Well I just recently read about another guy who was disturbed by the number of modern day slaves their are in this world and wanted to do something about it.  Musician Justin Dillon and Fair Trade Pictures decided the best way to for them to make a difference was through their new documentary Call + Response, which hit theaters in October.  Call + Respones “goes deep undercover where slavery is thriving from the child brothels of Cambodia to the slave brick kilns of rural India to reveal that in 2007, Slave Traders made more money than Google, Nike and Starbucks combined.”  And he brings us these shocking truths along with a stellar soundtrack from numerous Grammy-winning and critically acclaimed artists including Talib Kweli, Matisyahu, Cold War Kids, and former child soldier Emmanuel Jal.  These talented artists help move this “chilling information into inspiration for stopping it.”  This is the kind of thing that I believe music should be about. It should be about revealing truth and about bringing forth change.  So please check this film out and let it change you.  And please listen to these great songs, but if you like them, please don’t just rip them off my site. Please go to Itunes and buy them off the soundtrack.  Because all profit from the film, dvd, and soundtrack go to different non-profit organizations that are helping to fight slavery such as International Justice Mission.

Cold War Kids - We Used to Vacation

Emmanuel Jal - War Child

Matisyahu - Indestructible

Third Eye Blind - Non-Dairy Creamer

Kanye West - Street Lights

Now with this other release that I foolishly overlooked, I am baffled at how more people have not fallen in love with this guy. For those of you who are not avid watchers of the Colbert Report, this past Tuesday night Stephen Colbert, the current host of the Colbert Report teamed up with an all-star cast of musicians to bring to us a A Colbert Christmas. With the help of Willie Nelson, John Legend, Feist, Toby Keith, and Elvis Costello, Colbert is in search of a Christmas miracle. And a miracle is what he brings to us, with the release of this absolutely hysterical that came out on Thanksgiving Day. I don’t want to say to much in fear of spoiling what was one of the best and funniest Christmas musicals I have ever seen. Beyond just creating something for us to sing along and laugh to this holiday season, Colbert is also bringing joy with to those who can’t even afford a tv with which to watch his Christmas special, by donating a large portion of the proceeds to Feeding America. I just can’t say enough about how awesome I think this guy is. Here is a little glimpse into the humor and talent that is filled throughout this Christmas special, with John Legend and Stephen Colbert performing Nutmeg…

Here is a tracklist of the soundtrack to let you more of what you can expect.

A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All

01 Stephen Colbert: “Another Christmas Song”

02 Toby Keith: “Have I Got a Present for You”

03 Feist: “Please Be Patient”

04 Stephen Colbert and Willie Nelson: “Little Dealer Boy”

05 Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart: “Can I Interest You in Hannukah?”

06 Stephen Colbert and John Legend: “Nutmeg”

07 Stephen Colbert, Elvis Costello, Feist, Toby Keith, John Legend, and Willie Nelson: “(What’s So Funny ’bout) Peace, Love and Understanding”

08 Stephen Colbert, Elvis Costello, Feist, Toby Keith, John Legend, and Willie Nelson: “There Are Much Worse Things to Believe In”

09 Stephen Colbert: “A Cold, Cold Christmas”

Bon Iver - Blood Bank (Live)

The Killers - Day & Age

The Killers have decided to jump the gun, but releasing their third studio album tomorrow instead of sticking with the traditional Tuesday release.  Maybe they are just as excited for us to hear the album as we are to get to listen to it.  Expect nothing but pure yet slightly ridiculous 80’s influenced synth-pop fun from these guys.  Flowers has yet to write a song I didn’t enjoy.   But don’t look to these guys to be inspired, rather just let them help you throw a killer dance party.  No pun intended.

The Killers - Human

Death Cab For Cutie - Somthing About Airplanes Deluxe Edition

Also coming out this week is the deluxe reissue of Death Cab For Cutie’s debut studio album, Something About Airplanes.  This double-disc is being released by Barsuk to celebreat the 10th anniversary of the original album’s release.  The first disc will contain the original album in its entirety.  And then the second disc has seven songs from the bands first ever seattle show.  It is a great buy for any Death Cab fan at only $12.  By the way if the only album you own by DCFC is Plans, you’re not considered a fan.

