Tag Archives: Music

Pacific Northwest Albums 2020

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2020 has been a harsh mistress in many ways and musicians have not been exempt from her brutal capriciousness. It ain’t a good time to make a new album.

But that has not stopped musicians in the Pacific Northwest from releasing new materials. Thus far this year I have catalogued 188 new albums released in the region, and this is only in genres that I’m interested in. The actual number is probably significantly higher.

So with lockdown and quarantine and such, how exactly are albums being made? Perhaps most amazingly are long-distance recordings where band members who live thousands of miles apart record their bits individually and then put the whole thing together. One such local album is House Bound Jazz by Andrew Oliver. This most excellent old-timey hot jazz album, filled with intricate interaction between band members, was recorded through the magic of the interwebs, a feat which continues to impress me.

Others recorded material earlier but released it in 2020, such as fabulous local country artists Wildcat Rose’s latest, On Fire!. Leaning slightly to the rockabilly side of country, but still firmly entrenched in traditional country tropes, Wildcat Rose delivers.

Other groups have released live recordings that were perhaps not originally intended to be released or recorded albums in their own homes with amazing technologies that were unavailable not all that long ago. Neither rain nor sleet nor germs!

A few of these new releases are available at Everett Public Library including:

If I Am Only My Thoughts by Loving
Carrido by Pure Bathing Culture
Call The Captain by Western Centuries

Sadly, most of these new releases are not currently available through Everett Public Library. However, you can find albums by many of these same artists in the EPL collection, including:

The Minus 5                            Naked Giants                 Young Fresh Fellows

        Dana Countryman                         Fleet Foxes                      The Green Zoo         

               Karl Blau                                        Mo Troper

And lastly I’ll leave you with a few of my favorite local albums of 2020 that will hopefully be available through the library soon:

A Look Back by The Burying Ground                    1961 by The Evanstones

       Ridiculosis by Robb Benson                   Rock & Roll Party 66 by Scott the Hoople

So even in tough times we can find beautiful art. Check into recent local music releases to invigorate the spirit and soothe the soul.

This Thing Called Life

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One of the very few good things about these challenging times is the explosion of virtual events that are now available. What you loose in the ability to be ‘in person’ you gain in the sheer number and variety of programs to attend virtually. But how to choose? Let the library be your guide.

Here at Everett Public, we have teamed up with CrowdCast to host many excellent programs. We are especially excited about the program we are hosting on Thursday, Oct. 15th at 6 PM:

This Thing Called Life: Prince’s Odyssey On + Off the Record

Prince remains one of the most mysterious rock icons of all time. In This Thing Called Life: Prince’s Odyssey, On and Off the Record, journalist Neal Karlen explores his unique, decades-long relationship with Prince. Karlen will be joined in conversation with Gregr, the morning host on Seattle’s 107.7 The End alternative music radio station. The audience will be given an unusually intimate peek into superstar Prince’s life, going back to his earliest days. 

Sign up to attend today and enjoy the program on Thursday. If you miss the deadline, never fear. You can view this event, and all our past events as well, from the Everett Public Library CrowdCast page.

If after the program, you feel inspired to learn more about the Purple One, why not browse through our many other books about his life and times? And of course, we have plenty of his music and films as well.

Happy Songs for your Zeitgeist

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There are certain songs that can change my mood for the better. On the bleakest of days I can turn to one of these gems and be assured that relief is on the way.

So what is it about these songs, what magic be released from their very first sounds? Let’s find out, shall we?

