The Songs of 2013

I want to thank this year for being the year that threw me back into music. When I reflect upon how I became invested in music in the first place, 2006 and 2008 have always been the defining years. I need to add 2013 to that list.

While I've been sharing my favorite songs and albums that were released in 2013, I have a few honorable mentions from prior years that I feel obligated to mention: A New Kind of House EP by Typhoon; The Match by The Eastern Sea; everything Lord Huron; So Far We Are by The French Kicks; The Midnight Organ Fight by Frightened Rabbit; Valley Maker's Self Titled album; Prison Boxing by Cataldo; all of Justin Vernon's prior projects, Counting Sheep by The Crane Wives and Through The Deep, Dark Valley by The Oh Hello's. As always, Rilo Kiley and The Format will always be significant, no matter the year.

Back to the present, this year is the year. Bastille's Pompeii was the most played song, according to my last.fm account. I still can't get sick of it, despite the radio play. r/comeonandslam reminded me that regardless of my folk or music-snobbery leanings, sometimes one of my favorite songs will end up being a Space Jam/ Radioactive mash-up. Whatever. Jumper Cables by Widower, complete with bloodsugar references, was written about me (or, in reality, a girl who could be my best friend). I rarely have a song fit me to a tee that well. When I first heard Hannah Hunt, courtesy of Vampire Weekend, I actually cried.

Pop and mainstream music were also constants and I'm not ashamed. I loved the new Gavin DeGraw singles and drove four hours to my alma mater to see him in concert back in February. J. Cole's Crooked Smile brought back TLC with a bang. I devoured the new Ron Pope song and fully intend to see his show at DC9, even though I'll be surrounded by teenage girls. I am sort of ashamed over having Pitbull and Ke$ha's Timber on this list but I can't stop dancing in my car when I hear it on the radio. 

If I could, I would add every song released this year from Typhoon, Valley Maker, Folly and The Hunter, Volcano Choir, Hey Marseilles and Pickwick to this list. Did I just give away my top 6 albums? Yes.

I tried narrowing this down to just one-hundred and I couldn't make it happen. There's no order - throw these on shuffle and enjoy the ride.

Round I:

Opportunist by Miyazaki

Love Lost by Roo and the Howl**
Gallup, MN by The Shouting Matches
Chicago by Fort Frances**
Best I Ever Had by Gavin DeGraw
Braving the Wind by The Sun Kite
Prom Night by Anamanaguchi
Moonless by Blatant Neon Ion**
Watch for Deer at Dawn by Folly and the Hunter
Well, You Left by Rilo Kiley
Foreign Bodies by Radiation City
Radioactive Slam by MuhLurs**
I Dreamt Blues by Vikesh Kapoor
Something to Get You By by Genders
Somebody to Love by Valerie June
Hannah Hunt by Vampire Weekend (<3)
Halls of Columbia by Pickwick
Burn by Ellie Goulding
If I Could Change Your Mind by HAIM
The Mission by Valley Maker**
Song For Zula by Phosphorescent
Tiff (feat. Justin Vernon) by POLIÇA
Casino (Bad Things) by Houndmouth
Comrade by Volcano Choir
Royals by Lorde
Bird Balloons by Lady Lamb the Beekeeper
Thinking About You by Typhoon
Step Out by Jose Gonzalez
Change by Churchill
Bad Kingdom by Moderat
Hurricane by MS MR
Young Fathers by Typhoon
I Have Been Lost by The Petticoat Tearoom

