Now that FIFA madness is over, we can get back to the real world..
I for one feel like this blog posts a tad too much Kevin Devine. Agreed? Well if only he didn’t have all that music in his mouth, then we wouldn’t have anything to post 😉
She Stayed As A Stream, which came out earlier as a demo version, is now avaiable for a free download over at the Favorite Gentlemen’s website (Record label owned by Manchester Orchestra, which KevDev is signed to along with All Get Out). The single is on his 2010 EP along with 3 other new tracks!
Which do you guys like better? I am undecided because they are both great tracks, yet are so different from one another. I find that the new version is more patient, thoughtful and darker, while the demo does the job its supposed to do: make you fall in love with the rawness of a song enough to want more. But hey, why choose? Just enjoy both
It’s friday night and I am hungry
for a hand, a mouth a body
a love I wouldn’t have to carry
If you haven’t heard (c’mon you’ve heard, right?) Band of Horses is set to release its third full length studio album on May 18, 2010. Are you excited for it? It’s okay, you can admit it – come on, it’s alright to be excited about something, don’t be shy. Well, we are and we are also excited (so much excitement) to bring you the first track off of the much anticipated Infinite Arms titled ‘Compliments.’
So, now that you’ve been reminded (you totally knew before reading this), be sure to bold the calendar box for the 18th of May, trace its four sides with your favorite colored glitter pen and inside of the box paste a picture of a cute little horse head (Godfather imagery not included) and then wait, patiently – crossing off the days one by one with your favorite pastel colored gel pen.
Until then though, be sure to listen to ‘Compliments’ as much as you’d like by taking advantage of the download link below, which will help hold you over.
Oh, yeah and what do you think? I think it’s great and if the rest of the CD is this good, it will definitely be one of my most played of the summer. However, I’m not sure what the Sheep thinks yet because she is on a double date with Dorian Gray and destiny and to be honest, that’s not really something I feel comfortable interrupting – sheep are very passionate beasts, you know.
Band of Horses – Compliments lyrics
(I think)
I’m fixing a drink in the morning
With the way things are, you may have stayed too long
It’s splitting a part at the seams from the hospital call
You’ve known him so long
If there’s a God up in the air
Someone looking over everyone
At least you’ve got something to fall back on
And deep in the heart of the country
Was a house I built from logs
A raven and a lady call
I’m quiet and calm through the day
See the sun burn through the hall
Approaching was a yellow dog
If there’s a God up in the air
Someone looking over everyone
At least you’ve got something to fall back on
And what are people really for?
Does anybody even care?
I bet you get a lot of compliments down there
If there’s a God up in the air
Someone looking over everyone
At least you’ve got something to fall back on
And do you got something to say?
Is it something coming over you?
And do you got important things left to do?
The track listing for Infinite Arms goes a little something like this:
01. Factory
02. Compliments
03. Laredo
04. Blue Beard
05. On My Way Back Home
06. Infinite Arms
07. Dilly
08. Evening Kitchen
09. Older
10. For Annabelle
11. NW Apt.
12. Neighbor
A while ago, even before the fruitful seeds of spring had been sown into the ground, we made a post regarding Bon Iver’s ‘Flume’ covered by no other than Peter Gabriel (here). Well, today we bring you just the opposite!
On April 17, 2010, in celebration of “Record Store Day” a special Vinyl of the two covers is being released. More information can be found here on the Vintage Vinyl website.
Vernon could have picked up a guitar and taken a standard approach to the cover, but that is not how a Bon Iver project works. Its very spirit has become collaborative and experimental. By enlisting the help of Bon Iver regular Sean Carey, as well his sister and brother in law, Vernon made this a Bon Iver affair, and expanded the Bon Iver family yet further.
So, be sure (SURE) to check out Bon Iver’s cover of Peter Gabriel’s ‘Come Talk To Me’ and if you, you know, like it – borrow it, try it on, see how it fits and then buy it!
I can imagine the moment
Breaking out through the silence
All the things that we both might say
And the heart it will not be denied
‘Til we’re both on the same damn side
All the barriers blown away
I said please talk to me
Won’t you please come talk to me
Just like it used to be
Come on, come talk to me
I did not come to steal
This all is so unreal
Can you show me how you feel now
Come on, come talk to me
Four times a year, Nature reinvents the backdrop to our days. Its power does not lie solely in being able to change the weather but in having that change in temperature influence our own feelings and behavior – for better or for worse.
