No Line on the Horizon: Anatomy of an Album Review

I went to great lengths to not hear U2's No Line on the Horizon until it was officially released on March 3. Believe it or not, I resisted temptation and my first listen was at about 9pm on March 2 (it was already March 3 on the East Coast and the album was available on AmazonMP3). The first listen was at a low volume and all I did was sit and listen...no notes, no real analysis at all. The next day I listened to it pretty much non-stop. That night I got home from work and listened to it with notepad open with the intention of writing a review. I started with rough notes. I kept listening and listening and listening. I went back and forth on how to review the album. Upon first listen I would have rated it 4 stars (out of 5 if I believed in stars). That next day I started to digest it a little more. I started to hear themes and patterns. I recognized that the song structures were similar to what I'd observed in How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb and "Window in the Skies". It started to feel like U2 had created an album for me...or for fanatics. There seem to be lots of hints to other work they'd done going all the way back to Boy. I'm now confident giving it a 5 star review. Here's a quote from The Mad Fishicist [posted without permission]:

"the melodies of unforgettable fire,
the guitars of achtung baby,
the rhythm of pop,
and the sentiment of how to dismantle an atomic bomb got together one night for a few beers,
but got so drunk they couldn't find their keys.

no line on the horizon had them the whole time."

And as a treat, to you few readers who still tune in, I'm including the first notepad text I jotted down on day 2.

1. No Line on the Horizon

wow great opening, feels like a preface to the journey

Verse: my favorite Bono voice register

Chorus – Simplicity

Verse: time is irrelevant…

2. Magnificent

Intro: that’s a meaty chord

Euro dance

Great riff

This will be the live song of the tour!

Very “Until the End of the World”

Edge and Larry rockin us into the chorus

Only Love – Can make such a mark, can heal such a scar

Adam’s challenging himself

I’m air guitaring…I can’t help it in this bridge/solo

I want a djembe a la The Visitor

3. Moment of Surrender

Neat little intro very Achtung Baby

Part "Love is Blindness", part "So Cruel"

Feels like "N + S of the River", might be trying to be the "So Cruel" wherein the drug is the lover.

Bono’s not cheating on the vocals, he’s selling it.

Very theatric

It’s not if I believe in love, if love believes in me…oh believe in me.

Kinda Pink Floyd -> momentary lapse of reason

Understated little solo with piano and Edge taunting us

There’s the Edge…lots of compression, just what the song needs.

4. Unknown Caller
Intro - Feels like "Walk On", birds chirping
Wow, sounds like vocals off of War

Verse - Back to Achtung Baby
Bridge - Go Shout it Out, Rise Up
Chorus 2 – Restart and Reboot Yourself, nice

French Horn transitioning to Solo – Edge making guitar sing

5. I'll Go Crazy if I Don't Go Crazy Tonight

Larry nice beat

Cheesy lyrics? Bono, falsetto trying to do the New Radicals thing?

Chorus kicks – great melody, Edge ripping

Answer to cheesy lyrics “The right to be ridiculous is something I hold dear” ironic lyrics?

Background melody in chorus

Strings?

BABY BABY BABY Bridge (Ultraviolet)

Another solo with Pridesqe sounds including the arena sing along anthem.

Adam winding down.

6. Get On Your Boots

Syncronous bass/guitar…bass pulls through

Ah, "The Fly" of 2009.

You don’t know how beautiful you are (You don’t know octave)

Reminds me of CoBL "Oh you look so beautiful tonight, in the city of blinding lights"

1988 sound

Larry working it.

Let me in the Sound…awesome!

Get on your boots, not get your boots on or put on your boots…interesting

7. Stand Up Comedy

DMB rhythm

Two towers

Fall down, stand up

Lyrics had to have come last

Stop helping God across the road like a little old lady

Historical references...do some research

Small man with big ideas, ha!

Humming into the bridge

Solo in the bridge

They think it’s hardcore, with a few changes it would be.

8. FEZ - Being Born

FEZ- great contrast – Let me in the sound…sounds like Great Expectations sndtrk song…look that up. [edit: "Siren" Tori Amos]

Being Born- driving intro…we’re gonna go somewhere in this song.

Layer 2- Holy… elevated (who’s playing piano?)