Round II
City By The Sea by Fort Frances
Byegone by Volcano Choir
I Remember You by Rilo Kiley
100 Years by Typhoon
East Coast Girl by Cayucas
Ivory Black by Seryn
Brother by Swear and Shake
Chain My Name by POLIÇA
Inside Out by Andrew Austin
Still by Daughter
Bang by Elin Ruth
The Round by Pickwick
Only Time by Valley Maker**
Tall Tall Shadow by Basia Balut
When We Fall by Timshel
Good Times by The Changing Colors
Everlasting Arms by Vampire Weekend
Promise of Lakes by Luray
Stay Awake by Ellie Goulding, Madeon
Dead Man's Dance by Bradford Loomis
Science/Visions by CHVRCHES
Jumper Cable by Widower
Blankets by Matthew Fowler
Modern Jesus by Portugal. The Man
Hey Stranger by Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers
Move by Mausi
A Clear Mind, A Better Time by Del Water Gap**
Blood & Bones by Paper Bird
Bright Stars Burning by Hey Marseilles
Agape by Bear's Den
Sex by The 1975
Step Into My Life (Restless) by Marshall Lewis**
Wake Me Up by Avicii

Round III
Possible Deaths by Typhoon
Little Too Late by Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers
Lick My Wounds by Ron Pope
Drop The Game by Flume, Chet Faker
Line of Fire by Junip
Crooked Smile by J. Cole, TLC
Bagel Girl by Black Checker
Put On, Cologne by Donovan Woods
Recovery by Frank Turner
Obey Your Guns by Matrimony
Ever Loved Once by Blitzen Trapper
Island by Wyatt Overman
Sask by Donovan Woods
Wildewoman by Lucius
Inside My Head by The Parkington Sisters
Play It Right by Sylvan Esso
Abandon by Modern Kin
Wyoming by Water Liars
Cherry Blossoms by Night Beds
The Fold by Ivan & Alyosha
Call Me In The Afternoon by Half Moon Run
You Don't Love Me Like You Used To by The Lone Bellow
The Breach by Dustin Tebbutt
Little Numbers by BOY
Sonsick by San Fermin
Heart Beats by Hey Marseilles
Acetate by Volcano Choir
Love of a Life by Kelijet, X Ambassadors
The Wire by HAIM

Round IV
Ships Pass by Paul Cook and the Chronicles
Wax & Wane by Alana Henderson
Dreaming by Smallpools
Low Wishes by Air Review
Never Wanted Your Love by She & Him
Fifth In Line to the Throne by Camera Obscura
Fireworks at Night by Campfire Ok
San Francisco by The Mowgli's
Timber by Pitbull, Ke$ha
The Great Northwest by Mighty Oaks
Of Space and Time by City and Colour
Dreams of Cannilbalism by Typhoon
Bad Habit by Foals
Out of My League by Fitz and the Tantrums
Weight by Mikal Cronin
Tides by Hey Marseilles
Closed Hand, Full of Friends by Foy Vance
Jack and Jill by Jon Morgan**
Ghost by Folly and the Hunter
Dear Pressure by Miracles of Modern Science
From This Valley by The Civil Wars
Moth In The Porch Light by Folly and the Hunter
Pompeii by Bastille
Wait Up For You by The Belle Game
North Carolina by Little Chief
Thunder Clatter by Wild Cub
Need The Sun To Break by James Bay
Summer Jam by Twinsmith
Grace For Saints and Ramblers by Iron & Wine
Riptide by Vance Joy
Faultlines by Field Division**

** Not Available on Spotify, therefore linked.

Chicago (Sufjan Stevens Cover) by Fort Frances

With Sufjan Stevens' Chicago, any city could be substituted for the windy city and any individual coming to age, starting over or finding themselves would be able to listen to and understand the complexities behind lyrics. I've always loved Stevens' approach here - upon first listen, the song almost sounds upbeat and peppy. However, peeling back each verse as a layer, the song grows progressively melancholic and any hope for a story to aspire to goes out the window. While some of us can relate here, none of us should really want to.

Fort Frances' cover wears the song's emotion right on the sleeve. From the beginning, anyone will know this story does not have a happy ending. At the very beginning of the song when "I fell in love again" appears, it's predictable by the end of the song a point will be reached where "I've made a lot of mistakes".