Frightened Rabbit’sThe Winter of Mixed Drinks almost does the same thing. At the start, Hutchison learns to let go in ‘Things,’ to free himself of the clutter – “useless objects, a gathered storm of shit, put them in a silent shed, throw out your life’s supply” – by it seems – finally – realizing that physical possessions can never make up for the personal and emotional connections that we thirst for constantly, even at times without realizing it. ‘Swim Until You Can’t See Land,’ (thank you for the gateway into the rest of the sea!) goes one step further and calls for a complete release. While in the former song Hutchison released his grip on the past, in ‘Swim..’ Hutchison forces his burdens to release their grip on him and seeks cleansing and renewal – “swim until you can’t see land, are you a man or a bag of sand?” – do you have the courage to float or are you going to allow yourself to sink?
Now, while the concepts behind these songs seem to be simple and familiar, there is one major aspect that separates The Winter of Mixed Drinks from a lot of other relatable albums and that is its sense of sincere urgency whose presence is strongly evident within each song. Three songs in, ‘The Loneliness and the Scream,’ we are reminded of how it feels when the commotion and chaos created while cutting ties, burning bridges and erasing memories dies down. You know the feeling, right? The supportive and concerned role players who walk in and stand as canvases for you to throw your feelings at until you’ve exhausted them are ready to leave – you can just sense it – so you lift yourself and do what it takes to prove that you’ve moved on – and now, it’s quiet. The hell that you raised setting yourself free has done nothing but create another hole for you to fall into –“it wasn’t me, I didn’t dig this ditch, I was walking for weeks before I fell in” – and now you’re left with a cannon of your own noise and no target to aim it at but yourself. The hunger for something or someone new to release a slew of layered and open ended emotions, frustrations and desires – “this is the test I left land for, to grip flesh and pull muscle in, the vice clinch of the struggle I can’t give in to the weight of”– comes full circle in ‘The Wrestle.’ Not strong or willing enough to continue dealing with ‘the best days of our lives,’ Hutchison begs to be done with the ‘ignorance of youth’ and the ‘learning experiences’ that are destined to come with it in ‘Skip The Youth’ – “though my body is far from old, I’m bound to useless youth and I can’t fake a fist to throw through the crust of the Earth” – because he is tired of the process of consequence and wants only to fast forward to a point where life is settled – “skip the youth, it’s aging me too much.”
There are things and people that we never forget no matter how much time passes or how hard we try. ‘Nothing Like You,’ is a perfect example of where we land after swimming from our past – “all the pain almost as painful as ever but something in me was not the same”. ‘Man/Bag of Sand,‘ can be regarded as either a moment of filler or a dividing line in the structure of the album. And here, we discover ‘Foot Shooter,’ which is, in my opinion, the album’s best track. You said it, you did it and whether you meant it or not, you didn’t mean for it to go as far as it did, come off as it did and carry all of that weight – it’s as simple as that. ‘Not Miserable’ brings a sobering aspect to all of the fucked up nonsense that has haunted the record thus far. With all that Hutchison has been through coming full circle, he realizes that by now it is all just a ‘pocket of fluff.’ Spiritually, he is cleansed and this time, he means it – “though the corners are lit, the dark can return with the flick of a switch, it hasn’t turned on me yet.” No one else seems to believe that his misery has escaped him but that doesn’t seem to matter to him anymore. ‘Living in Colour’ is exactly what the title implies. The dark clouds have parted, the duration of sunlight has extended – Winter is over and Spring is finally here and our hero has survived. Just as the seasons change, he has done so as well. Whatever it is that has melted the snow and brought with it fresh soil for the planting of fields of flowers, drew open the curtain and welcomed the colour back into life. As Hutchison sings ‘I am floating, with my eyes closed, with no sails, I am soaking, I am weathered by the Winter of mixed drinks,’ I feel as if we can all find a sense of familiarity in that visual, especially with today being the official first day of Spring. The final track to this musical soap opera of a man’s journey back and forth between desperation and acceptance is an apology, ‘Yes, I Would’ is a vulnerable apology filled with pure honesty and lacking any type of malicious intent. He’s been lost and he’s been found and although at this point he is as okay as he could be, it seems that the only thing left haunting him is the lack of closure, the inability to display who he has become and never knowing if he was ever really worth as much as he was told.
And if I shoot at you, you should shoot at me too
And we can drown in pools of the thick dark words we threw
And as my face turns white
I apologize, I am sorry, it’s not your fault
It’s mine
‘Foot Shooter’
Well, what if I am never thrown that bone
And what if this tear in my side just pours, and pours, and pours
I wonder if you’ve noticed that I’m not around
The loss of a lonely man never makes much of a sound
And first it bleeds then it scabs
I feel like I’ve been filling up
Oh, change if you can’t be bound
‘Yes, I Would’
This is probably as official of a CD review as you will ever have read (you read through the entire thing, right?) on our little blog here. I just feel as though this album is better as an entire concept rather than with tracks standing on their own. With that being said however, each track is as powerful as the one before it and I recommend giving it a chance.