Song: A Message to You Rudy (1979) Album: Encore (2019)
Artist: Specials

Why I like the song: it has a happy vibe, the lyrics are quirky, I enjoy the band’s appearance, happy memories 

Song: We’re All Happy (1993)
Album: Possum Dixon
Artist: Possum Dixon

Why I like the song: the bizarre introduction, the energetic tempo, its happy vibe, fab guitar playing

Song: Travels in Nihilon (1980)
Album: Black Sea
Artist: XTC

Why I like the song: the huge sound, its power and complexity, the drone and repetition, drums drums drums

Song: Sonic Reducer (1977)
Album: Young, Loud and Snotty
Artist: Dead Boys

Why I like the song: it has a raw edginess, tremendous power and high energy, gritty guitar, happy memories

Song: I Feel Beautiful (1999)
Album: Jewels for Sophia
Artist: Robyn Hitchcock

Why I like the song: the words resonate personally, it had tremendous beauty, the unusual instrumentation including marimba and dulcimer

Song: O Death (1916?)
Album: Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart (1988)
Artist: Camper Van Beethoven

Why I like the song: lyrics are interesting, nice growth from tiny to enormous, inclusion of brass and strings

Song: Watching the Detectives (1977) Album: Live at Hollywood High (2010) Artist: Elvis Costello

Why I like the song: lyrics tell a good story, instrumental parts are complex, music has an engaging feel

Song: Hell (1996)
Album: Hot
Artist: Squirrel Nut Zippers

Why I like the song: great songwriting, happy memories, lyrics are funny, energy and anarchy rule the song

Song: Go Wild in the Country (1981)
Album: Live in Japan (1997)
Artist: Bow Wow Wow

Why I like the song: powerful vocals, titanic drums, I enjoy the band’s appearance, happy memories

Song: Screaming Skull (1983)
Album: Hexbreaker
Artist: Fleshtones

Why I like the song: spooky mood, fuzz guitar and wicked pipe organ, guitar solo, it’s party time!

Rest assured that all of these songs, as well as countless others, can be streamed through Hoopla. Just go to epls.org for more details.

So feel isolated no longer. Check out Hoopla and find your happy songs.

The Best Albums From The PNW 2019

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It’s that time of year once again, time for the annual semi-half-year best albums of the Pacific Northwest take-a-looksee. 2019 has presented us with a surprising number of spectacular albums in our soggy corner of the U.S. and here are just a few you might want to check out for yourself.

TACOCATtacocat-thismessisaplace-cover-

Tacocat is one of the more nationally-recognized Seattle bands these days. Their sound is somewhere in the pop-punk/mainstream-pop quadrant of the genre spectrum. Rich harmonies, a touch of 60s girl pop and sugary gooey goodness all color their latest release, This Mess Is a Place. If you enjoyed their previous release, Lost Time, you’re sure to love this followup.

THE BLACK TONESblack tones

One of the most talked about bands in Seattle, The Black Tones, finally delivered their debut album, Cobain & Cornbread, in 2019. And it is fabulous. The music takes me right back to 1969, but not to my 6-year-old self, more of a me-as-an-adult kinda thing… Anyhow, ferocious use of wah wah, a palpable Hendrix guitar vibe and wide open song structures all hearken back to a day when a bunch of kids squatted in a muddy field in upstate New York. Perhaps most notable is that here we have a band that does not sound like other bands of today. Heavy, fuzzy, riff-driven, filled with lengthy instrumental interludes and then BAM! A traditional old-timey gospel tune. This album has not been released on CD yet, but look for it out in the digital world.

THE HEAD AND THE HEARThead_and_heart_mirage

The Head and the Heart is one of the more popular and active bands currently in Seattle. Classified as indie pop or indie folk, the group spits out catchy hooks that make you sing along on their latest release, Living Mirage. This album, as well as the group’s other recent albums, is heavily produced, resulting in a huge sound that markedly contrasts with the intimacy of their first album. You can hear a variety of their releases, both in CD format and streaming, from Everett Public Library. Just click on the band’s name at the beginning of this paragraph.

ANNIE FORD BANDannie ford

If it’s country you’re looking for, try out At Night by Seattle’s Annie Ford Band. A dash of blues, a smidgen of swing and a veritable dollop of honky tonk combine with an amazing voice (look out Eillen Jewel!) to make a most hearty country stew. Those listeners expecting to hear the contemporary country/pop that tops the charts these days might find themselves disappointed. Old-timey country is Annie Ford’s oeuvre, and you just might come to expect Patsy Cline herself to lasso you a cold tall one while you enjoy these tunes.

