Jacket distinctiveness. I highly recommend this. And check out Guy Burwell–an artist credited with some of the cd jacket work. I am starting to collect silk screened gig posters. I have 4 on order from Burwell.
Wolf Parade: Apologies to the Queen Mary I loved the EP they put out prior to this release. Even with iTunes I don’t usually buy EPs or single tracks–so I waited. This album is well worth the wait. A warning–friends I’ve shared this band with haven’t been addicted like I have. So I’m guessing you’ll either love it or not be interested–so check out the samples and see where you fall.

The Purchased

Great Lake Swimmers: Bodies and Minds This is definitely mood music. Slow, folky, acoustic, dreamy, and distinguished by the vocals. Ever music collection needs that alone on a rainy day music. This is it.
Her Space Holiday: The Past Present the Future I can’t say much about this because I’ve had some issues with it not being recognized by iTunes–even after purchasing via iTunes… Worth buying if you don’t have the tech issues I’ve had.

Of Interest

The Mutts: Life in the Dirt
Muse: Origin of Symmetry
Broadcast: Tender Buttons
The Go! Team: Thunder, Lightning, Strike
Constantines: Tournament of Hearts
Kimano: Arctic Death Ship
Ske: Life, Death, Happiness & Stuff
LaSalle: Expedition Songs
The Mother Hips: Green Hills of the Earth
Sun Kil Moon: Tiny Cities
Duchess: Duchess
She Wants Revenge: She Wants Revenge
Magnet: The Tourniquet
The Howly Hex: You Can’t Beat Tomorrow
The Helio Sequence: Young Effectuals
The Mendoza Line: Full of Light and Full of Fire

Technorati Tags: ipod, music

This is the first installment of Fulminate–a select group of albums recently made available on iTunes. The intention is you click through and sample them for yourselves. The tracks will fall into ones of interest (which I may end up buying or just think noteworthy) and those I’ve purchased.

My goal is to work through every alternative release, each week, and select a few for Fulminate. The intention is that this can be your first stop to find out, of what is newly available, what’s worth buying, if nothing else just sampling.

The Purchased

Meligrove Band: Planets Conspire is an interesting Canadian band. On a complete listen of the full album I’ll be moving it into the “Songs to Listen” to playlist under heavy rotation on the iPod.

Transsolar Records: Checking the Skies for Taikonauts is a survey of the label’s bands. After I’ve devoted some time to the album I’ll highlight some of the bands I end up trying.

Of Interest

Apollo Sunshine: Apollo Sunshine
Drums & Tuba: Battle Ole
Baby Mongoose: Enter the Baby Mongoose
Brakes: Give Blood
Various Artists: Help: A Day in the Life
Saddle Creek Records: Lagniappe: Benefit for Hurricane Katrina Relief
Sepalot: Nine Rounds of Heavy Weight AC/DC Cover
Lake Trout: Not Them, You
The Dandy Warhols: Odditorium or Warlord of Mars
The Superimposers: The Superimposers
Nada Surf: The Weight Is A Gift

Until next time–100 iTunes “alternative” albums screened.