My Little Corner Of The World – Volume 33

by Jacob on September 29th, 2009

The Music Tapes – 2nd Imaginary Symphony For Cloudmaking (2002)
I won’t lie. This is one hour-plus track. But something about it is so gripping. It’s read like a children’s story, with the soundtrack coming from Julian Koster’s music mind. It’s the tale of a young boy, named Nigh, as he learns about the art of cloudmaking. The music is perfect, the story written beautifully, and the speaker, Brian Dewan, narrates the story better than anyone I could imagine in his place. The detailed story of Nigh’s imagination is simple and beautiful. Julian Koster has created a compelling piece of music that warms the listener. It’s almost nostalgic, but still has the grand art-filled talent of other Music Tapes releases. – Jacob Price

R.E.M. – New Adventures In Hi-Fi (1996)
It’s quite possible that New Adventures In Hi-Fi is the most underrated album of R.E.M.’s distinguished career. Released in 1996, the album was recorded by the band while on the road promoting Monster as opposed to the more conventional method of using a recording studio situated in one location. Pretty much everything was put onto tape at soundchecks or backstage as they toured across the US. This great sense of adventure is captured fantastically on the 14 tracks. The album certainly carries the feel of constant movement and you can imagine the endless landscape flying by. There’s a chance that songs such as ‘Leave’, ‘New Test Leper’, and ‘Be Mine’ are some of the best R.E.M. songs you may never have heard while ‘E-Bow The Letter’ belongs amongst the best singles the band ever released. New Adventures In Hi-Fi also marked the end of an era for the band as it was to be the final appearance for original member Bill Berry, and what a note it was to go out on. Perhaps the last essential release from one of the finest acts of the “alternative” rock era. – Matthew James

The Thermals – Now We Can See (2009)
The seasoned, intellectual indie-rock trio’s fourth outing, centering on the concept of reflecting on your life from the grave. This album is for the pop-punk enthusiast who craves a little more substance behind the rage, as this record demonstrates witty sentiments on life and love, providing a refreshing alternative to the spiritless Green Days and Rise Againsts of today. The Thermals have created a fresh, nouveau album that would not have meant anything five years ago, but now that “we can see the warnings and the signs, read in between the lines like writing on the wall”, we know exactly what 2009 has been trying to say all along. Give this record a listen while its post-mortem laments are still audible. – Rick Southwick

Champion – Promises Kept (2004)
I’m not straightedge. I’m not even a hardcore kid. And when the opening line to an album is “alone in a crowd, but we’re still standing strong /with x’ed up hands and singalongs”, it’s easy to feel a little bit left out. But you don’t have to be part of the youth crew movement to appreciate what Champion is trying to say in their final and best album Promises Kept. It’s an album about staying true to yourself and those around you, no matter how you identify yourself. – John Spencer

Buddy Holly – Greatest Hits (1996)
A collection of songs taken from Holly’s original three albums, this collection serves as a great introduction to his legend. Being that Holly died tragically in a plane crash at the age of 22, it’s easy to understate the impact he’s had on music. This particular collection is filled with Holly classics. Choice cuts include ‘Everyday’, ‘That’ll Be The Day’, and ‘Peggy Sue’. My all-time favorite Holly song would have to be ‘Maybe Baby’, a broad smile always comes across my face when Holly sings “Maybe baby, I’ll have you for me”. It’s over fifty years now since “The Music” died but truthfully, it continues to live on. From the nerdy look that Costello and Cuomo copied to Lennon’s comments upon entering the Ed Sullivan set or Dylan’s 1998 Grammy speech, all the greats know the importance of Buddy Holly. After listening to this, you will too. – Joe Mateo

Bill Evans – You Must Believe In Spring (1981)
Bill Evans’ most meditative opus is the sound of a rundown figure struggling to see the light, convincing himself that You Must Believe In Spring as autumn’s arrival reveals hints of the tenebrous nights ahead. As is customary with the celebrated jazz pianist, the performances are effortless, this time bolstered by bassist Eddie Gomez and drummer Eliot Zigmund. The interplay between Evans and his cohorts is dazzling, leading listeners to forget about band hierarchy, leaders, or similar nonsense. These are three immensely talented musicians executing one shared vision. Resonant grooves keep the keys in their pocket while percussion gently bides its time before rattling and splashing accents upon the 7 numbers where they require it. One of the predominant traits found in great art is that it’s “true”. Whether it’s entirely fictional or profoundly autobiographical, the offering fits the bill so long as its binding narrative reflects glimmers of reality. Holding spring as one’s respite when the trees have yet to shed their leaves can be rather dicey. With arrant darkness looming and frigid temperatures on the way, faith will inevitably wane in the depths of this tunnel. Evans persists nonetheless, with one foot planted in brumous melancholy and the other in cautious optimism. – Vinh Cao