This album is the ying to my yang. It's a little more poppy than some of the music I find myself returning to over and over, but I can't help it... I love Lissie. This album is a little different than her earlier releases with some tracks like Stranger having a little more of a 60's swinging vibe. If that's not your jam it may throw you off a little, but don't worry - Lissie comes back into her own with tracks like Bully, In Sleep and When I'm Alone. Overall, a perfectly good album to whittle away the days of pumpkin carving and spiced cider.
Chris Pureka: How I Learned to See in the Dark
Okay okay.... so this album came out late spring of this year, but I can't think of any more time of year when its songs are more apropos than fall, especially with titles like Song for November, Hangman and imagery like haunted barns and sinking ships. This is one album that when no one else is around, I blast at full tilt... letting all the feeling and emotion from Chris's music just seep in. As opposed to her earlier albums, Chris is playing with a full band on this one and it helps adds a darker, more dynamic sound that really pushes a musical threshold doubled with lyrics that can just cut right through you. I could listen to this or any thing Chris has released for that matter, every day and never grow tired of it. Favorite track from this album: Shipwreck.
The Head & the Heart: The Head & the Heart
I first ran across this amazing five piece band out of Seattle last month when they opened up for Fences at Mississippi Studios here in Portland. Normally, the opening band on a bill has the smaller audience... so I was thinking that I could arrive right about show time and stand towards the front with no problem at all. And boy... I was wrong on all accounts. Seriously, the venue was packed for these guys (and gal) and I mean... people came for THEM - it didn't take too long to see why. Bright, poppy, catching, with highs and lows and dramatic climaxes to songs that keep you coming back for more, throw in a florish of instruments and a dash of Americana... and you've got yourself a pretty amazingly new band to delight your head and your heart with. I hardly ever buy a CD at a show... but I loved these guys so much I walked out with their CD in hand. It's been on heavy rotation ever since. My two favorite tracks are: Down in the Valley & Lost in My Mind.
To start off, I've been a fan of Fences/Chris Mansfield for a while. Maybe it's because he cut his teeth with the material for his new album (produced by Sara Quin... you know, from Tegan and Sara) for a bit up and down the PNW coast and I saw them pretty much every chance I got. So, to hear the material that I've listened to and watched live come to full fruition on a disc, it's pretty sweet. Especially when you layer in some Sara singing background vocals in songs like: My Girl the Horse. Aside from the song "Girls With Accents" I'd suggest that you not listen to Fences when you want to get pumped for an evening out on the town... it's best to stick with the Lady GaGa for that, but when you want to listen to an album and really feel the music, pop in Fences self titled debut album. Expect to hear a lot more from him.
Granted, their album Infinite Arms came out this early summer, but I've just now recently gotten around to digesting them. Maybe it's the slower pace of fall and desire to listen to more layered sounds, like burying myself under blankets and sweaters to keep out the on coming cold, this album and the whole BOH discography are racking up the play counts on my itunes. My favorite from the new album is: On My Way Back Home.
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