Verse – brought it back down, but Larry’s still driving us

Adam – nice

African sun

Chorus? Is this a chorus or a bridge? Is there a chorus? Well crafted structured. Here’s a bridge.

10 bucks says Bono wanted to have some anthemic chorus at one point but simplified it.

How would this look live?

Transistions to drop down for next song.

9. White As Snow

This takes me to Ireland or Sarajevo.

Sounds like Sinead could sing this

Good bridge (?) Lanois on steel string?

There’s Bono’s voice.

10. Breathe

Rhythm intro…

Edge + piano

Rough scratch

John Lennon sounding

3 things 3

These days are better than that

Loose electricity

Strong chorus

Can see this being incredible live

Strings

Solo pulls us into a bridge

Chorus is the simple U2 chords we’re used to.

11. Cedars of Lebanon

Ladies and gentlemen, it’s "Love is Blindness"

Intro dissolves

Great percussion

It’s a talkie

Interesting little chorus with the harmony

Return the call to home

Very Eno/Lanois sounding with strings and keys

Abrupt end, brilliant

Feels like "Promenade", but much darker

Remember To Remember Me: Wilco Plays Anchorage's Moose's Tooth

There's something to be said for a band that can make the opening line of a concert "I dreamed of killing you again last night, and it felt alright to me" sound beautiful. That's the opening line of "Via Chicago", which Wilco used to open their Anchorage show Saturday night. Anchorage did well filling the parking lot of Moose's Tooth despite the rain. It rained all day and all night Saturday, but it didn't stop people from showing up and showing Wilco much deserved love. Jeff Tweedy made several references to the weather and the hardcore Alaskans who refused to let it affect us. The set was flush with popular tunes with a few new songs mixed in. One of the new songs was ironically "Sunny Feeling." The crowd was into it and stuck it out despite the weather. The mix of beautiful folk based songs overlayed by loud and rowdy bursts from Nels Cline and Glenn Kotche were perfectly executed. Overall, it was pretty surreal to see Wilco playing Anchorage. Local guys The Whipsaws (who've gotten plenty of pub on this blog) opened the show with a high quality set any band in the states would be proud of.

Anchorage Daily News Review (set list is in the comments of the ADN article)

Everyday Music Series: Dave Matthews Band, Before These Crowded Streets (1998)

I've often thought of the mixed feelings that must be associated within a musician when they put together a great album. There's so much work that to have a successful product must be so satisfying, but there must also be a sense of anxiety. To make a great album, so many things have to come together perfectly. There needs to be great songwriting, great performances, and great production. A record company would also say that the marketing of the album is key to making it great too, but so many great albums don't get discovered until well after the record company has stopped promoting them, the art of a great album will be timeless. All three facets I mention above need to be solid. A collection of well written songs can get lost if the performance lacks depth or the production doesn't bring it all together.
An album like Before These Crowded Streets is one of those times that songwriting, performance, and production all came together. People that loved Dave Matthews for songs like "Satellite" and "Crash" probably had a hard time initially getting their heads wrapped around BTCS, because with a couple of exceptions, the album went in a different direction that previous DMB albums. To me the album is a perfect melding of darker, minor key undertone with melodic almost anthemic bridges and choruses. There's a common feel throughout the album. The first single released from the album was "Don't Drink The Water" which set the tone for the mainstream reaction with it's haunting, deep rhythm set against an uplifting chorus. Mix in Bela Fleck's bango and Alanis Morissette's background vocals and it's hard to find a piece of the spectrum that isn't used by producer Steve Lillywhite. The songs are thick but still had commercial appeal with "Stay (Wasting Time)" and "Crush" getting lots of airtime back in the day. Well worth tracking down a copy and giving it a second shot. Near perfect albums are rare, and I'm not sure Dave Matthews has released anything close to the perfection of Before These Crowded Streets. My favorites are "Pig", "Halloween", "Don't Drink the Water", "The Stone" and "Crush".