Frightened Rabbit is a band from Selkirk, Scottland and have released three studio albums up to this point with The Winter of Mixed Drinks being their latest (March 1, 2010). Frightened Rabbit is Scott Hutchison, Grant Hutchison, Billy Kennedy, Andy Monaghan and Gordeon Skene. They are currently on tour.
It is WAY too beautiful to be inside on the computer right now, so here are some quick updates!
You can finally order a Republic of Wolves vinyl which has 4 songs on it: Cardinals on the A side, and Wood/Bricks, a new song, on the B-side. It also comes with downloads for two alternate versions of For His Old Branches. Listen to it all. here
Also, Vintage Hustle Records have set up a contest for your chance to win some really cool stuff, so check it it out over here.
– dehydrated wolves among the grazing in the sun sheep
A long, long time ago (was 2004 really that long ago?) Bright Eyes and Neva Dinova released an EP together entitled One Jug of Wine, Two Vessels, remember that? Yeah, the memory’s a little foggy for me too but WAIT, don’t get too upset about it because on March 23rd, Saddlecreek is going to rerelease the EP again with (wait for it…) four new songs and ‘Happy Accident’ is one of the four that made the cut!
Yeah, I know. I thought I left Bright Eyes in the past too, but I guess it’s just one of those bands that will always have a bittersweet place in the music library that makes up my life – more bitter than sweet but who’s counting, really?
Bright Eyes & Neva Dinova – Happy Accident lyrics
(I think)
there are lots of things i could have done
little tokens of my love
that i was always saving up to spend
it’s the thought that counts, i guess
even when it don’t make sense
even when it’s easy to forget
too much time for the self employed
i heard you scream in your mother’s voice
so afraid you’d become her in the end
you want a life that you can not live
well, that’s what keeps you competitive
throw another shower for a friend
you can tell me where it is
cause i’m looking for that happiness
come on, tell me where it is
for the sake now of the argument
come on, tell me where it is
cause i’m looking for that happiness
come on, tell me where it is
cause i’m looking
not yet a mother but a good complex
you like the boys when they’re scared of sex
what a shame that they grow up to be men
well maybe father does know best
and that the reason why he left
all your pride to the last ditch you defend
took a while to accept our fate
another chance it eliminates
once we did there was nothing to pretend
they always say ‘there’s a time and place’
so maybe ours will consolidate
if they do, i will greet you as a friend
you can show me where it is
cause i’m looking for your happiness
come on, show me where it is
now you found it all by accident
come on show me where it is
cause i’m looking for your happiness
come on tell me where it is
cause i’m looking
I happen to like the song and I recommend having a listen. If you like it, take it with you!
Two new Kevin Devine songs making their way onto the internet in one week? Sounds like a great thing to me! Here’s a video to another new Kevin Devine song titled ‘You Wouldn’t Have to Ask,’ along with the lyrics to accompany it. Unfortunately, the song is only about two minutes long but luckily for anyone who can hear, it’s a great damn two minutes.
Is it time to talk about a release date yet, Kevin?
Your crooked days come bundled up in bunches
They break your brain like a branch
And push you out here asking after something
You should know I don’t have
If I had it, you wouldn’t have to ask
If I had it, you wouldn’t have to ask
And later on when you bargain with your mirror
And you ask ‘Is it really that bad?’
If it wasn’t, you wouldn’t have to ask
If it wasn’t, you wouldn’t have to ask
How could you know if you’re dim?
And what’s left to say when your tongue’s turned to ash?
I’ll tell you you’re fine and forgiven
So you wouldn’t have to ask
Shoot what’s left
Slip inside your sinner’s smile
Another man in a mask
If you fixed it you wouldn’t need a mask
If you fixed it you wouldn’t need a mask
If I could help you, you wouldn’t have to ask
If I could fix you, you wouldn’t have to ask
I recently stumbled upon a Youtube video of Kevin Devine debuting a new song at the Die Neuwe Anita in Amsterdam. As with almost all of Kevin Devine’s songs, his lyrics are spot on and grab hold of your attention immediately. The melody is that of hesitant and soft guitar strumming and its simplicity fits perfectly with the atmosphere of this song.
I am going to go ahead and say that this is not the complete song because it seems as if it starts mid-verse but anything is better than nothing and hey, I can not wait for the new Kevin Devine CD.
Let the pining begin!
You’re a mirror I could not avoid
Strung out and jittery and paranoid
A leaky battery that can’t keep charged
Get in the car
Say what you mean, explain yourself to me
And I’ll try not to judge you more than you would
Let me help, I promise not to tell
Not like anyone’s asking or anyone should
Special thanks to Cali369 for being awesome enough to record and post the video up on Youtube.