It may seem that four magnificent albums are all we’re allotted in a year, but we’ve only seen a scant sliver of 2019’s offerings. Stay tuned for info on more local albums and be sure to check out EPL’s Local Music section. As my grandparents always said, if you don’t keep up with the Joneses the Joneses will keep up with you. Of course, my grandparents never met anyone named Jones. And please do remember, you can pick your friend’s music… but something something something.

On the Come Up

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Is it possible to wait months for a book’s release, get an advance copy, geek out about getting an advance copy, forget about said advanced copy, get bogged down in work projects, read some less-fulfilling books, wait on the hold list for the now newly-released book, finally get your turn with the book, then remember the advance copy buried on your desk? Yes, it would appear that this is possible and I can prove it. That’s why I am only now gushing over Angie Thomas’s (relatively) new novel On the Come Up.

On the Come Up is set in Garden Heights, the same neighborhood as Thomas’s incredible debut novel, The Hate U Give, and follows a teenaged aspiring rapper named Bri Jackson. Bri’s childhood has been informed by several traumatic events. As a young girl Bri lost her father, a rapper on the cusp of stardom, when he was murdered in front of her house. This terrible event devastated Bri’s mother who subsequently suffered from a years-long battle with substance abuse and addiction. As a result, Bri and her older brother spent a significant portion of their childhood living with their strict, god-fearing grandparents before their mother was able to regain her sobriety and reunite with her children.

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At age 16 Bri is an incredibly precocious rapper and somewhat ambivalent student with a quick-fire temper and a burning desire to make it big and earn the money to help her family. When a video of her battle rapping goes viral, Bri realizes that her dreams of hip-hop stardom could become reality. But the closer Bri gets to realizing her goal, the more slippery it becomes. A racially charged incident with school security leaves Bri suspended, then some of her angrier lyrics lead to misinterpretation, overwrought outrage, and media hysteria. Bri must also decide who to trust with her career – her devoted aunt with a penchant for neighborhood trouble or her father’s slick talking former manager.

At the same time that Bri is trying to jumpstart her career, she is also dealing with plenty of personal issues. From family conflict, to the stresses of poverty, to discrimination and bigotry at school, the challenges of everyday life are fraying Bri’s nerves. And then there are the boys! There’s Bri’s best friend who she has long had feeling for. But he just started dating someone else. And Curtis the wise cracking jerk who nobody takes seriously until Bri notices that he is hiding depth behind his jackass facade. As Bri’s personal life, family history, and rap god aspirations begin to collide she must contend with not only neighborhood beefs and career goals, but figuring out how to stay true to herself in a world determined to tear her down.

Angie Thomas is an incredibly skilled writer able to deftly balance the gross injustices of structural inequality, the unrelenting traumas of being a black woman in America, and the less weighty but still-urgent drama of teenage life. All of her characters are both relatable and realistic, and she has mastered the critical skill of capturing the voices of young people in a way that never feels contrived. Thomas was an aspiring teenaged rapper herself and Bri’s raps are as impressive as Thomas’s prose. In fact, I’d recommend listening to Thomas deliver some of these lyrics, as you can in this video, to get a better sense of the skill that Thomas possesses as an MC and writer. My favorite part is the dexterity of her flow when she rhymes coroner with corner. And if you’re looking for a soundtrack while you read, we have CDs by many of the artists Bri mentions in the book, including J. Cole, Rapsody, Kendrick, and Eric B. & Rakim, and you can stream or download a ton more for free with Hoopla!  

What to Read While You Wait for Becoming

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As of this writing I’m number 28 in a holds queue of 38 for the most-requested book right now at EPL. Don’t worry–I’m not here to complain! I do believe that good things come to those who wait. But I also believe that waiting shouldn’t be boring. I want to share with you some other rad books out there that those of us waiting for Michelle Obama’s Becoming can read while we wait patiently somewhat patiently kinda impatiently–okay, totally impatiently but at least we’ll have fab reading material in line! There’s quite a mix of books and audio here, certain to help keep you busy and keep you satisfied while you wait just a teeny tiny bit longer for your copy to come in.