I can imagine myself streaming Fort Frances' cover over and over again the minute I decide the district isn't the place for me anymore. I've fallen in love with DC over the past two years, but as flighty of a person as I am, there will likely an incident that propels me to run. With every city there's this cycle one experiences where you: recreate your life, grow as a person, fall in love with the city and everyone within it but inevitably make mistakes and leave.

Within this cycle, I'm somewhere in between falling in love and making mistakes. Sometimes, I'm not so sure how much longer DC will have a hold on me.

You can listen to and download Chicago, as covered by Fort Frances, on Soundcloud. As an additional note, their new EP, Breathing Room, was released last week and is truly fantastic.

Weekend Video: Typhoon @ Room 125 Productions

I'm happy the school year has started once again. Although I'm no longer in school, September means the return of Room 125 Productions' Classroom Sessions. In what may be the coolest class of all time, at Lawrence High School, students have the opportunity to meet with artists and develop their live film-making skills. The Classroom Sessions have featured a wide variety of artists since its inception in 2010, including many of my favorites: Hey Marseilles, Pickwick, The Local Strangers, Water Liars, and The Head and The Heart. Most recently, Typhoon stopped by to perform.

I'll have enough to say about Typhoon's live performances once I publish my recap of their concert at Rock and Roll Hotel, last Wednesday. With this, however, I want to highlight Kyle's response to the question about whether Typhoon's songs are paradoxical. Because, the songs sound upbeat but actually reflect morbid realities. I think his answer here is exceptional and guiding, evidence that he is someone high school students can and should look up to. Despite all the darkness in his life, there's opportunity to make the most out of it (to cast out the light) and I love that sentiment.

By My Side (Everlasting Life) by Valley Maker

In the last twenty-four hours, I've discovered Yes I Know I’ve Loved This World, an album by Valley Maker; listened to By My Side (Everlasting Life), decided that I immediately needed to buy the album without making it past the first few lines of that first track; woke up at 3AM and re-streamed the song; biked to Union Station; endured four hours of my train ride before deciding that I needed the song in my life again; struggled with spotty Amtrak wireless; and was finally able to listen via the Soundcloud app. All the trouble was worth it.

By My Side (Everlasting Life) had that instant chemistry with me from those first few lines: "When the sun lights up your face/ don't give me time/ don't give me space/ just give me something that I can taste/ like you right by my side". After the opening, there's another three minutes of open and beautiful verses. My feelings about music and my feelings about people operate with similar mechanisms. Personally, I'm never sure how to describe the sensation when I meet someone who clicks and takes my life to a whole new plane, however, this song does a pretty damn good job. I want to feel about someone as passionately as the song describes, but I think I'd settle for feeling about someone the way I feel about the song. It's just that good.

Honestly, I've already purchased the album without listening to anything else. Something tells me I'm in for a real treat and I'll save it for the eight-hour trip back to DC.

Austin Crane is the force behind Valley Maker. Some of you may be familiar with his work already - I know I've had a few of his songs pop into my life before. After recording this album in Columbia, South Carolina, he moved out to my lovely city of Seattle! He'll flourish in that scene.

Listen to By My Side (Everlasting Life) and the rest of Yes I Know I’ve Loved This World on Bandcamp or Soundcloud.

City and Colour @ The 9:30 Club

The minute I saw this show pop up on the 9:30 Club website, I bought tickets. That was back in April. I painfully waited five entire months and it was more than worth the wait.

Over the five months, I had developed a few assumptions going into this show. One, Dallas would focus mostly on his new album, an album which is fantastic, but doesn't have that same emotional hold on me that his older albums do. And two, the show would entirely consist of Dallas with his guitar playing acoustic versions of all his songs. These assumptions were silly - Dallas is amazing to his fans and would never short-change us from all the C&C songs we grew up with. He also knows how to rock.

