Lyle Lovett - It's Not Big It's Large

Lyle Lovett has been around making music since before I really knew what music was. While not extremely familiar with his music throughout the last 20+ years, I've heard him here and there and always had a respect for him as a talented songwriter. He was born in the rural town of Klein, TX that was named after his great-grandfather who was a Bavarian weaver. He didn't become interested in music until he was in college at Texas A&M where he performed covers and folk tunes in small venues and festivals. Soon after Nanci Griffith performed a song he wrote on an album of hers Mr. Lovett signed a record contract with MCA/Curb in 1986. His self-titled debut was an instant hit on the Country charts. But from the outset Lovett wasn't content to be labeled as strictly a "Country" artists. His musical influences ranged from jazz, to pop, to blues, to folk. All of these genres found their way into songs where Lovett created his own personal musical melting pot. With each successive release Lovett moved away from his country roots, and lost country fans but gained more mainstream approval. His brief (1993-1995) marriage to Julia Roberts catapulted him to being more of a household name than he had ever experienced before. Between then and now he focused on touring and writing when he wasn't making movie cameos. All in all, It's Not Big It's Large marks his 11th release and is probably one of his most eclectic sounding records to date.

It's Not Big It's Large begins by showcasing none other than: the band. It's an instrumental big band number that sounds more like Count Basie than Hank Williams. You know why? Because "Tickle Toe" was written by the great jazz tenor saxophonist Lester Young who was a member of both Count Basie's band and later Fletcher Henderson's orchestra. The album has tunes that cover various influences from blues to country with both up-tempo and slower ballads. The catchiest song is "Up In Indiana" which is posted below. Overall, the album gives a good cross section of where Lyle Lovett comes from and where his influences have placed him today. It's not outstanding, but is well worth a few spins.

Born Ruffians - Hummingbird EP

Well, after a too long hiatus, ongoing writers strike, and just lack of inspiration I'm back. Sorry to the 8-15 people who read this for the delay.


Born Ruffians are another Canadian indie rock band trying to find their niche in the mainstreaming indie scene. The trio is comprised of Luke Lalonde (guitar/vocals), Mitch Derosier (bass), and Steven Hamelin (drums). Their Hummingbird EP was released in October on their new label WARP and showcases an evolving sound. While the release contains only 3 songs, they each demonstrate where the band is likely going with their release Red, Yellow and Blue, which is scheduled for release worldwide on WARP records in February 2008.


Born Ruffians have a "jaunty mix of shifty guitar riffs and hyper-chic vocals for a Pixies-esque shredded kind of sweetness" according to AMG. This is only a snippet of what Born Ruffians are about. Their sound is kind of like Vampire Weekend in it's playfulness, sing-song lyrics, and fresh eclectic sound. Not to mention their lead singer sounds similar with his higher-pitched voice and vocal style. They've opened for the likes of Caribou, Hot Chip, and Peter Bjorn & John. This EP will only make the full-length release more anticipated, and if they can assemble ~10 songs that are as good as these three they'll have others opening for them in no time.

Alexi Murdoch - Time Without Consequence

Imagine for a second, listening to a reincarnated version of Nick Drake (Pink Moon era) updated for the 21st century. Granted, you have to know who Nick Drake is to begin with, but even still, it should raise interest from any self-respecting music lover. Alexi Murdoch is the embodiment of that indie folk artist. The London-born, but Scottish-bred Murdoch moved to Los Angeles and almost immediately had a prodigious meeting with trend-setter Nic Harcourt on his Morning Becomes Eclectic at KCRW. That occurred in 2003, and soon after that major labels and savvy listeners were taking notice, with executives lining up at his door to sign him to a record deal. When the right deal failed to materialize Murdoch continued to tour in support of his EP Four Songs. Still without an agreeable deal he took it upon himself and recorded his debut full-length Time Without Consequence on his own. It should be noted that Murdoch was not waiting for a huge monetary deal. Supposedly he was (and still is) looking for one that is true to his artistic vision, and allows him to compose unshackled by major label requirements of producing hits rather than whatever he sees fit.

The fact that I didn't find Time Without Consequence (2006) until recently makes me feel like I'm late to a secret show at a small venue. I'm standing at the back of the room, and wishing I had been there from the beginning so I could be sitting in the front row. Either way, I'm there but can't necessarily brag about having a great view. On the other hand, Alexi Murdoch won't stay much of a secret for long. His most popular song "Orange Sky" (below) has been featured on The O.C., House, Prison Break, Ugly Betty, and most recently Dirty Sexy Money. Murdoch's music is typified by his powerfully restrained and halting voice, in addition to his understated beautiful guitar picking. The album is absolutely beautiful from beginning to end and really shows an artist seemingly on the brink of becoming a household name. His lyrics are heartfelt without being contrived. The arrangements are simple boarding on sparse. Alexi Murdoch will surely find a home at a label sometime soon, and he most surely has his pick of the litter. One can only hope that his artistic integrity is allowed to continue to blossom and develop.

Minus the Bear - Planet of Ice

Hailing from Seattle, Washington Minus the Bear are known for some quirky song titles. But before they are cast off as a novelty, one should consider their polished, smartly arranged songs with a closer listen. Finger-tapped guitar riffs mixed with catchy melodies and unexpected time changes are sure to keep things interesting and entertaining for most fans.

