Buy Beirut’s phenomenal debut album for only $5 here – Gulag Orkestar

Beirut – Santa Fe by smithblogsatlanta

Middle Cyclone – 03/03

This girl just keeps getting better and better.  I find myself jumping at any chance to hear her voice, whether it is just backing up her bandmate A.C. Newman with their innovative rock band the New Pornographers, or as in this case singing the lead on a solo album.  Although, fortunately for us, the term solo is very relative.  Throughout the album she is surrounded by great talent with the guestlist including M. Ward, Garth Hudson, Sarah Harmer and members of the  New Pornographers, Los Lobos and Calexico, to name a few.  In addition to twelve new songs that Neko wrote herself, Middle Cyclone includes covers of ‘Never Turn Your Back on Mother Earth’ by Sparks, and “Don’t Forget Me” by Harry Nilsson. All I have heard is this first single that she has given away for free.  But it is unsurprisingly rumored to be her best yet.  As if I haven’t given you enough reason to go get this album, she recently graced the cover of Paste Magazine.

Neko Case – People Got A Lotta Nerve

Check out this great video on the making of the album.

7.  Samantha Crain

Songs in the Night – 4/28

The creators of my favorite EP of the year, are set to release their full-length debut this April. Samantha Crain hails from the tiny little town in Oklahoma where my beautiful bride attended college.  So it has been fun to see how much attention she is getting lately. The album is going to be released on Ramseur Records, home of the Avett Brothers and the Everybodyfields, two bands that have been getting a lot of playtime in my library. Along with her band the Midnight Shivers (Jacob Edwards, Andrew Tanz and Stephen Sebastian), Crain recorded all twelve tracks in five days at Echo Mountain Studios with producer Danny Kadar (Grizzly Bear, My Morning Jacket).   Here are two Daytrotter performances of tracks from the new album.

Samantha Crain – Devils In Boston

Samantha Crain – You Never Know

6.  Beirut

March of the Zapotec/Realpeople Holland - 2/24

Zach Condon is absolutely phenomenal and I am so extremely excited about this album.  As I am listening to the few tracks that have leaked so far, I am having a hard time imagining how I could be any more excited about an album.  But apperently I can, for I have five more to go.  If you are unfamiliar with Beirut, it is Balkan music filled with some of the most gorgeous horn arrangements you’ve ever heard, made by a kid from Santa Fe, New Mexico.  In just a matter of weeks he gives us his third official release with a double EP, March of the Zapotec, Realpeople Holland.  The latter of the two appears to be synth-driven, which is something completely new from him.  It should be fun, but I am definitely glad that March of the Zapotec seems to be just building off of their usual style.  I’ve heard a track from each, and honestly he’s never sounded better.

Beirut – The Shrew (from March of the Zapotec)

Beirut – My Night with the Prostitue From Marseilles

5.  Andrew Bird

Noble Beast – 1/20

Yes I know, this album has already been released. Therefore, I am no longer anticipating this album, but rather I am in the middle of digesting it.  But I am taking my time and savoring every moment.  But it seems that is what you must do with an Andrew Bird record.  I find my self just sitting for hours chewing not on just his intricate string-filled melodies, but also on his carefully chosen words.  Like many of his previous records I have found myself curling up with a dictionary as I prepare to be taken into his whistly lit-pop world.  Noble Beast is nothing new, but that makes it no less exciting.  And so far it is very deserving of this number five spot on my list.

Andrew Bird – The Privateers

Andrew Bird performing Fitz and Dizzyspells on Letterman.

Most Anticipated Albums of 2009 – Part 3

So China in my opinion really raised the bar when it came to  the opening ceremonies.  I really enjoyed watching the theatrics of it all.  They continued to just wow the crowd and the millions watching all over the world.   So in honor of the events that have taken place and are going to be happening for next couple of weeks, I have created a little olympic-style playlist for you all. If you like you can leave a comment and vote for your favorite songs and then maybe I’ll hand out some medals. Anyway. Here is the playlist. Hope your ears bleed.