Such as the VC show, I had high aspirations of the front row. It didn't happen - I ended up being 8th in line outside, with another thirty inside. We did see Dallas go back into his tour bus after playing basketball - I think we were all too shell-shocked to say/do anything. The girls behind me weren't paying attention to anything, so my new concert buddy was able to cut the line and join me. I must say, I love going to concerts with people more so than just myself. Although, I'm convinced a person should be as passionately into music as I am to make good company. Carrie fit the bill and I hope to go to more concerts with her in the future.

Lucy Rose and her band opened. She was adorable and I could almost understand why the two sets of couples in front of me were there to see her versus C&C. The band wasn't too cohesive at first but really came together wonderfully by the end of the set. Initially, I think everyone was a bit nervous. I've been listening to her album since the show and I really enjoy and recommended it. At the very least, check out my favorites from the album: Red Face, Lines and Bikes. During the middle of the set, Lucy told the story of her and her band walking around D.C. trying to convince six different record stores to sell the album without luck before the show. For some reason, that story made me really sad. Come on, DC.

After a relatively short period of time, Dallas prepared to enter the stage. The song to welcome him on was strange and we endured an anticipatory minute for his appearance. He and his band came out and started rocking. The Hurry and The Harm was the opening song - I'm a big fan of bands opening their shows with their most recent album's opening song. It's fitting. Of Space and Time and The Lonely Life followed. I still didn't trust Dallas enough at this point to not play his entire new album. When Grand Optimist came on, I knew he'd play a great set with lots of variety. As Much As I Ever Could was an interesting first choice from Bring Me Your Love but he proved that song is underrated. Weightless was the last big rock song from the first part of the show. I can't get over how amazing it was to see that song live. After spending most of the past year with that song as my alarm in the morning, experiencing it during the show woke me up in other ways.

At this point in the show, the band left and we got Dallas all raw and acoustic. Day Old Hate was another intriguing choice that I wouldn't have expected, but greatly enjoyed. Northern Wind was dedicated to a couple Dallas had met previously in the day, who had had a special moment with the song. When I think about it closely, Northern Wind is a far better love song than The Girl. Comin' Home had been on a playlist of mine leading up to the show and I was really happy to experience it live - the song had a way of bringing everyone together to sing.

The third part of the show, once the band had come back on stage, left little to be desired. Sleeping Sickness was just not meant to be this hyped-up rock ballad. I almost couldn't keep a straight face... I feel awful about this but my conflicting emotional feelings tied to that song also didn't help. Thirst, Fragile Bird and Sorrowing Man were all good ending choices, but I was exhausted.

The encore was long. What Makes a Man? was the first song of three and Dallas went through this whole spiel to get the audience to sing with him during certain parts of the song. From here on out, we'd no longer get the chance to interact so intimately with him and it was the perfect song to start saying goodbye with. As much as I was expecting The Girl to be the song of the night, the show, for me, truly ended here.

Looking back, Dallas' stage presence made the show. He's such an approachable-seeming, humble musician. The encouragement to sing along was appreciated and he even called out all the grouchy attendees who were getting upset over all the off-key, off-measure sing-a-longs. A girl was celebrating her birthday in the front row (even had a birthday tiara) and he did a shout out to her (I'm pretty sure that made her year). He casually played off all the "Marry Me Dallas" fangirls by pointing at his ring. The man is chatty and all the interaction with the crowd made this show so memorable and his music somehow more easy to relate to. A two-hour set was long but you could tell how much he was enjoying himself. I also loved how his drinks of choice were a shot of whiskey and a beer - I wasn't expecting anything less.

Mix: Falling Into Fall

(jumping on the seasonal playlist bandwagon)

I'd like to think this mix is synonymous with autumn, as with the fall weather, I couldn't really make up my mind with what direction to go in. Should I cling to Summer or dive head first into Winter? There's a little bit of everything here, somehow, I'm convinced it ties together.

