Posts from — February 2008

The Frames-Fitzcarraldo
I’d never heard of this band until I saw Once (what a great movie, btw). I got The Swell Season right after seeing it, but wanted some more and so I started at the beginning.

Download count: 29

How awesome is this?

A little while ago I was back by the computer, by myself, and I played the song Low Self Opinion by Rollins Band (click the link for a demo). After listening for a minute or so, Megan came back to share a story.

When I started the song, Geneva, who was in the other room with Megan, said to her, “Why is Daddy listening to that weird music”? Megan answered, “I don’t know. But you always can go ask him.”
Geneva then replied, “No. It’s because he likes that rock music”.

I got a few singles today…

All That She Wants and The Sign by Ace of Base. These are from a compilation album called Singles of the 90′s.

Love Will Tear Us Apart by Joy Division. It’s from a live album called Let the Movie Begin, so it’s not as clean as the album version – mostly in the vocals. But emusic doesn’t have the album, and it’s still a pretty good recording.

Zombie by The Cranberries. From a compilation of Irish bands called Emerald Rock. Pretty cheesy compilation title.

Download count: 18

Here’s the start of my listing my emusic downloads, complete with a new category. Sign up for a free trial (50 downloads!)

Stars-In Our Bedroom After the War
I’d heard about this when it first released in September, but it wasn’t until now that I downloaded it. I like the mix of male and female vocals, with the touch of electronic in the music. It has a sort of updated 80s vibe here and there. The female voice sounds a bit like Leigh Nash.

Leif Garrett-The Final Countdown (single)
I have no idea who Leif Garrett is, or why he has as single of Europe’s hit song. But there you go… I was reminded of the song by a friend, and images of GOB Bluth in my head made it impossible to not download it.

Download count: 14

Just Foreign Policy has a new Web video that shows the dangers of an armed U.S. intervention in Iran and the promise of diplomacy. The short video gives the background of U.S.-Iranian relations and the awful consequences of the last intervention the U.S. made in Iran: the overthrow of the democratically elected Mohammad Mossadegh.

Check it out and then share it:

http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/iran/video.html

Ron Paul will be speaking at Liberty University’s convocation this Friday, February 8, at 10am. See you there!

*Edit: maybe. It is confirmed.

I’ve been a subscribe to emusic for several years now, and I really enjoy it. I pay ten bucks a month and get 40 downloads. They’ve cut that down to 30 a month now, but I’m grandfathered in with the old subscription. Even at 30, though, it’s still far less than the other download services. There’s no DRM (never had it, never will!), and the files are all high quality mp3s. The only perceived downside is that there are no major labels signed with emusic. I don’t mind, since I only buy one or two cds a year from major record labels. Indie is the way I roll.

To keep some content on the blog going, I’ve decided I will post the 40 tracks that I download each month. I usually get entire albums, cut occasionally get singles, or get partial albums with remaining downloads. My downloads refresh this month on the 12th. I haven’t yet decided if I’ll wait until they’re all gone before I post the list, or just post as I make decisions throughout the month.

If you’re interested in giving emusic a try, here’s a referral for 50 free songs.

Below is a growing list of albums that I enjoy that are available on emusic. Most of them I’ve downloaded, but some of them I bought on cd long ago, others are artists that I consider CD worthy. But they’re all great music.

The Weepies-Say I Am You
Arcade Fire-Funeral
Arcade Fire-Neon Bible
Andrew Bird-Armchair Apocrypha
The Khrusty Brothers-The Khrusty Brothers
Don Chaffer-What You Don’t Know
Waterdeep-Heart Attack Time Machine
Waterdeep-To Chase Away the Birds
Waterdeep-Live at the New Earth
Moonbabies-Moonbabies at the Ballroom
St. Vincent-Marry me
The New Pornographers-Twin Cinema
The New Pornographers-Challengers
My Teenage Stride-Ears Like Golden Bats
Glen Phillips-Mr. Lemons
Sufjan Stevens-Illinois
Sufjan Stevens-Seven Swans
Sufjan Stevens-Greetings from Michigan
Sufjan Stevens-The Avalanche
Sufjan Stevens-Christmas Songs (though, you should buy the cds on this one, because it’s a much better deal)
Rosie Thomas-These Friends of Mine
The Decemberists-Picaresque
The Decemberists-Her Majesty the Decemberists
Love Spit LoveLove Spit Love
Pedro the Lion-Achilles’ Heal
Pedro the Lion-It’s Hard to Find a Friend
Pedro the Lion-Control
Josh Ritter-The Animal Years
Mason Jennings-Birds Flying Away
Jars of Clay-Christmas Songs
Sandra McCracken-Gravity | Love
The Innocence Mission-Befriended
Vince Guaraldi-A Charlie Brown Christmas (w/ bonus tracks)
Steven Delopoulos-Straightjacket
Better Than Ezra-Before the Robots
Cat Power-The Greatest
Danielson-Ships
Devendra Banhart-Rejoicing in the Hands
Gillian Welch-Time (The Revelator)
Vigilantes of Love-Audible Sigh
Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova-The Swell Season (this is the album made for the great movie, Once)
The Violet Burning-The Violet Burning
Deadman-Our Eternal Ghosts
Halfhanded Cloud-Thy is a Word and Feet Need Lamps
Pavement-Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain
Spoon-Gimme Fiction
Loreena McKennitt-The Mask and the Mirror
M. Ward-The Transfiguration of Vincent
M. Ward-Post-War
Eric Peters-More Than Watchmen
Eric Peters-Land of the Living
Eric Peters-Miracle of Forgetting
Eric Peters-Bookmark
Eric Peters-Scarce
Beirut-Gulag Orkestar
Beirut-Lon Gisland EP
Beirut-The Flying Club Cup
Belle and Sebastian-The Life Pursuit
Belle and Sebastian-If You’re Feeling Sinister
Belle and Sebastian-Dear Catastrophe Waitress
Ridgely-The Only Thing
Dog Named David-World Traveler
Enter the Worship Circle-Enter the Worship Circle (they call it ‘First Circle’ now, but that’s only because they went on to make more… that didn’t live up to this first offering)
Mark Williams-Becoming the Moon

Moby-Play
Pierce Pettis-Making Light of It
Pierce Pettis-Everything Matters
Pierce Pettis-State of Grace
Pierce Pettis-Great Big World

Five O’Clock People-The Nothing Venture

I have no intention whatsoever of voting for Obama, but I still like this song and video.

HT:Kristen