Everybody always talks about Arcade Fire’s Funeral. When Funeral first came out I really didn’t get the band’s sound at all. During January or February of 2005 I was slightly swayed when I heard ‘Headlights Look Like Diamonds’ off the band’s EP. I still wasn’t convinced to give them the critical praise they had already received. What I knew about the band only consisted of the fact that the band had more hype around the blogosphere (something I was just discovering the utility of) than almost anything else that winter. I shelved even the idea that they might be interesting and went about my life as a college student in search of good music.

Over the next few months I got so addicted to the blogosphere and the ease of letting others do the dirty work of finding the music for me I had compiled quite a list of random songs from really great albums. A friend joked with me about how I only had 2 or 3 songs from a ton of great albums and only about 100 or so full albums yet I still had a library of over 8,000 songs. In this gluttonous mass of the musical landscape, a few of the Arcade Fire’s songs had crept into iTunes. Somehow they always got skipped over when they came up on shuffle.

During fall semester of 2005 at Auburn, I awoke to a phone call from my best friend. She was frantic and inaudible. All I knew was something bad had happened and I thought I heard an ambulance in the background of the static and crying. She was over 5 hours away and I knew I needed to immediately leave. When I arrived after the long drive all I knew was that her mom had suddenly collapsed and lost consciousness. When I walked out the doors of the elevator her sister was there and told me that their mom had just passed away. I was in shock and a surreal state of mind. It was almost impossible to even mourn over their loss when I felt like if I cried it wouldn’t be close to the pain the closest person in my life was going through. I stayed with her and her family all week until the day of the funeral. I tried to help as best as I could but a friend can only do minuscule things compared to the needs they had.

I’ve only lost pets and two grandparents in my lifetime. I haven’t ever felt loss like anyone that has lost a member of his or her nuclear family has endured. I withheld any sort of tears from my eyes. After the funeral and the sad goodbyes I drove home that night to Auburn alone. My iPod was silent for about an hour when I finally couldn’t take it anymore and turned it on shuffle. The first few songs were too shallow to bear and the skip button was enforced many times. Then the song ‘Haiti’ came on. I remember not liking it before that night but perhaps my emotional state beckoned my full attention. Around 2:10 into the song, the song breaks down to a softer level only to open back up for the finale. That was the first time I let a tear out that entire week. The band immediately became one of my favorite bands that night and I went out and bought their EP and LP the next day.

Funeral is no longer the emotional journey like it was for me that night on the way home. I don’t associate ‘Haiti’ with that week. However, if it wasn’t for that moment I wouldn’t appreciate the bands talent nearly as much. Funeral has become one of my favorite records of my life and I even will find myself dancing to ‘Haiti’ from time to time. When Neon Bible was delivered to my hands a few weeks ago, I in no way expected it to come close to Funeral. Most of my friends don’t either. What I seem to grab hold of in Neon Bible is their ability to speak out without the common used façade of sorrow over one’s loss. ‘Antichrist Television Blues’ is a brilliant satire of Joe Simpson (Ashlee and Jessica Simpson’s dad), but you don’t have to even know that to love the song. ‘My Body is a Cage’ is the best use of an organ in modern music since… well since ever.

I find people’s reaction to the organ interesting because that is usually the talking point after the song (either pro or anti-organ). Perhaps most of us just aren’t used to such a massive instrument. It is true that some songs do sound like the Boss in some form. When was that ever a bad thing? I hate when people write off a band’s sound because it is “derivative” when absolutely everything from lyrics to sound to advertising is ALWAYS “derivative”–humans learn to speak from a derivation of their environment. Music blogs are derivative of the music magazines in some fashion. On consideration for ‘No Cars Go’ on Neon Bible, I find that although the original is by far superior, the album version is more suited along side the other 10 tracks. It’s a great album and will surely be in my top 10 of the year. However, I can see how some might be disappointed by figuratively eating the best dish on the table when the second course is just as good, but that initial hunger drive has already been subdued.

Most of you know what an RSS reader is by now. If not read this wiki page. Last time I posted about this iTunes Cal thing, and once again I’m posting an iTunes-ish related software download. This one I found (again) via Lifehacker. Basically, if you read more than one mp3 blog you know how troublesome it is to hear every song that each site posts. This new beta program called Peel solves this. It looks almost identical to iTunes (they might face some legal trouble for this later down the road) but all you do is put the url [type in www.theyellowstero.com for us of course] of the websites you read and the program acts like a RSS reader and updates to whatever the blog posts, except… one view only takes the mp3s and one view takes the whole post.

