New Mates of States album came out today. Or I suppose it was yesterday, since it's now almost 4 in the morning. I'm just about through the first play-thru and I've got to say I'm pretty excited about it. Especially since I don't really recall enjoying "Bringing It Back" too much, and I had no idea they had a new album out until I checked this weeks releases.
Just for when future Justin reads back and wonders what he was listening to in the late Spring of 2008 it's time for a minor recap. New Death Cab for Cutie album is solid. I was worried at first because there wasn't any song that struck me as great on first listen. Say what you will about Plans, but "I Will Follow You into the Dark" is great, and was from the first time I heard it from the leaked MP3 that found my way several weeks before the release. "Lack of Color", "Title and Registration", "Blacking Out the Friction", even "Styrofoam Plates", all great from day one. Nothing grabbed me in a similar fashion on "Narrow Stairs", but it's just a very solid album. You can just put it on and listen to it from beginning to end, and I find that is an important shared characteristic in the albums that I really learn to love.
Why not call it Ben Gibbard's "coming of age" album. Forty years ago Holden Caulfield and Sal Paradise were forced into become adults at a tender young age [oh, indie music and Jack Kerouac reference, just tune this rant out, I'll surely regret it in future readings when it isn't four in the morning]. Anyone could reasonably assume that in the handful of years following those novels the characters would be married and have kids and be beginning their adult lives. The same really isn't true today, twentysomethings don't carry the same expectations. People start their mature adult lives and begin having families in their 30s. And the content here reeks of this, maturing, and settling, albeit cynically at times. Cath... is a great example, as is Long Division. really there's a great 1500 word essay in this album.
And lets see, what else has kept my ringing ears company of late? The new Cloud Cult is just so-so, not anything compared to the life-changing album that The Meaning of 8 was [seriously, find a quiet space and listen to it uninterrupted]. I've probably underrated The Mountain Goats "Heretic Pride" simply because John Darnielle constantly creates amazing songs. It's great, but that was to be expected. Really I'm at a slow point right now, which could just be the time of the year, we should get some summer releases coming up, but I could also use any suggestions.
The Wedding Present also had a new album hit the racks, so I'm sure John will be swooning over that. California inspired I believe.
I just read a great write up on James Frey in the LA Times. I never held it against him that he lied, if it's a good story it's a good story. The story didn't really hold me, but, you know, Oprah loved it, so what the hell do I know. Which really is a bizarre way to wrap up a post entirely devoted to music, but I thought it needed to be said. Just hold my attention, lie if you must. hmmm... sleep? stanley cup finals in four days.
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"[ "Flour-less Chocolate Cake" ], no one found it nearly as funny as I did."
Did I ever tell you about the time I was at Rachel's family Christmas
party and I was standing around some food talking and someone said,
"Hey, is that homemade bread?"
Response: "No, my wife got it from Panera."
So me, being the smooth talker that I am said something to the effect
of (trying to be funny), "Wow, Panama!? Isn't that a country in South
America?"
Everything went silent and everyone just turned to me and stared. I
didn't say anything for a moment (thinking that my sense of humor is so
funny that it needed a couple seconds to sink in). Then all at once
everyone starts trying to correct me.
"Nooooo, it's PAN ERE UH, not PAN UH MUH."
"No, no, Panama is a COUNTRY in South America. Panera is a restaurant!"
Give me a break, like I don't know the difference? I laughed and told
them I was only kidding, but to this day I remember that. And I still
laugh. I think it was a darn funny joke, no matter what they thought!