Used to be cool…

I’ve been a paid eMusic subscriber for over 3 years now. So it’s about time that I start commenting on the albums downloaded each month. Since my subscription refreshes around the 16th, expect these posts to not-so-randomly appear in the middle at the end of the month.

Los Campesinos! - Hold On Now, Youngster W00t! Fun and poppy indie rock. This album is exactly what you need for those Friday afternoons in the summer. Alright, I’ll admit that it feels a tad repetitive early on, but that can be expected for such frolicking goodness. Listen to “Don’t Tell Me To Do The Math(s)” to get a real feel.

Tift Merritt - Another Country Oh my - am I suddenly a country fan? Tift’s song “Broken” weaved itself into my head via a sampler and hasn’t left in like two months. She has a beautiful voice, and knows how to craft a captivating song in the traditional country sense - not the honky-tonk variety that so many find irritating these days.

She & Him - Volume One M. Ward (the indie guitar god) and Zooey Deschanel (the indie screen goddess) teamed up to create this delightful set of classic pop music. It’s a refreshing throwback to the radio waves of the 60s and 70s. Just start listening to the opening “Sentimental Heart”. If that that doesn’t sound like a throwback to simpler times or, more accurately, if that’s not a throwback you want, just skip this over. Me, I wish I had a pool deck that I could lounge on while listening to such sweet sounds.

The Whigs - Mission Control Someone, somewhere said that “Right Hand on My Heart” was a great freakin’ song. I’d like to thank that person for making me finally listen to the best track off one of the finest albums this year. The hardest reviews are often the ones about albums that are just plain awesome rock. What can you really say? It’s a little sludgey, rather catchy, occasionally cumbersome, but always rocking… Does that make any sense? The Whigs are essentially updating early 90s modern rock. Everybody hates the term post-grunge, but they would have loved it if bands like this got the label.

Cut Copy - In Ghost Colours Holy crap… That should be the entire review. Seriously. I need to create an award called “The Holy Crap! Award”. I’ll give it to the bands that put out an album that makes me sit and say… well, you know. From my first listen to In Ghost Colours there has been almost no hiatus. It’s in the car. It’s on at work. Speakers need to be wired into my shower. This album is everything great about new wave and electro. It’s the Pet Shop Boys on steroids. It’s also a good explanation for why I’m more likely to be hit on by a guy at clubs. Just pop on “Lights & Magic” and watch me go. Put it on repeat for a few hours and I still won’t be tired.

The Rolling Stones - Let It Bleed Wait… The Stones… on eMusic? Yeah. Their early albums on the ABKCO label have been released on my favorite music store. To celebrate, I decided it was time to get reacquainted. And not a moment too soon. With all of their commercialization and refusal to retire well past their prime, it’s easy to forget that The Stones were a revolutionary rock act. Forgetting the popular singles we all know, Let It Bleed is a great place to start for the brilliant rock and blues album tracks that fill their catalog. There’s even a little country - the original “Country Honk” makes this album a must all by itself.

Eliza Carthy - Rough Music I became one of two fans of Eliza Carthy in the States after stumbling upon a copy of Red/Rice 9 or 10 years ago. That double disc set was a stunning collection of folk music that bridged traditional and modern sensibilities. Unfortunately, her debut in these parts came across as a major label attempt to turn her into a pop star. Not terrible, but lacking the unique wonder that Eliza’s music possessed. So after reading that Rough Music was a return to her more acoustic roots, it became an essential download. And while this album may not embrace the electronic experimentation that peppered her magnum opus, it successfully and passionately embraces the folk music that her voice (and fiddle) were made for.

Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago Justin Vernon’s solo debut under the moniker of Bon Iver is every bit as beautiful, touching, haunting, and powerful as the rave reviews suggest. “Skinny Love” grabbed my attention immediately, but after a couple listens the entire album began to unfold for me. While I wouldn’t make a direct musical comparison, there is a strong sense of honesty and intimacy similar to that of singer/songwriter Matt Pond.