What’s even better about it is you stream the songs and just like in iTunes podcast menu, whenever you play a song it shows you have already listened to it. Then if you like the song you just press Apple-D or right click, download to get the actual mp3. If you are so inclined to actually purchase the song it will direct you to the songs location in iTunes music store as well. Did I mention its MAC only, so yeah… sorry to all those windows users. That just shows you that you need to get a Mac. It’s freeware while it is in Beta version, but it will cost 14.95 when it becomes official. So download it now, although I’d buy it if I had to pay. I’ve been playing with it for about an hour and it works amazingly well. Hopefully a Windows version will surface sooner or later.

Download Peel Beta (Mac Only)

I hate the tedious task of checking for concerts in my area. I know the internet has made it easier, but it’d be nice to have all of the concerts of the music I like in one place, automatically downloaded like an rss feed. Maybe something like that already exists, but the iTunes Concert Cal (via Lifehacker) seems to be the best way to do this for me. I like how simple and easy it is to exit out of it, how it runs in iTunes, and how it only shows concerts of artists of you have in your library. Be sure to check it out here: iConcert Cal and here’s the Lifehacker article.

Just a quick reminder to everybody in the ATL area, Benjy will be playing at the Earl tonight. I (Andy) will be there (in fact I’m walking out the door as we speak) so if you see some kid with a short and beautiful girl named Sarah feel free to introduce yourself. I’ll also be around some obnoxious tall guy named JJ.

Benjy’s Myspace
Benjy Ferree – Why Bother

That’s right ladies and gentlemen, today is the start of Macworld 2007. I know this is a music blog and all, but sometimes its necessary to ponder the new ways we might listen to the music we love so much. Macworld Keynote Day is the day when Steve Jobs of Apple Computer makes all the nerds and basically the whole world give their undivided attention to the master of black turtlenecks and blue jeans. So what’s he going to announce this time? According to macrumors and thinksecret, it might be a) an ultra portable laptop (even smaller than the 12″ powerbook and 13″ mackbooks) b) the long rumored iPhone or c) a new iPod. My bet is on the iPhone (supporting evidence here here and here, oops scratch the last one).

Now why is this important? Well I currently own a Motorola Q and frankly I would NEVER use it as my source for portable music considering it only sports Window Media. Also the few phones out there that do support iTunes or other music software programs are cluttered and unmatched compared to dedicated mp3 players. The iPhone might just succeed in being the first device to take the role of a portable mp3 player, a pda, a portable video device, and a phone… combine them all into one… and do it with style and ease. Many devices have come close including the ultraslim smartphones like the (blackjack and moto q) but they are still 1-2 generations away from making it actually worth the money for an alternative to the iPod.

The other content worth mentioning is the chance that Apple’s pre-announced iTV will finally come around. Although devices like this already exist in a more muted form, Apple always seems to take technology to the ease of use necessary for the mass market. This will revolutionize music and video in the home since it will probably use 802.11n instead of the slower g version we all know and love. Anyways we all should know what the next big thing will be around 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. CST.

Arcade Fire – My Heart is an Apple
Beach House – Apple Orchard
Bell X1 – Eve, the Apple of My Eye
The Boy Least Likely To – I’m Glad I Hitched My Apple Wagon to Your Star (College Radio Version)

Classes begin tomorrow and for some reason I’m actually relieved. If any of you are on Facebook make sure to join our group by following the link on the side of the page. You can add me if you want to cyber stalk me and what not. Now that I have a computer again, I shall be posting more often. My radio show will be a little different this semester. I’m planning on recording it at the studio and podcasting it for all of you guys. That should be up next week. WEGL 91’s website will be up around then too and you can start listening online, I’ll post the link then. Anyways down to the business at hand.

So this is my first post of 2007 and I must say it feels refreshing. From the few cds I’ve received in the mail, plus the non-stop coverage of the major players such as a & b, frankly I’m ecstatic. Within that stack was an interesting psychedelic/experimental/folk by Andrew Douglas Rothbard. He’s the singer of Pleasure Forever. Supposedly this disc entitled Abandoned Meander is the:

“…first [disc] in a series of five, in which Rothbard plans to outline the ‘Law of Fives’…” -Fanatic

What initially harnessed my attention was the picking structure and sinisterness of Indigo. However, “Highuponlove” becomes the focus track. Andrew disguises the song well for the first 8 seconds. Afterwards, chords strike as if to paint the scene of a drunken rage only to follow with a resolve represented by the gradual decrescendo and introduction of woodwinds. “The stars above you are out of range..” he states as if giving up is his only option.

The album will be available sometime in February and you can buy it here. He’s created an interesting website as well.