Audio that lets us listen to Michelle
First of all, if you would rather have Michelle read her book Becoming to you, you should get yourself in the holds queue for that. But while you wait you can still hear Michelle and other First Ladies give important speeches by listening to Great Speeches by First Ladies of the United States. In addition to Michelle you’ll also hear Eleanor Roosevelt, Jacqueline Kennedy, Laura Bush, and many more. There’s also Ibeyi’s Ash, in particular the track No Man is Big Enough for My Arms, which features clips from Michelle Obama’s speeches.

Two amazing books packed with photos of Michelle
Michelle Obama is one of my style icons. Not only does she always appear stylish and put together, but she often wears affordable, off-the-rack items that regular Janes like me can pick up. Chasing Light and the children’s adaptation Reach Higher are compilations of photos of Michelle taken by former official White House photographer Amanda Lucidon. You’ll catch Michelle tobogganing in China with a Secret Service agent, taking a selfie with a member of the armed forces, greeting heads of state (sometimes with her dogs Bo and Sunny), and harvesting vegetables from the White House Kitchen Garden. Yes, I’m inspired by her style, but I also love seeing how active and engaged she is with folks of all ages and from all walks of life.
   

Books that tell us more about Michelle
Biographies are popular, and as such we’ve got plenty stocked on the shelves to satisfy your need to know more about Michelle. Try one of these books that delve deep into her background, family history, and home life. You’ll also find books where other people talk about why they admire Michelle, and those are worth a read, too.

 

 

 

 

Books that show us how to be a leader
Want to be more like Michelle? One of my favorite types of books to read are books on leadership, especially ones that focus up on how leadership challenges can be very different for women and non-binary folks. These books each take a different track but all of them show you a way to grow your leadership skills and be the boss. There are also stories of women who succeeded despite the odds, and they inspire me every bit as much as Michelle Obama does.
      

One very special bonus book
When I’m missing someone my heart hurts. Like, really badly hurts. One remedy for heartache (even the good kind) is to curl up with a book that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. For me there’s no better pairing than the characters Heart and Brain, and Heart and Brain: Gut Instincts by Nick Seluk of The Awkward Yeti is one of the best compilations. Brain is the pragmatic character, the one who remembers deadlines and obligations. Heart, by contrast, is all about living in the moment and enjoying life. Together they bring together the qualities of common sense and empathy that I respect Michelle Obama for having in great quantity.

So what do you think? Can you get by a little while longer in the holds queue? I know I’ve got a full TBR and while I still very much want to read Becoming, I feel better knowing I have other satisfying reads to occupy my time in line.

Listen Up! Spring New Music Arrivals

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Faded collage of six album covers with the text "Listen Up!" printed over them.

Chase away the clouds with some great new music arrivals. Place your holds now:

Starchild & the New Romantic – Language (Ghostly International) – Down-tempo funk with a retro feel. Artist Bryndon Cook’s music may be a nod to greats like Prince, P-Funk, and Michael Jackson, but the album is far from derivative. It’s more of a homage to those who have come before with the sincerity of a creative and talented musician blazing his own path past the monuments.

Soccer Mommy – Clean (Fat Possum Records) – Dreamy, folky, a little gritty. Singer/songwriter Sophie Allison took what was more or less a home-grown scene of her making via her uploaded music and re-recorded her material into a robust full-length release for a wider audience. The album still has the intimate, personal feel of her earlier recordings, but is more fully realized with the backing of a band. Her material is stripped down, autobiographical, and highly relatable – giving you a window into the life of this very talented young artist on the rise.

Meshell Ndegeocello – Ventriloquism (Naive) – Ndegeocello’s vocals are spare, layered over production that has an almost dreamlike, ambient feel. Her work features interpretations of RnB hits that anyone who came of age in the 80s or 90s will recognize. Each track is less of a cover and more of a reinvention; there is a warmth and mystery to each that makes me think of them as throwback lullabies.

Shopping  – The Official Body (Fatcat Records) – A post-punk concoction that’s a little surf rock, pop, and new wave all in one. If the B-52s and The Slits had a love child, it would sound a little like this album.

