Anyhow. This album is spectacular from start to finish. It gets richer each time you listen to it (exactly like French food, am I right? am I right?).

The first single – and first track – Lisztomania is so named becaaauuuse:

The term “Lisztomania” was coined by the German romantic literary figure Heinrich Heine to describe the massive public response to Franz Liszt‘s virtuosic piano performances. There were allegedly screaming women at these performances, and the audience was sometimes limited to standing room only. (source)

Go buy the Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
– but before you do, listen to the whole of Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix right here. And here are a few of my favorite tracks:

Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix – Lisztomania

[See post to listen to audio]

Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix – 1901

[See post to listen to audio]

Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix – Rome (my favorite)

[See post to listen to audio]

Phoenix on Twitter

Go buy Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

Mew’s new album (slightly annoying, but they are forgiven), No More Stories Are Told Today I’m Sorry They Washed Away, has to be in the top three of the year for me. It’s absolutely astoundingly vunderful.

I shall let the album speak for itself – yes, on occasion I’ll put an entire album on here. This album must be heard. But please go buy it! They deserve it, and so do you. The album begins with a crazy bit of electronic blend, then moves into an off-beat song that makes you question what you’re hearing. The whole album tells a story, which is why I included all songs.

Mew – No More Stories… – New Terrain
[See post to listen to audio]
Mew – No More Stories… – Introducing Palace Players
[See post to listen to audio]
Mew – No More Stories… – Beach
[See post to listen to audio]
Mew – No More Stories… – Repeaterbeater
[See post to listen to audio]
Mew – No More Stories… – Intermezzo 1
[See post to listen to audio]
Mew – No More Stories… – Silas the Magic Car
[See post to listen to audio]
Mew – No More Stories… – Cartoons and Macrame
[See post to listen to audio]
Mew – No More Stories… – Hawaii Dream
[See post to listen to audio]
Mew – No More Stories… – Hawaii
[See post to listen to audio]
Mew – No More Stories… – Vaccine
[See post to listen to audio]
Mew – No More Stories… – Tricks of the Trade
[See post to listen to audio]
Mew – No More Stories… – Intermezzo 2
[See post to listen to audio]
Mew – No More Stories… – Sometimes Life Isn’t Empty
[See post to listen to audio]
Mew – No More Stories… – Reprise
[See post to listen to audio]

• Follow Mew on Twitter.
• Buy No More Stories Are Told Today I’m Sorry They Washed Away

I’m honestly too lazy to write more about the band, other than they’re pure, unfiltered, awesomeness, so here’s what I said about them previously:

Hailing from San Diego, CA, they’re automatically cooler than most of us. But unlike many So Cal bands, their music has substance, soul, and depth. Lyrically provocative, filled with rich harmonies, and a displaying a damn good use of digital delay, it’s just really good stuff.

Their new disc, Travel II, is the cat’s meow – have a listen to a few tunes:

Future of Forestry – Travel II – Slow Your Breath Down

[See post to listen to audio]

Future of Forestry – Travel II – Holiday

[See post to listen to audio]

Also, listen to the entire Travel I EP!

Buy Future of Forestry Travel II

If you’re like, “WTF is an equinox?” here’s a definition for you:

The time when the sun crosses the plane of the earth’s equator, making night and day of approximately equal length all over the earth and occurring about March 21 (vernal equinox or spring equinox) and September 22 (autumnal equinox).

Listen to Death Cab for Cutie – Meet me On the Equinox

[See post to listen to audio]

Buy Meet Me On The Equinox

The song is really good, and worth spending some time with. The video…not so much:

The new album truly is really, really good. Listen to the whole thing all the way through as it’s a fairly cohesive album. There are a few cheesy moments, but perhaps that’s due to my preconceived notion that they are, in fact, a cheesy band therefore anything remotely lame is immediately flagged. However, it’s been an album I’ve come back to for a few weeks straight which says something.

While I don’t agree with everything said in this review (I clearly enjoy the album more), this is a good summation of Jar’s most recent history.