Andrew Douglas Rothbard – Indigo (Highly Rec’d)
Andrew Douglas Rothbard – Highuponlove (Highly Rec’d)
Andrew Douglas Rothbard – Bull In The Dell

Many of you might know I have a small obsession with D.C. singer/songwriter Benjy Ferree. His album was under everybody’s radar, it seems, except for a select few. So I was quite pleased to read BV’s post on Benjy Ferree tour dates. I talked to one of the guys from Domino during Benjy’s solo set at CMJ last month and begged him to come to the South… I guess they listened. Haven’t decided between Bottle Tree and The Earl, any suggestions? Buy his album!  Here are the dates:

Dec 30 2006 – Webster Hall New York, New York
Jan 11 2007 – Carabar Columbus, Ohio
Jan 12 2007 – Schuba’s Chicago, Illinois
Jan 13 2007 – Landlocked Music Bloomington, Indiana
Jan 15 2007 – Bottletree Café Birmingham
Jan 16 2007 – The Earl Atlanta, Georgia
Jan 17 2007 – Local 506 Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Jan 19 2007 – The Black Cat Wash DC, Washington DC
Jan 20 2007 – Tonic New York, New York (10 pm)

Benjy Ferree – Why Bother

With bands like The Shins, Andrew Bird, Modest Mouse, and Arcade Fire all coming out with new albums in the first few months of 2007 it is hard to concentrate on the not-so-famous. Loney, Dear (one guy from Sweden) is an artist that might draw your attention away. His simple songs are recorded in a manner that reminds me of Midlake’s Bamnam and Silvercork. The upcoming album is on SubPop and is entitled Loney, Noir. The few songs I caught during one of his live sets at CMJ this year were pleasantly surprising amazing. (myspace)

Loney, Dear – I Am John – Loney, Noir (HIGLY REC’D)
Loney, Dear – Hard Days – Loney, Noir
Loney, Dear – I Will Call You Lover Again
Loney, Dear – Odd One

Well you know what time of year it is, Listmas. That time where everybody and their mother creates lists. We’ve already released our fav. albums and a couple of us are working on random lists for your viewing pleasure. I’ve been reading quite a few people’s lists because it’s impossible to catch everything that was released this year at the time its being promoted. Perhaps my favorite list so far is Said the Gramaphone’s favorite songs of the year and MdM’s favorite albums. Not because I agree, but because it filled to the brim of quality songs I’ve passed over. My favorite so far has to be this project of elementary school kids rapping to some guy’s beats and random loops, under the guise of Rapper’s Delight Club. What makes this more than a novelty or gimmicky is the individual kids’ ability to imitate the styles that they probably watch everyday on t.v. Favorite contributor goes to the girl who sings about chicken noodle soup and selling more cookies than your whole girl scout troop.

Rapper’s Delight Club – Hum

Rapper’s Delight Club – First Ladies Anthem…

By no means is this a ranked list or even the final list of my favorite stuff (be on the lookout for those posts later this month), its just a refresher for my friends who haven’t been able to keep up this year. Hopefully there is something in here you’ll like. Mp3s shall be posted later. If you are in the Auburn, Alabama area tune into 91.1 Fm from 10-12 tonight. No Destroyer tonight b/c of the FCC stuff on most of the tracks but it’ll def. make my year end list. You can call in @ 844-9345 (WEGL).

Sufjan Stevens – Sister Winter
Nobody & The Mystic Chords of Memory – Decisions, Decisions
French Kicks – Cloche
Midlake – Roscoe
Catfish Haven – Let It Go (Let It Grow)
Silversun Pickups – Lazy Eye
The Decemberists – Yankee Bayonet (I Will Be Home Then)
Devotchka – How It Ends [I know I know, but it DID come out on the Little Miss Sunshine soundtrack]
Sunset Rubdown – Shut Up I Am Dreaming of Places Where Lovers Have Wings
M. Ward – To Go Home
Phoenix – Lost and Found
Band of Horses – The Great Salt Lake
Peter and The Wolf – The Bonsai Tree
Headlights – Put Us Back Together Right
Explosions In the Sky – Welcome, Ghosts [Preview from their Feb. '07 Album]
Anathallo – Hanasakajijii: A Great Wind, More Ash
Peter, Bjorn and John – Young Folks
I’m From Barcelona – We’re From Barcelona
Tokyo Police Club – Be Good
Cold War Kids – Hang Me Up To Dry
TV on the Radio – Wolf Like Me
Dosh – MPLS Rock and Roll
White Flight – Pastora Divine
M. Ward – Post-War
Sparrowhouse – Blindfold Waltz
Annuals – Brother
A Secret Track, I Can’t Tell (SHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!)
Beirut – Postcards From Italy
Swan Lake – All Fires
Beach House – Master of None
Someone Still Loves You, Boris Yeltsin – I Am Warm & Powerful
The Blow – Parentheses
White Flight – Deathhands
Grizzly Bear – On A Neck, On A Spit
Sufjan Stevens – Only At Christmas Time