Rations of In Medias Res

In Medias Res are a independent band from Vancouver, some how they are without a label, though there is much speculation that this will not remain the case for much longer. Their album of what was was produced and mixed by In Medias Res and Jonathan Anderson, who also happens to play guitars, keyboards, drums, and offer samples for an undisclosed number of tracks on the album.

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The album opens with two songs that work so well with each other that they are effectively --and quite literally in my mind-- one song. They are Idée Fixe (lyrics) and Radio Friendly (lyrics). Idée Fixe is a gentle piano driven song which builds in pace very slowly, and seems to turn gradually from a sad lament to an uplifting hopefulness. A strange tension is built and just as the song climaxes it ends; Radio Friendly immediately picks up with a strong electric guitar which takes the hopeful climax of Idée Fixe. and expounds on it with thumping butt-wiggling rock.

My favorite song on the album is the last one Silence Calls (lyrics). Which finishes the album as gently as it started with Idée Fixe. I think the aspect of this song that appeals to me the most is the vocals; though there is a lovely cello playing in addition to the acoustic guitar. I can't really explain why, or how, without sounding desperately in love with the singer, but suffice it to say, he manages to invoke some kind of goopy emotion in me... which I apparently like.

Check out In Medias Res' website here, they have 4 other songs available from this album, and even more from their previous two EPs.

Also if you are a record label please heed their plea (found in the bio section of their website):

We are a band from Vancouver, British Columbia, breeding ground for bands with singers that sound like Cher and artists designed for careers lasting the length of an AOR Commercial... save us.

Oh yes... one more thing. For those of you who are interested in what in medias res means here is what wikipedia has to say:

"Into the middle of things" — by Horace, refers to the literary technique of beginning a narrative in the middle of, or at a late point in, the story, after much action has already taken place. Examples include the Iliad, the Odyssey, and Paradise Lost. Compare ab initio.

Tidings of Ted Leo

Ted Leo + Pharmasists have been making edgy indie rock for the better part of a decade. Their latest release Shake The Sheets is brimming with energy...

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The album opens with Me and Mia (lyrics), which sets the tone nicely for the rest of the album. The tone being roughly "We're not fucking around here! We're going to rock the house, and the house is going to be rocked! MotherFucker!". Or something like that. Bleeding Powers (lyrics) comes near the end of the album, and is just a tad more laid back.

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An earlier album entitled Hearts of Oak is equally exciting though on the whole less infused with mainstream (which you may take to be either good or bad).

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My two favorite songs on the album are The High Party (lyrics), and Hearts of Oak (lyrics).

All of Ted Leo's music defies explanation, I can tell you that these songs are fine examples of his work but by no means show his diversity as they are naturally biased by being counted among my favorites. If you like what you hear there are more samples available at LookOut Records (here), and at Ted Leo's own web site (here); or better yet go out and buy his album!

Specks of Sparrow

I found Sparrow's album The Early Years while perusing the shelves at Zulu; a local record store. It's odd because the album didn't grab me at first, but I had a feeling that given the proper amount of attention I would fall in love with it. At $14 it was worth investigating, and I am very glad I did. The album has a magical ability to transport you to another world where your worries disappear and you walk around with a slight bounce in your step. It's not really possible to single out one track and say "This is the track that does it for me", the magic lies in the album as a whole. I offer you then the chance to listen to three consecutive tracks on the album, which should be enough to give you a glimpse of the magical synergy they posses. The first two are available on Sparrow's web page; in fact there are 14 songs available there! Though only 3 from this album, and only 2 of which are consecutive.

track 02 - This is How It's Done
track 03 - The Early Years
track 04 - Late Last Night

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Dallops of Devin Davis

There are lots of Devin Davis Mp3s to be had at his website, just go to his main site and click on audio (or click here). He offers 6 Mp3s; 3 studio versions of songs from his album Lonely People of The World Unite, and 3 more from a live performance (2 of which are different from the previous 3).

I highly recommend that you listen to the studio version of Iron Woman, it is a fantastic song. I also encourage you to check out the other songs he has available, though the live performance recordings are not of the greatest quality.

