SOUNDTRACK: WOLF PARADE-At Mount Zoomer (2008).
This album made many best of lists of 2008. It is considered a side project of both Spencer Krug (of Sunset Rubdown) and Dan Boeckner (of Handsome Furs). I’d not heard of either band, but I was very intrigued by this disc and I’m so glad I got it.
Every track has something outstanding about it, be it a cool guitar break (“Soldier’s Grin”) or a cool keyboard break (“Language City”–which builds to a rollicking climax). While “Bang Your Drum” has multiple parts, each one weird and wonderful.
“California Dreamer” has wonderfully sinister soundtrack, with a great rocking chorus. And it’s followed by a surprisingly upbeat “The Grey Estates” (keyboard pop at its best).
The albums ends with the epic “Kissing the Beehive”: a ten minute track with several parts to it. The first seven minutes just fly by, and then the song breaks down into a quieter feel.
It seems rare that an album comes out of nowhere to me (even if the album didn’t come out of nowhere for people who loved their first release (which I also have not heard) or the two main songwriter’s OTHER projects, but I’m very glad I found this one. Its frenetic pacing and overall quality made it one of my favorite releases of 2008.
[READ: March 9, 2009] The Mysterious Benedict Society
While you can’t judge a book by it’s cover, you can certainly check it out because of it. I saw this book on our shelves and brought it home calling it The Decemberists’ book. It was only later on that I realized that the cover (and interior) art is by Carson Ellis, who is, indeed, the primary artist for the Decemberists.
The second selling point was the blurb on the back cover: “Are You a Gifted Child Looking for Special Opportunities?” How can you not say, “Why, yes, I think I am.” This blurb appears in the book in a newspaper and is the catalyst for the young children (orphans and runaways mostly) who will show up for the challenging test that comprises the beginning of the book. Continue Reading »
SOUNDTRACK: THAT METAL SHOW (VH1 Classics) (2008-2009).
TiVo taped 120 Minutes on VH1 Classics as a suggested title (thanks TiVo), and while we were watching it, there was an ad for That Metal Show. So, I made sure to record that as well.
30,000 views may not be a milestone for many blogs. But, for a blog like this which was intended mostly as a record of what I’ve read, the fact that I’ve had 30,000 views is pretty exciting. And it seems appropriate to let you, the readers know what you the other readers have been reading here. So, here is the top ten most read posts on I Just Read About That… with a director’s commentary tacked on.
SOUNDTRACK: Dungen-4 (2008).
Vill du tala svensk?
Sigur Rós are nothing if not ethereal. Their music is constantly floating up in outer space somewhere. So imagine the surprise when the first song of this disc opens with some thudding drums. And, there are acoustic instruments aplenty this time around. Their previous disc Hvarf/Heim had them playing a number of acoustic pieces in various unexpected settings. And clearly the experience must have been a good one.
SOUNDTRACK: MORPHINE-Like Swimming (1997).
Morphine was always a pretty weird band. They were very different even in a climate when alternative was the norm.
SOUNDTRACK: JUNO Soundtrack (2007).
Late on the bandwagon with this soundtrack. But then, I only really watch movies on TV these days, so I’m often late to the bandwagon.
SOUNDTRACK: ELBOW-Leaders of the Free World (2005).
So this is where Peter Gabriel has been!
SOUNDTRACK: THE CURE-The Cure (2004).
I’ve been a huge fan of The Cure since my friend Garry introduced me to them circa 1985. I saw them twice in concert, I overplayed Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me, and even got the giant Boys Don’t Cry poster.