I love fall: pumpkin spice lattes, hot chocolate, apple cider, college football, sweatshirts, the last hookups, those little pumpkin branches from Trader Joe's, turning off the ac unit, cuddling, slower days, longer nights, open patios, and really long walks. Since I'm a Seattle native, I much prefer the crisp cool weather to the miserable district heat.

1. Stop The World I Wanna Get Off With You - Arctic Monkeys 
2. Even Better Yet - The Format
3. Don't Get Too Close - Nathaniel Rateliff 
4. Hey Stranger - Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers 
5. Bikes - Lucy Rose
6. Promise of Lakes - Luray
7. Tessellate - Ellie Goulding
8. Play It Right - Sylvan Esso
9. Tight Rope (Live) - Yeasayer
10. World News - Local Natives
11. The Hurry And The Harm - City and Colour
12. The Breach - Dustin Tebbutt
13. Alaskans - Volcano Choir
14. Love You to Pieces - Jeremy Messersmith 
15. When You Have Arrived - Campfire Ok
16. Hunger and Thirst - Typhoon
17. I Don't Need to Know - Daniel Blue with Meagan Grandall 

Spotify

Weekend Video: Life is a Highway as covered by Folly and the Hunter

Folly and the Hunter is a criminally underrated folk band out of Montreal. While I need to devote an entire post to why Tragic Care is my favorite album of 2013 (despite White Lighter, despite The Hurry and the Harm, etc), now is not the time. I spent a few minutes of my afternoon excitedly discussing Folly with a new friend and I'm inspired to post something.

For now, enjoy this cover of Tom Cochrane's Life is a Highway. I adore how quiet the cover is. The original song and Rascal Flatt's versions embody this upbeat vibe, where the "highway" is nothing but an adventure. Here, we have a much more reflective take, where I can imagine this song accompanying me on a late night drive as I'm pondering where my life has been and where it is heading. It's honest to the intent of the original song and pulls it off in a much different, but appropriate way.

I'm convinced this band can do no wrong.

Pieces & Places: Coffy Cafe

(let's discuss the music I hear in district-area bars, coffee shops and other fine establishments)

Coffy Cafe is one of my three favorite coffee shops in this city. Being from Seattle, I'm extraordinarily picky with both how the coffee is and the overall feel to a place. Coffy has a special place in my heart - the board game group I'm a part of meets here every Wednesday. The coffee is fantastic, the crepes are delicious, the service is top-notch and the best part? It's mod themed. As a thrifter, collector and lover of mid-century-modern vintage decor, I am in heaven.

Date: August 25, 2013. 

Time: Early-mid afternoon. 

Vibe: Mostly the Sunday working crowd. Things are pretty quiet.
Drink of Choice: Large Iced Americano, extra-ice. 

Rio by Hey Marseilles - "Borders can keep me if Rio will have me to dance and to drown." 

I always thought of Hey Marseilles as Seattle's music sweethearts. Rio is one of those songs that instantly brightens my day. The minute I hear the clapping, I smile. 

Reach Out and Touch Someone's Hand by Cataldo - "there's no doubt, it's time to make some new plans." 

Prison Boxing is truly one of the greatest albums to ever exist. Reach Out and Touch Someone's Hand is one of those tracks I always forget to listen to, since it's at the end of the album. I find it honestly hard to move on from Don't Lose That Feeling. But, hearing the song out and about makes me realize how much I've been missing out on.

Way Back When by Kodaline - "Those will be the days that won my soul."

I've barely given Kodaline a listen in the past and that's a shame. This song fit in well here - it has a more old-fashioned sound than a lot of indie-folk nowadays. When I looked this song up, I wasn't entirely sure it'd be modern. 

Verdict: Unfortunately, the music was turned down shortly after deciding to write this. As much as I want them to play 1960's and 1970's music to go with the theme, I'll never be upset with a typical Seattle-esque coffee shop playlist.

I encourage everyone to check out what Coffy Cafe has to offer. If you're ever here on a Wednesday around seven, you'll find me with the board game crew in the back.