Death Cab For Cutie - Champagne From a Paper Cup

My Brightest Diamond - If I Were A Queen
11/22 - San Francisco, CA - Swedish American Hall
11/24 - Santa Cruz, CA - Rio Theatre
11/25 - San Diego, CA - Casbah
11/26 - Los Angeles, CA - Hotel Cafe
11/29 - Tucson, AZ - Solar Culture
11/30 - Albuquerque, NM - The Cooperage
12/03 - Dallas, TX - Granada Theater
12/04 - Little Rock, AR - Sticky Fingerz Chicken Shack
12/05 - Birmingham, AL - The Bottletree
12/06 - Knoxville, TN - Square Room
12/07 - Atlanta, GA - The Earl
12/09 - Asheville, NC - Orange Peel
12/10 - Charlottesville, VA - Gravity Lounge
12/11 - Washington, DC - Rock and Roll Hotel
12/12 - Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church
12/13 - New York, NY - (Le) Poisson Rouge

I hope you head for the hills.

Greg Laswell - Girls Just Want to Have Fun

I think one of the main reasons is that there has been more emphasis on the celebration than the ceremony, which is the way I think it should be.  Now I believe that marriage is a very sacred thing that should be taken very seriously.   And assuming it doesn’t drag on forever I really enjoy a lot of the traditions that we have regarding the marriage ceremony, and would never want to get rid of it or diminish its importance and value.  But I love that with the last several weddings I have been a part of, the whole weekend has just felt like one big party.

Another reason I have come to enjoy weddings lately is that people have felt the freedom to be creative with the music that they use during the ceremony.  Hearing the music that people choose to have everyone in the wedding party walk down to or what they pick as their first dance has become one of my favorite parts of the wedding. And since Eric and Ashley did such a great job of picking music for all of these things I thought that it would make a great playlist worth posting for my faithful readers.

Devotchka - The Winner Is (Grandparents)

Coldplay - Life In Technicolor (Bridesmaids)

Ray Lamontagne - Shelter (Bride)

David Gray - The One I Love (Mr. and Mrs.)

Ray Lamontagne - You Are the Best Thing (First Dance)

Leona Naess - Leave Your Boyfriends

But apparently this is old news. I just discovered that not only is Waterdeep coming out with a new album later this year called Pink & Blue, but that they released an acoustic album last summer called Heart Attack Time Machine.  This is fantastic news, but so dissappointing at the same time to find out that I have been missing out for so long.   According to Chaffer, Heart Attack Time Machine, their first album since ‘99 that wasn’t live or a worship album, is their “just-us-two-in-our-basement-with-acoustic-instruments album.”  And then Pink & Blue is going to be more of a “let’s-have-a-party-and-whoop-it-up” kind of album.  I absolutely cannot wait to get my hands on both of these albums.  So I realize that many of you may have never even heard of these guys.  So today I give you a great example of why I get so excited about this incredibly talented couple. Here is the title track off of their 1999 album, Everyone’s Beautiful.  Just put this song on repeat and let it sink in for a little while. Trust me, it will blow you away.

Waterdeep - Everyone’s Beautiful

Passion Pit - Sleepyhead

And simple times is where we are taken, as Braff pulls out the old super 8 camera and takes us on a little road trip.  For those of us whose lives have grown more and more complicated and messy as our relationships develop and we gain responsibilities and we enevitably screw things up, this video makes us long for simpler times.  And for three minutes it takes us there.  I encourage you guys to be inspired by this simple but gorgeous video and throw away some of the distractions that are preventing you from experiencing those simple times.  Put everything aside and just take a road trip, or go on a second honeymoon.  Do whatever it takes.  But if nothing else play this fantastic song on repeat and allow yourself to day dream for a little while.

Joshua Radin - I’d Rather Be With You

Be sure to catch Radin’s performance on Conan tonight…it’s sure to make your ears bleed.

Jars of Clay - Closer

Okkervil River - Lost Coastlines

Ryan Adams - Cardinology

Ryan Adams & the Cardinals - Fix It

I absolutely love this guy.  I think that he is one of the greatest songwriters of our time.  And he is doing it at such a record pace.  He has had at least, one full-length release a year since 2000. And there isn’t a one that I don’t like.  And that includes my first listen of Cardinology.  If you were a fan of Easy Tiger I think that you will find this one easy to enjoy.  But don’t take that to mean that this one is “a lot of the same.”  It’s a solid album from an artist who continues to mature and surround himself with great musicians as the years go by.

Jon Foreman - Limbs & Branches

Jon Foreman - The Cure For Pain

Our good buddy Jon Foreman, frontman of the Christian rock outfit Switchfoot, has been a busy guy the past several years.  Switchfoot released two albums back to back, Nothing Is Sound in ‘05 and Oh! Gravity in ‘06, both of which I was greatly disappointed in. Then as Jon Foreman he released four seasonal EPs in ‘07 and ‘08- Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer.  And then tomorrow he gives us a sort of best of collection taken from those EPs.  And in case you never listened to them and since we regrettably have not mentioned them on here, they are fantastic.  His writing is back up to par, comparable to some of the writing he did with Legend of Chin or Learning to Breathe, both of which are must haves for any one who has ever even thought about liking Switchfoot.

