Satine - Satine EP (2008)

My fellow bandmate, Annis, showed me this band a long time ago. I've held off from posting this for a while because the quality isn't all that good but let's get real and get our noses out of the air for a second and use our ears instead. This little french ensemble collages the glitchy spasms of Radiohead with powerful vocals, quite reminiscent of Björk. Between post-rock-esque explosions and fuzzy glitch arrangements, the textures are always intriguing and each song climaxes in a very moving way. Even with all their experimental electronic use, they still know whats up and kill it on acoustic instruments, check out the album closer acoustic-style:


Satine Messsnow Concert à Emporter

Satine EP

Kidcrash - New Ruins (2004)

If I could even bring myself to call this a pop-punk record, it would easily be the best one ever. With all of the catchy hooks and vocal harmonies of 'pop punk', the stunning musicianship of post-hardcore and thoughtful lyrics, this album stands out, especially against the rest of the Kidcrash catalog. Get on it.

New Ruins

Bright Eyes - Letting Off the Happiness (1998)

It might be a bit early to be celebrating that autumnal/winter-y vibe already but I'm too excited to ignore it. This album encompasses every emotion one could feel on a crisp fall day. There are small moments of comfort but it's mostly vast expanses of bleak, raw sadness which, let's be honest, should be expected from Conor Oberst. The textures throughout this album are ever-changing and diverse enough to carry the singular theme of seasonal depression without becoming stale or monotonous. Throughout the time signature experimentation, genre re-definitions (I'm pretty sure he helped invent 'folk punk' with the track "The City Has Sex") and Conor's shaky ramblings, Letting Off the Happiness is easily one of his most solid albums and one of my favorites of the season.

Letting Off the Happiness

Fugue - Siblings (2010)

Hey everyone. I know a lot of you appreciate what I do, despite me slacking quite a lot. I can now assure you that it was all for a good reason. My band, Fugue, has been working super hard on this release for a little over a year now and finally got all our CDs in and are waiting on the 7" vinyl to be pressed. It's certainly not much of a departure from our last EP, Ancient Glass, but it's more of a growth into doing what we really set out to achieve in the first place. Anyway, I would really appreciate it if you guys all checked it out! It's up on bandcamp for high-quality download with a name-your-own-price kind of deal, so feel free to give us what you think it's worth or if you're poor like me just snag it and tell all your friends. I'm fortunate to have a platform such as this and my gratitude for what small 'following' I have is enormous. Ok, I'm done with the shameless self promotion, time to post some music that isn't mine.

Siblings

Dark Dark Dark - The Snow Magic (2008)

Hello everyone who still is crazy enough to check this page out, I'm back. For now. I've been busy finishing things up with my band's new EP but that's not what this post is about. This post is about my recent obsession with the imminent approach of autumn, my most favorite season. This album is one of a few that encapsulates everything I was feeling and in some ways, everything I've ever felt on those blustery, grey, autumn days. This album is the soundtrack to a life filled with corduroy jackets, cigarettes and loneliness. Its haunting, yet sweet melodies are punctuated by plucking, tinny banjo riffs and rich drawls of an accordion played by a woman half the weight of the instrument itself. It is a bit difficult to describe the precise style of music because it's so strange and draws from so many influences but it mostly trudges through gloomy folk song structures featuring soulful, somber creole/cajun instrumentation. Doesn't sound like it makes a lot of sense, does it? Your best bet is to wait for a colder evening, dig out your fall coat and let this music take over.

The Snow Magic