Here are a few of my favorite tracks:

Jars of Clay – The Long Fall Back to Earth – Heaven

[See post to listen to audio]

Jars of Clay – The Long Fall Back to Earth – Headphones

[See post to listen to audio]

Jars of Clay – The Long Fall Back to Earth – Boys (Lesson One)

[See post to listen to audio]

You can folow Jars of Clay on Twitter also. Check ‘em out. Also, check out their exceptionally well done site (and don’t mind the cheesey heart stopping looks into the camera, or Charlie’s lady hair).

Previously named “Something Like Silas”, the band was signed and decided to rebirth under the name “Future of Forestry” after a C.S. Lewis poem entitled “The Future of Forestry.” Twilight (buy it) marked their first full length album, and it was absolutely excellent making my Top Albums of 2008 (even though it was released in 2006).

Hailing from San Diego, CA, they’re automatically cooler than most of us. But unlike many So Cal bands, their music has substance, soul, and depth. Lyrically provocative, filled with rich harmonies, and a displaying a damn good use of digital delay, it’s just really good stuff.

Their new album, Travel, is actually the first in a four part album series. Sort of like that time your parents decided to give you four small gifts instead of one big one…hopefully this works out better…

Travel will be released on May 5th (yes, Cinco de Mayo) and will contain 6 tracks. Until then, Future of Forestry will be releasing a new track each week on their MySpace page. At the time of writing, there are three tracks up (Traveler’s Song, Colors in Array and This Hour) on their page. Leading up to the album release, you can also download Traveler’s Song from Future of Forestry’s store. Check it out, it’s a rad song:

[See post to listen to audio]

And check them out on Twitter.

Fantasies has a very interesting story behind it — a story of real honesty and brokenness, and yet it’s also a story of hope and joy. In the words Metric:

Haines had an epiphany during [a] Phoenix show — she didn’t want to be sad anymore. And she didn’t want to play those songs. So, about 40 minutes into the show, she stopped “Dr. Blind” mid-verse and said just that: “I don’t want to play these songs anymore.”

This album is anything but sad. It can be a bit dark, but never sad. Haines was so sick of the hipster indie scene, that she decided to head to Buenos Aires, and the band later decided to hang out and play in the woods to escape it all.

The video below is a bit of Haines from Buenos Aires discussing Fantasies and why she left North America to get it done. If this video sparks your interest, then you’ll love their bio. As always, a few of my favorite tracks are below, and you can listen to the whole album on the site! And it’s only $7.99 on Amazon, so go buy Fantasies!

Metric – Fantasies – Help I’m Alive
[See post to listen to audio]

Metric – Fantasies – Sick Muse
[See post to listen to audio]

Metric – Fantasies – Gimme Sympathy
[See post to listen to audio]

As Pitchfork notes, “Merriweather is the kind of album on which any song could be someone’s favorite” and I have to agree (Read the full article, it’s great). My favorite tracks are In the Flowers, My Girls, and Bluish (all of which are posted to the music is for lovers mixtape). All absolutely amazing and intricate songs which require multiple listens — each listen revealing something different.

Not only is the album amazing, Animal Collective produced a sick little video for My Girls and made it highly shareable by adding it to its own URL. You visit MyAnimalHome.net and all you see is this amazing video — nothing more, nothing less. I received multiple emails from friends with this URL and the words “soooo good”. Check it out:

Listen to the entire Merriweather Post Pavilion album by Animal Collective – top right.

In Torq’s words,

It’s dreamy and creamy and quite good, like if David Crosby joined Saint Etienne

You can listen to a number of tracks on the Dead Child Star MySpace Page. And might I recommend starting with “No One is Born To Be Lonely.”

In other Stars news, I recently picked up their EP “Sad Robots” which I highly recommend and you can listen to Sad Robots here.

And, lastly check out this awesome little video (gotta love the random stoner fan halfway through):

This video is gorgeous and moving. I won’t say much else other than…

• Watch it (in high def full screen preferably)
• Check out the creator’s web site all about this video
  
• Then, go buy the song Hoppípolla off the album “Takk” by Sigur Ross — actually, just go buy Takk!

A SHORT LOVE STORY IN STOP MOTION from Carlos Lascano on Vimeo.