New Music Tuesday: Re-Arrange Us and Get Better

I've had "Get Better" rattling around my head for the last few weeks whenever something else isn't distracting my mind. I purposely avoided the pre-release that Mates of State was offering on their myspace page...and boy did it pay off. This morning I grabbed the new album off of AmazonMP3 ($7.99 as opposed to the $9.99 iTunes is charging) and I love it. I've only listened to it twice all the way through it, but already love the energy and feeling of the album. Don't ask me to explain any deeper meaning of the video below for "Get Better" just know that it's my song of the summer so far. As I've done before I highly recommend checking out 2006's Bring It Back and add Re-Arrange Us to the list of must have albums for 2008. I will warn you now that this album could lead to smiling, dreaming better dreams, foot tapping and a general feeling of hope. If I were a Portlander still, I'd drop everything and drive to Bend to see them play the Schwab on Saturday. Enjoy the vid.

New Music Tuesday: Revisiting Matthew Ryan vs. The Silver State

Life hasn't gotten any less hectic since I cut my Matthew Ryan review to 6 words, but in all the busyness, I've had plenty of time to digest the new album. The album kicks off with "Dulce Et Decorum Est" which not only sets up the album, it showcases the eloquence and beauty Ryan puts into crafting his songs. The title is Latin for "it is sweet and right" and the rhythm, melody and the haunting echo of Kate York's vocals draw me in to where I almost don't notice the introduction of the violin into the sound scape. One of the elements I've always loved about Matthew Ryan's music is the way he injects his unique whisper-like voice into the songs whether they are a slow or an upbeat song, it's still a bit of sadness and joy mixed up. Other highlights on the album are "Closing In" and "Meet Me By The River" wherein Brian Bequette adds haunting guitar to the picture drawn. "A Rainy Night in Soho" ("Now I'm not singing for the future/though I'm not dreaming of the past/I'm not talking about the first time/I never think about the last") is best taken with two fingers of whiskey, neat in a rocks glass. Again Matthew Ryan brings blue collar themes that are reminiscent of Springsteen like in "American Dirt", but in the same breath there are elements that sound like an analog new wave. The combo that was assembled to record this album pushed Ryan's brilliance to a new place. While he revisits some of the energy of his earlier records, it's definitely more sonic and organic than his last album From a Late Night High Rise which leaned a lot on the quiet and electronic. If you ask me, he has a strong enough track record that he's set himself up to be a can't miss artist from here on out. Matthew Ryan vs. The Silver State is a solid addition to the library. Just don't confuse him with (near)future first round draft pick Matt Ryan.

Update:
I forgot to include the tour dates for the MRVSS Tour...no West Coast, and of course no Alaska, but if you find yourself anywhere near these dates, it'll be well worth your time and effort to see him live.

May 1 ASHEVILLE, NC The Grey Eagle
May 2 ATLANTA, GA Eddie's Attic
May 3 CHARLOTTE, NC The Evening Muse
May 4 RALEIGH, NC Berkeley Café
May 6 ARLINGTON, VA The Iota
May 7 NEW YORK, NY The Living Room
May 8 PHILADELPHIA, PA World Café Live
May 9 PITTSBURGH, PA Thursday's
May 10 INDIANAPOLIS, IN Sam's Saloon
May 13 CHICAGO, IL Schuba's
May 14 CLEVELAND, OH Beachland Tavern
May 15 ANN ARBOR, MI The Ark
May 16 FORT WAYNE, IN Come2Go
May 17 NASHVILLE, TN Mercy Lounge

New Music Tuesday: 6 Word Quick Reviews

I spent a lot of time today listening to Matthew Ryan's new album and R.E.M.'s new album. Without enough time to do either of these albums justice with a Tuesday night review, I give you 6 word reviews. Click on images to go to Amazonmp3 where you can purchase or sample.
Matthew Ryan - Matthew Ryan vs. The Silver State
Beauty that sneaks up on you.
R.E.M. - Accelerate
Best R.E.M. album since 1994's Monster.

Below, a screenshot of what my morning looked like...just a snippet of hours of great music. (More)

New Music Tuesday: Tuesday Mornings & Wednesday Nights

So I broke my recent rule of not buying music via iTunes on Tuesday. I admit it. My one caveat I mentioned was that I would buy exclusives, and that's what got me to give them my money. I bought Counting Crows' Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings from iTunes because there was an exclusive bonus track or two that wouldn't have been included in an Amazonmp3 purchase. I'm impressed with the album. If you don't know anything about it, as the title suggests it's a 2-part album representing the contrasts of Saturday Nights (sin) and Sunday Mornings (redemption). There's beauty, there's emotion, there's some great songwriting. It's hard to believe their last full album came out in 2002. In some ways though, isn't it a little hard to believe that 2002 was that long ago? If you're like many and only buy a few songs here and there, I recommend "Insignificant", "Washington Square" (he's talking about Dublin, Ireland and not Dublin, California, despite mentioning traveling the highway from Dublin to Berkeley[ref]), "Los Angeles" (written with Ryan Adams during the recording of Adams' Gold), "Cowboys", and "Le Ballet d'or"

The whole album is worth the purchase (with or without bonus tracks). Here's the link to Amazon.

