Johnny Cash - The Legend Of

Johnny Cash - The Legend Of
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I admit, I hadn't seriously turned to this legend till after the movie. Those who want to hate - hate on or exit the blog....

Before the feature film, I had heard I've Been Everywhere and Hurt, which aren't bad songs but really aren't the meat and potatoes of this record or of any of his work. Now this record covers several eras of Johnny Cash's music, and I prefer the earlier works. The inarguable rawness, darkness, sense of humor and honesty are what make this music great.

Want your own physical copy, buy it here for less than $9.

Personal favorites from this record are Folsom Prison Blues, Sunday Morning Coming Down and Jackson.

Slowdive - Souvlaki

Slowdive - Souvlaki
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For some this is an early 90's thing. For me it's an early 00's thing which means mid twenties and all that that entails. Particularly, during intimate times. Anyhow, they're a British band part of the dubbed 'ambient shoegaze' music categorium. Slow paced, introspective, romantic - somewhat more dramatic than most are willing to handle.

Order it from Amazon, here for less than $9 if you dig it.

Track 6, Souvlaki Space Station is the best song on the record.

Billy Joel - Greatest Hits Volumes I & II (1973 - 1985)

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Order it here: Billy Joel Greatest Hits: Vol. 1-2 (2CD)

For the longest time, from before I was born, to the Atari 2600's last year in the limelight. Billy Joel had some good years. This post commemorates the best of that time period.

Sing us a song. We're in the mood for a melody. New Yorker. American. Inspired by the Beatles. Feel-good. Big shot. Blues. Pick me-up. Honesty. Women. Mythical uptown-women. The good songs I'd hear while in the car with my dad on the road before a day's hard work. Billy Joel inspires, soothes, and makes for good karaoka,ka,ka,ka,ka.... you ought ta know by now.

MGMT - Oracular Spectacular

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MGMT - Oracular Spectacular

Order it here for $9.99: MGMT - Oracular Spectacular

Digitally released on October '07, released in retail January '08, it's safe to say I'm a little late to the party. Seeing as I just discovered it - to it's fullness - last week.

I had heard "Time to Pretend," the first track, when going out but had no idea it was MGMT. Anyway after listening to the whole record there more to say about it than they're just another trendy indie band.

Some of the tracks like "Weekend Wars," "The Youth," and "Pieces of What" remind of me Wes Anderson films. Maybe some scene where the meaning is significantly higher than the action on the screen - if you know what I mean. Dramatic, introspective, but still respectable sounds, including acoustic guitars, vocal cacophonies, and a soundscape soothing keyboard.

The singles are "Time to Pretend" and "Electric Feel." I had discarded both before my download last week. It was actually triggered by a discussion I was having with a coworker. He's 23 and I'm 29, and he had this - man you're too old and don't know whats good anymore attitude. So I decided to check it out and validate he or I, and I admit, he was right, this is pretty good stuff. The songs are a feel-good fun-time and are much less shallow than originally perceived to be.

Somehow this record also fits into this holiday time period. I recommend MGMT - Oracular Spectacular.

Deerhunter - Microcastle

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Deerhunter - Microcastle

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Deerhunter - Microcastle

I enjoy this record. It's a new sound to me. I enjoy it and like a friend of mine on facebook simply stated, we should all find happiness through music. Or at a minimum, attempt to jam to it. This record is a part of that experience. I encourage anyone to download it.

Just a short history, the band started in 2001. They may be named after an old drama called "The Deer Hunter" with Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, and Meryl Streep or that may just be a coincidence. At this point I don't care enough to find validate this.

Tonight it's 62 degrees out. The Miami Heat lost to the Toronto Raptors. 2008 is close to it's death and so be it.

The title track surprised me around time stamp 2:25. The slowly vanishing heartbeat suddenly gets a kicky snare and suddenly your head ticks and tocks, left and right. Insert dance here.

Microcastle is either terribly boring or wicked awesome at a live show, the venue and the crowd would easily be variables in the enjoyment of the live experience. Sometimes when I listen to it I think I'm hearing noises from a vast hall. That's the experience for half the record. Not to be frowned upon anyway. There's some value in remembering childhood memories where something holds a holy or omnipotent awe. Like Notre Damn in Montreal for instance.

The other half has some trendy/catchy dance beats. Like Never Stops and Nothing Ever Happened - these are definitely upbeat bootyswaying tracks. I'm not mad at these tracks. They keep the gas in the car chugging. They keep the heartbeat alive and protect the sanctity of youth. The dance beats/lyrics reminded of something that Blur is likely to produce. Listening to Deerhunter made me write this post. The vocals can sound like Sonic Youth, Blur or Belle & Sebastian during some moments. I know they're all very different bands but those are the closest bands I could come up with.

The Darjeeling Limited Soundtrack

The Darjeeling Limited. The latest in a series of Wes Anderson movies. A strange story about three very different brothers who go on a long journey to India to meet their mother who has been gone for nearly 10 years with their father's ashes.

The movie doesn't shy from Wes Anderson's style in previous films and is full of color, scenery, clever direction and a good amount of comedy.

Before the movie begins a prequel is shown with Jason Schwartzman's character and his girlfriend played by Natalie Portman. The soundtrack begins there and follows the movies scenes chronologically.

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The Darjeeling Limited - Soundtrack

Order it here: The Darjeeling Limited Original Motion Picture Soundtrack