No Age – Snares Like a Haircut (Drag City, Inc.) – Lush, full bodied noise-rock. No Age’s fifth studio album shows a maturity of sound that has developed over 13 years of collaboration. The mingling of beauty and turmoil creates an explosive mix of highly enjoyable tracks. Is polished roughness a thing? If so, they’ve nailed it.

Screaming Females – All At Once (Don Giovanni Records) – Alt rock with venue-dominating vocals and a punk vibe. Another release from a veteran act making the list, this is the 11th album for the Screaming Females. Clearly they haven’t lost a step as they continue to push the boundaries of generefication. Special treat for the fans of Fugazi – Brendan Canty makes a guest appearance on drums.

Dabrye – Three/Three (Ghostly International) – Hip hop with strong electronic production. Producer Tadd Mullinix returns to his Dabrye moniker after a long hiatus. His time ‘off’ has been fruitful for his work in different electronic music ventures, but fans of his hip-hop material have long been awaiting this latest release. Three/Three does not disappoint. This album boasts a long list of collaborators staying true to Mullinix’s Michagander roots by highlighting Detroit-area MCs new and old in particular.

Lindi Ortega – Liberty (Shadowbox Music, Inc.) – Dramatic ballads with a Spaghetti-Western flare. Ortega’s beautifully-emotive vocals lend an air of mystery to her tracks. Grab this album and be taken along on a wild ride as each track tells a tale of loss and salvation. I have a soft spot for albums that tell a story and this one delivers a Country Gothic tale worth hearing.

Listen Up! Winter New Music Arrivals

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Mosaic of barely visible album covers in a tile formation of 3 x 3. Nine total squares. Superimposed over the album covers are the words "Listen Up!" in a deep red color.

Load up your holds list for all your New Year’s gatherings (or to provide a soundtrack as you have some alone time to recover from all that socializing) – it’s time for the final new music arrival round-up of 2017:

Lucinda Williams – This Sweet Old World (Highway 20 Records) – Twangy, mournful, and full of life’s hard-learned lessons. Williams revisits some of her back catalog, giving a new worn-in and worldly interpretation to some of her earlier works.

Moses Sumney – Aromanticism (Jagjaguwar) – Swoony, ethereal, loungy, and full of eclectic instrumentation with hints of electronic production. Sumney has the kind of falsetto that made me fall in love with Jeff Buckley. For an album that revolves around the rejection of romantic love, I find that kind of funny.

Lindstrøm – It’s Alright Between Us As It Is (Smalltown Supersound/Feedelity) – Bright, poppy, dance-floor-friendly house music with strong cosmic disco overtones.

Porter Ray –  Watercolor (Sub Pop Records) – Seattle rapper Porter Ray’s Sub Pop debut gives a very intimate look into his tumultuous life. Watercolor’s lyrics dive heavily into the artist’s processing of the murder of his brother, Aaron. The tracks have a dreamy, often ominous feel to the production with a blending of current and throwback styles.

Dale Crover – The Fickle Finger of Fate (Joyful Noise Recordings) – After 30 years with the Melvins and early work with Nirvana, drummer Dale Crover aims his skills at a solo project. The album at times can feel a bit disjointed as Crover jumps from style to style – gritty and driving, acoustic and meandering, or even slowly-unwinding noise-rock. If you’re not looking for an album to take you on a journey this shouldn’t be too much of an issue; the ground that’s covered here is covered well.

Simo – Rise & Shine (Provogue) – Simo ventures a little out of their blues rock comfort zone into the uncharted waters of funk, soul, and psychedelia. The resulting fusion leaves the listener with a solid album to jam to at home and promises heat on the stage when touring with this material.

Ariel Pink – Dedicated to Bobby Jameson (Kemado Records, Inc.) – With a title that is a homage to the turbulent life of an outsider musician who was once groomed to give The Beatles a run for their money, Ariel Pink’s latest seems steeped in references to his musical influences. The album has a whimsical though dark feel to it, somewhere between psych-pop and new wave.