New Music Tuesday: Catching Up on New Music

If you've been reading me for a while, you know I used to be pretty diligent about posting every Tuesday about the new music that was released that day that I could recommend. It's been a while...in fact you have to go back to September when I bought 3 albums with 3 services (iTunes, eMusic, and Amazonmp3). So this is a bit of catching up on new music over the last few months that I can recommend...because you can be sure that I purchased (or received a demo) all of these selections. And to show progress made since testing the 3 services, I now download the majority of my music via Amazonmp3 and eMusic...resorting to iTunes only for an occasional exclusive or free iTunes plus content.

Drive-By Truckers - Brighter Than Creation's Dark
A very solid post Jason Isbell album with some great contributions from bassist Shonna Tucker.

Cat Power - Jukebox
Another great covers album from Chan. I think I've mentioned her philosophy on covers before, but I tend to agree with her when she sings the way she does.

Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
I don't think I've read a single review that doesn't compare this album to Iron & Wine or Nick Drake...can't really argue with the comparison, nor can you go wrong being compared to them.

Mike Doughty - Golden Delicious
A great mix of sounds on the follow up to an MKinMotion favorite (Haughty Melodic)...and who didn't have at least 27 Jennifers (Jenns, Jennys, etc) in their school? And a rock n roll blogger on top of all that.

Nada Surf - Lucky
Very solid album from indie rock die hards.

Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
As mentioned in a previous post, they've already played the talk show circuit and SNL, and there's still a good chance you haven't listened to their album...go on, give it a shot.

Chris Walla - Field Manual
Guitarist and producer from Death Cab (and Portlander) busts out a great little album with plenty of depth.

Kaki King - Dreaming of Revenge
I'm not sure any one can keep up with Kaki on guitar...definitely good, definitely unique.

Kate Nash - Made of Bricks
There something about her accent...

The Black Crowes - Warpaint
Riche was more excited about this one, but there's plenty about this album that takes me back to Shake Your Money Maker and The Southern Harmony... glory days.

Daniel Lanois - Here Is What Is
To most he's both more known and unknown as a producer of U2, Peter Gabriel, Bob Dylan, etc, but the guy can put together great songs. Now available via traditional methods as well.

Jason Collett - Here's To Being Here
Another solo album from Broken Social Scene's Jason Collett...but this one feels more like he's into it than some other solo stuff I've heard. I consistently catch myself loving songs as they come up on random on the iPod.

Gary Louris - Vagabonds
I could go on and on about The Jayhawks and Golden Smog...and I have...so I'll cut right to saying this album lives up to what you would assume would happen when an Americana royal does a solo album.

And released this week:
The Dodos - Visiter
These guys opened for Hothouse Flowers back in September 2006 in San Francisco and they've got a great unique sound.
She & Him - Volume One
This is a collaboration of Portlander M.Ward and actress Zooey Deschanel.

Next week I might be too wrapped up in Counting Crows new release to post a review of it...a long time coming. What music has grabbed you lately?

If You Want To Make The Best Album in 2008...

...learn a lesson or two from these artists.

It's that time of year again....everyone else is doing it so why shouldn't I? 2007 has been a long, funny diverse year in my life and the music business has been pretty much on par with it. I'm breaking lists in half this year to recognize not only the best albums of the year, but also the breakthroughs, discoveries, fresh looks too. Obviously neither list is in any particular order.

