I follow a couple of music blogs and was amazed back in the summer with all of the new music that was set to debut this fall - and not just any new music, but new music from some pretty notable bands and artists. So I set reminders to myself to check 'em out on Spotify when the release date arrived. All of which has made for an enjoyable musical journey the past few months.
Here's what I've been listening to, and why I humbly suggest that you do the same:
RYAN ADAMS - ASHES AND FIRE
It's been a wild couple of years for the Jacksonville NC-born boy. Got married to Mandy Moore (yep, that Mandy Moore), moved to L.A., was diagnosed with an inner ear disease that causes vertigo and hearing loss, and quit writing music for over a year. If you've kept up with Adams' prolific music career - typically releasing 2-3 solid albums a year - you know that any time he takes off from music is a big deal.
The result of that time away, though, is perhaps some of Adams' most honest work in Ashes and Fire. I don't know if it was the inner ear thing or some calming effect that marriage had on him, but this album is chill in a very, very good way. I've always loved Ryan's rocking edge, but the soft and soulful side brings out a whole other side to him that I really dig. "Lucky You," "Invisible Riverside" and "Come Home" are notable, but honestly, this whole album is solid from start to finish. Definitely worth your time. And while you're at it, check out this studio interview on WFUV. The guy's got a killer sense of humor to go with his vocal and songwriting chops.
SWITCHFOOT - VICE VERSES
Relevant Magazine did an article on Switchfoot over the summer and christened their new album as "the reinviention of Switchfoot." That may be taking it a bit far, as lead singer/songwriter Jon Foreman's thin soaring tenor and the standard Switchfoot guitars still define the band's sound. That being said, something is different this time around. There's a little more of an R&B element to the tunes, and the rhythm sections definitely shines more than it has before.
I salute Jon and the boys for going in this slightly different direction. One of Switchfoot's criticisms over the years is that one album sounds like all the others. With Vice Verses they've not totally thrown the baby out with the bathwater, but they've diverted course just a hair and went where it took them. It may not be a reinvention, but it's something different; and the band seems to feel good about the change. I'm betting you will too.
WILCO - THE WHOLE LOVE
From the first three seconds of the album you know - this is not the same old Wilco album. Of course, like Ryan Adams, there really isn't such a thing, is there? Grounded in Americana alt-rock/country, they've had no problem going out of the box, and every time it's worked for them - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot being a perfect example.
In some ways, The Whole Love is reminiscient of their 2002 groundbreaking album. Singer/songwriter/unrivaled band leader Jeff Tweedy once again takes standard instruments (guitars, bass, drums) and and seamlessly merges them with weird electronica stuff so you have a hard time picturing them apart from each other. If anything, this album is a testimony to Tweedy's songwriting and the ability of the rest of the band to add multiple dimensions to the consistent foundation he lays. "Art of Almost" sets the stage for the album, "Dawned On Me" has a nice bounce to it, and "One Sunday Morning (Song For Jane Smiley's Boyfriend)" is a beautiful song that could easily win the award for "Twelve-minute-song-that-feels-like-less-than-that."
COLDPLAY - MYLO XYLOTO
Okay, let's state the obvious: bad album title. These made-up words may have some significance to the band, but that doesn't mean they have to share them with the rest of us. That being said, the music itself more than makes up for the lame name. It is classic Coldplay - epic tunes with soaring choruses; lots of strings and synths with a good acoustic and piano to keep things grounded. Even if you don't care for their sound, you have to admit they do it very, very well.
"Paradise" is the song that jumps out the most to me - and to my six-year old, who keeps asking me to play it so he can sing the catchy chorus. I've learned that if young kids can pick up a song's chorus and want to sing it multiple times, chances are it's a keeper. "Charlie Brown" is another favorite despite, or maybe because of, the odd name. "Us Against The World" feels like their attempt to resurrect a "Fix You" feel, and "Princess of China" brings guest performer Rihanna into the picture - not an artist I care for much, but she fits in nicely with the Coldplay song.
Mylo Xyloto doesn't flow quite as well as Viva La Vida, in my humble opinion, but the songs themselves are solid. Thankfully the album will be remembered for much more than the title.
THE GOAT RODEO SESSIONS - CHRIS THILE, YO-YO MA, EDGAR MEYER, STUART DUNCAN
Honestly, I made a note to acquire this album the minute I saw "Chris Thile" and "Yo-Yo Ma" in the same sentence. Meyer is also a phenomenal bass player. I hadn't heard of Duncan on the violin, but I have now and won't soon forget him.
The album is mostly instrumentals with each musician taking turns at intricate leads that baffle common understanding. True to Thile form, the songs wander off in directions that are hard for the listener to anticipate. And it goes without saying that the performances themselves are phenomenal; each note perfectly placed where they need to be.
Part of the problem Thile encounters, in my opinion, is having to play with fine musicians who nevertheless have a hard time keeping up with him musically. They do a great job supporting him, but it's obvious he's on a totally different level. With Duncan, Meyer and Yo-Yo Ma, though, Thile is among kindred spirits; and it shows. It's a true interplay between four of the greatest musicians of our day.
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There you have it, folks. So what are your thoughts about these albums, and what other ones would you add to the list?
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