Margo Price – All American Made (Third Man Records) – Price comes out swinging with “Don’t Say It,” a rowdy rollicking jam and one way or another she doesn’t let up. This is an album that pulls no punches; it’s a stripped down look at life in America through the eyes of a woman raised in rural America. While this listens like a classic country album, from start to finish it also has the feel of a collection of folk-inspired protest songs that would make Woody, Pete, Joan, or Buffy proud.

Talib Kweli – Radio Silence  (Javotti Media) – In his 8th studio album, Kweli brings you the kind of consistent, compelling music hip-hop fans have come to expect from him. As always, socially conscious lyrics are backed by beats of intricately-woven soul samples studded with collabs and cameos.

John Maus – Screen Memories  (Ribbon Music) – Ever the craftsman, Maus spent the six-year span between albums essentially trying to hand-create electronic music from wires to vinyl, going so far as to build his own modular synth. While he said that the experiment was largely a disappointment, as his creation didn’t sound wildly different from commercially produced equipment, his output on Screen Memories doesn’t let the listener down in any way. This similarity may have more to do with the fact that he’s carefully honed his sound over time, rather than any failings in his synth construction. It’s a nice complement to his older work, showcasing his brooding deep vocals and moody synth-pop aesthetic.

Sly 5th Avenue – The Invisible Man: An Orchestral Tribute to Dr. Dre – This album brings me endless joy. It’s like the thrill of recognizing a favorite song in the QFC Muzak, but far funkier and infinitely more enjoyable. I think any fan of sample-driven music would appreciate what Sly 5th Avenue has accomplished here; it feels like an album just waiting to be remixed, sampled, and molded into new creations.

Ibeyi – Ash (Xl Recordings) – A powerful second album from Ibeyi. This eclectic offering of musical styles defies generification, blending vocal harmonies, minimal electronic production, hints of jazz, hip-hop, soul, and occasional flurries of West African and Yoruba percussive styles. The duo of twin sisters use their songwriting to address some of the violence they have faced as women of color in France, though this is less an album of protest than one of solidarity and strength with others engaged in similar struggles.

Julien Baker – Turn out the Lights (Matador Records) – Soft, slow builds with radiant finishes. Baker’s storytelling skills shine within the musical landscapes she painstakingly crafts.  Heartrendingly soft and beautiful, her often mournful vocals deliver what feels like a deeply personal collection of songs.

Odonis Odonis – No Pop (Felte Records) – Dark, minimal, almost elemental industrial music. No Pop is pretty much right on the nose with the title. This album kind of recreates the feel of early Nine Inch Nails for me. You get an overwhelming sense of a world falling apart, and the desolation that will surely follow the collapse.

Greta Van Fleet – From the Fires (Republic Records) – Short but sweet: if you like Led Zeppelin, you’ll probably find something of interest here.

Best of 2017: Videos and Music

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We finish up our list of the Best of 2017 with our recommendations from the audiovisual world. Enjoy these video and music titles that tickled our fancy in 2017. And remember to check out the full listing of the Best of 2017 on the Library Newsletter.

Video

Captain Underpants: the First Epic Movie

Two overly imaginative pranksters, George and Harold, hypnotize their principal so that he thinks he’s a ridiculously enthusiastic, incredibly dimwitted superhero named Captain Underpants.

Tra-la-laaa! The funniest of kids’ book series leaps to the screen! The adaptation is visually and thematically faithful, and quite hilarious. If naively crude humor is your thing, this is your movie.  –Alan

Paterson

Paterson is a bus driver in Paterson, New Jersey. His daily routine: driving his route, observing the city and overhearing fragments of conversation; writing poetry in a notebook; drinking one beer at his bar. And he loves his wife.

Paterson is a celebration of life. The creative impulses of the title character and his wife rest in us all. Jarmusch’s style delights in the minutiae as well. A love story of man, his wife, art, city, and humanity in general. Utterly satisfying.  –Alan

Moana

A young girl sails across the ocean to return the Heart of Te Fiti and save her island.

I loved Moana because it showed that girls do not have to wait around for someone to rescue them. The musical numbers were amazing and heart-wrenching. Moana also told the story of a young girl following her heart.  –Feylin

Moonlight

A young black man struggles to find his place in the world while growing up in a rough neighborhood of Miami.