While they have released a few EPs and a debut LP (Menos el Oso, 2005) the release of Planet of Ice is really their grand entrance to the indie music scene. Up until this point the band has been circling the local wagons and creating a fanbase in the pacific northwest. Planet of Ice is a solid effort from a band that is still learning and growing. While not at their peak yet, you can see bursts of special ideas coming through on many songs. Unfortunately, this lack of cohesion is a blessing and curse on the album. When listening through, they sound like one band here or another band there without trying to hard. The blend of electronics, synths, guitar riffs, and swooning vocals create quite a landscape for the album. On the other hand, each of these reminders detracts from an identity they're trying to construct for themselves. Once they capture the exact direction and vibe they want to have consistently, they could really break through. If not, Minus the Bear will probably continuing making listenable albums, but nothing to be remembered for more than a few years. But, while they are rising, this album will give a great sense of what they are capable of achieving.

When the lights go out in the city...

It is necessary to note today in the annals of internet music history along side Napster 2000. Whether you were a member, user, et al. OiNK is no more. Various bits of news coverage from around the Net.

Paste
Stereogum
Rawkblog
Pitchfork
Mudd Up!
BBC News
The Northern Echo (UK)
Variety
more news & opinions...
Wired
Seattle Times

Pharoahe Monch - Desire

If you haven't read this article from Slate today it is highly recommended. It has to do with indie rock going away from classic rock's roots in blues and other originally black music. While it points out that examples given are chosen carefully the overall article gives some great facts about the progression of the indie scene, in terms of ethnomusicology.
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Pharoahe Monch, from Queens, NY is best known in hip-hop circles for his complex delivery, internal and multi-syllabic rhyme schemes and has gone relatively unnoticed until recently. His debut, Internal Affairs, debuted in 1999 and over the next 7 years released singles and tracks for movies. He kept himself in the game by creating successful singles, and ghost-writing tracks for others such as Diddy. The long layoff between albums is interesting and at the same time curious. Without being familiar with the debut album, it's easy to hear the latest release with fresh ears and not expect to hear something similar to 8 years ago.

On Desire, Pharoahe Monch creates an album that is laced with his signature lyrics and flow, while using authentic gospel, deep funk, and silky soul. With all of this thrown into the stew Monch has an crisp, tight feel that track-to-track is one of the best hip-hop released in the last year. These tracks are bold, brash, bright, insightful, and occasionally brilliant. While the vast schism in time between albums would take most off their game, Pharoahe Monch has come back stronger and clearly has honed his craft. The production throughout the album is varied and inspired. It's not fractured or all over the place, but rather demonstrates various influences, while staying true to Monch's style and interests. One of the best lyrics comes from the title track below where Monch spits "Slave to a label, but I still own my masters." Stating clearly that he is independent at the end of the day, and will make music the way he sees fit. One can only hope it doesn't take another 8 years for him to concoct another albums worth of original material; although at this rate it would be well worth the wait.

Broken Social Scene Presents: Kevin Drew - Spirit If...

Broken Social Scene is a fantastic indie chamber pop group that typically has anywhere between 8 to 20 musicians performing at a given time. One of it's founding members Kevin Drew has never been the most marketable individual to emerge from the Canadian gang; that has been left to Leslie Feist, Emily Haines, or Amy Millan. With their solo careers burgeoning, Mr. Drew concocted a plan to eventually showcase the members with the help of the rest of the band. Essentially allowing each lesser-known member to step into the spotlight. Kevin Drew grew up in Toronto and got his creative start attending high school at the prestigious Etobicoke School of the Arts where he also met future friends and BSS members Ms. Haines and Ms. Millan. The best description of how BSS typically sound is a collection of all the members influences which are too numerous to name, but they tend to have an enormous sound, complication orchestrations, unique song structures, and interesting (to say the least) production from David Newfeld. They employ violins, guitars, horns, woodwinds, drums, keys and everything else but the proverbial kitchen sink.

As a Kevin Drew coming out party, Spirit If... really sounds like a BSS album, as should be expected. While not quite as beautifully chaotic as previous BSS works, Spirit If allows Kevin Drew the freedom to direct and arrange things how he would like, rather than yielding to the whims of the masses. While this is merely supposition, the album speaks for itself. Mr. Drew is at the forefront of almost the entire album and with his name plastered on the album art it's safe to assume he took great care in presenting this as solely his idea backed by his friends and bandmates in BSS. Recorded over the course of two years with members flying in and out to record various pieces, it's pretty astounding that this pastiche of sound making can be puzzled together to create such an excellent expanse of music. In addition, the 60+ minute length should be celebrated as it has become a rare sight to have bands fill more than half of a typical 80min. cd. While the amount of music is not necessarily indicitive of quality, Kevin Drew allows himself the freedom to experiment with songs ranging from 3 to 7 minutes depending on his message (no matter how convoluted it may be). While his lyrics occasionally make little sense, the choruses are almost always blunt and elementary. For example, on "Bodhi Sappy Weekend" mind-bending lyrics include, "With our clothes on fire/ I guess we both can wait/ I built an ark for sure," while the refrain explains, "please don't scratch me out" which is heart-breaking in its candor as it brings the song back to Earth. All in all, Kevin Drew has essentially created another great BSS album in which he can finally receive credit, where credit is due. Album reviews from Pitchfork, AMG, and Stylus.