First the 13 best breakthroughs...
Deerhunter - Cryptograms
Au Revoir Simone - The Bird of Music
Peter, Bjorn & John - Writer's Block ("Young Folks" might scream 2007 in 5 years, but it might be the song of the year...and a good ringtone)
Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?
St. Vincent - Marry Me
Foreign Born - On the Wing Now
Amy Winehouse - Back to Black (surprised?)
Elvis Perkins - Ash Wednesday
Okkervil River - The Stage Names
Stars - In Our Bedroom After the War
I'm From Barcelona - Let Me Introduce My Friends (Incidentally makes a frigid Alaska day feel a bit warmer)
Kathy Diamond - Miss Diamond to You
Coconut Records - Nighttiming

The 13 Best Albums of 2007
Josh Ritter - The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter
Bruce Springsteen - Magic
Wilco - Sky Blue Sky
Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
Feist - The Reminder
Ryan Adams - Easy Tiger
Band of Horses - Cease to Begin
Radiohead - In Rainbows
Kings of Leon - Because of the Times
The Shins - Wincing the Night Away
The National - Boxer
Bjork - Volta

And finally 13 albums I know I'm leaving off...but they're not far from the list
Travis - The Boy With No Name
Eisley - Combinations
KT Tunstall - Drastic Fantastic
Beirut - The Flying Club Cup
Colin Hay - Are You Lookin' At Me? (great cameo in Scrubs in season premiere of Scrubs)
Son Volt - The Search
Paul McCartney - Memory Almost Full
Athlete - Beyond the Neighbourhood
The Broken West - I Can't Go On, I'll Go On
Iron & Wine - The Shepherd's Dog
Nine Inch Nails - Year Zero
Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank
Dan Wilson - Free Life

Incidentally I'm looking forward to some very promising new records in 2008, but that's another post.

And in case you missed it, here is my post for the Best of 2006. And get your copy of Superbad Tuesday.

What Comes After August?

I won't title this "New Music Tuesday", but I wouldn't feel right if I didn't highlight a new release this week. Counting Crows released a reissue of August and Everything After. August is one of the most special albums for me coming out of the 90's for its influence and its timelessness. Along with the original 11 tracks, come 6 demos from that time period and if you buy from iTunes, they throw in an amazing concert from France. The version of "Round Here" from the Elysee Monmarte show (a version that was a b-side on one of the singles on Recovering The Satellites - Remember singles?) is worth the $14.99 iTunes is charging for 30 tracks. They know how good the "Round Here" version is as they've made it "Album Only". If you've been reading MKinMotion.com for any length of time, you've probably been inundated with how much I love this album and this band. The reissue of August and Everything After is great in and of itself, but also serves as a perfect primer for the first all-new album from the Crows since 2002's Hard Candy. Saturday Nights, Sunday Mornings is set to be released in November and has already generated quite a bit of buzz with fans and non fans alike.

New Music Tuesday: Make the Right Moves

(photo credit: Ko(char *)hook)

I caught myself editing this post because I've been using too shiny of hyperbole to describe how excited I am that Josh Ritter's new album is downloading from iTunes as I type. I've been hearing snippets for a few months and everything I've heard leads me to believe that it's a great follow up to The Animal Years (#6 best album of 2006). When I saw Josh play at the Swedish American Hall just before I left California for Alaska, it was a sweet sweet cherry on the top of a wonderful sundae of live music in my time down there. Well, although I've begged a little, I doubt that Josh Ritter will be scheduling any Anchorage dates this time around...but at least he's supplying plenty of music to make up for it. If you've listened to any of Ritter's music, it's clear that his narrative style is reminiscent of Guthrie and Springsteen...if it sounds like he's smiling while he's singing, it's a good chance he is. The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter has all the promise to cement itself ready to top the 2007 list of best albums. If you're not convinced by my preview, do a little investigation for yourself. You can download the Paste Culture Club podcast from 7/27/07 for samples or his website. iTunes has the album for just $9.99 but it contains 19 tracks (5 bonus tracks) and you can't go too far on the internet without stumbling upon the leaked track "To The Dogs or Whoever." You should also take a swing at "Right Moves." Portland, he's coming at you for two shows at the Aladdin, so get out there and show the Idaho native some lovin'...you won't regret it. His tour, sponsored by Paste Magazine, and involves his full band. The dates are below.

Speaking of Paste, in answer to my issue of having not received a CD sampler in one of my magazines, their customer service department (pretty sure it's outsourced) added a month to my subscription as an apology.

Another note, while I'm taking the time for a rare post, if you're on Myspace, you'll need to check out the songs Matthew Ryan's been posting...lots of good stuff. I'm in hate with Myspace right now, but seeing as MRyan was the reason I started an account, I'm still loyal to his posted music.

