2 1/2 Ears

Before your mother was born…

Will — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 21:22:26 +0000

Sing me a song that was a hit before your mother was born.

Speaking of before your mother was born…

Takes Time

Will — Mon, 20 May 2013 14:40:03 +0000

“Takes Time” by Jim Guthrie

For the last several years, Jim Guthrie has been making an impact with his film & game soundtracks (which are awesome: Indie Game The Movie & Superbrothers: Sword and Sworcery).

His new solo album struck a very different chord. It’s full of charm and movement. It never overstepped itself, but it sank so easily beneath my skin. It’s a contender for my favorite album of the year.

“I ran out of time making time machines. Time won’t last.”

All I have is you.

Will — Fri, 03 May 2013 02:22:04 +0000

Earnestness seems rare now. This is refreshing.

Loud Harp doesn’t seem to take itself for more than it is. And that’s a beautiful thing.

Leaves

Will — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 21:23:34 +0000

The Wilderness is Here

Will — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 20:08:09 +0000

“The Wilderness” by K.S. Rhoads

It’s been five years since K.S. Rhoads’ breathtaking debut, Dead Language, and his time hasn’t been wasted. Anyone who follows Nashville’s dynamic music scene has seen that he’s been playing, touring, and collaborating the whole time.

Today he’s released his new album, The Wilderness and it’s a thing of cool beauty. Much like Dead Language, he seems to have thrown everything he has into it. And it’s another awesome gumbo of sound and song. Go buy it. And if you don’t have Dead Language, buy it too.

As beautiful and unique as Dead Language was, The Wilderness is no attempt at repeating. He makes more use of looping and layering, more beatboxing and rapping, and strings strings strings. So, there are similarities. But he has more moments of pop-catchiness, he gets more orchestral, he’s got more swagger, and the range of songs is even wider than on Dead Language. The overall feel of the album seems to come from some different place.

How do YOU groove?

Will — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 20:45:56 +0000

Stray Ashes at Isokon

Will — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 05:45:50 +0000

“Stray Ashes at Isokon” by JBM

JBM – ‘You Always Keep Around’ at Isokon from JBM on Vimeo.

Jesse Merchant, JBM, just released a great live performance album of one of my favorite-sounding albums of the year. It’s beautiful in all its mumbling, echoing, droning, reverberating melancholy. This is what my head sounds like most of the time.

JBM – ‘Winter Ghosts’ at Isokon from JBM on Vimeo.

The performance was beautifully filmed, too. Warm, textural, and intimate.

JBM – ‘On Fire On a Tightrope’ at Isokon from JBM on Vimeo.