Film

Quantum of Solace

Since there wasn’t much worth talking about with movie releases this week I thought I would take an early start at getting you excited about the new Bond movie.  Quantum of Solace is coming out this weekend in the UK and then in two weeks here in the U.S.    I was a huge fan of Casino Royale, I think that the series definitely is on an upswing.  Let’s see if they can pull it off again.  This preview definitely makes me believe they will.

I hope you head for the hills.

Wild Sweet Orange - 10 Dead Dogs

I first discovered this band right before the release of their self-titled debut off of their record label The Militia Group in the summer of 2005.  From the moment I first heard the piano intro to the opening track, ‘ The City Lights’, I knew that I was going to fall in love with this band.  Scott Windsor has created the perfect blend of pop music: between his soft and airy voice, the catchy melodies flowing from the piano, smooth guitar riffs, tight drum beats, and then throw in a little hint of depeche mode-like electronica.  It is like heaven in my ears.  And I haven’t even mentioned his phenomenal lyrics.  Some say he’s pretentious. I say he’s brilliant.  There were many moments during my first experience with this album that literally gave me goose-bumps.   The first one was through the entirety of the aformentioned opener.  It can still do it to me almost three years later.  It is an absolutely fantastic song.

Umbrellas - The City Lights

And then the second moment came in the song that brought us to where we are today, ‘Ghost’.  This song builds to an incredible chorus where Windsor just belts out such a gorgeous refrain that contains the words from which we got our name.  It’s hard to not get goose-bumps just thinking about that first listen. But it isn’t just the chorus that gets me.  I love every word to this song, and I hope that you will come to appreciate it as much as I do.  And I hope that hearing this song will also give you a greater love for our site and the history behind it.

Umbrellas - Ghost

Ghost

I don’t know what I’m doing or where I’m going.

When I get there and I sort things out,

I hope that I do it well.

It’s the excitement, the anxiety, then the let down.

It’s the vivid dreams that fall away from our memory.

I won’t be your sorrow anymore,

or that crutch that validates those pictures inside your head.

When you hear this song I hope your ears bleed.

‘Cause it’s in this song that I hear you.

When you hear this song I hope you head for the hills.

It’s there that you’ll find me and you’ll lose me.

‘Cause it’s there that you’ll be beautiful.

Simply gorgeous.  Well I’m not going to even touch on their sophomore release today.  But I’m sure you’ll read about it here at some time in the future. Until then…I hope your ears bleed.

]]> http://www.ihopeyourearsbleed.com/2008/10/22/100th-post-thank-you-umbrellas/feed/ http://www.ihopeyourearsbleed.com/2008/10/21/song-of-the-day-feist/ http://www.ihopeyourearsbleed.com/2008/10/21/song-of-the-day-feist/#comments Tue, 21 Oct 2008 15:30:11 +0000 Nathan http://www.ihopeyourearsbleed.com/?p=803 Here is a great live performance from Feist and her boy toy Kevin Drew of Broken Social Scene.  This song was recorded live last year on KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic.  This song is completely unreleased as far as I know.  These two sound great together, which I’m sure you will agree. It’s great little tune, with very sweet lyrics.  Hope you enjoy it.

Feist - Safety Brakes (ft. Kevin Drew)

ED-Correction: This song has in fact been released.  It can be found on Drew’s soloish album, Spirit IF…. I add the “ish” because a good majority of BSS were involved in the project, and the actual album cover reads: “Broken Social Scene Presents: Kevin Drew”.

Of Montreal - Skeletal Lamping

Of Montreal - Id Engager

I haven’t gotten the chance to hear this whole thing, but what I’ve heard I really enjoyed.  And that is coming from someone who hasn’t been much of fan in the past.  Obviously I enjoyed such great tracks as ‘Wraith Pinned to the Mist’ or ‘Heimdalsgate Like a Promethean Curse’.  But I think I might have to go out and pick up this album.

Parts & Labor - Receivers

If you have been keeping up with the blog, you will know that I just recently discovered this band and that my knowledge of their existence doesn’t extend beyond a single track that I posted off of this week’s release. But that track was good enough to earn this album a spot in this feature.

