Mean Everything To Nothing- Manchester Orchestra

So I'm headed off to Oberlin for college in a few hours, but I thought I'd offer a last album before my departure. Not sure when I'll be next able to update, but for the meantime, hope you enjoy what I have to offer today and what's been offered so far. This concludes the 'indie rock' trend of albums I've posted lately. Manchester Orchestra actually aren't entirely unlike Max Bemis, just less poppy and self-aware. They're basically a Brand New/Modest Mouse-esque rock band that are just making cool rock songs. The abrasive, heavy parts of this album are really appealing, but they are good at writing catchy songs and there are enjoyable soft parts. The end of the album drags a bit, but the first seven songs are all wonderful and "100 Dollars" is hilarious and self-deprecating. Opinion on best songs varies, but the single "I've Got Friends" is a popular choice. That and "In My Teeth" are wonderful live (they put on a great show). Anyway, check it out and I'll check in again once I'm settled in at college.

1."The Only One" 2:39

2."Shake it Out" 5:11

3."I've Got Friends" 4:57

4."Pride" 5:47

5."In My Teeth" 4:42

6."100 Dollars" 1:50

7."I Can Feel a Hot One" 4:19

8."My Friend Marcus" 3:41

9."Tony The Tiger" 3:09

10."Everything To Nothing" 5:37

11."The River" (contains hidden track "Jimmy, He Whispers")11:33

DOWNLOAD: http://www.mediafire.com/?ym1mtgatjet

...Is A Real Boy- Say Anything

I was going to upload Arcade Fire's The Suburbs, but I couldn't find a reliable link within a few seconds of searching, so here we have another catchy indie-rock album that rails against hipsters for disaffected hipster youth. Just kidding. Har, har, har! Max Bemis takes on many voices on this album, from a beleaguered traveler to a depressed and rejected romantic to an objective observer of the foibles of those around him to the judge, jury and executioner of hipsters everywhere. His lyrical imagery and turns of phrase add a great deal of depth to the music, which is basically grungey pop songs. This isn't to disparage the instrumental side of things- the backing tracks are surprisingly heavy, and there are many flourishes and changes in rhythm and dynamics to keep even an avowed metalhead interested. (Max Bemis wrote and recorded nearly everything on the album, with the exception of the drums and a few other parts, such as slide guitar and gang vocals.) Anyway, you'll probably like this. I'm not sure if the download link includes the bonus disk, but I'd say that it's a little bit underwhelming compared to the real album, particularly the first nine tracks, which are basically all brilliant one after another.

1. "Belt" – 4:59
2. "Woe" – 3:55
3. "The Writhing South" – 4:46
4. "Alive with the Glory of Love" – 4:15
5. "Yellow Cat (Slash) Red Cat" – 5:18
6. "The Futile" – 2:45
7. "Spidersong" – 3:57
8. "An Orgy of Critics" – 3:55
9. "Every Man Has a Molly" – 3:05
10. "Slowly, Through a Vector" – 4:40
11. "Chia-Like, I Shall Grow" – 4:56
12. "I Want to Know Your Plans" – 5:12
13. "Admit It!!!" – 6:12

DOWNLOAD: http://www.mediafire.com/?lr0yx3xbty1

The Crane Wife- The Decemberists

The Decemberists are a very distinctive, possibly unique band; they incorporate influences from indie and folk for their primary sound, but experiment with disco ('The Perfect Crime #2'), metal ('When The War Came'), classic rock and prog ('The Island'), and sunny pop ('O Valencia!'). The lyrical influences are just as diverse, dwelling on starving Russian scientists, Japanese folk myths, packs of Irish murderers, a Civil War soldier and his lover, and a twist on the classic Romeo and Juliet tale. If that's not enough to interest you, I'll also say that everything on this CD is awesome. This is folk music that actually kicks ass. Not just that it's beautiful and compelling, but that a lot of it is actually music to which you could get in a bar brawl. Colin Meloy is a skilled storyteller and he weaves his tales in a sometimes sly, sometimes haunted voice over rich beds of acoustic guitar, Moog, glockenspiel, etc. (If you buy the album, check out the liner notes; the number of instruments played is remarkable.) Recommended for fans of good music who are open to genre experimentation.

1. "The Crane Wife 3" – 4:18
2. "The Island" – 12:26
   1. "Come and See"
   2. "The Landlord's Daughter"
   3. "You'll Not Feel the Drowning"
3. "Yankee Bayonet (I Will Be Home Then)" (duet with Laura Veirs) – 4:18
4. "O Valencia!" – 3:47
5. "The Perfect Crime #2" – 5:33
6. "When the War Came" – 5:06
7. "Shankill Butchers" – 4:39
8. "Summersong" – 3:31
9. "The Crane Wife 1 & 2" – 11:19
10. "Sons & Daughters" – 5:13

DOWNLOAD: http://www.mediafire.com/?tymzfymjv2x

Post-Nothing- Japandroids

I hate lo-fi music. Luckily Japandroids kick ass. These songs are fierce and assertive, but more so than that, they're joyous and extremely sincere-seeming. The thick distorted production is a part of the songwriting like any lo-fi band, but luckily the songs have a great deal of charm and most of them are fantastic. If you like playing loud music in the car, this is for you.

