I've perpetuated my bad habit of not updating my book and music side bars. For those that have voiced displeasure regarding my sloth, please forgive me. I'm not only working on a remedy, but a syndicated improvement...details hopefully following soon...
In the meantime, here are a few new albums that have command over the bulk of my listening these days:
1. Arcade Fire, Neon Bible | My love for Funeral already had me excited about this album, and then they had to tip their hat to one of my favorite novelists, John Kennedy Toole-- who wrote The Neon Bible when he was only sixteen. A Confederacy of Dunces, the only other book he wrote, is one of my favorite novels in the world, but I digress...The Arcade Fire's album has received an immense amount of play at my desk and in our house. In fact, I can't really say enough good things about it. Read the aggregated reviews @ metacritic and McCoy's love for the album as well. In fact, go buy the album on your way home from work today, listen to it all the way through, then read the reviews while you listen again. Thank me later.
2. Aqualung, Memory Man | There is nothing revolutionary or mesmerizing about this album, I'll admit. But there is also precious little about Matt Hales' work that will get old. It sounds a bit like Coldplay, but I wouldn't say that's a bad thing. I've listened to this as background music to write, when people are over-- but it is also engaging enough to command my full attention. (Aqualung @ metacritic)
3. Andrew Bird, Armchair Apocrypha | I have only had this album for a day, and you might as well pick it up along Neon Bible. It will not disappoint. My introduction to Andrew Bird was part of life in Chicago, but I didn't actually buy an album until Andrew Bird & the Mysterious Production of Eggs. He is kind of the indie-rock version of another of my favorites, Keller Williams (music, not real-estate). I'm on my third listen through Armchair Apocrypha and I suspect he might supplant Arcade Fire for the rest of the week.
Didn't even know Bird's new one was out yet! Awesome. Mysterious Production is a fantastic album. Can't wait to get this one, if I can find it here in the indie desert.
Posted by: Steve McCoy | March 21, 2007 at 02:31 PM
thanks for the tips.
Have you read God in Action, Barth?
Posted by: JD | March 21, 2007 at 03:45 PM
Only Dodson could deflate my indie-rock bubble of joy by asking a Barth question...yeesh!
The answer is yes and no. Yes, I've skimmed it -- particularly "Church" and "The Christian as Witness"-- and realize that I don't need it for my thesis ;-)
OK, back to music...
Posted by: Kevin Cawley | March 21, 2007 at 05:05 PM
Thread hijackers!
Just picked up Bird. I never put it together that "Armchairs" is on this album. What a great song. First heard it at his fantastic Fabchannel concert, where it's titled "Armchair Apocrypha." Also memorable for the great drumwork at the beginning.
I'm halfway through the CD and it's really good.
Posted by: Steve McCoy | March 21, 2007 at 08:22 PM
Arcade Fire on eMusic. Wonderful. I'll be stealing more of Kimi's downloads this month thanks to you.
Posted by: Coach | March 22, 2007 at 10:12 AM
Kevin,
I've visited your site a number of times (even taken one of your posts for my bog - linked of course) - I've never met you, but your wife delivered my wife's baby, and you used to hang out with my brother.
I like your taste in music, but would love to hear some of them without searching all over for them - I just did a post on my blog about posting music, with external players, on your blog - check it out (www.tylerandleahkovacs.blogspot.com) - the Imeem site has some great selections and its easy to upload playlists to your site so people can listen to your songs by just hitting play.
Tyler
Posted by: Tyler Kovacs | March 26, 2007 at 06:03 PM
I love A Confederacy of Dunces and I dig the music of Andrew Bird. I'm not completely sold on the new album, though.
Posted by: Ben | March 31, 2007 at 10:50 PM