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Brett Dennen - Hope For the Hopeless

Brett Dennen - Make You Crazy (ft. Femi Kuti)

I have been impressed with this young fellow from the beginning.  He has an incredible voice and seems to have a great heart as well.  He has been doing a lot lately use his influence to help those less fortunate than him.  And fortunately for us, he’s been doing it while making great music at the same time.  Go out and buy this guy’s album.  Ain’t no reason you shouldn’t go out and buy this album.

Snow Patrol - A Hundred Million Suns

I absolutely loved Final Straw when it first came out, in fact I still love it.  Although it was way over commercialized, I still was able to enjoy Eyes Open.  But if their first single, ‘Take Back the City’ is any indication of the way their new release is going to go, I don’t think I should even bother.  The song was just tailor made for pop radio and has no substance to it whatsoever.  Just another anthem pop song for junior high boys and girls to sing along pump their fists to.  I hate to see great potential like that go sour.  Here’s to hoping I’m wrong.

Film

Pride and Glory

Edward Norton is the man.  He is easily one of the best actors of our time.  The story for this one doesn’t look too promising, but I will go simply to see Norton’s performance. Boy has this been a sorry year for film.  It seems like I’m just gonna have to wait for Christopher Nolan to give us another addition to his incredible Batman series.

Thanks for reading. Hope your ears and eyes bleed this week.

Wilco - Thirteen

Although I have been greatly disappointed by anything Matthews has done in the past decade, he still put on one of the best live shows I’ve ever seen.  And Live at Luther College w/ Tim Reynolds is one of the best live albums I’ve ever heard.  It is just Matthews and his acoustic guitar. He is supported not by his infamous band that help him create the jam band sound that he is famous for, but only his friend and fabulous session guitarist, Tim Reynolds.  Together they create, in my humble opinion, one of the best acoustic sounds to be found.  I am sure that most of my readers will be annoyed by this post and will be tempted to just ignore it. But please listen to these rare and fantastic acoustic versions of the songs that made us fall in love with Dave.  Let them take you back to the mid-90’s when there was still just a tiny glimmer of good music on the radio.

Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds - One Sweet World

Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds - #41

P.O.S. - I Made It From Scratch

Uzi and Ari - Wolf Eggs

Music

Ray LaMontagne - Gossip in the Grain

Ray LaMontagne - Let It Be Me

This is sure to be one of the best albums of the year.  One of the best performers and songwriters of our generation. He hasn’t disappointed me yet, and I think we can expect nothing but greatness on LaMontagne’s third release. I mean it even has a love song that he wrote for Meg White.  What more could you ask for?

Keane - Perfect Symmetry

Keane - Spiralling

I feel like I should say the exact same thing about this band as I just did about Ray.  These guys are truly pop geniuses.  Now I’m not trying to say that their music is really complex and that they are super talented.  Quite the contrary.  They make very simplistic music with familiar chord progressions, but they manage to make it sound very intricate and brand new.  I highly encourage you to go out and get this as soon as you can.

Copeland - You Are Sunshine

Easily one of the best Christian bands out there.  Their sounds never ceases to amaze me.  Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to hear a bit of this new album, but I am really looking forward to it.  The whole album is available to be streamed from their myspace. You should check it out. I know I would be if myspace wasn’t blocked on our server here at work.

Ingrid Michaelson - Be Ok

I have only heard the title track, and I actually didn’t care too much for it. But I still felt that his release was worth mentioning because of how incredibly catchy and enjoyable her debut from last year was.  If wouldn’t rush out and buy this one. But if you’ve never heard her before she is definitely worth a listen.  I recommend the songs Breakable or Die Alone.

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Film

W.

“A chronicle on the life and presidency of George W. Bush.”    Really?  This movie is already being made? I mean his presidency hasn’t even officially ended yet.  This just blows my mind.  Almost as shocking as the fact that a movie has already been made about the events of 9/11.  At least all of those gave us at least a year or two to look back upon what had happened and gain some perspective.

I am definitely curious to see this film and find out what they have to say, but I am just afraid it will only piss me off.  Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not about to tell you that Bush is perfect and that he’s been a fantastic President.  But I just don’t understand what makes Oliver Stone think that he has such great perspective on his life and presidency as to make a movie like this.  I don’t know, maybe he isn’t trying to make a statement and it will actually have a tasteful plot line and ending.  We’ll see.

I hope that your eyes and ears bleed all week.

Parts & Labor - Nowhere’s Nigh

It is my utmost desire that your ears bleed.

So on those days I am simply going to post a track. I might say a few words about why I like the song, just depends on whether I have 15 minutes to give or just 2.  And then I will leave it up to you, my loyal readers to give your opinions on it. And then maybe in the future there might be something more on them. But maybe not. I think this sounds like a good plan.