{Local] Kalorama by Luray

August is one of my favorite months in DC. While it's usually hotter than all hell, the month brings with it a flood of new people moving into the city. There's a mix of idealism, nativity, and passion that floats through the air. When I moved here, I was warned that DC was a "rough city" to adjust to. At first I didn't believe - the surrealism of living here trumped any and all other feelings I had. After a little bit of time, I agreed.

Kalorama by Luray adeptly describes the transition into this city. Upon first listen, between the gorgeous banjo-strumming and the dreamy folk sound, one wouldn't necessarily think this could be a song about a city, let alone this district.

The more I listen, the more frustrations I hear laced throughout the song. There's mentions of over-priced furniture, judgmental locals, driving around without finding parking and small stores that haven't been opened in thirty years.

Despite all the misgivings, "in Kalorama, we'll make it alright".

Luray is the band of Shannon Carey. Her debut album, The Wilder, was released yesterday and can (should) be purchased on iTunes. The band is being called a familial affair and is drawing comparisons to Bon Iver. S.Carey, her brother was originally the drummer in Bon Iver and even produced The Wilder. Another brother and her husband also contribute to the band. In my opinion, she has a very distinct style that varies vastly from Bon Iver or any of Justin Vernon's other projects. However, if that comparison is what it takes to have the album gain more (deserved) press, I'm all for it.

Listen to Kalorama if you're new to this city. Treat it as a mantra when riding out any rough patches. Listen to Kalorama if you're not new to this city and realize that you have made it alright. You can listen on SoundCloud.

(image of Mitchell Park via Wikipedia)

Home Is by J.D. Vernon

Justin Vernon. When I mention him off-hand and proceed to gush over his brilliance, I frequently get inquisitive looks. When I lead with, "the man behind Bon Iver has other projects that I can't get over", people seem to understand on the surface level. There's always disconnect. Surely, nothing can be as stunning and delicate as Skinny Love or Holocene? Not a single person has ever further inquired about what his other projects involve or why I'm so emotionally entangled in them.  

I find this truly depressing. 

While there's a lot of be said and loved about Bon Iver, I can't get over everything else. 

Home Is, under the moniker of J.D. Vernon, is plausibly my all-time favorite work from Vernon. I hope that notion isn't disheartening, as it is one of his first projects. The album was put out in 2001, twelve whole years ago, while Vernon was only 20. Since then, we've had multiple releases with DeYardmond Edison, The Shouting Matches, Volcano Choir, as Justin Vernon, Gayngs, Bon Iver and multiple other projects. My notion sounds downright mad. However, I find something so enchanting about Home Is that I can't find elsewhere. 

Feels Like Home gives away the answer to the question imposed by the album title within the first minute: "home is where your family sleeps, same country sky is honest like it's always been". Despite the question already being answered, the song sets us up with a roadmap for the rest of the album. We learn further what home is and isn't, should and shouldn't be.  

Feel The Light is gospel-worthy. Initially, listen for the crooning of "peace on earth tonight/ let those stars shine bright/ let our souls feel high/ come on, feel the light" by Vernon and a female counterpart. Subsequently, listen for how Vernon eloquently describes people, places and his feelings. Especially, the line about him wanting to stay in a city, because everywhere people are making the best of their days. 

Breathe is the song to listen to to be reminded of the magic of life. 

May 27th, 1999 (5:23AM) regales a story about a girl leaving home for the first time. Vernon knows how to showcase the stark but realistic thoughts and feelings associated that transition: "so exchange your last looks/ and walk on a field for lost times/ forever isn't a measurement of time". Forever isn't a measurement of time. Saying goodbye is inevitable but not endless. But, home won't perpetually exist either. 

In addition to the above, listen to Leave It Alone and Trainyard Blues for the classic blues stories and harmonicas, When It Rains Down Here for nine minutes of quintessential folk, accompanied with a heart-wrenching violin, and Morning to be surprised when Vernon's brother starts rapping. 