Where you thinking that you gotta run to now with the beating of a tiny heart?
For the last two months or so, I have found myself entrapped in an undertow brought on by the whirling, haunting and dreamy sounds of Beach House. (While they are by no means a recently discovered band, it seems as if a full appreciation for their artistry had not made its full circle around my mind until a certain Sheep that I can always count on, found a home for one of their new tracks on a fabulously constructed mix.) It has become a familiar process as of late; no matter the time of day, I find myself finding time to put the real world on pause, reach for whatever sound producing device may be near by and select any song by the aforementioned Beach House. The result is an instant lull, followed by a sheepish smile, a deep cleansing breath and staring contest between my eyes and the sky or the space between my current state of mind and the baggage that has fallen, so effortlessly, from my conscious. Eventually, I am overcome with the desire to make some sort of contact with the outside world and let them know just ‘how much I love this band.’ (Fortunately, the Sheep has unlimited texting and, um, patience.)
You’d think this was some sort of religious experience, or perhaps one involving illicit drugs but neither of the above are true, really. What it is for me is simple. It’s Beach House‘s ability to elevate the simplicity of sound to such heights – where the air is too thin to breathe, forcing the overcharged and underpaid synapses in my brain to finally come to a rest and allow my subconscious to get lost for a while. Perhaps, Rebecca Solnit, author of “A Field Guide to Getting Lost,” said it best: “To lose yourself: a voluptuous surrender, lost in your arms, lost to the world, utterly immersed in what is present so that its surroundings fade away.” And that is what Beach House does for me. Their sound, so perfectly layered – like a big fucking ice cream cake – completely melts the taste buds of my mind, drops the temperature within my soul to somewhere deep below the point of zero and then transports me, stumbling gracefully through every note and hollow word, to a place where I am lost, yet comfortable with the idea of it all.
In an endless night,
could you feel the fright of an age that was and could never be?
So we hold it close when we feel the most
like a love that we could not leave behind
Turn the wheel to each way we feel until
I’m lost and I cannot find you there
Don’t forget the nights when it all felt right,
are you not the same as you used to be?
For the most part, my last two months have been spent procrastinating papers, cramming for exams, celebrating holidays, spending time with friends, learning how to speak Canadian and um, oh – that’s right – reevaluating the plans that I’ve been counting on and peeking through my hands as I fear for their unravelling. So, yeah, that might have something to do with needing an escape, but that does not take away from how amazing this band actually is at what it does.
Have I gone too far? Personally, I don’t think so. A band has not had the power to make me feel this way in a very long time. I believe that when one is lucky enough to have something affect them so strongly, it is important to realize how rare of an occurrence it truly is and to appreciate it, open up to it and allow it the space that it needs to consume, fulfill and eventually repair you.
With that being said, Beach House‘s third full length album, Teen Dream (head over to NPR for a free preview), hits stores today, 1/26/09. I believe I can speak for both myself and our little wooly friend when I say that it is an album that needs to be heard, even if only once, you owe it to your soul. My superfreaky friend was cool enough post a great entry about the Teen Dream vinyl, including pictures – you should check it out.
Maybe this was not much of an album review but sometimes, some things are better left unexplained, especially when the opportunity exists to experience them. Take a deep breath, let your mind go and enjoy.
I’ve been stuck in a Teen Dream and I never want to wake up. Thank you, Ms. Legrand and Mr. Scally for creating such ‘sad shit.‘
We care for one thing here - to share sounds and words and melodies and ideas that are so beautiful, they'll make you want to fall apart and sleep forever.
Come say 'Hi!' at: soundsofwolvesamongsheep@yahoo.ca we don't really bite (that hard) or shed (that much) despite being creatures who hunt and graze for fun! Regardless of whether you love or hate what you see here, we hope that you find what it is you are looking for, eventually.
Bookmark! Share! Subscribe! you gorgeous, gorgeous people! Thank you for stopping by and we will see you soon, right? :)
PS: We apologize in advance that we are a little too addicted to using emoticons.. Nobody be thrown off, its all in good spirit! :D
disclaimer
The MP3's posted on this blog are intended for previewing purposes only. If you ENJOY what you hear, do what you can to support the band (purchase a CD, go to a show, buy some merchandise, invite the band to a sleep over, have the lead singer sign your face then get it tattooed, etc). If you HATE what you hear, turn the volume down and get over it! More importantly, if you represent an artist or a label and would prefer that we take down an MP3, please email us at soundsofwolvesamongsheep@yahoo.ca and we'd be happy to!
pick apart the past 