So here’s our first song of the day.  It’s a song by a band called Throw Me the Statue, who I have really been loving lately.  I really do hope to write more about these guys in the future.  But for now, enjoy this incredibly catchy tune.  And please don’t resist your urge to dance in your chair as your listen.

Throw Me the Statue - About to Walk

If for some reason you still aren’t sure that you should give The Silent Years a chance, then don’t just listen to my words, take it from someone else.  Like Pitchfork, who gave them a 7.3, or Spin Magazine, who named them “Underground Artist of the Year” in 2007.  So I don’t care who you believe, just listen to the record.  Your ears are sure to thank you for it.

Here is the best song I’ve heard since Okkervil River’s ‘Our Life Is Not A Movie Or Maybe’.

The Silent Years - On Our Way Home

And here is a great live version of another one of my favorites from the album, courtesy of Daytrotter.

The Silent Years - Black Hole (Daytrotter Version)

And since we missed on Music Video Mondays, here is a fun video for a fantastic song off of their self-titled debut.

Here’s a very enjoyable cover of the great Glen Campbell and a blast from the past, along with his performance on The Colber Report.

James Taylor - Wichita Lineman

James Taylor - Carolina In My Mind

So is it really a Glen Campbell cover if Campbell didn’t actually write the song?

I wasn’t too sure how much I was going to enjoy the Jenny Lewis set.  Although I am a huge fan of all things Rilo Kiley,  I was not too impressed with Rabbit Fur Coat.  Although it had a couple of great tracks it never really set well with me as a record.  It was a gospel album being sung by somebody who didn’t understand the gospel.   I think she felt the need to use all of this sort of redemptive jargon because of the genre of music and it just didn’t seem real or true for her.  But Jenny has got one the most incredible voices I have ever heard and she and her band, which included the very talented Johnathon Rice,  put on a mesmerizing show. I was sucked in the from the moment they took the stage.  I am now convinced that I need to give Jenny Lewis, the solo artist, another shot.  I wouldn’t be surprised if Acid Tongue ends up on my year end list.

Jenny Lewis - Acid Tongue

What I was even more surprised about was how much I enjoyed the performance by Oberst and his Mystical Valley Band. Oh how far he has come since the early days of Bright Eyes and Saddle Creek.  There was no skin tight jeans.  His hair wasn’t in his eyes.  No songs or comments about how much America or Bush suck.  And I actually saw him smiling, twice.  Not to mention that sound has changed drastically as well.  Words like bitter, angst-ridden, melancholy, and emo which have been so commonly attached to his name have to be thrown out the window when trying to describe the musical style of this new band that he has assembled.  Well he might still have a tiny bit of angst but he’s expressing it in a poppy and upbeat way (I Don’t Wanna Die In a Hospital).  Now I’m not suggesting that Oberst has lost his musical identity in any way.  Everything that he is doing today is still uniquely his, but it is incredible how much his sound has evolved over the years.  I for one am not about to complain about this musical evolution.  The fact that I was able to watch Oberst rock out in a barn with a southern rock band and an electric organ is just plain awesome. Some highlights of the night would have to be an acoustic version of Milk Thistle to close out the set and then a rockin’ version of I Don’t Want To Die (in a hospital) to finish up the encore.  And then we also had the privilege of hearing an incredible song that they wrote earlier that day.  It was possibly one of the most cleverly written songs I had heard from him in a long time.  I really hope that this isn’t the only time that he records with this all-star crew that he has assembled.  But in case this is a one time deal, make sure to catch the show when they come your way.

Conor Oberst - I Don’t Want to Die (in a hospital)

The Flaming Lips - Do You Realize?

Why? Because I love covers and can’t resist an opportunity to post one.

Beck - Do You Realize?

Yes.

That is right, I am bringing you a fairly new video for the single “Something Anything” off of the new album coming out later this month called Ode to J. Smith.   And it has a pretty different sound than anything I’ve heard from them in the past.  It has a much harder sound than what we’re used to from these guys.  The video is nothing to get excited about.  But just getting to hear a new Travis tune and knowing that an album will shortly follow is exciting enough in itself.

Travis - Something Anything

And here is a pseudo cover song of Keane’s “Somewhere Only We Know.”  This is a fun little tune that they wrote for their appearance on the Mark and Lard show.

Travis - After Mark and Lard Go

Jim James and his alt-country band My Morning Jacket released their fifth studio album, Evil Urges earlier this summer.  I haven’t had the chance to get my hands on the whole album yet. But everything I’ve heard is innovative to say the least.  It’s different but great. And from w