Play the entire album when you want to be reminded of what home is or when you're ready to grow beyond Bon Iver. 

You can listen to Home Is on Youtube or on Grooveshark. For more insight on Justin Vernon as a person, Who, What and Where is Bon Iver?, by Jon Caramanica, is a lovely narrative. 

The Great Northwest by Mighty Oaks

There are two magical places on earth that vie for home in my heart. There's North Bend, Washington and the greater Snoqualmie Valley -- the actual area where I grew up. On the other coast, we have my current neighborhood of Columbia Heights in Washington, DC. With Snoqualmie Valley, I can talk for hours about Rattlesnake Lake, Mt. Si, Snoqualmie Falls, the outlets, the Twin Peaks references, my childhood home, George's Bakery and all the other spots I miss. However, despite those feelings, Columbia Heights generally wins the home battle, if only because of the people. 

Today, Snoqualmie Valley wins. 

My hometown area tends to be heavily influential on musicians, a thought that shouldn't come as much of a surprise. A few favorite examples are the band Snoqualmie (they'll get their own write up soon), The Cascades by the Fleet Foxes, and Twin Peaks by both Surfer Blood and Genders. I'm going to add a new favorite to this list today: The Great Northwest by Mighty Oaks. 

Mighty Oaks are based in Berlin but feature three musicians from three different countries (U.S., Italy and the UK). Together, they released a self-titled EP that went big on Soundcloud. The follow-up to that EP is the Just One Day EP, released on July 5th this year. The band is touring with large acts already -- they have that indie-folk sound and catchy tunes that could easily be played alongside The Lumineers, Fleet Foxes or Imagine Dragons. I have high hopes.

With three musicians from three different countries, I'm glad the Pacific Northwest is part of their inspiration. Not only are their lyrics reflective of this, their overall musical style is. I was honestly surprised when I realized they're neither a Seattle or Portland band. However, one of the members, Ian Hooper, is from the Pacific Northwest. I'm dying to know where. It has to be my hometown area, right?

Regardless, the band knows how to capture the magic:
we lost our sun in the rain // oh my love found me at the right time // my heart is yours, I ask you to be kind // we drove out east to the mighty Cascade range // to the place where the water falls from the heights of Snoqualmie // 

Today, I just want to go home and fall in love.

You can stream The Great Northwest and the entire Just One Day EP on SoundCloud. 

Mighty Oaks – The Great Northwest from Raffaele Mariotti on Vimeo.

(the picture at top is Mt. Si and was taken in my front yard the day before leaving on a plane out east)

[Local] Morning EP by The Sun Kite

I keep lamenting over "breaking into the DC folk scene". To which, my friends and I question whether such a scene exists. I am convinced that it does, but not to the extent I'm used to being from Seattle.

That being said, a release such as Morning by The Sun Kite gives me hope that DC could be a place for folk to cultivate further.

Morning is conceptually, lyrically, and musically themed around, you guessed it, the morning and is the first of three releases. In my opinion, many albums nowadays lack something to tie everything together. I'm not saying every album released should be conceptual, but some sort of cohesion is always appreciated. When I first read the intents behind Morning on the bandcamp site, before listening, I was excited over the prospect but also a little apprehensive about how ambitious the project seemed.

Upon my first listen, I'm happy to say the project is beautifully executed. It's a slow build-up, on purpose, starting from Lantern through Braving The Wind. I think there's no other choice but to follow along with the intent and treat this EP as a niche. Listen to this in the morning -- preferably before the commute, work and that first cup of morning coffee. This is meant for stretching upon waking, embracing the birds chirping outside, taking a morning walk, watching the sunrise and soaking up that quiet morning period before the day actually begins. I'm fortunate enough to live right on the perimeter of Malcom X Park in DC. One of these summer mornings, I'm going to sit next to the fountain and play this through.