03-Oct-07 Northampton, MA - Pearl Street Ballroom

04-Oct-07 Boston, MA Somerville Theater

05-Oct-07 Boston, MA Somerville Theater

06-Oct-07 Westport CT - TBC

09-Oct-07 Washington D.C. 9:30 Club

11-Oct-07 Charlottesville, VA - TBC

13-Oct-07 Lewisburg, WV - Carnegie Hall Performing Arts Center

14-Oct-07 Charleston, WV - Mountain Stage radio show

15-Oct-07 Ann Arbor, MI - Blind Pig

16-Oct-07 Chicago, IL - Park West

17-Oct-07 Minneapolis, MN - Cedar Cultural Center

18-Oct-07 Boulder, CO - Fox Theater

20-Oct-07 Boise, ID - Egyptian Theater

21-Oct-07 Seattle - Showbox

22-Oct-07 Portland - Aladdin Theater

23-Oct-07 Portland - Aladdin Theater

24-Oct-07 San Francisco - Bimbo's 365 Club

25-Oct-07 Los Angeles - El Rey

27-Oct-07 Tucson, AZ -Plush

29-Oct-07 Austin, TX - the Parish

31-Oct-07 Birmingham AL - Workplay

01-Nov-07 Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse

02-Nov-07 Nashville, TN - Exit-Inn

03-Nov-07 Louisville, KY - Headliners

04-Nov-07 Cincinnati, OH - Southgate House

0?-Nov-07 Carrborro, NC - Cat's Cradle - TBC

07-Nov-07 Philadelphia - World Cafe Live

09-Nov-07 New York - Webster Hall

Concert dates cut and pasted from email rec'd from publicist, so make sure to check with your local sources to confirm date and venues.

Also releasing 8/21 is the new Rilo Kiley, Under the Black Light (though not available yet at midnight EST like Josh Ritter). An album I was excited about until I heard the first single, "The Money Maker" and was a bit disappointed.

I should also mention that I've really been digging Eisley's new album, Combinations, it's pretty rockin compared to their previous work.

UPDATE: After listening to The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter most of the day today, I can thoroughly and whole heartedly recommend you pick it up. A little bit of everything for everyone.

New Music Tuesday: Catching Up On Tuesdays

It's been a few weeks since my last New Music Tuesday. I wanted to spotlight 4 albums that have been released over the last few weeks. All end up being great summer music, so it's fitting they're in rotation now.

Josh Rouse - Country Mouse, City House (iTunes) (Amazon)
This one came out today. It reminds me of his live show I saw last May. It's very solid and fun. You can even catch him smiling through the songs from time to time. If you're gonna do the one song to help you decide thing, I recommend "Hollywood Bass Player" or "Nice to Fit In."

Ryan Adams - Easy Tiger (iTunes) (Amazon)
You may not trust my Ryan Adams review because I think the more of this guy we get to hear, the better his catalog starts to be. Easy Tiger is another classic. There are moments when I swear I'm back in 2001 listening to Heartbreaker or Gold and there are moments when the presence of the Cardinals is nice and obvious...you might even hear a little something reminiscent of Whiskeytown. A very solid record, and after all it had been since December of 2005 since his last release. Just do yourself a favor and pick up the album...but if you're not sure, try "Off Broadway", "Two" or "Halloweenhead."

Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga (iTunes) (Amazon)
I'm hooked on this album. There are some great hooks on this album and as I mentioned for all of these albums, it's classic summer music. Fun poppy with an edge, just waiting for you to pop it in your iPod and cruise around town. "You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb" is definitely on my Summer of 2007 mixtape.


St. Vincent - Marry Me (iTunes) (Amazon)
St. Vincent is Annie Clark's project. You may remember her from such indie classics as Sufjan Stevens and Polyphonic Spree. She's got a lot of talent with a unique sound and songwriting vibe. My first impression a few months ago was that it was a pretty even blend of Sufjan and Regina Spektor...which makes for an original flow. Try on "Now.Now." for size.

With the exception of the Ryan Adams record, the rest are also available on eMusic.com a great subscription service with lots of rare, exclusive, and independent music...not to mention a lot of free stuff too. If you've never checked it out, do it.