In addition here's the studio version of Giant Spiders, which he offers as a live recording. This song has one of the smartest (or nerdiest) lyrics I have ever heard in any song (full lyrics here):

No, I won't sit still
'till I'm upside down
in the back of your eyes

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Persuaded to Post Pop

On only my third post I am going to break the thematic constraints self-imposed on me by my blog description and post a song form a band that is at the forefront of pop music. However the song is quite good, and is a large departure from this band's usual stomping grounds. To be honest I don't much care for this band, they do well at composing a few catchy songs every album but the staying power of their music is questionable at best. In any event this song does make my butt wiggle and my head bop back and forth, and on a careful listen to the lyrics you will find that it is not as decisively bubblegum-pop-crap as you might have at first thought. I will refrain from naming the band in fear of tainting your opinion of the song before hearing it....

Without further ado I give you I Just Wanna Live.

Samplings of Spoon

The first song is from Spoon's latest release entitled Gimme Friction. I had a lot of difficulty choosing one track from this album --I love every song on it-- in the end I decided to go with the song that sold the album to me Two Sides Of Monsieur Valentine.

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This song hit me the first time I heard it, and has remained one of my favorite (if not my favorite) songs on the album (if not on any Spoon album)! I am not sure why, it certainly grooves, and is intricately composed with piano, guitar, bass guitar, drums, and vocals working in such amazing synergy that I melt into a puddle of wiggling ooze. Very content ooze in fact. The lyrics are intriguing... I don't actually recommend that you even pay attention to the lyrics on the first listen. Thinking about their meaning may just ruin the soothing ooze creating ebb and flow of the song. When you have done that a couple of times and re-solidified yourself you can find the lyrics here (the site is Spanish --I think-- but it's the only place I could find lyrics to the song).

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The second song is from their 2002 release Kill The Moonlight, I had an equally difficult time choosing this song... Jonathon Fisk

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This song is meant to be loved. Not that every song isn't meant to be loved... it's just that this one does such good fucking job of it! It's up beat, it's melodic, it makes me wiggle my cute little butt all over the place (that's not self praise, honestly, I have it on good authority that my butt is cute). Anyhow Mr. T told me that he would personally pity any fool that did not enjoy this song, and we all know how well he's doing these days. You can read the lyrics here (the same random Spanish site, this time for consistency's sake). Some of my favorite lines follow, although this song (like much of Spoon’s music) is not driven my the lyrics:

mmmm Jonathon Fisk speaks with his fists

you’re too old to understand

Bits of Ben Folds

I have two tracks to offer from Ben Folds (formerly of Ben Folds Five). The first is Bastard; which is taken from his latest album Songs for Silverman:

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This is my favorite track from this album, and an excellent example of Ben Folds doing what they do best... making epic songs that touch you as much with the lyrics as with the music. The song is unmistakably Ben Folds, with a pounding piano etching out the arcs of the melody; providing solid footing for the guitar, percussion and vocals to do their 'thang ;) The lyrics are perhaps my favorite part of the song, they are thought provoking, introspective and manage to resonate with me. Here's an example (see all the lyrics here):

You get smaller as the world gets big
The more you know you know you don't know shit
"The Whiz Man" will never fit you like "The Whiz Kid" did

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The second is Rockin' the Suburbs; which is taken from his 2001 release with the same title:

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This is a very fun song, it has a sold groove, which is infused by several elements such as the muted strumming of an acoustic guitar and a toe tapping maraca during the bridges; it's heightened during the chorus with a fat sweaty electric guitar. What makes the song fun is a high pitched melodic riff whose source is a mystery to me, it sounds similar to a kazoo though it could be an electronically distorted voice, either way the effect is a perfect addition to the song. Add to this the hilarity of the lyrics and you've got a wonderfully crafted track; here are some excerpts from the lyrics (see all the lyrics here):

Y'all don't know what it's like being male middle class and white

I take the checks and face the facts
that some producer with computers fixes all my shitty tracks