Michael Frommack, who self created the EP, reminds me of both Aqualung in the early tracks and Ben Howard in the later. For some reason, while listening to Bluebird Mend, I couldn't get Aqualung's 7 Keys out of my head. It's a strange parallel but I'm going to roll with it.

You can download Morning on The Sun Kite's bandcamp page or listen on Spotify! 

[Local] Moonless EP by Blatant Neon Ion

Once upon a time, an ex-boyfriend of mine declared he was working on a theory that coming to age exists on the spectrum between Frightened Rabbit's Midnight Organ Fight and Neutral Milk Hotel's In The Aeroplane Over the Sea. I sometimes hate how brilliant this sentiment is.

I'm convinced that the Moonless EP by Blatant Neon Ion should be a milepost somewhere on the same spectrum.

With rough vocals that are reminiscent to me of Frightened Rabbit and Foals, Moonless EP is an acquired taste that is quick to acquire to.

The exact lyrics aren't readily available, but this is my interpretation. The album tells a story of a young man going through many of life's themes and downturns and how those themes and downturns continue to exist when a love ends.

Marianna is rooted deep with this theme of time passing regardless of a relationship's existence [didn't feel any time pass at all/ not ready yet/ too scared/ give us our dreams/ don't leave me/ crash]. Moonless delves into a similar theme with the monotony of every day life [fresh pot of coffee/ save me a pot, okay/ it's 7am and I'm leaving/ let me take you to the movies/ tell me you love me again]. Restless Ashes discusses the life cycle in general and possibly how we fit in with the rest of the earth [from here this is all I know/ scatter my restless ashes/ return me back to where I came]. Rocket Summer seems to be a flashback to a nice, simple summer with a lovely lady and the aftermath of trying to not only hold onto the memory but repress it from every day thoughts. I adore the dreamy, softer backup vocals here. Alone spends equal parts of time reflecting on how to exist while alone but also the struggle to navigate back home. This is the perfect ending song -- despite how emotional the whole album is, it still feels like there's a build up that ends here.

I'm sold. This may be my new go-to when things feel particularly rough with life and love.

You can download Moonless EP (for free, or pay as you wish) on Blatant Neon Ion's bandcamp page. 

Beginning by Matthew Fowler

(via r/folk and slowcoustic)

Outside of music and thrifting mid-century modern decor, Reddit is probably the other big facet that my life revolves around. Last night, I subscribed to r/folk and r/indiefolk for the first time. I can already tell these will be frequent stops for me. As I was scrolling through the latest submissions, about a hundred threads down, I noticed a post from an artist himself. Personally, I'm a huge advocate for more artists promoting their music via Reddit. However, a lot of the time, these sort of posts go unnoticed.

That wasn't the case with Matthew Fowler and his album Beginning. The Redditors of r/folk embraced this album with open arms and warm reviews. I concur entirely with just about every comment in that thread.

Blankets and Beginners are what I consider to be the real high points. Blankets astonishes me with the lyrics alone: "I ache to venture out and join to circus/ of people learning how to feel alive". The trumpet seems to be a recurring instrument in the folk songs I've been listening to lately, and I absolutely love its incorporation here. While the trumpet doesn't showcase in Beginners, the melodica ties the song together. I find myself yearning for the vocal-less downtime in this song, just to hear Sam Coplin work his magic on the instrument. The vocals do have a strong showing here as well -- partially due to Fowler's raspy, emotionally-heavy voice and partially due to the lyrics. It really is such a raw, honest love song. "We are beginners, you and I" should really be a mantra for love in my life.

While slowcoustic pegs him as similar to Damien Rice, I find close parallels to Ray LaMontagne, David Gray and Alexi Murdoch as well. Basically, I think I'll be emailing my dad a link to Fowler's album. That's a high praise in my book.

You can download Beginning (for free, or pay as you wish) on Fowler's bandcamp page. It'll go perfectly with that cup of chamomile tea on a rainy day. Or, with everyday life.