1. The Neighborhood – China Boy (removed 2/13/09)

2. Counting Crows – Holiday In Spain (removed 2/13/09)

3. Beirut – Postcards From Italy (removed 2/13/09)

4. James Taylor – Mexico (removed 2/13/09)

5. Five Iron Frenzy – Oh, Canada (removed 2/13/09)

6. Wilco – Impossible Germany (removed 2/13/09)

7. Jets to Brazil – Sweet Avenue (removed 2/13/09)

8. The Shins – Australia (removed 2/13/09)

9. Spoon – My Little Japanese Cigarette Case (removed 2/13/09)

10. The Beach Boys – Surfin’ U.S.A. (removed 2/13/09)

10 Wilco – Sky Blue Sky

like most great albums this one took a little while to grow on me. but i am glad i gave it the time, because i have definitely found some great gems on this album. if you love wilco already just listen and enjoy. if not i suggest you see them live, it will surely help you to appreciate this album. at least it did for me.

wilco – hate it here (removed 2/13/09)

9 Beirut – Flying Club Cup

balkan music at its best. seriously. if you have never listened to this one man band you are missing out. each track has just gorgeous horn and string arrangements, and condon’s voice accompanies the music so well.

beirut – in the mausoleum (removed 2/13/09)

8 Derek Webb – The Ringing Bell

easily the best christian album of the year. webb continues to write enjoyable pop candy that is not only enjoyable to listen to, but challenges out way of thinking at the same time. i cannot tell you enough how much i love this guy. oh and did i mention he is giving this album away for free?

derek webb – can’t be without you (removed 2/13/09)

7 Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga

spoon has outdone themselves. by far the best that they have put together thus far. lots of intricate but simple instrumentation if that makes any sense at all. they didn’t try to hard, they have just taken what they do and brought it to the next level

spoon – you got yr cherry bomb (mp3 lost during a site crash 7/23)

6 The National – Boxer

Be patient with this one. It took a while before the national had a regular spot on my playlist, but once it got there it hasn’t left. Most of the songs on this album have very complex but very addicting rhythmic pattern. Give it a chance to entrance, for it surely will.

the national – fake empire (removed 2/13/09)

5 Band of Horses – Cease to Begin

Despite the loss of their co-founder, Mat Brooke, this stellar band not only managed to avoid the sophomore slump, but with their song “No One’s Gonna Love You” they managed to put together what is, in my humble opinion, the greatest song of 2007.

band of horses – no one’s gonna love you (removed 2/13/09)

4 Iron & Wine – The Shephard’s Dog

This is definitely one of those cases where change isn’t so bad. straying from his lo-fi acoustic roots, sam beam churns out another batch of songs that will last us a lifetime. it’s very rhythmic and has a much fuller sound than we’re used to, but it works.

iron & wine – flightless bird, american mouth (removed 2/13/09)

3 Rilo Kiley – Under the Blacklight

These former child stars have never sounded better. Lewis’ voice is as gorgeous as ever and Sennet’s guitar sounds like it has been in the 70′s for a while and came to show us a thing or two. An incredibly catchy album. Anything but a disappointment.

rilo kiley – give a little love (removed 2/13/09)

2 The Once Soundtrack

This incredible soundtrack to one of the best films of the year is a must. Glen Hansard (The Frames) and Marketa Irglova star in and provide the soundtrack to this modern day musical that tells the story of two people whose lives collide just once. Watch the movie and you will surely have to buy the album.

glen hansard & marketa irglova – when your mind’s made up (removed 2/13/09)

1 Feist – The Reminder

Leslie Feist has yet to let me down. I have loved everything that she had done so far. Especially this incredibly catchy album. Easily the record that I listened to the most this past year. It is infectious, once you start you can’t stop. Trust me.

feist – past in present (removed 2/13/09)

Honorable Mention: The Shins – Wincing the Nigh Away, Josh Ritter – The Historical Conquests, Andrew Bird – Armchair Apocrypha, Arcade Fire – Neon Bible

well i hope you enjoyed my list. and just to help clarify this list was based on a combo of what i thought was the best musically and lyrically and then also what i simply enjoyed and listened to the most. but still feel free to let me know if there are any albums that you felt should have been on the list. i am sure there are still some great ones that i missed.

also the plan is for this to be the first of many. i am starting a project of creating a list like this for every year dating back to the year i was born (1985). should be fun. until next time…

i haven’t heard but one song off of their first album, so i can’t really compare this one to their older stuff. but i definitely give the album two thumbs up. having grown up playing the trumpet, i am a sucker for almost any music with horns that isn’t ska. but beyond that, his voice just seems to suck me in and capture my full attention with every song. so i encourage you to download this song, and if you like, i can assure you that the whole album is worth your time and money.

beirut – a sunday smile (removed 2/13/09)