1. "The Boys Are Leaving Town" – 4:01
2. "Young Hearts Spark Fire" – 5:05
3. "Wet Hair" – 3:12
4. "Rockers East Vancouver" – 4:32
5. "Heart Sweats" – 4:25
6. "Crazy/Forever" – 6:04
7. "Sovereignty" – 3:34
8. "I Quit Girls" – 4:55

DOWNLOAD: http://www.mediafire.com/?04ze1razmz1

New Junk Aesthetic- Every Time I Die

Another great album of 2009. This album tones down some of the structural complexity and technicality of previous ETID releases, but maintains the dissonance and heaviness while expanding on the band's innate pop sensibilities (already becoming visible on The Big Dirty, their previous album). The hooks are largely rhythmic, but most of the songs here are legitimately catchy. The lyrics are typical Keith Buckley, touching upon loneliness, self-loathing, death and even existentialism and creation myths in certain songs. Highlights include the swaggering coda to "Wanderlust," the quiet-to-loud transition in "For The Record," and the rapid-fire pace of "The Marvelous Slut." A must for fans of modern heavy music.

1. Roman Holiday

2. The Marvelous Slut

3. Who Invited The Russian Soldier?

4. Wanderlust

5. For The Record

6. White Smoke

7. Turtles All The Way Down

8. Organ Grinder

9. Host Disorder

10. After One Quarter Of A Revolution

11. The Sweet Life

12. Buffalo 666

13. Goddamn Kids These Days

DOWNLOAD: http://www.mediafire.com/?znmo5mcm4w3

Axe to Fall- Converge

One of my favorite albums from last year, this is a badass example of the viciousness that comes from a combination of hardcore and metal. Converge more or less conquers the entire metalcore genre on the first song on the album, "Dark Horse," and spends the rest of the album kicking even more ass, going faster, heavier, rawer, and more aggressive. The difference between this album and other Converge albums is that rather than being an unfiltered release of hatred and rage, every moment of this album seems calculated in an unhinged, psychotic way. There is a palpable sense of tension and control that does not relent until the very end of the album. If you're interested in learning more about heavy music, this is a great introduction to the ferocity and heaviness of hardcore and metal.

1. Dark Horse

2. Reap What You Sow

3. Axe to Fall

4. Effigy

5. Worms Will Feed

6. Wishing Well

7. Damages

8. Losing Battle

9. Dead Beat

10. Cutter

11. Slave Driver

12. Cruel Bloom

13. Wretched World

DOWNLOAD: http://www.mediafire.com/?nyz5mtnz11i

Pink Moon- Nick Drake

This is the somber, chilling opus and final album from the late, great singer/songwriter Nick Drake. These songs challenge the listener's impressions of acoustic guitar songwriting, often eschewing simple chord progressions in favor of intricate rhythms and melodic lines. On the other hand, Drake plays things simple on the mellow interlude "Horn" and the repetitive ditty "Know." The highlight of the whole album is the opening title track, which is the only song on the album to feature any instrument (piano) besides acoustic guitar and voice. One of the best albums of the 70s, this is music that will get you to think and to feel. I can't explain the power of this album. Please listen.

1. "Pink Moon" – 2:06
2. "Place to Be" – 2:43
3. "Road" – 2:02
4. "Which Will" – 2:58
5. "Horn" – 1:23
6. "Things Behind the Sun" – 3:57
7. "Know" – 2:26
8. "Parasite" – 3:36
9. "Ride"^[3] – 3:06
10. "Harvest Breed" – 1:37
11. "From the Morning" – 2:30

DOWNLOAD: http://www.mediafire.com/?zutojyebjmm

I Might Be Wrong: Live Recordings- Radiohead

After a long silence, I've returned with another blog post. This is worth your time if you are a fan of Radiohead. If you haven't heard these songs, listen to Kid A and Amnesiac first (more importantly Kid A, though). These are live versions of Radiohead songs, and they sound great. The piano version of "Like Spinning Plates" is one of the best moments of their discography, and the more superficial changes to old favorites like "The National Anthem" and "Idioteque" make them sound more urgent in a live setting. Perhaps best of all is "True Love Waits," a beautiful acoustic guitar song that was previously unreleased. If you're a fan of Radiohead, you'll love this album.

1. "The National Anthem" – 4:57
2. "I Might Be Wrong" – 4:52
3. "Morning Bell" – 4:14
4. "Like Spinning Plates" – 3:47
5. "Idioteque" (Radiohead, Paul Lansky) – 4:24
6. "Everything in Its Right Place" – 7:42
7. "Dollars & Cents" – 5:13
8. "True Love Waits" – 5:02

DOWNLOAD: http://www.mediafire.com/?bbymgdmmz2l