This surprise best picture winner at the Academy Awards deserves all accolades and more. With sensitivity and sumptuous style, director Barry Jenkins explores issues of race, gender, class, and the difficult business of maturing.  –-Alan

La La Land

A jazz pianist falls for an aspiring actress in Los Angeles. This original musical about everyday life explores the joy and pain of pursuing dreams.

Ignore the haters, La La Land‘s blend of hyper expressive routines (for when emotion becomes too big for mere words) and follow-your-dream plotline is not only a perfect merging of form and content, but also absolutely exhilarating.  –Alan

Gimme Danger

An in-depth look at the legendary punk band, The Stooges.

Jim Jarmusch doesn’t usually make documentaries, and there’s never been a good film on the band that started punk. So while this is not a perfect film, it’s a long-overdue tribute to one of the greats, by a master filmmaker.  –Alan

The Eagle Huntress

A 13yr old Mongolian girl becomes the first female Golden Eagle huntress following 12 generations of male relatives before her.

A truly amazing and gorgeous documentary of the strong and brave Aisholpan, the 13yr old daughter in a family who have hunted small mammals using golden eagles for many generations. She is remarkable as the first female to become a huntress among her people.  –Margaret

Chasing Shadows

Follow professional photographer Geoff Sims as he tracks and photographs solar eclipses.

I can’t say it compares to the “real deal” like many experienced this past summer, but for those of us who missed it or didn’t snag a photo, this film could be the next best thing.  –Zac

Fire at Sea

Set on the once peaceful Lampedusa Island in the Mediterranean youthful innocence is portrayed through the life of an average 12 year old boy, while just off its coast African refugee’s in overcrowded boats float under a scorching sun awaiting their fate.

This documentary’s stark contrast was thought provoking and gave me a greater empathy for the refugee crisis.  –Margo

Music

Last Place by Grandaddy

Lo-fi analog synth-fuzz space group returns after a ten year hiatus with gorgeous tunes of protest and despair.

Jason Lytle plays and produces the entirety of Last Place, and alongside his plaintive vocals, creates such sonic beauty and complexity that lines like “I just moved here, and / I don’t want to live here anymore” go down easy.  –Alan 

Lifer by MercyMe

Lifer, by MercyMe, is a variety of upbeat songs, like “Lifer” and “Happy Dance” mixed with hauntingly beautiful songs such as “Hello Beautiful” and “Ghost,” and the hit song “Even If.”

The tempo, harmonies, and affirming lyrics had me playing this CD over and over.  –Margo

Sleep Well Beast by The National

This is The National’s seventh album and it is one of their best. The songs touch on the challenges of existence in our daily lives and how we endure.

The lyrics, the sounds and the voice of lead singer Matt Berninger draw me to this album again and again.  –Serena

Northern Passages by The Sadies

Recorded in a home basement in Toronto over the winter of 2015, the familiar surroundings and lack of distractions resulted in an album with a consistent feel from the Sadies. Kurt Vile also makes an appearance.

The Good brothers have been cranking out Byrds-tinged garage alt-country rock for over 20 years in backing Neko Case, Jon Langford, and others, but this solo recording is the pure magic of their live performance captured. True lightning in a bottle!  –Alan

Robyn Hitchcock by Robyn Hitchcock

Masterful psychedelic pop/rock gems from the master himself.

Infectious, clever, catchy and amusing.  –Ron

Dreamcar by Dreamcar

80s New Wave synth pop from the present!

It’s nice to see synth pop making a comeback.  –Ron

Life Is Good by Flogging Molly

Celtic punk at its best.

Nice combination of aggressive and catchy music.  –Ron

Listen Up! Fall New Music Arrivals

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"Listen Up!" in dark pink text, written over a blurry black and yellow background with a design that looks like a half moon.

Fall into some new music at the EPL (I’m sorry – that was terrible). The seasons are changing, and so should your playlist. Place your holds now:

Soul of a Nation: Afro-Centric Visions in the Age of Black Power (Soul Jazz Records) – Funk, jazz, poetry: this compilation showcases an awesome variety. This was compiled to accompany an exhibition at the Tate Modern of Black art from the 1960s. While comprised of funk, soul, jazz, and spoken word, fans of hip hop and electronic music can also appreciate this album as a history lesson in the roots of many modern genres.

Twista – Crook County (GMG Entertainment) – The Chicago artist with arguably the fastest flow in hip-hop is back with his tenth studio release. Twista seeks to tackle the corruption rife in his home city and explore the conflict between old-school hip hop and new. Not all of the tracks feature Twista’s blisteringly-fast rhymes, but his unique style will leave you tongue-tied on more than a few occasions if you’re ambitious enough to try to rap along.

Nine Inch Nails- Add Violence (Capitol) – A short sampling of what NIN has been working on during their long silence. I loved what they had to offer, but found it a little funny that they made it a little longer by adding a fairly unnecessary 4 minutes of static on the last track. I generally love what Trent Reznor does, but that seemed to be stretching it a little.

Lo’Jo – Fonetiq Flowers (Real World Records) – A playful blend of musical styles from French folk and Romani music to hip hop and languorous torch songs. An eclectic array of instruments build a mood that is dramatic, mysterious, and worldly.

Tyler the Creator – Flower Boy (Columbia) – Switching gears from abrasive and controversial to a more introspective vibe, Flower Boy delves into the changes that have come into Tyler the Creator’s life as he’s grown up in the public eye. From empty sexual encounters to seeking partnership, Tyler’s lyrics reflect the anxiety, confusion, and isolation he’s often felt during the course of his career. This release seems like a leap into a maturation of sound, with even the production taking on a tighter, more focused feel.

King Krule – The Ooz (True Panther Sounds) – An intriguing, avant-garde mix of jazz, rock, hip hop, electronic, and spoken word. One of the many music-making monikers of British artist Archy Marshall, King Krule’s sound manages to be both beautiful and a bit disturbing at the same time. Each track flows with a sense of unease – that there is something hidden to discover that could either be wonderful or horrible (or somehow both?).

Doing Our Thing: More Soul From Jamdown 1970-1982 (Cree Records) – A rich collection of early reggae covers of U.S. soul and disco cuts. Compiled by reggae historian Steve Barrow, this track list reads like a who’s who of Jamaica’s musical pioneers and showcases the mass appeal of the cover tradition in reggae music.

Jupiter & Okwess – Kin Sonic (Glitterbeat Records) – Congolese rhythm, instrumentation, and vocals smash together with Western rock and RnB culture to produce something energetic and unique. Hard to pin down because Kinshasa born/German-raised bandleader Jean-Pierre Bokondji’s influences are many, listeners find elements of ska, hip hop, disco, soul, funk, reggae, rock, Congolese rumba, and so much more. Extra flavor comes from guest appearances by Damon Albarn of Blur and Gorillaz, Bad Seeds‘ Warren Ellis and Massive Attack‘s Robert del Naja.

Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn – Echo in the Valley (Rounder) – This album is just exploding with bright sounds and melody. The partnership of Fleck and Washburn, between their skilled banjo playing and her elevating vocals, is hard to rival. This is a joyous, warm, and welcoming collection of songs that seems to give its all from first to last note.

William Patrick Corgan – Ogilala (BMG Rights Management) – The former front man of The Smashing Pumpkins is back with a new solo endeavor and a more adult-sounding iteration of his name. What hasn’t changed is the signature sound of Corgan’s acoustic songwriting with its gentle, melodic instrumentation and sing-song lyrics, which as the artist admits are more often than not composed to sound poetic than to bear much meaning. This pick is more one of nostalgia than anything for me. It’s an easy listen, with WPC’s skills stripped down to where he shines. One majorly disappointing note to this release is the inappropriate faux Native American theme with its misspelled title and the cover art featuring bad dime-store feather headdresses. Haven’t we moved past that sort of disrespectful kitsch? Corgan has not been known for his tact and sensitivity over the years, so I can’t say this comes as a huge surprise.